Jane Grey

Chapter 48: The Lip-Ring of Death

Harrison handled my ticket and passport so you can imagine my surprise when we got off the plane and we weren't even on the same environment of Japan. Baring in mind I haven't travelled outside of Japan since I was a baby and this week - when I visited my sister, I was kept in an almost completely blacked out car so I hadn't seen anything of where she was -so this was absolutely baffling to me. Everyone I came across looked a lot like...me? Harrison didn't look confused though, so he knew exactly what was going on and I had no idea where we were until the taxi ride to wherever. A big sign outside the airport said "Welcome to Los Angeles". It had been a while since I had read just solid English, speaking it I had no issue whatsoever, but I was raised reading and writing in Japanese so my English hasn't been used in a long time.

"Oh no, absolutely not, why are we here Harrison?" I turned to him in the seat next to me. He looked like he was about to sweat through his expensive suit, he grabbed a handkerchief from his pocket and began dabbing at his brow.
"Look, Jane, they just want to see you," I interrupted.
"And why the fuck do they want to see me...." I trailed off in thought. I felt my blood run colder than the air conditioning in the taxi, "Oh you bastard,"
"I'm sorry Jane."
I had come to the realisation that he probably promised my presence to my biological parents on the basis that his debts would be written off. I was partially correct, he confirmed, but that also wasn't the only reason as to why he wanted me here in America and I wouldn't find out until later that evening. But I digress. In a flurry of fury, I pulled my bag to my lap and dug through it for my notes regarding Kira; I needed something, anything, to distract me from the betrayal I was feeling. Granted now that I revisit this, that anger was childish but still warranted.

I wont include my visit to my biological parents, I'd rather keep them as limited as possible in this account but here is the summary; I greeted them, I gave them handshakes but not hugs. I gave a very vague description of my job omitting everything that I normally would and more. My biological father wrote off Harrison's debts to him. End of story. I also discovered a little bit about Harrison and where he disappears to all the time; since he owes our father so much money, he goes to underground street-fighting rings and earns that money back, however it puts him in a lot of hot water with these gangs which explains why I find him with many fresh cuts. Harrison is quite thin and lanky though, so I never would've guessed he was a fighting sort of guy, but I guess thats how he ends up with more money owed and more angry gangs. I'd very much rather talk about Izumi and Takashi who actually raised me and took care of me rather than those who gave birth to me. Harrison and I didn't stay with them, we had paid for a hotel room a couple of streets over which we had walked to in complete silence.

"Room for a Harry Rowe and my sister Anne Rowe," Harrison stated, receiving his key and directing me to the elevator. It was only then did we actually start talking, "Look, Jane,"
"Don't. What's done is done,"
"Jane you don't understand. There's someone I want you to meet,"
I raised my eyebrow at him, the ding of the elevator ringing in my ear where we got off at our respective floor. "What do you mean? I thought we had to lay low whilst we're here,"
"Well...Yeah. But there's someone important that needs to speak to you about our family." I was sick and tired of talking about 'our family', every time we spoke about it some new thing comes up thats absolutely horrifying or nauseating. The halls felt longer than the building was and what didn't help was the strong scent of perfume permeating and sticking to the carpet below my feet. I covered my nose with my sleeve, the cool metal of the cufflink brushing my skin, and stood patiently at the door, reading 13B.

"Jane, just remember to be calm,"
"Why would I need to be calm?"
"Just...trust me," I didn't, but he's my brother so I felt inclined to at least follow his lead.
"You keep telling me to trust you and yet I don't,"
"Yeah but this could potentially save your life." Swiping the keycard, the door slowly creaked and swung open with the room inside shrouded in complete darkness. I slowly walked in, Harrison trailing behind me reeking of hesitation.

"Well well well, if it isn't my cute baby sister and big brother," A familiar voice rang "Welcome home, my Successor." The light turned on and a familiar mass of brown curls was sat in the corner couch dressed in all black, her tattoos appearing cut up and infected but as fresh as the day they were inked. My breath got caught in my throat, choking on my own spit, "I could've sworn..."
"Ah, but did you?"
"I reviewed your records,"
"Anyone can do anything for a pretty penny and big enough breasts."
Harrison shut the door and tossed his hat on the bed, "Thats enough Harper."
"What? I was just telling the truth,"
"And yet Jane doesn't look to be in the mood for more truth today." I guess he wasn't wrong. I caught my reflection in the mirror above the vanity and I looked about as white as a sheet. My dye-job had completely grown out and I was back to being brunette and my previously brownish red eyes had become sunken in from lack of sleep. "Aww Kiddo, you look like shit,"
"Harper!" Harrison scolded.
"Once again, I'm just telling the truth," she swaggered to me and forced me to sit in the chair at the vanity, resting her chin on my head and gently stroking my cheek, "I've seen the things you've been hurt by; the death of someone you love ruins all of us," another breath choked in my throat, "But my dearest, twisted, traumatised baby sister..." She placed her hands on my shoulders, grabbing her curling iron from the duffel bag stashed under the bed and plugging it in, "That is how we Moreaux's stay alive."

"The shinigami's love to see us tortured, Spectre being the only exception, and so what does that mean for us?"
"It means we can't die by the death note written by a human," Harrison cut to the chase, "Which may just save your ass from that psycho boyfriend of yours and probably has more than enough times,"

"Hey, be liberal with that term," Harper hissed, to which Harrison held his hands above his head. "What Sweet Golden Boy means is that they're on our side. We entertain them, and in return they help us. Thats how the Moreaux family has stayed alive for as long as we have," she grabbed an absurdly small ring from her pocket, it was solid silver with the engraving 'Defendi Morte'.
"Protected by Death?" The ring oozed of dark energy but it was slipped on my pinkie finger regardless.

"Hey Moreaux's, Kira has made contact with his Spare," Spectre suddenly materialised, making me suddenly aware of the fact that my hair was curled like Harper's. She painted a devious smirk on her face, one of revenge and malicious intent, whilst Harrison had a look of fear and determination in his eyes. We were to return to Japan together, and corner Kira alongside my Successors and finally bring him to justice in spite of our own sins.

Defendi Morte...Protected by Death. Explains a lot I guess.