Notes:
I hope you like this new fic, forgive the mistakes, English is not my original language.
04. 🌹Preanthesis🌹
🌺Spring🌺
"The pre-flowering stage is often called pre-anthesis ...it's like a little moment of reflection before fully ripening"
"Maki..."
That whisper seemed to come from the sea.
Instinctively, that girl turned on her shoulder to see who could be the person who named her, but to her surprise there was no one there.
She searched quickly with her eyes and sharpened her hearing, but nothing else was happening.
"Maki san, is everything alright?" Nitta asked, opening the driver's door of the car that was already ready for them.
Maki felt a strange energy around her, which was somewhat nostalgic.
"It´s Ok... let's just go, as I said, I want to finish the mission soon" the sorceress answered, getting into the back seats of that vehicle.
Her hand delicately rested on her belly, that whisper had left her very restless.
"That voice...it sounded so familiar..."
Atami is a tourist town, ideal for a weekend getaway when looking for a break from the hectic city.
But both women were not there to be in a bathing suit, nor to use sunscreen and sunbathe, much less to take a dip.
They were there to exorcise a curse.
The car had stopped in the vicinity where the small boardwalk begins.
They did this to admire the sea and its surroundings a bit before reaching their destination, which they were already very close to.
"The good thing is that there aren't many tourists at the momento" Nitta commented, getting out of the car momentarily. —"Although when summer arrives, this place will be packed."— Her hand went to her forehead to shade her face a bit.
On the beach there were a few families and couples enjoying the sand and salt water.
Like one or another camper with their tents to protect themselves from the sun.
Maki also got out of the car, she had a horrible hot flash that was accompanied by nausea.
"It's fucking hot out here!" she growled blowing air with her right hand while her left was placed on her hip.
She was beginning to hate those pregnancy symptoms.
"Do not even say it!, and spring is barely in full swing" Nitta commented looking at the sea and slightly loosening her tie.
The sea breeze was warm and a little stifling against the face, but the scenery within sight was beautiful.
At that moment, something had caught Maki's attention, more specifically something that was happening very close to the seashore.
Two girls playing in the sand... more specifically, two twin sisters.
Those sisters were trying to build a sandcastle.
Both girls had settled very close to the shore, causing the waves to collapse their attempt at a castle.
At the beginning, these little ones argued because the castle did not stand up.
"The sea is taking it away!" Answered what seemed to be the oldest sister.
"I told you it was very close to the water!" "But it was your idea to make the castle here! Silly!" Shouted the youngest sister.
"Okay! Let's keep trying, bring more sand and take a few steps back, to where the waves don't touch us" the oldest sister answered.
Both girls did not give up.
That scene, Maki brought back some memories about her sister Mai.
She remembered both their arguments and the fleeting good times they had together. Like when they played with some marbles or ate sweets on the sly.
Her departure still hurt her ... it was something she still couldn't get over.
Her hands went directly to her belly and intrigue invaded her once more.
If Maki´s sister were still alive... What would you think of her current situation? What would Mai advise her at this moment when her decision about her motherhood was still wavering? Would she support her to have that baby? Or would he make fun of her for being pregnant with her?
Again the doubt tormented her, because before the arrival of a new being, she felt that this revelation should be good news for every important person in her life and Mai was still someone important to her.
"Oh, they're doing it!" Nitta said excited by what she saw.
Those words snapped Maki out of her trance.
Those twins took a few steps back, moving about a meter away from that shore and together they began to shape the sand, managing, even if it was to raise a first floor.
Those girls looked very excited about that little achievement.
"How cute are those little ones! Good teamwork!" Nitta said with a big smile and giving some applause, she seemed very pleased with what she saw.
That until she realized that her companion was very quiet...
She quickly looked at Maki, who was in complete silence looking at that scene, her lips were tight and in her eyes he could see how she seemed to be holding back tears.
"Me!..."— Nitta felt very bad for Maki—"I'm sorry Maki san... I'm talking about Mai..."—she began to apologize, bowing slightly —"It's better that we get out of here!"— quickly opened the car door.
But Maki didn't say a word as she kept looking at that scene.
"Maki san?" Nitta asked, a bit worried since the sorceress didn't move at all.
Maki sighed a little and shook her head to get out of that trance.
"I'm fine... you don't have to apologize, what happened with Mai was years ago..." she tried to keep her voice from sounding sad.
"Let's go, we still have a mission to complete." Her hands came off her belly and she quickly got into the car.
