Eternal Bewitchment: Chapter 1-Discovery

A young woman read quietly as she waited for the bus to pull up to take her to school. She sat off to one side away from the groups of kids milling around talking to friends about classes and love lives and who did what. Her sunglasses hid her eyes from them; many said to take the glare off her own outfit. Her red hair danced in the wind, the white tips brushing across her face as she read. She wore a long sleeved white shirt, the sleeves dangling about her arm as she sat. Her white jeans were covered in silver chains around her belt. Around her throat there was a white ribbon choker, at it’s base rested a silver rose.1

The woman looked up as she heard the screeching of the bus’ brakes and sighed book marking her page in her book. She was in no hurry to get on as she filed into the line to get on, her bag over one shoulder. She slid into her seat towards the back alone as she slipped on her headphones over her ears. She hit play as the CD played over the sounds of the chattering preps, jocks, nerds, and the other numerous social groups that went to Amadeus High.2

As the trees and houses wisped by on the morning ride, the trees reflected against her silver reflected sunglasses, she thought about the upcoming writing contest her school was holding. The theme had interested her, and an added bonus it was anonymous so anyone could win no matter his or her status. As a loner, she was the lowest of the low; except between her few friends who knew her better half the time than she did herself.3

*  *  *4

“Excuse me…do you mind if I sit with you?”5

She blinked behind her sunglasses and looked up to see a tall, lean, young man. She scooted over to allow him to sit down next to her. She was at least six inches shorter than him, possibly more as he sat next to her. He smiled a friendly smile; holding out a hand to her.6

“Thanks for letting me sit here. I’m sorta new…my name is Toshiro Kaemon. May I ask who you are?”7

She was about to answer when the Prep showed up. The high heeled girl wore her typical pink shirt, although today it said, ‘Kiss me, I’m Single,’ with a beyond dress code short red skirt. As soon as She laid eyes on Toshiro, she pounced on him.8

“Hi! You \must\ be new here! Come sit with us instead of with that \Loner\.”9

‘With that much scorn she could kill,’ the one nicknamed ‘the Loner’ thought to herself as Toshiro eyed the girl politely.10

“Pardon me miss…”11

“I’m Kimi Reizo Leiko, but you can call me Kimi or Kim for short,” she mused as she flicked her blonde hair over one shoulder her blue eyes sparkling with the thought of a new conquest to snare and toy with.12

“Ah, thank you…um...Kimi, but as you can see I already have a seat. Thanks for offering though.”13

Kimi’s eyes snarled at his neighbor in pure hatred and disgust.14

“You \obviously\ don’t know who you’re sitting with. She hangs out with those… \outcasts\. You don’t want to hang out with the wrong sort do you?” She had a fake warm smile across her face.15

“Can it Leiko. If he doesn’t want to sit with you, he doesn’t want to sit with you. Besides has it ever occurred to your narrow mind that just because you’re the most popular girl in school doesn’t mean you get everything,” she hated Kimi’s overaccessive bragging about her boyfriends and how good in they are in the bed, how slim she was, etc. There seemed to be no end to her.16

“My my my, the \Loner\ speaks! I’m impressed! I thought you just hid behind your sunglasses all day sleeping to hide your \abnormal\ eyes. Oh wait, that’s right you’re \abnormal\ too, always finding ways to-“17

“Miss Kimi if it pleases you to sit with you I’ll do it. It’s nothing to start a fight over.” Toshiro felt sorry for all the trouble he was causing for the girl next to him. They had only just met and he felt that he might have lost his chance to get to know her.18

‘Hell I didn’t even get her name,’ he thought sadly as he looked apologetically to her and moved to sit next to Kimi who immediately started discussing who was part of the “in” crowd and who was decisively not for reasons.19

She never once revealed the people’s names…only their nicknames.20

*  *  *21

Toshiro was determined to find out who his mystery stranger was. She hadn’t looked any older than him, though looks could be deceiving. He decided to break away from the rather popular and energetic Kimi and follow his stranger off the bus. As soon as they were out of earshot of Kimi, Toshiro gently tapped the girl on the shoulder.22

“Pardon me, I didn’t mean for this morning to happen the way it did. I wanted to apol-”23

She sighed quietly and looked at him through her sunglasses before pulling them off.24

“She’s right in some cases though. I just wish she wouldn’t rub it in some times,” she smiled at him looking at him with vibrant violet colored eyes. This often teased her but she didn’t take any offense to it. She liked them and only wore sunglasses because she truly wanted to, not that she wanted to hide.25

He stared at her wide-eyed for a moment slightly caught off guard by their color. He had seen contact lenses of that color, but to see eyes of that actual color was something you see only once in a life time.26

“You truly are a remarkable person. Since Kimi is gone, would you mind telling me your name now, miss?”27

She laughed and smiled up at him and looked both ways before saying, “They may call me the Loner, but my actual name is Amaya. Amaya Kei Gin at your service. Now you might want to find Kimi before she catches me with you…but be careful around her alright? Some strange things happen around her when it comes to guys.”28

