Chapter 8 - Mage Hot Line

An individual who practices or uses magic is often called a Mage. This role is not tied to race & many Mages are Monsters themselves, being connected to the supernatural world has made them allies to the Monsters often turning on Humanity in times of great conflict

--

Sluggishly walking up the stairs with one hand griping one of her crimson horns, Haru's face still displayed anguish but not as intense as before. Her eyes slightly open, enough to see the stairs she climbs

Haru: "Ah!"

She cries as the pain spreads, it seemed the effect of Hoshi's painkiller was subsiding. Nevertheless, Haru soldiered on with determination arriving at the top of the stairs

Levitating closely behind was Hoshi with her arms out anticipating the Oni's fall, behind her was a glass cup with a clear liquid inside. It's fall empty though Haru would call it half full

This cup trailed Hoshi weightlessly much like the Esper doing much the same behind Haru without a single droplet falling, leaving the wooden steps & floor completely dry

The Oni marched towards her room which was the closest to the staircase, it was a dull bronze-coloured door lacking any name or creative features to set it apart from the others. This door stood out by being unremarkable

Haru stumbles forward with her torso edging to her left enough to grab the side of the wall with her hand for support. This act caused Hoshi to react with a stunning face, her eyes even widened

Hoshi: "Haru San!"

She called out the Oni's name but was faced with Haru's palm, the homeowner responded by placing her free right hand. Twisting her body her chest faced the planned wall & her right arm went over her left one, her right hand showed its palm as it came in between her & Hoshi

Haru: "Huh it's not that bad Hoshi Chan, I'm just tired that's all"

Haru dismisses Hoshi's concern with both her hand & stating that this is the result of her tiredness as opposed to the pain spreading across her forehead

Hoshi lowers herself, so low in fact that her petite white socks reach the floor. Now standing she bends down to get a better look at Haru's face. "Haru San is not looking well" she immediately thought while catching a short glimpse of Haru's agonizing face

Haru's bleached white forehead was starting to glow red, unlike her horns, which were gradually receding into her head & appeared smaller than usual. Her eyes were squinting, brows furrowed & even Haru's nose was quenching

Haru was biting her bottom lip with her razor-sharp teeth, almost enough to cause bleeding yet no red fluid was dripping from her milky lips

Hoshi only took a glance before having her view blocked by Haru's white palm, "this isn't good, I can't just let Haru go through such pain!" Hoshi's mind was not accepting Haru's current state to be used by just being tired

The glass that still floated behind the young-looking girl started hovering past both Hoshi who was low enough for it to pass & Haru who now rested her knee on the floor

Haru began to breathe heavier, with her free right hand she grabbed her forehead

Haru: "Huh"

She was burning inside, for this reason, Haru was unaware that the glass of clear liquid was traveling through thin air above her back only to see it in the corner of her eye as she faced away from the little girl expressing concern for the Oni

Haltingly edging her head to her right Haru sees the half-full glass situated in the air with no support indicating this was Hoshi's doing

Staring at the cup Haru thought for a second, "it hurts! But I can't keep relying on Hoshi to cure my illnesses like this" with that in mind Haru applied strength to her thighs & gradually stood up. "I must soldier through the pain to set an example to these girls"

Haru: "Ahh!"

Haru took one step before a shooting pain hit her forehead once again causing her to grab the top of her head, the area covered by her blond hair in between her crimson horns which are shrinking in size

Haru: "Ah"

The anguish displayed on Haru's face continued leading to one thought "that's it!". Haru felt severe pain in her head which limited her actions, there's only one remedy for this right now

She took a long glance at the cup of clear liquid as it floated at the same level as her thighs, Haru lowered herself slightly to grab it with her left arm

Haru thought "There's no way out of this otherwise"

Haru clutches the glass tightly & brings it to her mouth, the crisp cold glass turned her warm lips into ice as the fresh clear liquid began to pour out into her mouth

Haru: *Goku goku*

Haru gulped the whole thing down her through at great speed

The room Haru found herself in was comprised of a red cedar wooded floor matching the wine-colored cupboard next to the window & drawers on each side of her bed

