Ink Stained

88: blink and go*

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She barely survived the impromptu birthday celebration thrown for her when they got back a few minutes after Shin gifted her the only present that really mattered.

Despite her objections to the whole thing happening, she could admit she was glad Shiori got the little 'party' rolling anyway (even though Shiori continued to deny any involvement). Everyone enjoyed themselves immensely, and the kids were so happy with the dozen little presents she bought for them that day that they flew around the house for a good long while before Mizutani had to pluck them from the ceiling one-by-one.

She good-naturedly put up with a bout of the Daitengu and everyone else singing her happy birthday, and even endured Shiori and Ryu drawing on her face with vanilla icing from the chocolate cake while both munched on strawberries. Things did get a little hectic when Haru, Ryu, and the kids all decided it would be a marvellous idea to put their remaining pieces of cake in her hair – except Haru's cake. He already long devoured all of his cake, and some of Shouta and Jirou's as well. Kaede had to fight Haru off with Ryu's wooden bat to keep him from stealing Kaede's cake.

The whole bunch practically chased her around until Daichi caught Emiya and held him pinned under his arm while the other kids tried to save him, giving her enough chance to run to her room for sanctuary. Shiori joked that Pai wouldn't need to do any P.E. for a while, after that workout. Pai was more than inclined to agree.

She was half-afraid to take the necklace off when she stepped in the shower later in the evening to wash away what cake splattered on her in the festivities. What if it disappeared because she'd imagined it all? She would be devastated by that.

It was an irrational thought, she knew that, but it was one that had her wavering on the brink of unclasping it or choosing to risk it. She did take it off, though, because she didn't want to get the necklace wet, or damage it in some way. The necklace had become her most prized possession in a matter of seconds, and there was no way she would let any harm come to it.

After all was said and done and she was finally back in the quiet of her room, she sat on the edge of her bed, elbows braced on her knees with her hands pressed flat together, the tips of her fingers tapping her nose as her mind swirled. Now, without the distraction of her impromptu birthday party to occupy her, she was left alone with the whispers of her mind betraying her, dragging her back to what Aihara had told her.

It was just that Aihara was so sure that she was Hanyou. She was so sure that that was the reason why Pai could see Ayakashi and Oni. Pai could read people's emotions fairly easily, and their intentions to an extent. Shin was one of the few exceptions to the rule.

There was no lie in Aihara's eyes, no false warble in her voice. In her own mind, Aihara was sure that she was telling the truth.

But how could that truth be reality? How could one of her parents be Hengen? And what about Midori? If she was Hanyou, somehow, then did it mean Midori was, too? Did it explain why Midori was in So Fu? Did Pai's being Hanyou give her the reason why she was pulled into that murderous world of blood dripping down white walls of forced sanity? Did it explain why her memories showed her able to do things an ordinary person – even an assassin – shouldn't be able to do?

Pai knew that could be a explanation, but it didn't feel right. There was something she was still missing.

She rubbed her aching temples, the headache never having relinquished the whole day. I need to think this through.

She pushed her hair back off her forehead, glancing about her room. In the closet were Shiori and Kouta's presents for her. From Shiori were clothes that actually looked like something she'd like to wear. Kouta gave her a tablet she wondered if she'd ever use, and had felt so awkward for accepting because it was such a lavish gift. Still, she thought it was a nice touch that he decorated her name in katakana on the back of it, in sequined little buttons. It was a little flashy for her, but she found it lovely nonetheless, especially when Kouta made sure to let her know that he did it all by himself. The rest of her room was neat and orderly, just like she always made sure to keep it.