-[The Fear Of Blood Tends To Create Fear For The Flesh]-

CHAPTER FOUR: The Beginnings Of Introductions, And, The Beginning Of Confusion

We remain in a world where everything is determined by the actions that we take, for if we were not to take those actions, we would be trapped in the world that was given to us, for the weak, a life wrought of pain and agony, for the strong, a life wrought with the pain of continuous battles. And for the misunderstood, the pain and agony in being alone in the world. For these untold horrors that we believe never to occur, our actions depict exactly how the horror occurred, the manner in which it affected others, and the toll that it takes on the heart. I had accepted such things, but not to such an intensity.

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I slowly opened my eyes, my blurry gaze revealing nothing more than the grass of the dream. I didn't need to look to see the crystal tree above me, and there would be no point, I couldn't move. For the fear that the last dream had envoked, I had begun to dread what I was going to find next. Was my arm and legs now fully severed? And was my body now in two distinct halves? I felt my dream body slowly open her eyes, feeling then that my body was in one piece, to my relief. My dream body's gaze fell upon several cross bow bolts that were lying on the ground a couple of feet in front of her. I could see that the crossbow bolts had a green sheen to them, realising a few moments later that these had missed me, and the bolt heads were covered in a poison. I couldn't tell what sort of poison it was, all I knew was that there was now a reason to the nausea I was feeling. I felt my dream body move fractionally, feeling what had hit me. There were three crossbow bolts in my side, and one in the square of my back. There was nothing for it, it wasn't like I could do anything. At least my body hadn't almost been chopped into pieces. I didn't even feel the irritation as my dream self smiled her same sad smile and closed her eyes. I began to really hate that, though the irritation was strangely non present.

I felt like I had been hit by a train, or rather been crushed under ten tones of steel and stone. I couldn't feel any part of me that wasn't aching, that wasn't anything that was remotely 'fine'. I felt my head tilt to the right slightly as I slowly began to feel restless, hearing movement just to my left as soon as I had shifted my head.

"I think she might be waking up." Came a vaguely familiar voice, causing me to frown fractionally in annoyance as I forced my eyes to open. I looked over to see two men standing next to the side of the bed I was in, vaguely recognising them both as the red headed one from the apartment, and a friend of the Oaf Kuwabara.

"Hey!" The black haired one said, waving a hand as the red-haired one nodded slightly with a smile.

"Y-Yusuke ... Urameshi ... Kurama?" I mumbled, seeing shock cross both of their faces, then I felt caution creep into their gazes as I tried to sit up.

"I wouldn't recommend sitting up, your injuries are ... complicated." Kurama said. I looked at the two of them as I allowed myself back down reluctantly. I closed my eyes for a few moments, then looked at the two as they seemed to lean a little over her. "I am surprised you remember our names, however." Kurama said, a smile slowly creeping over his face.

"Kuwabara said she's got photographic memory." Yusuke said, Kurama smiling slightly.

"I see. So then it wouldn't surprise you if I asked if you remembered what happened?" Kurama asked. I watched him darkly before inclining my head fractionally.

"A lot of bone cracking." I stated, seeing Kurama nod slightly as Yusuke just watched me. "Clearly this is not a normal hospital, may I ask where I am?" I asked after several moments, seeing Kurama smile weakly as Yusuke glanced at the door.

"Oh course. This is a medical facility in connection with a few people that we work with." Kurama proceeded to explain, which left me watching him, but I took the odd glance at Yusuke. "We work on different types of jobs, and there are four of us at the moment on the one team. The group consists of Yusuke here, Kuwabara, Myself, and another called Hiei." I looked away for a moment, then looked back at Kurama. "At the moment, we have no work. Kuwabara and Yusuke found you in your apartment unconscious, and I was called in to help, since i live a few blocks away." I glanced at my left arm momentarily, seeing through the light gown that I was now wearing, that there were heavy bandages wrapped around my arm. I felt curious gazes upon me as I looked back at the two.

