-35-

-35-


"Is Poppy alright over there?" I ask Graphite and he looks over, staring at where Poppy is. He's probably not going to give much of a care for this due to him wanting to beat up Hiiro and Taiga. 


"She seems okay to me. If she was fading into a billion pixels, I would be concerned," he answers. Of course, called it! He's so stupid. "Why are you so worried about her? She's a perfected Bugster anyway. She'll just come back if she dies."


"I see." I guess I shouldn't be overly worried about her right now. Maybe I can go and talk to her real quick.


"Where do you think you're going to, Elkie?" Parad's voice asks me. "I know you're about to move. I can tell."


I turn as Parad approaches me, holding out his arms, and he smiles. "Oh, hey," I mutter out as he wraps his arms around me tightly, embracing me with his warm Bugster arms. 


"You seem down. Is it because of me not taking you out with me earlier? I would have done so, but you're not a Kamen Rider." He is being quite honest with me right now and I respect it, but I don't like him randomly touching me like I'm all his. I am not all his but I can't let him know that.


"No, I am worried about Poppy right now. Aren't you worried about her?" 


He pulls back and shakes his head. "No, I'm not. It is normal to go through the motions. I know I went through them when I lived with Kuroto. That man can really push someone's buttons." Oh, I can tell. He really ticked off Parad.


I wish Kuroto could magically come back to life right now. He would be so useful to me right now. I have no idea if Hiiro has gotten any breakthroughs about how to save this world or not right now and it is seriously frustrating me. If I didn't want to ruin my hair, I would be ripping it out right now.


"Ah, I see. I didn't know that you went through a bunch with him and I'm truly sorry for not knowing all the details. I only knew what you told me." 


"It is fine that you didn't know it all, Elk," he responds, releasing me from his warm embrace. "You're truly a caring woman that is worthy of being my world's co-ruler." Like hell I will be like that in his world!


I force a smile onto my face. "That sounds nice to me. I can't wait to rule over the world with you, Parad."


"Hey, what am I going to do in our world once we get it? Am I going to be the enforcer of the rules or what?" Graphite asks curiously.


"I'll let you be a jailer and you can torment Hiiro and Taiga for the rest of their human lives. Of course, I'll make sure Elkie can live forever somehow. Maybe she can come back as a Bugster somehow," Parad answers, laughing a bit. He wants to turn me into a Bugster? 


"Don't I have to die to become one or something?" I ask curiously. If I become a Bugster, I would have to die. I'm sure of it.


"I have no clue. I haven't seen anyone come back from the dead as a Bugster," Parad tells me, answering my question. "I wouldn't know the answer to that, Elk."


Graphite laughs. "Like that would happen! If that happens, then I'll be able to sprout wings and fly laps around Seito University Hospital." Seems like Graphite is as clueless as ever. Typical!


"So, boys, what is the plan for today other than watching Poppy mope all day long?" I want to know what is going on out there in the world. I'm stuck here playing music on a music player all day and playing video games on Parad's handheld console. 


Graphite laughs once again. "Ask him."


"I am asking both of you because you might be up to no good, Graphite." I look down. "I just wanted to know the plans..." Not like I can do anything to stop their plans. 


"Hey, don't be down, sweetie!" Parad exclaims and I feel something touch my back and I jump up. "Wo-ah, calm down! I just wanted to pat you on the back."


"It is fine. I'm sorry." That spooked me! I keep forgetting he just likes to touch me randomly.


He presses his lips against the top of my head. "I am thinking about going out and handling some business at some point. You can't come at all, Elkie," he tells me. "Actually, maybe you can later on after I deal with things. That man doesn't want to play with me at all." Who would?


I wanted to play with Parad before all of this here because so serious. I didn't expect him to go around murdering people with a smile on his handsome face. No, I never did. I expected him to play some games and be focused on me. However, he's now doing both things and is pretty much obsessed with owning me. 


"Hey, I think I just saw something!" Poppy exclaims and I turn my head, looking over at her as she peeks out from her little area. "A memory or something that isn't mine."


