Pointing out early that most of this chapter is the exact story. As you may notice Ed and Al don't make that big of an appearance. I decided to do this for those unfamiliar with the actual series of Elfen Lied. (I was also being lazy and not coming up with a plot for the chapter e.e) And the part with Lucy/Nyu's past sorta forces me to do that since I don't think Ed and Al would be in Kamakura for any reason e3e
-Narrator's POV-
Kouta sat in the dining room during lunch at school. The boy sighed inwardly, It's morning... seems like Nyu couldn't return after all... The professor died and Nyu's gone somewhere...
Al walked in, "Everything okay, Kouta?" He asked. The boy sat up from the table he was falling asleep against.
"She hasn't returned yet..." He looked at his hands resting on his legs, "Where are you, Nyu...?"
Al sat beside him, "I'm sorry, Kouta..."
He shook his head, "It's my fault. I didn't ask anything just let him take her..."
Yuka walked in and joined them, "So both the professor and Nyu are gone?"
Kouta nodded, "How did you know?"
"Edward told me..." Kouta nodded. He thought back to right as they left the school The woman ran to him, tell him not to tell anyone about this.
"It seems like Nyu escaped the professor's..." Kouta said.
"Then we should go look for her..." Alphonse said. Yuka nodded in agreement.
Kouta paused for a moment, "After all... I... I'm skipping classes today to go look for her."
"Me too...?" Yuka asked, having pulled her legs up to her chest. "Can't I go with you to help search for Nyu?"
"Yeah. So we're going together." Kouta said.
Al smiled, "I'll help too."
Yuka piped up, "Really? I can? I can go with you?"
"Sure...eh.. why?"
"I'll help too." Mayu's voice came from the entrance of the room. Ed was standing beside her, "My classes ended early today, so... I could also walk Wanta.
Ed smiled his classic little grin, "I'll tag along with Mayu."
"Looks like two more, eh?" Kouta noted, a hint of a smile forming on his face.
"Yep! Thank you!" Mayu said.
Kouta sat back, "So Yuka, Al, and I will search around the campus."
"Yay!" Yuka said cheerily.
"And Mayu and Edward, you will look alongside the seashore, okay?"
"Yes!" Mayu said. She grabbed the shorter Elric's hand and walked off.
-Ed's POV-
Mayu, her dog, and I walked along the beach, looking for any sign of Nyu while Mayu also played with Wanta, the dog. "Wanta!" She cried out cheerily. The dog lept up into her arms and started licking her cheek. She giggled, "It tickles! Stop!"
She looked to the side, I could hear her mumbling something, but I wasn't paying much attention. I heard something suddenly and spun around and saw a man with a familiar face. From what, I'm not sure. "The ocean's dirty as usual." The man mumbled, in an also familiar voice, "Completely."
Mayu walked up to him, he heard the sound and whipped his head towards her. His sunglasses prevented me from further recognition, but I ignored the familiar appearance of him and followed Mayu. She knew him or something obviously "Thank god." She said. "You seemed like you were done for!" She said.
I blinked, What on earth are you talking about? I asked myself.
"Huh? I don't know you!" The man shoved Mayu not so gently to the side, "Move!"
I caught her and glared at him. He stared at me for a moment before walking away, "Some friend you got there, Mayu.."
She didn't respond, just kept looking at him as he walked towards the edge. "Don't go any further!" We both yelled in unison.
Her voice came out somewhat louder than mine, but he whipped around and stared at her, "Hey you! Are you that girl from that time?" They suddenly started going on about nonsense so I started walking away. Kouta's not the boss of me, I'll go look around town. I thought. I snuck away, Mayu didn't seem to notice, and searched around the city.
-Yuka's POV-
We had been looking for a while when it started raining. It was cold, hard downpour of rain too. "I give up." Kouta said, "This is no place to look for Nyu. Let's find some shelter."
"There's a lounge over there..." I said.
"I'll go see if Mayu and Brother have had any luck!" Al said, running off. No fair. He had a coat and didn't offer it to any of us.
