“V-Vanessa?” I asked and took the paper History had to look over Kiki’s bio.
“Yes!  Vanessa!  If she’s anything like Kiki she could help us get more Book Keepers!”
A smile spread across my face and a spark of hope glowed in my heart.  We have a chance to beat them if only we have Vanessa, Kiki’s only child.  The only problem is that we don’t know where she is.

“I can’t believe the teacher is making us do some stupid research paper on some dead guys in a country nobody cares about let alone heard of!” my friend April yawned.
“It’s not so bad.  He said we could use our tablets,” I said happily and April glared her icy blue eyes into my soul.
“Not so bad?!  Hello!  Vanessa are you in there?” she asked and knocked on my head.  “That teacher hit his head when he said we have to go to some dusty library for…books.”
When she said the word book a shiver went down her spine as a look of disgust covered her face.  I looked around to see everyone on their BluScreenz tablets, their portable computers provided to us from the school, playing games, sending emails, or video chatting.  There’s so many people on the school bus that they could talk to but they choose to stick to their screens.  A sigh escaped my lips and I looked back at April.
“Come on April, books can be nice too!”
The voices stopped and I could feel everyone’s eyes on me, staring at me like I was some freak from a different planet.
“Don’t say that!” she cried and stood up on the bus.  “I’m so sorry everyone, my friend hit her head when she was very young!  I’ll send you all an apology confirmation email about the situation!”
With her powerful words, and the promise of an email, everyone went back to their BluScreenz.  April sat down and smoothed out her cream and brown dress.  She moved some brown curls over her shoulder and she sighed.
“You missy are one crazy person.  Nobody reads books anymore, we have the wonderful world of BluScreenz, and we can download books from our computers,” she whispered and snugged with her tablet like a stuffed animal.  “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have music to listen to while I read up on the latest fashions.”
I wanted to say something about books, or at least talk to her more, but when April gets sucked into her BluScreenz there was no turning back.  I felt lost and alone so I just slept with my book bag against my lap until I got home.  I’m so sick of electronics.

The funeral is done and the Memorial is in place.  Beloved Kiki, you shall remain in our hearts forever.
“HORROR! HORROR HORROR HORROR!” and earsplitting voice rang in my head, making me see white.
“Have some sympathy for the resting souls Fiction,” I sighed and picked up my candelabra.  “Why are you screaming?  If you woke up Steve again he might come after me because of your echoing voice.”
Fiction just rolled her eyes, having no regards for that horrid spider that likes to sleep in one of the many basements in my little world of bone chilling books.  For some reason he likes to try to kill me over and over again when I’m the guardian of this section.  The silly thing gets so confused when I come back after successfully tearing my limbs apart.
“HELLO! ARE YOU THERE?!”
“Fiction please keep your voice down!” I hissed and looked around my graveyard when I walked outside to look for any signs of that monstrosity of an arachnid.  “Let’s speak in the lobby, please.”
“Oh alright!  You’re no fun Horror!  You’re always so gloomy,” she said and ran ahead of me to the gate of my massive graveyard which held many books on the living dead.
“It’s hard to be cheerful when you’re surrounded with nothing but monsters and death,” I muttered under my breath as I opened the graveyard gates.
“What was that?” fiction asked and I shrugged it away.
“Nothing…what did you need me for?” I asked and blew out the candles when we arrived in the lobby.
“I just wanted to see how you were doing after the whole Kiki thing.  I know she was your favorite Book Keeper and I was concerned.”
“I’m fine, I’m used to death okay Fiction,” I whispered and left her there to go back to my graveyard.  “Now please excuse me, I’m very busy tending to my graveyard.  I have to organize the books in the manor.”

“He’s still in mourning Fiction,” I said.
“You’re right Mikage,” she whispered and walked off.  “We have more important things to do right?”
I nodded and looked at her in the eyes.
“We must find Vanessa wherever she is.”

I got off my bus at last and started to head to the library.  Excitement rushed through me as I looked forward to the joy of picking up a nice thick book to touch the books, linger in their smell, and even better, they won’t strain my eyes!  They’re just fantastic little things of magic.  In my joyfulness I stepped into the warm building away from the crisp autumn air.
“Oh Vanessa! It’s so good to see you again,” Mrs. Pageturner said happily.
“Hello Mrs. Pageturner.  I need to get some books for my research paper for History.”
“Oh well what are you supposed to do?”
“I’m supposed to look up the history of major war generals of a specific country and explain how they helped the said country.  I got Japan and I think the Sengoku period is perfect for that!”
“Oh well there’s some history books on world countries on the second floor in the back if you want to start there,” she said with a warm smile.
I thanked her and ran off to do some research.  After bounding up the stairs I searched for the world history section and in the back was an entire section dedicated for Japan.
“The teacher’s going to be so proud when I use multiple books for my assignment,” I said and scanned the spines for the subjects I need.
As I searched the many books, a bright red one fell off the shelf, and onto the floor, startling me.  I calmed my racing heart and leaned to look at the book to see if anything is on it. 
“Nothing,” I whispered and flipped through the pages to see it shimmer with gold.  “Magnificent!”
When I opened the cover, the gold pages glowed softly in the lights.  It had a wonderful new book smell that made me melt into bliss, and the thin pages felt sturdy yet soft at the same time.  This truly is a perfect book, until I heard scratching on the first page.
Is this…Vanessa Light?
M-my name?!  A book knows my name?!  How do I reply to this?
“Uh…my name is Vanessa Light,” I whispered, feeling really silly talking to a little book.
The scratching continued, making more words on the page in front of my eyes.
Alas, we have found you.  You need to see us immediately Ms. Vanessa.  Please go through the red door next to the bookshelf.
“Door?” I asked, “What door?”
I looked up to the sound of the bookshelf moving, or so I thought, and saw a bright red door fully uncovered from the massive bookshelf.  Who moved it?  What moved it?  Has that door always been there?  I looked down at the book and it still told me to go through the red door.
“Oh…alright,” I said and turned the elegant doorknob.
It silently creaked open and I crawled through the doorway into darkness.  With a gentle slam, the light behind me disappeared.  My heart seemed to stop and I felt my hands tremble.  I’m stuck in this darkness.
“Uh…h-hello?” I asked with a trembling voice and the scratching started once again.
Ha-ha Vanessa please don’t be afraid.  Let me light the way.
As soon as I looked up, lanterns with the Japanese symbol for light, or hikari, lit up a stone pathway leading to a grand silver door.  A feeling of attraction radiated off the door and I followed the stone.  I realized they were French doors as I got closer and eventually they seemed to tower over me.  The scratching started again, ruining the moment between me and this French door.
Vanessa, open the doors to start your journey as a Book Keeper.
“Book Keeper?  What is that?” I whispered and pushed open the cold doors to be blinded by light.
Once my eyes adjusted I saw a circular marble floor and a long staircase.  Once I climbed the massive stairs there was floors of books.  The mere sight of it brought tears to my eyes.  This place was filled with nothing but books.  In front of me is an information booth and I found it strange that it was empty.  I walked to it and rang the bell to see if anyone will come to help me.  I waited for a bit and it seemed like nobody’s going to come help me.  I just sighed and walked around.  This library is absolutely beautiful, and in between the sections on this floor is different doorways.
“I wonder where they lead to,” I whispered to myself and saw five figures in the middle of the long hallway on a giant pedestal.
I approached them to see a girl in bright colored clothing that belonged in a fictional story with long bright red hair and purple eyes; a guy with glasses that seemed to cover his eyes in a school uniform, giving him an intellectual look; a tall woman who’s wearing an elegant, flashy dress that looked like she belonged in the opera; and another guy in a plain T-shirt and black jeans with a feather in his long black ponytail that’s been tied with…his own hair.
“The girl, a lost little soul, approaches silently,” the feather guy said and looked at me with his dark blue eyes.  “The noble poet, stares into her soul, in amazement.”
“That’s enough Poetry,” the glasses guy sighed and adjusted his glasses.  “Judging by her facial expressions, she’s still trying to process this.”
“Did…did you call him Poetry?” I asked and looked around for hidden cameras.  “This has to be a prank.”
“No,” the fifth figure said and he stood up.  “This is no prank Vanessa.”
This guy has long white hair, tied in a side ponytail with violet ribbon, and narrow green eyes.  He seems to be really stern but also has a friendly aura around him.
  “How do you know my name?”
“Because we know your mother, Sue Light, correct?”
“Th-that’s my mother,” I whispered.
“Welcome to the Grand Library, where the Book Keepers get together to protect the written works of this world.  Vanessa Light…we’ve been expecting you.”

Expecting me?! This really has to be a prank! But then again…this library is too beautiful to be a fake.

“Uh…who are you?” I asked at the tall figure.

“I’m Mikage, the Grand Master Librarian.”

“Sounds like a bad Dj name,” I sighed and the girl with red hair giggled.

Mikage just sighed and gave me a funny look.

“Sorry,” I said with a sigh. “Where am I?”

“Where are you? The Grand Library of course. These are the genres,” he said and went to the girl with red hair. “This is Fiction, the studious looking one is Non-fiction, and they’re usually paired together as siblings.”

“We’re nothing alike mind you Mikage,” Non-fiction said in an irritated tone.

“I never mixed up you two, maybe other people do, but that’s because they’re attached to their stupid BlueScreenz,” I sighed.

“Ah yeah, the monstrosity to books around the world,” he replied.

“I wish I could destroy them all with my rocket launcher that will not only put them into flames, but it also shoots out s’mores! Who doesn’t love a good s’more?” Fiction said with great enthusiasm.

“Well s’mores are yummy,” I said and looked at Mikage.

“Can I have the attention back to me please? Thanks,” he said and was standing next to the elegant woman. “This is Drama, and the one who just spoke to you with the long hair is Poetry.”

“Such an honor to meet you, maybe its fate that you came, or will, from those who lie above.”

“You’ll get used to the way he talks,” Mikage said.

“Oh…okay,” I said, feeling like the introduction was a bit rushed. “Why am I here?”

“We want you to become a Book Keeper!” Fiction said with great cheer and danced around me.

“Stop acting like a child Fiction!” Non-fiction sighed and adjusted his glasses again.

“Okay so what do Book Keepers do?” I asked.

“Why they protect the written works of the world,” Mikage said, “just like your mother. She just adored all of the books and was extremely popular among the sub-genres. In fact…she scarified herself to protect you Vanessa.”

I was floored about what Mikage just said. I took a few steps back and tried to catch my breath.

“Wh-what do you mean by…sacrifice?” I asked.

“She died to protect you…from them.”

“Them?” I asked and it was my turn to give Mikage a funny look.

“These souls, no…these demons, they’re Word Eaters. Their goal is to eat, destroy, kill the works of the world,” Non-fiction said in disgust.

“These demons, cannot roam the Earth, destroying beauty, hiding their true selves, like when a saddened person wears a mask, and says…I’m fine,” Poetry sighed and started to float.

Wait…float?!

“P-people don’t float!” I said and looked at the others. “Do you see this?! People can’t float! It’s not possible!”

“Then I’m not human, but I’m not a monster. I am…a feather, a light feather gliding in the wind….”

“He likes to do that,” Drama said.

“You see we all have powers if we’re ever on the battle field,” Non-fiction said and adjusted his glasses again.

“What is with those glasses?! Your constant adjusting is really bugging me!” I cried.

“Sorry, but they’re my restraint on my powers, and Fictions. If the glasses come off, then our powers come out. We all have restraints on our talents. It’s just that with Poetry, he has such a different look on the world, he can do little things that make us envy the guy.”

Poetry smiled proudly, and I tried to get my thoughts together.

“These…Word Eaters, your powers, this Book Keeper mess, it all seems like a really bad dream and I want to wake up! I can’t become one of you….circus freaks! Excuse me but…I just can’t! You guys are crazy! There’s nobody in the world named after genres in literature! It’s not possible! I must be dreaming!”

