jadey

RE:LIVE

Rem gently cleaned Kairi’s face, only using a rag; she looked over at Ferris, who was still pinching his nose, taking a step back.

"She reeks of the witch’s scent." he declared, Rem’s lips curling up into a tiny smile. She finished in no time, pulling back and just staring down at her unconscious body.

"What is going on with her?" she asked, sighing softly. "Let's leave. We should let her be."

Ferris wasted no time and left, Rem following right after — casting a quick glance at her before closing the door.

As soon as they were out of sight, Kairi opened her eyes, glaring at the ceiling. She kicked off the blanket, frustrated —giving her the perfect chance to escape.

She checked the windows, but what bothered her wasn't the height — she'd definitely survive, but landing in the bushes would be uncomfortable. She'd get scratches from the rose spikes. Besides, who knows where the others are right now; they could be looking outside right when she'd fall, so the window plan was out of the question.

She tip-toed to the door, peeking outside; when she saw no one and made sure nobody was watching, she hurried out.

The long carpet on the ground was soft as she made her way down the stairs, checking each corner carefully, not wanting to be spotted. The mansion was huge — and she felt like she was aimlessly running around in an unfamiliar maze.

Walking past a door, she heard a quiet conversation, but she didn't bother spying now; she learned from her mistake. Finally spotting grand doors, she ran and pushed them open, exposing the outside world, the same yard and fountains which she'd seen earlier with Reinhard.

She nearly cried tears of joy as a shaky breath left her lips, continuing to run — adrenaline boosting her speed. Yet something was suspicious; she got away too easily. Instead of overthinking, she sprinted through the enormous stone gate, reaching freedom. The wind blew into her hair, her cheeks turning pink as she ran and ran, not caring about the citizens who gave her a look or thought she was acting odd.

She was back to her old life which she was used to – hiding, only coming out when she had to survive. She panted heavily once she stopped, leaning forward, holding her knees to regain composure. Oh she knew exactly where she wanted to go.

She took a few turns, finding the alley with merchants — the perfect place where she’d get what she wanted.

Unfortunately, of course, a man recognised her — the same seller, Fanto, who she tried to rob.

Instead of yelling about the prices, he stood on his chair, catching everyone's attention; "The lady over there with black hair is a thief!"

Kairi’s heart dropped to her stomach — he was publicly confronting her, anxiety and shame taking over her body again. Everyone looked at her, faces disgusted and angry. Their chants now became passive aggressive, some even throwing the softer fruits in her way, making her freeze.

"I didn't—!" she choked back a sob, her bottom lip trembling as she placed a hand over her mouth, turning around and leaving as they boo’d her.

Everyone knew her face.

What would she do now? This changes everything entirely — rumors spread too quickly, she'd have to move from this place, walk a long journey, which she hated. She felt lost. She didn't look at anyone as she ran away, hearing a familiar, mocking laugh in her head. Of course. She sees everything.

"Get out of my head!" she cried — and to outsiders, what they saw was a girl running, holding her head and yelling at noone. Way to make one look miserable.

She stopped at a building block, wiping her tears as she tried to calm her rapid heartbeat. She wished she didn't feel anything instead of an unbearable amount of shame and regret — she regretted living, she hated that she could barely get by and live. It was luck Reinhard found her; for once, she was allowed to bathe, rest, and eat. She almost longed for the mansion. Staying there would've been easier.

Strangely, right after Reinhard crossed her mind, she heard a familiar voice — belonging to Reinhard himself. It was almost as if thinking about him alone summoned him. Her eyes went wide, pressing her back against the wall as she held her breath;

"I know you're here, Kairi."

His voice echoed in her mind — how did he...?

And within the blink of an eye, he was already in front of her, smiling down at her.

"How.. how did you.."

"It's just a part of my power." he chuckled – how was he so patient? He was never angry at her, not like she had known him for long, regardless, he was... collected.

He extended his arm, his eyes holding hers as he politely offered his hand to take her back.

"You can come back. I was the first one to notice you were gone."

At this point, Kairi was shocked. Why was he so kind? He had zero reason to act this way towards her, and here he was; truly acting chivalrous and courteous. Hesitantly, she took his hand — still afraid that touching him would harm someone.

