Note: This was originally the first chapter. It follows the same storyline as the chapter that is now the first one, but from the point of view of my original character, the girl who was introduced at the very end of the last chap. You can technically not read this chapter then, although it does flow straight into the next one.
And yes, the story will be switching between viewpoints pretty frequently.
Snowflakes drift dreamily through the cloudy skies, descending gently on the city. Like powdered sugar, they land on the rooftops, frosting the world and making it look sweet. Sweeter than it really is, Yukime thinks as she pauses to relish in the moment. Usually, Januaries in Tokyo are cruel, loveless things. They bite at you with their bitter coldness, teasing you with thoughts of snow, but rarely allowing you a taste. Today though, they decided to be kind.
She grants herself just one more moment to savor the beauty of the snow – after all, it's in her name: Yukime, snow lady – and slowly lets out her breath, tilting her head up to watch it condense in midair. For just a few seconds, it lingers, before it's taken up into the heavens, floating out of her sight and dissolving into nothingness. Then snowflakes land in her eyes, bringing her back to reality with harsh clarity. I wish I could fly too.
The approaching darkness in the peripheral of her vision reminds her that night is coming. Before long, it'll be even colder, and she won't want to be out reveling in the streets then. She tucks her hands back into her pockets and sets out against the frigid winds. Just a moment ago they seemed so friendly, but even as she begins on her way again, they rise up, creating billowing spirals of snow that blind her and block her path.
It's cold enough that she decides to take the shortcut home. It's a much faster route, and right now, she wants nothing more than to be curled up before the fireplace with a mug of hot chocolate in her hands. There won't be anyone out, she reassures herself. Although it's the quicker route, it's dangerous too. Her house is located in one of the rougher neighborhoods in Tokyo, bordered on the back by a tangle of dark alleyways where ghouls lurk, waiting for those too ignorant to know better to pass by. Most people keep away if they can. Still, Yukime's better prepared than most to be wandering through these streets, even with dusk approaching. Remember what Shiki taught you, she thinks, feeling the reassuring solidity of the quinque's case through the thin fabric of her backpack. I'll fight if I have to. Kill if I have to.
To distract herself from such bloody thoughts, she daydreams of the day when she and Shiki will move to a safer neighborhood. Their parents hadn't had a lot of money, so they'd lived here, in a little cottage on the edge of the alleyways. She'd never minded it before, when all of them were there, but with just her and Shiki, it felt a little lonely. And she didn't like living in the shadow of the ghouls. Still, Shiki was doing well as an investigator, and before long, they'd have enough money to move out. Yukime could hardly wait for those days to come. I just want a life where our survival doesn't mean the destruction of someone else's.
As she continues home, the snow falls harder and faster. At this point, it's not just a little dusting on the rooftops anymore; she can hardly see the ground through all the white that's covering it. It's just a little farther, just around the next corner. In her rush, she turns the last corner a little too quickly, losing her balance for a moment. Her boot slides across the ground, pushing the snow aside to reveal a sticky redness seeping into the it and ruining its purity. Instinctively, she stoops down to examine it. I guess there's an investigator in me after all. Lightly, she kicks aside the surrounding snow, revealing more stains spread all over the ground in ugly red streaks and splatters. There's no doubting what it is. It's new too, still liquid in some of the thicker parts despite the snow covering it. As she straightens herself out, a shiver runs down her back, and it isn't just from the cold.
Still, even if there's a ghoul nearby, if there's just the slightest chance I can save this person, I have to do it. Against her better judgment, Yukime turns back, searching through the snow for more clues. Besides, home is only thirty feet away. The snow continues to fall around her, cloaking the evidence, diluting the blood, and disabling her vision. When she straightens herself out and rubs the snow out of her eyes ten minutes later, she suddenly realizes that she isn't alone.
Thirty feet away, at the gate of her house, a figure stands watching her. From this distance, she can't see who it is, only that it's dressed in all black. Reveal yourself, she wills it. Tell me what you are. Instead, it stands unmoving, forcing her to step forward to join it.
She walks forward slowly, taking small steps, not wanting to make the wrong move. As she approaches, the details fall into place one by one. Twenty feet away, she's certain it's a male, probably a young one. He has on black boots, black pants, and a black jacket. He holds himself confidently, with one foot up on her fence, and both hands jammed into his pockets. That's my garden you've got your foot in, damn it.
Five feet closer, she can tell that his hair, which she initially thought was black, is blue. It's long, and descends around his face in messy waves. He has an arrogant smirk on his face, smeared with blood around the mouth. Well that's a ghoul if I ever saw one. And I'm going to wipe that smirk off his face.
Just ten feet away, she can finally see his eyes, watching her not intently, but almost nonchalantly. As he stands immobile, his eyes alone move to follow her. She gets the feeling he's deliberating not how to kill her, but how to toy with her first. Don't you know you're not supposed to play with your food?
That extended metaphor about eating in the first paragraph though, haha.
Note: My description of the weather is completely based off of what I found on the internet, as is my translation of the name Yukime. If anyone reading this happens to be more knowledgeable on those subjects than I am, please correct me! Thank you!
Both Maki and Shiki were made up by me. If you want a visual image of them, I picture Yukime as looking like Maria Kurenai, and Shiki as Shiki Senri, from Vampire Knight, except with black hair.