Chapter 44 - "Lizard Dream"
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**FADE IN: PITCH BLACK.**
A single, glistening grain of rice floats in void.
Soft spotlight hits it—perfectly round, perfectly white, almost holy.
The camera trembles closer.
VIOLINS swell—tragic, operatic, wordless vocalise rising like a funeral hymn.
The grain descends.
Slow pan out.
It sits atop a velvet throne.
In the center of the Roman Colosseum.
Thousands of pigeons—perfectly groomed, wearing tiny black suits and monocles—fill the stands.
They watch in reverent silence.
A single spotlight hits the arena floor.
Kaito stands there.
Wearing full-body armor made of bubble wrap half black and half white.
Every breath—POP!
Every step—POP-POP-POP!
The crowd gasps.
**EMPEROR PIGEON** (larger than the rest, bread crown slightly crooked, eyes closed but circle of eyes at back of him and even at his suit, as he watches evrything) lets out a deafening—
**"COO-COO!!!"**
The rice grain… twitches.
Then—GROWS.
Muscular human legs sprout.
It starts doing squats.
**100… 99… 98…**
The pigeons rise—standing ovation.
The rice-man leaps into mid-air.
Begins synchronized swimming routine—arms windmilling, legs scissoring, bubbles popping everywhere.
**Kaito** (eyes wide):
"What the hell is happening?!"
**RICE MAN** (deep, villainous voice):
**"BEHOLD! THE GREAT STARCH TRIAL!"**
Kaito looks at his hands.
His thumbs are gone.
Replaced by tiny, screaming versions of his own head—no hair, just bald, crying Kaito faces.
**THUMB-HEADS** (in unison, high-pitched):
"WHY ARE WE THUMBS?! THIS IS ILLEGAL!"
Kaito screams.
The Rice Man charges.
**THUMB WAR!**
Kaito's thumb-heads try to pin the rice-man's giant thumb (which is also a screaming rice grain).
But every time they press down—
**THUMB-HEAD 1:** "Eating carbs after 6 PM is unethical!"
**THUMB-HEAD 2:** "But what about cheat days?!"
The rice-man farts.
A massive, golden cloud erupts.
**RICE MAN** (laughing maniacally):
**"HAHAHAHAHA! FEEL THE POWER OF MY FART!"**
Kaito and the thumb-heads recoil in horror.
The sky cracks open.
Thousands of rubber ducks rain down.
Each one squeaking in perfect rhythm to a heavy metal remix of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."
**SQUEAK-SQUEAK-SQUEAK-SLAM-SQUEAK!**
Kaito tries to run.
The floor turns to sticky marshmallow fluff.
He sinks.
A giant, disembodied voice booms—like a bored airline hostess:
**"Your subscription to Gravity has expired. Press lizard to continue."**
Kaito—panicking—sticks out his tongue.
Licks the air.
Like a lizard.
Tongue flicks—once. Twice.
Then he freezes.
Eyes snap open.
**Reality.**
He's in his room.
Tongue still out.
Licking the air.
Mio stands in the doorway.
Staring.
Kaito retracts his tongue.
"Uh…"
He laughs—nervous.
"You know… I was about to become a lizard. Guess what? I might've scared you after becoming one!"
He laughs louder.
**"HAHAHA—"**
Mio doesn't laugh.
Doesn't smile.
Doesn't flirt.
Her eyes are red.
Empty.
Kaito's laughter dies.
He sits up slowly.
"Mio… what happened?"
She looks at him—voice small, broken.
"Kaito… please help me."
The room goes quiet.
No jokes.
No teasing.
Just her.
And the weight of whatever she's carrying.
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*End*