I wonder...
What happens to the things that have been misplaced and forgotten?
Could it be that they simply just faded out of existence, melding into the very place they were last seen, swallowed into the darkness never to see the light of day?
'Is that even possible?' You must be thinking, and to answer your question: of course not silly.
All of it, from the pencil you dropped yesterday during math class to the beaded friendship bracelet you and your friends made all those years ago, are still with us. Even now, it's all been buried at the back of our mind, overlooked, and no longer relevant to our everyday lives.
Just for today, all for you, I'll share a secret.
Roaming the halls, spending mouth to mouth like wildfire, there is a new rumor.
Have you ever heard of the Faeries?
🔸•°🌙°•🔸
6 days 15 hours 11 minutes, and 6, 7...8...9...10...something seconds.
Certainly not exact, but this is the amount of time he and Hanako have been acquainted. Even if it's only been about a week since their first meeting and binding, he can't say for sure his life had been affected too much by the oddity named Hanko-san.
To be fair, though, he didn't exactly know just what he signed up for that day; he'd just assumed she'd need assistance with her ghostly duties, something interesting he could boast about later as he helps take care of the issue. So far, he couldn't have been farther than the truth. Every afternoon, just after the last bell rings for the day he finds himself in the restroom with a mop or broom cleaning his youth away. It hadn't been so bad at first, for the most part, it was mainly dust and stray litter he had to clean, but as the days progressed he soon grew bored of the constant cleans, especially when there was nothing left to clean...
That wasn't even the worse part, though, Hanako-san had also placed one of her will-o-whisps (a spirit orb he'd only met around the third day as he spotted it trailing behind him rather obviously) in charge of watching over him, a constant reminder of who was in charge, a mocking of just how he'd never escape the cruel fate he'd twisted himself into. Hanako-san very much reminded him of one of the evil villains in fairytales, more specifically, the evil stepmother lady in the one with the girl who did nothing but clean and do chores...sadly he couldn't quite put a name to the story but he'd be sure to look into it if he was to ever escape.
Tossing the wet rag back into the soapy substance filling the bucket at his feet the raven haired boy stretched his muscles popping his shoulder before wiping the excess residue from his hands. "Hanako-san, Hanako-san, I'm leaving now." He hummed tiredly plucking his bag from the floor with a yawn.
"Eh-!? But--but it's only been an hour," said ghost blurted in bewilderment as she glanced over at the clock above the door. Hoping from her seat stationed upon the window sill she bounced over the boy with furrowed brows. "You still have thirty minutes left,"
Where did that come from? He looked up at the clock, he never noticed such an item even existed. Her doing no doubt, it wasn't odd for her to pull something random from her hat to spice up the little room she resides in.
"I have plans today." an exasperated sigh rolled from his lips. As he leaned over to collect the rest of his items grim (e.c) caught a glimpse of the (rather poorly) hidden bandages on his upper arms and abdomen, a frown flitting across her face as she observed the slight flinch he made while bending over.
"Plans?" She uttered to both him and herself; he couldn't look her in the eye as she queried him, insecurity eating at his insides as her piercing gaze shot through him, no doubt already noticing the change in his behavior.
Awkwardly clearing his throat, rubbing the nape of his neck he risked a glimpse back at her nearly losing his composure once again at her trying expression. "I'm meeting with my brother and some of our friends." It hadn't been a lie, per se, it was true he was going with his brother, and according to Tsukasa and his own lack of social interaction, his brother did have friends, they just wouldn't be joining them that day.
"Wah- wait!" She cried out in alarm, eyes widened and arms outstretched as if to save someone from falling. "You - you can't leave, yet!" Mindful of his injuries she grasped at his arm pulling him further into her toilet. "I get lonely too, y'know, and you haven't finished cleaning so you can't leave!"
As much as he didn't want to leave, no matter how much he wished to avoid the awaiting torment he was sure to behold. Not leaving or prolonging his stay altogether would only worsen his cause. He was scared. He was a cowered, he knows, but he also knows there's no escape. This was his life no matter how troublesome it may be.
