3 DAYS BEFORE
It wasn't often that the witch was left alone by herself. It was well known by her contractor about her elusive and dark thoughts that seemed to bubble alive when everything was quiet and she had time to herself. In addition to that .. the girl got lonely easily. Even though she enjoyed quiet, she enjoyed it more with someone's presence beside her.
Just a week before the fall festival, the second year student was sent out for a quick run to the local bakery to pick up some boxes and more cupcake wrappers.
When she had come back ..
"This .. isn't the school .. Is it?" If it was, it wasn't the school that she knew.
As a witch, exorcist and even shrine maiden, Nora was hardly ever effected by other supernatural powers. Seeing as how she was mixed with so many, there was a resistance built against it. Even she was immune to Kako's time reversal, Akane's time stopping and for the most part, Teru's lightning.
So .. when she had found herself stumbling back under the looming gates of the school ..
It looked different.
It wasn't decorated as it was just twenty minutes prior, and it was dead empty.
"Teru?" The first name she called out, and of course, there was no answer. The presence of spiritual energy was also absent .. except for one. But indefinitely, it wasn't his in any way.
How could she have been effected by a supernatural phenomenon?
Before Nora took a peer into her void, if this was related to time and supernaturals .. the Wonders had to be visited first.
If they still existed in this time.
It felt unsettling to be by herself. Exorcisms was one thing, being in a time period, a place with people she wasn't sure still existed was another.
What could have possibly occurred again, for this to happen?
Within the past two years, ever since they had entered the academy, all sorts of things have happened that shouldn't have. Almost as though someone had been watching their move from the start.
A new clock keeper, clock keepers going loose, Wonders, supernaturals that didn't exist before, disturbance of apparitions, the nearshore, farshore and even distortion of time itself.
For some reason, had they not been doing their job right? Was this because of the necromancy act?
The large clock on the front of the school still moved. It was 4 PM, but the skies were dark and overcast, the trees were tilted and swayed to the side as they were hit with a large gust of breezy air.
There was a narrow library adorned with long bookshelves extending from the floor to the ceiling and tall rock columns. The bookstacks were noticeably dark, with a a number of levitating oil lamps that illuminated the area.
Glowing crystals caught her peripheral vision and the dangling spider webs that made her feel uncomfortable.
She'd heard of the 4 PM bookstacks from some troublemaking kouhai, but never had seen them herself.
It lived up to its reputation without a doubt.
Her slender fingers ran across the spines of all the books she touched. Names of the past, present and future, names that she recognized, other books that were white, some were black, separating the living and the dead.
"You didn't put these in alphabetical order, Tsuchigomori-sensei. Did you just finish reading them recently?"
Nora looked up and saw her science teacher in his spider apparition form hanging from the ceiling above her, his glasses glistened her reflection and an expression of contempt.
The man blew smoke out of the pipe as butterflies began to sprout.
It had originally taken her a little longer to find the boundary than hoped, seeing as how the distribution of energy was all over the place. Nora was extremely apt in sensory magic, but now it seemed to have been hindered to the radius of the school. Only when she had entered the boundary of her teacher, was she able to sense his presence.
Before her eyes were two books.
Nora's was black .. and instead of her name Nyx .. it was Natsuki Nora.
Beside it, was Teru Minamoto .. whose book was white.
She grabbed his book. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." The man warned, gently taking the book from her hands. He was met with her ruby eyes that seemed to glow, not intimidatingly but trying to dig past the fog in his orbs to figure out what he meant by that.
The Wonder knew of her capabilities and far beyond it. He read her book of this life, her seventh one, from start to finish.
It wasn't a very long book.
Fortunately, the library didn't contain other forms of her lives. Merely the one she was currently living.
"Have you ever known someone to change their future or the future of others?" The witch asked as she held her hands behind her back, eyes scouring through the shelves for more names she recognized, like Akane Aoi and Aoi Akane.
Even Yashiro.
He let out another sigh. "Just one."
There was a daunting smile that seemed to spread across her lips. "Then why are you stopping me from reading Teru's book? It's as if you have something to hide."
Tsuchigomori didn't relent, but instead he raised a brow. "Who are you?"
The poker face remained. "The way that you're asking .. I suppose you don't want my name .. A stray, the moon, the night sky, I've been many things." Nora found a book of a random name, sliding it off the bookshelf and began reading through the pages, flipping to the end where the book began to become red, but she didn't panic as she read about how they ended up losing their life in a traffic accident at the age of thirty two.
"But you're not in the right place. The you here now, doesn't belong here."
