.- Return to Innocence -.
-. Peril .-
Can you believe it!? I can't! It's up; it's finally written and submitted to ! A gift from the Gods! ....Okay anyways, just so you know I'm not dead and I decided to finish this from the nice reviews I got as motivation. Thanks guys!!!
I haven't written this in a LONG time so I hope it's not suddenly crappy, and this time I've checked my spelling.. I hope. ---sweatdrop--- Hope you guys like the new title! I switched all the old chappies with it as well. Appreciate my hard work! ..Not.
ONWARD!!
DISCLAIMER- no-I-do-not-own-Shadow-Hearts. --
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A
toast,
to the one who poured out my regrets.
A call to air
I'll intake one last.. –Alcohol and Oxygen,Anadivine
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"Help... Help..."
"Huh..?"
The room suddenly got dark, very dark. Wind creaked, lightning was shattering the skies but I couldn't see anything. Nothing. The smell... it was the smell of must and blood and it creped to my nose making it twitch from the foul odor. Something dripped on my head, sliding down the side little by little like repulsive slime; then it happened.
A sheer light glowed dimly towards the center of faint little room. Sitting there was a woman. She appeared to be weeping; her hands cupped her face in anguish as her sobs escaped her mouth flippantly, racking her body into tiny spasms.
"What's wrong..? What happened? What is this place?" I managed to say with small shivers descending down my spine as the cool draft hit my body.
The short haired woman looked up at me, staring so blankly is frightened me to my bones. It was as if she had no soul left, like she was an empty vessel containing not an once of flourished life. Her eyes were dilated; saliva dribbled down her chin and fell to the floor with a tiny splat. The wind grew louder as it howled through the rafters; the sound like a child's laugh.
The woman still stared at me... something was totally different about it though, her eyes grew foggy and red dripped down to her cheeks.
This woman is crying... blood!?
The tears just went on and on, even in her impotent stare. They came out like a waterfall, spilling more and more; a river upon her lifeless face, drenching her blue dress to the hem, making a shadowy puddle of gore all around her on the hard cement floor. I felt myself stepping back, my heart was beating at an unknown pace as my shoes clicked backwards progressively.
"Oh... my..."
"Enjoying the show, Sister Alice?"
Roger Bacon...!?
With a puff of smoke, the dark warlock appeared right in front of me, blocking my view of the staring woman; his grin was cheerful and opening as ever.
"I knew I'd see you again, Alice. But you have not to worry, you can never escape me."
"Is that so? You'll never be able to capture me again, you were lucky to get that far on the Trans-Siberian Express!"
The wizard gave a dark chuckle as he took tiny steps towards my shaking self.
"Are you saying it was because of the help of that boy? That... Harmonixer boy!?"
"No! My... my father!"
With each step he took, I found myself backing into a wet slippery wall, my heart began to race again as he was only a breath away from my face.
"Father you say? Tsk tsk, no no. Why, that old priest is dead."
His white gloved hand caressed my cheek softly. I was too shocked to do a thing, I just stared wide eyed.
"Would you like to suffer the same fate, my dear? It is quite possible..."
His laughter cascaded around the room echoing eerily. Almost immediately, his body evaporated into a thin mist. I saw from across the room the woman still staring, but her mouth opened widely and a shrill scream escaped from her. Her body began to wiggle like jelly and it soon turned into a gush of blood, splattering everywhere, the walls, the floor, my face. It sounded like a geyser exploding. I let a cry in alarm as it hit my face like a wind slash.
I shivered and looked up again, nothing there but blood splashing around the room. I felt my body tremble on its own and my hand shook gently. Taking a look at it, it started to shake with more force and my skin... my skin was falling off! Melting, oozing, dripping off like candle wax.
My bones started to show through and I screamed so loud the room boomed with my voice. I felt my other hand do the same, and I fell to the floor touching my face with bony hands, feeling the skin slide off of there as well.
"Oh God! What is happening to me!?"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"No... No... Aaaaah!" I sat up like a jolt, and found myself blinking.
Where... am I? What happened to the room?
It appeared I was sitting on a bench, the sky was clear and peaceful, and people walked around holding conversations with one another.
Thank goodness... It was just a dream.... Just an awful dream.
I felt a light touch land on my shoulder. I averted my eyes to see that the touch belonged to Yuri.
"Hey are you okay? Did ya have a nightmare or something...?" He asked, sounding deeply concerned.
