What do you think, guys? Should I give up this story? -feels far too uninspired-

Chapter 8

Another Threat

"Chiara, I want you to meet Kitsune," announced Kai, rather grandly, as he strode into Chiara's room early one morning. Behind him trailed a tall, slim girl, whose long brown hair was drawn up into a messy bun, tendrils drifting down to touch her proud shoulders. The femme (who looked to be around the same age) gave Chiara a dismissive glance, her gaze averted as she crossed her arms impatiently. Chiara hardly noticed this 'Kitsune'; she was brushing her hair with a quizzical look towards Kai. Perhaps it was the look of slight puzzlement that guided Kai to further elaborate on the presence of this stranger.

"This is Kitsune," he repeated, head inclined slightly towards the slender girl. Chiara barely opened her mouth to say 'hi', when the guest interrupted with, "Oh, do call me Kitty. Kitsune is such a boring name, and I do prefer nicknames. Don't you think Kitty suits me better then Kitsune?" she added, latching onto Kai's arm... in an overly-familiar way, Chiara grumped silently. Her eyes, as Chiara noticed, were the same blue as Ceramina's, although they had none of Ceramina's joy for living. If anything, these eyes were icy blue. Unlike Ceramina, whose eyes were like the blue skies, 'Kitty' 's eyes were cold eyes, eyes like frosty icicles.

As the chestnut-haired girl clung to Kai's forearm, Chiara glanced toward him instinctively, expecting some resistance. She was utterly blown for words when he gave a wry grin. Tugging his arm away from her, he cast her a slightly annoyed, yet amused look. To Chiara, he simply said, "Kitty's excellent at fighting and such. She'll be your bodyguard, Chiara."

"Oh, is this the little girl I'm supposed to protect?" Kitty exclaimed, walking over and peering closely at Chiara, who was by now, sort of put out. Little girl? She was a little girl? A LITTLE GIRL?! "Lift your head, let's have a look at you," said Kitty (or rather, commanded). Her emotionless blue eyes seemed to widen slightly in surprise as Chiara barked, "I'm not a display picture, so get out of it!" Jumping off her bed, where she had been sitting, Chiara threw a dirty look at Kai, and moved back a few steps, away from them both. Was this a joke?

"Feisty little creature," Kitty laughed a slightly over-done laugh, as if she was hysterically amused by Chiara's comeback. (And Chiara was now rather riled.) She moved back as well, adding to Kai, "Do leave us to talk for a bit, sweetness, we must have some girl time!" She gave Kai a flirtatious fluttering of the eyelashes, and Kai exited with an unconcerned roll of the eyes. As soon as he left and closed the door, Kitty turned around with an ugly expression shadowing her slightly freckled face. "Come here, dear, there's a little something you might want to know." Her voice had become less perky, and more subdued. She settled herself on the bed; her bold actions gave Chiara the faint impression that here was someone who was used to having her own way.

"Listen up, honey." She began talking right away, not bothering to wait for Chiara, who did not move. "Kai and I go a long way back. We grew up together in Moscow, both in the same abbey. Doubtless, you know his story?" she prompted; Chiara did not answer. "As soon as his Grandfather moved here, two years ago, Kai and I were separated. We had been very close, if you know what I mean." Kitty gave the other girl a scathing glance. "We were bound to be together, destined to be in love, and our relationship - "

"Yeah, all right, get to the point," snapped Chiara, feeling a little more then seriously provoked.

"He seems to have forgotten our past," Kitty continued coolly, her eyes narrowing. "But I intend to force some memories back into him. I'm here, not to guard your sorry little ass; I'm here to reclaim Kai. And you'd better not stand in my way."

Well, that was put bluntly, wasn't it? Immediately, Chiara understood the obvious; she gained herself an enemy... and if Kai's comment about Kitty's fighting skills were truthful, then this enemy was quite formidable. She'd have to tread carefully around this girl. In Chiara's mind, she had no doubt that Kitty would resort to anything to get Kai. And by the way that Kai acted around Kitty, it seems that her plans were already working. Chiara quivered with hate and jealousy. She was already genuinely utterly dangerously pissed off beyond words, and now Kitty was just adding to her ever-growing emotion of pissed-off-ness. (A/N: Yes. That's right. Pissed-off-ness. xP)

"Abhorrent wench, you tape those disgusting claws of yours to your filth-encrusted carcass," she whispered.

"Oh, the little baby Chiara knows some big words," hissed the hazel-haired girl. "I'm predisposed to repudiate your proposition." She paused, a sarcastic sneer sliding onto her face. "In other words... No." A self-satisfied look crept upon her face, and Chiara was considering the option of yanking Kitty's hair out when Kai strolled in. Without delay, Kitty's tanned face was suddenly illuminated by a bright smile.

"Kai!" she trilled, jumping up to greet him.

He held out an arm to stop her from smothering him, a fondly annoyed look evident in his eyes as he directed his words mainly towards Chiara. (A/N: Fondly annoyed. -cackle-)

"How're you two getting along?"

Before Chiara could open her mouth (to furiously spit out the truth about Kitty), the other girl had already barged in with her own answer. "Oh, simply marvelous, Kai, she's so sweet!" As Kitty gushed on and on and on and on about how she was going to have such a good time and how she was going be so happy and wonderful and that crap, Chiara simply tuned her out and locked herself firmly within her thoughts.

{Chiara's Thoughts.}

Great. First, it's that 'molester'. Now it's a female enemy. She's such a bitch. Bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch. ... Bitch.

{End Chiara's Thoughts.}

Deciding that her inner-feelings were rather boring and repetitive, she shook herself out of her stupor and listened silently to Kai, who was carrying on some conversation with Kitty. Apparently, Chiara was wrong when she had thought that Kai held no feelings for other girls. Even if Kai was replying with his usual never-more-then-ten-or-so words, she was still in a fine old temper. With her nerves slowly being gnawed upon, she pretended to look interested, nodded her head when she felt obliged to, and dully steeled herself to appear happy and lively.

"Was it only three years ago, mon cher? Oh dear, Kai, it feels like we've been separated forever!"

"Three years, Kitty."

"Oh, remember the day that you had to leave? I was so sad, I thought I'd never see you again!"

"Well, here I am."

"Oh, Kai, don't tease me so. It's frightfully upsetting."

And so, it went on in this vein for the longest time. Finally (it must've been noon), Kitty excused herself with a shriek of, "Oh good heavens above! I must be going, dears, I'm late for an appointment!" She blew Kai a kiss that dripped with sugary sweetness and exited the room with a well-disguised smirk at Chiara, who responded with the most silent snarl she could manage.

"What do you think, Chi?"

Chiara turned around and was on the verge of lodging the longest complaint in her life, when she paused. No, this would be a fight just between Kitty and her. It was girl business. She would not show weakness by being a tattle-tale and ratting off to Kai. No, this time, she'd be her own savior.

With a sickeningly polite smile, she said, "I adore her."

- end chapter

This one's a very short one. Gomen-nasi, everyone. x.x; Yes, I'm taking Japanese lessons. Pch.

Oh yeah, Catherine! I keep forgetting to ask you; what's your user on ff.net? I mean, the one where you actually have that story of yours... ^^

So... Review? -sweatdrop-