AN: 11/26/2010: Sorry again, Anarchy readers, still no computer. This is the second chapter, complete with my experimental branches. This will be the last work I shall upload in a while, reading all these unfinished stories is depressing me. Perhaps Christmas will be a good time for me to start over...with a fresh batch of chapters!
"This is my oath...as the Capturing God."
Hakua stood there for a few seconds before pulling up her scythe and tapping it at the floor, turning around and knocking at the chairtops before abruptly turning back and exclaim, "Huh?"
"I told you. I've agreed to take on this ridiculous contract even if it presents me with a bad end. It's going to be a bad end either way, so I have no other recourse." Keima said in a determined tone.
"B-b-bu-bwahaha!" Hakua couldn't help but laugh uproariously at Keima's face. "Th-that's a good one, commoner! Do you really think a lowborn human like you can achieve love with your measly experience? Before, I doubted what the Chief said because of your apparent youth, and now that your secret's out, my evaluation of you's gone back to where it was – mediocre." The girl-devil snorted in amusement as she pointed at Keima, "You're no God, you're a gamer!"
Keima retorted with annoyed vehemence, "Ridicule me if you must, Devil, but do not underestimate the power of a human. Let us first see if your scorn has its justification. Show me this victim of yours – I," Keima's eyes burned with a cold, manic fury, "will put your foolish doubts to rest."
What is with this human? Hakua thought as she was again taken aback by the sudden change in the commoner's demeanor. Well, whatever delusion he might be in, that would soon come to rest as soon as the contract in Hell was cleared up. Which should be soon. Very soon.
So, Hakua decided to humor the human's last days on this realm.
"The runaway spirit has hidden itself in one Takahara Ayumi, of Class 2-B." After another annoying display of pink puffs, Hakua's magical screen displayed the supposed victim. Ayumi...if I remember correctly, she's in my class... "From what my preliminary scouting has garnered, she is the member of this school's track-and-field team, and has quite the energetic, youthful personality. I would like to see how you will be able to win her over through love, human." Hakua smirked sidewise at Keima. "Even if there were the slight possibility, the odds are closing to zero."
Keima had a studious look on his face as he scrutinized the image of the victim displayed on the pink screen. Since I've decided to do this, might as well pull out all the stops here... The boy closed his eyes briefly in thought before nodding and waving at Hakua dismissively. "I've got the basic gist from the bare information you've given me." Keima walked over to the windowside in thought.
"So I really have to do this using love?" he asked in what he thought was the river-crossing moment of his life.
"Yes, according to the terms of the contract. If the spirit were captured in any other way, your- our heads will still roll."
"I see. Well, we have no other choice then." Keima turned his head to smile confidently at Hakua, who quickly averted her gaze determinedly. "Let's go 'capture' her."
Above all things, Keima was feeling quite bothered at the moment. He had certainly cleared his head a bit after doing "that", but not even "that" could help him find a reasonable escape out of this potential bad end.
The alternative he'd found and decided to act upon was unpleasant, but Keima deemed it to be necessary.
"The first order of business is to adhere to the first Rule: a girl is unattainable without any one flag."
"What are you mumbling about?" Hakua asked irately as she leaned on the railing beside Keima as they looked down on the track-and-field team practicing below them.
"In order to 'capture' this girl, I first have to set the appropriate flags. As the victim's invisible 'affection counter' in relation to my person is, in my experience, negative, I shall have to work to convert that into positives."
"Are you talking about a technique or something?" I can't believe I'm going along with this guy.
"Nope, I'm merely outlining what I have to do," Keima explained as he kept his eyes on the running figures below. "To convert the negativity into positive feelings (and eventually, love), I have to raise many flags. To that end, you- er-" the boy hesitated as he looked to his left at a confused Hakua. "Wh-what should I call you again?"
Hakua blinked. "You've got no time for that, commoner! First, you have to show me that you can capture that thing, then I'll allow you to call me by my name!"
"But don't you think it's a bit inconvenient?" Keima pressed his words as he still remained on a neutral pose. "I can't keep calling you 'you', or She-devil, or girl-demon, it just feels bad. It's like that annoying mysterious new character whose name is always '?' until they're properly introduced."
"W-well, if you must know," Hakua conceded, rubbing her head mentally at the commoner's insufferable nerve. "I told you before, it's- well, you can call me Hakua."
Keima took a deep breath. "Good. Well then, Hakua, you can call me Keima, or Katsuragi, if you prefer," he presented his hand together with a flourishing smile. "Let's cooperate well-"
Whack!
Hakua towered in fury over a prone Capturing God as she pointed at him in righteous devil-anger. "It's a million years too early for a simple commoner like you to call me by my right name! Kn-know your place!"
Keima grunted and rubbed his throbbing head in annoyance as he mumbled, "I was only trying to smooth future conversations, sheesh." Then his eyes narrowed in realization as his eyes swept over the field.
"Hakua, for the sake of the capture, do you think I could borrow some of your out-of-this-realm magic?"
Some minutes of rapid beatings and a proud explanation of Hakua's magical abilities later, there was now a large, building-sized purple banner draped over the side of the building that faced the track field.
On it was written the bright, gaudy words: "Run freely! Takahara Ayumi!"
