Chapter 11: Pokky: The Awakening of Instinct

The day after leaving the rural town, we were found.

To put it bluntly—the organization’s lackeys cornered us in a forest at the prefectural border.

Kii-senpai had been using his detection abilities to advance cautiously, but there was no defense against helicopter surveillance and aerial assault. We were forced to rely on the trees for cover.

His transformed form as "Koku" shouldn’t have been known to the enemy. Yet somehow, someone had recognized it. That intel led to our encirclement.

Now, a massive barrier enveloped the entire forest, trapping us inside while cutting off outside reinforcements. No enemy backup would come—but neither would ours.

Holding hands with Itsuki, the girl we were protecting, I followed from a distance as Kok-senpai scouted ahead.

"Kii... will he be okay?"

"He’s way too far ahead, senpai..."

Refusing to listen to reason, he insisted on securing the path alone, nerves stretched to their limit.

It was obvious he was shaken. Someone knowing his transformed form had rattled him, and now he was overcompensating—protecting us to a fault.

...Truthfully, with my stealth skills and his detection abilities, we could’ve broken through this siege by targeting the barrier’s source. But guilt had warped his judgment.

His excessive caution wasn’t bad, per se—but seeing him this tightly wound worried me.

"No way I can afford to get hurt now—"

Ironically, his tension made him careless. Mid-sentence, his foot caught on tangled vines—

"GYAH—?!"

"W-Wah?!"

I tripped. Itsuki, still holding my hand, faceplanted beside me.

"Oww... S-Sorry, Itsuki-chan."

"I’m okay. ...Ah. Otonashi, you’re bleeding."

"Huh? ...Oh." I turned my palm over. A shallow cut. My glove had torn when I braced myself.

No big deal. The kind of injury you’d get a friend to walk you to the nurse for.

"Ah! Itsuki-chan, your forehead’s scratched too! Sorry, let me patch it—"

"Doesn’t hurt."

"But it’s bleeding. Here, I’ll use my handkerchief—"

By all logic, this was nothing. A quick wipe, some water, a bandage—problem solved.

...Or so it should’ve been.

"—Ngh?! Otonashi! Itsuki!!"

Noticing we’d stopped, she sprinted back.

"Are you two alr—"

"Ahaha, sorry, senpai! Just a little clumsy today."

"Kii. No need to worry."

"............"

Senpai froze, mouth half-open.

Maybe she was disappointed that her ninja comrade had tripped like an idiot. Pathetic. I deserved that.

"...My detection skills... are trash."

"Huh? Senpai?"

She muttered something under her breath while rummaging for a first-aid kit. I barely caught it.

Then she knelt, gripped my shoulders—

And bowed her head.

"I’m sorry, Otonashi."

"Eh?! N-No, this isn’t your—"

"...I got carried away." Her voice was tight. "Maybe... I was enjoying this. Playing the hero, dragging you into this mess, pretending I was some protagonist shouldering Itsuki’s fate. I fooled myself."

"Uh... Senpai?"

She wasn’t listening.

Now she clutched her chest, face twisted in anguish—

...Wait. Were those tears?!

"My arrogance... got you both hurt! I—I couldn’t even sense the threat! I was so sure I was alert, but deep down, I was complacent! Forgive me... FORGIVE ME—!!"

"Senpai, wait, these injuries are just—"

"Stay hidden! I’LL CRUSH EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM MYSELF!!"

"H-Hey! SENPAI—!"

Misinterpreting things spectacularly, she shook me off—

And bolted.

"IF YOU WANNA FIND ME SO BAD, COME AND GET IT!!"

Mid-sprint, she fiddled with her pendant—

And reverted to his male form. The one absolutely not meant to be seen.

No doubt about it. He was drawing the enemy’s attention away from us.

By the time I processed it, he was already gone. Chasing him now would just make him lose us.

We were stuck.

"...? Otonashi, your face is red. What’s wrong?"

"...I’ve never been this embarrassed in my life."

How do I even explain this later?

"Sorry, I just tripped lol" after that drama?

I want to die.

---

“Dammit! What the hell are we supposed to do?!”

“R-Rekka-kun, calm down…”

We—the Hero Club—were powerless. That truth had been hammered into us.

