|
rlm@2
|
1 title:Althena
|
|
rlm@2
|
2 anime:Noir
|
|
rlm@2
|
3 author:Immo (pronounced eye-moe)
|
|
rlm@2
|
4 e-mail: immo@hamena.org
|
|
rlm@2
|
5 rating:uh... R? Rape of small child, a little slashy slashy of the femmey femmey.
|
|
rlm@2
|
6 specifically, Chloe and Kirika, hints on Kirika and Mireille.
|
|
rlm@2
|
7
|
|
rlm@2
|
8 I don't think there's enough Noir fanfics out there, so here's one right at'cha! ;P
|
|
rlm@2
|
9 R/R, give me feedback: comments, complaints, critizism, compliments (hopefully). And
|
|
rlm@2
|
10 please, no flames. I'm a delicate person LoL. This is all from Althena's POV. Go
|
|
rlm@2
|
11 psychotic Kind Mother! Go! :D Oh yeah. Especially dedicated to my friend Talia. All
|
|
rlm@2
|
12 the yuri slash in here is to make her squirm. :D Go LiA!
|
|
rlm@2
|
13
|
|
rlm@2
|
14
|
|
rlm@2
|
15 The sun baked the already dry and cracked earth. Gunfire ripped the silence in the air,
|
|
rlm@2
|
16 punctuated with occasional screams. The girl was oblivious to everything. She was probably the
|
|
rlm@2
|
17 only survivor of this village, born of the original Soldats blood and ideals. Her parents had
|
|
rlm@2
|
18 hidden her in the basement, far, far below, underneath a secret compartment, so when the soldiers
|
|
rlm@2
|
19 raided and burned, she was safe. She had food, and clean water. And a book...
|
|
rlm@2
|
20 She could remember the book by heart, each word engraved into her memory by her parents,
|
|
rlm@2
|
21 religiously reciting each word to her. But now, she can't seem to remember... couldn't seem to
|
|
rlm@2
|
22 remember.
|
|
rlm@2
|
23 Her name was Althena.
|
|
rlm@2
|
24 That was it. Even though her eyes were blank, filmed over by pain and hunger, there was
|
|
rlm@2
|
25 a flicker of an unnatural will to survive could be seen if you looked closely. That was why she
|
|
rlm@2
|
26 was clutching her doll and walking. She had run out of food days ago, and water... there was no
|
|
rlm@2
|
27 more water. Not since the morning. How could she be so thirsty now?
|
|
rlm@2
|
28 Noir...
|
|
rlm@2
|
29 Something she read in the book. A shadow fell over her, and she looked up into the
|
|
rlm@2
|
30 leering face of a man. He picked her up. It was no hard feat, she was light as a feather.
|
|
rlm@2
|
31 "Who are you?" She managed to get the words past her dry, chapped lips.
|
|
rlm@2
|
32 The man grinned, "Soldats."
|
|
rlm@2
|
33 And she learned what Soldats was. An organization that was so deeply integrated into the
|
|
rlm@2
|
34 world, a hidden society that gave power to the ones that headed it. But that was wrong. Wrong.
|
|
rlm@2
|
35 How did she know it was wrong. Something in the book...
|
|
rlm@2
|
36 Her thoughts were more urgent now as the man lay her on the bed. How had they gotten into
|
|
rlm@2
|
37 a house? Can't think about that, must concentrate. Something about the book. She studied the man.
|
|
rlm@2
|
38 Barely a man, his face had just started getting scratchy like papa, when she sat on his lap, her
|
|
rlm@2
|
39 papa's cheek brushing against hers as he read from the book.
|
|
rlm@2
|
40 The man kissed her roughly, her damaged lips cracked agan, bleeding.
|
|
rlm@2
|
41 She turned around to look at the nightstand beside her. He had left his gun there. The
|
|
rlm@2
|
42 man was oblivious as he fumbled with her dress, pushing it up, pulling her underwear down. She
|
|
rlm@2
|
43 might be able to reach the gun... she reached out, then pulled back when she felt an excrutiating
|
|
rlm@2
|
44 pain down there.
|
|
rlm@2
|
45 "You're dry, it hurts more." He grunted.
|
|
rlm@2
|
46 Was it her fault? She didn't know what he was talking about. She was just a girl named
|
|
rlm@2
|
47 Althena. She blinked with pain, each thrust more painful than the next, pain mixed with fear when
|
|
rlm@2
|
48 she saw blood leaking out of her. Was she going to die?
