I heard the wind. The leaves rustling against each other. I slowly opened my eyes, and saw cute bell-shaped flowers looking down on me. I was sleeping in the middle of a familiar garden. I held my slightly-aching forehead. That's right. I'd lost consciousness. I was hit by the wave of magic. Magic? Whose? ..."Mine," of course.
"You're up and at 'em, eh?" I turned to the familiar voice and saw the black cat looking at me. How long had it been since I'd seen the black cat in bright light?
Still lying on the ground, I turned my head to look around. The smell of flowers was strong enough to make me choke. Red and blue flowers swayed above my head. I could see the pale blue sky, but surrounded by deep green trees, I knew I was in the forest. Unmistakably, it was my garden. But something was odd. I felt like I was in a house much like my own, only it was someone else's. Just what was going on? I could more or less guess.
"...Did Viola do this?" "Seems so," the black cat replied. I dimly recalled. The witch's magic resides in her body. Even that ragged body had magic left in it. Viola had used that little scrap of magic to trap me in the forest. Suddenly, a cute butterfly flew above my head. My eyes followed it casually. I almost yawned in the carefree afternoon air. Soon, the butterfly flew out of sight, so I looked back to the black cat and asked.
"...Did you know this would happen?" "Eh. There was the possibility." "But you didn't mention it." "You didn't ask." The cat replied coolly, with no sign of anger. I sighed and sat up. I brushed away some leaves and petals in my hair.
"What'll you do? Humans shouldn't be out here. Too dangerous." My eyes widened at his phrasing. ...Dangerous, for humans? I knew what he was trying to get at. The irony in the fact that in exchange for obtaining a healthy body, I now had a powerless body. I looked at my fingers, covered in leaf residue. I gazed at my neatly-cut nails. I wasn't a witch anymore.
I could still talk to the black cat, but there was no longer any link between us. This demon was just talking to me, a human, on a whim. Yes, much like the first time he spoke to me in that back alley. Unlike then, however, I knew him, and knew he was a demon. And I knew I wouldn't ask for a demon's help ever again.
"Hmm. I wonder what I'll do..." I said not too seriously, and stood up. I adjusted my skirt. Taking in the sensation of my feet on the ground, I went step by step.
I headed for the exit of the forest. Between the trees around the path had been made a red wall which roses coiled around. I brought my nose to the roses. They didn't smell of anything. The petals shone cold like razor blades. They could have easily sliced into my neck, but showed no sign of it. I wondered why. Did the master of these roses not have any power left? Or was she not determined enough?
I quietly smiled and began to walk again. I went up the path to the point where I could go no further. The exit to the forest was blocked by a startlingly huge patch of roses. Nearly twice my size. Roses that had before been my limbs. Now, they had a different
intention, and blocked my path. I ran my finger along the stems. They were cold and hard like metal. Unmistakably, they had been a part of my body. And now they were her own flesh and blood.
I knew how to make these roses wilt. I knew how to take her body away. A little bottle came to my mind like a ray of light. That cute little bottle I had put away in a shelf one day. The key to destroying the body of Ellen, the witch. Even if she had changed the house's form, it slept there somewhere still. It would just be a matter of going to get it. ...But. I shot a pitiful gaze up at the roses.
Even if I just left things as is, surely she would die. A normal human, especially one only thirteen years old, wouldn't be able to bear it in my body. I had lived. For decades, for centuries. My heart being eaten away at by sickness. But I was able to live through it all, never despairing, because I had dreamed of this day. When I would obtain a body that would be loved.
But do you have what I do, Viola? A reason not to despair in that body. I can't think of one. You have no legs to stand on the earth, not even a voice to call for help.
Betrayed by me, who you thought your friend, you can only writhe in agony in that room. Is there a reason for you not to despair in that situation? What could make the light of hope shine on you? What could your broken eyes see? Perhaps you still want to believe me, Viola. You stopped me thinking I might give your body back. ...If I'm right, how foolish you are.
I covered my face with my hands, pretending to sob. But I quickly stopped, finding it boring.
"What'll you do?" I turned to the black cat's apathetic voice. He sat upon a stump. I ignored him, looking toward the house. I could just barely see the red-roofed house from here through the green branches. I narrowed my eyes and thought. She must be waiting for me in there. In the house filled with my friends. My mouth loosened into a smile. I stood on the balls of my feet. I want to go play. Yes, I'll have to go. Because she must be inviting me. She's waiting for me to come in.
"I'll go."
The wind rustled, scattering leaves and petals. My forelocks were swept up, and I smiled, my back to the roses.
...After all, it's my house, yes? It wouldn't be killing me anytime soon.
