I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but there is not a SINGLE story based around the Glitterati. What? Are we all haters of Jaryn and Kerith? Well, I say screw the haters, 'cause I'm making a story based around Kerith.
There is an OC in this chapter, but they're only for the intro.
Head pounding, heart racing, the man fled for his life through the dark ghettos hidden behind the southern recesses of Dance Central City. It was a miracle he hadn't run out of energy, for surely, any normal citizen would have given in to the police's influence and persistence. Instead, the man sat in a rotting and abandoned building, lungs burning with exhaustion, legs slack with sore muscles. His ice blue eyes gazed restlessly into the midnight sky, a slight trickle of water dripped onto a cut, bleeding hand from an open pipe above. Most of his platinum blond hair had been matted with dirt and grime, the price of running from city authority, and hung over his forehead, plastered down with sweat. The rest was held down over his back in a sizable ponytail. His shirt and pants had been stained with blood, scars and cuts criss-crossing his torso and back.
Outside his temporary sanctuary, the police worked furiously to locate the runaway criminal. A dangerous murder such as himself, forced to abandon his post and travel endlessly across the city, could spell disaster for all those who dared to cross his path. They were so close to catching him this time, the chief could almost feel the criminal's skin wriggling under his firm grip as he dragged him to face his punishment. Oh yes, they were that close.
The man stifled a groan, the searing alarm of authorities awaking him from his dreams as the noise echoed across the empty concrete structure of his hiding space. It was only a matter of hours before he would be arrested, his freedom siphoned away forever behind steel prison bars. The platinum blond criminal slid up the wall, using his hands for support and balance. A whimper ghosted into his ears, the sound of a small child perhaps, crying out in fear from a dark corner of the ruined hideout.
He froze for a second, assessing his situation and weighing out the options. Finally, the criminal decided to investigate the unknown noise source on his own accord. He pulled from his belt a small knife, sharpened to a lethal edge, positioning his weapon at the ready. Another meager whimper escaped the shivering figure, pressing it's body against the dark wall, attempting to disappear from the stranger approaching.
As the platinum blond drew closer, his weapon of defense was lowered, no longer fearing the being inhabiting the space before him. It was a little girl, brown-haired, brown eyes staring in absolute fear towards the man approaching her with a lethal weapon. She was still in a solid state, her clothes intact and no signs of struggling or abuse written along her skin.
"Who-who are you?" She stammered, cowering in fear from the criminal.
The man was quiet for a few moments, ice blue eyes searching for any signs of danger hidden beneath the young girl's fear. "Kerith. "
"Kerith, huh? I have a name..." She whispered quietly, moving a single inch closer to the man. "Do you...want to hear it?"
He nodded. If he was to figure out this girl's predicament, all crucial information would be needed for a logical assessment.
"Rosie. That's my name." The girl slowly stood, her fears of Kerith fading. "I was separated from my parents and ended up here."
Separation? That's the only reason this girl was hiding here? Kerith couldn't believe what he had heard. Sure, he had seen some children who ran from their parents, some who had been abused, and even some that had been raped and killed. Yet, Rosie's situation was very different from those missing children he'd seen before.
"Um...I don't know how to ask this, but...can you take me home?" Rosie asked shyly, rubbing her arms nervously.
Take her home? Kerith was taken back by this child's request, staring in shock and absolute disbelief. His knife slipped from his grasp, clinking against the floor with a metallic ring. A little girl was entrusting her fate to one of the city's most wanted criminals, yet, lo and behold, she wanted him to escort her back to her residence.
"Why ask me?" Kerith asked, snapping out of his dazed state.
Rosie shrugged. "I believe that I can trust you."
Her laughed, finding the girl's answer highly entertaining. "Kid, you don't know who you're talking to. I'm a criminal, one of the city's deadliest robbers of all times, I take what I wish for and give nothing back but pain. How could you ever trust a guy like me?"
