Author's Preface
Tiana hides her face till her cheeks feel less flushed.
Yuki's expression turned serious. " Now, Tiana, we may still only know the basics about each other, but I really want to know about the people who...hurt you."
Tiana looked up slowly; sadness and anger washed over her. She rolled up her sleeves and raised her arms in the air. She had two identical scars, straight cuts down, from wrist to elbow. She shed her black leather gloves. Needle tracks ate away at her forearms and the back of her hands.
The faces of her audience went dark.
Ditching the jacket as a whole, she lifted her shirt; on her right side was another scar; less straight, more jagged, crude, and cruel. It was raised, the shade of brownish purple. "When I was born, doctors told my mother I was heavier than normal babies, and of course I was the only one born with bright blue hair. Doctors wanted to know every herb my mother had ingested, what teas she drank, and even went down the list of plants, berries, the animals she ate, and the animals they ate. In the end, they decided it was a birth defect. My parents didn't care; they didn't think my hair made me any less normal than someone with blue eyes or you."
She pointed at Mitsuhide, who had sea blue hair. "Doctors wanted to keep me and see what was inside me; what gene caused my blue hair. My parents refused, and for a while it felt like that was enough. Our lives were peaceful; My hair got darker, but I had friends who cared about me despite my hair color. I WASN'T ALWAYS A PIN CUSHION!"
Tiana was shaking so hard that strands of hair kept falling in her face. She pulled hard at her thumbs and hadn't noticed she'd started crying. "My parents were offered countless amounts of money and jewels, and we weren't rich; they could have used the money, but they never gave in, never hesitated. Then one night, I guess they grew tired of trying to persuade them. My parents only ever protected me; they did everything they could to keep me safe. Masked men kicked down our doors and blocked the windows. They grabbed me, and my mother threw herself into them. I broke free and ran for the door. My father, my amazing father, fought so hard; I was ashamed to be running away. My mom fought so gracefully; I couldn't bear to leave them alone. They never abandoned me. I grabbed a knife; I had to fight; I NEEDED TO!"
She gasped for breath, held her head in her hands, rocking back and forth. "We made it out of the house, and they chased us through the forest. My father had been stabbed in his side, blood covered my mother's stomach, and she clutched her eye. We were outnumbered, and they were both in bad shape. I should have paid more attention when they were training me; I could have been more help. They fought and fought, but they couldn't win against them all. It broke my heart to see them look so worn down and broken. My parents...the people who made me laugh, cleaned my wounds, held me when I cried, taught me how to fight; how to survive. The only people who loved me unconditionally...died in front of me. We hid in a ditch; they couldn't run anymore. They wanted me to leave them; run away, but I still couldn't abandon them, not like that."
Tiana shook her head wildly. "I knew I didn't have much time, but I needed to stay with my guardian angels till the end. They told me, ' Tiana, we cherish every moment spent loving and protecting you. We wouldn't change a thing, even now, though it may be our last moments together; it was worth it to see you grow, to see you smile, hear your laugh. We want you to live a life as beautiful as you are. You're our Blue Gem, Tiana, please tell us you'll always remember that.' I could hear the men getting closer; they urged me once again to run away, but I had to show them I was willing to protect them too. Only three found us at first. Adrenaline made me think I could save them, then the others found us. I was overpowered. They hit me so many times, in so many places; I thought I would die with my parents, and I welcomed it. I wanted to go numb, but they started to attack my parents on the ground. I screamed I would go with them, that I was ready to be taken away, but they didn't stop...until my parents weren't moving anymore."
