Hey^^ I know, two chapters in the same week for once, look at me^^ Alright, I'm giong to try to start answering reviews in the following chapter because I keep getting a very familiar question: Where's Kuro-sama. sathreal asked last chappy and here's your answer:
sathreal:
I'm completely re-writing Fai's past and his reason for being with the group. This is his past, then he leaves to be with them, then there's going to be a long, overview chapter of their journay detailing their (Kuro and Fai's) relationship and then, finally, the story picks up again after Seresu (wait to you see how I explain that one lol) Kuro and all^^
In short: He's coming.
Potatoe Girl:
I'm so happy you like Mangetsu, I'm always afraid people will get annoyed with how much attention I give her but I guess I worry at nothing^^' I wish she was real too lol, but I've been told I act like her so I guess she's my alter-ego... *doesn't know if that's good or bad*
BrettWitford:
I think you'd have forgotten it anyway lol... and it's "Frolicking dirt children", I'm not southern lol... ^^
Thank you all and enjoy~
"What's your name?"
They were sitting in the alley they had found the girl in. She had attached her self to Fai and was half sitting in his lap. Mangetsu was sitting on her other side so that the girl was between them. She didn't seem afraid of them anymore, she just wouldn't talk.
"How did you get here?"
Nothing.
"Where are your parents?"
She shook her head without looking up.
"Gone?"
Mangetsu asked, eliciting a nod.
"Do you know where?"
Nothing. Fai sighed; he didn't want to press her, but he didn't want to take her anywhere if her parents were coming back for her. Though why they would leave her there to begin with raised some questions.
"Sweetie-"
"I don't remember!"
She was shaking and Fai unconsciously pulled her coat around her.
"You don't remember what?"
"…Everything."
She whispered.
"Most of it… I know I have a family, I can't see their faces anymore… There were guards."
She was crying again and Mangetsu shifted uncomfortably.
"I remember a guard grabbing me after…"
"After what?"
"I don't know!"
She shrieked back at him. She was gripping the fabric of his coat and shaking her head.
"I do know. I don't remember. He grabbed me and told me to forget but I bit him so he dropped me and I ran. He grabbed me after… they killed them, I think."
She sniffed and Fai looked over at Mangetsu.
"What do you think?
She shook her head.
"It sounds like someone tried to wipe her memory and she struggled too much and cut the spell before it could screw everything up. She lost her personal memory."
She looked at the girl and tried her best to be reassuring.
"Do you remember your name?"
She shook her head.
"Do you remember where you live?"
"No."
Mangetsu sighed but the girl, who now seemed very eager to please, looked up suddenly.
"But I know I didn't always live here."
Fai cocked his head and she turned to look at him.
"I came from another dimension when I was a baby. I don't remember which though."
Mangetsu's face lit up.
"Wait, what language are we speaking?"
They were trained in so many different languages that if someone spoke something other than Seresian they sometimes slipped into it without thinking. This was not one of those times.
"Just Seresian."
"Mmm…"
"S-sorry…"
Mangetsu glared at her.
"Don't apologize for shit that's not your fault. Drives me nuts…"
"Mang-mang."
Fai whispered, indignant.
"What?"
"You shouldn't curse in front of her, she's a kid."
"Don't be such a girl."
They went back and forth for a few minutes before trailing off and opting to simply stare at their new charge.
"So…" Mangetsu got right to the point. "What are we gonna call you?"
They spent the next hour picking a name, anything to distract themselves. The girl seemed happy with whatever they picked for her though so Mangetsu instantly decided it had to be something Ruskian. Fai however could sense her aura and, deciding that she had strong magic insisted that her middle initial should be 'D.'. They went back and forth on her last name but eventually decided on Mangetsu's sister's middle name because it just sounded good with the rest of the name.
Katia D. Aurora
Fai was happy that she had the initial 'D', that was all he cared about. Though he knew he was getting ahead of himself, he was already thinking about teaching her magic.
