Andromeda

“Yeah…four years ago our father died and a year ago our mother.” Ayumi’s hand shook knocking over the glass in the cupboard. She pulled back retreating her hands close up to her chest with countless thoughts running through her freezing her body.

The rattling of the glasses broke her state drawing her away. Ayumi fumbled to keep the glasses from falling out of the cupboard, but the shaking in her hand was making it difficult to hold still. Momoko walked over placing her hand on Ayumi’s wrist for support as she took her other hand to bring down the glasses gently to the counter surface. Ayumi looked up at Momoko surprised to find such a solid woman who had been through such tragedies. She would have expected her to have a similar reaction as her brothers. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry into some so private and so painful.”

Momoko returned with a reassuring smile focusing on the glasses and taking them to the table. It was difficult to see, but there was a hint of something hidden behind her eyes. Ayumi nearly missed it buried so well underneath the layers that appeared to be necessary. “Don’t worry about it. It’s not a secret.” She went back to the stove bringing over the food not missing a beat.

Ayumi rushed over to Momoko’s side with the aim to carry something over, but found her hands not to be of need. “But still…I shouldn’t have…” Her head hung down finding that she was not of use. She realized that she had only been pulled away to speak out of the company of the brothers, but she wanted to do something.

The serving spoon in Momoko’s hand began to fill out portions to the plates keeping the rhythm going. “You didn’t know. You don’t need to apologize for something that’s not your fault. Yuki, Ken and Jun are younger and their memories are still recent in their minds. It is only natural that they are still silently grieving.”

“But Yuki is so happy and full of life at school. I can’t believe he has that weight on him the way he acts.”

Momoko came around to the last plate filling it before placing the leftovers on the stove to keep warm. She turned with a pensive look in her eyes towards Yuki, while he remained oblivious. “Yeah, I still don’t know about him. He worries me sometimes, especially with the changes that happened to him after our mother died. It’s a mystery to me why he is that way now. It’s almost a contradiction. And he never talks to me about anything important, so I don’t know what’s going on in his head.”

Ayumi could read the tension in Momoko easily seeing that talking about him was difficult for her. She was not sure if talking would help her or make matters worse. The facts were few and the subject deeply sorrowful for everyone. “What do you mean a contradiction? Was he different from now?”

“Different?” Momoko stared off towards the ceiling forgetting where she was for the moment. She was snapped back suddenly by something internal and met eyes with Ayumi briefly. “Different would be an understatement,” she said starting to smile again nearly laughing as memories flooded back to her. “You’d be surprised. Anyway, we better call them before the dinner gets cold.”

The dodging of the subject and purposely leaving it vague spoke enough to Ayumi that she knew there was more that she did not understand about this family. They had many secrets and she was going to have to take things slowly if she expected to understand. “I’m sorry for pressing the subject.”

Momoko gave the best reassuring smile to Ayumi to let her know that this was not her fault. It was a painful area to touch and it had been a while since she had to explain it to someone. Everyone that knew already had been around when it had happened. Since then it was simply known, but not spoken out loud. She placed her hands on Ayumi’s shoulders to combine with her smile for comforting support. “I already told you this is not your fault. I’m just thankful that Saki stuck by his side through it all. I don’t know if he would have the strength without her.”

Chapter 11 Floating in the Sky

‘Saki is important to him… I figured that much from lunch, but it seems to be something deeper…’ Ayumi quietly ate her meal with the Hayashi family with things not quite returning to normal. The tension that had been created from her questions had made it difficult to even look at each other. Everyone was awkwardly stepping around what had been brought up earlier.

After minutes of silence Momoko acted to change the mood. She cut into Yuki’s plate of food stealing some of his meat that he had been ignoring. It dangled from her teeth teasing him as she had displayed a wicked grin and daring eyes.

“Hey! What you think you’re doing? That’s mine!” The food that he had been attempting to eat stopped before it reached his mouth as he stared in protest at his sister.

She continued to dangle and wiggle the meat in front of him taunting to come after her. “It’s not anymore. You’ve been ignoring it this time. You’re loss. Survival of the fittest, you know.”

