"Good morning! How are you doing?"
"Hey, guess what happened yesterday..."
"I'd like to buy this please."
Apple green pairs of eyes silently watch people interact in the bustling streets of the shopping district of Shbuya.
Everyone has the same vacant eyes and artificial smiles. No matter how innocent everyone acts in this frightening world, the flames will advocate its next unfortunate victim. It could be the friend you're chatting animatedly with, the all too eccentric store employees who are pushing their work ethic a little too far, or the begrudging worker who gives out free pocket tissues advertising their company's name.
Instead of fretting over it constantly, it's better to pretend such hell doesn't occur.
Kasai bit a piece of freshly made chocolate-paste taiyaki she had bought from the food stand beside her. It's delicious.
She wondered if she had made a similar expression prior to awakening to her powers. Probably, as she feared her family could become innocent victims of Spontaneous Human Combustion. She still does, especially after she lost her brother to the phenomenon. Her non-powered parents could be next.
Kasai tugged her black hoodie lower to obscure much of her contrasting red hair and tossed the brown paper bag into the trash bin, having devoured the entire fish cake treat.
Recently, she took it upon herself to go on what she calls "patrols." People watching may be a more technical term, but she was still patrolling discreetly nonetheless.
It wasn't on an impulse that she would go out of her way to scan the perimeters while acting like any teenage girl shopping on the streets.
Rumors of an Infernal wandering in an alleyway before disappearing once it detects someone is nearby was reported to be around Shibuya only three days ago. Surveillance cameras also showed footage evidence of flames contouring a human body, though it was only small parts of its body.
That could be why practically everyone outside is anxious inside. The Infernal could be lurking in the shadows slowly creeping to its prey.
That's where Kasai steps in to stop disaster from wreaking havoc.
The possibility of the Infernal being Kaen is not out of the question. How would an Infernal, known to rampage mindlessly like bloodthirsty monsters, follow its instincts to flee from inferior humans? Unless it was sentient like she believes Kaen is, it should be running around in broad daylight screaming chaos.
Kasai tried not to set her hopes too high. It could just be a random poor soul who hasn't returned to the raging flames yet.
She hopes she would be proven wrong.
Kasai had asked the people who work in the district about the sighting and found few details. The Infernal is about the size of an adult, often seen in dark alleyways and on rooftops, and gets jumpy the moment it senses hostility.
That...is the opposite description of Kaen and his behavior.
Still, Kasai would get to the bottom of it. Even if the Infernal doesn't turn out to be her brother, she wouldn't leave the threat haunting the innocent citizens' lives. That's her duty as an aspiring Fire Force soldier.
Apparently this Infernal is so fast that the Fire Force are having a hard time catching it. Security amped up a lot in these parts with the regular fire brigade (not the Blue Stripes) standing watch every few blocks down.
It's suspicious how difficult the Infernal is, though. She doesn't think even the standard Infernals could achieve such level of agility.
This particular Infernal sounds like something up in Shinra's alley with his incredible flighty feet.
Kasai is still struggling to get comfortable with her flames even after more than half a year has passed. She is a late bloomer. Compared to Shinra who has been used to his pyrokinesis for a decade, Kasai is at a toddler's level still trying to stand on her two feet.
At this pace, she is severely behind. She would never catch up to him and the others through a natural development.
That said, Kasai doesn't believe she is fast enough even with her technique where she can fly with her palms acting as propellers. Hari even told her her flames are rather soft to inflict damage. She might not even need to activate her firepower to stack the damage.
It sucks.
Kasai strolls down the street aligned with several shops on either side, eyes wandering around.
"Hello, young lady. I see you're a devoted shopper as always."
Kasai refrained from rolling her eyes and slowly faces a firefighter watchman. This particular firefighter has been keeping tabs with her the moment she stepped into view for the past few days. Sure she may have looked suspicious wearing a hood and avoiding eye contact with passerby, but that was only because she wanted to avoid attracting others with her odd red hair. She almost got into a fight with the same firefighter when he insisted on revealing her face to prove no, she was not disguising herself or no, she did not have a problem showing her identity.
This is the third day in a row he has greeted her, and unfortunately for Kasai, she has to cross paths with him in order to arrive to her destination that is an empty lot around the corner into an alleyway. She could barely investigate because of the man watching her like a hawk.
"Good morning, mister firefighter." Kasai said, biting back a drawl of a sigh as she bobbed her head in greeting. She goes straight to the point, "Haven't I proved I'm not someone suspicious at this point? I'm an aspiring firefighter!"
"True, you are a student from the academy, but you also have your infamous reputation to bomb buildings with your pyrokinesis."
"Could you cut myself from last year some slack? I know how to control my flames at this point." Kasai dislikes being reminded of the incident. He implied as though she only knew destruction.
"Looks like you also raised an attitude towards me for the past three days, young lady. Teenagers are so rebellious, and quite a hassle to be honest." The firefighter said, shaking his head in resignation.
Kasai actually rolled her eyes this time. "Yeah, okay, good to know. Have a good day." The redhead turns on her heel.
"Don't cause trouble, you hear me?" He said within her earshot before she left without another word.
Kasai enters the realm hidden deep beyond the curtains of light. The soles of her boots were silent as she carefully treads through the narrow alleyway as though she was merely air. The Infernal could hear her if it was occupying the empty lot at the moment. She has to be sneaky as possible.
The girl pressed her back against the wall upon arriving before the foot of the square vacant lot. She tilts her head slightly into view.
