Disclaimer: I don't own anything recognizable in this story. They are owned by Kore Yamazaki. I just play with her characters.
Author's Notes: I'm sorry it took me a while to update again. I took a rest from writing for a bit, as my brain felt like mush from my three-chapter writing spurt in October. Nonetheless, this chapter is a little shorter than usual as this just sets up the stage for the next one. It has a small amount of fluff, nonetheless. Anyway, please enjoy. :)
Chapter 15: I Hurt When They Hurt You
Chise sat on her usual spot in the Research Labs whenever she was called in for her routine checkups. It was on a chair beside Tory Innis's paper-strewn desk, and as always, she waited and was still as a rock as the Magecraft researcher examined the graph of her magical energy output reflected on his computer by the white, boxy device that was connected to her magical bindings. Ever since she became ill from the experiment where they made her drink an elixir, for the past months, the Research Labs had been cautious with their experiments on her. Most of the time, she was asked to perform different activities that involved magic without her bindings, and her magical energy output and physical condition afterwards were monitored. They were not strenuous at all and needed little effort on her part, but she kept scoring high on the Santorio scale that measured her magical energy output every time. There were even times when she felt strangely wanting more rest and sleep the day afterwards. She had told them about this and was surprised when she was told that it was something expected.
Tory made a hum of approval after finishing transcribing the data from the graph shown on his computer to his booklet of statistics he now kept especially for Chise. The Sleigh Beggy turned her gaze towards him and decided to ask, "Is everything still alright?"
"Hm? Yes, of course. Things have never been better for you these past few weeks, Chise. Though we measure the extent at which we could strain your body when you use magical energy, it is constantly showing signs of recovery. That is better than we ever hoped for. In fact, the results are good enough that we could actually let you try another elixir we brewed for you."
Chise's eyes widened upon hearing the last part of Tory's answer to her question. An elixir again? Her heart hammered at the thought. Who knows what would happen to her after drinking one once again? Yet Tory never seemed to notice the Sleigh Beggy's apprehension, or even if he did, Chise mused that he must never care. He just stood up from his chair and went inside the laboratory room. When he came out, he was holding a medium-sized vial with blue liquid swirling inside.
"I'll let you drink this first, and then you'll perform magic for me without your bindings and we'll measure your magical energy output. Don't worry, this is not a restorative unlike last time, so it shouldn't have adverse effects and make you ill. This is actually a suppressant, much like a magical binding but in elixir form. The plan is, if this elixir is successful, to administer this to you in successive doses. Ultimately, this would suppress the excess magical energy inside you so it would not strain your body in the long run. Or ever, if we're really successful." Tory explained further, handing Chise the vial.
After swallowing a lump on her throat, Chise took it with trepidation and uncorked it, knowing that she could not refuse anyway. Then with a nod of a head from Tory Innis, she downed the whole thing. It was cold and very bitter that it made her cough involuntarily after she finished drinking it. She handed the empty vial to Tory Innis who set up a timer on his watch.
"Well, how do you feel now?" He asked after they both waited fifteen minutes just to see if there were any immediate adverse effects. Tory pulled out his clipboard and started to write. "No pain? No itchiness? No dizziness? No swelling?"
Chise shook her head after assessing her body's reaction from head to toe. She actually felt nothing which was quite a surprise. It was as if she just drank water and there was nothing actually in the vial that would react with her body.
"Alright then. The magic I'd like you to perform is just simple. For today, let's just start with something basic: a crystal flower like the one you did with Alexandra before." Tory pulled on one of the drawers in his desk and fished out a blue crystal. He handed it to Chise. "I'll measure your magical energy output. I'm ready when you are, Chise."
Chise nodded her head in acknowledgement and looked at the blue crystal her hand held before closing her eyes. She thought of what flower to imagine, her mind sifting through the various memories she kept in her head. For some reason, only one image floated in her mind. Himawari. The sunflowers she gave to Elias when he had been confined in the infirmary for fighting a Manticore. She remembered his awestruck skeletal face when he had received it, and she also couldn't help but smile. In fact, she loved the sparkle in his crimson eyes back then—
"Chise. Open your eyes now." Tory beckoned in a gentle voice that the Sleigh Beggy couldn't help but comply with.
