(hmmm next FOB song title right here?? XD)
~Your POV~
A portal opened on the floor, and the room was immensely dark as the Mermaid Queen came to lay claim to her newest catch. Yashiro was unconscious, slowly transforming into a fish, as one does when they eat a mermaid scale. Hanako kicked her aside gently, straightened his shoulders, and stretched out his arms in a protective stance.
I was nearly envious of Yashiro in that moment, though I wouldn't much like to be a fish.
"She didn't know what she was doing! I won't let you take Yashiro away!" Hanako shouted in the face of the Mermaid Queen.
He looked over at me, giving me a look. I knew exactly what it meant. I pulled out Hanako's knife that I kept in the waistband of my uniform. I tossed it to him, and he caught it with perfect accuracy.
He pointed the blade to the Mermaid Queen, who seemed unfazed.
"Hah, silly little ghost boy. You are just as naïve as you were a century ago. What do you think a small blade like that will do to me?"
Hanako smiled devilishly, and lunged at the Mermaid Queen with his blade outstretched. He sliced across her stomach, and she seemed to evaporate as she disappeared back into the portal where she came from.
"I'll come back for my new servant..." Her voice wavered as she left.
Hanako seemed to magically pull a fishbowl from the inside of his uniform jacket. He filled it up with water from the sink, then placed it on the windowsill. he picked up Yashiro, who was now in the form of a mint green and beige fish. He dropped her in the bowl, and she floated around for a moment before perking up and thrashing back and forth.
She made some bubbling noises, and Hanako somehow translated it into words.
"Yes, I know this must be scary, but I warned you there would be a curse with this, didn't I? You didn't want to listen."
There was more bubbling sounds, and I peeked up farther over the edge of the stall door.
"Two people need to take in the mermaid's scale for the bond to form. But you will be cursed forever, even if you find someone to take one."
She swam around frantically, making more sounds.
"No, you won't be a fish forever, but you will never be totally human again. I can try to get Minamoto to swallow the scale, but I might not be able to."
She frantically swam in an up and down motion, I assumed it was meant to be a nod. Hanako left the room. He came back an hour later, shaking his head,
"Nope. But... I can do you a favor and take it instead. You will be forever bonded with me."
Fish-Yashiro nodded.
"You sure?" Hanako put the scale to his lips.
She nodded again. He swallowed the scale, then took Yashiro out of the bowl and dropped her on the floor, where she quickly morphed back into her human form.
"Thank you Hanako!" She reached out to hug him, and I expected her to pass through, but she didn't.
"How can I touch you now?"
"We're bonded now, remember? But now you'll have to do something for me~."
"Huh?! What do you want from me?"
"You can be my cleaning lady!" Hanako said, and I snickered.
Yashiro looked my way, confused, and I ducked down out of sight. I couldn't let her know about me. Not yet.