A flame human was crouched at the corner, its bent back facing her. How convenient for it to be hiding here. It must be fond of isolated corners like this one for some reason.
Kasai narrowed her eyes. How is she going to catch it without making it jittery? Unless she is a ninja and can strike its core silently, there is no way this will end without a chase. She couldn't afford to risk the people in danger.
Kasai examines the Infernal. It was just crouching in the same position staring at the ground with interest. From its sunken charred shoulders and drooping fiery head, it was as though lamenting about something in its corner of gloominess.
She wondered if its human conscience is still alive for it to not rampage the streets in its bout of madness. Could this Infernal be taking refuge from the silent corner of the empty lot?
Whatever it is, Kasai will end its inferno days.
She leans forward. A clattering noise ensued.
Kasai shot her gaze to her foot. She had knocked an invisible piece of wine glass when she wasn't aware of it.
The Infernal swerved its head so sharply it could have broken its neck. It meets the startled Kasai's face and immediately bolted out of the empty lot.
Kasai cursed. It's going to get away!
Kasai ignites her hands and shoots up to the rooftops where it had escaped. She quickly looks around to spot the Infernal leaping from rooftop to rooftop.
Kasai increases the pressure of her flames and flies for the hopping Infernal. It didn't matter if a flying girl is spotted chasing an Infernal. She has to close in the distance before it's too late!
Kasai soars through Shibuya and avoids ramming into tall buildings and poles while keeping her sights on the Infernal. It left burn marks as it leaps great distances, fortunately letting its presence known in intervals as it hovered in the sky before landing.
The Infernal decides to leap off a rooftop and into the open streets of the shopping district.
Kasai gritted her teeth. Faster, faster...!
In response to her desperation, her flames amped up behind her. Her velocity increases slowly but surely.
Once she arrived from the bird's eye, everyone in immediate vicinity scrambled for safety away from the abrupt presence of the Infernal. Screams hollered for help and the Fire Force.
Kasai zeroed in on the obvious flame singularity in the streets. An old man was quaking on the ground before the prowling Infernal, scooting away in a panic.
Kasai changes trajectory and glides toward the earth, specifically for the target all too focused on its potential victim.
The elderly man whimpered and prayed for the Sun God's protection in a mantra until a dark blur in the clear skies brought his attention past the Infernal's shoulder.
Kasai allowed gravity to pull her closer as she switched her palms from facing behind her to the front, a blazing fist preparing to punch the core.
The Infernal looks back.
Kasai almost held her breath against the acceleration. It noticed her. She has to switch gears before she punches the ground-!
To her astonishment, the Infernal fully faces her and outstretched its arms wide open. Is it... surrendering?
A static jolt paralyzed her fists.
Then she saw it. A woman whose chin tilted to the heavens above had her eyes closed, tears freely trickling from the corners.
"Please... free me."
Kasai clenched her fist tightly.
"Flames are the breaths of souls... And smoke is the souls' release... Ashes to Ashes, dust to dust. This soul, return to the raging flames."
In a single strike, Kasai made contact with a human vessel and pierced its core. In that instance, a shockwave emits from the force. The Infernal's body disintegrates into ashes until it was gone with the wind.
"Latom."
Kasai lands on the ground safely to her knees. She slowly stands and lifts her head, panting under her breath from the adrenaline rush. Her eyes flitted around to meet bewildered visages of onlookers. Silence filled the streets until cheers roared to the sunny skies.
Kasai jumped at the sudden shift in atmosphere.
"We're saved!"
"Thank you, little girl!"
"We didn't need the Fire Force after all!"
It was Kasai's turn to be bewildered. Everyone was gazing upon her with hope, relief and perhaps respect too, smiling genuinely for once when they realized the threat has been removed from Shinjuku. Once the feeling settled, she doesn't know how to react to their words of gratitude. All she could do was be embarrassed and fiddle with a strand of her red hair pinched between her fingers.
Before that, she helps the collapsed elder up to his feet. "Are you okay, sir? You're not harmed, are you?" She asked as the cheering and chattering continued in the background.
The old man continued staring at her bug-eyed. His mouth was open yet no words came out. His trembling hands make their way to clasp together in a prayer.
"The Sun God must have sent a valiant red-haired angel to save us... Yes, you are... the bright burning maiden, Valkyrie!"
Kasai blanked out.
What.
"Everyone! This young lady is a blessing delivered to us from the Sun God itself! A brave soul with bright red hair like nothing we've laid eyes upon has arrived!"
Kasai's protests fell upon deaf ears of the crowd whistling and applauding her heroic rescue.
Sometimes, she wished she can crawl in a hole and die. Now is a perfect time to do that.
~Fire Force~
Kagamine cackles a hyena laugh. "That old man really said that? You must've been one hell of a hero to convince a devout citizen that."
Kasai was on the verge of her face burning from embarrassment while the other wants to silence her shameless fit of snickering right this moment. "To be glorified like an angel is just too much. I can't take it it!"
Ever since that day, rumors about her title as the "bright burning maiden Valkyrie" became known among the students and staff. Kasai's popularity just rose in the ranks as a result. An aspiring third generation firefighter student exterminated an Infernal by herself? Quite a reputation she has built up.
The boys obviously heard of this. Arthur started calling her an archangel these days and Kasai, the unexpected short-fused girl she is underneath, almost strangled his throat while shaking the one brain cell he has into stopping with the embarrassing names. Fortunately the Valkyrie and angel nicknames ceased to spill from the blond's mouth after that incident.
