Aveline blinked rapidly as soon as she opened her eyes. Expecting Hika was one thing, but the tiny version of herself with a comically large head disproportionate to her body was unexpected.
"I know you can get lonely, Hika, but this is just sad."
Aveline approached, only to see Chibiline stare at her. The tiny, almost doll like, version of herself caused Aveline's heart to ache. She felt a tear begin to form in her eye, only to have a tiny creature barrel into her chest. Chibiline began to nuzzle into her chest, a beaming smile peeking out from between her breasts.
"H-Hika... your little friend is scaring me!"
"You do not recognize her?"
Hika spoke as if it was obvious, but Aveline was dumbstruck for a moment. She held the tiny creature before a flash of light brought a second Aveline to life before her eyes. The feeling in her heart intensified as she wrapped her arms around the younger version of herself.
"Y-you're back! How?! I thought you died! Aveline, you can have your life back now!"
The excitement in her chest was buried as Chibiline reverted to her tiny form.
"I thought you'd have figured it out by now. You're smart, yet remarkably thick headed sometimes. I guess awakening the memories of a man can do that to you."
She smiled as she climbed onto Aveline shoulder and sat there. She leaned her head against Aveline's neck.
"Dummy. I heard about you mourning me. Sitting in here for way longer than necessary."
Aveline was frozen as she tried to process. Her eyes fell on Hika, who had stood and moved around the couch.
"I am sorry, Aveline. I guess... the truth should be told to help you settle. As you know, you are... or were Niall."
Aveline began to approach Hika, the two sitting on the couch. Chibiline settled on Aveline's lap, turning into a child version of her. They sat for a while before Aveline spoke.
"I'm not... I'm not stupid. I can understand what the two of you are insinuating, but if I... if I'm actually Aveline and I was Niall..."
She paused as she winced a little.
"This is making my head hurt."
Hika pat her shoulder and smiled.
"Aveline, what happened when you first woke up? When you first realized that Niall was in Aveline's body?"
Aveline looked down, hugging the smaller version of herself.
"I was afraid. I tried to hide, to let Aveline back out. It worked, didn't it? I hid inside Aveline's Soul World, in here! She was living her-"
Chibiline reached up and grabbed Aveline's cheeks. She shook her head.
"You didn't let me out. You made me. You hid away from everything that suddenly began to happen around you, believing Niall became Aveline. The truth... well, Hika?"
Hika crossed their legs, rocking back and forth.
"Demon becomes God. God gets sealed. God wriggles out of seal... and finds someone they can use. Someone they can awaken. Aveline, you are not Niall. Not anymore. Niall died in your past life. You created this little lady to protect your mind, while simultaneously shutting me out."
Aveline leaned back, pulling Chibiline into a tighter hug.
"Then... what happened to you?"
"You chose to take control? Dunno. I got to watch your memories for a while. It was interesting, but it also helped me realize that I am not Aveline. I'm a personality, like a... well a protector of sorts. I can't really protect you from in here though."
Chibiline sounded sad, but Aveline began to squeeze her.
"None of that. You look like little me! I looked so grumpy when I was sad!"
The two began to giggle as Hika seemed to crumple in on themself.
"I should have told you before. You would never have mourned this little one, but you also would have taken the reigns of your life tighter. You began to do things for Aveline, not for yourself. Though, in the end, you did do it for yourself. As you are... well.."
Hika trailed off, sending the two into another giggle fit. Aveline reached out a hand and pat the God on their head.
"Is this what you had been keeping locked up all this time? You stressed yourself out, worrying what I would do... didn't you?"
Hika could only nod, while Chibiline had a smug smile on her face.
"Told you. Aveline is cool."
Aveline gave Chibiline a small glare, the little version of herself taking a chance to hop to her feet and morph into a fully grown Aveline. She began to make silly faces, as well as poses. Aveline blushed hard, but couldn't hold back her smile.
"I'm glad... that you didn't die."
Chibiline froze for a moment before kneeling in front of Aveline. She placed her face on Aveline's knees and smiled up at her.
"Same here. It'll be fun, getting to talk to you now that we know who is who."
Hika tilted their head before breaking into their moment.
"You should learn to make a homunculus, Aveline. I believe you should be able to place her inside, though she is not a soul. She seems capable enou... what?"
Hika stopped as the pair of Aveline's stared at them. The God seemed to almost shrivel up.
"Did the two of you already think of that?"
Aveline shook her head slowly, while Chibiline had a cheerful look bloom onto her face. She launched to her feet and bounced as she spoke, causing Aveline to oggle her own body.
"Does this mean I could run around, in the real world, WITH Aveline?! I, I, I could be your protector again!"
Hika chimed in another point.
"You can also join her harem of lovers."
Chibiline's bounciness stopped as steam began to billow from her ears, quickly turning her into the tiny form she had originally.
"I... I wouldn't mind..."
Her tiny red face left Aveline at a loss, her own face bright red.
"Erm... Hika, are you trying to get me to... fall for myself?"
With a simple nod, Hika left Aveline confused. Chibiline climbed onto Aveline's shoulder and squeaked out at her.
"Well... I-I don't need to join the harem if it's a problem. But-but, can I at least... go on adventures with you?"
Aveline touched the tiny girl with her index finger and sighed.
"I gotta learn alchemy now."
---
Thank you,
Anna Haig!