Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Butterfly Kisses ❯ A Softer Side of Pain ( Chapter 3 )

Butterfly Kisses

A Sequel to Pandora's Box

By Jepardy

 

Weiss were the ones to open Pandora's Box, but can Schwarz handle what was inside?

 

WARNINGS: Violence, language, Yaoi (BradxSchu, YohjixOmi, AyaxKen), references to rape

 

A/N: There is some OCC on the part of Nagi, he is more open with his emotions, and acts slightly more like a kid his age would. Maybe a little OCC on the rest too, but I tried to keep them in character as much as possible. And, I've discovered the more I like a character, the worse I am to them. I killed off my beloved Omi in Pandora's Box, now in this one, Brad's, plain and simply put, a TOTAL asshole. Gomen to Brad fans. Also, I took free liberty to the HOW of Farfie's missing eye.

 

 

//italics// means telepathy

`italics' means thoughts

 

 

Part Three:

A Softer Side of Pain

 

As memories overpower her, Pandora is forced to realize the girl she once was.

 

 

KYOTO, JAPAN

JUNE 7, 1993:

 

It had been five years. Five long years that she had officially been with Esstet. Five years spent as the Silver Fox. A ruthless killer. Out for her own good, and killing anyone that dared get in her way. She was cold. Emotionally and mentally. Any softness that had been infused upon her by Anna had long since been erased. The Silver Fox got her pleasure from watching people die. She wasn't to be contained. Controlled, to an extent yes, but never contained. The extra boost of DNA that had so brutally been placed in to her gave Esstet the control they so desperately needed. Silver Fox still had her own free will. She could do what she wanted, when she wanted. But at the same time her mind now had a focus point. The rift that had started to come about when she was only five, and her only wish was for a friend, had disappeared. Now the only mind rifts that she cared about were the ones she placed in her victims. She got off on seeing their minds shatter in to a thousand pieces when they realized who she was. Playing with people had nearly become her favorite past time, only toped by playing with her sais. Normally in the fashion of running them through someone. Her power had come to a high crescendo. Most likely not going to get any stronger, or so it was hoped. She wasn't even twelve yet, and in her own two hands was the power to destroy the moon, cause the sun to go supernova, and simultaneously move the earth to a safe and stable location elsewhere in the universe. Even though they did have a slight rein on her, the elders seriously didn't want her to have anymore power. Especially since they still saw it. The animal hunger that was flooded in to her steely cold eyes. The way she'd all but snarl at them. She still wanted them dead, she wanted them off of her case. In all reality she could still do it with her own two hands. Despite the coding, there was nothing stopping her from that. But she hadn't yet. Content to wait, and plot, for the time to strike like the animal that she was. But as long as they had their fingers on the switch that would `turn off' the tattoo that now graced her neck, she didn't move against them. Because even in all her power, she didn't know what would happen if she did, not yet anyway.

Long ago had they run out of their possibilities of what she could do for them at Rosenkreuz. Since then they had bounced her around everywhere they had. She had been all over the world twice. Now she had the complete understanding of over 17 languages, and was proficient in every form of martial arts there was, on top of being deadly just because she WAS the Sliver Fox, a name she had become content with, and personage she enjoyed having. Though she was never let out in the field alone. It was a danger that Esstet couldn't risk. The fact that she still might run was one problem. The other, the fact that she was the most valuable thing Esstet had. And if their enemies got their hands on her, they were doomed. They didn't keep her in contact with their other agents for her protection, it was for their protection. If she were ever to defect to another side, it didn't matter what hold they had on her. She would gladly go down with them, as long is it meant their end. And everyone knew it.

Currently she was stuck in Kyoto, Japan. Waiting to do something, anything. It had been over a week since they had let her loose to kill and `play' as she liked and she was ready to do just that without their permission. She figured it wouldn't upset them too much anyway. When she was stuck and idle, as she now was, they tended to lose field agents to her boredom. 198 to this date, and if she didn't move soon, that number would grow. She angrily threw her sai through the door at the far side of the room she was in. Causing her silver hair to swish gently against her cheek. She hadn't gown it out again. In fact, after she had woken up the day after she`d been `reengineered`, she hadn't been able to figure out why it had been important it was long. If it was short, it was out of her way. She stood and retrieved her sai, tucking it back in to the cuff which housed it on her wrist. She was about ready to just hop out the window and go kill someone when there was a knock from the other side of the now abused door.

