"Do you ever wonder why we're here?"
There were a few seconds as the two of us watched the fire crack in silence, my question hanging in the air. Then he looked at me.
"What do you mean?"
"Are we the product of some cosmic coincidence? Or is there a god who created us with a plan. And if we were created by a god, which one? What sort of plans did they have in mind when they made us?"
The fire crackled, almost like it was laughing. My companion was silent for a few long seconds, then he sighed.
"You ask some pretty tough questions. Honestly, I have no answer. The thought honestly terrifies me for reasons you probably know."
"Mmm." I hum, pulling my knees up and wrapping my arms around them. We sat there in silence for a time before it was broken once more.
"Why?"
An innocent question, but with deadly intent.
"Why not?"
"You're a little too young to have an existential crisis."
I snorted.
"Really, pulling that card?"
He chuckled.
"Yeah, yeah. I know. But seriously, why are you asking something like that?"
It took me a few seconds to gather the courage to answer.
"Just reminiscing of better times."
"You're a strange kid."
"Mmm."
The fire cackled once more.
"Hey, Yasuke."
"Yeah?"
"It's almost time, isn't it."
"...Yeah."
"Mmm."
The two of us stared at the fire, not looking at the other. But we both knew what the other looked like.
Stony faces, and determined eyes.
It was something that you would find in an anime. A picture perfect Japanese High School. Boys and girls walked up with their friends, happily smiling and laughing. One could see various hints of different nationalities within the children as they entered the school.
There was only one thing problem with this scene. A girl of clear American descent stood at the gates with a clear expression of disbelief. Her short grey hair framed her shocked face as she gawked at the high school.
That girl was me.
If someone had told me a week ago that I was going to be going to this fancy school that probably only the rich could send their children too without worry of having to take an overwhelmingly difficult test, I would have laughed in their face.
And yet, here I was. Thanks to my surprisingly crafty superiors, I ended up passing said overwhelmingly difficult test by disguising it as a general test to see how good I could do.
Now, some of you may wonder why I didn't want to go to this fancy school. Well, let me tell you why!
First, when I said I wanted to go to school in my home country, I expected some basic school, not this fancy place.
Second, there probably will be almost no people transferring in or out of this school, so I will be the center of attention for the duration of my stay here! I don't want that! I just want to fade into the background!
Third, they don't allow hats! Why are hats prohibited? I want to wear my hat!
And finally—
"Gremory-onee-sama!"
I turn to the shout and see a girl passing by me with long crimson hair. It only took me less than a second to recognize this person.
And this is my final reason. The younger sister of the literal god-damned Lucifer was here!
Why wasn't I told this! I could have mentally prepared myself to be dealing with the Prince of Lies' sister going to the same school I was!
Why is it me that all the crazy things happen to!
"Class, we have a new student joining us today." The teacher of my new class seemed to be one of those sorts of people who really don't care about anything. Or she could have been mindraped by Devils to be that way. Almost every supernatural faction does some type of mindrape. It was kind of scary, but you get over it surprisingly quickly.
"My name is Chell Gunman. Please take care of me." I introduced myself, still a little miffed about the name I was given to go by for my duration at Kuoh. It spoiled any mystery about me and my abilities. Of course, that's the entire reason that name was chosen.
"Woo! A new girl!"
"She's kinda hot too!"
Okay, I had to be hearing that wrong. There is no way that they would let the kids just shout out stuff like that. Though by the looks that the rest of the class were giving the boys who shouted that out, they must have said that.
"You can go sit over there." The teacher pointed to an empty desk next to the window. I walked up to it and sat in it. The teacher then began to start her lecture. I began to take quick notes on what was being taught but didn't pay too much attention.
Eventually, the stream of classes ended, and lunch began. I was then surrounded by the various girls in the class.
"My name is Kiryuu Aika. It is a pleasure to meet you." Their apparent leader, a brown-haired girl with glasses introduced herself.
"The pleasure is all mine," I reply. I had to be polite, otherwise, I probably would stand out.
"So where are you from?" One of the other girls asked. I was expecting it. I had prepared extensively for it.
I smiled at the girl who had asked.
"I moved here recently from America, but I was born here in Japan."
There. The truth and nothing but the truth. Now that their curiosity is satisfied, I can relax in peace—
"Wow, America? You don't look like it."
"What was it like over there?"
"Why are you back here?"
Why? Why can't your curiosity be satisfied with what I said? And I can't avoid them if I want to seem normal. I have nothing prepared for these questions!
Why me?
It took me a bit, but I was able to satisfy them until the end of lunch. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to eat any of my lunch either.
Good thing I wasn't feeling that hungry. Anything I ate would have probably come back up.
Honestly, I'm not sure what it is but the teachers here are incredibly boring. They know their stuff, but I've already gone through most of this before.
...Should I continue to take notes? Is it actually necessary for this? I'm pretty sure I can—
"Gurk!"
I cough into my hand. Grimacing, I take a look.
Blood.
Shit.
Forcing myself to keep calm, I raise my hand. Not the one covered in blood. That hand has been balled into a fist and would not open through any means in existence.
"Sensei, may I go use the restroom?"
He nodded, and I walked out as fast as I could while trying to not draw any suspicion. My hand, still closed tight, stuck by my side with no movement at all.
I was fortunate enough to reach the restroom without any incident. That was good. Now let's hope tha—
"Gua guk gak guhak!"
Thank the heavens I was able to reach a sink. My coughing fit lasted for about 5 seconds, but it hurt like a bitch. After it was finished, I pulled back to look at what had happened.
"Damn, looks like something you'd see in a horror movie," I muttered in English. The sink did not look good. Blood was splattered all over. Thankfully, it was only the sink this time.
At least, I thought so until I saw my reflection in the mirror. There were drops of blood that stood out like sore thumbs on my pale skin. None in my hair, which was a small miracle in of itself. Blood red and grey hair does not look good. I am so glad I keep it short. But the blood on my face made it look I just killed a man.
"Damn it," I muttered once more, resigning myself to having to clean this up quickly before anyone saw.
Of course, it was at that moment I saw a girl. A girl with brown hair done in pigtails and long green stockings. A girl who had just left her stall. A girl with a horrified expression on her face.
We stared at each other for a few seconds through the mirror until I broke the silence.
"Shit."
"This is Agent Yasuke reporting in. The targets have been neutralized."
-Good. Your extraction is in 5.-
I looked at the burning building in front of us. All in all, it had been a successful mission. No interruptions or hiccups.
"You doing good?"
I looked at Yasuke, then turned back to the building.
"Fine."
"No trauma, no flashbacks?"
"Nope."
The fire's cackling was much louder and more frequent than our campfire was. We both looked at it in silence before I spoke up.
"You know, fire is probably one of the worst ways to die."
"How so?"
"You can feel the heat tear you apart. The smoke gets in your lungs and you can't breathe. You eventually lose all feeling as your skin and nerves turn to ash. And it takes so long. You are stumbling blind, tripping over burning furniture, not knowing if you are heading in the right direction. And then, darkness."
It was a long moment before either of us spoke up again.
"And that's what happened to you."
A statement. But it was the truth.
"Yep."
"And how are you not afraid of fire?"
I shrugged.
"Give me fire before a tight space. I thought I had made it when I fell into something and couldn't get out."
The fire's crackling slowed down, leaving the two of us to fill the gaps with our thoughts.
"So why are you here now?"
I smiled at the question. It was not a nice smile. It was more like I bared my teeth.
"That's what I want to know."
