Akari only registered what happened when she heard a loud slam of the door, as Manami bolted out of the room without so much as a glance back….She could feel her whole body be racked with guilt as her still outstretched hand began to shake fully knowing it had failed to reach out…and in response to that knowledge it balled itself up before hitting it's host's head in frustration…If she had just been faster…If she had just stopped talking ...If she could have just known ...No! She should have known that Manami was keeping things to herself…because that's what Manami always does…
She did it back in the witching academy when she never told her about the flower girl's constant bullying, she did it when they went out to the fair and didn't say how the normal's glare were making her uncomfortable, she did it when Aguri died and she had to take care of a distressed Akari, and she's been doing it now too…It only made sense that she wouldn't be able to keep to herself for that much longer…What kind of best friend was she? Akari though already knowing the answer to that question.
She was a bad friend…For being so blinded by her need for revenge that she was not only oblivious to her friend's inner emotional turmoil…but she flat out ignored it.
"I'm going after her!" Nagisa exclaimed already making his way to the door.
But Akari grabbed him by the shoulder forcing him to stop.
"Don't…" Akari commanded.
"W-what do you mean? She's upset I need to find her before something happens to her!" Nagisa exclaimed trying to shrug off the witch's iron grip.
"I know Manami…She needs some time before we go after her…" Akari said.
Nagisa was about to retort with a 'what kind of friend are you' but then he noticed Akari's state. She was tired, she was frail and she was sad. Her shoulders were slouched down in defeat her eyes downcast in guilt her lips turned down into a sad frown…Waves of grief overflowed from her body large, thick and heavy threatening to drown her small frame ...Nagisa glanced at the door once more…before making his decision….
"20 minutes then I'm going after her." Nagisa stated and Akari simply nodded in agreement before dragging her body to the couch so she could rest.
Karma plopped himself down on the couch as well with a grin.
"If you guys keep feeding me these negative emotions I'll end up getting fat." He teased…
She wanted to be mad at, she wanted to retort something back but nothing came to mind…She was tired…So she simply hummed in acknowledgment.
Karma's smile faltered slightly at not getting a reaction…He could taste the sadness that radiated off of her. It was bitter and salty almost like sautéed salted artichokes.
If Nagisa didn't know any better he would have dismissed this as another one of Karma's antics but he recognized what his friend was trying to do. He was trying to get her mad so she would stop thinking about what happened, so she would stop being sad. In Karma's own way he was trying to help….
He let out a sigh…If he had known things would have ended up this way he never would have left his domain…
He only hoped Mistress Manami was okay…
The world was blurring and morphing together into one vast glob. Manami did her best to weave her way through the more crowded areas but her emotions and thoughts were swirling around in a torrid of nondescript feelings that raged in her head like a hurricane so despite her best efforts she ended up getting pushed and pulled by the wave of masses almost getting toppled over in the process. Her heart pounded loudly in her ears as she kept running forward with no clear destination in mind. She just wanted to getaway. All that mattered was distance. She wanted to distance herself from everything and everyone.
Her erratic breaths came out in short gasps. Her legs grew tired but she willed herself to keep going. The pounding of her feet on the pavement and the sound of her thumping heart grew louder as she distanced herself from the noisy crowds…
Suddenly she stopped, her legs couldn't keep going they were turning into jelly and would not be able to take another step forward. She leaned on the wall of a building complex for support as she hunched over in exhaustion. Her hand rested on her knee as she tried to regain her breath. It was already dawn so anyone who was still outside where mere stragglers as the crowds largely dissipated. However, she was still out in public and she didn't want to be seen like this by anyone….She didn't want people to pity her or think of her as weak so she tried to keep from crying only allowing a few hiccups to escape her lips refusing to let any tears come out letting them pool in the outer corners of her eyes.
A cold raindrop hit the top of her head alerting her to the dark grey clouds above…She blinked not having noticed that a rainstorm was coming…
Just how I didn't notice we were being followed… she thought bitterly as light raindrops began to fall from the sky before a downpour of rain followed suit.
I guess I should start heading back now ...She mused sadly not wanting to go back to the hotel room…
"!" Okuda blinked in surprise when she no longer felt the heavy touch of the pouring rain… She craned her head up to see what was blocking the rain above her…
"K-Karma?" She stuttered not having expected her familiar to come chase after her much less shield her from the rain with an umbrella.
He smiled a soft charming smile, a smile so unlike the ones she's seen before.
"Sorry, my name's not Karma. Try again." The mysterious stranger said still retaining that pleasant smile.
On closer inspection, Okuda could now see the difference between the two. While Karma's eyes were a brilliant gold this stranger's eyes were a shimmering amethyst and his hair was significantly lighter than Karma's bordering on orange…like a strawberry blonde…
"O-Oh sorry…you looked just like my famili- Family Friend…is what I meant to say…" Okuda said slightly flustered with her mistake…
She almost said familiar…She didn't want this stranger knowing she was a witch. Not until she knew what side of the spectrum this person fell under in regards to his stance on witches and whether they were good or the spawn of Satan.
