Sad Doll Face
Origins
Akuma's Darkest Shadow
Part 1
Akuma: moving shadows
******
1626
Hairi
1600
On the coast of Japan was a boy with a head full of dreams along with some greying hairs despite his age, that had lived his young years in this place of simple paradise. His deep brown saddened looking eyes were always full of wonder but a madness was feared amoungst the village folk, as he's messy greying hair always found it's way of making him appear even stranger.
Mad, some would say - especially when he would wonder in his own mind with a blank face.
He always seems to be elsewhere in thought, but one would not be wrong to asume so. In the village of Hairi the young boy has always lived, yet his simple Paradise failed to stop him from ever wanting to see the world his Pacific blue. He knew that there was just too much to see in one life time, though the life in him seemed to stretch on for eons despite his maturing hair and our mortal coil. Though I spite of all this, Kazuki Hashimoto was charming and humble young man - who, along with his father - Hashimoto-sama - came from a very good but long fishing exertion. And on their way home carrying grass weaved baskets of fish invromtof content faces, a question suddenly bubbled in Kazuki's tired mind.
"Father. ..?" Kazuki started, looking puzzled as he asked his father if ever he wanted to see the world with a childish sense of wonder which laced his voice.
"I have." Mr. Hashimoto said.
"And have you tried to fulfil this dream before...?"
"No, my son." He said, contempt with his response.
Kazuki, dissatisfied with that answer, asked why.
"My son..." Mr. Hashimoto began, now completely focused on Kazuki. With every line on his distinguished face softening and showed that the question his son had asked him had tugged on him for so long.But he has excepted what was and was willing to explain, it was only a matter of time that his son would soon ask the same
Question. To which he answered;
"For some people, a dream is and can only be a dream...but for others, it's apart of their destiny. It will take some time to understand this. I too was told this at your age. I am simply happy where I am that is the reason why I never bothered." he said, gently smiling at his son hoping that he too will find meaning in that simple phrase as he continued;
"...Sometimes, our dreams are not our own. And sometimes, your dreams can be filled with monsters. The world we live in can be cruel and indifferent... Some men are meant to fight those battles but not all those battles are that of stone or sword."
Kazuki felt as if he had learnt something,the phrase seemed to have meant something that which brought the feeling of a slight understanding to what his father had just said as silence filled the air once again, replacing the sound of their voices with a breeze of fresh ocean air that rustled the surrounding forestry of cherry blossoms and other exotic flowers he did not know by name. The perfect place for Kazuki to lose his mind in thought, earned by such a thought provoking moment. Until of coarse...
"Kazuuu..?" A high-pitched voice pulled him away from his thoughts. The voice, belonging to his mother which cooed this embarrassing nick as she snapped him out of his daze.
He replies sheepishly as he comes-to from his fantasy world, his mother shook her head in defeat as a playful smile bubbled to the surface of her face.
"Where do you go when you do that?" This dainty and busied women found time to say.
"I don't...well...kno-" he started, but was cut off by her playfully grabbed the crate of fish in his arms, "Well...while you're looking for the answer to that, I need your assistance and attention." she said while nudging him towards a table filled with a lovely assortment of fish from their catch, as her tiny and buisied form whizzed around patching up on the preparations of the fish and stall for the rest of the day.
It started to drizzle which quickly turned into a gentle Summer rain, making the hit air fade into a humid yet cool forestry. Kazuki felt the sudden urge to look around as if something other than the rain could interest him. And in doing so, his eyes found themselves resting apon a girl by the stall next to their's - inspecting a small yet beautiful ornament carved of drift wood;
"I've never seen her before...", he thought with intrigue, finding it odd that he even had noticed. But the longer he looked at her, the more he wanted to know about her.
Her wagara was a black and white kimono made with a fine material from where he stood, with an intriqutte design of hexagonal prisms on it, her skin pale but radiant. Her movements were elegant, she was the only one he seemed to notice in the ocean of faces at the market despite the odd fact that her Wagasa was printed with bright and intricate cherry blossoms,. And as pretty as it was, her umbrella frustrated Kazuki because he couldn't quite see her face. He grew curious by the second, wanting to know this intimidating and yet interesting stranger.
