When I got home the house was dark. I checked my watch, but it was not out of the ordinary for father to be downstairs, even at six o'clock. I walked in and called for him, but there was no answer. Grimacing I walked to the double doors across the foyer that led to the basement, thankfully I could see a glimmer of blue light from the abyss and when I looked at the steps there were feathers littered everywhere.
"I'm home!" Again nothing heeded my call. "Listen, I'm tired so I'm going straight to bed alright?" Nothing. "Well... Goodnight then."
There was still no response, which wasn't really unusual, so I closed the door and walked up the stairs to my room. I changed into my pyjamas and clutched Yami-kun to my chest.
I covered myself with the thin blankets of my bed, Yami-kun safely hidden away underneath them. Anticipating the first night since coming to this country, that would have a full peaceful rest. Unfortunately it was not to be, all I could do for hours was stare blankly at the ceiling. Despite having my good friend to comfort me I could not shake this baseless feeling of unease that had crept it's way into my mind. It twisted my intestines and made my eyes light and alert; as if my body was waiting to be attacked.
I sighed and sat up, smoothing my hand over Yami-kun's ears. It wasn't strange for Father to be downstairs that early, or rather, this late; what was strange was for him not to answer me when I called. I suppose maybe he was just too focused on his work. But it was already 11:04, and there were no messages or phone calls from him on my cell. Even if he was focused on his work, surely he would've texted to make sure I was home, if he didn't hear me.
I flopped back down and kept Yami-kun at arms distance, so he was in the air above me. Wouldn't he have? My friend gave me no answer as he looked down at me with his one eye. I let him slip through my fingers and he fell softly onto my face. I laid like that for a while before I flipped onto my side and Yami-kun came along, flopping onto the bed beside me, I absentmindedly stroked his soft fur.
What was he doing down there anyway? Blue and feathers can mean multiple things, and I didn't smell anything so that narrows it down. It could be a summoning for a high level tracking and retrieval demon. He didn't tell me about any new clients looking to purchase our services, so what on earth would he need it for? I was completely against such things. We were not circus performers; but, it was what paid for everything, including my car, so I can't complain. For generations my family sold our magic to suckers as 'miracles', starting out in the gothic era as gypsy's. So I guess we did start out as palm readers, clowns and dancers; but our magic was always real. I remember as a kid spending hours in the library reading up on my ancestors, it was how I learned so many dialects of impish. He could be making a sleeping draught, that explains the lack of smell; a potent dream supersessor perhaps, that accounts for the blue light and the feathers? But an entire potion of combined sleeping draught and a dream suppressor, would be potent enough to put a person to sleep for days!
I sprung up immediately, leaving Yami-kun safely under the covers, before sprinting out of my room; determined to keep my father from mixing the entire concoction into a glass of milk, that he would bring me 'out of concern'. That man, he knows how I feel about using potions on my body like that! However when I got to the top of the stairs to the basement they opened before I could open them myself.
I was met with someone I hadn't seen in 6 years.
Stepping through the threshold that was molded for her and the rest, I had no choice but to step back and allow it. She kept coming closer and closer, and I matched her, stepping further and further away. Wanting nothing more than to turn away and run, slam my bedroom door in her face. But I didn't trust that the second I broke my gaze with her dark eyes that she wouldn't try...something; what exactly I didn't know, but something also told me I didn't want to find out. Oh, but of course it was all for my benefit. Everything and anything that she ever did to me, was always for my own good they insisted. With her long black hair and golden skin she towered over me like the amazon-ess she was. That they all were. My legs weren't long enough; I couldn't escape. She caught me from the moment she stepped through the threshold. But I knew that already. I had always known that.
She bent over and wrapped her arms around me, pressing my face over her shoulder. Her hair, though silky felt like netting over my face. Suffocating. She held me for a long while before pulling back and looking at me her hands gripping my shoulders. "I've longed to see how you've improved over these past few years. I wanted to return earlier but the elders insisted that you would excel faster without my assistance or presence. We can't have our precious heir falling behind, yes?"
"Where's my father." I asked blankly, my arms hanging limply at my sides.
She cocked her head with a sweet smile. "After all these years, the first thing you say to me is regarding him? Where's my greeting?"
Without warning she shoved me back into a decorative table. Due to the speed and ferocity of the attack, I wasn't able to react in time and the table shattered under the force, the vase which stood upon it also coming down to shatter upon my body. Leaving me uncomfortably wet on top of everything else. Great; now I'll have to throw out these pyjamas, I'll never get these stains out. Bringing myself to my knees, the shattered wood, fake flowers and glass fell off me and onto the ground, I looked up at her.
She looked down at me with an expectant eyebrow raised. After an extended stare, I lowered my gaze along with my head, and I greeted the woman. "Welcome home... Mother."
"It's good to be home child." She acknowledged, beginning to walk away. "Your father has gone away."
My head whipped up at that, I stood up and ran after her. "Wait what do you mean he's 'gone away'?! Where has he gone to?! When is he coming back?!" When she didn't answer I reached up and grabbed onto her shoulder. "Aiyari!"
What I received, was not the answer I had sought, instead it was a swift roundhouse kick to the head. It sent me sailing across the room and I slammed harshly into the wall of the staircase, my body destroying a portrait of my father and I; landing on my feet but quickly sinking to one knee, using my one hand to support myself, the painting shattering to pieces behind me. I was breathing heavily and grimacing, I rolled my tongue in my mouth and spat, eyes narrowing at the blood that accompanied the ball of saliva on the once clean floor. My cheek must have got cut on my teeth, this just gets better and better.
