Seeing Truth

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Chapter 31:

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I didn't realize I was awake until the sound of someone calling my name had attracted my attention. I turned around and was greeted by Kado. I smiled and greeted him. He didn't return the gesture. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion and stepped forward. His face was blank as his eyes stared forward. I turned around to see what he had caught his attention. My back had been turned to where the ground earth had ended and where water began. I wanted to see more, but something drew me back, threw me off.

Everything faded into blackness except for the haunting face of a boy with wide red eyes. He stared at me as blood slowly oozed from his mouth. I watched as he fell to the floor silently. My chest heaved and I wanted to run, but I couldn't. It was like something was keeping me glued there and unable to move. Soon, another figured appeared. A boy with black hair younger than the other came into view. He knelt in front of the older looking one and leaned forward. The words weren't clear as he spoke, but I heard them no matter in what form.

"I will be back…" I heard the rasp no matter how muffled, "…and you all will pay… the girl, her friend…the hero… and even you, brother…" I could see the expression on Kenny's face, or maybe feel it. His back was towards me, but I knew he was worried- maybe afraid for once- I'm not sure. There was nothing more to be heard.

The scene in front of me faded, and I was now facing a small circular courtyard. A small moat rounded the edges of the grass. It only took a second to recognize this as Zelda's courtyard. Whispers edged the familiar voices that plagued my mind and I swirled around to see Link, Zelda, and Kenny standing in the middle. In Link's hand I noticed a small leather pouch as he dumped the contents into his other hand. If they were there, then where was I?

Not being able to scream or show any sign that I was in my human form was disturbing, but it was even harder when I realized the expression each and every one of them showed on their faces. It was as if something tormented them inside- as if something had been lost, but what? They had found all the Triforce pieces, and I had never been needed through it all, had I?

They slowly moved up the steps that led to the platform where there was a window that overlooked the throne room. They bent slowly, and I watched as they placed the Triforce pieces together one by one. I waited for their expressions to change- maybe light up at the fact that they had accomplished another adventure, but what I had been hoping for completely changed. I saw Link's eyes widen, Zelda bring a hand to cover her mouth as she gawked at the object before her, and Kenny stand up and turn away as he stared up at the sky in aggravation and confusion. He caught my attention more than the others. He seemed different, as if he wasn't the same anymore. Something had happened. I needed to know. I wanted to know more and see more, but that was all that came before the scene around me changed once more.

This time, I saw Kado with the three. Kenny still seemed the same as before. What was wrong? The boys sat forward on the sofas that I recognized belonged to Hyrule castle's library while Zelda stood to the side, her arms folded. My attention quickly turned to the figure that walked into the room. Impa stopped in her tracks, folding her arms across her chest before she gazed around the room. It was as if they didn't need words to communicate. Something had gone terribly wrong, hadn't it? I wanted to see more, maybe even hear something too, but everything went blank around me once more.

It was as if my eyes opened, and I made out white tiled ceilings far off. I could feel myself panicking as I glanced around, hoping to see a familiar face. The one I saw was a complete stranger with light brown eyes and beach blonde hair. He wore a white jacket over a light turquoise shirt. The fact didn't register in my head until later that this was in actuality, a doctor. He stared at me quizzically, as if trying to figure something about me. I began struggling, though. I didn't want to be here anymore. Red eyes flashed before my eyes and I struggled to sit up even more. I felt something pull me down; hands flew around me, shot out, grabbing my arms, my legs, and my neck, pinning me down. Something sharp bit into my arm and I soon felt the rush as my heart leapt in my throat. I was falling, or was something pulling me down? I could feel the end drawing closer, biding me… calling me to the dark blue below… until I woke…

My head spinned as I shot up to a sitting position. I was pulled back down though, and I fought away from the hands that held me down. Voices called my name, urging me to stop moving. I breathed in the smell of fresh air as my head hit something soft under me. I could feel dampness all over my skin-on my forehead and my neck where hair clung in locks. I glanced around me quickly, hoping to recognize something familiar. I did. The dark blue fabric brought me back to the fact that I was in my room in Meyenn.

"Jade…" I heard a familiar voice call my name. My eyes traveled swiftly to a familiar blonde haired boy to the side of me. His hands were loosely holding my arm down.

"It was only a dream, Jade. You're okay now." I turned my head the other direction where the red-eyed Sheikah held my other arm down. I could feel my heartbeat pounding in my chest; I breathed deeply to calm it down. Everything was fine, now… I guessed… this was the Kenny I knew. I was positive. So, who was the Kenny in my dreams?

"What happened?" I rasped before licking my chapped lips, staring up at the ceiling as they released my arms completely.

"You were having a bad dream." I heard Link answer as I heard what I assumed as Kenny rolling off my bed. I closed my eyes as I felt the beginning of a headache coming on. I felt heat all over my body and I needed air. I opened my eyes once again and began to remove the covers. Luckily, I was still in my clothing. They chafed, adding to the uncomfortable feeling of the heat in my body, but it would have to do until later.

