Chapter Text
The hard drops of water from the shower had hit Wallace’s back as she touched the cold shower walls, leaning against it slightly with a shivering sigh.
It had been a few days after she killed Hayao. His blood still tasted horrible in her mouth as she licked her lips to try and get it out and down the shower drain.
She was aware of the consequences of becoming one. But that bitter taste in the back of her mouth had still lingered. She chose this route of blood and murder, but she had felt herself being tugged down by those corpses she created out of a useless fit of rage and fear.
“Wallace? You’ve been in there for quite awhile…is something wrong?”
The woman had looked to the door and noticed the shadow under it with a raised brow before letting out a loud ‘huh’ as an answer. “Answer me when you get out..i have a small surprise for you so meet me in the dining room.”
She heard the footsteps turning quiet each step as she turned off the shower and stepped out carefully. Grabbing the towel she dried herself quite quickly and ignored how the towel rubbed against some of her fresh scars the wrong way before she went to her hair.
But she paused when she looked at herself in the mirror. Wallace touched under her eye and noticed the obvious eye bags under them which made her scrunch up her face in slight disgust. She continued to wash her hair but she couldn’t help but still watch herself in the mirror.
Putting on the binder Evelyn lent her a year back she had carefully put on the rest of her clothes and looked back in the mirror to fix her hair but..she still felt odd.
Wallace stared and stared but all she could see was herself and nothing else. It made her feel almost sick…knowing the thing she had embraced wouldn’t bother her again. But she had missed it..since it had been a part of her. She craved for it to hurt her again, like some freak. Maybe she was one considering how she acted when killing those men. But that was a thought for another time.
After a small struggle of fixing her hair she walked out the bathroom and silently walked downstairs to the dining room, leaning down slightly to let Evelyn give her a kiss on her forehead as a hello.
“I’m sorry for taking so long..I was quite tired after working all night yesterday.” Evelyn shook her head at this and held Wallace’s hand and watched her sit down across from her. “That’s what I wanted to talk about. You seem to be overworking yourself..it isn’t healthy considering all this sword stuff you’re doing.”
“So! Yesterday I took my time to look for a small job for you and I found this lovely couple who would be filled with joy if you babysit for them!” Wallace raised an eyebrow and let out a soft hum. “How much is the pay?”
“About 20 an hour.” Well that didn't sound so bad…they must’ve been rich if they’re giving out bucks like that! “What’s the kid’s name? Is she going to be a problem for me?” Evelyn shook her head slowly but had to think for a moment. “Well…i never seen you interact with children but to calm your senses, i would say she’s really shy.”
“Her..name?” Evelyn let out a small giggle. “Alice Carlton. I’d like to add that she’s 10 years old..turning 11 next month.” Wallace nodded at this and looked out the window with a worried look on her face. “When do I start this job?”
“I made sure you had a couple weeks to get used to the girl and so you were able to celebrate your birthday in peace. So today? Oh, and that Little Dancer girl had told me that the bartender you work with has your job covered.” Evelyn explained with a smile which started to slowly infect Wallace but she cleared her throat to hide it. “Oh..cool. Then I guess I'll get ready then.”
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t bring your case with you. You’ll scare her…I don't want them giving you bad reviews now.”
Wallace scoffed and nodded before standing up slowly in defeat. “My guitar? I could play her music..” Evelyn had nodded in small surprise, never hearing Wallace mention her guitar ever since she accidentally made her fingers bleed playing it a few years ago.
Wallace had gotten ready quickly and put on her trench coat and scarf in a lazy manner before walking downstairs and towards the door, but was stopped by Evelyn with a ‘tsk’. “Be more proper, my love. It feels like you do this on purpose now…”
The younger woman sighed and let Evelyn adjust her scarf and trench coat before placing a kiss on the crown of her head, happy of her work. “Stay safe please? Immediately come home if you spot those Okami people again.” Wallace did a small and quick salute before putting on her gloves and walking out the door. She rummaged through her pockets and took out a piece of paper which contained an address.