“Oh this isn’t a dream,” Mikage said. “We need your help!”

“Find your own help Mikage or whatever your name is! I’m leaving! I have homework!” I said and stormed off.
*****

She walked off and the doors slammed. I felt my heart shatter at the sound of her walking away. I looked at the genres with a grim look on my face.

“Maybe it was too much for her to handle at once,” I sighed and turned away.

“NO! Mikage that wasn’t it, remember, Sue was reluctant to join us at first too, remember?” Fiction said and Non-fiction was stunned.

“Yes, I remember, but it wasn’t this bad,” I sighed. “I hope she’ll be safe…if the Word Eaters know that she knows about us, her life…”

“A strong soul…like her mother. She’ll be protected…I sensed, a heavily aura around her persona,” Poetry said. “If my feelings are correct, she’ll be safe…even if others will have to die.”

I just looked at them and returned to my room to rest this moment off.
*****

I found my way back to the library, at last, and got a few books. My phone vibrated repeatedly in my pocket like the poor thing was having a seizure. I checked the messages to see that Dad called me, worried about where I was. I sent him a text to ease his nerves.

Sorry Dad, I’m still at the library getting research books, guess I lost track of time.

I know that’s not the whole truth but I didn’t want the guy to worry about me. Plus that place, the Grand Library, it sounded so fake I think he might’ve thought I was going crazy if I told him that. To make up for lost time, I snatched a few books of the shelves and raced down to Ms. Pageturner to check them out.

“You’ve been up there for a while Vanessa,” she mumbled with a smile.

“I know! I’m so sorry!”

“Are you checking out that red book too?”

“What?” I asked and looked at the journal that I forgot that I was carrying.

“I’m just messing with you Vanessa, that book is yours after all,” she said and handed me a bag with my books in it. “Be safe okay, the streets can get pretty dangerous.”

I nodded and left the library.


On my way back however, it started to rain and I forgot my umbrella. I went to the underpass of a café and checked on my books. It’s getting really dark outside and I really need to get home soon, I feel like I have to keep these books safe. After inspecting them, I put my horrid BlueScreenz on top and covered the top of the bag with my jacket, to protect the pages from rain. Then I continued on my way home.

“Excuse me, Vanessa?”

I turned at the sound of my name to see a guy with dark purple hair and stunning red eyes. He seems to be around my age.

“Uh, do I know you?”

“Oh yeah! I’m from your school. Can I borrow your BlueScreenz? I need to call my Mom to have her pick me up from here…or let her know I’m walking home with a pretty girl.”

“Me? Pretty?” I asked and took a step back.

Wait…something’s off with this guy. I’ve never seen a guy with purple hair at school, let alone call me pretty. Usually the guys at school who bother to look at me call me a nerd or book lover, or even Ghost Girl. It’s like I’m not even there, yet I’m number one in class. Also nobody at school would be caught dead without their BlueScreenz. It’s like an expensive baby to them, given by the school.

“Wh-where’s your BlueScreenz?” I asked and backed away from this guy.

He seemed to eye my bag a lot.

“I forgot it at home.”

“Nobody would forget their BlueScreenz at home, everyone needs it for school. Who are you?”

“C’mon Vanessa…please trust me, besides, you don’t want those books to be soiled now do you? That would be bad…very bad indeed.”

Who is this guy?! He kept approaching me and a shiver went down my spine, until much needed adrenaline finally kicked in and I ran. I took my bag and ran, no, sprinted away from this guy.

“Vanessa! A hunt? Really? You should’ve trusted me! VANESSA!” he yelled like he was right behind me.

Something breezed by my shoulder and I turned to see this guy fall back, collapse, and roll over himself multiple times like he got hit with a car. I got a little closer to see a ninja knife protruding from his head.

“Come with me!” a deep voice said as someone wrapped arms around me and lifted me.

Oh God I’m getting kidnapped!

“Wh-who are you?!”

“Not now! Mikage sent me now we have to go!” the guy said again and I was dumped into the back of a black truck.

This mysterious guy sat next to me and put his seatbelt on. He looked at me and motioned for me to put my seatbelt on. As soon as we heard the click, the driver slammed on the gas and we rode off. Who are these guys?! Where are they taking me?! The guy sitting next to me tore off duct tape and placed that over my mouth, then he placed a blindfold over my eyes and I heard the contents within my bag shift around.

“She has the journal! Keep going!” the guy growled at the driver and the car raced forward.

Whoever’s driving this sucks! I kept hearing outside cars honking wildly at him and my body kept shifting from left to right as we went around corners, I’m assuming, at break neck speeds.

“Don’t worry Vanessa, daughter of Sue Light…we’re going to keep you safe!” the guy whispered to me as he kept moving things in my bag around.

I couldn’t do anything but hold onto something and pray that I would make it out of here a

The car kept jerking around as I know that deep within my heart, the driver was breaking multiple driver safety laws as he kept speeding up and away from whatever the heck that guy was. When I felt that I would be in this metal death trap forever, the car slowed to a stop.

“Sorry Vanessa,” the guy beside me said and took my wrists. “We have to make sure you won’t run away from us.”

And why wouldn’t I want to do that? This is a perfect hostage situation! I’m in a car that was speeding five seconds ago with duct tape around my mouth and a blindfold on me!

“Is that too tight? I’m sorry if it is….can’t have you punching us now can we?”

This is strange…it’s like these guys don’t want to hurt me. What’s going on? Is this a hostage situation? Why are they being so gentle?

“Alright, I’m about to lift you up and-“

“Just take the girl already! She doesn’t need to be coaxed into the house! She’s tied up! She can’t go anywhere!” the driver said and slammed the truck door.

“You’re right,” the guy next to me said and hoisted me over his solid, yet warm shoulder.

Footsteps echoed in my ear and I felt really drowsy. I can’t…hold my eyes open. I can’t fall asleep now! I’m getting kidnapped but, they don’t want to hurt me…do they?
*****

Man this girl is light! A smile came across my face as we entered the mansion.

“Where should I put her?” I asked my brother who was driving like a maniac.

“Upstairs! Duh! We don’t have a spare bedroom ready for the Queen you know!”

I just growled at him as he walked away from me.

“Remember, we have to contact Mikage about this.”

“Yeah yeah…we became book keepers after mom and dad,” he started to say but his voice trailed off and his red eyes showed deep sorrow.

“We’re doing this for them…and for our love of books,” I said and untied Vanessa before tucking her in the bed.

Man, she’s so pretty, but I can’t fall for her. This is a mission, but…one kiss won’t hurt won’t it?

“YO! LOVER BOY!”

I hate him…

“Get down here so we can talk to Mikage! Can’t do this without you…”

That’s true…my brother and I can’t do anything as Book Keepers without each other. Non-fiction called it the Gemini Syndrome; it’s when two Book Keepers need each other to do simple tasks, like making contact with the Grand Library. With a sigh to myself, I looked at Vanessa and left the room.

“Sleep well…Vanessa,” I whispered and closed the door.
*****

I awoke to the heavenly aroma of bacon and sweet tea. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes as I found myself in a bed…that’s not my bed. In a panic, I sat up, trying to remember what happened to me. The memories flooded back, the…guy that attacked me while asking for my BlueScreenz only to get shot in the head, me being kidnapped, and then I fell asleep….without being drugged. This is so confusing I wracked my brain even more to try to make sense about the whole situation. My stomach roared and I came to the conclusion that I couldn’t think because of how hungry I was.

I took a bite of the crispy bacon and almost passed out from how wonderful the meat was and I went into an eating frenzy. When I scarfed down the food and drank every drop of the tea, I heard a knock on my door and a tall, handsome guy, entered my room. He has dark blue eyes, medium length, and shaggy light brown hair with a couple locks of hair dyed to match his intense eyes.

“Oh you’re awake! Finally,” he sighed and looked at me with a shy, yet confident smile.

“Where am I?” I asked, feeling my cheeks get a little red.

I cannot form a crush on the same guy who kidnapped me!

“You’re at our house.”

“Our house?”

“Yeah…my brother lives here. He said when you’re awake and finished with your breakfast, he wants you to follow me.”

“To where? You’re not going to do anything funny to me are you?”

“No! No! I would never do anything of the sorts, especially to a fellow Book Keeper.”

Wait…how does he know about me being a potential Book Keeper? What does he know about being a Book Keeper in the first place? I was a bit hesitant but I ended up following this guy downstairs to see another guy with his raven black hair tied up.

“Tenshi,” the guy who led me down the stairs said.

His brother looked up at us, his scarlet eyes seem to pierce through my soul.

“What do you want?” he growled.

“Tenshi this is the girl who we took remember?”

“The Book Keeper?” Tenshi asked.

The guy nodded and smiled at me.

“Don’t worry about him, he’s usually grumpy, especially when we have guests.”

“Can it Renji,” Tenshi gruffed.

He looks so angry it kind of scares me. I glanced at Renji and he patted my head.

“Did you eat?” Tenshi asked.

“Uh…yeah. It was very good.”

“Good. I cooked it. I can’t have my reputation ruined when it comes to cooking. Are you hurt?”

“Hurt?”

“That’s what I asked you right?” he said with his kind of deep voice.

Tenshi seemed to be studying something. I tried to look over his broad shoulders but I still couldn’t see what he was doing.

“Will you answer me anytime soon? I can’t understand silence.”

“I’m not hurt.”

“Good!” Renji said.

“Remember Renji…we have to take her to Mikage as soon as possible.”

Mikage?! I suddenly felt my blood run cold and my knees shook.

“Is there a problem with that Vanessa?” Renji asked and Tenshi turned to look at me.

“Uh…about that….I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“And why not? Did you call them names or something?” Tenshi asked.

I could only muster a nod as Tenshi sighed and sat back down.

“Apologize…that’s the only thing I would do,” he sighed and went back to…whatever he was doing.

Renji took me away from Tenshi and led me down a couple more hallways. Something was really bothering me about that Tenshi guy.

“Uh Renji.”

“Yeah?”

“Tenshi means Angel right?”

“Yep!” he said brightly.

“Then…how come he’s…you know?”

“Kind of a jerk? That means he likes you. You would know if he didn’t like you.”

“Wh-what would he do?”

“He would completely ignore you like you were the air itself.”

Silence fell upon us as our footsteps echoed off the walls. Soon we arrived at a grand door that looked like the one when I first went into the Grand Library.

“Renji where are we?”

“Why you’re at our library….and from here we can go to the Grand Library…”

I couldn’t help it, I laughed in Renji’s face. There’s no way we can go to the Grand Library at some lousy home library. That place doesn’t exist! At least, I don’t think it does. When I looked up at Renji his bright eyes were dull and filled with anger.

“Ha-ha! R-Renji…I’m sorry man but this has to be a hoax!”

“No…I’m serious. Tenshi and I are the best young Book Keepers in our league. This is no game Vanessa…”

I stopped laughing and looked at him.

“Sorry…I just don’t believe in that kind of stuff.”

“Don’t you? Then explain to me what you saw tonight,” a deep, dark voice echoed through the hallway.

“What do you mean?”

“You know exactly what I mean…the guy who chased you. The one I defeated with a kunai to the forehead. What do you think that was?” Tenshi asked while staring deep into my eyes.

“A…a Word Eater,” I whispered and thought over everything that happened to me that night.

I could’ve died that night from that thing.

“You do carry an awful lot of books,” Renji whispered.

“I love books!” I replied joyfully.

“Why?” they asked in unison.

I fell silent.

“Uh…well…Father told me that Mother died over them…..and I had a feeling to-“

“Protect them?” Tenshi finished for me and I nodded.

“Yeah…”

“If you don’t believe that then what’s the point of being here?” Tenshi asked me with no emotion.

