(AN: Fist off, sorry for keeping you guys waiting on this chapter. Second, I apologize immensely because frankly, this chapter is long, boring and stupid. And it sucks. I'm just really tired and I really wanted to get it up and … yeah. I was rushed so if something doesn't quite make sense, just lemme know in the review and I'll fix it. Anyway, this is the chapter where we find out all about Piper's past and what lead to to become a Guardian. Also, there's a bit of Italian dialogue going on between her and another character … I don't speak Italian, so I had to use the translator thingy at Altavista.com … so if it doesn't make sense … that's why. Anyway, onward and I promise I will make up for this crappy chapter with a much better one following it.)
When Piper opened her eyes, she saw that she was still in one piece. Her left wrist throbbed at the lack of circulation, but other than that everything seemed to be okay. She looked down to see Nny struggling with the lever. It refused to budge.
Damnit! He kicked the lever, not really to move it but to release the pent up frustration. Tristan must have been using it while he was gone and she didn't bother taking care of it. That was the only explanation. Actually, Piper being some type of magical entity was the other … but he refused to buy into that one.
"Are you thoroughly convinced yet?" Piper grew more and more impatient with this.
"The only thing I'm convinced of is that ungrateful wretch doesn't know how to take care of someone else's property!"
Piper didn't care to ask who he was talking about, assuming it was the girl he was in Taco Hell with. "Johnny … face it! I'm something that you can't explain! But if you let me down, I promise … I can make everything make sense!"
A sigh escaped him. "Nothing ever makes sense. It never has and it never will." He looked up at her. He had to admit, he was curious still as to how she crossed his path. Although a bigger part of him wanted to find a new method of killing her, he gave into the other part that wanted information. He made his way back up to where she was suspended, and started to detach the restraints. "We're going for a walk. Don't get any ideas of taking off."
"A walk? To where?" Piper rubbed at her sore wrist.
"I don't really know nor care. All I know is that you have a lot of explaining to do."
"If I can make a tiny suggestion, I'm starving … there's a nice place I know of. Can we drive there?"
Johnny lowered an eyebrow. Was she giving him a command? He decided that didn't matter right now, and he really wasn't in a mood to put up a fight as to where they were going. All he cared about was getting some type of explanation from her. "Fine." He agreed.
"Great! I'll drive!"
"I don't think so."
"Okay … then you drive and I'll give directions."
"Sure … but you might want to change clothes before you go anywhere. People might become suspicious of a young girl walking into a restaurant with a blood soaked shirt. I'll give you something, but don't take forever. I'd like to leave sometime tonight."
Piper nodded, and followed him up the winding stairs. When they reached the upper level, he handed her a pair of black pants and a black and white striped shirt of his, then directed her to the bathroom. Before shutting the door, he reminded her not to dilly-dally, and left to go wait out in the living room.
Once the door was shut, Piper locked it just to be safe. She'd learned from past mistakes never to leave a door unlocked when you intended to be half-naked. She pulled her bloodstained clothes off, and pulled the ones Nny had given her on. She was thankful the pants were cut up at the bottom, otherwise they would have been too long on her and she'd have trodden all over the back of the legs. She looked in the dirty, stained mirror and lifted up her shirt a bit to check out Nny's bandaging job. White gauze had been carefully wrapped around her waist, holding a large square patch if it in place over her cut. Suddenly, she remembered … and she turned her back toward the mirror. Looking over her shoulder, she wondered if he'd caught sight of the scar on her back. A large scar, a pair of perfectly drawn wings, was carved into her lower back. She sighed deeply, memories crawling back into her mind. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
"Are you decent yet?" The door muffled Nny's impatient voice.
"Uh yeah," She panicked, quickly turning on the faucet. "I'm just … washing up a bit."
He poked his head in the door, seeing her hunched over rubbing her hands under the running water. She'd forgotten to pull the back of her shirt down, and he saw that strange scar again.
"Piper?"
"Hmm?"
"I don't mean to intrude but … what's with that scar on your back?" He asked, stepping closer to the sink.
'What scar?" She played dumb, pulling the back of the shirt down.
