Chapter 3!!! If you are confused about what happens in this chapter, it will be explained in further details at the very end Enjoy!
Chapter 3 The nightmare
"I'm Dreaming...aren't I?" Fujio was confused. She gazed around the black folds of darkness in wonder. "Where am I?" Total darkness took over her. She wasn't able to view some of her body. Scared, Fujio began running. Outside of her dream however, Fujio desperately clutched the covers in fear.
"Himejima..." A gentle voice called out to her. It sounded a bit deep and rather cold. Her eyes glimmered in a bright blue light that descended from out of no where in that small black space. She lifted a hand over her eyes to shield from the blinding light. "Himejima." The voice was louder now.
"Who is it?" She took a slight peek as the light dimmed from her face. Unable to think or know what could have happened or see who it was, a hand forcefully grabbed her arm, pulling her close. She cried out in pain, and tried pulling away. "It hurts..." She cried.
"I hope so." The voice answered. He drew her nearer. Fujio found herself lost in his eyes, staring into his cold complexion. "I love you almost enough to hate you." He reached for her neck, giving her a light squeeze.
Fujio wanted to scream and push away. "Who are you? Release me!!" She couldn't see his face. Only his cold blue eyes, and black wings that now wrapped around her body. He ignored her pleas and squeezed harder around her throat. "No..." She struggled to breathe. He immediately pushed her to the ground, clutching a sword in his free hand. The fear in her eyes caused him inevitable pleasure. She wanted to scream, but nothing came out. She wanted someone...
He quickly drove his sword into her arm, re-opening the wound she gave herself from her past. Her eyes widened, and tears now filled her desperate eyes.
She jumped out of bed, screaming. Her hair was in a mess, and her clothes were a little out of place. "Nothing happened." She tried to breathe. Fujio raised her arm close to her face. Her eyes widened in horror at what she saw. "How could this be?" She quickly ran to the bathroom to look for the first aid kit. "It was just a dream." Tears formed in her eyes. "It's painful." She let herself fall to the ground, feeling as though she had lost so much energy just by tossing around in her sleep. She started to cry.
Fuuko, Miho, and Seiko immediately burst into Fujio's bedroom.
"Fujio?" They walked over to the bathroom door. Fuuko began to panick.
"OH NO..." She paced around the bathroom. "First aid!! She's bleeding!!!"
"Fuuko?!?" Fujio immediately stood up and tried to hide her arm from her friends' view. "Oh my god, what are you doing here?!?"
"Fujio, what happened? Why are you bleeding?!?" Miho asked, also shocked. Seiko looked back, staring at the bed Fujio slept in. She too was shocked and almost screamed.
"Mi....Miho..." She pointed shakily at the covers.
"What is it, Seiko?" Miho turned to look in the direction. She almost screamed. "Oh my god. Fujio, you need a doctor!!!!" She cried out, running over to the phone.
"NO NO, guys!!! I'm fine, really!!!" Fujio laughed.
"You are fine?!? Look at your bed! There's blood!!!"
Fuuko grabbed the bandages from the first aid kit, and immediately wrapped them around Fujio's wound. Fujio almost jumped up from her touch.
"It stings..." Fujio placed a finger in her mouth.
"It will be alright, Fujio." Fuuko told her. Her voice, full of compassion, led Fujio to relax easier. She sighed heavily, almost slouching. Fuuko looked into her eyes curiously. "Fujio-chan. How did you get this? Did someone do this to you?"
Fujio blinked a couple of times, not knowing how to answer her on such a subject. She turned away, shaking her head slightly. "Let's not talk about it, alright?"
"Um...okay." Fuuko looked away sadly. She wanted to help her dear friend, but didn't know what more to do. She too sighed, got up, and walked over to Miho and Seiko.
"I should get ready. We will be late for school." Fujio said dully. She got up, and walked passed her friends.
((Rehearsal))
"Who will look at me for what I am on the inside? These suitors judge me by my outward appearance and cower before me. I'm ugly. Why is it that I am cursed with this hideous demon whenever I look at my reflection in mirror or in water? Even so, it is the test of true love. The one who can look passed my horrible reflection is promised to me as told in mother's story." Fujio took a bow, smiling with gentle satisfaction at her classmates, her audience for the past two rehearsals.
"Well done, Fujio-san!!" The sensei clapped. "I didn't think you could do it!! You fit well for the part!!"
