A Shot in the Dark - Train Heartnet

Chapter #13

"I just...I feel bad..."

"Why?" You looked at her with an expression of strong sincerity.

"You don't know what it feels like to have someone love you. I feel bad for you." As soon as you finished saying it you realized your mistake. She narrowed her eyes and stood up holding Ares tightly. Falene never enjoyed when someone ‘pitied’ her; she said that she didn’t need any pity and there was nothing wrong with her or her life.

"Don't feel bad for me. I don't want love." She said her voice even and flat. "I am stronger because I rely on no one. I don't need anyone and I don't want anyone. There is no one that can protect me better than I can protect myself." She spun quickly and fired a shot out at a lamp. The calibration was still off so you got to see her show off her skill with a gun. The bulb exploded extinguishing most of the light in the room. "I want to be alone." She added and walked away leaving you behind by yourself.

You watched her retreating back for a second and then it hit you like a freight train. You finally understood why she was like that.

"You pretend to be so tough." You said making her come to an abrupt stop. "But I can see right through you Falene Dawn." She glanced at you over her shoulder. You moved your eyes to the table and started playing with one of your thumbnails. "You don't rely on anyone because no one has ever been there for you. But what you really want is for someone to be on your side for a change. You want to be normal for once in your life and have a friend." You looked up at her tenderly; trying to show her you were on her side. You had never had many friends when you were younger; you were a pretty sheltered child and she was the person that taught you how to be part of this whole other world and how to survive. You wanted to understand her because you wanted her to be your friend. "I know because..." You smiled weakly understanding her for the first time. She was just like you. "No one wants to be alone."

Her expression didn’t change but she stood there silently. She seemed to be processing the information and trying to decide what to do with you. The silence dragged on and you were starting to worry. You were beginning to lose your resolve on if you guessed correctly when she turned her head away. “I’m hungry. You want to go get something to eat? I hear there’s a good bakery down the street; I was thinking we could get some cinnamon buns.” She said tucking Ares into its holster and continued walking. “Come on slowpoke, you’re taking forever.” She mimicked you from the other day spinning back to face you, leaning forwards slightly with her hands behind her back. She stuck her tongue out and then spun away returning to her usual stature. You smiled widely and quickly got up running after her out the door.

“You’re buying right?” You asked hugging her sideways around the shoulders. She shoved you off of her causing you to fall over. “Ow, really?!”

Real Time

You quickened your pace and shook your thoughts from your mind. You didn’t have to think about that, you had to focus on the task at hand. You couldn’t let your mind wander because of your concern. You just had to find the gun that fired off earlier and make sure it was not Falene on the receiving end.

A glint of light caught your eye to your left and you did a handspring forwards narrowly managing to avoid a knife in the head. You landed in a crouch turning towards your attacker and pulled your nun chucks out in the process. Another knife was thrust at you and you spun one end across your face catching it in the chain. You pulled it tight and the blade dropped down beneath you between your feet.

“Come out!” You challenged thrusting your nun chucks back in place and wiping out your gun and tantō (short Japanese sword) in each hand. A little giggle from the bushes made you feel sick to your stomach. A small girl stepped out from where she was hiding but her face was still covered by shadows. “Who are you?” You demanded positioning your blade horizontally in front of you. The giggle came again in response. She took another couple of steps forwards slowly revealing short blonde hair and a familiar set of green eyes. You narrowed your eyes as your little sister stepped forwards holding three knives between her fingers in each hand.