Chapter Text
“..And then Grim got rid of the ghosts with flames, as much as i would have liked to settle it peacefully,” she said, glaring at grim. When the headmaster had walked in on their little game, meaning to deliver dinner, he had demanded an explanation.
“Under your guidance?” the headmaster asked.
“Sort of. I only directed the way his flames went.” she responded.
“That’s still guiding him, Yuu-san,” the headmaster added.
And so the explanation concluded, as she ate the soup that Crowley delivered. although Grim did practically swallow most of it for her, so she just gave it up. To sum it all up, Later on, the headmaster wanted to see for himself the way in which She worked with Grim. It wasn’t much different than with the ghosts, except this time they had one target- the Headmaster. The headmaster deduced that Yuu may have talent as a beast tamer, and decided to let Grim stay.
“Of course, you won’t be staying here for free. Even my generosity has limits,” Crowley adds.
Yuu however saw this coming. “What do you have in mind?” she asked.
“Do not worry! it's not too much, but I thought I’d have you two be handymen, work odd jobs for the school as payment,” he said.
“Alright, that’s fair.” she responded.
“Myaah!? But I want to wear a flashy uniform and do cool magic stuff like a student!” Grim wailed.
“Oya? If you’d rather not, I can arrange it for you to be thrown out,” he shot back
“Myah! Alright alright..” Grim said. “But I want my tuna cans!” he retaliated. The headmaster had promised tuna if they could beat him, to which they did. The headmaster seems to dismiss it and move on however, as he asked Yuu a question.
“Yuu-san, do you have a last name? You never mentioned it at the entrance ceremony,” the headmaster asked curiously.
Yuu froze. She never really thought of it, mostly because no cattle child has a last name. But also because she never had time to think about it. “I don’t have one,” she answered simply. “I.. was an orphan. I never really met my parents,” she added.
“Ah.. I apologize for asking,” the headmaster said, genuinely regretful of his question.
“It’s not really a touchy subject. There’s nothing to worry about,” she assured him.
Eventually, he left, and Yuu claimed the biggest bedroom in the dorm. It wasn’t like anyone would stop her. She plopped herself on the bed after dusting it and took out her bun that was messily tied together by her hairpin, and let her short hair flow down. It was originally long, but an attack from lewis had cut it. She was quite sad, really, she liked the long hair that her siblings loved to play with, but it wasn’t exactly a big deal. She sighed and lay on her bed, slowly dozing off to sleep, with Grim snuggling nearby, snoring.
—
When she opened her eyes, she seemed to be standing on water. It was clear, reflecting a clear night sky filled with shining stars. The sky above her was azure, white clouds filled it like sea foam in water.
It was beautiful.
"Is this the day and night..?"
The day and night was where Emma was going to forge the promise with him. Unless of course, she goes along with Norman’s plan.
A mystical one eyed dragon soared above her, and he appeared.
The king of demons was small, taking a child-like form. His mask had two horns that poked out on both sides, resembling those of a bull’s. One hole at the center of his face where his eye could be seen, shining with its giant pupils. A star imprinted above his eye on his mask. He wore a silky looking robe of sorts, whatever it was, it was definitely meant for royalty. The robe had a round cape, and was gold an white. And of course, he was floating in mid air in a sitting position, along with the one eyed dragon laying behind him, its yellow eye staring right back at her.
“Are you… the one Emma forged the promise with?” Yuu asked, breaking the silence. Although she wondered if Emma had even forged it yet.
“Oh? She hasn’t forged the promise with me just yet,” he responds.
“I see. And I assume you know where I am? Are you the one who sent me here? Please send me back with my family,” she pleaded. She wasn’t going to waste any time. If anyone was going to send an unassuming child like herself to a different world, it’d be him.
“Oh? Quite the accusation you fired there. But yes, I am the one who sent you here, and I won’t send you back,” he declined.
“Why? What do you want with me?,” she asks. The details of the promise said that all cattle needed to be sent to the human world once it was implemented, and there was no telling if he had already found out the details of the promise already.
“You are, compensation, so to say. I assume you already realized I know the details of the soon-to-be forged promise?” He says. However, Yuu started to panic. Was he going to send other kids to different worlds too? And what did he mean by compensation?
“Not to worry, everyone else is to be sent to the human world, as to-be promised,” he assured. “But you’re staying here for a while,”
“Why? Why only me?” I asked.
