Itadaki no Hecate

A Midsummer Night's Dream

There are many kinds of encounters. Some can lead to friendship, or even potential allies, or something deeper.

Not too long after Tiriel's ultimatum, at lunchtime, Kazumi presented Yuji with a lunchbox wrapped in pink cloth. She was blushing mildly, but she pushed herself on.

"Here you go Sakai-kun, I made you this if you want something different," she said.

"That's for me?" Yuji asked.

"Yeah, because all you eat at lunch are riceballs."

"Uh," he pondered before Ike, who sat across him and Hecate, lightly kicked Yuji's leg. "Oh sure, I appreciate it," Yuji accepted.

Others could lead to disagreement...

"Mmmm! What a feast!" Sorath said with glee as he consumed the existence of a multitude of people by a café where his sister Tiriel watched him. Rather than the plain blue sky or a deep crimson veil above, the area was bathed in a sickly yellow.

"That's it dear brother, eat as much as you like," Tiriel said. "Even if the Supreme Throne becomes our enemy, we have nothing to worry. No matter how powerful they are, as long as we're in our Cradle Garden we're invincible."

...and even hostility.

"The Manipulator of Objects is closing in on them fast," Margery said as she leaned on the rails of a balcony.

"When she gets close, we'll have to mess them up then, my guardian of the grim, Margery Daw!" Marcosias said.

"Those perverted twins seem to have finally separated from the Supreme Throne though," said the Flame Haze. "We'll watch and wait. If either of them come close to them again though, then we act."

And other encounters can awaken deeper feelings hiding within.

As Yuji happily ate the lunch Kazumi made for him, Hecate glared daggers at its maker, but by now the human girl was starting to get used to it, although she still felt chills running down her spine. However, beside Kazumi herself, her closest friend Yukari Hirai looked upon her and the Mystes darkly, before glancing at Ike, then back at the two with a grim face.

She was always more outspoken than Kazumi, yet why was she so timid now? Why was Kazumi moving so far ahead of her now? Why was she getting so close to her own happiness? Why not her too?

Where would it all lead? One thing was for certain, these encounters were the start of a new change.

Episode 12: A Midsummer Night's Dream

It was still half an hour before midnight when Yuji met with Hecate on the roof of his house. The Supreme Throne was in her true form, the teal-haired, white-robed Priestess.

"It's been a while since I've last seen that nice hat of yours," he said with a smile. Although Hecate did not do the same, she tilted her head inquisitively. The Mystes shrugged, it was a better response than seeming indifferent at least.

"You said you wanted to show me something?" Yuji said.

The Priestess nodded and opened her arms wide. "Hold me."

Yuji blushed. "U-Uhm, e-excuse me?" he flustered. "Are you—are you feeling cold?"

Hecate frowned. "Hold me," she repeated.

"Uhm o-okay," Yuji said, still puzzled, as he approached the girl and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her head to his chest.

"I cannot see, and you will slip off," Hecate told him with a deadpan tone.