"I am you" the double ganger removed her lips from the barrel, she left a bloody lip print. Fueled by anger and confusion Aria broke out of her spell and smack Lyra across the double ganger's face sending her a good distance away, enough room for Aria to kick her in the stomach sending her skidding further back. "Don't you put your dirt lips on Lyra." She wiped the blood of with her lace gloved hands, some of the blood stained the uncovered skin of her finger tips further angering Aria. "My favorite gloves are ruined…"
"She names her gun, how childish," whispered the double ganger but only loud enough to be heard by her ears only. The double ganger held her cheek, "I never knew I was so violent." She removed her hand from her face reveling her unscathed skin, free of bruising or damage from being hit in the face by a blunt metal object.
"Enough talk." Aria shot her gun at the double ganger's torso.
The bullet cut through the air but the bullet did not met its mark and dig itself into the brick wall, a small amount of dust and smoke floated in the air but did not spread disappearing. The double ganger smirk at Aria's attempts to shoot her. She had teleported hovering over Aria's right shoulder kicking the gun out of her hand. The gun slid across the ground rattling as it hit the wall. Aria was distracted by her gun that when she turned to the right her face met the double ganger red boot, that were also the same as Aria except red. Aria leaned to the left staggering to get her footing because of the wetness of the ground. Aria glared at the double ganger floating in the air her red dress, red cloak and orange red hair fluttering gently by a unknown force. Aria knew that she is unable to enforce any melee attacks if the target was able to fly so she made a dash for her gun.
"I've been spying you the moment you took the test, I am eager to make you mine. Oh no you don't!" The double ganger screeched soaring downwards and landed into a steady sprint now chasing Aria deeper into the alley way but halted. Aria who she was chasing so very closely turned around to face her. "You were carrying another gun?" The gun was pressed against her forehead.
"Yeah…" Aria said in disbelief that the double ganger actually fell for it. The gun that Aria had pressed against her forehead was actually my index finger. "So, don't move or else I shoot."
The double ganger raised her hands in surrender, "Now now lets not be hasty."
"What are you?" Aria cocked her head to the side
The double ganger rolled her eyes. "I thought you were so smart, finishing the written part of the exam so quickly but it appears you're only book smart." She crossed her arms over her stomach, the spot where Aria kicked her. "Isn't it obvious? Do you think a human have the abilities to alter their appearance at will?" She cocked her head to mirror Aria. "I'm a chain, you clueless girl."
"Oh and let me guess, you need a contractor…" Aria whispered, fearing others might hear of this shady exchange of words.
"Good job Aria," she clapped her hands together, mocking her with applause. "That's where that brain was!" She giggled, her wicked smile replace by a sincere smile. "So do you want to make a contract with me? You needed a chain, did you not?"
"I wouldn't make a contract with such a devious chain," Aria pretended to put the gun back in her sleeve quickly so the chain wouldn't notice and walked towards the entrance of the alley passing the chain.
"Aw, why not we were getting along just fine." She skipped to Aria side.
"You lead me into the alley way, froze me, and now you want to form a contract? See you." Aria said with a monotone. "
"I thought you wanted to pass the exam, I mean you did study ever so hard for it." The chain said in her silky voice, trying to be the voice of reason. This caused Aria to stop in her stride, her back facing the chain a few feet away. "What would dad say if he saw you return because you failed to make a simple contract with a chain?"
"You shouldn't be running you mouth like you know everything." Aria turned around to face the chain, her head tilted to the side and slightly back, this makes it appears that she was looking down at the chain. "If I fail my father would greet me with welcoming arms and his undying love, what you just said was incredibly not cute."
Suddenly a rumbling was heard from a distance getting louder as if it's travels underground shook the marketplace sending the citizens running dropping all their goods they have recently purchased on the ground, not even the beggars are foolish enough to run into the streets to horde in the drop goods. As the citizens run safely into there homes and the beggars hid in the alley ways finding refuge in the crates doing whatever they can to shelter themselves. Everyone was aware that this force was the cause of a chain, a hedgehog chain running aloof.
"I thought you wanted a chain, that's why I wanted to form a contract with you." the chain retorted.
"Yeah, but don't you think you should, oh I don't know. Take a different approach!" You know maybe like this," Aria used her hands as puppets.
