"Long live Yisheigai Gods!!"
"Good girl!" Arian purred and stroked the girl's head, while thinking of a way to manipulate her. This is the first time he had felt so excited in years. Not even when he tortured Eva had he felt a sense of high quite like this. No, the only time that he had felt this high was when he had eaten those magic mushrooms, and when he had tricked Mariteus into thinking that Claudine was unfaithful to him...
Yes. This girl was Mikamiko. She had fallen under the hypnotism programmes that Arian had scattered all over the face of the Earth, just like the other 90 percent of the entire human population. He had never expected Mikamiko to fall under his control, as he had thought that Mariteus would protect her from anything of such kind.
Hmm...looks like even the Creator has sided with me! He thought indulgently. Of course, it had never crossed his mind that Eva deserved some "credit" for this, however unwilling she was to take it. But all through the history of Arian's life, he had never credited anyone else for whatever work they had done, or whatever results they had produced.
"Now, you will do whatever I tell you to, won't you?"
Mikamiko, her face the epitome of blankness, nodded obediently at his question.
"Hahaha, very good! I promise you plentiful rewards if you do so!"
Such as a million broken pieces of your heart...... Arian thought and grinned evilly.
Just as he was about to do something bad to Mikamiko, he was stopped by a fire-chi ball just in time.
Enraged, Arian turned around to confront whoever it was that stopped his wicked plan of destroying Mikamiko.
"My dear brother, will you stop doing meaningless things like trying to break other people's hearts? As if you haven't hurt helpless girls enough already!" Eva shook her head disapprovingly at him.
"I wouldn't call one such as you helpless, or a girl, would I? Besides, it's none of your business if I want to help someone break her heart! In fact, I would offer you a part in it, but you act so 'saint-like' that I am sure that you would turn your nose up at such an offer!"
An indignant Eva just could not stand his tone of voice. It took a lot of her self-control to stop herself from strangling his neck at that very moment.
"And so, I suppose you think that you would gain something by hurting her? Like incurring the wrath of Mariteus? The Mariteus that you love so much? Are you masochistic or something? Why do you always do things that irk him so much? In the end, he will always hate you! So much that the mere thought of you will send him gritting his teeth and clenching his fists! What is the point of that? I can't understand you, at all!!"
"Of course you can't understand the logic behind it, nor the beauty of it! You of the miniscule brain! Look at yourself! You act all nice around him! You become his soul mate! You become his closest sibling! But in the end, what do you get? Nothing but heartache! This ugly, fat mortal over here was and will always be chosen over you! At least, if I let him hate me, I can be assured that he will be thinking of me, day in day out! What's so masochistic about that? Haven't you heard that the other side of the coin to hate is love? The deeper the hate is, the deeper the love will become! Now the only thing left to do is to find a way of turning his hate into love for me!!" Arian didn't know why he had to explain himself. What did she do to him, to be able to worm his long-kept secret out of him? He was suspicious that Eva had used some of her mind-manipulation skills on him......
"By the way, I’m really surprised that you didn't know that already! You could have gained the knowledge easily by reading my mind. Of course I wouldn't let you read it like a book, but with your skills...? I am puzzled, enlighten me."
"It's no use, you wouldn't understand a profound concept like that..." Eva shook her head at him, putting on an expression of pity to annoy him. However, it was not known whether Arian was too dense or too thick-skinned, for he did not take offence at her expression. Or maybe he was just in too good a mood to pick a fight with her.
"Try me, then!"
"Well, I would prefer not to peer into other people's minds as it is an intrusion of their privacy, unless if it was absolutely necessary, of course. Besides, who knows what I might see, especially in a mind like yours. I might get too shocked or contaminated by the knowledge!"
"I will pretend not to hear the word contaminated...don't push it too far, you hear? But shocked is a good word, for you might just be surprised by how intelligent I am, despite the rumours you hear out there..."
"Of course. I absolutely believe you. With all my heart." Eva deadpanned with the most poker-like face she could ever muster. It was hard, for she was almost bursting with barely-contained laughter inside.
Arian stared murderously at her, but could not hit her like he would have liked to, for she was carrying his baby as well as Mariteus', which made her the most valuable goddess in the whole Yishegain history. And so he could only stalk away sulkily, while trying to find something to vent his pent-up frustrations.
Eva finally let go of her controlled laughter, shaking from within at the outburst. But the giggles sounded so empty, and so fake to her ears that it was unbearable...
"Are you alright?" A soft hand touched her shoulder, and it was only then that she realised that tears were running down her cheeks unbridled. She wiped them away with the back of her hand, and turned to the owner of the hand.
"Don't worry about me, I'm fine" She finally squeezed a small smile on her face, while examining Mikamiko's face to see if any irreversible damage had been done to her already. Upon close inspection, she could see traces of tear marks on her cheek.
Why is it, Eva thought sorrowfully, that those who love another should suffer so much?
Leading Mikamiko to a seat, Eva decided that she should help her get out of her hypnotised trance.
There is really no telling what Arian might do to her! He is so sick, the only one who could endure his cruelty, or should endure it, is I. At least, I would feel better about myself, after having betrayed and hurt Mariteus so deeply. Hopefully, this would make up for it......Eva bit her lip in an effort to stop it from trembling.
Eva sat with Mikamiko's back facing her front, and started to chant some mantras that would help her get out of her hypnotic trance. However, if only things were to run so smoothly, the Yisheigain story would not have spanned more than ten chapters.
"I FORBID YOU TO RELEASE HER FROM THE TRANCE! WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO, RUIN MY PLANS?!!" Arian's voice thundered from outside the room.
