They called themselves The Children of the Gate. I guess technically I was one of them. Children was the right word, when it came to describing us. With not one of us having full memories, we had to work together to string along the remnants of the past. We were once humans, then beings from the Gate: contractors and dolls, and then something happened, and we all changed.
After the night I met Hei, he brought me to the headquarters of the CoG. He handed me over to a sleepy-looking redhead and promised she would take care of me.
"I'll be seeing you around, Yin," he said before disappearing. The woman in charge of me introduced herself as Scarlet. She said it wasn't her real name, but she needed to be called something, so why not that? I watched Hei walking away, and she smiled.
"He's an interesting contractor, that's for sure. Try not to get too involved with him, though. He'll break your pretty little heart," she said. I feigned ignorance. I couldn't explain to her just what I was feeling right now. The pain of losing my life, of the weeks spent in the streets, of whatever was happening to me now. Or maybe I just didn't want to explain it to her. I wasn't ready to feel all of these new things that kept popping into me. It was like my heart was moving for the first time.
"I'm just happy to have a clean place to sleep," I answered quietly. She stepped back and assessed me. Even this late at night and in her dressing gown, she was gorgeous. She held the type of beauty that only older women can have. She felt... safe.
"Speaking of clean, we should get you scrubbed up before anything else. I'd kill that bastard for bringing you in at this time of night, but I won't be getting back to sleep now, anyway. Follow me."
She led me into the depths of the large old mansion that the Children had claimed. The wallpaper inside was shredded and faded, and abandoned furniture littered the hallways.
"How did you get this place?" I asked. Ahead of me, Scarlet shrugged.
"It used to be a brothel until the owner was in some kind of accident. We took it over. Some of our members still pose on the street to keep up the illusion so that we can be safe," she said. It seemed complicated to me. I had a hundred more questions about how the group worked, made money, and what their ultimate plans were, but it was late and quiet, and I didn't want to wake anyone else up.
She led me up sets and sets of winding stairs, each landing leading off into another wing of the house. Finally, we reached the top, where there was a large bathroom. She turned on the lights, and I was surprised to see how white and clean it was inside. She sauntered over to the pristine bathtub and began running the water, filling it with pink, sudsy soap from a silver container.
"Get yourself cleaned up, and leave your clothes in that hamper over there. We'll get you some new clothes that suit you better. I'll leave the light on in the bedroom across the hall. That one will be yours. There are towels in the closet and I'll leave a dressing gown out for you on your bed for you to sleep in."
I nodded, and as the heat from the tub water filled the room, I couldn't help the tears rolling down my cheeks. I didn't want Scarlet to see, but she rushed over to me and wrapped me in her arms. She smelled so good, it made me feel even dirtier. "Why are you crying, sweetie?" she asked.
"I'm... glad," I replied. I was. In one night my life had changed from solitary street wanderer to warm water and clean clothes. It was overwhelming. Scarlet kissed me on the forehead before leaving the room.
"I'll send someone up to get you for breakfast. For now, just get yourself clean and get some rest," she said.
I stripped off my clothes and threw them in the hamper. It felt relieving to get rid of them, like shedding old skin. I couldn't help but stop and stare at myself in the mirror. It wasn't just the grime that shocked me, but how much my body was changing. Even though my frame was still thin as ever, my breasts had grown larger, and were now round and plump, and my hips had curves added to them. I no longer looked like a little girl.
I lowered myself into the hot bath, ignoring the initial burn of water until my skin tingled with pleasure. I scrubbed myself squeaky, washed the dirt from my hair and face, and let myself finally relax. The water felt like a second skin, like it was so natural to just... be a part of it.
I had no idea how much my life would continue to change. This was just the beginning.
I woke with the sun, feeling light and refreshed even after such a short sleep. I hadn't realized how sore my back was from sleeping on the ground until now. After my bath, I'd fallen asleep right away, not bothering to shimmy on the nightdress at the end of the bed. I laid there a few minutes, absorbing what was happening to me. The promise of breakfast made my stomach rumble.
I stood up and shook off my blankets just as a knock rapped my door. I was just about to call out when the door creaked open. I let out a scream as I tried to cover my body. When I looked up, Hei was standing in the doorway, gaping at me, mouth open and cheeks flushed red. We stood there a moment in shock before he whirled around and slammed the door behind him.
"I apologize. I thought you would still be sleeping," he called through the door. Blushing, I quickly grabbed the nightgown at the edge of the bed and slipped it on. It was hardly better than being naked; it was short and slightly transparent, but it was far less humiliating than what had just happened. I sighed before deciding to toss a blanket over my shoulders as well.
"It's okay, it was an accident. Come in," I called. The door slid open slowly this time, and Hei's eyes didn't dare pass over me. He was cute with his pink cheeks and eyes on the floor. I giggled a little, and he forced on an embarrassed smile. "You know, it's only fair that it's your turn now," I said. His eyes widened, but I couldn't hold in my laughter.
