[Private] Dreams

The dark.

It covers me and coats me.

I could reach out and I would not touch anything.

But...there is no reason to do such an irrational thing when I am this tired.

Why am I so restless?

Isn't this a dream? Is this reality?

If so, then where is everybody?

I need sleep...

.
.
.

Someone approaches me.

Is it an angel? Is it a demon?...I don't even care anymore...

'Hey...'

"Where am I?"

'...'

"Answer me!"

My voice is only barely a yell. It is too relaxed to do more.

'You...don't know, do you?'

"...W-...what?"

'You're...dead...'

"But...I made sure you hit me in a spot that was not lethal to that extent! I-...!"

The figure fades.

I am, once again, left alone.

The company of myself...

.
.
.

*Muffle*

?

*Muffle-muffle!*

Wh-...what?...

*Muffle muffle-muffle...muffle muffle muffle muf-* *Muffle muffle!*

What are you-..?

*muffle....*

W-w-..w-whuh-hut? Where are you-?..

*......muffle......*

D-d-don't go!!-Don't leave me alone! Please!

*...*

Please don't...p-please don't go...

I can't be left alone like this...please stay with me...

Don't leave me alone....

.
.
.

The figure suddenly shows back up.

This time fading in through the dark in front of me instead of walking into my sight like last time.

He stares at me with lifeless eyes.

As if he's here for work on a Monday.

'Sayuri...Wade...'

W-what are you doing?

What? I-...I-I can't speak!

I keep trying over and over to speak but I can't.

'Yuuji...Sumiko...'

No...no-NO! Stop it!

'...Tiberius...Christopher...'

STOP I~~T!!

'Anthony...Nick...Al-'

No!...NO!...

My eyes begin to blur.

I am desperately trying speak but can't.

I begin to feel claustrophobic and start to panic. Gripping my head.

'-ex...'

Please_dear_God_no!

A tear drips off of my face. Forming a small bubble and floating around as if I am laying down but when the tear disconnects from my eye it acts as if it has the properties it would have in space (If it were all in space, the tear would not shed if I just laid there).

'Duane...Heidi...'

NO! NO-PLEASE-NOT MY FAMILY!!-DON'T TAKE MY FAMILY FROM ME!!!

More tears form.

'Kuriko.'

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!"

I break the spell of silence and Eric fades out.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!"

I wake from the worst experience of my entire life-worse than my first experience with evil.

Sobbing into the waist of someone I had happened to latch onto.

"Shhh, shh it's ok. You're in the hospital. Nobody can hurt you now." Kuriko says in a soothing voice while stroking Satoshi's hair.

As soon as she'd heard Satoshi cry out in his sleep, she had stumbled over to his bedside table and clutched his hand. Twelve she'd been here, waiting by his bedside. Waiting for him to wake up. The doctors had promised her she was in a stable condition, but the time he'd taken to awake from his sleep was enormous. The constant turning and muttering in his sleep hadn't eased her misgivings either, and Kuriko had genuinely feared for his life.

Over the past few hours she'd heard him mention a certain "Eric" more than once, and hadn't the faintest clue who he was. Was he a friend? Family? Had he done this to him? Nobody knew. The hospital had minimal information from the victims of what seemed like a vicious attack on the school, both Chris and Satoshi were unconscious for a time. She wasn't sure what had happened to Shinto, but he was in the mix somewhere.

I need to be serious, for now. He needs my support, all flirting must be put aside...

I'm too busy thinking of my previous dream to realize who said it. All my instincts tell me right now is that I need some sort of mother figure and I have one so I should just accept it and be grateful.

I do, however, subconsciously note that the voice wasn't very weirded out at all and that she is rather small for a fully grown nurse and I would of recognized my mother's voice through any circumstances for obvious reasons.

My mind breaks it down to a small list of people who it could be.

Kuriko, Rachel, or a smaller/younger nurse.

My mind does not alert my consciousness for it to pick the obvious answer of who it is, though, so I stay in the dark on that.

"Tha~nk You~~.."

There is a normal "arigato" where my multilingual speech of thanks is supposed to be.

That thank you is also more of a 'thank you for existing' instead of a 'thank you for letting me use you for the moment.'

I don't even acknowledge what she said other than it was a positive response. I don't care about anything else.

I just wanted someone I could let myself be pathetic in front of.

To tell the truth, the last time I ever cried was when I heard of my grandfather on my mother's side's passing.

And that was when I was eight...

That is generally how little of a crier I am. I don't even try to hold anything back either.

The only reason is that my only weakness is loss of anyone close to me.

...

