Chapter thirteen: 

A/N: sorry about being late, thank you SO much for the feedback ! I had computer problems >_<

 

#Millia:  

  

It wasn’t my fault Sol!

 

What's gotten into me? This has never happened before. Why was I so afraid of blood so much… Just because it was coming back in my dreams doesn’t mean she’ll be back to haunt me.

 

If only Sol would understand.

 

I fought a sob and plopped down on the bed.

I was famished, but I wasn’t hungry.

I know that if I had anything now I’ll just toss it out.

 

It won’t be the first time.

 

I lay my head down on the lumpy pillow and sighed. I will not cry.

 

Think calming thoughts.

 

Somebody would kill me, today, I know it.

 

I said calming thoughts!

 

I rolled to my side and studied the grayish-brown cast on my arm. I didn’t kill her, did I? No, she’s probably going to be okay. The person I bit would have a sore thumb for a while…

Sol hates me…

That’s why he left me all alone now. He probably wants me dead.

If only I was, it would save us both the trouble.

 

After all, nobody would miss me, let alone cry for me.

 

I ran through the field.

Was I dreaming

A field of long, dried grass. I could see our house from here.

 

I smiled, its been a while.

 

“Mommy.” I held her warm hand and smiled up at her. She didn’t smile but I didn’t care, she was always warm. Her shiny yellow hair danced in the wind, and a few leaves were caught in it from when we rolled on the grass. “Are we going home now?”

“Yes.” She said quietly, I always loved mommy’s voice. She walked with me through the tall grass, I could barely see anything but the yellow blades. I was so short.

I was only four.

 

I knew someday I was going to be a tall, beautiful young lady, and I’m going to be just as a good mom as mommy is.

 

Was.

 

We walked out of the field and I saw a pretty butterfly. It was shining in red colors, pink dotted its wings and I just knew I had to chase to take a better look at it. I ran after it, it kept flying left and right, and I laughed, it was playing with me!

 

“Serei, don’t go too far.” Mommy always warned me about going too far.

“I wont.” I was tired of following the pretty butterfly, it didn’t land anywhere, I wonder why.

 

I looked at a sound behind me and I saw father walking towards us,

“Daddy!”

He nodded to me, and I hugged his leg. Daddy never let me kiss his cheek when I went to sleep, he never hugged me. but I loved him.

 

I loved him.

 

“Why didn’t you come to help? I thought you said you would!” uh-oh. Daddy was angry. I let go of his leg and took a step to the back. He was never nice when he was angry.

“I was going to, but I couldn’t leave Serei all by herself.” Mommy walked up to him and carried the orange basket he was holding.

“I don’t need your help now!” he shouted in anger, his brown eyes were like they were on fire!

 

 

My eyes shot open to a ceiling lined in gray and white, it was just a dream. I sighed and shifted, my arm was killing me.

The TV was on, but nobody seemed to be watching it. I wonder if Sol had gotten back.

“Sol.” I called, my throat ached. “Are you here?”

A crumpled cigarette butt was tossed out of the kitchens door. “Yah.”

 

I dropped my head back on the pillow.

He could have told me he was back.

 

Daddy was drinking again.

NO, not this dream again, please!

Mommy walked over and spoke to him. He was angry and mommy was angry, too.

Please, wake me up, please.

He stood up and I broke my red crayon.

He hit her, he always hit her.

Wake me up please!

He grabbed a fistful of her pretty yellow hair and shook her head, screaming something at her. I closed my eyes and left my coloring book. I opened my eyes again and looked up at them, mommy was trying to make him let go of her hair, but daddy only hurt her more, she was screaming.

Please!

He walked over to the far wall and held her hair and chin, he was showing her face in the mirror. The mirror she always looked at whenever she was going out with daddy.

They almost never went out.

Don’t! Please don’t!

He was angry and the walls turned red, his eyes turned red and everything around turned red.

He pushed her head to the mirror.

 

“Rage.”

I sat up in cold sweat and watched a red blob move before me. “Stay away from me!” You can't hurt me anymore! You are dead! I’m not afraid of you! S-Stay away!  

“Stop doing that, its annoying.” My vision was cleared when I realized it was Sol that was speaking, not my father.

I brushed sleep away from my eyes. I am not going to sleep ever again. The dream almost always continued every time.

“Coffee?” he made a grunt and held a Styrofoam cup under my nose, my head spun.

Don’t, you’ll only embarrass yourself in front of him. “No, thank you.”

He didn’t move. “You haven’t had anything since yesterday.”

