ILLUSORY FLAME: EMBERS
Chapter 4
Taken By Storm
"That's such an awful thing to happen! Are you sure you're both all right?"
"I think we'll live."
Kallie's tone was still dark and disgruntled, and her mood hadn't improved much, if at all. It was to be expected, since the wound in her side had made the walk home so much harder. It didn't help that the gash had kept bleeding freely, and though she had resorted to a sock—the only thing she could use—to attempt to staunch the wound, Kallie thought she would never be able to make it home without passing out from blood loss. It had been an absolute miracle to encounter Mrs. Eliot on their way back.
Now, on Mrs. Eliot's urging, May was fast asleep in bed, tuckered out from all the day's events; it had all been too exhausting for the poor child. Kallie and Mrs. Eliot were both seated on the couch in the living room, discussing what had happened, after having properly tended to the wound with a Potion and bandages. Mrs. Eliot had been shocked to hear about the Whole Eaters and the silver-haired man, whom she had also had hoped was gone forever.
A silence had fallen between the two, during which Mrs. Eliot seemed to be still processing the information, and Kallie still partly fuming, partly sulking. Even so, despite her hatred, she also felt a powerful remorse over what she had done. Had it really been the right thing to do? After all he had done to May and those children, had it still been a wise thing to simply walk away and leave him to die?
When Kallie had seen him slump to the ground, she had believed for one horror-struck, stunned moment that she had actually killed him. At discovering otherwise from his faint pulse that he still lived, Kallie hadn't known whether to be relieved or deeply dismayed. She still couldn't decide upon it, even now.
As if her thoughts had somehow been transferred to Mrs. Eliot, the older woman gave her a gently questioning look. "Are you sure… it was the right thing to do, Kallie? I know what he did, but…" She shifted uneasily. "He was hurt, and in need of someone to help him…"
"He deserves it!" Kallie suddenly shouted, pounding her fist on the armrest. Her knuckles turned white as the fist clenched even tighter. "Why should I feel sorry for him, after all he's done? He deserves to die! And whither away on his own! And be left for the monsters! He… he…"
Just as it had done upon encountering the silver-haired man again, Kallie's voice became strangled with fury. Unable to utter another coherent cry, she rigidly sat there, her face frozen in a scowl. But, just as quickly, the fury seemed to relinquish its hold on Kallie. She slumped forward, her elbows landing on her knees as her head fell into her hands, and remained like that for a while.
Finally, she drew herself up again and slumped back against the sofa, feeling again the strains of fatigue from that strenuous battle and especially the pangs of pain from her wound. Glancing over at Mrs. Eliot, Kallie saw her looking away, seemingly taken aback by her outburst. Although there was some relief in releasing some of her pent-up anger, she still felt the twinges of guilt and embarrassment.
"Sorry about that, Mrs. Eliot," she apologized. "But… I had to."
As Kallie had expected, however, Mrs. Eliot shook her head, smiling benignly at her. "It's all right, Kallie. You've been through a lot today too."
Relieved that her loss of temper hadn't had any worse consequences, Kallie flashed a grin over at her and put her hands behind her head. It was just one of the many things she loved about this woman; she was always so forgiving and understanding whenever Kallie fell into one of her darker mood spells. So much unlike the mother she had once known.
The next half hour they spent merely talking, a conversation just for the sake of forgetting the encounter in Midgar. After checking on the Bradfords' conditions one last time, Mrs. Eliot resigned back to her own apartment, leaving Kallie to make dinner for herself and May. Although it was sooner than when they usually had supper, Kallie not only was starting to feel hungry, but needed to do something to keep her mind off the silver-haired man.
Just as the stir-fry Kallie was currently making was halfway done, May came out of the bedroom, yawning and stretching. Her pigtails, which she hadn't bothered to remove before the nap, were askew, and she was in the process of trying to fix them.
"Had a good nap?" Kallie asked, taking her eyes from the onions in the pan for only a moment. May still looked quite drowsy, but well rested.
"Yeah…" May yawned, stretching again before peering into the frying pan. "You're making stir-fry tonight?"
"Yep! And I'm going to make it better than ever!"
"Yeah, but… you burned it before two times."
"Did not!" Kallie denied, tossing in the chopped chicken pieces for the next step. "Well…" She checked herself, remembering the last time she had made the dish. "I was trying to make the chicken a little crispier, but that didn't really work out as it meant burning all the vegetables…" May started to giggle, knowing she had hit the truth, while Kallie chuckled. "C'mon, you know I'm getting better at this!"
That did prove to be the case—at least a little. Having left it on for a bit longer than she intended (as Kallie had a penchant of doing), it did end up being singed again. But, feeling that she was finally getting someplace with her culinary skills, at least when it came to cooking stir-fry, Kallie couldn't help but be proud of such a small, little accomplishment. A self-esteem boost helped to ease away some of her still-lingering negative sentiments.
Throughout the meal, Kallie also closely watched May, looking for even the slightest indication of how the encounter had affected her cousin. To her surprise (although she had been expecting it), while May seemed a little more pensive than usual, she showed no signs of being anymore affected than she already was. By the time dinner was over, it seemed it would stay that way, for no mention of the man had been made. Yet as Kallie and May were collecting the dishes from the table to be washed, something suddenly occurred to Kallie.
"Mog still has that rip in his side, doesn't he?"
"Yeah," May confirmed, placing her plate and silverware on the counter beside the sink.
"Okay, then," declared Kallie, stacking the dishes and silverware. "I'll do the dishes later. We'll get started on Mog right away!"