The windows themselves were three glass slabs angled outwards giving a person room to stick their head through & view the neighbourhood, the edges of these windows were wooden & similar to the floor in shading

Haru's bed was higher above the ground than a futon, it had room to store a good number of items underneath & one could see them clearly if not for the wooden slabs also adorned in the shade of red as the floor below

The bed had a cobalt blue on top of it, covering the clear white sheets that wrap around it. This bed was a small double fitting two pillows that matched the color of the duvet

The small drawer to the left of her bed was a quant bedside table & on it stood a plain-looking grey bedside lamp with a shape resembling a mushroom, underneath that sat a small box with a clock & a device appearing decades old. A solid brick phone

Its thick plastic body was light salmon pink in color & smooth in texture lacking many grooves on its surface, as if it were just off the shelves when in reality it was older than the Oni who owned it

& all it was a plain room with nothing remarkable in it aside from the small display above Haru's drawer left of her bed, it was a wood carving of the Kumiko style. Tiny shapes resembling snowflakes came together to create an image for viewers to admire. This particular work of art displayed mountains using different wood shades to convey the impression of towering stone landscapes

Stepping on the apricot-colored rug bare feet was Haru who sheds off her stiff work clothes for a smooth lighter fitting nightdress that lies on the bed, its carrot orange color contrasted the duvet's blue as its long sleeves spread wide like a crucifix

Her resolute face lacked any & all pain from Haru's fright earlier, now she stood determined with a tinge of exhaustion from her long workday. Stepping closer to her bedside table with a look that expressed dread for events that may happen moments from now

Reaching the left side of her bed Haru faced it with furrowed brows, she was staring at the device in particular which had a blank screen & all the buttons that phones had in the late 90s/early 2000s but this phone was no ordinary one

Situated below the buttons of the phone was a symbol, a seven-pointed emerald star with a blood-red circle in the middle. The ink to produce this symbol must have been made of some resilient chemical compounds as the colour & shape have not faded whatsoever

This was the crest of Mages, a logo used to identify items owned or passed down by the magic users known as Mages. This phone was in the possession of the Oni homeowner, Mochizuki Haru

The condition of this communication device would baffle Haru as after many hard falls onto the floor of her bedroom the device remained unaffected, what a durable device this was

She maintained a sharp glare on this phone for a few seconds longer, she could be waiting for it to ring but there was no sound emanating from its side speaker or motion on its body

Haru: "Are you joking around?"

Haru spoke out loud with a frustrated voice while she stood straight eyeing this device the same way a fox would stand frozen as it preyed on small birds

Haru's fixed position ended when she reached into her pocket & took out her phone, it was charcoal black unlike the red-looking one below, it was slim dissimilar to the thick bulky device sitting below, Haru's smartphone had a widescreen large enough to fit several screens of the same area of the blank one on that other phone, the one in Haru's hand was touch-sensitive whereas the other one had plastic buttons like other phones in use of the time it must have entered service

Safe to say the only thing in common that these two devices have is their condition, both seeming to be in good working order

With her smartphone in hand, Haru gently tapped the power button on the side activating the lock screen & displaying many notifications from work in the form of Emails & a direct message from someone named Chitose on the Jinx app. At the top of the lock screen was the time

The time is 20:04, "it's been 4mins" Haru repeated in her head as her gaze switched from the phone she held to the one by the lamp

The time was now 20:05. "That's 5mins now!" she shouts in her mind with ever-increasing frustration at the situation. Even while in pain Haru tried to climb upstairs into her room to reach the brick phone by her bed at this exact time

Haru's frustration started to subside as time marched on, "What was the point if he wasn't going to call tonight" she thought

Haru: "Well if I have to wait this long after the agreed time then he may as well never call"

As she says that Haru shuts off her phone & twirls so that her back faced the table

| Rin rin! | Rin rin! |

Haru: "Eep!"