"I know..." He began taking her hand in his own pacing them back towards the sinks. An idea brewing as he loosened her grip on him. "How about you take over the rest of my cleaning, and tomorrow I'll bring you back something special." It almost scared him how easily the lie can out. The promise splitting from his tongue smoothly as he sneakily took the mop from its resting place and into her hands.
With her now distracted he swung his bag onto his back, dashing out the door just as he had done with the scales. Her brows furrowed in concern as she watched him sprint away a familiar glint shining in her (e.c) orbs as the room light dimmed.
Exiting the building his grip tightened on his bag as he desperately tried to make out the figure of his brother through the bustling about of club members. The sun had already started to descend by the time he finally escaped, baby blues and light pinks mixing with magenta and purple setting the sky ablaze in a multitude of colors.
A soft breeze was the only defense against the blistering heat of summer with the wind blowing a cool breeze upon them only to be counteracted by the sun's hateful glare. It was days like this he detested the most, the way the bandages on his arms and midsection start to itch in irritation and how his sweat practically glued his shirt and hair to his skin. Summer wasn't his favorite season in the slightest.
"Amane-chan~! Let's go home now, yeah?" A hand slapped down upon his sore shoulder hard enough to leave a bruise as a teasing voice cooed into his ear sending goosebumps blazing across his arms.
"Yeah...let's..."
🔸•°🌙°•🔸
Oh fuck.
No way this could be happening now, he had just put them down too.
Frantic golden orbs whipped around in panic as the boy frantically dug around in his desk and bag hoping to locate the missing item. He must have jinxed himself yesterday, of course, he had. He just had to blubber on about how he had yet to have anything unusual happen to him.
He just had it.
Why did this have to happen to him? Just his luck, too. Perhaps someone had stolen it off his desk when he wasn't looking? That was plausible, right? It had to be that... he'll just ask around, someone must've seen it. Right, that's what he'll do. He will be okay, it's gonna be okay.
"Yugi-kun! You're not missing anything either are you?" A sugary voice from behind him inquired. Turning his sights upwards he caught the silver-haired girl bouncing on her heels as she watched him with a small smile. His fucking luck sucks. Someone save him.
But...
It was true. The gift he'd promised Hanako had mysteriously disappeared just after he moved it into his desk cubby. If it hadn't been for what he'd brought her he would have given up the search long ago and possibly even made up a story just so he could flake out of their afternoon sessions. But he couldn't do that because he'd spent the last little bit of his allowance on this present and there was no way he was letting that go to waste. "Yeah, it seems I've misplaced my snacks..." No way he was gonna admit what he lost, especially to her of all people.
"Maybe...the Faeries showed up?" Another voice piped in from behind.
"Huh?"
"You haven't heard? Everybody's been talking about them lately!" Aoi exclaimed grabbing Yashiro and Yugi by their shoulders shaking them back and forth rapidly. Once she stopped the boy dizzily leaned against the desk looking back to the purple-haired gal in a frazzled manner.
Catching his confused eye she smiled rather timidly scratching her cheek bashfully. "There's a new rumor going around, and it goes:
Have you ever lost something you were keeping a close eye on?
Or had something that was always there vanish right when you need it?
Has that happened to you?
Then you might have been the victim of the faeries.
But you must never look upon them, because if you do...
...they will even take...
Your life...
Or so they say, of course, it's just a rumor after all!" She explained with a wave of her hands a nervous giggle following shortly behind.
If he'd remembered correctly, that what he and everyone had assumed about Hanako-san, too. If her rumor was true that that must mean the one she just told is as well.
Does Hanako know about this?
"Ah, is that so?" Yashiro whined thoughtfully, hand cupping her cheek as she leaned in to hear her friend's whisper as Aoi directed their interest towards a group of students fussing over their missing items a few rows away. "But lately-" she began, "Things have been going missing an awful lot."
"What do you think Yugi-Kun?" The diakon asked, tugging him back into their discussion.
"Who knows," he shrugged lazily leaning back into his chair with closed eyes. "Maybe they're real, but...you better watch out, it'd be hard to run with those ankles of yours Yashiro-chan~" his tease sent her cheeks aflame as she grumbled embarrassed.
