Season 3, Chapter 1.
The Birthday!
A couple of days pass as the sun barely stretches over the horizon in the distance, and the birds quietly begin to chirp their songs. The air is chilly, and the leaves are beginning to lose their green, turning different shades of orange.
Millie lies on her usual branch in her cat form, slightly shivering as the fall temperatures become more apparent. Her ears twitch, and a moment later, she is startled awake. She looks around herself before taking a deep breath and yawning. "That one is intense," she thinks to herself before sitting up and transforming into her human form. She stretches wide. "It takes me forever to fall asleep last night," she thinks to herself and she looks down at the Shadowy figure just standing at the bottom of the tree. Millie makes a gentle sigh. "You are a real nuisance lately," she tells the shade before jumping down to the ground and walking into the woods. She touches her bell, and out comes the bottle with the green powder. She looks at it. "Well, I have got everything. Time to figure out what is inside of you," she softly whispers to herself, continuing into the woods.
Hours pass, and Haze is in his room. He puts the robe around his shoulders and looks at the note on his desk. "The address is really far out, huh?" he mutters and gets his broom. He steps out of his room and heads downstairs and down the hall towards the Black Bulls' living room. Upon opening the door, he immediately ducks down, avoiding a lightning bolt.
"Careful," he utters.
"You can say that again," he hears from behind him and sees Goash looking annoyed, with the top of his hair burned as his eye slightly twitches. He brings out his Grimoire and walks past Haze into the living room, and a mirror appears next to him.
"Mirror magic reflect ray," he says and shoots a beam that cuts close to Luck, who dodges just in time, and he laughs. "Ha, ha, you wanna fight too, Goash?" Luck asks.
"No, I want you guys out," Goash angrily groans, and "Haha, you will have to do something for us to do that," Luck laughs. "Get back here," Magna yells, and Luck ducks away from the fiery blasts coming his way.
"Gah, I have no time for this; I am off to see Mari," he says and heads out the main entrance.
("Right, what I need is a bite to eat, and then I am heading out") Haze thinks to himself and heads into the dining hall.
Meanwhile, in the living room, Captain Yami walks in, and the group turns their attention to him.
Moments later, Haze hears his name being called a few times, and while chewing his toast, he walks into the living room. "What is it?" he asks and sees Asta by the entrance with Dylan and Tory standing next to him.
"Uh, okay, what is this?" Haze asks, surprised but somewhat suppressed.
"What do you mean? You know what day it is," Tory says and walks up to Haze.
"Yes, a party sounds great today," Vanessa says, and Haze looks around at the rest of the gang. "Wait, don't tell me," Haze replies as Tory grabs his arm.
"Exactly, now come on," Tory tells him and pulls Haze along.
"But is this fine with you?" Haze asks and looks over to Yami, who has his nose in the newspaper. He waves them off. "Just don't get into trouble, all right," he lazily says, not bothering to look up from his paper.
"It looks like we are doing this, then," Haze says awkwardly. "Yep," Dylan says. "So let's go!" Asta exclaims. "Yeah!" the rest of the Black Bulls cheer in unison. "Dammit," Haze quietly grumbles before the group moves onwards.
And in the woods, Millie looks at the paper in the grass with the magic circle, and it glows, and she narrows her eyes. "Why would anyone make so much of something like this?" she softly asks and looks up, sensing that Asta is on the move, but she brushes it off for the moment.
Meanwhile, Goach Adlai is walking the streets of Nean Village with blood running down his nose. He keeps going with a goal in mind; he continues to walk, and a couple stops him in his tracks.
"Goach sir, once again, we have got presents for you to peruse this year as well," the man tells him. And Goach sees the carpet leading to the toy store. "Show me," he tells them.
Later, he walks the street with huge bags packed to the brim with toys, and he walks with blood running down his nose.
"Yes, Mari, the joy on your face will be unmistakable once you see what your big brother has brought you this time," he tells himself walking the streets, and he walks over to the church and he looks around, and he sees a nun swiping the stairs leading up to the church. And everything is very silent.
"Hey lady where is Mari?" he asks in an aggressive and demanding tone.
"Oh, the children are by Rebecca's place for a party, sir," the Nun replies.
"What the, fine," Goach says and turns around and heads on his way. Moments later, he rounds the corner of Vanessa's restaurant, and his entire being freezes, seeing Mari hang around Asta's neck as he spins around with her.
