Introduction: Well, this is a fanfiction of Noir, obviously. It plays around the time of the 24th episode of the anime and will mostly consist of flashbacks from the POVs of Chloe and Kirika. It will probably lead to Chloe/Kirika. A lot of things will be different from the anime, the first few you might notice are that their past will be looked into more than in the anime, Kirika didn't receive her last guidance and Chloe places her loyalty towards Kirika even higher than her loyalty towards Altena. How this whole thing will turn out? Hell if I know! Hopefully happier for Chloe than the anime, though I don't know yet...
...
The manor, nighttime, Chloe's POV
...
Kirika...
Kirika Yuumura... That may not be her original name, but now it is the name she is using. I am standing close to the window of her room, enjoying the warm breeze in this wonderful night. I would rather spend it with her, but she wanted her own room... Well, I can understand her somewhat, I guess. To her I am a complete stranger... A stranger to the one person whom I love more than anything else in this world...
There was a time when I was closer to her than anyone else. I wouldn't say that we used to be friends, that would probably be an exaggeration... but even so, I was happy to be by her side. She didn't treat me well in the beginning, I was just a tool and a plaything, for her to be used as she pleased. Nothing more, nothing less. I think she still grew to like me over time, somewhat. Never as much as I liked her, but it was enough for me...
How did it begin? How did I meet her for the first time? I have been thinking more and more about it lately. It began when we were both young children, she was eight and I was seven, I think. I had grown up with my family up to this point. They tried to raise me to become Noir and they never gave me a chance to develop any fond feelings for them. I hated them, all of them... I failed them, I messed up everything they wanted me to do...
It is hard for me to believe that now, but I know it to be true. I was probably one of the worst assassins ever, at that time. It was not that I disliked the work itself, it was rather some sort of rebellion against my parents who never treated me like a daughter. I suppose I should be grateful for that and what they taught me, considering what happened at that time when I was seven.
My family, my parents, my siblings, anyone "close" to me at that time was killed. By another family of Corsica, the Bouquets. My family was originally from somewhere else, though I don't remember from where, nor do I care. We were living on Corsica, my family was working for the Bouquets, because of the orders of Les Soldats. My family was serving the Bouquets, but at the same time they kept an eye on the Bouquets for the Soldats.
That was the reason for the Bouquets to kill them, I suppose. I had no other choice but taking revenge, it was not something I did out of love for my family or for my own benefit. I knew I had to do it, it is the law of the Soldats. Whoever breaks these laws is hunted down like an animal, just as the Bouquets were. I had nowhere to go either way, what use would a weak Noir have? No, those who are weak aren't worthy of that title. And those who are unworthy are killed.
...
Seven years ago, the estate of the Bouquets, Chloe's POV
...
I got in. Their guards were surprisingly careless, so I managed to get in through a small crack in the wall surrounding the building. I guess they didn't think a person who could fit through there would be much of a threat to them, but I will show them... This will be my first kill, so I am somewhat nervous. Despite my upbringing they didn't put me in a position where I had to kill, so I didn't. I had the possibilities and my parents were furious that I didn't use them...
They beat me up, they tortured me whenever I failed them. Never enough to leave scars or permanent damage, but it hurt so much... These days are now forever gone. I can't say I miss them, I am even somewhat thankful that they are gone. If I had a choice in that matter I would just leave, but if I don't kill this family I myself will be killed.
I sneak through the different rooms of the house, knowing my way to the private rooms of them because I often came here with my family. I guess it's pure luck that I wasn't killed when their men raided my home, I had run away from home for a little while and when I returned... they were all dead. One of our men, I think he was a mercenary or something, told me about what happened. He also told me I have to kill them. He's probably died because of his wounds by now...
Here in the garden, there are many wonderful flowers blooming here, many of them are very big, so they offer me some protection against being discovered. They should be in their living room right now, probably drinking some tea. The window is open, so this will be my way in. I have already disabled the safety measurements of the gun, it is loaded... was there anything else? These things are really unpractical...
