3rd Night: Hidden Truth
"Can you hear me, Tetsuo?"
Tetsuo Asakura woke up to the same dream he had the previous day.
"A-Again?" he exclaimed, in disbelief, before getting up. After his bizarre supernatural meeting of that very night, he had returned home, doing his best to act as if nothing ever happened in front of his family. After recovering, he headed to the kitchen for breakfast, where his mother was waiting for him.
"Good morning, Tetsuo!" she said, with a cheerful smile.
"Good morning, mom." Tetsuo replied, managing a smile of his own, as he sat across her at the table, and began eating his breakfast.
"Say, what did you decide to do about that proposal?" the mother asked.
"I'll take it." her son replied, without hesitation.
"Really? That's great!" she cheered, clasping her hands in delight. "Do you know when you'll be working with them?"
"I think I'm supposed to discuss it today." Tetsuo replies, scratching the back of his head, to which his mother walked out of her seat and patted her son's shoulder, with a smile on her face "Just make sure to not overwork yourself."
"Don't worry, mom." Tetsuo replied, looking up at her with a reassuring smile of his own "I'll take care of myself."
After breakfast, he saw his mother off and headed to school as usual, meeting his neighbor and friend Ayumu Hirabayashi along the way.
"Hey there, Tetsuo!" he cheerfully greeted the amber-eyed youth.
"Hello, Ayumu!" Tetsuo replied, waving at him with a smile. They began walking together to the bus stop.
"So, have you decided what to do about that offer?" Ayumu asked his friend, to which he nodded.
"I'll accept it." he replied. The youth's neighbor chuckled at his reply.
"Awesome! You'll rock it, I know it!" he said, cheerfully.
"Thank you, Ayumu." Tetsuo gratefully replied. "I'll definitely need your support." Ayumu chuckled once more in response.
"Say, any ideas about what you might have to write next for them?" he asked.
"Not really." he replied "I know that I'll be writing inserts about occult, but not much else other than that. As far as I know, I might even have to write about other topics, in some situations..."
"You know what Hideaki would say." Ayumu replied. "It's not the topic that makes the writer. When a writer's good, he's good with every topic." Tetsuo's chuckle was a little tense.
"I just hope I can hold the candle." he replied "There must be many other good writers in there, and it's not about being the best writer, but about recording the chosen news faithfully and clearly."
"See?" Ayumu smiled cheerfully at his declaration "You know what you should do when you're in there! That's a damn good place to start, in my book." This time, the amber-eyed youth's chuckle was much less tense, and his friend and neighbor added his own.
Like any other day, the two friends got in the bus that would have taken them to the school entrance, but Tetsuo's eyes instinctively wandered among the seats, to see if there was anything strange, any sign of creatures like the one he had seen the previous night. Much to his relief, there was no such thing in the bus.
"If I've understood correctly, not everyone can see those demons..." he thought "But I can't be the only one to see them… What are they after? My friends, or even any other person who lives in this town, for that matter, could be a target..." Of course, he made an effort to conceal his thoughts from his friend.
Eventually, the bus arrived at its stop, and Tetsuo and Ayumu dropped off of it, heading to the school's main gates. Before long, both were in front of their friends, Hideaki Miyahara and Izumi Murakami.
"Good morning, you two!" the red-haired girl greeted them, with a bright smile. Her boyfriend smiled at them as well.
"Good morning, Hideaki! Murakami-san!" Tetsuo greeted them back, with a smile on his own face. Ayumu rose his hand in greeting as well, as the two neighbors walked towards their friends.
"Tetsuo..." the third-year asked his schoolmate while adjusting his glasses "Have you thought about the offer to join the Newspaper Club?" the amber-eyed youth nodded in response.
"I accept." he finally said. "I'll do it." His reply immediately sparked a wider smile from Hideaki and a squeal of excitement from Izumi, who gave her friend a thumbs up.
