Black Swan Wonderland

Tsukumoya

Halo Eighteen: Tsukumoya:

"Now, tell me again what happened," Vanessa said. Miiko took a deep breath.

"Shinra came into the lobby," she began again.

"Okay," the manager said.

"I erased the name off the judgement list," Miiko said. "We couldn't have him dead. So, I called Kishitani-sensei to the back with me." Victor stood behind her, matching. The receptionist lifted her head.

"We decided to you the Book of Osiris to perform the resurrection ritual on the doctor," she said.

"No, you decided that!" Victor said. "I said this was a bad idea!"

"Victor, please," Vanessa said. She turned back to the receptionist.

"Walk me through what happened," the manager said. "What all did you do?" Miiko closed her eyes for a moment. She drew another breath and opened her eyes.

"I had the book translated," the receptionist said. "Got all of the ingredients from the garden in the back. I had two people translate while we performed the ritual."

"And then?" Vanessa asked.

"I sent him along," Miiko said. She paused, waiting. Vanessa eyed her with an eyebrow raised.

"What all did you use?" she asked. "Do you still have the list?"

"Yes," Miiko said.

"May I see it?" Vanessa asked. The receptionist handed her the list.

"Thank you," the manager said. She read over the list. Miiko waited with bated breath. Victor walked up next to her. Vanessa lifted her head.

"Come look at this," she said. Miiko and Victor crowded around her for a better look. Vanessa pointed to the bottom of the list.

"Tell me what that says there," she said. Miiko narrowed her eyes.

"Nightshade?" she asked. She turned to Vanessa. The manager booked out the Book of Osiris. She had it open with the spell in question. She pointed to the last ingredient on the page.

"You were supposed get oleander," Vanessa said. "Why didn't you get me to translate this for you?" Miiko lowered her head.

"We didn't have time," I said. "The veil was going to be thick in a few days. We had to act fast in this war!" Vanessa gave her a calm smile as she patted her on the head.

"I understand," she said. "But you have to do some things properly." Miiko's lower lip trembled.

"I'm so sorry," she whimpered.

"You should've come to me for help," Vanessa said. "But we can't focus on the past right now." She walked over to her desk and pulled open the drawer.

"What are you doing?" Miiko asked. The manager turned with a brush and ink.

"We are going to fix the problem in person," she said. "You and Victor are going to come with me."

"Yes ma'am!" Miiko and Victor were quick to say. They came on either side of Vanessa and held her wrists. The manager closed her eyes and began chanting a spell under her breath.

The trio vanished into thin air.

-Six Days Earlier-

Mari sat in the basement typing away on her computer. She didn't like where the Diss Program was going. The more she decoded the program, the stranger things got. It's the supercomputer in the basement seemed to have a mind of its own. Mari couldn't shake the feeling that the computer was watching her. Right now, the programmer shivered.