Chapter 9 Going into Town

Author's Note: I am so super happy right now! Even though I don't have lots of reviews, the ones I do have are super nice and make me smile! It makes me glad to know that people like what I write and they enjoy themselves! That's the whole reason I write, after all!

Also, I apologize if anyone was confused for a moment, I am not sure if I fixed it quickly enough or if anyone noticed, but upon editing Chapter one and meaning to replace it I deleted it entirely, therefore making chapter 2, chapter 1, and chapter 3, chapter 2, so I had to delete everything and reload it again in order. Again, I don't know if anyone noticed or was confused, but if you did and were, sorry, and it is all better now! YAY! I nearly had a panic attack there; I was so worried I screwed everything up! Whew! Fixed though!

Anyway, enough of my incoherent babbling, here's the chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Zatch Bell… wow, one would think that after stating this in the previous chapters that I don't own Zatch Bell… anyway, it's not mine nor are the characters… the characters Sorella, Lance, and Rita, though, are of my own creation. Don't snatch 'em, please! :D

Since my head and body were in no condition to train yet, Sherry decided, rather, ordered, that we relax for two days and see what state I was in by then. Brago had claimed that whether I was fine or not, we would be leaving to look for more mamodo.

"How do you expect her to heal when trekking up mountains and forest paths and such?" Sherry had demanded of him.

Brago looked at her as if the answer was obvious. "Slowly."

I had stifled a laugh with a fist in the mouth at that, not wanting Sherry to round on me in frustration. Things were a lot less tremulous now, especially after that Lance fight. We got to see a little of the truth in everyone that day, a little of who they really are. I saw Sherry's nurturing fierceness, almost motherly, and Brago's… well… he's actually… I pondered a moment, considering what I actually learned about Brago…

"Short tempered…" I whispered out loud to myself. "Growly… cheats… strong…"

Sherry and Brago eyed me with confusion but I continued to quietly mumble things about what I had learned, almost in an obsessive scholarly way. Sherry sighed and scratched her head, ruffling her long blonde hair.

"I want to do something; I hate not being able to do something…"

"How is that different than what you do normally?" Brago asked.

I laughed really hard when Sherry's face reddened in anger and her lip jutted out in a scowl kind of pout. The funny part was Brago was not trying to be funny. Both of them looked in my direction so I quickly turned my back and hurried into the bathroom, stifling my giggles with my fist. Really, Sherry must get that a lot, despite the hard work she puts in. I giggled more as I closed the door behind me and slid down to the floor against it, rolling with silent mirth. Once I had calmed down, I sighed happily.

Despite what had happened recently, I felt more comfortable than I had in a long, long time, especially around a mamodo, particularly a full blooded mamodo. I looked down at the floor, thinking. Most mamodos didn't know about us, seeing as the half breeds and close family members live in their own little town away from everyone else. It wasn't the most high end place, or the best built, but we knew everyone there.

I leaned my head back remembering. The lingering smell of meat on a blistering hot flat stone, the crisp fruit plucked from the nearby tree, and the laughter of those around me, happy to be a part of something where no one was looked down upon. There were a few rude people there, hating what they were and how they had to live, but even they smiled from time to time. My throat tightened, thinking about when I was given my book. How everyone had looked at me…

***

"You're going to be in the battle for king?" Yoven asked with incredulity.

The other half breed children huddled around me, some eyes wide with admiration, while others glared with envy and loathing. My mother was standing off a ways, watching me with glowing pride and love. This was a great day! I would be able to go to the human world and see Rita! She might even be my Book Master!

"How can you be chosen? Why is there only one picked out of all of us?" Yoven demanded angrily.

His frayed hair was poking in all directions, gleaming silver in the sunlight. His yellow eyes had slits for the pupils like a cat and he had two sharp teeth on the top and bottom rows. His skin was an odd color, one almost like a mix between yellow and grey. Yes, he was very feline, more demonic looking than me at least. He constantly teased me how I shouldn't even be in this slum village because of how human I looked; how someone as humanoid as me doesn't deserve to live in the mamodo world.

I looked at him straight in the face and said with a tone like a whip, "Because you are not strong, that's why."

The other kids howled with mocking laughter as Yoven flushed a crimson red and clenched his fists. He pushed my shoulder, causing me to stumble away from everyone else.

"You think you're so much better than the rest of us!" He yelled, silencing the others, even the adults watching nearby. "You're not demon enough to live in the main city, and you are too human to live here! You may have all this power and stuff, but that's only because your fool of a mother was strong in the last battle!"

I flinched away, hating his words, clutching my white book closer to my chest as if it were a baby.

"You may get all this special treatment because of how you look or what you can do, but the actuality is that you're a freak! Everyone here is reminded about their human family, the demons are reminded that you're obviously half human, and hate it! No one likes you!"

I took in a sharp breath, looking around immediately to confirm what he said. The others were avoiding my gaze, seeming embarrassed. My heart pounded loudly against my chest and my stomach bubbled with a feeling similar to throwing up. My mother was hurrying towards me, concern on her pretty face. I looked a little like her, though she had an angularness to her face that was too sharp for a human, and her eyes were large with an almost crystal like red-gold color. Her nails were too sharp and didn't need to be filed and her legs were long and athletic.

