Chapter 6: {Revealed Secrets ~ Part 3}
["Ayano." A man said smiling at her. Ayano stared at him. "Ash?..." she said cautiously. He smiled lightly back at her in reply. "I don't understand… you're-" "Dead? Yes." "Then how are you-" Ash interrupted again "Let's just say for the sake of time that I'm here as a spirit to guide you." "guide me?" she asked, confused. "You're regaining your memory. I'm here to tell you more. And thanks for not attacking me this time." "Yeah… by the way, where are we?" she looked around, seeing only white, as if she were in a cloud. "This place has many names. Most call it limbo." Ash told her. "I see…" "James told you about how your mom was still alive, right?" "He did…" "She was very weak after you were born and she almost didn't survive. You took most of her power from her. But she did survive. For four long years." "But my father thought she was dead…" "She made it appear that way. She had to. If Doc thought she was alive, he would have killed you." Ayano's face twisted into confusion. "Wait a second. What does Doc have to do with my mother?"]
"She seems so serene…" said Aoi, looking at the unconscious Ayano. "I don't like this. What's it doing to her?" said Kazuma. "Ayano thinks it's communicating with her. Let's trust her and wait and see what happens." said James. Hisoka stared with an unreadable expression at the figure touching Ayano. "Hisoka?" inquired Ren, noticing his slight glare. "Cornelian…" he mumbled. James and Aoi looked over at him, startled. "You don't think that's…" Aoi trailed off. "I do." "What's going on?" asked Kazuma. "Who's Cornelian?" asked Ren. James, Aoi, and Hisoka hesitated to speak. Kazuma glared at them. Hisoka finally spoke up. "Cornelian… he's Lapis' brother, so to speak…" Kazuma's eyes widened slightly as his brow began to furrow. "Lapis? That doll made from Tsui-Ling?" "I'm afraid so…" said James. "Lapis was made by Bernhardt form Tsui-Ling's last thought, but Cornelian was made by Doc from his last emotion." said Aoi. "I'm sure you've already figured this out," continued Hisoka "but Ashita and Tsui-Ling were both sacrificed to summon that monster. A monster that powerful, did you really think one sacrifice would be enough? It needed two sacrifices in order to be summoned. A male and female virgin. Erwin and Doc could've chosen anyone but they chose Tsui-Ling and Ashita out of personal spite."
["Doc was obsessed with your mother. Aoi and James told you about the Sukai? Your mother never liked her family and their limitations with the outside, so she left. There is a strict rule in your family saying that anyone who tries to leave will be executed. Even with your mother's high status in the Sukai family, the Circle decided she was to be executed. Her sister had a very high standing position in the Circle and so she was able to help her escape and told them that she would deliver the next head of the family in exchange for her life." "But that doesn't make any sense. James said that only he, my mother, and her sister knew about it…" "He thought only they knew because Mizuki didn't know her sister talked to the Circle." "And who is the Circle?" "The ones who are really in control of the Sukai family. Your grandmother was the last head of the group, yes, but she was simply a puppet to the Circle."]
"Personal spite?" asked Ren. "Yes. Kazuma, you probably don't see the connection between Tsui-Ling and Erwin, but it's there." said James. Kazuma began to turn hostile. "If you know something then tell me." Wind began to circle around him. James stood there, staring at Kazuma, saying nothing. Hisoka began to speak up "We have a hypothesis behind their connection, but we aren't sure. Until we are, we won't say anything that could compromise Ayano." Kazuma spotted Ayano stirring slightly out of the corner of his eye. The wind around him began to die down. "Fine. For Ayano's sake I'll let you tell me later." As he said this, the boys started to notice the figure changing shape. "What's going on?" said Ren a bit startled. The figure began changing from a black see-through blob into the shape of a man. "What the…" Aoi trailed off. As it changed, James and Hisoka's eyes grew wider. "Ashita!" Aoi exclaimed. The figure had completely changed into the shape of a pale black haired man, Ashita. "Ashita? THAT'S what he looks like?" said Kazuma with slight annoyance. "That can't be Ashita though… it really IS Cornelian…" said James. Cornelian wrapped his arms around Ayano and tears flowed from his shut eyes.
["You were a miracle to your mother. A tragic miracle." "Tragic?" "When Mizuki made the promise that she would give her first born daughter to the Circle, she believed she was unable to have children. James told me of the excitement she felt the day you were born, and the horror when she realized she would have to give you up." Ayano tilted her head in slight confusion. Ashita continued, "She pretended to die using a potion James mixed. It slowed her heart rate almost to a complete stop and made her turn pale and colorless. She looked dead, but she was still alive. When her sister came to get you, she awoke from her sleep to get you back. She found your aunt and they fought." He laughed, hatred stirring in his voice. "Figures that Doc had to come into the picture." "Doc? What does he-" "Patience, Ayano." He said, interrupting her question. "Mizuki and her sister were evenly matched, but then Doc came. He… killed your aunt then killed your mother while she was protecting you… As I said, Doc was obsessed with Mizuki. He vowed to kill any offspring she had a long time ago when she turned down his "love." After seeing your mother's horrified face after he took you from her, he decided it would be more FUN to keep you alive to make you suffer in her place…" he trailed off, seeing Ayano's horrified reaction. "This is why I say that love is borderlined with hate and obsession… well, ours wasn't…" Ayano looked at him, longing in her eyes. The area around them had begun to fade to black. "Damn. We're running out of time. Ayano I should tell you this now." Ashita began to speak faster as the darkness around them grew. "You have a twin brother. His name is Shou Sukai. Seek him out. He can help you." "wait-" before Ayano could ask more, the area had emerged into darkness.]
Ayano's eyes fluttered as she awoke. She looked at Cornelian, a bit startled that he was holding her and he was crying. She glanced around the room – she was back in the clinic. She saw Kazuma's frowning face and pulled away from Cornelian. Cornelian abruptly woke up then proceeded toward the door. "Wait!" Ayano cried. He turned back towards her and picked up a pen. He drew three marks on the back of her hand, then left. ("These marks… these look the same as the marks that man who saved me had … so he's my brother… Shou?") she thought. "Ayano, are you alright?" She looked up from her hand to see Ren with a concerned look on his face. "Yeah. It was Ash. He had a few messages for me…" she trailed off, staring again at the marks Cornelian drew on her hand. "Shou… huh?" she mumbled under her breath.
(Thanks so much for reading Chapter six! I was hoping to make this series at least 20 chapters, but I seem to be going quicker than I thought; "Intertwined Fates" may end at 10 chapters. PLEASE review. I have many people reading, yet only about 3 have given reviews. Your reviews make the future chapters better so please PLEASE review. And suggest things I could do for future chapters. ~MoonGoddessLunaDLC)