Siska's blog: "Contract"

CONTRACT Chapter 5 Chris and Brownie kept walking down the street admiring the scenery that were before them when a familiar face showed up behind a gate of a two story house. "Hi Luke." "HI Christana. How are you feeling today?" Brownie growled at him and he looked down. "Oh, I'm sorry. Good afternoon to you too. May I join you two?" "Sure." Chris smiled at him as they walked off in silence. After they reached the end of the street and took a left, Luke spoke up. "Christana, ummmm......I have never umm stopped having feelings for ya. You have to know this right? I just....I know I'm stupid for even saying that." He laughed at himself. "I don't even know why I am telling you this." He sighed as he thought that Chris might find this funny but was surprised when she stopped and put a chaste kiss on his lips. Luke stopped in mid-stride and was shocked. "Luke, I've known how you felt about me since back at the inn but I can't return the feelings. I like you, but not in that way and plus you know I'm taken. I'm sorry. I don't mean to hurt you." "I understand but we're friends right?" "Of course." "Well, can I treat my friend to something to eat?" "That would be nice Luke, thank you." Chris smiled at him as they continued their walk to the Halem resturant. "It's a beautiful day isn't it Christana?" Chris shook her head. Luke never called her by Chris like everyone else did. He told her that her full name was just as beautiful as she was and the shortened version took that beauty away. She sighed as she listened to him chatter on about his day and what's been going on. This reminded her of back at the inn. 3 years ago.... Chris heard a noise and sat up in bed noticing Van wasn't in his. "Van?" She called out but received no answer and noticed the bathroom light was on. Getting out of bed, she walked over to the bathroom and knocked on the door. "Hey, you in there? Are you ok?" Van looked up from his spot to the door. "Yeah....yeah I'm fine. Just ate something bad." "Well, do you need anything? I'm going downstairs." Chris tried the knob but found it locked and was unconvinced he was ok but she left it alone thinking he had his own thing to do. "No, I'm fine. Really, I'm fine." "I'll bring you something back anyway." Before Van could answer back she had already left the bathroom door and went out the bedroom door. Going down the stairs, she noticed someone behind the counter. "Excuse me," Chris asked. "But have you seen a girl with long deep red hair or a dog that was brown or black?" The man behind the counter looked up at her. "I'm sorry, I haven't." "Oh ok. I wonder where she went off too." "Hey, are you not the girl who was fighting with that man earlier? My sister passed by and saw you two, so she closed the door." "Oh, I am so sorry. I hope we did not disturb anyone else?" "No, no. I understand how lovers get in fight sometimes. Hell, my sister and her boyfriend get into it all the time." "He's not my lover." She came out saying that in a snap and embarrassed. "I'm traveling with him to Harlem but there is nothing going on between us." She waved her hands back and forth in front of her as if trying to ward the thought away. "Well then, can I treat you to a cup of coffee and something to eat? The donuts just came out of the oven and I just brewed some coffee. I usually work the grave shift so I have no one to talk to hardly. Oh, by the way, my name is Luke." "Mine is Christiana but I am called Chris for short." "Christiana is more beautiful. May I ask why you cover your ears? Your ears bring out your beauty. I take it your an elf or half breed at best. Oh and don't worry, you're safe here." Chris blushed hard for the second time today or first considering it was past midnight and almost five in the morning. "Do you always compliment girls so?" "Only the ones I find interesting." Luke went to fetch both of them some coffee as Chris sat down. As they sat and drank their coffee, they talked about different things. An hour in a half went by before Chris noticed the time. "Wow, I really need to go look for my friend. I didn't notice the time go by so quickly." "Well, when your in good company. I get off in an hour. I could help look for her if you want?" "No. That's ok. I thank you for the coffee and donuts and the chat. It was nice." As she stood up so did Luke and his words just spilled out as he stood up. "Maybe we can....do this again?" "Maybe." She smiled back at him as she began to walk to the front door. "Well, see you around." Luke's sister walked up behind him. "Stop trying to hit on the customers." "Why? She's beautiful creature and also the sweetest. I like her and plus she is single. She's not with that guy at all." "She's an elf." "So?" Lukes sister shrugged and walked off. Outside of the inn, Chris looked down the street and started walking, calling out Brownies name. After a few minutes, someone was seen under a lamp post holding a dog in hand. "Looking for something?" The person holding the dog, threw it to the ground. The guy under the lamp post had an evil look to him but when Chris looked closer, she noticed the white hair. The silver strands were shining under the light. "What is a dark elf doing out here?" He didn't answer but disappeared leaving someone behind. "Tidus......." "Are you not happy to see me?" He walked over and picked up the moaning dog while Chris ran over to both of them and quickly took Brownie out of his arms. "Why am I going to Halem with him? What do they want from him?" He let