Chapter Three

[amylan.livejournal.com]

Title: Greyscale
Author:amylan
Beta: N/A
Rating: K+
Genre: Shoujo, Fantasy
Notes/Warnings: Mild implications of rape
Summary: There's a reason why Magical Girls are rarely grown up.
Length: 6064



It was a few months – a several dozen demon hunts – later that Selphi plopped herself onto the ground next to Aya. “So, any cases of interest, Aya-chan?” she asked, opening up her lunchbox and beginning to happily eat the curried shrimp her grandmother had packed her that day.

“….Quite.” The blonde handed Selphi the paper she had brought out with her. “And stop calling me ‘Aya-chan’,” she added before starting on her own lunch.

Selphi unfolded the newspaper and smoothed it out to read better. “Serial Killer Claims Another Victim – High School Student Found Dead,” she read aloud. She looked at the picture of the victim thoughtfully. “Don’t I know this girl?”

“She is in our class, Miss Waters,” Aya replied scornfully. “Do you listening to the morning annoucements at all?”

“Not really, no,” Selphi replied flippantly. She frowned at the picture. “Poor girl… Must have been terrified,” she muttered in an undertone. “So, what’s this have to do with us? We’re not the police, after all. It’s not our responsibility to go trying to find crazies.”

“It is when those ‘crazies’, as you call them, are of the supernatural persuasion,” Aya said. “The killer has been targeting girls – specifically, those within the age range of sixteen to thirty-two years old.”

“One – how long have you been keeping track of this case? And two – that’s not an uncommon trait among serial killers,” Selphi pointed out, reading over the article. “I hope you have more convincing evidence than that.”

“As long as it’s been in the news. I assume that you haven’t?”

“No, I have better things to do with my time than worry about serial killers that would get killed if they tried to kill me. Like studying.”

Aya gave the American a flat look. “Studying.”

“…Well, occasionally…”

The blonde stared at the other girl for a moment more before resuming her train of thought. “Yes, well… Turn to page three.”

“What am I looking for?” Selphi asked, flipping through the newspaper as she spoke.

“The picture of the latest victim’s remains.”

The American stared at the picture. “…Ewwww…”

“I do not believe that it’s a common trait of serial killers to mummify their victims,” Aya said lightly. “Especially without formally mummifying them.”

“Gotta give you that.” Selphi wrinkled her nose. “Geez, what the hell…”

“So, are you convinced now?”

Selphi nodded and began to eat her lunch again, then stopped, making a disgusted face. “I think you’ve ruined my lunch. Thanks a lot, Aya-chan.”

Aya gave the other girl a small, cool smile. “You are quite welcome. Now, may I suggest that you start researching things that target women and mummify them?” With her lunch finished, the other girl packed it away and gracefully stood and left.

The American stared after her for a while, then shook her head and began eating again. “Yeah, that’s going to be real easy…” she muttered to herself.

***

Selphi spent her time after dinner looking through any resources about demons that she could find on the Internet. “Oh, what I wouldn’t give for a search engine that wasn’t stupid,” she muttered under her breath as she scrolled through numerous hits on demon sculptures, demon costumes, and… well, less than clean stories about demons.

It’s a sign of madness to talk to yourself, you know, she heard a bored voice say in her head.

“Well, then I was more-or-less sane until you spoke up,” Selphi retorted. “What do you want? It’s not even close to the full moon yet.”

And yet your frustration and anger plague me no matter what the time. Selphi opted to ignore the voice, concentrating on the search. Fine, fine, the voice continued. Don’t listen to me. But I know something you don’t know~

“If I get my sing-songiness from you, remind me to stop it. And what is it, exactly, that you know now?”

Well, I’m not going to tell you if you’re going to be all snippy about it. Besides, it’s nothing that would interest you, anyway.

“Then why the hell did you bring it up? Oh… never mind.” It was times like these, Selphi reflected, that a lobotomy didn’t seem like a terrible thing.

Well, you might not be interested, but the next victim might be. There was a soft titter in Selphi’s head. Poor little girls… It really is a shame what that person did. There was so much good meat left on those bones –

“Cut that out, dammit, you’re making me hungry.” Rubbing her face tiredly, she added, “All right, I give. Tell me what’s going on, would you?”

No.

“A girl’s life could be – oh, like you care. If you don’t tell me, then I won’t let you feed on anything at all for the next six months.

A pause. You wouldn’t.

