The child of the Full Moon.
Chapter one, May I be of service.
Summary:
Hinamori Amu stems from a wealthy household intent on sheltering her from a very young age due to special circumstances. Now a young woman of eighteen and lacking the ability to show her true self she ventures out to escape the confines of her family and live alone where her abrasive personality can't harm those around her, however what she finds at Seiyo's apartment complex is far from solitude. A man claiming to be her Guard shapes her life in ways she never thought possible, but will he bring her the understanding that she needs?
Amu's Point of View.
Taking an exaggerated breath I leant against the rusted entrance and gazed at the seemingly innocent cloudless sky it still felt bizarre, this new found freedom. Of course I heard the prying whispers of the women gathered across the street, they all seemed to stare at me with a mixture of awe and pity.
I knew that they believed me too young to be living alone but I knew better. Solitude is what I require and in my short life time I had become more than accustomed to being alone. It was the same for many of my kind. I had been barely two years old when I was removed from my family and placed under constant supervision, it was made clear to me then I would never see them again.
I knew I had a mother and father and a younger sister too, but upon learning of my gift it was deemed necessary that I should live out my life confined up until now. Finally at eighteen years of age I am adult enough to grasp my freedom from my previously penitentiary like existence and escape.
I would be lying if I told you that my heart was not racing, you see I am in possession of an awful habit. It would seem that I am unable to show my true self, I honestly have no idea how to communicate normally with others and often offend or scare people away.
The real me is warm, shy and even clumsy, I feel so many things that it is almost excruciating and yet I cannot share a word of it, it's frustrating and I want nothing more than to learn how to be myself. Which is why I have come to live here, away from the watchful eyes of my household, I am hoping that in this complex's solitude I will be able to learn how to behave normally or lock myself and my awful habit away for eternity, I just can't bear to hurt one more person with my words.
A gruff voice roused me from my inner monologue as I gazed upwards to see a familiar childish face,
"Ahh Kukai san, it has been a while has it not. Don't think that just because we have traded words in the past that makes us any more than strangers." I pointed my nose in the air haughtily but inside I was screaming why can't I just be nice to him…
"Amu-Chan you haven't changed. I'm no longer a trainee guard, I'm here to protect a resident so if you even need anything I'm in room three… Don't hesitate." He grinned at me oafishly as I unwillingly supressed the laughter bubbling up inside of myself.
"That won't be necessary Kukai San, work hard…Take care," I looked to the ground in an attempt to hide the light blush coating my cheekbones, no doubt the result of his apparent concern for my welfare.
"I have missed you too Amu-Chan" He said ruffling my hair affectionately before departing ahead of me to the stairs.
Kukai is four years older than myself, and I met him for a brief many months when he was training to become a guard. So far he has been the only one resilient to my hostile nature and I was grateful to him for that. Being a guard was dangerous work but I admired the fact that he did it willingly, then again for people like us... it only seemed right to want to stick together.
I shuffled my cart forwards sighing, I still didn't understand why I couldn't have an un complicated life, all I wanted was to be a normal girl. But being a normal girl was impossible. Every generation a child is born into the household that is different from any other child.
It is said that when a child of the full moon is born with glowing eyes, that child will go on to hold inconceivable power and our true selves shape our abilities in ways that is beyond mortal understanding.
I laughed out loud darkly to myself, put simply the founding families believed that it is the child of the full moons existence that allows their household to prosper and therefore certain rules are put in place to contain us.
My earlier admission of freedom is not entirely true, I am no longer under constant supervision but I do still reside in a complex owned by the founding families. The founding families are the most affluently powerful households combined, however it is imperative that I live there for my safety. I had come to an agreement with the head of my household that I would reside there as long as I didn't have to have a guard. I had lived with the household invading my privacy for long enough, I would not subject myself to it any longer.
Outside these carefully constructed walls after dark there is a dangerous darkness that dwells in the shadows wanting our light, and it is because of this that I must comply with my family's wishes. Some of us use our gifts like Kukai to become Guards protecting others of our kind, as for me I'm just looking for somewhere quiet where I can continue to write and discover the real me.
Dragging my cart into the elevator lethargically I wiped the sweat from my forehead and waited anxiously for my floor. The elevator's chime alerted me to floor two and I dragged my belongings into a hall bathed with golden light I smiled pleasantly, for the first time in my life I was content.
Cherry blossoms whirled in from the large open windows and danced at my feet as an un-characteristic urge to join them swept my body. I giggled to myself twirling playfully basking in the golden glow of the corridor. I had been here less than an hour and yet it was evident a weight had been lifted from my all too fragile shoulders.
I continued my cavorting solo until someone's laughter startled me; my clumsy nature took over as I crashed foolishly into my cart knocking my weathered boxes to the floor.
"I'm sorry for startling you Miss Hinamori; please may I be of service?"
Leeloo-Chan: Welcome to the first chapter, Ikuto is introduced early in this story... in the next chapter as a matter of fact. I've wanted to publish this chapter for a while now but wasn't too sure if anyone would find it interesting. Please review and let me know what you think, your reviews will tell me if I should continue.
All my best to you all though, and thanks so much for reading.