Chapter 9 - Courtyard Rage

Soring across the night sky like a shooting star, Hoshi found her destination. Saitama Municipal Omagi Elementary school

Three-story tall cream-colored buildings surround a grey courtyard, in the middle of that courtyard was a single tree visited by Chieko & Hoshi earlier that day & which now sits as the object this shooting star focuses on

Small dots of light from streetlamps & buildings in the distance gradually revealed Hoshi's look of determination as her eyes fixated on that one tree, the one Chieko was convinced could speak. "Hopefully now I can get my answers!" Hoshi thought with a clear inner voice chanting loudly in her mind

| Bon! |

At great speed, Hoshi slammed into the concrete surface making up the courtyard, with one of her knees hitting the hard ground to support her landing Hoshi gradually lifted her posture like how a superhero would after landing

She turned her head left until her glowing orange eyes met that desolate tree, Hoshi's entire body followed suit

The tree itself just sat there not making any moves as Hoshi stared it down with rage building, shown by how her normally emotionless face was becoming heated

Taking one foot forward Hoshi began her march ahead to face this tree, her golden hair casually waving through the air despite the lack of wind

She began to close her eyes, stop her air intake, "Now that nobody is present I can make an accurate search of this place". Hoshi is relying on the fact that the school is empty so no other Monsters could interfere with her sonar technique to locate this threat to the children

Feeling some weight grow in her chest Hoshi was confronted with a clear reading, "wait…even now?…these results are identical to the previous one"

Hoshi received an intense reading, not just from this tree but her whole surrounding. It was like everyone never left after school as anything had changed

Hoshi: "Huh"

Her mouth opened, Hoshi prevented air from escaping her lungs. This was followed with fists by her sides, grabbing the maroon dress she still wore Hoshi's mind was beginning to panic. "It can't be. The reading is getting stronger!" her inner voice was shouting at this point as the weight on her chest grew

It got heavier as a swarm of red started engulfing her mind, "this is getting out of hand" & with that thought, Hoshi pulled out of this trance

Taking in oxygen & opening her eyes widely to gaze at a barren courtyard with a single tree at the center of her view, still unmoving. The weight on her chest had completely dissipated, thankfully

Hoshi was visibly confused, looking both ways & behind to unearth the source of this reading. She was left with a void as the entire school was dark & desolate

Taking this time to calm down she made one small step towards the tree when…

| Goro! |

The sound of a projectile was heard behind her, pulling right arm up & grabbing a metal doorknob with her psychic powers it rattled before the whole door to one of the smaller builds in the courtyard detached from the frame & flew to her with great speed

Fast enough to bring wind with it waving Hoshi's hair as it careened behind her, this light grey wooden door contacted a sharp piece of steel

The sound of wood cracking was made by this collision & was heard by Hoshi who turned at lightning speed to witness the action

Hoshi: "Oh"

Hoshi's face displayed slight shock as she let out a small reaction to this collision, not only was this not the worst she's seen but this sharp piece of steel was too far to cause damage to her once the wooden door intercepted it. "How crude" she though

Careening her head upward past the action to locate the author of this attack Hoshi came to an alarming discovery

?: "That wasn't…bad"

A thin yet loud & aggressive voice was coming from something, someone on the other side of the courtyard. As Hoshi adjusted her eyes she pinpointed this menace. That voice sounded juvenile & threatening

Not even on the concrete ground, a figure was seen by Hoshi situated on the roof of the 3-story school. Short in stature & arms crossed, an outline was made using the light coming from nearby buildings revealing the black hair of this person, a boy

One feature stood out to Hoshi & that was the glowing red eyes piercing through the darkness & staring daggers at her, "wait I recognize those eyes" she realized after intensely staring right back with her fierce orange eyes

The two remained standing far apart, Hoshi still in the courtyard while this dark figure stuck to the roof until it took a gentle step forward which coincided with the sharp steel spear rattling the door it stabbed

| Biri Biri! |

Hoshi quickly aimed her gaze at the rattling which got louder, her arms began to rise as her muscles tensed up

Reaching with her right arm Hoshi pulled the door & with it the spear toward her, not a single finger rested on the door or this spear that flustered erratically. This motion was accomplished using her psychic abilities

Both of these large items dragged across the concrete as they moved in Hoshi's direction when "resistance?" Hoshi began feeling something pull back

The spear stopped rattling & started hovering above the ground almost taking the door with it, an unexpected tug forced it out of the wooden door it was lodged in

Finally freed the spear shot away from Hoshi & towards this boy on the roof who proceeded to jump off & over the fence of the roof like an Olympic high jumper

This individual childlike in appearance was falling downwards headfirst while using a similar psychic ability to Hoshi as the spear careened to him like a piece of metal to a magnet

Doing an amazing flit only professional gymnasts could be capable of doing they hit the ground with both feet. the spear flying to him at full speed until caught a softball

Stepping forward the boy concealed in darkness made his way to Hoshi who traced him with her glowing orange eyes meeting his flaming red ones

The boy was gradually approaching Hoshi, she kept her muscles tensed with her right hand near enough to the door which continues to hover a few centimeters off the concrete

She stayed where she was as the boy walked closer passing the small Football court, they were now several meters apart

Boy: "Was all that you just holding back or are you not as powerful as they say?"