the dog go without fuss. "You are to just follow him and get as close as possible. Once he starts trusting you, he'll depend on you and that is what they are hoping for. Oh, if your worried about Siska, she's fine. She's a demon after all. Besides, her punishment was half mine. Mind yourself.." He walked closer to her as she backed up. "...and follow what you're told and this will never happen again. You were given power. Don't forget what I have done for you. You owe me a lot more than you think." He grabbed her by the neck with his left hand and brought her closer to him, putting his forehand on hers. His long hair fell down on her shoulders as he breathed in her scent. "You smell of roses and gardenia's. You smell like your mother." Chris began to cry as Tidus disappeared. "…Chris?" Chris looked up, seeing Van approaching her. "What's wrong?" he asked concerned. "Uhhh.. Nothing." She wiped off her tears. "What are you doing out here?" "I should be asking you that." Van replied. "You've been gone for nearly an hour, I was getting worried. …Hey what happened to Brownie?" he noticed the worn out dog in her hands. "I-It's nothing… She just… She…" She tried to think of an excuse but couldn't. "Forget it, you don't need to tell me." Van interjected. "Just come back inside." Van then helped her up and started walking back to the room. As they did, he took off his leather jacket and wrapped it around her and Brownie. The sudden action surprised Chris. "OH! …Um, Thanks." "No problem." "But aren't you cold?" She noticed he just wore a simple shirt. "It's freezing out here." "No worries… Besides, I could really use the cold at the moment." "What do you mean?" "Uh… Nothing, it just I was feeling a little too warm in the room. Couldn't sleep…" Once they got to the room, the Chris sat at the end of her bed, cradling Brownie at her lap. "Are you okay now…?" she asked her softly. Brownie replied with a soft whine. Chris gently patted her head. Van just looked at her. Of course it made him very curious on what happened, but he figured to just let it go since it seemed to be a very sensitive at the moment. Instead, he just changed the subject. "Hey… I got this downstairs." Offered her a mug of warm milk. "It'll help you sleep." "Thank you." Chris took it. Van was about to take a sip of his own mug when he Kuro suddenly meowed loudly at him at the ground. He was looking up at him bright-eyed and cute. Van sighed. "Oh alright." He set the mug down the ground. Kuro immediately started sipping it. "But you owe me a fish." "Meow~!" Chris looked curiously at Van. She noticed there was something different about him… Then it finally hit her. "Hey… Is that a new shirt?" "Huh… Oh this?" he pulled the black t-shift at the abdomen. "Yeah, I also got it from downstairs." "Why'd you change?" "Well, uh, my old one seemed kinda worn.. So I thought I'd replace it." "Well you sure did." She replied. Van frowned at her. "What does that mean?" "It looks almost exactly like your last one." Kuro meowed. "Oh shut up." Van said to him. "What do you know about fashion? You don't wear clothes." "Kukukukukuuu….!" >3 Chris laughed. The next morning Van awoke with a yawn , bright shade of blue gleaming through the shades. He looked at the other bed, seeing it empty and Brownie still sleeping at the foot. Checking the time he looked at the clock on the desk next to him, it read 8 a.m. THAT'S a first. He grinned to himself. He then went over to the bathroom door and gave it a knock. "Hey Chris! You in there?" There was no answer. He then opened the door… And was greeted with a shriek. "OH SHI~!!" "WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE!?" Covered only by a loose towel, she threw a bar of soap at him. The sound immediately awoke the two animals with a shock. "I'M SORRY!!" Van was covering his eyes. "I THOUGHT IT WAS EMPTY!" "WELL WHY DIDN'T YOU KNOCK?!" "I CALLED YOU, YOU DIDN'T ANSWER!" "WELL YOU SHOULD'VE CALLED OUT LOUDER!! GET OUT!!" She grabbed and threw anything in the room beside the towel that covered her. She even snatched the waste basket on the ground and prepared to heave it. "OK OK! I'M OUTTA HERE!!" Van then left the room, and closed the door behind him. Chris shook her in disgust. IDIOT!! She thought ferociously. She set the waste basket back down… Then she noticed what was in it. She reached in and pulled it out. It was Van's old, black shirt. She held it up. Though it did look worn out, she frowned at the large hole that seemed to be ripped open at the torso. Mirroring the placement on her shirt, she laid a hand over her own chest… "Hey Chris!" Van called out the door. "UH! Yes!" She immediately began to stuff the shirt back in the trash. "Hey, uh, I'll be downstairs getting some breakfast. But do you mind if we set out in an hour? The sooner we leave, the better chances that those guys chasing you won't figure out where we are." "Uh. Sure! I'll be down in a moment!" "Gotcha!" Kuro looked at Brownie as if asking a question and Brownie answered with a bark. "It's like a getting a tattoo but by unseen hands. It itches after and i'm just taking away the pain." "Ok you two, I'm going downstairs. You two behave. I will bring ya'll something to eat." With that, she walked out the door and went downstairs but as she decended the stairs, Van wasn't the first she saw. "Oh, hi Luke. Have you seen Van, the guy I am staying with?" "Yeah, he came down here eariler. He sure is a big guy." Chris laughed. "Not that big. Oh, Luke where are the stores around here? I need