5 Chapter 5

Nearly five years have passed since Scarlett had crossed the borders towards the neighbouring continent, Amestris. With her old butler and the young master's continuous support, Scarlett had a place to stay and her future secured. It was impressive that James had accurately predicted Scarlett's next move-- he had a car and an empty apartment ready for times like this. Upon arrival at Amestris, she had been reached out by a man whose face was a carbon copy of Noh Eun-Ho. Scarlett had frowned, had read the card she was given before making sure she was not mistaken. Since then, Scarlett was now an accomplished woman who effortlessly scored top marks for her high school examinations and an honoured combat specialist who graduated the law enforcement training academy with flying colours.

She had led a peaceful life for the past five years. The same sunrise shone on the same mahogany mantelpiece lit up, invited itself into the dark living room. Only the photographs and the simplest design of furniture could tell how much time had passed. From a depressed youth to a successful combat specialist. Scarlett could say she was quite complacent of her current lifestyle.

[5 years later]

The third floor of Cyprus Residence. The owner of the cosy home was fast asleep at the moment, warmly wrapped under the quilt covers. But not for long. Her smartphone she had left charging on the nightstand made the first noise of the day. Its rambunctious ringtone buzzed loudly. Without even opening her eyes, a hand reached for the infuriating device. She hit the green button in record time.

"SCARLETT KO!" the voice on the other end screeched. The high-pitched tone confirmed it had belonged to a female. At the sound of the demanding voice, the sleepiness and heavy drowsiness from sleep was suddenly vanquished, her mind was refreshed and ready for battle.

Scarlett glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It read: 7:30AM. She frowned, sighing in displeasure at the exuberant voice on the other end. She was disturbed from her beautiful sleep. "Amara…." She began.

"Finally!" the voice identified as 'Amara' cheered happily in delight. "I thought I was being ignored. I was so lonely!"

Scarlett groaned. It has only been two days since.

"Did you say something?" Amara continued.

"Nothing. Nothing…" Scarlett said quickly. "So, what is it this time?"

Scarlett skilfully changed the topic. She manoeuvred the conversation away from herself. The news, however, was never more satisfying. She was summoned for duty. And today was her day off. Double groan.

"You promised me! We're supposed to meet at the library!" Amara protested in denial. She was not bothered by the fact she had disturbed Scarlett on her rare day off. "Get a move on! You're going to be late!"

"You should've told me earlier!"

Scarlett hastily returns the smartphone back onto the nightstand and tossed the quilt covers aside. She stripped the day-old loungewear, dropping them into the small hamper in the corner and stepped into a hot shower. Twenty minutes was all she needed. She was neatly dressed and refreshed. She picked her smartphone from the nightstand and a black, leather handbag she carelessly tossed after coming back from duty two days ago.

Scarlett pulled back the curtains, allowing the morning sunlight into the dim chambers. Walking past the kitchen, she grabbed a piece of last night's toast from the fridge and exited her apartment, a satisfied smug etched across her vacant face. The lock blinks red, signalling the lock was activated and secured. She turned on her heels towards the elevator on the right. Her satisfied smug faltered to a nervous smile in mere seconds. The smothering aunt with five children had just left hers for her morning errands. She held a large basket in her hands.

The middle-aged lady neighbour gasped in amazement at the sight of Scarlett leaving her abode. Her eyes widened, taking in every detail of her appearance. She was the owner of the rumored next-door neighbour. She was impressed by Scarlett's alluring appearance. The lady had scrutinized Scarlett from head-to-toe. Scarlett was the ideal daughter-in-law she would prefer her sons to ask for hand in marriage. What made Scarlett an outlier was the visible long, sheathed sword fixed to the holster on her hip.

"It's such a rare sight to see you up so early!" the lady exclaimed. She was glad she finally was able to see who was living next-door. Scarlett stared blankly at her neighbour. Was this a haunted residence she wasn't aware of?

