100 stones
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Rika left the medical area, accompanied by Shoko, who wore a relaxed and kind expression. "Well, Rika, you did a great job with the corpse. If he had been alive, you surely would have saved his life," Shoko commented, smiling with a hint of pride. Rika rolled her eyes, but a smile appeared on her lips. She noticed her mentor was much calmer than usual and seemed to have given up cigarettes. She recalled that Shoko used to smoke in any moderately stressful situation, but she seemed to be going through a phase of change.
As they walked through the administration area, Shoko stopped to show her how to fill out death certificates. As she had mentioned, Rika would be her successor. Rika bit her lip, reflecting on that. "Well... if Mrs. Makima doesn't change her plans, maybe it's possible," she thought. However, she knew her fate was bound to an uncertain, perhaps grim future. She sighed as she watched Shoko fill out the documents; it seemed the deceased had been a young sorcerer, and Rika couldn't help but feel compassion for his tragic end. Just as she was about to ask something, a sharp pain appeared in her chest, but it faded as quickly as it had come. "How strange..." she murmured, but Shoko looked at her with a distracted smile.
"Want to have dinner with me tonight?" Shoko asked, breaking the tension in the air. Rika was about to decline the invitation when she remembered her mistress Makima's words this morning: "Today, I'll be with Kirara and Megumi. Do as you please." With a slight pout, she accepted the invitation. "Yes... I'd appreciate it," she replied, and Shoko gave her a sympathetic smile as she led her toward the exit.
The sun was beginning to set, and the sky was tinted orange as they crossed the outer courtyard. While walking, they noticed Gojo, who was chatting animatedly with a young man with dark hair. The young man looked up, and upon seeing Rika, he froze as if he had seen a ghost. His eyes widened, and his face paled. "R-Rika-chan...?" he murmured, his voice filled with incredulity and surprise.
Rika felt a knot in her stomach, feeling vulnerable under the young man's gaze. "Um... hello," she said, trying to stay neutral, though she couldn't avoid feeling uncomfortable. There was something familiar about him, something that awakened old, buried memories. "Are you... alive? I thought you... You still remember me, right? It's me, Yuta..."
Rika clenched her hand unconsciously, a gesture that didn't go unnoticed by Shoko, who watched out of the corner of her eye. "Yes, I remember you, Okkotsu-san," she replied, maintaining emotional distance. Yuta seemed surprised, and a shadow of pain crossed his face. "Okkotsu-san?" he repeated, incredulous. The last time they were together, she used to call him "Yuta-kun."
"Where is she? Is she here?" Yuta asked desperately, looking around as if expecting to see someone else. Before Rika could answer, Gojo placed a hand on Yuta's shoulder and smiled casually. "Well, well... Looks like you already know my best student. If you're that eager, come by later and you can talk to her." Without further ado, Gojo pushed Yuta toward the building, ignoring the young man's protests as he looked at Rika as if he still couldn't accept what he was seeing.
As she watched them leave, Rika let out a sigh and lowered her gaze. Shoko looked at her with curiosity. "That was weird," she commented. "Where do you know him from?"
Rika, lost in thought, instinctively touched her left ring finger, where there was nothing left. "He's part of my... erased past," she replied quietly, her tone tinged with a slight hint of melancholy.
Shoko rolled her eyes and gave a mocking smile. "Don't talk like Makima. It doesn't suit you." Rika, somewhat annoyed, looked at her with an offended expression, and Shoko laughed softly. "Hehe, don't be mad," she added, reassuring her with a pat on the shoulder.
They both walked in silence toward the horizon, tinted with twilight colors, leaving behind the emotions of the encounter.
Makima was in Kirara's room with Megumi. Kirara dropped onto a bean bag, smiling and saying, "Make yourselves at home." The room was definitely a reflection of her; purple, pink, and blue colors dominated, with various neon star-shaped lights illuminating the space. Several constellation posters hung on the walls, completing the peculiar and personal atmosphere. She seemed happy; it was the first time Makima had entered her room, though she still hadn't seen Makima's. She had a mission: before the school year ended, she had to see Makima's room.
Seeing Megumi, Kirara couldn't help but laugh a bit; he was there because Makima had told him to come, but he looked visibly uncomfortable. "How about you wait here, and I'll bring some food?" she suggested, and Makima nodded as she began browsing Kirara's books. Kirara didn't mind at all; in fact, she liked seeing her friend showing interest in her tastes, even if her manner was a bit brusque. Kirara left the room, leaving Megumi and Makima alone. Meanwhile, he kept looking at the table, thinking it would be rude to snoop around in someone else's room, something Makima seemed to completely ignore. Megumi supposed there must be trust between them.
"How many have you tamed?" Makima's voice interrupted his thoughts. Megumi looked at her, not fully understanding the question. "Excuse me?" Makima set aside a book on stars and looked him straight in the eyes. "How many shikigami have you tamed?" Oh, that's what she meant, he thought. "Well..."
"Don't lie to me," Makima interrupted him, stepping closer. "We'll be teammates in a few months. I want to know how much you've mastered my clan's technique." Megumi, feeling uncomfortable, responded cautiously, "I've tamed four."
Makima looked at him with a mix of disappointment and disdain. "More or less ten years with the technique, and only four...? Well, at least you tamed Nue," she added, in what seemed to be an attempt at consolation. But Megumi looked at her, puzzled. "I haven't tamed Nue yet; I said I have four." Makima felt a surge of frustration. "You said you tamed four. Divine Dogs don't count..." Megumi swallowed, feeling increasingly uneasy; he feared Makima might try to open his brain to take the technique at any moment.
Makima, in silence, was considering testing an aggressive command to see if she could extract the technique by force. Just then, the door opened, and Kirara returned with a tray of snacks. "There it is... am I interrupting again?" she asked. Makima stepped away from Megumi, who exhaled a sigh, relieved from a tension he hadn't even noticed he was holding.
Kirara set up the food and, with a mischievous smile, bent down to pull a few bottles of alcohol from under her bed. Megumi looked at her in disbelief. "No one will know. You only live once," she said, winking. Makima didn't seem to care at all. Kirara took out three small glasses and poured the clear liquid into them. "All in one shot; it's a bit strong," she warned.
Megumi hesitated, but seeing Makima drink indifferently, he resigned himself and took a sip. As soon as the liquid went down his throat, he started coughing, making Kirara chuckle softly. Then she looked at Makima, surprised that it didn't seem to affect her at all. "Ehh, boring! The first time's not supposed to be like that..." Makima raised an eyebrow, not fully understanding Kirara's enthusiasm; she had felt the burn but didn't think much of it.
They continued drinking and eating for several hours. Kirara, always animated, kept the conversation flowing, while Megumi limited himself to nodding and responding politely. After a few glasses, he eventually fell asleep. It was already dawn, and Kirara mumbled, "How... does it not affect you?" before collapsing and snoring softly. Makima smiled and took one last sip from her glass, realizing that, although she was just beginning to feel the effects, the alcohol didn't affect her much, she concluded.
She observed Megumi for a moment. She didn't know him very well, and although it was tempting to try to access his mind to gain his trust, it seemed like a slow process. She decided to wait, at least until she had a clearer idea of what her options would be.