7: Apprentice Kohta, Witch Saya

Now the title sorta gives something away, but not the whole thing, so when it's brought up, Saya isn't explicitly asking if she did the right thing if anyone gets confused

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//\\ Kohta POV \\//

A while after my newest teacher left I sat on the bus's roof with Skiá, carefully and sort of affectionately cleaning the Bane Rifle I had been given. I had to end up using it a lot in the span of six hours once Carter-Sensie left. Though it was worth it, I got to appreciate the archaic rifle, and a bit of its history through reading the Banisher Books left for me. The man who used to own it, Red, was someone I could find begrudging respect for even if some of the history mentioned wasn't… pleasant to stomach.

This rifle was one from after his time in New Eden, where he made a choice I'm not sure I could make. Yet from the note about that decision, it was a hard and depressing one given he could've revived his loved one. Yet he let her go, a choice that ended up creating a Banisher that'd give several Nightmares trouble alone. Because grief and longing can do things to a man according to a very personal note. So knowing all of what I did about this rifle, I grew a bit fond of it and wanted to ask to permanently keep it because of various reasons. But mostly because Carter-Sensie gave it to me and actually encouraged my love for firearms… he didn't laugh about it he just… told me to pursue it if I loved it so much.

He even snuck in a book about all his experiences in Gunsmithing and Blacksmithing… to give me a theoretical base on how to personally craft guns suited for myself. He… he's admittedly the only person outside of my family to support me on this… everyone else just bullies me for it… sighing as I sat my rifle down carefully, I looked off into the distance. Letting my vision switch to Deaths Sight as it's called, and just looking at everything I felt relaxed. There's so much hidden behind the veil of the dead that I couldn't help but appreciate the sights of it all.

"Hey Kohta! What kind of Burger do you want?! Mr. Maresato is making everyone some burgers in the abandoned McDonald's!"

Switching back to my regular vision I looked down at Takashi and shrugged my shoulders.

"I'll take anything mainly good for before and after a workout as I still want to continue to try getting exercises in when I can throughout the day. Skiá though would probably just be happy with three pounds of meat, cooked or raw wouldn't matter."

Takashi stuck his thumbs up while walking backwards, before turning around once more. Heading back into the nearby McDonald's that was stained in blood, from the outbreak and people that were likely inside of it once as they started eating each other… I could see several children's shoes in the play area, some shoes still having most of the leg still inside of them. Realizing I was going to have to eventually kill zombified children hurt, but it'd be cruel to leave them like that.

So without anyone from the group knowing what I shot over these six hours aside from the dead. I quietly prayed each time I saw a zombified child and put them down. That's another thing I liked about this rifle, while it was powerful it was easy to muffle the shots using improvised silencers. Modern rifles could be the same, though not quite like this one given its older and sometimes far easier to muffle sounds from. Likely due to Spirit Materials being involved in its make and upgrades, after residual energies or parts had been collected each fight. Although from what I read about Bane Rifles, Banishers would still make and use Muskets even in modern times.

Mostly due to their simplicity and stopping power while being created using materials from ghosts and regular materials. Modern Bane Rifles seem to have more complexity and chances to jam or explode. Due to all the parts being made with the materials of ghosts and ores, which can sometimes not play nice with each other. While Muskets are typically all one part mostly making them still preferred rifles for Banishers. Carter-Sensie's sidearm was technically not a WHOLE gun, it was almost entirely one singular gun with very little extra parts, due to mixing some of the Bane Rifle process into its creation.

The Bane Rifle creation process was unique and if I understood right from sensei's own experiences… highly lethal if done incorrectly. Skiá, the hyperactive Cerberus puppy that she is, simply looked at me like I was stupid when I winced reading about the possibility that the Bane Rifle, may in fact become a miniature Scourge and kill the maker due to a mistake. I felt as if her three heads were judging me for worrying about that part when she's around, well maybe not the left head, that head just derped as if tired of thinking. She was also somehow very productive in clipping sensei's random lesson bits on the Stream for me. I don't know how she does it honestly, she just barks and there's a clip.

It's also weird but amusing watching Carter-Sensei travel around in another world while being… a helpful menace. Skiá could watch the Stream that he invited me to as she was essentially linked to my soul? NightFather didn't explain that part clearly enough for me, just in the end he cavemaned it for me with "She pet, you owner, bonded, happy times together forever mortal." which was rude yet understandable as… I didn't understand half of what he said in chat.

I was taken out of my thoughts when something slapped my face. Looking around I noticed Saya had climbed up onto the bus roof and had just slapped me with a hamburger. Skiá was lying to the side nibbling on three giant meatballs with a glint in her eyes as she watched us. Saya though kept threateningly holding a hamburger at me so I took it before she slapped me with it again. It was pretty good when I actually got around to eating it instead of being hot with it.

"So you've been reading some of Carter's books on Ghosts and everything… Are you sure you're able to handle this fatty?"

"It's not easy, not at all if I'm to be honest. Yet I can tell from the books he gave me that they're copies that were modified to help teach someone. They're also extremely old and weathered in some places as if used repeatedly before. The dried blood on some pages doesn't help either yet it doesn't get in the way of anything. As if whoever previously used them was extremely careful with them…"

"Yeah… that's true since they were used by a woman my great grandmother's age. Carter brought her to our home while he helped resolve my issue when I was younger… I never saw daddy be so careful and generous with someone like that before…"

"Hm? What was she like? If she had these books before then she should've been special."

