Late afternoon sunlight washed over the city, soft and gold, casting gentle shadows between buildings as Akari Shikimori made her way down the sidewalk. A small tote bag of groceries swung at her side, filled with snacks, noodles, and a few of Riku's favorite drinks.
She wore a cropped black hoodie and high-waisted gray joggers, her hair tied in a ponytail that bobbed with every step. Wireless earbuds played a mellow track in one ear while she absentmindedly scrolled through her phone.
[Kaede] If I hear you went to that café without me again, I'm disowning you.
[Mai] Tell Riku I said to stop hoarding all your time. Girl's gotta breathe!
Akari grinned to herself and replied quickly.
[Akari] Don't worry. You'll get your gossip brunch soon.
She slipped the phone away and turned a corner, the sun dipping slightly behind a tall building. That's when it hit her.
That weight in the air.
Heavy. Wrong.
Her pace slowed, and she glanced down a nearby alley—narrow, shadowed, empty.
But not quite.
Something was there.
At first, it was just a shape. Pale. Slouched. Then it moved.
Akari froze.
It stepped into the light—or rather, dragged itself forward, limbs disjointed like a puppet. Its head cocked unnaturally, and its hollow eyes locked onto her like pits of despair.
Its skin was stretched and cracking, like dried leather over a starved frame. Its mouth opened, and though it made no sound, she felt a scream echo in her chest.
Her instincts screamed at her to run.
But her legs didn't move.
The curse twitched. Then lunged.
Akari's breath caught in her throat.
In that instant, something inside her—some dormant part—snapped wide open.
A flash of violet energy exploded from her body, not clean or focused, but wild and reactive. The curse was blasted back, slamming against the alley wall with a guttural shriek.
Akari stumbled backward and dropped to her knees, chest heaving.
"What… what the hell was that?!"
The creature rose again, more enraged than injured. It dashed toward her, claws raised.
Akari barely dodged, rolling to the side as its hand tore through concrete. Her body moved on instinct, faster than she should've been able to.
She wasn't thinking.
She was reacting.
Another step. Another strike.
She pivoted, cursed energy flickering around her limbs in chaotic pulses.
Her breathing was sharp. Erratic.
But her eyes stayed locked on the thing.
That's when he landed.
A blur of motion—sharp and clean—followed by a thud and a ripple in the cursed air.
Riku stood between her and the curse, coat still rippling from the sudden stop. His head tilted slightly, eyes narrowing.
"You messed up," he said.
The curse swung wildly—only to be caught mid-motion. Riku's hand closed around its wrist. There was a low hum of cursed energy.
And then—
Snap.
The curse howled as its arm cracked in two. Before it could move again, a flash of Haki and cursed energy surged through Riku's leg as he delivered a devastating side kick, sending the curse flying deeper into the alley.
He didn't chase.
He turned immediately to Akari, kneeling beside her.
"You alright?"
She stared at him, panting. "I… I think so."
Akari stared at the space where the curse had just been, her chest still heaving, heart pounding in her ears.
Riku stepped toward her, slow and steady, his eyes scanning her—not for injuries, but for something deeper.
"You handled yourself well," he said, voice calm. "You moved like you knew what to do."
"I didn't," she admitted, voice trembling. "I just… reacted."
"Exactly," he said. "That's what kept you alive."
She glanced down at her hands—still faintly glowing with residual cursed energy. Her fingers twitched, unsure, unsteady.
"I didn't even know what I was doing," she said. "It felt like something else took over."
"Instinct," Riku said. "That's your cursed energy answering the threat before your mind could."
Akari looked up at him, lips pressed into a thin line. "So what does that mean?"
"It means you're capable," he said gently. "And that we can shape that instinct into something real."
She nodded slowly, her body still rattled, but her eyes clearer now.
"I want to be ready next time," she said. "I don't want to freeze. I want to fight."
Riku reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Then I'll teach you. All of it."
Akari leaned against him, her forehead resting lightly on his chest. His hand moved to her back, steady and grounding.
Behind them, the alley remained silent—just another shadowed place in a city full of them.
...
Guys be honey am I chopped. Cuz I looks like Goku body wise and can left tons of course its me so no big deal.