Well, I can't do anything about it, the Bouquets probably know how to fight and I am not suited for any other form of combat. Even the recoil of this small... what was it called? Bersa Thunder three hundred something? 390? No, I think it was 380. No matter, even the recoil of this thing is not easy for me to handle.
I hide by the window and listen for a little while. They are talking about some sort of business, I guess, though I don't really understand very much. I press myself against the wall and strain my ears, waiting for a good opportunity to strike. I only have one chance... their daughter doesn't seem to be here either, but I don't wanna kill her either way. I mean, I have no business with her and I think I could call her something like a friend?
"... still feel sorry that we had to kill them." Huh? This sounds rather interesting. It is so exciting, this whole situation... I can feel my heart pounding, with a little bit of fear, but also excitement! Waiting like this, like a cat for it's prey... stalking their every movement... This is the best! I never knew that it could be so good... Maybe I would've become a better assassin if my parents had given me some real tasks, like this one!
"Yes, it was very unfortunate... but they didn't listen to us. We had to do it, in order to protect our daughter." Hm, what are they talking about here? I don't really get it... Their daughter is fine, isn't she? I mean, my parents told me that she is also a candidate, though she doesn't behave like one. She is probably as bad at this as me...
"I considered Florence and Eveline my friends... It truly saddens me that they forced us to do this. If only they could have broken free of the Soldat's indoctrination..." Oh, so they are talking about my parents. Hm, what does that last word even mean? Uh... Hm, I will wait for them some more, this might be valuable information. If I manage to kill both of them and even get some information from them while doing so the Soldats would take me in, right?
"You are right. There was nothing we could have done about it, darling. Don't blame yourself... Though I feel even more pity for their poor daughter... I don't think they were treating her well." So they are talking about me now? I would almost like to reveal myself, just to see how they would react... Well, they were always rather nice to me, but they took everything I have from me. On the other hand, what did I have?
"Poor little Chloe... I hope she wasn't there at the time. I mean, her parents were responsible for their own action, but no child should have to suffer because of the poor judgement of their parents. If only we could break away from the Soldats..." Why would they want to break away from the Soldats? Everything they have is because of the Soldats, without them they would be just a normal family, wouldn't they...?
"It is not too late, it will take the Soldats time to send new troops here, since we eliminated almost all of those observing us. We might be able to protect our daughter!" They want to flee from the Soldats?! Don't they know how stupid that is? My parents always taught me that there is no place on earth where one can hide from the Soldats. Were they wrong? Or are they just stupid?
"Darling, don't scream like that. You will wake up our daughter." I guess she is asleep now. Well, good for her. Otherwise I'd have to kill her too. I should do it soon, but I am so nervous... This will be the first time I kill someone, after all. This is what I should do, but I'm not sure... This is what my parents raised me to do, they told me so again and again. Do I really want to be nothing but what they told me to be...?
"Mireille..." I can hear light footsteps approaching the couple and their young son, and then a shot... Was I discovered!? No, the shot wasn't aimed at me... I peek out from behind the wall, carefully so that I'm not next. The middle-aged man I was going to kill (well, try it anyways...), Laurent Bouquet, was lying face down on the floor, a magnificent red liquid slowly pouring out from under him, past his outstretched arms...
Something seems to have fallen to the ground with a metallic clang and a strange melody starts to fill the room. I can't quite see what it was, but it looks round and small. The woman looks up to a person with a gun in her hand, shocked and surprised. Their little son doesn't seem to understand the situation either and just stares at his father, no longer breathing or moving at all...
And in front of them was an angel of death, dressed in rags... It is so wonderful! Despite her filthy and worn clothes she is so... so... beautiful! I can't describe it, but she's... Oh, I don't even think words that could describe her beauty exist... I can't see her face, but her head moves to what I guess is her next victim, Odette Bouquet. She is also beautiful with her long blonde hair and blue eyes, but it is nothing compared to that girl...
