Sacrifice By Shoujo's Revenge
Disclaimer: Kazuki Takahashi owns the Yu-Gi-Oh series.
A/N: This first part will be confusing but keep on reading, things will make sense as you read along.
Chapter 3: Empty Heart
This girl reminds me of someone. Loving a person who couldn't reciprocate her feelings. Humans really are foolish. Aine could read Anzu's mind. She had loved the other Yugi for some time now. In the beginning, she thought he was her bestfriend, Yugi's alter-ego just to find out that he was actually a soul stuck in an ancient relic; a Pharaoh from three thousand years ago. It hit her hard when she realized that he would have to leave them someday. She succumbed to a bout of depression after finding this out. Anzu buried her feelings deep into her heart; not knowing that the act had damaged her. She had tried to feign happiness on the outside while she was hurting on the inside. Something in her snapped. That is why she was trapped; unable to wake up in the human world or not wanting to. Deep inside, Anzu knew this but the knowledge was beyond her reach. She wasn't the first human to do so.
"You loved him, didn't you?" Her whisper was clearly audible.
"Yes," was Anzu's simple and quiet answer. For a few moments, Aine just listened to the brunette sob silently. Anzu was still huddled miserably beside her. When her sobs subsided, her head popped out of her arms, looking at the stranger beside her.
"Earlier…" She sniffled, turning to Aine. The latter was turned away, staring intently at the horizon. Anzu didn't have to say it; Aine had already guessed what she was going to say.
"I know of what you are going to ask; you want to ask whether the man who attacked me earlier was the past incarnation of a young man named Seto Kaiba. Yes, yes, he is." She said, disdainful. She grabbed a fistful of tiny rocks and burned them.
"Monster! He's just a monster!" It was Priest Seto who had screamed those words. She was suddenly filled with rage. She stood up with her palms extended in the air. Dark flames shot out of them into the distance until they faded.
"Uh!" She lost her footing. Anzu stood up in time to support her arm.
"How come only you can see me and I can touch you but nothing else?" She asked Aine.
"Have you ever had memories that you wanted to kill permanently so they could stop invading your mind, your sleep? Painful memories that'll haunt you no matter how much you try to push them to the back of your mind?" Aine breathed, panting.
"No..." Anzu said, setting her down. She knelt down beside Aine.
"All of these centuries of being alive..." Aine squeezed her eyes shut, feeling her heart beating rapidly underneath her pale hand. There wasn't supposed to be a heart there. She was not a human so why was there a living beating heart inside of her? "I still cannot forget about that person after all these years...Dear Anzu," she smiled, running her fingers through sand. Her smile was genuine, so pure.
"Yes?"
"What's it like to be mortal? Is it a great feeling knowing that you'll be released from this one day?" Aine'll never know the satisfaction. Aine's destiny as this being was to feed on souls and drink on blood granting the wishes of greedy and foolish humans. It was neverending. What was she? She wasn't even a she. Her being didn't even have a name. Not a human. Not a monster. Not a god. Not anything.
Anzu didn't know how to answer her question. She looked her full in the eyes and gasped. Aine was no longer there. Instead a pale beautiful man sat in her spot. The man lifted his hand and peered at the details of his hand. "It appears as though I've reverted to my first form." He stood up and looked down at the frightened girl. "My real name isn't Aine. In the beginning, I took the form of a man, the man you see before you. Aine is an identity I took on after I was betrayed by someone you know. As I do not function as a normal human, I had to shed my emotions for this woman so my body transfigured into a woman. Biting back my emotions, I traveled throughout the world in search for my sustenance which is souls. Unfortunately, your measly human souls aren't enough for me to function. Ther e are so much tarnished souls. I need a powerful pure soul. Your precious mou hitori no Yugi has that soul."
Did she hear right? "No," she gripped his white linen shirt. "No! You can't! Leave him alone! Please don't!" He took her hand gently. His fingers were shaking.
"I'm growing weaker every day yet this empty heart of mine still beats." He placed her hand over his chest. "I have a heart. A being like me shouldn't have a heart. You humans did this to me more specificially a servant of the Pharaoh's did this to me."
"Enough." Aine regained control of her body. "This is of no concern of yours."
"It is a concern of mine if you're planning to hurt the person I love the most! Can't you find your food from someone else? How about me? Is my soul pure enough for you?"