“Shinigami fucking damn it, its about time!” she screamed in answer to it. It slowly swung open and let the figure of Victoria Strum walk in. Silver Fox gave her a funny look from near the open window which she was lounging against. Victoria was normally the one who dealt with her. Gave her her assignments, told her when and where to move. And yet every time Silver Fox's eyes met the other woman's face, something pulled at the back of her head, telling her to hate this woman. Though she could never figure out why, so she always dismissed it. Behind Victoria entered one of the elders. The balding old man with the beard. He was the one who dealt with the Silver Fox the most, simply because he was the most powerful of the three. And for some reason, she almost could tolerate him. She chalked it up to liking the fact that he would squeeze the hearts of those he talked to just for fun.

“Strum, Grandfather.” Silver Fox addressed them as her face moved to set back in to its deadly hardened look. She didn't change her careless position by the window. While others may have respect for the old ones, she defiantly didn't. And they knew better then to try and force her too.

“Silver Fox.” Victoria responded, a small smirk trying its best to stay off of her face. It was noticed though, and set Silver Fox on edge a little. Something was coming, she could feel it, and she didn't like it.

“Silver Fox, do you know why you were created?” the old man asked her, drawing her attention off of Victoria's face and to him. She could feel his power try to wrap around her chest, she pushed it off as it were nothing.

“No,” she responded with a shrug. “What's it matter? I'm here, I'm powerful. That's good enough for me.”

“You were created for the instance that we elders could not reach the time of the awaking ourselves. Now it has come that we can. And in preparation for that, we do not have the time, effort, or resources to keep you contained and controlled.” he told her.

“So what are you saying?” she asked, knowing this could be bad for her, and consequently REALLY bad for them.

“You are a loose thread to us at the moment, and hence, being cut till we might have a use for you again.” with that he turned and exited her room. She stood straight then and even took a hesitating step forward.

“That mean your turning the switch off?” she asked, her voice nearly coming to sound expectant.

“Your not that lucky Silver Fox.” Victoria told her in a sneer as she raised a gun that Silver Fox had not before noticed. Before the girl could react, the gun was fired. It hit her in the right side, causing her to fall against the open window for support. Her orange eyes flared with shock, and for the first time in five years, fear. Victoria closed in on her then, leveling the gun to her head.

“Why?” the girl breathed out through a near sob. Victoria had to take a second to understand it. Silver Fox had retreated back to using the first language she ever knew, Swedish.

“You've already caused me so much pain, why do you still hurt me?” the girl all but pleaded. Her hard orange eyes fluttering back to something else. Not softer, she'd lost that option of soft innocence a long time ago, but duller in the least.

“Because I can.” was the laughing response that Victoria gave as she dropped the gun to the girls left shoulder and again pulled the trigger. The force, as well as the shove that accompanied it, caused Silver Fox to fall out of the window. Victoria smiled to her self as she wiped the blood spray off of her gun and put it away. Calmly walking out of the room and gently shutting the door. The girl wasn't about to follow them and try for their lives now. She wasn't dead. Neither shots had been near anything vital, and the fall was only two stories. Dead, no, but defiantly delayed for quite a while.

 

 

 

 

 

ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH AND ORPHANAGE

(20 MILES OUTSIDE OF TOKYO, JAPAN)

SEPTEMBER 16, 1993

 

The knock came loud and hard on the door to the St. Joseph's orphanage. Sister Mary looked up from where she was working on her knitting. Her and Father Hiko exchanged glances. Neither of them were expecting anyone. It was early in the evening, just after supper. Father Hiko gave a slight nod of his head as the knock came again and he rose to get it.

“Good evening Father, sorry to bother you like this.” a police officer said as the door was opened.

“Not a problem Officer, is there something I can help you with?” Hiko asked the man. The officer turned his head to the side and scratched at the balding hair under his cap.

“Well, I don't know. You might be able to, but if not, its understandable, and we'll try in the city.” He said, then just as the Father was going to ask again just what it was, the officer stepped out of the way. Behind him was another officer, holding a young girl by her handcuffed wrists at her back.

