Unlisted Tape #3 - The Ever-tail Maiden [Goyang-I Lore;Data]

[*Please read the first volume before reading this, this is lore for characters characterization and their past backgrounds.*]

A rainy day it was. It was cold and felt like icicles. Every touch of raindrop on the skin burnt and scarred the skin. Red bumps here and there. To protect oneself, it was only fair to wear multi layers of clothing.

In the rather solemn vow a maiden made, she felt a pain in her heart as she failed an assignment. An assignment to protect a soul that yearned for help. Covering herself with a simple fuzzy winter-coat, she tugged herself warmly in its overbearing bear size. Pocketing her gloved hands into the side pockets as she listened to music, earpiece by earpiece as she slowly struggled to walk through the windy blows of a annoyance of a storm. Passing by a few silhouettes of a talkative group of people, the only thing that disturbed her was the fact of the group still being rather hyper and excited even in this lousy weather. Talking about the everyday trends that the modern day of the year she is currently in. With a soft chuckle to herself and a thought of an imagination of a conversation with someone, she sighs softly as she increases the volume of the song she was listening too.

'This is pathetic.' The maiden told herself as she started having a rather negative thought. Spiraling through her own inner madness. 'Don't worry Chau. Its fine. Its fine, really.' She repeated to herself in her head, as she walked through the rain. Reaching towards a small dollar store, she opens the ever heavy door made of glass. Ringing a small bell, she enters.

Removing her hood, she walks towards the ever increasing height of a drink cabinet. Reaching for a can of alcohol, she tried as much to reach it with her ever short arm. Sighing for not being able to reach it. She stared at it, looking to and fro towards the receptionist, wondering if she should ask or not. Having a rather low-esteem, she felt rather nervous to ask. Considering her height and her rather squeaky voice, she started questioning herself if the receptionist would consider her a child or an adult, even with her legal carrying ID.

With a shut off of her brain, she immediately bumps by a person as she heads to the reception. Calling out towards the receptionist. The person she bumped got a little annoyed but never bothered about asking her to apologize, the person probably assumed that the person was just a disrespectful child. As the receptionist achieved Chau-min's attention, she looks at her with a forced smile and asked 'Yes, how may I help you?'

Staying quiet for a nano-second, she sighs and opens her mouth. 'Could you help grab a six-pack of [Redacted] Lager please?' With a smile in return, she stood and wait for a response. The receptionist nods and heads to get the pack of lager. Taking off the pack, the person who Chau-min bumped accidentally whispered softly to the receptionist. 'Why are you serving alcohol to a kid?' With a very noticeable annoyed look and a suspicious tone.

'She, a kid?' The receptionist slightly annoyed from the question, looks back at Chau-min. The lass waiting patiently and trying to calm herself from her ever talkative mind, she pulls out her ID prepared and a wad of cash, properly counted for its price for the six-pack. 'She's no kid, just a short Asian.' The receptionist replied before walking back to the reception. 'My apologies for the time taken, here's your pack.' The receptionist replied as she scans the pack and presents the receipt. 'That will be £3.50'

Nodding slowly, she gave the money, still holding on her ID in-case the receptionist asks for it. Properly paid her change, she counts it a few times before chucking it into her purse. With a nod and a gibberish mumble of thanks, Chau-min hood herself again as she carries her pack of alcohol. Slowly struggling to open the heavy door once more, she then walks away.

Heading to a medium sized fish pond, she sits on a bench by some greenery. Though knowing, it's dangerous to sit under trees during a thunderstorm. For her, she didn't bothered. Separating the cans from a package, she hid the other cans into her big pockets of her coat as she pops one she kept beside her. Looking at the ever raining, dim sky. She calmed herself with listening to the music as she sipped her lager.

As she sipped her lager, she asked herself many questions. From the simple combinations of medicine, she could try to chemistriate, towards the more outer oddity of theories of the world going to end any sooner. Even-though how much she tries to cover up her overthinking brain, it only brought more questions to fill her brain. That's when she felt a warm feeling. A feeling of someone watching her and secretly caring for her. With that, even if she knows there may be no one actually around her. She made it as an excuse to bring up her story once more as ever about her past.

'It's been years. Too many years, too long. Every-time, I try to stop myself from thinking about my past, it always happens again. Eating me slowly, making me feel heavy. Why, just why, do I always have to feel like this. It was the past. I had to be bullied from those people, I had to be targeted. I sound like selfish right now, but, these people were the reason why I am like this. I am sure, I am very sure. No, why do I always blame them. This could just be me. I keep thinking about it. I sound like a crazy person. Stop it, Chau stop it.' She sighed to herself as she muttered under her breathe.

Hearing voices once again in her head, they constantly asked her 'What happened?', 'Why?' and 'Calm down.' With a annoyed grunt, she sips more of her lager as she exhales loudly. 'Fine! I will explain, once again.'

