Looking at my reflection with my now purple hair and brown eyes. "Here goes nothing." I murmured, sighing as I went downstairs.

"I'm sure no one will know who I am now." I said as I walked towards the living room, the three of them looked at me, jaws dropping and eyes widened.

"Well?" I asked, waiting for their response, "I know the color will suit you." Fergus said, smiling triumphantly, "Wow, you look beautiful." Ian said, earning a chuckle from me.

"I'm always beautiful." I said, earning a series of laughter from them, "Of course, you are." James said, approaching me and ruffling my hair.

"Now I don't want you to go outside." He added as the two also nodded, "Why?" I asked, looking at them with confusion and tilting my head to the side. "Good thing we know how to fight." Fergus said, realizing what they're pertaining to, shaking my head and laughing at them.

"You still have to be careful, even though you changed your hair and eyes, HYDRA will still find and get you." James said, saluting to him, "Aye." I replied, earning smiles from them.

"Let's eat our breakfast before the food gets cold." Ian said as we headed towards the dining table and ate our breakfast.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Fergus said, standing up and hurriedly went back to his room.

"What's he up to?" I asked, looking at the two of them while they gave me a smile, "You'll see." Ian replied as I furrowed my eyebrows.

Seconds later, Fergus went back hiding something behind him, "Close your eyes." He said as I looked at him squinting my eyes.

"Just close your eyes." He added, exhaling a breath as I obliged, "Give me your hands." He said, "I swear Fergus if this is one of your pranks. I'll skin you alive." I said.

"No, silly." He said, earning a round of laughter from them, reaching out my hand and opening it, silence engulfed the room.

An object was placed on my hands, "You can open your eyes now." He said as I slowly opened my eyes and gasped.

It was a dagger, a beautiful one. A dagger with a black and gold color combination.

Unsheathing it from its scabbard, a design was carved into its blade, softly running my fingers on it, feeling how perfectly sharpened and honed the blade, as I can't take my eyes away from it.

Gripping its handle and lifting it, the dagger felt light and fitted perfectly into my hands like it was specifically made for me.

As I tried to flip it, smiling as I enjoyed the feeling of the dagger in my hands.

"We personally chose that one." James said, "Beautiful." I replied as I placed it back inside its scabbard.

"And Fergus personally honed the dagger." James said, looking at Fergus, seeing him smile widely with pride.

"Thank you." I said, sincerely, looking at each one of them, "We can't be by your side all time, so we figured that giving you a weapon will somehow make ourselves at ease whenever we're not with you." Ian said as I smiled at them.

☘

Looking at the dagger, grabbing it from the nightstand and unsheathed it, running my fingers to the blade tracing the designs.

"You're so beautiful." I mumbled, smiling at the dagger.

Glancing at the wall, I sat and with a fair distance and enough force, I threw the dagger and it deeply pierced on the concrete wall.

Gasping, "Holy shit." I said as I teleported towards it, grabbed the dagger and checked for any damage.

"Thank heavens." I murmured, exhaling a breath, seeing the dagger was free from any damage.

Putting it back on its scabbard and placing it on the nightstand, I reached for my phone and opened the calendar.

April 24th was the date today.

Just how fast the days passed by.

"7 more days and the invasion will start." I mumbled, sighing as I laid carelessly on the bed.

Getting up, grabbing my long coat, wearing it as I decided to visit the orphanage.

Tying my hair into a ponytail, glancing at the mirror, seeing my hair still purple and my eyes were brown.

Nodding as I applied mascara and lip gloss. I went downstairs and saw James in the living room, cleaning his gun.

My breath hitched, seeing it and remembering how I died.

"Via, you're okay?" Ian asked, placing a hand on my shoulder, blinking my eyes and nodding my head.

"Yeah. I-uh... I'll visit the orphanage. I'll be back soon." I said, earning James' attention.

"Okay, be careful." He said, briefly glanced at me, smiled and continued to clean his gun.

Exhaling a breath as Ian patted my head, "Be safe out there. You bring your dagger with you, right?" He asked, nodding my head as he smiled.

