Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who reviewed, much appreciated! Again I am super duper sorry for such a long wait between chapter, my exams finish tomorrow, thankfully, so after that I'll be back to normal. This chapter will be the last time we see anything of Meelo for quite some time, so I hope you all enjoy. ^^
Chapter Ten: Burning Heart.
They'd shoved her into a home. They said that the people would be nice. They said that she would have fun, that she would have parents that would talk to her every day. People that would not steal things and run off. They said they would be good to her, that she would have three meals a day, clothes that weren't from the black market and she would go to school; learn how to make friends. And every time they opened their mouths she wouldn't listen. She would shut her eyes tightly together; press her fingers into her ears and sing. She would sing the song that her parents had sung to her at night when she was sick. She would begin to speak the fairy tales and stories there her brother use to always tell her. She would scream them out loud drowning out each and every word that slipped passed the soldier's lips.
At one stage they attempted to grab her arms and hold them down. She couldn't blame them, she was being completely immature. But she couldn't help it. The glistening tears on her cheeks and the ache in her chest felt like enough to validate every choice she made. She refused to listen, because listening meant accepting the fact that she had just been forcefully taken away from her brother – her family. Levi was all she had left of a ruined family and now he was gone and now she was in a stupid cart being dragged off to god knows where, where she was expected to be happy. A doubtful part of her was certain she would never be happy again, even when all realistic views said it would just take time. But then, even thinking those words made her stomach twist and her heart flutter painfully in her chest. Even thinking that it would get better was enough to make her feel like she was betraying her brother.
She already missed him.
The soldier's around her seemed to give up, and her eyes flickered open; the echoing silence was only being shattered by her tormented voice. Part of her hoped that when she opened her eyes she would be all alone, she felt vulnerable and weak with the continuous sobs that wracked her body. Tear stained cheeks flushed red, eyes swollen and sticky, searching the cart. Every face was silent, all lips drawn tight and slowly she stopped her singing, and slowly her finger's slipped down from her ears. She pushed herself backwards, forcing her body against the back of the cart, as far away as humanly possible from the soldier's that stared at her with a mixture of pity and sympathy. She hated them for looking at her like that. She hated them for trying to comfort her. She needed no one's sympathy or aid. The only person that she had ever let help her was gone, in some stupid training camp, being trained to die. She just wanted to be with him, by his side.
Sometimes she knew that Levi needed her, it was only for little things, but those little things all added up. And even though some people viewed those little things (like grabbing his hand when he was angry, or reading him a story when he was sick, helping him when he thought he didn't need any help. Or something as simple as those rare smiles that he would give her, something he never did for anyone else) as nothing much, but in this family they meant something. In this family they spoke three words that were never heard. They said I love you when nothing else did.
Meelo couldn't even remember the last time she had said those words to Levi, Levi had only ever said them once, but she didn't need him to repeat it every night as he told her to go to bed, she didn't need him to say it when they were madly running for their lives. It was the things they did for each other that let her know and reminded her that her brother loved her. The little things more so than the big things.
He would never admit it, but she knew that with her there by his side he was comfortable. It was the same way for her, he was her protection, he was the one that had stood above her every day and looked out for her. She loved her parents, but she was beginning to understand that the love she felt for them was more of something she had to feel. She so desperately needed that comfort that came with Levi. Just the feeling of it was enough to erase any sadness or nervous from her stomach. But now without it her body was a twisting, churning bowl of turmoil and pain.
Wrapping her arms tightly around her legs she rested her face on her knees, turning away so that she couldn't look at any of the soldiers she buried her head against the wood, trying her absolute best to not cry. As the carriage drew itself to a stop she didn't move. The doors opened, but she remained were she was, body tensing up.
"Meelo, you need to move, your foster family is waiting for you." It was the gruff voice of one of the soldier's. His voice stuck to her, though, he had been the one that had tried to soothe her after she had been unceremoniously chucked into the carriage.
She flinched at his words, drawing herself further away and pushing herself as far as she could into the wood, wishing it would simply swallow her up. How dare he say the word family the people out there waiting for her were going to be nothing more than two adults demanded to take charge of her until she was old enough to make her own choices (Huh, she was joining the military next year, no one was going to stop her). They were people who would pretend to be her parents, and she would rather spend the rest of her life with her useless ones then move one inch. She'd rather live everyday unsure as to whether or not her parents would be home that night then stay with idiots who would demand things of her that she would be unable to do. Because at least her parents were hers. At least Levi was there, he always made it better no matter what.
She bit her lip, her breathing ragged as she forced back the tears that threatened to overspill. It hit her all at once and she was gasping for air, fighting the pain in her chest once more.
"Go away. I'm not getting out." She hissed.