"Oh, it was so awful. You see, I was in this dark tiny room and it seemed to have lightning clash everywhere from the outside. There was this woman sitting at the center all alone, crying and staring at me vacantly. It was like... she had no soul left, her tears turned to blood and... and... then that man... Roger Bacon appeared and..."
I didn't know how to finish; I didn't want the memories of the sickening visuals to emerge in my head again.
"Don't let it get to you. It's just a dream, right? And the old guy... what's his name? Bacon, right. If he shows up again... well I'll make him wish he didn't!"
"Heehee, I suppose you're right."
I shook my head as a thought appeared. How did I get here anyway? I stood up immediately, Yuri turned to see what my fuss was about.
"Wait, where exactly are we? How did I get here? When did I fall asleep? Where's Zhuzhen? What-"
"Hey, hey, hey. Slow down for a second will ya? I was just about to explain it to you." Yuri said throwing his hands in the air.
"Well then, I'd like an explanation right this very minute!" I stated sternly, looking at him straight in his amber eyes.
"After the fire in the village, you passed out in the field. Since I already was holding you I figured I'd carry you to the closest city. So... here we are! Fengtian!"
"You carried me...? All that way?"
He scratched his head, looking rather humiliated, "Oh come on, it wasn't that far..."
I giggled at his embarrassment, "Well Yuri, I ought to thank you... But where in the world did Zhuzhen and his assistant run off to? They didn't follow behind you or anything...?"
"Nope, Zhuzhen said he had go God knows where to finish his Adept business thingy. And being the kind gentleman I am, I bide him Farwell and kindly told him I hoped his business would not fail."
"Sure you did." Rolling my eyes, I dusted off the dirt on my skirt that appeared somehow while I was in my slumber on the bench.
"There's something up with that old guy..." Yuri said staring off into the blue sky, he was talking to himself quietly, but since I heard him clearly...
"What do you mean...?"
He looked at me shortly and continued his dazed look at the brilliant blue.
"The Quack Oracle said he would meet us again... like we're bound by fate. He said the incident at the village, and us meeting him so suddenly was like some sort of plan made by someone. Bah, I think he's full of it, you know those old folks making up crap to scare us."
"Hmmm..." I pondered aloud placing a finger to my chin. Master Zhuzhen knew a lot about those cat demons, and Taoist magic... also Yuri's fusion power and my "Demon Eyes". Perhaps Zhuzhen knew about the incident the whole time...? Maybe he worked for Bacon...?
No he couldn't have. But how did he know so much...
Something strange was differently going on.
"Come one, come all! To the glorious Lottery Ticket Challenge!"
A bellowing voice seemed like it popped out of nowhere; right behind me, I might add. Slowly turning my body I came face to face with a small Chinese man, a huge fake grin was plastered on his face like a mad magician.
"Ah!" I walked backwards right into Yuri by shock, who was speaking to some other Chinese fellow.
"What is it, Alice!? Huh...? And what do you want!?" He demanded, moving me out of the way smoothly.
The man laughed heavily, "Hello there! Wanna take a chance in the game of Lottery? A game of complete choices, a game of complete turmoil, a game of life and death! The glorious, spectacular... Lottery!!"
My companion had a blank look upon his face and shook his head, causing more brown hair to fall in front of his eyes. "...Look buddy, we don't have time to play your weird games!"
"Weird!? You dare mock the Lottery!? The Chairman will have you for brunch! Both of you, he will!"
"Whatever..."
"Whatever!? What kind of response is that! Well I never!"
Yuri groaned and grabbed my arm. "Let's hit it, Alice."
"You'll regret it! You surely will!" The fellow called out to us, but didn't dare follow.
Now there's something you don't see everyday... A Chinese man that speaks perfect English in the tone of a Circus Ring Leader.
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Yuri led me in an alley way of a sort, the smell of smoke and kerosene filled the air. I wasn't too sure what was going on. I pulled my hand away and looked up at him.
"Where are you taking me!? You don't have a trick up your sleeve do you?"
His eyes bored into mine, they showed that he was completely honest.A never ending trust found it's way inside my heartthat it sort of scared me
"Now why the hell would I trick you? After helping you this whole time, you're too paranoid! Look, see that right there?"
He pointed to a large brick building with a small door to the left of it. He began tostart his sarcastic remarks,
"That there is called a shop. Let's spell it out together, s-h-o-p. And that is where I plan on taking you, to the s-h-o-p shop. Now come along, dear."
