The next few days Zane kept spending his days with Shikimori, he opened up to his parents too.
His mom and dad were pretty hyped since it had been a while since they went on a family vacation. His relationship with shikimori too was advancing well.
He noticed that when she got too excited, she seemed to behave differently from usual like a different person altogether.
But he didn't really care about that, since if you really like someone you have to understand them well and still love them and shikimori's situation didn't seem that troublesome too as Zane really liked the other personality.
If Shikimori Miyako on a normal day was the sunshine on a bright morning, then the other personality was the fiery sun on a beach day, in Zane's words,
"She is hot"
In her alternate version, Miyako becomes bold and unlike usual when Zane takes the initiative to get intimate, she just pounces on Zane. Though after the dose of boldness when the usual Shikimori comes back, watching her becoming a blushing mess is heartwarming too.
'My girlfriend is too cute' Zane thinks to himself as he was laying his head on Miyako's lap.
"What happened you seem very happy today for some reason" Miyako asked curiously. Although the time they have been dating wasn't long, because of the bouts of her heretic self showing up she got used to getting intimate to Zane.
So things like cuddling and giving lap pillow weren't really embarrassing for her.
"I was just thinking how cute my girlfriend is" Zane says with a smile.
"Hehe is that so?" She chuckled.
"By the way I wanted to ask you, Are you up for a date during the vacations since they will start from tomorrow?" Miyako asked. During the past days they have gone on a few dates, which were very enjoyable for her.
She saw various new sides of him as he saw hers and she found out that her boyfriend surprisingly had a fear of ducks. When she asked him why his answer was,
"Miyako you may not believe me but those bastard ducks seemed to have made a secret organization just to hunt me down. Whenever they see me they just rush after me to bite me. I once thought that the little ones are different but they too are the same."
Seeing his serious expression at that time, she burst out laughing. Zane pouted for some time before he too joined in laughing with her.
"Talking about vacations, I wanted to talk to you about that Miya" Zane sat up as he said that.
"Hmm? What is it?" Miyako asked.
"My dad has planned us a vacation trip to Rome. I wanted to ask if you want to come." Zane asked with hope in his eyes.
She was excited hearing this before she remembered something. Miyako knew about his situation with his parents, she shook her head as she smile,
"Maybe next time, spend time with your family. Free your heart to them this time. It wouldn't do any good If I tagged along since you will be pretty much focused on me."
Hearing her Zane gave a bitter smile. Even if he had made up with his parents, he couldn't just open his heart to them.
He didn't really think it was any of their fault but he needed a bit more time to get along with them as well as he used too.
He nodded, they talked about other things before they kissed and parted ways.
_______________________
After packing up their things they hurried along the next morning to catch heir flight. It was a direct flight, for about 14hrs.
Kenji had booked their seats in the first class, according to him,
"If you want to fly, fly in luxury, otherwise what difference does it make to travelling in a cramped bus"
They boarded the flight on time as his parents took their seats, Zane's seat was a bit away from them near the window.
His parents seemed to have reignited their passion for each other and he wanted to see none of that, so while booking seats he asked for one a bit farther from theirs.
After getting seated, he brought out a book that he bought in the airport which seemed a bit interesting.
"Hmm, now that's not something that people these days would be interested in." A voice sounded near him as Zane turned to look.
Near him stood a beautiful European woman with platinum blonde hair and green eyes.
She sat down next to his seat.
Zane nodded and didn't bother with her anymore because his instincts shouted at him that this woman was troublesome. And it's not like he hasn't seen beautiful women before.
Seeing him ignoring her, the woman was a bit irritated. From birth no one had treated her like that, even those high and mighty campiones gave her respect.
Although not reverently but still they respected her for her talent and skill. Seeing this young man treating her like air, didn't seem well with her.
She smiled, "My name is Alice Louise, what's yours."
Zane raised his eyebrow, as he said, "Normally people won't bother me if I ignored them outright, you know"
Alice chuckled a little as she replied, "Well, this is a long flight, I didn't want to be too bored. Besides, shouldn't you be happy a beautiful girl is talking to you"
Zane looked amazed, 'Look at this woman'
"Beautiful girl? Where? All I see is an annoying girl" he teased
"W-what? Humph! " Alice was annoyed, 'how dare he'
Seeing her pout, Zane laughed a little. Seeing him laugh, Alice was in a daze, although she realized he was handsome when she saw him, but his 'I don't give a fuck' attitude threw her off a bit. Now seeing him laughing freely she was amazed at how dazzling he looked. She too joined in the laughter too.
After calming down, Zane reached out with his hand, "Fujiwara Zane, nice to meet you."