"What time is it?" I asked in a whisper as I swiped a lock of hair from my forehead.

"Four o'clock." Kenny answered as he walked around the bed to where Link sat on a wooden chair. I narrowed my eyes despite the throbbing headache numbing my senses. Four o'clock?

"Let me specify: four o'clock in the morning." Kenny cut in before I could say a word. I groaned. The thought of it being so early and keeping them awake was so terrible to think of I didn't want to know anymore. I just had to make them leave.

"Why are you guys here then?" I asked, my voice cracking. Link raised an eyebrow confusingly, and I realized how unfamiliar he was with the word that I had used to refer to them.

"We couldn't leave you here alone." The ebony-haired boy answered once more as he leaned against the wall, and from the slight dark rings of circles around his eyes he was more than ready to sleep. My eyes traveled to Link: the dark rings around his eyes were much darker. I couldn't stand to see them like this…and all because of me.

"Link, you should get some rest." I told him as I tried to keep my eyes open.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his expression full of worry.

"Positive." I answered before turning to Kenny, "And you too, Kenny. You need rest."

"I'm not leaving until you're better." he countered.

"Neither am I." Link spoke as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Kenny…." My voice caught and I began coughing. I heard footsteps as I doubled over from the pain in my abdomen.

"See what I mean? How could we leave you in this condition?" Kenny practically scolded.

"Le-heave…." I coughed more. I heard the door to my room open, but I continued to hack away as another soul moved into the room.

"Take this, Jade. You'll feel much better." I heard Link say as he placed a hand on my shoulder. I shivered as I tried to hold back the coughs.

"What is it?" I rasped before my chest heaved and I coughed more.

"It's a potion." He answered as the bottle of purple liquid came into view. I heard the cap pop open and the strong smell practically gagged me. I turned away to keep from hurling and continued coughing into my hand.

"Here…." I heard Kenny say. I felt someone take hold of my arm and I glanced from the side and watched him place the potion a few inches from my lips. I shook my head and tried to back away. He didn't give up.

"Drink it. Trust me. You'll feel better." I heard him urge me. I grabbed the bottle with shaking hands and placed the rim to my lips. A cough began to build in my throat and I quickly downed the liquid.

A burning sensation spread throughout my body, beginning from the touch of the liquid on my tongue, down my throat, my chest, my shoulders, my arms, my abdomen, and farther throughout my entire body. The bottle slipped through my fingers, falling to my side on top of the feather-filled mattress. I doubled over in pain as the burning continued to worsen. My hands shook as I wrapped my arms around my abdomen, as if I could lessen the pain some way. I gasped for breath, but it only seemed to worsen the pain, almost spreading it farther even if it had no where else to go. I groaned, tears escaping from the corners of my tightly shut eyes. How could they do this to me? I could hear them talking over me, maybe trying to convince me everything was fine, or telling each other I was going to die, and maybe all of it was part of the plan.

Finally, as if it had been forever that the pain had been going through my body, it subsided. I relaxed slightly, my arms loosening their grip around my abdomen, my shoulders not so square, my back not so hunched, and my eyes not so tightly shut. A hand rubbed the small of my back. I relaxed.

"It's okay, now." Kenny's voice soothed. My breath shuddered as I began to shiver uncontrollably. Something damp was placed onto my forehead and I relaxed considerably more than I realized I possibly could ever manage.

"Kenny…." The name passed out in a whisper as I began to feel lightheaded. I didn't want to pass out damn it! I've passed out more times in these few months than I ever had in my entire life back home. It was like all girls had to be weaklings here. I remember the feeling of not being able to move any part of me. I just lay there so others could take care of me. When was I going to act like the murderer I really was?

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I felt something cool press against my forehead, causing me to snap my eyes open. Kenny's red eyes stared down at me with a slight worried expression, which was in actuality very surprising. I didn't think he would care much for me after what I had done. I sunk back into my pillow and closed my eyes. I didn't feel any burning sensation or cough building in my throat or even lightheadedness. Did the potion really work?

I breathed in deeply, letting the scent of freshly fallen rain to overwhelm me. If you took away the troubles of murder, the pains of sickness and death, life would be a bit more tolerable here, but yet, for some reason, a part of me longed to be home: a place where people could fawn over you with the simplest problems you had, that if you had the slightest sign of depression people would turn to you and ask questions, where when you trip and fall and twist your ankle you get a doctor telling you to take it easy and you get to go home early from be it work or school, and if you had a problem during your day you could come home and tell someone you cared about- your mom, your dad, your sister or brother, or wife or husband. Here, you get something that's five times worse than those things and you're expected to live through it. I didn't have anyone here, and there I took everything for granted. There, I was thinking of a life more fulfilling, more adventurous. Was this what I wanted?

A place where death and forced marriages were apart of life and when in any given moment something such as lightning could strike you and you could be in the middle of nowhere and no one would give a damn about you unless… unless you had someone who cared about you. I had taken my life for granted back home, and I had taken life for granted here, too. I never realized people actually cared. How could I? I was too caught in myself. I was too caught up in trying to get home, but where was that? If I had never realized in the first place the life I belonged to, where could I call any place my home? If it was where people loved you and cared about you, then I had two homes, and I didn't even realize it until now.