It takes a short three minutes to calm myself and remove my face from it's human pillow.

For some reason I am not surprised at all who it is even though I wasn't sure who it was. Perhaps it's just the circumstances that creates this lack of surprise.

"Thank you..."

"I'm-...I'm sorry you had to....see me that way..."

[I love the way this website swallows notifications.]

"Don't mention it, pet." Kuriko says with a smile, and continues to stroke his hair. "You've been through a lot. I'd be worried if you didn't use me as a handkerchief!"

...Tactfulm Kuriko. Tactful.

The doctors obviously didn't realise she was blind as they didn't actually mention what injuries Satoshi had sustained. "W-whats... what's the damage, sweetie?" She says in a small voice.

'You've been through a lot-'

You?...Know?...

God, I hope I didn't scare her...

'damage?'

Her speech style and vocal signature is glazed in hints that I scared her half to death.

I-...I'm sorry..

"I-..."

I better put this in a way without all of the necromancy and everyth-...

Images of the night before rush through my head.

It was, by far, the worse conscious moment of my life. Worst over all goes to a few minutes ago.

That dream...that god-forsaken dream takes the cake.

Could Eric have conjured that up for me?

It's very possible. After all, he did find out about Kuriko through my own mind. THAT is mind reading.

...Actually it's demons telling you your target's facts and secrets.

Bah! Focus!

"Well, I don't quite remember the details but I got hit with something. I don't know what it is but it was something."

"Penetrated by..."

I lift my hospital gown and look at where the scar is.

Thank goodness I'm dating a blind girl...

"...by my lower abdominal area."

I take her hand and put it on my belly button.

"This is my belly button."

And then I slide it to where it just barely touches the stitched and bandaged wound. The pain still freshly sharp to the touch.

"And this is where I was hit..."

I try to lean forward but-

*G*Dammit-this hurts like a bitch!

"Ah!...Hold on."

I role to my left a bit. It is painful but it bends my wounds less.

I then slide her hand from my entry wound to my exit wound. Making sure she feels on my skin on the way so she can generally know where they are on the body.

I make my own observations. I wasn't able to look at it before the bandages were put on and Kuriko is the first person I saw after that all happened so I have no doctor's opinion either.

"Judging from the trajectory of the wounds, I should be fine sometime soon. It was near my intestinal area so that means I would of needed surgery to make sure I don't...eh...leak...am I correct on that?"

"I don't know exactly how big the wound is but, judging from the bandage size and entrance-to-exit wound ratio, I was hit by something similar in size, penetration amount, and wounding behavior to a .45 Caliber round."

Something similar to it.

"That is my current situation."

I let go of Kuriko's little hand and lay down on my back again.

Kuriko is a little surprised that Satoshi will so readily show her the damage, but she complies anyway. She visualises what's happening in her head, and is pleasantly surprised when she can feel the hard muscle of his stomach. When Satoshi brings her hands towards his wounds, she can feel the intense heat of the mutilated flesh.

"S-Satoshi... This is..."

I can't hold it anymore.

Tears brim over into Kuriko's eyes and she begins to sob into Satoshi's shoulder.

"You idiot!" She says through her tears, lightly stamping her foot, "What were you doing?! Don't do this to me ever again!" She says, but not in an angry tone. Her voice is more pleading than demanding. Genuine fear wasn't a familiar emotion to Kuriko, but she was gonna have to get used to it fast.

"K-..Kuriko.."

I am surprised. I've never been held like this by anyone other than family before.

My arms retreat but slowly move around her back afterward. Just sitting there and holding her.

"I..."

*sigh*

"...Read my voice when-...when I say that I can't just let someone chip away at humanity."

"Anyone against the betterment of an over all quality of life is against me."

I grip around her back just a little bit tighter.

"When I think of someone getting hurt...I-..."

And a little more tight than before.

"..I think of the last person who'd I want to let go..."

A single cryless-tear runs down from my face. Soaking into my cheek instead of falling.

"The most important to me..."

My voice grows bitter.

"And when I think of her...my own safety suddenly becomes less important than snapping the neck of whoever wishes harm upon her."

My aura suddenly doesn't seem so positive any longer.

That kid that jokes around with his friends and loves life as a whole doesn't seem so pure any longer.

Replaced by the threats made to the well-being of his friends, family, and significant other.

An aura, not threatening toward Kuriko but is still black, regardless.

An ebony black.

"So you were... you were attacked?" Kuriko says, horrified. "Why?!"

She listens to his description of his views upon the world, and smiles. "You're a very pure person, Satoshi. Not many people have that claim. I'm sure whatever you did was for the betterment of your friends... and me." She smiles, and places a small kiss upon his mouth.