I had a spoonful of yoghurt this morning… “No, thank you.”

He drank it.

 

I rested my head on the hard wood, my head hurt and my arm ached and my stomach was angry at me for not filling it up, it all made me feel like I wanted to kill somebody.

 

I could see the screen from here, Sol was more into the morning paper than the blurry, half naked bodies squirming on the screen.

 

How could he be so calm? He had left his home just yesterday and now he is reading the paper and drinking morning coffee like he was meant to be here. Is everybody like this or is it just him?

 

“Somebody is looking for you.” He stated, his monotone voice sending shivers up my spine. “There is no picture.” A page of the paper landed in my lap, I read the article.

 

“-She said the woman was trying to kill her, that she took out a bottle of sleeping gas and stabbed her with the butter knife. She said it was a blonde woman in her twenties, blue eyes and a cast on her arm and leg. The Hotel’s owner, mister McNiel, assured that it is the very first time such a thing happened, and that he had sought a 10000 prize for whoever captures her alive.”

 

Ice ran in my veins.

 

Sol was giving me a weird look, like he was measuring me or something.

 

Sol is a bounty hunter.

Sol is obviously broke.

 

I closed my eyes and felt like I was going to faint any second.

 

“Better get your ass out of bed if you want to save it.” he turned the TV off and lit a cigarette, I could smell the burning tobacco from here.

“I’m not going anywhere.” I placed my hands on my face, it was suddenly so cold and bright.

“Why.” He sighed. I hate that question.

“I’m dead anyway.” Its not like venom to pursue a person like this, not this much.

I heard a scoff before I opened my eyes to see Sol looking down at me. “I’m leaving, I’m taking you with me.”

“I’ll only cause you trouble.” I don’t want anybody to hate me when I’m dead.

“You’re causing trouble right now.” He motioned with his head. “People are already looking for you.”

I put my arm over my eyes and sighed, this isn’t going well… “Just go Sol, I’m willing to face reality.” I’ll just die, no body cares about me. I won’t be doing anybody any good either. Actually, I’m causing Sol some major problems right now.

“Rage, don’t make me carry you myself, get your ass up.”

“What if I don’t want to!” I know he’s just trying to encourage me to go on, but I’ve had enough!

 

Hands on my sides.

 

One second I was laying depressed in bed, the other I was looking down at denim-clad calves with his arm behind my knees.

 

“Don’t do that!” I hit his back with a half-hearted fist. “Its annoying!”

“You wouldn’t listen.” He leaned down –with me on his shoulder- and grabbed a couple of things.

“I don’t know why I got you crutches when I’ll be carrying you around on my shoulder.” He shook his head.

“Put me down, please.” Although he felt warm it was awkward to be on a man’s shoulder.

 

I was down, trying my best to not think of where we were going. Sol opened the car’s door for me.

 

“Hold!” a man called.

Oh no.

Sol sighed and turned around, I looked back to the blonde police man that was pouting behind us.

“Sol Badguy.” The man crossed his gloved arms. “Where do you think you are going?”

The man next to me sighed, “I’m busy, go away.”

This isn’t going well…

“Sol, eez this car yours?”

“No, I stole it.” he nudged me with his hand on my elbow. “Get in.”

I sat down and placed my crutches on the back seat, there were a few bags I haven’t seen before. 

The French policeman sighed and slapped his forehead. “Sol, this eez the seventh time this month!”

“So?” I could see Sol cross his arms, his fire sword in his hand.

“I can't keep arresting you!” he shrugged helplessly, “What can I do to make you stop?”

“Buy me a car.” Sol sniggered and walked over to the driver’s seat. “Move your French ass out of the way, boy scout.” The motor rumbled loudly.

The French man leaned over the window and spoke to Sol. “Sol, this eez the last favor I’m pulling. nexzt time it’s a duel.”

Sol stubbed the cigarette on the man’s leather gloves, the blonde didn’t appear to be bothered by it. “Fine, Kiske, ‘least I’ll have me a chance to win my sword back.” I watched the man fade into the distance from the rear-view window as we sped over the highway. 

 

Hm, a Russian lady, married to an American man, driving a German car and smoking up a French guy.

 

My life is colorful.

 

My life is all screwed up.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

#Sol:

 

For a whole hour she did nothing but press her head on the window.

 

Damn boring.

 

I need sleep.

 

How the hell did Boy Scout know we were there? Unless he’s sharing a motel room with crudberry then I don’t know what the hell’s going on.

 

The street was almost empty, a woman was driving slowly far behind us, she didn’t seem to be in a hurry to go anywhere.