"Grr, mirror magic," he angrily says, and a mirror forms next to him, and it forms a light purple beam, and Asta immediately ducks away and falls to the ground, and Mari lands next to him and looks towards Goach. "Hey, what is the big deal?" Asta asks.
"So last year wasn't enough; you are here to steal Mari from me this birthday too?" Goach asks.
"Well, actually, we are here to celebrate Haze's birthday too," Asta says and points to Haze with his thumb a few meters behind him, and Goach sends Haze a death glare before shooting another beam that Haze ducks away from.
"Hey, what is the idea?" he asks.
"It is a crime to have the same birthday as my angel!" Goach yells.
"What!" Haze/Asta says out loud. Mari runs and stands between Goach and the Black Bulls. "Stop it big brother," she firmly tells him. "Move Mari." "Na'ah!" Mari retorts.
"Knock it off delinquent," Theresa says. "Not now you old hag," Goach tells her.
"Huh, and here I thought you were done with this kind of talk. This is a party for everyone to enjoy now calm yourself," Mother Theresa tells him, and Asta walks up to him.
"Hey Goach, Mother Theresa is right. It is best that we ease up a little-" he says and wacks Goach over the head "-bit," he says, and Goach falls over unconscious on the ground. "There, that should take care of him for a while," Asta says, brushing his hands off. "Sorry about him; he has been really rowdy lately," Asta says.
"I had thought this behavior of his would have eased up, but I appear to have been mistaken," Theresa adds as the kids run up to Asta.
"Hey Asta, let us go again," one of them says. "You wanna play some more? Sure," Asta replies and runs out to the field in the yard.
Haze stands around with Alisa, Tory, and Dylan. He looks around at all of the kids playing, the banners, streamers, and the table with snacks by the wall of Rebecca's restaurant. He sees the rest of the Black Bulls standing around, chatting amongst themselves.
"You guys sure went above and beyond," Haze tells them.
"Well, we told you we had to celebrate," Alisa tells him, and Haze looks over and sees Jim getting some punch. "Even Jim is here," he utters.
"Of course, any opportunity I get to lure him out so he can interact socially with people is a good thing," Dylan says, and Haze sees Rebecca handing out snacks and moves over to the group.
"Oh, hi Rebecca. Thank you again for letting us use your restaurant's backyard for this birthday party," Alisa says gratefully.
"That is no problem. I am happy to help out, after all, you have been such a help to me on so many occasions," Rebecca replies.
"This party sure seems full," they hear a guy's voice from behind them, and they turn around to see Sebastian and Lydia.
"Oh, hi you guys. I wasn't sure if you were gonna make it," Alisa says and gives Lydia a hug, who reciprocates the hug.
"Of course, we did. We did not wanna miss this," Lydia replies.
"You could have, though," Haze says lazily. "Anytime I get a chance to be a thorn in your side is a pleasure," Lydia replies with her eye slightly twitching.
"So, how did your last mission go?" Tory asks.
"Oh, well," Lydia says and looks to Sebastian, who adjusts his glasses. "I am not sure how much we should even say, but it was kind of odd. Someone's son died," Lydia tells them.
"That is horrible. I am sorry I made you relive that," Alisa tells Lydia and touches her arm.
"It is all right for my sake anyways. You should have seen the dad. I don't think I have seen anyone more soul crushed before," Lydia says.
"Well, he did lose his son. It is only natural to feel crushed by that fact," Sebastian adds, and Haze looks off, remembering the last time he was home and the words his father spoke ("Don't ever come back here again, you are a failure as a son"). The words ring through Haze's mind.
"Well, the townsfolk seemed to be very supportive in helping him through it, so at least he has that," Sebastian mentions. And Haze's eye twitches. "I think that I will be sick," he mumbles in a hushed dark tone.
"Sorry, Haze, did you say anything?" Dylan asks, and the group looks at him, and Haze clears his throat. "No, I just need something to drink," he says and moves away from the group. "What am I doing? There is no time to care about the old man," he mutters to himself walking up to the table, and as he does, a redhead rounds the corner with excitement in her step, but it quickly stops upon seeing him.
"Oh, it is you," Sky utters. "Not happy to see you either," he tells her.
"I am not here to see you," Sky scoffs. "Then why are you at my birthday party then?" he asks, and Sky scans the surroundings, seeing everyone having a great time. "Where is Millie?" she asks.
