User blog:Baluar/Afterthoughts

Nia arrived to the Far East Branch when hell itself unleashed.

It was a good thing that it was only inside her head.

"What the hell did I just do?" She thought, while drinking some beer. Her body had gotten used to it so much that it was practically impossible for her to get drunk, no matter how many bottles she downed. "Well, more like what the hell did I do an hour ago?".

She still couldn't believe it was possible she had adopted a girl. Much less, than said girl's family couldn't take care of her anymore because they had all become mindless zombie-like beings.

The events simply overwhelmed her, and even after carefully considering the implications, she still felt overwhelmed because of what she had done.

-Humm... Nia? - She heard a voice to her right, and turned to see Alice. She was rather cute, with that brown hair falling down to the middle of her back seamlessly and her large ice-blue eyes looking at Nia.

-Hm?

-Do you... have anything to drink? - Nia took out one of her brother's ridiculous Fanta bottles and gave it to Alice. She remembered having argued with him more than once that Fanta was "child's drink" and that he should "begin to drink something", but being the stubborn mule he was, her words meant nothing on the long run. Of course, that was a good thing now. - Thanks! I prefer Sprite, though.

-Pffft. You have any idea how hard getting one of these is? They cost 1000 fc the pack of 6. So don't be picky. - Nia's words went out of her mouth almost without thought.

-I didn't say I disliked it. - Alice said, and took a long drink from the small bottle.

She wondered what her brother was doing and if he'd approve of her actions.

Practically on the other corner of the world, Baluar was falling incredibly fast until his sword digged into a large, strange being that controlled electricity. He was smirking all the while, imagining the face Lina had when he threw himself to what appeared to be certain death.

He had to admit, though, she was pretty hot, what with her being stronger than any woman he had seen before (well, not counting Nia) and having a nice shape, too. Her love-hat attitude towards him was attractive as well, although if it became too exaggerated he'd have to do something, for he hated overtly-expressive tsunde...

At that very moment, a chill went slowly through his spine, causing him to tremble.

"Oh god. Whad did she do now?"

She only kept driving until she got to the Den, where every occupant of the bus - Alice, Rufo and herself - got down. Nia left Alice in Kota's hands while she went to talk with Hibari, who was coordinating an attack on a Quadriga from the Defense Unit.

-We need to prepare an extermination. Zombie-ish creatures roam around the mountains.

-Very well. Shall you lead the attack? - Hibari asked, leaving her microphone for a second.

-No. I've got deadlier things to deal with.

-Huh?

-See that girl there? - Nia said, pointing at Alice. Hibari nodded. - She's the only survivor, and on an impulse, I, uh... adopted her.

-WHAT? Nia, do you have any idea of the amount of paperwork that's gonna require?

-See what I say? Those papers are deadlier than any mortal Aragami, I tell you.

"Even after bureaucracy slowed down the response to the Aragami, killing billions across the world, they make me sign papers that I'm not gonna need in like, ever. Wonderful. " If she had spoken, the sarcasm would've been so overt that she feared her mouth would taste acid afterwards. "Now, sarcasm aside, what the hell am I supposed to do with her?" Nia had lived in her brother's home ever since Alisa broke up with him. She didn't lack reasons, however - love tends to go away when your loved one tried to kill you in cold blood.

The events of that day were still clear in her head, but she did away with them for a while. What use was it in her current situation? All that mattered was that she was now in a home that had enough space for her, for the little girl and for the monstrous wolf-like Aragami that was her brother's (and by extension, her own) pet.

"I wonder, however... what should I do? I can't leave her alone during the time I go to hunt Aragami, and bringing her with me is out of question. To leave someone to take care of her would be the best... but who could do that?"

Nia couldn't avoid scratching her head in utter confusion. While it wasn't like her to do that, it was something that she had (unwillingly and unconsciously) picked up from her brother. She didn't realize Alice was behind her.

-Um... Nia?

-Yeah?

-Where are we going?

-I was wondering the same thing. - Alice rolled her eyes. - Hey, aren't you kind of young to do that?

-I don't know. You think I am?

-You act awfully... grown-up. - By all answer, Alice shrugged. - See my point? Ah, nevermind. We're coming over to my... eh, 'our' home. I'll think on what are we going to do once we get there.

After walking their way to the house, Nia still had no idea what she was supposed to do with the girl. Fortunately, she loved videogames, so she could leave her playing some in her brother's console while she went to take a bath.

The water was hot to an almost unbearable degree. Or at least, that was what a normal human would have felt. Nia's skin only relaxed as she sinked in the boiling-hot water of the tub and got rid of the dirt of the day. She stayed in the water for ten minutes or so before leaving it and putting on a dressing gown. As she came out of the bathroom, she noticed that Alice had changed the rather goofy game Nia had put there with a more... violent one. Nia picked up the box before Alice noticed it.

"Devil May Cry. Must be among Bal's favorite games."

-Aren't you kind of young to be playing that? - Nia asked, as Alice cut through what appeared to be demons of some sort with great ease.

-Who says that?

-I do. Come on, let's go to sleep, or tomorrow we're gonna have a tough time waking up. - She wasn't exaggerating. It was already 1.50 A.M.

-Aww, can't I stay another while? - Alice asked, her eyes becoming even larger than they normally were. Nia could hardly avoid shuddering at just how easy she seemed to accept that as her home.

"She must be trying to avoid thinking on her family at all costs. I'd do the same, in her situation."

-Nope. I say go to bed.

When she went to bed, too, she still had no idea what her course of action should be. The girl was more problematic than most Aragami, and realizing how ironic that was, she let out a sardonic smile.

Deep into the night, a strange, muffled sound woke Nia up. It was not of Aragami origin, clearly.

It was someone's helpless crying.

"It was stupid of my part to think Alice would go over it so easily." She had never really gotten over the death of her family until her younger twin and her were forced to undergo certain treatment when they became God Eaters.

Maybe she could get help later on. But right then, Nia had to do something. She slowly walked up to Alice, who was sitting down in her bed.

-N-N-Nia?

-Yes? - After "Yeah" for so long, the actual "Yes" sounded out of place for Nia.

-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bother anyone. It's just too much... The monsters...

-Shh, you have nothing to worry about. I'm here, remember? One of the best God Eaters in the world. There's nothing to worry about. - It was a relative truth at best, and Nia knew that all too well. There was no place in the world that could be considered absolutely safe. But saying that wouldn't really help in calming Alice. - Want to come to sleep next to me? - Alice looked at her, tears still in her face. - If you do, you can stay up till late tomorrow and drink all the Fanta you want. - The cheap trick worked, and Alice, while still crying, managed to smile.

The night went on without incidents.