Monochrome Paradox

"Always stand above, reach towards the sky, and face the world with a heart filled with justice!" 

 How long had Cassandra Clare heard this? Her family's dojo was a sparse little shack in the middle of the rough part of town. Constantly filled with crime, constantly filled with victims, and constantly filled with the type of people her family could not stand: delinquents. Whether it was the common thug snatching purses from elderly women or the bigger fish who ruled over the neighborhood. The dojo had a long standing rule that if you witnessed injustice, you fight it. Cass was not the strongest girl when she was younger. Sickly, weak, and easily bullied. She was one of the victims. Constantly living in fear, constantly surviving, every day was a challenge. As she grew into a young woman, she began to have to fear more than bullies and thugs who stole her allowance. She now had to worry about everything a woman had to worry about. Her older sister, however, was the victim that started everything. She was twelve years old at the time, had gotten her period at eleven, and had began to get curves. She went out shopping with her older sister, and as the sun's time in the sky began to wane, she hurried hand-in-hand with her older sister down the street. Her sister's pace only getting quicker with every second that passed. Finally, she pushed her little sister forward a bit, "Run! Run and whatever you do, do not look back. Do not stop until you get home, understand?"

…

 Gong June slowly opened her eyes, feeling the sun burn through to her skull. She hadn't had that dream in a while. Usually, when she dreamt, it was about Elle. It was hard not to remember the funerals she had gone to her in her last life. It was hard not to remember all the hours she put into her training. Yet… what could she really do? Once something was lost there was no way to get it back. Gong June turned her head slowly to the side, expecting to see Ming Ran at her side.

"A-Ran..?" she murmured, her breath caught in her throat. Where on earth was he? A sense of dread filled her chest as she jumped up and looked around frantically. Only to hear the crisp sound of skin hitting skin.

"It is because of you that his highness won't even look at me! What is so special about you, huh? A worthless little mute!"

…

 Gong June didn't remember a lot after that, only the slight murmurs of others, a crowd, and the echoes of a scream. Little bells jingled by her side, a small, warm being nuzzled her chin, trying their best to wake her from her stupor. She couldn't bear to look at the warm light yet though, all she could do was scoop the precious little treasure up and walk away. Away from everything dark and ugly in this world.