Chapter 4- One who has
fallen from the heavens
The crimson liquid dripped off of Rei's
hand in long-winded drops. In front of Rei was the bloodied body of her father
with a hole in his head. "OTOUSAN!!!" she screamed. Rei almost unconsciously
moved away from her father, but instead bumped into the body of her stepmother,
whose throat had been slashed. "OKAASAN!!" Tears of rage and fear spilled from
Rei's eyes. Who would have done such a cruel thing to her family? The words on
the wall determined that this cruel action was for revenge and nothing else.
All of a sudden, to Rei's horror, the lights went out again. She began to
breathe harder and louder "Oh god..." she muttered to herself. The city lights
shone in through the window, lighting the room a dull-orange colour and the
blood seemed as if it was black. "Konbanwa...Rei" said a voice out of the
darkness. Rei recognized the voice and couldn't believe it "Asuka?" she said
coarsely. A figure walked into the kitchen slowly. It appeared to be an older
woman, about the age of 24. Her brown hair was up in a bun and her eyes were
narrowed in evil slits that were shadowed by the darkness. "What are you doing
here?" Rei asked with fear in her voice. "I came here to ask you one question
and teach you a lesson" Rei stood up "And what might that question be?!" Asuka
walked closer to Rei "Rei, why did you kill your brother?" Rei gasped and her
eyes widened. "Why? Why did you kill him?" Before Rei could respond, Asuka
quickly slashed at Rei with a knife, cutting the top of her right hand. Rei
fell over her father's body and landed on her rear. She brought her trembling,
wounded hand up to almost eye level. Sweat started to form on Rei's face
"A--Asuka?!" Asuka's face was partly shadowed, giving her an eerie look "Why did
you kill him" Rei slowly stood up "No..." She shook her head in denial "I
didn't kill him! It wasn't me!!" The blade of the knife glimmered in the light.
Rei ran out of the kitchen, into her parents' bedroom. Asuka was in quick
pursuit. Asuka raised the knife to try and stab Rei again, but instead Rei
rolled off the bed, and the knife cut through the mattress. "Its alright, Rei.
I'll die with you" Asuka said, lifting her head to look Rei in the eyes. The
city lights gave Asuka's eyes a weird glow, causing a cold chill to run down
Rei's spine. "I'll kill the both of us" Rei was panting from running away. And
her breath began to tremble and her heart pounded faster. All of a sudden, a
deep, womanly voice said to her inside of her mind "Release me" Rei closed her
eyes tightly. When she heard Asuka coming towards her, Rei began to run again.
"Let me out" Everything seemed as if it was in slow
motion. Rei ran out into the living room. "Haiyaku" Rei ran towards
the door "Let me out" the voice kept saying things inside of her
mind. Rei turned around to look at Asuka "Release me...the real you"
Rei felt something inside of her take over, and she lost herself to the Tennyo
inside of her. The Tennyo released a strong wave of energy, causing Asuka to
fly into a wall. "Rei!?" she groaned. Rei's hair completely changed to a
different colour, which was a dark violet. And her eyes were crimson. "The Rei
in existence now has fallen asleep" The Tennyo said. Her deep voice had a
slight, mystifying echo to it. "I have fallen from the heavens" Asuka watched
on in horror as the Tennyo floated up. It looked as if she was sitting on a
chair. "Watashi wa Ayame desu" she said calmly. Asuka didn't say anything.
Ayame faded away and then reappeared right in front of Asuka "You shall pay for
what you did..." Ayame said coldly. Ayame lifted a hand and stuck it right in
front of Asuka's face "I shall let you experience the joy of death" Asuka let
out a high-pitched scream. Rei's self-conscience had awakened. "No..." Rei tried to control the Tennyo to stop her from killing Asuka "Onegai Yamete!!" Rei screamed at her Tennyo alter ego. Before Ayame released the chi
beam from her hand, Rei got control over the Tennyo for a few seconds and
directed her arm away from Asuka just in time, blowing a hole in the wall.
