Unravel

by ChiioUnicorn

Megaton is overrun by monsters with its last two chevaliers slaughtered. The Chevalerie are forced to assign their weakest unit, Shimoda Rin, to keep the city safe. Struggling to discern friend and foe alike, all she wants is a quiet life. An enemy alliance threatens humanity's survival. Will Rin rise up and become what the world needs her to be?

3. Lone Wolf

a/n: not much to say except heyyyy. Rin's first day in school~ how will today go for her? Read more to find out!

22/6/17/EDIT! My lovely beta, sunshard has come to my rescue once again. I re-uploaded the revised version after getting some major pointers from her. I feel like Michelle Kwan teaming up with her coach, Frank. Thank you so much, sunshard!

On a personal note, I'd like to officially dedicate this story to oranssi-rin. You've been nothing but a loyal reader and dearest friend to me throughout these years. How long have we known each other again? Haha. This story couldn't have made it without you. Thank you so much for being the lovely artist you are. I can only hope to have just as much talent as you possess!

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Unravel

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Chapter Two

Lone Wolf

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Rin's POV

07:22 AM

Megaton - Red Metro

How can anyone live in a world that is so beautiful…

Yet so cruel?

Asking why we're always here?

Losing all our control to fears and demons bigger from within?

Lola told me that because we are all a part of mankind, any person's death is a loss to us. Someday, we'll all die. When that happens, she said, Bell Fritz will toll for each of us.

"They'll never remember what you did," I murmured to the two body outlines on the ground, standing behind the police tape while carrying a bouquet of forget-me-nots in my arms. "They'll never know why you died. They won't even mention you in history." I gently placed the bouquet on the ground, bowing my head slightly in reverence. "But I'll never forget."

Those two chevaliers… I had never known them to begin with.

I was sure they never deserved what happened to them. Whichever monster did this to them killed them out of savage bliss. I couldn't imagine what their last moments of death could have been like. Being cornered… feeling helpless as they gripped their weapons, defying fate with every fibre of their beings… and then, the moment of terror as they realized they were doomed.

Instead of being proud of dying for an honorable cause… all they would feel was terror in their last moments.

"Will my death be as terrible and frightening as yours?" I asked them, searching for an answer. "Will I be torn and ripped apart in the same way as you? I wonder what that feels like…" I let out a dry laugh that was carried away in the wind.

Naturally, hearing the homicides of two young boys garnered attention from the media, but because they were found in such a gruesome state, the police chalked out their outlines to represent the twisted misalignments they were found in. Those two chevaliers who died violently: unnaturally.

As people continued passing me by, I stood there without any regard to time. A chilly breeze blustered through the station, picking up the layered skirts of my dress. I closed my eyes. Right now, their bodies were going through a post-mortem procedure before their proper burial could commence. It took some time. Firstly, their bodies would be transported back to Raven Rock. Secondly, they would undergo a spiritual cleansing ritual that got rid of impurities lingering within their systems. Sometimes it would take days. Weeks even. Thirdly, they would receive proper hearings from friends and family. Finally, their burial ceremony would follow through medieval customs. A veteran chevalier would send them off on a boat before lighting it on fire, hoping their ashes would reach the heavens.

It was a poetic sendoff, to say in the least…

"Auntie Lola… am I going to die?"

"Yes." Her answer was unhesitant. "If God is merciful, your death will be quick and painless."

"So, if I'm going to die anyway… you're saying it's better to go down fighting?"

"That is correct," Lola said, filing away important documents.

A strange calm washed over me as I finally began take in the fact that my life was being invested in this dangerous bet. Grasping the sling of my briefcase closer to my side, I rocked back and forth on my heels as my gaze dropped.

"Then… if I'm going to die anyway… whether I die doing something at their behest, or die disobeying an order… either way there's no meaning to it, is there?"

Her dark eyes met mine as she leaned over her desk, her voice free of emotion and restraint.

"That is absolutely right."

I felt very cold all of a sudden.

"Everything is meaningless." she told me, unsmiling. "It doesn't matter whether you lived a happy life or what your hopes and dreams are. Or if you died with a bellyful of swords or on your deathbed wasting away from old age. It's all the same. Humans eventually die."

I stood there, feeling empty and taking her words in with a slow-burning, melancholy indignation. As I thought. I was right after all.

Dying was one thing, but dying in a way that meant absolutely nothing… it made my stomach churn.

I knew it… that day when I received the letter. If people continued living under tears, especially in Megaton, one day the number of monsters would be so overwhelming even the best fighters wouldn't be able to stop them from annihilating everyone.

Someone had to take action even when faced with the greatest of dangers. The Chevalerie Order needed those who were willing to sacrifice their lives for the greater good...

"But does that mean there is no meaning to life? That even being born is meaningless?" Lola asked, surprising me out of my reverie. "If so, is it the same for our fallen comrades?"

I didn't know how to answer that.

"Ah, the folly of youth." Lola looked at me, her smile wistful and full of nostalgia. "You can't do your job properly unless you're drunk on passion and meaningful pursuits. Well, clear your head. It won't do to have your mind muddled on your first day of school."

"Eventually, there will come a time when you'll know the answer for yourself."

That brought me to the question…

Why did I become a Chevalier?

"Are you brave enough to become a soldier with a purpose worth dying for?" Lola had asked me on the day they rescued me from my burnt hometown. She had wrapped a blanket around me.

At the time, I must have thought that I really was...

It was so long ago, and at that time, I knew I had a reason.

But I couldn't remember anymore.

When I looked at how so many had fallen on the battlefield, I didn't think dying like that could be so meaningless.

I never realized that at all.

Looking at how those boys died, it made me realize. Most deaths don't carry any meaning whatsoever, and they overwhelmingly outnumber those that do.

So, auntie Lola…

Why should I think that mine will be any different?

My train arrived and hissed to a stop. Turning around, I took one last glance at the spot where they died shortly before departing.

It hasn't taken me long to receive a bad impression of Megaton as a whole. As I said before, I had developed a sharp eye for detail growing up.

"This city never sleeps," I sighed to myself, resting against the back of my seat and watching the skyline through the window.

The streets weren't kind, and the people were just as harsh as their surroundings. The smoke coming from the factories was carried across The Bay, surrounding the city in an neverending loop of pollution. There was never a moment of silence except a pause before a fight.

It was dirty, dark, and destitute.

Once you were in deep with the wrong people, there was no way out.

There's no escaping the jungle that is Megaton, I had thought. This city was the ground of a game for all who enter. Everyone gambled, and some came out on top. But sometimes, you're not a player; but a pawn.

Just a while ago, I saw a few suspicious characters cornering a balding business man into the shadows of a dark alley. They were in plain sight, and they were extorting the man for the dues he'd yet to pay up. They glared at every passerby, urging them to walk on by.

I remembered each frightened face that hurried past me. They were afraid. It was natural. Fear was a paralyzing thing, after all. But all in all, fear was a defense mechanism. Any Mundy wouldn't want to be mixed up at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Of course, it was none of my business so I never planned on getting myself involved. It was the baldy's fault after all. He failed to pay his dues, thereby failing his responsibilities as an adult man. His clothes were untidy, and he reeked of alcohol. It was only natural he would get what was coming to him. In fact, I remember feeling something akin to pity for any family he was held responsible for. They must be falling on hard times.

But. In a world like this, I couldn't help feeling a bit misandristic...

The situation was an exact mimicry of all the crime thrillers my previous caretakers had enjoyed watching, which I ended up sitting through because I wanted to see the clothes gang members wore on such dangerous outings.

However, it wasn't until the man pleaded his extorters not to take the ring he was wearing that I actually stopped in my tracks. It belonged to his dead mother, he said. But they didn't listen and told him since he didn't have the money, they would have to take something equally of value.

And so, I went back and politely inserted myself into the conversation. There was no need to stir things up in an already tense situation. With a faint smile, I told the men that the boss had a defaulter he wanted them to catch five blocks away. That fish, I told them, was a far bigger priority to catch instead of the oaf they were dealing with right now. Since they could find him anytime, then surely they could set aside a few minutes to deal with the larger situation at hand?

The nice thing about muscle men was that they never asked questions. At least, not the ones that really mattered.

