Masaki leaned his back against a pillow, after gathering enough strength to go back to lie on his bed, now aware of the state of his frail body.
"My head hurts…" Masaki mutters, taking in a deep breathe, he looked around and noticed a table in a distant corner of the room, it was a small round table— white and equally adorned with gold accents just like the room, it had piles and piles of books on it, all stacked up according to size.
Masaki cocks his head to the side.
The prince sure liked to study.
Masaki took a look at his fingers and feet, as if the answers on whether he was ready to exercise energy would be written on them— They always looked frail, thin, long, like he was underfed, even though he was a prince and with one sigh, Masaki slowly gets down from his bed, proceeding to the table with slow careful steps.
Masaki sat on the chair, he noticed an opened notebook and a pen laid neatly inside it, he glanced at the textbook laid beside the notebook.
"THE ART OF POISON" Masaki reads out loud and gives a confused look but shrugs it off almost immediately.
He picks up the notebook but immediately realizes that the words weren't anything he had seen before.
"I can't read-
Masaki couldn't complete his sentence when his eyes turn white again— Memories flooding in like water that escaped a dam.
Suddenly Masaki was aware of the contents in the book, he didn't even need to read them, he knew what each textbook was in order and he suddenly was aware of the fact that he had written each and everyone of them in the space of two years.
"Hey Sozo!!" Masaki calls out, confusion taking over him again.
"SOZO!!" Masaki calls out more sharply this time and he hears a groan.
"Would you stop calling me unnecessarily?" Masaki hears Sozo and he takes a deep breath.
"Poison? …." Masaki didn't even know what to say or how to start, "Why?… Who?"
"Oh, I see you've unlocked that part of your memories" Sozo says teasingly and Masaki only furrows his brows.
"If I knew I was gonna be poisoned then why didn't-
"You didn't know…if you knew you wouldn't have died…you only suspected..
"Because of the tongue of the Creep I saw lying carelessly in the pantry.."
"Exactly…"
"But-
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
Three softs knocks cuts Masaki off his sentence and carefully, he stands up to go open the door.
It was one of the maids.
"Oh good evening Zuni" He chimes with a bright smile, still not used to the fact that he suddenly just knows everyone.
Her former expression of suspicion melts into a warm smile and she hands him a bow.
"Good evening your highness, it's dinner time, His Highness and Her highness eagerly awaits your presence at the dining hall" Zuni says respectfully and Masaki gives her a small nod.
"I'll be there in ten minutes" Masaki says and proceeds to go inside when Zuni stops him by his wrist.
He flinches, and turns to her with a confused look.
"Your highness we usually go down together and, I usually get you prepared for dinner…but you're….." She trails off blinking, as she slowly let's go off Masaki, seeing the confused almost annoyed expression on his face.
Zuni was confused, she had heard Prince Masaki talk to himself when she got to his doorstep, even though she couldn't place a word to what he was saying and now he's turning his back on her like she didn't use to dress him up and get him ready for dinner.
Masaki's expression softened.
"I think I depend too much on you all around here, Zuni tell my parents I can change myself and I'll be down in ten minutes" Masaki tells Zuni, with a small smile before shutting the door on her face.
"But—
Click.
Zuni cocks her head backwards, confused as she sees the door get shut on her face, she shooks a thought away and just shrugs before proceeding downstairs.
"You should really watch how you act towards everyone around here, they know and love Prince Masaki, you wouldn't want them calling you an evil spirit again now, would you?" Sozo teases, a mocking laugh following after and Masaki groans.
"Could you get out of my head!?"
"Trust me, I hate it here more than you do and besides, I wouldn't be here for long anyways" Sozo says and Masaki proceeds to his closet to get ready for dinner.
The faces of the King and Queen lit up with delight as they see their son, Masaki walk into the dining hall on his own.
Masaki heistens his steps to get to the long dining table and takes his seat beside the king.
"Bring his dinner" The queen orders elatedly to one of the maids that was on standby at the dining hall and soon Zuni appeared again with Masaki's dinner.
Masaki watched her walk toward him, carrying his dinner. His stomach rumbled as he the realization of how hungry he was dawned on him, the moment he stepped into the dining hall and the rich aromas of different delicacies, hit his nose.
