Chapter 1:
The girl with closed her silver-gray eyes and hid herself away from the world. Her long, mercury hair covered her delicate face and legs as she sobbed.
She was alone.
All alone in a cruel world with the doors and windows shut.
All alone, with no love to support her.
No one was there to help her. Her parents, who she hardly even knew, were gone. A foster mother and her son took her in and cared for her. Her son was taken. Her foster mother was killed. She perished; all of them did; all of the people who have cared for her, and all the people she had cared about. Dead. Murdered. By different people, but people of the same kind.
Qwasers.
As she took control of herself, the tears stopped and all the anger, frustration, loneliness and gloom disappeared. Her mind became blank, her brain fuzzy. All that remained were memories; happy ones and painful ones. The girl raised her right hand and a titanium metal weapon formed. Her arm bled into a pattern, but she felt nothing. Nothing at all.
She slashed her weapon into the cement wall.
The little girl had died.
A Qwaser had just been born.
"Hey, Mafuyu, come out already, we're going to be late for school!"
"Alright already! I'm coming down."
Tomo sighed heavily as she waited for her bestfriend. Really now, Tomo thought. What's taking Mafuyu so long?
A redheaded girl ran down the stairs and fell right into step with blue-violet haired girl with big breasts.
"I'm here. Let's go!" The redhead, Mafuyu, stated, pulling Tomo's hand and heading out.
"Mafuyu, you've been spending a long time just getting yourself ready, " Tomo pointed out. "How come?"
"What are you talking about? It takes a lot of minutes to change clothes, " Mafuyu answered too quickly.
"Really? That was never an issue for me, " Tomo thought aloud. Mafuyu bit her lip to keep herself from saying, It was never an issue for you having such large breasts?
"Where's Sasha?" Mafuyu asked as they reached the gate.
"He already went ahead, " Tomo answered. "He always goes ahead, you know that, right?" Why did she bother looking for him if she already knew his time schedule?
"Oh yeah, I forgot.."
No, she didn't, Tomo said in her mind, chuckling. She just wanted to talk about-
"Good Morning!"
Tomo looked at Mafuyu, confused at who she was saying the greeting to. Then she noticed a small girl standing infront of the bulletin board beside the gate. What a cute little girl! Tomo stared at her silver waist- length, amazed.
"Good morning! Are you from St. Mikhaelov's too?" Mafuyu asked. The girl looked at them for awhile, blinked and then took a step back.
"Oh no, wait! We're from St. Mikhaelov's Academy, " Tomo tried again. "What's your name?"
The girl's eyes were blank, which matched her appearance: pure and innocent. She took another step back and ran away from them.
"Hey- wait!" Mafuyu cried out, but it was no use. In a blink of an eye, the girl was far away. Too far away, in fact, that it seemed like she had been running a few minutes before.
"I wonder who that girl was..." Tomo said in a worried tone.
"Maybe she's in middle school, " Mafuyu suggested. The girl's appearance reminded her of someone. It's like when the girl's face passed her eyes, another face popped out. But the transition was too fast and so she couldn't recognize the face properly.
"Huh.."
The director's daughter Miyuri had yet again taken the stage.
"I'm going to throw a class party!" Miyuri announced with glee, during the school breaktime.
"A class party?"
"What's that?"
"Is it another birthday party?"
"Are we all invited?"
"Uh..."
Miyuri puffed up her curly, pink hair and spared the murmurers. "This class party will be like an acquaintance party for the whole class! Everyone is invited, although there are some requirements for SOME people!" Her eyes twinkled maliciously. "It will be held at my house tomorrow night! There'll be party games, lots of high class food and a special presentation from my lovely sister Katja!"
Mafuyu rolled her eyes. "It's just another party to showcase her talent and a talent she thinks Katja just learned..."
Fortunately, Miyuri didn't hear her as she was heading to Mafuyu's desk. "Of course!" She exclaimed. "You are required to bring Tomo and that Sasha tundra boy!"
"Eh? Why do I have to be the one to invite Sasha-kun?" Mafuyu stuttered a bit.
"Because!" Miyuri slammed her palm on the desk. "You are closest to him, and the others won't go without him either! I want more party guests!"
" -and Besides, we know you can't spend a day without Sasha..."
"Eh? What-?" Mafuyu turned around to find her tormentor, Hana, smirking.
"What?" Hana mocked Mafuyu. "It's true, everyone in the Qwaser business knows that."
"There's nothing going on between me and-"
"Oh?" Hana moved in closer. "Is there something you want to tell me? Something you want to confess?"
Mafuyu frowned. Shoot. I almost gave it away..
"Move, " A handsome, but firm voice said. Like I don't already know who that is, Mafuyu rolled her eyes once more.
Hana's eyes narrowed at Sasha's order. "Speak of the devil, " She said, more to Mafuyu than to Sasha. Hana walked back to her seat as Sasha lazily sat on his own.
"Did the Copper Puppet's Maria give you any trouble?" Sasha inquired, referring to Hana.
"Uh, not really," answered Mafuyu. Did he really care or was he just trying to strike up a conversation?
