There will be edits to this for better flow. If you have questions about what is happening, if something is confusing, or if you have an idea of what you think will happen next, all is appreciated to help have an understanding of how you perceive the story and what I need to touch up on or what to focus on. Thanks!
The story thus far:
Maelynn was a Third Ranker in Patsu City of the Shadow Country. There, she also cared for her friends, Lily and Kisa, the young Kisa being sickly. When she returned home, she was visited by Miss Yamaharu, a Fourth Ranker, who presented Maelynn with the invitation to the trial to become a Fourth Ranker. There, she meets with the Shadow Denizen who looks over the trial. However, during the trial, a man named Yukino knocked her over and broke the vase, leaving Lily and Kisa under surveillance.
Forced to leave Patsu City, Maelynn uses her Taishiru power to seal Yukino to her, dragging him with her to the Ice Country. To get there, they first must get through the Violet Forest, where they meet Hazel, a self-proclaimed guardian of the forest. This forest acts as a labyrinth and a front yard to the Shadow Denizen castle. While traveling in the Violet Forest to Hazel's home, they encounter the Chickens and learn of Yukino's strong defenses.
Maelynn, Yukino, and Hazel on her white and purple panther, Rory, exit the Violet Forest to the Black Plains where they meet Sabu and Tyba. Tyba shares that he is an Ice Candidate. After many days, they arrive in a small crumbling village of First Rankers. There, Tyba faces Yukino in a deathmatch for the Ice Trials. Changing into Red Yukino, he defeats Tyba who flung himself at Yukino after Yukino refused to kill. Once the fight was over, Gilbert, one of the Fourth Rankers of Patsu, comes to receive Maelynn and her party to his mansion to speak with Gary, Shadow Denizen.
After getting some sleep due to mental exhaustion of Tyba's death, Gary tells Maelynn that she must return to the Lightning Country, the home of the Taishiru. The Ombre, a black silhouette with no details other than a human form with glowing eyes that change color, appears and attacks until Maelynn uses her Taishiru power to seal him to her in order to calm him down. In return, she agreed to help him look for his home, wherever that is. As the situation came to a close, Llana came as a driver to pick up Maelynn and company, leaving Rory and Hazel behind to catch another boat due to Rory's large size. On their way to the Lightning Country, Llana reveals herself and leaves Maelynn and the Ombre with Pachi, Lightning Denizen, while keeping Yukino with her back to the Wind Country. Maelynn must now deal with her family if she is to have her freedom.
Chapter 6: Rage
October 23rd, 1303 NB: Early Morning, Home of the Taishiru
"It is time to get up, young miss," a maid calls out to me from outside my bedroom door. Though I ran away, my family kept my room overly clean Everything is left exactly as it was before: expensive furniture and clothing that meant nothing to me. My family is rich due to the business they receive with our power.
I don't move. Who the hell gets up at six in the morning? Oh. Right. My parents. Having forgotten, I give a loud sigh.
I snap up to my attention as I recollect some memories of being here. Food! I quickly get up and change and storm out of my room.
"Young miss, you need to wear the proper attire for breakfast," she insists. I give a heavy grunt as I slowly go back to the room and change into a black and yellow patterned dress that was too revealing to my liking: strapless dress with revealing shoulders, black sleeves with yellow patterns, and the dress falling just short of the ground. Trying to pull up and constantly adjusting the dress, I slowly make my way to the dining hall behind the maid. Above the doors to the dining hall is a large clock that read 6:01am.
I roll my eyes as I enter the dining hall.
"You're late," my father calls out from the other side of the room, already seated with the rest of the family of Taishiru. My parents, both sides of grandparents, my great grandmother, two of my uncles with their wives, one cousin, and my older brother.
"I never asked to get up at-"
"Watch your tongue, girl," my father grunts. "You are under this roof again. This means you will obey the rules of the house. Is that understood?" I don't respond. "Is. That. Understood?!"
"Yes, sir." I do my best not to rage back. Any other time, I would. However, there's a certain group of people I want to see, including gran-gran. There isn't much time to talk to them, but they were willing to find the time to meet with me in the past. With anger building up, I sit down at the extravagant dining table.
"Sid, what is the schedule today?" A butler approaches my father.
"Sir." He promptly bows as he takes a few steps towards him. "At 7am, you have an appointment with the Lightning Denizen, Pachi, to finalize the details regarding the staff. After that, you and the mistress have a meeting with the royals who are visiting from the Earth Country."