"Urk! I'm drenched inside and out!" I said, pulling the top of my dress from my chest to examine how wet I was. I looked up and Kouta was staring with a blush. I easily punished him with a slap. "WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?"
We sat down, waiting for the rain to clear a bit. I was freezing, shivering. "It's quite a rain..." I mumbled.
"Yeah. Seems like we won't be able to get back for some time. I hope Ed, Al, and Mayu have found shelter of some kind." Kouta said, sighing.
I nodded, "I'm cold, my legs are freezing..." I wrapped my bare arms around myself. Suddenly, Kouta stood up, picked me up, and sat me on his lap. "What are you doing?" I asked as he wrapped his arms around me.
"Isn't it warmer like this? Or do you want to catch a cold?" He asked. I frowned into his shoulder where my face had ended up. My panties had become exposed, but it's not like Kouta could have seen it. (1)
-0-0-0-
(2)I broke the kiss and started a giggling fit. It was odd. I kissed him again and hugged him, "Kouta... I don't want you to ever forget me." I said, "I don't want us to be separate ever again. Because I... belong to you, Kouta." I dug my face into his shoulder, "So, from now on, will you let me be by your side?"
He cupped my cheeks and brought my face so he could look at me. The blush he had been wearing had vanished. "Yeah." Then he kissed me again and then hugged me. If only the rain would fall forever and ever... I thought, I could be together with Kouta like this.. My thoughts were interrupted by the calming of the rain.
"It looks like the rain's slowing down." Kouta said. "Well, let's go."
As we stood up, I realized just how soaking wet my underwear was from the rain. It felt really, really uncomfortable, "Kouta! Look that way!" I said, pointing a direction away from me. I bent down and started removing the wet undergarments but I fell over, Kouta whipped around to see what happened, so I quickly got up, "You saw? You saw?"
"NO!"
I covered my face, feeling ashamed, I've shown them...I've shown my parts... I thought.
"Huh? Wha... what's that? Something smiley's on your panties..." Kouta said. I got up and punched him hard as I could.
-Narrator's POV-
The two teenagers spoke as they walked, "After all.. we couldn't find Nyu anywhere." Yuka mumbled.
Al ran up to them, "I couldn't seem to find them." He said.
"Find who- Oh! Ed and Mayu!" Kouta said then looked down, "What could she be doing outside.. and we're so worried about her..."
Little did they know Nyu, or her real name, Lucy, was standing behind them. She looked down as memories returned to her mind.
Skip if you know Lucy's whole background (don't have to, just saying, no point in reading the same thing)
~Flashback, Lucy/Nyu's POV-
"Hey! Horns!" A very rude boy yelled. I looked up at them, "Yeah, you!" I have grown in institutions and I don't know my birthplace or the faces of my parents.
"React when I talk to you!" The boy yelled, pulling my chair out from under me. Him and his two friends laughed when I hit the ground. "There are no horned humans in this world. Horns are for oxen." The boy's name was Tomo, "You're not a human. You've gotta go live with animals, alright? You know, oxen sleep outside."
This Institution has many unhappy children... so all of them are looking for unhappier children. I heard a little yelp then a girl going to the teacher "Teacher! Tomo is tormenting someone again!
"Shit! Run away!" Tomo cried, him and his lackeys running off.
"Jeez... tormenting girls is the worst." The girl said. She walked up to me, "Hey, are you okay?"
I was thrown away in the forest. And naked; without any clothes around me, I'd just been laying on the freezing ground. I don't think about meeting my mom and dad. And now, I've stopped thinking about killing them. Is it because of my horns that I was thrown away? I hated my horns all the time.
"Wah... your bag is drenched with milk. That was cruel." The girl said. "Hey... talk to me about anything that troubles you! You'll surely feel better if you do this."
I learned that her name was Kiyoko(3) quickly created a bond. I wouldn't say friendship, no, not at that time.