Ogun was amused, to say the least. He did a bit of teasing here and there, but after witnessing the wrath incurred onto Arthur, he downplayed it a ton and barely brings it up (at least while she's around).
What Kasai dreaded the most was Shinra.
Shinra was quite jealous that she was called a savior, an angel even in contrast to his infamous Devil name. A reaction she had expected. Everyone would compare the two twice as much, but Kasai feared Shinra would distance from her because of the bridge that was built by the people around them. She was certainly not condescending about it, and she hopes Shinra understands that. So far she doesn't know what he thinks behind his grin.
Yet Kasai would not stop thinking about what Shinra's thought process whenever a student approaches her specifically with a new positive attitude. It's a work in progress with her relationship with the academy.
The brunette controls her giggling to sip her daily dose of caffeine in the form of black coffee without choking to death. "I personally think you have some qualities to make up one. You are a beautiful young lady."
"Please don't joke like that, Ms. Kagamine. Seriously." Kasai duly said with half-lidded dubious eyes. "I'm nowhere near that level. What beautiful person has butterfingers? No one, and certainly not what you think I am."
"I'm not kidding, though." The counselor said. "You have a pretty hair color for a redhead."
"My hair can blind your eyes if you look too hard." Kasai said. Well, Kagamine has bangs completely obscuring her eyes yet she wears glasses.
"Your hair is not a highlighter. It's a wonderful, lustrous color of red. You should be proud of it. It's a shame to hide it from the world. Plus, I'm sure you have admirers somewhere in the academy." Kagamine teased.
Kasai was still doubtful about herself. "The same admirers who see me as a brother murderer? In that case I'd hate them."
"No, I don't mean that. Something tells me you'll be confessed to one day in your youth. Imagine, finding a love letter in your desk asking you to come see them behind the school... Ahh, youth! ...Please don't give me that look, what is that expression?"
Kasai sighed. "I wouldn't agree to accept the person's confession if I don't even know them, much less go on a date with them. They're just strangers, and I'm not interested in pursuing a relationship."
Kagamine adjusts her round glasses, romanticism set aside. "Let's stray from the topic for now. How did you feel upon freeing the Infernal?"
Kasai held her hands together. "Infernals are former humans. When you think about it, you're practically killing them. So to impale someone with my bare hands is honestly disturbing. I was...scared."
She knew it comes with the job as a firefighter, but to confront an Infernal so early on is a daunting experience.
It was strange, too. Right before the Infernal's final moments, Kasai saw a human woman's face replacing it. It was as though she had a vision. That happened after Kasai's hands suddenly became numb, like a tranquilizer had hit her. It could have just been the girl imagining things, so she never told the woman about the weird experience.
"It's natural to feel that way," Kagamine said. "However, I hope it's not something you'll get used to. I think you understand what I mean by that."
Kasai nodded. Sometimes, she visualized a dreadful moment where she has to return Kaen to the raging flames. If someone has to do the job, it would be her.
Kagamine had took one glance at her expression before saying, "Kasai, I know it's been barely a year since you came to the academy, but this is where I have to ask the uncomfortable questions: Do you really believe your brother is still alive at this point?"
Kasai frowned.
She continued, "You may have believed he was initially, but almost a full year in and you still have no solid evidence of his status. Faith alone will not keep your brother alive in reality, neither will intuition. You must be aware of that possibility."
"Yes..." Kasai mumbled.
Kagamine was silent. "Then when the time comes that you must accept the reality of things, you are prepared to move on and put your brother not in your mind, but in the heart. Understand?"
Kasai slowly nodded once. "Yes. But... that's only if we find proof he's no longer in this world. We didn't find either."
Kagamine sipped her coffee. "Of course. That's why I haven't told you to stop believing. In this world, we need to have faith in order to keep living. A lot of us can't withstand cruel harsh reality without a figure to answer all our prayers. The Sun God is the icon -our only icon- of our lives."
Upon meeting green eyes, Kagamine's expression was unreadable, mysterious. "I suppose you don't place too much faith in our God, then?"
Blank green slates stared back at the woman, a thin line pressing her lips together.
Without an ounce of hesitation, she uttered, "Of course. I would fight God itself for sending my brother into damnation."
Kaen, the one she considers the sun to the moon in her life, was robbed of its pure light. Kaen, the boy who wished to show her the joys of the world despite the infamous combustion phenomenon, was stolen from her.
Kasai will wrestle Fate for toying with Kaen's future.
Because he's her little brother, after all.
~Fire Force~
Kasai stared at a toy in her hand. It has a sword-like hilt with a ball attached at the end of a string.
She then looks at her grandfather. "Hari, why did you give me a kendama? An iron one, at that?" This could potentially murder someone.
Said man explains, "Training, of course! You've been complaining how your wrists hurt from changing trajectory so often, so I thought this would make a splendid training toy for you."
Kasai squinted at it. Unlike your usual wooden kendama toys, this one weighs a ton.
"The kendama strengthens hand eye coordination, balance, and reflex. Sounded like those are what you need to improve on." Hari continued. "I want the ball to land on the spike 50 times straight, and that includes a consistent succession of the ball landing on the side of the cups too." He gestures to the either ends of the hilt where it's curved for the ball to land on.
Kasai made a bitter face. "So I basically have to do the cycle 50 times in a row?"
"Each on both hands." Hari added.
"My wrists will fall off."
