New Year Eve is on! The day to spend time with her 'extended' family alongside her girlfriend. But still, fate seems to want to interfere… She will not have it.
December 31st
She reaches her destination without any trouble, not really unexpected when regarding her capabilities as well as hidden abilities. Truth be told, any hurdle she could have encountered would only be trouble for the other party, and more based on her mood.
So here she was, at the front door of the house whose has become a second home to her, well before entering an official relationship with her now, girlfriend; Tachibana Hibiki.
She adjusts the dark red winter coat she has on, the temperature was quite low as expected of the winter season. And yet, it was more for show than anything since the cold was not bothering as much as it used to.
Though it wouldn't mean that her entourage would not be greeted by an even colder temperature upon touching her, leading to more questions about how she isn't feeling cold in the slightest. Hence why she dresses warmly.
She finally rings the door, reaffirming her hold on the box of freshly made Daifuku she has retrieved on her way after passing an order earlier this week. The thought of honoring the tradition with homemade Mochi herself grazed her mind and she was even willing to attempt it. Needless to say, she failed the first time, then realized that the tradition is actually to make them on New Year Day… Despite feeling silly at that time, she was more than glad that her backup plan had now become a simple treat for all of them to enjoy.
She takes a step back as the door was opened, revealing a middle-aged woman with a kind smile. "Chris-chan! Please come in, quick!" she exclaims as she urges her to come in.
Yukine Chris wastes little time to enter the house, allowing the woman to close the door behind her, her body already shuddering from the brief exposure to the cold.
The woman, and her girlfriend's mother; Tachibana Narumi turns to her. "Glad you made it, Chris-chan?"
The younger woman quirks an eyebrow at the sentence as she begins to disrobe herself before handing the box of sweets. "Can't really get lost on the way when knowing the layout of the neighborhood, Can I?"
It earns a laugh from the mother as she moves further inside followed by her daughter's girlfriend. "I guess not… We have already finished with the main preparation and can enjoy a bit of our time while waiting for my daughter before dinner. Where is she by the way?"
The information perks her attention, causing Chris to pause in her greeting of her girlfriend's grandmother; Keiko Natsuki before turning to the mother. "Hibiki is not here?" she inquires.
"We thought the two of you will be coming together," the elder pipes in, a mask of confusion on her face alongside her daughter.
"I told her to go ahead while I pick up the order…" She points at said box.
An uncomfortable silence begins to take place in the living room before being interrupted by the news on TV.
"As you can see, our national hero is currently confronting something different than usual."
The women turn as one toward the device. On it, could be seen on direct, footage from an aerial view showcasing two flying figures, human figures.
"Is she fighting someone?" Narumi voices.
"If one of them is Hibiki-chan … What about the other one?" Natsuki inquires.
"From where we are observing, the other party is actually quite holding its own against our hero, the latter seemingly unable to get the upper hand."
"Unable to get the upper hand, my ass," Chris grumbles, attracting the attention of the family members.
"Chris-chan, do you know what's happening?" The middle-aged woman inquires to her.
"One moment, just need to make a call," Chris answers as she fetches her phone from the pocket of her pants and contacts the person holding answers, connecting through right away.
"Old man. Yes, I'm watching it right now, can't believe they are that reckless by filming it this close. Anyway, what's the situation, how long it has been going on, and why was I not informed of it?" her voice drops to a low, threatening edge at the last question, Chris' entourage not reassured at the usual, rather, tempered woman.
They realized that what was said to her in reply was not to her liking at the shaking hand threatening to break the phone in her very hand.
"Put her through," Chris growls through the device.
The two older women's shock and uneasiness keep growing with each passing second in the company of the woman they have grown to love as another daughter/granddaughter.
"Listen well, Tachibana Hibiki. Cause I won't repeat myself. We took a paid vacation to spend time with your family for Christmas and New Year. You told me it was unfortunate for Christmas, and that we still have New Year to celebrate together. Hence, my question… What. Are. You. Doing?"
A silence overcomes the room at the threatening answer, little sounds being picked up from the device as the girlfriend on the other end of the device, still in the middle of her confrontation was allowing time to speak up to the outright pissed woman.
"I'm on my way, and only two scenarios are available once I join you, Hibiki. First; Your opponent is knocked out, which we will put him in S.O.N.G custody and deal with him next year. Or, in the possibility he is still kicking… I will do it myself, and by this, I mean I will gamble his life over if he will succumb to blood loss or not. I have no intention of wasting a single minute in entertaining someone who chooses to pick a holiday to make himself known. I will be here soon; you know your options."
She ends the call before releasing a frustrated sigh, then taking notice of her audience. "Sorry for that you two; But I have to go. I- We will explain everything once we are back. Which should not take very long." The last sentence was muttered and barely audible to the two residents as they watch the woman walking toward the door entrance and leaving without her coat. When they exit whatever spell they were under, both rush after the silver-haired woman, slamming the door open and allowing the chilly wind to whip their body.
Chris was gone. not running in the distance or anything, simply gone.
They were back in no time, only 20 minutes.
The explanation was made over tea as if the subject of discussion was as mundane as talking about the weather.
Chris confesses having the same abilities as Hibiki, only keeping them hidden until a dire situation would require her to use them in order to help/save her friend, now girlfriend. But since someone else revealed itself to have those same abilities she allowed herself to make use of them, without being caught of course.
Thanks to that man, they would probably question them over what happened, but that is an issue for next year as well as the fate of this man.
Chris did make good of her threat in case Hibiki was unable to take care of him, and without entering into much details, she summarized with one sentence… "Let's just say that if he is lucky, he will wake up after the festivities. If not… Well, he won't."
Strangely, Hibiki was particularly fine with that, even adding. "I tried to save him; he didn't want it."
Possible murder aside, the conversation was soon discarded to the reason they were reunited together, celebrating the end of the year, and the new one to come.
They ate the Toshikoshi Soba as the tradition would, the Daifuku Chris brought were well received to all, she even received a late birthday present from her extended family, warming her heart further in the feeling of belonging she keep getting from them.
Then, finally, the countdown to the New Year came after much small talk about the previous year's events; mainly Hibiki and Chris' missions, Chris' training, and with it; the display of her ability on a deeper, technical level than Hibiki had ever shown.
They were also the ones to encourage both mother and grandmother to be up for the Hatsuhinode; allowing them to watch the first sunrise of the year from the very sky, albeit they needed to bundle them in warm clothes, with extra.
The two S.O.N.G special agents enjoyed the first few days of festivities without much thought of work, enjoying themselves while they could.
Because they all knew that this year, the world will be subject to greater change, changes Chris both feared and prepared herself for.
This concludes this little series 'Of Blessing and Curses' as well as my last chapter for 2021.
Happy New Year to you all !
Still on 2022 with more, but not as much.