"Do any of you remember the way back?" asked Cain with a nervous smile. "I was summoned abruptly."
Akira and Kitsune turned to each other and shrugged innocently. Their eyes danced hopelessly in the darkness, trees now closer than before, the dry autumn wind blowing, and the howls and growls prompted a flinch every once in a while.
"The jerks brought us here when it was dark," Kitsune said, her hand gripping Cain's coat.
"Not to mention, they took our phones," Akira added, "talk about stranded."
Just then. A wind blew. Fast, rough and cold that they felt it in their bones. It prompted a silence, allowing the cricket noises and mosquito buzzing to fill the air.
A croak.
Kitsune jumped with a shriek, gripping onto Cain's waist, almost tripping him back. She buried her head on his back, eyes closed firmly.
"Ohh my," said Cain, "that startled me too. But look..."
Kitsune reluctantly looked up. Her eyes followed Cain's hand and landed on a bullfrog in a pond.
"It's just a frog," he said with a light laugh.
"Sorry about that," Kitsune apologised, her grip easing away from him.
"Don't be. You've both been through a lot," Cain said as he looked up to the cloudy sky. "Here is a thought: would you like to come to my place for the night?"
"Your place?" the two asked in unison.
"I mean, my parents are worried sick and all, but it's better than nothing, I guess," Akira replied.
"Is it far from here?" asked Kitsune.
"I doubt it," Cain replied.
Just then, his eyes glowed red, something that drew the girls' attention. That ushered in an unsettling calmness. The wind, calm, the waters, still. No bugs, no frogs, no howls in the air. Like all the animals were watching.
A glowing circle with a trigram appeared under their feet, scorching the earth slightly. Other intricate symbols took shape one after the other.
"Do come close, Kitsune," he said, startling her. She obeyed.
Whoop!
The circle of light swallowed the Trio.
***
United Kingdom's current time... noon.
Their eyes squinted in the sudden light. Their hands up, shielding their faces. It took a moment before their eyes caught on. They slowly looked up, their jaws dropped.
A humongous door stared back, with high-relief carvings of a gargoyle. A manicured lawn stretches behind them.
"What the..." Kitsune tried, but her words were stuck in her throat.
The heavy door was eased open, out walking a fair skinned blue eyed blonde and petite maid. She curtsied all the while holding her dress gracefully.
"Lord Cain, welcome back, though your departure was brief and sudden. And I see you have guests," her accent was heavily British.
"Yes, Gebriel, prepare the medical room,"
"Yes, My Lord."
Her eyes scanned the duo, from Akira in Cain's arms, who returned the smile, slowly to Kitsune...
She stopped.
Her eyes widened. She stepped back, her face pale as a ghost as she stared awkwardly at the girl. Kitsune stared back, head tilting, and confusion fogging her mind.
"Is it the bruises?" wondered Kitsune, "Yep, it's the bruises, please stop staring. I promise I look good on a Sunday."
Just then, Gebriel instantly stepped forward, her hands trembling slightly, about to cup Kitsune's cheeks. Cain stepped forward, breaking the interaction. He shook his head, forcing Gebriel to regain her composure.
"Sorry about that, love," she said, "Let's get in and fix you both good as new."
"What was that all about?" was all Kitsune and Akira wondered.
Cain put Akira down and walked past Gabriel.
"Please follow me," she said in Japanes supporting Akira's hand.
"Don't worry, we both speak English," Akira said, looking up.
"Brilliant," she said, reverting to English, "Please right this way, Miss..."
"Akira," she finished. "Shiriyanagi Akira."
"Lovely name, my Lady, please call me Gebriel, and your miss, how may I call you?"
Gebriel then turned to Kitsune. Her eyes lingered.
"I am Ohashi Kitsune,"
"I see," she said, turning to the door. "Right, this was then my ladies."
On the way in whisper escaped Gebriel's lips, "Ohashi Kitsune," as she recited the name.
Huge halls. Paintings. Pianos, violins, and many rooms. Kitsune pitied the workers; their backs would break from the daily maintenance, not to mention the occasional bows as they moved through the halls.
She walked beside Gebriel, a question lingering. Gebriel noted and turned to her.
"Gabriel, I hope you don't mind my asking, but who is Cain exactly? By now, I notice, he doesn't give me much chance to ask."
She stopped ushering them into a medical room, all the while letting the question fester.
"He does that a lot, a not-so-pleasant habit of his," Gebriel spoke.
She pulled out a first aid kit and ushered each of them to sit.
"How best do I put this... he is a Fallen Angel of God, or rather, humans call a Demon."
"A fallen Angel?"
***
Her eyes scrutinised the mowed lawns threatening to shut. Sitting by the window, a brief sense of nostalgia enveloped her; she yawned, trying to push the thought aside, but failed.
"Hate to admit, but this kinda looks like Dad and Shinske's twisted fantasy, what a duo," she said outloud, "Glad it's not them."
"Lemme take a stroll," she thought.
Barely able to keep her eyes open, she walked out of the room. Maybe the light breeze or a little air on her eyes would keep her awake. Her mind was gradually pulled back to half an hour ago, both Akira and she were stuffed naked in a coffin line box.
