((Picks up from the end of her profile story.))

Her hand shook as she brushed her hair away from her eyes, staring in mute confusion at the area surrounding the airstrip. It was warm here, too warm for the gray wool dress she was wearing, the hem fluttering around her ankles in the breeze. How far from home was she? This felt like....Hawaii, or something similar. Her lips twisted into a bitter smile, the irony of her lie hitting her. She'd told Hoshino they'd be taking a vacation...it seemed she'd been half right after all.

The attendant from the plane coughed politely behind her, holding out another small black card.

I was instructed to give this to you upon arrival. If you would be so kind as to gather your luggage, you can make your way down the main path to the dorms. I'm quite sure the assistant at the desk will help you find your room.

The attendant smiled brightly as Hiruka took the card, then turned and reboarded the plane, the door closing behind her.

Casting her gaze about, she found the mentioned luggage, four large rolling suitcases, each a pristine white, X-S' favorite color. She frowned down at the black card, noticing a small key taped to the back carefully. She turned her attention to the words, almost hearing the dry voice of her "guardian" in her mind.



Her hands shook more violently as she read and reread the missive, her eyes clouding with brimming tears, drops falling on the card like errant rain. She finally broke down, tearing the card to pieces, throwing them to the ground with a sob, stamping her foot down on them violently, over and over. Her helpless fury momentarily vented, she turned her eyes to the silently waiting cases, each easily 2/3 her size. There was no way she'd be able to pull them all...

Scrubbing at her eyes with the back of one long sleeve, she sighed miserably, moving to take the 2nd and 3rd by their handles, grimacing at the effort of pulling the two along, making her way slowly toward the path.

Watching from a nearby bench, Violett stared curiously as she sang softly to herself.

"And a hero comes along, with the strength to carry on, and you cast your fears aside, and you know you can survive..."

Getting up, she walked slowly towards the new girl, smiling shyly, still singing to herself.

"So when you feel like hope is gone, look inside you and be strong....And you'll finally see the truth; that a hero lies in you."

Smiling softly, she made her way up to the girl, wondering if she'd heard the singing.

Violett sang sometimes. She didn't quite know why.

"Um... Hi. Need help?" she offered as she got closer.

Hiruka jumped despite herself, startled by the girl when she approached. She just stared at Violett for a long moment, face set in a curious expression, then she sighed, the tension leaving her.

I think I do, actually. I would be grateful if you could please help me with the other two cases, if you don't mind.

Her voice was quiet, subdued, her eyes drifting away from Violett's face to look at the ground blankly, studying her shoes. She was very careful to be polite, not wanting to antagonize the first person to talk to her here. She risked a glance up, taking in the other girl's apparel curiously.

Are you a student here, if I may ask?

Violett took the cases, smiling softly.

"Yes, I am... I'm Violett Small. May I ask what your name is?"

She kept pace easily, smiling a little.

"Wow.... These are nice suitcases. I got this stuff from a company called Black Turtle that could double as a bomb shelter... But these things actually MOVE! They have little wheels on them and everything!"

Hiruka lowered her head, trudging steadily forward, thin tails of silver hair dangling in her face. She spoke again in her near whisper, watching Violett from the corner of her eye.

I'm Hiruka. Kaihaku Hiruka. As for the cases, I'm sure they are the top of the line. You can have them if you like, when I've emptied them. I can't stand to look at them.

She looked back to the front, eyes looking up and ahead, searching for a glimpse of their destination, a hint of what sort of school this was, so she could understand why she'd been sent here. So far, it seemed perfectly normal, if a bit warm.

What can you tell me about the school, Violett-san? I'm afraid I came here rather...unexpectedly.

Violett shook her head, sighing softly.

"Nothing you'd believe, Miss Hiruka. No one believes in monsters until it's too late... I know I didn't."

And just like that, the other shoe dropped. Hiruka stopped dead in her tracks, the many thin locks of her hair swaying like a veil as she turned to look at Violett with an empty, flat expression, like the little energy she had was draining away.

Did you just say, "Monsters", Violett-san?

She thought furiously, running over the last few times she'd seem the white suited fiend. He'd been smiling even more than usual, that smug little grin of his mocking her, though the usual torture that accompanied it had been absent. She'd had it relatively easy this last month, free from all but casual abuse and torment. She'd thought he'd gotten bored with her, but it seemed perhaps he'd been busy plotting something worse for her, something both old and new.

Please, say it clearly once more. I promise not to laugh, or think ill of you for it.

Her already quiet voice became a near whisper, unmodulated, no emotion behind the words, and a chill like a long silent grave in her tone.

