Kichi was tossing restlessly in her sleep. Dreams had been tormenting her for the past month, leaving her very deprived of sleep. The dreams were vague at best, but the feeling of terror and pain were very clear. Clear enough that the feelings remained with her throughout the next day, robbing her of any rest she could get then.
Finally her eyes opened and she sat up. There would be no sleeping for her tonight. Moaning loudly, Kichi got up off of the couch and walked over to the window. She was still getting used to not seeing the mountains whenever she looked outside, since she had moved into Densan City temporarily at the request of her great-grandmother. Something was going to happen, and it was going to happen soon, said both the Seer and Kichi's own visions. It all had something to do with the events that had started two years ago, and had led up to Netto being stabbed. It was far from over, the visions said, but they offered no clue as to when or how it was going to continue. Or how it would end. To many possibilities for her gift to show her anything that far ahead, it seemed.
"This is driving me mad!" Kichi exclaimed, punching the wall. The noise startled Skunk-chan, who had been curled up in a basket underneath the coffee table. Yawning the skunk got up and trotted over to Kichi, rubbing up against the young woman's leg like a cat. Kichi opened her eyes and looked down and the little beast and smiled a bit.
"Sorry, there, Skunk-chan. Didn't mean to scare you like that."
Who says you scared me? the skunk thought to Kichi. I've seen bears more frightening than you.
"Right...You're not afraid of a bear, but you were scared of Enzan's hair," Kichi retorted. Skunk-chan hissed softly.
I was not scared! Just startled. And this is besides the point. The point is that you are frustrated because you can't find that thing that attacked the boy.
"Damnit! We've looked everywhere! There just isn't any sign of anything wrong, and my visions don't show me anything useful!"
Maybe you're looking to hard, Skunk-chan said, licking one of her paws. Or maybe you're just looking at it the wrong way.
That was a concept that hadn't occurred to Kichi before. It wasn't something she was used to thinking about.
"So what would you suggest, oh wise spirit?" She asked sarcastically.
Skunk-chan gave Kichi a pointed look and went back to her basket. If the visions won't come to you, you go to them, simple as that. You have the gift to speak with the spirits, use it. Now if you don't mind, I am going back to sleep.
Kichi sighed as she watched the skunk curl back up for her nap. If only she could do the same. But the little furball was right about one thing, she couldn't give up just yet. Not until this thing was truly over, and she could feel that was going to be a long ways off.
*****
The next time Netto woke up it was morning, and the sun was shining brightly. It reflected off of the snow that had piled up on the windowsill, making the light even brighter. Yawning loudly, the boy sat up and looked around. The room was empty and quiet, as usual. But not for long. Once the nurse saw that he was awake she walked off, returning with Enzan in tow.
"Enzan!" Netto exclaimed happily.
"Hi, Netto. I was beginning to wonder if you would ever wake up. Its well past noon."
"I was tired!" Netto protested.
Enzan smiled. "I know. I was just saying that it was late. But Rockman told us that you didn't fall asleep till late."
"No offence, but you don't look like you've been sleeping well either," Netto replied.
It was true. Enzan looked about as tired as Netto felt, which was saying something.
"I haven't slept to well the past few weeks," Enzan admitted.
"How come?"
Enzan shrugged. "Nightmares, nothing to worry about though. I'm more worried about you and the fact that you haven't healed yet."
Netto sighed and leaned back against his pillow. "You and everyone else. I'm just tired of being stuck in here. I just want to go home."
"I know. Just be patient. That wound has to heal sometime."
Before Netto could reply, Enzan's Pet beeped. He took it out and looked at it for a moment. From his expression Netto knew that Enzan wasn't pleased with the news.
"What's wrong?" Netto asked.
"Nothing, my father needs me back at the company for a meeting," Enzan sighed. "I'll come back as soon as its over, okay?"
"Fine by me. I won't be going anywhere," Netto snorted.
Enzan nodded and left the room, leaving Netto alone again. With nothing better to do, the boy lay back down and closed his eyes. Surprisingly enough, considering that he couldn't find get to sleep easily last night, he fell asleep very quickly today.
*****
Ah, good, the brat was asleep again. Nomde grinned. The boy was so much easier to tap into when he was asleep. That other bond seemed to be less alert at the time as well, not that Nomde was going to underestimate that any time soon. No need to have his plans set awry again.
So far his plans were going exceedingly well. Kyan, the human that had agreed to work for him, was both clever and quick in her work. He had just talked to her last night, and already she had gathered much of the data he needed to make his plan work, and would begin installing it as soon as she got into the SciLabs. A difficult chore to be sure, but from what Chhaya had told him, Kyan was an expert thief and could get into any place undetected. Whether or not this was just prideful boasting had yet to be seen. If she did get in unnoticed he would reward her greatly; if not, he would simply find someone else to do his bidding. All he had to do for now was bide his time. And time was something he had pleanty of.
