A/N: Enjoy~
~ Few Days Later... The Weekend ~
Tonight, a storm occurred. The rain pounds against the Sakamaki Manor windows. Thunder could be heard from time-to-time as the rain continued to pour and lightning lighting up the rooms for a few seconds.
* In Yui's Room. *
Yui stirred in her sleep as she slowly opens her eyes, waking up.
"Was it a dream?" Yui asked herself as she sat up, facing her balcony windows with the curtains closed. "It's really raining hard."
Yui slides out of her bed covers and walks towards her pink window curtains, pulling one curtain open with her hand. She looked out the window and notices a woman - in the courtyard - standing outside in the storm.
"Eh? Who is that?" Yui asks as she tries to look at the woman.
Then the light from the lightning made it brighter to see and Yui caught a glimpse of the woman's appearance.
The woman had long purple-colored hair and wore a black-colored dress. Yui continued to stare at the woman, who started to slowly turn her body and head. The woman's bangs covered her eyes, but Yui somehow knew that the woman was looking at her. The woman's lips slowly curled into a smile... A devilish smile.
Yui suddenly faints and falls to the ground, unconscious. Then, the storm blows the balcony windows open, the rain making the carpets wet.
Yui stands up, opening her eyes, a dazed look resides in them. She slowly starts to walk towards the door, leaving her bedroom and not bothering to notice, or close the balcony window.
~ Meanwhile ~
* In Yuki's Room. *
As Yuki slept, she tossed and turned in her sleep. Then she quickly sat up, awaking from the nightmare that she was having.
"STOP!" Yuki screamed as she slowly realizes she woke up the nightmare.
Yuki sighed in relief as she placed a hand on her forehead, breathing heavily and feeling a bit of sweat on her head.
"... Why am I suddenly having these nightmares..." Yuki asks.
Yuki then looks to her balcony window, blue curtains pulled closed, covering the night scenery.
"It's really pouring..." She noted as she hears someone's footsteps passing by.
Yuki slides out of her bed, slipping on her shoes and walks to the door, opening it, then peeked out into the hallway. She caught a glimpse of Yui's pink nightgown turning around the corner of the hallway.
Yui...? Yuki says as she entered the hallway, closing the door silently behind her, then quietly followed after her sister.
* In the Underground Waterways, below the Sakamaki Manor. *
As Yuki followed her sister down into the underground waterways, she kept on glimpsing behind her, seeing if any of the Sakamaki brothers were following. She didn't see any of the brothers as she followed Yui.
Finally, at the end of the tunnel of the waterway, Yui stops in front of a large, closed, strange-looking door.
Yuki stops just a feet away from her older sister.
"Yui...?" Yuki called.
Yui didn't respond to her sister's call, only continuing to look dazed at the strange door. Yuki looked at her sister then to the large door.
Suddenly, something in Yuki's mind clicks and her gaze also becomes dazed like Yui.
Yui then walked towards the door which opens a bit and she walked through, Yuki following behind.
~ The Past ~
* In the Courtyard. *
Yui and Yuki stand side-by-side and they suddenly snapped out of their daze. Their eyes widened as they noticed how it is day with cloudy weather, and not night with a stormy weather.
"Yuki?" Yui called in confusion. "What's going on?"
"... I don't know... But-" Yuki says, but stops when she hears children giggling.
"Over here!"
Then three young children ran past the Komori sisters and they heard bats screeching as they flew away. Yui and Yuki looks towards where the three children now stood, watching the bats fly away. Their eyes widened as they recognize who the little kids were.
"It's Laito... Kanato..." Yui said quietly as she watched the kids.
"And Ayato..." Yuki finished.
They didn't see us...? Yuki thought to herself.
Kanato started to cry.
"The bats I just caught got away." Kanato sniffed.
"Don't cry, Kanato." Laito said. "We can catch them again."
Ayato grinned.
"Yeah, stop your sniveling!" Ayato added. "I'll catch them for you!"
Then the triplets started to run - Kanato just a bit behind, following his brothers - towards the direction where the bats flew, but stopped when someone spoke.
"Ayato?"
A woman walked towards them.
She has long purple hair with distinct bangs and green eyes with narrow pupils. She wore a black dress with straps made up in a zigzag pattern and a white rose by her right chest and two smaller white roses next to it; the dress also had a slit on the right side showing white ruffles underneath. There was also chain around her hips with a blue rose attachment. On her right arm, she wore arm band that was similar in style to the straps on her dress with a loop connecting the top and the bottom part of the band. On her left arm, she wore a long black glove. She also wore a black choker on her neck.
