Parasites
Part One
"Come... Embrace the darkness...." Darkness. Complete
darkness. Silence... Except for that raspy voice.
"We need you... We yearn for you..." If anything, that voice
was an annoyance.
"We are incomplete without you... Join us!" Dark grey clouds
began to swirl about.
Keitaro's eyes flew open at the sound of a loud scream. It had come from upstairs... Not from Naru's room though. He jumped up and struggled to get dressed, falling flat on his face a few times before being successful. He ran out to see Mitsune walking out of her room, yawning. "Who was that!?" Keitaro asked quickly. Mitsune shrugged. "Somebody upstairs?" She replied, half asleep. The two went up the stairs together and saw everyone else crowded around Motoko's door. Keitaro ran over and put his hand on Naru's shoulder. "Whats going on?" He asked her. Naru shook her head. "It was Motoko. I was the first to get here. I tried to go in and see what was wrong, but she won't let me open the door... What could be wrong? Did something happen?" Keitaro turned his attention to Motoko's door. "I don't know. Did you even try opening the door?" Naru nodded quickly. "I did, but her hand came out and shoved me back!" "How hard did she push you back? Did she say anything?" Again, she nodded. "She pushed me very hard. I slammed into my wall! And she yelled at me... She told me to stay away." Keitaro gave Naru's shoulder a small, quick rub before approaching Motoko's door. "Motoko.. ? Its Keitaro. Is everything alright in there?" He called out. There was no answer. Everyone stood around silently. "Motoko? Are you okay?" He called out again. It sounded as if there was a slight shifting sound coming from within, but there was no reply. "Motoko Aoyama! Are you alright?" Keitaro yelled. There was no reply. There was nothing but an eerie silence. "Maybe somebody should go in?" Shinobu spoke up. Everyone looked at each other for a moment before looking at Keitaro. "M-Me!?" He stuttered. Naru walked forward to him. "Of course. Your the kanrinin." Keitaro bit his lip and thought for a moment. "Alright. I'll do it." With that, he turned to the door and slowly reached for it. He slowly slid it open quietly, hoping Motoko wouldn't smash him like she had done to Naru. To his relief, he opened it all the way, but even with all the lights in the hall on, it was still very dark inside. "Where... Where is Motoko?" He asked without looking at the others. Naru took a small step in the room and looked around. "Its so dark... I can't see her bed or anything." Keitaro pointed to the wall. "Well, at least we can see the window... But the light is hardly even entering the room." Kanako walked over to the doorway and peeked in. "Motoko- chan?" Keitaro shook his head. "Is she even there?" Naru looked at everyone, then at Keitaro. "She is a good friend of mine. I'll go in..." Keitaro reached out for a moment, as if to say 'don't go' but Naru had already vanished into the darkness of Motoko's room.
Naru made her way into the haze. She turned back, expecting to see Keitaro and the others waiting for her, but all she saw was a distant light which seemed to be miles away. She turned around once again and looked around the darkness. Everywhere she looked, there was nothing. "Come... Embrace the darkness...." Came a raspy voice from the darkness. Naru looked around, her legs turning to rubber. "Who are you? ... Where are you? "We need you... We yearn for you..." Came the voice again. Naru turned around without thinking and started heading towards the light which she believed to be the door where her friends were watching in the light hallway. "We are incomplete without you... Join us!" This time it was closer than ever.
"Keitaro? Where is she?" Kaolla asked. Keitaro shook his head. "I don't know. But she'll be okay... I know she will." Just then, everyone heard the high pitched scream of Naru Narusegawa come from deep within the darkness. Everyone looked at each other not knowing what to do or what to say. Keitaro spoke up first. "Uhhh... I think we should wait until it gets light..." He looked at his watch. "See? Four o'clock in the morning. Give it another hour and a half... It would be light by that time... Unless anyone else wants to go in there?" Kanako and Mitsune, who were by Keitaro, stood just outside of the room looking inside. "I agree with Keitaro. We don't know whats going on. It could just be some prank Naru and Motoko are playing..." Mitsune said softly. Keitaro nodded. "Lets uhh... Get some sleeping blankets and wait until the sun rises, alright?" Everyone nodded in agreement as they went to fetch sleeping blankets.
