Chapter 10. Ghost under the moonlight

Uzuki gets a bunch of documents out of her bag and spreads them on her bunny themed bed.

"First. Diana is innocent. She is trying to save his brother. I sent her to her country with an item that can help her. She was dealing with items for money with an individual we don't know. Probably using an item to conceal their identity. Second."

She takes out a book titled 'Bunnypedia: 1000 bunny facts you didn't know!' and fumbles through it. She opens it on a page with Makima on it.

"CMS-0757. It's a tape. The user can go freely into and out of it. Whatever you're seeing on the screen isn't Makima. Or maybe she is. What we know is that she hasn’t got out of there ever since the tape was found. Sayuri basically channels her energy and sents it in bursts, so she can't do anything without the stream. Hypothetically, she doesn't have an item. The keychain is...well, just a duck. Which leads us to third..."

She fumbles more through the pages.

"CMS-0261. We have no clue what it is, but possibly it will take us to the culprit of both the disappearance of your mother as well as who is purchasing the items and why. So, you're pairing with Katsuya now."

Great. Pairing with the bully buster.

"Right, I wanted to ask you..."

I take the brush and turn into Hikari. Looking through her pockets, I grab the floral knife.

"Ring any bells?"

"Not really. I mean..."

She fumbles more through the pages and shows me a clearly distinct knife.

"This is what we think that...whatever thing used to presumably kill your mother. It's indeed a floral knife but the markings and everything else are different. So, no problems with that."

I take the knife back and put it in my pocket, then go back to my original form.

"That's... disappointing, I guess?"

"Well, not everyone has to be tied to it, you know. Yet... It's quite an observation. Maybe I'll check on that in a moment."

She puts her book back.

"Anyways. Katsuya is waiting at the convenience store. I wish we could be here a little more and, you know, do something that friends actually do but... maybe later."

"Yeah... later. Say hi to your mom."

"Will do. I'll also try to do something with dad. Maybe we could arrange a little reunion."

I step out of her house and head to a nearby convenience store. The one I use to frequent. Outside, an absurdly decorated bicycle with a big banner "Setagaya Angels".

Right next to it, Katsuya crouching like the badass she thinks she is, holding what I hope is just a soda can.

"...what? Never seen a bike before?"

That smug attitude always makes me angry.

"Katsuya, let's just get this over with and go for that item."

"You walk; I'll get there in a moment."

"...you're not going, right?"

"Look, Hibana, unlike bully scum like you, we actually decent people keep up with their word."

"Right..."

I go to the house and leave Katsuya without saying a word.

The house is a cliche: Grass up to my head, old, smells like rust, which is indeed, not good at all, and all windows are covered.

All except for one, where a dim light is reflected on the back, and of course, I don't believe for a second they're keeping up with the electricity bills of a forgotten house. This shows that someone is indeed there, and not only that, but the door is also halfway open.

"What are you waiting for? Just go in"

I turn around and see Katsuya standing right there, bike parked and all. I didn't notice her for a bit, and that's hard considering her bike could be spotted miles away.

"You are the attacker; you go in first."

"And why should I obey a bully like you?"

"Katsuya, Uzuki specifically said that you should be on front."

"I don't think so, let me check"

She picks up her phone and dials. I can hear Uzuki talking.

"Uhu, yeah... What do you mean she's defending?! So, I'm the...Oh no, no way, no way."

She hangs up and we stay in complete silence, just looking at each other. She starts stepping in little by little.

"...Katsuya, you're alright?"

"O-of course! Why wouldn't I be?!"

"...Katsuya, you realize that this is indeed, an actual person and ghosts-"

"G-Ghosts?!"

She punches the wall and leaves a hole in it.

"...don't exist. And Katsuya, that's property damage."

"You started! Why would you mention those things?!"

"...Katsuya, are you afraid of...those things?"

"I don't need to answer that"

"Right..."

We head upstairs. As we peek through the old doors, we spot the only one with the window uncovered. Nozomi walks right in.

"See?! Not scary at all!"

A face pops up behind her. It looks pale and subtle with a dark light around it.

"Give-"

"GAAAAH!"

She punches the face of the ghost? Well, she leaves a hole right where it was popping up. The face seems white now, almost scared.

"Uhm...Katsuya?"

She keeps punching and kicking the wall. The figure is now uncovered in its entirety. It looks like a middle-aged man with a business suit and all.

It drops a candle stick. His figure goes like the one of a normal person.

"What the...?"

The person barely speaks and a hit land straight to his face. He tumbles over and rolls, covering himself with only his hands.

"Katsuya stop! It's not a ghost!"

"Not a... oh, phew, that was close."

Like nothing, she returns to her usual 'cool' I hate.

"Now what are we supposed to do?!"

"What do you mean by what do we do?! We take the item and go!"

"But you basically knocked the guy out!"

"The mission was to recover the item, right? We got it, let's go"

"But-"

"Okay, Hibana, you're not even cooperating right now. The item's here, let's get to it."

We get out of the building.

"Okay, so now let's go to Uzuki"

"Nah, let's call it a day. I'll get that to her tomorrow"

"Katsuya I swear if you keep-"

She hands me the candlestick.

"Here, now stop ordering me or you're gonna end up like that guy."

She drives away.

This sucks.

I didn't do anything. I just opened a door and Katsuya just punched the supposed ghost out of existence.

What is her item?

Why does she have a better item than mine?

Why can't I do anything on my own? I couldn't even trigger Makima to do something.

I... I'm just useless for this. I serv no purpose here. I'm just getting in the way. And I'm sick of it.

I head towards Uzuki's house. I open the door and slam it.

I don't care if it's 2 am. I'm sick of this whole thing and she's going to hear me.