CONTENT WARNING: TORTURE. Cult/ritualistic torture. To avoid it, skip from
"She struggled to breathe..."
to
"If it's all
to see him
alive,
I
don't
mind."
Otherwise, there are a lot of memories in this chapter.
{-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-}
"Aki-ki! Aki-ki, wake up!"
"No… don't wanna…"
"Aki-ki!"
Grumbling, the girl sat up, rubbing her eyes lazily. "Whaaat?"
The pink haired boy that had been shaking her pounced, and they tussled on top of the bed. "Zeref-nii thinks we can get in the library again!" he said gleefully, lunging at her.
Aki's eyes sparkled as she dodged. She slid carefully from the bed and scurried to the closet, grabbing an asymmetrical, white dress. "Why didn't you say so sooner!"
"I tried to!" he retorted indignantly. "You were too busy sleeping!"
She scowled as she dipped behind a screen to change. "Fine, fine! Where is Zeref-oni?"
"He said he'd meet us outside the house! He wanted us to bring a bag, too."
Her grin broadened. "We're getting new books today, Natsu-nii-chan!"
Natsu made a kissy face. "I don't care about that! Books from Zeref-nii's school are always so boring! I can't understand them!"
"Well, I'll learn some magic from those boring books and impress you, Nii-chan!" Aki said excitedly, dashing out from screen and barreling towards him. He reacted so quickly it seemed he'd known beforehand, grabbing her hands and spinning her around one-eighty before depositing her on the floor. "How do you do that?" she whined, picking herself up.
He smirked, puffing his chest out. "Because I got Dad's fighting strength!" he declared proudly.
She pouted, her mouth scrunching to the side. "Whatever, let's go already!"
"I was waiting for you!"
They dashed out of the room and through the small cottage's kitchen. He shot straight through the door, but she climbed, carefully, onto the windowsill, looking around with narrowed eyes. She spotted her big-big brother listening, arms crossed and unimpressed, to Natsu. She grinned.
Target spotted.
"Aki-ki wanted something to eat!" Natsu was saying, arms waving around exaggeratedly.
Zeref sighed in exasperation – though secretly very amused by his siblings' antics – and started towards the house. As he passed the window, Aki threw herself at him. He caught her easily, swinging her around in a full circle before setting her down and ruffling her hair, laughing.
"How did you know?" Aki, as soon as she was finished giggling, demanded, pushing his hand off her head importantly. "I know you couldn't see me! I made sure yesterday!"
Zeref snickered. "Since when did you care more about food than the chance to get some new books?"
Aki lifted a finger, opening her mouth, ready to protest, but didn't speak. After a minute, she scowled, folding her arms across her tiny chest and puffing her cheek out. "You're right," she admitted grudgingly, "but I figured food was the best option!"
Zeref grinned. "Let's go," he beckoned, starting off down the pathway leading from their house to the main road.
His siblings didn't need telling twice; they took off after their elder brother immediately. Natsu, who could have reached Zeref easily, kept pace with his sister, eyeing her awkward gait anxiously.
Zeref, glancing back, started to slow down, but Aki forestalled him with a bark, "Don't you dare! I can keep up with you both!"
He nodded, knowing how Aki would get if he didn't do as she said – or, at least, seemed to do as she said. He still slowed down a bit, only surreptitiously.
They caught up with him as he reached the main road, and Aki accelerated, pulling ahead of her brothers. "Hah!" she panted triumphantly, keeping a foot in front of Zeref. "Zeref-oni… you're so… slow!"
Zeref laughed. "You can keep up with us, Aki-ki."
"Are you… making fun… of me?" she bristled, glaring back at him and promptly slipping; Zeref caught her without stopping.
"Aki-ki, don't overdo it!" Natsu said worriedly, looking up at her in Zeref's arms.
He hadn't used to take much mind of how his sister seemed to grow tired too quickly, to run out of breath doing simple tasks, to fall asleep literally anywhere, but ever since she had fallen out of that tree, he had become extremely attentive to her condition.
She, however, scowled at him from Zeref's arms. "I was doing… just… just fine!" she panted, trying to sound like what she said. "Just 'cause I… got distracted-"
"We know, Aki-ki," Zeref soothed, carefully not looking down at her, though he wanted to. "But we had a deal, so whether or not you're actually tired doesn't matter."
Aki didn't respond. She tried to look like she was pouting, not catching her breath, but she knew that they knew that she was exhausted from the short run. "Why can't I keep up with… Nii-chan?" she asked suddenly, looking down at her hands, eyebrows furrowing.
