Chapter 14: Deja Vu
I honestly didn't expect much when I first heard about him. But at a glance and in his tricks so far, I can feel this really prevalent spiritual aura.
Kotodama. I never would have thought I'd see it with my own eyes, let alone as a half-breed! It's spectacular! Out of everything I've read about, that's the one breed of youkai that caught my attention the most of any!
...And yet, sense I'm a hybrid myself and with what I've seen thus far, just thinking such a thing feels really weird. Like, 'embarrassed and ashamed of myself' weird...
But regardless, I'm finally seeing it! The same type of existence that spawned from a belief in words alone! I'm beyond impressed! I should be used to these things, but I've never once seen anything like this~!
On the other hand, Shino doesn't seem all that impressed. I can't help but wonder if she knows what she's seeing or if she thinks there's a gimmick behind Kessler's performance. I'd imagine the latter might not be too far off, what with the crooked frown and the quirked brow on her face.
7:55 PM
With the show having ended, the two of us leave the theater.
"I've never had an interest in these types of performances," I exclaim excitedly, "but this really made my night!"
"Sure you're not a little too over-enthusiastic," Shino asks; her voice sounding with disagreement.
"Well, I guess he was a bit of a show-off..."
It might just be a typical magic show thing, but the whole performance seemed to equate to flashy tricks. But the fact that I still have the white violet Kessler gave me proves that he really was utilizing Kotodama; not to sound like a broken record or anything...
Every part of me wants to argue to Shino that there were no gimmicks, but that would just be pointless. Real or not, it's not like everyone in the world can detect the supernatural by sight alone.
"So, ever been on a motorcycle," she asks.
"Not really, but no thanks. I'd rather not impose when I can get back on my own."
Shino straddles her bike; picking up her helmet from the seat. "Suit yourself. Some real creepos tend to skulk at this hour, so you'd be better off-..."
As soon as she says that, a scream resounds through the air. It sounded like it was coming from somewhere behind the theater.
"Case in point," Shino sighs.
Not wasting a second, I bolt off down the alley by the theater.
"Sorry! Thanks for today, it was fun," I yell back to her.
I know I left her high and dry, but this takes precedence. I can only imagine how this looks to her.
I wait until I'm out of sight to unseal my power. A scream like that could have been because of anything; from Husks to worse. It never hurts to be prepared.
Once I get around to the back, I feel like a grade-A idiot. Not Husks, not even worse. Just a group of tough-guys surrounding Kessler; who's backed against the door backstage.
With how loud he screamed earlier, I was honestly expecting the two formers...
One of them grabs him by the collar and lifts him up off the ground. "You seriously think someone's gonna run to your rescue?"
Kessler chuckles nervously. "Probably not, but you can't blame a guy for trying..."
I would say he doesn't really need rescuing, but I guess he doesn't want anyone knowing it's for real.
I approach the group surrounding him; guys and girls mixed in among them.
And I sigh while scratching my cheek, "Just make this easy and leave. I'd rather not waste my time dealing with you idiots."
They all look to me, and it goes without saying I hit a few nerves. I guess it's true. No matter where you go, there are always people like this.
"You lost or somethin' little girl," one of the tough-girls says.
"Looks like we got a hero on our hands," a guy says mockingly.
Another guy lets out a chuckle. "And a real cutie at that. We could have some real fun with her."
Another of the girls groans in disgust at the other guy. Well, it looks like I can agree with one of them at least.
Sick of hearing them prattle on, I move quicker than they can keep up and knee the guy holding Kessler in his stomach. Since I'm currently unsealed, I had to hold back a little bit. But only a little bit.
He drops Kessler and lurches over, holding his stomach as he passes out. Meanwhile his friends stand in clear shock at what they just witnessed.
I glance over at Kessler. "Are you okay?"
He nods, but looks completely dumbfounded. Though, it's not hard to figure out why. So much for a low-profile...
Well, not that it matters either way.
"Easy now. I'd really rather not hurt such a-."
I turn a glare on him, ready for if he tries anything. And he reacts in an unexpected way.
His eyes go wide with fear, and he starts trembling. He was looking my way, but not directly at me. There are only two of us here, and I didn't use my power, so who or what could he be looking at?
Finally, he runs away screaming; as if he'd seen a monster. The girls that were with them follow shortly after out of embarrassment of the guys; leaving the one I knocked the wind out of.
...I don't really understand. I wasn't even planning to use my power on them, nor did I even. Why did he suddenly panic like that? I don't sense anything that would elicit that kind of reaction.
I hear footsteps coming from the way I came. "So this is where you ran to."
I look to see Shino running towards us.
...I wrap my arms around myself like my top had been torn off, in an attempt to hide my more conspicuous markings.
How am I supposed to explain this to her? There's literally nothing I can say about suddenly having these markings all over my body.
That's when I hear a gun-shot. It takes me seven seconds to register it, but afterward, a stabbing pain shoots throughout my right side. I don't even know who or where it came from.
But once I regain my focus, I see Shino holding what looks like a gun with some sort of blade mounted below the nozzle.
And she's aiming at me...
She swings the gun, and the blade seems to extend by a chain; as if it were a whip. I manage to jump back and avoid the cut, but then she does the same with her other hand; holding the same kind of gun/blade combination before shooting again.
I manage to avoid the blades, side-stepping and ducking back to avoid what could have been fatal. But while I evade the I bullets with my own two legs, I'm forced to use a Fire Wave to burn her barrage to ash.
Shino smirks as the blades on her gun retract back to their place under the nozzles. "It was worth getting close to you. All I had to go on was a picture, but now it's a sure thing."
She keeps her guns trained on me. I haven't heard a peep out of Kessler, and I can't afford to look back to check on him.
A smirk rest on her lips and her sights locked on me. "So, Tsuchimiya; dead, alive, or somewhere in between? Take your pick."
I'm at a total loss. But if anything, it's déjà vu all over again.