Reform

Chapter 5: Hunted

    Aloysius, still stunned, grabbed his necklace and yanked it off. The necklace came off but it was still intact and not broken. He then threw it to Tuomo but he dodged the necklace and Mirai backed off in the corner. Aloysius then grabbed the necklace with his fingertips and put it on top of his drawer.

"Why didn't you take it?! I mean, you knew about this so you need to take it." Aloysius said as he pointed at Tuomo.

"Thing is if Mirai or I touch that necklace, we'll die instantly," Tuomo explained.

"Well, why not say that earlier idiot!" Aloysius yelled at Tuomo.

"Watch what you say before I shut you up," Tuomo said as he pulled out a kunai.

Aloysius refrained from irritating Tuomo more. He decided to grab the necklace and put it back on. He then was confused.

"Why am I not dead?" Aloysius asked.

"That's because no one, besides you, can use me or even touch me," the book answered.

"And what are you supposed to be?" Aloysius asked the book.

"I'm a grimoire, your exclusive grimoire," Natus Ex Uno said.

"Yeah, yeah, because anyone besides me will die if they touch or use you," Aloysius said while being a little annoyed.
"Now, what can I do now? Be a street magician?" Aloysius said as he mocked Natus Ex Uno.

"Somewhat correct. You'll become a Connector although you're nowhere near the start." Natus Ex Uno corrected Aloysius.
"To at least start now, look at your reflection on the window." Natus Ex Uno suggested.

    Aloysius went with the flow and looked into his reflection. All he saw was himself but slowly his appearance in the window started to change although his slender body stayed the same. His sneakers in the reflection became brown penny loafers, his shorts became beige khakis pants, his pink shirt became a torn white suit with a ripped black jacket. Aloysius's hair in the reflection became black shaggy cut hair and his eyes became dark brown.

"Who is he?" Aloysius asked Natus Ex Uno.

"He's the soul you're connected to. Seems you resonate at an average level with him." Natus Ex Uno responded.

"I mean his name, what's his name?" Aloysius asked as he kept staring at his changed reflection.

"Oh, it's Arata Kasuga." Natus Ex Uno said.

"So, he's Japanese huh," Aloysius said.

"There are bigger problems than finding out his name. You should focus on what he did." Natus Ex Uno suggested.

"Then, what did he do?" Aloysius asked.

"You'll find out, good-bye." Natus Ex Uno said as he slowly faded away.

"My book's very unhelpful. Tuomo can you tell me what he did before Arata goes away."  Aloysius asked but Tuomo refrained from answering and so did Mirai.

"Oh well, and he's gone. Wow, and it's also nighttime. I'm sure you guys have your dorms so I gonna sleep." Aloysius said.

    Tuomo walked out of his room along with Mirai. Aloysius locked his door and turned off the light. Like he used to, Aloysius threw himself on the bed and looked at the ceiling. He went under the blanket and slept. Later in his deep sleep, Aloysius saw him again. The figure was right in front of him, he still was wearing a black hoodie that cast a shadow to cover his face.

"What do you want this time?" Aloysius asked.

"I simply want you to see what he has done." the guy said in the same distorted voice.

    The figure then snapped his fingers and the scenery went from black to a desolated area with dirt and wooden javelins in the ground. Aloysius looked all around just to see the same thing. When he turned around again, there was a guy who was as tall as him. The male had black hair with a small ponytail. He was wearing a tunic under a short-sleeved jacket. The jacket was fastened by a large belt and had two metal gauntlets on his hands. Aloysius started to feel a similar aura from him.

"I did it, but during the process, they died." the male said.

    Aloysius moved closer and saw that it was Arata who spoke. In front of him were seven objects. A torn pink scarf, a ripped white & red cloak, a melted gun, a smashed camera, a cracked wand, a white long-sleeve dress shirt sliced in two, and on the ground was a silver ring that was half-sunk in the puddle of blood. Aloysius nearly puked at the sight. He then calmed himself down only to see on his right a wave of fire.

"I deserve this, I can't do it without them. So please, I want to see them again." Arata pleaded as he shed a small tear.

    The wave of fire soon consumed Aloysius and Arata. It was now back to darkness, there was no sign of him anymore. Aloysius got up from the dark ground when all of a sudden, he was held up and grabbed by his throat and shirt.

"You still don't get it now. I'll tell you something." the male said in a distorted voice.
"They'll come after you, and they will take your life. Aloysius Nichols, you are being hunted." The figure said as he soon faded away.

    Aloysius fell to the ground and woke up from the black figure's world. It was dark as the deep sea, Aloysius could barely see anything. But then, he caught something on the corner of his eye. It had the shape and movements of a person as it dashed through his window. Aloysius got up and turned on the lights, the window was closed. Everything was where it should be, Aloysius was left bamboozled because he thought someone was in his room. He opened his door and a ray of light shined into his eyes. There were students still walking around the school floors.

"Ah, so you woke up. Fix your hair, it's messy." Tuomo told Aloysius.

    Aloysius was scared when he saw Tuomo on his right. He brushed his hair with his fingers gently. Nothing worked though as his bangs still kept falling. Aloysius shoved it off and went back into his room. He locked his door and went into' the bathroom he found. Aloysius washed his face and hair, then he brushed his brown hair.

"Good morning, Aloysius." Natus Ex Uno said.

"Good morning," Aloysius said while drying his hands.

"You gotta go to school if you want to learn more." Natus Ex Uno suggested.

"Yeah I know, the thing is," Aloysius paused.

"What you saw from the mystery person still bothering you?" Natus Ex Uno continued.

"Yeah, I haven't seen that much blood since-" Aloysius stopped.
"Since my sister died." Aloysius continued as he changed.

"Don't worry about it, but there'll be some big problems within a few days and I think you know that too." Natus Ex Uno said.

"I now have to live my life here while being hunted. As if things could get any worse." Aloysius said with a true smile.