Eldritch

 

Again on the bus.

It is a peculiar feeling, being this close to others.
Having the smoke of so many people here around me feels a little bit oppressing.
Also, I started to consciously look out of the window.
Now I see those ghosts in all the hidden corners I ignored before.
And according to Zika, those I notice are only a small part of what would commonly be around.

Most of them apparently fled because of my appearance.
It is a little off-putting to think about how much I disturb others just by being there.
Maybe I'm applying the wrong logic here.
I mean they are ghosts and such.
I barely know anything about these creatures.
What little I know I've got from Zika and at this level I'm still utterly ignorant.

 

"And how was your morning? I had to escape from a stranger's house who abducted me out of nowhere!" (Z)

"Ieehk!" (I)

"Great ones! Don't get this startled! Who knows what might break out of you by accident." (Z)

"H-How do you come here?" (I)

"Waited at the bus station. How I got there is my own business!" (Z)

"W-why are you here?" (I)

"I would say because I need to go to school, but I believe we both know that I'm not bound to the public transportation devices. So to be true, it's to set you into the picture on your way. Even if you bothered me quite much this night." (Z)

"I am sorry. Really! I just didn't know how to help me." (I)

"If anyone knows something about motives it is me. But you owe me one!" (Z)

"Y-yes, sure!" (I)

 

Did, did her eyes just spark up?

 

"You said it! No taking back! A favor from a goddess. Mhm that surely has its merits!" (Z)

 

Why do I have the feeling that I just made a terrible mistake?

 

"So, I think I will do my part then and give you some advice. The ether itself knows you need it!" (Z)

"Like don't owe favors to demons you barely know?" (I)

"Should have been a given but taking the situation into account: Don't owe favors to anyone! You have no idea what that could lead to!" (Z)

 

Too late for that I would say.

 

"But since I'm generous I will help you out a little. Just a question. Did you consider binding a demon to your mother?" (Z)

"What!? No!!!" (I)

 

I become aware how loud I was and what kind of the contents of our talk, causing me to anxiously look around in the bus.
Yet strangely no one is even the slightest bit interested in us.
Not even those sitting next to us are batting an eye.

 

"You probably just thought something stupid like how come no one notices us. If you want to know, they are ignoring us because I influenced them into doing so." (Z)

 

She can do that?
With so many?

 

"All of them?" (I)

"Influencing is easier than you might believe. Were you never annoyed about people talking too loud next to you? I just help them to ignore it. They think we talk just about stupid uninteresting daily issues. The same as the driver who believes that I actually have a ticket. Because he wants to believe it. It would be simply too troublesome to check, so he rather doesn't pursue this issue." (Z)

"But this many? How far does this go?" (I)

"It has its limits. I couldn't tell them to not be aware of a monster directly in front of them. Well, I couldn't. You might tell people that sewer water is Chardonnay and they would slurp it down. Aside from this, there is a problematic, perceptive kind of people. These may not notice if they are truly not interested. Yet they could become aware of the charms I'm playing." (Z)

 

This surely sounds dangerous.
I mean she could totally control politics with such an ability.

 

"But now back to the demon." (Z)

"Why? No! I won't let a demon stay this close to mum!" (I)

"What a pity! Would have been the best course of action." (Z)

"Why a pity? I won't put mum into danger!" (I)

"No danger she says! Are you aware in what situation she is right now?" (Z)

"M-mum! You mean..." (I)

"Oh no, she is probably fine but the thing is you have no idea! What if now a stray ghost notices your lingering presence around her and follows behind? Or when one of the enemies you as the currently most powerful existence on this plane will eventually make would seek her out? Do you really want her to be in this case on her own? As long she is no professional martial artist or starts with high ranking exorcism I wouldn't bet on her." (Z)

 

I become aware.
Mum is really in danger because of me.
Alone the short moment she was alone in that nightmare world was enough for her to almost get eaten.