Keitaro's eyes slowly opened to see the sunlight pouring in from the window. He sat up quickly and looked around. The others were all still asleep. He lifted his arm and looked at his watch. It was seven o'clock in the morning. He then stood up and stretched before looking at Motoko's room which was full of light. In her bed, Motoko was sleeping quietly. "What the heck?" Keitaro asked himself, confused. He turned around and made his way to Naru's room. She was laying in her bed hugging her Liddo-kun, smiling. "Huh!?" Keitaro didn't know what to do. He ran back to the sleeping bags and wondered who would be the best person to wake. He decided upon Mitsune. He ran to her and nudged her. "Wake up!" She slowly woke up and looked at him. "Uh?? What time is it?" Keitaro shook his head. "Nevermind, you've got to see this!" He pulled her up and pointed her at Motoko's room. For a moment, she just stood staring off into space, but then... "SHE'S FINE!" She yelled. With this, everyone woke up, as did Motoko. She looked a little out of it though, but she was awake. Keitaro ran over to her. "Motoko! Are you okay? What happened last night?" Motoko smiled at Keitaro. "What do you mean? Everything is fine. I slept like a baby." And as soon as she got that out of her mouth, she also let out a small giggle. Keitaro blinked a few times. Motoko then sat up and stretched. "Lovely morning, isn't it?" She asked him. Keitaro shook his head. "Motoko-chan. Your half naked! Aren't you going to try to kill me or something?" Motoko smiled softly. "I would never hurt a friend as dear as you, Keitaro." "Keitaro! Your awake! Great to see you!" Came Naru's voice from the hall. Keitaro scratched his head. "Ok, this isn't right."
Keitaro sat down beside Kanako and Shinobu and began sipping his tea. Across the table, Motoko was waving, trying to get his attention. "What is it?" He asked her. Like she had all morning, she smiled at him. "Naru is going to buy me some feminine clothes! Want to come and help?" "It would be fun! All three of us!" Naru chirped. Keitaro didn't know what to do. He couldn't understand how or why, but Motoko was being very nice to him. Naru's behavior was also questionable. "Well. I have nothing to do today. I guess I'll come after my tea." He responded. Motoko giggled. "Oh, your so silly. Just drink it on the way! We'll walk to the mall!" Naru and Motoko skipped over and helped Keitaro out of his seat and then guided him out. "What the heck is wrong with them?" Kanako asked everyone. Mitsune shrugged. "Well... They might be into drugs or something." Shinobu shook her head. "But what happened last night? Those two both vanished in the darkness and today they're happy!"
Motoko walked out wearing a mini-skirt. "Okay Keitaro! Your the guy! How does this look on me?" Since they were acting like morpheine addicts, Keitaro decided to say the truth. "You look great! Very attractive!" Motoko smiled warmly and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for being so kind." Naru sat down beside him and kissed him on the cheek as well. "Your such a nice person!" Keitaro looked back and forth at both girls. "Whats wrong with you two?" The both giggled. "We're shopping! Nothing's wrong." Naru laughed. Keitaro shook his head. "I want answers! What happened last night in Motoko's room?" The two girls looked at each other and then walked back into the dressing rooms without saying another word to Keitaro.
After about five minutes, the girls re-emerged. Motoko was now wearing a small, revealing outfit. As she did a quick spin, Keitaro noticed something on her back. "What do you think?" She asked him cheerfully. Keitaro shook his head. "Do another one of those spins... It uhh... Makes you look cute." She giggled and did another spin. Keitaro caught a glimpse of what was on her back this time. It was green, lumpy, oval thing. It looked something like mold and was about three inches in diameter. Keitaro shook his head. "Uh... Another. But slower." Naru watched Keitaro examine Motoko as she started to spin. When her back was to him, Naru noticed Keitaro squinting, trying to look at her back like he noticed something. "Motoko! We uhhh... Should go back into the dressing room..." Naru said cautiously. Motoko blinked a few times. "Why?" "Just come on!" Naru said, sounding a little annoyed. Motoko shrugged and followed her in. Keitaro creeped over to listen. "You idiot. Don't be flashing yourself around like that! Put on something not so revealing!" Naru commanded. "Why? Did he... ?" Motoko asked. "I'm sure he did! He already knows something isn't right. Just don't expose yourself! Got it?" "Well... I guess... When will we get the others anyway?" Motoko asked. "We'll get the rest tonight... We'll get Keitaro as well. He seems to be the only one that knows anything." Replied Naru. Motoko nodded as she pulled the store clothes off herself and put her training outfit back on. Together, they walked out of the dressing room only to find that Keitaro was missing. "Where'd that bastard run off to?" Naru exclaimed. Motoko shook her head. "We have to find him!" Together, they ran out in search of Keitaro.