The boy spoke with a threatening tone but it lacked the deep pitch to be considered mature, this sounded like a child trying to act tough

From the look on Hoshi's face, however, this threat warranted her attention even more so than the tree. "If we use are full power tonight many innocent people won't see the morning sun"

Hoshi: "I could only assume it was you who interrupted by scanning just now & during recess"

At long last Hoshi spoke to this boy now coming into full focus, his eyes were still glowing & his black spiky hair waved in the non-existent wind as if something mighty was in their presence

Boy: "Yeah it was me but someone as old as you should be able to differentiate me & that thing hiding in the tree"

His face was finally visible & with it his smug grin directed at Hoshi, he gestured to the tree sitting behind her as he spoke. Taking a good glance at his face, posture & using her psychic powers to read his Astro signature Hoshi deduced that this was the same boy she had a dispute with during recess

Hoshi: "So you know of its existence as I do?"

Boy: "I've known that creature was lurking there for 3months now"

He specified the amount of time this was part of his knowledge causing Hoshi to sneer at him

She began recalling the homeroom registration & all the names of the children in her class, this boy was without a doubt one of them. "He answered to 34" she remembered

Hoshi: "Kida. You knew of its existence for that long & choose to stand back?!"

She was outraged by this announcement from Kida, he let a dangerous creature remain hidden in the elementary school's courtyard for too long without any reason known to Hoshi

Hoshi: "You let it squat there gazing at the children!! Do you have any care for these humans?"

Hoshi carried her anger to Kida as she ferociously called out his disregard for the lives of his classmates. As she pointed at the tree when referring to the creature lurking within

Kida: *chuckles* "Hehe Hoshi you've gone soft, tenderly caring for lesser beings who've only entered your life hours before. You are so disappointing"

For Kida to suddenly speak like an adult while keeping the immature boyish tone of voice was seen as odd to Hoshi, tilting her head at this turn of attitude. Like Kida quickly learned how to speak more refined but didn't consider the mannerisms of wiser older men

Despite that surprise, Hoshi's orange eyes glared at him with disgust however she couldn't deny her curiosity. His actions need an explanation

Hoshi: "But why? With the power to do so, why would you refrain from saving your friends & acquaintances?"

She looked on with wide-open eyes searching for answers, knowing that Kida has a strong reputation at the school. During recess, he waltzed over to Hoshi & Chieko with his entourage of friends ordering them to move, "So he claims areas of the school & has everyone respect those claims yet with the power to save their lives he refuses. There is no shortage of cowards like him" Hoshi thought as her gaze remained on Kida, awaiting his answer

Kida: "I don't care about that, my mission was to find you. Sōru!"

He exclaimed with a loud voice his purpose for being there, for being in this world. This revelation hit Hoshi like a tonne of bricks but one word, in particular, sent a chill down her spine

She stretched out her right arm at the door that hovered over the concrete & like a car it activated, emerging from its low level to her height which was 128cm as she stood straight

The wooden door twisted in the air as it charged at Kida with great speed, the long side of it smashed into the boy's face. This crash split the wood apart creating sharpened splinters that all proceeded to fly in every direction

Zooming towards Hoshi before being blocked by some unseen shield before piercing her skin. Her once extended right arm now covered her orange eyes from the dust of disintegrated wood that followed the crash

Her breathing stopped, her arm wiped off her face & now Hoshi examined the damage. In front of her was the grey concrete ground filled with pieces of wood, splinters scattered the landscape with the pale metal door handle being the only defining feature left after the crash

This was all masked by a thin cloud of dust properly containing tiny fragments of lumber, this was why Hoshi kept her breathing to a minimal

Hoshi looked on with dread at the destruction of school property caused by her abilities, more worryingly was the figure standing at the edge of this carnage

The smoke cleared revealing the target of this collision, "not even a scratch" Hoshi thought as she was left bewildered by the lack of cuts on this boy's face, "perhaps it's a good thing" she rationalized "we both have to return to this establishment as students tomorrow" Hoshi was somewhat glad this didn't cause worse damage onto the person she wanted to harm seconds ago

Just as Hoshi managed to calm down the cloud of dust began to dissipate swiftly & in every direction, the one causing this was not her

Kida had both arms spread out & eyes remained glowing bright red giving light to his face on this night

Kida: "Not good enough Sōru!"