I growled under my breath and followed him in.
Unbeknownst to us, a particular spy was up on the building's roof scheduling a certain something...
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"Yuuuuuuurrrriiii!" A small shriek exclaimed with utter glee, we looked around inside the shop, then looked at each other and shrugged, thinking our minds were tired and playing tricks on us.
"Oh phooie! You know that's not very nice ignoring me like that!" There was a small familiar hand that suddenly tugged on Yuri's coat, you wouldn't believe who the owner of the hand was... it was Meiyuan!
Yuri looked down at the small man with fear filling his eyes to a great extent. "Wh-what are you doing here!?"
"I travel everywhere, silly! The Master said I could leave once in awhile to get more customers, so here I am, in the lovely city of Fengtian. Now then, would you like some acupuncture? Fifty Yuan for the girl..."
Meiyuan batted his eyelashes gracefully before saying his next sentence, "...Free for you!"
"Yech, I think I'm gonna be sick..."
"Yes, no, maybe so? Hmm..?"
"Err... no thanks."
"Oh for heaven sake, will I ever get any real cute costumers?" The tiny man bowed his head down low and walked up to a man deep in thought sitting in a corner.
A small smirk landed on my face with clear amusement. "Oh Yuri, why not? He certainly seems quite fond of you."
"Very funny, Alice."
He said no more of it, just walked on to buyus something to eat and also itemsfor our what it seemed like, never ending journey to... well I had to know idea where we were going during that time it might have been to escape to a far away place to live in peace, not with him of course. That's what I thought then but now it's different... so different.
I always pondered off and on during the trip, why was he so insistent on sticking with me? Why didn't he leave me alone after he saved my life from Roger? I told him many a time I could handle everything on my own. I could travel home safely by myself. But he knew I couldn't handle such an achievement by myself. And deep down inside I knew that as well. Without his help I'd be a sitting duck in this enormous country. So I was truly grateful. Well in any case...
As we were shopping, I looked around at the merchandise. Many tiny items stacked up against each other. Children toys, antiques, records, porcelain figurines, and dolls.
The woman at the front desk smiled gently and fiddled with the collar of her cheongsam.
"Anything you have eye on?" She said in broken English.
"Oh, I'm just looking, thank you." She nodded and went on with her own commerce.
I gently picked up a European doll, examining its features oh so similar to mine. Did these people think of me this way? As a lifeless toy... I shook my head slightly wondering about the wizard again. Roger really intended on using me as a tool... a play thing perhaps. I was the key. But the key to what? The doll stared up at me with its emotionless face; it gazed into my very soul the longer I looked at its dainty features.
Key to what?
I'm the key for what, Father...?
"Oooohh Alllice! Lunch is reeeady!" I heard Yuri's annoying call acting as if he were a mother, and looked to where I heard his voice.
With a silly smile on his face, he held out a book for me to take freely. Grabbing it, I examined its surface and touched the smoothness of it.
"What's this for?"
Yuri scratched his head, again. He must do that when he's nervous, I thought.
"Um well, I felt kinda bad about your Bible... so I... I thought maybe I should make it up to you and I bought you a little something."
I raised my brows and peeped inside. The pages were quite exquisite! They were golden with black pen scribbled in lovely cursive. It seemed to be a very spiritual book about a shooting star. And what a coincidence it was, I loved reading mysterious lore such as this.
With a small gasp, my head looked to Yuri again, "This is so very lovely. Thank you!" I smiled sincerely, as I placed the book in my left hand holding it firmly.
"Oh... um, well it was nothing. Heh heh..."
He setted up a table in the corner, pulling out a chair for me. I accepted and sat down, staring at the bowl he placed in front of me.
"Umm.. what's this?" I said, poking at a protruding piece of what I thought, meat.
"Food."
I gave him a blank stare and rolled my eyes, dipping the spoon into the so called "soup."
"Eeew! It has a face!" I stared at the emotionless head of a shrimp sitting on the spoon.
Yuri started laughing hard as he shoved rice in his mouth with chopsticks.
"Is this some kind of sick joke!?"
"Hehe, no joke.It's athentic Szechuan soup. Now eat up, we'll be leaving soon."
I eyedthe staring shrimp and brought my gaze back to Yuri,"....I don't like it. I refuse to eat this!"
I got no response.
"Hear me!? I will not eat this... this... thing! It has a head for goodness sake!"
Still no answer.
"Yuri!!"
