Chapter 6: Bitter Sweet

- "My little one, my sweet Natsume. You look so calm my beautiful daughter, as calm as if you were really sleeping" – Sitting at the foot of the hospital bed, my friend's mother had not left her side since she was admitted in critical condition. After being located along with the rest of the children's bodies, Natsume was taken by ambulance to the hospital with a bruise on her head and several of her bones broken due to the fall when the kappa was destroyed.

According to the medical report, she had a critical condition of encephalitis because her brain received severe damage from edema, which kept her on the brink of death until doctors performed surgery to release the pressure in her skull.

In that hospital room, only the sobs of a grieving mother were accompanied by the sound of vital signs monitors, like a cold response that her daughter would not wake up.

As soon as I got home to my apartment that night, I raided the refrigerator, devouring all the raw meat I had stored, in a desperate attempt to recover my amputated leg. Which did not grow again until the next morning, at which time I got into the shower to clean all the dirt that covered my body, only to immediately leave for the Ishikawa family's house.

Dressed in my high school uniform, I walked through the streets observing the commotion of the neighbors and those who had lost their children during the course of the night. I knew perfectly well everything that had happened, I saw it firsthand and experienced the bitterness of witnessing the brutality of the yokai.

While the unfortunate parents mourned their children, the police informed them that everything had been a kidnapping by a sinister cult. All of that was a lie, but it was more believable than the truth I knew. Those who cannot see them would judge anyone crazy who claimed that they were monsters from folklore.

Turning the corner of the block where the Ishikawa house was, a detective intercepted me, showing me his badge, and began to question me.

- "Detective Sato, Nakamura Sato. Agent assigned to the investigation unit on domestic terrorism crimes. Miss, what is your business in this place?" – With a robust body marked by his broad shoulders, that man's arms were so strong that the fabric of his jacket seemed like it would tear just by flexing them, giving the appearance of having been an athlete during his student days. With a slightly square face and thick eyebrows, that man looked closer to that of a thug than a police officer.

- "My name is Yoshino Haruka, I am a friend of the Ishikawa family's daughter. I come to your house to pick you up so we can go to school. Could you let me in?" – Trying to maintain serenity, I hid my fear before the intimidating aura of Detective Nakamura, who remained with his arms crossed standing in front of me. Tilting his face slightly so that he was level with mine.

My heart was beating very loudly, almost to the point that it could be heard if that man put his ear against my chest. I was completely nervous, holding my briefcase with both hands in front of me, clenching my fists on the handle.

- "Sorry miss, but that will not be possible. "I'm sorry to tell you this, but your friend has suffered a serious accident and had to be taken to the hospital."

- "BUT WHAT?" – Maintaining my act, I tried to feign surprise at the news that the detective informed me; I knew it very well, if my facade fell there would be no escape.

- "Calm down, if she is really your friend you should maintain your composure. Look behind me, one of my colleagues is interviewing the girl's parents and until just a few minutes ago we managed to calm the mother down. If she sees you upset, all our work will be even more complicated." – Putting his thick hands on my shoulders, Detective Nakamura sighed with a crestfallen face as he allowed me to approach the Ishikawas under the promise of not losing his temper.

- "Haruka-san!" – As soon as Natsume's mother saw me arriving, she ran towards me hugging me tightly with her trembling hands. With that sensation running through my back, I felt an immense guilt that drilled into my chest while I surrounded my friend's mother's back with my arms.

- "Haru-chan, my little Natsume has been taken to the hospital. My husband and I were about to leave but we had no one to leave little Ren with. I know this is a lot to ask of you, my girl, but I really don't know who else to turn to. At this moment, I am unable to trust anyone with my beloved Ren" – Ren, Natsume's younger brother, was a six-year-old boy who had barely entered primary school. Being the youngest member of the family, Natsume used to spend a lot of time with him since he was born, to the point that his brother saw her as much as a mother.

With an introverted character, that little boy could hardly socialize with people, barely accepting the company of family members and a few close friends.

