Post-Traumatic (A prison sentence can do horrible things to your mind)

Author's Note: Some of you may be wondering why Saikawa and Kanna are young after so many years. This chapter explains why she is so young.

I'm also having trouble with the story's format. Let me know if it's hard to read.

I saw snow for the first time this winter. It was during the morning when I went to dispose of the trash.

Crunch Crunch

Kotori crushes the snowflakes under her, "Winter…," steam comes out from her mouth.

She gives me a slight punch, "So. What will we do?"

"For Christmas?" I pace back and forth in the snow, "Spend that time with friends, of course."

I hear commotion, something like shouting coming from the apartment room next to us.

"You hurt her!" Kanna shouts.

Without saying anything, both me and Kotori run upstairs.

Kanna and Magus are glaring at each other. They looked like samurai ready to duel, or maybe cowboys

in a standoff.

"Magus. You're back," I step in between her and Kanna, "Care to explain what's going on here?"

He shrugs, "She's mad that I imprisoned her friend."

Kanna's pupils change she readies her fist, "He tortured her. Kept her in a cell."

Lucoa puts her hands on Lucoa, "Kanna. Stop. It's no big deal."

Kotori points at Magus, "If you're going to stay here, you can at least try to care."

"You shouldn't have come back," Kanna growls. She heads down the stairs.

Magus looks disinterested and annoyed. He looks at the floor.

"What the hell," I snap my fingers, "She said something about torture. What torture? She looks fine to me. Still cheerful."

Magus shrugs again.

"Is there something you're not telling me?"

He lets out a sigh, "Do you want to know why she's mad? Fine," he flips open a book with a full

biography on Saikawa.

"Saikawa met Kanna at age eight. Exactly twenty years ago."

"Your math is wrong," I joke, "She's 14."

"I didn't get that wrong. It's twenty."

I freeze. I look at him. He might be faking his serious expression. His eyes look plain. His lip isn't smirking

or moving at all. He's serious.

"What did you do to her?" I grab him by the shoulders.

"I didn't kill your mother when I fought her for the first time. Did you notice? She broke the law. Fought

me. But I spared her. Do you know why?"

"Because you're a kind and merciful person?" I say sarcastically.

This time he laughs a little, "No. We rarely do executions. We usually do life sentences. Forever."

"Until they die?" I sit down interested in what he's saying.

"No," he goes into detail, "We keep people in stasis cells. They're very simple. The person who is behind

the cells will not age. Not even by a day. They're stuck there. Forever and ever -"

I shake my head. The thought of being stuck in the same room forever disturbs me, "No more."

"I didn't finish," he continues, "They have to eat and sleep. So, we give them just

a little bit of food so they can keep going. Oh, and water. A person left alone like that has no one to talk

to-"

"Stop!" I shake him, but he shrugs me off.

"But there's more," he grabs me and pushes me against the wall. Kotori rushes to my side, but is blocked off by a barrier, "They think and think about everything all at once. Family, friends, home. That's

when they fall into a coma. Saikawa probably remembers nothing."

"Amnesia?" I ask.

Magus shakes his head, "No. She doesn't want to remember. She still thinks she's a little girl."

I glare at him, "Why did you come back, you monster?"

He sighs, "I thought Saikawa is just another criminal. But I read the files. They're very close. Like sisters.

Her only crime was confessing love to Kanna."

"Now that you know. What are you going to do about it?"

"I don't know, yet," he lets me go and puts his hands over his forehead in shame.

"Hahah..," I chuckle a bit. I clutch my side, "You don't even know how to make up for it. Then… maybe…

should have thought about that before you-!"

SMACK

Lucoa slaps me. I rub the bruise on my cheek.

"You will not talk to my son like that, ever."

"Lucoa…What was that for?"

Lucoa grabs Magus and my hand and then pulls us closer, "That's in the past. Magus isn't a mage for the

Knights anymore. Let's start over. Starting today you are going out together," she writes down a list of

activities for us to do.

The first activity is to go out to eat. We sit in a table for four at the nearest fast-food restaurant.

The food on the plate is getting cold. Saikawa digs in. Kotori is looking out the window. I sit to her right.

I poke my burger with my fork.

"So…," Saikawa speaks with her mouth full and points to Magus, "Who is he?"

Kanna thinks of something to say, "Ohh…That is...Magatsuchi. It's the same boy we used to play with

when we were eight!" Kanna lied to Saikawa. I hope she knows what she's doing. I forgave Tohru for

doing the same thing. But not everyone is patient like me. Saikawa could snap if she found out.

"Ohh, you're taller. More handsome, too" Saikawa looks at him googly-eyed, "Oh excuse me. I have to go to the restroom."

She runs off and it's now the three of us.

"He's the complete opposite of Shouta!" I point out.

"What should Kanna say?" Kotori sighs, "Hey. This man put you in jail for most of your life!"

I shake my head, "It doesn't feel right. We should just tell her the truth."

Magus shrugs, "Whatever. Let's just finish this list."