He took hold of my arm, making me cry out in pain. Renji’s eyes sparked back to life and looked at Tenshi.

“What are you doing?!” Renji cried.

“Getting rid of this girl,” Tenshi growled. “She’s no Book Keeper…she’s nothing like her mother…she will never surpass Sue Light. Mikage’s full of desperate dreams!”

“No Tenshi she is!”

“Let me go,” I cried as Tenshi opened the front door.

The light radiating from the sun blinded me and I felt my body rise.

“You want me to let you go? Fine!” Tenshi growled and I flew, just to land in soft grass, and hard dirt.

Pain slivered throughout my body as I slowly raised myself to see Tenshi’s furious eyes. His scarlet eyes seemed to glow, reminding me of blood.

“Tenshi!”

“Shut it Renji!” he barked and turned to me. “Don’t you ever come back until you prove that you’re a worthy Book Keeper girl. Until then, we won’t help you, and we’ll make sure other Book Keepers in the area don’t do jack for you!”
*****

I slammed the door with her just staring at me from the front lawn.

“How pathetic,” I thought. “What she saw….if anyone else saw what she saw, what we saw, they wouldn’t tell themselves it’s all a horrible dream.”

“Tenshi…” Renji sighed.

That sigh…it was the same one when Mother didn’t come back, and he lost hope in her.

“What is it?” I asked not wanting to look at him.

“Did you really have to kick her out?”

“It’s the only way to make her learn…plus what if she wasn’t the future Book Keeper? Our cover could’ve been blown and we could be killed by Word Eaters,” I said and turned to look at his cool eyes.

His eyes…my brother and I are polar opposites, a perfect Gemini.

“Word eaters won’t kill us, not when I have you around,” he said cheerfully, an emotion I lost long ago.

Renji walked off with a smile on his face like nothing happened. A sigh escaped my lips as I looked down to my own hands. My wrists bore the sign of utter despair and loneliness. Being a Book Keeper saved my life, Mikage saved me, and even my own brother saved me. I just wish that people like that ungrateful brat will appreciate the opportunity to protect the most precious thing on Earth, books. I looked at Renji humming to himself as he went down the hallway to his room.

“One day, dear brother, I won’t be around to help you though your problems.”
*****

“Care to explain where you were Vanessa?” Father asked as he looked in the rear view mirror towards me. “And why were you walking on the side of the street for an hour alone? What if you got kidnapped?”

“Uh, that kind of already happened to me when I was in the rain,” I thought but instead of saying something but I didn’t look at my father.
I was exhausted, and hungry. Something told me that walking on the side of the road for an hour in summer weather put a lot of stress on my body.

“Vanessa answer me! Please, I want to know what happened!” Father said I just sighed. “When we get home I want you to go to your room, take a hot shower, and go straight to bed.”

“What?!” I cried. “Dad it’s not even noon!”

“Do I look like I care?! I want you to go to bed!” he said and I sighed a bit louder. “Are you hungry?”

“No…just take me home,” I said and reached for my back pocket for my journal.

Wait…there’s nothing in my pockets but my cell phone, which is dead, and a stick of gum why am I looking for my journal, well the journal? I want nothing to do with that madhouse.

“Looking for your journal huh?” Father asked and my heart skipped a beat.

How could he know?

“Dad…..are you-?”

“A Book Keeper? No! I can’t do any of that stuff your mother could do! I learned a few defensive spells from her though in case I ever got attacked. I’m in just as much danger as you Vanessa. I have to keep an eye out for Word Eaters because I’m Sue’s husband. They want you Vanessa, and they want to kill you. Which is why I want you safe at all times, do you understand me?”

I just sat there, letting the information sink in. Dad turned around to look at me for an answer. I opened my mouth to reply to him when I saw a figure in the middle of the street. What was supposed to be a simple “Yes Dad I understand,” turned into a horrible scream. It was one of those screams that happen in horror movies when a girl is about to meet her impeding fate from making a stupid choice, like letting the killer in her house. Father turned around and his foot slammed on the brakes. The tires locked and the rubber burned against the asphalt. Everything happened in slow motion as we rapidly approached the figure and his body banged not once, but twice on the car, once on the hood and again on the roof of the car. I turned to see his figure roll across the blacktop thought the back windshield.

“Dad killed someone,” I though as the car finally screeched to a halt.

“Vanessa! Are you alright?!” Dad said while panting, recovering from shock.

I gave him a few quick nods.

“Stay in the car!” he said and unbuckled his seatbelt.

He exited the car to run to the body, but when I looked back the figure was gone. I swear Dad ran over someone. I’m not going crazy because Dad saw it himself too! He ran over someone, he killed someone! I knew he did! I tried to calm my beating heart until I heard a tapping on the glass. A chill raced up my spine as I turned to whatever was at the window. A young man, about my age was standing there with matted light purple hair, covered with blood. A toothy grin welcomed me as he looked at me with dark, bloody red eyes, and a kunai was protruding from his forehead.

“Hey Vanessa…remember me?” he whispered as I replied with a scream.

“So you do remember me,” he said and jiggled the car door handle. “Be a dear and let me in?”

I couldn’t stop screaming. I tried to back away from him but the seatbelt prevented me from moving anywhere.

“You’re making me mad Vanessa!” he growled.

“DADDY SAVE ME!” I cried and managed to undo the seatbelt. I fell back at the seat, kicking at the air until a blast of blue light knocked the guy down.

Dad ran up to the car and tried to get to the front seat but was pulled away and thrown to the ground by this thing.

“Don’t get involved Robert! You don’t want to end up like Sue right?” he said to my dad and I went to the other door, the door away from the chaos.

When I unlocked the door, it locked all by itself.

“You idiot!” a familiar voice and I saw Renji’s bright highlights.

“Renji!” I cried and he smiled.

“Don’t you know you’re not supposed to run away from Word Eaters?! Last time you did that we had to save you,” he said and ducked against the side of the car.

“Book Keeper! I will make sure you will die today!”

“Oh really?” Renji asked and popped up. “It was useless to hide anyway…READY TENSHI!?”

Hold up! Tenshi’s here? Renji pointed out the driver’s side and on a hill is a tall, dark figure, facing against the sun. The Word Eater looked at Tenshi and was surrounded by blinding white light. I saw the shadow of his body wither around in pain and flake off as a scream echoed throughout the sky. I couldn’t stop shaking as his body was peeled apart. When the light finally died down, Tenshi helped my father up from the ground and Renji unlocked the car.

“Vanessa!” Dad cried and hugged me in his broad arms.

“I’m positive others saw that light Mr. Light,” Tenshi said.

“Please…call me Robert,” Dad said.

“Sir?” Tenshi replied with a look of confusion.

“Robert, my brother’s used to being formal and polite. It’ll take him a while to get used to calling you by name.”

“Anyway…I’m sure other Word Eaters saw what we did,” Tenshi continued like nothing happened. “If you two are on the road and unable to reach you, it might not have went as well.”

“I’m just thankful you two got to us in time,” Dad said. “I’m thankful you kept Vanessa safe.”

“Renji kept her safe,” Tenshi growled and glared at me.

“Well I did need you Tenshi,” Renji muttered under his breath and Dad looked at me confused.

“Tenshi why did you growl at my daughter?”

“Because, and forgive me for saying this, she’s a disgrace to Book Keepers everywhere. She denied the existence of the Grand Library and the Word Eaters, though she experienced it firsthand,” Tenshi said with no expression whatsoever.

I expected Dad to yell at Tenshi for calling me a disgrace but instead, he looked at me with anger in his eyes. I felt his glare cripple me where I stand and I was forced to look away.

“Renji…Tenshi, take her to the Grand Library, keep her safe until they realize that I don’t have her,” Dad said and handed me over to the brothers.

Tenshi and Renji gave Father a slight bow with their right hands over their heart.

“Yes sir,” they said and took out little journals, much like mine, from their back pockets.

The journals are black with silver pages and it’s a lot thicker than mine.

“You have journals too?” I asked and Renji showed my boring red journal with gold pages.

“Of course, every Book Keeper has one,” he said and tossed it to me. “You’re going to need that where you’re going.”

“Where am I going exactly?”

“The only haven for books, the Grand Library,” Tenshi said with no emotion yet again.

“Please hurry along,” Father said and the brothers nodded in unison, each carrying a stern expression. “If anything happened to her…”

“Nothing will happen,” Tenshi said and rushed him to his car. “Get as far away as possible.”
*****

“Hey…big brother,” I whispered and shook Non-fiction gently as he tried to rest in his bed.

“How many times do I have to tell you this Fiction, don’t call me big brother!”

“S-sorry,” I sighed and let him go.

“Hm? That’s strange, you’re not talking nonsense like you usually do. Is something wrong?”

“It’s Mikage…”I whispered. “He’s really sad about this whole Vanessa thing. I tried the usual stuff to make him smile but nothing! I gave him a kitten that pukes fluffy clouds of cotton candy and poops glitter.”

“That’s disgusting,” Non-fiction whispered.

“You really think so? I thought people liked that kind of stuff.”

“Uh…not everyone,” he said and patted my head.

Fox ears popped up from my head this time and I blushed, trying to hide them.

“Fox ears eh? You’re really stressed out then,” Non-fiction whispered to himself and adjusted his glasses. “Usually you do either dog or cat ears.”

“I can’t help it! I’m worried about Mikage, and War said that there was a Word Eater spotting where Renji and Tenshi are.”

“Our Gemini…” he whispered and I nodded.

“Oh no! Oh woe! Oh woe is me!” a loud, elegant voice said as I heard Drama’s heels clack down the hall with great speed.

“Drama, what’s wrong?”

“Oh Fiction! Non-fiction! Thank GOODNESS I found you! Everything is an utter mess! The world is turning into turmoil as everything falls into chaos!” she wailed and did a nearly fainting pose in the doorway.

“Uh…what?” I asked, not used to Drama’s dramatic ways.

“What’s turning the world into utter chaos?” Non-fiction translated for me.

“Mikage sensed Renji and Tenshi arriving with a third party! If it’s a captured Word Eater we could be goners! We will become food for those…rather ugly pigs,” she said and crinkled her nose.

“Wait…Renji and Tenshi are coming?!” I asked and sprung to my feet.

While using inhuman speed, I raced past Drama to the lobby of the Grand Library. I had to see the arrival of the Gemini Brothers! When I screeched to a halt, Poetry was already there, looking almost as elegant as Drama with a pencil in his ridiculously long hair.

“H-hey Poetry!” I said out of breath.

“The arrival of the Gemini, could mean well, could mean terrible fate rearing her ugly head,” he whispered as the doors opened.

Renji and Tenshi walked in the lobby with their midnight black cloaks on with the symbol of a raven against a blood red shield, a sign of Horror. Poetry stepped down to greet the Gemini Brothers in the place of Mikage. In respect, the brothers gave a slight bow to Poetry.

“Another persona I have sensed before, perhaps in another world?” he asked and Tenshi took a breath.

“Indeed, the persona I have bestowed upon you is one you have sensed before,” he said.

“She’s right behind us,” Renji said and turned towards the door.

“I wish that someday you’ll be able to master the art of words,” Poetry said bitterly.

“You always say that,” Renji said with a cold smile on his face, a usual greeting they do. “Anyway we know you met this person before.”

“Show this soul to us,” Poetry replied and the doors opened.

My blood ran cold, and I felt sick to my stomach as Vanessa stepped through the doors.

“No!” I cried. “No! What in the world is SHE doing here?!”

“Fiction, be nice will you?” Non-Fiction sighed and he straightened his glasses again.

“No! Shut it Non-Fiction!” I cried. “She cannot come here! She can’t! She insulted us and hurt Mikage’s feelings!”

“I did no such thing!” the liar, Vanessa cried and I glared at her.

“You liar… you said that we don’t exist! Why are you even here!?”