“Oh dear.” was the only thing that initially made it past the priests lips. He looked her up and down for a moment before saying anything else. She was older then most of the kids the St. Joseph's orphanage took in. Or at least she looked that way. But as he thought about it, he could be wrong. She was pale and thin, incredibly thin. The tattered shirt she was wearing was falling off of her. The left shoulder was torn and spattered with blood, as was the right side. The rest of it didn't hold much better. Rips, stains, and dirt filled it. Her jeans weren't much better. Falling off of her too slender hips, one leg was missing completely from the knee down, the other had multiple rips across the entire length of it, yet still managed to stay together. As he made it up to her face the first thing he noticed was the way her eyes looked. Shards of orange glass, shooting around, glaring at anything they could. The short, nearly silver, but still blue, hair clashed with them as it fell in dirty clumps forward. It was short, barley below her ears. Her mouth was caught between a snarl and a frown. He could see bruises across her neck and cheek.

“Come in.” He finally said. Unable to turn away such a pitiful creature, even if she was in hand cuffs. As they walked in to the sitting area Sister Mary stood up.

“Oh dear.” were the only words she too could form. The girl just gave a tried huff and rolled her head to the side. Father Hiko motioned them in to a small dinning room on the side.

“Go ahead and take the cuffs off her.” The first officer told the one still holding the girl. He did as he was told. Father and Sister exchanged a small glance.

“Its alright, she should be fine for now.” the first one said, as the other placed the girl on the couch and flipped on the TV., sitting down next to her. The girl was instantly captivated by the show that started, and against even her best judgment paid it her full attention. Ignoring the others in the dinning room, planning out her future. Besides, to her it wasn't like that hadn't happened before.

“Now, before you say anything, I'd like to just let you know the facts.” The officer said as he accepted the cup of coffee from Sister Mary. The priest just nodded his agreement.

“Okay, first, they're AREN'T that many facts. We found her in the middle of a pretty good-sized fight. It seemed like she was trying to take on the whole West Side gang herself, and holding her own. When we pulled her out of there, she wouldn't talk. After we let her cool off in a cell for a while, she said a little but not much. She's 14, or so she says. Her prints got no record, or name, or anything. She wouldn't give her name. But did say that she has no family. She doesn't seem to be a bad kid, just one hell of a bad attitude. Pardon my language. She also knows English as well as any I'd ever seen. While she was in for questioning, some American was brought in, and while we were calling to see if we could find a translator, she started translating for him. So she seems to be well schooled in the least.” he told the two before him. Hiko took a long sip of his coffee before answering.

“14, older then most our kids.” He finally said. Sister Mary nodded in agreement.

“But we can't just leave her. Think of what would happen to her in Tokyo. Those places there don't have the time, or care to think of one girl.” She responded as she looked into the living room. She got up then and moved to the girl. Leaving the men to talk more about it.

As she came to stand in front of the girl, and blocking her view of the television, the girl leaned her whole body to the side so she could still see it.

“What's this called?” she asked suddenly. Startling the officer next to her. She had barley spoken at all the whole time they'd had her, much less willingly and on her own like that. Sister Mary glanced at the screen for an instant before turning back to the girl.

“Inu-Yasha.” she answered her. Her voice was sweet, not fake either, just, sweet. The girl nodded. That made sense. After all the silver fox/dog demon that seemed to be the main character was named that. She really liked him.

“What's your name dear?” Sister asked her. The girl peered up at her from her still sidewise position, then back to the television. `Inu-Yasha's out. They'd be way to obvious of an answer.' She thought. Then, just as Sister Mary was beginning to walk away, one of the other characters pet cat jumped up on the screen, followed by its owner screaming `Kylala.'

“Kylala.” she said out loud suddenly.

“What?” Sister Mary asked, turning around from by the doorway where she was standing. Both men in the kitchen looked up as well.

“Kylala.” The girl repeated, turning in her seat and peering over the back of the couch at the three. “My names Kylala.” Sister Mary broke in to a huge smile. She felt she had already managed a break through.

“And how old are you?” she asked as she headed back over to the child. Knowing the answer, but just needing to keep the girl talking.

“14.” she lied, she had just turned 12 a week ago, but they didn't know that. The nun sat down next to her then and started watching the show with her.

“I like this show.” Kylala told the woman.

“Well, we have several episodes of it on tape. Normally the children are only allowed an hour of TV a day, so we tape many of the shows so they can watch them whenever they feel like it.” The nun explained.

“I'd like to see them.” the girl said before giving her full attention back to the TV.

