The color never washed out, to hers and Sam's gross confusion. Well...she wasn't THAT confused as to why her hair never regained its normal color. If anything, the blue tint seemed to intensify a little and she had no clue whether that was from the sun or not.
Her eyes also remained brown. They were a deep chocolate that was very beautiful in its own right, though they weren't hers.
These changes were hard to get used to when she looked in the mirror every morning. She looked at the heavy mane on her back and entertained thoughts of chopping her hair to its original shoulder-length, but something always forcefully pushed that thought away.
Whether intuition or not she didn't know.
It was almost getting out of hand. She pretty much begrudgingly accepted the fact her hair and eyes would never mutate back. Anyone looking at her would've thought she was going through a phase, but she knew better. If this was a stage, it wasn't her doing.
Not with the other dreams she had.
They came more and more and were from the second girl's life. She saw the girl from the first life there on occasion, but the view wasn't split as it was the primary viewing.
She watched them all, trying to find meaning. Some of them seemed important and many had interesting – occasionally crucial – things happen.
Her dreams revolved around this one small group this girl traveled with. She could tell the relationship to each by sensing the emotions when the girl looked to an individual. She felt them as if they were her own and it was too baffling to understand.
Her life had gone topsy-turvy in such a short amount of time it was amazing to imagine the dull routine she once held. She barely daydreamed the routines performed, or the lack emotions felt anymore.
When sleeping, she experienced many of the emotions sensed from the girl, which wasn't anything important. But during the day, she felt compelled to act them out. Something inside told her not to be so cold and show more...and she did without thought half the time.
Part of her wanted to scream to the world her troubles, to get this out and tell someone of the hysteria in her mind. But the other half – for some screwed up reason – didn't think this was anything bad.
There was almost a sense of déjà vu and THAT was screwed up!
Her hand dropped the pencil into the textbook and moved to massage her shoulder. It was aching lately and she didn't know what to do to get it gone. She tried soaking it in hot water - not a good thing with fall temperatures somewhere in the seventies - and enlisted ice packs to shrink the muscles.
Nothing was working.
She kept taking pain killers for it, but those had little to no effect...course simple aspirin wasn't going to help with something like this.
She figured during a spell or bad sleeping position, she might've dislocated it, but the pain came and went. She had full rotation of the joint and the spot seemed to burn when most intense.
It kept her up at night until she was too tired to stand it and drifted to sleep not of her own violation. The dreams occasionally accompanied that pain, which she figured hurt during her slumber too.
As odd as her missing sleep was, she didn't lack energy during the day. That was a small perk for she was still deep into fall classes and had tests and homework to do. She couldn't afford to be slacking off.
She rotated her arm in experimentation, cringing a little at the lingering pain, working on ignoring it again. She had to finish this chapter, as she was ten pages behind in notes.
That wouldn't have been possible for a bookworm like her if all this hadn't happened. If anything, she would've been ten pages AHEAD.
She was so annoyed at being behind and the odd part was, even if ten pages weren't that big a deal, it seemed inexcusable. The idea of being far behind to grossly far behind wasn't an option.
She had no idea what drove her to think that way.
She was always on top of homework ever since she had it. It was something to focus on and an out from life. That notion was still there, though she had an odd inclination during some part of her life she was so far behind to the point of failing.
When she couldn't remember, but that nagging theory persisted.
The ache hadn't settled five pages later and she decided enough was enough. Pushing back the chair, she dropped the mechanical pencil in the spine and left her books open. She made for the kitchen and another ice pack, hoping to numb her shoulder from cold instead of pain.
She draped it over the muscle, feeling the effects on bare skin. She yelped and grit her teeth, knowing direct contact helped more than wrapping it in a towel.
Her bed sounded really good right now and a nap sounded better. She headed upstairs and plopped onto the mattress. A hand moved the pad a few inches lower to be directly over the wound and stared at the ceiling. Her eyes drifted low and remained closed for a few minutes until her head lolled to the side.
She saw this battle before, but it wasn't as detailed as she was watching now. It was still through someone else's eyes, but emotions and physical details were there more than the first time.
