| Fan Fiction |
by Hibiscus
What had happened?
Chun had been bleeding heavily; the bullet had gone into his side. Ariel had torn off his shirt, making a bandage to staunch the bleeding. Chun had fallen into an unconscious state, passed out from the pain most probably. She had propped him against a rock and then surveyed the environment around her.
Rafael had fallen where he had stood. Ariel knew that his own partners were not far behind. The men traveled in packs like feral dogs. So Ariel had called the police. She knew she couldn't handle them all alone. She called the ambulance. 000. The number she dialed. Then she had calmly taken the knife she had thrown into Rafael's throat, clasped his dead hand around it and dragged that knife through her stomach. The pain was trivial. She had felt far worse. Anora? All assassins carried the same gun – same issue – 5mm Browning. Ariel simply put the second gun wiped of fingerprints into Rafael's pocket.
And then finally, she had turned to Fig. the last expression he had on his face would be his eternal expression; that half smile. For Ariel.
When she heard the sirens, Ariel gathered Figaro's empty body into her arms and started crying.
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Three weeks later, Ariel was on a plane to Canada. Her grandfather knew she was coming, of course. He was the one who had leant heavily on the Fijian authorities to wrap up the 'stalker' case hurriedly so his 'darling granddaughter' could return home. Money talks so obviously it was done.
Ariel knew why he had helped her. He had his own particular system of justice. No one else was allowed to pass sentence on someone who had wrong him.
And now Ariel sat in the first class section of an Air Pacific plane that flying to Canada. She opened up her brown, admittedly tattered bag and frowned. There was a brown leather covered diary, sitting snugly in her bag. Ariel frowned. She hadn't opened her bag since…
Ariel picked up the diary, taking note of the worn cover and the yellowed pages. She opened it up and a note fell out of it.
"Ariel,
This diary is the reason you agreed to spend three months with me. I am giving it to you because I have realized that having you here by my side simply because I am making you is not what I want. So I am giving this to you and I am going to let you fly away.
There are many things I want to say but we have time. I know you will leave. And it's okay. As long as you come back to me.
-Chun."
Ariel read it once. Then again. Her fingers traced out the words lined in Chun's crooked writing. Then she carefully folded the note and put it aside. She picked up the diary again and opened it to where it was bookmarked.
"My darling Yi Chen,
Isn't this what your father used to call you? Are you this now? I wonder how old you are. How long has it been since I killed your father? And your fiery mother? Am I the monster in your dreams? I hope so. I hope every time you wake up screaming, it is my face you see in your nightmares. I hope the boogieman has my face and every one you are afraid of sounds like me.
Do you want to know why I killed your parents and yet let you live? You should thank your grandfather. You see, I used to have a family. My father was Edward's business partner, my older brothers, I had two, were his assistants. But one day, Edward decided that he didn't want to share. So he killed my father, my brothers and even my mother. My mother who always used to smell like honey. I found her dead in the kitchen, her blood seasoning the cake she had been mixing.
But he left me alive. You know why? He said it would amuse him to se me being tortured by the memories of people I can never bring back. That is why I killed your parents, Yi Chen. And that is why I let you live. So that Edward could have a closer view, so that he could be more easily entertained.
Now you know, Yi Chen. You did look pretty with your little face stained with tears. You must be beautiful now-."
Ariel slammed the diary shut. She didn't need to read anymore.
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It was raining in Vancouver. A grey day to match Ariel's grey feelings. She stood on the doorstep of the only person in the entire world who literally commanded respect from her.
Ariel reached forward and rang the doorbell. The concrete steps she was standing on had fine cracks in them. The wear of seasons had worn the smoothness off them.
The door opened and a slender woman of indeterminable age stepped out.
"Sensei," Ariel whispered.
The woman simply known as Lieu was the martial arts teacher who had taught Ariel everything she knew about fighting.
Ariel remembered the first time she had met Lieu or "Sensei" as she addressed her now. Ariel had been a brash, overconfident fifteen year old.
"So you think you can fight?" Lieu had asked pleasantly as they sat on a dueling mat.
"Yes!" Ariel had replied, proud of her imagined aptitude.
Twenty minutes later after a bout in which Ariel had been humiliatingly defeated, Lieu stood with her foot on Ariel's throat. "Think again."
It would be wrong to say that Lieu took Ariel under her wing. That would imply sympathy. She didn't. The woman was a fortress, prepared for all attacks whether physical or mental. Her serenity flowed off her in waves and the fact that she was absolutely impenetrable to all unnecessary emotion and pranks was a fact honed into all of her students. She exuded danger simply by sitting silently.
What she did offer Ariel was a sanctuary when she needed one and power via all the various fighting disciplines she taught. Power to ensure that Ariel was never again the helpless little girl she had been. Power.
She was not affiliated with Edward Lin in any way and had simply offered to teach Ariel because she judged her worthy. Ariel had learned to respect Lieu and used the honorific "Sensei" for her; one which Lieu had neither suggested nor encouraged.
"Ariel?" Lie said in a perfectly modulated voice. "I was expecting you earlier."
Ariel allowed herself to be led into the house and to the living room.
"Here," Lieu handed Ariel a towel."Dry yourself."
"Thank you."
Lieu nodded. She poured hot tea from a pout into a cup and handed it to Ariel. Ariel took it with a murmur of tanks. They sat ni silence for a minute and then Lieu put down her own cup and asked softly, "When do you need it by?"
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Fire Light brushed Ariel's hair. "It's been a long time since you've let me out, Ariel. All the trappings of domesticity were beginning to stifle me. Do I get to play one last time, Ariel?"
