It was a dreary Sunday afternoon in Veilstone City. While it was not pouring rain, there was enough to call into question the sense of any outdoor activity. There was a part of Yumi that hoped this would be the logic her family took to change their planned activities. Canceling it altogether was out of the question, since everyone had already arrived. It was no surprise to her when they continued with things as planned regardless.
In fact, she had openly questioned it, albeit in a respectful and roundabout way. "Are we still going in this poor weather?" she had asked, in Japanese as they were expected to around the house (and especially around the older members of their family). She was the only one to bring it up, though she was certain others were thinking the same thing.
"Yes," her dad, Ransuke Takao, had said to her. He was a tall man with short black hair, and the parent from whom she and her brother got their light brown hair from; their earthy brown eyes came from their mom, Mitate. "You performed some of your protests in the rain, did you not?"
"No," she had explained to him. "We never did, as the point was publicity, and not many people went out in the rain." That was the best way to put it without getting scolded for being defiant: indirectly pointing out that most people would see the weather and reschedule or do something else.
"This is not one of your foolish protests, Yumi-san," her great-grandmother had chimed in. A short yet powerful woman. She dressed very traditionally in a stylistic black kimono with a white haori over top. Her face had many wrinkles along its creases, her eyes were a simple yet piercing brown, and her hair was milky white. "Even if spears fall too, we are going to the beach. And ensure you dress appropriately."
She did not mean just for the weather, either. Yumi ended up wearing a black jumper over a gray shirt. She wavered between pants and an ankle-length black skirt, deciding on the latter when she saw what the rest of the family was wearing. It was far from her usual fashion; she wore clothes like these only during formal occasions. This was one of them, per her the edict of her great-grandmother.
That was how Yumi found herself at Shiroisuna Beach that day. She was far from the only one unhappy with the arrangement, but no one else spoke up in any way about it. And why would they? Great-grandma Rikina Takao was the eldest member of the family. At the end of the day, they all deferred to her out of respect. Even the few times they didn't, she could defeat an Azelf in a contest of wills. Yumi considered herself blessed that she did not live with them.
At the very least, there were some tables under a gazebo. Yet the gusting winds ensured that even being under cover would not keep one completely dry. This made it difficult to enjoy the food. Furthermore, the boat rental place was closed and virtually no one else had come here. So there was even less to enjoy at the beach than Yumi had expected.
Most of the Takao family had come for the occasion. There were over twenty in total spanning five generations; one of her cousins on great-aunt Megumi's side of the family had children of his own. No one was close to her and Touya's age. The only absence who still lived in Japan had an important Pokemon Contest scheduled in Kitakami, but he had sent his regards. Great-grandma Rikina had gone on a short rant about him as a result. That was the kind of person she was.
Yumi followed the conversations that the rest of the family was having, but only barely. Touya was much the same way, sitting across from her with an empty expression on his face the whole time. It was only when they were addressed personally did they speak, both out of politeness and because they had little to add.
"Hey, Touya-san!" boomed Uncle Yoshi. He was a stocky man and their father's brother, with the same hair color as them. He wore a big black coat that went down to his legs. He was the only one present not dressed traditionally. Yoshi was unmarried and lived alone as an artist, but he always made it to the gatherings. "I've been meaning to ask! How are things with you and that Sanae girl?"
"They've been good, Uncle," Touya answered simply and to the point. He was wearing a formal blue jacket, black pants, and a waterproof bucket hat. "We are taking it slow and steady."
"Good man! How about you, Yumi-san?" He turned his attention to her with a stuffy grin. "You find the right guy yet?"
"No, not yet, Uncle," she replied, shrinking under his gaze. He was never the type to judge, but he could be just as overbearing a different way from the rest of the family.
He shrugged. "Ah well. Shankankan! You're young!"
"Yes, she is," came the voice of great-grandma Rikina. It was enough to silence everyone. She had been using a wagasa for the rain, which was lying at her feet. "As are you, Touya-san. You should be focusing on your education at this age."
He initially said nothing. However, their elder's eyes said that she was expecting an answer. Touya glanced at their parents, then at Yumi for longer, before he replied. "Great-grandmother, it would be dishonorable for me to break up with her."