She never looked up; her head remained where it was, bowed. Pull yourself together, Meelo. She wouldn't cry, not again. This wasn't her; just the thought of Levi's disappointed face was enough to make her bubble with anger. She could picture him, a hand on hip, the other hanging by his side, lips drawn together tightly, eyebrows pulled down as he gently let out a disgusted tch before snidely saying how pathetic she was acting. It was a memory that had happened before when she was seven and had broken her arm. Seeing him like that was enough to make her gather her courage and to push her misery aside. After all she was a Heichou, and she was not a little girl that cried about everything. She had to be stronger than this, for herself and for Levi.
"Alright. Meelo, if you don't move now me and another one of the boy's will drag you out. How do you think that is going to look? Hmmm? Already keen to make a fool of yourself, girl? I'm giving you five seconds to move your ass otherwise I'm dragging you out." Even though his tone had lost a lot of its warmth there was still something gentle about it, as though he really didn't want to have to drag her out.
"Come on, girl. Please." It was those last words that finally stirred enough energy within her to make her move. Grunting she slowly unfolded herself before shifting forwards. She refused to look at anyone, instead keeping her eyes directly in front of herself.
When the man offered her a hand she pointedly ignored it, shuffling to the end of the carriage before sliding to the ground. He exited after her, placing a hand on her shoulder to direct her, but she tore her arm away, throwing him a cold glare. The soldier seemed taken aback by her abrupt change of attitude, and he drew his hand back as though she had stung him. She shrugged off the looks the other soldier's threw her, but followed when they started moving off. They had stopped in front of a house in the city of Trost. Her heart began to ache all over again; she was so very far away from home.
The soldier's stopped and she paused behind them, unwilling to look upwards at the people she had been dumped with.
"Morning Mr and Mrs Fitz. This here is Meelo Heichou; she is the young girl you will be looking after until we can find her a more permanent home. I believe Commander Pixis explained the situation?" It was that same gruff voice. Meelo did her best to not look up, flip them off and scream; instead she remained silent, letting her anger pool in her stomach. Dragging all her anger into her facial expression, waiting for the perfect moment to throw them her most dangerous look she could put together.
"Yes, we have been informed. It saddened me to hear – " A woman spoke this time, but other than that Meelo wasn't listening anymore.
"I don't need your pity. I don't need your sympathy. So stop talking." She snapped eyes blazing. She stepped forwards, pointing an accusatory finger at the woman before her, but before she could get two paces one of the soldier's grabbed her roughly by the shoulder drawing her back.
"That is enough, you brat. Stop it. Don't be so rude." He growled, it was a different solider, this one had been the one to yell at her as she had screamed, demanding that she shut her trap or he would do it for her. Meelo did not like him. But before he could say anything else the gruff soldier was there, pulling him away, before turning to face Meelo expression stern and very much angry. He shifted his position so that he could look her directly in the eyes and she bit back a snarky few words. He was treating her like a child.
"Listen here, Meelo. It is simple you are staying here. For the first month there will be daily checks to make sure you are still here. If I here you have been causing any trouble we will throw you in a cell. And it will not be one that you like. So you will turn around and apologise to Mrs Fitz right now or so help me god-"
"Alright fine. Just stop your bloody complaining, you are worse than Levi." She growled, giving him a final cold glare before spinning around and walking over towards the lady she had so carelessly offended.
"I am so very sorry for any offensive I may have caused." She resisted the urge to roll her eyes, the words dripping from her lips in a drawl that was almost as good as something Levi could pull off. The lady – Mrs Fitz, seemed incapable of saying anything in response, her hand still clamped firmly over her lips. Mr Fitz seemed much a bit more intelligent – a sparing assumption she had gathered from the way he stepped forwards to give her an angered look (it appeared all anyone could do was look at her with anger or annoyance).
"This will not happen again." He spoke with authority that she easily dismissed; there was nothing there, but a miserable attempt at trying to assert control that was clearly nowhere to be seen.
"Excuse Meelo on her shameful behaviour, she has just been through a very hard experience. It will take her time to accustom to her new situation." Once more she bit her tongue, bowing her head as the gruff soldier threw her a warning look.
The lady seemed to have gathered her wits, "oh, I know! I've heard, what a poor child! Yes, of course! Come now, Meelo I will show you to your room!"
Meelo stared, horrified, this woman was crazy, every sentence ended with a high-pitched exclamation. It was like she was trying to scream at you. Her jaw slipped open a few inches and she tried her best to not laugh at the woman in front of her. Mrs Fitz smiled widely as though she no longer could remember that Meelo had deeply offended her. The gruff solider shoved her gently in the shoulder and she threw him one last glare, but this time there was almost something pleading on her gaze.
He didn't even blink, and she was suddenly all alone again, with an emptiness that threatened to swallow her she turned and followed the lady into the house.
Author's Note: So that's it for Meelo for a while! Please drop by and leave a review if you can! ^^