Science Kit Goes Uncollected

The light scattered inside the storage room of the three were scarce; perfectly, a line cast from the gaps of the improperly closed sliding door. From which the dust bunny had made it their home. There are no light left, all the lightbulb had reasonably burned. Only the sound of pitter-patter by the uninvited guest who — after racking this place — settled into a conversation.

Yuuki allowed himself to eavesdrop into their conversation, two voices emerged from behind the wall.

"—Said that Hakura was here just a moment ago," Robed man A reasoned.

"Where else could they be?" Robed man B asked. A bat swung was heard after.

"I mean, tell me." Robed man A paused, "Saintess' Grace said something about a bug to squash, yes?" he sneered, rubbing the thumb and index finger to his chin.

The door to the infirmary was once again opened, admitting to a mature pale lady with violet iris. She walked among the robed man. Both donning their head down in respect.

She breathed a high-pitched relief. "That crystal, there's no mistaking it. We need to profile this school. How's that kid you told about?"

"Saintess' Grace, she seems to be carried here, too, from what I heard," Robed man A responded.

"You think they left as fast as they could?"

"A high possibility. She might be working for him now too."

Ichiha teeth clenched, it seems she doesn't want to be clumped together with Yuuki even if the need arose. She could just open wide the door and reveal all of them.

Not now though, she feels hazy, mind sleepy and limped to Yuuki arm as he placed her down.

Yuuki once realizing that Hakura has gleaned the information little-by-little, muttered as if it's the final stand, "I'm sorry, Hakura." With that, he cast a magic that made her unconscious.

Then he plastered his ear back into position. The ability to overhear their converation.

"Ask Saeko for the nurse's office attendance if you really unsure. Let's go then."

The sounds from outside subsided, Yuuki unable to overhear what they said after since they left the room.

Making sure that they really left. He incancate a magic that wake her up. Her eyes jolt up in reaction. Energy revitalized inside of her as she pushed him away.

"I know I should have trusted my reason!" She bellowed.

"Calm down, I don't want you to put yourself in a tighter space," he exclaimed, which wasn't lying as having a small doubt indeed put her in more of a tighter place for whichever she was working.

"So, will you tell me now?" He cajoled, seeing how she has ended up acting.

"Alright, alright," she appeased with her head hung somewhere else. She didn't pay a gaze toward him as she mumbled something unflattering under her breath.

She surmised, by pushing him further, the sweaty hand of her reached into his skin. The look of her eyes was clear: She was not happy to be confided with the so called 'Traitor'.

She sighed.

"My friends dared me to go off-trail. We ended up at this statue near a river. I panicked when my vision went hazy, and then… nothing. My memory just cuts off. When I woke up in the hospital, there was always this robed man in my vision. He'd tell me where to go, what to fetch, where to place things. It went on for days. At first, it was small stuff: chocolate, leaves, a bird's nest, a rusted key, a kitchen knife, some kind of talisman. But it just kept growing."

She tattered, swallowing hard.

"I thought I was going crazy, following his orders like that. But no — I am crazy. His body stayed visible through walls, furniture, even when I closed my eyes. Like he existed beyond reality itself. At that point, I convinced myself I was cursed. That if I did what he wanted, I'd be set free."

"Then one day, he said something different: 'Someone in your school.' Just that. Then sat silence. He never talked like that. And suddenly my vision was thrown into… I'm not talking about that part."

"But!" Her voice cracked. "He told me my final trial was to kill you. The boy who'd go to the bathroom after noon recess. The one with the marking on his neck."

"But," Yuuki interjected, "what about the marking on your—"

"No! I'm not talking about it!" she snapped, already backing away. She turned and left in quick, uneven gait, tears finally spilling over now that she'd spoken the truth aloud.

He sighed in return, seeing her left in hurry. Then looked down to see Haruka lying body just breathing normally.

Clink

A signature Yuuki's phone notify him of Ohto's messages.

---§---

After the messages, Yuuki goes to the science lab. Where they stored the imbuement stone including the tool for the ritual. The fact it was mentioned again meant it was broken. Or rather stolen, it's all trashed, no janitor since it's very late and Ohto got there first.

"So, what's the meaning of this?" Yuuki finally muttered after seeing everything that happened, he quickly locked the door with incantation soon followed.

It was really thrashed, in spite where Ohto crouched is littered with broken glass, presumably from the beaker that was missing on the cabinet.

"I seem to have no clue as you are, of course it must have been taken after school. But not too early, the janitor noticed it, or too late I didn't see it. Somewhere around 4 to 4 and quarter." He stands up after assessing the broken glass scattered on the floor. "They seem able to identified which to gather, which not. We got someone big on our tail."

Yuuki looked around the laboratory, the fact that a month of work was down the drain isn't quite a happy one. He was rushed by the client, and know that he has nothing now. Without doubt there would be repercussions

Ohto turned his attention toward Yuuki: "you have access to CCTV, right?"

"If I peek in, sure."

