Suba Sends a Message

Mamoru had a dreamless sleep after succumbing to slumber once again. It was a blessing for a reprieve from Hikari’s memories, and the ghost girl seemed happy enough to have gotten a peaceful rest herself, whatever that looked like, upon waking. The rebel base was still just as dingy and dirty as it had been the prior day, but it carried with it a sense of fullness brought on by all the people just out of sight. It was an odd feeling of sorts, after his sister ran out, he had gotten used to the feeling of an empty house. There should have been no reason an empty building should even feel different than a filled one, but there was and he had come to notice.

Still, that empty house needed returning to so he could pick up his stuff and head off to school. He wasn’t sure about Mirai’s plan to have him continue attending classes like a normal student, but without a solid plan to find the wizard, he supposed it was a good idea to keep up appearances.

So, we need to find some gal who supposedly ran off thousands of years before I was even born? Hikari said. She seemed to be more shocked than anything else. It was already enough of a concern to think they needed someone that powerful to defeat Suba.

“It would seem, but it doesn’t change anything. I’ll save my sister with or without some legendary hero, and we’ll find that jerk you’re after as well.”

You sound so confident. The ghost girl floated in front of his face. He stared blankly at her. I’ve been wondering for a while, but can you see something?

She stared into his eyes with her cool blue ones. There was little reason in hiding it any longer if she realized.

“Yes, I can see something that looks like you.”

Was it a couple of days ago that it started? Mamoru had to think for a moment, with the battle knocking him out and spending time spent unconscious, he wasn’t a hundred percent sure when he first noticed her.

“It was the morning on the day we interrupted that drug operation.”

That is consistent then, before then my perception of things was…. well hard to describe but imagine a sword trying to look at things, but that morning was the first I seemed to have some form of my old self. I think the curse that put me in the blade has weakened.

“What would cause that?”

I don’t know, curses are already weird.

“There is a difference?” Mamoru settled to get up and stretch while keeping the conversation going.

I forget you are still a newbie. While standard magic and yokai use the naturally occurring maryoku, curses are something only demons can do.

Mamoru paused mid-stretch with one arm hanging outstretched in the air, and cocked his head to the side.

“Demons?”

We called them the Old Ones back in the day, but that is the modern slang as far as I understand. They are different from yokai, but we don’t know much more about them. Either way, what we call magic is created by the blend of naturally occurring maryoku with chants, yokai derive power from, well we don’t know fully, but they can contract with humans to feed on maryoku in exchange for powers.

Demon’s on the other hand, create curses layered with so many complex and convoluted conditions it is nearly impossible to break them.

“I see, so how did you come to get cursed anyway?”

Hikari was quiet for a moment. Her ghostly form looked away and poked outside the doorway.

It was due to the man who betrayed my family, he contracted a demon that took advantage of me.

“Do you want to try breaking that curse? You’ve only told me you want to get vengeance on the family.”

Hikari sighed. I don’t know. I am not sure what would come from breaking the curse. I have been trapped in this sword for so long, I don’t know what would happen.

Mamoru nodded. He was too much a novice in anything magical to make any sort of guesses. Hikari floated back in front of him and forced a smile.

You should go check on that witch though, she has been reading those magic books all night.

A quick walk through the narrow halls brought Mamoru back to a library. He saw the back of Yamiko’s hair as she poured over a book so intensely, she didn’t notice him approaching. Mamoru leaned to the side and was surprised to see a large, round pair of glasses on her face. Her eyes darted back and forth as she tracked the words on the page until they turned his way.

“Eep!” she yelped and fell from the chair, stopping only due to her hovering magic. She swatted the glasses off and they thunked somewhere across the room before turning back to him and regaining a seated position. Yamiko crossed one leg over her other and smiled.

“Good morning!” Her eyes were narrowed and Mamoru squinted his to match. Hikari burst out laughing, holding her stomach while floating randomly around the room.

What was that supposed to be?

“Do you need those glasses? Mamoru asked.

“What? Like, no, they’re like totally a stylish way to read is all.”

Mamoru shook his head; he wasn’t one to press the issue.

“Alright then, do we should probably head out before it gets too late. If we are staying in school for now, we should be getting to school real soon, and I still need to pick up my bike from No Go and get home to get my bag.”

Yamiko nodded. She closed her book on a cutesy pink bookmark and slid it forward on the table. They said a quick goodbye and soon were riding Mamoru’s bike back to his place to grab his bag.

The road off the highway was immediately cluttered, and Mamoru ignored the horns as he darted through stopped traffic.

He arrived at a crater that was once his house. Police cars and fire trucks surrounded the remains as onlookers tried their best to push forward to get a better look.

Mamoru rolled forward, and tapped a guy from behind.

“What happened here?” he shouted over the noise of the crowd.

“They’re saying it was a gas explosion. Whole place went kaboom!”

They managed to track you down. Hikari sounded pissed. But this is too far!

Mamoru cursed and flipped his visor down. Yamiko tried to chime in, but he zipped away before she could reply. The last thing he needed was to be seen at this rate.

He gripped his handlebars tightly while guiding the bike through traffic. The house was gone. He had grown up in that place, so many memories were around every corner. Some were good. Some were bad, but now they were blasted to bits. He had hoped to bring Mae back to that house after he saved her.

Mamoru felt his heart ache. He gritted his teeth and weaved around another firetruck headed to the scene. The driver blared his horn, but Mamoru didn’t care. The highway came quickly, and with it many obstacles to weave around in hopes the cloud in his head would clear up.

He didn’t stop the bike until Hikari’s voice finally came through.

Hey, you are going to get you both killed at this rate!

Mamoru became aware of Yamiko clutching around his chest with the force of a hydraulic press and he darted to the edge of the road.

He dropped the kickstand, hoped of the bike, and took his helmet off. Cars continued to whip past, and Mamoru stared as they came and went. Yamiko stayed on the back of the bike, her legs shaking too much to handle standing.

You are clearly not okay, but I will ask the question anyway. Are you okay?

“No,” Mamoru muttered.

Hikari floated in front of him and pointed past him.

At least go talk to the witch for now. 

Yamiko had pulled off her helmet and sat still. She forced a smile at Mamoru.

“You like are a terrible driver.” She was still shaken, probably thinking that was the closest she had ever come in contact with death.

“Sorry,” Mamoru grunted.

You should be!

“I like get it. That was your house, wasn’t it? It was Suba wasn’t it?”

Mamoru wasn’t sure, it was one well done cover up if that was the case, but his face had been seen the night of the battle. He grunted again.

Mirai’s voice came from Yamiko’s pocket.

“I am certain it was!” Yamiko pulled her phone, and with it the blue-haired girl, out. “I was hoping to get a hold of you two sooner, but I just went through Suba’s network and found a file for Mamoru. They hadn’t put anything on it yet, but well…. I’m sorry I was too late. You should come back to the headquarters now, we need to think of a new plan.”

Mamoru shook his head.

“If they want me, I’ll go where they expect to find me.”

“You like, can’t be serious. They’ll totally be waiting in a van to grab you after classes!”

“Let them. I’ve had enough of their games.”

Mirai sighed.

“I get the feeling I can’t convince you. I will have Yuto transfer in as a sub. Try to stay out of sight, and we will talk about this further when you get back tonight.”