Even now, we stood frozen in front of the forest, pounding uselessly against the massive barrier that cut us off. The frustration was unbearable. There was no time to wallow in despair. We had to save them. But we couldn’t.

The organization had made its move. A full-scale assault.

Helicopters. Monstrous operatives. An overwhelming show of force at the prefectural border—right where Kok’s team had headed.

By the time we arrived, the battlefield was already sealed.

An impenetrable barrier. No way in. No way out.

“…Huh?”

As the others stared bitterly at the shimmering wall, my pocket vibrated.

A call.

Unknown number.

Who the hell would call me now?

No—wait.

Could it be…?

I tapped the answer button.

A familiar voice filled my ear.

“’Sup. Hey, Rekka. Long time no see.”

I froze.

That voice.

The one I’d been waiting for every time my phone rang. Hoping. Always hoping.

“…Pokky?”

“Bingo. Glad we got through, Rekky.”

“You bastard…!”

Now?!

Now, of all times?!

After vanishing without a trace, after leaving me with nothing but radio silence—he just called like it was nothing?!

Relief and anger crashed together, my mind spinning between worry for the girls trapped inside and the sheer disbelief that my best friend was just… talking.

“Where the hell are you?! I’ve been worried sick—”

“Right in front of you.”

“Hah?”

I snapped my head up, scanning the area.

Nothing. Just the barrier, shimmering in the light.

“…Don’t tell me you’re inside the forest?”

“Ding ding. Yeah, well, I charged in all cool-like, but turns out I can’t handle this solo. Could really use some backup—someone flashy, mobile, and packing serious firepower.”

“…Sigh. Still as roundabout as ever, huh?”

“Heh.”

The knot in my chest loosened just a little. He was okay. Tired, maybe, but still himself.

But we didn’t have time for a heartfelt reunion.

“…You comin’, Rekka?”

“Like I’d ever say no to that.”

I turned sharply. “President.”

“Yeah, I heard—and saw everything. Including you grinning like an idiot on the phone while the rest of us were panicking.”

She exhaled, gaze sharp.

“So if we bust this barrier and get even one of us through, we can turn this around, right?”

No pointless questions. No hesitation. Just focus. That was our president.

The others caught on instantly.

"If we concentrate all our magic into one point and hit it at max output, we might punch a tiny hole in the barrier. It won’t last long… but that’s enough, right?”

“Yeah. I’ll make sure our whole club’s efforts count.”

“Heh… If you’ve got the energy to joke, I won’t worry. —Hero Club! Move out!”

“Rekky!”

“—! Pokky…!”

I barely made it through the barrier.

Apollo found me first. His detection skills were still sharp.

It had only been a few days since I last saw him, but the moment we locked eyes, my chest tightened.

Less than a week, yet no contact, no traces. Just silence.

Seeing him now, battered but standing, nearly brought tears to my eyes.

“…Rekky. No—Rekka. Hit me.”

“…Hah?”

What kind of airheaded nonsense—

“I let Otonashi get hurt. As her senior… as her teammate, I was supposed to protect her. I failed.”

“…So you were with Kok’s group.”

I’d suspected as much. That black-haired girl’s words, the way he spoke—it all lined up. He’d been watching over them. Traveling with them.

“Please, Rekka. Hit me hard enough to knock my teeth out. I… I was a damn fool.”

“…Shut the hell up, you idiot.”

I grabbed his collar, yanking him close.

Apollo was the one who always lightened the mood. My job was to snap him out of it.

“If I hit you, how do you think Otonashi would feel if she found out?!”

“…!”

He stiffened.

That’s right. Think, dumbass.

“You ghost me for days, call only when you’re in trouble—fine. Whatever. I’ve done the same to you plenty of times.”

But this?

Dragging Otonashi into it, then asking me for punishment instead of her?

“Don’t act like getting punched fixes anything. If you want to make things right, then get your damn answer from Otonashi, not me.”

“R-Rekka…”

Had I ever yelled at him like this before?

No.

I was always the one weighed down by guilt.

But things were different now.

I had the Hero Club. People who kept me on the right path.

"Otonashi isn’t just some high school girl. She trusted you enough to follow you—even hiding secrets from us to keep fighting. She’s a full-fledged member of the Hero Club. Whether she forgives you or not… that’s up to her. But if you talk to her properly, I’m sure she’ll give you an answer you can accept.”

