(Disclaimer) see chapter 1; me no own SK, me no own idea from VK either.
Warnings: see chapter 1
A/N: I'm sorry the beginning sucks. It's compensating for writer's block, To make up for it, I didn't limit this chapter to 6000 words; I know that in the manga, Yoh recieves the Spirit of Earth/Metal; but as this is a fanfic; modifications. I'll eventually post a picture of the modifications. Cupcakes for the reviewers, thank ya'll!
Jisa: thank you very much
TheFlyingGazeebo: Why, I love Resident Evil 8D.
mankinfan: points in a random direction over there!
Dee-ster: ding ding ding, we have a winner.
Neko-Lea: my already-goo brain has exploded from the studying.
PirateCaptainBo: Thank yas, Bo: That's for me to know and you to puzzle over -thinks that made sense- Ski: She will appear in-person later on. much much later on. -when you least expect it, dun dun dun-
Lost to Reality: "New World." it's catchy. ;3 there's a place called newfoundland apparently. lol, whacking people isn't nice, and especially not a good thing if said person can turn you to a crisp. the side yoh-pairing will officially start in a few chapters; thus let teh trauma begin.
one-figmentistoolazytologin: geez, review at your own house and stop peering over my shoulder! XD. kitties are happy, yes.
translations: unless stated, they are for Romaji.
wakatta: I see
Ima nan-ji desu ka: what time is it?
ano: ummmm (sometimes used interchangeably with anno)
betsu ni: nothing (informal)
Keine: no/ nothing (German)
Gruess ... von mir: Say hi to ... for me. (German)
xxxx
"Yoh, stop staring at people, it's not nice," my voice was shaky, unsure. I darted my eyes across the room, feeling as if something was going to jump out at me. I hated that feeling, like I was vulnerable, like I was weak. I rummaged through my pocket again; empty save a ziploc bag at the same state and two coins.
"I don't think he noticed," Yoh said, shaking his head and snapping out of that almost trance-like state. At my questioning gaze, he added, "I don't know why I was looking at him. I was just looking around this large area, and noticed that there were some strangely dressed people. Then, I turned left and there he was. There's something about him.. I can't tell what it is though."
"Oh, I see." He's trying to kill me. Possibly, you. Can't you tell that? I know what the gaze was. It was of admiration. I don't think you look at me like that. Why don't you? Why? Is it because you don't like me, is that it? What does he have that I don't? Don't dismiss it like that.. like it wasn't anything worthwhile to talk about. That person you were looking at.. he...
"Anyway, I think it's starting," Yoh pointed to the center of the aisles towards the front plattform, as I noticed the lights were about to dim. Dramatic, much? Goldava was, as I suspected, starting to reread the rules and regulations for anyone whom may have missed the previous session (or fallen asleep, like Yoh did). However, I didn't pay much attention to that. I couldn't pay attention to that. I thought of the boy I saw, the one Yoh saw.. hair with an exotic green color accompanied by emerald-green eyes. He was unique, and that perhaps made him familiar.
I was remembering, and it wasn't good. Keep it out. Force it out. He doesn't exist. He doesn't exist.
It's no use. You'll start to remember; you're a drug addict, it's useless trying without those.
Urasai! You're not helping!
Exactly, you, yourself, are not helping. Don't run from the memories. It's not that bad. Don't make a big deal out of nothing.
Ha, and what do you know?
Because I'm you, the part you keep hidden. I'm your past life.
What past life?
That's for you to find out, as if you have no memory of it, then I have no either. After all, I am you.
This makes no fucking sense. Why can't you tell me? Why don't you ever tell me? You are me, but you won't tell me? I'm so confused... Shaking my head and deciding that arguing with myself was no use, I tried to concentrate on Goldva's seriously droning voice; falling asleep should not be a problem as we were seated in the back. Yoh was fumbling with the small zipper on the side of his shirt where the breast pocket should be, trying to keep occupied and not fall asleep with the constant monotone voice of the announcer.
The boy.. he was familiar wasn't he? I shouldn't lose myself to what happened before.. I don't care what happened before. If I did, then I do not now. ... No, that is a lie. I want to know about myself, because maybe, just maybe, it has something to do with Yoh. I'm confused. Everything that has to do with Yoh, I want to be involved in. We have met for less than a week and it seems like we have been together forever. It's so damn confusing..
I saw him, the checked green and brown cloak cascading down the aisles and resting upon his shoulders, the emerald-eyed boy. He was.. Registered, wasn't he? No.. I can't remember anymore. Fragments.. just fragments.. pieces of the memory that should have died long ago. He was with them.. with the white-trench coat wearing people with guns and savage angels. He had an angel of his own, one swift and deadly with the menacing holy cross of justice. His name was..
His name was..
Lys.. Lys...
"Hey, it's over already." Yoh's voice. What's over already? I looked up to see that the room was clearing out, the people walking over to a small table and taking a packet of paper from the stack while they left. Oh, the speech I see. Did I.. blank out for that long?
"Why are they picking up those papers?" I asked him, rising from my seat, following the shorter haired brunette out of the door. I noticed that Rin hadn't returned. Didn't she say something about using the restroom? What could possibly take her that long..
"Some form we have to fill out," Yoh shrugged, handing me one. "Here."
"Arigatou." I didn't glance at the words on the page. No, my attention was focused on that boy again. The one with daunting emerald eyes; he was making his way towards us. I broke my gaze from his direction, looking at Yoh who had started to take notice into the oncoming one. Damn, stop looking at him like that! Do you have any idea how frustrating it is?