'You were attacked?'

"...Kuriko...Something went through me like a .45 round...as in ammunition...like-to a gun."

"I-.."

There is no way in hell-I'm telling you what happened. I myself am not even sure of if this is still a dream or not...

Can someone really do that? Necromancy to such an extent?

It almost makes me fear for my life...

..Almost.

That blue-haired CUNT made sure I am too pissed off to worry about myself.

Hell-I'm not even afraid of death beyond natural human instinct anyway. He just made sure I broke that natural barrier.

Now I just want to whoop his ass.

"...I don't know why I was attacked, but I don't care."

"Bottom line is I wont be unprepared next time."

Good thing he doesn't actually own a .45. I'd be injured a helluvalot easier than I was. Maybe even killed by a follow up shot.

He isn't going to get his hands on one. Not now.

Buying one or killing a cop is way too risky. Provides an area of probable shelter.

My aura lightens to a lighter grey with the kiss upon my lips.

*Sigh*

"...I needed that. Thank you."

I hold Kuriko in a hug as she sits on my bed.

"Your bravery never ceases to amaze me." She says with a smile.

After cradling Satoshi's head for a few minutes, Kuriko remembers the police officers that came looking for him.

"Satoshi... The police want to talk to you, obviously. I'm supposed to inform a nurse as soon as you woke up. Do you think you're ready for it?"

"Hmhm. Hit with your best shot, pretty girl."

I lean back with my arms crossed.

"But one quick question before. Do you know how my family is about this? Have any of them visited or anything?"

"They've been informed, and are on their way."

Kuriko steps into the corridor and calls for a nurse, and returns with two police officers in tow. Kuriko feels her way back into Satoshi's arms and sits on the edge of the bed.

"Evening lad. Is it ok if we ask you a few questions about the incident on the 21st April?"

"No wait-!"

Tell me what my family knows!...Ugh, she's gone.

She comes back soon but this time we aren't in private so I hold off with my question.

"Anything to get that one kid's ass in jail. Search going well, officers?"

I am surprisingly relaxed in front of the officers. It's a good habit I picked up.

Let's them know you have nothing to hide.

...though, that isn't quite true. I am really good at hiding things without lying and that is exactly what I expect to do.

If I say anything about necromancy than I would likely be incredible with information.

Got to remember that religious reasons are not considered credible in government actions like this.

"That one kid? So, the attacker was a child?" The officer asks in surprise, hastily writing notes into his pad.

Testing time. Best give my full account before answering any more questions.

That's a mistake on that officer's part. Looks young so it must be his inexperience. []

Chances are the more experienced interrogator is dealing with either Chris or Sensai.

"Yeah, he had a buddy too. Seemed to be the muscle."

"Chris was helping me with that one. The teacher was occupied with the other one."

I grip my arm around Kuriko a little tighter.

Please don't be worried or frightened...

"After the assault on us started, I threw a few of my kunai-those are mine if you don't already know-and wounded him but it seemed to hardly have an effect on him."

"Instead of falling back the guy charged me into a tree. He was a brute-I tell ya."

"Anyway, I took my knife to him and kicked him. Chris held him down for a while after that."

This may hurt Kuriko...

I slide my hand on her cheek and pull her into a hug while still keeping my eyes on the investigator's. Showing him my belief in the account.

Lying is so much easier when you don't do it.

"The other kid started taunting toward us. He started making a threatening movement so I threw one of my knives at him and, at the same time, I had been hit."

"I don't know if I hit him or not but then he started fleeing so I don't think I did."

"I gave chase and then that's all I remember."

"Last thing I can consciously remember is starting to run after him..."

The officer reaches inside of his coat pocket and takes out a set of photographs. The photographs depict the mangled corpse of Husk, clearly not human.

"These are the photographs of the corpse we found at the crime scene... I'd say he's much more than 'a brute'. A white lie is still a lie, Satoshi. And we all know lying to a police officer is a crime."

The officer takes back the photographs and adjusts his tie. "Now, are you going to tell me the whole truth? Don't try to be clever with us - we've seen it all before. Do you really think I've never had experience interrogating somebody who doesn't want to tell me the truth?"

"Was I lying throughout my side of the story?"

"Once, maybe?"

"You think I can look at something like that thing and be all like."

I proceed to do an impression of myself if I were what they wanted me to tell them because one thing's for certain. I tell them it's necromancy and then it's all over.

Not only will I be doubted and accused of lying again, I might get my ass put in police custody for a night.

"'Waitaminutewaitaminute...YEAHYEAH! Yeah-I can tell you exactly what that is!'"

