"Oh my god!" Hanako huffed as she hurtled towards the detention hall, tying
a rose-pink ribbon in her hair. "I can't believe I overslept!!"
It was a bright and beautiful Saturday. The sky was clear and cloudless and
the laugher of casual-clothed students echoed from outside the
school-compound. The gloomy figure of the detention hall loomed ahead,
casting a dull, dark shadow over Hanako's weekend. She adjusted her school
bag and glanced at her watch.
"Oh No! 20 minutes late! I'm sooo suspended!"
She pushed open the door and stood heaving with breath. The sister looked up
and smiled joyously. Hanako jolted and stepped back, trying to figure out
who the new nun was.
"Ah! Miss Hanako, you're late, Dear!" she beamed.
"I-I'm sorry" Hanako muttered.  "I had a bit of a rough night."
The sister flicked a hand, hidden in the heavy sleeve of a robe.
"Don't worry! We've all had them!"
Hanako nodded politely and awaited orders.
"It's such a nice day! Lets go outside and do detention there!"
Hanako studied the nun, but she couldn't recognise her. However, her buoyant
attitude and happy nature shone through, even though Hanako had only known
her for a minute or so. She had never felt so at ease and relaxed.
"I don't mean to be rude, Miss, but where's the other sister?"
The nun cocked her head and smiled happily, a slightly confused look glazing
her eyes. Hanako smiled back in response, her eyes probing.
"Y'know the elderly one with glasses?"
"Oh!" the sister gasped. Clapping her hands covered in the sleeves of her
robe, "I remember now. Sister Margaret felt a little under the weather, so
with my...prompting...she took a few weeks off."
The sister clapped again, giggling girlishly. Hanako stared at the nun's
sleeves. It was strange how her hands remained inside them no matter what
she did.
"C'mon," she sighed. "Lets go outside! I'm desperate for some light!"
Hanako hesitated.
"We'll get in trouble. I'm supposed to be punished."
The nun purred deeply
"I'll just tell 'em that I've set an ecology study for you. They won't know
the difference. Here..." she tossed a book to Hanako. She scanned the title.
It read 'The Hidden Darkness'. There was no author etched into the thick
leather cover, only the title in curving gold script. The weight eased over
her hands and she looked at the nun nervously.
"Chill, kid! It's not as scary as it seems. In fact I'm sure you'll find it
very...informative." she giggled again, walking out the door. "Just carry
the book outside and look studious. No one will stop you then."
Hanako followed her, looking at the floor. Strangely, the nun's feet where
hidden by the folds of robe in the same manner as her hands were. Hanako
shrugged inwardly. She seemed nice enough. She had a strange over-abundance
of joy, but that never hurt anybody.
They made their way down the corridor and out into the light.
"Ooh!" the sister cried. "Under the cherry-tree! It looks so lovely! Look at
the pink petals!" she turned around and pulled Hanako by her arm. Her face
was smooth and peachy, enhanced by her emerald eyes that glistened with her
excitement. She looked young and kittenish, a little too young to be a
fully-fledged nun, especially nowadays. Hanako began to wonder what her
agenda really was.
"C'mon!" she cried again, bolting off to sit under the tree. As she ran,
Hanako's eyes caught a flash of white around the sister's feet. Hanako
stepped forwards and a ray of light caught her face. She closed her eyes and
stopped. The tugging at her soul began again. The endless desperation crept
over her like a wave, engulfing her slowly. The scent of the cherry blossoms
filled her nose and the sound of laughing and happiness covered her ears.
She opened her eyes and looked over to the sister. She had sat down in the
shade under the tree, once again her hands and feet were covered and she
giggled.
"Enjoying the moment, Hanako?" she called, excitement bubbling over. "Come!
Enjoy it over here with me!"
In spite of herself, Hanako ran over and crashed down on the springy grass
with a 'flump' noise, giggling along with the other woman.
"Jeez, you think too much, Hanako!" she laughed breathlessly. "Actually, I
know a guy you'd get on with. He's called John. John Talbain. If things go
right perhaps I'll introduce you sometime!"
Hanako cocked her head, one eyebrow raise quizzically.
"What!?" the sister screeched, laughingly.
"It's weird. I've been her two months and no-one's attempted to be my
friend."
The sister shrugged. Her black head-dress ruffling.
"People are jerks. Well, most people. Most things, actually. Why d'ya say?"
Hanako continued, scanning the empty field as she did so.
"It's just you're a nun. You're not meant to be this nice to a student.
You're meant to come to class, teach and leave. Yet, here you are, chatting
to me on the field, offering to introduce me to guys... when you should be
disciplining me. It's something a friend should do. Not a nun." She winced
and looked at the nun, expecting her to shout, telling her she had it wrong.
Expecting the strange woman to force her inside, to the principal's office
for being so stupid. But it never came.
The sister adjusted her robe and smiled again. She extended her disguised
hand.
"Then let's do this properly...I'm Felicia, it's nice to meet you!"
Hanako couldn't help it, but she beamed.
"Hi! I'm Hanako! Nice to meet you too, Sister Felicia!"