Nny's eyebrow rose. "Um … the big, wing-shaped one on your back. Surely you must have noticed it? I certainly would if I had something that unusual etched into my skin …"
Piper blushed furiously. Shit, he had noticed it. "Well … what more is there to it. I told someone I'd wanted wings … and they gave them to me." As an afterthought, she added "… I'd always wanted wings …"
These words echoed in Nny's mind. He'd heard them before, only someone else said them. The sound was followed by a series of blurry images, all drowning in the sound of rampant screaming. He shook his head, clearing his mind of everything. What the hell was that? "C'mon … lets go." He said. She nodded and turned off the faucet.
"… And that is exactly what a Waste Lock Guardian does." Piper had explained the basics to Nny. "So you see, it wouldn't be like I was telling you what to do. Just making little … suggestions. As to who you kill and what not."
Nny shook his head stubbornly. "I kill who I want to kill. And that's all there is to it."
"Come on, Nny. At least give me a chance. I won't be any trouble! In fact, I'll stay out of your way completely! Just … please at least think about it." She'd asked him if she could stay with him, just to monitor what he was doing and to try and straighten things out.
Johnny shook his head. "Absolutely not. Do I look like I need a babysitter of some sort? I can take care of myself, and I don't need some little girl telling me what to do."
Piper snorted, offended. "First of all … I am not a little girl. And second, it's not a babysitting thing! It's just … a monitoring thing!"
"Call it whatever you want … it still sounds like a control thing to me."
Piper crossed her arms across her chest. He was stubborn, but she wouldn't give up. She'd convince him … she knew it! Just then, she saw the restaurant and notified Johnny to park.
A small bell chimed, as Piper and Johnny entered the restaurant. Hardly a soul was in it, and the ones who were there had rather scathing looks to provide to the two odd-looking young people who'd just walked in.
"Um … Piper. This place looks pricey …" Johnny informed in a hushed whisper.
"Relax … it's all about knowing the right people." She whispered back. Just then, a short and rather plump man noticed her and smiled as if he was seeing an old high school buddy. He waved and Piper waved back, just as the man started to come over.
"Buona sera, Piper!" The man greeted happily, shaking Piper's free hand.
"Buona sera, Mario."
The man then looked at Johnny, and gasped as he looked at Piper. "Avete un amico di ragazzo!"
Johnny didn't like the way that sounded, and his eyes narrowed to show it. Damn him for leaving all his knives at home.
Piper saw this and nudged him. "Relax … he just mistook you as my boyfriend …" She whispered, and then turned back to Mario. "No, no, no, Mario. Johnny è mio amico, non amico di ragazzo." She corrected. "Amico giusto." She added, when Mario gave her an unconvinced look.
"Sicuro. Se dite così, Piper. Venuto, la tabella migliore per voi e vostro... 'amico' ." Mario started walking, and Piper took hold of Johnny's wrist. Mario led them past the other tables. People clad in fancy dresses and suits, giving him the look of a thousand deaths. They were lucky he'd forgotten his weapons; these people thought just because they could afford those pretty clothing and expensive meals that he and Piper were lower than dirt. He growled at the thought of what was running through their minds. Then he noticed something odd … they weren't looking at them in disgust or horror, they were looking at them in envy. He then looked forward and noticed they were heading up a spiral staircase, which led to the restaurant's roof.
On the roof was a table, only big enough for two, and surrounding it were the most gorgeous plants and flowers that he'd ever seen. As they approached the table, he noticed that a good bit of the city was visible, and it was a rather beautiful sight. So that's why everyone was so envious, they probably would have killed to be up here.
"La vostra tabella." Mario gestured toward the red and white checkered table, and Johnny waited until Piper was seated to seat himself. He just wanted to make sure that this was, in fact, their table. "Voi gradiscono una bevanda?" Mario asked when they were seated.
Piper looked at Johnny. "He wants to know if you want a drink."
"No … thank you." He wasn't really hungry, since he'd eaten before he took Piper in. He saw Mario staring at him, waiting for his answer. Shit, he didn't know any Italian … he should have paid more attention during Italian in high school. Wait a minute … did he even take Italian in high school? "Uh …"
"Niente, grazie." Piper whispered.