Asuka's shoulder was injured, but nothing serious. Asuka quickly ran past Ayame
and ran out of the apartment building "I'll be back for you, Rei Mikage!!" Rei
finally regained control and turned back to her normal self. Her eye and hair colour
changed back to normal and she fell to her knees, tears streamed down her face
as she looked at the gigantic hole in the wall "Look what I've done...This is
the Tennyo's power that I possess...so destructive...so full of death" Rei ran
into her room, grabbed a bag and stuffed it full of clothes and things she
needed. "Im going back into that book!" she stated. Rei changed out of her
bloody clothes into her school uniform which consisted of a dark gray
mini-skirt, white knee-high 'loose' socks, a wool maroon vest over a white
dress shirt and navy blue shoes. Rei picked up her over stuffed backpack and
ran out of her room. She heard police sirens approaching. Before she left the
apartment, Rei walked to the kitchen "Okaasan...Otousan...forgive me. This is all
my fault...Im so sorry" Rei noticed a crumpled piece of paper in her father's
hand. On the paper it said "Rei
Mikage" on it. Rei quickly picked up the piece of paper and shoved it in her
backpack 'I'll read this later' Rei left her broken down
apartment and ran to the elevator. The elevator ride seemed like an eternity.
When the elevator stopped at the lobby, Rei ran past the flock of police
officers and out of the building. Rei ran as fast as she could to the library.
The streetlights flashed over her quickly. 'I have no one' she thought. 'I
have never felt so lonely' Rei put a hand to her rib cage, which was now
filling with pain. But she didn't slow down. Asuka followed Rei silently
through the night with her car, which had the headlights turned off. She drove
through an abandoned alleyway, grinning cunningly.
***************************
Rei arrived at
the library, surprised that it was opened so late. She ran up to the door and
opened it swiftly, not knowing that Asuka was close behind her. Rei ran up the
old staircase and to the Important Reference Documents room. She fiercely
opened the door and walked into the gloomy room. As she turned a corridor, she
saw in front of her the opened Four Gods book on the ground. "I've finally got
you, Rei Mikage. Im going to kill you just like I did your parents" Asuka said.
Before Rei screamed for help, a bright red light shot out of the book and
pulled her back in. Asuka dropped the knife and picked up the book. "What
the?!" She looked at the symbols and started to read.
***************************
It was a dark,
rainy day in Konan. Rei woke up and slowly picked her damp body off of the
ground. "I came back..." Rei looked at her surroundings, she was deep in a
forest. Rei sighed, knowing she was lost and started to walk, hoping she would
find some sort of civilization before nightfall. But unfortunately none was
found. The moonless night was cold and frightening. Rei felt like falling and
giving up, but her pride forced her onwards. As she walked, she was stopped
suddenly when someone stuck a ridged metal object under her chin "Pay up or
lose your life!" said the husky voice of a man. Rei, not caring to try to
recognize the voice said "I have nothing but a worthless life to give you. I
don't have anything to live for. My okaasan was right to tell me to be careful
on a moonless night. Kill me if you must. It would release the burden on my
shoulders" The man said nothing. Rei could only hear his breathing "Rei?" the
voice said softly. A torch was lit. Rei gasped as she saw her bandit Seishi
standing in front of her "T—Tasuki?" Tasuki threw the torch to the side and
slowly brought his hands up to Rei's soft face. "Oh god...I missed you so
much..." he admitted. Rei put her hands on his and let tears fall down her
face. Tasuki pulled Rei into his arms "Your never leavin' me again, ya
understand!!" Rei hugged him tightly 'Tasuki is all I have left. I love him so
much' Rei could feel the beating of his heart against her chest. 'He's
so warm...' Before Rei could say anything, Tasuki covered his mouth over hers.
Rei's eyes widened. She looked at Tasuki. His eyes were closed and some of his
fiery red bangs were plastered to his forehead from the rain. Rei blushed and
closed her eyes, giving into the kiss. Tasuki took advantage of Rei's partly
opened lips and he slid his tongue into her mouth, inviting her to do the same.
After a few seconds, Rei finally responded, tangling her tongue with his. His
taste was driving her crazy. Tasuki's passionate kisses trailed from her lips
to the base of her neck, sucking on the tender skin. Tasuki soon kissed away
the lingering tears on Rei's cheek. By that time, Rei was panting and blushing
brightly. Tasuki, who now stopped his remarkable form of torture, place a hand
on Rei's cheek and smiled down at her. "Ya look tired...I'll take you back to
the stronghold" Rei nodded mutely. Tasuki placed Rei's backpack over his
shoulder and picked up the young Tennyo and carried her to his bandit hideout.
