章 2: Prologue: The Ice Empress and Tigres Wild.
Prologue: The Ice Empress and Tigres Wild.
A house…
You would always wake up into a ceiling, groaning trying to make sense, the real reason children are born. Out of love? Out of a mistake? Out of despise?
"Goodmorning."
She nestles out of her bed, movements robotic as if she's been doing the same routine over and all over again.
Take a bath, brush her teeth, fix her school textbooks and put in behind her bag brushing her hair before leaving for school.
On the dinner table she sees no warm food prepared on the table but only an envelope with the words written 'Allowance' and a note that says, 'Don't wait for dinner'.
She folds the envelope, her eyes glooming over them, putting it on her pockets and the note that was on the table her hands crumpled before putting it in the trash.
Even in the summertime, she wore her long-sleeved uniform for winter.
Tick… Tock… Tick… Tock…
As the clock ticked making noise around the Student Council Office, Makoto Ami, eighteen years of age was re-reading the script for the school budget regarding the upcoming school festival they would have in a few months.
Only being a first year in college, with her accomplishments and support she's fought tooth and nail to become the president of her school. The third year that competed with her lost in a landslide, an anonymous resource was exposed of his dirty hobby and thus no one voted for him.
Ami stares at the excel print and puts it down, looking over at the secretary with an icy glare. "It's all wrong, from here to there- the prints from this batch have been mixed with last year's. That's why the calculation of cost was wrong and the festiva's earnings."
"S-Sorry president Ami! I-I'll do it again!" The secretary made a fool out of herself, she didn't realize that last year's print was mixed up in today's year-! She was about to take back the folder containing the wrong print but the president pulled it away from her.
The student council president shakes her hand while taking the folder in her hands.
"W-Wha..." the frigid second year secretary became nervous looking over the first year girl's eyes.
Taking the wrong print, she puts it over the paper shredder watching it all being torn apart piece by piece. "You don't need to redo it, because I will. The festival is tomorrow, the staff faculty has been looking for the festival's budget plan for a while."
She coldly stares at her leaning over the table. "Would you be able to handle it without any mistakes?"
"P-Pardon me- I'm sorry president but this is the only job that I have over the student council so please let me-" she tried proving her worth.
"This is the second time you have told me that, I gave you a chance even with the aid of other student council members. You wasted it, and now there's no more chances left." With a last icy stare from the president, the secretary's legs couldn't stop shaking.
Makoto Ami, points at the paper shredder before telling the girl in front of her. "Do take the trash out. Before closing the door, all of you."
Everyone that was on the student council seat, swallowed the lump forming in their throat. They all liked how organized and fairly she ruled over the school, but she was too strict and honest!
The treasurer only tried her best to reply all shakily, "Y-Yes! President Ami! I'll get- the trash…"
The other members of the student council had to bear witness of their profound president humiliating the secretary per se.
The school's Ice Queen, making orders as she goes.
Everyone was afraid, no one had the guts to even stand close to her because her presence was too... Cold.
She didn't get her Ice Queen title for nothing. She earned it.
Holding the 1st rank of the entire school, getting the president role of the whole school, being the embodiment and the model figure for most students.
They fear Makoto Ami.
Or
They admire Makoto Ami.
Taking over the school when she was only eighteen, more rationally in the teacher's favor they all trusted her to make the school a more disciplined and proper place to be. Maybe even qualifying in the top schools in Japan.
Ami was always in the lead as her parents spent a lot on her education and elective hobbies. Such as music, mostly the piano, art like painting and of course advanced courses for studying.
She's above the whole school.
The little miss perfect who almost had everything.
In the course of her time in her school partaking in romance, many boys and girls have of course tried confessing but it was all in pain for they have all been rejected.
Mercilessly.
Even the most honest and popular guys in the school were nothing. A Japanese idol that was enrolled there has taken a fancy wanting to shoot his shot.
"My dear kitten, go out with me and I promise you won't regret doing so~ So please accept--!" He had flowers, an audience, chocolates and the whole shebang. Even with his good looks, none of them moved her.
"No."
"N-No?"
His words were followed by silence. Everyone in the audience started whispering and took pictures of the embarrassing attempt at trying to woo the Queen of the school.
The guy stood there in utter shock not expecting to be rejected, "I-I... Uh… Y-You're not interested in wanting to be in a relationship with a popular and rich idol?" He tried to sweeten the deal, not wanting to be humiliated in front of the crowd.
"I'm busy." (Ami) said as she turned around and left. The guy immediately felt his heartbreaking stomped flat. When he got home he well... cried in a corner of a wall.
When it came to girls though, she at least tried softening the blow...
"I-I like you! Please go out with me!" pleaded one girl in her class that always admired her for being so hardworking and diligent in doing student council duties..
