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The Past, The Present And The Future
The Past - Memories
Chapter 2 - An Untold Story, A Secret Tale
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It was very quiet.
Too quiet.
There was only one single person in his mind.
Yamaro.
That name was very familiar to him, if not to the extent of
repeating itself like a voice in his head. Yamaro was his destiny,
his life and everything worthy he had in his life. Yamaro was a S-
class demon; a very powerful type, especially with his ability to
manipulate human and youkai minds. He himself had met Yamaro long
time ago, long before his confinement in this dark and miserable
place.
It was so long ago that he could not even remember when, but he
would never forget how well Yamaro had treated him. He gave him love.
Love was the only thing that helped him to survive his imprisonment
here. Yamaro gave him a wonderful feeling called 'love'.
Before this, he was a cold and distant figure. Ever since he
knew such a feeling named 'love' existed in his heart, he was forever
thirsty for more.
An alliance was formed between the two of them. An invincible
alliance. Nobody could get through their defenses without getting
killed.
How did I get confined to this place? asked Murashi silently
to himself. Eons ago, he and Yamaro were two of the most powerful
youkai around. At that time, Raizen, Mukuro and Yomi had not risen to
power yet. Murashi's mouth turned up to form a smirk. They are only
weak warriors. Weak warriors don't deserve to have a try with us.
In every corner of Makai, his and Yamaro's names were sacred.
Feared in every aspect of power, wealth and intellect. He sensed the
fright in souls everywhere he went. Fright and dark emotions were so
good to play with. Murashi laughed out aloud. Those were the days...
Like a dream, all of that were dissolved into the sands of
time.
Ningenkai and Reikai tasted sweet. Sweet as honey. Portals were
opened in every single part of Makai for easy access to the two
worlds, enabling youkais and any other living creatures to get
through. Yamaro had a secret dream. A dream that linked three worlds
together as one, the light, the dark and humanity.
Together, they formed a plan for the ultimate battle between
the light and the dark. Attacks were made on Reikai and Ningenkai. He
could remember how Yamaro used to celebrate victory after victory.
Terror in everybody's faces was like wine in his throat. Why
terror? Murashi had thought many times before. This question had
intrigued him all along. Shouldn't it be fine if there were portals
everywhere? He inhaled sharply and closed him eyes. The sweet scent
of human blood was so tempting and delicious, but he knew that he
wouldn't taste it ever again.
Murashi didn't sense the danger it posed. At least not to him.
Ningens didn't know anything about their plans, only Reikai. Reikai.
That word should never be said in front of Yamaro. It was a banned
word. Taboo in his presence.
Reikai had never been so interrogative about their plans.
Those in Reikai are just a bunch of weaklings, spat out Murashi
and gritted his teeth. His eyes snapped open and narrowed into a
line.
It was one fateful day that Enma-Daiou finally showed his true
powers for them to see. A tear dropped from Murashi's eyes from how
painful defeat was to him. The feeling itself was terrible, like
someone had torn out his heart and ripped it into pieces. Murashi
softly fingered a deep scar on his chest where Enma's Reiki sword had
wounded him seriously. His scars were nothing compared to Yamaro's.
He didn't only suffer physical scars, but also emotional scars. Scars
that were impossible to heal, even after a millennium.
Defeat was bitter. Murashi knew it himself. One could never
feel the humiliation without having been defeated. Defeat was the
contrast of victory. He had turned to Yamaro on the brink of defeat.
It just wasn't fair. They didn't deserved to be defeated just like
that.
He could still remember the nights which they had spent
together in each other's arms and warmth. Yamaro was a handsome man
with a picture prefect body like that of a god. He could also feel
the soft lips kissing him in a way that he felt was heavenly. Again,
he gave him love. Yamaro had turned him from a cold warrior into a
passionate lover.
Luckily I still have him.
A voice came shouting across the hallway, sending him straight
out of his sweet and painful dreams. "Murashi! Lord Yamaro wants to
see you now!" Murashi yelled back a rude answer and slipped into his
clothes quickly.
Slowly and shakily, he stood on his feet and fingered his own
face. He had the delicate skin of a woman and an ivory complexion.
Sometimes, he wished that he was a woman not a man. He turned walked
towards Yamaro's place. The hallway was dark and god knew that what
type of Makai insect lived here.
He stopped in front of a pair of large wooden doors. On the
sides of each door, sat a fierce looking stone lion. Sitting there,
waiting to swallow anyone. Lions of evil and darkness.
Murashi knocked on the door and he heard a smooth voice
beckoning him to go in. Yamaro's voice. Murashi walked in slowly and
saw Yamaro staring at a huge crystal ball.
"What is your command, my dear?" asked Murashi as he looked
around for any presence of a third party. Seeing on one, he walked
over to Yamaro and sat down daintily.
"This time, we'll be able to free ourselves and our men from
the everlasting bond of Justice. We have been locked here for such a
long time and that even the feel of sunlight has long abandoned me.
Now, I can sense the smell of freedom and before long, we will be in
Ningenkai, ruling our kingdom together," answered Yamaro, in an
unusually good mood.
"Really? That will be fine for we have been together through
thick and thin. We have been locked up here for more than a thousand
years and I could use some freedom. But... who is going to free us? I
thought only the one of great Divinity has the power to do so..."
said Murashi teasingly and ran his index finger through Yamaro's
thick mane of hair.
"Yes, it's true. After years and years of searching and
investigating, I have found that person." With a flick of his wrist,
the huge crystal's swirling lights consolidated to form an image. It
showed a picture of a beautiful teenage schoolgirl with a strange
hairdo. She had such delicate feminine features that she was
breathtaking, her ivory complexion was flawless. She was in a
background of a coffee-shop, talking and laughing with her friends.
A human? Why was she a human? One of great Divinity would never
reside in a mere human!
"Does she really have the power to free us? She looks really
young and weak..." said Murashi, expressing his lack of confidence in
the girl as her sweet laughter echoed around them.
"No, she has no real power within herself, but she has some
very important connections with Reikai. I had uncovered this secret
in an attempt to hack into Reikai's internal computer system. It
seems that this girl had a close relationship with the Enma Junior.
Here, I have already downloaded all the files and we must study them
to see ways to blackmail Enma-Daiou into letting us go..."
"Okay, it will be as you wish, we will deal with this girl
later on... For now, let's enjoy out free time first, since we will
be very busy after this." Murashi stretched a finger towards the lamp
and the lights went off.
