The young red-haired girl skipped around the Outer Gardens. She shouldn't have been there all alone. But she really didn't care. It was so pretty and she never got hurt before. Nothing in the entire city seemed to be harmful to her. Or to anyone for that matter. They always had peace and nothing was going to change that.

Except perhaps the strange blue things that were suddenly popping up.

The strange creatures had appeared only a short while ago, causing chaos and damage wherever they were. And while most people seemed afraid of them, Kiu was not. She was more curious than anything. After all, she thought they were very cute and would like nothing more than to be able to pet one of them. But every time she got close to one, it would run away from her as if she was carrying a disease.

Kiu smiled brightly as she saw one of the creatures scurry past. She quickly followed after it, not paying attention to where she was going. Following the creature, she found herself at the very edge of the Outer Gardens. The blue creature had wrapped itself around a teenage boy. Or at least the redhead suspected him to be a teenage boy. He looked about the same height as Lea and Isa, so that had to count for something.

The boy wore a skin-tight body suit that was black and red in color. Around his waist was a piece of cloth that was held by multiple belts. He had on a mask that covered his face. The blue creature sat on his shoulder making a noise that sounded almost like wind whistling through an enclosed area. 

"Hey mister, are these blue things your pets?" Kiu asked standing on her tip toes to try and better get the boy's attention. The young boy turned toward her. Though she couldn't see his eyes she felt his gaze. She smiled broadly waiting for him to speak, but he didn't. "They're really cute. But anytime I try to get close to one they run away. Can I pet one?" The little girl continued, hoping to prompt the boy into talking. She had no such luck as he only scoffed at her naiveness. "Who are you anyway? I've never seen you around town? Are you new?" Kiu asked, once again hoping for an answer. 

"Do you ever stop asking questions?" The boy asked. His voice was smooth and dark. It further confirmed he wasn't from the area. Kiu had lived in the town her entire life and never heard anyone who sounded anything like that.

"Nope!" she said happily. "Are you from another world? My grandma says sometimes people from other worlds show up and visit." 

"Get lost kid, I don't have time for you." The boy responded, rather than answering the question. Kiu smiled softly.

"Oh, ok." She said. She turned to leave but stopped. She tilted her head to the side, listening to something that no one else seemed to hear. She frowned before turning back to the boy. "Hey mister, she wants me to tell you it won't work," Kiu said. The boy looked at her, his gaze feeling heavy. The little girl swallowed nervously before continuing. "She says it's gonna fail, and even if you catch her she won't help you. She says you can't get salvation cause you were never supposed to exist." 

"What are you talking about?" The boy asked turning to face the child fully. The blue creature on his shoulder made a strange chattering sound, but the boy ignored it. This Flood was just rambling on anyways.

"I dunno," Kiu admitted with a shrug. "She just talks to me sometimes." She smiled brightly turning to skip away from the boy. She stopped her head tilting to the side again. However this time it wasn't because of something she heard, it was something she felt.  "Hey, mister. Are you sad?" Kiu asked turning around.

"What?" The boy asked venomously. His fist clenched as he took a threatening step towards Kiu. But she didn't flinch back. She only stood smiling as she waited for him to answer.

"Are you sad?" Kiu repeated softly. The boy looked away from her. Once again the blue creature on his shoulder made the odd sound. Kiu realized it must have been talking to him, he had to understand it. "I can feel your heart. I know you're sad. And you're lonely and angry too." Kiu said. The boy returned his intense glare to her. She still couldn't see his eyes, but it was no secret.

"What do you know?" The boy hissed out.

"I know that you're heart is hurting, and it's not quite whole. She told me so." Kiu answered matter of factly. The boy's glare was replaced with a frown. Kiu could feel the way his gaze shifted even with the dark glass that covered his face. She found herself wondering why he wore it. Did he think he was ugly? Or was he scared of others?

"Who's she?" The boy asked. Kiu shrugged.

"I dunno. She hasn't told me yet." She said. She lost her bright smile for just a moment looking down to the ground. She kicked at the stones glancing up at the boy. "But she doesn't like you. She's mad at you." 

"Whatever." The boy said looking away again. Kiu regained her bright smile and walked over to the boy tugging on his arm.

"You know mister, I'll be your friend!" Kiu decided smiling up at the boy. He glared down at her, pulling his arm from her grasp.

"What?" He asked.

"I'll be your friend. And if you ever need help I'll help you!" Kiu said simply. She continued smiling brightly up at the boy. He stared at her blankly for a moment. Kiu held back a laugh.

"I don't need your help." The boy eventually decided. Kiu did laugh at that.

"I know. But if you ever do, I'll be here." She said. The boy continued to stare down at her for a moment. His clenched fist slowly relaxed as he realized what the Flood had been trying to tell him. It wasn't just rambling on at all. It was right. There was something wrong with this girl. Something that made her both extremely useful and extremely dangerous all at once.

"Whatever princess." The boy said. Kiu laughed brightly.

"Bye, mister!" She said with a happy wave. She turned and skipped off. She had to go find Lea and Isa before she got into trouble again. Or maybe she could find Ienzo to play with. As she skipped away the masked boy watched her with a glare.

"What a pain. The key bearers just a kid." He muttered to himself.

*<3*

Kiu stood on a strange glowing platform. It was a place she had been many times before. Usually when she slept, but sometimes when she found herself listening to the voice that told her a bunch of secrets. She didn't bother to look at the stained glass floor. She knew what was on it already. It was her surrounded by the black monsters. 

Kiu was drawn to something she hadn't seen there before. A strange dark orb floating in front of her. Taking a step forward she cupped her hands around the orb. She winced as she felt pins and needles in her hand coming off of the orb. 

"Oh, are you ok?" Kiu asked, tilting her head as she tried to get a closer look at the orb. Something was familiar about it. She had seen this heart before somewhere. The pins and needles continued, making her hands feel as if they were numb. But she didn't move her hands. This heart was so sad, she wanted to help him.

"Annoying," a familiar voice echoed through the air. Kiu smiled brightly leaning back from the heart.

"Oh! It's you," she said happily. Know she knew why this heart was sad. Well, she didn't know why, but she knew it was a normal feeling for him. But the fear was something new. She grimaced as the stinging strengthed. "What happened?" she asked.

"None of your concern princess," the voice said. Kiu felt an extra sharp sting through her hands. It almost made her pull away, but she didn't. He was just scared, she could help him get over that.

"Ok, do you need help?" Kiu asked. She didn't receive a reply, but she felt the stinging fade. It was replaced by an uneasy feeling that settled in the pit of her stomach. He didn't want to ask for her help. Kiu laughed softly, removing one hand to cover her mouth as she chuckled. "That's ok! I'll help you, just like I promised. You need a place to stay, right?" she asked. Once again she didn't receive a response. The voice remained quiet as his unease grew. "You can stay here. I'll help you get better again," she promised with a bright smile.

"Whatever princess," the voice replied. Kiu dropped her smile slightly as she again drew closer to the orb.

"Oh, I don't know your name," she said. There was a long pause, the feeling of uneasiness spreading from the pit of her stomach to her heart which seemed to grow heavy. That made her almost certain he wasn't going to answer yet again. She could hardly hold back as she did receive the answer she was waiting for.

"Vanitas," the voice said. Kiu smiled and laughed leaning away from him again as her eyes closed.

"Ok. Get better soon. I'll keep you safe until then."