Fujio felt herself grow warmer. She watched the sensei and her audience, blinking a couple of times in astonishment. They clapped for her, delighted that her practice was almost too perfect. Usually, Fujio would nodd and agree, taking pride in what she did best. But when she glanced over at Akira, he quickly turned away pretending not to be concerned. Fujio turned away as well, finding herself blushing. She caught him staring at her that very moment her eyes met his from across the room.
"Fujio-san!! You were wonderful! You almost sounded like you really were sad when you were up there. In fact, I almost cried!" Fuuko smiled widely at her friend, taking her by the hand to congratulate her. Akira stood at the far end of the room, watching carefully, but acting the usual careless attitude type. Fujio immediately placed her hand over her aching arm, where the wound was reopened that morning. It stung a little, making her squeeze her hand over her arm.
"Fukae." The sensei looked at him sternly, handing him a stack of papers. "Here's your lines."
"Huh?" He looked confused, examining the stack of papers now placed in his hands. "What is this?"
"Your script."
"Oh..." He didn't look the least bit interested. He began scanning the lines eagerly. He sweatdropped. "What is this crap?!?"
"Class dismissed!!"
"Someone tell me...why...why do I have to sit here and endure HIS rebellious behavior." She thought to herself. Shrugging it out, she turned angrily to the rest of her class. "Memorize your lines by Friday. Now go."
"Fujio-san. I'm impressed. It was as if you were speaking those beautiful lines from your heart."
Fujio blushed and began to laugh a little nervously. She almost tripped over her shoe by attempting to walk in front of her friends too suddenly. "Ahaha...not true. Really."
"But it's true. I mean...look at you? I'd love to do your make up!!" Miho grinned evilly, jabbing her friend from behind her shoulder. At this moment, Fujio turned blank, almost falling over completely attempting one of Kuzuha's usual clumsy instances.
"Fujio-san!! If it's ok...can I help you make your dress?" Fuuko jumped up almost in her face with pleeding eyes. She smiled widely, almost balancing on her heals with her fists pressed together against her chest. Everyone turned to Fuuko with interest.
"I had no idea you can sew." Fujio was impressed. She lightly patted her friend on the back. "You don't have to go through all that trouble."
"I don't mind!!"
"You are so sweet, Fuuko-chan. I don't even know how I could repay you. No..." She lowered her head in disappointment. "I couldn't let you. It's too much!!"
Fuuko shook her head in disagreement. "Not at all. I want to help. It's going to be your special day."
"Fuuko-chan? Why did you volunteer Fujio as princess and Fukae as prince?" Asked Seiko.
"Yeah. I mean it's not like they are on good terms or anything."
"Well I thought that at first. But.."
"So what gives? I mean Fujio has already confessed her love, and it didn't work out."
"What?!?" Seiko and Fuuko both jumped back, astonished at what they had just heared.
"Oh...yeah." Miho managed to laugh a little out of nervousness. "Well, it was for a while. Fujio-san was in love with that idiot Fukae-kun."
Fuuko turned away in dissappointment. She had recalled a memory of that very day she went out to look for Fujio...and instead running into Akira. What she was about to hear completely shocked her. She had no feelings for him, and realized at that point her evolving feelings for a teacher she thought would be forbidden to find such love with. He wanted to know her answer. He wanted the love he had for her to be returned to him. She disappointed him. Fuuko broke Fukae's heart. "Fujio-san." She thought of her. She remembered the day before, encountering Fujio. She was rather depressed and wanted to say something then. "It makes me happy when you are happy." It was all she could think about. She had hoped it would cheer her up, the words and the ice cream.
"Yeah. He broke her heart at the roof top, and told her he loved someone else. That was two months ago though, just before Hibiki-sensei left. I'm sure she's over him by now."
"That someone else..." Thought Fuuko sadly. "She was me all along." Her eyes became shakey from finally figuring it out clearly enough. "Fujio...tried to tell me all along. I wish I listenened. It's no wonder she was so depressed. She was afraid to tell me. She must have been. Even after Fukae-kun confessed his love to me, Fujio didn't show she was sad at all. Fujio is so strong. I wish I was like her." She smiled to herself. "Hibiki...please come soon. I know you would say everything would be alright. You would help Fujio too just like you helped me. I think that this is the best way to help her be happy by volunteering Fujio to be princess and Fukae-kun to be prince."
