• Mandari regained her consciousness later that afternoon. Getting tired of blacking out every five minutes, she wondered whether it was even a good idea to open her eyes. At this rate, she will not be defying Sugar and the gang anytime soon. “Mandari-sama.” a voice chirped. Not the blond, not the blond, not the blond. She turned and gazed at Junpei. He had a grin that stretched from ear to ear. I hate this guy.. “What do you want, Junpei?” she groaned, tossing one of her many blankets off. “I made you some tea. It’s made from the bark of the trees here. They’re good for illness” He held the cup out to her in his fair hands. By comparison, her fingers looked thin and pasty compared to his. She slurped down the tea. There was a loud grumble as it hit her stomach. Oh right. I haven’t eaten anything since I started running. The blond took the cup from her and placed a plate before her. “You never got around to your breakfast, so I kept it.”

    “Ngh” she groaned, wolfing down the dried goods. It tasted so bland; even with the salt to preserve it. The sugar coated blond returned from his walk to the cupboard with a bundle in his hand. “Here, here” he said, shoving the package under her nose. She unwrapped in bit by bit, soon exposing the inside. “A dress?” she asked. He nodded shyly. "I’ve never had a girl around here before, but you can’t stay in those tattered rags. Sorry if it isn’t the best looking one.” Mandari looked over the dress she had been given. It had a white rutched bust and long white sleeves. It had a brown button down vest attached to it, and the buttons started right below the bust. It was smoothed out with an olive green skirt. She nodded to signal it was good, though she much rather preferred the color black. And what was wrong with her tattered old black dress? There were only a few rips in it.

    Junpei motioned to a little door on the far right of the room. “You can change in there. Afterwards we need to go somewhere. Is that ok?” he asked. In a rush, Mandari just nodded. She quickly ducked into the small changing space and undressed. Since she hit her head things have gotten crazy. Usually when she blacks out she doesn’t see or feel anything. And for some reason now she’s been able to dream. And just like everything else, there is no mercy in sleep.

    “Mommy. Mommy.” a little girl called, walking down a long corridor. Her long black hair was curled nicely. It bounced merrily as she walked. “Mommy--” she stopped suddenly, hearing her mother talking from behind a door. “What’re we going to do, Dmitri?” she asked her husband. Dmitri paced the room quietly. ”She’s our only heir, we can’t have anymore children.” the mother pleaded. Dmitri nodded, lighting his pipe. “I’m aware of that Mamou. But she’s too different! She keeps saying she sees things. She has a way of reducing children she socializes with to tears. Kazekou’s youngest son committed suicide under her influence. She needs to blend in”

    The girl behind the door listened carefully. “What if we can’t?” . The husband was un-phased . “Then there are people who specialize in the reformation of outcasts. We may not be able to change her, but they sure can” The girl’s mother held her head in her hands. “We’re going to be in ruins. Enkidu’s eldest son, and heir, has run off. They couldn’t find him. And now we must find another boy to arrange marriage with her.” The girl pressed her ear against the door. “Enkidu’s son was promised to her when she was an infant! It was an easy sell. Now she’s so different the family will reject her before she even opens her mouth.” . Dmitri walked away from his distraught wife. “Mamou, it’s nothing we can fix. Children crack; they run off. It’s no need to get upset.”

    “But it is…” Mamou growled. She lifted her head out of her hands. Tears making the loose hairs stick to her face. ”She could never be normal. As far as anything is concerned, she’s a freak.”
    Mamou’s breath became short with anger. “I could never love my hideous mistake…Mandari!”
    Mandari backed away from the door and walked down the halls. She looked out the gothic style windows of the home.

    “Her hideous mistake..” she whispered quietly. Turning towards a mirror hanging on the wall ‘…and they call her Mandari” . The small child could understand what her mother meant all to well. Her powers to see people’s inner pain…but not her own family’s pain. They’ve worked against her. Her own family could never understand what the sound of a thousand screams would do to you as a child. Never…

    Mandari finished buttoning up her dress and smoothed out the skirt. She ran her hand through the awkwardly cut shoulder length bangs. Her hair used to be much longer…but a mental break down and a good pair of shears cleaned that up nicely. She opened the door slowly and trudged over to her bed. “Tired, tired .” she yawned, sinking into the covers. “Ahh, don’t fall asleep! We have things to do!” Junpei whined, pulling on the bed sheets. Mandari kicked at the blond. “I thought I was supposed to stay put until my head was all better” The blond have a triumphant laugh. “Ha! That’s why I’ll be carrying you!”

    -chirp chirp, chirp chirp-

    “No”
    “What do you mean no?!” “No means no”. Junpei bounded up to Mandari. “Please! I won’t bump your head or anything, I promise!” he begged. Mandari swatted him away. ”I’m tired, go away”. The young man pulled on the hem of her dress. “B-but don’t you want to see the most awesome breath taking thing in the entire forest?!” he sang, waving his arms about frantically. Mandari placed a pillow over her face. “I don’t give a damn!” she screamed into the fluffy item. By this time, even Zero was barking playfully, trying to get Mandari to come. Junpei’s expressive hands fell to his side. “Down Zero. She’s too tired… we really shouldn’t bother her” he said sadly. Zero hung his head and followed his master out the door. It closed with a soft click.

    “Damn straight I’m to tired to deal with you---” BOOM! Junpei and dog come bursting through door! The blond wraps his arm around the girl’s thin waist and lifts her up. “We’re going on an adventure!” he cheers, motioning to Zero. The slivery dog barks happily and runs out the door. “Jotto matte! Wait a minute! Waaaaiiiiiiiiit!” Mandari yells as Junpei bounds down the path and into the surrounding woods. “This is the complete opposite of being careful of my head!!” she screams, narrowly missing some tree trunks. “Where are you taking me, you honey drenched wig?!”

    “To the most breathtakingly awesome spot of the forest!”