His anger was evident in his rage-filled voice but that was minuscule to Hoshi's growing animosity toward this boy. Kida spoke of that word a second time, that name which sent Hoshi into a spiral of fury

Hoshi lifted her body into the air & proceeded to float gently off the ground, pulling her arms to herself Hoshi gestured that she was pulling something toward her

As she did so splinters raced to her & came together, wooden powder compressed itself to create a fluid-like substance with enough razor-sharp edges to tear through metal

This fluid of splinters flows through the air like a tiny river or a snake, spiraling around Hoshi in unison with her hands moving like an orchestra conductor. This paired with the sound of small wooden fragments hitting each other almost mimics the flapping of bird wings

She stops her arms from moving & takes them to her sides ending the flow of splinters which now end conclude their movement around her, in mid-air the boy Kida could see its minuscule fragments frozen shut

He turns his eyes to the glowing orange lights emanating from Hoshi's face, her bright orange eyes begin to stare at him with rage

Swiftly she races her arms & with them small shards of wood shoot to their new target, Kida furrowed his brows at the sight of them swarming toward him. His view was now covered by these wooden fragments as they engulfed his body

Raising his arms to cover his youthful face before becoming lost to Hoshi in a cloud of splinters, "I am aware this cannot hold him for long" she thought while stepping closer

Both arms remained up as the sound of flapping wings became more intense, with every step Hoshi made her breath became heavier. Her foot neared this mass of migrating splinters when…

Kida: "You think this can beat me!"

The boy yelled as a hand reached out of the cloud, it was completely unharmed. This shocked Hoshi

Her eyes widened illuminating this dark area with the orange glow of her pupils. Hoshi backed away at great speed before the rest of Kida emerged from the wooden twister he was temporarily trapped in

Kida's whole body was freed from the splintery cloud with a full summersault, his head curled through the air turning him into a spiral of death as his legs followed suit

After a complete turn one of his feet directed itself at Hoshi, he prepared his kick however his stretched-out right leg was grabbed by his classmate & with a ferocious tug she launched him toward the tree behind her

Kida flew through the air uncontrollably

Kida: "Ahhhh!"

The sound of an angry child throwing the loudest tantrum was heard from Kida before he was made silent when his face smashed into the bark of the tree trunk

Face first into that tree Kida began to slide down its side, his body now pressed itself onto the patch of dirt the tree grew from all while Hoshi marched on carrying the anger with her

Hoshi: "I encounter beings like you every century, always one goal in mind & now care for those you hurt along the way"

The orange glow in her eyes appeared like flames as she approached, Hoshi's pace was growing with every step & she had a goal of her own now

Hoshi: "I don't ever want to see you lot in my space anymore"

She exclaimed as her right hand reached out to Kida's head which sat face-first in the dirt, she grabbed his black hair & pulled his head up exposing the red-light underneath

His face bared no marks at all deepening Hoshi's fury, even more, staring down at that youthful face completely lacking scratches & wrinkles. Hoshi snarled

Hoshi: "Let this be a warning to youuuu!"

Mid-sentence Hoshi was flung across the courtyard by Kida who swiftly twisted his entire body & using the force from his right hand to propel her away, Hoshi's small frame bashed on the ground causing craters to form in the concrete with loud cracking noises following each slam

Kida clenched his exposed fist before pressing himself up, leaving the crater in the concrete shaped like his body Kida began floating several centimeters off the ground

Twisting his body one more time in mid-air to face his foe Kida carried the wind with him, this breeze grew loud blowing away all the tiny stones off the ground before causing them to fly just like him

These small stones started spiralling around the boy much like the splinters from earlier, as his arms directed them to surround him like a twister Kida gently began moving in Hoshi's direction

The grey stones all of them fragments from the concrete courtyard smacked against each other creating sounds reminiscent of pebbles heating other pebbles in a flowing stream. Like these pebbles were flowing through the air

On the other side of the courtyard Hoshi who nearly smashed the building lifted her head in relief to see that the wall of the school was not damaged but this comfort was short-lived. She caught a glimpse into the window & two red lights reflected at her, the room behind was absent of light so the window was reacting to the activity going on outside. Reflecting the moonlight, streetlamps, building lights & the mix of red & orange coming from the eyes of these Espers

Hoshi gazed into the glass & saw what was approaching her from behind, nearing the center of the courtyard & slowly passing the craters caused by their battle Kida was getting ever angrier

Kida: "You can't fight this forever Sōru! We will keep coming for you!"

The stones increased in speed as they flowed in an almost perfect circle around Kida while he yelled those words which only heightened Hoshi's anger. "That name again, that damn name!" her mind was screaming

Hoshi: "Is this really how you want things to go? Kida Chan"

Hoshi found the strength to carry herself off the ground stand up straight, she faced the window of the school's first floor letting the orange glow of her eyes bounce off & hit Kida's devilish red eyes

Kida: "Tch"

He let out a sound of frustration as his anger began to overflow, seemingly after hearing Hoshi use the "chan" honorific implying that he is young & cute. To him this was an insult, displaying Hoshi's newfound casual attitude to this fight

To Hoshi, this took the seriousness out of the threat & that's all she needed to set him off

Kida: "Ahhh!"

