City of Colors

Twelve

Year 146

The sun fell sunk lower in the horizon, mirages of gold and red casting an eerie glow over their faces. Long shadows dribbled on the ground, fading in and out of the light. Clouds looming in the distance.

"Snow is supposed to be an omen of oncoming death."

The words are chilling, cold against the warm surroundings.

Kira's eyes widen slightly, and her hands fly to the ribbon around her neck. For a moment she doesn't respond. Just stands there, clutching the piece of fabric. "Her name." Kira finally says, eyes boring hole into hers.

"What?"

"I said," Kira said slowly. "Whats. Her. Name?"

Serenity doesn't met Kira's eyes, for fear of finding something unpleasant. "Her name-..her name was Aria."

As soon as the words leave her mouth, she wonders if it's a mistake. Kira looks troubled, covering her face in her hands and running them through her hair. Her lips move softly, like she's murmuring her thoughts. "In the Council's name..." Kira said disbelievingly.

"What? Did you find anything about her in the records?"

"No." Kira still looks like she's having a strange revelation. "She-Aria Lang?"

"Did you know her?"

The ribbon on Kira's neck finally comes undone. Slipping off with one harsh tug. "She was my best friend." Kira said quietly.

The world seems to freeze. Kira looks at her intently, but not with anger. It's almost strange, but powerful in a way. Serenity forgets how to breath. Her mind racing.

"You wanna know everything?" Kira asked, holding the ribbon out. The room darkening as clouds settled in with the dusk. "I met Aria after my parents died. They-my parents worked for a branch of the council." She began, "They were like guards, but even more elite. I think the ancient word for it was something like 'police' or 'military'. But they were the leaders of that unit. Head of the department. They'd go on missions for the council, sometimes other people too. Bring in the criminals disrupting Aurora."

She pictures a beautiful woman, speaking in hushed tones with her mother. A young Kira stood behind the corner, listening. The woman's features are fuzzy, just like the memories. But the stark contrast of her pitch black clothes against the white of her hair make are striking.

"You have to do this.'"the woman murmurs in a low tone, moving closer to her mother.

"I don't know Ivory," her mother mutters back. "There's never been a mission like this."

"One day they were sent on a mission outside of Aurora," Kira continues. "It was just the two of them. I don't know why. Lee and I were being watched by Mrs. Armitage. Sondor worked for her. We waited for them to come back. And another week. But...they never did."

"I met Aria maybe half a year after. Was there the day she came in all shaken. But she had this thing about her. Even though she was traumatized and in the unfamiliar place, she still found it in her to reach out to people like me. There was that thing about her that made me realize that, even though I'd seen bad, there's even worse things. Horrible things at just happen. And no one can explain it. But somehow, even though the life she'd been given was terrible, she still found a way to keep going."

Kira paused, thinking of all the times she'd looked up to Aria. A flickering memory-"I try not to think about how I got my scar anymore. That's not the point. I think how I kept going long enough for it to turn into one."