"She is not the right girl for you, Touya-san. She thinks as a westerner. And I can tell, she is the type to lie." He said nothing in response. "If she will lie to others, you would be no exception."
Touya turned away and lowered his head. He growled under his breath. Yumi could tell from his expression that there was a part of him which actually believed her twisted logic.
"And you, Yumi-san." She straightened and her eyes widened. What was this going to be about?! "You must change for the better if you wish to attract a partner. There is no man who would want to marry one such as you."
Yumi pressed her knees together and tried to hide her clenching hands between them. That was an old way of thinking, bordering on sexist. There were a lot of people who still had that mindset, and she did not want to be a part of it. She kept quiet, however.
"Leave the news to the Schraders. You will also need to find yourself better company. You have a bad habit of being around the wrong people. First it was those YAMS characters, now it is the Demon Tamer."
That was going too far. "Great-grandmother, my friends are good people," she protested. "They've always stood beside me, even YAMS–"
It happened so fast that no one had any time to react, least of all Yumi. Great-grandma Rikina was on her feet in a flash. She marched over, reached out, and delivered a full force slap. Yumi cried out as she felt the sting of her elderly relative's nails. The force sent her twisting and tumbling out of her seat. Her cries turned to screams as she fell awkwardly, squashing her arm between the pavement and her body.
Yumi rolled over and pressed her elbow against her stomach. Her free hand flew to her cheek to nurse the other wound. She writhed in pain and wheezed as she tried to breathe.
"Get up," came her great-grandma's cold bark. "You look undignified."
Without further warning, the elderly woman reached down and yanked her up by the injured arm. While she did ensure Yumi was steady before releasing her, the teenager almost immediately fell over once again, barely making it back to the bench.
Tears were flooding her eyes from the pain alone. She turned to the rest of her family. There were a few horrified expressions, but no one dared to speak up. No one protested her great-grandmother physically abusing her in front of everyone. That was how traditionalist their family was. Yumi didn't hold out hope that anyone else saw it. And even if they did, they might not do anything. She knew this from her protests with YAMS. People are reluctant to get involved in family issues except when the abuse is egregious. Worse, it was actually not explicitly illegal for parents and guardians to physically punish children in the country. Most would not anyway, but her great-grandmother was another story.
"You must listen to and respect your elders, Yumi-san," she said sternly. "You will not go far in life otherwise."
Yumi turned to the rest of her family. She pleaded with her eyes for someone, anyone to say or do anything about this. It was Uncle Yoshi who decided to do so.
"Hey, take it easy on the girl, grandma," he spoke up while leaning back.
"This is none of your business," great-grandma Rikina countered. It was the typical response. To punctuate it, she fired a glare at her other grandson to tell him to reiterate as such.
"No. It isn't, big brother," their father rasped. He hung his head and sighed, powerless in the face of his grandmother.
Yumi nearly burst into further tears. Why?! Her great-grandma didn't even live with them! Why were they letting her say all this?! Her throat ached and her vision blurred, but she knew actually crying would only make things worse. So she forced herself to her feet with her shaking arms, despite feeling so dizzy that she thought she might fall over. Yumi approached her parents.
"Mother, may I be excused to go to the bathroom?" She bowed and shut her eyes, trying to hide how watery they were. It was also to internally pray.
It was to her relief when her mom agreed without question. "Go ahead, Yumi," she motioned with a wave of her fingers. "But be back quickly."
She just wanted to get away for a bit and that was the only possible excuse. She silently thanked the gods as she hurried off before anyone could step in and stop her.
It was only when she was sure that she was out of earshot that Yumi began to let it out. She held a hand over her mouth, muffling her sobs as her tears flowed as hard as the rain. It hurt to move her arms. Her knees were weak, and if it wasn't raining, she would've fallen down and just laid there.
Sure, her parents were strict. But they still allowed her and Touya some freedom. Allowing them to join Youths Against Mistaken Society was a big one. Not their great-grandmother. She was horrible! She wanted them to be exactly a certain way! What was worst of all was that they might actually listen to her. What in the world was she going to do if that happened?! She was too alone. No one could help her. Nobody could do anything.
