Disclaimer: I do not own sunrise or Mai-Otome.
MEATER - A street term meaning coward.
DADDLES - A delightful way to refer to your rather boring hands.
CORNED - Being heavily intoxicated or drunk.
NANTY NARKING - A tavern term, to have a great time.
BACK SLANG - to indicate that they wanted "to go in the back way."
MAFFICKING - An excellent word that means getting rowdy in the streets.
Back in Victorian Times, London was a struggle for survival. Men, Woman and children worked for the slightest of coin. Manchester wasn't always a bright day of smiles and drinks, Therefore, A beast lurks into the cold wet streets, waiting for it's prey to stumble into an unknown alley.
Every full moon, a man, woman or child will die.
Chapter 1 : Steam and oil.
London, 1827 Manchester
The Machines let out a low rumble groan as steam whistle and spew from loose pipes and holes. Grinding of giant cogs could be heard throughout the sweat stenched room. Pipes shook and pop, exhaustion setting into the machinery as if it's beginning to erupt a mass amount of fluid lurking and flowing inside the rusted steel pipes. Small steel screws bulged from their tighten sockets as hot boiling steam shoots from any possible freedom from inside the machine.
"Get back!" A oil-sweat covered man bellowed as he weilds a broken crankshaft in his covered left gloved hand. His hair greased from the machines outburst of over-exhaustion. His clothes caked in oil and dirt, he watches the machine enrage with more steam spewing from within it's pipes and leakage of boiling water.
"We can't get close enough to stop it!" Another man covered in sweat and grease, much less bulk then the other man. He covers his nose and mouth with an oil soaked cloth, prefenting any further hot steam from entering his lungs.
"Meater!" The bulk man roared, making the smaller man scuffle back as the machine becomes more impatient and swells, failing steam sretching the machine from within. It's watery steam metal becomes too hot and scorching for any human hands to the touch.
As the cogs twitch and creak, stuck in their turning process a loud pop was heard, sending a medium size-slick cog at the crowd of men. Some ducked for cover as others slipped from the wet stone pavement under their rough leathered boots.
A loud thud and crack was heard behind the men as they turn their heads to see if the cog has finished it's spinning death. There, at the doorway a heavily covered form stoon. Layers of cloth and wasted metal hugged the form tightly, dirty ropes wrapped itself around the form from preventing any sag or loose cloth and metal. A pair of leathered worn goggles wrapped tightly around the head as well as a heavy leather hat covers the top. Below the neck snugged layers of dirty cloth, a thin metal square shaped piece protects the persons chest and stomach. Along the arms were heavy wrapped cloth as well as bulked leathered gloves. The waist down held more metal, bending to form a shield at the knees. It's boots grime and mudded from years of stomping and wearing.
The figure examines the machinery before approaching. Watching the machine swell and groan from it's lack of release pressure. In a swift motion, the figure approaches the machine before a oil slick hand grips one heavy glove.
"If you try to stop it, it will stop you! Don't be a fool!" The bulk man says, trying his best to save one of his workers from being badly damaged or worse, fatile.
The heavily covered figure yanks it's arm, freeing it's captor from it's hard grip. A muffled scoff was heard behind the forms covered mouth as it continues it's journey to the enraged machine. Lifting a covered metal arm, the figure examines more closely, trying to figure where to stop it's monsterous outburst. Boiling steam hisses at the thin metal and soaks into the cloth of the figure. With a gruff of discomfort the figure crouches on all fours, the welding of the metal protecting the figures form from any burn damage. The figure lurks under the groaning machine, It's under pipes leaking boiling water, dripping onto the cobbled surface and hisses into hot steam.
"Shit." The heavily covered figure curses as It discovers the second emergency crankshaft. The reach wasn't far but the heat of the pipes was enough to keep any flesh from stopping it's bellowing enrage. With a swift reach sweep, the thin metal clanked against the pipes, the heavily cloth hand curls around the shaft. A hard yank back wasn't enough power to stop the machine. Reaching with the other covered arm, the figure clutches the shaft, pulling with force. The cloth covering the forms head pressed against the boiling metal, burning and smoking the poorly design material.