Keitaro's eyes flew open at the sound of a loud scream. It had come from upstairs... Not from Naru's room though. He jumped up and struggled to get dressed, falling flat on his face a few times before being successful. He ran out to see Mitsune walking out of her room, yawning. "Who was that!?" Keitaro asked quickly. Mitsune shrugged. "Somebody upstairs?" She replied, half asleep. The two went up the stairs together and saw everyone else crowded around Motoko's door. Keitaro ran over and put his hand on Naru's shoulder. "Whats going on?" He asked her. Naru shook her head. "It was Motoko. I was the first to get here. I tried to go in and see what was wrong, but she won't let me open the door... What could be wrong? Did something happen?" Keitaro turned his attention to Motoko's door. "I don't know. Did you even try opening the door?" Naru nodded quickly. "I did, but her hand came out and shoved me back!" "How hard did she push you back? Did she say anything?" Again, she nodded. "She pushed me very hard. I slammed into my wall! And she yelled at me... She told me to stay away." Keitaro gave Naru's shoulder a small, quick rub before approaching Motoko's door. "Motoko.. ? Its Keitaro. Is everything alright in there?" He called out. There was no answer. Everyone stood around silently. "Motoko? Are you okay?" He called out again. It sounded as if there was a slight shifting sound coming from within, but there was no reply. "Motoko Aoyama! Are you alright?" Keitaro yelled. There was no reply. There was nothing but an eerie silence. "Maybe somebody should go in?" Shinobu spoke up. Everyone looked at each other for a moment before looking at Keitaro. "M-Me!?" He stuttered. Naru walked forward to him. "Of course. Your the kanrinin." Keitaro bit his lip and thought for a moment. "Alright. I'll do it." With that, he turned to the door and slowly reached for it. He slowly slid it open quietly, hoping Motoko wouldn't smash him like she had done to Naru. To his relief, he opened it all the way, but even with all the lights in the hall on, it was still very dark inside. "Where... Where is Motoko?" He asked without looking at the others. Naru took a small step in the room and looked around. "Its so dark... I can't see her bed or anything." Keitaro pointed to the wall. "Well, at least we can see the window... But the light is hardly even entering the room." Kanako walked over to the doorway and peeked in. "Motoko- chan?" Keitaro shook his head. "Is she even there?" Naru looked at everyone, then at Keitaro. "She is a good friend of mine. I'll go in..." Keitaro reached out for a moment, as if to say 'don't go' but Naru had already vanished into the darkness of Motoko's room.
Naru made her way into the haze. She turned back, expecting to see Keitaro and the others waiting for her, but all she saw was a distant light which seemed to be miles away. She turned around once again and looked around the darkness. Everywhere she looked, there was nothing. "Come... Embrace the darkness...." Came a raspy voice from the darkness. Naru looked around, her legs turning to rubber. "Who are you? ... Where are you? "We need you... We yearn for you..." Came the voice again. Naru turned around without thinking and started heading towards the light which she believed to be the door where her friends were watching in the light hallway. "We are incomplete without you... Join us!" This time it was closer than ever.
"Keitaro? Where is she?" Kaolla asked. Keitaro shook his head. "I don't know. But she'll be okay... I know she will." Just then, everyone heard the high pitched scream of Naru Narusegawa come from deep within the darkness. Everyone looked at each other not knowing what to do or what to say. Keitaro spoke up first. "Uhhh... I think we should wait until it gets light..." He looked at his watch. "See? Four o'clock in the morning. Give it another hour and a half... It would be light by that time... Unless anyone else wants to go in there?" Kanako and Mitsune, who were by Keitaro, stood just outside of the room looking inside. "I agree with Keitaro. We don't know whats going on. It could just be some prank Naru and Motoko are playing..." Mitsune said softly. Keitaro nodded. "Lets uhh... Get some sleeping blankets and wait until the sun rises, alright?" Everyone nodded in agreement as they went to fetch sleeping blankets.