“Try me.”

You do it and I’ll drive you insane! I’ll rant and rail constantly and never let you get any rest!

“Being insane can’t be any worse than having to listen to you in my head constantly,” Selphi replied, becoming cheerful as she picked up on the voice’s terrible mood. “And it’d give me an excuse to make sure that you never have any kind of body again!”

There was a much longer silence this time. You bitch.

“So, what was it that you were saying before?” she asked smugly.

You’re looking for a demon that attacks females and is draining something from them, right?

“No shit, Sherlock.”

A flicker of annoyance. I’m going to enjoy the next full moon… In any case, there is something that you’ve read about before that has the same MO of this demon, although you’ve obviously forgotten it.

“Then help me remember and just tell me instead of beating around the bush!” Selphi snapped.

Three syllables. In. Cu. Bus.

“…A sex demon?”

Yeeeeeep.

“…Oh, hell no.” The brunette promptly buried her face in her hands. “You’ve gotta be kidding me!”

Well, if I liked you, I’d say that I wished that I were… but I don’t. Happy hunting!

Selphi hunched over in her seat until her elbows slipped and her head hit the desk. She didn’t move, though, instead opting to simply cover her head with her arms.

“Selphi?” There was a light knocking on the door before Selphi’s mother entered. “Is everything all right in here? I heard voices and then something fall.”

“Nothing, Mother. Just the person being a pain in the… neck again,” Selphi replied from under her arms. “It’s fine.” And I’m in hell, she added to herself.

***

By the time that Aya arrived in class the next morning, Selphi was waiting. “Hello,” she greeted cheerfully.

“…What did you find out?” Aya asked, eyeing the other girl warily.

“What makes you think that I found out anything?” Selphi asked, looking like the picture of innocence.

“Because you are here earlier than me and that is more or less a violation of the laws of nature. Now talk.”

Selphi shrugged. “Touche.” Her expression quickly sobered as she rummaged around in her schoolbag and pulled out a packet of papers, which she promptly handed to Aya.

The blonde sat down at her desk and began flipping through. “…This is all in English.”

“Do you need me to translate?”

“I understand the language well enough, thank you,” Aya responded curtly before ignoring the other girl. Selphi hummed to herself lightly as she waited for Aya to finish reading through, checking her fingernails

Hmm, one of them was beginning to chip…

“…You have got to be kidding me,” the blonde finally said, flipping the packet closed and shoving it back to its owner.

“Funny, that was my reaction,” Selphi mused. “And no, I’m not. I know more about these things than I ought to, so… yeah. And the MO fits, too.”

“It said nothing about the modus operandi.” Aya nodded to the packet in Selphi’s hand. “How would you know if it did or not?”

With a shrug, the other girl responded, “A little birdie told me. Look, if you have any other ideas on what it could be, you’re welcome to share. God knows that I’d rather not face one of these things, thank you very much.” She waved the packet emphatically as she spoke before putting away in her schoolbag again.

“…Some secret source of yours told you about this and I am to simply take you – and your source – and your words?”

“It’s not that hard to do. Come on, Aya-chan. Have I given you a good reason to distrust me for as long as we’ve known each other?” Selphi asked, leaning toward the other girl.

Aya automatically leaned back. “You have not given me an outright reason to distrust you. There has been plenty of circumstantial evidence. And in any case, we have only known each other for a few months, so your actions hardly count in the first place.”

Selphi rolled her eyes, pulling back. “You’re one of those people that thinks everyone’s guilty until there’s decisive proof for otherwise, aren’t you?”

The blonde refused to dignify that question with an answer and simply stared back at the other girl.

“…Whatever. Anyway, assuming that I’m right, we need to find out who this guy is and do it fast, before too many other girls end up suffering the consequences,” Selphi said.

Aya raised an eyebrow. “And just how, may I ask, do you plan to find that out? For that matter, what makes you think that this… person is a ‘who’?”

“Experience,” Selphi responded, “To answer your second question first.”

“…What?”

Selphi waved the question off impatiently. “And to answer your first question…I was planning on asking someone.”

“Oh? Who exactly did you have in mind?”

The American grinned widely. “Did you know that Ami-chan’s family lives in a temple?”

***

“Oh, hell.”

