When you wake up, you never open your eyes immediately. They remain closed for the first seconds. At that moment, you think that whatever dream you just had really happened, no matter how illogic it was. And when you finally open your eyes, you're inside your own room, or wherever it was that you remember to have laid yourself to rest, and realize that whatever just happened was just a dream. With me, that was usually the case. But this time it was different.
I woke up, thinking that the fight was only moments ago. I felt pain, but I assumed it was because I've been lying in my bed in the same position the whole night. And when I finally opened my eyes, I could still feel pain. And even though I couldn't really see as much as I should, I saw enough to conclude that I was in some kind of infirmary. Bottom line is: it wasn't a dream, although I wished it was.
Couldn't help noticing someone was sitting beside my bed. That someone called for someone else. Or at least I think so, since it was Japanese I heard. In any event, I was sure It was Talim I heard.
"Are you okay?"
I tried to answer, but even trying to speak hurts. I heard another voice, of which I can only assume it was the doctor: "Don't try to speak now! Or at least not for another day, or you will become a mute."
He then said something else to Talim, and maybe even gave me some morphine, I wouldn't know. All I do know is that he left the room shortly after.
Talim seemed to have quite some things to say: "Don't worry! They said you won't suffer from any permanent damage. And I'm sorry that this happened! They usually never allow any outsiders inside their compound, unless they came to fight, or to gamble. You were no fighter, nor did you have any money, and they didn't believe me when I said you didn't come here looking for trouble. And now you're lying here."
Yes I am, I thought to myself. Lying here because the Manji clan was a little paranoid.
"Look at it from the bright sight!" she tried to cheer me up, "Nobody expected you to win this fight, so all bets were against you! You're unsuspected victory earned us a lot of money!"
I was about to ask how much, but then I remember I shouldn't be speaking right now.
"Also, the clan has nothing but respect for you now. Especially Yoshimitsu! You exceeded all expectations. I even wonder where you've learned that jump kick you did!"
In fairness, I ignored the TV's 'Don't try this at home' warning. That's how I learned it.
"They did not even hesitate when I asked them to break into the police station!"
I understand why they wouldn't. Question is, how did they know where to break in?
"Unfortunately, you didn't have a chance to tell me where to look. But they thought that if the police is involved, then there should be something about it in the newspapers. It almost went wrong then, because I hadn't told them you were more or less involved with Yumi's death. But Yoshimitsu convinced them to carry on."
In other words, that two or more fragments less for us to find.
"But now it had been better if they didn't. The fragments were already stolen."
Very well: that's two or more fragments less to worry about.
There was a short moment of silence. I think Talim expected me to say something as an answer to what she just told me.
"I'd better let you rest now." she said as she rubbed my arm. I remember that quite clearly because I could actually feel myself getting red. Talim didn't really seem to have noticed, or so she made it seem. But she was right, I needed to rest. When I did, there were some questions that popped up in my head, to which she hadn't really given me any answer yet.
