Crimson Rose

»♦« Otto:The Reason Why

Hunter's POV

Even though I was pissed that I have to team up with a girl but maybe being with Scarlett isn't that bad. The first time we meet was when I bumped into her in the hallway. The first thought that came to my mind was beautiful. I think she would be more beautiful if she had a long hair. Even though with short hair, she still looks beautiful.

I don't think I'm the only one shock when we saw Director Rei's display of affection in the living room. Director Rei was known for his strictness and for being serious not for his playfulness. He was cold, really cold.

People always said that the loser was a girl who is retarded because she can't complete her mission. Her name is at the bottom of 'The Board'. But no one said that the loser a.k.a Scarlett had a beautiful face. I don't know what is Director Rei thinking when he thought to put Scarlett in our them.

Watching her win against Shawn made my blood boil to defeat her. I thought Shawn just going easy on her because she was a girl but after tasting her power...I was truly shocked. I never saw someone fight with a scythe before. I think she was going easy on me. How can she be normal when she did that thing to me?!! I feel like I was...I was being...I can't even say that word. My face burned every time I thought about it.

Her battle against Xavier was more intense than mine because I saw her struggling. Call me sadistic or whatever you want to call me but seeing her struggle kinda made me happy. But in the end, she won. She moved with the scythe so flawlessly, like she was dancing with it. But, with that kind of power...people shouldn't call her the loser. Maybe she was... 'The Slayer'. But I can't just say that out loud. I need to find proof to justify my statement.

But right now I better focus on Scarlett who is sleeping in the bed. My heart was beating so hard that I thought it would burst out through my chest. I was seconds away from skinning Xavier alive if this was his fault. But luckily for him that Director Rei said it's wasn't his fault.

After Director Rei explain the reason why he wants Scarlett to join our team, I felt pity for her. She must have a hard life with the hell monsters going after her.

I suddenly thought, how she spent her childhood days. When we are still playing and being silly, did she have to fight off the monsters? When we were being soothed by our parents, what did her parent do? When we were growing up through high school and enjoyed being a teenager, did she have to grow up fast to make sure she can defend herself from the monsters? I kept thinking about that when Director Rei told us her story.

"Now Xavier tell your teammate what you saw when you fight Scarlett earlier." that got my attention immediately from my monologue.

"Well...you see..." Xavier clearing his throat without looking any of us in the eyes. "I didn't see it from the monitor. When I talk to her face to face I saw it. But it was kinda shady. I can see it there but I don't know what is it". "I have told you guys before, right? Everyone has one color of aura around their body".

I nodded on that. He has told us about it. For which: mine was red, Xavier was indigo, Bennett is orange, Shawn is blue, and Luca is purple. He said from our aura he could see what we feel. Like when we are lying, angry, sad and so on. He also said that if anyone gets possessed by a monster their aura will turn darker. That's how Xavier help us to verify the monsters from humans.

"Well so to speak...she has more than one color" if this was animation a crow must have passed by. He groans and facepalms himself. "It was not normal. To have more than one. It was either darker from the monster or the normal color. Right now, the color of her aura is colorless. I ne-".

Shawn cut him off "Huh? I thought you say everyone aura should have a color. Are you messing with us Xavier?".

"Can you let me explain first Shawn before you interrupt me" Xavier glared at him but Shawn just smiled sheepishly. "When I talked to her before our battle her aura was colorless. Not only that, I also saw shadows figure standing behind her. When I follow h-".

"When she called you a stalker right? Hahaha, you are offi- I'll shut my mouth now".

Xavier still glaring at Shawn before he continues. "When I followed her in our battle, I noticed that every time she uses her power her aura started to turn into different color. For the air, it changes to lime green and as for ice, it changes to light blue. For the last one she used to defeat me, it changed into pitch black." Xavier looked at Scarlett "Not only did her aura change to pitch black but her demeanor also changed to darker a color. But as soon as she passed out her aura turned to colorless and I dare to say that the shadowy figures behind her were crouching beside her".

"Does that have to do with why the monsters are after her?" I didn't realize that I said it out loud.

"I don't think so Hunter. Since I know her, she said that it was not the problem why monsters kept chasing her. Even before she had it monsters chased her. It was the opposite, it protected her from the monsters" Director Rei explained to us.

"I also saw something surrounding her like a rope i-" once again you guessed it, Shawn interrupting.

"Why didn't you tell us ear-" Shawn was cut off when Xavier put him in a headlock. Bennett just shake his head and sighed.

"Director Rei, I apologize for what you are seeing right now," Bennett said with a sigh. "It's always like this".

Director Rei just looks at Bennett "It's okay. So, Xavier, I can guess that what you saw is a chain surrounding Scarlett-chan, right?" he looks at Xavier who still putting Shawn in a headlock. Shawn looked like he on the verge of unconsciousness.