Fuck. He noticed us, and approached.
I held my breath as his form became clearer. I looked at Yoh, hoping not to give him the impression that I had noticed him. I don't want anything to do with him. Nothing at all, not untill I figure out myself what-
"Hey, I think I've seen you before." His voice was a facade. It flowed like the rolling waves of the sea, but a wave of anger, direct yet a false softness.
"Who, me?" Yoh asked, his voice high-pitched than from what I knew.
"Yea. Maybe it's just me though." He shrugged, smiling. A smile so fake it was almost real.
"Oh.. probably not though. I just came here yesterday."
"Ah, I meant that I think I remember you from sometime before. Sorry if I'm not making much sense, but I'll see you around." With that, he left. I let out the breath I held, fingers slightly tighter on the paper packet.
I knew Yoh was going to say something about him as he opened his mouth and closed it several times as if in reconsideration of his choice of words. "What was the meeting about? I wasn't really paying attention," I asked him, not in favor of hearing anything about the seemingly familiar boy. I hated him, whoever he was. I don't know why, I just do. It felt like he was responsible for something.. I watched his retreating figure carefully. It looked like he was not going to meet with anyone, yet then..
"Well, mostly about the rules and other stuff." I followed Yoh back to our dorm, which was surprisingly not that far of a walk from the classroom. During the walk, he did not say anything, but was looking in the direction of that green-haired boy. I felt something stir within me, like I wanted to just yell out, but I did not know what or why.
"Anno, there's a new rule that no one is allowed to bring anything other than the necessary materials for the classes." Yoh continued with randomosity as I closed the door behind me, wondering where Rin had gone off to. I slipped off my shoes, grateful that the two other scheduled meetings for the current day were cancelled. "We have to submit these forms by noon, that's about an hour. Oh, and they did some modifications so classes begin earlier in the week, in three days to be precise; and we should pick up our schedules in the morning in the cafeteria at seven."
I nodded. Submitting forms, better get to work on them, the packet was quite sizable and time tap-danced. I mean flew. Flying, tap-dancing, same thing. Mental note to pick up sch- "wait. Classes begin IN THREE DAYS?"
"Yep," he nodded, chuckling. "They've made quite a bit of an adjustment." That sucks. What about the planned entire- week where I could just hang out with Yoh and a lack of interruptions? "Yea, I know it kinda sucks." Kinda? Just kinda? "But, we'll have to deal with it."
"I guess," I sighed, fetching a pen for the two of us from the bedside table. I threw one to him, sitting down on the wooden chair and crossing my legs, placing the papers on the kitchen table. Attempting to clear my mind of invasional thoughts, I started filling in the forms. They were relatively basic knowledge, like name, date of birth, telephone number and whatnot. It reminded me of those blue-card things that was required to be filled out the beginning of every year, but no blue card was six pages long.
"Hey, you two, open the door."
"I'll get it," Yoh said, getting up from his seat to walk towards the door. I sighed, the atmosphere seem to clear a bit more. I did not know why. Shaking my head, I took a glance at the watch and began to fill in the rather bothersome questions faster.
"What took so long?" I asked absentmindedly, wondering why there was the question of favorite color choices and travelling place. "Surely it doesn't take more than five or ten minutes for one to use the restroom."
"Eh, I was thirsty." Rin said as I looked up at her, raising my eyebrow. Her eyes seemed to glow with a greater intensity of red. It was then when I noticed that there was a strange odor from her hands and face. Where exactly, I could not tell. It was a faint odor, but it was still there. I knew what the smell was; fresh blood. "Went off to see what sort of liquid substance other than water I could take a sip of. I don't mind water, y'know, but sometimes it's just too... thin."
"We'll go shopping after we submit these applications," Yoh said, smiling innocently. He didn't seem to notice the wretched of pain. "You missed the entire speech, but basically what the head said was that there is a new rule telling us not to bring anything in class that's not used for the class, like calculators in a non-mathematic course for example. Anno.. classes have been moved up so the official first day will be in three days instead of a week. We should go retrieve our schedules at seven tomorrow morning, and.. Anno..anno... you also have to fill out one of the forms that was lying by the desk and hand it in before noon, but I didn't know when you would be back, so.."
"Don't worry, I've filled mine in already." Rin reassured, walking over to the bed and starting to unpack what little there was of her items. I eyed her warily, for although that scent of blood had begun to fade, something was still eerie...
"Then how did you answer to 'what is the identification of your ability? state one'" I asked, staring bluntly at the last page. Yoh seemed to frown at that as well, reaching said page only a few seconds after I.
"Well, in your case, you two are shamans," Rin said nonchalantly, putting a pair of red socks into the drawer. I wonder what was with her and that bloody color... "For you, just write in your spirit name so if they ever wander around it will be recognized of the owner and returned to said person." At Yoh's constant questioning glance, she added, "humans can't see the text on that page." She emptied her small travel bag, save a flat-looking suitcase. "Ah, who sleeps on the bed?"
"Yoh and I will share a large futon he has bought over. The bed is all yours," I muttered, writing in 'Spirit of Fire' on the unlined paper. I kept my head down, but eyes gazing at her, her jerky movement in placing the thin suitcase under the bed with an enthusiastic thanks.
