Teaser (Special Project)

A dark endless sea of black is seen. Wisps of shadowed fog move through the dark quietly and eerily.

"What does it mean to be different?"

The smoke blows slightly as if a wind caught it.

"What does it define, to be labeled as something....rejected?"

The smoke grows more.

"To be seen as something disgusting and cruel? To be called by titles that bring about nothing but misery and pain?"

The smoke whips upwards as if alive and grasping something.

"To be alone in a world that wishes nothing of you? To be outcast because of something you had no control over? To be without happiness? Without joy?"

The sounds of light panting could be heard as the smoke begins to rise and cover the darkness.

"Without.....love?"

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The sounds of loud panting and heavy footsteps echo through the night sky, as a small figure is seen running through darkened alleyways. The figure turns around an alley corner and slams into a garbage can, tumbling the can and all its' contents on the floor as the figure nearly falls over. It quickly catches its' footing though and continues to race, as several large shadows are seen moving across the walls behind it.

"This way!! Hurry, before it gets away!!"

From behind the figure, the sounds of angry and loud voices are heard, along with the clustering of many feet.

"Don't think you can run away from us you monster!!"

The words and threats seem to hasten the pace of the figure. The flashes of light are seen behind the figure as the footsteps seem to hasten and increase, signifying that they were following the same path.

Looking at the path ahead, the figure sees a large stack of boxes and barrels approaching. Leaping into the air the figure extends an arm and slashes down at the wooden containers, causing several of them to burst open and the stack to begin caving in. The figure quickly ducks under one of the falling barrels and runs as the rest collapse behind it, causing the pathway to become filled with dust and debris.

"Dammit that demon!! Hurry, this way before it gets away!!"

The figure doesn't bother to look back at the voices, as it instead continues to run ahead and turn down another corridor, in hopes of losing its' pursuers.

However as it turns the corridor, the sound of cutting air cracks through the night sky, as the ankles of the figure suddenly gash open in a burst of blood. A cry of pain escapes the figures mouth as it crashes to the ground in shock and agony.

"Heh, got you you damn monster."

The figure looks up to see a large man in silver armor and wielding a large wooden staff in his hand land before it, "Did you think you could escape judgement so easily you damn beast?"

The man leaned down and grabbed the figures by the hair, causing it to cry out in pain as he raised it up into the air, as the moonlight revealed the dirt covered yet beautiful face of a young raven-haired girl, looking barley the age of eight. As the girl winces in and claws at the hand holding her hair, the footsteps from earlier approach to reveal a mob of other men, each armed with different weapons and tools, as well was torches.

"Ah, Sir Mordekai! You caught the beast!" One of the men speaks out happily, as the others stare in awe and amazement.

"Indeed. It was quite a slippery one wasn't it," Mordekai speaks as he glares at the girl, "But nobody can escape the judgement of god."

Mordekai spits to the side and he hurls the girl towards, causing her to once more cry out in pain. Her eyes open up to glare at the men, revealing a pair of ruby red orbs with black slit pupils.

"Oh? Quite the glare you have there. Quite befitting a monster such as yourself wouldn't you say?" Mordekai speaks as the men behind him all shout in agreement. The girl however grits her teeth, revealing a very sharp pair of incisors.

"It's you people who are the monsters!!" The girl shouts out angrily as she points to Mordekai, "You people, you humans! You killed my sister!! You took her from me when she did nothing wrong!!"

"Nothing wrong you say?" Mordekai responds back coldly, "She was a monster, the same as you."

"And that gives you a right to take her life!?!"

"Indeed." the man responds again, with a cruel smirk on his face, "After all it is necessary for survival. If a monster like that is allowed to live, how long before it comes to kill us? Is it not right that we fight for our very survival!?"

"Yeah, he's right!!" Another man shouted, "You creatures have no souls or hearts! All you care about is inflicting death and misery to others!!"

"Exactly! Monsters like you don't deserve to live!!"

"All monsters should just be burned at the stake!!"

"Kill the demon!!"

"Kill her!! Kill her!!"

The men all began to shout again as they raised their weapons in unison, as the young girl stared in fear as she tried to crawl back from them. The pain in her ankles though prevented such a thing as she winced from the pain. Before she could attempt something else, the wooden staff from before was brought into her view, as a blade of wind emitted around it.

"Don't worry monster, I am a humble enough man," Mordekai spoke with a dark grin, "I'll be sure to places your remains upon the same stakes as your dear 'sister'. That way you can both be together in hell."

Aas the madman raises his staff upwards while the crowd cheered on, the girl shut her eyes tightly as tears poured down her face.

"Jasmine!"

The sound of slicing flesh and screams filled the night sky alongside the echos of ripped flesh and spraying liquid.

Yet for some reason, the sounds and screams didn't come from the young girl. She didn't even feel any other pain outside her ankles, and for some reason the sounds from the mob of men turned deathly quiet.

