Neko looked between them, her mind spinning with questions. 'How did they know I could talk? And that I'm scared of boys? Why…why are they being…nice…to me?' She took a hesitant step back, then another, and another, shaking her head and trying to get the jumble of thoughts into some form of order. "No…no, no, no…" she mumbled, dropping her sketchbooks and clapping her hands on either side of her head, as if banishing the thoughts from entering her mind. Images of her father, mother, and brother began to swarm her thoughts, making her cringe.
"Neko?" Kaoru asked, taking a cautionary step forward after seeing her books start tumbling to the ground. Hikaru jumped forward and caught them, checking them over for damage before trying to hand them to her. She had closed her eyes as tears started to flow.
"No, no, no, no!" she said, digging her nails into her scalp until she started to bleed. She began to fall forward as all of her strength left her, when she felt two sets of arms catch her around the waist. She tensed, glancing up to see the twins holding her with worry written all over their faces. Her vision blurred and she heard their voices, but couldn't make sense of the words. Her body went limp as she passed out from the stress.
~Time skip- Neko's Apartment~
Neko shivered as her dreams flashed with memories of her past…
A four-year-old Neko sat, hiding behind the couch with her three-year-old baby brother in her arms. They were hiding from their father again, who was drunk as usual. This was a week after Neko witnessed her mothers murder, and she now realized what it was. She hadn't told innocent little Shinsei about it, nor did she plan to. She glanced at her brother, who's bright-green eyes were wide with fear. He took so much after their mother, his green eyes(which Neko shared) and the blonde tint to his hair came from her, as did the pale skin.
Shinsei threw his arms around his sister's neck after their father had left, heading out to another bar. Neko smiled sadly, hugging him back and stroking his hair to calm him like their mother used to. "'Ko-chan?" he asked, his sweet voice little more than a whisper, "Why is daddy doing this? Why does he smile when we hurt?"
Neko smiled at him, apology in her eyes. He was so smart for one of his age, the neighbors considered him a prodigy. "He is upset over mother." she answered, the lie that she had been feeding her brother sliding so easily off her tongue, "He just needs to vent for a while."
"How long till daddy is nice again?"
"I don't know."
~scene change~
A five-year-old Neko sat under a tree in the graveyard, watching her brother pray to their mother again. He had been doing this daily since four months ago, when he turned four. He looked up to see Neko smiling at him, he returned her smile with a bright one of his own, running up and hugging her. He then gazed up at the tree she was sitting under. "I like this tree." he told her, his smile growing even brighter, "It is a good tree, it protects the people who come here."
"Then we must give it a name, Shinsei." She suggested, standing up and ruffling her brother's bangs, which he refused to have cut.
He smiled, sticking his tongue out at her. He then turned to the tree. "How about…" he started, placing a finger to his chin as he thought, "Kouken!"
Neko smiled at him. "Kouken it is then."
"Bye Kouken! See you tomorrow!"
~scene change~
A six-year-old Neko smiled sadly as she tucked a five-year-old Shinsei into bed. "Neko-nee!" he whined quietly, not wanting to disturb their father, "Sing to me, please?"
Neko smiled at him. "Alright, but only one song." she answered, sitting next to him on his bed and holding his hand, "Which do you want?"
"Forever Together!" he answered instantly. Neko smiled at his innocence. That was his favorite song.
"Alright." she said, before taking a breath and beginning to sing softly;
"You and me
Against the world
Brother and sister
Our world fueled
By love and faith
And thoughts so pure
We strive to be
Together forever
No matter the danger
No matter the enemy
We will be
Forever together
Brother and sister
In both blood and heart
Sister and brother
In devotion and faith
We will always be
Together forever
No matter the road
We take in life
Whether near or far
We always know
We have a place in our hearts
No matter who tries
To cut our bond
We will always be the ones
Who stand as one
Together forever
Forever together
It matters not
The evil we've fought
So long as we are
Forever
Forever
Forever together…" as she finished the song she tucked a strand of hair behind her sleeping brother's ear. She leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. "Goodnight, innocent little Shinsei."
~scene change~
A seven--year-old Neko sighed as she watched Shinsei in the yard, watching a bird as it flew around with its friends. A squeal of tires alerted her that something was wrong. She turned just in time to see her father's car fly around the corner, heading straight for Shinsei! Neko jumped to her feet, prepared to run to her little brother and push him out of the way. Fate was against her it seemed, for she tripped after she took her first step. All she could do was watch as everything seemed to happen in slow motion.
Shinsei looked at the approaching vehicle, his eyes wide with fear, sadness, surprise, and hurt. He tried to turn, to jump and get out of the way…but it was too late. The car crashed into him and Neko could hear the snap as bones broke. Shinsei's body slid to the ground once her father finally stopped. She could see the dent in the hood. The cracks and blood where her brother hit the windshield. She glanced at her brothers crumpled form. She felt her heart beating frantically as she jumped to her feet, heading for him. Reaching his form she stared down at his blood-covered face.
