Excessum itineris, Roxas Winchester [books for 7th graders TXT] 📗

on it.” But he already knew what it was, it was the referral that was sent home informing her that Justin had gotten suspended for a week due to a fight between him and one of the self proclaimed popular jocks that kept harassing him.
“This says you got in a fight the week before last, so where have you been young man. Tell me now or I swear, the school will have to send someone out here to find you- like anybody would care if you went missing anyway.” This last bit was added in as an after thought to hut him.
Justin’s heart sank deep in his chest as he remembered his own mother threatening his life over a small school matter. When he started ninth grade he was getting referrals sent home about every other week, but he normally beat her to the mail because she was so lazy; on his way past he’d have to run down and get the mail himself. After the first two, he discovered that if they never reached the house it was fine, so when he got the mail he’d pull then out and burn them at the small clearing in the woods he found. The more he thought about it, the more he remembered of her negative and demeaning comments and snide remarks.
When he missed the bus in fifth grade because he slept in accidentally, she forced him to walk the ten miles to school in pouring rain. When he had a concert at school he only heard about how everything was terrible and nothing was good; and how the school band and chorus sucked because they couldn’t sing or play the exact way she heard the songs a while before. Or when he worked exceptionally hard at something she would tell him, ‘That’s it?’ or ‘why didn’t you do this instead’ or ‘I liked this one better, but if that’s what you like, then…’
When Justin finally slowed down it was at the parking lot to the DMV, he reached in the glove compartment and pulled out all the information he needed to get the Mustang registered. As he walked in he thought- not for the first time- about how only a complete idiot would keep every bit of information for a car in it all the time and not lock it either. Inside the DMV it was quiet and empty, just as Justin had hoped it would be. The middle aged woman behind the counter looked up, and when she was him she sat up straight and n a very pleasant voice asked, “Hello, how may I help you today?” Justin looked at her and walked up to the counter with his information.
“I need to register a car, how would I go about doing that?”
The woman’s smile failed for a second, then fell back. “First, I need an inspection pass, then I’ll need the deed of ownership if you can get that.”
“I already had it inspected, here’s the pass slip, but I don’t have a deed of ownership because it was a present from an uncle or someone like that as a graduation present.”
“I’m sure it was a present of some sort.” The woman behind the counter said to Justin softly. The woman flipped through the papers Justin gave her then looked up at him and asked him, “Do you want any personal plates or anything special?”
“Not unless I can use Thanatos.” Justin replied with a small grin after thinking about it for a little.
The woman’s eyes held surprise in them as he said that. “Well, let me check if that’s available.” While she was typing it into her computer she told him, “Don’t you know it’s a bad idea to put your name on your license plate? It seems the god of death is still available. You’ll get your plates in a few weeks.”
“You know the Greek gods well; and what do you mean by my name?” Justin asked her with surprise.
“Yes, I know them extremely well. Have a nice day.” She told him with a kind smile. “Can I help whoever’s next in line?”
“What did you mean by my name?” Justin asked her frantically. The woman ignored Justin’s question, acting as if he never said a thing. “Fine, I’ll just go. Have a nice day.”
When Justin turned to leave the woman called after him. “If you don’t already know what I mean, for your sake I hope you find out for yourself before someone else does.” Justin turned quickly when she said it. “Have a nice day.” She told him again then started helping another customer.

The whole way home Justin thought about what she had said, ‘not a good idea to put your name on your license plate’ and ‘hope you find out before someone else does.’ When Justin returned home he found a new friend waiting for him at his door, a young orange tabby cat that sat and watched as Justin got out of his car then trotted up to rub against his legs. Startled, Justin bent down to rub the cat’s torn ear, but stopped when he noticed a strange mark on the back of the feline’s neck. After he brought the cat into the house to get a better look at it he stroked the fur that it marred, as his hand connected with the mark it glowed a bright blue then faded into a black smoke and dissipated into the air. When Justin looked at the area where the mark sat there was no sign of the mark and no evidence of the smoke or where the bright light came from. The cat looked up at Justin and started to purr, the most wonderful sound Justin had heard all day- or ever since he was betrayed by his own mother.
“Hey, what is that boy, huh?” Justin asked the tabby. “I don’t understand, what just happened here?” the cat looked him in the eye and when it did a deep voice entered Justin’s mind.