They were back in the yard already, Crusch opening the door and standing there, confused.

"Where were you?" she questioned as Reinhard spoke smoothly,

"She was outside. Figured she needed some fresh air, so I came to get her."

And now he was standing up for her. Why would he do this? And the way he formed his sentences weren't exactly honest — but not a lie either. He didn't trigger her wind reading, even if she was suspicious.

"You were outside, alone?" she questioned, Kairi nodding, seemingly nervous. Crusch sighed, crossing her arms before she spoke;

"I'm afraid we'll have to be more strict about this girl. She sneaks out when we don't visit her. Reinhard," her amber eyes now focusing on the knight.

"I don't trust her." she declared, "We can't leave her when we think she's vulnerable or unconscious. Is it alright if you stay by her side?"

Reinhard nodded, almost proud as he placed a hand on her back, lightly guiding her inside. "I understand. I'll do that, but Felt has to be within this mansion. I can't leave her side either."

Crusch chuckled, "Difference is, we trust Felt, and she's capable. But sure. She can stay whenever, as long as you're around."

Their agreement was concluded, and before the pair disappeared inside, the duchess commented again; "Thank you Reinhard."

He nodded, as if it was a natural thing — he accepted this responsibility over Kairi, and he never complained. In fact, he even stood up for her — it made the girl feel uneasy.

As they walked to a new room and stood on the balcony, the knight stood by the glass door and watched Kairi admire the view as always.

"Why were you out?" his question was expected. But lying to him wouldn't make sense.

"I wanted to be free." she simply murmured, her arms resting on the guardrail, biting her lip before she continued. "I've nothing to do here."

His blue eyes narrowed slightly, his voice soft and careful, "What were you doing out there all this time?"

She just shrugged. She didn't feel like opening up anyways, and being cooperative meant he'd go easy on her. She knew this game already — she had to keep it balanced.

"How old are you?"

Her lips pursed, discomfort filling her heart as she glanced over her shoulder, uttering "19."

Reinhard's lips slightly parted — they were the same age. He didn't understand what was going on, but he would eventually get it out of her. No pressure, just slowly opening up to her and earn her trust; he obviously wouldn't betray her, unless it turned out she was evil.

"Reinhard, I'm a human." she asserted, wanting to confirm that she wasn't any different from the others. The sudden statement caught him flat–footed, reminding him of their previous conversation. He sensed that despite her firm tone, she was nervous, but for her sake, he accepted it.

"I apologise if my comment made you startled in that moment." he closed his eyes, susurrating. He read her enough to know that she needs reassurance and peace, which is what he was planning to give her. Being patient — well, being himself kept her from lashing out. Her mouth lifted, and after a moment's silence, she pushed off the guardrail and walked back inside with him.

"This mansion is so big, yet... there aren't many people inside." she remarked, gently touching the books' spine on a shelf.

"We’re expecting a team. They'll arrive tomorrow, maybe sooner."

Another team? The thought of more unknowns joining in made her frown, clearly she found it stressing.

"Can you read?" he asked, quickly changing the topic in order to avoid her negative thoughts from flooding her mind.

"Um," she rubbed her neck, "No."

Well, there was something useful he could teach her. Now there was something that distracted her easily, that wouldn't keep her bored. He grabbed a book and gestured her to sit by the wooden desk, promising to teach her.

"Why’d I need to learn it if I’d leave eventually?"

Reinhard chuckled, "It’ll always come in handy. You're going to use it everyday."

RE:LIVE

The sunlight flitered through the blinders, soft and lighting some spots in the cozy room. It was quiet and peaceful — something Kairi had been longing for. Her eyes felt lighter as she wasn't that tired anymore. What's the time? Not like time is urging her, but still — she'd been out cold for long hours probably.

She sat up, noticing her clean dress was folded neatly, placed on the other end of the bed. Her hand reached out for it as she stood up, changing comfortably, then made her way to the door; she peeked out, but found no-one in the hallway. She swallowed hard, the silence alone creeping her out — where were the others?

