Chapter Three

„Kathy!" I run to her, still holding Kadaj. „Kathy, what happened? Why are you crying?" Did one of the Silver Haired men die? Or what? I have to know…

She just leads me to the house as if she was ignoring Kadaj. I am worried, what's gonna happen now? How will all of this end?

„My… my doll is broken" Kathy says, showing me a porcelain figure in pieces. Not to small to be unfixable, luckily.

„Oh dear… You scared the hell out of me, kid! I thought that something happened to… my brothers. Or…"

„Jerome is dead. Your pills didn't help him. But… I guess you were right, Miss Researcher. You know what your pills can do the best. Jerome is now with Mommy and Daddy, in the Lifestream. I'm sure he is happy, and watching over me."

She is such a clever child… I can't help but smile. I used to hate children, for they were stupid, naive, they didn't know many things and could cry for no reason at all, but Kathy? She was adorable, clever, seemed spiritual to me, too. Even though she was a child, and had to behave like a child sometimes. It was… natural.

„Listen… I have to put Kadaj somewhere…"

„On the couch. Jerome… is not here anymore, so your brother will be able to rest on the couch."

I nod slightly, laying him to rest. Then take his shirt off to see the wound. Even with the dose of Eden he received, he is weak. He's lost lots of blood and it may take awhile before he recovers. Even with Eden's help. The wound should be mortal, yet still… he is here, alive. I can feel his weak, tiny pulse as I hold my hand on his neck.

„Please… get well soon…" I whisper.

He doesn't answer, of course he wouldn't answer, I'm just a stranger who helped him out, why the hell would he want to talk to me, even if he had enough strength to… I'm just one of the figures he is passing by in his life, it could be anyone, anyone could… wait, how did I even get to that rooftop? I couldn't recall, as well as getting down to the ground. I did it but…. How? It just escaped my mind. Could it be that… the Monster helped us? Or should I call her by her name right now? No. Names mean that you mean something. They are a sign of you being… you. They describe you in some way. Maybe… just maybe, that's why I'm so worried about Kadaj? I know his name, he means something. He is someone worth remembering.

I walk through the living room and I put the box with the head on the windowsill, opening it once again. The creature looks like she was asleep, She is… so similar to the Three Silvered Haired Men. What if… she is the „mother" they were calling out to? Yeah… that would make sense. Of course…

I put my hand to my forehead, already feeling the fever. It's been a long day, and it's still not over yet. After a moment of thought I close the box and put it on the table, just to make sure it is safe… This creature, she was calling out to me. Just like Eden… is she the reason I… am doomed like that, not knowing rest or anything? Why was The Monster telling me to destroy her?

I have no freaking idea.

I walk to the kitchen, trying to cook something for the supper. Kathy must be hungry, if she is an orphan, now with nobody to help her… I am left to take care of her, and of the three brothers. I start singing an old song, in a language forgotten by many. When I try to recall how I learned this song, I don't know. It just… was in my head when I arrived here.

„Mom..?" I hear Kadaj's voice. He's talking in his sleep and… to be honest, I find this adorable.

I go back to cooking, although there's not much to „play" with, I try to make it as good as I can. I can imagine Kathy smiling and complimenting my food; I want to… take care of her. For the first time I'm not the warrior that struggles to get her hands on a drug but… I'm myself. But for how long? How long will it take for me to change? To leave this world? It feels me with… sorrow. I can feel it, the pain, the fear of leaving loved ones… wait. What loved ones!? I'm not even here for a single day and I… and I…

Try to have a family.

Not good. Will they… accept me like that? Can I be a good caretaker and satisfy the monster at the same time?

„Are you crying?" Kathy asks.

„No." I answer, as I notice a single tear falling down my cheek. I wipe my face. „It's just… the onion."

Kathy looks at me, her expression unsure. As if she knew, that I am lying. As if…

„Anyway, could you read me something before I go to bed?"

I turn around „Huh? Won't you eat the supper?"

„Hmm… I know! You'll bring it to my bed!" She exclaimed happily.

I sigh but don't complain. She is just a kid after all…

There was even no onion in the kitchen, not to mention… I don't know if they even grow here. Nevertheless, I prepared some food and I think it won't taste bad. At least, Kathy should like it.

„Knock, knock!" I say, entering the room. „Here's a supper for a real princess, straight to her bed!"

I smile as Kathy laughs. I can take care of her, be good. At least once.

„So, what would you like me to read to you?"

„I don't think I know. Your pick!"

I get up and take a random book. It's in a beautiful white cover, the story starts with a poem.

When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end

The goddess descends from the sky

Wings of light and dark spread afar

She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting

Infinite in mystery is the gift of the Goddess

Then, before I can even read the lines, a deep male voice completes the verses; I only stare at the lines. He knows this poem by heart.

We seek it thus, and take to the sky

Ripples form on the water's surface

The wandering soul knows no rest.

I look at him, his hair is long and face looks gentle. His appearance alone is alluring, charming. I can't help but stare for a while, without thinking I put the poem on the night table and approach him.

„Hey… I'm so glad you're awake… um…"

„Yazoo." He says, quietly. „This poem… Loveless, right?"

„Yeah… I think."

„He knew it… so they were right… we're nothing but… but…" His eyes stared to well up in tears as he looks down, clenching the blanket with his long fingers.

