"Can I be honest?"
"Yeah?"
"You're the most beautiful person I've ever met."
Kela didn't say a word. She was very reserved. Pit remembered Ira talking about how her sister rarely opens up to people, so he wasn't expecting any reaction.
"Wow. Um.."
"I'm sorry, I just had to say that."
"No, don't be. It's just.
No one ever said that to me."
"You're lying." Pit sat in the empty chair, next to Kela.
"Why would I lie?"
Pit shrugged.
"Are you comfortable with me sitting here?" Pit forgot to even ask her permission.
Kela slightly shifted her hands.
"Yeah. Of course I am."
The silence grew stronger.
"How was Ira back then?"
Kela smiled at him, a smile that forever engraved in Pit's mind.
"She's the best sister. Even though she doesn't have a Function, she still stands up for me.
Whenever our dad…"
Kela's voice trailed off. Pit understood what she was talking about.
"Your dad abuses both of you."
Kela nodded.
"Do you know why?" The look on her eyes showed Pit that she needed support. From him.
Ira told Pit that it was too much for her to explain.
But,
For Kela..
"I don't."
"Our father had a fiance. He was so in love with her. However, he proposed to her without informing his own parents.
They had already found a wife for him. He was forced to break up with her. Or so his family thought. He never did break up with her.
The woman his parents found was an illegitimate daughter of the Herrscher. Our dad's family was a very very influential one, so they instantly agreed.
They were forced to be married. Our dad was devestated, but he was still with his fiance.
Once the wife found one of the letters he wrote to the fiance, she ordered the Real Set to massacre her family, her included.
Our dad got a letter back, saying she was ill and would recover in a week or two.
He waited.
And waited.
And waited.
Till the *doctor* declared her dead.
Our father was found, overdosed with medicine , with a knife inside his forearm.
His right forearm was scarred with wounds that were barely legible. After hours of trying to clean it out, a horrific discovery was made.
It read,
"•••••••••••••Please Come Back •••••••••••••"
The wife had seen this and asked every single attendant to clean him up.
She still loved him, with all of her heart. She took care of him, while he was in shock, bathed him, fed him.
Then she got pregnant with Ira.
Our dad lifted up the baby and simply, forgot all about everything that bitch did.
She was treated well. Even when she wasn't Defined at 15. Our dad loved her.
As for me?"
Pit sat silent. He looked at Kela. Her doe eyes began to fill with tears.
"I look exactly like that woman.
He used to hit me.
Only after he finishes arguing with that woman.
Because he had no Function.
He couldn't hit her.
So."
She lifted up her sleeve, showing dark purple scars.
"This was his way of getting back at her."
" One day, Ira stood up for me. She looked exactly like our father. He looked at her. And stopped.
Just like that.
Ever since then, he stopped beating me.
Ever since then, he decided that I simply didn't exist.
I only was able to live off by my caretakers and Ira."
Pit couldn't say a word.
That's not what she needed.
He grabbed her hands and lifted her up on her feet.
He hugged her tightly.
"Kela. I'm sorry for everything that ever happened to you. You are not alone. Your sister is there for you.
Those people in the house, who still cared for you, they're there for you.
I'm there for you."
Kela grabbed his face with her cold hands.
"Do you mean that?" Her voice was trembling.
It suddenly stopped trembling. Her lips couldn't form words. They were too busy kissing Pit's.
And slowly, her entire body stopped trembling.
>>
"I'm back!!-"
Ira unlocked the door and it was too dark. There was a faint light coming from the main bedroom.
"No fucking way."
It had only been 3 hours since she left. She turned on the lights in the living room and walked towards the room slowly.
She heard noises.
She slowly opened the door.
"I said I'm Bac-
WHAT THE FUCK."
>
"3 Hours.
I was out for THREE FUCKING HOURS AND YOU ALREADY-"
"We were just kissing.." Kela said softly.
Ira didn't give time for anyone to dress up, and dragged the both to the couch.
"I wouldn't call it just kissing." Pit said gleefully.
Ira shot one look at him and he shut his mouth.
She looked down at him.
"With that, you're better off with just kissing"
"EHHHHHHH????????????????" Pit screamed.
Ira laughed so hard, she tripped on the floor.
"Sister, I'm proud of you."
Kela just put her head down, blushing.
The next day, Ira announced that Kela would be staying over. She made rules.
"No PDA while I'm in the house.
No calling each other baby or any of those dumb names.
And please for goodness sake.
I don't want to be an aunt."