For a moment, they hesitated. Then they wondered amongst themselves if their boss recently changed his preferences in his call girls with a more pedophilic touch, all the while looking right at me. I resisted the need to roll my eyes. I was disgusted beyond belief, but somehow I managed to stomach it. The situation was to my advantage. I continued smiling and feigned innocence. I told them time was money, and if they wanted their share, they would have to hurry or risk facing their employer's wrath.

That got them running out of there. After giving them a false name and description, they hurried to catch the false perpetrator. As soon as they left, I turned to the man sniveling on the floor. He looked pathetic and confused. My smile faded into a look of disdain as soon as my eyes met his wet, frightened gaze.

"It's a good thing your mother isn't alive to see you the way you are now. Next time, look at the interest rates they're charging before taking out a loan you can't afford. You better have that money they want, or else it's your head." I had recalled giving him a backwards wave as I left him in that sorry state. "I hope it's not your head they take next time."

And so, here I was. That recollection had snuck up on me, and before I knew it, I had arrived at the school entrance.

Students came pouring in through the school gates. We were filed in four different sections at the doors as we were patted down and searched. From a distance, the school itself was a slice of steel. It had reminded me of an earl grey cake with chocolate lavender frosting. However, it left a different impression now that I was up close. The walls rose high. Four towers thrust into the belly of the sky like grey daggers. The campus consisted of a small rectangular quad with sparse flowerbeds and benches nailed to the ground. A fifteen foot iron fence surrounded the school grounds, which proved to be the most embellishing distinction here. It was a sad thing, really, that a fence was the most appealing thing here.

There was no color. The environment had been built in a minimalist, orderly fashion, devoid of art. There was nothing but structure.

Sulking, I traced my foot into a circle as I reflected on my drab surroundings. Certainly, I wasn't expecting to be enrolled in a fancy boarding school… but this… this place looked no different than a prison! My inner self bemoaned once more seeing the lack of decor. How would I ever find any inspiration for my designs in a cramped pigpen like this?

There was an open field behind the main building, a recreational gym, and an incinerator hidden in the recesses of a narrow alleyway. The tinted windows ran across the walls like a river of glass. Students, teachers, and unknown events went unseen from the outside world.

"Like an audience looking on at the world but remaining unnoticed…"

Gazing up at the cloudy sky, I untucked my arm from hugging Ossa and placed my fingers on the windowsill. I saw several police cars racing down the highway, their sirens wailing.

"What a strange place." I told Ossa, who rested in my lap. I dipped my head forward to stare at him from upsidedown. His big black button eyes were shiny and unblinking.

A sharp shove from behind me forced me forward as a woman motioned me over, "Hey, you. Come forward. It's your turn."

After being patted down and having my briefcase checked, I was sent to the auditorium for freshman orientation. I found myself surrounding by nervous, mundane first-year students. Most of them were restless, their eyes flitting about. A few of them were looking towards my way, assessing my form head-to-toe with critical eyes. I ignored them and opted to sit at a cozy seat near the back just as a tall, slender brunette made her way towards the podium and commanded our attention with a sharp pointer in hand.

"Good morning. On behalf of the Chairman's absence, I will be filling in to make formal introductions. My name is Sakine Meiko." The audience fell to a hush as the lights focused on the young woman surrounded by prefects. Her expression was stern and unyielding. "I am the Student Council President as well as a third-year student in West Hall. As you are all first-years, your classrooms will be in South Hall."

Settling into my seat in a more comfortable position, I stroked my fingers over Ossa's head in an absent fashion as my eyes settled over her poised form. There was not so much as a press or fold out of place in her cream kasper jacket, and the ruffle-hem skirt smoothed over her firm thighs. The style was rather modest and plain, but not frumpy. I found myself fawning over the textured shawl collar. I should add that to one of my sketches… I wonder how it would turn out...

Though I found it strange that a third-year student like her would be dressing in such a straightlaced manner.

"Yes. I am well-aware of our school's reputation. Forty-five percent of our school's population consists of students living from poverty. I assure you, however, gang violence and whatnot will not be tolerated. We're not well-off like Eluvia Academy...however, that does not make us any less of what they are. Which is why..." Her tone became hard. "My top priority is to put a stop to anyone who poses a threat to this school! Anyone who refuses to obey the rules here will be punished! In life, structure is about beauty, and vice versa. Here at this school, you are the pillars to set the foundation of youth. A hair out of place is unacceptable at this school!" Slapping the pointer against the palm of her hand, she paced onstage and eyed us with a reprimanding glare. "Fear is courage. Subjugation is liberation. Contradiction is truth. These are the truths of this new world."

"The chairman's daughter is so scary. She's the hardnosed sort, isn't it?" A voice whispered next to me. I turned to see a group of girls murmuring amongst themselves. One of the prefects looked their way, causing them to fall silent.

Still, they were right. She certainly knew how to make an impression. I could feel the entire room growing colder from the tension and unease enveloping the students as they squirmed in their seats.

"Now then… if you'll go over the agenda with me this morning…"

She went over the map, guidelines, as well as the rules of conduct. Her rambling reminded me of the withered old tailor I used to know from my hometown.

"...Work hard, stay active, and be healthy. That is all the advice I can offer you today. Unless you want to repeat classes for the rest of your life, listen up: education is the key to your future." She ended with a note of finality. "That concludes our meeting. That said… allow me to personally accommodate you on your first day here." Her eyes fell on each row, dropping on me. "Welcome to Megaton Public High School." Her expression hadn't changed, but there seemed to be a shift in her demeanor, somehow.

Was she… sizing me up?

The moment I met her gaze upfront, however, she looked away. Perhaps I was only imagining things…

Upon dismissal, I stepped out onto the open corridor. So there I was, musing over such a mishmash of conflicting rules until… well, what happened next was unexpected.

As the school bell started to toll, Hollow Yves began laughing. Its breath rattled with laughter dry as bone. The corridors flooded with miscreants and Mundies alike. Even as I stood there, frozen, the world continued without me. My head rose to gaze up the winding stairwells above me, yet all I could see were faceless silhouettes. The white skull, pinned to the back of my hair where my bow rested, shook from the recesses of its twisted mirth. What had begun as a low, creepy chuckling evolved into full-blown, hysterical laughter as dark shapes resembling humans closed in on me.

Tugging on the frill of my collar, I felt the hairs on my neck rise.

"Monsters…" The word fell from my lips like a rock shattering the surface of still waters. I had only whispered the word, and yet it sounded deafening to my ears. Reality ensued as the students and teachers around me morphed into monstrous shadows in my mind's eye.

This school was infested with them.

Never had I been wracked with such… apprehension. It wasn't fear I felt, but it was close. Yet somehow, I was struck with a morbid curiosity. I found myself fascinated, of all things, with the idea of what was to come- like teetering over the edge of a cliff in hopes of seeing past the fog and what went down below.

It was as though I were anxiously awaiting my arrival for the ferry of Death to carry me across the River of Styx and into the Netherworld.

It wasn't until Hollow Yves fell silent that I finally realized that I was standing alone in the empty hallways. The bell rang once again, signalling my tardiness.

Blinking at how my thoughts had taken an inane turn, I shook my head with a soft chuckle and continued on my way towards my first class. Ossa dangled freely from the open crook of my elbow.

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Lunch started as soon as the bell rang, and I found myself sighing in relief. The day was halfway over, but it felt as though time had been ticking by in an agonizing pace.

I was bored to tears.

The magazine I picked up on my way here did improve my mood somewhat throughout the day.

"What do we have here? This looks so good!" Flipping through the pages of the weekly Dolce Divines, I marvelled in awe at the featured desserts displayed on the glass pedestals. Boxes of macarons of soft pastels were featured, widely known for their pure delectation. It was like taking a bite of heaven. My eyes were aglow with fascination, reading the fancy inscription. "A chocolate fondant enriched in a generous amount of Belgian chocolate. Let's see… now selling exclusively at Kasane Boulangerie-Pâtisserie… oh." I blinked at the address. "It's in Megaton... Rogue District. It must be classy if it managed to be featured in the magazine." Hugging the magazine to my chest, I wondered aloud, "I want to try some. Maybe I'll stop by after school..."

Bouncing my orange puff wallet in my other hand, I made my way towards the cafeteria. I pulled down the black velvet of my skirt to hide my bottom from unwanted peepers.