|
|
rlm@2
|
49 Noir...
|
|
rlm@2
|
50 The pain left when she thought of the book.
|
|
rlm@2
|
51 Noir was important. Noir stopped the pain. With that thought in mind, she reached out for
|
|
rlm@2
|
52 the pistol, touching it with trembling fingers, her tiny hands barely wrapped around the barrel
|
|
rlm@2
|
53 of the gun. She had it. That was all that mattered. And she knew how to use it, because she was
|
|
rlm@2
|
54 part of Soldats too. She was Soldats, the original form. Everyone else had died, so she had to
|
|
rlm@2
|
55 continue the legacy.
|
|
rlm@2
|
56 NOIR.
|
|
rlm@2
|
57
|
|
rlm@2
|
58 The word designates the name of destiny from a distant time.
|
|
rlm@2
|
59
|
|
rlm@2
|
60 The two Virgo reign over death.
|
|
rlm@2
|
61
|
|
rlm@2
|
62 May the Black hands over the green field
|
|
rlm@2
|
63
|
|
rlm@2
|
64 Please protect the newly born peace.
|
|
rlm@2
|
65
|
|
rlm@2
|
66 A single gunshot, and the man slumped against her, oozing blood from the tiny neat hole
|
|
rlm@2
|
67 in his temple, she pushed him off with what little strength she had left. Noir. The book. She
|
|
rlm@2
|
68 remembered. She had a mission. Climbing off the bed, she grimaced, the pain there... it hurt.
|
|
rlm@2
|
69 But she had to keep walking. Her life wasn't worth as much as that book, the ideals it held.
|
|
rlm@2
|
70 She knew her role in the book now, she was going to give birth to Noir. She would be the mother
|
|
rlm@2
|
71 of Noir. The Kind Mother. The Garden. The book. Rations were found in the house, the soldier had
|
|
rlm@2
|
72 put this place to use for his own good, and she benefitted from it.
|
|
rlm@2
|
73 'Not unlike a whore being paid for her services,' Althena thought wryly. Finally, she
|
|
rlm@2
|
74 was thinking clearly. With strength renewed from the food and water, she packed up what she
|
|
rlm@2
|
75 could, making only one stop in the village, to her house, back to the secret room, to pick up
|
|
rlm@2
|
76 the book that held those precious ideals of her family, friends, and villages. It was the origin
|
|
rlm@2
|
77 of the Soldats, the true meaning of Soldats. And the way would be shown her, to the green Garden,
|
|
rlm@2
|
78 where everything, everything would come to pass. And Noir would be born, and the corrupted,
|
|
rlm@2
|
79 rotting, ambitious part of Soldats cut off, so the body could live again, better off without that
|
|
rlm@2
|
80 limb. Her journey was fuelled by her hate, her survival was thanks to her hate. Her family had
|
|
rlm@2
|
81 loved her, and it had almost killed her to be stuck in the darkness, alone.
|
|
rlm@2
|
82 If you can kill people with love, Hatred could save them. And she hated. And she
|
|
rlm@2
|
83 survived, collapsing in the inner sanctum of the Garden.
|
|
rlm@2
|
84
|
|
rlm@2
|
85
|
|
rlm@2
|
86 The children came to her at night, one with the look of a hardened criminal, the other,
|
|
rlm@2
|
87 clinging to the criminal like a frightened child. Chloe had been hand-picked and named by
|
|
rlm@2
|
88 Althena herself to become the one half of Soldats that was needed. Chloe was only three when she
|
|
rlm@2
|
89 started her training, a year had passed since her first day here, and Chloe still lacked the
|
|
rlm@2
|
90 coldness, the detachment, and the efficiency of the assasins, the two that made up Noir.
|
|
rlm@2
|
91 "Chloe?" Althena raised an eyebrow. Only seventeen years old, ten years Chloe's elder,
|
|
rlm@2
|
92 she was her 'mother'. The purple-haired girl cringed behind the newcomer. Now Althena looked at
|
|
rlm@2
|
93 this new one.
|
|
rlm@2
|
94 "Where are your parents, child?" Althena asked, not unkindly. "It's late, shouldn't you
|
|
rlm@2
|
95 be going home?"
|
|
rlm@2
|
96 Althena, seldom surprised, *was* surprised when the russet-haired child walked forward,
|
|
rlm@2
|
97 shaking herself free from Chloe's grip, and wrapped her arms around Althena's waist burying her
|
|
rlm@2
|
98 face into the valley of the blonde's blossoming breasts. She took a deep breath, as if trying
|
|
rlm@2
|
99 to inhale as much of Althena's scent as possible, her eyes closed.
