PHASE 9: Cariño Brutal


A couple of days later…

The door of Amaranth's room received several consecutive knocks.

Dalzollene rotated the doorknob to check but he was astonished, "It's not locked? Weird."

"She's not here!"


"An advance payment… Great." Amaranth checked the amount of money she received. It's been a long time since she had that much of money. "Hmmm… What should I do with this?" She continued walking on the busy streets of York Shin, still wearing the clothes intended to be worn by sick patients. "This outfit is a little too embarrassing! I look like a mental hospital escapee." Realizing that, she softly chuckled to herself, making the people around her think she was indeed a little bit of crazy. "Well… I guess I have to shop for a new one."

Her footsteps lead her to a commercial area located nearby, a huge wave of people strolled in and out of the several boutiques in front of her, a couple of crowded malls were situated next to the stores of different merchandise. All of those provided her a variety of choices but she didn't know which store to check first. She made her way to examine the nearest boutique. It was full of cute, pink dresses of different styles. Her eyes focused on the clothes for a while until she uttered to herself an honest refusal. "Uhh… These are certainly not my kind of thing," the silver-haired maiden said as she lead herself out of the first boutique she went in.

Amaranth checked the store next to it, everything was different there but nothing captured her taste. The clothes and dresses there were, for her, a bit unusual. She continued marching in front of the boutiques until she was something on display that matched her interest. While she was eyeing the outfit worn by the mannequin, a high-pitched voice interrupted her moment of searching.

"Oh, a customer! It seems you like that one but it's not for sale anymore."

"What? Then why the hell is it on display?"

The store owner ignored her question and proceeded with his sales talk. "Feel free to try anything else in here! Would you like to try out this one?" The stout but avant-garde owner showed a shimmering and elegant dress that had a dangerous slit on the left side. "It's our newest design! You'll look fabulous with this. Don't be shy, try it."

"Errrrr… I want something that I can wear every day without being ashamed in public," she scratched her head whilst looking at the dress offered to her.

"In that case, how about this one?" He handed her a simple but golden bodysuit which she suspected as something that would really make her look more hilarious than the first one.

"No, I don't want anything like that one. It looks like a circus outfit," she said in dismay. "I don't even think anyone would wear that."

"Wait here."

Amaranth inspected the clothes, dresses rather, one by one. "I don't really like dresses but I'll just take that one. That's the best one I can see at the moment," she pointed on a dress placed near the edge of the rack.

"Would you like to wear it now, yes? This way please."

At the first glance of the dress, it looked like a trench coat which fitted perfectly on her upper body with the help of a matching waist belt. The outfit of her choice was a bit classical. It was dark red in color and made of wool. Its black collar and cuffs were designed with cotton laces.

"Heeey, could you be a little more careful. It hurts!" She cried as she felt an agonizing pain on her sides while the avant-garde owner tightened the laces at the back of her new outfit. Obviously, her wounds weren't completely healed yet. She looked at her reflection on the mirror, satisfied with what she's wearing. "Alright. It's better than what I was wearing earlier. I'll take this one and that one too," she pointed on the boots displayed near the counter. She handed him the sufficient amount of payment with what she bought and left right away.

Amaranth continued walking aimlessly, all alone and tired of all the daunting events occurring one after another. Her mind and body was yearning for a break. This time, she wanted to find a peaceful place. Somewhere she couldn't hear the blabbing of other people. Somewhere she could think over things. Somewhere no one will bother her.

Her adrift wandering brought her to a local park, but opposite of what she thought, it wasn't crowded. There was almost no one there. "Odd. Must be that rich people here don't really enjoy solemn parks, they're always off at the mall," she hypothesized.

She found her place and sat near a pond, staring at the clear and unpolluted water. Dried leaves from a tree nearby fell on the stagnant water, creating sequential ripples. Not far from where she was, there was a child who bore a happy face, clinging next to her father as they left. She immediately removed her gaze from the two, overwhelmed with jealousy.

