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“So... you’re here,” the stranger scoffs in a monotone tone.
The other Sunny regards him with a blank stare, completely unconcerned about his existence. They were there at Sunny’s behest, urging Omori to find a solution without turning to aggression. Omori saw no value in heeding the words of that shadow, which took the shape of the one who had brought misfortune to his creator. However, he had no choice but to listen to his mental request instead of using all his power.
Sunny stands between them, his heart racing as he watches, terrified that they might start throwing punches or that the same old outcome will unfold again, just like every time he loses memories of those endless cycles. One thing he did not expect was that Omori would listen to him instead of tearing, deforming, dismembering, decapitating, or disintegrating him.
Aware of the danger posed by the shadow with watchful eyes, Sunny knows he should steer clear, but a compelling instinct nudges him to pay attention. Although he lacks any evidence to support his reasoning, he acts out of a desire for his suffering to end.
“Of course, I’m here. This is what Sunny asked me to do.”
“… He’s tired of all this hell. This site has no reason to persist while he keeps dodging the issue. You know there is another solution.”
“Sunny understands that this place is to wipe you and something out. You both represent the hardships that affect this place and my existence. I won’t stop this as long as you two are still here.”
Sunny sees that Omori is right. His purpose is to shield him from those troubling thoughts and to hold on until something happens. Deep down, Sunny realizes that this isn’t doing him any good, and perhaps he should heed the voice of that shadow, which echoes someone familiar, as the best way forward.
“Yet he called you here without using your cursed body.” Replies the stranger. “You are obliged to listen to his inner desires.”
Sunny could sense that Omori was judging him harshly. He knows what he intends and hates it.
“You don’t know what are you doing. This happened a lot.”
Sunny looks down.
“However, that is of little consequence, for he has embraced my decision. He will eventually regret it and come back to my side. Your lies won’t work again.”
“You know why this is happening. Sunny left his house to see the world, his friends, and the real Basil. He knows who I am.”
“Without a doubt, he understands, and he fears you. He prefers to distance himself from the stranger who only causes him suffering. This is all a waste of time. Come back to me, Sunny.”
The boy shudders at his call. He shuts his eyes tightly and balls his hands into fists, determined not to flee once more. Sunny’s thoughts echoed with a desperate plea: I mustn’t run away.
“Sunny,” he says aloud, feeling all his creator is ignoring him. It won’t end well if he keeps doing it.
The turmoil within him was palpable as he grappled with the urge to listen to the shadow while neglecting the protective instincts for his creation, which filled him with guilt for denying his reality along with the fear of suffering the consequences of his disobeying him. Even with all those emotions swirling inside him, he found himself at a loss for words and actions. It felt like he had lost touch with reality; he was completely unaware.
“Sunny.” Omori’s voice is getting louder.
So the shadow said the first word, interrupting the call while Sunny was stunned, trying to buy him time. “Sunny,” he replies, looking at Sunny with intensity, an emotion that Sunny finds familiar and frightening. “What do you choose?”
He finds himself at a loss for words, fully aware that answering it will only lead to heartache for him and the other Sunny. He knows the solution but fears how Omori will respond if he refuses his help. The normal thing would be to return to his side and end the shadow so that he would no longer suffer. This, however, was anything but healthy. He has already gone through this and isn’t keen on repeating the experience. It was heartbreaking to see Omori being betrayed.
“You don’t need to answer,” Omori replies, still with a stoic face. “You fear that stranger, and I can’t leave you alone without me.”
“You left me broken. Everything hurts you. You don’t need anything,” the shadow said urgently, hoping that somehow Sunny would decide without fear. “You don’t need your other form.”
“Don’t manipulate him,” Omori says, looking intently at his still-nervous creator. Fed up with the shadow luring him into Sunny’s self-destruction, he glares at the stranger. “You should be alone for the rest of eternity. Perhaps you could go yourself drowning for a few minutes until you realize that Sunny doesn’t require your presence.”
It pained Sunny deeply, even though he understood that the figure in the dark cloak wasn’t truly his friend; it was Basil who had borne the brunt of the fallout. He remarked that it seemed as though he loathed him to the core. He wants to grab his heart and squeeze it, twisting it inside his chest forever. Was that what Sunny was keeping? Might this be the belief that Sunny longs to hold? Malice or defense? That doesn’t matter, and Sunny doesn’t want to see that ugly side.
“He’s not like that,” Sunny whispers, the harsh tone in his voice startling them both. “Basil would never threaten to hurt me; he would never say these things. He would... He’s still looking for my help. I want to listen to him.” His voice was pleading, rising in pitch and volume, but Omori showed no sign of listening to him.
“You don’t know anything. You will regret it if you keep meeting him.”
“Sunny has made the decision. He no longer wants to run away.”
“Stop lying to him. Sunny, come here.”
The boy, cringing while watching the argument, walks over to the stranger and stands beside him, holding back for the worst to come. His fists tightened in shock as he gazed at him with fear, desperately trying to avoid escalating the situation. This was the stranger’s chance.
“You want Sunny to be safe, don’t you?” The shadow begs, turning his head halfway between the boy and the other so he can keep an eye on both of them. “Help me. I can’t do it alone, please, my dear friend.”
“What are you doing, Sunny?” hisses Omori. “He’ll hurt you. He’ll kill you.”