to buy new clothes." "Ah, well, there is a shopping center about thirty minutes away from here and the bank is right next to it. Ummm, I have a car. I could take you." At that moment, Van came in. From where, Chris didn't know. "She has a bike she can ride and we can do it on our way out." "I thought you were going to Halem, its the other way of the store." "We are Luke and you can take me." Chris turned around and glared at Van. "Hey, what about me? I need clothes too." "I have room in my car. I can take you both." Luke looked over to his sister and saw her smiling. "What?" Cindy just looked at him and shook her head. "Nothing, just admiring from afar." She had to laugh as she walked off. "He has no clue." she whispered to herself. Van and Chris met Luke outside in the parking lot and both got in the back as Luke drove. They arrived at the store in less then thrity minutes and went browsing for clothes. Chris bought two shirts, two pair of blue jeans, one new red bra, and two pair of panties with Luke walking with her all the way and chatting. He had left her alone when she went into the lingera though. Van had kept a few feet behind them the whole way. "Hey Van?" Chris held up a shirt that was dark with a blue dragon design on it. "What size do you wear?" "Mainly large, why?" "Just wondering." She decided to buy the shirt for him and give it to him later. "Did you get anything?" She saw his arms were empty. "Oh, I'm good." Chris gave him a questioning look but shrugged and walked up to the register with Luke following like a puppy. Van walked with them with hands in his pockets and balled up in fists. After Chris was done paying for her items, they walked out the store and back into the car, this time Chris got into the front passenger seat next to Luke. During the whole trip, Van remained quiet as the two in the front started to talk. Chris began to get to close to Luke for Van's taste and Chris noticed Van watching them both in the mirror and noticed his expression. She couldn't understand why he was acting the way he was. The car pulled into the parking lot and all had retreated from the car, Van was carrying the bags. "Thanks for taking us shopping. I really appriciate it. We will come say good-bye before we leave. Van just took one last look at Luke before following Chris up the stairs and to their room. "So, ummm, I take it you like him?" "Who?" "The guy downstairs, that's who." "Oh you mean Luke?" She began looking through her clothes for the new stuff she bought. She laid out her clothes on the bed only picking up one pair of panties, bra, pants, and a long black t-shirt. "He is nice and I do like him." "Oh...." Van went to sit on his bed. "Here it is!!" She picked up the shirt laying the other items down and walked over to Van. "Here, I liked it. Thought it might look good on you since you ruined your other one." She held the shirt up to Vans chest and looked at it. "I hope it fits. You did say large." After a moment of admiring the shirt against Van, she brought one hand down to the spot of his chest where the shirt had burned. She just left her gloved hand there wondering what could of made such a burn in his other shirt. Without realizing it, she started to draw out a design with two fingers as her eyes watched. "Chris......" "Yeah?" She didn't even lift her eyes to him when she suddenly felt him pull her to him. This surprised her so much she stopped what she was doing and placed both hands on his chest while her head rested there. "Ummm, Fenrir?" "Shhh." Both animals gazed at them with mouths open. "What is it?" Chris whispered. "Someones at the door." "I didn't hear anything." "Stay here." He cautioned. Van let her go, cautioning her to stay down, and crept to the door. He looked into the peek hole. He didn't see anybody, but he assumed he was below it. With that idea, he quickly unlockedd the door and kicked it open…. BAM!! The door bounced off something and a painful cry was heard. As Van looked down at the intruder, his eyes widened in shock. Luke laid on his back, groaning in pain as blood began to flow profusely from his nose. Van quickly looked back at Chris, "HEY CHRIS! CALL THE---" But unfortunately, he was greeted with her fist to his face. This was now why, ten minutes later, both guys were now sitting on a bench of the lobby with bandages over their faces. Though Van had a simple cross-shaped bandage over his nose bridge, Luke had a taped gauze and face shield to stop his profuse bleeding. "Sorry about that." Van said holding his nose. "OH! Don't worry about it." Luke replied, his voice slightly heightened by his tight bandage. "Didn't know Christina could be so scary though." "You don't need to tell me…" Chris then came over to Van and yelled at his face. "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!? YOU COULD'VE KILLED HIM!!" " WELL WHAT WAS I TO THINK ABOUT SOMEONE WHO WAS HIDING BEHIND THE DOOR!?" Luke's sister, Maria, was just watching from behind the counter. "…Hiding behind the door?" Luke.. What were you doing?" she asked, smiling evilly. Even she already knew the answer… "Uhh.. What was I doing…? Well, I was.. Uh…" "QUIET LUKE! YOU DON'T NEED TO SAY ANYTHING!!" Terrorized, Luke went silent as Chris turned her attention back at Van. "WHY THE HELL DID YOU HAVE TO GO AND KICK THE DOOR?" "WELL WHY THE HELL DID YOU HAVE TO GO AND BREAK MY NOSE!?" "CAUSE YOU'RE A JERK!!" "WELL YOU'RE FUCKING CRAZY!!" "SCREW YOU!!" "KISS MY ASS!!" Luke's sister only smiled in glee. Later on in their room, Van began