"Oh, come on..."
"Guys! Come quick!" Someone boomed from the hall, garnering the attention of everyone still ideally waiting in the classroom.
Once in the corridor, the three of them (and the following whisp, much to Amane's dismay) jogged their way to the growing crowd huddling around the lockers. Chatter echoed through the right space, gossip, and talk spreading from mouth to mouth into the ears of anyone who'd listen.
"The locker doors are all gone!" A student from a couple of classes down cried out in shock.
"Who would do that!?" A blue-haired girl yelled angrily clutching onto her school bag as if her life depended on it. "I don't know! I just looked up and this is what I saw!" Amane creased his brows in confusion as he analyzed the dilemma at hand.
There is no way someone could do this without anyone noticing. He determined thoughtfully, so if it wasn't a student or teacher then...
He did just have to go and jinx himself, didn't he...
An abrupt frigidness showered over him as water splashed onto both him and the floor. In the span of a second, the crowd formed a circle around him and the pooling water on the floor beneath him. Both Aoi and Nene cried out in shock the first spewing apologies nonstop as the former searched her bag for something to help.
"Eeeeeeeeekkkk! Yugi-kun! Something just bumped into my hand! I'm sorry I'll get something to dry it off!" Aoi exclaimed as she, too, started searching her bag for something to help dry him off.
Water-soaked through his shirt and pants sticking the clothing to his skin. A sudden irritation tingled his arms and neck, the itchiness becoming almost unbearable as a rash spread along said spots alerting him of the incoming scales that were bound to make themselves known.
Oh shit...this wasn't good. If anyone in were to see just what he's become there's no telling what'd happen to him.
Pushing his way out of the crowd in a frenzy he bumped into a few others before breaking free from the throng sprinting away from the two girls and doorless lockers. As he ran a single scale fell from his arm, the black and gold color contrasting with the sandy yellow tile capturing the attention of a certain girl.
Rosy pink eyes gaped in a mixture of awe and horror as she watched her friend flee away shrinking into the distance.
Was it just her, or did Yugi-san have scales growing across his arms and neck?
Flooded with a newfound determination and worry for her friend, the girl left Aois' side following the boy's lead If moving past the growing crowd-stopping only to pick up the fallen scale before rushing down the same hall he had. She needed answers, was that the reason he's become more distant?
Could he not trust her with his secret because she wasn't a good enough friend?
Where they ever gonna be like they used to? If only she'd done better. If only she'd known.
Was he in pain?
Is he okay?
Can she possibly help?
No, she was going to help. He was her friend, one of her first. She isn't gonna give up that easily. She will find and help him. She had to.
"N-Nene-chan?" Aoi called after the girl in puzzlement as she stood lonesome in the bunch of unfamiliar faces. Just what has gotten into her friends lately? Oh well, she shrugged with a smile turning to talk to Akane who swooned at the action. She was bound to find out at some point anyway.
🔸•°🌙°•🔸
After deemed far enough away from the other students the raven haired boy allowed himself time to catch his breath, huffs puffing from him as he inhaled deeply before exhaling back out much slower. By now most of the scales should have dried by themselves, all except for the ones under his soppy clothing at least. Luckily for him, no one seemed to notice his oddity, all too intrigued by the strange encounter with the lockers.
Crouching down to steady his shaky legs a baby blue object caught the corner of his eyes as he glanced over finding a hand towel with flower prints. As ironic as it was that he needed something to dry himself, it was strange that such an item was just laying in the middle of an empty hall. Well, he wasn't one to complain.
"Guess I'll head back after I dry." He murmured to no one in particular as he reached over snagging the cloth from the floor sparring a look of distaste down at the mixed scales dotting his skin.
A sudden scurrying echoed through the hall bouncing from the walls alerting the boy of the oncoming individual. Hastily he spun around facing the wall, praying whoever was on their way would just pass by without even a sign of acknowledgment, luck, however, was not something he seemed to have.
"Yugi-kun?"
