Chapter 4: A Boring Life (4)
"...Sorry, you said you were looking for a pancake shop?"
A guileless smile split the potential apocalypse masquerading as a girl's lips, shining blonde hair wavering like silk as she nodded in confirmation.
"Yes, do you know of any such restaurants or their equivalent? I would be quite grateful if you could point me in the right direction."
Feeling like he was approaching some kind of absurdity threshold when it came to dealing with events of this nature Nanashi sighed, replying, "At this time of night they're all going to be closed, Abigail. I could show you the way but you won't be able to get inside, what few we do have around here are more morning or afternoon kind of deals."
Disappointment glimmered in the soft blue eyes of the foreigner - although Nanashi figured he wasn't one to talk about being a foreigner given his own looks - as she resignedly stated, "I suppose there is nothing to be done, then...truth be told I do not have any money to purchase items in the first place."
Unable to hold back his incredulousness - despite the massive danger the girl clearly posed simply by existing - the boy asked, "You don't have money? Then how were you planning on getting pancakes in the first place?"
Clasping her hands before her with a pleasant smile the girl merely replied, "Trust in the lord's will and all will be right with the world...faith in the kindness of others is much the same."
Unable to help himself Nanashi skeptically asked, "The same ones that were glaring at you like a leper earlier? Sorry if I'm being pessimistic but I don't see them being all that kind to you."
Briefly feeling like an asshole the point was further accentuated by the blonde's stomach choosing that moment to rumble, a cute blush adorning her pale skin that contrasted rather nightmarishly with the malicious and malevolent aura he felt surrounding her like a cloak.
"O-oh...that is a fair point, I see."
Wanting nothing more than to go home and sleep at this point - maybe after eating something, jury was out on that one - Nanashi sighed, remarking, "Shouldn't you be heading back to wherever you came from? If you're getting lost in the middle of the night I can't imagine wandering around these streets is that great of a plan."
An eyebrow raised in mild disbelief as the girl lightly kicked her foot across the ground, gaze averting itself.
"...House? Hotel?"
He paused, warily inquiring, "Homeless shelter?"
A sheepish shake of her head.
Feeling a sigh escape his lips - and unsure if he should let a girl like that wander unsupervised around the city - Nanashi dryly asked, "You feel comfortable staying at my place, then?"
"You...would allow me to do so?"
The boy shrugged, turning around and walking away as he winced in pain, body feeling more worn out and sore than he could remember due to all of the activity earlier in the day.
"Come along or not, it's up to you...but I'd feel pretty bad about leaving you out in the cold, alone and hungry."
He heard the sound of footsteps pad alongside him, Abigail's cute tones caressing his eardrums as she said, "Thank you for your boundless generosity...oh my, how rude! I never asked for your name!"
Sending a sidelong glance towards the girl he shrugged, finding her mannerisms fairly cute, if somewhat strange considering that she felt every bit as violent and volatile as Manaka through his mystic eyes.
"Nanashi. Just Nanashi. And you're welcome."
Clasping her hands before her Abigail calmly stated, "Then I shall be sure to state a prayer for you to god, Nanashi. Your hospitality and warm heart is most appreciated."
Resorting once again to shrugging in embarrassment at her words and cute disposition the teen instead watched how the few passerby reacted to her presence...of the wary and disgusted leers or glares that left him wondering if, on some level, they could sense Abigail's unnaturalness just like he could.
"And I'm inviting her to my house. GOD I'm stupid."
"I take it back. Stupid AND broke."
Grimacing at his mistake nanashi sighed, turning to Abigail as she stared at his sparse and dirty house with curious eyes, apologizing with, "Sorry...but I forgot I don't have much in the way of amenities right now. Bread and a few refrigerated vegetables, no extra futon, bed or bedsheets. I'll take the couch and you can take the bed, sorry about that."
Merely smiling at his explanation - the teen blushing fiercely with shame at his pathetic circumstances - the blonde happily replied, "There is nothing wrong with living in more modest climes, Nanashi. And I do not require any significant amounts of difficult to prepare food for my pleasure."
"...Right, thanks. Here, I'll get it out for you."
Stumbling to the fridge Nanashi pulled out some simple bread and carrots, taking some for himself as Abigail tilted her head, asking, "Are you well? You seem a little weak on your feet."
"It's...been a long day. Do you mind if I go to sleep right now? I have school tomorrow and need to catch up on as much rest as I can."
The pretty blonde smiled, nodding as she took a few slices of bread and carrots for herself as she stated, "Yes, I shall be quiet and not make so much as a peep~! Thank you for your hospitality, Nanashi. Good night and I shall try to be out of your hair tomorrow morning."