And then she saw in her hand the crystal flower she had made, in the likeness of one single stem of a sunflower. She looked at Tory who had a big smile on his face. He showed her the Santorio scale, and it was glowing green with the viscous liquid just reaching the middle. It only meant one thing. She didn't use excessive magical energy when she performed the crystal flower experiment.
"It worked, Chise!" Tory stood up in excitement, went in front of her, and tousled her strawberry-colored hair. "Isn't this great news? But of course, we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves. We're still at the first dose, and we still need to closely monitor you for the next few days. Still, this is one great leap of progress, wouldn't you think?"
"Y-Yes?" Chise nodded and agreed absentmindedly. She didn't think it would be that easy to cure her frail Sleigh Beggy body, but still, she was glad that the Research Lab's efforts were going somewhere. Most of all, she was just relieved that she didn't feel sick from drinking the elixir this time.
"So, I guess that's it for today, Chise. Do monitor yourself too, and let us know immediately if you feel something wrong." Tory said while fixing the various things that were strewn on his desk.
"Umm. Are you not going to put back my magical binding?" Chise asked a little reluctantly.
"We'll see how you do with this suppressant for a week first. And then we'll decide from there if you still need your magical bindings."
"O-Ok." The Sleigh Beggy complied, a part of her a bit worried. What if the suppressant stopped working suddenly? What would happen then? Yet Tory Innis seemed confident with his decision, and she didn't want to contest that. Still, she somehow now missed the weight of her magical binding on her left wrist.
A knock on the door interrupted the two. Tory shouted out a 'Come in!', and the door opened a little and Lian Scrimgeour's head poked through. The two middle school students then became both surprised at seeing each other in the Research Labs.
"Chise! What are you doing here?" Lian asked, finally entering the office fully and closing the door softly. Upon seeing his classmate now more clearly, his look of surprise now changed into curiosity.
"I'm studying her, Lian." Tory answered immediately for Chise, saving the Sleigh Beggy from having to explain herself. "Chise here can use her magical energy as a Magus would after all."
"Ah, right. Makes sense. You do Magecraft research after all." Lian said, making the subtle connection.
"So, what brings you here on a Saturday, my dear mentee? You should be out playing." Tory asked, diverting the topic at hand. When the Magecraft researcher saw Chise's eyes widened in surprise, he decided to explain himself. "Oh, didn't I tell you, Chise, that Lian is my mentee? He has been ever since he started middle school."
Lian turned bright red, but he added, "It's true, Chise. Tory here has been taking care of me ever since I ran away from my Scrimgeour House."
An understanding dawned on Chise, something that she never realized for the longest time until now. "So our class periods being the same, it wasn't a coincidence then?"
"Oh, that. I actually patterned your class schedule to Lian's, hoping that you two would at least turn out to be friends. You know this unruly boy, he can't make a friend to save his life." Tory laughed, making Lian blush even more. The Magecraft researcher turned to his mentee and asked, "Anyway, Lian. What can I do for you?"
"I just wanted to bring you the mashed potatoes you've been craving for from the boy's dormitory cafeteria, that's all." Lian handed Tory a paper bag which the Magecraft researcher sniffed at and sighed satisfyingly. The Scrimgeour heir then looked at Chise and fished an envelope out of his backpack. "And since I've already found you, Chise, I was asked to give you this."
Chise took the envelope and examined it. It was an invitation to a private party to be hosted by Professor Blake tomorrow night. The Sleigh Beggy didn't understand why she would be invited to one, and so she decided to ask Lian, "What's the party for?"
"For the College's top students. Professor Blake does that every year. I like to think that he just uses it to socialize and network with the students who would be top Sorcerers and Magi someday, but still it wouldn't hurt to come and meet them. Knowing the right people could be handy someday too, you know."
