|Kari|
Morning came all too quickly, but I was pleased to find that Krad was deep asleep when I roused myself from my sleep. I sighed and glanced into the mirror, frowning slightly at my reflection. Sour cream wouldn't even make my skin look tanned. My hair was tangled and unkempt. The dark smudges beneath my eyes seemed to have gotten worse than they had been the night before. "I look like an asylum inmate…" I mumbled to myself.
My plans for today didn't help my dour mood the least bit. Today's plans were kept secret even from Krad, which was shocking. My bare feet descended the cold stairs lightly. My mother and father were downstairs already, drinking their coffee and eating breakfast. "M- Mom? Dad?" Mom dropped her fork and Dad stopped in mid bite. These were the first words I had spoken to them in three years. The first words I had spoken to anyone aside from Krad in three years. "I need to share something with you." Dad put down his fork. "Go on…" My parents were elated that I wanted to speak. I wasn't sure how they would react to what I had to say though…
"I don't know how to put this, but three years ago, on my birthday, I woke up with a-" I paused unsure. "A voice in my head. His name is Krad. I- God. I sound crazy…" I sighed. My parents looked concerned about me. "Kari, is everything alright?" My mother asked. "I'm fine. Anyway, Krad has told me a lot. He told me about my past. My families past. How the Hikari created great artworks with souls. About KokuYoku. About his terrible past and his other half, Dark. How they live in the DNA of the Niwa and the Hikari. He's taught me Japanese. He even told me about my older brother. Satoshi Hiwatari. How, by some means of magic, Krad had been transferred from my brother to myself. He also-" My Dad cut me off. "Kari." He took a breath. "Enough. You don't have a brother and there is no such thing as magic!" My mom put a hand on his shoulder and he shut up. Then she spoke. "I think what your father wants to say is that…" She took a breath.
"Kari, it isn't natural to hear a voice in your head… There's this disease called Schitzophre-" "SHUT UP!" I shouted, my vocal cords not used to the stress. She stopped talking. "I'm not crazy. Believe me. I'm not." I mumbled the last part. "Listen, Kari. You know that one of my best friends is a psychiatrist…" Krad's words nullified my Father's. You are so STUPID Kari-Sama! Did you honestly think that your parents would understand about me? Absently, I wondered when he woke up and how much he heard. What if they are right, Krad? What if I really am schizophrenic? What if you really are nothing more than a figment of my mind? A mental disease? Krad sighed. My parents were staring at me as I spaced out, communicating with Krad, as if I would pull a knife out of my pocket and attack them. I can prove it. That you aren't crazy. Let me take control of your body, Kari-Sama. His words confused me. Take over my body? I didn't argue. Just relax. I'll do the rest. "I'll prove it to you. That I'm not crazy. That what I say is real." I relaxed my body, ignoring whatever they were saying.
It was an odd sensation. Like floating. My mind being pulled at. My vision getting fuzzy. I was lighter than air, a feather on the wind. In a place where pain didn't exist. The feeling was seductive. I gave myself up to it. Then, I was slammed back into reality. An intense combination of heat and pain rocketed through my body and I cried out, my parents leaping from their chairs to help me. I shoved them away. I felt my body shift. I felt my vision change. It was like watching through someone else's eyes.
My parents watched warily, as if they knew what was happening to me. I felt my- No. Krad's lips curve into a smirk. "It's very nice to see the two of you again, Jin. Ankoku." He bowed in mock respect. "It's nice to be out again." He stretched. "Krad." My mother growled. "What are you doing here!? Living in my daughter none-the-less?" Krad chuckled. "Technically, Kari-Sama isn't your daughter, she's Rio's. And I don't have to answer to anyone anymore except for Kari-Sama." He looked my parents over again. "The two of you have aged so much since the last time we crossed paths…" He mused and then sighed. "Kari-Sama is going to Japan. To meet her brother. You will not stop her. If you try…" I felt my strength leave me as a golden orb floated just above Krad's hand. It pulsated with power. "I will not hesitate to kill you. Of course, the two of you are already aware of that." My mom glared openly and my father tried to say something, but Krad cut him off. "I'll take my leave now. Kari-Sama's energy is depleting fast. Farewell for now…" He smirked, relinquishing his hold on my form. I fell and my Mother caught me. I took a few ragged breaths and then shoved her away, using what bit of energy I had to push myself to climb the stairs. "I'm sorry." I whispered to my parents.