June 1st, 2007: The Quad Area of the Tokyo Branch
"Hey! Sorry to keep you waiting. Did you miss us?"
"Do you want an honest answer or a sugar-coated answer, sweet tooth?"
"And you give me a hard time for calling you, kid."
I shrug my shoulders and hold both my palms up towards the sky. Summer term has started, and Jujutsu Tech keeps handing out missions.
Hmm. Where is Yaga? When he told us to come to campus, it sounded urgent. And it is unlike him to show up late.
"Santa-Clara, stop looking outside the window and pay attention."
I scuttle to the seat closest to the door without back talking. The Elders have been more annoying than usual. After leaving Kyoto, they gave me a week's worth of additional sorcery duties. According to them, the duties are reminders for me to take sorcery seriously...and be respectful.
"Where are you sending us this time?"
I stare at Yaga point-blank, with one hand cupped under my chin. His stoic expression hardly cracks when his eyebrows kiss each other, creating wrinkles on his forehead. Gojo starts chuckling under his breath while Geto musters a half-hearted smile.
"Do you want to run that question by me again, Santa-Clara?"
I clear my throat before answering Yaga.
"Who issued the assignments? Are we going on a mission as a three-student squad or individually?"
"Do you always question the motives of others, young one?"
"I feel you can answer your question, Gojo."
"That is enough Santa-Clara."
A knot forms in the pit of my stomach. The hair on my neck stands straight up, and my pupils dilate two centimeters as I read my debrief.
Mission Location: Canada
Reason for Mission: Disappearance(s).
Primary Mission Objective: Locate the missing individual(s) and gather information from them. If the individual(s) turn up dead/possessed/transformed, dispose of them per Jujutsu Law.
Sorcerer Assigned to Mission: Santa-Clara, Lithuila
Points of Contact: Jujutsu Technical College Higher-Ups and local authorities
Expected Turn Around Time: 2 months, minimum
"I made efforts to get someone to accompany you on this mission, Santa-Clara. However, the Higher Ups feel there are not enough resources to allocate. Please accept my apology."
I get up from my chair, bidding my company goodbye. My mission starts in one day and there are personal tasks that need attention.
.......
"Why have you summoned us, Miss Santa-Clara?"
"I want a different mission."
"Care to explain to us why you wish to be reassigned?"
I clear my throat and calm myself down before proceeding.
"This is the first time I have heard of Jujutsu Tech reaching abroad for mission assignments. Before you proceed, Elders, I would like to finish my statement."
"Proceed then."
"Did Jujutsu Technical College or the Canadians issue this mission?"
"The person who issued the mission wants to remain anonymous."
.......
"Then may I submit another request?"
"Sure, we are all ears."
"I want to extend my mission start date."
"Why?"
"For personal reasons."
"Explain."
"Simple, personal reasons."
"Your mission success rate is 95%, and you're a Special Grade sorcerer. Should accommodations be made on short notice, it will reflect poorly on your reputation. Several individuals have come forth with an interest in hiring you upon graduation. Do you want to miss out on opportunities to advance in the field?"
I am sounding bratty. Me!? Showing up late will ruin my reputation. You mean showing up late will ruin the façade Jujutsu Tech has created for itself. I am not a pawn in your chess game of death.
I feel the Elders' mouths curl upwards, their cruel eyes shining behind their protective glass. A queen is free to move any way she chooses in chess. And the pawns and king are her shields. Bring it on pawns, bring it on!
Three Hours Later
"And why have the two of you summoned us? Miss Santa-Clara was here a few hours ago."
.......
"Before opening your mouth, Geto, Yaga asked to accompany Miss Santa-Clara on her mission. As a committee, we decided against sending him as it would disrupt the education of the other first-year students."
.......
"Permission to speak, Elders?"
"Permission granted."
"Would it be possible for Gojo and me to accompany Santa-Clara?"
"No. We are finished here. If you are so worried about Miss Santa-Clara, go and talk with her before she leaves tomorrow."
Sunday, June 2nd, 2007: Tokyo, Japan
A black car pulls up in front of the coffee shop at 3:00 am. My duffel bag feels light, but my heart feels heavy. Once I am close to the car, I notice a set of legs in the back seat. The auxiliary manager exits the car, takes my bags, and gestures for me to get inside the warm vehicle.
"Good morning, Santa-Clara."
"What is with the formality, Geto?" I say through a yawn, "I thought we were on a first-name basis."
.......
It is an hour-long trip to the airport. I rest my head on the window and watch the raindrops dance across the glass. A gentle smile creeps onto my face, warming me up
"Sorry, you have to go abroad alone."
"It is not your fault." I blow on the glass, drawing a smiley face with my middle finger.
