Disclaimer: I do not own Mai-HiME.
A/N: *Looks at review board* Heh. I guess quite a bit of people enjoyed that last chapter. I'm sorry to sound like a greedy little brat, but come on guys. A little feedback would be greatly appreciated. I honestly don't care what it is. Friendly criticism, personal opinion, your grandmother's shoe size, anything! I would just like some recognition, that's all. On with the story!
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Silence in the Mist
Chapter 03 - Recollection pt.1
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Silence filled an lifeless apartment. The living room was a dim shade of blue as light from the cloud covered sun peered through the dark blue curtains that concealed the couple of windows inside of both the living room and dining room walls.
Shizuru sat at her wooden table, like a stone statue. The woman took a deep breathe, then exhaled as she laid her head into the palms of her hands; propping her elbows onto the table.
The chestnut haired woman was tired. Both she and Natsuki rarely got much sleep due to the nightmares that perspired every night.
The woman cocked her head back as she began to yawn. Covering her mouth, Shizuru then leaned back forward towards the table. On the table rested a phone and a card. On that card was a cartoon drawing of a man in a strait jacket. There were big, bold letter on it that read "Dr. Michael Richfield, Psy.D", and under it was a short line of numbers.
It was late in the afternoon, around four 'o clock. Shizuru looked over to the counter on her left and saw the assortment of dirty dishes that piled by the sink.
Neither of the woman have been able to get any of the chores done lately. They were either to tired to work or just to lazy to do anything. That was typical between the two. Shizuru remembered when they first moved in. They would lay around on the couch all day and watch reruns of their favorite shows.
Shizuru chuckled. "What's happening to you, Natsuki?" The woman thought as she leaned back in her chair. "What do you mean?" The woman heard a familiar voice coming from the hallway that connected to the back wall of the living room.
Shizuru situated herself upright and saw Natsuki drying her hair with a towel. The cobalt headed beauty wore a lime green shirt with multiple color splashes in the center of the front. There was blue, red, yellow and everything in between. The shirt was pretty large and it extended past Natsuki's thighs so Shizuru really couldn't tell what she was wearing around her waist, or if she was wearing anything at all.
"Oh, Natsuki. Your done with your shower already?" Shizuru asked. It was unlike the other girl to clean herself so quickly. She would normally take about an hour to finish a single shower. Two if she was bathing.
"So who were you talking to earlier?" Natsuki asked as she sat in the chair across from Shizuru. "Oh, you heard that?" Shizuru questioned as she furrowed her brow. "Yeah. Something about 'rapists', right?"
Shizuru chuckled. "At least your density hasn't changed, my dear." The woman thought as a weak smile crept upon her lips.
"Actually, Natsuki. Earlier today I went to go see Mai, and we had a bit of a talk." Shizuru crossed her arms over the table and straitened her face. "Oh yeah. About what?" Natsuki asked as she started fiddling around with a lock of hair the hung down from the towel that she wrapped around her head to help dry her hair.
"Well… It's more of a "whom", then a "what", Natsuki. We talked about your little episodes, and-…" Shizuru was cut off as Natsuki slammed her hand onto the table. "Damn it, Shizuru! I thought I told you not to go blabbing that to anyone, under any circumstance!" Natsuki hated it when Shizuru did things behind her back.
"These nightmares of yours are running us both down, Natsuki. Please, calm down and listen to what I have to say." Shizuru let out a pleading whimper. Natsuki just gave the girl a questionable look, then sighed. "Alright. What is it?" Natsuki asked as she sat back down in the wooden chair.
"Well, it's this." Shizuru slid the card that laid on the table over to Natsuki's position. "What's "this"? Natsuki asked as she picked the card up from it's place. Her calm expression quickly changed to an outraged one. "A therapist!? You… why… damn it all, Shizuru! You know how I feel about those know it alls! It's bad enough that I have to hear that crap come from Mai, but seriously!" Natsuki quickly got up from the chair and walked over into the living room.
"Natsuki, please. Try and consider the benefits. It would most definitely help with our problem." Shizuru said as she got out of the chair and approached the venting Natsuki. "Our problem? I don't see you waking up every night in a cold sweat after experiencing such horrid dreams." Natsuki plopped down onto a nearby sofa and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Really now, Natsuki. You sound like a spoiled child. Please, if not for yourself, then for me?" Shizuru clasped her hands together in a pleading manner.