Father Hiko just sighed in the kitchen. Placing his cup down and looking at the officer still in front of him.

“I guess we'll see how well she can do here for a while at least. Maybe we can even find her a home.” He said with a lazy smile.

“Thank you Farther.” The officer said, standing up and motioning for his partner to follow him. “If there are any problems, just let us know.” Father just nodded and walked them to the door.

 

~*~*~

 

With in the next thirty minutes Kylala met the other 11 children staying there at the time. 5 girls and 6 boys, ranging in ages from 4 to 12. She was also introduced to the other 7 nuns that lived and worked between the church and orphanage. She was explained the house rules, all about curfew and mandatory church attendance once a week. And how normally it was one hour of television a day. But with one look in to the orange depths of the child's eyes, Sister Mary relented and allowed her to go through the stack of Inu-Yasha tapes that night, but only for that night. The one condition was that she shower first and change clothes.

When Kylala stepped out of the bathroom, Father Hiko and Sister Mary were shocked. She was wearing an old t-shirt of Jakio's, the next eldest boys, he was 12, and a pair of Sikie's, a 9-year-old girl's, flannel pants. The shirt was three sizes to big, swarming around her. And while the pants were a little short, Kylala was tall for her age, they were almost too big in the waist. Her skin was even a shade paler without the layers of dirt that had been present on her, and once clean, her hair was almost pure silver, with only a slight bluish haze to it. Her sharp orange eyes stuck out as the most remarkable thing on her at first glance. At second glance it was the silver tattoo on her neck. Father was the first to notice it as he came up behind her after she had herself settled on the couch with the fist tape in the machine.

“Kylala, where did you get that?” he asked her. Wondering if it was a new gang symbol or such.

“Get what?” her annoyed voice shot back as she stared intently at the screen.

“That tattoo.”

“”What tattoo?” she asked him, honest confusion settling over her as she turned to look at him.

“On your neck.” he explained tiredly. He was annoyed enough when the young children tried to play stupid with him, he didn't need a teen with attitude doing the same.

“I don't have a tattoo.” she told him simply. Looking at him with more honest conviction in her face then he thought was possible. It was as if she honestly DIDN'T know she had one.

“But dear, you do. At the base of your neck.” he explained to her in a more concerned voice. Her puzzled orange eyes stared at him for a moment before she let her hand wander up to her neck. As her fingers gently traced the mark, she let out a small hiss of pain and dropped her hand. She turned back to the screen for a second, then back to Father Hiko.

“Gomen, what were we talking about?” she asked him. He looked back at her questionably for a moment. Trying to decipher what, if anything, she was pulling on him. At the look she was giving him, he decided to let it go for the moment.

“Nothing, watch your show.” He said, turning and walking back away. The look in her eyes, the way they all but flashed with an innocence that was robbed, when she touched that mark. And the true curiosity over having a tattoo, then forgetting the entire conversation baffled him. He didn't know how some one could end up with a tattoo on their neck and not know it. But apparently she had.

Just as most of the children were going to bed, and Kylala had just put in the third tape, she was joined on the couch by two of the younger girls. Haní, age 6, and Katzchen, age 4. (*1) Kylala was too absorbed in watching the show to even notice them at first. It was when she suddenly heard quite snores that their presence connected with her. She looked down to find the youngest laying on the floor in front of her, asleep. And the older one was curled up on her side, using Kylala's lap as a pillow, also sound asleep. A flare of anger went through her and she had half a mind to throw the girl off her lap, and on to the other one just because. Then Haní suddenly snuggled in closer to her, her eyelashes fluttering for a moment on Kylala's arm. That froze the older girl on the spot. Something cracked in her head. She suddenly liked the idea of the children being there, and even the idea of herself staying put in the orphanage for a while. She couldn't explain it, but at that moment, she felt softer almost. As if a piece of the ice that made up the Silver Fox had melted. And no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't push it away.

She woke up the next morning to Sister Mary gently shaking her. She was sprawled out on the floor, with both girls still cuddled around her. And to Kylala's horror, her arm was even around one of them. Hugging her close like a mother, or big sister would do. She bolted away from them uttering a string of very colorful curses in as many languages as she knew. Sister Mary gave her a stern look, and even pulled on her ear to drag her to her room. Once there she was told to `Sit and pray for forgiveness for such a foul mouth.' Kylala responded with more cruses. Albeit, this time she waited till AFTER the nun had left the area. She couldn't understand what was happening. It was as if a part of her brain was waking up after not being used for the last forever. And the worst part was, was the fact that as much as it scared her, she kind of liked it.

