Izumi890

2. Deltania

The next morning arrives too calmly.

Sunlight spills through the curtains of the Kageno household, touching the kitchen counter, the framed photos on the wall, Izumi smiling, Kaori laughing, a family frozen in time. The kettle whistles, ignored.

Izumi's mother's phone vibrates on the table.

Her mother answers without thinking.

"Hello? Izumi?"

There's a pause. Then a voice she doesn't recognize.

"Is this Mrs. Kageno?"

Her heart stutters. "Yes," she replies carefully. "Who is this? Why do you have my daughter's phone?"

"This is the police, ma'am."

The room feels smaller.

"It appears your daughter is missing," the officer continues, professional, controlled. "We found a pool of blood, her phone, and a vehicle with a broken window at Havana Theme Park."

Silence.

Mrs. Kageno raises a hand to her mouth as the words finally register. Tears spill over before she can stop them.

"Officer..." Her voice breaks.

"We are not saying she's dead," the officer says quickly. "She is officially listed as missing.

Ma'am, we promise to do everything we can to find your daughter. You may come to the station to collect her belongings."

The line goes dead.

Mrs. Kageno stares at the phone in her hand for a long moment, then it slips from her fingers and hits the floor.

She sinks down after it, knees giving way.

The house fills with the sound of her crying.

***

Izumi's eyes snap open.

She's lying on a bed.

Soft sheets. Dim light. The steady, unfamiliar quiet of a room that isn't hers.

"I- I'm still alive?!"

She bolts upright, a sharp pain blooming behind her eyes. Her hand flies to her head as fragments of the night crash back; rain, blood, Isshiki's grin.

"What... what happened?"

The door opens.

A brown-haired girl rushes in and wraps her arms tightly around Izumi before she can react.

"Izumi!" she cries. "I missed you so much!!"

Izumi freezes.

She gently but firmly pulls away, confusion flooding her face. "Who are you? Is this the afterlife?"

The girl blinks, startled. "No, no, you're still alive."

Izumi presses her palm to her chest, heart racing. "Now I remember. I was fighting that a-hole and he killed me."

"He didn't really kill you," the girl says quickly. "It was more of an illusion."

Izumi's eyes narrow. She shifts back, creating distance between them.

"Illusion...? Who are you?!"

The girl's expression falters, hurt flickering across her face.

"I thought you would recognize me," she says softly. "I'm Kaori."

The name hits like a gunshot.

Izumi's breath leaves her lungs. Her vision blurs.

"...Kaori?"

Her legs give out as she reaches forward, pulling the girl into a tight, desperate hug,bfingers digging into fabric as if afraid she'll disappear.

Izumi laughs shakily, tears burning her eyes.

"This is definitely the afterlife."

"Izumi," Kaori says gently, holding her shoulders. "This isn't the afterlife. This is another world. Deltania."

Izumi scoffs, rubbing her temples.

"I am-or was-the world's greatest assassin. I'm smart enough to know other worlds don't exist."

Kaori doesn't flinch.

"I'm telling the truth. The man you fought, Isshiki, has the power to bring whatever he imagines to life. He pulls people into those visions. I call them illusions, but they're... real enough."

She hesitates. "He can also summon people from other worlds."

Izumi's smile falters.

"So," she says slowly, dangerously calm, "you're telling me that all this time we thought you were dead, you were actually chilling here?"

Her voice sharpens. "Mom has blood pressure issues because of you, Kaori."

The door creaks open.

"Hey, girls."

Isshiki stands in the doorway, perfectly relaxed, holding a plate of pasta like he hasn't just shattered reality.

Izumi turns on him instantly.

"And you," she snaps, stepping forward. "You had the nerve to kill my sister and slice off my head?! You are definitely going down."

Isshiki raises both hands in exaggerated surrender.

"Hey, fair reaction. But you have to understand, my world is in trouble. And I need your help."

He smiles faintly. "We're the only ones who can save it."

Izumi straightens to her full height.

"Earth has a lot of problems," she says coldly. "And you don't see us summoning people out of the blue."