I went out of the Institution to find my dog that I had secretly been taking care of. I'd probably have lost my mind by then if it weren't for him. I didn't name him, didn't know what to name him. I kept it a secret from anyone that, on the hill behind the Institution, I'd been taking care of a dog. If they knew, they'd surely torment it as well. "If I was stronger, I'd be able to defend you..."
Yet I always felt something inside. Like my hands could reach farther, yet they didn't. Something was confined within me. But I didn't understand why I had such a feeling. The dog's growling stomach brought me from my thoughts. "I'm sorry, I don't have anything for you to eat."
Everyday, I gave the dog half of my bread. But that turned out to be insufficient. "... talk to me about anything that troubles you! You'll surely feel better if you do this." Kiyoko's word's repeated in my head.
"Great! You're feeding a dog!" She said cheerily. "Alright, I'll share my food too! It's okay because my portions are always too much for me."
"Ah, and make sure that no one else..."
"Yep! Sure." She said, knowing what I was gonna say. "You'd be teased more if they knew. I won't tell anybody, I promise. In exchange, let me pet that puppy someday!"
"Yeah..." I had shared my secret with Kiyoko... it was a mistake.
"Hey! Horns!" Tomo's annoying voice called his pet name for me. I turned my head and glared at him. The boy laughed at me, "You're such a dumbass! You're a worthless animal, and this is what becomes of your attitude!" He turned his head towards the door, a barking came from it. I'm not sure how wide my eyes got, but I'm pretty sure it was wide. Tomo took the dog by the scruff of it's neck
I got up to save my dog, "Hey you! What are you doing!" One of the boys grabbed me from behind so I couldn't move any further.
"Ahahahaha! This is the first time I've seen you upset!" Tomo cackled.
"Let go!" I screamed, How? How did he find out?
Kiyoko ran in, panic on her face, "Please forgive me! It just slipped out!" This Institution has many unhappy children. So everyone was always looking for someone unhappier...
I watched as Tomo and another one of his 'followers' forced the dog on the ground. "Hey, keep it still!" Tomo said, lifting a rock that just barely fit in his hand.
...And so the children made the unhappier ones miserable.
That's when they started bashing the rock into the dog's face. They continued until it stopped moving. They were too cruel. "Huh? It stopped moving..." Tomo said. He and the other two boys laughed. "That was too fast!" I screamed loud as I could.
If I was stronger... "The worthless animals... are actually you!" I killed them... all of them.
I walked outside away from the Institution. "It's my fault." I said to the dog's grave. "If I hadn't taken care of you you'd still be alive." Why am I treated so badly just because I have horns? Even if it's not about horns... I heard a rustling beside me and looked to see a boy standing there.
"What's the matter? You seem really hurt..." He said. Are those horns by any chance?"
So tiresome... I thought. If not for these horns, this boy could stay alive too. I was about to kill him with the power that I had killed the others with, but he suddenly grabbed my shoulders, talking loudly in a cheery voice, "Awesome! Great! Those horns you have are awesome!"
"Oh? Then you should try having them yourself..." I said coldly. I looked at the makeshift gravestone I made for the dog. "It's all because of these horns... How long do you think I've been given strange looks? How long do you think I've experienced painful thoughts?"
The boy paused for a moment. "I don't really understand you... but I'm sorry if I made you angry. However, I really think they're cool."
"Enough, don't mention me."
"Hey... let's be friends!" He said. "I'll have to return to Hokkaidou in about a week. But let's play together until then!" "... talk to me about anything that troubles you! You'll surely feel better if you do this." I heard the traitor's voice again.
"It's no good."
The boy recoiled, "Eh? Why?"
I looked at him coldly, "Because I hate everyone." And I started walking away. His voice stopped me though
"What do you mean by 'everyone'? You're leaving me alone here? Please wait!" I turned ot look at him. "Can we meet tomorrow morning?"
I started walking again. "Enough. I've been deceived too many times."
He started calling to me again though, "Please! I'll be waiting for you here at the same time tomorrow!" he said. "Definitely come! I promise I won't do anything to deceive you! It's a promise!"
