Ch. 4: A Hint and a Plan

I was originally going to post this on the 21st, because that's Rin's birthday. However, a combination of a heavy workload and Rin's insistence that I NOT post anything on her birthday forced me to post it tonight. Oh, the fun of trying to appease a stubborn half-demon...

Enjoy the chapter, everyone!

It was about noon when Rin and Erik tromped back to the house. Both children were damp, covered with sand, and had their hair matted with salt, but both were extremely happy. Erik himself couldn't remember a time (if there was a time to remember in his life) when he'd felt so utterly carefree.

'Is this what it's like to have a true childhood? Is this how other children feel all the time?' If it was, Erik enjoyed it wholeheartedly.

Pushing open the back door, Rin pointed down a hallway that led to a darkened alcove.

"That's the laundry room. You can put your shirt and shoes in there before we take a bath." Erik started.

"Beg pardon but, we, Rin?"

"Tch, not at the same time," Rin scoffed. "Did you really think I meant that?"

"It is a gentleman's responsibility to preserve a lady's dignity," Erik replied grandly.

"You really think I'm a lady, don't you?" Rin asked, smiling shyly at her friend.

"Certainly," the masked boy replied. "You, Rin, are a lady of the highest caliber."

The little half-demon's face flushed and she placed on one cheek in surprise.

"Oh, I do apologize, Rin," Erik said, giving a stiff little bow. "I did not mean to make you blush."

"Is that what this is?" Rin asked in obvious awe. "I've heard other kids say that when people say nice things to you, your face gets hot, but I didn't know it felt like this. I like it," she added after a pause. For a moment, both children were held by the spell of flattery, but as full adult emotions had yet to surface in either of them, that spell was soon broken.

"Well, like I said, you can put your clothes in the laundry room. We should be able to find clean clothes for you in the attic." Erik followed Rin's instructions, then accompanied the half-demon up to the third floor.

"Forgive me for asking, but are you sure you will have clothes for me?"

"Hai. My mother inherited this house from an aunt and the aunt left a whole lot of stuff in the attic." Rin pushed open the attic door, revealing an overstuffed room full of boxes, old furniture, and various scattered treasures from ages past.

"Mother and Father started keeping things up here too and they were always talking about cleaning the place out," Rin went on. But then, Father died and every time Mother came up here, she got sad. So now, she doesn't come up here at all."

"I see. Then, are you sure it is alright for me to borrow clothes?" Rin was prying at a nearby box as she answered,

"Sure I'm sure. It's not as if the clothes are being used."

"Well then, merci, Rin." Rin cocked her head at Erik, pausing in her task.

"Mercy?"

"Merci is how one says 'thank you' in French." Rin's ears twitched.

"Mer-ci," she repeated. "I like it; it's pretty." Flashing her friend a smile, Rin peered inside the box she had just opened. "Nope, nothing here... oh hey, here's an old mask!" The little half-demon held up a mask identical to the one Erik was wearing, except that it was black and made of cotton as opposed to Erik's white face covering fashioned from kid.

"Oh, thank you," Erik said gratefully, taking the mask from Rin. It would be good to have a clean mask; his was already stiff from the sea and smelling faintly of seaweed.

"You're welcome, but... you don't have to wear a mask if you don't want to. You can take it off, you know."

Take off the mask.

Let us see you!

Off with the mask! Off with the mask!

Let us see the creature's face!

"No!" Erik cried. Please, Rin, don't ask me to take off the mask! You must never see my face!"

Rin's eyes widened and her ears stood straight up at Erik's outburst. Any semblance of her demon ancestors had left her for the moment; right now, she was startled little girl stunned by her friend's horrified outburst and Erik felt his heart plummet at the sight of his friend.

"Rin, I... I am sorry for," the masked boy began, but he was halted by Rin laying a little clawed hand on his arm and Erik saw not pity in Rin's eyes, but understanding. But the moment, like the earlier spell of flattery quickly passed, leaving both children in an awkward silence.

"Well," Rin said, diving back into the box, "there are some other masks in her; I guess this box must've held parts of costumes. We can take it down so that you can have your pick." Rin popped her head back out and started inspecting some of the other cartons; Erik heard her tapping and shaking the containers as he carried the mask box to the attic door.

"No... no... no... N-oh! Here we go!" Rin had evidently found what she had been looking for.

"Plenty of clothes here, Erik. let's take these downstairs."
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Erik fastened the clean mask securely before daring to look at himself in the guest room mirror. Freshly bathed, still-damp hair neatly combed, Erik had to admit that he had the appearance of the young gentleman he'd been taught to be. Garbed in a dark blue shirt and a pair of short brown pants,the only odd thing about him was the black cotton mask. Still, with the mask on, Erik could at least think of himself as normal.

Satisfied, Erik peered out into the hallway, found it empty, and went downstairs. The living room was likewise deserted, but Erik made a beeline for the piano; he would play while the Lady Rin bathed.

Caressing the black and white keys, Erik reflected on the joy of the morning swim. The happiness flowed from his soul into his skeletal fingers, which in turn struck the keys, releasing high, cheerful notes into the air like butterflies. And, like butterflies, the notes soared into the sky, releasing their beauty for all who beheld them to enjoy. Ahh, how he loved music.

"You sure know how to play." Jerked out of his bubble of sound, Erik turned to find Rin setting a large tray on the living room table. On it was an array of small sandwiches, obviously left over from the wedding the day before.

"In fact," Rin went on, "I don't think there's a single person in the whole world who can play music better than you, Erik."

"That is kind of you, Rin," Erik replied, sliding off the piano stool. "I'd like to be able to compose my own opera one day."

"You will. And maybe you'll have your own theater too!" The little half-demon's eyes shone out from a freshly washed face. "Everyone everywhere will have to come and hear your music."

"That they will," Erik agreed. "But you, Rin, will always be the first guest I invite!"

"Aww, thank you!" Rin nodded toward the tray. "But let's eat first before you put on a show. Swimming makes you hungry, y'know."

"Yes, I feel it." Erik wondered if his mother had ever considered letting him expend his energy out of doors if she'd been so desperate to make him eat, then dismissed the thought. At this moment in time, he cared not a whit for any of the people he'd known before Rin.

Sitting side by side on the couch, the two children devoured the little wedding sandwiches. Outside, the waves hissed elegantly across the shore and the sound of people's voices drifted through the open window.

"Is something happening?"

"No, just some of my neighbors having a get together down on the beach. They do it all the time. All the kids play and all the adults talk."

"Do you and your mother...?"

"Sometimes. Mother still talks to the other ladies, but I don't play with anyone. They don't like me..." Rin's voices trailed off and she was silent for a few minutes. "The other moms don't like me very much either; they say I make their kids 'uncomfortable.'"

Erik frowned, already angry with Rin's neighbors. What horrible people they must be, if they couldn't see how good a friend Rin could be. The masked boy drummed his fingers on the couches, then brightened. He had an idea.

"Rin, come with me." Abandoning caution, Erik grasped Rin's hand and led her through the house to the door.

"Where are we going? Erik, what are you doing?"

"I am going to introduce your neighbors to the Ghost."