This school was crawling with prefects monitoring the halls at every turn. But when they weren't around, I soon found myself surrounded by a bad crowd. Grunge clothing, facial piercings, blacked out masks, and brightly dyed hair that went against school policy - their postures said it all. Delinquents. They had no respect for authority, seeing how I had come across a scuffle between two boys resisting punishment from the prefects after vandalizing the girls' bathroom downstairs. The paint cans had rolled at my feet while I had observed among a forming crowd. Those boys had been dragged off into suspension afterwards.

I could smell smoke coming from the boys' bathroom. I thought I saw one of the delinquents exchanging a pack of cigarettes to someone as a gang passed by...

It was like walking into a pit of hyenas.

As a child, I wanted nothing more than attention.

But ever since I'd grown old enough to understand my position, I'd begun to seek refuge in my own anonymity. It seemed safer to be ignored.

I never talked to anyone at my previous school. Or rather, I couldn't. It was an insular place where relationships had long since been established, often mirroring the pressures to conform in society. Someone abruptly wedged in from the outside had very little chance of fitting in.

From what I understood, the easiest way to get by at school socially I mean, was to belong to a clique. The other girls at my old school flitted amongst themselves like bees attracted to honey, but then by the next year, they would ignore each other and act as though they were never friends in the first place. It was the same with heated romances I found other girls engaging in with the boys from outside school.

To be frank, they never seemed that close. You could see it in their eyes.

All relationships - friendships and romances alike, they seemed so interchangeable. You could replace any one of them with someone else and no one would really notice. It didn't seem to matter who was there. Once we get tired of the same routine, we break it off. At some point, we move along with some new distraction knowing everything would be fine.

Maintaining superficial relationships like that, sticking to normality and conforming to standards under peer pressure, worrying about everyone else thinks about you… it seemed so exhausting. So repetitive - meaningless.

Megaton Public High School…

They seemed to run under a completely different system of their own. It was like they were flipping the bird to whatever norm of society they were supposed to meld into.

This was anarchy.

Throughout the morning, none of the other students were friendly to me. I could feel their glares searing into my back as I walked past, and I could hear their mocking when they thought I couldn't hear them.

I filled the vast stretches of empty time by drawing my latest designs for my next clothesline project. They were rough drafts, really, and would be edited into the future for further analysis, but they helped the day go by faster. It was a habit I picked up as a means of escapism, but as reality dawned on me, the images gradually changed into organized formats scrawled out with the body measurements customers on my waiting list sent me.

It was somewhat bearable, to say in the least, but that doesn't mean I found today any more enjoyable. That was never the case. I've simply grown numb.

The chains on my boots jingled with every step I took as I climbed up the stairwell.

"You picked a bad time to come here." One of the delinquents leaned over to whisper in my ear as I passed. His hair was oiled and slicked back, and his hands were shoved deep into his pockets, "I'm going to make you swim here out of your own blood." His tone was as icy as his threat. Unlike previous bullies, there was no jeering or even a hint of humor whatsoever. Just malevolence. I didn't even turn to look at him. I continued walking towards the lunchroom as if he hadn't said anything in the first place. The rest of his friends laughed snidely at the reception, or lack of thereof. I could hear him scoffing behind me and calling me a bitch, but he didn't come after me.

Several girls wearing spiked heels noticed me as I walked by. Their eyes were on my wallet. I quickly put it away in my bag, along with the magazine.. They became vipers hissing at a stranger who had walked into their territory. The ringleader, sporting a bright pink ponytail, moved in front of me and blocked my way.

The glint of her piercing shone under the light as her painted lips curled into a smirk. The rest of her friends joined her as they began forming a line to hinder me from escaping.

"Going somewhere, freshmeat?"

As any mean girl would do, all of them proceeded to give me the body check. The leader proceeded to circle me like a predator, playing with prey before the inevitable kill. The other girls sneered at me with the same expression of open revulsion I had seen on others since the day I decided to be who I really was.

"How cute. Looks like this one hasn't outgrown playing with toys or dress up." Her arm slithered around me as she brought me in an uncomfortable side-hug, seemingly casual to the rest but we all knew this was the way a python made its kill, by squeezing its prey in a bone-crushing wrap. I felt my skin crawl with disgust. "Nice clothes, by the way. They look... expensive." Her voice dropped to a hiss. "Rich snobs putting up airs around here don't last long, now, do they. Right, ladies?"

The girls snickered in reply.

"Right, boss. What do we do~?" A girl with loop earrings swayed from side to side, feigning a troubled demeanor.

"How about we make her our exclusive friend then?" Another suggested, her white teeth flashing as she spoke.

"Hey, not a bad idea." Pulling me close, she grinned down at me, "Let me explain our situation to you. We're in bad blood with another group of wannabes- see- they're trying to steal our gig. Problem is, we're lacking the funds to… teach them a lesson, know what I mean?" She gave me a wide grin that implicated her true intentions, "Tell you what, kid. You can get our on a good side for the right price."

"I don't have any money. I made these clothes myself." I answered, trying to slide out of her grasp but to no avail. "Let me through, please. Lunch will be over soon."

She gave me a venomous glare, "Watch it, freak. You're going to make me lose my temper if you keep lying to my face like that," she hissed in my ear. "Think you're tough shit just because you're wearing too much eyeliner? You're a damn zombie."

How rude.

These recalcitrant rats just would not let me through.

At times, the most inestimable lessons are the most laborious. I believe in second chances. Redemption is important to me, too. Yet I saw no repentance in their eyes. Extending a courtesy to them had done nothing to quell their arrogance.

What does it take for poor ol' me to get to the cafeteria on time like a good girl?

Narrowing my eyes at this entitled senior, I finally pushed her aside with all my strength and placed a hand on my hip to meet their hostility at face value. Their look on their faces would have made me giggle in any other situation, but I was getting hungry. Hungry and irritable.

"Then I'm glad I'm not at your level." I rose my chin like a proud lioness would when faced with female rivals fighting for the same game. My hands went clammy, and blood rose to my cheeks. "Extorting the weak and penniless to fund a meaningless war for childish reasons such as not being able to share things."

For one agonizing moment, I couldn't help feeling a twisted thrill seeing the shock envelope their faces. The blood in my veins curdled at the anger that appeared afterward, forcing me to realize that I had only succeeded in provoking them into a useless argument. Soon, lunch would be over. Though, perhaps I could sneak a bite of shortcake in my next class. Still, my mouth watered at the loss of being unable to eat right away.

A growl pulled me back to reality. The leader I had angered was obviously and unsuccessfully trying to maintain control of the situation. She looked like she wanted to pull my hair out. I bit my lip. How stupid of me. I shouldn't be uselessly making enemies like this. I had allowed my tongue to have gotten better of me.

"You were flaunting that wallet earlier, you little-!"

"The amygdala is the part of our brain! The 'muscle', you could say. It plays a role in aggression, memory, emotion, and basic motives!" Someone announced in a loud, purposeful voice before the girl could lay a hand on me. Footsteps resonated from behind me, causing me to turn around.

Dressed in a blue grey flannel accompanied with a sweater vest and ironed slacks was a blue-haired student standing well over six feet. He was, by far, the tallest person I had ever seen. I blinked. Did he have giant's blood?

Also.

Blue hair.

Yet another unnatural color for hair, and yet, I couldn't think of any other color that would suit him otherwise. He seemed to pull of this shade of azure in a way that seemed authentic, which was surprising.

Though, aside from his hair color there was nothing about him that appeared interesting.

He was just your everyday normal student, and yet...

His blue eyes sparked to life behind the frame of his glasses. They shone like stars, burning blue and bright for all to behold.

"Ladies, please. We all have more lobes than the ones you hang your earrings on. Each half of you brain has four lobes - a parietal lobe, a temporal lobe, a frontal lobe, and an occipital lobe." He paused for a minute, closing his eyes with an indulgent smile before continuing, "Instead of fighting, why don't we discuss the brain instead? Learning is a far more stimulating activity than fighting. How about it, hm? Matters of the mind are far more exciting, don't you think?" He shone brighter than the sun as his passion for the mind enveloped us in a stupor. "Not to mention, bookish, intelligent women who know how to keep a debate going are definitely my type. Heh heh…"

Eh…

For the first time in my life, I found myself utterly befuddled.

"...Is this guy for real?" Having lost their will to fight in the presence of education, most of the girls stared at the boy. Next to me, the leader's eye twitched in irritation at the way he kept rambling on and on about the physiological aspects of the brain. He remained oblivious to the way he was being received.

