Another Whisper on the Wind

Another Whisper on the Wind.
The Story of Chiyuki Inouye. (Summarized.)

It was a cloudless night, when she was born. The moon had a melancholy look to it, its pale light shining downwards upon the small town of Time. Most of the town was silent, its few residents sleeping peacefully under the midnight sky. However, in one part of town, there was no silence. A child was to be born, a child with a terrible and twisted fate. Born with the terror of a demon, branded with the mark across her back. The baby's mother welcomed the arrival of her newborn alone, save the presence of the midwife. Hikari Inouye was caught between anger and appreciation for new life as she held her child, almost cursing the babe's father for not being there. His addiction to gambling had cost them nearly everything they'd worked for, and now it was costing him the chance to see their daughter. She swore under her breath, the moon gently illuminating the baby's face. As Hikari looked upon her child, she was slowly filled with love. Her lips pressed tenderly to the girl's forehead as she murmured. “Welcome to the family, Chiyuki...”

Time passed, and Chiyuki grew into a wonderful sort of child. Her sapphire eyes grew in clarity, her mind capable of comprehending things no other child her age could. However, she was six when she first detected it, that hatred that boiled in her father's veins. She seldom saw him, but whenever she did, there was always pain. His addictions drove him over the edge; he'd come home drunk, and broke. He would stare at her with his hazy eyes, swearing loudly about how she wasn't his child. The worst nights would be when he fought with her mother. Chiyuki would always hide, fearing her father's wrath as he quarreled with Hikari. She'd curl up in the corner, covering her ears with the tears streaming down her face. One day, he finally snapped. Chiyuki watched in horror as her father beat her mother, his fists hammering her until she was rendered unconscious, tumbling to the floor.

Mother, .. mother, please! Get up!

Chiyuki.. come here. I won't hurt you, Chiyuki.

His lips were twisted into a terrible smile, his hand outstretched towards her. She was frozen, her eyes locked upon her father's in fear. Finally, she took a step towards him, then another, the distance between them seemed to be a thousand miles. When she was close to him, he let out a laugh, a terrible laugh that seemed to shatter the silence of the night. His first blow seemed almost subtle, knocking her off her feet and sending her to the floor. The taste of blood was obvious as she quivered, afraid to meet his next hit.

Stand, Chiyuki! Stand! You must be stronger than that! You are the child of Shiki Inouye!

He laughed manically, staggering towards her. She wiped the blood from her lips and stood, trying to quiet her fear. He struck her again and again, his blows leaving marks on her body and nearly breaking her bones. Shiki left Chiyuki in the same state he left her mother, unconscious. As the world around her faded to black, all she remembered was the sound her father's laughter, echoing in her mind like the laughter of a demon.

The years continued to go by, but things refused to change. When Chiyuki came of age, she was immediately bestowed with the household chores and all the work. Her mother never birthed again; for Chiyuki was doomed to be an only child. Shiki refused to change, as well. Gambling away what remained of Hikari's family heirlooms, the family soon ran out of money. Upon returning home empty handed, he chose to take his anger out on Chiyuki. After years of beatings, her body had accumulated scars almost everywhere. There wasn't a spot on her that hadn't been bruised or beaten; Shiki made sure of that. Over the years, Chiyuki's mind remained on what her father said the first time he attacked her.

You must be stronger than that! YOU MUST BE STRONGER!

The words haunted her in her sleep, poisoning her mind and scarring her heart. She became a sort of backwards girl, rarely speaking and extremely shy. As soon as she was able to go to school, she immediately began training in stamina and taijutsu, telling herself that one day, she'd win. One day, she'd outsmart him and show him how strong she really was. By the time she was the age of thirteen, she was so quick, so elegant, that not a single soul could catch her. Like a whisper on the wind, she moved so fast. Those who were not fast enough to catch a glimpse of the girl often told others that she was not human, but part of the earth and the wind itself. She liked it better that way, having herself seem more like a legend and hiding the real her..


Then, the day finally arrived. Chiyuki Inouye turned eighteen. She had awoken the same way she always did, with the sun peeping into the cracks of the attic to strike her fair cheek. However, there was a strange feel to the air, almost tangible she thought to herself. The day passed rather quickly, and Chiyuki returned home to find no one there. When she turned the corner into the kitchen, she found her father at the table, drunk once again. Shiki heard the sound of her footsteps, and raised his head to look at her as she entered the room. His hazy eyes skimmed over her, a scowl quickly crossing his face. Chiyuki backed away almost immediately, fear washing over her as it had done so many times before.