 

"But a demon? I cannot let something leech from her!" (I)

"From her? It would be nourished by you. Because you are the one who will make it!" (Z)

"Sorry, what!?" (I)

"As I've already told you, you can shape all manners of things. The demons you create, you can naturally control, make dependent on you. Then it follows your orders." (Z)

"But... putting something like this close to mother? This sounds terrible!" (I)

"I would suggest a shadow demon. You simply let it slide into her shadow and it will only come out when it needs to." (Z)

 

This... this could work.
But can I convince mum to agree to that?

 

"Well, it's your decision. Look, the bus has reached its destination." (Z)

 

I follow Zika out and find our campus in front of me.

 

"For today just the most important: Don't go into the toilet on the third floor at the end of the hallway, in the swimming hall stay away from the furthest left corner and if possible avoid the nursery, but totally after the last ring. Also, no wandering around the old hut on the campus' sports ground, the library, and naturally the cellar is forbidden." (Z)

"C-could I ask why?" (I)

"Duh! It's as if you became just yesterday a goddess." (Z)

 

I throw an agitated glare at her.

 

"Yes, yes. I know. Because of the seven wonders." (Z)

"Seven wonders?" (I)

 

What does she mean?

 

"Great ones! Do you even attend this school?! The seven wonders! Almost every school has them! Seven particular myths revolving around strange occurrences on the campus." (Z)

"Oh, might be that Chiaki once came with such a thing. But I was too tired to listen." (I)

"Well, what isn't this well known is that for each of these myths a demon is responsible." (Z)

"What? Why?" (I)

"Are you remembering anything that I tell you? Like how gods come into existence?" (Z)

"Prayers, and believe." (I)

 

Wait a moment, does she mean...

 

"Now if you don't take into account the purely imaginary distinction between gods and demons you have here generations of students who over and over fuel the idea of supernatural events. It doesn't matter if the demon forms through that idea or hijacks the myth. In the end, he is bound to the idea, yet in return gains stability through it." (Z)

"And why do you tell me all this?" (I)

"Until now you went lucky. Your presence was so terrifying that they all went into hiding. I felt it too but had to act normal. When I first saw you I thought you were just a stray demon, hunting on my grounds, maybe stirred up by the sudden pressure. That was until I noticed that this storm I felt was centered around you. And you were the calmth in its eye. A rather nasty trick I need to say." (Z)

"Sorry, but I don't notice anything like this!" (I)

"Sure; it would be troublesome for you would you feel the same dread others experience through you." (Z)

 

She basically said I annoy her.

 

"And what is now with those wonders?" (I)

"Yesterday they stayed hidden, intimidated by the sudden pressure that suddenly spread around the whole town. But they won't lay low forever. The thing is, for the untrained observer you don't look that much different from the rest. Just another accumulation of miasma. If I wouldn't have experience I might believe you're an ordinary demon, just by chance lurking inside the shadow of a greater evil. Just an intruder for them. It's only a question of time until they can't endure it anymore." (Z)

"Moment! Toilet, swimming hall, nursery, old hut, library, cellar. These are only six!" (I)

"Sure! The seventh stands right in front of you!" (Z)

"Huh?" (I)

"It goes like: Stay with a broken heart behind at school and pass the big clock in the hallway on the second floor, and all your pain will be forgotten, along with all the rest! Beneficial, don't you think? Not even talking about the belief I accommodate from the students. But don't mix me up. I just took over a vacant space. Like this, I'm much freer than those who are made to fill their role. I can leave at any time!" (Z)

 

I start to get the larger picture and a distressing clear image about Zika.
Yet this makes me nervous, as it seems as if I burst into a fragile balance here.

 

"Isn't there a problem if someone like me is now involved in this as well?" (I)

"Oh sweet! Do you fear you could steal someone's job and become one of the wonders? Honey, you aren't even part of the competition. You are a goddess. This isn't even the slightest bit comparable. What kind of myth shall that be? The creational goddess located in the boiler room? I just told you because these guys are literally bound to be territorial and you are threatening to turn everything upside down here, if not stealing the whole building. That spells trouble." (Z)

 

It becomes clear that my presence here will cause some issues if I really emit such a strong presence.
Nonetheless, I really want my school life to stay peaceful.
To accomplish that I absolutely cannot afford to get into a conflict with demons.

I certainly won't get involved with these wonders!