Zhizhu stood in Flaring Grin's mostly empty apartment; it showed more signs of habitation now. The Devil-Tiger wondered how much of that was because of Joko, even though she had been staying there only briefly. Zhizhu studied the mortal girl; since pledging not to harm to her, Joko had relaxed somewhat. She was listening, rapt, to Kiku's eloquent descriptions of the latest trends for the high end of society. She almost looked as if she hadn't just been told that the hells were real and the world contained more strange things than she'd ever dared dream.
In fact, Zhizhu could picture herself sitting there, entranced and smiling. She had been like that, once. Vibrant, and so alive. She found it difficult to grasp those memories, feeling as if her life before had happened to another person, and she had only watched it on a movie screen.
Why do you wish to dwell on such things? her demon whispered. They are weak spots, leaving you vulnerable. It is good to distance yourself from such petty nonsense. You have much more important things to ponder. Now... if the others show weakness over this girl... perhaps you can exploit that...
But Zhizhu had no wish to listen to her demon's plotting this night. Joko had triggered something in the Devil-Tiger. Not exactly compassion--although Zhizhu knew herself to not be so removed from that emotion as she let on. It was more of an awakening. Yes, her road led to wickedness... but she could not lose sight of that human part of her soul. She must ride her P'o... but she must not forget her Hun. If she lost that... she would be no better than the akuma she reviled.
With a small smile, Zhizhu turned her attention to Kiku. She was not human any longer--but perhaps she could recapture some small part of her Hun before it slipped out of her grasp completely.
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