Zelda awoke in darkness.
Of course, that wasn't something unusual lately. She had begun to despise the light kept her room perpetually night. Stinging nerves sent her brain a message that she was still injured. Weakly she reached over to grip her throbbing arm.
The door creaked open, a sliver of golden beams cut through the undisturbed, lightless room. A familiar head popped in, "Oh, you're awake!"
"Yes, Professor," she slowly turned her head in his direction.
The dark, wavy haired man with an unlit pipe hanging from his mouth entered. He carried a small candle in with him. Sighing he set it down on a small table, the only other object there besides the bed. "Zelda-san. If I weren't me, I would ask you how you came by that wound. But, I know very well the shape of the bullet that nearly took your arm." She looked away at his words. "Does it hurt even more now that you've seen-"
"Stop!" She winced.
He sighed again, "Very well. I won't say anymore but it isn't good to hold everything in. Anyway, if you want someone to listen to you later on, people have told me I would have been a great shrink!"
Not long ago she might have smiled and thanked him but instead she sat up in her bed, "Professor, my arm will be fine by the time 'that' comes around. I'll be able to finish that job efficiently."
"You really shouldn't push yourself like that. It's not healthy for you; you'll only ruin your body more."
"Thank you," Zelda whispered, beginning to feel the effects of seeing Tres once again.
He noticed what was going on and decided to quietly slip out of the room. Memories flooded her mind although she was unwilling. In the forefront was the one that reeked havoc in her dreams, turning them into nightmares. It was of the night they left. When he left. When she died, never to reawaken fully as before.
Zelda swatted at her ruined, tattered white hem of her nun's habit. "If only you hadn't gotten caught on that fence post and that carriage and in that dog's teeth, I wouldn't be two hours late! Lady Caterina will have wondered if I died and lost all the papers I just copied."
Gazing up into the twinkling night sky she smiled in spite of herself. In was a nice night, a quiet night. It was so silent without anyone else around. Yet when she reached the corridor to her superior's office her pleasant feelings evaporated. She should have met up with someone by then.
At that moment her tovares appeared out of the Duchess' office. She laughed in relief, "Ah! Thank goodness! I'm so glad to see you Tres! For some strange reason I had been a bit scared back there… Tres?"
He stopped in front of her but didn't do anything, not even look at her.
"…Tres?"
He raised his gun up to her face. Shock, confusion and fear shot through her. He stated, "We are no longer partners. We are enemies. Positive. Do not follow me or I will eliminate you."
As her brain was trying to comprehend this, her instincts awakened. She ducked and ran past him but only far enough to barely nudge the door handle.
The door opened half an inch, revealing a small glimpse of Lady Caterina. Her long, streaming, blonde curls were free of the garnet Cardinal hat she usually wore. The duchess' eyes slid over to glance at the young nun.
Zelda felt the sharp jab of Tres' gun hitting against her head. Everything went black and her life, as she knew it, changed.
She curled up into a tight ball, the feelings of being hated caused shortness of breath. Clutching her heart she tried to think of better things. Images of distant fun and laughter flickered in her mind. Closing her eyes, she decided to let one come.
"Tres!" smiling pink lips called his name.
Abel, Leon and Tres were at the end of the corridor. Turning, the priest with the silver, shining hair asked, "What is that you have in your hand Zelda-san?"
She held it up, "It's a bouquet of flowers! They're for Tres! It's Valentine's Day and I hear you have to give the person you love, roses."
Leon, the community service priest, stared down at her. "Uh… kid, that's what the guy is supposed to do. Not the girl."
"Oh," Zelda glanced sadly at the bouquet. Gunslinger reached down and took the flowers from her hands. He took one out and gave it back to her. Her smile returned when she understood what he was doing.
Leon muttered, "Tch, what a cheap guy. Giving the girl a flower that she bought."
"At least she's happy with it. Not all girls are like the ones you date," Abel watched them.
"Oh? You mean like- Ester?"
He choked on the air he was breathing, "I didn't mean her! And I've been meaning to talk to you about that…"
The smallest smile appeared on Zelda's face, but it was soon replaced by tears that never ceased when she was alone. "Tres…" she whispered into her wet pillow, allowing the pain to swallow her whole.