Chapter XI

Dwelling in the Mirrors

Point of View: Riku

Written by: Aniiston (11th chapter)

            She thrust her body from the ground, soaring through the heavy atmosphere, the lightness of her weight giving her simple results. Kicking out her right leg and pulling back her left, the jump-through sidekick was executed perfectly. The woman, who's blood red hair glistened in the neon lights, landed with a soft thud, and she rolled herself into a ball, diving to the metal ground. In a swift leap, she was upon her feet again, a triumphant smile greeting my eyes.

            I nodded at Kairi, instructing her to repeat the move again, though to add a front flip onto the ending. She replied back with a simple 'yes' and stretched out her pale arms, pulling her dangling hair into a ponytail. She began performing the move again, though this time with the additions I had added.  Leaning back against a nearby wall, I continued to stare at my friend, watching her body move in such a rapid manner.

            Upon her fists she wore the gloves I had specially made for her by a weapons' smith. The gloves, though simply dull in its entire manner, were powerful and would aid Kairi well, teaching her silently the art of technique and speed she must learn alone. Two weeks hence she has received those gloves, and her training has seemed to improve by an entire foot. I believe her having some sort of 'weapon' one could say, gave her a boost of confidence.

            She landed perfectly again, rolling forward and vaulting to her feet, a front hand spring as the finishing touch. The wind sang a hymn past her body and out of the building; she shivered. A blur rushed past me, and I saw that it was Keiko. I glared.

            "Riku, why the hell do you make her train so long? I swear, the girl'll freeze to death before she ever learns anything!"

            I rolled my eyes, ignoring Keiko's comments and walked to Kairi, glancing at my watch. "Okay, you'll be learning a new combination today, alright?" Kairi nodded as she listened to my voice. "It's not immensely difficult and you've learned half of it before, so memorizing it quickly is your only option." I walked past Kairi, shedding my coat, revealing my muscular arms.

I heard Keiko whistle mockingly.

I tried to ignore her.  I began running, leaping into the air, a jump-in sidekick as my focus and hit the ground. I flipped backwards, readying my fighting stance once again and cross-jabbed twice to the imaginary foe, adding an uppercut to the chin and slamming my knee into the stomach. Fading back, guard still up, I glanced back at Kairi.

"What was that?" Keiko asked, an eyebrow raised, hands glued to hips.

"It's called her combination, cat."

"No, that's called 'play-time'. Kairi's not five, she can handle more than that!"

"I can?" Kairi asked, barely audible, as Keiko and I shot daggers at one another. I walked forward, as did she, and the two of us stopped, our eyes set in a glare.

Silence...

"Well, what the Hell do you propose I do?!" I yelled angrily.

"Show her something more complex than that crap!"

"Oh really?! Listen, cat, I've been training her for a month and three weeks! I think I'd know what she ought to learn and what not to!"

Keiko glared, though shut her mouth and crossed her arms as defeat swarmed her eyes. I smirked smugly at her and turned back to Kairi, explaining to her the move I had performed. She nodded nervously as she watched the two of us and slowly turned away, starting in a run. I glanced at my watch again. 5:50p.m.

For the next remaining hours I had Kairi do simple drills such as sit-ups and push-ups, the normal routine of an apprentice in training. With Keiko making smaller comments than usual, the rest of the day past by in a normal fashion, and I couldn't help but feel thankful as the day came to an end. I stretched out my arms and yawned, though the ghost of my insomnia still haunted my mind.

We came to my apartment building and unlocked the glass door, flipping my keys back into the pocket of my coat. We slid inside, the door firmly shutting behind us, and made our way up the stairs, for the small elevator no longer worked. Step after step we walked, though this was nothing to Kairi's old building. When at last we reach my chambers, I again unlocked the door, allowing Keiko and Kairi to walk ahead of me. Locking up again, I turned to the two.

Kairi seemed exhausted beyond her normal boundary of tiredness and she immediately went to the coach, flopping down upon it. I had wondered if she would be hungry, for the only morsel of food she had eaten today was a good 5 hours ago. But as I looked back at the woman, I found her to be asleep, Keiko by her side, her knees folded against her chest. Kairi and Keiko...the two women living in my life...