I looked up at her again, she wasn't even looking at me, she was admiring the house and ordering imps to bring in her luggage. She doesn't even need to use magic; her body is more than enough to defeat me as I am. I thought I had grown in the past 6 years but nothing had changed, I was the same weak little girl who couldn't do anything. She didn't see me as an opponent. Looking down at the floor, I clenched my fist, fury and fatigue raking my body at the same time. My body was shaking, I couldn't take much more of this; I was deprived of sleep and food as it was, I was not ready for this kind of fight. I chuckled internally, a bittersweet smirk hidden by my long dark hair. If I can even call it that. Her not seeing me as an equal was sparing me right now. With the sleeve of my cotton pajama shirt I wiped the saliva-blood mix that was dripping from the corner of my mouth; but I stayed down.
I heard the click of her boots as she approached me. I didn't even try to move from my position, if I did I knew she would send me over again. With a click of her tongue she placed the ends of her fingertips underneath my chin to lift it. She looked at me with evaluating eyes, as if she was looking for something. Fear perhaps.
I had no need for the thing. It was a distraction. I fear not for myself. Discomfort in the face of things I was not accustomed to, yes. But the fear that makes one quake in their shoes and urinate themselves? No. I would gladly open the door and invite death in for tea. But there are things I must first atone for, sins that must be forgiven.
"You will not refer to me in such an uncouth manner. Do I make myself clear? You will refer to me as Mother. Mom, if you wish to be informal."
Looking up into her face, she wasn't angry per-se. As if she had always expected me to disobey her. Her eyes were cold and abrasive. Not that I was surprised. I was a disappointment. How was I not one? The only thing I got from my clan was their beautiful hair, long and silky and black. But here I am, short and pale and cerulean eyed. A genetic anomaly they said. Something went wrong with my genes. I still got all the magic, but even then after 6 years training, I may be ahead of my peers, but I can't even compare to her. Everything I've done, everything I've worked for, it's all crumbled to nothing in a matter of minutes. I can only disappoint.
"Yes... mother."
She slowly stood then, her nails slowly trailing the underside of my chin, and the second they left, my head drooped with fatigue. "Mm, good girl." Then she walked up the stairs toward my father's room.
I harshly bit my lower lip. My voice box and my tongue felt violated. But I couldn't do anything. I attempted to stand, but as soon as I tried, I put more pressure on the wrist that was on the floor. I winced in pain and looked down at it in confusion. It must have been when she roundhoused me, did I automatically try to block it? I sat flat on my rear, taking the pressure completely off and I nearly screamed in pain as it tried to correct itself by relaxing downwards. Luckily the pain was so white hot that the scream was silent and I merely flopped onto my side, huffing and panting like a dog, trying desperately to catch my breath. Defiantly broken.
Due to my pre-standing oath not to use any magics directly on myself, I didn't know any healing magic, nor any healing demons I could summon. I suppose in light of school and now this I would have to hit the library. I chuckled dryly at my own naivete; how could I be so stupid, one can only be so lucky for so long, I knew I was going to get seriously hurt eventually and yet I wanted to live in my little world where I was invincible. Why didn't I learn when I had the chance? It's not like the drawbacks are that bad! It's not like I have an addictive personality or something like that. It was true the bad things about healing magics is that they are extremely addictive, and I didn't want to risk becoming a druggy so to speak. I swallowed and then I started to blink heavily. Great. So sleep deprivation decides to catch up to me now!? Of all the times?!
Oh well. I summoned some imps, so I could at least not die of blood loss, then tomorrow, I could read up on it and summon a healing demon, it'll probably cost me 3 months of my lifespan but at least my wrist will be fixed that day. But my eyes widened when my tongue wouldn't respond. I tried a simpler dialect. But my tongue was too heavy from fatigue. I grimaced, and tried once again to stand, but my limbs were the same. Like lead with fatigue. I clenched my uninjured fist. My vision was starting to go double. I blinked my dry eyes rapidly in an attempt to clear them.
Ah, to be on the brink again. Were we feeling the same things? To not know whether or not you will live or die. It's peaceful, many things like this I have noticed are peaceful. With a long welcoming and warm veil he knocks and I open the door, my companion has come to call on me yet again I see. I lift my teacup to my associate in the black cloak; we chat about things that we both know don't matter, just as we are about to clink glasses, the door slams open and my head slid over to look. My acquaintance leaves again for the time being.
A new being clad in black approached. Or was it two? No... one, I'd forgotten, I was seeing double. The black mass looked around the room for a few seconds, turning round and around. I was getting dizzy. It crouched as it first picked something up off the floor, then smeared something on the floor, it rubbed it's fingers together. What are you looking for?Then it vaulted violently up and began frantically pacing around, but then it stopped and I assumed it saw me, because a loud and high pitched static came into my head through my ears, as though they were filled with cotton. And then it got bigger and bigger, as it got closer.
Something warm pressed against my face. I couldn't help but wonder what was going on? Could Yami-kun move now? Oh that would be pleasant? Suddenly my body was lifted, curled up against the warm black mass like a delicate object. I still couldn't really hear anything. But static was coming through my cotton filled ears again, frantic things. Things I couldn't understand but made him squeeze me tighter, but still so carefully, as if I would shatter. This being was holding me so delicately, surely it must be Yami-kun.
I lifted my arm, and placed my hand against his chest, leaning my head against him. "Yami-kun..."
Then everything was dark and comfortable and warm.
