Opening Song: "Run Away" by Alexandros
Episode 1: Anxiety
"Damn...another one, huh? That's the third one this week..."
"Just wish we had a lead on the fucker that keeps doing this..."
A local shop was being closed down after the brutal murder of its owner. However, this murder was not like an ordinary killing.
"It's as if the owner was ripped to shreds by a wild beast..."
"Ah, don't talk nonsense! It was a murder, plain and simple. Now do your damn job already, rookie!"
"Y-yes sir..."
1 hour later
"Saya-chan! Wait up!"
"H-huh?"
A young girl, around age 16, turned to see another running up to her. The girl, named Saya Himawari, was around 5'4", her long, brown hair ran down past her shoulder blades. A pair of sky blue eyes stared out through frameless glasses. The girl running up to her was her best friend, Ayame Kuramoto, who was followed by another friend, Kanna Ogura.
"You know better than to go to school without your friends! It's considered bad luck!"
Kanna smacked Ayame on the head.
"Ow! What was that for!?"
"Don't go filling poor Saya's head with false superstitions...honestly..."
"Hmph! Kanna-chan, you're mean!" She playfully stuck out her tongue at the taller, black haired girl.
"My my...you two are lively today! But there's no need to worry, Aya-chan. I had a big breakfast before I left, so surely only good things can happen to me, right?"
Kanna sighed. "Seriously? You two actually believe all that nonsense?" She started walking ahead. "Come on. If we don't hurry, we'll be late."
"I'll race ya, Saya-chan!" And with that, the fluffy haired girl took off.
"Ah! Ayame-san! Wait up!" Saya ran after her, leaving Kanna by herself.
"Those two seriously act like kids..."
With a sigh, she continued down the street.
Later that day...
"Ah, there you are, Saya-san."
A young boy called out behind a waiting Saya. Upon turning around, she was met by her fellow classmate, Katsuhiko Ushioda.
"A-ah! K-Katsuhiko-san..." A light blush dusted her otherwise plain cheeks. She'd had a crush on him since she started going to Ketsueki High. His short, brown hair perfectly complimented his emerald eyes and gentle smile, of which she fell for every time.
"Is there something you need?" She asked.
"Just wanted to tell you to be careful heading home. You've heard about the murders on the news, yes?"
"Yeah..."
"Saya-chaaaaan!"
Katsuhiko turned and smiled. "Ah, your friends are coming. See you tomorrow." And with that, he left as Ayame and Kanna caught up to her.
"What did Katsu-kun want, huh?" Ayame asked, curious.
"O-oh, he was just telling me to be safe heading home." She smiled, adjusting her glasses with a smile.
Kanna sighed. "Wish we could go somewhere to hang out for a while, but we were told to go straight home after school today."
An annoyed Ayame sighed loudly. "I wanna go to Mangetsu Cafe..."
"Sorry, Ayame-san...maybe later this week? My treat." said Saya.
"DEAL!"
Kanna giggled at how easy it was to turn Ayame's mood around. "Come on. We can at least walk home together."
Saya and Ayame nodded and the trio left.
After walking a ways down the path, Ayame stretched, a light breeze blowing through. "Mmm...ahhhh! It's such a nice day! Ah, Saya-chan! That reminds me!" She reached into her bag and pulled out three small boxes. "They're full of chocolates I bought at the store the other day! The cashier told me if I eat them with the people I care about the most, then we'll never be separated!"
Kanna sighed. "Another superstition...but, it's one I can get behind."
She handed both Saya and Kanna a box, and all three started eating.
Saya sighed happily, placing her hand on her cheek. "Mmm! These are delicious! Thank you, Ayame-san."
"Hehe! Anything for you two! Ah, there's my street." She quickly finished her box and waved as she walked down the street.
"That Ayame...if she put as much time into her schoolwork as she does looking up superstitions and such..."
Saya giggled as the pair continued walking. "I'm glad I have you guys as friends..."
It would be a while before Kanna spoke again.
"Hey...Saya..."
"Yeah?"
"The recent murders...what's your take on them?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Saya asked, tilting her head.
"Well...some people are coming up with theories on who...or what...is causing them. Some are saying the people being targeted were killed by mafia...others say it was drug addicts..."
"O-oh...I never really thought about it..." She looked up at the sky. "What about you? Do you have a theory?"
"Well...it's more a rumor..."
"Oh?" Saya looked at her.
"I've heard that it was demons."
Saya stopped. "D-demons? I thought you didn't believe in that kind of stuff?"
"I don't believe in things that can't be proven." Kanna stopped and turned to look at Saya as another light breeze kicked up.
"B-but...wasn't one of the murders at a shrine?" Saya asked.
"Yeah, it was, which is the only thing that makes the rumor a bit hard to believe...but, it's just a rumor after all." She shrugged and turned. "Come on. It's getting late."
"Ah, right."
Just as she was about to continue...a strange butterfly gently fluttered past her face. It was white, with what looked like a blood splatter design on one wing. As she watched it, she could hear footsteps approaching from behind. As she whipped around to look, the butterfly vanished.