Yoven was on a rant now, hating that he wasn't chosen, he, out of all the half breed children here, who looked most like a mamodo compared to me, the one who looked most human. Fear gripped me like icy claws as he prepared to shout at me again…

"No one will accept you! If you meet any mamodo in the human world they will only want to burn your book faster once they find out what you are! And if you somehow make friends, then the minute they find out they will be disgusted with you! You're a FREAK, even among your own kind!"

***

"You're a FREAK, even among your own kind!"

I sighed. I could still hear that voice in my head, that same statement… I rose to my feet and walked before the glossy mirror, studying myself. My mouth was downturned into a critical frown, about average in size, and my nose was small but not puny like that Zatch kid's nose… I saw him once after some kids had teased him and gave him a coin I had found that day so he could buy a piece of candy. He probably doesn't even remember me…

My hair was long now, almost to my waist, a dark brown with caramel streaks that blended nicely and gave my hair a more natural look… well, that doesn't really make sense seeing as this is the natural hair I was born with… it was glossy and shiny and gleamed in sunlight, making it seem golden at times from the caramel color in it. My mother would always brush it on sunny days and admire it, often saying that the shorter lengths sweeping across my face to my ear and chin should be grown out or cut into actual bangs but I had refused. I had long, black eyelashes framing my golden brown eyes. In the artificial light of the bathroom they seemed almost amber! I couldn't help but imagine how much brighter they must look to everyone else when in the actual sunlight.

A face too human to be demon, a face too demon to be human, that was what I had. I felt a twinge of uneasiness as I listened to Brago and Sherry talking in the other room. More like Sherry talking seeing as Brago wasn't really saying anything. I had seen their surprised expressions before intervening with Lance with my spell. Sherry had a look of disbelief and Brago's was almost one of disgust…

Was I disgusting? Lance seemed to think so and I don't even remember him from the mamodo world… a brief recognition flared in my head, a faint, dim memory, but I couldn't quite place where I had seen him before. How annoying.

"Sorella?" Sherry's voice called to me through the bathroom door. "Are you almost done? We're going into town."

I cast one last glance at my worried reflection before putting on an excited one as I rushed to the door. Sherry's face was dubious as she saw my overly happy expression, no doubt wondering what was going through my mind, but she didn't say anything.

"Why are we going into town?" I asked.

I looked over to Brago who was leaning against the wall, practically with dark clouds of anger rolling above him. His mouth was a snarl and his eyes were missing the red in them.

"What's his problem?" I asked, jerking a thumb in his direction.

Sherry waved a hand, as if disregarding Brago entirely. "He's mad we're going into town. I want to buy a few more things I think I need, mainly a book bag for you for your book, and a new set of shoes for me. Ones that hike better, that's for sure."

I gaped at the reason, both pleased and awkward that she was buying me something to actually help me, more importantly, help me win battles against other mamodos. Sherry knew I had no money, how on earth would I get it, and she was still willing to help me? My heart warmed a bit at this and my cheeks flushed light pink. Sherry looped an arm through mine in a gesture I was not used to and smiled at me.

"It will be like a girls' day," she explained. "We can eat, I can find out what food you like seeing as you're half human, we can shop for something, that will be fun since neither of us have really shopped before, I never really did with Koko, and just enjoy ourselves until you heal up."

Brago scoffed and Sherry glared at him. My mouth was still hanging open idiotically so I forced it shut with a slight click of my white teeth. How was I supposed to know what to do? I wasn't human… I guess I would just wing it and hope for the best!

"Are we going in those monster car things?" I asked apprehensively.

Sherry looked at me with bright eyes. "No, not if you don't want to. The town isn't too far off."

I sighed, visibly relieved. I couldn't care less what they thought, those thing were horrible. Sherry waved to Brago who scowled angrily in response as we walked out the door to the room and down the hall, chatting conversationally until we reached the main door leading outside. Jii was there with a horse driven carriage. The horses were magnificently black and white, tossing their silky manes back with a graceful flick of their heads. Their hooves stamped the ground nervously, whinnying in their eagerness to trot.

I let out a breath and rushed over to the horses to stroke their gracefully arched necks. They leaned towards me as I pet them, enjoying the contact. I turned to Sherry with a smile.

"Sherry! These are horses! They're so friendly!" I laughed as one nudged the side of my head with its nose.

Jii laughed jovially, "Yes, these are the pride horses of the Belmond estate!" He patted the shoulder of the black horse. "This one hear is Tristan, and the other is Guinevere!"

"They are absolute doves!" I gushed as I nuzzled my face with Guinevere's nose.

Sherry started to climb into the carriage so I gave the two horses one last pat before climbing up beside her, resting my white spell book next to me on the soft velvet seat. Jii sat in front with the reigns and started the horses to move, pulling us along with them.

"Brago tried to eat them once, remember Jii?" Sherry laughed.

My mouth fell open. "He tried to EAT them?!" How on earth could he try to eat these magnificent creatures? It made no sense to me whatsoever.