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Koenma was tired of waiting for Yusuke and his friends. Keiko
herself had came to serve him, but he didn't order anything.
Enma-Daiou was pretty strict about his allowance nowadays. "I should
have reported to the child-abuse hot-line about this asking a
teenager to do a lot of work while giving meager salaries," a random
thought from Koenma who was currently dying of boredom. He chewed on
his pacifier more intently than ever and wiped away the sweat which
were forming on his forehead.
The song 'Love Sensation' was blaring out loud in Keiko's shop.
Koenma had gotten tired of hearing it again and again. When he sat
down to think, he had a bad habit of sucking his pacifier. He knew he
looked odd with the pacifier but he couldn't live without it. The
pacifier had practically grown up with him and it did serve a
purpose too. A wry smile lit up his face as he recalled how Yusuke
had asked him how good the pacifier felt in his mouth. The
tanteis... They are such good friends to me...
Of all sudden, he hated this word - love. He hated this word
ever since... Koenma gritted his teeth and forced himself to think of
the situation back in Reikai.
Youki... S-class youkais... Koenma sighed unhappily.
Some girls walked past him and made a comment about his
pacifier. Koenma took out his pacifier and threw them a suave yet
charming smile. The schoolgirls threw him flying kisses and giggled
loudly. Koenma just looked away as a cold bead of sweat ran down his
forehead.
Girls...
Koenma was losing his patience by now. Perhaps he should go
back to Reikai to contact Botan. Time was gold and everything, after
all. When he thought of office documents piling higher and higher
every second, he let out a groan. Maybe he would have to miss his
sleep tonight or even worse, for three days consecutively. He walked
towards the counter to tell Keiko that he was leaving. Suddenly, a
voice caught his ear. It was a female voice, high, lilting and
beautiful. Koenma froze. That sounded familiar. Koenma closed his
eyes for a while, letting that voice float around the air around him.
That voice drove straight into Koenma's head and dug out his
memories... Sweet old memories of his past...
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It had happened a long time ago, deep within the hidden nooks
and crannies of the Imperial Reikai palace. A place where all matters
were executed in the dark, kept a secret from prying eyes and ears.
A place of conspiracies and collaborations.
150 years ago...
In an ancient world, warring countries and feudalism were
common. Chauvinistic behavior was considered a normal action. When a
disagreement occurred, two feuding nations would always launch a war
leaving the people to suffer the most. Two common ones were the state
of Shu and Kin. Both were powerful nations, each determined to gain
control of the entire Asian continent. Other than these two nations,
there were some small states too, victims of bloodshed.
In the midst of this confused state, not all the warlords were
that power crazy. Far across the oceans lying in the far south, there
was once a small country, ruled by a kind and caring warlord. That
was the state of Wei. The warlord was a kind person, he refused to
see his people suffer in silence. He lived there, in the midst of a
magnificent palace, with his most prized possession --- his daughter,
a princess, the lily of the state.
One day, a diplomat sent by the ruler of Shu came to pay a
'small' visit. A visit, yet it was not at all 'small' to the state of
Wei.
The king sat on the throne, waiting for the diplomat. A few
minutes passed, still no sight of the diplomat. He tapped his fingers
on his throne anxiously and glanced up at the opened wooden screen
doors. After a few minutes, a lithely built man walked up the red
carpet, giving a little bow as a meager sign of respect. Soft
footsteps echoed through the long hallway, creating a strong eerie
touch to the silent space. King Wei nodded slightly, acknowledging
the humble respect.
"Your highness, the Shu had pledged harmony between both
countries. Here is the agreement," said the diplomat. His two
followers stood there, with their head bowed.
"Really unconditional?" asked King Wei, after glancing
cursorily through the formal agreement.
"Our lord has something to be advised to your highness
personally. May they be excused?" requested the diplomat politely
and smiled a little.
"Yes," said King Wei, beckoning for the servants beside him to
retire first. He began to feel suspicious. Something was very amiss.
The king merely shoved his suspicions aside, eager to hear what the
diplomat had to say.
The diplomat took a quick glance around for another third
party, also beckoning his followers to leave as well. "Since it's
customary to present a small gift as your sincerity, I suggest that
your highness should think of something that will please my lord,"
whispered the diplomat softly, yet loud enough for the king on the
throne to hear.
"Do you have any ideas?" asked King Wei cautiously, half afraid
to listen on.
"What about a wife for our eldest prince?" suggested the
diplomat.
"A wife for the crown prince," repeated King Wei thoughtfully.
"Yes," said the diplomat, still in that soft tone. "I'm sure
your highness must have some ideas for the choice of bride."
"I'll consider it. Please stay in the imperial guest room and
I'll give you an answer in a week's time," replied King Wei, his
heart already aching slightly. The diplomat meant his daughter,
Misuko-chan...
The diplomat smiled graciously and gave a little bow. Slowly,
he backed off to the entrance, leaving King Wei to ponder by himself.
Psychology wins. The diplomat decided as he walked along the
corridors of the magnificent palace, knowing that the king would make
his choice soon.
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"Princess Misuko! Princess Misuko!" a servant ran along the
garden path leading to an open pavilion. A girl was sitting there,
sewing a peony on a piece of satin. The girl's eyebrows were knitted
together as she concentrated on her work.
A closer look showed the girl to be apparently in her mid-
teens. She was petite, her frame still considered as small. She had
long arched eyebrows and creamy white skin. Her fair complexion
complemented her lips, her eyes and her facial features.
The female servant rushed into the pavilion, alerting the girl.
The needle she was holding pricked into her index finger. A drop of
blood oozed out and stained the pure white satin, creating a red
blotch there. The girl gasped slightly and looked up at the huffing
and panting person before her.
"Your highness, there's a diplomat here!" said the servant, her
hair flaring wildly in the wind.
"Huh? Diplomat?" asked Misuko, disbelieving the servant. Peace
missions were rare in these days.
"Yes, a diplomat. He and the king are discussing something in
the throne room. He has ordered everybody out, including his personal
servants."
"We'll see," answered Misuko happily, glad that there was at
last a sign of peace, even though it was faint. But she had a strange
feeling. The blood, her own blood staining the white satin frightened
her.
Maybe it was not a good omen.
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King Wei sat glumly in the study. The diplomat's words had
repeated themselves over and over again in his mind. A wife for the
crown prince... A wife for the crown prince...