"The maiden of the lake hides herself from the world outside and beyond. What does she have to hide? Many in the town have come to see and ask her hand in marriage, but they've all fled from her sight. If she is as beautiful as they say, then I will see for my myself!" Akira announced. He quickly glanced at his script when forgetting lines, or to recite the next paragraph. He was good at memorizing, so catching piece by piece was no problem for him. He became frustrated one at a time for having been chosen one of the most difficult parts to recite. "In the end...the prince confesses his love to her...but when he discovers her true form, he too cowers and renounces his love." Akira sighed in disappointment. He smacked his forehead, and let himself fall back against his bed in thought. "Why does this soubnd so familiar?" He set the script on his left side of the bed. "The prince is no different than me. He is a fool of all fools. A heartbreaker and nothing more." He buried his face in his hands out of anger and frustration, while still lying down on his back. "Fujio-san. Why does it hurt to think about you?"
(( His memory...))
"Fukae...thank you so much..." She collapses on his lap. For a while, he sat there motionless. Her skin was soft, and nestled against his. He blushed, and tried to look away, but he couldn't resist. She was so fair and innocent sleeping there on his lap. The way she smiled, he couldn't dare think to wake her.
"What do I do now?" He wondered aloud. "Mala and I are over. I can't believe how stupid it was to even be with her. I wasn't even in love with her." He continued thinking. "How could it be so? She was just there as an excuse to recover from a broken heart. It's almost real to me now that the love between Mala never even existed. I just kept crumbling Himejima's heart every moment I was near that woman. I'm a fool and she knows. There's no one I'd rather be with right now. I just wish it was easy." He sighed and forced himself to admit. "Being with Fujio-san...makes me happy." He recalled another memory of their school camping trip. They took shelter from the rain that night. That very night was warm and new to him. If he hadn't been alone with her, he would have completely shut off any thoughts of Fujio out of his mind. He found himself smiling at her. It was the first real smile he'd ever given to anyone. The way she looked at him, those sad and loving eyes, made him unsure of his feelings for Fuuko. He saw a new side to Himejima. In fact...he was falling in love with her. But he wanted to love Fuuko, not Fujio. He tried to forget that new feeling coming from the poor girl who silently cried her heart out for him.
"It's getting late." He thought back to the beach. He gently picked her up, carrying her in her arms. She leaned against his chest continuing to sleep peacefully. He then glanced over to the ocean. "Fujio loves surfing. She's such a mystery, always hiding herself around me. Aggressive but shy. Why does her skin feel so soft. She isn't all that masculine like the other guys think of her. She's a girl, inside and out. She's no different than Kuzuha."
"I am the princess of new life. Have you come to see me? Despite the stories you hear of me?" Fujio paced around her room, memorizing her lines, and putting a full heart into her acting. She didn't really know why she was. She never really was a leader for anything. She was happy. This was her chance to prove to her class she was more than just an 'annoying brat' as the sensei thought of her. She wish there would be someone in particular to impress. She continued. "I have lived for many years trapped in this old dark palace beneath the waters, and have occassionally came for air. I am like the pearl of the ocean, foretold in your legend. I am the oject of your delicious desires and nothing more. Now you come to me proclaiming your love? How do I know you will not cower before me in my true form? You may as well accept that you are just like the others. You will not love me after today." She concluded.
"I will love you with all my heart. Why in the world would I fear a flower?" Akira suddenly came in. They were on a stage now, rehearsing for the last time. Fujio gave him an aggrivated look to fit in perfectly with her role of mistrust.
"We shall see then, if you really love me."
"Give me any test, and I will pass!" He proclaimed, almost perfecting the pride in him. It was odd to see Akira have a personality. He was always quiet or distant. To see him brought out like this in front of his class was an advancement, and an astonishment.
"Wow..." Thought Fuuko. "They can act wonderfully, especially when together."
"Yeah, miracle, isn't it?" Thought Miho. "Although I could have done a better job myself!" She winked, and giggled to herself.
"Miho, please. You are rather loud." Added an embarassed Seiko.
Fujio walked onto center stage, peering down into a mirror. It was a prop used in place of water, to make her reflection appear realistic to an audience. She then turned to Akira and nodded. "Your test...is to look into this puddle of water."
"Puddle of water?" He scoffed. "How easy can that be?!?"
"Can you really pass this test, I wonder? Why not look into this puddle. Can you really love what you see?"