Sherry nodded with grim humor. "Yes, Jii nearly had a heart attack. I mean, Brago is scary enough on his own, but to come in the dark stables at four in the morning to see him crouching on the wall, ready to pounce is just terrifying!"

A sudden picture popped into my head, in which gleaming red eyes pierced through me behind the shadows. I shuddered. Yes, I would have to agree with Sherry there. I turned around to see how far we had gone from the mansion only to be surprised that it was no longer in sight.

"Wow, they are fast aren't they?" I said to myself. Flipping round to face the front again, I asked Sherry, "Why didn't Brago come today anyway? What if there's a mamodo in town?"

Sherry shrugged. "He hates going into town because everyone stares at him. He finds town annoying, boring, and absolutely pointless."

I could see that. It made me squirm a little in my seat, because I knew exactly how being stared at because you were different felt like. It sucked. The horses slowed down a little as the rolling green hills began to flatten and building came into sight up ahead. I rose a little from my seat in my eagerness to see the town, I was curious as to what kind of place it would be. The buildings came into view as we came through the town's entrance and they were mostly houses and yards at first. There were many little children playing ball while their mothers watched from a distance, smiling and laughing. There were clotheslines hanging up with multiple laundry items drying in the light breeze, fluttering happily.

I turned to Sherry with wide eyes as we came into the center of town where all the shops were. Large window displays held fancy figurines with luxurious clothes and flamboyant hats, jewelry flashed in the light like multicolored dewdrops, and there was a flow of people along the sidewalk, happily chatting with their friends beside them. Jii stopped the carriage next to a fancy clothing shop with a sign that read, "Florence's Flare" in twirly letters and bright colors.

I hopped down in a buoyant fashion, eager to rush into the store and touch everything that looked interesting. Sherry got down as well, smiling as she took in my wide eyes and trembling hands.

"Shall I return here to pick you up Miss Sherry?" Jii asked her in his rumbling, dignified voice.

"Yes, at about nine thirty, ten o'clock, we should be late."

"Yes, of course, it is only around one in the afternoon. You two enjoy yourselves!" Jii exclaimed as he flicked the reins gently, guiding the glossy horses away.

I was bouncing on my toes, waiting for Sherry to stop waving in his direction. This made no sense to me, seeing as he couldn't see her with his back towards us. It must be a human gesture… this thought caused me to lift my hand and wave it wildly in the air, nearly smacking three people in the process. Sherry turned and rushed forward to grab my wrist to cease its sporadic waving.

"Come on, Sorella, let's go in!" Sherry laughed.

I noticed how much different she was right now, not nearly as serious as she was when concentrating on the battle for mamodo king. She was more natural and sincere, happy. My eyes softened as I realized she felt this way when I was with her, meaning she enjoyed my company.

"Yes!" I crowed, hopping on the tips of my feet. "I'm super excited!"

We walked into the store and were immediately bombarded by people. One was shoving trays of chocolates under our faces while spouting some statistics about chocolate making a woman seem younger, another was demonstrating a sapphire necklace while emphasizing its sparkle, and the third was a woman shooing them away.

"Sherry!" the woman cried.

"Florence!"

Florence had short grey hair styled edgily around her aged face, though it was a nicely aged face, not an old spinster's kind of face, and her eyes were hazel. Sherry rushed towards the woman to embrace her in a warm hug while the man with the chocolate tray kept badgering me. I seriously considered knocking his block off but I had a feeling that this guy was that woman's manservant, and that woman was Sherry's friend, so I didn't want to upset Sherry by upsetting her woman friend. Instead, I glared at him fiercely to try and intimidate him, to try and make him leave, but instead he blushed and rambled on even more, enthusiasm increasing.

"Sherry…" I called, eye twitching.

Sherry turned with a curious look and then came over to me, grabbing me by the hand, pulling me with her. The man followed but when I turned around and snarled at him, he blanched and edged away, frightened. Geez, what an annoying guy!

"Well, I see she is unaccustomed to men's affection!" Florence giggled.

I looked at her questionably, not understanding. Sherry, thankfully, swooped in to help me out.

"She's not from around her, Flo. Sorella isn't used to all of this."

A creepy, wide grin stretched across the woman's mouth and a mischievous gleam entered her eyes. Flo's breathing escalated and she moved closer to Sherry and me, peering at me. I edged back, a little frightened.

"You mean… she's never done anything like this before? The rural type?"

Sherry sighed, as if knowing what the woman was thinking. "Yes…"

Flo squealed and grasped my hands in a firm grip. I flinched away from her as her face was suddenly into mine, studying my face eagerly. I tried to tug my hands away from her but they were outrageously strong.

"Oh no, my dear! You can't leave yet! We must do you up!" Flow exclaimed pulling me with her.

I swung my head to look at Sherry reproachfully, not understanding why she wasn't coming to my rescue.

"Sherry!" I called out in worry.

"Sorry, Sorella!" Sherry laughed. "Once Flo starts, you can't stop her."