 

 

ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH AND ORPHANAGE

SEPTEMBER 24, 1993

 

She was actually beginning to like it at the orphanage. She had more food in the last week or so that she'd been there, then she'd had in the year pervious to that. She basically got to do what she wanted as well. Of course most of the other kids made sure of it. She was foul tongued, bitter, and quick to hit. They figured if she stayed happy, they would too. She spent most of her time outside. There was a small forest nearby that the kids who went to school took as a shortcut that she liked to hang out in. Spending her time just lounging in the trees. She never really put on weight though, despite all the food that she ate. It was chalked up to the fact that after not eating AT ALL for three months, she probably never would really get her weight back. And even all her time outside never gave her pale skin a tan.

`I don't tan.' had been her response one day when asked about it.

`Do you burn then?' the kid had continued.

`No. Nothing. The sun doesn't affect me.' she told him. She had to bite back the part about it being because a bunch of geriatric geezers had stuck their `pale as a fucking ghost' DNA in to her and fucked her over big time, but thought better of it. For the time being anyway.

“Damn it all!” a boys voice drifted up to her, jarring her from her thoughts. She hopped down from her spot in the branches of the tree she was in and landed right in front of Jakio. Scaring him half to death.

“Sister Mary'd have your ass if she heard you say that.” was the clipped response Kylala gave to the boy's scream of fright from her landing.

“So what.” he mumbled as he shrugged his shoulders and bowed his head down slightly. Quickly turning to walk away.

“Nice shiner kid,” Kylala shot out at his retreating form, not missing a thing. “Tell me the other guys worse off at least.” Jakio turned back to look at her and almost snarled. Her cocky stance, leaning on a tree with one hand on her hip. The `I'm better then you' voice. It annoyed him to no end.

“No.” he finally shot back. “I don't know how to fight.” he said, suddenly sulky. She shot him a puzzled look.

“Why not. It's just instinct.” she said as she moved slightly closer to him. Her mind was screaming at her in a growing rift. Part of it yelling for her to laugh at him and walk away, the other part telling her to help him. The softer part finally won out. As she looked at his downcast face, she decided she had no choice but to give him some advise.

“Look, Jakio, next time some bully comes at you, let him get the first hit in. That way it can't be blamed on you. Then make a fist and throw it at him with everything you got. From there, adrenaline will kick in and just do what your body tells you to.” she told him, with a slight pat to the back even, before walking away from him and deeper in to the woods. He just stared after her baffled. That wasn't something he'd excepted from the sharp-tongued girl, but he wasn't about to complain either.

 

~*~*~

 

The next day Jakio burst in to the living room of the orphanage in a ball of excitement. Startling Sister Mary enough to drop her knitting needle, Father Hiko to rush in from the kitchen, and even make Kylala look away from her daily hour worth of Inu-Yasha.

“I did it! Just like you said! I got Matri good. I think I even broke his nose!” He declared as he stood in front of Kylala, practically bouncing on his feet.

“Jakio! How could you?” Father Hiko's voice rang out in the room. Instantly causing the young boys excitement to fade away.

“But Father, he stated it and…” Jakio tried to explain.

“That's no excuse young man. And you, Kylala, teaching him this?” he said as his anger turned to the girl. She simply let a small smirk on to her face as she nodded.

“Wait a minute Father.” Sister Mary interjected. “Jakio, isn't Matri the older boy who had been stealing your lunch money, and beating you up?” she asked. Jakio just nodded.

“And you swear on the good lords name you didn't start it?” she asked him.

“No Sister, I swear.” He told her.

“Well, then honestly Father, I don't see any real problem with it. Jakio knows that fighting isn't the answer, but when a person has no way around it…” she said looking in to the priests eyes.

“I suppose. But still, go to your room and pray over what you did.” The priest told the boy, who hurriedly nodded and rushed off to do so. Father Hiko walked back in to the kitchen with a shake of his head, still not liking the idea.

“You may just be good for these kids Kylala.” Sister Mary said as she too turned back to what she had been doing. Kylala just let her smirk widen in to a smile as she continued to watch the television. Liking the idea she was good for the kids, and hating the fact she liked it. But that part of her was getting smaller by the minute.