"Niente … grazie." Johnny repeated.
Mario nodded politely, and turned to Piper. "Tè raffreddato." She said.
Mario nodded once more, and ducked out of sight. Johnny stared in his direction for a moment, then set his sight back on Piper. "Where did you learn Italian? Better yet, why did he give us such a nice table? How do you plan to pay for this?"
"I learned it from Mischa, I got it because Mario's my buddy, and I'm not paying for it because Mario never charges me."
Johnny raised an eyebrow. "How do you know him?"
"This was the restaurant where Mischa worked, before she was called upon to be a Waste Lock. She was a skilled chef, went to college for it and everything. Even after she became a Waste Lock and found me, she cooked in her spare time. It was her hobby."
"Who is this … Mischa?" Nny reclined back in his seat, making himself comfortable.
Piper sighed. "It's a pretty long story …" She said sadly, when Mario returned with her drink, which Johnny found out was an iced tea. After a few more exchanged phrases in Italian, Mario went back to the kitchens to place her order. After taking a big gulp of her drink, Piper started her story. "I guess I should start from the beginning, with my real mother. She was … different from other kids in high school. Kids called her names all the time, made her feel like an outcast. So when she found one guy who was just like her … she fell deep in love." She took a deep breath and continued.
"She was only fourteen when she became pregnant with me. I don't know much about my father, only that he committed suicide shortly after I was conceived.
"So there she was, left all alone to raise me. Her father was disgusted at his daughter for having a child at such a young age, so he kicked her out. We were forced to live in a shitty apartment, while she worked shitty under-the-table jobs to support us. The only people who would hire her for being so young, and for having no one to watch me, were usually mean, greasy guys who paid her very little and kicked her around a lot. And her place of employment was usually a bar or some type of club. She'd been offered jobs at strip clubs, but she rejected. Even she had more dignity than that. Anyway, I remember being little, and playing with my dollies in a corner, while old drunk men - who reeked of booze and vomit- fought, played pool, or harassed my mom and the other waitresses." The bitterness dripped from her voice.
"She'd kicked numerous drunken asses for coming too close, or talking to me the wrong way. It got her fired a lot, and I always felt guilty because she was only trying to protect me. But then she'd wipe the tears from my eyes and explain that I was all she had in the world, and she wasn't going to let anything happen to me. Despite everything, we were one big happy family.
"Then one day, when I was four, as she was walking out of a bar … a group of guys surrounded her. There were four of them, and the circled around her like hyenas … they sure as hell were laughing like a bunch of hyenas. A bunch of fucking hyenas just lickin' their chomps, ready for the kill. She told me to get out of there, and I started to run … but I stopped when I noticed they were hurting her. They had her down on the ground and they just …" She paused, and he could tell she was suppressing a sob. "They just wouldn't stop kicking her. I yelled for them to, blood was gushing everywhere … but the more and more I cried the harder and harder they kicked. They just kept kicking until she was limp … that's when they set their sight on me.
"'We can't be having any witnesses …' the leader said, blood all over his shoes. I backed into a metal gate, terrified and knowing that my life was over at that moment. I looked over at my mother's dead body and for a split second I imagined myself that way. Dead and limp. My eyes clamped shut and I could feel his hands around my neck when suddenly, he howled in pain and I felt a warm liquid splashing me in the face. I didn't know that what I'd felt was his blood … at the time I thought it was my own. My eyes stayed shut, and all I could hear was screaming and wails of agony and then … I heard nothing. That was it … I knew I was dead. I opened my eyes, expecting to see angels or something, but instead I saw the alley … and now there were five dead bodies lying in it. And a tall young woman standing amongst it, a sword-like knife held firmly in her hand. She slowly turned toward me, her eyes were cold and unfeeling … that's when I shut my eyes again. At least she'd bought me a few last moments on Earth. I felt her hand graze my cheek, wiping the blood from my face.
"'Aw,' she soothed. 'You poor little thing, you're a mess!'