"I'm sorry about slicing your head off," Isshiki adds quickly. "I've got a... wild imagination."

He looks at her with unmistakable puppy eyes.

Izumi exhales, long and tired.

"...Fine. I'll help."

She points a finger at him. "On one condition. You take me home first. My mom is totally freaking out or planning my funeral by now."

Isshiki's grin spreads.

"I knew you'd agree."

"As if," Izumi mutters.

But she doesn't walk away.

"Wait," Izumi says suddenly. "How do I go home?"

Kaori glances at Isshiki. "He'll take you. Isshiki can make portals."

Izumi sighs. "Whatever..."

"I'll walk you home," Isshiki offers quickly.

Kaori smiles, relieved. "Please take care of her."

"I can take care of myself," Izumi snaps automatically, then pouts, arms crossing.

Isshiki lifts a hand and snaps his fingers.

The air twists.

A circular distortion tears open beside them, swirling light folding inward like reality being peeled back.

Izumi stops short.

"...No way I'm going through that thing." She squints at it. "Wait a minute. I've seen that before."

Isshiki rubs the back of his neck.

"Yeah, about that... I've been trying to get you to walk into one of my portals for a while. I planted a few in alleys near your place. But, uh... turns out you were smarter than you looked."

That's when Izumi grabs his collar.

"Say that again," she growls. "I'd know better than to walk into some random glowing hole, thank you very much."

Isshiki swallows. "Noted."

Kaori watches from the side, trying and failing not to laugh.

The portal hums patiently.

Izumi releases Isshiki with a shove and steps back, eyes never leaving the swirling light.

"...You better not be lying," she says. "If this thing drops me somewhere weird, I will come back."

Izumi steps through the portal and immediately stumbles out onto familiar ground.

Her front yard.

The old fence. The crooked mailbox. The porch light still on, even in daylight.

"...Huh," she mutters. "You did one thing right."

Isshiki follows, the portal snapping shut behind him like it was never there.

He walks with her through the yard while Izumi eyes him suspiciously then clears her throat.

"So," she says casually, "what's going on between you and my sister?"

Isshiki blinks. "Huh?"

"Don't play dumb."

He chuckles, hands in his pockets.

"We're dating. Yeah... something like that."

Izumi stops dead.

"...What? Why? Of all people?!"

Isshiki raises his hands defensively.

"It's a kid-friendly relationship. I promise."

Izumi scoffs.

"There is no such thing as a kid-friendly relationship."

They reach the doorstep.

"Well," Isshiki says, "I'll be taking my leave."

"Hold on," Izumi says sharply. "You're supposed to explain my whereabouts to my mom."

"...Uh."

He turns slowly.

"...Fine."

Izumi opens the door and lets him in.

The house is filled with wailing.

They step into the living room and freeze.

Family photos are lined up across the table. Candles. Tissues everywhere. Her mother sits on the couch, clutching a framed picture like it's a life raft.

"First it was my husband," her mother sobs, "then Kaori, and now Izumi! Oh God, how am I supposed to live on my own-

She breaks down completely.

Izumi leans toward Isshiki and mutters, "Okay... my mom can be a little melodramatic."

Isshiki whispers back, "You think?"

"I told her to give me grandchildren," her mother continues between sobs. "But no, she never did! Now the Kageno lineage has come to an end...

Izumi slaps a hand over her face.

"I can't take this anymore," she mutters.

"Mom."

Her mother looks up.

Mascara streaks her cheeks. Eyes red.

Then-

She screams.

"Izumi?!"

She leaps up and rushes forward, nearly knocking Isshiki over as she grabs his hand instead.

"Is this my future son-in-law?!" she cries joyfully.

Izumi freezes.

"...Uh-"

"Izumi," her mother scolds, "you should've told me you spent the night at his place! You didn't have to stage a whole crime scene!"

Izumi turns slowly to Isshiki.

"...You hear that?" she says flatly. "You didn't have to stage a crime scene."

She nudges his elbow.

Isshiki opens his mouth and immediately regrets every decision he's ever made.

The house, at last, is no longer mourning.

It's interrogating.