Chapter 14- A Poison Petal

Another day passed as the two waited for the results.

Already half past twelve Hako was downstairs eating some breakfast she made for herself and Tokume. Although she was the only one eating, wondering where her sister was, usually she be running around or eating as fast as she could to go do something. Giving a sigh she went back upstairs to her door.

Giving two knocks she asked, "Hey it's already twelve what are you doing still laying down?"

"…"

Knocking another two times, "Hey!"

"…"

"Don't ignore me!" She exploded the door open as she awkwardly stared at Tokume.

Half of Tokume was on the floor as the other was on the bed slowly sliding down. Her blanket was wrapped around her, "Sup."

"What are you doing."

"In agonizing pain." She didn't even move a muscle.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I'm hella sore and I tired to get up and slipped on my blanket and fell. Now all I feel is pain everywhere."

"I knew you shouldn't have went out there."

"Worth."

Giving a sigh a bundle of pink petals surrounded Tokume slowly carrying her up, "Hey watch it! I'm in pain ya know!"

"And that's because of who?"

"m-me."

"I'm sorry what was that? You need to speak a little louder." Hako started to tease Tokume.

"ME IT'S BECAUSE OF ME! Now can you put me down before you drop me!"

"Fine." Slowly putting her hand down the petals followed putting Tokume down back on her bed, "Anyway is their anything you need?"

"Chips and soda!!" Tokume took her chance to get snacks from her sisters' wallet.

Rolling her eyes, she started to leave the room, "Fine…anything else?"

"Nah thanks!" Tokume was able to slightly raise her hand and waved.

Not saying another word, she waved her hand and closed the door, walking down the stairs she checked her wallet to see how much she should spend. Concluding that a weeks' worth of food is enough, walking out of the door she could feel the bit of sunlight coming peeking from the clouds. Even though there was car's passing by and people walking it felt unusually quiet than normal. Then she started to walk down the street looking at the open stands waiting for anything.

As time pass not seeing anything that took an interest to her just people trying to sell things not for cooking. A voice called out yelling her name making Hako stop and turn to the other side of the street. A tall muscular man stood behind a stand filled with baskets of red and green, a smile came to her as she started to walk across the street.

"Hey kid! How's my favorite customer doing!" He still had his hand out to her.

Smacking her hand against his Hako

responded, "Can you stop calling me a kid Sean. I'm not six anymore."

"Hah! Compared to me you're still a child!" Sean let out a laugh, "Anyway I saw the Ceremony you did a great job out there."

"Eh if you call me getting knocked out in a single hit then I don't think I did a good job really." She rubbed the back of her neck where she got hit.

"Don't worry about it you did great! Now where is that troublemaker sister of yours?" He looked around for Tokume noticing that she wasn't there

Giving a sigh she replied, "In bed because right after the ceremony she decided to go work on her teleporting skills. So now she's way too sore to move and I'm here getting groceries."

"Ah that kid never knows her limits. So, what you trying to buy today?"

Remembering what she wanted she gave a list of things from tomatoes, bell peepers, and much more other vegetables. Sean put everything down on a piece of pen and paper then once he was done, he nodded his head as he grabbed a bag and started to put all that she needed in it. Once done he was done Sean started to add up all of the numbers so Hako could pay.

"And that would be ten bucks." He gave a smile to her as Hako had a surprised expression.

"Wait just ten? Why usually this would be like twenty or so?"

He slightly leaned in and whispered, "Just call it an early celebration discount for entering the Slayers."

Smiling she paid her amount, "Thanks next time I'll bring over Tokume when she's not dying."

As Hako started to walk down further she waved to him until he was out of sight, "Ok now to the meat store."

Reaching into the place it was inevitable when the strong smell of fish and many other meats and seasoning smacked her right in the noise. Blasted back she forced herself into the store as she heard the store owner laugh at her.

"You never learn do you! I thought you would know by now!" The store lady laughed at Hako as she seemed on the verge of passing out.

"Yeah, yeah Mrs. Collins," Hako covered her mouth a noise trying to block out the smell, "How's your husband? Is he doing any better?"

"He's the same, tired and yet still working

himself to death," She started to put on gloves readying herself for the order, "Even though he should be taking a break from work he still

decides to chop wood or if it's anything else but resting. Anyway, what are you here for?"

"You know the usual, chicken, pork, beef and actually why not some steak."

"Oh, changing it up a bit, are we?"

"Just a bit I know Tokume's been wanting steak for a while, you know her she's bad at hiding things."

Mrs. Collins chuckled a bit, "Always looking after your sister you're a good kid you know."

Hiding her red ears with petals she replied.

"Yeah well someone has to look after her! She's way to reckless! You saw her in the matches she had not giving a care about what happens!"

"Yeah, sure anyway here you go! On the house!" She held out a bag to Hako.

"Are you sure?"

"Well yeah you I know you too are already going to join and hope you can make it to the top maybe even to the Myth Killers. And to do that you two need to eat well!"

Uncovering her mouth, she smiled and reached out to the bag, "Thanks a lot I'll make it up too you somehow." Before leaving the two talked for a while then once another customer entered, she left the store and waved.

Walking back with the groceries she heard something blast right passed her at dangerous speed, a car going down the road without any hesitation to slow down. Hearing a scream in a distance a mother yelling at her child who is mindlessly crossing the road. As she dropped her bag's petals filled her field of vision as she was going down catching up to the child, Hako's petals disappeared as she grabbed the kid and threw him to his mother. Looking forward the car was almost right near her about to run her over.

I got no choice but to use it!! Petal-!

