Chapter 5 - Alliances

Author's notes:
-This chapter was written by Brian, as will the next chapter. This is because this chapter is more of a subchapter. It's purpose is mostly to explain a few plot points that were somewhat vague.
-Pictures all all of these characters are posted in my gallery, with the exception of one, who will be there soon. Enjoy! :D





“Damn it,” Kitty swore. “He got away.”
She got up and stared across the bridge as the smoke began to lift. Then she walked over to Crimson to help her up.
“Are you alright?” she asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Crimson replied.
“You don’t look fine. That cut on your arm is pretty deep. He almost sliced it off. Why were the two of you fighting anyway?”
“I don’t know. This is his second attempt at my life in the past four months. I never met him before, and for some reason he wants me dead.”
“Well, you better get somewhere safe. Anyway, it was nice meeting you...uh?”
“Crimson.”
Kitty’s eyes widened. Suddenly she started jumping up and down, yelling “oh yay!”
“What are you doing?” Crimson asked, a little freaked out.
“I’m so happy I found you, and I got to save your life. Yay!”
She ran across the bridge to where the dagger was stuck in the ground. She pulled it out and pressed a button on the hilt. The blade went inside and out popped a tiny antenna. Then she opened the hilt. Crimson could see it doubled as a cell phone. Kitty dialed a number and held it to her ear.
“Hello? It’s Kitty... yeah... yeah... Well guess what? I... yeah?...really?... no... he didn’t... he didn’t... he did?... he didn’t! Oh my God, I swear I am going to kill him... really?... that much?... Oh yeah, I would totally do that... dude if I had eyes that looked like trees, I’d be so happy. I’d sell my mother for those eyes... *laughs*... I know, really?... *laughs*... *gasps*... no!... he’s gay?!... *gasps*... but what about the cinnamon pretzel sticks?... *glances at Crimson*... oh! wait, wait, wait, wait, shut up! Look I found Crimson... I said I found Crimson... yeah, can you believe it?... So do you want me to bring her in?... Well I was just asking, gosh... *laughs* ha-ha, doors... okay, bye!”
She hung up and walked over to Crimson.
“So, somebody back home would really like to meet you. Want to come?”
Crimson was taken back by the sudden invitation. “Well, I, uh...”
“Of course you do,” Kitty said and she grabbed Crimson’s unwounded arm and walked her across the bridge and out of the park. Once they reached the street, she stopped and waited.
“Our ride will be here soon,” she said.
“So where are-”
“Shh! Not here.”
It felt like an hour had passed. The sun was almost set. Kitty had wrapped her blue ribbon around Crimson’s arm so the bleeding would stop, but it became soggy and needed a new bandage.
Suddenly, headlights shown from down the road. A stretch limo pulled up in front of them. The driver got out and held the door open. They climbed in, Kitty almost pushing Crimson. The inside had comfortable white leather seats on one side and a mini-bar on the other. The ceiling had a light display that resembled the night sky, except the stars kept changing colors. As soon as the door closed, Kitty turned to Crimson and spoke.
“Alright, I am part of an organization that is here to help. I was sent to find you by Maion, that’s the name of our leader. She said she needs the help of three people by the names of Crimson, Altojo, and Kat.” She gave a little wince as she said the last name. “Now I found you, but I don’t suppose you know where the others are?”
“I don’t, but I wish I did. Kat and Altojo are my best friends. They disappeared a couple of months ago and I’ve been searching for them ever since.”
“Really? Well that makes two of us.”
“So who is Maion and why does she need my help?”
“She didn’t exactly say why she needs you. That doesn’t at all surprise me. She can be very mysterious sometimes, but don’t worry. She is very nice and very rich. Her place is well stocked with training facilities and infirmaries and indoor pools. You’ll be happy there.”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, well you’re staying with us, right? We can’t let you go wandering around with that killer on the loose.”
“I guess you’re right.”
They drove around for a while. The sky grew darker as it grew later. One point Crimson looked out the window and saw they were driving by a church and a graveyard.
“Wait! Can we stop?” she shouted up front.
“What are you doing?” Kitty asked.
“I have to see something.”
The limo pulled to a halt. Crimson got out and read the name on the church. She opened the gate to the cemetery. It let out a squeak and clang that rang through silent night. She walked forward among the tombstones, reading the names on them all, until she finally reached one that had nothing written on it. Vines and ivy were growing all over it. Crimson knelt down in front of it. She brushed the hard, cold surface and heaved a sigh as Kitty came up behind her.
“It’s been years since I’ve been here,” she whispered. “
“Do you know this person?”
“Yes. He was someone very precious to me.”
“Oh. How did he die?”
“He was sick, real sick. He was in and out of the hospital all the time. He had just undergone a surgery that we thought would save his heart, but an abnormal blood cot had formed and we found him dead the next morning.”
“I’m sorry.”
“We couldn’t afford to have his tombstone engraved so he’s remained nameless all this time. I was afraid when I moved I’d forget him. It seems like I’m the only one who still remembers him.”
“I wouldn’t say that. Look at the grass around the grave. See how it’s padded down? It looks like someone was here not to long ago.”
Crimson just remained silent. She cleared some vines from the stone and kissed it. Then she stood and walked out of the cemetery. As they left, it began to snow.