In this small village it was not hard to spot a new face though many travelers take rst in these parts, though as well, her presence oozed with mystery that stuck to him like an adhesive.
And as if she heard his thoughts she turned around to face him soon after admiring a hanging wood carved chime with a partially hidden and silent smile, he was in a trance. The first thing he noticed were her eyes, but it abruptly ended when it occurred to him that she was looking back. She was caught off guard, as she turned away. He, just as surprised as she was; looked away as well Never having had an experience such as that before. Not that he paid attention to anyone for him to make rash assumptions of infatuation, he thought of himself more reasonable than that, but once she was gone and even long after; he found himself thinking of her but he couldn't reason with himself as to why what fascinated him the most were her eyes, they were strange. He couldn't put his finger on it. And as he pondered on whilst he worked and assisted where needed and even then after, until the day found it's end.
The family of three found their way home to their small but cosy cottage as the sun went down, slowly, as the summer nights grew longer. Kazuki however, found himself veering off to the cliff near by, to watch the sun set, as he always does after a day's work.
The ocean looked more beautiful than ever, the rain turned to drizzle once more and the sun peered over some clouds which gave them a purple hue mixed with ocean blues and subtle greys that reflected on the sea below.
He took a deep breath as if an attempt to take in all he could get from this scenery but let it go due to his submission to the inevitable fact that he couldn't.
"It's the little things....", he thought.as he looked along the coast as if some interesting thing was out there in order to take his mind off of that mysterious girl and who she was...
He seemed to think he'd never know. But to his surprise, it was exactly the opposite.
He let out a squeal of sorts in response to his nerves and ,strangely enough, his excitement,once he had spotted her by the ocean front or at least someone who looked like her.
"M-m-maybe I could go talk to....her...? ", he found himself squawking at thin air as he argued with himself about whether he should go find out for certain or not. And possibly an apology for earlier.
For you see, Kazuki, talked to himself often and that was all the more reason people believed he was strange, he didn't seemed to mind. He figured that people especially in such a small town, will always have something to say. And so he payed little attention to the attention.
Though the apology seemed to be reason enough, he sighed;
"I'll go!", proud of his decision but not nearly as ready he said, clearly "winning-the- war" with himself as curiosity got the better of him and made his way towards the dark figure swaying in the gentle wind.
As he made it towards the shore, the ocean sand was soft and gave his nerves a sort of comfort as he made his way closer to the stranger.
He then heard a voice so soothing and mellow that it was heart warming, so much so that Kazuki felt his breathe hick at the steady realisation that it was her voice.
He found himself lost for words, He then snapped out of it and sheepishly said;
"I'm K-Kazuki. ..", nervous, he continued;
"And you are..?"
"Mariko." She then gently said, now standing up from her ocean view.
"Nice to meet you...Mariko."
The sound of her name gave him chills...
She was intimidating, her gaze was steady and penetrating, her plush lips were still and showed no emotion apart from the corners of her mouth which were turned down and it gave her a sad doll like face. But to him, her impending danger was so elusive. He felt it in some way but he really didn't care.
They were now facing each other and he had noticed that her eyes were amazing, not in a way that was noticeable but there was hint of blue or purple that he spotted but assumed it was a reflection of water . As if they took in all of the stars in the galaxy but hid so much pain.
Kazuki looked away, as he found himself getting lost in them.
"Er...it's quite cold, are you okay?"
Kazuki asked while lifting his shoulders as a breeze hit him.
"I'm fine, I don't get bothered by the cold..."
"Huh, well...I'm freezing now." He said teeth chattering rather cartoonishly. This made her snapp out of what looked like a daze and smiled ever so innocently, revealing a sweeter side to this sad doll's face.
"Then why are you here? " She smiled
'Because you're here...'
he thought.
"I just wanna talk. About earlier today I-" he began but she stopped him with a brighter smile with her hand placed on her clavicle bone;
"No need to apologize, strangers don't come here too often..."
