Niche raises his upper body up and crosses his legs. After standing, Niche starts striding slowly forward.

  Cave Entrance, Present

  After walking for a few minutes, Niche reaches the entrance of the cave, peeking into the dark environment. He steps forward, descending into the darkness. He walks, past where the mutants attacked. Past where he died and reformed. Deeper.

  After a few minutes, Niche exits the cave. This time, his melancholy look on his face has disappeared. Another significant difference is present: he now wraps his hand in a bandage.

  His walks with purpose back to the city with a designated place in mind.

  Masuto Café, Present

  As Niche approaches the café, he notices the front entrance has been cleaned up of any filth that once lay there. Maybe the body was reported and cleaned up by authorities; as far as Niche is concerned, the rain washed away the body on the ground. Niche goes inside the café, sitting alone in their usual booth. Without thinking, he orders two coffees.

  The waitress, confused as to why someone is ordering coffee at night, brings both. "Waiting for someone?" she asks.

  "No."

  "Should I take the extra?"

  "Leave it."

  She leaves, confused.

  "Look at this place. We said we’d come here every day,” Silence. “You were right," Niche says quietly to no one. "That idea about making that company was pretty dumb, huh?” Niche asks, chuckling. “Didn’t help us too much in the long run.”

  The untouched coffee goes cold. A customer at another table keeps glancing over at this crazy kid talking to himself.

  "The X mark," Niche continues to the empty seat. "I should've kept you away from me."

  His bandaged hand throbs, but Niche subdues it.

  "But you would've followed anyway, wouldn't you? Too loyal for your own good."

  Niche gets up, leaving after the staff kept giving him concerned looks. Niche places money next to the untouched second coffee and leaves.

  Niche’s House, Present

  After wandering the streets for a few hours with no goal in mind, Niche goes back to his house. Opening his front door, he walks upstairs drenches and sits in his room.

  With a meow, the cat jumps on Niche’s lap, sitting down on the wet clothes and curling up. The familiar space feels alien to Niche through element detection alone.

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  "You knew," Niche says to Raizen. "About my eyes."

  "Would knowing have changed anything?"

  "I could have prepared. Adapted."

  "You did adapt. You've been fighting blind since day one and winning."

  Niche laughs bitterly. "Winning? Ryota's dead. I'm blind. In a few days, everyone dies."

  "Then stop wasting time on self-pity."

  Maruka walks in Niche’s room. "I…was thinking about you. When I came here, your mom asked me about you. She thinks you got in a fight. I told her some bullies jumped you."

  Raizen pretends to be asleep, unwilling to be a part of this conversation.

  Maruka sits on Niche’s bed in silence. Finally, she asks, "So, what's your plan?"

  Niche's fists clench. "I was on edge about this, as I was unsure of the potential consequences of it, but what happened today made me think. I know what I will do.”

  “Unsure of what? What’s your plan?”

  “Well, a few days ago, I was interrogated about my powers. That interrogator…I think he knows more than he told me. In a couple days, I will make him talk. Publicly."

  "How?"

  "I've arranged a meeting. Live TV." Niche turns to her. "But I need your help with something... delicate."

  "What kind of help?"

  "Find Chigan. Tell him you hate me. Tell him I'll be at the broadcast, disguised under the name ‘Almajara.’"

  "Why would you want him to know—" Maruka stops and studies his face. "You want him to try something."

  "He wants revenge for his mother. Let him take it."

  "Niche, that's insane. You don’t even have anything to do with his mother. Why could you even want this? He’s gonna get the wrong idea and go after you for no reason. Don’t do this to yourself, Niche. Please.”

  Niche stands, walking over to her. He takes her hands. "There's something you need to know. About what I became when the sun awakened."

  He lets go of her right hand and pulls out a knife. Before she can react, he slits his own throat.

  "NICHE!" she exclaims, getting up with a worried look.

  Before she can help, the wound seals instantly. No scar. No trace.

  Maruka staggers back. "What... what are you?"

  "Immortal. That's why I need Chigan to shoot me on live TV. When I survive, when the government's assassination attempt fails..." His face shifts into Almajara. "That's when everything changes."

  “How-how can you do that? Are you…a shifter?”

  “No,” Niche replies, chuckling at the miscommunication. “Raizen does it for me. It’s a mask I put on.” Niche touches his face, and the mask distorts into a sheet of paper. “Raizen manipulates this sheet of paper into a mask I can apply on my face. That way, I can appear as someone completely different. Someone who doesn’t exist. And my actual face doesn’t get changed at all.”

  “This…is a lot for today.”

  “That’s fine. Take as long as you need before -”

  “No,” she interrupts. “I’ll do it. By tomorrow.”

  Niche is taken by surprise but accepts.

  Niche’s Room, The Next Day, Present

  Niche watches from his room as the anchor speaks on TV. "Breaking news: The mysterious 'Almajara' who has been spreading anti-government messages through graffiti and leaked documents has agreed to a live television discussion. These inflammatory messages claim our government is, quote, 'stealing from its people.' In an unprecedented move, government officials have arranged a public dialogue with Almajara tomorrow at 3 PM. Chief Interrogator Yamamoto will conduct the discussion."

  Niche smiles.

  City Center, Noon, Present

  Maruka finds Chigan at the convenience store, buying energy drinks. She takes a deep breath, channeling her genuine unease about what Niche has become.

  she thinks.

  "Chigan,” Maruka says, approaching him. “We need to talk. About Niche."

  His jaw tightens. "I got nothing to say."

  "I know what he did.” Her voice shakes; she doesn't have to fake the emotion. "And I... I can't look at him anymore."

  "Why tell me?"

  "Did you see the news? About Almajara?" She lowers her voice. "That's him. That's Niche. He'll be on TV tomorrow at 3."

  She sees the calculation in his eyes. The possibility of revenge.

  "Why would you—"

  "Because someone needs to stop him." she says, already walking away. "Do what you want with that information."

  As she leaves the convenience store, she pulls out her phone. It's done,” she texts Niche.

  Niche replies, "Good. Don't watch the broadcast."

  Maruka agrees, putting her phone away, although she knew she would surely watch the broadcast.