Fire Light looked down at her hands, her slender fingers curved around the ebony handle of the hair brush and smiled. She brought it up to her hair, Ariel's hair and brushed slowly.
Fire Light was sitting in front of the mirror in a room she usually rented when she wanted to be away from Edward. But right now, she was getting ready for an appointment. Blue jeans, a soft pink tee-shirt, no make up. Fire Light looked like a teenager.
There was a knock on the door and Fire Light turned. She had been expecting him. She stalked to the door and opened it to Hu Ge.
"Ariel-."
"She's not here anymore." Fire Light said, watching him carefully. She didn't trust anybody. She never had. It was Ariel who had that foolish human weakness.
"Snap out of it, Ariel." Hu Ge frowned. He looked frazzled and tense. Fire Light noticed.
"What's the matter, Ge? Divorce not going well?" She asked sweetly.
"Chun's still alive, Ariel. You don't have to do this."
"She knows he is alive. I know that too. But his breaths are limited. He might die. But Ge, Figaro's dead. We buried him, Ariel and I. he was the only one who made Fire Light behave. Kept her locked inside. But now? He's in a little brown box, six feet deep in the ground." Fire Light swayed to a dark melody only her ears heard. Ge stared, feeling the prickling of a fear he didn't know existed. "Six feet deep. What do I tell his dreams, Ge? What excuse do I give to the future robbed off his light, hmm?"
"Ariel…"
"Call me Fire Light right now. I appreciate your visit. But I have a meeting with my grandfather. Please excuse me."
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Ella opened the door, frowning.
"Butler duties?" Fire Light stood on the doorstep.
"It's you." Ella let her disgust show in her words. She turned on her heel and Ariel followed suit.
"You're early." Ella said over her shoulder.
"I know I am." Fire Light followed Ella into the kitchen. "And you are cooking too. Wow, you must be indispensable."
"I'm just making him tea." Ella said as she dropped two tea bags into a teapot. "Now where is the sugar?"
Fire Light stood leaning against the counter beside the tea tray. "In the cupboard next to the fridge."
"Whatever." But she turned to check the cupboard.
"Where's the staff?" Fire Light asked casually.
"They've been given the day off." Ella replied. "Let's go." She picked up the tea tray and started walking towards the living room where Edward would probably hold the meeting.
"Wait here." Ella said at the entrance to the living room. She went in and poured a cup of tea for Edward. Edward sent his lone body guard to pat down Ariel and check for any weapons she might have hidden on her person. Ella exited the room and paused by Ariel. "I'm leaving now. Good luck."
She left and Fire Light realized why there was no staff, why Ella had left. Edward didn't want any witnesses.
The beefy guard, presumably the most trustworthy of Edward's men finished his inspection, satisfied that she wasn't hiding anything and let her pass.
"Edward." Fire Light said as she entered. "You look old." And he did. Wrinkles had appeared more prominently where that been none before. He looked gaunt, black circles around his eyes spoke of sleepless nights.
"Fire Light. You are as courteous as ever." Edward replied. He held the teacup in his hand and took a deep drink from it before setting it down. Fire Light looked at her watch. "What do you have to say for yourself?"
"What would you have me say? I'm sorry? Is that what you're waiting for? For me to make some sort of defense that you can pretend to consider? We both know that you've judged me guilty, Edward."
"Hmm. You always were a feisty one. I thought I'd tame you if I made you a product of your experiences but then you betrayed me. You chose to protect the one person I wanted you to kill more than anyone else."
"Yes. I know. I am a product, not a person, a product brought about by the machinations of your own self, Edward. You killed your own son. Indirectly yes, I suppose. But you killed him. How does that feel?"
Edward's hand shook as he picked up the cup and drank again. "You've become a liability, Fire Light. And you know very well what we do to those who longer profit us. I will lose an heir but I will gain back my sleep."
"So what are you going to do, Edward? Kill me?" Fire Light smiled softly.
Another sip of his tea. Then Edward straightened up and sighed. He picked up the gun that was on the coffee table in front of him.
"Yes, Edward. Pick it up then. Kill me. End this." Fire Light leaned forward, encouraging him. Edward's eyes opened wide as he let the gun fall and clutched his chest, cognizant at last of the agony. Fire Light leaned forward and grinned, merriment lighting up her eyes. "Does it hurt bad, Edward?" Edward wheezed and his features contorted in pain. The body guard looked confused.
Fire Light laughed softly. "You did enjoy your last cup of tea. Ricin is a very powerful poison. Works in ten minutes. Your lungs are collapsing, your heart will fail and then you will die to go to hell. This is my revenge. For my parents. For Figaro. Hell, even for the monster." Fire Light walked over to Edward and leaned near. "You have one minute left. Do you have anything to say?" Fire Light watched in fascinated concentration as Edward twisted one more time with intense pain and then stopped.
Stopped absolutely.
Fire Light cocked her head to the side and looked at the guard who had his gun in his hand looking with confusion from his dead employer to Fire Light.
"Shoot me." She invited, softly, seductively.
He complied, hypnotized. He shot her and Fire Light moved with reflexes she had honed for years. The bullet grazed the side of her arm and she hissed. "Ouch. My turn." She picked up Edward's gun and shot the guard with deadly aim. The guard dropped dead.
Fire Light looked around the room, the gesture strangely reminiscent of the incident three weeks ago. "This is how professionals do it."
Fire Light took out a cell phone and dialed 911. "You're on, Ariel. Start screaming."
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A/N: I apologise for the typos. I do.