Chain

Rei ran a hand through his hair, pacing back and forth. Where was she? Why was it taking so long? The house wasn't that big. Did she leave? And why did he let her get to him?

Rei had never once questioned what Master had taught him over the years. Not once had he thought to reevaluate his system of morals and ethics. But then that girl, that dead girl, she comes along and everything is different. She makes him think. And worry! Why in the world was he so worried about someone who should mean nothing to him? She would collect her souls and then she would move on to wherever it was that souls went to. She shouldn't mean anything.

He sighed. "What the hell is taking Marioneta so long? Where is she?" He paced a couple minutes longer, pausing every few steps or so to look at the door. Finally he threw his hands up in defeat. "Fine! I'll go look for her!"

____________________________________________________________

Charlie watched as her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room. The shape stretched and leaped off of what she had come to recognize as a bed. It was a dark black cat with icy blue eyes. The cat walked towards her and rubbed against her ankles. Charlie bent down to pick it up. "You must be Chester," she said, stroking its soft fur. She checked the tag on its collar and saw she was correct. "Hello, kitty. Do you like your home?"

A flushing came from somewhere to the left and Charlie watched an old man emerge from a door she hadn't seen. He was older than anyone she had ever seen. And yet he stood upright. Two bound souls helped him. Her turned to look at her. "Who are you? Why are you holding that cat? Why are you in my room?"

"I'm Char- I mean, Marioneta. I'm Rei's bound soul. I'm collecting spirits for him. Are you the first master?"

He held her under a scrutinizing gaze. As old as he looked, he had a terrifying strength to his character. Terrifying, because she knew what it was capable of. "Marioneta, eh? I assume that that isn't your true name. That fool Rei couldn't even get that much out of you, then? Why are you wandering my home, Marioneta?" he emphasized the name, turning it into a taunt. Charlie had no doubt he knew what it meant. The man snorted. "Rei? He actually thought he deserved such a name? The man can't even properly control the spirit of so young a girl! Anyway, come here Marioneta."

Charlie stepped back, uncertain of the elderly master. She held the cat tightly to her chest. "I have to go back to Rei now," she said, bobbing in a slight curtsy. "He may have work for me."

"Oh, please," the man said, shaking his head slightly. "Come. He won't care. After all, I am his master before he is yours." He waved his hand at her and one of the bound souls came towards her. He grabbed her shoulders and began steering her towards the old man. Once she was far enough in the room it let her go.

The old master reached towards her and Charlie backed away again, desperate to get away from the old man. Though he hadn't done anything malicious something in her gut warned her away from him, and when she chanced to actually listen to what her gut told her it was never wrong.

"Marioneta!" the man roared, angry. "Get here this instant! So help me god, I will teach you obedience! I told you to come!"

Charlie just kept backing away, frightened. The man walked towards her, old gnarled hands reaching at her, though she was just out of reach. She was certain she was almost to the wall. How am I supposed to get out of this mess? she thought to herself. No matter how disturbing he is, I can't harm an old person.

Just as she was getting ready to give up and let the old man have her arms wrapped around her shoulders, holding her protectively. "With all due respect, Master," came Rei's voice from behind her, colder than she had ever heard it. Charlie's face turned from fear to shock. "These are my pets. Both the cat and the girl. I will handle them how I see fit. You have no place to say anything, Master though you may be. You handed me the work, I would be glad if you would trust me to do it. You still have your own souls. Deal with them. Do you understand?"

The old man's eyes turned to slits. "Very well, Rei" he said, using his name to mock him in much the same way he had used hers. "You had better teach that girl some obedience, or you will pay for it in later days."

"Pay for it or not, I am happy with her the way she is. I thank you for your advice. Now we will be taking our leave." Rei moved his arms until just his hands were at her shoulders and used them to steer a still shocked Charlie out of the room and back to his quarters. Once he had closed his door he turned her to face him. "Are you alright? Did he hurt you?"

Charlie blinked, and then blinked again to clear her head. "I'm fine. He didn't hurt me. You came before he could even touch me."

He looked her over, making sure she was telling the truth, and then stepped back. "What were you thinking?! Do you even have the slightest clue as to how dangerous that man is?! You must have an idea since you've spent so much time with me! You know he's the one who raised me to be this way!"

Charlie smiled trying to make light of the situation. "So then you admit your personality is twisted?"

Rei stood to his full height, yelling in frustration. He threw his hands in the air. "How can you joke! Do you have the slightest clue what it did to me to hear your voice coming from that room!"

Charlie's face went neutral. "Why should you care about me?"

Rei's mouth dropped open as her considered the question. Why did he care? "Because," he cried, answering himself as much as her. "Because you are my pet!"

Charlie held the cat out to him. "This," she said, "This is a pet. It is living, it loves you unconditionally, and it relies on you to survive. It's an animal, one you presumably love. I'm not any of those things. I'm dead, I have no reason to love you, and because I'm dead I don't have to rely on anything to survive. I'm a soul, not an animal, no longer a human. I've no reason to believe that you love me. So what, exactly, makes me a pet?" Her voice was simply calm. There was no anger, or malice, or sadness, or hate, or happiness in her voice.

Rei was silent for a moment, considering her question. Finally, he looked at her and answered in a voice just as calm as her own. "You are my pet because you must obey me. You do what I say, and it is my responsibility to make sure you have what you need, little as though needs may be. And because for some reason, I do care. I care about what happens to you, Marioneta. I care."

Charlie was silent for a moment. She pulled the cat back into her arms, rubbing it's fur so she had something to do with her hands. "Why?" she finally whispered.

"Why what?" Rei asked rubbing his eyes.

"Why do you care?" she said it slowly, enunciating each word giving him no room to pretend he didn't understand.

He slumped into a chair, suddenly tired. "I don't know," he whispered, answering honestly. "I don't know. I just... do."

Charlie nodded and he said it one more time, marveling at the words. "I just do."