[A/N: This chapter isn't for the faint-hearted. Just thought I'd let you know ahead of time.]

Swirls of grey danced in the skies above, a churning pit of turbulence held in the sky.

Storm clouds brewed, moving much faster than she was used to.

And yet nobody noticed.

If the skies were considered a mirror to the events of the world below, then maybe she wouldn't have taken everything so lightly.

It was a stormy day on the 3rd of June, and yet there was nothing that could bring her spirits down. A song sounded from a childs lips, a soft song far beyond the years of a child so young.

It was the way of things when one had to grow up much faster than the body would ever reflect.

Today was a good day, it was going to be a great day.

Amaya was going to do her best to make sure of this.

Her father said it was okay for her mother to leave the island for a day, so it had to be a good day.

It was the first day in weeks that her mother had been able to leave the basement, and the first day in months that the beautiful woman had not woken up screaming in the middle of the night.

Amaya had no idea why her mother had to spend so much time in her fathers basement in the huge building, only that the man said it was to try and help her.

According to father, her mother was very sick, and she had to spend a lot of time in a special pool of water to try and help her. But to Amaya, it just looked like Mama was getting worse every day she was in her fathers basement.

The foreign lady called Geneviere could never tell her why, either. She just shook her head, saying she should go play with her siblings instead of worrying about Mama.

It was always like she was fretting over something whenever she'd say that, like she didn't know how long they'd be able to play, anymore.

Geneviere was a beautiful woman, with a soft, rounded face, freckles dusting her nose and cheeks, long reddish ginger hair in lots of waves and green eyes. She always wore a long white coat like, always with a clipboard and paper with her, too. She was always the person that came out of that basement every meal, and she seemed to spend so much time with Amaya, she knew more about the lady from England than she did her own mother these days.

But her mother hadn't been very well for quite a long time. Not since her siblings had arrived in the world, passed to her mother by Geneviere herself with an apology conveyed with haunted eyes.

That was the first time she'd seen her mother look so heartbroken.

And it certainly wasn't the last, either.

Amaya remembered the look on her mothers face that day, more than anything else from that time. She didn't remember what her siblings looked like when they were given to her mother to raise, nor could she remember the specifics of why she had two siblings that didn't look anything like her mother.

Apart from that look, she remembered the way that the woman's condition deteriorated quickly immediately following the time where she'd been revived from drowning.

Her condition deteriorated more and more every day, after all.

The wind picked up as the boat reached the port, and thunder rolled in the far off distance.

Amaya had no clue where they were, only that it was a city that wasn't anywhere in Okinawa.

It took them hours on the boat to get here, and nobody had told Amaya anything, after all.

But it was a good day, because she was here with her Mother, Yuta and Reiko.

There were no people in white coats, no one wearing black suits with ties and sunglasses, and nobody watching with a notebook and pen in hand.

Amaya giggled to herself as she ran up to the side of the large ship, her arms looped around her back to support the weight of a snoozing Reiko slouched over her back. Short, snow white hair blew in the breeze, her little red dress whipping against her legs as she slowed to a halt to watch the people on the port walkways.

One of the tall, heavy-built men cast her an amused smirk as one of the cabin crew of the boat threw a rope to him.

For Amaya at nearly seven years old, it was exciting for her to watch the workers go about their business in the port - She never got to see anything except for sand and water back in Okinawa. She could overlook the water during instances like this, because to show to her siblings that she was scared of water would only have them begin to fear it as well.

It was best that she portrayed a strong, reliable front to her siblings, to show that they can rely on their big sister.

And it would not be right for two children to fear water when they'd never had any real experience with it at all.

'Mama! Yuta!' Amaya called out once the workers of the port secured the boat in place and set a wooden walkway down so they could disembark. 'Can we go now? Can we?!'

'Maymay!' A three year old Yuta cried out, ambling over on tiny little feet as Amaya turned to look. 'Wait Maymay!'

'I am!' Amaya responded with a grin.

However her grin faded ever so slightly as a familiar form stepped out of the cabin of the boat.