Warm thick fluid inside. The box was sealed, a little bit scary, but ten minutes late, the pain in her body seemed to seep away. The bruises healed. Like they were never there.
"Talk about next level tech," though Kitsune, "though after my bubble bath, feels likesomeone pumped serious tanq in me."
The breeze outside alerted the hair on her skin.
"Aki managed to calm her parents down eventually," thought Kitsune, "Her mom and dad were not having it that she decided to spend the night away from home."
Kitsune recalled their faces as they tore into Akira over the voice call. The simplest explanation she was with Kitsune, which gave them an alibi. Akira wa forgiven.
"Perks of being a good girl," Kitsune thought with a sly grin.
A stretch, raising the white blouse and hoodie. Her slim waist was slightly exposed. She pulled her hair from the grasp and tucked the white cotton. When the cold tore into her thighs, regretting the casual shorts and slides she wore.
But then. Her attention shifted to the sight not so far from her. The drowsiness vanished as she looked.
On one knee, back bent, crevices forming on his white shirt and black trousers, he keenly looked at some flowers. He had a small pair of garden scissors and brown gloves in his hand, his mind completely in a trance as he tended to the flowers.
* * *
Cain let his body rest on the ground. He stretched his limbs embrassing the relaxation that came with it. He then pulled his glove and looked at the wrist watch.
12:53hrs
"Hi there," a familiar voice startled him.
He looked up, and Kitsune stared down at him.
"Miss Kitsune," he called out.
She sat next to him.
"It's just Kitsune, remember," she said, tilting her head, staring at him.
He smiled.
"Kitsune," he said, correcting himself, "are you not sleepy?"
"Hard to sleep when the sun is up," she said.
"I suppose," he said and looked up at the sky.
She didn't know when, but she found herself staring. He turned to her, their eyes locking for a second, and he smiled casually, prompting her to look away instantly.
"He's actually really cute," she thought, "Or maybe this is what Adam said back then, the Angle effect."
Quickly looking around, her eyes landed on the flowers.
"Are you gardening?" she asked.
"Just tending to the plants. Gebriel recommended"
"Do you love plants?"
"I don't know. They still seem unreal to me."
"Unreal?" She asked.
A bee hovered on a pink flower, landing on its petals, disappearing in before flying away.
"Why don't you give me a hand?" he asked
"Trimming?" she said, her head jerking back, "no, no, nooo. I don't trim."
"Come on, it's not sculpting. Try this, a bonsai."
"Oh no . . . I've never trimmed in my life, I don't want to ruin your . . . "
"Don't worry, it's just for fun."
Reluctantly, she took the scissors and knelt beside the pot. He took off his gloves and knelt behind her. He then guided the scissors in her hand to the plant.
"Imagine a shape. Then, imagine all the impurities standing in the way. And remove them."
They carefully made a few small cuts. First, with her trembling hands, but then he let go of her hand. She made the cuts thoughtfully and felt relaxed as she did.
"See, you are a natural," he complimented.
Her heart skipped a beat on the comment. She frantically turned, but then her cheeks grazed against his. She felt tiny little pricks of the small patches of beard. Shoulders huched she stared back down at the pot.
"Too close," she thought, "he has no sense of personal space."
It was then she noted her sweaty palms. Heart racing like an engine, and her breath held, for how long, it was a mystery.
"Gardening is fun, huh!" she said quickly and awkwardly handing over the scissors. Standing and stuffing her hands in her hoodie pocket.
"It is." He said, stretching as he stood straight. "But I guess, you didn't come to talk to me about gardening, did you?"
"Not really," she said, then she looked aside, eyes downcast, "I wanted to apologise... when Adam took us hostage, I had doubts about you, I thought..."
"It's fine," he cut in, tapping her forehead gently. She looked up."It's my fault, I was careless."
"I also wanted to ask you about Fallen Angels."
"Is that so? What did you want to know about us?"
"A lot, like where you come from, will my life be normal, is this my new normal?"
"Don't worry, your life will be normal. You're normal. It won't happen again, I promise."
"I believe you. Adam also told me you can't lie, you are unable to," she said.
"That's true."
"So quick question, am I... Like going to hell... You know, you being a demon?" She stumbled on her words, her eyes evading his, "Don't answer that, forget I asked."
"Idiot, why can't you keep your lips shut sometimes?" she thought.
Cain burst into a light laughter that made her recoil even more.
"Please don't laugh," she protested, jabbing him gently on his shoulders.
"How can I not. Still, good question, but hell is not for the dame, a place of judgment. They don't judge what you are but who you are, how you live. That's why I am afraid of dying too."
"Have you been there?" she asked, mindlessly.
The light humour in his eyes vanished, and he turned to her with a serious expression written on his face, making her regret her choice of words. After a thoughtful moment, he spoke.
"I have been there."
"It was that bad, huh?"
"You wouldn't even imagine. But you saved me, remember? For that, I owe you my life."
Relief filled her. She could only imagine how a place even Demons fear could be. She then swallowed hard.
He looked at his watch.
1:30 pm
"Let's go inside and have a bite to eat," he suggested, "also, there is something I'd like you to do for me."
"Okay," she replied.
She pulled up her hood as he picked up his tools and placed the pots in place. They then walked back to the manor together.