"Come on!" The figure huffs deep and with all strength the crank finally moves. A loud thud was heard under the machine and it's tiring pipes slowly descend as the swelling machine groans once more before settling into a low rumble. The cogs halt from their hard pressure turning, and with last remaining steam inside the monsterous machine, it soothes it all out. Exhausted from the pressure and release the machine becomes quiet, cooling slowly from the hot water inside.
"Great work Kruger! Those daddle hands are handy after all!" The crowd of men cheered and walked back into their positions. Rounding the small covered figure, the bulky man hooks his forearms under the smaller forms, yanking her up on her feet. A small gasp was heard from the small saver, a covered hand cupping her burnt cheek. "Damnit, that hunk of junk." She hisses has the cloth contacted the fresh burned flesh. "You saved us money but you could've lost an arm Kruger!" The bulk-muscled man says in a low gruff. Scoffing, Natsuki pulls down the dirty cloth from her nose and mouth and hoisted the worn goggles atop of her leather hat.
"What's done is done, Let's just be glad the boss isn't here to see our failure." Natsuki points as she sneered at the exhausted machine. The steam settles down into a low hum and the boiling liquid drips slowly down and escapes into the cracks on the stone floor. The room was large with other working machines that connected to the walls and floor. Larger pipes and cogs soothingly flows and turns. How did this machine start such a ruckus in the first place?
Upon further expectation, Natsuki looms over the cooling pipes, her metal clanks against the steel of the machine. "A loose screw must have snugged itself into the cranks below." Natsuki suggested, pushing herself back upright she turns to the door. With a dirsty fried glove on the door frame she peeres back at her fellow team mates.
"Next time this happens make sure every screw is in it's place." She says in a low huff.
"Don't worry, first thing we gettin'done. As well as this." The man raises a broken crankshaft, slightly waving it in it's poor condition. Natsuki knows it was the the main shaft to hold down the machine, knowing why the men haven't stopped or neared the machine in the first place.
"How about you weld that crank first before another embarrassing action happens." Natsuki suggested before she turns back and exits out of the boiling room.
She stomps into the long dark hallway, only dim light from dying electric lights behind dusted glass was the source of light in the bottom building. She pulls off her heavily coated form piece by piece as she hoises up the creaking wooden stairs. She was in need of a shower after that scene. Her work in the boiling room has become one of her favorite times of the day. Her mind closed out of the real world and instead, tinkering machines and fixing their damaged years.
As she rounds a cold stone wall on her right, a wooden sign was a top of a door frame she was heading towards. The words saying " Womans Washrooms " on the old wood. She approaches one of the stalls that had a shower head hovering in the middle of the stall. On the other side was a small metal steel. With an uncovered glove she turns on the shower, sighing in relieve from the sound of fresh water hitting the smooth pavement below. With a swift motion she sheds the remaining heavy pieces of clothes she had left. The smell of burnt cloth fried her nostrils and stung her throat.
"Ach!" Natsuki yelps when she suddenly feels the burning sensation back on her cheek. She grunts as she carefully runs two fingers around the flesh. "If this leaves a scar I swear I'll unscrew that junk of a machine and toss it in the river." She mumbles to herself as she tosses the thin metal and ropes to the floor, hearing a clunk at the action. She strips her remaining clothes off and settles them on a wooden worn bench. Her skin slick with sweat and oil from wrestling the machine. She steps into the cold water, enjoying the relaxation of water droplets hitting her dirty skin and washing down the filth. Oil and dirt formed at her feet as it seeps down the drain. Within 30 minutes of washing herself she turns the knob, the water stopping slowly into small drops. She turns and walks out of the shower stall, reaching down and pulled out a clean towel from a basket under the sinks pipes she begins to dry herself.
"My, my I thought I'd never get to see such a ugly creature without it's clothes off." A voice was heard behind her. With a yelp and sharp turn she glares at the person, covering herself in a hasty manner.
"Danmit Nao! I'm in the middle of my own privacy!" Natsuki bellows and tightens the towel more firmly to her form. Hair soaked and dripping Natsuki grabs the basket full of fresh towels and throws it harshly at the red-haired intruder.