"What if you have more than one spirit?" Yoh asked; I was actually surprised that he did not ask whether or not Rin was a shaman herself. He looked up at Rin for a few seconds, in a small pout. This, I was interested in. Ever since that startling discovery of the captivating "glow" of the tablet and appearance of the samurai ghost Amidamaru, I've pondered the spirits' words about Yoh having more than one spirits. It was quite impressive, that amount of furyoku, that potential and power.
"Write down your guardian spirit, or whichever guardian spirit seems to follow you more, or whichever has a larger amount of furyoku." Rin said casually. "It's actually quite annoying that the requirement is to fill out a form every six months to ensure your 'cooperation' or something."
"Ah.. okay." I couldn't help but lean over and peer at Yoh's paper. He had rather messy handwriting, but it was still legible. He tapped the back of the pen on his lips for a few seconds, in deep thought, before writing down three words that made me fall into the spacing out that I did not want to: Spirit of Rain.
It was like those strange incidents before; I suddenly was not aware of my surroundings. I focused ahead, at one spot, and it was the winter changing into spring. An image, of young trees with leaves still to be grown on, animals consisting of birds and squirrels lying about in those bare branches. A young boy who looked exactly as what Yoh or I would have looked like at the age of five, smiling with a barely noticable presence next to him. How small; and yet the presence was a spirit of great potential. Its eyes showed a deep sense of understanding just like the Spirit of Fire, its bubble-like patterns on said ears seeming to glow with each passing second.
"Hao?" Yoh inquired, as I blinked and that strangeness which I had grown accustomed to had dissapeared. I looked at him with a questioning glance. "You spaced out again." He noted. Well, apparently. Spirit of .. Rain.. that seemed familiar, just like the oddities that have been going around me lately.
"I have a feeling he tends to do that quite a bit," Rin said out of nowhere as I gave her a small glare. She ignored it and waltzed over to the table, picking up our forms, grinning; "I'll take these down to the office, you two go grocery-shopping, I dislike the idea of an empty minifridge. You can use my credit-card if you want, it's at the top-right of my drawer at the cabinet besides the bed, which is the bottom one with a purple sticker on the handle. Don't worry, it's on me, just be sure to buy a lot of drinks; especially those naturally-flavored fruit juices."
"Alright, thanks Rin!" Yoh grinned back, standing up in his seat so suddenly that the chair might have fallen over had it not been leaning on a wall. He went over to the said drawer, and drew out the credit card.
"Are you sure it is alright just to give your credit card to a stranger like that?" I asked cooly, slowly rising from the chair. Rin did not seem like a Hunter, but the fact of trusting her.. no, the fact that she was trusting them.. More importantly, he did not think that she worked for the money. No, not at all; rather some other suspicious way that he wanted to find out. And that smell of blood...
"Eh, don't worry about it. I have replacements and you're my friends and roomies, right?" She said, waving to us as she swiftly departed.
"That's so nice of her," Yoh bounced, almost literally, to the door, slipping on his sandals. "I'm going to get a bunch of ice-cream and oranges! What do you want, Hao?"
"I'm going there with you," I commented, slipping on my shoes and giving the room a quick glance, especially at the stove. My gaze lingered at the stove for a good ten seconds (I have always had... unpleasant expereinces with the presence of stoves in Niwi's house) before grabbing the keys and following Yoh out. "I suppose I'll decide when I actually see said products."
"How are we going to get there, by car?"
"No, we'll walk." I wasn't a fan of cars. Not at all. They did look nice and all, but they disrupted nature to too much of a degree. The pollution was spreading fast, and it was the main contributor as to why the stars were rapidly fading at night. "Think of it as keeping healthy," I said to Yoh's frown, "and helping prevent contribution to the masses of environmentally-dangering factors."
"Those were big words," He pouted, giving me a playful jab. I countered, poking his shoulder repeatedly. We pretty much walked in silence past the dormitory area and onto the nearby stores located in accordance with the campus, save untill the high noon when the sun was a blazing orb straight above our heads. "It's really hot today. Maybe I should have worn less," Yoh mumbled, tugging at his semi sweat-soaked short-sleeve, panting slightly under the roughly fifteen-minute walk in the heat.
"Hai...You could always lose the shirt." I commented. Oh yes, that would be... fun to say the least.
"Nani?" He stared, eyes widening but continued to walk in the intended direction.
"Kidding." I smirked, taking into sight his rather welcoming flushed appearance. "Or am I?"
"Anno.. the store is right here!" He announced, running into the air-conditioned area. I let out a small chuckle, following close by and twitching in irritation as the blast of coldness hit me as soon as the automatic doors opened. It wasn't a particularily large store, but rather a deli of sorts. There were clothes though, and a selection of foods.. a general store perhaps? PatchMarket.. that name just disturbed me. "Alright, first we have to get some juice for Rin!" Yoh said, quick to spot the appropriate section and finding a cart.
"I recall her saying that her preferrence was the naturally flavored ones," I suggested, walking over to the section, frowning as another blast of cold air hit me. What the hell? It's damn freezing!
"I don't think she would mind organic cranberry mix," Yoh took out a carton of the juice, placing it in the metal-wired cart and staring at the small object for a few seconds. "I don't she would mind a hundred-percent natural fruit punch with strawberries, kiwi, and banana, or the one with apple, pear, and peach. She might not mind either the pure pomegrate-strawberry mix, or-"
I quickly closed the door of the refridgerated aisle, staring at the large amount of drinks in the cart already. Oh great, Yoh seemed like one of those shopping addicts. Given he was wealthy, that was not much of a problem, but given I was unfortunate enough to spend unncecessary time grocery-shopping? No way, I'd just go in said random store, grab a bread or milk for Niwi, candy for Opacho, then take my leave. Alright, maybe sometimes I browsed a bit for the different pocky flavors, but that was about it. Such enthusiasm towards fruit juice..."I think that would be enough. Remember, we have a small fridge now; there might not be enough room to fit all of that in there."