"'We'?"
"Of course 'we'! You need to start learning how to sew too, y' know. Your mom… would be so happy you if you did."
As May grinned and cheered, Kallie fetched Mog from the bedroom. Soon, the two relatives were seated on the couch: Kallie with the sewing kit in her lap, and Mog in May's arms.
Most particularly in the last seven years, Kallie had grown accustomed to this sort of thing. Ever since May's mother had died in childbirth, and Mom had later vanished one fateful night, she had been forced to assume the role of a not only a sister to May, but a mother as well. It hadn't been easy, given Kallie had only been twelve back then, and May only a year old; admittedly, Kallie had taken it less seriously before Meteor and Geostigma. But, in the past months, with Uncle gone, and having lived in terror of losing May too, she had made it her top responsibility.
Finally, a few hours later, after Mog had been stitched back together, and the dishes had been washed and put away, May stated she wanted to go back to bed.
"All right," Kallie said, though her attention was more veered toward the television show she was watching. Although she too felt weary, it wasn't enough to make her want to climb into bed. She was also too used to staying up late on weekends. "I'm gonna be up for a little while, though, 'kay?"
However, Kallie did take a few minutes to tuck May in as she always did, bid her good night, and afterwards went back to watch television for a while longer. Too bored to do much else, she merely flicked through the channels. Soon, though, as the night progressed, the shows seemed to grow duller and less appealing to her, and Kallie decided it was time she got some sleep. Just as she had made that decision, she hit the channel button one last time on the remote, and froze.
"And now, for some updated news on the rampage of monsters yesterday in Edge." Kallie had stumbled in just as an anchorwoman was beginning to report a story on the news channel. She took care to keep the volume down, as the door to the bedroom was ajar. "According to numerous eyewitness accounts, three silver-haired men were confirmed to have unleashed these creatures."
As the anchorwoman went on, several photos in turn appeared behind her: one had captured the skeletal creatures scampering about, and another showed the dragon soaring over the city. The one that made Kallie clenched her fingers over the remote the most, however, was the photograph of the two silver-haired men standing in front of the once-existing monument, encircled by all those zombie-fied kids.
"Although the identities of the three silver-haired men still have not been made clear, we have received information from an anonymous source that all three have been declared dead. Rest assured, everyone, it is indeed safe to return to the streets now, and efforts are underway to rebuild what has been damaged or destroyed. All right, back to you, Frank."
"Thank you, Brianna," said the anchorman, as the camera was turned on him. "Now it's time for our weather—"
Having no interest in learning tomorrow's forecast, Kallie switched off the television and stood, stretching. It was the end to yet another day that had been far too long. Who could ever imagine that so much action would take place in only a few days? Too much for Kallie, that was for sure.
As she remembered the past three days, Kallie found herself staring out the back glass door, in the direction of Midgar. Unable to keep her thoughts off the silver-haired man after that news report, she now couldn't help but wonder how he was doing out there, how much he was suffering. Also, she couldn't help but wonder whether or not she should report to the news station that one of the silver-haired men was indeed still alive.
But the hell's the point of it? Kallie was quick to dissent at the idea. You said yourself he deserved to rot in the ruins of Midgar! Besides, any punishment that the authorities had in mind fell short of what was justifiable for him.
My… head…
Upon regaining consciousness, that was the first thing to come across Yazoo's mind. He had a wracking headache, and for a second, he almost couldn't move. When he gingerly touched his hairline, where the throbbing pain was the worst, he felt a dried trail of blood, and it took another second to remember what had taken place. For the first time he could ever recall in his short life, Yazoo felt ashamed.
How could he let himself be knocked out so easily, and by a mere human girl, too? He must have been so much weaker than he had realized. At least the pain had lessened, and he could move now, whereas it had been so difficult the first time. However, his broken rib still proved to be a hindrance as he lifted himself upright and looked around.
A while had definitely passed while he had been unconscious, as night had cloaked Midgar in darkness, though the ruins were clearly lit with the abundance of moonlight. Although he already had excellent night-vision, the illumination helped as he scanned the area around him, looking for any monsters that might be roaming about.
Seeing the area was surprisingly devoid of life, he next began looking for someplace to hide, someplace away from the open where it would be less likely for a person or a monster to stumble across him again. Though he saw various houses and buildings, all the scattered debris barred any entrance inside. The only place he could see that had clear access was a church, situated a couple hundred yards away, and which the road he rested on led right up to. Unsteadily, he rose to his feet, staggered over to pick up Velvet Nightmare from where that girl had kicked it out of his hand, and made the arduous journey to reach this refuge.
When he took his first step inside the church, an odd feeling overtook him. It was like… a sense of relief, a sentiment that seemed to reassure salvation, and that he had found a place to rest. But, Yazoo didn't muse on it as he sat down on the nearest intact pew, only grateful that he finally had a place to relax his aching body at long last.
Although it hadn't occurred to Yazoo before, he remembered the church where Loz had been supposed to go in their hunt for Mother, and he was pretty sure this was the very place. The church was wrecked, and from what Loz had told them, he had done quite a bit of damage in his battle with that woman. Given his brother's strength and violent tendencies, Yazoo wasn't surprised in the slightest. However, he'd never know that Kadaj was truly responsible for the majority of the wreckage.
Yet as he reflected back on Loz and Kadaj, his brothers that were now gone, he encountered yet another odd feeling—an aching in his chest that had nothing to do with his broken rib. It was a feeling he could recognize: it was one of longing, like when they had searched for Mother. Yet, if anything, this yearning was more powerful than it had been for her. Other than Mother, they had been the only things he had ever cared about in this entire world, even Kadaj to a certain degree, and it pained him to know that he might never see them again… at least, not in this life.