“A Word Eater attacked her,” Renji muttered and looked down at the floor.

“What?! She could’ve died! Why did you bring her here?! Is the Word Eater here?! We’re all going to die!” Drama wailed and ran around panicked.

“She has to go! NOW!” I growled and glared at Vanessa.

“EVERYONE CALM DOWN!” A voice boomed and Mikage stepped out.

“Mikage…” I whispered as everyone fell silent.

“Only I decide who can stay and who can go! Do you understand me Fiction? Do you?!”

“Yes Mikage…,” I muttered and looked at the ground.

“I’m not surprised Vanessa came back,” Mikage sighed and he rubbed his forehead. “Why is she here Renji, Tenshi?”

“Uh, Mikage, we saved Vanessa from a word eater,” Renji said.

“A low ranked low life,” Tenshi added.

“And she walked off without a scratch?”

“Yep!” Vanessa said and held out her arms.

“You dummy,” I muttered and I felt Mikage glare at me.

“Hm…interesting…I think Vanessa should stay and become an official Book Keeper.”

Great cheers speeded throughout the Grand Library and I just stood there in shock.

“She’s staying? She’s actually staying?!” I thought as I just stood there in a cold sweat. “She’s going to kill me…”
*****

I’m so glad we’re going to have Vanessa as a Book Keeper! What’s even better is that we get another initiation ceremony!

“Renji why are you smiling?” Tenshi asked me as everyone got food from the buffet the Cook Books made.

“Because,” I said and rolled my eyes like he’s an idiot. “We get Vanessa.”

“Actually there’s a one in four chance of having her on our team as a main genre, and the possibility of her staying under just Poet’s eyes instead of branching out into the Sub-Genres is very slim. So you might not see her at all Renji.”

I couldn’t move. Tenshi got some pasta like nothing happened but I couldn’t stop staring at him in shock.

“Wh-what?”

“Did I stutter Renji? You might not see her at all,” Tenshi whispered as he went to join the handful of Book Keepers from other parts of the world and the Genres.

“B-but I like her…,” I sighed and looked at my food.

“You like who?”

“GAH!! Nobody!! I don’t like anyone, but I have a few friends,” I stuttered and Vanessa just looked at me.

I felt warmth flood my cheeks and she gave me a smile that’s enough to break a guy into two.

“Oh look at the time, I think my brother’s calling me! I should join him!” I said and started to rush off until she pulled me back.

“W-wait!”

“What is it?” I said.

“You know how there’s so many books on virtually everything right?”

“Yeah?”

“Well is there any books on the solar system? Since we basically know nothing about the solar system isn’t there a section here about it?”

“Well I-“

A plate shattered on the floor, and we looked to see Horror standing with a mixed expression of pain and fury.

“We don’t talk about Astronomy anymore,” Horror muttered, forcing the sentence between his teeth.

“Why?” Vanessa asked while giving me a clueless expression.

“We just don’t!” Horror snapped and glided off.

Everything fell silent as we watched him float away.

A smile went upon my face as I looked at one copy of The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe sitting on my plate. The musicians behind me were happily playing violin. The off tune tones scraped my eardrums happily. The poor things must’ve been hungry, they ate their sheet music. As my stomach growled, I picked up my fork and knife, and happily cut a little piece of the book off to see words spill off of the pages.

“This reminds me of what those humans call, lava cake,” I said and a hearty laugh escaped my lips.

I bit into the chunk of book and chewed on the soft pages happily as the cover crunched in my mouth. I looked up at the long table to see my minions just sitting there in silence.

“What are you waiting for? Pick a book and eat! Eat! We ended up getting a whole shipment from a bookstore!”

Smiles filled the room as we happily dined on the words. As the feast went on the double doors to the room slammed open and a crow flew in before transforming back to his human form.

“Kira, what’s the matter? You almost never turn into your animal.”

“B…Boss,” he said in between pants. “Benjamin died!”

My fork clattered on my plate as I stood over him.

“What?!”

“He died...by the Gemini Keepers, Renji and Tenshi. They double teamed him and he died in a circle of light.”

It’s so quiet even the musicians stopped. I looked around at my fellow Word Eaters and sat back down.

“I…see,” I muttered and folded my hands on the table. “In that case…send Sora. He’s been ranked the strongest ever since that cursed Sue Light killed Seth.”

Everyone bowed their heads in memory of Seth, our most ruthless, word hungry, Word Eater.

“May he rest in peace,” I whispered and sent Kira on his way.”
****

“Mikage,” Drama said and I opened my eyes. “Mikage you fell asleep at your desk again.”

“I guess I did,” I mumbled and yawned.

I glanced at the papers on my desk for Vanessa. I never had so much trouble trying to fit someone into a squad.

“Go get some rest Mikage,” Drama urged and I shook my head in reply.

“I can’t, I have to put Vanessa in somewhere.”

“Well if you put her with me, she’ll have to learn how to exaggerate, fence, and be very noble.”

“I know…but what about the others?”

“Hm,” she said and smiled. “Well Fiction’s crew is off the walls crazy and they think of the most random things and make it awesome. They’re also very athletic. Non-fiction is a very intellectual group that studies a lot and tend to stay on the sidelines of the battle field. Poetry is a very mysterious group that have a different view of the world and can manipulate what people are seeing to make a statement.”

“I know that,” I sighed. “But I feel like she doesn’t belong anywhere. What crest do you think she’ll look good in?”

“Well my royal purple capes won’t look good on her. Fiction’s capes are red…Non-fiction is sky blue, and Poetry is black. The crests depend on the Sub Genres you know that.”

“I know but it’s so hard to put her with a genre. I wish Astronomy is still alive she would know what to do.”

“Remember…Astronomy sacrificed herself for the good of the Library. She wouldn’t want any of us sad, especially Horror.”

“I know Drama,” I sighed and gave her a hug.

She wrapped her arms around me and I felt a few hot tears trickle down my face.

“Mikage, if you take anything I say seriously, listen to me now. I’m sure wherever you put Vanessa is a great choice. We all have faith in you Mikage, you were, after all, the first Book Keeper,” Drama said and looked at me with her intense dramatic eyes.

I couldn’t help but smile as I nodded in reply, letting the words sink in.

“I can’t fail you now,” I thought to myself and got right back to work.

“Tenshi! Get up!”

Oh kill me now…please. Renji’s waking me up again before my alarm.

“Renji what is it?” I muttered under my breath as I tried to go back to my blissful sleep.

“It’s Mikage, today he’s going to announce which Genre Vanessa will go to!”

“And it’s my problem because?”

“Because she can start training as an official Book Keeper, hopefully with us.”

I can’t take this anymore! I sat right up and looked at Renji in his eyes with a stern glare to get him to settle down.

“Let me ask you one thing…and only one thing,” I whispered and Renji nodded. “Do you or do you not have a crush on Vanessa?”

“I DO NOT!” he exclaimed and looked overly shocked.

Sometimes I wonder if he would be better off with Drama instead of Poetry.

“You’re a horrible liar,” I said with a slight chuckle and pulled the covers over my head.

I have a feeling this will be a long day.
****

I could barely sleep from my excitement as I walked out into the lobby of the Grand Library. It seems like everyone’s there for my inauguration! Excitement raced through my entire body as I rushed to my seat.

“Hey Vanessa!” a familiar voice chimed and I turned to see Renji laughing and waving at me while Tenshi had a bitter scowl on his face and his arms are folded.

“Renji! Tenshi!” I replied happily as I ran to them.

Renji laughed and gave me a huge bear hug. You could feel his muscle move as he hugged me and I felt my face get warm.

“Let’s get this over with,” Tenshi growled.

“You’re not a morning person aren’t you?”

“Wow, you’re not as dumb as I thought,” he replied and walked off calmly.

I felt like he slapped me as he walked away. Renji must’ve noticed my hurt expression because he gave me a hug.

“Hey…ignore him. He’s just super grumpy because I woke him up today. Besides, he’s much happier fighting Word Eaters, I promise! I hope we can work together Vanessa,” Renji said trying to cheer me up.

“Oh really? How come?”

“Well you see,” he started to say and blushed. “I uh…I kinda wanted to…ah…”

“Yeah?” I asked, trying to encourage him.

“You see I wanted to...find my pencil! Yeah that’s it!”

Did he really just say what I thought he said?

“Your pencil?”

“Yep! I’m always losing those things! Very important when you need your journal you know!”

“Ah okay…if you say so Renji,” I whispered and went back to my seat.

“Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!” I heard Renji mutter under his breath as he smacked his forehead.

The little act made me giggle a little and I felt my face get warm. I turned away from him and sat down.
“I’m not developing feelings for this guy! I refuse to!” I thought to myself and a sigh escaped my lips as I looked around for a bit, waiting for Mikage to come out.
Eventually everyone settled down and Mikage walked up to the podium in the middle of the lobby.
“Everyone thanks for coming,” Mikage said and cleared this throat. “I’m glad to welcome Vanessa, daughter of Sue Light, to finally join us in our everlasting battle against Word Eaters! Vanessa please come up here to receive your genre.”
Everyone looked at me and started clapping. My face got warm and I walked up to the podium shyly.
“Vanessa, thank you for changing your mind about all of this,” he said with a warm smile. “And now, I have for you, in this box, your new cape which will represent which genre you will represent.”
“Wait I’m confused,” I said. “Aren’t we supposed to protect all books?”
“All the written works, yes.”
“Then how come we’re split up into different genres?”
“Well because it’ll be easier for you guys to master one genre and the magic within that genre instead of mastering the magic of all genres. Some people are imaginative and have a hard time holding onto the concept of reality, which will make it hard for them to lean realistic magic like Non-Fiction’s group.”
The little Book Keepers here started to whisper in agreement.
“Do you understand now Vanessa?”
“Yeah, I got it!” I said happily to Mikage. “How are they split up?”
“Everyone receives a cape depending on which Genre they’re with, Black for Poetry, Purple for Drama, Red for Fiction, and sky blue for Non-fiction.”
“Okay! I got it now,” I replied.
“Okay, moving back on track…after a lot of though, I have decided to put you in,” he boomed as he handed me a white box.
All eyes were on me as I took the white ribbon off the white box. When I took off the lid I saw my new color.
“Red for Fiction!” Mikage yelled and everyone wearing a red cape started to cheer.
“WHAT?” Fiction cried but the cheers drowned her out.
Confetti poppers echoed off the walls and I think even a Pegasus flew through the sky with some dragons.
“Are they-?”
“Yes…they’re always like that,” Mikage said and chuckled.
Fiction walked up to me, her eyes glowing with fury in them. She took my cape and hooked it on for me.
“You’re not worthy to wear this color,” she growled. “Red is for passion, fiery passion and you don’t have any since you insulted us when we need you. You’re a disgrace…go wear grey.”
“Fiction! Is that how we treat a new Book Keeper?” Mikage growled and she walked away.
“What does she mean by ‘wear grey’?” I asked.
“It’s the color of a Word Eater,” he said. “They usually wear monotones, black, white, and grey. It’s actually quite useful for us because we can make Poetry Book Keepers our spies.”
I nodded in understanding.
“Vanessa!” Renji cried and I ran to him, kind of missing his bear hug. “Congrats! You’re a Fiction girl!”
“Now she won’t be with us,” Tenshi said.
“Oh Tenshi don’t sound so sad,” Mikage said and smiled playfully. “I was going to station her with you guys since you already know each other.”
“What?!” Renji said and his smile got so big I thought his face was going to break.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Tenshi growled and walked off.
“You guys have fun at the banquet, once everyone settles down that is,” Mikage said and turned away.
“Where are you going?” I asked and he looked back with a smile.
“I have to check on something…” he replied and kept walking as Renji pulled me away into the chaos.

