This news was not met happily. Tori whined, swore and shouted but her father was resistant. Not even an hour later he had a bag packed for Tori to go to True Cross.
"You can't be serious dad!" She shouted as he dragged the bag downstairs.
"Yes, I am. You need to learn to stop being angry at people, especially your sister."
"Ha! Like I'll ever be friends with that freak." She jabbed her finger in my direction, which was at the grand piano as I played pieces like Fur Elise and J.S. Bach's Minuet.
"This is for your own good."
"Yeah right, you just wanna get rid of me! If that's the case, don't ever pretend you love me again, liar!" My hands banged against the keys so suddenly they both jumped and looked at me. I slowly stood and walked over to Tori.
"You never say that to your parent." I said in a quiet voice.
"You never know if it'll be the last thing you say to them." My adoptive mom popped in my head, but I quickly focused my full attention to Tori. She snorted.
"Yeah, because my dad's gonna die. Right."
"You never know. Apologize to him, now."
"Who're you to tell me what to do?"
"If you won't, you'll regret it later."
"Whatever." She rolled her eyes and picked up her bag.
"See ya dad."
"No goodbye hug? Please be safe and call when you get there." But the second half of his sentence went unheard as she closed the door. He sighed and turned to me.
"Thank you for trying to set her straight, but she won't listen."
"I'm sorry."
"Oh don't be, it's fine. She's a reserved kid and wears her heart on her cheek. I thank you for coming to find her. She's been secretly wanting to see you for years but never had the courage to go to the adoption center to find your records."
"Thanks for taking care of her." I bowed slightly and walked outside.
"Take care of her, okay?" Her father called back to me. I nodded at him and walked out to the sidewalk, where Mephisto stood with Tori.
"Are you ready to depart?" He asked. I nodded silently. We began walking back to the shrine hotel in silence, Tori giving me strange glances out of the corner of her eye. I ignored her and lost myself in my thoughts.
"Aaushi, I'm doing this to protect you."
"Don't say that mom! I wanna apply for True Cross! I know I can get in!"
"I know you'll get in, I just don't want my baby to leave me so soon."
"I'm fifteen mom, I'll be fine!"
"Please, I know what your father said, but I forbid it."
"Mom-"
"No, I'm very, very sorry but I can't let you go. I love you too much to see you hurt. Please, stay here."
"No mom, I'm not staying here and you can't make me! Stop pretending you love me, liar! Never be my mother again!" I pushed her away from me. She stumbled and tried to grip the banister but wasn't able to get a hold on it, and went tumbling down the stairs. I screamed in fear and horror as her husband rushed to the bottom.
"You fucking monster!" He shouted at me.
"You'd do this to your own mother?! Go, leave and never come back!!" I sprinted to my room and sat against the door, crying.
I had broken her back and one of her legs. I never forgave myself for what I did, and I haven't been able to see her since then. Her situation's been in critical condition for months now, and I hate myself every time I open my eyes.
"Aaushi?" I came out of my reserve to the sound of a ringtone.
"Your phone's ringing." I pulled it out of my pocket and saw the number.
"It's... my father." We had arrived at the train station, and Mephisto bid us farewell as he went to his own private train. Tori gave me a weird look.
"Answer it then."
"I'm afraid to. He's never called me, not for months."
"Who's calling you?" Rin came up and asked. Just then Tori took my phone and answered the call before handing it back to me. I glared at her, but it turned into a look of fear. I held the phone to my ear.
"H-hello?"
"Get your dumb ass down to the hospital now." His voice sounded strained with pain and anger.
"What did I do?"
"Your mother's dieing you retard! She wants you here, against my wishes. Get here in an hour or never show your face again." My hand trembled.
"M-Mom's dieing?"
"Just get your ass down here and don't be late. There are things we must discuss." He hung up. My hand was shaking so badly I dropped the phone.
"What happened?" Rin asked, looking concerned.
"Who was that?"
"How fast can this train get to Tokyo?" I asked one of the exorcists.
"Maybe a half hour, why?"
"Please. I have to get to Tokyo hospital in an hour. Please hurry!" The man looked surprised but nodded.
"What's at Tokyo hospital?" Tori asked.
"What's going on?" But I didn't reply. The man brought the message to Shura, who took me to an empty cart.
"We have another mission to go on, I can't take you back to Tokyo yet."
"No I have to be there, like right fucking now. My mom's dieing and I have to... I have to be there when she does." Shura looked conflicted.