What else could Yazoo say? They had been the only people he had ever truly known, the only ones he had ever trusted, and he missed them already.
Nearly a week passed since the day of the encounter. For Kallie and Yazoo respectively, it went by quite differently for both of them.
For Kallie, it had flown by rather quickly, or at least more swiftly than it had previously with Uncle's death and May's Geostigma, when all hope had seemed lost, and meaning would be gone from her life. There were still times when Kallie wondered whether or not it was a dream whenever she glanced at May's neck and arms, so unused to seeing the skin clear of the black blemishes. However, it was a reality that Kallie was more than willing to keep alive.
If only this had happened those months ago… before Uncle died…
The memory of her uncle was more painfully sharp in the calm after this storm. Though Kallie had pulled through the overwhelming grief, no one could ever really get over such a loss, particularly since he had been the man who had been a replacement for the father figure otherwise absent in her life. It was especially in the times when she saw May's unblemished skin that she wished for him to be here again—just so he could experience this new happiness, this new joy, as well. That, and if only he had lived enough to receive that cure too… Just if only he had been able to pull through a few more months… Yet, Kallie's own reasoning made her snap back to reality; mourning wasn't going to revive Uncle.
Beside the sadness, there was still the anger that resided within her. Kallie's thoughts still often turned back to that silver-haired man, and every time they were tainted with hatred. Although she knew that it was impossible to completely eradicate him from her memories, Kallie still tried with all of her heart. Every single time, she kept reiterating to herself, over and over again: he's dead. He's got to be dead by now. No one with injuries like that can last this long.
Even so, despite all those efforts to forget him, she could not help but ponder on how he had ended up so injured like that. Kallie had also realized that he must have been separated from his partners-in-crime, as there certainly had been no signs of any other persons at that time. Something drastic had definitely happened to him.
But at least I had a share in those injuries. The thought would make Kallie smirk smugly. At least she had gotten the chance to satisfy her vindictiveness after all; without the heavy weight of a grudge on her shoulders, it had become easier to deny that silver-haired man had even existed.
For Yazoo, it was those injuries that had made the week crawl by so painfully slow for him. Wanting to move as little as possible, all he was able to do was sit there in the church, doing nothing other than resting and occasionally tinkering with Velvet Nightmare. When he had eventually grown a little better, he would sometimes walk around or perform small exercises, just so his body could adjust faster while he healed and to be rid of his restlessness. It wouldn't be long, though, before he would be forced to have a seat on the nearest pew.
This sluggish rate at which he was recovering, however, was really starting to frustrate Yazoo more than anything else. He hadn't wanted to spend an entire week healing here in this run-down church—he wanted out. He had to get going. But, he was simply too weak to, and it was getting to the point where he couldn't help but feel frustrated. Damn it, what was taking so long? His wounds should be all but gone by now…
Sometimes, as it grew later into the week, he felt the pangs of hunger and thirst. But, given the fact he was blessed with Mother's resilience, Yazoo barely needed nourishment as often as ordinary humans did. His growling stomach became easy to ignore, though the same couldn't be said of his thirst. That was so much harder to refuse, especially when there was a pool full of clear, delicious-looking water standing right nearby. Once, unable to bear it any longer, he had tried to drink from it, and then wash away the sickening grime that was all over his body.
However, his fingers had barely disturbed the tranquil surface when he had yanked his hand away again, as if the water had been boiling hot. In truth, that was what it had felt like: the same, scalding pain that the caustic rain had poured down on him and Loz. As he nursed his inflicted fingers, Yazoo glared at the pool, realizing it must have formed from all that rain. It was in that moment he wondered why he shouldn't just shoot himself now, just to end this excruciating wait before he died a pathetic death from a mere lack of nourishment.
And forsake the mission Mother gave us?
Mother. She was the only thing that made Yazoo prolong his tolerance of the situation. Without him or his brothers, there was no other way for her desires to be fulfilled. Kadaj was dead, and if the same came to be of Loz… it would be all up to him. Yet, even just the mere thought of carrying on their mission alone was too much to bear. Even with the three of them, they had all failed, so how well could a remnant on his own fare?
But, he knew if it came down to it, there was no other way. He could be her only son who had survived, the only one alive now to carry through with Mother's plans. He was not going to abandon her.
Not if I can help it.
Dusk had fallen over Edge. The very last of the setting sun's rays could be seen behind the city's buildings, though the night's star-dotted sky was more prominent. Under the glow of the streetlights, there were still crowds of people milling about. Their numbers were much less, however, given they were still shaken by the aftermath of the events from a week ago. Despite the reassuring news reports that the trio of silver-haired men had been confirmed to be dead, not exactly everyone had been wholly convinced they and their monsters weren't going to suddenly reappear.
He emerged from the darkness of an alley into a completely deserted street, far back from the rest of Edge. The only signs of movement he could perceive was a cat slinking along in the shadows, and a single, flickering streetlight, the sole source of illumination, which seemed to threaten to burn out at any second. But, the instant he stepped beneath it, the dying bulb suddenly flared to life, as if it had just been replaced. Barely flinching at the sudden brightness, he leaned back against the pole.
He had heard of what had taken place here, in this fragile city called Edge: the city that was simply nothing more than a weak imitation of the once-powerful metropolis known only two years ago as Midgar. Long ago, he had once wanted to visit Midgar, simply because it had been the most famous—or perhaps infamous—city in the entire world. Now, that he was in Edge, though, he could not help but mourn the lost opportunity—the place was only a ghostly image of its predecessor.
