Hybrid

~Chapter 5~ "Camille..."

Himiko and Jade lie on the living room couch, both feeling tired from what they just endured.
"This has been quite the week, so much going on..." Himiko comments.
"I feel the same way, everything's been going up and down so fast" Jade replies.
"Nova's been through a lot too"
"I know... I can't even imagine what it's like, knowing you killed your own father. Or even seeing your father become a monster like that."
"Nova's father and that boy, they both became one of those werewolves. You said that people who get hurt by werewolves will end up becoming one themselves? Is that what happened to them?"
"It's a possibility, I guess. But the thing is, Nova was attacked and never became one. Unless she somehow managed not to get injured at all..." Jade can't seem to figure it out.
"Maybe that book I got would have some answers" Himiko grabs her backpack and pulls out the book she rented earlier today.
"Yeah, maybe there's more to werewolves than I thought..."
Himiko flips through the pages, until she finds the same picture of the werewolf on the cover. The title of the section simply reads "Werewolves". Himiko reads the section aloud as Jade reads along with her,

"A Werewolf is an individual that can morph into a vicious wolf or wolf-like creature, either by will or as a reaction to a Full Moon. Once transformed, Werewolves seek out and hunt other animals and Humans to sate their hunger. The legend of Werewolves dates back to medieval times, and has been a popular folktale all throughout Aora. According to some accounts, Werewolves are believed to have originated as the result of Witchcraft. It is said Witches would inflict their victims with a curse that would cause them to transform into wolf-like monsters when exposed to the light of a Full Moon, also known as Lycanthropy. Other accounts claim Werewolves are those who have made a pact with a Witch or a Deity to serve as their familiar or patron. In classical literature, Lycanthropy is often but not always mentioned alongside Witchcraft, which is most likely due to both sharing ties to the Moon and its phases. The appearance of Werewolves is often inconsistent, and greatly differs across accounts and literature. The main difference being whether they shapeshift into wolf-like beasts or into actual wolves. There is one thing that is consistent between all accounts. Those who are bitten or clawed by a Werewolf and manage to survive, are doomed to become one themselves."

Jade is intrigued with the section,
"Huh, I've never heard about werewolves originating from witches. I guess I never even thought about where werewolves even come from."
Himiko seems to be puzzled,
"Witches? Witchcraft?"
"Witches are people that use dark powers or rituals. For what exactly, I have no idea."
"Dark powers... is that what I have?"
"I don't think so. From what I know, witchcraft is more about curses and causing destruction. I don't think that sword thing you can summon is very witch-like."
"I see" Himiko wonders about her strange powers, "I don't know why, but it just feels weird to me. I just summon it instinctively when I lose myself, but if I try to summon it now I can't."
Himiko holds her hand out, and tries to focus through the palm of her hand. No matter how hard she tries, nothing seems to happen.
"I just can't for some reason..." Himiko looks at her hand confused.
"Nova has powers too, but she also doesn't know how or why she has them."
"So it's not just something I have, or something a "Lycan" has. There's way more to this I feel. People becoming Werewolves, and these Powers... It all feels oddly familiar to me..."
Jades jolts up in the couch,
"It does? You remember something?"
Himiko rests her head on her hands,
"Yeah... I can kinda remember seeing those werewolves before. But I can't remember anything specifically, I just know I've seen them before."
"Well that's something at least. But still... What the hell is happening..."
They sit silently together, confused and anxious. Himiko then remembers something,
"Hey Jade, weren't you going to let me have that extra phone of yours?"
"Oh yeah I was, I think it's in one of my drawers.
Jade goes to her room and starts sifting through her drawers. It doesn't take long for her to find her old phone. After digging through some more drawers, she finds an extra pair of earbuds for Himiko. Jade hands both the phone and earbuds to Himiko,
"Here it is."
Himiko inspects the phone, she's seen the phone Jade has before, but has never held one in her own hand,
"Huh, how do I use it?"
"First you have to turn it on, and then after that you can just listen to radio stations and buy songs" Jade turns on the phone for her and shows her how to find music.
"And you listen to it with these earbuds... Um..." Himiko looks at the earbuds puzzled.
"What's wrong?"
Himiko puts the earbuds in her ears, and it's very clear that they don't really work for her like they would for humans. The earbuds are not held in place at all and are just dangling in her ears.
"My ears are too big for these..."
"Oh... I didn't think of that. Sorry, too bad they don't really make headphones for wolf ears. Does it feel alright?"
"Yeah I guess, it kinda feels weird though. So these are the radios?" Himiko selects one of them and it immediately starts playing music through the earbuds. Himiko's whole body jolts and her ears and tail stand tall as it startles her. But then she sits still, as her tail calmly lowers. The music leaves her awestruck, she's never heard anything like it before. The instruments, the lyrics, and the singers voice, it all combines together so beautifully. Himiko can somehow feel the emotions buried within, the feeling of melancholy and gloom.
"So this is what she listens to" Himiko thinks to herself.
Jade tries to get her attention, but she realizes Himiko is completely enamored by the music. Jade looks at the song she's listening to and she immediately recognizes it. It's one of her favorites songs, and Jade then notices a tear trail down Himiko's cheek. The song ends and Himiko takes out the earbuds,
"That was... an experience" Himiko quietly utters.
"I can imagine" Jade replies, "But now you can listen to music whenever you want, as long as you don't forget to charge the phone..."
Himiko smiles at Jade,
"This is wonderful, Thank you for giving me this."
"Like I said, I don't use it anymore. So it's no big deal" As Jade says that she sees the look of gratitude on Himiko's innocent face. Jade can't help but smile back and pat Himiko on the head, "You're welcome."