Chapter Three- Sweet Deal
Natsuki woke up slowly sitting up in bed and rubbing at her eyes, it had been a long time since she had that dream. The memories still fresh in her mind, she did not regret the choice that she made that day at all. She now relied on her own power as much as she could, using the demonic powers inside of her only as a last resort. She also had yet to fulfill her end of the deed, the demon not telling her what exactly it is she has to do.
She would do it-if she could when the time came. Nobody besides Father Fujimoto now knew about her possession-except perhaps Mephisto. Though she wasn't sure if he knew and didn't feel like asking him, she'd rather stay away from him. The demon was right about being driven insane, it was hard sometimes to grasp what was reality and what was not around her. She has seen things that aren't there, and occasionally the demon's memories flood and mix into her own and she has to sort through all of them to decipher what is hers and what isn't.
She got up from bed lazily and dressed slowly almost falling over a few times. She straightened up yawning running her fingers through her hair, it was wild and tangled she didn't feel in the mood for brushing it this morning. She snatched her textbooks and a handful of candy for good measure and set off. She walked with a spring in her step trying to appear carefree swinging her arms wildly. She liked to look carefree and cheery that's how she wanted to be and how she was usually when she wasn't given time to reflect on her past.
She smiled and waved at people who passed her by making her way to her first class. She entered the main building and spun in a full circle amazed at the enormous size of the school building. As she had never been in a formal school before they had requested of her to take not only the normal entry exams but several other diagnostic tests as well. She had surpassed all of the instructor's expectations. Due to this she only had a schedule that filled half of the school day. It meant three morning classes and for the afternoon she was free, she chose to place herself back a year so she could be in the same classes as the other Exwires.
Her eyes lit up as she entered her first class, "Rin!" she called out excitedly waving at him dashing over to him.
"Natsuki!" He called out just as excited as she came up to her desk he excitedly called out, "I remember now. I remember playing with you-you stink brain." He grinned revealing his sharp teeth
"Butt face." She replied smirking her two different eyes shining. She leaned in and whispered, "Do I have to do that introduction thing again?" she asked nervously.
"Yes since this isn't the cram school." He replied back.
"It's scary." She whispered back, "But at least I know one person in class. It makes it less scary." She whispered.
Rin patted the seat next to him, "No one sits next to me in this class, do you want to sit here?" he offered.
She nodded her head, "Remember that time when you and I fought those bullies picking on Yukio-you were so cool back then." She said.
"Back then-what do you mean back then? I'm still cool." Rin insisted.
"Oh I don't know about that, you'll have to show me how cool you've gotten." She teased moving around the desk to take her seat.
"Hey!" a male voice called from behind her she turned confused not recognizing the voice. Two seats over to her left a group of six boys were gathered around a desk were one boy sat. They were all watching her.
"Oh hi." She greeted trying to remain friendly, she looked them all over they all looked like trouble makers. She could hear Rin shift behind her looking to see who it was.
"Leave her alone jerks." Rin called out getting defensive he glanced up at Natsuki, "Just ignore them."
"Oooo looks like Rin got himself a girlfriend." Called out the same boy, "So do you date more than one boy at a time, I'm guessing since you hang around scum like him you do-" he started but stopped midsentence paling considerably. His friends glanced over in the direction he was staring at. The happy carefree transfer student was giving the scariest death glare they had ever seen.
She pointed her finger directly at him, "Don't ever insult my family again or I'll make you pay." She threatened. They all nodded swallowing in fear and turning away from her. She looked back at Rin and smiled, "What were we saying?" she asked turning back to her happy self. Rin grinned, it was like finding a long lost sibling.
Class started only a few moments later, Natsuki was called up to the front of the class. Rin noticed as she walked up to the front that she was trembling slightly, but once at the front of the class she had managed to calm herself down. She faced the class smiling welcomingly and introduced herself. She then made it back to her seat sitting next to Rin smiling at him.
