"Laela, I have a question," started Nero solemnly, staring straight at the girl. "I'm not trying to offend you or anything, but I'd like to offer a way to bring Tsukiko back."
"And eradicate me?" replied Laela crisply, her voice impossible to discern. "You don't even know how this was done."
"Of course I do!" Nero snapped, albeit quietly, looking at the ground. "I was one of the main contributors to the science. I know all branches and memory has fascinated me. I had no idea it was going to be used on anyone close to me, and I wouldn't have done it if I had known."
"You mean you don't want me here?" Laela's tone was guarded, and still cold and emotionless.
"Don't get me wrong. We all missed you, but you are supposed to be dead. And the fact is, your own body is decomposing somewhere in a cemetery. For you to be able to freely possess someone else's life, someone else's body is unnatural, Laela, you know that. You may be a double-crosser, but you always knew what was right." Nero could barely be heard, and his green eyes were shadowed with regret, but determination. "You shouldn't be here."
"I know," she whispered, and Nero noticed tears falling from her eyes. "I know that, but-" She broke off and coughed, trying to stifle the coming sobs. "I was dead. And now I'm alive again. I get to see everyone. I get to see Chaos. Just the mere thought of it makes me happy. I don't want to give all of this up again. I don't."
"I can't really relate," said Nero, careful not to evoke any more tears. "But I understand what you must be feeling. Stay for a few days. But you'll have to leave soon if you want to keep the secret to you and I, and Tsukiko's memories will be harder for me to retrieve with each passing minute." He paused, thinking. "Laela, how long have you been completely 'you', without any lapse of memory or intervention of Tsukiko's memories?"
"Maybe a day," she admitted. "That's about how long is crystal clear."
"Then you'll get three days. I can't leave you in Tsukiko's body forever. Don't let Chaos know. He'll just do his hardest to stop me."
"What would I want to stop?" Chaos appeared in the doorframe, yawning.
Shit...
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But really, don't tell Chaos. I don't feel like writing all the emotions that would happen afterwards. I'll make him figure it out instead.