The other girl to the group was angry at this man, positively enraged. She knew of the reason, but right now it was out of grasp. A large weapon the size of her body was cause for a few questions – like how the hell a girl a few inches taller than herself could lift something that looked so heavy??
The boy with raven hair had a suspicious, radical power that tickled recognition in her brain. She watched some kind of suction come from his hand before the view turned and she lost it. Using this dream girl for answers, she could feel a great power coming from him. He could've been a sorcerer or warlock with that much!
Of the young redhead boy she gained the impression of fierce protection toward. Noting the infant size was easy to see why, but watching him try to fight against the enemy in question was misleading to his innocence. There was determination and a weak power there...two things she knew could develop given time.
The adorable cat viewed in the first dream was now the size of a large horse and she mentally balked at that. There was no fear or confusion from the host, and she theorized the different size was normal. Fire came from its paws and tails – two tails, how strange! – and it looked incredibly fearsome at this moment.
The other boy, the one most of this girl's emotions went to, fought harder than the rest. She avidly watched when the view was stable, taking in the hatred and rage in his eyes.
What did he have to be so angry over? What did this enemy, surrounded by a small group of lackeys, do to him to make him so?
She sifted through the girl's emotions, feeling a spectator in this dream, and touched a good amount of anger, determination, worry, and...LOVE?
So this girl was in love with someone...and judging from the worry that flared with the white-haired boy, she was betting it was him.
She was taken aback when catching a glimpse at his eyes, surprised yet again.
They were the gold set she saw so often in her dreams. She peered at his visage when able and saw shaggy bangs that covered the eyes.
This was the same boy!
The battle raged on, voices taunting and angry. Magic was thrown out, along with weapons. She wondered about this girl's position in this battle, as she was off to the sidelines half the time or being scooped up by the boy and taken to safety.
At least until a weight on a shoulder was noticed and suddenly an arrow was notched in her sight.
She was astounded at the flare of power – mostly for being able to sense it – and watched a pink light shoot from the thin arrow and embedded itself into some tentacle thing heading for one of the friends.
This girl was an archer, just like the first. And a rather good archer by the scream of pain and Japanese that filtered her ears. She compiled this with everything else to compare and contrast later on.
First the split vision between the two and now the archery. She had to admit, they had the same eye color and shade of hair – right down to the blue tint.
And she looked like this girl whose life she was viewing...did that mean the two looked alike too??
She never saw the first girl until the vision split and the two were together. This girl seemed to harbor resentment, sadness, and a little irritation to the other.
She also remembered they looked fairly similar despite skin tone, hair length, and clothing.
So what did that mean for her then? If she looked like this girl – not of her own violation – did that mean they were together somehow? And did that mean she was together with the other girl too? Were they connected in a way?
But...this was just a dream. Albeit an ongoing, familiar-looking dream, it was still a dream. She knew she was asleep right now because, oddly enough, remembered lying on her back in her room. Why she was conscious of that right now didn't seem all that irregular, as she knew some people were aware they were dreaming. She could even feel the cold compress just below her collarbone.
A sudden, rather bad jolt of pain rose and she cringed against it. She paid attention to the view and was shocked at seeing one of those tentacle things rammed where her shoulder burned earlier.
WHAT THE HELL!?
The bow and arrow in the girl's hand dropped as she fell to her knees. The view shifted at the cries from the others and she hazily took in their cries of alarm and fear.
She didn't need to know the feel of the liquid sliding over the girl's body to know it was blood. It felt creepy and this was the part she wanted to wake up.
The sting was incredible. It shot through her arms, down her left leg, and invaded her head. It created the worst migraine behind her eyes and throbbing of her temples. It burned the same way her shoulder did and she wondered about this.
The extraction was even more painful than the insertion. More blood flowed as the view was strictly on the boy and his sword. It changed to some kind of crystal and diamond shards came from an odd attack he shouted out. The girl's weapon and the other boy's magic added simultaneously, giving the main enemy no way out.
With that body destroyed she thought it was over...but to one side was some little girl in white holding a child. It was impossible to think the infant hers, as they looked to be near the same age.
Another diamond blast went toward the two children, destroying both.
There was another young, rather evil-looking boy off to one side that gripped his chest and fell...though he was never touched.
