"Leigh," My older brother, Charles shocked me out of my book and scared me. It was Saturday night. He should've been…out, just like every Saturday since his 21st birthday. For some reason, I got really mad, and suddenly, a knife was coming at him. I didn't even own a knife. I stared in horror, willing the knife flying for between his eyes to stop. It dropped to the ground. Charles stared at me, terrified. "What are you?" he asked me, too scared and repulsed by his own 14-year-old sister to look away.
"I don't know," I muttered, still in shock. "I really don't know." He left as quickly as he could. I turned from my book, and back to my computer. I was researching schools in Japan. I wanted to study out of country, to get away from my tiny Pennsylvania town, and Japan seemed most interesting. I sighed. On to the next school website.
True Cross Academy. I clicked on the "courses" page. Math, biology, music, physics, etc. The usual. I decided to look at the biology, but then another tab under the "courses" page appeared. It was called "Cram School". Thinking it was a program for students to graduate early, I clicked on it. It lead to another website. Thankfully, it was in English. I closed the online translator.
The introduction to the website was odd. "Do you see monsters? Do they torment you at all hours of the night? Do you want to become stronger to protect those you love? Join the Exorcist Cram School at True Cross Academy! Always taking new students! Contact Headmaster Mephisto Pheles here." It had a link. That was strange. I saw those monsters as long as I could remember, but they rarely, if ever bothered me. The really little black ones wouldn't come within 5 feet of me. However, I did want to become stronger. I would become an exorcist. I dialed the number on my cell phone. It rung twice and someone picked up.
"Hello," I said, tentative of speaking to an exorcist.
"Hello," the voice on the other end replied. He seemed friendly enough.
"Is this Headmaster Mephisto Pheles of True Cross Academy Cram School?"
"Yes, it is. And to whom am I speaking?"
"Leigh Schmal. I was wondering if you would be willing to accept students from America into your school."
"Why, of course! There is one problem though. You need to fluently speak, read, and write in Japanese. We never had any students from outside the country, and would be glad to have you. Contact me again when you know Japanese thoroughly. Goodbye!"
"Thank you for your time. Goodbye." He then hung up. I was then hell-bent (no pun intended) on becoming an exorcist at True Cross Academy. That day I purchased the Rosetta Stone program for Japanese.
It had been almost two years since that day. I'm 16 now. Of course, I finally got control over my knives and other abilities I had gained since then. I knew Japanese inside and out. It was time to make the call. Just like he had two years ago, he picked up on the third ring.
"Hello?"
"Headmaster Pheles?" I asked in Japanese.
"Yes," he responded, and followed suit.
"I'm not sure if you remember me, it's Leigh Schmal from two years ago. I was wondering if that invitation is still standing." I waited for him to remember.
"Ah, yes. Of course, Miss Schmal. I will send an official letter for your acceptance from True Cross. I will need to know what you will study and your address."
I told him my address, and that I wanted to study Biology and Music.
"Alright. I will pick you up myself. Do you have anything else I should know about you?"
"Yes, but I'm not about to tell you over an open phone line."
"Yes, yes. Of course. I will get a dorm room ready for you."
A couple of days later, my acceptance letter arrived. Since my parents were out of town for the weekend, Charles, Michelle (my sister), and my friends threw me a "going away" party. I got some hair dye from one of my friends. Of course, I have been talking about dying my hair black with red streaks for a while. Some of my other friends pooled their money to get me some ripped jeans, which I have also wanted to wear for a while, and purple Converses. Another friend of mine got me some fingerless gloves which I have loved since I saw them in a shop window. Finally, my brother gave me an iPod, filled with my favorite bands that he introduced me to, like the Offspring, Taking Back Sunday, Senses Fail, and ADTR. That was never leaving my side. It reminded me of the times that we would be riding in his old, beat up Chevy truck listening to music, not the times when he would be coming home at 3 a.m., stumbling through the door, wrecking any trust I ever felt with him and anyone else-don't think about Charles like that, especially after what he gave you, and that you're going to leave soon, I mentally chided myself. So what if I can't trust anyone again. It won't be a big problem.
The party ended, and my friends said their last goodbyes, not a dry eye among them. Or on me, for that matter. Who would rip Ashley's throat out after she got in a fight with Angel? Who would scare the living hell out of anyone who picked on India for being blind? Who would-they're going to be alright, one of the voices in my head comforted me. No, I'm not crazy; I have 2 people other than me living in my head, only I wouldn't call them people. They're old, practically as old as time itself, and I could sense the power in them since they started living in my head a year ago. I concluded they're angels, because they're generally benign in nature and one of them is really protective. I think the protective one might be Saint Michael, the Archangel, Prince of the Heavenly host, and the other one might be Raphael, another Archangel.
