The Differences

Part One: Chapter Five

  Zero was panting really loudly. "Are you sure you're okay?" asked Maeko. Zero didn't answer, and continued panting heavily. "I-I think..." Zero said in between breaths. Maeko stared at Zero. "Zero...you're barely breathing..." Maeko said. She felt his head. He was burning up.  

"Liar...you're dying" she said. He fell face forward on the ground. Maeko attempted to catch him, but the weight of his heavy body was too much for her to carry. He was knocked unconscious. "Dammit...I'm going to have to use 'that' again..." she said, as she ripped off her beanie. The awaited blizzard kicked in with vicious winds, hail, and snow everywhere. Maeko lifted Zeros body over her shoulder with all her might, and began carrying him up the hill. "Where do I bring him...there's no where to go..." Maeko said. She had barely just made it up the hill when the blizzard came to an ending. "No...my strength can't leave me now" Maeko said to herself, as she covered the road ahead of her in ice. The ice melted as she created it. Her hair began turning back to the original mint green pigmentation, as Maeko collapsed. Zero's unconscious body fell on top of her, leaving her stuck. At this point, Maeko was so weak she couldn't even push him off. "Somebody...help" Maeko said quietly, as her vision began fading out.

"Did someone need help?" said a familiar voice. Maeko looked up and could barely make out the face before her. It was the girl who spoke at Lemon's funeral, but what was her name again? Her name was buried under all of Maeko's emotions; gone and lost forever. Maeko looked up at the familiar face who was smirking down at her as if she was a turtle stuck on its back.  Before she could even reply, Maeko blacked out.

"What are you going to do to me?" asked Raelynn, frightened. Calypso approached Raelynn slowly. She caressed Raelynn's face, looking at her with a sinister grin. "Awww...humans are so cute when they're scared" she said. At this point, Raelynn was up against a wall with no escape. Calypso smiled and broke into laughter. "You really don't understand anything, do you? Ha...expected from such a useless...worthless...human" said Calypso. Raelynn was disgusted at the mere sight of Calypso at this point. Raelynn attempted to make a run for it. However, standing in the door was an obstacle. "You came at just the right time, didn't you..." Calypso said. Standing in the door was Onyx. "Who is this?" Onyx said, glaring down at Raelynn. "Our way of getting Maeko" said Calypso. "Outta my way!" said Raelynn, attempting to push through Onyx. "Not just yet" Onyx said, blocking the door with his arms. Raelynn turned around, and standing behind her was an insane Calypso. "Look. We're just trying to protect Maeko from Zero" said Calypso.

Raelynn drew a confused expression on her face. "Protect Maeko from Zero? But Zero is a good guy! I know him! He wouldn't hurt Maeko" said Raelynn. "Yet he just left you here to die, didn't he..?" said Calypso. Raelynn looked down at the floor, sadly. "He did...but even I would've done that to save someone from another person" said Raelynn. With tears in her eyes, she exclaimed, "So then I'm just as bad as he is!". Onyx stared with widened eyes. "Ey, Calypso...Couldn't we use her? She seems pretty strong" said Onyx. Calypso began processing the idea. "You're probably right. She seems mentally capable. Maybe humans are better than I thought" she said.

Maeko woke up in a large room, on a large bed. She walked out of the room to find herself in a long hallway. "Where am I..." she said to herself. She softly walked down the hallway, to notice she was barefoot. Her socks were gone. She continued walking, to find Zero in the hallway as well. "Z-Zero?" she asked. "Maeko? Where are we?" he asked. "I honestly don't know...and can't remember" said Maeko. Maeko shivered. "It sure is a bit chilly, though..." she said, holding her arms. "I don't want to hear that from you of all people" said Zero. Maeko giggled. "Wait...Did you just laugh?" Zero asked. "Yeah, why?" Maeko said smiling at Zero. Zero stared at Maeko wide eyed. "Is...that not okay..?" she asked. "No, it's fine...I'm just surprised...I didn't think this would happen" said Zero. Maeko was now confused. She shrugged it off.

"Ahhh so you're awake!" said a familiar voice from behind. Zero and Maeko turned around to see her standing in front of them. "Rayne..." Zero said. "That would be me" she said. She was dressed in a pink dress and no shoes or socks. She had a sun hat on for some reason, even though we were indoors. Now that Maeko could actually focus on her, Maeko noticed how beautiful Rayne was. She had long dark blue wavy hair that went down to her chest. She had a light yellow colour for her eyes. She was absolutely gorgeous. She smiled a generous, loving, warmhearted smile. "I took you guys in. Make yourselves at home" she said. With that, a dark mist of smoke appeared. The mist mixed with the air, and faded. With that, Rayne disappeared.

"What does she mean 'make yourselves at home'? She's going to kill you. You better be cautious...she knows you killed Lemon" said Zero. Maeko was sweating buckets. She kept staring at a wall. "I killed...Lemon" she said. "Maeko?" Zero said. Leaving her words hanging in the air, she ran down the hallway. "Wait, Maeko!" Zero sped down the hallway after her and stood in her way. "Are you okay?" he asked. "...Yeah. Just still having trouble processing it, I guess" she said, sighing. "Good. We need to find a way out of here. It's only a matter of time before Rayne kills you" Zero said. "I don't think...Rayne will kill me" said Maeko. "What do you mean? She's going to kill you...without a doubt...she will" he said. "She seems...too nice..." said Maeko. Zero sighed. "Don't trust her okay...just don't" he said. Maeko didn't respond. Why was Zero being so pushy...it was kind of suspicious to her. She shrugged it off and began exploring the mansion with Zero.