Yes, I am back! With another one-shot! Can't help it, when I'm bored and don't feel like working on any chapters for my other stories OR am still thinking of something for it, I like to do one-shots!
This is also rated T just to be safe.
Oh, and a little note for this story, I wasn't exactly trying to keep Brago and Sherry completely IC, so sorry if they're a lil' OOC... Sometimes you just don't wanna try your absolute hardest to keep them acting normal. Ah well.
Anywho, hope you like it! I'll update another one of my stories soon, honest!
Disclaimer: I don't own Zatch Bell. If I did... well... Let's just say I don't and end it there.
One-shot, BragoSherry Sherry only believesone thing, "I'm a failure." She thinks about her life, and how she believes she fails at everything and always will. Can someone save her? "Help me, Brago, I'm a failure."
Failure
I stand outside in the cold rain, and my eyes wander around until they look up to the sky. The water runs down my face like tears, hundreds of them falling from my face.
And they just keep falling… There's no stopping.
A few real tears fall down from my eyes and slide down my cheek. I blink once, then twice, and again and a few more times. Over in the distance I can see many puddles forming in the street, and water fly into the air as a car dashes by.
I bow down my head to look at my feet, but they're hidden under my large pink dress. I'm standing in a puddle, and I can barely see my reflection. My eyes are watery, my hair is sticking to my face like glue, and a morose expression is noticed.
Not like I care anymore… I'm a failure. And like all failures, they can do nothing correctly besides failing. All my life I have failed, and I am still doing just that.
I'm failing because I am a failure. There is nothing I can do correctly but fail.
I'm a failure…
Soon I begin to slowly wander off into different places around the area I'm in. My white boots step into mud and dirty puddles which stains them with brown coloring on the heels and a little on the sides. More tears fall down my face, but I don't bother to wipe them away.
I wish I could wipe away the fact that I am a failure, but I cannot do so. I shall forever be a failure, and nothing else.
When mother was alive, I was a failure then. Not once was there a time when I did something correctly. Everything I did I ended up failing at. From practicing on the piano or ballet, or even a simple math equation, I always seemed to fail.
Mother always criticized me about how I was a failure, leading me to believe that as well. Wait… I do not believe it… I know it. For that is what I am.
"Sherry, you continue to disappoint me." I looked up with sad eyes as my mother began to speak to me. "What will it take for you to understand that this family will not accept failure?" Her voice shook as she said those words.
I merely bowed my head in shame and responded in a pitifully weak voice. "I'm sorry, mother."
"Oh, why did I have such a foolish child? Such a foolish child!" my mother cried. Tears streamed down her face as she looked at me in disgust, and I merely cried silently to myself.
Now I understand, I began to think, I should never have been born. That's why mother hates me.
That was the day I realized that I really was a failure. So useless, and in mother's words, I was a foolish one.
It was also the day that I realized that the world was better off without a foolish, useless child such as myself. So…I tried to kill that life. I tried to take my soul away from this world by jumping off a bridge into an icy cold river.
Though, my plans did not go as anticipated. I did not know that a poor girl who believed in hope was there to save me. That's when Koko entered my life.
She saved me from the river's depths, and told me that although I couldn't see it, there was happiness waiting for me. And that I wasn't useless. She gave me hope, and at first I didn't understand, but after a while I did.
I guess that I did slightly enjoy being hopeful in some ways… Koko made me feel less like a failure, and more hopeful.
But now the thing that I don't understand is why did I listen to Koko? No longer do I believe that there is a source of happiness waiting for me. The dark tunnel I am in has no light waiting for me. I'm all alone in the dark, Koko. I'm a failure.
Then… after a while, Koko lost her ways of being cheerful and hopeful, and soon she became the book-reader of a horrible mamodo named Zophise. He took her away from me, so now I am back to the hopeless failure I am.
And since I'm a failure, there's nothing I can do for her…Nothing at all.
I walk up to where my limo was parked out in the lot, and I saw Brago there standing beside the vehicle, waiting for me. I figured that Jii was already in the front seat, patiently waiting for me as well, so I walk along slowly until I reach them.
The rain then began to pour down a little harder, and I feel it beginning to seep through my clothes, dampening them. I don't really care about that, either. When I reached Brago, he took one good look at me and frowned.
