Lyfers: Amnesia

Chapter 49 - Final Masquerade

 – Is your heart heavy just like mine? Is your worth still just a dime? Is this gun your lucky charm? Is your loneliness driving you blind, just when you thought you'd be fine? Then baby, you should be wary of the time...

The music attenuated along her voice, and it was now the sound of hands clapping that filled the park, as the public gave them an enthusiastic ovation; Dove's last song had pleased way more than expected, and if it had been under other circumstances, it would have filled her with joy. All eyes were fixed on Veil and her, nearly as if the three other musicians didn't exist, nearly as if they were alone on stage. The brown-haired man was ecstatic; all the applause were giving him some sort of energy she couldn't define, but could sense very well. She detached her eyes from him to wave then bow at the public, even forcing herself to blow a kiss in the air, before jogging out of the scene. No, she couldn't stay any longer, or her heart would explode. She had to get away. She had to calm down.

She rushed into her lodge, slamming the door open in the process, with the intention to throw herself in Sphinx's arms as soon as she would spot him, but he was nowhere to be found. At his place was standing Ether, a stern look on her face, while Dove's bore a thunderstruck one. The plan was on, there was no turning back.

– What were you playing just now, Miss Hyo-Jin?

– I'm the one who should ask you this, Lieutenant, retorted Dove, stepping towards her. You drugged me while I was passed out to trigger a flashback. Why? What's the matter, why would you want me to remember?

For a few seconds, Ether stayed quiet, and this silence felt heavy onto the girl's chest, asphyxiating. But the sigh the lady let out did not help; it sounded somehow resigned, but there was also a hint of hope in it.

– I didn't do it to hurt you, Dove. I... Believe me, I have a really good reason to make you remember.

– Then explain me, because I don't see any.

Venom's Lieutenant crossed her arms, staring at her manager firmly.

– There's things you don't know about Amnesia, Dove. Things... Things I can't even reveal to you and-...

– Listen, Madam Sadaaki, she growled. I am not nicely asking you to explain it, we're past this already. If you don't tell me everything I want to know, all of Dufferdale will know who you truly are. Your reputation will break down in pieces so small you won't be able to glue it back.

The older flinched, but Dove quickly understood it wasn't from fear, but from refraining an impulse; she pulled on the right strings, and for this, Ether would have loved to destroy her life flow. No, she couldn't let a girl like her ruin her plans; it had to continue. She couldn't let it all fail now. A hand on her forehead, she showed an afflicted expression, and sat in front of the mirror.

– I know you, Dove. I know things about you, things you don't even know yourself. You have basically no memories from your early childhood, right?

– What makes you say that?

– If that was the case... You'd remember me.

Dove's eyes widened at this phrase, and she observed her, surprised.

– W-what do you mean?

– We met before, Dove. There's someone, a woman, who's the link between us... Her name is Taro.

– Who was she? I did remember her name but... Not what I have to do with her.

– Taro was your aunt, my best friend and... And one of Amnesia's former Lieutenants. The most powerful one the gang ever had, if not the entire city. Most respected her and called her a goddess, some feared her and called her a witch... But besides all of this, she was just like you, Dove. She was just a simple woman trying to live a simpler life. Except someone didn't hear it this way.

The young woman had ended up leaning against the wall, open-mouthed; so the pure-blood held hostage by her leader was actually her family, too? She took some time to absorb the information, a hand placed onto her chest to control her heartbeat, while Ether continued.

– Atlas had always been greedy, avid... And yet he was born a mid-rank. But what he lacked in power, he got in ambition, and despite not being a high-rank, lot of thugs followed him... Because he promised them an empire way better than what Amnesia was at this time. For some years, it worked well, and he became a Lieutenant, too... And then it turned to a nightmare. Your aunt became the leader's favorite, and by so, his rival. But he was well-aware that in a one-to-one, she would defeated him... So he played dirty, and attacked her from behind. He stole her life flow, and only stopped when she had nothing left. He killed her, Dove. Atlas killed Taro.

Wait, thought Dove, does she really ignore it all? Did Atlas keep it a secret from her too? However, as she shook her head negatively, the astonished look on Ether's face was too genuine to be feigned.

– No, Taro isn't dead, Madam Sadaaki. Atlas didn't kill her... He held her hostage during all of these years.

– Wh-what are you talking about? That's... That's impossible. I would know, I-...

– She's captive in Amnesia Pharmaceuticals' building. She's given anesthetics in her perfusion to keep her in some sort of forced sleep.

– How can you know all of that? You're not in Amnesia since long enough for Atlas to trust you.

– Atlas, no, but my new family, yes. We know exactly where Taro is being kept, and we are going to free her. We need her help, too.

– Then let me and my men lend you a hand on that. She... She was my best friend. I'd do anything to save her.

– ...Alright.

Dove ultimately acquiesced, and at her final word, Ether couldn't help but smile; it was a close call, but finally... The second and final part of her plan was going on.