"So when can I leave?" I asked. I saw a little bit of shock cross Yusuke's face as Kurama merely smiled wryly.

"Not for a while, normally we would have been able to heal your injuries completely by now, but we've been very careful not to put your body under too much stress." Kurama explained, and I closed my eyes wearily.

"So what you're saying is because of my bone ailment, I'm not leaving for a while." I stated.

"Bone ailment?" Kurama repeated, prompting me to look back at him after a moment. It seemed Yusuke was content just remaining silent, although he seemed to be watching me intensely.

"I was born with problems with my bones, they sheet and break under a certain amount of force, that's why my whole leg had shattered and broken when I slipped in the bathroom, I'd guess." I explained, seeing a look of sudden understanding to cross both their faces, then discomfort in Kurama's face. I think Yusuke was more stumped that I had a fresh memory.

"Then forcing your leg back into place wouldn't have helped." He stated. I shrugged slightly.

"The last time I did anything like that was when I was seven. I don't remember much. It might not have mattered." I replied, seeing him nod slightly.

"Well, in any case, it wouldn't help to have you leave just yet." Kurama said, causing me to sigh in the back of my head. I didn't like to hear that, but I was sort of expecting it. I saw Yusuke stretch slightly where he was, causing a slight frown to cross my face as I began to think very carefully.

"I'm gonna go grab breakfast before I head back home." Yusuke said after a moment, causing me and Kurama to look at him. "Oh, did you need anything, uh—"

"Meia." I said for him, feeling a little bitter at the fact that he couldn't remember a simple name like that, especially since I was expected to trust them and remain in the hospital bed like a good little cripple, despite the fact that I had half the mind to search for some crutches and leave the building. I mean, it couldn't be too far from the apartment blocks if Kuwabara was working with these two for someone that had not been named, as far as I knew. "And no thank you." I added.

"Sure, sure, I'm off. I'll tell Pacifier Breath that she's awake now." Yusuke said, waving a hand as he began to leave the room.

"Pacifier breath?" I repeated in a tone of slight confusion, hearing Kurama laugh slightly to himself.

"It's nothing important." Kurama said, looking back to me after a few moments.

"Hey, do you know a Motoko Yamaoka? I asked after a few moments, seeing Kurama look at me in slight confusion.

"Not off hand, no." He answered, causing me to nod momentarily. I began to scan through my memory for something that the closest thing to a friend had told me, feeling him watching me for a few moments. "Why do you ask?" I heard him say, causing me to smile momentarily.

"Is Kurama your real name?" I asked, seeing a slight look of shock cross his face, then I saw him collect himself.

"Well, Kurama is a kind of, nickname that I have, my real name is Suichi Minamino."

"I thought so." I said after a moment, seeing the tiniest hint of a cautious look cross his face – I filed that reaction in the back of my mind for thought later. "I know this person that pointed you out one time." I said, seeing a slight look of understanding cross his face. "I didn't think very much on it at the time, but she called you Suichi."

"I see." He said with a smile. There was relief there. Secret? Very likely. I filed that piece of information into the back of my mind for future thought as well. I was about to say something, but then all of a sudden there was a huge crash at the wall of the room where the door was, causing me to sit bolt upright out of fright. I could feel my heart racing as I saw that the door had slammed open, and there was four colourful looking ... well, creatures was the best I could come up with, all of them yelling at the tops of their lungs in panic as they tore through the room. It took me several moments through my panic to see that they were carrying someone into the room, who was -screaming in pain, someone that looked to be in relations to ... a mermaid?!

"What are you doing bringing her in here?!" I heard Kurama ask vaguely, a tone of shock in his voice. I didn't even flinch as I heard the Mermaid looking being scream in pain again, then I saw the four beings begin to strap her down on the bed quickly as I could see claws beginning to lash out at their faces.

"Kurama." Came the voice of a man I hadn't heard before as I felt the snap of unconsciousness hit me, vaguely feeling someone catch me before I hit the floor, a curtain of black meeting me in return.