- "Don't worry Kyoko-san, you guys go to the hospital. I will stay at home with little Ren keeping him company, I will hand in a dispensation tomorrow at school."

- "I really thank you my girl, I promise that I will inform you of everything I know about Natsume" – Boarding the patrol car with her husband, the Ishikawa couple left for the hospital to find out how their daughter was doing. Leaving both Ren and I alone in the house.

Due to the rush due to the sudden arrival of the police at the Ishikawa home, Natsume's mother had not left breakfast prepared for the little boy. So I took an apron hanging on the wall and set out to make a bento like my mother used to make for me when I was a little girl.

While I was glued to the stove, little Ren remained silently sitting in a chair at the kitchen table, leaning against the backrest, watching intently as I prepared the food and put it in the lunch container.

- "Little Ren, do you want to have octopus-shaped sausages for your lunch?" – Hiding my smile at the discomfort of finding myself in the Ishikawa house, I continued preparing the bento without receiving a single response from the child.

She couldn't blame him for behaving like that, anyone who went through a situation like the one her family was in would have the same attitude. Furthermore, that child had problems socializing and his qualities had not managed to improve in the six years he had been alive.

- "Is my sister coming back?"

- "Yes, Ren. Natsume is coming back, don't be afraid. "She is very strong and loves you very much, she would do anything for you."

- "My sister… if she hadn't gone to sleep in my room, they wouldn't have taken her"

- "Crash" – Surprised by the little boy's statement, my right hand that was holding the frying pan lost strength, letting it fall on the kitchen floor. Burning my feet with the boiling oil that splashed violently from the rebound of the metal against the floor.

- "Ouch, it hurts horrible"

- "Sister Haru, I'm sorry! You also got hurt because of me."

- "No, Ren! This is not your fault! "None of what happened is your fault!" – Completely bathed in tears with his deep crying, I hugged the child tightly trying to calm him down so we could clean the kitchen and get ready to take him to the park.

Staying locked up in that house all the time was suffocating for both of us; Thinking about it, I decided that it would be better for us to wait for news somewhere where little Ren could be distracted.

Putting the lunch in the backpack, I took the little one in my arms and we left the house heading to the park that was a few blocks away. The bustle that could be seen in the street until an hour ago was replaced by the complete absence of the families who had gone to the police station to recognize the bodies of their children.

I really felt terrible while I was walking accompanied by Ren, the feeling of emptiness that took over me as I consciously experienced the weight of each death led me to hug the little boy tightly in an attempt not to break down in the agony of the hangovers. memories of the night before.

- "Sister Haruka, are you okay?"

- "Yes, nothing's wrong with me, little Ren. "I just wanted to give you a hug, that's all." – Surrounding my neck with his delicate arms, the boy snuggled against my chest, resting his head on my shoulder, whispering in my ear that he was not good at lying.

Seeing myself discovered by a child of barely six years old, I let out a light laugh of relief accompanied by a sigh. Only my mother was the only person capable of knowing my true state of mind; Not even the teachers or my classmates were able to see through the emotional mask that I imposed on myself, only she could.

- "You know Ren, you are a very special child. Thanks for worrying about me"

- "Sister Haruka, if you feel sad again, tell me, I will give you a hug. "It's what my sister Natsume does to me when I have a bad day at school" - Despite knowing that the little boy's words were not ill-intentioned, the weight they carried made a dent in my heart as I remembered the face bathed in tears of Natsume that afternoon at school.

If only she had been more mature, if she had used other words, there would be so many who would not be able to reach her now that she was lying in a hospital bed. In my heart I only had one firm desire; I wanted her to wake up and see me, so I could hug her and tell her how sorry I was for being stupid.

While I was still absorbed in my guilty thoughts, we arrived at the park and I put little Ren on the ground. The poor guy barely touched the ground, he ran towards the swings and waving his right hand, he invited me to push him to start swinging. It doesn't matter what kind of child he is; Naughty or introverted, everyone enjoys community playgrounds. And little Ren was no exception.