|
|
rlm@2
|
100 "I *am* home."
|
|
rlm@2
|
101 All the girl knew was that she was Noir. And Althena saw, that this girl was was very
|
|
rlm@2
|
102 much the same as Chloe and herself. All three of them did not have any parents anymore. Althena
|
|
rlm@2
|
103 could imagine this girl, sitting on the lap of a man, reading from the book. Now Althena, older
|
|
rlm@2
|
104 and wiser, knew that it was called Langon's Manuscript.
|
|
rlm@2
|
105 "What is your name?" Althena tilted the girl's face upwards, and stared into the coffee-
|
|
rlm@2
|
106 brown depths of those eyes.
|
|
rlm@2
|
107 "I have no name."
|
|
rlm@2
|
108 "But we must have something to call you, no? I shall name you now, poor lost child."
|
|
rlm@2
|
109 Althena kissed first one side of the dark-eyed girl's face, then the other. She moved her face so
|
|
rlm@2
|
110 she was looking down at the young girl again, then smiled.
|
|
rlm@2
|
111 "Your name is: Yumura Kirika." Althena bent down, pressing her lips against this young
|
|
rlm@2
|
112 one's, briefly, softly, imparting the name onto the child.
|
|
rlm@2
|
113 "I am Noir." Kirika insisted.
|
|
rlm@2
|
114 Althena motioned Chloe forward, took both their hands, and placed them onto each other.
|
|
rlm@2
|
115 "You two are the True Noir. Never forget that."
|
|
rlm@2
|
116 Chloe smiled at the girl, and gripped her hand firmly. Then they parted, and Chloe began
|
|
rlm@2
|
117 the well-known, almost-prayer. Her hand, like a gun, over her heart, Chloe closed her eyes.
|
|
rlm@2
|
118 "Noir; a name of destiny that has been ordained in the past. Two women who reign over
|
|
rlm@2
|
119 death. The dark spirit, please guide the lost child." The prayer was also a prophecy, so it
|
|
rlm@2
|
120 seemed. The lost child had come home. "Lead the child back from the edge."
|
|
rlm@2
|
121 Kirika closed those soulless eyes, and mimicked Chloe's movements. "A name of destiny
|
|
rlm@2
|
122 that has been ordained in the past. Two women who reign over death," Now Chloe mixed her voice in
|
|
rlm@2
|
123 with Kirika's, in a beautiful harmony, the way it should be said, as two become one: Noir. "May
|
|
rlm@2
|
124 the Black Hands over the newborns please protect the peace."
|
|
rlm@2
|
125 Althena didn't insist on silence at the dinner table. After a prayer sent to The One Who
|
|
rlm@2
|
126 Provided, Chloe dug into her meal enthusiastically. She had been down to the village, she
|
|
rlm@2
|
127 confessed guiltily to Althena. That was how she found Kirika, when Chloe had been ambushed by
|
|
rlm@2
|
128 wild dogs.
|
|
rlm@2
|
129 "The Child came to my rescue," Chloe beamed at Kirika, who looked down at her plate, and
|
|
rlm@2
|
130 continued that slow thoughtful chewing. "Althena, could I stay up a bit longer?"
|
|
rlm@2
|
131 "Chloe, you have to get your rest. Tommorrow, you will continue your exercises. Alone."
|
|
rlm@2
|
132 Althena stated calmly.
|
|
rlm@2
|
133 "But Kirika-chan is here--"
|
|
rlm@2
|
134 "She has a test set out for her. She will deliver a letter to the Boquet family."
|
|
rlm@2
|
135 Althena's eyes hardened. Her influence in Soldats had greatly arisen since she stirred the embers
|
|
rlm@2
|
136 of Noir, claiming she will bring Noir to the use of Soldats. If only they knew... The Boquet
|
|
rlm@2
|
137 family had refused to give their child into her care, had refused calmly. One more chance, one
|
|
rlm@2
|
138 more refusal, and their family, including their precious daughter, would cease to exist forever.
