Time for one major Mizuki story, I hope you enjoy it!
"Greetings Mizuki," says the all-too familiar voice to my right. Gazing around the empty street, I try track down the source of his voice until I find Odri standing behind me in the middle of the road. The green street sign reads: Luther Drive. I pass by this street on the way to work all the time.
"Crap! You scared me," I step back with a hand on my pounding chest. "What's up?"
"I've missed you," he says as if stuck in a daydream, looking at me but not looking at me-more like inside me.
"What was that? I could've sworn you said you missed me."
"That I did."
"But we only met-once. How could you miss me?"
"I do not lie Mizuki." As he sputters out this nonsense, he takes a step towards me and is way too close for my comfort zone. Why does he sound like the guys from Nicholas Sparks books? I used to read those like crazy before I got sent to Tokyo. "All I could do was dream about you."
"Odri, you're starting to freak me out," I warn him. I tried to sound intimidating but it came out like a squeak. "Get away from me." He suddenly snatches my arm. "Let me go."
"Never."
All I can see is darkness now. I reach over the night table, feeling for the lamp, and quickly slam the switch on. The ordinary décor of the hotel room is illuminated and replaces Luther Drive of my dream. Thank God that was only a dream because that was too freaky, I haven't seen Odri in months. I stare out the open window and listen to the annoying splattering of the raindrops coming inside. Jesus this storm just won't let up and it's five in the morning, sheesh. I throw the sheets off me, climb out of bed and feel the world spinning. Vertigo and exhaustion overcomes me as I wobble over to the drenched window."Too fast," I mumble to myself. I put my butt on the window's handle because I can't close it with my own two hands; it gets stuck sometimes, it's not like I have the strength of a five year old and I'm really tired! "Thank God it was just a dream." I haven't dreamt about Odri in a long time, I wonder why it's such a big deal in my subconscious now.
When the overcast sunlight creeps through the blinds and wakes me up again, I get out of bed for good. I stretch my arms, yawn so obnoxiously that I'm glad I'm living alone, and get into my wardrobe after a hasty shower. With the money from the missions Erick assigns me, I went shopping and bought a cute, puffy, short-sleeved top, tangerine capris, and dark green Vans; finally something new in my wardrobe. I shake my damp flat hair out in hopes that it'll miraculously become voluminous this second. But it's just going to stay the way it is because shit like that never happens. I run my fingers through the split endings, shaking my head disappointedly-a brush won't be able to save this unkempt mop called my hair. Eventually I have to take care of this-lately I haven't had the time to do anything for myself. The rain has kept me locked up inside, except yesterday when it stopped for three hours, and I spent all my money on the new clothes I bought. It's all because of that damn thief.
Yeah, she got away and it's all my fault. I didn't stop her and she got away. I'm not too surprised that she passed through Mia, after all she's a baby, but Risa! That girl screams "ancient, fighting warrior" but the thief slipped away from her grasp too. She's too tricky for any of us and that really pisses me off but we'll be ready soon. Whatever, when Erick finds her again, we'll nail that slippery wench to a fricken' tree, but for now it's time for work.
' ' '
I shake the water off my drenched umbrella as I enter Erick's "office" and close the door. "Afternoon Erick."
"Hello," responds Erick, sitting as his desk with stacks of papers as usual. Nothing about him ever changes-his facial hair, the same trench coat, the same everything-and he's always here. I'm convinced that he lives here-how does somebody live like that? It's depressing.
"What do you have to me today?" I ask cheerfully as I take my seat in front of him. "Notice my new outfit?"
"Yes, very fashionable. I do have something for you," he takes a paper from his desk and proceeds to read from it. "I got this request about a month ago and I didn't know which one of you girls could fix the problem. This one is a little odd."
"Define 'a little odd'."
"It's one of the stranger ones I've received. It's anonymous and it reads, 'please save our town. We've been cursed and you must find a way to remove the curse.' Based on your latest mission, I'm not sure I should be assigning this," his tone becomes austere all of a sudden.
"Oh come on! I can handle this, I don't even need to wait on Risa or Mia," I insist, slamming the desk as if I bear a grudge against it. "That mission and this one is totally different, I got this." He scratches his scruffy chin and gives me a tentative expression. "I got this."
"How sure are you?"
"500% sure man. I won't let you down, I swear."
"You're too young to be swearing," he leans back and rolls away from the desk. I roll my eyes at his reprimand. He's really serious about these mission things we're doing, I've never seen him not relaxed 'cause he's chill about everything. That's probably because we've never failed until the other day but most of the time he acts like he's naturally high. "Fine, I'll let you have it."
"You won't regret it!"
"Right. The other mission I gave you about the queen-"
"Stop talkin' about what's in the past," I shoot up from my seat excitedly. I hate it when people remind of my past blunders-they're done and over with. He shrugs stiffly, taking out a clear chip for me to use.
"Good luck, you'll need it."
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Instantly sensing the location of the portal, I snatch my umbrella from out of the corner and hurry out into the rain. I crash into a girl but I'm the only one that nearly falls. "Damn it, my bad-oh Risa."
The hooded girl nods sullenly. "That again?" I wonder aloud, picking up my umbrella and raising it over both our heads.
"What," she mutters, rather than asks, in a bothered, older sister tone.
"Are you okay? You seem a little distant."
"I would rather not discuss it."
"But we're kinda friends now, so whenever you want to talk to me, I'll be there you know." Sometimes why do I bother with Risa? She's so introverted and reclusive and never wants to talk to me-and here I thought that after the situation about the Chaos Emeralds I would finally have a friend here. I'm better off trying to talk to Mia. "See you around, I guess." Am I destined to not have any friends? I think I'm better off alone. I take out the picture of my mom and dad, me and Haruki and then remember Grey and the stupid Heartless Queen. It takes all my willpower to not crumble up the picture and throw it down the sewers.