Class started-it was math. Rin found himself lost within a few moments time, he wondered how Natsuki was doing considering that she was placed back a year and that she had never been in a school before. He looked over to find her diligently taking notes, "Do you understand this?" Rin hissed at her.
"Yes very well, do you want me to explain it to you later?" she whispered back, Rin nodded. However from the front of the class the teacher noticed the exchange, thinking the two students were not paying attention he decided to call them out. Since Natsuki was new he decided to make an example of Rin first.
"Mr. Okumura would you please tell me how to solve this problem?" the teacher said pointing to the quadratic question on the board. Rin swallowed nervously staring up at the board. He felt something poking into his arm. Out of the corner of his eye he glanced at Natsuki who was poking him with the rounded end of her mechanical pencil. She then tapped the pencil against her notebook. The solution had already been neatly written out.
Rin cleared his throat and glancing occasionally at the notebook when he couldn't solve the question himself he managed to answer the problem. The teacher fumed angry that Rin had actually managed to solve the problem. The teacher readjusted his glassed and stared at Natsuki then glanced at the board-the only question left unanswered was the hardest. He didn't want to be this cruel to the new student but he had no choice.
"Miss Fujimoto, I'd like you to explain this question." He called out it was a cubic question, he was surprised at how eagerly Natsuki nodded and stood up from her seat. In a high clear voice she walked the class through how to answer the question. Everyone stared at her amazed at not only how well she understood the question but how well she could explain it.
She sat back down and Rin stared at her- maybe she was a lost sibling she was a troublemaker like Rin but studious like Yukio, "Natsuki… could you maybe tutor me?" he asked.
She grinned, "Sure Rin." She whispered back, the focused their attention back to the front of the room taking notes. The bell rung and Natsuki showed her slip of paper that had her schedule on it to Rin and he directed her to her next class. She found herself in English with Bon and Shima, she unfortunately couldn't sit next to them and found herself seated to a nice girl named Paku who Natsuki was pleased to learn knew Izumo.
Natsuki's third class for the day was chemistry where she was placed with Konekomaru and Shima as lab partners. Konekomaru seemed pleased to have someone to help him and Shima was just pleased that for once a girl wasn't running away from him. She walked with them to lunch and they sat out on the courtyard with all the other Exwires enjoying lunch and talking to one another. But all too soon the bell rung and the others had to get back to class- Natsuki was left alone her school day done.
Since it was after school Natsuki was walking around the campus of the school with a newspaper in hand. She could no longer exorcize demons for money, so she'd have to find some other source of income. She was glancing over the job ads when she found one that caught her eye. A candy store was hiring her eyes gleamed with excitement. She'd get to work around glorious piles of sweet sugary goodness every day!
She kept the newspaper with her even after she memorized the address of where the store was at. She walked down the streets trying to familiarize herself with the new city. It wasn't like anything she had ever seen before but she found it beautiful how everything seemed to be mixed together and the buildings were practically stacked one on top of another. Natsuki spun around with her eyes closed if I could live anywhere in the world, this is where I'd chose to be. I hope I get to live here when I become an exorcist again.
She stopped turning and glanced at the road sign, she was on the right street for the candy store only a fifteen minute walk from the school campus. As she started down the street she felt a strong demonic presence, she glanced around the street but there were only a handful of humans. She then glanced around the rooftops but still saw nothing the feeling however wouldn't go away. Her green eye was burning and she rubbed at her cheek just under her eye trying to relieve the pain still glancing around; what she didn't know was that Amaimon had been watching her-he didn't mean to at first. He had just come out of the candy store spending the money Mephisto had given him last night. He then noticed the exorcist and jumped onto the rooftops to hide. Curiosity had gotten the best of him and he decided to watch her, but he noticed that she suddenly started scanning around as if she sensed him, he ducked behind a nearby chimney poking his head out only when she turned away.