"Shh! Will you just shutup for a second!?"
"Wha..!?"
A small static sound came from the back of me; it appeared to be a radio, about to make an announcement. It's what caused Yuri not to pay attention to me, he was listening to the radio. I myself paid little attention to it until I heard:
"The Army has issued the following report. Criminals suspected in the mass murder of army soliders aboard the Changchun-Fengtian train today have disappeared into Fengtian. The ring leader is a thin Caucasian female. All suspicious persons are to be reported to HQ immediately."
We looked at each other great understanding and surprise.
So, the military thought it was me. Me that did the killing of the soldiers on the train to Fengtian. Me that started that huge gore fest... When really I was the one hiding. I could never explain this situation, and besides I didn't know a word of Japanese.
The proprietor woman gasped as she fiddled around for something, "Oh my! Are you those people!? Honey! Dear, help!!"
Her husband who also owned the shop came out from the door with a slightly annoyed look, "What is it now, Ming!?"
"Let's go, Alice!" Yuri shouted passed all the costumers who shook with fear and confusion as the merchant yelped something fast in Chinese. The woman ran in the back run screaming something, and then I heard a man's voice respond. I ran ahead knocking the table over and holding my new found book as the all costumers gasped and glanced at me.
Well... let me put it this way, when we got out of the small shop an explosion occurred and that's all I can remember. I couldn't even remember the pain, if I had even felt any. It was so unexpected and sudden, who know how long it was before I awoke. I found myself curled up on the alleys damp street. Lazily opening my eyes. I saw all the smoke float in the air as if it had a mind of its own, wafting through the air greedily, like it was all that it owned.
But it wasn't the Japanese Army as I had anticipated. No the bomb was placed by someone else... it was actually... well, a woman. And a Caucasian one at that.
"Are you okay, miss?" She seemed to be questioning me, her voice so very close to my laying body. I turned my head to meet her worried face staring at me, also looking as if it was miraculous that I survived the blast.
"Yes... I'm alright." Her boots clicked on the pavement, moving farther away from me.
"Hey what's up with the big boom alla sudden... whoa! Hey lady, I can see your..."
"I hope you got a good look sonny boy! Think of it as an apology."
I rolled my eyes involuntary at his comment and her response... I felt something deep inside pulling at me... making me feel slightly jealous.
I heard the sound of military boots sprinting their way to where we were.
"Banjou! Hitobito, onna! Eki, kanishimi!"
"Hai, hai!" The two army men ran back from wince they came shouting even more words that made no sense to my brain.
They were speaking Japanese, and I had no clue what they were saying... I heard Yuri sigh heavily.
"Oh crap. Looks like they found us out..."
"You know what they said!?"
He nodded at my question and leaned against the building, the smoke hiding him slightly from my sight. "They know we're the ones from the train and it looks like they're gonna call out reinforcements."
"I see..." I replied sadly looking down at my feet.
The woman walked up to us with her hands on her hips, and cheeky smile on her painted red lips. "Oh ho ho, so they're after you too, are they?"
"Us!? We're not bomb-toting terrorists, ya know. Jeez lady, my ears are still ringing!" Yuri complained, covering them with his gloved hands.
She giggled lightly and headed toward what seemed to be a man hole. "Well, even I can slip up sometimes. But nothing to fear, it will clear up eventually. Now then, I've got to get out of here before they come back, but... what are you gonna do? I can't baby sit you, but you can with me if you like. Alrighty then, I'm going on ahead. See ya!"
She climbed down the ladder leaving the two us with what it seemed like, the soldiers.
"So, do you think we should follow her?" I asked quickly holding my book close to me.
"Why go down to an icky sewer when we can go this way!?" He pointed to the area were the soldiers came from and started to walk further down the alley way.
"Are you really that ignorant!? The soldiers might come back again!"
"Oh please, not that crap again. 'The soldiers might come back again! Don't go that way!'," he mimicked in what supposedly to him, I sounded like. "You saw how they ran, Alice. There's no way they'd come back again."
And just as my six sense had foretold me, they came back again. The sound of the clashing boots dashed towards the alley for a second time.
"I thought the soldiers wouldn't come back, Yuri." I stated plainly, blinking twice. He just looked at me with annoyance.
I really thought you were smarter than that.
"Hiraku!" The Japanese man pointed his gun to me, I stood there in complete bemuse.
Yuri hastily pushed metowards the manhole the blonde woman went through.