She looked displeased.
"Is this where you've been?" The woman asked Ayato. "Now come along with me."
Is she the one I saw in the garden? Yui asked as she quietly watched.
"Hey, Yui... It seems that they can't see us... It's as if we're ghosts..." Yuki pointed out as she stared at the woman.
Have I seen her before...? Yuki thought to herself as she tried to remember.
Kanato finally caught up to his brothers and Laito smiled at him.
"Kanato, let's go." Laito said.
"Sure!" Kanato replied as he and Laito left Ayato behind.
The woman looked down at Ayato with her arms crossed in front of her.
"You're going back inside to study." The woman said.
"N... No way!" Ayato responded. "All I've done is study!" He whined.
"I don't want any excuses. Return to your room."
"How come Kanato and Laito get to play while all I ever get to do is study?"
"Because you're not like other children."
"No, I wanna play more!"
"How many times must I tell you!?" The woman snapped and Ayato flinched. "You are the successor. Do you understand what that means? Now, tell me what you must do." She asked.
Ayato looked down in defeat.
"I must become number one. I must become better than anyone." Ayato replied as he recited the words that he has said over and over.
"And if you fail?"
"I am not my mother's child, so I will be sunk to the bottom of the lake?"
The woman's - the triplet's mother's - lips curled into a smile as if hearing this from Ayato has pleased her.
"Exactly, good boy!" The triplet's mother praised. "You are worthless to me unless you are number one. Worthless boys must spend an eternity at the cold, damp bottom of the lake, all alone, where no one can help them." Her eyes narrowed a bit. "Unless that's what you want, go to your room."
Ayato turned around and ran away, assuming that he is heading towards his room to study, just like his mother wanted.
The triplet's mother then walked over to the bench and sat down. Her body leaned on one side as she propped her elbow on the back of the bench, then placed her cheek on her hands, watching her two other kids play.
Kanato then runs over to his mother.
"Mother?" Kanato calls.
"Kanato, my little song bird." She said sweetly, completely different from the way she talked to Ayato. "Sing. Sing that song to me." She requested.
She held out her arm towards him as if she was the conductor and Kanato was the instrument.
"Yes, Mother."
The triplet's mother lowered her hand as Kanato started to sing the song she wanted to hear. Laito runs close to them and smiles at his mother while listening to his little brother sing.
"Is this pretty lady their mother?" Yui asked out loud.
"I guess so... Seeing how similar she looks to Laito, Kanato, and Ayato..." Yuki said.
I remember now... But... How come I saw her in my reflection the other night...? Yuki thought.
Then they hear a dog - more like a puppy - barking. They exchange looks and walks over to where the sound was coming from, but stops by a tree after seeing another woman and a young Reiji. The woman was sewing while Reiji was reading. Behind them, stood a butler.
* In the Outdoor Pavilion. *
The woman looked similar to Shu's appearance, but her aura was similar to Reiji.
She wore her hair in a bun but had two long strands in the front with her bangs parted to the left. She wore a red and black gown. The top part consisted of black shoulders with a gold border and long red capped sleeves with a black border and black ruffles at the end of the sleeves. The middle was a fitted bodice with red sides featuring gold borders and embellishment and a black middle section which is part of the neckline. The bottom of the dress was a red skirt with black ruffle borders opened in the front to reveal a dark red petticoat. She also wore a red jewel necklace.
"Is that Reiji?" Yui wondered as she watched Reiji.
"Seems so..." Yuki answered as she heard the puppy barking again.
Yuki then looked to the direction to where the sound was and she saw a young Shu with a black, tan-colored puppy in his hands. The small puppy pawed playfully at Shu's face as he smiled cheerfully at the dog while walking towards where the woman and Reiji sat.
Yuki didn't notice how her mouth hung a bit open in shock to see Shu smiling cheerfully.
H-He s-smi-smiled!? Yuki thought as she watched Shu, then at the woman who stood up, placing her sewing materials on the table.
"Shu, what are you doing here?" The woman asked as Shu ran over to her and she walked closer to him.
Shu held the puppy up.
"Look, a friend just gave him to me!" Shu exclaimed.
"Release that thing at once."
The puppy licked Shu's cheek and he giggled.
"Hey, that tickles!" He said.