" On the contrary, actually.", he then added.
"So, where are you from?" he asked awkwardly yet interested, not being the best at making conversion and in what he assumed was a failed attempt, he scratched the back of his head.
"'I'm from Edo, in the main lands on the southeast side of the island of Honshu." She said.
"Edo huh? I see. So what made you leave? What was it like..?", one question after another, he hadn't noticed for pardon.
And as he said this, her expression changed so slight, as her doll face looked even sadder.
"It wasn't as pleasant a place in my experience..."
"Oh...", he finally pardoned himself by taping his hand on his mouth three times in respectful apology as he looked down, "I-I'm so sorry, I apologize for being so forwa-."
"-But it is as beautiful as ever.", her smile accepted his apology.
This encouraged Kazuki in making further conversation, but he couldn't just leave for now he was colder than ever, so he offered instead that they sit on higher ground.
Now on the cliff Kazuki was on before, starring at the moon as she looked back down at them.
"It's the little things..." Kazuki thought aloud before a silence soon followed...when, quite out-of-the-blue Mariko said;
"You know, I once heard an old saying...it says...There are three things that will never stay hidden, the sun, the moon and the truth. I believe I found out the truth.", breaking the quiet briefly in the process, talking to herself more than she was Kazuki. He never questioned further into the matter, but it did indeed bother him. He was curious about her.
And a strange statement that was...
The two sat there in completen silence, both starring at the sky...
{Wave after Wave}
Morning. Early enough to still see the moon...
"Kazuki..."
the sound of his father's voice ripped him out of his dreams. He groaned and moaned, knowing that it was time to wake up but as usual he just wasn't prepared for that even though it was a usual for them. Still thinking about Mariko as soon as he opened his eyes - the stranger who now had a name, who disappeared into the wood late last night as if the darkness was her home...
How numinous, how strange...
"Kazuki." He's father said, more stern this time.
"I'm up. I'm up." Kazuki said in frustration. Now sitting on the side of his bed trying to snap out of his chronic daze and decided to help his old man with the fishing equipment before he got ready. As as his mother Kiyomi-sama prepared their lunch with ready-to-go in individual bento boxes filled with their favorite foods for the day.
Still early and cool, the sun slowly rising after breakfast of Miso and fish with Tamagoyaki . People already alive and buzzing in the market, all ready for a new day. Kazuki and Hashimoto-sama had a good start to the morning, both having rice cake in hand made by mother dearest along with all their fishing equipment ready to take to the ocean.
The closest star to the earth still shining. Tweets of birds chirping in their ears.
"It's a good day to go fishing, yes."
Mr. Hashimoto said, voice booming with excitement, patting Kazuki on his back with so much force, that his rice cake almost fell out of his hands, he then finally replied after fighting gravity for it with a slight sigh and a smile,
"Yes, it sure is."
But something felt off, the wind more fierce all of a sudden, it took both Hashimoto-sama and Kazuki by surprise.
"Hopefully, we can make it through before a storm comes." Hashimoto-sama says in a playful manner. But with that being said, Kazuki felt anxious. He shrugged it off and tried not to think about it.
The morning was cool but soon became warm as afternoon slowly came.
Now, in the boat, uncomfortable and hot, Kazuki sat there with his father starring at the clouds as they past, hopping that one might pass directly over them for a brief moment of shade.
"What are you looking at? "
Mr. Hashimoto asked, looking at the creases of the sea layed across the horizon and underneath them in search for a big catch.
"Nothing...really" Kazuki replied, barely on the same planet.
"You know..." Hashimoto-sama began,
"You always have your mind and soul deep in thought, leaving your vessel in space and empty.."
he tapped his knuckles against Kazuki's head causing him to flinch. He showed consern yet fascination on his face, wondering what Kazuki could be thinking about so intensely.
Kazuki, mimicking the expression of confusion but knew exactly what his father meant, rarely talked and when he did it wasn't really close to a conversation. He'd rather get lost in the strands of his mind creating the stars of wonder one might see in his kind eyes. It took him an otherwise noticeable amount of courage just to speak to Mariko.