"Are you coming?" Chise asked Lian reluctantly, because she knew if it was a choice between spending time with Elias or being in a party, she would choose Elias over everything. And yet Lian was right that sometimes knowing the right people could be helpful at some point.
"I will, if you are." Lian gave a sheepish smile. "So, are you?"
Chise looked at the invitation card again. For sure, she would have to tell Elias tonight about her plans. She would also like to know what he would think of it. Nonetheless, if Lian was coming she might as well join him. At least she wouldn't have to suffer the awkwardness of the night alone.
"I guess I will then." She beamed at Lian.
xxxx
Chise straightened her school uniform before opening the door to one of the many event halls of the College. She was glad that Lian had picked her up from her dormitory entrance and was with her this very moment. She never did know what to do in private parties like this, and knowing one other person in the event made her feel relieved. They entered the venue and were surprised to be greeted first by an usher who was a teacher-in-training under Professor Blake. There was a circular dining table in the middle of the room and a buffet table located at the left.
The History of Magic and Sorcery professor himself was talking to two male students who seemed to be graduate students. Chise looked around and saw the St. George twins and Veronica Rickenbacker huddled together near the drink station. On the right side were four other ladies who were talking to each other and seemed to also be graduate students for they had glasses of champagne in their hands.
When Chise and Lian came nearer to their host, Professor Blake excused himself from the conversation he was currently having and greeted the two middle school students. "Hello and welcome, Ms. Hatori and Mr. Scrimgeour. Thank you for coming this evening. Come, do please make yourselves at home." He shook Chise and Lian's hands and then gestured to the two male graduate students next to him. The first one was a tall, silver-blonde man and the other had mousy, brown hair and spectacles. "Ah, by the way, have you already met Edgar Hoenheim and Joshua Roseingrave? Edgar here works for the Remedium as a lead brewer of potions and elixirs, and Joshua here works for the Tribunal as a lawyer. They are both currently in the final year of their graduate studies."
Edgar extended his hand to Lian with a smile, "Scrimgeour, you say? How is good ol' Graham these days?"
Lian shook the lead brewer's hand and made it a point not to scowl. "Wouldn't know. Haven't talked to my Dad in three years."
"Oh, striking out on your own even at such a young age, eh? I like that." Edgar replied nonchalantly, as if what Lian said about his family was something normal in the Seven Shields.
Joshua too held out his hand for a handshake with Chise. The Sleigh Beggy took it and made sure she returned it firmly. "Ms. Hatori? Pleased to meet you. Pardon me, but are you Japanese?"
Chise nodded with a smile. "And you work for the Tribunal of Magi, Mr. Roseingrave?"
"Please, just Joshua." Joshua chided gently.
"Are you a Magus then, Joshua?" Chise asked, her curiosity getting the best of her. This was after all the first time she met someone working for the Tribunal, and it was a chance to learn more about the organization she only heard in passing from Elias and from Rahab's memories.
Joshua nodded in affirmation, scratched his head sheepishly, and handed Chise his business card. "The only Magus in a Sorcerer-filled Seven Shields House."
Chise received the card with two hands and examined it briefly. Beside the sigil of the Tribunal of Magi, it had Joshua's full name, position, and contact details. She looked at Joshua with a determined face. "What exactly do you do?"
"I'm one of the many who help in the legal cases filed in the Tribunal, from criminal law to corporate law. It's not exactly interesting stuff though—"
"No, I'd like to know more. Please tell me all about it." Chise entreated, but as Joshua was about to explain more, Professor Blake called everyone to gather around the round table. It was time for the dinner to begin. The St. George twins and Veronica Rickenbacker sat on the left side of Lian. The four ladies Chise saw earlier sat near Professor Blake. Chise decided to take a seat beside Joshua so she could talk to him more. The Roseingrave Magus didn't mind it one bit.
