#I've done some googling but I don't know that much about ainu culture so correct me if there's some inaccuracies!

[enstarsurbanfantasy]

ALKALOID Introduction - POV Aira

[Setting: Seisoukan, during Troublemakers, after helping Ra*bits and before meeting Crazy:B]

Hiiro, as it turns out, knows a lot about the supernatural community and simultaneously nothing at all.

"The village chief is in charge of appeasing the kamuy and sending them back to their realm, so I learned from nii-san. Our family has historically been able to see them, but nii-san does a lot more clearly than I do."

"We call that clear-sight," Aira says. They're both on Hiiro's bed, Aira sprawled over the edge of the mattress while Hiiro sits with perfect posture. Kazehaya-senpai has his bad knee elevated on his own bottom bunk while Ayase-senpai hunches over with a pillow on the floor, leaning on the side of his and Kazehaya-senpai's bunk in a pose that looks incredibly uncomfortable. "There are different degrees of it depending on people's sensitivity to magic and dimension boundaries, but most people can only see the human world. With clear-sight, humans are able to see through illusions and interact with the spiritual planes."

"You seem to know a lot about magic, Aira-san," Tatsumi-senpai's voice is warm, and Aira blushes.

"My father's family runs a shrine, so I grew up learning about it. But I take after my mother, soooo..." he trails off, wondering whether to share that piece of information.

"You're a snake spirit, right?"

Aira yelps, twisting his back and neck to face Hiiro in a move that would be impossible for a human. "How the hell--"

Hiiro tilts his head, that wide-eyed look on his face saying I have no idea what social norms in the city are. He gestures to Aira's body. "You just... feel like a snake. And I can see an afterimage of snake scales on you when you move."

And that would be the clear-sight, Aira sighs, resigned to Hiiro being able to see though all of his secrets. If Hiiro can see the true nature of someone on their skin, how much can Rinne Amagi?

"I'm a Melusine. My mother's entire family is, and the magic from my father's line-- they're descended from Takeminakata-- made it so that there was enough for me to manifest as a full-blood. "

"A Melusine," Tatsumi-senpai says, voice curling around the word like he's tasting it. "I don't know that one."

Everyone's eyes are on him now, and Aira wants to turn into his snake form and crawl into a pillowcase to avoid them. "They're from Europe... we're spirits of fresh water. Our top half is human and our bottom half is a snake, but we can use a fully human or snake form at will."

Oh, he really might succumb to temptation and hide in a blanket or something. Aira desperately reaches for something to divert the train of conversation.

"M-Mayo-san, you're magical too, right?"

Ayase-senpai squeaks. "Yeah... but I don't really want to talk about it..." he trails off into mumbles, and while Aira relates, it really doesn't help him avoid the incredibly embarrassing conversation. He's curious now though. What kind of creature is Ayase-senpai?

There's a lull, everyone deciding not to press, and Aira is just about to ask about Tatsumi-senpai's history when Hiiro's cell phone pings, and he announces: "It's from Tenshouin-senpai, about the DreFes," and everyone is distracted. This is their last chance to be idols!

#ensemble stars music #urban fantasy #aira shiratori #hiiro amagi #I've done some googling but I don't know that much about ainu culture so correct me if there's some inaccuracies! #canon? what canon? #canon is my sandbox #alternate universe #sorry aira you're mr. exposition for magic as well as idols #unedited #alkaloid #enstars urban fantasy au #fanfiction