Deciding that she'd go and look around, she found herself eavesdropping in front of a door where she heard sounds coming out from. She placed her cold hand gently on the wooden surface, her ear lightly pressed against it — and she heard it.

"Who will look after her? Julius hasn't returned, and we don't want to upset Anastasia by asking for his help all the time." Kairi recognised the voice belonged to Crusch, and she was clearly frustrated.

"Felt needs my assistance, too." Reinhard answered, and Ferris spoke up;

"Felt is always annoyed when you're with her. Maybe switching surveillances could be a solution!"

Crusch gazed at him, remaining silent for a second before nodding. "Right. One day it's Julius, on another it's Reinhard. Is that alright with you?" she asked, looking at the knight standing in front of her.

He nodded, a smile forming on his lips — then his blue eyes darted down, taking a hold of his sword. "She's near." he remarked, now everyone's attention was on the door.

Since Rem stood the closest to it, she reached over and grabbed the handle, opening it and revealing Kairi, who had been listening to their private conversation.

Crusch crossed her arms, one eyebrow arching as she gave her a questioning look, catching that tiny flash of embarrassment which quickly disappeared from her face.

"Have you been listening, thief?" the nickname made Kairi flinch mentally as she shook her head, Crusch’s eyes narrowing. "You lied to me."

Her words and tone caught her off guard, but she looked away, apologising. "My fault. I was listening, I just woke up and couldn't find anyone."

"Why didn't you just knock on the door?" Ferris crossed his arms, mirroring his duchess’s body language. The silence afterward made the woman uncomfortable, fidgeting with her hands nervously behind her back. Rem observed her before sighing and turning to speak to the others, "She keeps acting suspiciously." she uttered, even she was unsure what to do with her.

Reinhard seemed to be lost in thought, his eyes never leaving her as his fingers gripped his sword, keeping it in place. Crusch noticed how he was holding it — and knew what it meant.

"Reinhard, is she a threat to us?"

His lips pursed, he hated answering questions like this; he was uncertain, his sword was uncertain. She wasn't necessarily a threat. She could be, if she wanted to be — but he sensed she is unpredictable.

"She could be," he said softly to keep the situation under control.

"Could be?" Crusch repeated, but she was aware he was honest. A soft sigh left her mouth, approaching Kairi slowly. "Who are you really?"

Her grey eyes bored into hers, contemplating whether she should tell her the truth or not — oh right. She has a power for that.

"Kairi," she blurted out, avoiding her stern gaze, already feeling anxious from her too close presence.

"You're hiding something," Crusch stated, tilting her head slowly, analysing every microexpression and her rapid blinking. She was telling the truth about her name, at least.

Kairi nearly teared up, taking a step back. She was desperate, she didn't want to harm her or anyone else, and she was obviously terrified; sweat drops forming on her forehead, her slender fingers trembling as she clenched her hands into fists.

Something was up, and Reinhard knew it best. He stepped forward, choosing to take matters into his own hands;

"Considering I am watching over her today, let her be. I'll take her on a walk."

Kairi let out a soft sigh of relief that they didn't notice, suddenly not feeling as catatonic as before.

And when they left the room, Reinhard walked her outside to the yard, two fountains placed in perfect symmetry on each sides of the road. The cold breeze was what she needed; she longed for nature, she could just make a run for it — why wasn't she doing it?

Reinhard stood in silence beside her, watching the mesmerising view; if she would try to run, he'd catch up in no time.

"It's Kairi, correct?" he queried, casting a quick glance at her, watching her nod.

"You're not a human." as he concended, her heart skipped a heavy beat — someone actually saying it out loud hurt more than she could've imagined. How did he know anyways?

"What?" as usual, she got defensive; why wouldn't she? Reinhard knew too much without asking too much.

His next words fell on deaf ears; her surroundings turned dark, ominous, and chilly. Someone physically covered Kairi’s ears; her eyes wide open, recognising this touch, this state. She despised it. She loathed it. It was her. The same woman who caused all her fears, who granted her this curse. Despite her surprisingly gentle touch, her attitude was just as harsh and aggressive as ever;

"You're a human. Convince him." she demanded, goosebumps appearing on Kairi’s skin.

