Disclaimer: I do not own Love Hina. Tokyo Pop and Ken Akamatsu do.
WARNING: Contains……actually this is also a rather calm chapter. But it is a bit confusing. I have been forced to change the format for this chapter help sort things out.
MINDS WITHIN A MIND
Chapter 9- The Moment
Shinobu opens her eyes in surprise, and then suddenly everything goes black.
Shinobu looks around in the total blackness that she is in. It's so dark she can't even see her own hand in front of her face. Her eyes strain to try to see any light but it's no use, there isn't even a speck of light anywhere.
"What is this? Where am I?" she says with a little bit of fear in her voice. "Have I really died?" she asks again.
"Not quite." comes a voice from the darkness that startles Shinobu. "Who…Who's there?" asks Shinobu nervously. She looks in the general direction of where the voice came from. Suddenly a bright spot light seems to turn on out of no where, shinning down on something in front of her about 4 feet away. It takes Shinobu by surprise and she covers her eyes because of the sudden appearance of light.
Her eyes finally adjust to the light and she looks forward to what the spot light is shinning down on. She is surprised to see a dark blue haired baby floating in mid-air looking right at her.
"GASP! You're….Y…You're!" says Shinobu in shock. "You? Yes. I am you as an infant." says the baby. Shinobu looks on with a lot of shock. After all it's not everyday you see a talking baby.
"OK now I'm really confused. 1st I can walk through walls, then I can hover over surgeries, and now I'm seeing a talking baby version of me! What is going on here? Am I dead or not?" says Shinobu with a lot of confusion.
(Author Interruption: Format will now change)
Infant Shinobu: "Calm yourself Shinobu. You are not dead, yet you are not alive either."
Shinobu: "What do you mean by that?"
"She means that you are in between the living world and the world of the dead." comes another voice from the darkness startling Shinobu again. Another spot light turns on just to the right of Infant Shinobu. Shinobu looks over and sees her toddler self standing in the spot light.
Toddler Shinobu: "You are in the place where you are neither dead nor alive."
Shinobu: "And what is this 'place' called?" she asks confusingly.
"The Moment." says another voice from the darkness. Another spot light turns on just to the right of Toddler Shinobu. Shinobu looks over and sees it's her kindergarten self.
Kindergarten Shinobu: "This place is called 'The Moment.'"
Shinobu: "The Moment? Why is it called that?"
Another spot light turns on just to the right of Kindergarten Shinobu. Shinobu looks over and sees her 8 year old self in a pair of pajamas.
Pajama Shinobu: "Because this is the moment in which it is decided if you should stay alive, or pass on."
Shinobu: "What do you mean 'decided?'"
Yet another spot light turns on right beside Pajama Shinobu. Shinobu looks over and sees her 8 year old self wearing a black funeral dress.
Funeral Shinobu: "It is where, we, your past selves, will judge you to see if you should stay among the living, or pass on to your next life. Only we, your past selves in the times that had the most influence on your life, will decide."
Shinobu: "Oooo…k" she says still in disbelief. "Sooo…do you guys take a vote or something?"
"Yes. Actually we do." comes yet another voice from the dark. Another spotlight turns on just to the right of Funeral Shinobu. Shinobu turns and sees her bandaged up self.
Bandaged Shinobu: "Each one of us votes to see if you stay or pass on. We vote by either saying 'stay' or 'pass.' We usually base it on how you felt during that time to determine if you deserve to stay or pass on."
Shinobu: "Ok this is getting confusing."
"He he he. Don't worry. A lot of people say that when they come here." says another voice from the darkness. Another spotlight turns on just to the right of Bandaged Shinobu. Shinobu looks over and sees her 10 year old self in her 5th grade school uniform.
10 year old Shinobu: "You would be surprised on how many people say that when they come here."
Shinobu: "'Many other people?' Does that mean everyone comes through this place before either living or dieing?"
"No not everyone." comes yet another voice from the darkness. Another spot light turns on to the right of 10 year old Shinobu. Shinobu looks over and sees a naked drunken 12 year old Shinobu who is as red as a cherry from all the alcohol. Shinobu blushes in embarrassment as she sees her drunken self again.
Drunken Shinobu: "There are 3 exceptions to the rule of 'The Moment'."
Shinobu: "And what are they?"
"Exception #1." comes another voice from the darkness. Another spotlight turns on just to the right of Drunken Shinobu. Shinobu looks over and sees her 11 year old self in a towel.