Why couldn't my life be that so simple?

And just like her thoughts and emotions, the sky was heavy with tears. A lightning struck the hazy heavens with a faint roar, almost inaudible. Wind picked up through, sending chills over her spine, matching the coldness of her facade. The continually falling sadness turned into cold raindrops.

I just wanted to live a normal life but… Things changed back then. They always will.

I can't remember much of my childhood but my parents' death… Other than that I can't recall anything. I don't know why and I don't understand why…

The silver-haired maiden was trying to keep her head high but dying inside whenever something reminded her of her past. She tucked her knees and brought it closer to her and was distracted with an unfamiliar face which stumbled upon her eyes. The face wore a dejected expression. The eyes were full of melancholic ideals. Soon after, a single tear rolled down the cheeks of the person she's staring at. It was when she realized that she was staring at her own blotted reflection from the pond.

Why is this even happening…

Surprised, Amaranth picked up a small stone and threw it exactly on her reflection, making the water create uneven ripples of rejection. The sudden, deep pain in her heart brought about sorrow she can't hold back.

I can't just let him get away with that… He's got to be lying. Amaranth opened her hands and reached for the raindrops but not a single drop fell on her palms. Hmmm… The rain stopped?

"Don't let yourself get too soaked in the rain. You might get sick," a heartwarming voice pricked her senses and brought her back to reality. She was too consumed in her inner thoughts, making her fail to notice the presence of a kind lady who offered her shelter from the rain with an umbrella. She hurriedly wiped her tears, hoping no one will become aware of the sudden splurge of her inner self.

"I… I don't need your concern."

"You're a bit rude for a pretty lady," the woman chuckled.

"I know that very well. So you better leave me alone. Now…" Her voice turned rough and sounded unfriendly but a small tinge of misery was still present. Amaranth gestured her hands to shoo her off, not looking back at who she's talking to.

"Why are you alone?"

"I wanted to be."

"Really? The beating of your heart tells me something else."

"I don't understand what you're talking about so you'd better stay away from me. I don't need that umbrella or something. Please just leave me alone…"

"What if 'they' get killed?"

"I don't care. It doesn't really matter."

"Is that so? But the beating of your heart tells me something else again, something I wasn't expecting. You value the people around you, don't you?"

"Shut up."

"It doesn't always have to be like this. I see that you've made the world your enemy."

"Stop it. I don't want to hear anymore of those!"

"Though, it's a proof of how much you value the world around you... So much that it ruins your very being."

"I don't care about anything but revenge. Stop it already!"

"Why not? Don't you want to hear yourself out?"

"I TOLD YOU TO STOP IT ALREADY!" Amaranth faced the lady, preparing to hit her, overwhelmed by annoyance but hindered by remorse. "Why?! Why didn't you evade?"

"You're weren't really going to hit me, right?" the lady smiled at her. "Why didn't you do it?" she calmly asked. "It's no use. I know how you feel… Sometimes you just have to let it all out…"

Placing her hands in her own face due to embarrassment, she answered "It's… It's just I… I… I don't want people to get too attached to me…" An unnoticeable amount of tears coursed through her cheeks as she stuttered on the words coming out of her lips. "I… I always bring trouble. I just don't want anyone to get involved in my own stupid mess. I'm afraid to get hurt again… I'm afraid to hurt them. They'll suffer."

"Why do you have to be so distant? If you continue like this, they'll suffer even more. This not how you should show your 'care' to others." The lady insisted, trying to convince her. "Or worse… You might even end up making enemies of those you love. It doesn't always have to be like that."

"I'm… I'm just… afraid of losing people I value and it feels like I have crossed the point of no return."

"That's not true. It's never too late to change. It's alright to cry."

"Crying? It's just the rain. Hahaha," Amaranth tried to cheer herself up right after the unexpected conversation. Never did she think that someone, a mere stranger, could break through her inner defenses too soon.

