*Calamity*

"Nightshade," Aster called out to me. Nightshade was the name she had chosen to give me during my stay in this world. She also didn't seem to like calling me 'Calamity', saying it made me seem like a bad omen.

I opened my tired eyes as the train sped eastward. We were to meet with Mai and Mei in a town called 'Yozora'. From there, we would plan our next step in regards to freeing Etsuo, Roa, Man-kin, and retrieving Dine from the enemy.

"Sorry," I said, sitting upright.

"If you're tired, then rest. I know it has been a long ride without much for you to do. I'll let you know when we arrive," Aster said, smiling warmly.

I leaned against her shoulder and smiled. "Thanks, grandma." I closed my eyes and returned to sleep. Sleep... an odd concept for abyssmals based on the information Kaguya gave me before my awakening. Most of us didn't need it, with a small exception every set number of years. Yet, I got tired very quickly. Why was that?

***

I opened my eyes and found myself in a dark pit, wandering. "Where am I? Grandma! Where you? Grandma Aster?" I shouted.

"No one is coming," a voice called out. I turned around and saw a white-haired boy with red eyes. I gasped. "W-why do you look like me?"

The boy who was dressed in what looked like rags smiled. "It's because I am you, Calamity."

"You're me?" I asked, walking over to him. Suddenly, he vanished into the mist.

"Yes. The old you. The one who is no more," his voice rang from behind me.

"No more?" I asked, turning around. He vanished once again.

"Yes... like a cherry blossom in spring. One who comes one day and is gone soon after," he said, reappearing in front of me. He placed a hand on the gem in the center of my chest and smiled. I gasped as he vanished.

I touched my head and collapsed to the liquid-like floor. The darkness wrapped itself around me, sinking me into its shadowy embrace.

What's going?

***

[Years Ago- Unknown Location]

The bars of the cell that was once a wine cellar taunted me. It'd been two lunar cycles since I'd last stepped outside and a quarter of that time since I previously ate. My thoughts of the girl who I shared my last meal with filled my dreams. She looked as bad as me. Had her parents abandoned her or had she ran away?

If only I could run away, away from this prison I once considered home. If I could then I would have found that girl and helped her out. If only I had that chance...

My stomach grumbled for nourishment.

I bit at my nails to keep it calm. Sadly, it was useless. I had already bit a great deal of my fingernails away. Any additional chewing of them would draw blood, well more blood, that is.

I pulled my fingers away from my mouth and laid my back against the stiff bed. Sleep wanted to take over. My eyes twitched as they struggled to resist it.

I couldn't help but wonder...was the girl whom I shared that meal with still alive? Or was she on the brink of death's door too?

Then... sleep had finally won.

*Piedad*

[Past-Meanwhile in Kaguya, Kuroriku]

I glanced at the broken sidewalk littered with glass bottles, cigarette buds, and even the occasional needle. Looking down at my bare-feet, I turned around and walked back where I had come from. It was getting late, I had to find a place to sleep. I thought of the albino boy who shared his loaf of bread with me. He seemed like he was also starving so at first, I had hesitated to accept. In the end, I took half of what was probably his only meal in weeks.

"You're lost, little girl?" a voice called out. I stopped and looked up from the floor and saw a well-dressed blond teenager with bright crimson eyes. He was likely three years older than me, putting his age around sixteen. He smiled strangely.

"I'm not lost," I responded, looking back at the ground. What was a well-dressed kid like him doing in this part of town? "How about you?"

"Aren't you adorable?" he said, holding out his hand to me. "Come, let's get you dressed up nicely and full."

I shook my hands. "I was taught at school to avoid strangers."

He frowned. "Come on, I'm just trying to help! No need to be rude."

I turned left. "Thanks for the offer though." I jogged into an alley.

What was that guy's problem? Something about him was off.

The sound of footsteps behind me grew louder.

Was he following me? I ran into a larger street filled with people.

The teen appeared from the narrow street as I hid behind an abandoned stall. He looked around at every direction he could. His eyes frightened me. They were like those of a cat hunting mice.

It was a good thing that I had listened to my instincts rather than my stomach.

He asked the woman nearby me something and handed her a great deal of money. He smiled as he approached my stall casually.