He screamed like a child as both his short arms were pushed forward propelling the stones to Hoshi, the speed they were going collected nearby pebbles to join their pursuit of the Esper girl standing with her back to them

Hoshi saw all this from the reflection on the window, watching them edge closer. "If I remain here the window would be shattered, I can't cause further damage to the school's property" she thought as she theorized her next move

She turned swiftly to face the incoming barrage of stones, entered a runner's pose before shooting her entire body forward

Meeting the stones Hoshi had both arms at her sides while her legs did the work of marching her forward, instantly contacting the stones. As Hoshi lowered her back each stone smashed into her pure face & as they did each stone crumbled into dust at the impact

Like eggs being thrown at the wall, every stone heading for Hoshi were being disintegrated after reaching her head & body

Hoshi lifted herself off the ground to catch stones flying higher than her, with every jump Hoshi maneuverer her body to smack each stone using her torso, legs, arms & face to leave none intact

The momentum of this was great

Kida seeing his opponent marching closer & seeing that his attacks had no effect took his right hand to the head & caressed his hair in thought, "I need a new attack, I need something heavier" he thought as his red eyes scouted the surroundings area for a larger object to fight with

His eyes were aiming at a van parked outside the school boundaries, he smirked at the sight of it however that was too distant to reach before being intercepted by Hoshi so he began searching again for something else when…

Realizing it Kida quickly looked behind & in no time his eyes met the tree idly sitting in the courtyard, "I could use this as a distraction!" he came to a great conclusion

While turning to face the tree Hoshi had cleared the stones leaving a trail of dust being blown away by the wind caused by her trek to Kida

Putting one arm on the tree Kida held his breath & closed his eyes, from behind Hoshi saw the red glow disappear & began to worry. "He's not going to use the…" Hoshi dreaded his next move & so flew straight to stop him but she was too late

| Baki Baki |

Loud sounds of cracking wood were heard & as Hoshi finally neared her target all she saw was Kida being blocked by a large tree trunk in her view

Then like a baseball Hoshi was slammed into the trunk & flanged away, careening over that section of the courtyard she expressed only shock & anguish before landing on the concrete surface creating another crater

However Hoshi got up in no time, her face still bared no markings as if she wasn't been slammed into the ground by a massive baseball bat. There was no time for Hoshi to feel any pain from this if she could even, Kida was rushing to that van & she had to prevent his next move

Pouncing off the ground like a frog on steroids Hoshi flew to intercept Kida, she swiftly curved her assent to him & reached her arms out using all ten fingers to cut through the air

Kida occasionally bounced off the ground like a child on a trampoline to achieve forward motion while Hoshi was catching up like a jet maintaining speed to reach its opponent

Hoshi now at a short arm's length from Kida can finally grab him, using bother outstretched arms to wrap around Kida's waist she rugby tackled him & utilized the force from her assent to drag him down

Kida: "Ah!"

Now left immobile, Kida could only turn his upper body & head. With his red eyes, he saw Hoshi's oranges ones staring back with ironclad determination

--

At the center of the courtyard, the tree that was severed from the ground remained sat on the concrete with each of its branches torn off

At the patch of exposed dirt the tree was growing from a hole was left visible amongst the smaller plants & flowers, this hole was larger than the tree itself & inside it was pitch black

Rising from that darkness a finger emerged, a sharp yellow nail growing on a large finger the size of a sausage & hunter-green skin

This belonged to a hand that too was rising from the hole, then a wrist, arm until finally, a large head peeked out to examine the damage made by the conflict between two beings too powerful to exist on this planet

The beast pocked its large head out of the hole & with its yellow eyes glared at the two vengeful Espers fighting in the distance, each of their hits causing the splinters & pebbles on the ground to shake

More of the beast arose from the hole exposing his bare hairy chest & nipple piercings, he haltingly crawls out one limb at a time

The beast was discreetly trying to keep breathing without drawing attention to itself, hiding his breath by blowing slowly from his mouth. Gradually letting air in & out

His mighty arm reached for the largest piece of wood left from the tree's demise, the tips of the beast's chunky fingers tapped the edge of the timber but this was not enough to fully grab it

This monster bore a worried look on his face as it took one glance at the two Espers battling in the distance, their punches & kicks causing the courtyard to tremble to allow the fear within this beast to increase

He takes both its enormous arms to the sides of the hole & pushes down, utilizing his strength to push itself out of this depth. The force of the beast's hefty hands pressing on the soil began to sink the plants surrounding it

Despite that, the beast was freed from the hole, knees out, and its arms grabbed began to grab the concrete enclosing that patch of dirt

The beast bites his lip as it reaches out for that same piece of wood, right hand successfully clutches a sizable part of it

Noticing the hair on his arm calmly started dancing as the air began flowing, the wind was picking up & the sound of a small typhoon reached the beast's ears. He moved his yellow eyes to the left to catch the origin of this

The beast saw a flash of light swooping towards him, an orange beam approaching at rocket speed. As it got closer with every second the face of a young girl appeared at the center, her eyes were fiery & face displayed her rage

Beast: *Gasps*

He gasps showing his sharp amber teeth when faced with this Esper coming forward like a storm taking the wind with it, blinding light from her caused the beast to squint

He covered his eyes with his free left hand before turning to what's left of the tree trunk he still holds tightly, so much so that his fingers dig into the wood & carry it up. His strength makes this easy, the beast lifts it like a baseball bat