Eva ignored him as she always did. No one could stop her if she was bent on doing something! No one! Not even the Kor-Kor she loved the most! So this Arian should not even dream of stopping her!
As Eva was thinking of all these, her concentration on chanting the mantras was eased up a little, and it was enough for Arian to stop the process of reviving of Mikamiko.
Eva turned to Arian and screamed at the top of her lungs.
"HOW DARE YOU INTERFERE WITH MY MANTRA-CHANTING? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT IT DOES TO MY MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH? THAT COULD BE FATAL, YOU FEATHER-BRAINED GOOD-FOR-NOTHING LOAFER POND-SCUM!!"
"Well, it looks like your mental and physical health are none the worse for wear, since you're able to scream at me like that! And let me tell you, even if you were injured, you deserve it!"
Eva was on the verge of raising her middle finger at Arian when Mikamiko stopped her. Well, sort of.
"E...eva? Are y...you Eva? W...where am I? I only remember watching cable TV at my house, then suddenly everything went blank!" Mikamiko stuttered, confused as to how she had arrived at this strangely familiar place...
"Mikamiko! Are you alright? Do you remember shouting anything peculiar like 'Long Live Yisheigai Gods!!'?" Eva enquired anxiously, while being secretly amazed at the same time that Mikamiko was able to break off the trance without any help so easily. She had seen what the programme had done to some of the famous spiritual leaders who were worshipped like idols around the world. They, who had been proclaimed to possess great spiritual power, could not even utter another word that deviated from the motto "LONG LIVE YISHEGAI GODS!!" much less break the trance! And yet, this weak-looking girl...
Arian was equally, if not a lot more, amazed. And boiling with rage at the same time. He could not stop the white-hot rage that was rising up in his throat, and threatening to choke him to death if he did not let it out.
Time and time again, he thought murderously, my plans are foiled by some meddlesome Fire Goddess, and before I could even rectify the damage, the girl recovers from her blows again and again, without fail! What do I have to do to ensure that everything I do is not interfered by that annoying fly masquerading as a goddess? Tell me, tell me, tell me!! Oh my Yisheigai Lord!! But how can I let her stop me? I will kill the girl this instant! I do not care about the consequences and what not! NOBODY DARE STOP ME!!!
"GET OUT OF MY WAY, EVA! I AM SERIOUS THIS TIME! DEAD SERIOUS! I AM GOING TO KILL THE GIRL! IF YOU STAND IN MY WAY, I WILL KILL YOU AS WELL, PREGNANT OR NOT!" Arian bellowed at the bewildered Fire Goddess. No matter how many times she had received cruel treatment from Arian, she still could not get over how crazy he could turn out to be when provoked. One could say that Arian attained higher levels of insanity with each provocation. It was almost like an...evolution of some kind, if that's the word to use.
"Oh no you won't! Even if you take my life, I still would not let you harm her a bit!" Eva spread her arms out in front of Mikamiko, facing the maddened Sky God with every bit of resolve that she had.
It's not the first time I had done this, anyway. What's so wrong with repeating history? It just shows how consistent I am. Eva said to herself, in an effort to give her plunging levels of energy and courage a boost.
All the while, what was Mikamiko doing? While appearing to be whimpering and cowering under Eva's protection, she was thinking of a way to get the two of them out of this mess. Then she remembered one important sentence that Mariteus had uttered before he left her dejectedly.
"If you have decided to listen to my explanation, just call out my name, and I will appear before you, just as I always have..." or something to that effect.
I wonder if it works? Mikamiko thought curiously.
Cautiously, discreetly but surely, Mikamiko whispered.
"Mariteus...if you can hear me, come and rescue me, like you always have..." And she closed her eyes and prayed to whatever higher being was out there that Mariteus would be able to hear this.
A figure burst into the room just before Arian could start his attack on Eva and Mikamiko.
"STOP THIS NONSENSE RIGHT THIS MOMENT!"
Arian turned around and in the process broke off his attack abruptly.
And was wounded, once more, by Little Miss Fire Goddess.
The Creator: 'Till the next time, hahahahahha! Wait with bated breath!!
Mikamiko: Depending on whether you like cliff-hangers or not, you either want to strangle us to death or you are, like Miss Creator says above, eagerly anticipating with bated breath. Whatever.
The Creator: I thought we were supposed to be dead, with our heads chopped off like that the last chapter?
Mikamiko: Well, you know, we are like those super-strong, super-durable evil villains who never die until the very end in those horror movies! Hurray for us!
The Creator: Cool! If that's the case, I want to be **Sadako** of **The Ring**! I have her long straight (rebonded) hair! And horrible eyes!
Mikamiko: Hey, no fair! I wanted to be her too! And I have the same attributes!
The Creator: Too bad.
Mysterious Voice: Actually, I think that it's because we are too valuable to the Author, so she couldn't bear to kill us off.
Mikamiko: Whatever......(bored expression)
Mysterious Voice: Why do you always assume that kind of expression around me! I'm getting very annoyed, you know?
Mikamiko: Who cares?
The Creator: End of Transmission...
Aheerm. Those items between the **'s do not belong to me but to the creators of **The Ring** movie and book etc etc. I am not really sure what are the respective parties, but I will try to find out by the next time I post another chapter. I promise, honest! I will also try to find a great link to this movie so that those readers in the dark can understand what I am trying to convey. In the meantime, this is only for entertainment purposes, as I have said time and time again. I beseech you to let me off and not sue me for my non-existent money......
Wahahahah! You have fallen into the trap! To sink in deeper...erm....I mean to escape, click onto the below links!!
The Introduction
Chapter 21
Chapter 23
The Yisheigai Gallery
Mikamiko's Storytelling Tent
The Cursed Living Doll
