Chapter 24- Wavering Orders
A/N: Once i look back at my writing, i think this... I wrote a lot. And i mean A LOT! I have never written something this long, well- maybe i have in a few things, but... never mind, the idea gives me a headache. Anyways, thank you fellow reviewers, keep reading, and reviewing! Enjoy chap 24 and sry for the wait!
"You try to enter through the memories of that person, as if scanning their minds" Hatori explained as Shun absorbed in every word.
He had not yet used his technique- heck; he didn't even try to do anything with it. Hatori had been explaining to him the ways to enter the mind with his power and how to scan through the mind and how to erase and so on. They were almost done and Hatori was packing away a few clinical papers until Shun had asked him about his grandparents.
"Lets say, I wasn't born into the warmest home"
Hatori seemed to daze for a bit which was something he rarely did. Shun wasn't going to press the question anymore since signs of pressure were etched onto his father's face. But at that moment the doors slammed open to show a very angry Ken. Shun stared at the man and Hatori ordered to know why he entered that way. Ken gave a disgusted glance at Shun then looked straight at Hatori.
"Erase my memories of that thing , now!" he shouted.
Hatori stared at the man in surprise as his eyes became wider and wider by the second. Shun was beyond shock. Way beyond it. He felt a very thick and big lump form in his throat. He felt his stomache lurch unpleasantly making him want to vomit all the contents of his stomache and he felt as though he was getting hotter and hotter by the second. He stared at his uncle as though he was asking him to kill him.
'I- I can't d-do that, I c-can't," he felt his voice tremble and found it harder and harder to speak.
"And why can't you? Huh? It's my decision to make and you will do it!" Ken yelled.
Hatori couldn't even find the right words to tell the man. He would never put his own son in such a position! And what would become of Shena once her father would forget about her? And Kagura?
Shun looked at Hatori for help. He just couldn't.
"He still didn't learn it well enough," Hatori said finally breaking the stiff silence.
"Then what have you been doing all this time?! I don't care if he can't, you do it! Do what you did to those children 9 years ago!" Ken yelled infuriated.
Hatori was lost for words and felt himself being washed in guilt. Shun didn't understand what was going on. What did his father do to him 9 years ago? Did he erase his memories? But that was impossible since his father's technique was broken when the curse was broken.
Hatori leaned on the desk and had a very sour expression on his face.
"Get out, get out now," he said in a calm yet harsh whisper that chilled Shun's spine.
Ken glared at Hatori and Hatori glowered back. He didn't bother looking at Shun as he stomped out the room without another word. Hatori wiped his face with his free hand while the other one held onto the desk.
"W-What did you do to me? To us?" Shun pushed the memory erasing of his uncle aside and focused on that question.
Hatori looked at his son warily and regretfully.
"I erased your memories," he sighed in stress.
Shun's eyes widened this time as he stared at Hatori. "How? I-I thought when the curse broke, the memory suppression broke as well"
"No, it didn't."
"So, you can still erase memories?"
"No, I can't."
"What do you mean you can't? Just now you told me-" Shun was anxious and flustered and that led his temper to rise and bubble.
"I know. The technique itself was brought with the curse and was concentrated especially on my family line. So it was a bit stronger and more permanent than the scattered curse which went to any person who held the name Sohma. It took years to wear away. When we found out that the curse still lingered in the Sohma House you had to be taken away to get away from the binding chains. So you were adopted. Before that, I had to erase your memories so you could forget us and what you heard that night about the curse when you were young. It was to make you forget and live easily since it wasn't clear if you were going to come back or- or stay away. Of course, I had only a bit of my power left so I divided it amongst you kids. I erased every memory of us from you to Muro being the youngest. While down from Aki till David were too young to remember anything so I didn't erase anything from them. But after erasing Muro's memories, the power had faltered. Your memories aren't buried very deep since simple things which you focused on in your childhood may retain a part of your memory," Hatori sighed and sat down heavily.
"But, this house, it's part of my childhood, and Zora and Takaro and the others, why can't I remember anything?" Shun asked.
"That, I really don't know. It might have something to do with the curse or something else." Hatori replied.
"What about my full memory? Will I ever get it completely?" Shun heard his voice quiver.
"Yes, only something strong can obtain it completely, but, no one really has obtained their memories when I had suppressed them at the time I was cursed."
"C-can you try?"
"Try what?"
