An: It's been awhile, so I decided to update. Here's a fun chapter from a different perspective.
Taimi frowned as she surveyed the grounds. So many little children. How could children have gotten her sister and held her hostage? Something about this stank.
Then she saw him. The boy that had been carrying her sister. He was playing around on the grass. How could these people have taken Li? Was she not a better fighter than Taimi? Enough questions, she decided. She would get this one, and make him tell her where Li was.
She jumped down from the tree, with every intent to throw the first punch. She thought for a moment she had heard her sister's voice, and then she found herself staring into her sister's blue eyes. Paused in confusion, Taimi came to the realization that her sister had blocked the blow she had intended to land on the fuzzy blue kid.
"Li, what are you doing?" Taimi demanded, sticking to Japanese in case these people were listening.
"Stopping you from hurting my friend," Li told her calmly. Startled, Taimi glanced around her to the blue boy sitting there looking equally shocked.
"Your friend?" Taimi asked incredulously. "But he kidnapped you-"
"He did not. I asked him to rescue me. The Night Rain was intent upon killing me for my failure. Surely you knew. . ." Li searched her face, and looked surprised for a moment.
"They did not tell me of any plans, beyond a small punishment, Li. Perhaps you did not read them right," Taimi began, but Li was shaking her head fiercly.
"They meant to kill me, Taimi. The Night Rain may have forgiven you because of a flaw in your system, but I have no such flaw. Therefore I have no excuse. You know no free thought is allowed. I was expected to complete a task and I failed."
"They would never simply kill you for something like that!" Taimi protested. What was going on? Why did she want to believe Li more than she wanted to believe herself?
"They did not merely kill me. They murdered a small child in front of me, tore my ligaments, broke my arm, and my ribs, and then put me in the heated room with the intent to melt me to death. I believe that counts as intent to murder, Taimi."
"I cannot. . . I do not believe you- you know I cannot, Li."
"I never asked you to, Taimi. You have always been with them on such matters." When Li turned away from her Taimi felt a strange sensation in the pit of her stomach. This was her baby sister. How could she turn her away when she clearly needed her support?
"Little sister," Taimi began gently, "I cannot believe you. But I do. I should go and tell them I could not find you."
"I will be alone. Please do not go!" Li begged. The blue fuzzy boy had come up and was now standing protectively close to Li. Amused, Taimi told her gently,
"I do not think you will be so alone. Your boyfriend will protect you."
"My. . ?" Li would have blushed if that was possible for her. "He is not my boyfriend. He is just a friend."
"He is a boy and your friend," Taimi teased. Seeing her sister looking more uncomfortable she told her, "I have to go. It would not be good to be caught with you when I could not find you."
"Write me?" Li asked softly.
"I do not think that I will have the opportunity. But if I do, I will write," Taimi promised, hating to see that crushed look in her sister's eyes. She hugged her once, quickly.
"I hope I will see you again," Li whispered into her sister's embrace. Taimi wanted to sigh and scold her sister for getting sentimental. They were to be assassins. You could not become too attached.
"Take good care of my baby sister, or else," Taimi instructed the boy in English. Li was unamused, but Taimi did not care. Someone would have to acknowledge that boy's feelings, even if Li would not.
"Bye," Taimi told her sister, and was up and over the wall before the blue boy could blink. Li was wrong about that one. He was her boyfriend. . . in his mind, and heart. All that would matter to a human.
Taimi frowned as she surveyed the grounds. So many little children. How could children have gotten her sister and held her hostage? Something about this stank.
Then she saw him. The boy that had been carrying her sister. He was playing around on the grass. How could these people have taken Li? Was she not a better fighter than Taimi? Enough questions, she decided. She would get this one, and make him tell her where Li was.
She jumped down from the tree, with every intent to throw the first punch. She thought for a moment she had heard her sister's voice, and then she found herself staring into her sister's blue eyes. Paused in confusion, Taimi came to the realization that her sister had blocked the blow she had intended to land on the fuzzy blue kid.
"Li, what are you doing?" Taimi demanded, sticking to Japanese in case these people were listening.
"Stopping you from hurting my friend," Li told her calmly. Startled, Taimi glanced around her to the blue boy sitting there looking equally shocked.
"Your friend?" Taimi asked incredulously. "But he kidnapped you-"
"He did not. I asked him to rescue me. The Night Rain was intent upon killing me for my failure. Surely you knew. . ." Li searched her face, and looked surprised for a moment.
"They did not tell me of any plans, beyond a small punishment, Li. Perhaps you did not read them right," Taimi began, but Li was shaking her head fiercly.
"They meant to kill me, Taimi. The Night Rain may have forgiven you because of a flaw in your system, but I have no such flaw. Therefore I have no excuse. You know no free thought is allowed. I was expected to complete a task and I failed."
"They would never simply kill you for something like that!" Taimi protested. What was going on? Why did she want to believe Li more than she wanted to believe herself?
"They did not merely kill me. They murdered a small child in front of me, tore my ligaments, broke my arm, and my ribs, and then put me in the heated room with the intent to melt me to death. I believe that counts as intent to murder, Taimi."
"I cannot. . . I do not believe you- you know I cannot, Li."
"I never asked you to, Taimi. You have always been with them on such matters." When Li turned away from her Taimi felt a strange sensation in the pit of her stomach. This was her baby sister. How could she turn her away when she clearly needed her support?
"Little sister," Taimi began gently, "I cannot believe you. But I do. I should go and tell them I could not find you."
"I will be alone. Please do not go!" Li begged. The blue fuzzy boy had come up and was now standing protectively close to Li. Amused, Taimi told her gently,
"I do not think you will be so alone. Your boyfriend will protect you."
"My. . ?" Li would have blushed if that was possible for her. "He is not my boyfriend. He is just a friend."
"He is a boy and your friend," Taimi teased. Seeing her sister looking more uncomfortable she told her, "I have to go. It would not be good to be caught with you when I could not find you."
"Write me?" Li asked softly.
"I do not think that I will have the opportunity. But if I do, I will write," Taimi promised, hating to see that crushed look in her sister's eyes. She hugged her once, quickly.
"I hope I will see you again," Li whispered into her sister's embrace. Taimi wanted to sigh and scold her sister for getting sentimental. They were to be assassins. You could not become too attached.
"Take good care of my baby sister, or else," Taimi instructed the boy in English. Li was unamused, but Taimi did not care. Someone would have to acknowledge that boy's feelings, even if Li would not.
"Bye," Taimi told her sister, and was up and over the wall before the blue boy could blink. Li was wrong about that one. He was her boyfriend. . . in his mind, and heart. All that would matter to a human.