Is he hinting that I should give dear Misuko-chan to the
barbarians? asked King Wei to himself sadly. Misuko was of marrying
age. What should he do? Give Misuko-chan?
No! Never! King Wei was feeling broken over the two options.
Two important options. Two pictures formed in his mind at once. One
was of his war-ravaged country in years to come. Another was of his
daughter. Undeniably, he couldn't bear to part with his daughter, but
he also couldn't bear to see his people suffer. Unconsciously, a tear
rolled down his left cheek. A daughter lost...
His Queen had been dead for a decade. Every now and then, his
subjects would advise him to take a second queen, but he always
refused. He had remained loyal and always would be.
How am I going to break this news to Misuko-chan? asked the
king miserably. He sat there undecided. He looked backwards and
towards the future.
Dawn arose, a few sparrows chirped cheerfully. The king had
made his decision. Misuko would have to be sacrificed. An owl crooned
sadly against the rising sun. A prediction made, full of tragedy.
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"Misuko-chan, Misuko-chan. Are you there?" A voice was calling
and knocking softly outside her room.
Misuko stood up and ran to get the door. She peeked outside and
saw her father there.
"Otousama, I haven't seen you for a long time. Why are you
here?" asked Misuko as her father walked into the room and sat down
on a chair. The king just kept quiet. He took a lengthy gaze at his
daughter.
"Otousama, is anything wrong?" asked Misuko.
"I just want to take a good look at you," uttered the king
simply, at a loss for words. His thinking was confused, then. He did
not know how to break the news to his daughter.
It will break her heart, said the king plaintively to
himself.
"What's the matter? You look so unhappy," asked Misuko more
boldly this time.
"Are you willing to do anything for the peace of this country?"
asked the king curiously, eager to know how his daughter would react.
"Yes, of course. I would do anything to see a sign of harmony
in this war-ravaged world," answered Misuko, surprised that her
father would ask something of this sort suddenly.
The king took a deep breath. "I will send you as a bride to the
crown prince of Shu as a symbol of our sincerity to make peace," he
blurted out.
Misuko's eyes widened and she let out a small gasp. "No...
no... not this fast," murmured Misuko to herself.
"I'm afraid so." King Wei looked sadly at her. A tear formed at
the corner of her eye and dropped down to the carpeted floor beneath
her.
"But otousama, I'm only fifteen..." protested Misuko weakly.
"Yes. You are fifteen, but you must know that it is the perfect
age to find a husband for you. That is the common rule of feudalism.
You must understand this point," said King Wei.
"No... that's not fair!" screamed Misuko, her tears flowing
freely now. The very thought of marrying a barbarian scared her. She
would be leaving her beloved father and country forever. No! She must
not go! But... what about those innocent citizens?
"Nothing's fair in this world," trailed the king slowly, trying
to calm his daughter down. Misuko broke down into sobs and wept
openly. The king stood up and looked down at her.
"You must make your own decisions. Nothing's fair," said the
king, walking out of the room leaving Misuko to think it over.
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The clock in the belfry struck midnight. A hunched form sat on
the bed, a blanket wrapped around it closely. Thunder rolled across
the dark sky with flashes of lightning. Massive black clouds filled
the sky, reflecting the emotions the hunched figure was suffering.
Misuko pulled the blanket even more closely around her. An
internal debate was going on inside her.
No! You must never marry that barbarian! One side told her,
but Misuko shook her head slowly.
My country, my people. I must never let otousama down. I must
give in, Misuko told herself to accept the reality. She could never
escape from that, at least not without creating chaos. At that
thought, she broke down into more sobs. A thunder crashed and the
rain started pouring down with brute force.
Gradually, the storm passed. Misuko dried her tears and washed
her face. She combed her hair into her maiden style and put on her
favorite blue gown. Melancholy, she reached behind to tie her sash
into a knot. She took one last look at herself in the mirror.
"I'm ready. Ready to serve my people and country," shouted
Misuko aloud. She had already made up her mind. Her fate and destiny
decided.
Then, she walked out of the door quickly.
The room was silent again, as its owner would never return to
it forever.
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"Otousama, I'm ready," announced Misuko clearly in the main
throne room, kneeling down before her father in front of his
subjects. King Wei's expression changed a little, obviously confused
that she would change her mind that quickly.
"Well, if you are ready, I'll call the diplomat in," said King
Wei, beckoning to one of his servants to call the diplomat in.
Minutes later, a well groomed man walked into the throne room.
He put his hand in front of him and gave a little bow. "Yes, your
highness."
"You can go back and tell your king that I shall present my
daughter, Princess of Tai Ping, as a gift of sincerity," said King
Wei, his voice carrying a tinge of sorrow.
"Thank you, your highness. I'm set to go back to the state of
Shu today anyway. May I accompany the Princess of Tai Ping?" asked
the diplomat, smiling at the poor girl.
"Yes, you may," agreed King Wei, his gaze adverted to Misuko
herself. He noticed that Misuko was trembling slightly.
When the diplomat turned to walk towards the door, Misuko got
up and followed him. She took one last look at the familiar
architecture, her eyes full of emotions. She gave her father and the
building a yearning look. Gently, she mouthed a single word:
Goodbye.
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The journey to the capital of Shu was a long one: long, winding
and bumpy roads stretched from city to city. Misuko had never been
out of the state of Wei. Exotic and lush wild shrubs and forests
intrigued her. She had never known that there was such beauty outside
the walls of the palace, her home.
One evening, in an inn midway. Misuko was eating lunch with
the diplomat. The diplomat was a gentleman, he was very kind and
caring towards her. At least it helped that Misuko didn't feel that
bad about leaving home so suddenly.
Strangely enough, the diplomat suddenly spoke.
"Princess, you must be careful when you meet the crown prince."
"Why?" asked Misuko curiously, as the diplomat had rarely
spoken to her all day.
"He is not transparent. He is a complicated person, his temper
especially," said the diplomat. Misuko began asking more questions,
but the diplomat refused to say anything else.
The journey lasted for ten days. By the time they reached their
destination, it was about evening. The capital of Shu was a grand
one with magnificent building adorning wide streets. The diplomat's
words still echoed in her mind. What kind of person is that prince?
Misuko used to wonder many times over but she didn't give it a second
thought as it gave her shivers.
"Princess, we will go into the palace to meet my lord and the
crown prince," said the diplomat, stopping. Then, he continued,
"Meanwhile, we will stop by an inn to make ourselves presentable."
