Hee hee, this chapter made me happy. Anyways it might seem a bit boring (compared to the last chapter anyways) So bare with me on this one. Enjoy!
This is my last disclaimer because we've already established that I don't own crescent moon.
Normal POV
It had been 2 days since Blackwall's attack. The others had forbidden Kori from getting out of bed for at least a day because of the beating she had taken. Not only had her arm been severely fractured, but a couple of her ribs were in horrible condition. It had been eerily quiet throughout the moonshine since everyone was thinking to much to talk. In simplest terms all thoughts were connected to kori.
Why did this huge guy suddenly decide to beat her to a bloody pulp? Why was she so afraid of him? What was this talk of government bases about?
The moonlight bandits all thought the same questions as they cleaned up the last of the attack.
That's right, the moonshine had received more damage than they had thought. Several tables and chairs were broken. The wall had a huge dent in it from black wall and many glasses and wine bottles had been completely shattered.
Kori winced as she slowly made her way down the stairs, watching them, her eyes were red and puffy from crying. She didn't want this to happen, this is exactly what she was trying to avoid. Everywhere she went that hadn't been intended as a foster home…Blackwall destroyed it.
"Kori what are you doing up?" Mahiru said in a worried tone. She walked over to Kori, Akira doing the same.
Kori couldn't look at them. She stared at the floor, her bangs hanging even more in her face. How could she face them when she was the one to cause all of this?
She walked past them to get the white board.
I'm sorry She wrote.
"Your sorry?" Mahiru repeated. The others paused from what they were doing and listned interested.
if I had left before Blackwall found me none of this would have happened, it's my fault. I wrote once more feeling my heart sink with each word.
"No kori, its not your fault!" Akira exclaimed as he read my message.
"That's right," Nozomu agreed.
No, it is my fault, I knew Blackwall would come looking for me at some point. She argued (with the board) I knew I should have left as soon as possible so all of this could be avoided.
She gripped the board tighter, this was it, this is where it always goes downhill. She thought back to the last time she had run away. Blackwall had found her at the refuge she as staying at, she told the residents that she knew he was coming, and there reaction was…
You knew!? Get out! We never want to see your pitiful face around here ever again! You here me!
That's how it always was, and that's how it will be this time.
"Kori…" Mahiru started
Kori winced getting ready for them to blow up. She only felt herself yelp with surprise when Mahiru flicked her on the nose. Kori held it bewildered and stared at Mahiru.
The others sweat dropped and looked at her as well.
"Kori Itikashi, do you have any idea how worried we were about you?" She asked firmly, almost like a mother, lecturing her child.
"Who was worried?" Mitsuru muttered, but Nozomu elbowed him in the ribs so he shut up.
Mahiru continued, "You say Blackwall would have found you anyways so in a way despite the damages im glad he found you here."
Kori stared up at her in complete shock and looked around seeing the others nodding in agreement (Okay this time Mitsuru didn't XD).
"If he had found you in some ally somewhere, Kori, then no one would have helped you, and Blackwall could've hurt you a lot more than he did, or worse!" Mahiru cried as Kori (still holding her nose) looked at her completely dumbstruck.
"Kori, the broken and glasses can be replaced, and the wall can be fixed but if he had killed you then we wouldn't have been able to fix that (very easily anyways)." Misoka added.
Kori blushed and looked at her feet. T-there glad he found me here? But t-they could have been killed themselves if he had found out they were demons too. I-I didn't expect this…
"But you know Kori…" Nozomu started, "It would help a little if we knew more about you."
Akira bobbed his head up and down , "Yeah, like why was this psychopath attacking you in the first place?"
"And why was he talking about government bases?" Misoka added.
She stared at her feet. Should I tell them? She thought. She was about to make a decision but Mahiru cut her off.
"Just tell us how all of it started, up to this point Kori. We aren't angry with you, we just want to help you."
Where have I heard that before? Kori thought in her head sarcastically, but, why do I suddenly feel like believing everything they say? Maybe because they were the first ones not to blowup when they heard the truth about Blackwall. Never the less…
There's a lot to explain. Shescribbled across the board.
"We'll listen…or read in this case." Akira said tilting his head to the side.
Kori thought about, they really want to know. I guess I owe it to them, ill tell them. she decided
Alright She wrote.
"Hmmmm. Maybe we'll just get you a piece of paper and you can write it down like an essay. That way you can go upstairs while we read it, you still don't look so good." Nozomu pointed out.
He was right too, since Kori was hurt she was pushing her body just standing there. It was making her very tired and all she really wanted to do was sleep. (and that's saying a lot since she normally hates sleeping.)
