Subject Zero: CONFIDENTIAL (Short Stories)

Don't Look Away (1)

Part One: A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

Her existence had been kept hidden from everyone.

However, people who knew about her said she was a weapon. She would fight if you ordered her to.

She was just a loyal dog. A trump card.

She was just a tool.

January 25, 1981
The Mirror World

Third Person's POV
     "He's still hanging around with that human girl?" asked a man with white eyes. "What even is his plan, anyway? It's been almost 9 years already."

"I dunno, but whatever it is, it can't be good. But it doesn't matter for us, he's just another greedy Shade trying to prove a point," said another man with large spider legs growing from his back.

The other man nodded, agreeing. But after a moment, he seemed to be getting impatient. "Where is Rem? I thought he said he'd be here with her by now."

They were both in a small building, that looked abandoned. Rays of moonlight were shining in through the windows of rusty, broken glass.

The man with spider legs sighed. "He did say that. You know him, the guy can never learn how to be on time."

Then they heard the rusty wooden door open.

The man with spider legs stood up, seeing a teenage boy with damp, dark purple hair, walk in.

"Ah, Rem. Punctual, as always," joked the man with spider legs.

"Sorry, there was shit going down near the market, we had to help..." said the man with stringy hair, Rem. "How long have you been waiting?"

The man with white eyes dismissed Rem's question so he could ask one himself, "Where is she?"

Rem turned. "She's not behind m-?" He opened the door a little, then dragged a young girl indoors. "Did I tell you to wait outside? No, I didn't."

The girl was short. But she had long, lilac hair that reached her knees, and had light grey skin. She had pointy ears and black birthmarks that looked like vines wrapping around her body — the only part of her body that didn't have these birthmarks was her face. She had six fingers on both of her small hands and she was wearing a white mask that looked almost like a sleeping mask, but it didn't have any cracks, chips, or any designs, but three holes lined down the middle. She was wearing white shorts and a white shirt, both with dirt and dust on them. She didn't have a single bruise or scar on her. She had turned only 10-years-old the previous December.

The man with the white eyes snickered and said, "She doesn't look like much, does she? All skin and bone."

"Can't get any paler than that new Jester," the man with spider legs chuckled.

"Wait, are Ares and Joplin still trying to turn Eiji to their side? Y'know, knowing that he's on Jester's side?" asked Rem.

The man with spider legs shrugged. "Eh, doesn't matter to us." He grabbed the girl's arm, pulling her over to him and away from Rem.

"Oh, all right. Where's the payment?"

The white-eyed man reached into his jacket pocket and brought out a small pouch of Jade gems.