Fate of Pandora - Book I

Starting With The Wrong Foot

Outside the mansion's gates, two figures stood looking up at the roof of the building.

"You sure you saw them entering this place?" asked the figure wearing white clothes.

"All seven of them," the one in black clothes said with a smile on his face. "To think this many would reunite at the same time... This will be interesting."

The first man chuckled at the anticipation of his brute partner. "And you think you'll enter there and face all of them at once? We need to inform her first, and test their skills. Let me handle this, I can do it without dirtying my hands."

The second one narrowed his eyes, but complied with the plan. "I'll tell her and be back to see what you can gather," he said before vanishing and leaving the man in white alone.

The strange man had gentle gray eyes, but behind his placid gaze was a mind full of occult powers and bad intentions. "This will be interesting," he murmured before calmly walking away.

- In the mansion -

Luna went to the kitchen followed by the youngest of the group, Risa. Meanwhile, the rest of the group had some time to continue getting to know each other. It was easy for Lukas to start a conversation; he was extroverted and was always pleasant to others. He was able to start a conversation with Arika, and tried to include the shy Jasmet in the group. Coalt listened to them, but didn't want to be part of the happy chattering. Meanwhile, Ayame looked with a puzzled expression at her cat, as if doubtful about something.

"So, you two are in high-school, right?" Lukas started by asking.

"Yes, I'm in the first year," Arika explained. "I walk from home to school every day, and today I happened to cross paths with all of you."

"And I'm in the second year. Though I was in a hurry to take the train before the rush time, but now I don't need to hurry anymore." Jasmet had already missed her train a while ago.

"And you? You don't go to school, too?" Arika asked Lukas.

"Well, you see, I'm more into manual stuff. I tried to complete my studies, but in the end I ditched high school and began my training as a chef earlier. Practice is good experience as well." Lukas wasn't dumb, but he didn't aim to go to college, and he wanted to earn money and leave his sister as quickly as possible.

"And what are you going to do here, Coalt?" Lukas tried his approach on the brunet boy, but it didn't work.

"I have business to do here. It doesn't matter," he replied rapidly. His tone made it clear that he did not invite further questions.

"And what about you, Ayame?" Jasmet noticed the girl looked a little lost in her thoughts.

Hearing her name, Ayame quickly glanced up to them, and then back to her cat, and the animal seemed to nod at her. The girl became more confident as she faced them. "My story is similar to Lukas. Education in an orphanage isn't very good, but it's enough for me to try to become a chef as well."

She trailed off as if all of that was very unimportant, and the others were clueless at what point she was trying to make. The girl took a deep breath before continuing. "But, there is something else about me that you all should know. I have another secret."

Kairi, the black cat, walked to the middle of the circle and had their attention on her as Ayame explained herself. "You see, Kairi has been my loyal companion since I've been at the orphanage. She takes care of me, and instructs me." Everybody looked at her as if she was some crazy cat lady. "Kairi is no normal cat; she's a nekomata."