Snow White with the Red Hair: The Valkyrie

Her Colors

"Yeah, actually. Her." He pointed at the Castanic, who'd bent over to pick up the practice weapon.

"Good morning." She greeted, making her way over to them. "That match was certainly exciting."

"Nanami?" Zen inquired. "Is that you?"

"Yes, it is."

"Interesting look on you. Is there a certain occasion for it?"

"No. I'm not quite sure what happened to my eyes, hair, and horns. All I know is that this was how I looked before..." She trailed off, finding that her mind remained stuck on the nightmare she'd seen last night. Left in suspense, Obi called her back to them.

"Before what?"

"Tragedy struck. I found out in my dreams that my village was destroyed, as the people were also slaughtered. A dark force invaded my home, Castanica, in search of a power of sorts. I don't know what it was or who it was that wanted it, but they wanted it very badly. I was the only one who survived the attack before Madame found me."

"So this goes beyond what you told me." Zen concluded.

"Yes. I...I had a family that was also taken from me at the time. I had to watch them die in front of me."

"Oh... wow, Nanami." Obi scratched the back of his head awkwardly as the rest of them beheld a look of surprise. "We're sorry to hear that." Analyzing the looks on their faces, the girl realized how she shifted the mood.

"Don't be! After all, I didn't come here to dull your mornings. I just came to say hello. I apologize for making the atmosphere more dreary."

Smiles crept onto their faces as Zen and Mitsuhide pat her on the shoulder.

"There's nothing to be sorry for." Mitsuhide beamed. "It's good to share your feelings every once in a while. It helps lighten a weight inside of you and makes it seem less of a burden."

"Really?" She sounded surprisingly innocent and oblivious. This earned wide eyes from the other four. They exchanged looks, ending their gaze with her in sight.

"Well... yeah." Obi scratched his head. "Talking helps. Sometimes it makes you feel better."

"I don't understand. Why would speaking with someone about your burdens make you feel better? Wouldn't that make you feel worse? And why would you want to share these burdens with someone else?"

"It's something to get used to." Kiki concluded.

"Miss Kiki, I've never heard you talk about your emotions." Obi said with a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Not much to say." Stoic as ever, she reflected his statement away.

"Humans are far beyond what I can comprehend."

"That's because everything is so literal to you." Zen placed a hand on Nanami's shoulder. "Emotions are a sensual thing. You feel them with your heart."

"How do you feel things with your heart? The purpose of the heart is to pump blood into your body." She scowled. But seeing the small smirks on their faces, she suddenly understood what they meant. "Oh. Well, I don't understand your way of feeling. It's too complex for me."

"Then... maybe we can show you." Obi suggested.

"Show me? How would you show me?"

"Yeah. How would we show her?" Mitsuhide further inquired.

"You can't tell me I'm the only genius around here." He chuckled. "We'll introduce you to your emotions. Happiness, excitement, surprise, affection. We'll make you feel them all."

"Interesting approach, yet surprisingly brilliant." Kiki commented. "It might work. That is, if we present it correctly."

"If Kiki's in, then I'm in." Zen showed a face of determination, which made the Castanic's eyes widen a bit. She'd never seen such confidence before. Soon, even Mitsuhide joined in and agreed to go along with it. All eyes were on her; kind smiles on each of their faces.

"So?" Obi nudged her. "Are you in?"

The girl bit her bottom lip, glazing her crystal blue eyes across each of their faces. These people, who she'd been enemies with not too long ago, were willing to help her experience life as a person; not an object nor a tool. A real, live person. There was a thought in the back of her mind, expressing how bothered she was by their want to help her. But they were being kind. Their kindness was more than anything she'd ever received in her entire life.

Releasing her now plump lip from her bite, she nodded her head.

"I'm in."