The limo pulled up to a giant mansion that had a mile long driveway and a front yard with hedges and fountains scattered about. The building was the size of a grand cathedral. Crimson’s jaw dropped when she saw it.
When the limo stopped in front of the front doors, the driver got out and held the car door open. Kitty and Crimson hopped out and watched it drive away. Suddenly, a sound like a horn blasted behind Crimson. She screamed and spun around, only to find herself face to face with an enormous African elephant.
“Watch out for them,” Kitty said, smiling. “Maion lets them roam around on their own in the yard. This one here is Deedee.” She walked over and pat it on the trunk. “Watch this. Deedee! Ugala!”
The elephant picked up Kitty with its trunk and set her on its back.
“Come on, you try.”
“I’d rather not,” Crimson said apprehensively.
Just then the door to the mansion burst open. A man with white hair, a gray shirt, and a lilac blue vest came out and ran to the elephant.
“Deedee! Magumbo!” he yelled.
The elephant put Kitty back down on the ground in front of him.
“How many times have I told you to stop playing with the master’s elephants?”
“Oh come on,” Kitty whined.
“And another thing,” he began, but stopped once he caught sight of Crimson. “Who is that?”
“That is my good friend, Crimson,” she whispered in his ear. His eyes widened as he looked between the two. “We’ll show ourselves in.”
Crimson followed Kitty up the front steps and into the mansion. The inside was huge. In fact, if Crimson didn’t know better, she’d say the inside was larger than the exterior. Kitty led her through room after room after hallway after kitchen (where they stopped to catch their breath and have a quick snack) until finally they reached what appeared to be a billiard room. The walls were lined with different knick-knacks and the room held four large pool tables. The place was empty except for the table furthest from the door. The stained glass light above shone down on two people. One was a man with a mohawk died in black with cream colored stripes. The other was a girl with bleach blonde hair. They were both heavily tattooed and seemed to dress in the manner that best show off their artwork. As Kitty approached, the two of them looked up from their game.
“Ah, Kitty,” the girl said. “You are just in time to watch me sweep the floor with this guy.”
She lined her stick behind the white ball and sent it knocking into the red one, which fell into the corner pocket. Next went the blue, green, and purple balls until all that was left was the black eight ball.
“Ah, a perfect shot,” she said and knocked it across the table into the pocket. “Good game, Mohajon. You’ve gotten better.”
“Yes, but I still can’t beat you,” he replied.
“Maion,” Kitty said.
Maion looked over and saw Crimson. She gave Kitty a nod of approval. Then she set down her pool stick and walked over to the bar.
“Mohajon, it’s getting late. You should go to bed.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said and left the room.
Maion went behind the counter and started pulling out bottles. She set down a large martini glass. Then she poured some of the bottles into a mixer.
“Can I make you anything? Manhattan, mojito, martini?” she asked while doing this. Kitty looked at Crimson to let her know the question was directed at her.
“Uh, no thanks. I don’t drink,” she responded.
“Alright then,” Maion said and shook up the mixer. “At least have a seat.”
Crimson thought it best to do what she said. She pulled a stool out from the bar and perched atop it. She watched Maion pour herself a drink and drop an olive into it. She took a sip and gazed intently at Crimson.
“So, Crimson, how much has Kitty told you about me?”
“Not much, honestly.”
“Good. Then let me fill in the holes. My name is Maion. I may be an alcoholic, but who the hell cares. I absolutely love elephants and tattoos, and a good game of pool. Do you play pool? No? Oh, no matter. You’ll learn. Oh! And I run this little corporation.” She gestured around them as if to impress them.
“What exactly is this corporation?” Crimson asked.
“It’s just a little business I started from home. Nothing fancy. The important thing is you’re here now. You see, I need your help.”
“With what?”
Maion took another sip from her drink.
“As in every business, there is always competition. Well, my leading competition is a woman by the name of Demonic. Have you ever heard of her?” she asked with a curiously odd look on her face.
Crimson shook her head.
“Well, just know we are in the same field. Anyway, I have recently found out that you have come across a very special document. A document that you stole with the assistance of your friends.”
As she said this, she reached behind the bar and drew out what looked like photos. In the pictures, Crimson saw herself, Kat, and Altojo walking among bookcases and file cabinets. She slapped her hand to her forehead and whispered, “Security cameras.”
“That’s right,” Maion said. “There are some that depict the three of you fleeing with a document in your hands. That document could be very important to me.” Crimson noticed her expression turned from cheerfulness to hunger. “Crimson, I need that document.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t have it. I think Kat has it.”
“Kat?” Kitty asked.
Maion looked at her. Kitty swallowed and looked away.
“So, Kat has the document?” Maion asked.
“That’s right,” Crimson said. “The day after we got the file, Altojo disappeared. Kat and I locked the document in a safe and then split up to look for him. When I came back, all of Kat’s things were gone, and so was the file. I managed to track her down to this region, but no sign of Altojo.”
Maion put down the now empty martini glass. She stared at the pool table for some time. Then she heaved a sigh and gave Crimson a wide smile.
“Kitty, please take Crimson to the infirmary, and then show her to her room,” she ordered.
“Yes, ma’am,” Kitty said.
She bowed and took a hold of Crimson’s hand and led her to the door. Crimson stopped and turned back to Maion.
“If you don’t mind me asking, how did you know our names?”
“I’m sure Kitty can tell you.”
“Yes...ma’am,” Crimson said and left the room.
Maion stashed the pictures away except one. She re-filled her glass and drank. She stared at the image of Kat as she sipped it.