Zeref and Natsu shared a look.
"It's because all of you is made for being smart!" Natsu declared firmly.
Aki grinned a little. She seemed to think of something and sniggered. "I was going to say that Zeref-oni's smart, too, but still strong, but he's not nearly as brilliant as me! What am I going to do?" she fretted dramatically, throwing a forlorn hand to her forehead.
They all laughed, Aki immoderately, trying to compensate for the twist of frustration that never left her.
She struggled to breathe; it felt like an elephant was taking a nap on her, and she couldn't drag in enough air to think straight.
When it subsided slightly, she drew in the longest breaths she could out of habit. Though she hadn't needed to bother in four hundred years, her body hadn't forgotten what had been grilled into it: When you can't breathe, try to take in long breaths, slow and deep – don't breathe sharply, don't panic.
Gradually, the elephant rolled off her, leaving her to take in great lungfuls of air. Her vacationing head reluctantly fixed itself back onto her neck, and the world existed.
"これはべつにいみんぐがないわよ.
"ちょっとこわいいかんじだな.
"すきでわないぞ."
She felt something thick running along her arm and tried, reflexively, to pull it to her, but it was strapped down. She struggled, fingers flexing, finding the rest of her body likewise immobile.
"これはべつにいみんぐがないわよ.
"ちょっとこわいいかんじだな.
"すきでわないぞ."
The thick sensation had become a sharp, burning pain. She grunted, finding something in her mouth, straining to move as the burning started at her wrist, winding like a cliff path up her arm, leaving behind a stream of pain. When it reached her shoulder it was removed, only to start again at her other wrist, tracing, presumably, the same pattern.
"これはべつにいみんぐがないわよ.
"ちょっとこわいいかんじだな.
"すきでわないぞ."
She shook herself – mentally, of course, still bound tightly – trying to think, to make sense of reality. Something metallic filled her mouth and nose, the sound of people chanting slavishly surrounding her. She forced her eyes open, squinting blindly up at a fuzzy bright light.
It was slightly obscured as two shapes swam into view on either side of her, and her vision blacked out, the world swirling nauseatingly as her head was lifted.
When it was laid back down, returning some of her senses to her weary brain, she felt something new tied around her head, and, opening her eyes, found it to be a blindfold.
She groaned as the thick liquid started dripping over her arms again, and, panicking, she flexed her magic. She found it accessible, if distant and heavy, and pulled on it.
She almost immediately stopped, shuddering; something she couldn't place had changed, leaving behind a cold clamminess.
"You seem to have forgotten our deal, Kami-sama," Aki jerked as a honeyed voice whispered in her ear. The voice had helped her realize that the chanting had stopped, the world eerily silent in its absence.
She needed to move. She reached for her magic once more, but was stopped again as another said, "Natsu-sama will die" —her eyes widened under the blindfold— "then, but, if you wish to, you have every right to kill us all, Kami-sama."
That's right…
She let the magic that must have been swirling tangibly about her dissipate.
The voice tutted, apparently disappointed. "Kami-sama Aki," it said mournfully, "we will reawaken you, and you will soon remember how little others' lives matter."
Aki tried to speak, but could only manage a grunt through the gag in her mouth.
"I am so very sorry for the gag, Kami-sama, but we can't have you interrupting the ritual."
The glutinous liquid was being dripped onto her arms, the macabre chanting starting up again.
"これはべつにいみんぐがないわよ.
"ちょっとこわいいかんじだな.
"すきでわないぞ.
"これはべつにいみんぐがな-"
Aki sank back into her mind. She blocked out the present, instead rolling her dream around in her head. How long since she had had a good memory kind of dream? She had plenty of nightmares revolving around the past, but the ten or so years she had spent human had been drowned out by centuries tainted existence, leaving all dreams to be nonsense or frightening, good no longer on the menu.
She dimly registered her gagged screams, the scalding blades on her arms now joined by a third on her midriff. It was preferable to mental torture, certainly, but the burn of white-hot knives carving archaic patterns over her skin still affected her, tugging at her mind and unraveling her thoughts before she could read them, closing the curtains on her world and plunging it into darkness and agony.
If it's all
to see him
alive,
I
don't
mind.
|\\\/\\\/\\\/|
"Aki-ki, let's climb that tree!"
"Okay!
"I can't… get… any… further!"
"I'll show you how! Hold on…
"See? Climb from this branch to this one, and then reach over to this one!
"Aki-ki, that branch!
"You're so slow!"