"What's with that wound?"

"Oh yeah," he grabbed the arm where the wound are. "You know Ichiha? She seemed to be unequivocally aware of my real identity."

"The student president? What are you saying?"

Yuuki explained his situation to Ohto.

"That make her suspect then," Ohto concluded, hearing all the stuff Yuuki said.

"No," he shook his head. "Ichiha were just told. To kill by an unchosen robed man."

"Why she trusted them more?"

"She went on a goose chance and had a vision, she must have lost all reason."

"Okay but why you trust her? Why trust that she doesn't know milch?"

"She seems to be very broken, the last thing I knew is she managed to cobble up story that seemed true with what was happening. As I said she went on goose chase, I noticed that earlier. But didn't know it was for this. She even asked me a lot about it."

"Very elaborate… very well, then. I'll make do with this thrashing around, anything scoungeful. But then, what's up with your follower then, how would you deal with them?"

Yuuki gasped, words unable to formed. He goes deep in thought, trying to find who's making such crystal. From what he gathered someone out there had just sprinkled the crystal into the nape of Yuuki, rather, they cast a spell that could reveal one identity with it. This led to multiple conclusion, first, someone know the existence of him, the real version of Yuuki. Second, they know how to confirm it. Third, they have the ability for it. The only way all that ring true is if they are the opposite group of nonhuman kind.

Yet if indeed it goes that way, it should have been obvious. Non-human or liminal being are generally straightforward with their clue and wont do it in the public. It's possible that there is someone targeting Yuuki and want to oust him in the cost of potentially exposing liminal to the public. The cult isn't even worth mentioning, they revered them after all.

But yuuki scratched his head. He is the lowest of the low that won't warrant such a failed exposure. He never shared anything that would incur some Liminal's wrath. The cult's wrath, or whatever that robed people is.

"This led me to a conclusion," Ohto opined, grokking the aftermath. "A human may have discovered it."

"Not plausible," he quickly shot down. "Think about it, an arcane property like that cannot land in the hand of a mere human. Even if they can replicate it. It will not activate."

"Isn't Ichiha neck glowed?"

---§---

Ichiha opened her cupboard, where there is a mirror, and a picture plastered with tape. Of her and Yuuki in student council blazer, Ichiha with peace sign and him resting his hand on the stomach. The picture caused her fury to come out as she tore it apart. The picture now only show herself intact while she crumbled the other part, then hit it on the ground and step on it.

One left unmentioned is the marking on her neck that glowed between each stomp.

She went downstair where morning breakfast await her. Still, every energy sapped from her despite already donning the school uniform. Causing her mother eyebrow to shrink in worry.

"See, you shouldn't get too attached. Yes, he did help you up, but you shouldn't get too attached. You end up gloomier than you were, now." She admonished, with a hint of fragility in the way her eyes looked.

Ichiha can only put the energy into nodding gesture. She was staring at a simple kind of braised chicken with stir-fried mushroom and carrot.

Ichiha's mother gaze faltered slightly her cheek rosed in desperation. "Ahh," she moaned. "I'll talk to him," Ichiha's mother continued, seeing an unbearable display of her own daughter.

"Don't please don't," she said hiccupping in between, where tears welled into her chest. Tainting the neatly ironed uniform that her mother made for him.

Her mother just exhaled a long, touting tone. She herself unable to see such frail state her own daughter at. She blamed her own incompetence of keeping her own daughter happy. Cry even shared into her two very eyes. But she must stay strong. If not, she won't be the very model for her kid.

Ichiha's Mother stopped her own emotion from seeping through: "alright, if you say so, I'll let you handle it. But i cannot see you sad, if you still are. I cannot hold my promise I won’t do anything."

Usually a woman nature to protect her own family is strong. Followed with high intuition regarding problem within her family. Yet ever since she birthed Ichiha, she would see her always get gloomy and not getting along with other kids. Only as mother did she feel truly one when she sees her very first smile with him. But if it comes to this way, she truly feels like she was wronged. Just wanting to revert the time and redo everything again.

---§---

The morning paint the sky in moody blue. It wasn't cloudy, just very early in the fall. When she arrived and walked at the school hallway, she cannot help but overhear people talking about her.

"Has you seen Ichiha?"

"She has been glum all day"

"Probably because she got into a fight with the vice"

"Doesn't she always gloomy?"

"Well, not now, she has becoming more active after becoming stud prez with her vice."

"Oh, I suppose she lost him now."

This people and this rumour, they spread fast like wildfire. Though for Ichiha, it was quite apparent from her face. Trying to maintain a normal outlook. But being the object of attention as the student council president made every little changes noticeable.

She put her bag down and sit on the middle row, in front of her is her friends. Wolf-cut jet-black hair, a hardline otaku. She would often gush a lot about her favorites to Ichiha. Indubitably a childhood friends of her.

The name, Sakuya.

She looked back, showing her phone, where there is a picture of an object of her admiration: "Look at this! ED 40 inside! Powered with pantograph and collector shoes that then feed into two MT3A traction motors that run the train and the rack system."