"Can't we order a larger one?" He pouted, but complied, stopping the pilation of various juices into the cart. He held the front of the cart, pulling it towards the other sections. "Hmm, two cartons of milk at least?"
"No, we can't." I said, pushing the cart towards the connected dairy section that Yoh was walking towards. No, I do not think that too many people would be pleased at all if random people driving an UPS truck delivering a fridge to a college dorm, with said fridge about half the size of the actual room itself. Not to mention how strange of an occurrence it would be. "I have a feeling that Rin doesn't drink milk, so enough for two would be fine. We can come back here anytime we want, so don't overload the cart."
"Hai, hai," he said, landing a gallon of one-percent milk on the dead-center of the cart. It wasn't long before the bottom of the cart was covered in a thin layer of packaged cheese. Before I could open my mouth to ask him why such the amount of items and especially after I had told him that we could come back anytime for more shopping, he simply explained; "I haven't really cooked at home. Tamao cooked whenever possible, because when I cooked Anna would send me death-glares and the food was mostly burned. I can buy a lot of things to practice burning things on so they don't turn all black."
"Yoh, I'll cook," I sighed, wondering if his logic made sense or not, placing some of the cheeses back and shaking off Yoh's constant look of dismay. I plainly frowned when he started adding huge steaks into the cart. "I can cook, but I am limited to simple recipies. I know not of the life of gourmet foods that you live in, probably prepared every meal by servants."
"Don't worry, it's microwaveable ham!" He grinned, pointing to the label that read it was pre-cooked. Even so... and there were piles of calamari boxes as well. Turkey slices. Chicken wings. Frozen duck. ... ... ... what the fuck?
"I'll put it this way," I said after a few seconds and the cart was already halfway full (it was quite a large cart as well). "If you place any more items there will not be any room to put oranges in the fridge." At this, he stopped and pushed the now-rather-heavy cart to the fruits section, as I chuckled slightly to myself. Works every time? Perhaps so. ... Oh yes, and therefore the cart, barely movable and overflowing with oranges, was so much better.
We went to the snacks section, the one that the kids love the most (I must admit that these were addicting as addicting could get), especially the bottom-left row that was piled with stacks of some of my favorites I usually saw in the local food shops; kaki-pi, ajigonomi, puccho, dorayaki, daifuku, yan yan, pocky, hello panda, bokun habanero, maju, puuca chocolate, and other assorted items which were plenty in calorie count. There were some other items that I recognized as delicious from the top rows, like bugles, chocolate truffles, pakora-flavored biscuits, dried papri chaat, samsoa (which I wondered how it was possible to package with all that oil leaking constantly), namak para, mysore pak, apple turnover, ensaïmada, buko pie, lemon poppyseed biscotti, baba au rhum, savarin chantilly, kirsch bûchette, éclairs, praline riviera, and especially the Entenmanns. I rather disliked Lilirara, but she practically lived on snacks and vitamins; the meals were enjoyable to a great extent. I picked up a box of assorted 24-pack Entenmanns mix, with strawberry cheese buns, cider donuts, apple puffs, crumb coffe cake pieces. The box seemed to be radiating an errie 'buy me' ... or did that come from the pack of blueberry-muffin little bites lying next to it on the shelf? Paranoia, I could deal with. Rejection of these desserts, I could not.
"Ne, see anything you want Hao?" He asked. I just wondered if there was anything I could possibly get that would squeeze through what little room there was in the cart- it was literally impossible to see the structure of a cart anymore, but rather a large pile of food items. I picked up a number of boxes and squeezed them through what molecules of air there were left, looking at Yoh. He was investigating between some packaged onigri, on a mental debate about whether to get the katsuobushi or umeboshi fillings. After three seconds of mental struggle, he put both packs into the cart. Typical.
"I think we're practically done, now someone has to do the honors of carrying all this in bags on the way back." I reminded him. Painful realization indeed, as Yoh looked horrified and started to run around in circles. "Yes, you should put some things back because I'm pretty sure you don't want to carry all those items." Of course, keep the snacks, I mentally added. Grudgingly, he did so and to a reasonable amount. Pleased, I followed as he pushed the cart to the checkout.
I was expecting it to be more empty than not, but there was actually a significant number of people buying all sorts of food items, especially canned fruits as there was a sale for those. Most of them were freshmen or sophomores, I noted, chattering away about the excitement of a new year or what-ever there was to speak of. I dragged Yoh to the shortest line, line 4, where the clerk reminded me for a brief second of that bus-driver Chrome. It was because of the similiar vest with the stylized name tag and a silver ring, but this jewelry decorative was the engraving of a semi-deformed face. I looked at the tag: Zinc. Hmm, doesn't ring a bell.
I ducked through the closed lane number 5, getting across the sea of people and waiting for Yoh to checkout on the other side. At first I could not see him clearly when I turned to look at the crowd, but those neon-orange headphones really stood out.
Master?
Yes, Spirit of Fire? I kept my gaze on Yoh but focused on the low voice in my head.