Nitta said nothing more and so they both continued towards their destination.
Maki continued admiring the immense sea through the window of that vehicle.
Those girls had reminded him too much of Mai.
Internally she continued to lament her loss, especially because in her last years of life, she couldn't build a proper place for her in that fucking world of sorcerers.
Isn't it up to the older brother to watch over the younger brothers?
She knew that Mai´s sacrifice had not been in vain, because it was thanks to Mai that he was able to reach "perfection".
But that guilt and pain still gnawed at her inside, that there were even nights when she woke up screaming her name.
Could that feeling expire with her little soybean? Could she give her baby a better life?
Maki for a moment, remembered the words that Megumi had told her the day before on that topic.
"Maybe you couldn't give Mai the place she deserved within the clan... but maybe you can give it to that child you carry inside your womb, because there's no one else to stop your or deny your it ... You have a free way, if you decide to have that baby, so perhaps you could start building this 'new clan' from scratch and with your own ideals if you wish..." Megumi commented, sipping him drink.
But what if you couldn't give your baby that place that it so deserves in that world? What if she made the same mistakes as her clan?
She wasn't sure if what she was doing right now was the right thing to do either… she was a total mess.
And that she projected, sighing heavily and taking her hands to her face and leaning forward.
In addition to dealing with the nausea, he was internally fighting with all his emotions and fears.
"Mai... why did you leave me alone?..." Maki let out in a whisper while her hands covered her face.
Nitta looked at that scene in the rearview mirror, she even managed to hear what the sorceress uttered in a low voice.
"Maki san... Is everything okay?" asked the assistant slowing down but without stopping driving.
Maki quickly wiped away some tears and tried to speak as "normal" as possible, trying not to break her voice.
"It is..." I take a deep breath. "It's just that I'm still dizzy... it must be from the movement of the car" she lied, recovering a firm posture and settling in the seats.
"Oh! Speaking of which!"— Nitta carefully took a plastic bag that she had on the passenger seat.—"Here is the medicine for nausea that I sent you to ask for, I hope this helps you with those symptoms"— Nitta pass that bag over to Maki over her shoulder.
Maki held that bag and a bottle of water.
"Thank you, how kind... I hope this will take away, because really, I can't stand dizziness" — Maki take out a syrup for my stomach, but when she read the instructions, they recommended not consuming it during pregnancy.
"Shit!" Maki thought as she searched the bag.
Maki look at the other medications and they all said the same thing... that was a double-edged sword.
A part of her wanted to ease her discomfort, but, on the other hand, Maki didn't want anything bad to happen to her baby if she took this.
The poor just swallowed saliva, she didn't want to take any chances with those medicines, so she only drank from the bottled water.
She took advantage of the fact that Nitta did not take her eyes off the road to pretend that she was taking a pill to her mouth, to later drink a large quantity of water.
Again, that car was filled with complete silence for a few minutes, where Maki closed her eyes tightly and breathed deeply to control that dizziness.
That silence was broken by Nitta, who tried to make Maki feel better.
"I wonder if those girls have managed to build their sandcastle" Nitta commented looking at Maki for a moment in the rearview mirror.
Those words were not meant with bad intentions towards the sorceress, she simply wanted to bring up a topic of conversation.
Maki opened her eyes and stared at her through that mirror.
"But now that I think about it..." Nitta seemed to be remembering without stopping driving and without taking her eyes off the front.
"From what I remember, with my brother Arata, we only tried ONCE to make a sandcastle and the truth it wasn't easy"—Nitta look at Maki in the rearview mirror.—"Hehe but that was many, many years ago... see It made me feel very old to those little ones"—she laughed slightly.
Maki was still silent.
"Oh, what good times!" the assistant smiled wistfully, as she continued driving.
"Besides, today the weather is good to spend the day here on the beach hehe, don't you think so?" — sigh of longing —"AHHHH! How I would like to have a vacation here in Atami. Wouldn't you like to spend a few days here?"— Nitta commented with a slight smile and momentarily looking at that girl through the mirror.
That sorceress sighed a little while rubbing her stomach, she had kept a moment of silence before everything said by Nitta.
Maki knew that the assistant was just trying to be nice and trying to create an atmosphere of trust between them.
"I'd actually like to be in a cooler place right now!" Maki answered raising her voice. "It's fucking hot as hell out there!" she cursed and then shrugged. "You know! You should ask the Gojo exploiter to give you an all-paid vacation. That idiot has plenty of money" Maki replied, looking at the assistant through that mirror.