The dinner began with idle chatter from everyone. Professor Blake was busy conversing with the four ladies whom Chise have yet to know. Lian's attention was occupied by Edgar Hoenheim who seemed very interested in the Scrimgeour heir's rebellious nature. The St. George twins and Veronica Rickenbacker talked to themselves. Chise though was engrossed by Joshua Roseingrave and his stories. From him she learned that every legal case that landed on the Tribunal were decided by the current holders of the Seven Seats. The decision that has the majority of votes always prevailed. It was like a normal court, nonetheless, with hearings and trials. She asked Joshua if there were any chances for appeals for any closed cases, and the Roseingrave Magus answered that there could be, provided that there was new evidence that could overturn the current verdict of the Tribunal.
Chise's eyes widened at Joshua's answer. So it was possible after all. Elias's case could be reversed. The only remaining problem was how to turn her knowledge of Elias's innocence into concrete evidence. She thought of a way on how to describe her problem to Joshua to seek advice when she felt Lian's hand on her shoulder.
"Professor Blake was asking you something, Chise." The Scrimgeour heir said to her, directing his head to the History of Magic and Sorcery professor.
"As I was telling everyone, Ms. Hatori, choosing a mentor for your middle school and high school studies are very important. They shape the kind of Sorcerer or Magus you want to be. I'm curious, knowing how you turned your grades around and became one of the top students quickly, who is your mentor, Ms. Hatori?" Professor Blake enquired with interest.
"It's Professor Ainsworth." Chise answered proudly and without shame. Lian and the rest of the Sleigh Beggy's classmate looked at her with surprise.
"Ainsworth? Oh, my dear…" Professor Blake began, shaking his head in dismay upon hearing Chise's answer. "You are wasting your talent on that incompetent, good-for-nothing, criminal monster. You're better off studying under Professor Walker or Professor Lione—"
"Take it back!" Chise shouted as she stood up instantly, knocking her own chair down in the process. She clenched her fists at the sides, glaring at Professor Blake, her green eyes smoldering with anger.
The rest of the guests around the table stopped dead in their tracks. They looked back and forth between the teacher and the student, uncertain of how to stop the impending, heated dispute.
Professor Blake though never backed down. "It's true. You can't expect anything good to come from that man-eating—"
"I SAID TAKE IT BACK!" Chise screamed with a rage she didn't know how to control. All the plates, bowls, and glasses on the table exploded. She wanted to hurt Professor Blake for his insults against Elias. There was fire in her tummy that wanted to get out, magical energy that was once suppressed coiling around her from her innermost being. And so she let it out. Balls of fire appeared all around her. The temperature in the room rose to an intensely scalding degree. All the other guests felt their clothes start to scorch and their skin start to burn. And it would have continued that way if Lian did not slap Chise's face hard to help her regain her senses.
The Sleigh Beggy stopped her magic, not believing for a moment that she was able to do such a horrendous thing. She felt something twist at the pit of her stomach, and then she vomited a huge amount of blood and immediately passed out.
xxxx
Chise opened her eyes and found herself in the infirmary. It was dark, but there was enough moonlight from the window above her. How she got there from the event room was a mystery to her. She felt something wrapped on her arms and something a little heavy on her left wrist once again. She raised her left arm and noticed that the magical bindings Tory Innis once removed was now back again, together with bandages on her forearm and upper arm. She then felt a gloved hand hold her raised left hand softly. She turned to her side and saw Elias's black silhouette, his crimson eyes glowing in the dark.
"Elias?" She whispered, half-unsure if he was just an apparition her fuzzy mind conjured.
"Yes, it's me." He answered in a soft baritone, still holding her left hand.
"What time is it?"
"A little past quarter to 2 am."
"You should be sleeping in your quarters." Chise frowned at him, worry for his health taking hold of her for a moment, but she also couldn't help but feel gratitude that he was present with her when she had woken up.
"There's no place I'd rather be at the moment than here. How are you feeling?" He asked her gently while brushing back the fringes of her strawberry-colored hair on her forehead.