Opening her eyes nervously to see what had happened, the ruby colored orbs widened in disbelief as the entire crowd of men laid upon the ground, their bodies covered in large wounds and gashes, and blood covered the ground and walls of the alleyway.

As she stared in confusion and shock, a gasp caught her attention as her gaze snapped towards her left. To her further surprise, a dark cloaked figure with a large hood stood there, holding the throat of a now single armed Mordekai, as her would be executioner struggled for air.

"L-Let me go! Let me go you damn monster!" Mordekai gasped out as the hand tightened around his throat.

The sound of snapping bones and crushed flesh broke out a moment later, as Mordekai's eyes turned dull and his body limp.

"The only monsters I see are the ones no longer living."

The cloaked figure dropped Mordekai and turned towards the young girl. She gasped in shock though as a dark gray and demonic looking metallic mask meet her gaze, as a large crescent spike curved upwards underneath the hood, while a ruby red right lens and a sapphire blue left one looked upon her face.

Scared of both the figure and for her life, the girl pushed herself up to try and run, but collapsed from the pain in her ankles as she cried out once more. However just before she hit the ground, she felt a hand suddenly reach behind her back and another grasp her left wrist, as she found herself being held in the arms of the masked murderer.

"Are you alright?" A muffled and yet soft voice spoke out, causing her to pause and look at the heterochromic lenses before her. Fear quickly gripped her once more however as she struggled within the figures grasp.

"Let me go! G-Get away from me!" the girl cried out as she struggled against the masked figures grip.

"Hey, easy! I'm trying to help you!" the figure spoke out as it struggled to keep the girl from escaping. However the girl continued to struggle against his grip as fear overwhelmed her.

"Let me go!! Let me go!! Get away from me!!" the girl continued to cry out hysterically.

"Just settle down! I'm not going to hurt you!!" the figured cried out.

"Lies!! That's nothing but a lie!! All humans do is lie!! They lie and hate and destroy!! It's all that humans have!! They're the monsters not me!! They're the ones who kill without reason or meaning!! They're the ones who...who..."

The movement of the girl slowly began to lessen as tears poured down her eyes and she covered her face in her palms, "Jasmine....Jasmine..."

The masked figure stared in silence at the young girl in its' arms as she broke down into tears. Without a word the figure gently held the youngling to its' chest and hugged her, as her cries and screams filled the blood filled alleyway and the dark night sky.

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"What does it mean to be different?"

"What does it define, to be labeled as something....special?"

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The figure is seen walking down a dirt road, away from a large down, as in his arms is the girl from before, curled up against its' chest, her head nestled beneath its' mask.

"Where are you taking me?" the girl whispered out weakly, her mind and body exhausted both physically and emotionally.

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"To be seen as something unique and beautiful? To be called by titles that bring about nothing but sympathy and understanding?"

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"To a place you won't have to be afraid anymore," the figure spoke calmly as it continued walking, "A place where others like you exist."

The girl looked up slightly in confusion, "Like...me?"

The figure nodded, "That's right."

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"To leave a world that wishes nothing of you? To become an outcast because of something you had no control over?"

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"A place where you'll meet others who have suffered as you have. Who have lost everything they ever cared for or loved, and have been rejected by their worlds because they were different. A place where you won't have to hide what you are, and will be accepted by all because of it."

The girl's ruby eyes looked upon the demonic mask in doubt and confusion, but also something else, "Can...can such a place truly exist? Without my sister I...I don't even know if I could go on anymore," the young girls eyes watered slightly as she looked down.

A soft gloved hand however tilted her chin upwards as her gaze was moved towards the dual-colored lenses of the mask.

"It's because she is gone that you MUST go on." the girl's eyes widened at this, "I do not know anything of you, but I know you loved your sister greatly. And I know she and you were hunted because you were different. You have lost someone precious to you, just as we all have. But it is because you have lost her that you can not give up. For as long as you continue to live, so too shall the memory of your sister. Of the one you loved most. And so long as you survive, you can insure that nobody will ever suffer the way you have, and protect those who have been treated the same as you. That way, they too can hold onto the memories of those they love most, and in turn protect others like them, so that even a group of outcast like us can find a place to call home."

The girl gazed upon the masked figure, her face filled with amazement and surprise, as well as understanding and remembrance of her lost sister.

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To be with happiness?

With joy?

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"Who are you?"

The figure turned towards the girl again as a soft chuckle emitted, "Is it not customary to introduce ones self before asking another's name?"

The girl's gaze hardened slightly but softened once more as she looked downwards in thought and concern. After a moment though she laid her head upon the chest of the figure once more.

"Akua"

The figure nodded, "A beautiful name."

The girl seemed to nod slightly in response.

"Well then," The figure said, as a rip in the space before it suddenly appeared and pulled apart to reveal a black vortex, "I suppose if you want..."

"You can call me....Onii-san."

The black vortex then shut and vanished just as swiftly as it appeared, as the masked figure and the young girl were nowhere to be seen.

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To be with.....love?

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You've caught my attention.
Curious to see what would this turn out to be.