Chapter 9: A Boring Life (End)
Manaka tried to hide her worry and apprehension with little success, ignoring the way the air rushed away from her body in a loud CRACK of displaced force and her circuits warmed to borderline uncomfortable levels.
Blessed with a larger than average mana pool and circuits of extremely high quality though she may be, the hasty and slapdash attempt at teleportation had left her mildly winded, the necessity of ensuring that her friend was still intact driving her actions and decision-making.
Yes, nothing truly untoward should have happened to the little homunculus reject...but both the feminine voice that her father had said spoke over the phone as well as the nature of his injuries - magecraft related ones - had the normally composed and cool-headed lady employing a craft her family had never expected her to make use of, if their shocked expressions were any indication as she had vanished in front of their eyes.
She didn't spare a second to gather her bearings, instead marching forward before throwing open the door, warmed circuits primed and ready to fire off any type of magecraft that may be needed…
And the pale-blonde instead experienced a wave of emotion she had yet to encounter during her short stint of once again experiencing things as she crossed the threshold.
Abject terror and caustic hatred, with a fair bit of childish jealousy thrown in for good measure.
Not more than a few meters away from her was Nanashi, head and eyes lolling weakly as another person - a girl at that - held his hand tight, wet rag gently dabbing away blood and sweat as she crouched next to the ratty couch he possessed, long blonde hair obscuring her body as her back was turned.
Manaka didn't even hesitate, arm raised with a simple but overcharged wind spell at the ready, the end result most likely being the other female's clean decapitation-
-and sky blue eyes met her own cerulean ones, the calm and even grateful expression present causing the shorter-haired girl to hesitate, if only for a moment...a moment long enough to recognize that the emotions coursing through her brain and demanding action were ones not of her own will, spurred onwards by an outside force.
Without missing a beat Manaka cast a series of protective and powerful bounded fields around her mind and soul, the terror and rage fading away within an eyeblink...the jealousy remained, interestingly enough.
"Am I...envious? How odd."
Setting aside that brief train of thought - the entire sequence of events having taken no more than two seconds at best - the magus instead offered a smile that had more than a few teeth, calmly walking towards her quarry as she pleasantly stated, "Greetings, I'm sure you have an excellent reason for being so close with Nanashi. I would just love to hear it, lest I have to pry it from your unwilling lips."
Her smile grew wide enough to split her face.
"Although that would be a perfectly acceptable outcome."
For a moment the other girl just continued to stare expressionlessly at Manaka's approach...and her eyes widened after a moment, a small and genuine smile tilting her lips upwards.
"You aren't being affected right now, are you? You used magecraft to block the mental contamination."
Faltering briefly at the oddly happy expression Manaka hesitated - some of her jealousy falling away in the face of an expression that inspired the oddest desire to cuddle the other girl - before regaining her composure, coming to a stop barely two steps away from her, staring down with narrowed eyes as she primly stated, "That I did. Who are you and what do you desire with my friend?"
Still seeming excited and joyous rather than frightened or confrontational the western-looking girl cheerily replied, "My name is Abigail Williams, may I have yours? And Nanashi is my friend too."
Fighting down the aggravated eye twitch she experienced at having the blonde intruder call Nanashi her friend right in front of her Manaka instead focused on the name Abigail Williams-
-and blinked a few times in quick succession before glaring at the girl with newfound wariness, stating, "The Gate both locking away and providing access for Sut-Typhon to view this universe. That is what I felt upon my mind, is it not? The instinctive desire and fright the human soul feels upon witnessing something not of this realm."
Abigail nodded, seeming surprised as she stated, "You discovered that quite quickly. Are you perhaps-oh...so that is why."
The third eye upon the long-haired girl's head briefly flared with prismatic color, a frown of sympathy tilting her mouth as she whispered, "Oh. How unfortunate for you, Manaka Sajyou."
Startled at the other lady's unexpected reaction Manaka scrambled for a moment, attempting to think of a proper response before settling on, "I do not need your sympathy, intruder...and what are you wearing while so close to Nanashi?!"
Pointing angrily at the sparse 'clothing' adorning Abigail's frame that offered brief and scandalous glances of her slim chest the host of the Outer God merely tilted her head, responding, "It's my priestess attire."
Grinding her teeth in embarrassed mortification at her state of undress - Manaka had adorned a nightgown that covered most of her body as was proper, thank you very much - the cerulean eyed female bent low, brushing shoulders with Abigail as she lightly cupped Nanashi's face, the boy feverish and concussed...but not in immediate danger, a brief swell of happiness tightening her chest.
