'They're coming…'
I whipped my head around at the abrupt declaration, my brown eyes wide with fear. After that crazy night, I hadn't touched a drop of alcohol. I refused to even use mouthwash… Still, that had not stopped the memories of strange encounters from surfacing--albeit in pieces with no clear faces or voices--nor that odd voice…
However, an entire day had gone by without either...so I thought the insane situation had gone away.
Apparently, I'd been wrong to think such…
"Hey, you okay?" Jen--my sister--pulled me back into reality. Her grip on my shoulder helped to ground me as her concerned brown eyes bore into my own. I struggled to keep myself calm as I put her at ease with a nod of my head and a smile. Her narrowed eyes and pursed lips told me she clearly did not believe me...but she chose not to press the matter and turned her attention back to the tv. My own gaze returned to the bright screen while my arms clenched tighter around the Heartless plushie in my lap. My white-bleached curls cascaded around my body in a silky array, barely brushing the fluffy white blanket my sister and I sat on as we watched an anime in her room.
It was an anime I had actually suggested as I had discovered it recently…
Blue Exorcist.
For some reason, I'd always been drawn to the supernatural stories. I loved demonology, in particular. The fact that the main character fought so hard to be recognized as a person with feelings and talents while still maintaining such a cheesy grin and upbeat attitude was what kept me fascinated with the story overall…
A longing sigh passed my lips at the scene where Rin Okumura got caught snoozing in class and was reprimanded by his twin brother, Yukio. He had such strength! And here I was racked with guilt over a breakup because I had lost confidence in my feelings… He was dealing with being a son of Satan, for crying out loud!
"Hey, Mana?" Jen's voice drew me out of my pathetic pity party.
"Hm?" I gave a grunt to indicate that I was listening, eyes never leaving the screen as I tried to follow along with the lesson I was only partially-privy to. How amazing would it be to learn this stuff? Or, for that matter, grab Rin's tail for the hell of it? Just to see what would happen. I'd always been curious of that demonic tail. Mephisto's and Amaimon's, too. Hell, I'd give anything to safely watch their reactions!
"That one guy can turn into a dog...right? White fur, polka dot bow, and droopy eyes?"
Now, I was confused. Mephisto wasn't on the screen at this time. Why would she be asking that? Unless…
"Are you looking up spoilers?" I turned to her, expecting to see her on her phone with wikipedia open or something. Instead, I saw her staring at the door to her room. Baffled, I followed her gaze only to notice the previously-shut door wide open. But that was definitely not what grabbed my attention…
"M-Mephisto…?" I stammered, unsure of whether my eyes could be trusted right now. There, in the entrance of my sister's room, sat a little terrier dog with long white hair and a pink, polka-dot bow around its neck. Droopy eyes watched me in careful observation, not breaking my gaze even as I heard a distinct thump behind me. I only noticed my sister had fainted when the green hamster--clinging to the dog's head--made the remark first.
"The second one fainted. Should we take her, too?" Amaimon suddenly piped up, making me snap to attention.
"Ah! Jen?!" Beside me, my younger sister had, indeed, collapsed to the pile of blankets and pillows we were sitting on...softly snoring away. A puzzled expression overcame my concerned features. It was only midnight! My sister regularly stayed up until 7am since she had an overnight shift at a school…
I jumped when an unfamiliar hand settled on my shoulder. On reflex, I slapped the offending limb away with a growl.
"Easy now," Mephisto put his hands up in mock surrender, now in human form. Amaimon, himself, stood in his "human" body beside his elder brother, looking bored. "She's only sleeping. No need to worry," the older demon placated before doing something I did not expect from someone as prestigious as him…
He kneeled down to my level until his face was right next to mine. Something akin to delight shone in his green eyes at my obvious discomfort. The purple of his hair glinted in the light of the tv screen as it hung around his pale face. Even the little bit of beard he had left on his chin had the same unusual shade of violet. The usual white, elegant (and overly-done) outfit from the show was...surprisingly, not there. He wore a simple black shirt and jeans with a white scarf, no more. His brother wore similar attire, only sans scarf.
Fingers beneath my chin drew my attention back to Mephisto as he spoke his next words that made my breath catch in my throat.
"Would you like to attend True Cross Academy, my dear?"