Edge's a lot bigger than I reckoned it'd be, though, he remarked to himself, glancing down the deserted street.
The size of the city might make it more like trying to find a needle in a haystack, yeah, but at least little effort was needed in finding this needle. Though the energy signal was still weak, his developed senses were usually dead-on accurate, and if there wasn't that slim chance they could be lying, he knew the 'needle' had to be here. Besides, on the same day he had felt it, that incident had occurred in Edge. Especially with what had been involved, it couldn't be a mere coincidence.
Absentmindedly, his finger traced the hilt of the sheathed sword strapped at his hip, while he mused over his plans that he had separately formulated on his way to Edge. He knew what he had to do. It was so simple he would be out of here in a day. Best yet, this particular 'needle' wouldn't be fleeing anytime soon; it had no idea it was being sought out, after all.
At least, not yet.
Complacently smirking, he removed himself from the pole and strode down the sidewalk toward the main street, in search of some place to stay for the night. Behind him, the streetlight suddenly flickered and flashed violently, then burned out completely, plunging the street into darkness.
"Hey, May, since I'm still making up the hours I've missed, I'll be working later again." Leaning over the back of the couch, Kallie hugged May and kissed her atop the head. "That'll be okay with you, right?"
"Yup!" May beamed back, feeling her pigtails to make sure they hadn't been messed up. "I'll be okay."
Kallie smiled, reassured, then hoisted her bag over her shoulder and made her way to the door. "All right, I'm off then! See ya!"
"Bye!"
When Kallie had gone, May settled back against the couch, waiting for Colin and Lucie to show up at the door, so they could all go and play in the streets as they usually did. Instinctively, she clutched Mog, who sat against her, a little more tightly to herself. Yet as her fingers brushed his side, she felt the stitch that she had sewn there with Kallie's aid.
As Kallie had correctly been assuming throughout the week, May had indeed been trying to forget the incident as well. Bu, it was just so much harder for her. The faces of the silver-haired men continued to haunt her wherever she was, even here in the security of the apartment, and especially whenever she went out onto the streets. The worst was in her dreams, where she was in their grasp all over again, reliving that night in that forest.
Sighing, May rubbed her eyes furiously, as if trying to knead out the sight of their faces. How much she wished it would just go away! Over and over again, she told herself they were gone! Then again, she had seen that silver-haired man in Midgar, just when she thought he would be gone forever; May had good reason to still be frightened. It had proven there still was a strong possibly they could reappear at any given moment, and May didn't know if she could stand another encounter with them.
But even then, she remembered what her cousin had said in response to May expressing her fears.
"They're gone, May," she had flat out stated a few days ago. Although her tone had been soft with forced gentleness, it had still been heavy with denial. "They're gone forever. They're not going to come back."
Kallie's right. May shook her head, a smile breaking over her face. They're not gonna come back. They're not gonna hurt me anymore.
Back in the ruins of Midgar, someone was finally stirring.
Loz groaned as the late morning light hit his eyes, eyes that had not been opened for a week. He had no idea he had been unconscious for so long, but was aware nonetheless that a while had passed. Gingerly, he lifted his hand to his forehead, blocking out the killer rays that were already giving him a bit of a headache. Immediately, he shut his eyes again, letting a while pass to condition him to the bright sunlight that shone through his eyelids.
Lifting them again at last, Loz saw his surroundings for the first time, and he was almost startled to see he was no longer atop of that building. The area was completely unfamiliar, with piles of debris and shattered structures that were once houses surrounding him. Exactly how far had that explosion carried him?
Grunting again, he attempted to pull himself up into a seated position, but could not get his body even two inches off the ground. At least he was in much better condition than Yazoo had been when he had regained consciousness (although Loz hadn't the vaguest idea at the moment), and it only took a few more attempts before Loz finally managed to sit up. Although he had to marvel he had survived if he had indeed been hurled such a distance, Loz knew his resilient, toughened physique was to thank.
Now that he was sitting upright, he was able to study the environment around him more thoroughly. Although he hadn't really taken time to memorize Midgar during the few times he and his brothers were here, Loz knew this hadn't been any place he had been before, and the building where the explosion had occurred was also nowhere in sight. But, even as he tried to recognize at least something, it suddenly struck him what he had, until now, failed to notice.
Yazoo wasn't with him.
Barely a second passed after the realization did Loz leapt to his feet—or at least tried to. It felt as though someone had just stabbed a knife into his leg, bringing him right back down onto his knees. He grunted with the unexpected pain, but was not stopped from glancing around, looking in desperation for his brother. Just as he feared, Yazoo was nowhere to be seen.
Yazoo…
Upsetting possibilities of what could have happened to Yazoo chased each other around in his head, each giving him a disconcerting, sick feeling in his stomach. Had the explosion killed his brother? Had it completely destroyed his body? Was he dead, but had been blown someplace else? The only comforting thing he could think of was that his brother had indeed ended up someplace else and was either alive and well, or alive but too injured to wander far. Fervently, Loz hoped it were the latter assumptions.
Recovering slightly, Loz stood again, though this time less vigorously and more cautiously. Although he had managed to successfully get to his feet, he still had to lean against a nearby wall that had once been part of some building, as it hurt to put more pressure on that one leg. Though it was perhaps too soon to be active when he had been comatose for so long, only one thought concerned Loz: Yazoo. Knowing Kadaj was all but alive now… Yazoo was otherwise the only person he would have left. He had to find him. He had to see if he was all right.