"What happened to him? I certainly hope it was nothing due to your naturally...oppressive aura."
Rather than rise to the confrontational words Abigail merely gathered one of the dazed boy's hands in one of her own, Manaka bristling at the gesture as she was told, "In a manner of speaking. I wished to visit him and his neighbours attacked me. He stepped in to halt their assault and was injured in the process. For some reason...he is immune to my aura that drives others to madness and fury."
A slightly cheeky grin adorned the light-blonde's features.
"And whatever it is that makes it so...it frightened Sut-Typhon. Was able to hurt it."
Now it was Manaka's turn to blink in shock even as she placed her hands on the boy's bloodied skull, stimulating his crippled healing and clotting abilities as she gazed into dull and lidded eyes of faded crimson.
"You become ever more fascinating, Nanashi. I honestly had no idea your powers extended even to the gods outside of space and time."
Shaking her head at the meandering thoughts Manaka let steel enter her tone, telling the other girl in no uncertain terms, "While it's quite a shame that your relationship will have to come to such a sudden end...you will stop interacting with Nanashi posthaste, lest I deal with you myself."
Bright blue orbs bored into Manaka's own, Abigail's voice calm and collected as she inquired, "And you are the one to decide when I may meet with my friend?"
"He is my friend as well. And this night has rather conclusively proven your presence only brings harm to him, has it not?"
Before the argument could go further a sudden groan seized their attention, both girl's staring intently at Nanashi as he seemed to snap out of his haze.
"Abigail...Manaka?"
"Yes, I'm here. Are you all right?"
Manaka scowled as Abigail spoke up before she could, the boy weakly tilting his head so that he could stare at the western girl before hoarsely asking, "You're...you're not hurt, are you? I tried to stop it before it could keep going-"
"And you did. Rest, Nanashi...you did it, you helped and saved me."
Relaxing at the blonde's words Nanashi weakly shifted his gaze to Manaka, the girl stewing in petty jealousy as he pathetically smiled.
"Thanks for coming, Manaka...Abigail, can you-"
A sudden wave of coughing wracked his body, hiss of pain leaking past clenched teeth as his skull no doubt disliked the motion.
"-can you make sure she's okay, Manaka? That thing...it was hurting her…"
Meeting her friend's gaze the magus measured his will and desire against her own annoyance...and promptly capitulated, sighing as she muttered, "I will. Now rest, idiot. You are obviously no accomplished magus if you cannot fix this yourself."
"Knew...you cared…"
His breathing became subdued and crimson eyes drifted closed, both girls now feeling rather awkward around the other.
"I don't need healing, you know."
"Of course not. I gathered that at first glance, I am no dolt like Nanashi."
A sudden giggle escaped the other girl, lips quirking as she responded, "Of course you aren't."
Feeling another surge of that strange emotion that demanded she smother Abigail with head pats and hugs - like she would a particularly fuzzy and lovable canine or feline - Manaka scowled, instead contemplating her odds of destroying the competitor for Nanashi's attention and hiding the body while he was unconscious.
...Unknown, in all honesty.
While her connection to the Root afforded her knowledge of truly enormous amounts of magecraft - spells that could hurt and injure even an outer god - what it couldn't tell her was how much she would need to put it down.
Engaging both it and its host in a battle she may not be able to sustain and fuel would be a rather silly way to perish or, even worse, turn Nanashi against her.
Puffing out a cheek in vexation the pale-blonde instead huffed out, "So what now, hussy? Do you wish to keep seeking my friend's attentions?"
"No, not right now. It will likely be for the best that I take my leave for awhile until Sut-Typhon calms itself. I've never seen it so frightened and aggravated before, there's no telling what it may attempt to do."
Feeling a surge of childish victory course through her veins Manaka merely smiled, cheerily stating, "Well then the sooner you are off the better, now wouldn't you agree~?"
Smiling indulgently at the other girl's entirely false condolences Abigail turned to face Nanashi, asking, "While he's strong in ways I never expected...he's on the whole rather weak. Someone powerful like you is needed to watch over him. Can you do that for me, Manaka Sajyou? I think...I may have just discovered two friends today."
Jaw agape with incredulity the doll-like girl eventually swallowed thickly, grating out, "I do not care for such a bold and highly dubious offer of friendship."