 

 

ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH AND ORPHANAGE

OCTOBER 3, 1993

 

The knock on the outside of Kylala's door sounded loud and clear through the girls room. She rolled over with more then simple annoyance in bed to face it, having half a mind to kill whoever was on the other side. It was her room, and she wanted to be left alone in it, she had that right. Her and Jakio were the only children to have separate rooms, all the rest sharing a main sleeping quarters. It was figured though that they, being the eldest two, deserved their privacy. `Lot of good that does when everyone knows where my damned room is anyway.' Kylala thought bitterly to herself.

“What?” she finally snapped out in annoyance as the door continued to rattle with persistent knocks. At her sharp words it swung open a crack and a pair of large blue eyes peered in.

“I wanna sleep with you. I had a bad dream.” came the tearful whisper of Katzchen as the tiny girl timidly stepped in. Kylala looked at her with disgust, and yet found her vocal chords working without her brain.

“Get in here then.” her words surprised the four year old as much as they did herself. But the tiny girl wasn't one to question good luck when she saw it. She quickly scurried to the bed and hopped in. Kylala acted without thinking, bending down and fluttering her eyelashes on the child's cheek. The small girl giggled slightly and ran her hand over that spot to brush away the tickle. Kylala just stared at her in shock, wondering why in the HELL she'd just done that.

“That tickled, what was that?” Katzchen giggled.

“It's called a butterfly kiss, now go to sleep.” Kylala snapped at the child as she rolled over, as far away as she could get, and tired to sleep herself. Though thoughts of just what in the hell was happening to her plagued her for the next six hours, keeping sleep at bay.

 

ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH AND ORPHANAGE

MARCH 14, 1994

 

Six months. It had been half a year in which Kylala lived at the orphanage. And the rift that had been plaguing her mind had long since faded to nothing more then a small tug in a back corner of her thoughts. And as much to her surprise as everyone else's, she was being left on the opposite side from which she'd started. She was gentle and caring, and even fun to be with now. Sure, she still did still occasionally growl, snap, bite, and snarl, both literally and metaphorically, at just about any and everyone around her. But that was easily over looked. She helped out the nuns with all the day-to-day chores. She enjoyed working with the younger kids on there homework. She taught the older children the basics of self-defense. And she seemed to be the person all of the youngest kids went to at night when they had nightmares. Sister Mary had absolutely fallen in love with the girl. She had sensed that there was that good heart just waiting to come out, and was helping the girl along to realize that as well. The child also did her best to help and get all of the other children adopted out. While she loved them as a family almost, she wanted them to have a good start at life too. And no matter how soft she became, she still knew what she really was. When a couple would come looking for a child, Kylala would always make sure the right one was ready for them. Knowing instinctively which one the right one was, and then giving the couple a mental push towards them. In the last six months Haní, Katzchen, Jakio, Sikie, and two of the other boys were all adopted out. She made herself out to be like the children's big sister. She also tried to start friendships with the older children, not wanting to be left out of the `loop' as she called it. She managed fairly well, but was still more like family then a friend.

Sister Mary once and a while would go hunt down someone who wanted an adolescent girl with an attitude, but Kylala made sure they never liked her. She didn't want to leave. She liked the person that she was becoming. She liked being Kylala. She had even taken to calling herself Kylala Joseph. Giving her a last name for the first time ever. When she first did it, some of the older kids said that was stupid, it made her sound American. She laughed and started talking English to them. Saying `I already know English like an American, so why not?`.

Somewhere in her head the whole thing had been twisted around and so to her now, this was her family. The dad, Father Hiko, the mother, Sister Mary. And anywhere from 6 to 14 little brothers and sisters, depending on how full the orphanage was at the time. She had even begun to tolerate the Sunday mass that everyone had to go to. While she still couldn't find it in her to believe in something like the Christian's `god', preferring to hold her beliefs in something she felt more logical and suited to her, like Shinigami, she found herself staying awake through the sermons now at least. (*2) Every once in a while she still found her body, mind, and soul calling out for blood. The death and destruction of some poor twits mind It was becoming less and less though as time went on. And while that decreasing harshness to her at first left her with dread, now it was becoming hope. And even that no longer sent fear in to her heart like it once had.