“Survival of the fittest? More like piggiest.” He stuffed his food in his mouth that he had been holding out leaving a large lump against his cheek, not chewing it. Once freed of food he attacked Momoko’s plate stealing from her with a retaliatory glare.

Ken and Jun were soon caught in the excitement leaving Ayumi staring blankly at the surprising reversal in the entire mood of dinner. She was not sure what to make of this other than being relieved to see things changing. ‘Strange family… They might be still in mourning, but they’re strong…’ Ayumi stared at Yuki trying to look through the layers that were covering him up, but it was not until now that she even knew there were layers. It almost seemed like it was not an act. She was not sure what to make of him. ‘He might be the strongest of them all…’

Dinner had been finished and the excitement fell back down to a normal level. Ken and Jun disappeared up stairs at the insistence of Momoko to do their homework. Yuki was left behind being forced to clean the dishes for having lost in their battle at dinner. Momoko pulled Ayumi aside to the front of the house as she was putting on her jacket. “Ayumi, please stay nearby for him.”

Ayumi gave her a firm nod of her head along with a determined smile. She had a lot to go through and was not planning on going anywhere until she succeeded. She was going to have to learn who Yuki was with everything peeled away. This could be more challenging than she was planning.

Momoko began to open the door and stood in the threshold looking back towards the kitchen. “I’m going to work!” Yuki appeared around the corner of the kitchen with his hands dripping from the dishwater. “Oh and remember your brothers are upstairs. You two can’t make that much noise.” She gave the two of them a sly wink.

Yuki’s face turned red and then he exploded not caring if his sister was joking or not. “I just met her! How could you think I would even… I can’t believe you! She’s our guest!” He continued on muttering even after he finished yelling at her. Over at the side near Momoko, Ayumi could only blush remaining quiet completely at the loss for words.

“You two are so easy. Well mind the house. I’ll be back late.” Momoko was still laughing to herself as the door closed behind her.

Yuki stared at the door still feeling anger at her and then it hit him that Momoko was gone. The mood faded away as he saw Ayumi in the corner recovering. “Sorry about my sister. She can be pretty embarrassing when she tries,” Yuki said walking back to the remainder of the dishes running his hand through his hair still feeling uneasy from Momoko’s words. It was not until after he had been rubbing his head that he remembered that he had wet soapy hands. “Momoko!” Yuki had sighed softly alone and slouched back to the sink to finish his chore.

Ayumi stepped into the kitchen sitting at the table watching him. She remained quiet developing a distant dullness in her eyes. When Yuki had finished with the dishes he turned around surprised to find her behind him. “She didn’t embarrass you too much did she?”

A few second had passed before Ayumi looked clearly at Yuki. “No, I wouldn’t be embarrassed by that,” she said with her deeper more serious tone.

He took a step back taken off guard by the immediate change, still not used to her doing it. The degree of acting that she was putting into the different personality made him easily forget how different the real girl underneath it all was truly. “No, I guess it wouldn’t. Now that we’re alone I wanted to thank you for saving my family.”

“Hmm? Oh…you shouldn’t be thanking me. They got hurt because of you.”

Yuki was unbalanced suddenly from the blunt remark. His eyes widened with the realization hitting him having forgot what had happened before. “I-I know… I know it was me. You don’t have to remind me.” He turned his head away not wanting to look the truth in the eye. The memories were something that he wanted to bury and leave behind. Everything that happened to anyone was his fault for them simply knowing him. “You think I wanted them to be involved? You don’t think I wanted to save them? I couldn’t do anything. Next time it will be different.”

Ayumi grabbed him by the arm pulling back to face him. She looked into his eyes staring down him with her cold green eyes. “Will it? Be different. You hesitated this time. They mean to kill you, if you don’t intend to do that same it will happen again.”

Yuki stared back through her eyes forcing up determination to be displayed within his own. ‘I have to do something.’ He ripped his wrist free from Ayumi and grabbed both her wrists to back up and emphasis his stance. “It will.”