With a small wave, she walked into the building, leaving him to watch her leave and go find Kimi, thinking aloud as he walked.29

“I hope I get into her classes…she seems really nice. Wonder why she’s called the Loner.”30

*  *  *31

Toshiro found out later that they why she was called the Loner.32

It was lunchtime and, as usual, the outside areas were filled with people. In the cafeteria, it was just as busy, except for one corner. It was much darker and no one sat there, except for Amaya. She had a notebook out, a few of her books around her. One book, however, was not what it appeared to be. At a cursory glance the book was rather old looking but looked as though it had never been truly abused, no tape or torn pages.33

Yet, that was what it was \supposed\ to like to those who didn’t possess the Curse, as her old family had often called it after all, how could their only daughter be a witch.34

‘It’s not like we have a choice to be a witch or not. It just happens. Besides I like helping people, it’s not like it’s a cruse or something like that. If anything, it is a gift,’ Amaya thought to herself as she started copying a spell into her spiral bound notebook.35

It was a simple enough spell; she just needed to alter it a bit, so that it was universal instead of just for objects of magical properties.36

“If I want to find out if it’s got it or not why does it have to be just objects? Afterall, magic comes in all shapes and forms.”37

Just then her youngest friend, a freshman by the name of Akila, through her arms around her older friend crying. Amaya held the girl running her hands down back to calm her down slowly.38

“She did it again…and again…and again…”39

“Shh, Akila, who did what to you? You know you can tell me.” Amaya was well known to protective of her friends and anyone who made one of her few friends cry was about to be in a great deal of pain.40

She sniffled and looked at her with sad blue eyes and wiped away her tears stubbornly, “Kimi. She stole all my homework and ripped it into pieces.  Right in my face Amaya! Now what am I gonna tell Sensei Kyoko? I worked on my paper for hours and it’s over a quarter of my grade this quarter!”41

Amaya’s eyes narrowed into slits and she stood up.42

“I’ll tell you what you are going to tell Sensei Kyoko. Tell her I tore it up ok? That way you won’t get into trouble. I’ll take the blame…you know we can’t pin it on Miss Perfect. Speaking of…I think its time I had a little chat with her. You just watch my stuff ok Akila. I’ll be back no worries.”43

Akila’s eyes widened as Amaya smiled to her and turned walking purposely to Kimi’s usual hangout.44

*  *  *45

“Did you see the look on the Scath’s face? Oh my god, it was perfect!”46

Kimi’s laughter filled the table as Toshiro looked uncomfortable. He didn’t like what Kimi did to the girl’s homework. He was about to ask the full meaning as to why she was called ‘Scath’ when Amaya showed up.47

“Leiko you pulled the wrong move.”48

“Oh really, Loner?  And what one would \that\ be?”49

Kimi’s smirk was filled with venom just as it happened. Amaya’s hand connected with the side of Kimi’s face in a loud resounding smack.  The entire table was speechless except Toshiro who was trying hard not to laugh.50

‘She should have known that it would have come to it eventually. She won’t be on her throne for long if Amaya acts like this with everybody she teases.’51

Toshiro thought to himself, as he looked on Amaya’s face a grim mask as she stood over Kimi’s form.52

“You listen *very* closely, Leiko. You do *not* mess with my friends.”53

Kimi hissed at Amaya her eyes a demonic blood red her canines lengthening under Amaya’s wide-eyed gaze. The image faded quickly and returned to the illusion of just an angry Kimi as she stood to rise ready for a return attack.54

‘Oh /shit/ she’s a demon! This is *not* what I asked for. Where’s an open area with a pentagram when you need one?’ Amaya thought to herself as she slowly backed away of her.55

“Why ya runnin Loner? Chicken? You know you can’t beat me!”56

Kimi grabbed the front of her shirt and pulled the smaller Amaya to her raising her off the ground an inch or two. She snarled quietly in her face and whispered so that only Amaya could hear.57

“You listen this time Loner. Don’t get in my way. I tease who I tease. I take who I take. I kill who I kill. You have no purpose. \You\ do not interfere, ‘less you want to end up like those who stood up to me before. Go back to the shadows where you belong.”58

With that, Kimi threw her to the ground, turned, and walked away, her clique followed in her wake, leaving behind a frightened Amaya wondering what would be the demon’s next move.59

*   *   *60

Toshiro growled at Kimi’s fading back, moving to help Amaya up. He held out a hand to her and watched as she took his noticing how smooth it was. Toshiro mentally shook himself.61

‘How can one of the nicest girls I have ever known be at the bottom of the heap? She wasn’t scared to slap Kim, and she sure as hell stood up for her friends and for me that matter earlier on the bus…but why?’62

“Because I was abandoned that’s why.”63

Toshiro jumped not realizing he had spoken his thoughts aloud. He looked at Amaya before helping her to her feet. He carefully worded the question afraid she wouldn’t answer him.64

