R e - B i r t h
By: TLL
Author's Note/Disclaimer: I do not own DGM. I do however, own my Oc and the story idea. Well, here's my try at a Kanda story. I hope it's not bad. No flamers, but constructive Critiques are welcomed and appreciated. This first chapter, is really just introducing Aoi. Anyways, Enjoy and tell me what you think! - TTL
Chapter one: The book
" Aoi. Not again."
The blue headed teen gasped as her head snapped up, her mismatched eyes wide with surprise behind her thick rimmed glasses. Her mouth hung slack as she subconsciously slammed her book closed and hid it under her bottom, her hands coming back and folding themselves lazily across her lap. She offered a small smile, her cheeks rosy with embarrassment for being caught for the fifth time today.
A middle aged red head stood at the entrance of the romance aisle, her arms crossed heavily over her chest while she gave the girl a look of disapproval. She stood this way for awhile before she gave in and an exasperated sigh escaped her lips, her hand coming up to massage the growing migraine in her temples.
" Aoi, how many times have I told you? No reading while on the job."
Aoi looked down at her ragged sneakers, her toes fiddling with each other as she mentally counted in her head how many times she had heard the phrase spoken. She glanced up when she had the answer, her lower lip pouting, the blush intensifying.
" Since I've started this job, approximately, 565 times."
The red head's eyes snapped open and her mouth hung ajar as she stared at the mousy girl. She gave a small laugh as she shook her head , her hands falling to her side.
" Yes, that sounds about right. About a month now, but still, no matter how many times I tell you not to, you still do so. Aoi, you're going to end up losing this job if you don't learn to listen, do you want that?"
The blue haired girl paled considerably.
" No! of course not!"
" Then will you refrain from reading while on the job? I allow it while you're on break, so the least you could do is refrain yourself."
Aoi gave a nod as her mismatched eyes hardened in determination. She mock saluted the red head as she stood from her position on the floor, three or four books revealing themselves to both.
Both persons stood in silence, Aoi mentally crying and cursing herself, while Renny - the red head - sighed again, mumbling something between the lines of needing an aspirin or a smoke.
Two minutes later had Aoi standing at the check in, check out counter with her chin placed in the palm of her hand. Her eyes half lidded with boredom and sleep as she watched people walk by the old book store's entrance door. She couldn't understand how they could do that; just walk by a building full of books and not once glance in. Books were, well, they were amazing in Aoi's mind. If she could - and mostly always did - she'd choose to read nothing but books all day.
Renny walked out of the back room, adjusting the strap of her purse before glancing up at Aoi with a rather large grin plastered on her face. Aoi blanked, Renny always got this way during lunch, she never understood why.
" Well, My break starts now. Watch the store while I'm away Aoi?"
" Yeah."
" Good. Be back in an hour. No books."
She beamed the first part, but growled the last part causing Aoi's hair to stand on end. Aoi gulped before nodding dumbly, not sure if she could form a coherent sentence. The red headed woman skipped out the shop's front door, Aoi watching her closely, not understanding why her employer was always so…
' Oh.'
Aoi looked dumbfounded as she watched Renny grab onto a tall man's elbow, her smile even greater than when she left the building. So that's why she was always so peppy and happy when it came to her lunch break? Aoi grumbled as she plopped her chin back on her open palm, she glared out the window at nothing in particular.
She envied people like that. People like Renny who had actually found someone, while all she could find were the strangers depicted in the stories she read. She wished, she could find some handsome stranger, one that would whisk her away and give her all the splendors of the world, but that was just her romantics side speaking, Aoi knew that someone like that, could and probably would never exist for her. She sighed as she closed her eyes, she wanted one of her books now.
' But Renny told me not to, else, She was going to kick me out this time and I can't afford to be kicked out. I need the pay for this month's rent.'
Aoi thought sadly as she opened her eyes and glanced at the wooden counter. If she lost this job, there was no way she would be able to keep up with school tuition and rent; she was already a month or two behind on rent as it was. Besides, She was very fond of this job, the atmosphere, was a lot more welcoming than others had been.
' Then, it's settled. No books until break time!'
She gave a firm nod of her head, her bottom lip pouting. She was determined to do as she was asked to do. Besides, break wasn't that far away, just another three hours or so.
Her determination deflated as it thought of three long hours with nothing to read, this, should be illegal. She gave a heavy sigh as she slouched against the counter, her head hanging low in despair. She wanted them, she needed them, she wanted her books.
She had been so deep into her brooding state and inner battler , that Aoi had not heard the entrance bell ring, signaling that someone had entered the shop. It wasn't until the figure stood in front of the girl and actually spoke to her that Aoi took notice.
" Excuse me?"
" Ah!"
Aoi made a tiny exclamation in the back of her throat as she jumped up from her slouched position against the counter, her glasses slipping down the ridge of her nose. Her eyes blinked in surprise.
An old woman with salt-and-pepper hair stood in front of the counter with a warm smile across her wrinkled face. She tilted her head in a questionable manner towards the girl. A soft laugh, almost like the sound of a wind chime, echoing through the small building.
" U-Um. Welcome! How may I be of assistance to you today."
The woman raised a hand, showing the girl that she didn't need to make such a fuss.
