Hello all, back with another chapter : D
Slowly trying to get some updates out. I'll probably finally finish Fox next then go for some AEATS. So stick around.
Light streamed through the mansion window as Chie sat on the bed in her room. Seventeen years old her face already handsome all part of the charm she'd used to survive on the streets for years with Nao and then on her own. She was still young, although inside she felt like she was very old. She had killed already. Her eyes darkened and she stood, suddenly restless.
There was a knock on the door. Chie didn't bother to answer, hoping her visitor would leave. The door swung open anyway.
"Chie, Miss Maria wanted me to check on you," came Shizuru's voice. Chie opened her mouth and then hesitated putting on a calm and cheery facade she turned to look at Shizuru.
"Its fine Shizuru, you have no need to worry about me," she chuckled, her best dazzling smile in place. Shizuru stared at her curiously, trying to judge Chie's mood. Finally she nodded hesitantly and left.
Chie sighed and slumped back into the posture she'd had before as soon as the door closed.
"Thank god she can't read me yet," muttered Chie. Suddenly the light that was streaming through the windows ended and the sunny weather became a storm.
Chie was no longer in the mansion; she was in a familiar dungeon. The man that she had feared for years, the man who her father had sold her too, was coming towards her. Terrified, she couldn't move. Before he could reach her she heard a shout and she was pushed aside roughly, before she hit the floor she saw a flash of red hair…
"Oomph!" Chie gasped as she hit the floor. She winced when pain lanced through her shoulder. Light was already streaming through the gap in the curtains, causing Chie to squint as it assaulted her eyes. There was a knock on the door and Chie frowned before clambering awkwardly to her feet. She opened it and peered at Mai, who was standing on the other side looking disapproving. Chie grinned at her.
"You slept in your clothes," stated Mai, shoving past her and entering the room, holding a basket containing her laundry. Chie rubbed the back of her head.
"Yeah, I was tired. You see to that girl yet?" she asked, as Mai dumped the basket on the bed. Mai gave her an amused glance.
"Yes, I have. I hope you don't mind but I lent her some of your clothes," Replied Mai, removing the clothes from the basket, separating them into piles. Chie yawned and lounged over to her wardrobe, pulling out a pair of jeans and a shirt.
"Wouldn't have thought my bras fitted her," she grunted, bending down to find her underwear. Mai chuckled quietly before nudging Chie aside in order to place the clothes in her wardrobe.
"It doesn't. Nobody's does, for that matter," she said. Chie raised her eyebrows and laughed, a flicker of sympathy for the girl ran through her. Mai sighed and shook her head.
"It's one of the reasons I'm not letting you near her alone," warned Mai. Chie glared at her, wondering why everyone thought she was capable of taking the advantage of a young girl.
"You should know better I wouldn't do that Mai, I thought you were my friend. Besides, Shizuru's already warned me," growled Chie, Mai frowned at her. Chie grimaced and reined her anger in. Nao's appearance and everyone's belief that she was capable of rape had aroused a part of her rarely seen.
"What's a matter, Chie?" asked Mai, slightly frightened by her long-time friend's behavior. She rarely saw Chie angry these days; of course when they'd first met Chie had been angry permanently. She shook the thoughts from her head and re-focused on Chie.
"Nothing… just… I don't know. I'll be fine once all this business is over with," sighed Chie running her hands through her hair, irritated. Mai finished putting Chie clothes away in silence, the worry lines on her face showing clearly she was still worried.
"Hey Mai, I need to talk to that girl," Chie blurted out as the redhead went to leave. Mai shrugged.
"Ok, remember to wear your balaclava, when this is over I don't need her identifying us," muttered Mai, finally leaving. Chie sighed and shut the door, before pulling off her dirty clothes. Changing into the fresh clothes she sighed, mentally reviewing the questions she intended to ask their captive.
Aoi hugged her knees to her chest and buried her face into them, calming her nerves. Besides her sat an untouched bowl of ramen. She daren't touch it in fear of it being drugged. She was already wearing some almost too big clothing. It felt rough on her chest and legs and her skin shuddered away from the texture. She sighed and leant backwards, hearing the clink of the chain attached to her ankle. She snorted, as if she could go anywhere. She'd heard the beep of an electrical lock; it probably required some sort of password; if she got it wrong she was done for as it would initiate a lockdown. That and the chain prevented her from reaching the door.
The door was opened and a masked figure stepped inside. Aoi glared at the female, who returned the glare. For a while they had a small staring contest until the masked figure broke it off with an angry movement.
"Yuuki Nao, what do you know her?" growled the women in a deep voice.
Aoi frowned, why would her kidnappers want to know about Nao, her moody cousin.
