So here we go again folks, Miaka is back in the book to try and fix
things, but she doesn't know that yet. This story has some major twists
coming so keep an eye out!
Miaka stared up at the face of her would-be attacker. This had happened before. She had a brief moment to remember the attack, then brought her attention back to the man before her. He wasn't much to look at. He was tall and gangly, with a clean shaven face, and obviously hadn't bathed in weeks.
"No thanks. I can take care of myself," Miaka replied, turning to walk away.
She knew it was coming before he even tried. Just as her assailant tried to grab for her arm, Miaka side stepped the move and slipped her foot out to trip the man. He fell to the ground with a thud, and Miaka couldn't help but be pleased with herself. Unfortunately that small victory had left her unguarded. She had forgotten one thing, that first time she had been attacked, he hadn't been alone.
Strong arms grabbed her from behind, nearly snapping the bones in her wrist. Miaka could feel her heart hammering in her chest. She struggled against the arms that held her in a vice like grip.
"Come on now, and behave yourself. If you play real nice we promise not to hurt you."
"Get bent," Miaka replied, throwing back her head and smashing it into her captor's nose, shattering the bone and cartilage.
"You bitch! You're gonna pay for that!"
Miaka looked around for a way out. If she remembered correctly Tamahome should have already arrived by now. Where was he?
The three thugs circled around her, drawing closer when suddenly trumpets sounded at the mouth of the alleyway.
"It's the emperor's guard! We gotta get out of here! Come on!" one of them said.
"Not just yet, I wanna pay her back for my nose."
"We don't have time for that!"
There was a quick flash and suddenly there was an intense aching in Miaka's stomach where the second thug slammed his fist into her stomach. She doubled over in pain, clutching at her stomach. Unfortunately the beating did not stop with that single kick. Over and over Miaka's assailant punched and kicked her until, "Just leave her! The guards are almost here!"
Miaka watched as her assailants ran away and fought against the growing darkness in her head. It felt as if her skull were trying to split apart and shift itself around in her head. She lay there in the dank alley, beaten, crying, and feeling very much afraid. Why hadn't Tamahome rescued her? He should have been there. That's the way it happened, isn't? Scalding tears ran down her face as she struggled to move. Every nerve in her body cried out in agony. There was blood on her clothes, and for the life of her she could not remember why there was such a large crimson stain on her blouse. Looking down, Miaka cried out in terror as she realized that there was a six inch bladed dagger lodged in her abdomen, and the blood from the wound was coming fast. If she didn't get help soon things could go very badly.
With shaking legs and shallow breaths, Miaka managed stand, only to find herself leaning heavily against the wall of the alley for support. She stumbled along the edge of the wall, each stepping taking more effort than the one before. Suddenly she fell to the ground as her legs seemed to slip out from beneath her.
"Come on Yuki, you're a big strong girl, you can tie your own shoes and everything. Keep going. You have to keep going!" she thought to herself.
Using what strength she could Miaka pushed herself off of the ground and stumbled out of the alley and into the busy city streets. The brightness of the sun after being in that alley blinded, leaving her momentarily helpless.
"Hey, get out of the way!" someone shouted.
"She'll be killed!"
There were shouts from all around, and Mika fought desperately to see what the on coming threat was, but her eyes had not yet adjusted to the light. What she could not see was the procession of horses and guards that would trample her if she did not move out of the center of the street. One of the horses near her reared back on its legs as the soldier atop it fought to keep from trampling her.
The last thing Miaka saw before she was consumed by the pain of her own aching body was the forelegs of a horse coming toward her.
There were voices, quiet, worried voices. Where was she? Was she dead? What had happened. Miaka vaguely recalled the horses legs coming down on her, and the attack in the alley. It was too much of an effort to open her eyes so she lay quietly, listening to the voices.
"She's sustained several critical injuries, it will take awhile for her to recover."
"But she will recover?"
"It would seem so. She was talking in her sleep, at this point I'm not sure what to think. I'll be back in the morning to check on her."
The voices faded down the hall, and Miaka was left to the darkness and her own thoughts.
"Tamahome...where are you? I waited for you but you didn't come.
Why weren't you there? Where are you...I'm scared...and
alone...please...Tamahome..."
