Dime-sized droplets of rain poured on the city of London, England. It was 3:00 o'clock at the moment and what should of been a peaceful afternoon was actually a living hell. Inside the grand apartment located at 47 Park Street a police officer offered his condolences.
"The assailant seems to have entered through the window-"
The broken voice of a Abigail Hart-Mononoke interrupted the law enforcement officer immediately, her voice shaky and hysterical.
"BUT WE'RE FIVE STORIES UP! WHO DID THIS TO MY HUSBAND!"
"We're looking into that now, madame. Please, calm down." The officer was so calm and yet sensitive to the issue. The figure of Deianera Mononoke stood over the black body bag that lay on the floor. Her face was emotionless. Broken glass and wood from the window lay at her feet.
"Oh for Christ's sake! Get the kid out of here!" Again the voice of the police officer. The screams and eventual collapse of Abigail, the girl's mother, seemed to the only voice in the room for her. Two other officers, seemingly appearing out of nowhere escorted Deianera out of the room and out to hallway. They draped a grey blanket over her and led her to the elevator where they took it down to the lobby. The press was already on scene. Cameras clicked and flashed. It all seemed to be going in slow motion. Images of her father's bloody body popped in and out of her head just as fast as the flashing of the very cameras in front of her. There was so much blood. It was everywhere; soaked into the carpet and spilling out to form a bloody circle in the living room. The body of Lee Mononoke was terribly grotesque. A visible softball-sized hole lay at the center of his chest. Finally, Deianera was crying. Silent tears slid past her cheeks and fell from her chin. The two officers rested their arms around her, leading her from the lobby and out into the street. The press shouted at and photographed her, relentless in their questioning. Blunt questions spewed from their mouths.
"Who did this to your father!"
"Why his heart! Why did they take his heart!"
"Deianera! Can we have a moment?"
"Is the killer still at large!"
"Why?"
"WHY!"
The police barked orders at the mob, demanding them to move aside. Another announced the situation.
"We will be disclosing more information to the media as soon as we receive it. The murderer of Lee Mononoke is still at large. The nature of this attack is still to be discovered. We will be doing the best we can to make sure justice is honored here."
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"Mum?"
Deianera's voice didn't seem to be taking effect. Her mother, Abigail, guzzled down another wineglass of the deep burgundy liquid .
"Mum...?" Deianera asked again, knowing she would receive no answer from the drunk woman. The tiny hotel room was messy with various open bags of clothing. They were still waiting for the police to let them back into their home on account of it being a crime scene.
"Swe..ee.ty.." Abigail turned to her daughter. The woman's eyes were glazed with tears and her cheeks red from the effects of the alcohol. She looked pathetic and genuinely sad.
"Mum?"
The woman's smile faded and turned into that of anger. "Get your shit together. W-w-we have to leave by morning." Abigail was rude, rash, and seemed ready for a fight.
"Are we going back home?"
"No. We're going to Ja...We're leaving to Japan."
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Throughout the course of Deianera's life, her father had always made business trips to Japan. His business' headquarters and family were there. The Mononoke Corporation was the world's leading business in diamonds and other precious stones. The ever prosperous corporation was now entrusted to Abigail Hart-Mononoke with the death of Lee. Abigail, as it seemed, had made up her mind to leave England and head to Japan. It had been 48 hours since her husband's murder and she couldn't stand being in England anymore. Memories couldn't sit still in the recesses of her mind. She didn't want to suffer. What she did want was to be OK. Take a shortcut through the pain..the memories..the photos. It was understandable since after all, she was indeed human.
The following days in London were a complete blur of memories. Deianera had to say farewell to lifelong friends, family members, and people she knew. In those few days promises of keeping in touch and writing were as common as birds in the sky. The police has reluctantly let them back into their home. Deianera was left with a team of movers to empty out the luxury apartment; Abigail refused to enter and was kept busy with the Mononoke Corporation. Ribbons of yellow tape decorated the living room walls and furniture. Tears sprang from their ducts for the young girl. The movers did most if not all of the work, packaging clothes, taping up the ornaments, and furniture.
Entering the London International Airport, the next day was also difficult. The press swarmed Abigail mostly as they walked to the terminal. The older woman held her head up high and fixed the dark sunglasses that hid red puffy eyes beneath them. Abigail held her daughter's hand and led her along. Deianera felt embarrassed by the whole situation. The intense atmosphere the press brought with them almost made the young Mononoke girl cry again. As they boarded the plane, Abigail turned around, facing the mob that had followed.
"What has happened to my husband is a tragedy. NOT some cover story. PLEASE..Please..just leave us alone. My daughter and I are trying to cope with this."
One reporter moved from the front, his long grey hair tied back made him look a bit silly on his youthful complexion. As the Mononoke women turned around once more, he shouted to them.
"Humans die all the time. What does his death matter to you?"
The room seemed to die with these words. Everyone seemed to be sharing the same expression of shock. Before Abigail could even turn around again, Deianera was the first to answer.
"How DARE you. My father was an asset to this world. Not one of his diamonds could ever shine greater than he did."
"I believe one of them does." he rebutted.
Abigail pulled her daughter to her side, facing the young man. "You're disgusting." Abigail was indeed disgusted by the act. Deianera was crying again, her cheeks burning hot with embarrassment. She silently cried herself to sleep on her mother's shoulder while on the plane. The next time Deianera awoke was much later and in an entirely different country.
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The walls are covered in blood. There is screaming. There is death.
"Deianera..."
There is a woman running. Strands of brown and gold escaped the pulled up bun, as she frantically searched under fallen tables. Then there was him. He was at the opposite end of the ballroom. Fear glazed over his eyes as he now called out to her; waving his hands to her. Her heart skipped a beat. She picked up the edges of her dress. The red and white silk and satin garb now ruffled and tousled about. She ran at him, jumping over tipped chairs and moving out of the way of tables.
"Deianera..."
She is running, still, at the man from across the room. He has started running towards her as well. She is stopped suddenly. A white headed man has appeared now in front of her. His skin is tanned, eyes of blue, and mane of snow. He has grinned now, giving her a false hope. "Kunzite-sama!" she cries to him; he laughs.
"Deianera..."
"Deianera WAKE UP NOW!"
The booming voice of Abigail roared throughout the room. Rock music was blasting from an alarm clock nearby as a familiar groan erupted from the half-conscious girl in the queen-sized bed.
"Deianera, I am telling you this one more time: If you don't wake up for school right now, I'll..I'll..." Abigail trailed off as her threat fell to deaf ears.
Deianera slowly rose out from beneath the red sheet and let out an animalistic yawn. As if by instinct, she reached to the left side of her bed, patting around the oak night stand for the hairbrush beside the Tiffany Peony table lamp. Grasping the brush, she brought it to her head as she vigorously combed the knots from her brown and highlighted hair. After a few minutes of this, she left the warmth of her bed, heading towards the hallway bathroom. Brown cardboard boxes scatter about; evidence that the move from London has yet to be complete. Upon reaching the bathroom, Deianera shut and locked the door behind her. Only seconds later, the shower can be heard as steam begins to seep out from under the bathroom door. Fifteen minutes seemed to pass like five for Deianera. She opened the bathroom door, fully dressed in the TA Private School Girl's grey and red sera fuku.