She tells the angel something... and gets killed in return. Just like her son a second later... It is so... so...! This is true beauty... I want to be like that... Oh? That girl from the Bouquets, Mireille, I think, has come as well. Will the angel kill her as well? And me? She looks so scared, but I don't feel scared at all... I wouldn't mind it, even if that girl killed me... I feel as if in a trance, it doesn't feel quite real to me. But it's still so very beautiful...
I abruptly get pulled back to reality when I hear loud footsteps and shouts coming closer. Those must be the guards or something like that, I guess. I think we should leave now, though the girl doesn't seem to be very concerned about them. Could she also kill them? No, I think there are too many. She might be good, but she can't be that good... I have to get her out of here!
"C'mere, I know an exit!" She doesn't seem to pay any attention to what I say, she just picks up the object and stops the music that way and turns around to the door and watches it, apparently waiting for the guards with drawn weapon. If we don't get out now we won't be able to escape! I jump through the window and take her wrist in my hand, pulling her towards the window. If we get though there we're pretty much safe...
"Here, through the window. Hurry up, we have no time!" I put my gun back to its holder hidden under my top, it would only slow me down from here on. I don't think that Bouquet girl is in any condition to tell her guards that I was there as well, so I think the home of my family should be good to go for now, they probably wouldn't expect anyone to be there anymore.
She leaps through the open window with such grace... Her face is also of that otherworldly beauty, just as I imagined her. Her short brown hair and eyes of equal colour reflect the setting sun, making them look just as red... and her eyes are so cold, almost like a snake... she looks so... No time to admire her! I quickly follow her and take the lead again, rushing towards the bushes.
"Look, there is a crack in the wall. We can slip through there, that's how I got in here." I gesture towards the crack, barely enough for a child like me or her to slip through. If we make it through there we should have no trouble reaching my home, they probably wouldn't expect two little girls to be the killers they are looking for, even if they saw us briefly. Well, I didn't kill anyone, but I was going to...
We run, using the bushes as coverage. I can now hear the shouts coming from the room where she killed the Bouquets, but I think we made it. The other girl is already on the other side of the wall and I follow suit. There are no guards here, they are probably too busy trying to secure the inside of the house. Well, they are too late, but they probably don't know that yet. We should be able to escape now.
"Hey, why don't you come over to my place? I can give you some new clothes and something to eat, if you wanna..." I don't think those clothes are very comfortable and they look really bad on her. She seems to analyse me, as if looking for something. After a few seconds she seems to be satisfied and gives me a small nod, still looking at me so coldly. I can't believe it, I thought she was going to kill me as soon as we got out of here...
If we had fought the guards I would've died either way, I'm no good at fighting. And I couldn't have left her there to fight the guards on her own, though I don't really understand why. I just wanna protect her and help her, even if she doesn't need it. Even if it could cost me my life... Well, what value does my life even have anymore? I couldn't take revenge and without my parents I'm just a failed Noir, right? That's what they always told me...
I lead the girl through some smaller alleys to avoid much attention and we reach my home without any incidents on the way. The police keeps out of Soldat business, so no one is here to investigate the scene. Well, that's a good thing, We can stay here for a while. I unlock the door and walk in, motioning for her to follow me. It is far smaller than the estate of the Bouquets, but it is a nice place.
"Oh, uh, sorry. I kinda forgot to introduce myself because there was so much going on. I'm Chloe, nice to meet you. Who are you?" I offer her my small hand, but she just looks at it coldly, as if I was going to conjure up a weapon or something like that. Of course nothing of that sort happens, that would be impossible, even if I wanted to. She stares directly into my eyes, as if searching for something.
"I am... Noir." Noir...? I'm also Noir! Maybe we could be friends! She's so serious, but I'm sure she's really nice! Though I don't think that's actually her name, is it? I mean, I'm also Noir, but I have a name of my own.
"I'm also Noir! Let's be Noir together!" She glares at me and, without saying another word, grabs me by the throat and squeezes... 'Cough' She's... really going to kill me! I thought it was fine at first, but I don't wanna die! Dying is painful, I don't want it! She is lifting me up a little bit with both her hands at my throat... can't... breathe... I claw at her hands and struggle with all my strength, but she doesn't let go...!
