Maria Sama Ga Miteru
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Forever Drifting
By Miracles79
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Chapter 6
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Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters they belong to the amazing Oyuki Konno who brought Maria Sama Ga Miteru into our lives.
I would like to thank my wonderful Beta-Reader, HeavyTeaDrinker, for continuing to look through and improve my work. She is, undoubtedly, the Miracle that makes Miracles79 and I cannot thank her enough for that.
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From this point on things will get increasingly dark and might unsettle readers. So I must advise you, if you are under 16, to stop reading from this point on as it is a very dark interpretation of Maria Sama Ga Miteru. You have been warned, Read at your own discretion.
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Silent footsteps quickened their pace through the pouring rain, the encroaching darkness effectively masking the figure's stealthy escape. Keeping out of sight, the figure continued onwards; scaling any and all obstacles in her path as she sprinted towards her intended target which could be seen far off in the distance. Regret, humiliation and pain propelling her forwards at an alarming rate.
It didn't take long before she finally reached her place of safety, and as usual not a single soul had witnessed her escape or her lightening quick movements; she didn't allow them to. In fact, no one ever saw this mysterious figure with their own eyes. They may have heard of her through gossip or perhaps compared her to something as ridiculous as an urban legend, but no one ever saw her of their own fruition. She would only ever reveal herself to the poor, unfortunate souls when she wanted to be found.
So then, why was this supposedly mysterious and impressive figure staggering towards an old, decrepit building? Whilst pain and anguish- which were clearly displayed on her worn down features- continued to torment her fragile and tortured mind. The woman tiredly pressed her forehead against the front door, sighing bitterly at the events that had befallen her.
Unsteadily, the mysterious figure known as Fukuzawa Yumi forced the door open with all her might, using the door as a form of support, she slithered into her decaying home. Her footsteps remained groggy however, perhaps the effects of her exhausting run or, which was more likely, the emotional train wreck which had just occurred moments before.
'What have I done…?'
'I-I kissed her...'
'I just kissed the woman who murdered my family, willingly.'
Yumi's horrified mind continued to process this rather alarming piece of news. Ever since her family was taken from her life, Yumi had thought of the Ogasawara family with nothing more than loathing and contempt. Yumi's former burning desire for their only daughter had been violently extinguished at that moment. Or so she thought.
The guilt was not all Yumi had to contend with, she also felt incredibly disorientated and this rather unpleasant feeling had been the catalyst for much more troubling side effects. Her hands were shaking, her body feeling drained and thoroughly exhausted by the experience but the worst feeling of all was her lack of control when it concerned her nearby surroundings. The walls seemed to elongate all around her, the floor beneath her swaying uncontrollably as if it had been the stage for an erratic roller-coaster ride. Yumi felt extremely woozy but most of all, for the first time since her escape, she felt pitiful.
Ignoring her surroundings Yumi attempted to proceed further within the confines of her home. The thought of a nice, maggot infested bed, solidifying her stance rather than sleep, at this moment in time, was far more than a necessity. But before she could make another exhausted step, she was abruptly, and unexpectedly, propelled off her feet. Yumi was sent flying high into the air and collided awkwardly against the collapsing bookshelf which crumbled under the pressure.
"W-What?" Yumi stammered in a painful gasp.
But before she could elaborate on her evident surprise and confusion, Yumi was once again launched across the room and sent crashing into the opposite wall which, despite its damp appearance, held firm and resulted in the unpleasant bruise beginning to appear around the sole occupant's eye.
There was, however, one noticeable difference between the two instances that had just occurred and, as Yumi attempted to process this startling realisation, a heavy and large object collided with her body. The understandable shock of such pain rippling through her body caused the young woman to cry out in a desperate scream.
"W-Wait, I'm sor…"
Without warning the heavy object, which appeared to be the bookshelf she had just fallen through, was thrown away from Yumi with such an incredibly force that it slammed through the opposite wall and continued on for several more yards. However, Yumi didn't have time to acknowledge this because she had been aggressively lifted into the air by her throat and forced against the wall.
"How dare you…"
It was the voice. The one and only notable difference between the two instances was that despite similarity between the throws, and the lack of a second presence within the house, Yumi had heard an aggravated scream accompany the second act. The cruel and dangerous voice could have only belonged to one person. After all, she had known the voice since her inception; you rarely ever forgot the sound of your own voice.
"P-please… I-I made… a mistake…" Yumi groaned, the pressure surrounding her throat tightening as she struggled to form not only words but gain the breath back into her lungs.
"You betrayed me…"
Before Yumi could dispute this outlandish claim, she was, once again, thrown with tremendous force, only this time she wasn't thrown away as such… it was more that she had been thrown upwards. The already decaying ceiling above stood little chance as its surface caved into Yumi's fragile form, an agonised yelp passing her lips at the sickening contact. Unfortunately for Yumi, there is a popular saying that states 'whatever comes up must come down' and this instance was no exception to that rule.
Before the sound of snapping bones could disperse, Yumi began to descend towards the ground once more. A muffled cry of pain emanating from Yumi's mouth as she was finally brought down to earth, with a disheartening sound of a collapsing ceiling reverberating around Yumi's vicinity. Realising the oncoming onslaught and her lack of preparation, Yumi hurriedly covered her head with her hands as the ceiling collapsed around and against her.
"W-wait, please… let me explain…" Yumi murmured, the excruciating pain rendering her speech to come out in lengthy gaps, not to mention the blood which coated the insides of her throat.
But the voice did not wait and it did not compromise. Without a hint or even a second of remorse Yumi was gripped by her ankle and hastily propelled upwards. The sight, if anyone could have seen it, would have appeared most peculiar because they would have seen a bloodied Yumi being, seemingly, held upside down by an invisible being who possessed a strength that no one on this earth could contend with.
However, before Yumi could be offered a momentary respite she was sent crashing through the last remaining wall within the tightly spaced room. Despite the shocking impact, Yumi's momentum didn't stop there as she tumbled into the next room, her formerly dishevelled appearance becoming even more battered, bloody and unsettling by the minute.
"How dare you consort with the enemy…"
The hideous and aggressive voice continued to verbally abuse Yumi as the latter was once again gripped by the throat and forced against the wall which she had previously been using as a mean of support. "I-I did no such thing…" Yumi gasped painfully, the grip around her throat constricting as five finger shaped holes ripped through Yumi's skin.
Yumi's terrified screams of agony were drowned out by the voice's robotic and questioning tone, "Why do you continue to lie to me Yumi? I am always here… In your mind. And while I may be nothing more than a passenger, that does not mean I will allow you to treat our enemy as if you were their lover."
"I-I made… a mistake. I lost sight for a moment, I succumbed to my weaknesses for just one moment but I assure you… it will be the last mistake I ever make. I'm sorry… so please… let me go…"
The voice didn't seem to hear Yumi's faint pleas for leniency and as a reminder of Yumi's life threatening situation the voice decided upon the opposite of Yumi's suggestion. Without further delay the freshly dug holes in Yumi's necks deepened further, a feeble cry of pain becoming nothing more than background noise to the voice as the blood began to pour out of the exposed flesh.
"You are so weak and pitiful. You beg for forgiveness and make promises you know you can't keep. For months you talked of nothing but revenge but it seems that that was nothing more than a lie. You are infatuated by them, aren't you? I can see it in your eyes. You are filled with nothing but empty promises and are so weak that you would show compassion to the ones who murdered your family."
