I jerk to the direction where but there's only Katja-sama behind me, reading a book that says "Powers in Elements." I wonder if they even get bored with those. Before I even realize it, she was staring at me. I gulp.
"Hey, have you just said anything recently? Like I love you or I miss you?" She raises an eyebrow at me.
"No. I never said anything." She shakes her head. "You think I'll say such?"
I rub my temples and ask her again. "You sure?"
"Of course!" She closes the book. "What did it say?" I stare at her. "Not it. She." Her eyes widen a little, or maybe I'm just imagining it. Ah, no, it did. Or maybe it really didn't. Ugh, whatever.
"She said, "I love you.". But I'm sure she was talking to me, we're about a foot apart." Her hands turn to fists. I raise an eyebrow. I jumped when she slams her hand on the table. "Er, what's wrong?"
"Qwaser. That girl you're talking about. But why didn't I feel it?" She starts nibbling on her nail. I thought she was jealous. I was expecting too much.
She stands up and walks past me, going to the door. I quickly grab her wrist. "Where are you going?"
"I'm gonna kill her." What? Maybe I was right after all! Maybe she's really jealous! She quizzically looks at my reaction and adds, "Don't get excited there. This isn't for you, silly. It's my job." I salute and answer, "Yes, ma'am."
Tell me, just how many times do I have to take back what I say?
I let her go and she strides to the door, putting her hand in her jacket, the other on her throat,or so I think. (Yeah, that's right. She's wearing a commoner's clothes. Oh, and of course blue pants. Try picturing it, it'll look good. But don't picture her with leather jacket, 'kay?) As soon as she closes the door my cell phone rings. I pick it up and look at the screen. It's Forsaken Angel. My heart starts beating fast. This is the first time we'll ever talk. I wonder what her voice's like? I accepted the call.
"Uhm, Hey?" I said.
"Hey, Crest. How are you?" God, what an angelic voice!
"Pretty please, I'm feelin' great! By the way, nice voice."
"Uh yeah, thanks. Anyway,this cannot wait any longer. I need to confess now." Okay… This is it.
"Go on. I'm listening." She takes a long breath and exhales deeply.
"You see, I'm-" Something exploded behind me so loud I was unable to further hear what she's saying. Rubbles flew to every direction and I ducked before a large one hit me square in the face.
"Angel, I'll just call you later, 'kay?" I shouted through the chaos. "I just need to fix things here!" Without waiting for her reply, I ended the call. Tsk, what timing.
At the big hole in the wall, a little girl walks toward me, stepping on rubbles. " Come with us, Magdalena of Thunder." I recognized her as soon as she got out of the mist. It was the Qwaser of Hydrogen. No wonder it's sort of humid.
Instinctively, I reach for my dagger at the table but before I even reach it, she blasted me with water. I was pushed to the door and as I was about to hit it, it bursts open, quite fleeting. It hit my spine and the back of my head strong. I fell all curled up twitching in intense pain. Katja-sama steps out and she was shock when she saw me lying on the floor.
"Wrong timing." I croak. She apologizes to me and faces our enemy.
"This is not your business, copper wire." Our enemy breathes. Katja-sama's hands are clenched to fists. I would have laughed when she said copper wire, but I'd rather cry with the pain. She charges and I can hear her whisper to our enemy, "Don't call me that ever again or I'll electrify you to death, you swamp water." Either I laughed or cried.
After that conversation, they exchange blows at each other I can't follow. So instead of watching, I slowly reach for my dagger as I try ignoring the pain. I grab it as soon as I was close and I stood up, charge, and jump at the little pink-haired girl. A spear of water was thrown at me, the other at my master, which she easily deflected. Me, suspended in the air, had to veer away from the spear before it hits me, but it caught my right arm and created a long, deep gash on it. I grimace in pain. I somersault backwards and land on my feet.
We dodged for half an hour without even landing even a single blow on that little girl. Good thing the apartment's deserted. So far, I acquired a long gash on my right arm, and two deep ones on my back, shaped like an x.
At the corner of my eye, I see Anastasia appear out of nowhere, making me relieved. Our enemy quickly powered up a hydro pump for us and I'm back at the door again.
"Just give up, Puppeteer, and let me take that girl of yours." The Qwaser of Hydrogen said through her mask. Katja-sama just grits her teeth.
I'm starting to get ticked off and tired of this. I want to end this. Something golden lit up and I look down, realizing it was the mark on my thigh. How was I able to turn it on? Anastasia charges with amazing speed and tackles the Qwaser far, about hundreds of yards away from us. But the tiny figure got up easily and is already walking towards us, with a big wave of water behind her.
Gradually, I felt a rush of power and with it the gradual loss of self-control. I can't explain it, but I feel the pupils of my eyes turn gold.