In the end, they were all destroyed.
The girl with red eyes left almost immediately after it was assured the enemies were dead. She wondered why the menacing-looking girl didn't go as well, but she flew away with some sudden wind and made it impossible to touch.
As the others ran to her, she noticed the girl of their group cast an undecided look her way before heading in the direction of the slaughter. As the two boys crowded her vision, she peeked in between them and saw the girl clutch a young boy to her, cradling him almost mournfully.
There was sadness at that, and she assumed the boy to be dead. He brought some recollection, but she couldn't recall it.
Not much could be brought forth in memory due to pain clouding her senses and vision.
Hands covered both sides of the wound, but she barely felt it. The area was numbed drastically and cold to boot.
Definitely a bad sign.
Worried Japanese sprouted in her ears, but she didn't comprehend it. She knew she should've known what they were saying – having spent enough time at Inaki's, but it wasn't translating well enough. She felt she knew what was being said, but couldn't grasp it right now.
Everyone crowded around in a few seconds, showing identical gazes of extreme fear and worry. Though a great battle had been fought, and apparently won, there was no happiness.
This wound was too great, and she knew by taking a peek when the vision was on the sight. It was low enough to hit a few ribs and the top part of a lung...probably shoving one of the ribs into a lung and puncturing it. It was close enough to the sternum to possibly crack or break it. The fact that it exited clean out the back didn't help for any possibility of healing.
The girl apparently knew this.
The boy's face filled her vision. Gold that seemed to care for nothing now showed so many emotions directed to this girl. She felt sorrow and love in return and her wariness peaked.
This girl knew she was going to die.
It didn't seem fair and she felt the same way when she watched this the first time. These two were apparently very much in love – as she saw from their time together in past dreams – and deserved to be together.
Didn't everyone earn that chance?
---
Blackness ate her vision rather rapidly and all was total dark. She looked around, feeling like crying for the poor girl. So young and cut down so soon...
Do you remember now?
She jumped and whirled around. The feeling of not being alone shot a shiver up her spine. She turned a full circle a few times, finally noticing a small speck of soft light a ways away. The curiosity to see what it was propelled her forward until she circled it.
A simple, floor-length mirror was in front of her...the girl – no HER – staring back at her.
Did any of that seem familiar?
She shook a little, watching her lips move. The voice was the one heard in her waking hours and she longed to wake, still fully aware she was dreaming.
The face turned annoyed. You were never a coward before! What happened to that strength I saw in her? Where did you put that??
She was confused, but indignation sparked said strength to life. Her chin rose as she glared. "I have no clue what you're talking about...but you're the one that's screwing up my life aren't you??"
The image sighed and looked put out. It's not easy, but I know – I've been through this before.
"What do you WANT with me?! Isn't it enough you changed my looks?? Now you have to make me crazy too?!" She screeched, fists clenching.
Maa, maa. Hands waved as if to do that for the girl. Contrite eyes stared when they lowered. Yes I've done all that to you. I didn't have a right without asking... But you even said yourself, I was cut down too soon. Tears formed in sad brown eyes. I...I DO wish I could've had more time with him, but my carelessness got me that wound.
She wanted to feel sympathy, but here was the whole reason she was not herself and it was time to dish out some wrath. "YOU'RE the reason my shoulder's hurting, aren't you??"
Brown lowered, a small nod given. Unfortunately...yes. I wouldn't want you to relive that, but it's a side effect with everything coming back to you.
"Coming...back..." She mumbled, stupidly blinking.
The girl heaved a sigh, the put out look returning. If you were more educated, this would be SO much simpler...
She threw a look that said she was not amused in the slightest.
The bridge between you and me is crumbling. Soon it will be gone entirely and you'll know everything. What you saw is fragments. They won't make sense now and also because you're purposely ignoring them.
A cold chill of foreboding raced through her veins at those words. "This – this is...just a dream..." She whispered, eyes wide.
Then why are you conscious of it all? I know you can tell recognition with these. You've done all this before; you just don't want to accept it.
"I haven't!" She cried. "I'm not Japanese and I certainly don't speak the language! Inaki hasn't taught me and I haven't taken any semesters yet!"
