Prequel Chapter 8: AJ's Sadism
Yikes, it's cold! This rain is the worst! And why does my forehead hurt so much?
Somebody picked me up, I couldn't see who, it's no voice I recognize! Why am I lying on the streets in the rain?
"_ your hat!"
"What?" I asked her to clarify. I think it's a girl, I could barely hear through this harsh wind.
"Not now, _rle!" A different girl yelled. "We gotta bring all bring Amitie home before she catches a cold!"
"Oh, good idea!"
I yelped. A girl picked me up, she's strong. Still didn't get a good look. Huh? It's suddenly less windy. The rain's still too loud to hear anything.
"I shall gather her things you take her home." A deep manly voice yelled. I tried to look but my face's buried in this girl's blue cape. Who even wears capes!? I can't see it but I'm wearing a bracelet. Since when? Why am I wearing shorts and no sleeves in a storm? Why am I even in the storm in the first place? Wh-why do I have a funny feeling in my chest? Guess I have to wait until can HEAR THEM!
"You're home. Want we to take you to bed too?" The caped girl asked like we're friends or something. I'm taking the opportunity, though. "Drop me on the couch." I mumbled. I lied down on it and I grabbed couch blanket to cover myself up. I noticed my arm's longer. I'm so cold!
I got a good look at the four. One's a yellow rabbit thing, all that ugly thing has said was Gugu. I take it back, that thing is kinda cute. There's a big tall, long green-haired guy, with horns too. Hey, dork, aren't you a bit too old for Halloween?
There's a brunette girl wearing that cape, the cape is red on the inside. She kinda looks like a lame superhero. How old is she? How am I for that matter? "How old am I?" I repeated that one out loud, I need answers.
The two girls looked at me funny. I frowned and that got a weirder reaction out of them. "What's so funny?!" I demanded to know.
"Are you okay, Amitie?" The curly pigtailed redhead called me Amitie! The nerve! But I'll let that slide for now.
"Answer me!" They jumped.
"Fourteen!" The redhead blurted out.
"F-Fourteen!?" That… I do like a teen… "What happened?! Who are you people!?"
So we talked it out. My head hurts. I missed nine years of my life! The redhead thinks it's because I fell on my head! I rubbed my forehead. It hurts. I cried. I didn't want these strangers to see it. I turned away from them. I don't know why. I would've kicked them out by now.
"We're sorry, Ami-" I slapped the brunette hand away. Staring at them with anger.
"Don't touch me!"
"S-Sorry." She retracted.
"So who are you guys?" I asked. "My cousins or something?"
"Yikes. I hate to tell you this but your whole demeanor a little…"
"Like what, what Superzero!?"
"S-Super… zero?" She was more confused than insulted.
"Talk to my Arly like that again and I-"
"Wow."
"Gu!"
The superzero and her bunny held back that devil guy. The redhead chuckled nervously. "You had a nicer personality."
"What." Was all I can say. "Am I in the wrong universe?" My gut tells me she's right though.
"You're not."
"But we are."
"What the hell is happening?!"
"Want us to fill you in, Amitie?" The redhead asked. I'm not gonna correct them on the name. All they've probably known me as was Amitie and that the least of my problems. I'm gonna force them to say AJ when I get sick of it.
I sighed deeply. "You freaking better." I mumbled.
"Let's start with reintroductions…"
I barely listened to their names.
"Heh, it's actually kinda funny, when I first met you had amnesia too."
"Shut up, nerd!" I screamed at Ringo… I think. "Don't make fun of me!"
"I don't mean to offend you."
"Really? You're doing a good job of it, anyway."
"So do you, you're pretty sharp for being mentally five. But I bring this up because you got your memory back with a Puyo battle. Do you know how to play?"
"I'll play on my own later, I'm still cold." Ringo seemed confused.
"Okay… Suit yourself. It be nice to see the old you again."
"I agree."
"Me too."
"Guu gu." Arle, Satan, and Carbuncle replied. Can't they leave me alone already? Am. Am I enjoying their presence? What's wrong with me? What have I been the past nine years? A wimp?
"What's the last thing you can remember?" Arle asked. After all this, they're still here for me… Why is my chest beating? Is this gonna kill me? At this point it better. I sat straight up, clasping against my head, trying to remember.
"My head's so blurry." I remember every time except the last thing. "Can you guys bug me later? I wanna be alone! I-I need to find myself…" I got up to look around the house.
The four looked at each other. "Okay, we'll go for something to trigger your memory."
"And maybe the Amitie we knew…"
"Gu…"
"Remember." Satan said something. "You are five, don't do anything rash. Where are your parents?"