"Stop this…" Yumi screamed, the voice's pressure around her throat lessening slightly due to intrigue rather than remorse, "… I will never forgive them for what they have done to me… to my family. It was a stupid mistake, I reacted on the instincts of my former self and kissed a woman I despise the most in this world. I promise you… I will make them all suffer. I will make their lives meaningless and destroy every last shred of humanity left in them, I…"
"How can I trust you…" the voice interrupted, the grip around Yumi's throat lessening to allow the young woman to retrieve her breath, "How do I know that you won't make the same mistakes again? You have been entrusted with a great power Yumi… it is the first time I have ever handed this power down to a human, or been moved by such a story. Are you really strong enough to go through with this?" The voice asked unconvinced by the frail girl's insurmountable weaknesses.
"I am more than strong enough… I have waited 10 years for this moment, been made to suffer through an untold number of tortures and watched my family fall one by one. I am more than ready for this; in fact it is long overdue. There is no longer any form of compassion in my heart, I tasted what I had wanted long ago and it was like ash in my mouth…" Yumi stated coldly, her eyes and demeanour downcast despite the reassuring feeling of her feet returning to an even surface.
"Are you truly ready for this Yumi? I have given you the means to extract your revenge but for you to truly succeed you must relinquish your morals, you perceptions of human morality and your preconceptions about what is fair in this world. For you to achieve solace and salvation Yumi, you must rid yourself of your humanity."
Tense silence followed these words before the faint sounds of chirping birds could be heard amplifying the silent whispers which converged within Yumi's already fragile and abused mind. She knew that this decision, right now, would decide not only her future but the future of the people who had cruelly wronged her so many years ago, the same people who had once made the same decision concerning her family's existence.
'They've taken so much from me…'
'They took everything from you…'
'They never showed any signs of remorse or fear for my safety…'
'Once the deed was done they merely returned to their previous lives, not one thought was given to you…'
'They were my friends, they were supposed to love me and care for me…'
'Were they ever really your friends? Does a friend simply abandon the other when they are in need of help…?'
'… And they thought I would just lie down and die, succumb to the horrors I was forced to witness against my will?'
'They underestimated you, they believed you were weak and not worthy of their time. But you are stronger now and they have grown weaker. It is time, you are finally ready to seek vengeance on those which had wronged you and destroy their humanity by taking from them the things they value most.'
"I will make them pay, I will ground them into the dirt and violate the small strand of trust they had placed in me so long ago. I will make them squirm and watch them as I take what they hold most precious in this world, even more so than the life that they will beg me to take from them... and I will of course comply with their wishes when the time comes." Yumi snickered, the voice's hold on her disappearing completely but its corporeal form remaining despite its shortening life span, intrigued by the small girl who it had always considered both unfortunate and weak.
"What are you planning Yumi? You talk of 'taking what they hold most precious' as if you already know what those are? What could be more precious to those monsters than the lives they currently possess?"
To the voice's surprise Yumi merely smirked in its direction, a dangerous yet maddening glint shining from the former Lillian Graduate's eye. For the first time since its existence a cold shiver ran through its spine, and it paced back slightly from the sheer intensity of Yumi's maddening gaze.
"Everyone has something that they value over their own lives. You just have to find their pressure point and watched them squirm before they die. It could be a soul mate, family, a future, their sanity or even… something that they brought into the world and fought to keep alive," Yumi enjoyed the thought that her possibilities really were endless, every being whether human or not had their pressure points and the voice was no different.
"For instance," Yumi pondered, noticing a chair falling to the ground as if a being had clumsily walked into it by mistake ", your weakness is clearly visible. Ever since you came here and granted me my revenge you have only ever asked for one thing in return, the one thing that sustains your decaying life. All I would need to take from you…"
Yumi stopped for added effect, stepping closer towards where she was sure the corporeal form was standing. A cheeky grin spread across Yumi's face as she finally murmured the words it had expected and rightfully feared, "Are your apples… you could never resist the chance to consume an apple could you?" Yumi snickered, her jovial mood returning in place of her previously demonic expression.
"Hmm, my kind never could, it is both a curse and a blessing." The voice replied jokingly, the tension quickly defusing from the room despite the multitude of collapsed walls and the freshly bloodied appearance of the young woman standing before him.
The calm atmosphere did not last for long however, as the voice finally returned to a topic which had greatly concerned him perhaps even more so than the kiss Yumi had shared with Ogasawara Sachiko hours ago. "What about Touko? Did you mean what you said, that you would spare her life? Yumi, you cannot allow that girl to live, she is no different than the rest of them. She is the reason your family is gone and you wish to offer…"
Before the voice could continue his increasingly enraged demands Yumi abruptly stepped in, the demonic expression returning which was now matched by a threatening tone that even the voice was beginning to fear, "Touko-chan had nothing to do with what happened to me or my family, and if you dare to utter such a thing ever again I will shorten what little life you have remaining in that form of yours. She is innocent; Touko-chan would never harm me. If anything I was the one to harm her… don't you see? She was so alone. For 10 years I could do nothing for my petite soeur; I couldn't guide her into adulthood, care or love her as she rightfully deserves, I couldn't even see or hear her voice. After years of neglect, she deserves to find whatever form of happiness she can.
Yumi suddenly became silent, the regret and heartache concerning Touko taking route in the deepest recesses of her frozen heart, "She is my everything and if you attempt to harm her in any way then our allegiance is over. I will kill myself before you even have the chance to touch a hair on her head, remember what you said 'my life and your life are now inter-connected, one cannot live without the other' so Touko is out of bounds, to you not me… because I already have my own plans for her, years of torture often have a way restructuring one's priorities. Touko is not only my friend and petite sour but in time I will make her my lover because that is what we were always meant to be."
Unbeknown to Yumi, the thought of Touko becoming intimately passionate with her made the brunette's heart race with desire but foremost love. She honestly didn't know how much longer she could avoid her nagging desire to sneak into Touko's house and 'subtly' seduce her into bed. The intent had been there for a long time and her growing infatuation concerning Touko had progressed into dreams of happiness, a simple thing to some but to Yumi it was her last chance to erase the pain and loneliness from her heart. Only Touko's presence could guarantee such a thing and it was something she dearly longed for even in captivity.
"Fine, Yumi. I believe that you are making a most fatal mistake but I will concede defeat for your sake, not hers. I promise to never harm her but that does not mean I'll protect her. Do you understand what I'm saying? She is your responsibility and you must protect her under the guise of your own power." The voice reinforced his position again, it was not a giving soul and it disliked the attachment between Yumi and Touko but then again it knew that it would not live to see what would come of their relationship; it had saved Yumi's life at the cost of its own and was now on borrowed time.
"Thank you. She just means so much to me. I can't lose her, I won't lose her. I will protect Touko with all my being with the power you have given me. I won't fail her this time." Yumi stated sombrely, the fear that Touko's life could hang in the balance doing nothing more than to cast doubt on her plans, but even the love she felt for Touko was nothing compared to rage boiling in her veins at the people who had tortured both herself and her family, even going so far as to kill her own family in front of her tearful and traumatised eyes.
"So my dear Yumi, where will you begin in your quest for vengeance? More importantly which of your former friends will you begin with?" The voice asked questioningly, its interest growing more intense by its own currently unanswered question.