stuffing things into a sack and Chris did the same. "Let's just get the hell outta here." Van grunted. "Fine by me, who knows how many more innocent people you might hurt here." Van didn't say anything, but growled. The two animals just looked to the ground pitifully. "Oh here." She threw him the shirt he got him. "Keep it. Maybe, you can use it to bandage up your nose when I hit you again." Van eyeballed her fiercely for a second and then stuffed the shirt in his sack. Once outside, the two got on their bikes. Brownie jumped into the bag on Chris' while Kuro latched on Van's shoulder. Luke, still in his face mask, came over to them. "OH hey! You two leaving?" As if a change in emotion, Chris smiled at him. "Yeah, we are." "Hmm…" Luke looked disappointed. "Where you both headed?" "We're heading to Halem." Luke's eyes lit up. "REALLY! No way, I live nearby there!" "Oh really? Well, then I guess I might see you again." "That'd be great.!" He looked at Van. "I'll see you around too, yeah?" Van answered short. "…Yeah." Chris raised an eyebrow at him. Why the heck was he acting like that when he was around!? "Later Luke." Luke nodded at her. Chris then looked back at Van. "Follow me, Idiot." She drove in a load roar. "YOU…! AHHH!!" he roared out as well, following her. Luke smiled at Chris as she road off, and sighed happily. "Smile all you want bro, but she's not going to be with you." Luke turned around to see his sister smiling at him with crossed arms. "What are you talking about? She clearly has no interest in the guy. And they always fight." "But they get through it every time," she countered. "And if they can keep a bond that intact with all that stress, there's no way you can ever break it.". As they rode ,they both drove in silence. Of course, Chris had turned off her headset so she wouldn't have to hear anything that Van had to say. She didn't want to in fact because of what happened to Luke. He could of just opened the door instead of busting it open. She wondered why he acted that way. To tell the truth, Van was the first male she had been around besides her father. She sighed as she thought about her father and about everything he tought her. About thirty minutes down the road, Chris figured she had given Van enough of the silence treatment and turned the headset back on. "You finally decided to talk to me?" "No, I finally decided to turn it back on just in case something important needed to be said." "I told him I was sorry." "You didn't have to do that. You could of just opened the damn door. What possessed you to do that?" "Well, you are being chased." Chris didn't say anything to that. She stayed silent. It was true, she was being chased and someone could of been at that door just ready with a gun. "So, you were trying to protect me?" "Well, yeah." "I don't need a big brother. I can handle myself." Again they both rode in silence until a big green sign read, now entering Halem. They kept driving until they hit the first city. As they entered the town, Chris stopped her bike, the tire almost touching the rock Tidus was sitting on. "Welcome to Halem you two. I hope your trip was a pleasent one?" He slid off the rock and walked over to Chris and draped his arm around her shoulder. Leaning down to her ear, he gave the outside edge of it a lick. "And how is my little angel? Being a good girl I hope." Brownie just growled at Tidus as he turned to look at Van. "Ahhh, good. You have made it. So everything went smoothly?" Van was watching the two. Chris had gotten off her bike and turned to face Van with Tidus hanging off of her. He couldn't help but feel like ramming the elf into the rock he was once sitting on. "Yes, we had a nice trip other then some guys in black following us." "Oh dear. Well, we will have to have that taken care of won't we my little angel." Tidus did something at that moment that shocked him. He planted a kiss on Chris' lips and it was no short kiss either. He noticed that she did nothing but her eyes told everything. "So sweet like cherries. So sweet like your mothers." He whispered and then disapeared. "A room is waiting for you two at the Halem inn and Van, don't get any ideas. "She's mine." Van leapt when he felt the air on his ear. Tidus was right behind him and whispered the words in his ear and then disappeared once Van turned around. Chris got back on her bike while the words rolled over in her mind, "Like your mother." Van pulled up beside her. "Hey, you ok?" Chris only sighed as she pulled up her eyes to see his. "Yeah, I'm fine. Lets get to the inn. I'm getting tired and my ass is sore from all this riding. Van only smiled at the last comment as his mind took a direction it didn't need to go and then he started thinking of Tidus and Chris and the kiss and then his mind went back in the direction it was susspose to go. They arrived at the inn and settled into their large, two bedroom room. Night had come quickly as neither had said much to the other. Chris' mind still ran on what Tidus said and his actions toward her as Van was preoccupied in his own little world. Chris went into the bathroom to change her clothes and came out only in her long, black t-shirt that touched mid-thigh. Van just stared at her. "What?" "No shorts or pants?" "Does this bother you?" He looked away. "No." his answer came to quickly. "Good." She crawled into bed and started to fall asleep when she heard the cracking of bones and ripping of skin. "Siska, stay in doors tonight." Chris whined as the sound annoyed her to death. "No!" Chris opened her eyes to Siskas voice and watched her walk out the door as she sat up in bed. 