"Women like her are really used to create trouble, " Sasha said with a glare.
Oh, is he trying to defend me? "Well-"
"While women like you, " Sasha faced her, but with a lighter glare. "Are the magnets and victims of trouble."
WHAT THE HELL? "Why you-!"
Just then, the teacher stepped inside the classroom. "Alright, settle down, seniors, classes are about to start."
Mafuyu made a face as she faced front. ARGH. He is so damn annoying! That little tundra brat...
Sasha smirked at Mafuyu's postponed retort. Little did the two know that Tomo was watching them and was biting her lips so hard to keep herself from laughing.
Mafuyu took a ladle from the kitchen drawer and tasted the soup she made. Hmm..this'll do. She put the ladle down and turned off the gas. Seriously, doesn't Sasha get tired of eating Borscht every night? Maybe I'll try a new Russian recipe on him..
"Mafuyu-chan? Is the soup ready?" Tomo asked, getting inside the kitchen.
"Yeah..."
Tomo took on her tone immediately. "What's wrong? You okay?"
"Yeah.." Mafuyu answered with a sigh. "I just feel a little lonely without Teresa..I mean, most of the time, we have a guest for dinner.."
"Oh." Tomo leaned on a nearby counter. "Well, we can invite someone if you want. The priest..Lizzy..Katja- "
"No, it's fine, " Mafuyu said as she placed some Borscht into a bowl. "Besides, Sasha might not be cool with it."
Tomo stared at her bestfriend as she headed into the dining room. So that's why she's so gloomy these days...Tomo pulled herself together, grabbed the trash, and walked out to the gates. This way she could she clear her head a bit.
As she strolled along on the pathway, the cold wind caressed her face. What a calming feeling..
Suddenly, Tomo heard the sound of shoes scratching on the pavement. She glanced at the big, iron gate and noticed a form in the dark. It could be someone, it could be anyone dangerous...but how would I know if I don't get a good look? She put on a brave face, walked to the gate and pushed it open. There was no one there except-
"Hello!" Tomo greeted the girl warmly. It was the silver-haired girl they saw near the board this morning. The girl was in the same place, staring at the bulletin board. Tomo dropped the trashbag into the trash can, closing it with the tin cover. It made a clank! sound, which made the girl come to her senses.
"Hi," Tomo said again. "What are you doing outside at night?"
The girl merely blinked. Tomo thought she might be afraid.
"My name's Tomo, by the way," She continued, friendly as she was. "What's your name?"
The girl did not answer again, but retained her blank, innocent expression.
"Do you want to come inside the house? It's cold in here."
The girl took a step back. Her honey-gold cat-like eyes shined in the moonlight.
"It's alright, I just don't want to leave you out here, especially at this time of night.."
Tomo measured her steps as she walked to the girl, then gently grabbed her hand and led her into the house. The girl looked at Tomo. Tomo smiled at her assuringly.
"You haven't told me your name yet, by the way, " Tomo said aloud, mostly to herself than to her audience.
The girl stared down at the ground. "It's Makuza."
"Oh, kawaii!~" Mafuyu exclaimed as soon as she saw their new dinner guest.
"Her name's Makuza, " introduced Tomo, letting her sit down on one of the dining chairs.
"Makuza? What's her first name?"
"Well, she wouldn't say.." They both looked at Makuza expectantly, but she was gazing on the food set. Mafuyu went near her and introduced herself.
"Hi, Makuza! My name's Oribe Mafuyu. I'm Tomo's bestfriend. Can we call you by your first name?"
But Makuza remained silent. Tomo gave Mafuyu an apologetic smile. She must be the shy and silent type, Mafuyu thought. Or maybe she's just hungry?
The way that Makuza's been staring at the food gave the two an idea. Mafuyu served some soup and placed it on her plate.
"Go ahead, it tastes good!"
Makuza took her spoon and tasted the red-colored soup. "Borscht, " She said blankly.
"Wow, she figured it out that fast?"
"She must like Russian dishes, " Mafuyu concluded. "Do you, Makuza-chan?"
Makuza put down her spoon. "Ayuri."
Mafuyu worked it out. "Ayuri? Is that your first name?"
Ayuri nodded her head. "You may call me Ayuri now." She took another spoonful of soup. "I like your Borscht."
Mafuyu thought Ayuri's statement reminded her of something..was it deja vu? She pushed the thought away.
"Well, Sasha likes Borscht, so that's why we have to cook it every night, " Mafuyu told their guest.
"Uhm, where is Sasha-kun, by the way?" Tomo asked her.
"Sasha..?" Ayuri inquired in a soft voice.
"Oh, he lives in this house too, " Tomo said. "You'll meet him late- "
The door opened suddenly and a white-haired boy stepped out. His eyes narrowed at the sight of a new guest. The aqua blue eyes locked with the honey gold eyes. Sasha ended the stare with a glare.
"Who's this?"
+++A/N+++
Konbanwa~ This is my first online-published SnQ story. There's a lot more to this story, so please watch out for new chapters and PLEASE REVIEW. :D
++AngelusAce++