"Don't know, don't care," Haze mutters and moves away after taking a glass of punch, and he walks back to the group he was chatting with earlier. Everyone is enjoying their time, and Sky mostly stands around for a bit, and her being lights up upon seeing Millie land at the end of the party by the wooden fence, and she beams with excitement, looking at the glasses of punch on the table.
Millie looks around at everyone enjoying the party and she takes in her wings not really sure what to do with her self at the moment. Sky walks up with a glass of punch in each hand, and with a smile, she says, ''Do you want one?'' She asks and extends her hand to give it to Millie, who turns her head and looks at both of Sky's hands.
''thank you Miss Sky, I would prefer the real one,'' Millie replies, and reaches for the hand closest to Sky, who looks in slight surprise as Millie points to the correct hand holding the actual treat.
''I knew it, you are good,'' Sky tells her.
''What do you mean, Miss Sky?'' Millie asks softly.
''Well, you always are able to spot the difference between my illutions and what is real'' she says and floats the real plate that she has floating behind her back with her mana and floats it to her hand and grabs the plate to begin eating. '' I mean you spitted my trick when we first met, and in the cave where you detected that something was off with the wall that was fake in order to trick passerbies, and the cave when you looked for the devil, and those were actual copies. I mean, how are you so good at telling what is real or not?'' Sky asks, and Millie looks to Sky, her eyes trailing off Sky's face and landing on the shadowy silhouette some distance behind Sky, just standing there, and Millie's mind runs away with her as it goes into the past.
When I was young, I was... well, there is no other way to say it, I was terrified of literally everything. Every night since birth, I had nightmares without fail.
Throughout my childhood, there were so many times when I couldn't tell what belonged to my sleeping world and what belonged in the real world of magic. There was always this shadow following me, hiding in a corner, behind a tree, or under the bed. This thing was and is just a dark silhouette with no face and no features. It always followed me hunched over, watching me.
I could see it in my nightmares and when I was awake. I always cried or screamed as everything I saw was a potential threat, aside from my mother and my sibling, whom I only saw when I was safe. The only thing I could see was the silhouette watching me from some corner of the room. I did my best to ignore it at times, as everyone around me seemed to not be able to see it.
While I felt somewhat safe, it kept its distance from me.
I was easily scared and flinched at every sudden movement and loud noise.
Because of my nightmares, I was given my own room, and I was not allowed to sleep with the rest of my siblings belonging to my family of nekomatas.
So, every night growing up, I was locked inside a soundproof room, scared I would eventually fall asleep and I would be in a world of nightmares. I would have a panic attack while sleeping, and I would cry and scream myself awake while hugging my knees close to my chest and digging my claws into my arms to anchor myself to this reality.
Eventually, I would tire myself out to the point where I had no more breath left to scream, and I looked to the door where my mother's bedroom was. I would eventually build up the courage to walk over to the door, knocking on it. "Mother, please, Mother, open up. Please, I am scared," I begged and pleaded for hours, but it didn't matter as the room was made sound-proof with a spell.
I kept begging regardless, scratching and clawing at the door until my knuckles and fingers began to bleed, and my voice was weak from crying, and my cheeks and eyes were burning from the streams of tears.
Eventually, I would just sit down with my back against the wall, hugging my knees. "Please, I don't want the nightmares to take me," I muttered through sobbing weary breaths. I stayed there, flinching at every slight hint of a draft or movement in the room. "Please, I don't want to be alone," I whimpered underneath my breath, digging my claws into my arms as it was way scarier to fall asleep, and I knew pain would anchor me to reality.
The morning would come, and my mother opened the door slowly, and I flinched. "Mother," I pleaded, and I went to hug her as my mom meant safety and comfort. "Millie, you are bleeding again. You look like a mess. We will need to clean your arms up again," she told me, her voice as kind and caring as always, and I nodded. This wasn't unusual, as every morning started like this.
During the days, my siblings would run around and play and laugh, while I followed mother around the house helping out, which made me realize that I liked helping out.
"My mother would often chat with the heads of other families and houses, and she read a lot of books on spells and such. I may have been slower at learning how to handle my magic, but to me, it didn't matter, as I could look through picture books. Eventually, my mother taught me how to read."
There was a particular book I fell in love with, that I had my mother read to me as often as I possibly could. It was about a lady beating the odds by living and staying true to her principles and values.
The cover was simple, a blue sky with green grass at the bottom overlooking a green landscape and an orb in the middle with golden wings stretching far out, symbolizing the truest shape of one's soul and spirit.