She keeps swiping her phone, showing a different perspective of the locomotive.

"Or this video of the steam locomotive, it's 4-4-0 freight train, it's No. 5 B1 run on double piston and coal-fired, it has this cool gold bell-shaped whistler! The wheel was powered by electric motor though…"

"Or this C11 No.325 on a turnstile! Did you know this was ordered after the Meiji Restoration era, with electric headlight, an amazing 2-4-6T wheel powered by double piston which was feed with coal and controlled through Walschaerts gear, it was some of the earliest dosmetically produced steam locomotive—"

Nope. It dawned on her. She gulped, showing her wariness with the face her friend has. She lowered her phone in understanding manner: "What happen?"

Ichiha smile turned too much with her eyes narrowing to the sides. Despite feeling betrayed, she had some obligations to keep her traitor identity secret and followed with their story. That's already becoming the rumour, anyway. Yet, she doesn't know how would she worded it.

It was silence that followed between paragraph.

Sakuya seems to be fidgety, waiting for Ichiha response. Her phone screen scratched the table as she adjusted her position. Becoming more aware of her surroundings. That's when all the classmates talking finally gloat into his earshot.

She broke the silence with a hasty conclusion: "I see, sorry, I hope I can do something for you."

Ichiha relieved a bit after seeing her poise. She looks around the classroom, trying to make any sort of connections. To put it bluntly, she wasn't ready to meet him again. Not that he is in her classroom, but after-school there will be activity regarding the end of semester with all member of the student council.

Being president and with him the vice means that they both will be looked up to and paired. With how heartbroken she is, she seems to be off-put, wanting to just go home early. Yet, she doesn't want to. It would cause worry to others and leaving her duty. The alternative would be him not going instead, but that would require a first step unless some coincidences happens.

"Hey, Sakuya, is Yuuki here?"

A dumb question for sure, Sakuya rarely noticed others presence until it's very clear in front of her. But just because, doesn't mean she cannot try.

"No."

Ichiha smile became unapologetic. She grabbed the book for the day to bat away the man presence from her minds.

"Hey, Ichiha," Sakuya propped from behind the chair, practically hiding in it. Seemingly returning to her more defensive pose after that answer.

"Yeah?" Ichiha answered, putting books and books, plus arranging the stationary she had taken out.

"Why don't we ask the janitor? He might know what to do…"

"Huh, yeah, you're right"

The janitor. One they mentioned is the school's janitor that only work in night shift and would often double as the security guard. Rumour float around about his vast wealth of wisdom and knowledge. He was, by the better of times, a font of information. One could ask and get answered with the solution fixed right away. Yet to get such advises require a price, a barter of value that the janitor deems worthy. A prevaricate payment and the dumbness of those who seeks him is enough.

Because of that, he earned his name as 'Wandering Janitor'.

And today Ichiha and Sakuya just had planned to meet with him. Asks him of her problem, which was quite actually opaque to Sakuya since she never asked.

So they waited and waited until the school ended, in the process, skipping the student council meeting.

Usually the Wandering Janitor wandered around the east of the school, but after looking around the classroom, the laboratory room and the bathroom. Ichiha realised that on this day of the week, 'Wandering Janitor' frequently coming to work late, later in his standard. So, not only Ichiha abandoned her duty for such frivolous activity. She had failed on actually meeting with him.

Ichiha and Sakuya then slumped on the bench outside the school building, feeling down after not finding the Janitor. Sakuya tried to look at her phone to pass the times, but the uneasiness made her looking at the school's gate instead.

"Hey, child, look at the hour, your parent must've been worrying sick about you," the janitor, 'Wandering Janitor' said from behind them.

Both of them turned in surprise. They both weren't expected to get the Janitor from behind despite watching the gate for almost a hour.

Ichiha said first, "oh, Mr. Janitor!"

"Please call me by name, Toru," he said while sitting on the same benches as theirs. "This seat not taken, right?"

"No, no, no!"

"Right," he continued. Then his arm goes into the pocket, and out a familiar cigarette and green translucent lighter. "Do you mind?"

"No, no!" She shook her head rapidly.

"Alright," he mumbled as he light the cig.

"Umm, Mr. Toru, can I ask about something?"

"Toru is fine." He took a puff. "Is it regarding the rumour about you and vice having a fight?"

"How came you know that?" She jerked her head again, surprise paint her face.

"Oh I've been made aware of it ever since I got here just a hour ago."

"You've been here a hour ago?"

"Ah yes, yeah. I was looking at stuff. Anyway you might be asking about what you should do yes?"

"Yeah, specifically I want to have at least someone ear"

Sakuya tingled, reproachful feeling coming from herself.

"Umm, this is about what I've been asking you multiple times this past month," she continued

"Yeah, you asked me about the statue, the stone and the ritual"

"Well, I managed to get the last clue. But it was followed with a revelation"

"What, what, revelation?"