The witch closed the book. "That's right. I don't belong here .. but why do you know that, sensei?"
He tossed her the book. "Because the last time I saw Natsuki Nora .. was the day she died .. The day I let another student die under my watch. Now I'm wondering if I'm really cut out for this and if you've come back to haunt me." The spider only chuckled a bit before holding his head as if reminiscing something.
After all, this wasn't the first time he allowed this to happen.
Nora opened the pages of the book without hesitation.
The man tried to make it a firm rule to not read the of his students, just in the slim chance that one day his human emotions would awaken and cause him to do something stupid. Sometimes he broke his own rules however and got curious, just out of the well-being and safety of his students. After all, he was a teacher, even if he was a supernatural, he did care for his students to an extent.
She froze. "Sometimes these books can be wrong, can't they?"
"Only once." Tsuchigomori emphasized.
He knew what kind of page she'd stumbled upon. What kind of reaction she'd have.
The way static seemed to crawl on her ebony obsidian locks, her hair began to levitate. The scarlet eyes flickered into a medallion gold, dilating pupils that were once whole circles had narrowed into slits. Her form that bordered human and apparition.
"Sometimes, being ignorant, not knowing, not seeing, it's for the best. He was the one who told you that, wasn't he?"
"Shut up." Nora hissed. Her hands had began to shake, the book melted into a red puddle in her hands as it reappeared in his own.
"Will you now understand No.7's reasoning and actions?"
It was clear he had hit a nerve as a gust of wind severed the ends of his hair. "You shut your mouth before I exorcise you where you stand."
"Are you telling me that someone like the sun, just fresh out as a nebula .. would become a black hole this quickly? What would the astrology loving Yugi Amane say? And yourself, Tsuchigomori-sensei as my science teacher? Do you really expect me to believe that what's written in these books aren't anything short of a playwright's script that can go awry at any given moment?" With every passing syllable, her voice grew and grew louder and louder.
"No one is asking you to believe what's written in these books. But I will tell you that the former student council president's life will end exactly how this book states."
The moment after the words were uttered, he flinched. The library was on fire. A black flame that scalded him even from a distance, so much that his coat had singed.
But with the sweep of his hand, the fire had all been gathered into a sphere.
As Nora reached for her own book, the setting began to flicker. "The future can be changed — but you are not one of those destined to do so."
"Farewell."
Her lungs felt like they had been squeezed and she'd been thrown against the hard cold wall of truth.
The truth that the boy she loved, the one that had lived his life and worked himself to the bone for his siblings .. would take his own life.
There couldn't have been a worse ending in her mind.
The weather was bright again, sunny. Autumn was present along with the slightly chilly temperatures. "Natsuki-senpai, are you alright?" The soft voice allowed her to look up at the familiar face of Yashiro. Her orbs were a chestnut brown and she had a boy leaning over her shoulder — a supernatural.
As soon as he made eye contact with the witch, he disappeared with a frightened yelp. A pink haired boy .. he was Kou's friend.
She was back at the school. "You look like you've just seen a ghost!" The first year joked to try and get the ravenette to smile. Her sweet smile that seemed to touch the souls of others.
Rarely, if not ever did the girl ever see her upperclassman lose composure or face. She was always graceful, elegant and kind to others, almost like Aoi, but in a sense more blunt.
But Nora looked so frightened, terrified.
"I .. I'm okay. The festival stress is getting to me is all." It was also noted that Nora didn't like the sun very much. Nene was worried that was the reason why her complexion looked off.
"Natsuki-kouhai, maybe you should sit today out~ I'll even accompany you."
"You're .." The silver haired girl unbeknownst took a step back once he arrived. He always seemed to have the best timing in the worst ways, coming whenever they needed to be saved or helped .. but also it felt all too more than just coincidence.
As if he or someone else were constantly watching.
"I'm just a senpai worried for his beloved kouhai!" Natsuhiko grinned, swinging his arm around her shoulder, pulling her in close.
It made her uncomfortable, being squeezed against someone's unfamiliar body.
Typically he referred to her with the honorific of 'chan' rather than kouhai .. it almost seemed as if someone had told him off.
Yashiro seemed to notice that her expression got worse as she took Nora's hand into her own. "I'll go get some ice for you, senpai!" Just as the girl turned around in the opposite direction ready to head to the nurse's office, she ran straight into someone as she always seemed to have poor awareness of her surroundings.
"That's alright, Yashiro-san, I've got it from here."
There was a velveteen voice that brought her comfort, as well as a gentle smile that made her feel like she was being tickled by the warm rays of the sun.
The racing heart of her first high school crush seemed to revive. Something that felt so long ago but was merely a few months.
