Chapter Text
“Sayo, are you free after this?” the bassist asked with a glint of hope on her face.
“I just plan on practicing guitar when I get home.”
“Can you hang out with me then?”
Sayo thought for a while. It was a Saturday afternoon and their band practice just finished. Three days had passed since the incident. That was also the last time she had seen Lisa before their rehearsal today.
“Okay I’ll come with you.”
“Yay!! It’s decided then!”
She watched the bassist in amusement as Lisa walks towards Yukina. She wondered what is there to be so excited about for an afternoon hangout when she regarded herself as a boring person. Unless Lisa wanted to talk more about their revelations from last time.
Their way towards wherever Lisa is taking the guitarist was filled with silence, except for her humming. It was not an awkward silence and Sayo enjoys the song Lisa is humming.
This witch has got such a beautiful voice.
When she realizes that what she thought would have been a rude one if it weren’t for her friend being a literal witch, Sayo giggled lightly getting the interest of the subject at hand. Lisa stopped humming and turned to the teal haired.
“Sayo? What’s so funny?”
The said guitarist cleared her throat excusing herself for her rude behavior. “I just remembered something. Please just ignore me.” Lisa stared at her for a few seconds but decided to let her off, much to Sayo’s relief.
No expectations were set on her mind as to where the bassist would be taking her. But it was no surprise for Sayo when she found themselves entering the fast food restaurant. Luckily, it wasn’t peak hour. They went straight for the counter which happened to be Aya, and beside her working on the other counter is Kanon.
“Hi Aya, Kanon!” Lisa greeted.
“Oh! Lisa-chan, Sayo-chan! Hello!” Kanon was the first to greet back with Aya following shortly after.
“What can I get you two for today?” Aya asked.
“Two large fries, one soda float, and a large soda.”
“Imai-san, I can order for myself.”
“Are you getting something different today?”
“No. But-”
“Well then, let me do it. You just go look for a table and I will catch up to you. Okay?”
Sayo groaned internally choosing not to refuse anymore. “Okay. I’ll be waiting.” she said before leaving to look for an available table. She was still able to hear Aya comment on their closeness as she was walking away.
Do we really seem close? She wondered to herself.
She looked around and found an empty table by the window. She headed towards it without much thought. Upon taking a seat, she noticed a familiar figure sitting by the next table.
That blonde... Shirasagi-san?
It’s not like her to call out first to someone she knows unless they were really close. And in the first place, it seemed like the blonde, dressed in disguise, didn’t seem to want to be noticed. Sayo decided to leave her alone.
Her mind wandered towards her thoughts earlier once again. Since when did she became closer to Lisa? For all she knows, it happened naturally for them to be there for each other during their band crisis that time. And even before that, she noticed the kindness of the bassist towards her, to which she slowly welcomed openly after some time. And after what happened a few days ago, Sayo feels like they share an even stronger connection now.
Her thoughts were cut off by the tray with their orders being put in front of her. Lisa sat across her. Sayo was about to fetch for her wallet but she was stopped by the bassist’s hand reaching out to her.
“Sayo, I told you to let me do this. I am treating you today.”
Sayo raised a brow to this.
“One of the reasons I brought you here is to treat you with your favorite fries. This is to make up for the trouble I caused you the other day. I know it may not be enough, but I could not think of anything else.”
The guitarist sigh in defeat retracting her hand. “Alright. Still though, just to remind you, I have already forgiven you. So, I hope you are not beating yourself over it, Imai-san. But I will take this. Thank you.”
“Mmm! Thank you too, Sayo!”
Sayo couldn’t help but smile as well when the bassist flashed her one. She finds it contagious. It wasn’t so long ago yet when Lisa asks her to smile more often. But now she is open and comfortable enough with Lisa for this to happen.
This witch really has some effect on me.
The thought caused a tint of blush to form on her face. Unluckily for her, it didn’t go unnoticed by Lisa.
“Are you alright Sayo? You seemed-”
“I’m fine Imai-san.” the teal-haired said cutting her off immediately. “But more importantly, you said this is one of the reasons. So, what are the other reasons why you brought me here?”
Knowing this is Sayo’s way of saying to drop off the topic, Lisa gave it up and proceeded with what she has to do.
Almost like a whisper, the bassist chanted, “Voices sounding like the wind, keep the words be unheard from outside this field.”
Sayo couldn’t see it, but she felt something spread around them. She looked at Lisa waiting for her to explain.
“That was a sound barrier spell. No one would be able to hear us outside the invisible barrier created by this spell.”
“I guess we will be talking about our secrets if you are being that cautious, Imai-san.”
“Yes, that is true. Even if there is someone with super hearing ability here, they won’t be able to breakthrough my spell.”
“That is very wise of you.”
The sudden praise from the teal haired caused her face to lightly heat up. “A-Anyway. I have a number of reasons why I brought you here.”
“I’m listening.”
“So, first, like I said earlier, I wanted to make up for the other day. And secondly, to talk about special abilities like the one you and Hina have. For now, let me tell you more about myself as we eat.”
