Disclaimer: I do not own Yami no Matsuei.

The Devil Archetype

"Ne Ukyou. How do you define an evil person?"

"Someone who does something that he himself knows to be wrong. You would be a pretty good example."

"Haha. I guess you're right. But it's amazing that a smart girl like you would decide to stay in the dojo with the evil person."

"If you're asking me why I'm just standing here watching you stupidly swinging that katana, I'd have to say that I don't intend to seem defenseless for long."

"So you're telling me you intend to kill me?"

"No."

"What if I tell you you're the only one right now standing in the way of completing my vengeance?"

"Muraki-sensei and his wife are dead. You already killed them. Kazutaka has nothing to do with what happened to you or your mother, Saki."

"But didn't you say so earlier? I'm an 'evil person.' But personally, I'd prefer the term devil."


Ukyou awoke with a start. After taking a deep breath, she was able to give a reassuring smile to the old lady seated beside her in the train. Reassured by Ukyou's smile, the old lady gave a small smile back and returned to the novel she was reading.

In an attempt to forget the nightmare she just had, Ukyou looked outside her window. Seeing the familiar train station in Tokyo she once used to get out of the city, memories came back to her. With those memories came the reminders of why she left and also why she was coming back.

She remembered the letter that told of her beloved cousin's death. The letter did not say how Saori died only told her of Saori's death and the specifics of where and when the funeral was to be held. The sender was anonymous. The anonymous sender being able to write to her address was enough to make Ukyou suspicious since the letter's envelope was addressed to her alias while the letter itself was addressed to her.

This gave her a deep feeling of foreboding. She tried to shake of the ominous feeling but somehow could not. She was not a superstitious person. But somehow, an anonymous sender knowing her true identity and telling her of her cousin's death did not seem so reassuring of what is to come aside from the upcoming "debate" that would no doubt include with a relative or two in the funeral.

Her family was once a source of sorrow and resentment for her. But at present, she decided to let go of all those negative feelings she held for her family. There was no point in wasting her energy in hating them. She could not change the fact that she was the daughter of a half Japanese half English woman. She could not change the fact that she looked a lot like her mother. She could not change the fact that they hated her for her "gaijin" qualities. But she realized that her life would be changed for the better without the resentment. She realized that she had a choice to keep her bitterness or let it go. And so she let it go.

The train slowed down until it finally came to a halt. Passengers could be seen taking their bags and walking towards the door. Ukyou took her time and waited until most of the passengers had gotten out. She then proceeded to take her duffel bag. But as she was doing so, she noticed that the old lady, who was sitting beside her, was having difficulty in carrying her own bag. "Excuse me ma'am. May I help you with your bag?" Ukyou asked.

The old lady nodded and smiled in gratitude. Ukyou held the bag for the old lady and took her own bag. As they were walking towards the door, the old lady walked dizzily for a few seconds and suddenly fainted. Ukyou noticed this. Quickly dropping the bags, she caught the old woman before she hit the floor.

Before she could shout for help, another passenger rushed to the old woman's side. Without looking at Ukyou, he introduced himself as a med student. He was too busy checking on the old woman that he failed to notice Ukyou's eyes on him.

For Ukyou, this was one of the most unexpected coincidences in her life. It was him. The platinum hair...

"Kazutaka?"

Muraki Kazutaka looked up at her and felt the same surprise. It took him a few seconds to recover from the shock of seeing his childhood friend and ex-fiancée for the first time since the day she went away five years ago.
"How is she?" Ukyou asked as Muraki came back. He had just come back from talking to the old lady's son.

"She'll be fine. Just tired from traveling."

Ukyou felt relieved. But an awkward silence followed.

In an instant, Ukyou flashed an easygoing smile that Muraki remembered to be the same one she used every time she was uncomfortable with a situation and ran. Unfortunately for her, Muraki caught her hand and, with strength Ukyou thought impossible for him to have, pulled her back to him.

"Why are you running away? Why did you leave without much of a goodbye?" Muraki whispered in a barely audible voice.

"I already told you in my letter. Didn't I?" Ukyou whispered back.

"That's the answer to the question 'Why did you did you have to go five years ago?' Why did you leave five years ago leave without even a goodbye? Why are you running away now?" Muraki asked.

"I don't really know. I had mixed feelings back then. Even now, I don't know why I didn't say goodbye to you when I should have. It would at least have given you closure. Maybe. Right now, I just want to run away from an awkward situation," Ukyou said as she looked at him with challenging eyes.

"Hearing those words from you, I wonder if you truly are Ukyou. As I recall, Ukyou was fearless. The words 'run away' were never part of her vocabulary."

"That was probably when we first met. At that time, I really was fearless. But that was because I had nothing to lose. But it's different... Everything's different."

Muraki looked her in the eye.

"How is it different?"

Ukyou flashed him her smile again and said, "Now this is the awkward situation I was running away from."

Muraki looked around to see the people around them staring at them. He rightly guessed that the people thought they were having a lovers' quarrel. Blushing, he finally let go of her hand and did not look at Ukyou.

"You were acting all cool until up to this point. I guess there are still some things that are still the same, Kazutaka-chan," Ukyou said teasingly intending to tease him even more. But seeing Muraki's super embarrassed face, she decided on abandoning that idea. She sighed. Still the same Kazutaka.

"Hey! I'm going for some coffee. Wanna come? It's my treat."

With that, he looked back and saw her gentle smile. The smile that seemed to have made all his problems go away.
The coffee shop in front of the train station was still open when they came. They took a seat near the window and ordered their respective drinks. A few moments of silence passed before Muraki decided to say something.

"You came for Amamiya-san's funeral didn't you?"

"Generally speaking, yeah," Ukyou said gazing at the stars that could barely be seen because of the city lights.

"Generally? There's something else?"

This time, Ukyou looked him in the eye in all seriousness. Clearly, it was something of great importance for Ukyou to be serious about it. Rarely did she ever show a serious face even when she was class president of the most notorious class in high school.

"I actually planned to come and see you. I feel really awkward saying this but I..."

"You want to ask a favor, don't you?" Muraki said a matter-of-factly.

Ukyou nodded vigorously.

The waiter came and brought them their coffee. Again, silenced passed between them. Muraki took a sip from his coffee.

"What is it?"

"Your grandfather was once in charge of a mental asylum, right?"

"Yes. That's correct."

"Do you have his patient records? If so, may I see them?"

Muraki looked at her quizzically. She had always been a curious person but what would she want with records of long dead patients?

"I think I have them. But I have to check. Is there any particular patient you were trying to find?"

For a while, it seemed to Muraki that Ukyou was hesitating.
"Yes. There is. Could you get me his records as soon as possible?"

Ukyou looked at him in earnest as if it were some life or death situation. For the first time in his life, Ukyou needed his help.

"I'll try. But tell me his name first and why you want his records."

"His name is Tsuzuki Asato. And I've been having dreams.. Well, more like, nightmares of him lately..."