Dread held him down like lead as his body drew him in closer as he curled into a ball scrubbing at the scales. With aggressive strokes, he tore into the slick flakes leaving behind a trail of red as he scrubbed pulling loose any stubborn ones.
It was her of all people.
He could hear the tremor in her voice as she spoke his name, a sign of fear. She was scared of him now. Of course, she was, he's a monster. No one loves a monster. They fear it, hate it, kill it.
She stepped closer, he could feel it, the way her shaking hand landed upon his shoulder as she addresses him once more. His name rolling off her tongue in a stutter.
"Y-Yugi-san,"
He hated this. He hated himself and Hanako and that stupid scale he'd stolen.
Reeling back he smacked her hand away launching himself as far away from her as possible.
She stumbled back, not in pain, but shock. Her eyes never left his arms where most of the film scattered his skin.
"Yugi...are-are those scales?" She asked breathlessly, hand once more falling upon his shoulder as she held him in place. A finger reaching up to run against a stray scale on his cheek.
"Get away from me!" He roared pulling away from her touch as he snatched up the towel to scrub at raw skin. His despair was agonizing to watch, the way he cowered away from her sending sparks of hurt through her chest as she tried to help.
Why?
All she wanted to do was help, why is he pushing her away?
Is he annoyed by her?
Is it her ankles?
Did she do something wrong, if so, what?
"Please," she pleaded, desperation lining her frail voice. "You're gonna hurt yourself if you keep doing that."
Why does she keep trying to help, can't she see how much of a monster he is?
Why won't she just leave him alone? That's what he wants, to be alone, right?
Right.
Alone. It's familiar. It's safe. No heartache or new bruises; just him.
•••
"Hello!" A chipper voice greeted from behind as a hand landed on his shoulder. Flinching under the hold he jerked his arm forwards shrugging off the hand choosing to ignore whoever started talking.
"Hey-!? Um...wait!" Clumsy footsteps stumbled forward as the speaker tried starting the conversation again.
As the person (a female he presumes based on their voice, but who is he to say?) neared closer the faster he hastened his steps. Social interaction certainly wasn't his strong point, he failed rather miserably when conversing and even more so when he had to talk to a group of more than two. It was a fact everyone in their class knew, so why was he of all people being approached?
Just as he turned the corner entering a new hallway the hand from before captured his shoulder in its grasp, time not letting go even as he struggled. "Leave me alone," he grumbled irritably fastening his eyes to his feet. "I'm busy,"
"Ah, uh...sorry. It's just..." the voice stuttered only irking him further, are they stupid or something, he was clearly not interested or in the mood, yet here they were still forcing this never-ending conversation. "Here, you forgot this on your desk. It'd be kinda hard to eat lunch without your lunch." Oh...
"No problem, sorry to have bothered you!" Sweet just like sugar or the glaze on his donuts. Timidly taking his bento from the stranger he risked a glance catching sight of a glowing petite girl, her hair falling in a multitude of waves curling at the ends, a silver sheen with blue-green highlights only brought more life to the hair. Warm magenta gems sparkled under the florescent lighting focused completely on him as small pale hands held up his lunch. She was so pretty too...
"I'm Yashiro Nene, by the way!"
"Yugi Amane,"
"That's such a nice name! 'The sky has no limits,' right!? Awesome! We're gonna be such good friends I just know it!"
•••
"Amane," Nene spoke his first name sternly as she crouched to his level. "No matter what, I'm your friend." One of her gummy smiles beamed down upon him, a sight for sore sorrowful eyes. "I'm not asking you to tell me what all is going on, but just know if you need to I'll always be here."
"Nene..."
"Hm?"
"Thank you..."
🔸•°🌙°•🔸
"Look it's a lunch box!" Attention was brought to the neatly tied box ahead of them. A few minutes after Yashiro first confronted the boy and helped him dry away the remaining scales the two decided it'd be best to head back towards the main hall and meet back up with Aoi.