How many more damn hours?
Heaving a frustrated sigh, he tapped his foot impatiently, eyes fixed on the entrance of an apartment building. He was seated on top of an adjacent building, a place that had a fantastic view of the rooftops across Edge, and a perfect position for him to keep an eye on the streets below. That was where he had been forced to keep his gaze for the past couple of hours, and he had easily grown bored with the vigilance. If it hadn't been for the importance of his mission here, he would have left long ago.
Flipping his hair out of his eyes, he frowned as he surveyed again the apartment building. He had been waiting here since six o' clock this morning, and she still hadn't shown up! Certainly she had a job to go to, unless—and it exasperated him to think it—she didn't have work at all today. If that were the case, then he just might scream in frustration; this was testing his patience enough already. But, as he shifted irritably, he caught movement down below.
Leaning forward to see more down into the street, he watched with utter intent as the door to the building opened, and a teenage girl appeared. Yet, the moment he had laid eyes on her, they had widened in shock and surprise and he actually started a little. Just her overall physical appearance… the resemblance was even closer than he had imagined. The moment of shock, however, passed quickly. The resemblance had only confirmed he had been watching the right place after all.
It's about time she came out.
Slowly straightening up, he continued to watch the orange-haired girl stride down the street that lead towards the main part of Edge. From the bag slung over her shoulder, she had to be leaving for a while, and not just taking a short trip someplace. Knowing he had to make sure, he began to stealthily follow her along the rooftops. He didn't know exactly how sharp her senses were, though she remained just as oblivious to the boy that was shadowing her as the rest of the crowd.
But, just when he thought he could shadow her less covertly, she unexpectedly paused, beginning to glance around. Instinctively, he swiftly ducked out of sight, scolding himself if he had foolishly blown his own cover. However, she then smiled and waved down the street, and was soon joined by a girl her age, undoubtedly a friend of hers. Immensely relieved that she hadn't really noticed him at all, he was able to breathe easier. So, her abilities were as dull as he had first assumed.
He stood still and quiet where he stood, watching the two girls as they casually conversed while they walked. Once again, he followed, up until he saw them enter an alley behind a large building he knew to be a warehouse, and where they disappeared through a door marked 'Employees Only'. This confirmed what he had figured: she would definitely be gone for a while.
After keeping an eye on the employees' entrance, to ensure that they really would be gone, he then turned around and began to leap back across the rooftops. He had only needed to follow her to see where she was employed; he had some more business to attend to at her apartment. In a matter of minutes, he arrived back at the very place where he had waited two hours, and where he would have to wait yet again.
He had not been there long before the door of the building opened once more, and this time a boy and two girls came trotting out. Although he didn't recognize any of the three kids, the girl with her brown hair in pigtails and carrying a moogle doll caught his attention. But while she did match the description he had been given, he knew he couldn't make any concrete assumptions yet; for all he knew, there could be more young girls with brown hair living in that building.
Unless…
"Hey, May! Catch!"
A couple of boys around the same age had just entered the scene, one of them carrying a ball, which he bounced to the brown-haired girl. Barely managing to catch it on the tips of her fingers, the girl apparently named May tossed it to the other girl, starting some game that they obviously all knew. It made him envious, since he would now have to remain here for another grueling period, with nothing to do at all. How he wished he could go off someplace else to pass the time! But no—he had been told to keep an eye on them no matter what.
And that he did—for a full six hours. He himself was amazed he had lasted this long, forcing down his boredom as he watched May and her friends play in the streets, discreetly following her wherever she went. Despite the small portions of food he had brought, he felt the pangs of hunger and thirst, though he couldn't let something as unimportant as that affect him. Finally, as the sun began to sink in the sky, May bade her friends goodbye before heading back into her apartment.
At last. The moment had come.
May should have known better. It had been so foolhardy of her to develop such a strong sense of security, encouraged by Kallie's denials. If the young girl hadn't, then she might be at least be slightly more prepared for what was about to befall her. Yet, she remained blissfully ignorant as she entered their apartment, using the spare key she always kept with her. She also remained oblivious to the eyes that followed her every move as she poured herself a cup of juice before plopping down on the sofa.
As she took a sip of juice, May switched on the television and instantly went to her favorite cartoon, which usually occupied her until Kallie got home. However, she kept glancing back towards the kitchen clock, a little more anxiously because her cousin would be working later tonight again. Thankfully, as far as she was aware, this would be the last night. Reassuring herself with that thought, she engrossed herself in the cartoon, all the while unsuspecting of the figure standing on the fire escape outside, eyes fixated on her through the glass door.
That was, until the glass door behind her was shattered with a brilliant flash of light.
"All right, so we'll meet up at my place, then?" asked Kallie, as they came to the street block where Kallie's apartment was located. Since they had been robbed of the opportunity last week, the two friends had decided to hang out at Kallie's place, and Kallie had eagerly jumped on the chance to be with a friend after so long, not about to let it slip away again.
All the while, Kallie remained completely unaware of what had befallen her cousin.
"Yep, and I'll be sure to bring a movie or two," replied Rika. "And how about some board games so May can join in too?"
"I'm sure she'll love that."
"Okay then, see ya!"
Rika gave Kallie a brief hug, then quickly darted away down another street, in the direction of her own apartment where she lived with her family. After watching her go for a moment, Kallie then proceeded to the door of her apartment building. Entering, she trekked up the three flights of stairs and down the hallway, drawing her keys as she came to her door.
