Sors Immanis et Inanis Ne me Mori Facias – Chapter One
(Fate-Monstrous and Empty Do Not Let Me Die)
By PsychoAsuka02@aol.com
***
The Garden of Life. Untouched by humansbut home to where the Hoshi Ichizoku dwelled. Children laughed and played, the elder sat in the comfort of the warm sun. Everything seemed to be perfect. However, the council was still not pleased. Political problems arose when they were deadlocked on who the next of kin should be. The queen bore the clan no children and had no plans of find a mate. Life was wonderful, even if the truth was masked from her.
The council began to grow impatient with decision. It seemed that the only way to find the new ruler was to assassinate her and take the throne for themselves.
Senjo, one of the members of the council, took it upon herself to slay the poor ruler. She ran through the town-square with the queen's head on a spear and the bloodied crown place upon her brow. Upon seeing this act of treason, the spectators went mad with rage, creating a mass riot. The people began to attack each other. Innocent men, women, and children were killed. The peaceful clan was now in the heat of civil war, never to touch or see this land again.
Tifa stood her ground in the middle of such carnage. Hateful images filled her mind and she began to lose sight around her. Darkness was all she saw.
Let me wake! Let me be free! Let those who murdered our beloved queen die!
Opening her eyes, she saw everything as an obstacle, something that must be put to waste. Burgundy eyes quickly faded into pale yellow eyes. Rage was the only thing she felt. Hands of the dead reached out towards her in an attempt to have her redeem them and end their suffering. The mark of the hoshi began to shed blood from her pale forehead. Tifa's true self was deadleaving only Kisei to reign supreme.
"No! I don't want to be like you!! No more! Don't make me kill them!!!"
Kisei charged forward, ignoring her other half's plea. Armed with only a patriarchal scythe, she began to dissever those who opposed her.
THE QUEEN IS DEAD!!! LET THOSE WHO ACT AGAINST HER PERISH!!!
"No! Stop! No More!"
Her robe was adorned with blood, those of her own kind splattered upon her twisted face. She smirked at those she killed; hunting the weak was always her passion. Unfortunately, her sick pride consumed her. Five opponents knock her to the ground, beating her without mercy.
"Help me! I don't want to see this again!"
Each man drew their weapons from their sheaths and began to hack away. Blood was everywhere, drowning her in a sea of corruption, hate, and darkness.
Wait for me.
"No."
"No!"
"NO!!"
***
One Month Later
"NO!!!"
Tifa woke in a tangle of sheets and coated with a light layer of sweat. Her mirror on the other side of the room was shattered with faint hand prints smudged against it. She shivered as the memory of the nightmare returned to her. Cautiously, she raised her hand to her forehead.
Wet.
Quickly bringing her hand down, she gazed downward.
Blood.
"Damn her. Damn the dream."
As soon as her mental thought had ended, she heard footsteps run down the hall. Cloud was coming. Tifa began to panic and hastily scrubbed away the steadily drying blood. The door swung open.
"Tifa! Are you okay?! I-I heard you screaming and I thought"
"I'm fine," she lied. "It was just a stupid little dream. I'm okay now, really."
Cloud looked at her uncertainly and knew something was not right. He casually walked towards her and sat down on her bed. Carefully, he reached over and raised her dark chocolate brown hair from her eyes and her forehead.
Red.
"You're bleeding! Let me help with that!"
Her eyes flashed for a second in annoyance. Pale yellow.
"I said I'm fine!" she shrieked.
This truly alarmed Cloud. Tifa had never raised her voice to him like that. In fact, it didn't sound like her at all. It sounded dark, deep, and disturbing.
"O-okay. I'm sorry," he replied shakily. "I won't bother you anymore." He then lifted himself from her bed and headed towards the exit.
"NO! I should apologize, not you. I didn't mean to snap at you," she looked down in shame, tears collecting in her eyes.
He stopped when he realized that she had calmed down. Rivulets of tears began to fall down her white face. He once again sat beside her and began to wipe away her bitter tears with his fingertips. Ultimately, her tears dried away, leaving her crimson eyes bloodshot.
