Hello again, everyone! Please forgive me for taking some of your reading time, and allow me to give a few words that I couldn't come around to say last time. This is my first story, and I'm trying my best to make it worth it. It all started with something I read a while ago and somehow that gave me an idea for this story. I just hope it turns out okay. Here's the second chapter, please read and review afterwards. Thank You.
Chapter 2: Somniloquy
Kagami was able to return back to class on Monday fully recuperated. During lunch time, the group gathered as usual and had their usual conversations. And, as usual, Konata ended up giving a lecture about the newest online game that she'd played the previous night.
This only lead to Kagami merging into an argument with her, in which Miyuki and Tsukasa didn't paid much attention to, since that sort of event become an everyday routine among them.
"Geez, Konata," said Kagami. "Would it kill you to use common language when you're talking about your online games?"
"But you see, it's not just about trying out a new game, Kagami. One must know how to properly play it; which is why the use of techniques and strategies need to be researched and learned from scratch, along with their proper terms and such," explained Konata smiling as she waved a finger. Kagami on the other hand, just shook her head.
"Seriously, if you could just use that same enthusiasm in school, you wouldn't be bothering people about copying their homework."
Their argument went on for a couple of more minutes; in the end, Konata had agreed to stop her 'nonsense' talking, and instead concentrated on eating her choco-cornet as she joined Miyuki's and Tsukasa's conversation -something about melting ice-.
But Kagami didn't seem to pay much attention to them; something was bothering her, and it had nothing to do with the dispute she'd just finished with Konata. There it was again, that empty feeling on the back of her head, saying that she must recall something. She found herself spacing out for a second, but the feeling of something touching her lips brought her back.
Why am I doing this again? this was the third time already that her fingers had reached her lips without her noticing. Slowly, she removed them away. Miyuki, who always seem to have an extra sight to perceive things -not that it had anything to do with been a glasses girl- noticed her friend deep in thought.
"Is everything alright, Kagami-san?" Miyuki asked very nicely as the other two turned to Kagami's direction.
"Huh? . . . umm, yeah, well . . . I've a funny feeling I'm supposed to remember something, but I can't really think of what it is."
"Oh, don't you just hate when that happens?" said Tsukasa. "That happened to me the other day, and the more I tried to remember, the more I forgot about it. It wasn't until hours later that I was reminded of what it was and I woke up in the middle of the night because of it."
"Yes, that has happened to me as well," followed up Miyuki. "There was one time I'd forgotten about picking up something from the bookstore, and it wasn't until two days later that I remembered about it during dinner."
"Oh yeah?" snickered Konata. "Well, while fighting my way through battle in search of a rare, never before seen item, I'd completely forgotten about finishing the homework. And it wasn't until this morning that I was reminded by Kagami that I was able to finish it . . . heh-heh."
There was a vain on Kagami's neck that kept getting bigger because of Konata's comment. The other two noticed, and decided it was best to keep away.
"First of all, Konata, it's not that you forget about doing homework, you just lack the motivation to do it. Secondly, I didn't remind you about it, you pretty much took mine out of my bag to copy it. And thirdly, didn't I tell you minutes ago to stop with your nonsense game talking?"
"At least I'm not the one speaking nonsense in my sleep," grinned Konata as she took a bite off her choco-cornet.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Like you don't remem- . . . " Konata felt a light bulb light up over her head. "Hey, maybe that's what you forgot about, Kagamin!"
"Forgot about what?" Kagami raised an eyebrow in complete confusion. The other two, also confused, glance at each other, as if wondering if the other knew what Konata was talking about.
"Yeah, that must be it!" continued Konata with a sort of excitement as she tapped her chin.
"Must be what? What are you talking about?" Kagami's confusion was turning into annoyance when Konata didn't answer back.
"About your cosplay fantasy, of course," replied Konata with that curled smile of hers.
"WHAT?" there was a slight shade of pink shown on Kagami's face.
"Yeah, you know," continued Konata turning to the other two. "She was talking about it the other day we came over to their house, right guys?"
"WHAT?" a now flustered Kagami kept repeating as she faced Miyuki and her sister, whom seem to have remembered.
"Oh- . . . that!" said Tsukasa under an embarrassed smile. "When Sis woke up, we didn't mentioned it because we thought the conversation would tire her more."
"Yes, that's true. But if you ask me, I don't think that that could be considered cosplaying, Konata-san."
"Huh?" Kagami watched as other three were debating an unknown matter for her.
"No, no, no, Miyuki. It had to be about cosplaying. Otherwise, how can you explain a maid's outfit?"
"Okay, someone better explain to me what that is all about! NOW!" Kagami's patience had reached its limit.
"Well, you see . . . " Miyuki gave a detailed report of the events that took place during the time Konata and she went to their house. At the end, Kagami seemed more calmed and went back to her usual self.
"None of that sleep talking sounds like a fantasy to me, especially a cosplay one. Why would I even be dreaming about cosplaying?"
"But don't you and Tsukasa usually cosplay as Mikos?" snickered Konata.
"Shut up, don't even go there!" Kagami threw a killing stare at Konata. "You sure enjoy to pissed me off with your weird comments."
"You go that right," agreed Konata, clearly enjoying herself. "I just love how Kagamin looks when she's all flustered."
