TWO ROSE - W MATSUI Chapter 02 [120711]

[Hatake]

To avoid any confusion because it's not a one-shot, I've decided to post it seperately.
This is AU

There are majisuka and other references among the stuff that I made up.
If you get confused, I'm sorry.

I will try to update when I can, but I have other fics to write as well.
Also, I want to try and include majisuka3 references as well so bear with me if there are any loopholes in the future. T_T

---

TWO ROSE

[Chapter 1]

If only you were just a rose.

---

"I'm here to kill you."

"Go ahead."

"Why."
"Why."
"Why!!!!"

---

In a small town, a girl pulls her hood down, her light brown cloak fluttering along with the wind.

"It's here."

Instinctively, her hands moves down to her waist and she strokes her scabbard lightly.

She follows the deserted road and makes her way to town.

The inn, as expected, was nearly empty, save for the occasional drinking villager or two.
Few words were exchanged as she booked a room, left her belongings and quickly went back down.

The sun was setting.

As she reached for the door, even without her acute senses, she could feel stares on her back.

And then someone finally spoke.

"You're heading out?"

She nodded.

"Young lady, if you do not mind me interfering, it's not the wisest move to go out now. We don't get many visitors around here. It would be nice if you could last a little longer."

"There's something I need to do."

"Couldn't it wait til morning?"

"Does this have to do with the monster?"

"So you've heard of it as well."

"Rumours. Only bits and pieces of it."

"Then it would do you very well to stay."

"If you could tell me more, perhaps I would be more frightened and less stubborn."

"I'm afraid I do not know more than you do."

"Then I must leave now."

"Be careful."

"I'll try to find out more!"

She heads to the bookstore as instructed beforehand.

The bookstore, although small, had a decent selection of books. Books that she never heard of.

Trying seem as if she was glancing around casually, she grabs a book, one that she's read many times before, 車輪の下(Underneath the wheel) and the one she was instructed to find.

She would have chosen to linger around a little longer if not for the shopkeeper looking as if he was in a hurry to chase her out to close the store.

She thanks him as he passes her the change while he thanked her, deep from his heart.

As she stepped out, the shutters were closed and the door locked at once.

Down the street she was at, there was not a single soul. Even the crows were not around. 

She makes her way back calmly at her usual pace.

---
Lunatic, or better referred to as a monster was not from these parts. She appeared one day and roams the streets at night laughing, and killing as she liked, but was never caught. Each time, the deceased died in a different manner, sometimes from a punctured lung, sometimes from a cracked skull, but each time, there was bound to be bloodshed.

There was also another little-known fact, that she was actually from another country,  sent to a mental institute in this country, but then escaped and came to this town. Or so it was said. 

That, was what Matsui Jurina gathered from the people in the inn that night. Or rather, they did their best to cough this out to prevent her from leaving the house after dusk next time.

She thanks them politely and heads back into her room, promising that she would listen to them during her short stay here. 

The pieces of information was nothing new to her. She just wanted to quickly get back to her room to read her fourth copy of Beneath the Wheel. Each time she travelled to a place that had it in a different language, she would buy one and read it. An odd hobby she picked up.

She sits on her bed and reads the first chapter of the book slowly, as if there was a need to absorb every single word. Satisfied, she finally takes the other book out and slashes it with a knife to reveal a slip of paper and a key.

This was not a measure used often. Her previous jobs tended to be more technologically advanced. The target was usually pin-pointed and she just had to wait around before she making her move. Although a little unsettled, she slept as usual that night.

She trusted Nezumi after all.

[Hatake]

[Chapter 2]

---

She met her when she was eleven

That was the earliest memory she had.

Her memories before that were all fuzzy. Each time she tried to remember, her head hurt badly, as if there was something blocking it.

She remembers roaming about in the streets aimlessly without anything except the clothes she had on. She stole from the stalls when she was hungry, scavenged the bins when her attempts at the latter failed and slept in the streets when she was tired.

In such living circumstances, fights were unavoidable. While her head could not remember anything about herself, her body did not forget.

She realised she knew how to fight when she accidentally stepped into wrong territory while looking for food. Two guys chased her and she ran. Through the alleys, past the crates and boxes. She managed to lose one but she could not shake the other. .

When she hit a dead end she thought she was a done for. He had a disgusting smile on his face and he pointed his knife at her. Her body acted on instinct. She ducked his knife, and returned with an uppercut.

In no less than a minute later, the guy was sprawled on the ground.

She looks at her bloody fist and clenched it.

And then on one rainy day when she couldn't find any shelter.
That was when she met her.

Just like a mouse that tended to scurry around at night, a girl in a hood appeared in the darkness.

She held out her umbrella and spoke.

"I'm Nezumi."

"I cannot remember my name"
"That's fine."

That night, Nezumi took her in without asking much. She bathed her, fed her, bandaged her wounds and gave her a name.

"Center."
"Because of the way you part your hair."

Food. Warmth. Shelter.
That was all she needed for now.

And Center didn't ask much either. She just stayed put like an obedient little puppy who met its owner for the first time.

"How old are you?"

"Eleven. I think."

"You certainly do not look your age."

Nezumi accompanied her for two days and left her alone on the third, leaving her alone at home when she went out.
 
"Work" she said.

Work that lasted really long hours and she even spent the night out occasionally.

"There's food in the fridge and you're free to read or watch television as you like"

And so during her free time, she discovered that she liked reading. While the television did provide her with some entertainment, she preferred books. There were plenty of books in the house and she read them all, some twice. And then it felt like there was nothing to do after that.

Center was not the type to sit around and help out with housework. Despite her memory loss, she was restless.

"Is there anything that I can help with?"
She asked when she couldn't take it anymore.

Nezumi smiles.

"Judging from your wounds the other day, you look like someone who can fight."

"Seems like it."

"Well, I suppose there's something you could do."

Center looked at her earnestly and waited for her to continue.

"But it might endanger you..."
"Are you willing to put your life on the line?"

Center didn't hesitate. She felt no need to. She had no kin. No obligations. Nothing. There was nothing to bind her down

"Yes"

She had nothing except for the tattoo on her back.

---

That night she had a dream. Part of what seemed to be a series of dreams that she always had. The people in the dream were all foggy as well. The only thing she could make clear of was the conversations each time.

It was a dream about a girl who lived alone.

"Can we eat at this restaurant?"
"If you want to."
"Can we still buy some gyouza back?"
"Yup. You really do like gyouza don't you?"
"I do! I like gyouza as much as I like you!"

But had someone else who showered her with love.

"It's Wednesday!"
"Yes it's Wednesday"
"I like Wednesdays the most"
"Why?"
"Because it's the day you walk with me to school!"

There was a girl who fell in love.

"Good night"
"Good night"
"Can I sleep here again tonight?"
"You're already 11, you should start learn to sleep in your own room"
"Please?"
"Fine, can't say no when you look at me with those eyes can I?"
"You're the best~~"

And then she wakes up.

[qweakb]

hope that you will be able to updated soon...the story is nice