Because his team—

Otonashi. The white-haired girl. Koku.

They weren’t just following.

They were trusting him to lead.

And that meant my best friend had no leader to rely on.

That’s exactly why—

Right now, I’m the only one who can snap Apollo out of this.

No one else could confront him head-on like this. Not Kok, not Otonashi, not even the president.

Only me. Rekka Fire. The one who’s always been closest to him.

Get up, my friend.

I get it now. You’re not weak.

Otonashi wouldn’t have followed you if she didn’t believe in you. If you just talk to her, she’ll listen.

“…Then what do I do?”

“You fight. With me.”

The ones who hurt her were the organization’s monsters. And either way, we’re not escaping this forest without taking them down.

“Has there ever been a single enemy we couldn’t beat together?”

“…Heh. Yeah, you’re right. We’ve never lost. …Then again, we haven’t fought much.”

Well, duh. Apollo only joined the Hero Club two months ago. But in the time we’ve fought side by side? Our teamwork’s been unbeatable.

“Then let’s rack up some experience here. …Something tells me we’ll be fighting together a lot more from now on.”

“Hell yeah. Gotta pay those bastards back for hurting our juniors.”

I grabbed his hand and pulled him up. Maybe now, we’d truly reunited.

“I’ll fly over the forest, draw their attention, and ping enemy positions with my detection skill. Call for backup if you need it—I’ll open gaps with magic arrows.”

“You’ll burn through magic fast, and pulling all their aggro is risky. Sure you’re good?”

“Hah! Worry about yourself. Just wipe ’em out quick. No reinforcements means this’ll be a blitz. …Let’s go, Rekky.”

“Right behind you, Pokky.”

Clink.

Our fists met. A nod.

And then—we split.

—I know how this looks. I know it’s reckless.

But even so…

Fighting alongside Apollo again?

It sent a thrill through me.

---

Just what the hell are we fighting...?

This wasn’t supposed to happen.

One by one, my comrades were falling.

Blindside slashes. Flaming bullets. Magic arrows sowing chaos—before I could react, another monster dropped.

This was supposed to be easy. A no-stakes mission: capture some powerless white-haired brat and a high school kid. So why were we on the verge of annihilation? We hadn’t even scratched them.

"Tch—!!"

I barely parried the strike aimed at my back. A direct hit would’ve ended me.

"You blocked it...?!"

The red-haired high schooler in front of me, sword raised, matched the files: Rekka Fire.

The little shit who’d been picking us off.

"You’ve got, what, a few lackeys left? Give up."

"Y-You damn brats—!"

No—there was still one more.

The traitor’s son.

The scientist’s kid who defected from our organization a decade ago, siding with the so-called heroes and nearly destroying us.

"The comms got jammed from that last blast—"

"Oops. Guess you can’t call your little friend in the sky anymore?"

"Doesn’t matter. I don’t need backup for trash like you."

Kii Taiyou Apollo.

Son of the accursed defector, Kii Yuuki.

The organization needed his father’s genius to complete the system—the one that could rewrite reality using that pure white experiment as its key. And to force his cooperation?

We needed the son.

I grinned. Good. I just need time.

"Heh. You’re adorable, Rekka Fire."

"...What’s so funny?"

Bait taken.

"Hey, kid. You know Apollo’s real last name?"

"...It’s Kii. Stop wasting my time—"

"Whoa, hold up. This’ll blow your tiny mind."

His grip on the sword tightened.

Perfect.

"See, Apollo’s old man—Kii Yuuki—was one of our scientists."

"...So? That’s got nothing to do with him."

"Oh, it’s got everything to do with him." I smirked. "There’s this pendant… seals away some girl. His daddy made it. And guess who’s using it now? Your best friend."

Fire’s brow furrowed.

"Still lost? Fine. Let me spell it out."

I leaned in.

"That black-haired girl protecting the experiment? She’s Apollo."

"—!?"

His sword hand trembled.

Good.

I’d been with the organization long before Kii Yuuki defected. Decades in the trenches meant I’d stumbled onto secrets no one else knew.

And when I saw that black-haired girl?

I recognized her immediately.

That’s why I mobilized my own squad.

No one else could know.

"To be precise? Your ‘best friend’ is loaning his body to that girl."

"...You’re not making sense—"

He was rattled, but his guard stayed up. Damn brat.

