The Time God Slayer

Chapter 27

Kaito is a renowned photographer in the island of Maniart. Like all people on the island, he is passionate about art. He chose a career to express art through photography. And like all people on this island, he can get really passionate about art. Really, really passionate in the sense that he will risk his life to take the perfect picture and argue with the other photographers about photography to the point of it becoming a full out brawl. Let it be known that any person that sets foot on the island are subjected to being bombarded with artistic fervors and may never leave the island again. These artists go to the extreme with their art and not many, if at all, people can stomach their obsession. 

Today was the day Kaito will get a once in a lifetime photo of a sunrise on the 5397th anniversary of the founding of Maniart with doves starting to take flight in the sky. He positioned the camera at the perfect angle and spot, the rising sun will be framed by the buildings of Maniart, signifying the important and memorable day of a new year of art. 

The sun peaked out of the ocean, slowly rising in the sky and turning the dark blues into dark purples, brightening oranges, and sleepy yellows. 

"Almost there..." He whispered excitedly, watching the sunrise through the lens of his efficient, custom-made, sturdy camera. Right when the doves took off in the sky from the buildings of Maniart and the sun was halfway peeking out from the edge of the horizon, setting the ocean ablaze with glowing embers of fire, the sky in a perfect balance of light and dark, Kaito snapped a picture.

Kaito excitedly looked through at his camera's memory and froze. "W-what's this?!" He yelled, scaring the doves. His perfect picture was ruined! There at the ocean right in front of the sun, he could see a human figure and what looks like a feline figure falling toward the sea. An outsider's view of the photo wouldn't see anything. Kaito's keen vision, however, can see the figures in his photo even though it's just a speck and could be easily overlooked. 

A human figure and feline figure stepped out of the ocean, dripping sea water and seaweed on the shore of the island. The feline shook their fur, splattering the sea water and seaweed onto the human. 

"It's your fault I'm wet, nya!"

"I'm sorry. It's not my fault. You know I can't help where I end up."

"Grrr...yowl! Meowr!"

"I get the feeling you're cursing me right now. I said I'm sorry."

As the human and feline walked across the shore and onto the brightly tiled stones of the city, they passed the lone photographer looking down and gripping his camera tightly that his knuckles turned white. 

He let his camera which is connected with a sturdy camera strap hang from his neck, the camera thumping softly against his upper stomach. Turning around to face the backs of the human and feline, he glared and pointed a finger at them, the half sun continuing to rise behind him and casting everything in front of him with changing colors such that he can't identify the color of the human's hair or the color of the feline's fur. "YOU TWO! STOP RIGHT THERE!"

The human and feline stopped and turned around, looking confused. Now that Kaito has a good look at them, the human is just a child who doesn't look an age past 11 and the feline is just a small kitten the size of a small pillow. "You mean us two?" The child pointed at herself and her companion.

"OF COURSE I MEAN YOU TWO!" He intensified his glare and puts jabbed at them with his finger in the air. "YOU TWO MESSED UP MY IMPORTANT PHOTO! A PHOTO THAT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU OR MY LIFE! He used the hand that's curled into a fist at his side and grabbed his camera, shaking it furiously to emphasize his point. "THIS ONCE IN A LIFETIME SHOT FOR THE 5397TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF MANIART IS RUINED! I CAN'T PRESENT THIS TERRIBLE PHOTO AT THE ANNIVERSARY PARTY TODAY! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"

His body shook with unbridled fury, the sun warming his back and encouraging the heat of his anger. 

"I apologize for ruining your shot. Is there a way I can make up your ruined photo?"

"The nerve of this child! She doesn't even look apologetic! The kitten is not even paying attention to me!" The photographer gripped his camera harder, surprisingly not denting the camera with how hard he's gripping it. "I'll show them what it means to ruin my photo!" He smiled darkly at the two figures, making alarm bells ring in the two. "Well, there is one thing you can do." He said pleasantly, a complete 180 degree turn from his aggressive tone before.

"Hikari, we need to make a run for it, nya."

"Oh? What is it?" Hikari replied, taking a step back. The photographer, taking one step forward, kept his eerie smile on his face. "Oh, I think you would be a great subject for my new photo." He took out a dagger from its sheath located inside his pants pocket and brandished it in front of him, the sun's rays making the blade glint ominously. "I think it'll be wonderful to decorate the new sunrise with your blood."

"Hikari!"

The sun fully rose up and before Hikari can start running like her life depends on it (which will be when the crazed photographer starts chasing her), she saw the man gape at her in surprise, the dagger falling from his hand and onto the tiles with a clink that sounded like a crash in the quietness of the new day.

"She's..."

Against her logical mind, Hikari speaks out. "Are you all right?"

Snapping out of his thoughts he smiled, this time with excitement and determination. "You're perfect for my new photo!" In a movement that almost caught Hikari off guard if it weren't for her powers, the photographer appeared in front of her, not noticing her eyes flashing a brief clock design in her eyes in his excitement. 

It happened very fast that Hikari was left feeling confused. One moment she was facing the photographer with the sun in her eyes. The next moment was her facing the photographer with the sun against her back and her right hand in the position of brushing her wet strand of hair behind her ear, Lavender brushed and on her shoulder. 

"What happened, nya? I was on the ground..."

"I don't-"

The sound of the camera taking a picture had Hikari freeze in her thoughts, the same with Lavender. 

"PERFECT!" The photographer cried out. He appeared in front of Hikari suddenly, startling the feline and making her fur stand up despite still being wet. "I'M SORRY ABOUT MY EARLIER OUTBURST!"

Hikari just stared at him, not comprehending why the photographer is not attempting her murder although she is grateful that he's not attempting to. He pointed proudly to himself. "I AM KAITO, THE MOST FAMOUS PHOTOGRAPHER ON THIS ISLAND OF MANIART! AND YOU," He pointed at Hikari's face, "WILL BE MY NEW MODEL!"

There are times where Hikari can't keep her well cultured manners from slipping in instances like these. This is one of them.

"Huh?"