"You all right, miss?" The call of a man in an orange cap and shirt nearly made Yumi jump out of her skin. He was sitting at a picnic table in the rain. Two fishing rods and a basket were next to him. She took stock of her surroundings. There was a small brown building before her. By chance or instinct, she had wandered over to the restrooms after all.
"Yes, I'm fine," she lied, her voice quavering. It was painful to lie about it, but she knew that no good could come from telling him about what happened. At best, he'd get shut down like Uncle Yoshi. At worst, he might even say she deserved it.
Aware he might question it anyway, Yumi ran into the women's restroom. No sign of anyone else. Once she was sure by checking the stalls, she went into one, sat down heavily, and buried her face in her hands.
She gasped as she felt a warm and thick fluid. The teenager's eyebrows raised and her retinas widened. Instinctively, she pressed in harder. No, it couldn't be. She was afraid to retract them, but her trembling hand involuntarily withdrew into her line of sight. She was already hyperventilating, but the sight of the blood on her left hand nearly suffocated her. Yumi burst from the stall and ran to the mirror. She turned her head to the left.
A vicious cut was running down the side of her face, oozing a deep crimson. Her hand went to it aain in a desperate attempt to stop the flow. Her stomach turned, and again, she felt like she might fall over. The fear turned to dread as a chill came over her and her heart threatened to beat out of her chest. Did that fisherman see? Did her family see?! With a glance to the door, she rushed back into the stall and locked it.
Yumi was unsure how long she sat there crying. It was likely no more than ten minutes, but it felt like hours. She was left with festering thoughts of loathing and hatred. Yet it always came back to feeling tired, like someone had cut a hole into her body and soul, preventing her from resisting. She was powerless. And since it was great-grandma Rikina, it was unlikely anyone could or would do anything. All she could do was pray for it to be over tomorrow.
"Yumi, are you in there?!" came a frantic shout that dragged her out of her reverie. Yumi almost fell off the seat. It took her a couple seconds to register that it was her brother's voice, speaking in plain English.
"I'll be out a minute, Touya!" she eventually replied.
Yumi braced against the wall with her right hand as she stood. After taking a moment to let her legs wake up, she left the stall and went before the mirror again. The bleeding had stopped, though there was still the scab and a considerable red welt. She kept her hair short yet feminine. There was no way she could easily hide the wound behind it. The most she could do was bandage it up and claim it was an accident.
She got some soap into her palms, thoroughly scrubbed her bloodstained hands, and dried them with paper towels. She blew her nose some more, then repeated the cleaning process a second time to make sure she got all of it out. After washing her hands again as well as wiping her eyes for good measure, she grabbed a third paper towel to grab the handle to leave.
Touya was pacing restlessly a few meters out. He ran over to her before the door had closed.
"Show me your cheek," he instantly asked without even looking.
Yumi began to turn her head to the right, only to stop herself. There was no use and no sense hiding it; he knew where she had been hit. With a sniff, she turned to the left.
Her twin's hands balled into tight fists. He huffed heavily, gritting his teeth. "You were bleeding?! Is your arm okay?"
Yumi rolled her shoulders, elbows, and wrists in sequence. Then she wiggled her fingers. They ached, but nothing felt broken or fractured. "Yeah, I think so."
Her brother nodded silently. He half turned away while stomping a foot. His shoulders rose with each heavy breath he took.
"You came to check on me?" she asked, looking around. No, it was just them and the fisherman. "Did anyone else…?"
He crossed his arms. "I said you're my twin sister, and that it's my responsibility to look out for you, even if you're older."
That was enough to calm her down. She felt her muscles relax. "What happened after I left?"
"Not much. She pulled dad aside to talk to him. I'm unsure about what." He growled and shut his eyes as he looked upward. Touya tapped his foot. "This is why I'm getting the hell out. I just need to wait for the right moment."
"Shit, really?!"
They both gasped. In sync, they spun to face the source, the fisherman on the bench. He was leaning over the table, shielding a cell phone from the rain as he stared into it. The man was only talking to himself.