|
|
rlm@2
|
139 Kirika was shown her room after she had a bath, and the girl climbed into bed obediently.
|
|
rlm@2
|
140 Althena tucked the girl in, with Chloe standing beside her. When the blonde turned to leave,
|
|
rlm@2
|
141 Chloe pulled on her robe, protesting.
|
|
rlm@2
|
142 "You didn't give her a kiss goodnight!" The innocence was laughable, but Althena only
|
|
rlm@2
|
143 smiled fondly at Chloe, before moving back and placing a kiss on Kirika's forehead. After tucking
|
|
rlm@2
|
144 Chloe in, and surrendering a hug and a kiss to the insistant girl, the teen hurried to her study.
|
|
rlm@2
|
145 Taking out her ink bottle, and a quill, she quickly started on the letter. The elegeant writing
|
|
rlm@2
|
146 spun out into words that pressed the point, and hid a threat, like a sheathed sword. When Althena
|
|
rlm@2
|
147 was done, she read it over, satisfied, and waited for the ink to dry. Then, she folded the paper,
|
|
rlm@2
|
148 and tucked it into an envelope. Dropping a bit of wax on it from her reading candle, she stamped
|
|
rlm@2
|
149 it with the seal of Soldats. Tommorrow morning, Kirika would be sent off to Italy. The way would
|
|
rlm@2
|
150 be made clear.
|
|
rlm@2
|
151 "Are you ready?" Althena asked the child. She nodded solemnly, dressed in over-sized
|
|
rlm@2
|
152 overalls, and a white t-shirt. One strap of the overall kept slipping off. The sky was a gray
|
|
rlm@2
|
153 blurr, not really sunrise, not really night.
|
|
rlm@2
|
154 "Sinners never regather after death, while the sin itself never fades away, Love too,
|
|
rlm@2
|
155 shall never disappear. The recluse has once again given in. Soldats' blood is absorbed by the
|
|
rlm@2
|
156 wilderness, and flows into the body. Both hands of Soldats are two Maidens. The hand of love
|
|
rlm@2
|
157 which can carry the sin. The hand of darkness which can be held out. Noir." Kirika said solemnly.
|
|
rlm@2
|
158 "Good." Althena nodded, again stunned by this girl. Chloe only remembered a little bit
|
|
rlm@2
|
159 of that. She bent down to fold up Kirika's pant legs for her. There was no time to hem them, one
|
|
rlm@2
|
160 of the villagers would come to pick her up soon.
|
|
rlm@2
|
161 "Where is Chloe?" Kirika's voice was soft.
|
|
rlm@2
|
162 "She isn't coming. She isn't ready for this."
|
|
rlm@2
|
163 The eyes flashed angrily. "Two are one. The Sword of Darkness which can be used by
|
|
rlm@2
|
164 Soldats. Both hands of Soldats. That is Noir."
|
|
rlm@2
|
165 Althena looked at the girl, bemused. Then she turned around, knowing that Chloe was
|
|
rlm@2
|
166 hiding behind one of the pillars. She had heard the girl stumbling about, her idea of quiet was
|
|
rlm@2
|
167 not quiet at all.
|
|
rlm@2
|
168 "Chloe, come out."
|
|
rlm@2
|
169 Chloe stepped out meekly.
|
|
rlm@2
|
170 "Would you like to go with your partner?"
|
|
rlm@2
|
171 The furious nod of her head told her there was no seperating these two. Althena could see
|
|
rlm@2
|
172 someone approaching, the head of the village, walking through the vineyard towards the trio.
|
|
rlm@2
|
173 "Go then." Chloe was already running towards the man eagerly, her eyes bright with
|
|
rlm@2
|
174 excitement. Her first task! With her partner! Kirika made her way, not too slow, but not too
|
|
rlm@2
|
175 fast.
|
|
rlm@2
|
176 "Child,"
|
|
rlm@2
|
177 Kirika stopped to turn around and look at Althena.
|
|
rlm@2
|
178 "Give them three days within the receiving of the letter. If they do not comply.."
|
|
rlm@2
|
179 Althena trailed off, knowing that Kirika would know what to do. The child was precocious, and
|
|
rlm@2
|
180 alien to her. But she was her child now, and Althena could grow to love her, and care for her as
|
|
rlm@2
|
181 she has for Chloe.
|
|
rlm@2
|
182 "Althena! Althena!" Chloe had run back, and flung herself into the woman's arm, trusting
|
|
rlm@2
|
183 that the blonde would catch her, and wasn't disappointed. She looked up, her eyes were shining.
|
|
rlm@2
|
184 "I'll be back soon!"
|
|
rlm@2
|
185 Kirika hugged Althena around her leg, so there was two children clinging to her, and the
|
|
rlm@2
|
186 blonde finally let herself laugh, and loved her children.
