Chapter 38: Change of Heart
Eiji had woken up later that afternoon. Hiro was still awake.
She looked absolutely miserable.
She was sitting on a couch in the upper office, coughing up a lung, and she couldn't breath out of her nose at all.
She was attempting to eat a mild melted cheese sandwich.
"Ugghhh... Everythig tastes awful... Beig sick is a paidn idn my ass."
Kuhn sighed. "I don't know what to tell you kid, I hope I don't get it!"
She rolled her eyes. "Geeze... Thaks for the bmoral support Dad! Mob!"
Linn looked out the window.
"I don't see a mob."
"No! MOB!" She exclaimed.
Linn shrugged. "Kuhn, I think she's starting to hallucinate..."
This kind of irked Hiro, but she also couldn't help smiling.
"Momb! You know what I bean!" She laughed, trying to sound as angry as possible.
"Like the Chili!" Said Linn. "Beans!"
Kuhn laughed.
Hiro slapped her palm to her face. She laughed.
"You're all jerks!"
She sneezed, and nothing came out.
She grabbed her nose.
"Ow! God DABBIT! PAIDN!"
Linn cringed. "Ooooohhh... Those one's suck! I'm sorry you're so sick."
Hiro stood. "Yea... Bme too. I'm gonda try to walk bmore, and if I'bm lucky, I'll pass out..."
She waved. "See you guys..."
She walked around for a while, and passed by some large shelves.
She heard something... Like music, or someone playing the piano.
She put her ear to the wall next to the shelves, and saw that there was a door there.
She moved a shelf over.
It was an elevator.
"Woah... That's weird." She said.
She pushed the button, and it opened.
She stepped inside, and Listened to where the music was.
It was above her.
She lifted the lever, and the door closed, sending her up.
The elevator was dark, because all of the lights had gone out in them...
"This is kidn of creepy..." She said to herself.
The door opened, and a dim lit room was revealed. Eiji was playing the piano. He hadn't noticed her yet. The door closed quietly, sending the elevator back down.
Hiro silently sat down, her back against a dark wall.
She just sat there, and listened to him play... It was so soothing, that she nodded off into sleep.
...
Eiji played the chords for a while. This was his favorite, because the sounds would flit around in shades of blue and green... The green reminded him of Hiro's eyes.
He closed the piano, and set his head down on it. He missed home.
He hated the fact that he missed it so much, and he would never admit it...
It just made him sad.
He stood, and walked over to the elevator, and jumped when he saw Hiro sitting there.
She was sleeping.
He walked quietly over to her, and knelt down.
Has she been listening this entire time? I hadn't even noticed...
She looks so peaceful... At least she's sleeping.
I wish I could give her a kiss... For one, I don't want to wake her.
I also don't want to catch her cold... That looks horrible, and I'd rather not experience it.
He sighed. "Sleep well..." He whispered.
Then he fell asleep.
It was another dream.
...
Eiji woke up in the dream, and rubbed his eyes.
"Where am I...?" He said softly.
He looked behind him, and saw a giant carnivorous cake dumpling chasing him.
Wasn't this Max's nightmare?
His eyes widened, and he ran.
"Shit! Not this again!"
The dream was different than the last one however. There were multiple areas, and more than just their accumalitive nightmares.
It was also the group's nightmares as well. This was the trial of fear, changed around. The trial of change...
...
I was in the dream. I looked around, and saw...
The room was dark, and no one seemed to be in it.
Something swung at me, and I stepped back.
"Who's there!?" I yelled.
There was a familiar laughter that filled the room. My heart stopped.
"You sound so scared..." Said Nina.
"Is everything okay?"
I felt a tear slip.
"Wh-Where are you love? I want to see you..."
A greatsword plunged toward me, and nicked my arm.
"I'm over here!" She laughed playfully.
"What's wrong...?" Her tone filled with worry.
"Why are you just standing there?"
My lower lip was trembling. I had to kill her, didn't I?
...
Hiro woke up in the dream.