"I knew you would have made this choice." Hideaki said "At lunch break, meet me, Miura and Kuki in the hallway. We'll discuss your schedule there." Tetsuo nodded in response.
After their discussion, the four students headed to their classes, and their school day started. During class, Tetsuo's eyes wandered around the classroom, searching for strange signs, just like he had done on the bus. Thankfully, he never was too obvious about it, and always made sure to keep track of the most important points of the lessons. And so, the lessons went smoothly until lunch break came.
Once the bells rang, the youth headed to the hallway to meet with Hideaki and the members of the Newspaper Club. He was followed by Yousuke, who nudged him with a huge grin, knowing of his choice, making him chuckle a little embarrassedly. Before they knew it, they were in front of Hideaki and his fellow 3rd year student, Takehiko Kuki, member of the Newspaper Club, wearing a brown gilet jacket over a yellow buttoned shirt which hugged his muscled frame, and blue jeans, complete with brown shoes.
"Hello there, Asakura." the quite imposing 3rd year greeted.
"Good morning, Kuki." Tetsuo replied, with a smile on his face.
"So, as you know..." Hideaki began "The Newspaper Club's meetings overlap with those of the Occult Club."
"So you'll need to pick a time to join us." Yousuke added, to which the amber-eyed youth nodded in agreement.
"I thought that I could meet with the Newspaper Club every Wednesday and a Friday every two weeks, since normally I would have Occult Club Meetings on Fridays." he said.
"Sounds like a plan." Yousuke grinned, as Takehiko stepped towards him and patted his shoulder with a smile.
"Welcome to the Kichijouji Seijou Newspaper Club." he said, to which Tetsuo smiled back.
"Tomorrow will be your first day!" Yousuke excitedly remarked "Don't miss, 'cause it's gonna be a real party cracker!" His cheer caused his fellow students to chuckle.
"Don't worry, Miura." Tetsuo assured "I'm not planning to miss."
Yousuke and Tetsuo turned, intending to return to their class, and found a petite girl, with pink hair and amber eyes of her own on their way. She was wearing a pink dress with puff sleeves, and sandals decorated with red gems. Another peculiar feature was the golden pendant she had on her neck, shaped as a circle containing a six-pointed star. They immediately recognized her.
"S-Shibusawa-san?" Tetsuo exclaimed.
"Kyoko-chan! What are you doing around here?" Yousuke asked her.
"Oh, good morning." the girl replied "I was passing by, when I happened to overhear your conversation. Oh, I almost forgot." She then got closer to Tetsuo, with a smile on her face. "Asakura Tetsuo, your occult insert was a lovely read."
"Ah, I-I'm glad you liked it, Shibusawa-san." Tetsuo replied, a tad embarrassedly, eliciting a chuckle from Yousuke.
"Tetsuo, she's a freshman, you know?" he remarked "Tone it down a bit." His classmate blushed in response, eliciting a sweet giggle from the girl.
"I'm looking forward to read more from you." Kyoko continued "It would be precious information for everyone."
"I'm not too sure about that, Kyoko-chan." Yousuke objected "But it would definitely be a pleasant read." Kyoko puffed her cheeks a bit in annoyance, only to sigh.
"Believe what you will, Yousuke." she said, before turning to Tetsuo "It's sad that so many people are losing sight of myths and what they represent..." Tetsuo nodded at her remark.
"That's partly the reason why I joined the Newspaper Club." he replied "My wish is to share my knowledge in that regard and remind the readers of their significance." A smile sprung on the girl's features.
"I knew you would understand." she said "Well, I have to head back to class now. Bye-bye!" she waved at the two sophomores and turned around to head back to her classroom.
"Bye-bye!" Tetsuo waved back, along with Yousuke, before heading back to his own class with him.
"There's your way of believing in the occult, and then there's Kyoko's way." Yousuke joked. "Not that I have anything against it!"