“That was you saving me from something with a much stronger hold than anything on this bleak planet. That, my friend, was the mark left from a curse set upon me by an enemy I made a while ago. When I felt your anger and konki earlier, I knew I had to find you for my life.
“What do you mean, konki? What’s going on; how can you do that?” Justin asked it panicked.
The cat looked down and almost sighed with exasperation. “How do I say this to you? Alright, you know the man who held you captive?” Justin nodded. “And you know the female accomplice of his?” again Justin had to nod an affirmative. “The man who claimed to be a doctor and who staged his own death is still alive, you see. He and his sorceress bride are the two who gave me that curse that almost killed me. the ‘experiment’ that he performed on you was nothing of the sort, all he did was awaken the immortal sorcerer that was burning deep inside of you which would have burned it’s way to the surface soon after they captured you. For you see, I was there. I saw the entire capture, when they froze your mortal body the freezing of your cells triggered the awakening of your own powers, changing your body so it could handle the magnificent power your own jujutsu holds. Someone’s coming to see you, do not tell them of anything I have told you so far.”
With that the cat jumped down. “Wait, what do I tell your name is if they ask?” Justin called after the cat.
“You can tell them my name is Kitzel if you wish.”
A knock sounded at the door, Bonnie stood on the front porch waiting. When Justin answered Kitzel went over to Bonnie and sniffed the air around her, then suddenly out of nowhere, he reached out and scratched her bare leg, causing the blood to flow freely. The scent of her blood caught Justin off guard and the smell hit him like a battering ram. The smell of roses instead of the normal metallic scent- the smell of his mother’s blood- he remembered from when he was young.
“Not right now, go.” Justin shut the door on Bonnie then went to find Kitzel who had run around the corner.
“Do you see my point of they are no good?” Kitzel asked Justin as he looked up at him.
“Yes, I see, but how could my mother and Bonnie both have the same smell of roses with their blood.”
“What do you mean by the same smell of blood?”
“What I mean is the bombardment to my senses when you sliced her open.”
“I have never known any shippou sorcerer who could smell blood that way. The only ones who can are kurai sorcerers. Tell me, do you require food or drink to survive?”
Justin looked at Kitzel with curiosity at his question. “No I don’t, why?”
“Because only kurai, or ‘ashi’ sorcerers have that curse, they cannot enjoy the simple pleasures of anyone else. Basically, your body’s dead, meaning you can’t feel true, living feelings or take refuge from anyone. Anyone or anything you grow fond of will die from the bond you make with them.”
“Wait, does that mean you’ll die soon just for being near me?”
“No, for you see, I am you ikimono. An animal sent to help specific people here in the land of the living and dieing. Soon, I will be joined by another feline ikimono and a canine ikimono to help me in controlling your powers. You absorb negative energy, get your powers from the night, and will consume you on the night of the new moon, where you will not have the ability to control your own body or even your own thoughts.
“We will help keep you under control during those times and teach you how to fight it and maybe even control it. But don’t get too hopeful or too depressed, only time can till us how you will turn out or how your powers will control you. I require rest, so I will leave you to your thoughts for a while.” Kitzel got up to leave but was stopped by Justin.
“Wait, are you saying more of these, what do you call them, ikimono, are coming here too?”
“Yes, they shall be coming soon; so you should stock up on food for cats and a dog because we won’t be leaving anytime soon.”
“You never told me why that creep sliced me open.”
“I will tell you and the others all about that in detail when they get here. Is that alright with you; can your patience hold till then young one?”
“I guess it’ll have to hold, but I really don’t want to wait.” Justin realized the only bedding in the house was on his bed and didn’t want cat urine soaking into his furniture or carpet. “Hey, do you need anything specific? I can run out and pick up anything you need; if you want something to sleep on I can bring something up from downstairs for you.”
“That won’t be necessary for me, although you might want to pick up a cat box. I highly doubt you want a present from me in there in the morning when you wake.”
“Uh, yeah; that would be unpleasant. I’ll go out and be back in about a half hour, ok?”
“You do know I can take care of myself while you’re gone.”
“I know that, but I didn’t want you to leave anything for me while I’m gone.” Justin fished the key out of his pocket and headed for his car, then turned towards Kitzel. “So you’re positive you’ll be able to hold out for thirty minutes or so?” Justin asked.
“Yes, I’m absolutely positive I’ll