“She must’ve put it in my coat while I was in the shower…sly woman I must say.” She giggled to herself and noticed the slight snow on the floor, remembering it had been around christmas time. Her birthday was around the holiday but she never told anybody that, thinking it had been not that important.
Wallace kicked snow as she walked and threw snowballs down the street as she walked to the home, slightly getting uncomfortable when she walked past the park. She had eventually made it to the house and realized how it looked oddly similar to her own house. She let out a breath and watched it flow into the cold air before walking up the steps and knocking on the door lightly. She almost jumped when the door opened immediately and a hand held her own.
“You must be Mr. Bridgers! My friend told me so much about her son but I never knew he’d be a bit older than I anticipated..are you possibly adopted?” The woman had long black hair and nice blue eyes, her smile made Wallace feel a bit silly as she giggled at the question.
“I am. Been with that woman since I was 10 years old..” The lady nodded and led the other inside, letting go of her hand when they walked upstairs. “Why do you ask?” They paused in the middle of the hallway as Wallace gave a quick small smile as she waited for an answer. “She’s infertile. She was devastated when she and her late husband found out..which resulted in arguments.”
Wallace nodded.
“So when she told me she had a son I was filled with joy thinking a miracle happened. But I feel much better knowing that she didn’t have to go through labor and all of that stuff. I must say she’s lucky to skip the infant stage.” She patted the side of the younger lady’s face before walking a few steps back and opening the door to her left slightly. “Alice. The babysitter is here!”
A small voice had been heard inside the room which Wallace couldn’t make out what it was saying but had only put on a smile. “I’m sorry she’s a little shy but I'm sure Evelyn told you that.” She tilted her head at Alice’s mother and let out a hum. “Can I ask how you know her, Mrs.Carlton?”
“I’ve known her since we were teenagers.” This made Wallace imagine a teenage Evelyn in school learning multiple things, probably in a uniform too. It made her let out a quick giggle, finding it funny. “Well your daughter will be safe with me. I hope you enjoy wherever you’re going today with your husband.”
Mrs.Carlton smiled and walked past her before pausing again to turn around. “It’s just by myself today. My husband is currently working overnight so i’ll be alone..i promise i’ll be safe, young man.” Wallace blushed at the name and only giggled. She watched the woman walk downstairs and heard the door open and close.
Wallace had knocked on Alice’s door and cleared her throat. “Could I come in?” She heard a small ‘uh-huh’ which Wallace had taken as a yes, opening the door slowly and looking around the room. She had noticed it was a bit plain with only a few toys but it had been filled with drawings that had been a bit advanced for a 10 year old.
“You got some nice drawings! When I was your age I could barely draw a stickman.” She had looked at the girl who had been standing near her desk and was staring directly at her. “Ah…you’re the girl I saw across the street a few days ago.” Alice tilted her head and let out a quiet ‘huh’.
“Forget it. How about we go get some food in town?” She had crouched down to get to Alice’s level as she leaned a bit forward to get a proper look at the girl, who only gave a slightly irritated look. “Okay.”
Wallace watched the girl put on her coat and gloves and grabbed her own small bag, which she found adorable, before walking back in front of the woman to await her orders. “Do you need a scarf? It’ll be quite cold..”
Alice shook her head and went ahead and walked downstairs and to the door, hearing a hurrying Wallace behind her catching up. Once they had left the room the older had noticed how the kid had been slightly red in the face which had concerned her but she brushed it off for now.
“Why do you have those eyes..?” Wallace was slightly taken aback by that question and almost lost her footing before turning down to look at the girl. Her soft expression had hardened as her eyes burnt into hers. But she only closed her eyes and turned her back against Alice before smiling.
“I’ll say another time…but for now all I ask is to not make a comment about my features. Your eyes come from your mother right? I don’t think she’d enjoy you saying that..” Alice tensed up at this and looked to her feet from small embarrassment. It wasn’t until she felt a hand in her hair and something warm against her face.
She looked up and saw a crouching Wallace and her hand carefully putting the scarf around her neck. “Let’s get some cake. Do you like red velvet?” Alice gave a small nod and let the young adult lead the way as she held their finger, scared of getting lost.