"You're a funny girl, Yin," he said. His eyes still wandered to my breasts, where my nipples showed through my thin nightgown. For some reason, I didn't mind. Actually, I liked it.
"How long have you been here?" I asked. I motioned for him to sit down next to me on the bed. The door was open, so it wasn't a strange thing, right? His weight next to me sunk the bed in a little.
"A long time, I guess. Since the change. I was lucky. I didn't have to go through what you did to find others like us," he replied. It seemed like forever ago that I was dirty and downtrodden. The wonders of hot water and soap.
"I was lucky, too. I got away from the Gate. Lots of others didn't make it out alive," I said sombrely. He turned to face me.
"You were inside the Gate when the massacre began? How did you get out?" he asked. I shrugged.
"Something inside me told me to run, so I did. I found an old tunnel through the Wall and hid until they announced it was safe. Then you found me."
We looked at each other for a moment, both remembering the horrors of what had happened, when the remainder of the door flew open, and a very pissed-off Scarlet stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips. For a second it seemed like her eyes glowed as red as her hair.
"Hei, what in the world are you doing bothering this poor girl?" she half-screeched. Hei ran a hand through his hair, chuckling awkwardly.
"I-uh-just wanted to see how she was doing," he replied. Scarlet looked unimpressed.
"The poor girl barely got any sleep and now she has to wake up to your pestering," she muttered.
"No, I was already awake. It's okay, I don't mind," I cut in. Scarlet sighed.
"You kids. I'll never understand your logic." She was holding a bag that looked to be filled with clothes. Hei turned back to me.
"Listen, I'll see you at breakfast, okay?" he said. I nodded. He mock bowed to Scarlet on his way out the door, which Scarlet closed behind him.
"Tell me the truth," she said, "was he bothering you?" I shook my head no, deciding not to indulge the details of our brief run-in. Even the thought brought a pleasant smile to my lips. Scarlet set about pulling things out of the large bag. There were underwear sets and dresses and pants and tops, just about everything I would need. She even brought a beautiful hairbrush. Under her watchful eye, I chose a simple outfit—dark jeans and plum tank top. It was sure to be hot out today. She brushed my hair for me and pulled it into a high ponytail.
"Thank you for everything," I said when we were finished and looking at the result in the mirror. She smiled, finally.
"Don't worry about it, sweetie, this is what I do. You'll be starting your training and everything soon, so if you need anything else, you come find me, okay?" she replied. I nodded, but before she left, I had one more question.
"Scarlet, why is it so bad for Hei to be near me?" I asked. The question caused her to raise her eyebrows in surprise.
"Oh, honey. It's not bad for him to be near you, but it just can't happen. You see, Hei can't develop any relationship that's too personal. It would be a liability for the rest of us. He is our combat leader, after all," she said.
After she left, I let the words echo in my mind.
Our leader.
Liability.
It just can't happen.
I follow the rich smell of pancakes down the stairs, until I find the dining room. A large table is set up, and many others are already sitting and chatting with each other. I take a minute to survey the room. Smiles light up their faces as they gab and gossip, and large silver pans stuffed with cakes and fruit lie in the center of the table.
"You must be Yin," a deep voice sounds behind me. I turn to find a guy about my age, with blond hair and purple fringe covering his forehead. His eyes shine a light copper as he smiles at me.
"That's me," I replied. He held out his hand for mine, shaking it gently.
"My name is Claude. Scarlet asked me to help you out today," he said. He steered me toward the breakfast table where we sat at an empty corner. Hei was nowhere to be seen yet.
"So, is every meal this huge?" I asked once we were seated. No one had started eating yet, but it smelled beyond heavenly.
"Pretty much. We all work pretty hard, so a good meal helps us keep strong. Training can be tough on the body and mind," he responded. I turned to him.
"I keep hearing everyone talk about training. What kind of training?" I asked. Claude was about to reply when a hush took over the room. I followed the others' eyes to see Hei walking into the room. He looked... different. He was dressed in black combat gear with knives stuffed into utility belts around his thighs. His face was also darker, more pensive than I'd seen. Everyone looked at him with such devotion and adoration. No one dared to speak.
"Good Morning," he said. He stood at the head of the table while the rest of the Children hustled to their seats. He looked about the room, but his eyes didn't stop on me like I was hoping. "We have a few new members, so please help in making them feel welcome. I have some news from our sources, but let's eat first," he said. We all dug in, and the mood of the room returning to casual and chatty.
"Do you want some orange juice?" Claude asked. I nodded and he expertly poured me a glass. Even though the food smelled so good, my stomach was still shrunken from eating so little for so long. I barely finished a pancake with some fruit before my tummy started growling in protest. Claude's plate was still stacked with food and his mouth was stuffed.
"I'm full," I stated, patting my little belly.
"You eat like a little bird," Claude replied, his mouth still half-full. I couldn't help but giggle.
