Character Story Ch. 4

"Oh and, you play the piano magnificently and have the voice of what someone could say an angel. Very suited to a Cleansed I must say." These words echoed through my ears, my very being. I chased after the door only to have it slam into my face. I quickly flung it open to see that the other individual had already disappeared. Wait how does he know I play the piano and sing? Don't tell me... He was the presence I couldn't shake off yesterday?

"Impossible, this is a joke, this ABSOULETLY cannot be happening!" I let out a silent scream and then fell to my knees. I touched my left cheek again slowly moving my fingers up and down across the flesh. "C-Cleansed... huh? If he can sprout wings... does that mean I can too? But I can't try, I don't have a damn clue how to do it."My hands moved to my back. Was it painful? Does it take time to get used to? I peered out the window and looked at the sky. Flying huh? It sounds absolutely impossible. I leaned on the windowsill until realizing this wasn't my apartment. Wait a minute... Where the hell am I? I didn't recognise any of the surroundings around me. I broke out into a nervous sweat as I surveyed the objects outside the window. To my dismay, I had no idea what they were and where I was. I had no sense of direction! Oh god... What the heck am I supposed to do? I wished I'd never met him! I just wanted to have a normal day resting on the green grass of the park. I dashed out the front door whilst grabbing my small bag that was next to the couch I was sitting on. Making my way down the steps (his apartment was rather high and luxuries. He must've had some extra cash on him) I quite literally jumped out of the apartment buildings door and as soon as I was about to run off a voice hit my ears enticing me to stay,
"So... You've met Dell huh?"
"Wha-" I turned to find a girl slightly shorter than me right, at, my, face... My cheeks flushed slightly.
"Hm... That mark isn't too big... And he hasn't taken your soul yet? You must be pretty special... Got any hidden talents kid?"
Are you serious? Now this little chick was calling me a kid? She looks younger than me... Wait if she knows Dell... Oh no... Is she another Tainted? Where's her mark? Is it big? Am I screwed?
"Hello~ Kid!"
"Please don't call me 'kid'! My name is Lance!" She was taken aback by the loudness of my previously calm voice
"So Dell annoyed you with that too huh? Well I'm sorry~ Lance."
I sighed and looked at her, "May I know yours?"
"Well since you look like you've calmed down... My name's Reneen, pleasure." She lifted her arm out as a gesture for a shake. I simply clenched my bag with both my hands.
"Not friendly are we? Well whatever. Lance!"
"W-what?"
"Special talents! Tell me now!"
"H-huh!?" Are all these people mentally retarded?
"Special talents! Go on! Tell me!"
"W-what's it to you!?"
"I wanna' know why Dell's saving you"
"Saving me? Isn't he going to eat me? Why would he save me!?"
"No not save! He's saving you for later!"
"Saving me for later!? What the hell!?"
"Dells weird I know... Why's he saving a piece of trash like you? You seem pathetic but hey if I can get a deal outta you it's still better than nothing."
"Trash!? What's up with you!? And deal!? You make less sense than that possible pedophile!"
"Pedophile! Ahaha! If only he was here to hear you say that!" She broke out into laughter and proceeded to wipe away her tears. I stood there awkwardly as she had her laugh. "Ah Lance~ I haven't laughed like that in awhile! Thank you."
"Well that's alright, now feel free to enlighten me with what you were talking about."
"First special talents!"
"Talents..? U-uh... Well I can draw and play the piano and violin... I've also been told I can sing..."
"That's it? Maybe Dell has a fetish."
"F-f-FETISH?" What the hell is she implying there! People walking along the street were now staring at me. Oh come on! She's clearly the weird looking one! Her hair was as long as herself! It reached the ground for god's sake! And who puts long hair like that in pig-tales? And that dress was different... That's all I can really say about it. Just above her knees clenching at her thighs with frills at the bottom hanging out. She was wearing black gloves too. And those boots... Damn those heels are high... and fishnet stockings... She really stood out. Her eyes a green emerald colour and that makeup really ruined her face. I mean I can't deny she had nice features...