Lingering on what his father said obviously not knowing what to say, silence fell again, only to be interrupted by the wild whistles of wind in both their ears.
The once silent sea turned angry as the wind aggravated it's peace. The storm, approached faster than expected, turning their peace into panic indicating a race to get to shore had begun.
"Son, hold steady boy." Mr. Hashimoto began as he anxiously reached for the paddle and ensuring that Kazuki knew his place in this time of impending danger.
Where they would go from here..? He had no idea, they were moving further away from shore, bearley able to see it as the wind whisked them further away like a leaf in the wind
"Father.." Kazuki shouts as the sound of wild waves fill his ears.
Afraid, looking beyond the waves aprouching only seeing more to come, reached out for his father...but half the boat was gone! How can this happen so fast? Where did he go?
"KaZuKi!" He heard is father's voice in the distance...
'No no no no no!'
He's thoughts, racing, he had to get his father. He jumped into the water thoughtlessly and fought his way towards his father as waves fought back. He prayed he could make it, the waves...the drift wood, all pulling him away.
His frustration got the best of him and he screamed, screamed for his father...fighting tears, fighting the waves; fighting all thoughts of losing him. It fell silent...
nothing but the ocean and raging waves it brought.
'No! Nonononono!'
"FATHER!!!"
Tiredness filling his mind, he couldn't take the beatings the ocean gave him anymore. So, he gave in, eyes growing heavy. Knowing he's watery grave was waiting...
He swore the salt-filled water formed hands around his arms, not knowing which way it was pulling him.
So he closed his eyes...
And let it bury him...
...Wave after wave...
Thunder that's all she heard...before the screams.
Mariko was wondering by the hills near the coast. A familiar voice, barley audible, heard in the distance...
She panicked as she realised what was going on.
The wind was so loud that she couldn't think. She just...ran towards the shore...towards Kazuki.
When she found him, she saw no-one else. Mariko swore she saw someone else with him earlier...scoping the area for any evidence that someone else was here. Nothing.
Diving in after him and dragged him to shore, his body felt...broken. She wasn't sure if he was even breathing. As soon as they got to shore and hit solid ground, Mariko noticed his damaged frame...bleeding, bruised and heaving! He was alive! But was barely conscious.
She didn't know what to do. She didn't know where to look for help, all she could think of was-
'"No, I can't do that to him...but he'll die! I'm stuck! The storm shows no sign of subsiding and it still rains hard. I've made the decision to go through with it...he will be my responsibility."
So, she took his face in her hands, kisses him on his four head, lift his chin and bit down on his kneck. This caused his bruised and swollen eyes to glaze open wildly in response to the venom.
He's hand grabs her wrist with an unknown strength, while the other hand grips his bleeding kneck, as if he was trying to strangle himself.
"K-Kazuki...?" She simply stood up and watched as he now drown in pain plead. He just stared at her intense gaze of nothing to his intense pain and confusion.
his ribs mending together, his arm...oh God, his arm. She felt every thing as the arm that held her wrist was broken in several places.
Mariko could never get used to the sound of bones breaking or in most cases, mending for that matter. Just sitting there...hopping...
Or she could drown in his crimson and end his misery.
After he passed out...she couldn't help but cry slightly.
"I'm sorry..." was all she could sob, just wishing it didn't have to be like this...not like this.
So destructive, killing what life was in him...and her...finishing the job. She looked apon his now peaceful face, the rain falling in such a way that it made it look like he was crying too...but he was...and he's eyes, still swollen from tears.
She had found a piece of drift wood near them both and took it before the sea had a chance and lay him on it to drag him back to his home.
Now clearly sunset, with some clouds managing to rain still. Halfway to his cottage.
'It's so...quiet...' I thought. Not even the thunder could be heard. Mariko's thoughts reel with one question...
'What do I say to his mother..?'
She dreaded seeing her face...her
sorrows...
"father" always said it was my heart...weak and fragile.", She clenched her fists.
"I cared too much..." he'd say, but just because I'm a monster...doesn't mean I don't have to care...
All monsters are human...in some way.
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
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