"Whoa there mutton! I'm not here to batty-fang!" Nao says as she catches the basket, the towels pooling onto her head, realizing she has caught it upside down. The smells of fresh linen hits her nose and the softness of the cloth hitting her skin.
"How did you even get in here anyways, This building is for workers only!" Natsuki howls, towel still wrapped around her lithe form.
"I back slang it, besides the workers in this stench hot place sucks at keeping an eye out." Nao drops the empty basket onto the damp cold floor, along with the towels she plucks off her head and shoulders.
"Why are you here? If it's another one of your goon tricks count me out!" Natsuki marches towards her clothes she worn under the other heavy leathers and metal platted gear. Bending slighty, she ruffles into her clothes, finding her undergarements. She lifts up her head, quirking a lean dark brow at the other woman.
With out words the other woman knows the signal. She lets out a gruff and turns her body, her back facing the naked woman. She crosses her arms and stares at the dark shadowed corner of the washroom. She taps her worn boot to the floor, waiting for the other woman to dress in privacy.
"I"m here to take you out nanty narking. Seeing you these days in the slump gives me a nasty taste in my mouth, and I don't like it." Nao says as she adjusted her arms that are now placed on her hips. Her ears picking up the sound of ruffling cloth and a click of a buckle. Must be putting on her pants, the red hair girl thought. "And don't decline because I already told everyone you'd be there once I left." Another sound of cloth was heard but it was more swift then the last.
With a sigh, Natsuki Slumps onto the wooden bench, slipping on her socks with holes and her worn black leather boots. "Today really isn't a good day for me to get corned and waking up in a pig pin." Natsuki flushed as she remembers the day she woken in a slur, a matted dirty pig was flat over her stomach as it slept. Her clothes riding up in ways that a man could of easily taken her. Thankfully the owner of the pigs hasn't risen yet.
"You have to admit that was a great sight to see!" Nao turns on her heels, facing the woman now fully dressed. "The hard working Kruger drunk off her ass and married a pig!" Nao snickers at the woman. Her dark raven hair shines in the dim light, her white porcelain skin glows, and her emerald forest eyes can kill with a hint of anger. The other womans lime green eyes drops to the girls feet, more interested in her mudd boots then her face. "Mai invited us to her tavern. She seems very timid for some reason." Nao says as she picks at the stone shower stall, looking for loosen cobble.
"What do you mean?" Natsuki stands in a swift motion, worried to hear her orange haired friend troubled.
Nao peers her lime green eyes at the darker ones, feeling the burning gaze into her skull. "I mean that she is Mafficking! She's been restless all day in the back of her kitchen." Natsuki felt her temple tickle." A nervous Mai is never a good sign," Natsuki thought to herself. As she rounds up the dirty and fried leather and metal on the ground she strives over to the waste basket and dumps it in. Hands prompt on her hips, Natsuki turns to the woman.
"Alright I'll check it out." Natsuki makes her move towards the woman. "But I will not take any offer from you again!" Natsuki says as she kept walking back pass the other woman, finding the back entrance where she came.
"Oh come on mutton, You know you had a good time!" Nao catches up to the other woman and laced a arm around her shoulders.
The streets of Manchester were cold and quiet. The heavy fog licks every obstacle it touches, making it become slightly damp and deathly cold. Tall dark wooden buildings rest in the cold night. Inside some windows were dim light from the wick of candles. Stray cats prowling around the damp street, searching for any rats or mice to catch. Closed gates signals that some of the building stores were closed for the night and secured with thick chains and a pad lock. The weather has not been forgiving the past few weeks, hence the never ending soggy air and wet stone could easily make anyone slip on its slick surface.
"Shit. After being inside the boiler all day I never knew how cold it was out!" Natsuki says as she hugs herself with her tanned long sleeve shirt, curling her fingers in to hide from the cold nights air bite. Wishing she was back at her job but the night let's everyone know that it's time to close the day. The half moon in the dark sky brightens the wet streets, not letting the fog fail it's light.
"Stop talking like a bitch Kruger, Were right around the corner." Nao lets out a puff, the air making her breath fog.