"I can't… reach it…"
"Oh… Are you not strong enough?"
"N-no! No! I'm fine! I'll- I'll get higher than Nii-chan!"
"Yeah! You can do it! Come on!
"That branch!
"Why are you shaking? Are you okay?"
"'m… fine…! Just… focus…"
"Then hurry up already!
"Aki-ki!
"Aki-ki, are you okay?!
"I'm coming down!
"Aki-ki, what's wrong? Aki-ki? Wake up! Come on, wake up already! Aki-ki?!
"Nii-chan will carry you home, don't worry!
"Why are you sticky?
"… what… this…?
"Mom! Dad! HELP!"
…
"…ver here!
"She's h-here!"
"Aki-ki, can you hear me?! Aki-ki?!
"What were you doing, Natsu!?"
"We- we were climbing this tree!"
"How did she get all the way over here?"
"I tried to pull her back 'cause- 'cause she wasn't moving, but then she was all sticky, and there was all a lot of blood and I- I- I was scared she'd get more h-hurt!"
"Ho-oh-kay… You did a good job, Natsu."
"…Why are you wrapping her head in your toga?"
"She's badly hurt. Remember there was blood? This will help until we- … get home.
"...You did a good job, Natsu, don't cry."
"B-but- but I left her 'cause I was sc-scared!"
"You left her because you knew it would hurt her to move her. It was very smart, Natsu."
"You're moving her!"
"I can pick her all the way up. Right, let's go!"
"R-right!"
|\\\/\\\/\\\/|
"… mommy…?"
"Aki-ki-!"
"Shh!"
"Aki-chan, I'm here! Mommy's right here! How are you feeling?"
"My… my head hurts…"
"You fell out of a tree, Aki-chan. Your brothers brought you back home."
"Nii-chan… yeah… I was too tired…"
"Tired? What do you mean, Aki-chan?"
"I was… tired… when I got to the branch… My body was all trembly."
"… What else, Aki-chan? What else did you feel?"
"… my… my head was… it was… spinning…"
"Aki-chan! Aki-chan, don't close your eyes! Stay with Mommy!"
"Aki-ki!"
|\\\/\\\/\\\/|
"… what…?"
"Aki-tan, Daddy's here. Natsu-bo and Zeref-bo are-"
"Why can't I see!? Daddy! I can't- why?! Why can't I s-see?!"
"She can't-?!"
"Shh! Mom told us, remember?"
"N-nii-chan?"
"Aki-ki!"
"Natsu, lower your voice!"
"We asked the doctor, Aki-tan. He said that you hit your head too hard."
"So I c-can't s-see anymore?!"
"No, no. He said you should be able to see again soon enough. Don't worry."
"But- but then, why couldn't I see right before I hit my head?"
"What do you mean?"
"When I tried to grab the branch, it wasn't really there."
"… Mom said that your head was spinning, too."
"Yeah… Natsu-nii-chan climbed up the tree so fast, and I wanted to climb, t-too…"
"It's okay, sweetheart, don't cry."
"But- but why did my body hurt? Did Natsu-nii-chan hurt, too?"
"I'm fine, Aki-ki! Don't worry about me!"
"Speak quieter!"
"Sorry…"
"N-nii…"
|\\\/\\\/\\\/|
"Aki-chan, the doctor says that you have a frail body. Your lungs especially have a hard time. Do you know what that means?"
"…"
"It means that it gets tired really easily, and your lungs are too weak to pull in enough air sometimes. That's why you fell."
"I-I'm not weak!"
"It doesn't mean you're weak, sweetheart, it just means your body is tired out easily. Your mind and spirit are strong."
"But- but I don't want a weak body! I don't want- I don't-!"
"It's okay, sweetheart."
"… no… I'm scared…"
"Mommy and Daddy are right here, Aki-chan, and so are Natsu-nii-chan and Zeref-nii-chan."
"Don't cry, Aki-ki! We'll help you!"
"But I don't w-want to be h-helped! I want to be- be- be- self- self-self-lf-f-"
"Aki-chan?!"
"Aki-ki!"
"She's choking – get the doctor!"
"Hold her on her side!"
"Help her up! Off her back!"
"Aki-ki!"
|\\\/\\\/\\\/|
"…Natsu-nii-chan…?
"N-Natsu-nii-chan, where are you…"
"Mnmm, I don' wanna… Aki-ki! You're awake?"
"Yeah…"
"What's wrong? Is your breathing okay?"
"…Is it nighttime?"
"Yeah."
"Then why aren't you sleeping with me? And where's Zeref-oni?"