Pondering this question Yumi began to pace the front room, carefully avoiding the debris that littered the broken glass table which had been overturned by the previously damp yet solid wall. She suddenly stopped mid-step, an ingenious yet horrendous idea crossing her mind which caused her to smile darkly at the mere possibility of such a thing.
"I will go after the most obvious of course. The one act which will make them all take notice; show them that I am most certainly serious… Oh yes, I'm practically drooling with anticipation." The demonic smile never left Yumi's face and the sickeningly sweet voice which accompanied it did nothing to lessen the demonic expression Yumi had perfected through her own experiences and insanity.
Taking interest in Yumi's sudden change of expression, and realising that she wanted to keep this particular thought to herself, the voice silently shifted through Yumi's mind, a difficult and dangerous task. After all, searching through one's mind was an incredibly tricky thing to do because while the thought may remain active, at the forefront of the individuals mind, it would often be in amongst a multitude of unconscious thought patterns. The things that cross our mind even though we did not actively search our brain waves for it, to find one voice in an ocean of thousands would be considered by most to be an impossible burden but this creature was not ordinary, not even amongst its kind, and it had acquired this power amongst many which were just as evasive.
"Hehehe… Why Yumi, I never knew you had it in you…"
As the voice looked back towards Yumi, expecting to see an equally grinning figure, it was annoyed to see the human's head bowed her eyes wide as she remembered things in her life that made it seem so worthwhile. The happy memories, her blossoming feelings for Sachiko, the friendships she had forged with Yoshino and Shimako… so long ago they had all seemed worthwhile and precious but now they were bitter reminders of their deceptions. Happy memories which were revealed to be far more disheartening then any unhappy memory she could vaguely recall.
"I never did have it in me… When I was young I was so carefree. I thought I had a world of happiness waiting for me… but things changed." Yumi finished abruptly, considering the conversation finished for not only this moment but forever. The voice, however, did not seem to take the hint or maybe it just didn't care enough to stop its excited rambling.
"This is genius, Yumi. They could not ignore you then, could they? And only then would your friends realise who they're dealing with. When will you start, my dear Yumi?"
Ignoring the voice Yumi walked through to the corridor and began to take the stairs one at a time, her body's emotional and physical fatigue coming back in full force. The voice persisted, however, and waited at the bottom of the stairs for an answer, knowing that Yumi would reveal everything whether through word or by thought.
"It will start in 3 days. In 3 days, Eriko-sama will be the first to lose what she treasures most. And I already know what that is, it's so simple yet so unforgiveable." Yumi stated sinisterly, as she turned to face the invisible being that waited patiently at the bottom of the stairs.
"Will we need to consult our insider? I'm sure…"
Without waiting for the voice's rambling, Yumi stepped in feeling both exhausted from fatigue and by the conversation it continued to bug her with. "No, I need to do this alone. It is too personal to allow others to do my dirty work, and I have no wish for my victory to be tainted by another's hand. Not to mention that our insider is very busy at the moment, don't you remember?"
"So you will handle Eriko alone, I take it? There's no going back after you complete this deed, you will have declared war against not only the Ogasawara family but your friends as well. Are you ready for this?"
Without even acknowledging the voice Yumi walked back up the stairs, her back turned from the intrigued creature that stood in wait looking for answers.
"You know what they say. An eye for an eye… and a family for a family…" and with that Yumi vanished from sight with only the voice's words following her as she close the door of her bedroom. The truth to the voice's words stung Yumi because she now knew how truthful they were, now that she was without one, and Eriko would also know what it felt like to lose the one thing that they both truly treasured.
"Sometimes family is all we have left, when all is said and done."
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It was late within Sachiko's home and the sole owner of the house had no more desire than to sleep off these spiralling emotions which wracked her mind and turned her thoughts from elation to downright terror. Sachiko had always dreamed of Yumi's return, which often involved being kissed by Yumi in much the way as they had earlier, but she never saw this coming. Yumi, her precious petite soeur, was accusing her of something which she would never have implemented against her worst enemy.
How could Yumi even suggest such a thing? She would never harm Yumi, never. She loved Yumi, even more now than ever because she was finally a tangible being that could be reached, touched, caressed and most importantly protected. But there was another revelation which pained Sachiko more than the baseless accusations and that was the one thing which had been proven correct by her own father.
The Ogasawara's head of company, Sachiko's own father, Ogasawara Tooru, had pleadingly admitted to not only herself but all of her friends that her own family had been behind the Fukuzawa family's disappearance, the mere implication that she was connected by blood to such a cruel and immoral man was enough to make her feel queasy and even go so far as to rescind the usage of her good Ogasawara name from now on.
How dare her father do this to the one she loves? How dare this disgusting vermin destroy a family which she had often considered far more approachable and kind then her own. She not only grieved for Yumi and the horrors that she must have witnessed but also for the people she had lost. Sachiko always thought of the Fukuzawa household as her extended and more intimate family, in fact a family that she hoped she could one day be a part of legally through the power of same sex marriage but that dream and the people who lived within them had been forever lost.
Before her thoughts could go any further Sachiko heard silent footsteps, followed by tearful and heart breaking whimpers, descending down the stairwell which was situated at the end of the hall. It was her mother; the knowledge that her husband had not only kidnapped but tortured such a sweet and beautiful little girl had broken her heart completely. She was heartbroken by such a betrayal, and by a man who she had always supported while maintaining the belief that he loved her but his betrayal spoke volumes because she firmly believed that she should have protected Yumi, or perhaps seen what her husband intended for someone she dearly loved. Sayako would even go so far as to consider Yumi a part of their family, the second daughter she was never able to conceive, that was who Yumi was to Sayako and the loss hit her harder than she cared to admit.
So there they were the two lone figures within the expansively lavish house which was owned and paid for by Ogasawara Sachiko. At the destruction of the Ogasawara Mansion, Sachiko had convinced her mother to live with her for as long as she needed; not only did Sayako need a house to live in or to stay away from a man as dangerous as her husband but because she needed her mother now more than ever. Sachiko was far from a weak woman and very little, if anything, unsettled her pristine form but the knowledge that Yumi despised her was not something she could handle on her own, she needed guidance which only a mother could offer.
Her father had desperately attempted to convince the pair that they all needed to stick together, as a family, and even went so far as to defend his actions against the Fukuzawa family without revealing the true reasons behind his horrendous acts. Whenever that topic was brought up Ogasawara Tooru would remain silent, head bowed and quickly change the topic no matter how persistent the group had been, most notably Touko, Sachiko, Sei and rather surprisingly Shimako who looked ready to tear him a new one.
Unsurprisingly Sachiko had angrily rejected Tooru's desperate and ill thought out pleas and had, in fact, demanded that he leave her sight immediately for his own good rather than her own. That was why only 2 members of the Ogasawara family now lived within Sachiko's mansion, and why the third had in a surprising news report been arrested for driving under the influence of narcotics, something which shocked Sachiko but which would not affect her as much as his betrayal.
So much had gone wrong. Her family was now in chaos, the love of her life had gone missing despite the increase number of police and guards, Matsudaira Touko's own personal guards, which had been deployed within their region. She desired nothing more than for Yumi to be back in her life; she needed treatment, protection and most of all time. All of these were essential and Sachiko knew it, she was even prepared to hide her own romantic feelings for Yumi and instead re-forge the friendship which had been so violently ended.