"'You're going to kill me, aren't you. Just like they killed my mommy.'
"She tilted her head and smiled. 'No, I only hurt bad people. You're not a bad person, are you?' I shook my head. 'I didn't think so. You look like a sweet little girl. Do you have a name?' I told her my name was Piper. 'Piper, huh? Well, that's a very pretty name. My name, is Mischa … and you're more than welcome to stay with me.'"
"And you went with her?" Johnny looked at her like she was the crazy one. "She'd mutilated four guys and you left with her?"
Piper shrugged. "I guess I trusted her. Keep mind that she did save my life, and she didn't kill me afterward." Mario, thankfully, didn't walk in during this part. He kept the same, boisterous smile as he lowered a steaming plate of pasta in front of her. She thanked him, in Italian, and when he asked Johnny if he wanted anything (at least, that's what Nny thought he was asking), Nny shook his head and Mario bowed his head politely before ducking out again.
For the next half an hour, Nny sat and watched Piper enjoy her meal. His mind drifted back to what she'd said earlier, while he was bandaging her up, and he tried to place where the memory was coming from. He'd heard it before, but he couldn't remember who had said it or when. All he remembered was fleeting images of a girl, her face was blurry, and a house. You know, your average mom, dad, wholesome daughter, white picket fence and a dog named Clover type of house. Then the images were followed by screaming and blood and then darkness. Funny, he didn't have these images until he met Piper, and this intrigued him. Yes, she was quite full of intrigue, and even if he could kill her … he didn't think he would.
She finished her meal, and they left after she bid farewell to Mario. She was right, she wasn't charged for the meal. They walked back to his car, and she expected him to drive her back to his house … but he took a slight detour.
"Where are we going?" She asked, when he turned off onto the wrong street.
"Somewhere quiet, where you can finish your story. Tristan should be home by now, and if she's anything like I think she is, she'll have some new victims in the basement making a lot of noise. It's hard to talk when you've got all that noise hammering you."
He was expecting Piper to ask who Tristan was, but when she didn't, he decided not to offer any information. He drove until they were way out of the city limits, heading toward the more rural section of the area. He finally parked in the parking lot of a very large park. He would have taken her to the cliff, but since it wasn't a school night, there would be teenagers up there doing the most vile and repugnant things to each other. He got out of the car, and for a moment they just walked in silence until they reached some swings. He sat on the ground, while she sat on one of the swings. "Okay … so you went off to live with this Mischa …" He reminded her of her place in the story.
Piper hummed thankfully. She really had forgotten where she left off. "Yes, I went to live with her. At first, I thought she was only going to keep me around until she grew tired of having a daughter … but she never tired of me. When she wasn't off killing, she was at home … doing motherly things. She cooked, cleaned, and home schooled me; we were like a normal family. One of the first things she did when she brought me home was introduce me to her friend Sasha … her Guardian."
"But I thought you said waste locks weren't supposed to know of their guardians?" Nny questioned.
"Yes, but you see … Mischa sorta found out about Sasha on an accident. She tried to kill her and well, like you, she became rather perplexed when she saw that couldn't be done. So the Elders forgave this and so long as she didn't interfere with what Mischa was supposed to do, they were okay with it. When I got older, about twelve or thirteen, Sasha explained everything to me about Guardians and Waste Locks. She told me everything there was to know about the Guardianship and what they did. I was fascinated with the idea, and when I was fourteen, I made a very important announcement.
"We were eating dinner, Mischa was late as usual … something about getting into a minor brawl with someone she tried to kill. Sasha was there, too … and I decided it was a perfect time to make my announcement. 'I want to join The Guardianship.' I blurted out, half expecting them to have objections. They didn't. In fact, they were thrilled by my decision! Mischa looked so happy and proud of me … and I'd never felt more proud of myself than in that moment. All my life, I'd toiled over how I was going to repay Mischa for everything she'd done for me, and now I had my answer. I would watch over someone like her, just like she'd watched over me all those years. The next day was my fourteenth birthday … the day I went to sign up. With Sasha at my side, they had no objections to me signing up so early. Guardians must be eighteen to start guardianship, and sixteen to seventeen to start training … but they trusted Sasha. She was one of their most trustworthy Guardians, and they trusted her judgment and faith in me. After I signed up and accepted, I was told I'd start my training in a few months. It takes at least a few years to train to be a Guardian, and it's a long grueling process. When I started, most of my 'class' was already finishing up their training. One in particular, Rodie, especially liked riding my case; telling me at least once a day that I'd be a failure. I only had one friend, but I'm starting to question if she ever was a friend in the first place." Piper's teeth clenched, but now was not the time to get into it.