Those were the first words that Selphi’s sensitive hearing picked up as she cleared the final steps up to the temple. Looking around, her lips twitched up into a wide grin as spotted her target. “Hello, Ami-chan~”

“Waters, what… Do I wanna ask what yer doin’ here?” Ami asked, pausing in her sweeping of the temple’s front steps and leaning forward on her broom.

“Probably,” Selphi responded amicably. “Just thought I’d avail myself of the numerous spiritual services offered here at this quaint little temple.” Her grin grew wider when she noticed Ami twitched just slightly at the use of the word ‘quaint’.

Then again, ‘quaint’ isn’t normally the word a person would use to describe this place, Selphi admitted to herself as she took another look around. Although the temple had fairly simple architecture, it sprawled out all over the wide hilltop upon which it was located. No, ‘quaint’ really wasn’t the word.

“I’d recommend a good priest, but I don’t think any number o’ cleansing rituals could clean up yer soul,” Ami said wryly. “Maybe you should think about leavin’?”

The brunette waved the comment off. “Actually, I heard that you had a clairvoyant available here,” she replied.

The blue-haired girl’s expression darkened. “We have several. Was there one in particular you had in mind?”

Selphi tapped her chin as though she were thinking. “We-ell, I did hear that there was a young boy that had the most accurate predictions of all…”

“My brother is off-limits,” Ami said quickly. She silenced herself just as quickly, seeming to be mentally scolding herself for one reason or another.

Selphi could guess why. “Aah, so he’s your brother,” she said thoughtfully. “Interesting. Powers like his run through the family?” she asked a bit pointedly, staring the other girl down.

Ami met her gaze without flinching. “As a matter of fact, they do,” she responded in a quiet, but firm voice. “That is why nearly every priest and shrine maiden of this temple is from the Aomori family.”

That earned an eyebrow raise and a respectful nod from Selphi. A magically powerful family was certainly something that she could appreciate. “In any case, it’s important.”

“Important how?”

Selphi gave the other girl a significant look. “Take a guess.” You know better than to ask that, she added in her mind.

Ami stared back, then gave a nod before swiftly turning around and walking away. After a moment, she paused and half-turned. “Are you just gonna stand there like an idiot or are you comin’?”

The American quickly caught up to the other girl. “Just make sure ya don’t push him too much,” Ami said as they continued along. “He has a bad habit of pushin’ himself more than he ought to, and it’s gonna get him killed someday if he keeps it up.”

“Got it. Anything else I need to know?” Selphi’s tone had changed to a brisk, stern one to match Ami’s.

“Make sure that you know what it is that yer askin’ and that ya understand the implications. If stuff starts leakin’ out and damagin’ our reputation, I’ll skin ya alive.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Selphi said dryly.

Ami soon stopped in front of a door. “Here ya are. When yer ready ta leave, I’ll make sure that one of the trainees show up.” With that, she began walking back the way the two girls had come.

Selphi stared after her a bit, then knocked softly on the wooden frame off the sliding door. “Come in,” she heard a soft voice say from inside.

When Selphi entered the room, she was a bit startled to see a young boy no older than an elementary schooler seated in the center of the room. He was dressed in the traditional robes of a Shinto priest, which looked almost too big on his small frame. Pushing her sudden doubts away, Selphi removed her shoes before taking a seat in front of him and bowing.

The young boy bowed back. “You wish to have your fortune told?”

“I don’t need that,” Selphi responded. “I need to have something found for me.”

“Found for you?” He tilted his head inquisitively. “Is it a person or an object?”

“A person.” More or less, anyway…

“And you need to find out where he or she is?”

Selphi gave a nod. “And I need a name… An identity, really.”

The young boy continued to look at her as though he were dissecting her. “This is not someone you know, then.”

“Not really, no. Can you do it?”

Selphi had to smile at the boy’s reaction: he huffed a bit and straightened up. “Of course I can do it! You insult my powers.”

“My apologies. Can we get on with it, then?”

This time the American had to hide her smile as the boy gave her a withering look. “This will take some time,” he warned as he closed his eyes and began taking slow, deep breaths. Selphi waited patiently as he continued, counting the seconds as they passed to keep herself amused.

After a few moments passed, he slumped forward. She nearly leapt up in alarm, but managed to keep herself still, continuing to count seconds.

“This person…” The boy began. “He is in this city.”

Well, no shit, Selphi thought to herself.

“I… You need to focus. I cannot find any more specifics,” he said sharply.

Pushing back the desire to snap at him for yelling at someone older than him, Selphi took her own deep breath and cleared her mind, focusing on the incubus.