She was not ready to believe him just yet still seeing doubt hanging like a thin fog around him. Ayumi responded to his physical attempt by quickly rotating her wrists breaking his hold and returning the act. “Can you use your power on command?” This was a test that she needed to see succeed before she could even begin to think that he would be able to do something on his own.

The question that she gave him was one that he could not answer. When it first happened it was something that he did not understand it seemed to be doing almost unconsciously. He did not know how it worked or even why he had what he did at the time. It seemed like an instinct and he just assumed that it would come back to him when he needed it again.

Ayumi could easily read the confused and pensive look of gears turning without any clue. “Then it won’t be any different. The seal on your powers may be completely destroyed, but that doesn’t mean you can control them. You used so much power that everyone in your neighborhood was affected by your field. Most people will think nothing of it, but what you have right now is reckless uncontrollable power. You’ll be in more danger of hurting yourself than your enemy.”

Yuki felt like he was a child being scolded for having knocked over vase breaking it. ‘I know I don’t know anything about this. You don’t have to keep reminding me about it. Until an hour or two ago I was still not believing everything. Things are different now.’ He pulled his hands down forcing his wrists out of Ayumi’s grip roughly leaving marks behind. Yuki stepped forward staring at her intently beginning to get angry with her for her attitude towards him. “I know! You don’t have to remind me. If I’m such a danger then why don’t you teach me how to use this power.”

“I intend to now that you have awakened your power.” She had slowly begun to grow a smile, but it was more like a smirk or grin with darker, less friendly intentions implied behind it. “I had to wait until you awoke before I could do anything more for you.”

“You mean…”

“Starting tomorrow you will be going through my training regime until you can control your powers at will. You’re of no use to me or your people if you can’t use them. And there are people far more talented and skilled than me in your homeland that will kill you if returned now.” Ayumi turned away looking towards the living room. “However, it is getting late. There shouldn’t be another assassin for a little while after these two were defeated. But don’t think it will get any easier.”

Yuki followed her to his door to see her out. He was feeling a little better to know that she was not leaving him alone with this power to understand on his own. The sort of training that he would be going through made him curious. ‘I wonder what training you do for a power that is controlled by the mind?’ Ideas were running wild through his mind imagining all varieties of training that he had read about nearly becoming excited. A thoughtful grin was developing on his face before he snapped himself back to reality. “Good night, Ayumi. See you at school!” She waved to him while she walked away with a nonchalant expression. ‘Wait a minute… why am I being so friendly to her? She’s been nothing but rude to me.’ He turned his back away closing the door and leaning on it. ‘It’s that other personality. When she’s not looking at me it’s like she is actually the other girl. That girl is complicated…’

“Saying good night to your girlfriend?” Ken said slyly from one side of Yuki surprising him by his ninja like appearance.

Yuki raised up his arms part way in shock pulling away from Ken. “She’s not my girlfriend!” Jun pulled on his pants dragging his eyes down. “No, Jun. She isn’t. Don’t listen to what Ken’s saying.” It did not take much for Yuki to know what Jun was saying; he did not need his odd ability to understand Jun intentions to answer him. “Now go back to your room. You’ve got homework, don’t you?” Yuki released himself from Jun and walked to his room closing the door behind him. The long day was finally coming to an end. Even with his nap earlier he felt exhausted, though he did not realize it until he collapsed on his bed.

“Master Yuki…Master Yuki…” a soft voice whispered into his ear.

Yuki nodded his head feeling the tickling of the breath, but rolled over to keep sleeping. “Just a little longer, Sis…” he mumbled as he pulled his sheets over his head.

“Master Yuki…” The voice persisted in his ear making it twitch. When it was clear that talking was not doing anything to change the situation there was a sudden weight on top of him. “Master Yuki…”

“Momoko…it’s too early…” He attempted to move around, but found it to be difficult. While it was not a painful pressing that he was used to it refused to budge as well. The covers were suddenly pulled down exposing his face to the cool air of the morning and a strange sweet smell too. Yuki wiggled his nose confused and slowly opened his eyes still not seeing well. “Sis? When you start wearing perfume in the morning?”

