Wait...didn't you die?

I look out at the cemetery. I had been there at my funeral, and I realised that someone was visiting my grave again. When I had reached the news that my sister had died, it was hard to restrain myself from and blowing up SOCS and the Black Skull myself. 

I'm 12 now. 

I never celebrated a birthday, and Shadow died too soon to know.

The rain drips from the tree branches I take shelter under, so I take a small black umbrella and unfold it. 

I want to go back to the Resistance. I really do. But how am I going to explain everything to them?

Well, I guess I could start with who is acually burried underneath my grave. Well that would be a girl by the name of Petra. She was a level two student in fighting, but she had a striking resemblance to...well, me. In fact, we looked so similar that some at the Academy thought we were twins. 

After I had grabbed my bow and arrow before stepping out into the Arena, she happened to be passing through.

She had come to tell me that she thought I was lucky to be battling Rigga (oh yes, she knew who I was battling before anyone else did, so therefore I knew too), and she also mentioned that she would be happy if she could fight Rigga. The Academy had previously killed her younger sister. 

I jokingly offered her my position, and to my astonishment, she accepted. Things were going so smoothly. Too smoothly for my comfort. 

I had two minutes remaining, so I changed into the leggings, boots, shirt, and jacket she was wearing while she changed into my black uniform. Luckily, she happened to be good with hair, and I could take my braid out. 

"But wait," I said. "What if you die?"

"Then I'll try to be dramatic," she replied with a wink. 

"You don't care?" I asked. 

"No," she sighed. "She killed my family, and then the last connection I had to sanity which was my sister. I'm past my due date. Besides, I'm thirteen and going no where in the Academy. It was bound to happen sooner or later."

Then that's what hit me. That was the catch. I actually felt an emotion. An emotion that confused me, but it was there. Hurt. It hurt me that she has been forced here, and then forced to watch her sister killed. She wanted to die, but she wanted to die trying and fighting against Rigga than fighting against another girl. Then it hit me again. 

"Did you kill your sister?"

There was a silence. 

"I had to-"

But she was cut short when the horn sounded and the doors opened. 

She winked again. "Wish me luck."

"No!" I shouted, reaching for the door, but it was too late. She was already through and the doors were sealed shut. 

"Petra!" I heard a voice behind me shout quietly. I turned to see Ms. Ovvox. "What do you think you are doing?"

I shook my head. "I don't know, ma'am."

"Then get back to your seat in the common boxes," she replied.  

I nodded and paced back outside into the seats, and eventually to an empty one I assumed to be Petra's. I then watched in horror as she won, but Rigga plunged the knife into her back. Then I watched as Shadow burst through the Force field and went flying down. I guess she bought Petra's act, because she wailed in sadness. 

And a second later, Shadow flew away, and they both were gone. 

Guards were desperate to maintain the crowd, but everyone was steaming out in fear. I followed, not wanting to be pinpointed, but I couldn't stop the tears that followed. This was my fault, but Petra still somehow got what she wanted. I'd have to suck it up and keep going. I wasn't going back to the Academy as Petra, so I'd be considered a fugitive now. 

The days that followed went by slowly. I had found an abandoned cottage in the woods (which I did not clean at first sight, thank you), and proceeded to take shelter there. Pretty soon, however, when I walked into the village I would see Wanted posters all over the place for Petra. Ms. Ovvox must have snitched, and others must have noticed. 

At one point, I had been walking through the village to get food (Petra had a coin pouch in the pockets of her jacket, and I needed to eat something at some point), and someone had noticed "me" from the Wanted posters. He ran through the alleyway to report Petra, and I had to find him and end him. But pretty soon someone else saw what I did, but an entire group did, and then I did something stupid--I ran. 

Then Petra really did become a fugitive, but not just a fugitive. She was a criminal now. Or at least, I was. 

In order to conceal myself, I cut my hair to shoulder length, permanently curled it (someone did that, an old family friend of Petra's) and dyed it a light brown. You could still see some blonde, but the blonde came in streaks, so I was safe. I decided to keep the same blue grey eyes, but I definitely felt and looked different. 

I used the remaining coins to buy new clothes. It was definitely colder in the region I was in, so I got a beige tunic sweater and dark jeggings with dark laced up boots. It was simple, but I didn't care whatsoever, because I needed to change my identity. 

I couldn't call myself Petra or Alexandria, so I took to calling myself Marie. I wanted to call myself Maria, but just in case, I didn't want there to be any ties to my past life, so I took the "a," off. However, I still wanted to keep it because that name was important to me. 

I took up a job at a bakery, and when I got a good amount of money, I left after a couple of months. The baker was generous, and I made sure to leave her a small leather spun notebook that I had bought her. 

But I found myself visiting my funeral sight, and so here I stand, watching as someone placed begonias next to our graves. 

I hope soon Marie and Anethia can get to know each other! I joined not long before the execution.

Welcome back! This was surprising, to say the least, but Allenxandria can now return! Apart from that Gared is kinda gone, and therefore Poe may not make an appearance. Hm, I've half a mind to draw Alexandria 2.0/Marie...