"You are weak. Thus you are not Noir. If you can't free yourself I will kill you." 'Cough' 'Whimper' If I can't free myself... I will die! Tears begin to flow down my cheeks because of the pain, but she doesn't let go...! I have to... Flailing around isn't helping... I try to concentrate. If I don't get her now I won't get another chance... I put all my remaining strength into a strong kick into the pit of her stomach.
I think this worked, she releases me and clutches her stomach as I fall down on my behind. 'Cough' 'Cough' Ouch, that really hurt... How can she be so strong...? I mean, I'm probably a little bit smaller than her, but still... I rub the area around my throat, still catching my breath. Ugh, I almost had to throw up after this... Well, I guess that I am lucky that I even have the opportunity to feel this miserable, if I hadn't freed myself...
I slowly stand back up, she is still on her knees, holding her stomach. Did I hit her too hard...? I mean, I did put all my strength into that kick... But she said she is Noir, so she should be able to take it, right? She is stronger than me, far stronger. Of that I'm pretty sure. She probably just got careless. If she'd have had me on the ground like that I would be dead by now, unless she'd have released me on her own, though I don't think so...
"'Cough' Ouch... That was really painful, you know...? But I got you to release me. Does that mean that I can call myself Noir?" I want her approval, she is unbelievable... The way she shot the Bouquets, the strength with which she lifted my body into the air... I want to be strong and cool like that! And if she is Noir and I am Noir, we'd be the same, right? That would be so great!
"Ugh... that was just luck. You can call yourself Noir if you can keep up with me. And I don't think that'll ever happen..." 'Growl' ... Was that just now... I can't help bursting out in laughter, despite the pain. Don't tell me her hunger saved me, that would be both insulting and hilarious at the same time. 'Cough' Damn, I would make some comment about her telling me I would never be as good as her, but...
"Ah, I'm sorry, it's just... Hahaha..." It takes me a little bit of time to recover from this laughing fit... I rarely ever laughed when I was with my family, but now this girl, appearing to me like an angel of death at first sits on the floor in front of me, not groaning because of the kick I just delivered, but probably rather because of her hunger. It has such an unreal feeling to it... Once I get back to my senses I offer her my hand.
"Tch, I don't need any help, not from you, not from anyone. Understood?" Well, I guess that was clear enough, but I still stretch out my hand to her. I don't know why, it seems kind of pointless, doesn't it? I'm just standing here like an idiot, waiting for her to do something of which she just told me she wouldn't do it.
"Just because you don't need it doesn't mean you can't take it, right?" I smile at her and she looks confused, as if she couldn't make any sense of my behaviour. She looks at my hand suspiciously and finally takes it. I pull her up with a little bit of effort, but she is very light. Probably a little bit too light... "Hey, you wanna eat something?" She is still looking at me as if she would expect me to try and kill her any second...
"I will pass. I have to leave." She immediately walks into the direction of the door, as if she was really going to leave. I can't just let her leave like this, right? She needs the clothes and some food, whether she admits it or doesn't. And I don't think she was send here in dirty clothes, so the way is probably rather long. No, I can't just let her leave like this. It's not as if I would need all of this food now either way...
"C'mon, I heard your stomach just now. Why don't we have a little tea party of our own?" I offer her another smile and she sighs, as if admitting defeat. And telling me what a nuisance I am... She really could be a little bit... nicer, I guess. Though she wouldn't be the same as she is if she did that, would she? I think she's perfect the way she is, even if she is... rather rough around the edges.
"Fine, if you will quit bothering me once we are done..." I could almost hug her, she can look so cute... though she would probably hurt me a lot if I even tried that. All the corpses here somewhat bother me though, it looks so unclean, I feel embarrassed... Well, I can't move them alone and I don't think I will be staying here much longer, there is nothing here worth staying for.
