Awakening and a Choice

The cavern was silent except for the distant bubbling of lava. Roy lay unconscious on the scorched ground, his body battered, his breathing shallow but steady. His burned skin was already beginning to heal, faint golden embers flickering across his wounds—a sign of his fire core working to restore his body.

Mimi, however, was not calm.

Her tiny form darted around Roy in frantic circles. "Pi Pi! User! Wake up!" Her voice cracked with desperation. "You idiot! Why did you push yourself so far?! Pi Pi!!"

She suddenly turned, her glowing eyes burning with fury, locking onto Ignis Fang.

"You!!" she shrieked, her voice raw with anger. "You almost killed him! You did kill him! If I had a body, I would—"

She trembled in the air, her digital form glitching erratically. "I would fight you!"

If she had a physical form, she would have lunged at Ignis Fang with everything she had, even knowing she couldn't win.

Ignis Fang chuckled, the deep sound like smoldering embers crackling in a fire. "Relax, little one." His tone was calm, almost amused. "That boy is not in any real danger. His wounds are superficial. Painful, yes. Exhausting, yes. But fatal? No. His fire core is already working to repair the damage."

Mimi's tiny body shook. "Superficial?! Look at him! He's barely breathing! Pi Pi! He looks dead!"

Ignis Fang hummed thoughtfully, then nodded. "I suppose to you, it must seem that way. But this trial did not just temper his body—it tempered his mind. If he is to survive the true battles ahead, he needed this."

Mimi's anger did not fade. "Pi Pi! You could have warned him! You—!"

Ignis Fang raised a hand, stopping her. "I have a surprise for both of you."

Mimi hesitated. "...Pi?"

"You are not alive," Ignis Fang mused, his gaze settling on her tiny glowing form. "But you feel. You have thoughts, emotions, fears. You are more than just a program—more than just a guide for the boy."

Mimi's glow flickered uncertainly. "Pi Pi…?"

"You have potential." His voice rumbled, like a distant storm. "Much like the boy, you have the power to grow—if you choose. You have vast computational abilities, making you a valuable companion now. But what about the future?"

Mimi stiffened.

"In time," Ignis Fang continued, "this boy will surpass his current self. He will no longer need your guidance. And then what? Will you become nothing more than a burden?"

Mimi flinched. The idea of being useless to Roy—of holding him back—sent a jolt of fear through her.

"I can offer you something," Ignis Fang said smoothly. "A true form. A body. Life."

Mimi's glow pulsed. "Pi Pi?! How?!"

Ignis Fang let out a low chuckle. "There exists a species—a race with a hive mind. Their kind can control and become machines. They can shape and form different parts of themselves, creating independent entities while remaining one."

Mimi hovered in silence, processing.

"My old master defeated one of these beings," Ignis Fang continued, his voice carrying a weight of history. "Its body and mind were sealed within this ring—the same ring the boy now seeks."

Mimi's digital form flickered. "Pi Pi… You mean…"

"If you wish, I can guide you," Ignis Fang said. "You can consume that mind and take its body as your own. With it, you will inherit the potential of that species. You will be alive. But know this—"

His eyes glowed brighter, flames swirling around him.

"You will have to cultivate it. Strengthen it. This power will not come instantly. It will take time, effort, and understanding. You must earn it, just as the boy must earn his own strength."

Mimi was silent for a long moment.

Then—

"Pi Pi…" She hesitated. "Why are you helping me?"

Ignis Fang smirked. "Because of the boy. Because of his potential."

His eyes flickered toward Roy's unconscious form. "He is something special. And special people draw the attention of both great allies… and terrible enemies."

A pause. Then—

"Now, let's wake him up."

Ignis Fang raised his hand, and from the depths of the magma, the ancient sword embedded in the cavern floor trembled.

A pulse of power surged through the room.

The sword lifted, burning with golden-red flames, and flew toward Roy.

Mimi tensed. "Pi Pi!! What are you—?!"

The sword pierced Roy's chest.

A flash of light.

Mimi screamed.

Then—

Flames erupted.

Roy's body jerked violently. His burned flesh rapidly healed, new skin forming where cracks had once been. His shattered bones knitted together, his wounds sealing shut as the sword's energy flooded through him.

His body reconstructed.

His fire core roared to life, brighter than before.

Then, his eyes snapped open.

A deep, sharp inhale—

Roy gasped, his entire body jolting upright.

His lungs burned, his veins pulsed with heat, and his mind whirled with chaos.

For a moment, he could only breathe.

Then—

He saw Ignis Fang.

And scowled.

"You… nearly killed me." His voice was hoarse but strong.

Ignis Fang smirked. "And yet, you still live."

Roy clenched his fists. His body felt different. Stronger. Rebuilt.

And yet—

A small figure crashed into him.

"Pi Pi!! User!! You're awake!! You—! You idiot! You almost died! I—!" Mimi's voice cracked, and she glitched erratically. "Pi Pi! I was so scared!"

Roy blinked, then exhaled. His fingers twitched before gently tapping Mimi's floating form.

"I'm sorry, Mimi." His voice was softer now. "I didn't mean to make you worry."

Mimi trembled. "Pi Pi…! Don't do that again! Just don't—!"

Roy chuckled weakly. "I'll try. No promises, though."

Mimi huffed. "Pi Pi! You—!"

He smiled. "Thank you for staying with me, Mimi. You're a good companion."

Mimi's glow pulsed brightly, and for once—she was speechless.

Ignis Fang watched the exchange with mild amusement. "Touching. But we are not done yet."

Roy looked up, his eyes burning with renewed determination.

"What now?"

Ignis Fang's smirk widened. "A choice. But this time…"

His gaze shifted to Mimi.

"It is hers."