Dressed in a deep blue summer dress with white sandals, Mizumoto Yukariko scanned her blood red eyes around the boat until she spotted Amaya and the twins over at the edge of the boat.

Once a well-proportioned, healthy young woman, Amaya's mother looked nothing like what she used to. Unhealthily thin with bags under her eyes, skin sallow with her white hair limp and splitting at the ends, Yukariko looked many years older than the humble 25 years she really was. This was how Amaya was used to seeing her mother, however.

Miserable, falling apart, and a shadow of the energetic, beautiful woman she used to be.

'Amaya, quieten down.' Yukariko told Amaya, however there was no emotion behind her words. 'You're disturbing the workers.'

'Yes, Mama. I'm sorry.' Amaya apologized quickly, however she didn't feel like she was being all that disruptive.

The few cabin crew of the boat looked on with pitying gazes, before they made a quick dash away.

Amaya made a point of pretending that she hadn't noticed the similarities.

This was a happy day - Her mother was allowed out of the basement, and the four of them were here for a fun day away from Okinawa. She didn't need to remind herself that they gave her the same look as everyone back home.

Reiko was still fast asleep with the side of her face resting on Amaya's shoulder, drool trickling from her mouth down the front of Amaya's shoulder.

However she didn't even react, or even fell all that disgusted by it.

Most people drool in their sleep, and Amaya knew she did, too.

'Ne, Mama?' Amaya eventually spoke up, bouncing a little on her feet to lift Reiko up on her back a bit better. 'Can we go now?'

Yukariko gazed out at the city beyond the port for a few seconds, though she didn't say anything.

Amaya waited patiently for a response, though she didn't receive one - instead, with that same empty look in her eyes, Yukariko began to walk down the board that had been placed to bridge the boat to the concrete walkway of the port.

Amaya's smile faded from her face as she managed to shift Reiko on her back to free up a hand, so she could grab Yuta's hand in case he were to slip and fall off the walkway.

The boy smiled up at her with a dorky toddlers grin, a shrill laugh escaping him as he began to stomp his way down the walkway in front of Amaya, as toddlers having fun tend to do.

Well, at least her brother was having a good time, today.

Amaya followed after Yukariko as she began to wander down the concrete walkway towards the hustle and bustle beyond, Reiko balanced precariously on her back while she held Yuta's hand so he wouldn't run off.

She wished her mother would at least acknowledge the twins, but for some reason she didn't seem to.

The woman had been doing that ever since she was released from the basement last night.

The thunder rolling in the distance was gradually becoming louder, forceful enough where the air began to vibrate with every boom. With a brilliant flash through the sky, the clouds opened up and raindrops began to fall to the streets.

Amaya looked up at the sky as she felt the rain begin to fall against her bare arms.

Yuta giggled in delight at the cool droplets, while the rain began to slowly wake Reiko up. Reiko never liked the rain too much - She'd always cry if she got too wet, unlike Yuta, who would always run around in it if he had half a chance.

Yukariko was many meters onwards, her gaze right ahead of her as she walked aimlessly through the rain.

Sucking in a deep breath, Amaya picked up the pace and tugged Yuta along so they could catch up to her mother.

'Ne, Mama?' Amaya spoke up as she managed to catch up, looking up at the woman's pale face as Reiko began to straighten up on her back. 'Where are we going?'

No answer - Yukariko didn't even look down at her as they continued down the side of the street.

'Maymay!' Yuta whined as he stumbled on his little feet, trying to stop so he could enjoy the rain.

'Mama?' Amaya called out to Yukariko again, but still, she received no answer.

A cry broken by a hiccup began to escape Reiko, the onset of a rain-fueled tantrum.

'R-Reiko no!' Amaya gasped out, slowing to a stop as the three year old girl began to wail into her shoulder. 'Please don't cry!'

Yuta looked up from the water on the pavement at the sound of his sisters distress.

'Reirei!' Yuta called out, grabbing ahold of Amaya and lifting himself up to reach their sister. 'Reirei no cry!'

'Stop!' Amaya gasped out, however she was too late.