~still flashback~
I sat, leaning against a tree near the dog's grave. It had been an hour and still no sign of him. I'm stupid too... I thought I still have hopes. And I thought I didn't want to trust anyone. I hugged my knees and hid my face in them. Another hour passed. As I thought, he won't come... It started raining Even though I already knew that. I looked at the sky. Rain... I have no spare clothes, it would be bad if these got dirty. It's no use waiting here. I should go for better shelter. Why? I didn't think. I was really stupid. I hugged my knees closer, this time from the cold. Cold... I really wish I had someone to hold me close right now...It really is sad being alone. Suddenly something was put on my head, over my eyes. "UWAH!" I screamed. A hand lifted whatever it was from my eyes.
"I'll give you this hat. If you hate your horns you can hide them." It was the boy, "I'm sorry I took so long. My dad was trying hard to keep me home."
I 'hmph'ed, "It's not like I've been waiting for you."
"Hey..." He extended his hand down towards me. "Let's go home. It's cold here, you could catch a cold."
We walked hand-in-hand down the sidewalk. I looked at him then down at his scraped knees, "YOur injuries..."
"Ah these? Well, dad wouldn't let me out, so I thought I'd slide down a two-story tall tree. But.. I fell instead. I'm always getting scratches like these, don't worry." It's no good... it's like a crush. I looked at him.. I think his name was Kouta.
How I wish to be held... it's probably warm. I stopped walking. I can't. I'm unlikely to get that much. "Thanks for the hat... I'll stay here." I said.
"Really?"
I could feel my cheeks get warm. I knew I was blushing, "Um.. ah... yeah." I said, smiling. I killed someone in a nearby house after he left and took a shower.
I walked towards the fridge to feed my empty stomach, "The mother here must be sloppy..." I mumbled to myself, "Everything here is expired." I looked at one of the dead bodies. "I need to leave.. before the police come."
It was the third day after that night. I sat at the spot before, still wearing the hat Kouta gave me.. I was beginning to think he won't come back. I was walking around town. I surprised myself by thinking about.. killing again. Why do I keep thinking about killing? "Maybe because you love killing..." (4)It's that voice.. I started hearing that day. "It's kill or be killed." It said. I grabbed my hand and screamed at the voice, "Shut up!"
I started to know that voice's true self. And it has become a little louder since then.
"You were waiting..." Kouta said as I returned to my 'waiting spot'. "Sorry for coming so late." I could feel myself blushing again. He looked down, his bright smile fading, "Well... not that I'll be able too... I'm here to say farewell. I'm going to Hokkaidou tomorrow..." Oh no...
"Will we be able to meet again?" I asked.
"Yes." Kouta said. "We will meet again next summer!" That can't be... After I went through all that to come to thinking that I'm not alone... I thought we could be together more... "So let's play together one more day!" Kouta's voice interrupted my thoughts.
I looked at him, "Where to?"
"Let's go to the zoo!" He said, "It's kinda far away, but I managed to get some pocket money out of Papa." I didn't reply right away, so there was a short pause. "Well?"
And so, we ended up going to the zoo. "Is watching animals fun?" I asked on the way.
"You haven't been to the zoo?" He asked, sounding surprised.
I shook my head, "No, I have not."
"That's rare..."
"I haven't even been able to walk in a park." I said.
He smiled, "The zoo is really fun~! There are many strange animals there!" Not that I find any pleasure in watching animals.. but I'll endure it if it'll make Kouta happy...
"What's this?" I screeched with joy at an animal called an elephant as it blasted it's trumpet of a nose. "So big! So big! So big! It's so cool! So big!"
"I didn't think you'd be that impressed..." Kouta said.
"I wasn't impressed!" I said in my defense, "At least.. not that much.."WAH! Long neck!" I shouted at another animal called a giraffe. "Hey look! Such a long neck! Cool! cool!"
We later got slushies. "Tasty, eh?" Kouta asked.
