Never…
Hirasaka Makoto stood up and admired his work. "Woundless Witch Mahiro" was exactly that again. He involuntarily smoothed his hand over the sealed flesh and smiled with satisfaction. He turned the unconscious girl over and marked her with a sigil of Mars between her shoulders to replace the reversed mark of Saturn's four sigils that was on the left side of her low back.
"Thank you for being my shield, Mahiro." Makoto whispered into her ear. He gathered her into his arms and stood up, he noticed her torn uniform and blushed, 'Don't look down, don't look down, don't look down!' the private eye repeated over and over in his head. He looked through the cracked glass of his spectacles and trudged forward, down the mountain, hugging the high school girl firmly but gently.
What the grief-ridden widow wanted was lying in his arms, sleeping peacefully. Makoto felt content with bringing Mahiro back from the dead and no regret whatsoever keeping the witch's infant deceased. Mahiro trusted and relied on him, died on his account, before and happily for him.
He could remember the pain, of loss and confusion when her small rib cage burst open like floodgates, blood bursting like a fountain, oozing out by the quarts. She was supposed to be the "woundless witch" right? She couldn't die! But his deductive reasoning quickly sorted the clues and data from his memories of both his past and hers. The connection was maddeningly simple.
Ogata Mahiro lived solely to shield him.
The horror he felt was paralyzing. The sorrow racked his body with a numbing cold. Agony and frustration overwhelmed his senses with an intense heat. The realization of the situation had him tasting metal… blood. Her blood.
But that was two minutes ago… She was alive now with the "spirit, living blood, and warmth" that the insane woman pleaded for. A ghost of a smile graced his lips, "Sorry Mahiro, but you can't just put yourself in danger anymore. You were supposed to be invincible, but I let you die. And now that I've brought you back you aren't going to be 'invincible' anymore… but you won't be wounded for long…"
The blonde detective could see the city and sped up until he reached the railed cliff, "Don't worry Mahiro, You've been my shield since two years ago." He found a bus stop and sat down, cradling her in his lap. He shifted her bangs and chastely kissed her forehead.
"Now I'll be yours."
By no means will I surrender you to death…
Old Maria Kannon had seen Makoto do many a strange things, he was a witch after all. She saw him find people to mangled corpses like the one merely hours ago, but what she saw shocked her to the bones. Her employer kicked the door open and was covered in blood. What surprised her, the most, was the girl in his arms. The secretary blinked behind her huge glasses as he set her down in the couch.
"Did you rape her?"
Makoto choked, "Wha-? No, no, of course not!"
"Then what happened?" She croaked, a bit suspiciously.
"The client was a witch. She wanted to bring her baby back and started a hunt up on the mountain." Makoto grimaced, "So much blood and death, I never want to go back up there again…"
"I'm not making you. Now prop the girl up on the toilet in the bathroom. Western toilets are finally useful eh? I just washed the dishrags and buckets this morning. I hope she doesn't mind smelling like hand soap though."
The PI grinned, "As long as the blood is all gone, I'm sure she won't mind. Besides, lavender would compliment her don't you think?"
The old maid just gave a short, throaty laugh before she pulled two buckets and a few rags from the supply closet.
I will not allow such a grave inaction again…
Makoto stared at the drying uniform- that he fixed himself!- baffled. Why? He was drying it with a hair blower. Of course this was common since they didn't have a dryer but… DID MARIA LIVE IN THE OFFICE!?
"It's plausible."
He turned off the small machine and pulled the clothes on a hanger, preparing to give it to grandma. He noticed the uniform was missing something… something colorful…
'The tie!'
Makoto traced his steps and found it crumpled on the sofa. He picked up the long, red cloth and an idea formulated in his brain.
He grinned.
I want you to be happy…
Mahiro woke up at a most convenient time. She was cleaned and dressed, save the tie, and was very much alive with her soul. When she spotted Makoto she threw herself to his chest, clinging to him like a lifeline.
"Makoto! Makoto! Are you alright?!"
The detective smiled easily, "Aa… Thank you for protecting me.
The student returned the smile with her own affectionate one before confusion marred her face. "But wait a second…"
The smile faltered.
"I thought I died…" She slowly sat back down, trying to recall the gruesome event of her death. "I'm sure that the witch's spell backfired and killed me."
Makoto gave a light chuckle, "Well the curse hit you full on, yes, but you were gravely injured, not killed." The lie flowed more effortlessly than he thought it would.
Ever-trusting, Mahiro nodded, believing every word to the last letter. "You healed me, then?"
Smile widening, the older boy took a seat next to her, "Yup. Made it just in time too! You know you scared me for a second when you fell- Mahiro!?"
The pink-haired girl f her thin arms around his slender frame, burrowing her face into his arm to hide the pink tinting her cheeks. "Thank you… Thank you so much Makoto…"
The blushing detective scratched his cheek, embarrassed. "Aa… You're welcome…" His face suddenly brightened, he gently unfastened her arms and patted her head, "Wait here, I have a present for you!"
The baffled shield watched him dig for something in his desk drawer and looked at the clock.
How long was she out for!?
But to her surprise, and slight disappointment, he merely brought her school tie to her. "Here you go."