You ARE. It's just being translated in your mind as English. I don't understand a lot of English myself, but you've given me total comprehension because you learned it. It's the same way with you and Japanese.
"Iie, atashi – " A hand slapped over her mouth, eyes impossibly wide. "Nihonjin o shitteru?? How is that possible?!" Her brow furrowed. "English now??"
You are only slipping languages because you don't believe. If you accept that you know Japanese, your mind will be in direct path with mine. The more you block me out, the worse it'll get.
"That doesn't make sense. I'm speaking in English, not Japanese! What the hell was that bit...and why did I understand it??"
The girl's eyes showed her annoyance in the way they seemed to flatten. You're almost denser than he is! But...that's to be supposed with the merging I guess...
Her brow rose. "Merging?"
It's too complicated for you to grasp. You wouldn't understand if you can't even empathize all I've shown you. The girl's arms crossed, exasperation continuing. You are more hard-headed than she ever was!
"She?"
Brown looked down again, an indescribable emotion there. Kikyou.
The name was like a chain reaction, same as the jewel. A hand clutched her head as pain filled it. Memories burst, more than what she saw from that first girl's life. These were her own, she KNEW they were!
Anger.
Resignation.
Determination.
Love.
Death.
An arrow.
Kaede.
Fire.
Miko.
Naraku...
Bleary brown opened, her body feeling as if it weighted a ton. She was exhausted and took a few deep breaths to calm down.
"That...was..."
Kikyou's memories. Not pleasant are they?
"That first girl! Those were hers!"
Yours. Yours and hers. But they're still yours.
Her mind whirled at a rapid pace, trying to make sense of it all. "You were in some of them. You two are...the same...how is that possible??"
The girl seemed to bristle, almost offended. I'm NOT Kikyou! She shouted. I had to explain it to him and I have to explain it to you! How many times am I going to keep repeating myself??
"But you said I'M her?? How does that differ from you and her...and me and you?"
The girl blinked before heaving a sigh. Very true. I like to ignore the obvious, but you make a valid point.
"Which is?"
I'm Kikyou. You're Kikyou. You're me. I'm you. And Kikyou is also you.
She stared. "Could you speak in less riddles and more facts? My head hurts enough as it is."
Brown rolled. It's not that hard to figure out! Mataku baka!
"Hey!" She shouted, scowling.
I'll explain questions, but I'm not teaching you EVERYTHING. I didn't get anything taught to me and if you bother sifting through MY memories for a change, you'll know some of the answers on your own. That or read up on the topic! You did a long time ago, but you scoffed the ideas. Don't be so quick to judge something you can't see!
The scowl deepened, though the girl was right. She knew what the girl mentioned, but she was going to have to do some more research.
"This is so confusing though..." She nearly whined, feeling her shoulder start to burn again.
It's only because you've never thought about this before. Once you look this stuff up, it'll make sense to you. The girl's irritation shifted as wariness entered a little. Your...shoulder...
She rotated said appendage, wincing a little. "Yea...it kinda hurts." Her gaze went the hand covering it. "I had an ice pack on it...but I guess you'd know wouldn't...you..."
The girl – who had on a pristine, white sailor's shirt – was now halfway stained in her own blood...a few inch wide hole glaring at her.
For her credit, the girl showed no pain. She did look a little worried though. This is not good, this is SO not good!
"WHAT?" A worse twinge grabbed her attention again. "Itai! That hurts!! What the hell are you doing to me??"
I'm not doing anything! Like I said, this is a side effect...I'VE got nothing to with it! I wish it didn't turn out like this, but it is. I don't know what to do to help you though. You're stuck.
"Stuck?! What do you MEAN stuck?? I can't keep feeling this pain!" The hand clutching her shoulder tightened. The sensation in her left hand was fading. She glared. "You're in charge here – stop this!"
Her twin's left hand rose, streaks of blood lining the fingers. I CAN'T! How many times am I going to have to say that?? When you viewed the last battle, you got the blow too! I can't stop that – I'm not that powerful.
Her eyes were hurting as pain made them tingle. Up to her elbow was numb and her left foot was starting to get the same way. She looked at the sight again, expecting blood, and seeing none. "Why...I don't...get it..."
