"Listen up, my lovely students. Originally, I planned on introducing unit 3, but since we're ahead of the other classes, and it's Friday, I've decided to give you guys free period. I know, I'm awesome."
Students immediately hollered out like whales.
Tears streamed down their faces as they grouped up and hugged. You'd think they were celebrating winning a pizza party and not a simple free period. Then again, this was history class and the last period of the day.
The only student that didn't join them was Akuma. He had no particular hate for history. Even if he did, it's not like he could hop on over and celebrate with them.
(I feel like I'm having déjà vu. It's the middle of January and they're acting like we're about to be on Christmas break.)
Akuma's gaze found themselves on the girl seated in front of him. He almost wanted to tap her shoulder and make a joke like, "Guess all that tutoring was for nothing, huh?" but stopped himself. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't. Seeing as two of Alice's friends—Samantha and Aniya—had practically teleported beside them.
"Hey, Alice. Me and Samantha were thinking about going shopping again today, you wanna come with?"
"Yeah, you should totally come with us."
"Um… Sure, why not."
"Yay! Also, check the group chat, we were thinking about going somewhere next weekend and wanted your opinion…"
Watching them made Akuma feel like a humble NPC. He hadn't even tapped her shoulder yet, but he still felt like he was fading out of Alice's reality. Truly a humble NPC. If his entire life was a story, he was sure that would be the title. It'd be written in big bold letters too, with "By: Akuma Tiryns" right under.
Two sudden knocks to the door rendered the class silent. Plans for later that evening came to halt and every pair of eyes fixed itself on that door. Maybe it was because of how loud the knocking was, or maybe it was the aura spewing from behind it. Whatever it was, it sure got their attention.
Mr. Allen—their fearless teacher—opened the door, revealing a girl on the other side of the door.
"I'm so sorry, Mr. Allen. I didn't mean to be late today."
"......…."
Their breaths collectively caught as she strolled into the classroom. In particular, Akuma's jaw dropped to the floor.
Why? How? He tried running through the current situation as if it were a formula, but no equation made any sense. It was simply impossible. And not impossible as in "highly improbable" but genuinely to goodness impossible. Then even more impossible…
"Oh, It's just you Wujing. I always seem to forget that you're the one who knocks on doors that loudly. Come on in. We're actually having a free period today anyways."
"Really? A free period?"
"Yep. Aren't I awesome?"
"The most marvelous of all teachers!" She answered with a smile that lit up the entire room.
Boys and girls alike stared at her as if she were a school celebrity, completely ignoring the fact that she had two horns poking out of her head.
Akuma's mind reeled. Just last week, this girl had been a complete stranger who'd literally chased him down the city in nothing but underwear and cloth. Now everyone was acting like she'd been their classmate for years. The casual way Mr. Allen greeted her, the knowing looks from other students… it was like reality had been rewritten overnight.
(This can't be real. This has to be some kind of dream, right? Or maybe I finally cracked from all the stress...)
Akuma rubbed his eyes, looked back and still his mind spun. He tried again, and again but no matter how much he rubbed his eyes, she was still there.
For a moment, Akuma seriously considered the possibility that he'd finally lost his mind. A weak and empty chuckle even escaped him as he believed it all to be his mind playing tricks on him. But the weight of other students' stares, the sound of Wujing's voice, the way she moved with that same confident grace he remembered. It was all too real.
"AHHHHHH!!!!"
Akuma screamed like a lunatic as he darted to the front of the class, grabbed Wujing by the throat and left a gust of wind in his stead. The students covered their eyes from the sudden pressure, oblivious to the fact that both Wujing and Akuma had disappeared from the classroom.
†
In the middle of the hall, Wujing coughed as she struggled to regain her breath.
"Hey! What was that for, human?!"
"I should be the one asking that! What the hell are you doing here?!"
"I'm going to my class, obviously! Like any diligent student would!"
"And that's the thing. You aren't a student!"
"Huh? Yes, I am. Do you not see my school uniform? Mr. Allen even knew my name."
Akuma stared at her, taking in the perfectly fitted Saint Peter High uniform, and the way she carried herself with the casual confidence of someone who belonged. It was the same outfit she was seemingly "cosplaying" yesterday.
"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN!!!"
"!"
A gasp on their right caused their gazes to simultaneously snap to a student on the other side of the hallway. Likely, he was coming from the bathroom when he saw Akuma and Wujing arguing with one another.
"Look, he's scared out of his mind because some random girl with horns and a fucking tail is wearing a school uniform."
"No, he's scared because a male student is pinning a girl to the ground and interrogating her."
"G…Ge…" The student struggled to say. "Get away from Wujing you monster!"
The student trembled as tears swelled in his eyes. He was like a nerd finally standing up to his school bully. Except Akuma hadn't even touched him, nor had any intent on hurting him. All the same, he stood up to Akuma like a hero, before running away at full speed. Had he not just used the restroom he might've even peed his pants.