"Maybe it isn't so bad being in this prince's body" Masaki thought but that thought vanishes when he sees what was set before him.
"Go on Masaki…you can eat now" The queen urges, when she notices how Masaki stared at the food.
But how could Masaki possibly eat that, it was no better than what they served the prisoners at the dungeon— A measly meal of Boiled potatoes, clearly unseasoned vegetables and a glass of Milk.
"Hm" He forces a smile at the queen, picking up his spoon and poking at the potato.
"You'll love it" Masaki heard a voice— No, it wasn't Sozo's— It was distant, faint but caring and suddenly he remembers— seven years ago, when he took a tray from Young Zina, with that meal being the exact contents of the meal.
Those were the Prince Masaki's memories.
Masaki clenched his jaw as he set the spoon down and gently, he pushed the plate aside.
Everyone's face twists into confusion and the whispers of the maids filled the dining hall.
"Masaki is anything wrong?" The queen questions worriedly and Masaki shakes his head.
Everyone watched with strange intensity.
Ever since he had "resurrected", the few things he had done up to that point, made everyone more and more suspicious.
Masaki couldn't be bothered though.
"I'd prefer something else" Masaki says calmly "I'd like some pork and beans stew"
The whole dining hall let out a gasp, the king who had not said anything looked away from his food, worry on his face.
"Where is this coming from? Why so suddenly?" The king questions and he shakes his head.
"I'm craving something that's not.." Masaki trails off eyeing the tray he set aside "This"
"But you know what happens when you eat these kind of foods right? Masaki are—
"I'll be fine"
"MASAKI YOU WON'T!" The king cuts, as annoyance replaces his worry.
"I said I will!" Masaki raised his voice slightly and the king cocks his head backwards. "It's been a while" Masaki continues, back to his usual calm tone.
"My body might have evolved" He says and with a sigh of defeat, the queen orders one of the maids to bring him his request.
The smell of the food made Masaki smile, he couldn't believe the first thing they wanted to offer him after his ressurection was a dinner fit for a prisoner.
Masaki took the first bite, chewing it carefully to see if his body would react to it and to everyone's surprise, nothing happens.
He proceeds with the second bite. Nothing
He proceeds with the third bite chewing more carelessly when suddenly, he feels his throat tightening.
Masaki started to choke, he pupils dilated, the white of his eyes turning red, he coughed and the taste in his mouth turns metallic.
He coughs again, this time blood following the food his body had rejected.
His vision fractured and another cough sends him dropping, his hands hitting the floor, as another violent cough tore through him.
Should I have stayed dead?
Masaki couldn't bare the pain he was feeling, suddenly the sounds around him blurred as a feeling of deja Vu hits him.
"You shouldn't have had the soup, it had too many spices"
Masaki saw himself, Smaller and weaker, curled in on the floor.
"I thought I could have it" He cried, his voice a bit high-pitched, Very childlike.
"Mother I need the milk" He begged, coughing up blood like he was doing now, "please.."
Masaki shaked his head— It was another memory from when he was 12— seven years ago.
It was as if the dead prince was personally sending him these memories to make sure he didn't repeat this mistake again but he need not worry, as this— another almost death experience— had taught him not to.
Masaki felt hands grip him, as they feared he couldn't hold out on his own anymore.
"Bring the milk!" The queen ordered, urgency lacing her every word "Oh Masaki..why…" Tears stream down her face as she bowed to give him the milk.
Masaki tossed his head to the side.
"I don't like Milk"
No, Ikari didn't like milk.
"Masaki will you stop being stubborn and have the milk!?" The king yelled with more worry than annoyance and Masaki who also didn't want to die, surrenders.
He shut his eyes closed, waiting for the horrid taste of milk to graze his taste buds.
His eyes widens.
It was good…
Surprisingly good.
He chugged with urgency, like it was the best thing he had tasted.
It stopped his coughing and released the knot that had formed in his throat and chest.
Masaki took a breathe of relief after he had stabled.
He looked up to see the eyes of pity that looked down at him but most importantly a red holographic screen in front of him.
[PENALTY FOR DEFAMATION OF PRINCE MASAKI: -16 ABILITY POINTS FROM NEXT TASK REWARD]
Masaki groaned bowing his head in defeat.
Could this night get anymore worse?