'It was ten years ago, I was only but a measly child born in a typical Korean family. With as ever the ever increasing technological advances, the people itself have to advance as fast as possible. Not only it stressed me out but it also changed the many people that surrounded me. Trends, fashion, surgery, bands. I always hear them constantly. But me, I didn't want to follow this trends. I just wanted to be me.' She explains softly as she took another sip. 'With me being shorter than average, I was physically bullied and treated like a child even from my own class and teachers. No one wanted to friend a child like me due to my height and finding out that my older sister was mentally disabled, they assumed I was too, considering me a retard. I was kicked around here and there, dumped into toilets and was lynched constantly for blames that I wasn't even involved. This continued to stay on until I was in high-school. Always, returning wherever I moved to, constantly. Because of this, I always blamed my parents for the reason me and my sister are living in this condition. Why were we born like this? I always ask myself that.'

'What more? What more?' The voices asked, granting a curious tone as their voice raised simultaneously.

'Every-time I open my lockers, its filled with bunch of death threats written in red and black markers. Even-though how much I visit the principal, he always says that they couldn't do anything without evidence. That's the problem, there was evidence. But every-time, the bullies were brought out. They were given a chance over and over again. The more I complained, the more I was boycotted, considered an annoyance at once, I was expelled. Stressed out and reaching an inner pain in my heart, I one day took myself to end it all. It was a rainy day just like this. Me, my mother and my sister were waiting by a bus station. I thinking to myself, I slowly walked towards a cliff-side, watching downwards to see, if it was possible to end it all. I blamed myself every single time but at the same time, my alter ego kept on telling me to hold it in and just continue smiling and properly taking care of myself. With my blackened eyes covered with absolutely nothing, just the void, I slowly climbed onto the rails of the cliff-side, slowly balancing myself. My mother behind me kept calling upon me to get down, that it was dangerous, but me. I was indeed selfish, falling through deaf ears. As I was about to end it all, my mother ran towards me. Abandoning my mentally disabled sister aloof in her own world. As I jumped off.' My mother grabbed my pants, pulling me in for safety, she accidentally slips on a wet rock and trips on the rail.'

'That was when, I realized I fucked up.' She finished her can of lager. Placing it by her, she looks into the fish pond. 'Getting back my senses as fast as possible, I noticed my mother falling down from the cliff. Seeing her hit the ground, a loud thud awakened my sight. Trying to call out to her in shock, I couldn't do anything. Breathing hard, I notice as blood intermingled with the wetness of the rain, a crimson seep that turned a river stream full. An ocean of red, was what I saw. As fast as I could, I fumbled into my pockets and called upon an ambulance to come, I lied that she slipped and fell.'

Getting up, Chau-min crushed her cans with her palms and walks slowly to a rubbish bin, tossing it in slowly as she walks through a walking path of a park. 'That's when I realized, as the sounds of sirens and flashing of lights imbued behind me after some time, I looked down and stared at the woman laying on the ground, not moving, not even a twitch. With my ever regretful mind, I weeped and weeped. Even being bumped over and over again, I was slowly guided to seat in an ambulance. My mother slowly carried through a blinder, I saw her as she was carried and pushed into the remaining size besides my seat. My sister was also guided in but as she doesn't realize what is happening, she just looks around curiously about how shiny this ambulance was. Me on the other hand, realized made a terrible mistake. If my mother dies, I was the murderer, I killed her. I would be in jail. That's what popped in my head, as I saw my mother being immediately treated by a few paramedics as she was injected with a blood bag and as quickly driven to a nearby hospital outside of this cliff-side. I didn't know how long it took to reach there, but I remember being seated by a surgery waiting room as we reached. A nurse sat by me as she constantly asked if there was anybody she could contact and notify to proceed with a surgery. Giving my father's number, I looked down towards the ever reflective floor , looking at the evil itself that caused a indirect murder.'

My father just returning from work, was now even more stressed out as he found out that his only loving partner was ended up in a hospital with two innocent children. He didn't know what would happen if she dies, who would take care of the kids, who would teach them the ways of adulthood as a woman, that's what I presumed he thought.'

As he arrived in his ever white mini-van, he ran through doors over doors, shouting and asking as mature as possible, where my mother was located. Bashing himself through a final door, he notices me and my sister, Ri-kae. Me in sadness, I ran to him and gave him a hug. I muttered softly that mother may need a surgery. Patting my head, he gave an apology that he wasn't there when it happened, as he told an incoming doctor in charge with what is going to happen. Finding out, surgery is needed, he grunts in pain, knowing the pay would be terribly expensive, but there was no choice. He accepted the surgery, as much as he loses his monthly holiday and food money, what he deserves more is his family.'

'A few days it took, me having to take care of myself and my ever annoying sister of a being to exist. I sacrificed my learning time to cook, feed and shower not only me but my sister too. As heavy as she was, considering my height, I had no choice.'

'After a few days, finding out my mother survived, I felt a pain in my heart. Being as brave as possible, I went to the hospital to visit my mother. Buying a boutique of flowers as my father skipped days of work, I entered the room as I faked a smile. ' Hello mother' I called out to her.