His trembling body is clear & unease increases as the light get brighter. The beast was out of moves, running away would be futile & crawling into the hole from whence he came would look even worse as well as likely failing

With the trunk in hand, the beast would wild it, taking this fragment of what was once a free-standing tree to the source of this bright light & stormy winds he shut his eyes

With one ferocious swing, he felt a short burst of resistance but his strong arm persevered until the trunk stopped, pointing to his left side the beast made a complete swing resulting in the light vanishing

The beast moved his arm away from his eyes & squinted, observing the damage he saw dusty smoke filled with splinters. It would appear the already destroyed tree trunk was shattered even more…but the Esper was absent from his view & so was her recognizable orange hue

This beast scouted the area around him to locate her, as the dust cleared the courtyard of the school was ravaged with craters, splinters & shards of glass from the fight between both Espers

Beast: *heavily breaths*

The site they left fuelled the feeling of dread in the beast who now stood at the epicenter of this catastrophe, the fear only grow as he frantically turned to find each Esper. The one who approached him seemingly disappeared after getting hit by that trunk & the other one nowhere in sight only strengthened his anxiety

The night was cold & dark, no sound was being made. This time traffic would have stopped as the residents of Midori Ward would be asleep creating a deserted ominous atmosphere

With the sound of action now gone all this beast could hear is the wind flowing towards him from inside the school, "Wait" the beast might have thought once he glanced at the smashed windows of the school's first floor

Increasing his grip on whatever piece of wood he can hold as he anticipates the arrival of the second Esper from where that gust of wind is emanating the beast wears a stern look on his face, hiding the fear of this upcoming attack

Deep in the shadows of the school building, behind the shattered glass panel stands the silhouette of a young boy with glowing red eyes piercing through the darkness. Those two dots the color of magma were directed at the beast who held his position with legs & arms shaking

His teeth became jittery as this dark figure began approaching him, the boy let the wind take him to the beast from inside that classroom. Kida hovered off the ground & with him, shards of glass & pebbles followed

Kida hovered at a casual speed, he could be going for the offensive against this monster however his advance was not fast enough to make a large impact. Like this wasn't an attack at all

The beast saw the rate he moved forward & so let down some of his fear, his shaking limbs stopped

Beast: *deep breaths* "Please have mercy on me"

The beast begins to plead in his deep voice, slightly raising his arms to block any potential attack coming from Kida despite his relaxed pose & casual deminer now being amplified as he gets closer

The only things suggesting otherwise are those red eyes staring back at the beast ferociously, Kida hovered a few meters away from the beast & so high off the ground they had the same eye level

Kida: *sighs* "Don't worry, I'm not here for you"

He closes his eyes momentarily after interacting with this beast who stood before him, the larger size of this towering monster felt minimal compared to the raw power & tension emanating from a supernatural being like Kida

The boy scouted his surroundings watching for any signs of movement, glistening red eyes aimed at the far side of the courtyard then the school buildings further behind him

The beast turned his gigantic round head to where that girl was flung to after being hit by the tree trunk like a baseball, there was a child-sized crater & dust all over but no girl

He watched his rear carefully spinning to make sure he was safe from all angles, not a single person in sight. It appeared the beast & Kida were the only two present on the school grounds

Beast: "Could she have left?"

The beast was hesitant to believe the words coming out of his mouth but there was hope in his voice as he asked Kida if there was a chance that girl disappeared

Kida: "It's not like Sōru to give up so easily"

He said this casually while facing the night sky, several clouds passed over their heads blocking a cluster of stars Kida stared at

He closed his eyelids & halted his breathing, this began his process of finding other supernatural entities in the vicinity. This was short-lived as Kida opened his eyes to see two orange dots flying towards him with great anger, his nonchalant expression was swiftly replaced with one of shock

Kida: "How?"

He whispered before Hoshi grabbed his head with her right hand

Hoshi: "Hyahhh!"

In a blaze of fury, Hoshi grabbed Kida by the face & through him to the side, his body lost its ability to hover as it hit the ground but in no time he got up with no scratches

Hoshi was able to stare down the beast & finally have her battle with him, the beast stood shaking with his arms hiding his chest & any strength he could muster would be there anticipating an attack from this vengeful Esper

Hoshi however had no time to even peruse her target as Kida pounced on her & pummelled her into the concrete. Hoshi used her short legs to push against his might with relative success as the ground started to crack at her feet

The dainty red shoes she wore have gotten torn up from the fighting & her maroon dress is riddled with stains & tears from battle

Hoshi was breathing heavily as Kida still pressed down on her shoulders, this clash became a stalemate with both Espers refusing to give way to the other. This match was being viewed by the Beast who gradually let his guard down & weighed his options out

Beast: "Hahh"

He took in a deep breath while thinking, "I feel these two will continue their fight even without me" he realized as both Espers failed to notice his presence. "I think I could take the time to escape home" he referred to the hole he was staying in under the tree that grew in the school's central courtyard, he moved to face this hole & stare down into it