"I can't promise you anything, alright? But let's just have something to eat and some tea for now, right?" She mutters something I don't quite understand, though I think it sounded rather rude. Well, she still follows me to the kitchen, though some steps behind me. At least this place is still clean, I couldn't offer bloody tea, could I? "What kind of tea do you want? We have black tea, vanilla tea, fruit tea, herb-"
"Just give me some of that damn tea! I don't care which one, let's just get this over with already!" No reason to get all angry, I was just trying to be a good host... I guess I was a little bit too enthusiastic. She would probably prefer it if I wasn't so brash, right? I guess I can try that. I put some dishes on a table and put the kettle for the tea on. Now it's just an awkward silence, this isn't fun at all...
"So, uh... where are you from?" She frowns again as I ask her, obviously not really wanting to talk to me. Well, I do some things for her, so she could at least answer me some questions, right? I take some biscuits out of a shelf and put them down on the table as well, offering the girl a chair. She does take a seat, though she still seems to be wary of me. I don't think I would be much of a threat to her either way...
"'Sigh' That's none of your business. You wouldn't know it, even if I told you." Well, I don't know very much about geography, but I know some details. Like... where Spain, Germany, France, Italy and Britain are! So I think I could make something out of the things she could tell me. There aren't too many other places she could come from, right? Or maybe Asia... Or Afrika or Amerika?! No, that'd be way too far, right?
"There would be no harm in telling me if I didn't know, right? So you could just tell me. It's not as if I could cause you any harm, and even if I could, I wouldn't." She seems really confused by my statements, as if I was suddenly speaking in a completely different language. And I'm pretty sure that I am still speaking French, right? Yes, I am.
"Seriously, you are very annoying... Could we just stop this? I'm not here for small talk." Hm, she could at least try to be somewhat polite. I didn't do anything to her... well, except for that kick, but I didn't have any other options there, I don't wanna die. I still look at her curiously, as if expecting an answer. "I just told you, I have no interest in small talk. Can't you get that into your thick skull? ... 'Sigh' The manor..."
"The manor? I think I've heard of that place... where is that?" I'm pretty sure that it isn't a country. Or a continent for that matter. I think I heard my parents talking about that place sometimes, something about the politics of the Soldats... Well, I never cared very much for the politics either way. I wasn't raised to do politics, I was raised to be a tool for my family, a tool for power...
"Maybe. It doesn't matter." She quickly gobbles up the biscuits I put on the table. She might've said that she didn't want anything, but she must've been starving... I look around through the shelves some more. There is a lot of supplies and I don't think we could eat all this in weeks... Well, I don't think she'll stay here for weeks either way. What else could she like? Maybe I should just ask her...
"Hey, do you want something else to eat? I still have a lot of stuff I could give you." Well, since my family is dead that means it's my stuff, right? So I can do with it whatever I want. And I want her to have some of it, it would just get bad if I had to eat it all on my own, that's way too much. This way it at least has some purpose. Just like me, in a way... I have a new purpose if I want to, don't I? My family can't tell me what to do anymore, so I might as well...
"Just give me something... Anything will do." Well, she doesn't seem to be very picky. Maybe some meat... and the vegetables will get bad rather fast... It seems as if I'd have to cook something. Well, not very much, it's just for the two of us, after all. I get a pot, get some water and put both of it on the stove. I know how to cook, more or less, my family didn't prepare food for me so I had to do it myself most of the time.
"So... The water is ready, I think. What tea do you want?" She still looks a little bit irritated and angry because of my constant questions, but she seems to cope with it better now. Well, I was just talking way too fast and way too much, I guess. I didn't have an opportunity like this when my family was still around, they chose who could talk to me and who couldn't. Unless it was the girl of the Bouquets I had no contact to others around my age...
"In that case I'll choose for you, okay? How about... vanilla? Is that fine for you?" Her silence doesn't really tell me much, but I guess she would protest if she didn't want it. Or maybe she really doesn't care... I take a teapot and some teabags out of one of the shelves and take down the kettle afterwards, pouring the boiling water into the teapot. Now some sugar and milk... and now I'll just leave it to draw.
"Do you have any preferences about the food? Maybe take a look and see what we have?" Both the fridge and the freezer are full with different kinds of food, some meat, some vegetables, some curd, milk and many other things... I don't know how to cook all of these things, but we have some cooking books somewhere.