Flo pushed me onto a small stool with mirrors surrounding the front of it, bouncing around me to study me from all angles. She especially stared at my face the most.

"Oh! This is going to be so much fun! I have never seen eyes like these before! They are marvelous, oh what fun! Yes, nice figure, not too tall, muscular but still delicate, hair, stunning! OH YES! FUN, FUN, FUN! I think something simple… yes, not too dark, but not too bright, we must consider those eyes after all… yes…" and off she went into the back room, coming out two seconds later with arms full of bundles of clothes and fabric.

I was beginning to fear for my life.

Flo pulled out a measuring tape and began to measure along the lengths of my limbs and waist and chest and I felt like I was some sort of game to her. What on earth was she doing?! I tried to leave but she rapped me hard with a stick she pulled out randomly from the mound of fabric at my feet. I winced and remained stock still as her determined and suddenly strict eyes bored into mine.

"I will make you an outfit whether you like it or not! I have not had such a prospect since I met Sherry! Don't you dare move!"

I did not but I did tremble. I heard Sherry snicker so I tilted my head to glare at her menacingly.

"I know why Brago hates coming with you to these things!" I growled playfully. "You completely threw me to the wolves!"

Flo looked up quickly with another smile. "Oh! Is Brago here too?!"

This woman was severely creepy. Sherry shook her head and Flo pouted.

"Darn. I just made some things for him and wanted him to put them on."

I let out a bark of laughter. "Ha, as if he would let you."

Flo slowly raised her menacing gaze at me and I quailed. "What on earth makes you think that would stop me? Let me? Ha, I want him to wear those clothes if it's the last thing I do! It certainly was hard to guess his measurements seeing as he doesn't come here since the last time, but I think I finally got them down and I have the most wonderful thing made! It would make him look so fantastic! He was especially tricky, yes, because I had to design from a distance…"

"Flo," Sherry scolded. "Can you blame him? You practically threw yourself at him the moment he walked through the door for the first time."

Flo looked at her completely unabashed. "So what? Couldn't help myself, my mind was already whirling on what he would look good in besides that ridiculous fur cape!"

Sherry nodded, "Yes, I can understand that. That cape is so odd, we usually get stared at because of his attire. I wouldn't mind him wearing something less noticeable once in a while."

"It's such an absurd outfit, he would look fantastic in what I made for him, so much better than the bulky, black garb he normally wears!"

Feeling Brago was severely unrepresented here I took it upon myself to stick up for him.

"I happen to think his fur cape is really nice!" I snapped.

Flo and Sherry froze, peering at me with surprise.

"You seem to be awfully concerned on how to make people look better! What makes you think they need to change? Brago's outfit is just fine the way it is!"

Sherry was dumbfounded and Flo broke out in laughter as she grabbed a really pretty rich brown airy fabric, draping it around me.

"I like this one, Sherry! She's certainly different!"

***

About three hours later I was standing on the same elevated stool in the floor but wearing something completely different and not what I normally wear at all. It was a light, airy chocolate brown dress with a golden metallic lace overlapping in numerous swishy waves. It fluttered with even the smallest of movements. Flo had used my belt buckle to make an orange-brown leather high waist belt because she thought the tiger eye material was new age and matched wonderfully. Her words, not mine. She also allowed me to still wear my necklace and bracelets, liking the way they matched everything. Flo had completely discarded all my previous clothes so I wouldn't be tempted to wear them when I left her shop, but she had given me a pair of tight skinned shorts to go under my dress. Sherry had intervened there, because she said I was very athletic and it wouldn't be lady like if I was to go flipping around with a dress on. I figured she said this with the battles in mind, that way I wouldn't worry about revealing anything… because I couldn't change into new clothes seeing as Flo threw them out!

My boots were included in the discard pile and were now replaced with the same orange brown leather my belt was made from only with gleaming gold buckles and glossy wooden heels. I really liked these, so this didn't upset me. My other ones were too dark and old anyway.

I fondled my hair because it was even done up too. Flo had dressed me and gotten the funniest expression on her face as her mouth rounded into an "o" shape, dashing from the room, struck by some brilliant idea. She returned dragging a bewildered looking barber, a scissors still in his hands and a come in the other. She ordered him to curl the ends of my hair with her curling iron, which he did with a fearful expression, as if he would die should he refuse.

I didn't doubt this.

I felt a little weird when the employees all were staring at me with awestruck looks so I quickly hopped down to be beside Sherry. She was now dressed in a dark blue dress complimenting her eyes with a cream sash, jacket, and silk cream boots on her legs. The heels were wedged now so she wouldn't snap one, but also allowed her to have more strength in her kicks. She was writing out a check for Flo until she remembered something and her head popped up from where it was stooped over the small piece of paper.

"Flo, I need a book bag for Sorella, do you think you could…"

But Flo was off in a flash and back by the time my eyes were done blinking. I was beginning to have suspicions that she had super powers. In her hands was an orange-brown leather book bag. It had a long over the shoulder strap and the cover flopped down, secured by a single, shiny gold buckle. It matched my boots perfectly, almost as if she had planned it. I had to hand it to the woman; despite her creepiness, she knew how to coordinate things together. If I had her skills to coordinate movements, rather than clothing and accessories, I would win to become king in a matter of hours. Sherry wrote up the last figure and handed the paper strip to Flo.