Kela and Pit laughed and looked at each other.
"I mean…" Kela said slowly.
The fear in Ira's eyes grew visibly.
"NOOOOO. PLEASE TELL ME YOU'RE KIDDING."
She begged.
"Relax Ira. She's just joking. I'm too smooth for that."
Pit bragged.
"Uh huh. 56 tries to sandpaper it out right?"
Kela looked at Pit.
"What is she talking about?"
Pit laughed nervously.
"Nothing. Don't worry about it." As he stuck a middle finger infront of Ira.
>
Five years roll past quickly. Pit got a job, working in the Department of Deviation as the vice boss, at 31 years old. They moved into an even bigger house in the outskirts.
Kela's mother tried to meet Pit, but he thought ahead and shifted to a place where no one could find them.
But, that had to change.
Kela went outside to buy the daily rations. It was the perfect time for Pit to talk with Ira.
"Ira, I want to talk to your mother."
"Yeah, and I want world peace."
"I want her permission, so I can propose to Kela. Properly."
Ira looked at him seriously.
"You're joking."
They say it the exact same way. How cute
"I have to do this. To stop that bitch from meeting Kela ever again. I know how risky it is but, please."
Ira sighed. She knew he was asking for the impossible.
"You really want her blessings?"
"Even if it's her giving them, I can't break the tradition. I want Kela and I to last forever so, if that's what it takes, so be it."
Ira lightened up.
"You are a unit. I hope you know that. I'm glad I can let my sister be with someone like you."
She hugged Pit.
"Tell you what, I'll talk with her, since she does care for her children. Then, we shall see.."
Pit shook her hand violently.
"THANK YOU!!!!!!"
Ira told Pit to tell Kela that she'd be going to get some clothes for herself.
As she left the house, she said under her breath.
"Kids these days.."
>>
The mansion was enormous. The Wilheim Family was formed from the current Herrscher's second wife, whose daughter was the mother of both Ira and Kela. The mansion was made of fantastic shiny marble, with red and black details all over. The gates were made of gold, with plenty of soldiers guarding the place.
It was located in the outskirts of Borus, the capital of the continent Jead. The Herrscher didn't want to create states or any sub locations in his rule so, he scattered actual and illegitimate family members around Jead, and make them rule any area they wish to. The area would be negotiated with yearly meet-ups. If anyone wanted to expand in one of the other people's jurisdictions, they would have to duel it out.
Usually, the Region Leaders ,(RL's), would find very powerful Defined, and enlist them in their own military. They use those Defined to help them in these duels, as representatives.
At the heart of Jead, there exists multiple compartments, known as Sets.
The Natural Set would act as police, and mainly focus on upbringing the Law. Anyone working in this Set would be designated to each RL.
The Whole Set would be the the united force of verified Defined, people who have proven their skills. The Whole set members act as the peacemakers within Jead, incase any of the RL's would break a treaty or do something without checking in with any Official.
The Real Set was comprised of some of the strongest members. They are the Herrscher's military, and cannot be deployed unless the Herrscher himself, or anyone of his bloodline say so. The aftereffects of using the Real Set are usually devastating. The overall force of the Real Set could easily conquer any enemy continents.
There also existed the Complex Set but, their services were stopped long ago. The most recent use of the Complex Set could be decades ago. They deal with the horrors that emerge from the Complex Realm. However, nothing has happened yet.
"Helloooo?" Ira was Infront of the huge gate that led to her house. One of the guards quickly ran towards the source of the sound.
"Welcome back, Ira Wilheim. It is an honor to meet you again after so long.
Ira widened her eyes. She couldn't believe it.
"John?? Long time no see! I thought you wanted to join one of the Sets. What happened?"
John chuckled. He opened the gate.
"Ever since we finished school, I got a pretty mediocre Function." He said, with a sad tone.
"What is it though?"
"I can only lock onto people and relay that to someone else."
"WOW. John, you idiot, that's so coool! That ain't mediocre. That's such a cool power."
John smiled. He was dissapointed when the Real Set Leader rejected him, even though he was a very resourceful person.
"Thanks Lady Ira."
"Lady Ira my ass. You're my friend John. Don't give me that crap."
John laughed. He did that on purpose.
"You caught me. So why are you back?"
Ira shrugged. She didn't want him to know about Kela's whole situation.
"I'm a daughter who misses her mother."
"Well alright then. Head on in." John opened the huge gates open, which led to a path towards the mansion, surrounded by bushes of exotic plants.
