Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Calico ❯ Chapter Two: Bindings ( Chapter 2 )

Calico

By: Banshee Puppet

Part Two: Bindings

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I cut my hair because, at that time, it was no longer forbidden. I bound my breasts because, at that time, being a woman was just…far too painful. They say that starting something with a lie can only bring misery.

My name is Rie Takane, and I am a liar. I always have been. It can't be helped.

But, even so…

Even so, I do have one honest wish.

I wish…to protect.

Hah! Pretty vague, isn't it? I don't understand it either, really. I just don't want anyone else to die…because of me.

~**~

"Have you memorized the schematics yet, Calico?" Birman asked, placing her hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Easily. I have a photographic memory, remember? You don't need to worry about that sort of thing with me. This…" she said, looking down at the weapons on the table before her. "This, is the hard part."

"Are you having second thoughts?" Manx asked as she entered the room.

"Not at all," Calico said. "I was just thinking, they're all so cool, it's hard to decide."

"I've brought a few more, actually. Since you seem to be having such trouble," Manx said, spilling out the contents of the bag onto the table.

"Aa. I'm considering the mace, but it's awfully big. I think something smaller is better. It's so heavy. Not that it's too heavy, precisely, but it might slow me down."

She turned her eyes to the new items on the table, slipped things out of their cases and back in, and then…she found it.

"Aah! So cool!" she gushed, forgetting her troubles for the moment as she lifted the weapon to let the light reflect off of it. "It's an uber-dagger! This is the one!" She gave the impression that if it was less sharp and pointy, she'd be hugging the damn thing. She ran her finger along the flat side of one of the four blades.

"It's called the Griffyn. It's put out by Gil Hibben Knives," Manx said clinically. "Eleven inches, double blades, four of them, as you can well see…"

"Eleven inches, and that's not including the hilt. This blade here is fake, right, but it can be sharpened to be made useful. The hilt is short, but just the right size for me, since I don't have very large hands. And it's a thick hilt, very easy to grip, and lightweight, but not so light that you can forget it's there. Since it has four blades, even if the target evades, they'll most likely run into at least one of them. The two flat sides of a normal dagger are too easy to avoid. You'd have to dodge this early, and I'll be able to see that coming. I'd better, or I'm rustier than I thought…with the martial arts, that is. This'll be just fine. Can you get me a sharpening stone? I'd like to take care of this false blade right away. Not that I'll be likely to use it tonight, but better safe than sorry, or so they say. Also, would one of you mind?" she asked, tossing a box in their direction before sliding the dagger back into it's case.

"Hair dye?" Manx asked.

"If I stay as I am, I may be recognized," she said gently. "Anyway, I have very pale skin, so even such a light brown as that should look pretty natural. If I'm dead, like you say…then I should be dead all the way, right?"

"I'll do it," Birman said. "Manx will only mess it up. I see you cut it by yourself too. It's very choppy. Let me clean it up for you."

"Only if you're quick. I still have lots of preparations to make. The timing as it is, for the rendezvous is off. I'll be too early if things go according to plan. I'm overlooking something I think. What about my glasses?"

"They're here," Manx said, handing them over. "Going from a black-haired musician with 20/20 vision to a blonde-haired girl who works as a florist. It's a pretty dramatic change, isn't it?"

"Acutally, I'll be a blonde-haired boy with glasses who works in a florist, Manx. Does it bother you? Isn't this exactly what you had in mind?"

Birman's hand stopped where she was cutting Calico's hair in surprise. Even Manx had nothing to say immediately.

"Is that really what you want? To be a boy?"

"To be him, you mean? Why not? I look just like him, and he looks just like me. That's how my brother ended up buried in a grave that was supposed to be mine, right? Anyway, I've made my choice. I won't back down now."

~**~

I cut my hair because, at that time, it was no longer forbidden. I bound my breasts because, at that time, being a woman was just…far too painful to bear. I began to wear glasses because it seemed to be the logical thing to do. My goal was to become an entirely different person, to look in the mirror and see a stranger.

Because I don't think I can spend the rest of my life waking up to my brother's face.