Haru let out a small scream at the sound coming from behind, suddenly she stood like a motionless statue as the ghastly sound penetrated her eardrums

| RIN! | RIN! |

The phone kept blasting that deafening ringtone & frantically rattling on the tabletop beside Haru's bed. "No no no! This will wake the others, really bad!" she thought while pouncing to the location of that sound

Haru grabbed the phone with both hands & cupped it in between them both. The vibrations wobbled her arms like a rattlesnake but the sound kept going

Turning the phone so its front faced her Haru had found the big green button to end this emphatic noise

| Pi |

With a single press of the button, the chaotic siren ended & the room fell to silence without any additional noise, not from the phone, Haru, or the other girls who definitely would have heard it

Indeed the room was silent until a faint voice was heard by Haru who stood in the middle of her room

This voice was faint but loud enough for Haru to hear, it was a man's voice but a high-pitched one suggesting either youth& certainly not a deep masculine tone. It was a boisterous American accent

???: "Hello, helloo! Haru!"

The voice began to call Haru's name, she heard this & hastily placed the speaker to her ear as she heard this man requesting an answer

???: "Lady Haru! You there!"

Haru positioned the microphone at the bottom of the block-shaped device to her mouth & began to respond

Haru: "Hello"

She answered in a subdued tone as she held the phone to her ear

???: "HARU!!!"

He cheered in reply to Haru's response, loud enough for her to move the phone away from her ear momentarily

Haru: "Roza, now is not the time to be so loud"

Taking the mic to her mouth to beret this caller for shouting, the caller Haru referred to as "Roza" had irritated her for something else

Haru: "Also what time do you call this?"

This is Roza Vita (ロザ ヴィタ), a magic user Haru is "acquainted" with. Haru can imagine him in a dark office adoring stylish green robes & twirling his opulent brown locks. He'd sit with his feet resting on his wooden desk while hiding a discomforted expression, as he talks to Haru through his device not looking dissimilar to the one she uses to communicate with him

Roza: "Easy Haru, I'm only 2mins late"

Taking offense to this Haru pressed the issue further

Haru: "What? You made me wait for 6mins, does your schedule mean nothing to you?"

Roza: "I'm sorry Haru I was caught up with another client, do you know how many monsters there are in the Lamia* family?"

He pleaded briefly before changing the subject, this infuriated Haru yet she was in no mood to get heated at this time. "After a busy day I just want to relax in bed," she thought

Haru: *sighs* "I'm aware of the many types of reptile monsters out there, yes"

She sighs as her fatigue settles in causing Haru to look tired along with irritated since this man never ended his tangent

Roza: "Well I was talking to Lamia & get this her favourite TV show is Konty Python. Hahahaha!"

His loud laughing shot into Haru's ears like a bullet causing her to take the phone away once again, "I wish he would stop doing that" she thought as his irritating voice continued

Roza: "We hit it off, it's like I was a snake charmer. I am one flute & turban away from becoming one, hehe"

He droned on about himself & one interaction he had with another Monster Girl, Haru could not deal with this anymore but how will she go about ending this conversation

Haru could A: let her anger loose by shouting loud down the microphone, giving him a piece of his own medicine before hanging up. "This is not the time nor place to discuss your romantic exploits!! I have work in the morning so I need to sleep!"

She could B: plead with Roza & be reasonable, the Mage should understand & this would be the easiest option for both of them. "Listen Roza it was nice to at least hear from you…tonight but I'm exhausted & need sleep to continue through the rest of the week. You also work long hours so you understand"

Roza: "She began to work out a deal with those Devil Bugs leading to all 40 of them finding a new place to stay but they're still in contact if you can believe that"

Roza was a train of never-ending conversations & Haru knew this, "I was wrong, age doesn't make one slower" she came to that conclusion as well as a third option on how to leave escape this position

Roza: "To be fair with you I've seen so much crazy stuff in my life…"

| Pi |

The sound of a button press was heard cutting off Roza & concluding his gossip

Haru did C: hang up suddenly without a single word. Not the best way to end a call with a long-time known acquaintance but it was convenient for Haru

Haru: *breaths deeply* "Finally"

With that blocky device in hand, Haru walked to the bedside table & placed it back. She stretched out her arms like a tree & let out a roaring yawn

| Ababa! |

The vibrations from the phone caused the table to rattle once more & again spooking an unsuspecting Oni

Reaching the bedside table once again Haru sees the notification that caused the phone to do that

"How are your horns lately"

