Disclaimer: I do not own Sunrise or any of its creations.

Three Wishes Or You

Chapter 6

Nimara

"I didn't have a third wish. After saving Shou, I began to wonder the limits of the magic. I wanted to see if it could bring my mother back."

Subconsciously, I held out my hand in front of the both of us. "Did it?"

Her hand settled on top of my open palm and for a second it looked as if our fingers were perfectly laced. I closed my eyes and waited.

There was a flutter of warm wind and then she spoke, "Yes. Yes, it did and I died in her place."

"Wishes don't necessarily work in an equivalent exchange manner. But it's different when it comes to dealing with the balance of Life and non-Life. With the situation, I don't believe I would've ever been able to make the right decision. Not with just twenty years under my belt."

I was four years her senior but it hardly mattered because she was worlds wiser than I was. I opened my eyes again to see moonlight splashed upon everything. Her hand was no longer on mine but I imagined it was. "Did you know before you wished for your mother's life?"

"Yes. No. Yes," She frowned and strained. "The Genie warned me by protocol. I questioned the Genie beforehand if it was even possible. When I found out it was, I lost all self-control and reason."

Who wouldn't have? If the way she spoke, the way sadness grated against my ears, was any resemblance to her sorrow and guilt all those lifetimes ago, it was easy to understand why she made the exchange.

"You know the funniest thing was that I actually thought nothing would happen," I could see her back rise and fall a smidge faster and deeper with breathing as she hunched over.

"When I made the wish, the Genie laughed at me and disappeared saying it was done. My Genie was very spiteful to begin with so she must have enjoyed every moment of what was about to happen. It would mean she would stop being a Genie and I would take her place. When I walked out of my room it felt as if nothing had changed. Shou was still in his room recovering. I asked him where my mother was. At first he gave me the strangest glance that I thought he would say 'She is dead. What do you mean where is she?' But instead he said she was at my father's place, where she was supposed to be. It took all my strength not to cry right there but I did fall down by his side. He reminded me that I was supposed to leave in the morning to go see her and my family. It wasn't until later that night, before I slept, did I realize that I was going to die. So I travelled in the morning…"

She trailed off again and my heart clenched. She would never have made it to her mother's place. I took discreet deep breaths to slow my racing heart. I jumped when she finally spoke again, her voice coarser than before.

"Knowing you are going to die will drive you crazy in the span of minutes. The fear is so overwhelming. The pain of dying was nothing compared to the pain of seeing what my mother went through after that. There is no equivalent exchange for bringing someone back to Life. You will lose and they will lose. Not only did my mother have to endure my death, her only daughter, she would be gifted with hallucinations." The sarcasm was thick and biting in her voice.

"Every day she would see her death, or feel like she was in the wrong place. She never knew of what had happened but what was already done cannot be fully undone, I learned. She had travelled to the Other side already so her soul had changed. Dead…as a genie, I got to watch her as the days passed and I got to watch as dreams of her death came to her. No one could help her or make them go away. On top of my death, the stress ate away at her until she was nothing. She died questioning her existence and the reality around her. It only took her two years to give in to the pain. It shocked me more than it should have to see her die again. …Everyone is meant to die. We can't escape it. "

I knew her mind was thinking a lot faster than she spoke. When I looked at her, her face scrunched up as if trying to pick out bits and pieces to say because she couldn't possibly say it all. It was my job to understand the depth of her feelings and I tried my best. For now though, I just scratched the surface of what she had gone through. I would have to learn the rest as I spent more time with her, coaxing her to tell me. But just how much was there to tell? Was there even enough time?

I cringed at the thought of time. I controlled how much time we had together. I controlled her life or whatever of it was left. It had not always been like this though. I was her last 'client' as a Genie and when we first met, she had control. She could have manipulated me to make the same wish she did, therefore ending her time as a Genie and letting me endure mine. But she didn't. Natsuki, so kind and wise, had guided me away from her mistake. I gasped, taking in just how grateful I felt towards her.

"Shizuru?"

I looked at her to find her standing beside me, looking down. She wore a concerned smile, or was it a smile mixed with the pain memories she had brought up in herself? I couldn't tell in the pale light.

"Let's go inside," she said heavily.

"Yes, let's." I stood and I heard her open the door to the house. I dusted myself off and took one last glance at the rising moon.

I licked my lips and asked so softly that I was sure she did not hear me, "Do you ever regret making that wish?"

After a few seconds passed and she did not speak, I turned to go inside but found her looking at me from the door. The small frown she wore turned into smile and her emerald eyes glimmered. I smiled back at her not knowing why she was staring at me until she spoke just as softly as I did, "Not anymore because I got to meet you."

"I'm hiring a gardener!" I groaned and stretched my hands high above my head. With the back of my arm I brushed away the light perspiration that began to form on my forehead. The sun was at its peak and it beat down on me angrily. It was hot, I was sweaty, my back ached, and my thumb was once again bleeding from being pricked.

