These Branching Moments

“Takajou, what is up with your face?”

“Ooh, did I get something on it?” Takajou got out a tiny mirror and started poking at his pores.

Takajou and Elegy had been sitting side by side on the bus, Elegy looking out at the moonlit countryside.

Elegy’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve had this dumb smile ever since we left the onsen.”

“It’s been awhile since I’ve let my hair down.” Takajou beamed as his green hair was at his sneakers. “Real cinchy to convince them I’m a girl!”

The two were sharing a blanket provided by the driver for the long ride back home, holding hands discreetly underneath.

“Is that also why you’re blushing?”

Takajou fidgeted a bit in his seat before turning his booming voice down to a whisper. “…How bad is it?”

“Rougir jusqu'aux oreilles.” offered Elegy. “Like you’re choking in embarrassment.”

“Well, I think I’m alright…” Takajou stared off into space. “There were many first times back there!” Takajou’s eyes closed as his grin widened further.

“Hey, have you ever been into masks?” Elegy offered a finger up to her chin as she rifled through her backpack.

“No, why?”

“Boys like to talk. Ask questions. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to be a little more discreet?”

“What did you have in mind?” Takajou gave her a side eye and a smirk. “Wait, ahhghh!!!”

Elegy started playfully pushing a brown bag that once carried leftovers over Takajou’s head as Takajou gently resisted.

“TOO suspicious!” wailed Takajou. “I need something cooler.”

“Fine, have a lady's mask.” Elegy lifted out a smaller, under-eye gas mask appropriate for Harajuku street wear. “Though I think it needs something extra…”

“You're into masks?” inquired Takajou, rubbing his chin with interest.

“They make a statement, for those moments when a woman wants to stay cachée.” Elegy retrieved a bottle of white nail polish and proceeded to paint on the mask as Takajou admired her handiwork.

“Mmm… a moon… a pig nose… a gingerbread man?… oh, a skull!”

“Two skulls, to match your butterfly wings.” remarked an intensely focused Elegy.

“Nice. I can dig it.”

Takajou exhaled deeply, only left with one problem on the way back. How to get back into his shipping container bed by the Baal Bros Travelling Circus without waking up the likes of nosy Phegor or curious Berith.

But that’s more than an hour away.

For now, he can drift off deep in memories of the night they spent together, without thinking about pesky follow up questions like what to do if Setsuna finds out.

It was 1:00 in the morning when Takajou quietly opened the door to his shipping crate, trying to be as silent as a mouse. The wind against the relative quiet of his cramped quarters had him considering how matters ended up like this.

Makai took Mirai from him, Setsuna had gone out with another girl, and Elegy, well, it was hard to understand exactly who was in charge between them.

This was all very troubling to Takajou. He always has the answers. Except for now, as the world seems to be moving on from him.

A circuitous rhythm of raindrops helped disguise the sound of his footsteps against the floorboards. Squeak. Squeaaak. Eight more steps, now five, two…

“Big bro!” came the throaty voice of a young, stout boy. “Were ya caught up in the middle of a nighttime stroll?”

There was Phegor, great demon with the fabled Demon Duck as his steed and trusty porta-john. Well, that’s not the worst. thought Takajou.

“Hey, Phegor. Is Berith working late tonight?”

“Hmm.” Phegor stood with his staff at his chin. “If he was workin’ late, he’d have called to ask if any of us want some Makai burgers and DVDs on the way back.”

Phegor was indeed the smallest of the Baal brothers. Stout, hardy, and not above a good poop joke if the occasion arose. He also happened to take things quite easily at face value, a quality that Takajou hoped Berith had.

“Then he’s probably out on a date.” Takajou speculated. “Or gambling. Or finding dates while gambling.”

“Something like that!” Phegor smiled. “If you’re thinkin’ of staying, I made your bed for you. I figured Berith would have been happy to, so I should give it a try, y’know?”

If Berith didn’t suspect a thing, he would.

Takajou nonetheless took his circumstances as a small blessing, that Berith wouldn’t be nosing into his love life, that Phegor wasn’t at all interested in the gas–

“Hey, where can I get one of those?” Phegor pointed to Takajou’s stylish face covering.

“…Somewhere in Maxicimam. They have some cool ones now like ones with spikes that you might like.” Takajou paused for a moment to consider the lie. “You better act quickly, they might already be all sold out!”

“Agh, does that mean dealing with girls and girl stuff?”

Takajou’s mask pressed up against his cheeks as he gave a wink. “Still trying to find the strength to speak to one?”

“Just you wait!” Phegor shook his sceptre as his voice held a rasp. “I donno how and I donno when, but someday, I will find the strength to say a modest ‘Hey there. How’s it going? Could I interest you in a good sandwich spot?”

“Hamill’s a lady.” observed Takajou “You don’t have much trouble speaking with her.”

“BAH! Bah. Bahhh.” Phegor was waving his short little arms in protest as his mouth opened as wide as it could with every onamonapia. “Hamill is thousands of years older than both of us! It ain't right.”

“Suit yourself.” Takajou shrugged with his arms in a resigned pose. ”You might want to set Demon Duck aside before you try talking to other ladies.” He poked the beak of Phegor’s copyright-questionable throne.

Phegor puffed out his cheeks while sucking in his tummy. “I gotta show people that I am who I am. Which happens to be a small dude fond of ducks and the finer things in life. Like floral scented toilet paper.”

“To each their own.” The middle brother tucked himself into bed, closed his eyes, and went out like a light.

A warm aura came over Takajou as he sensed himself slowly falling down an endless chasm, lined by pastel coloured orbs and fireflies, no, will-o-wisps orbiting about.

Takajou held his arms and legs out spread-eagle style, finding that this slowed his movement down further still, to the extent that he was nearly floating in infinite space. It was hard to place this as Makai, the Known World, or some effectively liminal space left uncharted.

“Setsuna, can you hear me?” Takajou blurted out, to no response. There was no reason to expect Setsuna here of all places, but still. It was worth trying.

“Anyone?” Still nothing.

Takajou descended deeper into the empty void. A deep hole? No, a “hole” would imply breaking through a surface, one that couldn’t be seen as far as his eyes could perceive.

Suddenly, a chill. The wisps disappeared as Takajou could only feel a curious emptiness as he allowed himself to be pulled further down to the celestial space.

An image flashed by his mind. A familiar shape, manhandled by another being. The interloper shrieked THREE WORLDS, UNITED.

Within him, Takajou felt a rare yearning, a mandate to help, or of trying. To be by their side, tell them that “Everything will be alright.”

The freezing temperatures escalated as Takajou could no longer feel his fingers and toes. His limbs locked up, his breathing ceased, as he could feel his body ripped away from his soul.

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP.

Takajou’s eyes snapped open at the obnoxious sound of his alarm.

It was six in the morning, Phegor sleeping through as soundly as ever while birds sang outside. Still with no Berith in sight.

To be continued…