Shadow in the Glass: a Splatoon 2 Fanfiction

Chapter 15

Mona was still reeling from the betrayal when she regained consciousness in Jake's homemade SPAWN Pad. Three shot her. Without a shadow of a doubt, Three shot her. Three, who Mona thought she could trust. And she had killed her. Was she working with Kensa? If so, what would happen to Jake? Would Three kill him too?

She floated there for a while, grimly pondering those questions and slowly losing hope. She had been there for a long time (she thought; time was difficult in the void) when a shadow materialized in a place she believed couldn't get any darker.

"Mona?"

"Shut up and go away, Buia."

"Nice to see you too."

"What do you want?"

Buia looked at Mona, in pity it seemed. As if a demon manifested of fears and doubts could ever feel pity.

"Are you just here to soak in your victory, Buia?"

Buia was confused. "What victory? You beat me."

"Jake beat you. Not me. I'm just as vulnerable as I ever was. Now even more so than ever."

"Elaborate."

Mona sighed. "This is just another one of your ways to torment me, isn't it? Whatever. If you really want to know, Three shot me."

Buia looked shocked. "Three... killed you?"

"That's what I just said, isn't it? Yes, Three killed me. One of my only friends, and one I looked up to. I don't know how long she was working against us, but it must have been a long time. That's probably how Kensa knew we were on the train." Mona laughed bitterly. "Now that I think about it, all the pieces seem to click. Jake's probably dead too."

"Mona, be rational."

"No! You don't get to boss me around anymore! And you're one to talk about rationality! Calling me a hypocrite, forcing me to believe I was better off dead... I think you're the hypocrite here!"

Buia smiled sadly. "Fair enough."

"Why are you so calm? I'm insulting you! You should be yelling right back! You should be telling me to die, to end my pointless life!"

"Mona..."

"Tell me, Buia. Tell me I should never go back to that painful world. It's all I need to stay here, in the void, forever. I'd be better off here, and the world would be better off without me in it."

"I won't tell you that, Mona."

"Why?! What makes this so different? Tell me, Buia. SAY IT TO MY FACE!"

Buia was silent.

"Please..." Mona's voice broke as she tried to fight the tears. "Please, Buia. I need something, anything to make me stay here, where no one can hurt me, and I can't hurt them."

"But, Mona, you belong out there. You belong with Jake. You... you deserve to be happy, after all I've done to you."

Mona looked up in shock. "Buia, why... What changed? Why are you suddenly trying to help me? I thought you wanted me dead, so you could go wherever demons go when they're freed."

"That's not the full story."

"Then tell me the full story. The truth. I have all the time in the world here in the void."

"Alright," Buia inhaled, exhaled. "The truth...

"The truth is, I pity you, Mona. Living beings experience so much more than inner thoughts. We only experience a small fragment of what life is. Pain, love, hate, happiness, betrayal... these are things I will never understand. I used to hate how I couldn't feel all that you felt, and that made me despise you. That made me wish you dead."

"But with Jake, I felt those emotions. And they're wonderful, Mona. Living beings don't fully appreciate these feelings, because it's such an integral part of them. But when you feel them for the first time... it's pure bliss. I didn't want that kiss to stop, that moment to end. I finally appreciated that old adage 'live in the moment'.

"Basically, the point I'm trying to make is, if you stay here, you will never be truly happy. Safe, yes, but not content. You belong out there, in the real world, with Jake. Reality is harsh, but there will be a time when it all pays off. When everything you've gone through feels worth it. When you realize that... that life is worth living."

Buia finished her small rant with a warm smile, and an outstretched hand. "Let's go, Mona. Let's go back to the real world, where your friends are waiting. Where your future is waiting."

Mona stared at her corporal hand for a few moments. Then she let out the breath she didn't know she was holding all that time, and grabbed Buia's hand.

"Let's go."