Felicia purred. She pulled Hanako in for a stifling hug.
"Let's be friends! Just call me Felicia!"
"Sure!" Hanako replied. The feeling of contentment welled up in her chest,
eclipsing the desperation. They giggled together and Hanako laid on her
stomach as Felicia stretched back against the tree.
Felicia adjusted her wimple and a thick lock of electric blue hair plumped
out from behind it over her forehead.
"Oh wow!" Hanako exclaimed, leaning in for a closer inspection "What an
amazing colour!"
Felicia blushed.
"Oh gosh!" she tucked the hair away. "This must look terrible."
Hanako shook her head enthusiastically.
"No way! It's so cool! I've always wanted lilac. Just haven't been brave
enough."
The sister smiled in a comforting motherly way, her eyes green and shining.
"Ah! Han-chan!" she grinned, "There are many different forms of bravery!"
Hanako just nodded. Felicia continued.
"For the night... you need bravery with the night."
Her eyes glittered like emeralds, her voice dropping to a husky whisper. "Do
you understand?"
She laid down opposite Hanako, her face strangely serious. Hanako giggled
nervously.
"I...I..."
The kittenish grin crept across Felicia's face.
"Do you trust me, Hanako?" she asked, almost teasingly. Hanako thought about
it. She didn't know this girl well at all, yet somewhere in her heart Hanako
knew that she was a genuine person with a good soul.
"Yes." She answered. Felicia's smile deepened, her eyes glittering. Holding
Hanako's gaze, she pulled back her sleeves. White caught Hanako's eyes and
looked toward Felicia's hands. She sat up in shock, mouth open. Her hands
were broad and her fingers were over-extended, they seemed at least 4 inches
too long, judging by the width of her palms. Rather than nails, she had
claws. They shone a deep shade of fuchsia and curved round. Somewhere in
Hanako's mind she recalled a cat, scratching lazily on a fence. Her hands
where covered in short, snow-white fur that shined beautifully.
"Oh!" Hanako giggled. "Nice costume! Where'd you get it?"
Felicia shook her head sadly.
"No. You don't understand." She pulled her sagging sleeves right up over her
shoulders. Her arms were well muscled and strong, like a fighter's. The fur
ran solidly over her forearms, like gloves, and stopped just past her elbow,
where it bristled out thickly at the joints. From there, up to her
shoulders, it ran like a flat strap against her skin, curving round her
arms, exposing peach-coloured flesh and bare shoulders.
"W-wow... Pretty real-looking, Felicia." Hanako gasped.
"That's...because it...is." Felicia looked away. She pulled her head-dress
off and threw it against the tree. A shower of pink petals swirled to the
ground. Felicia had a giant mass of hair. It cascaded thickly down to her
waist, and shone like liquid. All of it was a deep shade of blue, except for
two long sections, either side of her face, held separate from the rest,
shaded a lighter, baby-blue tone. Separating her puffed fringe from the rest
of her hair was another strip of white fur, on which were two triangular
ears, matching that of a cat. The strap of fur ran from the nape of her
neck, over the area where her human ears should of been, across the top of
her head and down back to the nape of her neck on the opposite side. It
looked like a head-band, only stranger.
"Oh...my...what-what are you?"
The cat ears twitched and Hanako gasped again.
"I..." began Felicia. "Am me. Always me. Just because I look...different...
doesn't mean I'm a bad person."
Hanako's eyes ran over Felicia as she remained frozen in place. Felicia
continued.
"If you fear the unknown... you can't understand it... or learn from it."
Felicia picked up the book that she had given to Hanako and hugged it to her
chest.
"Did you think I was nice? Did you like me?"
Hanako stared at her lap and nodded slowly.
"But now...what about now? You scared? You gonna run away?"
Hanako looked up at Felicia's pained face.
"I've just got to ask one thing before I do anything, Felicia."
"What?"
Hanako sat up and tugged on a lock of Felicia's blue hair.
"What shampoo do you use? Your hair is brilliant!"
Felicia screamed with excitement and crushed her new friend in another hug.
"Thank goodness! This will make your transition a lot easier with this type
of acceptance in your heart!"
"Huh?" Hanako replied "What transition? When?"
Felicia pinched Hanako's cheek gently.
"Don't worry, Han-chan. You'll know when it gets here."
She giggled happily. "And I know you'll do fine!"
Hanako giggled as well, bewildered.
"You're crazy. But I like your ears!"
Felicia unhanded the book and passed it to Hanako, smiling graciously.
"Thanks...this should help."
Hanako accepted it and scanned the title again. It seemed so sinister, but
she couldn't help but want to find out more. It smelled musty and the pages
on the inside had turned brown with age.
"It looks...interesting."
Felicia's ears flicked in the sunlight and she looked up, a worried shine in
her eyes. The boughs of the cherry tree creaked as a rain of flowers
collapsed around her. Pink and white spiralled. Through the bridal colours
Hanako could hear Felicia hissing.
"No! Not now! You little jerk!"
A flash of red swept down from the branches, knocking Hanako over on her
back, still clutching the black book. She heard an angry growl from above
her, so she opened her eyes. Mere inches from her face stood a red-headed
boy. His face was flustered and bitter with annoyance. His green eyes stared
at her coldly with disgust.
