Keiko paced outside the gate to her house. She glanced around with worried eyes.
“Haru-kun said he’d meet me here so we could walk to school together. I even got up early for it, but he isn’t here yet,” she sighed. “It’s probably nothing, but…”
Loud caws caught her attention. Keiko’s head swung to the sky. There, several crows were assaulting a lone crow. They pecked, clawed, and battered their target. It flew to the ground with them in close pursuit.
The crow landed. With a flap of its wings, it morphed into a cat. Its claws lashed out at the attackers. They scattered, flying into the air. The cat raised up on its back legs and turned into Haru.
He gave the crows the middle finger, “Well, a double dumbass on you!”
“Haru-kun?” Keiko said. “What the hell just happened?”
“I turned into a crow to get here faster, but that was a bad idea,” he replied.
She spoke, “They attacked you because of your curse, but why did they run when you became a cat? There were enough crows that they could have overwhelmed you without much trouble.”
“That’s part of my curse,” Haru stated.
“Go on,” Keiko encouraged him.
Haru said, “Others see in me what they hate most; however, it has to be something possible. Let’s say someone hates samurai. There haven’t been any samurai in centuries, so they won’t think I’m one. It has to be based on what I could be.”
“You mean the crows could have assumed you were stealing food, but assumed you were an expert hunter when you were a cat?”
“You got the first part right. I don’t know about the cat part since I can only speak their language in crow form,” he replied.
Keiko chuckled, “Did those crows really call you a dumbass?”
“They did,” Haru groaned. “Crows are very rude.”
“How rude are they?”
He changed the subject, “We should get to school. Come on. Let’s go over our last lesson.”
Haru walked to the school with Keiko keeping pace with him. As they moved along the sidewalk, a girl with flaming red hair leapt out of some bushes and landed in front of them. Her hair was covered in twigs, leaves, and dirt. A beetle crawled out of it.
“So, thou hast arrived, just as expected!” the girl laughed. “Thee, who I must destroy!”
Haru said, “Who are you?”
“Thou dost not know who I am? We’re in the same class!”
“Did you ever talk to me?” his face turned blank.
“Of course not!” she snapped, “I wish not to know thee, simply to destroy thee.”
Keiko spoke, “Haru-kun, this is Sato Anzu. She always talks like that.”
“Oh, she’s a chuuni,” Haru nodded.
“I am not that!” Anzu said, “I am a demon, and I shall destroy thee, follower of Christ!”
Haru replied, “If I were to side with any god, grandmother would castrate me with a durian.”
“Silence! Thou made a mistake not carrying thine cross! This ist mine opportunity!” she declared.
“I don’t wear a cross, dumbass.”
“Dost not anger me further, human!”
Haru probed the young girl with his energy sense, pinpricks of pain poking his skin, “You are a demon!”
“You can tell so fast?” Keiko blinked.
“Demons make my skin prickle.”
Anzu laughed, “Tremble in fear! Now, face death, wicked cur!”
Fire blazed to life in her hands. Keiko felt searing heat. Wings sprouted from Anzu’s back and she ran toward them. Haru cast a spell as fast as he could.
“Poshol nahuj!”
The demon slammed to the ground like a ten ton weight was dropped on her. Her fires dissipated.
“Owwwwwwww…” Anzu groaned.
Keiko said, “That was as easy as the vampire.”
“It was easier,” Haru stated, “Us witches have all sorts of spells for dealing with demons. They love tempting us.”
“Fool! Counterspell! Juhan lohsop!” Anzu jumped up and pointed her arms at them.
“She broke my spell! How?” Haru stepped back in shock.
“Mine magic training came forth from the Sengoku Jidai! I was a mere half-demon before my transformation into a full demon!”
Keiko’s eyes widened, “That’s amazing! You turned yourself into a demon with magic.”
“That’s not how mine transformation happened,” Anzu said, “I mistook a magic jewel for candy and ate it.”
“Past’ zabej, padla jebanaja!” Haru’s shouted.
Anzu went flying backwards. Blood sprayed from her mouth. She roared and flapped her wings. They stopped her in place. Fire blasted out from her hands.
Haru countered with his wind spell, “Veter dut!”
A torrent of wind pushed back the flames. Anzu laughed like a madwoman. Even with the wind defense, the flames licked her opponents.
“Thou canst stop me! Mine power ist supreme!”
“Poshol nahuj!” Haru barked.
Anzu was driven into a freshly poured cement driveway. The concrete splattered into the air.
Under his breath, Haru uttered a word. The cement hardened around the demon girl.
“Fool of fools!” she chuckled. “With mine demonic strength, I shall break through this cement posthaste!”
“Are you sure about that?” Haru pointed at a sign next to the cement.
It read, “Church services will be held at the Northwest chapel while the driveway is being repaired.”
The demon was on holy ground.
“Curses! Thou hast foiled me!” Anzu spat.
“Haru-kun,” Keiko said, “What do we do with her?”
He replied, “I was actually thinking of letting you decide.”
“Me? Why?” she asked.
Haru answered, “She might be able to tell what type of supernatural creature you are.”
Anzu scoffed, “As if I wouldst tell that to the friend of an utterly devout Christian!”
Keiko thought for a moment.
“What to do? You said demons were worse than humans are, but if she can help me… Is there any way you can keep her from hurting anyone?”
“Leave it to me,” Haru chanted, “Cyka blyat, cyka blyat, cyka blyat, cyka blyat, cyka blyat…”
When they arrived at school, Anzu was walking behind them. She was struggling to carry all their stuff in her arms.
“This is humiliating,” she said, “How long must I do this?”
“You can give them back to us now. We can’t have you carry them into school for us. It’d look suspicious,” Haru stated.
Anzu handed their stuff back to them, “Praise the devil. Thou hast shown mercy.”
“That being said, you need to obey me now. So, behave yourself. Don’t spread evil,” Keiko ordered.
“But that’s why I am in school in the first place!” the demon objected, “Teenagers art easy to manipulate!”
“I bound you to Keiko-chan. So, play nice,” condescension flowed through Haru’s voice.
“Curse thee for binding me to that accursed woman,” Anzu grit her teeth so hard one of them chipped and the piece flew out.
In its place, a new tooth formed.
Keiko asked, “So, Haru, what am I supposed to do with a demon as a servant?”
He said, “Whatever you do with normal servants. I’ll help you with anything occult. If she tries to make a deal with you, refuse.”
She addressed Anzu, “I order you to make us healthy, tasty lunches for us tomorrow.”
Then Keiko pointed at Anzu.
“And not cursed!”
“I shall obey thee…what hath I ever done to deserve this?” the demon groaned.
“You tried to kill us,” Haru stated.
Anzu shrugged, “How is that bad?”
Keiko sighed, “Haru-kun, you know what to do.”
“Poshol nahuj.”
Ved'ma Story 