"I won't bite you...no pun intended." Diva giggled, watching Riku sweat nervously in front of her. She could smell the feat permeating off of him. She waited a long moment, wondering if she should leave. She had waited a long time to meet him, and now here he was up close to her. She had him cornered, that she knew. If he had been older he could have easily just ran away but he probably knew she'd catch him. He wouldn't get far if he left now.
"Then what do you want?" his voice shook.
"I don't really know...I've asked myself that same question for years. You see, Riku, you've caught my interest. And I'm usually hard to please...but there's something about you..."
She sat down in front of him. She motioned for him to join her, but he didn't move. He was still wary of her.
"C'mon...I'm not dangerous."
"You are...you're a monster."
"Oh? I am...well, I've heard worse."
She began to hum. Riku darted his eyes back and forth. They landed on his unconscious older brother. He gulped. He bid his body to relax and sit down. He sensed that she wasn't going to kill him—at least not yet anyway. And she seemed to want to talk to him.
He crossed his legs, but didn't let his guard down.
"Hi..."
"Hey...um...okay, this can't be happening. You're an enemy. Enemies aren't suppose to make idle chit-chat and relax in situations like these."
"True." Diva cocked her head to one side. "I've been alone a long time. It would be nice to talk to someone like you. I wanted to apologize for attacking you at the Zoo long ago. I drained you of all your blood and my sister was forced to turn you into a Chevalier."
Am I hearing her right?
"Okay, is this a joke? Because this isn't funny Diva."
"What joke? It's just the two of us. I swear no one is making me say these things. I'm trying to be sincere here and you're being quite rude, and I half expected you to be a sweet boy."
He pouted.
"I am sweet when I'm not being antagonized..."
"Give me a break. If I had wanted to kill you, wouldn't you be dead right now? You're perfectly in one piece, silly boy. All I want is to have conversation. You're thinking why? Well, because...I'm lonely Riku. I'm sure you've experienced that feeling before."
Her eyes lowered to the floor. "Isolation. Solitude. Drive even a non-human crazy. Monster or not, no one deserves to be locked up in chains." she murmured more to herself.
"Hey...I didn't mean anything by it, Diva. You're kind of intimidating. And you'd be a whole lot less if you tried being more like Saya."
"Like Saya, huh? Why does everyone make such a big deal over my sister? It makes me sick sometimes...you know, I wonder what our lives would have been like had that crazy old geezer not separated us at birth or locked me up in that vile tower. But it probably wouldn't have made a difference, huh?"
Diva...so this is her vulnerable side?
"I'd always like to think that Saya and I got along in the womb. Weird, I know. Our mother was long dead when we were born and there hasn't been a single day where I haven't thought about what life would have been like had she been alive today. And I've always wanted to know who our father was."
Diva sighed. "I haven't talked this much to...anyone. Not even to my own Chevaliers, not like they'd care. I'm just a scientific tool to be whipped around and controlled like a puppet. All Amshel has to do is snap his fingers. He thinks I'm clueless. They all do. I may be a chiropteran, but I also have feelings. I just don't let them show..."
"Why?"
"Because you can't trust anyone. Trust is for fools. Fear is the only ultimate solution...still...all that talk...could he have been right?"
"That's not true! Saya told me what humans did to you and that's not right. But that doesn't mean you have to lock your heart. There are still good people around."
"Really? You know my sister wants me dead...and honestly, I've always wanted to die. The only reason I've stayed with my Chevaliers so long is because I'd rather be with them than back in that tower. I have dreams where I'm locked back in that dingy place. So cold. So vacant. Just me. I wake up in a cold sweat and I'm relieved to find that I'm free. Yet... I..."
She balled her fists.
"I always wanted to go to school...make friends...even if I couldn't live with Saya, I at least wanted what she had. But...a girl like me dreaming is foolish."
"Well...why don't you start off by telling me your likes and dislikes?"
Diva blinked.
"Me?"
"Sure. I mean...I'm half expecting to see your dislikes outweigh your likes, but there has to be something you like."
"Well...let's see...I like reading, I like strawberries. I like to sing."
"Yeah, your voice suits you."
"Thank you."
"So, you read? What kind of books?"
She shrugged. Nathan usually provided her with any kind of book he could get his hand on. She had to do something in her spare time besides destroying things and breaking her toys. With books she could imagine she was in her own little world. She didn't care what kinds of books they were. She read dictionaries, cooking books, biographies, graphic novels, literature books, and so on.
"Beats me. I read to read. I'm not particularly picky on books."
"You like strawberries?"
"Yes. But I like sweets, too. My Chevaliers don't know that I get Nathan to take me to any bakery I want so I can stuff my face. And I also like food, food. You know? I learned to cook on my own and I don't like to brag but I'm a magician in the kitchen."
He actually laughed at that.
"Man, you're more and more like Saya by the minute. When you talk to someone and reveal a little about yourself you seem more human, Diva."
"Too bad it'll have to end."
"Huh?"
"I'm the enemy, Riku. And if my sister sees me with you she'll want me dead on the spot. I really enjoyed talking to you, boy. Maybe someday..."
She paused. She leaned in towards him, her eyes glowing sapphire. Riku hit his back against the metal.
"Don't be frightened."
She reached out to him and tugged on his coat, ripping it with little effort so that it appeared as though his shirt had been shredded.
"What are you..."
"Trust me..." she hissed. "I know what I'm doing. I'm sorry about this Riku. I really enjoyed talking to you...but it seems as though I have to bid us farewell. I'm going to make it seem as though you and I had a scuffle. That will definitely get her mad. Please forgive me for this. And this, too."
She punched him in the stomach so hard, he felt her knuckle touch his spine. He coughed up blood and crumbled into a fetal position at Diva's feet.
"I'm sorry!" She covered her mouth. That was the first time she had apologized to someone and it had been sincere. What was happening to her?
I'm becoming human because of Riku... I like him...so I won't kill him? That's a first.
Almost on cue, the door flew in. Diva hesitated leaving, looking at Riku.
"I'm sorry..."
And she meant it.