Running through the woods, panting heavely, a girl about thirteen swiftly moved through the trees; continuosly looking back behind her, afraid that the voices from the people would catch her. Scrambeling up a tree, she watched on as three, fairly large men, stoped beneith her, look around, then continue running forward, unawhere that she sat upove their very heads. Swinging down, so that she hung from her knees, she watched as they disapered into the sunset; their heavy footsteps still crushing threw the brush. Hopping fully down, she turned right and ran, only stopping when her legs would no move. Falling down under a tree, she listened closely around for yelling, footsteps, or the bagying of the hounds; yet upon hearing nothing, she slowely let the adrenelin drain from within her, causing her to become drozed, then finallyfall into a restless asleep.
Surounded by darkness, screams of agony surrounding her, the girl clutched her ears, trying to block the sound, yet it helped not a bit. She could feel herself falling, yet could not see it. A sudden slam against the floor and a light slowely brought her surounding into focus.
"Katrina, what are you doing on the floor, get up or I'll have to punish you..."
Anger welling inside of her, she spun around to face the voice, only to come face to face with a shadowy face.
"No!" She screamed as loud as her small frame allowed her too.
Stepping back, the body looked on with discust and fear. "Wh...What are you?!"
Lifting up her hands, she saw then began to change size; into an older, more feminin type.
"Freak!" His shrill voice brought her frightened gaze back up to him.
"Get away from here you monster!" He thrashed out with a hand, managing to slap her face and snapping her head away.
Gasping, she felt more fear well up inside of her. Only, it felt like it wasn't her; a different mind taking over her body's control as she moved.
"No! Get away!!!!"
As her body jumped, the light closed around her, and screams of torture rang threw it. Then, as the lighy began to filter back into her veiw again, she looked down to see the bloody corpse lying in a mangeled manor infront of her; gashes over his body, and a pitch black fether with a water blue tuff on top lying upon his tworn cheast. Lifting up her hands, a sighlent scream erupted from her parted lips as she saw them; covered in a glistening blood.
Snapping opening her eyes, Katrina stared weirly at the ground, a feeling of nasuia moving threw her body as a limp hand went to her bruised cheek involentarly; a cold sweat dripping off her fingers.
"I...I actually k-killed a person..." Her choked voice sounded alien to her own ears. Glancing down, she stared in shock at the few leaves around her, more fethers littering the ground where she liad, each with the blue tuff upon the top.
'Not you... Me...' An erie voice rang through the young child's mind; her eyes going to small, frightened pin-points. Frantically looking around, Katrina watched the swaying trees, snow falling from them and landing softly on the root base.
"Who's there?" Her voice trembled in fear at the possibility of being captured and being taking back to that domain she was forced to call home.
'Not who my dear... You...'
Bolting up, Katrina began to run frantically trying to escape the voice.
"Go away!" She screamed to no one in particular as trees passed her in a blurr.
'I can't...'
Tripping over a stump, she landed face first into the snow, her hands slowely curling into fists crushing the powdery white benith them. Whimpering, she said, "Go away... Please..."
A little more asertivness came from the eire femini voice; almost sounding like a fallen angle's. 'Like I said, I can't leave... I am you!'
"What do you mean... Why are you talking to me?!"
'Because, I am your alter ego, kept hidden my a mage's power until your thirteenth year in this world. Name's Kiva, you better get used to it...' The freindly tone shocked Katrina slightly as it chuckled lightly.
Slowely sitting up, Katrina began to tentavly rub her head, a small scratch running across the bridge of her nose. "I don't care, please, just stop..."
'Sorry, can't help it... Now come on, a town is close to this place, I feel it...'
Screaming out, Katrina gripped tightly to the tatterd rags of her small dress. "No! I-I can't go to the world outside... I'm a murderor..."
Kiva merely sighed a small laugh to the shocked child. 'Stop killing your self... I did the murdering, you just where there when the killing was done. And don't lie, I know for a well fact that you wanted him dead... Now move, or I'll take over again...'
Standing briskly up, Katrina brushed the snow off her tworn dress, noticing the few patches of green grass lying underneith.
'Spring is almost here...isn't it...' Kiva's question sounded almost like a normal thing in her abnormal life.
Nodding, she bagan her way towards the town, a feeling of guilt mixed in with pleasure running threw her veins.