Just as an ancient king was deeply disturbed by the proverbial writing on the wall, so was the girl herself in question deeply embarrassed and angry at whoever was behind that sudden display.
"Huh? Where did that come from?" "Did Ayumi have any admirers?" "Must've paid a lot..."
Ayumi was desperately explaining, with a noticeable blush in her face, to her friends and team-mates that it was all just a twisted understanding.
It became one of the hot topics in the school, and the next day, many whispers followed the bewildered girl in the corridors. Ayumi herself thought that it would all blow over later once the culprit was found, and then she could give whoever it was a piece of her mind.
Later that afternoon, she was again surprised when the contents of the banner changed, it now read: "Do your best! Ayumi-chan!" (with a heart at the end) Ayumi wanted to hide in a deep, dark corner from the sheer embarassment she felt from her now teasing teammates.
Oh my god, who's crazy enough to be doing this? I wish I could tear that banner down!
Throughout practice, the rest of the track-and-field team, including their advisor, were now convinced that Ayumi had a determined suitor. It was because several more smaller, encouraging (and heartful) banners had been placed all around the field without anyone noticing.
"Wh-who the heck's doing all that? It m-must be a prank or something-!" was her weak response.
That afternoon, she decided she would use some time off practice to catch whoever was responsible directly in the act. So the next day, she skivved off lunch to head quickly to the rooftop. If her guess was correct, the culprit would probably be up there working on the next prank.
The girl's thoughts were filled with murderous glee as she passed each flight of stairs to the roof. When she reached the door, she cautiously opened the noisy door and peeked around the opening.
There! Oh, she'd found the cuprit alright. And he was distracted too, busy crouching down on the hot floor, obviously working on his next humiliating prank.
"HEY! I caught you, you, moron! How dare you put those stupid banners up the past two days!" With the force of a tiny cannonball, track-and-field runner Takahara Ayumi dashed up and kicked one Capturing God to the side. He made a beautiful arc as he was blasted away...
"K-k-Katsuragi?" Ayumi's eyes widened as soon as the (imaginary) dust settled. There lay the bruised God, who moaned in pain as he groggily stood to his feet. Beside him, on the ground, was apparently the next banner, and it now read "Go! Ayumi of the Sprinting Wind!"
"A-Ayumi-san, what could you be doing here, I wonder...?" Keima began while trying to hide a growing blush.
"What's the meaning of this Katsuragi? Were you really the one responsible for those banners? What are you planning you Otamegane!" Ayumi shouted her frustrations out.
"I-I was just-" Keima began.
"You were just what? Making fun of me? Making me embarassed? Is this harrassment from when I had you do the cleaning before, moron?"
"N-no! Nothing of the sort! I-I-" Keima looked to the side where the unfinished banner was, before breathing in deeply and looking up straight at Ayumi with a determined, soulful look. "I can't believe I'm quoting a game like this-! Ayumi! I like you! Pl-please go out with me!"
There, it was all out. The confession seemed to echo in the stillness of the rooftop, but there was no romantic atmosphere here.
One. Two. Three seconds of silence before Ayumi's face scrunched up in disgust and turned her back coldly. "Rejected." She turned her head back and stuck her tongue out disparagingly at a gloomy Keima, and said, "I don't want to go out with an unreliable Otamega like you. See you later, moron."
She hoped she was able to get her point across as she stomped half-heartedly at the surprisingly resilient banner, before she made a huffing sound and stalked back into the school building.
Moments after she was gone, a poofing sound could be heard, and Hakua materialized next to a thoughtful Keima.
"That was close! If that door hadn't been rusted around the edges, that girl could've seen me," Hakua patted her clothes before turning to Keima. "So? Was that all you could do, commoner? That was a very clear rejection right there." Hakua smirked slyly at Keima.
The Capturing God crossed his arms and put his chin thoughtfully on top his hand while muttering, "This event was certainly unexpected, but it isn't really relevant to the overall route."
"Huh?"
"Listen, Hakua ("I told you not to call me that!") I said before that the hypothetical meter that represents the girls' emotions had to be filled with positive energy, right? " He waited for her reluctant nod. "As it stands, it is impossible for one such as me to get those positive flags directly as – I have not any flags to begin with. What I did with the banners was just that, setting some anonymous flags that hopefully sent the message that someone at least was concerned with her."
"And I think it backfired. She now thinks you're a moronic freak aside from being this 'Otamega'."
"Again, I admit that this occurence hadn't occured to me, but this recent event doesn't change things. No," Keima looked up thoughtfully. "Rather, it may have just been the proper trigger."
"So you're saying it's a good thing?" Hakua asked doubtfully as she fixed the damaged banner with a wave of her scythe.
"In a way, yes. The route's events are getting along nicely." Keima touched the contract collar around his neck. "Now, I have to take up the role of the protagonist." He fished the PFP out of his pocket as he too followed Ayumi back into the building. "Same thing this afternoon."
The afternoon sessions passed by in a blur, with Ayumi shooting Keima murderous secret glances from her seat. These went unnoticed by the boy who kept his focus on his PFP screen.
