Disclaimer: We, Twin Girls do NOT own Fushigi Yuugi and it's storyline. It belongs to Yuu Watase and other large corporations in which we have no part of or else we would be incredibly rich right now created it.

Gemini: (Holds onto Cancer and starts crying like mad) We don't own anything!! It's not fair!!!

Cancer: (Gently comforts Gemini) Well at least we have Kayla....

Gemini: (Suddenly cheers up, all tears gone as if she never had cried) Your right Cancer!! Thank  You, Thank You!!! (Hugs Cancer in a death grip)

Cancer: (Starts to turn blue) You're....'choke' ... welcome.... (Falls to the ground unconscious)

Gemini: (Sweatdrops) oops...hehehe.... I guess I don't know my own strength.... Enjoy the fic!!  (Runs away)

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Chapter 2: Fear and Determination

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Where am I? Kayla asked herself while she was walking through the forest. Beautiful, tall, gigantic cedar trees surrounded her. A cool breeze with the scent of cedar blew across her face, causing her beautiful long black hair to flow back freely. The bright sunlight brought out the deep violet highlights of her hair, creating somewhat of a halo around her dark hair. As she walked deeper into the forest, pushing through rocks and bushes, she suddenly came to this clearing, where she found herself to be on the top of a cliff. Right before her was the sunset. Its beautiful glow brought out a golden colour that swallowed the whole sky. It was so magnificent that it stunned Kayla by its breathless view. It's so beautiful. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to relax under this gorgeous scenery. She didn't care how she had gotten here. All she wanted was to stay.

Suddenly she felt as if someone was looking at her from behind. She slowly turned around to see whom it was and was shocked. A beautiful woman stood a few feet away from her. Her pure black hair with violet highlights was caught in the wind. Even though this woman had seemed like a distant memory to her, Kayla had no doubt in whom this woman could be. Okasan?!?!?! Is that really you? She asked silently, afraid to speak. Even their golden brown eyes were the same with its lively sparkle in each eye. Otosan always said that I looked like my mother Kayla thought fondly. Kayla then saw a man walked out from behind her mother, and as she took a closer look, she immediately recognized him. Otosan?!? Both of them were carrying a content smile on their faces. Smiles in which Kayla had not seen for a long, long time. Tears began to fall from Kayla's eyes as she saw her parents standing together hand-in-hand, smiling at her. Kayla, overwhelmed with the desire to hug them, to touch them, she immediately ran towards them. But as she began to run, her parents had slowly faded away. "Okasan, Otosan, don't leave!!! Onegai, Please don't leave me again, ...Why? Why did you break your promise Otosan?!?!....WHY?!?! Otosan!!!!"

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16-year-old Kayla bolted up gasping for breath. She was covered with sweat, causing her dark bands to be matted against her forehead. It was a dream she realized. Another freakin' nightmare to haunt me, even after these last 5 damn years. Her right hand automatically went up to grasp her necklace around her neck. It was an unconscious action in which she did every time when she was seeking for comfort or when she was haunted by nightmares of the memories of her parents' death. They always reminded her that she was very much alone in the world, especially right now.

She looked down at her hand, still holding tightly onto the charm jewel of her necklace. Slowly she opened her palm to reveal the precious jewellery that had once belonged to her mother before she died. Kayla always wore it and never taken it off unless it was absolutely necessary, which was rare. Her father gave this necklace to her mother as a wedding gift and it was passed down to Kayla after her mother died. To her, it symbolized all the love that her father had for her mother and her as well. It was the only thing left that she had from her parents, her only comfort in her now miserable life in the past 5 years.

She looked at her necklace again, at the first glance, it didn't look that special, the chain that was holding it together was in the colour of dull, plain silver. The jewel was no bigger than about half the size of her palm in which she could grasp easily. The jewel surrounded by silver was the colour of crimson red, almost like the colour of a ruby except it didn't sparkle as much. In fact, one may have mistaken it as a plain colour stone at the first glance. However, when one looked into it more deeply, they could see the inner glow it contained that seemed to spring into life, causing the jewel to shine with a hypnotizing inner beauty and light. Almost like the flame of the fire admired Kayla. At the back of the jewel, engraved behind the silver plate that held the jewel together was the Chinese character for 'Soul', which Kayla found quite appropriate.