On the way, however, Yashiro spotted some of the missing items their classmates had been searching for, in hopes of returning said items she ran ahead to gather them in her arms only to notice a trail of even more missing objects leading to an unknown location. "I feel like someone was looking for one of those earlier..." She confided to him still following the trail of lost items further down the abandoned passage.
A strange shiver traveled the raven-haired boy's spine as his eyes locked down onto a pair of soulless black pits, a mad smile carved into its circular face as if taunting the male. "What is that?" He pushed it away from himself with his foot.
"I believe it's Hanitaro...?" Honestly, Yashiro herself had no clue as to what it was, just who it belonged to.
"A what?" She just shrugged in response not knowing what else to say, the reflection of the sun bouncing the corner of her eye prompting her to look over.
"Ah! My brooch! What a relief, I don't feel the same without this." She sighed in relief hopping over to pluck it up. With simple dust on her dress, she beamed down at it while placing it back on her uniform. "Say...have you found your snacks yet?"
"No," his forehead creased in thought as he remembered that he, too, was a victim of this newest mysteries scandal. As he opened his mouth to ask if she's possibly seen anything similar, the two rounded the corner a strange crunching from ahead making them pause their steps. "Nene, be careful,"
"R-right!"
The crunching only got louder as the two slowly crept their way towards the room, curiosity overriding their concern as Nene places her hand on the knob pulling it with a gentle twist.
The old door opened with a creak, the noise inside halting as the echo shook down the hallway; their breath caught in uncertainty. Dropping her hand back down a startled outcry pierced the air as the teens scampered backward in fright.
There, squished tightly into the compact closet stood a tall sludge-like being, slime dripped from its body onto the floor as nausea overcame the two as a strong odor washed over the hall. Fight or flight kicked in as the being before they lifted a long sluggish arm trying to grasp hold of one of them.
He doesn't know what made this attack much scarier than the last, perhaps it was the fact he was human now or that his friend was in danger too, but it could also be the fact that Hanako wasn't here to defend him, to tell him he's gonna be okay.
Pulling itself out of the small room the beast dragged itself towards the duo leaving behind a trail of goop. Hundreds of eyes lotteries its ever-growing body, each a different shape and size ranging a multitude of colors. Bile rose in the back of his throat at the goatse image. Fear gripping at his heart as it neared.
"You..." Its eyes wildly locked onto them as an opening full of pointy teeth revealed itself from under all the mess. "Saw..." Its voice was raspy and hushed, a concentrated angry lining its words as it moved even faster towards them eliciting a shocked gasp from the girl as they scampered back. "...Me!!" Small arms slithered from the things back reaching out hazardously swiping at random with its attack. Turning back Amane grabbed Nenes's hand pulling her back down towards where they'd last been.
The items in their arms long-forgotten scattered across the floor as they darted away. As they sprinted away the abundance of lost things seemed to multiply, popping up out of nowhere to trip them up, this too seemed to be the case when they quickly turned a corner only to trip over a stack of books inconveniently placed there.
The monster wasted no time gaining upon them, its long worm-like arms grabbing at them latching itself onto Nenes leg. A sharp yelp flew past her lips, eyes wide in freight as she helplessly clawed at the floor for leverage. "Amane!" She cried. "Amane, run!"
He was torn. Would he just leave her? After everything that's already happened, after they finally talked things over? Was it all for nothing?
No, he had to at least try.
Hastily Amane ducked under the strike the arms sent his way, flat on his belly face nearly hitting a stray baseball. A completive look overcame his face as he stared at the object an idea coming to mind.
Springing back to his feet, ball in hand he rushed towards the beast a hidden before throwing the ball at it with all his strength using it as a distraction to pry Yashiro free.
"You must never look upon the faeries."
Angered it raised to its true height, no longer hunched it towered well over seven (7) feet, hundreds upon thousands of bloodshot eyes glared down at them. The ends of its many arms wigged in anticipation, itching to sink its claws into them as its shadow overcame them. Paralyzed in a place neither dared risk a breath as they held each other's hand awaiting their doom.
"If you do...they will take your life."
This was it.
To think this would be his way to go.
How...
Unfortunate.