Yet again, things are different this time around… What is here now… Is most certainly not what I was then.

Through it all, she raised her head in the sky, wondering. She knew well that every day, she gathers enough courage to put on fake face so people won't worry about her, but inside she just wanted someone to understand, to recognize her loss. That, someone realized now.

"Lesson learned," she said to herself.

The woman then broke her silence and introduced, "Anyway… I am sorry for rushing things. I just felt that you needed some 'help'. My name is Senritsu, by the way."

"Senritsu… Such a soothing name," the silver-haired maiden gently reacted. "I must be fate that brought us together. Funny isn't it? But I wonder, what's really the reason behind your presence in this city?

"I was looking for a job, looking for the Sonata of Darkness as well."

"Sonata of Darkness?"

"To tell you the truth, I am a music hunter. Specifically, I am looking for the Sonata of Darkness." She explained further, "You might be wondering why I look like this, right? A drastic event back then changed my appearance and 'it' has something to do with this. I want to find it, to cease the damage it may inflict to others."

"I see… But where do you plan going now?"

"I plan to leave this city tonight. I'll probably take a train at nearest station."

"Since I owe you a lot, let me accompany you there," Amaranth offered, seeking for approval. "Besides, I have nothing else to do here for the mean time. And sometimes, things get dangerous at night, let me help you through."

Senritsu was delighted, "Alright. Be my guide."

They ventured through the city as the light of the sun eventually died, slowly replaced by the shine of the moon. After some time, the two finally made it near the station.

"So here we are, just a few more steps and you're good to go! But it seems that there are only a few people taking the train tonight." Amaranth said as she looked around, trying to spot a single soul.

Senritsu seemed puzzled too, "This is quite odd. Something is amiss."

The silver-haired maiden ventured the way to the station, and immediately detected something unpleasant.

What's wrong here? I sense… Death…

"Are you alright?" inquired Senritsu as she heard the sudden change in her companion's pulse.

"Stay close. There's something wrong, you can sense it too, right?"

The station was quiet, too quiet for a usually crowded place. The two ladies went further into the station and it was then when an unpleasant scenery welcomed them. The train, which seemed to be ready for departure, was there but it stood motionless and was perfectly painted – with blood. And the bright lights that flickered perfectly added horror to the tragedy.

"H-help!" a distressed voice searched for rescue. The two immediately rushed to find the suffering soul, following the sound of the voice reflecting the deterioration of life.

"Lacroix?!" Amaranth shouted in disbelief. The man was crawling on the floor, all thanks to his severely broken leg. She and Senritsu came to his aid. "What the hell happened here?!"

"A man… A man… Kill…" he answered as he struggled to find his words. His face clearly reflected unexplainable fear. Amid their conversation, several pins sunk deep into the skull of Lacroix, preventing him from speaking any further.

"T-this…?!" she exclaimed in disbelief. The silver-haired maiden refused to trust what she saw but despite that, she knew what was at hand. She knew who the person behind the curtains. She knew it well, very well.

"Ah, you again," a shadow wearing the aroma of death spoke.

Amaranth recognized the voice.

Indeed, it was a person who was very familiar to her...


Author's Note:

First of all, let me explain the meaning of the chapter title (for some of you might be wondering). Cariño Brutal is a Spanish term which refers to signs of affection given in a harsh, brutal or savage manner. It is also the title of one of my favorite songs!

For a more personal side, I want to apologize to all my dearest readers. To those who still follow this story, thank you very much! I beg your pardon for not being able to update this story for a very, very long time. It is just I have been through a lot lately, hindering me from writing. There are certain reasons as to why I went on a hiatus in writing. I do hope you understand and forgive me for the long break I took. Nevertheless, I still want to resume writing this story for my dear readers, for you guys who are still hoping that I will continue the story. So let me end the year by updating this story. I am hoping that through this, I can paint smiles on your faces. Happy New Year! :)