"Go down there now! I'll meet you there after I take care of these idiots."
I grabbed his arm in fret, "B-but I can't just leave you here!"
"Alice... I'll be fine.," He said so softly, that only I could hear, "Now just go!"
"Yuri..."
"Go!!" He practically screamed at me, pushing me out of the way as he ran towards the officials.
I blindly followed his orders, heck; I didn't even take the ladder down to the sewers. I literally jumped right through the hole. I landed close to the ground, my shoes making a loud clack as my hands hit the cement.
I picked myself up along with my fabled book and dashed about madly, trying to find a route to escape the Japanese. The sewer wasn't just an ordinary straight line, oh no, it had many directions. I surely had no idea which path to take. I stood in the center listening to the droplets of water hit the ground, making a loud echo. There was no certainty to which path I should've taken. I frantically looked in all the directions, my head starting to ache at all the possibilities.
Now you've done it this time, Alice.
From my left, I heard a strange sound mix in with the water drops; it was croaking lowly, almost raspy sounding. I moaned slightly and took the time to see what the distraction was.
A...frog...?
Yes, it was a frog in the distance. I thought it would have been the least of my worries during that time... but it happened to make its way up to me closer and closer. The more close it gotten the more horrific it seemed to look. I figured the frog was normal until I saw its huge size for an amphibian. It had masks of women faces for its eyes, the tongue was formed in the shape of a human hand, and it seemed to leave a trail of saliva behind it, which glistened in the dim of the light.
It was... a monster.
I decided it mattered not which rode to take and I dashed away from the "frog" in a different direction.
I'm not becoming some slimy animals' meal today, thank you.
Running away from it I cried out as I tripped on something hard and sharp, which must've been a rock of some sort. I fell to my knees, shaking my head and breathing heavily.
And... Just as I was about to get myself up, something wet dribbled upon my head, sliding down my cheek. I looked up very slowly to see... the frog, or possibly another.
Without even thinking, I rammed my whole weak body into the creature with a cry. It wailed and flew in the air with its legs moving about all over the place as it met it's watery death in the sewage... not even raising to the top.
I wiped myself off in total disgust, looking for the blasted rock that made this event come to. But it really wasn't a rock, it was... a gun.
Maybe one of the soldiers...?
I bending down to pick it up, scanning it closely.
Nope, too small to be one of Japanese soldiers' guns.
I thought I could maybe use it for defense, so... I took it with me. Good idea or not, I held it along with my book just adding more weight to my own. Sighing, I gazed at a large hole in one of the dilapidated walls. It was a much stupid idea at the time, but I put my tome inside the hollow, making my weight much less with only the gun. I could always come back for it later.
After hiding it well for safekeeping, I looked deeper into the depths finding two little white round lights watching me, flashing with an abiding brightness. Moving my head closer to it, whatever it was. It rapidly leaped out at me! Surprised, I gasped loudly making the whole area hear my voice in its vacant tunnels.
It was... a puppy.
A puppy dog in a sewer all alone? How strange...
And while I watched the puppy bark at me cheerfully, the familiar feeling of a vision came about in my mind, the feeling I could never escape. It had happened lots of times, and at the strangest things possible, or so I thought...
But, this one was different to me. It seemed so foggy, red fog making it hard for me to see it clearly.
"Liu... what are you planning on doing!? Liu!!"
Master Zhuzhen!?
It really was the sage, on top of a huge sinister looking tower.
...Tower?
It was the exact same tower I saw in that other vision... the one with Yuri running toward a colossal monster. But this one seemed oh, different. There was no Yuri; there were two men along with Master Zhuzhen. One was a small Chinese fellow with graying hair, the other was a taller man, the one that had shouted, and he was wearing a coat of the Japanese Army. There was something different about that coat though, looked as if it were from an earlier time period, just slightly earlier.
Master Zhuzhen was chanting a spell, which sounding very similar to the one he had mumbled at that village. A shower of fire blazed forth from his staff and headed toward the Japanese man quickly, who was screaming in response.
My head went black and still, something echoed from deep within, though. Through the deep recesses of my mind I heard a voice.
"Anata wo aishitieru, Anne."
Anne...?
There was a light flicker that formed in the dark, and it was a woman smiling. Her dark red hair fell into her soft gentle eyes. I could've sworn I saw that woman before, haven't I seen this woman? And she looked so similar to...
A low chuckle had gone off; it teemed like an elderly man. But it was not Zhuzhen's, no, it sounded evil, it had a different aura emitting from it.