A hallow feeling settled in Akuma's chest as he watched the student flee. Even when he was trying to protect them from a girl with too much power for her own good, he was still seen as the monster. He was still the villain in everyone else's story.
"…What the hell just happened?"
"I told you so."
"Why did he know your name? And why was he mad at me?! What the hell is happening?!"
Akuma's grip on her collar finally eased, allowing Wujing to stand. She dusted off her uniform.
"In their eyes I am a student here."
"…What?"
"I used my power to integrate myself in this realm. Now every human will perceive me as if I had always been in this city, and attending this school."
Mind control. Mass manipulation. The nonchalant way she said it, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, made his brain run cold.
"......"
"........"
Akuma clenched his fists.
"You mean you used your voodoo magic for something like that?"
"It is not voodoo magic! It is my Unique Constellation Art. Ara. The power bestowed upon me by the very stars."
"I don't care what it's called. I wanna know why you did it."
The intensity in his tone made Wujing take a step back. For the first time since she'd arrived, she looked uncertain and less graceful.
"…W–Why?"
"Yes, why?" Akuma pressed.
"…Uh… I guess, because I thought why not?"
Something inside Akuma snapped.
"Are you serious right now? You just... mess with hundreds of people's minds because 'why not'? Do you have any idea what you've done?"
Wujing blinked, clearly taken aback by his reaction.
"I mean, it is not like I hurt anyone–"
"Not hurt anyone?" Akuma laughed bitterly. "You've violated the most fundamental part of what it means to be human. Free will. How is that not hurting them?"
"I... I didn't think of it that way."
The genuine confusion in her voice only made it worse. She truly didn't understand the magnitude of what she'd done.
"So what, do people just not see your horns? Or tail or ears? Or anything?!"
"They do. But in their eyes, it is simply a quirk of mine."
Akuma sighed, the fight draining out of him as quickly as it had come. He pressed his palms against his eyes, trying to process everything.
"So you really are a cosplayer."
"No, I am not! Look, it is not like I was entirely out of reason. I still have my mission."
"Mission, huh? You said something similar yesterday, didn't you. Why don't you enlighten me. What is this grand mission that has caused you to mess with everyone's minds?"
"Did I not already tell you?"
"Nope."
"Huh… Well, maybe don't just go to sleep when someone is trying to explain themselves! Rude people these days."
"You don't understand how badly I want to punch you."
"I am on a mission to save the world. Specifically, I have to find the person who is prophesized to save the world."
The casual way she dropped that bombshell made Akuma's head spin. Save the world? Prophecies? Yesterday his biggest concern had been tutoring a high school girl. Now this?
"And who the hell might that be? Jesus? Sorry but you're about 2000 years late."
"…"
"Hey, don't go silent on me, you're the one who did this to yourself. It was just a joke, don't take it so seriously."
Wujing wasn't silent because of his joke. She was staring at him with a growing frown, her head tilted like she was trying to solve a particularly difficult puzzle.
"Now that I'm thinking about it, that is very odd…"
"Eh?"
"You still being able to perceive me as I am, I mean. It's not like I went out of my way to affect everyone but you. And yet, you're the only one my power didn't work on."
The words sent a chill down Akuma's spine. He'd been so focused on his outrage over what she'd done that he hadn't stopped to consider why he was the only one immune to it.
"Oh, what honor. What stupendous privilege."
But even as he spoke, his mind was racing. Why hadn't it worked on him? Was it because of... that? The thing he'd spent years trying to suppress, trying to pretend didn't exist?
"Hm… I don't know. My first thought was that it was because my power was sealed. But that would only matter if I had used an innate ability, like my transformation power. The power of the Unique Constellation Arts stem from the stars. So I should be able to use it just fine even while sealed."
"…Apparently not."
Wujing stepped closer, her eyes gleaming with intense curiosity.
"Human… I hate to ask this, but I have a question for you. It's one that has been on my mind for quite some time now. I want you to answer honestly, okay?"
Akuma's throat went dry. The way she was looking at him was like a detective staring at a suspect.
"Go for it."
"Are you… really a human?"
Akuma's mouth opened, but no words came. He had an answer. Of course he had an answer. It's not as if it were the first time someone asked that. In fact, there'd been days he spent staring into a mirror and practicing several answers. But looking into Wujing's eyes and seeing the genuine curiosity there instead of fear or suspicion, the practiced lies died in his throat.
"…"
His lips parted, but no words came. He wasn't stumped by her question or anything and he wasn't confused on how to answer it either. He had a real and solid answer to it. An answer that just couldn't leave his lips.
"…I…"
Still, he couldn't answer.
Before the two realized it, another presence had appeared to their left.
"Akuma?"
Those words weren't Wujing's. They belonged to a girl who had asked to use the bathroom just to follow Akuma out of class.
Alice's eyes were latched to Wujing as if pulled by a lasso. Specifically, her tail, ears and horns. There was something different in her gaze from the other students. Genuine confusion and alarm.
"Who exactly is that girl? And why does she have horns?"