Andromeda

An early morning for Yuki only meant that he would be even more tired and unable to deal with his family at breakfast. Today was certainly no different for him. His mind was still buzzed and spinning from what happened in his room. He lowered his head a little while waiting for Momoko to give him his breakfast. ‘Ugh… I can’t believe that my powers could activate subconsciously. I wonder how Ayumi deals with it?’ Yuki planted his hand over his face feeling the stress starting to build up already. He brushed his hair out of his face and looked up. “What?” he said finding Momoko staring at him.

Momoko pointed her large cooking spoon at Yuki. “What did Jun say?” She quickly went back to the stove top stirring the food to keep it from burning.

Yuki took a minute to figure out the spoon was not aimed at him, but Jun who was silently standing next to him looking like he wanted something. Yuki had been distracted by his own problems that he did not even know that Jun had been by his side. ‘Wish he would talk again. I don’t want to be his translator for the rest of my life.’ He gave a reluctant sigh and then tried to put on a better face for Jun. “What is it, Jun?”

Jun had been looking at him for a while even before Yuki acknowledged him. His hand was firmly held to the sleeve of Yuki’s uniform. All Yuki had to do was look at him to know immediately, a weird feeling that he never completely got used to. He had more or less just accepted it against his will as Momoko would press on him if he ignored Jun. “He says that he wants toast.”

“Toast huh? It’ll be an extra minute then.” Momoko walked over to the cabinets to pull out some bread setting it on the counter. She looked back at Jun as her hand pulled out a slice of bread. “Alright, Jun?”

Jun gave her a meek nod while keeping close to Yuki. Ken sat in his chair swaying back and forth unable to contain the energy that he had woken up with. “That’s some strange ability you have. I can only pick up the simple things. How you do it?”

Yuki pushed the plate in front of him around feeling his mind beginning to wander around. He rested his head on his hand, which was not busy, against the table top. “If I knew I’d teach you all,” he said in a tired voice.

“It’s his way of helping around the house,” Momoko said cheerfully while she ran between pots on the stove. “You’ve got to take some responsibilities.” She turned off the heat just as the toast popped; breakfast was ready.

The responsibility speech was played again for Yuki to hear. He leaned back in his chair not wanting to listen to Momoko going on about what he had to do in the family. It was always the same thing every time. ‘I’m not their father. Don’t try to make me.’

Chapter 12 Wings for the Troubled Joy

Breakfast was over and Yuki rushed out of the door wanting to get out of the house. There was more than one reason that he had today, besides the usual lectures from Momoko. He was feeling that his mind was going to explode with all of the ideas that were flowing around. If he was not careful he would show them what he actually was and they would not just ignore the strange things that happened last night. He worried how long he was going to be able to keep it from them without them accidentally finding out.

However, when he began to walk into the street turning towards his school there was a heavy weight on both of his arms. He looked down and jumped back in surprise to find that both Ken and Jun had followed him. Once he regained his breath and heart he focused himself back on the matter at hand. “What are you two doing?”

Jun remained quiet as Ken stepped forward as their voice. “Jun wanted to walk with you. So we decided to go to school with you.” The absurd nature of the idea seemed to be completely lost on them. However, they could not be faulted for an innocent request to be with their brother (well not faulted by anyone else that was not Yuki).

Yuki collapsed his back forward hanging his arms in disbelief not certain which sounded more impossible to him. He fought between the conflicting statements to which he was going to address. “What?! You can’t come with me. Your school is in the other direction. And plus how can you know what Jun wanted, he doesn’t speak.” The choice ended up being both in the end.

“Jun can answer yes or no to questions,” Ken said looking a little too proud about the statement that defied Yuki’s reasoning.

Yuki’s eyes lowered in disbelief. “So you’re saying that you wanted to follow me and knowing how Jun likes to follow in my shadow asked him a loaded question to place it on him knowing that I would be more willing to agree,” Yuki said lowly not quite meant to be heard, but to get it out of him. A heavy sigh escaped his mouth before he felt ready. “You can come with me as far as the intersection. Momoko will yell at me if you two are late.”

Ken ran back to Jun jumping together with him. There seemed to be a slight change in the blank expression of Jun that Yuki could pick up as being excitement. Ken expressed his joy with enough enthusiasm to make up for Jun. Yuki was not going to wait for them. He began to walk towards them and then past them flinging his school bag over his back supported loosely by his right hand. The missing brother and sound of the school bag hitting his back was enough of a signal for Jun to tug on Ken’s shirt. It took a few tries, but Jun was finally able to get through to Ken allowing them to catch up to Yuki.

“Morning Yuki!” Saki said from behind him as they met at the usual spot in the path. When she came closer she saw his brothers with him as well. “Oh, Ken and Jun are with you today!” She bent down pulling her skirt in as she lowered herself to their eye level. Saki gave Jun a pat on the head and a warm smile. “Still as cute as ever, Jun.” A snappy turn had her facing Ken giving him a mischievous grin to match the one that was on his lips already. “Tagging along with your brother, huh?”

