7 Chapter Seven: Corrupted Bonds

I slipped on my suit and tie. Glaring at myself in the mirror, I for once looked presentable. Wearing fancy shoes, blacker than the suit I wore, you could see your reflection due to it being polished. Pulling at the suit, it fit tightly on me, just how I like it. Running my hand through my hair, I didn't like my hair having an presentable appearance so I messed it up. Happy with how I looked, I exited the fitting room and into the lobby. Right now, Anne and I were in the lobby of her ancestral home, belonging to none of her family, just a place to meet. Isolated from cities, it rested in a forest in some part of Canada. Anne's ancestors orginally came from Canada, and most of her family stayed other than her parents. In the neighboring fitting room came out Anne.

In a black dress, a rare sight for me, Anne had her hair done in big exaggerated curls. With makeup put on her face by the woman who later walked out, Anne showed signs of struggle when walking in her heels.

Going to her side, I took her arm, intertwined with mine. 'Need help?'

'Yeah,' she whispered.

Walking into the neighboring lobby room, we appeared as an elegant couple, all to discreetly keep the fact she couldn't walk in heels.

'So many people,' I looked around. On the invitation Anne recieved, it told of use that after the will was read and followed through, a party was to be held. People that weren't in anyway related to Anne drunk and ate waiting for us, the family, to finish the meet.

Struggling up the stairs, Anne did her best to show no signs of struggle. Holding her dress slightly up with her right, and her left wrapped in my arm, we made our way to the top. Pushing the doors open, there the resf of the family waited.

'We said family only!' One shouted.

'Yes, and Zen is my adoptive brother,' Anne pulled away.

'Adopted yes,' Mrs.White stood, 'But we mean blood.'

'Aunt White, Zen and I were practically raised together!'

'Unlike my silly sister, I do intend to follow rules,' she referred Mrs.Sullivan.

'But-'

Another family member stood, this time it was Aunt White's brother.

'C'mon Betty!,' Mrs.Sullivan's twin brother, Don White, stood. 'We'll just make him stand on the sidelines.'

Fuming, Aunt White sat back down, arms crossed, 'Fine.'

Mr.White tipped his hat before sitting down.

'Finally,' one member shouted.

Taking her seat, Anne gestured for me to stand behind her.

Walking from behind some curtains, a bald man in an all white suit emerged. Holding some papers, he looked up at the family.

'Hello dear Whites,' he bowed.

'Charles!' The family shouted in unison.

'You all remember your reason of summons, yes?'

Charles was Anne's late grandparents butler, who now serves all family members. What he spoke of, our summons, was also addressed on the letter. It spoke how due to the late death of both Anne's parents, that he would be reading their will aloud.

'Indeed,' Mrs.White nodded.

'Then I'll get too it,' he cleared his throat, ' "Dear White Family, If our combined willed is being read currently by Charles, then without a doubt, we've passed onto the next life. Of course we wouldn't want to pass on and leave you fortunate bastards nothing-" '

The letter went on, naming each family member who was present and what they've received. Of all who'd been named, none got any of the Sullivan's money. I'd have to say of all the family members, the Sullivan's were the richest from their professions and previous gifts in the form of money from Anne's late grandparents.

Charles caught my attention once more, ' "-Now those bastards have been given our prize possessions and home and other things we wished to give, to our beloved children. Anne, we know you have all our fortune, but so none of our greedy family tries to claim it from you; The money belongs to Anne and no one else. And to Zen, our adopted child, we wish for you to marry our daughter and become our son in law. We know you two may at first deny it, but remember we raised you two we, know how you truely feel." And that concludes the will,' Charles cleared his throat.

I immediately turned to hide my face.

'That's disgusting,' Uncle White stood.

'Outrageous, such insolence and an insufferable decision to be made,' the other White family members threw an outrage.

I don't fully blame them afterall. The letter gifted most of them insults rather than anything. An example of this was Uncle Steven White had gotten a stuffed pair of boobs as a gift. A hoax made by Mr.Sullivan.

Pushing her chair back into me, Anne stood and slammed her palms onto the table, 'Will you all pipe down!'

I stumbled back somewhat.

'My parents are dead and this is their final words to this world and,' Anne was breaking into tears, 'And you all have the audacity to speak!'

I took Anne's hand, 'C'mon, let's just go to the party below.'

She took my sleeve and wiped her eyes, 'Yeah,' she sniffled up her crushed pride.

Locking arms we made our way towards the door before-

'Hold it!'

We stopped dead in our tracks.

'And will Zen take his part of the will?'

I could tell that this Aunt White speaking. What I couldn't figure out is why she would care for me too? she hated me after all. 'And if I did?'

The doors locked infront of me.

The family members all walked to other side of the room furthest from us. 'Guess it was a mere accident.'

'Anne, behind me,' Turning around I caught Charles putting on a mask.

Behind him emerged men dressed the same as those who came looking for Anne before. 'Were you lot behind the-'

Aunt White peered at the others and shrugged, 'Were we,' she smirked.

Approaching us I gestured them to come at me.

Running at me with wooden bats and pipes they bore the face with no regrets, yet.

Speeding to hit my side with the bat, I grabbed the mans arm and crushed his bones in his arm. To my left another man swung his pipe head level of me. Catching it I pryed it out his palm and smashed his ankles with it. Taking out the other goons I broke one bone atleast for each guy. Leaving just Charles.

A hand rested on my shoulder, 'Step aside,' hate lingered from Anne's mouth. 'I'm done letting my family be talked bad,' she looked at the other family members, 'And I mean my mother and father and not you trash!'

Charles came running towards us, 'I'm sorry miss Sullivan, but I won't ho-'

Anne grabbed Charles's face and slammed him into the ground.

In blink of an eye she went from behind me half way across the room in seconds.

'Wanna be next?'

An terrifying feeling came off from Anne, not murderous but far from merciful. Looking at her other family they all cowered in fear huddled together.

Grabbing my hand Anne head to the door, 'Then we'll be taking our leave.'

Initially I didn't notice but we both used our powers without outfit swapping or conjuring our weapons, though we were limited to what we could do.

Pulling me beside, Anne locked her arm with mine.

The camaraderie mood that wafted from the lobby of people was pleasant enough to make me wonder.

Brightly lit room.

Guest scattered all over the room.

Some tall and short and pretty and ugly and yet they all gathered under the same roof.

'Hey Anne,' I said softly.

Leading me outside the building after calling in a limo to take us she half looked at me, 'Zen?'

I thought hard about what I was gonna say. 'About the will-'

'I do love you-'

'Wait you do?'

'But like that of a soldier, you shouldn't create close bonds.'

At first I didn't get what she meant. After putting it together my image of the weak girl who needed my protection was a lot stronger than I thought or remembered.

Her long, coiled, blond hair rest on her shoulders and past that. In a dress pitch black and heels that she couldn't walk in not too long ago, my idea of who Anne was to me change somewhat, but not completely.