There was a half-grunt, half-chuckle as Natsuki brought over another pot to the patch of dirt in front of me. All morning we had planted our China roses in the garden. It was definitely not as easy as it looked and something we thought we'd get finished in the morning ended up dragging on into the day. I had ordered many pots of half-grown China roses ranging from reds to yellows a week ago and they had come in yesterday. Natsuki, the slave driver, insisted we finish transplanting all of them into the ground in one day. That meant we had six pots left.

"We're almost done."

"That's what you said an hour ago," I sighed. I bent down back next to Natsuki with a small pout and carefully drew out the plant from its pot and put it into the hole in the ground. It was not as easy as it looked or sounded. Vicious thorns raced up the stems of the beautiful flowers making it nearly impossible to hold. It was even more impossible to position and tie the small wooden stick to the bushy stem so it would help support the growing plant. Natsuki seemed to have gotten the hang of it or she just was not yelping at every time a thorn dug into her hand. I was quickly wondering if these were my favorite flowers anymore.

"Look at that, only five more now!" Natsuki laughed and stood up again. I would have joined her but instead I just fell on my backside and waited for her to bring the next pot.

"Let me change out of this shirt," she grunted and I couldn't help but turn to see her. She was wearing a large t-shirt, which was probably getting too hot with all the work she was doing. It was also damp with sweat just like my tank top was. She turned her back to me and I thought she was going to walk back to the teapot to change. In a blink and a jingle, her t-shirt had vanished and in place I saw a lot of skin. It took me until she turned back around to get my brain working up to speed again. She wore a dark blue sports bra and her long hair had been tied up.

Well, wasn't that convenient? I hadn't seen this much skin since the day I first met her in her short tank top. It was a delightfully pleasant sight and it made the pesky heat of the sun go away. I let my eyes travel up her stomach and toned arms with a small smile until I reached her eyes. Immediately, I released the bottom lip I had been nibbling on. Her face was already red from the heat but it was when the tips of her ears went pink did I know she was blushing. She pursed her lips and I looked away with a giddy smile on my face, not breathing a word. It was a prime opportunity to tease her about her well-defined body but I had a feeling she would leave me to do the rest of the garden by myself if I said anything. I picked my battles wisely. Besides, I sure wasn't losing anything, I thought with a wicked smirk. She kneeled back down next to me and diligently began to work on the next rose container.

I leaned back and took in how the lean muscles beneath her skin moved between her shoulder blades. There was something so masculine about the way she worked, yet so completely feminine in her movements and appearance. In the end, she was just so amazingly Natsuki.

"Shizuru help me with this one," came her sharp bark and I all too happily obliged. We quickly finished the last remaining pots without complaint,…or rather without me complaining. The number of thorns that sunk into my hands, though, had increased due to my distracted carelessness. I took them without much fuss knowing there was a definite remedy for my pain if I just took a swift look at the expanse of her creamy skin.

I stood and picked up the waiting steel pail and watered the completed rose garden. After the pail was emptied a second time and Natsuki was sure we had done everything we could to nurture our new garden she fell quiet and pensive. I took the chance to do the same and savor our hard effort. It really was more than just a garden. It was life. It was growth. I felt it represented all the good in my life that had come and was going to come.

It was Natsuki as well.

Natsuki and Shizuru's garden. The idea made me let loose a giggle and Natsuki turned and gave me a serene smile. I only became giddier as I looked at her and I breathed out, "It's beautiful."

"Kind of," she said with a half joking shrug and a smirk. I laughed knowing what she meant. The beauty of the garden was for now, in our own heads. In actuality it looked a little pathetic with various size plants that had only half bloomed. Some of the supple branches had snapped and a few of the leaves were torn in the hands of us novice planters. It would grow, I knew. It would be a very beautiful garden. It just had to be.

Natsuki knelt down next to one of the bigger plants that had a few fully bloomed roses. In one hand she cupped the base of the flower and with the other she moved he fingers over the soft petals. She smiled happily as she inspected the flower. It was one of those peaceful smiles that I rarely saw her wear.

As I watched her hands explore another flower I felt a grip take hold of my chest. She could touch everything…except for me. I could feel my eyes narrow at her back in a mixture of unjustified envy and dull anger. Her movements stilled and she turned her head and looked up at me with a confused look. I forgot she could feel my stronger emotions on some small level and I was immediately abashed.

"Zuru?" It was the first time I heard her shorten my name in an affectionate manner. I sighed and looked away at the wisteria tree by the pond.

"I'm sorry." All of a suddenly, it felt too embarrassing to tell her the truth. Just what was the truth anyways? I was frustrated…jealous that she could touch my household items? I wanted her to touch me with that love and gentle curiosity that she did with the flowers? I fought with myself to gather what I was really feeling but felt no proper words come to mind. Any way I would say it would just be plain silly. I flushed on top of my already pink-tinged heated face.

