Kiss From a Rose

Chapter 1

The girls were ushered into their friend's room. They took seats on the floor and Insight entered shortly after. A short, thin girl of fourteen, her long blonde hair spilled over her shoulders. She brushed her bangs out of her eyes, only to have them fall back into place again. She took a seat on her mat on the floor and crossed her legs. She looked at the girls intensely with her cold gray eyes. "So your mother is making you leave?" she asked quietly. The girls nodded their heads.

"Yeah. We came over to say good-bye and to see if you had any final 'words of wisdom' for us," Emerald said brightly. Odayaka busied herself with a stain on the carpet, she didn't like to speak much, even though she'd known Insight most of her life.

Insight nodded knowingly. "I see. Are either of you going to tell me why you are leaving or are you just leaving me here without so much as any idea where you're going or why?" The sisters exchanged glances. They had been warned by their mother not to tell anyone where they were going.

"We cannot tell you where we are going, Insight. Regrettably it's for your own safety. We don't want you to get hurt," Odayaka said quietly.

"I think it'll be okay to tell her why, Odie," Emerald said to her sister. Odayaka nodded and continued.

"Apparently my father is," she paused before she could continue, "My father is Alucard von Hellsing." Insight's eyes widened. "He's looking for me and muggles have spotted him up in Hokkaido. Atsuko and Taiki want me and Emerald safe, so they are sending us out of the country."

"And you can't tell me where?"

"No. He may even be more powerful than your father, we--"

"I understand." Insight's face softened. "Just make sure you guys write to me, okay?" She smiled gently. "Here." She reached into her bedside drawer and took out a small stack of rectangular papers, ofudas, each paper with a spell written on it. "For protection." She handed the ofudas to Emerald.

"Thank you Si-chan," she said, using the name she'd called her best friend when they were young. "We'll use these."

"Be sure you do. I don't wanna go losing my best punching bags," she said with a wink. Insight was a strong fighter, trained by her father, the Master Shinobi of the Shadow Cat Clan. She'd even bested Odayaka at times, but it was all in fun. She'd taught Emerald some Eastern Magic, but only enough to make the ofudas effective. Insight was so far along at mastering Eastern Magic she could control her spirit power, or ki, into a destructive beam. This always threw Odayaka off because she had to dodge it, and then Insight would predict where she would land, and catch her off guard. Their friend truly was a master at fighting.

Emerald smiled and stood up, walking over to her friend and punching her in the arm. Insight didn't dodge it. "We'll miss you Si-chan. We'll make sure to write--"

"--Every week." Insight finished. The girls laughed. They were always finishing each other's sentences. I sure will miss the familiarity of Japan and being around Insight... Odayaka thought.

"We'll be back before you know it," Emerald said, taking a seat next to her friend.

"I hope so," Insight said distantly.

~*~

"Here's your change purse. It's got money for school supplies and a little extra to get something nice for yourselves," Taiki instructed. "There's some money in there for Hogsmede as well. If you need any more money, just send us an owl and we'll send--"

"--Dear! It's not like they're going away forever. It's just until this whole thing blows over." Atsuko turned to the girls and smiled gently. "Have a safe trip girls. Be good and mind your teachers."

"We will," the girls chorused. Just then a loud BANG resonated through the area as a large bus appeared in front of them. Passing muggles didn't seem to notice.

"Oh! I almost forgot your train tickets. Be sure you stay out of trouble," Atsuko said, looking at Emerald. "That means, no fighting."

"Yes, Mama," Emerald smiled and hugged her parents. She looked away quickly as tears sprung to her eyes. She quickly wiped them away, she was determined to give a cheerful goodbye.

"Take care, Mother, Father," Odayaka said quietly. Atsuko fought back tears and Taiki swelled with pride.

"We'll be fine. We can handle ourselves. Besides, we have Insight and her father to protect us," Taiki said with a smile. "Nothing like having the Master Shinobi of one of the strongest clans around and his daughter protecting you, eh?"

Emerald nodded. Odayaka hugged her adoptive parents gently. It was a waxing moon and her strength was exceptional at this time. The girls waved and boarded the bus. Taiki and Atsuko waved until the bus disappeared with a loud BANG. Emerald and Odayaka picked beds in the back of the bus next to each other.

"Maybe we'll meet some cute guys," Emerald drawled, flopping on her bed.

"I don't know," Odayaka said, fluffing her pillow and laying back. "I don't really care to be honest."

"Odie! Are you saying you're--"

"NO! I just think men are disgusting pigs and only think about getting into girls' pants. I never said anything about liking girls instead!"

"Oh Odie, you need to open your eyes! Guys can be wonderful, sweet, and--"

"To you, maybe. You're normal. The only men who've ever been nice to me are Taiki and Insight's dad." She rolled over on her side, her back facing Emerald. "I'm taking a nap... wake me up when we get there."

~*~

(A/N: From here on, unless otherwise stated, asterisks (*) will mark use of Japanese from the girls.)

*Odie... Oi! Odie! Time to get up! We're in London!* Emerald was shaking her sister awake. The Knight Bus was stopped outside a tiny, grubby-looking pub with a faded sign that read "The Leakey Cauldron." If the bus had stopped a few feet forward or backward, the girls wouldn't have even noticed it. The bus conductor, Stan Shunpike was holding their trunks with amazing ease.

"I'll 'elp choo wif yoor things," he said and exited the bus.

*Nice guy...* Odayaka mumbled groggily. She sat up and yawned loudly. She stretched her arms in the air and shook her head to wake herself up.

*Yeah, but he's not the cutest thing alive, is he?* Emerald giggled and trotted off the bus. Odayaka stood up and exited the bus to find that their things had already been taken to their room inside. Odayaka snorted, she hated being treated like she was weak and couldn't handle anything, but then again, Stan didn't know about Odayaka's abilities, he was just being polite. She bowed politely and headed inside.