As he stared with his yellow eyes he remained stuck in his thoughts, "there is a large network of tunnels I can retreat to, this school was a failure but I can escape to others where I can have my well-earned meal" he ponders while licking his lips

He takes one glance at the Espers behind him, "there's no point in joining this fight, I appreciate that this black-haired boy spared my life but this isn't a brawl for me"

The beast was ready to turn & leave when out of nowhere…

Hoshi: *breaths in*

…

Hoshi: *breaths out*

…

All of a sudden a bright beam of light flashes before the eyes of both Kida & the Beast who quickly covers his eyes with his arms

& As for Kida he gets thrown off Hoshi & landed several meters away from the girl who now glows like a lantern

This bright light ends & what remains is the girl who caused it, her dress riddled with tears & shoes nearly disintegrated

Hoshi hovers toward the Beast who now sits in fear as he rubs his sore eyes, "I'm completely done for here, it was a bad idea to scout for prey at this school!" he comes to this conclusion as hope in his soul drains

Nevertheless, he reaches out for any piece of wood, stone, anything to slow her advance but there was nothing this Beast could find that would help. He frantically caressed the concrete surface for any object to throw at Hoshi as desperation continues to kick in

The orange lights before him got brighter & at that point, the Beast knew she was not far, he edged his head frontward to face Hoshi with tears forming in his eyes

Expecting the most severe punishment for being in the vicinity of this school the Beast began to close his eyes & just like that…silence

Hoshi: *whispers* "Have you eaten anyone here?"

The Beast opened his eyes wide to see where that whisper came from, it contrasts with the loud voices heard earlier. To his surprise, the Esper remains hovering in front of him with her arms crossed & a face of anger but not as vengeful as before, like her whole deminer softened but did not change

Beast: "What?"

He whispers to himself as if asking some divine creature for aid, the only "divine creature" present was this terrifying girl staring him down without blinking

Hoshi: "Have you eaten anyone here!"

Her anger rose once again along with her tone of voice, even her orange eyes got brighter. She yelled at this Beast, searching for answers before making any moves to remove him

Beast: "Ahh! No one! I haven't"

The Beast gave his answer in a frantic scream, his low-pitched voice was there but fractured in fear

With Hoshi looking down at him with her orange eyes as she floats off the ground she ponders for a moment

Hoshi: "Hmm"

She quietly thinks

Hoshi: "I can believe that as there has been no news of children going missing here as far as I can remember"

Beast: "I promise you! I've eaten no one"

The Beast enters a bowing position as he pleads for Hoshi to believe what he says, her anger gradually disappears after seeing this

Hoshi: "How long have you been here?"

She lowers herself slightly to the point where her toes can reach the ground as she maintains eye contact with the Beast still bowing at her

Beast: "Only 3months, the boy was correct earlier"

He slowly rises as his eyes look around the courtyard to locate the boy he was referring to, in no time he saw Kida lying face down on the grey concrete not making any movements. He doesn't appear to be breathing

The Beast saw Kida lying on the ground & felt remorse for the boy who knew he hide on school grounds & did nothing, his eyes went back to Hoshi who could only stare at him…no

Hoshi was staring at his large pointy eyes & looked with curiosity as she tilted her head to her left

Hoshi: "You must have good hearing to be able to pick that up from where you were"

This may be the first time Hoshi spoke without malice towards him, it was a complete change in tone that he was not expecting. So much so that he gave a weak smile & began scratching the back of his bald head

Beast: "You could say that"

He awkwardly responded as Hoshi in front of him was giving a blank stare, she looked up to the night sky & finally at long last. Bright light from above showered her face as the dark grey clouds separated from each other revealing the glowing half-disk floating in the sky. The half Moon finally makes an entrance

The shine of this light caught the eyes of the Beast who looked up momentarily before facing forward where Hoshi stood, her back was to him now as the Moon took her attention away. "This is my chance to finally escape!" he came to this conclusion as Hoshi glared at the Moon as opposed to the brute behind

Thus he found an opportunity to step back into his hole before dealing with any punishment from Hoshi for plotting to eat the schoolchildren, "This is brilliant, this hole leads to a series of tunnels that span half of Saitama city" the Beast reassured himself that finding him would be taxing on this girl should she follow

He made a celebratory grin at this thought, "There's no way she could find us easily" the beast filled his head with thoughts of victory as he calmly stepped closer to that hole actively making silent steps in the process

However this Beast now had his back to the Esper who remained looking at the Moon above, her blank gaze turned to slight emotion being expressed from Hoshi's eyes

Her brows furrowed & lips monetarily trembled

Hoshi: "I see how it is"

She whispered. Hoshi started looking down at the school courtyard she hovered from & descended marginally to the point where her feet were a few centimeters from the concrete ground

She was left forlorn after her brief interaction with the celestial body glowing brightly in the midnight sky, her head was down as Hoshi slumped in disappointment

Hoshi: "That would be the easier option"

Now Hoshi contemplates her next move to handle this situation, so far she was presented with two; "To protect these children I could kill the Beast who intends on consuming them but that is not entirely fair if he hasn't eaten any yet" Hoshi is referring to how there was no instance of children dying or going missing at this school. This was why background checks were made beforehand by her & Haru

