Not One Of Us (An Elfen Lied Fanfic)

Chapter Nine : Yusa Vs Midori

"Alright then, let's see if your bark is better than your bite!" Midori shouted.

I extended my vectors out at her quickly, slicing one of her arms.

The look on her face was one of absolute shock.

"How-How did you? "

Don't underestimate me. I meant what I said.

She screamed out in pain and sent her vectors flying.

I studied them quickly while dodging them as fast as I could.

They're way shorter than mine and they don't look too strong either.

I hissed in pain as one of her vectors nicked my side.

The problem is that they're fast.

"See, the problem with you is that you can't decide what you are! Are you strong or are you weak!" Midori shouted running towards me with a frightening aura.

Good question.... What am I?

Am I the murderous lab escapee I thought I was or am I just a scared little girl.

I'm starting to think... I'm the latter.

I dodged another blow from Midori.

And so is she.

"Midori, stop this! " I shouted.

She smirked.

"So I got you to beg? You're easier than I thought you'd be. "

I relaxed my body then walked calmly and slowly towards Midori and smiled.

"What are you smiling for? You wanna be killed? That's about as masochistic as it gets you know." Midori said.

I shook my head no.

"Stop faking it Midori. I know you're scared. And I know that you don't want to kill me. "

"Are you testing me? " she said and swung her vectors at me, making small cuts all over my legs.

I winced in pain but bit my lip and beared through it.

I know this is just a child's temper tantrum. Lucy used to let me shout at her for hours on end when I was younger, on a bad day. She never said a word and never questioned me or scolded me. She just listened.

And I think that's just what Midori needs right now. Someone who'll listen.

"Midori, if you wanted me dead, you would've killed me already. I'm an amateur at fighting and I run ridiously slow even with my vectors supporting me. You're lightening fast and obviously experienced. You've been holding back. Why? " I said.

"W-What do you mean? "

"Midori, you're young. Very young. What happened to make you so distrustful? Was it the humans? You can tell me. "

"Shut up! No one can understand me! No one! "

More slices.

I can feel a small pool of blood gathering around my feet and panicked internally. If I don't choose my words carefully, I might bleed to death before I can actually help her.

"I know I can't understand you Midori but I can at least try, right? " I said and walked a little closer.

Let me in, please....

"You can't.... You're supposed to help me... I have to kill him! I have to kill him or I'll never be free! " Midori said with tears budding in her eyes.

Him?

"Who is him? "

Midori's eyes went wide.

I just touched a nerve. No, I think more like karate chopped by the looks of it.

"Him is my stepfather. He only married my mother for her money. She was so lovestruck, she didn't even realise that it was all a facade. I knew though. He accepted her even with her hidden disfigured child and that made her so happy. But what she didn't know is that almost every night he would come to my room and... "

"What?"

"He would... I-I can't say it. But when he was finished, he would beat me! My mom didn't believe me when I told her what he was doing to me and I couldn't fight back.... So I ran away. I dyed my hair to help hide my identity and looked as hard as I could for somebody like me. Someone who could help me kill him. "

"But why me?"

"Because you're like me. You're supposed to help me.... Why am I even talking to you like this! " Midori said.

"I don't want to kill someone ever again for the rest of my life, Midori. Not even a piece of trash like him. I don't care if you exact your revenge by yourself though, I won't judge you. But I refuse to be an accomplice. " I said.

"Why won't you help me? " Midori said desperately.

"Why do you need help when you're perfectly capable of doing it on your own?"

Her face went blank and hallowed with terror like a child that's afraid of the dark and ends up lost at night in the woods.

"Because... I'm scared. I'm scared that I won't be able to fight back by myself. "

I sighed.

"Midori, listen to me. I'm not telling you forgive that man but I am telling you to let him go. Painful memories only bring you down. I know this from experience. Forget about him and live out your life without his memory. Because even if you kill him, it's not going to get rid of him."

"You speak like an old lady. "

I laughed a little.

"I don't know, it's just... I've experienced so many good things in such a short time and I'm grateful. My entire life has just been a prison filled with hurt and pain and I'm finally starting to understand that not all humans are bad. "

She bit her lip and looked like she was hesitating in her mind on whether to believe me or not.

"If I did happen to forget about him, what would I do? Where would I go? " Midori said in a remorseful whisper.

"You'd live and I'd help take care of you."

What am I saying!?!

I can't take care of a young child by myself! I barely know anything about the outside of prison cell.

Maybe it's because.... Shinchi is wearing off on me.

"You would? "

Make up your mind Yusa!

Are you or are you not going to take care of this child?

Ugh... What do I say?

"Yes. I would. I will."

And then Midori, surprisingly, hugged me.

"Thank you, Yusa..."

I laughed quietly.

I guess it was really Midori, whose bark was bigger than her bite.