"Where the hell have you been?" he asked. "And what is up with you? You look like hell."
It's not my fault that I'm a failure, I thought to myself. Well… maybe it was…. But I couldn't help it if the rain made me look worse.
"Can we just get in the car and stop talking?" I asked quietly. The mamodo just rolled his eyes, opened the door to the limo, and climbed in. I followed directly afterwards, closing the door behind me.
I then began to think back to my previous thoughts… Koko had tried to kill me, and I was almost sad that she didn't, seeing that I'm worthless. Brago had jumped in the way of her mamodo's attack and saved my life. Soon as he did so, he explained everything to me, and then another bit of hope rose inside of me again. I thought that with his help, I could save my best friend.
Boy was I wrong. I can barely even follow him around sometimes when we go out on our little adventures in the woods. Not too long ago I had collapsed in battle and Brago had to carry me to shelter. At least we won…
But Brago shouldn't have even had to have carried me. If I wasn't such a failure, I would have been able to walk out of the fight standing. Not on the ground with a fever.
The car began to move again, and I knew that Jii was taking Brago and I home. That is the horrid place where many of my horrible memories exist and constantly remind me of how much of a failure I am.
"Sherry, really, what the hell is wrong with you?" My comrade's words interrupted my thoughts, and I slightly turned my head around to the side to face him.
"Hm?"
"You've been acting very odd lately. Why?" He looked at me with his crimson red orbs very intently, and I couldn't help but gaze into his eyes. They pulled me to him, tempting me to say how I really felt.
So I spoke.
"Brago, there's nothing I can do correctly," I began; I closed my eyes and let out a sigh. My eyes remained closed, but I continued speaking. "Never could I accomplish any goals my mother gave me. She always told me that I was worthless, a fool, and a failure."
Opening my eyes, I turned and saw that Brago had a confused look on his face. And one thing's for sure, I know that he hated being confused.
"What are you getting at?" he asked me. I turned my head fully around and looked at the mamodo in the eye.
"I'm a failure." I said monotonously. My face was blank, and so was Brago's. He tilted his head to the side and frowned.
"Why do you say such things?" He blinked once, then twice, and continued. "One should never criticize themselves, for it makes them weaker."
"Brago…" I trailed off. "I don't know if I can even get any weaker. I'm a failure, don't you see?" Gently, I rested my hand against the cushioned seat of the vehicle and leaned forward, pressing my weight on my hand.
"Stop saying you're a failure, Sherry." my companion said coldly. "It's not something one should say. It makes them weak."
Hearing him say that again made me a little annoyed. "I am a failure, Brago!" my voice raised, and the mamodo frowned. Couldn't he just understand that? "I cannot help you in becoming king, because I'll fail! I failed with my mother, with Koko, with you… And… and myself."
Another sad look overwhelmed my features, and tears began to collect at the bottom of my eyes. After a few seconds one fell down, and then many more after that. Soon I was crying, burying my face into my hands. Good thing I had a wall blocking me and Brago from Jii so he wouldn't hear me. Otherwise he would have stopped the car and I would have had to listen to him, which was something I didn't feel like doing right now.
"I'm always failing at things, and I've never done anything right!" I cried. "My mother hated me, Koko has abandoned me and left her hope for me so she could be with that ass, Zophise, and I cannot do anything for you! I'm worthless! I'm a failure!"
Brago was silent, and I didn't hear him say one word. All I could tell, though, was that he was staring at me oddly. I could just feel it. My eyes opened and I looked at him through a watery gaze. And what was he doing? Just staring at me with a blank face! No emotion, no nothing… I found myself realizing that all I wanted was for him to speak to me. To hear his voice was all that I desired.
"Stop saying you are a worthless failure, Sherry." Brago spoke harshly. I winced at the tone of his voice. Although I wanted to hear him, I didn't want to hear more disapproval. I've heard enough of that for a lifetime…
"Why should I?" I ask back, apparent anger could be heard. The mamodo stared at me for a second, and then just shook his head.
"You are blinded by the wrong things you've done. You're not worthless, and you're not a failure." Hearing him say that was very odd, I thought. Brago never said anything like that whatsoever! Why was he acting like that? So strange… "You just need help." he spoke again.