"Well, at least we're sure to have one fan of my inserts." Tetsuo retorted "If I write them well, that is..." Once he finished speaking, the head of the school newspaper patted his classmate on the shoulder.
"Don't sweat it, Tetsuo." he said, with a huge grin "I'm sure you'll pass it with flying colors!" His encouragement succeeded in putting a smile on Tetsuo's face.
"Thank you, Miura." he replied, eliciting a giggle from the untidy-haired young man, just before the two youths entered their class. And so, the lessons continued on.
"Shibusawa Kyoko-san..." Tetsuo thought "I wonder if she's able to see the demons as well, given her faith in demons..." these thoughts were swimming in his mind as the lessons went on. However, he was wise enough not to let them slip from his expressions. Eventually, the lessons ended, and the time to head back came.
"Congratulations for your entrance in the Newspaper Club!" Izumi happily said, as she headed out of the school gates with her friends.
"Thank you, Murakami-san..." Tetsuo replied, thoughtfully "But this is just the beginning. Let's see how working for them will prove..." At that, the girl tapped on his shoulder with mild force.
"Don't worry! You'll be just fine in there!" she remarked, making her friend smile in gratitude. Eventually, the two met Hideaki and Ayumu in front of the gates, intending to see them off.
"See you tomorrow, then." Hideaki said, as Izumi walked beside him "Good luck with your work for the newspaper."
"Thank you, Hideaki." Tetsuo replied, with a nod "I know I'll need it. See you tomorrow!" With that said, Hideaki and his girlfriend began walking away.
"So, what are you doing?" Ayumu asked, turning to his friend.
"I guess I'll take a walk in the park." the amber-eyed youth replied. His statement elicited a chuckle from his neighbor.
"Must be having a lot of stuff to go over in your mind." he said, to which Tetsuo nodded. "I guess I'll just go home and catch some z's. See you around!" The two friends waved at each other as they went their separate ways.
As he headed to the park, Tetsuo messaged his mother, notifying her about his "walk" in the Inokashira Park. Fortunately, she showed no objections.
"Be careful, ok?" he read on his message log.
"Don't worry, mom. I will. ^_^" he typed back, before putting his phone back in his pocket. As he walked to the park, the events of the previous night occupied his mind.
"Those demons..." he kept thinking "And the way that girl fought alongside the Tengu… Hopefully meeting her will give me a clearer understanding of this mess..." He also understood that he was in front of something far greater than himself, and that there was no turning back.
Before long, the amber-eyed youth found himself in the Inokashira Park. It was a vast green area, housing a long, narrow lake bearing the same name. There were some people strolling about, and the sakura trees, despite not being in their full bloom, still were able to catch many admiring gazes.
Tetsuo looked around, searching for the girl he planned to meet. He had come half an hour before the agreed meeting time, but he was ready to wait. In a quite unexpected, but not unwelcome twist, he found her in a short amount of time, standing next to a tree. Eventually, she noticed him as well, and walked towards him.
"Have you been waiting for long?" he asked her, to which the mysterious girl shook her head.
"I had just arrived here." she replied, a stoic expression on her face "You came rather early..." At those words, Tetsuo couldn't hold back a sigh.
"I couldn't get what happened last night out of my mind..." he began explaining "To think that demons exist, and are hiding under our nose… I just can't look at the world around me the same way, anymore..." He found himself at a loss of words, and couldn't help but sigh "There is too little that I know, and I came here in hopes of finding some answers."
"I can understand how you're feeling..." the girl replied, with a nod "I'll tell you what I know. Yes, demons exist physically. They hide under the surface of our world, and can come out at a moment's notice, but we can see them. Not only that. We have a way to summon and command them, thus fighting fire with fire."
"Yes, I've seen how you fought with the Karasu Tengu that was accompanying you..." the amber-eyed youth remarked "The only question is… How can one do it?" In response, the girl lifted her arm, onto which her portable computer was laced, then opened it, and started an application on it. When she showed it to Tetsuo, the image of a demon summoning circle was on the screen, before it switched to a menu with various options.