"Agreed," Kanna drags me away to somewhere private. She takes me outside the restaurant and pushes

me into an alley. She looks at me with her blank eyes, "About Saikawa."

I nod, "Is she going to be okay?"

"Yes," she says.

She's quiet for a few seconds.

"So," I whisper, "You knew lady Tohru, right?"

She nods.

"You knew where she was for the past 20 years."

She nods.

"Why didn't you live with her?"

Kanna shakes her head, "It's…Complicated."

"We have time," I pet her on the head.

"I…I left. To live with her. This was before…Kobayashi died. They took her away from me. I tried to break

through the barrier alone. That is until I met you," she pauses and licks me on the face.

"Hey. What that was for? Ugh," I wipe the saliva off my face.

"Dragon saliva kills bacteria. Keep it. It's a sign of my gratitude," she looks at the restaurant front door.

I smile at her. She looks at me puzzled. I remember what Magus said. They're not friends. They're lover. I wonder why I never noticed before?

"Y'know. We don't have to finish the list. We could bring her to the movies. Maybe teach her dancing

lessons."

Kanna wags her tail. She casts a spell on me. I look at my body and see that I'm transparent.

"What did you do to me?" I touch myself to see I'm still solid.

"Perception blocking. I can't let Saikawa see you," she leads me through the back door. She hides behind

a corner and whispers, "Psst. Saikawa." Saikawa sees Kanna and walks over to her, "Hmm?" she

whispers back. She holds Saikawa's hand. Her face lights up like a lamp. Kanna quickly covers Saiakwa's

mouth.

"Mmf-Mmf-mmff!"

We sneak her to a movie. "Hmm?" Saikawa looks behind her, "Kanna. What about our friends? The ones

who helped me escape?"

Kanna shrugs, "Oh. They went home."

"Ahh!" Saikawa looks around her, "This is just like old times, Kanna. Remember? When we went to

movies together when we were 12? They said we weren't old enough. So we snuck in!" Saikawa giggles.

Kanna points to the movie she wants to see. Looks like only Kanna can see me. She wants to see that

horror movie. I grab some money out of my pocket and leave it in her pocket. I swear, she's going to

bankrupt me. The whole three hours I sit there watching Kanna and Saikawa gasp at tense scenes and

scream when the monster reveals itself. How does anyone get scared by this? I think to myself. It's just

CGI.

Saikawa laughs when the movie is over, "It's as if nothing changed…How long have I been gone, Kanna?"

"Only a few months," she lies.

"Ah. That's good. When we come home, let's meet Lucoa. She's nice. Maybe we could have sleepover

with Shouta!"

Sweat pours down Kanna's forehead, "Oh. Shouta is busy tonight. He…failed his exam. He has to study."

"Ohh…," Saikawa frowns, "It can't be helped. Where should we go now?"

I whisper, "Go to the mall."

Kanna nods.

At the mall, they go shopping for clothes. They put on every. Single. Piece. Of clothing.

I try not to fall asleep, but I fail. I was about to snore when I received a hard punch in the shoulder from

Kanna, "Ow-," I cover my mouth so I don't scream. They look through the maid outfits and find three

different outfits. Saikawa examines each one closely.

"Hmm. Hmm. Kanna-san. These outfits look perfect for Georgie. In fact, where is she? She must be

worried sick," Saikawa holds the maid outfit closely with a teary-eyed expression. Kanna caresses her.

"Ehh?" Saikawa says surprised.

"We'll see Georgie again. But we need to careful. The knights are still looking for us. When the coast is \

clear. We'll see her. I promise."

"Kanna-san…," she whispers, "Thank you…"

I look at my watch and gesture to Kanna. It's time…

It's nighttime. They're walking home with me following quietly behind.

They're sitting on the floor of their bedroom. It's dark and there's no lights. It's a quiet place. A perfect

place for a couple. There's a bottle of Sake. I picked it myself. For Kanna. Luckily, Tohru still has some

alcohol from Kobayashi. I pray that Tohru doesn't find out that she is missing one battle of Sake. If she

does, she will most likely execute me.

Kanna and Saikawa take turns sipping a cup of Sake. It only took two rounds for them to be completely

drunk. I sigh. This could only end horribly.

"Are you shure, Kobayashi doesn't mind?" Saikawa sways back and forth.

"Yeah…She's workhing."

"Hehhe…," Saikawa giggles. She runs to the rooftop of the apartment.

Kanna runs after her.

"You can't catch me, you can't catch me," she teases Kanna.

Saikawa trips, "Whoa-"

Kanna jumps in time to catch her. She lands gently into Kanna's warm hands.

Kanna gives me a glare. "Fine" I whisper. I turn around so they can have privacy.

"Y'know. When I was in the cell…I was always thinking of you," Saikawa's voice mutters.

"I was thinking of you, too," Kanna nods.

I take just a little peak. Their faces are pressed against each other. Saikawa's eyes are shut. Kanna waves

me away. Ashamed and flustered I turn the other way, fighting back my urge to watch.