That was the last thought in her mind before she succumber to
unconsciousness once more.
Miaka stared up at the face of her would-be attacker. This had happened before. She had a brief moment to remember the attack, then brought her attention back to the man before her. He wasn't much to look at. He was tall and gangly, with a clean shaven face, and obviously hadn't bathed in weeks.
"No thanks. I can take care of myself," Miaka replied, turning to walk away.
She knew it was coming before he even tried. Just as her assailant tried to grab for her arm, Miaka side stepped the move and slipped her foot out to trip the man. He fell to the ground with a thud, and Miaka couldn't help but be pleased with herself. Unfortunately that small victory had left her unguarded. She had forgotten one thing, that first time she had been attacked, he hadn't been alone.
Strong arms grabbed her from behind, nearly snapping the bones in her wrist. Miaka could feel her heart hammering in her chest. She struggled against the arms that held her in a vice like grip.
"Come on now, and behave yourself. If you play real nice we promise not to hurt you."
"Get bent," Miaka replied, throwing back her head and smashing it into her captor's nose, shattering the bone and cartilage.
"You bitch! You're gonna pay for that!"
Miaka looked around for a way out. If she remembered correctly Tamahome should have already arrived by now. Where was he?
The three thugs circled around her, drawing closer when suddenly trumpets sounded at the mouth of the alleyway.
"It's the emperor's guard! We gotta get out of here! Come on!" one of them said.
"Not just yet, I wanna pay her back for my nose."
"We don't have time for that!"
There was a quick flash and suddenly there was an intense aching in Miaka's stomach where the second thug slammed his fist into her stomach. She doubled over in pain, clutching at her stomach. Unfortunately the beating did not stop with that single kick. Over and over Miaka's assailant punched and kicked her until, "Just leave her! The guards are almost here!"
Miaka watched as her assailants ran away and fought against the growing darkness in her head. It felt as if her skull were trying to split apart and shift itself around in her head. She lay there in the dank alley, beaten, crying, and feeling very much afraid. Why hadn't Tamahome rescued her? He should have been there. That's the way it happened, isn't? Scalding tears ran down her face as she struggled to move. Every nerve in her body cried out in agony. There was blood on her clothes, and for the life of her she could not remember why there was such a large crimson stain on her blouse. Looking down, Miaka cried out in terror as she realized that there was a six inch bladed dagger lodged in her abdomen, and the blood from the wound was coming fast. If she didn't get help soon things could go very badly.
With shaking legs and shallow breaths, Miaka managed stand, only to find herself leaning heavily against the wall of the alley for support. She stumbled along the edge of the wall, each stepping taking more effort than the one before. Suddenly she fell to the ground as her legs seemed to slip out from beneath her.
"Come on Yuki, you're a big strong girl, you can tie your own shoes and everything. Keep going. You have to keep going!" she thought to herself.
Using what strength she could Miaka pushed herself off of the ground and stumbled out of the alley and into the busy city streets. The brightness of the sun after being in that alley blinded, leaving her momentarily helpless.
"Hey, get out of the way!" someone shouted.
"She'll be killed!"
There were shouts from all around, and Mika fought desperately to see what the on coming threat was, but her eyes had not yet adjusted to the light. What she could not see was the procession of horses and guards that would trample her if she did not move out of the center of the street. One of the horses near her reared back on its legs as the soldier atop it fought to keep from trampling her.
The last thing Miaka saw before she was consumed by the pain of her own aching body was the forelegs of a horse coming toward her.
There were voices, quiet, worried voices. Where was she? Was she dead? What had happened. Miaka vaguely recalled the horses legs coming down on her, and the attack in the alley. It was too much of an effort to open her eyes so she lay quietly, listening to the voices.
"She's sustained several critical injuries, it will take awhile for her to recover."
"But she will recover?"
"It would seem so. She was talking in her sleep, at this point I'm not sure what to think. I'll be back in the morning to check on her."
The voices faded down the hall, and Miaka was left to the darkness and her own thoughts.
"Tamahome...where are you? I waited for you but you didn't come.
Why weren't you there? Where are you...I'm scared...and
alone...please...Tamahome..."
That was the last thought in her mind before she succumber to
unconsciousness once more.