Misuko nodded and her sedan stopped in front of a magnificently
decorated inn. She got down from her transport and walked into the
inn. The female servant accompanying her trailed closely behind.
The servant disappeared for a while. She reemerged, carrying a bundle
of clothes. Carefully, she handed the clothes to Misuko and politely
ushered her to get changed.
The servant followed her into her room, but was quickly ordered
to retreat. Misuko wasn't accustomed to strangers helping her to
dress.
Misuko walked into her room and locked the door behind her.
Slowly, she poured some water from the kettle into the basin and
washed her face. She undressed and stuffed her old clothes back into
her luggage. She took an observatory glance at the new outfit and got
into it gingerly. She straightened her clothes and produced a comb
from her sleeves. She combed her long hair neatly and did it up with
some hair accessories.
I look a lot nicer now, said Misuko to herself as she walked
out of the room and ran down the stairs. The diplomat, also dressed
nicely, was waiting for her. Both of them walked outside and got into
their sedans respectively.
The way to the palace was quite short, about 10 minutes. Misuko
climbed out of her sedan, careful not to crinkle her impressive gown.
Misuko and the diplomat walked up straight to the magnificent palace.
Misuko's eyes shone with amazement and wonder as she was led through
the vast hallways with carpeted floor.
At last, she and the diplomat sat on a bench outside the main
throne room, waiting for the King's summons. An elderly voice drifted
through the room and out. Misuko and the diplomat stood up and walked
into the room. Misuko looked with awe at the jewels and golden
decorations on the wall. Lastly, she took a glance at the king. A man
in his sixties was sitting beside a yellow clothed table. A young man
in his twenties sat beside him. He was naturally quite handsome, in a
dashing way.
"Your majesty, this is Princess of Tai Ping, Misuko,"
introduced the diplomat.
The king nodded slightly. Misuko kept her face down to the
ground. "Lift up your head," the young man commanded.
Misuko looked up, straight into the young man's eyes. The
diplomat quickly introduced the young man as the crown prince. They
exchanged glances. The crown prince leaned over to his elderly
father's left ear and whispered something. The elderly king smiled
and nodded.
The young man walked down along the aisle beside the throne and
stood next to the diplomat. Over there, he whispered into the
diplomat's ears. The diplomat smiled and nodded excitedly. Misuko
just stood there silently, wondering what they were talking about.
Suddenly, the diplomat took her by hand and walked out of the
throne room. Seeing everybody was out of earshot, he told Misuko.
"Congratulations, Princess. Our Crown Prince liked you at
first sight. You will be one of his main concubines in the palace,"
said the diplomat happily, glad that his mission had turned out
perfectly, but Misuko was in another state of emotions.
"Concubine... I'm a Princess and I'm supposed to be that
fellow's concubine?" repeated Misuko angrily.
The diplomat just shrugged and walked off with her again, this
time showing her a room. A tastefully furnished room with satiny
coverings on the tablecloth, curtains and bedclothes. Misuko looked
sadly at the room. I'm going to be just a concubine in this place,
thought Misuko plaintively.
"Get changed and we'll bring dinner for you," said the diplomat
before closing the wooden doors behind him. Misuko sat down on the
bed, her mind only lingering on one problem. "Will my country be
safe?"
Misuko wiped her face with her handkerchief. Her mind changed
subjects to the Crown Prince's behavior. Why did that diplomat tell
her that...
The sun began to sink towards the horizon. Misuko fidgeted with
her handkerchief, taking a glance at the sky. It's getting dark,
Misuko told herself. The food that her personal servant sent was
cold, lying on the table. Misuko simply didn't have the appetite to
eat.
Misuko sighed and walked to the dresser. She began letting down
her hair from the jewelry that elaborately adorned her hair. In fact,
she enjoyed letting her hair down freely. She undressed and stripped
down to her thin outer clothing. She looked at herself in the full
length mirror, seeing her body shape was perfect. As she started to
take off her last outer garments, a person suddenly opened the door
and walked in. Misuko turned around in shock and held her clothes
close to her chest.
The person looked up at her. It was the Crown Prince.
"What are you trying to do?" said Misuko calmly, quickly
getting into her clothes.
"I'm your husband, don't you know that?" said the prince,
smiling wickedly at her.
"Don't you dare come any nearer," threatened Misuko.
"What would you do if I come any nearer?" asked the prince
evilly, stepping forward towards Misuko.
"No, don't..." said Misuko, trying in vain to escape.
"You will be mine sooner or later," continued the prince.
Misuko just looked at him. "You have a very nice body," said
prince, inching closer towards Misuko every second. Suddenly, he
lunged at her. Misuko landed on the ground next to the dresser as the
prince got on top of her.
"Help! Help!" Misuko yelled desperately as the prince hugged
her tightly.
"Sheesh... Nobody would hear you here. Besides I really wanted
to see what the 'Lily of Wei' is really like, so we devised a plan to
trick your father into giving you," said the prince, clamping a hand
over her mouth to keep her silent.
"Mmmmm!!!!" tried Misuko in vain as the prince began ripping
off her clothes. He began taking off his own clothes too. Misuko
stared in shock as he planted kisses on her neck and face. Blindly,
she reached out to grope around for a weapon.
Instinctively, she dragged open a drawer and felt about inside.
The prince was already biting her neck and other sensitive places.
Misuko winced as he bit into her earlobe when suddenly her hand
closed around an object. She gripped it like a viper and raised it.
"Go to hell!" she plunged down with her weapon on his exposed
back. The body on top of her stiffened and rolled to the side slowly.
The prince looked up at her as a trickle of blood flowed down from
his mouth. Slowly, his eyes closed.
I have killed somebody. Misuko thought in shock as she
removed and dropped the blood-stained pair of scissors. The prince's
body was lying there, lifeless.
Guilt overwhelmed her.
I'll never get out of this, thought Misuko, still dazed. A
tear rolled down from her eyes. Slowly, she picked up the pair of
blood-stained scissors up again.
"I'm sorry, otousama. Sorry for not being able to bring peace
you had always wanted..." whispered Misuko as she closed her eyes and
stabbed the pair of scissors into her own stomach. Her last feeling
was of a sudden pain and nothing else after that.
And another soul went to the realms of judgment.
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Copyright reserved 1998, 1999 W. Siew Lee
All standard Yu Yu Hakusho disclaimers apply to this fanfic.