Her right lifted off the shoulder to grab her twin, desperate for anything at this point. Shaking fingers neared the mirror, but instead of touching cool glass...went right through it.
The surface rippled and the girl's vision distorted.
She tilted, getting the sensation of falling...though there was no up or down in such pitch. Her heart pounded in her ears, mixing with ringing. Above all that, she heard the barest of comforting whispers.
Gomen...
It took a few days to find the book report, as she had it filed away with all the textbooks in her bin. In any good paper, one added a complete bibliography to get a good grade...but that helped more than she thought. It allowed her to find the same book in the library and, from a bit of good luck and fate, it wasn't checked out.
"Why don't we remember our past lives? We do remember! The recognition of friends and familiar places, our particular interests, talents, convictions, and prejudices are our soul's remembrance. Details of the past slip away as they do in this life. Platonists assure us, however, that through discipline and persistence we can develop our higher faculties and attain that 'mystical insight' that enables us to see what was and what will be. It is simply a matter of recollection.
'The soul then, as being immortal, and having been born many times, having seen all things that exist - whether in this world or in the world below - has knowledge of them all. It is no wonder that she should be able to call to remembrance all she ever knew about virtue, and about everything. As all nature is akin and the soul has learned all things, there is no difficulty in her eliciting - or as men say learning - out of a single recollection all the rest, if a man is strenuous and does not faint. For all inquiry and all learning is but recollection.'—Plato"
That little recap spurred her to find other books, mostly in Japanese thought and rebirth.
"Through training our mind in meditation, we can eventually develop a profound level of concentration and we shall then be able to verify the truth of rebirth through our own experience. Until then, however, the only way we can understand rebirth is to rely on reasons such as those presented in Buddha's teachings.
If we believe Buddha's teachings on rebirth and act in accordance with the law of karma, gradually our mental capacity will increase until eventually we shall directly perceive our past and future lives. But, if we stubbornly deny the existence of reincarnation and karma we shall not make the effort to train our mind and so we shall never know rebirth through our own experience."
-----
"You believe in this stuff K?"
Her nose wrinkled and she sighed. "Not a bit. But then, I don't really believe in any of those gods I hear so much about in any religion, and that all comes with it I guess."
"That's the problem with youth. You don't believe anything you can't see."
"It's not that I don't believe what's in front of me. But how can one person be someone else after they die? Do you know what that means...scientifically? There would be no new souls on this earth; everyone would just keep cycling into new lives after they die and this world would be comprised of nothing but the same people for thousands of years."
Those were her own words. But now, with all that happened in one year, she had to think of them in a different light.
She knew the general principles of heaven and hell, as Sam was Catholic. The girl wasn't devout, but the love for god was there and she often heard a few things from Missy when at the Merth household.
Her words seemed pretty technical at the time. How COULD one person be someone else after they died? How and when would they be reborn? What kind of life would they have? Why didn't they remember anything from the other?
You know...you're reading too much into this...
She gasped and vertigo hit. It was thankfully mild, but instead of the world shaking, the view of the library changed entirely.
"I will take the Shikon no Tama to the other world."
"You have it don't you. I won't let you go...Shikon no Tama..."
"You resemble...Kikyou-oneesama...."
'From inside of me!?'
"As I thought, she had it hidden in her body."
The jumble of images and different voices receded. The hands covering her face loosened a bit, mostly because the twinge in her shoulder returned.
Her fingers peeked open as she ventured a glance, and found a few people staring at her in wonder. She went beet red in question at what she might've said and fixed her glance at the pages.
'I saw those things before. I know I did! They were from that second girl's life...'
And Kikyou's. The first voice you heard was Kikyou's.
'GET OUT OF MY HEAD!'
There was a distinct feeling of irritation. You're me and I'm you! I CAN'T and I won't!
Tears pricked her eyes. 'Why won't you just go away and leave me in peace?? What did I do to deserve this??'
You didn't do anything. You were merely born like this. If you'd accept me, you'd be a complete person.
More riddles...
This was more agonizing than it needed to be. She was doing way more thinking than wanted.