"Sank yuu," Emerald giggled and bowed politely.

"'Ave a nice day," Stan said, tipping his hat and boarding the bus. With another deafening BANG, the bus disappeared. Passing muggles didn't even notice the bangs, let alone the fact that an entire bus just disappeared. Emerald headed inside and found her sister speaking to a nearly toothless old wizard behind the bar.

"Yes, yes Miss Rose. Your things are all back in your room. The seventh door on the left. Feel free to ask me if'n you need anything."

"Sank you," Odayaka said quietly. She bowed and headed off down the hallway with her sister close in tow. They walked until they had found their room, number 13. Just as Emerald reached for the door, a loud blast like a cannon going off (that could've rivaled that of the Knight Bus) came from the room across the hall, number 14.

*What was that?!* Odayaka screeched, jumping about three feet backwards, until her back hit the wall. The door across the hall flew open and black smoke billowed out. Two identical boys, covered head-to-toe in black soot, stumbled out. The soot covered most of their bodies, but their flaming red hair was clearly visible.

"Well... Mum will have our hides for this one, eh, George?" one boy told his mirror image. He coughed from the smoke. The other boy, apparently George, just sniggered. The girls just watched them bicker for a few moments, their mouths gaping. Both boys noticed the sisters at the same time and smiled at each other.

"Look what we have here," the first boy said with a smile. "Looks like two lost little girls."

"We not little," Emerald said with a snort. She put her hands on her hips and tried to look menacing (which is rather hard for a short, almost Chinese-doll of a girl).

"You know... I bet you're both a lot prettier when your mouths aren't open like codfish," George said, ignoring Emerald's comment. Odayaka and Emerald closed their mouths immediately, Emerald continued to glower at the boys.

"Much better," the first boy commented. "I'm Fred, and this is my twin, George."

"I'm older by 9 minutes," George said with a wink.

"I ah-m Odayaka... nice tuu meechu."

"Emerald desu!" Emerald chirped lightly. The boys gave each other a confused look.

"Oriental," they said in unison. They both looked at Odayaka. "What'd she say?"

"Her name Emerald," Odayaka said simply.

"Oh. So where are you two from?" Fred asked.

"Japan," Emerald said quickly.

"Mmm, we have two new first years from Japan... interesting," George said, scratching his chin.

"We not firs' years," Odayaka said.

"Then what years are you?" Fred asked, his eyes going wide.

"I third year!" Emerald said with a smile.

"Five," Odayaka said quietly.

"You don't look it," Fred answered.

"You no act it," Odayaka said quietly.

"Oh, she got you there Fred," George said with a smirk.

"Shut it."

"That makes you as old as our little brother, Ron," George said to Emerald.

"And you're as old as us, Odayaka," Fred said with a grin.

"That nice," said Odayaka, heading for her room door. Fred stepped in front of the door and leaned his back on it.

"What's the rush? George and I have yet to welcome you to England!" he said jovially.

"Wel-come?" Emerald asked curiously.

"A greeting!" Fred said, taking a bold step toward Odayaka. Her body tensed as she took a backwards step, and found her back against the opposite wall of the narrow hallway. She looked nervously up at Fred. "What's your problem?" he asked.

"I think you're violating her personal space," George said. "Let her alone, she's looking like a scared animal." It was true, Odayaka's pale blue eyes were wide and studying Fred's face as if he were a horrible monster.

"Don't be silly George! She just needs a Weasley welcome!"

Weasley... aren't those the people we were supposed to be getting rides to the train station with? Odayaka thought frantically.

Fred gently slid his hand under her chin and lifted her chin up a bit. He leaned in as if to kiss her and--

"No touch neechan!" Emerald yelled and before she knew what was happening, her fist was planted right on Fred's cheek. He stumbled backwards and Emerald grabbed her sister by the wrist and pulled her into their room, slamming the door behind her. George's eyes traveled from the door to his mirror image, who was now sitting on the floor, clutching his cheek. He smirked and began chuckling as he held out his hand to help his twin up.

"Ickle girlie beat you up Freddie?" he asked mockingly

"Hey, I thought I told you to shut it!" he shouted at his counterpart and stood up, refusing his brother's help. He stormed into his room, George following soon after, still chuckling

~*~

"Th-th-that BAKA! Who he think he be?!" Odayaka ranted, sitting on her bed and hugging her pillow. Okay, more like squeezing it. Okay... she was ripping it up. A few feathers wafted down around her. Emerald giggled. "What funny?"

"Em think boy want suck face!"

"What?" Odayaka asked, clearly not understanding what her sister had said. Suck face? Where'd she pick that up?

"Is American. Mean boy want KISS!"

"ICK! NO KISS! What you think??" She threw what was left of her pillow at her sister who caught it and threw it back.

"Boy was going to kisu Odie-chan. Em must no hit!"

"NO KISU!" She grabbed another pillow and pit it over her head.

*You're so SILLY! He was going to, no doubt! Next time I mustn't punch him!* Emerald winked and sat on the bed next to Odayaka who gave a heavy sigh. She flopped backward onto the bed on her back and put the pillow over her face.

*Maybe if I put the pillow over my face long enough, I'll suffocate,* she muttered through her pillow.

*I can just revive you with an "enervate" spell.* Odayaka muttered something that distinctly sounded like "Bite me," before moving the pillow off her face and onto the floor. *That's better. Now what do we do?*

"Now shop," Odayaka said, switching back to English.

"Shopshopshop!" Emerald squealed, hopping up and down.

"Yes yes." She grabbed her change purse and headed for the door. "Well, let go."