"They'll attach themselves easily." He replied nonchalantly as though it was a simple task. Sometimes that blank confused look scares her. A militant man indeed.
Kasai silently groaned. "All right..."
"You're free to multitask and work out your legs, but the requirements are still the same. Mess up once, restart from zero. Have fun!"
As Kasai watched him return to his workspace, she reverts her gaze back on the kendama.
"Where did he even get an iron kendama...?"
Suddenly Hari called out, "Ah, Kasai! Hold off on the kendama for the day! Make a delivery for me, why don't ya?"
Kasai lets the sturdy skill toy lay limp by her side as she approached. "Sure, what is it?"
Hari hands her a white box the size of her palm wrapped in a satin red ribbon. "A birthday gift for an old friend's son. Here's the address." He also gives her a slip of paper. "This is also a good opportunity to introduce you two together. He's around your age, so it shouldn't be hard."
"Why does that sound like you're playing matchmaker?" Kasai made a dubious face.
Hari waved the notion off. "I told him a little bit about you, so he should tell who you are when he meets ya. You should get familiar, since you'll be the delivery girl from now on."
"Uh, as in for everything? Or just for this guy's birthday?"
"Yes."
~Fire Force~
Kasai found herself standing in the middle of a junkyard before a tall workshop. She wouldn't have thought the address led her to a vast piece of land filled with abandoned or projects of failed machines. She had noticed there was a lot of animal-themed devices among the piles. An animal person maybe? There's the head of an elephant as part of the house sticking out to the side, which is... a peculiar design choice.
She looked around her surroundings a little more before coming up to the door. The sound of rhythmic mechanical noise coming from the workshop filled the otherwise peaceful silence of nature.
Kasai adjusted the rim of her cap that contained most of her hair inside comfortably before knocking on the metal door. "Excuse me! I'm here to deliver Hari Daigo's gift for...Vulcan...Joseph?" She said as she read the tag attached to the gift box.
The shuffling of feet approaches the door.
Kasai almost flinched upon first sight.
A jacked dude wearing an eerie-looking ram mask with twisted horns and goggles appeared!
Kasai looked down.
The black tank top with a white "NEKO" text and cat ear plus whisker design caught her attention.
...He can't be that bad. No evil or eerie guy would like animals to the point of wearing a top like the one he's wearing.
"Ah, thanks." The young man presumably Vulcan said and accepted Hari's present from her hands.
"Hari said he was busy working on other projects to come personally at the moment." Kasai explained. "Oh, and happy birthday. We hope you like your present."
Vulcan continued staring at her.
From beneath the rim of her cap, Kasai meets his gaze through his mask albeit awkwardly. She hoped she showed no signs of discomfort as she asked, "Is there something you want me to pass on to Hari?"
He was scrutinizing her. "What's your relation with Hari?"
Kasai was internally relieved. She thought she had upset him in some shape of form. "I'm his granddaughter, Kasai. Nice to meet you."
Vulcan lifted his mask to reveal teal blue eyes. "Kasai? He did mention someone like that... Well, since you came all this way, have some tea before you leave."
"Thank you..." Kasai allowed herself inside as Vulcan generously invited her in.
"Are you the only one living in the house?" She asked.
"Pretty much. It's just me who takes care of myself." He offers her a can of green tea.
Kasai accepted the beverage. She has yet to open it as she then said, "Must be a lot of work to upkeep at a young age."
Vulcan settles on a chair and unties the ribbon to his present. "You'd get used to being self-dependent." His face lit up with joy upon opening the box. "As expected of old man Hari..."
"Is it okay if I see the present?" Kasai asked. What could possibly be contained in such a cute tiny size? She brought it with care all this way, so she thought she should know before she would leave.
"Sure." He plucked the item out of the box and sets it on the table. Kasai had to peer closer for a better view. She smiled at the gift.
It was a crystal animal figurine of a cute ram. How befitting.
"That's another one for the collection."
Kasai watched as he took the crystal ram and moved to a closet made of metal. It was more of a human-sized safe box than a closet.
However when he opened it, there was a variety of glass animals of different shapes and sizes lined up on each shelf. Vulcan made room for the tiny ram among the rest of the diminutive animals. There was a range from wildlife to marine creatures.
"I'm guessing all of those were from Hari?" Kasai said.
"That's right. All of them are specially made by him, exclusively for me." Vulcan bragged, proudly displaying his glass menagerie.
Kasai smiled. "You must really like animals."
"I do. It's my dream to save endangered animals, after all. To do that, I hope to build something that would supply enough energy for everyone in the world, like Amaterasu. Something so important that it's unbreakable." Vulcan closed the door shut.
"I look forward to seeing that dream come true." The girl said.
Vulcan smiled. "Thanks. Before you leave, let me show you something cool. To make the trip worthwhile."
He leads a curious Kasai outside and brought a device with him. He sets it on the ground. "Lo and behold!"
Steam emerges from the machine. Was that an animal she saw?
Suddenly the sunny scrapyard morphed into sapphire blue.
Her breath was taken away at the sight.
A humongous creature swam among the tiny school of fish that came in different shapes and colors. That was a whale, wasn't it?
Kasai flinched and shielded her face from the splash of water kicked by the whale's dive. She quickly dropped her arms and bit back a twinge of embarrassment when she realized it was just a hologram. That startled her. Just a little bit.
The ocean faded and was replaced by a vast field of plains. An animal Kasai recognized whose head protruded from Vulcan's house marched in a single file. Were elephants this large?