"You mean Zhang, her real name is Juliet Nao Zhang," sneered Aoi, feeling absolutely terrified on the inside. Her interrogator shifted slightly and tilted her head.
"Tell me what you know?" she demanded once again, clearly annoyed. Aoi stared at her, debating on whether she should tell her everything she knew about Nao or not.
"I said…," the woman began to yell but Aoi cut her off.
"Yeah yeah I know, you want to know about my cousin. I get it."
She shrugged.
"There really isn't that much to tell. Father's sister eloped when she got pregnant with Nao. She skipped out on an arranged wedding and went to live with the father of her child. Grandfather was extremely angry; he saw it as a disgrace to the family and disowned her. She had the child and for a few years she was okay, until her husband left her for another woman. Then her health turned poorer and then she died. Nao was left alone to be taken in by the adoption service. I'm told one of the more unscrupulous members sold her to a man. He was arrested and his captives released. It was then that my father found out she existed. It took him a couple of years to find her but he did and he brought her home to live with us,"
Aoi watched the stranger tilt her head in thought. She wondered if the stranger wanted more information and opened her mouth to offer it but was silenced by a shush.
"What happened after?" said the woman after a while.
"Well, she was accepted into the boarding school where I attended, we became good friends. She good at fighting… she even taught me how to defend myself. She always wanted to escape for the first few months. Yet Father always found her and brought her back,"
The stranger sighed and then turned to leave. She made it about as far as the door before turning.
"Eat your food, we don't need to drug you," she advised
Then she was gone. Aoi lay back on the bed, her mind scrambled at the odd encounter with her captor. Why had she wanted to know about her cousin? Had she known her before she had come into Aoi's life? Nao had never spoken about her time on the streets much, her time with that man even less, but somehow she knew this woman had a connection to Nao.
Aoi cursed and rolled over. She should have pressed Nao more, maybe then she would have some clue to who had taken her, or where she was now. She fought back tears, but a few slipped down her face.
What was going to happen to her?
"Today, Police have arrested over 64 gang members in a desperate search for the missing daughter of a local politician and community leader Governor Senou, Aoi Senou. She was kidnapped from her bed last night by armed men. Twelve people died in the assault on the Senou's family home whilst thirteen are still in hospital with critical injuries. The identity of the kidnappers, or who they work for, is unknown. Current speculation is that the kidnapping is related to the governor's recent crackdown on gangs in Wind City. The Governor made a statement earlier today about the incident…"
Nao tuned out the woman's voice and threw the remote at the wall. It shattered and she growled. Those bastards, they'd taken her cousin and closest friend. She should have been able to do something, fight them. Yet she'd been disarmed and shot. She shifted her leg a little and grimaced. Only a flesh wound that would heal up soon enough but it was a painful reminder of how she'd been unable to save her cousin from the group that had torn her away.
She closed her eyes and leant back. Taking deep breaths, she tried to calm down. Panicking or raging would not help Aoi. Rational thinking and being calm would.
Maybe she could find some people she knew from the old days. Maybe… her memory took her back, back to a cheeky grin and a short temper.
She supposed it wouldn't hurt to find Chie. If the girl was even in Wind City.
Her mind took her away from that. If Chie had street smarts she'd have joined a gang. Gangs had taken her cousin away, but then again, who better to get information on gangs from than someone in a gang. She opened her eyes and grabbed her crutches.
Her uncle had an extensive library of known gang members and their files. It would be useful for her until she was back on her feet. She made her way, slowly, down the corridor. Her crutches still awkward to use. She gritted her teeth and soldiered on.
Her uncle exited a room in front of her.
"Nao?" he said. He sounded surprised. Nao stopped to look at him.
"What?" she asked, a little breathless from the exertion. He tilted his head. He looked tired, worry showing in every part of his face. Nao felt a flicker of guilt again.
"I expected you to be out on the streets," he chuckled slightly. Nao chuckled with him, but she didn't feel it and neither did he.
"No, I have a shot up leg. I wanted to look in the files," she expected a firm no. Instead he tutted.
"The police have removed the files of all the likely offenders, but you can see what's left," He replied. He then removed a set of keys from his pocket and unhooked one.
"Here, knock yourself out," he said, offering her it. She took it and smiled at him.
"Thanks…,"
They locked eyes and her uncle nodded. Nao felt her smile become shaky and tears threaten. It was all too emotional. She pulled her gaze away and stammered a good bye before heading in the direction of the file room.
Again her mind went back to the old days. Of fighting and wandering about the city. Of stealing food and running away from cops. Sure, it seemed nice now but the mansion was good, she never went cold or hungry and apart from a misunderstanding a couple of years ago, she never had to run from the cops. She stopped and looked up.
"I wonder what it would have been like, if you had come here with me?"
Read and review plz.
See you at the next update xD