“Why would your parents abandon you?”65

She turned away from him her arms crossed gently hugging herself. She knew that one day someone would ask her. What she hadn’t known was that a perfect \stranger\ would ask her. She felt gentle arms wrap around her holding her close.66

“Hey Amaya, its alright you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”67

“No…it’s just that…no one \has\ asked me before. Its as though they are afraid to ask the Loner why she is one.” Her laugh was soft although rather hollow sounding. “Toshiro, if I tell you, do you promise not to tell anyone else?”68

Toshiro blinked and nodded, “Now tell me. I promise.”69

Amaya looked around noticing everyone was gone, ‘Probably to go hang outside again.’ She took a deep breath leaning against Toshiro for support.70

“There is a simple reason my parents abandoned me my freshman year at Amadeus High, it turns out that I’m a witch. Not like those street magicians, you see at shows that use wires and such to mask their dealings. A real. Live. Witch. I was something not normal…better yet in their terms \immoral\. Since then I’ve been trying to live by myself in a apartment downtown.”71

Toshiro’s eyes widened and he held Amaya close to him. He knew what it was like to be abandoned, but in a different way.72

“Amaya, why don’t you stay over at my place afterschool? I’m still new to this town…maybe you can…umm…show me around?”73

She blinked and looked up at him, before giving him a small smile. “I’d be delighted to Toshiro. I know a little place downtown probably close to where you live where we can get a snack too. So, are you going to sit next to me on the bus?”74

Amaya blushed lightly and felt his warm lips on her forehead, “Wouldn’t miss it Amaya, come on the bell is about to ring.”75

*   *   *76

Meanwhile, Kimi had her own plans up her sleeve. She knew full and well that her image had slipped from that slap. Amaya had seen something that only her lovers saw; of course, it was the last thing they ever saw. Afterall, a succubus can’t reveal her whereabouts.77

‘Although I must admit that Toshiro isn’t my tastes when it comes to dateable…course then again I haven’t fed in awhile hmm…perhaps this way I can kill two birds with one stone. Everybody knows that the Loner gets defensive to those she thinks could be friendly to her.’78

Kimi licked her lips as she began planning for another night of hunting, and a way to seduce Toshiro away for his last date.79

“And that date is with Hell.”80

*   *   *81

That afternoon, Amaya showed Toshiro the town, as she loved it. She brought him through the many parks and an old library built in 1843 that still stood today. Toshiro was fascinated at the seemingly unending knowledge that Amaya possessed of her town as they walked to a nearby restaurant.82

“Remember that place I said we could get a snack from? Here it is. It’s a one of a kind place. Not many people come for some reason; it’s a shame really. I mean, I swear to you they have the best ice cream in just about every flavor.”83

Amaya’s cheerfulness was rare when she was at school, but here on her streets, the red-haired witch showed her true colors.84

Toshiro was falling for her before he knew it. When he realized it as they were getting their ice cream, he took a closer look at his friend. Something came to his mind.85

‘That dream…the angel looked exactly like her. She saved me from that…thing…oh hell what was it? Something that wanted me for dinner that was for sure,’ he thought to himself. He had been only twelve when he had that dream and the fact that Amaya looked like his angel surprised him.86

“Well look who’s here, if it isn’t Toshiro and the Loner. Just taking him to dinner hmm Loner?” Kimi’s voice rang around them as Amaya stood looking through the crowd for her.87

“Leiko come outside so we can finish this. You want a fight? I’ll give you one…yokoshima na.”88

Amaya’s outward appearance appeared to be strong but inside she was scared out of her wits. She had managed to hide some of her belongings here for a good reason. She always had a suspicion that a tormentor of darkness might actually track her down here. She moved to the back door when Toshiro grabbed her.89

“Amaya, are you sure about this? I don’t want you to get hurt.”90

Her smile didn’t cheer him up at all. It was small and sad as she looked back at the door. “No one is sure about anything, even if fate has it set in stone.”91

He followed her outside just as Kimi jumped on top of him. She was no longer hiding behind her illusion, long midnight streaked blonde hair pooled around them. Demonic wings made of membrane and bone spread wide from her back as her beyond beautiful face contorted for her fanged mouth to smirk down at him, licking it’s lips as hunger reflected in her blood lit eyes.92

“Hello dinner.”93

“Not tonight, demon!” Amaya’s form had changed in the split second between Kimi’s attack and him landing on the ground. She had slightly pointed ears and across her face were tattoos, ancient and colorful. The tattoos ran over her body like her veins yet with one slight difference. At the center points of power, the heart and mind, lay pentagrams.94

With a wave of her hand, she knocked the demon off of Toshiro with a blast of psychic energy and stood over him protectively.95

Toshiro wasn’t sure what he should do. Everything from his dream was coming alive again, but one thing was certain:96

It wasn’t a dream anymore.97