This was the message on the minuscule phone screen, displayed in low definition with the pixels being visible. The pixelated Hiragana & Katakana characters were black & the background behind them was bright green, so bright Haru had to squint her eyes when viewing it

Haru saw this message & lowered her breathing, any frustration left on her face dissipated as she took her right hand to her forehead where the horn protruded from

Her hand caressed the right horn slowly, Haru gazed at the device carrying that tired expression but any trace of pain was absent. "Roza knows I have these pains so it's nice that he would show concern for me," Haru thought

This thought was the heart of Haru's intuition at the moment & could be what triggered her next move

Haru's already risen hand reaches for the phone which awaits her arrival. She clutches it & takes the microphone to her mouth, Haru's tongue quickly licks her dry lips before making another move

| Pi pi pi pi |

After several presses of the buttons & faint sound came from the speaker, Haru waited with the phone in her right hand held to her ear

| Biii biii |

Roza: "Lady Haru?"

Just as a voice was heard Haru responded instantly

Haru: "The pain has subsided now"

Roza: "Oh, tell me how you felt"

Roza's calm & concerned tone of voice was the opposite of his loud, boisterous one from earlier. His speech conveyed understanding which was what Haru needed

Haru: "Well…Umm it was like a severe stabbing pain on my forehead like something was forcing itself into my skull"

Haru had a clear memory of that pain as it happened just moments ago, she explains her plight to Roza who remains silent for a few seconds, pondering the reasoning

She could just imagine him sitting on his desk hunched over a pile of paperwork thinking of what the cause of this pain is, using one hand to stroke his head maybe as he theorized

Roza: "Haru, I remember when you had horn aches & that were caused by an infection"

Hearing this Haru looked distraught, her face suddenly slumped at the reminder of an experience they shared relating to this topic

Haru: "Yes. I remember, it was brutal"

Roza: "& you've been both cleanings & sanding your horns since?"

Haru: "Of course I have!"

Hearing a hint of frustration in her voice Roza needed to change the subject quickly

Roza: *rummaging through paper* "Um it can't be that then. There is another potential cause of this"

Haru closed her mouth & sat on her bed, the spring sounds from the mattress were heard as she steadily slammed her rear into it

Haru: "& that would be?"

Haru clutched the phone even more than before, her eyes paced sideways & her breathing started progressively increasing

Roza: "I've seen similar symptoms in other Onis, if hygiene is top of the range like you seem to be it's almost always this reason"

Haru: "I'm a busy woman Roza, spit it out"

Spoken with frustration as Roza began to procrastinate once more

Roza: "Sorry about that, these other Onis have at one point encountered something that causes that reaction in them. Like an allergic reaction"

The words from Roza sat with Haru who remained situated on her bed pondering this possibility, she took her free left hand to her flaming red horns & rubbed its smooth surface. Trailing her index finger to the tip of her left horn Haru began to poke the sharp point at the top

Haru: "Do you have an idea of what I encountered?"

She heard a pause for a few seconds before he answered

Roza: "Well that's tricky, like allergic reactions it depends on the individual. How are you with food intolerances?"

Haru: "I've always been able to eat anything, never really encountered a food intolerance"

After this conclusion Roza began to laugh, this was followed by an agreement

Roza: "Hahaha! Yes, I remember we called you "Steel Stomach" back at the academy, you remember that Haru?"

Not wanting to cause another tangent Haru responded with a quiet "Yeah" before putting the conversation back together

Haru: "So you're saying I need to look into things that I'm intolerant too?"

Roza: "Yes & the other girls don't count"

This was the first time Roza had mentioned the girls living under Haru's roof, he brought them up in a joking tone or one that can be easily heard as a joke. Haru responded to that by slightly chuckling as she moved the phone to her left ear & switched hands

This allowed her right hand to be free from that stiff grip on the device & now it had room to stretch out that ridged feeling. She moved her fingers & wrist several times as the conversation continued this time as Haru held the phone to her left ear

Roza: "That brings me to my next reason for calling, the other girls in your life. What's happening in their lives?"