Kanna turned to see Saya standing there. "Saya-san?"
Wth a gasp, she snapped back to reality. They were alone. And the butterfly was gone. She turned and caught up with Kanna.
"You alright? You were spacing out." She asked, concerned.
"I-I'm fine. I just...well...there was a strange looking butterfly...and then...I...I thought I heard footsteps..."
Kanna gently hit her head. "You're probably just tired or something."
"Y-yeah...I guess so..."
With another smile, Saya walked off with Kanna.
[Intermission]
Saya, having finished her homework and chores, plopped onto her bed with a sigh. She pulled out her phone and decided to check the news to see if there were any updates.
Nothing.
"Hmm..." She dropped her arm back onto the bed.
She thought back to earlier, when she and Kanna were walking home.
"I've heard that it was demons."
"Kanna-san sounded so confident with her response..."
And then she remembered the butterfly...
"And what was with that butterfly?"
"Saya! Could you go to the store and get a few things?" her mother called out.
"Ah, sure thing!" With a smile, she got up and went downstairs. Putting on her shoes and a jacket, she left.
"I'll be back!"
And with that, she ran down the street to the nearest store.
Unaware that she was being followed...
Saya arrived at the store and started walking up and down the aisles, collecting the things her mother had asked for. Once she had everything, she paid at the cashier and left.
What was following her earlier was getting closer.
And so was someone else.
"Hmm hmm hmmm..." Saya started humming, leaving the safety of the brightly lit area.
As she walked further down the path...there was a loud growl behind her.
Saya paused, having heard the growl. She grew nervous immediately. Worried about what was behind her, she slowly turned around.
As she did, her eyes widened and her mouth opened as she came face to face with a beast of some sort. It stood around 10 feet tall, with 4 large, almost muscular legs, a tail with a dangerous looking bladed tip that whipped around violently behind it. It's eyes were glowing red, and its mouth was dripping with...blood...
With a gasp, she shakily took a step back, accidentally dropping the groceries. The beast lowered its head, still growling, its eyes fixated on her.
And then, with a sickening roar, it pointed its tail at Saya, and swiftly attempted to strike her with it. Abandoning the groceries, she took off running, screaming as the tail dug into the ground. The beast pulled back and gave chase, swiftly catching up to her. It jumped out at her and, with one "paw", pinned her to the ground.
Saya, pinned underneath the beast, desperately struggled to get free, screaming and crying for help. In a last ditch effort, she grabbed a handful of dirt and flung it into its face. With another roar, it shook its head and lifted up enough for her to squirm out. However, her body was banged up from the tackle, so she couldn't get very far.
Once the beast regained its composure, it once more attempted to impale her with its tail. Saya fell to the ground and turned to see it approaching.
Just before it could strike her however...
"Hyyyyyaaaaahhhhh!"
A young girl with a sword swiftly came and cut the tail off, blood spraying out from the new wound and coating both the girl and Saya in blood.
The beast roared in pain and swiped at the girl, knocking her aside and hitting a stone wall, knocking her unconscious with a sickening thud, the sword dropping next to Saya.
The beast focused its attention towards her again. Saya, terrified, grabbed the sword...
And felt...something...
It was as if time had stopped.
And then...there was a voice.
"Ah, you've awakened at last."
"H-huh? Wh-what's going on? Ah! G-gyaaahhhhh!"
Saya suddenly felt a sharp pain in her head. Like something was trying to tear her in half. With a loud yell, she clutched her head...
And, at least for Saya, everything went black.
Saya panted, clutching the katana tightly in her right hand. The beast, not wasting anymore time, lunged at her.
Saya took a deep breath...and opened her eyes.
Her once sky blue eyes were now a glowing blood red, with slit irises. As the beast closed in, Saya gripped the sword in two hands, and in a swift, beautiful movement, sliced its leg clean off, the beast roaring in pain as it collapsed to the ground, struggling to get back to its feet. Before it could react, Saya stabbed the blade into its side, blood spraying out over Saya and pouring out onto the ground. With one last push, she dug the blade deeper, down to the hilt, causing even more blood to spray out. The beast yelled out in pain one last time as it went lifeless.
The girl from earlier awoke, shocked to not only see Saya alive, but the beast slain.
Saya pulled out the katana and stepped back, swinging the blade at the ground with all her might, cleaning the blade as the blood that was on it splattered onto the ground.
"S-Saya? I-is that...you?"
Upon hearing her name, Saya gasped, her eyes reverting back to their normal blue. For her, her consciousness returned, as she stared at the now slain beast.
She turned to look at the girl.
And her eyes widened once more.
"K-Kanna?"
{TO BE CONTINUED}
Ending Theme: "New World" by Hello Sleepwalkers
PREVIEW
As Kanna explains what's really going on, Saya's once peaceful life begins to melt away. But when another monstrosity attacks, Saya must make a difficult choice: watch Kanna die, or fight it off alone.
Next time, on Blood-X
Episode 2: Backwards