What's with that guy? Ayumi had those type of thoughts swirling around in her mind as she watched the game-loving idiot receive another beating from an irritated teacher. She could hardly imagine that this obvious weird otaku would have an interest in her at all.
Is it because he's that desperate or something?
Ayumi watched as Keima mysteriously bolted out of the last period in the afternoon, clutching the front of his pants like some dork. Oh well, time for practice. I think that guy's learned his lesson. I hope he did. Because of that thought, Ayumi happily spent the rest of the afternoon free of the murderous thoughts she'd had over the past days.
When she heard her friends giggle in the middle of practice though, Ayumi knew then that the idiot was stil at it. She turned in the middle of the run to see another set of banners ringed around the field, each with a different yet still embarrassing message on them.
But this time, the idiot himself stood there, seemingly proud under one of the banners.
Ayumi then became like a cannonball changing its vector mid-flight as she quickly dashed around the curve in the track, up the stairs straight into a swift kick to the Otamega.
"WHAT? WHAT IS IT? YOU'RE STILL NOT GIVING THIS A REST, YOU CREEP?" Ayumi literally howled from the sheer embarrassment. Now everyone's gonna find out that this creep's the one interested in me!
"You're so persistent, why don't you go play your stupid games and leave me alone!" She went back down to the field, keeping a straight face despite the spectacle she'd just let the rest of the team witness.
Whispers of "So it's that Otamega," "Ayumi, huh.." followed like bothersome buzzings of flies. What IS that jerk planning?
"Hey, you. I want to know why you're doing all this." Practice had ended, and the few members who were tasked to putting away all the equipment were the only ones left in the school. Ayumi had changed back to her school uniform and was now confronting the infamous Otomega.
"It's creepy getting all this attention from you. I want to know if you want something from me – anything! - so you can stop this idiotic game."
"I just..." The Otamega sighed. Then he stared seriously into her eyes. "Ayumi-san, aren't my reasons clear enough for you?"
"Wha-" Ayumi blushed, Why am I blushing? "B-b-but, why would someone like you be interested in me? Aren't your games important to you or something?" Had that all been a lie? Had he been watching her all this time? Oh no, now's not the time for thoughts like that! "Well?" She stood with arms akimbo, waiting for Keima to answer.
"Ayumi, it is true that to the eyes of the class, I am nothing more but 'that Otomega'," Keima responded after a heartfelt pause. "But even with that, I am still a young boy with feelings in his heart! When I saw you running, months ago, I thought to myself: 'Keima, there goes a girl who isn't afraid to run as fast as she can.' And from then on, I admired your energy, your exuberance." Keima's eyes then took on a misty quality, as he seemed to be watching something far away. "When you always take on new challenges with a confident, challenging smile, when you achieved many things and you smiled your bright smile, I liked it from afar."
Oh God, why is this guy spouting stuff like this? Ayumi's thoughts raced in a flurry of confusion.
"..and I liked the way you would tie up your hair when you claimed it had the power to make you run faster. To me, it seemed that no matter the day, you would always be prepared.
"Always, always I've watched, but never said how I felt. Everyday, I accepted everyone's jokes about me, about me being an 'Otamega', because it was too late to change everything." Keima now locked gentle eyes with Ayumi. Ayumi felt her shoulders tense. "Ayumi-san, now I have taken that step. And just like you, I won't be giving up yet. I know my confession was too abrupt, and I accept that. So now, I'll be asking differently."
Keima bowed low, "Ayumi-san! Please let me support you will all my heart!"
"So she actually agreed, huh?" Hakua muttered as she stood by a sitting Keima under the starlit sky on top of the deserted school.
"Everything went better than expected," Keima muttered without looking up from the screen.
"But it's still not love yet, or I'd be drowning myself in a sea of fire in embarrassment," the She-devil chuckled darkly.
"Of course, a route like this needs to be cultivated. Since I'm not worried about everyone keeping their memories after this 'capture', I'm going all out with the affection flags."
"And you'll have Hell to thank later for that. If it happens," Hakua added as an amused afterthought. "Though it's gonna be troublesome for us, especially with-"
"Troublesome?" Keima interrupted, slamming his foot on the ground. "Oh, you Hell devils can't even begin to understand the meaning of that word when it comes to me!" Keima turned around and walked back into the darkened building. "Troublesome, huh."
"What's his problem?" Hakua muttered as she stared after Keima, before she disappeared in a puff of purple smoke.
Back in his house, Keima fumed while he stewed in the lukewarm waters in his bath. He was still playing on the PFP of course, since it was bound inside a waterproof see-through bag.
"Making me jump through hoops to accomplish a real-life capture...the nerve of those devils..."
Well then, you should just leave it all to me then, nii-sama!
"Shut up, I didn't call for you." Keima muttered. He groaned tiredly when he felt "that" awaken like it always did.
That pretentious devil thinks she can walk all around your body, isn't it about time you just...let it all out?
The sinister whisper made Keima shiver while still submerged in the tepid water, and he couldn't resist putting the PFP away and letting his hands wander on down.
My offer still keeps standing, nii-sama...Just a little effort from your part, and I can guarantee you will feel pleasure beyond imagining...Free from any obligation...
