Summery; Warning; Disclaimer: See First Chapter.
moon-dragon91011; KinokeGurl; darkkillerfairy; Fan 101; daydreamer90; Luna-Starr: Wow! I'm surprised there are so many people reading and reviewing this story! Luna-Starr - don't worry, I'm gonna explain it in this chapter. Hope you like my reasoning! I apologize for not updating sooner - I had MAJOR writers' block, damn it. But now it's gone, and I'm on a roll! I'm glad you guys think it's interesting, and I'll try to update soon for you guys! But for now...read this chapter!
Please review if you read. Ideas, comments, and suggestions are welcome.
Hatori arrived on time with the wheelchair on schedule – most of me wished that he hadn't. Tohru, who had met Akito a year before, refused to say anything about him. She helped me change into a more-appropriate outfit, and then fixed herself up. Haru and the others refused to meet my eye – which is a bad sign, isn't it…
"Now, don't say anything until he speaks to you," Shigure cautioned her, as he and Hatori wheeled her to the main building where Akito was waiting. Tohru, Kyo, and Yuki had remained behind with Momiji and the rest of the Zodiac family.
"And keep your head down," Hatori added, "Keep your answers short and simple, and be honest. Just do what he says, and you'll be fine."
"He's not going to murder me…is he?" Rayne asked, hesitating at the look the two men exchanged. Although she knew that Hatori was responsible for erasing people's memories, she hadn't yet been told that he did so on Akito's orders.
"This is crap!" Haru growled, on the verge of going Black, as the others tried to calm him.
"Shigure and 'Tori won't let anything happen to her, Haru," Momiji reassured, "I mean, Akito certainly was mad, but I'm sure he won't do anything to her…"
"Thanks for that vote of confidence, damn brat," Kyo gritted his teeth, as Tohru knelt on the ground, a worried look on her face.
"Don't worry, Haru," Yuki reassured him quietly, "Like Momiji said – nothing is going to happen with Shigure and Hatori there. So calm down before you land us in trouble."
"Whatever," he retorted, but continued to sulk in silence.
"So…you are Rayne Helton," Akito began, looking down at her. She knelt on the ground, with Hatori and Shigure placed behind her, on either side.
"Yes," she inclined her head further, keeping it low.
"You aren't nearly as pretty as I thought you would be," he continued calmly, "I don't see why Hatsuharu is attracted to you. You don't appear particularly bright, either."
Rayne's hands balled into fists, but she kept her mouth clamped shut.
"It appears that you know about our curse," Akito turned back to her, looking deceptively pleasant, "What do you intend to do with this information?"
"Do with?" she repeated in surprise, "Nothing, of course. Merely respect your trust in me."
"Decent answer," Hatori thought.
"Rayne, you know of our curse, but you have refrained from telling us your story," Akito said suddenly. Rayne blinked in surprise as he put his hand underneath her chin, and forced her eyes to meet his.
Shigure tensed, and Hatori remained alert, sensing every malicious thought that Akito intended for Rayne.
"What…what do you mean?" she asked quietly, regaining her composure.
"Don't play stupid, you little bitch," Akito hissed, and threw her head back roughly, "You have yet to explain how you can understand any language as English, and how you make your English understood by any foreigner."
"I don't know…"
"Yes, you do," he interrupted. "Those marks, on your legs – oh, don't look surprised," he laughed cruelly, "Hatori had to tell me everything, including your nightmares. Those marks on your legs aren't recent at all – in fact, they're scars from your childhood. Put there both physically and mentally."
"What are you talking about?" Shigure demanded, unable to keep silent. Hatori closed his eyes, preparing himself for what was coming. Akito had confided in Hatori earlier that day, before he called Shigure, and told him what he knew and what he was planning to do.
"If she still remains loyal to the Sohmas after this ordeal, she may be worthy to be included in our secret," Akito had concluded, and the same thought was running through both Hatori and Akito's minds at that point.
"I'm talking about what Rayne's daddy-dearest did when she was four," Akito smirked, and Rayne gasped.
"Leave my father out of it!" she yelled, and received a slap for her outburst. Cheek tingling, she glared openly at Akito, who ignored her.
"Tell them, Rayne. Tell them, or I shall – and have Hatori wipe your mind in the process," he whispered in her ear, "But I shall let him leave you with the feeling of being betrayed by your friends, to remind you to stay away from us the rest of your life."
With this threat in her mind, Rayne sucked in her breath.
"It's taking too damn long!" Haru exclaimed, pounding the floor. Ritsu gazed at him anxiously, but kept quiet.
"It is taking longer than he did with me," Tohru added hesitantly, "You don't think…Hatori's wiping her mind, do you?"
"I doubt it," Ayame said breezily, "Hatori informed before he left that he had no intention of wiping her mind, no matter what Akito did."
"Not even Hatori can fathom what Akito is capable of," Yuki said darkly, "He could have Rayne begging for Hatori to wipe her mind by the time he's done."
Tohru exchanged an anxious with Kyo, who suddenly tackled Haru as the teen stood.
"Let me go!" he yelled, once again the long-missing Black Haru. "Lemme go, Kyo, or I'll kick your damn ass across the floor!"
"Just try it," he growled, and Yuki sighed.
"At least he's occupied, for the time being," Ayame shrugged helplessly, as the Cow and Cat attempted to kill each other within the confines of the room, as Momiji watched eagerly.
