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Erellyn toed at the dirt at the side of the grave-to-be, watching blankly as it tumbled down into the hole. She loved the smell of fresh earth, even if it was dirt that had been dug up for such a morbid purpose. She didn't even know the person in the casket, so how could she be sad? However, one look at Autumn told her that her mother-person was on the verge of crying, as she had somehow known him. Slipping her hand into Aut's, she sighed softly. Something was always upsetting Autumn.

Shayna held tight to her Aunt's hand as she watched the grim spectical. She had no clue who the person in the casket even was, but 'mane told her that he was the son of one of her client's brothers. It sounded very complex to the Herald, but apparently appearances must be upheld and she had been coerced into attendance. Well, not really...her aunt had actually only asked very nicely. Shay just had a hard time telling her no.

She kept herself entertained by watching the funeral guests. She enjoyed looking at people and making up stories about them in her head. The woman wearing the black dress and red shoes for instance had been the mistress of the dead boy's father.

Oh! She spotted a small girl...no, two smaller girls with wings. That usually only meant one thing in this small town.

The stupid man stopped talking. If looks could make people sick, he would have been on the ground suffering from upset stomach, fever, the works. Mackerel was insulted for her friend Kyle, that such an idiot would be the one to reside over her final gathering in this world. Maybe it should be that man in the cramped casket, not Kyle!

When he stopped talking, then Kyle's mother walked forward and put a flower on the casket along with the roses. Her husband followed, as well as Kyle's older sister. Once by one, people were allowed to give their last respects.

Finally, it was Mackerel's turn. She could hear the whispers... oh yes, people knew that she was there when Kyle died. She was holding him when the ambulance came, answering Elf's call for the emergency.

The girl ground her teeth. But they didn't know what happened. They didn't know that it was her fault, all her fault!

Mackerel walked forward, holding a perfect black rose. It was difficult to have a black rose, that was not painted or dead. This particular one grew that way, on accident. But this one had grown fast, and the Herald bet that the people here didn't know that this rose had grown in the exact spot that Kyle had died only a few days prior.

She could reach the top of the casket, she was only a child. Anyone that stepped forward to help her was only rewarded with a rather nasty glance. Elf knew better, she was trained. The woman only stood by, and wiped a tear from her eye.

The girl turned to the casket. Her eyes glazed over, as if she were sending a message to the boy she knew was inside...sure, it was just a husk, only his body that remained - but Kerel still had a message to make.

I'm sorry, Kyle, she thought, the world had shrunk to just her and the pristine casket before her, already glittered in pungent flowers. I had no idea that this would happen...you were only being yourself, you couldn't have known. I should have known, and my mistake resulted in your life. For that, I am sorry, and I hope you can forgive me.

Mackerel climbed up the casket, using her wings for balance. A normal human child would not have been able for such a feat. She rested the black rose on the top of the flowers, where she knew Kyle's no-longer-beating heart rested. Her mission complete, the girl jumped back and landed lightly on her feet.

When her black dress settled, Mackerel reached up and touched her face. Bringing her gloved hand back, she saw that there were in fact tears in her eyes. Usually, such weakness was scorned by her, but Mackerel looked back to the casket. Only for you, Kyle... these tears are your's alone.

After a moment of silence, the girl wiped away her tears. Her mourning was done, and she would move on from this moment.

Mackerel walked back, only to have Elf give her a tearful embrace. "Shouldn't you be done crying?" Kerel sneered and reached forward with her gloved hand. They were the first words she had spoken since Kyle died. Her own water from her eyes blended with that of her guardian as she wiped away the woman's tears.

Elf smiled gently, knowing that that was Mackerel's personal way of showing that she in fact cared. "It's okay to cry, Kerel."

The girl twitched. "Crying... only the weak spend so much time crying.'

Light coughing was the response, as Elf tried not to laugh. Only Kerel would say such a thing on such a bad day. And since her back had been turned, the woman had no way of knowing that just moment prior, Mackerel had cried as well.

"Kerel, what happened to your face?" Elf frowned, and reached forward to Mackerel's cheek.

Mackerel felt nothing, but her fingertips brushed the area mentioned. Without a mirror, she could not see that the tears under her right eye had actually burned the skin.

Mackerel couldn't find out what Elf was babbling about. The child instead waited and watched as people put their assorted flowers on the casket. Kyle had loved the outdoors, and flowers (or more like getting dirty when by the flowers).... and so she was quiet and as respectful as she ever was.

To keep herself from going after the stupid man who started talking again, Mackerel looked around at the others in the crowd. Some heralds were here, which surprised her. But it was where they were that intrigued the young girl.

She recognized the angel statue that was right by Kyle's grave and went over to look at it.

Yuki was cold. There was no way to explain it. It wasn't an emotional cold but a phsyical one that made her want to curl up inside of a fire. Still, as she watched a girl she had seen before place a flower on the casket and then walk towards a statue, she couldn't help but feel even more drawn to her. It wasn't just sadness but something she wasn't used to.

Glancing up towards Sirene, the guardian caught what her young herald was looking at. Nodding, as she let go of Yuki's shoulders, her eyes went towards the casket again.

Yuki, on the other hand, moved around the crowd in black towards the statue, she stood just shy of the other girl, eyes locked on the beautiful angel.