"Really tired. How did… I get here? How long was I out?"
"Alexandra told me Joshua Roseingrave carried you here after fainting in Professor Blake's dinner party. You were really releasing so much excess magical energy, enough to put strain on your body and make bruises on your skin. She had to place your magical bindings back again. You were unconscious for three days."
"Three… days?" Chise repeated in disbelief.
"Will you tell me what happened, Chise? Starting from why you were not wearing your magical bindings." Elias enquired eagerly, wanting to know the events that happened to Chise that led to this. The Sleigh Beggy mused that he wasn't informed even by Alexandra. The Research Labs wouldn't allow that anyway, wanting their own secrets to remain a secret.
Chise shifted her gaze from Elias to the empty space before her, considering what to say. After a few seconds and a deep breath, she started. "They made me drink another elixir. Mr. Innis said it was a suppressant, a magical binding in elixir form. At first it worked. I did a crystal flower experiment, and the Santorio scale measured my magical energy output at an average level. This made Mr. Innis decide to remove my magical bindings for the meantime as a trial. Then at the dinner party…"
Elias squeezed Chise's hand reassuringly when she paused, urging her to continue. She looked at Elias's eyes and found only concern reflected there, although there was a hint of sharpness in them. She supposed he was feeling anger again against the Research Labs' latest experiment on her. Chise then took another deep breath to start again. "Professor Blake insulted you. It made me so angry that I… I don't know why. But I felt a great surge of magical energy inside of me wanting to get out. And before I knew it—w-was there anyone hurt?"
"From what Joshua Roseingrave told me, everyone in the dinner party just suffered minor burns."
"That's… that's a relief." Chise said with a sigh. Then a thought crossed her mind. "You know him? Joshua Roseingrave?"
"Yes. He was a former student of mine in his undergraduate studies. He was taking Advanced Magecraft as an elective. He had a knack for the Fae instantly and enjoyed it very much. I just didn't know it would make him pursue becoming a Magus eventually, against all his house's wishes."
"He works for the Tribunal now." Chise added, unsure of why she wanted Elias to know that. She just felt proud of Joshua Roseingrave and what he accomplished despite all the odds he had faced.
"So he told me." Elias answered back, stroking her left hand softly with his gloved-covered thumb. "Chise, you mentioned that Professor Blake insulted me. You… were angry for me?"
Chise nodded meekly. Still, she didn't feel any guilt in getting angry at Professor Blake. She felt that it was rightly deserved. She only felt remorse in unintentionally releasing excessive magical energy, hurting the other guests in the dinner party. Would Joshua Roseingrave think ill of her now? She knew she would need his help someday for what she was planning.
"You shouldn't have been. Professor Blake's distaste of me is widely known among the whole College staff. I'm used to it." Elias continued, so nonchalantly that it seemed like he was just talking about the weather. Yet it sparked something in Chise once again. She bristled and held Elias's gloved hand tighter.
"That shouldn't be the case! I know who and what you are, Elias. You don't deserve any of those insults." She said firmly, reaching out in the dark to hold Elias's wolf-skull of a face. She looked straight into his glowing, crimson eyes, piercing him with a truth he couldn't fathom how it came to be even if it took him a lifetime.
"I care for you, more than you'll ever know. And I won't just stand by and watch when other people mock you and your name."
"Chise…" He breathed out her name, for it was the only thing he could do at the moment. For all his time being incarcerated in the College, everyone thought it was their right to be hostile to him. Chise was the only one who showered him with sincere kindness. The only one. He looked at the Sleigh Beggy's green eyes, captivated by how she could see his very own broken soul. He reached out his gloved hand and cupped her cheek. When he felt like it wasn't enough for him, he tenderly held both her hands with his own and nuzzled her temple with his skeletal snout. And then he said the words that he knew was the one thing that was governing all his actions ever since the day she declared him a friend.