“Yup!” Ken said raising his left arm in earnest.

“Yeah…” said Yuki trying to turn away knowing now that Saki was here it would only become more difficult for him to get rid of them. She was very accepting of them, which might have been because she knew everything that they had gone through or that she did not have any brothers of her own. She might have seen them as her own little brothers. The reasons were never clear.

The four continued down the street around the road block keeping going. Ken’s energy was too much for Yuki to handle, but Saki seemed to be enjoying herself. She kept him busy leaving Jun at Yuki’s side who seemed to be content with that status alone. The time for them to part came sooner than Ken was expecting (too long for Yuki, but that was apparent). Yuki had to debate the issue and yell at him for a minute before Saki stepped in.

“You can walk with us again whenever you want, you know,” said Saki with a smile.

“Really? Hear that Jun?” Ken rose up both of his hands cheering and ran off down the other street with Jun running after him. They disappeared around the turn of the street leaving Yuki and Saki alone to resume the rest of their walk.

Yuki sighed once more and then stretched his arms and back. His depressed attitude was suddenly wiped away as he let out a loud cheer or cry. He turned back to Saki with his usual cheerful expression returned to his face. “Good morning, Saki!”

“M-Morning. What’s wrong Yuki? You feeling alright?” Saki leaned away set back by the shouting he had done only a moment before.

He lifted up his arm bending it and patting his other hand on his upper arm. “Yup! I’m feeling great! Just another beautiful day!”

‘What’s with this? He was depressed yesterday and now he’s back to normal?’ Saki smiled back to him trying not to let her uncertainly show through to him. It was difficult for her to know if he was still suffering from what happened at lunch or if he had truly dealt with it. She was never certain with him since he hid everything behind such a pleasant expression. “I’m glad!” Whichever it was she would not press the subject if he wanted to move on.

“How was practice?” Yuki began to walk on trying to keep his mind away from stray thoughts that he was having. It was a wearing on his mind though keeping everything tightly locked up. ‘I nearly tried to imagine playing with lightning to keep from losing it with Ken and Jun. But it’ll happen again like with the tree…’ The amount of effort that it was taking to keep his imagination in check was making it difficult to walk almost.

Saki rushed over to catch up to him knowing that they could not waste any time getting to school. “Oh, yesterday after school. Just the same thing as always. The coach keeps making me run the 100 meter over and over again. He’s a lot stricter than it was when I was in middle school.” She looked over at Yuki to see how much he was paying attention or spacing out. Though it had came to her surprise that he was actually looking at her with his full attention. “Oh-uh… I guess the level of competition is higher. It’s only been a month since we started so I’m still getting used to his training.”

The focus that she was receiving made her a little uncomfortable. She had not known Yuki to be so attentive to what she was saying. It made it difficult for her to talk knowing that she had to be boring him if he was actually listening to her. “But they ended up calling off practice a little early when all of the equipment suddenly disappeared into waist high grass. Everyone thought they were dreaming and then it was gone. I bet it was Ayumi doing something. I’ll talk to her before class to tell her to watch herself. Though thinking about it, she doesn’t seem like the type to be careless like that. Huh, I wonder what it was all about.” She thought adding in something strange might give him the little boost of weird to make him happy so it was not all completely boring.

“Oh. Well at least it was gone quickly.” Yuki smiled a little harder knowing what Saki was talking about. ‘I didn’t think it went that far away. Is that normal? Ayumi and the others were small.’ He kept on moving trying to not stay on it for too long for fear of what might happen.

“Yeah…uh-huh…” Saki eyes grew small suddenly when she saw something next to Yuki that she could not explain. Her words were failing her at the moment as shock was overpowering anything that she was attempting to do. She could barely step back from him. “Y-Yuki… What’s that?” Her arm raised up as her finger extended to point to something behind him floating in the air.

“Huh? What’s gotten into you, Saki?” He could see that he was not going to get anymore out of her. It seemed like it was a miracle that she managed those words before she lost the ability to speak. Yuki turned around curious to know what had gotten to her. “It’s a fairy!” he said matter-of-factly. Then a bell dinged in his head and he jumped back behind Saki in shock as well. “What is that?!”

“A fairy? But those aren’t real. It can’t be!” Saki had found her voice, but only through the disbelief in Yuki’s reaction after stating it so cheerfully. ‘He’s as freaked out as me. What’s going on?’ She looked back at Yuki pulling him off of her seeing the ‘Protect me Saki’ fear in his eyes. It was harder than she was expecting this time to pull him free, but once he was set at her side she straightened out her messed up uniform. Saki took a breath to calm her nerves still uneasy with a fairy floating in front of her. “So um… Yuki?”

“Y-Yeah?”

“Is this your doing? Ayumi said you’re supposed to have powers like hers, right?” Saki had not seen if he actually had powers like Ayumi, but she knew that she could not discount anything of what she had told her. She did not fully understand what these powers of the mind were supposed to be, but she just thought of it as if you think of something it comes into existence.

