Mitsuya tells Kaoru to shield her eyes. He moves closer to his mother. He reaches for her neck , in an attempt to check her pulse. She's still warm , but he knows that her bodily functions have already ceased to operate. Her eyes are still wide open. Mitsuya closes them. Her body , consumed by a killing curse and riddled with holes from bullet wounds meant to finish her off , sits in the middle of the floor. There are large puddles of blood. Mitsuya's hand is now covered in it. He wants to cry , but doesn't, because Kaoru is standing right there , still shielding her eyes as she was told to. Mitsuya stands up , his fists clenched in his hands. He tells Kaoru to go wait for him outside. She quickly runs out of the house , but looks back at her brother through the door. The tears are falling fast from his face , and he bows his head in complete disgrace. She wants to go back and comfort him , but she is too young to understand the situation. She sits on the porch in the warm night , her head rested on her shoulders. Tears would soon come flowing down her face as well , but she tries to hold them back. She cannot, and breaks into a quiet sob. She knows exactly what has just occurred. She will never see her mother again.
Mitsuya is still standing over his mother's body. He stays in the same position for a few moments, observing the scene. The floor is ruined , the wallpaper is torn. Things and objects are scattered around him. His first thought in all of this - go to the basement. For in the basement , there is a very important object. The green , emerald vase. It was a Christmas gift from Dazai to his mother years before Mitsuya was born. Despite being a traditionally happy person , Mitsuya's mother had often vented to his father about the manner in which her life would meet its end. She did not wish to be buried , as she didn't want to be consumed by the Earth. Oddly enough, she chose to be cremated. For some strange reason , Mitsuya always listened closely to these conversations. Though he appeared too young to understand death and all of its implications , he knew everything. He wished to be like his mother , to be burned along with all of his memories. To have a happy, collective escape from the realm of the living. He would spend minutes , perhaps even an hour in the basement that night. The case had been carefully stored. It would be a while before he found it. When it was finally unearthed , he saw its condition. It still held true to it's almost glass like emerald texture. The patterns and the carvings on it were as smooth as ever. Even after all of these years , it hasn't rusted one bit. It is isn't even half of his height , but its sentimental value is weighing him down. Mitsuya lifts his head for the first time this night, but no tears can be seen any longer. These have all washed away. From now on , he pledges to himself that he has no reason to cry. Mitsuya takes the vase upstairs to the kitchen. He cannot bear to look at the sight, but he must. He must get this over with quickly.
Mitsuya draws a circle around the corpse. Though he is only ten years old , he has already learned about last rite magic. He knows how to perform the removal of corpses from this world, and adequately put their spirits to rest. It's in his nature to not be afraid of these types of things. He has prepared himself for this. On his command the circle lights up. " And let the soul rest , and depart from this world in peace. Bone to bone , ashes to ashes." The body lights up too , and the blood develops a blue hue. Mitsuya decides that he doesn't want to see this. So he goes by the door and waits with Kaoru. She is sound asleep , and the tears have dried on her face. He sits down beside her. The concealing spell over the house is still in full effect , but Mitsuya is too tired to undo it. You might refer to this as calamity shock. He's angry , but at the same time he's scared about what's to come next.
Suddenly the kitchen behind him bursts into flames. First small, and then gathering until a large flame. He can feel the warmth of it on his neck, and can partly see the colors surrounding it. He smells the colors of burnt flesh , but tries his best to cover the scent from his now. A few moments pass. In his mind , he thinks that the process should have been done almost instantly. He can't stand as the moments go by. There's a clock ticking in his mind. Until finally , it is done. He stands up and goes back into the house. The first had been contained within the circle as a result of his incantation. There was no longer a body. Just a simple assorted pile of ashes. A slight fragment of all that his mother used to be. He gathers the ashes and puts them in the jar. Mitsuya makes sure that the lid is closed tightly , so none of it's contents would fall out. He carries it to the garden , along with a shovel. He begins digging. When the process is done, he finds a sakura flower. He lays them on top of the freshly patted sword and utters his first sentence of the night. " Goodbye , Mother."
But then something pierces his mind. He finally realizes that his dad isn't coming back , and his mom is dead. There is no way for him and his sister to survive alone. He has acknowledged that he needs help. He leaves Kaoru in the house , making sure that she is still asleep. He gets dressed , and prepares his long trek. The warm night makes him delusional. He thinks of his sister , his parents , his magic , all of the memories which he held dear until tonight. He finally realizes that the world is a lie. All of the happiness is false. Happiness is futile. He won't be able to live with himself until he finds the person who killed his mother. He won't stop until he and kills his dad. He will destroy all those who threaten the prosperity of the world. He will change it for the better.