"Honestly, officer, what do you expect from a high school senior, training to go into automotive drafting and design? The knowledge of a science major? One of your forensic scientists that-judging by your questions-don't even know what the hell it is either when it's their job?"

"Maybe I will know more than them about it. After all, I'm already more intelligent in another officer I know's field."

"I described it as his buddy and a brute. That thing fought with the kid and it slammed Chris and I into a tree after it had been stabbed multiple times."

"And you have the stones to tell me I'm lying to you about it being a brute or his ally?"

"Why would you even think I am in either a position to or have a reason to lie? Don't you think I want to give what that bastard has coming to him? Do you?"

"You accuse me of lying for such...such an unintelligent reason again and you guys wont hear a single damn word I have to say until your lead interrogator comes by my current living quarters."

"May we continue this as men with an I.Q. above 95 now?"

I personally don't care that Kuriko can hear me now.

Hell, I think she should take notes on how stupid some people can be so she knows how to deal with them...

People who are 'experts' on human psychology these days! They don't know their ass from a fucking hole in the ground!

[DAMMIT-FUCKING RYUU! XD I'll switch it in the morning. My phone don't copy text worth SHIT.]

{Wow! Satoshi arbitrarily became Ryuu! This must be one of that necromancer's powers.}

[WOW WAY TO GO CHRIS YOU DIDN'T EVEN READ WHAT I SAID ON THE BOTTOM OF MY MISTAKE AND, BECAUSE YOU MADE A COMMENT, NOW I CAN'T EVEN FRIGGEN-DELETE IT YOU ASS! X"D]

"Was I lying throughout my side of the story?"

"Once, maybe?"

"You think I can look at something like that thing and be all like."

I proceed to do an impression of myself if I were what they wanted me to tell them because one thing's for certain. I tell them it's necromancy and then it's all over.

Not only will I be doubted and accused of lying again, I might get my ass put in police custody for a night.

"'Waitaminutewaitaminute...YEAHYEAH! Yeah-I can tell you exactly what that is!'"

"Honestly, officer, what do you expect from a high school senior, training to go into automotive drafting and design? The knowledge of a science major? One of your forensic scientists that-judging by your questions-don't even know what the hell it is either when it's their job?"

"Maybe I will know more than them about it. After all, I'm already more intelligent in another officer I know's field."

"I described it as his buddy and a brute. That thing fought with the kid and it slammed Chris and I into a tree after it had been stabbed multiple times."

"And you have the stones to tell me I'm lying to you about it being a brute or his ally?"

"Why would you even think I am in either a position to or have a reason to lie? Don't you think I want to give what that bastard has coming to him? Do you?"

"You accuse me of lying for such...such an unintelligent reason again and you guys wont hear a single damn word I have to say until your lead interrogator comes by my current living quarters."

"May we continue this as men with an I.Q. above 95 now?"

I personally don't care that Kuriko can hear me now.

Hell, I think she should take notes on how stupid some people can be so she knows how to deal with them...

People who are 'experts' on human psychology these days! They don't know their ass from a fucking hole in the ground!

[I do have a modicum of experience in changing people, yes.

Also, Satoshi, not to be rude or anything but I think you totally overreacted here. The "brute" is a rotting corpse with cybernetic augmentations plastered all over it, I think the officer had every right to question your story. Plus lying to a police officer (you can't deny that you did) during an investigation is illegal, and you have undoubtedly pissed him off. Good going bud! ]

"... Yes, yes you were lying. That thing clearly isn't human, or do you not think that isn't vital information in the investigation? It's pretty obvious that you aren't going to know what it is, granted, but at least pointing out that we aren't dealing with strictly human attackers is vital information. You're lucky we recovered the corpse - going by your information we'd be looking for human criminals and would be going in totally unprepared. The deaths of many officers could have been on your hands, so I ask you again, can I have the whole truth please?"

The officer isn't happy. At all. Satoshi's insults were met by stony silence and a cold glare.

"S-Satoshi... just... answer his questions. Truthfully." Kuriko says in a quiet voice, "being stubborn isn't going to help find the killer."

[Not lying. Just keeping religion out of my story. It increases credibility when dealing with government officials especially if they happen to be atheist or something.
Also, Satoshi doesn't even understand what happened fully. All he knows is he should of killed it a whopping four times. He knows the other entities in the clearing were a result of some sort of necromancy, but we fought something with metal arms and shit. Satoshi would assume all of that is a product of Eric since he fought for it and called it a masterpiece and stuff but necromancy ain't cybernetic...which I just realized would be just the COOLEST SHIT ever-why hasn't anyone ever thought of that for an anime or something?!
And, sure I over reacted. I hate it when people think they know how to get answers from someone by treating them like liars or stupid. That's why I hate a good sized amount of therapists now-a-days. I tell ya, the ex of mine with the bad family life got one that didn't even do anything except make her say what happened to her without doing anything about it and letting her be forced to tell her dad about what she said. Real nice, huh? >.<]

"I wasn't lying. Not even once."