A presence of a familiar Registered has been noticed in a thirty-yard radius. It is an official presence as well.
That was ... them, wasn't it? I shook off the startled feeling, acknowledging the information slowly.
"Hey Hao, help me carry these bags will ya?" I blinked. That was faster than expected. Nodding, I took an approximate half of the bags and sent Spirit of Fire a quick 'thanks for letting me know.' "These bags are still pretty heavy, after you emptied out most of the cart.."
"Ah, about that." Yoh grinned sheepishly. "I found some interesting candies right next to the checkout counter." I looked into one of the bags to see it filled with Twix and Kit-Kat bars, the common customer trap while checking out. Go figure? "Anyway, let's stop and rest for a few minutes. I mean, we just ran all around the store, right?"
"Correction, you just ran around the store like a kid on candy." I remarked, complying anyway and finding a nearby bench, setting down the numerous bags. I was glad that we had no bought anything like ice-cream, and the milk was replaced with an alternative that would not spoil with the heat. It seemed much more quiet out here than inside. The warm summer wind blew softly, as if bidding farewell to the unknown.
Master, a twenty-feet radius.
It was then that I noticed. Legs bent, arms crossed, and head leaning against the wall of the store we had just came from, was a familiar form in a white trench coat. As one of the few most-active females and that distinguishable cut of blonde hair, I recognized her with not the slightest problem. Meene Montgomery. Yoh seemed to notice my suddenly focused viewpoint, as I could briefly see from the corner of my eye, giving me a questioning glance. "Hao?" He asked, voice filled with uncertainty and caution. "What are you looking at?"
"You see that person dressed in a white coat and blue stash there?" I knew that reaching inside my pocket was useless, I had run out of the pills. I couldn't run anymore, so I did the next best thing: to be myself.
"Hai?" So innocent.
"Let's kill her." I grinned, in deviousness and in triumph, ignoring the bemused expression of Yoh's face that was fighting for whether or not to take me seriously. It was a perfect angle from here, she should not be able to see me. I would send Spirit of Fire behind her, then approach as she turns her back.
"Nani?!" He resorted to saying after hesitant yet panicked breaths of silence, surprised at the sudden change of mood and peering over my shoulder.
"That white coat, Yoh. She's one of the inner circle of the government." I wonder if Spirit of Fire could burn her with ease and conceal the ashes. Yes, he probably can. "Those are the peoples who have been harming us all, they deserve no other fate than death."
"Hao; what's gotten into you?" Don't deny it, Yoh. Though you may not feel the lust of seeing their unresponsive souls being torn into bits and pieces, you are not me either.
"Myself," I said simply. "How shall we lure her from campus grounds?"
"Wait Hao," he touched my arm as my train of thoughts suddenly stopped for a moment, before returning to the previous procedures in a considerably lethargic process. It was something about that touch that bought me to a halt. "I don't know what's suddenly wrong with you or what the situation is, but it's not right to kill someone." He knew I was serious.
I looked into his worrisome eyes and considered, sighing. It wasn't right to bring someone like him into this.. wait, what was I saying? This is my chance... "Alright.. I wasn't too sure what I was doing. I'm just tired?" A fake smile. He looked reluctant, but eventually nodded. "Let's go put these items into the cabinets and fridge now." I got up, leading him towards our dormitory. I've decided that he couldn't know. That worrisome look in his eyes told me everything; he was too pure to be involved with this madness that was my being. I can continue to pretend. Meene Montgomery.. consider yourself lucky. Had you been within my sight any other day, you would have been a delightful snack for the Spirit of Fire.
x x x x
"What took you guys so long?" Rin twitched in annoyance, uncrossing her arms and pointing to the watch that she was wearing. It was a rather attractive looking watch with a cobweb design, loom-like hands that pointed out a reading of three in the afternoon. "I know the store isn't that far away-" I held up the bag filled with a selection of fruit juices. She quieted instantly, grabbing the bag and taking out a pitcher, filling it with said juice and some ice that was apparently residing in the mini-fridge.
"Exploring the wonders of shopping," I said in a monotone voice, leaving Yoh to help her with the groceries. "T'was joyous." I walked to the television set, picking up the remote, then sitting nearby flipping the channels emptily. Nothing good on, as usual. Frowning, I set aside the remote, without turning the controlled device off (it was showing some documentary on the events of dead people two hundred years ago) and reaching in my knapsack. I quickly glanced at the two, whom were in that 'getting to know each other' phase, I suppose. I pulled out the black book and my designated pen, flipping an empty page with legs crossed, head leaning against the supposed bed.
August 19, a Tuesday.
Finally arrived at Shinra U. I'm in the same dorms as Yoh, and this new girl. She rambles something about me living 1000 years ago but I think she needs a therapist. She's pretty cool other than that, her name is Rin. Something about the redness of her eyes and scent of blood that I felt from her this morning was creepy. Hmm. I saw some green-haired kid this morning, after finding out I had run out of pills (not really a good thing. no, not a good thing at all). I remembered him hanging with that troubled little girl when they were younger, he's one of them. I can't trust him, but Yoh seems to look at him like there was no where else to look. Wonder what's gotten into him.. I don't know but it felts like something was suddenly heavy when I think back to it. Hnn, I saw Montgomery today at the grocery store for Shinra U. Damn bitch, I should have killed her on the spot. Now that I think about it, I don't know why I didn't do so when Yoh confronted me like that. It doesn't make sense. Yet, not many things do have sense, do they?
