Chrono X Angel, Book 7: Trial By Fire

Chapter 12

It was late, later than Midori would have liked to have been out. Unfortunately, the Lich was just unable to fall into unconsciousness tonight for some reason. Her mind was racing 90 miles a minute from the events of the day, and not a single calming spell she tried was enough to settle her mind down. The green ember glow emanating from her scarlet eyes flicked over to the nearby clock: 9:30pm.

Shit.

Deciding it was better to at least be productive rather than just lie there staring at the ceiling, Midori climbed out of bed and changed into her running clothes. A good jog always helped clear her mind, even when she was alive. Before leaving she sent Rei, the temporary team leader, a text explaining that she would be out for a while if anyone came looking for her. She exited her apartment and began jogging down the road, not really paying attention to where she was going, mostly letting her legs pick the path, as she went over the day's events once again.

She had been reunited with Kenji, sweet and ever-clueless Kenji, and yet she still felt... empty inside. She was happy, yes, ecstatic beyond words, but something about it all seemed... like something was missing. Or someone. Looking around, Midori realized her subconscious mind had jogged her all the way to her old neighborhood. Even in the dark of night she could make out the familiar houses of her old neighbors. Old Mr and Mrs Hoshimachi, the Kiryu family, and of course crazy old Akai there on the end of the road with her twenty-seven cats. Then she layed eyes on it, the house she remembered from her dreams. At least, they felt like dreams to the Lich. Like memories belonging to someone else. She could see the inside of the house whenever she closed her eyes, every inch of beige carpet and every divot or chip in the green painted living room walls. It was her home, the only true home she had ever known... As Midori stared on, she saw the front door open, and reflexively she fell back and watched from behind a telephone pole as a girl roughly 14 years old with long red hair kept in twin buns came out carrying a bag of trash. Was that... Yukari? Midori could hardly believe her little sister had grown so much in the time she had been gone. Then again, it had been almost three years now since her own death.

"Sis..." she whispered almost imperceptibly, and was about to turn away when she noticed something that gave her pause. One thing her late mentor Grigori had taught her, in addition to controlling her emotions, was how to tell when an ambush was imminent.

"At night, world is loud yes?" he explained in broken, Russian-accented English, "Lots of noise, bugs and frogs and more bugs! It is when world go full quiet that you are in most danger little cub. Even smallest of the animal know when grizzly bear hunting for prey. Listen to voice of forest, and you will not go far wrong."

Mere moments prior, Midori had been serenaded by the songs of cicadas, crickets, and even the occasional frog, but now it was so quiet that not even the wind seemed to be blowing. Then, as if the shadows of the night gave birth, two dark figures rushed from out of nowhere towards Yukari, who only barely managed to let out a scream before being knocked unconscious by one of the beings. As they entered the porch light, Midori could recognize their outfits if not the ones wearing them! One was in purple and black, with light blue-gray hair, the other in yellow and black with a pair of spectral fox ears emerging from her maroon hair.

"I'll stay here, you wrangle the parents," said the fox woman, "and remember Elni dearest, boss fox wants them alive and intact. No trophies, my love."

The other woman made an annoyed huffing sound, as if the idea of letting two humans live perturbed her. For only a second Midori remembered the rule not to interact with her living family, but then tossed it aside as she lunged at the two fiends who dared to assault her loved ones!!

"GET AWAY FROM THEM," she bellowed, her faces contorted in righteous fury as green energy began pulsating in her hands.

The two older women merely glanced at each other, smirking.