This was not the only problem she faced though, the reaction from her friends had not been completely unexpected but the ferocity in their words had cut her deeply. Some reacted aggressively, some reacted questioningly, others were tearful while the majority watched the commotion between their former friends with little interest; only Yumi was in their thoughts and no matter what happened from this moment on they would continue to help their beloved friend.
Sachiko remembered it clearly; Touko was clearly distraught and heartbroken by these sudden revelations and the close yet distant proximity of someone she loved, perhaps even more than in a friendly way. When Yumi left, Sachiko noticed the pleading eyes which followed her because they belonged to Touko, her cousin and the sole person who had been offered a reprieve from Yumi's vicious threats.
Then there was Sei who had attempted to inflict physical harm upon the man who had destroyed Yumi's life. Had it not been for Youko, Sachiko doubted any of them would have stopped her and they would have perhaps joined her, including Sachiko to some extent. But when Sei couldn't reach the old man she had quickly turned her anger towards Sachiko, hurling abuse after abuse at her despite Youko's desperate cries for her to stop and the continued struggle as Sei attempted to confront Sachiko face to face.
Sachiko also remembered the horrified look on Shimako's face and she didn't seem to notice Noriko's presence or the careful attention she was being shown by the one she loved. She was Yumi's best friend after all and she had been greatly hurt by the loss of her most considerate and lovable friends but after being threatened and having witnessed the insanity with her very own eyes, Shimako's perceptions of the world around her appeared to change and she had grown cold, going so far as to tackle Tooru to the ground and scream profanity after profanity at him.
It was a scene that hurt Sachiko deeply because, due to the group's momentarily uncaring demeanour, it was left solely to Noriko to not only diffuse the situation but be seen as the villain because of it. The once happy marriage had suddenly become unsalvageable; Shimako's hatred for Noriko at that moment had caused her to run away from the group and from her lover who watched on in fear as she too pursued her high school sweetheart.
There was also Yoshino who appeared lost for words attempting to collect all this new found information to memory. Rei was as supportive as ever but it wasn't met with the same enthusiasm as it would normally be met with. In that single moment, Yoshino had become distant with her lover under the explanation that Yumi needed her now more than Rei needed Yoshino, the great detective needed to make this her priority and had also left the group without a single goodbye. Rei watching on not in anger but in understanding, she would not take umbrage with Yoshino's discourteous manners because she was right, and while Yumi did need Yoshino now more than ever, it was also because Rei knew that Yoshino desperately wanted her best friend back in her life, the one person who had been missing in their life.
And then lastly there was Nana-chan who looked wide eyed, mouthing words which took no verbal form but looking at the group fearfully as if she knew something they didn't. The expression was causing some concern but no one, including Sachiko, seemed to realise the reason behind her shocked and panicked expression. The face of her saviour and first 'love at first sight' was none other than Fukuzawa Yumi, the demonic existence who had stolen her heart but crushed it all at the same time.
As Sachiko remembered the reactions of her mother, her eyes began to grow heavy and gradually sleep deprivation began to take a hold of her and it wasn't long before Sachiko succumbed to a sleep which was not deep or peaceful, and would in fact be the first of many dreams which would continue on an endless and mysterious cycle.
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It was growing cold, so very cold. Sachiko could feel her body shiver terribly from the sudden and unexpected dip in temperature. The air around her wasn't the only thing that was cold though, whatever surface she was currently lying on also felt painfully cold to the touch and yet sturdy enough to withstand any amount of punishment.
'Wait...'
'When was my bed ever this frozen…?'
'And why would there be a temperature dip when the heating would automatically come on?'
Something wasn't right. Sachiko felt very out of place, even without opening her eyes she already knew that she was somewhere else and rather terrifyingly that she did not belong here. So then why was she here? What was here? She could open her eyes but the fear of knowing made her prolong the need to remain oblivious but that could only last for so long.
Suddenly an ear pierce sound cut through the silence, Sachiko quickly pushing her hands towards her ears as her body began to flail around the floor without her consent. But gradually, the mysterious sound dimmed slightly whilst maintaining its surreal and almost hypnotic qualities. After several tantalizing seconds Sachiko finally managed to discern the nature of the sound and was correct in her assumption that it was the sound of a static TV flickering into life and burning out in a simultaneous pattern, its sounds heightened to a deafening pitch.
Finally finding a desperate need to figure out what was going on Sachiko opened her eyes and was startled by what she saw. She saw nothing. No it wasn't that she saw nothing it was that she saw darkness, nothing but pitch black darkness around her vicinity. As she began to move slightly, Sachiko suddenly realized that the freezing temperature and the darkening area around her was a result of the malformed mist which pulsated with strands of lightening breaking through its untangiable material.
She had little time to acclimatize to her situation before faint whispers began to increase in both frequency and intensity. Familiar voices mixed within a plethora of other equally familiar voices coaxing their way towards the sole dreamer, and regrettably its one and only dreamer.
"Sachiko, stop…"
"F-father…?'
"Yumi, is that you…?'
"Touko-chan… w-what…?"
"Yumi, what methods? What are you talking about? What did you do…?'
"Yoshino-chan, I don't understand. What's happ…"
"You still haven't realised; the incident in Seika, the death of Takeshima Tsutako and even the deceased employees of this Mansion. They were all caused by my hand…'
"Yumi, is that you Yumi…?'
"You killed all those people. You killed Tsutako? Why? Why would you do such a thing? She was your friend…'
"Shimako… wait I've…"
"We are finished. That was just for old times' sake, nothing more. Sachiko, I will make you pay for what you did to me. But not before I make you suffer the same pain that was inflicted upon me. You will die by my hand… There will be no happy ending to this Sachiko, none…"
"… I've heard this all before…"
"Sachiko will die, Sachiko's friends will die. Anyone who has ever associated themselves with Sachiko will die."
Suddenly, as if the revelation has caused the voices to collapse upon each other, Sachiko was assaulted by a multitude of familiar voices speaking at exactly the same time. Some voices were loud and silenced the far softer and gentler voices and as they all converged within Sachiko's mind she began to grip her head between her hands, begging the voices to stop as the pounding in her head increased at an alarming and dangerous rate.
"Onee-sama…"
Then the voices suddenly ceased, silence returning to its prior domain as Sachiko wordlessly savoured the sound of the last, tender voice to leave her mind.
"Onee-sama…"
There it was again that voice speaking those wonderful words once again, but only this time the voice sounded crueller and far more venomous than the previous one.
"Onee-sama!"
Suddenly the voice was no longer emitting within her mind, it was being spoken directly behind her as if Yumi was actually…
"Yumi!"
But before she could prepare herself, Yumi was standing across from her looking as sweet and adorable as the pictures she had displayed in her bedroom. Rather peculiarly, Yumi was wearing their old Lillian Academy uniform, and in exactly the same fashion that she used to wear it all the way down to her perfectly tied sailor collar. She looked slightly older at a first glance but it was Yumi, the Yumi she had known all those years ago. The Yumi who had given her life a meaning the likes of which she had never dreamed of experiencing even in her wildest dreams.
"Yumi is it really you, Yumi?"
But despite Sachiko's concerned tone Yumi still remained silent, merely giving Sachiko a questioning stare as she began to tentatively approach the clad wearing Lillian student.
