Ch.5: Ryuusei Amano likes cats.

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Chapter 5: Ryuusei Amano likes cats
I personally like  cats.

Nothing against dogs, I like those too, but they're no more than guilty pleasure for me. While cats... I like how they can be mysterious, silent, elegant, independent, yet completely friendly and loyal to you once you know how to treat them, just like me. Cats were the higher ground of divinity in several lores, like the Egyptian ones, and once in a while, they show what they can do if they feel like it. Compared to the clumsy or energetic fame of a dog, and you can guess why I'm so fond of felines...

So when Tsukihi-san, aka Lunamaria Aim-san, said that it was possible to encounter a genuine nekomata, a youkai also know as a forked cat, I was elated. Huh, a forked cat as a partner and a pet, Both a Youkai and a Cat, I think that I'm in love. Heheh... I jus hope it isn't hostile. After all, it is a cat, but also a youkai, which means it can either be scared or violent against my dragon ancestry. Only time can tell...

"So, after class I think I can smell the nekomata around. There's too many people here, so it's harder to track it. When everybody is out to go home, it'll be much easier." Said the bluenete next to me, as I munched on my sandwich in front of her during lunch break. Hanekawa-sensei gave me a pat in the head for bringing the homework to Tsukihi-san, and I'm glad for that. It's good to make her realize how capable I am for those lowly humans! Kah, Kah! Anyway, back to the pussy-youkai. "Believe or not, nekomatas are really tricky to find because they're masters in sage arts, or senjutsu. I was told that was only two remaining forked cats that could use it so masterfully, but I guess I was wrong."

"Well, as long as I can find that nekomata and turn it into my pet, anything else is a bonus. To be fair, I always wanted a cat." I grinned, imagining myself in a golden throne with a black, two-tailed car on my lap, caressing it's nighty fur at the top of the world. Tsukihi-san stared me with hesitant and slightly repulsed eyes, like if I just said the most disgusting sentence in the world, which colored me surprise. The girl then sighed and shook her head. "Is something wrong, Tsukihi-san?"

"Nothing, Ryuusei-kun. It's just... I sometimes forget that I'm talking to you." Was that suppose to be a compliment or just a way to say otherwise? I dunno, but I have the strange impression that things will get quite interesting based completely on this conversation. She picked a fried egg out of my lunchbox and ate it. "Still~, we shall find this Nekomata, and maybe turned it into my Queen or bishop or even pawn. Then you can use him or her whatever the sick way you like."

Then Lunamaria Aim faintly grinned. Oh, right. I forgot she can do that as well. Well, of course, who wouldn't want a little supernatural pet that can do more tricks than 'stand' and 'talk'. Moreover, it'd be one more partner to add in my rescue and elimination squad, a forked cat master in sage arts, whatever that means. I can't wait...

Nadja used to like dogs, so that partially explains my fondness for their clumsy charm: they remind me of her. But my likeness for cats are more genuine. I wanted a pet cat once, but instead uncle Nozomu gave me a pet rock. Despite that, I like it very much... Unfortunately, two years later, it died. We held a funeral and everyone cried. It was one of the saddest day of my life. Wherever you are, old friend, I shall take part of your soul with me.

"Well, classes are about to start, so we can talk about it after them. As in... When I wake up from my interclass naps." Tsukihi-san sighed and yawned, putting her chair back in the right position and shifting her face to on the table, now taking her so-famous naps. Her face planted on the book-pillows and crossed arms to support her forehead. I think she's cute like that. Of course, being my girlfriend and all has it's qualities, even the fake ones...

Yet again, classes ended in a blink of an eye, mostly because I finished my lessons before everyone else and spent the rest of the period doodling on my notebook, imagining a black cat with two tails and daring face, which was exactly how I wanted my nekomata to be. Maybe it already has a name? I was planning to name it Matatabi or something, but as long it doesn't have a ridiculous name like Leonyardo, I'm cool with it. Since classes are over, and Hanekawa-sensei passed the last piece of homework, Tsukihi-san and I left the place first, in front of everyone else, and decided to take spot in a isolated place in campus, which no one would see us.

"This looks so romantic in a way: two lovers going ahead from everyone in order to gather in a isolated place to do things only overseers can attest. I don't dislike this feeling." She said, covering her mouth and looking away from me, blushing. Yes, this is indeed a romantic idea and situation, and to be honest, this scenario is affecting my teenage mind and body. How will this affect my memories in the long run? Will I regret my decision of not doing any moves? This isn't a visual novel where I can go back to the last save file and redo everything in order to get the Best ending. Should I just flip her skirt? Go for it? I dunno if she's consent of it. Sigh, no, better not. After all, she's just an extra help in my bigger master plan. If I get attached to her, I might lose track of what really matters now. "Like trying to find a nekomata among our classmates. That's something only supreme overseers would see sense in."

