TWO: Mood swings and the Promise

“So, what do you think of Aney?” Sora asked as we continued walking. I stared at the plush white snow beneath my tire tread boots.

“She's...” I tried placing words to describe her, but her image was blurry. “I dunno, no words can describe Aney.”

Sora giggled.

“Exactly,” she agreed. “You wanna pull an all nighter?”

“YOU CRAZY?!!” I bellowed throwing a snowball at her.

“A little,” She beamed as the white fluff smacked against her back. “But that's why I choose to be your guide, because YOU can keep up with my antics.”

“Pssh.” I held back a laugh. “It seems I'm deemed as a person who stabilizes crazies.”

Sora's violet eyes looked more like a lavender in the morning.

“Hey, your eyes are lighter.” I couldn't hide my curiosity.

“My eyes are mood eyes. They grow darker if my mood isn't a good one, and they remain lighter shades of violet if I'm feeling any good emotion.” Sora explained. “Now c'mon, we've got more snow to cover.”

Her hand grabbed mine again.

“Hey Sora,” I began after about five minutes of silence. “Are you really my second cousin?”

“Depends on who you ask. I'll let you wonder about it for a while.” She smirked evilly. “After all you never met but so much of your family.”

She picked me up suddenly, swinging me onto her back. Chow played in the snow ahead of us. Mount Hisho was home to her. Her fur blended with the snow.

“Sora-san, how old are you?”

“Old enough to be your mom.” She joked with a laugh. For a second there I believed her, despite her appearance. “I'm twenty-four. I'll be twenty-five when the full moon shows too.”

A full moon only appears in the summer month of July. And if you were born on the day the moon is completely full, you were consider Pure. Of course Purity only lasts but so long. If you were born in the months after or before the full moon you were considered Fallen. The Pures could become Fallens by one act, by one deed, by one false decision. Pures could redeem their title by the means of the punishment listed in the Code-Book. Lying was punished by thirty lashing, Stealing, sixty lashing, Prostitution, death by decapitation or hanged. Preference in the same sex was deemed as unholy still, but the Purity could still be redeemed by signing a contract and withstanding the given exile IF you never have taken a boy or girl as your partner. If you have, burned alive without a second chance at Purity. Fallens however, could never become Pures. Pures were marked with a white portion of the Ying and Yang, Fallens with the black portion.

“So you're a Pure?” I asked quietly. My heart picked up a beat. No one knew of my sin.

“If we have the same birthday, Little Sky, then what does that say?” Sora's hands held me tighter to her. “Hang on.”

I felt her crouch down, then spring up, landing on a cliff edge. Chow jumped the smaller cliffs and joined us. I had a feeling Sora was lying about her birthday.

“Sora-san, you don't know when your birthday is do you?” I asked quietly. She swung me around and pinned me against the wall of the Cliff.

“How the hell would you know?” She growled. “You trust to quickly Sky, you fall for anyone who makes you feel good inside, and it makes me sick.”

“S-Sora-san�"“ I stammered. Chow started growling.

“Stop calling me that!” She snapped. “You assume everything, and you allow everyone to walk all over you, especially those you fall for. I've watched you grow up Little Sky...”

“Sora...The Commission doesn't know you exist do they?” She slammed me again.

“How do you know these things?!” She asked, her eyes smoldering to a deep painful violet.

“I can piece things together really well. It was a gift Aney granted me when I was a kid.” I squeaked. “Didn't she grant you something when you were a kid?”

“Yeah, she did.” She let me go, and lowered her eyes to the ground. “Life for me. Stan's raised me despite the fact I have no birthday, nor do I have a title as Pure or Fallen.”

“Then that means you have no restrictions.” I said, trying to hide the pain her grip on my arms caused me. She knew my weaknesses. It was true I did fall for anyone who made me feel good inside, I do trust people too quickly, and I do allow those extremely close to me to step over me.

“And because of that, I have no rights as a citizen. I'm just seen as a burden by everyone except Stan.” Sora said sadly. I smiled at her softly.

“I don't think so. You make a great guide despite the fact your mood swings make you seem like you were born in July, but the motherly affection makes you seem like you were born in May. I-I'd like to know more about you Sora-san.”

“Thanks Little Sky. But you have to promise me something first if you really want to know more about me,” She said as I climbed back onto her back. She jumped to the cliff that wound around the mountain until it reached the summit. “You have to promise me you won't fall for me.”

“I promise.” I hoped there was no doubt to my words.