"Yumi?"
But before Sachiko could wipe the hopeful look off her face, Yumi's expression darkened dramatically a sinister and demonic smile spreading across her lips as blood began to trickle from her hairline, slipping down gradually before falling freely and in large amounts. Sachiko gasped in shock as before her eyes fresh cuts and bruises were spread across every visible sight of skin, her clothing being torn aggressively by an invisible hand as if she was being prepared for new and deeper scars, and Sachiko was unfortunately correct in her fearful assumption. Her stomach contorting as it was violently slashed and drenched by the blood which hid the real, visible, damage from view.
Yumi's face was now covered in blood, the nails of her hand being yanked out viciously and falling to the ground, her shoulder dislocating seemingly by itself, before Yumi fell to the floor as her legs were broken at the knee. But despite all of these horrendous acts; the deep scars, the battered and bruised appearance, the blood oozing out of Yumi's eyes and mouth… the scariest thing that Sachiko saw was the sickeningly pleased smile which was spread across her lips as if she was pleased with what Sachiko was seeing, as if she was pleased to see that she was suffering.
"Yumi, what's happening to you? What am I supposed to do…?"
But just as soon as Yumi had appeared she then abruptly vanished without a trace, the blood which previously pooled around her feet was now gone. Sachiko was confused, what was happening? What had she just seen? Did that horrifying image mean something and did that sickening smile belong to her Yumi or the imposter in its place.
"Why do you act so offended, little girl? Did you not like what I showed you…?"
A loud booming voice reverberated around the mist filled world; Sachiko hurriedly turned to locate the sound and perhaps, rather frighteningly, attach a face or at least a name to such a robotic and demented voice. But she was only met with silence, as well as no knowledge of who the voice belonged to.
"I don't understand…? Why have you shown me this? Why are you doing this?"
"You never did understand the little people did you, Sachiko-chan? You are after all their superiors and betters. But do you know what you also are; you are the reason why Yumi's family is no more. You led them to their deaths; you even bought the chains that they were chained to and gave them the privacy and seclusion to torture those that you profess to love and care for."
"I-I…" Sachiko stammered, saddened and haunted by yet another baseless accusation from someone who was to cowardly to show their face, "I never did such a thing. I bought the chains? What chains? I understand perfectly well what you are trying to imply but I know that I would never harm them. I will not believe these unjust accusations, I would never harm Yumi. I would never harm the one I lo…"
Sachiko quickly silenced herself before she could elaborate on her far too personal statement, but it was obvious that her mistake had been caught by the sinister voice. A mechanical laughter rang through Sachiko's nearby vicinity sending shivers through her bones by both its depth and its surprisingly unhinged quality.
"You love her? Ahahaha, what a human thing to say. To think that you would knowingly torture the woman you love; you truly are heartless aren't you?"
"I would never harm Yumi, and I would never knowingly put her in danger." Sachiko replied angrily, turning and looking around for a sign or a location of where this man or woman was.
"You can continue to deny everything all you like in the real world, but down here it doesn't matter. Nobody will hear your confessions... So admit it, admit that you enjoyed watching Yumi beg for mercy, that you watched as Yumi begged her captors to hurt her family instead of her and that she lost her virginity against her will." The voice replied, snidely mentioning things that never happened in the hopes that Sachiko would suffer under the knowledge that Yumi was a coward and thoroughly spoiled.
"You're lying… Do I look stupid to you? Yumi is far stronger than you realise, in fact, she is the strongest person I have ever known. She would never place her family in danger, no matter what the cost would be to her own life. She is honest and dependable to a fault, and as for your callous and feeble attempts to harm me, through a violation that did not happen… don't you dare say such a thing to my face ever again. I will fucking kill you when I find you." Sachiko stated venomously as she prowled the area for a sign of this revolting and unhinged voice.
"Is that what you would have said to Yumi and her family? 'That you would fucking kill her?' You are pathetic and weak, I have grown tired of this game. If you do not believe me then how about I show you what happened to Yumi's family? How about I show you the destruction you have caused to the person you claim to love."
And just like that the air around Sachiko became practically palpable, her anxiety becoming visually recognizable as she began to tremble from head to toe, her hands growing sweaty and clammy. This was the moment, the moment when Sachiko would find out the truth. About what happened to her family, to Yumi, everything would be revealed in this one unexpected moment.
But truthfully, Sachiko felt increasingly apprehensive. She did not know if she actually wanted to know what had happened to Yumi's family because she feared what she would see. Would she be able to recover if she saw Yumi's family being treated unfairly or would she be scarred for the rest of her life by the horror that awaited her?
Sachiko was undoubtedly terrified but at the same time she needed to know. She needed to know the extent of the damage and how, if, she could fix it. Most importantly of all, though she needed to know what Yumi knew because without full understanding Sachiko might cause more harm than good, and perhaps cause more pain for Yumi then she could possibly handle.
She was ready, Sachiko needed to be ready not for her own sake but for that of her petite soeur's; the confused young girl needed her Onee-sama now more than ever. She couldn't abandon her now, Sachiko often talked about going to any lengths to protect Yumi and if she was not prepared to do so now, then her words would have been nothing more than that; words. Sachiko would protect Yumi with all her being and put her words into action without a moment's hesitation.
And with a new resolve placed within Sachiko, the mist around her began to slowly dissipate. At first, it simply began to swirl around her in a quickening motion, the lightening sounding sharper and angrier than ever before. But, gradually, a passage between the mist began to form and spread out in front of her, imploring her forward without any other alternatives. Without even a second thought, Sachiko marched forward with a purpose, unaware that the mist was following her and caging her to the one solitary path.
It didn't take long before Sachiko observed the end of the passage, a foreboding yet two sided door awaited her which seemed incredibly out of place, even for this world. The door looked incredibly old and bits of vine clung to its aged surface, mould and the like staining its once pristine appearance which had withered with both age and neglect.
Experimentally, Sachiko touched its withered surface and was rather startled when a green ooze began to trail from her fingers at the faint contact. Sachiko shook her hand hurriedly before a familiar feeling of unease began to creep into her as she looked back at the door's handle which was already down turned. It would only take one small push to open this door that was all.
"I'm ready. You're ready for this, Sachiko…"
And with those last words of encouragement Sachiko pushed the door open gently, its hinges groaning at its former lack of use being interrupted. For all of Sachiko's words and all of her fears; nothing could have prepared Sachiko for the sight she witnessed through the now opened door.
.
.
.
The location was familiar. Sachiko knew that, she had seen places such as these from stories and even within modern life but at the same time it was like nothing she had ever seen. Its appearance was nothing more than utterly debilitating; mice scattered across the moulded floor in drowns, moss (and other forms of fungi) and vines spreading to all areas of the room while a small window hinted at the prospect of sunlight within the darkened and rusted cage it was situated in.
The smell within this obviously run down and ill looked after prison was putrid and thoroughly foul, to the senses whether visually or by scent, and it made Sachiko retch as she entered. Hastily, her hands moved to the nearby wall for support as her throat began to burn but she quickly withdrew her hand at the moulded and oozing contact that interacted with the flesh of her palm. She retreated, stepping on the overgrowing moss which seemed to make ungodly sounds as she stepped on them, the feel of its surface evident even through her far from worn heels.