"But I'll tell you what I know even though you aren't going to believe me. Not being a credible source any longer is starting to sound better."

"Whatever it was, it was not human as you said but it was created by it's ally. That kid."

"Through the heart, through the throat, through the eye. Noting hurt it."

"Through the top of it's head did seem to effect it but that thing jumped right back up."

"This wound may be like a gun shot but I was stabbed by the other one with a claw of his from across the clearing while riding a deer skeleton. Take me to prison, asshole."

I lean back in my bed and cross my arms.

[I don't understand why you deny lying, Satoshi DID lie xD You said you were going to in the first post :') And where's religion come from? And he didn't treat you like you were stupid, just like a liar. Which you were. It's not hard to co-operate with the police, I don't understand why you're being so hostile - he's trying to do his job.]

"I wasn't lying-"

The officer sighs in exasperation.

He listens to Satoshi's tale and begins to say thanks.

"Asshole."

"Satoshi!" Kuriko gasps, and extracts herself from his arms. "What the hell are you doing?! This guy is trying to HELP you!" She runs from the room, tears in her eyes.

"The girl is right, Mr. Veach." The officer says, and closes his notebook. "It's quite clear you aren't going to co-operate with the investigation, so I'm going to rely on the eyewitness accounts of the other two victims. I have every right to arrest you for conspiring to hinder a criminal investigation, but I'm not going to. Good day." The officer turns on his heel and walks out the door before Satoshi has a chance to reply. Kuriko doesn't return.

['Lying is so much easier when you don't do it.'
'...though, that isn't quite true. I am really good at hiding things without lying and that is exactly what I expect to do.'
I can see where you are coming from but I hadn't lied once. Telling a lie and choosing what to say carefully are completely different things. That's what 'pleading the 5th' is in America except I'm doing it more descretely. I realize this is Japan but lying, telling the truth, and giving people only what is necessary are the same everywhere. All governments do it. That's why politicians can gain so many supporters-it is the way they speak. If governments told the truth even for things like military affairs that could send people into a panic. I mean, why do you think big government comes with big corruption? Because it's the very same skills needed for proper management that are needed for corruption. We live in a world where words can make people hurt each other so doing this conserves. That's what I'm doing. It may not be hard to cooperate with police but it also isn't hard to cooperate with a solid story. L;
Necromancy deals with acult practices. Religion has everything to do with it.
If his job is to ask a 17 year-old questions a 40 year-old forensic scientist would sooner die of old age than be able to answer, he certainly deserves a medal for performing it above and beyond the call of duty-I tell ya. Not even anyone involved in that shit could explain that. ERIC would be all like,"Uuummmm...I sorta just...did it. Ya put a demon inside the body with some backwards latin and off it goes!"
"...Oh-how did it get those arms and stuff? Pfff-hell if I know."
Oh-what the hell!-I wouldn't of called him an asshole if I knew he was satisfied! Come on, can't slip something in the middle of a post of someone else that will change outcomes. It's like slipping in the middle of someone else's sentence,"AND THEN A METEOR IMACTS HIS FACE-SHUTTING HIM UP FOR GOOD! >" X'D]

You can arrest me? Yeah-I'd like to see the lawer assigned against me prepare a single motive for me to lie in any way.

I give a huff and call the nurse with my remote. Curious at when I'll be able to start trying to walk again.

I don't need anybody's help.

...I'll save you all. By myself.

[A white lie is still a lie under - at least - British & American law. You didn't tell him that what they were dealing with wasn't human, and once the story arc inevitably finishes they'll know about the raising of the dead, you didn't mention that either. And what you said about it "being necessary" is total bull, do you really think the police DON'T need to know this? I know it's a roleplay, and obviously eventually you will be the one to solve the whole mystery, yada yada yada, but a modicum of reality wouldn't go amiss. Do you seriously believe that someone would think they're better equipped than the government to hunt down this guy?

And the police didn't ask HOW it happened - he asked WHAT happened. You don't need to explain the science behind Necromancy or Cybernetics. If the police officer asked Eric what happened, he would reply "I raised the dead."

Valid point about the asshole thing, think I got the ordering wrong. I'll change that!]