“…There. This person …is a teacher. He is a predator.”

Teacher? Maybe someone from Five Mountains…

“He is going to attack someone. …A girl. He is not planning very long from now… He is beginning to sense my presence,” he added in alarm.

“I need a name,” Selphi pressed. Come on, come on…

“…Tarou…”

“Surname?” Almost there…

“…Tanaka!” the boy yelled before crying out. He toppled backwards, hitting the ground hard.

Selphi was already up and checking on him, but her mind was miles away. Tarou Tanaka…

Then it was Mr. Tanaka. Her form teacher.

***

“You are the lowest lifeform on the face of the planet,” Ami hissed at Selphi as she roughly escorted her back to the front of the temple. “What were you thinkin’? I told you not to push him!”

“Oh, take it easy, Ami-chan,” Selphi replied distractedly. “He’s going to be fine. Don’t worry about it so much.”

“Oh, and you know so much about clairvoyance,” the blue-haired girl spat back.

“As a matter of fact…” Selphi let the sentence trail off. “Anyway, I found out what I need to know, so thanks.”

“Whatever.” Now at the entrance of the temple, Ami pushed Selphi roughly toward the stairs. “Just get goin’ and stay away from here.”

“I can’t promise that, Ami-chan~” Selphi said in a sing-song voice as she made her way down the steps. She nearly missed seeing Ami grit her teeth and stalk off again.

***

That night, Selphi called up Aya. “This is the Arashi residence. May I ask who is calling and the reason for your call?” she heard a maid say on the other end of the line.

“My name is Selphi Waters. I’m calling for Aya Arashi; I’m a classmate of hers and there’s an assignment I need to talk to her about,” she explained quickly.

“Yes, ma’am. One moment, please.”

There was a long silence on the line, then, “Aya Arashi speaking.”

“Oi, Aya-chan!” Selphi greeted cheerfully. “So, I found out who our mystery incubus is.”

“Really now.”

“Oh, come on, Aya-chan! Have a little more faith in me – and in the nice priests in the neighborhood temples, for that matter,” Selphi added, almost as an afterthought.

“It is not a question of faith. It is a question of apprehending and / or destroying the correct person,” Aya replied shortly. “Psychics are notoriously unreliable. There is nothing that guarantees that the person you went to see did not point to the wrong person.”

Selphi sighed a little. “Granted, but unless you want to run a massive stakeout over the entire city for the next several days and nights, I don’t really see what else we can do to get a start on this.”

There was another long pause on the line. “Actually, running a stakeout is a brilliant idea.”

She wouldn’t, the American thought to herself.

Of course she would. You’ve hardly endeared yourself to her, the voice pointed out.

Dammit, you. Go back to sleep, would you? This is hardly the time for your antics! Selphi gave the voice’s presence a small nudge toward the back of her mind.

Don’t even try it, girl. You don’t have control of me.

That’s for damn sure, she thought in reply, sighing before returning her attention to the conversation.

“Miss Waters? Are you still there?”

“Yep!” Selphi answered. “Just had my attention called away for a sec; what were you saying?”

If Aya had been there in person, Selphi imagined that the girl would be giving her one of those careful looks. “I was saying that, since I have cram school and my presence is required at home, you would doing most of the stakeout on your own, and wondering if you were capable of that.”

Selphi grinned so widely that, had the other girl been there in person, she probably would have made every effort to have the American either committed or deported. “All on my own, huh? Well, it’s a bit troublesome, but I don’t mind it,” she replied cheerfully.

“…I see.”

“So, Aya,” the other girl changed the topic, “You have maids at your house?”

“…It is a very large house. Someone must keep it clean,” Aya replied coolly.

“Isn’t that what a mother’s for?”

Aya’s response was a click as she hung up.

Touchy, touchy, touch, the American thought as she hung up as well, thoroughly amused.

Now why do you seem so happy about having stakeout duty? The voice wondered aloud.

Isn’t it obvious? Selphi responded. It’s all well and good for Aya to tell me to do a citywide stakeout, but if she’s not there, there’s nothing keeping from just following Mr. Tanaka around anyway.

This is hardly going to endear you to her.

And I care… why? Selphi’s tone remained amused as she debated with the voice in her head.

If she ends up roasting you into oblivion, I’m going to laugh, the voice warned.