'Why did she sound pissed.' She looked over at Van who was looking at her and shrugged. "Kuro, do me a favor and watch her please?" Chris begged. Kuro just meowed as he slowly jumped off the bed and headed out the opened window. "Thanks." "Meow!" "Be nice Kuro." Kuro only gave Van a glare before he was fully out the window. "Hey Chris....." "No." "But I...." "No." "I just wanted...." "I said No and if it's about Tidus, I'm going to break your nose again. Now goodnight!" Van immediately shut up and laid down in bed thinking. 'Why is she pissed? Shouldn't I be the one that is pissed? Wait a minute, her arms and hands didn't have all those markings when I first met her.' He looked over at her. Her back was turned to him and he could see the movements of her body. Whether her breathing was off or she was just crying sliently, he didn't know but he did know that her lower arms and her hands were not covered in those markings before. He finally dropped off to sleep after his mind couldn't handle anymore thinking over the subjects prancing around. When Chris heard him start to snore, she turned around to look at him then she checked the clock. 'Midnight.' Her neck started to itch at that moment and she knew why. "I'm sorry." She rose out of bed and walked into the bathroom where her swords layed. She grabbed one and walked back into the bedroom and over to Vans bed. She held the sword above his heart. "Van...." she whispered as she plunged the sword down in one swift movement but instead of hitting her target, the sword landed beside the out of his arm cutting it a bit. Van immediately sat up knocking Chris on the ground while her sword slid under her bed. "What the hell are you doing?!" He looked down at Chris. Her shirt had risen up to her waist. He stood up from the bed. "What the hell did you do that for?!" Chris said nothing as she quickly rose and sprinted for the bathroom to fetch her other sword. However, she wasn't able to get one inch in as Van was able to grab her behind her shirt. Then in a swift but fierce movement, as if he was trained to, he spun her around and grabbed her neck, pushing her against the wall. "WHY'D YOU DO THAT CHRIS!?" His grip began to tighten and she was having trouble breath. "I-I am sorry~!" "I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE SORRY! WHY'D YOU TRY TO KILL ME!?" Chris looked at his eyes. They looked cold and full of hate. It was like he was a different person. "T-Tidus.. Ordered me… I'm sorr-- AH!" His grip had tightened. "And you followed it just like that!? Never once did I try to hurt you! I helped and protected you. And you try to stab me in the chest!?! I WAS YOU'RE FRIEND CHRIS!!! I TRUSTED YOU!! HOW CAN YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT?!?" His grip had tightened to the point that she could breath. She began to give small whines as she began to see the room around her began to black out… Then suddenly she fell to the floor, and she was able to breath again. She coughed and breathed loudly. After a moment, she looked up at Van. He was looking down at her, his eyes and faced had changed from anger to fear, as if he couldn't believe himself what he had done. He was breathing hard as well, holding his slit arm with his other hand… Then suddenly, he grunted in pain and grabbed his chest, kneeling down. Chris crawled up toward him, placing her hand over his head but not touching it. "A-Are you ok? What's wrong--?" "LEAVE ME ALONE!!" He snapped, though still crouched over. His sudden outburst caused her to back away. "Just… Leave me alone…!" With a hand still to his chest, he went to the sack next to his bed, grabbed it and started to walk to the door. "Where are you going?" Chris asked. "Away from you…" He said grunting in agony. He then went out the door, closing it behind him. As soon he did, he knelt down again and ripped over the torso area of his shirt. The black symbol on his chest grew a bright red, brighter then before… When are you going to stop being a gullible fool? The glow finally ceased and Van fell forward once again, breathing hard and sweating profusely. He got up slowly and coughed. What the HELL was that…? Though Van's thoughts now got more annoyed when he looked at his chest. "God dammit… I'm losing too many shirts…" At that moment, Van noticed the Kuro and Brownie coming toward him, looking at him. Kuro looked questioningly at him, but the dog seemed surprised. Though Van made sure to cover his chest so she didn't see the mark. "You knew she would do that, didn't you…?" He glared at her. "Is that why you left?" Brownie looked down at the ground pitifully as if to say: I'm sorry… Van just made a disgusted grunt and got up. "Let's go, Kuro." he said coldly. Kuro gave him a questionable 'meow.' "NOW!" he snapped. He then walked off. Kuro twitched at his sudden outburst.. He gave Brownie a disappointed look at her then followed off after Van. As Brownie began walking to the room, she heard a scream. She changed quickly into her human form and burst into the room. It wasn't Tidus like she expected but one of the dark elves that were after Van. "Let her go!" The dark elf looked at her and hissed. "You demon! You are her watcher. Why do you allow her to do stupid things. Did you know she tried to kill the Paladin?" Siska looked down at Chris who was now leaning against the wall on the floor bleeding from both her mouth and nose after being back handed hard from