"And you eat like a bear," I pointed out. He grinned, not noticing the bits of syrup dripping from his lips. I looked over at Hei again, who had already finished off four plates of food. What gave them such huge appetites? For a second I thought I caught Hei's eyes rest on mine, but then he dug his face back into his food. I don't know why I expected him to pay special attention to me. Obviously it was a leader's job to make all members feel welcome.
Claude told me he'd been with the Children since it was founded, but he spent more time training himself than helping others.
"We need to make sure we're as strong as we can be," he said.
"Strong for what, though?" I asked. A sad look crossed Claude's face, then disappeared.
"The war isn't over. The military still wants to eradicate us all from existence. That's why it's so important that we rekindle our skills. We need to be able to stand against them when they decide to strike."
Strike? It all seemed so strange to me. We were safe here, and if the military hadn't hit yet, when we were surely at our weakest, why would they wait? I didn't even know what kind of skills I had, or used to have. Claude seemed to gather his thoughts before speaking again.
"You shouldn't be afraid, Yin. Together we're much stronger than they are. We just need to focus and find what they took from us. Our memories, our lives. We need to provide retribution for the genocide of contractors beyond the Gate," he said.
"Is that the plan, then? We get strong and take down the human military?" I questioned. Even though I'd seen the horrors and the deaths up-close, somehow I didn't feel that revenge was the key. Humans were already afraid of us enough as it was without adding more fuel to the fire. To my surprise, Claude shook his head.
"It should be the plan, but it isn't. Hei won't let that happen. He believes we can forge a future without retaliation, but I think he's being insane and naive. I'm not the only one," he said. I didn't say anything for awhile. I didn't know what to say. Finally, Hei stood up at the front of the room with Scarlet, and the room fell into silence once more.
"Thank you for your patience. Our latest intel tells us that the military has a pinpoint on one of our smaller safehouses. We'll be systematically moving everyone throughout the day, so there might be some more new faces around us." He looked around the room again, his face stern, his eyes unreadable.
"We have a rat. I don't know a better way to say it, so please be careful when sharing information. Someone has begun leaking locations to the military. I don't know why, as it puts each and every one of our lives at stake. All I can say is that this person, when caught, will have to answer to me personally," he finished. I was expecting more, but Hei simply put down his fork and walked out of the room. Scarlet tried to bustle everyone into a good mood, but the damage was done. Someone in the group, maybe even someone here right now, was leaking information. Everyone was suspect.
"I wouldn't want to be on the other end of that glare," Claude muttered. I wouldn't either. I'd never have thought Hei to be so... hostile. And yet, that deadly stare stirred something within me. Something I'd never felt before. But it was futile anyway, I could never share anything with him, not with his responsibilities. Claude seemed to sense it in me, and gave me a sly look.
"Someone has their eye on teacher," he teased. My cheeks flushed bright red.
"I'm just... thankful to him, that's all," I replied. Claude chuckled, then patted my back cheerfully.
"I'm just kidding. Listen, I've got to get you to your first training session so we can figure out what your power is. Are you ready?" I nodded and stood up with him. My power. How was it that I could have had power and not remembered it?
What if I didn't really have a power at all?
The keys melted beneath my fingers, my hands entwining them in a soft, lyrical dance. The piano was a need, it was something I had to play, like a drug. The song was so familiar, so much a part of me. I closed my eyes and let the melody ring throughout the deserted study where I'd found the baby grand.
I understood that this was my price, the payment I had to make every time I used my power. I didn't remember how we discovered it, I'd just been run through a series of tests until eventually, a part of me split away. All of a sudden I was in the field outside the gate, standing in a small river. The bodies were gone. The fields looked... peaceful again. How could that be?
After I returned, the trainers told me that I used to be a doll, that my life was meant for the servitude of others. They didn't know how I'd turned into a contractor. It wasn't anything they'd ever seen before. Then the urge came. I needed to play. My fingers needed to tickle the ivories of a piano. We found this one and dusted it off, then they left me alone to pay my price. Even though I'd finished my payment, I kept playing. I lost myself in it, forgot about the upcoming training sessions and war and revenge. Forgot about the knowledge that I'd once been a mindless slave. I stopped playing when I heard footsteps outside of the room.
"Please don't stop," a deep voice echoed. I looked back to see Hei, his hair wet and hanging over his face, his body slouched as if he was in pain.
"Are you okay?" I asked. I was about to get up, but he lurched forward and sat beside me on the bench.
"Nothing I can't handle. Please keep playing," he said.
I did. I played that song over and over, deeper and deeper, until eventually the dark contractor beside me slipped sideways, his head falling into my lap. There was blood on his clothes, and sweat in his hair, but he looked so peaceful, sleeping like that. I wiped his face with a piece of cloth and the glass of water on the piano, and let him rest, stroking his hair the entire time.
We were never meant to be close, but there was something that kept driving us together. I was just a doll finding her life again, and he was a killer with an entire race depending on him, but together, we would become more than that.
But not yet.
There was still so much more we would have to go through until we could be happy.