"Are you okay?" She stood up, wiping her hands against her light jeans.

I struggled to settle my feelings and confusion.

"Shizuru?"

She called my name twice more before I gave up with a noisy sigh. I turned back around to her, my hands resting defensively on my hips.

"It peeves me that you can touch everything else except for me. What a horrid rule!"

I knew it would sound dumb and foolish, even childish, no matter how I stated it. Her dust rose lips made a small 'O' and we took a moment to share in mutual reddening.

"It's a genie thing," she lamely said, reaching her hand up to rub the back of her head. The silence that came was awkward and heavy. It made even me, a generally composed person, fidget slightly.

Then she chuckled softly. "You threw a fit because of that?"

I blinked. I wasn't sure if I heard her right. She had cut the silence so perfectly with that question. A…fit? I wasn't a child!

I narrowed me eyes at her but she smirked. "If that was what you wanted…if you wanted to touch me…you should have just said so! Here, touch my hand."

I saw her extend her arm with her palm facing me. I could feel her? In an almost desperate excitement I leapt forward to put my hand against hers.

I realized two things in a span of a second. One, my lovely dark-haired genie had TRICKED me and two, I was going to fall flat onto the cobblestone. Instinctively, I placed my hands in front of me and closed my eyes waiting for an impact that never came. There was a deep yelp from Natsuki followed by a gentle pressure enclosing my body. For a second I felt airborne and then I was placed roughly onto the ground and the pressure was gone.

"Shizuru!"

I found my legs and rounded on her more astonished than angry but, oh, was I still angry. "Natsuki!"

"Shizuru, I'm so sorry! I didn't think you'd react like that." I could see her face contort in worry and guilt. Then slowly she seemed to replay my reaction in her head and I could see her trying to fight off a smile.

"You scoundrel! I could have seriously been hurt," I admonished roughly, embarrassed of how eager I had been. "And what was that?"

"What?" Natsuki seemed to be fighting her own flurry of emotions.

"That! That thing that…that…I didn't fall on the ground." Very articulate, Shizuru.

"Oh you mean…" Natsuki lifted the pail from the ground and then sit it back near the roses. Just like she had done with the teapot the first day I met her. She had done it a few more times over the course of her stay with me but usually I just barely caught the act.

"You're harder to move, of course." There was a twinkle in her eye.

Harder. She was careful to not say heavier. Whatever little anger left in me by her prank quickly dissipated as something clicked in my mind.

"Natsuki's genie hug…" I smiled. She could touch me after all.

Beta Graceful Amethyst:… w00t for b00bs.

Nimara: You're probably not the only one who thinks boobs when reading this…even though…I MADE NO REFERENCE TO THAT BODY PART. Lol

-As always, thanks to my wonderful BETA. I seriously have the best BETA in the world and if anyone wants to challenge that idea...I WILL EAT YOU.

A/N: So I guess there are several things I have to bring up so bear (rawr) with me.

-First off, I hope you liked the chapter. It's short like the rest of them with more background detail to Natsuki's life. Genie hugs were things I thought of while I was in psychics class, bored out of my mind. Hehe. Thanks to everyone who has read and continues to read this story. You guys are so wonderful to me and I really cannot have nicer readers. I'm glad you guys really enjoy this story as much as I do. As for reviews, please send them my way with what you liked and critique. Questions are also very much welcomed! I may not have replied to everyone's review last time because of certain things gone awry but I'll make sure to do it this time. I'll be replying directly back to your reviews but fear not if you do not have an account! If you leave a review without an account I'll be sure to say thanks in the next chapter. hehe

-Secondly, I have written up the next chapter already. What that means? IT'LL BE RELEASED NEXT WEEK WOOOOO. Except there is something special about the next few chapters. They are what I call "SPECIAL CHAPTERS" (Oh very original, Nimara). I wanted to take a break from the story plot and work on something I've been missing in the story. A lot of the story has been fairly serious and I wanted to break the ice with some light hearted humor and scenarios for Shizuru and Natsuki. In these next few special chapters, it will focus on their relationship and the details of their surroundings. Because the story has been from Shizuru's point of view we miss a lot of things that we would normally see in an omni point of view. ALTHOUGH, I will not be switching to an omniscient pov. I will be instead writing these light-hearted chapters in Natsuki's point of view. We can take a quick dive into her mind and see what she thinks and sees!

The chapters are not necessarily plot important and will not move the plot along (so no moving towards the next wish). They do affect the plot so I advise you read them before reading the next serious chapter. I really do hope you look forward to them like I do.

-Lastly. Other stories? They are not on hiatus, I just haven't gotten to them. I should be releasing new chapters for them in the future (not so distant) and definitely before I finish releasing these special chapters for TWoY.

So thanks again. Much love and hope everyone has been doing well.

Nimara