My Not-So-Normal Life Now Has A Faerie Who Hates/Likes Me

“See? Getting up early to make breakfast is worth it.”

“You say that while I’m the one doing all the work.”

“I’m still learning! Give me a break!”

Tama and Sarine bickered as they prepared breakfast—rolled eggs with a couple side dishes. Preparing a meal like this involved getting up earlier, but Tama managed to willpower through it (even if Sarine may have done the heavy lifting by literally lifting Tama out of bed) and even carved out time to make a proper lunch for herself and Sarine.

The two sat down, said their thanks, and dug in. Halfway through her egg roll Tama stopped.

“Everything good?” Sarine said, frowning. “You’re not gonna faint again, are you?”

“No—no,” Tama said as she shook her head. “I just…like, thought of something.”

“Yeah?”

“Society Prime found Pleasa’s body in the lab wreckage, right?”

“Uh-huh. What, you’re gonna say you think it’s a body double and she’s rising from the dead? That’s dumb.”

“I know that’s dumb and that wasn’t what I was gonna ask.”

“…Oh.”

Tama ripped her eggs apart, slouched forward with her hand balanced on her chin. Society Prime took apart and destroyed anything dangerous in Pleasa’s flooded lab, collecting evidence and storing it away. Izumi took to studying anything deemed salvageable. Sarine also volunteered for Izumi’s studies if it meant ensuring no one attempted what Pleasa did again…

Especially considering that book she found. The knowledge, deemed dangerous ended up sealed away, but Tama wondered whether that was a good long-term solution.

Regardless, it was out of her hands. Tama focused on training for any future threats while Sarine spent Tama’s school hours at the labs in Society Prime.

Still.

One thing wasn’t found among piles of solidified sludge and broken machines.

“They still haven’t found Lavi,” Tama said.

Sarine frowned. “She’s probably…like, no way she lived through that, right?”

“I ‘unno.”

“C’mon, be more reassuring!”

Tama glared. “I’m not gonna lie about it! She could be out there. Like, at least she’s not as dangerous as Pleasa, but we gotta remember she definitely has a grudge against us.”

“…Okay, fine. You’re right.” Sarine put her hands up. “We’ll make a report and ask people to keep an eye out.”

“We can do that?”

“I mean, hopefully?” Sarine said. “But just in case she comes after us again, we’ll keep up our work.”

Tama opened her mouth—but turned away instead, towards the window. She couldn’t put a finger on it. Out of the corner of her eye, she swore she saw the twinkle of a star meshed within the deep blue of the dawn, out of place, eyes trained to Tama’s every movement.

But it vanished. Tama shook her head. “Yeah. We’ll be ready.”

Sarine didn’t seem to notice; she returned to her meal, and after swallowing a ball of nerves, Tama began to eat again.

She gripped her right hand—ever so slightly. The final nail in the coffin of her normality, though strange enough, the idea of Lavi coming back only filled Tama with excitement. Fighting side by side with someone like Sarine…

Well. Maybe destiny could be kinda cool sometimes. Maybe. Sorta. Ignoring the dead friends, the near death scenarios, the adventures, the constant busywork—

No, Tama seriously must’ve lost a few screws. That was it. She was doomed, hopeless, stuck within a new narrative she slid into before she realized it. Someone let her out please. Anyone. Please HELP—

Heh. Just kidding.

Tama finished her breakfast, and with a heavy sigh, grabbed her bag and headed out the door. Sarine jumped in her bag as Tama shut the zipper. A step into their new life, together…

“Shit,” Tama said an hour later, crammed inside a train. “I forgot my lunch.”