She looked around, and her eyes widened.
"I thought we'd get a nice room after this? But, wow... This place is AMAZING!"
She ran around, and the ground was very soft... Is this where Eiji used to live?
"Hey Eiji! You were right! This place is SO beautiful! Eiji...?"
She couldn't find him.
"This is a trial dream, but... Where's the trial?"
She saw the sky grow dark, and all of the trees lost their leaves. The area grew very hot, and the trees lit on fire.
It was too hot, and smoke started to fill her lungs.
She couldn't crawl away, because her body felt like lead.
"Help!" She coughed.
"EIJI! HELP ME!" She screamed.
"I don't want to die! Help! SOMEONE! MOM DAAAD!"
She coughed and wheezed, gasping for air...
...
Kuhn was surrounded by his family members. They were all angry at him...
Linn was leaving him, and Hiro hated him. Kahn had died...
He was all alone...
All alone...
"I don't want to die! Help! SOMEONE! MOM DAAAD!"
Kuhn looked around him. This was NOT his family.
His REAL family was in danger.
The room disappeared, and he was where Hiro was.
He covered his mouth with his shirt, as the smoke came rolling in.
He saw Hiro. She was desperately gasping in for air, and clawing at the ground.
Kuhn ran up to her, and his body collapsed.
"H-Hiro!" He began coughing.
"I will NEVER let you die." He forced himself to move, and carried Hiro away from the smoke.
She coughed and hacked, vomiting something black that smelled of smoke.
She sobbed, leaning into him.
"D-Dad! I... I thought for sure, I..."
She continued to cry.
He held her, and rubbed her back, pressing soft kisses to the top of her head.
"Shhh... It's okay... I would never let that happen."
She cried into him. "I'm sorry I'm such a screw up all the time..."
"You're not a screw up." He sniffed.
"I love you! I just get so worried, and I don't want you messing up like I did... I just want to keep you safe!"
Tears were streaming down his face.
"You're my world, I mean it..."
She sighed, and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"I know... I love you too."
She stood, and held out her hand.
"I think the others are in here, and honestly? I wasn't expecting to see you here. Come on, let's go find them."
He took her hand, and stood.
"Right, let's find-"
"Where are they!?" Linn screamed. "I'LL KILL THEM ALL!"
She looked over at Kuhn and Hiro.
"Oh. You're okay..."
She ran up to Hiro, pressing kiss after kiss on her face.
"What in the hell are we doing here!? Ah, I don't care! I'm just glad you're okay!"
Hiro laughed. "I love you too!"
She looked around, and saw silver threads flying about.
"Hiro!" He yelled.
"I think I know where everyone else is."
He hugged her. "I am SO sorry you got my nightmare! I'm glad you're okay..."
He pointed to the other areas.
"That's where the others are, I'm sure of it."
They nodded.
"Then let's go."
...
I had not struck her yet. I could never strike her.
Not Nina...
No, never...
I was pinned in a corner. I saw a greatsword flying at me, and closed my eyes.
If this is how it ends... So be it.
Someone stepped in front of him, and deflected the blow.
It was...
It was Nina.
She killed the fake Nina, and the room became dim as windows appeared. Not completely dark.
Her face... She hadn't changed at all.
He held her face, and traced it with his hand...
"Nina..."
She kissed him. "I love you..." She said softly.
He kissed her back with a longing passion. Breathing her in, and trailing kisses on her skin.
She pressed him against her.
His shirt was ripped off of him, and she trailed kisses and bites up and down his torso, her hand low...
He let out a low moan...
She nipped his ear.
"I have to go..." She whispered.
"Maybe we'll visit again some time..."
She disappeared, and his back slid against the wall as he sat...
"Oh god..." He moaned.
"I almost forgot how good she was."
The door slammed open.
"God damn!" Linn exclaimed. "What the hell happened to you!? Your chest is all kinds of bruised up..."
Hiro gaped. "That must have been horrible!"
I turned red.
"Yes, it was awful... Horrible..."
