Love Returned From The Ashes

Reminder Of The Past

Kiara pov: Time is cruel...

"That is true!" Nerissa said to me

"What are you doing here?" I asked

"I just wanted to see you, Kiara-senpaia!" Nerissa said

I sighed "You want to see my memories?" I questioned

"Yeah," she said.

"Come here," I said.

She stepped over and placed her hand on my head. I remembered the past.

I watched as an owl landed on the balcony and transformed into its human form. "Oh hi, Senpai!" she said as she walked into our shared home.

"Mumei, please don't call me Senpai." I sighed. It was weird since it could be debated which of us came first. "I forgot," she giggled, looking around the room.

"You don't like Mumei to call you senpai?" Nerissa questioned

"Correct," I told her.

"So can I not call you Senpai?" Nerissa asked

"Uhh-we'll see," I told her.

Mumei's golden-brown eyes stared at me as I took a sip of my drink. "So how was work?" I asked as Mumei grew a sadistic grin on her face.

"I spread some illness across the world, just enough to make people worry." Mumei said happily something that has always scared me about her.

"You haven't gone to the underworld in a while," she said as she picked up a knife. "I talked to Calli's little sister. She said she misses you." Mumei said as she stabbed into the table.

"Calli can go burn in hell for all I care." I scoffed as Mumei broke out in laughter.

"You are so silly. She lives in Hell, so how can she burn in it?" She said it hysterically as tears began to form in her eyes. She really found that funny.

"I've moved on from Calli. I'm not in love with her anymore." I told Mumei, and she nodded while finishing up her water.

"Who are you in love with now?" She asked if that wasn't something I had thought about until now.

"I don't know." I said, and I saw a cheeky smile appear on her face. "Are you in love with chickens since you are one?" She asked while trying not to burst out laughing.

"Do you want to go to the usual room?" I playfully growled. Mumei rapidly nodded. I had forgotten she was a masochist.

"What happened between you and Calliope-senpai?" Nerissa asked

"She killed me, and she said she would always hate me," I said.

"Wait-so you married her?" Nerissa questioned

"Yeah, I love her," I said

"You have issues..." She said

"Well, when I think back to Calli's words, she wasn't wrong; no one did love me; my father presumably left and my mother was sold as a slave-Mumei was the first person that felt like family, and Calli was jealous of my makeshift family," I said to her.

"But still... you are too easy on Calli!" Nerissa told me angrily.

"I was hoping I could feel the sweet embrace of death, but it never came. I was burdened with life. It seems like that is the only thing that loves me. But then I met Mumei and everyone else and realized that I could find love in other ways. Even though Calli said such harsh things and was a jerk, I knew she was sorry for me," I said.

"Let me continue looking at your thoughts," Nerissa told me.

"Mumei-senpai!" said a hawk as it flew inside and changed into human form, immediately clinging to the brown-haired girl.

"Hi Lui," I said, but the girl seemed to ignore me as she continued to give Mumei affection.

"Why do you like Mumei so much? Aren't you dating Chloe?" I asked Lui, who was shaking her head.

"Chloe doesn't bathe; she is stinky." Lui said, sounding grossed out.

"Isn't Lui-senpai dating Chloe-senpai?" Nerissa asked

"Yeah, she is," I said.

"Let me continue to read your mind," she told me.

Reine walked into the room already in her human form and sighed so we would be aware of her presence. "Look, it's the turkey!" Mumei said, laughing.

"I'm a peafowl," Reine groaned as she sank onto the couch, looking depressed.

"I assume your date went poorly," I said, and the girl nodded, annoyed with everything.

"Birds can't find love, huh?" Mumei said Reine just glared at her.

"I don't want to hear that from you, Mumei!" Reine said, knowing what Mumei's life was like.

"I'm sure you'll find someone like your beautiful Reine," I said, wishing I was a peafowl like her.

"I'm back, everyone." Subaru quacked as she tossed us the confectionaries she bought.

"Thank you, Subaru-senpai!" We all said it in unison as we started to eat the treats.

"Kiara, I've been thinking: do you think you may have hurt Calli when you stopped going to the underworld?" Reine asked. I didn't know why I should care.

"She hurt me. She knew I was alone and vulnerable, and she preyed on me. I fell victim to her scythe too much!" I said as I felt around my stomach. Calli somehow left a permanent scar on my body.

"That's your fault for falling for her in the first place." Mumei sighed. I couldn't tell if she was mocking me or not.

"She made me feel needed when she said she wanted to kill me." I said, for some reason, I was on the verge of tears.

Mumei quickly changed the subject, seeing how sad I was now. "Reine, I have a meeting later. Wanna come?" She asked

"Why would I want to do that?" She asked, and Mumei just laughed.

"We have a bunch of human sacrifices lined up. I'll allow you to pick one woman to spare, and you can date her." Mumei laughed. We all looked in shock.

"Human sacrifices!" Subaru yelled. Mumei looked at her, wondering why that was weird.

"It's only a meager two hundred humans. I wanted to sacrifice two thousand," Mumei giggled.

"Well, we should probably head out. It's about time." Mumei sighed while standing up. "Let's go, Kiara, Reine, and Lui-nee; you're in charge." Mumei said, leaving the room.

Reine and I got up and followed Mumei. I was nervous and couldn't believe I was about to meet the council.

"This is my family..." She said

"Yes, it is," I told her.

"I really am happy. I want to be in this dynamic more," she said.

"You are part of the family after all," I told her.

And I'm happy that she is