The weight of both siblings hanging from her had her lose her balance, and she fell forwards to land face-first on the pavement in front of her. Reiko's wailing suddenly cut off, and within a mere second, both siblings were in a fit of shrieking giggles on Amaya's back.

Amaya was a little relieved that Reiko was no longer crying, but she was a little upset that she'd been dragged to the ground like that by her two siblings.

'Maymay fall!' Yuta announced with great giggles, much to Amaya's bemusement.

Even at such a young age, the concept of sarcasm wasn't far off her understanding.

'I know.' Amaya grumbled, throwing herself upright with enough force to have the twins tumble from her back. 'Ne, Mama--'

Amaya's words cut themselves off as she looked up, and found that her mother had gone.

The three of them were stranded, alone in the middle of the street.

Panic began to bubble up inside of Amayas little body, so strong she almost burst into tears right there on the street. Passers by just stepped around the three children, not even sparing them a glance as Amaya frantically searched for any glimpse of white hair.

'Maymay - Mama's gone?' Yuta asked, tugging at the side of Amaya's dress to try and catch her attention.

However Amaya didn't look, and instead forced herself to take a deep breath.

She couldn't freak out - She was the big sister.

If she freaked out, her siblings would cry.

'Not gone.' Amaya eventually spoke, looking at her siblings once she'd managed to regain her composure. 'Mama just walks too fast.'

A great sniffle escaped Reiko as she held her arms out to Amaya, however she didn't comply. Instead, Amaya pulled herself to her feet, and grabbed a hand each of Yutas and Reikos.

'Let's find Mama - Come on!' Amaya announced with as bright a grin as she could manage, pulling her siblings to their feet, Reiko on her left and Yuta on her right.

'Mama hide!' Yuta announced, while Reiko sniffled again.

Amaya cast her brother a smile as she began to lead way onwards down the streets.

The rain continued to fall faster, thunder rolling in more crashes than rumbling, and the lightning in the skies began to become much more frequent.

The sniffles from Reiko continued, while the happy babbling from Yuta continued.

Both polar opposites in their opinions of the rain.

Amaya didn't mind the rain.

It was almost as if her namesake prevented her from disliking it.

Because it was a gift her mother gave her.

Just like the names Yuta and Reiko were gifts from both Amaya and Yukariko.

A sharp tugging at the side of Amaya's dress caught her attention, bringing her to turn her head and look down at Reiko.

The girl was staring up at her like she was about to start crying, tugging yet again at the side of Amaya's dress.

'What's wrong?' Amaya asked, though she knew she wouldn't exactly get an answer from Reiko.

She hadn't yet uttered her first word.

Sometimes Amaya just wished the girl would start talking soon.

'Maymay!' Yuta called her again, as if he was responding to her very thought.

Amaya turned her head to glance down at Yuta for a second.

'What's wrong?' Amaya asked, glancing at Yuta once again as Reiko continued to sniffle.

'Reirei want up.' Yuta told her.

'No.' Amaya responded with a sigh, shaking her head slightly to flick her drenched white hair out of her face. 'We're walking.'

'Reirei want up, Maymay!' Yuta repeated himself at a much louder volume.

'I said no.' Amaya repeated herself with patience she was barely mustering.

She was worried about her mother, and the fact that they were lost in an unfamiliar place.

'Maymay!' Yuta whined, however Amaya didn't reply.

She needed to find Yukariko before she got too far away.

The further they walked, twins complaining and sniffling the whole time, the more Amaya realized that they were losing ground. She frantically scratched her brain for anywhere that her mother would have gone, when a sudden tapping on the shoulder startled her out of her wits.

A startled squeak escaped her as she sprung forward, twins toppling over from the sudden movement.

'Who-oah! Just calm down, now!' Someone spoke, alarm in their rather deep tone of voice.

Amaya managed to turn her head to look at the sudden presence, to find herself staring up at a tall man.

He looked to be around his late twenties, with long snowy hair pulled back in a ponytail at the nape of his neck, dark eyes that almost seemed rather red, like a murky maroon, and a tanned complexion. He wore a traditional mens kimono in olive green, a brown haori over his kimono, and a pair of tabi-socks on his feet, complete with the straw sandals.

