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-Another day, and another visit. She was sluggishly leaning on the reception table with her head between her arms while waiting for staff to arrive and let her in.
Himiko never wished that going to the hospital would become one of her daily chores, but after Angie's condition got worse, it was inevitable. She'd rarely get discharged anymore because the staff was concerned for her on every possible level in existence, but Himiko tried to visit and spend time with her as much as possible... because Angie's illness was lethal.
Himiko had seen the transformation of her artist friend becoming slightly paler and noticing her losing weight, the bones of her fingers showing off more and more as days rolled by. And the day she collapsed during one of her art shows in the school's auditorium, she was sealed into the white box that smelled nothing but disinfectant and strong medicinal body lotions. Unless she somehow and miraculously healed, she wasn't getting out from the jail; even the amount of MP Himiko would have to harness to teleport her out went way beyond her current capacity, unfortunately.
Angie's mood started dropping down low (or in Himiko's mind, her MP bar) when the hospital staff started stealing her stuff, or as they worded it, "removing the threats and potentially harming items" from her. They'd snatched away her phone with its colorful phone cases first, and in Himiko's mind, it wasn't a stretch that they'd sometimes keep her with handcuffs tied on the bed sides, with her body slightly dangling in the air.
I cannot imagine it...! Why do they think that Angie could be suicidal?! She bit her lip, frowning at the thought. Besides, she'd never seen Angie hide her skin with makeup or paint - aside from those times when she and Himiko had painted each others' faces, or when she'd appeared to one of Miu's Halloween parties with a can of paint of mixed color which she poured over herself, before giggling away and wrapping white bandages all around the place and herself... it'd taken at least 5 hours for Himiko and the others to help her clean up and remove the paint from other rigorous places like her hair and under her nails. But those were completely different and wholesome.
"Came for another visit? You chose a great day - the weather is very lovely today." Himiko woke from her thoughts and lifted her head up as the familiar, blond-haired receptionist who served there every time she came for a visit tapped her fingers on the counter, and then pointed at the window. She nod and half-smiled - with one of those "I don't care just let me go" smiles - at the receptionist while letting her hands dangle on her both sides. She had no time to socialize with the hospital staff, nor was she happy that she had become somewhat acquainted with her. Himiko knew it sounded selfish, but she didn't want to lose hope on her wish that Angie would eventually step outside the hospital.
They directed her to the wooden veranda - Angie's favorite spot. And as Himiko had expected, she was leaning down on a rocking chair, her legs covered in a blanket with the colors of the beach and sea mixed together on it. As Himiko stepped out, the nurse quickly scurried away somewhere at lightning speed.
"Angie!" Angie turned her head towards the voice familiar voice, and her face lit up instantly. She had her hair tied in small braids today, with small flower decorations giving some color to them.
"Himiko! Angie's beloved Himiko has come for a visit! Nyahaha, thank you so much!" She instantly started the complimenting the little magician, who was dressed in her usual outfit, minus the witch hat.
"The weather is perfect for reading, painting, and hanging out with my best magic buddy! Nyahaha!" Angie gleefully remarked, "But the hospital staff told me to be careful, like always! Angie's glad they're doing their jobs, but why are they letting her outside if they're so afraid she'll get a heat stroke?"
"Whoa, the flowers are so pretty..." Instead of answering her friend's piqued curiosity, Himiko exclaimed as she took a seat on the bench next to Angie, comfortably falling onto it. A garden of multi-colored hyacinths laid before their eyes - though they hadn't grown as tall yet as Himiko knew, they had bloomed.
"Did you use your magic to make these bloom for Angie?"
"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't..." Himiko mischievously trailed off, "Also, I practice magecraft, not magic."
"They were close to opening up last week, and then they suddenly bloomed this morning! It can't be a coincidence!" Angie poked her cheek gently, "Just admit it! Nyahaha! Or else... Tickle fight! Nyaha!" The artist prepared her hands, spreading and squirming the fingers in circles before sticking them into Himiko's sides. The magician started laughing loudly with tears in her eyes, trying her best to reach her hands into her friend's as well, but Angie dodged Himiko's each move using the chair to her advantage.
