44 Yuki Sai - Part 1 (1/2)
Steam Work City Hospital. Yuki lied on a bed while a doctor examined her. A white light glowed on his hand as he placed it on her forehead.
”How is it doctor?” Mr. Sai asked nervously.
”She should recover, but I don't know how long this coma will last. You said she got shocked by a mana-collar that was implanted directly within her head?”
”Right.” He nodded. ”That's what the brat told me.”
”Mm...” The doctor rubbed his chin in thought. ”He must have toned down the power drastically. Otherwise, there's no way she would survive. Anyways, let's go ahead and remove the device.” He looked up at his assistant. ”Ready?”
The assistant nodded. She had black frizzy hair, glasses, and two horns sticking out from her forehead. It was Kate from Steam Work Academy. She placed her hand on Yuki's forehead and began to manipulate the bone of her skull. It slowly lifted upwards and created a small hole. The doctor quickly used a pair of tweezers to pull out the device.
”As I thought.” The doctor nodded. ”He only planned on stunning her. This battery has had almost all of the power drained from it beforehand. He also set the shock to last for only a brief moment based on what you told me previously.”
”Then why is she still in a coma?” Mr. Sai questioned.
”I don't know. It may be related to the trauma that caused her to lose her memories. It could just be shock. It could also be something else entirely. We'll just have to wait and see how things go. At least her body is perfectly healthy as far as I can tell.”
”...I understand. Thank you doctor.” He sat down by his daughter's bed. There seemed to be a slight hint of regret in his eyes as he thought of the past.
...
”Where am I?” Yuki questioned. She was surrounded by darkness. Suddenly, she felt a pulling force on her body. Her surroundings twisted and distorted for a moment before returning to normal. She looked around again and noticed that everything was much bigger than it should be.
”What's going on?!” A childish voice rang from her mouth. She looked down and was shocked to realize she was in a child's body. She soon recognized where she was. 'This is my childhood home in Japan?' She ran out the door of her room and entered the bathroom. She stepped atop a stool to see the mirror. Her 4-year-old self stared back at her. Her hair was completely black, lacking the white half she had become used to.
”Yuki!” A feminine voice called. ”Come on! It's time to go!”
”Mom!” She ran around the corner and saw her mother. A beautiful woman that looked like an older version of herself.
”Mom!” Tears poured from her eyes as she charged forward and hugged her leg. Her mother's dress got scrunched up in the process. ”I missed you.”
”Let's go.” Mother turned around and exited the house, seeming to ignore Yuki and her hug.
”Mom?” She questioned. She grabbed ahold of her dress, ”Why are you ignoring me?”
However, the cloth slipped through her fingers as her mother entered a steam wagon. Yuki stared quietly for a moment before her surroundings distorted and twisted again. When they returned to normal, she found herself sitting in the steam wagon next to her mother.
”We've got to get you to school.” Mother smiled. ”Your dad even bought me such a nice wagon after all.” She pulled a lever and steam began to pour from the back of the wagon as it moved forward on the streets. Steam wagons were considered a luxury good for most households. Most necessities were in walking distance and for other needs you could always just take a steam bus.
'Wait... This day!' Yuki's eyes widened in shock. She grabbed ahold of mother's arm and yelled, ”We can't go! We need to stay home today!” She pulled and tugged, but mom's arm wouldn't budge at all. In desperation, she attempted to open the door of the wagon to jump out. Unfortunately, the door also wouldn't budge. She was trapped and forced to watch the events that were about to unfold.
The wagon soon arrived at the school. Right when they were about to open the door, a man charged forward. He body slammed mother, jumped in, and shut the door. The wagon sped down the road as he held a steam pistol towards the two. ”Be quiet and don't move if you want to live!” He yelled while driving the wagon.
Mother trembled in fear while holding Yuki in a protective hug. ”Please don't hurt my daughter! I'll do whatever you want!”
”Mom!” She yelled as she struggled to attack the kidnapper, but she couldn't move. The hug bound her in place. 'Why?! Why do I have to see this again? Why can't I stop it?!'
The wagon stopped at a warehouse by the docks. The man forced the duo inside. A group of men were waiting. Beer bottles littered the floor as they drank. ”Haha, you actually did it you crazy son of a bitch!” One man yelled.
”Just think of the ransom we'll get!”
”How could the world's strongest esper be so stupid as to leave his family unprotected?”
”I'll go let the police know about the required ransom like we agreed upon.” A skinny man stood up and left the warehouse.
The men laughed and joked as they waited. More beer bottles piled onto the floor as they drank. Yuki's mother still held her protectively in a corner.One man glanced at them and smiled. He stood up, walked over, and held mother's chin. ”You're quite a pretty thing, aren't you? Want to have some fun with a real man?”
Suddenly, Yuki felt her mouth moving beyond her own control. The same words she said in the past rang out again. ”Leave us alone! Daddy will beat all of you if you hurt us!”
”Hmph!” The man snorted and smacked her in the face, causing her body to fly backwards and slam into the ground.
”No!” Mother screamed while holding her arms out protectively. ”Don't touch her!”
”Haha! What a loving family!” He reached forward and grabbed her dress near her breast. He pulled back and a large chunk of the dress tore off, exposing her bra underneath. ”NO!!!” She knelt down while covering herself and shaking in fear.
”Heheh, relax. It'll be over soon.” The man chuckled as he prepared to tear more clothing off.
BOOM! A loud sound rang out as a crater appeared on the floor of the warehouse. Everyone turned to look and saw a hole in the roof, letting light shine into the dark warehouse. The light shone atop the bald man standing in the crater. Motes of dust could be seen floating around in the light, likely caused by the debris that fell from the hole in the ceiling. His red jumpsuit and yellow cape appeared even brighter in the light.