"I'm back, May!" Kallie called out cheerfully, shutting the door behind her and walking into the living room as she tossed her bag aside. "Listen, Rika's coming over, and…"
But she trailed off, pausing in the living room at having seen May wasn't in sight, nor had she given any response. The apartment was in semidarkness as well. She knew May had been here, since the T.V. was on, and Mog sat on the couch. She spotted the plastic cup lying on the floor, the carpet around it darkly stained from the juice the cup had once contained.
May wouldn't spill anything without cleaning it up, Kallie realized, and the thought worried her. It worried her immensely. "May? Are you… here?"
Those words had only just left her mouth when she felt a chilly draft, as if someone had left a window open, even though there weren't any windows to leave open except in the bedrooms. Rubbing her arms as goosebumps crept over her skin, Kallie glanced up, and gasped.
The glass door that led to the fire escape was shattered into pieces.
It had been hard to see before with the lack of light in the room, and the fact it was nearly pitch-black outside. Kallie might have cursed herself for overlooking it before, but she was too gripped by shock and horror to even make a sound. She was frozen to the spot, staring at the shattered glass, struggling to register what she was seeing.
This couldn't be happening—not again!
An invisible force was the only thing that was able to rip Kallie's feet away from the carpet, driving her to leap over the couch and rush to the fire escape. The shards that were littered everywhere crunched beneath Kallie's boots as she fumbled to unlock the door, cutting her fingers on the broken glass as she pushed it open and darted out onto the fire escape.
"May!" she shrieked out into the darkness, her hand tightly gripping the handrail as she leaned over, trying to spot her cousin. "May!"
"Y'know, it's really stupid to just rush out when you just discovered somebody's broken into your apartment."
Startled, Kallie whirled about in the direction of the voice, her fist clenching in preparation to throttle whomever it was. At first, being unable to see anything in the darkness around her, she was bewildered as to where the voice's owner was. But then, on a nearby fire escape to her left, she spotted the outline of a young man, barely distinguishable in the sparse lighting from the streetlights.
Seated on the railing, he had one leg dangling almost casually over the side, with his back against the wall. Although he was mostly in shadow, Kallie was able to make out that he wore casual-looking clothing, and his short, scruffy hair seemed to be of a fair color. What surprised her the most, though, was that he barely appeared to be any older than she was—younger, even.
"Who the hell are you?" Kallie addressed him, glowering. Her first immediate assumption was that he was the culprit behind the shattered door.
She saw him tilt his head slightly, as if in a deriding fashion. "Jeez, and no manners either. But, then again…" With a low laugh, he swung his leg back over the railing and put his feet back on the fire escape's platform. "My manners ain't really any better."
"Fine then." Not bothering to hide her rising temper, she planted her hands on her hips assertively. "I'll try that again, if you want. Please tell me who are you, and why you broke into my apartment." At least he admitted to that, the bastard.
Yet, while Kallie donned a brave, unwavering guise, she couldn't ignore her insides that quivered both out of anger and fear. Although his cocky demeanor annoyed her, there was something about it that had a deadly, frightening edge to it.
He gave a low snicker. "Much better, Kallie."
She flinched heavily. How…? "How the hell do you know my name?"
"So many questions… should I really answer 'em all?" he muttered, almost to himself. It was clear he was enjoying taunting and eluding her.
Kallie's blood boiled to a dangerous level, eradicating the fear she had felt before. "Okay, I've had it with your damn game! Either spill, or I'll beat the shit outta you!"
The instant Kallie had said that, though, she immediately felt like an idiot; a good, ten-foot gap separated her and this supposed criminal. Undoubtedly, he thought so too, for he openly laughed at the hollow threat.
"Damn, you're an idiot," he scoffed under his breath, and Kallie fumed. "Still…" Something like malevolence gleamed in his eyes. "Out of all the questions you've asked me, I guess I shouldn't be surprised you ain't asked about your dear cousin yet."
And again, Kallie flinched horribly. The cruel stranger took the opportunity to step aside, allowing Kallie to stare past him, and she nearly drew back in horror. There behind him, slouched against the railing, was the unmistakable, motionless form of May. It was, for that excruciating moment, a horrible reflection of how Kallie had found May a week ago—a sight she had been so thoroughly convinced she would never see again. But, the horror that had frozen her in place for the past few moments vanished, and was replaced by senseless injustice and anger.
"What did you do to her?" Kallie hissed, her hands clenching into tight fists, now fully ready to lunge at him, regardless of the distance. "What the hell did you do to my cousin, you sicko!"
"What does it look like I did?" Smugly, he flipped his hair back as a smirk crossed his faintly lit features.
Not even the anger and hatred Kallie had felt a week ago could compare to what she felt right now. Just a hair away from the snapping point, her fists had tightened so much she almost drew blood from her nails piercing her palms. She was so desperate to get her cousin back that she truly considered launching right at him, even though it would only result in her becoming a bloody splat on the pavement below. In that moment, she had never felt so powerless.
Yet, amid the fury and desperation she felt, she thought there was a plan formulating in her head—a way she could draw him to her just so she could fight him, maybe even overpower him and get May back from him. She had barely given it a second thought before she hastened to put it into effect.
"If you can talk so big," she snarled, barely managing to contain her rage to even utter coherent words. "Then stop your damn cowering over there and fight me, you son of a bitch!"
All he did was laugh. "Sounds good to me."
And then somehow, some way, the young man was able to leap straight across that gap, at a speed Kallie couldn't even begin to comprehend. On automatic instinct, she tried to lash out at him, utterly bewildered, but only swept through empty air. Just as quickly, his fist collided heavily with her stomach, and Kallie doubled over, feeling her feet leave the platform with the impact as the wind was forced out of her.