"Here you go, Florence. That should cover everything."

Flo beamed at Sherry like a child beams at their mother when near an ice cream cart.

"You will visit again soon?" Flo asked with the sweetest tone. "You'll bring Sorella won't you? And Brago?"

Sherry smiled at her and said in a pacifying tone, "Yes, of course, I will bring Brago and Sorella with me."

Flo twirled on one foot, something I was surprised a woman of her age could do, and started to sing happy show tunes. Sherry cast one last laughing glance at Flo and ushered me out the door. I snatched my white spell book from her angrily and stuffed it into my new bag, which I really did like a lot, so I said a quick thank you.

"I can completely understand why Brago never comes with you! That woman is the devil!"

Sherry waved a disbelieving hand. "It wasn't that bad."

I raised my eye brows. "Sherry? Wasn't that bad? Are you kidding? The woman struck me with a stick if I twitched a pinky and left small bruises, she nearly chocked me with the measuring tape, and I think I am officially mentally traumatized!"

Sherry laughed nervously and hurried her steps, and changed the subject randomly. "Let's go have some ice cream. It's nearly five thirty and we need to eat something. There's this great shop ahead, with fantastic meals, and after that we can have their specialty ice cream, the family makes it themselves, and it's the best! It's a little Italian place, so their ice cream is just glorious."

I nodded, excited, already forgetting about my trauma. Rita had gushed and gushed about ice cream but I had never actually tasted it. When I visited Rita that first day in the human world though, before Lance showed up and spoiled everything, she had given me chocolate. It was pure bliss.

"May I have chocolate flavored?" I asked politely as we entered the bustling little restaurant.

Sherry eyed me with shock once again. "You've had chocolate?"

I looked away, blushing embarrassedly. "Rita gave it to me, and well… well, she gave it to me before, you know, before."

Sherry's eyes saddened and her mouth opened as if she were about to say something but the hostess appeared before us. She was a small, olive skinned woman, dark haired, prominent nose, but had the most beautiful black eyes and lashes I had ever seen. Her name tag on her shirt said Eulalia. I questioned Sherry about this name, it sounded so foreign to me, and she answered back in my ear, "It means 'To Talk Well" in Italian. Ironic that she's the hostess, no?"

"Shall I seat you, two?" she asked, voice heavy with an accent, but rich and pleasing to hear. I felt immediately comfortable and I silently congratulated on whoever gave Eulalia her namesake because it matched perfectly.

Sherry and I followed her to a booth near a window, sitting across from each other. The woman handed us menus before calling over a waitress, equally olive skinned and dark haired, but with a smaller nose and not as pretty eyes.

"Hello, my name is Amalia, and I will be your server tonight. Can I start you off with drinks?"

"Water please," Sherry ordered for both of us.

I didn't really want anything besides, because if I found out I hated this kind of human food, I wanted something I could easily wash it down with. The waitress left to go get our drinks, leaving Sherry and I in an awkward silence.

"What looks good on the menu to you, Sorella?" Sherry asked, handing me one before looking upon her own.

My eyes roved across the plastic covered menu, not really knowing what to look at. I thought back to that soup Sherry made for me, so I asked her about it.

"How is the chicken?"

Sherry smiled, pleased that I was being so cooperative. Apparently when they eat out, Brago must do nothing my glower and drink water.

"I had their grilled chicken salad here before, it was huge and delicious. One wouldn't normally think that salad would be a filling and tasty meal, but the one here, yes. It had crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, soft egg whites, crunchy green peppers, smooth mozzarella cheese, and to top it off with crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, warm chicken."

My mouth began to water as I envisioned it and decided to have that to eat. Sherry decided to have it too, and when Amalia returned, pulling a pencil from behind one ear, that was what we told her we were having two chicken salads.

Silence resumed the table again, making it even more uncomfortable due to the excited babble surrounding us. We felt odd, especially me.

"Sorella?" Sherry asked in the smallest voice I had ever heard her use.

"Yeah?" I returned, wary. What did she want to ask me?

"Would you, would you mind telling me what happened? How Rita was taken from you?"

My fist clenched where it rested on the table, so I quickly put it on my lap so Sherry wouldn't see it. I looked down at the nicely wrapped silverware in front of me, anything to avoid her inquisitive blue gaze. I could understand why she wanted to know, it was a mystery to her, yet a mystery similar to her friend Koko. I decided to honor that connection.

"It was the first day of the battle…" I began, thinking I sounded awfully cheesy and cliché. Ah, well, that was how it happened, so that was how I would say it. "I was rushing to her house, eager to see her. I had never met her before, nor believed I ever would."

***

My hand shook as I raised it to knock on the smooth wooden door, nervous about how I would introduce myself. As I was about to hit the door, however, it was flung open by a woman with mousy brown hair rolled into a knot at the base of her neck. Her eyes were green and wide as she looked at me, round face seeming rounder as her mouth became a gaping circle.

