CHAPTER 2: AWAKEN

Darkness everywhere, AVA was drowning in darkness. She could still feel the throbbing patch of skin where someone had forcefully pushed her into the river. AVA struggled to the surface, her turmoil mind turning the black river inside her head into roaring rapids. The thick syrupy substance pulled on her conscious, dragging her under; the currents teased her, flinging her around; the dense liquid filled her gaping mouth whenever she came up gasping for air before dragging her into its chilling depths. It didn't matter how hard she kicked her legs or flap her arms, she wasn't going to make it to the surface in time. Realising this she gave in to the currents, slowly sinking into oblivion not knowing which was up or down, left or right.

Then a sudden glimmer in the distance and she felt a pair of hands grasp her firmly around the wrist and pulled her towards the surface. "Please be okay, please be okay." a voice whispered when she broke the surface and regained consciousness.

Pain, agonising pain, was the first feeling she experienced after her long dip in the darkness. She pulled away from the hands and ducked under the darkness to escape the pain, but the hands found her again and gently lifted her out clear of the black river. She opened her eyes to darkness and recalled a faint flashback of Madam ripping her eyes out. She stirred - only to feel someone to the side of her bed. Pure instincts from the years with Madam kicked in and she flipped that person away... towards a wall by the sounds of it. AVA followed in the direction of the sound and grabbed the person by their throat, the darkness didn't matter, she had fought in worse conditions and survived.

She slammed the person against the crumbling wall again, "Who are you? Where am I? When am I? What did you do to me?" Her voice was a chilly calm tone that dropped the surrounding temperature. AVA could feel the person struggle against her hold and only tightened her grip. Footsteps sounded against the floor and stopped nearby. "Stop right there or this person dies." She intoned. It was monotoned, showing that she would have no regrets over killing.

Silence.

"Please. Put. Him. Down. We mean you no harm," a cautious voice finally shattered the fragile silence, "One of our students found you deeply injured on one of his missions and brought you here to the dispensary at Shibusen and healed you. That's one of his friends there you have under you. We mean you no harm at all."

AVA swung her blind head towards the voice and tuned in with her soul perception to help her 'see' better. The soul belonging to the person who spoke was huge with stitches all over it, but it was the small patch of red tint at the side that made her cautious. "You have a very powerful soul and a righteous person with an air of authority. Perhaps a teacher who was once a student here? You speak the truth, but the madness in you says otherwise. I cannot trust you." AVA didn't move from her position.

Stunned silence.

"Then at least wait for Kid to come here."

AVA's attention was abruptly drawn to a speeding soul coming towards them. "I believe the someone we're waiting for called 'Kid' is already on his way here." No sooner had she spoken she saw a red soul with three white stripes across the left burst through the cluster that was crowded in front of her. It radiated massive power though still young.

"Is... She... Okay...?" the new arrival pant, "Oh." AVA felt his gaze fall on her.

That voice... she recognised it somewhere.

"You are the one who saved me?" AVA inquired, turning her body to face him while still keeping a grip on his 'friend'.

"Um... Yes.. I was the one who found you," his voice came composed and professional, "Are you ok-" He lost his voice in surprise when AVA fell to her knees before him, dragging her hostage down along with her.

"You have my most sincere gratitude, son of Shinigami," AVA bowed her head low while gritting her teeth. It went against her nature to be showing weakness before a stranger, who could be a potential threat towards her, but her honour would not take any excuses.

"Oh... er... Please call me Kid," he said somewhat timidly, "Please get up and would you mind releasing Blackstar?"

Thud. Blackstar flopped on the floor and lay there panting while trying to find his voice back. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT FOR?! I DIDN'T EVEN DO ANYTHING! HOW DARE YOU TRY TO HURT THE MAN WHO WILL SURPASS GOD!" He exploded - literally.

"Blackstar, this is no time for one of your tantrums. Besides, she could easily beat you up again." Kid reasoned.