Ira walked all the way till the main door, waiting for someone to open it for her.
A middle aged man rushed towards her, sweating profusely.
Ira's smile widened.
"Long time no see, uncle."
He stopped right before her, shaking.
"What the hell do you think you're doing here? She isn't in a good mood."
Ira grabbed him by his shoulders and brought him down to her level.
"I missed you too uncle! And I'm not gonna cause any meyham. Last time, all I did was sneek Kela out. What's the worst that could happen?" She asked with a giggly tone.
The uncle looked deathly worried. After what she did with his brother, he tried to tell him every single day, to divorce. He quickly understood that this wasn't his choice at all.
He didn't have any choice.
"The worst you can do? You might as well find a husband for her."
Ira looked dead in his eyes.
They didn't talk for a very long 10 seconds before Ira spoke.
"Your words, not mine."
Ira went inside as one of the butlers opened the main door for her. Her uncle, stood there, shocked.
The butler looked at him strangely.
"What happened, Gerald?"
Gerald looked back to the days where Ira used to get bullied for being Normal. The days where she was the reason why Harold, his brother, had calmed down after what had happened with his fiance. The days when both sisters used to play with him before that day.
"She's grown so much, hasn't she?"
>
Ira waited inside the greenhouse, where her mother used to waste her day. It was filled with green, viney plants, that branched the glass panes and through them, sorrow rays of light.
The door suddenly opened, revealing a woman, cladded in purple. Her face, completely covered by a weird shaped hat.
Her voice came as soothing as they came.
"I missed you, Ira. Come here."
Ira loved her mother. She knew what she did to her father but, as a mother, she was very caring to her and Kela.
She didn't hesitate and accepted the hug. As she wrapped her arms around her, Ira's expression darkened instantly. The stuff she did scared her, yet she still loves her with all her heart.
Or does she?
"I missed you too, mom."
"Follow me?"
>
They both walk outside the greenhouse, exposed to the rainbows of the garden, her mother had so specially raised.
Ira noticed that her mother's presence alone was still enough to stop her from moving. She could not feel nor see Domain, yet it was her humane conterpart that was the real devil.
"How was life, living with that…
What's that pest's name?
Hole?"
Ira clenched her fist.
"His name is Pit, mom. And he's the best roomate I could ever ask for."
She could hear the disgust in her mother's voice.
"What made you even do that? For years you've been living with him and ignoring me."
Her mother turned around and Ira could see something in her mother's eye.
It gave Ira a feeling that someone was watching her in her peripheral. It felt uncomfortable.
Ira shook her head and matched her mother's eyes.
"You forgot one thing."
"Yes?"
"Your other daughter."
"Well how is she doing?"
Ira wanted to punch her so bad. She knew she couldn't.
No one could ever punch her.
Not one soul in the existance of Jead.
"She's doing fantastic. Infact, Pit wants to marry her. That's why I came. To ask you if you cou-"
Her mother slaps her so hard she fell on the ground, clutching her cheek.
"I tried to come to your house for years. But you're scared of me. Aren't you?"
Silence.
"You've been avoiding me. Ever since you snuck Kela outside. Don't think I don't notice. I know every fucking thing that happens.
I know everything that happens. Everything that happend, and everything that will happen."
Ira faught the tears that were practically dripping down her eyes.
She couldn't bare to see her mother's eyes, glowing an unearthly grey.
"Whatever she wants to do, let her do it. Unlike you, she has value. That monster trained her anyways."
I take it back.
This is the woman who killed my dad's lover.
This is the woman, who made history by becoming Jead's strongest RL.
Heir of the Herrscher,
The Savant.
Venus Wilheim.
"Bring this Pit here. I will see if he even deserves Kela. As for you…
Keep running away, Ira. You're his favourite. That's why you weren't thrown away."
She grabs Ira's jaw with her hand, pulling her closer.
"Do.
You.
Understand?"
Ira nodded. Her tears couldn't care less to come out anymore. It was pure, unadulterated rage that Ira felt at this moment.
"Yes, mom."
Venus left her go like that, humiliated. Ira faced this many times, many, many times.
She shoved her mother aside, fully knowing she could be torn from the inside, and left.
Venus looked at her as she walked away. She told herself,
"Next is her."
>>
"Siss. You back?"
Kela jumped off the bed while Pit was in the kitchen cooking.
She opened the door to see Ira in tears. Her right cheek completely red. Her body drenched from the downpour.
Kela hugged Ira tight.
"I know."
Ira felt something different. She didn't know what to make of it. The hug felt too, weird?