'Looking at me, I felt she would just shout at me for what happened to her. That I would be the fault she has to be on a wheelchair from this day on, but no. She smiled at me gave a warm welcome. Calling upon me, she gave me a hug as she thanks me for the gift of flowers. I knowing nothing, thinking she may be faking this whole act. I stayed quiet the entire time. Maybe she just loss her memories that happened during the short time, that's what I thought in my head.'

As she sighs, she sat under a tree as the rain started to slow down to a halt. Noticing some mud in-front of her, she gave a small sigh. 'I might as well have to give my pants an extra scrub.'

'Over time, we felt like this was a norm, after some time, she was allowed to leave the hospital, ensuring her wounds have healed. She was allowed to leave the hospital. Heading home, me and my mother had a small conversation in the car, as my father drove us home. Skipping work again, just for the sake of his family, I in the other hand have to take care simultaneously my education and as well my two family members who currently disabled both naturally and man-made. Thinking for the next few weeks of communicating and finally achieving an entrance to a high level university. I thought my life was fulfilled. A life-path that could change and help my family's rather low salary lineage. Medicine was always what I wanted to learn. With the hopes of being a doctor so I can help my mother's leg once I became a medical student. Until it was all over again, taken away from me. That's when The Happening happened. Realizing the many problems, that altered the whole country, the nation was under fire. Not only the government was fucked but by whole the economy, technology and the country itself. Until the UN stepped in to support everyone, publicly revealing the discovery of the source of opportunity in this country, Continuum. Thinking nothing was wrong, my mother told me to take my sister along. As she wouldn't be able to wake care of her all by herself due to her unworkable legs. Me still feeling a little regret, I still did it. I smiled at her and gave a thoughtful speech that I will follow the Hippocratic Oath and help all those who need help, even if it needs to sacrifice my soul and skin. Dragging my sister along, I recruited myself into Continuum. With a warm smile, these foreigners taught me about medical procedures and over time, my English got better and better. Soon, I started speaking like the residence of the United Kingdom itself. Though my height, always confused those around me, it felt different. They took care of me, made jokes and smiled. They treated me as a friend and as an ally. These people from other countries with varying lives, I was then introduced to my echelon, soldiers who were nobodies and common man one day only to be respective individuals of the army. That's when I met my first patient, Captain Shanina. That time, she was suffering from some psychosis and needed some attention. I saw through her and hit the light that she needed. Even with her dark aura and tone, I knew deep inside, she was grateful for me saving her from the dark she was always enveloped in. With that, I was officially known as the Cat of Continuum. a medical doctor with the height of a child but with the friendliness of a thousand open-hearted people. I felt like I met my people even if their skin colors were different, for me, it was irrelevant. I accepted for who they are and helped those who moaned or yearned in pain. Every week, I would call my mother and explain what happens that day, with a happy tone, my mother would smile at me through video chat and tell me how lucky I am. I would always tell her that once I have enough money, I would return back to Korea and take her along to the UK. Knowing that my mother is happy and excited. I turn off the phone with a smile. I know what the path I chose was the perfect one, even if the many flaws it would bring over time, such as drastic population decreasing or even problems in the world.'

With a smile, Chau-min inhales as she pulls out her phone. Pulling out her phone, she types a number of a lad who gratefully gave her his number and dials him a call, to pick her up. With a few beeps, the sound of static was dropped. 'Hello, Chau, what's up?' A person replies in an excited tone.

'I think I may have drunk too much today, could you care to take this pitiful shorty of a maiden back home?' Chau-min asks.

The manly voice sighing, feeling bad for Chau-min, he agrees. 'Sure, I will be there. See you soon, where are you anyway?' he asks.

'Me? I am under a tree in the park beside a, what looks to be a kids playground.' She replied with a sense of slight guiltiness.

'Hmm, gotcha. I know what you mean, see yah.' He replies as he turns off the phone.

'Seeyah' She replies back as she slowly closes her eyes, feeling a little sleepy.

After some time, the maiden felt a warmness again, but this time even deeper, a feeling of being light, she was being carried like a feather fluttering through the air like a butterfly. With a soft chuckle, a voice of a male asks another person to hold his umbrella. Accepting the hold, he carries her with both arms like a child cradled by her parent as they slowly walked towards the base. Through a forest and into a lane of ever high security. Heading to her room, she was stripped off her clothes and laid comfortably onto her bed, which took a little effort due to being on top of another bed. Covered with her thick blanket, they took a short sight on her.

'I feel bad for her.' The male voice told to a person probably beside him.

The lass beside him nods slowly as she took a a sit by his bed. 'She has been in a lot of problems, its only fair that she deserves the most rest compared to us.' The lass replied as she places the umbrella beside the bed.

'True true..' The male replied as they the two individuals watched over her as they conversed. Knowing it was fine and nothing bad happened, they then returned to their respective spots before taking an early nap before their work that will arrive soon.

With her stress relieved temporarily, she had a relaxing and happy dream of the many creative designs her imagination could make. With that, the story ends here, for now.

'I love you, mother.' She mumbles in her dream with a childish smile.