YUME-MI
A fanfic by Jashi
Rated PG-13.
Man, I am so sick of putting up the disclaimer that, if you wanna see it, go look on the first seven chapters. I am no longer putting it up on this or the future chapters. Hehe. ^_^
This is Ayako's Test Chapter…
*DUN DUN DUN DUN*
Oh yes…
WARNING, WARNING, WARNING!!!
This is one of those few places that my PG-13 rating comes in for 'themes". If you are easily disturbed, or cannot handle such things, feel free to exit out now. It's not that BAD but, yeah, I don't wanna suffer! You have been warned. Do not flame me for this!
Chapter Eight….
(Ayako's POV)
I sigh as Chichiri spreads out his cloak in order to teleport me to Taiitsukun's mountain. For some reason, Miaka and the Seishi all want to come watch. I like them and all, but it's going to be even harder with THEM watching. Oh well. It would be anyway. I and the others step into the middle of the kasa, and suddenly we begin to sink into…oblivion can be my only guess as my breath catches in my throat and I go ram-rod still.
"Ah…" I whisper under breath as I feel us disappear and go flying at a bajillion miles per hour. I open my mouth to scream, but we are there before I can.
All in a heap.
How funny.
I happen to be on the bottom, with Miaka and all Seven of the seishi on top of me.
"ITAI!" I yell, and try to pull myself out from under them all.
"Minna, get off us no da!" yelled Chichiri, who happens to be on top of me. I blush quickly, but then a huge snap throws us all off each other.
"Gods, you all act like young children." a colder, old voice comes from behind me.
"Er…gomen ne, Taiitsukun-sama…" I stammer a little. She actually smiles at me.
"So. You are finally here. Are you afraid, Ayako?" she says in a stony voice.
"Ano…yes." I answer, "And that is something I cannot omit."
"Good. Fear is something that may save you…or destroy you. And now…Ayako. It is time for your test. Ready or not." she says, a slight hint of malice in her voice. I look sheepish, but then, a huge inferno of fire opens in the center of the room. I jump back in surprise.
"Walk through that and your test is passed." Taiitsukun says. Suddenly I am filled with fear. It is not the fire which is the test. It is what is within the fire. It is almost like a funeral pyre…an omen of death. But there is nothing within the fire but itself. It must be a mental test of some sort.
"I must warn you, Ayako, that if you do pass this test, your physical features may change drastically. And do not take me lightly when I say that."
I nod, and try to make myself stop being so nervous. Taiitsukun turns to the seishi.
"Seishi…and miko, for that matter, I must ask of you one thing. You must not go near the fire, or Ayako right after she comes out…if she does come out. You will be horribly burned beyond belief. And I mean it. No amount of seishi resilience or strength will protect you." she stated meaningfully. The seishi nodded.
"Oi, Ayako, don't be so f*cking nervous! You're going to come out." mused Tasuki.
"He's right, Ayako." says Nuriko with a small glint in his violet eye.
I smile.
"Don't worry. I plan to come out." I say smiling.
"Enter the fire, Jiang Ayako!" Taiitsukun's voice rises, and suddenly, my feet are moving on their own to the fire. I stop for half a moment, and take a short breath.
Ja ne, minna-san! I call out with my mind, and I hear Chichiri take a sharp intake of breath and I step in.
(author's note: the wording here is going to be pretty weird and crazy, because this is her testing experience through her eyes. The reason Chichiri gasped was because he 'heard' her little telepathic mind message. Hehe. ^_^ Prepare to go through hell with Ayako)
Pain pain screams screams, oh the screams make them stop! The pain in my ears, they won't leave me alone! Burn burn , freeze, frigid ice cold enough to freeze my blood. Breathe, try to breathe, my lungs are fire and my breaths are snow. Lightning zaps and echoes through my veins. I want to scream, but lungs are vessels of pain and ash. Something black, something terrifyingly evil snakes around me.
Yes…Jiang Ayako. A dreamseer come to take my test…Haha, she is strong. She does not bend at my will! But she will…sooner or later…
The thing speaks…or something…and I see it. Oh gods, I can't close my eyes! Fires, evil, massacres, screams, oh god, the screams! They beg me to help them, but I cannot move, as swords and arrows pierce flesh, as men lose their families…and then commit suicide. Children are being… gods! How can I say it?!?! They hurt, I hurt. They want me to help them...I can't! I am bound by magic or something! Let me go! Pain, force, suffrage, rebellion against chains of life. Scream, but nothing leaves my mouth. The pains… No. No. No. I see the prophets that came before me take the 'test', and I see them burn…die…be maimed…be utterly and totally dismembered…
No. no. NO! HOLD ON TO IT, AYAKO! DON'T LET IT GO! HOLD ON TO IT!
HOLD ON TO THAT LAST SHRED OF SANITY!!!
No, no, no. I will not break.
I will not break.
I will not break.
I will not break.
I will not break.
I WILL NOT BREAK!
The black spirit returns…
Ah… you are stronger than expected. Your will is very strong. I am Nijiko, the first prophet of this world; He Who Is The Test. Every prophet earns his own title, heheh. You still have not passed. If you can survive the metamorphosis and awakening…I will declare you free, and a dreamseeress. A prophet. But…you shall break, I can tell. Heh. Another addition to the piles of bodies of the prophets.
No. No. I will live. You are wrong, Nijiko! Do not doubt me. Do not doubt those who are 'weak'.
But I know everything about you, Ayako. Everything. I know why you scream during the night…it is not because of the future… is it?
Shut up, shut up! Yamero! I will not remember! I WILL NOT REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED THOSE YEARS!
Ha. You cannot face them. You will easily disintegrate during metamorphosis….
Gods, the pain…I am being dismembered. Amputated. Becoming several parts instead of one. My bones are melted , and recreated to their original form like a metals-man working hot, burning, liquid silver. I am nothing but a spirit awaiting her body. Pain, pain, red hot liquid metal silver pain. Itai. Suddenly, it feels bright and sunny and shimmery all around, and then there is awful pain as I am recreated and become whole once again. Oh gods…I feel so…queer. There is no pain at the second but I anticipate more. Anticipate anxiously.
So you survived. That is a surprise, Jiang! You are a new type of dreamseer. Frail…yet understanding, and caring, and powerful. You shall give your ancestors something to think about, that's for sure. Now…the awakening will make your magic noticed, and your weapon be known. Naifu no Akuma! Knife of Nightmares! Aid to your mistress, and become her weapon of truth! Fulfill your contract with the gods!
Swirling, roaring, pain. Something comes out of my hand. The pain gently recedes. I still am so, so, so, so, so, so sore. I will never forget. I will never break.
The final step is close, so close I can feel it.
I step out of the fire.
What????
I MADE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
^*^*^*^
Yahoo! Wai, wai! I did it! Thank you, but this is not the end! More to come. Thank you to all who have reviewed this story and given me support. God, I love writing this! ^_^ Review, please, if you like. I hope this chapter was not too disturbing. The next one will be up soon.
Ayako: Yeah, yeah. That's what she says. Damn, I need a doctor. *ow, ow*