He had a love/hate relationship whenever it came to "it". Try as he might to hate "it", it was his only companion in the Real. Keima rubbed harder, more to finish it quickly so he could get to bed.
Make sure to clean it all up eh, nii-sama?...
The teen groaned and arched his back as he let the disgusting act reach its end.
The next day, his head was clear as he met with Hakua again for the day's plans.
"Hey commoner, why don't we have a little bet?" Keima looked back at a thoughtful grinning Hakua in confusion. "Since I know you'll angrily reject my opinion that you won't be able to do it at all, let's have a contest to see if you can capture that girl within the week."
"Oh really?" Keima said carefully. My- our lives are on the line and the devil wants to play a game? "And what are the terms?"
"If I win, I get to do anything I want with your pathetic human body." Hakua's eyes glittered – well, demonically.
"Hmm..." Keima tapped the surface of his PFP pensively. "I guess I'll just have to do whatever I want with your body then. And don't worry, I'll be sure to try not to win that well." He turned to enter the school with a strutting gait.
"Hmph! I'd like to see you- wait!" Hakua launched and flew herself over Keima and down in front of him. "Not everything, okay!" She cried shamefully. "Just-" she twisted her hands around her scythe nervously. "With limits," she muttered.
Keima casually sidestepped her as he continue on his way to school. "You watch, Hakua. I'll be sure to capture that girl's heart quickly. And right in time to finish this damned contract," he added to himself.
The target, on the other hand, was desperately hoping that that embarrasing scene from the day before had been just a psychotic break, or a delusional dream. Surely she would not have agreed to Otamega's proposal so readily like that! It wasn't like she'd been moved by his words or anything!
But alas, all those hopes were dashed when he saw that idiot smile nervously at her as soon as she entered the class. And with not a PFP in plain sight? Could he be playing under the table? But I can see his hands...
She forced herself not to respond to that smile, and so went to her seat in silence. All throughout the day, Ayumi watched the Otamega miraculously not paying attention to his PFP for once, and was now being the genius that some of their teachers claimed him to be. He answered questions promptly and accurately, causing mostly everyone to crane their heads and stare in unbound amazement at this unannounced change.
When some people asked, Keima responded that he was giving up on gaming for a while, because he had a special reason for doing so. Oh really. And through all the questions, he'd put on that infuriatingly gentle smile that seemed to disarm most who saw.
Twice she'd caught him sneaking a glance at her, and one of those times she turned her head and stuck out her tongue when she thought no one was looking. Keima responded with a silent chuckle, before beaming and turning his attention to the class again.
When classes were dismissed, Ayumi was first out of the room, zipping out the door like a cannonball taking flight. She so desperately wanted to avoid it, but there was no mistaking the sound of footsteps following behind her: the Otamega was hot on her heels.
"Listen!" She called over her shoulder. "I appreciate the effort you're puttig into making me impressed, but one day of that won't be enough to affect me. You may have most of them fooled, but I know what you're planning you, you-"
"-Perverted Otamega!"
Most everyone in the team knew of Keima's involvement now, of course. They had already accepted the banners as some sort of bizarre wooing ritual from the infamous Otamega, but the very fact that it was their own energetic Ayumi who'd caught the nerd's heart was something her friends would be talking about for days to come.
This time, there were new banners strung around, with brand new messages. Keima stood below one of them like a statue, although whenever he thought she was looking, he waved mini-flags with her name on it with a hearty cheer.
The Otamega is really insistent, I'll give the guy that. She was having trouble concentrating on her runs because of the awareness that a certain pair of eyes were following her every move from above. When she could no longer tolerate the slow speeds, she resorted to being "serious."
"Whoohoo! Full speed to the finish line, Ayumi-san!" She went full speed, indeed, dashing right up and smacking the moron to the ground.
Ayumi then felt an odd smile on her face as she went through the rest of practice.
There were snide, but approving smiles all around when the team caught sight of Keima holding a pair of drink cans in his hands. Ayumi's face turned a shade of red as she furiously ordered the Otamega to the side. Strangely enough, her teammates were content to let her be as she dragged Keima to the steps overlooking the field.
Keima didn't complain when she grabbed the two cans from his hands and started sucking on them greedily, while she kept a certain distance from the sitting Otamega.
"You were at your prime form, Ayumi-san."
"What was with all this, geez! Is this what you meant by being supportive? I've been having a lot of trouble instead because of you!" she told Keima as she sat and drank from the can.
"But this is all I can do for now, Ayumi-san." Ayumi turned her head to look, and quickly brought it back to face the front. That smile! "Besides preparing something cool for you to drink and supporting you from the sidelines, I'm afraid there's nothing more that I can do – in this current situation. If you will only allow me-" Keima paused, before lapsing back into a troubled silence. Ayumi peeked over the top of her can at an introspective Keima.
She stood to throw the cans away, stuck in her own tumutltuous thoughts. When she returned, she found Keima still in the same position, hunched over himself.
I know I'm gonna regret this somehow.
"Hey, Otamega." Keima looked up. "Walk with me?" She stopped. "But not all the way! Only to the gates." She nodded as if trying to convince herself.
"O-of course, Ayumi-san. I'd be glad to!" Keima looked really happy too.