He was known as the prince of the school, in terms of popularity and just about all other things. He was good at nearly anything and everything he tried — aside from house chores. Academics, he was the very top, also becoming one of the youngest and most diligent student council presidents the school ever knew.
"Minamoto-senpai .." Yashiro was surrounded by three of her upperclassmen, three of the most popular upperclassmen .. she could feel the glares bearing into her soul as she meekly nodded her head, racing to get out to find Mitsuba again.
They all watched her figure disappear into the school.
Teru smiled brightly, gently tugging Nora back over to his side.
But she didn't even look at him.
How could she?
How could someone like him .. meet an ending like that? He hated pain, loved his siblings, and young Tiara. He would do so much for her, even for Kou.
Was it because .. she had died before him?
Her book was already black by the time she was in the library, indicating that she was dead.
Was that really the future .. or was it an illusion?
Nora needed to find out more.
".. I'd appreciate if you didn't touch my assistant so carelessly."
The upperclassman clearly had an amused expression. He had long been waiting for the charming and innocent facade of the student council president to crack in jealousy.
"My, my, you're protruding a rather scary aura, Minamoto-kouhai."
If someone were to look closely .. They'd notice the bulging veins that protruded from the blonde's neck and an irk mark on his forehead. Even more so the way his stance and posture was almost like he was going to draw a sword and behead the third year on the spot.
Even he knew not to test the limits of the exorcist.
"I was just helping out my camellia. She looks unwell, don't you agree? If I remember correctly, you have a list of duties to complete for the festival .. how is that going, our o' hardworking student council president?"
Teru tilted his head with a close eyed beam. "It's going rather well. Actually .. I was wondering, senpai, is there a club or activity you're helping out? You seem to have a lot of spare time on your hands."
Natsuhiko could feel static crawl onto his skin. The hairs on his arms and legs began to tingle. "Your mask is slipping." The boy hummed.
Teru's hands trailed up to his prayer beads.
But Nora tugged onto the hem of his shirt, shaking her head.
In that moment, Teru seemed to have calmed down, breathing out a sigh. His leaking spiritual energy retracted and his posture lightened again.
The third year blew out a low whistle. "So that's the Natsuki effect." It was rumored quite a long time now that Teru and Nora were in love with one another and were even dating, despite the numerous amounts of time the witch had shut down the assumptions, so after a while, many people stopped talking about it.
But it never stopped people from noticing that Teru Minamoto had a soft spot for the girl. They were sometimes seen together after school, but during the day in normal class times, they remained separated out of the public eye to avoid uproar.
"You ought to keep a better eye on your assistant, president. One day .. she might get snatched away." He winked at Nora who didn't bat an eye, merely nodding her head.
"I wouldn't worry about that if I were you." Teru sent the boy a soaring withering glance as he turned around.
His hand was still on Nora's shoulder as they walked into the old building. He came to a stop as she did as well. His cerulean eyes were laced with concern and it was clear, clearer than the most tropical of waters.
"What's going on .. Nora?"
She flinched when his hand made its way to her cheek. Despite her reaction, he kept it there. She was always cold, even now.
Teru unbuttoned his shirt. She stood in the shadow of the corridor while he stood in the light, the window of the second floor shone down on the canary tresses.
How could a human being be so radiating?
How could the reincarnation of the sun .. extinguish his own light?
Her misfortune was beginning to catch up again.
It was impossible.
The white button up was draped over her head like a veil, protecting her from the leering thoughts. They dangled above her consciousness like a hypnotic spell.
"I had a bad dream." It didn't take a genius to notice that his witch was beginning to crack open her shell and peer through it, allowing more and more emotions and confessions to be made. She hid less and embraced more, embracing the world, living, all of it. "A really bad dream."
But it was all too much for someone who had been hiding from such things. All of these things scared her and she wanted to go back to her shell.
For someone like her, Teru was so bright.
"Do you need to go home early today? I'll head to the front and sign you out."
The thought of walking home by herself and wallowing in his bedroom didn't make her feel any better as she quickly let out a noise of disagreement.
There was probably only one person who knew the limits or lengths to how insane Teru Minamoto was. The perfect student, son, exorcist all of it ..
Akane and he were alike in that aspect.
They were absolutely crazy and would stop at nothing.
So when he saw Natsuhiko with his arm around Nora .. there was an instinct that he couldn't fight off. One that wanted to sever his limbs from his body in that blink of an eye.
The girl didn't want to fall apart. She was trying her very best.