Help…
My eyes widened as he said that, and soon I frowned. "Then find me help!" I said angrily. Soon I found myself beginning to have tears fall down my face rapidly, and I leaned in towards the mamodo very closely.
It was odd, being this close to him. He didn't seem to mind, or at least he didn't show it, nor did I really mind. Actually… it was rather pleasant. My emotions began to go on meltdown mode suddenly, and I leaned in closer than I had ever been to in the mamodo in my life.
"Help me, Brago, I'm a failure." I said in a mere whisper. My watery eyes blinked, and a few more tears fell down my face. I'm sure I looked very horrible now, since I've been crying a lot today. If I looked in a mirror I would see my reflection, my tear-stained face with pink bits on my cheeks and my blonde hair matted down from the rain.
Brago just looked at me with a blank look, and I saw his eyes contract a little. He still said nothing. Probably thinking, I assumed.
"Help me…" My voice was now only speaking in a very faint and very quiet whisper. A strange tugging feeling arose inside of my chest and my eyes widened when I felt Brago reach out his hand to me and place it on my cheek.
My eyes enlarged even more when he placed his other clawed hand on the other side of my face…
"Brago..?" I breathed, wondering what was going on. The mamodo still said nothing, but just looked at me sharply with his clouded eyes. I could feel myself beginning to lean forwards slightly as I was being pulled into him by the look in his eyes.
Then suddenly, without warning, Brago leaned forwards and kissed me on the lips. I made a small murmur sound that sounded more like a squeak in shock, but the mamodo had a tight grip and I didn't move nor speak.
Slowly, I closed my eyes and accepted the kiss, and returned it as well. I could never deny the feelings I had for Brago, or how much I loved him. He was always someone special to me ever since I met him, though I could not recognize it at first. But after a while I discovered that it was love, and that I had fallen hard for a demon. Did Brago feel the same about me now that he was kissing me? Hopefully that was it… Because if it wasn't, then I would feel even more rejected than I already was.
My tongue slipped inside of his mouth, and I could feel the sharp, pointed teeth that he had as I ran my tongue over them. Brago's then began to explore my own mouth, and I could feel his tongue traveling around the depths of my lips.
He then broke us apart so we could breathe, and I opened my eyes to look at him. "Why did you do that?" I asked as a tear streamed down my face.
The mamodo didn't respond right away. He just blinked a couple of times and then spoke. "Because you asked for help."
My eyes widened as he said that, and more tears fell down my face. So many different thoughts were racing through my mind. And then I discovered something. I found something that I for once didn't fail at… It was receiving help.
And that help was from Brago…
Just maybe I'm not that much of a failure after all.
"Brago…" I whimpered. "I… I…" But I couldn't finish my sentence. Suddenly I began to bawl like I had never done before. I started crying my eyes out as I grabbed onto Brago and embraced him tightly, burying my face into his chest.
I love you Brago, I thought to myself. I really do.
And from what he spoke to me, he loves me, too.
I could feel him wrap an arm around my shoulder and hold onto me tightly. He still said nothing, but I didn't care whether he spoke to me or not. I was too busy crying, and just the fact that he was holding onto me was good enough.
"You're not a failure, Sherry." I heard Brago speak softly.
But I still almost feel like one though, I thought to myself. Just… Not as much as I used to feel like. My grip around him tightened, and I buried my face into his chest even more. The fur from his shirt slightly tickled my face, but it was warm from being against the mamodo's body for a long time.
I'm glad Brago chose me to be his book-reader; otherwise I'd still feel very bad about myself, and would have never met him. I don't care if he's not human, or if he's a demon. He loves me, and I love him.
After a while I quietly responded to Brago's words from earlier. Although it was slightly muffled due to the fact my face was still buried, the mamodo got the message.
"No, Brago. I… I'm not a failure."
Well, that's it. And remember, THIS IS A ONE-SHOT! Don't ask for me to update it!
Anywho, please read and review. I DON'T WANT FLAMES! I am accepting constructive criticism (and if you bother to say something negative, you HAVE to have the constructive criticism or I'll be very unhappy).
Hope you liked it! And please inform me if you thought any of the characters seemed a lil' OOC. Thanks!