"Tell them, Rayne…or else," Akito threatened. His words ringing in her ears, she bowed her head. Akito motioned Shigure and Hatori next to him, fully enjoying Rayne's emotional pain. Shigure cast a curious glance at Rayne before sitting down, and Hatori avoided looking at anything except the walls.
"A-Akito's right," she whispered, beginning her torment, "The marks on my legs…they're mostly scars. I'll get to that, though. I was four when it happened. My father – he's gone – he was a scientist, and especially interested in the ancient legends and rituals of Europe and Asia."
She paused, and Shigure blinked. Taking a deep breath, and trying to ignore Akito's look of sadistic glee, she continued.
"He had learned of a legend – a ritual – that allowed the victim to have my power to translate languages. My father, wanting to include me in his work, decided to use me to try it out. The ritual included being stabbed with 'blessed' needles, that would supposedly have a positive effect on my nerves, heightening my sense," Rayne said, keeping her gaze down, "I've had problems with my legs ever since – however, my father was right, and it worked. It had a side effect, though."
"Each time Rayne is verbally or physically abused by anyone – usually her mother – a mark appears on her legs, as a reminder of her supposed crime," Akito continued, as it was obvious that Rayne wouldn't finish. "This side effect existed because it was meant to be a punishment for the inflictor of the pain, to be reminded of the crime he had committed. Her father changed that the part of the ritual, however, to see if he could make it work."
"My father wouldn't do it to me on purpose," she hissed in defense of her long-gone parent, "He didn't mean for it to happen."
Shigure exchanged a look with Hatori, and realized that the doctor had known what Akito was planning – and that he had come to the same conclusions that Shigure had. Rayne was in denial of her father's maliciousness, and with the trusting love of a child, refused to see that her father was wrong, and believed that it was either her fault, or that he didn't mean for it to happen the way it did – even though he had.
Akito sat back, gazing eagerly at the look of pain on Rayne's face. She remained silent, refusing to meet the gazes of either of the two men.
"Well, this certainly was an enlightening visit," he said suddenly, causing Hatori to look up in surprise. "I shall look forward to our next meeting, Rayne Helton."
"I won't," she shot back, disregarding the danger of losing her memory in her anger and sorrow. Rayne wasn't nearly as loving – or forgiving – as Tohru had been to the pain Akito had caused her, and wasn't going to remain silent. "You're an evil and cruel person, Akito. You delight in ruling the Sohmas by fear – you want them to distrust anyone outside the family, so you can have complete power over them. You want to do the same to Tohru and I – rule us by fear."
With this said, she fell silent again, and waited for Hatori to wipe her mind. She flinched when she felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up in fear. To her surprise, her eyes met those of Hatori's, whose face mirrored her own inner pain.
He scooped her up, as Shigure made hasty apologies to Akito, apparently using her medication as an excuse. Akito, however, remained silent, shocked that a mere girl had spoken like that to him. For as a long as he could remember, everyone he met had been in fear and awe of him – and he knew from Hatori that Rayne's medication was definitely not the cause for her behavior.
Placing her gently in the wheelchair, Hatori wheeled her out of the room without another word to Akito, with Shigure quickly following.
"What happened?" Haru asked anxiously, the group meeting the trio outside. Rayne kept her face hidden in her hands, and Hatori's expression remained stony.
"Quite well, I believe," Shigure said with false cheerfulness, "Hatori didn't have to wipe her mind, so hopefully it'll all blow over."
"What'll blow over?" Yuki asked suspiciously, as Haru eyed Rayne with concern.
"I'll tell you later," Hatori spoke up, "Let's go home, though."
"Whoever wants to come over the house is more than welcome!" Shigure added brightly, and Tohru nodded.
"I made plenty of soba noodles and rice balls," she told them, and Momiji cheered.
"I'd like to walk home, if someone's willing to take me," Rayne requested, and Haru nodded quickly.
"Sure, I don't mind," he agreed, and Hatori nodded.
"All right. Shigure and I will drive whoever else wants to come with us. We'll meet you there," he added quietly to Rayne, who nodded absently.
"Are you all right?" Haru asked in concern. They were halfway home, and Rayne's face was still hidden in her hands. She shook her head, and he stopped pushing and crouched beside her.
She looked at him in surprise, and he frowned inwardly at the look of pain in her eyes.
"Rayne, I don't need you to tell me what happened," he began, "But…I'm here for you. We all are. I'm sorry for whatever Akito did to you. That bastard had no right, and I wish I had been there for – " He was cut off when Rayne suddenly buried her face in his chest, sobbing. He lightly put his hand on her back, willing himself not to transform.
To his delight, he remained in human form, and held Rayne as she continued to cry out her frustration and sorrow into his jacket. After a few minutes, she leaned back, embarrassed but relieved.
"You know, with those tear tracks, you're even prettier in the moonlight," he said, only half-teasing. She looked away, and he straightened, his legs stiff but uncomplaining.
"Haru – can we go home now, please?" she whispered, and he nodded.
"Of course. I didn't plan on sleeping outside," he grinned, and resumed walking. Rayne kept her head averted.
"Home," she mouthed, wishing she knew the real meaning of the word.
That was certainly one of the most painful episodes in my life, for sure. It hurts to just think about it…but then I realize that I did know the meaning of home – I just didn't realize it yet. The Sohmas were teaching me, however, and I had a lot more to learn before it was all over. Akito…what a bastard. I never saw him again, except once, and that wasn't any more pleasant than the first time. To the whole family's surprise, though, he never did die – he lived a long, albeit hate-filled and empty, life.