"I think it would be a good idea to take a vacation once we finish this mission," Nitta replied with a smile.
"And... about those twins"— Maki took a deep breath and continued talking —"I do think those two finished building their sandcastle" she crossed her arms for a moment.
"If those two girls always support each other and do it without fighting, it's very sure that they will achieve that and much more" She simply waved her hand as if she knew what she was talking about.
"This is the character of twins, and perhaps even that is an advantage that we have being almost the same person"— Maki smiled slightly, as if a memory had invaded her.
Nitta looked at her in the rearview mirror, while the sorceress continued talking.
"Besides, the twin who was wearing the blue swimsuit I suppose was the older sister, this because of how she addressed the other girl" Maki answer looking towards the window with a slight smile. "She it shows that she will be a good leader"
"Wow, you seem to have a good eye for spotting them!" Is it some 'Twin instinct' or something? Because if you ask me, I wouldn't even have known the difference between which was the older and which was the younger, they were both very identical!" Nitta said curiously.
Maki shrugged and waved her hand slightly, while crossing her legs.
"I only intuited it, that girl with the blue swimsuit reminded me too much of me when I was little, always looking for solutions and trying to go beyond things" Maki flattered herself.
"And the one in the purple swimsuit reminded me of Mai, who had the habit of calling me silly when she got angry" Her gaze returned to the window.
Nitta saw her again momentarily in the rearview mirror.
"And you two were very close?" Nitta asked curiously. "You don't need to answer me if you don't feel comfortable talking about it..." she answered politely.
Maki slightly scratched her head "Don't worry, I know I'm with someone I can tell about this..."
That sorceress kept looking out the window. —"She and I only got along when we were little girls"— she sighed a little —"What I remember most about her is that I had to hold her hand because the specters and ghosts gave her too much fear, hehe, she was always scared" Maki answer with a big smile.
Nitta listened very carefully to everything Maki was talking about her deceased sister.
"Mai might have been physically weak, but I guess she always did the best she could..."— she sighed—"My silly little sister..."— Maki commented affectionately.
"There are days when I really miss her and need her by my side" — Maki look longingly out the window —"And there are other days, in which I know that she is resting in peace wherever she is... "—She smiled a little— "And sometimes I even feel that she sends me some kind of signal to tell me that everything is fine... or to make fun of me and tell me that I'm an idiot hahaha" — she laughed slightly.
Nitta smiled at those words and laughs as she glanced at her in the rearview mirror.
After that little laugh, Maki sighed while continuing to caress her belly. "But wherever she is... I just hope she knows that she was a good sister..." she dried a few tears "How I miss that idiot..."
Nitta felt that everything Maki said was sincere.
"I know your sister would be proud of you" the assistant commented looking at the sorceress in the rearview mirror. "And even more so now that you've become a very brave and strong woman."
At that moment, the assistant turned to the right and entered a dirt road. They were reaching their destination.
Maki sighed a little at those words "I think so..."
"I wish your aunt was here..." she thought as she caressed her belly and another sigh came out of her chest.
"We arrived!" Nitta said parked the car.
Both women had reached a somewhat wooded area, which was not far from Atami Castle and another tourist area of that city.
Nitta and Maki were standing a few meters from what seemed to be the ruins of an old Japanese-style residence, hidden in that forest.
From the machinery and all the construction materials, it seemed that they had recently done some remodeling in that place.
Something that caught Maki's attention too much was that that place seemed to have been divided with a mark on the ground, which seemed to be a protection seal placed on the side where they were.
Nitta began to explain the situation.—"The hotel company that bought this land began to have accidents and deaths under very mysterious circumstances two months ago, more specifically after they began to build a swimming pool inside the property, accidents increased within the place" she said looking at the tablet.
Maki began to analyze that place while Nitta continued speaking.
"In total there are five accidents and three deaths inside the facilities, we suspect that these deaths must have been caused by the same curse. And on the part of our workers, two second-degree sorcerers who could not defeat that creature were injured" She continued sliding his finger over that screen.
"If we don't act soon, this curse could become a special category, which, we don't doubt, could go down to the tourist area to attack... but for the moment, it only stays inside the residence, that's why we put this barrier" explained Nitta looking at that infrastructure.
Maki was shaken by a chill, it seemed that that place was filled with a very bad energy typical of those places.
"What was this place before they started building on it?" Maki asked looking around her.
That facade reminded him a bit of the old Zenin residence, because of its classical touches and long walls.