the dark elf. She looked at Chris in surprise. "So you didn't know...." He almost looked surprised when he saw that Chris had done this on her own. "It would not have mattered, you would not have been able to kill him." "Leave him alone!" Chris yelled. "Take me but leave him alone!" The dark elf glared at her and spoke before he went out the window. "We will have both of you." After he was gone, Siska ran over to Chris checking to see if anything was broken. Chris' nose was still bleeding and her breathing was labored. "He cracked my ribs." Siska put both hands under Chris' shirt and ran her fingers along the ribs till she found the cracked ones. "You have two cracked on your left side and three on your right. Oh Christana, you know better then to piss one of those things off." "Better then pissing a demon off." She tried to laugh but it hurt when she did. "You're going to look so beautiful tomorrow. You fool." Siska took her hands from under Chris' shirt and picked her up bridal style and brought her over to the bed laying her down. "I have fixed what I can on your ribs but you should really have a doctor look at you. Your nature powers are not as strong anymore which means your healing abalities are slowing down also while those runes are taking over your body. "I'm sorry. I had too to save him." "Killing him was not the answer. I see that you care for him and he is the first you have trusted in for a long time." "I don't care about him and I will never trust him." Siska grabbed at Chris' chin before she could turn her head. "Don't lie to me little girl. I know you to well to hear you say such things. Don't worry, he will be back. In the meantime, I want you to rest. Just because I took care of your ribs don't mean they have been fully repaired. I will send a doctor to fully check you out. "What for? I will just have the shit beaten out of me again." Siska put her hand to Chris' forhead and brought her hand down past Chris' eyes. "Sleep." Siska bent over and kissed her on the forhead after she closed her eyes. " I will be back with the person you don't trust. Stupid girl." Siska stood and walked out the door to find Van but instead, she found Tidus outside the inn waiting. "Tidus, this has to stop. The markings are appearing faster now then before. It took a total of 8 years for the was on her upper arm to develop. Now that Van is around, they are showing faster. In a few day, both her hands and lower arm have been covered not to mention last night her neck developed them to." "Soon the contract on her will be complete and then all she will need is her revenge. That's when I fully come into play." Siska growled at him. "You are a heartless beast and a most perverted one!" "Your kind indulges in the evil in this world and would do anything to drag the last of a remaining race down. Isn't that true?" "Human, elves, gnomes, trolls, it doesn't matter. I would do anything for Christana just to keep her sane." "That's your mistake! You care! Just remember who you belong to! I gave you to her to watch over her and make sure she was prepared for the day to come! Not to become her friend!" He came up close to Siska. "The only reason you agreed to be put with her was because of her lost hope and that she was dying! Has things changed? Is it that human male that has brought life back into her?! I am getting tired of taking on the pain and the attacks everytime she gets hurt!!" He paused for a moment to relax. "The plan still goes. The dark elves who want that human, "he dragged the word human out in dislike. " will not continue the punishment on Christana. I have taken that on myself. Oh don't look surprised, I do have a heart." "A perverted heart." She smiled at her true master. "Tidus, it will destroy her if you tell her the truth." He sighed. "That is what they want." "I know enough of you to know that's not what you want." Tidus didn't say anything. He just smirked and walked away. "He'll be at the church." It was the middle of the night, but light within small, stone church still glowed bright. The light and loud sound of the bike went dead silent as Van set it to park. "Finally," Van sighed looking at the church. He looked at Kuro who hung at his shoulder. "Let's hope that asshole elf wasn't just playing with us or else I'll be seriously pissed coming all the way here for nothing." "Meow…!" He sounded compliant. Soon later Van opened the large door of the church and looked all around. Despite the small area, it looked very spacious and pleasant. A bright chandelier, polished benches, white candles all around, and a large wooden crucifix over-looking the alter. Van called into the room. "Hello?" A echo seemed to fill up the room. Hello hello hello…? Van tried again. "Hello?" "Hello… Hello… Hello…" "MEOW!" "Meow… Meow… Meow…!" Van looked at Kuro… Then he smiled and looked back at room. Both of them had a happy look in their face. "Hi dee hi dee hi dee ho~!" :D Hi dee hi dee hi dee ho~! "Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyaaaa~!" :3 Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyahaaaa~! "Hi dee hi dee hi dee hi~!" :D Hi dee hi dee hi dee hi~!" "Meow meow meow meow meow~!" :3 Meow meow meow meow meow~! "Hi dee hi dee hi dee--!" WHAT IN GOD'S NAME ARE YOU DOING!?!" Van and Kuro jumped. "OH SHI--!!" "MEOWR!!" "THIS IS A HOUSE OF GOD!! The women in robes, who appeared outta nowhere, barked at them. "I wont have you desecrate it with your foolish actions!" Van held his palms in defense. "I-Im sorry! Forgive me, I called and