Yuki stepped away from Saki a little surprised that she was accusing him of this. However, when he thought back to the morning it became clear to him that Saki was probably close to the answer. “I don’t know. I don’t remember thinking about a fairy.”

“I thought your power affected just you like with Ayumi.”

“I don’t know. I don’t understand any of this. I just know that I awoke last night.”

“Awoke?”

“Ayumi said the seal on my powers was completely destroyed now and so my powers are accessible for me now. But why is there a fairy?”

“What happened last night?”

“Who are you?” Yuki said stepping around Saki to the fairy that had remained silently watching the two awkward human’s reactions to its presence. He could not believe that he was talking to a fairy. It was a fantasy creature that he saw in so many stories and games, but to really have one in front of him. The notion was making him excited.

“Who are you?” said the fairy abruptly with an annoyed tone in her voice, “Introduce yourself first.”

“Huh? What? Oh r-right. I’m sorry. I’m Yuki Hayashi. Pleased to meet you.”

“Yuki Hayashi huh? I guess that’s alright now. Though sounds a little girly. And who are you?”

Saki could not believe that Yuki was acting so formal and polite to a figment of his imagination. It was even worse that the little sprite had an attitude as well that only made her grate on her nerves. “Who are you?”

“I asked first.”

“Shouldn’t you introduce yourself first if you’re asking?” Saki walked over to the fairy putting her hands on her hips starting to get annoyed at the attitude of the little thing. ‘The thing’s acting like she’s in charge or something. She’s going to walk all over Yuki with how doe eyed he is right now.’

“Have you no manners?”

“No more than you apparently.” The fairy was starting to buzz around her head using her small size to her advantage. Saki was not fast enough to grab the fairy that continuously slipped out of her hold before she close on it. ‘Now she’s starting to tick me off. I don’t care if this is Yuki’s creation.’ The Yuki Protection Meter was hitting a three and Saki took action for what needed to be done. She pulled out a fly swatter from behind her and caught the creature off guard, as well as surprise at seeing it being mysterious granted to Saki. “I’ve had enough of your attitude. Take this!” The fly swatter hit the fairy squarely in the center sending her to ground with her wings broken and jagged.

“Saki! Why’d you do that?” Yuki dropped to the ground immediately carefully picking her up and letting her rest in his palms. “Apologize to her!”

“Never! She needs to first.”

“Hrmph! Let go of me! I didn’t ask for your help!” The fairy tried to get out of Yuki’s open hands, but she could not manage to move a wing without tremendous pain. She collapsed to her hands and knees coughing from the pain.

“But!”

“Get a hold of yourself, Yuki!” said Saki as she whacked him in the head to get him to start seeing clearly. Though to her surprise, the fairy disappeared from his hand. She looked up to Yuki for an answer, but he was nursing his head now that he had yet another bump on it.

Yuki rubbed his head for a moment until he realized that the fairy was gone now. He looked around and at his hands thinking that he had dropped her accidentally when Saki hit him. “Look at what you made me do! I dropped her. I might have even stepped on her! Don’t move, Saki!” Yuki got down on his hands and knees carefully to not unintentionally crush her. He turned his head back and forth scanning the ground for any signs of her. However, there was no sign of her no matter how much he looked.

“She’s gone. Disappeared,” she said kneeling down to Yuki. She offered him a hand up. None of it made any sense to her, but neither did his powers. If he was going to be creating things randomly it could become a very long day.

“Gone… Like before…” Yuki stood back up with the aid of Saki, who was giving him a strange look for his last comment. The image of the maid straddling him suddenly made his face red and he waved her off. “Nothing! We’ve got school!” Yuki started marching awkwardly down the street towards the school hoping that Saki would be following him soon.

When they reached their homeroom class Yuki took his seat not finding Ayumi to be present yet. Saki was coming up to the classroom entrance, but another student in the hall called out to her. “Saki!” The girl rushed to Saki out of breath coming to a stop in front of her bent over recovering her breath.

“What’s wrong, Hitomi?”

Hitomi was one of the track members that ran in the relay race. She had only barely gotten to know the girl since she came from a different middle school, but they trained together after school. The coach said that they had different running styles and hoped that they would rub off on each other to improve overall. “It’s Takako. She didn’t show up for morning practice. The coach was really angry, but her friends said that she had left already. Do you know anything?”

“Takako? No, I don’t. She’s always early to practice though.”

“Yeah. I think something happened to her.”

“Like what? A car hit her?”

“Maybe…” Hitomi said her head turning away as though the idea of a car hitting her was something that she was seriously considering as a reason. She then looked back up at Saki quickly with a panicked worry wrinkled brow. “We need to do something!”

Saki could see how worried Hitomi was about Takako. She remembered that Hitomi and Takako would often talk together during their breaks in practice. She had seemed a little unapproachable with the other track members, but Saki had managed to talk to her a few times with Hitomi. It certainly did not make any sense to her for her to miss a practice. ‘Something must have happened, but what?’

To be continued…