"That's all I need to know for now," he waves to the butler who bows again and steps back. Some people walk over with domes on plates to present to my family. What really pisses me off, though, is that they aren't here anymore. This server isn't one of the usuals from before."
"Where are the original kitchen staff?"
"This food looks splendid," my mother smiles while my father glares at me to shut my mouth and eat. Nothing is any different than the past. Everything is still as hellish as it was before. Knowing the kitchen staff are different ruins the last of the positivity I hoped to grab. But once again, they ruin any positive scenario from my life.
Doing my best to withstand my desire to share my anger, I finished the meal and waited to be dismissed like the weak person I am. I follow orders and I respect those who have status. It's who I am, even if it hurts. I change back into my comfortable clothing and leave the premises, knowing this would be the only time I could get out for a while before I am summoned. It reminds me of the past, though.
Just like old times, I wandered the city. While there is still rank like the Shadow Country, the Lightning Country isn't as obvious about it unless you stand at the very top. The same goes for power: Lockets are not sold in this country so it is rare to find someone with a Locket, and the country isn't fond of Pure Powers like most countries, if not all. This means that this city is filled with average people. No powers, no Lockets, no nothing. Only positions and ranks with the Taishiru race and the Denizen household standing on top. The only reason the Taishiru is accepted though we have pure power is due to the connection we have with the Lightning Denizen generations.
"Hello, Maelynn! It's so good to see you!"
"It's been so long! How about you been?!" An elderly couple approached me as I wandered the city streets, cars driving by. The city glows yellow and yellow-green, which boosts the positivity and friendliness in the city.
"Not exactly happy to be stuck with my family. Eventually I'll get away, but I want to find out what happened to Kitamura and Yukino. Yukino was taken somewhere else, and I need to find him." Kitamura is the head chef that used to cook for the family, who I was looking forward to seeing again. I am over two hundred percent sure he would help me with these emotions flowing through me regarding the loss of Tabu and all the stress going on.
"We'll continue to pray for your happiness, dear. Know that those of us here are delighted to see you so grown up," the woman tears up slowly. Like in the past, we exchange hugs. I get along so well with everyone out here, disregarding the fact that no one around here has powers down here except me.
"Thanks," I smile before I continue down the street, being greeted by everyone around me. There were the occasional few who glare at me because of their losses from the deals they may have had with my family. I'm not surprised, really, and really hope my family falters someday.
As all things come to an end, lunch draws closer and I need to get back so I can ask about what happened to the kitchen staff. I get back inside, only to be greeted by my grandfather.
"You are forbidden from leaving. You are staying here to fulfill your role. You can forget about your dreams." Without waiting for a response, he leaves.
Guess what, gramps? I don't give a shit about what you think. You didn't make a deal with me, either, which means you probably have too many seals to worry about. We can only control so many people at one time: If I made a deal with about ten people, controlling them until they fulfilled their debts, it would put a huge toll on me mentally and physically. If he didn't make a deal with me, then that means he can't, which I'm happy to hear. This doesn't mean my parents or someone else won't be able to try making a deal with me to force me to stay here.
I eventually get back to my room and change in preparation for lunch, asking the staff about the previous kitchen staff only to find no results. Disappointed, I walk into the dining room once more as the food is set on the table.
"You're late again, young lady," my father snaps. It takes every nerve in my body to refrain from lashing out.
"I was trying to figure out what happened to the previous kitchen staff and where the friends who came with me are."
"I told you that is none of your concern," he again snaps.
"Yes, father, it is. I want to know where my friends are."
"Keep your mouth closed for once, you hack!" He slams his fist onto the table.
"Not at the table, dear, let's try to keep this peaceful and then talk to her afterwards," my mother interrupts." As none of my relatives or parents have done anything at this point, this likely means they're so busy with clients that they can't make room to seal me. This is wonderful news. The only problem is to get the information I want. In the meantime, I'll have to keep quiet, and that is what I do for the next forty minutes as the table is cleared down and my parents demand I follow them to their office.
"You are under my roof, and that means you will listen to us."
"No, I don't. By the looks of things, none of you can make a deal with me, and I don't want to-" before I could continue, I just barely notice something in the dark shadow of the room. "Why is the Ombre here?" As I take notice, my father lashes out his hand across my face.
"How dare you. How dare you." He hits me once more. "We are busy because of the extra deals we had to make because of the Ombre and all that you have done! Because of you!" I'm hit again. I can't use my Locket due to my mental strains, either. Even if I could, I probably wouldn't due to my personality of respecting those of higher status.