“Can I tie my shoe?” Wallace nodded and let her do her thing as she looked forward. She had looked at the people walking past them with a soft shivering smile, making sure to not be obvious she'd been cold without her scarf. She had noticed something in the crowd however, tilting her head. It had been standing still and staring directly at her.
She shook her head and looked back forward again to notice that it had disappeared, which gave her a small relief as Alice and her started walking again. Wallace still felt an uncomfortable feeling deep inside her stomach as she made sure the girl had been next to her at all costs.
Once they arrived at the store that feeling had grown as they ordered and took their seats, Alice had excused herself to the restroom. “I can go by myself. I’ll make sure to run out if I get into trouble.” Wallace smiled at this and patted the girl’s head as she watched her run off back into the shop before looking back to their cake.
Wallace had gotten a plain vanilla cake while Alice’s was a red velvet. When looking back at the cakes she had noticed how she ate a lot less than Alice. Which concerned her considering the events that had been happening for the past week or so.
Wallace let out a sigh and stood up from her seat to go and find Alice after a few moments but she had paused when she heard footsteps behind her.
“You’ve grown.”
What..?
Wallace turned around and was met with somebody familiar. She noticed his light brown eyes and the mole down to the soft smile and posture. He had a hand up as if he had been wanting to wave but couldn’t as his lip was almost quivering.
“Sylvester….”
The boy giggled as memories came rushing through her mind. The first day she held him, the first tooth he lost, his first words, and the day she had left him behind. Wallace had almost smiled but had stopped herself when she noticed a strange gleam in his eyes. It had been filled with no emotion, it had seemed like a corpse was talking to her.
The sounds of people and cars had seemed silent as all her focus had been placed onto her little brother.
But her vision seemed to have refused to see that. All it could make out was a blurry figure and the sound of his voice. It made her feel overwhelmed.
“I have to kill you.”
“I need to as well.”
Sylvester shook his head at this and looked down to his feet and then back to his sister.
“You have to because of your own selfish needs.”
He laughed slightly.
“You’re probably ready to kill me right here and now…right in front of that girl you’re babysitting. So desperate for revenge so you could stop moaning and screaming at night from those horrible memories back in Japan…such an animal thing to do.”
Wallace had tried to speak but only let out a hiss and hit her fist against her own side. She felt her heart beating her chest as the blur had slowly disappeared like small grains of sand being blown away, revealing a more eye-opening point of view.
Her eyes widened when she noticed his eyes had been slightly filled with tears, small scars scattered across the skin she was able to see but last but not least she had noticed his clenched hands.
“I wish we were different.”
A life where they both went to school in their little uniforms.
“I wish I was still able to hear your voice whenever I slept.”
A life where they were able to run in town with no worries in the world.
Wallace had watched Sylvester start to walk past her and pause when he was next to her, his breathing now shaky.
“Would we have been happy in a different life?”
Her breath hitched when she heard that question and only swallowed down her pain before blinking away the singular tear that had fallen down her cheek.
“If we weren’t happy in this one, why are we happy in the other?”
Sylvester only let himself slouch from those words as he looked to his sister with a troubled look, her eyes still looking forward and never bothering to put their attention on him. He had sighed and closed his eyes to take in her unsteady breathing.
“Correct...i'm glad we both came to realize we’ll never be Sylvester and Wallace.”
Wallace had turned to Sylvester to express her offense but he had already walked past her. She fully turned around and saw he had been walking away to the opposite direction, but he stopped yet again to look back at her for one last time for a while.
“You’ll always be a wounded curse just waiting to be exorcised. Those chains around your wrists will burn deep and will spread to your bones.”
She felt her own heart shatter.
“Who are you? Are you a blooming soul or are you the shattered pieces of a glass mirror.?”
Colors had passed by them like speeding stars as Sylvester seemed to have been dissolving with the area as well.
“I want to kill you. I want to see your blood on the fucking pavement… i’ll eat you alive and make you my skin. ”
Wallace’s words seemed like it echoed as the colors started to drain, as if she's starting to lose meaning to see. To feel.
