As I sit there on the highest ridge over-looking the manor and its grounds, I notice how truly peaceful it is here. I found this place a few weeks ago to practice my meditation and breathing technique. Up here I feel as if I'm weightless. As if there are no problems, nothing to draw my focus from my training. Tonight, is especially enjoyable with the full moon and all the beautiful constellations. The more progress I make the more in tune with myself I feel. With each deep breath in I feel how my lungs expand, I feel each strong contraction of my heart as it pumps blood all over my body. I feel every centimeter of my nerves and their sensitive endings dance with a fire-like energy. Every individual muscle strand burning with anticipation. I have no doubt that with enough practice and time I'll be able to feel every cell in my body. It's not just my body I feel more in tune with, but my whole environment. Currently with each breath I feel ever-conscious of the roof tiles beneath me, of the trees surrounding the edge of the estate. I'm aware of the soft breeze that caresses the fresh blooms of flowers down in the courtyard. I can hear the trickle of the stream that runs through the back corner of the gardens. For all my awareness one would think I'd hear the soft voice calling out to me.

"Hello there." the voice calls out yet another time. I open my eyes and turn my head to reply and find myself inches from the richest, deepest shade of purple-colored eyes. It takes me a moment to realize I've been staring. Immediately I lean back reintroducing some personal space into this encounter. The next thing I notice is an over-whelming scent of anger. It was so sudden I had to catch myself from falling backwards. At first, I assume that whoever this is they are mad at me for being on the roof. Before I can apologize, they speak up.

"I see you're working quite hard," they say. I then realize I'm talking to Lady Kocho, the owner of the estate. She continues, "Even though your friends ran off somewhere. Aren't you lonely?"

I take a moment to truly think about my answer. I've been through a lot in the past few years, and despite all the bad that has happened plenty of good happened as well. So, with complete honesty I can say I am not lonely.

"No, I'm not, because I can't quit no matter how tired I am, no matter how much it hurts, I can never quit. So I'll learn this and I'll teach my friends. I'll always help my friends, even if that means being alone for a while to show them that we can get better, faster, stronger. That we can always be a better version of ourselves compared to yesterday. Once I learn this, I'll be able to give them that push." I think back to my friends and the broken, dejected looks their faces wore. It's those faces that push me forward every morning.

"You have a very pure heart don't you" she says as she turns her scrutinizing gaze towards the full moon.

As we settle into this odd silence, I rack my brain for something to talk about. I'm eventually led to a question that had crossed my mind more than once in the past weeks.

"Why were we brought here? I mean I get this is some sort of medical facility and we were injured, but why were we brought here specifically? This is your home right; I don't know it just feels like I'm intruding in your home. Why weren't we sent somewhere more general?"

"There are several reasons you were brought here than anywhere else. The first being the level of your injuries were substantial enough they could only be treated here. As the lead medical doctor, I feel it is only prudent to keep my most critical patients close. Second being is that I'm interested in your sister, on a biological level she is different from all the other demons. I'm simply curious of that difference. The last being I wish to pass on my dream to you, my dream of getting along with demons I'm quite sure you could accomplish it." Lady Kocho states kindly.

Before I can reply I'm once again almost violently reminded of the scent of anger wafting from her. I chance asking her about it letting my curiosity get the better of me. I can't help but wonder why she smells so angry yet not at me. My questioning causes her to lean back suddenly as she whips around to face me. I notice her eyes are widened with surprise and I hear her faintly gasp.

"I'm sorry it's just that you smell of a strong anger, almost hatred even but it's not directed at me, so I was curious?" I clarify a bit sheepishly.

As her surprise passes her eyes gain a steely glint to them, as if she's solidifying that anger for a purpose. It's with that look that gives me a feeling as if I had just thrown a rock at a hornet's nest. Regardless of the dangerous feeling I weather her gaze waiting for a reply.

"I don't know who you think you are, but you have no right to go assuming things about me, especially my emotions." she vehemently denied.

I was taken aback with the sudden venom lacing her words towards me. I obviously said or did something wrong but for the life of me I can't see a solution. So I do what anyone would've done by continuing to talk and make things worse for myself.

"I was just curious and thought I could help." I said calmly.

"Did I ask for your help?" she counters.

"No"

"Then why would you offer your unwanted help to someone who didn't ask for it"

"I was just trying to be nice. I don't like to see anyone suffering no matter how small."

At some point we had stood up and she had pushed me to the end of the ridge. As if declaring the conversation over she back up and turned to walk off. I debated letting her go without any further confrontation. Part of me says that I should at least apologize for overstepping my bounds touching a clearly sensitive topic. So I reach out for her wrist while calling out to her softly.

"Wait, I'm sorry I couldn't help myself. I'm just used to helping everyone around me. I used to be the older brother of five siblings. When I was little, I wanted to be the best older brother I could so I help everyone in any way I could. I was always asking after them, helping them with things. After our father passed away I had to be even more for them. It's been that way for so long I sometimes find myself acting on muscle memory. I tend to forget that things are different now. That everyone but my sister and me are dead. So I tend to push my help onto people like I would my family to gain some sense of control." I tell her softly.

