Angel: Ok, ok. I decided to stop being lazy and update this. So be happy whoever still reads my stuff. :P

I totally screwed up their ages though. Right before this chapter, they were:

Altena-23, Mireille-11, Kirika (not there yet)-8, and Chloe-infant

You know what? I'm too lazy to fix this. So I'll do it the easy way: Forget that Chloe was supposed to be a baby. She pulled a Hotaru and now she's 7.

Disclaimer: Blah, blah it's not mine.

Bolded text is the past

Childhood Memories

"Ahem, well. I hope everyone has returned to normal?" Altena said with a hint of embarrassment.

It took almost an hour for Mireille, Chloe and Kirika to regain consciousness after encountering Altena's putrid feet. Even afterwards, all three of them twitched every time the priestess made a move.

Chloe, while holding an ice pack to her head, said, "I told you not to do it."

"It's not my fault! You said it after I took off her boots!" Kirika countered, also pressing a chunk of ice to her forehead.

"Well. Now that that's over, let's hear some more stories," Mireille digressed while painfully keeping a packet of frozen soy sauce on her face. (They ran out of ice, and had no meat in stock.)

Altena inhaled, "Very well. This time, it's about Kirika's arrival."

Chloe and Mireille perked up.

It was yet another beautiful day at the Manor. The sun was shining, the sky was nearly cloudless, the birds were singing from far away, Mireille and Chloe (who pulled a Hotaru) were playing in the Noir ceremonial grounds near the ablution baths… yes, it was a good day.

Little Mireille was crouched behind a bush. She smiled and giggled softly, about ready to pounce on young Chloe. The unknowing girl was sitting on a boulder, looking into the still water of the bath, lost in her reflection.

Chloe slipped off the rock to take a closer look, then began to trail the water's surface with her fingertips. She sighed blissfully and stared some more. Eventually a blonde reflection started to form next to hers. Suddenly—

"Chloe-chaan!" Mireille cried happily as she pushed the other girl into the water.

Chloe had barely said, "Wha—!" before plunging into the bath. Mireille flashed a toothy grin.

But her smile faded when Chloe didn't resurface. A worried look crossed her face. Mireille stepped closer to the edge, and was quickly pulled into the water. Both of the girls came up, Chloe allowed only up to her nose to show while Mireille took an extremely deep gasp of air.

"You jerk!" Mireille said playfully, "You got my clothes wet! I'm going to tell Altena—" Chloe's head came up fully and spit a mouthful of water right into Mireille's face.

Unavoidably, the two friends began a water fight. It lasted for several minutes, until a hesitant voice broke it up.

"Water…" It was a little girl. She had unkempt, bushy brown hair and eyes, blue overalls, a white t-shirt and fashionable pink rubber shoes.

The child took a step closer, but collapsed a foot away from the edge. Mireille and Chloe looked at each other, then called and ran for Altena.

"So… that doesn't explain where I came from."

"I'm getting to that, bossy," Altena said sarcastically.

"Wait, wait. We were friends?" Chloe asked, an odd tone in her voice.

"Yes, you two were very… close."

"Whoa, whoa!" Mireille interjected suddenly, "What was that pause for?"

"Huh? Wha? Get on with the story? Okay!"

"So, my child. Who are you? Where did you come from?" Altena asked.

The little girl just stared at her pink shoes, troubled by something. She folded her hands in her lap and twiddled her thumbs.

Altena tried again, "What is your name?"

Mireille and Chloe were huddled together in the corner of the room, staying quiet, but listening intently. Mireille said something inaudible in Chloe's ear, and the other girl shrugged.

The new child heaved a sigh and for once, looked up and examined the room they were in.

It was a fairly small area. A rack full of old rusty weapons stood against one wall, a window was in another, a chimney with a rug of two women above it was on a third, and the doorway was in the fourth.

A table stood at the bottom of the window. It had pictures of Mireille and Chloe playing together, having a slumber party, grape picking, kissi—

"HOLD IT," Mireille and Chloe exclaimed in unison.

"Please don't tell me you said we were KISSING," Chloe had an uncharacteristic look in her eyes. For once they showed panic. Pure, unadulterated panic.

"I of all people? I was with Chloe? I KISSED CHLOE?" Mireille began pacing frantically.

Kirika, on the other hand, sat completely motionless after receiving the news. Her head was bowed, and her hands were in her lap, twisting her skirt with vigor.

"…Kirika?" Altena approached her with extreme caution, as if she was a bomb about to explode.

The Japanese girl still hadn't moved. Even Mireille and Chloe had enough common sense to stop their "No-we-did-not-KISS!" rants to stare at her.