He looks towards the floor and ruffles his hair. His heart rate picks up slightly while he curls his left hand into a fist. I smile at him.
"I wanted to see you off since you are going to be away for two months. Gojo and I attempted to be assigned to your mission but, the Elders refused."
Now both of his fists are curled up and his eyes are narrowed. He turns his eyes towards the front window.
"That does not surprise me. They are all high on their own power." I erase the smiley face, my eyes flash dark purple. Geto turns his face toward me again: his eyebrows kiss each other while his mouth gapes open. I clear my throat.
"I appreciate how patient you and Gojo are with me." I make direct eye contact with Suguru, "warming up to people is not easy, and thank you for being part of my healing journey."
I choke back a few tears before getting out of the car.
9:45 am: A Non-Descript Building for a Debrief
I flash my student identification and passport to a security guard. There are no signs of life other than the guard and me...for the time being. We walk through double-steel doors, into a dimly light hallway, and descend a flight of stairs.
The caffeine has run its course when noon comes around. While I am tempted to rest my head against the wall, I resist. My purple orbs dilate when the overhead lights turn on. I have two fists laying on my lap.
"How was your flight, Miss Santa-Clara?"
I shift my eyes between the two individuals.
"Uneventful and long. I guess that is a good thing if one is inside a flying box of metal for fourteen plus hours."
Both men laugh under their breath and shift their positions. One of them tilts his head to the left and places his palms on the table. His counterpart crosses his ankles, propping his left hand under his chin. The sleeve of his shirt reveals a familiar tattoo. Time to rebuild my walls.
"I would like to know what this mission entails. My superiors in Japan provided some information but, I want to make sure we are all on the same page before diving headfirst into the action."
"A high-profile kidnapping." My heart skips a beat but, my face remains neutral. "Given your connection with Japan and Canada, we thought it would be best to take you on as a liaison for the mission."
"How large will the team be for this mission? How long am I expected to be in Canada? Am I entitled to taking personal time off during the mission?
Once I am back inside the apartment, I message Suguru and Satoru. I sit on the floor, take a deep breath, and start drifting off to sleep. My vibrating phone grabs my attention. Both of my friends sent a message within five minutes of each other.
Monday, June 3rd, 2007: 5:00 am, Quebec
I can see my breath dancing in the wind despite it being June. I curl my head on my lap for extra warmth...only to be disrupted by an approaching sorcerer.
"You look tired. Want to step inside while we wait for the others?"
His smile is unwanted and ingenuine.
"I want to stay here and not cause a commotion. By the way, nice skull tattoo, who is your artist?"
I cock an eyebrow towards the sky while he tilts his head to the side. We narrow our eyes simultaneously, breaking eye contact by the sound of dirt kicking up from the ground. Three women, two teenagers, and a young adult stand before us.
The teens have beautiful ebony skin, similar facial structures, and distinctive physical characteristics. One woman has dyed green hair, the other has different colored eyes. The dual-eyed woman talks first.
"It is nice to meet you, my name is Aamina."
Aamina extends her hand forward. I am met with a firm grasp and pat on the right hand. My silly butt forgets to blink, earning a response from Aamina's look-a-like.
"Haha, do you see something you like, Lithuila?"
"Sorry, Aamina...it is just....you have pretty eyes. And what is your name?"
I drop Aamina's hand and turn away. The eyes are the window to the soul and my favorite part of the human form. Seeing an individual with one hazel and one dark brown eye tinted with yellow is a chef's kiss.
"You may call me Businge. I am Aamina's older sister and a fan of yours."
Hold up, I have a fanbase?
"I am the girls' instructor, Paula, and..you met Léonce yesterday."
Trust me Paula, Léonce, and I met before I came to Quebec.
Monday, June 3rd: Forested Area, Quebec
I sense out a few curses deep inside the forest and active wildlife, making my senses spike up.
"I will have you two head west. We will meet back here in five hours."
"Copy that. Come on Blaise, keep up!"
Aamina runs away at full speed. I follow behind her with a wide grin on my face. We race each other and come upon a brook, pausing to alleviate our lungs.
.......
"Are the rumors true?"
I am mid-sip when Aamina starts questioning me.
"Are what rumors true?"
"You captured a vampire back in Japan...like earlier this year. Is the rumor true?"
Why are you excited over this?
"I helped to apprehend a vampire, yes. I was part of a six-person squad and don't take full credit for the mission. How did you hear about us anyway?"
I take a new sip of water and run cold water over my face.
"Japan is not the only country with a sorcerer school, you know."
I stare at Aamina with eyes wide open and mouth partially closed. A small giggle chimes in my ears.