Aine's eyes widened. "Don't be silly, girl. Your soul is no good." She finally said, pushing her aside. She couldn't believe that this girl would give up her soul, her life just for him. She prepared to fade back to the real world, anticipating her meal. As her back turned on the distraught girl, Anzu jumped on her, knocking her down.
"Please turn down his request! I don't want to live anymore if it means he's gone! I'll stay dead, I'll stay dead..." Anzu sobbed, lying beside Aine.
It's her fault. Her heart was pounding to its breaking point. Was she possibly having a heart attack? It's your fault. You cursed me with this heart. The scenery around them became wavy.
He didn't know why he helped her. She was just a human, after all. He only helped those who offered him their soul. It was never out of the goodness of his non-existent heart yet for some reason, he just saved a human girl without a slight hesitation, without anything in return. Not believing his own generosity, the usually fearless soul-eater did not dare look at the girl residing in his arms. Instead, he just launched an attack on the monster that had tried to attack her. Even though, his arms were obviously full and he was inches away from a hundred foot monster roaring in his face, he didn't even bat an eye. He didn't usually do this but- The rogue looking man in front of him burst into black flames and disappeared with an agonized scream. The monster immediately faded away into the air. He looked down to find that the girl had fainted.
Their environment changed again.
Not that he particularly cared though in his opinion, anybody relying on an item for power isn't very powerful. If he were to compare himself to the Pharaoh, he would deem himself much more powerful but power didn't particularly interest him. He didn't actually tell her this. She, however, felt like she wanted to argue. She was taught all her life that the Pharaoh was the most powerful man in the world, able to use the powers of the Sennen Puzzle and summoning all three of the Egyptian Gods. He neglected to mention that if he was indeed so powerful, he wouldn't need six Priests to protect him. Displeasing her left an unsatisfying feeling in his stomach. Anybody else would've thought that all this talk of the Pharaoh meant she was in love with him. It was really just loyalty and admiration on her part, really. He knew, too. He thought it was amusing of this woman to talk everything that Egypt's savior did, even the assinine things he did.
As he sat underneath the burning sun, she was sitting right underneath some large boulders which provided shade for her. He just sat there without any complaints about how hot it was or whining about wanting water. They did this quite often whenever they get to; just sitting together while she talked quietly but loud enough for him to hear. He seldom replied whenever she was telling a story or was talking about the Pharaoh. Every word that she spoke, contrary to what she thinks, went in one ear and stayed in his head, her soft voice echoing in the chambers of his mind. He felt comforted whenever he heard her voice. This must be how human children felt when their mothers sung to them before drifting to sleep.
"Today he had fallen asleep on the throne," she said, gigging lightly behind her mouth as if laughing at the Pharaoh was an act of felony. He just stared forward with an impassive stare on his foreign-looking face. "Siamun whispered frantically to try to wake him up but instead of waking up, the Pharaoh snorted in his sleep."
He broke his gaze from the horizon, his eyes resting lazily on the tanned woman beside his legs. He got up and snatched her arm to look deeply into her eyes. "Why don't you talk instead of your true feelings? You are sad that he died. You knew about his fate yet you let him go. Secretly, you loved him yet it was no time for romance since the Thief King threatens the nation. You can't show your emotions in front of them but you can let go now." Her eyes widened at his accuracy. He let go of her arm, still looking deep into her eyes. Her lips trembled and she threw her arms around him. Her face buried itself into his chest, her salty tears staining his shirt. "Why? Why is fate so cruel?! I was content just to see him everyday but now I can only see him in battle when the Pharaoh summons him. He cannot be with me, kiss me or hold me. I never knew if he ever loved me; if he ever looked at me as more than just another friend." She sobbed, trembling slightly.
"He loved you very much. However to him, his loyalty to his leader came first, his affection for his apprentice, Mana came second and you came third." He said truthfully. Unlike like the holder of the Sennen Eye, he did not need to use an item to read one's mind. He only needed to think of the person and immediately knew of his/her secrets/thoughts. Her other thoughts and secrets were also known since he found himself thinking about her everyday. He felt a strange feeling when he had discovered that her mind was full of forlorn thoughts. That was too much for him as he'd only thought of humans to search for a potential victim.
He knew that she has nowhere else to go so he was the only comfort in her life now. He was so afraid. He had never been afraid of anything in his life. What could possibly be there to scare him? He was born on the same day as the Earth. He had seen everything that delves on this Earth; demons, monsters, humans, etc. The truth is that he didn't know where he came from or why he even exists. All he yearns for in life are souls to feed upon and virgin blood to quench his thirst. So why was he afraid? An unfamiliar feeling welled up in his body. He was so confused. Why was he feeling this way?
