After hearing the last sentence that the woman in front of Yui spoke, Yui didn't know what to feel. Angry at the woman who had said her name was Christa, who now just brought out in a rather abrupt way that she was actually two people at the same time? Disappointed because she hadn't told Yui from the start? Cheated because, while knowing it had something to do with Yui's past, it didn't at the same time? All these questions popped in Yui's mind, but Yui didn't react in any way. She instead got up from the table and left the room, leaving a relieved but yet confused Christa behind.
Yui went outside, and she sat on the grass below a tree that provided enough shade to shield Yui's eyes from the vexing afternoon sun. She replayed her conversation with Christa various times, each time remembering how, for the first time in a long period of weeks since Yui had woken up after being in comma for a year, Christa had called Yui by the name she was used to: ''Yui…What's wrong?'' Yui remembered the woman saying. Christa usually called her Rose, so the fact that she suddenly spoke Yui's real name somehow disturbed Yui. Christa had never heard Yui say something like,'' Hey! My name is Yui!'' Yui knew this for sure, and yet it seemed as if Yui herself doubted her ''real'' name was actually ''real'' in terms of whether it was the first name Yui had ever received.
Yui leaned aginst the tree, grateful for its shade and for the soft sounds its leaves made when they collided, which allowed Yui to meditate in peace. The garden had always been her favorite place, though in the last few days she hadn't visited that much, which was why Yui didn't fully know her way around the deep forests the garden led to, and the yards that were supposedly connected through various doors the garden's walls exhibited.
Yui suddenly felt startled. Wait, she said to herself. Then she recalled someone talking to her. The first time she had met the person who possessed blonde hair that was up in a bun, though two blonde strands fell over the person's face, that person had told Yui, while staring at Yui with deep blue, electrifying eyes:
''This garden leads to other yards depending on which doorway you choose to go through. I think you will like this place, it's like a mace, though, so be careful and don't go near the roses. If you see any, you should go back. Otherwise they could notice you, and we don't want that, Rose, so please. Oh, and there's a lake somewhere around here, you should avoid that one, too, since bad forces could cause you to drown.'' The person was a female, and then Yui remembered whom it had been that told her about the garden. The woman had called herself Christa. Yui still doubted that was the woman's identity, but for now she would refer to the blonde as Christa.
Remembering Christa's talking to Yui about the garden sent shivers down Yui's spine. Yui slowly rose from where she was sitting and she looked around. There were walls around the garden, or so Yui saw. But it wasn't the walls which bothered Yui, it was the doors that stood against it, inviting people yet warning them about discovering the secrets each one held. Yui had been somewhere similar before with a purple-headed woman whom Yui's memory, though could be wrong, recognized as someone by the name of Cordelia. Yui, tired of referring to the woman using her hair color, decided to refer to her by the name Yui was almost sure belonged to the woman. The same woman who had shown Yui the funeral scene, Yui remebered. The same woman who had shown herself snapping at a small child that looked ridiculously similar- actually, identical – to Yui's five-year-old self.
Yui wasn't worried about Cordelia, she was worried about whether Yui's thoughts were about to become facts as Yui walked , first slow-paced, then increasing speed until her speed had augmented to the point where Yui was running, towards the steps that grew closer every step she took towards it. Yui approached the steps at such high speed that she didn't bother to stop, she just skipped some, ignoring the times when she stumbled and fell briefly over them. She reached the end of the interminable set of steps, panting harshly but detaching herself from the pain that throbbed at her lungs. She walked some more through the yard that laid ahead of the steps, until she reached a set of doors. Yui used her memory and went through the doorway her mind indicated was the one that had led Yui to the scene of the funeral.
When Yui went through the doorway, she saw what confirmed her speculations about the garden. It was the same garden where the child's mother was buried. The same child who had been snapped at and admonished by Cordelia for simply crying out to her dead mom. How did Yui confirm this? There was the same picture Yui remembered from her flashback. The flashback she had acquired from Cordelia in her dream.
Yui slowly approached the spot where the picture lay, it was, however, not in the same condition as when Yui had last seen it in her trip through the garden in her dreams. The frame was crooked, and there was dust upon the glass. But mostly dirt covered the picture's surface. In front of the picture, there were some flowers that didn't resemble the state of the picture. The flowers were freshly placed, as if someone had been in the same spot Yui stared at the same day, but at a different time. Yui could have sworn she saw a pair of green eyes peek at her through the bushes, but when she turned around, there was no one there, so Yui dismissed the idea, though she still felt watched as she removed the dirt from the surface of the picture so she could take a better look at it.
She meticulously observed the features of the woman portrayed in the picture. She had reddish pink irises, white hair in a side ponytail with a purplish glow to it, high cheekbones and a fragile, feminine body that accentuated the woman's helpless appearance . And the expression. The dour expression that Yui had seen before. The helpless, wistful and yet harsh expression that troubled every soul who dared look closely.
Yui then recalled Christa's change in appearance when Yui had woken up from her dream with Cordelia. Christa's hair had looked paler than usual, almost white because of the amount of light in the room. Not only that, but she had worn her hair in a high side ponytail that allowed for the ends of Christa's hair to slightly touch the woman's thigh, instead of the usual bun she used to wear. Yui had remembered when Christa's eyes turned from blue to reddish pink, and the woman had looked away. At the time, Yui didn't care much about the change in Christa's hair color, but now she recalled Christa's hair had transformed into a white set of curls held together by a red, thick hair-band. Christa's hair returned to its usually orange-ish yellow in a matter of seconds, but the moment's transformation had been glued to Yui's mind, and she perfectly remembered every detail of it.