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The Past, The Present And The Future
The Past - Memories
Chapter 2 - An Untold Story, A Secret Tale
---------------------------------------------------------------------
It was very quiet.
Too quiet.
There was only one single person in his mind.
Yamaro.
That name was very familiar to him, if not to the extent of
repeating itself like a voice in his head. Yamaro was his destiny,
his life and everything worthy he had in his life. Yamaro was a S-
class demon; a very powerful type, especially with his ability to
manipulate human and youkai minds. He himself had met Yamaro long
time ago, long before his confinement in this dark and miserable
place.
It was so long ago that he could not even remember when, but he
would never forget how well Yamaro had treated him. He gave him love.
Love was the only thing that helped him to survive his imprisonment
here. Yamaro gave him a wonderful feeling called 'love'.
Before this, he was a cold and distant figure. Ever since he
knew such a feeling named 'love' existed in his heart, he was forever
thirsty for more.
An alliance was formed between the two of them. An invincible
alliance. Nobody could get through their defenses without getting
killed.
How did I get confined to this place? asked Murashi silently
to himself. Eons ago, he and Yamaro were two of the most powerful
youkai around. At that time, Raizen, Mukuro and Yomi had not risen to
power yet. Murashi's mouth turned up to form a smirk. They are only
weak warriors. Weak warriors don't deserve to have a try with us.
In every corner of Makai, his and Yamaro's names were sacred.
Feared in every aspect of power, wealth and intellect. He sensed the
fright in souls everywhere he went. Fright and dark emotions were so
good to play with. Murashi laughed out aloud. Those were the days...
Like a dream, all of that were dissolved into the sands of
time.
Ningenkai and Reikai tasted sweet. Sweet as honey. Portals were
opened in every single part of Makai for easy access to the two
worlds, enabling youkais and any other living creatures to get
through. Yamaro had a secret dream. A dream that linked three worlds
together as one, the light, the dark and humanity.
Together, they formed a plan for the ultimate battle between
the light and the dark. Attacks were made on Reikai and Ningenkai. He
could remember how Yamaro used to celebrate victory after victory.
Terror in everybody's faces was like wine in his throat. Why
terror? Murashi had thought many times before. This question had
intrigued him all along. Shouldn't it be fine if there were portals
everywhere? He inhaled sharply and closed him eyes. The sweet scent
of human blood was so tempting and delicious, but he knew that he
wouldn't taste it ever again.
Murashi didn't sense the danger it posed. At least not to him.
Ningens didn't know anything about their plans, only Reikai. Reikai.
That word should never be said in front of Yamaro. It was a banned
word. Taboo in his presence.
Reikai had never been so interrogative about their plans.
Those in Reikai are just a bunch of weaklings, spat out Murashi
and gritted his teeth. His eyes snapped open and narrowed into a
line.
It was one fateful day that Enma-Daiou finally showed his true
powers for them to see. A tear dropped from Murashi's eyes from how
painful defeat was to him. The feeling itself was terrible, like
someone had torn out his heart and ripped it into pieces. Murashi
softly fingered a deep scar on his chest where Enma's Reiki sword had
wounded him seriously. His scars were nothing compared to Yamaro's.
He didn't only suffer physical scars, but also emotional scars. Scars
that were impossible to heal, even after a millennium.
Defeat was bitter. Murashi knew it himself. One could never
feel the humiliation without having been defeated. Defeat was the
contrast of victory. He had turned to Yamaro on the brink of defeat.
It just wasn't fair. They didn't deserved to be defeated just like
that.
He could still remember the nights which they had spent
together in each other's arms and warmth. Yamaro was a handsome man
with a picture prefect body like that of a god. He could also feel
the soft lips kissing him in a way that he felt was heavenly. Again,
he gave him love. Yamaro had turned him from a cold warrior into a
passionate lover.
Luckily I still have him.
A voice came shouting across the hallway, sending him straight
out of his sweet and painful dreams. "Murashi! Lord Yamaro wants to
see you now!" Murashi yelled back a rude answer and slipped into his
clothes quickly.
Slowly and shakily, he stood on his feet and fingered his own
face. He had the delicate skin of a woman and an ivory complexion.
Sometimes, he wished that he was a woman not a man. He turned walked
towards Yamaro's place. The hallway was dark and god knew that what
type of Makai insect lived here.
He stopped in front of a pair of large wooden doors. On the
sides of each door, sat a fierce looking stone lion. Sitting there,
waiting to swallow anyone. Lions of evil and darkness.
Murashi knocked on the door and he heard a smooth voice
beckoning him to go in. Yamaro's voice. Murashi walked in slowly and
saw Yamaro staring at a huge crystal ball.
"What is your command, my dear?" asked Murashi as he looked
around for any presence of a third party. Seeing on one, he walked
over to Yamaro and sat down daintily.
"This time, we'll be able to free ourselves and our men from
the everlasting bond of Justice. We have been locked here for such a
long time and that even the feel of sunlight has long abandoned me.
Now, I can sense the smell of freedom and before long, we will be in
Ningenkai, ruling our kingdom together," answered Yamaro, in an
unusually good mood.
"Really? That will be fine for we have been together through
thick and thin. We have been locked up here for more than a thousand
years and I could use some freedom. But... who is going to free us? I
thought only the one of great Divinity has the power to do so..."
said Murashi teasingly and ran his index finger through Yamaro's
thick mane of hair.
"Yes, it's true. After years and years of searching and
investigating, I have found that person." With a flick of his wrist,
the huge crystal's swirling lights consolidated to form an image. It
showed a picture of a beautiful teenage schoolgirl with a strange
hairdo. She had such delicate feminine features that she was
breathtaking, her ivory complexion was flawless. She was in a
background of a coffee-shop, talking and laughing with her friends.
A human? Why was she a human? One of great Divinity would never
reside in a mere human!
"Does she really have the power to free us? She looks really
young and weak..." said Murashi, expressing his lack of confidence in
the girl as her sweet laughter echoed around them.
"No, she has no real power within herself, but she has some
very important connections with Reikai. I had uncovered this secret
in an attempt to hack into Reikai's internal computer system. It
seems that this girl had a close relationship with the Enma Junior.
Here, I have already downloaded all the files and we must study them
to see ways to blackmail Enma-Daiou into letting us go..."