Natsuki cracked open her right eye and witnessed one of Shizuru's saddest expressions. The cobalt headed woman sighed once more. "Alright, just stop pestering me about it. I'll go."
Shizuru clapped her hands a single time, then tilted her head to her right. "What wonderful acceptance, my Natsuki. Your first appointment is in the morning." Shizuru plopped down next to Natsuki who was sitting on their velvet couch.
Natsuki pouted, but she already knew that there was nothing she could do to get out of this particularly sour pickle.
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Natsuki's eyes fluttered as she began to awaken. The woman found herself in an endless abyss filled with mist. "What is this place?" Natsuki questioned as pushed herself off the ground and stood up strait.
A slight whimpering was heard in the distance. "Who's there?" A cobalt headed girl asked as she gazed in every direction. The sound was coming from all around her.
"Hello?" Natsuki began to walk forward into the blinding mist.
"I didn't mean to… No." Natsuki heard in a light, feminine voice. "Is someone there?" Natsuki continued forward. Soon, she began to see a light. It was dim, yet she could feel quite a bit of warmth from it.
The woman soon found herself in a dark room next to a desk. The floor of that room was made of wood. On that desk laid a lit candle. Natsuki watch the wax dribble down the sides of candle.
"Why? Why did this-…" Natsuki heard the voice of a little girl beyond the desk. The woman walked around and found a blue haired girl with twin ponytails. The girl was wearing what looked to be a light pink gown.
"Oi, are you okay?" Natsuki approached the girl. Then, she noticed a red puddle in front of the girl. Natsuki felt a ping in her chest. "What the…?" Natsuki slowly continued her approach towards the little girl.
"I'm so sorry." Natsuki heard the little girl say as she continued her soft sobs. "Hey, are you alright? Did something happen?" Natsuki leaned down and rested her hand on the little girls right shoulder. Then, the girl her head around and gazed at Natsuki.
The woman was stunned. She staggered backwards, knocking into the table and causing the candle to fall in front of her which revealed even more of the stunning scene.
The girl was covered in blood as it trailed off into the darkness behind the little girl.
Natsuki's heart was racing. The feeling of something forcing it's way out returned in a flash. "No! Stop it! I didn't mean to-…!" Natsuki began hearing a barrage of voices cluttering in her head.
The woman fell to her knees as she tightly clasped the palms of her hands against her ears. Cringing the woman shook her head, trying to negate all the voices in her head.
"Stop it! I didn't do it!" Natsuki fell on her side, curling into the fetal position. Then, the familiar sound of a music box rang through her head.
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The rest of the day past and the couple found themselves in the cold clutches that is the night. Both the woman had set off for bed, one wearing a simple black t-shirt along with just her underwear, and the other with a lacy tan nightgown. Hours slowly past into the early morning hours.
Natsuki began to toss and turn in her sleep, as though something was causing her great distress. "N- no. Wai-…" Natsuki's legs became entangled in the light blue bed sheets the covered only half of her body. Her head slowly went from side to side in a distressed fashion.
Shizuru's eyes fluttered as she was met with a dim, dark blue light. The dim light from the Moon barely penetrated the dark curtains.
The chestnut haired woman twisted her head to her right and peered over her shoulder. It appeared as though Natsuki was having quite a fit. Shizuru picked up her weight, twisted her body to her right side, the rested back onto the mattress; her crimson eyes fixed on her blue haired goddess. "N-…" Natsuki seemed to be having one of her nightly fits, yet it seemed so different for some reason. Shizuru would normally wake to find Natsuki screaming at the top of her lungs.
"Natsuki?" Shizuru glided her hand across her pillow over to her girlfriends, then to the hand that rested on it. The woman gently grasped Natsuki's left hand. Her palm was sweaty, as well as cold.
"Oh my. Natsuki!?" Shizuru shot up and lend over her girlfriend. Natsuki's hand was freezing cold, which was strange considering the fact that they tried to keep it a comfortable seventy throughout the apartment.
"Natsuki! Wake up!" Shizuru began gently nudging the girl, to frantically shaking her. "Natsuki!" Shizuru began to panic for she though Natsuki was dieing.
Natsuki's eyelids began to slowly slid open. "Shi- Shizuru?" Natsuki said in a weak tone as she looked up at the other woman. "I'm right here." Shizuru took a deep breath to calm herself down. "I didn't do it, did I?"