"It is not known exactly, but from what we have investigated and with the information we have collected from interviews with some people in the area, we believe that this place was a country house that could have belonged to a feudal lord, although it also it was found that some crimes were committed within this residence in more recent years... that is why some people who have entered to explore the place, say that they have heard lamentations or that they see 'ghosts' wandering around..."— Nitta he read that report and then looked at Maki.
Maki got a pain in her belly... it had been years since she felt that fear and nervousness of going on a mission like that and even more so being alone.
"Whatever this place was before, it seems that all the accumulation of that bad energy caused the birth of this great curse, especially we have noticed that when someone with cursed energy crosses that line"— Nitta pointed towards the mark on the ground.— "The curse comes out of its hiding place and attacks it mercilessly... for this very reason we have asked you Maki san for help to eliminate this creature, since like you you do not have a drop of energy that can attract it , perhaps with a surprise attack you can eliminate it"— She explained going to the trunk of the car.
Brought some of Maki's new cursed tools, but, above all, they carried the back that Mai had made for her.
Maki once again felt slightly dizzy, but she was able to hide it very well as she leaned on the edge of the car before holding her sword.
Even a very slight pain in her belly was present, just as her stomach was once again a mess.
Was her baby warning her of something?
"Maki sure you're okay? You look a bit pale"— Nitta commented when she saw her face.
The sorceress only faked a smile. "I am, it must be that the medication is barely taking effect" she lied.
"Okay, then I'll lower the veil, come in when you feel ready" Nitta commented, approaching the border of that line.
Maki finished preparing, so she took her sword, but it seemed to weigh more than normal, that even for a moment it was difficult for her to lift it.
"What the hell?!" she asked herself annoyed when she saw that that weapon was too heavy for her.
Was all this a sign?
After a few minutes, Maki was already ready, so she started to approach the barrier.
And when she was ready to go in and finish with that mission once and for all.
At that moment she felt her cell phone vibrate too many times inside her pants pocket. So she decided to see who she was.
It was a call from Megumi.
Maki just winced when she saw her familiar's name on the screen.
"I don't have time to answer right now!" She forwarded the call and decided to silence her phone.
Maki took a deep breath and summoned up her remaining courage and stubbornness.
"Okay Nitta, I'm ready... when we get out of here I want to go get some hamburgers."
Those were her last words before stepping foot inside that barrier.
"Tsk!" Damn Maki senpai, answer!" Megumi grumbled.
"It seems that this time she was the one who forwarded the call! Demons and more now that we finally had a signal!" commented Megumi annoyed.
An hour ago, both Sorcerers sought out Utahime to kindly ask her for the location and information about Maki's mission, both arguing that she might be in danger, since it seemed that Maki was not in very good health that day.
Once Utahime gave them all the details of that mission, they both left for Atami as quickly as possible... although those two women were already several hours ahead of them.
"She must be busy..." Yuta answered, looking at her cell phone. "But it's been too long for not to answer any of our messages or calls... What is happening to her?" Why is Maki acting this way?" He also tried to dial his wife's cell phone, but it sounded like it was turned off.
"I'm starting to worry more than usual, I have a strange feeling..." Yuta look at Fushiguro with concern.
"Let's try to locate Nitta, maybe she will answer us" Megumi looked at the clock on her cell phone "Tsk! And we're still almost an hour away."
Yuta just nodded his head and hurried to locate that assistant by phone.
That special grade sorcerer had a feeling that something was wrong with his wife, he had a strange feeling that was crushing his chest.
Megumi sighed heavily. "I just hope Maki hasn't done something crazy..." he said a little worried.
Ever since Maki stepped foot inside that barrier, she could feel chills running through her entire body.
The cursed energy of that place was somewhat suffocating and under that sepia light, everything looked darker than usual.
This looked like a scene from a horror movie.
But since she was a very stubborn woman and at the same time a "Zenin" she decided to advance among those ruins.
She wanted to prove to herself that she could handle this mission.
Maki noticed that there were a few small curses surrounding the residence, but these were so inferior to category four that a simple swing of her sword was enough to finish them off quickly.
Although there was something that kept bothering her besides the nausea and that was that her sword that she always carried felt heavier than normal... it was as if she was carrying an extra weight.
But she decided not to take it so much importance at that time.
"Tsk!" "This place is disgusting and incidentally it reminds me of the stupid Zenin residence" she said to herself as she carefully entered that hall that was being remodeled.