This is what they usually would banter and chat about - topics that sounded mundane to an outside listener, but to the girls they were as important as life and death themselves; they didn't have that many chances to talk compared to the past, after all.
As the two had calmed down from their little session, Angie snatched the sketchbook from the table next to her alongside with her paintbrush and color palette before spreading water onto it. Himiko noticed - from Angie's motions - something special next to it: a letter. The further her illness went and the longer she spent in the white box of death, less and less letters from her home island were sent to her - either they didn't send as many anymore, or maybe the hospital had kept a lot of them a secret from her.
And as usual, Himiko was puzzled on why they let Angie keep watercolors with her yet took all of her other paints and whatnot... were they actually using their heads for once and not thinking that she might poison herself with them? Himiko shrugged her head, cursing the pessimistic thoughts and the fact she was even thinking about this.
"How's Tenko been doing? She hasn't kept contact with me in a while after all~ And, 'cause, y'know, the hospital thinks I'm totes planning something terrifying while holding my phone~"Angie threw out the question as she circled gentle yet elegant strokes on the canvas, now painted with an equally bright flower as the ones in front of them - even if her hands and body were disagreeing with her ambitions, they could never forget the motions and her skill for speedpainting.
"She followed her master and went to a martial arts tournament in South Korea... Said she wanted to spread and possibly get more people try Neo Aikido. Oh yeah, and there's some competition for martial arts going on as well..." Himiko explained without sparing any details, "Also... was that a new record on your speedpainting?"
"Oooh, how nice! What about you, Himiko? Got any special gigs coming up outseas?" Angie stick her tongue out happily, "Angie's been training like crazy! She kept practicing by watching animal speedpainting videos! Nyahaha!"
"N-Not yet... I'm not as distinguished and famous as Tenko yet..." Himiko answered with a tinge of embarrassment, her eyes flicking and a bit shameful.
"Well, that's fine! Himiko, you're fine the way you are now!" Himiko half-smiled at the words she repeated every time she came to visit - "Himiko, you're fine the way you are now".
What did Angie feel when she said those words?
"What else is there...? Oh yeah, Miu said she was going to color her hair black if the boy she'll go out with in a few days dumps her after the first date, and Kaede started holding piano classes for kids... Also, Amami said he wanted to join a band! So now he's learning how to play the guitar..." Angie did not answer, but she was listening, and after Himiko had finished, she fell into her own thoughts.
The cheerful yet gentle spring wind caressing her cheeks, combined with the sun, made her want to just glue herself onto the bench and fall asleep, though she could notice Angie faintly shivering from it.
Himiko was returned back to reality as Angie set down her sketchbook and tools and moved her hands into her lap.
"Himiko..." Her voice grew more serious. Angie's usual, sunny smile changed into a frown and, her eyes got clouded by a sudden regret. Himiko had not expected the mood go south, or at least turn so gloomy all of a sudden.
"Angie... no, I... I'm going to die soon. That's what I can feel." Angie gazed straight at Himiko, whose face was obviously filled with the shock of the words the vigorous artist had just blurted out.
Dying... Angie will be gone? Angie's going to disappear?
"...Or is that just another of your God's messages?" Himiko swallowed nervously. If Angie was talking about "death" seriously, then Himiko knew she really was meaning business.
"My God stopped visiting me a while ago..." Angie shook her head, "He just disappeared all of a sudden. I could no longer hear his voice... as I got weaker." She hold onto her seashell necklace, as if praying upon it.
"Angie's art has lost all of the passion it had... And nobody offers me blood anymore, either. The heretics - the hospital staff - won't let me touch my own blood and took away my sculpting tools... in fear that I might cut myself and bleed to death. They think that I might go crazy any moment, huh?"
"..." Himiko swallowed nervously with a puzzled look on her face, trying her best to recollect her thoughts, while searching for the right words.