 

 

 

ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH AND ORPHANAGE

NOVEMBER 4, 1996

 

“Kylala dear would you come here for a second?” Sister Mary asked the teen girl from where she was in the dinning room. The girl looked up from the soccer game she was watching with interest. Soccer had caught her attention soon after she had seen every episode of Inu-Yasha there was, and still held it. Her wide orange eyes glinted with a sparkle at the nun before glancing back to the television for a second. It was the last half, with only ten minutes to go anyway, it wasn't like she was going to miss much.

“Sure.” she sighed as she shut the television off and crossed to the nun, sitting across from her at the table.

“What is it?” she asked, shaking her head a little to get her hair out of her face. It had grown out slightly, now coming to a point where it almost touched her shoulders, but just not quite. Though it still held more silver then blue to it, and her skin was still pale. Her body had filled out slightly. Gaining a small amount of weight, she was still too thin though, and filling in in all the places a teen girls body should. Her eyes were the biggest change to occur. They no longer had that edge to them. They didn't pierce though a persons body and soul with one look, couldn't even if she tried. They were duller, nearly soft. And had a warm feel to them when she stared at you. She still wore all her clothes a size too big, but the Sister actually liked that. It kept her body hidden, and kept them from trying to have `the birds and the bees' talk with her. No clergy was ever good at that talk, pleading celibacy themselves.

“You're 17 now Kylala,” Sister Mary started, and the girl almost laughed. She wasn't 17, she had just turned 15 last month. When this whole mess had started, she lied about her age so that hopefully she would get out of it quicker. She had still been the Silver Fox then. Now after three years, she didn't want to leave, she liked it there. The Silver Fox was no more. It had long since disappeared in to the vast corners of her mind. All that was left was a happy, out going girl, who loved having fun, named Kylala Joseph. And she couldn't be happier with that.

“If you're trying to get me adopted again Sister, don't. I like it here, I want to stay HERE.” Kylala told the nun in the sweet, chime like voice that had become hers as well over this time.

“I'll make a deal with you, if you go on one last visit, and are WELL BEHAVED, I wont make you do anymore.” the nun gave her a hopeful smile. Kylala tilted her head to the side, honestly contemplating it.

“Deal.” She finally said with that heart-warming smile that had come to take up permanent residence on her face.

 

 

SOMEWHERE IN THE ALPS

NOVEMBER 7, 1996

 

“The time is very close now.” the old man said over his cup of tea. Placing it down gently on the table before him as he turned from the mountain view to look at his companions. The other man nodded his consent.

“It is time we think about bringing back in the Silver Fox, is it not?” the woman asked.

“Ah yes, she will be a valuable asset for our protection.” the second man added. The first man, the one to best walk in the role of leader, nodded.

“Yes. I believe that Crawford is in the area in which we left her.” he told the others.

“Good, then he will even be able to see how that first member of his team will work out. Farfarello isn't it?” the woman chimed in. All three of them let a small laugh out as they went back to sipping at the tea and watching the still mountains before them.

 

 

ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH AND ORPHANAGE

NOVEMBER 16, 1996

 

 

Kylala hadn't liked it there. She knew she wouldn't. She never did. She was seventeen, by their calculations, and why should she bother to correct them. It didn't matter what age she was anyway, she was too set in her ways to change. Besides she liked the nuns at St. Josephs. She would be content to never have a family, or a real chance at normal things in life, like school, which she felt she didn't need anyway. She wanted to stay there. To help the sisters, and Farther Hiko, take care of the kids and help get them good families and a real chance at life. After as long as she had been around, and as much as she'd been though, she could teach them basic self-defensive skills for when they were in a pinch and help them with their schoolwork. That would give her more fulfillment then a bunch of letters on a report card, behind a name that wasn't really hers. She liked being Kylala Joseph. It was the first name she'd ever really had. And it sounded American, which impressed people now and again when she could back it up with English. She had gone on this visit though. Protesting the whole time, she finally went just to make Sister Mary happy. She couldn't stand to see the woman she thought of as a mother, a title she never even graced Anna with, sad. They agreed though that this was the last time. Sister Mary really wanted her to get along with this family. It had been hard to find people even interested in a seventeen-year-old street rat. She was clean, didn't have a record, or past for that matter, either. But she did have an attitude. She finally agreed to go on the weekend visit simply because Sister Mary promised her that if she was on her best behavior, it would be her last. Kylala idly wondered as she walked the last 4 and a half miles back to the orphanage if leaving in the middle of the night through a second story window and hitch hiking the first 8 miles counted as `best behavior'. Probably not, but it wasn't as if Sister Mary could find another family anyway.