But as she stumbled back- in understandable terror- Sachiko's ankle made contact with something which felt less like moss and yet far from anything as solid or sturdy as a wall. The sound it also made was sickeningly repugnant and was immediately accompanied by another small sound; a sound of metal ringing through the prison as if it was making contact with something of its own making.
For some reason Sachiko feared whatever was behind her. She remained rooted to the spot, too scared to move or acknowledge whatever had made that chilling contact with her ankle. The room had left Sachiko utterly horrified and would have been more than enough to scar her for life but she knew something far worse waited for her, if she turned her head right now she knew her world would be undone. It was a peculiar and strange thought, but that did not seem to make the thought less true to Sachiko.
The tension became too much for Sachiko to bear and so, after several calming breaths, Sachiko anxiously turned to face the obstruction which lay at her feet. Without warning Sachiko stumbled back from the gruesome sight, a fearful and terrified cry leaving her lips as she collapsed against the moss covered ground which no longer seemed to register in her mind as she merely stared, eyes wide in horror, at the sight which would change her life. Sachiko's face began to contort into unashamed grief; fresh tears trickled down her cheeks as she wailed in pain and anguish.
Sitting before Sachiko where 3 motionless figures. Their hands awkwardly chained against the rusted cell of their cage, seated beside one another so that they could witness each other's own grief and pain, their heads lulled as if in defeat or admission. 3 decaying corpses which had withered and been seemingly digested by smaller insect like creatures, which still crawled over and through them as their identities became less and less identifiable.
The smallest and youngest figure was displayed to the left of the other two. The figure resembled that of a young teenage man and if it had not been for the Hanadera school emblem pressed into his torn and decomposing uniform Sachiko would not have guessed that this withered corpse was a man at all. The figure's stomach had been ruptured, the insects seeing this as a welcomed invitation despite the notable lack of intestines which should have coated his lap, but none were present.
To this figure's right sat an older man, his body decomposing at a slower rate than the other two. His chin rested against her collar bone, his hands spread upwards as they hanged from the chain's which wrapped around his wrists. The position looked extremely discomforting and far more painful than any man should have to bear. Within the man's lap lay a pair of broken, disused glasses which had already been submerged by a torrent of rat's which clung to the figure's flesh with a ravenous appetite.
Then there was the poor unfortunate woman, cuts and cruel bruises appeared all over her body. Her clothing was ripped and her body open to the inspection of less than considerate vermin which intruded upon the woman's misfortune.
The sight horrified Sachiko because she finally realised who the woman was; it was Fukuzawa Miki. The mother of the woman that Sachiko had grown to love, and the woman who had been beaten unreservedly and yet with no signs of foul play, as if their captor's had no interest in the body of a mature young woman.
Suddenly Sachiko began to realise.
'If that's Miki…?'
'Then that means that he…'
Sachiko hurriedly turned to look at the man who had been tortured, evidenced by his missing toe and finger nails, not to mention the broken bones that remained positioned awkwardly, and punished to a further extent than his own wife or son.
'…He must be Fukuzawa Yuuichirou…'
And as Sachiko turned to the youngest of the 3, comprehension finally dawned on her pained features, as Sachiko's tears began to fall once more. "Yuuki-kun…" Sachiko whimpered, looking at the boy who had always seemed so considerate and kind, Yumi's caring brother who always looked out for his sister.
This was all too much for Sachiko and before she could turn away and run from such a traumatising sight, a loud metal clang resounded throughout the vast prison.
The sound of the metal object echoed through the tense atmosphere with an almost deafeningly horrific revolution, as the object continued its descent to the ground. But before Sachiko could comprehend the seriousness of this moment a feeble yet pained, hopeless cry emanated from where the metal object had sounded moments before.
To her surprise, Sachiko quickly followed the noise leaving Yumi's family to their undignified end as she searched for the location of the continuous and heart-breaking cries which echoed throughout this desolate prison. After several tense moments the tearful whimpers were suddenly nearby, not only nearby but being voiced behind her, and as Sachiko turned she saw a sight which she had feared more than that of Yumi's decomposing family.
It was Yumi.
But while most sights of Yumi would raise Sachiko's most damning spirits, this one would do nothing more than to plague her mind because she was not alone, and the sight horrified due to its possible implications.
Surrounding Yumi were the bodies of a dozen armour clad men, their bodies seemingly ripped open by some wild and untamed animal. Blood and guts poured out in waves and soaked the floor beneath them in a sea of sickening red, their faces disfigured and their internals keenly displayed to whoever viewed such a gruesome and horrendous sight. It had been a massacre.
And while this sight was admittedly horrifying, the sight of Yumi was far more traumatising.
To Sachiko horror, Yumi was completely naked. Blood splattered across her face, hair and every visible plain of skin despite the notable lack of cuts and bruises. In fact, Yumi looked immaculate. Despite the blood sticking to her body, she looked evidently revitalized, her hair no longer unkempt but sleek and clean, and her skin appeared to be glowing with a radiance Sachiko had always associated with her petite soeur.
But this heart-warming image was immediately forgotten by the sight of what Yumi had done, and was still doing. Yumi's hand, knowingly or unknowingly, it was hard to discern from Yumi's pained expression, was gripping a knife tightly within her palm; her knuckles going white under the intense pressure. The knife she held had been plunged into the eye cavity of a hideously obese man, without a flicker of remorse crossing Yumi's face as she cried at the knowledge of what had happened to her family.
"Yumi…" Sachiko cried out in pain, desperate to reach her precious petite soeur who looked utterly devastated. But before Sachiko could personally console Yumi, her heart breaking for the woman she loved, the image of Yumi and the surrounding scenery around her disappeared. To be replaced with the familiar sight of the darkening mist engulfing her vision, the occasional burst of lightening ripping through the thinly created veil.
Sachiko tried to move through the mist but couldn't, instead she remained stationary. Then when Sachiko looked down, towards where her feet should have been, she saw only the mist. Where had her body gone? Why could she feel and look but not move?
Her mortal form was gone replaced by a corporeal form which couldn't move and could only hear and feel emotions which tormented her mind.
"No please, NO!"
It was Yumi's voice, a pained and desperate voice which echoed throughout this vast vacuum of space. Sachiko tried to form words, desperation cloaking her mind as Yumi's screams increased in anguish and intensity, but no sound left her lips.
She couldn't move and now she had lost the ability to speech, Sachiko desperately attempted to scream… feeble desperate cries begging Yumi's tormentor's to stop, for Yumi to tell her where she was… for someone to save Yumi in her place.
"Please, don't… Don't!"
Whether you would consider this fortunate or unfortunate, Sachiko suddenly realised that she could not see anything a part from the mist. Yumi was being tortured, perhaps even assaulted but she could only hear Yumi's desperate voice. Sachiko had no visual recognition of what was happening to Yumi and this thought both reassured her but also increased the multitude of horrifying possibilities of what could be happening to Yumi.
Sachiko couldn't do anything. She attempted to scream, to move but she was unable to. Yumi would have to suffer through this punishment alone; in the knowledge that her Onee-sama was incapable of aiding her, merely placed to hear her petite soeur's cries of anguish without any comprehension concerning what was actually happening.
"AHHHH! Please stop, please…. STOP!"
The subtle but very real clink of machinery intermingled with Yumi's screams, as well as the sound of ripping flesh rebounding across the empty void where Sachiko currently remained, held as nothing more than a helpless prisoner to the torture Yumi was undergoing.
