Chapter 2

'What's wrong with grandma?'

Fiddling with the straps of her bag, the child let her brown orbs follow the elderly woman as she paced around the room in panic.

"Where is she?"

Her wrinkled lips murmured as her features uncovered the distress she felt.

"Grandma, where's mama?"

The child's voice barely came above a whisper as she blinked in wonder. Her mother was always at work, that she knew but her mother was never the type to not come home especially on a special day like today which was why the little girl had to ask.

"I have no idea myself, Celestia."

A forced smile plastered itself onto her grandmother's face as she moved towards the five-year-old. She positioned her hands on Celestia's shoulders in a gentle manner and drove the tiny female out the house and into a hired car. Her long jet black locks were ruffled as she caught the pleasant expression her grandmother sent in her direction.

"Do not worry about your mother. Just enjoy your first day at school."

Celestia nodded her head in eager and bounced with excitement, amusing the elderly lady who chuckled. Shutting the door, her grandmother then ordered the chauffeur to take Celestia to school earning a nod from the driver.

"Please let everything go well,"

She whispered to herself as she gradually turned, shuffling back into the well-built mansion but what the corner of her eye managed to grab a hold of made her sharply turn her head back and observe the figure who staggered towards her, their attire covered in dirt.

"Rosella?" She breathed out her daughters name in astonishment, many questions appearing in her mind which she wished to voice out but she remained silent as the younger of the two walked past as if she hadn't notice her presence.

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The elegant car came to a halt and Celestia brightened up as she identified the school building she would be attending to. The older man who was hired as her chauffeur made it manageable for the Celestia to leave the car by opening the door and using his hand to gesture towards the school, a practiced smile plastered on his face. She hopped out the vehicle and beamed in the direction of the driver, revealing her gratitude.

"Thank you."

She nodded her head in respect earning a chuckle from him.

"You are most welcome, Miss Celestia."

He bowed towards her with grace and shortly after, he bid goodbye to the dark haired girl. She then averted her focus onto the group of children who decided to chase each other in the vast playground before class began. Her legs began to function as she sprinted, wanting to join them so she could play but also try to make a friend but a cry of surprise left her lips at the same point she felt her backside hit against the pavement.

Tears welled up in her eyes as pain sprung up her back but she tilted back her head as her ears sensed an unfamiliar deep voice.

"A weapon contractor?"

The man could be described as plain, his face round while his eyes and hair matched, their colour being brown. He had stepped in the way of her path which resulted in the girl bumping into his leg and falling to the ground. The collision brought his attention onto her and he knew then that he had found the correct child the other foolish human had offered.

Puzzled by the unknown man's choice of words, Celestia merely sniffed but her features soon after told how amazing it was when his appearance began to morph into another. Red eyes as dark as blood and lightly tanned skin was what she managed to take in through her own pair before the odd creature raised his finger, muttering a few words under his breath.

"Get up."

Celestia's shock increased further once her body moved on its own and straightened up as she stiffly approached a child who turned his gaze onto her. His eyes glistened with curiosity, the emotion alternating to surprise as she took one step forward and shoved him back. A gasp resonated through the area as he landed on his back, his elbow scraping against the ground. The boy burst into tears, the attention of the other children settling onto the scene she had created and it brought them to come over to form a circle around Celestia and the injured boy. All the muscles in her body loosened up and it took a small occasion of time for Celestia to become conscious of the fact that she was no longer in control.

"She pushed me!" This lead her out of her trance and she became aware that the spotlight had moved onto her.

"It wasn't me! That old man made me do it!" She accused, pointing towards the man who she could only see.

If only they could see the same.

Celestia didn't notice a boy and girl advance towards her until she was brutally pushed, meeting the stony ground in less than a second.

"You better not do that again, you meanie!" A little schoolboy pointed at her in what she thought to be a threatening way.

The injured boy was helped up and as they all left her behind to take him to the school nurse, what occurred next was what Celestia feared.