Kylala was nearly laughing to herself over thoughts such as those, and the expression that would be on Sisters face in the morning when she found Kylala there. It all stopped though as soon as she walked through the doors of the church. Not even two feet inside she slipped and fell. The ground was wet. It didn't make sense, it wasn't raining out, not only that but it hadn't rained in over two weeks. They were in a drought season right now. When Kylala got back to her feet and walked in farther, where there was some light still being given off from the candles on the alter, she knew why the floor was wet. Her hands and arms were coated in blood from where she had caught herself. It hadn't been water she slipped and fell in, but blood. As her eyes became better adjusted to the dim light she could see it now. Everywhere. There wasn't an inch of the main chapel that wasn't splashed in the dark liquid. As she looked around in panic Kylala heard a soft moan from the other side of the alter. What she saw there made her instantly retch her stomach. It was Father Hiko, or at least what was left of him. The extent of damage to him was beyond her minds ability to process.

“…not…the…child..ren…” he breathed out gasping. His one eye that was left was gazing off in to the abyss. He was too far-gone for anyone to ever save. Kylala heard his dying plea, realizing that he wasn't speaking to her, he was still begging the person who had done this to him. Begging them to stay away from the children. A surge of cold fear went down Kylala's spine. She took off running down the hall that lead to the sleeping quarters for the orphanage. No thought process left. Only the need to see that the kids were safe. They were the closest things to friends she'd ever had. And that was still a dream part of her heart held on too. But more then that, they were her family. The futures of the world that she wanted to try and save. Nothing could happen to them, it just couldn't. She flung the door open and tried to race in, but couldn't. Another body was in her way. Sister Ann's. And next to that another, and another. When she finally managed to get in she was a wreak. Crawling on her hands and knees, alternating between throwing up, which had become dry heaves at this point, and sobbing. She was covered from head to toe in blood. The blood of all the people she had ever cared about. The sleeping quarters were more of the same. Only this time instead of nuns, it was children. All of them brutally murdered. Kylala let out a pained filled sob at the sight. Then she saw the body she had been praying this whole time never to see. Sister Mary's. She crawled with the little strength that the horrors of the night had not yet taken from her over there. Sister Mary, like Father, was gone past saving, but still alive.

“Sister, Sister please. Don't die. I'm sorry, I'll be a good kid from now on. I'll even go back to that family and let them adopt me. And I'll tell the truth about everything. Just don't die.” She begged as she leaned over the body of the bloodied nun. Sister Mary's eyes fluttered open slightly and took recognition of Kylala, barley.

“…my girl…my sweet Kylala…praise lord you weren't here…you …still…have…a…chance…” and with that she died, her eyes staring up at Kylala's orange depths.

“NOO!” Kylala choked out in a sob huddled scream.

“Another one.” a raspy, badly spoken, accented voice drawled out. Kylala lifted her head enough to look in to the face of the killer. His silver hair was nearly coated a complete red from the blood that he had been causing to spill from so many people. His eyes glinted in a manic gleam as he stared down at her. His mouth a wide grin, one hand slowly smearing the coating of blood over the knife in his other hand. As Kylala looked up at him, she showed no fear in her eyes. She didn't have enough strength left to be afraid. She just wanted to die. Die with the rest of her `family'. Die like she should have. The man simply huffed.

“Wandering around a church in the wee morning hours, coated in the blood of another. Ye be more like me then you wish to be.” He rasped at her, bending down close and waving the knife a mere inch from her face. Still she held no fear, only a longing in her eyes for the death he promised. The man only laughed. His deep rumbling laugh echoed through her head even as he stood and walked away, never touching her.

“Ye'll suffer more this way, and the sufferin' of one a `is angels will make god suffer too.” he said as he walked out the door. Kylala took one last gasp of breath, forced in a sob and passed out on the body of the only mother she had ever known. The rift again clouding in to her head, and pulling her back in to a life she thought she'd escaped.

 

 

 

(*1) Those are my sister's nicknames and ages, so I thought I'd use them. Just in case anyone was wondering why some Japanese girl had the German word for kitten as a name.

 

(*2) While I know someone like her probably wouldn't have ANY beliefs, that is what I personally believe in, so I gave it to her as well.