"Oh Tifa. Don't cry, you hurt too much. I want to end your pain and make you happy."
Gradually, he ran his strong hand over her cheek and leaned his face towards hers. Tifa shivered in anticipation as she felt his warm breath on her lips.
Oh don't you dare you fucking puppet!
Much to Kisei dismay, Cloud had already sealed their lips in a passionate kiss.
***
"Is everything accounted for?"
"Yes Commander, we are ready to go."
Starr looked over the file containing all of Tifa's records, everything from school, medical, and that one police file that was more her fault than Tifa's.
"Has it really been two years? Damn, time sure flies."
Opening the medical file, she looked over the data placed inside.
Name: Tifa Lockhart
Symptom: Split personality
Notes: It appears that Tifa has one other personality within her consciousness. I had her placed into an isolated room, leaving only Ms. Edwards to ask her the questions. Tifa was perfectly fine, until Ms. Edwards began to ask incriminating questions and or statements involving past events. Physical changes, such as eye pigment change from her original burgundy to a pale yellow, that to which resembles feline's eyes and enlarged, sharpened Lateral incisors. It was truly remarkable, such change in a human. However, she became increasingly violent and began to attack Ms. Edwards. It took seven men, including Ms. Edwards and myself to detain Ms. Lockhart. Such data should never be squandered.
"Damn Kisei, she doesn't even know what she's doing."
Starr closed the manila file and placed it under her arm. Today was the day and she wasn't about to let the opposing side get to her first. Starr had been planning this day every since she left, banned from everyone else and sent to an insane asylum. Revenge is sweet and should be taken slowly.
Starr smirked. Today was a great day.
***
Tifa awoke with a smile on her lips. It had been a while since she had had a nice dream, one that didn't involve the past years. She hadn't felt this happy in a long time.
Well, it sure surprised me how much self-control you both had. I would have thought you two would have been at it like rabbits.
"Shut up. That's what you get for thinking."
Touché.
Tifa sat up and began her new day the same as usual. Walking to the small vanity, she picked up her brush and began to run it down her long hair. After she was done, Tifa glanced at herself in the mirror and went to go shower.
***
Cloud was already in the kitchen, lamely trying to make breakfast. The entire "meal" looked like some kind of medical oddity. Quickly throwing away the failed attempt, he began anew.
"Damn. How can Tifa do this every morning and still make it absolutely perfect?"
**buuuuzzzz**
Cloud abruptly left his post in the kitchen to answer the doorbell.
"Hello. Can I help you?" he asked through the speaker.
Yes. I need to speak to a Miss Tifa Lockhart please.
"I'm sorry, she's busy at the moment."
Well, then I'll let myself in.
"Hello? Hello?! Who the hell's there?!"
Without warning, the door flew open.
***
Gougai, gougai, gougai!! Guess what today is wench?!
"Don't call me that." Tifa stated bluntly as she dried her hair.
Aw, you hurt me with your coldness and don't tell me you forgot what today is?
Tifa stood blank in thought as she tried to remember what the significance was about this day. But the sound of the door being forced open was more than enough to distinguish. She hastily slipped her shirt on and ran to the living room. Much to her surprise, and dismay, there stood the familiar brown and blonde haired, blue eyed girl that was the epitome of destruction.
"I take it that you didn't want to see me already. Well, I'll give you time to change," Starr offered.
Starr stood 5'7'', rivaling Cloud's height, wearing a pair of black slacks, vest, tie, and a white shirt. Her brown hair and blonde bangs were cropped much shorter than the last time she saw her. Standing adjacent to her were two men also in business suits.
"Ugh," Cloud moaned, reaching up to apply pressure to his bruised head. "You the hell are you?!" he snapped. Tifa scurried to help him to his feet.
"Just nobody you know," she replied, her face oddly straight. "I hope you know, the contract has already expired. I don't want to make Kisei frenzied anymore than what she already is."
Tifa stood her ground. She wasn't going to use force; that was already out of the question. She sure as hell didn't want to have Kisei get the better of her. Cloud, on the other hand, was more confused than when they first came in.