She quickly tucked the jewel back beneath the folds of her clothes. She looked around, studying her surroundings underneath the night sky. She had been sleeping outside in a secluded ally way because she didn't have enough money to stay at an inn for the night. She only brought along with her a pathetic amount of money that she managed to save for herself away from the prying eyes of her relatives. It would probably be enough to provide her a few meals if she doesn't stay at an inn and that she spend it wisely and sparingly.

A cold biting wind swept by her, causing her to shiver and wishing that she had packed some more clothes with her instead of her ragged dress and thin cloak that she was wearing now. She tried to focus on some more positive thoughts despite the grim environment. At least I am free now... no more forced chores... no more beatings... no more hostile emotions... and most of all, NO MORE UNWANTED ARRANGED MARRIAGE!! Kayla smiled at the last thought. She scanned around her area once more. When she was sure that she was safe from any possible attacks from unwanted visitors, she wrapped her cloak tightly around herself to drive away the cold. She closed her golden brown eyes with a content sigh.

Free... was the last thought that played in her mind before she drifted into a new dreamless sleep.

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Kayla woke up the following morning with the sun glaring in her eyes. She groaned, Just a few more minutes she thought as she shifted her head away from the sun, trying to get back to sleep. She knew she still had a long journey ahead of her, but she just wanted to get as much rest as possible before she started. Is that so much to ask? Apparently so....

"Hey you GET UP you little RUNT!!" a coarse voice yelled, breaking the serene silence that Kayla was bathed in, and bringing her back to harsh reality. "Nani...?" she asked as she glanced up to see who had woken her.... only to jump back fully awake with surprise and fright at the sight of the man in front of her. Nani!!! It couldn't be!!! How did he find me so fast?!!! She thought, as she looked at the large man standing before her in total horror and shock. The large man was staring at her with a suspicious and cruel gaze that she knew too well of. The malicious smirk on his face sends shivers up her spine. Even though she knew that she was tough for a girl, she still found him very intimidating after all the years when he raised her like his slave.

"Un.... Uncle?" she stammered, still trying to get over the shock of seeing her mother's brother-in-law in front of her. This can't be happening!!! she thought in despair. Not again... it's just a bad dream, a bad dream, a bad dream, A BAD DREAM..... she kept mentally chanting to herself as if saying it would make the terrible being before her disappeared. Unfortunately it didn't work.

"I thought that getting caught running away the first time would teach you a lesson,." replied her uncle, ignoring her stammering. Each of his words seemed to drip with venom. "Apparently, you seem to enjoy defying your aunt and me by trying it again for the second time." If it was possible, her uncle's smirk seemed to become even more chilling as if he was enjoying to see her in so much despair. "Luckily I do have many friends around and were able to inform me right away where you are the second they recognized you"

How could I have been so careless?! Kayla mentally scolded herself. She had completely forgotten about her uncle's wide range of connection around the area. Of course her uncle would be able to locate her.

"Please uncle.... I don't want to go back... please let me go" she said quietly, hoping that somewhere in her uncle, he'll carry little if not some sympathy for her.

"Let you go?....LET YOU GO?!" her uncle roared with a cruel, mocking laugh. "Don't be a FOOL!" he yelled and roughly grabbed her arm, dragging her back to her prison.

Kayla knew better than to fight back, he was just too strong for her. She wouldn't be able to get very far even if she got away from her uncle. His 'connections' in the area would make sure of that.

I was only free for one day and already I had to go back to my prison in hell Kayla thought bitterly as she wiped the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes with her other hand before she let her uncle see it.

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1 week.... correction 1 week and 2 days Kayla mentally corrected herself as she washed the laundry that belonged to her stupid cousins in her hell prison also formally known as her aunt and uncle's home. Oh right can't forget, also home for their two precious sons, Haiku and Koufu who simply enjoy making my life more hellish than it already is she thought sarcastically. After she was taken back from trying to runaway for the second time, her uncle had beaten her with a stick. Each hit had been agonizing and painful, but she would be damn if she let uncle see her crying and taking pleasure in her pains and tears.

Kayla winced as she moved to lift bucket of laundry to hang outside. Her back was covered with a few scars and bruises from the recent beatings as well as her previous ones. Her arms were covered with scars (both old and new) though not as much as the bruises but were still visible. However, the bruises were getting better, before her condition was so bad that it was hard to tell whether her real skin colour was blue or a pale cream.