"Feeling better?" I heard Kenny ask, and I snapped out of my reverie.

"Yeah…" my voice was barely above a whisper and still rasped.

A smile crossed his features as he spoke, "I told you, you would feel better."

"Yeah. After I burned to a crisp inside and passed out." I remarked, my eyebrows furrowing. His smile widened before sitting down on the chair where Link had been before I had lost consciousness.

"I guess people handle the potion differently." I heard him mumble.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Kado drank the same potion and he was only out for a few minutes." He replied.

"He took the same medicine?" he nodded, "Wait… How long was I out?"

"Oh, about three hours." He said as his eyes traveled to the ceiling in thought. I turned my head to the direction of the balcony. No sun… another cloudy day… My eyes drooped. I actually missed the burning sun on my back. My attention quickly turned back to what I had previously wanted to ask.

"Where's Link?" I asked him.

"I had to convince him to get some rest. He refused to go until he almost fell off the chair dozing off." He replied, crossing his arms. I laughed, imagining the scene in my head. A moment of silence ensued, and after only a few minutes I remembered something that had been plaguing my mind for the past day or two. I craned my neck to his direction and glanced down, unsure of how to begin.

"Is something wrong, Jade?" he asked me worriedly.

I sighed, "Kenny… about the night before…"

"I know, Jade. You feel bad about it." He interjected as he placed a hand out in front of him, palm facing me, as if to tell me I didn't need to continue.

"How would you know?" I inquired, narrowing my eyes slightly. I would have sat up to add to the irritation, but I was too exhausted to even care if he got away with a smartass remark. "For all you know, I probably could have said I thought the feeling of…killing someone was…fantastic, and I wanted to become a serial killer." He chuckled and I stared at him angrily. After having to say "killing" and "fantastic" in the same sentence it wasn't a great idea to laugh about it.

"Kado told me what happened." He replied after he stopped laughing.

"E-e-very…thing?" I asked, now completely forgetting my irritation as it had slipped away to nervousness.

"The conversation you two had." He rephrased simply before adding, "Why? Is there more?"

"Um… well…" I bit my lip, thinking of how to continue.

"Link and I both know Kado has a thing for you, and you have a thing for him. So, we don't want to know any of that." He said, shaking his head. I laughed nervously.

"Uh-m…well, see… I just… I don't know…. I'm just so sorry, Kenny… I… I don't know what else to say…" I stuttered, trying to find the right words.

"Jade…" I turned to look at him. A sympathetic smile was now lighting his features as he spoke, "You did what you had to do. You saved Kado's life. Why do you feel so horrible? If you weren't there to save him, then you would feel even guiltier. Not only would Ryuichi had gotten away, but Kado would have been dead… maybe even you."

I stared up at the ceiling in consideration, "But… It's just… I've never killed anyone before… and the look in his eyes…" I could remember everything from that night, and as much as I wanted to forget I even remembered the dream. The only dream I had had ever since I had come here. I remembered the words Ryuichi had spoken. They were broken off, muffled, but I remembered them…. He would have his revenge… How would someone get his or her revenge after death…? My eyes snapped open and I quickly turned to Kenny who had clearly been dozing off, as his eyes were closed and his chin rested on his chest. I had to wake him no matter how adorable…

"Do you believe in ghosts?" I asked, my voice a bit louder in the beginning before the last word came out as more of a loud whisper. His eyes opened and he lifted his head to gaze at me confusingly.

"Why would you ask a question like that?" he asked.

I glanced away then turned to him once more, "I had a dream after I had passed out in Kado's a-room… and part of it was about that night…and I remember him saying something…" He unfolded his arms and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees and fold his hands together as his eyebrows furrowed.

"Go on…" he urged after I had stopped to think for a few seconds.

"Um, well… I heard him say something about… coming back… and getting revenge…?" His expression was serious, making me all the more nervous. I quickly shook my head and added, "It was nothing… Nevermind… It was just a dream, anyway. Right?" I laughed nervously and began to fumble with the covers laid on top of me.

"No…" I turned to him, my eyes wide as my hands began to shake. "You heard that in your dream?"

I bit my lip unsurely and nodded before whispering, "Yeah…" He hung his head and stared at the ground.

"You heard what he said that night." It wasn't a question. He raised his head to look up at me through the locks of his hair.

"Is he coming back?" I asked, a hint of fright edging my voice.

He cocked his head and inquired with a hint of mischief edging his voice, "Do you believe in ghosts?"

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Here's chapter 31 for all you great people who actually give the time of day (or night) to read my story. You guyz are great! I'm so glad all of you enjoy my story. I really appreciate all the comments, and compliments, and advice, and the critiques, and all that, and I really hope (knock on wood) you guyz stick around for the rest. This was a short chapter, but I'll definitely have the next chapter up sooner than this one. So, hope you liked and don't forget to review:)

xbluxmoonx