"All you can do is hit me out of anger? Why don't you just tell me where everyone is?"
"Get out!" He shoves me out the door, heavily hitting against the hallway as he closed the doors on me followed by more yelling from within. I don't move. Sitting here. I space out, not knowing nor caring about how much time goes by. At some point, my great grandmother slowly makes her way down the same hallway, a maid rolling her in her wheelchair.
"Wh-what's wrong, honey?" She looks down towards me with her wrinkly face. Without hesitation, I get up and give her a hug in which she returns back to me.
"I want to find my friends and Kitamura, but no one will tell me where they are. I found the Ombre, but there's nothing I can do for him since my seal on him is broken because of my father. I didn't realize it was broken until he told me he had to put a seal on him, and you already know that the seal disappears if a stronger seal is placed on top of the first. So, there's nothing I can do for the Ombre, though he is a bit of a bother, but I still want to find Yukino and the kitchen staff from before. Hazel might be in the country somewhere by now, too."
"S-so much is happening," she sighs. "Kitamura-san would d-definitely be able to h-help you."
"Do you know where he is?" I release from the hug and stand back up.
"P-Pachi bought his s-services along with the others. The meeting e-earlier today was to f-finish the deal."
"Do you know where Yukino is, too? Some woman has him." My voice shakes, hoping to find out everything I can.
"N-no one named Yukino a-arrived with you and the O-ombre. I'm s-sorry, d-dear."
"It's okay… it just means he likely isn't in this country." I wince to a pain in my head. "Which shouldn't be possible." My mind starts racing. "Pachi was able to temporarily close off the seal during the Candidate Trial battle. Maybe he is doing the same thing to Yukino."
"I believe your b-brother has been talking to Pachi's son about something. Maybe you can talk to him," she notes followed by another cough.
"Thank you, gran-gran." I give her another hug before leaving her with the maid who continues to move her down the hall. Going in the opposite direction, I quickly find myself at the door to my brother's room and knock. He soon comes to open the door.
"And what do I owe the pleasure of the presence of my disastrous sister?"
"Where is Yukino?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Gran-gran told me you were talking to Pachi's son. You never liked him, and yet here you are now in communication with him?"
"Times change, or are you still that stupid to understand?"
"Tell me where he is."
"I don't know where your icy friend is."
"Times may change, but clearly not for everyone. You still have a hard time keeping quiet when you feel you're ahead of me. I never once talked about-"
"You really are stupid if you think no one here knows that you were traveling with an Ice Candidate. He heard all about it already. He's probably going through hell right now, but-"
"Like I said, you know where he is."
"I told you, I don't know where he is. You're wasting your time." He shuts the door on me. I refuse to accept that response, so I kick the door open, breaking the handle and frame. He quickly turns around, along with someone with a big afro sitting in front of his desk. One of Pachi's sons, Rachi.
"Get out, you whore!"
"Where is Yukino?" As my brother storms towards me, the guest stands up.
"Ramo. There's nothing anyone can do at this point, it doesn't matter if she knows at this point."
"She's a whore, there's no-"
"You shouldn't be so disrespectful towards others," Rachi snaps. He turns to me. "I sent an assassin to kill Yukino. His ways of trying to stop the Candidate Trials are causing nothing but trouble for my father."
"How does what he is doing cause him problems?"
"Yukino, when he first came to this country, caused hundreds of security problems as he barged into libraries and tore everything apart looking through books. On top of that, he had the nerve of talking smack to my father when he found Yukino. Anyone who uses power is noticed by my father because of his ability to sense frequencies for disturbances."
"So he made a mess. That's typical of him."
"He has no respect for the Denizen and all they have to do! Anyone who goes against the ways of the Denizen should be killed!"
I don't have a response for him. In fact, I almost want to agree with him. I don't really know Yukino, and all I want is for him to repay me for what he did to me. So why don't I want someone to kill him? Is it because he's so stupid that I don't believe he could be so hated? Is it because he seems so innocent?
"But again, nothing can be done about it. The assassin dropped you and the Ombre off where my workers picked you up before heading out to the Wind Country. I'm sure you know that the Wind Country is so low in population that most of anything that happens there is never heard about again."
"I'm aware of that, yes." So Kitamura is with Pachi and Yukino is in the Wind Country. "That's all I need to know." I head for the door.
"Like I said, it'll be too late by the time you get there." Ignoring his remark, I close the door behind me as I make my way to the front doors to talk to Pachi. However, the butler and some others are there to greet me.
"You are aware that you are not permitted to leave, ma'am," the butler disclaims.