no one was answering so I was er… Uh, anyway, is the priest around?" The women looked at him blankly a moment before bowing her head. "I am her. What is it that you've come here for in the middle of the night?" Van raised an eyebrow at priestess. "You're the priest? "Yes." "Really?" "Yes. Is something wrong…?" "Uh no it's just…" he scratched his head, looking at her. "I've never met a female priest before. Say, do I call you Mother or Sister?" The priestess squinted at him. "Sister…" "Ah thanks." Kuro shook his head in disgrace. The priest looked at the cat on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, but we do not allow animals within the church…" "Oh really? Sorry." He looked at Kuro. "Hey, think you can wait outside for awhile?" Kuro meowed at him. "Don't worry," he assured. "I'll give you all the details when I come back out." Kuro looked at him blankly for awhile. Then he growled, hopped down and went out the door. "Thanks pal." Van smiled meekly at the priestess. "There.. Sorry again." The priestess looked just stared at the young man. Peculiar at his simple command with the cat. "What is it that you seek here, child?" "I came here for some answers." "Oh… Well!" She smiled. "Aren't we all? Life is full of questions and one can get lost. Are you--?" "Uh no.." Van interrupted, quickly assuming what she was thinking. "Not those kinda answers." "Oh… Well then… What troubles you?" Van walked up to her, while surveying the room if anyone else was there. He came a few inches before her face and whispered. "I…. Have this.. Thing…" "Thing…?" She looked confused. "It's.. on my chest." He looked down while placing his hand over it. "Some kind of mark… Some elf told me you knew what it was. An elf named Tidus." The priestess shook her head. "I'm sorry, I do know some elves, but not one named Tidus. May I see that mark you speak of?" Van immediately turned red and sweated. "Uhhh.. Well… I, er, uh… Umm…" The priestess smiled at him. "You have nothing to fear. Come, show me." Van sighed. "Ah… Okay… But if you don't know the guy, you probably wont know what it is…" He then lifted up his shirt…. And then priestess' eyes went wide. "OH MY GOD…!" "…huh?" Immediately she began to chant some kind of prayer to herself. Van didn't what the heck was going on. "Umm… Do you know what this is…?" "Come with me!" She grabbed his arm and started to take him to the door at the wall near the alter." "HEY! Sister, what you doing!?" She took him into a smaller room. In it was a bed, desk, and a cabinet full of books. She then closed the door and locked the door behind her. Van immediately didn't feel right. "Uhhhh…. What are we doing in your bedroom?" The priestess looked seriously at him. "In God's name! You should never show anyone that mark so carelessly! Have you any knowledge on what that is?" "No I don't. That's why I came to you." Van answered bluntly. The priestess shook her head. "That is the mark of the Convert. The ancestors of this town, long ago, used to burn those who held that mark." "WHOA!" Van held his hands up in defense. "Back up. What the hell is this Convert mark stuff? And why the hel-- er, heck were people burnt for it?" The priestess went to a book on her cabinet and brought it to the table. "Come. Look at this." Van came over, he was greeted by the book depicting an old drawing of a man being burned on the stake. "Lovely…" Van commented. "People who held the mark were burnt alive who held the mark. It was believed that the ones who held it knew the dark arts." "Dark arts, huh? Hehe…" He laughed nervously. The priestess looked at him. "Do you happen to know and do things you suddenly had no experience in learning?" Van only looked at her. She read his face. "I see…" She closed her eyes. "But you see originally, it was the people who had the mark themselves that chose the flame" Van went silent for a moment. "Chose the flame… You mean they burnt themselves!?" "It was to save themselves, and those around them that they cared for." "I don't get it. What do you mean?" "The main reason why these people were burnt upon the stake, whether it be by there own hads or not, was not simply the reason of what they knew. But what they could do… And eventually, what they would become." Van sweated before he asked his next question. "Become what…?" Kuro had laid about an hour outside the door of the church. It was still late at night and he couldn't feel anything but feel very sleepy. He was about to drift into a long slumber when suddenly the door of the church opened. "Meow!" Kuro looked up at him brightly, hoping he would seemed satisfied. However, his face looked very pale. His eyes looked like he had seen a ghost. "Meow?" Van looked at him dimly, "I'm fine." He replied. Kuro meowed again. "Umm, I'll have to share with you that in the morning… Sorry, but I feel kinda tired at the moment." Kuro tilted his head at him, wondering why he suddenly looked sick. Though, honoring his decision, he simply did as he wanted and just hoped on his shoulder. "Thanks. Let's go get some rest now." He said to him. Though as Van was about to walk to the bike, a female figure suddenly appeared before him. "Finally found you." She said. "Siska? What are you doing here?" "I'm here to talk with you. I am sorry for Christina's actions. I do not understand why she did what she did but....she acted on her own. Neither I nor Tidus knew of this and because of what she did......Look, you just can not leave her." "She tried to kill me." he said, looking annoyed. "That