"You little jerk! I told you before! Back off!"
Felicia grabbed him by his collar and pushed him up against the tree trunk.
"Let me go, woman! Before I kick your teeth in." the boy screamed. "I have
business with that one!" he narrowed his eyes at Hanako. Smoothly he paced
up the tree, still being held fast by Felicia. He flipped his body over her
and landed directly behind her, twisting her in an arm-lock.
"Urg! You touch her, Akira, and I'll crush your throat!"
He threw his head back and laughed.
"And just how are you going to do that, Kitty? Scratch me to death? Talbain
couldn't stop me and I don't intend to let you get in my way."
Felicia bucked out of his grasp and crouched on the floor, her claws leaving
ridged lines in the earth.
"I'm warning you, you arrogant little virus. She's got it ."  She looked at
Hanako. "Go on, get out of here..."
Hanako scrambled to her feet. She backed away quietly. She hugged the book
tighter and bolted towards the entrance, through the doors and into the
shadows of the north study block.
"She has, Akira! She has what it takes..."
"Yes! And so do I!" Akira yelled
"I knoooow! I told you! Fifty times if I recall!" Felicia screamed, flailing
her hands.
"So why are you going after that bimbo? I can take the journey on my own!"
The catwoman grabbed him by the shirt and dragged him towards her face.
"You are a werewolf, so you may have to listen very carefully...."
Akira snorted and shrugged out of her grip. "She is the other side to your
coin. The white to your black. You need her."
"Feh...."
"Listen to me, Akira. She is a half-blood. She needs your protection."
"She'll slow me down! half-blood! What a stupid...!"
Felicia giggled and flicked her hair over her shoulder.
"What? What's so funny?" Akira raged, his muscles tensing.
"Darling, you're a werewolf. A werewolf! You are a half-blood too!"
Akira screamed, punching the ground. Rock shrapnel pelted the surroundings
and Felicia stepped backwards calmly.
"But that's more of an advantage than a weakness."
Akira remained still, breathing heavily.
"Listen, Akira. In the wane of your blood, you are shielded from the other
darkstalkers, your dark soul being suppressed. You can avoid them as if you
were a phantom. Invisible. A full-blood couldn't do that."
"B-but... at t-the same time... half...half-blood's power...weaken. I'M SO
USELESS!!" he screamed again, howling in rage.
"Shhh...shh." She whispered, smoothing his hair. He jerked away from her
touch. She lowered her voice.
"Look, Akira. That's not...necessarily true." Akira looked around at her
coldly.
"What? Are you serious?"
Felicia nodded.
"Strangely, a half-blood has the ability to gain power...much more rapidly
than a full-blood. When two half-bloods come together... fight for one
another... they gain from each others purity, rather than the power dark. 
They could be an unstoppable force. Do you remember the teachings John
taught you?"
Akira ran his hands through is hair.
"Yeah. The only thing that can banish the tainted dark is the purity of the
light."
"Yes. And what could be more pure than love?"
Akira laughed bitterly.
"You expect me to fall in love with that?"
Felicia smiled.
"Stop thinking with your crotch. It would be nice but...." She giggled.
"What I mean is the love and trust from friendship."
The red-haired boy snarled.
"What a pile of..."
"Oh knock it off, Wolf-boy. I mean it. It may not seem possible. But if
you...allow it... you could really have a powerful alliance with her."
"Yeah, yeah... more powerful than an alliance of you and...oh, lets say...
John Talbain?" Felicia flushed and looked down.
"Possibly, yes. I am full-blood remember. All catwoman and I live with the
darkness everyday of my life. She doesn't. I would stake my life on it."
"I'll never be friends with that ditz. She hasn't even entered her powers
for crying out loud! What does that tell you about your little friend's
abilities?"
"May I remind you, that her powers are natural? They come from within, and
will be ready when she needs them and not a moment too soon. You only have
your powers as they were given to you on a silver platter, pure and simple."
"I am still the most powerful." Akira snorted.
"Yes. I know. But you wait. Her gifts may be dark, but her soul isn't. That
is why I have entrusted her with the black book."
"What!?" Akira charged at her, dragging her to the floor. "You gave her the
book! She has the secrets! She can't handle that! She a weakling!"
"And just how do you know that?"
"I did my own research! She a stuck-up brown-noser who loves herself. I'd
rather be a common dog that protect her!"
Felicia laughed loudly.
"Caught your eye, has she, Akira? Sounds-like-some-ones-been-spying!" She
sang teasingly.
He howled again, but was silenced by a slicing kick from the catwoman.
"You are not a wolf now, Akira... so SHUT UP!!"
He sprung up, wiping dirt from his eyes.
"I want that book!!! Where is she?! I'll kill her before she can transform!"
He charged off towards the building, his hair shimmering in the light.
"Akira!!!" Felicia called after him. "The book is only one way to learn of
your full power!!" He didn't stop running.
"Akira!! Evolve together!! Help each other!! Listen to me!! The true power
is in the light!"