Chapter 7
A bright light on a hospital table? No. but it was just as weird. It wasn't as if they were standing over her, ready to do a frontal lobotomy on her, or anything. Getting out of bed, still wearing Hoagie's silk pajamas, the pajamas that still implicated that even Hoagie, wasn't a perfect person either. It seemed a little odd that an operative such as he, second in command, Nigel's best friend, and the master tactician of Sector V, and probably the best of the Kids Next Door global organization, being that Sector V was at the top, would wear silk pajamas, have a leopard print lamp, and hold onto something of Cree's. The last one seemed fair, being that he wasn't quite over her yet.
"Oh, ok". Alex said, running it through her mind. Going outside, she saw everyone sitting around the common area. "Hi Alex". Kuki said, cheerily wrapping her sweater-buried arms around her "bestest friend in the universe". "Oh,". she said, chuckling a bit. "You're wearing Hoagie's pajamas", "silly". "I didn't have anything else to wear at the present moment". She said, a little less crankily now that she'd gotten sleep.
"Right". She said, pursing her lips a bit. "My clothes are being washed, currently". Alex noted, taking a seat on their sofa. "Mmmm, your clothes are on the bed". Kuki said, softly. "But.. I… I thought they were being washed". Alex said, hesitantly. Looking up at Kuki, she was becoming nervous again. Why was Kuki talking softly? She'd never done that, in all the time she'd known her.
Generally, she was happy, excited, and a little neurotic at times, such as when things of hers would get misplaced, or handled without permission. This set her off. Kuki was also always hugging, kissing, or piggybacking on Alex. today, she seemed off. Sitting, drinking her, "strawberry Bisquick", she kept an observant feel with Alex. "I…. I don't remember putting my clothes on the bed". Alex said, hesitantly. "I thought Hoagie was washing them". "He did". Kuki said, again, softly, and gently. "Ok, does this have something to do with last night?". Alex asked. "Because what occurred last night was weird". "I don't even remember eating any sushi". While the other operatives were busy amongst themselves, Kuki was left to explain what "process' they were putting her through. "Alex", she said gently. "I know you're amazing, you are super great, and very intelligent". She smiled as she said this. "You are going to do innumerable things with your skill". "Yes…. I am, very aware". Alex said uneasily.
"But, you have to remember you came from a very dark point". Kuki said, gently. "I… I did?". "I don't really remember". "You did". Kuki said softly. "I don't understand what you're getting at". Alex said. "When you say, Dark point, are you referring to the single point in time and space, where the Big Bang occurred?" "or dark matter?". Kuki sighed. She knew how naive Alex was to this topic, this subject, and tried her best to introduce it to her, slowly. "At the very beginning". Kuki said, gently. "You weren't treated very properly at all". "Your parents were very abusive". She said. "But, my parents are considerably nice". Alex said. "Especially my mom". "I know'. Kuki said, softly. "I've met her". "I love your mom". "These were your parents that came before Mr. and Mrs. Ross".
'Wait, I've heard this story before". "Oh, your parents told you?". Kuki asked ."Yeah". Alex said. "Mmmmm". Kuki mumbled. "Yes, I do remember a baby book being shown, but I don't have any recollection as, to, ". "mmmm". Kuki still mumbled. Her glossed lips, even if thin were shown as she appeared above Alex at this point. "Don't be threatening to her". Alex thought to herself, even if Kuki was acting pretty strange, by Alex's standards. Besides, she still felt she lost sleep. "you were deprived from a very young age". Kuki said, softly, airily. The Asian accent held a twang in her soft, feminine voice. "You weren't born in a peaceful place". "You weren't given the proper nutrients you needed". She said. "I know". Alex said. "My parents informed me of all of this nonsense, already". "Can I go?". "You want to go inside and finish physics". Kuki said. "Um yes". Alex said, trying to get up from her chair.
"Alex", Kuki said, with a rise in her voice. "Focus". "Try to remember what happened when you were 12 months of age". She said. "I… I don't know… I don't know if I can". "I thought you had a photographic memory", Kuki said flatly. "I… I do". Alex said. "I can only remember certain things that happened up to a certain point".
"Mmmm". Kuki mumbled again. "Close your eyes". Kuki said, softly. "Close". She said, slowly. "Shhhhhh, close". She said, again, softly. Alex sat, crossed, near Abigail's hot tub, finally closing her eyes. Her red eyes did look as if she caught a cold earlier. From the side, she also did look to be much pale, and as if someone had dragged her through the mill. Her small stature only added to her young, underdeveloped, naive, what could be seen as, "needy" appearance. From the front, she looked tired, and her pale, innocent face was calm, as she sat with her eyes closed. Her breathing could slightly be heard.
Closing her eyes, she had finally felt a wave of relaxation sweep over her. The soft brush of a girl's hand, the clouded white, a soft, airy girl's voice, the feminine influence, that of a nurturing, gentle, yet intelligent, sharp, subtle woman had finally coaxed her in. It had finally gotten her to relax. After a night, or two, of struggle, finally found it in herself to get some sleep. Here, now? In the hot tub? No questions asked. Alex sat with her eyes closed, not moving, tuning out chaos around her. For the first time, in two nights, she was finally asleep. "Now onto business". "The helium superfluid". But… much to her surprise she couldn't think of it.
Instead, what she got was weird. Cloudy, foamy white surrounded her, while Kuki walked up to her. "Alex", she said softly. Alex looked up at her. Her eyes were still big, and, like a frightened 2 year old, had pale skin, around them. The KND operative, the heroic, sophisticated, insight of the moment, was there to help her, Alex, on the cloud, beneath, laying down. "It's not your fault, you were deprived of the essentials as a baby girl". "Um… I know". Alex said. "I know what happened". She said, looking around. "Mmmm". Kuki said. "Oh, what do you remember?". "Well, I… I can't remember right away, but, I am aware that… there are nights, where… I….". Alex paused. "I…. I…. I….". she began sweating profusely, her heart, which in this visual, metaphorical sense, had scars, and some damage done to it, from before, began beating rapidly, anxiously. "I'm sorry, may I continue?".
She asked. "Anyhow, um… there are some nights when I just can't sleep". "I think it may have something to with how my one dad, or mom, used to kick me, or something". "I just can't remember". She said. "Either way… I know, I went through ten families before, I… I was finally taken care of". "I just can't see why anyone can, and would do something horrible, to a child". Kuki nodded insightfully. "Mmmmmm", she said. Her thin lips, with peach lip gloss was seen, as she stood, observing Alex, and the conditions she was put in.