"I don't want to see you just stay frozen in time, Himiko. Of course I keep telling you, 'you're fine the way you are', I also want to say that don't let my words hold you back from becoming better... nor you shouldn't compare yourself to Tenko all the time." Angie peacefully and slowly let her thoughts out and moved a strand of behind Himiko's ear.
The two sat in silence for a while, before Himiko broke out while holding onto her skirt tightly.
"I'll make sure..."
"Hmm?" Angie curiously hummed, her eyes widening and lighting up in the process as well.
"I'll make sure you won't die! I've cast a powerful Healing spell on you, after all! One of the most powerful spells I have...!" She buried her head into Angie's chest, doing her best to hold back the tears.
"Thanks, Himiko! But don't overwork yourself! Don't waste all of your MP on me. You should save it up so you can perform well in your shows, too!" Angie clapped her hands together, before continuing and gently patting the redhead's hair, "Escort me to see your show tomorrow, mmkay?"
"Yeah, I will!" Himiko grinned, a small blush spreading through her small, puffy cheeks as she shared giggles with the sickly artist. "Wanna go watch some movies in the theater room?" She continued.
"But we've watched everything they have in their library! To be honest, Angie's kind of tired watching the same anime and documentaries all by herself..."
"Oh yeah? Well, I brought a magical movie with me today..." Himiko trailed off with a satisfied tone, before pulling out a blu-ray case from inside her jacket.
"Oh, is that the documentary about magicians you talked about before?!"
"Not magicians... mages."
"Nyahaha, sorry! Mages! Yeah, let's watch it! I'll braid your hair while I'm at it, too! Then we'll be matching!" Angie raised up slowly before "sinking" into Himiko's chest, wrapping her arms around the mage's small body.
Her hug felt loose and weak, to the point where Himiko had to hold her so she wouldn't slowly slide off or collapse onto the ground when she let go. She weighed like nothing compared to the Angie in the past who Himiko couldn't even lift into a bridal carry, unlike her more fit friend Tenko.
So they embarked towards the movie room, snatched some snacks from the cafeteria while on their way, and sat down on one of the comfy sofas there. As the documentary rolled on and Angie did as she'd promised, Himiko couldn't help but smile throughout their whole event... as she was sharing another day of happiness with her best friend.
Just when Himiko was leaving, Angie turned back into her serious mode and explained quickly that this day might've been the last day her magician pal saw her with the amount of energy she had... but also that Himiko shouldn't be too concerned about it. She nod once more, suspecting that Angie'll regenerate the aforementioned HP with a good ol' nap.
--But her wish couldn't come true.
The day after visiting Angie, the temperature outside had raised even higher suddenly so Himiko had thrown her jacket aside and just wore a teal tank top with her white skirt, adorned by red small diamonds all over it.
Himiko did not usually trust her gut feeling - as sometimes it just implied hunger - but when it concerned her friends, she had to go with it. The moment she'd finished her preparations for the magic show after school. She still had a couple hours left before the curtain was supposed to rise, and felt like she was forgetting something... until the grave words she'd heard yesterday rang in her head.
"Angie... No, I... I'm going to die soon."
Himiko's eyes widened in shock, as if she'd sensed something. She instantly rose up from the black and white chair she was sitting on, leaving the grimoire she was about to open onto the floor with a thud from the cover. She dashed out with - but not before locking the room up - with all she could, cursing the fact she didn't exercise as much as recommended. She made a mental note to have Tenko train her to the point her muscles would be super sore after she came back.
The nap hadn't regenerated Angie's HP as she had expected. Instead, it had dropped it down to a whopping zero.
Angie looked like she was napping, but Himiko based it off from her expression - she wasn't waking up anymore.
"How lucky of you... the visiting hours had just started today. Well, it's ironic to say that..." There was a male doctor - the one who mainly took care of Angie, appointed to him by Angie's father - standing next to the bed while holding her right hand. "I'm very sorry for your loss..."