Xavier stood up and sat on his seat back "Ah yes. How do you know about it? Do you see it too?".

"No. Scarlett told me. She also kinda showed me at one time" Director Rei told us.

How deep is their relationship actually? Are they a family? A relative? A friend? Is Scarlett an adopted daughter? Or maybe...a lover? I shudder at that thought. I don't know why.

"I also saw shackles on her neck, right wrist and left ankle. There was also a chain that leads straight to her heart. Is that even normal? She looked like a prisoner with those shackles".

"It is not normal, but in Scarlett-chan's case, it's normal" Director Rei answer Xavier's question.

I think I'm not the only one giving Director Rei confused look. Not normal but normal? He just chuckles at us.

"You will get it later on" he looks at his watch "Oh, look at the time. I need to go now. I need to handle something". He stands up. "I know you guys still have questions to ask but that's all I can say on Scarlett's behalf. Telling you guys this is like telling you guys Scarlett's three sizes to her. That's why if you want to know the rest you should ask Scarlett herself. This is a personal matter to her".

Shawn's POV

I think I almost saw heaven when Xavier put me in a headlock. I tell you, he tried to kill me. I just interrupted him once. Okay, maybe more than once. This always happens to me.

"I know you guys still have questions to ask but that's all I can say on Scarlett's behalf. Telling you guys this is like telling you guys Scarlett's three sizes to her. That's why if you want to know the rest you should ask Scarlett herself. This is a personal matter to her".

Why are those things sensitive to her? Is she trying to hide something?

"She will be waking up tomorrow so I suggest you guys should let her rest for now. I'll ask my men to send her stuff tomorrow. Just remember my warning earlier and don't do anything to her. I'll be in touch. Take care of her" He kissed Scarlett forehead. "Bye Scarlett-chan".

He then walked to the door and gave us last glance before walking out of the room. I didn't even realize I held my breath until now.

Hunter look at Scarlett "I didn't realize she has such a tough life. Everyone called her the loser without even knowing her".

"We shouldn't judge them, Hunter. We also judge her when Director Rei asked us to accept her into our team. So they are not the only one to blame" Xavier stand and walk closer to Scarlett.

"I actually really want to know why the monsters keep chasing after her" I say.

Bennett chuckled "You are not the only one want to know about that, Shawn".

"I'm more interested in her fighting style. What kind of power she uses? It looks like summoner power but there were no creatures being summoned earlier" Xavier said out loud.

"Now that you mentioned it I just realized. She chanted like a summoner but she didn't use any blood or a summoning circle" Bennett is a summoner so he knows that kind of stuff pretty well.

If you are wondering what is a summoner is, a summoner is a person who can summon a creature from their imagination. They need to make a contract to summon the creature to battle. If the creature agrees to the contract. The summoner will need their own blood and summons circle to summon them. Let's not forget about the chant. The chant is used to call the creature.

'Did you think she is a vanguard?' Luca signed. 'The way she used her scythe earlier, shows that there is a possibility that she's a vanguard'.

A vanguard is a person who use solely weapons to fight. These weapon usually are different from a normal weapon. It can be the fire power being amplified or the weapon itself being modified. For example, Hunter and I are a vanguard.

That was not the first time I saw a person using a scythe to fight but the way she used the scythe seem so different from the person I saw the first time.

"So the question for today is, what kind of fighting style did she use?" Hunter said as he looks over to Scarlett who is still sleeping.

"So what are we gonna do now?" that was Xavier.

"We'll let Scarlett rest for the night. You guys can head back to your room" Bennett said.

I don't want to go. I want to spend more time with Scarlett.

"You guys can go back. I'll stay and look over Scarlett" I said and take a seat beside her bed.

"Why?" they give me a suspicious look.

"You know if anything happens to her Director Rei will have our head" Hunter huffed. "I'm too young to die".

"I kinda feel guilty for her. She didn't even hurt me but I gave her scratches. So now that you get it you can go and she promised to be my friend. Friends take care of each other" I said. My eyes still focused on the beauty in front of me.

Okay, maybe I do feel guilty but I want to spend more time with her. That was my real intention but if I said that the guys will never let me spend time with her. And I'm sure they will call me p*****t. That is something I don't want to be called.

"Just make sure you don't do anything suspicious Shawn or we will have your head first before Director Rei gets our head" Xavier said and walked out.

When everyone walked out of the door, I take her hand and kiss her knuckle.

"I only met you today but...I don't know why I feel so attracted to you. Maybe right now we can just be friends...but in the future... I hope we be more than friend".

I look at her sleeping face. Fatigue finally catching up to me. I yawn. Taking hold of her hand, I start to enter dreamland. Dreaming about some short dark red hair beauty.