This first option in Hoshi's mind would involve her killing something on school grounds after her first day of attending, "Not exactly the best entrance for a new student that is for sure" she remarked in her head

However, as she met this Beast she intended to kill but once Kida was out of the way & the Beast was left vulnerable Hoshi struggled to initiate a malicious attack on him

But Hoshi was contacted by something more powerful than even her, up in the sky. Hoshi had a brief conversation with the Moon who presented her with a second option, "deter him from ever coming back, to this school & others"

Hoshi let that idea play out in her mind & gradually began to accept it, "I can seal that hole so no more brutes like him could enter the school grounds & perhaps monitor the other schools in the area"

Hoshi descended further so her small feet can tap the ground, she speedily turned to face the Beast once again & her orange eyes glowed brightly once again getting the attention of the Beast who was seconds away from escaping

The beast reacts to the light shining in his direction with a look of confusion, "the Sun?" he thought before turning his head up to see the half Moon remaining on the black blanket of night

Instantly after the Beast noticed it was still nighttime he felt his right arm immobilize, stuck like it was caught on something. He turned to see the cause & saw two bright orange dots staring daggers at him & the small arm of a child gripping his large solid wrist

The size of the Beast's arm was considerably larger than Hoshi's, his arm is about three times wider than Hoshi's & his hand could comfortably wrap around even an adult's face

The sight of his arm being clutched by Hoshi, a small child with the strength to hold him still like this sent shivers down his spine & fear to his brain

Beast: "Ahh!"

He screamed in agony as Hoshi's wrist began to tighten around the Beast's arm, "That's it, she has me!" his mind frantically imagines the worst-case scenario. "A being of her power could rip me in two" he thinks

The Beast takes his dark yellow to meet Hoshi's orange ones as they get brighter, she grabs that same arm with her other hand & their combined strength forces the Beast's right arm to turn to his back like an officer restraining a criminal

With Hoshi's lite weight & ability to levitate she forced his arm to his back, twisting & pulling it so the Beast can't make another move

Hoshi: "You won't be hitting me like a baseball again, do you understand!"

The Beast heard Hoshi's question as she shouted at a such volume no child her size could normally pull off

Beast: "Yes! I understand!"

He responded equally as loud to the Esper who now keeps his arm secured behind to the point of pain, "any further & she could break my arm!" the Beast worries with tears forming in his eyes

Beast: "Please! I understand now! I won't go near any more schools you hear!"

All he could do in this situation is plead & assure that he'll stay far away from any other school ground

Beast: "It's because I planned to eat the children no!? I hear you now! I won't ever do it again. You have my word!"

The Beast sees Hoshi looking back as he yells from the top of his lungs, her lips tighten & brows furrowed to express anger while the Moon behind her head was shining a near blinding light on the both of them

Hoshi's aggressive thoughts begin to subside, "I almost pity this creature". She closes her eyes & just like that the orange hue surrounding them disappeared

Hoshi: *sighs* "You give me your word?"

She sighs before giving the Beast a question of her own, Hoshi opens her eyes but the orange light from before is absent as her eyes are widened. Her face seems more relaxed but both arms are still restraining the Beast

Beast: "Of course! I will never set foot on another school for as long as I live!"

Hoshi: "Would you keep quiet!"

Hoshi silenced this brute with a loud defining order

Hoshi: "Do you want to expose us to the humans"

Giving a rhetorical question the Beast nonetheless answered

Beast: "No…I don't"

His tone was much quieter, this tone highlighted how deep his voice really was contrasted with Hoshi's high-pitched scream, the sound of a child demanding attention

Beast: "I swear, I will never set foot in another school. I will search for alternative food sources from now on"

These words from the Beast sat with Hoshi as she considered letting him escape from her clutches, the Beast however was too paralyzed in fear to make a move. That or he feared the consequences of defying this Esper

Nevertheless, Hoshi came to her conclusion, "Trolls like this one don't typically eat humans, to them humans are scary & their taste is odd. Not like the deer or other woodland critters they normally consume" she pondered. "Humans are more difficult to catch so they are more of a luxury meal for these brutes" this thought lead Hoshi to consider something she hadn't before sending her a barrage of questions

Hoshi: "Who sent you?"

She answered calmly with a deep enough voice to sound serious yet still sounding like a child, "He must not be alone" Hoshi's mind jumps to another conclusion. She felt dread & her face showed that Hoshi's eyes & mouth widened

Hoshi: "Who sent you to catch these children?!"

She started to scream again sending terror to the Beast just as he began to destress

Beast: "No no no! I was acting alone"

He closed his eyes, hid his face from Hoshi using his free hand. His palm protected both his eyes & his large pointy nose

Beast: "I promise that it was only me & no one else. I came to this school looking for a delicious child to fill my stomach with"

His arms were shivering but not from the cold, Hoshi felt the fear in this Troll being carried through his body. With both her small hands Hoshi felt his pulse & the blood flowing through his veins at great speed

Troll: "I sat there using the tree as cover, scouting my prey for months hoping to catch a good one"

Nevertheless, he continued to explain to Hoshi who gradually let go of her anger toward him

Hoshi: "& that boy spotted you?"