Now a flock of birds swarmed her vision as they flew for the skies.
Kasai bared witness to the wonders of the world from every parts of the planet. Whether land, sea, or sky, she saw it all. The beauty of nature surrounding her was a journey that touched her heart. To think the flames reduced much of the world into Tokyo is an unfortunate reality. Such a shame.
When the screening was over, Kasai's hand lifted to remove her flannel cap over to her chest. In honor of the losses, she exposed her bright red hair to the rays of the sun.
"That...was really amazing. I can't find the words to explain how touching that was." Kasai said softly. Humanity of this era missed out a lot.
"I wished he was here to see it..."
"Did you say something?" Vulcan asked.
Kasai had let that last bit slip out of her mouth by accident. "Nothing. I fully support your dream now that I've seen it. Thank you for showing me that."
She returned her cap on her head, pulling the rim below her eyes as she swiped a finger across them from the boy's view. Her lips pursed tightly as though suppressing them from quivering.
'Is this what you wanted me to see by showing me the world... Kaen?'
~Fire Force~
Kasai practices with the iron kendama on her left hand. She needed her dominant right hand for other actions, after all.
"Oh, Kasai! Isn't that a kendama?" Ogun approached her and eyes the skill toy curiously until he squinted his swirly irises at it. "Aren't they usually made out of wood...?"
Kasai was training her eyes on the iron ball as she spoke, "Yeah, but let's just say this is covered with metallic paint..."
"It's making a lot of solid noise though..."
"That's why I'm hiding in the back of the bleachers." She didn't want the academy to think she was carrying a weapon so she would be discreet about it during her lunch breaks and come here to start her training. She couldn't be sneaky about a kendama compared to her handgrips.
She also wanted to escape from the summer heatwaves. This is the first summer semester she has in the academy, and the best place to train while avoiding the sweltering heat was in the shadows behind the bleachers. No one comes to sit on them anyway. The bleachers themselves are already piping hot. It was nothing compared to Hari's workshop though.
Kasai was so immersed in her training that she had the urge to blink her weary gaze from the kendama.
She was only at the tenth time when the iron ball missed landing on the spike.
Kasai groaned and buried her head to her bent knees. Now she has to restart from zero. Her left wrist is aching, though.
"How'd you even find me, Ogun?" The redhead asked while still curled in a ball. This is draining her energy both physically and mentally
"I just happened to see you heading for the bleachers. Is that toy part of your training?" Ogun asked.
"Yeah. I have to repeat the cycle for 50 times straight on both wrists." She said.
"That sounds challenging. Can I see that?"
Kasai hands him the kendama without looking up.
"I never played with something like- Damn, this weighs a ton! Where'd you even get this?" Kasai can hear Ogun struggling to lift it with both hands. And she was holding it with only one hand like it was a wooden toy instead! That'd mean she was also bringing it on her person practically everywhere, wouldn't it? Are her shoulders not falling apart from that?
"I wonder that sometimes too."
Ogun returns the kendama to Kasai. His eyes trail from the kendama in her left hand to the black arm sleeve covering her corresponding forearm. Ever since summer began and everyone changed into their summer uniforms, Kasai has worn the sleeve constantly.
Even before the season, rumors among the girls detailed how as they changed for PE, they would see Kasai branding the black arm brace underneath her uniform sleeve. It was a sensitive topic to bring up for Kasai as she would fall silent from further inquiry beyond what was the cause of said wound.
Many suspect it had to do with her Infernal-transformed brother who inflicted a grave injury to her arm to the point she would wince from a simple grab. Some went beyond that and thought she self-harmed herself with cuts and burns (to which it was daunting for Ogun to believe that was possible). Kasai never once denied nor agreed to the theories.
Her expression would always fall into a grim frown. From the moment he witnessed it, Ogun somehow knew that her frown was directed not towards the people, but to the girl herself. She was remorseful of something and never once blamed the source of her scars for the agony she went through.
Kasai always had made it one of her nervous habits to gingerly run her hand up and down the area. If what people say was true, could she be reminding herself of the pain? What for?
"Ogun? What's up?"
Said boy was caught staring at the redhead. "Oh, uh, I just thought we should get back to class. Lunch is gonna end anytime now."
"Really? You're right. Time really does fly by." Kasai stands up and pats off the dirt behind her skirt. "Let's go."
As the pair return inside the academy, Ogun hopes there will be a time where she doesn't lament her scars to the point of being held back by the past.
He has faith she will come out strong.
~Fire Force~
A nervous bead of sweat runs by her temple as she clasped her sweaty palms that are acting up a lot more than usual.
"I don't want to go. I can't. There's no way. Please let a tornado come by and cancel the event..." Kasai mumbles under her breath, an aura of doom surrounding her.
"Are you trying to summon a natural disaster to our school?" Ogun remarked, a faint glimmer of teasing shining in his eyes at the end. It's peculiar to see the girl dread something that is supposed to be a fun time for the seniors like them.
"If lightning strikes the academy, then so be it. Anything to excuse me out of the dance..." Kasai replied in all her seriousness, elbows propped up and laced hands tucked under her chin.
The senior dance is an event where senior students gather at a dance hall (a separate location from the academy) and have the time of their lives. From what the girls have been talking about, it sounded like something out of a fairytale. It was more of a grand ball than a prom party, apparently.
"What's wrong with it?" Shinra asked.
Kasai bored her green eyes at the plain surface of her desk. "A lot of things."
"Do you know how to dance?"