"Then here’s the kicker: The night before he fled, Kii said—and I quote—‘I’m keeping her sealed forever.’ Heard it myself."

I remembered everything about that girl.

"Sometimes, when I peeked into his lab? She was there. Then—poof—back to the doc."

"S-Some kind of... transformation magic?"

"Dumbass. It wasn’t just the looks. When he was her, his whole personality flipped—dead silent, zero energy. Total opposite of his usual loud, friendly self."

Sweat dripped down Fire’s face. His breathing turned ragged.

"At first, I thought he was some kinda crossdressing freak. But nah. Dude knocked up his assistant, Chie. No way a straight shooter like him’s playing dress-up."

It all clicked back then.

"That pendant? It’s got the real black-haired girl trapped inside. To let her out, the wearer’s gotta voluntarily hand over their body. But here’s the kicker—"

I smirked.

"I never saw them in the same room. Not once. Meaning? That girl’s stuck. She’s never getting out."

"............"

Fire’s sword clattered to the ground.

Pathetic. He must’ve cared about both of them.

"Your pal got stuck with his old man’s fucked-up heirloom! So which is it, huh? Did Apollo pity her and give up his body? Or did that lab rat trick him into handing it over?"

I wheezed with laughter.

"Either way—they can’t both exist!"

"Haah... haah... HAH—!"

Now’s my chance—

"GYAAAAAGH—!!"

...Huh?

A blade jutted from my gut.

When—?

His sword was on the ground—

"Y-You little... I can’t... die here—!"

"—All modified humans and monsters in the organization have self-destruct devices implanted to prevent intel leaks if they take critical damage."

"GYAAAAAAAAAGH—!!!"

Triggered by the boy's sword strike, the monster detonated, vanishing with eerie finality.

---

"—So, to summarize, Otonashi and I really just... tripped and got hurt."

"Uh-huh..."

"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm SO SORRY, it was literally just me being clumsy, this isn't your fault at all, Senpai, I swear—!!"

About thirty minutes after losing contact with Rekka, I was slumped under a tree—back in my female form—while Kizuki and Otonashi patched me up.

My detection ability confirmed no hostiles remained. The last stragglers had been cleaned up by Rekka after our comms cut out, and the one who ambushed me when my magic ran dry? Otonashi finished him off with sound magic.

For now, we were safe.

Honestly? I was spent—magically and physically.

"Hey, Otonashi, don’t sweat it. This was my fault for jumping to conclusions."

"B-But you pushed yourself this far because of my injuries! How can I not feel guilty...?! Sorry, Senpai...!"

"Seriously, it’s fine. I’m alive, aren’t I?"

…Okay, maybe a little embarrassed. But charging in blindly led to teaming up with Rekka and pulling through. All’s well that ends well.

"Senpai, name anything. I’ll do anything to make it up to you."

"Don’t say that so lightly."

"No, I mean it! No holding back, Senpai!"

"...Then scout us a place to stay in the next town. A bath and dinner would be great too."

"Leave it to me! I’m on it!!"

"Call a payphone or something when you find one—"

Before I could finish, Otonashi bolted toward the forest exit, her silhouette against the sunset practically radiating youthful energy.

…Should’ve taken Kizuki with you.

"Leaving Kii alone now would be... unwise."

"Yeah, probably."

The battle had dragged on longer than expected. Dusk was settling in, orange light filtering through the trees.

We needed to get out before full dark.

"Hm? Call incoming."

The caller?

—Dad. Via video.

"Hey."

"Apollo! Thank goodness you made it through!"

"Wait... How’d you know about—?"

"That Otonashi girl called me. She’s your teammate, right?"

That ninja-speed gremlin. At this point, "fast" doesn’t even cover it. Though, considering she tripped earlier, it was weirdly reassuring—proof she’s human.

"Hmm. Your girl disguise is flawless, as expected. No idea how they pinpointed Shirohaku’s location, but visually? Zero degradation from when I used it. Impressive."

…That phrasing aside—wait.

"Hold on. So you actually used this yourself?"

Of course he’d test his own invention. He’d shown me the transformed form before my first use, but still…

"What’d you even do as a girl? Just... live normally?"

"Oh, no. The sheer perfection of becoming a moe, deadpan beauty was too exhilarating. I leaned hard into the act."