Still, no one knew what to say. None of them looked like they wanted to challenge a giant like him, anyway. Just then, the bell resonated throughout the building. Lunch was over. It was time to head to class.

"T-Tch. These weirdos deserve each other. What a waste of time… let's go." The leader rushed past me in a hurry with the rest of her gang following after, but not before spearing resentful glares at me.

My shoulders sagged in disappointment. I didn't even get to take a bite…

"Conflict is what drives us, don't you think?" I looked up at the grinning boy who shifted his books from beneath his arm as he spoke. "When we act out on our aggressions, it releases inhibitions similar to how we let loose when we're drunk on alcohol. If you think about it, we get drunk on our id when we stop thinking."

This was the first time someone had actually went out of their way to talk to me at this school. I didn't know what to say. He was certainly coming on strong, though, given the expectant look in his eyes as he waited for me to answer. My tongue lay limp in my mouth, and my voice faltered in my throat. I suddenly felt very bashful in spite of myself.

He rose a brow at my impending silence, shrugged then spoke up again.

"So, what's your favorite color?"

Ah, the subject people talk about when they don't know what else to say.

"Um…" I clutched Ossa to my chest. This time, I managed to reply, "O-orange."

"Really? Haha… that's funny. A lot of people I know who like orange are unique and creative." He started walking, only to stop and gesture me to follow with a motion of his hand. "I'll walk with you to your next class. You have Mr. Hiyama next, right? I know where he is. What? You don't need to look at me like that. Right now's my free period, so I'm just killing time. You coming or what?"

I blinked, hesitating for a moment before nodding. It took me a great deal of effort to match his pace, though. His legs were so long he practically glided across the hall.

"Was the silence bothering you?" I peered up at him before looking at my feet. "You saved me back there… so thank you."

"No problem at all. Cute bunny, by the way." His friendly grin never faltered as he gestured towards Ossa, making me nod. If he found it strange that a high school student was still carrying around a plush at my age, he didn't give any outward indication otherwise. "Do you want to know the secret to avoiding fights? It's simple. Either befuddle them or intimidate them. In this place, you're going to need as many friends as you can so they don't put a target on your back." Seeming to notice my evasive behavior, his lips twitched into a small smirk. "And don't worry, I ask almost everyone I meet what their favorite color."

"Then you determine their personalities based on their answer?"

He pushed up his glasses before chuckling, "Not exactly. It's fallible to judge someone based on something like that. What I do is observe their behaviors and speech to see how similar or different they are to people who like the same color."

Bemused by his response, I ended up following him all the way to the South Hall. He seemed to know his way around here, especially in a school as big as this. I was still holding onto the map the student body president provided.

"That's really fascinating." I complimented.

"Thanks." He grinned. "I'm planning to major in psychology. Well, I just started my studies, but I already have my heart set on it. I decided to come to this school… for well, personal reasons." His eyes took on a distant gaze, almost as though he were pondering his life's decisions.

As he walked in a daze, I took notice of the woven scarf around his neck. It looked frayed at the ends. Then my eyes fell on his shoes… despite his height, they seemed a bit disproportionate. They were too big. The hem of his pants hid them well, but I could see the gaps behind his heel from inside the shoes.

"Yes. I am well-aware of our school's reputation." I remembered what President Meiko said earlier, "Forty-five percent of our school's population consists of students living from poverty."

Suddenly, I was magnifying what I missed before. His glasses had distinct scratches on the endpieces, the distinct smell of febreeze mingled with his clothes instead of detergent, and the packet of powdered milk slipping out of one of the pages of his book being used as a bookmark.

I didn't need to go on.

The signs were subtle, but they were there.

"Around here, people will hate you if you so much as act as though you're better than they are." His tone grew somber all of a sudden. Serious. "That's why those girls came after you first."

"Because I'm different?" I asked, smiling bitterly. "They hate me because I'm better off, unlike them."

"No. They hate you because you acted like you're better than they are." His tone became clipped, "They look at you and see a manor-bred girl who thinks she's a princess." He leaned over me, blue strands of hair falling into his calm eyes. "You're the same as the rest of us. Remember that, around here you're just another target. But today? You just proved to them that you're a bully."

"A bully?" I exclaimed incredulously. The accusation was so unjust that it took my breath away. "They were the ones who came after me! Six of them!"

"Six who are probably afraid of you. Six who saw you bouncing that cute wallet in your hand earlier while you were heading to the cafeteria. You walked past people who don't have money or decent living conditions." We passed the stairwell. "Now, think on this, Bunny girl. None of those girls have ever had a decent lunch come along until the chairman finally won over the school board to provide free lunches to those who couldn't afford it. Then they see this gussied up girl - wearing nice makeup and expensive clothes, designer-brand or something?" I opened my mouth to correct him, to tell him that no, I made these clothes myself, but he continued talking anyway. "Well, it doesn't matter. Like I was saying, you're strutting down their hall with a nice wad of cash… someone who might lavish on an extra entree: snacks they can only dream of eating."

I stared after his retreating back.

"So, do you think it was wise to egg them on like that?"

"I was trying to stand up for myself." I answered tartly, but the force had gone out in my previous bitterness. Suddenly I felt ashamed and remorseful. "I never… I didn't think…"

"Best you start thinking then," he said, throwing me a meaningful glance over his shoulder. "Things run a little differently around here compared to where you're from. I promise you though, not one of us has been outside this city." Then he blinked, humming afterwards. "Probably except for the Lone Wolf, though."

"The Lone Wolf?" I repeated, tilting my head in a questioning manner.

"Ah, that's right. You're lucky you ran into those girls instead of picking a fight with him." He sighed, the look on his face was grim. "Len, or 'Lone Wolf' as everyone calls him, has a vicious temperament. He's sought after by many gangs, either to challenge him or kill him. He was suspended from school because he did something extremely serious, so veer clear if you run into him." He said. "He's the strongest kid in our school. Trust me, you don't want to get on his bad side." Stopping at the door to my next class, he turned around to face me. "There's no telling what he might do, even to a cute little thing like you."

My fingers curled around the ribbon hanging down my hair as my mind drifted into a cloud of thoughts.

That was certainly a way to leave a lasting first impression on someone I've yet to meet. Whoever this Lone Wolf is, he sounds dangerous… how interesting.

"...Thank you." I stood there, staring up at him. I wasn't certain what I was expressing my gratitude for. Because of the advice I didn't ask for, or because he escorted me to my classroom like a true gentleman would. "Pleased to meet your acquaintance. My name is Rin. Shimoda Rin." For a moment he looked startled, then his friendly grin returned. He very well might be the only open-minded individual in this school. My first impression of him… he seems easygoing and whimsical, but definitely not stupid. It might be good for me to get along with at least one person in this forsaken prison school.

"Rin, huh? I'm Kaito. I'm a third year student. I hang out near the library if you ever want a proper tour." He was the second boy who extended a friendly hand towards me. I studied him for a moment before allowing a faint smile to grace my lips.

This, too, is part of the repetition I mentioned about earlier.

Sooner or later, I would forget his name… and he would forget that I existed.

I took his hand and shook it.

"As long as I'm not your way." The extended courtesy fell from my lips with ease, despite knowing there would be no chance of reintroductions.

"Oh, you don't need worry about that." He pulled away with a smile. Then of all things, he patted my head. My blank expression shifted into a halfhearted glower as he ruined my hair. I would have swatted his hand away if he hadn't reeled back. With a backwards wave, he jogged off, but not before calling over his shoulder, "Just remember you're in Megaton now."

---

Mr. Hiyama was surprisingly tough for an instructor here, but then, perhaps that was to be expected. He didn't tolerate tardiness, students using phones, or even snacks for that matter, much to my dismay. My stomach had been growling all day.

As he went down the rollcall, my eyes sought out the barberry tree standing outside, in lieu of the grisly grounds. It was a picture of beauty, to my eyes at least, to find something standing tall in spite of the ugliness around.

"Kagamine Len?"

Suddenly, the entire class fell to a deafening hush.

The teacher raised a brow, pushing his glasses further up his nose as he repeated, "Kagamine Len?"

No one answered.

"Tch. Already skipping class on the first day of school? My goodness… that boy never changes." He shook his head, his eyes cold with disapproval as he scanned the class in search of said boy.

A shaky hand raised to capture the teacher's attention.