Whenever I read this story, it made me feel hopeful in a way that I could become like that one day too. It made me daydream of what I could become, which was the closest I ever came to having a real dream.
Then the fear of the night came to me every evening, the shadowy figure that always seemed to follow me would draw closer to me and stand over me, staring at me.
I dreaded getting into my room at night because it meant that I would be alone with this thing. My mother shut and locked the door to her room, and the room would illuminate, activating the soundproofing and sealing me within.
The dark empty room with the single small bed with an end table next to it with a lit lantern with a flickering light casting moving light on every wall in the room, and I would see the shadowy creature walk up and stand by the end of the bed.
I gulped. "Please leave," I begged, but it would just keep standing there, staring at me. I clutched my book and opened it, looking at the pictures in it. But the shadowy figure would not leave. It just kept looking at me for hours, and eventually, I would escape underneath the covers, trying to muffle my breath to hide that I am scared. But I could sense that the creature moved closer, standing over me, not saying or doing anything.
Tears began to leave my eyes as I wished this would just end somehow, just end. I lay there in silent darkness for what felt like forever until my tiredness got the better of me, and I fell asleep only to end up in a world filled with monsters that would chase me, and I ran, and ran, and ran for dear life. Next to me, I could see the shadowy figure running up next to me, and I was scared as it acted the same way that it does during the day.
I kept avoiding them for I don't know how long, but eventually, one would get a hold of my ankle, and my eyes shot up and screamed in terror and fear at the top of my burning lungs. And as I saw that I was in the real world, the shadowy figure's head was right in front of me, staring me down, and I screeched and screamed.
"No, wake up, I need to wake up!" I begged and screamed. Then tentacles would rise from underneath the bed and pull my entire being, and I clawed into the mattress trying to stay above the bed, but it pulled me under, and I fell.
Only to sit up in my bed and scream out loud as I looked around and I saw nothing around me. I breathed heavily and hard, and I began to calm down, and I blinked and the shadowy figure sat over me on the bed. I tried to push it off, but it grabbed my arms and held me down, and I screamed as tears streamed down my face.
"Please get off me, please!" I begged, screamed, pleaded in every way that I possibly could, my heart pounding so hard I swear it was about to jump out of my chest.
"Mom, please save me, Mom! HELP, I need help. HELP ME, Mom, PLEASE, HELP ME, PLEASE!" I begged. And with a big blink, the shadowy figure was gone, and I lay in bed moist and yucky, and I looked around to see the shadowy figure stand over me, next to the bed, and it reached out its hand to me. I jumped out of the bed, and I ran over to the door leading to my mother's room. "Mom, please, I don't want this anymore," I begged, stretching up to reach the handle. The door opened, and my mother's gentle voice spoke. "Millie, come, I made breakfast," and I was so happy I ran to her as she caught me in her warm embrace.
She gently hugged me and comforted me, soon we walked into the dining hall, and all my siblings stared at me with warm smiles, and they clapped their hands together in unison. I flinched and looked around and back at my siblings, confused.
"Oh, Silly Millie, you think you are awake," a voice echoed through the room, and I looked at everyone's faces as they melted away, I gasped and tears came to my face as I began to scream in horror.
I sat up in my bed screaming. "AAAAH, I want to wake up. Why can't I wake up?" I screamed, clenching my fists as my breath was shaken and my lungs and throat sore from all the screaming.
"Please, let this be real," I begged with a shaky voice as my vision darted to the side, seeing the dark figure, and I gulped, and I ran over to the door leading to my mother's bedroom.
I stretched up to reach the handle, only to remember and realize that it has been removed so I wouldn't bother mother.
I began kicking and banging at the door. "Mother, please, Mom! Please," I pleaded, with tears streaming so hard down, begging for this to be the real world and not the world of nightmares. "Mother, please open up. I don't want this, please," I cried, sensing that the shadowy creature walked up behind me, and I spun around, and I could barely see it in the dark room, and I fell to the floor, and I hugged my knees, pushing my claws into my arms, and they began to bleed as I breathed heavily. Maybe not the best strategy, but I was a child. And I dug my claws further in until it became really painful.
"Pain, good. Pain is good. It means that I am awake... right?"
''Millie,'' Sky says, and Millie is dragged out of her memories as her eyes looks to Sky.
''Uh, my apologies, Miss Sky. What did you ask?'' Millie queries her eyes dart between Sky and the shadowy siluette peaking out of the corner of a house.