It was only to the nearby gates, but Ayumi found herself walking a bit slower than usual after she struck up a conversation with Keima. To her great surprise, she found that the Otamega could keep up with a normal conversation, despite all accounts to the contrary from before. They ended up talking mostly about herself, since Keima couldn't offer much information about himself aside from his current lifestyle.
Well of course, until now, his precious games seemed to be his world!
When something funny came up, Keima would chuckle first, before Ayumi would join in with her own (nervous) laughter. And then she would stop, because she'd realize then she'd just laughed. Together with the Otamega.
And it didn't feel bad!
"Alright, this is the stop see you later, Katsuragi!" She said rapidly in goodbye, before dashing away.
Keima watched her go with a fond look on his face, but when he was sure she wouldn't be coming back, his face adopted his analytic scowl once more.
A poofing sound behind him caused him to turn around to nod at the appeared devil. Keima nodded at Hakua curtly before leaving the gates himself.
"Hey!" Hakua called after him. "That's one day down, commoner!" Don't be so loud, devil!
During the night, Keima feverishly played and re-played his favorite games. The withdrawal from not playing any games over the day had finally gotten to him. He didn't even have any time to do "that".
The second day passed with little change, although Ayumi seemed to have become a little more open around him not just during practice, but in class as well (though she didn't let it become too obvious to everyone else), and then came the third day,
Keima was already feeling the stress from keeping up his "other front" for Ayumi's sake, and each smile he made seemed to stretch his face muscles thin and strained.
"I don't understand. Then, what's the miracle love method if you're just doing what other mortals do to woo somebody? That one-week bet wasn't just a bet, it was also a challenge for us, commoner. If you have to resort to waiting a long time before capturing, then it'll just prove that the love option isn't that optimal after all," Hakua explained as she floated lazily in the air, invisible, above a playing Keima on the rooftop.
"Hakua, as I've mentioned before, think of this route as a plant. It takes a little cultivating here and there, but it'll get there with continued tending."
"But don't plants grow slow? That's the point I was trying to make!" Hakua cried in annoyance. "Here's another runaway spirit lesson for you. The longer it takes for that spirit to lodge within the victim, the stronger it gets from the negative emotions inside it. Eventually, it'll be nurtured just as much as your imaginary plant inside the target's heart, and if it reaches that point, it'll become too powerful for a single devil to combat."
"Too powerful for you then?" Whack! As Keima lay facedown, his mind zeroed in on what Hakua said. Since Ayumi really has a runaway spirit, then it's certain that she has negative emotions that are feeding it. But I don't sense it from our talks. I'm missing something!
"Without the conflict, the route will not progress..." Keima mumbled in a form of mantra to himself as he went back to the classroom, grudgingly putting away his PFP beforehand. Curse this forced appearance!
The afternoon classes concluded, and Keima found himself walking down to the field side-by-side (though at a distance) with Ayumi. He kept his gentle mask on, but held off on asking probing questions. It would only give false signals.
"The code of the silent hunter is to wait for the precise time to strike," Keima muttered as he took shade from the afternoon heat under a tree. Hakua sat above him on the branches and sighed, "And what are you talking about, again?"
"I have been sending the illusion of a genuine love interest to the target, but it is still not enough. If I am to win (and by the way, I will be), I must know what troubles her. How else could she have acquired that gap if not because of that?"
"Well, it's not unusual for strange gaps to appear with just a slight prod. For example, a human might find herself lost on the way home, and a gap would still form from the feeling of helplessness. That's usually how gaps form in human children," Hakua answered from above.
"Gaps can form from something as small as that?" Keima raised his eyebrows. "Is the human heart that weak?"
"Aren't you a human too?"
"I'm a God!"
"Ayumi!" A girl's voice from down below caught the two's ears. Curiously, they both watched the ensuing conversation on the field below.
Just when Ayumi thought everything was settled (though that Otamega was still a pain to deal with), a new worry resurfaced. When she heard some of her upperclassmen call for her as she practiced, she knew, instinctively, that something was up.
"Wh-what is it?" she was breathing rapidly, both from the run and the new feeling. She ran up to the trio of upperclassmen who'd called.
"Why are you taking the going on ahead and practicing?" One of them demanded. "Aren't the second years supposed to do stationary practices while we're supposed to do the practice runs?"
B-but the next meet's soon! She bowed repeatedly, "I was only going to practice for the upcoming meet, since it's really important for all of us as a team, right?"
Smug looks appeared on their faces, "Y'hear that? She's saying it like she's a regular runner?" "Was she going to be part of the meet?"
"Listen, Ayumi," one of them jeered as she jabbed a finger into Ayumi's shoulder. "Just because you had an impressive time once doesn't mean you get to be all special. It's true that you were chosen because of it, but you aren't even a regular yet, so you shouldn't be acting all cocky!"
I don't want any trouble! I just want to run! Ayumi kept on apologizing, "I'm sorry, but it's really important since the meet's about to come up! So please punish me about my mistake now so I can practice?"
"Still going on about that?" The other smirked, and pointed a finger back at the track, "Then go! Run ten, no thirty laps! That's your punishment, and you get to practice right? Scoot!"