The sound of a waterfall.. a small smile played on my face as I closed the moderately sized book, slipping it inside said red knapsack and withdrawing my charged cellphone from the top of the television set. I flipped it open, giving the caller ID a final glance of confirmation added to what was reasonable of my senses. "Moshi moshi?"
"Hao! It's you it's you!"
I grinned slightly at the enthusiasm in her voice, leaning further against the bed. "Hai, Opacho. Ogenki desu ka?"
"Really good! Opacho can't wait for tomorrow. There is a fair! A fair! Lilirara is coming over and Niwi says the fair is going to have a lotta balloons!"
"That's great!" I had the sudden image of Opacho's small stature being engulfed in an ocean of multicolored balloons. "What is the fair for?"
"Niwi said something about a important person's birthday.."
"An important person," I corrected.
"Opacho makes sense anyway!" Well, that was unarguable. "Opacho wants to bring a camera, but Niwi won't let."
"Why is that?" I asked, wondering why there suddenly was a blender in the kitchen-area and in the process of making a large amount of smoothies.
"Niwi said something about Lilirara not liking the fwash thingy."
"Ahh, wakatta." Assuming the fwash thingy was 'flash thingy.' Anything to do with Lilirara.. well, I wasn't too fond of her in the first place. "So, why did you call?"
"Opacho wants to say hi to Hao. The phone didn't ring this week-end, 'cept a call for Niwi's ele.. eletr.. eletwik bills. Eletikki bills? Letrik bills..Niwi said they're really annoying."
"Electric bills, they are quite so," I twirled my free fingers around the strings of the knapsack, forming and undoing knots. I was glad Opacho called, she was just relaxing to be with even if only restrained to hearing methods. "By the way, thanks for call-"
"Hao! It's alive! Save us!"
Twitch.
"Thanksforcalling, I'lltalkwithyoulaterbye." I waited a brief second for the younger girl's giggle and quick dismissal before flipping the red phone to its smaller state, slipping it in my pocket as I looked into the empty kitchen area. Frowning, I went to the small corridor near the bathroom that I was talking with Rin some hours ago; I did see them actually.
And facepalmed, wondering why I put up with such idiocy.
Rin had a confused look on her face, looking around the corridor as if nothing was wrong and wondering why Yoh was suddenly screaming. Yoh was hysterical, pointing at something that perhaps only we could see. I looked at the light switch that was radiating a small unbelonging presence. Well, it was something that only we could see. It wasn't abnormal for us to see those things, being aware of their presences for so long.
"Calm down Yoh, it's just a spirit." I sighed, reaching towards the kitchen counter (the lack of spaciousness in this dorm was just one aspects of how cheap said funders were) and grabbed her spectacles, giving them to the respected owner (although I wonder why and how they left said person's face). Putting on the lenses, she peered over Yoh's shoulder to see what was the center of the commodity, and giggled. "Yoh, it's just a small fiikhi spirit."
"A what?" He asked, calming down almost instantaneously at the sight that none of us were screaming for our lives as if running from a slaughter house or something likewise.
"You know, a fiikhi spirit." Who had taught him about shamanism, anyway? "Shapeshifter spirits with the lowest amount of furyoku that enjoy taking the relative formation of whatever item they are on, creating an illusion to make the said object move in a way that it does not usually?"
"Ano..wakatta." Yoh laughed sheepishly, bending down so he was eye-level with the light switch. "Wakatta... konnichiwa, what are you doing here?"
"Fiii?" The spirit seemed to emit in an unknowing manner, but that was all.
"There's a sophomore here called Sivan who usually carries around five or six fiikhi spirits. I think this one may be one of his, as he is one of the few who uses the fiikhi formation as a guardian spirit anymore." Rin held out her hand, and the small, round spirit jumped into her palm in a movement of altering transparency. "My buddy still uses the same dorm as last year."
"You're so knowledgeable." Yoh commented as she seemed to smile, seemed to, making her way towards the door to slip on her shoes.
"Ah, I've been around." There was something about that. 'I've been around'... something telling me that she has "been around" for more than she was letting on. "Dewa mata."
"Dewa mata," I called back. With a quick wave and a soft click, she disappeared into who-knows-where again. I did not believe that delivering the fiikhi spirit was the only thing she went out to do.
"I'm hungry," he said suddenly. I resisted the urge to twitch or anything likewise, surprised at the possibility of changing the feeling of calmness, to hysteria, to hunger in less than a full minute. "Ima nan-ji desu ka?"
"Well, let's get started on dinner then," I pointed to the small clock hanging by the bed. "It's a little past four." I walked a few steps accross what little room it was to the kitchen-portion, opening the minifridge. "What do you want for dinner?"
"It's so early," Yoh grumbled, but grudgingly walked over to the opened fridge, peering inside. "Ano.. panpukin pai?" He took out the already-prepared package, setting it on the table. "Can't really cook, just bake."
Dismissing the fact that there was nothing to baking than popping something in the oven, I decided that I was probably the one to do all the cooking and to make something delightful yet simple was the intention. "Yoh, oyakodon?"
"Hai!" He happily opened the cold box containing the pie, slipping it onto a tray and into the oven.
"That's it?" I muttered in slight amusement. He made his way to his futon, without bothering to change to comfier clothes. "Ano.. Yoh?" I took out the chicken, egg, and green onion from the fridge, closing it hastily to prevent the cold air from leaking out. I reached into the rapidly-filled cupboards for the rice and basil. immediately starting to take out a bowl to crack the egg upon.