“Okay, and thanks for the food.”
Lisa begun with their family background. Sayo was surprised to know that it runs in their family. Because as for her and Hina, they are sure that their parents are normal people. She wouldn’t even know about Hina’s ability if it weren’t for her sister always wanting to share boppin stuffs to her.
Lisa’s mother is a witch too, while her father is a warlock. They are a generation of witches and warlocks and she is the next successor in line. Her parents told her that they belong to ancient bloods. They are what is classified in the modern world as supernatural beings, and they have existed for as long as the history could tell.
“Witches, vampires, werewolves, etc. They exist.”
Sayo should have been used to things like this by now but she still found herself in awe with this information. After all, if it weren’t for her own ability, she would not believe any of this could be true.
“Now, as for you and Hina, you two probably belong to the new generation. My mom told me people with special ability did not exist until a few decades ago. As to how and why suddenly some people manifest special abilities, they don’t know yet. The only plausible theory right now is that, it is a mark of human evolution. And as the fiction stories call them, they are espers, except, you for example, is real.”
The bassist was worried for a second that she overloaded Sayo with information. Lisa hesitantly asked if she was able to take in everything she just said.
“Imai-san...” Sayo sighed then continued. “That is a load of information but I understand, no need to worry. And I’m glad you’re telling me this because me and Hina knows too little about this.”
“Yes, that is what I’m guessing. But I’m glad you chose to trust me on this.”
“I believe it has been decided already since we promised to keep each other’s secret. Anyway, I suppose you have another reason for telling me all this, Imai-san.”
Lisa took a sip on her soda float before continuing. Sayo watches as the bassist’s expression switches to a more serious one.
“Sayo... I do not know if you or Hina are aware but, there are people hunting, or capturing the new generation. The reason is obvious, to exterminate, or experiment on them. There are also those who wants to take advantage of them. So please tell me. Did you two noticed anything of sorts towards you? Is there any sign of danger coming for you?”
Lisa is a meddlesome person. Sayo had known about it for a long time now. She admires her for that. It was apparent to her why Lisa is asking this question.
“Imai-san, honestly, Hina thought for a while that I was being targeted because of the incident the other day.”
Flustered all of a sudden, Lisa gasped. “R-Really? Aahh! Once again, I’m really sorry!” the brunette full of guilt once again bows her head to which Sayo couldn’t help but chuckle to.
“No need to worry. We were so relieved to find out it was you.”
Sayo gave her a reassuring smile making her heart skip a beat.
“Imai-san, other than that incident, there were no signs of danger towards us. I’m pretty sure Hina is just as cautious as I am. Only you, Imai-san, knows about our ability. And that is for sure.”
Lisa finally loosens up after hearing Sayo’s words. She took a long sip on her drink before releasing a sigh of relief.
“Ahh... I’m glad. But I should have expected that. You are a careful person after all.”
“But what about you Imai-san, aren’t you the same? Don’t you get threats as well, or something?”
“For reasons I am unaware of yet, we are not subject to being hunted. My mom just said, at some point in the past, evil organizations gave up.”
“But still you can’t let your guard down Imai-san.”
“Hmm... Would you protect me, electro princess?” Lisa asked on a teasing tone.
“Yes of course.” taken aback for a bit with how the bassist addressed her, Sayo still managed a calm response.
A full-blown blush formed on the bassist’s face. Her tease backfired on her. The fact that Sayo didn’t even hesitate, nor took a second to respond to her made her feel the weight of sincerity on her words.
Darn this electro princess!!
“Imai-san, are you alright?”
“Y-Yes. I was just s-surprised.” Lisa replied looking away from the guitarist.
“Why are you surprised? You were the one who asked.”
“Y-Yeah I know. And I will do the same for you and Hina.”
Sayo giggled lightly earning another blush from the brunette. “Thanks, Imai-san.”
“T-Thanks to you too. A-Anyway-”
Keep dangers out, no power shall invade this zone!
Lisa cut herself off to cast the spell in her mind when she felt something unnatural near them. She was immediately relieved to see the guitarist was unharmed.
What was that? She asked herself.
“What was that?” Sayo asked as if voicing out her thought. “Why is everyone frozen?”
The brunette looked around for the first time to see what Sayo was talking about. It seemed like the time had stopped. She looked over the table behind them and saw one of them is stopped on their state of drinking with the liquid hanging in air as if it was frozen too. Lisa then checked Sayo’s wrist watch and confirmed that it stopped moving as well.
"I casted a protective spell for us which is why I think we can still move. But I have no idea what exactly happened, Sayo.”
“I think someone could give us an answer.”
Curiosity filled Lisa as she turned to see why the guitarist is pointing towards the counter, or more specifically, Kanon and Aya. Both are still moving just like them with horrified expression on their faces. In front of them are some people in weird clothing.
“I... I did it again.” came the astonished voice of Kanon catching the attention of everyone who weren’t affected by the time freeze.