Obeying readily, Ayumi turned and hurriedly restarted her running laps.
"She has a meet coming soon...is that possibly the cause of her gap?" Hakua wondered. "Commoner?" She looked down at Keima, who had a critical, withdrawn look on his face. "Hey! Is that the cause of her gap? I don't think love's gonna be able to solve it, after all! Hah! I win! I win!"
As Hakua cheered like some comical, scythe-wielding creature on the tree above, Keima contemplated the "event" he'd just seen. That's still not the whole picture, but...
"But wait, I forgot it's my head too!" Hakua put a hand to her mouth after a dread reminder of her fate.
Keima ignored the devil's recriminations and focused his eyes on Ayumi, who dutifully followed her upperclassmen's demands even if her clothes were soaked in sweat and her breaths started to fall in ragged gasps...
Most of the team had already left by the time Ayumi was done with her laps. Only her friends in the team stayed behind to offer encouraging words, yet they too left when they saw who it was approaching.
Keima Katsuragi smiled down at her, but she caught the look of worry in his eyes. She pushed past him into the locker room to get changed, determined not to talk with him ever again.
But that thought didn't stop her from sighing in a mixture of relief and exasperation once she got out of the locker room to see Katsuragi carrying a several cans in his arms. She discreetly swiped one from Keima's proffered hands as she started to walk away. Katsuragi fell in step with her, and said those words: "You were doing good work today, Ayumi-san! With this, the meet-"
"Sorry!" She said abruptly as she stopped walking and caused Katsuragi to walk a few more steps. She held the can close to her chest and continued, "I'm sorry you had to see that fiasco back there. That was pretty pathetic of me, right?
"Of course, I knew from the first time I joined that-" Ayumi halted.
Keima looked at Ayumi's visage in concern as she kept her head bowed. He was thinking of many scenarios in his head, flashing through them like a fast-forwarding slideshow. There was that feeling of deja vu, and he didn't want to screw this up now. Damn it, if only there was a save point in the stupid Real! Usually, this would be the perfect time for the protagonist to respond, to take action, anything that was appropriate to this situatiion. Perhaps if he-
"Never mind! That's nothing to be worried about!" Keima's thoughts screeched to a standstill when he heard Ayumi speak up first. He saw her with a small smile now as she lifted her head patted her hair with her free hand. "Why am I focusing on that right now, eh?" She took a deep breath, before restarting her pace with a renewed vigor. Keima hurried to follow her, his mind assessing the new informaton.
"After all, Katsuragi believes in me because I keep going forward – so that's what I should be doing!"
Like a falling leaf, Hakua descended noiselessly beside Keima who'd been standing at the gates for a while. She saw that he was holding a grim expression on his face, and just as he was about to ask, the commoner looked sideways at her and shrugged.
"Everything's going well, Hakua."
"Why do you say that? You have this troubled look on your face."
"Oh this?" Keima pointed to his cheek. "I don't know how you assess people's feelings from their faces, but I'm certainly not troubled." Keima turned to look out of the gates. "At least, not for me," he added before lapsing back into pensive silence.
Hakua stared for a few moments at that face again, before turning around and muttering, "It's halfway down the week now. You've got less than that to fulfill your debt. And safeguard our heads."
"I know." Keima said nonchalantly. "If not tomorrow, then possibly the day after. We won't reach day seven." The Capturing God left an incredulous Hakua at the school gates, already inputting commands in his PFP.
I am frustrated
Shut up!
Its been so long niisama since youve released now im hungryyyy
I don't have time for that stuff now, I've got an important job!
Then finish it up dont make me beg
I don't have to answer to a voice!
Youmake me beg and your body will suffer
Keima slammed the bathroom door shut, towel wrapped around his uncomfortable lower part and dashed down the hall to his room.
It took a few routes in the new games before he was able to calm down.
The next day was a Saturday, and classes would end at lunch. Usually, Keima would be antsy for dismissal time so he could head out into the city and purchase the new games that would usually come out in the weekends. He'd done it last week, and the other week before, and then that week before when the games were subpar...It should have been what he should be doing, instead...
He now had a devil who always nagged him.
He now wore a collar that would kill him.
He couldn't play games because that would affect the target.
He had that thing down there that shouldn't be bothering him.
And most importantly, he couldn't anticipate the end of class because he had to be there for Ayumi all throughout the afternoon.
When the lunch bell was close to ringing, Keima was seriously debating whether or not to put off today's events and extend the capture for a day. There shouldn't be any averse consequences right? Not when Imaginary Future IV was being released soon, the newest in a series of one of the games he liked!
Inner Keima roared in agony at the prickly thorn(s) that were stuck in his paw. This cannot be...
But when Keima noticed Ayumi's gaze flicker over to him every once in a while, he knew he was stuck while the route had already taken off on its maiden voyage.
Oh Real, how I hate thee!
"What now? You look worried today, commoner." Hakua derided from the side. Several large ad balloons now floated softly in the breeze, each carrying a new message of love and encouragement to Ayumi. Hakua felt a little proud when making the banners, since they needed a lot more magic to make; though she'd been a bit peeved when the Capturing God ordered some of them out because "three were enough".