If he had a sword at his side, Amaya would have actually believed he was a samurai from those movies that were on television during the lunch-time showings.

'Don't be afraid.' The man spoke as he crouched down in front of Amaya, her siblings cowering behind her. 'I mean you no harm.'

Amaya swallowed hard against the lump that had risen in her throat, pushing Yuta that little bit more behind her as she watched the stranger in front of her.

'W-who are you--?' She questioned meekly.

Despite their obvious apprehension of the man, he smiled kindly all the same.

'My name is Shigure, little one.' The man told her, his hands linked in front of him as he kept his gaze locked with Amayas own. 'I noticed you and your siblings looking quite lost - Do you need any help?'

Amaya was at first apprehensive of his words, finding herself suspicious of the smile he wore.

After all, she was used to the smiles from adults all being fake.

But what stood out the most was how he called the three of them siblings.

No stranger had ever said that before.

'Mama said not to talk to strangers...' Amaya hedged, the best excuse she had to try and escape this strange man.

'That's good. I can understand that.' The man called Shigure spoke, the smile across his face extending to his eyes. 'You don't have to talk to me, but is there anything I can do to help? I could even find a Police Officer, if you'd prefer.'

Amaya blinked slowly, her hands tightening around the smaller ones of her siblings as she watched the man.

His gaze had not once let up.

His eyes had not once lost the kind, warm smile that felt so similar to what her mothers used to be like.

Hesitantly, Amaya decided to take a chance on this stranger.

'Our Mama's gone ...' Amaya spoke up as her hands continued to tighten around her siblings hands. 'We didn't keep up and now we can't find her.'

'I see.' Shigure spoke, gaze shifting from Amaya just long enough to glance at the many people passing by. 'Can you describe her to me? I'll help you look for her.'

Amaya nodded as she glanced back at Yuta and Reiko, to find that they both were hugging her back, Reiko with her face buried in the folds of her red dress, while Yuta hesitantly stole glances at Shigure from beneath Amaya's arm.

'Mamas hair is white, and really really long, too.' Amaya spoke up as she looked back at Shigure. 'She has pretty red eyes too, and she's wearing a blue dress, just like mine.'

'You must look a lot like her, then.' Shigure remarked.

'Y-yes...'

He cast her another kind smile.

'Well, the sooner we start looking, the sooner we can find her.' He responded, lifting himself to stand straight on his feet. 'Do you know where your Mother was going when you got separated?'

Amaya shook her head slightly in response.

Shigure cast her an encouraging smile, before he began to scan the sea of faceless people walking around the street, despite the rain that was still falling from the skies.

'Then how about we try down at the shopping arcade - She might have gone there.' Shigure suggested.

To which Amaya nodded her head.

Yuta and Reiko were both silent as they ambled after Amaya, who lead them in the shadow of the man called Shigure.

She wasn't too bothered by that, however.

They were very shy around people they didn't know.

The rain didn't stop, not even as they wandered the streets in search for Yukariko for quite a while. Though thankfully the man called Shigure had an umbrella with him, so they were at least a little dry.

Hours passed, with no sign of Yukariko anywhere in the busier parts of town.

It had been long enough where Yuta'd warmed up to Shigure and practically begged the man to carry him because his feet hurt.

Reiko still avoided him, instead clinging to Amaya much like she had before, only she was still sniffling the whole time. She was upset from being out in the rain, on the verge of tears but keeping a stiff upper lip because she didn't want the stranger to come any closer to her.

It was as they neared the main bridge that crossed the river that they seemed to have some luck in tracking down Amayas mother. They were about to walk past, because there were still some places on this side of the river they hadn't checked yet, however it appeared that things were beginning to work out.

The rain had stopped for a little while, though clouds still churned in the skies above.

'Mama!' Yuta suddenly squealed, excitement dripping from his voice as he tried to squirm out of Shigures grip.

Amaya wheeled around in surprise, which seemed to be reflected in Shigures gaze - They both wore looks of surprise as they stared at the squirming little boy.

'Oh? Where, Yuta-kun?' Shigure questioned.