Please just give her back her little brother.
Why are those useless words coming out of her mouth? Please just say something else to bring him back to her!
“A blessing and curse and yet we suffer the same fates. Violence in our blood but yet we crave each other…it’s like the animal kingdom.”
Wallace had felt a burning feeling run down her face. She tried to wipe it away but all that came out was silent cries. She was losing her grip onto his hand.
“You said you wanted to explore the world together! This isn't you! Let’s go home! Please come home! Don’t you want to leave those chains!? I just want to have my little brother back!!”
“Goodbye.”
“Sylvester…”
She blinked. A little boy had started to walk away from her instead, an echoing hum flowing into her ears.
“Sylvester..”
She had started to step forward but her feet could only go so far. It had glued her to the floor.
“Sylvester I–”
She had tried to reach out to the little boy with her hand while using the other hand to grab something into her coat, as if a knife would appear randomly and into her hand.
“Sylvester!”
Then it was as if the string holding them together broke.
The last visible part of Sylvester had faded as the memories between her and him had started to rush through her mind. Wallace almost fell onto her knees but only closed her eyes and wiped away the rest of the tears trying to stain themselves onto her face.
Then she noticed something shiny on the pavement. She had walked toward it and picked it up to reveal two rings which had almost made her vomit at the sight.
It had been rings they had received from their mother. They both wore it everyday and were happy they would have something to remind them of the other whenever they were apart. But of course those memories were thrown away when Wallace ran.
Now they were ash.
Wallace had put the rings into her pocket and walked back to her seat before sitting down, smiling when she saw Alice back out after a few minutes.
“The line to the bathroom was so long! I was about to push people out the way..” Wallace let out a small laugh, the sound of mucus in her throat still there. “Are you going to finish your cake? I…could eat it if you want.”
Alice had gotten the cake in the end after a small bickering, it made Wallace’s heart brighten when she saw the girl smile. It made her want to make her do that again and again. If she was being dramatic she’d die if she saw a sad look on the little girl’s face.
“Hey..this may seem random but i was curious about what your dad works as. Your mother had told me he was working overseas so…” It hadn’t been a question Wallace was comfortable with asking considering how horrible her own father was, but she had wanted to distract herself from the events that had happened.
“My father claims he's working at some docks overseas..but there’s always this– weird smell from the envelopes he sends. Like iron.” So blood. Her father must’ve been a bad man if she’s smelling blood. “Do you…think he kills people?”
They had stopped walking, Alice had turned and looked up at Wallace with a dull look in her eyes. This conversation had taken a dark turn but Wallace had been concerned for the girl’s well being. And the relationship with her father and mother…
“I don’t care if he does. If anything I hope he gets what he deserves for hurting my mama.” Wallace almost smiled at this but kept it down her throat. “What…did he do to Mrs.Carlton?”
Alice furrowed her eyebrows at the question and clenched her bag. “He said he didn’t love her anymore. She cried for so many days…I can still hear how much she begged for him to love her again.” Hm..well that’s just cruel. So Mr.Carlton left her for another woman? “So when i..heard I was getting a babysitter I thought that was mama saying she got a new…”
Oh…thats–
“No no no no! I am TOO young for her! I may be an adult but being with someone WAY older than me is just wrong!” Wallace felt her face go pure red, if possible steam would’ve come out of her ears. Alice almost laughed at this but grew embarrassed herself. “I mean you…seemed to make my mama happy when she heard you were caring for me whenever she's not here.”
“So I had suspected you two liked each other.” Wallace smiled at this and adjusted the collar of her trench coat. “Well…I do but not…like that. But to make her feel a bit better I'll be your permanent babysitter. What your father did was cruel and– i..don’t want you to experience that grief.”
Alice felt a bit better as her eyes scrunched up a bit from her small smile, going over to hug Wallace’s leg and embracing her warmth. Wallace patted her head and noticed some similarities between her and the girl. If she had been stupid she would’ve confused her for her long lost sister.
