My name is Ojima Kohaku. I'm fifteen years old, and I live only with my mother. Ever since I can remember, I've been able to see… Well, to tell you the truth, I'm not exactly sure what the hell I see… I'm guessing spirits? I don't know… But whenever I tried to tell my mother about it, she'd go ballistic and freak out by yelling out lines from the Bible, or pray onto the floor. Let's just say she's a very religious person… I suppose she's been this way ever since my father died, but I wouldn't know. You see, I've never met my father. All I've ever known was that he died about sixteen years ago, before I was even born, and that however he died caused my mother to act extremely cautious and holy in every way possible. You know that saying, "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree." Yeah, well, in this case, it couldn't be any more wrong… I have no reason to believe in God. If he did exist, why give me this 'third eye'? It couldn't possibly be a gift! This 'power' has caused me nothing but trouble! My childhood has been filled with nothing but bullying, sorrow, depression… Is there any point to all this? Based on my life, I have experienced hell, but is there really heaven? However, I am sure of one thing. If there is a God or not, we're all on our own in this damn world.
"Kohaku, it's time to get up…"
My mother shook me in attempt to wake me up.
As I sat up I groaned, "Why are you waking me up? It's Sunday; there's no school until tomorrow!"
With that said, I fell back into bed.
"I thought we could go to church today."
"Why bother? Church is nothing more than mumbo jumbo! A bunch of 'hocus pocus'!"
"Kohaku! That's no way to compare, God! He is the creator of life! The savor of our sins!"
"Sounds like a bunch of crap to me..."
"Why don't you believe in religion? Your father wouldn't-"
That was definitely a snapping point for me...
I cut her off, "My father isn't here! He never will be… Why should I believe in something that's suppose to give me hope, but instead it leaves me hopeless? … Just go to church without me."
She was silent for a moment but she replied with a sigh, "Alright. I'll be back in a few hours…"
"Bye."
One word. That's all I said...
She lied.
After that, I guess I would say 'day', my mother never came back. She disappeared, without an explanation, without even a word. Authorities suggest she was abducted, but the spirits I see say otherwise…
The small red and green monkey looking things whisper little comments… "She left." … "She'll never return." … "How could she ever love you?" … "You were worthless in her eyes." … And after a month or so, I started to believe them.
That is, until that strange man came along.
As I was sitting on a swing in the local park, he approached me.
I refer to him as strange because of the way he dressed and acted. He had long, dark purple hair and wore a bizarre looking white suit with a puffy polka-dotted scarf act as a tie, along with a matching white cape and top hat.
"Hello there, my dear.~"
I remained silent, slowly rocking back and forth in the swing.
He continued on, "I am Mephisto Pheles, chairman of the great True Cross Academy."
Under my breath I whispered, :Good for you…"
I really didn't care who or where he was from, little alone why he was talking to me... My mother has been missing for months, and I might very well be the reason why; but hey... How would I know, anyway?
Mephisto took off his hat and said, "I am truly sorry for the disappearance of your mother."
I looked up at him in shock, and rather harshly I asked, "How do you know of my mother?"
Thinking about it now, that was probably a stupid question. I mean, this event was in the papers, on TV! He may as well be playing a cruel joke on me.
"Why, because of the fact that I knew your father as well, Ms. Ojima."
Suuuure... "My father." Now that just explains everything, doesn't it?
"Whatever… I never even knew my father…"
"Ah, he was a good man!~ One of the greatest exorcist that ever lived, if I may add!~"
Curiosity and disbelief mixed within me. Was this guy a lunatic or something?
"Exorcist? As in demons and priests?"
"Yes, but there is so much more involved."
He somewhat smiled into the thought, just as the Mona Lisa you can say... A smile with a secret, that is impossible to read.
"My father an exorcist," I resented this idea, "My mother has been missing for months, and you're trying to sell me this crap? I mean, sure she was a holy freak, but come on now!"
He blinked in what looked like a bit of shock but also a hint of amusement.
" "Freak"? I take it you're not into religion all that much?"
Religion? Is he joking? I made a face of disgust.
"'At all' is more like it."
He thought for a moment and then shrugged.
"Hm… Such a shame.~ Your father died in The Blue Night just to have his daughter become an atheist."
" "The Blue Night"? Never heard of it… And I prefer you refer to me as an agnostic, I hope something is there after life. It's just that God hasn't given me a reason to believe."
"It's a rather tragic event... Ah, but why sadden this evening any further?~"
What an idiot! If he's not going to explain, of course I'm going to think he's making all this shit up!
In a sarcastic tone, I replied, "Let me lighten it for you."
And so, I got up from the swing and began to walk off.
However, he called me back...
"Hold on there.~ You haven't heard of my offer."
I turned back with a sigh, it's not like I had anything to lose.
In a rather uninterested tone, I questioned, "Offer?"
"As I said before, I am the chairman of the elite True Cross Academy, and I am here to offer you, Ms. Ojima Kohaku, with a full scholarship to my school.~"
This was really just unbelievable. Too good to be true. Perhaps a scam?
"Why would you offer me such a scholarship? I am just your average student. I have no 'special talents' of any sorts. I get average grades; I'm an average athlete-"
He cut me off, knowing I was clueless in a way.
"Oh, but you are not the average person, Ms. Ojima."
I semi-glared at him in wonder.
Again, my tone was rather harsh, "What are you getting at?"
"Is it not true that you are able to see demons?"
"Demons?" to myself I added on, "Okay, someone needs cut down on the liquor..."
"Yes, demons, Ms. Ojima!~" he swatted his hand around at the little black creeps with green eyes floating around. "As in these little black pests floating about and others as well.~"
That last comment took me back... Was he really able to see what I saw? Up until this point, this guy seemed like he was on crack, but-...
"You're-" I cleared my throat, "You're able to see these things?"
"Well, of course I can.~ What kind of Honorary Knight would I be if I wasn't?~"
I take that back... Maybe he is on crack...
"And you're giving me this scholarship just because of my sight alone?"
"I'm giving you this scholarship because you need it." he counted off each reason using his fingers, "You have no family to support you, your mother has possibly been abducted by demons, and if you're not protected you may be next.~"
He looked at me and grinned, I detected a bit of an evil aura though...
However, I clenched my fists; knowing his statements to be true.
"I don't see why you should care."
"Well, because your case is rare. You were always destined to have the sight, and from the genetics of your father, you could become a great exorcist just as he was," he winked, "And I believe we may experience something even more extraordinary along the way!~"
...
"You're not one of those creepy pedo-guys, right?"
"Of course not!~"
I glared at him in question, "I'll think about it..."
Mephisto grinned, "Splendid!~"