"Of course I look – not worried, uneasy! I'm feeling this way because of a certain contract an idiotic organization put on me that's depriving me of my rightful lifestyle as a God!" Keima shot back with a strained look on his furious face. "As for the target, the route is heading down the expected path. I wasn't kidding when I said it would be over today, or the next day."
"Why are you allowing for two days? Is there something about this so-called 'route' that measures to that amount of time?" the she-devil asked off-handedly.
Keima rubbed his temple with his fingertips and took several measured breaths. "Unlike games, the Real is primarily an unpredictable sate of affairs. Who knows what might occur today, or the next day? When you compare it to games, where it is possible to extrapolate the amount of days remaining in the route, the Real has way too many variables that give it its unpredictability!"
"I don't get it." Hakua walked over to another tree and sat down below it "The 'real' as you call it, is certainly unpredictable, and there isn't a devil in hell that can refute that – it's one of the facts of life. Because my question would be, how arrogant a commoner are you to think that the future can be predicted so easily from just your eyes?"
"Listen, you devil," The Capturing God pointed a finger at Hakua. "I have predicted the route of my life for months now. I have taken into account several big events that are yet to be. I have set my lifestyle in a way that there should be only repetition as each day passes: classes are prepared for, tests are predicted and passed, homework is done the day it is passed, and any extracurriculars are dodged like a rabid dog.
"Whatever slight deviations happen on each day, I will forestall, throw away, yes even take responsibility for if it leads to the quicker path. The entirety of my life is based on the menial living of this 'Real' and the eventual bliss that I shall enjoy once I enter my personal playground. It will not be wrong to say that I, as the Capturing God, have set myself high above the level of humans, and that I have transcended the whimsicalities of the Real.
"Yet I am aggrieved to say that sometimes the big events do come that are unlooked-for. Such has been the case several times before, and so is this particular case now." Keima dragged at his collar again, letting it strain against his neck. "You, and that Hellish organization that you belong to, are now the big event that has soiled the purity of my route, and like the conflict that the protagonist must overcome during the common route, so too, shall I overcome you and return to the days that were and should have been." Keima took a huge breath in and out.
"Hakua, I dislike you." The she-devil looked thunderstruck. "I don't like you as much as I dislike the Real. But I have no choice but to bear this event with you, for the good of the contract. As I trust you to work your wonderous magic to achieve what should be impossible for the Real; you must also trust in me to be done with this job in that amount of time. For I am the Capturing God." Keima held his hand out imperially, with his chin held high, "No girl's heart is hidden from me."
Keima held that pose for a while, before he shrugged his shoulders and went back to a neutral position. "And also win that bet." The Capturing God cleared his throat, having literally run a marathon with his speech. Hakua still sat with a baffled expression, which was somewhat understandable: Keima Katsuragi had that effect on people when he chose to let himself rant.
But that rant might have cost him a flag in this route. For when Keima now searched for Ayumi in the field, his widened eyes were astonished to see her being supported by the shoulders by her teammates. Keima made a grunting sound when he saw Ayumi was favoring one leg over the other. She tripped while I was going on and on with that speech? So careless!
"Otamega, you shouldn't be going close to Ayumi right about now, y'hear?" Several of Ayumi's teammates blocked Keima's way when he attempted to follow her. "She doesn't need your fooling around now, and that's none of your business anyway."
"None of my business? It is my business what happens to Ayumi! You think you can just stop me?"
"No, but she can stop you." He did. "And you'll finally be given the telling-off of your life." Keima was shoved away, before they finally said, "Do her a favor and go home, creep."
Keima frowned as he watched the rest of the team follow their injured colleague as she was taken to the infirmary. He bowed his head in thought and ran over the scenarios again in his mind – something about this event struck a familiar cord, and he was not about to lose grasp of this now.
Then he looked up and ran over to where Hakua was under the tree. He was surprised to see concern on that devil's face. "Shouldn't you be, you know, supporting her with all your heart? What are you still doing here?"
"It's my fault." Keima said. "I failed to witness the event and so have to resort to conjencture." He turned to look at the field. "Yes, it is obvious that she has been injured while on a run, so..."
Hakua waited for the Capturing God to continue as she finally stood up from the ground. As she patted the grass from her clothes, she heard Keima say, "I will be needing your power once more Hakua."
One teleportation spell later and Keima found himself face down on the corridor near the infirmary. He felt a hand on his shoulder drag him away and into a nearby empty classroom.
He felt a warm sensation envelop him, and he looked around quizzically at Hakua as she muttered a sort of cantrip under her breath. "There, I've masked our presence." Hakua gestured outside the room, where Ayumi's teammates were passing by and talking worriedly. "I assume you requested this because you wanted to observe her?" How did she?... "This spell ought to do the trick, the rest is up to you, commoner."
Keima grudgingly nodded his thanks before he left the room and headed down the hall to where the infirmary would be.
"Don't you think the hurdle today was weird?" Keima caught the tailend of the conversation as he sidled up the infirmary doorway. "I swear that thing was shorter than the rest!"
"No way!" Another voice replied in shock. "Do you think they would-"
"Guys, guys! I'm fine." He heard Ayumi's voice stop the dangerous conversation. "I mean, I will be fine before the tournament comes around! There's no way this leg can dampen my chances of winning!"