"Would somebody please explain to me what the hell is going on?" Cloud demanded. He looked towards Tifa, her bangs covering her eyes and any emotion that was held in them.
"Something that goes way beyond your understanding. I'm afraid Tifa will have to come with me. I don't want to use forceunless Kisei would like to come and get me," Starr taunted. She wanted a challenge, to see if those two years made any difference in Tifa's emotional, physical, and spiritual psyche.
Let me fight her. I'll beat her like a redheaded stepchild.
"No. I won't let you come out," Tifa blurted out.
All four of them stared at Tifa's small outburst. Starr knew that Kisei was communicating with her. Cloud's patients finally gave out.
"What did she say, Tifa?" Starr queried.
"Shut up, will you?! Tifa! What's wrong, tell me!" Cloud pleaded.
Tifa stood still, occasionally making a few whimpering noises. Tears ran down her face, making her face appear more ghostly.
Tifa let me come out. We can't hide the truth forever. If you don't, I'll kill you from the inside and claim this body as mine! Then I'll show everyone who we really are!
"Stop. Please leave me alone Kisei. I haven't done anything. Don't hurt any of them," she sobbed.
Suddenly, Starr pulled her gun from her holster, and brought the hilt down, knocking Tifa in the skull. Screaming, she fell to the ground, clutching her bleeding skull. Cloud pushed Starr away and helped Tifa to her laceration.
"Why the fuck did you do that?!"
Starr backed away, eyes transfixed upon Tifa, waiting for the demon in the angel's body to slither out. "For his sake, he'd better get away."
The sound of her weeping ended abruptly, her eyes slowly raising towards hers. She stood up, shakily, hands clenched. A broad grin spread across her face, matching the intensity of her eyes. Yellow eyes stared at everyone, burning with deranged glee. Cloud, after watching the transformation, scrambled backwards in fright. What had happened to his precious Tifa?
"Ah," she sighed as she stretched her arms. "It's hard on a person who's been trapped in a mental prison for a couple of years."
The two men gawked in awe as they saw such change in a seemingly normal woman. They reached for their handguns, ready to defend themselves. Starr extended her arm, silently informing them to discard their weapons.
"Put those away you idiots. Guns aren't used in a traditional fight, weren't you told?" she instructed. "I didn't think a simple blow to the head would have made you this upset. Do you still want to fight me bitch?"
Upon asking that question, Kisei darted forward and tackled her, causing both to slide down the stairs and into the restaurant. Gripping both wrists, Kisei pinned Starr to the ground and laughed at her. All three men soon entered the room, all in shock.
"Who's the bitch now?" Kisei questioned. "Looks like I've got the upper hand. Tifa may like to fight fair, but I sure as hell am NOT Tifa."
Cloud roughly grabbed Kisei around the waist and began to pull her off of Starr's collapsed form. In an act of defense, Kisei backhanded Cloud, knocking him into one of the tables. Taking advantage of the situation, Starr brought both hands up to the side of Kisei's face, connecting them both with a brutal head butt. Instantly knocked unconscious, Starr hefted her body over her shoulder, and while calling the other two men, ran out the building.
Cloud slowly came to and slowly lifted his aching body to his feet. Realizing that all four of them were gone, he ran out the door and into the middle of the town. Fear pulsed throughout his entire bodyshe was gone. He questioned everyone around him, but all denied seeing any of them. Tears ran down his face as he realized she was gone, and most likely, never to return.
***
Author's note:
Well, I'm glad to know that I got a few good responses ^_^. I'm surprised it didn't take me long to write this one. At least Starr has more emotion in this one, but in the later chapters, she'll provide more as a bodyguard to Tifa. Trying to make Tifa's other half, Kisei, more bitchy was a little harder (Least I proved my point in the prologue ^_^). I like my little "gougai, gougai, gougai" speech (anyone who has seen Utena knows what I'm talking about. *Hint hint* The one who killed the queen WILL make an appearance (I'll tell you now, she's a bigger beyatch than Kisei). And for those who give a damn, if you want to see a few sketches of Starr, Kisei, or both, email me PsychoAsuka02@aol.com. Ja ne ^_^x.