"Hello there.~"
I say that to everyone, but you're a special case. Aside from natural interference, you always greet me, so I will greet you back. Or maybe... You're getting tired of it? Ah, well... Even if you are, I will still greet you. I hope... I'm not a bother to you.
...
The sun finally revealed itself, its luminosity piercing through the room's windows. It was a comforting sight for those who missed the sun the day before, but it was still a deception, as even the ball of flames wasn't enough to heat the frozen landscape of Northgand. The sunshine slowly crept up into the bed, eager to shine a light on Hyoma's journal as he flips the pages back. Maybe for review or for counting the number of days?
"It's going to be lonely without you. But at least that means I won't have to count how many days it's been since I started writing anymore.~"
Hyoma was sat on the small bed. It was plain and simple, just like the rest of the room. No doubt he chose the cheapest one. Well, it's not like poor ventilation, cold drafts, and spooky, squeaky floorboards are a nuisance to Hyoma. Two out of three of those were null and void. Though there was the matter of blankets and pillows thrown overboard. This was always a common occurrence. Hyoma was restless in his movements in bed but strangely enough, sleeping anywhere else was fine. No movements. But that hardly posed a real problem. As far as he's concerned, Hyoma would never ever share a bed anyway, no matter what.
Hyoma was still drowsy. The physical realm was negligible, but the mental realm was something else. Headaches, mind-numbing exhaustion, sleepiness. Those were problems. And yet, even in a daze, Hyoma manages to keep his date updated. Day one to day however-many-days-there've-been. Daze or no daze, Hyoma never missed a day to update the date. And so here he was, resting his sleepy head's cheek on a clenched fist while holding his journal in the other hand. It was a new page.
"Hm. Let's do it like always, then."
Personal Date - September 23, Year 10,000,285
"Right... The location aaaannd area too..."
At a snail's pace, up he goes, the remaining bed sheets doomed to disorder. The world was still blurry. Truly it has been at least a mere 3 minutes since he woke up. But it must be done. So thought Hyoma as he held on to a desk just to keep himself from falling face first as he looked out the window. Sure enough, 3 minutes since he's woke up, so of course the sun was blindingly bright for his slowly adapting eyes.
"..."
And it didn't help that the snow-coated roofs reflected all that wonderful sunshine, giving off a kind of light one sees near death. There would be discomfort, followed by Hyoma holding his arm a little above his head to create a cover for his half-asleep eyes. But not to worry. The sun, no... The celestial objects in the sky, particularly, the stars were always loved by him. Hyoma could never come to hate them nor could he fault them. The pain he once felt from absorbing so much light was his own fault. And eventually, Hyoma would lower his arm and finally take in the sight of Hellawes from above.
But none of that actually happened, right? Hyoma remains unmoved in his appreciation of the amount of generosity the sun gave off selflessly. An equal exchange demands that the sun direct the red eyes towards it. All of it. All. Of. The. Red.
...
What a sleepy town. Barely any outdoor population. Must be the ship business. They're probably all working in the docks or somewhere near it...
...
Right, the journal. People watching can wait.
"Hello, world. Hello again there, sun.~"
Hellawes , Northgand
Morning
Clear Skies
All he needed was a little alone time and a good look at the world and smiling becomes second nature. As a traveler, these were all Hyoma needed to keep himself happy. However, something tempted him to just scream at the top of his lungs. It was the perfect opportunity, after all. He had a bird's eye view of the town, it was morning, and he carried a world of burdens. Oh, that last one... All the more reason to scream. Still, that was an embarrassing proposition.
"Like this is fine. Yes... just like this..."
And after a few good minutes of staring at the world, it was back to the journal. Hyoma looked at his journal longer than needed. It was a look of unfair critique. Something was missing. Something very important. Hyoma had to tap the journal with his pen a couple more times hoping whatever was missing would magically reveal themselves. Wishful thinking.
"That's right. The date for this world. Hm... How could I forget?"
You may as well ask what's for dinner to a person hanging at the edge of a cliff. You know full well why you forgot.
Hyoma's lowered head quickly retracted to its original position. He was facing the window and into the outside world, but there was nothing of interest out there. No, this was the expression of realization. As if he suddenly gained the ability to sense what could not be normally sense, Hyoma quickly turned around and managed to lock on to the target of his eyes without even adjusting his position further. And there it was.
"Ah! A calendar..."
Hyoma's utter disappointment with himself caused him to facepalm, well it was more like a smack to his face and his hand just happened to be glued there. He lowered his head and shook it, his hand still glued to convey the picture-perfect expression of disappointment. Luckily, there were remnants of composure that filled his body once more and urged him to examine the calendar up close.
"I'll forgive myself for this."
And that's what you always say but the truth is, mornings were never your strong suit. And often times, you're a little hysterical. Nay, you're unpredictable in the mornings. That's why it's dangerous to wake you up prematurely. No, wait... It's more accurate to say you're not good at sudden wake up calls. Mornings aren't a problem. Well, anyone would get cranky if they slept from 4 to 5 in the morning, but still...
"Let's see... I left Aurora at September 23... And somehow... This one's calendar is also September 23. But it's year 465..."
Hyoma raised an eyebrow. It wasn't the strangest thing. What is strange is why such a seemingly trivial trivia managed to invoke a reaction from him.
"Huh... Hm..."
Hyoma was already lying to himself. An idea already formed in his mind as to why this coincidence was too convenient. Same calendar system, same names, same date, even... He didn't want to admit to it but lying to yourself was impossible. You had to know the truth to be able to lie. So there was no point in hiding now.
"Hazama..." Hyoma kept looking at the calendar, searching for an alternative answer amidst saying his own answer, but the train of thought cannot be stopped. There was no point in staring at the calendar, so Hyoma sat back down on the edge of his bed, entangling his hands so that his chin can rest upon them safely. "Even when scattered throughout different universes, pieces of Hazama still shared the same time."
So a piece of the homeworld of Souls lies at your feet?
"There are some unrelated worlds and universes with the same clock, but... this place... I'm seeing a lot more Souls than usual." Hyoma closed his eyes for a moment, thinking of the many ways this fact alone could change things and then shook his head and stood up, adamant not to let such thoughts hinder him. "Ah well. Hazama or not, this place is new to me. So in the spirit of adventure, I'll enjoy whatever this world has to throw me. It's what I'm best at after all...!"
Hyoma was back in action, newfound determination and energy filled his body, enough to move his pen again. And it was business as usual with his journal.
Altjira – September 23, Year 465
"Year 465. I didn't even see that. Oh boy. How many coincidences will I encounter this time around?"
Year 465? Oh... That's par for the course considering the last part of the history lesson you learned. Get ready for subtler and not-so-subtle references to that part of history. Let's just hope history does not repeat itself. Otherwise, I'll be left to watch you dying like the worm you were beneath the foot of the Goddess of Rhongomyniad.
T-That doesn't count! She had all of the Round Table knights! Against one small boy...!
"Oh no!"
W-what? Why on earth are you shouting?
"I missed this world's transition to fall season..."
…
…
...
"...Hoo! Ha! Sei!"
Dear...
