Chapter Two
With a wistful sigh, Kayla looked out of the window, gazing longingly at the trees. It would be so much nicer to be back outside without many cares in the world. 'So many trees have died already. It's not the same as the old days...' She wrinkled her nose as she turned back to her physics textbook. The dry words made her head start to turn slightly back towards the window before she caught herself and forced it back, intent to finish up with the evil volume for the day. When a pair of hands settled on her shoulders, she looked up to see Xander's smiling face.
"Hiya Kayla. You weren't at your dorm. Someone told me you were here."
"Why? What time is it?" she asked as she stretched.
"Around six." Xander replied as her eyed grew wide. "You forgot about fencing practice didn't you?"
"Shit, I am not having a great week. A walking double of myself, I was late for track and now I've missed fencing practice...the captain is going to kill me. Hang me out to dry on a clothesline for God knows how long."
"It can't be that bad." Xander said as he helped her pack away her things quickly. "I mean, the party was last Friday and it's Thursday now. Considering you've had a less than perfect week, I'd say you're coping admirably."
"Eh heh. Suck up." she said with a grin as she shouldered her bag. "Since you have nothing to do, care to walk with me to the gym?"
"Still going to practice?" Xander asked as they headed out of the library.
"Yes. Wanna come and watch?" Kayla slid him a mischievous glance.
"Why do I suddenly get the feeling that I may be on the end of your blade?" Xander paused. "But after being hunted down by Alice, skipping Waltham classes and inevitably failing the course...I suppose the epée will help when you slice an imaginary something to shreds."
"My my, and we only met about a week ago." Kayla smiled. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you understand me somewhat Xander."
"I suppose. But I never understood why other guys found girls hard to understand."
Kayla blinked at him for a few seconds before laughing out loud. "You really are something Xander. You can't figure it out...." she trailed off into chuckles as they entered the gymnasium. "You just sit there and don't get into trouble, all right?"
Xander plopped himself down in the seat, looking around innocently with a whistle. Rolling her eyes, Kayla headed into the change room to pull on an outfit. Coming out, she went to the stand and perused through the epées, swathed in white. Stepping out onto the floor, she paused to pull her mask on more snugly when an appreciative whistle echoed around the high ceiling.
"You never mentioned how good you look in that Kayla."
"Shut up Xander." she said with a laugh as she pointed the epée at him. "Or I may skewer you."
He raised his hands in mock fear, a smirk still plastered to his face. "Heaven forbid that toothpick runs me through."
"Eh heh." she muttered. "Shut up so I can concentrate all right?"
A smile descended over her face as Xander fell silent, allowing her to clear her mind and focus on what she was to do. Taking a slow and steady breath, she steeled herself before darting forward and-
"Gomen nasai [1]."
She lifted the mask up at the quiet words as she saw the dark haired figure bending down to pick up the knocked over epées. Going over quickly, she picked up a few, helping the person.
"It's all right. Even I walk into the stand sometimes. It's in a bad place." Kayla said as she stood up. "I'm Kayla."
The girl remained crouched for a moment before she stood slowly, raising her own face mask, dark brown eyes slightly apprehensive. "I know. I am Ichikawa Midori."
Kayla watched her for a few moments; so this was her near double up close. She must have been really shy. She never met her eyes and kept scuffing her feet as if she wanted to bolt. "Are you here to practice too?"
"Hai. I'm sorry, I mean yes." she replied in that soft voice. "I...Takeshi thought it would be good if I kept myself out of the library for a little bit."
"Oh. Since you're here now, want to practice with me?"
Midori gave her a slightly incredulous look. "You're on the fencing team. I'm no good, you will simply beat me."
"Please? I'll go easy on you if you think that I'll beat you. I probably won't though. Beat you I mean." she smiled as Midori nodded her head silently. "Then shall we start?"
Nothing more was said as they stepped out onto the floor and took their places. A few seconds later the dull clang of metal rang out as the epées met in mid air. Kayla couldn't stop the smirk that crossed her face as they moved back and forth, matching thrusts and parries. Then Midori did something curious; stepping back a bit, she drew Kayla towards her before twisting in with a peculiar stabbing motion that caught Kayla in the side. 'I don't believe it...that was only used in the Renaissance...' Narrowing her eyes, she dropped all pretenses of holding back; obviously, Midori had been doing the same as well. Her epée sliced through the air viciously as they battled for ground, neither quite willing to relent. Finally after a while, Midori stepped back and lowered the point of the sword before she raised her face guard.