"As much as I only come out to check on Mai, you are becoming a tick on the back of my neck." Natsuki heaved. Her own breath casting out a fog. Their shadows casted behind them as the streets dimly fading lights try their best to stay alive. Ravens were perched on the roofs and fences, letting out deep croaking in the night.
Nao watches one of the large birds nesting itselt ontop of a broken street light. It's black eyes searching around for a meal. "Please, you known me ever since we were 12. Back then you were a quiet little pup." The raven croaked at the red haired woman. Flinching at it's behavor Nao shoo's the bird off but fails.
"Yeah I was until I started hanging around you." Natsuki and Nao round a corner, their destination coming to an end as the taverns lights brightly light the front doors and street. "I could have been in school by now if I haven't saved your arse from that dog." Natsuki reminded.
Scoffing, Nao opens the metal gate, it's rusted worn years as a door sqeaked when pulled back. They entered the tavern, the room was brightly lit with a roasting fire pit in the middle of the room, warming the welcome cold off the skin and clothes upon entering. Rows of wooden tables were pressed against the brick walls, the wooden chairs neatly tucked under the tabled. A few drunken men sat at different tables, away to be seen by anyone they know. One man is passed out on a barrel, his head resting on the brick wall behind him.
"Tch, glad to know this place still runs well." Natsuki scoffs, looking at the stains of rum painted into the wooden tables and the drunk men sluggishly sat. The tavern was a home to all the men who had a rough day, or because they got kicked out of their home by their wife. "Why waste a good night on rum?" Natsuki thought.
"Natsuki! Nao!" A woman could be heard ahead of them. Her hair was short and the color was orange like a sunset. Her skin was flushed, perhaps it was her diddle-daddling that has made her face that way? The lean girl on the other side of the wooden bar moves, placing her hand on the wooden bar door.
"I need both of your help now!" Mai says. She swiftly opens the bar door and stood for both woman to enter.
"Help? What happened to mikoto this time?" Natsuki snickers as she and Nao pass the wooden gate, hearing it click behind them.
"Mikoto isn't the problem, I'm making a feast for the Viola Ball tomorrow!" Mai shuffles past the two woman as she continues her task with the meat layed out. Mikoto across the other side of the kitchen table was busy putting away raw vegetables and taking out steel bowls from the glass cabinets.
"V-Viola Ball?! Feast?! Nao, you traitor I thought Mai was seriously in trouble!" Natsuki raised her fist at the snickering woman. Her hand hiding her wicked smile.
"Oh but Natsuki, Mai is your best friend, helping her with cooking should be a nice bonding." Nao chortles behind her hand. Dodgeing the fisted swing Nao leaps back. "Hey! It is a serious problem! Look at her!" Nao points at the woman tending the meat with a beater. "Help her out and attend the Ball!"
"What about Tate!? Where is that slug, he should be the one helping!" Natsuki stomps her foot towards the other woman, hands still balled into fists.
"He's helping his father with the farm this week, he isn't on the help list." Mai says as she places the raw meat into a bowl Mikoto has placed beside her, earning herself a thank you from the orange hair girl.
"B-But I got to fix a portable steam engine tomorrow! That's a good pay for me!" Natsuki says as she slams her hands down onto the kitchen table, making the bowl slightly topple and the silverware rattle in her child manner.
"Come on Natsuki this will be good pay for the both of us, Viola Manor isn't just a formal Ball. It's a Ball for the highest kings and queens! And I'm going to cook them the best feast they ever had!" Mai rinses her dirtied hands from the sink and dries them off with her cloth snugged around her waist.
Natsuki gives a thought about the events that played in her head. Being at a Ball with kings and queens could expand her title. But how did Mai even get this information? They were peasants to the rich in Manchester. Not to mention working in a boiler wasn't a great. Only earning herself a could of copper per week was only enough to buy food.
Giving in with a great sigh, Natsuki relaxes her balled fists on the table and straightens her back. "Alright." She mutters. With one hand on her hip she waves a slender finger at the orange hair girl. "But only this once!" Natsuki says as she started to see the beam of happiness in the girls lavender's eyes.
