Reacquainted Pt1
I was dreaming. My dream was rough and intense, yet calm, gentle, and a brave dream. It seemed like it would never stop and I just kept on dreaming. This dream was nothing I have never had before. The intensity of this dream continues to build without any hope of stopping. In my dream, I was two different people. One person holds great potential and a strong free will. The other contains a fragile past, odd power, and shrouded connections.
Lost Ground: City Ruins
A forsaken wasteland of a once beautiful Kanagawa Prefecture. Only two worlds exist here. The clean, peaceful city and the dangerous, terrifying Lost Ground or the Japanese Wilderness. Here in the Lost Ground people struggle to rebuild and survive. Everyone has to pull their weight in many ways as possible to stay safe and alive. However, this area has its demons that take the light and devour the innocent. Many people suffer this way with the slave traders, gangs, illegal acts or being terrorized by Hold. The cities organization to deal with Alter Users but, we're getting ahead of ourselves. Let's follow the story of a certain individual who uses her special power to help people.
The night is beginning to wane here in the Lost Ground. The cold wind howls across the sands and remaining vegetation. On the top of a ruined building in a forgotten city in the, a silhouette is seen with a scarf of shimmering icy blue, silky, shimmering fabric wrap around their neck. It stands there smiling at her prey nestled in the buildings below. Surveying their next move ready to pounce like a tiger.
"The moon is setting, the sky is getting brighter, a new day is coming and my power is at its maximum."
Their sharp, icy blue eyes scan a torn apart building ahead. An enormous amount of energy begins to swell up inside this individual and the air begins to grow cold. The mysterious figure prepares to use their unique power. Nearby patches of earth dissolve and a puff of icy air come from their lips on an exhaled breath escape. Their arms are raised above their head as a rainbow aura surrounds the person's body. Their lips painted with sparkling ice- blue lips stick and their eyelids painted in the same color, a silver pattern engraves into their skin representing the winter season and their eyes turning from bright steel color to an ice- blue now glowing in the shadows surrounding its slender frame. The individuals alter initiates. Ice travels from the bottom their heeled boots to the top at the knee and their gloves turning into jagged, sharp ice claws that glistened in the rising sunlight like diamonds. The mysterious person levitates from the ledge of the building and glides down the side of the destroyed structure leaving a trail of an icy mist and crystal ice. Once the earth comes closer. The being flips off the building onto the ground which turns a small section of dirt to ice. As the individual regains their proper stance. They run five streets down in the old city. In the distance, our vigilante sees their target. All of them armed with melee weapons and guns. The individual sneaks close enough and hides in another severely damaged structure. After taking time to consider the course of action needed. The mysterious figure uncovered their mouth to revealed their lips with blue lipstick.
"This should help make things a little easier. I don't time to play with weak little boys."
Our hero blows misty cold air that slowly covers the ground. Not even the huge gang of kidnappers knew what was occurring. Nothing, but laughter can be heard from them. No clue placed in their heads that they will be in for a rough night.
"Hey, you idiots keep a lookout!"
"We're watchin' it's not like those damn brats are goin' anywhere"
"It doesn't matter someone could still be coming for them. So keep your eyes open!"
"Yeah, yeah."
As they continue to stay distracted the fog covers their feet. Only assuming it is only morning mist and that it will clear when the sun rises. In a matter of seconds, the gang is frozen in place from the mist. They try everything they could to free themselves from the mineral. No matter what they did it didn't break easily and was really cold on their feet.
"What is this crap?! It's like its unbreakable!"
"What the hell is this? I can't move!"
"Me neither!"
"Good, that's the point of it, now to pick up what I came here for."
The single individual appears from the shadows of the old building. Their face still uncovered to identify the vigilante as a woman. Her lips carrying a victorious smirk. She walks past the stuck men and walks inside their hideout. Minutes pass and noises of battle are heard from inside. The faces of the captors placed with a state of shock of how one person managed to do all this. Men falling to the ground unconscious and covered in small wounds. A few moments later silence fills the sky. As our heroine travels through the halls to find her objective. She walks past many doors until she hears the cries of a small child. She approaches the door and tries the handle, only to realize it is locked.