"Try to bring my memory back. I mean you know the little me better than me," Shun smirked at the state of his sentence.
"Well, yes, I guess. You were a bit of a brat that made every child in the house cry," Hatori smiled slightly. "It was a bit of a shock to learn that your personality was a bit like me, you were different when you were young. You were nothing like me. Nothing at all. You were even louder than Zora and you teased and annoyed everyone that they thought you were either Shigure or Ayame's son," Hatori chuckled a bit. "You wanted to be a doctor, because I was one. You always wore my doctor's coat and stole the medicines and had a toy medical kit that you never went anywhere without it."
"I know I changed. I made myself change," Shun stared at the floor with half-closed eyes. "I remembered a vague memory of you and you were serious and calmer than me. I tried to remember Mum, but I couldn't. So I stuck to your memory. I couldn't see your face or anything; it was like I saw your personality. So I acted in that personality until I got so used to it that I couldn't change easily."
"Why?"
"I don't really know. I just did it because- I guess I wanted you guys a lot. Looking back at it, I guess it was because I was lonely. I never really wanted to get along with my foster father and I always tried to back away from my foster relatives or something but, that aside, will you show me something?"
Hatori looked at Shun then looked away, thinking.
"Maybe, that medical kit or something?" Shun really wanted to remember, he wanted to know.
"We never found that. You seemed to have hid it before your memory was erased." Hatori replied.
He walked quietly to his desk to file a few papers that were left scattered there for various reasons.
"What about Shena?" Shun asked.
Hatori looked back at his son. "I really don't know. Unfortunately, I have no decision in this. If your "God" commands it then you have no choice," Hatori said bitterly. "When I was cursed it would be my father or Ak- The Former Zodiac God to command me to erase any memory, but in this time, it is Ren who seeks that power, and, I know how it feels when you have to not betray her."
Shun nodded stiffly. He knew exactly what it felt. It was like there was a chain linking him to everyone else and to Ren. It was like part of his blood was a part that he didn't own while the other half of him was getting weaker by the second. It was as if his body was being divided and the cursed part was a lot stronger than his part. He sighed. He was giving himself a headache already. As he tried to clear his mind, the thoughts of erasing Ken's memories haunted him.
Change of Scene
"You called for me, Mistress Ren?" a maid bowed as she entered the room Ren occupied.
Ren wasn't lying down on her bed or wrapped in silks as usual. No. Her silks definitely did wrap around her, but she was standing near the window allowing a soft breeze to try and blow her long hair.
"Yes, I have. I have called you in particular because you understand the curse as well as the Zodiac, since you were here since the time or Akito's power, am I correct?" Ren asked, her tone unchanging.
"Yes, Mistress."
"And of course, as you did to Akito you will do to me. Now, enough of that, all my point was that I hope to trust you can I trust you?" Ren said in her usual silky tone.
"Of course."
"With such confidence you say it tut, tut. Words mean nothing to me. How can I accept your trust fully? Any follower of Akito is a person I can simply not trust."
The maid listened carefully.
"You have been loyal to Akito when he was Zodiac God. But, will you serve me as you served Akito? You were a few of those who clung to the 'Bond' even though you were an outsider." Ren said.
The maid nodded carefully.
"I want your trust by a favor. A simple favor." Ren said turning face-to-face with the maid.
"What do you command, Mistress?"
"I am kept a close watch, am I not? And right now, Yuki is keeping a close eye on his son Yuri, my Rat. That close eye, do you know what it means?" Ren asked.
"No, Mistress."
"I heard a few, ummm let's call them rumors. They say he's planning to move away from here, with his wife and child which makes him leave the Sohma Compound frequently. Of course, I don't allow it. So this is what I want you to do while he is away"
A/N: That's the end of chapter 24. The main is that one with a mole in her mouth that's always with Akito(From the manga)... But, stay tune for chapter 25- Eavesdropping Evenings! (or something like that...) anyways... IMPORTANT NOTE: Anyways, for the couples, Shun and Zora are ready to go. But what a bout Takaro? I'm having trouble with him(and i'm too lazy to put up a poll, heh). I wonder if him and Viola make a good couple? And Ryo, i'm having trouble with him too, as well as Shena (by the way, the young people are for the later chapters, when they grow up a bit, like in a year or two in the story...) But, i want as much suggestions as possible to make my mind up a bit... Anyways, pls review!