“Something will happen according to the details of the promise, but the cattle will retaliate and overturn what was promised. However, it won’t exactly be breaking the promise either. So, instead of going back on the promise, I decided to send you here instead as compensation. When the time comes, you’ll be with your family. But not now.” he explains.
“Why send me here anyway?” she asked. It didn’t exactly make sense.
“For my entertainment of course. It’d be quite amusing” he says.
“Unless of course, you’d rather never see Emma again…” he trails off. “Then I suppose I'll send you back,” he adds.
“What?!” Yuu gasps.
“You’ll figure it out soon enough..” he smirks under his mask.
“Fine, I’ll do it, I'll do it! On one condition!” she exclaims. If she was going to resign to her fate, she was going to get something out of it.
“Which is?” he questions.
“I’d like to stay in touch with my family somehow. I need to know what’s going on in the demon world and what’s happening to my family. Every night, or any time you wish. Please,” her voice cracked by the end of her request. “Everyone, including the kids from the other farms, all the grace field kids including the ones still stuck in the farm, and..” Yuu trailed off. “My ‘Mom’ too. please.”
“Alright,” He responded. “Do you wish to do so now?”
Yuu nodded.
The day and night faded out, and instead showed the paradise shelter, lively as it always was, filled with the laughter and joy of children. Yuu’s eyes widened, but she smiled. Everything seems fine. The little kids were playing, some older kids were working in their workshops, and it was lively as always. she saw Gillian passing by, and wanted to greet her. "Gillian!" No response. she just kept walking. come to think of it, no one said a word to her, waved, or anything really. heck, No one even looked in her direction.
"Gillian?" Still no response. She tried to tap her shoulder, only for her finger to completely go through her, like Gillian was a ghost. Or maybe, Yuu was the ghost. She sighed, as she realized that she won't be able to interact with her family. But technically she did get to see how her family was doing, and stay in touch. She regretted not being more specific. she explored the large shelter and checked in on everyone.
Then it flashed to Grace field, except, maybe it wasn’t the Grace field she grew up in anymore. Phil and the other little kids were probably sent off elsewhere, since, according to Ray, They had burnt the house down. Now they were in another building, a nice little house with a grassy field where kids were playing. But Yuu almost stopped breathing when she couldn’t pinpoint all the kids that were left behind.
“Where are the others!?” she asked frantically.
“Not to worry, they are at other plants,” He responded. The scene flashed to a different plantation, where Naila was playing in the sun with some new kids. Yuu felt herself breathe a sigh of relief as it flashed to the other kids. She smiled. They’ve all grown up. I’m so proud of them.
It flashed to all of her family members and what they were up to. Emma and the others were planning, Norman worked in the office, and everything seemed relatively normal. Everything seemed to be fine. Occasionally, she’d ask questions which were briefly answered. Although he didn’t show what her mom was up to, she couldn’t ask as everything went blinding white as she awoke.
–
“Wake up kiddo!” the thin ghost said. Her eyes snapped wie open. Right.. I’m still here.
“What got you smiling like that in your sleep? Good dream?” Sid said, grinning.
“Haha, yeah…” Yuu answered. It was pleasant seeing her family again, even if she couldn’t interact with them. The others don’t know I’m gone yet…
Eventually, she got ready, dressing herself in a white button up and black slacks, along with a nice outer coat she managed to find. Everything passed by like a blur. The headmaster dropped in to deliver some breakfast: a tuna sandwich that she shared with grim. Scratch that, she had a bite and left the rest for the flaming cat. The headmaster instructed them to sweep the main street and polish the statues as their first job. “Do keep an eye on Grim, Yuu-san,” the headmaster added, before flying out the window.
They headed over to main street. It was quite a marvel, really. A cobblestone path that leads to the castle-like school’s entrance. The street was lined with 7 statues that were unfamiliar to her. As they sweeped, Yuu could feel the students gazing down at her from behind her, but she couldn’t care less anymore.
“Hey henchman! Who’s the scary looking lady?” he commented.
“Don’t be rude, Grim,” she responded. If they had large statues like these, they were most likely respected figures. They’d get in trouble if they insulted the equivalent of William Minerva in this world.
“But I don’t know either,” Yuu tilted her head. The golden plate read “The queen of hearts”. Looks like monarchies existed here.
“You guys don’t know about the Queen of hearts?” a voice asked.
“Who?” Grim asked as he whipped his head around.