Aoi sighed in appreciation and relief as she gave a crooked grin, the flame in her cheeks from her recent embarrassment disappearing to a minor tinge.
" I came to donate this book."
"Oh!"
Aoi bounced back onto the counter as the woman extended a worn leather-bound book towards her. She grasped the spine gently, as not to damage it, and pulled it back against her chest where she cradled it while she fixed her glasses before she turned the book over so the front cover faced her and examined it.
Her eyes lit up.
It was a small leather-bound black book with a golden clasp on it. On the golden clasp - which had suffered dearly from time and was almost a faded brass - was an inscription of a small lotus design. To Aoi, it looked almost like a family crest of sorts. She glanced up , the awe shimmering in the depths of her eyes.
" This looks like an antique, almost like a family heirloom. Are you certain you wish to donate this to our shop?"
The old woman laughed again, causing the girl to blush, she ducked her head as she felt her ears warm.
The woman turned towards the girl, and smiled as she motioned for the book to be returned. Aoi did so, but not as enthusiastically as she had thought she would have, no, instead she felt almost sorry to let it go.
" This book, has been in my family. For centuries. I am, the last of my kin."
The girl ducked away further, feeling horrible to have made the elder bring up lost family and probably , unwanted memories.
" We've kept this book, passing it down from generation to generation, hoping that it would find what it wished and who it wished, but as of now it has yet to pick someone. This book is a very special book, the one who holds it will be linked to god. "
Aoi raised a brow, now she was just thinking the lady seemed rather, loony. She knew that all books, not just certain types, but all, could link you to your dreams, but never, god?
" By the raise of that little brow of yours I can see you may think me crazy. Well, no matter, it is the truth. "
She handed the book back to Aoi who took it and placed it once again close to her chest. She tilted her head as the woman watched the book for a few seconds with speculating eyes before turning back to Aoi.
" It did not choose someone from my kin, so perhaps it was not meant for anyone in my kin, but someone from another. I'm happy to give this to your shop. There's a wider variety of people for it to choose from here."
Aoi gave a nod, not really sure what to tell the woman. The woman shrugged.
" Well, hopefully it finds what it's looking for here. Hm, Oh dear, I'm bound to be late for the next train if I don't hurry along. Bye dears."
With that the woman offered Aoi one last smile before she turned and left, the entrance bell ringing a good-bye.
' That, was weird…'
Aoi glanced down at the book clutched to her chest, and turned it back around, her finger running over the clasp. She was about to pop it open to read through the pages but thought better of it. She closed her eyes and bit her lower lip, her face taking on the pout of a seven year-old.
' Renny told me not to, Job on line, must restrain…'
She glanced at the book and reached out for it…
Renny walked in through the shop's entrance thirty minutes later with a sour expression on her face, she was already suspecting Aoi of breaking her promise, right when she saw the girl her sour expression turned into a strangled choke as she tried to refrain from laughing.
" Aoi?"
The girl looked up from her position on the counter, her eyes widening.
"Freennyy!"
She beamed, relief flooding through her eyes.
The red headed employer walked up to the counter , amusement hammering in her eyes as she laid her hand on a randomly placed piece of tape. The whole counter was full of tape, and so were Aoi's wrists. Renny glanced up, a brow raised questionably at Aoi who just gave a nervous laugh muffled by the tape wrapped around her mouth.
" I see you had a hard time with the no reading books policy."
Aoi nodded stiffly, trying to keep the tape in her hair from ripping out strands. Renny sighed as she shook her head, a hand resting on a certain piece of tape on Aoi's Cheek.
" Well, brace yourself, this is going to hurt."
She said the last part with glee before she pulled harshly on the tape. All Aoi could do was blink in astonishment at the stinging in her skin.
Ten minutes later, Aoi was slouching in front of Renny, a hand rubbing at her cheek and tears shimmering behind her lashes. She sniffled as she handed the book on the counter over towards Renny, who took it questioningly .
" What's this?"
" An old woman came in here, she said she wanted to donate this book to the shop."
Renny looked over the cover towards Aoi's crestfallen face, a smile springing to her own face at the teenager's blotchy skin. She sighed as she took the book and handed it back. The girl looked up with a blank stare.
" Keep it. Think of it as , a job well done."
Aoi grabbed the book.
" Th-thank you."
" Yeah, yeah. So, you leaving yet?"
" Um?"
Renny shook her head.
" You didn't change your timetables again, did you?"
" No…"
" What am I going to do with you Aoi? "
Aoi laughed as she scratched her cheek. She didn't know how to answer because she hardly knew what to do with herself at times either.
" Go home."
Renny deadpanned as she pushed Aoi out the front of the shop, she stood there for awhile as she waved the girl off , then went back in to tend to her shop. She'd have hell with the tape, which more than likely was coming out of Aoi's next pay.
The blue headed teen shrugged as she walked away from the shop.
" I got a new book."
She grinned as she glanced down at the book, she had stopped walking, waiting for the little person above on the sign to appear, signaling her to walk again. Her finger played with the golden clasp, struggling to open the small lotus. She grunted as she mentally cheered herself wrong.
A small beep and her subconscious automatically took to walking across the street.
' Got you.'
She grinned as the clasp came undone. Her grin blanked when she saw a bright light directed at her, when she looked up, she didn't even have time to react, as the car crashed into her form.