Apology given I let go of her wrist. She turns around to face me once more. Staring at me intently she steps forward invading my personal space she pinches my cheek hard. I simply withstand the pinch as I watch her anger visibly deflate through her shoulders relaxing and her eyes softening their previous cold stare. She then pats my cheek firmly as she lowers her gaze to the tiles under our feet. If I wasn't holding my breath from our close proximity to one another I would've missed hearing her speak.

"No, I'm the one who should be apologizing. It was unfair of me to lash out because you have a freaky nose." she whispered. She looked up and pinched my cheek hard again saying "It's also rude to say a lady smells or anything other than flowers and perfume."

I recognize she is teasing because she has this mischievous look in her eyes. Part of me still feels a little defensive about my sense of smell and wanting to defend myself about saying she smells. But she's right so I leave it be. As we stand there, I notice her eyes dull up a bit and her shoulders tense up with this unseen weight. I go to speak hoping I don't put my foot in my mouth this time.

"It's ok you know; I'll sit and listen. Whatever it is I'll help, you can talk to me, you can trust me." I tell her.

She looks deep into my eyes, searching for any hint of deceit. Slowly I can see the seeds of mistrust and doubt dying in her eyes. She then takes several deep breaths presumably steeling herself for what she is going to say next. When she goes to speak, I can see her stumble over her words, failure to get anything out. Faster than I can react she grabs my wrist and pulls me from the roof top. As she drags me behind her, I can tell we are heading to the back of the courtyard by the gardens and the stream. When we get there, I find there is a bench for us to sit on that rests right on the streams edge. She doesn't release my hand as we sit, and I let her hold it. It's when she speaks next that her voice breaks, clouded by anger, hate, and a deep sadness.

"You're right. I am angry, I'm angry at everyone, at everything. Mostly at myself, there's so much I wish I could have done or changed. So much I was too weak, too slow, the list goes on and on. I'm angry at so much yet so little at the same time. I hate demons and everything they've done. I hate that they bring nothing but pain and sorrow and despair wherever they travel. They take and take and take and give nothing back. They ruin lives and they're a parasite to humanity. I hate that they took my sister from me. They left me her broken, bleeding dying body to find. With her last breath she asked me to keep her dream going to hope that maybe one day we can get along with demons. That until then demons deserve our pity, our sympathy." She takes a breath and wipes at the tears flowing down her face. "But I can't, I can't feel pity nor sympathy for something that has taken an innocent life with no remorse or guilt. But if that's how my sister felt, then I have to keep it going. If there's a way to avoid killing these pitiful demons, I have to keep trying all while keeping a smile on my face. My smile is something my sister often said was the reason she fought so hard. So, I've been trying day in day out, but I'm tired. Demons, all they do is lie. They sacrifice all reason out of self-preservation. Every time I see a family torn apart, when I hear their cries of sorrow and despair, see their tears of grief it fuels that anger and hatred deep inside me. No matter what I do I can never silence it."

I take notice how she is still holding my hand when she finishes speaking. I grasp her hand just a little tighter within my own causing her to look up at me. I honestly have no clue what to say so I let my heart speak for me.

"I'm sorry, but I can't take over your sisters dream. Not when I already have my own to focus on. Both of our dreams are seemingly impossible. But despite knowing the improbability of it we persevere through it for those we care for. You suffer this burden for the memory of your sister. That's an admirable thing to do, and while I can't take it over for you, I can make sure you don't have to suffer it alone. So, I'll help you however I can. Whether that's experiments, training, help running errands, or just a friend to take a break from it all with. I'll make sure both our dreams come true, that no matter what happens both of our sisters would be proud of us and what we've accomplished." I say ardently.

She looks at me with a little bit of disbelief. I just reaffirm my decision to help her with and heartfelt smile and a warm hug. It takes her a second, but she finally relaxes into the she starts crying into my shoulder I hold on just a little bit tighter silently telling her I'm not going anywhere. I've struggled with a lot. I've suffered a lot. I have every right to be mad and hate the world, but hate would get me nowhere. Hate would not cure my sister. It would not solve anything, so I took my anger and hatred and made it into my motivation. I made it my driving force lest it consume me and my actions. I silently make a vow to not let Lady Kocho be consumed by her anger and hatred. I'll be there every step of the way to see our dreams be fulfilled. But for now, she just needs a shoulder to cry on, and I'll be glad to be that shoulder for her.


I thought the way she just opens up is kind of odd like i get it could be that she's been found out so there's no point in hiding it but i feel it's more true to human nature for her to be a bit aggressive and defensive about being caught out so she wouldn't open up unless given a reason to do so. Anyway im just a dumb person with my own dumb interpretations on things. hope its enjoyable if not idk