"...No, but why would I dance if I'm not going to? Sure, I could attend, but I won't join the dance floor."
She also doesn't want to mingle with others. She would embarrass herself out there.
"Fear not, I will escort you as your faithful knight and dance partner." Arthur offered seriously.
"Do you know how to dance?" Kasai asked the blond. She would think he does.
"Of course. What kind of knight cannot dance?"
"I think you're mixing up princely and knightly duties, but sure." Kasai rolled with it in the end. Knights aren't necessarily suited for dancing but for war, though she guessed dancing could still apply.
"Either way, I don't want to go." Kasai affirmed. "But then the teacher will bother me asking why not, and that's a pain in the neck. They make it sound mandatory to attend."
Meanwhile Shinra glanced behind her head. He had noticed a while ago, and the others must have also, but now the difference was clear to recognize.
Her red hair has grown over the past three years. It used to be very short and bluntly cut just at her chin level the first day she transferred to the academy; now the soft locks are grazing her shoulders, a good two or three inches that grew. Underneath them is a long mullet tied into a ponytail that cascaded her back like a thin stream.
Kasai had voiced aloud she planned on getting a bob cut some time after graduation while keeping the mullet. Her hair has always been straight and flat, so she thought it was time for a change of pace.
"If you do decide to come," Ogun spoke to Kasai and attracting her attention to him, "I'm sure it'll be a lot more fun with all of us there." He grinned.
Kasai met his twinkling swirly irises. She then quirked a sheepish smirk.
"All right, I'll go."
...
A reflection of a young lady whose air surrounding her with regality was staring back at her. Her hair was tied back in a bun held by a handmade silver hair ornament made by Hari himself. It was a pretty five-petal amber flower with a pair of dangling orange beads that have scarlet red flower designs on them.
Kasai didn't recognize herself in the mirror at first. Her mother had helped with the hair and added a hint of makeup to her lips and slight blush to her cheeks. She also picked out a modest dress Kasai liked.
She wore a long flowing coral red dress with short sleeves and elbow-length gloves that hide her scars yet blend with her dress. Underneath the curtains were a pair of matching shoes.
Kasai released a soft sigh. Such change sometimes scares her, but this will only be for the night.
Her parents drove her to the destination and wished her a wonderful time at the dance before driving away. Now she has to meet up with the boys at the ballroom.
Kasai walks through the halls occupied by students who had arrived earlier. She looked straight ahead as she noticed their heads turn her way. Why is everyone staring at her? Does she look weird? She doesn't think she is at the wrong place. But then what's with the unwanted attention?
Kasai enters the ballroom. It looked more like a fairytale than a dance party among teenagers after all. How extravagant.
Most of the senior class was already gathered. Kasai searched for her friends until she finally spotted the three near the tables.
Ogun had already noticed her when she came into view, causing Shinra and Arthur to follow his line of vision.
Kasai became nervous under their stares but held a smile as she greeted them. "Hey, guys. Looking sharp."
Indeed, they wore tuxedos unlike their usual school uniforms or casual attire. It's amazing how much clothes can make a man.
Shinra and Arthur continued staring at her, jaws slacking that she was sure a fly could wander in.
Ogun rolled his eyes. Those two can really be idiots sometimes. He smiled at Kasai. "Good to see you came, Kasai. You look real pretty tonight, as if you weren't already."
A chuckle escaped her lips. "Thank you, Ogun." She hesitantly meets the others' eyes. Their silence was slightly unnerving. She is kind of nervous to know their thoughts. "Do I... look weird?"
Arthur, in his grey tux, was the first to break out of his stupor. "Of course not. Your beauty is unrivaled, princess. I'm honored to be graced by your presence."
Kasai could tell his medieval fantasies are on a roll with how princess-like she appears, as her parents had put it. "I'm happy to hear that."
Green eyes meet red ones.
Shinra formed a smile. He's nervous yet charmed by her grace. "Y-You look really beautiful, Kasai."
Her shoulders loosened under her dress. Her smile became more genuine. "That's a relief to hear."
The four settle down at their table along with the rest of the students. After a brief speech was made, the students were free to dance the night away.
Most of the students leave their tables and head to the dance floor, party music playing in the background and a disco ball flashing lights around the dimly lit ballroom. After watching them eager to shuffle their feet, Kasai remained at her chair. She then looks over to her table. The boys were also still in their seats looking at each other as though waiting for a cue.
Soon, a friend of Ogun's called for him to join their circle.
Ogun sent a sheepish smile to them. "I'll be back in a bit. What're you guys gonna do?"
"Stay here, obviously." Kasai said as a matter-of-fact. "I did told you guys I won't be dancing. Just me being here is enough."
"Yeah, I think I'll sit this one out, too." Shinra admits, looking on with disinterest at the moment.
"The Knight King is on duty. I'm to guard the princess from the Devil's vile tricks." Arthur casts a suspicious glance to the boy sitting across him (Ogun made sure to always sit between the bickering pair at any occasion to avoid direct confrontations on the fly).
"What? I'm not gonna do anything!" Shinra retorts, glaring at the blond.
Kasai sighed. "Don't worry about them, Ogun. Just go." Before he could protest, she shared direct eye contact with him. "You're not obligated to constantly stick with us. Plus, I'm around. It'll be fine. Go have fun with your other friends."
Ogun clearly had second thoughts but one final look from Kasai pushed him away from the table. "All right, if you say so."
