Ai Emna wandered towards her house in a general sort of way, observing her surroundings silently. Her long shining black hair and navy blue uniform swished as she walked. There was something odd about today. She could feel it in the air as she walked through the forest, listening to the calls of agitated creatures. There was a rustle from one of the bushes to her left. She stared at it and made her way over. It was Ren, lying, staring up at the emerald tree tops. Ai excused this as his normal behaviour and carried towards the house. She was soon walked down a path of blooming flowers. She slid open the door to the small house and listened to Wanyudo and Hone talking casually. Ai sat in her traditionally Japanese room and flicked one of her marbles. As she lay on her low down bed, she couldn't help but think of that boy's eyes, those startling deep amber eyes that would pierce straight through her. She was not one to be easily scared, but when that boy placed a gentle, yet firm, hand on her shoulder...she shivered at the thought of it. It was such a cold hand, but it was such a thrill. Before she'd realised it, she finished nibbling on her dumplings.
"Ai, Ai! It is time for your bath." She stood up slowly and sighed. Ai changed into her long white bathing dress and flicked her hair free. She looked at her grandmother's silhouette and replied,
"Yes, Grandma." She opened the screen and strolled at a slow pace towards a shallow river. She fist sat on the wooden pier and dangled her toes into the cooling water. Gentle ripples spread across the serene river and Ai tilted her head slightly. Why couldn't she get those glaring out of her head? She slipped fully into the water. Her skirt billowed outwards as she floated across the surface. She didn't know how long she was drifting, because the next thing she knew her grandmother was calling her, saying she had a request. Ai climbed out, her hair quickly drying. "I'm coming, Grandma." She wrapped her kimono around her and once again flicked her hair free. She picked her blue doll made from straw and calmly sat in the chariot with burning wheels that took her over the forest. It landed gracefully upon a rooftop and Ai elegantly glided down the stairs, to where her client was. She offered a boy with deep green hair the doll. "If you truly wish for revenge, then all you must do is pull the string from around the dolls neck and you shall enter a convent with me." The boy gasped.
"Ai-san, are you the Hell Girl?" Ai did not respond. He simply shook his head and was about to remove the string, when Ai began to speak again.
"By sending the once you wish revenge on to hell, you dig a double grave. When you die, you shall also come to hell, personally delivered by myself." Ai placed her hand on his arm and gave him a glimpse of hell. He screamed in agony as imaginary flames engulfed him. The mirage quickly ended and he was panting heavily. She offered him the doll again. This time he took it. "You may pull the string at any given time." She disappeared into thin air and reappeared next to the carriage. The door opened for her and Ai stepped inside. After arriving at her home, she changed into her nightclothes and fell asleep almost immediately.
She woke up and the first thing that flashed in her mind was those mysterious eyes. The eyes that seemed to haunt her everywhere she went. She sat up and Ren opened the door.
"Mistress, do you intend on going to school?" He asked. Ai stood up. He closed the door and she slipped into her navy school uniform. She decided that, seeing as the school she attended was a little more relaxed on uniform rules, to wear her white shirt with navy skirt and cardigan. She started the long walk to school, thinking deeply about the pair of eyes that were stuck in her head. She reached the town and bumped into someone. She dropped her bag and the contents scattered across the floor. She bent down to pick them up and someone helped her. Almost shyly, Ai looked upwards to see who was helping her. She caught a glance of the eyes that had been taking over her mind. Once they had collected her things, they boy stood and helped and awe-struck Ai to her feet.
Sweetly, he said, "Are you alright, Ai-san? I'm sorry if I hurt you." Still not able to talk, Ai simply nodded her head and formed some sort of thankful smile. She didn't know if it was the shock of the bump, or something else completely, but her heart was beating majorly fast.
"No," she insisted, "I'm fine. Thank you, um..." She realised, even though she'd had his eyes stuck in her head, she didn't know his name.
"Setsuna, Setsuna.." He stated and started to walk with her.