"U-Uhm. He's still serving his suspension, sir. He won't be here until juvy releases him."

Realization dawned on our instructor as he dragged a hand across his own desk. "Oh, that's right… he'll be repeating his first year classes, won't he." He scowled, crossing something out on his clipboard. "Tch. Why did they have to assign him to my class again… as if last year wasn't enough. Really, what are they thinking..."

It seems formal introductions are still in order. Since I won't be making my ovation in front of the entire class, I suppose I'll have to make do with a transient audience out there who might be reading into my mind.

Now that I'm a first year here at Megaton Public High School, I have to say my studying and athletic skills are… quite rusty. Actually, I've never done well in any subject except art. Perhaps I should be ashamed of myself for putting in the most scant of efforts towards my education, but I was never one to care about top marks or fierce competition. Auntie Lola would be horrified if she saw my report card from my last school. In fact, I won't sugarcoat this: my future looks very bleak right now.

Turning to the desk adjacent from me, I ran my eyes over the empty seat.

"Kagamine Len…" I repeated to myself, testing the words on how they sounded. The name rolled off my tongue, sounding foreign to my ears. "He sounds like a troublemaker." I cupped my hand to whisper in Ossa's droopy ear, causing him tilt his head in animated wonder. "What do you think? Is his bite as bad as his bark?" I broke into a fit of hushed titters, hiding my smile in his fur. "This school is just full of pitfalls. It's like staring into an abyss full of dangers."

"Shimoda Rin?"

My smile fell away into a solemn expression as I raised my hand to wave.

"Yes, I'm here."

My gaze returned to the desk. It seems I sit next to this person, who, according to the swirling conversations, hasn't come to class once since the second semester of last year.

"Hey, have you heard of the Lone Wolf?" One of the students whispered behind me, drawing others into gossip.

"Eek! I did! Do you know what he did last year that got him sent straight to juvy?"

"Do I know? I was there when it happened! I'm telling you, that boy is crazy strong! I swear he must be some kind of demon. It took at least five boys to hold him down while their leader… and even that didn't help!"

I strained to hear them better, trying to listen.

"So it's true what he did-!"

"My boyfriend was part of the gang who challenged him. He told me once he goes on a rampage, the violence won't stop until everything is destroyed in his path, and that can last for days. They say there's nothing but rage when he fights. He really does sound like a wild animal…"

"How scary!"

"I hear he's good-looking though…"

"Are you crazy? After what he did to that gang you're not seriously considering-!"

"All of you back there!" Mr. Hiyama roared, causing them to jolt. "How dare you disrupt my class with your needless chatter! Detention after school!" Several groans emitted as they slumped face forward onto their desks.

I let out a long exhale, not realizing I've been holding my breath during the entirety of the conversation. I felt the flush returning to my cheeks, which startled me as I had started to feel rather light-headed until now.

Throughout the rest of the day, the Lone Wolf was a popular discussion here in Megaton. So far all I've heard was that he slinks around the rooftop or music room. If he even bothers to show up to class, all he does is sleep. It's a wonder he hasn't been expelled by now, but who knows.

Even without the backbone of the rumors circulating the school, the implication of his nickname was glaringly evident.

He certainly wasn't a friendly person.

I see. So there is someone here who everyone is actually afraid of. If hearing his name struck imminent fear in the hearts of even the most hardened, fearless gangs, then I couldn't help being curious. It was only natural. Someone shrouded in mystery and haunted with a violent history… it was like one of those dangerous thrillers. How exciting.

Considering the fact that he was in my class, it made me wonder… just what was it about him that struck fear in everyone's hearts? Even the toughest delinquents around here flinched at the mention of his name.

What did he do that was so serious?

Whatever it was, it must have been bad enough that he was sent away last year.

"Oh well~" I brought Ossa to my face, smiling when the final bell rang. "I doubt I'll run into him this year, if at all." I gathered my stuff and headed out with a hum, deciding to head home until I received a message from Aunt Lola the moment I stepped outside the school gates.

There have been reports of strange activity near Rogue District. Go check it out. Report to me when you're done.

Irritation rose within me as my lips twitched into a deep frown. I have to do that now? I just got out of school, and these teachers already assigned homework on the first day. Now she wants me to patrol all night? What does she think I am? A cyborg?

"Honestly, what a slavedriver." With a huff, I put my phone away and headed the other direction where Rogue District was. "Isn't Auntie the least bit worried about my well-being? Hmph." I hugged Ossa between my breasts, squeezing him tightly as I ventured deeper into the more populated area of the city. There were several shopping districts around here. Pedestrians filed along the busy streets as traffic lights blazed and music blasted across the area.

I stopped at a crosswalk, waiting for the light to turn red. I heard a strange buzzing sound and looked up to see infomercials being projected on a blimp featured from a mega corporation. There were several panels featuring new fashion trends. Now, I have always had an appreciation for fashion and attentively kept up with what the latest trends were, not necessarily to wear for myself but rather what appealed to target audiences. I didn't care much for models - despite my older sister's occupation - all that really mattered was the clothes. Models were just models: people who wore the clothes and made them look good, but nothing more. The clothes were the grand centerpiece of every presentation. Anyone could be a model. They just had to wear the clothes like they were born to rule in them.

Then I saw her.

My gaze zoomed in on her like a magnet. It was a girl slightly older than me posed in front of a glimmering white backdrop, dressed in a pink peacoat accompanied with denim leggings, hands slightly spread out to form a heart over her head, the knee of her leg bent and the other straight. Her hair was drawn out in long and teal twintails around her slender shoulders. Her striking viridian eyes were gazing somewhere off to the side.

Rosette Radiance

Capsule collection by Gakupo

Being a model must be stressful. I couldn't imagine not having to eat cake or any other sweets in order to maintain a perfect body image. A twinge of envy welled up in me seeing how thin her waist was and how willowy her limbs were - she looked perfect. Her face was smooth and clear, with no traces of baby fat whatsoever. She was looking down on the world with pride, from the high place she had worked so hard to climb up - to achieve.

"She's fortunate as she is good-looking," I remarked, stroking the length of Ossa's ear. "To think she gets to wear Mr. Kamui's clothing… he's picky when it comes to choosing models to advertise for his designs."

Gakupo Kamui, a renowned fashion designer in all of Rorrim… and also the owner of Rosette Radiance. I could certainly learn a thing or two from him, if only I got to work as closely as this pretty model did…

Ah, I'm jealous.

Knowing that, I felt a crushing inadequacy cave into my lungs. Having been made hyperaware of my lack of self-fulfillment and unstable future I suddenly felt bitter.

I swallowed, feeling a rock lodge in my throat - suddenly, I felt so small and out of place. The negative feelings I had pushed to the back of my mind came gushing forth in tidal waves of insecurity and anxiety. My mask cracked.

Ossa turned to me, coming to life as he tilted his head towards me.

"Are you scared of this place?" The light shone of his monocle as he stared at me with those large, button eyes. "It's not the monsters you're scared of. It's not the duty you're sworn to. It's growing up, isn't it, Rin? This place, so unlike the mountain town we grew up in. You're used to being ignored, you're used to being isolated. You always kept your distance, but now they need you. They need you, and it scares you. There's no place to run, nowhere to hide… and now. You're just realizing playtime is over. It's time to become one of those unhappy adults who have been hurt for so long they can't love anyone - not when they can't even love themselves."

My eyes widened in horror.

"You're going to become that unhappy adult who drifts through life like a soulless husk. That's what you're most afraid of, isn't it?" He told me despite having his sewn mouth shut.

"No…"

"You're afraid of going crazy. You're afraid of wearing white. You're afraid of becoming like mommy." For a moment, I could've sworn I heard the scarecrow's voice, his stitched smile replacing Ossa's. "You're afraid of Bloody Mary."

Fear squeezed my lungs like a viper.

"It's not like that!" I tried to get him to stop, shaking him angrily and all but ripping apart him at the seams. "I'm not afraid of her! She can't get to me here! I will never become like her! Never! I'm not a monster, I'm human! I'm no one but myself!" Tears burned my eyes but I blinked them away, repressing the urge to cry. Images of those fearful faces from my village, the cold but distant attitude from the Chevalerie, even from Auntie Lola and Lily… it brought back an anger I thought I'd buried long ago. It frustrated me beyond my limits. I couldn't stand it. "I don't understand why they can't see that. Why do they look at me and see her instead of me? They treat me like… like…"

Like a monster.

