D/C:: I don't own Anima
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The villagers... they're hurting me... Mommy, daddy, why'd you die and leave me here alone?
The petite anima had long midnight black hair that was almost down to her feet, pale ivory skin, and wore a simple blue dress with a white apron covering it, though both were dirty from being beaten by the villagers.
"You angel of death! It's your fault the village is falling ill!"
"You took away my son, how could you, you beast!?"
"Black wings bring bad luck and death, we must destroy her!"
Artemis sat there, wings curled protectively in front of her face, hoping to block some of the taunts the villagers were throwing at her, as well as the fierce beating she was receiving.
Two villagers rushed at her, trying to pry her wings apart so they could get to the girl inside. Another man stepped menacingly toward her, knife drawn.
"Watch, everyone, as I, Takamura Ooishi, the leader of the village, slice the wings off this death bringer!"
The two villagers managed to pry her wings taut while the other villager was still walking slowly towards her. By then Artemis was too numb to care. She silently begged God, if there was one, to give her a swift death.
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"Hey look guys, a village!" The upbeat Cooro pointed out the small village ahead with excitement. "Maybe they'll have food!"
"And maybe an inn or a place where I can get some new clothes!" Nana said with shining eyes and clasped hands.
"Keh, we don't have much money so we shouldn't be spending it on needless things... Camping suits us just fine!" Husky mumbled, irritated at Nana's and Cooro's constant babble.
"Do you guys hear something?" Nana's bat ears instantly sprung out form the side of her head. "Sounds like some thing's happening in the village. And from the sounds of it, it isn't too good."
"We should go check it out!" Cooro's crow wings appeared from his back and he took off towards the village.
As soon as he laid his eyes on the circle of villagers crowded around the young girl, he swiftly dived into the middle.
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The last thing Artemis saw before she blacked out was a strange boy with wings just like hers...
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"Hey! Beating up people isn't very nice, y'know!" Cooro sounded as angry as he could, which wasn't very since it is Cooro we're talking about here.
"Another Angel of Death, get him!" The men who were holding Artemis captive let go of her and she crumpled to the floor, while they rushed at Cooro.
"Eep!" I better get us out of here. Cooro looked over at the unconscious girl and swiftly grabbed her into his arms bridal style and flew away.
She's a anima... they were talking about another Angel of Death... could she be a crow anima as well? I've never met another crow anima before... though we've seen other fish, bear, and bat anima, there never seems to be any other crow anima...
The girl stirred in his arms and looked up at him. He looked down at her, and noticed that she had pretty silver eyes... No, they weren't silver, they were almost opalescent. he could notice the blue and pink sparkles in her eyes.
She caught him staring and Cooro immediately looked up, a faint blush on his cheeks. Artemis winced as they caught an updraft and were jerked to the side, unconsciously cringing into herself and clinging tightly to Cooro.
Cooro landed where he left Nana, Husky, and Senri, and pulled in his wings.
"Where've you been, Cooro? And what's that? Not another girl, please no!" Husky went into a fit, noticing the girl in Cooro's arms, forgetting about his first question.
"..." Senri immediately went over to Artemis and started licking a cut on her arm.
Artemis flinched away from Senri, unused to contact with other people, other than being hit or abused.
"Cooro, who's that girl? Is she an anima too?" Nana asked curiously. She really hoped she was, it got very irritating being the only girl in a group of four. She would finally have someone to talk to about girl things!
"Ah, hehe, I was flew to the village ahead, they were beating her up real bad, so I took her away from there. She's a crow anima like me!" Cooro stated with a grin.
Artemis who was still in his arms, remembered where she was and immediately started squirming around, trying to get away.
Cooro, surprised at her sudden movements, accidentally dropped her on the ground.
She sat there for a moment before opening her eyes, when she did she looked around for a moment before settling her eyes on the other three in the group. Nana took a step towards her, offering her a hand, before Artemis scrambled up and hid behind Cooro, fear in her eyes.
"I'm... sorry..." Nana said dejectedly before lowering her hand.
"You! What's your name?" Husky rudely said to her after he finished throwing his fit over another girl possibly in the group.
Artetmis just stared at him blankly, and hid behind Cooro more.
"I think she just wants some space guys, so why don't we go find some food?" Cooro suggested, pointing to the river just ahead of them.
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"Yummy, yummy, fish!" Cooro sang as he hungrily bit into his fish that Husky caught for them. "You should have some too - ah... What's your name?" he scratched the back of his head, remembering they never got a name from the mysterious anima he recently rescued.
Artemis looked around at everyone curious faces and looked down at the ground, looking to be searching for something. She found what she was looking for as she picked up a sharp stick and wrote her name in the dust.
Artemis
"Uwahh, what a pretty name!" Nana exclaimed, leaning towards her, causing Artemis to lean away.
"I don't like it at all, in fact I think she should leave us alone, we don't need another stupid girl with us. One's plenty!" Husky yelled, jabbing a finger at Nana and Artemis.
Artemis looked down, no emotion on her face.
"Don't mind Husky, Artemis, he hates all girls!" Cooro explained brightly. "In fact,he hates most people he just meets!" Cooro stifled a giggle.
She looked up at Cooro then quickly looked back down again. Artemis grabbed the stick she had used earlier and wrote something in the dust, then looked questioningly at Cooro.
Bath
"Yeah! Nana will go with you!" he nodded his head approvingly.
"Huh?" Nana looked up from the fish she had scarfed down.
"Your gonna go take a bath with Artemis!"
"Okay, let's go!" Nana Enthusiastically grabbed Artemis's hand and practically dragged her over and down the river some, out of sight of the boys.
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Down by the river, Nana had already stripped and was in the water, cooling down after a long day of travel.
"Aren't you getting in?" She questioned Artemis who hadn't even stripped yet.
Artemis just nodded and slowly began to take off her dress. When she was done, Nana gasped.
She had scars all over her arms and body! Who could ever do such a thing? She had seen Senri's and Rose's scars before but nothing ever as bad as this!
Artemis looked down, feeling Nana's piercing stares directed towards her scars, and quickly climbed into the water. She hastily scrubbed down her body, then showed her Anima and began cleaning all the blood and dirt off of her large black wings.
Once Artemis was done cleaning her wings she climbed out of the water and sat on a rock over looking the river waiting for her wings to dry.
She sat there for a while staring at the moon before she was tapped on the shoulder. Artemis jumped and looked at the person who tapped her. Phew, it was only Nana...
Of course it was Nana, your not near the village anymore, stupid.
She mentally sighed towards herself
"So... your a crow anima like Cooro?" Nana looked at her with a curious glint in her eyes.
Artemis nodded, unused to people talking to her anymore, and a little uncomfortable in this new girls prescence.
After a few moments of silence she retracted her wings and stood up to put on her dress. After she put on her dress again, she started walking back to camp, where the rest of the group was waiting.
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Mehhh, I would've done better but I was tired and wrote this at midnight... Please review!