Too bad I hated one of them.

Yawning, I grabbed a spare blanket that Keiko had brought and threw it over their bodies, not bothering to actually check if it had landed on their freezing skin. But my aim was good and it had. Walking into the small room I called a kitchen, I grabbed a glass and poured water into it, gulping it down without a second thought. I filled it again and took another swig. When I had satisfied my quenching thirst, I retreated back to my room.

My weapons lay scattered about it, and I carefully tossed the knife objects off. I fell onto the bed and turned my body, staring up at the ceiling. The simple white...gray ceiling...My eyes felt heavy and I realized I felt tired. What an odd change. I glanced at the clock to see that it read 10:00p.m. And suddenly I was no longer tired. Okay...I sat up, grabbing my weapons that lay beside me.

These short shorts were the only weapons I had and the only weapons I could use. Martial arts never really suited my forte, though accompanying these items, I suppose it did come in handy once in a while. But they were getting old...I was going to be forced to buy a new pair sooner or later, or try and synthesize something. But for some reason, I had grown close to these scraps of metal...

The night passed by and I eventually fell asleep. The morning came dully, with the normal mist rising from the ground and the dewdrops falling upon buildings and items. The sun would be choosing to show itself in a mere 15 minutes, when the clock would hit the 7. But you must remember, the sun does not exist here. If you'll look at my skin, you would see that it is a peachy pale, quite unorthodox from my traditional tanned body four years ago.

I looked away from my hands and pulled the blanket off my body, the cold air nipping at my flesh. I stood and walked to my closet, shedding my clothes and pulling on new ones. A black shirt and blue jeans, one of the only things I had color on. I yawned and rubbed my eyes, stretching out my arms. I shivered. Moving out of the room, I walked into the kitchen, grabbing a small rectangular box of preserved food and threw it in the microwave, pushing the start button. As the machine began its work, I walked into the living room to see Keiko lying upon the couch, sound asleep. Walking closer, I peered down to see that Kairi was nowhere in sight.

"What?!" I whispered and my eyes darted over to the bathroom, though with the door wide open, not a single person lay in it. She probably just took a walk or something...Or maybe she's just sitting outside? Or maybe...

"She is right. You are overprotective."

I nearly jumped from the floor as Keiko's voice filled my ears. I glanced down at Keiko without much interest to see her staring back up at me, a confused look on her face. She sat up, stretching out her arms and yawning, her blonde hair undone from its former style. Reaching across the glass table that sat by the couch, she grabbed her hair tie from the surface and pulled her hair into a bun.

"Do you know where she is?" I asked, brushing loose strands of hair behind my ear.

"Yeah...She said something about talking to a guy named...Catch...or Kite...or —Caige!" She clapped her hands together. "That's right...Caige was his name. She's going to ask him about...err...mirrors?"

"Not him..." I mumbled, standing up and moving across the room.

"Listen, moron, don't go after her. Don't you remember the promise you made to her?"

I grumbled and fell into a chair. "Yeah..."

She smirked. "Good. Then don't act stupid and stick to it."

I coughed slightly and left to get my meal.

~

Kairi sprinted down the alleyway, trying her best to remember the whereabouts of Caige Cyst, for his house was indeed tricky. She moved past the buildings and homes, past the stairs and shrines until she reached a familiar ladder at which she had climbed almost a month ago. Placing her hand upon the railing, she hoisted herself up, climbing one by one, bar by bar. Pulling herself onto the next building, the recognized the many crates and items that littered the rooftop. No items worth any value continued to reign her and she quickly walked by, hoping to come across the familiar ladder.

Squinting her eyes again, she found no ladder, though continued to waltz across the rooftop in search. She stopped at a building covered in shadows, peering in deeper. Rewarded by the simple sight of the staircase, she ran forward, hoping Caige would be there. Climbing the ladder in a blink of an eye, she was at the top, facing two large doors. She opened them. The room glistened pleasantly of shinning mirrors, and this time it no longer seemed evil, but cheerful. Kairi walked inside, the doors shutting gently behind her.

"Um...Caige?"