Luckily her two older devilish cousins were out of town at the moment with her uncle for some unknown business, and were unable to hassle her anymore. Man business, they called it. This left her alone with her aunt who at the moment was busy with something else inside the house.

"KAYLA!!" came a screech within the house, while Kayla was hanging the laundry outside to dry. Speak of the devil she thought as a thin but tall woman came out of the house. It was her aunt and as usual she looked unhappy and seemed as if she was ready to pounce at her in any moment like a tiger to its prey. Kayla mentally winced at the thought.

Unlike her large uncle, her aunt was tall, pale and thin but the stern expression that never seemed to leave her aunt's face took away all the misinterpretations, which one may believe that she was a weak and timid woman. Weak and timid she was definitely not. To Kayla, her uncle's physical abuse was weak compared to her aunt's verbal abuse. With her uncle's abuse, she could handle it. For no matter how much he hit her, it would never break her spirits and the hope she still harbour that there will be a day when she could escape before it was too late for her.

However, her aunt knew how to really hurt Kayla if she wanted to for she would always target for Kayla's heart. She knew how to hurt her with cruel comments about her parents and about how they were a disgrace, especially her mother to the family heritage, and how Kayla was a mistake to begin with. Though Kayla had already heard these for the last 5 long years, and almost became partially almost numb to them, it had still hurt her deeply inside. Sometimes she would boil with rage, which usually led her to talk back, only resulting in her getting a few more beatings from her uncle.

"Yes, what do you want?" Kayla said not bothering to be polite, she was really tired and didn't want to face anyone right now. Luckily her aunt didn't seem to notice her bitter attitude.

"Where is it?" her aunt asked giving her an accusing stare. Like a vulture Kayla mentally winced again.

"Where is what?" Kayla asked innocently, although she already knew what her aunt was referring to.

"You know very well what I am talking young lady!!" replied her aunt, clearly losing her patience "Where is you mother's necklace? Give it back."

Kayla could already feel her temper rising. "You already said it." She retorted. "It is my mother's necklace, therefore it's for me to keep. You have no right to take it from me!" It was true in Kayla's opinion. After her uncle took her back, her aunt had stolen her necklace away from her as a punishment as well. Beatings, Kayla could tolerate but she will be damned if she let anyone take away the only soul reminder of her parents. When her aunt had been busy, Kayla had secretly snuck in her aunt's room to steal it back.

"That necklace is clearly a curse! Give it to me so I could get rid of it!!" yelled her aunt. Kayla stepped back in horror, unconsciously using one hand to clutch her own chest where her necklace laid hidden underneath her clothes.

"There is no way in hell I am going to give this necklace to you, you old hag!!" Kayla yelled back as she clearly lost complete control of her temper, no longer caring to be careful with her tongue as she spoke to her aunt. She didn't care for the consequences, there was just no way she was going to let her aunt touch her mother's necklace again.

"We'll see about that!!!" said her aunt as she made her way towards Kayla, ready to take the necklace away from her by force. Kayla began to back away and turned to run. However her aunt grabbed Kayla by the end of her long black braid and pulled her back hard.

Kayla screamed in pain as she felt her whole body pulled back from the unexpected abuse inflicted upon her head, causing her to lose her balance and fell backwards on the hard ground. Her aunt quickly used her venerability at the moment to pin Kayla on the ground by one hand and the other hand to take the necklace back. Kayla tried to stop her aunt's hand from taking her necklace and tried to sit back up. However, her aunt was surprisingly strong for such a thin woman. Therefore Kayla did the only thing she could think of in that moment to save herself and her necklace. She pulled her right hand back into a fist and swung it forward with all her might. Her right fist connected perfectly at her aunt's left cheek. Caught her aunt completely by surprise as she fell off of Kayla from the force of her fist. Kayla quickly scrambled up, stumbling back away from her aunt. Kayla was stunned at what she had done herself. Even though no matter how much she had hated her aunt, she had never hit her because she was her mother's sister.

For once, her aunt's usual stern expression was completely gone, and she was just as stunned as Kayla, with eyes wide opened in an utter disbelief. Her left cheek, where Kayla had hit her was already swollen and will no doubt become a very nasty bruise later on. On her mouth, there was a thin trickle of blood.