"Hana, hold on!" Katja-sama shakes me by my shoulders. "Listen, I want you to create a force field that covers the two of us, so we won't burn up, got that?"
"How?" I manage to ask, feeling myself about to give away.
"I don't know! Think of it!"
"But I can't—"
"Just do it, you're wasting too much time!" When I look back, she's about half nearer than before, with the crashing waves ready to swallow us still behind her, waiting to be unleashed. I start thinking as straight as I can.
Come on, I want a force field, a force field, a. . .
I can hear the waves crashing louder and closer, but what I never expected is for my master to be so scared beside me, staring up at the big, crashing waves, taking short breaths. I thought she was the kind of girl you can't scare with anything. I always thought of her fearless character. She shouts my name, pleading to create a invisible shield or else, well, we'll drown or electrocute ourselves. Before I completely lost my mind, I was able to look closely at her, and I find myself watching her tears fall. I don't want to see any more of it. I concentrate harder this time and pleaded to myself.
Please,protect Katja-sama. I just can't stand hearing that kind of voice. Save her.
Is that what you truly wish? Someone whispers to me. I answered without hesitation.
Yes. I won't be able to forgive myself if she gets hurt.
I am in your command, Master. The fading voice replied to me, and everything was black.
When I woke up, everything was white.
First impression: Heaven. A little exaggerated.
Realization: Heaven is never a square room, with a bed to rest on, and with a beautiful lady sleeping beside you.
I sit up and look at my right arm. The wound is gone. I touch my back and run my fingers on it. No trace. I jump from bed and stretch. Looking around, I accidentally spot a dagger, which must be mine, so I took it and strap it on my thigh. I almost had a heart attack when something rang. At first, I thought it was my cell phone, but the ringtone is different. I search for it, following the occasional rings, then I stop near Katja-sama, who's still sleeping on her chair. She's supposed to be awake by the time the cell phone rang. Another ring. I flip over the blanket and beneath it is a pink cell. Must be hers. The phone stops ringing. I flip it open and I read something like estfa when Katja-sama's eyes snap open and snatch the phone from me.
"This is my possession. Thus you are not allowed to touch it." She snarls at me, but I can't feel her authority. Why am I not trembling? But I agreed with her.
"Sure, but what's estfa?" I slowly ask.
"Estfa?" She thinks about it, and replies, "I don't know what you're talking about." Even with this said, I know she has a clue about it. But I'll let her go for today.
"And thanks for going wild yesterday." She rubs her neck, the way other people do when they're shy.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Of course you don't remember. If your power didn't kick in, we would've died there."
"Yeah? What happened?" I sit on the bed cross-legged and look at her expectantly.
"I really thought I'd die there, but when we were about to get swallowed, well, you stood up, your eyes golden and spoke up in a trance." I nod twice.
"And then?"
"You said, "Stop.", and then the wave did. You held up your hand,as if holding something, then slowly closing it, that girl clutches her chest, so I assume you hold her heart at a distance. Then you suddenly closed your hand into fists and she dropped dead and turn to nothing."
"That's cool!" I exclaim. "I never thought I could actually do that!"
"Yeah." She says, looking away from me. I move closer to her and ask, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Okay, she wouldn't be telling me anyway.
"Wait, you said yesterday, right? So it's Monday today." She rests her back on her chair with her arms crossed.
"Then. ." I look around, "I missed Forsaken's call." I'm always having bad luck. Katja-sama did not reply, and she didn't look at me.
"Didn't she call you yesterday?" She pouts.
"Yeah, but I need to cut it off to-" Wait. That's not right.
"How'd you know?" I throw to her this question.
"Well," standing up, she stretches and continues, "I AM your master. I know everything."
"Perhaps you know her? I really want to meet her." She grits her teeth.
"What if I do?" Her tone is…
"Wait a second. Why are you getting mad at me? I'm just asking!" I shout at her.
"I am not angry!" She thunders back at me and I shake my head in exasperation.
"Face it Katja-sama, you're jealous!" She stood silent, her eyes ablaze, almost literally.
"Oh yeah?! Tell me, why would I be?" She growls at me.
"Because you are gradually falling in love with me! Stop being stubborn and confess, you're never a scaredy cat!"
Then everything happened so sudden. She slaps me real hard, it would have broken my face. Then when I turn to face her, she was gone. My heart's beating fast. I can't control my anger. I punch the wall with all my strength. I let myself fall. All I ever wanted was to hear you say you love me, that was all I ever asked. Why? Why can't you say it? Or is it more appropriate to ask, "Why can't you love me?"
A rush of power courses throughout my body.
"I never should have let myself fall in love in the first place. I never should have saved her. I never should have let myself get closer to her." I. . .
" I never should have."