Violett turned around, her face frozen in shock.

Yaeko, and now Kaihaku. Both from Japan... Both of them reacting to the mention of monsters.

Why did it have to be HER that saw this? Quiet, powerless, withdrawn, American HER knowing something was rotten in the state of Japan?

"Monsters, Miss Hiruka... Um... Can I call you Kaihaku, or would you prefer I stuck with your last n... Kaihaku IS your surname, isn't it?"

Violett hung her head in shame, feeling like a fool.

"I must seem like such an idiot."

The corner of Hiruka's eye spasmed at the confirmation. She smiled, the expression devoid of mirth and laughter, little more than a thin slash across her pale face.

Hiruka is my given name, Violett-san. I prefer to avoid confusion when meeting English speaking people, but it seems I've managed to find it regardless. I apologize. Please, feel free to call me Hiruka.

Her smile warmed slightly, like a crack in permafrost, the expression slipping, falling into her usual blank facade, a doll's face. She started moving again, dragging the two heavy cases behind her with some effort.

And you do not seem to be an idiot, Violett-san. It makes sense actually, monsters being here. He would send me to a place like this, just to teach me a lesson, grind my face in it. It has a certain flair to it, just enough irony to choke on...

Her shoulders slowly slumped, the cases still pulling along behind her, but more slowly as the silver haired girl seemed to deflate, weighed down by more than just the luggage in her hands.

How far to the dormitory, Violett-san? I...feel very tired now. So very, very tired...

"I thought you were saying it like Bond, James Bond," Violett said sheepishly.

She trudged on, sighing softly.

"It's not too far... So who is he? I'm trying to figure out some things about this place... Someone has to try to do something, right? I mean...Maybe I'll find something useful... And get back to somewhere that it's safe to be alone The magnificent bastard who did this to you might be connected."

She turned around, forcing a smile.

"Just another block or so, Hiruka... Can you make it?"

She shook her head slightly at the misunderstanding, a small smile ghosting across her sad face. The question about the man made her shiver, head lowering, her shoulders slumping inward as if she expected a blow to fall. She spoke slowly, knowing that if X-S sent her here unsupervised, he either didn't care, or wouldn't be effected by anything she said or did here.

He, is my legal guardian, my 'Onii-sama', my financial support, the one who kept a roof over my head the last two years. And all of that is a lie...

She spat the word 'Onii-sama' out bitterly, a note of futile rage burning under the words, fading as she stopped talking. She'd never told anyone the truth about X-S, too afraid of what he'd do to Hoshino, to her. She didn't want any more innocent blood on her hands because of him...

Shaking her head, she continued forward, not realizing her grip on the suitcase handles had gone white knuckled.

I am fine Violett-san. I'm more...resilient than I look.

She finished the sentence with a twist of her lips, the emphasized word bearing hidden meanings.

Violett shok her head, laughing mirthlessly.

"From the way you said that, I almost think you're safer here... At least you're away from him. It's just us and the tentacles, really."

She walked up to the door of the dorms, holding it open for Hiruka.

"Maybe you can make some friends... It's usually safer in groups."

She nodded her thanks, dragging the heavy cases into the lobby, pulling them to one side and going back outside to get the other two while Violett held the door.

Safe? Maybe you're right Violett-san. I just don't believe anywhere is safe these days, but maybe you're right.

She grouped the cases along one wall, and turned to head for the desk, glancing over her shoulder as she walked.

Friends? It'd be nice to have friends again...but groups are the opposite of safe, as far as I'm concerned. Just means more people to lose...

She turned back around, speaking quietly with the person at the desk, nodding and smiling politely, if without any feeling. After a minute or so, she was handed a key and directed to the east wing of the building, ground floor.
She grabbed two of the cases, and looked at Violett though her dangling strands of hair.

I'm sorry to be so bothersome, but would you mind helping me get these to my room? I understand if you're busy.

Violett nodded solemnly, lifting the cases.

"Nobody dies here, Hiruka. They don't want to break their toys."

Staring a little, Violett blinked, tilting her head curiously, staring at the tattoo on the back of Hiruka's neck.

"X S? What's that? Is it a band?"

Thank you, and I'll take your word about the 'toys', for now at least.

She tugged the cases toward the large door, eyes fixated on the tiles in front of her. Her back went rigid as Violett read the new and still tender tattoo on the back of her neck. Hiruka turned quickly, hair whipping around her face violently as she stared at the other girl in horror.

How do you-? Why? Why do you know that name?

She seemed even smaller than before, shrinking inward, cringing and looking around fearfully, hands slowly rising as if to ward off blows she expected to come.