After the long 30 minutes , he is in the empty parking lot leading to the Mage's Society Headquarters. He knows what to do. From now on , he and his sister will rely on the Organization for help. He is already under the protection of the concealing spell , so no one can see him. After seeing his dad perform the seal many times , he believes that he can adequately do it. He draws the circle with mid-difficulty , trying his best to remember the patterns. When he is done , he focuses all of his concentration towards the center. Mitsuya shouts in his loudest voice " UNCOVER". But nothing happens. He does it again - " UNCOVER" , but again , the seal stays the same. Every mage of the Organization should have access to this. So why can't he get in ? He knows that the patterns within the circle are correct. Could they have denied his access ? He tries again , and nothing happens. Mitsuya is on the age of crying , clenching his fists. He's desperate right now. But then he has an idea. What if he transmuted another circle in a separate area within the boundary. It might take him directly to headquarters , but there is still a chance that he ends up in a separate place , completely trapped underground. Right now , it seems that he has no other choice. He must talk to the leaders at once. It is a state of emergency.
Mitsuya moves ten feet away and transmutes another circle. There is nothing at the bottom when he peers into it. Nothing but darkness that is , pitch black. He is certain of his ability , though it may be the end of him if he isn't directly on top of headquarters. No matter. He jumps into the hole , into the dark unknown. He falls down on something. The smell of wood and sweat instantly hits his nose. He is inside of the dojo. He made it to headquarters. The elders must be meeting somewhere , discussing something important. Mitsuya will have to interrupt the meeting. He cloaks himself with an invisibility spell and sneaks into the library. Within the room , about 10 or so men and women around a large table. Mitsuya can only make out sentences of what they're saying. He here's something …
" An agent when by the house. There was a concealing spell on it… the mother wasn't there... "
Mitsuya , still cloaked , sneaks into the room. He wants to hear what they're talking about , and wonders if they know anything about his mother. He manages to jump on top of the table without being noticed. The conversations and debates move to other topics for a few moments while he listens in closely. Until that moment : A man stands up from his chair , his hand still resting on the table. He looks around the room and after a few moments , says :
" He's here."
Another man , with his head lowered in an indifferent position , cracks his knuckles one by one. " Oh , I see he is. Reveal yourself boy."
" Shoot , I got caught." Mitsuya thinks to himself. He releases the cloaking spell. He stands in the center of the table , his eyes set directly on the group of people sitting before them. None of them show faces that express shock or confusion. " You've been waiting for me , haven't you ?" Mitsuya addresses this to the room.
" We know what happened. An agent went by your home , and noticed something unusual. You didn't do a very good job of uncloaking that concealment." The man who was cracking his knuckles stands up : " Something has just happened to your mother , and you stand here before us without seemingly a worry. You have also come without your only sister with you. What are you planning ?"
" What are you getting at sir ? I'm sure you know that my mother has just been murdered , and by whom I do not know. I , for one, am fully capable of not exhibiting my worry in a threatening situation. Maybe that is just the type of person that I am ," His expression becomes more serious. " Council members , my sister is in safe condition as far as I am concerned. She can fend for herself while I am here. I came to request homage for the time being." One or two of their faces turn up in disgust.
" As you may know , my father has abandoned the family for several months now. Without our mother , my sister and I cannot possibly hope to survive. The human world is very hostile towards us mages , and being as young as we are , we would be unable to make a living." Mitsuya makes a gesture of dropping to his knees. " I ask you , to give me and my sister refuge and protection from the Organization until I become of an age old enough to handle our own care." He bows his head- " I humbly beg of you. I am in a state of urgency."
There is a state of silence within the room for the next few seconds. Nothing happens. Only a few stares from across the table to one another. Mitsuya's head remains lowered , hopelessly awaiting their answer. The silence is broken.
" No." A voice says.Mitsuya's head raises quickly. He cannot control his current anger. Right now , he is agitated to say the least.
" What do you mean no ? My mother just died , and my sister and I can't survive on our own." He is heated , and his face begins to turn red.
" We cannot offer you homage here. You are not welcome." A young man with dark brown hair stands at the end of the table " You are not allowed admission to the halls of the Organization."
" WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT ?" Mitsuya starts yelling at full force." MOST OF YOU HAVE KNOWN MY FAMILY FOR YEARS." He continues , but with baited breath. " MY MOTHER AND FATHER WERE DEDICATED MEMBERS OF THIS ORGANIZATION." He looks directly at the end of the table. He lowers his voice " Have you really forgotten that ? Are you really about to leave two young children out on the street ?"
The old man stands up and walks in Mitsuya's direction. " Your father was a traitor. And your mother was a fool. After all of that time that he was gone , she never thought once to pay for his deeds."
" WHAT DEEDS ? A TRAITOR TO WHAT ? MY MOTHER HAD NO RIGHT TO PAY FOR THAT BASTARD !"
The man's voice rises in a fierce tone. " DO NOT DENY YOUR FATHER'S ACTIONS. HE THREATENED TO SELL US OUT TO THE GOVERNMENT , AND EXPOSE THE MAGE SOCIETY." He points directly at Mitsuya " YOUR FAMILY DESERVES WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THEM." He tries to calm himself- " When one defies the laws of crime and punishment , and tries to betray their own kind , then they must pay for their deeds , lest they always be known as a traitor to all. "
Mitsuya turns up his nose in disgust. He tries to say something but stutters. After preparing himself , he states " I don't believe a word of what you say. And even if my father was a traitor , you would be stupid to think that I would end up like him. We are completely different people. I don't claim him or his actions."
" But you are his offspring , so you are doomed to end up the same way. We cannot allow you or your sister to stay here when you have the blood of a traitor running through your veins. Now , you have the right to leave her in peace and never come back , or be killed like the rotten trash that you are."
Mitsuya hesitates for a moment , before bursting out in a fit of laughter. " Ok , I chose the third option. I can force you to let us stay right now."
The room is silent , until one of the women says " Is that a threat , little boy ?" , and bursts out in a fit of laughter. So does everyone else in the room , save for a few of the old men.
" You really think I'm joking , don't you ? You won't be laughing in a second." Mitsuya prepares his magic , and the room becomes filled with a golden color. Everyone at the table instantly gets up , afraid of what might happen next. They are all prepared to kill this boy. Before Mitsuya can utter the chant , one of the old men grabs his arm. Mitsuya struggles to get away.
" In all of my 60 years of living , I've never encountered a boy willing to go to such extremes to justify his own pitiful little , desperate need." He straightens his glasses. " You must know that sometimes people don't get what they want. But it all depends on the way that you go about your business. You can't go through life using violence." He stares Mitsuya directly in the eye. A chill runs down his spine. " Your generation is so careless , always turning to violence to get things done." He squeezes Mitsuya's arm , and he lets out an agonizing gasp. He tries to make it seem as if the pain is nothing , but it hurts so badly. " You will not survive on your on , and you will not be able to care for your sister. So no , we will not kill you. We will let you suffer for your own and your father's wretched deeds." He squeezes Mitsuya's arm harder. He can feel the blood circulation cutting. If I don't do something , he's gonna break my arm , is Mitsuya's thought at this moment. He screams , but the grip becomes tighter. Suddenly he feels a burning sensation on his arm. The man lets go. He looks down on Mitsuya. Just as he raises his head , he is hit in the face with the man's battered old cane. A hint of blood comes from his mouth , and he struggles to breathe. He doesn't know what to do.
Just then the door of the library opens. Mitsuya looks up to see a familiar face.
" Uncle Shigeo , you can't let them do this. They're trying to throw me and Kaoru out of the Mage's Society , something about Dad being a traitor. It can't be true." Mitsuya is at the verge of crying at this point. He stares at Shigeo's indifferent face. " Can it ?" Shigeo simply stands there with a solemn expression. Mitsuya notices something. A scar on his neck. A fresh one , one that could still bleed. He wonders if that was always there. " You … you … did it , didn't you "
" Shigeo has already cut off your permissions with the Organization. He has also contacted the other branches of the Organization throughout Japan. It can't be stopped." The old man smiles. His straight white hair dangles from the top of his head. His white teeth are the bane of Mitsuya's existence.Mitsuya continues staring at Shigeo , who has no expression. He stares so long that he doesn't notice the circle and its patterns that has appeared underneath him. That is until it is too late.