And that word! Parents! That sparked the memory, whatever Amitie and Melody did, they forced me to be nice! The blow to my head must've made me me again! Hmm. Nah. Maybe a bit too stupid to be real. "Where are they?" I tried to say as calm as possible.
"You said they were out camping."
"We're supposed to help you with your chores."
"CHORES!?" Those jerks! First, I became a weeny and then they make me do chores!
"You okay?"
"Just leave me alone already! I can take care of myself!"
They've been gone for a little while now. I explored my house for the first time in… Not gonna finish that sentence. I wiping my tears just thinking about it.
And yup. This is my house alright, changed by time… I barely recognize it… Full of stuff I don't like. Stuff I'm gonna wreck as soon as Amitie and Melody are back.
I also noticed Buddy wasn't here anymore. Why do I miss him?
I left my room for last. I have a funny feeling this will tell me what I was like… Mr. Discord told me as much. 'You can tell a lot about a person by their room.' My memories could come back. That'll be a worse feeling… I'd might be just as confused as I am now. Maybe more… This has gotta be a nightmare. I'm not ready. I'm not ready to see what's in my room. I'm not ready to be a teenager. I'm not ready to chew out Amitie and Melody. I… I-I am j-just not ready…
I sucked it up and entered. They did a really half-hearted job of cleaning my room! What's this? Kids magazines? Aren't I fourteen? And… Superhero comics? What? Board games? I have friends to play them with? Some other kiddy junk was lying about… I know I'm a kindergarter- Was one. But still. What's cool then isn't for a stinking teenager!
I don't like it, but I don't hate it. Just a little bit too girly for me. And this is what I have to live with until they come back… I stuck my tongue out and pointed my finger at it. I think that means disgust.
Where are my plans!? This makes me so angry. I feel good enough to reintroduce myself to everyone! No need for plans, need to start freaking over again… There's still time in the day. And no cloud's in the sky? How? It was pouring a just moment ago.
Anyway, I saw myself in the mirror. I look like a clown. I hate clowns. This ugly blue and pink shirt… It's not even a shirt! No sleeves and a hood. What is this? Did that creepy skeleton make this?
I left the boots downstairs. I don't like them either.
I'm okay with the shorts, but I'm still ditching them. These clothes are still very wet.
While I was searching the house for more normal stuff to wear. I looked at many gross pictures. In all of them I wore a dumb hat. It does look familiar. Could I look any more dumb? Geez, this makes Klug look cool in comparison.
Is that Raffine? Klug? Lidelle!? That ugly thing? Why do I look so happy and friendly with them? They look happy too! And that's what gets me. I ruined everything I worked for? Why would I do that? I'm gonna go outside now…
Some people waved hi to me, and I automatically raised my hand to wave back and smiled. I didn't think about it. So whatever I was like, it's still in me. I don't like it. I gotta get back into the spirit of things. But I need someone I know to terrorize again...
Please don't let me start over while I'm in need of people!
I still recognize the town at least. Even if some shops aren't there anymore.
I need to find someone I recognize to see if I still got it. I want these feelings gone. I wanna feel soulless again. No feelings for others like before. And having fun with it!
I got to the park. It was surprisingly empty. So not a lot will notice when I work my magic on her. I walked up to Lidelle picking flowers.
And just like those photos suggested. Lidelle looked happy to see me. This feels wrong. I feel wrong. I can't insult her…
"Oh, Miss Ammy, are you alright? Where's your hat?" The concern in her voice… Nobody's this nice to me. And this coming from this ugly non-human.
I could only give her a straightforward answer to my annoyance. "I lost my memory." I couldn't even say it that loud.
The imp looked as hurt about it as me. "Again? How horrible!"
"What do you mean "again"?" My head began to hurt again and my question is ignored by this endangered species.
"Do you remember me?" She got close to me. I kicked her. "Ow!" I smiled like I'm five again except she's even smaller. "M-Miss Ammy?! How could you do th-that?" She sounds so betrayed. This feels great! Was I just building up trust all these years? No, don't have the patience for it.
"Well, Little!" She gasped a bit. "I remember you being taller! And barely functional."
"A-A-A-A-AJ?!" She went back into her sweater like turtle.
"Much better. It feels so good to finally hear somebody say that."
"N-N-N-N-OOOOO!"
"YYYES! Hey, Little. Noticed your ugly horns have grown. Pop your head out so I can finally cast Lightning Bolt on them!"
"I didn't do it. I'm useless. I can't do anything right. I didn't do it. I'm useless. I can't do anything right. I didn't do it."
"THIS IS MORE LIKE IT!"