"Haku-Joudai, save them!" Of course, relief flooded his veins easing his racing heart as a faint smile painted his lips as a familiar voice bounced off the walls. Just as the words parted from her the whisp she'd used to watch him raced past his shoulder colliding with the beast. Nene crumbled to the floor as her knees gave in bewilderment drapes over her body language as she stared agape.
From behind Hanako made her way across the floor not even flinching as a loud bang entered her ears as the orb and the sludge being collided. A howl of agony being the only thing to prompt response as regret twinkled in her pretty (e.c) orbs. No matter how much the whisp fought against the rumor neither seemed to back down or give in lighting a restless sigh from the apparition as she slid off her cap running her fingers through her unruly locks before digging around in the hat.
With a low whistle, Joudai flew far from the beast wearily hovering beside the children as Hanako made her way towards the cowering foe. In her hand she wielded the familiar blade she'd used just a weak prior, she paused in her step going a silent prayer before using the slime's weakest state against it as she launched into an attack only hitting it once as it imploded upon itself.
"You're such a trouble maker y'know?" Hanako sight irritably a small frown upon her face as she tiredly rubbed her eyes. "I'd probably be done with work by now if I didn't have to constantly worry about you." Amane could only return her statements with a wily grin. "You really should be more careful. What if someone had gotten hurt?" She stepped their way mindful of the lost things and goo puddles littering the floor exasperation clear in her irritated huff.
"Yeah, but you're here to save us, right?" The boy grinned easily plopping down beside the shell
shocked Nene.
"Yeah, no."
Yashiro could only stare; her brain practically fried and body drained as she took in the sight of Hanako and the debris splattered over the hall painting it an angry green. Tears spilled out the corner of her eyes a hic-up piercing the air as she began to sob uncontrollably.
Glancing down (e.c) widened as they clashed with a bright magenta, sure she's seen the girl before, plenty of times because of Amane actually, but seeing the girl so up close was still strange and new. It's not like she could do anything about the upset girl anyway, she couldn't even see her begin with, so it's not like she was the one who had to-- a sudden pressure launched itself into her torso, arms wrapped around her waist securely as tears wet her top, sniffles filling her ears as she looked down at the girl latched to her.
The girl who shouldn't be able to see her, nonetheless someone who could be able to even touch her.
"Thank you!" The girl sniffled pitifully snot running down her tear-streaked face. "I- I was just-" a hic-up broke apart her sentence.
Looking up for help she cursed lightly as she notes the sense of the boy she'd just saved. Of course.
"Hey, hey, shhh." She cooed gently running her hands through the long silver strands. "You're safe now, I've got you. It's okay." She had no idea if she was even making any sense but her kinds words and touch seemed to do something as the girls breathing soon evened out. Pulling back the small female sniffled lightly wiping away the stray tears sliding against her cheeks.
"Thank you, again."
"No problem."
Whelp this is awkward. Just where did Yugi run off to? She needed some help right now.
A throat was cleared as a small hand was offered out in front of her, looking up she was met with a small smile and flushed cheeks as the girl offered a handshake. "My name is Yashiro Nene, it's nice to meet you-?"
"Oh!" She jumped taking the child's hand in her own shaking it softly. "Um- I'm Hanako-san of the Toilet, it's nice to meet you, although I wish it'd been a better way to do so..." Gosh, did that even make sense?
"Jesus, you're both so awkward." A laugh sounded behind them, pouting Hanako swirled around ready to give the boy a scolding only to have something warm and fluffy shoved in her mouth. "Mph-!" She choked as he chuckled above her offering his arm for her to lean on. "Glad to see you both getting along, you want one Nene-chan!"
In his grasp he held a box of Donuts, each varying in appearance and flavor, where he'd found such a thing, she had no clue but it had been rather tasty she admitted munching on the one he'd (forcefully) given her.
"Oh!" Nene smiled happily taking a pink iced one with rainbow sprinkles from the box, "thank you!"
He returned the smile, flinching as something rubbed against his leg. Furrowing his brows he leaned down plucking up the culprit looking to Hanako, who was distracted by a cinnamon donut, for clarification. "What are these?" He caught her eye pointing to the short pink bunny like a creature struggling in his hand. Nene squealed in delight as she watched the pink yokai run around cheerfully.