"I believe that this is an even draw."
Kayla nodded her head as she lifted her mask up and regarded Midori as she walked back into the change room. 'There's something about that girl...' She watched as she placed the sword back and disappeared into the changer room. 'There's no way that she could possibly know that. It must be a fluke of something.'
"That was amazing Kayla."
She turned to see Xander seated on the bench; she had forgotten that he was here. "Was it? She's actually pretty good. A bit modest about her skills though."
"I'd say so. She should be on the fencing team. Maybe she'd dhow up for practice."
"All right you." she retorted with a laugh. "I only missed one, so quit busting my chops. Give me a few and I'll be out."
Ducking back into the change room, she quickly changed back into her usual clothes and came out slightly flustered; she hated keeping people waiting for her. When she came out, Xander rose with applause and a smirk.
"Would you stop already? I wasn't that good."
"I bed to differ. From my perspective, and I do not fence mind you, it was spectacular. And I think that is due some serious reward."
"Like what?"
"Cheeseburgers?" a hopeful look crossed Xander's face.
Kayla couldn't help but laugh as they stated down the street to the fast food place, sliding her arm through his. "Does that come with fries?"
With a half sigh, Kayla turned over and looked over at the alarm clock. 'Five in the afternoon. I'd say that I have had a long enough nap.' Silently, she rose and went to the mirror as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and stretched a loud yawn accompanying it. 'Now, do I have anything urgent to do before I do anything else?' Eyes casting around the room, she noted dryly the slight mess consisting of her clothes scattered around on the floor and a bag filled with library books to return in the next few days. She looked around once more before shrugging it off and plopping herself back down on the bed and picking up one of her English books to read. 'Never would have pegged myself as a Rousseau person. Voltaire was more my kinda guy. Miss him a bit...' Settling herself down, she found herself minutely absorbed in the finer nuances of the book before a soft rap at the door made her pause to look up briefly. 'They'll go away whoever it is. I'm not answering the door tonight. Maybe for Alice.'
"Kayla...are you there?"
"Xander?" she half sat up. "What are you doing here?"
A faint chuckle reached her. "We agreed to study tonight. Or did all that Coke go to your head last night?"
With a mutter curse, Kayla scrambled from the bed and started stuffing clothes out of sight. "Uh....hang on a minute Xander...I have to...uh...find my books. Yeah, I'm looking for my books!"
"All right, but you know that if you let me in, I can help you look."
"Yeah." she looked around, not seeing anything in plain sight and thankful for the fact that her desk was organized and neat. "I'm coming to the door now."
"Sounds like you had quite a search for those books." Xander said with a grin as she opened the door with a flustered expression.
"Yeah well you know...they like to hide and all..."she managed in between her gasps of breathlessness. "Why didn't you call and let me know that you were coming?"
"I should have huh?" Xander said with a smile as he plunked his bag down and started taking out textbooks. "So shall we start with the ever tolerant English or dive right into the pain of physics?"
"You know what? I don't really care at this point. I'm half tempted to say end the pain and all." she gave him a grin as she sat down beside him books in hand. "Take your pick of evils my good Sir, for they shall both be here no matter what."
"Smartass." he muttered with good-naturedly as he clicked on his pen. "I say we end the pain now, for the week at least."
"Excellent choice my good fellow, quick and to the point." she paused seeing the look on his face. "What?"
"Nothing..." he managed as he clearly repressed a snicker. "Nothing at all Kayla."
"Come one, what is it? Was it what I just did?"
"Are you sure that you're American?"
"What?" she paused for a split second. "I am American. Can I say the same of you Irish boy? And why are you even asking?"
"You just sounded so British! Like you've lived there all your life! That's the best fake accent I have ever heard!" he said before roaring with laughter.
Kayla laughed along with him, mentally cursing her slight slip up; perhaps it would have been a better idea to claim British heritage when she had set up this identity for herself. "Well, I could say that I am a jack of all trades here Xander but I don't think that's me in any certain terms."
He wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes. "That accent and you sounded like you were ready to charge out onto the battlefield, guns ready and swords drawn. Dear God that was hilarious..."he trailed off as he convulsed with snickers.
"Nice to see that I can amuse you there Xander." she replied blithely as she picked up Rousseau again. "When you're ready to study and you're done dying of laughter, tell me all right?"
"What are you reading there? Is that Rousseau?" Xander asked as he peered at the cover.
"Yup." she regarded him with an arched eyebrow. "You ever read his work?"
"Not my cup of tea really. Voltaire is more my kind of guy."
"Eh heh. Do you have any thoughts on Rousseau's words of 'Never exceed your rights and they will soon become unlimited.'?"
"Never exceed your rights? I'm going to assume that the said person never really exercised their rights. It's like saying, if you don't open the box of chocolate, all the chocolate will all be there." Xander paused for a minute. "But then that goes into the rights of man and freedom of the person and I don't want to do that now. How about 'Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.'?"
"Voltaire if I ever heard it." Kayla said with a snort. 'I remember when he said that...plenty didn't quite get it at the time.'
"Hey Kayla. Any thoughts?"
She snapped out of her brief lapse, her face going red from embarrassment. "Sorry. It pretty much like propaganda and Pavlovian Conditioning. You know Pavlov's theory right? The dog and the newspaper and teaching it by whacking it and... " she nodded her head as he made a motion for her to continue. "Well, the propaganda is pretty much like the newspaper and we are the dogs. You show enough of something and it can affect you. Sort of like brainwashing but not quite. It's more like subconscious insinuation; you don't even notice it half the time. What do you think happens during wars?"
Xander sighed and leaned back against the side of her bed. "That's easy enough. They show you what they want you to see, to vilify the ones said country fights against and to justify their cause. Brainwashing once again. It's a long term conditioning that's been crammed down our throats so much that we're blind to the fact that it is being done and we let ourselves bee willing subjects."
"Exactly. It's just there and we blindly accept it at face value without even delving deeper and asking the more significant questions that supposed to make countries truly great and wonderful." Kayla slumped back against the bed as well. "Sometimes I wonder how we can be so forward in thinking and other things yet be so sightless to things concerning ourselves."
Xander turned to face her, not saying anything. Kayla looked over at him, as the silence in the room thickened considerably.
"Dumbest thing you ever heard right?" she asked quietly.
"No. Quite the opposite." he replied.
A silly smile spread over her face as he simply looked at her. "What? What is it now?"
Xander didn't reply simply leaning forward and kissing her gently. Kayla froze for a minute before she leaned into him, kissing him back. 'It's been awhile and you would have turned into a priggish prude Kayla. Just go with it. Deal with the heartache later.' She twined her arms around his neck as he pulled her closer, enjoying the sensations he was stirring in her again after so long. After what seemed like an hour, they broke off, foreheads resting together.
"I should have asked first huh?" Xander said in a soft voice.
"Do I look that worked up about it?" she asked another smile spreading over her face.
"No. I am glad about that." he stroked her cheek gently. "Was afraid you'd give me the tongue lashing of a lifetime."
She chuckled lightly. "Why don't you kiss me again and I'll see if I may be persuaded otherwise."
Xander gave her a smile before he dutifully, and happily, went about persuading her for the next few minutes. It was when a soft rap came on the door that he looked back at it.
"Never fails. Just when you get into the swing of things."
Kayla laughed. "I agree. But I want to send this person on their way, so bear up for a few minutes." she kissed him again quickly before she walked to the door and opened it. "Midori!"
"Konbanwa." her face went promptly red. "I'm sorry. I speak so much Japanese that-"
"I guess that means good afternoon or good evening?"
"It means 'Good evening'. I was wondering if Xander was here. I have a book to give back to him. He loaned it to me for philosophy class and his roommate said he had come here."
"Hey...is that my book?" Xander rose and came to the door. "I was looking for that."
"I'm terribly sorry. I meant to give it back sooner but I have been using it for the past," she trailed off doing a quick mental count. "Two weeks and I only just finished with it now. If I have inconvenienced you in anyway then-"
"It's all right. I have a paper on Plato's 'Simile of the Cave' due in a month and I have to get cracking on it. Allegories and whatnot." he said as he shouldered his bag and headed to the door. Plucking the book from Midori's hands he flashed her a smile. "Thanks. I'll see you later right Kayla?"