doesn't exactly make me happy." "She said it was to save you from the dark elves." "Why from them?" "I do not know all the truth but I do know you are the first male other then her father to ever be around her and you are the first she trusts' in which is a good thing because then maybe she can have someone save her." "Save her from what? Why can't Tidus save her?" "Because once Christana learns the truth about him, she will want to kill him." "And what is the truth?" "He was the first to cast the first blade in her. Christana's markings are there for a reason. The demon race has always wanted to corrupt the pure and innocent. She is no different. Once the runes written on her body is done with, she will be lost to me, to you, and to everyone who has ever cared about her. Once the runes reach a certain point, all she needs is her revenge to make it complete. The blood of her mothers' killer." "Can't you stop this? You are her watcher after all." Siska shook her head. "I am not hers', I belong to Tidus. He is my orginal. I was given to Christana to guide her to her fate but now.....I wish to keep her alive. The years' I have been with her, I have grown to care for her which a demon is never supposed to do. Never get attached to the one you watch." She looked down at Kuro then back at Van. "But what puzzles me are her runes. They are beginning to appear faster on her. I have noticed that after you became part of her life, they have been appearing more often. Her blades are now fully filled with them also." "Why exactly and who wants her soul?" "I told you. Demons love to corrupt the innocent. The dark elves want her because half breeds are usually more powerful then the parents who bare them. Not all mind you. She just happened to be one of the more powerful. She has the ageless body of an elf and the healing power. She has all the best of an elf but a heart of a human. Her heart and mind are human. Elves do not just carelessly make decisions or actions. The dark elves are the ones who do that but they can not heal and there bodies do not heal like the light elves can. The dark elves want her because of this reason and because of this reason, they are hoping her powers will not cease once her soul is taken. But, for some reason, she is not healing as fast as she once did. I have already repaired what I could to her ribs and have called a doctor." "Why a doctor? Did I hurt her that badly?" "No. A dark elf attacked her but Tidus took over her punishment from the dark elves who have a plan for you which I do not know of so do not ask." Van sighed. "Well, there goes my question. You look like your in pain." "I am taking from Tidus right now. What a master feels also will its demon right Kuro?" He only meowed at Siska. "You know… I am surprised Kuro does not have another form besides the giant cat. Most of our kind can turn to human form. So how did Kuro become yours anyway?" Back at the inn, Chris laid in bed while the doctor checked her out. The bleeding had stopped and her body resumed its natural healing just as the pain from another hit. The runes on her body began to glow. "You need to leave." She didn't look at the doctor but turned her head away from him and spoke louder to the doctor. "You need to leave now." The doctor looked confused as his hand layed over her arm. He noticed the brightness of the runes on her body begin to glow brighter as a heat began to enter his body. "What the hell.....…!" Chris shut her eyes as tears ran down her face. Kuro looked at Siska annoyed. "MEOW!!" "Aw C'mon. Don't be like that." Van said to him. "Maybe you just don't know how yet. Your still just ten years old right?" Kuro went big-eyed on him as if to inform he just blurted out something stupid. "HE'S ONLY TEN!?" She looked Kuro in disbelief. "Yeah. Well… In cat years. He's actually three." "MEOWR!!" Van didn't seem to pay attention to him. "I found him about a year ago. His mother and him were living around a forest somewhere in Washington. It had malice in the area due to a previous battle from the third world war that happened there, so they were able to live off. Unfortunately the malice began dying off, and he his mother were beginning to suffocate. I conducted a soul contract with him to keep him alive, but his mother didn't make it. I find it pretty convenient that he can go in a cat form, otherwise I wouldn't be able to keep an eye on him while I was with the RM." Van shrugged. "It's kind of ironic that happened, I was sent in that area to hunt down his mother and him." "Why didn't you?" Siska asked. "What you mean? Look at him. He's just a kid." Siska looked at him surprised and Kuro looked up to her and meowed as to say, "See what I meant?" Siska eyeballed the other way. "Siska, look, I don't think I'm the one who should be protecting her. I'm not the one for the job." "What do you mean?" Siska looked surprised. "Screwed up that you are, but I can now tell you can hold up your own. And I thought you said she was your friend?" "Okay first off," Van raised his finger. "I'm not screwed up. And second, friends don't try to stab each other in the chest at night to save them. How am I supposed to help her if she acts like that? Plus.. I have my own problems. And I think it can make her situation worst." "Van…" "Just give me some space for awhile, I'll have to think about it. Let's go Kuro." He and cat began to walked away. "Oh, and thanks for calling me by my name this time." A look of shock developed on Siska's face. Realizing she just said his name.