…Ugh. I definitely inherited his genes.

"Every curve of the face, every strand of hair—my calculations birthed the ultimate girl! And then I became her! Of course I’d play the part!"

"I hate how much I get that."

Let’s be real—if I’d invented this, I’d have done the same.

"Mom didn’t stop you?"

"Hah! She tried. Hundreds of times. Your mother’s will is iron."

Nostalgia tinged his voice as he glanced off-screen, where Mom slept wrapped in blankets. Life on the run had probably left her exhausted.

How many sons video-call their parents from a dingy hideout? Probably just me.

"Eventually, I caved. Locked the pendant away and fled the organization with her. I promised—‘I’ll keep it sealed until the day our child opens it willingly.’"

"...So you quit. The whole... girl thing."

"Had to. Otherwise, you wouldn’t exist."

…Horrifying. I owe Mom way more gratitude.

"But unlike my selfish whims, you’re using it to save friends. Once we crush the organization, you can go back to being Apollo for good."

"...Yeah. When this is over... I’ll go back. To being a guy."

"Sorry for the burden. I’ll call again soon."

The call cut abruptly. Same old Dad.

So—that was it.

It took Mom’s stubbornness to break his obsession. She was the one who forced him back on track.

Maybe I’d need that too someday.

...Except my reckoning seems to be happening right now.

"—Kii. Someone’s coming."

I was too drained to sense anything, but the sound of approaching footsteps reached me just as Kizuki warned me.

The pace—reckless, unwavering—could only be Rekka. No enemies left to be cautious of.

"Haah... haah... haah..."

"...Rekka."

My best friend emerged from behind us, panting. His expression?

The kind you make when you’ve seen something unbelievable.

From his perspective, Kok—me—was just as injured as Apollo had been half an hour ago. Bandaged, bruised... but why?

After all, every enemy here was handled by Apollo and Rekka.

"Kok..."

"...Kizuki. Go on ahead."

"...Mm."

Guess the jig is up.

"Up until now, I’ve just been lucky—just a series of flukes keeping the truth hidden."

Rekka’s earlier obliviousness—before Rai chewed him out—had been one reason my secret stayed intact.

But he’s grown since then.

And now, standing before the newly perceptive protagonist, my half-baked "magical girl cosplay" plan crumbles into dust.

"...So you’re Apollo?"

Time to come clean.

Maybe this is for the best. Today alone proved how much Rekka cares. Dragging him further into this selfish farce would be cruel.

"...Rekka, I’m sorr—"

"Which one is it?!"

"Eep—"

Yikes. He’s pissed.

What does he mean, "which one"? Whether this was my choice or if I’m being used?

Fine. I’ll spell it out.

"What kind of deal did you make with Apollo?!"

"............?"

…Huh?

"Answer me. Is this your will—or are you using him?"

"W-Wait, what are you—"

"Don’t play dumb!!"

"Gyahh?!"

What the hell is happening?!

Something’s gone horribly wrong in Rekka’s head. Did he hit it during the fight?!

"I... I like you."

...What?

"Even after you rejected me back then, my feelings haven’t changed. Fighting together, sharing drinks—you gave me the same comfort as Apollo. You’re... you’re my precious friend!"

Oh. So he still sees "Kok" as a friend. That rural bonding really did mean something.

(Though maybe don’t lead with "I like you"—that’s just asking for misunderstandings.)

"But! I... I still care about Apollo too!"

His voice shakes.

"Today made me realize—I want to talk to him again! Go back to school, do stupid things together—I miss him!"

"Rekka...? Calm down—"

"How can I?!"

He looks away, fists clenched, shoulders trembling.

This isn’t a joke.

His conflict is real.

But what does he think is happening?!

"...That idiot probably volunteered his body to you."

...What?

Whoa whoa whoa.

Rekka’s spinning a whole narrative without me.

"Hold on. What exactly do you think is going on?"

He exhales sharply.

"I met a monster who knew Apollo’s father. He told me."

Oh no.

"You’re an experiment—a girl sealed in a pendant, only able to exist by borrowing someone else’s body."

"............I see."

Ah.

Ahhhhh.

So Rekka didn’t figure out I’m Kok.

He thinks Kok is some tragic amnesiac ghost-girl possessing me.

...What.