Blinking, she accepted, "Why wasn't this around my neck?"
Embarrassed, Makoto scratched the back of his head, "Well, I put a spell on it!"
"Eh!?"
Holding up his hands, trying to pacify her, he continued, "It's not exactly a charm per say. I actually just soaked it in a potion and charmed it."
Mahiro secured the red cloth and smelled something sweet exuding from it. "What's this smell?"
Makoto held up an excited finger, "It's the potion! Do you like it?"
Mahiro nodded, "Yes, it is very pleasant. But…" She chewed on her bottom lip, she didn't want to seem untrusting, "What spell did you cast?"
The blond reached out and held the ribbon between two fingers, "Well, I know that after this whole ordeal, your school life can only get harder. I charmed your tie with a memory wiping smell. Anyone who gets even the smallest whiff of your tie will instantly forget that you are 'Woundless Witch Mahiro'. Your survival two years ago will be brushed off as a coincidence and no one will remember anything. The scent will transfer and be carried out to family members and friends who it could not reach by itself."
Mahiro was looking down, silent.
Nervous, Makoto sweatdropped, had he been too assuming? Did she not like it?
The anxiety dissolved when he felt her hug him, tears soaking through his dirty shirt, "Thank you Makoto! Thank you! Thank you!" She looked up with watery eyes. "Far too kind! You are far too kind to me!"
Makoto laughed loudly and returned her embrace, "Not really. That moment, I was frightened to death that you would dislike this idea."
"I don't know how I can repay your kindness!"
The bespectacled man grinned, "Just come and visit everyday. That is recompense enough in itself."
Filled with complete and utter exhilaration she happily replied, "Yes, yes, I promise!" She hugged him tighter, new tears threatening to fall.
Makoto smiled tenderly.
So continue next to me…
Days passed and as promised, Mahiro visited everyday, excitedly chatting with Makoto about all her new friends. Before they knew it, two weeks had passed. The dreadful incident was but a fleeting nightmare.
Their talk was interrupted by a beeping noise. Makoto checked his watch and grinned, "Mahiro your date with this 'Yuuka-san' is about to start you should probably get going."
Mahiro smiled, "I asked her to meet outside the building, oh but I do have to use the bathroom so maybe I should leave now." She stood up and bowed.
Makoto opened the door for her and ruffled her bangs, "Tell me how it goes okay?"
"Yes!"
Let us share our burdens and joys side-by-side…
Kisaragi Rinko ran, pulling Takatsuki Tetsubei behind her "This way! Hurry!"
Tetsubei clumsily followed, "Wait up…!"
Hirasaka Detective Agency
Rink burst through the door, "I found you! Detective Hirasaka Makoto!!"
A blond man turned to look at them, oozing professional confidence, "Hi. Welcome. Are you looking for something?"
"Oh, a guest. Let me get tea." Old Maria offered.
But the old maid fell over when Rinko poked her employer's chest and yelled "You! I was looking for you!!" angrily. "You…" She clutched the opening of his jacket, looking down "… you made us leave like that…" She tried to keep her relieved tears at bay, "… and you never got back to us…"
Makoto remained silent.
"We thought you died in the mountains…" Tetsubei interjected.
"Is your pinky okay?" Makoto asked, changing the subject. He lightly touched the wrapped, shortened appendage.
Rinko pulled her hand back quickly, "It's nothing." She looked at him seriously. "I can still form a mudra… and this is a small punishment, really. Anyway, I had something I wanted to tell you…"
Her eyes hardened and her voice was strong, "There was no witch there!"
Makoto looked shocked, eyes wide.
"There was only a terrible, brutal widow". She continued.
An unnoticeable smirk slithered across his lips.
"That's all I wanted to say. Take care." She waved goodbye as she and her companion prepared to leave.
Makoto smiled warmly, "You, too. You guys stay tight."
The couple flushed.
Rinko was the one to speak up "Hey, we're not like that…"
"We're not?"
Makoto grinned and waved.
The two stepped out of the building, Rinko looked up. 'We're alive and laughing like the whole thing never happened.'
That's right there was no witch.
"Hurry!! Mahiro!"
The pig-tailed girl waved to her friend, "I'm coming!"
Rinko felt the breath knocked from her lungs, like she'd just been punched. She turned to see if it was true and indeed saw 'Woundless Witch Mahiro' making her way to a classmate.
She instantly chased her.
"Hey, Rinko?"
The black-haired girl lost her visual and stopped, staring at the empty streets. Her mind attempted to comprehend the clashing factors of life and death of Ogata. 'No way! She died…' the image of the open corpse flared bright in her memory like a beacon of misery.
She died as a shield to his life.
'But maybe he was able to do it.'
That forbidden magic the widow wished for.
That impossible magic that invaded God's realm…
"Hey!" Tetsubei finally caught up with her, "What's wrong, Rinko?"
The girl contemplating telling him.
"No, it's nothing."
'It's probably a secret…'
Rinko peeked up at the office window and saw Makoto gazing down on the people. Watching. All-knowing. Dominating. Powerful.
Like a god.
'…That only the witches know."
World without end forever…
Makoto kept a silent watch over the cheerful Mahiro.
Forever…