"Heh… special is certainly a word for it, she was very stubborn and intent on doing things her way. I don't know why he brought her there, but the two were very close… I went behind Daddy's back to find out why so I could accuse them both for stupid childish reasons… I'm honestly surprised our ditzy nurse hasn't figured anything out, or if she knows, said anything…"

While listening to Saya talk I had to grab one of the books because of the wind picking up suddenly. When I grabbed the book I noticed that it had turned all the way to the back. At the very back was a photograph pressed and sealed protectively to the back cover with words written on the corner. Before I could read them, however, a glowing hand gently grabbed the book and shut it. Looking up towards the hand I saw the woman who was in the photo with Carter-Sensei and four children…

'No mentioning me now or ever, I lived and died old with my husband, I had a good life with him. Yet I still worry about the menace that's my Chimera… so don't tell him anything about me, okay? Kohta Hirano. I just want to be with him even now and not let him worry about me still being here. Although I suspect he knows due to his patrons meddling… and the witchcraft I've taught him…'

Chuckling quietly to myself I watched as the woman disappeared with a blood thirsty smile towards me. Fuck my life, I didn't mean to anger a Ghost that's likely almost a hundred years old. Saya spoke up after being suspiciously quiet.

"She's still an asshole…"

Looking back at her I scratched my cheek.

"So you saw that woman? Is that…"

"Yes she is his deceased wife that was old and wrinkly when I met her, not young like that…. Though she seems to have decided to haunt Carter… Before you ask fatty I've been able to see the dead since I was impaled through the heart by a Scourge. It's not the worst price to pay in order to stay alive after my heart was essentially destroyed…"

"Oh… so are you a Banisher then as well?"

"No. I've got no aptitude for it, I tried and nearly erased my soul if Carter didn't stop me after I nearly died. I'm only able to see the dead, not kill them or anything. In a way, Carter is my second father, however, as it was his blood and soul that saved my life due to a slightly dark witchcraft. All in order to keep me alive so that his impromptu medical treatment could save my life. Since there's still a piece of a Scourge embedded inside of my heart.. After that all though I've been able to see the dead, and just avoided any violent Ghosts and Scourges… because I'll just die if I do anything"

"Ah… you almost died when you were younger… well I'm glad you're still alive Saya, I don't think things would be the same without you here."

Saya just smiled a very predatory grin at that, her eyes tinted a sickly pink color.

"Oh trust me fatty, without me a lot of you would be dead because while I can't be a Banisher. I can certainly be a Witch that can interfere with small bouts of fate. After all, I've already saved two people tied to our fates after Carter mentioned signs of zombies two months ago after a contract. And I can say… I certainly like being able to change fates for the better as a Witch over a Banisher…"

"You're a witch?!"

"A Witch of Fate to be precise as that is the only branch that called to me. Carter's wife was the one to help discover that, while the woman was an asshole she was a very dangerous one."

"Ah… do you know why she called Carter-Sensei a chimera though ?"

Saya just stared at me, her eyes glowing slightly before she sighed with relief. Patting her chest she smiled while speaking some very scary news.

"Good news you won't be murdered for knowing about those monsters within his soul, as you already saw a glimpse of one. So it's safe to tell you that by referencing him as a Chimera it speaks to his nature as a person and a racial aspect of him. He has NO FATE, someone can only acknowledge his fate through past interactions with another person. Because he isn't a native, but a foreigner in this dimension. There's no point in hiding that bit since you're watching him explore another world. Which you need a better user name fatty…."

"But it's a good name…"

"The dog has a better username compared to you."

I couldn't refute that claim, the Stream automatically gave my companion a defining username. While I was embarrassed to have picked ZombieBanisher… at least that guy ShyGuitarist didn't laugh at it. Everyone else joked about it, though Carter-Sensei just shrugged saying it was on the nose.

"So… How did you become a Witch of Fate?..."

Saya simply snorted at me with amusement.

"After nearly dying and almost killing myself trying to be a Banisher, Carter's wife taught me since Fate heavily likes key people. So there isn't much to tell except that through a lot of pain and blood, I learned to bend Minor Fates at first. At this point in time I can meddle with Large Fates, but only if the person has an important role to play. You and everyone in our group, except for Alice's father and the whiny scared cat that was at the nurses office, are Major Fates.

I can never truly influence those kinds, only give them a nudge or poke in a direction. I'll admit… to repay you for everything you'd do for me without your new path… I used your brief meetings with Carter to nudge your fate towards your current path… it could've ended horribly but I know him so… I gave you a nudge in a direction that's hard but rewarding for someone like you…"

I should feel wronged in a way, but I didn't feel so at all. I just laughed, laughed at the absurdity that was what was said, the fact that Saya is a Witch that can change Fate, and that I'm following a supposedly different path than was meant for me. Shaking my head I just smiled taking it all and said something she didn't expect.

"Thank you then Saya, you've possibly given me the best thing that's ever happened to me in a long time. While my family loves me a lot, I never really felt happy… I'm more used to feeling dead and getting bullied for a variety of reasons… but I think your meddling gave me something to die for with a smile. Because I got someone who is amused and supportive of my passion, I got a dog finally after ten years, and the chance to do a lot of things like giving the dead peace… So thanks for nudging me into this direction Saya."

"... You're welcome Kohta."