"I have no patience for this."
She uses her brute strength and kicks the door open. Inside the darkroom, two children are in the far left-hand corner. A twelve-year-old boy holding a seven-year-old girl protectively in his arms. She walks up to then and kneels down to their level. She gives them a sweet, caring smile.
"Now, let's see if we can get you, kids, back to the city. I'm sure your parents are worried about you."
The children's eyes light up when she mentions home and their parents. With the remaining time she had, she put the children in the borrowed car and drove off to the outer walls of the city. She parked far enough to the point she couldn't be seen but close enough for the children to get near the wall safely. She lets the kids out of the car. Kneeling down to the children's level and smiling at them. She gave them parting gifts using her alter power. She picks up two rocks in each hand and activates her alter. The girl received a diamond ballerina and the little boy got a diamond race car. The children smiled and gave her a hug. With a final goodbye, the children ran off to the entrance of the city and are carried in by the police force and our mystery maiden is still watching from a distance. She stretches and lets out a sigh of relief.
"Now, time to go home and collect my pay and to see what I can cook for dinner tonight. Hmm, I wonder if Kanami is eating well. I'll check on her when I'm done everything else."
She gets back into the vehicle and makes the drive back home. Her spirits high and a smile on her face.
Later that same morning
Back at the site, an investigation is taking place and the men who had their feet frozen are being dug out and arrested. Some of them are being medically treated for claw marks and small wounds. No destruction is major, but it is hard to find out who did this. Not many of the men are conscious enough to give clear answers and investigators have other problems piling on top of it all. However, one person would not stand idly by and let crimes like this go unpunished.
"These kidnappers mean nothing to me right now. What I want information about is the alter user that was here."
A young male with dark teal colored hair said to one of the investigators on the case. In his red eyes, all he sees is destruction. He wants to bring down the alter user who is responsible for all this pain and discord to justice. The way he's standing and spoke intimidated the investigator and shows he means business. Every word he spoke with articulation, harshness, and cold feeling yet also holding strict command. The investigator is far too nervous to give properly formed sentences.
"Y- Yes sir, well we know a few things about the person in question."
"Which are?"
"U-uh, that the alter user was unarmed, masked and female."
"So, a female alter user. Do we have a description?"
"Only a small amount sir and it is what we gathered from the men we arrested and who saw her."
"Tell me."
"Um, from what we gathered, she seems to be around seventeen or eight-teen years of age, long brown hair, and icy- blue eyes. They also describe blue tattoos on her body. Some even remember claws. Nothing else is mentioned."
"Very well, if anything else comes up to bring it to HOLY."
"Yes, sir."
After the investigation, the young male alter user takes a better look at the crystallized substance on the ground. With the temperature of the Lost Ground in the 90s during the day the ice should have melted. He kneels down and picks up a fragment of the crystal. He analyzes it carefully and notices that it is still cold to the touch, clear as a diamond and has the same hardness as one. He remembers this substance and goes into his pocket. He pulls out a heart-shaped crystal with a diamond shape in the middle. It matches the same substance as the fragment he is inspecting. While he's looking at the crystal he remembers a little girl he met. He shook his head lightly to erase the memory.
"No, I can't dwell on the past. No matter what. It serves no purpose to me."
He squeezes the crystal in his hand acting like he was trying to destroy the memory. He put it back in his pocket and goes back to work.
Holy Headquarters
In the halls of Holy many men and women go about their daily work. Some on simple criminal activity and others on two alter user cases. News of the alter users makes its way to the commander. It turns out that the chief of HOLD is the one who was kidnapped along with his niece and nephew. With them put in the care of the medics everything is fine except for the fact that two alter users are running around loose. While looking out the window a man in his forties and brown hair absorbs everything he is being told.
"I see, so two Native Alters rescued the chief and his niece and nephew"
"Yes, sir according to Ryuhou and Scherice's reports both of them were there at the sites individually."
The young officer said nervously.
"They should learn to mind their own business. Fine, go inform Elian! We cannot allow these two native alters to continue to roam freely."