"Do I? That's interesting…"
"Uhh yeah…um s-so uh w-who are you then…?" Okuda questioned slightly uncomfortable from their close proximity.
"My name's Asano Gakushu…and you are?"
"Oh! I'm Okuda Manami…" She replied back feeling a little more secure now that she knew the stranger's name.
"Did you forget your umbrella, the forecast did specify rain."
"H-huh…Oh I…uh I was kinda in a rush…so…yeah…."
"You're soaking wet why don't you come with me to get you some dry clothes…" Asano offered.
"…Thank you for the offer but…I have to get going now…" Okuda replied knowing that it was only a matter of time before Akari came looking for her.
"Then before you go why don't you take this." Asano suggested handing the umbrella's handle over to Okuda.
"N-no I-I couldn't! You'll get wet…" She replied already pushing it back into its rightful owner's hands.
"Tell you what I'll buy you an umbrella and in exchange, you can tell me about this Koro fellow I've been hearing about…" He said with a charming smile that didn't fit with the sublet waves of bloodlust that radiated from him.
"H-huh….H-how do y-you know Koro?" She stuttered out slowly moving away from Asano.
"Hm…from that response I believe it's safe to assume you do know Koro." He mused as he watched the braided girl take a few steps back her guard raised.
"I..! W-well I…."
Before Okuda could come up with an excuse the sky was filled with a blindly light momentarily blinding Okuda as a loud crash resonated in the air…It was a lightning storm. The sound was so instant and spontaneous that it caused Okuda to jump up in fright unwilling making her move closer to Gakushu.
"It will only get worse, you know. My place isn't far from here." He commented with a smug smile as he knew he was giving the girl little to no option here.
He just needed some questions answered is all and he was not planning on wasting any time, if it came down to it he wouldn't hesitant kidnapping the witch in front of him to get some information out of her. His father's been growing rather irked and from what he's gathered it was all due to some demon named Koro…If this Koro is so important to his father that it causes the normally level-headed man to become irritated when no one is able to locate him ...then he may prove to be useful when the time came to overthrow his father.
His father most certainly knew of this growing mutiny but seeing as none of his subordinates were obtaining any results he gave Gakushuu orders to perform his own investigation knowing that his son should be more than capable of handling such a simple task…and Gakushuu would have to agree. He knew he was more than capable of finding Koro and convincing him to join his cause.
Those grunts certainly had the right idea by expanding their search to others who were close to the familiar's deceased witch, Aguri, but they just weren't ambitious enough in his opinion. After all, if you only skim the top then you'll only get the fat. He took more time and consideration when researching people who were close to Agui and Koro.
He found Akari rather easily, her previous celebrity child status aided in his research. He then took the liberty of researching Akari's close friends. One was a blonde girl named Rio and another was a timid witch named Manami…Information regarding Rio was average he found her date of birth, her origin, her magic affinity, but all that information had nothing to do with Koro or Aguri ...However, with Okuda….
He found some rather interesting things. He knew of her awakening incident and he knew that out of the two Okuda was the closest to Akari seeing as they were elementary friends. She also seemed to have been close to Aguri before Shiro even entered the picture. So he decided that Akari and Okuda would be his main two people of interest. He studied them from afar. He researched all he could about them, carefully analyzing their behaviors to the point where he could practically predict what they were going to do. That's how thorough he was with his research after all knowledge is power.
"I…a-are you part of the FRD too?" She shyly asked unsure if she could trust him.
"No…My father is…a friend of Koro's and ever since the death of Aguri he's been worried sick about what may have happened to his demon friend, but it's like he simply vanished." Asano eloquently lied weaving a fake story on the spot as he allowed his facial expression to change into one of grief and worry.
"H-he has? Koro never mentioned…will then again he never mentioned them either…" Manami mumbled to herself.
The pronoun of them caught Gakushuu's attention and he made a note to inquire about that later.
"So your father is...Koro's friend? D-does…Does he also think Koro killed Aguri?"
"He unwillingly admits that that seems to be the case and although I have never met the demon myself the stories my father would tell me about him do not coincide with what allegedly happened. I cannot believe the man that my father regarded so highly would be a murderer…I want to prove his innocence, not only for his sake but for my father's sake as well as he has grown so cold and sad as of late…" Asano elaborated sadly his eyes downcast.
Okuda blinked in surprise…She did not think Asano would consider Koro innocent as well…but it made her strangely happy…It felt as though she was receiving validation. So without even thinking she clasped his free hand in hers before loudly proclaiming.
"I also think he didn't do it! I want to assist you in your quest. I'll help you in any way I can to prove his innocence!" She proclaimed with a determined fire in her eyes.
"Then do we have a deal. Will you help locate Koro?" He asked with fake excitement and fake astonishment
"I will!" She answered easily.
Asano smiled softly enclosing his hand over hers entangling their fingers together before giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"Thank you so much…I deeply appreciate your help I was reaching a dead end as of late and you were my last lead…Please, let's continue this talk at my place."
"Ok." Okuda replied with an innocent nod.
With hands still clasped the two made their way back to the stranger's room just as the storm got worse.