 

I glanced at Rage again and a thought just hit me.

 

What am I doing?

 

I lit a cigarette.

 

Why am I helping her? Am I that bored? Is it because I’ve signed a contract with her?

 

Contract huh…

 

Or is it because she’s a damsel in distress and I always wanted to play knight?

 

Sigh.

 

Or maybe its just Freddy’s evil scheme to twist my morals.

 

What morals?!

 

I reached behind my back and pulled the folded paper from my pocket, then tossed it over to the dazed woman. “Read it.”

 

She sighed and moved slowly, I watched her from the corner of my eye.

 

“Holy Order’s secondary branch-”

“After that.”

She sighed and shifted in her seat. “I, Sol Badguy, Am in a full state of mind and therefore agree to marry Seri Luna, and of that, I sign.”

Was that really what's written? Was Undersn drunk or something? It sounds unofficial.

“I, Seri Luna sign, and agree to marry Sol Badguy.” She continued and folded the paper. “What about it?”

I shook my head. “You need a picture for your ID.”

“Where are we going?”

“Who cares?”

“Why are we doing this?” she rubbed her forehead.

“You tell me.” I don’t feel like ripping my chest apart and showing you my still beating heart, thank you.

She sighed and leaned her head back. If only my system was up right now, I’d figure out what’s wrong with her.

 

I think I’m getting on her nerves.

 

“Why don’t you just stop at the next Holy Order’s building.”

Don’t tell me she wants a divorce already. “Why?”

“I’m handing myself in.”

I looked at her, “You haven’t done anything.”

“I’m a bounty.”

“You’ll live.”

 

She sighed and banged her head on the window.

 

“You’re head hurts?”

“Like a thousand needles.” She rubbed her forehead. “Give me a cigarette.”

Surprise. “No.”

“Why?”

Now I know how she feels when I ask her that. “Women shouldn’t smoke.” 

There was a silent pause before she narrowed her eyes. “Why shouldn’t they?”

Well, lets see. “It gives them wrinkles and steals away their youth.” Other than it takes much-needed oxygen from babies and makes you exhausted and addicted, it could never be good to a kid.

She took the half-wasted cigarette from my mouth and I pouted in annoyance. “That’s mine, get your own.”

The road in front of us was empty, so I took my time in watching the amusing sight. She took a small drag and coughed dryly. Heh, am I bad influence or what?

“Gimme that.” She tried to move it away from me, but come on, she couldn’t do that when her good hand was the closest to me. I reached and found myself holding her with both my arms to get to the burning stick.  

It tasted like paper and water when I put it in my mouth.

She sighed and leaned back, closing her eyes.

 

I need to drop her off somewhere, and go back to Low to fix her card, and get an apartment while keeping her alive till I’m done.

 

Damn.

 

I sighed and shook my head, this’ll be too darn bothersome.

 

After a while, my ass was starting to get numb, thankfully we were almost at the end of the highway, and I could see a carnival going on.

 

Carnivals had photo machines… that’ll work!

 

“Wanna party?”

She gave a ‘Are you drunk again?’ look.

I parked and purchased two tickets before I dragged her off into the infested place.

“Sol!” she stumbled with the crutches and couldn’t shake my hand off her arm. “Sol I don’t want to!”

A few people looked, but we mostly ignored.

I kept scanning the place for any stands, nothing registered. Damn, if only my systems were up and running.

 

Damn indeed.

“Hey Badguy!” I couldn’t miss the voice even if my systems were dead. 

I tried to pretend that I didn’t hear him, but he touched my arm and I was forced to look back at him if only to snarl.

“What brings you here?” the wide idiotic grin, the dark glasses and the old-fashioned outfit, you can never miss a pirate.

“None of your business.” I frowned down at Millia who was trying to worm her hand away from mine. When did I hold her hand? She peeked up at me with a slight smirk, like she was saying ‘suits you right.’

“Ah, Millia Rage!” the blonde pirate tried to peek behind me to look at the woman but I only stood in his way.

What the hell was I doing?

“Johnny!”

We both winced.

“I heard they had a ‘Love Tunnel’ somewhere around here!” the small girl hauled her anchor around like a plastic toy. “Oh! Millia!” she grinned and jumped behind me to hug the blonde woman, who winced when her arm was squeezed.

It was my turn to give her the ‘suits you right’ look.

“Hello.” She was unusually polite. Or maybe I just push her buttons too roughly.

“Hi! What happened to you?”

“Accident.” The Russian woman looked at me.

