Howdy ho, future authors! I know, these updates are coming pretty fast, but I like this story. It's really turning out better than the prequel. Anyway…ONWARD TO STORYDOM!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters you've read of in Lord Vasquez's comics. I only own Trinity and Destiny. Xavier (whose coming in this chapter) and Elly are owned by Dirge for the Dead. And characters such as Gabriella and Andre own themselves.

I thought my life was ready to go up in flames. I really did. Then, came the boy with dark hair.

His name was Xavier, or so I've heard. He doesn't really talk much. Last name…I'm not quite sure. What? You think I'm going to just walk up to him and ask him?

Turns out, I had to.

I became his so-called "buddy" that had to show him around the school. Luckily, for my upbeat attitude and sometimes-bubbly personality, I knew it was going to go great.

I was wrong.

"Hi."

"…"

"I'm Trinity. "You're 'buddy' for the year.

"…"

"And you're Xavier?"

He nodded.

"Last name?"

He shrugged.

"All right mister Xavier Shrugster," I said, grinning. "You certainly don't speak much."

To my surprise, I found him smiling a little to my "Shrugster" joke, but his smile immediately faded once he glanced at my shorts.

I looked down. Great, I finally get him laughing, but I chose today to wear my only Aeropostal shorts.

"Oh," I said. "No, I got these for my birthday." I picked at the shorts. "They were the only ones in my drawer. Don't worry, I'm not one of them."

I thought he'd laugh again, but instead he turned and left. This boy was mysterious, and I wouldn't rest until I got to the bottom of him.

I felt a breeze around myself.

"Mm?" I peered with half an eye open. I was gazing up at the morning sky. The sun was just rising and it was a perfect shade of orange. Kind of like when you peel a freshly grown clementine. It smells weird at first, but when you take a bite, it's the loveliest thing you've ever eaten. That's what the sky was like. Smells foul but tastes great.

Don't ask me how I can taste the sky, I just can. It's not something I'm proud of. I guess I'm just blessed.

I suddenly remembered where I was. Who I was. I sat up, shaking the boat a bit. I squinted and saw land ahead. Not only that, I saw a Ferris wheel, and a big one at that. I don't know why, but it made me think of Trinity. My poor daughter. Alone.

A tear escaped from my eye. I quickly wiped it.

It's okay, I thought. She'll be fine. And when I come home, I'll make sure I give her enough love to make up for, how long has it been? Thirteen? Fourteen years? No matter.

And before I knew it, I was fast asleep again, trying to think of my beautiful, now teenaged, daughter. I wonder what she looks like?

I walked through the door. "Dad," I called. "I'm home."

No reply.

"Dad!"

Nothing.

How peculiar, Suffer said. Shouldn't your father be home from his business trip by now?

"He's probably caught in traffic or something," I replied. "Look, there's a note on the fridge."

And sure enough, it was a letter from dad, explaining himself.

Trinity,

Sorry I'm late. Everything in the schedule was pushed behind. I'll best be home tomorrow, at the latest.

I'm sorry, again. And I love you.

~Dad

I studied the note carefully. This didn't make sense. How could this be?

After thinking it over for a bit, I shrugged it off and went upstairs to get to my homework.

But I could shake off the thought.

How on earth could dad have gotten a note to the fridge is he's on a business trip?

Fourteen Years Ago

I loved the feeling of traveling. But doing it when you're pregnant is a very tough thing.

I'm in a small town, a little ways far from home. Tipan, it's called.

I was in a clothing store, looking for clothes for the new baby. A girl, I was told it to be.

My back was turned to the door as I felt it open and the wind blow my dyed green hair around. I turned to look at a teenaged girl walk in with her little sister I was guessing. I only spared a glance, so I didn't see any of their faces that clearly.

That was when they walked in front of me. I saw the teenaged girl's face.

Elly?

No. It couldn't be. I mean, she's got a little sister and…and is she pregnant too? No way that could be Elly.

But I couldn't seem to take my wide gray eyes off of her.

I know, I'm not one to goggle at people, but this girl seriously did look like Elly. And if I didn't know any better, I'd say she was missing an eye!

We both continued our shopping, and the girl was about to leave. That is, until the little girl she was with decided to make me the center of attention.

"Hey! Look!" I heard her say just before she and her companion left. She ran toward me and pointed at my largish stomach. "This lady is pregnant too!"

I didn't even bother to take the time to feel or look embarrassed. I looked at the older girl with wide eyes. A million thoughts lined up in my mind just waiting to coming out.

The other girl grabbed the little Lolita's hand and started tugging.

"Come on, May," she say. "We…we have to go…. Mom's waiting."

My aligned thoughts decided to take another way out. That would be my mouth.

"What's your name?" I blurted out.

"What?"

"Your name. What is it?"

She slowly turned to face me, trying to keep her head low.

She seemed to take a large gulp, but finally got out, "My name's Devi. And this is my little sister…May. Why?"

I slumped a little, feeling rather disappointed. "You just…you just look like someone I know."

"Sorry, I've never seen you before in my life," she replied, taking her younger sister's hand. "Buh-bye."

And so she left me, wide-eyed and disappointed. My life was crumbling.

Woohoo! It's done! I really want to get this posted tonight because I'm going on a field trip tomorrow and won't be home until 7 PM. So I'm just going to skim for errors. So if there are any grammer or spelling mistakes, just roll over that.

Note:

-In celebration of the new SiA CD coming out next month, I'm naming my first couple chapters after songs off the CD, We Are Born (which is the title of my first chapter). So, yeah. Just clarifying.

PLHE,

~Nikki-san