"Checking me out now are we?"
"N-n-n-n-NO!" I stammered.
"Not your type am I?"
"Well that's not it..."
"Hm... Well whatever. I'm not here to seduce you. I'm not some lowly succubus."
"T-they exist?"
"Getting excited? It'd be much nicer having your soul sucked out by a pretty face compared to some creepy pedophile. But Dell does have a pretty face, if you're into that kinda' stuff."
"I-I'm not!"
"I wasn't implying. No need to get all defensive."
"And you happily call him a pedophile... Isn't he your friend?"
"Ahaha! Maybe this is why he's saving you! You're more amusing than first expected!"
"E-eh?"
"Dell and I are most definitely NOT friends."
"O-okay..."
"You see I enjoy stealing his prey away from him."
"Now you're going to eat me!?"
"No no! I like people food not people."
"T-then what?"
"I can make a deal with you and take Dell out of your life."
"What..?" Is she screwing with me? Is she for real? I'd love to have this creep out of my life! "How?"
"Heh, straight away you take an interest huh? Well I can screw around with your life thread. Add some stuff, get rid of some stuff."
"W-what? What on earth are you?"
"I am one that has dropped from their pedestal, I am a Fallen."
"A... Fallen?"
"Yes," She looked to the ground with a hurt expression then quickly fixed herself up and continued, "For me to alter your timeline you are going to have to pay a price though."
"P-price?"
"Mmhmm... So Lance, offer away."
"Um... A hundred bucks?"
"Are you serious? That's it? I'd probably just switch your life line with someone else's for that. But hey you might luck out and get a rich guy. Who knows?"
"...Huh? You mean the more I offer the more specific I can be?"
"Yep."
"What do you want for getting rid of Dell?"
"A lot."
"A lot!? Isn't it easy to get rid of one measly thing?"
"Well you've only known him for a short while. You've lived twenty years already and been through a lot of events. Finding that small little space where you met Dell would be a pain in the ass and most definitely not worth a hundred bucks."
"O-oh... How about you give me an idea then?"
"Give me your talents and maybe a little extra."
"Talents? But that's everything I love!"
"Hey it's better being alive and training yourself to be able to do that again rather being a dead man with a bunch of talents right?"
"If I switch my life thread with a dying man... does that mean I'll die instead?"
"Yep."
"That's way too risky then..." I stood there, puzzled on what to do. My grip on my bag had loosened by then and the girl in front of me appeared to be getting impatient.
"No need to decide straight away Lance. I'll be following you until the point Dell takes your soul you know."
"H-huh?"
"You see, seeing Dell with an irritated expression is extremely hard and rare. Stealing his pray is always a blast."
"But he was irritated when he talked to me before..."
"You mean you got that sly smile off his damned face?!"
"Y-yes..."
"Oh hoh! I see now! Hm... Maybe Dell sees something in you."
"I don't want him to see something in me!"
"Well you can't help that can you?"
I let out an exhausted sigh, "Ugh I have a headache... I just want to go home..."
"Don't know how to get there huh?"
"N-no..." I pouted.
"Well then allow me to lead the way~"

She grabbed my wrist and pulled me along. Her hand was small and the feeling of the material of her glove was silky. It was almost a calming feeling. She walked at a steady pace and had a confident stride. It made me smile. The cool breeze hit my cheeks reminding him about winter and the snow to come.  I felt at ease for the first time today. The reminder of collage tomorrow was a putdown though. I looked down and Reneen's little feet trailing the sidewalk. It made me giggle a bit. Then I remembered my past girlfriend. She had little feet and hands like this. Her eyes an icy cold blue but they were eyes you couldn't look away from. I sighed and looked to the side, at the road. But just before I looked away I swear I had seen a shadow in the shape of two magnificent wings hovering on the girl in front me's back...