''I asked, how come you are so good at telling what is real and what isn't?'' Sky asks, and Millie's eyes trail off and look at the group messing around before her.
''Because if I didn't... I would have gone insane a long time ago,'' Millie softly replies, and Sky turns into a question mark.
''what is that supposed to mean?'' Sky asks.
''Nothing, I just... Did you ask about getting to work with Jim?'' Millie asks.
''Huh, oh yes, I did actually, and he said yes. I haven't gotten around to my first session yet, but I figure we will agree on the date soon enough,'' Sky replies.
''That is wonderful news, Miss Sky,'' Millie tells her and looks to the sky, which has turned orange. ''It is this late already,'' she mutters and looks at the drinks on the table by the wall.
''Why don't I get some refreshments?'' Millie offers.
''All right,'' Sky replies, and she walks past all the kids and moves over to the table, ready to pour punch, and she notices Tory, Haze, and Alisa chatting together.
''Wait, that is the reason you brought us over here. Haze, we can't do it tonight; we promised our parents that we would get home and help out as soon as the party is over. Otherwise, there would never be any party. You know this month is the time of harvest,'' Alisa tells him.
''So like usual, you refuse to help me with this,'' Haze retorts.
''We aren't refusing; we are saying it must be done tomorrow,'' Tory defends.
''It can't wait until tomorrow,'' Haze says loudly.
''Haze, what is this about really?'' Alisa asks.
And Haze looks at them both. ''Tsk, never mind; it is not like you would care anyways,'' Haze says and walks over to his broom.
''Where are you going?'' Tory asks.
''To deliver the bottle myself, what else,'' he says and mounts his broom.
''Right now? But we aren't done with your celebration,'' Alisa utters.
''We are now; this can't wait, so thanks for nothing,'' Haze says and heads out.
''For nothing! Hey, get back here!'' Alisa yells.
''Just leave him be,'' Tory says.
''That jerk, what is going on with him?'' Alisa mutters, and Millie looks to where Haze is. ''He is in pain,'' she utters, and she takes to her wings, leaving the punch and the birthday behind.
She follows him for a mile before he looks behind himself, and he stops, and she catches up to him. ''Why are you following me?'' Haze asks grumpily, and Millie stops flying a few feet away. ''It just seems like you were troubled and in need of assistance, Sir Haze,'' she gently replies.
''You can't help me, not with your sense of direction,'' he tells her, and her eyes soften. (''So I can't help him,'') Millie thinks to herself, looking to Haze, who opens his mouth to speak once more. ''But I will keep it in mind; now leave me be,'' he orders before turning his gaze to the sky ahead, and he begins to fly away on his way, leaving Millie behind, and she watches as he leaves and she flies down to the party.
And she lands by the punch, seeing Sky filling a couple of glasses, and she looks up, seeing Millie land and take in her wings.
''Where did you run off to?'' she asks.
''Apologies, Miss Sky, Sir Haze seemed distraught, so I went to see if he needed any aid,'' Millie replies.
''Why would you want to help that idiot?'' Sky asks.
''He just seemed like he might need it is all, Miss Sky,'' Millie replies.
''You know he doesn't see you as a person,'' Sky utters, and Millie's expression becomes thoughtful. ''Regardless of that, I still wish to help,'' Millie replies.
''Why?'' Sky asks.
''Does one need a reason, Miss?'' Millie asks.
''Well, I...'' Sky thinks it over for a moment. ''I would like a reason; I don't wanna waste time with a lost cause,'' Sky replies.
(''I suppose if one doesn't live long, one should be mindful of what one uses time on?'') Millie wonders to herself.
''Okay, everyone,'' they hear Alisa say, and everyone turns their heads towards her. ''The party has been wonderful, more than we could have expected,'' she tells everyone who looks around. ''Uh, where is Haze? This is supposed to be his birthday party after all?'' Magna asks.
''Well, Haze said he had to deliver something, and he wouldn't say what, so we do not know,'' Alisa explains.
''hello children'' Mother heresa says rounding the corner and all of the kids run over to the nun.
''well we did have fun and the party had to end at some point'' Luck says.
''it was a great party reguardless it was cool of you to arraing this and to invite the black bulls as well was quite inturiging, I am not gonna lie'' Vanessa says with a smile.
''yeah it was awesome'' Asta says and the kids around him all cheer.
''I suppose it was acceptable'' Noelle says and flicks a bit of hair behind her shoulder.