"...Sei! Ha! Gyah!"
...god...
"...Hyah!"
...no.
Hyoma scratched his head, all traces of positivity leaving his body. He did still wake up not too long ago after an hour's sleep, so he was easily irritated. Mind you, Hyoma's not easy to annoy, but being woken up so early does things to him. Hopefully this will be the only time Hyoma sleeps so late and wake up so early, with appropriate pessimism on the former.
"As if sleeping late and waking up early wasn't bad enough... Then he goes to being a crazy demon in the ungodly morning hours."
Now if you're looking for an easily irritable character, it would be Miss Velvet. One wonders if there's a trace of gentleness coming from her. Or maybe a better shower thought would be, will she be able to grow some traces of gentleness? In any case, she too was staying at the inn, but what room does she have relative to Hyoma's is a mystery. Well they both managed to hear Rokurou's girly screams so either they were close or the samurai was just being loud, which is appropriately annoying considering the sleepy state of Hellawes.
"...Haah!"
"Huh?!"
Her teeth were clenched now, baring all of the pearly whites, all four canines ready to tear apart the next thing that so much as touch a strand of her hair. It was that kind of level of irritation. But at least we know that she keeps her teeth clean. Now the only thing left to do was to exit her room, make her way downstairs, go outside, and beat the vocal cords out of Rokurou.
That was the original plan anyway...
…
"He stopped? Geez, about time."
And yet, even with a small sense of calm, Velvet still ruffles her hair, making a point of her easily irritable attitude. Nevertheless, Rokurou was still a teammate, unfortunately, so checking up on him was mandatory. Checking to see if he's physically ready to act as a meat shield and die for her, preferably in a fashion where he kicks and screams and rebels before accepting his fate. Well... there goes hints of sadism on her part.
And as she makes her way downtown, she happens upon a room, door open all the way to the point where the knob was touching the wall. Velvet wasn't willing to intrude into Hyoma's privacy, which is why she chose not to look under his clothes, but that same respect for other people's privacy was gone here as curiosity drove her to sneak a peek inside. She was peeking from the side. Was she afraid of getting caught or something? Since when did a criminal and a demon care about that? Well, things were already paradoxical before this, so I guess that doesn't really matter at this point.
What greeted her was chaos. It is akin to reaching the final stages of entropy.
No bed sheets were in their right spots.
Absolutely disgusting is what Velvet's face said to the world... Wait what?! Is that all to it?!
"Sigh..."
A gesture of disapproval by way of shaking the head side to side. It wasn't anything drastic in movement, but the disappointment was there. Was she a clean freak or something? That would explain her overly dramatic exaggeration towards what she calls "bed chaos". She may have been a demon, but there was still a strong urge to don all clothes necessary for housework, a trait from her old self.
Anyway... Time to move on before getting caught.
As Velvet descends from the stairs, an all too familiar figure captures her attention. Nothing else mattered at that moment but to give him and only him her full attention.
*Siiiip*
"Eh...?"
It was just stop sign after stop sign. At this rate, you'll never get to see Rokurou again if you keep making stops. What is so important this time?
*Siiiip*
"Hyoma? You were staying here?"
"Hm...?"
Even if only a day has passed, even if Hyoma was facing the other way, sitting down on a table amidst several other tables with several other people, that red and black coat of his will forever be glued into her mind. And that same distinct, long, black, bed hair... Forgetting him was impossible now. And solidifying that memory were his piercing red eyes, now visible as Hyoma turned around, designed after the appearance of a star at the moment of its death. It was no exaggeration to think a piece of the cosmos was contained within, and just like how addicting it was to gaze upon the stars in the night sky, it was equally addicting to stare into Hyoma's eyes.
There's no way... Velvet could forget about Hyoma.
"You're staring too intensely..."
It took about 5 seconds into the staring contest for Hyoma to cast his eyes down in embarrassment. Normally he could maintain eye contact for 7 seconds if he was engaged in a conversation, but that time is cut short when silence is all that's present. It was awkward and embarrassing. Add a girl into the equation and it's just a mess at that point and Velvet was by no means "lacking" in any way.
As for Velvet, she stared at Hyoma longer than 5 seconds, clearly in some sort of trance. It was only after she shook her head and pulled out of her trance that she realized she was staring too intensely, much to Hyoma's dismay.
"Grow a spine. There are worse things out there than making eye contact."
And it was back to good old Velvet. But even she didn't expect to rebound to normalcy that quickly, especially considering what just happened. She expected to still feel the aftereffects of being pulled into Hyoma's image, maybe a stutter here and there, but she was equally as relieved to be able to hide all traces of her trance.
"Ahaha..."
A self-deprecating laughter. Quiet and weak. A mix of humor and inferiority in such a small laughter, a long history clearly behind them. Hyoma returns his head to default position, his eyes now scanning the food laid out on the table and considering the amount and the variety, Hyoma intended to suck the inn dry of their food facilities. He wasn't planning to stay long anyway, so he might as well make the most out of it even though, as one would recall, was still useless to him. Well, even if it was useful, the food didn't look at all tantalizing and Hyoma's indifferent eyes towards them was proof of that.
"You're right. There are worse things out there... I'm just being a coward..."
That was that. Once Hyoma turned to face his table, he would not turn around again. There was no point in making facial contact with Velvet. He expected her to continue past him, perhaps to check up on Rokurou, Hyoma thought. Hyoma was good at staying under the radar because he was nothing too visually impressive. At least... compared to all the other "special people" he met. It was his actions that garnered attention and from then on, all those who would come to know what Hyoma was capable of doing stuck to him like glue, whether both parties liked it or not. But for those who never witnessed Hyoma in action, he was a fleeting figure. An ephemeral shooting star. That's why Hyoma expected Velvet to continue on without further developments.
That's...what was supposed to...happen.
Maybe if the Schrödinger's cat experiment was right, two separate events might've occurred right then and there, one where Velvet didn't sit down with Hyoma, and the other where Velvet did sit down with Hyoma and of course, one would automatically assume that Velvet did not sit down with Hyoma. But until you observe if the cat's dead or alive, there's no way to tell.
But Hyoma did observe it, all the possibilities collapsing into one truth.
The cat was alive and Velvet sat down with him.
Velvet did indeed slowly walk to her destination, the seat opposite of Hyoma, and plopped into it, and sighed a sigh of relief-releasing exhaustion. And all the while Hyoma never moved an inch, his cup of coffee, no doubt coming from the coffeehouse a few walks down, still in front of his face. His eyes still moved though, scanning Velvet in her entirety, actions and all. Still, there was no change on his neutral face. If he was surprised, he's certainly not showing it.
But I'm willing to bet he was.
"What? Is there something on my face?"
As if to emphasize her face, Velvet gently touched her cheek. A hint of actual curiosity. Did she really not know why Hyoma was silently staring at her? Or was she being sarcastic?
"Haaa..."
Hyoma can offer no explanation for Velvet's behavior. It's not that there wasn't one, it's just that Hyoma wasn't willing to explore further. He admits defeat, but the soft and soothing sigh that escaped from his small smile suggests this sort of defeat was one he could get used to.
"It's nothing..."
