There was darkness.
It wasn't the peaceful kind.
Ikari tried to breathe.
Nothing came.
His chest rose—once, twice—then stopped, as if the air had abandoned him.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
He opened his eyes.
Darkness still— Suffocating Darkness.
Everything was engulfed in it.
His hand moved and hit something—Wood— Inches above his face.
His breath hitched.
No… no, no, no—
His other hand shot up, fingers trembling as they pressed against the surface above him—It was solid and Unmoving, Panic began to engulf Ikari as he realizes this.
Ikari shoved upward.
Nothing.
He pushed again, harder this time, his muscles straining as his elbows dug into the narrow space around him.
Still nothing.
His breathing turned ragged.
Too fast but too shallow
There wasn't enough of air.
"Hey—!"
His voice came out a dry, and his throat burned at his attempt to speak.
"HEY—!"
He slammed his fist upward.
Once.
Twice.
Again.
Again.
Again—
The wood didn't budge.
His heart pounded wildly, slamming against his ribs like it was trying to escape before the rest of him died here.
Wherever "here" was.
Think.
Ikari Think!
His nails scraped against the wood as his fingers searched desperately for any gap, any weakness—anything— but there was nothing but smooth unyielding surface and realizing where he was a familiar fear crawled up his spine.
I'm going to die!.
The thought came sharp and clear like a fact and something inside him snapped.
Ikari inhaled what little air he had left and drove both fists upward with everything he had—
CRACK.
He froze.
Did—
Did that just—
Ikari gave the wooden surface another hit
CRACK.
He saw Light— A thin line at first and he squinted as the light burnt his eyes.
Ikari didn't think.
Didn't hesitate.
He tore at the breaking wood like a starving animal, splinters biting into his hands as the gap widened—
Air rushed in.
He dragged it into his lungs, coughing violently as his body rejected and welcomed it all at once.
When he was less in panic, the voices around him began to register to his hearing.
"…did you see—?!"
"…impossible—!"
"…the prince—!"
Ikari stilled.
Prince?
He pushed the broken lid aside fully and sat up.
Cold air hit his skin.
Candles flickered around him as rows of people stood and stared with horror.
And beneath him was silk and Gold and —
A coffin?
Ikari looked down at his hands.
They weren't his.
"…What…"
His voice came out hoarse and unfamiliar and before he could register what exactly had happened
A SCREAM.
Everyone ran, seeing as their dead prince had somehow started living.
Priests and Sorcerers moved forward, their hands all outstretched defensively at Ikari as he sat there in confusion.
"We command you, evil spirit, to leave the body of our beloved Prince Masaki, or we'll be forced to exorcise you," One of the priests said, glaring into Masaki's soul.
Masaki still couldn't get it.
He wasn't in his body— that's for sure— but he sure was no evil spirit.
Just as he was about to speak, a blue holographic screen appeared in front of him.
[CONGRATULATIONS USER MASAKI...]
User Masaki?
Masaki cocked his head backwards as more confusion flooded his brain.
His name was Ikari,
And is no one seeing the holographic screen in front of him?
Why's everyone still chanting some kind of spell?
[YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE THROUGH THE GREAT PRINCE MASAKI'S BODY...DO YOU AGREE?]
[CLICK YES TO CONTINUE OR NO TO DECLINE]
[CLICKING DECLINE WILL AUTOMATICALLY RETURN YOU TO YOUR PREVIOUS STATE OF LIFELESSNESS...CHOOSE WISELY]
Ikari looked around him, the priests were still chanting, Sorcerers were still casting spells, but behind them, his eyes locked with a pair of pretty sky blue eyes, they looked panicked but almost hopeful.
The woman clung to a man, who had more of a stern but equally hopeful look. Ikari proceeds to look at the Holographic screen.
Apparently, he's a prince now—
A prince who resurrected, and a holographic screen was in front of him asking him if he wants this life or not.
Heck yeah, he did.
Ikari raises his hand and clicks yes on the holographic screen when they all flinch.
"Is he preparing to attack?"
"Is the spirit offended?"
They whispered, but Ikari couldn't be bothered.
[GREAT CHOICE IKARI, FROM NOW ON YOU'LL BE REFERRED TO AS PRINCE MASAKI....TRY NOT TO DIE..UNTIL NEXT TIME]
The Holographic screen disappeared with a Zourp sound that only he could hear.
Prince Masaki looks around and places his hand on the wood beneath him as support to stand up due to the extreme fatigue he felt.
[REGISTERING USER MASAKI]
[SYNCING MEMORIES]
[MEMORY SYNC COMPLETE]
Prince Masaki's eyes, mid-standing, go all white.
"The evil spirit is manifesting!!!"
After the Memory sync, Masaki, still mid-standing, falls down back into the coffin— His vision blurring as his consciousness began to seep slowly away from him.
He heard the scream of the woman and the enthusiastic cheers of the priests and Sorcerers thinking they exorcised an evil spirit, and the last thing he sees before he falls unconscious was the figure of the same woman, he felt hot tears on his face before falling completely unconscious.
"He's probably back to his lifeless state, I believe. The last thing we want is some evil spirit using the body of our dear prince," one of the priests say, doing the sign of the crucifix, and the queen only cries harder.
For a moment, she had hoped he had actually come back to life and he had not died.
She put her hand on his face and slides her hand down his jaw when she felt pulse on his face— A strong one at that.
She wiped her tears with urgency, gesturing at the King to come over.
He moves with precision, wondering why his wife would have called him with so much urgency.