Ever since the whole kannagi incident .. remnants of her past seemed to come back. The name Nyx haunted her, the night sky seemed to follow wherever she went. Even when she was in the red house and saw Keiko when in reality .. she was hoping to see her father.
A young little girl was still trapped inside her body with questions of the world meant for her father who never came back to answer them.
She missed Keiko too .. just as much as her father.
But she didn't want to worry him. "If I rest a little in the nurse's office, I think I'll be okay." Teru bit on the inside of his cheek, looking down at her hands that seemed to quiver a bit. He still had a list of things that had to be completed by the end of the day, and unfortunately they weren't things Akane himself could do alone.
In fact, he was supposed to be staying late today.
"I know you're busy. I'll let you know if anything happens." She handed him back his shirt as he let out a sigh, receiving yet another text from Akane asking for his whereabouts. "If Natsuhiko tries to bother you again .. text me. I'll be there, don't worry."
Nora tilted her head. "Worried? Why would I be worried? Natsuhiko is just a human."
Once again, she was oblivious to someone else's intentions. Teru seemed much more relieved after her statement.
Thinking back to the time she leapt into the future a few days ago .. and then the conversation she had with Teru yesterday at the large clock in the abandoned auditorium ..
That clock .. Nora had to fix it. It didn't matter what she had to do — who she had to use to do so, even if it meant jeopardizing the balance of the clock keepers ..
Her eyes widened.
She was becoming like her mother.
The witch snapped out of her trance, nearly falling off the boxes she was sat atop of when a shadow loomed over her head. It was just pure instinct, the feeling of being snuck up on. After years of exorcism patrols dealing with all sorts of the out of the ordinary .. she always had to be prepared for the worst.
"Did you need something, Aoi?" Everyone made her feel on edge nowadays. It was hard to know who was on what side .. and what the sides were.
But to her, Akane Aoi was as open as a book, more so than everyone else depicted her as. It was as simple as her being lonely.
Nowadays, she seemed more distant to others, but in reality .. her true self was beginning to surface. It was clear she no longer seemed to hold an unnecessary weight on her shoulders and was as shy as her inner self was sometimes.
But whenever she was around Nora .. it felt like there was nothing to be afraid of.
Because she knew that her senpai, Minamoto and Nora would both protect her as they had done before — they were people she could trust. She knew their secret and they knew hers. They were reliable people.
"Ah, Minamoto-senpai gave Akane a task to deliver you lunch .. but he seemed rather busy, so I thought why not do it myself?~" There was a box held out in front of her. Teru had split his bento with the witch.
"Isn't that convenient? I'm actually on break right now." Nora smiled, patting the spot beside her. She had helped the last bits of packaging and wrapping the baked goods and now the rest of the members were gathering the tables and chairs needed for set up tomorrow so that it wouldn't get snagged by another club.
The president of the culinary club had also gone with a few other members to go find the tent they were going to use.
Nora had the duty of finding the decorations, which were currently stored in the boxes she sat atop of before sliding off onto the blanket on the floor.
Aoi watched her upperclassman with a still smile as she took small bites of the pork. "Aoi, don't you ever think that those two are always incessantly worried?" The witch turned her head to face her with a curious expression. It seemed like she already knew the answer but wanted to hear it from someone else.
"Just sometimes. I think Minamoto-senpai is right to worry about you often. Akane tells me that you're rather mysterious!" Aoi also knew that she had died before, after their conversation in the tunnel that day at the start of obon.
"And besides .. you two always do dangerous things. Why go so far to protect all of these people that wrong you?"
Akane let his tongue slip a bit about the prejudice Nora faced both as a witch and as a black cat. But he only did so because he knew that she wouldn't mind it being told to Aoi — which was correct.
"Because .. what have my kouhai done wrong to deserve to deal with these problems on our behalf? It's just a matter of responsibility." Nora shut the lid on the box, only finishing half to save the other half for the afternoon. "It's like a job. You might not like it but you have to do it to get paid. For us .. we have to do it so that other people we care about don't get hurt as a result of us slacking off."
"Responsibility is such a hassle isn't it? I was so happy when the curses had all disappeared. Shame it was so short lived." As Nora said those words, mokke began to crawl onto their laps. Aoi began patting their heads. She'd grown so fond of them, especially during her encounter with them on the train to the farshore.
The violet haired girl admired the witch in many ways more than one .. but she would never wish to be her.
To be the moon was a daunting task.
One that only she could do so elegantly.
"Actually .. I was wondering, senpai .. if you could rely on us a little more. Altering the rumors of supernaturals, covering up for you .. those are things I can do, even if I can't exorcise them myself .. and I know Akane is busy all the time because of student council and Nene is with Hanako-san .. but even we want to be of help for you and the president."