That child with a withdrawn behavior imposed his rhythm in the park, taking me from one game to another until I became short of breath at times. Whoever saw him could not believe that it was Ren himself, since his behavior changed a lot when it came to playing with someone he considered close.

After an hour of intense coming and going, sweat was completely bathing my blouse and the skin of my face was completely red from the morning sun. Looking at the old clock that was in the middle of the park, I could see that we were already close to noon and we still hadn't eaten anything.

- "Ren, I think we should stop for a moment. Are you not hungry?"

- "No, sister Haruka. "I want to keep playing"

- "Yes, it's okay if you want to continue playing. But at least you should eat first before continuing, come on, take the lunch I made for you" – Taking the bento out of the backpack to extend it to Ren's hands, suddenly the wind began to blow violently, raising a cloud of dust that A moment made me close my eyes.

When the wind finally stopped its momentum, upon opening my eyes I realized that little Ren was no longer in front of me.

- "REN! Where are you? REN!" – Natsume's little brother was not a child who used to make that kind of jokes, he knew him perfectly and knew that he was a little boy who was very sensitive to the feelings of others. Not finding it, desperation took hold of me, causing part of my power as a magical girl to manifest for brief moments.

- "Magic core system warning! A security breach has been detected that puts the transformation phase at risk. Until the fault is corrected, the transformation module will be temporarily disabled" – With a quick flash bathing my body, the armor that had partially materialized disintegrated as if they were ashes to my complete astonishment.

- "Haruka-san Haruka-san! Can you hear me?" – With her visibly worried tone of voice, Luxfera communicated with me telepathically while I continued to observe my surroundings in an attempt to find little Ren.

- "I listen to you Luxfera, but right now I'm busy. Natsume's little brother just disappeared right before my eyes and I'm looking for him like crazy. Unless it's something important, please don't interrupt me."

- "LISTEN TO ME, DUMB! That child is in great danger right now! Do you remember the monk who attacked us on the bank of the river? "That cretin has captured him and taken him to the Shinosaki shrine."

- "How is that possible? Why was Ren captured? What are they supposed to want from him? Luxfera I can't transform! How am I going to face that monk?"

- "Haruka-san, try to calm down and listen to me carefully. I placed a Hitogata in your blouse pocket before you left the apartment. That paper doll has part of my spiritual power sealed. When you're in front of that damn cretin, break the doll in two and that trash won't stand a chance against you. Even if you can't transform, my power is enough to buy you time to run away with the child" – My body trembled like a leaf that was swayed by the wind, while I forced my legs to run down the street until I found a parked bicycle. outside a mini market and stole it to continue my race against time.

Despite having consumed all those animals that I had stored in my refrigerator, my body was not completely recovered and the leg that had barely regenerated was beginning to give me problems while pedaling.

The tibia and fibula were barely able to hold on due to the tendons and muscle that were becoming necrotic, while the stocking that covered my calf was beginning to be stained by the body fluids produced by putrefaction.

Praying to a god that I still clung to believing in, I pressed my lips together to contain the pain while keeping my eyes ahead in my dizzying race towards the sanctuary.

Under the gaze of a few visitors who were at the entrance to the sanctuary, I left the bicycle thrown away while I tried to walk forcefully with my leg numb to the point of only being able to drag my foot on the ground. The intense pain that coursed through my body made me gasp hard, while the sweat that bathed my forehead ran into my eyes, making them burn like hell.

As if I was immersed in a deep trance, a melody coming from a flute attracted my attention, making my body move on its own. Taking me along a secondary path inside the sanctuary, until I reached a vacant area surrounded by trees, where the intense aroma of hay intoxicated my nose.

- "Wow, wow. I didn't think a monster could care about the life of a brat, but I see that I was wrong about that." – Descending from heaven accompanied by the monk who attacked me the night before, a priestess dressed in white wrapped in a veil appeared in front of me.

