Fire and Ice

(written for a request for SetsukaxKaren)

Karen was sitting on the street walk in front of the orphanage when the woman came to her.

She wore a white and red kimono, and her scarlet lips smiled at her. She was beautiful, like a woman out of a fairy tale.

She bent down in front of her and looked straight into her eyes. No one ever did that, and it brought a red heat on Karen's cheeks.

"Hello Karen-chan. I am your mother." The woman said, smiling like a doll.

"No you're not !" Karen blurted out. "My mother died."

"No, silly. You're the demon's child, so you couldn't have a human mother. I am your demon mother and I have come to take you home."

Karen's eyes widened, finding nothing to answer. The red and white woman took her hand, and led her out of the orphanage.

o O o

Her demon mother never cried for Karen. Maybe she couldn't because she was all snow and ice and frozen water. But she did say she loved her, and to prove it she would kiss Karen. She would kiss her eyes and her hands, her belly (it tickled) and her mouth (it was sloppy). Often she would comb Karen's hair, saying it was beautiful.

Karen didn't thought her hair was beautiful. It wasn't black, and long and shiny like her demon mother's was. And it was always messy and tangled. Nonetheless, her demon mother said she loved it, and she spent long hours brushing it.

"It's like fire, bright, vibrant and fascinating. You'll catch many moth with it. I love your hair like fire, my little hellspawn."

In her demon mother's mouth, words like demonling and hellspawn became words of endearment. Maybe it was okay to be the devil's daughter if you were loved by your own ?

And she would always let Karen comb her hair.

o O o

When Karen killed her demon mother and became the new Sakurazukamori, she didn't cry for her.

She kissed her red lips and said good bye, and left her beautiful pale body laying in the snow.

Then she left a little plush bear by her side and she put the house of fire.

It burnt in a lovely way, and oh, so bright.