Nora blinked once and then twice, tilting her head. "Sorry?"
"In a way .. we all feel indebted."
Her crimson eyes seemed to not comprehend the words that were spoken.
After all, how were they to share this burden?
Nora let out a hearty laugh just moments after and it made the kannagi wonder if she had said something wrong. Nothing she said was meant to be a joke or amusing in any way.
But it made her feel slightly happy to see her senpai laugh so genuinely.
The witch pat the top of the girl's head. "As long as you all look after one another .. then there wouldn't be a need for that."
"You seemed so serious about it~" Nora hummed.
Mischievous, sly, carefree Natsuki Nora. That was who she always appeared to be.
Despite how fickle and smart mouthed she seemed to others ..
She was soft spoken and had a heart that was so full of love and gentle care like the blossoming spring after a harsh long winter.
Perhaps that was why someone like the student council president appreciated her presence by his side.
In his hectic life .. there was some solace. The moon that would gently lull him to sleep. The moon that would always watch his every move in the darkness and provided him a light to see the many paths before his eyes.
"Akane, your girlfriend said something rather funny today." The witch sang aloud, munching on another sesame ball filled with red bean paste. The boy, at the mention of his childhood friend and longtime crush had turned his head to her with a notepad out, ready to jot down whatever it was. "Aoi-chan? What was it?"
Nora leaned toward his ear with her hand covering the side of her face and whispered.
"I'm not telling you~"
His eyes widened at the sudden proximity as well as her reply. His face flushed in both anger and embarrassment at getting teased by his senpai. "I'll eventually tell you .. if you can beat me in chess." The witch taunted.
Nora didn't learn how to play chess, not formally at least. The memorization of each piece and its movements along with certain tactics she'd been explained about in a quick lecture by Teru was how she merely managed to beat the clock keeper mercilessly. It used to be a way to pass time, by watching the witch continuously spare no relents in checkmating him.
So he knew that beating her would be impossible.
"You damned hag!" Akane swatted the air as Nora let out a hiss. He found the pain of two sharp feline fangs sinking into his shoulder shoot through his body as he let out a yelp.
At that moment a mop of blonde hair had stepped through the door at the bemusing sight of his vice president flailing around screaming profanities while a cat latched onto his clothing and had her teeth into his skin. "This is why you're old!"
"Don't call me a hag! Respect your elders!"
His glasses had fallen off as his eyes widened at the sight of the mokke in the room carrying ropes as they tied his legs together, causing him to fall off balance and thud onto the ground.
"Did you have your fun, Nora? Come here."
The president crouched down and extended his arm as the witch leapt onto his shoulder, licking her paw. "You seem to have quite a bit of free time, Akane. I thought I sent you in here to get the permission forms?" Teru had his menacing smile on as per usual. He was tired — extremely tired, and when he was, he always seemed to have a rather upbeat air around him.
He held the cat to his chest and played with her paws. The school day was already over and now once again .. they were after school working themselves to the bone. It was true Teru worked much faster than Akane, but in circumstances where he needed the cooperation of others .. there were things that just couldn't be done by himself or with just himself and Akane.
"It's not my fault the ha— senpai was here .." He let out a grumble, picking up his glasses as he dusted off his pants.
Before anyone else could say something another presence entered the room. This time, on the place of Akane's head. A small little thing it was.
Teru wasn't too alarmed, nor did he draw his weapon out.
"Akane, Akane, Akane! You have to clean the clocks today!" The boy hadn't yet put back on his glasses so he was able to see the small supernatural. The vice president let out an exasperated sigh. "Yeah, yeah." He was actually supposed to do that before school .. but everyone else had come in earlier before him so it was difficult to do that, even now. So typically he'd wait till after his student council duties.
Mirai had her gloves on today, so another incident like the previous wouldn't reoccur.
She stared longingly at the bag of candy that Nora was now snacking on in her human form.
The witch sent the supernatural a dirty glare, not liking to share.
"Hmph!" The clock keeper scowled.
"Don't hmph me, you little imp." She remarked disdainfully.
"Now, now, Nora. Play nice." Teru lightly scolded. Before she could make another remark, a flash of violet had stolen the bag out of her hands letting out a cackle in triumph.
Forgetting the words Teru had just uttered, Nora reverted back into a cat and shifted her weight onto her back legs, leaping onto Akane's head, and then onto Teru's, and then onto the top border of the chalkboard. Her eyes narrowed into the apparition as she felt the power in her feet, leaping, aiming for the clock keeper that merely teleported, but Nora landed on her fours again. "Get back here. I'll claw your eyes out."
