Something has changed.
The certainty of this sole fact clawed at Honoka's consciousness, ripping the anger away, replacing it with confusion.
She had stopped sensing Noah's essence the moment he entered this weird looking shop. Panic seized her as she flew in the skies of Shibuya, tracking what was left of the energy the boy radiated, trying to find his tracks. She cursed herself over and over again, for letting them go unsupervised. This was the second time she made the same mistake.
She wasn't sure how many more times she could afford to fail before it was too late to fix anything.
But then, the moment she landed in front of the technology shop, nausea filled her insides, she doubled over to vomit, but only gagged. This place reeks of demons.
Honoka gripped her twin swords in her palms, focused all her essence in her weak spots, and readied herself for battle. She was about to kick the door open with all her might, when a weak melody was heard over the bustling noise of the city. Barely audible but that had a unique presence to it, distinct from any other music.
The sound of a ringing bell, announcing the opening of a store.
The two teenagers walked out of the demon shop, safe and sound, unscathed.
Something has changed about them.
Honoka watched their every move, their eyes, the way they held themselves, the way they walked past her, as if she didn't exist, as if she wasn't standing right outside the door, ready to bust in, ready to protect them at all cost.
"Where's the demon? Let me just go in and--"
"There is no need to hurt anyone" , Noah intercepted. He didn't even bother looking at her when he said it. He just walked towards the Shibuya crossing, accompanied by Hitori.
Honoka's brain froze. She stood for a couple of minutes, letting them gain distance over her, before she finally collected herself, drew back her weapons and ran after them to catch up.
"What are you talking about? What happened there? Are you both okay?"
Hitori looked back at the angel, her face full of a resentment she didn't know the reason for, and said with a voice devoid of emotion: "Nothing happened. We just bought smartphones."
That's when the realization hit her like a stab in the heart.
They lost the little trust they had in me.
I am no longer useful to them.
What in the world have they learned?
The angel warrior wanted to rush back to the shop, torture the intel out of that demon, but there were more important things to deal with.
Like attempting to gain these kids' trust again. A nearly impossible task.
She walked behind them, hands in her skirt pockets, clenched into fists. She kept her teeth from chattering out of frustration. There was something about these two...it was like she was seeing different people.
The distance that separated the two teenagers grew thinner and thinner. Hitori's shoulder now often brushed Noah's, their hands close enough, however not yet touching.
The boy's body had always been stiff around everyone, always on alert, always observing the humans in his direct line of sight, from the corner of his eyes, searching for threats.
The stiffness that weighed on his shoulders was gone by now. His whole body relaxed, his smile was easier to manifest, his eyes have gained color. The dull shade of gray turned into a light tone of ocean blue, gleaming under the sunlight, like the calm surface of the water that reflected countless shape-shifting clouds.
YOU ARE READING
The Voodoo Doll
Fantasy[COMPLETED] Noah is a boy who was raised by demons all his life. He has the ability to commit perfect crimes by using voodoo dolls and killing with them. He was taught ever since he was young to show no mercy to his enemies. Yet, because of his unu...
