A Helping Hand

Haku shrugged. "They're really nice... they always would try and make me smile..."

"Of course they would. They're your sisters." Melissa kept watching her as she spoke. "You wanted them to be happy too, right? It's the same thing."

Haku nodded slowly. "...They would have been happier if I wasn't around... people would have been a little nicer to them if they hadn't defended me, and tried to get people to like me..."

Melissa frowned at her. "That wouldn't make going along with those people right. If the rest of the world is wrong, they are still wrong." She was taking care not to get angry again. "Something tells me they were much happier to have you around rather than not, anyway."

"Maybe... but having me around made life harder for them..." Haku wiped at her eyes a bit. "They... they beat Miku and Luka... they were trying to get me, but Miku and Luka wouldn't move... so they beat them... it was horrible..."

Melissa's calm was quickly failing; made evident by the change of her eyes. She had to keep it together and say something, anything, to Haku. Though there wasn't much she could say that wouldn't sound like generic words of consolation. "...I'm so sorry, sweetie." Again, she pulled her into a soft hug. "You don't live in such a place anymore. Neither do your sisters. I won't let anyone hurt you, and no one's going to try to hurt me because of that."

Haku didn't try to pull away from the hug, but sighed. "I miss them..."

Melissa rubbed her back gently. "You'll see them again. Either they haven't made it to our realm just yet, or they're on its far reaches. Either way, they'll be just as happy to see you when the time comes."

Haku nodded slowly. "Maybe... I hope so..."

Melissa gave a motherly smile. "You will. That's what fate's for!" She gave Haku a light squeeze. "And me, too. Even if I can't do much for you, I'll help you find them."

Haku looked like she might smile... but just returned the hug. "...I also... I also feel guilty... about something else..."

Melissa held the hug and continued to rub Haku's back. "'Speak your mind', remember? Go ahead and get it off your chest."

Haku was silent for a moment. "...Me and my sisters.... we were modeled after people... our creator... his granddaughter, Mika... she had a terminal illness, and he was obsessed with figuring out a way for her to live on... that's how Miku was created. One of the scientists involved, had a daughter named Luna, with the same illness.... that's how Luka was created, and.... Mika's aunt, Hestia, was helping with the work... I'm based on Hestia..."

Melissa absorbed the info as best she could. Haku and her sisters were created in the image of another person, but under mortal circumstances. All except... "...Hestia wasn't sick, was she?" Along with what Haku claimed about her creation, she felt she wasn't going to like the answer. Melissa didn't want to interrupt, but wanted to know this.

Haku shook her head. "In his... in his desire to create Miku and Luka, to preserve Mika and Luna's lives... he was hurting them. He was essentially torturing those two little girls, and Hestia couldn't take it... she tried to stop him. So he killed her. Miku and Luka were created in the image of what Mika and Luna would look like, if they were able to live to adulthood... and when people found out about what was happening... he created me, in Hestia's image, as a scapegoat... he pinned everything on her... on me.."

Melissa took a deep breath, trying to control her rage. The situation was sad, but the creator's actions were psychotically obsessive. To the point of torturing his own granddaughter. She would have felt bad for him had he not murdered and pinned the blame on another person. That showed he knew what he was doing. He was more than a monster. She had to close her eyes again. 'Seething' was an inadequate term for what she felt at that moment. "Why... why do you feel guilty?" Her voice and hands were shaking slightly.

Haku looked down. "...I tried to do what Hestia tried to do... he managed to turn it back around on me, but people got suspicious... so he sped up his research on trying to implant Mika and Luna's memories and personalities onto Miku and Luka... he got even more reckless, and... and... Mika.... Luna.... they.... it's all my fault..."

"Stop it." Melissa tightened her grip on Haku. Her eyes were stinging hot by now. She wasn't sure if her shaking originated from her utter sadness or blinding anger. "Just... stop it...! You tried to help those girls! That man... He started out trying to do something better, but... but...!" This was all too much. What sort of a heartless bastard could do such a thing, then run from it and throw an innocent girl in harm's path?! "None of it was your fault! None of it..." Melissa was sobbing by now, embracing Haku with a shaky grasp.

Haku looked at Melissa in shock, before tightening her own grip on Melissa. "...I didn't mean to upset you... sorry..."

Melissa couldn't stop her sobs, but managed to speak between them somewhat. "Not you...! Don't apologize anymore...! I'm just... I'm so sorry...!"

Haku opened her mouth to apologize yet again, but stopped herself. She didn't want to upset Melissa even more. She just held her, surprised that she wasn't breaking down herself. 'I've cried so much already... and... selfish as it is... it's nice, having someone crying for my sake... I feel... warm...'

After a few minutes longer, Melissa finally started to regain some composure. She separated from Haku to dry her tears and take a few much needed calming breaths. "I'm sorry about all that. It's just... what happened to you was terrible. And not your fault in the slightest." She placed her hands on Haku's shoulders. "What happened is tragic, but they would have only been made to suffer longer. I wasn't there and I've never been through anything like that, so what I say might not matter much. But, please. Please don't feel guilty about trying to help others."

Haku nodded slowly. "Okay... I'll try, Melissa... I don't want to upset you..."

Melissa smiled again, her warmth slowly starting to return. "Hm~... I'll take it! I want you to feel better about yourself, but it makes me happy that you're concerned with how I feel, too." She clasped her hands together and giggled. "Hmhm! You're so sweet, Haku!"

Haku couldn't help but blush again. This time though, instead of denying it, she looked away. "I... guess, if you say so..."