|
|
rlm@2
|
187
|
|
rlm@2
|
188
|
|
rlm@2
|
189 After that first mission, it had seemed as if Chloe had miraculously grown up. Althena
|
|
rlm@2
|
190 still couldn't believe how Chloe had blossomed into a young woman so quickly. The expectations
|
|
rlm@2
|
191 put on her weren't difficult anymore, and the killer in her emerged. There was still that child-
|
|
rlm@2
|
192 like glee, that energy that was poured into her work. And Althena, smiling secretively, believed
|
|
rlm@2
|
193 that Chloe might have a crush on Kirika. As if little blushing glances, and slightly touching
|
|
rlm@2
|
194 hands, hadn't hinted Althena to this! Poor Chloe though, the blonde sensed that Kirika had no
|
|
rlm@2
|
195 clue on the feelings and just loved her as a sister and a partner.
|
|
rlm@2
|
196 "Althena?" Chloe had taken to reading up on Landon's Manuscript, memorizing and eating up
|
|
rlm@2
|
197 every word, using her brain as much as she used her muscles when she trained. The girl was
|
|
rlm@2
|
198 twirling a dagger in her hands, and Althena gave a disapproving look. Chloe grinned sheepishly,
|
|
rlm@2
|
199 and tucked the weapon into her cloak.
|
|
rlm@2
|
200 "Now, what is it?" Althena came up behind the girl, placing a hand on Chloe's shoulder.
|
|
rlm@2
|
201 "When will Kirika come back?"
|
|
rlm@2
|
202 It had been a long time. But letters would come in today, the Soldats watching over her
|
|
rlm@2
|
203 will report soon.
|
|
rlm@2
|
204 There was a brief silence, before Chloe blurted out, "I love her."
|
|
rlm@2
|
205 Some things that Althena didn't even know about was revealed by a furiously blushing
|
|
rlm@2
|
206 Chloe. How the girl had, one night many years ago, snuck into the other girl's room. How Chloe
|
|
rlm@2
|
207 would kiss her, how Kirika held her, how they slept so innocently together, and how much Chloe
|
|
rlm@2
|
208 loved her.
|
|
rlm@2
|
209 "Have you told her?"
|
|
rlm@2
|
210 Chloe shook her head.
|
|
rlm@2
|
211 "Maybe you should. When she gets back."
|
|
rlm@2
|
212 Chloe nodded doubtfuly, then her eyes stared out the window, and she whooped with glee,
|
|
rlm@2
|
213 springing out of her chair. A lone figure was making her way towards them.. Althena followed the
|
|
rlm@2
|
214 purple-haired girl slowly, made her way to the front door to greet the brunette. Instead, she
|
|
rlm@2
|
215 found that it wasn't Kirika at all. It wasn't even a she. The village leader was there with a bag
|
|
rlm@2
|
216 of letters, and Chloe was tearing through them like she was a demon on fire.
|
|
rlm@2
|
217 "Chloe!" Althena was alarmed by the lack of control that Chloe was showing.
|
|
rlm@2
|
218 "No! She's in trouble, she should've been back by now!" Chloe paused to say, then
|
|
rlm@2
|
219 continued ripping through the letters. The villager bowed to Althena, before hurrying back to his
|
|
rlm@2
|
220 village, Chloe's wrath was apparent, and it was dangerous to all.
|
|
rlm@2
|
221 Althena let the young woman's grief and fear play out. Soon, she would stop. And she did.
|
|
rlm@2
|
222 At one letter.
|
|
rlm@2
|
223 "No."
|
|
rlm@2
|
224 Althena felt her heart stop at that one syllable. Something had happened to Kirika. What
|
|
rlm@2
|
225 did the letter say?
|
|
rlm@2
|
226 "No!"
|
|
rlm@2
|
227 The piece of paper was flung down, and Chloe ran past Althena, back into the house. She
|
|
rlm@2
|
228 knew no amount of calling would bring the girl to her side.
|
|
rlm@2
|
229 'Taken her... our better judgement... three... inner trees... different light and
|
|
rlm@2
|
230 water... Mireille Boquet--' She stopped reading the letter now. The trial called for three. So,
|
|
rlm@2
|
231 they were suspicious of her motives and were planning to throw a kink in her plans. No matter.
|
|
rlm@2
|
232 Kirika was alive, and so was Chloe, and that was all that mattered. These two were the Chosen
|
|
rlm@2
|
233 Two, blessed by the Kind Mother's hand.
|
|
rlm@2
|
234 "Chloe?" Althena searched the house, and finally found the girl in the chapel, sprawled
|
|
rlm@2
|
235 in front of the altar, forcing words out between wracking sobs, and attacking the steps to the
|
|
rlm@2
|
236 altar with a clenched fist.
