• Serenity sat quietly, brushing her thick curly hair. She quietly hummed to herself in soft simple tones. She stared back at herself in the mirror, focusing on her deep eyes. She often remembered the matching pair, but that pair was gone. It was just her eyes. Just wait, Serenity, the time will come, whispered Mizuki.
    “But when will the time come, I’m getting worried,” she muttered in a hushed tone.
    Nintai osanago, patience little child, Mizuki said with her soft silky voice.
    Serenity thought for a minute, “shitteimasu, I know.”
    Your Japanese is getting much better; now just remember the time will come.
    “Yamemasen, yamenai. I will not give up, I will not quit.”
    I know you won’t, but you need time. You need to be strong, why don’t you practice a bit. I will help you.
    Serenity nodded and took a deep breath as she straightened her posture and stared forward, all emotions sliding off of her face. Her deep brown eyes flashed into a deep menacing purple. She focused hard. She let her breath go, her eyes going back to the chocolate color. “I just can’t Mizuki.”
    Of course you can, Serenity. Kito, surely.
    Tears rolled down Serenity’s warm cheeks, “Mizuki I just can’t. It’s too hard.”
    You could do it before, why not now?
    “I wasn’t expecting it at the moment. I didn’t mean to. It was just an accident. I was panicking! I had to do something, I couldn’t just stand there! And then it just happened!”
    Relax. Everything would have been ok if you had just a bit more training and could use the gift on command. Well, then I guess we can work on that later. Why don’t you show me you skills with the knife?     Mizuki suggested.
    Serenity drew a knife from a sheath that hung from her waist, hidden by her bloodstained cloak. She held it gingerly in her hand, drawing back, aiming it precisely. She shot her hand forward; releasing the small dagger from her grasp; sending it flying across the room. I landed directly in the spot on the wall where she had thrown it before.
    Good job, you were taught well.
    “I was taught by the best.” Serenity said; afraid that tears would build up in her eyes again. The word was, was the key there.
    Ahhh yes Matoko, kept his promise to keep you safe.
    “Matoko or not he would have taught me anyway.”
    If he was not Matoko he wouldn’t have needed to learn in the first place, said Mizuki. This statement was true, but she knew he would have helped keep her safe any way.
    “Still, I’m close to safe,” she choked. She couldn’t help but miss Matoko, he was only worried about her, and not himself. That’s why he was gone.
    Close won’t cut it Daarin, Darling. That’s why you need practice. But on the other hand you are still very young.
    “I’m not too young, I’m five and a half, Mizuki,” Serenity said filled with pride.
    Serenity, you are young for a Guardian, well I am the Guardian you are the Host, but still. And you barely seem to realize how much mortal danger you are in! Serenity, tell me, have you been having strange dreams?
    Serenity hated that word, host. The feeling of someone living of of her. Her brother wasn't fond of the word either. And truthfully the answer to Mizuki's question was yes. Once she had dreamt that her brother came to her with a knife and told her to stab it through her heart. When she woke up a dagger hand been carefully placed in her hand.
    They caught you off guard! I’m thankful you didn’t listen. Serenity, the Netherworld is going to kill you! Serenity those people are trained to kill! Kill people like you! You’re lucky to be alive!
    “K-kill me? Why would they kill me?” She stuttered. She didn’t realize that the Netherworld was everywhere, and keeping a close watch would never be enough to keep her alive.
    It’s because you are a Host to a Guardian. It doesn’t matter to them if you are a child or not they will kill you once they get the chance! No matter when or where you are they will find you and kill you. And when they do, Heaven forbid, they are going to try to take me away from you! I don’t want to leave you! The Netherworld has already taken multiple people, one of which was your brother! I just can’t have them take you! Mizuki cried.
    Serenity paused, eyes wide, the Netherworld took her brother? Took barely covered it, killed more so suited the situation. She felt guilty. It was because of her, the Netherworld killed him, if only she was stronger. Then her brother would have had time to practice his talent and skills, and he would have survived. But she was weak, and now there was nothing she could do. No matter how much she had begged, there was nothing she could do, or could have done. But then she remembered the voice. There was still a small ray of hope.
    “Then why haven’t they killed me yet? I’m right here?”
    They are waiting for your gift to be stronger so….. Mizuki lost her train of thought.
    “Mizuki? Mizuki, what are they going to do to me?” Serenity cried.
    Serenity just promise me this. If someone comes up to you, speaks of your name, and then speaks of your gift, I want you to run as fast as you can. Do whatever you have to do to stay alive except for one thing.
    “What’s that Mizuki?”
    They will ask you a question. You mustn’t answer, don’t say yes, and don’t say no. Both will cause you trouble. So please do not answer, just run. Run as far away as you can, use your gift to see what they will do next and work against it. If they are going to appear in front you, run the opposite direction. If they plan to pull out a gun and aim it at someone you love-
    Serenity stopped her midway through the sentence, “I tell them to run. And I stay behind myself; I shouldn’t run towards them they won’t shoot whoever it would be. They would shoot me instead if I ran in front of them. ” This was a lesson she had learned well.
    Yes that’s right. Tears flowed from Serenity’s eyes. O’ dear, I know it’s hard but please remember, you did all you could, so please don’t cry. It makes me weak. Please don’t cry, we will both be weak if you cry. So please don’t.
    Tears still flowed from her eyes, “I’m sorry Mizuki,” she choked wiping the tears away.
    Mizuki sighed, Don’t be. Just rest now, your crying has made us weak.
    “It made you weak. I’ve always been small, sick, and weak. I’ve been bedridden many days before. I get ill very often. I’m too small. I’m too sick. I’m too weak.”
    You will never be strong if you think that. Serenity, trust me, if you were so weak the Netherworld would have done away with you. They would have no reason to let you live so long.
    So long? If five years was long for a weak Host to live, how much longer would she have? A year? A month? A week? All Serenity knew was that her days were numbered. There was no way that she could become so strong so fast. Well fast enough to save her life. “Mizuki?”
    Yes Daarin?
    “I’m ready to practice some more,” she declared.
    Are you sure, you still seem rather wea-, tired. Mizuki covered up her words.
    “Yes,” Serenity sighed as she shifted her deep brown eyes to a sinister purple.