Reinhard stopped talking, noticing the girl beside him was frozen in place, eyes wide open, muttering ever so quietly under her breath; he placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it lightly. His eyebrow raised when she didn't react and didn't move an inch — he fully faced her now shaking her, trying to snap her back into reality.

RE:LIVE

The cell was musty and cold; the only source of light came through the tiny window standing at 4 feet high. Staying in there for more than three minutes already felt claustrophobic — her nails scratched the hard, stone wall, blood drawing on her fingertips. The floor creaked with every step she made, cobwebs and small spiders claimed each corners. The iron bars separating the hallway from this tiny prison haven't been cleaned for a long time; rust covered half of them, save for the door handle.

Kairi’s narrow, bitten raw and dry lips slightly parted, craving for even a single droplet of water; her blank eyes suddenly bleaked, her arm movement slowing down and stopping. She stared at the patches of blood both on the wall and on her hands, trembling from stress. Heal. She wanted to heal herself, but knew it'd come with a cost. Her body was slumped, leaned against the partition, legs curled up and head tilted to the side, almost resting on her own shoulder.

She was clearly restless, her expression unreadable, her gaze pinned to the ground, almost closing and falling asleep.

Just as she thought she was finally going to get some proper sleep, footsteps approached, revealing not one, but two familiar faces. She looked up, the woman with green hair she followed back here earlier stood there with Reinhard; her eyes boring into hers whereas the knight appeared just as calm as before.

"You're the thief who has been robbing merchants in Lugunica?" her arms crossed, her tone stern and demanding.

Kairi just stared at her, remaining silent, too tired to even nod at her.

"Crusch–sama can not be lied to," Reinhard added, glancing at Crusch, then back at Kairi. "We didn't come here because we want to keep you in this cell forever."

"Are you letting me leave?" the sudden softness caught them off guard, exchanging a look.

Crusch sighed, "We agreed that putting you here was too far. You are free to go anywhere, but only under surveillance." she explained, reaching for the key in her pocket.

Kairi struggled to comprehend what they said; her headache growing stronger, her body begging for a good night's sleep.

After the door opened, their voices were muffled, and her vision blurred — but she was woken up when Reinhard lifted her in his arms, gentle and careful, as if she was vulnerable.

"But for now, you'll be taken care of." Crusch continued, "I talked to Ferris and he’ll make sure you're going to eat and sleep. He can take care of your injuries, if you have any—"

"I don't!" Kairi’s eyes nearly popped out, suddenly becoming defensive, "...have any." she mumbled, making the other two look concerned. They made their way upstairs by now, and a girl shorter than her with blue hair, dressed like a maid watched them, leading the way.

"Ferris found her a room, I can take you there." she spoke while Kairi just noticed how beautiful and fancy the hallway was.

"Thank you, Rem."

Rem. She remembered their names and connected faces, the plan was to be friendly with them and then leave without them noticing.

"Has Julius returned yet?" they started talking about another knight's whereabouts, and the witch's cult was mentioned. Her eyes nearly darkened upon hearing that, her heart thumping in her chest, hearing her own pulse in her ears. What would they know about the cult?

Soon, they entered the room and Reinhard carefully placed Kairi on the bed, his eyes meeting hers for a moment before he stepped away. A feminine person with cat-like ears sat on the side of the bed, analyzing her.

"I'm Ferris!" he introduced himself, bowing slightly, "Rem and I prepared a meal for you." Kairi sat up, avoiding eyecontact with everyone, feeling like she was under pressure, fidgeting with her blood-stained, dirty fingers. Ferris frowned, noticing her unhygienic appearance, looking over at Crusch with a disgusted look. "She's dirty!"

Crusch gave him a knowing look and shook her head, the beast human letting out a sigh. "Follow me, I'll take you to the bathroom." he mumbled — and luckily, he didn't touch her. That's what Kairi was afraid of, but thanks to her unpleasant looks, he didn't want to make contact with her.

And she followed him, the others giving her personal space, moving out of the way as she kept her head low in shame. The bathroom was swanky, sparkling clean, she felt guilty for even stepping inside.