"I have nothing binding me here. I don't want to be here. All I want is to be with my friends."
"While I am glad to hear you found friends, I must insist that you do not leave."
"What will it take to let me through?" As if on cue, his phone rings. I don't care for phones, so I don't have one. Many in the Shadow Country didn't have a cell phone, anyway, wanting to keep to ourselves. "Chickens are heading towards the city. We need to help fend them off," the butler notes to the others. He turns back to me. "I hope you're able to find some peace," he says before disappearing through the doors with the others. I also head through the doors.
After an hour of traveling to the Lightning Denizen's mansion along the mountainside on the outskirts of the city, I travel around back to see if I can find a way to the kitchen. The kitchens in Wytsu are always on the first floor so that they can receive deliveries and have better venting of the heat that comes from the kitchen. As I thought, there is a door to the kitchen. As I approach, I find a woman stepping out from that door.
"Do you know where Kitamura is?"
"He's inside, sweety," she responds. For some reason, I'm spacing out on her name since I know her less than the others as she joined the group later on, but she nonetheless knew me and me her. She held the door open for me as I entered into the massive kitchen space. A tall man with silver hair in a ponytail reaching down to the middle of his back is helping prep some food for later with the rest of the group. I quickly run to the silver-haired man and give him a hug from behind. Startled, he attempts looking behind him to see who has latched onto him. He was barely able to see me.
"Is that you, Maelynn?" I hug tighter. "You obviously have a lot of anger and stress welling up inside you." Without asking, he grabs my hands to pull away, turning around and putting the palms of his hands onto my collarbone just above my chest. Slowly, he pulls his hands away from me. As he does so, my body and mind feel extremely light as if he was sucking all my problems away. As his hands fell away from my body, a dark blackish violet colored liquid emerged from my body and is surrounding his hands.
Kitamura is originally from the Wind Country, the home to a diminishing family of those with the power to manipulate negative energy either between people or into a physical matter, typically a liquid. All previous Wind Denizen asked this family line to stay with the Wind Country, becoming a key factor in how it is now, a peaceful land where many go for peace and happiness.
As the final bits of negativity is pulled from my body, I feel so light that I could fly away from here. My mind is so clear that I feel like a new person. I've missed this feeling so much. It's so calming.
"Feeling better?"
"I'm as happy as I could ever be," I smile. "I'm glad you were willing to help me."
"You are most welcome," he notes as he motions for me to follow him back outside, out of the hot kitchen. The negativity on his hands eventually sinks into him as he twitches. After a few minutes, he slowly let the negativity seep out from him into a black ball. Once it formed in the air in front of him, he launches the ball with his hand into the mountain, leaving a hole and cracks in the mountain. "That bad?"
"Yep." I knew he was aware of what was going through my head: he can see everything in the negativity he absorbs.
"I told you before that you shouldn't depend solely on me for these sorts of things, but it appears that this turned out to be a necessity."
"And I'm glad to get that stress off my chest. It feels nice to have a clear head again." I think back to why I came. "Why are you here now?"
"Pachi showed interest in our skills and wanted us to take over the food."
"What about your restaurant that you and the others built before my family threatened you and made a deal with you guys to work for them?"
"One day we'll be able to get out of this and back to the restaurant. One day." We both go silent. "I would like to catch up with you again, but I'm afraid I have a lot of work I need to do," he sighs. "It would seem that you didn't plan on staying long, either."
"I need to get to Yukino as fast as I can."
"Maybe we'll be able to find some time to catch up in the future," he smiles back. With that, I give him another hug before I get off the property.
It is true that he took the negativity out of me, but it is also true that I am immune from negativity. The first thing that comes to mind is how the Shadow Denizen is keeping Lily and Kisa hostage. Now, the Lightning Denizen has Kitamura and the others because of my family. Once I am strong enough, I will save them all.
October 24th, 1303 NB: Afternoon, Coast of the Lightning Country
A full day passes as I hitch rides from those who are traveling to the coast. There, I find myself finding Hazel and Rory the panther. They were both lying in a stack of hay.
"How long have you been here?"
"We got here yesterday," Hazel says while stroking the panther's fur. "We thought it best to wait here, we didn't know where you guys went." She looks around. "You're alone?"
"On our way here, we were attacked. The Ombre and I got separated, but the woman took Yukino with her to the Wind Country.
"The boat we got here on is still here, perhaps we can ask them to take us there."
"We better get going. Who knows if he's still alive." With that, they talk to the owners of the boat and head for the Wind Country.