Kuhn gave me a knowing look.
"Yeah... Terrible."
...
Max was splashing around in Hiro's nightmare.
"This is the BEST SWIMMING POOL EEEVVEEER!" He exclaimed.
He splashed the water with his claws.
"WEEEEEEEEEE!"
The door was opened, and Hiro froze.
"N-No... Not this AGAIN!"
She walked away from the room.
"Max, come on." Said Eiji.
"It's time to go."
He pouted, and folded his arms.
"No! I don't WANNA!"
Eiji sighed. "I thought this might happen..."
He pulled out a chunk of the carnivorous dumpling's remains.
"Here max! Have a cake dumpling!" He threw it outside.
Max chased it, and swallowed it whole.
"Mm! THAT WAS TASTY!"
He looked at the now empty room, and gave Eiji a look.
"The Prince of Rain knows me well..."
They all snickered an stifled laughs.
Eiji's eyes widened. "N-NO! I thought I could make them forget THAT!"
Max gave a mock bow.
Eiji fumed. "You did that on PURPOSE!? COME HERE YOU!"
Max made faces at him, as he dodged Eiji's threads.
Hiro grabbed the bridge of her nose.
"Those idiots."
...
Chihiro was curled up into herself, sobbing.
"There was nothing I could do! I just watched them all die! No... NOOO!"
She sobbed. "I just want to hold him again... And hold them both... Haku... Oh god, I failed him. Eiji... I'm sorry... I'M SORRY!"
She cried into herself.
A hand touched her shoulder. She looked up, and saw Eiji.
She wrapped him in a hug.
"Your alive! I love you... I love you..."
Eiji stifled a sob. "Mom, it's okay... I'm fine... So is Dad, we just need to find him."
She looked up, and saw the others.
She nodded.
"Okay then, where is he."
...
Boh was in a normal room...
"Well... This sucks. I wonder where No-Face is?"
"Are you impossible to scare!?" Screamed a woman's voice.
Boh shrugged. "No, you're just really stupid."
"Oh COME ON!" She yelled.
"Your dismembered friend wasn't enough!?"
He laughed. "No-Face doesn't dismember!? He fades! Say it with me. FADES."
A room appeared, and No-Face reached out to Boh, fading.
He rolled his eyes. "Well, NOW I see it coming... By the way? You got the 'Ah' wrong."
The room changed back.
"You know? Your one sick bastard..."
He shook his head.
"You just really suck at this."
...
Haku was in a dim room.
Chihiro and Eiji were strung up on the wall, and he was chained to the floor.
Kaihn was there, and Haku heard Chihiro screaming as Kaihn dug out her eyes. Eiji tried to reach for her, screaming. Another pulse of electricity shot through him, causing him to vomit blood.
Haku was desperately trying to break his chains.
"No! NO! CHIHIRO! EIJI!" He screamed.
They were in so much pain! And he was useless...
Kaihn started sawing at her throat.
"CHIHIRO!"
The door opened, ending the nightmare.
Haku saw Chihiro and Eiji.
He ran up to his son.
"Eiji... Oh Eiji... I'm so glad that wasn't real."
He wrapped Chihiro in a warm hug, kissing her softly.
"Chihiro... I thought..."
She kissed him.
"I know."
...
Shisuta was floating in a dark space...
Her body was cold, and her limbs were numb.
A familiar demon circled around her.
She sighed. "So it is that time then..."
The demon smiled. "Such resolve... Yes, you'll do just fine..."
She closed her eyes. "Then take me, if you must..."
He laughed. "No... I'll have you take me. I never wanted an heir, but this uprising has given me no choice..."
Her eyes widened. "Excuse me? I'm NOT going to DIE!?"
He grinned... "No... Today is your lucky day princess. You see, the heavens enslaved me, but without them, I am nothing."
She nodded. "I see, so this is your loophole... You need an heir for your power to live on, so you are merging with me as a last resort."
He laughed. "Take it or leave it!"