However the question was answered for Amaya as she looked over to where Yuta kept on trying to go, to spot a familiar head of white hair standing part-way down the bridge.

Relief overcame Amaya in a sudden torrent, enough so where she almost dropped Reiko.

It was a good thing she didn't though, because there wasn't much stopping the toddler from throwing the biggest tantrum known to human kind right now.

'Is that your Mother over on the bridge?' Shigure asked, glancing down at Amaya from Yukarikos form on the bridge.

She noticed that his brow was furrowed, as if something was beginning to bother him.

'Yeah! That's Mama!' Amaya announced happily, turning to face the kind man properly as she tipped herself forward in a small bow. 'Thank you very much for helping us, Shigure-san!'

'Anytime.' Shigure responded, gently setting the whining Yuta down on the ground. 'You should get going before your mother disappears again.'

'Okay - Thanks again!' Amaya announced, before turning her gaze to her brother. 'Come on, Yuta.'

Another excited, almost gibberish sound escaped Yuta as he began to stomp along after Amaya and Reiko.

There weren't very many people around right now - It seemed that even though the rain had stopped for a short while, nobody really wanted to be outside right now.

The skies above swirled dangerously, ferociously, and the thunder began to crash louder and louder.

Amaya felt Reikos arms around her neck tighten in a trembling flinch, however she neither said nor did anything to ease the girls discomfort.

There was nothing she could do right at this second.

She glanced back at Yuta for a second, to see that he was still right there, detouring for each and every puddle in order to stamp through it.

'Mama! We found you!' Amaya called out brightly as they neared Yukarikos motionless form, her smile still across her face as Yuta began to squeal out happy giggles.

However Yukariko didn't move; She remained standing at the railing of the bridge, leaning with her arms resting upon the top rail as she stared out at the river ahead of her. Amaya slowed to a halt as she noticed the look across her mothers face.

Her eyes were empty, her expression blank. It was almost as if Amaya was staring at a doll, instead of her mother.

Though she could see that the woman was breathing.

'M-Mama...? Are you okay?' Amaya asked, remaining motionless as she felt Reiko begin to clamber down off of her back.

'I just don't know what to do, anymore ...' Yukariko whispered.

Amaya felt a painful chill tear down her spine as Yukariko turned her head to gaze at her.

'Mama!' Yuta squealed as he began to run over to Yukariko, his arms extended towards her as Amaya watched silently.

'Maya.' Yukariko spoke, ignoring Yuta as he reached her and grabbed onto the skirt of her dress for balance. 'Come to Mama, darling.'

Something was wrong - very wrong.

Amaya did not like this at all, especially as Yuta continued to try and call up to Yukariko.

'Mama!' Yuta whined, managing to get a hand on Yukariko's right wrist. 'Mama! Up! Mama please!'

It was far too late when Amaya realized Yukariko was on the verge of breaking completely.

'I'M NOT YOUR MOTHER!' Yukariko suddenly screamed out, the arm Yuta'd grabbed ahold of ripping out of his grip a mere second before she backhanded him.

Her breath caught in her throat as the sudden slap shocked her, her eyes widening as she watched the boy's body crash to the concrete with a dull thud.

'Y-Yuta!' Amaya screamed out, throwing herself forward to run to the fallen boy, however a hand snatched up her wrist and dragged her back.

'Maya, darling.' Her mother spoke gently, eerily kind as she pulled Amaya back to face her. 'Mama wants you to listen very, very carefully.'

'No! Let go - Yuta's hurt!' Amaya whimpered out, struggling to break free of Yukariko's remarkably firm grip. 'Mama--'

'It doesn't matter, anymore!' Yukariko yelled out, kneeling down in front of Amaya. Then, all of a sudden as if something had snapped inside of her, Yukariko began to giggle to herself, a manic look creeping into her eyes. 'Maya, your father doesn't want me anymore...I'm no longer useful to him, so it doesn't matter if I stay or go away...' Yukariko whispered, her icy cold hands reaching up to gently hold Amaya by the sides of her face. 'After he's done with you, he won't even want you, either...'

A harsh, unhinged laugh escaped Yukariko, startling Amaya enough to have her freeze up within her mother's grip.