Behind the woman, Reiji looks up from his book at his older brother with an annoyed look on his face.
"Shu!" The woman called and Shu looked up at her. "You are the eldest son, and therefore, the next head of the family. You must learn how to conduct yourself at all times."
Then, the butler who was standing on the side, simply nodded without the woman ordering and walked over to Shu, taking the puppy away from him. The puppy started to whine and Shu doesn't release the puppy.
"What are you doing!?" Shu asked. "No! I promised Edgar I'd take care of him."
Then, his mother walked up to him and looked down at him. Shu released the puppy and looked down, a frustrated look on his face. He suddenly bolted away from where his mother and brother were, running somewhere.
Yuki didn't know what came over her as she suddenly followed after Shu. Yui called her, but for some reason she wanted to continue watching Reiji.
Shu and Reiji's mother sat back in her seat. Reiji set his book down and faced her.
"Mother, I have finished memorizing this entire book." Reiji said as his mother picked up her sewing materials, ignoring Reiji.
Reiji then looked back at his book, annoyed.
~ Where Yuki is ~
Yuki suddenly lost sight of Shu as she slowed her pace then stood, her hands on her knees as she took deep breaths. She noticed a white rose beside her feet and she knelt, reaching for the beautiful flower.
When her fingers touched the rose's stem, it pricked her and she released the flower, letting it fall to the ground.
"Ow..." Yuki mumbled as she looked at her finger that started to bleed.
When Yuki looked up to see where she was, she was on a bridge near a tower lined with white roses.
* On a Bridge near a Tower. *
"How did I..." Yuki mumbled as she noticed a young Subaru.
He seemed to be looking up at the tower and Yuki looked up as well. She then saw a woman at the window of the tower, probably looking at Subaru then turning away.
Yuki's attention then went back on Subaru as he puts his head down in sadness. She then notices something silver in his hands and it was the silver knife that he gave her who gave it to Yui. The young Subaru drops the knife and it clangs against the ground.
The sound of the knife dropping to the floor had made Yuki blank out for a moment, but she snapped back to reality as she notices that the scenery around her had changed. She was now in a dim, cold room - except it wasn't a room, but a dungeon cell.
* In the One of the Dungeon Cells. *
Yuki then sees something on the ground. A small body.
A child's body.
Yuki's eyes went wide as her head throb, placing the hands on her head.
"Ugh... My head..." Yuki gasped as she heard footsteps.
She turned her head to look out of the cell, behind the bars and she sees three men wearing masks. One of them opened the cell door and entered, walking towards the child's body.
Yuki's head continued to throb as she starts to hear a voice. That voice just keeps repeating one word: Remember.
Yuki then sits on the cold stone floor, so that she could see what the three men were going to do.
Two of them grabbed each of the girl's arms, lifting her from the ground. The girl was facing towards Yuki's direction.
Yuki notices the girl's appearance. Long blonde hair and pink-colored eyes.
The girl started to wake up as they lifted her up from the ground. Her pink-colored eyes are wide with fear.
"Please... Please don't do this..." The girl whimpered as the third man stands behind the girl's body.
"Please... Please don't do this..." Yuki repeats quietly as her hands fall to her sides, her eyes wide.
"Shut it, girl. Unfurl your wings." The man behind her ordered.
"No... Please... Don't do this..." The girl begged, her tears slips out from her eyes.
"UNFURL YOUR WINGS, YOU DAMN ANGEL!" The man roared, making the girl flinch. "Hurry up!"
Tears slowly trickled down the girl's face.
Then, white feathered wings unfurl from behind the girl's back. They would look beautiful and majestic while soaring in the sky... But soon, that would all be gone.
"So this is an angel's most prized possessions... Their wings." The man said, staring at them in awe. "But too bad... You'll no longer have them."
Without any hesitation or struggle, the man ripped one of the wings from the girl's back, earning a pained scream that resonated throughout the dungeons. The man laughed as the girl screamed in pain. Her wing was still in his hand and he exited the dungeon cell with it.
After a while, the girl had quieted down, but you could faintly hear her whimpering as the two that held her, placed her on the cold ground. They left the cell.
Yuki had listened to the girl scream and shout, since she couldn't help her and throughout the girl's screaming session, a voice repeated the same word: Remember.
Yuki crawled over to the girl's body and looked at the right shoulder-blade - where her wing once was. She saw the flesh that had blood coming out from it, trickling down the girl's body.