Slowly cracking open her eyes, Katrina eyed the small trees suronding her, their bright leaves all mushed together. It had been about all of three months since she had escaped, and now had ended up in a small town on the beach. Her favorite place was near the park, where she would doze off, hidden up in the leaves. Never though would she hang around the beach, to many people and too much sun. For a reason though, she had fallen asleep on the ground that night, and now was begining to regret it. The only reason she had survived this far was due to Kiva, as she clamed herself. For in an odd enough reason, was surper powerful when it had come to looting stuff. Aperently, there was already a "master" theif living there, so Katrina made sure that Kiva didn't get in their way, unwanting to cause trouble where it was not to be needed. In those past months, her attitude had grown cold and distant; not a smile or hint of joy ever appered from her. Her partner, Kiva, seemed to notice this and began to steal more and more, finding it easyer to have her way in the matters.
Now they sat under a fairly large willow tree, cursing in eachother's minds, and face to face with a boy with bright red hair and eyes.
"Hey, you lost?" His voice sounded curriouse and innocent at the same time.
Standing up, she brushed off her dress, making a mental note to steal a new one, and began to walk off. "Leave me alone boy..."
"But..." He had caught up to her and placed a hand upon Katrina's sholder. "You look terible...please just come with me so I can help..."
Spinning around so that her blue eyes locked onto his red ones, she searched his face for a reason to trust him. "For clothing and food only..."
'Katrina... Don't do anything stupid, or we'll both be up shit river with out a paddel...' Kiva purred lazly in her mind, causing Katrina to roll mental eyes.
'I know, I know...'
Smiling, the boy took her by the arm and began running off, Katrina behind him with an emotionless face.
Running up to a house, Katrina saw a man lazely walk out of it, still in his pjs, grab the paper, then eye the two running up to the house. "And who might this be Dai? Another girl friend?" He was smirking as he slurred it.
"Dad!" Poor boy was as red as a tomatoe.
Brushing past him, the boy draged Katrina in after, and she swore that the man's eyes stared at her the whole time.
'Nice guy... Kind of creepy though if you ask me...' Kiva snickered out from her little corner of her mind.
'Well I didn't, now did I...' Katrina could feel her patience in her partner dwindling quickly.
'Quick on the tounge today, aren't we Katrina?' She was smirking, Katrina could just feel it.
'Shut up Kiva...' Was her final snap back.
Pulled into what looked like a kitchen slash family room, Katrina eyed a light purple haired woman working in the kitchen; as well as another on sitting at the table, only with brown hair reading letters.
Looking up from the mail, the woman's eyes glazed over when she saw Dai leading in Katrina, yet quickly lost what ever was there when the full profil of her walked in threw the doors. "And who's this Daisuke?" She chirped through her surprise at her son.
"Uhmmm... What was your name again?" He laughed nervously at Katrina looking utterly clueless; her expression twitching slightly at that.
Looking up, she once more gazed into those red eyes, sencing a hint of evil burried under kindness. "I never gave it to you to begin with...Katrina... Nothing more, nothing less..." Her tone was slightly cold, causing Kiva to smirk again.
Once more, the woman's eyes widened. Then she jumped up and ran over, pulling Katrina into a tight embrace.
Letting out a surprised yelp, Katrina looked over the woman's shoulder, frozen in shock. 'W-What is she doing?' She stuttered out to Kiva in pure shock.
'No idea Kat...'
Next to them, Daisuke looked on in shock. So he merely spoke to himself, well, what most would think as himself. 'Uhmmm, what the heck is going on here?'
It merely whispered back in a confused manor, 'Don't know Dai... Don't know...'
Breaking the embrace, the woman looked over Katrina carefully, taking in every patch and tare in the dress. "Oh dear, can you tell us where you live honey?" Her kind question sent a blow to Katrina's conciousness. So she just stared blankly past the woman's shoulder, Kiva sighing in the back of her mind.
"Mom..." The boy got a glance from Katrina through the corner of her eyes. "I don't think she live near here..."
"Well then! You'll just stay here!" She chirped happly to Katrina.
Steping back, Katrina looked on with a confused face, one arm across her cheast, the other thrown behind her. "Wh-WHAT!?"
"And I don't take no, for an answer!" Grabing Katrina's arm, Daisuke's mom draged her upstairs, a shocked look plastered all over Katrina's face. "Come, I'll give you a small dress of mine, might be big on you though..." They then disapeard behind her door, while Daisuke looked on in confusion.
Having fifteen minutes pass, Katrina was finaly freed back down the stairs by Daisuke's mom; now fully adorned in a pale blue sun dress, a belt tightly straped to her waist for it was to large.
"Now honey..." Her seriouse tone caused Katrina to look up at her with her blue eyes. "If you don't have a place to live... You'll be staying here..."
Being the tackiful 13 year old she was, Katrina put on the innocent act and blinked up at the woman. "But... I don't whish to be a burden, I'll just show myself out..."
Scoffing, Kiva just glared out at the woman from her little seat. 'Yhea, leaveing is good Kit... Otherwise, we'll be in trouble...'
