The Red Rose Of The DWMA

Chapter One

I will never forget that day. The pride, the anguish, the betrayal. I was 12 years old, barely considered a preteen.

My birthday was in a week, and that week was as long as it took for me to lose everything. I lost my family, my friends, my home, I even lost my birthright.

But, I can't just start from here. I have to go back to the beginning, the day that they came to my village.

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"Mom! Guess what happened today." I exclaimed as I came through the door from school, my grade sheet in my hand as I ran around the house trying to find the women I called my mother.

Turning the corner into the kitchen, I saw my mom cutting vegetables for tonight's supper. Deciding on surprising her, I started to quickly sneak up behind her.

After about five minutes I saw an opening, and pounced.

"Rawr!" I exclaimed as I wrapped my arms around her waist. Squeezing her tightly in an embrace.

"Oh shit!" She screamed. The vegetables went flying and it was as if in a split second my instincts went haywire. Everything seemed clearer, the world seemed to be moving in slow motion, and it happened.

I moved in the blink of an eye, gathering up the food; centimeters before they hit the floor. It was only a moment after I'd finished doing this that my senses returned to normal, and the world was back to normal.

I looked up at my mom with a shocked look plastered onto my face. It was at this moment everything changed. That was the first time I'd ever a hint of hate in my mother's eyes.

"What do want Rina?" She asked sharply. Quickly snatching the basket from me.

I then remembered my grade sheet, picking it up off of the ground I proudly showed it to her.

"I got a C- on my math final Mom!" I screamed happily. "Mrs. Matthews said that if I keep this up, I might be able to pass on the intermediate student list."

"That's great honey!" She told me with obviously fake enthusiasm, cutting the Vegetables as if waiting for an attack.

I was starting to become suspicious, but quickly dropped it seeing as it didn't seem too important at the time. I turned to leave out of the kitchen, but not before hearing her mutter 'Filthy Beast', under her breath.

I was shocked to say the least. Mother had never treated anyone with hatred before, and had held no ill-will to any residents of our small village. To see her have hate towards me, her own daughter and insult me behind my back ...there had to be a bigger reason for her behavior.

But for right now there was only one thing on my mind. Something that at the time was so much more in important than my mom's weird behavior. On my Birthday which was in six days. They would be back.

Who're they you ask, they are the hunters and huntresses of our village. They protect us, guide us, feed us, and teach us everything we know. They are like royalty amongst my village, and I knew that soon I'd become one too.

As I went upstairs to my room I stopped at a specific door. This door belongs to my brother, also known as Hunter-935627.

He was the youngest Hunter ever appointed to captain, and was almost never home. However when he did come back, he gave me special training and was able to help me with my form and stances. All In all, he was a big part of why I was so excited for the hunters and hunteresses to come back to the village.

So as I touched his door, I took in a deep breath and opened it as far as it would go. Stepping inside, I breathed in the smell that reminded me of him.

I closed the door and got down to business heading towards the closet on the far end of the room.

"It's now or never." I muttered to myself as I lifted up a poster by the door. Under it was a small red button, about the size of a garden pea. I pressed the button as I stepped into the closet, and all of a sudden....  my haven was revealed.

Now while most girls in my village were playing with dolls, having tea parties, and dressing up, I was training.

For 3 years my brother had been training in this very room. Now... it was my turn. I was only a beginner so I had to pace myself, but unlike most beginners I knew which weapons I wanted to use.

Guns and blades, scythes to be more specific.

Walking towards the middle of the room, I immediately equipped myself with the scythe that I usually used. Turning on the simulator, I stepped into the ring, all at once the holograms of Grim came towards me in waves.

"Let's do this." I muttered to myself.

~Three hours later~

I looked at the screen to see my overall score, Ninety-seven Grim killed in fifty-six minutes. I rejoiced as I realized that I had beaten my record.

Putting up my scythe and turning off the simulator, I went and got washed up for supper. Stripping out of my dirtied clothes I turned to look at myself in the mirror. Staring into my steely gray eyes, I blinked and turned away.

As I headed downstairs, I stopped myself when I heard shushed arguing. I quieted my steps as I crept closer towards the kitchen.  Peeking through the door that led to the canopy, I saw my mother pacing back and forth, heatedly speaking with the recipient on the other side of the phone.

"Mom, who're you talking to?" I asked as I peeked my head through the archway. she froze as her back became rigid.

"I'll call you back." she said, promptly turning off the phone. Turning towards me she smiled and started walking my way.  Her face strains as it tries to keep up the facade, I know she's lying. I start to follow her as she passes me by heading towards the dining room. I'm confused but I follow suit, hoping to ask the burning questions at the back of my mind. We enter the dining room, no longer in the main area of our home, and sit down; a heavy silence consumes us.

She's putting distance between us, I realize this just as she speaks.

"You're brother and father will be coming home sooner than expected," She starts.

"Really!?!? I ask with excitement.

"Yes, they should be here in the next week, maybe sooner." I perk up at this once I realize something really important.

"They'll be coming for my birthday!!!!!!!"