She didn't want to review all this. It wasn't important in her mind when she was given the topic so long ago. It was ridiculous back then.
She had the biggest urge to sit there and cry her heart out. She hadn't shed a tear since this happened, even if fear ran rampant ever since.
'I just want my old life back! Why do I have to go through all this?!'
Thankfully, there was no comment. Did her suffering spark compassion in the voice to leave her alone for a while?
"It's already been two days since I came here. Somehow...I've got to go home..."
There was the same thread of worry and fear in that hesitant memory. Sounds and smells returned as the recollection passed.
You're not alone in your thoughts. Traipse through my memories – you know you've gone through this before.
She felt helpless. How did someone beat back a presence in their mind?? 'Please...go away...'
A tear started spilling over her lashes and, mortified someone would see, she swiped it away. She came to stark reality with that and knew here wasn't the place to delve through this mess.
'I don't want to be someone else just because they want me to concede my body and mind!' Anger sparked in jealous possession of the only things she really had as she stood and made to put the books away. 'I may not have much or be much in my life, but it's MINE! I don't want to let someone else be in control of me again...doing things to me that I wouldn't consent to...'
She nearly stomped outside by the time she was done. The information was a help to some of what she was told and she learned a lot, but rejected it.
'I will NOT be ruled!!'
The presence in her mind made itself known, probably to make another comment, but she stopped and brown squeezed shut. She concentrated on finding the thing in her head and mentally shoved it away as much as possible.
There was a cry of surprise before all was silent and the only thing in her ears was the wind of this world.
She gained a rather large, perverted sense of satisfaction at feeling more like herself and the only person in her body. An almost evil smile tipped her lips as she started off, feeling more confident than when inside.
Her shoulder was still in pain during the ride home, but an odd thing happened that never had before.
It itched.
Before, it always burned with growing intensity which took a while to fade. The notion of this was odd, but she couldn't help the urge to scratch. She was currently doing so and trying to click the lock to her bike, which was rather difficult.
She didn't want to stop just to make sure her trusty ride was safe and sound. She had a feeling the sight wouldn't be appeased for even a few seconds.
This had to be as bad as hives, even if she never had hives. Chicken pox or something...though she never had that either. She worked the lock with both hands, having to scratch harder to get the prickling to go back to a lower level.
She headed to the bathroom, finding Sam's door open and the girl sitting on the floor. She was going to stop and ask what her friend was doing on the floor, but this was more important.
She pulled the tank top's strap aside and turned toward the afternoon sunlight, craning her head to her collarbone.
Brown widened in shock.
There was some kind of horrific scar and it was a rather angry red. It looked about the size of a dollar coin.
This was unquestionably scar tissue, and looked old...very old. Like she got the wound, it healed, and now she was stuck with it.
She wondered where the ants-crawling-on-skin sensation was coming from if it was this age. She headed for another ice pack, knowing cold would take the burning down some, and hopefully get some of the red gone.
Perhaps it was the tissue itself that was so bothersome. She knew over time scars, when the skin stretched in growth, could have this happen. But, she never got into such things as broken bones or scars – definitely not anything like this! – in her life.
She reached to open the freezer with her left hand, as she still couldn't remove nails from their task, and an incredible twinge of pain nearly dropped her. She hissed at it and made her arm immobile, pressing it against her side.
THIS was new...
There had never been THAT kind of pain before...just a burning sensation, as if her shoulder was on fire.
She shuffled for a chair and plopped down, hunching over. She forced nails to stop irritating the skin, as it was probably attributing to the redness, and settled for rubbing the pads of her fingers over it. Contact seemed to be needed or it would get out of hand.
Her heart thundered in her ears. Brown squeezed shut as she tried to keep taking deep breaths. She beat this before through strength of will, she could do it again.
A drum of lightheadedness gained force and irritation rose. 'What do you want now?' She bit out.
Stop shutting me out! Came the weak retort.
She didn't reply, trying to save energy, when the phone suddenly rang. She didn't want to get up to get it, but if she didn't, Sam would come downstairs and see her like this. Worrying the poor girl wasn't part of her agenda.
