CHAPTER ZERO
September 5th, 2005...
-Oka-
I remember the day that things went to hell as bright as day. My fourth birthday. You'd think that the usual birthday party is a great time.. There's all sorts of cake, presents, and even friends to accompany you. I however, never fit it with anyone. I was what you called different. I had no friends.
"Sweetie.." Mom said, after placing her hand on my head. I didn't look at her, but watched the single flame dance on the candle. It shaped like the number four. But we all knew that the flame wouldn't last forever. "Don't feel all so down about it.." She stroked my hair another time.
Dad stood up, and threw his newspaper onto the floor. "You know what it is? It's the damn child!"
"Richard!" Mom scolded. I had sank deeper in my chair. They were going to fight again.
"No, Lorraine! You know it's true! Oka and her... Fucking curse!" He stood up, leaving me to cower under the table.
"That is enough!" She fired back, but not before hitting him. He had given mom a nasty look.
"You think you can place your hands on me?" He let out a growl. I never heard a growl like that before... It must have echoed through New York.. "Do you know who I am?!" He had immediately shoved his wife, causing her to stumble backwards. Her body fell over the balcony.
"Momma!" I cried, looking over the balcony. The pool of blood lied down in the alleyway. My mom had been killed before my very eyes... On my birthday.
The man who I'd no longer call father had balled his fists. "This is all your fault, twerp." He gave me a glare. "If you haven't had existed, your mother would still be here. Run. SCRAM!"
I jumped after he had screamed out. Though I didn't want to, my instincts took charge, and I had soon made it out of what used to be called home. The enemy had run out his front door with a shotgun, and fired. The projectile had scraped past my cheek, leaving a new scar.
"Don't you ever come back, monster!" He screamed out as he slammed the door.
I, however, couldn't turn back. I was done I would starve out on the streets... I.. I was all alone.
I had curled up in a ball behind the nearby garbage containers. I let out almost all of my tears until she had came..
"Hey." I heard. "You alright, kid?"
"Leave me alone..." I said.
She had put her hand on my head. "Jesus, kid. You're going to catch a cold! Here.." She shrugged off her black coat, and wrapped the coat around my body. I looked up at her. She wore a sleeveless black shirt.
"Are you sure?" I asked her.
She nodded. "Yeah, kid. You look like you need it more than I do. The coat's just a fashion sense, anyway. Gives warmth to freezing little girls, though."
I looked up at her, and made a smile. "Thank you. My name's Oka."
She sat next to me. "Oka... A pretty name. Mine is Zia." She extended her hand out. I just looked at it with a blank expression. "What's wrong? Never seen a handshake before?"
I frowned. "I just never had a friend before.."
Zia smirked. "Well, now you do! Come on! I have to show you my new place!"
That's when it all started. My brand new life..
-September 5th, 2016-
I let out a long yawn, and sighed after looking to the sleeping teen next to me. She had a large, and busy coon tail, as well as cute little ears to go with! I think I'm getting ahead of myself, here.. (Cory: Uh.. Yeah.. You're about to make the microphone fall!) MY BAD! Can't help it! I just love animals so much!
Where was I... Oh yeah! I had poked the girl's cheek. "Onee-san..." I pouted. It was a nickname I gave to Zia for taking me in way back then. "Wake up.."
Zia tossed on her newspaper bed... She insisted that she'd sleep there! I didn't shove her off of the bed... Did I? She groaned. "Oka..."
"Come on, Zia!" I said. "The sun has risen! And I was watching the news! Apparently, there's this island that appeared out of nowhere! It's right out by the Atlantic Ocean! Can we go? Please~?"
Zia gave me a look after sitting up. "No, Oka. It isn't possible to sneak on the planes without getting caught.."
I frowned. "What about the ships? We could sail across—"
Zia had grabbed me by the shirt. Three wavy blue lines replaced her eyes. "No boats. No oceans."
I gulped, and then nodded. "Y-Yeah... No oceans!" Never knew that Zia could be afraid of the ocean.. She loved pools, and stuff. But the more that I realize it, the more it makes so much sense. When we did go to the beach, I always noticed Zia lying out there on the steaming sand. "Why don't we try a school day, instead?" I asked.
Zia frowned. "A... School day?"
"Yeah!" I said. "It'll be fun!"
She had her grip on her elbow. "I.. I don't know... What if people notice my ears?"
I put my fingers to my chin, and snapped my fingers. "I got it! It's a hairpiece that never falls off!"
Zia gave me a look. "There is NO WAY that anyone will fall for that.."
Zia had walked by my side. "I can't believe that EVERYONE felt for that!"
I had bumped into someone, not paying attention to my surroundings. "Whoops!"
"Oh gods," The girl said. "Are you alright?"
I shook myself off, and faked a laugh. "Yeah, just a little clumsy, is all..."
She looked to Zia with a frown. "..."
My friend had laughed. "PERFECT!"
"What?!" I asked.
"This is a FUCKING WEREWOLF!" She replied.
"Shut up!" The wolf girl said. "I need you to keep quiet about this, coon.. Or it's your tail that ends up being dinner.."
Oka stood between the wolf and Zia with her arms out.
"Oka.." Zia said.
Prism... I heard a fourth voice speak.. But.. Where was that coming from?
"Yo!" A girl with purple hair ran to who I assumed was called Prism. "What are you doing? We're going to be late for homeroom!"
Prism groaned. "Yeah, I'm coming..."
"What's with you? Wake up on the wrong side of the bed, Priz?"
"...Let's go with that for now.."
I frowned. "Who... Was that?"
"Just one of the many monsters that you'll end up meeting," A new voice...a male's said. He had walked forward, and revealed himself. "Relax. I ain't going to harm ya. It'd be a waste of my time."
A vein bulged on Zia's head. "SAY WHAT NOW, DRACULA?!"
"Did you not here me? Waste. Of my time." He repeated.
"Who are you?" I asked.
"My name is Simon. Simon Strange."