"Yep, the world has more layers than the eyes can see, Lunamaria-san."

"Like  ogres ?"

"Possibly." Oh, so she saw that movie too, eh? To be fair, that female dragon was probably based on my true mother, Chronadeath, the one and only Black ash dragon. To think she almost killed my real father before he 'tamed' and married her. After all, my real grandfather wouldn't allow anything less from the Vortigern clan but a true dragon. Heheh... I wonder if the dragon that I will tame will also be my bride.

"Hey Ryuusei-kun, do you think the movie and the franchise would take another turn if the Prince had chosen another princess, like the sleeping beauty?" She asked, now fully turning to me and crossing her arms under her bosom. Another of those questions. I dunno, that's a way of thinking things. Maybe someone will write a fanfiction about this possibility. "Oh sorry, we're getting off-track. I'll try to pinpoint the nekomata right away."

"Okay, Tsukihi-san! I'm counting on you!"

"But before that, let me pick a drink. My neck is bone-dry." And all of that euphoria died the moment she walked pass me and into the corner of the school to the cafeteria. Huh, can't blame her, she talks nonstop the moment she feels comfortable about it, and she feels really comfortable while speaking to me. No wonder she gets lung-dry. Not that surprises me at this point, I always had this charm in speaking my mind out and sharing my problems, so of course people would harm-up to me despite not interested in social meetings whatsoever.

Still, I had friends... Childhood friends at that, before moving to my foster mother's brother. I wonder if they're okay...

*FLAP!*

"Huh...?"

It happened in a flash. I blinked, and right in front of me, from who knows where, there was a classmate from Kuoh, falling from the skies. She had silver eyes, silver long and straight hair and pale skin, all moving accordingly to her descending figure, and despite the situation at hand, her pretty and mature face was showing no signs of regret or fear whatsoever, she looked more like she was actually accepting her fate, and was serene and calm about it, all with distant eyes.

How can I describe all of that while she's practically about to smash on the floor without losing any tempo? This is called ' dramatic slow-mo '. It's a meta-cinematographic trick. It wouldn't fit too well in literature media, though...

And with that, I extended my arms and caught her in midair, with enough time to avoid the otherwise deadly outcome. However, besides the fact that someone just tried to kill herself, the thing that most alarmed me was the fact of how light she is. I'm not talking about kilos or pounds, but grams, probably less than this. She's all white, but there's no way she's a feather despite this weight.

I picked her in my arms, bridal style, and tried to weight her again with a light lift, only to conclude that she's indeed very light. It's like I'm carrying a plastic bag. No pressure at all, which was really odd. It didn't take long for her to return to herself, blinking a few times from her upside down vision, to then lift her head to face me. We shared stares, and after a few seconds, she sighed, turned her eyes away from my gaze and landed the back of her left hand on her forehead, as she just found herself in a bothering situation...

"Sigh, once again, a failed attempt of suicide. This would be a real bother for the to-be suicidal character." She murmured under her breath, eyeing every direction, only to lock them away from me, still with the dramatic pose. She eyes me yet again, and again turned to another direction. "Whoever is carrying the figure of a young lady, please let go of her. Is bothering her and she doesn't like being touched."

"..." Is she talking about us? Is she talking about herself? That sentence was so distant and nonchalant I can probably assume she paraphrasing a book or novel. Still, I assume it was with us, and so I let go of her, pretty easily considering that she weights nothing, as her pretty feet touched the ground. She adjusted her skirt, her uniform, and without even looking back at me, traced her way away. I smiled at her and said: "Okay, see you another time, I guess."

"..." Before she could even disappear from my sight, the silver her halted her steps, and after a quick beat, a dramatic pause as it, she turned around, making her gorgeous silver hair follow her movement, and blinked her equally gorgeous eyes at me. Maybe? I don't know, after all, she is looking at my direction, but not exactly at me, since her stare was pretty distant and vague. The silverette then lifted a finger and pointed a little too upwards, probably above my head. "The one who sees and talks to the young girl, answer this: is that all you got to say to anyone who just failed a suicide attempt? Isn't that a bit cold-hearted? The girl asks."

"Huh... Nope. Go ahead, try again." I said nonchalantly, making that girl lower her finger and put it on her skirt pocket. People who care about what others thing about their suicide attempts aren't actual suicidal, just need some help and friends. Real suicidals simply don't mind. "If you really want to kill yourself, don't mind me. Go ahead and drown, hang, fall, bleed to death, I can't and won't stop your decision. But... You're really pretty, for a suicidal young woman. Are you sure people won't mind your death at all?"

"It's not about what people might think about the girl in front of you that just attempted suicide, but what she thinks about the world that surrounds her. You, who sees and talks to her, answer thus: do you believe in the supernatural?" She said, covering her mouth with her left hand and turning around in order to give my direction and aside look. Who's that girl, and why her speech is so distant? It's charming, yes, but something tells me that she got a small portion of supernatural within her. She smells nice too.

