Chapter 17: Chapter 14: Dance of the Burning Fox

Third Person POV

"KEK!"(Cheryl)

Reiko desperately tried to get Friedrich to get up to no avail. Reiko panicked when she heard Cheryl's voice, choking. Her head quickly turned to see the menacing man tightly holding her neck. 

"b- but last time you-"(Reiko)

"I'm different from last time, now I know how to take care of this pig."(Erwin)

There was a cold tint to his eyes, as he marched towards her. Reiko was launched to the wall, Erwin had kicked her. Her spine impacted with the brick wall, it felt like there was a mini-explosion going on, on her back. Air was forced out of her mouth, while she struggled up. 

"s- stop, it..."(Reiko)

"Heh, I will not."(Erwin)

"stop, or else, I'll"(Reiko)

"You'll what? Face reality kid, there is no such thing as a happy ending. Everything you worked hard for will just lead to nothing. Being honest and hardworking is completely meaningless. So just face reality already, you and your entire life is worthless, you will add up to nothing and will forever be nothing. Nothing but a weak, pathetic kid."(Erwin)

The last few words of Erwin's speech echoed in Reiko's head. She denied the words at first, but it was the truth. All her life, she was nothing more than a puppet to other people, never speaking out; never acting out. It was infuriating. 

Why?

Why could she never have that slice of pie? Why couldn't she just have a sliver of success? Why must life pull cruel jokes on her? Why is it that, when something good is happening, it ends horribly. Why does everyone she loves get hurt?

It's unfair, It's unfair, It's unfair IT'S UNFAIR

Her claws dug up the gravel on the ground. Tears and sweat, all evaporated in an instant. A chaotic and relentless feeling was building up in her. It grew and grew and grew, until it was too much to hold. Reiko bared her teeth like a savage beast, blood rushing around her body. Her body temperature skyrocketed, and it became impossible to keep it together any longer... and so, she let it loose.

At that moment bursts of yellow and red erupted from her body. Flames engulfed her entire being. Her hands and arms formed into sharp claws as her jaw unhinged and protruded to form a snout riddled with burning teeth. The ears elongated and so did her tail. Reiko became something else. She was no longer the small child, but rather, a burning mass of heat. She stared at Erwin with her blank, white eyes, before lunging at him.

Erwin reacted quickly by grabbing a shield from a nearby, injured soldier. Reiko clung onto the shield, before she ripped it to shreds, using the scorching heat from her body. As soon as the shield melted, Erwin tried to get a weapon to defend himself, only for his hand to be hooked in by Reiko's. Reiko mauled at the large man, leaving deep burning wounds. 

It felt like his entire body was being stabbed one thousand times as Reiko continued her onslaught. Her arms moved swiftly, leaving large cuts and burn wounds.

Erwin couldn't take it, it was like hell. He pushed the girl away from him and desperately fled. 

His hands were red and his body was on the verge of collapsing, but all that was on his mind was escaping.

The demon recuperated quickly and soon chased the man. She pushed with her legs, wildly running on all fours. 

Erwin desperately threw another bomb of his, to the demonic girl. 

The intensive outburst blew away flames from Reiko, only for it to regain it. A cold sweat trickled, as he felt a sharp, excruciating pain on his leg. 

Reiko's teeth sunk into his flesh forcing out a scream from Erwin. 

Erwin hastily shook her off and grabbed the closest item. Holding the leg of the wooden chair, he viscously swung it at her head.

Reiko's head twisted and turned as she jumped high off the ground. Just like a cat, she gracefully landed on her feat.

Erwin swung the chair without stopping. His movement was sluggish, his attacks predictable.

The fox simply stared at him, making small moves to avoid getting hit. 

Erwin's face wrinkled; his breath shallow and yet, Reiko had no signs of exhaustion.

Reiko was light on her feat, her movement resembling a ballet.

As the two were nearing a wall. Reiko took a massive bite at the chair, burning it at once.

Without a second thought, she grabbed hold of his head and smashed it into the pavement. It should have been the end for him, but Erwin's wasn't burning, not even the slightest.

Erwin was glued to the floor. He felt the continuous slashes and savage strikes from the burning fox. She grabbed his multiple times and slammed it onto the ground.

"KRAAHH"(Reiko)

Reiko's cries were not even recognizable. It sounded like a roar from a monstrous beast that lives deep in the ocean depths. She clenched her claws into the man's neck, before violently throwing him to the other half of the room. 

Erwin's vision had gone black, he was unable to move a muscle, but he still heard the sizzling of fire, coming closer and closer to him. 

Reiko rushed at the incapacitated man, her claws ready to deal the final blow. She was tunnel-versioned, power in her legs as she jumped at him. Her hand wide open, about to strike but

"STOP!"(Chery)

Cheryl appeared from thin air and tried to restrain the berserked Reiko. The burning flames sent shockwaves of pain, yet she persisted. 