|
|
rlm@2
|
237 "People--amongst people," Althena made out the words between the sobs and hiccups. "Love
|
|
rlm@2
|
238 amongst... Love," At this point, Chloe raised her head and howled to the heavens, her tear-filled
|
|
rlm@2
|
239 eyes filled with absolute hatred for the ones who would steal her other half away from her. "Sin
|
|
rlm@2
|
240 amongst sin... She is my sin! GIVE HER BACK TO ME!!"
|
|
rlm@2
|
241 She collapsed back on the steps, sobbing. Althena rushed to Chloe, gathering the girl up
|
|
rlm@2
|
242 into her arms.
|
|
rlm@2
|
243 "Poor Chloe," Althena whispered, as the hot tears burned through the fabric of her robe.
|
|
rlm@2
|
244 "Poor Chloe... my child, I love you so much."
|
|
rlm@2
|
245 "Althena!" Chloe clung tighter to the woman. "Althena!"
|
|
rlm@2
|
246 "My poor child," Althena squeezed her eyes shut, keeping her own rage tamped down, as
|
|
rlm@2
|
247 memories flooded her, the war within Soldats, the murder of her parents, the dark place that she
|
|
rlm@2
|
248 hid in, how she was so afraid in there, so afraid. How she starved and thirsted. How she was
|
|
rlm@2
|
249 raped. How she encountered so many deeds done by the hands of men to each other... and how she
|
|
rlm@2
|
250 put all these instances away as fuel for her smoldering rage.
|
|
rlm@2
|
251 "Love can kill people, Chloe." Althena kept her voice even. "Hatred can save them." Her
|
|
rlm@2
|
252 hate for Soldats, for people, for the things they stood for. To wipe them out with her hatred, to
|
|
rlm@2
|
253 cleanse the world with that pure fire and the two maidens that made up Noir. They shall be her
|
|
rlm@2
|
254 sword of darkness. And her, Althena. She will be the body who has cut off the diseased hands, and
|
|
rlm@2
|
255 attaching the new pair of hands on, the two maidens that will make up the hands of Soldats,
|
|
rlm@2
|
256 called Noir. She will be Soldats and bring back the lost origins of this organization.
|
|
rlm@2
|
257
|
|
rlm@2
|
258
|
|
rlm@2
|
259 Watching Kirika walk up towards her, she felt her heart open up again. There was a small
|
|
rlm@2
|
260 smile on Kirika's face, a flash of guarded recognition in her eyes. This was what should've
|
|
rlm@2
|
261 happened those years ago, too long, too long ago. Kirika should have walked up the path, instead
|
|
rlm@2
|
262 of the man who carried the letter.
|
|
rlm@2
|
263 Chloe held her little dessert fork, the most precious treasure she had in her possession,
|
|
rlm@2
|
264 and she looked up, seeing Kirika walking through the grapevines. Too long. It had been too long.
|
|
rlm@2
|
265 And she had found her way home. Chloe had barely gone inside the house since the day one of the
|
|
rlm@2
|
266 villagers reported that Kirika had found the way. The Grand Retour.
|
|
rlm@2
|
267 Kirika stopped several good feet away from the steps up to the house. And Althena gave a
|
|
rlm@2
|
268 smile, and descended slowly. Kirika still had that soft gentle smile on her face, and fell into
|
|
rlm@2
|
269 Althena's arms, breathing in the woman's scent. Remembering her, yet not remembering. Althena
|
|
rlm@2
|
270 felt the rage flare up, then tamped it down again. The Child would not remember everything that
|
|
rlm@2
|
271 had happened here, the happiness that they shared together, the three of them.
|
|
rlm@2
|
272 "Welcome back." Althena stroked the top of Kirika's head.
|
|
rlm@2
|
273 Her voice was emotionless, but it sent a thrill of joy running through Althena's very
|
|
rlm@2
|
274 being. "I'm home."
|
|
rlm@2
|
275 A tour of the household only brought her sorrow. Althena could see that Kirika wanted to
|
|
rlm@2
|
276 remember, but whatever they had done to her... it prevented her from remembering. Chloe had, at
|
|
rlm@2
|
277 first followed along, then got angry and left when Kirika didn't remember, or couldn't answer
|
|
rlm@2
|
278 questions from the past.
|
|
rlm@2
|
279 "Are you Althena?"
|
|
rlm@2
|
280 Althena smiled to hide her sorrow. It was too much not to be remembered by her child. But
|
|
rlm@2
|
281 she couldn't blame Kirika.
|
|
rlm@2
|
282 "Yes."
|
|
rlm@2
|
283 Questions were asked, and Althena would answer lightly, truthfully, but every question
|
|
rlm@2
|
284 weighed her down, made her sick with anger. How could they do this to Kirika?