"Do you need help with—"

"No." Kairi immediately shook her head as Ferris nodded slowly, closing the door and staying inside. She felt awkward, rubbing the back of her neck, embarrassed to undress in front of him. "Please turn around." she whispered, the knight's cat ears flattened as he looked away and faced the wall instead.

"I'm responsible for the place. I don't want you causing a mess." Ferris explained, but at least Kairi was now comfortable enough to get rid of her clothes and stand in the bathtub.

"Rem can clean your dress if you would like to get it fresh."

"If... it's not an inconvenience, then I'll accept." she replied quietly, carefully opening the tap and flinching when cold water hit her skin.

It was still an unusual feeling how these strangers approached her and talked to her; this is the most she has spoken to another human being. She felt slightly at peace, almost like she was a part of this community. Almost. But she couldn't let her guard down. She couldn't trust them just because they fed her and got her cleaned up. Her mind was racing with thoughts, thinking about ways to escape and never come back, but Reinhard mentioned she'd be under surveillance. And again — how did he touch her?

Maybe his gloves protected him. Even if they did, she feared another event was triggered somewhere else — although she didn't feel the burning sensation in her hands. Her goal was to avoid touch and get away; and by breaking it down into a simple task, she was relaxed.

Once finished, Ferris pointed at a clean, white dress, similar in length to her previous one, which she quickly put on. Her eyes found the mirror, and she looked better than ever and terrible at the same time. She felt sick to her stomach when she saw her own face; and nothing she did could change that feeling. She looked away, head hanging low yet again as they left, and now only Rem was in the room.

Kairi laid back down and ate the food she was given, drinking plenty of water while they just watched. They met each others' eyes, noting how greedy and unhinged she seemed, one of them taking the tray which she placed aside.

"If you dare to harm Crusch—"

"Ferris." Rem cut him off, giving him a warning look as he growled under his nose. "We'll leave you alone for now. You should rest." she continued, gently touching the boy's back and pushing him aside as they walked towards the door, "Don't try anything funny. Reinhard will be quick to step in." she remarked, the door shutting silently behind them.

Silence. Kairi shivered as she looked around the room, but she obeyed — for now. The warm, soft blanket covered her body as she faced the wall, rolling on her side, falling into a deep slumber almost immediately. Her heart rate slowed down, finally being at peace for but a moment.

RE:LIVE

“My... what a beautiful being you are,” her voice was soft, calm — but she wasn't the loving mother she pretended to be. She treated her own so strangely; her delicate hands barely touched her newborn, careful to keep her hands close to herself. The heatwave of her radiant touch held a palpable hatred and a mix of... pride.

“You’ll make revolution, dear. After all, we are making a contract.” Her eyes went slightly wide, a malicious grin spreading across her face as her hand hovered above the small one's head.

✁

Kairi’s light, almost grey eyes gazed at the sky, sitting atop of the tree branch. The place held a hint of eeriness, no wonder people don't cross such a deceivingly beautiful place; the White Whale has been spotted here more times than people could count. It wasn't the fact that she was afraid, no — she was trying to understand without making direct approach, without being spotted. Everyday when the sun passed its zenith and hid behind the tree leaves, she went to the same spot, aware that it's near.

And here it was; Kairi heard that same unsettling grumble, that unexplainable noise that the beast made, her chest suddenly feeling heavy. She slowly looked up, watching it circle around on the sky, high above, stalking and searching for the prey's presence, who happened to be her.

The moment she was about to hop off and give up her identity, she noticed a smaller army under the tree, ready to attack the Whale. Her breathing hitched, eyes wide and her heart racing, pounding against her ribs; after she blinked, it was all over. The White Whale was gone. That team injured, nearly wiped out, and she nearly missed it; it all happened too quickly.

She wasn't terrified of these people. But this coy, this anxiety, she felt an invisible wall blocking her way, stopping her from meeting them, preventing her from saying anything. The lump in her throat grew painfully which she tried to swallow, hot tears rolling down her cheeks. She wasn't sure why she started crying — maybe because she could never speak to anyone, almost as if she was just a mere ghoul. A phantom living among townsfolk.