"Touya!" she rasped, huddling closer. Enough was enough, they had to talk about that here and now. "You can't just run away! Our parents are strict, but they aren't that bad!"
She wanted to believe in them. She believed that pained shame she saw on their dad's face, and that he wasn't actually going to make them do what their great-grandmother demanded! They never complained about Sanae, or even about Youths Against Mistaken Society.
"Plus, you should know they're going to blame and punish me if you leave!" she added after a few seconds of non-response. They would know that she knew and punish her for not doing or saying anything.
Touya nodded, but his expression remained steely. "Then come with us. Sanae already told me she wouldn't mind."
Go with them on their journey…? Yumi checked around. Still just them, no sign of anyone else in their family or their Pokemon.
She had never thought about that. It took only a few seconds of doing so to reach a conclusion. The idea of a journey didn't sound unappealing, but there were too many problems and drawbacks. It all came out in an anguished burst. "I'm not ready for a journey! We'd have to prepare and pack, and that would make our parents suspicious. You have to too! Even if we do all that and make it out, what about when we get back?! We might not even have a home to go back to, worst case scenario! You have Sanae, but what if things don't work out between you two?" She sobbed. "And what about me?!"
She already felt like enough of a third wheel. Even though they never did it on purpose, she still felt excluded. She had been with Touya ever since they were born. She knew that was going to end someday, when they both found paths and families of their own. But she didn't want it to be now! And if they really were disowned, both of them could have nowhere to go!
Touya laid a hand on her shoulder. "Yumi," he said, a sudden calm in his tone. "I'm done with our family. This cemented it. You're going to need to decide for yourself eventually."
Decide her future for herself. Her family was strict, but she would never call them bad. None of them were like their great-grandmother. Running away was too extreme, but she couldn't find the words, let alone the energy to argue with Touya about it. Her plan was to ride it out until finishing high school, then go from there. Where that could be, she didn't know yet.
Suddenly, the door to the men's restroom opened. The twins immediately went on-guard, dropping it only when they saw it was a burly man wearing a blue cap and a matching jacket. As he lit a cigarette, the fisherman on the bench rose and approached him.
"Hey, Tully, you gotta come see this," he said.
"Yeah, George?"
"Kannagi Shrine priestess is here, over by the boat rental shop."
Yumi and Touya exchanged glances. Did he mean Prema Kannagi? What could bring her out all this way? They actually had a brief history with her, although a neutral one at worst compared to what Louis and Mariko eventually tried to get up to. In retrospect, it further justified their decision to leave YAMS.
Tully took a puff from his cancer stick. "Fuck, in this weather? Know why?"
"Brett said it had something to do with Qwilfish. Was too out of it to say more."
The twins exchanged another knowing look with each other. The two didn't share any sort of inexplicable connection with one another as some twins did, but there were still times when they thought the same thing and knew it. This incident had something to do with Pete Stephens.
Tully shrugged. "All right, let's go."
As the two fishermen left, Touya turned to her with a smirk. "Well, shall we follow them?"
Yumi quickly shook her head. "No, we better ask for permission so we don't get in trouble."
"It's better to ask for forgiveness than permission," Touya countered.
Yumi understood that and any other time, she'd agree with it! "But Touya," she warned him. "If you do that, it might mess up your plans."
Her brother frowned. "Fine," he conceded quickly. "But I already know what that rotten old geriatric's answer is going to be, even if our parents have no problem with it."
Her hands flew to her mouth. "Touya! She's family!" Even if she agreed that their great-grandmother wasn't a good person, that was taking it way too far!
"Family or no, that's no excuse for how she's treating us." Touya crossed his arms. "And I don't want to take the chance she'll get in mom and dad's ears."
Yumi could only shudder at the thought. It was not something she wanted to consider, but nor was it a point she could ignore.
Her twin glanced at the path. "If we're heading back, we should do it now."
Yumi frowned and stared at the ground as they started walking. It was like the weight of the world was upon her. Touya was right. But he was also wrong. What was she supposed to do about him? And for herself?