No answer.

Kairi moved closer to a mirror, the same mirror Caige had walked out from upon their first meeting, and called again. "Caige?" Her voice echoed through the room, creating a noise larger than Kairi had expected. But nonetheless her wish was granted and soon the blonde haired Caige appeared, a small smile plastered across his face.

"Hey, Kairi. Long time no see." His smile turned to a grin. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you. How are you doing?"

"Alright for someone living in this artificial hell." He grimaced at the mentioning of Pareja and brushed back his hair. "So, what brings you around here? Wouldn't think that friend of yours would allow you back."

"Heh...yeah...Sorry about that, Caige. Riku has a tendency to...exaggerate situations."

"It's cool. I suppose I can understand."

Kairi smiled, intertwining her hands nervously.  "Anyway, I was actually wondering—Well, I mean, you live inside the mirrors, right?" Caige nodded. "Is there some sort of town...or home you live in while inside the mirrors?"

Caige looked at the young woman skeptically as he quirked an eyebrow, crossing his arms. "Yeah...why?"

Kairi shrugged. "I was just wondering...if there was a way...out of Pareja."

"Out?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Well, yeah," Caige rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably, "but it's just desert and—"

Kairi jumped, her eyes wide, a grin clear on her face. She cried out with happiness. "A way out? A way out of Pareja?" She clapped her hands together, her eyes glimmering. "I never thought I'd hear anyone say that!"

Caige smiled.

Kairi smiled wider. "Caige, do you think we could use your mirrors to leave Pareja? Riku, Keiko and I? Please?"

Caige's smile faded. "Kairi...You can't enter mirrors. You're not a Dweller."

The young woman looked shot. "But can't you take us there?"

Caige shook his head. "Remember when you and I first met? You touched a mirror and it caused you pain? Imagine that on your entire body. It's fatal for me to try anything." Caige watched as Kairi lowered her eyes to the ground. Placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, he smiled warmly. "There might be a way."

Kairi's head shot up. "Really?"

He nodded. "You can't pass through the mirrors as you are now, but if you had the necklace..."

Kairi urged Caige to continue.

"Across Pareja is a man who harbors these Dweller Stones, or Mirror Amulets. They enable a person to cross through mirrors." Caige whistled. "But they come at a heavy price, plus, getting the man to sell you a couple in the first place is a miracle. You could try telling them I sent you, maybe? Good luck, honestly."

"What District?"

Caige chewed his lip. "The 9th, I believe."

Kairi nodded, registering the number into her mind. She grinned. "Thank you so much, Caige! I owe you everything!"

~

I sat in the kitchen, a mug of hot water resting in my cut hands. An hour had past by and Kairi had yet to return from her little journey, though oddly enough I found myself to be quite calm. A feeling had swarmed my brain, explaining silently to me that Kairi was alright, that she was unharmed and remained unharmed. For the first time, I relaxed my tense shoulders, causing them to droop.

Keiko lay on the couch, the ceiling locking with her eyes, humming to herself. I watched her from the corner of my eye, wondering what she could possibly be humming to in a world such as this. But before my thoughts could wonder to far, the door opened gently and Kairi walked in, a smile upon her face. A wave of relief greeted my heart as Keiko sat up, a smirk on her face.

"I take it your meeting went well?"

She smiled politely. "Well might not be the word for it. But it defiantly was a good meeting." She sat down next to Keiko as I stood, arms crossed over my chest.

"So what'd you find out?"

Kairi sighed. "There is a way out through this village Caige lives in. A desert of some sort."

"Lovely!" Keiko said, folding her hands on her lap. "When do you leave?"

"Well, we technically can't."

"What's the problem?" I asked, becoming interested in the conversation.

"You see, only Dwellers can pass through mirrors. And we're not Dwellers." Kairi paused. "But there is a way. Across the city in the District of the 9th, there is a man who sells these necklaces called 'Dweller Stones' or 'Mirror Amulets'. They allow a person to cross through mirrors!"

I tilted my head slightly. "How do we know this Caige fellow isn't lying to us?"

"Oh, he's not, Riku," Kairi replied, stretching out her arms. "He wants to help us."