"Oh, that?" Parad wraps his arms around me and I feel his head next to mine. "That is just your host's data."


"Host's data?"


"It is like when one saves a game," Graphite answers. "It is your host's data from their life. I have Saki's memories and that includes her horrible date with Hiiro. Would it kill him to buy a girl some flowers and take her to a nice place to eat?" Okay, he's just upset he didn't get a giant cake!


"Oh, I see..."


I turn my head a bit, making sure not to bump my face into Parad's. "Is she going to be alright?"


"She's going to be just fine. It is normal to remember the memories from your host," Parad answers. "Well, you wouldn't know." He places his lips against my cheek. "How about we go some place private? I want to hold onto you all day long."


He wants to do something with me now, huh? Shouldn't he be focusing on getting Emu to play with him? I guess he's really up to no good.


"I'm going to get some fresh air soon," Poppy states. "Is it fine with you if I take Elkie up to talk later about girl things? I have some memories that are really womanly and I don't understand exactly." She's trying to keep me from getting taken away, right?


"Sure, you can borrow my woman." Parad kisses me on the cheek again. "You can head up to the top, but don't try jumping off together. I don't want to see my woman dead on the ground."


"Right." I nod slowly. "I'll be back, love."


~.~


"I remember the CR," Poppy tells me. "I remember everything we've talked about and all we have done together." She looks over at the city, looking at it as her eyes water a bit. Is she going to cry now?


"Poppy..."


"I remember how you and Emu were before you got together. You two honestly were so awkward with handling your feelings towards each other. I enjoyed how you two struggled with the idea of getting together."


I step towards her as the wind blows a bit. "I know that you don't want to be here."


"I want to go out and have fun." Poppy turns fully to me and stares into my eyes. "But I'm afraid that I am not going to be allowed to do that. He won't let me." Parad won't let her at all.


"Right..." I don't blame her for not knowing what to do now. I can tell she is unsure about what to do right now.


Poppy looks down, putting her hands together, and pouts. "I wish I could just turn back time right now. I'm aware that I took a life to come into this world and that I'm like them. I...I am a killer!"


"Poppy, that isn't true! It isn't like you knew you would do that, right? You aren't a bad Bugster," I exclaim as the wind blows once again. 


It really is windy out today. Of course, it is usually windy when I step outside for some reason. Or it just seems like it.


Poppy nods her head. "I killed someone..." She looks at me as tears go down her pretty little cheeks. "I took someone's life and I'm just like them."


"You're the kindest Bugster I know!" I step towards her and wrap my arms around her, pulling her into my arms. "You're the kindest girl I know and you're my greatest friend here in this world." Jennie would be the nicest, but that woman is brutal at times. She's so living it up compared to me. Taiga isn't a murderer, he's just a jerk.


"Hey, I want to talk to her alone," Parad's voice says and I pull back from Poppy a bit. Oh, this isn't something I want to stick around for, right?


"It is fine, Elkie. You can go." Poppy touches my arms gently with her hands. "I'll talk to him alone about what I'm feeling."


I don't think this is going to end well for her. She can't trust him, right? If I can't trust him, who can?


"Baby, I'll see you down there later. I left you something to snack on the ground. Also, Graphite secretly took some cake."


"Cake?" I'm going to have cake today? Lucky me! That's the only good thing I'm going to have happen today.


"Yes."


Poppy takes her hands off of me and I step back away from her, my eyes going to Parad. I am going to get some cake and catch up with Poppy later. I don't think I can help the situation if I stick around and I don't want to accidentally get into trouble by staying here. 


"I'll talk to you both later."


A/n: Next chapter will be the good stuff from the episode. Parad is going to let Elkie go out with him and Poppy to watch some fun. Then...well, you'll see.


Also, sorry for the late update. I couldn't figure out how to write the chapter and I came up with this. It got delayed a bit also because I was watching some Doctor Who (classic Doctor Who) and it was really good. The 4th Doctor might be my top favorite above the 10th one. 


Anyways, enjoy and thanks!





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