If she tries to roast me into oblivion, then it’s your responsibility to try and save me, isn’t it? Or else you won’t have the thing that you want most in the world.

Oh, believe me. There are a few other ways for me to get what I want, the voice assured the girl. I wouldn’t value my life so highly if I were you.

Yeah, yeah, yeah… Selphi just rolled her eyes.

***

As promised, the next day after school, Selphi was, for the lack of better phrasing, stalking her teacher. Which, given her experience in the matter – of stealth, not stalking, necessarily – was surprisingly easy to do.

This is so boring.

Why are you awake again? Selphi wondered as she continued her game of solitaire. She was waiting for Mr. Tanaka to try and leave the apartment, and listening carefully within for any suspicious activities.

I’ve nothing better to do than bother you, the voice responded. Are you really just going to sit here all night playing solitaire?

If that’s what it takes to confirm that this guy’s the killer, Selphi thought cheerfully in response. Come on, you. How often is it that I back down from a challenge like this, no matter how boring?

I’m sure that there have been a few instances, but I can’t think of anything off the top of my head. Regretfully.

Selphi aimed a mental swat at the voice in her head. Stop being so damn discouraging, you, she scolded. It’s a wonder I can get any work done with a voice like you in my head all the time.

Obviously you’ve gotten used to me over the years.

Sadly, that’s probably true. Looking over the cards, Selphi’s hearing picked up the sounds of rustling noises and then something heavy and meaty hitting the floor.

…Well, that’s not a good sign, is it? Is that suspicious enough for you?

Not really, the American responded dismissively. It could just be that he fell or something like that.

… You’re just going to keep me here forever, aren’t you? Can’t you at least listen to some music or something?

I need my hearing! Selphi protested.

What’s the point of using your hearing if you’re not going to trust you hearing and jump on the clues that it helps you find?

I’m just trying to be careful, Selphi argued. Aya did have a point last night when she said that we needed to be careful and not go after the wrong person.

And you’re listening to her now? Look, kiddo, in case you’ve forgotten, you have seniority over her. You have more experience, more power, and more wisdom – although that last one should probably be questioned. Stop listening to idiot juniors!

Shu-

“Miss Waters, is there something that I can help you with?”

The argument between the two abruptly ended as a third voice, outside of the body, was heard. Selphi slowly looked upward to see Mr. Tanaka standing in the doorway of his apartment, peering at her through his spectacles.

“Ah… Mr. Tanaka, sir….”

The teacher continued to look at Selphi curiously. “I said, is there anything that I can help you with, Miss Waters,” he repeated pointedly.

“I… no, not really,” she responded, gathering her cards up and putting them away. “I had a wrong address. Sorry.” Turning quickly, she began to walk away.

“Wait, Miss Waters.” She turned back around. Mr. Tanaka quickly approached from behind and grab a hold of her forearm. “Actually, it’s a good thing that you came. I have some matters on grades that I needed to discuss with you.”

“Oh, really?” Tugging at his grip, she continued, “Well, I’m sure that it can wait until school tomorrow…”

“Actually, it’s a matter of some urgency,” he replied, shaking his head. “Come along, now. It won’t take but a few minutes.”

“Oh, but someone is waiting for me…”

“I assure you, they won’t miss you,” the teacher said, already pulling her into the apartment.

Selphi opened her mouth to say something, but was struck dumb by a sudden wave of sleepiness. What… was all that she managed to think before everything turned to black. She collapsed to the floor.

Selphi? Selphi? …Selphi!

***

Aya was exiting her classroom when she heard her cell phone go off. “Aya Arashi speaking,” she answered, distracted with trying to find a way out of the crowd and trying to find a secluded place to receive the call.

“Hey, Miss Arashi,” came Selphi’s cheerful voice. “Is everything all right over there?”

“Miss Waters?” Aya frowned. Something seemed off… “Yes, I just got out of cram school. Is something wrong?”

“No, actually it’s something very good!” Selphi replied. “Remember that guy that we’ve been trying to find?”

“Yes… Did you find him?” Aya replied excitedly.

“Yes. I caught him in the act.” Selphi gave the other girl an address. “I’m waiting for you here,” she said before hanging up.

Aya hung up as well, frowning. No, there was just something very off about the whole thing.

***

“Mmmm…” Selphi struggled back into wakefulness. Where am I? she wondered, blinking her eyes as she tried to clear away the sleep and stupor.

