[21] A Full Moon on Twelve O’clock

[21] A Full Moon on Twelve O’clock

Chapter 21: A Full Moon on Twelve O’clock

—

Classes began, and I was half expecting one of the Devils to come to look for me anytime. Sona, the Student Council President, should want to deal with me after seeing the state I left her Queen in. To my surprise, classes ended soon, and no devil ever came to look for me.

Perhaps Tsubaki Shinra took it to heart when I pointed out this was a simple trifle between just the two of us. I'm glad she has at least that level of honor.

After the bell rang, I left to meet the girls at the school gate. I only found Ruby there, though.

"Tsubasa isn't here yet?" I asked her as I approached, watching her shake her head.

"She was here, she left. Apparently, she has some work outside, I don't know, she won't share the details." She said as I frowned.

Tsubasa didn't have any friends outside us. She has many acquaintances who might call them her friends, but her honor student vibe didn't make her any real friends besides us. This work of hers couldn't be related to the Agency either; otherwise, I was sure Uncle Ichigo would have asked me to accompany her.

"How long will it take?" I asked and only received another shake of Ruby's head, she didn't know.

Then, another voice called us from back. We turned to find Kana Arima running at us while waving at us.

"Ruby! Hi!" She called and approached us, though strangely she didn't even glance at me, let alone address to greet me. "Are you leaving for home? Let's go together, I take the same train too."

I heard that Ruby took Kana to Tsubasa's house a few days ago, so they must know that they take the same train. I didn't bother greeting her since I had a possible guess why she was acting this way, and that was just ridiculous.

We walked for a while and then reached the train station. We got into the train, and it was one of those bad days where it was packed with people. Japan was disgusting for its train situation, so I stood over the two girls to keep them away from any creeps.

The three of us were excited when our station came and we walked for a bit more until we came to a crossroad. Kana paused and then looked at me.

"You're doing good," she said. "I watched both of the episodes, they were... fun. I wish you a good time with your girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend," I decided to end the misunderstanding since I told Rias about it anyway. It wouldn't hurt if others knew. "It was just a mistake in the heat of the moment, we aren't dating."

"Oh... oh?!" Kana's first exclamation was dry before she flinched and exclaimed once more. She blushed, sweat covering her face as she scoffed. "N-not that it matters to me. Whatever, b-bye!"

She turned around and fled the scene like a guilty puppy. She's cute, honestly. Too short for my type, though. Why is she 4"11?

In the meantime, Ruby was staring at me with a shocked expression. "Wait, you and Mem-Cho aren't dating?!"

"No, I told mom already last night," I told her. "I thought she'd tell you? Damn, you're clueless."

"Shut up! Why didn't you tell Tsubasa the truth, then? Don't tell me you didn't notice how she's been acting. Even I understood her situation, how did you miss it? It's a special day for her tomorrow, you know..."

Huh? What special day? When I opened my mouth to ask, I stopped. If I say that I forgot, it'll only backfire. And hmm, could it be the truth when she said she had some work?

"...You are right, I should tell her about it when she comes back."

I was hoping this would break her feelings for me, but I don't like seeing her sad. So, I planned to tell her when she'll return.

Unfortunately... Tsubasa didn't return.

* * *

It was midnight. Tsubasa didn't come back yet, and everyone was gathered in the living room to wait there. Miyako, Ichigo, Ai, and our two siblings were all here.

"Honey, it's past 12 AM. She's not back yet. C-can't you call the police already?" Miyako was breaking down with tears in the corner of her eyes. Ai hugged her as they sat on the couch, with Ruby by their side.

So, it would be a lie to say that she didn't feel... more than a bit hurt when she saw him kiss another woman. She knew about reality dramas enough to know that what he did was out of his own obligation. It was devastating to know that the boy she's been signaling for years, who she always thought was too young to get any of her signals, was actually a playboy of that category. Why did he ignore all of her approaches if he always understood them? At least, he could have said "no" to her face so that she could move on. Instead of suddenly showing her a new side of himself like this.

Tsubasa sighed, her attention returning to the tombstone in front of her. It'd usually creep her out a little if she was out this late at night in the graveyard, but she didn't feel that way today. Maybe because it was a full moon, so the world was bright.

"I’ll soon be older than you, mother."

She suddenly said to the gravestone. It was funny how that worked, she was the same age as her mother now, and in a while that'd change. Although she knew when this woman died, she knew nothing of much else. The orphanage she grew up in didn't know much, so she just went with what was there.

She went to check her phone, bringing out a picture of her mother. She died in 2015, so she had a lot of photos. Mostly with guys, though, Tsubasa had a hard time finding and saving a good picture of her mother, and she had kept it on her phone since then.

She looked at the photo, a woman who was much different than herself. Same hair color and eyes, but the hairstyle and the glint in her eyes were entirely different. Two people with entirely different personality types...

While checking the picture, Tsubasa's eyes fell on the clock. The time was 11:58 PM.

"Ah, it's almost 12. I should go back soon."

She felt a little sentimental, so she came here to check on her mother. She didn't plan to make her current family, her true family now, worry about her. It was a mistake that she lost the sense of time, but since it was this late anyway, she decided to spend it here until the clock would hit 12.

Soon, the clock did. Her phone rang with a gentle vibration, as Tsubasa looked down at the time. It was 12. She smiled and turned the screen off. She flinched at the reflection she saw on the black screen.

"W-what?"

Tsubasa looked down at her graying hair and the two cat ears that began to spout out of her head. On top of that, a white energy leaped out of the grave of her mother, slipping inside her.

"What's going o-"

She began to say, but a growl, her own, interrupted her. A growl that grew.

Before her appearance could have changed entirely, her mind shifted first. Her skin was almost glowing under the moon, her black hair was fully white as it danced in the air, and her violet eyes were golden as they emitted a light.

Tsubasa sat on her fours and howled at the sky, a tiger-like roar came out of her mouth and spread around.

"___!"

With a soul-shattering howl, the legendary Black Hanekawa arose.

* * *

[First Person Point of View]

Okay, what the fuck.

What kind of disaster is that? I snapped my head in the direction from where I felt an odd mixture of aura. It was really strange, and believe me when I "really", I mean one of the strangest auras I have sensed in my entire lifetime. That was something.

First was a Cat Yokai, then the aura of one of the four heavenly beasts, the White Tiger, and lastly, that of a Vampire. All in one.

I was in search of Tsubasa, but that was too curious to ignore. I was a White Tiger in my 6th life, so this interested me greatly. I turned my flight around and dashed toward the direction I felt it come from.

...I wonder what sort of apocalyptic beast that one is.

**

**

**