The first night she’d spent in Vüsala’s home, her home, had been the best night of her life. Kanda had spent years at that orphanage. Her first memories that of someone at her bedside, caring for her during yet another bout of sickness. Grimm got sick much easier than many of the other races, a fact which she had to live with. It was hard learning sign while burning up with a fever that none of the other kids had caught. The cough that dogged her no matter how little time she spent in the cold.
Instead of getting to spend time with the other freshlings playing and enjoying herself, she was trapped in a seemingly endless cycle of staying in bed and getting fed worse and worse medicines. Most of the adoption events were spent there and she missed out on many chances to find a parent because nobody wanted to visit the sick kid for more than a few minutes.
The last adoption event she’d missed out on had been the worst. Kids had been snagged up left and right, welcomed into warm and happy families and carried out of the orphange just in time for Winter’s Solstice. It had made Kanda feel even more alone and unwanted than anything else had in the entire time she’d been there. She’d been on the mend but the doctor had deemed it too much of a risk for her to mingle with the rest of the kids.
So she’d been shut away until it was almost over. The happy sounds of kids her age leaving, interacting with would-be parents was the last straw. She was going to talk to someone if it was the only thing she did today. Her mind made up, she’d crept to the door and peeked out. With the hallway clear, she’d made her way towards the lobby where nightmares were leaving. Hoping, hoping that one of them would notice her and want to talk to her.
She hadn’t made it very far before a group of new freshlings had surrounded her. They were about her age, but they were pure blooded and mutation free. None of them knew sign language but all of them joined in to pick on her. She tried saying something to get them to go away, but their voices rose even though she couldn’t say a word. It made her break down into tears, fat teardrops wetting the fur of her cheeks and dripping onto her claws as she covered her face.
Vüsala had appeared then, a savior when she hadn’t expected one. He’d been the biggest nightmare she’d ever seen and she’d felt incredibly safe hiding behind him as he got the group to disperse. He hadn’t understood her signing that day, but he had understood the wildflowers she’d gone out to pick for him. He’d left with a friend that day, having met with none of the children but her. The chimera had no desire for a child, no want to adopt.
And yet he had returned a week later. His rudimentary sign had made her giggle, even with the fever she’d caught going out into the cold during the middle of winter, and they’d spoken for a long while. It took many weeks of visits and doctor’s visits, before finally he’d asked the question she’d been hoping for. He’d asked her to come home with him. To be his daughter.
She’d cried, thrown herself at his legs and clung for all she was worth. His sign had gotten better as they spoke but her response was clear as day. That was the day that had signaled the change in her life for the better.
Getting sick was a pretty common occurance, but less so in his care. On occassion she went with him to the hospital while he interned and did her best to stay out of trouble. She fell in love with music and delighted in sharing it with anyone who would stop to listen. She did her best to get her dad to make new friends, citing that having just the one did not mean that he couldn’t make more. It had been a mildly successful endeavor.
Most of all she grew. Vüsala chidingly teased her that she grew faster than he could buy her clothes, and they always seemed a bit small even brand new. Her friend group grew, from the absolute zero she’d had to three or four she had the most fun with. She wasn’t as scared that the people she met would tease her or not understand and looked forward to sharing her passions with those who not only accepted her but encouraged her.
So what if she looked a little different? It just helped to make her her. Nothing was going to change that and she knew that her friends and her father wouldn’t have her any other way.
Though now that she was a bit older, Kanda couldn’t wait to start learning how to control her magic. Freshlings couldn’t control their magic, so she’d had to wait until she’d grown a bit to start learning the magics that could help her to communicate telepathically with other nightmares. Hopefully that would help her to not need to relay on others knowing sign to be able to talk with people.
Vüsala had already spoken with her about signing up for the classes that would allow her to learn such things, and she’d spoken with a counselor at school on the subject. The Academy had much better resources for such things, and to her delight, she’d learned that there was already a small class that had been arranged for nightmares like herself. All she had to do was fill out a couple forms and she was enrolled and ready to start them during her junior year.
Secretly, she’d also gotten Habushu and Devorah to sign up for these classes so that they could all share the experience together. With all the new things she had to look forward to, it was no wonder she couldn’t contain her excitement about growing up when she ‘spoke’ with her father every day.
Word Count: 1,026