These sounds were followed by a sharp and deafening slap, which rang through Sachiko's tortured mind and left her feeling weak and helpless. A flurry of machine like voices reverberated within Sachiko's mind, as Yumi's screams of pain persisted in excruciating detail… it would never stop, Yumi would suffer for the rest of her known life. While Sachiko and her friends did nothing more than to place themselves within a cage of ignorance, allowing Yumi to suffer for 10 long years without any hope of rescue.
Why did Sachiko give up on Yumi? Why didn't she continue the search when others had turned away? Returning to their lives, and ignoring the missing person who belonged there.
As Sachiko contemplated these hurtful and inaccurate thoughts, the sounds of Yumi's screams faded away into nothing and in its place a figure appeared. A figure who wore a torn and dishevelled rag of clothing, dirt and dried blood clinging to any visible piece of skin which had been presented by the torn clothing, her hair unkempt and unruly as if she had not showered or maintained her appearance for days. Without even looking Sachiko knew who it was. It was Fukuzawa Yumi, but not as she knew her. It was the other one, the monster who had been created, by what means Sachiko did not know.
"Onee-sama, what did you see?"
Sachiko quickly raised her eyes as the sweet voice, a voice she had never expected to hear ever again, called out to her. As their eyes connected, Sachiko finally saw the truth, Yumi's eyes showing nothing but compassion and care as she tentatively approached Sachiko with a questioning expression. This was her Yumi, despite the external appliances and beaten appearance this was most certainly her Yumi. From the caring and beautiful voice, to the concerned expression that crossed her features at Sachiko's own worry. She was finally here.
Calmly Yumi placed her hand against her Onee-sama's cheek, the latter leaning into the touch and holding in place as she drank in this moment she had deeply desired since Yumi's disappearance. Yumi never pulled back and merely smiled in relief, stroking Sachiko's cheek with her fingers as the latter pressed it against her lips with a caring kiss.
Without further preamble Yumi hurriedly held Sachiko within her arms, the latter welcoming the sudden intrusion as they held each other impossibly close to one another. Both desired this feeling to never leave them and as Sachiko pressed further kisses against Yumi's cheeks, Yumi purposely leaned in and wrapped her arms around Sachiko's neck, resting her head into the nape of her Onee-sama's neck and occasionally placing desperate kisses into the space she currently rested in.
Suddenly remembering Yumi's question within the pleasurable silence, Sachiko spoke; "I'm sorry Yumi b-but I don't understand? What happened to you and…What's going on? Why am I here?"
"I needed you to see. I needed you to know what happened to me, you're the only one I trust with this knowledge. Even though you only received a slither of what happened…" Yumi stated pointedly, realising how little she had actually shared with Sachiko, "I only felt comfortable showing you certain things, I didn't want you to see the rest. No human being should have to go through what I was put through."
Sachiko was shocked by this unsettling knowledge. How could all of those memories she had just been shown been… comfortable? What could have been worse than what she had seen, through Yumi's own eyes?
"Yumi, what happened to you? I need to know everything you can't carry this burden alone. Look at you Yumi," Sachiko stepped back slightly, viewing Yumi's tattered and battered appearance in concern before her petite soeur cried out and returned Sachiko into a hug she had never felt for 10 years, her body trembling from the enjoyable sensations.
", you look so tired Yumi. I can see the pain and remorse in your eyes; as clearly as the damage which has been beaten into your body. I want to help you Yumi. Please, let me help you."
Yumi remained silent for several moments, hugging Sachiko to her body and desperately craving the warm contact which she had surely missed since the day she was taken from Sachiko's life. Eventually, remembering why she was here and what needed to be said, Yumi stiffened up and answered Sachiko's question.
"I'm the last remaining piece of humanity within Yumi's body. I'm the one who became your petite soeur and experienced such a wonderful life with you, promised that we would be together no matter where our futures lied. I'm all that's left of Fukzawa Yumi and in time I too will disappear…" before Yumi could continue, a terrified Sachiko attempted to interfere after hearing her petite soeur's last utterance but was hastily silenced by Yumi who placed her hand over her Onee-sama's mouth.
"Onee-sama, please… I'm running out of time, I won't exist for much longer and I have to warn you about what is to come before I die."
Sachiko became emotionally and physically cold by these words while Yumi silently returned her head to the crook of Sachiko's neck, stroking her Onee-sama's cheek tenderly as she began to grow heavy and weak. Shallow breaths passed Yumi's lips, the colour draining from her face as she could no longer stand up under her own power. Sachiko held Yumi in place,refusing to allow Yumi to slump to the ground and at this act a relieved and peaceful smile spread across Yumi's lips.
"My body might still exist in the real world. It might talk and even move like me but it is not me, Onee-sama. That thing is a being who possess far too much anger to be saved. I watched that monster kill so many people, torture so many poor souls some who didn't even know who I was. I've killed too many innocents Sachiko. Which is why I beg of you, please, kill me Onee-sama… end my life by your hand, and your hand alone. You need to be set free from me; you need to move on with your life…"
And as Yumi said this she finally slumped to the ground, Sachiko collapsing under the pressure of such a little girl as she carefully manoeuvred her petite soeur to the ground. Yumi's eyes following Sachiko's as her body began to grow cold and numb; feeling escaping from her body as the world around began to dissolve slowly.
"Please Yumi, no. You're stronger than this… you didn't kill those people, you can still be saved." Sachiko tearfully pleaded; Yumi's fluttering eyelids bringing more tears as the woman she had loved for so long was being extinguished from her life, and in front of her very eyes.
"Whether it was through my body or not, I did kill those people… But the thing that hurts the most is that I honestly don't know why." Yumi's forlorn and hurt voice stated, tears trickling down her cheekbones as she pondered on when her life had become so wrong.
"I have no memory of killing anyone, only the bodies and the blood which soaked my skin… I don't even remember what happened on the day I was supposed to die. I remember nothing, not a single damn thing." Yumi cried out, a sudden flicker of life ebbing from her eyes before it began to drift away once again.
"Onee-sama," Yumi stated desperately, clawing for Sachiko hand which she quickly took with her own "Keep your friends and family close, and promise me that you will protect them and never let them go."
Sachiko smiled proudly at her petite soeur; Yumi's desire to think of and protect her friends at the expense of herself was something Sachiko had always expected. Even in her last moments Yumi was still thinking of her friends.
"I will Yumi, I promise." Sachiko stated sadly, holding Yumi's hand to her face and kissing it gently.
At the contact Yumi smiled, a smile so beautiful it could have knocked the breath out of Sachiko if it weren't for the pain engulfing her heart, as she began to feel Yumi's grip lessen ever so slightly.
"I love you Onee-sama. C-can I ask one thing before… before I die, please?" Yumi stated hopefully, Sachiko nodding as her throat had closed from the grief that threatened to pour out. Yumi needed Sachiko to be strong and her Onee-sama knew it, she would not send Yumi off with tears and desperate pleas. She would do whatever Yumi needed her to do.
"C-could you please… kiss me one more time. Not on the hand or the cheek but… please, kiss me on my lips, Onee-sama. Let me kiss the woman I love before it's too late." Yumi asked faintly, her body slacking in Sachiko's arms as her eyes began to close without her approval.