"Just make something, I don't care." Hm, some of this and some of that... No, I shouldn't play around like this. I don't want it to turn out completely horrible, she would probably be angry too. Something simple I know would be ideal. Hm, how about... I'll just make some potatoes, steaks and there are enough vegetables we can eat raw. So, the potatoes into the water, a pan for the steaks...
"... Why are you doing this?" Huh? Doing what? I'm making dinner so that we can eat, but I don't think that's what she means. Am I doing something wrong?
"What do you mean? We need something to eat, so I decided I should make something." She looks at me suspiciously again and I give her a cup and pour in some tea. I hope it's turned out good, but I have to prepare dinner, so I can't taste it. She hesitates for a moment and sips at it cautiously, as if she was suspecting it to be very bad or something.
"Why are you doing such things for me? Why are you helping me? Why are you so nice...?" Huh? Oh... I don't really get it myself. I mean, I could've just escaped on my own and would have waited for the Soldats to decide what to do with me, I guess. But I... I don't want others to make all the decisions for me. At least not these others. And I can't do anything on my own, there is nothing I can do. And it's not as if I had something to lose by helping her.
"I guess I just wanted to make a decision of my own, for once. My parents, the Soldats... my life was decided by them and I had nothing to say about their decisions. Oh, and I like you! So why shouldn't I help you?" She looks at me as if she couldn't understand what I said just now again, but I don't think she has to understand it, right? I'll probably die soon either way, right? I'm a failure, after all...
"A decision of your own, huh?" She takes out the small object she took from the Bouquets and opens it as the same melody begins to play as it did back then... It is a musical clock, I think. She stares at it, apparently deep in thoughts. Is it about what I said just now? Hm, I can't exactly pay it much attention now, I have to take care of the food...
...
Well, it's nothing special, but it's better than nothing. The steaks turned out pretty good, but the potatoes are still a little too hard. Well, I can just let them boil for a little while longer. That girl didn't say much more and I was taking care of dinner, so we didn't exchange more words. She's probably glad 'bout that, though I'd wanted to talk to her some more. Well, maybe while we eat.
Where should I go now, though? I have no home any longer, no family. Well, I never had a real family, but still... I can't stay in this place on my own, I couldn't even keep it more or less clean. I can't earn money, the belongings of my family will probably be returned to the Soldats now that they are gone. I can't stay here. But where should I go? There are no relatives I know about and I'm not strong enough for the Soldats to take me...
I could run away, but where to? First of all I'd need to get away from this island. And then? Hm, I'll think of something. They could still find me if they wanted to, but I don't think I'd be important enough for them to search me. So I probably could get away, but where should I go afterwards? Maybe I could go with her? That'd be really exciting! She'd probably return to the Soldats if she is a Noir though...
"Hey, dinner's ready. Just wait a sec, I will bring it." I carry the pan and the pot to the table, together with some plates, and put them down. I think it turned out rather good, though I haven't tasted it yet. I pour some tea into my cup as well, though it isn't hot anymore... Well, I don't mind, cold tea is still good. "You can take what you wanna eat first, I will just take what's left." She still looks at me as if she was suspecting it to be poisoned or something...
"If you say so..." She just takes out the biggest steak and some potatoes with her bare hands and bites off a small piece. After a few more hesitant bites she just starts to wolf it down... I never saw anyone eat like this. I was always taught to behave very polite and so on, but this also seems fun... I want to try it too! I take a smaller steak and some potatoes and just eat them, without fork or knife or anything...
"Haha, my family would probably beat the livin' daylight outta me if they saw me eating like this... It's a good thing they aren't here anymore, right? Right...?" I still miss them, even if it's just a little bit. Well, now I'm free and I don't know what to do with my freedom... Well, I'll just think of something, it can't be that hard, right? And now I have this girl with me, she's way better than my family either way!