Roza formally ended the discussion about Haru's plight & moved it forward to the other Monster Girls living in this residence

Haru took notice & saw the minuscule digital clock on the device's display, the time was 20:37. Seeing this Haru's breathing increased

Haru: "Uhh yeah! We should move on to the others. I still have work in the morning"

Haru acted restless, clutching the phone in her left hand & sat ideally watching the view outside her bedroom window. The streetlights & other buildings started to glow brighter than ever as the sun's absence caused the sky to turn black

Roza: "I'd like to start with the youngest, Shika the Screecher"

That's right, Roza knows their names & ages. He keeps files of each client at the administration although here he used a nickname & said it in a less than the serious tone of voice. Haru could even imagine him sitting at his hard wooden desk with a little mountain of papers by the side. "Unorganized, that's one thing he still struggles with I'm sure," Haru thought based on what she knew from their experiences years ago

Haru: "Ahh yes…Shika, what could I say about our Parakeet?"

Almost hesitating to say her name, Haru will try to be nice regarding the complicated relationship this immature teenager shares with the hardworking homeowner. "& who is in no way a Busu*, I am very attractive" Haru's conscious stated while referring to a previous argument she had with the irritating seedeater

Roza: "Oh Haru. You two aren't getting along again I see"

Roza made slight clicking noises as he identified an issue right off the bat, he could imagine Haru's face tensing at the thought of whatever skirmish they could have had

Roza: "I bet you felt tense just saying her name, it must have been a big fight"

Haru: "Well it certainly was an event…"

Haru paused as her legs began to curl, this is a recent memory she would prefer not to talk about but given Roza's reason to call & Haru's responsibility to the other girls she must be honest

Haru: "You see I like collecting relics, they're souvenirs of experiences I've had…"

Roza: "Ahh yes, I remember you doing that. Souvenir, is the French word for memory, actually"

Haru excuses Roza's interruption of her conversation with a slight eye roll & responded kindly. That was a unique fact she had not known

Haru: "Really? I remember you being fluent in many languages so, of course, you'd know something like that"

Roza: "Teehee I don't want to get into that right now, it's obvious my tangents annoy you"

With the phone remaining in her left-hand Haru smirks

Haru: "Ok let's continue"

Haru: "I had a green vase from my "business trip" to Thailand, do you remember when I took it?"

Roza: "Very much so, I remember that vase too"

The two turn their attention to that luxurious vase Haru had brought back from Surat Thani in southern Thailand. The surface was green & brimming with intricate patterns, they both imagined its elegance as Haru personally carried it home from the airport. She clutched the packaged vase as she stepped out of the taxi, staring at the small opening at the top & admired its beauty

Haru: "That vase was of great importance to me which was why my heart sank last Thursday when…"

Haru paused & her face displaying sadness, sitting on her bed Haru's free hand holding her mouth as her mind's eye recalls that day

Haru: "I came home after a busy day in the office, already exhausted. I saw the display in the hallway missing its core exhibit"

Roza: "Oh…no"

Roza was hesitant & struggled to find a response, he knew not to place any jokes at a time like this. So he remained silent as Haru continued

Haru: "Well let's just say I'm still trying to fix the broken pieces of our relationship"

With her free hand, Haru gripped her right knee & fed the material of her nightdress through her hand, feeling its smooth fabric flowing in between her fingers was like petting a fluffy kitten.

Haru: "But from there Shika is not allowed to fly indoors, at least not until I'm ready to forgive her"

Haru's brief sensation of solace was interrupted by the renewed feeling of dread & sadness over her vase being smashed by that destructive magpie

Roza: "Um…do…do you believe this is a good way to discipline her?"

Roza struggled to ask Haru such a question, he may have been frantically waving an arm around as he forced those words out. Nevertheless, Haru began to tense her face & fingers, she edges her head toward the device

Haru: "Well how would man child such as yourself discipline her?!"

Haru momentarily raised her voice in a defensive rage, confronting Roza's condescending question with one of her own before loosening her shoulders

Haru: "I'm sorry"

She stared down at her blue duvet cover & watched it contrast with her orange nightdress, the feeling of remorse flowed down her like a waterfall. Even making her back feel heavier

Roza: "Yeah, that was my fault. I'm trying to give you another way. One that could make Shika feel more comfortable in your house"

Haru's eyebrows rose after hearing that

Haru: "That sounds like you're rewarding her for terrorizing my stuff"

Roza: "Honestly Haru that is not what I'm suggesting"

he used his voice to emphasize the word "not" before further elaborating

Roza: "Being a Harpy Shika shares many qualities with birds & if there's one thing birds hate is to be caged…"

Haru: "So you're saying I restrict her that much?"

