Everything on the Line

## Chapter 1

"Indraaaaaaaaaa~" A female voice shouted throughout the house, calling someone's name to their attention. In the kitchen of the house a women stood hitting dishes against each other in the sink, washing them. She was covered in blonde long hair that extended all down her back, and dressed in night clothes as though she had just woke up. The kitchen itself was filled by a sensational fragrance that would make anyone who entered extremely hungry. She reached for the blinds covering the window directly above the sink. Twisting the little handle, she allowed light to enter the kitchen whilst also being able to look at the outside world.

"Where is he?" She asked, continuing to wash the dishes as she waited for the person she'd called before to enter her presence. "Breakfast will get cold if he doesn't hurry up." The woman continued washing the dishes. Moments later a *Diiiiiiing dong* sound filled the entire house. This was the sound of the doorbell being rang by someone outside. "Oh, who is this?" The woman stated, reaching for a nearby towel drying her hands. Exiting the kitchen she headed for the door, and wiped off her hands on her apron once more to ensure they were dry.

After opening the door, she was met by the appearance of young woman. However, unlike her own, the young woman's skin was completely opposite. Her own skin was white, and the girl's was brown. "Um, hey!" She stated full of energy, but at a closer look one could easily tell she was nervous. "Are you Mrs. Sengoku?" She asked holding her hand attempting to shake the older woman's who stood before her.

"Ah, yes! I'm Mrs. Sengoku!" The woman reached for her hand and shook it.

The young woman let off a slight smile, "I was wondering, is Indra around? I wanted to thank him for yesterday."

"For yesterday?"

Steps could be heard coming from within the house as though someone had been walking down a set of stairs. "Hey, Tsubaki, what are you doing here?" A more masculine voice question, soon after showing his full appearance when he opened the door all the way. He was dressed in a black zip-up hoodie and sweat pants. His backpack was on his back halfway, but in his hand was a duffel bag.

"Oh," She stated, her voice lower than before. "I didn't mean to barge in on anything, I was only stopping by to say thank you for walking me home after those guys kept trying to harass me."

Mrs. Sengoku turned around to face the boy. "Oh, my Indra, unpredictable just like your father! Protecting people, and a beautiful girl at that! Mua!!" Mrs. Sengoku began kissing on wildly, before he pulled her away with a smile. Tsubaki began to blush. "Today's game day?"

"Yeah. But it's game four of the playoffs. We have them beat by three games with this last one they'll be out. You ain't gotta' worry about making it."

"I was only stopping by to thank, Indra. I'll be heading off to school now, see ya later, Indra." Tsubaki waved off at Indra and his mother, turned her back and began to walk down the sidewalk.

Mrs. Sengoku gave him a nudge, "Indra, you can't let her go to school alone now can you?"

"She'll be fine, no one will bother Tsubaki." Mrs. Sengoku pulled out a roll of newspaper and smacked Indra on top of her head. "Alright, alright, fine. See ya' later, love ya'!" Indra shot out the house chasing Tsubaki.

"Do you have your bracelet?!?"

"Yah! Of course!" Indra rushed to Tsubaki's side finally catching up to her.

"Oh, Indra!" She was surprised by Indra's sudden approach.

"Hey, Tsubaki. You walked to my house to say thank you," Indra began to walk a little bit fast so that he could be right next to her. Fixing his head so that he could look underneath Tsubaki's long hair, "the least I can do is offer to take you to school."

Tsubaki came to a halt, but didn't say a single word. Underneath her long brown hair was a smile that matched the width of the seas. Despite her dark complexion the redness from her blush shined over her skin. Her hair protected her true facial expressions from Indra. With a simple head nod she turned around to head back towards Indra's house.

Finally reaching the front of his house, Indra headed towards his motorcycle resting on kickstand near the curb. "Sorry, I don't actually have *car*. The ride won't be what you're used to, but we gon' get to our destination." Throwing his leg over the seat of the bike sitting down on it. He took his backpack from off his shoulder and wore it over his chest. His duffel bag rested on the gas tank of the bike. He created space on the back of the bike for Tsubaki to sit. "Come on." He stated, lifting the kickstand up with the back of his foot.

Tsubaki walked over to the bike and sat on the back of it where Indra instructed. "I've never rode on one of these. My father always suggested I stay away from anything that doesn't have four wheels. So it'll be a new experience, haha-." Tsubaki's nervous chuckle was interrupted by Indra reaching for hands and wrapping them around his abdomen.

"You gotta hold on, or you'll fall... and I ain't tryna' be the one to blame." Indra lifted his foot off the ground, and with his right hand twisting the handle accelerating his bike. With each passing second, the speed of the bike increased, until he reached a red light. On the side of the bike towards the back lay a helmet which he quickly grabbed and placed over Tsubaki's head.

## Chapter 2

“Tamara-san!” A girl called. “Tamara-saaan.” The scantily dressed schoolgirl caught up to her classmate and grabbed her arm. “Did you study for the english exam?"

“Well,” Tamara stared at her with a mixture of annoyance which eventually turned into warmth. Her inability to study wasn’t her classmate’s fault...she had ‘’other’’ things to attend to. “My job got rather busy this weekend. I couldn’t catch a break!” Demons. Demons and more demons. Every hour on the hour, Kyoto suffered from an attack from demons that would surely equal the end of humanity. Or so it would if they ‘’actually’’ cared. Demons the size of trees would poof into existence and rampage while humans seemingly went about their business. And annoyingly, they seemed to chase after Tamara. But perhaps the blissful ignorance kept them safe while Tamara inherited the duty to keep their ignorance and innocence. Some could say she was the mother of children. “Is whatever though.” She shrugged.

“Why’re you working so hard, anyway?” She asked. “Don’t you live with your parents?”

"Nah. I...don’t have any parents.” Tamara, wearing her crimson signature outfit, sighed while holding her books.

“You’re so freaking strange - what’d’ya mean you don’t have parents?!” She slapped Tamara’s back.

“I don’t remember having -” Tamara halted. Yeah it sounded strange to normal humans...but she was everything but normal. Enchanting. Beautiful. Intelligent. But to consider her a ‘’normal’’ human would be stretching the truth. Normal humans wouldn’t spend their nights tossing blue fires at giant demons. Normal humans would go home to a family instead of waking up to an empty house...and a normal human actually remembered their childhood instead of an eternal darkness. She only knew her name - Tamara.

“Tamara?”

“Huh?!” She jumped. “I’m sorry. That job I’m telling you! I’m so tired I can barely hold a conversation.”

“Well good luck.” Her classmate wished with a creeped out voice. “See you later!” Tamara watched her run into the large university. Doors surrounded by trees with the open area flooded with green bushes. Adults and children covered the pavement as students started towards their class. Hopefully today would be peaceful...or so she thought.