Chapter Two:
Beastly
She was lying on something soft and firm.
"Aawww! She's so cute! I could just eat her up!"
A slap. "You'll do no such thing! Not until everyone's had a chance to play with her!"
"This one is pure..."
"Eeh? How can you tell?"
"I just can."
Four different voices rang in her ears.
"Oh hush, all of you- she's waking up."
Never mind. Five.
Five voices rang in her ears as she forced herself to open her eyes. Wherever she was, it was dimly lit. Though she couldn't see much of her surroundings, she was sure if it were any brighter, it'd hurt her eyes.
She noticed right away that her head was in someone's lap. Strands of blonde hair brushed against her ears, and she turned her head so she was looking up. Twinkling, mirthful blue eyes looked down into her own oceanic ones.
"Good morning sleepyhead!"
"Didja have a nice nap?"
Aah, these voices were hurting her head...
"Yay! Nee-chan's awake! Now we can play!"
"So childish, Luki..."
"Well duh! When you curse me with a nickname like 'LuLu', what'd'ya expect?!"
Slowly, dazedly, Rin sat up, her head pounding. She noticed she wasn't wearing her dress anymore- it was replaced with a white cotton full slip beneath a garnet colored shift. Her red cloak was still secured around her shoulders.
Red...just like...
She remembered a heart beating, grotesque as it was pressed against her. She remembered blood, and words of love spoken in such a way only one who'd loved unrequited for too long could speak them. She remembered red eyes, glinting with a feverish desire and an animalistic lust.
The red cloak, made with the last of her grandmother's stockpile of wool, and sewn by her loving, shriveled hands. Delivered to her by her dear grandfather, shortly after her grandmother's passing.
Even now, she felt just as secure in it as she had when her stepmother first clasped it around her shoulders.
Mother...Mother! I need to tell her! But first...
She looked around the room, past the unfamiliar figures (of which there were more than five- some had chosen to be silent) and fully realized she was most definitely not at home.
First, I need to get home!
"Ne, ne, Lily-nee, I think she's broken!"
"Hush now, LuLu. I'm sure she's just...getting acquainted with things."
Ah. So that was the woman whose lap she'd been using as a pillow. Lily. And the person with the childlike speaking pattern was LuLu. But then...
"Who are all of you?"
Lily smiled warmly at her.
"Oh dear- we haven't been able to introduce ourselves properly now, have we?" She chuckled. "I am Lily- but you can call me 'mother'. That man there-" she pointed to a man with soft pink hair and crystaline blue eyes-" is Luki, though everyone here calls him LuLu." She pointed next to a girl whose bottom half was concealed in the shadows, "that pigtailed missy is Miku- but be careful: she really likes eating cute little girls like you-"
"Hey!"
"-I'm just being honest, dear."
The tealette crossed her arms and pouted as Lily continued, pointing now to a young lady with blue hair. She reminded Rin of Kaito.
"That is Kaiko. She was thrown out of her village for being a witch. The man beside her is Gakupo."
"A pleasure to meet you," Rin said, nervous. Gakupo gave her a friendly smile. "Likewise, young lady."
His long purple ponytail swished behind him, and a little girl peeked out. She had black hair and eyes the color of honey, or like the golden delicious apples her stepmother would buy from the market.
"Yuuki-chan!" Lily's voice was chiding, "You know how Gaku-san feels about his hair!"
For a split second, Rin noticed the man's smile take on a sinister edge.
"H-hai! Gomen'nasai Gakupo-nii-sama!" The girl named Yuuki quickly apologized.
Lily cleared her throat and then pointed to a brunet man in a black suit. Rin took note of the pointed wolf ears atop his head.
"This," Lily began, "is Kiyoteru-sensei."
The man nodded his head. "Charmed. If you ever need to know anything about this place or the other residents, please don't hesitate to ask."
Rin nodded her head to confirm that she understood as someone else stepped out of the shadows. This newcomer had red eyes and long black hair tied back into pigtails.
"Oh! Zatsune-san! I didn't think you'd be joining us!"
The strange girl nodded her head slightly.
"...Aria says you're all being too loud. Let our guest rest."
Lily huffed.
"Alright," she sighed, "I'm not up for a squabble with her right now. Come along now, everyone."
She stood from the bed and walked towards the door, the cluster of people parting like the Red Sea before following her out. Only the girl known as Zatsune stayed behind. With a yawn, Rin stared at the back of her head.
"Arigatou, Zatsune-san..."
The girl huffed, a secretive smile playing across her lips.
"...call me "Aneki"."
Rin nodded her head.
"Hai. Then, you can call me "Rin", aneki."
Zatsune left the room, softly closing the door behind her. She stood for a moment, watching as her fellow rejects left to go about their business. She tested the name of their new guest- of her self-proclaimed imouto- and found that it rolled nicely off her tongue.
"Rin..."
＊＊＊＊＊
As night fell, Miriam stood at the dining table, a troubled frown marring her fair features, and a framed photograph clutched in her hands, of herself and Leon and Rin.
She should've been back by now...
The clock ticked on, painstakingly slow.
She knows the rules- she's never been late home before, either...