The supernatural stuck her tongue out with a giggle. "Catch me if you can, if you can!"
Before she could begin leaping again, Teru held onto the scruff of her neck with a smile. "Nora."
Back in her human form, she folded her arms with a scowl.
Akane let out a sigh. "Mirai."
The small clock keeper only sat on his shoulder, dumping the rest of her candy into her mouth. Nora's anger didn't subside as the aura she protruded was one of bloodlust.
But after she was done with the candy, Mirai's nose twitched a bit as she flew over to Nora. "Say .. little witch .. did you go into the future recently?"
They all stood still in surprise.
Nora tilted her head, playing dumb. "If I did .. Then I sure didn't know."
She peeled off her glove and placed it on the witch's shoulder before shrugging it off. "Anyways .. the past would like to invite you to the next meeting." Whispered the supernatural under her breath.
The girl rolled her red eyes. It would've been nice if Kako had invited her personally .. instead of Mirai having to come.
Teru gave the witch a confused look as she brushed it off, waving her hand dismissively at him as Mirai went back to Akane's side. "I suppose I don't need you for the rest of the day, as long as you double check that the principal gets the documents." The exorcist placed a hand on his hip, waving the permission slips in the air.
"Then .. we'll be leaving first." Akane dismissed himself, walking out of the room.
Nora was rummaging through the podium to find anymore bags of candies, but all she found were the hard candies that she wasn't in the mood for. "She ate my last bag! That stupid clock keeper!"
Teru chuckled, patting the top of her head. "We'll get more at the convenience store after tonight's rounds."
It was clear that she was sulking.
She always did love her sweets dearly. It was how she maintained a steady level of energy and will to live throughout the day.
The blonde sighed once again. Nora turned her head and studied his expression. He began getting stress lines on his bottom eyelids. His smile began to quiver by its edges and his eyes had a sleepy tinge to them.
"I can patrol by myself tonight. I think you should get some rest .." She expressed her concern.
"Me? I'm fine, don't I look energized? I've had loads energy shots today, I can even feel my heart beating out of my chest~" Teru hummed merrily.
"I'm no doctor but that doesn't sound right."
He let out a dandy little laugh.
That definitely didn't sound right.
"You really should stop drinking those energy shots .. I'm pretty sure you're going way over the daily caffeine intake .." The witch sat cross legged on the desk. She was dressed in her summer uniform, a cream colored dress that fell just above her thighs. Her collar bow was a different color than many people's, theirs being brown while hers being a ruby red that complimented more of her eyes than her uniform. Her brooch on the center of her chest had been changed into a crescent moon to more compliment her name.
The window was left wide open, a view of the courtyard and its students was available as a light gentle autumn breeze swept through, brushing a few locks of her hair backwards as she tucked it behind her ear. The sun began to dye the scenery an apricot hue, tanning her usual pale and fair skin.
"Sometimes, I think these shots are just a placebo. Maybe I should stop taking them and find something stronger .. What do you think, Nora?" It was like a lightbulb lit up on the top of his head, with his glimmering expression and eyes.
She only deadpanned at him. "I think you should go to sleep tonight." Nora held two fingers against his forehead, ready to force him into a slumber but he gently shoved away her wrists.
"I was just kidding~"
Her eyes bore holes into his soul. He was forced to look away.
"Aha .. Maybe I wasn't kidding ..?"
The exorcist let out a pitiful whine as his cheek had begun to get tugged viciously. "Noraaa that hurts.."
"I'm not taking care of you when you're sick again. We're going to go home and you're going to take a nap. Princess will wake you up so that we can go on rounds, I will get my candy and you're going to stop taking those energy shots before I snitch on you to Kou."
The steepness in tone of her voice made him stop for a bit before smiling even wider. A cheeky expression crept its way onto his face as he held. his hands up in surrender. "And here I thought you were on my side."
Of course she was .. but the last time he'd gotten sick, the elders nearly performed a purification ritual on her. It was absurd.
Her gaze still dug deep, sending a chill down his spine. "Alright. I promise."
Thankful that she didn't have to play bad cop anymore, Nora cracked just a small smile in delight.
But it was short lived.
"But — before that, Nora .. how do you suppose I get my fix of energy throughout the day?"
Before the witch could propose her idea of him merely just sleeping better and whenever he could .. he decided something else first.
She covered her mouth to suppress a scream at the sudden action.
"Will you take responsibility for that, Nora?"
In bed and at night, being close to him was one thing ..