The next instant, she was slammed hard against the door that hadn't been shattered, and there, he kept a powerful grip around her neck, his forearm pressing her front against the glass. Kallie would have fought back, but she was still reeling from the blows he had dealt, and couldn't even draw the breath to curse at him.
"You really do have a long way to go, don't ya?" he sneered softly into her ear, and Kallie, for the first time she could recall, felt more terrified than she was angry. He was far stronger than his slender frame suggested, and she knew she was at his mercy. Still unable to oppose him, she was helpless as he leaned in closer to her ear. "But… if it makes you happy… I'm not gonna let May get hurt."
Kallie barely had time to process those words before she felt him clap a hand to her back, and a powerful electrical shock surged through her body.
He watched in satisfaction as Kallie's body convulsed for a second, and then grew limp from the electrical shock he had dealt to knock her out. The technique he had discovered on his own was quite efficient, and he knew she wouldn't be coming back around anytime soon. Relinquishing his hold on her neck, he allowed her to fall back into his arms. Staggering slightly at how unexpectedly heavy she was, he half-carried, half-dragged her into the apartment and laid her down on the couch.
At least that's over with, he thought, eying her motionless form.
Then, he jumped slightly and wheeled around to face the door to the apartment, where he had heard knocking suddenly sound. He stood there, stock still, until the caller knocked again, and an older female voice called inside:
"Kallie? May? Are you in there? Is everything all right?"
As the person continued to knock and call out their names, he smirked, and had to refrain from chuckling out loud. Quietly, he strode back outside and jumped to the neighboring fire escape where he had left May. Scooping up the young girl in his arms, he silently leapt to the street below, vanishing into the night.
Voices. Softly speaking voices. That was the first thing Kallie became aware of. That, and the odd mixture of pain and numbness she felt. As she grew more and more conscious, she also realized she lay on something soft, and something equally soft was draped over her. In an attempt to discern her environment, to see where she lay, Kallie endeavored to open her eyes. Her vision first blurred, and then suddenly sharpened, allowing her surroundings and two familiar figures to swim into view.
Kallie was lying in the comfort of her bed, still dressed in her street clothes. The two familiar figures were Rika and Mrs. Eliot, seated on chairs from the kitchen table, both bearing a concerned, weary visage. It had been they whom she had heard talking, though they both instantly hushed at seeing Kallie finally stir.
"Kallie!" With relief that was more than apparent, Rika flung herself out of her chair and fell to her knees beside the bed. "You're awake!"
Mrs. Eliot, meanwhile, had stood with more composure, but looked just as relieved as Rika, with her hand resting over her heart. "Kallie… you're all right… thank goodness…"
"Rika… Mrs.… Eliot…?" Kallie murmured, weakly reaching an arm out to her friends. "What…?" Shakily, cautiously, she raised herself into an upright position, though flopped right back down with a groan as pain suddenly shot from her back.
"Kallie!" both Rika and Mrs. Eliot exclaimed, simultaneously rushing forward to their patient's aid. However, Kallie had barely hit the mattress when she suddenly sprang right back up with abrupt vigor, making her worried attendants stop in their tracks.
"May!" cried Kallie, distress appearing on her face before she suddenly pounded her fist on the bed sheets. "Damn him! That son of a bitch!"
"Kallie…" Mrs. Eliot whispered, while Rika had covered her mouth with her hands in alarm. "What… what happened here? Did you see…?"
Kallie nodded with clenched teeth. "I saw him all right, that bastard."
Mrs. Eliot nodded understandably but with concern, slowly sitting back down on her chair as a still slightly agitated Rika followed suit. "Please, tell us what happened."
"I saw that bastard, all right," Kallie reiterated in a mumble, then raised her voice to normal volume. "May was… gone when I came home. When I… saw the broken door, I… I knew something must've happened to her."
"So, that's really what happened," Mrs. Eliot quietly remarked. "We thought someone had broken in and harmed you, then took May. We saw…"
"I ran out onto the fire escape," Kallie broke in, mindless that the caring woman had said anything. "I looked and called out for May, and then he spoke to me, and insulted me, and I saw May behind him. I…" Her voice began to escalate again in anger.
"I got pissed off. I told him to come and fight me, but then he took me down, pinned me to the door, and then… I don't know what that bastard did, but…" She then suddenly slapped a hand onto the sheets again, her whole body quivering. "Damn him, damn him, damn him! I'll kill him if it's the last thing I do!"
It was like she was caught in a riptide of emotions, all of which took a hold of Kallie as she rocked forward, her face falling into her hands as she sobbed despite her attempts to restrain them. Kallie had ever felt so distressed, so angered, so scared in her entire life. Her defenses were still worn and torn from the experiences of last week, and she—and May—had only begun to heal. Now, this had sprung out of nowhere. It was her worst nightmare realized.
This can't be happening. This just doesn't happen to people!
Rika and Mrs. Eliot had silently watched, in sympathetic concern, as Kallie had fought the urge to weep, and they were still at a loss for words as she attempted to recover. But finally, Mrs. Eliot spoke up again.
"I'm so sorry, dear," she whispered, standing and taking a new seat beside Kallie. There, she put a comforting arm around her. "I'm so sorry… I should've…"
But, Kallie only shook her head, drying her damp eyes on the sheets. "No. There was nothing anyone could've done."