"Oh hey there I'm a chain you want to make a contract with me," said the left hand.
"Oh wowzers, I would love to form a contract with you." said the right hand.
"That would had been much easier and we could have reach a compromise!…Stop that!" Aria yelled as she pushed the chain face away with her palm trying to escape the chain's bone crushing hug. "I said stop that." Aria punched the chain's head on the crown. "You persistent chain!"
"I have a name you know, it's Alia. Also, no not until we form a contract!" She persisted moving her head to a safer location that Aria hands can't reach, her back.
Aria eyes twitched and looked at her in disbelief. That has to be a lie. "Yeah, your name is Alia? A name just a letter off of mine? I'm leaving!" Aria had difficulty to move forward but manage to shake the chain off and ran to a sprint. However the chain was still persistent and she dove for Aria's feet, hugging her leg like a child. "Ugh!"
"I'm not letting go till we form a contract!" she said hugging her tighter.
"Stop that you're dirtying my dress! White is color hard to wash out dirt!" Aria shook her leg and tried to push her off. Alia bit her leg. Aria jump in disbelief because one, how childish this chain was when she was capable of petrifying her foes, teleportation and hover just moments ago. Secondly, and the most disturbing, "Y-you, you just bit me? Are you serious?"
Alia didn't responded to her words but let go of her leg and stood up looking at the alley way's exit. Aria also looked at this direction and she froze as she a large beady red eye and a long snout appearing from the corner. Slowly the hedgehog chain came from behind the corner into the alley revealing its self to the human and chain. It sniff the air above it before it rolled into the ball hurdling itself towards the two.
"Hold on!" said Alia grabbing Aria around the waist taking off into the air. "Shoot it Aria before it unravel itself!" Aria remained silent in the Alia's hands. "Aria?"
Aria froze as she look down at the ground petrified but it wasn't because of the hedgehog almost ran them over. "I-I'm scared of heights…"
Alia stared at her dead panned with disbelief. "Are you serious right now?"
Aria gulped and nodded her head. "And also…"She held tighter on the Alia's arm fearing she might drop her because of the words she will utter next. "I don't have my gun…"
"What are you saying?" Alia looked at the ground, her eyes falling on the shiny, gleaming object against the wall. She turned back to Aria in disbelief. "My god…"
Aria laughed nervously pointed her index finger and thumb out symbolizing the fake gun she used on Alia moments ago. "Bang?"
"Oh you clever bitch…" Alia whispered not knowing who should she be mad at. Herself for being fooled or at the hedgehog. "Well, I can't hold on to you forever, my power is limited if I don't have a contractor."
"Oh yeah…" Aria looked out in the distance thoughtfully.
"Don't say "oh yeah" think of something we're sinking!" yelled the chain.
"Don't worry, the Nightrays chain users will come to our aid." Aria reassured but then she remembered that they were still at the Nightrays' headquarters getting things prepared for the next portion of the exam…" Never mind…well, I guess I can form a contract with you…" Aria tapped her chin. "I mean, it's not like I like you or anything, I just need one right now."
Alia gasped in excitement. "Really? Okay, okay let's make a contract!" She hug Aria who didn't respond to the hug. "Where's your mirror?" She asked pulling Aria away, still having a arm securely around her waist, to have a better look at her face, which worried her because Aria's face was frozen in a fearful expression. "Oh god don't tell me…" Aria looked away. "You dropped it!" She screamed in Aria's ear almost turning her deaf.
Aria scratched the back of her head. "Yeah…"
"Don't act so calm, I am not returning to the Abyss understood?" The chain stared at her for a moment before saying, "I change my mind I don't want to make a contract with you…"
Aria smirked, by now they were hovering seven feet off the ground still sinking. "Well too bad, I'm not dieing today." Aria brought her finger tips still stained by the chain's blood when she wiped the bloody kiss mark off the gun to her pale lips . She licked the blood off sealing the contract.
Alia dropped Aria who landed safely on the ground. Aria watches as Alia's body relax and her hair and clothes fluttering stronger than before. The way the Alia's body is position looks as though she was falling asleep falling back into a invisible cushion. She did a slow motion flip before falling to the ground landing next to Aria.