I’ve never felt more scared in my entire life. I can’t believe that I’m standing near the leader of the Word Eaters as he dines on Edgar Allan Poe’s entire collection. Seeing the words bleeds from the thin pages as he laps it up like a quenched puppy, it makes me sick and it breaks my heart. I really like Poe too.

“Hey, Haru.”

“Yes Master?” I said with a smile on my face.

Man being a butler to this monster is a terrible position as an undercover Book Keeper, but at least I’m not eating the poor books.

“I want you to go to the kitchen and get me a nice little book for desert. Anything you want, but pictures are a sweet treat to any meal,” the boss said as he greedily patted his stomach.

“One day I will kill you, all of you,” I thought as I maintained my charming smile.

“Of course! Anything you want Master,” I said and bowed before exiting to the kitchen, aka the library.

I opened the door to the library, happily taking in the warm smell of the books as I long to read the words within the pages. I feel at home here, considering the fact that it reminds me of the Grand Library.

“Ah that fat pig can wait for a little bit for a dessert,” I whispered as my fingers brushed along the spines. “It’s so sad to hear that people hate reading…it breaks my heart really.”

Then my eyes fell upon a beautiful magenta book, a book that has no title but has a little ribbon sticking out of it.

“Wait a minute,” I thought as my heart sank.

I flipped open the pages to see beautiful script on the slightly yellowed pages.

I’m getting close to their hideout. These Word Eaters truly know how to live it up, they must be organized by rich and powerful people to afford a house of such magnitudes! Hopefully I don’t get caught…

This journal belonged to a Book Keeper, from Drama’s Faction I presume. A drop of sweat glided down my face as I snatched a dessert cook book for the head Word Eater, and rushed out of that library.

“My apologies for being so late Master, it was such a difficult decision to choose a perfect desert for you,” I said.

“No worries Haru,” he said as I uncovered the silver dome that I hid the cook book under.

He stared hungrily at the pages and I felt broken about what was going to happen to this poor cupcake cook book. I placed the book upon his plate and he shooed me away.

“You’re dismissed Haru, have a good night,” he said and I smiled, once again, bowed, and left to my servant’s quarters.

My room is rather bland. A plan bed, a dresser, and a bathroom is all that came with the room. In my room in the Grand Library I would have a bookshelf stuffed, no, overflowing with books. My shoes clacked on the hardwood floor and I sat on the bed, making the springs creak. On my dresser is a hand mirror and I looked at myself. My dark brown hair used to be wild, spiked, and free. Now it’s slicked back and covered with so much grease I wonder if I could slide on the ground. My suffocating suit used to be a white shirt and maybe a vest on formal occasions, but I really missed my black cape with an alien on it. I couldn’t stop reading about the supernatural.

I hate it so much here, seeing the books die by these greedy jerks. It breaks my heart.

“I want to go home…Mikage why did you send me here?” I whispered and felt hot tears sting my eyes, blurring my vision.

I had to keep myself from audibly sobbing as I’m forced to watch this carnage day after day. This world is so cruel. I hate this place, I hate the Word Eaters, and I want to do nothing but kill them all to save that beautiful library.

“Haru? Come in! Haru!”

“Mikage?” I whispered and looked at the hand mirror.

The clear glass slowly turned my reflection into Mikage.

“Mikage! Thank God you’re here!” I said and he shushed me.

“You have to keep it down, you never know whose listening.”

“I know,” I replied.

“Status update.”

“The Eaters held a larger dinner than normal today Mikage…apparently they obtained a whole shipment of books from a nearby book store. One of the messengers turned into a crow and said that Benjamin, a Word Eater, has been killed by the Gemini Keepers, Renji and Tenshi.”

“So that’s the name of the one who attacked Vanessa.”

“Who?”

“I’ll tell you later Haru, what else happened?”

“Well,” I said and looked at the mirror. “I discovered the journal of a Book Keeper from Drama’s Faction. I didn’t sense any other Book Keeper so I assumed that he, or she didn’t make it.”

“I see,” Mikage sighed and looked at me. “We got a new Book Keeper, holding the name of Vanessa.”

“The daughter of Sue Light,” I whispered and smiled. “There’s hope for us after all.”

“Exactly! But now that I think about it, I want you to go the library tonight and see if you can uncover more Book Keeper journals. They usually come back to use when the Keeper passes but if you found one there’s bound to be more.”

“I understand, over,” I said and the mirror went back to my reflection.

I’m going to get my chance…I will get to save a few books!

I took a deep breath as I snuck back to the kitchen, er…I mean library. The doors creaked open slowly as I snuck in with just a lantern. I couldn’t risk turning on the lights. Those chandeliers are brighter than you’d think, but the soft glow of a lantern’s perfect. I calmed my racing heart as I crept over to one of the bookshelves. The soft flame light sent a nice glow to the spines of the book and I found the purple journal again. My eyes wandered and I spotted a sky blue journal, then a green one, then soon more colored journals appeared and it seemed to leave a trail.

“This is so daring!” I thought to myself as I looked over at the many journals leading me to a strangely colored wall.

I pressed my hand against it and felt it slide in, then it made a loud click as it slowly swung open. My excitement was quickly extinguished to sheer terror as many journals, neatly stacked, flooded my eyes. What really made my stomach churn is that most of the books were dark colored, the colors of Poetry’s Faction. I covered my mouth and forced my body to keep from gagging as I looked at the many books.

With a trembling hand I picked one up and flipped through the pages to see what my fellow comrades wrote before they got murdered.

My first day as a maid for the Word Eaters. I’ve never felt so terrified in my life, but Poetry’s killer smile keeps me going on! – This boss guy is quite terrifying, today he yelled at me for not making the floors shine enough to make him see his reflection. Well his fat butt will glide across the floor if I clean it anymore!

I couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of that pig slipping on the floor. I looked at another one to see what happened to them.

Can you believe I’ve been selected to become a gardener for these guys? Me! A Non-fiction guy! The thought makes me laugh! - It’s getting worse now, they’re bringing in more journals of our fallen comrades…I’m forced to do nothing but hold back tears and tend to the garden. Rest in peace…

I let out a huge sigh and wiped some tears away.

“This is too depressing for me,” I thought, getting lost within the words.

“So…you’re the rat among us!” a voice said and a gun clacked against my head. “I thought you were fishy from day one!”

Her voice is a little deep, but held a lot of power.

“Please Miss I have no idea as to what you’re talking about!”

“Don’t play dumb! Book Keeper!” she snapped and pressed the gun against my head. “Haru of all people…the boss took you in and made him his right hand man, and here you are mourning over dead people!”

“Alright, you caught me, I’m a Book Keeper,” I sighed as I held a tight grip on the journal.

“Tch, I knew I was right…the Boss is going to be so proud of me when he sees you for who you really are!”

“Not unless I kill you first! Blazing Light!” I yelled and threw an orb of light in her face, blinding her.

I leapt up, landing high on the book shelf to see the exit. If I can get there, maybe the Boss will protect me.

“You can’t get away that easily!” she roared and released a few shots.

I was already hopping across the tops of the bookshelves, until the door slammed shut and I heard giggling.


“Oh no! There’s more than one!” I thought and took out my journal.

The pages glided across my fingers as I stood at the exit.

“Protect me, dear fate, so that I shall see the light once more!” I said and a force field surrounded me. “Let the spirit of a dragon consume this evil, dispelling it!”

A yellow dragon appeared from my journal and grew in size as it appeared from my page. The word eater had trouble fighting it as she kept shooting blindly. A smile came across my face and I tried to work on the door, just to hear a gun load up right behind me.

“I completely forgot about that second one!” I thought and jiggled the door handle.

“Fate is in my hands now, for there’s a hole in your shield there.”

That voice…there’s something about that voice. I felt like I heard it before.

“Really Haru, you know me, I’m much stronger than you, and I always will. But it’s okay, we’ll always be friends, right? You even came to my wedding.”

“No!” I cried. “No it can’t be you! It can’t be! You’re dead!”

“Haru turn around!” she said and tears slid down my face.

I slowly turned around to see beautiful light hair, eyes that seemed to glitter in the glow of my dragon, and a smile so warming it looked like she could give you a hug.

“No,” I whispered and shook my head. “This is impossible! You’re dead! We mourned for you! Mikage was crying! You’re dead!”

“No matter how many times you say that…the truth will always be right in front of you Haru,” she said and pointed the gun at my chest.

“Please….don’t do this…please don’t! S-“ I whispered, but the sound of the gun was the last thing I heard echoing in my ears as the world went black.

I woke up at midnight with the feeling something is amiss. This feeling that which I cannot shake is tearing away at my soul. This pain is familiar, too familiar. It can’t be, I must find Mikage and fast. My feet carried themselves as I raced to the door, banging on it, awaking the head librarian.

“Poetry!” He yawned and wiped his tired eyes. “What are you doing up this late?”

“Something is amiss…,” I whispered, “I’m afraid Haru’s dead…yet alive.”

“Haru’s dead?!”

“Yet alive!” I replied and looked at Mikage.

“This isn’t good,” Mikage said and walked past me. “If Haru’s still alive…who knows what they’re doing to him!”
****

Water, I just felt water fall upon my head. I awoke coughing, but my chest. I felt horrible pain in my chest.

“Easy does it Haru…easy. Sounds like a broken rib, don’t let it puncture your lung.”

That voice…that voice sounds so familiar somehow.

“B-Boss,” I whispered.

“You can’t call me that anymore Book Keeper,” he said and I fully woke up in shock.

“Wh-what? How did you know?”

“I know everything Haru, Karen followed you to the library a few times to see you looking at the books. You found our books of the dead.”

“Books? Of the dead?” I asked and looked around, trying to figure out where I was.

I couldn’t look around because I felt my neck was suspended, strapped down, I should say. My body shivered as I felt cold metal against my body. I took in a deep breath and then everything came back to me, that night. The colors of the books flashed through my head and I felt a tear fell down my face.

“Everyone….everyone’s dead.”

“Yes, everyone’s dead,” The Boss said, repeating me. “And soon you will die too, after we kill the genres.”

“What?”

“You’re going to be bait…so we can get the books at the library we’ve been searching for…”

“Wh-why?” I asked and he stopped talking.

“Now, now, let’s have something to keep a surprise. You have a visitor?”

I managed to find a way to look at the door to see a woman. This woman looked so familiar. She wore a dress, a nice ball gown. Her long brown hair is shiny and combed back, but her face, something about it seems so familiar.

“Honesty Haru…how could you forget me?”

That’s when it hit me.

“Sue? Sue Light?”

“Yes Haru…it’s me,” she said as she approached my metal bed. “It’s me, Sue Light.”
****

I woke up to a bright and beautiful morning at the Grand Library.

“Vanessa!” Renji cried from behind the door. “Get up and come on! Mikage has an announcement!”

“What? Already?” I yelled and got out of bed.

“Yes! Come on!” he said and I sighed.

Eventually I went out into the hallway and followed Renji to the lobby. Everyone seemed to be running around in a frenzy and Mikage ran to me and Renji.

“Renji! Vanessa! Thank goodness you’re here! Listen-“

But he couldn’t say anything, for we heard static, like TV static. A wall mounted television fell from the huge ceiling and then we saw a video appear. A young man, with messy brown hair and a bloody nose appeared on the screen.

“Haru!” Renji yelled and looked at the fat man standing in front of the metal table. “Oh man Haru are you alright?!”

“He’s breathing isn’t he?” the fat man snapped and smiled at everyone’s worried faces. “Greetings Book Keepers, I am the Head Word Eater!”

Mikage


“You!” Drama growled. “You! You’re the one that killed everyone!”


“Calm down,” I whispered.


“NO Mikage!” she said and kept her eyes fixed on the screen. “Listen you dirty dog! You killed so many of us, I’m tempted to sharpen my fencing blade to cut off your head!”