„Hey… Yazoo, don't cry! Oh boy… here" I wipe his tears off his cheeks, just to receive a surprised glance. „Easy now… you're safe."

„The last thing I remember… those bastards, the Turks! And the bomb… I tried to kill Older Brother, he… he betrayed us… then it… it turned out like it was suicidal attack but… I'm alive." He put his hand to his heart, probably to hear his heart beating. I know, I know how it's like… „I'm alive…"

„Yes. And the two of your brothers, too. Kadaj and…" I pointed to the unconscious one on the bed by the window.

„Loz. And, um… were you the one, who…?"

„Saved you? Yeah, I guess. Although the bomb almost killed me as well. And, You and Loz are both quite heavy by the way" I smirk, then reach out with my hand to ruffle his hair. He shies away, making me feel uncomfortable.

„But… what about the Reunion?" he asks „What about Mother…? She… she could fix everything!"

The images from my first life mix with the pictures of the head… Mother? She looks so similar… Could she really be…? No. Then if the Monster told me to destroy this head…? I should have killed them. No matter how beautiful they were, they were my natural enemies. I cannot take care of them…

„Miss Researcher? Are… are you alright?" Kathy asks, holding my hand.

„Yes… and, just call me Sin. No 'Miss' needed." I say in a calm tone. „And, about… your mother, Yazoo…" I start, though when he looks at me, I hesitate „Please, don't worry. Things will work themselves out, somehow. I promise."

I can see the sorrow in his eyes. I know I hurt him but.. that's how the things should go. We are enemies, we are meant to fight and try to kill each other… Yet he's so beautiful… Precious little thing.

„Now, you should eat something" I hand the plate with supper to him. I'm not hungry anyway, so there's no loss really „I'll go check on Kadaj and will be right back" I say as I get up and leave the room. At first I go to the bathroom and wash my face with cold water. Oh boy… It really is hard to manage. So, summing up, I'm alive for less than one day here in this world, and I already created a bond with my natural enemies and became a babysitter for a redhead orphan. Or maybe… that would make even four orphans to take care of? And it's only been one day.

I head towards the living room and check on Kadaj. The wound is still there, although Eden is working nicely... All I can do for him now is to bandage the wound and hope that he'll be alright.

„Who are you!?" he tries to take defense, maybe still not fully conscious, or just.. afraid of the stranger's touch.

„Don't move. You'll re-open the wound and you've already lost lots of blood, Kadaj. Wait for me, I'll bring you supper, okay?"

He looks surprised but can do nothing about it. I saved his life and I'm gonna take care of him.

„You should rest up now, Kadaj… here, eat something. You'll feel better."

He glances at me, suspicious. He doesn't trust me.

„And… what about Mother? What about the Reunion? Did it… fail!?"

„You don't have to worry. I'm here to help you and your brothers, Yazoo and Loz. So… please, try to trust me, at least for a while. Until you get better, okay?"

I don't get an answer from him, so the safest thing to do would be leaving him all alone in this living room. If anything happens, I'll be able to react. I don't have to worry, right? They seem so nice, I want them to be my friends.

As I enter the room I can see Kathy, already asleep and, Yazoo, covering her with a blanket.

„Aww, adorable!" I say, entering the room. „Yazoo, are you feeling alright? I mean…"

„Yes" he cuts in the middle of the sentence „I don't know what you did but… I'm fine, really. And… the supper was good, too."

I smile, now sitting next to him on his bed. I like him. Kathy is fast asleep but I keep talking to Yazoo, until he falls asleep as well. We talked about poetry and bout his dream. About 'Sephiroth', whoever he is, Yazoo claimed that his dream was indeed Sephiroth's memory, a moment taken out of his life. Well, whatever. All I cared about is to put them to sleep, and get some rest myself. All three beds and a couch were already taken, so all I could do, was to head to the living room, and… I don't know, I'll probably get some sleep on the rocking chair. By the way I go check on Kadaj, he's asleep, too. Good. I sit on the rocking chair, already half-conscious, I drift away to the land of dreams.

I find myself drifting, floating in some kind of… a lake? Although all I can rely on is the movement of the water… or whatever this is. I am paralyzed, I can't even breathe on my own. In my mouth, I can feel Eden's taste. Over me, the light shines, it's the same colour as the Eden pills. It's beautiful. I like the peace, the silence of this place, though there is something that scares me. I just know that the peace won't last long. If I were to be honest, I'd say I could feel my body dissolving into this water… or something else. But I can't even turn my head to see. From above I can see the great light, as if someone lit up the sky, it burns with fiery colours.

I can see the creature, she has the same head as the one that I found in the black box. She reaches out to me, a smile on her face… maternal smile? No… it wouldn't… or maybe? I have no idea. Whoever she is or whatever she is, she's coming closer. Extending her arms to lift my chin…

Then, the Monster appears, her cry, tearing up the sky, her claws appearing behind my back reach forth to scratch the creature's face. I can hear the cry of the creature's children. They blame me. Not the Monster who.. tries to 'protect' me, as if she never existed. As if I was the one to… hurt her, cut her head off with the Monster's claws in the end.

I think I'm awake, the first thing I see is the open box with no head inside, lying on my lap.