"I feel so…" Alia cupped her cheeks and smiled at Aria who can't help but smile as well, by her new comrades odd glow and rosy cheeks. "Alive!" she extended her hand out, Aria consciously took her hand. "Aria let's become one!"
The only words that Aria could utter was, "What?" before being blinded by a odd glow. Aria slowly opened her eyes but her chain was no where in sight. "Where are you?"
"Hey, don't talk to loud, the chain is blinded by the light but it can still hear you." A voice said in her head.
"Tsk, where are you?" Aria said in a whisper already fearing the answer.
"I'm inside of you."
Aria blushed by those words. She mentally repeated those words in her head. "I'm. Inside. Of. You…"
"I can hear you thinking you know…Whatever, I'm going to say this clean and simple. When me and you become one a portion of my power becomes yours. I can give you body enhancements as long as I remain inside your body." Alia explained.
"Okay, tell me what I should do." said Aria.
"Okay, let's get your gun."
"How it's behind the hedgehog chain?"
"Don't worry." she reassured.
Aria did so and after seven steps, her left leg making the eight step she felt a force pushing her behind sending her past the hedgehog and standing by her gun, what Aria could assume took less then ten seconds. She picked up and began firing. The chain was knock out of it daze and backed away preparing to hurtle at her but with her chain's power she was able to jump tremendously high and shot the chain in the middle between it's beady red eyes. The hedgehog screeched disappearing into the abyss.
A orb of yellow glowing light merge from Aria's chest and stretched into Aria's silhouette. The silhouette started to fade reappearing as Alia. Aria felt very week, her legs shake and she was about to fall if it wasn't her chain keeping her up.
"Are you okay?" Alia asked.
Aria was overwhelmed by the events that happened in the past two hours. I was almost killed by a chain, that same chain save me from a hedgehog, that chain name was Alia, we made a contract to save ourselves and I just killed a hedgehog chain. But despite everything. "Yeah, but we have bigger problems." Aria walked to the mirror that lay unscathed on the ground. She picked it up and stared at her reflection. "I'm a illegal contractor now…"
"Let me see that." Alia snatched the mirror from her hands and bit her finger. The blood drips from her finger and on to the mirror. The blood was absorbed and formed a barb ring on it's surface. "There, now you're legal. Now, let's go buddy we have an hour left."
Aria stared at the chain in disbelief. "We're buddies?"
"We're not?" The chain tilted her head.
"I don't believe in those kind of relationships. You can't be best buddies with someone in a instance, especially if they tricked you." Aria glared at the chain who just continued smiling.
"Oh you're so mean." Alia pouted. "But I like you."
All was silent as Aria stared at the chain dead panned before turning her head to the side hiding the blush with the sides of her hood. "I like you too."
It took no longer then ten minute for the market place to return to it's lively self again. The pair decided to stop at a little pastry store for a treat for a break and a little sugar high before returning to the Nightrays'.
Aria sipped her tea as she glanced up at her chain time to time. Alia still retain Aria's appearance except for the red orange hair, eyes that Aria assumed remain green because half of her face was hidden by the shadow of her hood and she wore a red version of Aria's attire. "So how long ago did you escaped from the Abyss."
Alia seized her eating to answer Aria. "Not long ago."
"Like a week ago, a month or…"
Alia shrugged. "I don't remember, I know that the day I escape the Abyss was one of the happiest days of my boring lifeline."
Aria nodded her head not satisfied by Alia's answer."Why…do you want to make a contract with me? You said you spied on me while I took the exam and chose me because I finished first but that can't be the only reason you want me."
"It's not…" Alia looked to the side taking a deep breathe before facing Aria. "I want you to give me what I want. Honestly, I don't really care what your wish is."
Aria was taken a back by her words. Aria wanted to break the blood seal mirror severing the contract but it won't do no good, the clock was now a stain on her chest but it also Aria actually like Alia a little bit. She assumed it was her straight forwardness that Aria was fond off. "At least, you told me the truth." She sighed. "Then, what is your wish?"
"I want…to kill Vincent Nightray."
A/N: This chapter is... 2,813 words!
So yeah, Aria got a new chain who name is awfully similar to Aria's and how would she react when her chain wants to kill Vincent Nightray, a man she possibly might work for?
Please review anf thanks to MissIndigo and XKey of the AbyssX for keeping me company while I'm on FF.