"No."
Well... She tried being soft.
"I'm… sorry?"
"Wah! I can't! I have to go!"
After that, the girl who confessed cried all night long.
Mostly feeling better after some sleep nonetheless the days after that confession became somewhat awkward but Ami didn't really give much thought into it.
"Uwah! Look away, it's the ice empress."
"She's so extra- why is she even wearing our winter uniform in the summer? Isn't she hot? Jeez I bet she's doing that just to get someone's attention."
"But she is sort of pretty- wanna see me shooting my shot at her next week? Besides she doesn't even have any friends, girls like that are easy to rope in ya know?"
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Finally, the day was over, she grabbed her backpack as she went down the stairs and out of the school.
Feeling the breeze of the spring wind as sakura petals came down and danced into the air. She looked forward, and walked a different path from her other classmates.
She took a bus and went through the train as she swiped her card and sat on the nearest seat available.
Her eyes were cautious as everyone went on with their day. She wonders what is life worth?
Why is living so important? Everyone has a reason they take this train and lead to their place they want to be.
She has her own reason as well.
She takes a look at the time in her watch as the train stops right after a few seconds as expected. A crowd of people bustled out the train and she was one of them.
Ami walks over into a flower store where she gets a bouquet of white roses, carefully wrapped in white plastic as she wraps them between her hands while still walking.
It must've been a while because she walked for over thirty minutes a little tired as she felt the numbness on her legs but still she continued until reaching the local hospital. Ami breathes in for a bit before going in.
Ami goes over to the reception desk, immediately she is recognized by the nurse in the desk giving her a faint smile as she takes a clipboard from one of the cabinets before handing it to Ami, "You're just in time for visiting hours. Your grandfather was waiting for you. Those are nice flowers, Ami. Mr. Makoto will love them."
Ami nods slowly, a little shy.
The nurse has known her for years. She's been coming here quite a lot after all.
Ami signs her name on the visitors list and gives the clipboard back to the nurse. "Right this way."
She follows the nurse thanking her. The nurse was always a sweet old woman so Ami liked her a lot.
Room 490, she has been here countless times having a different feeling each time. "I'll leave you two now. It's nice to see you again, Ami."
"Yes. Thank you." Ami thanks her with a faint smile on her face.
The nurse leaves as her footsteps faint. Ami opens the doors with her other hand holding the bouquet as she sees her grandfather sitting at a hospital bed near a window. "Grandfather. I'm here."
Her grandfather turns over to her a little confused. "Who are you?"
Ami shakes her head laughing a little, it was soft and light. If anyone would hear her laugh they would think it would be the end of the world. She looked so beautiful when she smiles.
"Grandfather, you know I'm not one for jokes. I know you don't have Alzheimer. So please stop."
The old man laughed as he motioned for her granddaughter to come in. Ami sighs as she closes the door walking to the desk where a vase had wilting flowers.
Ami throws them into a nearby trash can and puts in the newly bought white roses. "You're no fun. This hospital is no fun. I might as well just die."
Ami sighs at the dark joke his grandfather just said, "Grandfather, I know the hospital is boring but you need your medication. Cancer is serious."
Mr. Makoto, her grandfather waves her off as he explains his reasoning to his granddaughter. "Listen, an old man like me is not worth it. You need the money for college! I already told your father that it's not worth it and they should be investing more time with you."
"Grandfather don't say that. You'll be fine. You're very much worth it. Please, as if both my parents will ever stop working just to spend time with me." Ami blunted out. She trusts her grandfather a lot, if anything he's her closest family and she takes care of him whenever she has time.
She takes care of him almost everyday but her parents don't want Ami doing that. They told Ami to take school more seriously and keep up good grades so that she could get into a top University someday. It really made her mad and disconnected her from her parents.
"I really hate them." Ami said with no hesitation worrying about the old man.
Ami's grandfather frowned and motioned her to come closer. Ami does what he's told as his grandfather gives her a huge hug. "I'm sure they love you very much. They're only doing this for your own good. You look after grandpa everyday which I'm really thankful for but you still need to use some of that time studying too."
Ami crosses her arms amidst the hug. "I'm already top of the class, what more do they want?"
Ami's grandfather pulls away. "Just for you to do your best. We all want you to."
Ami frowned a little as his grandpa was turning into one of those people... for a bit.
"But... not without a bit of fun."
Ami's grandfather takes out a Nintendo switch from under his bed grinning as he takes another. "I should've tried video games ages ago! Should we play Mario? Youngsters these days like that, right?"
Ami laughs as her grandfather smiles at the sight of her granddaughter laughing. He just wants her to be happy. "Grandpa, sure Mario is a nice game but we should try something different. Let's do minecraft."