Mangetsu though had no understanding of the concept 'getting ahead of oneself' and she was already interested in teaching her to fight. Fai thought she should learn magic first though, remembering his lessons with Mangetsu.
"Mang-mang, you should wait, she's so young, she shouldn't grow up fighting. What kind of childhood is that?"
"The kind that turns into an adulthood! What kind of childhood is spent doing boring shit-"
"Stuff…"
"Boring stuff, priss. That's why you're neurotic, you read too much."
"What is she going to read? Where would we get books? She'd be learning defensive magic."
They continued to argue, whispering over Katia's head while she slept between them. They both knew it was a stupid thing to argue about but neither could sleep and they didn't want to think about what was really bothering them; how were they going to feed another person?
The next morning Fai woke to find Katia sitting a babbling to Natalia who had the look of an attentive listener, sitting on her haunches and cocking her head as the little girl spoke.
"Good morning Katia, I see you've met Natalia."
She beamed at her new name.
"Yes! I like her, is she yours?"
"No, Mang-mang's"
She looked confused having never heard the nick-name before until Mangetsu sat up behind Fai.
"Who's talking about me?"
"No one, Katia's up."
"Great."
Mangetsu rocked to her feet.
"Let's get a move on, you hungry?"
She directed the question at Katia who nodded emphatically.
"Alright, let's go."
They started off down the street. Katia was wary of everyone and everything. She alternated between holding Fai's hand and Mangetsu's, which threw the older girl off for a moment before she adjusted.
When Katia was with Mangetsu Fai watched carefully as the two interacted. He knew Mangetsu liked the little girl; after the fight she'd put up the previous night he'd known she would. Katia was nervous; seeming afraid of everything but deep down Fai knew she had a fighting spirit. Mangetsu appreciated that.
They meandered down the center of the street, Mangetsu leading the way until she suddenly called out.
"I want zepoles!"
Katia jumped and looked around, like she thought they might be in trouble. When sirens didn't suddenly start and soldiers didn't appear to drag them away, she relaxed and giggled nervously.
"T-that sounds really good."
Fai had to hold back a laugh. While Katia was instantly comfortable with him she still seemed unsure of his friend. He understood that; they were opposites.
Mangetsu veered out of the center of the road, dragging Katia behind her, Fai at their heels.
They bought a small basket of fried dough and ate on a stack of crates behind a restaurant, Katia marveling at Mangetsu entourage of cats.
She seemed distant, comfortable but closed off, like she couldn't decide whether she should trust them or not. She seemed like she wanted to though, which Fai guessed was a good thing.
Mangetsu was openly staring at the girl, her mouth twitching in it's eternal battle with her brain.
"So… you don't remember anything?"
Katia shook her head. She was incredibly quiet and careful, reminding Fai of his behavior when he first came to the palace. But he couldn't tell how much of her silence was from her fear and how much was just because she was so young.
"Katia?"
Her head flicked up at his voice.
"Would you like to play a game?"
Her face brightened and she nodded, grinning.
"Okay…" He thought, trying to pick his questions carefully.
"What's your favorite animal?"
She chewed her lip before holding up one of the smallest cats that surrounded her.
"I like cats. And Natalia."
Oops, try again.
"What's your favorite food?"
"I don't…" She looked around before spotting the empty basket of breakfast. Fai quickly realized she'd figured out how to cheat; his game would only work if she had to think about things she hadn't seen in the last twenty-four hours.
"Those were really good, those are my favorite."
"O-kaaay…"
Deciding it was a lost cause, Fai voiced one more question, one he knew she could cheat at but didn't really care.
"What's your favorite color?"
Predictably she glanced around before letting her eyes settle on him once more.
"Well… I like your color."
I know right? What the hell is that supposed to mean? Well, you'll actually find out within twenty-four hours because I already typed the next chapter I just have to edit it^^
ありがとう
ShingetsuXMangetsu