Natsuki's question confused the other woman. "I, um… Y- you didn't do it, Natsuki." Shizuru said with a weak smile. Natsuki just smiled, then rested her head back on her pillow. Shizuru had no idea what Natsuki was talking about, but she felt as though she had to say something that would be comforting to the girl.
Soon, the warmth began to return to Natsuki and Shizuru laid back by her side. "Natsuki, what is happening to you?" Shizuru thought as she gazed upon her love.
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"Now listen here. Don't go giving that nice man a hard time." Shizuru said as she wrapped her arms around Natsuki's upper torso. "What am I? Four? I can handle myself. Don't worry."
Both the woman stood in the living room of their apartment. It was around nine in the morning and Natsuki had to deal with her appointment with the "loony" doctor as she liked to describe them as. The woman wore a blue hoodie and black jeans. Not exactly the kind of clothes that Shizuru would find to be acceptable, but she knew that she couldn't change Natsuki's appearance by her own will.
"Now then, I think the sofa's waiting for you." Shizuru said teasingly as she watched Natsuki stroll down the hallway of their apartment complex, towards the elevator. Natsuki just made a snarling noise in response.
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Over a half an hour of time passed before Natsuki finally made it to her destination. The woman stood at the base of a tall, yet slim brick building. The building looked even more enticing because of the Suns light.
Natsuki made her way to the building complex's main doors by walking along a dirty and cracked cement sidewalk. After making her way through the double doors, Natsuki walked up towards the main desk that laid in the center of the big lobby. The carpeting was grayish brown, which didn't really seem to fit with the theme of the room in Natsuki's opinion. The walls were painted a plain white, while the ceiling was made up of a bunch of lime stone tiles. "Tacky much?" Natsuki thought.
"May I help you?" A light feminine voice hit Natsuki's ears. The woman focused her gaze from the ceiling to the desk in front of her. There sat a girl with short brown hair and square red glasses. "Wow. This lady's appearance reminds me way to much of Yukino." Natsuki thought as she gazed at the woman.
"Well?" The woman asked. "Oh, right. Heh." Natsuki scratched the back of her head in embarrassment. "Yes. I have an appointment with Dr.-" Natsuki tried to read the card that she pulled out of her pants pocket. It was in English, and she never really paid much attention in English class. "Erm, this guy." Natsuki put the card on the desk on slid it over to the other girl.
"Oh. You must be Kuga-san. Welcome. Doctor Michael Richfield is on the third floor, fourth door down the hall to your right." The brown haired woman gave Natsuki a nice warm smile. Natsuki returned the smile then walked over to the small row of elevators that were on the wall to her right.
After Natsuki rode the elevator to the third floor, she made her way down the hall to her right. Once she made it to the fourth door, she stopped in her tracks. "That music!" Natsuki busted through the door.
"Ah. You must be Kuga-san, no?" There sat a man on the other side of a wooden desk. He had short, strait blonde hair and brown eyes. He wore a slim set of glasses and a tan suit. The man was also holding a small music box in the palm of his hands.
The man his feet on the desk while screwing around with the relic that was a music box. "Are you Michael Richfield?" Natsuki asked as she approached the desk. "Possibly." The man simply replied. "Why don't you have a seat over there." He said as he pointed toward a long blue sofa.
Before Natsuki complied, she took a long look at the room she was in. It was practically barren. There were bookshelves with no books, vases with no flowers and walls with no paint. "What is all of this?" Natsuki asked and chuckled. "Did you just move in or something?"
"No. I like to have a very simplistic room. It keeps all the "busy body" thoughts at bay while I deal with the matters of others. Now then, would you please take a seat, or must I show you the way?" Michael said with a very impatient tone.
Natsuki became very irritated with the man and balled her hand into a tight fist. "Fine. Just don't go pissing me off, or we might have ourselves a problem." Natsuki said in a vicious tone. "Precisely." Michael said and walked over to the big brown leather chair that sat across from the sofa.
The chair made a stretching noise as Michael sat down in it. "So, where shall we begin?"
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A/N: And that's it for chapter three. I hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I was intending on adding a lot more to this chapter, but the lazy train hit me, sadly. But, a little anticipation is good to! Please remember to drop me a review and come back for the next chapter! Later!