Kami-sama....What have I done!! Kayla thought in horror. She knew she will really get it this time and maybe this time, she won't even survive.

Her aunt slowly recovered from the shock and brought her hand over her swollen cheek and withdrew in pain. She stared at her hand covered with a little blood from her mouth. Her eyes went from shock to horror and finally to utter rage.

"You little bitch!!" her aunt hissed with poison dripping on her every word. Kayla winced visibly, never in all her life she had seen her aunt so angry.... so murderous...

"You are going to pay for that.... I'll make sure of that, even if it costs you YOUR LIFE!!" her aunt hissed dangerously and with that she turned around and stalked back into the house, slamming the door without a second glance.

When her aunt was gone, Kayla immediately started to tremble, then shook violently, and she then finally crumbled onto the floor, sobbing non-stop. Not because of fear, but because she was utterly tired. For 5 years she had lived in torment from her aunt and uncle, for 5 years she had been trapped without a moment of true freedom and peace.... for 5 years she had been fearing for her life and hoping that someday she will escape....5 long agonizing years.... enough was enough.

Oh Otosan, why did you have to die and leave me with this family who truly hates me she thought sadly as she continued crying. She knew she will have to escape quickly, maybe even tonight because if her uncle and cousins come home in two days. Her aunt would definitely take the first opportunity tell them what had happened between them. Her uncle would beat her until there was no tomorrow and even if she survive, she would probably slowly go insane if she stay any longer.

But how? She thought bitterly. If she ran away, her uncle's friends would surely recognize her and they would tell him before she had the chance to even escape to Konan. Everything was stacked against her. She looked around wearily as she stood up and slowly picked up her cousins' laundry. She paused and looked down at her cousins' clothes as realization struck her. The only reason that she was constantly getting caught was because her uncle's friends recognized her and that was why they informed her uncle.

What if....what if they DON'T recognize me? Then they can't tell uncle and I wouldn't be caught so easily. I could disguise myself and they could never find me!!! Kayla quickly grew excited at her new escape plan. But she would have to work quickly to prepare everything. Luckily she already had the perfect disguise she could use in mind as she hurriedly looked to see if anyone was spying on her as she took out a set of her cousins' clothes and hid it behind a tree nearby. Her cousins always had a lot of clothes, so they wouldn't notice if some of their clothes were missing. They were a little big, but at least they would fit. Then she quickly went to get ready for other preparations.

Tonight, I would leave, and if I can't, then tomorrow night at max when my aunt is still nursing her wounds and uncle, Haiku and Koufu are still out of town she quickly planned in her head.

This time I WILL escape and succeed or die trying she thought with a new sense of determination as she went to prepare.

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Authors' Notes:

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Gemini: So what do you think? Love it? Hate it? I'm sorry that I am making Kayla-chan suffer so much, but it is a critical turning point in Kayla's life I think should be the a new determination for Kayla. I promise it WILL definitely get better because you know how much I love Kayla-chan LOL right Cancer?

Cancer: ......

Gemini: Cancer?....Cancer? You ok?

Cancer: ..... (Suddenly grows really big and scary) ok? OK?!?! of course I am NOT ok !!! Where is TASUKI!!! I want to see him!!! I thought this is a Tasuki-fic, Where is TASUKI?!?!?! Why isn't he here yet ?!?!?!

Gemini: Oh that hehehe (sweatdrops). Well you see this story IS based on Kayla-chan's perspective mostly BUT.... (Cancer starts to get ready to shoot

Gemini with Tasuki's Tessan, and Gemini freaks out once she sees what Cancer is doing) I PROMISE you that he will make an appearance in the next chapter.....so please calm down onegai!!!!

Cancer: (calms down and shrinks back to normal size) Ok fine... you hear what she said readers. I will personally make sure she keeps her promise if not.... (gives Gemini a warning glance)

Gemini: Hehehe....(sweatdrop grows larger) don't worry, I always keep my promises.... whew!!

Hi!!!! For all of you readers, thank you for baring us for this long, we know it probably isn't easy. We know that so far it seemed kind of boring with everything focusing on just Kayla, however we really wanted Kayla to be a realistic kind of girl who faces problems and has a past like many people not just some girl who comes out of the blue from nowhere. If you really believe this fic is worth continuing please continue to read and please, please, PLEASE REVIEW!!!! LOL