Chapter 14: Piercing Gaze
The waves rolled and bounced as Kira's body lied on a floating piece of metal as her eyes fluttered slowly opened. Her vision was blurred and her hearing muffled as she saw a familiar face swimming over to get her.
"A...Alana?" She quietly muttered.
The octoling swam over and helped her get to shore. "Hang on... We're getting you to shore... Just stay with us..."
Kira's vision and hearing slowly faded away as she fell unconscious once more.
As the unconscious inkling was dragged onto the shore, Chili ran over and looked horrified to see her body, limp and unresponsive.
"N-No..." Chili muttered and pulled the body into his lap. He looked up at Alana. "Is she...gone?"
To his relief, she shook her head. "I felt a pulse, so she'll be okay. I do, however, want her to go home and rest. Or at least go on vacation somewhere nice..." Alana told him.
"Don't worry, Kira's going straight to bed. I'll make sure of it."
Alana nodded. "Good." She slipped something into Chili's pocket when he wasn't looking and he walked back to Kira's house.
Chili put the unconscious inkling down in her bed. He had removed her salmon run gear and she was thankfully wearing her crop top and shorts underneath so she was somewhat comfortable. He tucked her in and let her sleep peacefully.
Trouble seems to follow you wherever you go, huh? Guess being a hero has it's negatives.
Something was clenched in Kira's hand. It glimmered in the light and upon closer inspection, it was Kira's golden locket.
The salmonoids must have tried taking the locket from Kira... Good thing she saved it.
Mint and Akari barged in and Kira visibly flinched.
"Oh my cod! Is she okay!?" Mint wondered and ran over to Kira's side and held her hand.
Chili sighed. "Her crew found her within the wreckage of the boat."
Mint's face grew to one of horror. "The boat was destroyed?! How!?"
Akari went over and tried calming Mint down. "Mint, quiet down... Kira needs to sleep."
Mint took a deep breath and placed their hands on Kira and closed their eyes.
"I hope you rest easy..." They whispered, but unaware to Mint, Kira was muttering something under her breath.
"I'm so close... I'm so close... Don't leave me in the shadows now..."
Everyone gathered around her and was prepared to comfort her in any way possible.
A gaze so strong, it pierces through the soul...
The love you felt for those around and even those who are not there.
The Shadows will guide you to them...
It's up to you as to whom you lend your trust to...
Kira bolted upright and looked around her area. Surrounded in a pitch black area, her wings extended as she tried to look beyond the darkness, and gaze upon two figures.
"H-Hello? Wh-Who are you?" She asked, trembling a bit.
No reply. They just stood there. As the inkling slowly approached them, her hand extended forwards and something snatched her hand and grasped it tightly. Kira screamed for her friends, for Chili, for anyone to help her. Hot tears streamlined her face as she desperately reached out to the light.
A chilling voice whispered in her ear.
You cannot escape what you really are, Kira...
Something unseen to Kira grabbed her by her throat and started choking her. She coughed, gagged, and used what she had left of her voice to scream.
"SOMEBODY HELP ME! PLEASE!"
You are a MONSTER
Your hands will be stained with innocent blood
You will be feared.
You will be hated.
You will become an OUTCAST
Not even your loved ones can help you.
"STOP IT!" Kira cried. Her eyes glowing as she tried breaking free. "LEAVE THEM ALONE!"
YOU CANNOT ESCAPE YOUR FATE AS A MONSTER!
Kira sat up and screamed as loud as she could. Feeling around her neck for anything holding her. She felt the tears pour down her face and her eyes glowed. Her wings were extended and her friends stormed up the stairs in a hurry to see their friend crying in agony and scared out of her mind.
Chili was the first one to get to her and ran to her. "Kira, are you okay?!"
"Ch-Chili?" She said through tears and she tightly hugged him.
He rubbed her back and rocked her back and forth.
"Shh... Shh... You're okay... I have you..." He whispered.
She kept crying into his good shoulder. "I-I'm not a m-monster... I-I'm not..."
"Kira... You're one of the best inklings I've ever met... You're not a monster by a long shot." Chili muttered.
She sniffled and wiped her tears on her bare arm. "Thank you..." Kira's eyes were wet as she whimpered. "I don't want to hurt you... I don't want to hurt any of you..."
Mint knelt down and smiled. "We're all here for you. We would never abandon you."
Akari smiled as well. "You probably swallowed too much salt water. It could be a crazy hallucination the salt gave you."
Kira also smiled through her tears. "Th-Thanks guys."
Mint grabbed a cup of fresh water and placed their hand atop of the scared inkling's. "Would you mind telling us what exactly you saw?"
Kira chugged the ice cold water and sighed.
"It all started with a piercing gaze."
End of Chapter