"You better believe it buster." she said smiling back. "Just call me sometime and we'll see."
"All right then." he gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Night all."
"Night." she called after him. "So what can I help you with Midori? Need anything?"
"No." she bowed slightly, her backpack making a rustling sound. "I am sorry if I interrupted you and Xander in any way. I shall go now. O- I mean good night."
Kayla watched as she walked away down the hall before she grabbed her jacket and book bag, slammed her feet into her shoes and took off from her dorm room. "Wait up Midori! Wait up!!" she panted as she came to a stop beside the girl who was giving her a quizzical expression. "I need to go to the library. Want to come with?"
Faint flashes of things darted behind Midori's eyes before she nodded her head. "All right. It's on the other side of campus, ne?"
"Eh?" she looked dup startled. "Yeah, it's on the other side. And what does 'ne' mean?"
"Please forgive me. I am pretty bad at this. A strange mix of English and Japanese is coming from me for the week. Ne is something that means...'isn't it?' or 'right?' when you put it on the end of a sentence."
"Ah. So now I'm getting a mini-course in a foreign language." she smiled as Midori's eyes shone with a gleam of amusement.
Midori smiled faintly. "If you wish. The curses can be quite creative if you know what you want to say more or less."
"Ah. I just have to drop these books off and then you can go on your way." Kayla said as she readjusted the strap on her shoulder.
"It is all right. I...ano...actually I have been meaning to talk to you for the last while but I have been busy."
"Hiding out in the library?" Kayla teased; she wasn't surprised by the sudden flush that raced down Midori's face. "Hey, I'm just teasing you, you know. Are you always this shy?"
"I...don't know you well and things have been hard for me for a long time. Bear with me and I will warm up."
"How long a time are we talking here?"
A faint shadow flickered across Midori's face. "Longer than I care to admit." she sighed heavily. And before you ask, ano means but."
Kayla paused for a brief moment before she chuckled to herself. "I never noticed. Thanks for telling me there. How long you been in Japan for?"
"All my life more or less." a brief pause. "I traveled for a bit before coming back there and setting up my life and applying for university."
Kayla nodded her head slightly as their footsteps echoed down the hall; how closely Midori's story reflected her won. "Pretty much the same thing as me."
Silence descended as they walked to the library and Kayla returned her books and signed out a few new ones. Soon enough, they found themselves outside the library, each waiting for the other to broach the subject. Finally after a long period of silence, Midori spoke.
"If I walked back with you to your dorm, will we finally speak of this thing in private?"
"Yes. I think it garners a bit of privacy, don't you?" Kayla said as they rapidly headed back.
The trip back was much sorter than before and Kayla motioned for Midori to come in and make herself comfortable. Going to the mini fridge, she pulled out a can of pop and handed it to Midori who had seated herself on the bed.
"All I have is Pepsi. Sorry." she said as she sat down on the seat by the vanity table.
"That's all right." Midori opened it rapidly and drank back a good slug of the sugary liquid. "How can we look like one another?"
"I don't know. Stranger things have happened. Like doppelgangers and the Bermuda triangle."
"Seriously. I do appreciate your attempt at humour but I believe this to be serious Kayla. Look at the mirror and see if you can dispute our appearances."
Almost grudgingly, Kayla looked; Midori was right. Aside from the hair and eye color, they looked exactly they same, the near perfect set of identical twins. Where she had long red hair, Midori had long black tresses that were just as long as her hair only braided and piled on top of her head in a matronly manner. Green orbs were contrasted by the dark brown that gazed back at her with a serious and accepting manner. Kayla turned away from the evidence and took a drink of her own pop.
"It still can be coincidence. Forgive me but I am one of those people that need proof to believe something wholly."
"What do you want me to say?" Midori rubbed the back of her neck anxiously, dragging up a fine silver chain with her fingernails.
Kayla narrowed her eyes; it appeared to be made of the same metal as hers. 'Midori...may I see your necklace?"
Guardedness flashed in Midori's eyes as her face took on a flintiness.
"Only for a moment. You...you may see mine also."