"Kah, Kah! I guess I have no choice, whoever you are. Yes! I know about the supernatural!" I said with a laugh, as she blinked at my direction a few times, the tilt she did with her head indicating that she's confused about my declaration. My, aren't I encountering such interesting personnel? "In fact, I have you know, you might see just a normal third-year highschool student, whose name is Amano Ryuusei, but actually, my true identity behind this disguised serene nature is that of the one and only heir of the Vortigern Family of dragon tamers, Sorento Vortigern!"

"It's useless for the boy to share his personal data to the girl he faces. After all, she doesn't see him as nothing but a black stain in her eyes." And the Boulder of shame hit my head with maximum force, making me crumble into dust, figuratively speaking, of course. What?! She doesn't know the legendary clan of dragon tamers?! I mean, we've been extinct for quite a while, myself and my sister being the last remaining members, but not even a mention?! That's really depressing~. However, before I could dig myself deeper into this pit of nothingness, she blinked once and sighed. "She hopes her words didn't shattered his pride, 'cuz the intentions of the girl weren't to harm. She literally doesn't see faces and bodies, but mobile, talking black stains spoiling her vision, and she doesn't hear names, but static. After all, the girl, Kotomine Kotone, was born too powerful to see as a normal person in this twisted, sick world..."

"Huh...?" I questioned her, grimacing since she not only she dismissed my entrance, but also talks like she's mocking me or something. However, all of this rage vanished as I saw her distant, vague and... Sad? Melancholic eyes. Eyes of someone who lives in constant grief, just like mine. Could it be possible that she's struggles with internal conflicts and visions she can't control? There must be the reason why she attempted suicide I the first place!

"The girl that with thou speaks isn't a human girl, but a nekomata. A forked cat from the Japanese mythological lore, capable of tricks and sage arts, or senjutsu. The name of the girl that speaks with the boy is...  Kotomine Kotone ." She said, blinking a few more times as suddenly two snow-white cat ears sprouted out of her head, and two cat tails came out of her lower spine, forming a spiral single braided appendices. Wait, she's a nekomata?! How about my pet youkai cat?! My dreams has been shattered again! Why do fate keeps toying with me?! But... Those are issues for another time. I turned back to her, and I saw a small tear escape from her stoic face and hollow eyes. "And the curse that the girl carries since the beginning of her life... Is being too strong in  senjutsu, the art of the sages, which unable her to see beyond the singularity that is nature..."

"Singularity?" I asked. She gulped, all while those freaky cat ears flipped a few times then lowered in a true sad manner. I shall ignore the abomination that is this cat-human hybrid that kills every concept of nekomata(sorry, I'm a little heartbroken here, that one came out as rude. Sorento Vortigern apologizes.)and hear what she has to say. Might be helpful in order to solve her problems and avoid someone to kill her/himself. No matter the species; this is just wrong.

" The nature is one ..." She began, holding her head and shaking it uncontrollably as tears would fell from her pretty yet stoic face. "Everything is nature, all is nature... The animals, the green, the peak of the tallest mountain, the depths of the unknown abyss... Humans, Devils, Angels, fallen angels. From ash thy come, to ash thy shall return. All it's a circle, all ends, and from there it begins, to end again, to be born again, indefinitely, infinitely. The one rule of nature, the absolute comprehension of nature...  That Kotomine Kotone has. She has total comprehension of nature thanks to her senjutsu, and that's why she can't tell the difference between anything. All is all, all is one for her, this nightmare of non-individuality and mixes. There's no names, faces, forms, colors, shapes, only nature, only nature. And from this world without individuality or segregations... She finds herself complete and utterly alone."

"..." I had no words for that. She can't tell people apart, she can't hear names or see others' individual traits. She can only see one thing: nature. The nature in all of us, the nature that starts and ends all, the nature that composes everything in this universe regardless of origin, since we came from the nothingness of it. She's seeing us, no, the entire world as a single drawn line, while herself being a three-dimensional existence, overseeing us all as just that and nothing else. So... This is the senjutsu Tsukihi-san was talking about. Kotone-san took a step forward in my direction, and extended a hand for my direction, the only conclusion I can make since she Claims she can only see black and white and amorphous blobs of nothing.

"And the boy who continue to speaks to the nekomata, who presented himself while she couldn't tell him apart from anything else in her eyes... Please answer this: do you really want to help the girl that with thou speak?" She asked, her eyes now true salty waterfalls while her face was inexpressive as before. She reached now for my face and cupped my cheeks with her silky hands. She's so cold and immobile, like a rock. "If thy answer is yes, then... Then..."

Please, kill me.

First Appearance

 * Kotone Kotomine.