She grabbed it with her right hand, not wanting to chance another fridge incident, and cradled it in her healthy shoulder as much as possible. "Hello?"
"Long time no talk."
She blinked, momentarily at a loss for words. All movement ceased. "Inaki...hey..."
There was a small, almost stunned pause on the other end. "Is that all you've got to say?" He nearly retorted. "You haven't called or written in a month! I was worried – especially what happened when you were over here!"
She leaned against the wall, trying not to touch either shoulder in fear of pain or dropping the phone. Her brow furrowed, hardly hearing to him as the other mind seemed to be listening, making her rather wary. "I thought...we were past the letter stage by now..." She muttered.
There was another small pause. "You okay? You sound odd."
"What...makes you say that?"
"Because you can't say an entire sentence without pausing. What's going on??"
She tried to swallow and found her mouth dry. This was the last person she wanted to have concerned for her welfare. He had been so caring and fretful in the beginning and now that they were dating, she wanted him to see her and not her problems.
A sense of shock and elation surged through her, but it wasn't her own.
I - I don't...believe it... That's him! He's alive! He's here!!
She added exasperation to the happy emotions, ignoring the device on her shoulder. 'What are you talking about?? You have yet to see Inaki except for my memories.'
I don't need to see him to know him. Came the proud response. When you're in love with someone, you can pick them out of a crowded room.
More riddles! She would've found some way to do bodily harm if this was a different person. 'Stop being so damn frustrating! Why can't you spit it out?!'
The elation dimmed to a sense of pouting, but resignation. You wouldn't know who I'm talking about, even though you've seen his other form. If you'd pay attention and not shut me out so you could understand the words of my memories, you'd know. This voice is Inuyasha's!
"Inu...yasha?"
"WHAT did you say??"
She startled and nearly dropped the phone.
Her teeth clenched at the jostle to her injury. That didn't do it any good and even the touch of her fingers wasn't soothing it anymore. She moved for the fridge again, unable to anything but cover it with her hand in fragile hopes it would do some good.
"Did you just speak in Japanese?? Where did you pick that up K?? I haven't taught you. Are you taking classes?"
How did she answer that? She didn't want to lie, but if she did, he would want details and she couldn't provide anything by creating more lies.
She ventured removing her palm and the sting wasn't happy about that. She cringed and yanked the freezer door open. "No...I - I don't know. It kind of...came to me..."
Draping the compact over the muscle seemed to have little effect. She yelped at the direct contact, unable to hide it.
"What ARE you doing over there? Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm...fine..." She grit out. Her head was starting to spin and although all the blood was rushing to the arm at her side, she couldn't feel it. "I...just – I'm kind of having a bad time..."
Let me talk to him! PLEASE give me control!!
'NO! If you think I'm going to let him think I've gone total Schizoid, YOU'RE crazy!'
But...he's the reason why I awakened! I've waited so long to see him. Please – I HAVE to let him know I'm okay!
'He won't recognize you!' She retorted, hearing Inaki talking in her ear. She was trying to concentrate on two different voices, one confused and the other pleading. It was tearing her patience to threads and aggravating her. The pain in her shoulder, which wasn't lessening with the aid, was not helping any.
I've seen him in your memories and I know his forms. You've seen his human side – he's still himself!
'Whoever the hell you're talking about I wouldn't know. And this guy is NOT Inuyasha.' She insisted. 'Even if you think he's some guy from your life, he couldn't be. Didn't you say yourself the bridges between us were crumbling? Do you expect him to be someone else like you're trying to make me be??'
There was a thread of silence from the voice, even if Inaki's turned insistent at her ignoring him.
Maybe...maybe I can jog his memory with my voice. Yours is close, but still not mine. I would get my own voice back if you would just let me have control –
"NO!" She shouted.
Silence prevailed on both sides. "K? What was that?"
Great...that was spoken out loud...and rather noisily at that.
"K?? You okay down there?"
Brown ventured in the vicinity of the upstairs, but Sam wasn't in sight.
She couldn't think with two people badgering her for answers and the concern of her roommate looming ever-present.
He woke me up when you two were... There was embarrassment, but she forced herself from feeling it. That was the gap that needed to be linked. He woke me up...he needs me! Let me back to him!
