Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ The Universe of the Four Gods ❯ Pain hatches revenge ( Chapter 14 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Yui sits upon a chair in her room, hands resting on the table in front of her. A leathery scroll rests beneath her slender fingers. Two ladies in waiting stand at her back, heads bowed meekly in her presence. After a few silent moments a blue bubble forms in the center of the room. An unnatural fogs starts up, spiraling around the energy shield.

After the smoke clears, the robust form of Nakago is seen, with a much smaller form at his side. A small smile sliding into place on her features, Yui rises to her feet and steps forward, gesturing for her maids to wait. Obediently, they do.

“Welcome back, Nakago,” Yui says in an emotionless voice. The blonde general bows his head in respect. Next Yui glances towards the small figure standing at Nakago’s side, clutching desperately at his arm. When Yui’s gaze lands on her, the girl shudders and draws herself up with a glower.

As she had practiced numerous times before with Nakago, Yui puts her hand to her mouth with a gasp, taking a step back. Her eyes widen slightly, the lids fluttering gently. “Zoku…is that you?” Yui breathes. Cautiously, the girl releases Nakago’s arm. A frown upon her features, the girl dubbed Zoku steps forward.

“It could be.” Her harsh words hang in the air. “Who are you?” Zoku retorts, a hint of hope in her tone. Once again, as she’d practiced before, Yui smiles gently.

“My dear Zoku. You don’t remember a thing, do you?” Yui points out warmly. Zoku merely stares coldly at Yui, angry at the thought of the other girl mocking her like that. After a moment, she gives her head a wary shake, lips pursed.

“No, I do not…” She raises her gaze to study Yui’s face. Despite her cold look, Zoku’s eyes speak the unspoken question.

“Yes. I am your sister, Zoku. My name is Yui,” Seiryu’s priestess says in a gentle voice as though she were trying to coax Zoku’s memories to return, outstretching her arms towards the girl.

“Prove it,” Zoku snaps, folding her arms fiercely over her chest. Taken aback gently at the retort, Yui’s gaze travels over to Nakago, who watches the scene before him without a hint of emotion. Clearing her throat, Yui turns her gaze back to Zoku, a soft smile on her lips.

“Why, how else would I know your name?” Yui coos at the young woman, continuing to outstretch her arms. That belligerent look lingers in Zoku’s eyes, lips twisting into a scowl.

“I don’t even know if that’s my real name! I can’t remember a thing.” Biting her lip suddenly, Zoku muffles a groan as she realizes the devastating information she’s just relayed to a complete stranger. A stranger, however, who was becoming increasingly familiar to her. Yui studies Zoku a moment, the smile sliding from her features.

“I know, dear. Trust me, I know. I was there, remember? I was there the fateful day, when…” Yui’s voice drops to a mere whisper before fading away completely. Intrigued by her words, Zoku leans her head forward slightly and takes a step forward, gaze curious.

“The day when…” she mimics, gaze fierce. The priestess heaves a hearty sigh, turning away from Zoku.

“The day when we lost our parents. My darling baby sister…please believe me. You are not alone in the world. I am here with you.” A sly look crosses Yui’s features, but it disappears so quickly Zoku wonders if she ever really saw anything. “The Gemini guide you on your path of Destiny.” Something inside Zoku buckles and clicks, responding pleasantly to this saying. It felt so warm, so familiar, so right. The words sink into her very skin, drawing her into its warm depth.

Yui turns back to face her, gaze searching. On impulse, Zoku steps forward into Yui’s waiting arms, gaze wavering. Wrapping her slender arms around Zoku, Yui buries her face in the girls hair, hiding a grin. She shares a look with Nakago over Zoku’s bowed head.

“I am not alone in this world. Oh Yui,” Zoku breathes into the priestess’ robes, “Please, tell me more of my past. Tell me of my famiy. Do we have a mother? Is she still alive? What of our father? Do we have any more brothers or sisters? Where did we live? Why are you here, instead of with mom and dad?” Taking in a deep breath, Yui takes a step backwards, placing her arms on Zoku’s shoulders. The girl looks blatanly up at her, hope shining magnificently in her clear eyes.

