"Tick, tock, tick, tock"
What in the…. What is that thing?!
"That's the embodiment of Time itself, you are looking at time, Aoto, be careful, he ends up having a lingering effect on people."
"Tick, tock, tick, tock"
Ugh, I don't like how that thing looks at me. Why hasn't Thadius said anything about it yet?
"He's busy handling the followers, and it's not a matter of when he's dealing with it, it's the matter that he can't deal with it. He can't even see that thing we're both looking at."
What do you mean he can't see, like he's oblivious, or that he just genuinely is incapable of noticing that monstrosity?
"The ladder"
Aoto mesmerized looking at the clock, stood in awe, wondering how he would defeat it.
The clock floated in the middle of the room, having a clear tinted dial; it seemingly grew legs and arms, not human but more insectoid. It had a face that protruded out from. Its frame had a long neck, skin pale as Aoto's face, and seemed to shift ages occasionally. Becoming younger and older as time went on.
How in the actual f*ck am I supposed to kill that thing?! IT'S TIME FOR F*CKS SAKE.
"Actually, it isn't, it's the representation of time, to kill time itself, you'd have to kill its host, and at your power level, you would be wiped off the face of the universe."
Then what are we gonna do?!
"WE" aren't doing anything you have to, Aoto, you need to switch with Sound, it's the only way you can handle this."
What? Swap again? No, no, NO, do you not remember what happened last time we swapped? No, he brutally murdered those people. What happens if one of these bystanders is caught in that?
"That's something that we're gonna have to risk Aoto."
RISK?! YOU WANT ME TO RISK THE LIVES OF ALL THESE PEOPLE?!
"LISTEN, stop your worrying and look at the bigger picture if you do nothing we DIE, even with Thadius being a warlord, knowing his lucky he'll survive but everyone else, Garius, Heathrow, us we're dead and then sound will most likely tag along to Thadius and then the worlds got a whole bigger issue."
What do I need to do?
Aoto's body that had been shaking like an addict, since the moment they entered, stopped, and his heart became still. He had a new sense of determination, warped along his face.
"There may not be any way for you to take control during your switch, but there is a way that you can talk with Sound beforehand, although it may not be of any use. I doubt he wants to find a new host this early on."
How?
"I'll take control, since I live in your body, I'll take control while you speak with Sound in the abyss, and when you're done, Sound will swap with me."
Are you sure I can trust you? How am I not knowing that you might be tricking me? What if you go on a rampage as well?
"You don't. Simply put, you don't know if I'm lying or if I'll go kill, but what I will say is that I really wouldn't like to die again, so how bout we give it a shot."
"Tick, Tock"
Erhhh, I really hate looking at that thing. I feel violated looking at it, so let's kill it. Okay, how exactly do we switch? Is there like a saying I need to say, or please don't tell me, do I need to be killed?
"No, no, don't be silly, I'm just going to enter your mind, even more than I am now."
Okay, is that gonna hurt…..
[Aoto's body felt like it was being pulled into its mind, and he could see himself leaving his body]
WHAT THE, SOMA!
"Relax, just let it take you, and follow the sound, you'll be just fine."
Being pulled into his mind, Aoto's body flowed through what could only be called the astral plane, moving so fast he could barely see what was passing him, but he could sense it. Memories from his past, essential dates, and family gatherings- all of these moments passed Aoto as he flowed, his body speeding up, and he could see his body start to go from a solid to a liquid.
Hey, stop that, why's my arm flowing like that? Hey, stop's going ON?
'Vroump"
"HEY HEY WELCOME AOTO, I'VE BEEN EXPECTING YOU, LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE GOT YOURSELF A LITTLE DEMON DILEMA."
Aoto's body had stopped moving altogether. It seemed he was no longer flying through the plane and had reached his final destination.
Slowly waking, Aoto's eyes were dilating to the bright light that was suddenly put on them.
"HEY YOU THERE? HELLO, you know it's rude to ignore one of the incredible and infamous devils."
Where am I?
"Oh? You don't even recognize your final resting place? Come on, Aoto, it hasn't been that long since you left. You should really get your mind checked. OH WAIT IT IS BY MULTIPLE PEOPLE BAHH HAHA."
My head [Aoto grabbing his temple]. Please shut up, let me think.
"How rude [Sound pouting] fine, I'll give you a "minute"
Let's see where I am….. WHAT THE.
Aoto jumped out of his bed only to see that he was back in the hospital where he had "died" as well as dressed in a patient gown.
This is so f*cked, why am I back here? I thought I got past all of this, wasn't that the whole point, me being given a second chance?
"Righty O Aoto, but I felt you've been forgetting what is happening here, so I decided to take us back to where we met. I guess you could say that this is our anniversary."
Aoto, turning behind him, came face to face with Sound, but not in a familiar form. Sound's body was clear, see-through almost, Aoto couldn't see any organs, nor LD, which seemed strange. His body was entirely made out of Sound, and while you may not be able to see "sound," you can see the vibrations, and that's what Aoto saw.
Sitting at the corner of Aoto's bed sat the Devil of Sound.
"I hear you want to chat with me, shall we?"
-In the Guild-
"Tick, Tock"
Ugh, my neck "click." How long has it been since I've had a physical body? God, this is uncomfortable. I almost forgot.
"ERCKKK TOCK TICK TOCK HEHE ERCKKK"
Aoto's right, that thing is hideous now that I have a better view and those noises.
The creature began to scream, making noises that shocked the people around him to their core, while they may not have been able to see it, they could surely hear it.
"AOTO, DO YOU HEAR THAT "slice, splat"
YAH I HEAR IT THADIUS, I'VE GOT IT COVERED.
Thadius smiled, enjoyed the art of battle, and didn't choose to stop Aoto "Soma" from taking control.
"FIGHT WITH HONOR"
We will.