Ossa wasn't lying, though. I had felt it then. The moment I met that strange scarecrow, when I first stepped into school, when those hateful girls closing me in and sinking their teeth in me, and even when that strange person, Kaito, chastised me for flaunting my naivety in school.

For the first time in years, I felt so… scared. Vulnerable. Helpless.

I felt so exposed I wanted to die.

"The only ones you talked to before coming here were your toys. Mr. Ribbit, Ulysses, even Teddy. You got rid of them when you heard you were coming here. Why is that? They were your friends, but you grew bored with them. You grew bored of them the same way people grew bored of you." Behind his seemingly blank button eyes, I saw my own reflection. "Are you going to get rid of me too?"

"No, that's wrong." I gripped him tight in my hands, squeezing him, "I would never…"

"What would your beloved think if he saw you now? Wishing to rot away inside your room, drowning in your fantasy… with your dresses and tea parties."

"What's wrong with that?" I asked in reply, feeling very apathetic all of a sudden. "I'm here... doing what everyone wants me to do. Isn't it fine if things stay like this? I'm doing all I can, so please stop saying things like that."

He was being unreasonable with me.

"Why, Ossa? Are you being like this because you're angry with me? Do you hate me even after all that we've been through? All that we've lost? Are you angry that I came here seeking a comfortable life instead of offering my heart up to the Chevalerie like a good soldier?" I looked at him with a brittle smile. "I can hardly change the way I am at this point in time, as much as anyone else might wish it." Looking up at that teal-haired model posing on the billboard I let out a hollow laugh. "There's no future for me to look forward to."

I'm not a good girl, not at all.

My eyes widened when I realized that I had done it again.

"Ah…"

I had mistakenly thought Ossa had been speaking to me, but it turned out I was really talking to myself. The entire time I had been arguing with myself in the middle of the streets. People were giving me strange looks as they walked past me, making me realize how much I really was a freak.

Here on the streets I felt so lost, like a stain that would never wash off.

There are times I wondered what my life would look like had I been born as a sweet, energetic heroine devoted to her duties…

So stupid. I thought I knew everything there was about this world, but as it turns out… I've learned nothing. Nothing at all.

The urge to hide away in my hands and sink to my knees was overwhelming. I wanted to shrink into a ball right then and there.

Is this how life is going to be from now on?

"Why did I come here?" I asked myself, my fingers trembling. "Did I really think that coming here would be any different?" I remembered the previous chevaliers, the question Auntie Lola asked me, and the haunting laughter of Hollow Yves when monsters crowded inside the school: that small, enclosed area with nowhere to run. On one hand, I had felt exhilarated, but far at the back of my mind I also felt trapped.

I don't know how long I stood there, but it was long enough. I hadn't even realized the light turned green until someone ran past me, pushing me aside.

"Out of the way, brat!"

"Oh!" Pain rippled through my shoulder. I stumbled several paces back, managing to prevent myself from falling. I glared after the person who so rudely shoved me. The light turned green before I could cross, making me fume silently in place. So many people really are insufferable here…

"I hate this place," I whispered to myself and not to Ossa this time, my mood dampened now that I had to wait until the light turned red again. I rubbed my throbbing shoulder, trying not to choke up. "I hate it. It's cold, mean, and cruel… swarming with insects. I was stupid to think anywhere would've been better than back home..." A boy with hair bright as fire - wearing shrine clothes and a festive fox mask - moved past me, his peddler cart full of eastern wares and charms unlike anything I've ever seen. I blinked slowly, taking in the exotic sight before letting out a sigh. I barely noticed that Hollow Yves had broken into a fit of raspy laughter as dry as his bones.

Ah… so that peddler is a monster.

Do I go after him?

Should I kill him just because he's a monster?

He hasn't done anything wrong yet… or has he already devoured someone without me realizing?

I stood there, watching him melt into the crowd. I knew I had allowed him to get away, but at the moment I didn't care. Perhaps I would regret this later, but for now… nothing mattered.

I didn't want to hunt monsters.

I didn't want to be a good girl.

I just wanted to go home… spend the night working at my sewing machine and eating mont blanc. Those small, simple things that made me happy enough to live in this world. It was all that mattered to me. I had no one, but that was fine. I have lived my entire life like this, living a hollow existence: never truly alive but not quite dead.

No one would miss me if I left. No one would care. Auntie Lola wouldn't care. She never sought out my existence once until now. She was only acting kind because she needed me for this. As for the Chevalerie…

Well, why should I bother searching for a ticket to an early grave?

And as for him…

Him.

I imagined holding the heart-framed photo of him in my hands, his gentle smile encouraging me to go on, if not for me but for him.

Why has he not spoken to me at all? Even a letter would suffice. I want to see him… I want to rest in his arms… does he not love me anymore?

My heart ached at the thought of it.

Closing my eyes, I allowed my hands to drop to either side. Ossa dangled near my knees as I swung him back and forth by the arm. I wandered around aimlessly, straying from where I was ordered to go.

Tonight I would just forget about everything.

It was only a matter of time until being left hung out to dry.

Time ticked away as the day went to rest. The sun had already descended; the moon took his place as darkness spilled over the town in a canvas of ink. I liked the night, it hid my flaws, my imperfections, the scars burned onto my flesh, the stabs of knives left behind. The moon guided me through the night. Her calming presence allowed me close my eyes in momentary peace, my body moved like a rondo and my soul ran free. Without the watchful eyes of everyone, I was free to do as I pleased, things I wouldn't be able to do when the sun was out. I could do whatever I want…as my worries, my thoughts- all of it faded away.

My feet brought me to a corner street where an arcade was still open. It was then I was in Bonefish District. This was their mini mall. Most stores had long since closed several hours ago. I could hear the chiptune music booming from inside the arcade, accompanied by the neon lights stretching across the sidewalk and towards the shadows from where I stood. It was as though this place were beckoning me to come inside.

I cared little for crowded, frenetic places like these, but tonight was different.

Curiosity ran through me like a pulse. My mind was a blank slate, and my body was heading towards the doors. Obeying this random whim I entered without a second thought. The skull at my bow broke into a fit of dry cackles again, making me grimace as I unpinned it and shoved it deep into my purse. Intent on burying it alive, I shoved my handkerchief deep into his mouth and moved my things on top of it.

Finally, he went quiet.

Satisfied, I wandered up to the desk and bought a small collection of tokens. Running my hand across the surface of an air hockey table, I took in the sights and sounds. I proceeded into the maze of consoles and pinball machines. I could hear the sound of the drink dispenser as soda fizzled, and the smell of popcorn was rich in the air. Raucous laughter echoed from the laser tag area. I stopped to examine a claw machine full of prizes. Candy, plushies, tickets to the latest concert…

Then I spotted a dinosaur plush at the back of the machine. It had glittering green spines and sharp teeth. It was the most wonderful thing I'd seen all day. A hot blush surged to my cheeks as my heart jolted in my chest. A certain memory came flooding back from the gallery of my past.

"That's no good, miss Rin. You have to eat everything on your plate," he had reminded me in that gentle voice when I was only four. I had cried at the table that I hated vegetables, and that there was no way I would eat them. Instead of lecturing me, he had simply chuckled and patted my head. "Ahh, no matter what others say how bright you are, you really are the youngest. Rebellion is so typical at your age. You can't just eat what you like, you know? Now, be a good girl."

Embarrassingly enough, I had just gone "uwahhh" and kept up a tantrum.

"N-no? W-w-well then, how about this? If you eat all your brussels I promise to make sachertorte tomorrow," he had said with a nervous laugh, trying to placate me. "So, will you do it?"

So kind, so full of warmth…

That love in his eyes.

Nothing in this world could make me happier. Except seeing him… one more time!

This dinosaur. It reminded me of him so much it made my heart pound…! I clutched my tightening chest, feeling a tingle run through my spine and down to my toes. I found myself trembling with desire as I all but threw myself against the glass, gazing at it longingly.

I must have it.

"I absolutely have to bring you home with me!" I promised the little darling as I frantically dug up the token packet from my bag. "Time to strike while the iron is hot!"

So wrapped up in my excitement, I ended up dropping the entire packet, causing everything to spill over.

"No!" I chased after the tokens. Argh! Why do they have to be so round?!