Hako stopped in her talking as a gust of wind went past her, death was in front her eyes until the car suddenly stopped. A boy in a green jacket stood in front of her with a single hand on the car stopping it from going any further, the front of the vehicle was now caved in with his hand slightly gripping on it as smoke left the engine.

"You ok?" The boy turned around revealing his cross eye, "Hey I know you! You're from the ceremony!"

"You're the guy in the final battle too!"

Still smiling he lifted his hand from the car then put it out to her, taking his hand Kotsu helped Hako up, "Wanna do the honors?"

"Sure." Hako walked over and opened the car door.

To her surprise there was no one in the car, she looked around but couldn't see anyone. Looking towards Kotsu she turned her head.

"There's nothing here I don't see any-." She was interrupted as Kotsu quickly reached out his hand pushing her back. A hand in the air holding a knife that would've killed her if it reached her neck.

How was he there?! Invisibility? No if it was the knife would've been invisible too. Then he's just able to conceal his presence!!

The knife slightly slit Kotsu palm right before the person dropped it, jumping out of the car he concealed his presences once again running away.

"Where the hell did, he go?!" Hako yelled out looking around.

A sudden bright blue light radiated from Kotsu as his eyes where closed, exhaling he opened his eyes, "I'll be back."

He dashed forward making the wind around them scatter, not even a second after he came back with the culprit holding him by the hood of his jacket. He was screaming and cursing to the two of them as he swore, he will kill someone.

With a simple wave of her hand petals covered his mouth, wrist, and ankles as restraints, "Shh there's children here."

Not long after the cops came over as the two stood making sure he does nothing, two police officers on girl and another a boy wearing their blue uniforms. Putting him inside of their vehicle the boy officer came over and started to ask questions. As time passed, they answered everything as the other started to walk over.

Suddenly Kotsu ear sprung up as he looked in another direction, "Sorry I have to go!" Then he jumped in the air going over multiple buildings.

"Shouldn't we go after him!" The girl police officer questions the other.

"Nah he's dose stuff like this always trying to help people whenever he hears trouble." He turned to Hako, "Anyway your free to go thanks for stopping them."

"Why are we thanking them? They shouldn't have interfered we were going to stop it!"

He tapped the side of his hand on her head, "If they didn't stop it then someone would've lost their life."

She stormed off and grumbled back to the car, "Sorry about her she's new and is very strict to the rules. But really thanks." He said as he walked back to the car.

Petals hanged over her dropping the bags of food in her arms, not really thinking about it she started to walk away. Hearing the thanks of the mother she didn't turn but just waved her hand. Hako was almost close to her house but she was stopped.

"Hey kid, what's your name?" She heard a voice of a girl that was leaning on the wall of an alleyway.

She wasn't any taller than her, Hako guessed she was around her age. Her dark green and amethyst mixed eyes shined in the darkness of the alleyway. As she came a little closer to the light, she revealed her long purple hair with a bit of green like highlights. The girl wore a black shirt with a dark turquoise jacket that was halfway zipped up, around her neck was a necklace of a rose that was half red and black.

Below she had dark blue jeans and grey sneakers. But the one thing that stood out was a mask that covered the bottom half of her face, the mask was black with little purple clouds and two larges like filters on each side.

"Hako. What's yours?" Hako was a little on edge after the car attack.

"Just call me Thorn. I saw what you did good job acting fast. Follow me." Thorn turned around heading further into the alleyway.

Standing in place Hako responded, "Why should I? I don't even know who the hell you are."

Thorn gave a sigh, "Tch fine," She pulled out a card and threw it at Hako who caught it with her figures, "Give me a call when you feel like listening to me. There's somethings you should know."

It caught her attention slightly, "What kind of things?" But it was too late Thorn was gone as a sudden purple and green smoke covered her making her vanish.

Looking at the card a number was imprinted, turning it to the back she saw an eye of black. A sudden fear stuck her as she ran to open the door. Dropping the bags, she dashed upstairs bursting Tokume's door open who was still laying down watching the T.V that hung on the wall in front of her.

Hako was huffing and puffing as the light in her eyes came back, Tokume with a confused face asked, "You alright? Did something happen?"

Giving a sigh she put the card in her pocket, "Uh um nothing…I didn't get you chips but I got steak to eat for tonight."

Tokume eye lit up as she pulled herself up with her arms, the bolts pain strained her as she slowly let herself down, "…. niiice…"

Closing the door Hako went back downstairs and grabbed the bags she had dropped, putting it on the counter of the kitchen she hung her head over the sink. Grabbing a cup, she poured water in it then quickly drinking it. Once again taking out the card from her pocket she stared at the eye and couldn't help but wonder what it was trying to say. Was it about her sister's eyes? Or was it about Dark Divines in general? She couldn't understand so she put back in her pocket.

Taking out pans she readied herself to prepare the steak for dinner. As time passed and as the sizzling of the steak and vegetables filled the air, she couldn't get the card out of her mind. Once everything was done, she set everything together, taking the plate of food to Tokume's room she opened the door, Hako could already see her smile. A wave of petals put Tokume to the back of the wall and she placed the food on her lap.

Walking back to the door Tokume asked her, "You don't wanna eat together?"

"Nah I gotta cook my share," She lied, "I'll be downstairs, just text me if you need anything."

Right before she closed the door Tokume said, "Is everything okay?"

Hako nodded then closed the door. Reaching back downstairs she bit her tongue as she remembered the past when they had to take her sister away. Shaking off the thought she grasped her fork and began eating.

Chapter 14 end.