The Miniskirt Enables
Young Ladies To Run Faster And, Because Of It, They May Have To.
-
John V. Lindsay
Gepetto and I
soon left Zurich. There was nothing left
for me there, and I found it hard seeing Yuri’s grave every day. We stayed just long enough for me to finish
carving a tombstone. It was rough and
uneven, but I couldn’t let anyone else do it.
It was my job.
Gepetto and I
moved to Domremy. When the shock from
Yuri's death had begun to wear off, I asked myself what I could do with my life.
I had not forgotten the thought I had had as I was burying him. If Yuri's soul
had any regrets it would still be hanging around, but where? His soul was not
here with me, I knew that much. Yuri had
never seemed to get over losing his father – perhaps he was in Shanghai, where
his father had died, or in Japan, where Yuri had grown up? In China, where his mother died? In Russia, where she came from? In Wales, where we had talked with such joy
among the ruins?
Would I
search the entire earth for a soul that might have moved on already?
I have not
replaced my hair ribbon; I feel that it would cheapen the one I gave to Yuri if
I simply wore another one. Instead, I
keep my hair loose, about my shoulders.
In a larger town or city, I may have found myself accused of immodesty,
but the people of Domremy are used to me.
. I still
wear Yuri's father's coat, but the crucifix I left draped over his headstone. It was the last thing I did before Gepetto and
I left Zurich. I spent hours there in
vigil, hoping his soul would come to me, but it did not.
I am
twenty-one now, but my birthday passed unnoticed, by me at least. Gepetto had a
tailor make me new clothes and shoes, an expensive gift. They are black, which is an appropriate colour
for a widow. Gepetto and I settled on
that claim, as we were concerned I might be pregnant after the night Yuri and I
spent together. I was not, am not, and a
part of me regrets it. It would be
wonderful to have a part of him still here with me, but thinking that way makes
me feel like I am closer to accepting his death. I don’t believe I will ever accept Yuri’s
death, and I don’t want to. I would give
anything to have him alive again, even my own soul. I will not simply accept that he is gone,
after all we went through together.
I saw the
inside of Yuri’s soul once. After he
took the Seraphic Radiance inside himself in Shanghai. We found him in Bistritz, six months later,
violent and confused. Zhuzhen, Keith and
I managed to subdue him, but as soon as we did, both Yuri and I fell unconscious. I did not realize at the time that that was
what had happened, of course – Keith and Zhuzhen told me later.
Yuri’s mind
was a graveyard. There were graves for
each of his fusion monsters, each one linked to a feeling or memory of his. I examined them, and was left with nothing
more or less than a desire to protect him and keep him safe.
I saw a gate
leading to another part of him; through it, I could see Yuri digging. He didn’t respond when I called to him. Searching for another way, I saw a doorway
guarded by four masks. I felt a deep
sense of malice coming from the door, but with no way to reach Yuri, I headed
towards it. It was then that I began to
hear someone calling my name. I tried to
ignore the voice – I knew I had to find a way to get to Yuri. But, the world began swirling and dissolving
as they called to me. Turning back, I
threw myself against the gates, again and again. As they dissolved, I crashed through them,
falling into Yuri. We both fell into the
hole he’d been digging. We fell through
the darkness for a long time before we awoke.
I woke up
soaked to the skin, with Margarite slapping at my face. She’d thrown icy water over me in an attempt
to wake me. Yuri sat next to me, quiet,
subdued, but undeniably himself. I gave
him back his father’s necklace as soon as we had a quiet moment together. I had hoped that it would cheer him a little,
but it didn’t seem to.
Eventually, after a while in Domremy, I made up my mind to visit Zhuzhen. We had worked as
exorcists and psychic investigators together, and with his years of experience,
he may think of something I hadn’t. He
had also known Yuri’s father, and might well know where Yuri had grown up, and
where his mother was buried. His father
had never had a grave, having been killed when he had tried to fuse with the
Seraphic Radiance, years before Yuri had managed it.
I had
considered asking Koudelka, as her psychic powers were greater even than my
own, but after the life she had had, it seemed best to let her in peace. Besides, I had no idea how to find her. I did, however, attempt to contact Margarite,
in the hopes that she would accompany me.
She has always been a stronger fighter than I am alone, and I was wary
of attempting a journey without her.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find her either.
Alone,
I set out for Shanghai. War had been declared in Europe, but had not yet touched us; I hoped the town would be safe until I was able to return.
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