Chiyuki.. don't think I have forgotten. Let me give you a gift.

He rose slowly, moving towards her. She backed out of the room, nearing the front door. She hated the thought of making a bolt for it, but the thought of another beating.. today.. pained her terribly. While her mind whirled around her, his fist shot out to struck her. She jumped backwards, hoping to bypass the door frame and make it outside. However, she misjudged the distance in her haste, and her father managed to slip past her, slamming the door to a close. The shock of the impact of her body and the door left her head spinning, and she shook it violently in attempt to clear it. A voice inside her was screaming to look out and beware, to move and escape, but her enhanced speed and stamina were of no use to her if she was unable to think properly.

She cried out as Shiki's fist met the bones of her ribcage. Gasping for breath, she willed herself not to plead for mercy. Again and again, she could barely discern between the punches now. All she could feel was the pain, and the blood in her mouth which she attempted to spit somewhere, so as not to choke. Her left eye was swollen shut, but it didn't matter now. Everything was beginning to go black, and somewhere deep inside of her, she looked forward to it. She found comfort within being unconscious, so far away from the horrors of humanity and lost within the darkness. At last, a final, solid punch to the skull granted her wish, and left her falling to the floor, completely gone.


Chiyuki.. Chiyuki, wake up! Please, oh please..

Who was calling her name? The voice resounded in her mind, the words falling like drops of water into a clear, crystal pool. She willed her eyes open, but her body refused to respond at first. Trying harder, her eyes finally opened to the harshness of daylight. They roamed around the room softly, taking in the details the best she could. Her head hurt badly, limiting her ability to think. She realized she must be in the hospital, because there was no other way a room could be completely white like this. The bed she was in was soft, and for that she was quite grateful.

“Hello, Chiyuki.” came a soft, warm voice from the foot of the bed. Her eyes focused on the young man before her, which she hadn't noticed before. She tried to speak, but he quieted her. “Shh, don't try to speak. You're too weak. I am Doctor Aidou Toshiba. I've been watching you for three weeks now.” 3 weeks? The words stung her, and left her in shock. Her face must've said how she was feeling, because the doctor's almond brown eyes studied her carefully. “Yes, that's right. You've been in a state of unconsciousness for three weeks now. You had quite the bump on your head, which, to be honest, wasn't a bump at all. Your skull was fractured by--” he stopped for a moment, reading over the papers he had in his hand. “--your father? Shiki Inouye?.. You had many broken ribs, too. They nearly punctured your lungs.”

The words took a little while to sink in, as her mind slowly became clearer and able to think more radically. Her mind raced with possible scenarios and outcomes as the doctor continued. “You almost didn't survive, Chiyuki. Your body was terribly damaged. We don't know how it happened.. but you have quite a few minor scars, and a few not so minor ones. They were open wounds, but because of your increased stamina, they healed faster than normal. You seem to be okay now, though..” his voice trailed off as he moved to her side, brushing a few strands of hair from her sapphire eyes. “However, I think we'll keep you for a few more days, just to be safe.” His lips turned upwards into a slight smile, which comforted her.

Chiyuki remained in the hospital for the next few days, quite a few things running through her mind as her strength returned. On the last day, Dr. Toshiba returned to give Chiyuki the bad news. “Chiyuki..” he murmured, as he watched her sitting by the window, finally able to get out of bed. “..this is your last day here, and after tonight you're free to go. But.. there's something I haven't told you yet.” Her cool sapphire eyes met his warm brown ones, and she saw his concern. “What is it, Doctor?..” she asked quietly, suddenly timid before him. “Your parents.. your father, Shiki, your mother Hikari, are dead. Their bodies were found a few hours after yours was, mostly dust and bones. I'm sorry, but we decided not to tell you until you were better.” She simply sat there, stunned. She knew what had happened when she blacked out. The twisted menacing laughter of something heinous laughed, ringing in her ears.

That night, Chiyuki hardly slept at all. She wasn't sure if she should feel happy to finally be free, or to mourn the loss of her parents. Sometime during the night she decided she would never return to the place she called home. The memories there were too strong, and that was a part of her she didn't want to see, ever again. Tomorrow, tomorrow I will start anew. She thought to herself, and for the first time in her life, she felt a small quiver of hope inside her broken heart.