"I know you are angry! But killing him makes you just as bad as him! Reiko please calm down!"(Cheryl)

The demon fox moved inch by inch trying to get closer to the man. Its fangs wide open as if it was a predator that found an easy meal.

"He may deserve it, but control yourself!"(Cheryl)

Cheryl's plea fell onto deaf ears as the beast ever so got closer.

"REIKO!"(Cheryl)

Hellish, was the word that can describe the world. Orange fire surrounded the white hair girl, the sky dark as the empty space. She was huddled in a fetal positioned, drifting in the air, hair flowing as if she was peacefully floating on the ocean surface. 

The temperature was unbearable, as if being trapped inside a sauna for hours. It was suffocating, any normal person would have fainted and possibly died. 

Her eyes were opening very sluggishly, her body gasping for air. Vision was clouded, her body covered in sweat. 

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"REIKO!"(Cheryl)

A familiar yet distant sound resounded in the void like world. Animalistic ears perked up after hearing this, her eyes opening up. Her mouth was agape after what she saw. 

There was a giant hole right in front of her. Just like a camera, it captured the outside world, showing her everything in full view. 

Erwin, who once sent chills down her spine, was reduced to an injured, burnt mess of a human. 'What happened?' she pondered, all she remembered was getting angry and then everything went blank. 

"REIKO LISTEN! PLEASE CALM DOWN!"(Cheryl)

Cheryl's message rang in her ear causing her to close her ear in hurry. It sounded like a large gong has been hit. 

Her body temperature was rising like she had an extreme fever. Her body was weak with an insufferable headache. 

"I... hard, to... breathe..."(Reiko)

Reiko was tearing up; her teardrops drying as soon as it came. 

"stop... somebody help..."(Reiko)

Gasping air, she pleaded to the empty void.

"Child, you won't get anywhere by just curling up like that."(???)

A loud but soothing voice boomed out of nowhere. Reiko's head slowly raised to see whom it belonged to. A large woman wearing a white halter dress appeared. Her eyes were lifeless, yet full of vigor, peering into the little girl. 

"you... are you..."(Reiko)

Reiko huffed in between breaths.

"Yes, your assumption is correct. I am the Goddess who reincarnated you into this world. Last time I did not give a proper introduction, so I shall say it now, my name is Statera."(Statera)

Reiko was left puzzled when she appeared. She thought just why was a Goddess here? Why did she willingly come to her?

"Child, I am here to warn you of the path you are taking. You are not even a year old and yet putting yourself in so much danger. It would be a shame to have died already."(Statera)

"what... do..."(Reiko)

"What I mean is that, unless the rage inside you die down, you will continue to spend your vitality and die."(Statera)

"I... don't...."(Reiko)

"Just listen to what I say and try to calm down. Well, I'll be off now, see you next time, when there is time, goodbye for now my child!"(Statera)

As she said that, the Goddess disappeared, leaving Reiko all alone. 

The heat magnified, leaving her in more pain. 

"calm down, calm down, calm down."(Reiko)

All of Reiko's attempts were futile, the world she was set in gradually turning more blistering. Her stomach churned and her head was pounding. Arms weakening while she lost connection to her consciousness. 

Reiko POV

My skin felt like it was melting, I can't bear it any longer. I could only see through the hole thing, there was fire everywhere. 

It seems like hunte- Erwin has been taken care of... that's good, if he's down, then everyone should be fine. Actually, maybe this is for the best, I can die with a peace of mind that everyone I love will be safe. 

"REIKO, PLEASE, THIS IS NOT WHO YOU ARE!"(Cheryl)

Cheryl? Oh yeah Cheryl was trying to stop me. 

"REIKO, PLEASE, PLEASE, DON'T GO DOWN THIS PATH, PLEASE, please..."(Cheryl)

Cheryl was sobbing... she was crying for me? Actually, she's been there with me the entire time, hasn't she? She cares for me. She cares for me.

...

She cares for me.

I, she cares for me. What am I doing? There is Faye, Friedrich, Elise and Cheryl who are worrying about me. Not only that, the entire reason I was born in this universe was to find Kana. What am I thinking, this is no place to die. 

Yeah... YEAH!

This is not going to be the end of this. I can't have this be the end. 

The fire died down, the world became cooler. The world quickly became cooler and cooler, the sky turned into a baby-blue from the vermillion. The ground was like a shallow pool that reflected me. Soft clouds filled the air as the wind gently brushed past. My eyes closed and as soon as I opened it, I was somewhere else. 

Rubble and fire was everywhere. Erwin was on the ground unconscious. 

"REIKO!"(Cheryl)

Cheryl lunged at me, pulling me into a hug.

"you're back to normal... please tell me you're fine"(Cheryl)

Cheryl hiccupped in between her words.

"yeah..."(Reiko)