"Mhm!" Hanako swallowed down the rest of her snack. "These little guys are called mokke, currently known as as the Faeries." She reached over cradling the one Yugi had dangled by its ear. "They're supernaturals that've been with humans since the ancient times, performing small acts of theft and other mischiefs."
"They look a lot different than a few minutes ago..." Yashiro pointed out, a faint rosiness dusting her cheeks as she gently poked the one resting at her feet.
"Mokke are weak, timid supernaturals. So when they attack, they have to get together like before and change their form. This is why they're not usually a type of supernatural that would attack people, but..."
"We didn't want to kill them!" One cried.
"Our story got changed! We had no choice!"
"Story?" Yashiro turned to the two mokke already making themselves at home in her arms. Hanako giggling at the sight before stealing another sweet from the boy who raised a questioning brow back.
"You mean the rumors?" Amane finally spoke up, a half-eaten donut in one hand as the other held the mokke he'd picked up earlier, the small pink critter munching on a donut of its own.
"Yup!" The ghost tickled the mokke's belly giggling at its cuteness, "Most supernaturals can't go against their rumors, any who do something deemed out of sync with their story will eventually disappear from the near-shore."
"Disappear..."
"Yugi, Yashiro." She called them suddenly stern, a blank expression overcoming her once bright one as she and all the mokke focused on the two. "Will you change the mokke rumors for us?" She requested, gathering as much of the yokai in her arms as she could, grinning up at them as she did so.
"Change the rumors?"
"I am one of the school's seven mysteries. I must supervise all the supernaturals in this school and maintain proper relations with humans. I can't let dangerous supernatural killers stay here. I have no choice but to exterminate them...but you...you guys are human. You can help them by changing the rumors."
"Please?" One pleaded with big eyes.
"We're sorry about before..." Another cried.
"We'll give you candy." Candy was thrown at the boy's face making him choke on a donut.
"We've lived happily here for hundreds of years."
"We want to stay."
"Take the candy." It pelted another piece at the boy, barely missing as he dodged with a glare.
"I know I already asked, but they did almost kill you, so if you don't want to we won't push it-"
"We'll do it." Amane cut in, looking at her with a strange look. "We'll change the rumors."
"Yeah! You can count on us Hanako-san!" Yashiro added a small smile adorning chubby her face.
"Eh!?"
"Yeah...these little mokke guys they remind me...of my little white inferno."
"Sorry, what?" Amane deadpanned.
"White inferno, a hamster I once had."
"That's some name..." Hanako gulped looking towards her new friend.
"And they did scare me, but even without knowing who I was, you still saved me. So thank you Hanako-san!" She grasped her hands in her own holding them to her chest.
"Uh..yeah...No problem. That's kind of you." She grinned back shyly a blush coating her cheeks.
"Have more candy!"
"WHat tHe FuCk!" Yugi howled as a hard candy was pelted at his eye.
🔸•°🌙°•🔸
The breeze blew warm confirming the coming of summer's hottest days. The aroma of the bloomed sakura was an intoxicating fragrance and the starry night above was a painting more sublime than any person could create. Under the moonlit hue, Amane stood with a completive look, eyes fixed to the stars as the door behind him whipped open.
"You really like the roof don't you?" A cheery voice broke the tranquil silence that once entrapped the boy as Hanako exited the stairwell onto the open space of the rooftop.
"I was thinking..." The boy muttered in reply, gaze never once leaving the sky even after the girl took her place beside him leaning against the railing.
"About?" She questioned tilting her head to try and catch his eye.
"Why did you let Yashiro-chan go along with everything that happened? It's just so soon, you just met her too, what if she gets hurt, or-"
"Yugi-Kun, are you against me making friends?" She had suspicions of her own, concerns that seemed to override common sense, something about the fact Yashiro could both see and touch her felt off, unnatural in a sense.
"Huh? Of course not it's just-" he denied looking down at her, puzzled.