Yes, just like this. This is fine.
"Nothing at all..."
And that was their morning conversation. The food was left untouched, but the other beverage Hyoma was saving, tea from the looks of it, Velvet took for herself. Before, Hyoma lost his interest in the food, now he lost interest in his coffee as well, simply swirling it for amusement and observing the spin to induce a trance. A weak effort to distract himself.
Every so often when Velvet took a drink, she would shoot glances at Hyoma whenever he wasn't looking. And that wasn't hard to do. Hyoma's nervousness, or so she claims is what it is, dictated the direction of his eyes, and it pointed anywhere but Velvet herself. So, upping her game of confidence, she took longer glances at Hyoma, hoping to make up for the that time in prison where she couldn't get a good look at him.
Even when his eyes darted everywhere except the bubble that contained Velvet, Velvet could make out his eyes again. She really couldn't pull away from his eyes. They must've held so much gravity to be able to attract her entire attention towards them. Hell... it was enough for her to just freeze in place just to make out every single detail that composed the red eyes. Well... not EVERY detail. The story behind those eyes, Velvet couldn't figure out, though exhaustion and fatigue do come up for her description of those eyes, a pity considering their beauty.
The saying "getting lost in someone's eyes"? She couldn't agree more.
And that mop he calls hair. It was wavy, it was unkempt. Well... It was straight for the most part, but... Velvet wanted to believe his hair was like that because he just woke up, but even from the darkness and distance of her cell, those cowlicks stuck out, so that mess of his was his preferred hairstyle. Small, but numerous. She just couldn't help but think that it was Hyoma who inhabited that the tornado-struck room. The clean freak in her was urging her to just fix those cowlicks, but Hyoma would never let her live that down. So, for now, she lets it be. That wavy, unkempt, jet black hair can remain as an iconic part of him, and Velvet will just have to learn to like it. It did place a certain, unique kind of charm to him, Velvet noticed. Besides, it would be easy to identify him should the need arise to call out to him.
Lastly, his clothes. Calling him overly dressed for any occasion was an understatement. The most daunting portion of his appearance and no doubt his prized possession was his large, ankle-length tailcoat with an equally large collar that, if looking from the side, would cover the bottom half of Hyoma's head. She could tell it was made from polyester and it was in pristine condition. That's an odd fact, considering how chaotic Hyoma's life was in the past 24 hours. Attached from the inside of the coat was a three-button waistcoat. It was hard to tell, but it was combined with the coat. The color red dyed nearly the entire coat, save for a few black lines that ran across all the edges of the coat. It wasn't big on the design department, that's for sure. But what bothered her was how the red colors made Hyoma strikingly conspicuous. He would be an easy target solely because of it. Velvet can count the number of times she saw a coat THAT large and THAT red with just one hand, nay with just a finger. Once. Then there was the issue of the dog symbol on his right sleeve and his name embroidered right below. Either "Hyoma Hokulei" is a brand name and the dog, Galm it was called, is their symbol or that coat was custom tailored, to show that the coat belonged to him, and Velvet opted for the latter thought.
Velvet kept looking beyond his coat. Beneath it, he wore a button up, high collar sweater dyed entirely in black. It gave a sort of pseudo second line of defense for his neck, considering there were 2 collars... Either way, he wasn't going to get cold with those on.
Thanks to the coat's redness, Velvet didn't even notice the gloves Hyoma wore. They, too, were red in color, simple in design, likely serving its role like any other gloves – to keep his hands warm. He didn't look exactly physically built for winter time. And thanks to her noticing the gloves, she also noticed a watch that adorned his left wrist, though it was largely covered by the sleeves.
And though she couldn't see them right now, she did recall Hyoma wearing black, slim fitting jogger-style pants and your standard black and red sneakers, completing his full appearance.
"(I must admit... He's very well-dressed... I've never seen anyone dressed like him before. Though... If it wasn't for the red, I'd mistake him for one of those fabled "phantom thieves" I read about…)"
Very true. But what thief worth their salt sneaks around in broad daylight?
It was only after fully analyzing Hyoma in his physical entirety did a certain thought even cross Velvet's mind. Why hadn't she struck up a conversation yet?
It's quiet .
She had so many things to say for this mysterious figure and now she's berating herself for not doing so.
What was he? Who was he? His age? His occupation? Where he lives? Does he have parents? Why was such an innocent looking young man thrown in the worst prison of all?
What was his story?
Velvet hadn't care to ask the abnormal things like how he managed to escape the prison or how he survived the crisis at sea or about his supposed immortality. Those thoughts never even crossed her mind, a big change from her past self. No, no, she would want a normal conversation with this normal looking person for once. She never once gave him a chance. Sigh... And after Velvet's little screw-up... with her insulting Hyoma and telling him to grow a spine... And gods... the incident at the prison... even if he was immortal, he might've gotten hurt still... She doubts Hyoma would give HER a chance...
"(What... was I thinking... I thought being a demon was going to be easy... But... if my humanity came back just because of a normal interaction, I'm not... ready for this...)"
And on that last thought, Velvet had to avert her eyes from him. A tiny part of her admits she wasn't worthy to look at him anymore, not after the horrible things she did to him. Rokurou was right. They might well have dragged an innocent person into their misfit of a group's troubles.
...
And that was what Hyoma Hokulei was trying to do. How do you think he manages to avoid lingering eyes even with such an intimidating, flashy red coat and overall attire? His clothes, strange, his aura, normal. The only task he must continually accomplish is to turn a strange aura into normalcy.
Hence, hiding in plain sight.
...
Hyoma on the other hand, despite the wandering of his eyes, was fully aware of Velvet gawking at him, his clothes, everything. Gods, it was embarrassing. Did she see the blush? Please tell me she didn't see it...! Shaking his head, he's decided he's had enough. He would try something different.
"Can I... see your hand?"
Still, he did not look, nay, dare to look at her eyes. Red is typically a scary color for eyes, but it's how one uses and presents their eyes that truly dictate their story, in this case, Velvet can manage her eyes to become predatorial. Although, not in this very moment. Velvet's ears perked up. They kinda had to, for Hyoma's voice was low, almost a whisper.
"My hand? Which hand? And whatever for?"
Her confusion was understandable, and it showed on her face. Which hand, indeed? Her demon arm? Was he going to make fun of her? And why the request? It was sudden and incompatible with the atmosphere.
"Your right hand, please..."
Still, he did not look. Again, truly a shame. Velvet would have to work hard to stare directly at his eyes. Her confusion kept increasing in intensity. Why would someone like Hyoma act so...calm around her? Especially after what she did to him. Maybe listening to his request could be the first step to amendment. And so she did. Quite literally, Velvet lent her hand to Hyoma.
Now, for a gesture very rarely executed by Hyoma. Touching the skin of the opposite sex. Which is why he visibly flinches. Even if he voiced his request, he was still surprised Velvet would agree to it. But... Hyoma nods to himself, for he has finished his mental preparations.