Kori nodded her head reluctantly and Misoka got a piece of paper for her.
About twenty minutes later she finished and handed it to Mahiru.
"Okay Kori, just go upstairs and rest for a while and I'll come get you later." She said, acting like a big sister again.
Kori nodded and trudged up the stairs tiredly.
After she was gone, Mahiru sat down and began to read the paper aloud.
"I suppose it started with my grandmother," she read. "She was one the only other phoenix in my family before me. She married my grandfather, a human, without telling him she was a phoenix. Later on they had my father, Takoro Itikashi, who grew up to be the head of a giant government organization."
"Her father?" Akira repeated interested.
Mahiru nodded and continued reading. "He got married to my mother, Sonomi, and not long after had me. But my parents were confused. I was born with red hair, while everyone else in our family except my grandmother had black hair. But me and grandmother had red hair because of our phoenix blood. My grandmother decided it was time to tell them our secret, but they didn't take it as well as she hoped."
Mahiru gulped slightly, guessing what happened next. "My grandfather had died disappointed while my mother remained a complete wreck for years. There was times when I was completely shunned from my parents, up until I was about four. That's when mother died. And father got mad at me. He said it was my fault for being born a beast, and ruining my mothers life."
"That's not fair!" Mahiru shouted when she finished reading. "Kori couldn't help being born a phoenix and neither could her grandmother!"
"Unfortunately princess," Misoka started, "that's the type of thing demons face nowadays, even if we cant help being born demons, it makes no difference to some humans."
Mahiru sighed sadly and continued. "After about a year, my father took me and my grandmother to a government base were his organization meets. My father never told me or grandmother what type of organization he had, but we soon found out."
Akira leaned in as he listened, like a little boy who was getting to the good part of a story.
"It was a place were they harvested phoenix tears and feathers for medical supplies." Mahiru ended bitterly
Everyone looked up sharply at this news.
"They killed my grandmother to get her feathers. My father killed his own mother."
Mahiru choked when she read the next part. "And shortly after they were finished with me, my father sent me to foster homes until he needed me again. Whenever I got to a family that didn't care if I was mute or not he would take me back to the base again. I've tried to runaway many times but my father only has to send Blackwall after me and I'm back were I started. That's pretty much what happened here. Unfortunately he tends to leave damage when he comes. And more people get hurt."
They all looked down sadly as Mahiru put the paper down. "That's all she wrote." She mumbled quietly
It was deathly quiet for a while until Akira spoke.
"So Kori hasn't really had a real home, has she?"
Mahiru shook her head, So that's why she wanted to leave. She didn't want us to get hurt by Blackwall and she didn't want to go back to that awful place. And what's up with her father?! How could he do that to his own mother? His own daughter too?!
Mahiru stood up abruptly, startling everyone else in the room. She marched up the stairs and a few minutes later dragged down a very confused , and slightly drowsy Kori.
"Sorry to wake you up so fast Kori." Mahiru started as she placed Kori in front of everyone else.
"But I had something I wanted to say to you."
Kori nodded confused and looked at everyone else.
Mahiru huddled with the others for a moment, discussing something and Kori saw them nod their heads in agreement.
Mahiru turned and looked firmly at Kori, making her nervous.
"Kori, you pointed out in your paper that you've been jumping around from place to place, you haven't had a real home really."
Kori blushed embarrassed and shook her head no. She peered up at Mahiru shyly to see her smiling from ear to ear.
"Well you do now Kori Itikashi!" She yelled when her and Akira attacked her in a hug.
Kori looking severely confused and stared at all of them.
Akira grinned, "Were gonna be your new family Kori!"
Mahiru smiled, "Were not gonna let your father, Blackwall, or anyone push you around anymore. Were gonna protect you."
Kori blinked a few times soaking everything in before smiling, not a microscopic one, but a true smile.
Everyone else smiled too in relief, seeing Kori accepted the idea.
"And Kori?" Mahiru continued and Kori looked up at her curiously.
Mahiru smiled, "I want to help you talk again too. It doesn't have to be now or even soon, you can take your time finding your voice again, but I still want to help you find it okay?" She asked
Kori blushed and nodded shyly as Akira and Mahiru suffocated her in a bigger hug.
Home…I'm home now.
Ehehehe. Hope the ending wasn't too sappy for ya. And sorry if this was a bit confusing, just ask questions in a review and ill try to answer them. But like I said before it made me happy. And we even got to learn more about Kori's past! Wow it took me a while to brainstorm the whole thing. But I did it and that's what counts! Next chapter is gonna be funnier than they have been I promise.
Misoka: Please remember to read and review.