The atmosphere became quiet enough to yield to Kirika's breathing. It was calm, and evenly paced. Altena brought up her head by the chin, and what they saw frightened them.

Kirika's face was contorted into an abnormally large and very uncharacteristic grin.

"Mireille, is there anything you'd like to tell me?" Kirika asked teasingly.

"What!" She said, surprised at Kirika's humored state, "Oh please! She's not my type."

"I agree! I'm not one for blondes."

Altena tried to finish the sentence she got cut off from saying. She was going to say that they were just kissing Mireille's teddy bear, Mr. Bubbles, on his cheeks. But Altena enjoyed watching the two feud and rant. So she decided against it.

"I don't know about that, you two," the priestess joined in, "You look pretty cute together. You certainly were back then." Mireille and Chloe exchanged horrified looks. "But that's for later."

"Child? What is your name?" Altena tried one more time.

Finally, after kind interrogation, she spoke, "My name?"

Altena smiled, "Yes, your name."

"I… I don't remember."

The priestess sighed, "Alright. Do you know where you came from?"

The little girl shook her head, "But. There was this paper I found in my pocket."

Altena held out her hand, "May I see it?" The brown-haired girl nodded.

It was a note from her guardians. It read:

To whoever finds this child,

Bless you for taking our daughter in. Her name is Kirika.

We couldn't keep her, because we are low on money right now. But we know you will give her everything she needs to stay healthy.

Thank you again

"Who wrote it?" Mireille asked loudly and without fault.

Altena winced a bit from the sudden noise, "It doesn't say." She turned to the little girl, "Kirika, do you know your parents' names?"

Kirika shook her head. "I don't remember anything."

"Alright, that's fine," not wishing to dwell on it longer, "Anyway, you will sleep in Mireille and Chloe's room. I'll get one of the nuns to add another bed there. Oh, and," Altena sniffed Kirika, "I'll take you to the bath and get you cleaned up."

Kirika nodded shyly and was escorted out with Altena.

Mireille and Chloe then headed to their room to play.

"Whaddya think of the new girl?" Mireille asked her roommate.

"Eh," she shrugged, "She's too quiet. I don't like it."

"Yeah. Me neither. Kinda scrawny, if you ask me."

"You guys are mean," Kirika said.

"Heh, well. We like you now, right Chloe?" Mireille responded.

"Well. Duh. She's Kirika," Chloe stated as-a-matter-of-factly.

"Oh, oh. The best part's coming up!" Altena said happily.

After Kirika's long, long time at the bath (exactly two hours of scrubbing dried mud off her body), she walked toward her, Mireille's and Chloe's bedroom. As she did, Kirika brought with her a towel, trying to dry her hair a bit quicker. The girl sighed a bit, sounding relaxed.

Kirika approached the door and was about to open it, but she heard something. There was a gasp coming from inside. A very excited gasp. Another one emitted through the door. A yelp followed. Then there was a very loud scream and what sounded like bodies hitting the floor. The whole time Kirika was looking through the keyhole in the door, with her eyes widened—

"OH. MY. GOD." Mireille and Chloe yelled at the top of their lungs, "OH. MY. GOD."

"Ugh, please. You two were still very young. You were just playing an intense game of Twister," Altena told them.

"Wh-what?" Mireille asked, dumbfounded.

"Uh?" Chloe said, just as confused.

"Kirika got to the room at the last moment. Obviously, one of you became unbalanced and fell." Altena finished explaining.

"Oh," They both said with extreme relief.

Throughout the whole situation, Kirika had been sitting on a chair, laughing hysterically until she nearly passed out. She took her time catching her breath, then spoke, "You two are so cute!"

"Excuse me!" Chloe stood up, "I see no humor in this! There is no way that I would be friends with this, this, WOMAN!" Chloe pointed at Mireille, who was standing angrily three feet away from her.

To prove her point further, the teenager closed the distance between herself and Mireille. She was about to make the last step when her foot caught on the rug, and she fell forward. Their lips met.

For the next few hours in the nearby Soldat village, the only thing people could hear were the screams of terror coming from the Manor.

Angel: Ha! After an over one year hiatus, I came back. I hope this chapter made you guys laugh.

Well. I'm feeling ambitious right now, so maybe I'll write another chapter. Pff. What a lie. :D

Till next time!

5/15/06

Edited: 5/16/06

After realizing what crazyhorse said, I decided to add in a few sentences which I initially took out. It doesn't change the chapter at all, just clarifies some innuendo. I just want to make sure I don't sound like some pedophile. )