Crimson sat on a table as the nurse wrapped a clean bandage around her arm. Then the nurse applied some anti-biotic ointment to the other cuts and scrapes. Kitty sat in the corner, watching.
“So, how does Maion know my name,” Crimson asked.
“I told her,” Kitty responded heavily. “I know because Kat is my sister.”
This news shocked Crimson. Kat had never told her she had a sister. In fact, she never talked about her family.
“Your sister? Really?”
“Yes. I know, amazing, right?”
“Yeah, Kat never mentioned you before.”
“That doesn’t surprise me. We didn’t exactly part on good terms. Way back when, the two of us got into a huge fight. She left home and basically became dead to me. We haven’t seen nor spoken to each other since. Then one day Maion shows me some security pictures and I blurt out that I know her. I had to tell her everything. I knew about you and Altojo because years ago she sent me a letter. It stated that she had made some friends and she was happier than she had ever been at home. She also asked me to tell our parents to call off the search for her. They did. The letter described you two in detail so I recognized you from the pictures. After that, it was easy finding you.”
“Wow. I never knew sibling rivalry could be so tough. What was the fight about?”
“I don’t remember. It was so long ago.”
“You two should make up. Once we- ow!”
“Sorry about that,” the nurse said.
Crimson rolled her eyes. “Once we find her, the two of you can talk it over and everything will be all right.”
“Not likely. She probably doesn’t want to talk to me. She’s very stubborn.”
“What about you? Do you want to see her?”
Kitty paused. “I don’t know.”
Once they were done, they left the infirmary. Kitty led her through another hallway. They turned the corner and Crimson found herself face to face with a seagull.
“Who the hell are you?” it said.
Crimson screamed and knocked him against the wall.
“Shh, do you want to wake up the whole place? It’s only Feebus,” Kitty whispered. “And where there is Feebus, there is...”
“Me!” a girl shouted as she jumped from behind the corner. She had long blond hair tied in ribbons. Her wrists and legs were wrapped in ribbons. There were ribbons almost all over her. She was just gushing with frills and cuteness.
“I was wondering when you were going to get back. Aww, Feebus, what happened to you?” She rushed over and started petting the seagull.
“Don’t pet me. I’m not your dog.”
“Oh Feebus, you’re so funny.”
“Crimson, I’d like to introduce you to my good friend Cinta,” Kitty said. “And this little guy here is her pet seagull, Feebus.”
“How many times do I have to tell you? I’m not her pet.”
“Then why do you always follow her around,” Kitty said.
Feebus glared at her. Then he turned and started walking away, in mid-air. Crimson’s mouth gaped open as he left.
“That’s right. Feebus doesn’t fly,” Kitty said. “He walks on air.”
“I caught that. It’s not every day I see a mid-air walking, talking seagull,” Crimson said.
“So, you’re Crimson?” Cinta asked. She had a dopey smile on her face.
“Yeah, nice to meet you.”
“So how’d that ribbon that I gave you work out?” Cinta asked Kitty, almost ignoring Crimson.
“Yeah, about that,” Kitty began. “It looked very nice, but it got a little ruined. There was some trouble.”
“No problem. I can just give you another one. I hate it when ribbons get ruined, don’t you?” she asked Crimson.
“Oh, uh, yes. If I had a dime for every ribbon I ruined,” Crimson tried to joke.
“Yeah? What if you had a dime for every ribbon you ruined?”
Crimson got the feeling Cinta wasn’t joking. She was seriously asking a question.
“Hey! Where’s Feedbus? Feebus!” Cinta just walked away, in the wrong direction, calling out the seagull’s name.
Crimson turned to Kitty and asked quietly, “Is she alright?”
“Who? Cinta? Yeah, she’s always like that. I don’t want to say she’s a bimbo, but you get the idea. Come on. Your room is this way.”



Owari

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