"Likewise" She smiled at him. This encounter was refreshing for her. But remembering her condition, she felt a bit sad.
During the duration of flight both of them talked about a lot of things about each other. Though Zane noticed she kept talking about her work and background to a minimum.
Although he was curious, everyone had their own privacy and they have met for the first time so he didn't mind.
The food Alice ordered some time ago came. She picked up the bottle of ketchup to put it in her food, just as she squeezed the bottle, the ketchup instead of landing on her food, went towards Zane.
Zane's hand reacted fast as it caught the tissue at the side and raised it just where the ketchup was about to land saving his clothes from being stained.
Alice was bewildered, 'what the fuck was that crazy instinct.' She thought to herself before she realized her fault, "Ah! I am sorry, I accidentally spilled it towards you, I just wanted to put it in my lunch."
"No its okay, I am accustomed to this. Although the misfortunes have calmed down but I still suffer from occasional bouts of bad luck" Zane waved his hand.
He then told her about his situation, it's not like it was a secret and what could she possibly do with that kind of information.
Alice was amazed at his circumstances, she thought before she said, "How about you let me take a look?"
Zane shook his head, "what are you gonna do about it, it's not like it's a disease. And at this point I am already used to it."
Seeing his nonchalance, she chuckled as she said, "Hehehe, I have great luck. Just stretch out your hand. Who knows maybe my luck will get rubbed off on you" Alice decided to help him, since she had a good impression of him.
Normally, she was used to the respectful stares of other people, very it her appearance or demeanor, whether it be normal people or those from supernatural world held a lot of reverence or they wanted to use her but Zane seemed to treat her like a normal friend which refreshed her view.
Unknown to her thoughts Zane didn't think too much about about this as he extended his arm towards her only for her to grab on to it.
He raised his eyebrows in question but didn't mind it. What's the harm in holding hands with a beauty. His heart was still with shikimori but it's not like holding hands made him cheat on his girlfriend and besides he didn't feel that way about Alice.
Holding his outstretched hand with both of hers, Alice closed her eyes.
She focused as she reopened her eyes but this time not with her real body but with her spirit body. A translucent figure separated from her figure as she looked at Zane.
She was surprised too see wisps of black smoke around Zane. She got close as she checked them.
'These seem like...a curse? No it's not so simple...it seems like a divine curse?' She frowned when she thought about this.
Getting a divine curse was rarest amongst rare. Just as she was about to go back to her body and talk to Zane about this, she noticed a purplish gold light from where Zane's heart was.
She closed in as she touched the spot with her hand. Just as she touched it, she felt dizzy and closed her eyes as her head hurt.
She was shocked, she was in her spirit body, she wasn't supposed to feel pain.
When she came back to sense, she realized she was somewhere else. She was floating in a blank space, looking around, all she was darkness. There was not even a speck of light.
Then she heard 'IT'
*BA DUMP*
*BA DUMP*
She heard a heartbeat as she realized. She was not alone. For the first time in her life, Princess Alice the strongest hime miko, felt afraid.
Except the sound of the heart, she couldn't perceive anything. She frantically searched around but to no avail. It all happened so suddenly that she had no idea where she was.
She had no choice but to go in the direction of the heartbeat. She floated there continuously as if space and time seemed to hold no meaning there. She floated for who knows how long.
But then she stopped when she felt that presence again, closer than ever. It was as if it was right in front of her. She want to see 'IT'
The mysterious presence surrounded her, but she felt no malice, no hostility. She wanted to know more about this being. From the moment she came here she uttered her first words, "Please show yourself"
She felt the being tremble a little at her words.
*BOOM*
The surroundings shaked as the entire place lightened up in white and gold colors.
Then she saw 'IT- NO' she saw 'HIM'
She widened her eyes, the being so enormous as if he will cover all of existence, the being that seemed so malevolent yet beautiful at the same time.
A single Purple pupiled eye with golden outline looked at her.
It's presence was overwhelming for her who was someone who had been in presence of those mighty godslayers.
Before she could anything, she felt herself pushed back. She realized her spirit was going back to her body. She panicked 'Just a bit more, just one bit'
But her thoughts were disregarded, she was thrown back into her body.
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In the real world, Zane felt it, this woman was not simple, he felt her looking at him, not the him in physical him but the real him. He frowned.
Alice in her physical body shook a little as she kept remembering what she saw.
Both of them didn't talk anymore, they spent the rest of journey in silence as they parted ways just like that.
Zane was a bit disturbed but didn't say anything. He didn't believe anyone would remain sane after seeing his true self.
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