“I’m the one you should be talking to,” the stranger says, watching as Sunny looks between the two warily, still fearful of Omori. “You’re scaring him. Listen to me. I’ll try to bring Basil back, and we’ll stop suffering.”
“Liar.” Growls Omori, hatred permeating every syllable. “What are you waiting for? Control me? You’re like him.”
Sunny shakes his head in denial at what Omori said. After putting up with the jeers and slurs aimed at his friend, he has something significant to say. “Stop it! You’re berating him because he reminds us of Basil. I know you want to protect me from him, but you’re not helping me. You’re hurting me for the sake of your duty and I don’t want to be around you!” Sunny takes a breath, shocked at how he’s just unleashed all his pent-up feelings in one go.
The shadow didn’t expect such verbiage from Sunny. It could be said that this was the first time he had turned his back on the being who swore to protect him. He looks at Omori, mimicking the expression the stranger has.
“Omori. There is still an opportunity for us to have a better resolution for everyone. Sunny has not—”
“Liar.”
“Omori?”
“You good for nothing…”
Sunny shivers at Omori’s grave voice. His dark thoughts have come to fulfill his fear.
“Calm down—”
Omori roars in anger that makes the stranger step back. This is completely new and something tells him that it’s going to be worse than the punishment he’s had.
“LIAR.”
“Omori—” His black head explodes in front of Omori’s fist, blowing his white eyeballs off and falling to the ground. Sunny’s heart nearly bursts out of his mouth at the explosive violence of his creation.
The boy gazes in horror at the reflection before him, frightened by the sight of his own face, which seems more like a haunting apparition than a human being. It reminded him of his fears. He wants to finish him off.
“Omori! Please!” He doesn’t listen to his pleas—Omori shrieks in fury at the betrayal.
He intends to inflict pain on him for undermining his confidence and won’t cease until Sunny acknowledges he doesn’t deserve to live. His hands go to his neck and realizes how it moves away from him with incredible speed. Behind Sunny, he sees that shadow leading him away from his predator.
Omori roars furiously, going towards them with the sick intention of killing them.
Sunny looks behind him, seeing the stranger clutching his shirt.
“He’s after us!”
“What the hell did you do!?”
“I-I don’t know! I was so scared that—” He stops because he has the obvious answer in front of him. Something he never expected was that his subconscious thoughts could alter Omori’s behavior. He looks at his crazy creation, roaring and reaching out to them.
Black vines erupted from the stranger’s grasp, ensnaring Omori’s legs and sending him crashing to the ground. However, when he hits the floor, seismic waves are created.
The stranger falls to the ground, releasing Sunny out from under him. The crazed double comes out, about to reach for his skull, but Sunny flies away thanks to the black brambles of his shadow ally and reaches out to him.
With a fearful gaze, Sunny turns to Omori, pondering their way out of this predicament. The stranger, unsure of what to say, joins in, watching as the monster slowly gets to his feet, still emitting low growls.
“HOW DARED YOU TO GO WITH HIM!”
Sunny shakes his head. “NO! I STILL CARE ABOUT YOU—”
Omori roars at his reply, not wanting to hear any excuse. The stranger steps in to protect Sunny.
“Omori! It’s not too late! I promise I leave him alone when—”
“LIAR!”
Nothing gets through to the madman. The stranger feared that the worst-case scenario would happen, and all he had left was to protect Sunny.
“Sunny… you need to get out of here.”
The boy’s eyes grow big for his answer. “N-no! I don’t want you left!”
“You have to! Omori lost it and you have to reach out to the truth!”
“But that’s…”
“I’m your friend! He’s okay!”
Omori roars and launches towards them.
“RUN!”
Sunny couldn’t run. He watches his other self, only to witness him suddenly engulfed in flames.
“GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!”
Sunny stares wide-eyed in disbelief as the unexpected explosion causes Omori to tumble. He struggles to get up, but the flames are burning all over his body.
The monster lets out a thunderous roar, attempting to leap and strike the ground to get to them, yet nothing changes.
The stranger observes as his once formidable foe thrashes in agony, resembling a wounded creature. Although the situation could easily ignite his likeness, he finds no pleasure in witnessing such suffering.
Omori struggles to reach out for them, his arm stretching forward, only to crumble into nothingness. A scream of torment escapes him, piercing through Sunny’s heart.
“SUNNY! SUNNY!”
The screams of the monster made the boy sad, and he could not bear to watch the torture of his creation. The flames engulf him as he continues to scream the boy’s name.
The two observe as flames, his screams fading into silence, consume his entire body. His ashes fly away with the burning smell. Sunny lifts his hand to catch the falling ash. He finds it hard to believe this little piece was once Omori.
Its petite and fragile form renders it vulnerable to fracture. The opposite of Omori. He doesn’t understand why this happened. Was it possible that he desired to end his life? He doesn’t see it that way. Omori wanted to protect him, and Sunny drove him crazy.
Sunny purses his lips, feeling guilty for taking his life and driving him mad. The stranger looks at him, understanding his pain.
Never in his existence did he expect a cruel end to Omori. He was powerless to lend a hand to himself or Sunny. The sight of him twisting in torment, his screams resonating with despair, was utterly heart-wrenching. Was Omori like that?
Of course not, and there’s nothing to do but keep going and lamenting.
The small flames still torment them. It is better to get out of here.