"I care for you too, Chise. More than I care for my own life. And whenever something like this happens because of what they do to you, I—" Elias paused, not wanting to continue his train of thought anymore. There was a certain desperation in his crimson eyes that Chise wanted to ease. So she pulled him closer to her and embraced him tightly, her head resting on his shoulder.
"Shh. I'm still here. And I'll always be here for you."
For how long? The thought crossed in Elias's mind as he returned Chise's embrace fiercely, his heart feeling like it was being gripped hard by an invisible hand. He didn't know the answer to his question. The only thing he knew was that if the Research Labs continued their experiments on her, she would not live long enough.
Someday he would lose her, and knowing this frightened him more than anything.
xxxx
It took another three days before Chise was able to get out of the infirmary. And throughout it all, Elias never failed to visit her and keep her company. But other than him, no one from her classmates ever dared to. She never put too much thought in it. Perhaps they were busy with schoolwork. And Elias was the only one she needed to see after all. Still, a nagging feeling was piling up in her gut, making her nervous for the day she would resume attending classes.
It was on a Monday when she found herself once again trekking the hallways of the main education building. The first period of her day was always History of Magic and Sorcery, and she dreaded seeing Professor Blake himself. More than that, she feared seeing her classmates who were in the dinner party too. Mainly, these were the St. George twins, Veronica Rickenbacker, and Lian Scrimgeour. What would they think of her when they see her? She stood still in front of the classroom door before opening it. She could hear the students' chatter from the inside. Then with a deep breath she turned the knob and entered.
Everyone fell silent as they saw her. Chise walked silently to her desk, her eyes cast downward. On her peripheral, she chanced a look at where the St. George twins and Veronica Rickenbacker were and saw that they still had bandages on their arms. She quickly shifted her gaze towards her chair and saw that Lian's were also the same. Yet despite it all, the Scrimgeour heir still gave her a small smile. It was Veronica Rickenbacker's voice that pierced the silence in the classroom as Chise sat down on her seat.
"You're not even going to say anything?" The Rickenbacker heir asked with a venomous tone.
"Veronica…" Lian entreated silently, not wanting to witness a heated confrontation.
Yet Veronica only stood up from her chair and walked towards Chise. She slammed her palm on the Sleigh Beggy's table, loud enough for Chise to be startled by it. "You hurt us, and you won't even say sorry?"
The Sleigh Beggy lowered her head even further. "I… I just don't know what to say, Veronica."
"Well, how about 'I'm sorry I burned both your arms, Veronica, Lian, Jasmine, and Violet.'?"
"Veronica, stop it!" Lian ordered, standing up from his chair too.
"I bet you wouldn't even apologize to Professor Blake too. Sure, he insulted your mentor Professor Ainsworth, but we already all know that our Magecraft professor truly is a man-eating—" The Rickenbacker heir stopped as Chise immediately stood up and glared at her with unrestrained anger. Yet it didn't even faze Veronica. She smiled wryly and mocked, "What, are you going to hurt me again?"
The comment was enough to make Chise back down. She looked around the classroom and saw that everyone was staring at them both with wide eyes. She suddenly felt small and unwanted. So she picked up her bag and bolted out of the door. She heard Lian calling out for her, but she never once halted her running. She was at the exit of the main education building when she realized that Lian was chasing after her. Yet she only halted her feet when she was deep inside of the hedge maze. Lian stopped behind her, bent over, panting, and catching his breath.
"What do you want, Lian?" Chise asked, eyeing the Scrimgeour heir with confusion. She just didn't understand why he ran after her. Did he want an apology too?
"You have to forgive Veronica. Her mentor is Professor Blake after all." Lian said, in between heaving breaths. He straightened his body and unconsciously scratched his head, looking at Chise with a sheepish smile. "I always thought it was a poor decision having him as her mentor. But I guess they're using each other. Veronica has always been ambitious, and Professor Blake's got the connections."