"Sorella?" she asked in a quivering voice.

I remembered her. "Christina!" I laughed rushing at her to embrace her in a hug which she did not return strongly. She was the one I talked to before Rita, one I had liked very much, much better than her mother anyway, the old bat.

Christina eyed the white book in my hand and her lips trembled. "Is… is Rita your...?"

My smile faltered. She didn't want me here. Rita and I were closer than anyone in our immediate families, I was certainly closer to her than I had ever been with my previous correspondents. The probability of Rita being my Book Master was high, and I could tell that Christina didn't want her daughter to have anything to do with the dangerous mamodo battle for king.

"I dunno yet…" I answered in a whisper. "Maybe…"

Christina nodded shakily and waved a hand inside her small and quaint home. "Come in… Sorella… I am sorry; it's just such a shock… I would never expect to see you here… especially since, well…"

"Since I am a half breed?" I finished with just a dash of malice.

Christina was silent, not wanting to say anything else to offend me. But I was offended the moment she flinched away from my contact when I hugged her. I heard a strange laughing sound followed by loud squealing as we entered the living room. It was a very tidy little place, the table surface gleaming cleanly and the peachy carpet neatly vacuumed. A little figure sat cross legged on the floor a few feet away from the bright screen of the strange sound and image box. Her short brown mousy colored hair was cut short to her chin. I recognized this girl immediately, even from the back.

My heart caught in my throat as I took a shaky step towards the girl, towards Rita. I could finally touch her, could finally embrace her, and I could finally know her as I have always wanted.

"Rita?" I asked in a quivering voice so small I barely recognized it. So unlike me.

Rita's back tensed and she froze immediately. Her head slowly turned, revealing warm eyes similar to mine in shape. We held each other's gaze for a long moment before sprinting towards each other, arms out stretched. I even dropped my book to the floor in my eagerness to reach her.

"Oh my gosh, SORELLA!" Rita laughed, wrapping skinny arms around my waste, burying her face in my stomach. My arms wrapped around her shoulders and I nuzzled my face in her soft hair.

Tears came to my eyes but I didn't let them fall. I blinked rapidly to erase them before pushing Rita away slowly as to get a full view of her. Her eyes were definitely wet and on the verge of spilling tears. I grinned widely at her, joy radiating from the very core of my being.

"So, how exactly do you play Monopoly?" I asked with a laugh.

Rita giggled and hugged me once more before stepping away. Her eyes found my book and squealed, bouncing on the tips of her toes.

"Oh, Sorella, let me read it, please let me read it!" she begged.

I glanced towards Christina who was watching anxiously from the door frame, drying a bowl with a white towel repeatedly, not seeming to notice it was already dry.

"Sure, let's hope you can!" I laughed, sitting on the floor, tucking a strand of long hair behind my ear. I watched her nervously, hands trembling with both desire and fear. I both wanted her to read it and not be able to at the same time. Why did love have to be so darn complicated and sporadic?

Rita's small fingers opened the cover of the book slowly, eyes immediately going across the page in anticipation. But her big smile immediately fell into a frown. Her eyes saddened and her lips began to tremble in their pout.

"I can't read it. Any of it."

Her voice was small and broke on the last syllable. Christina let out a sigh of relief, one I felt churn up inside me as well, though I felt the bitter sting of disappointment. If Rita wasn't my Book Master, that meant I wouldn't be staying with her, it meant I wouldn't have as much time with her as I wanted. It was a bitter sweet feeling.

"That's okay, Rita!" I laughed with as much sincerity as I could, placing a comforting hand upon her trembling shoulder. "Now we can have fun without worrying about all those future battles and stuff! C'mon, I thought we were going to paint our nails, watch movies, and eat chocolate until we puke!"

Rita wiped her nose noisily on her sleeve before spinning around to face me with a huge smile once again on her round face. "Yes! Mom, where's that chocolate bar I saved for her?"

Christina walked from the room with an annoying smirk on her lips, one that I was used to seeing when things didn't go my way. My hands shook but I refused to let that woman, someone I had really liked until today, ruin my limited time with Rita. Still, I couldn't help but feel stung that someone I had talked to through the mirror eagerly with was so changed by how I might threaten her life here.

Rita sat in front of me, staring. I felt weird for a moment and was surprised when Rita's warm finger tips touched my cheek before moving over the rest of my face. The sensation was pleasing and lifted my heart up with complete contentment. I smiled at her, returning the gesture, touching every inch of the face I had talked to through a solid reflection for as long as I could. Rita was present, she was here, she was in front of me… something I had never dreamed possible…

This truly was the best day of my life…

Rita was explained television to me at around eight o'clock at night. I was devouring any chocolate based item in the house, already addicted to its sweet creaminess. The night was quickly coming to a close and Rita had begged her mom to let me stay until she relented. After all, how could anyone resist that adorable face? No one, that's who. We had painted our toe nails, though mine looked more like a splatter of red gore than the pretty tips of Rita's toes that were dashed with neat and clean red. Rita planned to play Monopoly after watching the movie on television. This was by far the strangest thing I had seen yet in this small town.