A few days after the party, a pink limo pulled up my driveway. I was enjoying my last sunset in America, and I would never get used to the way the red light would cast silhouettes of the trees, making them mysterious and beautiful. Out of the limousine came a man in a clown suit with green eyes and slit pupils. He had black hair and pointed ears and teeth. He reminded me of a character from a book I read, named Magnus Bane, the character I mean.
"Hello!" he yelled, and it was the exact same voice on the phone. I expected Headmaster Pheles to be different, but this was just a whole new level of weird. "I am Johann Faust the Fifth, head of True Cross Academy," he introduced himself to my parents, who were surprised to say the least. I could tell they were going to ask why someone as important as the headmaster of a prestigious school overseas would pick up a new student, when he said, "Because your daughter is the first student from out of country to attend my school, I decided to pick her up myself."
I said goodbye to my parents, brother, and sister, and headed into the limo with him. After we started driving, I explained to him about the angels, the knives, and my other abilities. He seemed startled, because apparently two of the most important archangels usually wouldn't see fit to inhabit one person. After that, he explained Assiah and Gehenna, which Michael had told me about numerous times, so I just sat there daydreaming and remembering.
It was after our family reunion, 3 years ago. Charles went out for his 21st birthday with our cousins, Mark and Justin. I had to go to bed around midnight, because my dad didn't want me to see my brother drunk. I thought it was a one-time thing. It wasn't. I was destroyed. I vowed never to trust anyone again for fear of that happening again. It was about 1 year ago. It was 2 a.m. I couldn't sleep. He came home, smelling of alcohol. I cried myself to sleep. It was about 2 weeks after. He got over his hangover at noon. I was mad. I hated seeing him drink like that. He could tell I was mad, he asked me why, and I told him that seeing him drunk like that every week really hurt. He told me he'd never go out again. The next week, he went to another bar. He lied to my face.
This was about 7 years ago. Charles was getting ready to graduate high school. I grew depressed at the thought, and started crying. He came upstairs, and asked me what was wrong. I told him that after he finished high school and college, he would move out and never come back. He told me he'd still come home, and that he'd never leave me. It was about 4 years ago. It was a Friday, and he was picking me up from a bad day at school. He put on ADTR's The Downfall of us All to make me feel better. When I think about it, he was always there for me with an open ear and a new band or song to help me.
I looked out the window. The limo was flying! I thought in amazement, and then it dawned on me. The limo was flying. Ugh. I'm sorry, but when the best experiences you have of heights are sheets of plywood iced over without a rail keeping you 13 feet from the ground, you aren't a fan of heights.
Soon after, Japan was in view. The limo started to descend. It stopped in the middle of a town, which he called Academy Town, gave me a key that would lead to the Cram School, and showed me to class. My first class was called Demon Pharmacology. Because I wanted to become a doctor, not as a Meister, but as an actual job, I hoped to do well in it. I sat by a shy blond girl with green eyes, a kimono and a little green guy on her shoulder, because it was either her or the snobby girl in pigtails with her mousey lackey, the Emo Kid who would probably not make it past Page, the weird blondish kid with a puppet, or the 4 kids racing zu-zu pets and jumping at them with screwdrivers. Gee, I wonder.
After Mephisto left, he came with another new student and coughed. "Ah-hm."
Our teacher, Mr. Okumura, who was younger than me (which totally rubbed me the wrong way, being taught by someone my age) said formally, "Oh, hello sir. Sorry for the little problem here."
"Wow," I muttered, "someone has a stick shoved up where the sun don't shine." The blond girl looked at me with astonishment, while the kid with the black hair tried hard not to laugh. At least someone thinks I'm funny.
"What are these?" Mephisto held up the small robot. "Never mind that." He claps, everyone diverting their attention to him.
"Good. You may go on." He walks out and leaves the girl behind. I take a closer look. She has green hair tied back in a braid (colored?), a sky blue Lolita dress with billow sleeves, and blue combat boots. If nothing else, I liked her choice in footwear.
"This is Muki Yuka. She's new here and I don't want any trouble. Now, why don't we all sit down and talk about dekalps?" Yuki looks at everyone but they all were surrounding the odd looking girl. Shiemi (the blond girl I was sitting by) and Muki both were giggling over something and pointing at each other's dresses. He smiled. Looks like there won't be any problems here.
"After class, why don't I show you around for a bit?"
"I like that very much," Muki smiles but then glances down at something, "Aww! That is so kawaii! What's its name?"
"That's Nee. He's my familiar." Nee jumps onto Muki's bow, swinging on the ribbon. She giggled but suddenly stopped when a dark figure shadows over the two girls.
"Why are you here?"