"Sure he does," I mumbled.

"Well, let's get going!" Keiko said, standing up. "We should leave now if we're going to have to cross this entire city by foot."

I nodded, as did Kairi.

The three of us quickly grabbed some items, as well as money and stuffed them in our pockets, readying for the 6-hour trip. Kairi and Keiko left the apartment building, me close behind and we truly started our way towards the end of the city. Though skeptical, I kept my eyes glued in front of me, while my mind lingered elsewhere.

How could we trust Caige? If this were some kind of trick or scam I would surely kill the man with my bare hands. But again, this gut feeling had greeted me for the second time, silently whispering that this was anything but a hoax, that this was truly real. I sighed, unsure of whom I should be listening to, and continued on walking, Kairi and Keiko talking amongst themselves.

An hour passed as we followed the road of buildings and stones, eyes of the silent inhabitants watching us wearily. Their eyes, peeled back by the undying darkness, seemed to glare at us, their sharp weapons smiling evilly. I looked away from their faces, for I had no need to look upon filth such as them, people who could do nothing to alter there future. I suppose I have earned the title as a hypocrite, have I not?

Another hour passed and I took out my weapons, for I now sensed the presence of nearby Heartless. But to my disappointment, no enemy came near and I realized that this area had not a single fiend in sight. There goes my fun. Walking beside Kairi, I glanced over at her to see she was glancing at the surroundings as well, a look of anxiety spread across her face.

I smirked.

The third hour passed and I was finally rewarded with a swarm of Heartless. The fiends grew from the ground, their golden eyes glaring into my soul. I whipped out my short swords and ran for one, slicing its throat and mutilating its body. Kairi punched a nearby Heartless, unleashing one of her smaller combos upon it, killing it instantly. I looked to Keiko, wondering how well she fought, or if she could even fight at all.

Keiko had begun sprinting towards a ground of Heartless, a satisfied smirk on her face, and leapt into the air, gripping her hands together and bringing them down to the head of the first Heartless. Unleashing a devastating combo, she killed the two remaining Heartless, watching their bodies fall to the ground, their screaming voices echoing into the distance.

She was good. Better than I had given her credit for. She nodded at Kairi and me, acknowledging us to continue the trivial journey. I began walking without as much as a nod to Keiko. As good a fighter as she was, I still didn't like her much.

We had multiple encounters of Heartless before we actually reached The District of the 9th, and when we arrived, literally fell to the ground of exhaustion. I took a breath and drank some water, gulping it down in a blink of an eye. I looked around.  Small shops lined the street, a small river-type canal running down the center, a bridge gliding over it.  Flicking lights of dying signs stared into the water.

"Did this friend of yours actually tell you what part of the 9th District this guy was in?" Keiko asked, annoyed, brushing her sweaty bangs from her face.

"Eh..." Kairi grinned nervously. "...No."

"Ah, great," I mumbled, sliding to the ground.

"But what about that place over there?" Kairi asked, pointing to a nearby shop across the water. We turned to the shop, our eyes glued to the sign. "Av's Shop of Mist and Jewels..." she read aloud, averting her gaze to mine. "What do you think?"

I sighed. "We might as well check it out." The three of us stood to our feet, leaving behind the 5-minute rest we had taken, and began walking across the bridge towards the shadowed shop.  As we neared, I noticed the items displayed in one of the windows. I shivered. Old broken dolls and ancient looking jewelry glared at us, both with shining eyes. The display window opposite held more familiar merchandise, including age-old books and jars of mist, as well as the normal sets of skeleton keys. The door opened with a jingle and the three of us peered inside.

The shop was dark, and looked as though cleaning had never been set in the master's mind. Though the items and furniture were well organized and neat, the cleanliness had been quite demoted. Dust littered everything in site; cobwebs hung in the corners. Footsteps of the last visitor could clearly be seen from the layers and layers of grime that lay about the wooden floor. It looked as though a setting of a scrubbed Victorian era had been placed inside a scene of dirt and ashes.