“I know I said not to ask personal questions but…are you by chance part Japanese? I just..was curious because you share things similar to me.” Alice looked up, still gripping onto Wallace’s leg with a surprised look. “You’re also half?” Wallace smiled at her amazement.
She had put her finger against her head and tapped a few times before laughing. “Born in Japan and raised in New York! I may look like any normal wo– I mean guy here but I'm just like you.” Alice backed away and still looked up to the other.
“Was your dad also japanese?”
“Nope. My mother was, but my father took her last name.”
“My father…– don’t tell my mama but I think he…”
Wallace tilted her head and noticed her troubled look. She had still been processing her interaction with her now enemy but she couldn’t begin to process what Alice could possibly want to say right now.
“I think he’s dead.”
Dead?
“What..do you mean by dead?”
“Mama stopped receiving letters from him and she got a small case with his name on it yesterday.”
There it was again. The same feeling when she talked to him , the flowing of colors around her and the pausing of the sounds around them. She felt sick..but it felt like her limbs were being torn apart. So she had let her lips part and choked out her words.
“W–what was his name…”
Alice had tried to remember, her face looked sick as well but it had probably been from having to remember a man who hurt a person she cared about deeply. So the moment she had opened her mouth, her heart had officially burst.
“Kazuto.”
Wallace had let out a choked gasp, her fists had clenched while she felt a hard gust of wind against her body. She blinked rapidly, each time she did it had been as if she was being put in a blizzard and back to her spot in the middle of the sidewalk.
She had opened them for one final time to be met with a puddle of blood surrounding her feet and her blade in her hand. She had looked up and saw the man she had killed those many nights ago, his eyes bulged and bloody as he raised his own blade towards her. As if they had been in the middle of a duel.
Kazuto.
She killed him.
She killed Alice’s father.
Wallace had put her face in her hands and let out a loud sob, she had felt herself sway back and forth as her sobs turned into screams of agony. “Kazuto! Kazuto!” She yelled his name out with choked sobs, coughing on her own spit as it went down her chin.
“Just kill me already! Kazuto!”
She had fallen to her knees and had scratched at the floor as if she was a dog digging into dirt. She cried and cried until all she had felt in her throat was mucus and spit. Until her hands and the concrete beneath her was bloody. Until her cries were small whimpers and her tears felt hot. She had opened her eyes to look up to the man, his blade inches away from her eye.
She had let her eyes close as the world turned quiet and black.
“Wallace?”
She had shook her head and opened her eyes, seeing a worried Alice still staring at her. “I asked if you knew him?” Wallace furrowed her eyebrows at this and gulped before giving a forced smile. “No..but it sucks doesn't it? Your da–”
“I don't care if he's dead. Like I said..I hoped he got his karma so i get the gist of it..i hope the person buried him deep enough to the point he can’t scratch his way out." What a cruel kid… “Well then. I think we should start heading back if that’s all we want to talk about.” Alice nodded at this and started walking back to her home, knowing the directions with ease.
“Welcome back you two! I hope she wasn’t too much Mr. Bridgers, your face says a lot.”
Wallace had blocked out everything aside from the girl the entire walk back to her house, still in shock about her discovery. She had noticed her face still looked like she had seen a ghost so the best thing she could do was force a smile onto her face. This satisfied Mrs.Carlton who had let Alice run into her arms so she could tuck her into bed. “Thank you for doing this. If you don't mind, could you stay for a moment longer? I want to ask a few things.”
She nodded slowly and waved goodbye to Alice and watched the two head up the stairs.
She let out a loud breath before looking to her feet, her vision blurring from tears. She had walked to the living room and sat on the couch, head in hands and foot tapping against the wooden floor. She had wanted to leave but she of course couldn’t disrespect the woman’s wishes.
“There you are. Is everything okay?”
Wallace had removed her face from her hands to turn and look at the woman who had sat next to her with a concerned look across her face. Her hand had been in her now messy hair as the other was on her shoulder.
“Kazuto..is your husband right?”