'Shush!'
Now it was Daisuke's turn to pipe in. "Now hang on! I'm not going to let a small child wander around the streets alone... You can have my room! I'll sleep on the couch here..."
Turning around, Katrina gave Daisuke a death glare, hoping that her anger was readable in her eyes. "I'm...not...LITTLE!!!! I'm thirteen for your info... Fourteen next month!"
From the shock of her yelling, Dai had fallen over the back of the couch he was leaning against, and was now peeping up over the rim, clearely shaken.
"How ironic! You'r only two months younger than Dai!" Looking up, Katrina stared at Mrs. Newa's happy face due to her obnoxiouse cirpping, then back to him.
"Y-Yhea..." Daisuke started to stutted out in fear of being yelled at again. "But listen... You still are going to stay here... We Newas don't take no..."
Scratching her hair line, Katrina decided not to argue any more. "Fine... But why your room? You have a couch... I'll take that instead..."
"No... Dai has a bunk bed, you can sleep there." Her sugestion was more of a comand at her son, who merely shrunk back down behind the couch.
"Do you want top, or bottem?" He managed to say before getting yelled at again.
"Oh come on Daisuke! Let her have the top!"
Squeeking, he stuttered his answer again. "O-Okay mom!"
'This family creeps me out...' Kiva merely stated with wide eyes watching the family.
'You can say that again Kiva...'
Standing on the balcony of Dai's room, Katrina stared out over the ocean watching the peacful wave lap against the sand below. Dai's mom was currently occupying herself by making up the top bunk bed, and Daisuke was on the computer doing something "important".
Sneeking over, Katrina peered over his shoulder, sighlently reading the web page with Dai about a failry rare item called the "Fire diamond". Apperently it was a golden ring with a large ruby embeded into it, there also was a rumor that it held powers.
'How I wish to get my hands upon that jewel!' Kiva was practially druling and fighting against her mental bonds to touch the screan.
Snapping back, Katrina held a strick mental face. 'Kiva! Control yourself for once!' "Daisuke? What are you doing?" She asked with simple curriosity, laughing later at the result.
Jumping up, Dai covered the computer with his hands, atemting to cover up the page he was on. "N-Nothing!"
His mental side merely sighed at his partner. 'Dai... Just stop, she was reading it way befor she questioned you...'
He pulled a mental crying face. 'Crud...' Sighing, he let his hands slowely slide off of it, once more reviling the text. "It's nothing important..." Pressing the button, the screen was imidiatly engulphed into darkness, yet the computer still hummed on. Walking over to his mom, Dai plopped down on the lower bed and put his hands under the red mess of hair.
Again that annoyin chirp came back causing Katrina to mentaly cringe. "All done!"
Peering out from under it, Dai looked up as Katrina slowly climbed the ladder up to inspect it.
She then cirrled up like a cat would before glancing back at Mrs. Newa with that stone face again. "I like it... Thank you Mrs. Newa." Flexing out, Katrina turned on her side so that her back was to the wall, and now was peering into Mrs. Newa's amberish eyes.
"You're welcome! Dinner will be done soon Dai... Remember to feed With tonight as well..." Dear god, if she was going to live here, that happy tone MUST go.
"Yes mom..." Thankgod atleast someone was mellow in this family.
Smiling, the woman walked from the room, her pants slightly draging on the floor boards.
Hopping down gracefully from the bed, Katrina landed on the floor like a cat would, stood up, and went over to the balcony again.
"You like the view I guess..."
Looking over her shoulder, she saw Daisuke stand up and walk over to her; ending right next to her, his red eyes glancing out at the ocean. "You know, there is supposed to be a hidden land supposidly around here..." He paused to sigh slightly. "No one has ever gotten to it though... They saw the castle is supposed to have an ocean veiw like this, only grander. But, what do you expect... The people living there are royal! Of course they'll have a better veiw than this crummy balcony..."
Turning her head around, Katrina peerd into his red eyes, which where still looking out over the ocean, and odd softness to them.
"So..." He mummbled out lightly against his hands. "You turn fourteen next month eih? What day exactly?"
"Uh... the 20th..." Looking back out over the ocean, Katrina watched a few seagulls fly around the water, their wings beating up and down in rythem.
'Nice place...' Kiva was half away as she mulled on about the sea, which she had first now seen having stayed far from the beaches."
'Yha...'
"Daisuke, Katrina, dinner!" That annoying chirp again!
Spinning around, Katrina looked at the door, pondering weither to move, or stay here and fade away into the nothingness of the quiet.
"Come on, I'll introduce you to everyone else!" Befor Katrina could argue though, Daisuke had grabed her hand and was running down the stairs, Katrina having no choice but to jog after him.
