VI.
Miranda Lotto
I curse you…Miranda Lotto!
"Hmm? Did someone speak to me?"
The bearer of the Time Record tilted her head slightly to listen to any sound that came.
Just my imagination…
"Miranda! Can you help me with these plates?" A cook came up to her a placed a large pile of china on her outstretched hands. "Follow me to the kitchen!"
She nodded and stretched her foot forward in attempt to walk. One…two…three…and no surprise…
CRASH!
"AAH! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
Miranda bowed down to the ground, head sticking on the cold floor. The cook sighed and opened his mouth to comfort her.
Curse you…
"…Stupid."
"Huh?" Miranda looked up and wiped her tears. What she saw was the angry face of a man, pointing an index finger at her.
"DAMN IT! CAN'T YOU DO ANYTHING RIGHT!?"
EEP-
A series of cries and angry lectures about her miserable life skills later, Miranda felt her heart sink down to a new low. It was just like in her hometown, before she had a life as an Exorcist; before she even got a single word of thanks.
Serves her right…
-----
"Miranda, can you please bring these potions to Lab # 21?"
"Miranda, help me with this work, will you?"
"Can you sew this jacket?"
"Please clean this up!"
With each passing member of the Order and with each request they gave, Miranda's heart began to sink deeper into her old self.
She dropped all of the potions on top of a few scientists and got a severe scolding.
She messed up with the paperwork and was glared at by a few of the Finders.
She completely ruined the nice Exorcist jacket and made one particularly irritated samurai angry.
She slipped on her own tears and ruined the whole polished floor.
And amidst the entire ruckus, a lone figure watched silently, her laughs inaudible even to those near her.
Serves you right!
One particular event that turned Miranda's life from worse to miserable…
"Miranda!"
Oh, please…not again…
She looked up from her series of sobs and hiccupped once. "Oh…Lavi…do you want something?" The red-head had a series of injuries, ranging from minor cuts to almost major bruises.
"Yeah! Can you take this book to the storage room?" He grinned. "I kind of wrecked the thing…"
"Oh…sure…" Miranda wiped off her tears and accepted the book half-heartedly. The boy grinned once more before trailing off. From behind her, a figure of a Panda-like old man chased after the bouncing Rabbit.
"Stupid Apprentice! I'm not done with you!"
Bookman…
-----
"Excuse me-"
The Exorcist turned to see a timid Miranda, holding a book in her arms. Unfortunately for her, the Exorcist was one very pissed-off person.
EEP-
Kanda Yuu was pissed-off beyond repair. With all the commotion about the Komurins' attacks to the Order, he made a mental not to glare at anyone who dared to talk, stare, touch, or even THINK of him-
Which is in fact, all that Miranda was doing.
"What do you want?" The samurai glared intently at her. Miranda just shrunk a few centimetres back.
"P-please…I'M SORRY!" The woman cried once more before bowing flat on the ground. Kanda raised his eyebrow, but said nothing else.
"Spit it out."
"I JUST WANTED SOMEONE TO THANK ME! I ALWAYS DO EVERYTHING WRONG!" Miranda wailed over and over again. Kanda slapped his forehead (mind you, in his mind) and made an almost inaudible sigh.
"Whatever." He went away calmly, ignoring the older woman's cries and mutters.
GRIP-
Miranda's hand clutched the end of Kanda's long training pants.
PLOP-
A vein in Kanda's head just popped out.
"Let. Go. Of. Me."
Eh? What did I do now??
"I'M SORRY! I DIDN'T MEAN TO-"
SLAP-
With one free hand (the other was holding Mugen), Kanda slapped away Miranda's hand roughly and glared at her.
"Useless."
Miranda's world just split into a few smaller pieces (as if it wasn't small enough by then).
-----
Lenalee marched in, her macho figure a disgusting combination with her petite face. She didn't seem to care much, although she was silently crying in her mind.
"Lenalee…help me…"
"Hmm?" The burly girl turned her head to see a devastated and depressed Miranda Lotto. "Oh, what's wrong?"
"Can you please direct me to the storage room?"
"Of course, but which one?"
Miranda paused and trembled.
I forgot to ask Lavi which one!
"Miranda…?"
"PLEASE, DON'T BE ANGRY AT ME!!!"
A few minutes later, Lenalee's kind and gentle demeanour managed to subdue the cries and moans of the sobbing Exorcist.
"Don't worry, Miss Miranda…I'm sure Lavi won't be angry at you."
"NO! I'M SO USELESS!" Miranda grabbed the sides of her head and pounded it on a nearby wall. Lenalee gasped and pulled her away before she could make a concussion on herself.
"Miss Miranda! Please get a hold of yourself!"
Shock and frustration mixed into one, and Miranda snapped (just like any other emotionally-challenged person).
HEHEHEHE-
Lenalee backed away, feeling the room's temperature drop down several degrees. Miranda let out an ominous aura, even worse than Komui's when he made something new.
"I don't deserve to live…I'm a failure…"
Lenalee shook her shoulders in attempt to perk her up again, but to no avail. With her newly found 'gloomy' power, Miranda walked quickly to an empty room (even walking faster than Lenalee) and shut the door tightly.
A small figure appeared in the corner of that particular room and hugged the Exorcist's form.
"Miranda…I curse you to play with me…"
Miranda was found lying on the floor, inside one of the archives room the next day. Everyone (including Kanda who was damn reluctant) apologized to her about what happened the past day.
Until next time, Miranda…until next time.