She's quivering and shaking. It feels so great! But it feels so wrong? What's wrong with me? Just go through with the spell, AJ. Anytime now… Electricity is tickling through my Flame finger. What am I waiting for?
Apparently getting kicked in the cheek! "OUCH!" I wasted my spell to the air as I fell.
"Get up and behind me, Lidelle!"
"Ruh-Ru-"
"Stop stuttering for once and do it."
A voice commanded the ugly greenhorn, I got up too. I was greeted by a familiar looking, pretty looking, angry looking girl staring at me. Behind her was Lidelle holding tightly around the pretty lady's leg.
Is this who I think it is? She is so pretty~
"Let go of my leg, I need that."
"S-Sorry."
The pink haired pretty girl turned back to me. "What the hell is wrong with you, Amitie!?" Gr… "Lidelle says a lot of insensitive stuff-"
"I-I d-do?"
"You do."
"You do."
"But I doubt she said something that horrible that it would make you this angry or even reach through your thick skull!"
"My thick sku-" I took my left hand off my hurting cheek and clenched it. I pointed at her with the other with my Flame spell at the ready. "What's that supposed to mean!?"
Raffine (I think), flinched back, but quickly got back in the swing of things. "Lidelle?"
"M-Miss Ammy's gone!" Hah! She's crying! Is that hyperventilating? I think so. Cool~ I stopped coursing Flame. "She's forgotten her nice times and remembers ev-v-v-verything b-b-b-b-before sh-she lost her m-m-m-m-emoriiiieeeeees!"
"She lost her memories but she remembers everythi- Beg your pardon?"
"I remember you, Feeny~. Looks like you worked on your dumb accent. "
"Feeny? Accent."
"But why are you helping that twerp? Let's be soulless friends again I'll forgive you for making that mean skull comment if you do."
"…What's it to you if I have a soul or not? I never told anybody about that. Only me, my doctor and AJ-" She looks so surprised. "Oh, AJ." She said kinda pleasantly surprised.
"Oh, now you recognize me."
She giggled in a tone I can't figure out. "I completely forgot about you. Oh, La-Ti-Da."
"What!?"
"But no matter, you lost your memory again you say?"
"Yes?"
"Well, let me catch you up to everything."
"Oh, that'd be sweet."
"R-Raffine?" Lidelle muttered quietly as Raffine left her side. This'll be great!
"Let's give Lidelle a head start shall we?" Oh, she tilted her head and closed one eye! We've definitely both grown up. I said yes on the spot not even thinking about it. "As you can tell I've grown quite a bit, and that's not all." She walked closer and closer. And walked us to a private place. "And as you already aware…"
For a split second, I saw her happy face turn into an angry one before was slapped me on the same cheek and put hands behind her back. It went so fast. "Wha? Oh. Flame! Huh?"
"Don't even bother casting anything, Amitie! I casted a magic inhibitor on you. No magic for a bit."
"What?!" Tried fighting back, but YIKES! She's super strong… Owowowowow. "Since when can you cast magic?"
"Wouldn't you like to know? I never trusted you with your innocent act."
"I don't think it was an act!" I'm still hoping it was!
"I know that know now…" She's kinda hurt by that. "I foolishly believed you weren't gone. The closest thing to a friend you allowed me to have! In hindsight…"
"Ah!" She tightened her grip.
"I'm glad you'd forgotten how'd to be you. I didn't appreciate you being clueless and annoying in the meantime… A harmless busybody." She choked up. My wrists and her voice. "It's a shame your true personality has resurfaced." She sounded like she's about to cry. And so am I?
"Listen here." She said all creepy like. "Everyone you know has matured (relatively speaking). They are tougher than you left them."
"NNNNGH!" She tightened the grip further. It hurts!
"And if they're not. Be it Lidelle, Klug, our parents, or anyone else!" Her mouth got close to my ear. "You'll have to go through me first. And if I spot you in the act." She whispered.
"I-If y-you spuh-sp-spot me? Gyaaahmmmph!" She let go of one my wrists, she covered my mouth with one and twisted my wrist with the other.
"I know this is a language you understand! I'm also proficient in magic, martial arts, manipulation, and Puyo Puyo, and you're five. So you know. Got it!?"
She let me go. "I got it! I GOT IT!" 'Sides the pain. I was quivering, I got the heebie jeebies everywhere. I felt betrayed on two different levels. I-I'm bawling!
"Amitie. If even a bit of that amnesiac side you've forgotten is still within you, I apologize… Please come back, or at least try to improve. Au revoir."
How's that submissive Frenchy so cool now? She surpassed me and she uses it for good?! How dare she? I'm… I'm hyperventilating? Still all feels new to me… I'm gonna go to beeeeeed waaaaaaaaah!