Chapter 4

That was how I met her. Seras~'Monique Victoria. She continued holding me for a while after she spoke, just holding me, her cheek resting against my back and her body pressed against mine. I didn't notice I was shaking until I looked away and back down at my hands. I was cold too, and scared. But she was so warm and soft against me I felt all of it slowly drain away. It felt like I was being held by a lover, that's the only way I could describe it. She saved me then, in more ways than one.

"Thank you… but I really need to go. I- I can't lose this… I need to try and-"

She cut me off by putting her finger to my lips and shushing me. I could feel myself blush a bit.

"No." She said simply. "You can rest a moment dear Hecate. There is no rush, you'll not lose anything today. I'll make sure of that." She finally let go of me but moved to crouch before me, a hand never leaving my shoulder. Seeing her before me, truly being able to see her left me empty. She was beautiful. More than beautiful, like a star shining alone in an empty sky. Like a single flower blooming among a burnt dead forest after a fire. Her skin was like maple syrup, brown but glowing and silky. No not syrup, like burnished copper. Her hair was curly and wavy at the same time and it cascaded around her face like liquid obsidian. Her nose was perfect and petite, a slight broadness to them. And her lips, her lips were so full and succulent I almost wanted to kiss them then and there.

The more I looked the more I found to love. Such a strong word, but it was something I felt blossom in my heart. Love. In such a short span of time she had done so much for me, literally saved my life from a certain early death. She held me, comforted me in a way I thought only my mother could've done. So I began to love her. She was beautiful and she was my savior. "I… okay, just let me get my stuff packed back up. Please?" The way I said it was like I was begging permission, as if I couldn't do just that without her validation but for some reason I felt as though I needed her to let me. Like I wouldn't be able to without her say-so. She nodded her head gracefully and I smiled ever so slightly in thanks. I stood and the ground shifted beneath me, I almost fell again, but she was there and she caught me by the arm and pulled me close once again clutching my arm to her chest keeping me close and steady. I gave her another smile in thanks and I could see the pleased look in her heterochromatic eyes.

It took some time to gather up my things scattered about the slick road, while it was all battered in some way and covered in the grimey substance that coated the asphalt thankfully enough none of it was covered in blood, or worse. The whole time I was scavenging for my things she just watched me carefully, it felt sweet but for some reason anytime our eyes met I sensed a sort of hunger towards me but it disappeared as soon as it came. With all my things packed and back in order I could focus on more worrying things; my uniform and myself. These amazing threads I had on were caked in congealing blood and bits of brain and skull. I let out a sigh and lifted my phone to my face to see that my face was splatted with blood and the gash beneath my eye was leaking at a steady pace. My hair was wild and I noticed there was brains speckled in it too, I wanted to vomit now. Fully realizing finally that I was covered in blood and gore, I doubled over and tried to stem the tide of bile pouring up my esophagus.

"Hum and your stomach will relent." She said in that caressing tone of hers, I did as she said and hummed a song that was from an old band that my mom and I loved. The melody of Phantom Bride by Deftones eased the turmoil and within a few seconds I felt significantly better. Enough to stand. "I'm okay now… We should get to Colleseo now, miss…?" She nodded and gave me a gentle smile that made my stomach turn, in a good way. "Just call me Moni for now." I tried to give a smile in return but with how I looked it probably was more a grimace. Taking my hand she pulled me along through the alley, carefully guiding me through and out onto back onto a main road. I wasn't surprised by the looks people gave us, more me than Moni, but I avoided looking back as much as possible and instead to keep my eyes down wishing I could hide my face as much as possible. We walked silently hand in hand for a few minutes before Moni suddenly stopped and gave me a squeeze, I looked up and to her then to the giant wrought iron gate in front of us. Emblazoned with the same roses we had on our sleeves I knew we had arrived. There was a burly looking man standing behind the gate itself, dressed in a neat navy blue suit with matching khakis and gleaming dress shoes I hazarded a guess he was the doorman, or would it be gateman? When he saw us he gave Moni a short bow and when he swept his gaze towards me I saw contempt? Or disgust by my appearance, either way, he pulled back his sleeve and touched a silver bracelet which opened the gates. They drew inside to the high walls on either side of them and Moni pulled me through.

As we walked by I saw his dark brown hair was flecked with grey and silver, he was tall a bit taller than me, and that his suit was tight around his shoulders and arms. His knuckles gleamed with metal trademark of a powerfist augment and when I could see his eyes as Moni pulled us past I could tell he was completely blind. His eyes a weird blueish-white. And they were scarred by what looked like burns. Somehow I knew he could see me though, or at least I thought he saw me…