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The grey bunting entered the shrine, approaching the figure they viewed as a rival. The swallow turned around, asking who was there. It didn’t even seem to notice the voids in its flesh. These voids left no trace of there having been anything there in the first place, having replaced it with darkness.
The bunting asked the swallow what happened, to which the swallow responded that it didn’t know what the bunting was talking about. It may have been the bunting’s imagination, but in that moment, they thought they saw the swallow’s hat clamp down. The bunting thought the sparrow must have been behind this due to seeing similar clues in the past. Unfortunately, they lacked the knowledge to fix the broken swallow, so they decided to keep an eye on it for a while.
As time passed, the swallow would see something that nobody else could see. A being beyond dimensions, and a friend who tried to stop it. They uttered a name - Yabusame. Neither they nor the bunting truly knew what that name meant, but the swallow felt like there was a hole in their heart. It was at that moment when the bunting noticed a hole in the swallow’s chest. It was similar to the voids seen scattered across its body, but this one didn’t have anything replacing it. A good portion of the swallow’s chest was just...gone. It would slowly move around on occasion as if nothing happened, and it showed no signs of pain. The hat appeared to sink down even further in the preceding moments.
Even later did the swallow ask the bunting a question - Who are you? The bunting didn’t know how to respond to this question, having known the swallow for a very long time. They panicked, tearfully trying to ask if their rival has gone so far as to forget who they were. The swallow didn’t understand, and that was the moment the bunting realized the voids were growing larger. Half of the swallow’s face didn’t exist, and neither did a large portion of its body. Both of its legs, as well as its right arm, and even the chest that disappeared had become replaced with null. Only its left arm was completely intact.
The swallow’s hat continued to sink, shredding across its face and causing it to leak. This caused it to panic, an emotion the bunting has never seen from the swallow. It stood up, a being that could no longer be considered what it was before. The remaining half of its face was crying as it started walking towards the terrified and confused bunting.
Then, the sparrow entered the shrine. They knew something from beyond dimensions was going to subject the swallow to something much worse than death while advancing its own agenda. In fact, they tried to prevent this very situation many times.
You detestable replacement. I can’t get any of them back, but here you are, thinking you can fill the void. Why did only I...have to be left in this miserable existence for so long?
Its memories and thoughts flew into the swallow’s mind. The swallow saw a reality with many faces that looked familiar, but with noticeable changes to them. They even saw someone that resembled themself. That person...no longer exists.
The being swiped at the sparrow, covering them in pitch-black ink. Each blot was sharper than a knife, and they tore the sparrow’s body apart while the bunting stood there, horrified at what their friend just did.
The swallow thought they heard a voice telling them to stop, but they had no idea how. If things keep going this way, they’re going to kill Kuroji, they thought. They desperately tried to move their body, and a figure had appeared in their eye. They recognized this figure, but couldn’t call out to it.
A voice flowed through their head.
I may not be here anymore, but that doesn’t mean I’m giving up! You shouldn’t give up either! You are more than just someone’s pawn! You are Tsubakura Enraku, the genius that earned my heart! Show that thing how much that’s worth!
They used their one free hand to tear themself free from the conduit atop their head, but this didn’t restore their body. They continued to struggle with body parts that weren’t there until the pitch blackness vanished.
One final message entered their head.
There’s the super cool scientist I know! Now, it may be selfish of me, but hear my final request. You may never see me again, so I want you to forget about me. Move on with your life, and keep moving forward! I know you’ll do great.
“Wait, don’t go-” Tsubakura cried out before falling into a sitting position.
Kuroji ran up to the repaired but still tired figure.
“Are you okay, Tsubakura?”
“Heh. I could ask the same of you.”
“You really had me worried, you jerk!”
“...Sorry.”
“It feels...warm.”
“Well, there isn’t anyone here but the two of us.”
“You know, I bet Yabusame would have loved to join us.”
“I bet the same.”