Her enthusiasm almost hurts Yui. A sad look crosses her features, and instantly Zoku’s features grow bleak. “I am afraid the news I am about to tell you, my darling baby sister,” Yui refrains from wincing as Zoku’s lashes flutter gently at the pet name, “is not at all good. Yes, we had a mother. Yes, we had a father. And yes, we had siblings.” It takes Yui a moment to remember what Nakago had told her earlier. Zoku, however, merely thinks this to be a pause in her recollection of the events that had passed. The tone in Yui’s voice definitely tells her the news isn’t at all happy.

Finally, the general’s words return to her. “We had one brother. That is all. It was just us two, and him.” Moving forward with a smile, Yui embraces Zoku once more. The girl clings to her so tightly Yui fears she would never let go. Eventually, however, Zoku’s hunger for knowledge draws her away from Yui. She steps back and glances up hopefully at her ‘sister’.

“Notice, my baby sister, that I said had,” Yui says slowly, deliberately. Zoku’s breath catches in her throat. Her stomach curls into a tight knot. The sounds around the two of them seem to ebb and dim, before finally disappearing all together. Zoku and her sister are the only ones left in the room in her mind, aside from the utter darkness that consumes them. Yui seems to speak in a dreadfully slow tone. “They were killed. All of them. You left a few weeks after their death, and I’d been told you…took your own life…” Yui’s voice dims into a mere whisper, her eyes growing distant as if at some far away memory.

Slowly the knot in Zoku’s stomach untangles itself. The rock that had lodged itself in her throat disperses, and Zoku takes in a deep, quivering breath. She exhales slowly. Zoku’s breath, to her own ears, sounds shaky and urgent. “Who?” One word. Yui closes her eyes slowly.

“You have met the killers already,” she replies softly. Zoku’s lashes flutter, as is wont to happen when she is surprised. Tasuke’s sly face instantly enters her mind, followed by Chichiri the wizard. Last, she sees Chiriko. The young boy, who had caused her so much pain physically and mentally, wasn’t yet done with her.

“It was the Suzaku warriors,” Zoku mutters solemnly. She’s surprised to find her voice devoid of emotion. It’s a simple statement, getting quickly to the point. Squeezing her eyes shut, Yui releases Zoku’s arms and clenches her hands into fists at her chest. Slowly, she raises her gaze to peer down at her little sister.

“Yes. It was the Suzaku warriors,” Yui replies in a hushed tone. Zoku’s head jerks back and forth.

“But...why? I don’t understand. Why would they want to hurt our family? What did we ever do to them?” Zoku murmurs darkly. Yui, straining to hear her hushed words, makes a thoughtful sound. Stepping forward, Yui envelops Zoku in a hug. Despite herself, Yui feels sympathetic for the girl. Zoku had only just found out about her family, and was now figuring out they’d all ‘perished’. How awful. But Nakago’s sources never lied.

Zoku rests her head against Yui’s chest, lids half closed in sorrow. “Wise questions, baby sister,” Yui says, resting her chin on Zoku’s head. Her warm breath fans out across the girls head. “Questions that no one will ever know the answers to. Except, of course, for the Suzaku warriors themselves. Alas, for now, the only crime they committed to my knowing is simply being alive.” The words cut Zoku to the bone. She shudders.

“Did they all do it?” she asks slowly. For some reason, Zoku just couldn’t see Tasuke as being a killer. Then again, he had seemed pretty intent on killing Nakago in their earlier confrontation. Yui nods her head.

“Every single one of them. Our parents were strong as was our brother, but they couldn’t match up to all seven of them.” Yui takes a step back, peering curiously into Zoku’s eyes. So far the girl hadn’t shown any signs of serious sorrow, though her voice did hint at repressed anguish. Her ocean blue eyes are as expressionless as a stone. There is, however, a distant mist obscuring her vision that Yui knows all too well.

Zoku simply hadn’t processed the information yet. She was gathering, collecting, keeping her mind busy. Analyzing the situation. Figuring out the best way to deal with it. For Yui, it had been to try to take her own life. For Zoku, however, revenge was proving to be most tempting.

Nakago, who had been silent up until this point, steps forward. Yui gazes over at her Seiryu warrior, just as Zoku peers over at him as well. “Since you are successfully reunited, I will leave you now. I’m sure you have much to talk about.” Bowing his head in respect, Nakago turns to leave the room.