I opened my eyes finding the puppy looking at me panting with its tongue out. It looked pretty unruffled and jolly to be in such a murky bitter space. Why did I get such an image right now...? Right when I found this tiny puppy.
"I can't just leave you here... where did you come from?"
It barked with much delight, and... I could have sworn I saw a glint of red flash in its tawny eyes. Well anyway, after it barked it ran off farther into the sewers and the barking had gotten louder as it ricocheted along the walls.
I mentally cursed the dog as I heard the quite memorable sound of boots trampling. Japanese voices followed soon after.
The soldiers are still looking for me...
Didn't Yuri say he'd take care of them!?
I started to run in the opposite direction the sounds were coming from. I ran so fast that my hair had come undone from its bow, making my light blonde hair flow freely around my chest. The noises escalated closer to me, and were probably following the pounding of my shoes. I soon found a fork in the path and leaned next to a dank wall. I was trying to hide from them, seeing if they would go another way.
I took a small peek and my eyes widened as I saw two soldiers that had spotted my blue bow which had fallen. One snatched it up quickly, looking it over and dropped it back on the dirty ground. I thought of this as a good time for me to run, and I started to pace... but as soon as I did I heard a loud deep yell from one of the soldiers, I tried to run faster but my legs were wearing out, and soon there was a gunshot.
Something hit my right leg with a large impact. Screaming, I fell to the ground with a small thud. The gun I held in my hand skidded across from me.
I've... I've been shot!
They shot me!
Laughter seemed to drift towards my fallen body.
Laughing because of that? Ha, what horrible aim.
It was no time for me to get cocky; I started crawling with whatever energy I had left.
Yuri, please don't tell me they shot and killed you.
I felt a boot press into my back, making my face touch the cement with force. They were jabbering more in Japanese, probably talking about what they should do to me. There was no escape for me... I closed my eyes and waited for whatever may happen. But thankfully a certain someone came to my rescue...
"Freeeze!!" Came a strong female voice from behind me and the men.
The soldiers seemed to face the voice, even though not comprehending it one bit.
"Let that girl go this instant! I'm not afraid to shoot!" The gun clicked the trigger, ready to fire.
Two shots come forth, and the sound of yelling and a splash of water sounded in my ears. I was feeling too dizzy to get up, and my vision grew a little hazy. The soldiers had been shot... whoever it was wasn't joking.
"Serves you right, you bastards!"
That voice... it sounds recognizable
The woman. It was the woman I had met with Yuri earlier!
I heard her load her gun and come nearer to my trembling body. Her long hand touched my shoulder, "Hey are you... well I'll be damned, you're the same girl from before!"
I looked over my shoulder and I was right, it was the woman who caused the explosion. I should have known.
"Wow, you took quite a hit there, right in the back of the leg! I'm certainly not going to ask, because you aren't okay at all!"
"That's always nice to know..." I breathed sarcastically quite aggravated at her comment.
If only if it was Yuri who had found me like this, he would have been much kinder and worried about me... like the time in Zhongyang when I was in pain... he just held me until I was feeling alright.
Wait, what am I saying!? I hate that foul sinner!
The woman's eyes averted to the gun that had slid across the ground when I lost my grip of it.
"Hey, that seems to be mine, using it for protection where you?"
"I'm sorry," I coughed out still in pain, "I found it laying on the ground and thought it might have been for good use..."
The woman chuckled with a smile, "Oh ho ho ho, on the contraire, miss. I simply tossed that piece of junk awhile ago. There's no bullets left in that thing." She just kept on giggling crazily after that.
"Um, excuse me, but my leg." I commented insolently, feeling it go a little numb.
"Oopsies! I was just getting right to that!"
The woman seemed to be prepared; she took out a Thera leaf and broke it over my wound, speedily. It healed it over completely.
"Before you go on thanking me, I should remind you that may limp a little bit when you walk, but I did the best I could."
I got up, staggering a little on my leg which seemed nothing more than a bloodstain on my white stocking. Now all I needed to do was to find Yuri and get out of here.
"Hey girl, wait! You forgot this!" The woman ran up to me, handing me my forgotten blue ribbon.
"Oh, thank you." I said with a small smile as I started to braid my hair into the bow as it was before the accident.
"Say, by the way," The woman started flipping her ponytail back, "Where are you headed off to now?"
"Yuri... I've got to find him." I told her subconsciously.