The scene changed yet again.
She backed away from him with fear in her eyes. There was a slow thumping feeling near his chest area. He reached out with his dark fingers. Why was she looking at him with such loathing and repulse? Suddenly, he wanted to howl up to the Heavens.
"Isis," he whispered.
"Please do not come any closer to me!" She pleaded, trembling. This alarmed him. "What are you?"
"I-I do not know."
"Are you a demon?"
"No, I am not."
"Are you a monster?"
He didn't answer, peering at her frightened eyes. She had caught him partaking of a soul from a human man who gladly offered it to him. Before she had always been curious as to why he never required water or food. The feeling of fear came back. She was going to leave him. He can read her thoughts. He'll never be able to hear her soft voice again. She'll never tell him anecdotes of life in the palace; he had been curious on why she laughed at certain things like why one of the Priests, Mahado had to find his apprentice who apparently hid in vases to avoid him.
He took a step towards her. She backed away, keeping her eyes on him. He advanced, reaching out a hand. Please do not leave. This was not proper for him. He was not human. He was not supposed to be a part of her world. She turned her back on him, running away. Her black hair flowed out behind her. Even if he reached out, he couldn't touch those dancing strands of hair. He did not wish to frighten her. That look in her sky blue eyes...They caused feelings that pushed him to the verge of becoming human. A lump formed inside his chest; it started to beat. He pressed his hand slowly on the spot. He could feel it jump against his skin, under his hand as if it wanted to get closer to his touch.
A being who was not human such as him was being punished for attempting to be human. A being like him should not form feelings for a human woman, yearn to hear her voice, want to run his hands through her hair. He was supposed to help humans in exchange for substenance, not love. He failed in his task. For that, he must be cursed with a beating heart to remind him for all of eternity.
"Monster! He's just a monster!" For some reason, those words pierced right through him like icicles. Monster. Just a monster. Monster? Like the monsters on the stone tablets with which anybody with a magical relic could control? Did they think that they could control a creature like him? Not even the Pharaoh could control him! He had made a grave mistake to grow attached to a human.
"I, a monster?" He hissed. A trace of anger welled inside up of him. He seldom got angry at any human for they always viewed him to be an earthbound god or a sort of genie. They pleaded with him to grant their wishes in exchange for their soul. Never, did they ever address him as a monster. From behind of one of the Priests, she stood staring at him with glistening eyes. He chose not to look through her mind because it would be too painful. Apparently, they, including her, regarded him as a monster with no feelings. She was the cause of this. She was the reason that the Pharaoh's protectors stood in front of him, ready to fight him. The trouble was that he had no desire to fight them. He didn't desire power like human beings. He dropped his eyes to the ground. They were feeling a bit itchy. The sun glared down at them though he didn't complain nor sweat.
A burning sensation coursed through his body. Suddenly, purplish flames engulfed his entire body. He didn't let out a yowl of pain or attempt to put out the flames. He just stood there right in front of a shocked group of Priests, a Priestess and royal soldiers. The flames were comforting to him, warming his current human body. His skin melted slowly, dripping like hot wax from a candle. Some of the soldiers retched at the revolting sight. Even some of the Priests winced at the sight but the Priestess had tears dripping down her face. Finally, the fire exploded, completely engulfing him. When the flames subsided, a woman stood in his place, dressed in a black dress, covering her arms and her feet. His hair had grown longer and turned into the color of crimson. His features were more softer, beautifully thin lips pressed together, his eyes were only a little bit bigger, his skin was milky white. His fingers were more slender. His now green eyes swept over the crowd in front of her before landing on her.
"Am I really a monster when the so-called powerful ones cannot control a creature like me?" Aine said in her now feminine voice. "Am I really a monster when I have not harmed a human like you humans have?"
Isis. Turning her back on them, she flew towards the white sun, her sleeves and skirt of her dress flowing.
"You fell in love," Anzu covered her mouth, gasping. "With Isis and then she-"
"Yes, she had betrayed me, accused me of being powerhungry. Your kind cannot be trusted."
A/N: I wrote this back in 2007 or 2008 but I didn't post it because I was gonna edit some parts. Now as I was re-reading old reviews, I just thought that I might as well upload this chapter since it appears like it's almost finished. I don't know if I'll be writing the ending though.