It scared her, terrified her even.

'Since he doesn't want me anymore, why don't we go together?' Yukariko whispered, her widened eyes staring unseeing into Amayas own terrified eyes.

'G-go...?' Amaya whispered. '...Go where?'

Yukarikos answer caused Amayas breath to hitch in her throat, and for her tears to spill down the sides of her face.

Because she realized that her mother wasn't here, anymore.

'Mama wants you to come to Heaven, Maya!' Yukariko sung, her tone eerie as her fingers began to slowly trail down the sides of her face. 'We can both be saved!'

'N-no...' Amaya managed to gasp out, shaking her head ever so slightly as Yukarikos fingers stopped their descent down her jaw.

'No?' Her mother asked, her head tilting ever so slightly as she stared into Amaya's terrified eyes. 'But, why not?'

'Y-you're not Mama!' Amaya whimpered, her entire body trembling as Yukariko continued to stare. 'Mama would never hurt anyone! You're not her!'

Yukariko was silent at first, almost as if Amaya had never spoken.

But then she laughed.

An unhinged, dry laugh, fully expressive of her loss of sanity escaped her in choking rasps.

'So you don't want me either... do you, Maya?' Yukariko whispered, her fingers against her jaw trembling as she lowered her gaze downwards.

A manic smile touched her lips as Amaya flinched, terrified.

'That's fine, darling, because I can still save you!' Yukariko announced, eyes wide with an unhinged grin across her face.

And then her hands latched around Amayas neck and lifted her off her feet.

'M-Maymay!' An unfamiliar voice screamed in horror.

'I'll save you right now! So you don't have to spend the rest of your life living in a tank, with him cutting you open to see what that water does to your body, over and over and over again!' Yukariko gasped out, her hands closing bit by bit around Amaya's neck as the girl kicked and clawed against the painful grip. 'I can save you from all of that! I can! All you need to do is stop breathing!'

The hands tightened enough for nails to bite into the skin of her throat.

'Just come to heaven with me!'

'Yukariko! Stop!' A deep, unfamiliar voice screamed out as the trembling hands cut off her air supply.

The pain in her neck was screaming, her body aching to try and stop it from getting worse, and yet she had no strength in her arms.

Limply, as her vision began to blur, the voices began to mix with each other in a harrowing, haunting symphony, something happened.

Something jostled Yukariko, hard enough where her hands loosened their hold of Amaya, and she fell to the concrete below.

Choking gasps and haggard coughs escaped Amaya as she struggled to take in as much air as she could, her body trembling as shouting voices rung out all around her. There was no telling how long she'd been lying there, or even what was going on around her anymore.

She could barely open her eyes, barely manage to take in breaths through her bruised throat, her neck already welting and changing colour.

However when she did, she saw the one thing that tore her apart, inside.

Yukarikos tear-streaked face, her eyes conveying the first coherrent emotion she had seen in months.

Turning mid-run into the middle of the road in the way of an oncoming truck, Yukariko fixed Amaya with a heart-wrenching smile. A large shadow in Amaya's peripheral gaze lunged forward, belonging to the man called Shigure. He ran desperately, a hand outstretched towards Yukariko in an attempt at pulling her back onto the pedestrian path of the bridge before it was too late.

'I'm so sorry, Maya-chan...' Yukariko whispered.

The squealing of tyres on wet road echoed for just a second.

And then Yukariko was gone.

All that remained was water, the same colour as Amaya's dress.

---=[Authors Note]=---

And this concludes Chapter 43 of Marionette. You might have noticed that I made a modification to the cover of the book, to reflect Amaya's change in appearances. I'll draw an update of Amaya's appearances soon, but for now, this is the new cover.

I hope this chapter wasn't too much for you guys, but well, there it is anyway. Chapter of course is named Yukariko for obvious reasons. Lemme know what you guys think of the story so far, and I'll see if I can get another update soon.

No chapter dedications this time around, because I seriously doubt anyone would like a chapter like this dedicated to them T^T

Anyways, I wish you all the very best. Stay safe, and I'll catcha next time :)

Loki-Roki <3