Chise let out a deep breath. She didn't know that certain fact, and so she somehow understood now Veronica Rickenbacker's hostility. She gripped her backpack harder and pursed her lips, feeling a little embarrassed that she doubted Lian's intentions. "I'm sorry, Lian. For what happened in the dinner party. I didn't mean for it to happen, I swear."
"I know. I understand you more than you think. If someone insulted my mentor too, I would be angry like you." Lian answered back, his grey eyes locking on Chise's green ones. "For people like us, they're… everything."
Chise nodded in acknowledgement to Lian's words. She gave him a shy smile, a part of her relieved that someone understood. Her grip on her backpack's shoulder strap subsequently lightened.
"So, do you want to go back, or would you like to skip classes for once?" Lian asked, a mischievous smile forming on his lips.
"Skip classes?" The Sleigh Beggy repeated, the words feeling like taboo in her mouth.
"I say we skip! We can go to London for the whole day and have fun! Come on, we're in a lockdown by the cat sidhes right now, but I know a way to sneak past them." The Scrimgeour heir urged, moving closer towards Chise, his smile growing wider and wider. When he was close enough, he grabbed Chise's hand to sway her further to his suggestion.
But it was upon that contact that Chise suddenly felt something off. An overlapping of images immediately flashed in her mind, and she saw the face of a teenage boy with blue eyes and silver hair, the same one she once saw in Scotland. She gasped in surprise, causing her to break her hand free from Lian's hold. "C-Carta… Joseph?" She stammered when she saw Lian give her a meaningful look. She understood then that he knew he was found out.
"Would you look at that? I managed to fool the cat sidhes, but not you. Sleigh Beggies truly have magnificent Sight, don't they? Scream for help, little miss, and you can kiss your friend here goodbye." Lian now spoke in Joseph's voice, his threat anything but empty. Purple tendrils immediately showed up and wrapped around the Scrimgeour heir's neck, as if daring Chise to make a sound.
"W-What do you want?" Chise asked, her voice trembling in fear. But she knew better than to disobey Joseph's wishes.
"A little trade. You come with me, and I promise to keep your friend alive." Joseph answered, the tendrils around Lian's neck wriggling, ensuring that she get the point.
"What do you want with me?"
"I think I can explain better when you are already in my place."
"You'll really let Lian go?"
"No, he has to come with us. In case you didn't notice, little Miss Sleigh Beggy, this is possession, and I have no corporeal body to transport you to my place except for him. So what do you say? Or would you like to watch me choke him to death instead?" Lian's head tilted to the side, under Joseph's command.
"No! I—I'll come with you." Chise bit her lip. Did she really have a choice? She didn't want any harm to come to Lian, and she would do anything to protect him. Even obey the wishes of an evil Sorcerer.
"Perfect! Now come closer and grab my hand." Joseph ordered, and Chise complied. He took out a necklace, and the Sleigh Beggy noticed that it was the exact copy of Mr. Renfred's transportation device. Joseph pushed the button at the top, and they were surrounded by a bright light that Chise had to close her eyes for a moment.
When she opened them, she found herself in an apartment with grey walls and darkly colored furniture. Lian's body was lying unconscious beside her, and she quickly came to him and checked his breathing and heartbeat by placing her ear on his mouth and chest. When she was certain that he was alive and well, it was only then that she took in her surroundings. They were in a living room. There was a sofa on her left, a coffee table in the middle, and bookcases filled with books on the far right.
Then in front of her was the person she feared to see the most. Joseph, immaculately dressed in a blue and white pinstripe dress shirt and deep purple vest and trousers. He regarded her with a sinister smile.
"Welcome, Sleigh Beggy. You don't know how long I've waited for this moment."
xxxx
Additional Notes: I just noticed that I reached more than 2,000 views now. Wow! Thank you for giving this little fanfiction some love. Thank you too for the faves, follows, and reviews I received. You guys rock! :)
Oh, there are no little notes for here and there in this chapter.
Mariangel, BlueNachturne, AL-AB93: Thank you for taking the time to read this little fanfiction and for reviewing! It makes working on this story worthwhile.