I stepped in closer, dust rising around my feet. I could feel Kairi bump into me slightly. Keiko's breathing could be heard. "It looks...like not a single person has been here in ages..." I heard Kairi mumble. Glancing over at the fireplace, I noticed something different about it...something...out of place...I moved closer, realizing that it was the only item in this entire shop without a trace of dust on it!

I neared it closer, moving slowly and reached out my hand. Almost immediately did a bright fire start inside the hearth and I quickly jumped away, taking a silent breath. "What the hell?!" I looked away, glancing back at the others who appeared equally startled. But my eyes soon left theirs, for I found I had become more confused. The entire shop was now clean, not a single layer of dust harboring over any item. It even smelt clean...

Because the room was now well lit, it was simple to see it's true personality. An English rug sat in the middle of the store, near the fireplace, two large cushioned chairs of the garnet attire sitting upon it. A neatly carved wooden table sat in the middle, harboring a novel as well as a cup of tea. Bookshelf after bookshelf stood around it, hundreds of novels and analytical pieces inside them. I blinked. This certainly didn't seem the kind of the store to sell amulets...

"Well, I see I have a customer!" a man said, appearing out from the back room.

I stared at him without much interest. He was a man of the late thirties, his hair being black and his ethnicity being Asian. A white colored shirt with a blue vest riding over it was his attire, along with a set of black pants.  I locked my eyes with the ceiling, crossing my arms. "Are you the owner of this shop?"

"Why yes I am!" he said almost too kindly. I shot him a look before uncrossing my arms.

"I was told that someone in this district sells items by the title of Mirror Amulet or Dweller Stone. You happen to be that person?"

The man stared at me for a minute, looking gently skeptical and then smiled warmly. "Yes, I happen to be that gentleman. How can I help you, sir?"

I coughed slightly, looking away. "I was wondering if you might have some left. Three, to be exact."

The man rubbed his brow. "Let's see...let's see..." He paused and looked at the ceiling. "I believe I have a few left in storage. But I'm not selling them. I apologize."

"Um, is there anyway we can buy them?" Kairi asked, an urgent look upon her face. "We'll pay extra for three."

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I don't sell those items for a reason. Abused too easily, you see. Is there anything else I can interest you in, though, my friends?"

"No," I said, annoyed that the man was not giving in.

"Then have a nice day. Please come again." The fire vanished and I soon found the shop covered in dust again, grime and such upon the floor. I glanced back at Kairi and Keiko to see their faces down. Keiko looked up suddenly, a glare set upon her face and shoved past both of us, stomping towards the door. I grabbed her arm, forcefully pulling the girl back.

"Killing him won't do anything, cat. I'll persuade him."

Keiko glared at my words and watched as my back faced the two. I opened the back door to find another perfectly Victorian room, though not a single particle of dust lay anywhere in sight. The man turned around, startled and quickly moved to my side. "Sir, was there something else you needed?"

"I'm not leaving until you allow us to buy those necklaces."

"How persuasive, Riku," I heard Kairi mumble in the background.

The man looked frustrated. "I'm sorry, but as I have stated before, those particular items are not for sail."

"Why not?!" Keiko seemed just as frustrated.

"I don't need people abusing their power! Do you realize how—"

Kairi stepped in front of me, a look of plea upon her face. "Caige Cyste sent us!"

The man stopped talking and slowly set his eyes upon Kairi. His face seemed to tense, and then to calm, simply to tense all over again. Running a hand through his feathery black hair, he turned his back. "This way." He motioned us to follow, and follow we did. Passing the cases and cases of books and tables and tables of items, we reached another door—a closet door, and the man pushed it upon. "My name is Jack Av, by the way, my friends." He pulled out a small box and turned to us.

"Three stones, all hanging upon the hair of a fairy. They will enable you to cross through mirrors." He slid the lid of the antique box off, revealing three necklaces, stones of jade and mirror hanging from them. "Use them wisely. That is all I ask." He gave the box to me.

"Thank you, Mr. Av," I replied, accepting the box and giving him all the money I had brought with me. "I think that should cover it..."

"That is enough," he said, a warm smile on his lips. He led us back to the main room and I saw that the fireplace had been lit again and the room was clean. Kairi and Keiko both thanked him again and we made our way to the door. The fireplace coolly extinguished, causing dust to befall the room for the third time.