She was alone.

"That was quite fun to watch." The man from earlier revealed a smile that was bright but his red orbs showed the opposite.

Glowering at the creature in a neatly dressed disguise, Celestia's lips parted to vociferate but she was controlled once more by the single movement of his finger. Her feet involuntary marched towards an abandoned side of the building, the male following after her. Even in such a situation, the male was at ease but once Celestia stopped in her tracks, he glanced in every direction, making sure that they were alone.

"You old man!" She threw all sorts of insults as she strived to take control of the muscles in her tiny form once more.

He scowled at this and sharply poked her forehead. Tears blurred her vision as she whimpered but the irritation that darkened the atmosphere surrounding him made her nibble on the bottom of her lip, preventing her voice from being heard once more.

"Listen here brat. I'm not old…I'm not even a human," He remarked, mumbling the last part more to himself.

The young girl managed to hear every word and blinked, puzzlement lingering in her brown orbs. The black haired male brought himself out of his daze and focused back on his task. Celestia's eyes enlarged as she witnessed his pupils shrink by becoming thinner while his four canine teeth sharpened. A satisfying smirk was revealed as he saw her body tremble with fear.

"Here's the deal. If you don't want something like that happening again, then you'll give me your life."

Without delay, she gestured her agreement. She didn't want to face the situation again that occurred earlier, she didn't want this weird man or whatever he was to make her into a bully and most of all, she didn't want to be isolated by the other children.

"Good. You are now to become my weapon." He grabbed one of her fingers and a wince was heard from Celestia when he broke the layer of skin with his sharp nail.

Blood oozed out the wound and landed on his hand. He used his finger soon after to spread the red colour across his palm to create a cross. He bit his own finger to draw blood before drawing the same shape on Celestia's hand. A loud hiss reached her ears once the crimson liquid began to burn but her mind was clouded in pain to even notice. She clutched the area where her heart was located and a childish scream echoed throughout the area, her closed eyelids shooting open. The cries of agony soon died down and the black haired girl raised her head. The male took in her new expression and he grinned maliciously. Her brown orbs were now a flaming red, matching his. He straightened up, pointing forward as he let out an order.

"Go."

Celestia lifelessly placed a hand on her heart as she spoke without a single spark of emotion.

"Yes Zerro," She automatically replied.

Once she took a step forward, her mind grew hazy while her vision blurred. The strength that held onto her legs withered away and she tipped forward, her cheek making contact with the dusty ground. It took a moment for Zerro to comprehend the conclusion of the situation.

"This is going to take a lot longer than I thought," He grumbled, his eyebrows knitting together in aggravation.

Zerro crouched down once more and cruelly jabbed a finger in her pressure point to wake her up. Gasping, Celestia awakened and coughed violently. Not giving her a chance to rest, her body moved against her own will for the third time and she felt the urge to cry but her breath caught itself in her throat as the words he spoke next rung in her ears.

"I better get you to class. You wouldn't want to be late on your first day," He mockingly scolded her before letting out a sinister laugh.

Panic flashed across her face as she made her way to the entrance of the primary school.

"Y-You said you wouldn't do it again!" She exclaimed in protest.

"I did? I can't seem to remember that." The wicked glint that surfaced in his eyes caused the tears she was making an effort to hold back to finally slide down her chubby cheeks.

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The doors to the massively expensive mansion opened and in came Celestia who stepped through without speaking a single word.

"Celestia, how was…" Her grandmother stepped out of a room and smiled when she saw the young child but it faltered once she spotted the empty gleam in her eyes.

Rosella paused by her mother's side and observed her daughter as she drifted up the stairs in a miserable fashion. The form behind Celestia revealed itself only to the brown haired beauty and her posture relaxed. She sent a quick nod towards Zerro before glancing at the petite girl, not a single piece of guilt sewing itself upon her heart.

As long as she was safe, she didn't care that she sacrificed her child.