“Oh, good, you’re awake,” she heard Mr. Tanaka say. There was a different quality to his voice now, something more… sinister, with a deeper and forceful tone.

“What’s going on?” she mumbled, shaking off the last vestiges of sleep. Looking in front of her, she couldn’t hold back a small gasp as she saw the person sitting in front of her.

It was another of the mummified corpses, but this one was… juicier than the other she had seen. The skin seemed to be straining to hold the meat and the fluids back, and there was blood… So much blood leaking out.

Oh, gods, so much blood… Selphi stared fixatedly at the red liquid leaking to the ground. From here she could smell it so well… She began to shake uncontrollably.

“Beautiful, isn’t she?” Mr. Tanaka asked, walking closer to stroke the cheek of the corpse. “I haven’t quite finished with her yet, but there will be time enough.”

“Why are you doing this?” Selphi asked faintly. “Why now? It was fine until a few months ago, or so I heard.”

“A person’s nature can only be repressed for so long before it comes to the fore,” he responded with a shrug. “It was all very well to play at being a normal person, but it was never going to last. Sooner or later, I would have to feed.”

“And you couldn’t eat criminals or anything, huh?”

He shrugged. “I don’t see a reason to deny my nature.”

Finally managing to pull her gaze away from the blood, Selphi noticed for the first time that she was tied with heavy chains. “Why am I tied up?” She tugged at the chains before looking over at Mr. Tanaka. It was then that she saw bruises on his face and around his neck and arms.

Mr. Tanaka sent her a look as though she were making a joke in bad taste before walking off.

So… what did you do? Selphi asked.

It’s not all my fault. You’re the one that ended up falling asleep, the voice responded tartly. I did what was necessary to keep our body safe, which is more than I can say for your actions.

What, did he try to kill us in our sleep or something? The girl wondered.

More or less. You do recall how incubi kill women, don’t you?

…You should have killed him, came the mental snarl.

Well, I did try, but he nailed me in the stomach before I could get something sharp and cut him open. There was an indignant sniff. Bastard.

And he didn’t try and kill us while he had you down?

No, apparently getting right back up again and nearly breaking his neck – and throwing him into a wall – was enough to convince him that we were too much trouble to try and kill the normal way.

Selphi sent a wave of approval at the answer, then began to eye the chains holding her down. If I don’t get these off soon, I’m going to be smothered… I don’t suppose that you’ve tried to break these chains already, have you?
Not at all. That prick’s been keeping a hawk’s eye on us, so it seemed best to keep things low-key for the time being.

Hmm… Selphi listened carefully and, after making sure that she didn’t hear her captor returning, began to quietly tug two of the links in opposite directions. Her muscles barely strained as she pulled, the sound of the metal grinding loud in the otherwise silent room.

She could feel the metal weakening beneath her hands. It would only be a few more minutes before it gave completely, and then it would only be a matter of time before she found a chance to escape – preferably after she killed the son of a bitch.

The nerve of that guy, she seethed as she continued to tug at the chain links, adding a twisting motion and wishing to do the same to her teacher’s head and neck. Trying that sort of thing on me, I ought to rip him into so many pieces that they’ll never find his body in a million years.

Well, you could just—

Don’t even start with that, Selphi warned. You want that to happen, you better wait until the next full moon and do that.

We’ve hardly the time for that. Just get free and get this guy out of here so we can implicate him for the murder of the girl, would you?

Yeah, yeah, I know, was the returning grumble. Selphi muffled the sound of the metal as best as she could as the links were finally ripped apart.

Besides, the voice continued, that cute friend of yours is coming. Aya, I think her name was? The prick called her on your cell phone some time ago; I’m sure she’ll be here any minute.

Selphi was rendered speechless for a moment before mentally roaring, why the hell didn’t you tell me that in the first place?!

It didn’t seem all that important. The girl could feel a mental shrug come from the other voice.

Whatever response Selphi began to prepare was lost as a loud, crisp knock was heard on the door.

That’s probably her now, the voice pointed out unnecessarily. Her words were confirmed as Selphi heard rapid footstps and the sound of a door opening.

“Mr. Tanaka?” Selphi could hear Aya’s voice clearly. “I… Miss Waters called to have me meet her here. Have you seen her?” As the other girl spoke, the American was quickly and quietly wriggling out of her bonds. Soon she was free and able to breathe without difficulty. Looking around, she found a small hiding spot behind a cabinet. It would do for the time being – Selphi didn’t need anything too substantial to keep herself hidden.