"Oh Natsuki thank you! I promise this will be great for both of us!" Mai says as she launches herself at the lithe girl, hearing a small grunt.
"Well, attending a Ball and dancing around like a wooden plank sounds fun and all but," Nao stretches her hands behind her head and started to walk off into the chilly nights air. "A Ball isn't my kind of thing so you two get to have all the fun."
Mai lets go of Natsuki and snags the back of the girls collar. "Oh no you don't!" She yanks her back with a flick of her wrist and pulls the red hair girl away from the door. "You are helping also!"
Nao makes a discomfort face as she turns her head to watch in horror as Mai drags her to the raw onions that need to be chopped.
"You beast! I never signed to this! I was asigned to fatch your dog!" Nao faces Natsuki and reaches out to grab her sleeve, but fails poorly as she is yanked again by the bustling woman.
Natsuki lets out a howl of laughter as she begins to tie a white cloth around her waist. Watching Nao being dragged by Mai and a horror batch of raw onions makes music to Natsuki's ears.
Viola Manor
In the deep dark woods, fog rolls it's way through the tree tops and below the branches. A single high hill top was settled in the middle of the forest and atop the tree tops could see the mansions gothic structure. The mansion inside was pitch black, and the air inside was deathly cold. The sound of a mouse could be heard in this huge quiet mansion. A heartbeat can echo throughout the halls. It's dark lavender wallpaper becomes worn and stiff from the years of heat and winter passing by. The wooden flooring creaks and the crimson rugs were tattered. Pictures were alined along the hallways of the manor, pictures of men, woman, children and pets. These pictures were decades old, the faces of these poeple were stern and serious. Freshly trimmed beards and formal wear were worn by the men that has own the mansion. The woman in the pictures wore bonnets to keep their hair in a tight bun to show off their curved well formed face and eyes. Dark eyes.
A sound of a wheel can be heard in the hallway. It crunches on the wooden planks of the mansion made it difficult for the person to be quiet. With a wick in one hand and the other gripping the wheel, Shizuru tries to straighten her wheelchair, as it went out of line when she was busy looking at the picture that hung along the hallway walls. She urges the wheels to point in the direction she wants them at, but fails as the wheel on her left has somehow snagged onto the windows curtain. She leans over, trying not to drop the wick as she fiddles the curtain that has twirled into a knot on her wheel. She was set free as the curtain sways back in it's place. Pleased what she has accomplished, Shizuru adjusted her wheelchair and endeavors down the dark hallway, the only source of light of her wick. She stops at one of the pictures at the end of the hall. The picture was a man, a woman and a small child. The woman was in her early 20's, her fairy white skin shines bright in the picture, her chestnut hair was pinned to one side of the shoulder, the bonnet she wore was white as snow and the flowers pinned ontop were poppies. Her smile was like an angel and her eyes danced with love. The white gown she wore showed her perfect form.
The man in the same picture was older, much older in his late 40's. His black greyish hair was slicked back by the grease he smoothed into his hair. The ends of his hair was slightly waved. His dark skin matched his style, a black tux along with a high top black hat. His mustache was curled and his beard brushed. And the wrinkles that formed around his eyes made the man look wise. His dark red eyes gave his whole appearance misterious. The way he looks into the bellows camera made his eyes difficult to show what kind of emotion he was showing in the picture frame. But Shizuru knew what that look was.
She turned her gaze to the small child that rested on the womans knee. It was her when she was four. Her small face was beaming brightly at the camera, short wavey chestnut locked curled around the childs face and the huge doll crimson eyes. She wore a white tousle dress and her tiny shoes were black button ups.
Shizuru reaches up and glides her slim fingers along the faces of her parents. Oh how she misses them dearly. It has been almost seven years since the pass of her parents. That day was like a never ending nightmare to her. She remembers all the blood the spurted and splashed across the walls and floor. Their lifeless limbs and body twisted in a way a human body shouldn't.
Shizuru thought back upon that day. The day a ghoulish, dark shadow towered over her small body. The foul stench of air huffing past her face. The slightest smell was unbearable to exhale, as it was a rat soup or a gutted pig. How she remembered glancing up to the shadow, away from seeing her parents lifeless bodies, and seeing a pair of big, bright, purple eyes in the shadows of the room. It stays where it was and watches her with those devilish eyes, not once blinking.