"Okay, it will be as you wish, we will deal with this girl
later on... For now, let's enjoy out free time first, since we will
be very busy after this." Murashi stretched a finger towards the lamp
and the lights went off.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Koenma was tired of waiting for Yusuke and his friends. Keiko
herself had came to serve him, but he didn't order anything.
Enma-Daiou was pretty strict about his allowance nowadays. "I should
have reported to the child-abuse hot-line about this asking a
teenager to do a lot of work while giving meager salaries," a random
thought from Koenma who was currently dying of boredom. He chewed on
his pacifier more intently than ever and wiped away the sweat which
were forming on his forehead.
The song 'Love Sensation' was blaring out loud in Keiko's shop.
Koenma had gotten tired of hearing it again and again. When he sat
down to think, he had a bad habit of sucking his pacifier. He knew he
looked odd with the pacifier but he couldn't live without it. The
pacifier had practically grown up with him and it did serve a
purpose too. A wry smile lit up his face as he recalled how Yusuke
had asked him how good the pacifier felt in his mouth. The
tanteis... They are such good friends to me...
Of all sudden, he hated this word - love. He hated this word
ever since... Koenma gritted his teeth and forced himself to think of
the situation back in Reikai.
Youki... S-class youkais... Koenma sighed unhappily.
Some girls walked past him and made a comment about his
pacifier. Koenma took out his pacifier and threw them a suave yet
charming smile. The schoolgirls threw him flying kisses and giggled
loudly. Koenma just looked away as a cold bead of sweat ran down his
forehead.
Girls...
Koenma was losing his patience by now. Perhaps he should go
back to Reikai to contact Botan. Time was gold and everything, after
all. When he thought of office documents piling higher and higher
every second, he let out a groan. Maybe he would have to miss his
sleep tonight or even worse, for three days consecutively. He walked
towards the counter to tell Keiko that he was leaving. Suddenly, a
voice caught his ear. It was a female voice, high, lilting and
beautiful. Koenma froze. That sounded familiar. Koenma closed his
eyes for a while, letting that voice float around the air around him.
That voice drove straight into Koenma's head and dug out his
memories... Sweet old memories of his past...
---------------------------------------------------------------------
It had happened a long time ago, deep within the hidden nooks
and crannies of the Imperial Reikai palace. A place where all matters
were executed in the dark, kept a secret from prying eyes and ears.
A place of conspiracies and collaborations.
150 years ago...
In an ancient world, warring countries and feudalism were
common. Chauvinistic behavior was considered a normal action. When a
disagreement occurred, two feuding nations would always launch a war
leaving the people to suffer the most. Two common ones were the state
of Shu and Kin. Both were powerful nations, each determined to gain
control of the entire Asian continent. Other than these two nations,
there were some small states too, victims of bloodshed.
In the midst of this confused state, not all the warlords were
that power crazy. Far across the oceans lying in the far south, there
was once a small country, ruled by a kind and caring warlord. That
was the state of Wei. The warlord was a kind person, he refused to
see his people suffer in silence. He lived there, in the midst of a
magnificent palace, with his most prized possession --- his daughter,
a princess, the lily of the state.
One day, a diplomat sent by the ruler of Shu came to pay a
'small' visit. A visit, yet it was not at all 'small' to the state of
Wei.
The king sat on the throne, waiting for the diplomat. A few
minutes passed, still no sight of the diplomat. He tapped his fingers
on his throne anxiously and glanced up at the opened wooden screen
doors. After a few minutes, a lithely built man walked up the red
carpet, giving a little bow as a meager sign of respect. Soft
footsteps echoed through the long hallway, creating a strong eerie
touch to the silent space. King Wei nodded slightly, acknowledging
the humble respect.
"Your highness, the Shu had pledged harmony between both
countries. Here is the agreement," said the diplomat. His two
followers stood there, with their head bowed.
"Really unconditional?" asked King Wei, after glancing
cursorily through the formal agreement.
"Our lord has something to be advised to your highness
personally. May they be excused?" requested the diplomat politely
and smiled a little.
"Yes," said King Wei, beckoning for the servants beside him to
retire first. He began to feel suspicious. Something was very amiss.
The king merely shoved his suspicions aside, eager to hear what the
diplomat had to say.
The diplomat took a quick glance around for another third
party, also beckoning his followers to leave as well. "Since it's
customary to present a small gift as your sincerity, I suggest that
your highness should think of something that will please my lord,"
whispered the diplomat softly, yet loud enough for the king on the
throne to hear.
"Do you have any ideas?" asked King Wei cautiously, half afraid
to listen on.
"What about a wife for our eldest prince?" suggested the
diplomat.
"A wife for the crown prince," repeated King Wei thoughtfully.
"Yes," said the diplomat, still in that soft tone. "I'm sure
your highness must have some ideas for the choice of bride."
"I'll consider it. Please stay in the imperial guest room and
I'll give you an answer in a week's time," replied King Wei, his
heart already aching slightly. The diplomat meant his daughter,
Misuko-chan...
The diplomat smiled graciously and gave a little bow. Slowly,
he backed off to the entrance, leaving King Wei to ponder by himself.
Psychology wins. The diplomat decided as he walked along the
corridors of the magnificent palace, knowing that the king would make
his choice soon.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"Princess Misuko! Princess Misuko!" a servant ran along the
garden path leading to an open pavilion. A girl was sitting there,
sewing a peony on a piece of satin. The girl's eyebrows were knitted
together as she concentrated on her work.
A closer look showed the girl to be apparently in her mid-
teens. She was petite, her frame still considered as small. She had
long arched eyebrows and creamy white skin. Her fair complexion
complemented her lips, her eyes and her facial features.
The female servant rushed into the pavilion, alerting the girl.
The needle she was holding pricked into her index finger. A drop of
blood oozed out and stained the pure white satin, creating a red
blotch there. The girl gasped slightly and looked up at the huffing
and panting person before her.
"Your highness, there's a diplomat here!" said the servant, her
hair flaring wildly in the wind.
"Huh? Diplomat?" asked Misuko, disbelieving the servant. Peace
missions were rare in these days.
"Yes, a diplomat. He and the king are discussing something in
the throne room. He has ordered everybody out, including his personal
servants."
"We'll see," answered Misuko happily, glad that there was at
last a sign of peace, even though it was faint. But she had a strange
feeling. The blood, her own blood staining the white satin frightened
her.
Maybe it was not a good omen.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
King Wei sat glumly in the study. The diplomat's words had
repeated themselves over and over again in his mind. A wife for the
crown prince... A wife for the crown prince...