Ogun soon joins his friends outside of their four-man circle. Kasai would occasionally catch his eyes wandering to their table. He worries too much.
Kasai was acting as the mediator to Shinra and Arthur's childish arguments (that somehow ended up in their favorite debate of knights versus heroes for the millionth time this year) until someone came up to their table.
"Hello, Kasai?"
She turned to look behind her chair. The presence of the boy that called out to her ceased the pair's arguing over the table. Who is this guy?
Kasai stands up to face him. She too has no clue who this person is. He must have been from a different class. "Yes?"
"I was wondering if you'd like to join me and my friends at the dance floor." He gestured to the group of both boys and girls looking over their way expectantly. "We'd like to hang out."
Shinra and Arthur squinted dubiously at the seemingly normal and respectable person so far. The male student was attentive on awaiting Kasai's reply to not notice a pair of protective eyes pointed at him.
"Thank you for the invite, but I'm sorry." She bowed politely. "I don't do dancing, so I don't make good company."
"Oh, we don't mind! We just wanted to get to know you a little, even though it's a little late at this point." The male student admitted sheepishly in the end. He smiled politely to Kasai. "Sorry to bother you. By the way, my friends and I wanted to say you look really pretty."
The two boys clenched the table cloth beneath their palms. So he really did have an ulterior motive!
Oblivious of the slight hostility seething past Kasai (or perhaps he was expertly pretending not to notice), the student continued, "The girls wanted to know where you got that hairpin."
Kasai reached to gingerly brush her fingertips against the smooth amber surface and glossy beads clinging softly from every movement. "My grandfather made it. He's a craftsman and specializes in glass and jewelry."
He was impressed by her response. "That's cool. Does he take commissions?"
"He does. In fact, commissions are open so it would really help him out if you and/or your friends could help him make business." Kasai answered.
They continued talking about Hari's business that ended up being tuned out by the boys behind her. They seem to have a pleasant conversation.
Before the talk would prolong any longer, it ended with Kasai writing Hari's workshop information on a piece of post-it provided by a wandering waiter and the student thanking her before returning to his friends' circle.
Kasai sits back on her chair. "What's wrong, you two?"
Shinra and Arthur look the other way. "Nothing."
The redhead rolled her eyes. She knew what was going on during their discussion. She had felt their stares, after all.
It was at this moment when a few songs had past that the music suddenly shifted into slow, orchestral music. Some students left the dance floor while others quickly found a dance partner and waltz around in circles.
Ogun returned from partying with his friends. He looks at the trio who shied away from his gaze. As the classical mood came, so did the awkward tension in the table.
"Why's everyone so tense?" Ogun asked. He rested his sights on Kasai. "Actually, why are you so nervous, Kasai?"
She had paled a shade lighter. "It's a waltz, Ogun. I don't know how to dance, and I never practiced because I never intend to dance. It's embarrassing, that's all you need to know."
"Come on, I said you'd have some fun with us. You're gonna dance whether you like it or not." Ogun took her wrist by surprise and pulled her to the dance floor despite her protests.
"W-Wait, don't- Are you even listening, Ogun?!"
Ogun dismissed her protests and pulled her close enough so they were in position. Although she was insistent she cannot dance, it was surprising on both sides that she was able to follow the flow when they slipped inside the ring of dancers.
Kasai kept her eyes on her feet to avoid stepping on Ogun's foot or misplacing her foot on the wrong spot. She doesn't know how that happened, but for now she doubts this luck will last long.
Ogun chuckled. "Don't be so nervous. Keep your eyes up and you'll get the hang of it."
Kasai half-glared at him. "In the span of a minute? I think not."
"Yet here we are. My toes aren't crushed yet, and you're moving in sync. Maybe you have a natural talent?" He quirked a brow.
"I highly doubt it." She said flatly.
"Don't be like that. You'll see how easy the music guides you." He assured.
Kasai didn't respond. To be honest, she feels her heart is lighter as they danced. It was the same feeling she had when she first flew into the skies with her pyrokinesis. A giddy smile crept to her lips. It's actually kind of fun.
"Thanks, Ogun. You're a really great friend." She said.
Ogun reciprocated her sincere smile with his own.
When one cycle passed, Ogun slipped away from her hands and off the dance floor. He passed the baton to Arthur who took Kasai's hand in his and spun into the ring with her.
"Looks like the Knight King has arrived." Kasai quirked a smile at him. "I'm charmed to have you as my dance partner this time."
A smile pulled his lips. "Although I wasn't pleased Ogun was your first partner, I'm glad to see you've already learned the steps."
Somehow she could tell he was internally relieved to not have been the victim of her heels. To be honest, she doesn't blame him for thinking that.
"I still couldn't believe you knew how to dance so smoothly. I'm impressed." Kasai admitted. He was confident in his moves and performed them as though it was nothing. Despite his medieval complex, you have to give him some credit for knowing how to dance.
"I'm a kingly knight, after all. I'd bring shame if a king doesn't know basic practices." The blond said.
She hummed. "You're right."
He then pursed his lips into a thin line. "Kasai... How come you accept the Devil so easily?"
Kasai raised her eyes evenly to his light blue pair. She supposed she saw this coming if she and Arthur were given the opportunity to be alone to discuss some things. Still, it was a bit random to mention Shinra now. She thought Arthur would want to avoid talking of the boy like he was the plague.
Her heart was unwavering as she spoke, "Even if our situations hadn't been similar, I still wouldn't leave Shinra alone. I'm happy I met him, including you and Ogun. You guys are, honestly, my first ever true friends I've made my whole life."
