5 Chapter 5: New Beginnings
December 31, 2006: Tokyo Japan, 8:00 am
"Technique-Release, Soul Flight. Enjoy your time in the afterlife, curse." I have been practicing jujutsu for four hours and want to enjoy time downtown. After releasing the barrier around the decrepit school building, I pick up my green backpack and don my multi-striped ski cap.
Being out of school has perks: no mind numbing homework, no pesky schedule, plenty of library time, and no bullies.
"Ms. Blaze, come here for a second, please." The library attendant's voice is soft and motherly.
"How may I help you, Miss Apple? And what is behind your back?"
"Have a blessed birthday, Ms. Blaze. I hope you enjoy your gift and the day your parents brought you into this world!"
"Thank you, Miss Apple. You should not have." I give Miss Apple a quick nod and she hugs me in return. It feels odd. Normally, I don't allow people to invade my personal space, but Miss Apple is not a threat. Most non-sorcerers are safe…it is other sorcerers I am weary about.
I put the gift inside my backpack and head off to a local farmers' market. While running through a list of ingredients I need to buy, I let out a sneeze. Someone must be talking about or thinking about me.
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December 31, 2006: Tokyo Metropolitan Cursed Technical College, 9:00 am
"Two of our windows keep reporting strange activity from a three-story school near Shibuya. A total of thirty curses were exorcised over three months at the location." One old sorcerer states out loud.
"Have civilian bodies shown up? What level of curses are we talking about?" A second sorcerer chimes in.
"Mostly Grade-2 and above. A Special Grade was spotted three weeks ago but, would have been exorcised or seriously injured by the sorcerer in question."
"I see. We are dealing with an unregistered sorcerer who is at least Grade-2 and could damage relations among the civilian population." A third sorcerer chimes in. The first sorcerer nods in agreement.
"When was the individual last spotted?"
"An hour ago, they used a barrier technique and did not leave it up long enough during their exorcism. We have dispatched the second-year students to find the culprit."
The first sorcerer grins ear-to-ear.
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Shifting my eyes to the left, I see two men; one in a black suit and tan slacks combination, and his dressed casually counterpart. What holds my attention is the skull with crossbones and stained-glass eyes on the casually dressed sorcerer's wrist. We make eye contact, neither person blinks for a minute. I make my purchase and walk toward the exit.
While maintaining a steady pace I start disrobing on the crowded sidewalk. My pulse gradually escalates as I button the collar on my shirt. Once inside the bakery, I let out a breath and laugh to myself. I have not felt this excited since the fall of 2005!
While throwing away my trash, I am distracted by the three teenagers walking across the street. I grit my teeth, ball my fists, and let out a low growl. What is with sorcerers pairing up to collect one of their own?
I walk out of the bakery and make it to the crosswalk just as the pedestrian signal flashes go. As the four of us pass by each other, the black hair guy and I brush shoulders.
"I am sorry. Are you alright?" His cheeks flush red, and he gives me a coy smile.
"I am fine, thank you for asking." I wave at the three sorcerers and leave. Before getting to the other side of the street, they strike up a conversation.
"What does our target look like?" The woman asks while lighting her cigarette.
"An individual with a striped ski cap, dark wash blue jeans, and an unknown eye color. Their gender was not specified." This comes from a dude with white hair. My gut tells me I should know who this person is but, my feet tell me to split.
"You know I don't eat sweets. Hurry up so we can find this person before they get away. I am not in the mood to get yelled at by our sensei." Shoko takes a drag from her cigarette.
"Crud!" I punch my fists toward the ground and turn around.
I storm back the way I came from, noticing the skull dude a few blocks to my left.
"Something bothering you?" The woman named Shoko asks me between puffs of smoke. She takes out her phone and starts punching in a name.
"No." I walk into a line of people that ends at the entrance.
I spot my backpack and unwanted company. The person sees me, smiles, and starts walking backward with my bag.
I say excuse me while moving past the line. There is an exit near the restrooms, I am making my way over there when suddenly, black hair dude and I run into each other…again.
"Twice in one day, I see." He is smiling, trying to hide his embarrassment. And takes a look at his phone screen. I roll my eyes and continue. Once outside and in the alleyway, I hear footsteps running toward the sidewalk.
December 31, 2006: Back inside the bakery, 10:30 am
The black-haired sorcerer and his white-haired counterpart exchange text messages with Shoko.
Shoko: "Hey you guys, the person Suguru ran into is heading back inside the bakery."
Satoru: "Why are you telling us this?"
Shoko: "Take a good look at her if you can. She might be our target."
Suguru: "Not a chance, she does not fit the description provided by the Window."
Satoru: "How do you know what she looks like, Suguru? Did you run into each other again? Nudge, nudge"
Shoko: "Bwaha, that would be hilarious."
Satoru: "Suguru where are you?"
"I am right in front of you. She went out the backdoor of the bakery."
"What you have a thing for high-profile women?" Satoru asks with zero regards for Suguru's feelings.
"I am not going to answer your question. Come along."
I pause, placing my hands on my knees, huffing and puffing. As I right myself, my eyes bulge out of their sockets. While grinding my teeth together, I force my body forward.
"Ouch! What the heck are you doing to me, you mad woman! Get off me."
"Give me my backpack, and I will let you go."
He kicks me in my left shin, I repay the favor by kicking his right knee cap. I follow up with a swift punch to his nose. He releases his grip, letting the bag fall to the ground. The thief stares at me, eyes wide, turns around, and scurries away.
I hold the bag to my chest, rubbing my face against it. Once my breathing steadies, I spot the skull tattoo sorcerer and his companion round the corner. A cold sweat breaks out on my face. While focusing my eyes on the targets, steading my stance, I remove my sunglasses. With a single blink, the two idiots drop like flies.