"The doctor said you needed to rest alone…"
"… 'cause I'm too weak…?"
"Of course not! You're not weak at all! It's my fault that- Aki-ki! Don't cry! Aki-ki!"
"But- but you're not- you're not next to me anym-more… and Zeref-oni's not ei-either… I can't even- can't- I can't see! I- I- I'm just- w-w-"
"No! No, that's wrong! All wrong! Uh, uhm, hold on! I'll go get Zeref-nii right now!"
"…No…
"…please…
"…don't leave me…"
…
"Wh-who's there!?"
"It's okay, Aki-ki, it's me."
"Z-Zeref-oni?"
"Yeah."
"But… but Natsu-nii-chan said– W-who- Natsu-nii-chan?"
"Yeah! Zeref-nii said that we could sleep with you and you're plenty strong!"
"… but you said… the doctor…"
"Who cares what that stupid-"
"Natsu, don't call the doctor stupid."
"-doctor said? We're gonna be here forev-ow!"
"We'll never leave you, Aki-ki."
"P-promise?"
"Of course."
"Zeref-nii! That hurt- huh? Oh, of course! We'll always be here!"
"N-Nii-chan…"
|\\\/\\\/\\\/|
"…Nii-chan! I don't- don't leave me!"
"We won't-"
"I can't f-feel you! I'm scared you're not there anymore! I don't want you to leave! Please- I'm sorry!"
"It's nothing to be sorry for, Aki-ki."
"But- but you're not there anymore-!"
"Hmmmmmmmmmm. Guess we'll just have to hug you to sleep, then."
"Aw, yeah! We'll hug you for the rest of your life!"
"R-really?"
"Yeah!"
"You won't let go?"
"Never!"
"Never, Aki-ki."
"Haha…
"…I love Nii-chan, lots… lots… I really… I do…
"…'m tired…"
"Go to sleep."
"… but-"
"We'll be here, don't worry! We won't leave!"
"We'll always be here, Aki-ki."
"…Promise?"
"We promise."
"Yeah! Promise!"
"Okay…
"… I love… Nii…"
"We love you too, Aki-ki."
"Love you too, Aki-ki!"
{-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-}
You have got to tell me if you could tell who was who in that last flashback! `(*﹏*)′ I had so much fun writing the flash-back, and I didn't even originally plan to only have dialogue. I wrote down the draft of what had happened (a literal block of text) and then started to type. I was struggling, so I told myself, 'Fine. Don't bother with all the descriptions and explanations and usual stuff. Just write the dialogue. It'll grow from there.' So that's what I did. Except, then, well, I mean, it did grow from there haha. Just not the way I expected. It was a really fun challenge or something; having to make the dialogue alone convey tone and speaker etc. I think it helped my dialogue overall, because I did it a second time in another of my stories (Eighth Homunculus) and had a much easier time of it. And I think it was still clear who was speaking. It was really fun.
When little Aki calls Zeref "Zeref-oni" it is a sort of play on words/nickname. There are a lot of ways to address an older brother in Japanese, one being "Name-o-nii." "Oni," meanwhile, means demon or ogre. In Japanese stories, demons—akuma—can be ethically/morally good, and more than occasionally are—it is a much lighter term than the western 'demon.' Together, she is jokingly saying 'jerk big brother.' I think. I made this up on my own. If anyone is Japanese, you can tell me if that is totally incorrect.
The Japanese portion means-yes, I know I'm really funny, you don't need to tell me-"This doesn't have any real meaning, you know. It has a bit of a scary feel to it, huh? I don't like it."
Thank you for reading!
Previous Question (V)
Which vile villain do you hate the most? (NOT objectively. Choose the one that gives you the strongest feelings of anger/hate/disgust/etc.)
My Answer: Zoldeo, the guy who was given Capricorn's key and then took him over. In second is Jiemma, the former master of Sabertooth, and then the minor villain Vivaldus, that guy from the Tower of Heaven arc with the rock'n'roll music and dumb hair.
I was going to say Kyouka (or one of the other Demon Gates), but she was literally created to be like that – she's basically a wild animal following instincts – so… I didn't think it counted (not that I don't think she is a 'bad guy'). But yeah. If it did, then Kyouka wins by a huge margin. Then Keyes. Dragons I hate Kyouka, though.
New Question (VI)
Besides Fairy Tail, which guild would you most want to enter? Must be a guild; not Spriggan Twelve or Magic Council or Rune Knights. Includes Official, Dark, and Independent guilds.