"This wound will become a scar... I'm sorry I couldn't do anything..." Yuki said as she watched the young girl.
Remember... Remember... The voice repeated over and over, giving Yuki a headache.
She groaned as her vision blurred, and eventually lost conscious.
~ Present ~
* In the Underground Waterways. *
"Hey."
Who is it...? Yuki thought.
"Hey, wake up."
Yuki opened her eyes as she stared into a pair of familiar green-colored eyes.
"Ayato?" Yuki called. "Where are we...?"
"In the underground waterway." Ayato answered as he stood up.
Yuki stood up as well as she placed a hand on her head, trying to steady herself.
"Right... Where's Yui?" Yuki asked as she looked around, not seeing her sister anywhere.
"You mean Pancake? She wasn't here when Yours Truly arrived."
Yuki continued to hold her head as her head thumped a bit.
"What were you doing here anyways, Candy?" Ayato asked and Yuki shrugged. "Stay away from this area when it rains."
Yuki nodded in response. She then pointed towards the door with her other hand.
"What's... Behind that door...?" Yuki asked.
Ayato looked at the door then back at Yuki.
"You don't need to know that." Ayato replied as he noticed the cut on her finger. "What happened to your hand?"
"Hm...?" Yuki looked at her finger. "Ah... I accidentally cut it on a rose's thorn when I tried to pick it up..." She answered, letting her hand drop to her sides.
"What a sweet aroma~"
Yuki turned her head to see who was talking and it was Laito.
"Do you call that perfume, 'Temptation'?" Laito asked and Yuki just stared at him silently.
"Nfu~ I'm glad I ran into you. Let's have some fun together here." He added.
Laito started to walk closer to Yuki, who in turn walked backwards.
"It certainly is potent." Ayato remarked as Yuki looked at him in surprise. "I've smelled that before."
This is bad... Should I run? Or let them drink? Yuki asked herself as she looked at Laito then at Ayato. Run.
"Sorry, Laito, but I'm gonna pass on the offer..." Yuki said as she ran past Laito.
Just one more and I'll have to sprint back to my room- Yuki thought as someone grabbed her wrist.
"Where are you going, Candy?" Ayato asked as he slammed her against the wall.
Yuki gasp as she looked at Ayato and Laito.
"Why... Do you do this...?" Yuki asked.
"Why?" Laito repeated as he placed a hand on the wall, blocking Yuki's escape. "Because it's fun, of course~"
He lifted her chin up, her pink-colored eyes staring into green-colored ones.
"Step aside." Ayato ordered as he pushed his brother away from Yuki.
Ayato then grabbed Yuki's wrist, pinning it on the wall, so that she wouldn't escape. He then leaned closer to Yuki's neck and bit her, making her gasp in pain. Laito just stood on the side, watching with his arms crossed in front of him.
"That's the flavor I remember." Ayato mumbled against Yuki's skin.
"No..." Yuki spoke as Ayato continued to feed. "Ayato..."
Yuki's head started to throb again and she groaned quietly.
Then something in Ayato clicked, remembering who had the same flavor. He stopped drinking at looked at Yuki.
"You..." Ayato said as he look at Yuki.
This is... My chance... Yuki thought as she released her wrists from Ayato's grasp and pushed him towards Laito.
As the two brothers collided into each other, Yuki ran as fast as she could.
"Hey!" Yuki heard Ayato shout, but she didn't stop.
* In the Room Where the Diary was Found. *
For some reason, Yuki's legs had led her to a room where she and her sister found their father's diary. Yuki closed the door behind her and walked into the room.
"Why am I always coming into this room...?" Yuki asked as she opened the balcony window, stepping outside.
* Outside of the Room. *
Yuki was glad that the balcony had a cover on top, or else she would've been soaked by the storm. It was cold, but her head felt hot, so the coldness felt good. The storm was still going on and the rain was loud.
"It's cold..." She said as she shivered.
Yuki walks to the ledge and leans on it. She watches the rain and raises her hand, extending it away from her and into the rain. Yuki felt the cold rain hitting against the palm of her hand.
Suddenly, Yuki saw something white sitting in the courtyard. It was a white wolf with crimson-colored markings across its body. The white wolf also had golden-colored eyes.
"A wolf...?" Yuki said as she stared at the white animal.
The wolf stared back at Yuki and it nodded once, then got up and ran away.
Did the wolf just nod at me...? Yuki asked as she brushed the idea away and watched the rain fall.
Remember... Yuki...