"I've heard of that one. You build stuff and survive and kill a dragon?" His grandfather smiles with a missing set of teeth but Ami liked his smile, it was kind and relaxing.
Ami nods excitedly, she wasn't allowed to have games.
Her other classmates bring their own Nintendo all the time even if it was clearly not allowed to be so; it made her a little jealous.
If her parents heard that she's even touching a console right now they would be furious. "Grandpa, hold on. I want to pick your skin. Here let's pick an old man that's balding."
"Hey just because I don't have hair doesn't mean I can't have one in game!" (Grandpa) fought to have a character skin that has fancy hair to which Ami gave up and gave her a skin with fancy hair.
They played for an hour that day before Ami notices the time and heads on home. "See you tomorrow grandpa."
"See you, Ami. Maybe bring a lover next time. Grandpa is bored."
"Grandpa. My life is not your personal soap opera."
Her grandfather shrugs, "Worth a shot."
Ami chuckles as she closes the door waving goodbye to the old man. Her smile was soon gone after realizing she needed to go home.
To that house.
To that place should she even call home anymore.
She gets out of the hospital as the nurse notes her visit before she waves goodbye.
Walking into the pavement she stood in the pedestrian lane as she waited for the street light to go red. As she got home she went back to her usual routine, eat, sleep, bathe and then study before sleeping.
…
Dinner time, both of her parents were home.
A businessman and a business woman trying to work to provide. They all had their phones over at the table as they ate, "What? That's impossible. I need to reschedule Mr. Kim's meeting if that's the case! How could you let that happen!"
"Ugh!"
Ami who was in the middle of the table ate her dinner quietly, chopstick in hand taking her salmon piece before chewing on it slowly. The more her parents talked on the phone, angrily the more she worried.
"That's bullshit! I know for a fact I had the schedule right!" His father yells while her mother just watches him scream but eventually she got fed up and threw the chopsticks at her husband. "Shut up, we're eating."
"No you shut up, bitch. What do I care if you start eating?"
"Ugh… Why did I ever get married to you?!"
"Oh you know why, you ruined my life and I'm doing the best I can to fix it."
In front of their child, they all yelled. The girl's eyes were still the same, she didn't even bother stopping them because she's tried before, always lead into a fight and-
"Ami. How come I've heard. You visited your grandfather not too long ago?"
"!!!"
The fighting was over?!
Immediately she froze, body guarded. When did they even visit the hospital- they must've seen her check in with the nurse's list of guests. "No… I haven't visited my grandfather because I was busy studying for our next mock exam in english."
Ami's father laughs giving a scowl right afterwards.
"You're just like your mother, you lie." He stands up from the dinner table and her mother sighs rolling her eyes.
"I'm taking a smoke outside. Fuck this family." Ami's mother waves her hand tiringly, taking a cigarette pack out of her pocket.
The girl was left all alone with her father who came back with a long ruler in hand. He didn't look too happy, and that's what the girl had feared.
"Stand up."
Ami's body froze.
"Are you deaf? Ignoring me now? I said, stand the hell up." He takes her by the arm and pulls her up. "!!!" (Ami) was quiet the whole time, body straightened and her father placing a hand on her waist.
"Raise your arms and straighten them."
Ami… who was wearing long sleeved clothes, has feared this. She follows her father's words- pulling up those sleeves revealed several cuts and marks that haven't healed. "Haven't I told you to never lie to me?!"
Slap!
"..."
Slap!
"..."
Slap! Slap! Slap!
"..."
"Now- are you going to lie again huh? Just like your shitty mother? Who's out there smoking while I provide the meals, your allowance, your uniform- fuck even the bills?!" He listed all the things he's ever done for the family, making Ami guilty and empty inside that she became his father's source of relief.
Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap!
"Ngnh…"
The old wounds that haven't even completely healed up have opened. This is the reason why, even if it's summer time she wore winter clothes. She didn't want anyone to see her arms in school.
Her father having enough clicks his tongue seeing the drop of blood onto the ground. "Tch, fix yourself up and clean that up. We're out of bandages so go buy some at some convenience store."
"..."
He throws the ruler with a bit of blood into one of the dusty closets before taking a beer. Ami, who has been used to this kind of event everyday, flinches in a bit of pain.
She needed to quickly disinfect this first before she'll get infected.
"..."
The girl, not being in a rush, walked her way into a convenience store feeling weak on the knees. The sun was nearly down, it should be nearing the night.
The nearest 8/12 wasn't until three blocks away, but on the street she walked on the other side of it was a playground.
"Hehehe! Catch me if you can!"
Ami heard kids playing and shouting happily nearby, with their parents laughing happily and all off to go home.
"..."
She envied them.
The only one she could be able to play at the park was her grandfather that was near his deathbed. Soon… she'll be alone.