“Aw, you poor thing!” the annoying girl squealed sympathetically, “Why don’t you come to the Mayship and we’ll take care of you!” she glared at me like I was a monster, “Sol is a meany, I bet he doesn’t feed you well!”

Try at all.

She smiled a little but did not answer.

“We’re busy.” I said and held Rage’s arm, get on with it already.

The perverted pirate lowered his glasses and wiggled a brow. “Let’s go find the Love Tunnel you were talking about, May.” He emphasized the words while giving me a weird look. “They are busy.”

“Yeah, hurry up May,” I glared at him. “After all you wouldn’t want to miss the grand explosion.”

The blond pirate looked green.

“Explosion?” the girl looked up at me in confusion, before glancing at a sick Johnny and then back to me, “Are there going to be fireworks tonight?”        

I smirked and started to leave, the pirate panicking behind me.

 

“That was low.” The whisper sent chills down my spine.

“Whatever, I don’t lose.” I kept scanning the place for any possible booth –or threat.

“Where are we going?” she held into my arm when she stumbled on a cable.

“I need a picture of you.” Aha! Found it!

“A picture?”

I sighed and looked at the booth, it had somebody in because the curtains were drawn. “Yeah, you can't walk around with a man’s card.”

She sighed and looked around. “I feel like somebody’s watching.”

I’ll protect you, don’t worry.

 

The person in the booth walked out and my eyes met blood red ones.

Dizzy.

“Oh! Hello!” she smiled up at me, her eyes shining, “Millia Chan!” she nodded to the woman standing next to me, they both smiled politely.

“Hello.” The Russian lady probably forgot the girl’s name.

“Are you alone, Dizzy?” I asked.

“Hai, I can't seem to find May Chan or April san.” She glanced behind her, pressing a finger to her lips. The pictures came out and she pulled them. “Did you see them, Oji san?”

“Yeah,” Wonder what Ojisan means. “They’re over there.” I pointed to where we were five minutes ago.

“Arigatou, Oji san!” she bent slightly and smiled, her eyes shining, then she waved goodbye as she left. 

“Get in.” I ordered dryly and pushed the curtain away.

I caught a glare when she passed in front of me. I put a coin into the slot and waited for her.

 

Why am I doing all this?

I sighed and lit a cigarette.

 

System clean now, do you wish to restart?

I sighed and felt my eyelids go heavy.

No.

 

“You done, Rage?”  

“Yes.” She surprised me when she was right next to me.

I sighed and waited until the pictures were out.

“Let’s go.”

She followed me silently and I took a quick glance at the pictures.

 

Twelve pictures, exactly the same expression, or rather, lack of.

 

We walked for a while, until I spotted my goal.

 

“Hey Pirate guy.” I called and watched the blonde pirate turn around from the pinball machine.    

“Badguy.” He tipped his hat to the woman behind me.

“Where’s your girl friend?” I asked and touched Rage’s elbow.

“She uh… May!” she was playing on the opposite stand.

“Hai!” she grinned childishly, “I love speaking like Dizzy! What's up Sol?”

I scratched my head, Was I doing the right thing? “You wanna have Rage over for a while?”

 

The little girl and the older pirate looked at me with shiny hopeful eyes. 

 

“What?” she demanded from behind me.

I leaned towards her and whispered, “I’ve got some business to do. The girls will take care of you.”

She blinked a few times before slowly making her way to May. “Yes, I’ll be staying with you for a while.” She looked at me, “How long, Sol?”

I joined my brows, “Till I come back to get you.”

“Why.” Her face remained emotionless.

 

Why? Because I need to travel around for a while, I need to rest, I need to call Low again, I need to give him the picture, I need to search for  an appropriate apartment, I have to do a lot of things… I need you to be safe until I get back.

 

I just sounded like a damn husband…

 

Damn.

 

“Cause you’ll be safer above ground level.” I walked over the staring male and grabbed his shirtfront with a single fist. “Just try and flirt with her.” I threatened in his ear before I started towards the exit, he was silent behind me.

 

I sighed and looked up at the sky.

 

I just hope I’m doing the right thing. 

 

I opened the car and put the slide of photos in the drawer before I turned the motor on and drove towards a shaded part, the sun was setting and the walls gave a tall shadow.

 

I waited for about two hours in the car until I saw a few females –along with Millia- and a certain Johnny far behind, enter the Mayship and take off.

 

I turned the motor on when it faded into the sky and started to drive.

 

I miss her already, damnit.

 

End of chapter thirteen.