It’s that wonderful time of year again! The time we get to go on what can probably be described as a “date” with the bird of our affections.
“…lau…”
A distant noise floats through the park, but the protagonist barely seems to notice.
This is the right time, isn’t it? Is my phone’s clock off…?
“…del Blau…”
Louder, this time, but still not enough to get the protagonist’s attention.
Hmm… maybe I should go ahead by myself…?
“Edel Blau!”
“Wah!?”
That one worked.
I can hear him, but where is he!?
“Anghel? Is that you?”
A wild ANGHEL appeared!
Considering we heard him coming well in advance in our past experience, I suppose this is surprising.
“Aaah! You scared me!”
“Sh!”
He frantically glances about.
“A lower demon of Baal. I can still feel its presence! It lurks nearby, Edel Blau.”
“Fighting evil again, Anghel?”
“… you have but just awakened. It is too soon to bring you into battle. Take this.”
He hands me…
“This will protect you from the forces of witchcraft. But we should leave this place nonetheless.”
“You’re right. Come on, let’s go to the festival!”
Maybe he’s not used to crowds?
“Is this your first time coming to a summer festival, Anghel?”
“I was born beneath the star of solitude. I am not allowed these pleasures.”
“Don’t tell me you don’t have any friends…!?”
All told, the protagonist is surprisingly perceptive in cutting through Anghel’s, well, flowery embellishments. Perhaps it’s her own talent for hyperbolic fantasy shining through. Paying the comment no mind, though, Anghel seems quite preoccupied.
”!
An Aveskellar of Chaos! Why here, why now…!?”
He’s staring agitatedly at a stand selling cheap toys and trinkets.
Honestly, I have a similar reaction.
“Umm… that looks like a normal booth to me…”
“When the Chaotic Wings of the Reaper appear on this Earth, The Echoes of The End shall be heard across the land… Edel Blau, you must undergo training.”
It is easy to lose track of your exercise regime during vacation.
That’s… well, it’s hard to know what he means. As long as you can take something positive away from it, I guess!
And so Anghel and I enjoyed the festival in our own special way.
Ahh, young romance! The rest of the summer passes without incident.
We’re planning to do a cafe, but we haven’t decided on the theme yet…
“Huh?”
There’s a student ID card lying on the floor. Did somebirdie drop it here?
“Umm… Akagi Yoshi, 2-2. Who’s that? I guess I should take this to the faculty room.”
Before we can, though, we’re accosted by a familiar, frantic figure.
”!?
Wh-what’s going on, Anghel?”
“You must not… you must not say the forbidden name! It shall open Pandora’s Gate, and bring about the End of All Things!”
“Eeeeh…?”
I’m pretty sure the world didn’t end every time we did return this, but perhaps it’s best to humour Anghel.
This ID card’s owner is going to cause the end of the world? … and what’s ‘Pandora’s Gate’?
After a moment’s thought, the protagonist proves remarkably apt at putting two and two together, for once.
“Anghel, are you actually Akag—”
“Gyaaaaaaaaaaaah! E-Edel Blau! Seek you to torture this Servant of God!? You must not speak the names of angels! You must not sing songs about the names of angels!”
Or Anghels. … That barely qualifies as a joke.
“You must not say it! -pant- … -pant- … Perhaps… my wish was not granted…?”
Oh, no! Now he’s sad.
We can reassure him that Yoshio is a pretty nice name, but that’s unlikely to bring him much comfort. Instead, it’s time to once again throw sensibility to the wind and insist that Anghel accept the contract this ID card represents.
“Accept the contract offered to you, fool!”
“Wh… what…!? You cannot have forgotten, Edel Blau. You, the Angel of Fire, who drove me from this world and imprisoned me in an eternal cage of ice! Are you saying… you will join me…?”
“You are not alone, Anghel!”
“Yes…! Very well. We shall seal the contract on this ground, Edel Blau! Fleeting, as it is eternal!”
I don’t know that the hallway’s going anywhere, Anghel.
Anghel scribbles some sort of indecipherable symbol or script on the ID card, and smiles happily.
“This shall be proof of our alliance! Keep it with you.”
“Eh, eeeh…?”
He places his ID card in my hands and strides away. Why do I have t o carry this around for you???
Because that’s love! Or something much stronger and stranger than that, if at all possible. A few weeks later, we find the protagonist at a very important time for her.
The cafeteria switches to the fall menu today, right? I wonder what they have!
Before the protagonist has left, though, Yuuya makes his way into the classroom.
“Y-Yuuya!? What is it? Usually I’m the one looking for you! Are you finally being drawn in by my Sexy And Gradual Style?”
That’s not a thing!! Do you mean playing hard-to-get? Protagonist!!
“Exactly. Your bountiful allure stands out from afar, drawing me ever nearer. Like a guiding Polaris, smelling of udon.”
Thanks…? In fairness, this probably counts as a compliment to the protagonist.
“… but that’s not what I came here to talk to you about.”
Shifting out of the doorway, Yuuya reveals a companion in his surprisingly powerful grip.
”!?”
Yuuya lifts Anghel up by the nape of his neck, and holds him out towards me.
“Wh-what are you two doing together…?”
“Do not fear, Edel Blau. This man is not our foe.”
“Umm, what exactly…”
“Well, I was going to clean up the infirmary, and…”
We transition to what can’t necessarily be called a flashback, since we weren’t really there the first time… Anghel stands alone in the hallway, staring down his nemesis: the infirmary.
”!
You…! Be you a Fiend of Darkness, spawned from the deep Pits of Erebus!?”
“Well, I may be a little bit of a creature of the night, but I wouldn’t exactly call myself a fiend, no. My proper title would be… The Midnight Rose! Or something like that.”
To Yuuya’s credit, he’s a pretty good sport.
“I see it now! An Apostle of the Violet Rose! Forgive my suspicions. Demons lurk behind every corner, friend.”
“Apostle of the violet rose… Sounds like the dashing, masked hero in some shoujo manga. Suits me just fine. That aside, I’d advise you not to go in there. If you value your life, anyway.”
“Warnings from those who follow the Violet Rose are heeded well by all but fools and dead men.”
“The doctor works in here all night, sometimes. His concentration is admirable, but it does take a toll on his patience. If somebody were to barge in while he was in the middle of something, well… Let’s just say it would be a pity if that mark on your chest got any larger, you know?”
”!
Would the Dark Magician be so cruel!? We must seal him away, immediately!”
“No, stop! I told you, man… Going in there is suicide!”
The scene transitions back to the here and now.
“I wouldn’t call it OK, Yuuya… Why are you bringing him to me?”
“He said you were his friend.”
“I thought it wise to report these discoveries to you, Edel Blau.”
“Anyway, that’s what that was all about. I’ll let you take it from here, mon amie. Adieu!”
“Yuuya, wait!”
In a manner so familiar to us in a past life, Yuuya hurries away, depositing Anghel quickly but not painfully on the floor as he departs.
Why do I have to babysit Anghel??
“Umm… Well, let’s go eat lunch, Anghel.”
”!?
I-I don’t mind, but… are you sure? Being seen with me may put your very soul at risk, Edel Blau.”
“Whatever! Break is almost over, so let’s hurry.”
There’s certain risks we’re willing to take, and we rush off to get some food before class resumes. We’ll wait a little while to take anymore, though. Until next time, everybirdie!