“Wait,” Zoku calls, detaching herself from Yui and striding towards Nakago. The general turns towards the young girl before him, frowning.

“What is it, Lady Zoku?” he asks in a monotone voice, as always. A waning smile turns up Zoku’s merry lips, causing her cheeks to glow with a ruddy color.

“Thank you, Nakago. You know, for everything. I’m sorry I doubted you earlier, and yelled at you,” she adds with a sheepish snort. Silence answers Zoku as, speechlessly, Nakago examines her closely. Perhaps there was more to this girl than meets the eye. Her emotions are actually affecting the rough man. This is surprising, since he really doesn’t care about anything.

After a moment, he bows his head and turns to stride from the room. Zoku continues to stand there for what seems a long moment. Yui, wondering why Zoku hadn’t yet moved, walks over to the girl.

“Zoku?” she asks in a soft voice, placing a hand on Zoku’s arm. She doesn’t react. The frown on her forehead deepening, Yui steps forward so she’s facing Zoku once more.

What she sees startles her. A completely devoid expression controls Zoku’s gaze, as tears leak effortlessly from her resonating pools. The once ruddy color of her features dull into a pale sheen. Zoku’s merry lips seem unusually stark against her ghostly complexion.

“Zoku,” Yui says once more, this time more urgently. The arm that Yui holds twitches gently and Zoku finally turns her head to gaze mournfully at Yui. The priestess understands now. This young girl had been trying to keep her tears from Nakago. She didn’t want to come across as weak in his eyes. Moving forward, Yui wraps her arms around Zoku. Genuine sympathy races through her, as slowly but surely Zoku begins to sob.

Her sobs grow in pitch and intensify. Yui’s eyes slide closed as Zoku lets out an anguish filled cry. “I didn’t even know them, Yui. I don’t even remember them. And now, I won’t ever be able to see them again. Dad….Mom…Caiden…” Zoku murmurs, voice cracking. The priestess’ eyes flutter slightly, her heart skipping a beat. Had Yui told Zoku that was the name?

“Shh, I know it hurts. Cry. Cry as long as you want,” says Yui in a consoling voice, continuing to hold Zoku. After a moment, the girl, without stopping her tears, returns Yui’s warm embrace. Her grip is shaky yet firm.

A mix of emotions rushes through Zoku as she stands there in Yui’s arms. For some odd reason, though, it feels to Zoku as though another person was experiencing these feelings. She is merely a bystander, watching in confusion as this girl mourns for those she lost. Not just her family, either. But for Tasuke as well. Her one friend. The one person she felt she could rely on. The first person to help her when she woke up with no memory and no real thought.

A hint of regret courses through Zoku, the real Zoku, as she thinks of Tasuke. She regrets that they’d only been able to talk for a little time, and that she’d known him for only a short while. Then a new feeling comes across Zoku. Comes across both her conscious and subconscious mind. It offers a solution to her bleeding, aching heart.

‘Revenge.’ Just like that, a plan forms in Zoku’s keen mind. All the energy that she would’ve used for mourning, Zoku shifts into her thoughts of revenge. She realizes that this is the only way to survive. To unite her two parts. As she focuses more closely, the tears slowly trickle to a halt. The two parts of her, Zoku’s conscious and sub conscious self, combine to form one vengeful creature.

As Yui continues to hold Zoku, she slowly feels the girls sobs cease. A smile spreads across her features. She opens her mouth to comfort Zoku, but abruptly halts. Her mouth gapes open as, grip tightening around Zoku, Yui’s gaze darts around. A feeling creeps over the room. An intimidating, threatening presence. After a moment of searching, Yui realizes in surprise that the feeling is radiating from Zoku.

“Yui,” Zoku says. Her tone frightens Yui, past anything she’s ever felt in her entire life. The girl’s voice is cold, lethal, threatening. It was similar to the voice that Zoku had first spoken when she arrived in Yui’s room, but it was so different, filled with such hate, that the Priestess wonders which truly belongs to the girl named Zoku.

“Yes...” Yui’s voice comes out clipped and hushed, so she clears her throat before trying again. “Yes?” This time the priestess’ voice is calm, collected. Zoku takes a step back, gazing up at Yui with eyes devoid of emotion. Devoid except for one thing. One light, keeping the fire of her soul burning brightly.

“I have a plan.”