"I don't know, I never had a family..." She stares at the clock again. I guess she's thinking about the Bouquets, huh? She just killed most of the family. And how she did it... It still sends shivers down my back, it was just so exciting... I wanna see her doing those kinds of things again. If I can follow her, could she show me how to be a true Noir? Someone like her? I want to be Noir, for her and with her.
"Well, you didn't really miss out on anything, I think. They were just pushing me around and telling me what to do, and now they're all dead." She takes the last steak and some more potatoes and wolfs them down, almost choking on it several times... I think it's better to just take it slowly and end up eating much less. Well, I wasn't really hungry either way.
"Alright, now that we're finished, come with me." She raises an eyebrow, but she follows me upstairs, to my room. There are quite a lot of clothes here, for the most part dresses and other formal stuff. But if she's gonna go wherever she came from she'll need some practical streetwear. I open the doors of some of the closets and look through the stuff in them. "Here, try this on." It's just a jacket and a jeans, I think they would fit her.
"I don't need any new clothes." Geez, she shouldn't be so stubborn. And I can't let her go in these rags. If I really want to follow her I'll also need some good clothes for a long walk, I guess. Come to think of it, the stuff I usually use for training is probably even better than a jeans. We could even wear matching clothes! That would be so cool!
"No, just take them. Here, I think these are better." I give her a change of underwear and some of my usual equipment. It's a little like a leather armour, all in black. It's very durable and can even offer some protection against some weapons, according to my late father. Well, I dunno if it's true, but it's very easy to move in. After some more protest on her part we both put on the same things, a chest protector, shorts, boots and bracers made of leather. It looks pretty good on her...
"Now we can just put on a coat and a normal jeans or something and pack some provisions and we're ready to go!" She looks at me as if I had just said something outrageously stupid...
""We"? We won't go anywhere. I will go and you will stay." I was already expecting her to be against this... Well, she can't keep me from following her! Uh, actually she could... Oh well, I will just try it.
"I wanna come along!" She still looks at me as if I had just told her that the world is flat...
"You know what? I don't even care anymore... Under one condition." Yes! I just have to do one thing for her and she will let me come along! I'm a little bit anxious as to what it will be, but I'm sure I'll be able to handle it! I mean, I did usually slack off when training with my family, but I can do most of the things they wanted me to, I just didn't want to do those things for them.
"Anything! Just tell me what to do, I will do it!" I'm so happy! I can leave this damn island with her and maybe even start over... No matter what she asks, I'm sure that it won't be worse than what the Soldats would have in store for me...The dying guard in front of my home told me, the Soldats'll kill me if I don't kill the Bouquets... Come to think of him, what did happen to him? Oh well, I don't even care.
"Okay, but don't complain afterwards. Swear to me that you'll serve me. Do anything I ask you to. And no matter what others say, you will serve me alone. Do you understand? Even if I tell you to die for me, you'll do it, understood?" W-Well, I rather wouldn't die, but I'd die either way if I stayed here.
"I-I swear it! I pledge you my absolute loyalty, I will do whatever you ask me to! I won't serve anyone else before you! So please... take me with you..." I think she is satisfied with this answer... She is now wearing a somewhat evil grin, as if she was enjoying seeing me on my knees in front of her like this...
"I guess I misjudged you. We might have some fun together, after all..."
...
Back at the manor, Chloe's POV
...
Yes, that was how I first met her, if I remember it correctly. I've kept my promise, even to this day. I even had to betray Altena in order to do so... No, that is not correct. I did it out of my own free will... The person who was like a mother to me for all these years since Kirika brought me here... I feel guilty for doing so, but I didn't give Kirika her last guidance... I couldn't bring myself to do it...
I have guided her here on my own, she didn't remember the way... If Altena knew this she would probably be very, very angry... but everything seems to work out so far. A lot has changed since I first met Kirika, hasn't it? Now I am what she asked me to become. Yet she still doesn't... Well, that doesn't matter. She is probably happier this way. Wouldn't that be nice? Her being happy? Even if it is without me, even then...