|
|
rlm@2
|
285 What finally lifted her heart, was when Althena found Kirika in the library, poring over
|
|
rlm@2
|
286 Langon's Manuscript.
|
|
rlm@2
|
287 "The Two Hands of Soldats are two Maidens." Althena broke into a smile. "The Dark Hand
|
|
rlm@2
|
288 which can be held out with motherly love while carrying the burden of sins. Noir."
|
|
rlm@2
|
289 Althena walked forward to encircle Kirika from behind with her arms.
|
|
rlm@2
|
290 "If one can kill people with love, Hatred can also save people." Althena added. "That's
|
|
rlm@2
|
291 how I believe."
|
|
rlm@2
|
292 "Yes." Unquestioning obedience.
|
|
rlm@2
|
293 "Thank goodness you've returned."
|
|
rlm@2
|
294 Althena looked at the picture in the book, knowing how much she loved this young girl
|
|
rlm@2
|
295 like a daughter, looking at the picture of the Kind Mother, with both hands on the two Maiden's
|
|
rlm@2
|
296 heads, the Maidens knows as Noir. Althena closed the book and put it back on the shelf, then
|
|
rlm@2
|
297 lead the unprotesting girl to her room, where she was tucked in, and given a kiss goodnight.
|
|
rlm@2
|
298 Althena talked softly about the ritual happening tommorrow, and got up to leave, when Kirika
|
|
rlm@2
|
299 called her back urgently.
|
|
rlm@2
|
300 "Ah, Althena!"
|
|
rlm@2
|
301 There was more emotion in that voice then in the whole time since she had arrived. She
|
|
rlm@2
|
302 turned to look at the girl, pausing to listen to what she had to say.
|
|
rlm@2
|
303 "Uh..." The brunette seemed to be at loss for words.
|
|
rlm@2
|
304 "What's wrong?" The blonde encouraged. Kirika looked embarassed, and stared down at her
|
|
rlm@2
|
305 coverlet.
|
|
rlm@2
|
306 "Good night."
|
|
rlm@2
|
307 Althena smiled. "Good night."
|
|
rlm@2
|
308 Althena made her way to Chloe's room, to find the girl, just sneaking in through the
|
|
rlm@2
|
309 window. She smiled in that apologetic, sheepish way that she was bound to do.
|
|
rlm@2
|
310 "You were eaves-dropping?"
|
|
rlm@2
|
311 "I wanted to listen to you two talking again. The both of you did that a lot, back in
|
|
rlm@2
|
312 the days when we were all together, when me and Kirika were small." Chloe
|
|
rlm@2
|
313
|
|
rlm@2
|
314
|
|
rlm@2
|
315 Chloe was dead, she knew it as soon as it had happened, her childish spirit had come to
|
|
rlm@2
|
316 say goodbye, blowing out the candle that symbolized herself. There were two left. But these two
|
|
rlm@2
|
317 did not fit into the plan at all.
|
|
rlm@2
|
318 And Kirika had her gun pointed to her. A second time. And it hurt to have your child
|
|
rlm@2
|
319 point the gun towards you, but she kept her calm resolve. She could still make this work.
|
|
rlm@2
|
320 "Go ahead and shoot." Althena said gently. "Or your friend will die. Yes, many lives
|
|
rlm@2
|
321 have been lost, by your own hands. Are you now saying that you will make their deaths
|
|
rlm@2
|
322 meaningless?"
|
|
rlm@2
|
323 People died to make Noir what it was, the training included spilt blood.
|
|
rlm@2
|
324 "You should know as well. You are Noir." Althena saw Kirika's hand quiver. 'Kill me,
|
|
rlm@2
|
325 Kirika. Or else I would have worked for nothing. Be Noir.'
|
|
rlm@2
|
326 "Born with sin, raised with sin..." Althena closed her eyes and forged onwards. "A
|
|
rlm@2
|
327 superior being who reigns over death. Your only way of life lies here."
|
|
rlm@2
|
328 She kept on talking. Saw Kirika hesitate and mull over her words...
|
|
rlm@2
|
329 "Now, pull the trigger. Kill me and live on as the true Noir."
|
|
rlm@2
|
330 Althena felt her moment of glory, when the brunette's finger pressed lightly on the
|
|
rlm@2
|
331 trigger, not enough to fire, just touching it. Then, the grip loosened, the arms slackened.
|
|
rlm@2
|
332 Althena's eyes narrowed, knowing that Kirika would not shoot and she looked at Mireille. That
|
|
rlm@2
|
333 girl. That was why her hate was now just a fire consuming only Althena, not the people who
|
|
rlm@2
|
334 needed the cleansing flames. Her gun fired.