The little fly-like curses kept appearing subtly, but not feeling the presence of that woman they were quickly eliminated, but there was something wrong with her.
Maybe Maki hadn't made much physical effort to eliminate those little things, but her breathing was already agitated... she was starting to get tired too quickly.
"Could it be because of you?" she said to herself as she leaned against a wall to catch her breath.
Her hand went over her belly. "Something like this had never happened to me... maybe the pregnancy was already starting to affect me... Damn it!" Maki clicked her tongue. "Let's get this over with soon!"
She took a breath and decided to move forward. "Come on baby... let mom work in peace... and I promise you that when we get out of here we'll eat all the junk food you want" she encouraged herself.
The further she went through the corridors of that great residence, the more and more she realized that what Nitta had said was true about that place once serving as a country house and a place of torture.
Luxurious rooms eaten by the passage of time and dust. Noisy floors and wood that was mostly already rotten. Just like there were traces of the blood that was spilled in that place.
For a moment she wondered what had happened to that infernal Zenin residence.
Megumi was not interested in claiming that property as his own, much less investing in it. So this place might soon end up as that emaciated residence, if some other clan did not claim it as their own.
"Where the hell is that stupid curse?...Agh!" she groaned for a moment as she turned into what seemed to have been someone's main room.
Those discomforts reappeared and again, she decided to stop for air.
Hardly more than half an hour had passed and she was already feeling too frustrated, she didn't feel like herself at that moment.
"Is this how all the missions I do from now on will feel like?" she asked herself, lightly rubbing the right side of her waist. "Well, then my damn belly will grow and it won't let me do anything..." she complained as she took a few more steps until she entered another room that seemed to be the tea room.
"That curse is not here either!" Demons! Get out of wherever you want to be!- Maki scream furious because of her disgust.
The heat that she felt throughout her body began to bother her too much and the disgust came to despair her enough that she even vomited in that corridor.
"GET OUT OF ME AND LET ME WORK IN PEACE!" Maki shouted without thinking, making a fist over her clothes and pressing against her belly.
At that moment, Maki realized something very important... if she decided to be a mother, perhaps this would be her last mission and the more her pregnancy progressed, the less she would be able to do the things she liked... her missions and her lifestyle would change drastically.
She didn't want to feel like a "useless"
Maki hated that word, since that's how they also told the sorceresses of her clan who got pregnant and were no longer "good" for anything other than having children.
Maki just remained standing in that room, letting her left hand fall to her side and with her right hand she squeezed as best she could that sword that she was still holding with difficulty.
"I don't want to give up being a sorceress to be a mother... Damn!... What should I do with this..." she was interrupted by a distorted voice.
"be... baby... baby..."
A very heavy shudder shook her, she hadn't realized it but her screams had attracted the curse.
Maki quickly turned around, she had gotten quite distracted in her thoughts and that had been a serious mistake.
"Shit!" she cursed as she managed to dodge the creature's claws.
As Nitta had described, this creature was category one. That thing was very disgusting. It seemed to be a curse brought on by anguish, pain, and torture.
It was greenish and very large, had enormous claws, and moved by crawling like a worm.
Maki decided to attack first, but that sword still felt very heavy in her hands and she also noticed that her body was moving a bit slow... due to bad luck, she couldn't land that first blow.
That curse also attacked, causing some damage in that room and Maki ran out of there as she could.
"This thing already detected me!" Shit! My plan to attack her by surprise failed! And all for being distracted! AGH!" Maki yelled in frustration as she ran away from there.
Although Maki did not have cursed energy, it was proven that people's anxieties, fears and negative emotions also attracted curses.
"Shit! And it's not like she can do so much damage inside the facilities, Tsk!" She said to herself very angrily as she ran with all her might out of that residence.
Perhaps it would be easier to attack that curse from an open field.
Maki was getting tired faster than normal, she even felt a couple of cramps in her legs...she was beginning to doubt herself and more than knew that she had to take care that that thing wouldn't hit her.
"Resist please!" she said to herself.
Luckily, she managed to stop an attack that launched that curse head-on with her sword.
But once Maki turned to try to run again, those claws managed to scratch her back a little, which began to burn and bleed.
Maki screamed in pain and anger—"Son of a bitch! You'll pay me!" She manage to hit that curse with her foot to break free and push herself forward.
She forcefully took her sword that she had dropped and again, through that corridor that already led to the pool, she managed to dodge the attacks of that curse.
The sorceress this time managed to pierce the hand of that creature, which let out a horrible scream as Maki managed to tell her that extremity with a single cut, but that thing would regenerate quickly.