"This is the Demon Summoning Program." the girl said "It does exactly what its name suggests. It analyzes demons and allows to negotiate with them, create a contract with them, and even summon them."
"A computer program?" Tetsuo asked, in slight disbelief? "How does it work?"
"To learn how to use it is relatively easy." she replied "As for how it works… I don't really know. My guess would be that they've copied summoning rituals in script coding… Somehow."
"So you haven't created it?" the question rose spontaneously in the youth's mind. In response, the girl shook her head.
"I don't know who has created it and for what reasons, but it's currently being updated and distributed by a man known as S, as a way to counter demons."
"S?" Tetsuo asked.
"Yes." the girl replied, with a nod "He writes emails to the users of the program." The amber-eyed youth nodded as well, in understanding.
"Normally, I would find all of this unbelievable..." he mused "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, that is."
"It's completely understandable." the girl said "I don't think I need to tell you, but you've stumbled upon a hidden truth, one that we weren't meant to see, and now there's no turning back. You should consider your old life over, in a way." Tetsuo nodded in agreement.
"Like I said, it's hard to look at things the same after seeing what I saw last night." he replied "I don't think I can go back to my normal life anyway..."
"You seem to grasp how serious this is." the girl noticed, relief could be seen in her eyes.
"Not completely." he replied "But to a degree."
"That'll do, for now." the girl said. "Open your computer and activate the bluetooth. I'll pass you the program now." Tetsuo did as he was told, booting up his portable computer and activating its bluetooth feature. The girl then tapped on the screen and keyboard of her own computer and it took only a few seconds for her to transfer something into the youth's computer. It seemed to be an installer for an application.
"The installation will roughly take an hour." the girl explained "Start it as soon as you get home, then meet me here tonight. We'll head to your first hunt."
"Hunt?" the question slipped from Tetsuo's mouth.
"Yes, by that, I mean your first battle." the girl replied, with a nod "With this program, we must protect humans from demons, and even vice versa, but we need proper training in how to use what we're given if we're to do that. Tonight, I'll provide you with a quick course about the program." The amber-eyed youth expressed his understanding with a nod of his own, but his face still bore signs of astonishment and uncertainty. Fortunately, she was quick to understand his feelings.
"Of course, I've felt like you feel right now, before." she claimed "You don't need to worry. You will know more and grow as you'll continue on this path. For now, just know that you can only go forward from now on."
"I understand." Tetsuo replied, with a nod "I guess it's the only way..." he said, thoughtfully.
"Oh, and another thing." the girl said, catching his attention. "You'll need a weapon. Which one do you think you would be able to use best?"
"Well..." he thought about it, before answering "I've done quite a bit of kendo while I was in middle school..."
"Perfect." she said, not needing to hear any more, still bearing a stoic expression "I have something that's just right for you. I'll give it to you tonight." The youth nodded in understanding.
"Ah..." he remembered something he had to ask her "What's your name?" the girl hesitated for a bit, standing motionless, then extended her hand for him to shake. "Enomoto Rinne."
"I'm Asakura Tetsuo." he said, smiling as he shook her hand "Thank you for your help. Also, thank you for saving me, last night..."
"There's no need..." she replied. "I'm sure you understand that in this dark underworld, our own lives are at stake, Asakura-kun."
"I do, Enomoto-san." he replied "I might have very well died last night, if it weren't for you..."
"Make sure you're ready for what lies ahead." the girl warned "I'll see you tonight." Tetsuo nodded in agreement.
"Tonight it is, then." he said, and then the two youths went their separate ways. As he walked away, heading home, Tetsuo glanced at his portable computer, knowing that the night he saw that demon, and the girl who had saved him from it, was the day his normal everyday life ended, the day he was thrust into an underworld of darkness…
...The underworld of demons.
And that his computer would have been his main weapon, in such a world.