The same child from that family leaves the seesaw waving his hands up in the air. "Hey! Hey! Mom, Dad! Race you to the house!"
He yells over excitedly and the girl puts on a bitter smile before continuing her way into the nearest convenience store to buy some needed bandages.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
A red truck was driving at full speed in the street. Ami heard the horn and immediately with a worried look she screamed, "Get out of the way!!!"
The child that was running heard Ami and suddenly cried while the red ruck was still set in motion. "Aki! No!"
The kid's parents immediately ran after him.
"Wahhh!!! P-Papa!" The child wailed, being frozen in shock.
Ami, who was not too far away, quickly ran.
"!!!"
"Hngh…"
Ami gritting her teeth dashed towards the child and pushed him out of the way.
The child stopped crying being thrown on the other side and back into the territory of the playground.
Ami... Felt the truck's impact and shattered glass.
With her eyes beginning to blur she tried her best to stay awake. It hurt her bones, everything feels so broken. She saw the child she saved running up towards her with tears from crying and some snot up to his nose.
"Onee-san... D-Don't die...!" The child wailed and Ami was tired... closed her eyes and sighed with relief. His parents were already behind him hugging the boy tightly.
Another scene she envied.
At least… the kid's safe.
We're the final thoughts of hers when she finally stopped breathing.
With that the life of Makoto Ami was gone.
And the God of tricks was laughing at how wonderful her life has been.
The deity, sitting over a comfortable cloud, throws its dice. "Go on~ Let's see if we could give her a better or WORSE life she's going to be in. Mortals are truly a lot of fun to watch."
…
Set in the future.
On a private bar, of the island of beast-men. Beastian archipelago, a fiery girl with a pair of fluffy cat tiger ears, was spinning her butterfly knife as she raised her feet, placing it on the table with her client.
A man who had his face covered by a cloak, and a mask to hide his real voice studies the beast-girl's behavior. How elegant.
"So, who's next on the target? You rarely get the best of the best mercenaries in the beastian island, Tigres Wild is no cheap hire."
Bang!
Cling… Cling… Ka-Ching!
It was the sound of money being heard, being thrown into the table with the cloaked man.
The ears of the beast-girl twitched, hearing the sound of money being just thrown just like that. "Here is five hundred thousand worth of Blykel. The full payment of a million would be after you kill my target."
Tigres Wild, one of the top five mercenaries that's hard to come by.
"Ehhh~ Haha! Five hundred thousand? You sure are desperate, must be some high profile person you want dead there old man." (Tigres Wild) laughs, her sharp claws grazing over the table as she slowly pulls onto the bag of coins.
But the man under the cloak stops her hands, presenting the poster drawn of the target. A beautiful woman, drawn and her face was unmistakable.
The beast-girl frowns no longer interested in the money. Clicking her tongue and crossing her arms, tail being curled up she bares her fangs.
"Are you serious, old man? You want me to kill the ruler of the land of the snow?! Isoldein, the ice empress, is a no thanks to me." No amount of Blykel was going to make her say yes to that.
Killing Isoldein?!
The fear reverend title, the ice empress of the land of snow.
As of she's going to risk her life just for that, what a fucking joke.
"Take your money and get out of my sight." (Tigres Wild) went back to waiting for more clients with realistic targets she would be able to kill, besides- the almighty Tigres Wild is on demand.
"Ten million, Blykes." The old man took out more money from his [Storage Ring] really desperate to kill the ice empress no matter the price.
Hearing the sudden rise of money, it became even more than the first prize. Tch, this old man was testing her- five hundred thousand to ten million?!
"Listen here old man just look for another mercenary that's crazy enough to take your request." She throws the butterfly knife into a wooden wall, the wall has circle marks carved and it went completely into the middle.
She smirks, hitting a bullseye, after all her tiger eyes wouldn't let her miss a throw. "Fifteen million."
Seeing the old man not getting tired of bringing on more money she yawns, with this much money she can get anything she wants.
Women, money, or even a huge mansion but it's clearly not enough for the money hungry Tigres Wild. "Make it twenty million and I'll give it a go."
The man under the cloak groans, throwing in more bags of golden coins, currency named Blykes.
"...Fine but it's best you'd get going." He gave a map to the mercenary containing a shorter route to get into the castle. "I heard that the ice queen is turning weak at this hour. She hasn't used her magic and I heard she even got injured trying to fight off the last men I threw at her."
Tigres shrugs, opening the map, thinking bingo on the shortcut route. She takes the half payment into her [Storage Ring] and pulls out the knife that she threw out of the wall with a grin on her face, despite knowing she'll fight the one and only.
Ice Empress, Isoldien.
"Can't wait to meet and take Isoldein's head then."
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