He was somewhat enjoying this it was like a game of hide and seek, he had to hide from the exorcist as she tried to seek him out. She was suddenly gaining his interest, but then noticed that she was shrugging off the feeling and continuing down the street. He wondered what she was doing and decided to follow her.
Natsuki walked down the street trying her best to ignore the crawling sense her skin was giving her, her senses had never been wrong but she couldn't find the demon. And she couldn't do a full search her now that she was an Exwire. She silently cursed under her breath about her new restrictions. She glanced up the street noticing the candy store.
There was a child's cry and giggling from the corner by the candy store. A goblin dashed around the corner a child's scarf in hand, close on its heel was a child perhaps about ten years old laughing and chasing after it.
"Give it back! Give it back!" the child playfully called as the demon continued running with its scarf. The child dashed madly after it bumping into two shoppers walking down the sidewalk, the boy yelling apologies from bumping into them over his shoulder as he ran.
However, the goblin suddenly swung around into the street the child chasing after, his fingers just brushing the ends of the scarf. Natsui saw the truck swing around the corner before either of them, it was a large white truck probably carrying supplied for the grocery store that Natsuki saw three streets back. The demon and child were illuminated in the headlights, they froze in fear staring up at the truck. The driver could only see the child he was about to hit, he yelled and slammed on the brakes. Amaimon saw it as well, one of his kin in danger but there was little he could do with an exorcist already on edge.
Natsuki meanwhile knew what she had to do because there was no way the truck would stop in time. She put her head down and sprinted into the street. She stuck both arms out, the left wrapping around the goblin and the right around the child. She lifted them straight off the ground and pulled them into her as she leapt out of the way of the incoming truck. She twisted in the air putting her back to the ground and cradling the boy and goblin against her. She slammed hard into the ground shielding the child and goblin with her body. She groaned in pain and released them, the two of them rolling away dazed and breathless as she struggled to her feet rubbing at her injured shoulder. Amaimon leaned far over the rooftop in disbelief-did she just save one of his kin. He wasn't quite sure if she did it on purpose or by reflex while saving the child. He blinked in confusion and stared fascinated as the scene continued to play out.
"Oh my gosh are you alright miss?" asked one of the shoppers the boy had run into, a woman of maybe thirty in a long coat and beanie on her head. She dashed over to see the boy and girl sprawled out on the curb. The truck skidding to a stop in the middle of the road, the driver throwing open the door and tripping over his own feet as he tried to climb out.
Natsuki still holding her shoulder glanced up smiling, "Just fine thank you ma'am." And walked over to the boy extending her hand to him, "Are you alright?" she asked as he took her hand and she hauled him onto his feet.
"Y-yes thank you." The boy replied blushing and glancing away embarrassed, "I'm sorry." He apologised.
She ruffled his hair, "Accidents happen-but" she started sticking her finger into the air and wagging it at him, "You have to be more careful when you play okay! We have to be safe to be fun." She said and then softened smiling, "Now go play you silly monkey."
She glanced at the goblin and winked, it grinned up at her. The child glanced at the girl and then at the goblin, this was the first time someone else had seen it. She looked at him and smiled her eyes flashing with understanding, he smiled back nodding his head, he waved his hand at his goblin friend and took off down the street whooping and hollering the goblin close on his heels. Amaimon watched the exchange curiously, she had saved the goblin on purpose it wasn't a reflex. He was baffled why would an exorcist save a demon? This one was so weird-for once a human wasn't stupid or fragile it was just weird. He was going to have a hard time ignoring it now.
"That was amazing miss, there was no way I could have stopped my truck in time!" the driver of the truck yelled dashing over.
"It was nothing really, just at the right place at the right time I suppose." Natsuki insisted shrugging her shoulders and waving her hand dismissively. She then grinned mischievously, "You think I should try out for the high school track and field team now?" she teased.