"Alright, I'll have then drop us off at the mission site and you at Tokyo. When the mission's over we'll come to get you." I nodded.
"Thank you so much Shura."
"Don't sweat it kid. I'm sorry about your situation."
"It's... fine." I turned to go back to the full train car. About twenty minutes later they were dropped off at a beach as I was taken to Tokyo. As soon as the train came to a complete stop, I jumped off and sprinted towards Tokyo hospital. I arrived with ten minutes to spare, and I checked in to the main desk and was taken back to a room. Before that I felt someone stand behind me, and I turned to see Mephisto standing there.
"How did you get here so fast?"
"What are you doing here?" He asked, ignoring my question.
"Miss, you may come back now. Who is this with you?" A nurse asked.
"He's... a friend. Can he... can he come too?"
"Yes I suppose so." The nurse led me back to a room and opened the door. My father wasn't in there, but my mom was. She had tubes going into her arms and one attached to her throat to help her breathe. She looked like she'd gone through hell and back, and I found myself wanting to either cry or throw up. I slowly crept up to her bed.
"M-mom?" I asked. She blinked open her eyes and actually smiled.
"You made it." She whispered, reaching up to stroke my hair. I leaned my head against her hand.
"I'm sorry this happened, I'm so, so very sorry Mom, I promise I'm gonna make you happy someday!"
"You.. already made me happy. You have friends, and you are in a good... school. I'm so proud of you, Aaushi." She was still smiling. Tears trickled down my cheeks and I gently gripped her hand with two of my own and began sobbing. I felt Mephisto put his hand on my back, gently rubbing it.
"You look so pretty, why ruin your face with tears?"
"Mom, don't worry about me okay?" I sniffled.
"I'm so sorry-"
"Don't be sorry dear, I'm old and it was going to happen sometime."
"You're only fourty."
"Only fourty!" She gave a wheezy laugh.
"You always know how to make me laugh Aaushi. Please always be as funny and kind as you are to me."
"But it's my fault you're even-"
"No, dear, it wasn't. I should've let you go, I was just holding you back."
"You never held me back! You're the reason why I even made it to True Cross! If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have the friends I have."
"No dear, that was all you." Just then the door opened and my father stumbled in. He gave me one look before shoving me away from mom.
"Don't you even touch her, monster."
"Terrance..." mom began.
"Do you not know it's her fault you're... you're..."
"It's... not her fault." She frowned.
"I want you to treat her rightly when I'm gone."
"You say that like it's normal!"
"People change and die, Terrance. I'm no exception." Before father could argue a nurse entered the room.
"We hope to keep her on support until you decide to let her go, is that alright?"
"Yes, that's fine." Father said, looking defeated. I nodded quietly. For maybe two hours, I didn't look at the clock, I sat beside mom, holding her hand as she told me stories about when I was a kid.
"Remember whenever I'd take you to the park you'd practically wet yourself? And when I got you your first ice cream cone while in our family?"
"Mom, I was eleven when you adopted me." I smiled.
"I know, but you were still afraid of the dark and you'd use to sneak into our bed whenever it was dark and cuddle with me." She weezily laughed again. I chortled too. There was a knock at the door and the nurse stood there.
"There are eight people here to see you, are they friends?" I nodded and stood.
"I'll stay here with Meredith while you get them." Mephisto promised. I nodded and went to the lobby with the nurse. Everyone, even Yukio, was there. As soon as Tori saw me she punched me in the arm.
"OW! What was that for?"
"You didn't tell me your mom was dieing!" I rubbed my arm and frowned.
"Why would I?"
"Maybe 'cause I'm your sister?"
"Just come back with me, it... it won't be long now." I turned to walk back to the room but found myself pausing. Before I knew it heavy sobs wracked my body, and I hugged myself. Someone hugged me, and I realized it was Rin.
"Hey, it's alright. Yukio, Tori and I'll come back with you. Everyone else wants to stay here." I nodded and we walked back to her room together. Mom was sitting there, father on her right, Mephisto on her left. As soon as she saw my friends he became angry.
"You left your dieing mother for some friends?!"
"Terrance-" mom began in a stern voice.
"No Meredith, her friends are apparently more important then her mother. C'mere!" He grabbed my arm harshly and yanked me away from Rin.
"Stop!" I said. I shoved him away from me, and he slammed into the wall.
"What, gonna kill me too?"
"Terrence stop!" Mom said.