|
|
rlm@2
|
335 And Kirika flung herself in front of her friend. Denounced all claims to Noir. And
|
|
rlm@2
|
336 accepted the name given to her by Althena, and the identity that Mireille gave her. She was, and
|
|
rlm@2
|
337 always will be an individual known as Yumura Kirika. And she charged at Althena, pushing her
|
|
rlm@2
|
338 over, to the flames below.
|
|
rlm@2
|
339 'I've got a hold!' Althena's mind cried out in triumph. She had not managed to fall yet.
|
|
rlm@2
|
340 She could yet pull herself, and the girl clinging on to her, upwards. But now the truth was
|
|
rlm@2
|
341 told. She lived a lie, she hated and hated and scorched only herself and the only ones she
|
|
rlm@2
|
342 loved. Chloe was dead. Kirika's wound, not treated quickly, would be a festering death wound.
|
|
rlm@2
|
343 And in Kirika's eyes, she saw the philosophy that had been given to her, the opposite of what
|
|
rlm@2
|
344 Althena had tried to instill into her young charges. 'Love certainly can kill people. However,
|
|
rlm@2
|
345 don't forget: Hatred, can never save people.'
|
|
rlm@2
|
346 Her hand slipped. And Althena fell, Kirika stayed up, held up by the Boquet's only
|
|
rlm@2
|
347 daughter. She admired Mireille. To be able to forgive the person who took away your family from
|
|
rlm@2
|
348 you must have taken a lot of strength. Althena let go of the fire that burned within her and
|
|
rlm@2
|
349 wished the two good luck in the future, blessing them for finding each other, loving, helping,
|
|
rlm@2
|
350 and never abandonning each other along the path. She wished that she could be forgiven, and one
|
|
rlm@2
|
351 day, she would go to that place where Chloe would be waiting for her, wherever death may take
|
|
rlm@2
|
352 her, and one day, she hoped not soon, she would see Kirika there with Mireille. And she could
|
|
rlm@2
|
353 learn what it was like to love without hate.
|
|
rlm@2
|
354 She could almost see, as if from a bird's eye view, the two girls weeping together,
|
|
rlm@2
|
355 clutching each other close.
|
|
rlm@2
|
356 "I thought I lost you," Merielle hugged the girl close. Kirika hissed in pain, and the
|
|
rlm@2
|
357 blonde loosened her grip. "Did I hurt you?"
|
|
rlm@2
|
358 "Don't hate me, I can't stand it if you hate me." The tears were from another pain,
|
|
rlm@2
|
359 poor child. Merielle looked at Kirika, incredulous. Then she rained kisses on her face, hugged
|
|
rlm@2
|
360 her tight again, the tears came down stronger now.
|
|
rlm@2
|
361 "I can't hate you. I never could. I don't think I ever would,"
|
|
rlm@2
|
362 Althena moved away from the scene, and she stood in the library, at her desk. Langon's
|
|
rlm@2
|
363 Manuscript lay open, and Althena reached out and tried to touch the book. She wasn't all that
|
|
rlm@2
|
364 disappointed when she couldn't.
|
|
rlm@2
|
365 'Hm. I forgot to blow out the candle here.' Althena leaned over, and with a puff of
|
|
rlm@2
|
366 ghostly air, the room plunged into darkness.
|
|
rlm@2
|
367
|
|
rlm@2
|
368
|
|
rlm@2
|
369 Notes: Well, hoped you like it, remember, an artist lives off the comments they get from their
|
|
rlm@2
|
370 readers. Well, they live off the money that the readers pay them for their best-selling book...
|
|
rlm@2
|
371 but I'm not at that stage yet. Soon, soon... let us all hope. Hamena.org has some of my work,
|
|
rlm@2
|
372 mostly Sailor Moon fanfics. (H&M slash. I like slash. Its fun.)
|
|
rlm@2
|
373
|
|
rlm@2
|
374 P.S. Merielle is hot, Kirika rules, Chloe (I call her fork girl) is just too funny, and
|
|
rlm@2
|
375 Althena is, once again, the psychotic Kind Mother that everyone loves and would want to have.
|
|
rlm@2
|
376
|
|
rlm@2
|
377 P.P.S Faith from Buffy the Vampire Slayer is wicked cool! She is the only reason I watch BtVS,
|
|
rlm@2
|
378 and she should be YOUR only reason too. ;) Five by five, everyone? Five by five. |