I finally managed to catch all the rolling coins, pausing when a moving shadow fell in line with my own. Music flooded my ears as I raised my head to see who it was. A hooded figure with his back facing me was dancing to the beat on one of the rhythm game consoles… Dance Dance Revolution, it looked like. He was playing by himself, hitting all the steps without making a single mistake by far. He made it look so effortless.

His limbs moved in tandem with the commands being displayed onscreen. He advanced, retreated, and spun around. He seemed to be one of those kids living in the more rural parts of town, judging from the looks of his appearance. At the back of his ratty white parka, the fabric had been slashed apart as though claws had dug through. The fur-trimmed hood obscured his face from view, but it had seen better days. Scuffed shoes, torn washed-out jeans - he looked like he had to struggle every day just to survive.

As I watched him dance, I hadn't noticed the band of upperclassmen crowding him in a circle. They were tall boys, several years older than me. They all wore black leather jackets with the same red headbands. Some of them were smoking, which went unnoticed by the staff, but they seemed too intimidated to do anything about it.

Their gang leader was resting against the bar with a face of utter nonchalance, as if he were merely waiting for a bus on a spring day, apple in hand. He wasn't slumped at all, his body was clearly too muscular for that, yet his posture was relaxed as his face. He was almost smiling - smiling as though something good were about to happen. Good for him was likely bad for the boy in the white parka. Very bad.

The climbing tension permeated the air with dark intent.

The boy in the white parka didn't seem to notice his audience, or if he did - he didn't seem to care. It wasn't until the leader emitted a throaty chuckle and finally laid a hand on the boy's shoulder- only to be roughly shoved off.

The boy kept his eyes on the screen and continued dancing as though they weren't there.

The lights from the disco ball danced on everyone's surprised expressions. The leader didn't take this brush-off very well.

His face mottled crimson, his eyes popped, his tree trunk neck strained. He forced the younger boy off the platform using his wide frame, towering over him with a menacing snarl. His words were spat out with ferocity as he told him off in front of his gang. Without caring about the spit that was flying, he leaned in close to his face with a snarl for him to march outside. The boy remained as still as a cadaver and just as pallid, unblinking against his onslaught. Then with a barely concealed smirk he turned on his heels and walked away as if strolling in the park on a fine day. The leader crushed his cigarette beneath his foot, his fuse simmered and fizzed like a firework in a chill autumn breeze, then motioned his followers with a jerk of his head with unrestrained fury.

The staff from behind the desk seemed relieved they had finally left. Unlike them, I wasn't satisfied with just that. It wasn't any of my business, of course… but seeing their heated confrontation had gotten me curious. What had that boy done to have those dangerous seniors come after them like that, especially in public?

It was such a bold display that I couldn't help following them.

The night had made me feel like a river - ebb and flow - but now I remembered that nocturnal creatures were not so prudent. The voracious of beasts came to life at midnight.

"He was my little brother, you bastard," the gang leader told him in a voice cold as ice. "Hiroshi was my little brother, and you killed him. Now my mom cries every night, still thinking he'll come home with that stupid, shit-eating grin of his… dammit." He pointed at him, rage twisting his features into a hateful leer. "You don't know how long I've waited for this. Now that you're back in town there's no way you'll last long. I'm not about to pass this opportunity up!"

"Yeah, boss."

"We're behind you all the way."

"Time to put this little freak in his place."

The underdog, for his credit, didn't give any outward indication of fear. Hands shoved in his pockets, he seemed unperturbed by their intense hostility hitting him in waves. His white fur-lined hood cast a long shadow over his eyes, preventing me from seeing his face. I couldn't help wondering what kind of expression he was wearing right now. Just what was going on through his head?

He was outnumbered, trapped, and they had pushed him into the back of a corner alley so no one would rush in to help him if he were to cry out for help.

He stood at medium height, with a lean and limber build. His shoulders were hunched, and I could see the pale curve of his slender neck and the way strands of bright gold hair were pulled back towards the crown. He got into stance, however, raising his fists in front of him as he crouched close to the ground.

"Got nothing to say for yourself?" Eying him with disdain, the leader spat to the side. "So be it, punk."

The need for revenge festered in gang members' eyes, like rats gnawing at their being, relentless, unceasing; it could only be stopped by the cold steel of a rat trap, a trap they wanted to ensnare this younger boy in. Their need for revenge was like an abscess on the skin of the soul that could only be cured by the sweet taste of revenge. Bloodletting. Savage. Spiteful. A dish best served cold. Unforgiving. In a man's world, scores were only settled with the Hammurabi Code. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. These ruffians would bear a grudge until retribution was served. Settling old scores. Brutal. Callous. Satisfying. Empty. Pointless. Excessive. Mean-spirited. Their open display of bloodlust appealed to darker side of human nature: twisted and dark sense of humour.

There was stillness on both sides. If bloodlust was visible the air would have been scarlet. Then suddenly a dog fight erupted, so much force in every blow. Anger fueled their adrenaline, overriding their rationality. Senseless. Several members rained blows onto the underdog as if he meant to smash him into the very earth and his friends did the same. Each didn't just want the other dead, they wanted him smashed, obliterated, nothing left to bury.

There were no holes barred when the boy went in for the defense. He brought up his foot and connected it into his first enemy's instep, causing him to trip and go down like a tree. He pulled out hair in handfuls, scratched, bit, kicked and head-butted. Then there was the enraged scream that escaped his throat, leaving his enemies in a momentary stupor, making them more hesitant in their movements, afraid for their vital organs.

They flicked out their hand knives and formed a circle around him. They all charged at him, trying to overwhelm him from every side. A coordinated attack. The gang leader had clearly thought this through, taking advantage of the fact that he was alone, unprotected in the cover of night and out of radar from the local authorities.

At lightning speed, a tattooed delinquent got to him first and thrusted his knife towards his skull. The loner sidestepped the oncoming blow in time for him to grab the hilt and twisted it out of his grasp. Panicking, the assailant ducked for his fallen weapon but reacted too slow.

With a striking blow against his heel, the underdog knocked him flat off his feet. It didn't end there. He was on him in seconds, overpowering his struggling and grabbing him by the air before slamming him into the concrete.

"TAKA! Damn you!"

The next knife was about to come down on his skull. The boy rolled off the unconscious body and onto his feet. He sidestepped just in time to avoid an oncoming slash to his shoulder before rearing back and kicking his assailant right in the abdomen that sent him flying into two others.

Amazing…

I watched from the shadows as he took on another assailant at least two heads taller than him.

"KENYU! GET HIM!" Their leader roared, summoning a beast from behind him.

The biggest of them all was a monster. He was too big for the jacket they were wearing, but the headband on his rippling bicep was like a red flag. The veins on his head pulsed with anger as he crushed an apple in his large palm, indicating what he would do to the younger boy. With a roar, he tore up the road and charged like a mad bull. He powered all his strength into a devastating tackle that would crush him to the ground.

Rolling on top of the giant from back-to-back, the boy twisted over the heavyset load three times his size and…

FUMP!

...sent him hurling into a brick wall with such tremendous impact that it caused the mortar to crumble apart. Everyone else who wasn't the loner stopped, gaping in horror when they heard a squelching crack. The giant jerked once, twice - before slumping his knees and falling over in a boneless mass.

Sounds of choked gasps split the air. I squinted past the confusion to follow their gaze, and I was left stunned.

There was a large hole in the wall.

Now there was only three left.

The loner took a deliberate step towards them, causing them to huddle away. Their knives were raised in front of them, shaking. The leader's palms were sweating, his eyes wild with fear. No one spoke up. Mockingly, the loner cocked his head to the side. He spread out his arms in front him, dropping a knife he had stolen from one of the guys in a pacifying gesture as though he were surrendering.

No one was stupid of to think that, though.

He was giving them one chance. He was challenging them to make the first move, to maim him while he was undefended.

My heart leapt to my throat, and I hugged Ossa with all my strength, trying to keep still as much as possible. I had to cover my mouth to quiet my breathing.

Understanding his ulterior motives, the leader didn't take the bait. Instead he shouted at his fallen friends to get up, to fight. But no one moved. They were either knocked unconscious or bleeding too much to even stand. Furious, the leader turned on the person responsible for the state of his gang.

"You…! Look at what you did to them…! S-stay away, you bastard!" Turning to his final friends, he nodded towards them. "G-Guys, together then, okay?!" His friends, though sweaty and pale with fright, agreed to his orders. All at once, the leader led the charge.

