The Devil's Feather (Book One in the Clock Tower Duology)

Gates Guarded by Sin and Death

Pia Undo took a deep breath as she awoke that morning. It would be her first day at Mitakihara Middle School. Her teal-green eyes opened, and immediately she started hyperventilating. What am I going to do... what's going to happen?

Her light green hair was a short bobcut, and contrary to most days, it did not require several minutes of hair brushing. She calmed herself down, and grabbed onto her bed tightly. Her beige school uniform lay folded neatly on her nightstand, and she immediately got to changing.

After she managed to get everything on, she looked in the mirror, taking a deep breath. Everyone will be wearing this... so no one will make fun of me, right?

Adjusting the red ribbon on her chest to make it tighter, Pia left her room and made some toast for breakfast. Her mother passed her, taking notice of her daughter in a new school uniform. "Oh... my little daughter looks totally cute! I wonder if all the boys in her class will have crushes on her!"

"Mom..." Pia sighed, and her mother rubbed her shoulders.

"Everything will be okay. Try not to get too stressed, got it?"

"Yes, Mom," Pia replied. Even though she could try not to get stressed, she most likely would. She was so anxious around people. Every time she would meet someone, she always believed they would judge her. Cue the panic attacks.

"Remember to catch the bus."

More people to have panic attacks in front of. Pia sighed, grabbing her bag and slinging it over her shoulder. Taking a deep breath, she walked outside and saw a little girl at the bus top. Her hair was a long cream-white mane, and since she lacked a uniform, she must've been an elementary schooler.

"Sayaka-chan said we'll have to talk to Michiru-chan tonight after dark, I wonder what she's up to... Oh hi!" Nagisa turned to face Pia, and Pia mustered a smile. She was a little girl, surely she wasn't as judgmental as grown-ups. "I'm Momoe Nagisa! What's your name?" Nagisa did a welcoming twirl.

Pia chuckled softly, and did not speak for a moment. Soon enough, she found herself staring directly at Nagisa, Nagisa was staring directly at her. Was she supposed to introduce herself? Well, yes... Her breath started to get louder...

Pia bowed quickly and nervously. "U-Undo Pia...! Nice to m-meet you, Nagisa-tan!" Pia collected herself and pulled her hair back.

"So, you ride the bus, Undo-san?" Nagisa asked with a painfully curious look. "Do you notice that thing behind you?"

"Yes I do, and what?" Pia turned to look behind her, and when she saw nothing, she turned again, and instead of Nagisa, there was a blank space. "Nagisa-tan...!" Nagisa playfully grabbed Pia from behind, and she immediately hyperventilated, throwing Nagisa backwards.

"D-don't do that!" Pia yelled, and Nagisa cowered in the other girl's shadow. "Oh no... I'm sorry..." Pia started to take deep breaths... Over and over... just like her therapist told her. "I'm just not the kind of person to be scared."

"I should've noticed... I'm sorry, Undo-san!" Nagisa hugged Pia, and Pia smiled slightly.

"NAGISA-CHAN!" A voice yelled from afar, and the two immediately looked to see a girl walking towards them. She was wearing the same school uniform as Pia. Her eyes were gold, so was her hair, which was tied into bouncing drill curls, flower scrunchies at the side of her head. Pia noticed Nagisa also wore the same scrunchies, at the side of her cream-white head were two tiny pigtails. "Why are you being a pest and tormenting people?"

"I just met her, Mami-san!" Nagisa yelled back, and Mami closed her eyes and looked at Pia. "I'm dreadfully sorry. She's very playful and mischievous, mysterious even, and she can get out of hand. Do you have cheese? She has some kind of hypersensitivity to the smell." Pia shook her head no, a bit confused. "Well, let's get that all out of the way. I'm Tomoe Mami."