"Kalie...come on babe, talk to me!"
"Hey chica...you still downstairs?"
Footsteps sounded and a thread of dread hit. That was all she needed was Sam to see her talking to Inaki and the voice in her head.
That'd go over REAL well.
'Mental asylum here I come...' She retorted.
Her free hand gripped her head. It was starting to ache as result of the wound, along with her neck, torso, arms, and legs. Her hand was entirely numb and a quick glance found it paler than usual despite it hanging in the air. Her toes were tingling in foreboding of becoming as dead as her hand.
She needed some time to lie down, take a few deep breaths, and get everyone to stop crowding her. She couldn't deal with so much at once!
"Chica...you look like crap you know that?"
"Kalie you're scaring me – come on now!"
I'll take control if I have to!
Fingers gripped black and pulled in anger. The thread to her patience snapped.
"Shut up!! ALL of you – fucking shut up and leave me ALONE!!"
There was a deathly stillness. She let the cordless drop from her shoulder and clack to the floor. Fatigue swept through her in a wave, and she nearly slid out of the chair.
The voice was irked, and the vertigo seemed to show it. She swayed a little, feeling the urge to pass out before she was sick.
"God chica – what's the matter with you??" Sam rushed over and hands touched her shoulders, which did more harm than good.
She shouted in pain and jerked away, off-balancing and falling from the chair. She landed on her back and pain exploded. Spots danced behind her eyes and she gasped. Tears of agony clouded her eyes and clung to her lashes.
She rolled to her stomach, hand gripping her shoulder as if to contain the sting. A fire seemed to burn throughout her entire body, that being the core. She whimpered against it, ignoring Sam's worried voice and the shouts of Inaki inches away.
Her body scrunched up as if to protect her. The presence in her mind was a little worried as well, though it didn't comfort her. If anything, the other mind had this same wound and knew what would happen. The girl being worried did nothing for her stress levels.
"Oh my god Kalie! What did you do to your shoulder?! Let go – you have to let go!!"
Something graced her fingers and tickled the hairs on her arm as it slid down. Brown peeked open as hands tried to pry hers away from the sight and widened at what she saw.
There was a gaping hole in her shoulder. Her fingers edged in when the skin broke and blood was pouring onto them.
Her entire left arm was now numb, and she couldn't feel her feet. Her gut was churning and she felt like she was going to be sick...if she had the strength to be. The world seemed fuzzy and not just because she was staring at opaque linoleum either.
"Kono itami wa..." She brokenly whispered.
Silence abounded from above as she was gently turned. Thankfully nothing poured out the back, which didn't make sense.
'It was both front and back. It should be bleeding from both...' She idly thought, hazy eyes staring at the ceiling light.
"God Kalie! What happened?!"
She could tell her friend was distraught and her good hand rose to touch the girl. "Sam-chan...shimpai shinai... Genki da..."
Sam snatched up the phone and pressed the on button, but a voice on the end stopped her as she tried to mindlessly dial 9-1-1.
"What the hell is going on over there?!"
"INAKI?? Oh god it's horrible! K's hurt! Hang up the phone so I can call the paramedics!!"
"WHAT?!" Brown widened to the point of pain. "What happened? How did she hurt herself?! Is she okay??"
"I don't know!" Sam yelled, eyes tearing over. "Get off this damn line! I need it or she won't be helped by any of us!!"
Sam pressed off, hoping the idiot would take the hint and heard the dial tone. She pressed the three numbers, feeling a small measure of relief to get a connection through. "Hello?? I need an ambulance right away! My friend is bleeding like crazy from a hole in her shoulder!"
"Calm down miss...we'll send someone right away, but we need to get your address."
"God hurry! I don't know if she'll make it!!"
I am a BEGINNER Japanese learner...so if these are not 100% correct...please let me know if you care to do so. I only have a web page to learn from, a dictionary, and a few months experience to work with.
Translations: Maa, maa-Kind of like calm down Iie, atashi-No, I Nihonjin o shitteru?-I know Japanese? Oneesama-Formal way of saying older sister Shikon no Tama-Jewel of four souls
Kono itami wa-This pain is