His left hand wraps around Velvet's right hand from below. It was a gentle grip. Hyoma was careful not to display any form of male dominance. He thought it was stupid such a thing exists. Besides, his hand was smaller than Velvet's. And for once, Hyoma's eyes would enter Velvet's bubble, her right hand the object of intense focus and interest. Velvet's confusion prompted her to keep switching her line of sight, from Hyoma's eyes, to their entangled hands, and sometimes even to the people around them, hoping they wouldn't get the wrong idea. But she was hardly embarrassed. Hyoma didn't seem like the type for that kind of thing.
"So... What are you doing?"
Velvet locked on to Hyoma's eyes, which were locked on to Velvet's hand.
"I traveled to a place where they do this sort of... fortune telling. They look at the palm of your hand and see what kind of future awaits you."
Things like that exist? Funny... What kind of places has he visited?
"Then what kind of future awaits me?"
Hyoma didn't respond. Or really, he couldn't respond. It looked like he was concentrating, but not on the palm reading. Palm reading does exist, but it wasn't his intentions. In fact, he didn't even know how to do it. Another agenda was on his mind. An agenda more... personal and insignificant compared to predicting the future.
"(Nothing... I can't feel anything from her, either...)" A solemn look descends upon his face. His line of sight remained in its position but his vision is hollow. Nothing existed to him at the moment. "(I'll be gone soon... Can't I just feel even embers...? Why...?! For all of her ferocity, why can't I feel her warmth?!)
Tighter... Tighter... Hyoma's eyes have shut tight. It's rare for him to lose control of his facial expressions. He was going to cry. Tighter still. Ever so tightly...
"Ow!"
Velvet pulled her hand back, likely from pain. But, why in pain?
"Don't crush my hand like that! Pay attention, Hyoma!"
Ah... So that's what it was.
Even for a seasoned demon, it took Velvet a herculean effort to escape Hyoma's grip. His strength was almost unnatural, but Velvet couldn't find it in her to pin that strength down to the mere realm of physicality. It was as if that strength came from something else... She could feel those reasons being emitted from Hyoma's hand. The strongest was Desperation... And then, there was Reminiscence... Remi...niscence...
...Remi...niscence...
" We'll lose you if you can't stay with us ."
So sung the red robe.
But the other red robe stayed put. The sun was shining and they were still alive.
"Don't cry. That sun will still be there."
So sung the red robe.
So the red robe wrapped one of "its" scarves around the other red robe 's scarves .
"This is so we don't get lost. Stay with us."
...niscence...
"Velvet?"
Odd... What was I... doing...? What... was that...
"Vel...vet?"
Ah... He's calling me... Hyoma... Hy...o...ma... His face... It showed concern. Genuine. Authentic. Not like the masks from before. Was this his doing? I couldn't think straight. My head... What was I doing again...? Ah... Right. I was... glaring at Hyoma before I glared at my own hand, the only possible suspect behind that strange memory. No... What I should really be focusing on was him. He did this.
"Sorry about that... I don't know what came over me."
A total lie. Yet, if I tell him what had just transpired, he would likely never believe it or perhaps even deny it. I could see it in his face. He was not going to satisfy me with answers. Yes... For this one moment, I can see past that mask...
...as if I knew...
"Don't let that happen again."
A lecture. Oddly befitting of Velvet to give the lecture and oddly befitting of Hyoma to receive the lecture. His gentle, soft nod seals the command. And before long, Velvet was back to cooling herself off with her tea.
"So what did you find out?"
And before long, Hyoma was back to smiling. Velvet's temporary insight saw it. Nothing genuine about, not like his previous, concerned mask. This was a trickster's smile, not unlike Magilou's own smiles. Gods, they were so toxic...
"Usually, you pay for fortune telling. So..."
Hyoma stuck his hand out, expecting payment for his services. For Hyoma, it was another excuse to do "that". Another chance to feel the embers. But... There was no chance in hell Velvet would agree to this. Actually, now that she thinks about, there was another reason Velvet wouldn't agree.
Paying to predict your future? Sounded like a scam. Sure, that was a valid reason, but Velvet had something else in mind. Something more serious, incompatible with the atmosphere they had created. Because if Hyoma was telling the truth with his "palm reading"…
"(...It won't be a good ending for me...)"
...was her reason. It scared her now that Velvet actually looked beyond the situation to see the ending she would create herself. What was it? That old saying? Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves. No. She refused for that to be the ending.
"Hm. What about your hand?" In the midst of the internal storm, Velvet tried to focus on something else to preoccupy her mind. Hyoma's outstretched, gloved hand came into view, an easy task no doubt. Red gloves. A gloved hand. "Did you ever do a reading on yourself?"
Oh. Not the reaction he was expecting. In fact, it was the worst possible reaction. He kinda had that coming though. Choosing to wear gloves just as red and conspicuous as his coat and extending his hand out eagerly. Why wouldn't Velvet focus on them? He had to pull his hand back in a hurry, choosing instead to place them on his lap. Out of sight and hopefully out of mind.
Now then... Lie. Lie
"It doesn't work when you do it yourself. You might be biased."
"Ah. That makes sense."
An odd choice of tone. Velvet was soft and quiet. Subconsciously, she tried to match the same sort of serenity Hyoma's voice held. Or better yet. She was trying to emulate the voice from her past self. Regardless, it must mean she believed his lie. It was an okay lie. Not going to blame her for falling for it. Now another problem. Hyoma couldn't risk displaying his hands now, not even to go grab the nourishments on the table. And to have that many food and drinks in one table and not have a go at it was strange and was certainly going to attract even more unwanted attention. Maybe Velvet didn't mind it. Maybe she was fine with Hyoma being quiet.
Geez... Forget it...
"You're not going to live long on an empty stomach. Here, eat up."
And that signaled Hyoma to move the food and the plates towards Velvet, the clanking and clinking literal sound indicators of how close they were to each other, dangerously close might I add, close to the edge of the table, and most importantly as per the plan, close to Velvet.
"No, no, it's fine. I can live."
Velvet gently fought back, trying to form a perimeter around her from the plates, but at Hyoma's insistence, the plates weren't stopping. That was far enough, he thought.
"Gah!"
That was the sound of bone cracking. Oh, what's that? You couldn't hear it over Velvet's banshee scream? Well believe me. There was definitely the sound of bone cracking. At that moment, Velvet instinctively raised her leg to reach her injury and in the process, her knee disturbs the table, dropping almost all of the plates. The ear-piercing sounds of shattered dishware were more than enough to attract the attention of the inn's morning people and possibly enough to wake up those still snoozing in their rooms. Hyoma shot up from his seat to check on Velvet.
"Velvet! Are you ok?"
"No, dammit! Why the hell did you kick me!?"
"Here, let me get help."
He says ignoring the question. Contrary to his words, Hyoma made a mad, but awkward looking dash for the exit, looking back on Velvet only when he reached the door.
"That was close. Whoa!" Hyoma didn't get far until he had to stop again, nearly tripping over an unconscious, half-naked body lying face down on the snow. "I forgot about Rokurou. Excuse me." Hyoma sidestepped slowly from the samurai's body, then jogged away, anywhere but the inn was fine, as the mutterings and whispering from the building gradually died out. "Glad that was over with. Now then, on to better things."