Exhaustively dragging himself towards the bathroom the boy washed his face and switched out of his uniform, stumbling to the couch before collapsing onto it as he heard Abigail whisper a quiet prayer and head upstairs, mind sluggish and hazy as he belatedly realized that for the first time in his life he'd just taken a girl to his house.
"And go figure it's some kind of walking natural - or maybe I should say unnatural - disaster that's wandering about...fuck I feel terrible."
Headache assailing his skull and muscles cramping Nanashi heaved out a sigh, sinking into the couch's lumpy embrace before letting his eyes drift closed, sleep quickly claiming him.
"Why were you so afraid? You have never shown anything even resembling such an emotion...what is different about him?"
The sound of spreading flesh and humming power filled the cramped and unremarkable bedroom as Abigail knelt before the messy bed, hands clasped in prayer as she communed with her contracted god.
A communion that resulted in her forehead gaining a third eye, the sclera a shifting kaleidoscope of color and patterns while the pupil was an alien shape, still vaguely recognizable as human but containing an alieness that was nonetheless impossible to overlook. The bewildering scene was only made complete by the colonial-style clothing that had covered the girl's body disappearing in a muted flash of light, instead replaced by a choker that trailed lengths of butterfly-esque fabrics that more often than not failed to cover her slight chest, undergarment and single stocking concealing a slim leg enough to make a succubus nod in approval.
"Oh? Agitation is a new state for you to exist in."
The third eye began to roll and dart in the socket, random movements and directions perfectly conveying the distress the one controlling it felt.
"Hmm? Dangerous? Nanashi? True, there was certainly something odd about him when he didn't react to your influence upon my person...but to make you tremble and quiver with fright~?"
Her tone was a marked difference from its previous soft and polite cadence, now sporting mirth and gleeful amusement as her lips tilted into a smirk rather than sweet smile.
"Have the great and terrible Outer Gods met their match?"
The third eye blazed a bloody crimson, a portal of shimmering blackness manifesting directly behind the giggling Abigail and disgorging a tentacle adorned with suckers and eldritch markings-
-which laid itself across her bare back with blistering force, tearing open skin and muscle as ruby lines of blood trailed down the girl's pale flesh, the tendril thrashing in fury.
But despite the brutality of the action the blonde barely so much as twitched, tone frosty as she responded, "You truly are a petulant child. Striking out and hitting the moment things don't go your way."
With a strange haze of darkness the fearsome injury rewound time, muscle and skin reknitting itself to a pristine state as the blonde unflinchingly stared down the dozens of other portals that manifested writhing tentacles of all size and shape, the eye upon her brow burning with unbridled fury.
"No, I will not kill him, regardless of the threat he may pose to us. To you. I quite enjoy the fact that he is unaffected by your passive madness that afflicts those around me, enjoy what precious few minutes I have witnessed of his personality. In case you have forgotten moments such as those have been rather hard to come by over the years."
She grinned, a shark's smile so different from her previously demure attitude that it seemed downright alien.
"And nothing you can do will convince me otherwise. The terms of our contract are simple. You view the world through my eyes and soul, may use it to create small changes or alterations...but I retain my own agency unless you change my mind otherwise."
The tentacles stilled, instead winding towards her with predatory and malevolent intent.
Abigail didn't even hesitate, standing up and throwing her arms and legs wide, challenging grin on her lovely features as she threatened, "You may have held power over me when I first traveled under the tutelage of the Gentleman, when I was still youthful and naive. But now? You could not take my friends in Chaldea away when I was a mere Servant, a fragment of the original...and I promise that you will not take this one from me."
Those words were the proverbial last straw, the eldritch tendrils latching onto her limbs with aggressive motions, hauling her arms and legs wide harsh enough to make them creak in their sockets while one of the smaller lengths ripped her ungarment off with a contemptuous motion, Abigail never losing her smug smile the entire time.
"Come then, old friend...let's see if you can actually make me enjoy it this time."
Musky and fishy-scented tentacles pried her jaw wide, a pseudopod jamming itself deep down her throat and strangling the blonde as she narrowed her eyes at the action, nether lips and rectum violently prodded by sizable lengths as the girl let her mind wander, not focusing on the abrupt burning and tearing sensations that consumed her lower half, long used to the Outer God's petulant belief that defiling her would make her change her mind.
True, the first few times it had, so traumatizing and inexperienced she was in the act and unable to comprehend how to exert her will...but time had hardened her heart and nerves.
Now she instead felt her mouth twitch into what would be a smile if it wasn't strained to its limit.
"A friend...I think having a friend will be nice…"
Nanashi awoke feeling terrible.
