DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THIS ANIME NOR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS.

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Tap. Tap. Tap.

Tiny showers of water landed on Dorotea's damp forehead but she could hardly feel it.

I have always thought…that we were friends… But…you never treated me like one…

A drop of tear fell from her right eye. She closed her lids as the other drops fell mercilessly down her pallid cheeks. Kumiko would never ever forgive her…

I was greatly mistaken…you're not my friend after all…

The tiny showers began to grow bigger. But Dorotea did not mind at all. It was all her fault.

But then, what else could she possibly do? The emperor gave her those orders and had she dared defy such command, she would be banished from the empire and she would not see her fair princess ever again.

Ah! She must have helped Kumiko escape. Even though she would get the sentence of banishment, at least she would have helped her lady do away with that Zaoldyeck guy. For sure, Kumiko's appeal would have lifted her punishment. Cancel it perhaps. After all, she was the sole heir to the throne.

Ah, thinking of the impossible. She can't change the situation now. Everything has been said and done. Nothing can change it. Nothing.

Aren't you concerned about me getting devirginized and all? Oh, if your sister were in my case, won't you take pity and help her out?

How she wanted to turn back the time. If only she could… If only she could… But it's impossible, right? Very impossible… Ah, why can't she help thinking about such impossible things?

Please, Dory, please…

She never headed such plea… She never did…

Her eyes opened and roamed around the avenues of York Shin. Not even Kumiko's aura could be felt. She wanted to sigh but her lips and her lungs won't allow her. She remained standing under the tearful sky.

She closed her eyes again. Her attempt to look for Kumiko was indeed useless. Knowing that princess' ability, she would never be found for sure. She must be hiding at some remote place. Or if her hiding place would be discovered, her skill of invisibility wouls surely save her.

Dory, come on! Let's get out of here before it's too late!

Poor Kumiko. She was crying for sure. Ah. It was all her fault.

Her chest suddenly tightened. The rain made the pain grow worse. Her hands automatically went to the part above her abdomen. The seemingly piercing feeling was getting more and more painful.

She smiled. Serves her right. Heaven was indeed righteous to impose such punishment. If she would die, the better. Kumiko's tears would have their justice.

Her feet involuntarily took a step backwards. It seems like her strength had left her. She fell on the asphalted sidewalk. The rain seemed to pour lightly on her. For sure, the people around would panic upon seeing her collapse without warning. She wanted to laugh. And all went black.

;D

The rain stopped.

An empty soda can fell from an apartment's window and fell right to a raven-haired head. The tall slender figure stopped walking obviously angry.

"Gomen!" the offender shouted.

Damn. A pair of silver eyes narrowed angrily but the offended figure resumed walking without looking back. She walked on. Shit. This day is terribly unlucky, she concluded.

Shiei Nonoka heard people screaming southwest. The hell do I care, she thought disdainfully. She had other important matters to attend to. That purple-eyed lady.

The screaming was replaced by loud talking.

"Poor girl! Is she alive?"

"I don't know."

"We should call for an ambulance! The lady isn't breathing!"

A dead woman on the street? Shiei thought. Boring.

She walked past the curious onlookers gathered around a part of the the sidewalk. That must be the place where that wretch died, she thought.

Then she perceived a fainting aura. Her feet stopped. The aura was somewhat familiar. Against her will, her body squeezed its way among the wave of people swarming all over the place. She must help that person whoever it could be.

Hey! Wait a minute! Her confusion grew bigger. EEEH? Is this really me? she was surprised by her sudden altruistic drive. For all she knew, she never cared about anything or anyone.

Then she saw the tiny, slender figure lying on the ground in seeming helplessness. Raven black hair, black Victorian dress, purplish electric aura… Her eyes flew open. Why, this was the one she had been looking for!

She rushed into the scene and caught the girl in her arms much to the surprise of the crowd.

"Hey!" somebody shouted. "That's kidnapping!"

"No. She could be that little girl's relative."

"Eh?"

"Are you blind? She just carried the girl off!"

"Right!"

But Shiei did not mind them. Why, I was wrong. This is a very lucky day! she thought with a smirk. Now that I have you, you can't get away from me! Never!

Eh? What's her motive getting this girl anyway? Uh, don't know. Whatever motive it could be, she would know afterwards. Eh? Seems like she's getting really shallow. So what? Since the her mother abandoned her, since she went to live on the hostile ghettos of Ryuuseigai, since she learned the 'survival of the strongest doctrine' of the world, since she learned to earn her bread by killing, nobody seemed to care. So, no matter what happens to her head, it doesn't matter at all. She had her freedom. She will always have it. Ryuuseigai taught her that she could freely do whatever she wants. Killing, getting money from banks, getting people to be used for torture sessions, she could have it all. This woman is of no exception.

Giving a few jumps and turns she finally reached the hotel where she had been staying since last week. The expenses won't be of any problem at all. It was already paid full for one month by her supposed-to-be-client Lord Suki whom she killed last night.

Nah! It's his fault anyway. He looked and talked stupidly, she thought with a laugh.

She went unnoticed to the elevator. She pressed the button 12. After a few minutes, the door opened. She went out and walked towards her designated room. She opened it.

A slight thud could be heard as Shiei threw the lady to the large soft bed. She threw her own body beside the girl.

"Wow," she said assuming that the lady heard her. "You're quite heavy for your height. You're not fat. You're not tall. I wonder how your weight got squeezed on your body."

The lady remained silent. She examined the woman's aura. She smiled. She won't die at all. The lady seemed to have fainted but her aura emission says that she's alright.

Shiei closed her eyes. Well, a little sleep would relax her frayed senses.

A bellboy passed and closed the open door.