"Maybe take your current clothes off and try it on properly?" Alice suggested, her voice far too innocent, laced with a hint of playful mischief that set John's teeth on edge.
He shot her a stern look. "Really? We met not even half an hour ago and now you want to see me out of my clothes already? Rather forward, aren't you?" He paused, a shiver running down his spine. "Also, I'd very much prefer not to wear a dead guy's clothes without some kind of buffer, even if it's just my current clothes." His tone was flat, utterly devoid of amusement.
Alice's grin only widened. "Well, what if I take my own off as a show of solidarity?"
John was genuinely taken aback, his gaze fixed on her. Before he could even articulate a response, a peculiar sensation rippled through the cloak. It stretched, not tearing, but elongating, transforming before his very eyes. The rough, shapeless fabric became a long, stylish overcoat, its coat tails flowing gracefully, almost touching the ground. Its murky hue deepened further, absorbing the ambient light until it became a profound black, a void that seemed to drink in the surrounding darkness. A subtle warmth bloomed from within it, a comforting embrace that settled John's unease. The newly formed coat felt impossibly light, as if it weighed nothing at all.
"Awww, why did you change it?" Alice whined, her lower lip pushing out in an exaggerated pout.
"I did nothing," John stated, still marvelling at the transformation. "I'm not even sure how it changed or why. I suppose it truly is a magic item, as you said." He ran a hand over the smooth, dark fabric. "It's fascinating to learn that items connected to 'changed people' are collectible and not bound to their users even after death. I wonder if that holds true while they're still alive?" He trailed off, muttering to himself, lost in thought, the implications of such a discovery vast and unsettling. If items held their power even when their original owner lived, what kind of resource did that create? What kind of twisted economy?
"Good question!" Alice's voice cut through his musings, sharp and enthusiastic. She practically bounced on the balls of her feet, her previous pout vanishing like smoke. "This is a prime example of why we need more fights and killing to get you more decked out!" Her madness, tempered moments ago, now showed outright, accompanied by a raw level of bloodlust that made John instinctively recoil.
With a shiver, he turned back to face her, trying to regain his composure. "Why exactly are you okay with following me, though? I mean, I'm not going to complain, especially since you saved my life, but why would you follow me around and be a type of guard when you can clearly take care of yourself without any issues?" The entire situation felt too convenient – her sudden appearance, the ambush by the scythe-wielder, her timely intervention. A knot of suspicion tightened in his stomach.
Alice's energetic demeanour softened, replaced by a surprising calmness that settled over her like a veil. Her focus became sharp, completely different from her previous manic energy. "Well, I won't lie, I do have my own reasons. For starters, I watched as you went around the school, looting only a few places and then leaving. I also got a whisper from the… thing that gave me my new abilities. It told me to watch you and make things difficult for you if I can. Something about you being 'easy prey early to toy with, but annoying later on,' or some such nonsense. Honestly, I didn't like all the annoying talking it was doing. I want to be free to do what I want now, rather than still listening to people and being the 'goody-good yes girl' that follows whatever others say."
She continued, her gaze fixed on him, an unsettling glint in her eyes. "So, I decided to do the opposite and help you reach that so-called 'annoying' level it spoke about, to see it with my own eyes. I also figured if it was telling me that, others could have also been told the same thing. And by that logic, if I stick by you, I can get lots of entertainment and no doubt some really interesting fights, plus lots of new toys like this one!" As she spoke the last words, her maddened state slowly returned, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. She swung the scythe, Mister Stabby Stick as she began to call it with a flourish, causing John to seriously wonder if she harboured more than some kind of split personality and possibly more of a general personality disorder. Even so, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was a lot she left out, a subtle unease clinging to her words. For now, though, he wouldn't complain, choosing to accept her words and the free, albeit chaotic, protection she offered. He resolved to either grow strong enough to force the truth out, or wait for her to reveal it on her own due to a built-up trust.
"We currently have two choices right now on what path we can take," John began, trying to steer the conversation back to their immediate survival. "Either past a series of shops, including two large convenience stores, or we can take a slightly longer path around, avoiding them and going through a residential area. It would take about ten minutes longer though, but might be safer, less chance of there being people or monsters or whatever that way since many would be looting the shops if there smart. I was originally going to take the residential way and if I find any open houses or low-walled homes I'd break in and loot what I could since I doubt many places would have anyone home after the changes." He explained, figuring that if she was going to be tagging along and currently protecting him, her input would be more than welcome for something like this.
What went unsaid was how it would also serve as a distraction, a way to avoid thinking about the second person whose death, while not directly by his hand this time, was still intricately linked to him. Even if there was no other choice, it didn't mean he liked it. He hoped that in time, he would learn to adapt and accept, or find a coping mechanism well not numbing himself to killing and death. He remembered in some anime how strong characters had their own quirks or vices to try and cope with their actions due to killing or worse. Maybe he could try to create an entirely different persona, or force out one of the voices or imaginary beings in his mindscape to take the brunt for him as a means to protect his mentality.
Before he could continue down that disquieting line of thought, Alice turned to face him, propping herself up on her scythe, leaning against it and adopting an exaggerated thinking pose. "Hmm, well either way seems rather interesting. I can't fault the safety logic, but what if there are some crazed people in the houses? Some might be locked in their own houses, or using open doors as lures to have people come in and then wham! Taken out for looting or worse." She reverted to her overly dramatic self, even slamming the scythe down to emphasize her point, breaking him entirely out of his morbid train of thought and back onto the topic of their discussion.
"The convenience stores, while having a higher chance of people, they would either be too busy being looting or hunting each other to give much of a damn about us. Your odds would be faring much better there since you would be able to see what's going on without worrying about possible ambushes from around every possible corner." She spoke again with an odd amount of clarity, her intense gaze fixed on him. "There's also a higher chance that, due to the lights and noises from possible fleeing people, that they would have been an attraction to the dragons that flew over to roast and attack everything and everyone making it a bit more void of people. The possible still-existing fires would also give some decent light, plus you would definitely love it due to your clear fire obsession!!!" she exclaimed, practically bouncing and yelling the last part.
"But wouldn't those who are left, or having managed to survive be strong and thus dangerous to face right now?" John replied, understanding and seeing her points as valid, but also recognizing other factors she might have overlooked, pointing out the potential dangers.
"Then I'll just take them out with Mister Stabby Stick here!" she answered, somehow managing a bizarre mix of swinging the scythe and caressing its blade. John sighed, realizing that one way or another, she would have them go past the convenience stores as she clearly wanted. He wondered if it truly would be safer and easier that way, or if it was just Alice yearning for another fight to test the scythe she had so oddly named. He couldn't help but think that a spear would suit the name 'Mister Stabby Stick' far better than a scythe though, but he didn't risk voicing that aloud, fearing Alice would then try to force them to find a spear for that exact reason, or attempt to change the newly acquired scythe into one. Honestly, he didn't doubt her capacity for either due to the madness held within those deep blue eyes.