"Be a more realistic will you.." "Seriously, Ayumi."
"No, really guys, I'm fine – it's just a little sprain, I'll get over it."
Keima observed the power of Hakua's spell firsthand as the two close friends literally appeared in front of him as the door opened, causing him to sidestep quickly in surprise. He clutched his chest in relief when he saw that they didn't notice him standing just an arm's length away. Over their shoulders, he caught a glimpse of Ayumi sitting on top of the bed. He didn't miss every detail.
With measured steps, he returned to the empty classroom, again deep in thought. His hands itched for the PFP in his pocket, before he brought them up to stroke his hair. An injury...tournament? Hostile upperclassmen...and Ayumi's expression...
She seemed relieved.
The grin that threatened to split his face unnerved Hakua when she saw it, and she brought her scythe before her in alarm. "W-what's with that face all of a sudden? Did your commoner brain explode after all?"
"Hakua," the grin faded and Keima put his fingers up to his glasses. "I can already see the ending."
"Huh?"
"The ending, you she-devil! There is now a ninety-five percent chance of success in this route – I'm sure of it!"
"How can you be so sure?"
"Well of course, since I've already seen it before – in games." Whack! went the eraser, but Hakua was astonished to see the Capturing God bear it all and not collapse. He continued to ramble, "I've seen this setup before...the target, the conflict, and above all, the possible resolution! I can almost feel the ending as if it were between my two hands."
"Are you really so confident that it will turn to love?" Hakua said doubtfully.
"Love? Of course it will. All endings lead down that route, unless it's a stupid normal ending that developers sometimes go for. But rest assured, the ending I see here is indeed a love ending, and will fulfill the criteria that the contract requires.
"Now all I need to do is begin the countdown to the end. Can you do me one last favor, Hakua?"
Ayumi hugged her legs close to herself as she sat morosely on the infirmary bed. She'd closed the curtains around her, walling her off from the room. In her own private world, her thoughts were a mess - but her conviction was true.
Briefly she wondered if she would disappoint everyone in the team who were looking forward to see her run. She hoped she could make it up to them somehow.
And just as briefly, her thoughts turned to the time spent with that Katsuragi. Where was he? Did he see me down there? He must've been discouraged by me, to have fallen like that...
Ayumi's embrace on her legs tightened, and she willed her eyes shut.
Two seconds later, the infirmary doors opened, and she quickly returned to a proper sitting position. She drew back the blinds in haste and saw what she didn't want to see just now.
There was the idiot, Katsuragi with that goofy look on his face.
"Sorry about my tardiness, Ayumi-san, but I ran out to get some get-well fruits from town first. I did run my best just like my idol though, and that's why I was able to go out and back like bam!" He snapped his fingers. "I hope you'll forgive me, and here's my gift to you from the deepest reaches of my heart."
"Stop being so disgusting Katsuragi, and give me that!" She almost stood up on her feet, and it was a good thing that she stopped. So instead she held out her hands in demand for the cheesy basket Katsuragi had brought her.
She tossed it aside in impatience as her gaze sought Katsuragi once more, and she saw him rub the back of his head sheepishly before smiling at her.
"I'm glad you're alright, Ayumi-san! The others told me you'd been injured from that fall, and they said you won't be able to run, but I told them the meet's still some days away, and you could recover by then, and Ayumi-san will again be left to run freely and energetically like she always has in my dreams-"
"Will you stop it, Otamega? " She whispered, her eyes downcast. "Really, you just can't seem to shut up at the right moments huh?"
"A-Ayumi-san, sorry!" he bowed.
"Going on and on about how I run, and how you admire this and that in me...well, how is it now? Look at this leg, the nurse told me that it would be a few days before I could walk freely again, and the tournament's in that time!"
"Then, you can still make it-"
"No, I can't! I won't be able to practice in that time, and by then, my condition will fail and I won't be at the top of my game!"
"But even then, I know you can-"
"Gah! Just shut up, you stupid OTAMEGA!" She finally shouted, all her aggravation the past days centering on that one word. That one word literally shocked Katsuragi in his tracks, as his wide eyes made her continue, "You've only known me for a few days, and you're spouting nonsense like that? Don't give me that crap!"
"As an arrow flies..."
"I've just about had it with you, Otamega! I was only tolerating you the past few days because I thought there'd be something different about you!"
"She continues to run and run and run..."
"But I was wrong! You're as shallow as anyone can be! You only give these useless words that aren't going to help me one bit, despite you claiming you're helping! You're useless! Useless!"
"Until she reaches..."
"You don't know anything about me, Otamega! You can't even understand how the human body works, how this injury's gonna set me back in the team, how it's gonna ruin my future! I like to run more than anything! So words like 'it's gonna be alright' can't do anything! I hate those words, but I especially hate shallow, insensitive people like you!"
The FINish line...
"So take this!" she grabbed the fruits placed in the basket, piece by piece, and threw them dead center at the dazed Otamega. Each one hit perfectly, and she deep down she laughed at how she was bullying this pathetic guy with fruits! Fruits! "Get out, get out, get out! I don't need your sympathy! I don't want it, and I don't want y-"