The truck driver and the woman looked at her oddly and then realised she was joking; the truck driver shook out his head readjusted his hat and went back to his truck, "Be safe miss!" he called out as he climbed back in shutting the door. Natsuki waved to him.
She then glanced to the woman, "Thank you for helping me up." She said smiling.
The woman smiled back, "No problem, I guess I have to be going now." She said and started back down the street on her way.
Amaimon watched as the exorcist smiled and nodded then turned on her heel continuing down the street, she stopped in front of his favourite candy store and felt his heart drop. She looked up at it and then from her bag withdrew a piece of paper. She glanced at the paper than at the store before pushing open the door. His mouth hung open in disbelief-an exorcist was going into his candy store. He struggled to convince himself that it was fine if she just bought some candy and left.
He shifted to get a better view from the rooftop, the candy store was very theme orientated the outside decorated with bright red and yellow candies. Even the windows had designs a lollipop and hard candy design along the border and then through the middle the candy store's name written in a curling cursive. He could see the cotton candy haired exorcist through the window at the counter eagerly talking with the young owner.
They were both smiling and laughing so he assumed she hadn't found him out. The store owner ducked under the counter and passed a few papers over to the exorcist who took them and read them over. She withdrew a pen from her bag and eagerly began to write on the papers. Amaimon watched it all confused-what was she doing he wondered.
In the store Natsuki was eagerly filling out the application forms for working at the candy store, she liked the owner-her name was Hana. The two of them were getting along well, she glanced around the store it was so neatly organised but decorated and planned out to be beautiful on the inside. Natsuki felt like she was transported to a candy wonderland.
"Just give me one moment to go get your uniform." Hana said her voice high and sweet, Natsuki glanced up at her and nodded. Hana bustled around the counter and dashed off to go to the back of the store. Natsuki finished the papers she was given and leaned against the counters glancing over the store. She still wasn't sure what working here would be like.
Her eye began to itch and then burn in excruciating pain. She managed to keep her face in a smile for Hana's sake but she couldn't stop her hands from curling into tight fists; her nails digging into the palms of her hands trying to distract herself from the pain. She glanced outside trying to spot what it was that was causing her pain it had to be a demon and it definitely wasn't that goblin she saved earlier but it was the only demon she could see.
Her thoughts were broken as Hana returned her arms filled with a bundle of clothing, "Tadaa I found your uniform!" she chirped eagerly and excitedly.
"Thank you so much!" Natsuki replied eagerly and accepted the uniform.
Hana giggled, "It's no problem-I mean we've gotten so popular lately and it's been so busy here I need all the help I can get. I've even gotten a regular costumer who comes in every day." She instead her bright blue eyes widening in her excitement, "but don't worry you're not starting today-but I'll expect you here tomorrow."
Natsuki nodded, "I'll see you then boss." As she tucked the uniform away into her bag she waved to her new boss and exited the store still having that eerie sense of being watched. Amaimon ducked behind an air vent on the roof he was on as he saw the exorcist exit the store. He couldn't understand what had happened, the two humans talked then the exorcist was handed some papers, then some clothes. This human was getting weirder and weirder, Amaimon knew that when you go to the candy store you get the candy you want and trade the currency for it and leave. He could also tell that the exorcist sensed him while in the store by the way she glanced out the window.
Not wanting to test his luck he disappeared deciding to take cover in his brother's office. Natsuki meanwhile was happily making her way back to the school practically skipping as she went. She got to her dorm room and withdrew the uniform glancing it over, she cringed slightly looking at it because it was a dress. But shrugged she couldn't help it-it was her uniform after all. She lay it out on the empty bed in her room not wanting it wrinkled for when she went to work tomorrow. The alarm next to her bed went off signalling that she had to go to cram school. With a well-practiced swing of her hand she slammed down on the alarm clock silencing it.
She dropped her bag and snatched her cram school textbooks dashing off to get to class on time. She made it and sat down at the same desk she had yesterday.