"I'm sleepy." Yoh said simply, before pulling the covers over his head, asleep before he hit the pillow. Well, he did run about looking for the fruits and pocky section in the midst of all those snack foods with great difficulty. I let out a small chuckle, wondering how it was possible for him to change moods, or expressions, that fast. I focused on slicing the chicken as the prepared pot of rice was cooking. It was not as enjoyable as I had anticipated, standing still in one direction and watching the dimly sizzling chicken for an hour straight.
I didn't mind Yoh sleeping so much. In fact, it was favorable in the manner that I had some quiet time to myself.
Yes, to yourself.
Wait, I regret that. Talking with myself wasn't what was favorable-
Hey!
But rather, the time to think about what I was doing, in terms of planning for tomorrow and the paths that I would take. I tried not to think of the incident I nearly covered again my hands with blood of she whom deserve not to be forgiven, but what I could do to fill the completely adjusted schedule that I had planned. With the week-time-off gone, I could not fit all what I wanted to do in a mere three days. Technically, two days and three nights. Though now, after seeing what gazes Yoh had on that strange and unseen boy with emerald eyes whose name I could not recollect, I was ever more determined to make him see me in such a way. I had the strangest idea that said look of adoration would come upon knowing the other person better or somewhat. Alone time with him wasn't terribly hard to obtain seeing that Rin was always off to somewhere suspicious. In any case, the first step tomorrow consists of a series of board games after a breakfast of oranges... I would have to ask Rin to buy some when she gets back. If not, then charades. Next stop, the movies in the afternoon concluding a homemade lunch. Then, perhaps either going the closest arcade or art museum. I don't fancy arcades save a selected few of the games, and I doubt Yoh would stay awake in a walk around the art museum. Well, I must say that this campus is very convenient in having nearly every imaginable setting, like a small city. Then, we shall have an early dinner which I would somehow pay for, and watch the stars later. Yes, that sounds like an ideal..
date?
... way to spend time together.
You mean date.
Ah, urasai!
"Hey hey, I'm back." Rin popped in, closing the door softly at Yoh's sleeping form. She looked at him with a bemused expression, "didn't get any sleep last night?"
"Iie, he's just lazy." I chuckled, adjusting the heat of the pan containing the chicken. I was actually quite surprised that she came back this early, from what I've observed she had a habit of distancing us quite a bit. "Says he just needs more rest than others, but that's what they all say isn't it?"
"Hai, hai." She tip-toed away from the futon that was inconveniently placed by the door, "Seems like the fiikhi spirit did belong to did belong to Sivan. He was missing three of them, said something about an intimidating Chinese warlord ghost near his dorm that matched the behavior of its owner. A freshman too, at that, some strange dude with a purple ton-" she seemed to notice the smell emitting from the kitchen, peering in the area. "Great Spirits... Hao-sama.. is cooking.."
"Ano..?" Again with the Hao-sama? "Is there a problem? ...what's wrong with me cooking anyway?"
"Iie.. betsu ni, betsu ni." She shook her head. "Just something I remembered from that strange thing I mentioned about a past life."
"Ah.. okay I guess... Betsu ni? You're Japanese?" I asked.
Well, she did address you as Hao-sama. I'd think that anyone with an ounce of intelligence would figure that honorifics were Japanese.
"Well, I'm most used to speaking in Japanese with Hao-sama in said past life. It sounds strange, doesn't it? I've grown accustomed to this English that is official in this land, but for the record my native language is Old Turkish. The last name just throws off people. Anyway, what are you having for dinner?"
"Yoh wants panpukin pai for dessert, and I'm making some oyakodon." I said, ignoring that last mental comment and turning down the heat on the chicken, adding the sliced green onions.
"Sounds great," She said, pushing her hair back, still recovering from the fact of me cooking. I didn't really get it anyway. "Rin, a favor?"
"Hai, Hao-sama." She replied automatically as I raised an eyebrow. She shook her head, dismissing the thought. "Anno, I mean hai... Hao... gomen, gomen, it's still weird saying that."
"Right..." I added a bit of water to the pan, stirring. "Do you think you'll be able to go out and buy some board games or something? Just something to keep occupied with until classes begin. A.. group activity?"
"Sure, I'm going out tonight at eight-thirty or so anyway. Ah, just going out with some old friends, we just hang, y'know? Some of them are just dying to meet your reincarnation." My what? "Gomen.. that came out strange. Just hanging with friends. Don't count on me to be there all of this group activity either, I have some business to take care of the most of the rest of tomorrow." Perfect. I could spend time alone with Yoh without any interruptions.
In other words-
No it's not a date! Just .. a... getting to know the other person better. Really. Seriously. Absolutely. ... positively?
doubtfully.
...
"Hey, why did you say 'you'?" I noticed, straying my mind from the inner mind and that trail of thought. Right.. and the confusion compiles..
"Wha?"
"You said 'what are you having for dinner.'" I recalled, stirring the egg, and pouring it quickly into a separate pan. "You're not eating?"
"Ah, you see.." she seemed to be at a loss for words. I continued to let the chicken simmer, watching the egg while opening the stove to give the pie a taste test. "I have a.. condition that does not permit me to eat.. rather I drink liquids with minerals and vitamins in them."
"Some disease?" That was certainly unusual... hey, this pie tastes pretty good. "Unfortunate living, it seems like."