Haru snaps back at Roza's hypothesis with an assertive yet still voice

Roza: "I mean…when do you let Shika spread her wings? I mean here"

This question had Haru stumped, she briefly turned to the window beside her bed. It was a clear sky yet stars were hidden by lights from neighbouring buildings, Haru also noticed the lack of birds at this time. Her thoughts took a new direction

Thoughts of birds flooded Haru's mind, the long wingspan of seagulls as they glide over the ocean, sparrows zipping from house to house, the pigeons jumping across the streets of the town. Haru has seen many of these feathered creatures during her life but only one lived rent-free in her head

Ukiyama Shika. The green Parakeet who dominated every conversation with her infuriatingly loud voice, the bird who filled each room with her green feathers, the person who will find a way to brighten your day with some ridiculous jokes & the girl who hides how radiant her singing is

She also lives rent-free in Haru's house, after a long train of thought like that Haru realized one thing. "Despite what she did, that Shika is still…part of this household," she thought

Haru: "I…um"

Now Haru sat there on her bed just trying to answer, looking back on past actions towards the Parakeet Haru notices a new perspective forming in her memories of them

Going back to when she laid down the flight rules; flying home is off-limits unless it's night or cloudy, even then only through the clouds

Haru: "I was only thinking about our safety, I didn't want Shika to expose us to the humans"

Haru's tone of voice shifted, she aimed her gaze back down to her bed & furrowed her brows. "Our safety is really important, Shika must comprehend this" Haru tossed & turned as she debated herself "but she's still 17, we were all like that. I can't blame Shika alone"

Roza: *sighs* "That girl is young, she wants to experience the world & like all birds, Shika wants to break free from the cage"

Noticing the word "wants" Haru began to inquire about its meaning

Haru: "Oh do you believe Shika broke my vase just to spite me?"

Roza: "Maybe that's something you should ask the perpetrator & not me"

Haru gently rolled her eyes at his response, she knew there was no arguing with that answer, this was then followed by her free arm reaching for her horns once again to check their sharpness & texture

Haru: "You do have a point there"

She takes her arm back down before forming a mischievous grin on her beautiful face

Haru: "Hehe who thought Roza Vita has an answer to a problem"

*silence*

Roza: "That went into my ears then straight to where it hurts"

On Haru's end, she heard ruffling clothes through the speaker, almost like Roza was clutching the piece of the shirt around his chest area

Regardless of Roza's hurt feelings, Haru sinks into her comfortable mattress, she gives a smile on her face & not a cunning one but one that conveyed newfound joy at this situation. Haru continued to hold the phone in her left hand which started wobbling at the device's weight

Haru: "Thank you, Roza, I appreciate your help"

This must have ended Roza's negative mood towards Haru as he responded pleasantly

Roza: "It was nothing. Arigatou"

He overly highlighted the Japanese word for Thank you, extending the "o" & saying it in his Californian accent. Causing Haru to tense a little bit once again

Haru: "Well I need to change hands, this phone is really heavy. Can't you get us a lighter one…with perhaps a larger screen?"

Roza: "Tsk tsk tsk you youngsters can't tolerate anything from the past century, you're all addicted to your touch screens & messaging apps"

His answer was in all ways sarcastic, this caused Haru to briefly chuckle before she checked the time on the device she held. The time was 20:46, "We've spoken that long I see!" she thought while calmly breathing

After this thought, however, something in the corner of Haru's room caught her attention, a coal-black canvas satchel. Her mind turned to the many occasions she used it, carrying important items like wallets, phones, food & documents. She would take it to work for the most part as its dark color & bland appearance would not be in line with the fashion of today (or anytime)

One such day, in particular, popped into Haru's mind, a day when she took it somewhere other than work. Haru was in formal work clothes she wouldn't be seen without, a cardigan, skirt, white shirt, etc.