Mrs.Carlton flinched almost and simply nodded. “He..was my husband. Until I had gotten word he had mysteriously died from a ‘heart attack’.” She had put air quotes on the words heart attack, which had made Wallace more nervous and stiff. But she only saw that smile still, the others emotion still not changing.
“I know what actually happened…Evelyn told me everything. And before you go crazy, no i won't report you to those people even if my husband had been one of them i won't betray my best friend. Especially her son.”
Wallace had felt a boulder being put off her shoulders but she had grown curious. “What if they try to threaten you for answers? They won’t stop until they have my head.”
“Then they will have to kill me. If I die then I know that Alice would be under your care. You passed the test…you’re capable of handling my daughter without my help.” Wallace didn’t want to interrupt the other’s sentence with how she had almost lashed out twice because of two different reasons, so all she had done was nod slowly.
“But…I don't want more people to die because of my burdens. Evelyn and Nakamura are already at risk…i don't want anybody else to be on that list. Especially a young girl like Alice.” Wallace had wanted to start rambling but a hand was placed on her mouth with a small ‘hush’.
“Put those worries aside for now…” Wallace watched her get a cigarette out of her pocket “Cigarette?” and placed it in her mouth. “I don’t think I should be doing that with women older than me–” A finger had been placed against her lips instead. “I’m only in my 30s. We both are technically adults afterall..” Now it feels like she's being flirted with.
She watched the older woman light the cigarette, blowing the smoke in her face with a giggle. “Okay…” She let a goofy smile grow as the same cigarette was placed in her mouth, tasting the lipstick that had stained it. It oddly tasted like strawberries.
“My questions for you are quite simple. I just want to know more of you..so may I?” She offered a hand which Wallace gladly took. Her calloused hands fit perfectly with Mrs. Carlton’s soft ones. “Are you comfortable, Mr. Bridgers?” The way she had said their last name had sent a shiver down her spine, making them feel nervous. “Yes.”
“Good.” Mrs.Carlton had broken their eye contact for a moment before regaining it, letting out a small sigh. “Just making sure.”
Wallace let the cigarette get taken from her mouth as it was Mrs.Carlton’s turn to use it.
“Where are you from?”
“A small village in Japan. I was raised by my mother and father and I am the oldest out of one other sibling.” She sounded as formal as possible as she felt Mrs.Carlton hold her face, which made her nervous. “Hm…then you better look out. Some people aren’t fond of things like you.”
“Is that all you wanted to know?”
“Yes. But considering the fact that my husband had been a part of this group i..have some information. Kazuto had told me some things so he could ease my mind but if anything I feel stressed over the whole thing.”
Wallace seemed confused. “You were concerned about him. So if I'm correct you forced him to tell you about the plans The Okami had for me, right?” Mrs. Carlton nodded and let go of the other’s hand before looking down to the floor.
“Clever man…but yes– I knew about his job with that gang. At first he had joined to support our newborn daughter but as time went on that motive turned into a bloodlust. He was so obsessed with the idea of ‘killing the evil’ he forgot about us.”
Wallace nodded at her explanation and opened her mouth to ask another question.
“He joined through a friend. You can close your mouth.”
Wallace did.
“I..didn't mind him doing all those horrible things– as long as he didn’t bring us into it. But oh my i..couldn’t let him do such a thing! Killing a child who’s only 10!? God, that's worse than killing an adult..” Mrs.Carlton covered her mouth with her hand and let out a shaky breath.
“The day before his death was the day I told him to spit it all out. What I can tell you now is that your closest friends are a part of this. They’ll kill them one by one until you submit to them and let them bring you back to your homeland.”
Wallace felt her mouth go dry. The thought of Little Dancer or Marie dying by someone’s hands is something that makes her want to cry and vomit at the same time.
Wait.
No, that couldn’t be right.
“What else did he say? I need to know right now.”
Mrs. Carlton furrowed her eyebrows. “Nothing else. Just how they’ll be one step ahead..I didn't know what he meant but I doubt that’s true.” She looked at the young woman but let out a confused sound when she saw them stand up abruptly with a panicked look.