She took it back. Hyoma is a horrible person. She insisted, even if Hyoma was "immortal", that he was a normal person. But what kind of normal person kicks someone in the shin and leave them?
"Grr..."
A low growl from Velvet, still clutching at her shin as she limps away from the inn, no surprise with others staring at her. Seems that even in a mood for jokes, Hyoma still remembered to kick above her boots. Pretty sure no matter how strong a kick is, simply stomping on Velvet's protected feet won't work.
"He doesn't look like a fighter, but he damn well knows how to kick."
A few more rubbings on her injured shin to give some false sense of relief and Velvet is good to limp away without awkwardly holding on to her shin. But like Hyoma, Velvet wouldn't get too far without stopping and gawking at Hellawes' new tourist attraction.
"Rokurou? What are you doing on the snow?" First time didn't get through. So Velvet tries to kick him a tad bit, see if there's any response to be had. "Hey. Are you dead?" Oh what is this? Now you're the one who's words are traited with casual morbidity? Did you pick that up from Hyoma yesterday? "If you don't get up, I'm leaving."
"Uuugh..."
"Oh, you're up."
And up he goes. Slowly but surely, Rokurou will get back up on his feet in a lazy manner. Although his front could use some cleaning. The snow nearly made him half white, half everything else. It takes a ton of effort dusting the snow off of him, especially his face. That part was particularly bad. I'm surprised he didn't suffocate.
"Ugh... What happened?"
He says as he clutches his head likely suffering from a massive headache and possibly from the inevitable sickness. Velvet crossed her arms, deflecting the question back at the fallen samurai.
"That's what I'd like to know. Anyway, we shouldn't stay here. We're already attracting enough attention as it is. Come on, move it."
"But I just woke up."
Now that he was away from the commotion, Hyoma can finally head to his next destination without worry. His pace was normal, eyes forward, hands in his coat pockets, greeted any exorcists, all in an attempt to look unassuming, to look as if his morning was routine and uneventful. And along the way, he couldn't control what his ears heard.
"...Brrr...! It never got this cold when I was kid. It must be... what was that called again?"
"Global cooling? No it couldn't be. That's just a myth."
"No, that has to be it! Oh, I really hope yesterday's early disappearing sun was just a natural phenomenon."
The conversation between the jacket-wrapped chatty woman and an unconvinced man held only one thing of interest.
"An early disappearing sun... So other people did notice."
Hyoma maintained his pace and his outside appearance while taking a glance at the sun. It was plainly obvious that there was a sun, but Hyoma couldn't help but confirm its existence After all, according to a certain digital goddess, "if you aren't remembered, then you never existed". Ah... very much akin to... the situation Hyoma found himself in... And when Hyoma realized that same parallel, he increased his pace, not unlike those that borrow time to continue existing.
Although... Hyoma constantly challenged that digital goddess' philosophies by using himself as an experiment and so far, existing is pretty easy when you aren't remembered. Nevertheless, there was always more to that goddess' words than what is known outright and Hyoma knew that well. But that's enough for now. Ancient history.
What about Velvet? What was going on with her? Ah yes. Velvet.
Velvet. Velvet. Velvet.
"Geez... I should be more careful... I got carried away with her hand. Hm... But she did have a reaction, though."
The cause of Velvet's reaction - Remnants of an old, obsolete power, long since vanished from his being.
"C.C! There's a bird in my eye !"
That was Hyoma's voice. Heh. Who else could it have been? We were the only ones here in this run down apartment he calls home.
"Whatever could you mean, Hyoma ?"
I said in the laziest of voices. I remained on the couch. Not the most comfortable of couches, but it's the most comfortable thing here. I couldn 't sleep on the bed. What a greedy boy. I was still absent mindedly watching the news with Cheese- kun safe in my embrace.
Footsteps, t hen came Hyoma himself. Hmph . We just woke up, yet he's wearing that. Did he really go to bed wearing that attire? His left eye was closed, and kept doubly closed when his hand covered it up. Was he embarrassed by it?
"C.C... Why did you..."
Such a serious tone. This isn't what I had in mind. But if seriousness is the atmosphere, then I will answer seriously.
"You told me your story. You told me about being able to remember pieces of your memories that should only exist millions of years in the past. Thus, y ou told me about suspecting yourself as an immortal."
I t was a serious issue, indeed. An immortal that might have lived for eons and not have the memories for them... There's no way I could let that stand, me being an immortal myself. My eyes have now gravitated towards Hyoma's eyes. I want to let him know that I am serious about this.
" Hyoma . For a traveler like you, memories should always be remembered , no matter how sad or happy they are. They make up the you of the present."
"I know that... I didn't know you would care about it."
Boy, the words I have for you right now. But I will refrain from vulgarity.
"I am an immortal. I may not have lost my memories, but after hearing your stories, I try to predict what could've happened to me had I lost them. I know for a fact that I have encountered numerous...unfortunate events, but I also know that I would've turned out even worse without them. I can't find it in me to let such a cruel fate visit you without intervention on my end."
He nods gently and his left eye finally opens. The Geass was there. The proof of my..."half" prank. Good. He finally calmed down. His entire being softens up to the point that he was willing to indulge on the pizza on the table. Pizza that I bought by stealing his money. Ah yes, which is why I said "to the point". We did have an argument about it, after all. Good, good. He's okay now.
"…"
He has yet to look at me ever since I told him I wanted to help him. Instead, he opts to watch the news. Don't tell me he's shy. Wasn't he going to ask what his Geass does? Hm... Well, his loss. Without me in his view, I could stare at him all day. I could never do this with Lelouch , he who possesses a chaotic aura, of unrest . Hyoma had this... gentle aura and whether he knew it or not, it helped calm down those around him.
"Your Geass . It's not really useful outside of helping you recover your memories. All it does is cause pain to let you know when there's a possible déjà vu . Knowing your long history, you might come across many situations that were similar to your past. With the Geass , you no longer need to worry about missing any signs."
"Hm..."
So that's all I get? A lone, quiet sound of confirmation? And after all I've done for you.
"That's great and all, but... W-When exactly did you give me this?"
Hahaha! How cute. Hyoma trying to sound intimidating towards a lady? You know Hyoma , that tone of yours would work if it wasn't for your red face and shaky voice. Afraid I might bite? Hmhm , now, time for the teasing.
" When do you think I did it?"
"It's not okay to sneak up on someone that's sleeping...! It's a crime...!"
"Don't you know? It's not a crime if you're not caught. And as far as I'm concerned, I haven't been caught. You have no proof for your accusations.~ "
"C.C!"
Haha ...! It's too easy. Normally, such things would never affect Hyoma , but who would have thought his weakness was something as normal as girls?
"Ah, I almost forgot. Regarding the second part of your Geass ."
This time, I actually had to change positions, but I would still remain on the couch. Too comfy. I'll sit. "Here." I offered my hand to him. Of course, my other hand was still gripping Cheese- kun . I could never let him go. "Try to hold my hand."
Hm , well, the embarrassment went away and in comes suspicion and disgust.
"Why? To wipe your pizza crumbs and grease on me?"