“Oh I’m so scared!” he said and laughing, making his fat jiggle. “You all fell apart after Astronomy got killed.”


“WE DON’T TALK ABOUT HER!” Fiction snapped. “Give Haru back to us!”


“Here, let me tell you what we want in exchange for this loser,” he said and got out a sheet of paper. “I want each of the Genres to come to my mansion, and sacrifice their lives in exchange for Haru’s life.”


“Drop dead,” Drama growled and looked at Haru. “Haru I’m so sorry.”


“Drama…,” Haru sighed and smiled. “I’d lay down my life for you guys. You know that.”


“Haru, don’t do anything irrational!” Non-Fiction said.


“Too late,” he said and broke the chains and unveiled two guns.


The video went dark and Fiction started to laugh like a maniac.


“Oh Haru!” She said. “You should’ve been with me! Oh I’m so proud!”


I looked over at Fiction and she wiped a tear from her eye like a proud mother.


“What now?” Tenshi asked and Mikage looked over at all of us.


“I want all of you to go home and hide, lay low, he might’ve seen most of your faces,” Mikage said. “We have to shut it down for a bit until it’s safe to come out.”


A sigh escaped my lips and I felt someone nudge me, Renji.


“You can stay with me and Tenshi while we lay low.”


“What made you think she’s allowed back at the house?” Tenshi growled and Renji rolled his eyes at him.


This is going to be a very interesting time.

Vanessa


I woke up in my new room, still getting accustomed to living with Renji and Tenshi, and looked around. Nothing here…just my stuff put away. I have to ask them…I must ask them. So after taking a deep breath, I bounded down the stairs to see Tenshi reading a book and Renji looking through his journal.


“What happened to Astronomy?!” I shouted and the guys, well, Renji looked up at me in surprise.


“We don’t talk about her anymore,” Tenshi said coolly and put the book down. “But since you’re at our home and not at the Grand Library, I suppose we can tell you.”


“Sit by me!” Renji said and clear a space on the sofa.


I made myself comfortable and looked at Tenshi.


“What happened to-“


“We heard you the first time! Sheesh…just….imagine a girl that looks a bit like Drama. Tall, very pretty, sky blue hair that’s forever in a ponytail and a dress with the moon and stars on it,” Tenshi explained and I had a mental image.


“I got it,” I whispered and Renji nodded.


“Good…this is why we don’t talk about Astronomy…Horror and her got close….,” Renji said.


“Close?”


“Let me explain…Horror himself told me the whole story,” Tenshi said and stopped. “Well…before I begin, let me say that a long time ago, the Grand Library used to be above ground, with the humans. They wanted to share the knowledge with them so whenever people wanted to learn how to read or do anything they came to the library…until it happened…until the Astronomy Incident. This was before the idea of the Book Keepers came aboard…this was when it was just the Genres.”

Horror


I awoke to the sound of the coffins opening and zombies moaning for brains, life, either one, it doesn’t matter. A smile found its way onto my face as I glided through my haunted mansion, nothing could ruin this day! I escaped through the gates of my graveyard and entered the lobby to the Grand Library.


“Hello Horror!” Romance said and waved to me. “I see that smile…I know who you’re going to see!”


“Is it that obvious?” I asked and tried to hide my smile.


“Uh yes! Horror you’re so much in love it’s so adorable!”


“Please don’t tease me,” I whispered and she giggled.


“Well I don’t want to hold you up. Go see your stellar girl!” she said and started to nudge me to Astronomy’s section.


I chuckled and drifted off to float higher due to the zero gravity. I casted my eyes up and there she was. Astronomy was looking at me with her beautiful sparkling sea green eyes and her light blue bangs were floating gently over her face, her perfect face.


“Horror! You came!” she said and swam to me to give me a gentle hug.


“Of course…,” I said and felt my face get warm.


This must be this blush that Romance told me about…it’s nice.


“What did you need to show me?” I asked and she smiled.


“Oh right! I found a new planet! It’s called Saturn!” she said happily and grabbed a scroll.


She unfurled it and her galaxy zoomed into a beautiful cream colored planet with a huge brown ring floating around it.


“It has a ring,” I whispered.


“Not a ring, multiple rings!” she said and took my hand.


It’s so warm compared to mine.


“Isn’t it beautiful Horror?”


“Not as pretty as you,” I whispered and she brought warmth to my cheek.


“You’re so sweet Horror.”


“Well….you mean a lot to me…,” I confessed and felt my face get even warmer.


Our eyes connected and I felt my undead heart beat once again. Is this what it’s like to be alive?


“Horror,” Astronomy said and blushed. “I…I have feelings for you.”


“Bad ones?!”


“What? No no silly it’s good feelings….very good feelings. You love to see the stars with me! And you care about knowledge!”


“Well…I’m not all ghosts and goblins,” I replied with a slight chuckle and Astronomy’s lips connected with mine.


Oh man! This is…a kiss? WH-what should I do? My heart is beating and…and I love her. Yes…I love Astronomy.


My hands held her against me as we floated in her galaxy, until we were brutally interrupted by a red alarm, which never went off before.


“A red alarm!” I cried and we raced out of her galaxy, feeling the effects of gravity once again.


“The word Eaters found us!” someone shouted and we all raced outside to the outer gates.


“What do we do?!” Drama cried. “We’re going to die!”


“No! We have one option!” Nonfiction said. “We have to go below ground!”


“You don’t mean?” Drama said.


“Yes….to the Other World.”


“Well we can’t get to the Other World if we all die!” Sci-fi cried and Non-Fiction nodded. “Listen…we have to hold them off long enough to activate the spell.”


“I’ll do it!” Astronomy cried and I held her back.


“No! Let me do it,” I whispered. “You’re the only thing that I care about…please?”


Astronomy fiddled with her hands and I ran off, raising the undead to keep the Word Eaters at bay. Chanting filled the air and the ground below started to glow, but as each painful second went on, the Word Eaters were rapidly getting closer. I could throw every monster I had at them but nothing was slowing them down.


“So this is Horror,” one of the demons growled and licked his lips hungrily.


“GET AWAY FROM MY BOYFRIEND!” a familiar voice shouted and a puff of light floated in front of us.


This light was a bright white and I knew I had to run, that star was going to Supernova. My feet pounded on the concrete but a clawed hand got a hold on my cape, preventing my escape. My eyes scanned the terrified genres, running away from us, except for one. Blue hair bounded for me and the sound of fabric tearing caught my ear.


“Get away from here!” Astronomy cried and the building started to go below ground, a protective field was slowly forming around it.


“No!” I shouted and held her arm. “I’m not going without you!”


“Horror,” she whispered and her eyes sparkled with excitement. “It’ll be okay! I’ll be there. I promise.”


“Astronomy,” I whispered and a force shoved me away from her and into the Library. “Astronomy please!”


She fought beautifully, making weapons out of fire and hot gasses. Then I remembered, the force field.


“Astronomy!” I cried and she turned to see the force field falling over us.


She ran back but crashed into the wall. No…no she can’t die like this.


“Astronomy! You have to come with us!”


“No…I can’t go through the field when it seals the Library,” she whispered. “It’s supposed to keep everything out…do me a favor Horror…live…live for me and remember everything I taught you. I love you.”


I felt my heart stop as I got dragged away by Fiction. It truly is too late for her. Astronomy…you can’t die. I love you. A bright light blinded me and I woke up, in my graveyard. My eerily silent graveyard. Everything rushed back into my mind and I ran to the Lobby. As soon as I stepped in I saw it…the galaxy that held us was now dust. Everything she had, every ounce of knowledge in her mind, gone. Astronomy…why? Why die for me when we could be together?

Vanessa:
“R-Renji?” I asked and shook him gently.
I sighed and looked at the clock to see that it’s getting pretty late. A yawn escaped my lips and I noticed Tenshi standing there.
“Oh...h-hey Tenshi,” I said and rubbed my eyes.
“Tea?” he asked and held a steaming cup to me.
Something tells me I shouldn’t but I heard tea’s good for you and a warm drink will help me sleep tonight.
“What kind is it?”
“Black with cream and sugar,” he said and held the saucer to me.
“But...but I didn’t hear you boil the water.”
“I didn’t want to disturb your research session and we don’t heat tea water on the stove anymore, we have an electric kettle that doesn’t make any noise,” he replied with a small smirk that didn’t seem to be like him.
“Uh..Renji! Renji passed out.”
“I’ll take care of him after you go to bed...I promise he’s my little brother. What’s the harm on sleeping on the floor for a bit?” he asked and chuckled to himself.
“Tenshi are you feeling okay? You seem off…”
“I’m fine!” he snapped and pushed the teacup to me.
Something’s not right...I know it’s not right, but I took the saucer anyway and went up the stairs to my room. After taking a quick shower I decided to inspect the tea. The contents are a light tan, an indicator of lots of cream and sugar but just to be sure I pulled out my journal then froze. How do I make a spell with this?!
I sighed and flopped on my bed. I then picked up my pen and wrote “liquid sampler,” into the book. The script glowed a soft gold as the pages shone brightly in my face. Once the light dimmed I saw a si-fi mini computer attached to a test tube with an eyedropper corking it closed.
“Woah! It worked!” I cried and put some of the tea into the scanner. “Computer test for poisons or tranquilizers.”
“Scanning,” the computer replied in the typical female voice. “No poisons can be traced in this...tea.”
“Then what’s in it?”
“This black tea contains black tea leaves, 5 mg of sugar and four teaspoons of French Vanilla creamer from the local supermarket five miles away.”
“Well thanks computer,” i said and brought the hot cup to my lips before freezing. “Wait...I took a shower for half an hour why is the cup still hot?”
“Good night Vanessa!”
“G-good night Tenshi” I said and drank the tea quickly before he could come into my room and get mad that I didn’t drink the tea.
My stomach made a painful gurgling sound and I hunched over. That stupid computer lied! If I die in my sleep I’m going to blame faulty powers.
Renji:
When I woke up, I felt something heavy on my body. Pressing down on me like it’s trying to suffocate me. What is this force? Why is it so hard to breathe?! Tenshi help me!
“Renji wake up!” Tenshi growled and I woke up to see his face.
“T-Tenshi!” I cried and hugged him.
He didn’t hug me back because he’s awkward when it comes to hugging.
“Wh-what’s going on? Where am I?” I asked and looked around the traditional Japanese room.
“You’re in my sanctuary. I dragged you here to recover because you fainted.”
“Oh but I thought I couldn’t go into your sanctuary...you banned me remember?” I asked and felt uncomfortable.
“Well I wanted to spend some brotherly time together...for old times sake you know?” he asked and sat next to the futon. “We never spend any time together and I thought we should start now...give you a break from girls…”
“Well that does sound nice but I thought you liked being alone…”
“I need my brother to be who I am,” Tenshi said and placed a hand on my shoulder.
It’s colder than normal, something’s wrong. This thing’s not my brother but I need to play it cool, like i don’t know. Maybe it is Tenshi.
“You know Tenshi...Vanessa asked me out. You know what that means right?”
“N-no...I don’t. Want to refresh my memory?”
“We made a bet?” I said trying to jog his memory. “We made a bet to see who can get a girl to ask us out first...please don’t tell me you forgot!”
“O...of course I didn’t forget!” he said and rubbed the back of his head while chuckling nervously.
“Cool so when are we going?”
“Going where?” he asked and I knew i got him.
“You know...you said we’d go bungee jumping,” I lied and the faker pretended to suddenly remember.
“You know I did remember something about that! We should go after your little date with Vanessa you know?” he asked and nudged my arm, to which I uttered a spell and burned him.
“OW! What’s wrong with you Renji!”
“You’re not my brother!” I cried. “Where is Tenshi?! Where’s Vanessa!? And how did I perform a spell?”
I stood up quickly and grabbed the faker’s shirt, to which he started to laugh.
“Man I was wondering when you were going to realize that I’m not Tenshi...you know I messed up on purpose so you can get it into your thick skull that I am not your older brother...pleased to meet you baby brother Renji. My name is Marcus, the parasite Word Eater,” he said and held his hand out.
“Uh...hi Marcus,” I said and shook his hand. “Please explain to me how we can still do magic...please.”
“Why of course...I hope you can keep up with what i have to tell you. Or should I use small words for your tiny brain to process what I’m saying?”
Sheesh this dude’s a jerk. I sighed and ignored his insults.
“Just tell me,” I sighed.
“Fine...the matter is really simple, after taking control of his body, I took a piece of Tenshi’s soul after trapping him to know everything about him and his magic. I haven’t memorized everything” he admitted.
“What will you do with me?” I asked.
“I currently have more parasites like me hatching in his gut. The matter is really simple, I was going to use you and this vessel to kill the Book Keepers with a simple infestation.”
“That’s disgusting!”
“Disgustingly easy! Or so I thought. That’s enough talk now….lay down dear brother. I promise that the infection won’t hurt and it’ll be a few seconds.”
“What makes you think that I will be willing to get infected by you! What are you?!”
“I told you, a parasite! And I think you would like to get infected by me...you don’t want Tenshi’s soul to get hurt do you?” the parasite said and I looked confused.
“What do you mean?”
“There’s a cauldron in this paradise...and that cauldron will become the portal for the word eaters to gain access to every place Tenshi’s been...including the Grand Library...the potion’s almost done...and since I’m such a nice guy I don’t want to see you get ripped to shreds because you’re not infected by a parasitic Word Eater...sure your soul will get ejected from your body into a tiny jar like your brother, but at least you’ll be alive,” he said and laughed.
“Drop dead! Golden light!” I said and a flash of light flashed in my hand, allowing me to do a ninja escape.
There’s only one objective in my mind, I need to find my brother’s soul.