"It's nice to see you too!" Scarlett didn't want to stay long. She hopped into the elevator when their floor lit up. She pressed the buttons before the middle-aged lady could say probe for more information. She hoped it was the first, and the last she would bump into that smothering lady. She knew what kind of person she was. Giving birth to five children, her shrill voice travelled through the windows when her children did not complete their tasks or slept in on their days off. She was the kind of person that irked Scarlett.

Scarlett ran across the bustling streets and hopped onto the next bus headed for Howard Avenue. It was where her entourage was supposed to meet. It took Scarlett exactly ten minutes to arrive at her destination. Her steps halted as she approached the grand entrance of the stadium. It was a rare sight. The barren streets were filled with people. Students from various schools equipped with their own weapon of choice strolled the streets. Scarlett noticed some were from local high schools such as Newbridge College and Milford Academy. The presence of these competitors reminded Scarlett of the upcoming national kendo competition.

"Over here!" Amara called. Scarlett turned, spotting Amara two blocks away from the convention centre. She sighed as she spotted Amara not far from where she was. Scarlett turned on her heels and joined Amara. Two blocks away, the building was the national library owned by Ridgeway Institute. As students of said academy, they were granted permission to use the facility as they please.

Passing the guards at the entrance who gave them a small smile upon recognizing the black uniform of Ridgeway Institute, the pair of friends ascended the flight of stairs in the corner. Amara had pulled Scarlett along as she ran excitedly cheerfully to the bookshelves. She halted near the new arrivals section and picked up a thick-bound book. It was the book Amara had ordered the other day: An Introduction to Eastern Mythology.

Scarlett had stared blankly at the book. After browsing for an interesting pick, Scarlett and Amara settled down at the table near the windows. The scenery was thrilling. The clear waterfall, vast greenery, and sky with the bluest hue. Scarlett smiled and turned a page. Both were engrossed in reading before a piercing shriek penetrated the silence. The rare few who were enjoying the peace of tranquillity were startled from their reading.

"Scarlett, look!" Amara had pointed to the window. Curious, she peered at the window below. Few adults had gathered around a small spot. Scarlett frowned. It was not because they had found precious gold. Someone had fallen over. A girl was ganged against three grown adults. Scarlett clicked their tongue. Scarlett and Amara recognized the girl's silver hair. She was a victim of school bullying.

The loud sobs, and the sneers from her perpetrators. All of them were big, fat, and stupid. And Julian was the biggest, fattest, and stupidest of the lot. He was their leader. It was a group of bullies. Julian was Ridgeway Institute's vice-headmaster's nephew. Because of that, he thought he was so great. His pudgy feet trudged the streets as he announced the greatness of his status. Everyone was terrified of Julian and his entourage, but not Scarlett. All of them were quite happy to participate in Julian's favourite pastime: Girls Hunting.

Scarlett and Amara put down their books and raced down the steps. Puzzled by their frantic behaviour, the guards rushed after them. "Where's the fire?!" they had asked. Turns out it wasn't a fire. It was a typical scene of bullying. And the boy was the vice-headmaster's nephew. No one could touch him.

"Let her go, Pig Julian!" Amara had yelled. She charged towards them and knocked them off-balance. All of them were big and fat. Because of their size, they were mistaken for being adults. Despite their small and delicate figure, Scarlett and Amara had humiliated Julian and his gangs several times. As girls were fragile and powerless by nature, it makes them a good target for Julian and his gang. And several times, things didn't go as smoothly as they wanted. Scarlett and Amara intentionally made things more difficult for them. They effortlessly dragged these pigs through the mud.

Julian's pudgy cheeks stretched into a grin at the sight of Scarlett and Amara. It's time for the main dish. Julian let go of the poor girl's silver hair. The girl breathed in relief; her wobbly knees gave away and collapsed onto the soft grass. The bullies turned towards their new target: Scarlett. Amara expertly dodged the bullies and ran towards the victim.

"Ashley! Are you okay?!" Amara was extremely worried. Ashley was just another victim of Julian's whims to provoke Scarlett. Scarlett was unusually calm and silent. Amara could tell as her friend what Scarlett had felt. She was outraged. Her anger had flared. Amara knew by experience, the space between the bullies and Scarlett was turning into a battlefield.