I smiled, "Yeah, tasty!"
Kouta smiled that bright smile of his, "Hey, let's walk around some more!"
"Yeah!" I said. We took each other's hands again and we left the zoo, walking around for a bit.
If we could always be together.. that would be great..."I'm going to Hokkaidou tomorrow..." I grabbed his wrist with my free hand and stopped walking No.. I don't want that! "Tomorrow... what is the time of your departure?" I asked.
He thought for a moment, "I guess it's in the late evening. After we've returned from the festival with my cousin."
"I see..." I wish we could go to the festival together.
"It's hot.." Kouta pointed out.
I had just realized how warm it was, "Yeah, hot."
We found a nice cool river to soak our feet in, "Freezing water feels great!" I said.
"Hey.." I heard Kouta, I turned to look at him.
"Yes?"
He splashed water into my face. "Here's a face wash for ya!" He laughed cheerily, which I tried to copy the amount of cheeriness.
I suddenly pushed him down into the water. "Did that clean you up at all?" I asked. He suddenly grabbed my ankle and pulled me to the ground.
"That was nice huh?" He asked. We started splashing each other.
"The same for you too!"
We removed our clothes to dry and sat back to back. I heard Kouta yawn, "We can't ride the bus until our clotehs are dry." He said. "Ahh.. parting time is near."
"Yeah.."
He reached behind him and held out a green stone to me, "Here, have this. I snatched it from the river. I think it's jade. You can make rings out of it. My grandma loved doing that."
I crawled out in front of him and his face turned crimson, "Kouta.. this is the best day of my life."
He looked away, "You're exaggerating."
"It's true." I said, "I will never forget this day."
We were on the train again. "Kouta...?" I began.
"Huh?"
"Say... tomorrow's festival. Can we go together?" I asked.
He paused a moment, "I'm sorry... I've already promised that I'd go with my cousin tomorrow..." My thoughts surprised me.
That cousin Kouta will be playing with tomorrow... is it a boy? Or is it a girl? I mentally slapped myself. I'm stupid... getting all jealous right now...
"Then... you might as well kill him right now."
Shit... it's that voice again...
"If a human pisses you off, is it okay to crush him?"
Like hell it's okay!
"Kouta must be going to the festival with another girl... Kill him now, and the sadness will only last until tomorrow..."
I said no more! Why the hell are you here?
The voice that sounded like mine paused a moment, "Oh you know that well..."
I snapped out of it and I found myself with my hands around Kouta's throat. "C-can't breathe...!" He tried speaking.
My hands came off immediately and I apologized, "I'm so sorry! Are you okay?"
"W-why did you do that... all of a sudden?"
I looked down, I... really... tried to kill.. Kouta... "Why... why..."
By that time I already knew that I could not oppose that voice no matter what I did. At that time I had admitted to my own instincts. The voice of my DNA.
I began crying. "What's the matter? Are you okay?" Kouta asked with concern.
I can't stop my own DNA from bringing down the current humanity. For that purpose, I was born with the power to kill people.
"Kouta.. I have a request to ask of you." I spoke up. "If I were to... kill lots of people at once... Kill me... Kouta."
He frowned, "What weird things are you saying?"
"I beg you. I want you to kill me.. by myself..." I let out a shaky breath, "by myself I might become reluctant to die."
(5)
(1) Skipping part of this scene because it's mature :U
(2) I'd like to point out that I support Kouta and Lucy, this is just something that occurs in the manga.
(3) It never reveals her name. The name means "Pure or Clean Child" which could be ironic if you believe the girl was just toying with Lucy all along. I think she was she's smiling when covering her face in the manga.
(4) The inner Diclonious thing's speech will be in bold.
(5) Skipping the rest so the chapter doesn't get to long. Basically, Lucy asks Kouta if the cousin is a boy or girl, Kouta lies and says Yuka's a boy and when Lucy finds out she goes on a killing rampage, thus killing Kouta's father and sister and traumatizing him, causing him to forget most of his past.