Is he hinting that I should give dear Misuko-chan to the
barbarians? asked King Wei to himself sadly. Misuko was of marrying
age. What should he do? Give Misuko-chan?
No! Never! King Wei was feeling broken over the two options.
Two important options. Two pictures formed in his mind at once. One
was of his war-ravaged country in years to come. Another was of his
daughter. Undeniably, he couldn't bear to part with his daughter, but
he also couldn't bear to see his people suffer. Unconsciously, a tear
rolled down his left cheek. A daughter lost...
His Queen had been dead for a decade. Every now and then, his
subjects would advise him to take a second queen, but he always
refused. He had remained loyal and always would be.
How am I going to break this news to Misuko-chan? asked the
king miserably. He sat there undecided. He looked backwards and
towards the future.
Dawn arose, a few sparrows chirped cheerfully. The king had
made his decision. Misuko would have to be sacrificed. An owl crooned
sadly against the rising sun. A prediction made, full of tragedy.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"Misuko-chan, Misuko-chan. Are you there?" A voice was calling
and knocking softly outside her room.
Misuko stood up and ran to get the door. She peeked outside and
saw her father there.
"Otousama, I haven't seen you for a long time. Why are you
here?" asked Misuko as her father walked into the room and sat down
on a chair. The king just kept quiet. He took a lengthy gaze at his
daughter.
"Otousama, is anything wrong?" asked Misuko.
"I just want to take a good look at you," uttered the king
simply, at a loss for words. His thinking was confused, then. He did
not know how to break the news to his daughter.
It will break her heart, said the king plaintively to
himself.
"What's the matter? You look so unhappy," asked Misuko more
boldly this time.
"Are you willing to do anything for the peace of this country?"
asked the king curiously, eager to know how his daughter would react.
"Yes, of course. I would do anything to see a sign of harmony
in this war-ravaged world," answered Misuko, surprised that her
father would ask something of this sort suddenly.
The king took a deep breath. "I will send you as a bride to the
crown prince of Shu as a symbol of our sincerity to make peace," he
blurted out.
Misuko's eyes widened and she let out a small gasp. "No...
no... not this fast," murmured Misuko to herself.
"I'm afraid so." King Wei looked sadly at her. A tear formed at
the corner of her eye and dropped down to the carpeted floor beneath
her.
"But otousama, I'm only fifteen..." protested Misuko weakly.
"Yes. You are fifteen, but you must know that it is the perfect
age to find a husband for you. That is the common rule of feudalism.
You must understand this point," said King Wei.
"No... that's not fair!" screamed Misuko, her tears flowing
freely now. The very thought of marrying a barbarian scared her. She
would be leaving her beloved father and country forever. No! She must
not go! But... what about those innocent citizens?
"Nothing's fair in this world," trailed the king slowly, trying
to calm his daughter down. Misuko broke down into sobs and wept
openly. The king stood up and looked down at her.
"You must make your own decisions. Nothing's fair," said the
king, walking out of the room leaving Misuko to think it over.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The clock in the belfry struck midnight. A hunched form sat on
the bed, a blanket wrapped around it closely. Thunder rolled across
the dark sky with flashes of lightning. Massive black clouds filled
the sky, reflecting the emotions the hunched figure was suffering.
Misuko pulled the blanket even more closely around her. An
internal debate was going on inside her.
No! You must never marry that barbarian! One side told her,
but Misuko shook her head slowly.
My country, my people. I must never let otousama down. I must
give in, Misuko told herself to accept the reality. She could never
escape from that, at least not without creating chaos. At that
thought, she broke down into more sobs. A thunder crashed and the
rain started pouring down with brute force.
Gradually, the storm passed. Misuko dried her tears and washed
her face. She combed her hair into her maiden style and put on her
favorite blue gown. Melancholy, she reached behind to tie her sash
into a knot. She took one last look at herself in the mirror.
"I'm ready. Ready to serve my people and country," shouted
Misuko aloud. She had already made up her mind. Her fate and destiny
decided.
Then, she walked out of the door quickly.
The room was silent again, as its owner would never return to
it forever.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"Otousama, I'm ready," announced Misuko clearly in the main
throne room, kneeling down before her father in front of his
subjects. King Wei's expression changed a little, obviously confused
that she would change her mind that quickly.
"Well, if you are ready, I'll call the diplomat in," said King
Wei, beckoning to one of his servants to call the diplomat in.
Minutes later, a well groomed man walked into the throne room.
He put his hand in front of him and gave a little bow. "Yes, your
highness."
"You can go back and tell your king that I shall present my
daughter, Princess of Tai Ping, as a gift of sincerity," said King
Wei, his voice carrying a tinge of sorrow.
"Thank you, your highness. I'm set to go back to the state of
Shu today anyway. May I accompany the Princess of Tai Ping?" asked
the diplomat, smiling at the poor girl.
"Yes, you may," agreed King Wei, his gaze adverted to Misuko
herself. He noticed that Misuko was trembling slightly.
When the diplomat turned to walk towards the door, Misuko got
up and followed him. She took one last look at the familiar
architecture, her eyes full of emotions. She gave her father and the
building a yearning look. Gently, she mouthed a single word:
Goodbye.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The journey to the capital of Shu was a long one: long, winding
and bumpy roads stretched from city to city. Misuko had never been
out of the state of Wei. Exotic and lush wild shrubs and forests
intrigued her. She had never known that there was such beauty outside
the walls of the palace, her home.
One evening, in an inn midway. Misuko was eating lunch with
the diplomat. The diplomat was a gentleman, he was very kind and
caring towards her. At least it helped that Misuko didn't feel that
bad about leaving home so suddenly.
Strangely enough, the diplomat suddenly spoke.
"Princess, you must be careful when you meet the crown prince."
"Why?" asked Misuko curiously, as the diplomat had rarely
spoken to her all day.
"He is not transparent. He is a complicated person, his temper
especially," said the diplomat. Misuko began asking more questions,
but the diplomat refused to say anything else.
The journey lasted for ten days. By the time they reached their
destination, it was about evening. The capital of Shu was a grand
one with magnificent building adorning wide streets. The diplomat's
words still echoed in her mind. What kind of person is that prince?
Misuko used to wonder many times over but she didn't give it a second
thought as it gave her shivers.
"Princess, we will go into the palace to meet my lord and the
crown prince," said the diplomat, stopping. Then, he continued,
"Meanwhile, we will stop by an inn to make ourselves presentable."