Tenshi:
Being stuck inside a bottle is the worst possible thing imaginable. There’s nothing to do, and there’s nothing you can do but hope that someone will be able to find you. That stupid parasitic Word Eater stole a piece of my soul in order to do spells. Isn’t that fabulous? I ran a sigh through my mind. Man I’d do anything to see Renji again.
“Tenshi!” a familiar voice cried and opened the door.
“Renji?!” I asked and realized he won’t be able to hear me since I am a floating spirit in a jar.
I had to take action fast to make him see my soul in this stupid jar on this shelf. After taking a break or whatever, I focused all of my energy to make the jar shake. It scooted a bit off the shelf.
“Tenshi there you are!” Renji said and took the jar off the shelf.
“I’m going to open the jar! But the word eaters are going after me,” he said and ran while trying to uncork the jar.
Renji get me out of here soon! We have to stop them.

Vanessa:
When I finished reading my research paper to the class I sat down at my desk and sighed. I can’t believe that I just finished my research paper in such a short amount of time! It was really fun ever since I was with Renji. He’s so sweet and funny it makes me blush every time I think about him. The loudspeaker in the classroom crackled and the principal cleared his throat after scaring everyone half to death.
“Would Vanessa Light please come to the Principal’s office right away? Would Vanessa Light please come to the Principal’s office right away please and thank you,” he said and everyone ooed at me as I made my way to the principal’s office.
When I pushed open the heavy door the principal hid himself behind the sofa.
“You called for me sir?”
“Ah yes Vanessa...please take a seat.”
I sat in the scratchy chairs that smelled like the 80s and the principal still didn’t turn his chair around.
“Excuse me sir...is there a reason why I was called here?” I asked and shifted around uncomfortably.
“Yes...I was wondering if you know who I am,” he said and turned his seat around to make me see one of the heaviest men I’ve seen alive. “It’s finally nice to meet you Ms. Light...do you know who I am?”
“No,” I replied quietly but he does look so familiar.
“That’s great...I shall introduce myself. My name is Alex and I’m the leader of the Word Eaters.”
“W-Word Eater?!”
“Do not be alarmed...I won’t hurt you here. It would be improper if I decided to fight you right now. Your principal is safe I just wanted you to know that Tenshi and Renji are gone.”
“Gone?! Gone how? ARe they dead?!”
“Goodness no! We just eat books, not slaughter people!” he said and laughed so loud his belly jiggled, making me ill to my stomach.
“Oh so can I go now?”
“No,” he said and I felt my body get weak. “The whole time you’ve been here you’ve been smelling our knockout gas...sweet dreams Vanessa.”

Renji:
I woke up in a dark, dingy cell. Mold and the stench of mildew filled the air as I got off the cold ground.
“Renji is that you?”
“Haru!” I said and crawled to the door. “I thought you were dead!”
“Nah...I managed to send a few Word Eaters back to their world.”
“Wait...they came from another world?” I asked and Haru nodded.
“Listen...they came from another world where people get knowledge and nutrients by eating books...turns out they’re running low on resources and decided to come to Earth to get rid of our books since we’re getting technically advanced. It’s really bad Renji. We have to defeat them and keep them from killing the genres,” Haru sighed and I though. “What’s that in your hand?”
“The soul of my brother. One of the word eaters managed to become parasitic and took control of his body...I need to find him and get his body back,” I said and Haru sighed.
“You better hope that someone will be able to find us...or give us a tip to unlock this cell.”
Footsteps came down the stairs and I placed Tenshi’s soul in my shirt. A chain of light formed around my neck which kept the bottle from smashing onto the ground. I can’t release him until I found his body. One of the Word eaters, the one who turns into a crow came down the stairs with Vanessa over his shoulder.
“Vanessa!” I yelled out foolishly.
“You know this girl little man?” he asked and his breath was in desperate need of a breath strip.
“Y-yeah…”
“Well then lover boy, you can have her,” he said and tossed her body in the cell.
The guard then proceeded to lock the doors before walking off while laughing.
“We have all of them! Isn’t that right Marcus?”
“That’s right! Two boys, the traitor, and the girl, daughter of Sue Light...the one that killed Ace,” he hissed and walked off. “This vessel is the strongest of the three children….his soul is ejected out of his body. I plan to show the boss his soul tonight.”
My hand went right to my chest as I felt my body tremble at the thought of what could happen to us if Marcus found out that Tenshi’s actually with me. We need to find a way out of here and fast!

Vanessa:
I woke up in a dingy cell covered in- Renji’s here?! I had to rub my throbbing head to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating that the guy that’s supposed to take me out on a date was truly here.
“Renji?!”
“Vanessa!” he said and put me in one of his bear hugs. “I’m so happy to see you! I’m sorry about all of this. There’s so much I need to tell you.”
He then proceeded to tell me all about Tenshi.
“But...but he’s so mean it was hard to tell if he was a fake or not.”
“And if we don’t leave soon we might be next,” a mysterious man in a nice suit said.
“Who’s that?”
“That’s Haru. He’s one of us, an undercover Book Keeper. He’s putting his life on the line to get information about the Word Eaters.”
“Well I did put my life on the line until they found out who I was...they’re planning to infiltrate the Grand Library to kill all the genres! If we don’t do something now all of the written works of the world will become a buffet to that fat bozo!” he said and I felt my body grow heavier. “But what can we do...he took all of our journals.”
“No he didn’t!” I cried.
“Vanessa he probably took yours…”
“No he didn’t,” I repeated and reached into my shirt to pull out a tiny journal that grew bigger in my hand.
“Vanessa...that’s amazing!” Renji cried and hugged me again.
“Thanks but we need to focus on getting out of here….now!” I said. “Tenshi’s in danger! Well, actually we’re in more danger at the moment. I have a plan. Haru can you draw?”
“Yes I can actually. Why?”
“I need you to take my journal and draw the key as best as you can. Maybe if I summon a copy of the key we can escape!” I said and Renji smiled.
“You’re a genius!” he said and ruffled my hair.
My smile grew and I slid the journal all the way to Haru who immediately got to work. Each second felt to be a painstaking hour as we felt the time press against us. Until finally he finished drawing the cell key. He slid the journal back to me where I summoned the key into my hand.
“The moment of truth,” REnji said and I messed with the lock with the drawn key.
The key slid in and I turned slowly to hear the door unlock.
“Did it-?” Renji started to ask as I slid the door open.
We cheered quietly and released Haru.
“We need our journals! I know where they’re hidden,” he said and ran off, signaling for us to follow.
He took us to a secret passageway, a servant’s pathway for staff of manners this big usually have secret ways of going to and fro from everywhere and anywhere in the house. The pathway however is extremely dark and cold from the lack of use.
“It’s perfect for sneaking around, nobody else but me knows about these passageways,” Haru whispered and Renji closed the door behind us.
I used my journal to make some light so we can see our way as Haru led us through the passages to get to the Word Eater Kitchen, also known as, the library.
“This way!” Haru said and led us to a small dark shelf filled with colorful books.
Renji and Haru grabbed two books that glowed at their touch, their journals.
“Alright let’s get back to the Grand Library to tell Mikage about this,” he whispered and we nodded.
We started to run to the doors but we heard a familiar chuckle as the doors slammed shut. Tenshi walked out in front of the doors with a dark smile on his face. HIs once crimson eyes are now as black as the night.
“Did you really think that I would let you all go so easily? You truly are foolish, Book Keepers. I’m surprised you’re not all dead yet,” he said with a laugh and pulled out his journal. “You have to get through me to get to the big boss if that’s what you’re doing! Now...shall we begin?”

Renji:
“Haru…take Vanessa to safety. I’ll deal with Tenshi, er, Marcus,” I growled and my cape appeared on my shoulders.
It’s black with a red crow on it and with Tenshi’s soul around my neck I’ll be sure to be more powerful than this word eater.
“Renji!” Vanessa cried and held my arm. “You can’t fight him! You just asked me out I don’t want to lose you!”
“Don’t worry about me Vanessa,” I replied and ruffled her hair.
Haru took her off of me and disappeared, leaving me alone with Tenshi. Don’t worry big bro, I’ll put you back in your body.
“Foolish Keeper…” Marcus muttered under his breath and tsked at me. “You should know better than to fight a Word Eater one on one. We killed many! We killed Sue!”
“Don’t talk about Sue Light like that!” I said and we opened our journals. “Give my brother’s body back, better yet, why don’t you just die word eater for killing my parents?!”
“Talk is cheap dear boy! Why don’t you let our magic do the talking?!” he roared and our journals flipped open.
“Crimson Moon, piercing shadows! Drive away the light within this monster’s heart!” we shouted and lights and shadows from our books clashed.