She ignored it, and accepted her dear sister's hug.
They silently sat on the couch, waiting for Ira to speak up.
"She's the same. Hasn't changed ever since…."
Pit looked at Ira. He never saw her cry, not even when she was young. He felt devestated. The one who he looked up to, for being abnormally determined and invested in everything she did, reduced to tears and fear for her own mother.
"You didn't have to do that Ira."
"For Kela's and your happiness, I had to. Dumbass you're the one who asked me to go there."
Pit scratched his head. He was ashamed because she wasn't lying. Kela brought her a glass of lemonade. Ira downed that almost instantly.
Ira asked for another glass.
"That isn't wine." Pit said.
"Well, it'll have to make do.
I can't drink right now, anyways."
Kela laced her fingers with Ira's and comforted her.
Pit regretted everything. He knew just how powerful their mother was, both politically and physically.
An entire Set couldn't dare approach her, without expecting the death of them and their entire families.
"Ira, I have to talk with her. You don't deserve one bit of what that person did to you." Pit said softly.
"Next month." Ira said while trying to calm down. It was taking everything in Ira's ability to forget the humiliation her own mother gave her.
"She told me to tell you that she will agree to meet up next-"
"PIT..", Kela screamed in pain. Her legs buckled as Pit caught her just before she hit the ground. Kela was sweating profusely, her face scrunched up in pain that seems to come periodically.
"I think… "
Kela slowly said, while breathing heavily. Her breathing felt laboured.
Pit's eyes widened.
"Kela… you mean…"
Kela couldn't talk anymore. She fainted due to the pain.
Pit lifted her up. He didn't care what happend or why. She needed to be taken to the hospital immediately. He never saw her in this pain.
Could it be?
"IRA. OPEN THE DOOR." Pit shouted.
She got off the couch instantly and opened the door.
Pit dashed outside, making a bee line to the nearest hospital.
All of those muscles he built while trying to compensate for his lack of a Function, worked harmoniously as he ran with all his might, protecting the one he loved the most.
Ira, alone at the house, staring at Pit, who was slowly disappearing in the curtains of rain along with Kela.
Without wasting time, she darted off towards the hospital too.
Ira felt weak, hammered down by fate, defeated. Her face, pelted by the raindrops. Her ankles still bleeding from the fall she took from Venus. Her body, limiting what she could do for some reason.
She couldn't leave Kela. She had to protect her, like always. Her only companion she had in her entire life.
Footsteps, splattering against the rough, undeveloped roads echoed across the slums, desperately searching and searching for its destination.
Ira tripped again. She couldn't see anything. All she had in her mind was her sister's well being. She would die if it meant saving her life.
She got up, faught the tears, faught her instincts, screaming at her to stop moving and go home. She knew she shouldn't do this, not in her state.
But…
No.
Without her,
I have no home.
>>
The rain slowly faded away, revealing to Ira, how close she was to the hospital.
She panted and moved on forward, against her body's desires. Against her own desire.
She ran inside the enormous building, completely covered in a gloom.
"Is there a…
Kela Wilheim..?" Ira had to breathe in between her words, as she spoke to the nurse.
The nurse noticed Ira's condition. She reflexively asked her to take a seat and hold on. She handed Ira some medicine that would apparently stop the bleeding and patch her up immediately.
"Ma'am, please don't be rash with yourself. Especially considering -"
Ira stopped her from speaking further.
"Where is my sister?"
"I will help you to her room."
The nurse supported Ira for more than five minutes, till they reached the supposed room.
The blinds were all closed, which increased Ira's anxiety.
She sat down towards the door side chairs.
She waited.
Waited.
Waited.
Pit suddenly came out of the door, his eyes welling up with tears.
He grabbed Ira's hand and dragged her into the room.
She couldn't say anything. It was all too much for her head to handle.
Pit stopped at a secluded area, closed off by standing curtains.
He turned towards Ira, who could see the joy in his eyes.
Just like the old days.
Ira heard someome crying.
It sounded like…
A baby?
"Ira, he's here."
No words could escape her lips. She couldn't comprehend what he meant by that..
Her mind suddenly brought up a vague conversation.
"If it's a girl, Jupiter.
If it's a boy…"
.
.
.
"Ira…"
She was too stunned to speak.
She could see her own sister, all pale from what had happened. Her face completely flushed, yet her smile had still never faded away.
Only that, it was passed onto someone else.
Ira's eyes filled with tears.
"It's Atlas…
Our son is born…."