The boy just stood there with his arms wide open.

Why wasn't he moving?

Just when they thought they had him, he seemed to vanish. Confused and thrown out of pattern, they spreaded out in search for him.

"What-?!"

"GUNH!"

Appearing right from under them, he drove his fists into two of them, caving their guts into their lungs. In one swift movement, he sent them hurtling into a tree. Blood ran down their heads as they slumped to the grass, completely defeated. A weak gasp came from their leader.

Finally, the loner spoke.

"What dull wits to have followed a leader whose mind isn't even half as sharp as the blade he carries…" The passing carlight fell on him at the right angle, and I finally caught a glimpse of his face. It wasn't a good look. It was brief, no more than a glance, but I would remember these fine details for the future yet to come. "He never even realized he had been the prey all along, and I, the predator." He cocked his head. "Did you really think you could catch me unaware and corner me like a pack of dogs? Anyone could have whiffed out your intentions from a mile away. You never even stood a chance."

Within the shadow of his hood, unruly gold bangs fell into his brow, skin so pale it rendered him stark against the dreary outline of the black city. He could have been mistaken for an angel if not for the fact his eyes bore a steely expression. The unpitying downturn of his lips - a warning of the executioner beneath.

"Tch…!"

"You were the ones being hunted, not the other way around."

What he showed me tonight had left such a profound impression that would be hard to forget. I breathed in slow intake of air, memorizing every detail of him in the deepest recesses of my mind.

"If you're not going to finish this manhunt… I will." His teeth flashed into a wolfish snarl, white as the moon. Beneath the coldness of his voice was something darker. It almost sounded like... savage delight?

Rushing at the leader, they met at a clash. The leader swung at him with his knife, the steel edge slashing at open air. The ring of metal echoed as he continued advancing. He kept at it, moving with vigor as he struggled to tear open the boy's throat.

"Damn it…! Hold still, and die!"

Just as he managed to brush up against him, the boy put his arm in a lock and twisted it, causing the former to scream as the latter wrenched the knife from his grip. But the leader was stubborn. Digging his heels into the ground, he threw the boy over his shoulder and was on him in seconds.

"Aha! I got you now!"

Crouching like a beast, the loner knocked him flat off his feet with a crushing stomp on his kneecap. A sick crunching noise resonated, and another piercing scream reached my ears.

In spite of the darkness hiding his face, I could see his eyes.

They were wild.

Then he dug his knee straight into his tailbone, wrestling him into the ground and-!

Crack.

Broke his leg.

"AAAHHHHHH!"

It was such a bone-chilling, agonizing scream of rage and bitter defeat that carried so many emotions even I was left shaken. My knees were shaking, about to collapse. The hairs on my neck stood erect on this chilly night. I watched as the leader dragged himself across the grass like a worm.

"Damn you… Lone Wolf… fucking bastard," the leader seethed. He crawled until he finally reached the boy, clutching at his ankle before spitting blood at his shoes. He glared at him, fury overriding the pain. "Damn you… Len!"

Without even hesitating, the Lone Wolf kicked him in the face so hard he lost two teeth. He then slumped to the ground, barely breathing and joining the rest of his gang in bitter defeat.

I was breathing hard, feeling dizzy from what I just watched. So this was what Megaton really was.

"You've been hiding there for a long time. Were you waiting for me to let my guard down for the final blow, or did you intend to betray your comrades by being cowardly like this?"

I jolted in surprise, feeling my heart stop.

The Lone Wolf was looking right at me.

"Uch...!" In seconds he was on me. He swooped at my height, grabbing me by the wrist and yanking me forward in violent fashion. I didn't have time to brace my neck as he jerked me under the dying lamplight, causing me to suffer from whiplash. I squeezed my eyes shut. I braced myself for an attack, or a barrage of questions, but none of it came.

When I dared to open my eyes, I was met with a bewildered gaze. My eyes flew to his raised fist, which had frozen in mid-air. Realization dawned on him as he stared at me. I was painfully aware of how close we were. I could feel the muscles of his abdomen pulsing against my stomach. A cold dread rendered my senses useless. I could only stand there, holding my breath.

He was going to kill me. He knew what I saw, and now he was going to make sure there were no witnesses.

A long howl broke the silence, causing him to snap out of his trance as he blinked. He raised his head in the direction of the noise with a strangely pensive expression. It looked as though he were actually listening.

Finally - his body relaxed somewhat, and he lowered his arm.

"Hmph. I have better things to do than to bother with a girl stupid enough to be walking around this late, anyway," he muttered, mostly to himself.

He let go of me, and my legs went limp. I fell to my knees, rubbing my reddening wrist. I hadn't even realized how raw it felt from his grip. I looked up to see him glaring down at me.

His eyes brought to mind shards of glass, cut directly from a blue diamond, or rather ice. Cold as the arctic, akin to staring into the heart of winter. It chilled me straight to the bones, and I felt as though I had been frozen into ice the moment I met his gaze. Those hooded eyes regarded me with contempt, a faint expression of distaste present.

The look he was giving me was one of silent warning, then his eyes drifted to a nearby pole before intentionally returning his gaze on me. He bent down towards me. Carefully, he lifted a finger to his lips as though to silence me.

It was as though he were saying, tell anyone what you saw and I'll hunt you down and skewer you on that pole over there.

Not making a sound, I nodded frantically in reply.

It was likely that I was exaggerating the implication of his threatening gaze, but somehow, that imaginary threat felt closest to the truth.

As though to emphasize his chilling message he momentarily dug his fingers into the skin of my jaw, and it took all I had not to make a sound. He was staring right through my very being and into soul. Then his fingers were off my chin, and he ran off in another direction. I got to the nearest payphone and dialed for the ambulance. He pulled himself up a nearby ledge and climbed over a fence. He was gone before I could blink.

I had already left the scene before the paramedics could arrive. It was already midnight, so I started for the mansion and decided to take a shortcut through Glacier Forest.

The woods appeared different at night. Now the forest seemed alive, with an unfamiliar slant to it. As if the daytime trees and flowers and stones had withered away and radiated ominous versions of themselves to take their places. Snow-capped mountains appeared in the distance, slumbering like giants.

And then I heard a growl behind me. I stopped in my tracks, feeling my blood freeze in my veins as I slowly turned around. It wasn't a wild dog.

It was a wolfskin.

The wolfskin was as white as the snow. His fur, short over his body and longer at the neck and ears, gleamed a smooth and shiny coat. He was rather small for his size, but his stance was confident and body muscular; this one knew how to take care of himself.

Yet there was power in his glare, an iron ferocity that told me he would never, ever back down from his course. His eyes were wild. Sharp canines were bared as his face twisted into a hateful snarl.

Well… I couldn't say animals have ever liked me, but that was by far, the saltiest look I've ever received from an animal, let alone a wolfskin.

Though, all things considering I did walk right into his territory…

Then I noticed strange about the wolf. It had blue eyes, so similar to the eyes I had seen earlier… yet somehow different. There was no recognition in those eyes.

Swallowing, I took several steps back and summoned my courage to speak. Ossa held his paws up in surrender, mimicking my pacifying gestures.

"T-There, there… that's a good wolfskin… I'm leaving right now. Okay?" I tried to smile, despite the urge to run off in the direction I came from. "I'm leaving… so you don't need to be angry… okay? I don't care about fighting…"

The wolf narrowed his eyes at me suspiciously. After watching me for a while, he stopped growling. After observing me for a while longer, he decided I wasn't worth his time and turned tail towards the mountains.

He regarded me fleetingly before heading back the way he came, further up the mountain toward the snow-line. His movements were fluid and without apparent effort; while I huffed and puffed back to the mansion, he glided across the plains.

Throwing one last glance over my shoulder, I had to wonder.

What was a white wolfskin doing all the way over in Megaton?

---

"Got a secret, can you keep it - swear this one you'll save?

Better lock it in your pocket, taking this one to the grave

If I show you then I know you won't tell what I said!

'Cause two can keep a secret if one of them is dead."

Secret, by The Pierces

---

a/n: Len and Rin finally meet! And a mysterious white wolf appears. I have been dying to have Len appear. I'm so glad it finally happened! Mysterious things happen in Megaton. How will things go for our little chevalier? Find out in the next chapter. Don't forget to add this story to your favorites and drop me a review!