"Look at it this way, if she was to join our little party she'd be able to help spread the rumors and clean the bathrooms. Besides, the more the merrier, right?" She smiled, her pearly whites shining under the dim lights, resting her head on her arms
"I guess the help wouldn't hurt..."
"Do you hate cleaning the bathroom with me that much?" He didn't miss the sorrowful tint in her voice, the slight quiver making his stomach churn.
"I don't think any sane person likes scrubbing toilets." He answered hastily, guilt biting away at his heart.
"I always look forward to it." She giggled exuberantly. Eyes gluing themselves on the twinkling dots above just as he had done before.
"My point exactly." He humored slyly.
"Ouch," she grumbled lightly watching as he just shrugged in amusement. "It's just doing things after school, talking about whatever, it's almost like having a friend. And I don't know, it just takes me back..." She explained coyly a mixture of emotions flashing through her (e.c) orbs.
Perhaps it had something to do with the way she had said it, or maybe it was the dazed looked that crossed her face when saying it, but either way, something about that phrase made him queasy. "Hana-chan." He voiced out of nowhere the name balancing in the air as the girl beside him froze the ideal bubble going silent.
"W-what?" She looked over in confusion. Her heart nearly bursting in something akin to excitement.
"That's what I'll call you from now on, that way, it's more like we're friends." Unshed tears poked the corner of her eyes as she took in his words, air leaving her lungs as she took in his relaxed figure.
"Ah! T-then I can call you Amane-Kun, right!?" She exclaimed with a flush making him grin.
"Yeah, I don't see why not."
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"Huh?"
"You lost something again?"
"That's been happening a lot lately, if it's the faeries you could get yourself killed." One girl muttered to her friend as they dug through their bags.
When you things keep mysteriously disappearing...
It may be the work of the faeries...
They say once you see faeries it's all over.
It might even take your life.
But...
"Here." Yashiro beamed offering her hand out to the girl who'd just been muttering about the rumor, a purple wrapped piece of chocolate resting in her palm.
"Is that candy?" The first girl's friend questioned cautiously.
"I heard it helps to carry one in case you run into a Faerie. Then, they won't kill you and they'll stop taking your things." Nene explained sheepishly pushing the sweet into the girl's hand before rushing away. "I have to go now!"
"Is it your club? You've been busy lately."
"Umm...I'm going to see some friends, I guess?" She laughed looking back before sprinting into the bathroom little ways down the hall.
"To see a friend..."
"In the bathroom?"
"Hello, Yashiro!" Hanako greeted her excitedly as said girl entered through the door into the warm room. She and a small magenta mokke with a bow playing around with a tennis ball she'd snagged from the gym earlier.
"Hi Hanako-san, Hibiki-kun."
"What am I, chopped liver?" Amane teased turning the water faucet off with a grin, the water in the bucket swishing with each move he made.
"Hello, Amane." She smiled back tying her hair into a ponytail looking up with determination. "Alright, let's get to work!"
"Yeah!"
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A silent tune carried through the corridor as mokke danced along happily, candies proudly presented above their heads as they pranced around with one another down back towards their boundary where their endless pile of sweets resided.
Climbing up the steep (to them at least) staircase they all hummed along unevenly to their silent tune, playing and prancing without care. The delightful atmosphere they've created only hauling when one of their own ran face-first into someone's foot. With a pause, they all looked at their frightened companion to watch what was going on.
Looming far overhead stood a tall gruff-looking male with unruly blond locks and steely blue eyes glaring down at them.
"Hey pipsqueaks," He greeted roughly. "Know a Hanako?" His nose flared with hate at the mere mention of her name, cold eyes glaring down at innocent beings.
"Ah-hey!" He yelled reaching out to catch one of the fleeing mokke. "Well fine, I'll find her myself. Just you wait Hanako!" His exclamation echoed all around him earning a few perturbed places. "I'm on my way...to exorcise you!" He exclaimed laughing manically to no one in particular, somebody his classmates slowly backing away.
If only the poor boy had any clue just what he was about to get himself into.
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Chapter Two: Rumor of the Mokke