“One step ahead means they’ll want me to be unaware. I..don't know why but I have this feeling they’re already making their move. It’s a feeling deep down in my stomach and i– …I gotta go.” She knew she wasn't making sense but she hoped the other understood her panicking
Mrs.Carlton stood up and pulled the other into a tight embrace, feeling herself shake as Wallace gave it back. “Please stay safe. I’d be devastated if all of this hard work me and your caretakers did went to waste.”
Wallace couldn't help but laugh as she let go and ran out the door to get to where she thought her friends were, which was the speakeasy. But she doubted it had been where they’d hurt them since it was always crowded.
Unless–
“The alleyway!”
She had said her realization out loud and had reached out to get her blade out of its case but felt her heart drop when she remembered she had left it at home, cursing under her breath. She would have to use her fists to defend them then.
Once she arrived at the alleyway she had looked around to see if she would find evidence of anything murder-like but all there was was pieces of trash and rats scampering around the place. So she had sighed in small relief and started to walk out before she heard the door to the speakeasy open and the sounds of giggling and hushed whispering had been heard.
Wallace had launched herself almost to hide behind a filled trash can, taking off her guitar case to place it next to her so she hadn't been obvious. Peeking out, she noticed Little Dancer immediately with a man that had been maybe in his 40’s as he had his arm around her waist and the other in his pocket. Which she immediately found odd. So the only safe choice she could do was act stupid.
She had gotten out of her hiding spot and acted like she had been walking into the alleyway, whistling slightly and with her hands in her pockets. Once she had past by the two she turned around and saw them both look at her with a confused look.
“Wallace! I heard you were sick!” Little Dancer had moved herself from the man and almost ran into the other, squeezing her tightly. “I’m glad it wasn't the bad case of the flu.” Wallace giggled and took this moment to put her arm around the other’s waist tightly and looked at the man with a glare.
“Is this your friend? What did I say about hanging out with old men?” Wallace had noticed the man’s expression turn into one with a small hint of anger but Little Dancer had blushed from the sudden possessiveness from her friend and laughed at the comment. “Come on, don't be rude! He’s just going to walk me home.”
“I can do that. He can scram for all I care.”
“That won’t be needed. I heard if you stay near the sick you’ll catch it too.”
Wallace almost growled at this and let go of the woman before walking toward the man and jabbing her finger against his chest. “Listen here asshole. You don’t tell me what I can or can’t do! She’s my friend and I know what’s good for her!”
The man had only looked at the woman’s finger and scoffed before grabbing her hand in a tight grip. “You remind me of that father of yours. Always so stubborn.” her what?
“Wallace he–”
Before she could say anything Wallace had already felt a bone-chilling pain coursing through her body as the man gave a disgusting smile towards her. “Wallace!”
Wallace looked down and noticed the knife that had been dug deep into her stomach, blood covering the blade. She felt blood drip out of the corner of her mouth as she grabbed the man’s hand with sharp breaths.
“Go..go before he tries to get you too!” She said to Little Dancer who only was frozen in her spot. “But you’re hurt!” Wallace shook her head and pushed the man away with all her might before grabbing the other’s hand. She groaned in pain when she used her other hand to quickly get the knife out of her stomach and grip it tightly in her hand.
“Who are you!?” She had said with a strained voice, coughing out blood here and there as Little Dancer helped her stand up straight. It couldn’t possibly be another member of The Okami..they’re all from Japan..she doubts her father would hire a white man. Wait…
She had looked at the bloodied knife in her hand and noticed a shape on the blade. It had been a skull..which seemed oddly familiar to her. She had let out a small noise before looking at it more closely, trying to remember where she first saw it.
Oh yeah…Kazuto’s blade. It had that same skull on his blade. She guessed it had been The Okami’s symbol, but this wasn’t the time to think. This is the third member she needs to kill..before they get to Little Dancer.
“Wallace we have to go! We need to get you to a hospital!”
“No! Evelyn..we– go to Evelyn!” The girl had been confused but only nodded, trying to navigate them out of the alleyway without bumping into the man. Wallace had waved the knife around which made the man keep his distance but he followed them with raised hands as if he was ready to pounce.