Standing infront of the table, Katrina eyed the people seated there, a tade of nevrosness residing in her figure. Smiling innocently, Daisuke pointed to an old man, then to a man seated next to him; Katrina reconising him as the one they bumped into this afternoon.
"This is my grandpa, yes, he does live with us."
The old man snickered lightly to his young grandson. "You say it like you don't wan't me here Dai!"
"N-No! It's not like that!" Poor Daisuke was wide-eyed and stuttering; Kiva snickering evly in her mind. "Then, the guy next to him is my dad." Then, only soft enough for her to her, Daisuke mumbeled something under his breath, blushing slightly as he said it. "Which we met earlyer..."
Letting out a nerviouse laugh, Katrina looked down at the floor boards, not beliving what she just did. In her mind, Kiva was looking off into space, a puzzled look upon her face. Her partner never smiled, let alone laugh!
Scratching his head sheepishly, Daisuke pulled out a chair for her, then sat down next in the ruby cloth covered seat beside her's. A weight in her lap caused Katrina to look down, see a fuzzy thing, scream, then tip the chair over, landing harshly on the ground.
"Katrina!"
Rushing over, Mrs. Newa helped her up, Daisuke was currently hunting benith the table for something.
"There you are you little trouble maker!" Sitting up, Dai knocked his head upon the table and fell down on his butt, frantically rubbing his head. "Owowowowowowowowow!"
Standing up still rubbing his head furiously, Daisuke squinted at Katrina, an impish simile upon his lips; a fuzzy creature seated in his arms. "This, is With... Don't let his cute nature fool you though. He can be quite...well you just saw it first hand. And guard your food when he is near. One wrong move and it's gone like that." He then snapped his fingers together with his free hand and the two sat back down laughing lightly. Well Daisuke wa laughing, Katrina was merly nodding at him.
As a woman with bright purple hair came out of the kitchen, she placed the food down on the table, then backed up and bowed.
"Hello Miss! My name is Toa. Are you Master Daisuke's new girlfriend?"
Almost falling backwards again, Katrina grasped the table to keep from moving, Daisuke spitting out the drink he had.
"NO!" They both shouted in unison at the woman.
Looking at each other, Katrina and Dai let out a set of small laughs. Confused, Toa eyed Katrina, pondering who this could possibly be.
"Toa..." Looking up from his plate, Mr. Newa glanced at the violet haired woman carefully. "This is Katrina... She'll be staying here with us from now on."
Smiling, Toa bowed and went back to the kitchen, the clattering of dishes soon reaching the table.
Doing his best to avoid the awkward silence that had soon befallen the table, Daisuke handed Katrina a pair of chopsticks grinning. "Here. Try it, Toa's cooking rocks!"
Nodding, Katrina took a small amount of the steaming noodles infront of her and put them on her plate; then upon taking a small bite. she let a wide grin come across her lips before diving in for more.
"Good isn't it?"
Nodding, Katrina continued shoving food into her mouth. "So good!!"
Leaning back in the chair,she stared up lazly at the light above their heads, feeling the effects of a full stomach and three months of hiding mulling together. Without moving her head, she glanced back down at Mrs. and Mr. Newa softly takling to eachother and spoke. "Do you mind if I go to bed?"
Looking up from the table, Dai smiled at her kindly, causing Kiva to sigh once more.
"Sure! Now that you mention it... I'm tired as well... Night mom" He scrambled up the stairs after the already dissapearing Katrina, and slammed the door to his room shut. Once there, he began digging threw his draws, occasionally throwing articles of clothing out onto the floor. "Ah ha!"
Pulling out a pair of shorts and a top, Daisuke handed them to her before watching her blink and leave the room; coming back fully dressed even if the clothing was a tad to big for her.
"Now, before I let you sleep off my question, you never told me the exact day next month your birthday is..."
Putting a hand up, Katrina ran it lazly threw her umbery hair. "October 20th... wait! I did to already tell you!"
Yet Daisuke had jumped into bed and pulled the covers over his head his shoulders gently heaving up and down causing Katrina to presume he was asleep.
"Boys..."
Climbing the stairs, Katrina lay atop of the covers, her fingers reaching out to the side to flick off the switch plastered onto the wall. Weight upon her chest caused Katrina's eyes to drift down and see With sleeping upon it in a small ball.
'How cute!'
Raising an eyebrow to no one in particular, Katrina pulled a fake horror face to her partner. 'Did that just come from you, Kiva?'
'...SO!?' The aqua haired demon snapped back before retreating to her quiet mental corner.
Smiling, Katrina gave With's head a quick rub, then rested her arm drapped across her eyes; sleep slowly falling onto her. For the first time ever, she was actually able to sleep easy.