In broad daylight where she could see every aspect of his being was another. It was like she was being exposed to the world by the sun, the light that captured the entirety of her face.
Teru was just mere centimeters away from her face. One of his arms was wrapped around her shoulder with his palm against her back to prevent her from falling out the window, and his other hand held her own up in the air to prevent the witch from covering her face.
He'd pay his whole life's fortune to witness the expression on her face over and over again.
It was bright red, the tips of her ears were like that of a cherry tomato. Her lips were parted and quivered in disbelief and the way she fought against his grasp desperately trying not to transform in the eyes of others in the courtyard .. although all they could see was her back .. and none of the seemingly sexual harassing actions that were being performed by the reputable student council president.
Her eyes were so wide that he found it priceless. The jewels that held a world of roses within them.
He couldn't help but burst into a bout of ardent laughter, letting go of her and stumbling backwards, using a chair to support himself as his body shook with amusement, never having seen such a vulnerable Nora before.
"That wasn't fair!" The witch cried out.
It didn't help resolve his laughing fits.
"I .. I —" He paused, trying to find a breath. "I think I found my new source of energy." He breathed out.
She threw all sorts of things at him, pencils, pens, even the succulents at the window sill. He caught them all without a problem as she frowned, clearly irritated that he'd gotten the best of her.
Finally, he stopped laughing, letting out one final chuckle.
"I'm going to start hating you .." The witch mumbled.
Teru smiled, reaching out to the girl who turned herself into a cat once again to avoid having her face become beet again.
He laid his head on the desk, lightly poking her, ignoring the pain that shot through his finger as it had become a scratching post. "You know that could never be true." The blonde had stated confidently.
She stopped attacking and mutilating his finger for a moment. "Stupid Teru."
"Won't you turn back, Nora?" He pleaded lightly, holding onto her front paw gently, waving it back and forth.
She swatted his head. Since she was so small, it was hard to feel a thing from it. "Absolutely not."
"Even if I have a gift for you?" Of course she was curious at his revelation. He could tell. The way Nora's ears twitched at his words, gently creeping forward.
The boy opened the cabinet and pulled out a slightly wilted stem but the top part of the flower itself was still in tact. Nora walked over curiously and sniffed it.
It was her flower of the day.
A dandelion.
The flower had been snatched from his hands as the fluid transformation from feline to witch had taken the flower into her own grasp, standing once again against the ledge of the window.
'Please help me change the future.'
Inhaling a breath and exhaling it back out, she blew the little fluffy seedlings away into the horizon.
Teru could only admire the earnest sight, despite not knowing what she wished for so desperately. But it didn't matter to him .. because he solely believed that she could make her own wish come true.
"Let's go home, Nora."
She turned back around, nodding her head.
The boy who stared at her like she was the most beautiful thing in the galaxy.
"Pay attention!" Nora hit the back of his head as they watched the sign change and the cars stopped to let them walk forward.
She couldn't believe that he would put an end to the potential in his future .. all for what?
It was unimaginable as to what would happen.
Whatever his reasoning was .. it was due to the current events. The third party behind the scenes of everything .. not quite just a supernatural .. not quite just a human .. but both.
Silently working and creating all of these happenstances.
"Your english grade went up? That's amazing, Kou!"
The sun who loved his young siblings so dearly, they who were just nebulas to him. He helped them flourish and become even a greater light than himself.
The junior high boy grinned ear to ear.
Nora watched and watched.
It didn't make sense.
"Nora-nee?"
The five year old girl who was sat in her lap had called out, tugging on the older girl's long raven locks as she had been caught in a train of thought again, snapping out of it.
It had been happening too often recently.
She was dressed in her usual exorcism attire — a yukata and her haori.
The witch plastered a smile on her face as she began tickling the young girl's sides before picking her up into the air. "Is it time for bed already?" They always tucked her in before leaving, or at least Nora did while Teru was still getting rid of his sleepies.
"Wheeee!" Tiara spread her arms out as though she were soaring.
Tiara who didn't have any idea of her true mother .. She was so innocent and Nora wanted to protect it — to protect her. The young child she raised growing up.
Despite all the hatred she went through from the child's father .. even how difficult it was that her birth took away the one person Nora saw as a mother .. not once did she resent the little girl.
Because she knew how it felt .. to have a birth that caused misfortune.
"I hope you stay as you always are, Princess." Nora's hand brushed against her cheek as she giggled.
"I hope you and Teru-nii are always together .. because when you're together, you're happy!"
She used to think human attachments were unnecessary and a hindrance. Why did no one ever tell her that they were so beautiful? They were warm and made her feel loved.