"So, there aren't really people in the box?" I asked.

"No, just moving pictures, copies of the real people sent over to the television by invisible paths."

My eyes widened. "They're clones?!"

Rita laughed. "No, no, like pictures. You have pictures, don't you?"

I nodded.

"Like that, only they move."

I shook my head in disbelief. "This world is absurd. I don't understand it at all!"

Rita grinned maniacally. "Just wait until you see fireworks!"

I was about to ask what those were when a loud knocking echoed throughout the house. Rita looked through the curtains as Christina went to answer the door.

"It's some really tall guy with a lot of jewelry."

"Maybe he's a seals mean," I ventured.

"What?" Rita asked, lips twitching.

"Those guys you said walk around pestering people to take what they have."

"You mean salesman?" Rita laughed.

I started to laugh with her when Christina screamed. I leapt from where I sat on the bean bag chair and grasped my book tightly, not really knowing what I would do with it, seeing as I didn't have a Book Master to call my spells. But Rita was in danger; there was no way I would let her get hurt. Rita went behind me, hands grasping the fabric of my shirt as footsteps clacked loudly on the linoleum floor of the hall way, Rita's mother yelling for help from the open door.

A man of enormous height entered the room. He wore an outrageously flamboyant coat with numerous jewels on it that gleamed and shined in the warm light of the living room. His long, black hair was tied up in a high pony tail with one long strand hanging down the side of his face. I was immediately reminded of a horse's backside. His chin was boxy and square and his violet eyes were narrowed with intense malice as he looked at me. A purple spell book was in his hand.

"Rita!" I barked. "Get away!"

The mamodo chuckled. "No, no, no, filthy Sorella, there will be none of that! Not after I looked all over for you! I thought I would get rid of the vile, weak mamodo first! So, naturally falling into both of those categories, you were on the top!"

"Who are you and why are you pinpointing me?" I snarled, stepping in front of Rita.

"You mean you don't remember?" he asked incredulously.

"Of course not, I would remember someone as ridiculous as you!"

"You don't remember Lance? The most magnificent… you don't recall… at all… what you did to me?" Lance's voice broke and shuddered. "You must pay!"

He launched himself at me, and I was momentarily grateful neither of us had Book Master, because then we had no spells to throw at each other, saving Rita and her home countless damages. I pulled Rita with me into the air, flipping around him out of the way. I aimed a kick at Lance's face, which he blocked with the arm holding the spell book. One of the gems on his coat shattered from the force and he snarled angrily. Christina, out of nowhere, swung a carving knife down at his arm. I was momentarily impressed at how quick she was to attack him. She darted away quickly so he wouldn't be able to reach her when he recovered from the shock of the wound.

Lance howled in pain as he dropped his book, attempting to stifle the flow of blood from his severely cut arm. Rita and I landed back on the ground and she darted forward to garb the book. I tried to hold her back but she was already out of my reach. The book was open on its spine, pages fluttering momentarily before becoming still.

"If I get it, you can burn it!" she yelled, about to scoop it into her arms as she exuded more bravery than I had believed of the tiny girl. She froze, however, as her eyes caught a glimpse of the pages, mouth forming the words: "Nerosen?"

A black ball burst forth from Lance's hand the size of an orange and went straight through the wall, leaving a clean hold behind. I gasped, Christina wailed in despair, and Rita's entire body trembled with fear as Lance turned to look at her slowly.

No…

"Well, well, well," Lance sneered. "Isn't this just perfect? The person filthy Sorella loves the most is my Book Master… how fortunate of me."

Rita stumbled back from him, flinging the book away from her into his chest. He caught it and with a raised eyebrow, looked down at her.

"No! I refuse!" Rita screamed, turning to rush at me where she believed she was safe.

"SUCH PETULANCE!" Lance roared as a heavy hand curled into a fist, preparing to strike her.

I acted without thinking. I sped forward; launching my body in front of Rita's which seemed so fragile and easily breakable, I intervened with Lance. The fist collided with my shoulder blade on my left side. I gasped out in pain as my arms wound themselves around Rita, protecting her as we tumbled to the floor. Lance ran at us and grabbing Rita by the neck, he placed a heavy foot on my chest, keeping my still. Christina sobbed and sobbed, not knowing what to do.

"You need to know your place, disgusting human," Lance hissed, placing his pointer finger at her left temple. Black miniscule threads shot from under his finger nail, going into Rita's head.

"NO!" I yelled out, stretching a hand for her, but it was already too late.

Lance dropped Rita to the floor where she sobbed momentarily, a black vein on her left temple, before standing and retrieving the purple spell book.

"Ta dah!" Lance exclaimed over boisterously. "How do you like that little trick that I can do all on my own? Impressive, correct? Of course!" Lance kicked me in my side, sending me flying into the wall behind me, smashing into the table Rita and I had moved so we could sleep in the living room.