The genuinely sad and hurt look that appeared on Abigail's features caused a lance of some unidentifiable emotion to hit Manaka right in the heart, hastily adding, "B-but you may yet prove that you are genuine, do not make such a despondent and pathetic expression!"
Vividly reminded of a soft and fluffy animal that had just been kicked the magus was quick to amend her statement, now a twist of happiness and eagerness clear to see on the other girl's soft features as Manaka felt the strangest desire to pull her onto her lap and begin petting.
"Perhaps...perhaps I should get a dog? Most animal owners stroke and hug their pets, right? Or maybe a cat…"
Swiftly shaking her head to clear away those random thoughts the pale-blonde matched Abigail's movements as she rose to her feet, 'priestess' attire fading and shifting until she was adorned in clothing more fitting for that of colonial america.
"Then I shall pray for both your and Nanashi's health, Manaka Sajyou. And...perhaps next time we shall be able to meet and refer to each other as friends in truth."
Inwardly grimacing at the blatant hopefulness of the light-blonde's words she merely grunted, responding, "Perhaps. Should your purpose and desire one day become clear to me then I shall consider taking you as my second friend."
The ensuring nod was almost nauseating in its sweetness, Abigail sparing one last look at the wounded and sickened boy...before bowing low, placing a quick kiss on his cheek that had Manaka gaping openly, the host of the Outer God giving her a parting smile before vanishing out the door with a parting, "There may need to be some memory alteration on the other residents. I shall see to it before taking my leave."
…
A brief blink.
"...T-t-that scarlet woman! Who does she think she is, placing her lips upon a boy's cheek?!"
For all her maturity and practicality on most matters Manaka was no genius when it came to romance or physical pleasures...those were topics firmly entrenched in emotion and almost exclusively emotion, something she had spent most of her life experiencing very little of.
An aggravated sigh escaped the girl, pouting as she checked her friend's head one more time for lasting injury...perhaps a little rougher than was necessary, but she was still angry.
"As much as I revel in the newfound sensation of joy, anger, giddiness and affection...jealousy and other such vices are quite difficult to process."
Pouting as she realized even her connection to the Root couldn't unravel the mysteries and vagaries of the human mind Manaka unleashed a grumpy click of her tongue, hearing her father arrive in the family car with a screeching of tires as she prepared to transport her friend into the vehicle.
…
Not before placing a kiss on his opposite cheek of where Abigail had done so, blushing madly at the bold action as the girl slowly licked her lips, noting that the taste of sweat, blood and Nanashi's own subdued flavor was oddly…
Pleasing.
Waking to pain, fatigue and general sense of unwellness was business as usual for Nanashi, the boy instead wildly glancing around the simple but well-furnished bedroom he found himself in.
"So definitely not my bedroom, then."
No sooner had he tried to regain sense of his bearings did the door to the room click open, Ayaka and Manaka strolling through in their modest nightwear and carrying a simple breakfast of fruit and bread, Nanashi immediately asking, "Abigail, is she-"
He grunted as Manake flicked him on the nose, eyes narrowed in displeasure and a cheek puffed out in agitation as she complained, "The first words that leave this ungrateful mouth upon waking up in my house after receiving my medical aid are inquiring after another female? Rudeness has its limits, Nanashi."
He held his ground, the pale-blonde huffing in agitation before crossing her arms and looking away, grumbling, "She is well, she only left because she feared her presence would only invite more trouble. She will be visiting again in the future. Unfortunately."
Ayaka gave her sister a mildly reproachful look, handing Nanashi the platter as she stated, "You should rest and take things slowly today, Nanashi. Sister healed you quite exhaustively but you were still in dire straits when we found you."
Nodding his thanks the boy took a moment to gather his thoughts, wolfing down the food despite Ayaka's protests to take it slow as he asked, "How soon can we begin training again?"
"E-eh?! You want to start so soon, just after-"
"As soon as you are able to walk, obviously."
The younger sister seemed scandalized by what they were talking about, Nanashi meeting Manaka's now enthusiastic gaze as he swallowed a chunk of bread whole, resolving to be on his feet as soon as humanly possible.
"I've barely been able to hold so much as a single conversation with her...but I don't want Abigail to have to continue living THAT kind of existence. And my eyes can maybe put an end to it. That's reason enough to keep moving forward, both for my sake and hers."
The pair of magi watched the frail body of their friend struggle upwards on shaky feet, eventually taking a deep breath before steadily meeting their gazes.
"All right, what are we waiting for?"