Not necessarily anything new, but today was an extra special blend of awfulness. He felt feverish, his body was sore and his skull positively ached, never mind the hole in his stomach after last night's less than stellar dinner.
"Shit...not only that but I also forgot to get a blanket."
Grumbling to himself as he exhaustedly got to his feet, body shivering with bone-deep chill Nanashi stumbled towards the bathroom-
-and froze as a rather horrific sight greeted his eyes.
Namely that of his bedsheets set in a heap in front of the laundry machine, absolutely drenched in some kind of fluid that looked uncomfortably like blood and a yellow discharge that smelt terrible.
Like musk, fish and rotting fruit, a scent that felt like it was physically taking up space in his nostrils and caused the youth to gag a bit.
"What the hell was that girl doing last night?"
Feeling a deep-seated sense of unease Nanashi limped towards the kitchen, eyes immediately snapping towards where a napkin rested on one of the countertops, some kind of writing scrawled across its surface...in what was pretty obviously not red ink but more blood.
[Nanashi, I apologize for any unease this morning may cause you but I assure you no untowards or esoteric activities took place that would affect you. As a matter of fact I wish to thank you for your hospitality and, however brief our interaction was, hope that our friendship may continue if we meet again under more pleasant circumstances. I shall pray for you and our continued amicability, assuming this doesn't permanently affect your image of me. Yours truly, Abigail Williams.]
Blinking at the message Nanashi furrowed his brow, thrown off balance by both the unnatural mess and the friendly - if not downright hopeful - nature of her message for him.
It honestly left him feeling a little bad, that he had only been able to offer such meager hospitality when, with the benefit of hindsight, the girl had been rather sweet and kind.
"...My life really did take a weird turn after I met Manaka."
Shivering as he realized he barely had anything to eat and was freezing cold the teen regretfully let the soiled sheets rest where they were, electing to pop a window until he could properly wash them and marched off to the shower, noting that there was still a bit of dampness to be found...Abigail had likely taken one before she left.
"I must have been really out of it, if I never noticed any of that."
Flipping on the water Nanashi stepped into the lukewarm stream as his thin and sickly body eagerly devoured the warmth...and the teen blinked as the water temperature began to drop, the boy grimacing as he realized that by taking a shower Abigail had doomed him to a cold one.
"...Shit again. You're lucky that you're a really cute girl, Abigail. Otherwise I'd be really goddamned upset."
"You are a poor friend, Nanashi. I went to the trouble of spreading all manner of rumors about the nature of our relationship and what you were doing after school in my home...and then you collapse barely a meter past the front gate, ruining my hard work as you instead languish here in the nurse's office."
Rolling his eyes towards where Manaka sat the teen grumbled, "Wow. I'm just so sorry about ruining your fun. Would seeing me get beaten up by the guys that aren't as weak as I am been a treat for you?"
The blonde tilted her head, an innocent expression on her features that didn't fool him one damn bit.
"Of course not. I would have intervened before it came to physical violence. Just to truly make it clear that you're my friend beyond any shadow of a doubt~!"
A huff left the teen, sinking into the bed's embrace with a disgruntled expression.
He'd somehow made it to school without collapsing only to give out in the last leg of the journey, his body wracked by fever, hunger and a variety of other maladies that no kid his age should have been walking to school with...but that was his life.
Besides, he didn't really feel like hanging out in a boring house with nothing to do, stuck with the memory of all that blood and other junk still gunked to his sheets and hinting at something seriously uncomfortable happening to one of the sweetest girls he'd met in recent memory.
Instead he'd woken up to Manaka hovering over his resting form, legs kicking aimlessly as the nurse ignored her as if she wasn't even there, despite the fact that class was still very much in session.
"Well as your friend I'm going to have to ask you to take it easy on me. My body isn't as hardy as the others...if this whole episode didn't drive home that fact, Manaka."
The blonde was quiet for a moment, staring at the sickened boy as he laid on the simple bed...and narrowed her beautiful cerulean orbs.
"You truly are cursed with a weak body. Odd, considering the breadth and capability of your circuits."
"You're telling me."
A brief glint of amusement lit Manaka's features, lips tilting upwards into a smile as she stated, "Then it seems I shall have to brew you a proper potion when we return to my home later today. We need to continue your lessons, after all...and I do not enjoy the thought of my pupil being so crippled that he cannot focus properly. You may thank me at your pleasure, Nanashi."
The boy stared at the smiling blonde with a blank expression...and snorted at her words, the action causing him to cough violently as his 'friend' began to fret over his condition.
"At some point I should probably start getting used to the insanity that is this sudden change to my daily life."