Chu..Chu

I hear their kissing. I close my eyes shut. Don't look, don't look, don't look.

When it's over I hear Kanna laugh, "Hahah…You taste like Sake."

"You, too," Saikawa puts her hand on Kanna's cheek.

They walk back to their apartment room.

Lucoa and Magus are standing outside the apartment room next to theirs.

"Hey!" Saikawa waves to Magus, "Shouta. Sorry about leaving you and I know you're busy, but do you

want to hang out with us tomorrow?"

Shouta walks outside the apartment, "How am I busy?"

Saikawa looks at Shouta confused, "I thought…I thought he's Shouta," she points at Magus.

"Saikawa…," Magus says her name nervously. Lucoa gets closer, offering to comfort Saikawa, "Saikawa.

Did Kanna not tell you?"

"T-Tell me what?!" she shouts.

"Saikawa. You're not 14. You're actually-"

"Stop!" Kanna begs.

Saikawa clenches her fist, "I'm actually what? I'm actually what?!"

"You're 34," Lucoa finishes.

Saikawa turns to Kanna horrified, "You lied to me. Didn't you?"

"Saikawa…I…," she stutters at a loss for words.

"Everything you said is a lie? I've been gone for 20 years. Tell me. What happened to Georgie? What

happened to my mom?!"

Kanna slowly steps back. Saikawa grabs her, "What happened to them, kanna?!"

"In prison," Magus answers.

Saikawa punches Magus in the stomach. He lets himself get hit. He watches her do it without

responding.

"Who are you?!" Saikawa shakes him.

"The prison you were in preserves your age. You've been asleep for twenty years. I'm…," he stops for a

second before finishing his sentence. There's a deep feeling of pain in the way he says it, "I put you

there."

"You put me there…My family, too?! Bring them back!"

For once, his cool guy demeanor is gone. I can see the sadness in his face. The guilt in his eyes. He

speaks slowly, struggling to breath, "I can't. I don't know where they are. I'm sorry."

She rattles her fist, "To hell with your apologies!" she runs in the opposite direction of Magus, bumping

into Kanna.

"Saikawa…," Kanna whispers her name.

"You seduced me. You…dragon."

Kanna extends her arms toward Saikawa. She tries to comfort her, but Saikawa slaps Kanna, "Get away

from me!" she runs off. She runs down the stairs and disappears from our sight. Shouta approaches

Kanna.

"I thought you already told her. I didn't know. I'm sorry."

"…It can't be helped, "Kanna lets out a sniff.

"This is my fault," Magus says, "I was the one that sent here there," he grabs his tome, "I'll find her. I

will."

Lucoa steps in front of Magus and speaks, "This isn't something we can fix by finding Saikawa, dear."

"But…It's my fault. I have to do something!" he insists.

"We don't know where she's going. Even if we found her we can't make her go back."

Magus growls, "Urggh!" he punches the wall. He falls down and covers his face in shame.

Lucoa wraps her arms around him and whispers in a soothing voice, "Shh..Shh…It'll be okay."

Shouta kneels beside Magus, petting the boy on his head. I thought he was some emotionless

jerk. Some guy who tries to be cool and doesn't care about other people. Yet seeing in him a such a

vulnerable position, he looks just as young as Saikawa or Kanna. Just as weak as them.

The perception blocking spell that was covering my body vanishes. I appear in front of everyone.

Kotori stands at the top of the stairs, "There you are where have you been?" I run past her.

"Shiro? Shiro?!" I hear her fading voice shout behind me. I run after Saikawa. I stop in the alleyways.

Nothing. Where could she be? I run all over the block. I go back to the places we were at. At the

restaurant, it was empty. The place was closed. How about the movies? Nothing. Only adults were lined

up to watch the movies. I couldn't recognize anyone that looked like Saikawa.

The last place I check is the mall. Empty. Like the other locations.

"Hah…Hah…," I catch my breath. My feet are too weak to run so I collapse on my knees, "Ack…," I
cough.

Tohru swoops down from above and lands beside me.

"Tohru! Have you seen Saikawa. She-"

Tohru hushes me and pulls me closer, "I know," she says.

"Mom…We have to find her," I plead.

"We can't."

"Why?!" I shout.

"She's gone. I saw her leave the subway. She's too far away now for us to find her. She's after her

family."

I breathe heavily, "But- But mom. This isn't right. We can't let her leave."

"We have to," she replies sternly, "If I went missing. You wouldn't stop until you found me."

"But Kanna…"

"Kanna has to trust her. She must let go of her and hope she'll be okay. That's the only thing she can

do."

I pass out at that exact moment. When I wake up I find Kotori sitting beside me, "I know what

happened. It's not right."

"What can I do?" I shrug. I walk out of the room.

"Bro!" she looks at me with worried eyes.

I lie down on top of the roof and watch the stars. This is so messed up. Just when I think everything is

okay, I have to watch people around me suffer again. I let my thoughts wander. Maybe it's better living

alone. Love just makes things complicated. People will only get hurt.