"He's still alive," she whispered as more tears filled her eyes.
"Ame...." The king trails off as he watches his wife give herself some hope about their dead son.
She stares at him.
"Here— check his pulse, he's only unconscious." She puts the King's hand on his neck, where he would be able to feel a stronger pulse, and the king opens his eyes in disbelief.
"Impossible," He mutters, and one of the sorcerers moves forward to confirm.
His eyes widen with disbelief.
"Could the spirit have only been neutralized? Would he wake up to-"
One of the priests start talking when the queen cuts him off.
"COULD YOU BE HAPPY WITH THE HOPE THAT THE PRINCE MIGHT STILL BE ALIVE!?" The other priests murmur beneath their breath.
The king turns and gestures to a guard.
"Take the prince to his room and lay him on his bed for proper rest!"
With one order, a guard safely places the prince on his back and proceeds into the palace, the Royal couple follow suit.
The priests and Sorcerers proceed to follow along when they're blocked by another guard.
"The king needs his utmost privacy at this time, you may all proceed to your quarters, if he wishes your presence, you will be summoned."
"But-"
One of the priests want to protest, but when they lock eyes with the guard, who was wielding a really sharp long blade, they only sigh before they all retire to their different quarters.
They finally reached Prince Masaki's room and are about to open the door— The door the queen assumed will be closed forever when Masaki groans fill the air.
"Ugh, My head feels like it went to art school 7 times, cause why's there so much in this head?" Masaki says, not fully conscious of his environment, but this doesn't last when the queen squeaks with excitement.
"That's not how an evil spirit talks, now is it?? Guard, quickly place him on his bed and go tell the maids to start preparing all of the prince's favorite dishes."
Masaki was immediately brought into his room, and the interior made his mouth drop, his bed alone was 5 times the size of the bed he had when he was a broke Artist in a Rundown apartment.
It was painted white and ornamented with gold accessories, one would think it was heaven at first glance. His room had the brightest lightning too, even at night, Masaki's room didn't need candles as the Moonlight always shone brightly in his room.
Masaki laid on his bed, the queen—his mother apparently, stared at him, she cupped his cheeks.
"Oh my frail son, I thought I'd lost you to the hands of death for good."
Masaki forced a smile, he knew who everyone was now from borrowed memories, but he couldn't somehow bring himself to be their sweet loving son that had passed away a month ago.
"Ame, we should let the poor boy rest," The king—Prince Masaki's father, tells his wife, with a hand on her shoulder, and she stands up from his bed before slowly stepping back.
"Masaki... please take care of yourself, if there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask, stop straining yourself..." The King trails off, his breathe hitching.
"I'd hate to lose you again," The king says, more vulnerable this time, and Masaki nods.
"I'm not going anywhere, anytime soon father.." Masaki tells his father, and with one shared moment, the Royal couple both leave Masaki's room.
Masaki waits about 10 minutes and slowly stands up from the bed to his door, he opens the door, looks both directions, and when he's sure no one is around, he takes a breath.
"HEY!" He says, standing there waiting for a reply, and when he doesn't get any, he places his hand on his waist, as a whole new wave of confusion floods his brain.
"Am I going crazy!?" He asks himself, and almost immediately, he starts hearing a mocking laughter.
He turns around thinking someone had entered the room, but there was no one.
"Am I actually going crazy?? Is that you??" Masaki asks, more confused than ever.
"Of course it is," He hears the voice again, and it didn't sound like the robotic, more automated one he heard earlier when he was in the coffin.
"How am I alive? And why am I in the prince's body? How can I get back to mine? I need explana-"
Masaki coughs.
It wasn't mild.
It was the kind that tortured his chest, and what followed after was blood.
He coughed.
Again.
Again.
And Again.
More blood spewing out, he falls to the ground clutching his chest.
"What- is... happening to me??" He manages to say amidst pain, and he could hear the voice in his head sigh.
"You're falling apart..from what you've taken from his memories, you should already know," The voice says, and Masaki takes in deep breathes after the coughs subsided.
"His body was never built to last...Long periods of movements could leave you on bed rest for days, and speaking too much—
The voice lets a wicked chuckle. "It all comes with consequences."
Masaki groans, turning and spreading himself fully on the ground.
"So... are you like my life force or something?" Masaki manages to ask, and the voice let's out a mocking laugh again.
"Life force?? If I were that, you wouldn't be coughing up blood on the floor" It said in between laughs
The voice pauses
"I'm not here to keep you alive... I'm more of a tool made to see if you can stay alive."
Masaki raises a brow as his face twists in confusion.
"What sort of philosoph-"
"You can call me Sozo..." The voice cuts him off, and Masaki deadpans. "As for what I am?.. let's just say the one who died wasn't satisfied."
Masaki turns again, prepping himself up to sit upright.
"What do you mean he wasn't Satisfied?" He cocks his head to the side.
Sozo groans
"You ask too much question for someone who just almost died."
Masaki deadpans.
"The one who owned this body knew he was dying," Sozo paused, "So he did what desperate people do..." Sozo trails off, enjoying the fact that he was putting Masaki on the edge.
"And..?"
"He created something.... Something that would continue where he couldn't."
"You?"
Sozo let's out a chuckle.
"If that makes it easier for you to understand....then yes."
"I see"
Masaki nods slowly, replaying the events from earlier all in his head, one minute he was being dismembered and the next he's in a sickly prince's body and with this new information, his supposed guide — Sozo had dropped, he knew he wasn't getting this second life easy.