Burn In Violet

08: Of Monsters and Acquaintances

Chapter 8: Of Monsters and Acquaintances

“No matter what they tell you, all the books in the world couldn’t substitute for a real, live friend.” – Holly Esther.

*

The monster in the guise of the girl didn’t die. She laughed and laughed, sporting a bloodied face and a bleeding eye socket. Any normal human would’ve died in her state. With sickening cracks, her head returned to its position.

She lashed at the duo, but Evan and Mimi blocked her scything arms with their sword and gun respectively. The monster retreated, still laughing. “Oh my, oh my, oh my, oh my, oh my, oh my, oh my! Bad luck! My bad luck! Am just a Peon! Beautiful sword you have! Wonderful clock! Bad sword! Bad Glock!

“Too bad I spent my powers on minions! Haha! But Master Laplace knows, he knows everything! He knew! My failure is part of his plans!”

Evan didn’t hesitate. He swung his sword, but before it could reach her, there was a bang and she disappeared. The boy exhaled. “She’s gone.”

“We need to find some place to hide,” Mimi replied, biting her fingernails

Holly was still shocked from all that she had seen. But then she remembered: “Tamaki!” She rushed towards the head, holding it in her hands.

“I’m… fine,” Tamaki replied.

“You were stabbed! No way you’re fine!” Holly exclaimed, frightened for her friend’s sake. But then, she felt a tap on the small of her back. Holly turned around, and saw the body standing as good as new. Holly quickly checked what was left of the stabbing. True, there were blood stains, but around the rip in the garment, there was no wound. “H… how?”

“No idea,” Tamaki shrugged, her head reattaching.

But Evan pointed at them both with his sword. “You, show yourself.”

“What?” Holly didn’t understand.

“Stop hiding.”

There was a shimmering in the air, and a glowing silhouette appeared. It was another girl, this time being a girl with twintails and a checkered skirt. “Ya know, there are politer ways to ask a girl,” she said.

“Lucy?” Holly gasped. I’m getting surprised way too many times tonight.

“I told you I’ll be coming, re-mem-ber?”

“B-but how? Em-I mean, that lying old lady said it’s like trying to move a fire from its candle!”

“Long story short, I hitched a ride on Tamaki,” Lucy said, absent-mindedly staring at her own fingernails. “Surprisingly, the room being in maintenance made me discover that I could hitch a ride on living beings.”

Holly nodded, understanding. After all, Lucy was merely a sentient mass of mana.

“I healed Tamaki’s wound,” Lucy added.

“You can he—”

“You’re not the only one who knows spells, ya know,” Lucy interrupted.

“Didn’t mean to interrupt, but we need to hurry!” Mimi interjected. Evan was sitting cross-legged, his sword laid on the ground in front of him, wiping away the monster ichor that got on his clothes with a handkerchief. “Evan, can we use the… the Rabbit Hole network?”

“Sure.” Evan stood. He snapped his fingers. A black portal appeared midair, sparkling and pulsating. “You there, redhead,” he addressed Holly. “You can come with us or not. But beware, that Laughing Dead will return with even more of those Agonies.”