She isn't even the same person anymore, is she...? This lie, Kirika Yuumura... Is she the same person I made that promise to? Are they different individuals? What would happen if her old self was in control again, would the lie disappear? I don't want that... Even if this Kirika is just a lie, even if that was to be true... I still grew to like her somehow. I spend time with her and Mireille, against the orders of Altena...
I don't know where my defiance might lead to, but I hope Kirika will be happy... With me or without me... That would be nice... This fork is all I have for now, isn't it? The first gift I ever received from her, my greatest treasure... I am a traitor, am I not? And the fate of a traitor is always...
No, it will surely work out, I have waited so long for this and Altena always told me that patience pays off in the end. If my feelings can reach her somehow everything will be alright, we will be together, two as one. Mireille can live a normal life if she just doesn't come here, I will do whatever I can to make it happen. She might not think much of it, but we are still friends, aren't we?
Well, I got a little bit distracted, didn't I? I was just thinking about how I met Kirika for the first time, wasn't I? Yes, I am sure that was it. Where was I again? I think it was after my oath to her. After that was a long and exhausting journey, the first time I made my way to the manor, together with Kirika. Well, I think I will continue reminiscing about this in my room, the bright full moon is already high and I want to be prepared for whatever tomorrow might bring...
...
...
Author's note: Well, our first chapter for a new story, the title Blanc is basically white in the French language, obviously the opposite of Noir, black. This will probably be a side project, so we will probably post a chapter every 1.5 months or something like that, depending on my mood, mostly. Because I already have two main projects at the moment I probably won't update it more often than that. Reviews about our shortcomings in this story will be appreciated, as well as suggestions for how it should go. Should Kirika and Chloe finally get together? Well, we shall see, in due time.
...
'Tsching'
Danielwain: "Ah! Keep that knife away from me!"
Chloe: "... If you will let me have Kirika."
Kirika: "Don't I have anything to say about this...?"
Danielwain: "Uh, maybe you can be happy together in the end, wouldn't that be a good thing? I mean, if things had turned out a little bit different during your final confrontation with Mireille you could have been together, right?"
'Klick'
Mireille: "You aren't planning on killing me off to achieve that, right...?"
Danielwain: "Uh... I don't know... I'm sure we can figure something out... Maybe they could get together and you could be like... just friends with them...?"
Mireille: "Just friends!?"
Chloe: "That would actually solve most of our problems..."
Kirika: 'Sigh' "Please excuse Daniel, he is experiencing some... technical difficulties? I'm sure that everyone here will have calmed down until the next chapter... though I'm not sure about being together with Chloe..."
Danielwain: "Haha, what Kirika said... I'm sure that Chloe and Mireille can work it out somehow, with a little bit of-"
Altena: "They will not work it out, one of them has to die. Only two of the three saplings can become-"
Danielwain: "Forget it! The power of yuri shall prevail against your evil scheme!"
Altena: "My plans aren't evil, they are necessary in the corrupt world we are living in. This world needs Noir."
Danielwain: "You can keep telling me that, I don't care! This will surely turn out happy... somehow..."
Nyria Waynes: "Hiya, Daniel, how's it going? Is this a bad moment to barge in?"
Danielwain: "Nyria! I was just gonna try and bring Kirika and Chloe together, but we are having some... difficulties here..."
Nyria Waynes: "I see. Well, your goal is noble, so I shall provide you with my assistance and experience. For the yuri, my knight!"
Danielwain: "For the yuri! Well, that was a short guest appearance of Nyria Waynes, my co-writer for my stories. We write pretty much the same amount, so I'm not sure about calling her a co-writer... Well, whatever. Maybe I'll see you next time, we will somehow work something out... Nyria will help out too. And so can you, by writing a review and pointing out mistakes or things which don't seem right."
Nyria Waynes: "Don't talk about me as if I wasn't here, I can actually see what you're writing just over your shoulder, y'know? I think I will borrow this knife for a little while..."
Chloe: "If you will let me have Kirika, feel free to."
Danielwain: "AH! Please excuse me while I run for my life!"
Kirika: "Don't just ignore me, I haven't agreed to anything yet!"