"It was while I was training, when I received the news that Mischa had fallen ill. For the first time in years, she'd gone to a doctor about some pains she was having and they told her she had a brain tumor. She was given three years to live. Perfect timing, The Elders had thought, seeing as how I'd be finishing my training in another two years and I'd be of legal guardianship age a year after that … I'd be able to Guard her replacement. I however, was devastated by this news. In fact, I'd spent up until the day I was assigned deluding myself into thinking that it was all some sick joke, and that she wasn't dying at all. But when they put that thick brown envelope in my hands … I had no choice but to accept it. Mischa was dying … and I would be guarding her replacement.
"The day I was assigned, was the same day Rodie was. He sneered, and Terra told me he was just jealous that I was being assigned three years before I was supposed to be. We were each called into a room – me, Rodie, and another Guardian – one by one to receive our assignments. I was given my envelope, and I just remember being so … nervous and scared. In my hands, I held proof that Mischa was really slipping away. I didn't even open it. In fact … it wasn't until a few days later that I got the courage to open it. Mischa and Sasha watched over my shoulder as I pulled out all the vitals on her replacement." She looked over at Johnny, who was listening aptly … as if he didn't know who she was going say. "You."
"So that was it? You were stuck with me?"
"Well, I don't like to call it 'stuck', Johnny. I was happy to be assigned to you. No matter whose file I pulled out of that envelope, I would have been happy to watch over them."
"What happened to Mischa?" Nny asked, after a brief silence.
Piper inhaled deeply, and he could almost hear her pain. "She died … two months after I was assigned. Sasha said she'd gone in her sleep … I was in training at the time. I … I didn't even get to say good-bye." She added sadly.
Nny looked at the ground. As horrible as it sounded, he didn't want to feel sorry for her. He didn't want to feel anything, and that was what his "vacation" was for … to rid himself of emotion. But hearing Piper's story, he felt some type of sympathetic emotion crawling upward inside him. He clenched his teeth and dug his nails into the ground. No … he was not going to do this.
"Nny, are you okay?" She asked, seeing his sudden discomfort.
"Yes. I'm fine. But … I think we'd better go back."
She smiled hopefully. "So … you're going to take me up on my offer?"
He sighed … he was really going to hate himself sooner or later. "I'll give it … a week." He said disdainfully, but quickly added. "However, don't think this means you can boss me around! You're not my conscience, and I don't have to take your little … suggestions if I don't want to! I promised myself a long time ago that I wouldn't allow anything else to rule me … not even you."
Piper absolutely beamed. It was a start. "All I ask, Nny … is that you listen to me. It's completely up to you as to what suggestions you want to take." She felt so happy, she was getting her chance she'd always wanted! She was about to hug him, but he backed away quickly as if she were riddled with some type of disease. She sheepishly sunk back onto the swing, muttering an apology. "So … shall we head back home?"
"… Yeah." He replied, standing up. As he walked toward the car, he thought of what mess he was getting himself into. Letting not one … but two females -one his Guardian and the other probably just as crazy as he was- share his roof? What was he turning into … a den mother? He sighed once again, and slipped into the driver's side of the car, shutting the door a little harder than necessary. Piper slid into the passenger side, still hearing a happy grin on her face. "Hey Nny?" She said, buckling her seat belt.
"Yes?"
She bit her bottom lip. "Thanks."
He groaned disgustedly. There were those damn emotions again. "Yeah yeah yeah …" He muttered, pulling out of the parking space at thirty miles an hour.