...He caught me? Oh stop it, face of mine. I could hardly contain my smile. It was starting to break free. Sigh... Fine, fine. Here. Watch as I dust my hands off of anything filthy. Is this good enough for you, your shy-ness?
"Happy?"
And so he wrapped his bare hand around mine. Or perhaps "wrap" was exaggerating it. He barely grasped it. A meek and feeble and weak attempt to hold my hand. Perhaps this was overloading his senses. Fine, I'll keep this brief.
"Now then. Considering your travels, you've likely met many people. Anyone even remotely involved with you would get a rush of memories that have you in it- Gah...!"
W-What... What's going on...?! No... Of all people, I connected with Hyoma ?!
" Guh ... AHHHHH! No...! MAKE IT STOP!"
Jeanne d'Arc! A-And Hyoma ...! Oh, dearest, young Hyoma ...! He was there! He who had plotted the Maid's demise. He... A-Along with... the Witch of Brittania... Myself...! You, Hyoma ...?! You were with me?!
…
…
...
...Velvet Crowe was no different.
…
…
…
The witch heard of Hyoma's story. About his travels, his supposed immortality, and an exorbitant amount of memory losses associated with a long life. She wanted to help, she who had also suffered from immortality. If they were to ever meet again, Hyoma would thank her.
And at last, he made it to the docks. 3 ships continued to remain in their position from yesterday. So the maritime guilds in Hellawes truly were bound in place.
"Velvet did say she would take care of that..."
He says as he recalls yesterday when Velvet was willing to take care of a former guild member, Dyle they said, in exchange for a ship. According to the map, Northgand and Westgand are connected, with Midgand just within arm's reach of Westgand. Hyoma figured if he could travel by foot, he would, especially considering that until just recently, ships were a no-go. But Velvet's convenient timing makes traveling by ship appealing.
Although... Ships weren't the main issue right now. Hyoma's eyes were locked on to the warehouse, the same one that was storing materials for explosives and other miscellaneous goods. Now it was just a matter of listening in on the 2 people, one an exorcist, and the other likely the owner, currently holding a conversation in front of the warehouse. Now the only thing left was to look unassuming, sit down and stare at the sea like normal people. He didn't need eyes for now. It was all ears.
"…I'm telling you sir, someone raided my warehouse! Did you not just take a good a look in here?!"
"...Yes, I did. But the best we can do is monitor this place to prevent further raids."
The exorcist kept his cool, though the mask really helps. The owner was really throttling him. Most likely even before Hyoma listened in. Although, maybe it's because of the mask that it's difficult to tell if the exorcist actually did keep his cool.
"...The best you could do?! That's likely the least you could do! The best you could do is actually catching the thief!"
"...You think I'd still be standing here if that was possible?"
The way the exorcist kept his cool was beginning to look like a poker face. Even in the face of rage, that poker face remained steadfast. So much so that the whole thing was beginning to look comedic, earning a chuckle from Hyoma. Yep, the mask was just for show.
"(He probably deals with that stuff daily. Good on you.)"
"...Lady Teresa won't like the sound of this when word reaches her."
And so the owner surrenders, turns tail, and walks away, likely to tattle tale on Miss Teresa. And like Hyoma predicted, the exorcist seems experienced when it came to stuff like this, his shrug a good indicator of that, but only doing so after the owner wasn't looking.
"...Go ahead and tell her. She lectures us every day anyway. Do you really think it's coincidence that she's assigned to this icy landscape?"
So with his snarky self-conversation out of the way, it was time to make his rounds, his bodily gestures and recent actions all strongly suggesting that these are done preferably without distractions. And that loud sigh just before taking his first step truly proved the point.
Hyoma remained seated at the edge of the docks, his dangling feet close to the water just ready and waiting to swallow him whole, but unless the weather turned sour, that won't come to pass. Hopefully. Maybe.
"The exorcist did say they were going to monitor this place, but with his attitude, it doesn't seem like it'll be implemented right away. Hm... I wonder..."
Hyoma retrieved one of the two maps given to him, the local map of Hellawes, as well as a pencil all from the same pocket in his coat. It's hardly been a full 24 hours but the map is now riddled with notes and markings, most spots marked with a cross. The intensity from Hyoma's red eyes and the fact that the map is marked in such a way that it could be used for war easily spells trouble.
"It looks okay."
He tucked the map in his coat and stood up with a sort of nimble attentiveness all in an effort to avoid the waters. Drowning was a thing of the past, but just the feeling of being surrounded by water was enough to overwhelm Hyoma's sense of "invincibility". Hands and feet were all in perfect synchronization and made every movement count. No doubt he was probably thinking "this is the last time I'm sitting near water". And after checking around to make sure there were no curious cats, it was time to head in the warehouse.
"Whew... Dim."
He surveyed the building and it was still left as is. A total mess. It was left as is probably to preserve evidence of a robbery. He placed his Hellawes local map on top of some "flamestones" and that was that. He paused for a moment, his eyes focused on the map, though his mind was elsewhere, his nod to the map a good sign of that as if he planned on doing something with it, then did one last check at the warehouse.
"What would be the 5th century equivalent of flamestone? Hm..."
The map just needed to be placed somewhere in the building, preferably where it's easy to see when one enters the warehouse from the "secret entrance", but not so visible under a hasty inspection. Teresa is a busy woman, so Hyoma was betting on her negligence and the "plan" would go smoothly. Nothing else needed unnecessary tampering, so Hyoma exits the building and on the way out...
"...Heeeey! Let me gooooo!"
It didn't take much turning of his head to identify the source of that infernal screeching. Magilou. Actually, Hyoma probably didn't need to look at the source at all. Her voice pretty much worked its way into Hyoma's head and became ingrained there. It would take a while to describe why, but for now, let's just say it was unforgettable.
"...I only wanted to take a look at the ship! It was good looking and I couldn't resist!"
Two exorcists were dragging Magilou away by her arms, but she wasn't giving up that easily and her thrashing legs helped to slow the exorcists' progress. Hyoma couldn't help but wonder why she wasn't trying hard enough to escape.
"She is a witch, right? Maybe she's just holding back."
The atmosphere remained as is. Magilou was being dragged away, likely to the leading exorcist of this region, Teresa, and yet Hyoma was perfectly content with being a worthless bystander. There was no sense of urgency or tension in the atmosphere. At least, none that Hyoma can sense.
"One less troublesome character out of the way~."
He says with such a cheery, singsong tone. It was certainly trying to mock the arrested witch, especially when she spotted Hyoma waving to her with that stupid smile on his face amidst her violent thrashing, but all of that would backfire very quickly.
"He's also a conspirator! Him! Hiiiimmm!"
Magilou kept her head pointed at Hyoma, hoping the exorcists would look at her line of sight and unfortunately for Hyoma, they did. And not just them, but also the other exorcists on patrol, and it wouldn't take long before they brandished their weapons like madmen as they ran after Hyoma, an unnecessary action considering he stood perfectly still, likely shocked at what just happened.
"You..."
"Hehe..."
He sent a glare her way, to which Magilou responds with her iconic, fittingly devilish smile. She's had her fun, so there was little need to resist her captors anymore. As for Hyoma, nothing could ruin the day more than to be surrounded by exorcists with their weapons pointed at him.