Finally her eyes opened and she sat up. There would be no sleeping for her tonight. Moaning loudly, Kichi got up off of the couch and walked over to the window. She was still getting used to not seeing the mountains whenever she looked outside, since she had moved into Densan City temporarily at the request of her great-grandmother. Something was going to happen, and it was going to happen soon, said both the Seer and Kichi's own visions. It all had something to do with the events that had started two years ago, and had led up to Netto being stabbed. It was far from over, the visions said, but they offered no clue as to when or how it was going to continue. Or how it would end. To many possibilities for her gift to show her anything that far ahead, it seemed.
"This is driving me mad!" Kichi exclaimed, punching the wall. The noise startled Skunk-chan, who had been curled up in a basket underneath the coffee table. Yawning the skunk got up and trotted over to Kichi, rubbing up against the young woman's leg like a cat. Kichi opened her eyes and looked down and the little beast and smiled a bit.
"Sorry, there, Skunk-chan. Didn't mean to scare you like that."
Who says you scared me? the skunk thought to Kichi. I've seen bears more frightening than you.
"Right...You're not afraid of a bear, but you were scared of Enzan's hair," Kichi retorted. Skunk-chan hissed softly.
I was not scared! Just startled. And this is besides the point. The point is that you are frustrated because you can't find that thing that attacked the boy.
"Damnit! We've looked everywhere! There just isn't any sign of anything wrong, and my visions don't show me anything useful!"
Maybe you're looking to hard, Skunk-chan said, licking one of her paws. Or maybe you're just looking at it the wrong way.
That was a concept that hadn't occurred to Kichi before. It wasn't something she was used to thinking about.
"So what would you suggest, oh wise spirit?" She asked sarcastically.
Skunk-chan gave Kichi a pointed look and went back to her basket. If the visions won't come to you, you go to them, simple as that. You have the gift to speak with the spirits, use it. Now if you don't mind, I am going back to sleep.
Kichi sighed as she watched the skunk curl back up for her nap. If only she could do the same. But the little furball was right about one thing, she couldn't give up just yet. Not until this thing was truly over, and she could feel that was going to be a long ways off.
*****
The next time Netto woke up it was morning, and the sun was shining brightly. It reflected off of the snow that had piled up on the windowsill, making the light even brighter. Yawning loudly, the boy sat up and looked around. The room was empty and quiet, as usual. But not for long. Once the nurse saw that he was awake she walked off, returning with Enzan in tow.
"Enzan!" Netto exclaimed happily.
"Hi, Netto. I was beginning to wonder if you would ever wake up. Its well past noon."
"I was tired!" Netto protested.
Enzan smiled. "I know. I was just saying that it was late. But Rockman told us that you didn't fall asleep till late."
"No offence, but you don't look like you've been sleeping well either," Netto replied.
It was true. Enzan looked about as tired as Netto felt, which was saying something.
"I haven't slept to well the past few weeks," Enzan admitted.
"How come?"
Enzan shrugged. "Nightmares, nothing to worry about though. I'm more worried about you and the fact that you haven't healed yet."
Netto sighed and leaned back against his pillow. "You and everyone else. I'm just tired of being stuck in here. I just want to go home."
"I know. Just be patient. That wound has to heal sometime."
Before Netto could reply, Enzan's Pet beeped. He took it out and looked at it for a moment. From his expression Netto knew that Enzan wasn't pleased with the news.
"What's wrong?" Netto asked.
"Nothing, my father needs me back at the company for a meeting," Enzan sighed. "I'll come back as soon as its over, okay?"
"Fine by me. I won't be going anywhere," Netto snorted.
Enzan nodded and left the room, leaving Netto alone again. With nothing better to do, the boy lay back down and closed his eyes. Surprisingly enough, considering that he couldn't find get to sleep easily last night, he fell asleep very quickly today.
*****
Ah, good, the brat was asleep again. Nomde grinned. The boy was so much easier to tap into when he was asleep. That other bond seemed to be less alert at the time as well, not that Nomde was going to underestimate that any time soon. No need to have his plans set awry again.
So far his plans were going exceedingly well. Kyan, the human that had agreed to work for him, was both clever and quick in her work. He had just talked to her last night, and already she had gathered much of the data he needed to make his plan work, and would begin installing it as soon as she got into the SciLabs. A difficult chore to be sure, but from what Chhaya had told him, Kyan was an expert thief and could get into any place undetected. Whether or not this was just prideful boasting had yet to be seen. If she did get in unnoticed he would reward her greatly; if not, he would simply find someone else to do his bidding. All he had to do for now was bide his time. And time was something he had pleanty of.