There was a sudden and sharp rapping sound against the door. Hopeful, Miriam quickly set the photo back on the table and rushed to open the door.
"Rin-chan, you-" she cut herself off as she saw a face that was decidedly not her stepdaughter's "-oh. Kaito-san...was there something you needed?"
The blunet man frowned.
"Nothing in particular for myself, Miriam-san, but...has Rin come home yet?"
The silver-haired woman frowned. "Not yet- have you seen her?"
"No ma'am- not since she passed me by this morning on her way to her grandfather's."
"I see...and she hasn't passed you on her way back?"
"No."
Miriam stood back, and Kaito took it as an invitation to enter the cozy house. Miriam shut the door.
"You don't think something's happened to her, do you?" She asked, concerned, as she began preparing tea. Kaito shook his head. "I don't know for certain. Rin-chan's a strong girl, after all, however..."
Not even she could last long against a wolf, Miriam thought silently. She filled the kettle and then placed in a small spoonful of orange sugar prepared about a month ago. This was how Rin made tea, when she made it.
"-a cackling sound, like that of a witch."
"Pardon?"
Kaito looked at her knowingly, understanding and accepting her lack of attention.
"Only a few hours ago," he began to repeat himself, "I heard a cackling sound, like that of a witch. It was coming from the direction Rin was headed."
Miriam grabbed a small bag of tea leaves without bothering to read the label and was able to get one spoonful in each of the two teacups she'd set out before the implications of Kaito's words hit her.
"A...a witch...and...and you think she might have..."
"...Yes," said Kaito gravely, "I believe it is possible."
Miriam's hands began to tremble. She moved back so she wouldn't accidentally knock anything over.
"No...no-not my baby- not Rin-chan! Kaito-san- say it isn't so!"
He stood and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"I'm not saying it's a fact, ma'am," he said gently, "besides, you know how kind Rin-chan is. She probably decided to stay with her grandfather to make sure he recovers."
The kettle whistled, loud and shrill, and he helped the trembling Miriam into a chair and then took it upon himself to pour their tea.
Orange and chamomile- just what they needed.
"Tomorrow morning, I'll go to her grandfather's house and see her back here," Kaito promised, taking a sip of tea.
"Th-Thank you, Kaito-san," she said, stuttering but beginning to calm back down.
Kaito smiled at her, comforting and determined.
"Don't worry. I'll make sure she's back here, safe in your motherly embrace by this time tomorrow at the latest."
＊＊＊＊＊
When Rin woke up again, it was to sunlight streaming into the room she'd been staying in, and to a woman who resembled Luki serving her breakfast.
She saw pancakes, bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, porridge, waffles, orange juice, french toast, and a bowl of mixed berries. It made her hungry, but her appetite quickly decreased as she remembered the events of last night, and looked down to her legs clad in red and white instead of blue.
So it wasn't a dream...then I need to go home, today. I need to tell mother what happened.
"I see you're awake," the pink-haired woman said kindly, "good morning, dear. I hope you're hungry- you'll need your strength, after all."
Rin blinked. Was she seeing things? She discretely pinched herself. Nope. Those were definitely horns on the woman's head.
She shook her head, sensing it'd be impolite to ask about them.
"I'm sorry...who are you?"
The woman chuckled, her tone fond and her eyes glimmering.
"Ohohoho! I've never introduced myself have I? I am Luka, and your name is...?"
"...Rin. My name is Rin."
Luka hummed and poured out a cup of tea- jasmine, Rin thought. She held it out and Rin accepted it, blowing lightly for a moment before taking a sip. It was hot, but she hardly minded. It woke her up, and tasted delicious besides.
"Delicious!"
Luka smiled and began laying everything out on the bedside table. At first, Rin didn't think it would be big enough, but Luka somehow pulled it off, laughing lightly at her awestruck expression.
"Well, go ahead and eat up, Rin-chan! I made all of this just for you, after all!"
Slowly, automatically, still taking it in, Rin started eating, knife and fork cutting into chocolate chip pancakes. They were fluffy and sweet- Luka must've added syrup into the batter. The bacon was very crispy and savory, but after the first piece, she couldn't bring herself to eat anymore.
Luka stared at her- she'd been doing that ever since she'd started eating, the blonde noticed- and after a minute, seemed to snap out of something.
"Oh- is it not to your liking?"
Rin shook her head quickly- that certainly wasn't the case at all!
"No, Luka-san- in fact, it's the best food I've tasted since...ever," she chuckled, "but I'm not used to eating so much lavish food, and I really need to get home now, before my family worries even more than they already are- I should've been back last night, in fact- and I have something very urgent to tell them, as well, you see-"
Luka cut her off.
"Oh dear...you want to leave so badly? But you only just got here, dear!"
Rin frowned, troubled.
"I know that, and I am sorry, but I'm afraid this can't afford to wait any longer."
Luka hummed thoughtfully for a few moments before responding.
"Well, I'm afraid we can't allow that, Rin-chan. Because there's a reason you were even able to make it here- a very important reason- and because of that reason, you simply can't leave. The laws of this place forbid it."
She began cleaning up as Rin stared at her, wondering what she meant.