He stared back at her, his once bright and laughing green eyes dull and glazed. A small trickle of blood had formed at the corner of his mouth. She clapped her hand over her mouth as she saw the blood pooling around him, the smell overpowering her. Her knees gave out and sobs shook her body. "No…" she whispered, closing her eyes and hoping it was just a dream, "No, no, no…Shinsei…SHINSEI!"
Neko jerked into a sitting position, sweat dripping down her forehead and her breathing coming in ragged gasps. She shuddered and placed a hand to her forehead, trying to block out the images. "Shinsei…" she whispered, a tear falling from her eyes. She took a shuddering breath and glanced around. She was in her room, at her apartment. Panick filled her for a moment before she saw a note on her bedside. She opened it and read;
'Neko,
The twins called and said that they found you in the park and that you passed out. You will need to explain that to me later. I told them to wait for me so I could take you home, but they wouldn't have it. So…I kinda played a trick on them. Your landlady, Ms. Katana, was very helpful. She agreed to play the part of your 'aunt' and let you be brought to her house. When the boys left(over an hour later, I might add) we brought you home. I will see you tomorrow, it's Sunday so there's no school. My dad has agreed that I can come over at around five for our sleepover.
Your friend,
Haruhi'
Neko smiled, setting the note down and walking to the small kitchen. As she went to open the fridge she paused. Taped to the door was a poem she had found on the computer. It reminded her so much of her own messed-up life that she ha printed it and taped it there. She had even sang it a few times when she was especially down. The poem went as follows;
My name is Sarah
I am but three,
My eyes are swollen
I cannot see,
I must be stupid
I must be bad,
What else could have made
My daddy so mad?
I wish I were better
I wish I weren't ugly,
Then maybe my mommy
Would still want to hug me.
I can't speak at all
I can't do a wrong
Or else I'm locked up
All the day long
When I awake
I'm all alone
The house is dark
My folks aren't home.
When my mommy does come
I'll try and be nice,
So maybe I'll get just
One whipping tonight
Don't make a sound!
I just heard a car
My daddy is back
From Charlie's Bar.
I hear him curse
My name he calls
I press myself
Against the wall.
I try and hide
From his evil eyes
I'm so afraid now
I'm starting to cry.
He finds me weeping
He shouts ugly words,
He says its my fault
That he suffers at work.
He slaps me and hits me
And yells at me more,
I finally get free
And I run for the door.
He's already locked it
And I start to bawl,
He takes me and throws me
Against the hard wall.
I fall to the floor
With my bones nearly broken,
And my daddy continues
With more bad words spoken.
"I'm sorry!", I scream
But its now much too late
His face has been twisted
Into unimaginable hate.
The hurt and the pain
Again and again
Oh please God, have mercy!
Oh please let it end!
And he finally stops
And heads for the door,
While I lay there motionless
Sprawled on the floor.
My name is Sarah
And I am but three,
Tonight my daddy,
Murdered me.
The phone rang, startling Neko from her thoughts. Confused as to who would be calling her she went and answered. "Hello?"
"Hello, is this Stephanie Green?"
"Yes, who is this?"
"My name is of unimportance. You need only know that I am with the 'Cursed Project'. I've called to ask if you might be able to take in another person?"
"A cursed child?"
"Yes."
"I can."
"They will arrive at noon tomorrow."
"Alright."
"Good luck."
Neko hung up, thinking. 'Ookami, another is coming.' she thought, smiling dismally, 'Another child has been orphaned. I just hope I can handle it.'
Neko: Hiya! So...I'm really sory for not updating as fast as I promised some people, but school has been getting in the way.
Keibi: Neko...tell them already.
Neko: But I dun' wanna!
Keibi: *glares* Do it or I will steal your Hikaru and Kaoru plushies and burn them.
Neko: *gasping and clinging to said plushies* Nuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu! Grrrrrrrrr. Fine! Next chapter one of my friends will be entering the story, speaking of which...I still need to ask her some questions about her character!
Keibi: *shaking head* You are an idiot.
Neko: Then you just called yourself an idiot because you are technically part of my mind.
Keibi: *tail and ears droop* Crap...I hate it when you go all smart on me!
Neko: *smiles* I know, that's why I do it. please reveiw! Okay so, special thanks to(from now on I'm putting these here);
-LaZy-BuBbLeGuM-BiTcH-: Thank you! If you want me to give you a nickname you have to tell me, 'cause I honestly can't think of any.
have-a-cookie: I'm updating! Hikaru and Kaoru always save the day, it's 'cause they're cute. I'ma gonna call you Cookie-chan now, k?
Tsuki kiba Kumori: Hiya Tsuki-chan! You should be excited for the next chapter.
Raine44354: I know, I still think I went a little fast but I really needed to get that chapter done. Is it okay if I just call you Raine?
ColinatorGX: Thank you. I really hope that I'm doing the past part right. Can I just call you GX or something?
ninja enchantress: Thank you! Ne, what should I call you?