So he did. With a wave of Wallace’s blade and with a loud grunt she had felt another pain in her body. She had seemed confused, swearing up and down she had got his weapon so she had looked down and saw another knife lodged into the same wound as before which made her cough out more blood, causing Little Dancer to let out a sob.
“Wallace you’re going to die! Please just..let’s go! We’re going to die!”
“No!”
Wallace had coughed and coughed before she had the energy to grab the man by the throat and use all of her strength to slam him into the ground before kicking him in the face, letting the other drag her out the alleyway and to her home.
“Wallace, it'll be okay, I promise. Please don’t die..don't die okay?” Wallace had listened to Little Dancer’s words with a soft laugh. “We need to hurry before you bleed out..please hold on until then.”
Wallace wouldn’t be surprised if she had died on the sidewalk and Little Dancer was shot right here and now. Somehow crimes happen everyday and the streets don’t open an eye to it. “If i do then..take my blade.”
The girl had been confused but only nodded before hearing something click.
So she turned around and saw the man.
“Wallace he..has a gun.” This made Wallace’s eyes shot open as she turned around to see a pistol with what seemed to be a silencer. “Shit. He had all of this planned out.”
They had stood still as the sounds of dogs barking in the distance and the crickets had been the only thing that had filled their ears.
“Wally–”
With a sound of a bullet falling to the floor, blood had blinded Wallace’s sight as the grip onto the other had disappeared. She heard a thud and something dripping against the concrete as she fell herself.
It felt like memories were injecting itself into her head.
‘ Wallace right? I’ll be your new best friend from now on! ’
Her voice was always so gentle.
‘ I wanted to give this to you as a sign of our friendship! ’
That stupid necklace.
‘ You’re the best. I love you! ’
It was as if she was feeling all of the hugs and touches she was ever given from the younger girl.
\\
She had opened her eyes and heard the sound of footsteps grow smaller and smaller until nothing else was heard, which had meant the man had gotten away. She had immediately sat up, but not without coughing yet another set of blood.
“Little..–” She turned to her left and felt her throat tighten when she smelt the iron and gunpowder. The sound of wheezing had made her look down and lock eyes with a heavily injured Little Dancer. “Wally…”
“ Dancer..you’re..”
“I know…i–” she coughed. “I don't know if..i’ll make it.” Wallace noticed she had been shot right under where her heart was. She really wasn’t going to. “You have to make it. I–”
The girl only reached out to touch the side of Wallace’s face, smiling at how warm they still felt. “It’s okay. I’m just glad you’ll still make it..you only got hit twice in the same spot which is way…more better.” Wallace let out a small whine as she carefully positioned the both of them so they would hold onto each other.
“Can I say something?”
Wallace nodded and felt the other’s hands in her hair and their breath against her cheek.
“I love you.”
Wallace pulled back to look at the dying girl. Noticing she had been crying.
“Would you…want to make my wish come true before…i go?”
She nodded.
And leaned in.
“I love you too.”
She had heard the final beat of her heart as her lips turned cold for the final time.
And she had let go.
“Wallace, we have to get going. Can you walk right?”
It had been a few days since Little Dancer’s death. It had also been a few days of Wallace recovering as well. She had been forced to leave the other’s body behind and had sped walked home before passing out.
Everything else had honestly been a blur.
“I need help going to the car. Please?” Evelyn nodded and held Wallace’s hand as they exited out the house, adjusting their tie as well.
They found Little Dancer’s body and had already given her a funeral. Today was that day. Wallace felt an empty feeling in her heart. Not because of how they kissed before she died but because she failed to save her.
She could care less for any romantic feelings but failing something she swore to do was really…painful.
“Emma was such a young girl…it’s a shame.” Evelyn said as they got into the car, making Wallace feel more sick.
“A shame indeed.”
Opening her closed palm she had revealed the necklace she was given from her late friend, making herself smile before looking out the window.
She’ll try better.
She doesn’t want anybody else to die ever again.