" Until we meet again. Survive , if you can." The circle transforms into pitch darkness and Mitsuya falls in. His gasp is heard throughout the room , and that is final. In what seemed like only a second,he is already at his house. He opens his eyes in shock and frantically looks around. His hands are clenched , but his arm is still aching. There is a mark on his arm. The characters of the word ' branded' are on his arm. It stings, as if his entire arm is about to burn off. Mitsuya has been betrayed , not only by the Organization , but by the man who was supposedly his adoptive uncle. He has no where else to turn to. Mitsuya walks into the house ,and wakes Kaoru…
" Mitsuya , is that you." , she says , still half asleep.
" Yeah. I want you to listen to me very closely." He is hesitant in his words. " I want you to pack a bag. Take only the most important things. Take at least 5 pairs of shoes , three of your favorite books , enough clothes to supply you for at least three weeks."
" Can I bring my doll too ?" Kaoru asks.
Mitsuya wonders why she's asking for her doll after her mother has just died. But he just goes along with it. His spirit is drained for the day. He doesn't have time to argue. He smiles at her and pats her on her head. " Yeah , sure." Mitsuya leaves the room.
While Kaoru is packing her bag , Mitsuya packs his. He takes a few books , a few pairs of shoes , pants and shirts and blankets. He then goes down to the basement , where he gathers over a dozen spell and magecraft books. He plans to continue his studies wherever he's going. He plans to succeed in life , somehow , someway. He stops by his father's office , and takes the pocketwatch that he had left on the desk. He also takes the dragonfly bracelet that his mother had left on her nightstand , for Kaoru. The last thing that he packs is the family picture that had been left on the wall.
After about fifteen minutes , Kaoru and Mitsuya are standing outside of their former home. They know that if they stayed there , they would soon be evicted by their landlord. Mitsuya casts a concealment spell on the home one last time. This way he ensures that nothing happens to the belongings still in the house , and that nothing can be built over it. To the public , it is simply a piece of barren land on a quiet drive. " For the memories…" , he utters as he completes the incantation. They stand bundled in their small jackets , in the depths of the warm night. The sun had just gone down a few hours ago , but it is almost ready to come back. Mitsuya stares at the fresh soil on the ground. His mother is under there. She'll stay there until they are able to give her a proper burial. He looks to Kaoru , and bends down to her height. " Say bye to Mom." , he says solemnly. The tears that filled her eyes only hours ago aren't there anymore. She's pretending to be strong.
In little less than an hour , after a long walk and several buses , they stand at the gate of what looks to be a newly reimbursed mansion. The gate , which stands about 10 feet high , is made of rich steel painted black. The metal bars bind together strongly. The building in question has about 4 floors , and looks as if it could fit as many as 50 people. Mitsuya presses the call button near the gate , and is meet with a polite sounding woman voice on the other end. " Peterek Orphanage , who may you be ?"
Mitsuya knows that somewhere there is a camera. He pulls Kaoru , who is near sleep from walking so long , close to him and says in a low voice- " We are orphans , we request homage for a little while. Our parents are dead." After a few moments , the gate automatically opens. The voice on the other end says " I'll meet you at the door. Hold tight , honey." Mitsuya and Kaoru begin walking to the door , passing the old fountain in the middle of the lawn. When they get to the door , it opens in a dramatic fashion. A young woman , about 20 years of age appears before them. She has black , curly hair and a fine build. Her black eyes stare straight into Mitsuya's soul , but her smile is somewhat comforting. " Hello , my name is Sister Haruko. I'll be taking care of you for the time being , if you'll let me." Kaoru smiles and walks to her , receiving a headpat , while Mitsuya stands at the door. He's not looking at Haruko. He's looking behind her. For behind her , a girl with white hair and a fine complexion stands. Her straight hair covers one of her eyes , and it dangles in front of the other. Her grey eyes are beautiful to Mitsuya. He's instantly smitten. She doesn't want him to see her , so she hides behind the sister.
" Come on , don't be shy." Haruko pushes her out.
Her face instantly turns red in embarrassment. She sticks her hand out to Mitsuya. " Hello , I'm Angel" she says frantically.
Mtisuya hesitates to reach for her hand. He wants to touch her , but he's thinking about something right now. What if the Mages are looking for him ? He takes her hand , and realizes that it is warm. This may be the first time that he has made contact with a girl in years.
" Nice to meet you , Angel. I'm Akemi. Akemi Hyedo."