She compared the fresh memory of Christa's change in appearance to the picture in front of her. Yui gasped so loudly she covered her mouth, then realized she was alone. However, as much as she told herself she was indeed alone, she still felt watched. Yui ignored the feeling and compelled her mind to focus on comparing. There was no mistake, Christa had transformed into the dead woman who laid buried underground, under the same spot where Yui stood, shivering because she heard footsteps.
She stood, and then walked towards the bushes. She slowly, carefully, and apprehensively made the leaves depart by moving them. She looked down at the thick bush, there were footsteps at the bush's roots, and a rose laid on the marked dirt. Yui leaned in, curious, to pick the rose up. When she did, a thorn tore at her finger, and she dropped the white rose that was slowly turning red because of Yui's blood being spilled on top of its surface.
''Finally, woman.'' A deep male voice said in her ear. ''To think that you would never figure out anything bothered me. You've discovered her identity, then? Unfortunately for you, I'm afraid that means you belong to us now. She has proven incompetent at hiding things from you, so we shall take you instead.''
Yui didn't understand what this man was saying, she tried to move away but he pulled her hand, causing her body to collide against his while giving her a chance to recognize his features. There came to her mind a man with pale celestial blue eyes, dark hair that was worn ruffled, and a tall, masculine body. Every feature was identical except for one thing: the man who stood in front of her had cold eyes that were between gray and blue, not the warm, celestial blue eyes that were between white and blue. This man was Alex, and yet Yui knew otherwise.
''In case you are wondering who I am, hello,my name is Ruki.'' The man said in a rather impassive voice that suggested no particular emotion. He seemed- interested, and yet bored, as if this- whatever this meant- was usual.
''Alex?'' Yui asked. Then realized the man had just introduced himself.
''Hm. You fell for that one? Women- human women in particular- are quite dreamy aren't they? I can't believe you actually-'' he stopped, as if he heard something. A door crushed open and Yui saw Christa standing a few meters away from Yui. Christa advanced towards them but ''Ruki'' held up one hand. ''A deal is a deal. I'm afraid Eve doesn't have to put up with you lying to her anymore.'' Ruki smirked, he realized how much his words impacted Yui.
''Lying…b-but-'' She was interrupted by a pain that throbbed at her neck. A pain so familiar, yet so foreign. As if she had never felt it, and yet her memory told her otherwise. She remembered a pair of vampires, both with red hair and green eyes. They smiled down at her as they bit in each side of her neck, even if she implored for them to stop. She remembered being in a cell with the two vampires for a long period of time, until they grew bored of her and left her bleeding, while she cried for water, alone. She had been starved and left nearly dehydrated for three days. She couldn't remember what had happened afterwards, but the small fragment of the past allowed her to know she was being bitten. And hard.
She screamed in agony as Ruki drank her blood for what seemed an eternity. His fangs tore at Yui's neck and they sank deeper by the second until the augmented force with which he bit was unbearable. Yui panted, and her blood boiled. Her eyes gained a glow, and they turned green, though only for the slightest second. Ruki, however, didn't even flinch as Yui desperately tried to pull away from him. When he felt satisfied, he took off his tie and tied Yui's wrists together, forcefully and roughly. Christa called out to Yui, but Yui was so enervated she couldn't listen to what Christa was shouting. Christa ran towards Yui with all her might, feeling she couldn't let Yui go yet. Not without telling Yui who she really was, not without telling Yui her life was in danger. Not without reassuring Yui she would come back to Yui once again, and intend to keep her even when she knew she could risk being recognized by the Sakamakis, which would not help her to fulfill her goal with Yui.
After Ruki had tied Yui's wrists he picked her up and thrust her inside a car- actually, a limo- and then, after yelling something at Christa, who still ran for Yui's sake, he himself went in the car, dropping besides Yui and closing the door behind him. The limo got started, and Yui saw through the window that they were leaving what had been her second home. '' You really are amazing, Eve.'' He smiled, though his smile was cold and yet mischievous. He placed himself on top of her, his weight falling over Yui.
''Why are you doing this?'' Yui whispered as Ruki softly kissed her neck, causing her to blush fiercely.
''Doing what?'' He asked with feigned innocence. Yui was about to elaborate a more specific response, but there came a pain on her chest and she flinched harshly. She opened her eyes and when Ruki saw them, he hastily got up from where he was on top of Yui. He opened a bag that laid besides the car seat and he forced the liquid down Yui's throat by holding her nose, and filling her open mouth with it. Yui gagged, and she coughed uncontrollably for a few minutes. When Ruki shook her to get a reaction, he realized she was dead cold, and when he opened her eyes, they weren't pink, or even red, like sometimes she gained a reddish glow to her eyes. No, they were the same color as before. The same color he disdained so much: green. He yelled in Yui's ear but she didn't react. He cursed under his breath.
''Who are you?'' A high pitched voice said. ''How dare you touch her!''
Yui heard screams and someone being slapped. But she could no longer be alert, her head rolled over, and she felt something boil inside her. Something that was ready to be let out.
Author's note:
Well, sorry if the chapters are short but it's the best way I can update regularly without driving you guys crazy. What do you think is the ''deal'' Christa would have with a Mukami? And whom do you think defended Yui in that last scene inside the car? Please let me know in the reviews! I am open to suggestions about what should happen from now on, though I've already made an outline of the major scenes (none of which are up yet) so let it out! Also, this is my first fanfic, so I really take your opinions seriously so I can sharpen my writing skills, so don't be afraid to point out anything, as some of you already have! Thanks for your time to review my work! I really appreciate it!