- "Who are you? Let Ren go!" – Unable to move freely, I could barely open my mouth making a great effort that almost dislocated my jaw. Before the mocking gaze of the priestess of the Meikai no Kaze, who extended her arm in front pointing towards me, shooting a series of needles that crossed my body.

- "Argh"

- "Oh, poor you! Excuse me, I'm really sorry. Since you are a damn rotting corpse, I didn't think that needles could cause you pain, but I see that I was wrong again. It's just that I'm a little clumsy" – Making a childish gesture sticking out her tongue, the strange woman played with her flute as she approached walking menacingly towards me.

When she had me close to her, she slowly caressed my face with her sharp nails, tearing part of my right cheek as she dug the tip of her claws into my skin.

- "What do you want?"

- "Oh, don't you know? Children today are all idiots who don't know anything other than watching television and playing video games. Girl, a priestess has only one job and it is a very serious one. I think you already saw my partner yesterday doing it, right?"

- "You are going to send me to the other world"

- "Ding dong. You were right, you're not as stupid as I thought. But you're only half right. The monks send the souls of the dead to trial before the Enma Daio, but the priestesses of the cult are in charge of erasing the unnatural souls.

- "Delete?"

- "Well, to be more precise, I am going to skip the underworld judgment part and send your impure soul directly to the deepest level of the yomi. Where you will be destroyed and rebuilt again and again until your consciousness completely fades away. In other words, when your ego disintegrates you will disappear forever" – Laughing out loud while pulling my hair, the priestess began to recite a series of sutras while seven torii gates manifested behind her.

Little by little, while he continued with his funeral song, the doors began to shine, giving off an intense light that, upon contact with my body, caused severe pain that seemed to tear my skin off.

- "Haruka-san! Use the damn fennel!" – Trying to free my body from the control that the priestess exerted through the needles embedded in it, I used all the force I could to dislocate the joints of my right arm until I could feel the pain allowing me to regain some of the mobility of it .

- "It's useless, stupid girl! No matter what you do, your power is sealed thanks to my partner. Just surrender and willingly give your soul to receive the punishment you deserve."

- "Punishment? That I deserve a punishment? Yes you're right. I am a sinner who deserves to go to hell and burn for my sins. But I'm not going to go just because a damn lying bitch like you wants it, not while I have this." - Taking my right hand quickly to the pocket of my blouse, I took out the paper doll, which I brought to my mouth and in a I just broke it with my teeth.

At that moment the spiritual energy that Luxfera had sealed in the hinogata was released with fury, colliding with the body of the priestess, throwing her against the torii gates.

- "Damn bastard! No, I can't die like this. You fucking idiot let go of that brat and help me!" – Panicked by being sucked into the gates of the underworld, the priestess ordered the monk to help her escape the force of attraction of the portal.

Leaving little Ren unconscious on the ground, the monk rushed straight to the body of the priestess, chanting while he stuck his staff in to cling to the ground.

- "Haruka-san, come quickly. "Around here, we don't have much time" – Appearing behind the trees holding little Ren in her arms, Luxfera looked at me with an almost agonized look on her face.

- "Luxfera! "What happened to you?"

- "Ugh, this is not the time for questions. Take my hand, we have no time left before the second blow."

- "Second blow?" – Even without understanding the words of the spiritual entity, the pieces of the paper doll that were still on the ground flew to where the monk and the priestess were.

Those small pieces of paper began to burn in a blue flame, followed by a strong explosion that shook the earth and generated a shock wave that caused both enemies to be thrown into the torii gates. Which were illuminated with a more intense glow, almost as if it were the glow of the afternoon sun.

- "Take my hand. Now!" – Being pulled by Luxfera into a dimensional portal, our bodies fell into the room of my apartment, being followed by a scorching heat coming from the fire produced by the reaction of the doors of the underworld.

In the place in my apartment where the portal closed, a soot mark was left on the tatami mats as if something had burned there.

Even with my labored breathing, I tried to get up to go to where little Ren and Luxfera were lying; but at that moment, my consciousness faded and I fell hard against the floor.