"Eh, no, just a condition. I'm used to it." I swear I could have heard her mutter something along the lines of "and cursed for a thousand years so far," but perhaps I was just hearing things. Hallucinating and hearing this.. I tend to do that a lot.
Dismissing any strange string of thoughts that would follow those two rather uncomfortable subjects, I closed the stove and set aside the rice, pouring the chicken followed by the egg on top into two bowls. It was quite fortunate that basic utensils were provided, as during the little shopping expedition with Yoh, we had bought nothing but consumables of the edible type. "What are you having for dinner then?"
"Two glasses of that strawberry-kiwi-banana punch, and one glass of water." It wasn't normal, but what was these days? Complying, I poured said liquids and set them on the table alongside two bowls of oyakodon with chopsticks.
"Yoh, wake up," I walked towards him as Rin took a seat, thirstily drinking the fruit punch as I'd imagine anyone would be if that was all they had as a meal. "Yoh.. time for dinner." I glanced at the clock to see it was already seven, suddenly reminded of one of the commonly used quotes from Opacho's reading book, something about time flying. Personally I think it's a little stupid; time can just teleport like every other shaman.
"Nnn.. don't wanna." Yoh yawned, about to put the covers over his head when I reminded myself of the three basic tactics in waking Yoh.
"Anna won't be pleased." Of course, I had no idea who Anna was, not much; I had not met her to my recollection or identified random people I met as Anna, and know not of whatnots that said girl would or would not be pleased about. In any case, it worked.
"I'M UP! I'M UP!" He shot up, eyes wide and arms flailing, before realizing that he could not move much as he was still inside the futon. "Hao.. that was mean of you."
"I know," I said smugly, "dinner's ready." Watching him get up, I took a seat opposite of Rin. She had finished the two glasses of fruit punch, and the water was there, untouched. She withdrew from her pocket what seemed to be a small box; what that box was for I did not know, but it was strange as after she took out a pill-like item from the box (and depositing said box) and dropped it into the water, the water turned a rosy shade of red. No.. a bloody shade of red. "What's.." I began, questioning her.
"Vitamin pill. Color's a side-effect." She said almost too quickly, and I doubted it. Her eyes went unfocused as those words came out of her mouth, confident yet shaky if one listened close enough. I noticed that she was drinking slower now, sipping the presumably color-dyed water.
"Oyakodon!" Yoh took a seat, grinning. "It looks good! Itadakimasu!" He took the chopsticks and began to eat without much interruption. I observed his behavior with a slightly amused expression, before proceeding to my own dinner. Dinner was quiet for the most part, noiseless overlooking the sounds of sipping and chopsticks clashing. I finished eating first (for Yoh was on his second bowl and Rin halfway through the glass), and bought from the stove the pumpkin pie. It wasn't an extremely small pie, yet it wasn't a standard pie-sized one either; rather, enough to last roughly three meals if eaten by one person as dessert. I figured that there would be some pie left for tomorrow's breakfast, yet then knowing Yoh..
I had a small slice of pie; it was good but nothing store-bought could equal the homemade pastries that Niwi and Opacho always baked on weekends. Well, perhaps except Entenmanns.
"Ding. Ding."
"Wonder who that is," I heard Yoh mutter, helping himself to the third slice of cake (that Rin was conveniently cutting). "I'm not expecting anyone, and at this hour.."
Being the closest to the door, I opened it to an unfamiliar face. She was tall, perhaps one or two inches above my height and from the looks of it, definitely not a freshman. The color of her eyes seemed to match the long, untied hair that was whether or not dyed blue, I could not tell. A cigarette hung from her mouth, the slow yet strong smoke diluting the coal-black coloration of her tube top and dragon-like tattoo on her right arm.
"Girl, you here?" Was the simple statement... rather, call for whatever presence was behind me. I didn't know why I did not immediately answer, but rather was focused on something about her. The cigarette. It emitted a strange essence.. an almost spiritual essence, but one of balance... A... shaman? "Keine? I'll come back later.. Gruess Rin von mir."
"Kanna, I'm right here." I heard Rin from behind me, showing up and putting on her shoes. "Tell Edith and Wes that they are much too impatient." With a nod to me, she closed the door. I blinked, confused and not knowing what that was about. That strange person.. Kanna.. there was something about her that was definitely linked with a shamanic power. I was almost sure of the relatively strong amount of furyoku I noticed when Rin left with her.
"Who was that?" Yoh asked, as I dumped the dishes into the sink, not really wanting to be bothered to wash them.
"One of Rin's friends, name's Kanna." I said, cutting another slice of pie for Yoh and a smaller slice for myself. "There's something strange about her though, and it's not randomly bursting out to me in German."
"Well, there are a lot of strange people. That's what makes them unique." He said. I nodded, yes, perhaps that was true. "I'm tired, so I'm going to sleep early today." Don't you go to sleep early everyday, and are tired all the time? "Do you mind doing the dishes?" Iie. I shook my head. "Alright then, I'll go take a shower," he stood up, leaving. I was disappointed by what little words he conversed with me (although I did not verbally respond back), but I was quite certain that disappointment would fade once we went out tomorrow. I heard the movie playing was a recommended one and enjoyed by many. Tomorrow and the day after... those are the only two days I have before school starts to make Yoh look at me like he did with that emerald-eyed boy. For if I didn't, I was not sure what reaction of adoration Yoh would have next if he were ever to see... Lys.. Lys... Lyserg again.