Chapter 14: Reincarnation
Dark stormy clouds blocked out the sky as endless rain poured down on the city below. The storm had been going on for hours now, showing no signs of coming to an end. Lightning flashed occasionally through the thick clouds, briefly illuminating the rooftop of the Tokyo-based Advertising Building.
"Tsk, is it too hard to ask for clear skies? even when it's my last day on Earth?" A middle-aged woman muttered as she lit up a cigarette, gazing down from the rooftop.
Her dark damp hair stuck to her face in clumps, making it difficult for her to see.
The woman, Fumiko, was having what she considered the worst day of her life.
"Those idiots, they don't know how much I did for them. How could they try to get rid of me like this? Me, of all people?" She muttered, her expression filled with rage.
"Especially that damn Naomi. If not for me, she'd be nothing but a poor bitch working a low-end job at a supermarket or something!" She said, as she gritted her teeth in indignation.
"How dare she, after everything I've done for her! All because of a guy. That trash Kenji... I should have gotten rid of him sooner." Fumiko said as she took another puff of her cigarette, coughing slightly.
Fumiko was a very complicated person. Ever since her childhood, she had always enjoyed the feeling of being in control. Not just of her life, but of the lives of others, as well.
When she was in preschool, she was naturally the most popular kid in her grade. As a child, she had quickly realised that it was quite easy to take control of others when they saw you as their leader. Because of that, she had made sure to chase after that position for the rest of her life.
At first, she wasn't sure why she enjoyed being in control so much. Eventually though, she had understood. She realised it in high school, the semester she had manipulated her entire class into bullying a girl to her death. When she got out of that situation virtually unscathed, with no consequences whatsoever, she had felt intoxicated. She had felt like a god. A god capable of controlling the life of whoever she wanted. She felt like she had the ability to strip them of their free will.
In college, she met a girl who had quickly become a sensation among their peers. She always had the highest grades in every course, did the most extracurricular activities, and supported the class the most as its Head.
Her name was Naomi.
Fumiko had disliked the situation greatly. Which was why she had eventually decided to get closer to Naomi. She had researched the poor girl extensively, until she knew absolutely everything about her. After that, she used her knowledge to quickly become close friends with her.
After some time, she began manipulating Naomi, as well. She started small at first, slowly trying to make her lose her self confidence by creating insidious situations that made her feel insecure and incompetent . Eventually, she began helping Naomi out with anything, and everything she felt unsure about, making sure she never had to fix things herself. She slowly made Naomi reliant on her, until she became completely dependent on Fumiko.
After college, they both got hired at the same company, thanks to Fumiko's contacts. This made Naomi even more thankful and dependent on her 'best friend.'
Eventually, Fumiko had decided to take control of her company, as well. She spent the next few years gathering enough information to manipulate almost everyone of note. She gradually worked her way from top to bottom, gathering dirt on her bosses. She made sure to gather just enough information to persuade them to bend to her demands, somewhat. She always knew not to push too much, too soon. She would also seduce, frame, report or ignore the ones she couldn't blackmail.
Among the normal workers, anyone she didn't like was either fired, demoted or transferred. Anyone she did like was gradually broken down mentally and built back up by her, till they were completely loyal to her.
Everything had gone well for her for a while. That is, until Kenji had entered the picture. He was a simple nobody in a department different from hers, so she hadn't paid much attention to him, at first. That was until Kenji and Naomi had fallen in love.
Over time, Kenji had slowly noticed Fumiko's behavior towards Naomi: how she would act like her guardian angel in front of others, while also tearing her down simultaneously. How she would always take credit for Naomi's work after helping with very little.
He had eventually decided to investigate her. The higher-ups that had been blackmailed were more than happy to help him, as long as he kept their secrets. Kenji had eventually told Naomi about everything he had found, but she didn't want to believe it until she was shown undisputable proof.
Finally, the case was handed to the police earlier this morning. Fumiko had entered the office in a good mood today, only to be met with a nasty surprise. Most of her deeds had reached the light, and everyone she made loyal to her had turned against her.
She stared into the distance, enjoying the nightlife view of Tokyo as she laughed at herself. "To think, after everything in my life, I would be doomed by such a cliche thing like love" Fumiko muttered, remembering how this had all started because of Naomi falling in love with someone who was willing to do whatever it took to help her.
"What is love anyway? It seems so fake, so uncontrollable, so flimsy," Fumiko said with a sigh.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Fumiko, open the door! Pay for your crimes like a normal person! There's nowhere for you to hide anymore. The police are here!" Kenji shouted from behind the roof door that Fumiko had secured properly, as he and the officers tried their best to break it down. Naomi was behind them, worried about Fumiko, despite everything.
Fumiko had barely managed to run all the way here and barricade the door. She wasn't sure why she was choosing this, but she wanted to believe this was better than facing punishment.
"My life will not be controlled by anyone but me!" she shouted with tears in her eyes as Kenji and the police finally managed to bust through the door. She locked eyes with Naomi one last time before leaping to her death.
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"What... what the hell..." Fumiko muttered, her voice trembling.
"I thought I died..."
"Where... am I?" she stammered, her consciousness slowly returning. She got up, blinking slightly, as she casually lifted her hand up to her temple, then froze halfway.
She realised they were transparent, shimmering faintly.
.... She was a ghost.
"Ahh!" Fumiko screamed in fright as she jumped back, wiping her arms, as she tried desperately to get this strange colour off her skin.
Eventually, she realised it wasn't fake. She had really become a ghost.
"What the hell? Souls actually exist? Am I heading to the afterlife right now? Please, let there be no heaven or hell," she muttered in panic. She already knew where she would end up if there were.
Just then, something caught her attention. She'd been staring right past a massive, glaringly obvious white structure, that had easily blended into this White void, until just moments ago. Now, she saw what had been in front of her clearly — and it wasn't a structure at all.
Before her loomed a massive humanoid figure, its face housing a single spiraling eye with no other features present. One long arm extended from its right side, resting on its folded knee while its gaze was locked onto Kumiko, as it watched her intently. Its left side was completely bare, its shoulder ending in the space an arm was supposed to fill. Instead, nothing but a smooth dark stump rested there.
The most striking feature about the humanoid being perhaps, was the gaping hole at its very core. It resembled a void of endless darkness, seemingly collapsing into itself.
This was the being that had brought Fumiko here.
This being was the PRIMORDIAL.