trigger warnings: physical abuse, verbal abuse, child murder mention, suicidal ideation
Dark and cold. Usually, no more sensations registered about the underground cell where P'Li was always put until Daigo needed her again. It also represented the conditions she hated the most, for much different reasons than the hindrance of her abilities…
Lien-Hua, as every other kid of her age, was afraid of the dark. Back then in happier times, P'Li often woke up in the middle of the night just to find her standing in front of her bed, with frightened eyes. After crawling next to her, Lien-Hua slept soundly, without distractions. When they got captured, this little routine had to stop. Well, Lien-Hua's cell was a lot more snug than hers, at least. Still, both sisters had missed the company of each other.
After her death, P'Li would rather listen to Lien-Hua's quiet sobs and cries during her frequent nightmares than hear just occasional water dripping. It broke her heart over and over again, knowing there was nothing to return to anymore. She had become cold, so cold…
Of course, soon loneliness had been replaced by burning hatred towards Daigo, searing her alive, the only kind of heat she'd ever experience again, determining the only purpose and desire of her remaining life - to kill him, to see his blood smeared all over her hands. Not even to break free, such wishes were for those who still had something to return to. However, the truth kept showing its malicious sneer until she couldn't stay blind to it. She was but a toy in Daigo's hands, her life depending entirely on his whims.
It'll soon be over, or at least I wish it would. Daigo saves his sick ideas to night, when I'm practically defenseless. He should be here any moment.
The walls of her confined cell glistened dimly with droplets of water. P'Li only recognized the night when the already low temperature dropped even more and she fell asleep shivering under her blanket, fire inside her almost forgotten.
When Daigo comes, I won't show any fear, no matter what he does.
As if to test her resolution, the creaking sound of elevator opening gave away the visitor. He was coming.
Daigo's quick steps on uneven floor echoed, until they stopped in front of her cell. He opened the thick metal door and walked in, a small flame in his hand to see his victim. Yellow light danced on walls, but P'Li couldn't enjoy the warmth. Daigo purposely kept it from her, even as he stepped closer. She remained sitting motionless on her bed, as if his presence didn't fill her stomach with heavy dread.
"I heard some interesting information about your morning mission," he spoke. It always started like this - his voice strictly neutral, but the anger was there, like a wild river, searching and pushing into every gap in a barrier, just about to burst through.
She remained quiet. Each time she expressed having a mind of her own only fueled his rage, the most during his accusations.
"You hesitated and missed. Your victim is still alive. I ordered you to kill him." Each punctuation served as a demand of explanation.
Still silence.
She didn't even see his hand moving to grip her hair, making her cry out, tilting her head back and forcing her to meet his eyes. Even in her usual slouching, his full height reached her chin. He never missed out an opportunity to look down on her, in every sense.
"After all these years of wasting my time, you still dare to disobey me. You live only to fulfill my wishes. You were born as a monster, with lethal abilities. You were destined to end up like this, no one would ever accept such a freak," his tone barely rose above disdainful hissing, but the more deadly its effect - like a snake leaking venom into a wound.
Despite her decision to stay strong, his words seeped through her defences into her mind. He only said out loud her very own thoughts. Everything what happened… it was only her fault. Without her, Lien-Hua, her parents, would be still alive. She had brought this curse upon them.
"And you still want to think you have humanity to spare. How pathetic."
P'Li tried to convince herself those tears welling up in her eyes were because of rough pull on her scalp, but both of them knew the real reason.
He let go suddenly, as if the contact stained him.
"I should've ended this pitiful excuse of a combustionbender a long time ago, but it'd only bring me back to the beginning," Daigo was muttering, pacing around in her cell, not even speaking to her anymore.
"I've had my doubts, but also a plenty of ways how to break any remains of resistance. But now, I won't need to anymore. Those twins might be what I've been looking for. And who knows… maybe'll learn as well, after all."
What was he talking about?
Then he stopped and looked at her. "Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't wait with your punishment. Tonight, I have more important matter to get ready for. If everything goes smoothly, I won't have to put up with this nonsense ever again. You'll end just like your sister, both useless and waste of my time."
So he plans to kill me. P'Li couldn't help but feel a bit of relief. Unfortunately, it didn't escape his notice.
"Oh, don't think it will be that simple," he smirked. "I am not done yet."
P'Li retreated when he leaned closer again.
"You have no idea just how absolutely I have your pitiful life in my hands. After all that trouble during those years, I won't let you out of this so easily," sadistic gleam in his eyes as he reached out terrified P'Li beyond anything he had said before.
She jerked away, only to feel cold stone against her back. His face twisted into a wicked grimace she'd normally witness only in nightmares. Even though previously, she'd braced herself to stay unaffected and accept any fate, she couldn't stand his sick games anymore. He must have thought of something even worse than anything from before, his expression pure sick anticipation. Her survival instincts kicked in.
"Don't you dare to touch me again!" P'Li screamed and sunk her teeth deep into the meat of his palm, taste of his skin and blood almost making her retch, but she pushed deeper, to inflict as much pain as possible. Her own blood throbbed in her ears, drowning out his cries.
A hit to her left cheek nearly knocked her out. Her vision blurry, she faintly registered his ragged breaths and deeply regretted he hadn't put enough force in that punch to kill her.
"You'll regret you were ever born when I'm done with you," he grunted, forcing words through his teeth.
"Luckily for you, I already wasted too much time." a sharp noise of metal door slamming, then fading footsteps, the only proof he was really leaving, not hiding in the dark to continue where he had left off.
P'Li held back her bitter tears until she was sure he wasn't coming back; there was only so much she could take. Underground tunnel was soon echoing with helpless sobs. Salt stung her already swelling cheek, to remind her that even in her solitude, his marks were permanent. In a way, a bit of his presence always stuck on her.
What have I accomplished by that? Now, when adrenaline slowly washed away from her bloodstream, her act seemed foolish and meaningless.
He'll repay me hundreds of times before he ends it. Why couldn't I make him so mad that he'd have killed me instantly?
Blind fear overrode her thoughts until it hurt to breathe and she thought she'd pass out, crushed by her panic. Hours or minutes could have passed, it hardly mattered. Her only mercy was the silence when a dreamless sleep of exhaustion finally took her away from it all.
Update 2021: I swear, with each touch-up I do, I detest this fucker more and more. Someone give this poor child a hug.