The footsteps began to approach the room Selphi was in. “Yes, she’s waiting for you here,” she heard Mr. Tanaka say.

“Oh, I am going to enjoy every minute of killing you,” she whispered to no one. Looking out into the room again, her gaze was once again caught by the corpse in the chair. The smell of blood permeated the room thoroughly…

Dammit, girl! Don’t you start getting all queasy now! The voice roared in Selphi’s head. She forced her eyes away from the dead body and stared into a corner, focusing all her senses on the two people approaching the room.

Aya opened the door. “I don’t… What in the world?” The door slammed behind her and Selphi peeked out to see her beginning to crumple to the ground.

“Are you enjoying this sight, you wretched—“ Mr. Tanaka began to say, then noticing that Selphi wasn’t on the couch where he had left her.

“Not in particular,” Selphi answered cheerfully before using her speed to dash in front of her teacher and then punching at him.

Apparently she needed to speed up more; the teacher quickly recovered from his surprise and caught her fist as it approached, then twisted her arm back and up.

Selphi let out a short grunt of pain. “No, you don’t,” she said – almost to herself – as she moved with the attack and, maneuvering on her tip-toes, used her momentum to grab a hold of Mr. Tanaka and throw him to the ground.

While Selphi took a moment to shake the stiffness out of her arm, Mr. Tanaka was already on his feet. Selphi felt another wave of sleepiness cover her, but she fought off the effects and snapped her fingers.

Key of B major.

As her fingers began to move through the notes for the beginning of Brahms’ Piano Trio in B major, her threads weaved through the air and created a net around the teacher. When he tried to move forward, the razor-sharp threads sliced into his skin easily.

“What… what is this?” he growled.

“Call it magical piano wire,” Selphi replied cheerfully, reaching a crescendo. Within moments, the teacher lay on the floor, blackish blood and guts spread all over the floor. She snapped her fingers, retrieving the threads, and looked away, towards Aya. “So, Aya-chan,” she started, pinching her nose shut to ensure that she couldn’t smell the blood and bile, “How’re you doing?”

“As well as can be expected,” the other girl replied shortly, rubbing her face and sitting up. “What…” Her gaze fell on the fresh corpse on the ground.

Selphi rubbed the back of her neck with her free hand. “Well, he was going to kill us!” she said defensively.

“…Do I want to know how this happened?”

“Probably not.”

“Very well, then.” Shaking her head, the blonde stood. “I don’t suppose you have a way of cleaning this up, do you?”

“I can clean up the blood, but not the body,” Selphi answered.

Aya seemed to consider this, then nodded before holding her open palm over the corpse. “Cremation,” she whispered. Instantly, a spark dropped from her hand and the body ignited, burning into ashes in only a few seconds.

“Ashes I can deal with,” Selphi said cheerfully. She moved her hands into her magical gesture before saying, “Soap” in Italian. The American had long since gotten over how stupid many of her spells sounded in English.

A small soap bubble appeared, which Selphi proceeded to smash into the ashes and bloody carpet. Immediately, the soap began to spread across the floor into a thick lather.

“And now for this horrible smell.” Selphi pulled out a pair of gloves from her pocket and put them on, then crossed over and, after carefully peering out, opened the window. “There we go,” she said with satisfaction. Turning back around, she noted that the soap bubbles had faded, leaving nothing but clean carpet.

“What do we do with the corpse?” Aya asked, eyeing the body still in the chair across from the couch.

Selphi shrugged. “Leave it. If we get out and make sure that no one notices us, we should end up implicating him as the murderer – which he was, so it works out.”

“I suppose,” Aya agreed reluctantly.

“Let’s go then!” Selphi began to move for the door, but was stopped by the sound of Aya’s throat clearing. “Yes?”

Aya arched a single eyebrow. “May I assume that you disobeyed my orders and simply came straight here?”

With a shrug, the other girl answered, “It was an order, not a command. I questioned it. That’s all~”

The blonde stared at the other girl for a moment before shaking her head and following her out the door. “Insufferable girl…”

“Aw, you know you love me!”

***

A week later, Selphi was surprised to see a new teacher in the classroom when she came in. “New one already, huh?” she asked Aya in an undertone.

The blonde nodded. “Ms. Yamada is our new form teacher.”

Shrugging, Selphi simply said, “I hope she turns out better than Mr. Tanaka.”