Riku F. didn't sleep much that night, still plagued by nightmares of the night he was tortured. Though when he woke up, he finally remembered to check his phone for news about Riku L. He did so, seeing the news notifications and everything that had happened to Riku L. He felt a mix of dread and rage at the news, wondering how L. would react to the fact that he was actually a rebel leader. He figured L. would be enraged and demand to know why he left, only leaving him alone for now due to the things that happened to him.
"I guess this is my karma..." He sighed as he sat up and got out of bed, getting a shower and brushing his teeth and such. Afterward he changed into a new uniform and headed out to get breakfast. "I guess he'll know soon enough..." He went to the cafeteria to have breakfast, taking his usual seat and staring at the two empty seats across from him, his eyes growing a bit darker when he recalled that his memories with his friends was all just a lie.
He looked to his right as he heard some footsteps approaching him, Eli standing there beside him. He blinked, rubbing his eyes to see if he was seeing things. "Nope, I'm really here. Come on, let's go." She said.
He tilted his head. "Go where?"
"To the library, in my special room."
"Eh? W-Why?"
She frowned. "...I'm lonely..."
Riku felt an unusual sting in his heart and wanted to clutch his chest, but didn't want to look like an idiot. "A-Alright fine, let's go then..."
Eli smiled as he stood up. "Bring your food, we're gonna eat breakfast in there and watch anime."
"Right, sounds like a blast." He didn't realize the several dozens of eyes on the two of them and the gaping mouths of the women as they walked out. Once they made it to Eli's special room, they did exactly what she said they would do. The two watched anime and ate breakfast, the two not even really speaking to one another, but Jira and Remi faded from Riku's mind nonetheless.
The two continued to watch anime for a little while, Riku watching a young man kiss his lover just before she died in the anime they were currently watching. He thought of the two Riku L. saw as parents in that moment, growing slightly worried about him. He glanced at Eli who was watching the screen intently, seemingly completely focused on it. Riku chuckled to himself and leaned back in his green bean bag. He felt eyes on him and looked over to see Eli staring at him, half pouting and half glaring. "What's wrong?"
"How could you laugh at something so sad?" She mumbled, pouting still.
He blinked a few times. "Oh, the anime." He thought. "I was laughing at you." He laughed softly.
"Eh? W-Why?" She grew flustered.
"It's kinda cute how focused you are on something that's fictional."
She blushed and looked away, stuttering. "I-I a-am not..." He smiled, ruffling her hair a bit. She pouted still. "Anime has made me smile more than reality has...so of course I'd focus on it..."
His smile slowly faded. "I can understand that..."
"While it may be fiction to us, to the people in that world, it's their reality." Riku looked at her, intrigued at what else she had to say. "I believe that every world is connected that way in all honesty. I don't know whether to believe in gods and deities or not because I've never seen them. But I do believe there is one all powerful being controlling our entire reality, the story of our lives, like the author of a book; someone we could never touch no matter what we did."
"What exactly do you mean?"
She held up a book. "In this book, there is a story that was written by someone of this world. That person is the god, the absolute controller of the things that happen to the people in this story and the world in it itself. Just like that, I believe there is someone who does that for this world and its reality and people, and someone who does the same for that person's world and reality. I think It's all one big loop. Or...more like a tree, whose roots and branches twist and tangle around, but meet in a circle."
Riku's eyes widened slightly, but he smiled. "I never thought my resistance symbol would be used in an example like that..."
Eli giggled again, standing up and kneeling in front of him. "Riku, I'm here for you, I promise." Her eyes were serious as she spoke.
Riku smiled a bit and nodded. "At least I have one friend." He sat up, patting her head.
"And I, you. How's Riku L. doing by the way..?" She asked. Riku frowned a bit, slowly explaining L's situation, and Eli's eyes widened. "That's...awful..."
"That it is...but that's how the author of our story wanted it I suppose."
She blinked, sighing. "It's frustrating how we can't even get mad at them, since people in our world do the same and they do it so other people can read and/or watch those stories for entertainment. Who knows, someone might be writing this story to save the world."
"Think of it this way...that essentially means hundreds, thousands, or maybe even millions of people are loving and supporting your character, through your hardships and the pain you experience." He smiled at the realization. "That means there is always someone cheering for you, even if they aren't a part of your reality, or even if there's only a couple dozen."
Eli's eyes widened a little at his take on her belief. "I guess...you're right in a way..."
Riku stood up slowly. "I guess that takes 'You're never truly alone' to a whole new meaning huh?"
"I guess you're right. Remember that the next time you're playing with yourself." Eli giggled playfully.
"Right back at you." He retorted. They both glared at one another before slowly breaking into a fit of laughter.
Suddenly, the intercom went off, an announcement being played. "Riku Fumiya, you are needed in the president's office. I repeat, Riku Fumiya, you are needed in the president's office."
Riku sighed, glancing at Eli with a suspicious gaze. "What could it be this time..?"
"I honestly don't know. She never calls any "Magic" about their training, it just happens. This must be something else. I know you may not like Nishida very much right now, but she's a good person." She gestured to everything around them.
"Yeah yeah, I know... She gave me a home, so I guess I've got no choice but to repay her..." He ruffled his hair.
Eli smiled and stood on a bean bag to pat his head. "Im glad you understand. Good boy."
He rolled his eyes and lightly pushed her, making her fall back on another bean bag chair, and she yelped and giggled in response. "I'll be back weirdo." He waved as he walked out.
"I know you will..." She muttered with a soft smile on her face.
Riku walked down several halls of the building, getting glances from some girls and he heard whispers from a few others, wondering why he could be getting called, others guessing he had done something wrong and gotten in trouble. "Some people are the same everywhere it seems..." He scoffed and stopped right outside Nishida's office, staring at the door, hesitating. "I can already tell this is going to be a pain in the ass..."