Troll: "What…boy?"

He hesitated to ask whom Hoshi was referring to

Hoshi: "The boy I fought, he knows you were there all this time & did nothing about it"

Troll: "Oh I saw him yes but I had no idea he nor you could be capable of such…destruction"

He hesitated again this time on the last word, hoping not to anger the Esper once more. He kept his eyes hidden from Hoshi & face far from her reach

Hoshi: "…"

Hoshi remained silent, she only looked at him with her now dim orange eyes. She even began to loosen her grip on the Troll's arm

Troll: "I'm sorry"

He calmly apologized to the Esper & after feeling her gradually lose her grip he shimmied his arm free

Hoshi did not resist as the Troll freed his arm from her clutches, that iron grip left large red marks along his dark grey skin shaped like a child's hands

With the Troll finally free he got back on his feet & sprinted towards the hole he arrived from

He quickly stopped & turned to Hoshi

Troll: "Thank you for spearing my life, I will keep my promise"

He spoke to Hoshi with newfound life in his voice & face before turning back to that hole & jumping into it like a diver

All Hoshi did in response was stare blankly, this was a victory yet her face displayed defeat. "He acted on his accords but if I wasn't here someone could have been eaten" Hoshi thought with her knees on the ground

Hoshi: "…"

Just sitting idly as the clouds began to cover the Moon once more while Hoshi's thoughts turned to dread, "What if it was Chieko?" her mind name-dropped the girl she got acquainted with that day

Thinking about Chieko, her big lavender-coloured eyes filled with curiosity, her brown wavy hair, she's easily frightened but speaks confidently about the things she loved. "There are some many girls like Chieko I've encountered during my time on this planet" Hoshi thought

Hoshi: *sighs*

She lets out a breath of frustration before turning towards Kida who lay face down inside a boy-shaped crater in the distance with one leg sticking out

Hoshi was floating through the air not too far off the great, using her powers to reach Kida faster than she could at a walking pace. As she does so a face of dread is carried with her, "I must make sure Chieko lives a long happy life while I'm still here" Hoshi proclaims in her head to help her first friend at this school through life-threatening adversities

In no time Hoshi reaches Kida who remains passed out, she lands safely on the ground next to his head, her face was stern as she glared at him

Kida: *groans* "Wha?"

His head began to move side to side before it rose

Kida: *groans*

Kida opened his eyes & at first saw rubble, the cracks in the concrete he saw resembled grey dried dirt. After blinking a few times his vision started to clear up & Kida began to set his sights on two red shoes, they were small & ripped beyond repair

The owner of these familiar shoes belonged to the girl staring daggers at Kida as his eyes moved up slightly to meet Hoshi's fiery orange eyes

Hoshi: "Look around you"

She ordered Kida with a threatening voice, in response to this he turned his head both right & left before aiming his gaze at Hoshi, specifically Hoshi's right arm as it points at the school building

Kida begins to face the school which is on his left & sees the destruction caused by the fighting, winds smashed, playground cracked, piles of debris scattered across the courtyard & many sharp objects. This was the aftermath of one ferocious fight between two powerful beings

Kida: "They will close this place down for weeks, maybe months"

As Kida speaks Hoshi puts her arm down & starts walking towards the main building, she takes slow steps moving at a low speed. As she walks Kida gets out of the crater & briefly admires how its shape resembles him so cleanly

Kida: *whispers* "Wow"

Using a quiet tone whilst looking down at it & ignoring Hoshi

Hoshi: "You will help me clean up this mess"

Kida: "Hahh!"

He lets out a sound of disbelief after hearing Hoshi's next order, Kida starts walking in Hoshi's direction with both arms out & shoulders raised

Kida: "Can't you see the damage we caused, this isn't going to be fixed before morning!"

He argues against Hoshi who keeps her eyes on the damage & paying as little attention as possible to his refusal

Kida: "Do you expect me to conjure a tree from thin air…"

Kida was silenced by Hoshi's sudden movements, she raised both arms to her chest level & like a conductor, Hoshi waved her fingers through the air around her & as she did particles from the ground began dancing in her vicinity

Hoshi: "I don't aim to fix all of it, I merely want to give the authorities less work in the morning"

As she says this her eyes started glowing & miniature shards of glass start zooming past her. The school's empty window frames begin to fill with growing glass panels, even the cracked windows are being repaired

Hoshi: "So Kida Kun, will you help me?"

She turns her head back to him whilst keeping her arms moving, her eyes dim & face clear of animosity as if Hoshi has returned to the young 9-year-old girl she appears as

Kida: "Why should I"

He quickly crossed his arms as a hit of red beams from his cheeks, this was still a refusal but his voice lacks the aggressive tone before

Hoshi: "So we can have a chance to talk about my future on this planet"

After hearing her reasoning Kida lets out a small sigh before raising his arms & the two began their synchronized hand movements to fix what they can before morning