Towel Shinobu: "If you are a baby and die early; such as dieing from S.I.D.S. (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). At this stage in life you have not developed any life changing events other than being born or even up to taking your 1st steps and/or words."
"Exception #2." comes another voice from the darkness. Another spotlight turns on just to the right of Towel Shinobu. Shinobu looks over and sees her 12 year old self in her Junior High School uniform with a black eye, bloody nose and upper lip.
Black Eye Shinobu: "If your body is too gravely damaged to begin with. Such as being decapitated in a car accident, or being crushed by a 2 ton bolder. Things like that."
"Exception #3." comes yet another voice from the darkness. Another spotlight turns on just beside Black Eye Shinobu. Shinobu looks over and sees herself with 2 bullets wounds to the stomach.
Shot Shinobu: "After you have lived a long and prosperous life. Like growing to a ripe old age and dieing of 'natural' causes."
Shinobu: "Well that does make since. So um…when does this 'Judgment' begin?"
"Now, later, in a little while, or it might take forever." comes yet another confusing voice from the darkness. Another spot light turns on to the right of Shot Shinobu. Shinobu looks over and sees her shirtless self cut open exposing her organs; especially her blown apart liver. Obviously it's her from the ER. Shinobu looks at her like if saying, "What in the world does that mean?"
ER Shinobu: "This place is not effected by time. Remember this is the actual moment when it is decided if you shall live or pass on."
Shinobu: "Ok I think I'm starting get it now. So how many of you, or me, or WHATEVER will be judging me? Or is this it?"
"There will be more." comes yet one final voice from the darkness. Another spot light turns on to the right of ER Shinobu. Shinobu looks over and sees herself cut open once again but this time in a patient gown and a surgical head cap. Obviously it is her from the OR.
OR Shinobu: "We here now only represent the memories that you went through before coming here. There will be more joining us."
As OR Shinobu gets through saying this, spotlights turn on one after another all around Shinobu reveling more Shinobus from her past. She sees herself from the 1st time she learned how to ride a bike; She also sees the Shinobu from the 1st time she met Keitaro; she also sees herself from when Keitaro accidentally saw her naked in the hot springs that 1st time by accident; she also sees herself in the leaf bikini she wore on Pararakersu island; She also sees herself in her High School Uniform from when Kanoko 1st arrived and looked up her dress at her panties; she also sees herself from her 1st date with Keitaro. Many more Shinobu's appear until she looses count of them.
Shinobu: "Just how many of me are there?" she asks with amazement.
Infant Shinobu: "About 80 in all."
Shinobu: "Wow….That many huh?"
Suddenly something pops into Shinobu's head.
Shinobu: "Wait a minute. Were you the ones responsible for showing me all those memories?"
Shinobu can hear a few of the other Shinobu's giggling.
Infant Shinobu: "Not exactly. All the memories of you from your graduation all the way to your tombstone was us because we are only allowed to show you what your life may be like if it is decided that you will stay. We don't know why you were shown a lot of your past memories.
Shinobu: "Really? So if I'm chosen to stay alive then I'll know my future?"
Infant Shinobu: "No. I only said this is what your life MAY be like. This is not certain. However it doesn't matter."
Shinobu: "Huh? Why not?"
Infant Shinobu: "Because you will have no memory of this moment. No one should know what their future is or even might be."
Shinobu thinks for a minute about what Infant Shinobu just said and realizes what she said makes perfect since. The future is a very mysterious thing, one of which whose secrets should never be known ahead of time.
Shinobu: "I understand….." she says with a depressed understanding. "Well…we might as well get thing over with." she says with a little concern in her voice.
All the Shinobus nod and start taking steps back to make a circle around Shinobu. Strangely the spotlights seem to follow them until then have formed a large circle shoulder to shoulder to each other around Shinobu. Another spotlight turns on right over Shinobu herself. She is now directly in the center of the circle.
Infant Shinobu: "We will now commence with the judgment."
Shinobu looks ahead and gives a slight gulp and then nods her head.
Infant Shinobu: Nods back. "We are all gathered here to judge one Shinobu Meahara. We have been given the responsibility to choose her fate of either living or passing on. What say this group? I say 'stay.'"
Toddler Shinobu: "Stay."
Kindergarten Shinobu: "Stay."
Pajama Shinobu: "Pass."