"Make it easy for us and let's go."
Slowly, his arms half-raised, a calm composure to make the arrest easier on them and hopefully in return, make it easier for him. It's a deal, yes?
"Sigh..."
So the game was over before it even began. Hyoma Hokulei was captured and the only other competent person, Magilou, shared that same fate. The world was done for. Hm... On second thought, maybe it's the opposite and the world would actually revel in peace?
"I hate you a lot."
Hyoma kept his face straight, quite literally as well, a stark contrast to his words.
"Aww really? But I don't hate you, you know...?~ "
On the other hand was Magilou's bedroom eyes and side smile, looking just over her shoulder to meet Hyoma. Her voice was uncharacteristically quiet, almost reduced to a whisper, but it was compensated with the sultriness that coated it. That kind of gesture, those kinds of tone in the voice... Isn't that the kind where-
...And Hyoma noticed it from his peripheral vision, his head barely turning away, but his eyes clearly trying to avert Magilou's seductive gaze, and still his face remained expressionless. The stakes are higher though. If he shows any kind of expression, Magilou would tease him to no end.
Their hands were secured with rope along the way, although by the looks of the basic knots, it seems these two aren't considered threatening yet. Plus, it seems their calm and conforming attitude helped ease their arrest. Their silence is especially valuable considering they were currently held side by side in a local church behind the pews, with Teresa praying at the altar. So any amount of disturbance and they were going to get an earful, or maybe a "cheekful".
That's why the two opted to whisper instead, even though the recent events made that very hard, what with the false accusations that stirred Hyoma's emotions and Magilou's exaggerated efforts to contain her teasing. But all is quiet and serious when Teresa finally and vocally prayed.
"...O Empyrean Innominat, hear my prayer. Blessings and honor unto thee... This frail flesh a sacrifice to be thy foundation..."
Though audible, it was more of a whisper. A failure of a whisper. Hyoma heard it all.
"(Is that their religion?)"
The exorcist's grip on his rope lessened. He probably got tired of holding it. That or it was a reward for Hyoma being so cooperative during and after his arrest. The ease of some "physical burden" allowed for clearer thinking. Repeating the word "Empyrean" and "Innominat" was bound to produce results or may cough up an irrelevant memory.
"(Inomnom. Nom nom?")
But he wouldn't get far. And it's good that he kept his train of thought short. The giant door behind him opened and in comes a familiar figure. A familiar, high ranking figure considering the exorcists holding up their prisoners had to move aside for him.
"Praetor Oscar."
With bandage dressings.
A nod from the guard on Hyoma's side to confirm Oscar's existence. And Oscar reciprocates with his nod, his gaze, though, remained when he notices the red-eyed man with black bed hair and said man looked slightly downwards to appear submissive and defeated. He didn't want suspicions.
"Hm."
It was all the praetor could say. Nothing in the apprehended rung a bell. Fortunately, he didn't look the other way to see the other apprehended. Lucky you, Magilou. He would've recognized you straight away. And Oscar's head straightened once more and resumed his path to Teresa.
"Sister."
His voice jolts Teresa out of her praying and she was on her feet in a flash, a rare smile on her face no doubt.
"Oscar! What brings— Your face! What happened to you!?"
She was referring to the abundance of bandage dressings wrapped around his head and over his right eye. Now where did he get those injuries, I wonder?
"(The mummy returns!)"
—Magilou.
"(His face always looked like that.)"
—And Hyoma.
The peanut gallery behind the siblings ensue, albeit in total secrecy. It was getting more difficult to contain the laughter again. They were terrible, uninteresting jokes, but anything goes when it's just themselves they're talking to. Their minds were a biased audience who would laugh at anything. They had to keep a straight face. They had to. Especially when they were in Teresa's field of vision.
"There was a demon that bested me in battle. I have no one to blame but myself."
"My poor... poor brother..."
Big sister with both hands was caressing small brother's cheeks ever so gently. He isn't going to break like fragile glass, you know. You can be rougher to prove your disgusting rela—
"There are scars, but there is no more pain. I can still serve the Abbey, but I wanted to stop by here for you."
"The scars... No doubt an underhanded foe caused you suffering."
She continued to caress her brother in an effort to confirm and reconfirm his existence. He was still alive. Thank goodness, she thought.
"(You poor, ugly thing, you...)"
—Hyoma.
"(Smash his face with an iron next, Velvet!)"
—And Magilou. The look of anticipation on her face really wished for the worse for Oscar. The peanut gallery grew more rowdy, unbeknownst to the audience and its performers.
"A demon who saps the strength from her foes and turns it against them. A girl with black hair and yellow eyes full of fire. Take heed, dear sister. She poses a threat even to seasoned praetors like us."
"(Eyes full of fire... Gasp...!)"
It wasn't Teresa who was in control of her memories, otherwise, such minor events wouldn't be in the forefront of her memories. But they were. The forefront of her memories involved Velvet and only Velvet. Nothing else mattered. For that reason, she managed to recall those seemingly trivial memories.
"(Her...!)"
…
"Teresa?"
His voice does wonders to her. It managed to ease the scowl on her face and instantly, she put on her best, big sister-esque mask. Whatever that may be.
"Huh? Oh, yes. I will take caution. And Oscar... Worry yourself not. As long as you're alive, mistakes such as these are minor. You can always correct them later on."
And it was back to the peanut gallery. But their atmosphere seemed more serious. The jokes have vanished and Magilou is the first to speak in her mind with solemnity.
"(As long as you're alive, huh...)"
She could've spoken using any other tone considering they were thoughts nobody could listen in on. But the gravity of her expression, a stern and unsmiling Magilou, suggests there were layers upon layers of meaning behind her words. On the flip side, Hyoma kept his eyes locked on at the siblings, his thoughts void of activity. Teresa's words were already echoed in a similar fashion yesterday by Hyoma to Velvet. The connection was already made and Hyoma need not delve into his mind for this.
"Aha...! It seems I chose the right course of actions. I stopped by here hoping you would cheer me up."
*Tap Tap*
"Oho, you sly devil, you!"
She was getting touchy-feely again, her hands that have just retracted to their regular positions have found their way to Oscar once again, ruffling his hair in what I assume is in a playful manner.
"You haven't the need for manipulation. I will cheer you up any time."
*Tap Tap*
"Hehe. Hmm... Now then, I do believe I recognize those earrings! They do indeed fit you, as I expected."
A slight red on Teresa's cheeks and a light smile on her face. Her delicate fingers caressed the blue earrings with considerable affection, no doubt because they are gifts from her dearest little brother.
"Hmhm...~ I treasure them dearly."
*Tap Tap*
The jokester Magilou stopped telling jokes in her head and actually became engrossed in the siblings' conversation. For the sake of estimates, the conversation has only been going on for a few minutes, but it became stale very quickly. Magilou didn't seem like the type to indulge in stagnant situations. Nothing was changing. She was engrossed in their conversation because she was bored. So bored and so engrossed that she didn't even notice the tapping of Hyoma's shoe. It's been tapping for a while.
"(Hm...?)"