In it defense, that creature pushed Maki with all her might and she crashed against an old wooden wall, which she broke at the blow.
Maki pursed her lips and rubbed her belly, she knew that what she was doing was crazy and that she had to finish that thing quickly if she wanted to get out of there alive. And more than she began to fear for the life of her little seed, the which seemed to be her current reason for escaping from there.
But her pride as Zenin and her stubbornness in wanting to prove to herself that she could handle that even while she was pregnant, moved her more than anything.
"I'll show everyone that even when I'm pregnant, I can take on this thing..." She spat out some saliva and blood, wiped her lip and got up as more fast she could, taking the sword that her sister had forged for her.
"Mai would be making fun of me right now if she saw me this way... pathetic," she thought, taking courage to continue fighting. "I just hope that everyone in the clan is watching me from hell and see that I can fight this!"Maki shout furiously.
Once again, she managed to hit that thing several times in different parts of the body, thus discovering that perhaps its "core" or "soul" was in the head, since it was the part that that thing protected the most in each thrust.
But that curse did not let up with its rapid regeneration and once again, it managed to fly Maki away.
This time it she went rolling on the floor.
"We're close to the exit!" Maybe out there he can defeat him!" She seemed to be saying that to her baby.
The urge to vomit again arose.
"Please hold on a little longer!" Maki finally left the residence and ran towards the pool, which she began began to surround fast as she could.
She had a plan and for that she had to get to the other side.
That pool was a large and somewhat deep place that was filled with water.
That curse jumped over the water to attack that sorceress.
Maki managed to get to the other end of the pool and with the springboard that was on that side, she managed to propel herself into the air, going straight up that thing so she could go through its head.
They both fell into the water, causing it to splash everywhere.
"Shit! I didn't hit it!" Maki pronounced with frustration once she surfaced.
But what she didn't count on either, was that that curse knew how to swim, it seemed that this thing had been born in that pool, since it moved very well in the water.
"Damn! I let go of my sword! What an idiot I am!" She scolded herself as she took a deep breath, filling her lungs as much as she could.
Her courage rose again and she plunged once more.
Swimming as fast as her legs and arms would allow her, Maki had to retrieve her weapon, which was at the bottom. But that thing grabbed her foot and dragged her into that pool.
That sorceress was beginning to lack air, at the same time that she was somewhat dazed.
Maki hit that creature with all her might with her feet, which seemed to receive no damage while cornering that woman at the bottom of the pool.
When Maki was feeling her consciousness wanting to fade due to lack of oxygen. How could she manage to take her sword and pierce that thing several times, thus managing to break free and surface once more through air.
She submerged again and with all the courage and brutality that characterized her, she managed to pierce the head of that thing, which let out a horrible scream as it disintegrated.
Maki felt pain throughout her body and felt like she was losing consciousness as her right hand still raised her sword.
She felt very tired and without energy... she felt she had to let herself sink...
"Maki..."
She heard again that familiar voice that had been calling her for a while.
That sorceress felt as if something grabbed her hand with which she still held her sword above her head and with what little energy she had left, she swam up to the surface.
"AAAH!" She breathed immediately and swam as best she could to the shore.
She coughed too much and once she got out of the water, she let himself roll on the grass.
She looked up at the sky for a moment and her hands went straight to her belly. "You do have a very stubborn and crazy mother..." she said to herself, catching her breath.
Maki felt very bad for everything she had done and was coming to a painful conclusion.
"It seems that I won't be good enough to be a mother..."—Maki dried her tears that began to flow in abundance — "I would only put you in many dangers... I'm so reckless... so grumpy and too proud... it seems that I don't I was born for this"—she sat down as best she could and got up all wobbly.
The veil over her was still standing as it would only break once she got out of there or until another person broke it from outside.
Maki was all disoriented and so in that state she began to walk to the opposite side from where she had entered, entering that wooded area.
Her head was spinning too much and all her emotions were in chaos as she burst into tears.
She walked several meters inside that forest, aimlessly, disoriented and with her left hand on her belly and her right hand still tightly gripping her sword, which served as a cane.
"But I don't want to lose you either... I've grown so excited about you to the point that I really want to have you... but I also don't want to stop being a sorceress... I... I..." She felt her breath cut and her eyesight it was cloudy...
"Maki"
That voice called her back.
Maki turned around confused, managing to get a name out of her throat before falling into a faint.
Someone heaved a disappointed sigh.