The trip home felt as though it took half the time getting to the shop and before I knew it, my apartment building greeted me. It was already 9 at night and I was tired of walking. Unlocking my door, I let everyone in. Kairi fell to the couch, exhausted, as did Keiko. I walked to the kitchen, taking out a box of crackers and tossed it to them. "You might as well eat now. We're leaving early tomorrow morning."

Keiko smirked and caught the box as Kairi stood and walked into the restroom. Taking a breath, I rubbed my eyes and made my way to my sleeping quarters, where I limply fell onto my bed, my heart beating gradually. Kairi soon walked in, a small smile on her face. She sat beside me, crossing her legs and stretched out her arms above her head, yawning.

"You seem unusually keen on this idea, Riku," she said lightly, an eyebrow raised.

"Do I?"

"Yes." She paused, rubbing the back of her head uncomfortably. "I mean, usually it takes about a good week for you to like an idea, but on this one you almost seem as though you've thought of it before..."

I chuckled lightly. "Yeah, I guess you could say that. I think everyone's thought once or twice about a way out of here."

"Yeah, you're right." She stood, yawning. "Night, Riku."

"Night." I watched her leave before switching off my light. Insomnia was still here.

The following morning was a hectic one, for Kairi and Keiko were rushing about, looking for their weapons and medical items. I brushed the two off, explaining that we had to get going. At 7, we left the apartment for good. I locked the entrance door a final time and stuffed the keys into my pocket. With Kairi leading the way, we steadily made our way to Caige's, Heartless sometimes, and sometimes not getting in our way.

The ladder that led to the room of mirrors was reached, and the three of us easily climbed the metal bars, opening up the large metal doors. Caige was leaning against a wall, his arms crossed and eyes shut. Kairi ran forward, amulet in hand and called out his name. Caige opened his eyes and smiled warmly, pushing himself from the wall.

"Wow, you actually got 'em..."

"Yup!"

Caige took notice of Keiko and I. "Nice to see you again, Riku. And I don't believe I've met you. My name's Caige Cyste."

Keiko smirked, though eventually smiled. "Name's Keiko Chinyere. Nice to meet you."

"Same here." He nodded at the three of us and turned towards his favorite mirror. "Now, are you sure you three want to leave Pareja? I swear, the desert past my village is nothing..."

"Yes," I answered, stepping forward, amulet around my neck.

"Very well. Follow me." Caige turned from us, walking through the mirror without so much as a blink of an eye. Kairi and I glanced at each other as Keiko easily walked past, not a worry in the world. Next Kairi went through, and I skeptically followed, brushing my hands through my hair. I stepped into the mirror, and a rush of crisp coldness rushed through my body, as though ice had struck me. I closed my eyes and when I opened them, saw that I was inside a room.

The room was light blue and the floor was wooden. With windows on the ceiling and a simple bed in the center, it looked like a typical bedroom. Caige turned away. "My room. Not much." He blushed slightly, staring at ground. "Come on, you have to see the village first." He signaled for us to follow him. Keiko, Kairi, and I walked out of the room and down a small flight of stairs where we came upon a living room. Caige opened the front door, allowing the girls and I to go before him.

I stopped dead in my tracks.

Smiling people walked everywhere around their metallic village, busy with work and chores. Small buildings were all around, a friendly atmosphere everywhere. I realized that I was looking down upon the city, for Caige's home was three stories high. The balcony was white, as was everything else in the city and light blue, just as the sky. I looked up. The sun shone brightly. I smiled.

"The sun..." Kairi and Keiko said in unison, both obviously as amazed as I was.

I walked down the white marble staircase that led to the ground, taking in the fresh air and the warm feeling upon my skin. Kairi, Keiko and Caige followed. I turned back to Caige, mumbling a modest thank you.

"Well, Riku," Caige said, turning to face the village. "Let me welcome you to Cheval, the Village of Mirrors."

Readers: Please Check The Bio Of Jayde Amethyst And Myself. There Is An Important Note That NEEDS To Be Read. Thank you.

        -Aniiston