Her face however began to stall, Haru's calm expression slowly evaporated as she is reminded of a crucial event of the day

Haru: "Hoshi San had her first day of school today!"

"Eeep I hope that wasn't too loud" Haru immediately thought after letting out that huge piece of news

Roza: "Waw really?!"

Equally as loud was Roza on the line, almost screaming in excitement

Roza: "That's some really good news, our wise old tortoise going to school. I'm so proud"

Furrowing her brows was Haru who took little offense to that comment

Haru: "Please don't imply that we're that kind of family, I doubt you know the first rule of being a father"

Roza seemed to take that insult well as he continued in the same jolly tone as usual

Roza: "Of course, I'm not the father, Hoshi's parents are Yoshifumi & Nanako Miyano. As stated on her new passport I had to get her so if you think about it I am sort of her father"

Haru: *Sighs*

Haru a long sigh after hearing Roza's smug attitude toward his impression of parenting

Roza: "& if you think about it you are the mother"

Emphasizing the "are" in his statement as if it was an announcement on a game show the fist on Haru's free hand was flinching. Her face turned even more grey at the direction this conversation is going, "like I would share a child with this baboon"

Roza: "I kid but back to business, how did her day go?"

Roza's question defused the tension in Haru's body as steam began leaving her ears

Haru: *Sigh* "well from what I heard the rooms themselves hadn't changed that much since the 1970s"

Haru's mind gradually departed to thought about knowing what school was like at that time. Haru was born in 1997 so she had little knowledge of the late Shōwa era's environment. "I don't look that old!?" she explained in her head however this time did not let her anger loose as the time was reaching 21:00

Haru: "Hoshi San was telling me she drew Kanji characters & proper bowing etiquette, this stuff is all things she already knows so I suppose today was just like others she's lived"

The call became silent for a brief moment, absent of sound apart from the noise from the speaker. Haru heard what she thought was Roza's hand lightly tapping his forehead & rubbing on his thick brown hair or at least it sounded like thick brown hair to Haru

Roza: *Sighs* "Would Hoshi want to quit?"

Haru's eyes widened

Haru: "What why would you say that?! She just got back"

The idea of Hoshi leaving school this early did not sit well with Haru, she started thinking back to the morning of Hoshi's first day going to school. That maroon-red dress she entered the dining room in, her cute smile that melted Haru's demon heart & that look of confidence she displayed before walking to school

--

Walking out the open door was Hoshi wearing her pristine dress contrasted by a dark green backpack, it look almost worn out & one could even count how many years it has under its belt

Apart from the backpack, there was no fault in Hoshi's outfit & hair, she was presentable. This Kawaii look affected Haru who had tiny hearts in her eyes seeing this small angel walk across the sidewalk

??: "Are you sure you don't want to be accompanied?"

Haru asked in a calm yet questioning tone of voice as she stood in the door frame of the house's entrance, her crimson horns reflecting light from the low morning sun. Almost like they were glowing, it's rare for them to see direct sunlight

Haru stood with her work clothes on & her horns exposed, looking in both directions she saw the street was empty so having a quick conversation outside would be easy without the Masking Potion

Having heard the Oni homeowner speak to her directly Hoshi turns right to face her

Hoshi: "There is no need, don't forget I turned 1504 years old last March"

She gracefully responded to Haru, full of life as she proclaimed her exact age with an adorable smile that took Haru's heart. Unfortunately, she wouldn't be seeing it again for hours

Haru lowered her gaze for a second, she gently furrowed her brows as a slight tinge of disappointment showed. Noticing this Hoshi widened her own eyes just a bit

Hoshi: "Don't feel so glum Haru San, I'll be home before you get back so you don't need to worry"

Hoshi turned around again mid statement & slowly started walking towards the empty road, Haru saw this & started to wave with her right hand

Haru: "Good luck today! Hoshi Chan!"

She cheered as hope entered her mind, Haru now smiled as brightly as the sun & her horns were glowing even more

As Hoshi turned right & walked down the road Haru's expression started to dim seeing the young-looking girl turn a corner on her way to school for the first time in decades. Haru even lowered her waving hand & not it lay to her side along with her left one

Shika: "Why does Haru San get to go outside in her monster form!?"