"Of course." He chuckled. "Why wouldn't I?" He slowly walked over t where she stood, and peered into the mirror. His face fell. "What is this?!?" He turned to her in horror. "It's so disgusting. Why do you want me to love a creature that lives in this puddle?"
"It's..." Fujio turned away. "The real me. The me you are blind to see. Tell me prince, can you really love 'that' me? Despite my heart of pure gold?"
"I don't....know..." He turned away, acting disappointed.
"And just like that. All men are the same. You don't love me. Be gone..." She cried out.
He had failed in the story. He nodded, and silently walked off the stage towards the right wing. As soon as he got off that stage, he could feel an unpleasant chill rush down his spine, making him twitch. He watched Fujio carefully from behind the curtain, as she acted the look of despair.
"Is she really acting? It almost seems too real." He remarked softly to himself. He was almost too amazed that Fujio could act. What made her so different, was how he wasn't able to distinguish if she was either acting or being realistic. He would gaze into her honey brown eyes, trying to read her mind.
"Wow, Fukae-kun!!" Fuuko rushed to his side. He hadn't noticed her approach from being so lost in thought. She continued to praise him. "You did so wonderful up there! I wish I can act like you and Fujio."
Akira never took his eyes off Fujio. He only nodded. "Don't be so dumb. Everyone can do it. It's not that great though."
"I'm sorry." She bowed. This time he looked down at her, staring into her rose-colored eyes. She smiled sweetly at him. "Fukae-kun, it doesn't matter. I think you did very well. Is something bothering you?" She tilted her head a little out of curiosity and waited.
"Kuzuha."
"Yeah?"
"Um...I don't really know what it is. My heart..." He places his hand over his chest. "It gets really warm around..."
"Fujio-chan?"
"..." He looked down, almost too embarassed to reply. "She won't forgive me."
"Fukae-kun...you worry too much. You shouldn't be afraid to tell the person you love how you feel, despite the fear of rejection."
He turned to her in surprise.
She continued. "You can always learn from your past and where to start anew. If you dwell on the past, then I guess you could say things wouldn't turn out so great."
"But then what about you?"
"Me?" She giggled. "You don't need to worry about me. I love my Hibiki-sensei. I don't care if he was my sensei or man or woman. I just know my heart lies there waiting for him when he finally returns."
"Kuzuha..."
She smiled again at him. "Fukae-kun, don't be afraid to follow your heart. It always seems to be hard or some. If you could confess your love to me even thoough I was always so clumsy or stupid, and you weren't afraid to follow your heart then, what makes it any different now?
"Hey, Fuuko!!"
"Oh..." Fuuko spun around to greet her friends. "Miho! I was just congratulating Fukae-kun. I'm coming." She went after Miho, leaving Akira alone once more. He sat there for a while in thought. He often took a quick glance at Fujio, who was still acting the 'sad' scene on stage. She went on.
"There is no hope for a girl like me. I am cursed with the other me unless someone were to love me despite what they see. Is it too much to ask? Is it?"
"No..." Thought Akira to himself. "It isn't too much. I wish there was someway...some easy way to tell you."
"Just one more night to go!" Thought Fujio to herself, feeling very grateful. "This practice is just too much for me."
Fuuko ran after Fujio who had already went ahead in her own little direction after rehearsal. Tomorrow was the big day for the entire school, especially for her class. Everyone seemed to be nervous.
"Wait, Fujio!!" Fujio stopped to meet Fuuko who almost vainly fell to the ground trying to catch her breathe. After moments of waiting, she quickly stood up. In her small hands was a package she held up towards Fujio. She smiled widely and pushed it a little towards her. "It's for you. I hope you like it. I spent last night working really hard on it!"
Fujio felt her eyes grow big. She stared into Fuuko's eyes. Fuuko-chan was always so nice and thoughtful. She never really thought about herself first. She was always going out of her way for others. Especially Fujio, who seemed to be that one friend who had been there the most for her. She thrived for a wonderful friendship. You could almost say that these two months made Fuuko and Fujio the best of friends. Fuujio carefully took the package in her frail hands. She immediately threw her arms around Fuuko, tightly embracing her. "Thank you so much!!"
Fuuko only smiled and left rather quickly, before Fujio could say anymore. Fujio watched Fuuko fade away. She clutched the package tightly in her arms. She hadn't notice Akira watching her from a distance. However, he pretended not to care.