“Master, you’re awake.”

“And why are you calling me ‘Master’?” He stared through his blurry eyes at a face that he could only tell was a woman from the voice and long hair. He blinked once and wiped his hands over his eyes to clear his vision. Once sight had been returned, before him was a beautiful young woman in a maid costume straddling him staring only a few inches away from his face with a warm pleasing smile on her face. “Oh a maid…” Yuki dropped back down to his bed closing his eyes satisfied with what he saw. The moments ticked by for him until it finally sank in to his mind. “What?! A Maid?!” He jumped back up nearly crashing into the woman before pulling back breathing heavily. ‘What’s a maid doing in my room?’

“Master?”

“Y-Yes?” he said nervously trying to work through what was going on. ‘I’m still dreaming. This is just a dream. Y-Yeah and I just need to wake up.’ Yuki pinched himself and looked up to find the results to be no different. He slapped his face and punched himself thinking he needed more pain to wake up, but nothing had changed.

“Master?”

“AH!” Yuki pulled back in his bed trying to put some distance between her and him. She continued to follow him until he fell out of his bed dropping his back painfully. The fall was not enough though as she was still straddling him only becoming more uneasy for him. He was coughing up hair at a loss to what was happening.

A long clean blade suddenly beamed over him touching his neck. The point of it was very real making him cough cautiously. “Yuki. As a samurai of honor I challenge you to a duel.”

Yuki turned his head over slowly looking through the woman’s hair that hung over him to see a man standing before him standing in full samurai armor from the Edo Period. He began to sweat at the sight, as well as the katana at his throat. ‘What’s going on here?’ The man pulled back his sword looking like he was waiting for a reply. Yuki took the opportunity to leap away from the woman and crawl into a corner away from both of them. His eyes darted quickly between the two of them watching what they did carefully. ‘What’s a samurai and a maid doing in my room?’

‘You’ll be in more danger of hurting yourself than your enemy,’ said Ayumi’s voice in Yuki’s head suddenly like he was remembering something. The words from the night before were coming back to him and he began to piece things together.

‘Danger to me? You’re telling me this is my power going off on its own?’ The maid started to approach him again looking like she wanted to do something. The samurai was standing getting impatience for a response still holding out his katana. ‘What am I suppose to do? How do I turn it off?’ Yuki closed his eyes hoping that it would disappear, but when he opened them again they were still before him. He shut his eyes once more. ‘Turn off. Turn off. It’s not working. What do I do?’ Yuki began to become panicked again seeing the maid get closer to him with the samurai taking a frightening stance against him.

He tried to think back to the night when he could not get rid of it. ‘How did I do it before? It all went away immediately.’ A flash of Ayumi came to his vision spurring a thought. ‘She did it, but how? What was it?’ He looked around dragging himself across his room against the wall and his furniture to keep his distance from them while he bought his time. ‘It was something. That’s it!’ He remembered immediately and not thinking further grabbed the nearest thing he could, which happened to be his lamp. A loud crash followed next with a thud. Yuki lay partially unconscious on his bed eyes turning into spirals dazed.

His door opened showing Momoko into his room. “Yuki, it’s time…to get up.” She looked around to see him already out of his bed, but in a strange state. “Oh, already up. Turning over a new leaf?”

“Yeah…sure…” His sister left shortly afterwards leaving an exhausted Yuki to still catch his breath. ‘I’m going to end up dead from my own mind. Never thought I’d hear myself say that…’ Yuki turned over on his bed waiting until he was ready to test his legs again before going to the shower. His morning was started early and more eventful than he wished.

In a darkened alley of the early morning hours a young girl screamed trying to escape being chased. The girl had been fleeing away from her normal routine judging by her school uniform and sports bag over her shoulder. Her speed was the only thing giving her room. Suddenly the opening of the alley closed up tripping her in a dead end. She screamed again hoping that someone would hear her as she could feel someone coming up behind her.

To be continued…