Vanessa:
Haru held my hand as we raced through the grand mansion. My heart raced as we turned corners and dodged Word Eater attacks.
“We have to tell Mikage!” I cried.
“There’s no time! WE have to slay the beast ourselves if we want to save everyone!” Haru said and pulled me out of the way of a horrifying looking dagger. “Unless you want to die we have to do this ourselves!”
“G-good point,” I said and we went back to running until we arrived at a grand set of doors.
“What is this place?” I asked and looked at the doors.
“This is where the king sits, the Head Word Eater,” he said and we opened the doors together to see that obese man sitting in a large chair that seems to almost crush his body.
“Word Eater!” Haru said.
“I have a name you know!” he growled.
“I don’t care a pig’s name when he’s about to be turned into bacon,” Haru replied and summoned a sword from his journal.
“You found your journals?! Sue! Kill that man!”
The doors slam shut and I saw my mother with her towering statue hover above us.
“My precious daughter Vanessa...I’m so glad to see you again. Such a shame you’re going to pass away by my hands.”
“You’re not alive Mother...you’re not real! There’s no way you can be real!” I cried and Sue summoned a staff from her journal.
“But I am real dear...as real as I would ever be. Please understand what I had to do to make you live,” she said.
“By killing people?! By killing books and destroying the thing you had to protect?! You’re not my mother you’re a cheap copy made to look like her!”
“My dear...I guess talk is of no use now. It’s time for you to die!”
She disappeared in the blink of an eye and Haru shoved me out of the way as a staff crushed the ground where we used to stand. Haru stood in front of me as he summoned a blade as black as night that leaves a trail of black feathers as he swung his sword at the staff in an attempt to slice it down to size. Sue dodged the attacks flawlessly until she saw a bit of her staff hit the ground. She looked at her weapon to see it became a useless stick, until she twisted the handle and two blades came out.
“That’s cheating!” I cried.
“it’s not cheating if you put your imagination into it!” she said and tried to jab Haru.
I sighed and looked at my journal, trying to think of a weapon to help with all the training I received. The only thing I could think of was a fencing blade for Drama was amazed at my sword skills. From my journal came a flash of light, and with that light I grabbed the sharpest fencing blade I could think of. I took a deep breath and took my stance as I remembered my training was used for the royals many centuries ago. A faint smile came upon my face as I felt the adrenaline rush through my veins. My fake mother doesn't stand a chance against me!
I snapped out of the zone long enough to see Haru with blood running down his stomach. He got a few scratches but they were deep enough to keep him from going on. He’s stronger than me and he can’t take her on. I must be careful.
Sue approached Haru’s fallen body as she raised one of her blades above her head.
“It’s time for you to join the right side,” she said as the blade turned black.
“Wait! Fight me!” I demanded and Sue lowered her staff.
“You truly want to fight me...after what I did to your little friend? So be it! I’m telling you dearest daughter, I won’t hold back!” she growled and charged for me.
“Take a deep breath and stand strong and proud,” Drama’s words echoed in my ears. “There’s nothing to be afraid of if you keep your focus. Predict your enemy's movements after you understand how they move...then strike when there’s an opening.”
I took a deep breath and listened. Her footsteps are rapidly coming for me head on. I leapt back while holding my blade in front of me, perfectly reflecting the staff’s blade.
“You dodged my first attack! I was sure that you were going to die at that first blow to your heart.”
She attacks the heart often too and will go from behind to catch her opponent off guard. I understand you perfectly Sue Light!
The sounds of our blades clashing filled the air as we went around in circles, attacking, blocking, dodging, and attacking again. Our frustration was growing as we sped up the fight and I felt something cold slide against my cheek. We paused in the middle of the floor and i felt a dark liquid flow down my cheek, blood. I glanced at the fake Sue to see a clean cut run along her forehead.
“You’ve done something most Book Keepers would die trying to do, you made a cut on me...not bad...that just makes me want to kill you more!” she growled and charged to me, leaping when I leapt too, a misstep on my part.
I looked up to see a flash of red and silver, the color of the staff and blade.

Renji:
My light spells grew more powerful as I kept fighting the Word Eater into the corner. I sent dragons after him and shot daggers of light to cut him, hoping to slow him down. Eventually he got so worn out he collapsed and was panting heavily.
“Renji...dearest brother...don’t kill me...please,” he begged which made me laugh.
“You’re not my brother...remember? You told me yourself. Either way I couldn't kill you while you’re in control of my brother’s body. You lost something didn’t you?”
“How’d you know?!” he snapped.
“Because I have what you want,” I said and showed him Tenshi’s soul in the jar.
Marcus’s eyes widened in shock as he reached out to grab the jar.
“Oh you want this back? To show to your boss Alex right?” I asked and he nodded.
“If I don’t show him soon he’ll kill me and the babies!” he cried.
“That’s so disgusting I almost threw up,” I growled. “When I’m through with you Alex won’t have anything else to kill!”
“Oh really?! What will you do Book Keeper?! You only got lucky I got exhausted from holding the mini parasites!”
“Hm...I’ll do this for starters!” I said and threw the jar on the hard ground, shattering the glass inside which released Tenshi.
“NO! YOU FOOL! DON’T YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU JUST DID! YOU KILLED US ALL!”
“No...I just killed you,” I said as the golden lights entered his body.
The word eater screamed in utter agony then froze until his body collapsed.
“Tenshi?” I asked and saw something gray slide out of his mouth, making my stomach churn a lot. “Tenshi I’m going to get sick in the next two seconds if you don’t wake up!”
“Pipe down...you’re so loud you can wake the dead and give me a migraine,” he said and sat up.
“Tenshi you’re back!” I cried and hugged him.
“Alright Renji…,” he said and walked past me to go behind to a bookshelf.
He returned a few minutes later and sighed.
“Don’t go back there,” he whispered and patted my head. “Listen...those parasites killed many book keepers in an attempt to kill off everyone in the Grand Library...they also used the corpses as an experiment.”
“What?! How?!”
“I’ll explain later. Right now we have to go, Vanessa’s in danger!”
“Vanessa Light?! I told Haru to take her to safety! I have to rescue her! Now!” I said and ran off.
“Renji wait!” he said and sighed as I ran off.
Don’t worry Vanessa! I’m coming for you!

Vanessa:
My body slammed against a pillar, stunning me as I laid there in pain. Bits of rubble were crushed under Sue’s feet as she walked to me with her bladed staff in hand.
“Mother please...spare me,” I choked out, making her laugh.
“Oh Vanessa dear. I blessed you with the chance to live and you blew me off! Once I fight I don’t show mercy to anyone,” she said and pointed her staff at my chest.
I braced myself for impeding doom until the doors slammed open.
“SUE QUIT IT!” Tenshi cried.
I shouldn’t trust him...it could be that parasite Marcus wanting to kill me
“Aw but the fight was getting so good,” Alex said from his large throne. “I wanted to see a Book Keeper die right before my eyes.”
I opened my eyes to see Sue lower her blade a bit as her attention was directed towards Marcus and...Renji?! If they’re together that must mean that Tenshi’s back!
“Why should I not kill this girl?” Sue asked.
“Because you’re not supposed to exist.”
“What? What do you mean? I demand an answer!” she snapped and Alex shifted his rather unhealthy weight in his chair.
“You’re not the real Sue Light,” Tenshi said with a small smirk. “You’ve found yourself behaving rather strangely weren’t you? You were having cravings for the books, to eat them, to lick the words off the pages weren’t you?”
“Y-yes...but I suppressed those cravings. They’re figments of my imagination.”
“Who is that man sitting on the chair?”
“That’s Mikage,” she said boldly.
“Wrong...why would Mikage ask you to get books if all the books ever written and published were magically transferred to the Grand Library? When Astronomy died the books were no longer protected, meaning it’s out of the system, meaning nobody can find them. Don’t you find it odd that you’re scavenging books and you can’t read them let alone see them again?” he asked and Sue looked terribly confused.
“I...I have no idea….Mikage why are you sending me and the other squads out to retrieve books?” she asked and looked at Alex.
“My beloved Sue...you know you’re my best retriever.”
“We never had retrievers...we always had protectors.”
“Well the times are changing my dear,” he said and patted her cheek but she slapped his hand away.
“Answer me!” she snapped but a gunshot rang through the air as her body slid to the ground.
“MOM!” I cried and tried to stand up.
Renji raced to me and held me.
“That wasn’t your mother…”
“Of course she isn’t! She died in a horrific explosion!” Alex said. “We used her corpse’s hair samples to grow more bodies like her...each more powerful and stable than the last...when they suddenly start to gain awareness they get murdered.”
“Tampering with life...that’s a great offence in the universe isn’t it MIkage?” someone said and we looked at the door to see Poetry.
“Poetry?!” Tenshi said and his hair got ruffled.
Poetry looked at Tenshi like a loving father.
“Those who decide to tamper with the balance of life don’t belong on this world...they belong in the ground six feet under,” Poetry said and got his journal.
Alex started to laugh heartily and walked down the stairs. He pulled something out of his breast pocket from the inside of his jacket.
“I finally got you where I wanted you Poetry...the death of you will result in a lot of books lost in the system...with a touch of this button the whole mansion will go boom.”
“Won’t you die too?!” Mikage cried.
“Yes...I will but it’ll be worth seeing you all fail in my afterlife,” he said and laughed.
Renji and Tenshi shared a look and nodded. Before I knew what was going on, I was on Renji’s back as him and Tenshi ran to Poetry, who was reciting something. When we met up with them a portal formed under his feet and Alex was laughing.
“You won’t make it in time!” he roared and pressed the button.
I closed my eyes and held on tightly to REnji. Once again, I was bracing for our end but the explosions far away.
“Hey...Vanessa it’s safe to open your eyes now,” Mikage said and I saw the sky once again.
The feeling of being safe flooded over me and I started to laugh.
“We’re okay!” I said. “We’re okay!”
Soon we were all standing there, laughing and smiling, feeling happy that we’re alive and safe. I looked down at Renji and flicked his nose.
“Now...about that date,” I said, seeing a faint blush come upon his cheeks.

Vanessa:
I woke up in my double bed, having the dream again, about the final battle between the Book Keepers and the head Word Eater. After that fight the Word Eaters all scattered across the globe, making mini factions amongst each other but we proved to be too strong for them once they separated. The thought about me, being a novice Book Keepers all those years ago keeps bringing a smile upon my face. A small sigh of relief came out of my nose as I smiled at all the other things that happened.
Once the Word Eater headquarters exploded, Haru was promoted to Captain. He gets to live in the Grand Library like Mikage and help him out with things, books got popular once again as more Book Keepers found out about us and joined our facility, I got married six years ago after I graduated college. I also became a successful novelist and even-
“Mommy!” a chipper voice said from my closed bedroom door. “Mommy can we come in?”
A smile came upon my face as I saw my children’s bright eyes peeking at me from behind the cracked door.
“Aki, Lilly, what’s the matter?”
“Mommy,” Aki, my five year old son whispered. “Lilly and I are hungry...can we please have pancakes today? You promised.”
“I did didn’t I?” I said with a smile. “Don’t worry I’ll be right there my little angels!”
They smiled and raced down the stairs. Eventually I started cooking breakfast and the backyard door opened.
“Something smells good in here!”
“It’s pancakes for breakfast,” I said and looked at my loving husband.
“Oh is it Saturday already?” he replied with a slight chuckle and kissed my cheek.
“You smell sweaty!” I said and beat him with a towel playfully.
“Well I did weed and cut the grass.”
“Go get washed up and I’ll save some pancakes for you.”
“Alright, seems fair,” he said while giving me a sweaty hug.
“Go wash up!” I said while giggling.
Renji smiled and ran up the stairs to take a shower. He didn’t change ever since we went on that date. He’s just as playful now since we first went out after the battle.
“Aw Mommy loves Daddy very much!” Lilly said and giggled.
She’s just a year younger than Aki and REnji swears that she looks like me but with his dark brown eyes instead of my blue ones.
“Yes I do love Renji very much,” i said and the door opened.
“Aw don’t tell me I missed breakfast, I smell pancakes.”
“Uncle Tenshi!” Lilly cried and ran out of her seat to give her uncle a huge hug.
“Hey little angel!” he said and I could hear her giggling and squealing. “Little sis,” he said and ruffled my hair.
“I’m cooking!”
“Great! Where’s REnji I’m starving?”
“He’s washing up...from weeding.”
“You have him gardening now? Wow he’d do anything to make you happy...typical Renji,” he smirked and I shook my head.
A young woman appeared from behind Tenshi. Her raven black hair reached her waist and her big brown eyes were bright yet extremely shy.
“Tenshi you brought a guest?”
“Yeah...her name’s Mizuki...she’s in Drama’s Faction. Apparently she’s really good at fencing and at being in plays.”
She blushed heavily and hid behind Tenshi.
“Why don’t you join us for breakfast, to welcome you as a fellow Book Keeper!” I said with a huge smile.
A small smile appeared on her face and I knew she’ll fit into our crazy little world just fine.