Amara had called for an ambulance, hauling the victim to a safe place. The poor girl blackout after discovering a secret spot in a small corner. They were safe there.

Julian and his friends cracked their knuckles. "Are you going against three of us today? Three against one. That sounds promising. I can't wait to see that smug smirk wiped from your high throne."

Scarlett's expression was indifferent. His words were unaffected against Scarlett. "Only if you can."

"Aren't you drawing your weapon?" they taunted.

They knew Scarlett was forbidden from drawing the weapon after their first attack three years ago. Scarlett had just transferred to Ridgeway, and as bullies who had to keep their name, made Scarlett their target. They had underestimated Scarlett. Julian and the bullies sustained grave injuries for almost a week in the hospital. Despite the vice-headmaster's protest, the pleas were ignored. The headmaster made the decision to forgive Scarlett and forbade her from using her sword. After all, it was Julian and his friend's fault that they ended up in the hospital.

"Against three pigs? I don't need my sword." Scarlett's words were emotionless and icy.

Everything was over within seconds. Scarlett made sure to use the most excruciating technique on Julian. Payback against the girls who fell at his filthy hands. Unforgivable. Scarlett's swift kick smashed against Julian's jaw, his joints possibly cracked and was sent flying into the reinforced concrete across the field; his pudgy followers had their ribs crushed when Scarlett performed the grappling technique.

Julian and his followers braced their injuries as they ran with tails between their legs. "We'll remember this! This isn't over." Scarlett and Amara could already imagine the disapproving expression of their tiresome vice-principal.

That evening, Scarlett and Amara found themselves in detention for lifting another finger on her beloved nephew. Julian stood at the doorway with bandages wrapped around him like an ancient Egyptian ceremonially preserved corpse known as a mummy. He stared at them smugly, satisfied at the punishment Scarlett and Amara had to go through.

"If I see one more time, any funny business, you'll be expelled before you can fulfil your promise with the headmaster!"

Scarlett and Amara were assigned to clean the vice-principal's office, which no one wanted. It was dreadful. The books were dusty, the bookshelves were musty. Scarlett figured no one must have stepped foot for ages. It was almost nine when Amara dozed on the desk while sorting the old books. Scarlett glanced left, then right. She looked for surveillance cameras and possible peeping toms. Ensuring there was none, she drew the thick curtains close.

"Luna, come out." Scarlett whispered. "Clean this place." The mythical crystal which couldn't be found materialized itself on the desk. It glowed, delighted their master had called for 'Luna'. As if magic worked its wonders, the old books were sorted, and the office was sparkling clean.

"Amara, Amara." Scarlett woke her best friend. "Wake up. Are you going to spend the night here?" She pointed to the clock. Amara was startled, so hard she fell off the chair. A clean office and sorted books greeted her presence. What had happened while she was sleeping? Did a fairy godmother pass by?

Amara was astounded. She pointed feebly at the cleaned office. Scarlett nodded. "C'mon. Let's go."

"What happened?" Amara asked curiously.

"Someone had to do the work." Scarlett's blank stare made her doubt her answer seriously but thought best not to argue. She knew exactly what would happen if one decided to argue against Scarlett, Ridgeway's strongest combat specialist. She had enough experience to prove it.

Ridgeway Institute was surrounded by forensics and search teams the next morning. Both Scarlett and Amara exchanged puzzled glances. The pair of best friends joined the last row of the crowd, their necks strained to catch a glimpse of what was happening in the courtyard. Scarlett frowned when she saw golden stripes on the personnel's sleeves near the entrance. One had a single stripe. Another had three stripes.

Scarlett paled. She grabbed Amara. "Let's take the back entrance."

One officer had left his post and was standing behind Scarlett and Amara with his arms folded. "And where do you think you're going, Scarlett Ko?"

Oh shit. Busted.

With special approval, Scarlett and Amara were allowed onto the site. The horrified scene of Julian's most recent victim: Ellie Smith. Brutally and ruthlessly beaten and tortured to death.