What kind of soap opera twist is this?!

Did some enemy see Dad’s old "magical girl" shenanigans and wildly misinterpret them?!

And now Rekka’s bought into it?!

"...If you need a body... take mine."

My stomach drops.

"Apollo... he deserves to be free."

He’s dead serious.

He might even cry.

"...Sigh."

Fine. I’ll end this.

Time to confess—no matter if he yells, disowns me, or murders me.

Seeing him like this hurts too much.

"Rek—"

Dizziness.

"Gh—"

My knees buckle.

Blood drips from my reopened forehead wound.

"Kok?!"

Rekka lunges forward—but I raise a hand to stop him.

What... is this?

"...Rekky."

"! P-Pokky...?!"

Am I delirious from blood loss?

Concussed?

I don’t know.

But one thing’s crystal clear:

I’ve never felt more alive.

"I—"

I’m giddy.

Even as guilt gnaws at me—I’m thrilled he still doesn’t know.

My lips twitch. I can’t help it.

"Haha. Ouch. So painful. Such a pretty face... wasted. Bruised. Bleeding."

"P-Pokky...?"

Why?

Just tell him.

The evidence is right there. How is he still misreading this?!

Say it.

"It was all a lie."

I want to. I should.

I need to lift this weight off him—to scream "The girl you’re trying to save doesn’t exist!"

To show him me.

To promise we’ll always be together—

—Ah. No.

Who... am I?

Something twists inside me.

A dam breaks—flooding my veins with something dark.

It eats at my conscience, my friendship, everything.

The part of me that lurked in the shadows—

—has now been dragged into the light.

I tremble.

My body.My bloodstained fingertips.My heart—no, my core.My very mind shakes.

I could still keep this up.

If I lie now, the girl called Kok can keep existing.

If I abandon my conscience and deceive my best friend, I can stay at the center of this story.

Betray him.Betray him.Betray him.Betray him.

"Ugh...! Gh—!"

"Apollo?!"

Stop this.

How much more will you humiliate him?

If you care about him at all, end this farce now.

But that’s just empty righteousness.

I’ve already betrayed him countless times.

Who am I to play the best friend now?

And yet—

Ah, ah, so many thoughts race through my head.

All of them true.

But stalling won’t change anything.

Only one thing remains.

"...Rekka."

I can’t let go of Kok.

"Sorry, but—"

My true self—my instincts—scream it.

No matter how much I chastise myself for being vile, wretched, a monster who toys with hearts—

The unshakable conviction that defines me pushes me forward.

Down the wrong path.

It’s not about enjoying Rekka’s reactions anymore.I don’t even know if this is fun or agony.

But I can’t lie to myself.

"I can’t give Apollo back."

"—!"

Until the day Rekka learns the truth and condemns me—

I’ll never stop playing the hidden heroine.

"...No matter what?""Yeah. A promise."

I lace my words with double meaning, cementing "Koku’s" existence.

"I’m glad you called me your precious friend.""I... don’t hate you either, Rekka."

"Koku...!"

I have ceased to be human.

Morality discarded.Friendship trampled.

This is nothing like my parents’ story.

Dad always had Mom—someone who knew everything, who stopped him.

But I have no one.

No one in this world understands the emotions festering inside me.

Unlike Dad, who turned to justice thanks to Mom—

I’ve fallen before my best friend’s eyes.

The beast inside me—

—can no longer be restrained.

I won’t stop this charade.

Not until the day I’m exposed.

"But I won’t return Apollo.

We... can’t be separated."

Turns out, I was never cut out to be a protagonist.

Even with Kizuki, the heroine I swore to protect, and Otonashi, my reliable ally—

Nothing changed.

I couldn’t justify my lies with hollow heroism.

I chose to keep deceiving them.

I chose to await judgment.

"I won’t make excuses."

I’m the villain here.

No half-hearted redemption.

I’ll save the world.I’ll evade the organization.I’ll get Kizuki to Okinawa.

But I won’t stop being a girl.

I’ll remain Rekka’s villain.

"I need Apollo... so I won’t give him back to you."

"You—!"

Then defeat me.

"If you really want your best friend back—"

Please, Rekka.

I’m begging you.

"—then kill me."

The only one who can stop me now—

This problematic, high-maintenance hidden heroine—

—is you.

So please—

put an end to this.