She grinned. "Oh, I will take it thank you. It is definitely a step above eternal darkness."
She felt his power become one with hers...
She woke up.
Karo was in a chair next to her, he was asleep.
She smiled. "Of course he waited here."
She shook him. "Karo... I am awake, and I will not be dying!"
No movement.
"Karo? Hey are you alright?"
She saw Kahn and Chihiro. They were both asleep.
She checked the other rooms and offices, and found the others asleep. She went up in the attic, and saw Hiro and Eiji asleep.
"Hmm... They must all be in a dream."
She walked back to Karo, and waited for him to wake up.
...
Boh walked up to us cheerfully.
"Hey guys, how are you holding up?"
I blinked. "Well, I guess... You?"
He laughed. "That was funny! She dismembered No-Face! No face doesn't dismember..."
He sighed happily. "She sucks at this, right?"
We all looked down..
"Yeah... Not at all. Hmm..." Said Kuhn.
"Screw THAT! I almost DIED!" Yelled Hiro and Linn.
Hiro looked at Linn. "That bad, huh Mom?"
"Damn right!" She exclaimed.
Eiji nodded. "Now all that's left is No-Face, Haruka, and Karo."
...
Karo was in an open field, sitting in front of a tombstone. He figured Shisuta would have liked that...
Every day without her seemed more and more miserable... His heart had broken, and he was slowly fading into nonexistence.
Someone tapped him on the shoulder. It was Haruka.
"Karo, it's just a dream..." She said.
He shook his head. "No... I wish it was. She's gone... She can't even hear me, so why do I even bother with this?"
She shook him. "Karo! SNAP OUT OF IT! Can't you HEAR ME!? LISTEN!"
He tuned his ears, and he heard her. He knew she was telling the truth.
He hugged her.
"You're right! But..."
He sobbed. "She's still going to die... THIS will be me!"
"No... Never!" She sniffed.
"I will never let you fade away! Even if I have to drag you to life by your hair!"
He laughed sadly. "Kicking and screaming... Huh?"
She smiled. "Well, I left that last part out. But, whatever."
The field turned to dirt, and the others ran to them.
"Good!" Eiji exclaimed. He looked relieved.
"We couldn't get in there, thanks Haruka!"
She nodded. "Of course."
... No face was surrounded by a bunch of angry females.
"Hey! I didn't know you could understand me!" He exclaimed.
"It's a compliment dammit! You really do have nice-!"
One slapped him. "No-Face! You're such a PIG!"
He looked up thoughtfully.
"Hey, why not! At least then I'd have a face! Motorboating for everyone!"
"You really ARE a pig!" A woman screamed.
No-Face busted outr laughing. "Yeah, you just guessed!?"
Boh and the others showed up, and the pretty ladies disappeared.
"Ah." He said angrily.
Boh laughed. "Sorry man, but this dream is over!"
"Not quite..." Said a woman from behind them.
It was Karin. She had Junichi, and had a knife to his throat.
He rolled his eyes. "Really? That was idiotic."
Linn gaped.
"Oh, hi Linn." He said. "Yeah... I'm being held hostage. And the kidnapper's such a-!"
"Don't say another word!" She yelled, holding the knife more firmly against him.
He laughed. "Do it! See what happens after that! Do you really think they'll stand idly then? What, just throw away their lives? I think not."
A bead of sweat dripped down her brow. She forced a smile.
"You know, I don't have to make this painless!"
"Well, we're right here!" Hiro exclaimed. "You really are stupid..."
She twitched. "I've HAD IT WITH YOU!"
She dropped Junichi, and dashed toward Hiro.
Shisuta appeared, and grabbed her.
"My my... You are quite the hasty one!"
Karin was frozen in fear.
Shisuta pulled her up. Her face came close to Karin's.
"What ever is the matter...?" She asked.
"Toad caught your tongue?"
Karin screamed bloody murder as Shisuta absorbed her.
She laughed. "I am beginning to like this power!"
The area faded into blackness, and the dream ended.