A shrieking bird noise came from the hallway behind Haru, this startled her. Her eyes & mouth are wide open & her poster becoming tenser

Haru: "Shika! Don't shout that when the door is open"

Haru yelled as she marched in & slammed the door shut

--

Roza: "Haru? Haru!"

Haru was hearing a voice in her ear, it sounded off. Almost like a recording of some boisterous man trying to get her attention

Haru: "Eh? What?"

She opened her eyes wide & finally realized where she was, Haru was back in her room with her orange nightdress on

Roza: "I suppose you're very tired Haru, would you like me to pick this conversation up tomorrow?"

Haru took a large yawn after hearing Roza's question, she even cupped her mouth with her free hand

Haru: "As it is getting late I think that would be wise" *yawns*

Her periodic yawns started getting deeper & Haru's began to close so much that tears formed underneath her eyes

Roza: "From the sound of those yawns I'd say we should pick this up another time. Lady Haru would tomorrow be all right?"

Not only were Haru's yawns deep but her head & limbs started getting heavier not helped by this brick-shaped device she currently holds as it gradually ways down on her arm. Haru has lost the will to keep going for today & needs sleep

Haru: "Huh? That would be great for…me"

Now even her voice was shutting down, Haru's eyes were slowly closing as all her senses lost touch with reality. The hand she previously held to her mouth was now resting on her lap as she sat on her soft cozy bed

Roza: "Have a goodnight Lady Ha…"

| Pi |

Roza was cut off from a med sentence by a soft beeping noise coming from the device that Haru held with her thumb to the red button on the left side & after that it was dead silent. Haru hung up, "Oh my thumb slipped". She just noticed it in her mind as she stared at its front surface

The device itself began to gradually slide downwards as her grip on it lessened, this was pared with her vision getting darker. Haru is now taking long slow blinks & her view became lopsided as her head careened to the left, leaning left all Haru wanted at this point was to fall into her sheets

Haru: "Goodnight Roza"

She mumbled as the power of gravity was getting the best of her & at this moment Haru would not fight back against her tiredness

Her entire body proceeded to fall onto the bed the soft sponge sheets cushioned her landing. Haru felt her face sinking into her purple pillows, she opened widely exposing her razor-sharp pearly white teeth

In her collapse, the device fell out of her hands & onto the side of the bed. The bright green colored screen disappeared & in its place was a charcoal-black rectangle

Haru: *light snoring*

The Oni homeowner was now fast asleep & her room once burdened with repulsive rattling & a conversation Roza is currently peaceful without a noise to be heard. The whole house was quiet in fact

--

As the evening became night, the sky was turned to pure blackness about the radiant metropolis of central Saitama city & in the Omagi district the house of Monsters sat calmly without a single light to add to this shiny landscape

The street the house rested on was dark & quiet, with no movement whatsoever. That was of course until on the side of one of these buildings a window slowly opened

On the side of Haru's house, the top floor a window opened widely letting in the wind which waved the yellow curtains like a flag. It opened at a steady pace as if deliberately by someone yet no hand or even finger touched this transparent door, it opened purely by itself

As it remained open for a few seconds something appeared from the dark room inside the house, what appeared to be a massive pencil-shaped projectile flew out with incredible speed

This flying object must have been the size of a small child but at this speed, one passerby wouldn't identify what it is

The window swiftly shut itself after letting out this flying thing & the curtains inside became idle as the wind vanished

The sound of fast winds stayed in the ears of whoever was flying, this was a petite girl who glided through the sky with both arms at her side

Wearing a nicely fitting maroon dress that acted like a bullet cutting through the air, the short golden hair of this girl flapped much like the curtains before

Her orange eyes looked on with a face of determination as she began approaching her destination, in so little time Hoshi had found the elementary school she attended for the first time early in the day

Hoshi: "There's a strong possibility that I'm incorrect however I owe it to my new classmates & everyone at this school to find out the mystery behind that phenomenon"

Hoshi's thoughts were loud & powerful, this was paired with newfound courage in this Esper's soul. A deep feeling to protect her new friend(s) was growing as she approached the school buildings