But she was curious. Intrigued by them — after they made their retreat, she hopped off, landing hard, surviving the fall with only a numb sensation in her legs, shaking the left and then the right, falling into step behind them, keeping a comfortable distance. Nobody seemed to sense her presence — fortunately.

They were faster than she expected despite them being injured, eventually noticing the team had split up; one half heading to the Capital of Lugunica, the rest — somewhere else where Kairi hadn't been before.

She knew Lugunica already, so she chose to follow the woman with green hair leading the others.

And when they arrived, her grey eyes almost found light; the capital had always been so beautiful, and she could easily blend into the crowd without being noticed. Unobtrusively, she made her way towards the valley where most of the merchants sold food and other valuable items, planning to enrapture each sellers to gift her for free. The only contact she could make when dealing with humans was when she had to survive — only then, was she able to communicate almost confidently.

A taller man with a shaved mustache stood and shouted proudly, only wearing a brown, worn-out robe, and something close to a white suit underneath.

“Selling freshly gathered appas at half the price! You won't find this anywhere else, but at Fanto’s, only!” his hands cupped around his mouth, but let out a sigh as nobody approached him.

Kairi’s gaze darted towards him, approaching him slowly; his eyes immediately lighting up, a grin spreading across his face. “Welcome, Miss! Came here for a quick appetizer?” his own brownish eyes scanned her appearance, noticing she was only wearing a long, space cadet coloured dress which reached her knees; white collar hugging her shoulders, her hair nearly pitch-black and messy. Or maybe it was just curly.

“Bless me with your products.” her voice was calm, and to the merchant, everything went silent around him. He was hypnotized by her eyes, her tone of voice, as if she put some charm on him or used her magic. His hands moved automatically, grabbing a smaller bag as he filled it with fresh fruits and vegetables, and he was ready to hand it to her —

Until he was suddenly snapped out of this hypnosis. A man with red hair appeared behind Kairi, placing his gloved hand on her shoulder gently but firmly. She was, taken aback, of course; how could he possibly touch her?

The merchant's arms slowly withdrew towards his torso, hugging the bag tightly so he wouldn't lose it as he watched the interaction unfold; Kairi slowly turning her head with a dumbfounded look, the man's — the knight's, as he took a better look at him — eyes blue, smiling down at her almost in a friendly way.

“Miss, you can't just walk around and put spells on people like that.” he spoke, eyes never leaving her as he analyzed every feature on her face, taking a mental note of the tiniest changes in her expression. “I’ve heard all about you, you’ve been reported more times than you'd think. It is time I finally catch you in the act.”

Kairi frowned, swallowing hard as her heart rate picked up yet again – clearly stressed. “Who are you?” the words were quiet as she blurted them out, now fully facing him and staring up at him. The knight chuckled, introducing himself, "Reinhard van Astrea. I'm afraid I'll have to take you with me.”

The atmosphere between them shifted, Kairi tensing up, a shaky breath escaping through her lips. How was he able to just come up and touch her? See her? Surely she didn't let her guard down. How could he just do that as if it was nothing?

“How can you—" Kairi shook her head, feeling a mix of relief — relief because finally someone was able to communicate with her without manipulation — and fear. Why are human emotions so complicated? She hated feeling multiple things at once. That was the worst she has ever experienced, and unfortunately, it happened more times than she wanted them to happen. "Are you real?"

Reinhard's smile never faded, he almost laughed yet again. He didn't answer. He just took a hold of her and fled, taking her away with him without speaking another word. She was in trouble, in real trouble, for the first time. Escaping was never a problem for her, but she didn't know where she would be placed, whether she'd be locked up or under surveillance. Strange she was — she didn't protest, didn't try to stop Reinhard; which he had already noticed, he sensed her unusual behaviour way earlier when he saw her. His own sword was confused, it automatically drew from the sheath, yet it stayed in its place. If Reinhard wanted to, he could've easily pulled it out, but it wasn't necessary to kill her or attack her. She wasn't hostile, after all.

Just odd. She stayed perfectly still and didn't talk to him, probably lost in thought or the complexity of her own feelings, trying to comfort herself mentally. Everything that was happening within her, he sensed it. Even Reinhard wasn't sure how or why; but she alone, outstood from every living being.

hes so gorg<3