Midori regarded Kayla warily before she nodded her head with obvious reluctance. "I hate it when it catches on my fingernails. I really have to clip them."
An uneasy snicker escaped from Kayla's throat. "You and me both."
Nothing more was said as each drew out the one thing that they had kept to themselves since they were children. The faint bluish glow suffused their hands as they placed the necklaces in each other's palms. The looks of hesitation changed into ones of puzzlement and slight astonishment as they realized something at the same time. Looking up at each other, they saw the same expression in each others eyes before they looked back down at the necklaces. The flawless silver leaves were intertwined with the vines of ivy, the fine detail almost fooling their eyes into thinking it was a true leaf. Slowly they handed back the respective jewellery to the other, slipping it back on easily.
"Kayla?"
"Yeah Midori?"
"Did you see the writing on yours?"
She looked up at Midori rather sharply, earning a slightly defensive shift in posture from Midori. She nodded her head pointedly, feeling a bit contrite that she had startled her. "Did you see writing on yours?"
Midori nodded before she pulled it back out. "For the longest time, I wondered what it said. I spent so much time trying to decipher it and discover the message."
"Me too. I think I've figured out what mine says."
"Read it to me?"
She looked up to see a slightly hopeful light in Midori's eyes that made her nod her head and read the symbols she saw on the pendant. Afterwards she looked up at Midori, who had a pale expression on her face. Almost as if in response, she looked down at hers and read the symbols in that musical and lilting voice. Kayla looked up as Midori fell abruptly silent, clutching the leaf in her hand.
"Midori?" she asked, moving forward slightly to see if she was hurt.
"So many times....words like that have haunted my sleep." she whispered in a barely heard voice. "Those two voices that never leave me be in peace or in war..."
"Likewise." she muttered in a low voice. She sat up as the sound of crying reached her ears. "Hey, what's wrong?"
"I want them to go away....they have plagued me for so long and I just want them to go. Haven't you longed for one night of pure sleep?"
Kayla nodded her head dumbly before she slid down off the bed and placed an arm around Midori's shoulder, trying to comfort her. "Don't worry. One of these days, you'll get answers, I'll get answers and then we can figure out what to do." she said, rubbing Midori's shoulder gently.
Midori simply sniffled a bit and wiped her eyes dry. "I am sorry. I normally don't cry like this and I...is there's something wrong with the power in the building?"
Kayla looked up to see her bedside lamp flickering madly. "Maybe. I don't know."
A sharp crack of lightning made both girl jump with its abruptness. They looked t each other and laughed it off with a slight nervousness. Getting up, Midori walked to the window and looked out. The sight of rain driving down with a viciousness that surprised Kayla; it had been a clear evening when they had come in about ten minutes ago. Never had a storm come up so fast or with such intensity.
"Where do you suppose it came from?" she murmured rhetorically as she went to join Midori at the window to watch.
"Who knows?" Midori shrugged. "But I have to walk back to my dorm in this."
"Ah stay. I don't mind. Besides, your boyfriend might get mad at you for walking around in a storm like this one."
"Hn." Midori cast one final look out of the window before she leaned against it.
Kayla looked back at her before she looked out; the rain was driving harder now, the wind whipping things up into a frenzy. She sighed and closed her eyes as she rested her head against the cold vibrating glass.
"Kayla!"
She had barely opened her eyes, when she felt herself being pushed to the ground, the sound of glass tinkling around her coming through the roar of the wind and rain faintly. Looking up, the strangest sight greeted here eyes. There lay a light filled portal before the window, sucking things into it swirling maw. And there, being pulled in rapidly was Midori, who scrabbled for a grip on the smooth wood floor.
"Midori!"
Scrambling forward, she grabbed her hand and twisted her legs around the post of her bed. As if in response, the pull of the whirlpool of bright light grew stronger. She could feel her grip start to give slowly as her shoes started to slip against the polished wood.
"Let me go Kayla!" Midori yelled back at her.
"No!"
That was the last word that Kayla said before her feet lost their tenuous grip and both girl were sucked into the light filled maw. As soon as they had passed through, it disappeared, leaving a few papers swirling around an empty furniture filled room.
Notes
[1] Gomen nasai - Japanese; the ultra polite form of saying 'sorry'.