Fruits of a Rose

Chapter 10

With no other options and clearly lost, Marika decided to tour the old school building. Stepping through the entrance gate, she saw how truly old and in ruins the building was. Nearly all the glass windows were broken, stains visible on what she could assume used to be pure white walls.

Thorny rose vines grew everywhere, as if Mother Nature was reclaiming the entire building for herself. It was like a haunted house no one would dare go near. But oddly enough, something drew her to it.

"This is crazy..." she whispered as she took pictures of the area with her phone.

She stepped through the door, entering the lobby. She could imagine students walking to class and commuting with one another. She could almost hear the chatter of the noisy hallways.

"It's odd... I've never been here, and yet..."

"Who's there?!"

Marika jumped, falling back as she saw a figure walking down the hall towards her.

"I-I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to trespass! I just got lost and, and..!" she soon stopped as she recognized the face. "Wait... you're that girl from before."

"Ah. Nice to see you again."

Feeling a bit relieved, she stood back up.

"What are you doing here?"

"This is kind of my home."

"Home?"

"Yup. I've got nowhere else to go. So, I live here."

"Ehh, that's crazy."

"And what about you? Weren't you and your friend camping?"

"Well, we decided to leave, but... I got separated from her and now I can't contact her."

"Hmm... would you like me to help?" the mystery girl offered.

"Eh?!"

"I have a friend who's out on a job. But I have a way of contacting her. Maybe she can find your friend."

"Uwaa~ thank you!!!" Marika hugged the girl tightly.

"So tell me, cutie, what's your name?"

"C-cutie?" Marika's heart skipped a beat. "T-Tani Marika. And what about you?"

"Mm..." the girl pondered a bit before saying, "Just call me 'J'."

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Mako held her neck, looking at her fingers to check for blood.

"It healed..." she said, sighing.

After storming off, she had quickly gotten lost, so she decided to stay in one place and wait for the others to find her.

She hugged her knees, thinking about Nana. She tried to comprehend what she had meant, but the more she thought about it, the more confused and frustrated she became.

"We've met before.. What? That can't be... I.. we.. no..!"

"...Mako..."

Her ear twitched. She thought she heard Nana's voice calling to her.

"Mako..!"

"Nana?" She stood up, looking around. She couldn't see through the thick fog, but she felt like the girl's presence was there.

She then saw a path in front of her and thought she could see Nana's figure.

"Mako... come here."

Suddenly, Mako fell into a trance. Her arms limply fell to her side as she started walking toward the unknown path.

Meanwhile...

The hunter girls were on lookout, when they heard what sounded like a howl rising in the air.

"What was that?"

Takayanagi opened one eye, looking at the young hunters.

"Was that a wolf?"

"Maybe."

"Eh? Do you think it could come this way?!"

"It won't, Ryoka."

As they were talking, static starting going off on Takayanagi's communicator. She pulled it out, adjusting it before talking.

"Rena, is that you?"

"Incorrect~"

Her eyes widened a bit, "Oh, Jurina..! What's going on?"

"I got a cute girl here with me."

"Uh-huh...?"

"And she's lost out here. So I was wondering if you could help get her back to her friend."

"I'm on a stake out right now, with some juniors. I can't leave," she said firmly.

"Ehh~ please, Churi?"

"Why is she even there with you, anyways? Isn't the barrier...?"

"Hm? Oh, that. That's right. Her name is Marika. I think she's one of them."

"Eh..?!"

"Huh? One of who?" Another voice spoke.

"Oh, nothing! It's something on our end," the girl Jurina quickly said before whispering back to her. "Churi... what about the girls you're here with? Do you think they could be ones, as well?"

"I... hadn't thought about that," she looked over to the young hunters. "But, I think it's possible."

"Then bring them here. And if you can, like I said, bring Marika-chan's friend."

"Oh, alright. But tell Rena about this, too."

"Of course! Who do you think I am?"

Takayanagi chuckled. "Right. We'll see you there."

After hanging up the call, she slowly got up, looking at the girls.

"Alright, listen up," she announced. "Something's come up. We're gonna be moving location, so no time for dilly-dally. Come with me."

"Eh? Changing location?!"

"Where, exactly?"

"Nowhere special... Just an old, abandoned school building."

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