Shinobu is a bit stunned to hear this. But has the feeling that she will hear the word "pass" many times before this is all done.
Funeral Shinobu: "Pass."
Bandaged Shinobu: "Pass."
10 year old Shinobu: "Stay."
Drunken Shinobu: "Stay."
Towel Shinobu: "Stay."
Black Eye Shinobu: "Pass."
Shinobu listens intently as the other Shinobus from her past give their votes. Some say "pass" while others say "stay." Shinobu is concentrating more on each individual vote rather than keeping track. She soon realizes this and begins to worry if there are more 'pass' votes than 'stay' votes or vice versa. Finally after a few minutes they reach the last 3 voters.
Shot Shinobu: "Pass."
ER Shinobu: "Pass."
OR Shinobu: "Pass."
Shinobu stands there looking at Infant Shinobu with a lot of worry in her face waiting for the results. After a delayed brief moment Infant Shinobu speaks up.
Infant Shinobu: "Well. Well. This is rare."
Shinobu: "Um….What's rare?" she asks hesitantly.
Infant Shinobu: "Well it seems we have a tie."
Shinobu: "A TIE!" she says amazed. "What does that mean? Do I have to stay here forever now!"
Infant Shinobu: "Calm yourself Shinobu. There is something that can be done in case something like this happens."
Shinobu: "What, do you guys take another vote or something?"
Infant Shinobu: "No. In cases like this the person being judged makes the final vote. In other words, YOU."
Shinobu: "Me?"
Infant Shinobu: "Yes. But take heed. If you choose to stay in the world of the living you can never have another chance in here. A person is only allowed to be judged here in 'The Moment' once and only once. If something like this ever happens again you will either die or live depending on how well the doctors treat you. And remember, you will have no memory of this judgment ever happening."
Shinobu looks down at the ground with a saddened look on her face. She surprisingly stays silent for a few minutes deep in thought. All the other Shinobus also stay silent as they give her all the "time" she needs even though time doesn't exists there. Shinobu finally lifts her head up.
Shinobu: "I think….I think I want to stay. I know that my future could be vastly different from the one you all showed me, then again it might not. It's just……It's just that I feel that I can do so much more in my life. Make more friends, get married, have children, grow old and the like. And even though it looks like I won't get Keitaro, I still want to stay." she says with a happy bitter tear running down her face.
Infant Shinobu floats over to her while the spotlight follows her.
Infant Shinobu: "Are you sure you want to do this because you can never come back here?"
Shinobu: "Yes. Yes I do." she says while nodding her head.
Infant Shinobu: "Ok then. It's your decision."
Infant Shinobu floats back to the circle.
Infant Shinobu: "Let it be known that this group has chosen life over death. As such we shall send you back to the world of the living!"
All the Shinobus raise their hands in front of them and beams of light shoot out from them and engulf Shinobu. A bubble of light starts to form quickly around Shinobu's body. Suddenly Shinobu remembers something.
Shinobu: "Wait can you tell me the name of the man I was marrying?" she shouts.
Infant Shinobu only gives a slight grin and shakes her head no. Then the bubble seems to burst out with light and everything goes a bright white. "Good luck." says a voice from the light before everything seems to disappear in to the light.
Shinobu slowly opens her eyes and sees the ceiling of a strange room. However she can also see a dark blur right in front of her. She can also feel a strange yet somehow familiar sensation on her lips. As her sight focuses a little she recognizes the shape of the dark object in front of her.
"S….Sem…pai?" she says weakly.
End of Chapter 9
To be continued in Chapter 10- Awakening
Author Note: I am so sorry. I was forced to change the format of this chapter because of all the Shinobus! I also apologize for it being so short and confusing. You are probably going to have to read it a few times before you can understand what's going on. Damn school work. Sorry this chapter was so late. I had another turn paper due in my Expository Writing class, a speech to do for my Oral Communications class, and several sketches I needed to do for a 3D computer design class. College is eating me alive. It's going to be while before I can even get to Chapter 10. So please be patient. Plus dealing with a friend's death has hit me pretty hard. I just need a little time that's all. And don't worry I'm NOT going to committee suicide. Besides I have too many good story ideas to end it like that.
Story Note: I'm sorry for the confusion this chapter may have caused. But if you think about it, it makes perfect since. After all, who knows what goes on in a coma patient's head. Also the struggle between life and death can be very complicated and confusing at times, just like this chapter.