Chapter 27: The New Arrival

Kazuya wondered how he could have gotten sick again. Had it been rain? That was the last time all those years ago that he could remember when he had been under the weather—the Devil induced illness did not count. No chance for rain being the cause, however, it hadn't rained in this prefecture for quite some time. Could it be a cleanliness issue? Kazuya hoped that that wasn't the case. He always showered soon after training or if he could not do so due to tiredness, he would do it soon after he had enough energy for it. Maybe he could clean the room a little more often than he did, but Kazuya was no maid. Cleaning places like the kitchen or living room was completely foreign to him. There was no way to tell if he was doing it right. He could only base it off of the brief times that he had observed some of the many housemaids at Jinpachi's mansion and that knowledge was scant. Perhaps it was a cleanliness issue. Maybe he needed to wash his clothes more often or even his sheets—he could go on and on. Could something as simple as that be the cause?

He didn't even pull the covers over himself that night. He felt so weak at this point that it didn't matter. Try as he might, he couldn't stay asleep for very long as he would wake himself up on account of his stuffy nose and not being able to breathe. To this end, he was in and out of sleep for most of the night until the point where he just stared up at the ceiling in utter defeat and annoyance. At some point, he really did fall asleep, but it was only a light one, however, that was more than enough for Kazuya. He was hardly aware of another presence in the room that appeared to have been watching the whole thing—then again, why would he be? Who else lived here besides himself?

"Kazuya?" a gentle voice from nearby asked. "Kazuya, how long are you going to ignore me, sleepyhead? We have a lot to do today."

Despite already deciding that he was imagining a voice that sounded suspiciously like Jun, he couldn't help but respond. "Go away."

"I promise there'll be something in it for you, if you come with me. You can't mean that you're going to waste this beautiful day in here again?"

"Why don't you just leave me alone? Obviously, I don't feel like going anywhere today."

"But I'll take you to a place you'd really like to go."

The temptation for opening his eyes and confirming that he was talking to a woman that was a figment of his imagination grew to the point that he simply did so. There was no one beside his bed besides a rather drab, unadorned dresser. Slightly peeved that he had once again woke himself up, but this time for an entirely whimsical reason, he turned over and tried to sleep once again. The task was beginning to seem impossible.

"There's this new athletic shoe store that opened up. Have you heard of it? Only the most top name brands are allowed to grace its doorsteps."

"Are you really still here?"

"Are you really just going to ignore me? Admit it; I've piqued your interest."

"Seeing as none of this can be true, no."

"Why shouldn't it be?"

"Because it isn't. I feel like I'm going around in a circle with you."

"Let me think. What reason could there be that I haven't gotten a proper response out of you?"

"Why don't I make it easier for you; you're annoying and I really don't feel like talking to anyone, right now."

"You don't feel like talking? But you hardly ever do that sort of thing these days, right? Oh, wait, I just realized something…Yes, I get it now, you're not feeling so well. I forget, humans do get sick sometimes."

The use of the word "human" struck Kazuya as odd. Wasn't she a human or at least as human as a disembodied voice could be? He was startled when he felt a rather cool hand press against his forehead. He might have tried to take hold of said hand if he had enough energy for such things. Assuming that this was a dream, Kazuya decided that he would let it run its course. Eventually, it'd be morning time. Maybe when he woke up, he would be stronger or strong enough to trek out to the pharmacy.

"Your temperature is far too high for a human. It must be a fever."

"Good work, Sherlock. Now, can you leave me in peace?"

"No, I can't do that, especially not now."

"I'm ignoring you now."

"Devil still exists within your body and daily he gains more and more control over you. Listen, to me."

This time, Kazuya really didn't respond.

"Really? How childish."

"Just go away already," Kazuya said exasperatedly, "All I want to do is rest in peace and for some reason you won't stop talking."

"But…I thought you were rest –'less'. Isn't that the term one would use for someone who can't sleep? Am I really being so bothersome?"

"Don't you understand—tch, why am I even trying to explain myself to you? I can't believe that the only thing I can dream up is some dimwitted woman who can't shut-up."

"I'm not an idiot, Kazuya. You tell me what's wrong and I'll try to fix it, okay?"

"I've already told you what's wrong: you."

"Me? But why?"

"Do I have to say it?"

"How could it be me when I'm here to help? From where I stand, you could use some of that. Humans need medicine don't they? Kazuya, are you even listening to me? Hey, Kazuya, this isn't funny."

"…So tired…go away."

"I guess that makes sense now that I think about it. Wouldn't tiredness be a consequence of sickness?"

If he had enough energy, he would have throttled her by now that is if this "her" had more than just a voice and a hand. Instead, he was doomed to continue to hear her voice until she finally got the message. Since her voice was soft and not at all annoying, it was easy for him to stop listening. He wasn't sure what she was talking about any longer, perhaps she was becoming peeved at his non-responsiveness.

"Alright, I'll help you sleep. I guess it was bad judgment on my part to come to you at this moment. Perhaps I need to observe humans a little more closely." Kazuya felt the same cool hand press against his forehead. "I see; a stuffy nose as well. Let me see what I can do about that."

The only thing Kazuya noted was that a sudden inescapable tiredness came over him and the only thing he could do was fall into a sort of unconscious sleep akin to a coma but not quite.

/

"Hey, Kazuya!"

Kazuya felt two slaps across the face. In an immediate retaliation, he tried to grab the neck of the person who would dare do such a thing, but caught only air. At the same moment, he had his eyes open and saw that there was never anything there.

"Perfect…" Kazuya grumbled, "I can't even distinguish fiction from reality."

He looked over at the dresser from before and saw that the top of it was now chalk full of medicine for what seemed like every sickness known to man.

"How?…it couldn't be that woman…"

"Will that do, Kazuya?"

Kazuya looked behind himself expecting to see someone, but his eyes were met with nothing.

"As if I need to hear another voice in my head," Kazuya said aloud.

"You know, you're a hard man to please."

His eyes were not ready for the flash of light that shot down like a lightening in front of him. He raised his arm to protect his eyes from further damage. Literally, his vision was quite hazy for a good two minutes.

"Okay, Kazuya, you can look already."

/

AN: So who is this mysterious character? Well, you probably already know. If you do, don't be too surprised, this person's role is not at all significant at this point, but giving an introduction here makes more sense for later. And no, break has not arrived yet. In the midst of LISP programming, this chapter is somehow created…