Magilou kept her eyes on Hyoma's tapping left shoe, then to Hyoma's face. In contrast, her head wasn't turned the whole way to meet Hyoma square in the face. In situations like these, the guards might think something was going on between them. A look of confusion, nevertheless. Again, nothing on his face was readable. Until he decided to bow his head.
"(What are you doing...?)"
Magilou was genuinely confused and that didn't happen often. Often, it would be her trying to confuse the hell out of her audience.
*Tap Tap*
*Bows head*
"Would you please keep still?"
Even when Hyoma tried his best to bow his head under the cover of subtlety, it was nearly impossible not to alert the guard behind him. So the guard asked oh-so-kindly to get him to stop yet the use of brute force was still the way to go.
It wasn't a coincidence like she initially believed. She wanted confirmation that Hyoma was trying to tell her something. He tapped his shoe and subsequently bowed his head. He never once looked at Magilou. So Magilou does the only other thing in response.
*Bows head*
She becomes a copycat, and to the floor Magilou's massive hat goes. Her eyes bore holes into her hat. She observed it with that much intensity.
"Pick it up later." Her guard says with a low growl in response to the witch's desire to sweep it off the ground. She took one last look before returning her eyes on Hyoma, who gave off a very subtle nod in return. Magilou had the right idea and just in time too.
"I must take my leave now."
Teresa was still enamored from Oscar's silver tongue that she hadn't the time to form a response to Oscar's formal salute and farewell. He wanted to take his leave quickly and quietly. Through the aisle he goes...
*Cough*
Hyoma looked downward once more, still displaying that same expression of defeat. Oscar couldn't help but look his way one last time, though whether it was because of the intriguing aura that surrounded the man or the trivial cough was up to debate. The answer will have to wait as Oscar finally leaves the church. The main course was gone and all that's left were the desserts that were forced to walk down the aisle and face judgment. And judging by the look on Teresa's new mask, she wasn't fond of desserts.
"Lady Teresa. We've captured a stowaway and a potential accomplice."
"I wasn't stowing away! I merely boarded without permission!"
*PSSHH*
"(Oh god...)"
"... So as we can see, potential energy is converted into kinetic energy. Potential energy is stored in the muscle as the hand prepares for the wind up, then it's converted into kinetic energy as it swings towards her face. And if we slow it down... F un fact. The face is elastic. So it makes all these crazy movements when it's hit."
...
"Teacher, who is that victim you're slapping in the video?"
"Oh her? Someone I really, really hate. Perfect for this example."
Oh god is right, Hyoma. That slap sounded like thunder and threw Magilou off-balance, her head and body almost following the trajectory of Teresa's hand and was lucky her captor suddenly became her savior, keeping her upright.
"So you've been collaborating with that demon. Where is she?!"
"Hmph..."
Magilou didn't even readjust her head. She kept her face as is when Teresa slapped her. Maybe she was actually angry. For some reason, an angry Magilou would not end well. Nevertheless, she kept her silence, unwilling to even drop hints or riddles.
"You chose silence, then? To openly defy a praetor exorcist... No, more than that. To aid in their death... You should receive the death penalty over and over again and still, it will lack the same magnitude as your actions."
Teresa neither raised nor lowered her voice. It was perfectly monotone, but monotony certainly helps in foreshadowing worse things to come. What is normally supposed to be angry is not angry and that's hardly a good sign. If used well, juxtaposition can indeed, be a powerful force. The original trio saw it first hand when Hyoma had a smiling aura of light-heartedness under black skies. At that time, the juxtaposition led them to believe Hyoma was the kind of person who would laugh in the middle of a funeral and not care about the somberness of the circumstance.
"Excuse me."
A meek and feeble voice came from the other apprehended. Teresa saw the piercing red eyes, but no more than that as the red-eyed man looked down. Other than the grandiosity that is his clothing, one that would suggest thievery, the overall appearance of the man looked no different than like that of a school teacher being bullied by his students. A seemingly weak young adult. Maybe she can take it easy with this one.
"I don't think she's collaborating with the demon."
"Huh?"
A surprised look on both women's faces. Clearly, one of them wasn't expecting to be saved and the other wasn't expecting this one to fight for the former's innocence.
"Young man, do you have my eyes? Eyes that saw how close this witch and the demon's proximity were? A proximity that can only be found among either friends or accomplices?"
It was only every now and then that Hyoma stole a glance at Teresa, an act of nervousness or at the very least, emulating the act of nervousness. It was like reading the script for a speech rather than facing the audience the entire time.
"No, ma'am. But I think she's no different than you. She was just as fooled by the demon as you were. Maybe she didn't even know about the demon at all."
"What are you getting at?"
It was different now. Hyoma raised his head to meet and perhaps hoping to rival Teresa's icy stare with his warm aura. Though bound at the hands, he regained enough composure to bring back the kind of aura that warrants caution. Although it's still laughable that Hyoma was just a tiny bit shorter than the 168 cm Teresa, one centimeter to be exact. That goes with Velvet too. Hm, maybe that actually helped accentuate the equality.
"From what I can tell, Oscar didn't even recognize her." The innocent, light-hearted smile from before showed up on Hyoma's mask. The smile that wanted to prove that he can do no wrong. "She has quite the unique character. I don't think it would take much effort for her appearance to stick in your head."
"Tch..."
"(Is that an insult or a compliment?)"
Teresa made such an effort to pull her gaze away from Hyoma. She needed a counterargument. Just as quickly, she refocuses on Hyoma with twice the intensity.
"Or maybe Oscar's trauma hindered his ability to recognize her. I could simply summon him back here and have him recall his memories. How about that, hm?"
"Ahaha...!~"
The sudden, somewhat mildly vocal laugh took Teresa off guard. It wasn't the suddenness or the awkward timing of the laughter that took Teresa off guard. There was something else in it. A hint of malice was contained in the laughter and Hyoma's general expression was just plain happy. Mildly happy. And that was creeping her out.
"Your brother would do anything to help you. Then there'll be nothing stopping you two from conspiring against the witch just to save you from humiliation from your false accusations." Oh, if he only had the use of his hands, he'd have a much broader range of body gestures that can serve to emphasize every single sentence he forms. "Is that the justice you hold so dearly?~"
The praetor exorcist balled up her fists. Oh how she wanted to introduce her fists to his face... Justice? Sibling? None of that matters. This was a personal vendetta against one man and one man only. No one else was involved. But to show that personal vendetta fueled with emotion, void of righteous justice and reason in front of her soldiers? Not even Teresa was willing to go that far. She would lose everything, credibility, authority, face and all.
"Put them in the holding cells for 30 days."
"Yes, milady!"
The rumbling thunder that hid beneath her savage yet monotonous tone lost its edge. Teresa didn't even bother to spare a glance at them as she exited the building post-haste. Their salute fell into obscurity. The creed of the Abbey, reason above all else, shattered just as quickly as her pride all thanks to some nobody. Emotion was all that's left to pick up the pieces.
"The justice I hold? Hmph. I saw not even an inkling of justice in your eyes, nay, not even a speck of light in them. Who are you... to judge mine's?"
A/N - Stop by again?