Without even a second thought, or time to enjoy the feeling of her love being reciprocated, Sachiko leant down and pressed her lips to Yumi who raised a trembling arm to hold her in place. They kissed one another smoothly and very slowly, enjoying the caresses their lips offered one another without ever deepening it. This wasn't about need or desire; this was about saying goodbye to the one you love and cherishing a kiss which held more meaning than any other before it.
Yumi was very weak, her kisses became feather light and her breathe came out in shallow gasps as she felt the life draining out of her. She continued to kiss Sachiko however, the kiss was wonderful and it would be her first and last ever intimate contact. She was glad it happened with Sachiko though; she was the only person she ever wanted to share such a thing with but not under these unfair circumstances.
Suddenly, a loud and sharp sounding scrapping noise began to reverberate around the pair who kissed tentatively; Yumi stiffened without warning and abruptly broke the kiss with her eyes wide and fearful. It was coming, it had finally found her. A mechanical roar of anger ruptured the tense atmosphere as more sharp sounds rang across the empty void, as if a beast of unspeakable power was tearing through obstacles to reach the pair.
"Sachiko, run… you need to get out of here…" Yumi screamed, hurriedly pushing her Onee-sama away from her. Sachiko promptly stumbled under the force of the push as the sounds became louder and louder, closer and closer. It was coming for Yumi and her alone, Sachiko could sense it.
"Yumi, I won't leave you…" Sachiko cried as she attempted to return to her petite soeur side not caring that her life could very well end by this monster's hand, a monster that had created Yumi and yet destroyed her utterly and completely.
But before Sachiko could reach Yumi, the young brunette was snatched from her grasp. Her petite soeur, with a pained and saddened look in her eye, was aggressively propelled through the mist by a mysterious force a strangled cry passing her lips as she disappeared from view, her hopes of saying goodbye to her Onee-sama and dying within her arms forever extinguished, as was her life.
Sachiko stood there in horror, the empty space were Yumi had been becoming the focus of her attention as she walked unsteadily towards it as she realized a horrifying truth, Yumi was gone.
She never had a chance to say goodbye to her own petite soeur. She didn't have a chance to tell Yumi that she had loved her since the very first time they had met. She didn't have the chance to hold Yumi in her arms and give her the comfort and reassurance that she would be okay. She was supposed to be Yumi's protector, to send her to the afterlife under her watchful and caring gaze but she was gone. Yumi was gone.
Silence filled the air where Sachiko stood, where her tears no longer fell as the pain had manifested into something that her body could not respond to. Before she could digest all that had happened; a sudden, booming voice echoed throughout the darkening mist as the lightening suddenly criss-crossed one another narrowly missing Sachiko who remained painfully oblivious.
"COMING DOWN!"
Then without warning, the mist surrounding Sachiko's feet began to slowly dissipate around her without her knowledge… and then, before she could react to the troubling situation or even notice it, Sachiko was falling; through the previously solid surface and into the cold darkness.
Slowly a burning bright light began to press into her back and as she turned to meet it, while falling in revolutions, her eye settled upon its source. A silent unbelieving yet horrified gasp slipped from her lips as she saw the large ominous object far off in the distance, as she plummeted towards it at an ever increasing speed.
It was the Earth but not the Earth as you would know it. The familiar yet distant planet had been terribly scorched by what must have been the heat of the sun, to reveal nothing more but ash and molten. Sachiko was terrified by what she was seeing, she couldn't comprehend what was happening and with good reason. Why was the Earth scorched and lifeless? Why was she even here? And how did she even get here to begin with?
Reaching speeds never seen before by man, Sachiko finally broke the atmosphere of the earth and continued to hurtle towards it with no signs of stopping any time soon. Black and lung bursting smoke, and the heat of the fire roaring below, met her entry as she continued her descent; fear engulfing her body as the skin on her arms began to roast under the increasing heat which surrounded her being.
She was going to die. Could she even die in this place?
She would know soon enough because she was only second away from crashing into the Earth.
As she continued to fall a demonic piercing voice cut through Sachiko's fearful contemplation. The voice eerily familiar as the voice which had replaced the one she used to cherish but now loathed for its cruelty. In a maddening and insane voice, Yumi screamed at the top of her lungs from where Sachiko could not say, but from the small doubt of a figure standing underneath her impact zone she had a fairly good idea.
"TAKE ME INTO YOUR HEART. ACCEPT ME AS YOUR SAVIOUR. NAIL ME TO THE FUCKING CROSS AND LET ME BE REBORN!"
"YUMI!" Sachiko screamed in fear
The last thing Sachiko saw in this scorched and cruel world was the sight of Yumi's ever approaching face coming towards her at an alarming speed not because Yumi was moving so fast towards her but because Sachiko had been falling towards the Earth's very core.
The last horrifying sight she would ever remember however would be Yumi's face inches away from her own as she desperately implored Yumi to move. Sachiko silent pleas were only met by a devilish smile before darkness engulfed Sachiko's mind and she felt nothing.
.
.
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Author's Notes:
It is great to be back :D It's been a very long time since I posted a story in the Maria Sama archives but I'm glad to be back where I started writing stories, and I'll be here for a long time I can assure you of that (Awaits less than lukewarm response)
Well I hope you enjoyed this really long chapter, you will not believe it but this chapter was supposed to be 6,000 words but in the end more and more ideas came to mind and I couldn't stop writing. Many changes have occurred from my initial plan and it all fits perfectly now so I am very happy indeed.
(I have to admit I was thinking of splitting this into two separate parts but in the end i decided to just publish the entire thing as it is because I really do owe you guys alot.)
This chapter, and its length, are also my way of apologizing for such a lengthy and unfair delay. I promise you this story, and Empty Places, will be my top priority alongside my work etc etc
So now on to the story, I have revealed quite a bit already haven't I :P But there is still a lot more that I am holding very close to my chest and there are a ton of surprises and twists which many people will not see coming. I'm very excited about this story and look forward to hearing people's opinions on it; I'm not expecting a maldytah following, or even an Empty Places one, but I would still be interested in hearing people's opinions. Especially since the story is so dark and unusual for a Maria Sama Fic.
I also wonder if anyone has realised who the voice is yet? I left a massive clue which only a few will be able to pick up on and it's not who the voice belongs to per say but what these creature are known as. If you know who it is please inform me because I would be interested to know who figured out the monster that gave Yumi her power.
By the way I would advise all my readers to listen to "Saya No Uta- Sin" at your earliest leisure because this entire story was planned while I listened to this song for inspiration. Saya No Uta is one of my favourite and most terrifying reads and it was truly an amazing experience, the music complimented the story immensely and without it I doubt many situations would have come across as well. So definitely listen to the song because it is mysterious, creepy and everything that you will find in Forever Drifting.
While Love Will Tear Us Apart is over, that does not mean I will stop posting stories within the Maria Sama archive and I look forward to hearing from anyone who would like to offer their impressions of this story and their helpful insight.
By the way I am currently rethinking Endless Affection, I'll have more info in my next update but I will most likely change the ending of EA and make it a prolonged story instead. So no kissing between Yumi and Sachiko but instead Yumi will be shown Endless amounts of Affection from the students with the mostly likely love candidates being Sachiko, Shimako, Touko, Yoshino and many more. More will be explained in my next update which won't be for a little while due to prior engagement.
All the best my dear readers and I will return soon
Miracles79 Signing out…..