She could only wonder.
"As long as you and Kou are here .. then Teru and I can do what we do."
"One day .. I'll help you and Teru-nii fight all the bad guys!"
Nora only laughed before it died down. "One day. But until then .. goodnight, Tiara." The bubbles that were created began to pop, tickling her skin as she poked them. They contained traces of lavender, enticing her slowly to sleep.
Nora only hoped that she wouldn't have to endure the same thing they did.
She would do all she could to prevent it.
They were all she had left of Keiko.
It was true .. Nora did want to live .. but she wanted to live with Teru so desperately. It was so hideous, her desire. The desire to keep the feeling of being loved by a being so radiating ..
"Teru." The witch called out to him as he hummed, signaling her to continue.
They stood before the corpse of the supernatural that they'd wrapped in golden chains and sealed with sutras to leave for the temple to dispose of respectfully.
"Do you ever think about living until you're old?"
Teru had to press his hand against her forehead to assure that she wasn't ill of any sorts .. considering the nature of the question was more peculiar than any other.
Her lashes tickled his skin. After reassuring himself that the girl was fine .. He only shrugged. "I don't really think about it."
Nora simply nodded her head.
For a while now .. especially after the red house .. he realized how little he actually knew of his witch. It didn't come as a surprise. She was always a secretive person, keeping more tight lipped about the specifics of her past down to a minimal line.
Which was why ..
"Nora, I want to void our contract."
For the umpteenth time, Teru Minamoto continued to surprise her, over and over again as the sound of her fan hitting the floor and clattering had rung out. He bent down to pick it up.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
He stared at the magical scroll of paper in his hands. The signature that named her the witch of the void, and his old eleven year old chicken scratch ..
"Mom was the one that said there was no need for one in the first place, wasn't she?"
She was. At that time, it was Teru and Daisuke who had pushed for a contract— especially young Teru who saw Nora as a dangerous supernatural being that needed to be kept under a watchful eye. That was how she'd gotten her first name
"But why now?"
They gave her such a hard time about it back then. If Daisuke Minamoto had come back to see how soft hearted his son had grown .. and falling in love with a witch along with that .. he'd probably dig himself a grave—which she'd which he'd do already. It was tedious just hearing about him.
The exorcist leaned back a bit. "It's a hassle isn't it?"
Everyone always threatened her with the contract she had with the Minamoto family, specifically Teru. If she were to kill or gravely harm a human being, she would be executed and exorcised as per regulations of the contract.
"Unless you don't trust that I can give you everything you'd ever want in exchange for yourself .." The contract between the two of them was equivalent exchange. In exchange for her services .. they would provide her with comfortable living and a mostly normal life.
"That's not the point—" She almost stammered.
"The point is .. I don't want you to be held back by a death sentence, Nora. This scrap of the past that could affect your future .. I hate it."
The people that constantly controlled her life .. Using her as they so pleased to do their exorcism bidding ..
Teru wanted her to live. Not to constantly be yanked back to responsibilities. "I want you to be selfish. To demand things, to want me to help you achieve anything, even if you wanted to runaway, or quit exorcisms .."
"It's not enough."
She deserved more.
More and more and more.
She deserved her father back, her mother figure, her past, present and future .. She deserved back the love she gave to the world.
"Teru .. you're being really weird .." Nora could no longer see his face as he had covered it with his two hands, facing the ground.
It was the same thing Kou had said to him that day.
"I just .. want you to be happy, Nora."
"Why do things keep getting in the way of that?"
"Is what I'm doing .. really so wrong? Have my opinions of supernaturals truly been flawed all this time?"
This was the crack in the composure of Teru Minamoto. The unrelenting student council president, the older brother, the heir to the great Minamoto exorcist family, the son of two of the greatest exorcists known in history ..
"All of these people who want you to die so badly .. I cant let it happen. That's why, Nora .. I want to void our contract." He of all people knew that anything could happen.
Even though he valued human life so greatly ..
There were some people who deserved to live amongst all others.
Perhaps this thinking was wrong .. but if it was wrong, then so be it.
"I still have so many things to do for you. So many places that we haven't gone yet .. that we might not ever be able to get to. But that's alright."
"I just need you here."
He clung onto her yukata so desperately. With a shocked expression .. the witch had nothing left to say as she tore the contract, complying with his wishes. His face was buried in her abdomen as she remained standing. Gently, she pat his back.
Nora had realized something now .. after his outburst ..
It would be because of her .. that his bright future with a path fully paved to the sun would collapse.
*This entire chapter is unedited, I just wanted to get it out.