She chuckled. "Shinra isn't who you think he is. He's a real sw- ...Yeah, just know he's not a heartless demon." She almost let the word "sweetheart" slip out her mouth. Arthur would have taken that almost literal and assume something she doesn't want him to assume.
"Hmph, we'll see..."
Kasai sweatdropped. There's no way to persuade this guy, huh.
When it was time to switch, Shinra stood waiting for his turn. He and Arthur shot quick eye contact -hostile, mind you- before the latter passed Kasai to Shinra.
Kasai suddenly has cold feet. Damn it, her conversation with Arthur has her feeling self-conscious. She even almost said something embarrassing had she not caught her tongue on time. Although she didn't likely have roused suspicion from Arthur, she is still wondering about it now.
Shinra frowned. Her hands have grown stiff in his and she looked visibly troubled. "What's wrong?"
Is she actually considering to not dance with him? He's not a horrible dancer. At least, he hoped Kasai knew that.
"...I think I caught cold feet." She finally admitted with a sheepish chuckle. Her shoulders hunch slightly. "It's weird. I suddenly forgot how to dance."
He slumped his shoulders in relief. So that's what it was.
Shinra could have let her take a rest, but she seemed determined to not stop now, perhaps out of consideration for him. After staring at her feet brainstorming, his visage lit up.
"I got an idea."
Kasai listened before complying, curious of the plan. She shuffled to the table and kicked her shoes off underneath the long table cloth discreetly (raising two pairs of brows from Arthur and Ogun who have yet to understand what she was doing) before returning to Shinra's side. The pair took their hands in one another's before joining the dance.
Kasai released a giggle after a few paces. "I can't believe this is working." Under the hem of her dress, her bare toes are standing on Shinra's shoes. He was guiding her across the floor with his footwork and no one suspects it.
Shinra grinned. "See? You don't even have to dance."
Kasai smiled widely. "I'm not heavy, am I?"
"No. You're actually pretty light." He said. It was effortless to slide across the area with her. Although, this does mean close proximity as she has to lean closer to stay on top of his toes. She was enjoying it a lot to not pay mind, so Shinra didn't think too much about it either.
He was going to tell her something before she flashed him a bright, endearingly sweet smile that was almost contagious. A smile that melted the rigidity from him blossomed. Whatever he was about to say will have to come another time. It wasn't anything urgent, though he thought it was a good time.
From the table, Arthur scoffed one of distaste. "Dancing with the Devil..."
Ogun was watching with a content smile on his lips. "They look like they're having the time of their life."
In that moment, the world comprised of nothing but the duo as Kasai and Shinra continued to dance. Until the end of the short-lived song, they would forget the evils of flames and the world that had gone against them in pursuing happy lives.
~Fire Force~
Kasai squinted at the letter of approval in her hands.
She will be assigned to Special Fire Force Company 8 upon graduating? She heard the 8th is actually recently established and still small at the moment, with no engineers or scientists employed there yet. Of course, she would be nervous to see how this works out.
Kasai sighed internally. She was hoping to be assigned to Company 5, who is more on the scientific side and has possible documents detailing the Spontaneous Human Combustion. Clues that could lead to Kaen's peculiar intact humanity and perhaps a way to return him to human.
On the other hand, Kasai then realized this could be an advantage. With a small group, she can practically be sent on every Infernal mission due to the lack of staff and encounter as much Infernals as she could in hopes of finding Kaen. Of course, there are a lot of disadvantages to having an intimate group but she'll convince herself she can get around that.
If there was something she was looking forward to, it's working with her friends as authorized second-class firefighters. Especially now that she had learned a certain aspiring hero is also joining the same company as her, the journey won't be as lonely as it would have been otherwise.
"The 8th, huh. Well, whichever company you get in, I wish you good luck in your endeavors." Kagamine said. "Here, you can keep this."
The brunette slides a wrapped mug to Kasai. It's the Aries mug she has always drank her coffee out of.
Kagamine smiled. "A farewell gift from me to you. I can determine you've grown out of your shell a lot more compared to the you three years ago. Like an Aries, you are a natural, confident leader. I have faith you will persevere through and become a wonderful firefighter."
Kasai reciprocated the smile. The woman was actually company she appreciated in the end, even if Kagamine can be a bit crude and mischievous underneath her lethargic appearance. She was a counselor who made sure to ask her questions she needed to know before she would graduate.
"Thank you."
Kasai's path to saving Kaen has barely started. After all, she worked her way to earn the right to stand on the starting line.
Once she joins Company 8, the real challenge in finding and saving Kaen will begin.
[Starting Line]
Random Trivia Corner - Kasai's favorite colors are rich velvet colors such as velvet red and velvet blue.
Sorry for the late update! I honestly had a writer's block since I wanted to fill in a bit more of the gap before we dive into canon plot. That would explain the short sections between each cut since they're such small events but explore a little more into Kasai's character.
The manga wasn't specific on the timeline of when Yū or Lisa appeared in Vulcan's life, when Vulcan's dad and grandfather died, and other stuff, so I kind of made it obscured.
5 is a magic number in this fic, so every chapter with number 5 in it will be special. Instead of Kasai's POV, we'll be diving into the brother counterpart of the fic, which is Kaen's narrative.
I do hope Kaen's side of the story will makes things interesting, though. A different perspective from the elder sister's to the younger brother's. I can't guarantee there will be lengthy chapters though.