Persona - Mask of Origins

Yuki went back to bed.

 

Little Zain slept peacefully through the rest of the day.

 

Yuki woke up later and stretched.

 

Zain was missing when Yuki woke. His blankets warm still from where he lie and soft singing coming from where Ari had hidden out in the side of a guest room next to where Zain had stayed.

 

"Wonder who's singing?" Yuki asked herself as she walked out of her room.

 

The singing ceased for a moment and Ari's voice purred quietly to someone, "Ari sang this song to you when you slept. It gives good dreams. It's Gaelic." Her singing started again, softly, soothing.

 

Yuki smiled and listened.

"It's a very beautiful song. I think that was the best night of sleep I've ever had."

 

Ari jerked, she was holding Zain in her arms. "Ah, Yuki! Ari's sorry. Ari didn't mean to take Zain-Sensei in the night. Ari just thought...Zain would remember Ari if Zain spent time with Ari. But all Zain-Sensei does is sleep." She sounded frustrated and Zain grabbed a piece of her hair, tugging on it and gumming it.

 

"Zero said he still had all his memories. It'll take time for him to be back to his old self."

 

Ari nodded, glancing down at the little child in her arms, "He's so small..." Ari carried Zain around for the rest of the day, letting him pull and gum her hair.

 

Yuki smiled at her.

"You seem like you've been a mother at some point."

 

Ari looked up at Yuki, "Ari...doesn't know. Sensei tells Ari, Ari's memories are dangerous. Ari remembers everything...sometimes...it's too much to remember all of that. Ari's children...were taken...beaten...tortured...Ari couldn't save them...any of them..." Ari looked like she was about to cry and yet no tears fell from her eyes.

 

"I...I don't know what to say. It must have been a terrible experience for you."

 

Ari nodded but she couldn't say anything. Zain bubbled making Ari smile down at him, "Perhaps...Ari was wrong to say Ari loved Zain... He's....important to Ari, but doesn't belong with Ari that way."

 

Yuki stared at Zain, lost in thought.

 

ooc: time skip please, this could go on for a while...

 

Yuki returned home from a boring day at school.

 

Ari hurried to meet Yuki at the door, over the period of two weeks, Zain had grown faster than a normal child, just like Zero and Nicholi said. "Yuki! Zain...he...he said Ari's name and a bunch of other things." Ari hurriedly pulled Yuki to Zain's room and found a five year old boy sitting on the ground, white hair brushing his eyelashes and clothed in black shorts and a long sleeved school-boy uniform. He looked up at Yuki and Ari and smiled a full set of baby teeth, "Welcome home sister! Ari gave me cookies for lunch."

 

"Wow, Zero wasn't kidding when he said Zain would grow fast." She said to herself before smiling at Zain.

 

Zain scowled playfully at the mention of Zero. "Zero's not coming over to play is he? I don't think I've met him, but I remember meeting him before. He's kinda mean." Ari cuddled him and Zain made that face he used to do when he found something disgusting. "Yuck...get offa me, Ari. Sis...is Zero coming here?" As soon as he spoke a knock came at the door.