Himiko had sprinted towards Angie's room fast forward, ignoring the nurses' shouts and the sweat falling all over the place and the exhausted feeling of not being able to almost breathe. She held onto the room's door before slowly crawling to the room, holding her hands on the wall at the same time.
"Just... Huff, puff... what happened? Why did Angie...?" Himiko's voice grew sadder, and she felt like tears were about dwell up any moment; she held them back for now. She needed to know the truth first.
"Things had taken a sudden turn for the worst, and she was clearly burdened by something mentally... her body wasn't going to hold for a longer time." The doctor nodded and closed his eyes as he explained.
Himiko just stood still, trying to rearrange her thoughts and hold back the waterworks again. She let out a sniffle, before wiping both the corners of her eyes and her nose quickly. The doctor took a deep breath, before continuing,
"She was crying... but despite that... she had a smile on her face. A genuine smile. And then she wanted me to hold her hand before saying, "thanks" for the final time." He closed his eyes, "I'm sure she wanted to tell you goodbye in some way as well... I heard her whispers, something about delivering the final message to you with magic..." He trailed off, his eyes turning up to look at the room's ceiling.
"Wherever she ends up, her soul will definitely find the perfect place to rest..."
After holding onto Angie's hand for a while and giving her goodbyes, Himiko decided to visit one more place before she was ready to say goodbye to the hospital as well - the veranda. Just as she'd expected, Angie's blanket was still sitting on the familiar chair, neatly folded.
"You're Yumeno Himiko-san, right?" She flinched after hearing her name called, and turned around to see one of the nurses holding something. Himiko tilted her head slightly to the side, trying to inspect it.
"The envelope says it's addressed to you." The nurse handed over a small letter, and Himiko took it. After that she scurried away fast, possibly going back to continue her duties, or going to the break room to drink coffee and gossip about the poor, sad little girl left all alone. Himiko didn't care, as there were more important matters.
She took a hold of the letter, which also had a bunch of differently colored petals glued onto it. Himiko recognized them as the hyacinths from the veranda's garden. After a nervous sigh, afraid of what might be written there, she opened the envelope and folded it. Himiko recognized the text as Angie's handwriting - it was quite shaky, as if she had a hard time writing it. But it also had the personal charm Himiko had seen on her paintings and poems before.
"If you're reading this, my dear friend, then it must mean that Death took me in His embrace...
Himiko, you're so much stronger! You're soo strong. Angie's not kidding! You're totally tough, and I'll repeat it a hundred times if I must!
The moment the seas of my island swallowed Shuichi, a part of me died... but had it not been for you and Tenko, I would've just laid on the spot like I was prepared to fully get sacrificed, in my island's terms... And I never expected to be suddenly struck by this curse.
My illness was going to kill me off sooner or later, no matter how stress-free I tried to live, so don't stay on the spot and grieve for me too long. You have a long life full of surprises and opportunities ahead of you, after all! Your talent can bloom even harder than it has ever before!
So thank you for bringing some magic into my life! Thank you for taking care of me for all these years! Thank your for creating happy and precious memories with me... Thank you and Tenko... and others... for being there with me! Yahaa--"
Himiko stopped reading, because it was not only the ending, but also due to her excessive tears. She felt like falling down on the ground and sobbing her eyes out, before noticing the picture of them together smiling inside the envelope.
They had the biggest grins imaginable on their faces, with them wearing white dresses that they had fingerpainted full of colors together. She noticed there was another one glued behind it - a picture of her, Tenko and Shuichi together. They were sitting around a table in a beach cafe during the trip to Angie's island, everyone holding a a different and colorful drink in their hands. Her two best friends and the boy Angie used to have a crush on before that tragedy had striken...
--Those two pictures were clearly Angie's dearest memories, of her dearest friends.
Himiko swallowed once and wiped her eyes with her sleeve, before feeling like she was suddenly filled with new determination...
When she had performed that night, she made sure to thank Angie in the end, in front of the big audience she'd pulled in to watch her show, and in front of her master, the one who raised Himiko like she was his daughter, and the one who introduced her to Angie as well... while wearing the accessories Angie had made for her as well...