"As always, you're so stubborn that you don't measure the danger..." said that voice that sounded so familiar.
Maki couldn't open her eyes, they felt super heavy and her body felt super tired, not even her fingers could move.
It looked like she was lying on her back, as her hair felt like it was on dirt or sand.
The sea seemed to be very close, since I could hear the waves crashing against the sand... that sound was very relaxing.
Maki felt a very pleasant heat crashing against her skin.
"The sea? Where I am?" Maki asked at the sound of the waves.
"Calm down... you're safe..." answered that voice.
"And that curse?" Maki asked trying to open her eyes, but her eyelids were very heavy.
"You defeated it, and by the way you showed everyone in hell that you're very strong even while you're pregnant, although I must say that was very reckless of you, but it's classic of you to be so risky" answered that feminine voice.
"HELL?! WHERE I AM? AM I DEAD? PREGNANT! AND MY BABY? IS MY SOYBEAN OKAY?" Maki asked, opening her eyes wide at such concern and her body finally managed to react since her hands managed to go over her belly.
The sunlight blinded her for a moment, but after a few seconds in which her eyesight adjusted to the environment, she began to notice that there was someone sitting next to her while she was still lying on the sand.
That person let out another sigh. "Don't worry... you didn't die by luck, you're just unconscious and your Little soybean is fine... although that's a very strange way of naming a baby... You always liked to call things with strange names, right?" answered that person holding back the laughter for that nickname.
"But I...!" Maki was interrupted.
"Seriously Maki, you are a very hard woman with yourself and if you keep behaving like that, you'll never finish blossoming... Silly!" said that person.
Maki's voice faltered when she found out who was that shadow that began to take color in front of her—"M-MAI?!"— She asked with teary eyes as she managed to sit up.
"It took you too long to realize who was calling you... don't you ever see my signs?" her sister answered with an annoyed grimace that later turned into a slight smile.
"BUT?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? ME? YOU?" Maki had thousands of questions. Uncertainty could be seen on her face.
For a moment he felt his whole body ache. "Are you sure I'm okay?"
Mai responded quickly. "You are ok!, you don't have to worry about that! And I just came to talk to you" that girl she looked as young as she was the day she died.
"Seriously... You should relax a bit and stop tormenting yourself with the past that is already behind you... You should also understand that it's not bad to change your mind on certain "issues" when you're an adult... especially when They are things desired by you and not by others" Mai commented with a soft smile.
"What do you mean?" Maki asked confused.
Mai pointed to Maki's belly
"I mean, you shouldn't change or stop doing what you love just because you want to become a mother... both things can go hand in hand, BUT NOT IN THIS WAY, RISKING YOURSELF LIKE THIS! IDIOT!" Mai replied, calling her attention, then his annoyed face changed to a sympathetic smile.
"But I...!" Maki was interrupted.
"I know you're afraid, but you're not alone... and whatever you decide, we're all going to support you" Mai answered holding her sister's hand for a moment.
That touch felt so real that Maki had to squeeze her sister's hand hard to see if it wasn't a dream.
"But what if I'm not a good mother?" Maki's voice showed anguish. "What if I go crazy like our mother? And if I repeat the same mistakes as the clan?" She ask scared.
Mai laughing. "You're already crazy, there's no doubt about that..." then she sighed.
"It's more than obvious that you wouldn't repeat the same mistakes as that disgusting clan, since you took it upon yourself to eliminate them and, incidentally, you left there following your own ideals..." — Mai explained with a smile — "and besides, you were always a girl with an angry mother character... I don't think you're a bad mother after all, you always worry about others even if it's hard for you to admit it"— she answered without letting go of her sister's hand and standing up.
Maki just looked at her confused, but never let go of her hand.
Mai continued speaking while looking at the horizon—"You know... it's nice to know that you took Megumi and me into account about what you felt about your pregnancy, maybe that's a big step in your final decision about what you really want to do from now on From now on... besides, you know that both Megumi and I will support you in the decision you make..." she returned her gaze to her sister.
Maki was still mute and with teary eyes.
Mai looked at her sister with a sympathetic smile.
After that, she squatted in front of Maki, gently squeezing her hand, which she never let go.
"Listen... there's actually a person more important than the two of us with whom you should talk about this..." She again pointed her index finger at her sister's belly
"And that's Yuta..."—Mai made a slight face when talking about him — "although I still don't like that guy you chose as your husband"— she rolled her eyes and then looked at her sister— "But going back to the main point... with He is the one with who you should deal with this issue more deeply and seriously, and more so since he is your main family now." She smiled a little, moving her head slightly to one side.