"Wha-whatever . . . " Kagami on the other hand, was getting tire of arguing, and looked away hiding a blush. "You know, just listening to you wears me out," she sighed. Tsukasa got close to her and gave soft pats on Kagami's shoulder.
"Yuki-chan, what exactly is sleep talking?" asked Tsukasa as she kept patting Kagami. Holding her chin, Miyuki glanced upwards, recollecting information on the subject been questioned. Once all the data had been gathered, she held a finger to begin her lecture.
"Sleep talking, or somniloquy, is a type or parasomnia, which is an abnormal behavior that takes place during sleep. It is reported in 50% of young children, with most of them outgrowing it by puberty, although it may persist into adulthood. Sleep talkers normally speak for no more than 30 seconds per episode, but some people sleep talk many times during a night. It's a very common occurrence and is not usually considered a medical problem. It also appears that it runs in families."
"And what are the causes for sleep talking?" asked Kagami wanting to know more.
"Well, REM sleep behavior disorder, known as RBD, and sleep terrors are two types of sleep disorders that cause some people to shout during sleep. People with RBD yell, shout, grunt, and act out their dreams, often violently. Other things that can cause sleep talking include a mental health disorder, substance abuse, certain medications and emotional stress, but the most common cause would be due to a fever."
"You see?" pointed out Kagami as she turned to Konata. "In case you had forgotten, I was in bed because of a fever!"
"But wasn't your fever already down when we came over?"
"Yes, but even so, I woke up with a killer headache, and I even had trouble noticing Miyuki's presence because everything looked blurry to me."
"Oh yeah . . . wait!" Tsukasa cheerfully said.
"Yes, what is it, Tsukasa-san?" Miyuki asked politely.
"No, I mean . . . when Kona-chan left, Sis moved and said wait, remember?" she explained the happenings moments after Konata had left with a tone of excitement for remembering about it. Konata turned to Kagami, making the girl nervous as she noticed a well-known smile curled on her otaku friend.
"I bet Kagamin noticed I left her side, and was calling out for me," grinned Konata when she leaned close to Kagami.
"S-shut up! Who in the world would be calling for you?" stuttered Kagami as she tried to hide a shade of pink on her face.
-o-o-o-
That same evening, Kagami was found working on her room, just finishing the last couple of pages she had of homework. Once it was complete, she put her books away and grabbed one of her light novels to read. Tsukasa was taking a bath at the moment, so she decided to wait for her turn while doing a bit of light reading.
Yawning, she stood up and dragged her body towards the bed; for some reason, she just felt really exhausted and ended up collapsing face down, burying her face on the pillow. She rolled around and held out the book on the air to read.
Some fifteen minutes of reading went by when her arms began to waver, as an intense weight seems to have accumulated on them. They weren't the only ones, though. Her tired sight made every sentence she read to constantly fade away, her eyes felt extremely heavy and they began flickering as a sudden blurriness overtook them. In the end, her eyes ceased to stay open and her arms gave in to their weight, leaving the book -still open- over her face. Kagami must have been extremely exhausted, because she fell into a deep sleep almost immediately.
The deepness of her sleep was reflected through her heavy breathing, although with the book been on top of her face, it didn't made much noise. And so she slept. With the place been completely quiet, there was nothing that could have disturbed her slumber. Until, she began moving.
Her heavy breathing became more intense and it sounded awkward, as if she was gasping for air. Suddenly, she lifted herself abruptly, sending the book flying down to the side of the bed.
No way! J-just now . . . t-that was . . . but how? When d-did I . . . panting, she reached a trembling hand towards her lips, and slightly caressed them. There it was, that tingly and warm feeling on them. Almost immediately, she felt an immense, yet gentle, warmth embrace her heart. Noticing this strange feeling, a shade of crimson red spread through her face.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, but Kagami didn't respond to it. Instead, she saw the door slowly open and Tsukasa walking in with a towel around her shoulders, drying her still wet hair.
"The bath is ready for you to use, Sis," Tsukasa stopped drying her hair as she heard no response from her sister, and directed her attention towards her. She noticed her sister's awkward breathing and her face blushing in a deep red. She hurried to the bed and sat right next to her.
"Sis, a-are you alright? Are you coming down with another fever?" whimpered Tsukasa, but to these words, Kagami only shook her head.
"Is there something wrong? Do you want me to get . . . "
"N-no, no," intervened Kagami, as she noticed her sister panicking for not knowing what to do. "I'm okay, don't worry about it." It was an obvious lie; fortunately for her, Tsukasa didn't have Miyuki's extra sight to perceive things. Which was also kind of sad when she thought about it.
"Then . . . what's the matter, Sis?" Kagami didn't knew how to answer to that. But all she could say was:
"Well, I just happen to remember . . . something."
A/N: So the first chapter ends with Kagami not been able to remember what she forgot; now this one ends with her finally remembering what it was. You'll find out what's all about next time.
I'd fun writing this chapter, since I happen to be a victim of my young sister's constant sleep talking -no matter how many pillows I throw at her, she won't stop her nonsense chatting. Keeps me awake most of the night- I thought it would be interesting to write about this subject in particular, so I hope you liked it.