"No, because my daughter's a murderer who killed her own mother! You bastard!" He raised his hand at me. I felt anger rush through me, and I pushed him against the wall, my elbow in his neck.
"I'm sick and fucking tired of you beating me up over little things. That's not gonna happen anymore. Now mom's dieing, and you son of a bitch can't even be nice for two fucking seconds? I'm done with you." He coughed and grinned at me.
"It doesn't matter, you're never coming home anyway, stay at that rich school all you want because I don't care. You're as good as dead to me." He spat in my face. I wiped it away.
"You're a drunk bastard that can't even be sober for his wifes own death. You beat on your daughter 'cause you can't find the strength to look at your own problems. And I honestly don't care if you never want to see me again, because I already beat you to it."
"Both of you, please!" Mom exclaimed. Rin pulled me off father, and he rubbed his neck, glaring at me.
"It's your fault she's dieing."
"Yeah, it's my fault. And I'm gonna hate myself for years to come. But for now, get your own shit together before you beat on someone else. I'm not your punching bag anymore, go find some other wimp to be your bitch." I turned and stole his seat next to mom, taking her hand. Rin and Yukio sat on their knees next to me, Tori stood beside me, and Mephisto stood behind me, laying his hands on my shoulders. The nurse re-entered, somber.
"I don't believe she'll be able to stay numb anymore, we'll have to cut her off."
"No, not yet!" I gasped.
"Get over yourself, please end her suffering." Father said.
"How could you want her to die so soon?" I shouted at him as the nurse waded over to mom's machine.
"She could live, she could stay alive! Why end it... why end it so soon?!" I found myself crying again, and Mephisto hugged me silently from behind.
"I can't believe you!"
"Aaushi." Mom met my eyes, smiling.
"I want you to know I love you, so very much, and that I'm very proud of you. You've gone farther then I could ever hope and pray for. You've made friends, and you were the best gift I could ask for. I want you to get over the past, because that's the past. Your future is the most important thing right now. I want you to grow up and be big and smart and strong. I want you to be yourself. I'll be watching to make sure." I burried my face in her hair.
"Mom-"
"Are you ready?" The nurse asked. I was still silently sobbing and father agreed.
"Mom, I love you so much. Thanks for taking care of my retarded butt while I was growing up. I-I can never repay you in the way you repaid me."
"Of coarse dear. I love you too." Father stood to the side, not saying anything. The nurse began powering off her machines. Mom gently cupped my cheek in her hands. The final machine was shut off, and mom was struggling to breathe.
"Aaushi..." she began, loosing her breath. She met my eyes again, her beautiful bright green eyes, before they faded from focus. Her grip on my cheek slackened, and it fell from my cheek. I cried out loudly.
"No! Mom, I'm so sorry, I'm sorry!" I sobbed, holding her hand to my face. I felt everyone begin to silently hug me as I bawled my eyes out. But father was indifferent. After the nurse said condolences and left, he crossed the room in two strides.
"Get up." He said. I silently stood, with Tori still hugging me.
He punched me dead in the face. The force of his punch sent me against a desktop, clutching my dislocated jaw. I heard Tori shriek, Rin and Yukio yell, and saw him raise his fist again. Before he could hit me again, however, Mephisto grabbed his fist.
"I'm afraid I cannot allow you to hit her again." He said sternly, loosing the clownish aura he usually had. I stood back up again and popped my jaw harshly back into place, spitting out blood with it.
"Do you feel better now, huh?" I asked.
"You punched a fifteen year old girl. Usually I wouldn't defend myself, but that's the old me. Now... I nodded for Mephisto to let him go, and he did. I got into a fighting position.
"We'll settle this outside, cause I'm not so selfish as to fight right next to mom." He rushed up and raised his fist again, but I was ready. I got down on the ground and windmill-kicked him over me, sending him into a wall.
"Are you deaf? I told you I'm not kicking your ass next to mom."
"Like you even could." He coughed and chuckled.
"You were always a wimp. Now you're a murdering wimp." I kicked him out of the way of the door.
"Fuck you, I'm done. No more submissive Aaushi, I'll kick your ass later. Right now I need to go get some air." And with that I left him. Everyone else followed behind me as I went back to the waiting room. Kamiki, Bon, Shima and Konekomaru stood up as I came out.
"Did she-" Bon began, but I pushed past him silently and walked outside. It was raining out, and I walked to the middle of the terrace, standing in the rain. Then I sat down and curled my knees to my chest.
And I cried.
I cried while writing this, and it makes me really sad.