"Ha! Look who's talking? How dare you leave me alone with her?! But of course, I let her beat me because she was an injured girl. I could take her on any time. Piece of cake." Blackstar laughed unconvincingly but everyone could see the vivid red handprint across his throat.

AVA just stood there silently waiting for the banter to end, lost in her thoughts. She didn't even feel Kid come up behind her until she felt his hand on her wrist. "Hey, you okay?" AVA jumped at his touch. "I'm sorry that we have to do this so soon after waking up, but we have to go see my father." AVA let him take her hand and pull her along.

She was going to meet the legendary Shinigami of Death City, AVA mused to herself in her mind, I wonder what he's like. She looked down towards the darkness where Kid still held her hand, I wonder what it's like to have a father like him, I wonder what it's like having a father at all. Or a person who cares about you. She thought dryly.

AVA felt Kid stop next to her and knock on a door before pulling her inside a room.

"Hello, Kid! Wazzup? How is the girl? How are you?" AVA had expected anything but that, though she politely kept it to herself. The voice didn't sound like it belonged to a God of Death.

"Father, please be more proper," Kid sounded aggravated, "I've brought her here like you've requested."

"Ah, yes," at that the Shinigami turned serious. He spoke to her, "Would you like telling us your name and a little about yourself?"

AVA's grip tightened on Kid's hand. "Go on, it's okay. You can trust my father." Kid told her reassuringly.

She turned towards the Shinigami, giving him a little bow, "I am called the Adamantine Variation for Avion. But I prefer to go by the name of AVA."

"Such a perfectly symmetrical name..." Kid sang out beneath his breath while his father pretended not to notice his comment.

"AVA, you seem to heal at such a miraculous pace that made my top meister come to the conclusion that you were not... One of us."

"I was getting on to that part." AVA replied rather sharply back. She took a deep breath, she couldn't afford not to gain the Shinigami's trust - and the protection that came with it.

"I AM human, whether you believe it or not, but my mother had been sabotaged with demon and angel blood in her food while impregnated with me. My fathe- my mother's husband decided to experiment on her and added angel blood to her food. He never knew that she was born with his own daughter, not even until this very day. When that didn't have any visible effect on my mother, he decided to resort to demon blood instead. My mother died giving birth to me. The blood was too unnatural to be passed through my mother and on to me, but it affected me very much. I have been an abomination since birth."

She said this without any feelings whatsoever.

"Madam took me in and made me her own slave instead. It was a hard life to live up to her beck-and-call, but it was the only option... until now. I have certain abilities and characteristics that no human could possibly attain in their life. I know a certain few that I possess, such as rapid healing and the ability to run my soul wavelength outside of my body, but I cannot confirm that they are the only effects of the demon and angel blood."

AVA had finished.

"I believe you entirely AVA. Father, you know that I had always been able to tell the truth from the lies. I trust AVA." Kid spoke first. AVA was surprised by his willingness to trust her so quickly and quickly stepped away from him, though he wouldn't let go of her hand.

"Kid, you don't know what you're talking about. Even I don't know how much of a danger I pose to all of you, including your father. There had never been the likes of me in this world and you can't take chances so quickly."

Kid seemed utterly shocked by her outburst but the young Shinigami nodded his head slowly. AVA could hear the whispers of wind through his long bangs as he did.

"Yes Kid, she is correct about that," his father Lord Death said thoughtfully before speaking to AVA, "But I trust you as well as Kid. AVA, would you consider enrolling into the DWMA. The academy can't pay for another student's housing as all the available scholarship places have been taken and the school dormitories are all full, but we might be able to work it out with you living at Death Manor, that is if my son doesn't mind. It is a rather huge place for just three people."

"Of course you can stay with us," Kid smiled at her, "Liz and Patty will probably be thrilled to have you over with them. You're the whole talk of the academy right now!"

AVA smiled. Her smile then lifted into a beautiful laugh that rang through the Death room. She launched herself into Kid's arms.

"Thank you, thank you so much!" she breathed into his ear.