"Because you didn't keep the money." Kerith was frozen to his spot once again. "You gave it to a childrens' hospital in order to keep it from closing. And...you have never killed another man, no matter who it was or what they came after you for."
How the hell did this girl know so much about his motives and his actions?
"You shouldn't have to steal in order to make a difference. Your heart is gold, so why continue to live this way?" Rosie had stepped in close to Kerith. So close, in fact, that she was now holding his hand to comfort and persuade him as well.
"How do you know this much about me?" He asked, suspiciously raising an eyebrow.
"My father works on the police force. He's usually away, so I read his reports and newspapers." Rosie shrugged.
Kerith couldn't decide what to do. God, this situation was so infuriating! Was he to help the girl and risk the police? Or ditch her and escape without another word? It was excruciating to decide, Rosie's statements echoing around his mind.
''I was separated from my parents and ended up here.'
'I believe I can trust you.'
'Your heart is gold, so why continue to live this way?'
In a sense, she was spot on, understanding Kerith's morals, his wishes, and the gentle nature beneath an exterior of ice. Yet, his freedom was also a key factor to making the decision. Jail was not an option for him; he couldn't face the federal court at a time like this! Rosie was still looking up to him, brown eyes filled with understanding and hope, praying silently for guidance to her abode. Kerith's mind was decided right then and there.
"I'll take you back. I promise."
"You will?" Rosie beamed, wrapping her arms around Kerith and hugging him tight. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"
Kerith grimaced, feeling the wounds on his back reopening, yet he managed to uphold his facade.
"Rosie, listen to me. If I'm going to get you home, you must do everything and anything I say, no matter how strange it may sound. Understand?" He said sternly, placing his hands on the girl's shoulders.
She nodded, a happy smile spread across her face. Kerith took hold of her hand, moving silently through the collapsed building while keeping a watchful eye out for any signs of authorities. Rosie remained quiet and agile, sensing the tension and anxiety surrounding Kerith's aura. They continued through the back allies and abandoned shelters, dodging the penetrating glare of the police search lights.
A rush of frigid wind rushed past Kerith's neck, setting his skin ablaze with goosebumps. Something didn't feel right, a part of the police force was out of place. Feeling rushed, he pulled Rosie along faster, ducking around all available corners and into the darkest passageways. In his haste, Kerith slipped up, leading both himself and the girl to a dead end alley. Four bright police lights flashed across Kerith, illuminating the criminal.
"Stay behind me." He whispered to Rosie, hiding the girl behind his body. She complied, becoming deathly silent in fear and worry.
Two large hands slowly clapped, approaching the fugitive with great confidence. "Well, now. It looks as though we've finally caught you."
Kerith scowled, pushing Rosie backwards slowly, trying to separate the child from any harm. "Oblio."
"Commander Kanashimi to you, you filthy piece of trash." The man demanded, his dark blue hair parted halfway over his face, most pulled back into a ponytail. His eyes were a dark teal, inhuman and merciless. "I've waited too long to lose you this time, Prisoner 22317."
"I will never surrender to you." Kerith spat, pulling several black marbles out from his pocket. "This is goodbye, Kanashimi." He threw the marbles to the ground, showering the alley and it's close surroundings in a shield of black clouds. The thick covering allowed Kerith to take action, scooping Rosie into his arms and bolting past the officers as fast as he could run.
"No! Find him! He mustn't escape this time!" Oblio shouted, attempting to direct his lower officers amidst the chaos.
"22317!"
Kerith panted hard, depositing his young cargo onto a stack of boxes in a blocked off warehouse, accessible only through a hole in the wall. Rosie sat patiently, not wanting to push the man who was guiding her to bitter exhaustion. They waited a few minutes, both sitting in a half-awkward silence, Kerith's panting and the beating of his racing heart filling the open spaces around them.
"We're almost to my house. Are you okay to go on?" The young girl asked, jumping down to meet Kerith's ice blue eyes.