Rita cried, tears of pain and sadness now running from her eyes, all the previous joy evaporated. Her warm eyes were cold as they looked at me, pleading with me to help her, pleading with me to forgive her, as if she had done something wrong. I tried to convey to her that I would stop at nothing to help her, I tried to yell at Lance, I even thought to beg, but no words would come out of my mouth. No sound could I make. Panic burned away at me as my heart raced, as my mind fought to believe the reality that Rita was Lance's Book Master and that I would have to fight her to free her.

"Come, human. Let us leave filthy Sorella to her own despair. It's a shame she wasn't strong enough to save you. We shall meet again, filthy Sorella, at which time I will gladly bask in the pain of you failing to rescue her."

Lance swept from the room, quietly cursing about the broken jewel in his coat, Rita close behind, sobbing loudly, wailing. I couldn't move, couldn't think, and couldn't comprehend what had just happened. Everything was going so perfectly, even Christina, who was showing slight animosity at the beginning of my arrival, was joining in Rita and my conversations! So wonderful, I was so happy!

Rita's distraught face crashed into me, cutting off all the senses that didn't include rage in them.

I rose, trembling, from where I lay amidst the debris of the broken table. Christina was curled upon the floor, head shaking, hands clawing at her chest.

"My child! My child!" She sobbed. I went to her, to place a hand on her shoulder, to assure her that I would get Rita back, but she flinched from me, eyes narrowed in disdain.

"STAY BACK!" Christina yelled. "This is your entire fault! I knew that the moment you came here things would change! I never wanted Rita to talk to you; I knew she would get too attached! I knew it would ruin her! From the moment you told her you were coming, that's all she could talk about! She even asked to take karate so she could help you fight! So she wouldn't be a burden if she was your Book Master! MY CHILD! You mamodo are all the same! Brutal, viscous, and you are the very worst! You brought that monster here and he took my child!"

Every single word stabbed into me like burning hot needles, every syllable was a new laceration upon my skin. My fists clenched as I realized how different this woman was now, how much she had changed. I realized that people who once loved you don't remain that way.

I knelt down in front of Christina and forced her to look at me. She did with hate filled eyes of acid green.

"I swear that I will fight with every fiber in my being to get Rita back. I will not rest until that bastard's book is burned. I will continue fighting until I die."

Christina glared in disbelief.

I snarled, "DO YOU THINK I DON'T LOVE HER? She is the first person to accept me for who I am besides my own mother, and even then I remind her of her love for her Book Master, one she will never see again! Rita is my life, she is like my sister, I will never give her up! I will not give up until her eyes are happy again! I swear to you with my life!"

***

Sherry was gaping at me with a stunned expression. Our food had arrived and we hadn't even realized it. Sherry quickly forked some of the food into her mouth to occupy herself while I merely stared at my plate.

"People see me very differently, Sherry. I know that. I don't know what I did to anger Lance, but it seems just the fact that I am mixed blooded is offending. I am used to being stared at with malice and hate. But Rita…" my voice shook. I stared at Sherry with a burning fire. "I will not abandon her, not when she stood by me regardless of what I am. Never!"

"I don't understand," Sherry murmured sadly. "How can people judge you without even knowing you? You are a good person, a great person, and they determine you are evil just by who you are..."

I looked Sherry straight in the face. "Hate doesn't make sense, Sherry. Love doesn't make sense. Greed doesn't make sense. Determination doesn't make sense. The things most prominent in any being's life often don't make sense. If they did, they wouldn't matter as much. Blind emotion, love without even thinking, that is the purest of all feelings. Hate without thinking is the most petty."

I paused a moment to eat something quick. Sherry was right, the food was good.

"I've learned to accept it, Sherry, what I am. I am something in between, someone who doesn't really belong. But I found someone who doesn't look at it like that. I belong with her, by her side, as her closest friend. I have searched my whole life for something like that, for that kind of acceptance. I will be damned if I lose it now!"

Tears bubbled behind my eyes and I quickly brushed them away. I put more food into my mouth, chewing determinedly. I felt a sudden touch on my hand, something warm and soft. Upon looking at it, I realized it was Sherry's hand touching mine gently. I looked up at her in surprise, stunned to see her face the softest I had yet seen it.

"I don't think you've lost it or ever will, Sorella. I just think you found more of it."

Her voice was firm, sincere, and forceful. As if she were trying to tell the honest truth to the last person in the world she thought would believe her. I smiled at her gratefully, a strange feeling swooping inside my stomach. Upon reflecting, I realized this was hope. Hope that I had connected with someone other than my mother and Rita, and that if I can connect with someone like this again and again, soon I will have a lasting family that accepts me. I fondled the fork in my hand as I pulled my other out from under Sherry's, grateful beyond what words could say.

I looked outside, startled that it had grown dark. Clouds covered the sky like a thick shroud, but there was a tiny hole where a few twinkling stars could be seen. I smiled again, happy, many thoughts racing through my head. Even in the thickest of despair there is always a glimmer of hope…

I would hold these memories close to my heart, always. No matter that I will eventually leave Sherry behind, I would leave her with her friend Koko. I would help Sherry get her friend back, I would get strong enough to defeat Lance, and I would save all those who are precious to me. I would save all of those who gave me reason to believe that hate was not all that remained in a person's heart.