And from the depths of my brain I whip out another one-shot instead of finishing my chaptered stories! Blame my muse, it has a sick sense of humor and tends to run away with my sanity.
Disclaimer- I don't own Code Lyoko.
Dedication-This is for Kevin. You're not alone, and if you ever need to talk, I'm here for you. And if anybody tries to make fun of you, you tell me!
Family History By Ransomed Heart
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"Would you cut that out already," Odd snapped from his desk, slamming the pencil down in frustration. "I finally decide to study and you start pacing."
"I'm nervous," Ulrich said by way of explanation, sitting down on his bed.
"Obviously." Odd turned around to face his friend. "It's not like she's going to say no. Besides, haven't you already told her that you like her?"
"Yes, well, no, well, kind of? It was all a trick set up by Sissy, remember? So, I guess she knows, but she might just figure that I said that because I thought she liked me."
Odd raised an eyebrow. "Dude, you are totally over-analyzing the situation if you ask me. Anybody could see that you and Yumi are head over heels for each other. Just ask her to be your girlfriend."
"It's not that simple," Ulrich shot back.
"Oh, stop being such a chicken," Odd scolded. "Of course it is that simple. Guy likes girl. Girls likes guy. Guy asks girl out. It's like, the law of the universe, dude!"
-----
"All right, what's wrong?"
Ulrich froze, pencil poised above the notebook in mid-word and gave a nervous laugh. "Nothing."
Yumi shook her head, making her raven hair swish back and forth. "You've been avoiding me all day. Spill."
Ulrich cast around desperately with his eyes, seeking some salvation. The library was deserted except for a few bookworms who were engrossed in the latest novel. His and Yumi's presence had gone unnoticed. The teen found himself wishing that they had been noticed.
He and Yumi were having a study session. There was a massive history test the next day, and as Yumi had already passed the class, she was helping Ulrich do the same. He found the French Revolution extremely boring.
Yumi's dark eyes were locked on his own in concern. "You can tell me."
Deep breaths. Deep, calming breaths, Ulrich coached himself. Now, open your mouth and speak. He forced his eyes to stay locked on her's.
"Yumi, I really like you....Would you go out with me?"
He could only watch as Yumi's eyes filled up with tears and she fled the library. Ulrich was shocked. He had never seen that look on Yumi's face before. She looked ashamed and scared.
-----
Odd pushed the headphones down so that they rested around his neck. Ulrich had just entered and collasped onto his bed and had begun to beat the pillow mercilessly. Kiwi looked up in alarm at the normally serene boy's show of rage and frustration. He whimpered slightly and ducked into his dresser drawer.
"I'm assuming the study date didn't go well," Odd said wryly. Ulrich didn't respond, but continued to hit the pillow. "Buddy, I think it's dead. You can stop killing the pillow now."
"She ran." Ulrich stopped beating the lumpy mass and clenched and unclenched his fists slowly. "She started to cry, and then she ran."
Odd leaned forward. "You should go see her."
Ulrich glared at him. "I hurt her. I don't know how, but I hurt her."
"I repeat, go talk to her. She's the only one who can give you the answers here."
"You're right." Ulrich rose and took a deep breath. "I'm going to Yumi's. Cover for me if Jim gets suspicious,
okay?"
Odd laughed. "Jim? I'll bet he's sawing more logs than the Canadian lumber industry during a good year as we speak! I wouldn't worry about him."
-----
This is like a bad chick flick, Ulrich mused as he selected a small pebble and took careful aim at the window. He had deemed it unwise to knock on the door, so that left him with Yumi's second-story bedroom window.
The pebble hit home and clicked on the glass. He knew Yumi was awake, the light was on. Moments later she appeared at her window, thrusting it open and staring down at him with tear-stained eyes.
"Go away, Ulrich," she said sourly, sniffing slightly.
"Not until you tell me what's wrong," Ulrich replied.
Yumi sighed. "I'll be right down."
-----
Ulrich waited on the sidewalk until Yumi slipped out the front door and ran down to join him. She hadn't changed out of her school clothes yet, but her shirt was stained with tears.
"What's going on," Ulrich demanded. "Did I upset you?"
Yumi shook her head, causing her hair to swish around. "It's not you."
"That what is it? Crying and running weren't the responses I expected!"
There was a long pause while Yumi considered her options. When she finally spoke, it was in a quiet voice.
"I'm a Burakumin."
Ulrich ran his eyebrows togeher. "A Bura-what?"
Tears sprang back to her eyes and Yumi clenched her fists at her sides. "Burakumin!"
"I don't know what that is!"
Yumi sniffed and took a shuddering breath. "Burakumin were those during the Tokugawa period who performed jobs that were considered unclean. That means they did jobs like butchering and disposal of the dead." Ulrich gave a shudder despite himself as Yumi continued. "There are over four million Burakumin in Japan today. It's not as bad as it used to be, but they are still persecuted by traditionalists who believe that they are 'spiritually unclean'. Sometimes they can't get jobs, or teachers and students refuse to associate with them."
She paused for a long moment before continuing. "That's the reason my parents moved to France. My father didn't tell my mother that he had Burakumin ancestry. It didn't come out until after they were married, when one of my mother's siblings had a PI look into Dad's history. I'm not even sure Dad knew himself. My mother's side of the family wanted them to divorce before they had any children, but Mom was already pregnant with me. Rather than face the ridicule, they ran."
"What does that have to do with us?"
"Don't you get it, Ulrich? I'm eta! Unclean! I won't do to anyone what my father did to my mother! Her reputation is forever tarnished by being associated with a burakumin, let alone having a child with one!"
Ulrich turned her to face him. "Stop it! I'm not Japanese, your background doesn't matter to me! All I see when I look at you is Yumi, not a Burakumin!" Ulrich was nearly shouting now.
He took a gulp of air before continuing. "I care way too much about you to hate you becaus eof something that's out of your control!"
"Really?"
"Of course," he said more quietly, pulling her into a hug.
"Thank you, Ulrich." Yumi squeezed him tightly.
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Achoo! Achoo! Ungh, I think I'm allergic to waff....
Anyway, yes the Burakumin facts are all true, I did my research. I don't know if Yumi is one or not, I simply wanted a Burakumin story with a happy ending.
Ja 'ne!
Ransomed Heart