***************************
Asuka was
fuming as she read this. She was so blinded with rage that she didn't even
realize that a blue aura started to form around her body. Seiryuu sensed
Asuka's need for revenge and figured that she would be the perfect person to
drag the Suzaku no Tennyo down. In a flash of blue light, Asuka was taken into
the pages of the book.
***************************
Rei sat on
Tasuki's soft bed. Tasuki handed her one of his baggy shirts "Here go take a
bath and use this to sleep in" Rei took the shirt and walked into the bathroom without
saying anything. Tasuki noticed something was wrong and walked to the bathroom,
standing in the doorway so no one would try to sneak in. "What's wrong, Rei?"
Tasuki asked. There was a momentary pause. "What makes you think that
anything's wrong?" Rei asked weakly. Tasuki closed his eyes and crossed his
arms over his chest "First of all, what was all of that 'I don't have anything
to live for' stuff earlier? I mean ya never said anythin' like that before. And
besides knowin' you, ya would try to at least fight back instead of givin' in
so easily" Rei knew she lost. Tasuki hit the nail on the head. Tasuki turned
away as Rei started to take off her clothes and take a bath. Rei sighed
"Yes...something is wrong..." Rei told her story. As Rei spoke ever so softly
and sadly, Tasuki remained speechless and worried. Rei told him about Asuka and how her brother died so he could
understand a little more. After Rei had finished her fearful tale, Tasuki regretted
not trying to get her back faster. "Gomen nasai...Rei-chan" he said softly. Rei
remembered the note from her father "Tasuki, I have a note from my otousan that
I didn't read yet. Could you get it out of my backpack and read it to me
please" Tasuki replied "Sure..." Tasuki searched through Rei's bag and finally
found the note. He walked back to the bathroom, keeping his back turned towards
Rei. "Are ya sure ya want me to read this...I mean this could be kinda
personal" Rei smiled "Im sure" Tasuki opened the note and read what was written
inside aloud:
"Dear Rei-chan,
By the time you get home and read this
note, your mother and I will already be dead. Im writing this note while Asuka
was attacking your mother. I tried to protect her, but she insisted that I
write this before Asuka comes after me. Rei, I already knew about your Tennyo
heritage and I wish I could have explained it to you more. Your real mother
told me about it before you died. And I hope that you can live the life of a
normal girl. I know Touya's death has hit you hard. And I still say that its not
your fault. Asuka seems to think otherwise. Im sorry that I can't do anything
about this, or the things that will happen in the future. But I just want you
to be a free, happy and carefree young woman. No matter what anybody says,
you'll always be my little girl. I want you to grow up forgetting about all of
this instead of letting it drag you down. Find a man who is dependent and will
take care of you and love you for the rest of your life. Im so sorry for
leaving you alone in the world to fend for yourself, but always remember that
if you need me, just look to the stars. I'll always be praying for your
happiness. You made me so proud and just keep on living like my little Rei has
always done. You're a survivor. I love you.
Otousan"
Rei was crying
pretty hard. She had already finished bathing and changing. Tasuki embraced Rei
tightly as she cried on his shirt. There were no words he could find that would
comfort her, so he just caressed her back and remained silent. Tasuki led Rei
to the bed and laid her down, also lying down next to her. He hated seeing her
so unhappy, he wished that there was something he could do. But instead, Tasuki
just held Rei close to him and let her cry herself to sleep.
Author's note:
Heheh, didn't you think that chapter was bad? Anyway wasn't that a twist
though? I thought this would be a good chapter to start the romance between Rei
and Tasuki. I mean, wouldn't you like some comfort after your family was
brutally murdered? (I JUST PRAY TO THE GODS THAT THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN!!) Anyway
keep those reviews commin'! And im sorry but there's going to be one more
killing, but I won't really describe it. Oh and tell me what you think about
the Tennyo ok? Hehehe, see ya soon!