He nodded, happy to know his final mission was almost complete. Kerith knew fully well he did not posses the stamina and strength to continue running from the police. All of his injuries had left him weak, and he was loosing a lot of blood as well. Rosie took hold of his hand, guiding him slowly towards the opening in the wall. She peeked around the corners, securing their position before pulling Kerith down a dark street, keeping to the shadows as much as possible. The scenery changed from city ghettos to suburban residence, filled with houses and neatly cut lawns. Rosie led Kerith to a house with a large oak tree growing proudly in the backyard, reaching over the house with it's protective branches.
"Um, Kerith?" She asked nervously.
"Yes?"
"I hate to be a pain, but could you carry me to the balcony window? My parents aren't home, I can tell."
Kerith gazed up at the towering tree's smooth bark, growing out in large, hard to reach branches. It would take almost all of his efforts to carry the child and his own body weight up to the balcony window. Yet, looking into the child's eyes, he could see nothing short of adoration and trust; rare emotions linked to knowing a man for less than an hour. He also did not want to risk Rosie's safety by leaving her outside until her parents returned.
Sighing, Kerith lifted the girl onto his back, allowing her legs to wrap securely around his torso as her began the ascent. It was not easy to climb, for his hands would slip every so often, or a tree branch would snap off without a warning's notice. By the time Kerith made it onto the balcony, he was utterly drained and exhausted, slumping onto the ground without so much as a second thought.
"Kerith? Hey, are you okay?" Rosie shook him gently, attempting to find a response within her savior.
He groaned in response, trying to find some sort of strength in order to get himself moving once again. Kerith's body disobeyed, refusing to move even a single inch from the spot in which he lay.
"Thank you, again, for everything you've done. I owe my life to you." Rosie gently kissed Kerith's forehead, petting his platinum blond hair away from his face.
A surge of energy coursed through Kerith's veins, allowing him to sit up once again. He stared intently at Rosie, trying to figure out just what had happened. The blond remembered why he helped children and why he went to such lengths in order to save them. Children gave him the strength to fight, and it was their happiness and gratitude that helped him to keep running from the police.
"You shouldn't have to go to jail." Rosie mused, frowning as she remembered the cops chasing Kerith earlier. "Don't you have a relative of some sort? Anyone who could help hide you from the police?"
"A sister..." He didn't know why he was telling a little girl his relations. He didn't even know Rosie personally for god's sake!
"Good. You should hide with her for a while. And cut your hair while you're at it." She grinned, tugging on Kerith's long blond ponytail.
"Hey! That hurts, you know?" He grimaced, rubbing his scalp from the pain.
Rosie giggled, moving back to the balcony window and opening it with ease. She hesitated for a moment, turning back to her savior who stood, leaning against the railing.
"So, I guess this is goodbye then..." She frowned.
"It is. I hope that in the future, we can meet on more fortunate terms." Kerith replied, giving the girl a reassuring smile.
"Night Shade."
"Excuse me?"
"If you do go back to crime, make sure you have a name picked out beside your real one." Rosie said, stepping into her bedroom. "Night Shade fits your personality."
'A savior by night,
he rides the silent wings of justice,
bringing forth honest morals,
in what seems to be illegal acts.
For those who have come to be judged by the eye,
their true intentions life beneath the shades of grey,
unclear to the normal world'
She presented the poem beautifully, inflection and sincerity filling every syllable she spoke. Kerith realized how close it's meaning reflected his actions and way of life. Not knowing what to say, he left without another word, jumping across the rooftops with grace. Fueled by the young girl's kindness and guidance, he set off to locate the last person in Dance Central City who was capable of hiding him from the police.
Rosie smiled, watching as her dashing savior disappeared into the midnight sky.
"Night Shade it is."
*Kanashimi is Japanese for sorrow (Don't judge my names!)
Yep. This is my work.
Rosie will never appear again. No, she doesn't die, but she disappears from the text.
Please tell me what you think! And how do you feel about a KerithxGlitch pairing mixed with crossdressing? ;D