"Okay, then. Off you go, midget." He said, scoffing and shaking my head, earning a laugh from him.

"Adieu." I said, giving them each a salute and teleported to the nearby alley on the orphanage.

Smiling, seeing the orphanage.

I missed this place.

Seeing Sister EL, I approached her upon noticing me her eyes widened, "Oh dear, Via is that you?" She asked, giving her a smile and nodded my head.

"Yeah." I replied, "You look beautiful in your hair color." She said, "Thank you, sister." I said, "Come, Claude terribly misses you." She added and led me to Claude's room.

As we reached his room, Sister EL left tending some children, exhaling a breath as I knocked on the door.

"Claude, it's me. Via." I said and seconds later, the door instantly opened as Claude looked at me with his wide eyes.

"Via!" He said, crouching down to match his height, "Hi, Claude." I said, smiling at him, his eyes began to glisten with tears and hugged me tightly.

"Don't cry. I'm here now." I said, hugging him back, scoping him in my arms, standing up, and gently patting his back.

"I miss you." He mumbled, hugging me even tighter, "I miss you too, Claude." I replied as he snuggled to me.

Claude let go as our eyes met, his eyes were red and puffy from crying, "I thought you'd never come back. I thought you left me." He said, running my thumb on his cheeks and wiping his tears.

"I won't leave you, Claude. You have my word." I replied as he hugged me back.

Patting his back as I let him cry, hours passed, and eventually Claude stopped crying.

Sitting on his bed with him beside me, we talked for hours as I listened to him attentively on what happened to the days I didn't visit.

"Oh, I have something for you." He said and hurriedly went to his drawers, chuckling as I found him cute as he continued rummaging about something.

"Aha! I thought I lost it." He said, laughing at him as he went back to sit beside me.

Handing me something that is carefully wrapped in a cloth. Looking at him as he eagerly and excitingly stares at me, waiting for me to open it.

My eyes widened after I saw what's inside, it was a clear resin ring filled with gold flakes and real flower petals.

"I made that the other day. We had an activity where Sister EL said think about a gift we want to give to someone dear to us." He said, bowing his head.

"And the first person who came into my mind was you. At first, I wasn't sure if giving you a ring was okay. And if I can do it. But then, Sister Cristine said that it's okay as it is a sign of my gratitude and affection towards who I'm giving it to." He added, shyly.

"It's not that pretty but I remembered what you said that simplicity is beauty and as long as it came from the heart." He continued, looking at him as he fidgets nervously.

"But I'll give you a ring someday. A real ring, a gold one with lots of diamonds and stones in it. An expensive one. When I grow up and have my own money. I promise you that and you have my word." He said, looking at me, smiling seeing determination in his eyes.

Placing my hand on his face, "I will accept anything that you'll give to me whether it's the most expensive one or not. As long as it comes from you, I will always appreciate your efforts." I replied as he gave me a wide smile.

"Shall I try it on?" I asked as he excitedly nodded his head, "I hope it fits." He said.

"It's so beautiful. Thank you, Claude." I said, grabbed the ring and wore it on my ring finger.

Claude gasped and seconds later, "Yes!" He said, triumphantly as the ring perfectly fit on my finger.

Laughing at him as he jumped on the bed, smiling widely and saying yes over and over again.

Why does this look like a proposal?

Chuckling at my thought as Claude settled down and sat down beside me, "I was so nervous. I thought it would not fit at all." He said, "Even if it doesn't I will still wear it." I replied.

Claude looked at me confusingly, "How?" He asked, "I'll make it into a necklace." I answered as he nodded his head.

My eyebrows furrowed, noticing something on his hands, softly grabbing it and running my fingers at the scratch.

"What happened?" I asked, "I got it when I was making the ring." He replied, "Since I don't have anything to give you. Then, let me heal you." I said.

As he furrowed his eyebrows, I hovered my hand and began to heal his hands.

Seconds later, as his scratch healed, looking at him as his eyes widened, "How? You have powers?" He asked.

Nodding my head, "But let's keep it a secret." I said, placing my index finger on my hand and Claude nodded, giving him a smile and patted his head.