I got up and pushed the stall toward him and turned right. This guy wanted something more than just to help me. I bumped into someone else, this time it was another boy. He wore the same uniform as the last guy. This one had short blue hair and very pretty features for a guy. I held my breath, was there an organization after me?

Are you alright?" the blue-haired boy asked. His face was serious, but at the same time showed concern.

"Someone... is after me," I managed to say between gasps. My breathing was heavy, not only from running but also due to lack of food. "He...lp..."

The serious boy squatted to my eye-level and held my shoulders firmly but at the same time gently. "Calm down and tell me who is after you."

I gasped for air once more. My mouth was dry, too dry. The boy's face and everyone around me became hazy.

"Hey!" the handsome blue-haired boy yelled. "Little, girl!" He took out a phone and started to dial a number. "Hello, this is Serrano. I need an ambulance here, quick! A young girl seems to be having a seizure of some kind."

I staggered forward and that was when darkness finally took over.

*Calamity*

[Past: Cell- Unknown Location]

I awoke in cold sweat and sat up. I stared at my bloody hands. I had an awful dream in which the girl from before was being chased by a creep whose intentions seemed suspect. I hoped she was fine.

Someone knocked on the bars. I glanced up from my hands as the sound of the bars being unlocked echoed across the room. Standing at the front of the cell was a woman with wavy brown hair and light purple eyes. Mother. She glared at me intensely as usual, so I avoided her eyes as much as I could get away with doing so.

"Calamity," Mother said, putting a hand on her right hip. "Stand up and bathe. Ya meal is waiting at the door. Ya may go out for fifteen minutes. If ya fail to return here before time is up ya'll be grounded with no food for a month. Understood?"

"Yes, Ma," I said, looking down. I got up and ran to the bathroom upstairs in what was once my older brother's room. Back when I was little it used to be mine too.

I missed spending time with my big brother. He was a kind but rather cowardly guy. Still, I loved him despite those faults. He was the only one who actually seemed to care for me. Our pa left us when we were little and Ma preferred not to see me at all.

I took off my rags for clothes and jumped into the bathtub and turned on the shower. It had been awhile since I had felt so cleansed. Part of me felt like falling asleep, to allow myself to be taken by the gentleness of the element.

I got out half an hour later and looked at myself in the mirror. I grabbed brother's comb and fixed my long white hair. I had inherited it from my father, it was probably why she hated me. My hair reminded her of him. She also hated my deep red eyes, but Pa had pretty blue ones.

I shook my head as I found myself clenching my face. Why did she hate the way I looked? It wasn't my fault I got Pa's hair. If she really hated it, she could've bought me some hair-dye and contacts. That would've solved that.

I put the blue comb back where it belonged and ran out. Waiting for me on top of big bro's bed was a black robe and a mask alongside the usual clothing items. I got dressed and then put on the robe and the creepy half-moon mask.

Once done, I ran down stairs and headed straight toward the exit of the prison. I yanked the sack lunch hanging from the front door before running outside.

Outside, the sun was rising but vast stretches of fog covered its beauty. I sat down in a random patch of grass and pulled out a loaf of bread and some juice. Along with them, I found a red clock dialing down to fourteen minutes.

Slowly, I ate half of my bread and drank half of my juice with gusto. I put the rest back into the bag for later and pulled out the clock, now at ten minutes. I bended the plastic with my tight grasp. I threw it into the sky and ran for it. I ran into the fog, I ran for my life. Mother didn't come out after me. She likely thought that I was playing around. I kept at it, going as far as my short, skinny legs could take me.

"I'm coming to find ya," I whispered into the fog, putting my leftovers under my cloak.

A city...with both rich and poor...There were many according to the books big bro had given me to pass the time. The capital, though. That fit the bill the best plus she did tell me that she wanted to see it. It was going to be a long trip but I was prepared to endure any pain necessary... Plus, maybe I could see my big bro too! I could even convince him to help me!

**Solar Question: I hope that you enjoyed this chapter :). Currently debating on whether or not to make this into a mini arc or not. Some of the memories I do plan to save for later. So thoughts on the mysterious Calamity and Piedad?**