The beast slowly peeked it's huge muzzled from within the shadows, showing it pulled back into a snarl, it's teeth was sharp like a butchers knife and saliva oozed between teeth and dripped onto the bloodied floor. The beasts gums shines in the full moon night as it halts from showing the rest of itself to the girl.
Shizuru's legs refused to move as she was forced to burn her crimson eyes into the larger beasts own. She felt like a small mouse, clutched between a cats paws. She dared not to make a sudden move as she kept staring into those huge, bright purple eyes.
"Please..."
A low bloody gurgle came from the beasts throat before a huge, matted paw launched it's way at her. It's monterous claws clashes against her hip, a loud crack of bone was heard from her ears before she was lounged against the side of the room, hitting her head against a table. The books on the table shifted against the impact and scrolls of paper tumbled off and onto the floor. Shizuru lands onto the floor next to the table. Her eyes once more adjusting to the dark room and seeing those big, glowing eyes.
Before she could speak out for help, a candle stick lands next to her head. It's flame burned out and the remaining smoke soothed into the cold air.
The beast stays and watches her more, before it slowly lurks back into the dark shadows, it's glowing eyes fading away into the darkness.
"Why didn't you kill me when you had the chance?" Shizuru was brought back into her thoughts as she heard a noise behind her. She stays where she was, she knew who the person was behind her. She didn't need to look as she kept her eyes glued onto the picture frame of her parents.
"Shizuru." A low hum was heard.
"Reito." Shizuru mimics back, in a small playfull tease. She lifts up the candle to her lips and lets out a small puff, setting it's flame into a dying light.
"You just won't give up, will you?" The man was tall and handsome. His charcoal hair sways in all directions from it's lack of grooming and brushing. His ash colored eyes focused on the girl infront of him.
"You know I cannot please unless I say goodnight to my parents." Shizuru says, as she placed the dead wick on a nearby low table she gripped both her wheels, but a movement behind her made her halt her actions.
"Allow me Shizuru, It will be faster and less stress on your body." Reito says as he grips the wheelchairs back handles, slowly swaying Shizuru back into the direction she came from.
"Reito makes me sound like I'm worthless to myself." Shizuru teases, a small thankful smile was all she could do.
"Don't start. You are the one that has a bad habit of moving out of bed in the middle of the night." He says. They approached a door, and into the dark room. Reito halts the wheelchair next to the cast-iron bed. It's floral dark red blankets hung low past the brass beams and the pillows were fluffed for comfortable sleep.
"Ara...It always makes me feel better to sleep when I say goodnight to them." Shizuru says as she braces her snow white hands onto the mans lean shoulders. She was lifted off her wheelchair and placed gently onto the bedding. The way her body melted into the mattress relaxed her thoughts and sleep finally calmed her nerves. Forgetting the night her parents were brutally murdered.
"I won't stop you from a daily routine Shizuru but let me remind you of the Grand Royal Ball for tomorrow's event? You must have much rest, it will be very exhausting." Reito pulls his large hands from under the girls body and straighten his spine.
"Oh yes..The Ball.." Shizuru thought to herself as her heavy lids closed her sight, preventing any light to pass the flesh.
"Thank you for reminding me Reito. But I'm always on time for such an event." She says as her voice becomes low.
Reito grips the dark blankets and snugged it around the womans form, making sure the cold nights air from seeping under the covers.
Reito turns and reaches for the lamp light that stands next to the bed.
"Dont." A soft whisper was heard from the bed. "You know I can't sleep with a light." Another whisper passed his ears.
With a small smile, Reito lowers his hand and begins to walk back to the open door. He places his large hand on the door frame and with one last glance to the girl, he closes the door.
...
Chapter 2
Shizuru felt useless the day she was paralyzed from that monsterous beast that had broken her spine that night her parents died. But as the Grand Ball has begun it's event, her eyes locked onto a woman that looked like a white knight. How will she approach this mysterious woman that has entered her mansion?