Rika, meanwhile, had been moved to tears herself, and she imitated Mrs. Eliot's actions in sitting beside her friend, although instead took her hand and firmly held it. While Kallie did not appear to acknowledge it, barely moving from her spot save for another shudder that was almost a sob, their sympathy was more than appreciated. Already, Kallie could feel herself regaining her composure, as her eyes were less tearful, and her brow had furrowed, as if thinking something over.
"But… that's just it…" she voiced her thoughts aloud. "He let me see him…"
"What do you mean, Kallie?" Mrs. Eliot stared at her friend more seriously. "You mean you actually saw what he looked like?"
Kallie nodded, then closed her eyes and tried to remember his appearance. "It was really dark outside, so I couldn't really see. But, I don't think he was even older than I was. His hair was straggly, kind of short, and it looked like it was blond. And…" She opened her eyes as she remembered the last item she had noted. "He was carrying a sword."
Rika clapped a hand to her mouth. "A-a sword? He could be a murderer! Who knows what he could do to May?"
Thanks for reminding me, Rika, thought Kallie dryly. Yet, then again… "I don't think he will. I clearly heard him say: 'I'm not gonna let May get hurt.' So… I don't think he'll kill or hurt her."
Deep inside, Kallie fervently hoped with all of her heart that that was the case; it was the only sort of relief she could find at the moment. Clearly, both of her friends thought the same thing, as they both seemed to relax a little.
"At least… that's a hope." Still, Rika looked anxious. "But, what's the sword for?"
"Who knows?" Kallie scratched the back of her head. "Maybe he'll murder somebody else, or he uses it to fight monsters, or…" And then, Kallie sat upright again so fast it seemed like she had been shocked again. "Of course! Why didn't I think of that before?"
"Think of… what?" questioned Rika, now thoroughly bewildered.
"He's working with that silver-haired man!"
Rika's jaw dropped. "What!"
"Are you… sure?" Mrs. Eliot asked. They both looked thunderstruck.
Kallie was sure, a hundred percent certain of it. May had told Kallie that there had been three silver-haired brothers, and had mentioned the apparent youngest had carried a sword. Sure, Kallie had thought he was blond, but maybe her eyes had been playing tricks on her in the darkness. Maybe this youth had found out what Kallie had done to the silver-haired man, and had kidnapped May out of revenge. After all, they had done it before, so why shouldn't they do it again?
"I'm pretty sure that's why he did it," declared Kallie stubbornly, after explaining her hunch. "And that means he could be in Midgar right now. So…" With sudden vigor, she freed herself from her friends and stepped to the floor. "I'm gonna go there right now!"
"But…" Rika stood up as well. "You're still hurt, you know!"
As if that was going to stop Kallie. Although she stumbled slightly, wincing, she still strode determinedly out of her bedroom to find her boots and jacket. In entering the kitchen, she noted that the glass shards had been swept up, the juice stain had been cleaned, and a large plastic bag had been taped over the broken door. That wasn't the end of the favors her friends had done for her, as Kallie turned to see Rika holding the very items she had been looking for.
"You really ought to eat before you go, Kallie," Mrs. Eliot said concernedly, appearing in the doorway of the bedroom. "It won't do you any good if you—"
"I don't care." Kallie glanced up as she finished donning the boots and jacket Rika had been holding out to her. "If he's out there right now, we need to get there as soon as we can." That, and with the urgent adrenaline racing through her, she had little to no appetite at all.
A frown creased Mrs. Eliot's features, but she silently nodded in understanding.
"Please, be careful," she cautioned, beginning to wring her hands. Although Kallie barely paused a second, she still looked back and gave a nod before walking out the front door with Rika.
Elsewhere that day, on a small rise of land, a man was seated on the ground. In his lap lay what appeared to be a journal, while in his hand he held a pen, and at his side was a pair of binoculars. It seemed that he had previously been writing, though now held the pen idly, as his gaze was currently fixed upon a pack of Kalm Fangs several hundred feet away. Occasionally, he would pick up the binoculars and train it on the creatures, then set it back aside and make some kind of note in his journal.
Just as he had finished the entry, he then paused, for he had heard the rustling of grass as someone walked softly towards him. He seemed to know who it was, for, without having to turn around, he acknowledged the person with a friendly greeting.
"Done so soon with training, are you?"
"Father…"
As the rustling ceased, he turned to see a young woman standing behind him, and he gave her a fatherly smile. Although she did not quite return the welcome, her face was neither unfriendly nor impassive, just bearing an expression that looked almost melancholy. However, she did walk the remaining distance between them, and sat down by her father's side.
"How is Pack C?" the young woman asked. "Hadn't the alpha female sustained an injury?"
"She did," he replied, peering through his binoculars at said Kalm Fang. "However, she seems to be recovering now." The man lowered the instrument and smiled once more at his daughter. "You realize you still haven't answered my question yet. You're never done this early in the day. What's… with the long face, dear?"
The woman fell quite silent, her face turned towards the ground, and the silence remained for almost a full minute. At last, she gave a quiet sigh.
"I should've informed you of this a week ago," she began. "I didn't want to speak of it, in case I was imagining things…" The woman breathed deeply, as if she were about to dive off a cliff. "Father… I felt it. I felt… her. She has… finally awakened."
A heavy silence fell. It was as if the young woman had just announced the death of someone beloved, and from the father's reaction, it almost seemed to be that way. He sat rigid on the spot, the color drained from his face, and his hands trembled so much that he dropped the pen he had held. Shakily, he picked it up where it had fallen to the grass.
"So…" He shut the journal, unable to continue with his writing. "The time… is finally here…"