Keitaro's eyes slowly opened to see the sunlight pouring in from the window. He sat up quickly and looked around. The others were all still asleep. He lifted his arm and looked at his watch. It was seven o'clock in the morning. He then stood up and stretched before looking at Motoko's room which was full of light. In her bed, Motoko was sleeping quietly. "What the heck?" Keitaro asked himself, confused. He turned around and made his way to Naru's room. She was laying in her bed hugging her Liddo-kun, smiling. "Huh!?" Keitaro didn't know what to do. He ran back to the sleeping bags and wondered who would be the best person to wake. He decided upon Mitsune. He ran to her and nudged her. "Wake up!" She slowly woke up and looked at him. "Uh?? What time is it?" Keitaro shook his head. "Nevermind, you've got to see this!" He pulled her up and pointed her at Motoko's room. For a moment, she just stood staring off into space, but then... "SHE'S FINE!" She yelled. With this, everyone woke up, as did Motoko. She looked a little out of it though, but she was awake. Keitaro ran over to her. "Motoko! Are you okay? What happened last night?" Motoko smiled at Keitaro. "What do you mean? Everything is fine. I slept like a baby." And as soon as she got that out of her mouth, she also let out a small giggle. Keitaro blinked a few times. Motoko then sat up and stretched. "Lovely morning, isn't it?" She asked him. Keitaro shook his head. "Motoko-chan. Your half naked! Aren't you going to try to kill me or something?" Motoko smiled softly. "I would never hurt a friend as dear as you, Keitaro." "Keitaro! Your awake! Great to see you!" Came Naru's voice from the hall. Keitaro scratched his head. "Ok, this isn't right."
Keitaro sat down beside Kanako and Shinobu and began sipping his tea. Across the table, Motoko was waving, trying to get his attention. "What is it?" He asked her. Like she had all morning, she smiled at him. "Naru is going to buy me some feminine clothes! Want to come and help?" "It would be fun! All three of us!" Naru chirped. Keitaro didn't know what to do. He couldn't understand how or why, but Motoko was being very nice to him. Naru's behavior was also questionable. "Well. I have nothing to do today. I guess I'll come after my tea." He responded. Motoko giggled. "Oh, your so silly. Just drink it on the way! We'll walk to the mall!" Naru and Motoko skipped over and helped Keitaro out of his seat and then guided him out. "What the heck is wrong with them?" Kanako asked everyone. Mitsune shrugged. "Well... They might be into drugs or something." Shinobu shook her head. "But what happened last night? Those two both vanished in the darkness and today they're happy!"
Motoko walked out wearing a mini-skirt. "Okay Keitaro! Your the guy! How does this look on me?" Since they were acting like morpheine addicts, Keitaro decided to say the truth. "You look great! Very attractive!" Motoko smiled warmly and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for being so kind." Naru sat down beside him and kissed him on the cheek as well. "Your such a nice person!" Keitaro looked back and forth at both girls. "Whats wrong with you two?" The both giggled. "We're shopping! Nothing's wrong." Naru laughed. Keitaro shook his head. "I want answers! What happened last night in Motoko's room?" The two girls looked at each other and then walked back into the dressing rooms without saying another word to Keitaro.
After about five minutes, the girls re-emerged. Motoko was now wearing a small, revealing outfit. As she did a quick spin, Keitaro noticed something on her back. "What do you think?" She asked him cheerfully. Keitaro shook his head. "Do another one of those spins... It uhh... Makes you look cute." She giggled and did another spin. Keitaro caught a glimpse of what was on her back this time. It was green, lumpy, oval thing. It looked something like mold and was about three inches in diameter. Keitaro shook his head. "Uh... Another. But slower." Naru watched Keitaro examine Motoko as she started to spin. When her back was to him, Naru noticed Keitaro squinting, trying to look at her back like he noticed something. "Motoko! We uhhh... Should go back into the dressing room..." Naru said cautiously. Motoko blinked a few times. "Why?" "Just come on!" Naru said, sounding a little annoyed. Motoko shrugged and followed her in. Keitaro creeped over to listen. "You idiot. Don't be flashing yourself around like that! Put on something not so revealing!" Naru commanded. "Why? Did he... ?" Motoko asked. "I'm sure he did! He already knows something isn't right. Just don't expose yourself! Got it?" "Well... I guess... When will we get the others anyway?" Motoko asked. "We'll get the rest tonight... We'll get Keitaro as well. He seems to be the only one that knows anything." Replied Naru. Motoko nodded as she pulled the store clothes off herself and put her training outfit back on. Together, they walked out of the dressing room only to find that Keitaro was missing. "Where'd that bastard run off to?" Naru exclaimed. Motoko shook her head. "We have to find him!" Together, they ran out in search of Keitaro.