Maki was still mute at everything her sister told her.
"The only thing that calms me down is knowing that he really loves you and I know that he will support you in everything you decide." Mai stood up again, carefully released Maki's hand and began to take a few steps towards the sea...
"Wait!" Maki yelled standing up almost suddenly.
So she all wobbly began to go after Mai, who kept going into the sea.
Mai stopped for a moment and turned to look at her sister. "Do you remember that I liked cacti?" Right?" she asked curiously.
Maki entered the water. —"I remember it very well and I know that you loved them more than me... but Mai... DON'T GO... WAIT!" she stretched out her hand to reach it.
"Maki!"
"Senpai!"
In the distance some voices began to be heard naming her...
Mai continued speaking while continuing to look at Maki, the younger sister just kept taking steps back, getting deeper into the sea.
"Well... Did you know that some of them tend to grow a small flower on their foreheads when they're ripe?... but before that flower opens its petals, they usually go through a stage called preanthesis..."— Mai continued speaking and continued to take a few steps into the sea —"That stage is like a small moment of reflection before maturing... Maki right now you are at that stage... you are just one step away from fully blossoming"
Maki began to cry and fought against those waves that dragged her towards the shore —"Maybe and you're right! I'm like a cactus whose flower is just finishing ripening! But..." Maki fought against the waves "Mai comes back here! Don't leave me alone again!" She yelled.
"You're not alone..." Mai stopped for a moment, the water was already up to both of them waist. "Maybe later I'll visit you again in your dreams to see what decision you made in the end..." Her hands played with the water.
"Maki!"
"Senpai!"
Those two voices were getting closer and closer.
Maki was tempted to turn around to see who they were, but she didn't want to let Mai go again.
"Please Mai... don't leave me alone... come back here" Maki begged as her tears ran down her cheeks, she was about to take her sister by the arm.
At that moment, Mai just smiled and threw water in her face—"Maki, it's time to wake up..."
"Mai!" Maki yelled, her eyes widening.
"Maki san, please wake up!" Yuta begged with his wife in his arms.
"Senpai!" Megumi said all worrie and next to him was his black dog barking.
"Mai!" Maki screamed as she woke up with a start and saw those two there in front of her.
Maki began to catch her breath.
"Maki! Are you okay?" Yuta asked everything worried.
"Mai? W- where is Mai? Yuta! AND MAI? MAI WAS HERE! MAI! WHERE ARE YOU?!" Maki began to scream, she was very upset and her hands clung to the sleeves of her husband's sweatshirt.
Yuta hugged her tightly because he knew that this was a crisis that Maki used to suffer on some occasions and just being in his arms and hearing his voice managed to calm her down.
"Mai, where are you? Don't leave me!" Maki cried all trembling.
"Mai is fine! Calm love, everything is fine!... She is fine…" Yuta hugged her, accommodating her wife's head on his shoulder —"Everything is fine now"—he whispered in her ear—"It was all a dream..."—he tried to comfort her .
Maki began to cry bitterly and inconsolably, while she clung to Yuta in a very strong hug, passing her hands behind her husband's back to hold him tight, while she muffled her screams on his shoulder.
He was her greatest and only comfort.
Megumi sighed a little relieved that they had found Maki in time... but it was the first time she had seen her in such a vulnerable state.
Maki just kept crying, while Yuta affectionately caressed both her hair and her back, his hands began to heal and comfort her injured back...
After a few minutes, that nervous breakdown was already over.
Maki knew what time it would be her turn to talk to her husband about her baby...
🌺To be continue...
Notes
I hope you liked this long chapter.
I wanted to make a reference to Mai because I feel that Maki would continue to take her into account in some issues of her life... also, I wanted to reflect on the cacti because Mai has, according to the official JJK fanbook, the hobby of collecting cacti.
I also feel that this plant is a good comparison with Maki. Rough and hard on the outside where her thorns protect her, but she is just one step away from maturing and showing that flower that is her true feelings.
I also wanted to capture this fight because I feel like it was all the fears and insecurities that Maki felt about her pregnancy.
Anyway, the arc of spring now if it came to an end in the next chapter for now if it starts with summer, plus we will already have Yuta's long-awaited reaction.
As I said, I hope you continue to enjoy this story. Your votes, views and comments are super important for this fic to continue.
we keep reading❤
Atte; vera