The Takamori Story

Holiday

Calli had been standing outside her sensei's office for a long time, and at this point, she was a bit anxious over what would happen next. The thought of Death sensei putting and end to Kiara's immortality caused her scrambled feelings.

-"(What the hell was she thinking?! Now sensei's going to finish her off for sure!)"

After a split second of excitement, she started rubbing her chin.

"(Wait... If she dies permanently, will she stay down here?)"

She decided to stop staring directly at the door and started walking around the corridor.

"(She knows where I live, is there really a difference if I meet her up there or down here...?)

She made a small pause. Her shoulders fell as she let out a sigh.

"(Of course there is! She'll break in my house if she's down here!)"

She started walking around slightly faster and in circles.

"(Yet If I have to get rid of her every time, she'd come here as well, I just have to tell Death sensei to keep her out. Yes! That's it! A restraining order! I can ask for one!)"

She started thinking about going back to her normal cycle of work and break. It was the same feeling as when she thought Kiara would get friends. But she hadn't figured out what was so exciting about going back to reaping souls with no feeling for it. She tried as hard as she could to find something interesting about that, something that made her smile. But the only smile she could remember was Kiara's. Even if it was just a tiny piece of her feelings that she was trying to hide, she felt like her existance was better if it had Kiara's in it.

-"Calliope!"

Her dilema was interrupted by her sensei's call.

"You can come in now!"

She put her hand on the doorknob as she imagined both the worst and best case scenario. They were both gruesome, so she just walked in.

To her own surprise, Kiara was still there, standing on the other side of Death's desk, smiling at her.

-"Hey Mori-san! Good news!"

-"Huh? (You're still here! It can't be good news!)"

Death sensei had his wine glass back in his hands and a slightly noticable smile on his face.
He stood up and looked at Calli.

-"You're friend here is actually nice to talk to, Calliope!"

Calliope's expectations shattered like thin glass.

"We've been talking for some time, and I've made up my mind on something"

-"Yup!"

Kiara excitingly nodded.
At this point, Calli couldn't believe what she was seeing.

-"W... What do you mean...sir?"

-"Well, she made me realize something, more precisely..."

A dim light started filling the room.

"I've overworked you, my apprentice. I gave you time off your job but made it look pointless considering what options you knew about"

He sat back on his chair.

"In other words, I gave you time off, but I never showed you how to use it, that's why you're so eager to do your job"

Calli tilted her head to the side.

-"Eh?"

Kiara decided to continue the explanation.

-"That's why, I've convinced him to give you some vacations!"

She didn't know what to say. Not because she felt grateful, but because she felt overwhelmed.

-"Vacations?"

-"yes!"

-"here? In the underworld?"

The skeleton almost laughed.

-"oh come on, don't be silly, nothing happens down here! You're going to the surface!"

Calliope's eyes opened wide. She didn't know what was happening anymore, and she didn't know what to do.
The light started shining somewhat brighter.

-"What? B-but sir, I don't know anything about the surface! I can't stay there!"

Since she didn't feel ready at the moment, she naturally lied.
Calliope actually knew enough about the surface to survive there.
The sensei's voice lost a bit of its slight enthusiasm.

-"Well, that's what I feared you'd say"

She felt a slight relief.

-"(phew...)"

But he went on.

-"that's why I also decided this kind lady would be the one to guide you through your holidays!"

Her shock was undescribable.

-"Oh come on, no need for formalities, I'm Takanashi Kiara!"

Calli's arms hanged from her body along with her head pointing at the ground.

The light was already strong and bright. Kiara noticed it.

"Oh... Sorry, I have to go for now, I'll be waiting for Mori in case she comes now. Bye bye!"

She said in a rush before vanishing again.

The particles flew both out the window and passing by Calli into the corridor.

-"Death sensei... I..."

When they were alone again, Calli was ready to tell the truth.

"I brought her here thinking maybe you had a way to end her life for good... Nothing else"

-"Ah, well I suspected that"

He walked up to her.

-"another thing she told me is how you helped her get that human shape, and how you tried to make her keep a friend of hers alive"

A phantom drop of sweat went through Calliope's head.

-"But I don't like her! She's been nothing but an annoyance so far!"

But instead of scolding her, he laid his hand on her head.

-"You truly have a good heart, Calliope"

Calliope was just relieved she got to keep her job, although her sensei would never fire her.

"I think you'll like her, you just have to try, as well as you have to try taking some time off"

-"...Do you ever take time off?"

-"maybe"

He let her go and walked back to his desk to reach for his scythe.

"But you never have, that's why I'm giving you this chance now"

-"And Shi-... Kiara... Made you realize that"

He stood in the middle of the room and held it up high.

-"I think she's trying to pay you back for how much you've helped her"

He swung it in the air and created a portal that looked way shinier than a usual one.
Calliope understood where that portal lead.

-"...Is there an actual way to end her life forever?"

-"I'd have to find a way, we'll discuss it after your life in the surface is done"

Calliope sighed and walked up to the portal, ready to give it a shot, but she stopped in front of it and doubted.

"Don't be scared, Calliope. She'll be with you"

Her eye twitched as she forced herself to take one more step.

-"(That's exactly what I'm scared of!)"