Misuko nodded and her sedan stopped in front of a magnificently
decorated inn. She got down from her transport and walked into the
inn. The female servant accompanying her trailed closely behind.
The servant disappeared for a while. She reemerged, carrying a bundle
of clothes. Carefully, she handed the clothes to Misuko and politely
ushered her to get changed.
The servant followed her into her room, but was quickly ordered
to retreat. Misuko wasn't accustomed to strangers helping her to
dress.
Misuko walked into her room and locked the door behind her.
Slowly, she poured some water from the kettle into the basin and
washed her face. She undressed and stuffed her old clothes back into
her luggage. She took an observatory glance at the new outfit and got
into it gingerly. She straightened her clothes and produced a comb
from her sleeves. She combed her long hair neatly and did it up with
some hair accessories.
I look a lot nicer now, said Misuko to herself as she walked
out of the room and ran down the stairs. The diplomat, also dressed
nicely, was waiting for her. Both of them walked outside and got into
their sedans respectively.
The way to the palace was quite short, about 10 minutes. Misuko
climbed out of her sedan, careful not to crinkle her impressive gown.
Misuko and the diplomat walked up straight to the magnificent palace.
Misuko's eyes shone with amazement and wonder as she was led through
the vast hallways with carpeted floor.
At last, she and the diplomat sat on a bench outside the main
throne room, waiting for the King's summons. An elderly voice drifted
through the room and out. Misuko and the diplomat stood up and walked
into the room. Misuko looked with awe at the jewels and golden
decorations on the wall. Lastly, she took a glance at the king. A man
in his sixties was sitting beside a yellow clothed table. A young man
in his twenties sat beside him. He was naturally quite handsome, in a
dashing way.
"Your majesty, this is Princess of Tai Ping, Misuko,"
introduced the diplomat.
The king nodded slightly. Misuko kept her face down to the
ground. "Lift up your head," the young man commanded.
Misuko looked up, straight into the young man's eyes. The
diplomat quickly introduced the young man as the crown prince. They
exchanged glances. The crown prince leaned over to his elderly
father's left ear and whispered something. The elderly king smiled
and nodded.
The young man walked down along the aisle beside the throne and
stood next to the diplomat. Over there, he whispered into the
diplomat's ears. The diplomat smiled and nodded excitedly. Misuko
just stood there silently, wondering what they were talking about.
Suddenly, the diplomat took her by hand and walked out of the
throne room. Seeing everybody was out of earshot, he told Misuko.
"Congratulations, Princess. Our Crown Prince liked you at
first sight. You will be one of his main concubines in the palace,"
said the diplomat happily, glad that his mission had turned out
perfectly, but Misuko was in another state of emotions.
"Concubine... I'm a Princess and I'm supposed to be that
fellow's concubine?" repeated Misuko angrily.
The diplomat just shrugged and walked off with her again, this
time showing her a room. A tastefully furnished room with satiny
coverings on the tablecloth, curtains and bedclothes. Misuko looked
sadly at the room. I'm going to be just a concubine in this place,
thought Misuko plaintively.
"Get changed and we'll bring dinner for you," said the diplomat
before closing the wooden doors behind him. Misuko sat down on the
bed, her mind only lingering on one problem. "Will my country be
safe?"
Misuko wiped her face with her handkerchief. Her mind changed
subjects to the Crown Prince's behavior. Why did that diplomat tell
her that...
The sun began to sink towards the horizon. Misuko fidgeted with
her handkerchief, taking a glance at the sky. It's getting dark,
Misuko told herself. The food that her personal servant sent was
cold, lying on the table. Misuko simply didn't have the appetite to
eat.
Misuko sighed and walked to the dresser. She began letting down
her hair from the jewelry that elaborately adorned her hair. In fact,
she enjoyed letting her hair down freely. She undressed and stripped
down to her thin outer clothing. She looked at herself in the full
length mirror, seeing her body shape was perfect. As she started to
take off her last outer garments, a person suddenly opened the door
and walked in. Misuko turned around in shock and held her clothes
close to her chest.
The person looked up at her. It was the Crown Prince.
"What are you trying to do?" said Misuko calmly, quickly
getting into her clothes.
"I'm your husband, don't you know that?" said the prince,
smiling wickedly at her.
"Don't you dare come any nearer," threatened Misuko.
"What would you do if I come any nearer?" asked the prince
evilly, stepping forward towards Misuko.
"No, don't..." said Misuko, trying in vain to escape.
"You will be mine sooner or later," continued the prince.
Misuko just looked at him. "You have a very nice body," said
prince, inching closer towards Misuko every second. Suddenly, he
lunged at her. Misuko landed on the ground next to the dresser as the
prince got on top of her.
"Help! Help!" Misuko yelled desperately as the prince hugged
her tightly.
"Sheesh... Nobody would hear you here. Besides I really wanted
to see what the 'Lily of Wei' is really like, so we devised a plan to
trick your father into giving you," said the prince, clamping a hand
over her mouth to keep her silent.
"Mmmmm!!!!" tried Misuko in vain as the prince began ripping
off her clothes. He began taking off his own clothes too. Misuko
stared in shock as he planted kisses on her neck and face. Blindly,
she reached out to grope around for a weapon.
Instinctively, she dragged open a drawer and felt about inside.
The prince was already biting her neck and other sensitive places.
Misuko winced as he bit into her earlobe when suddenly her hand
closed around an object. She gripped it like a viper and raised it.
"Go to hell!" she plunged down with her weapon on his exposed
back. The body on top of her stiffened and rolled to the side slowly.
The prince looked up at her as a trickle of blood flowed down from
his mouth. Slowly, his eyes closed.
I have killed somebody. Misuko thought in shock as she
removed and dropped the blood-stained pair of scissors. The prince's
body was lying there, lifeless.
Guilt overwhelmed her.
I'll never get out of this, thought Misuko, still dazed. A
tear rolled down from her eyes. Slowly, she picked up the pair of
blood-stained scissors up again.
"I'm sorry, otousama. Sorry for not being able to bring peace
you had always wanted..." whispered Misuko as she closed her eyes and
stabbed the pair of scissors into her own stomach. Her last feeling
was of a sudden pain and nothing else after that.
And another soul went to the realms of judgment.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright reserved 1998, 1999 W. Siew Lee
All standard Yu Yu Hakusho disclaimers apply to this fanfic.
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