Shikorae is Shikorae, and he doesn’t want to be.
He’s never really accepted Shikorae. He wants a way back to Rio, where he can pretend his brother is alive, he was never tortured, and Miko still recognizes him.
Kami-Miko, he used to call her. Goddess Miko.
But Goddess Miko looks straight at his black, stringy hair, which is nothing like the green he used to have, and doesn’t see Rio.
“Let’s go,” grouses Takizawa, yanking Rio along.
Miko trails behind. She doesn’t seem to like it in Aogiri. Neither does Rio.
He wants to tell her.
“Look out!” Miko’s arm slams Rio back into the wall. Around the corner, the street teams with doves. “Shit.”
“Kami-Miko.”
He can’t help himself. The words just slip out.
Miko turns to him with a frown. “What did you call me?”
“Does it matter? We have to move.” Takizawa shakes Rio.
“Kami-Miko, from Kami-Rio.” Rio points to himself.
MIko steps closer. Her hear flutters. She can’t beliee – no – her brothers, both of them, are gone… “Rio?”
“Eto renamed him Shikorae,” Takizawa says with a shrug.
Miko gasps. She throws her arms around her brother.
He begins to sob into her hair, and she clutches him with the force of lost and found again.
“Well, I don’t know what’s happening, but can we escape now, hug later?” Takizawa snaps his fingers.