Chapter 3

As soon as I heard that chilling voice I slapped the hand away and ran for my life. I did not want to die, not yet, I'm way too young! I kept running until I was at the front of the school gate.

"Is it gone?...yeah it is..."

I speed walked home, wanting to give the biggest hug to my little princess. When I arrived home I saw my aunt baking while my sister was watching TV. I went up to my little sister and threw her up in the air into my arms.

"Princess, what have you been doing? Did you make any new friends?" I say in a happy tone regardless of what happened at the old school building.

"Yes! I made friends with Mia-Chan!!" She says cheerfully.

"Mia-Chan? Is she American?" I look at her intrigued.

"Yup she lives near here too!"

"Okay, okay... I'll be upstairs!"

I quickly run upstairs and start thinking about what went down at the old school building.

Maybe it is some sort of dream. A dream? My dream!

"Oh my gosh! how did I not realize?? My dreams...are predicting the future? It makes sense..." I mumble. "Maybe I should sleep...and maybe have a dream that will tell me that Hibiki Azrail never existed...yeah," I say hopelessly.

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You know...he is just like you so don't be so harsh.

I woke up gasping for air. That was not Hibiki-San. It was another person, but like every other dream, the only person I can see clear is Hibiki-San. It doesn't make sense. I quickly get dressed and head downstairs. I see the two little girls, I quickly recognize my little sister. She is wearing a short-sleeved dress, and her blue eyes are lighting up just like my mother's. I look at the other young girl and I must say, she's adorable. She is combing my sister's brown hair into a loose braid. She has blonde hair with brown eyes. I quickly snap out of my staring and take a cookie from the counter. I quickly run out of the door because I was sure I would be late. I also did not want my sister to introduce her friend since she is talkative and would make an introduction about ten minutes long. I ran to my class and open the door.

"Sorry I'm late!-" I say before I saw Hibiki Azrail sitting at his desk. Everyone- no, I mean almost every girl was questioning him. I take this as a chance and sit down at my desk. Crap...I had been 5 minutes late.

"Everyone, that is enough!" Saito-Sensei yells. "As you can see Hibiki-San is here and that's great, but we still need to learn. Hibiki-San was playing a prank which had gone too far on everyone."

Saito-Sensei goes on with the class but I didn't pay attention. I mean, how could I? Here I was looking at someone dead. Wait...Was that a prank!? but who was that ghost? Probably an actor. Well...I'm glad everything is normal. Just in case I'll see Kumiko. That dream I had today... just like me? In what way? I narrow my eyes.

After class, I run to the stairs and knock. The hole appears and I go through it.

"Kumiko!" I yell.

"Jeez, you are so hyper Ayaka. I'm a bit busy today so I can't talk at the moment. I need to prepare." She says calmly.

"Prepare for what?" I say intrigued.

"The Annual Selections." She states while straightening a part of her wrinkled kimono.

"By any chance can you tell me what that is...?"I say hesitantly. She looks at me with a happy yet serious look.

"The Annual Selections is where you will know if you are going to heaven, hell, or you will keep on staying on Earth to atone your sins. Well...there are different types of spirits so it is quite different for some. There are Master Spirits, which ties their fate with a spirit assistant to help them. A Spirit Assistant helps the Master Spirit by wisdom or strength. There is also an Earth Guardian who is not a spirit but a human who has a powerful 6th sense, they help protect the supernatural, I guess you can say they can have their fate tied by any type of spirit. These three spirits must atone for their sins but must stay on Earth for at least 10 years. Weak Spirits are the only kind that can go to their destined locations by only atoning for their sins." She said slowly.

"Wait before you go...can you tell me some information about something..?"I ask nervously.

"Oh? hmm...depends on what it is. I'll also have to ask you a favor in return..."She replies while smirking."

"It's...about a paintbrush! I got it from m-my aunt saying it was from my parents and she told me to tell a ghost I trust about it..."I say with a stutter. Okay, okay I know. I was supposed to ask about Hibiki-San, but I just remember the paintbrush so I thought it was a good time to ask about it. After all, she is the spirit I trust the most.

"A paintbrush? yeah, I've heard of it..." She says hesitantly.

"okay...pinky promise?" I say while holding up my pinky.

"...promise" She says.

"Okay so..."Kumiko starts."That is a spiritual weapon. It is very dangerous. You can summon any spirit or weapon by writing the name of who or it on a blank card. Oh, and that favor...I'm going to bring you to The Annual Selections." She says with a look I have never seen on her.

"Wait, what? Why?!" I say startled.

"That spiritual weapon is a weapon only for Earth Guardians...meaning your parents were Earth Guardians. This means you might be one too."