Lost Ground
(OFC's POV)
I make it back to the village safe and sound. I drop off the borrowed car to its owner and make my way to the market to do my shopping. I pull the money out of my pocket to count it to make sure I have enough. A smirk winds up on my face as I finish counting.
"I have an even ten grand. This is great, the work easy and the money fabulous."
I walk to multiple shops to pick up groceries and fabrics I need. My jobs require me to get dirty and I can't walk around with holes in my clothes. I am a lady after all, but by the way, they are made to give me free movement. Other people question what I do for work.
"Let's see; eggs, milk, rice, carrots, lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes. I should have all the fabric I need that'll last about a year. Hmm, then I can go visit Kazuma and Kanami after I make dinner and take a bath."
While leaving the market I run into one of the male villagers I know. He sat at his stand as I walk by him. His dark green eyes analyzing me under his jet black hair.
"Yo, Yuka what's up?"
"Hey Sosuke, how are you?"
"I'm fine, speaking of fine."
Sosuke ogles me with desire filling his eyes. Don't get me wrong Sosuke is handsome, but his personality could use a lot of work.
"Those shorts really complement your long, supple legs."
"You're such an animal!"
"Hey, I'm a guy can you blame me?"
"Ugh, this is why I can never stay and talk to you."
"Come on Yuka. Can't you help a poor lost soul seek the warmth of a beautiful woman? So, that way this lost soul can reach true Utopia?"
"Would you like my claws inside your face or to tear your little heart out?"
"Nah, I'm good."
I walk away with anger and with a light pink blush on my face. I am sick of being viewed as a sex object even though my clothes said the opposite. What choice did I have since I have to fight all the time? I make my way home to prepare dinner. In half of the walk, I stop and look at the beautiful blue sky with scattered clouds. I raise my left hand to the sky as if I am reaching for something. My expression goes from anger to calm and finally sadness.
"Mother, I miss you. I want you to guide me on my right path. Please, grant me guidance and give me your warm light."
The sunlight hit a lavender-colored bangle that is on the same hand I am reaching with. The bangle looks like a crystalized ribbon and on each end was a different design. On one end it is an arrow shape with a plus sign carved through it, the other side is almost like a lizard tongue with a minus sign carved through it, and both ends cross. The sun shining over the beautiful piece of jewelry. I look at it intensely and an image of a young boy appears in my head and triggers a memory.
~~Flashback~~
In the city, no Alters Users were safe or accepted. Everyone is happy and has nothing to worry about. That still never stopped me from going to go visit. However, when it came to that day, I had to do everything I could to stay invisible. While I am the same as every other alter user and inner. My hair was as long as it is now, down to my lower back and some of the clothes I wore were a little loose on me, but with my small body, it didn't matter. My alter power could make anyone rich and I was being hunted like an animal for it. I had to run through the alleyways and sneak past policemen to stay safe. Once I was far enough I climbed over a giant wall using my gift. I realized I ended up in a mansion's backyard that looked like a good place to stay hidden until the chase was over. I was only seven years old at the time. Although I was small for my age that didn't mean I didn't know how to take care of myself, use my alter power or fight. I hide in the flower bushes to calm my heart and stay safe. That night I met someone who changed me.
"Zetsuei, where are you!?"
"Oh no."
I whisper as my hair gets caught in the branches of the bush. I try as hard as I could to get free and without making much noise.
"Where are you boy?!"
Unfortunately, the bushes rustle with my movements and that caught the boy's attention. As he approaches I back deeper into the bush. Small chunks and strands of hair going over my face. I was scared to be found and what else would happen after that. I knew that if anything happens. I would just make a quick run for it.
"Ah, there you are. Come on, it's time for dinner…"
When he moves the branches he comes across me instead of this Zetsuei he is looking for. His face showing surprise and curiosity for the young girl he found in the shrubbery.
"Who are you?"
~~Flashback Over~~
I snap out of my daze and continue to walk home.
"I have a lot to do. I can't worry about the past now."
With that, I continue my quiet tread home.