"Yuri, who's that? Your boyfriend hmm?" She nudged my arm slightly along with another annoying giggle.
"Argh, no, no, no. He's a friend... we came here together and got separated after he told me to escape."
"Ooooh, so he was the young man I saw you with earlier?"
"Yes." I confirmed as I started to walk a little ways ahead of her.
"Well," she added as she shrugged, "Got nothing better to do, I'll help ya find him!"
This made me very suspicious, I had no idea who this woman was and yet, she wanted to help me?
"Well alright, you may come if you'd like." I said with finality.
"The pleasure is mine, umm; err... what's your name?" She whispered as if she was self-conscious.
"I'm Alice. Nice to meet you."
"Alright then, Alice!"
My brows curved together with curiosity. "And you are...?"
"Call me Malkovich! Although... Malkovich is only my code name."
"Code name?"
"Yep! Cuz I'm a spy, ya know. Known as Miss Spy Genius!"
So, a spy? That seemed about right. A Caucasian woman in an Asian country wearing suspicious clothing and holding guns. ...Not a very clever spy. Shouldn't she be in disguise? She should have been killed by now dressed like that.
"Oh, I see." I figured she wouldn't even dream of telling me her real name but,
"Say tell ya what, I'll let you on in a little secret. I'll tell you my real name!"
"Really...?"
She crossed her arms with complete confidence, "Yup! Take it as a little apology for that... not so warm welcome earlier. Or maybe it was a warm welcome since it was and explosion and all!"
You guessed it, another dreaded giggle.
"...And your name is?"
"The names Margarete G. Zelle!"
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Phew! I finished this chapter finally! Hope this turned out good, I haven't wrote this for awhile. Okay the Lottery guy is really creepy I know. I had to do it, I had to make him weird!
And some of the words are in broken Japanese, like the talk with the soliders just so you're wondering. (My Japanese is rusty, leave me alone!) "Anata wo aishitieru, Anne." Is if you already didn't know, "I love you, Anne" Oh and a cheongsam is a Chinese dress with a slit skirt and a mandarin collar. Just so you don't think I'm crazy!
Now I have this story going on and Blessed by a Nightmare. So I'm gonna be busy with homework and finish these to stories up. Whenever I get the free time I suppose. Now I have a few lovely words for those great readers out there! I can't believe how many people reviewed this. I feel soooo honored. Keep them comin'!
aegis – Yeah, you'll see more of piggy Alice later. And Hmm I suppose Zhuzhen is kinda weird in my fic. But I tried to make him character so... he's just weird like that. lol Yeah, Alice is kinda cocky... oh well! You better review this chappie too, I love your reviews! muuuah
MikoNoNyte – You are just like a teacher I swear! I always giggled at your reviews, but hey, at least you got me learning. I can stand the nitpicking at least. I'm glad you still like it. awaits to see if there is more nitpicking about this chapter
Roxsheena - Yaaay you like my Alice! Look I finally updated it, so I hope you read it. Thanks for reading!
dark dragon 24 - Yeah English is my second language. So I know I messed up a lot of words but also my damn computer messes them up. I vow never to rely on the computer again! Woot, I'm on your author alerts! dances
Tiger5913 – Hey hun, the dreaded Margie is in here, you're most hated character. XD And no worries, Yuri won't thow up all over Alice on the Dalian boat. I'm not that twisted! At least.. I hope not.
Vi3tGirlMOMO – I know the spelling is bad, I updated all the chapters if you noticed. Jeez. I have lovers and haters of Margarete reading this, I'll try to get the best of both worlds, okay! Sheeesh this is hard! lol
Faryn Maxwell - Glad ya liked it. We talked on AIM before. It was fun, we have to do it again sometime.
Fagzio – I LOVED YOUR REVIEW! You are one of the people that made me continue this. Many thanks mystery person! I did continue for your reading pleasure, if you read again that is. It's been a long time since an update. I feel horrible!
Keriaku – Hey kid! You're one of the people that made me keep writing, I ought to thank you too! You read the first half, now you get to see it all. Hope you think it's as good as the other ones. Cheerio!
serenityxduke – Great! You love it.Yet another person that made me write more of this, many thanks to you! I am keeping it up as you can see! It's revived from the depths of hell! Heehee
I-luv-Dom – Nope, I don't believe you reviewed this before. But I'd you to review again. Heehee I'm really glad you loved it.
- / A Lifeless Beauty / -