Velvet Black

Will was right.
When he woke me just after dusk and most of the beds were messy or made up life had gotten a little better. My eyes were swollen from crying and my body hurt in places I wasn't even sure could hurt.
Life got even more bearable when I sank into the milky bath and sank into it once again. Will panicked the first time and pulled me out, ready to revive me. He gave me one look and realize that I could hold my breath for, at most, seven and a half minutes. The familiar folk song rang inside my head as I sank deeper and deeper into milky darkness.
After a little while I came up and by then Will was blue with fear. I told him that it was okay and he relaxed a bit. He helped me clean up and cover some of my bruises with make-up. Will taught me the many ways of giving them less resistance and not getting tossed around a rag doll. I tried bringing up the question from last night, but he dismissed it quickly and went onto what I should wear tonight.
Coming out of the room was easier said than done. I'd fallen into a trance by watching the flickering flames of the candles of the mirror. Will had to drag me by my arm out of the room because some shrill voiced thing was harping at the door for room time.
It was Imori that I saw first when I made my way down to the cages.
"Honey, you look awful!" He gasped as he tried touching me, but I ducked. His eyes fixated, but quickly passed the issue onto another. "Well, you two must be starving. Dinner's ready down at the Hall. Pick it up and head back to a corner where you're out of the way and not dripping anything on the floors. The boys have cleaned it up especially nice today," he clapped his hands together as he led us to the line for dinner.
"Why?" Will inquired for me.
"It's presentation day. It's basically when servants of head honchos come down and survey the crops of our doings. In short, they look for the best to bid prices on," he nodded as he called something completely foreign to two burly looking cooks with six arms and four eyes. My lungs clenched when I saw their strength at work. Note, never get on the cook's bad side. Ever.
"So we're cattle," Will snarled flattly as two covered dishes on trays popped from a small window in front of us.
"Not if you don't think that way," Imori said as he filled a pot with hot water. "Tea selection is over here. One brew per pot, boys."
And with that Imori disappeared. Will looked at me and smiled. "See? Not so bad. Wow, this tea! How exotic," he marveled over a massive table of tea leaves. "How many do you have in all?" he called back to the cooks. They said something foreign, but he seemed to translate well. How, I still don't know. "Over fifty thousand," his eyes sparkled as he grabbed a small scoop of blooming sakura ginger. "This'll open you up a bit... er... nasal passages, I mean," he went pink. I snickered a bit as he carried the tea, I our food.

Back in our room it was empty. No one was sleeping, no one was lingering, and it was blissfully dull. Will took a seat between our futons and lifted the tray. All things considered, the food looked fantastic. Fresh friend rice with baby shrimp, stir fry vegetables and steak, sweet buns, sweet carrots, and even a side of omurice. It was more than I could have asked for in a time like this.
Instantly we dug into the meal dishes. The tea only intensified the taste and made the meal all the better. Before long half of our food was gone and not a word was spoken. We both laughed at this as we almost choked on dinner.
"See?" He smiled after avoiding suffocation on a carrot. "Gets better. It always will."
Pondering this, I watched Will. "You're used to this," I said flattly. Will didn't flinch or look surprised. In fact, he shrugged. "What did you do when you were back home?"
"Sex alley. You run from home... people bend you backwards for a deal or make a pretty face draw you in... and then you're stuck. Pay or risk death. Girls only got out if they got pregnant and sought help of a Church. Boys were shunned. We're diseases. Ah, but it doesn't matter much now," he smiled weakly. "Here the food is better, the people are nicer, and you don't have to look like a dirty scruff to make some real money. I heard from one of the girls upstairs that if you work hard enough they'll give you a stipend of your earnings for personal expense."
Though I was still fixated on Will's lax voice as he told me a portion of his life's story. When I tried asking about it again, he didn't seem reluctant, but he seemed sad.
"So how'd you get here... really."
"Caught me in a lie," he smirked as he took another sip from his teacup. "Well I was working. I was lined up outside on a wall with seventeen others. Most were girls, some were pregnant, and then there were the boys. We looked the most interesting because of our eyes," he pointed at his. Sure enough, they were enough to put you in a trance. "It's how to find a good buy. The eyes and the face. If the face isn't so good, hope for eyes. If the eyes aren't so good, wish for a face."
"Alright... and... and then?"
"Then I saw him. He was following Mr. Stoop carefully with eyes like bright diamonds lit in the dark shadows of the night. The most striking thing about him was his height, that's for sure. Stoop kept pushing one of the girls or the better boys on him, but he seemed adament about me for some reason," another halfhearted shrug.
"Height... okay, go on?"
"Well he bought me, but... it wasn't like anything I'd ever done," his face went rosy as he recalled his one pleasant memory.
"'How about an adventure? And a bath,' he'd said. Honestly having heard that a million times I thought it was just some sick bastard wanting oral or something." I choked at that word. I forgot that Will could be rather blunt sometimes. "Ah, but he was different. He told me stories that I never could have imagined, showed me magic I'd only left to books, and left my Dicken's inspired life to the waves we walked in. That's the remarkable thing... the water."
My eyes rose to his suddenly. It was always the water. The water I could nearly breathe in, the water he recalled... water.
"What about the water?" I was urgent now as I gave my full attention to him.
"Well, he took me into a small bay where beautiful shore waters reflected the night sky above. He lit a fire on the shore and cleaned me up so that I smelled like sea water and roses. Then, like magic, he led me across the water. His hand guided me right over it! We walked on water! That's the stuff of myths and messiahs. Hell, as a little kid then, I assumed I'd died and gone to a very peaceful heaven. Unfortuantely the only thing that would survive that night was a spell and a mark," he pushed the cuff off his wrist and showed a little marking much like the one on my head. "Domete, he said."
"I heard Dominici!" I gasped as both our faces lit. He urged me to tell my own story and he too listened as if he were entranced by my every word. Will seemed to come close to dying each time our stories crossed paths. He asked questions, had a fixated gaze on his face, and never lost a bit of what I said.
"Wow," was his first and only word as he shook his head and sighed. "To think," he held his head in his hands, "that we'd be so alike..."
"Birds of a feather," I chuckled as I drank some of the tea. Will was right. This stuff was fantastic.
Just when I thought everything was taking a massive step towards peace the doors to the worker's quarters flew open. Will's back went stiff as he heard the clear and familiar scoffing of the boss lady. The rounded shape forced herself through the doorway and scowled down at us. We didn't have to look, we could feel her distaste.
"What... are you doing?" Her nasally voice sounded offended as if there was a harsh stench in the air she just could not bear to leave unnoticed.
"Eating," Will said stiffly.
"Yes, I know, but why?"
"Because it's dinner?" I offered, but her face went rigid.
"It's not dinner, Toregas, it's Line Up," her mole seemed to shake at her words. I couldn't contain a gagging laugh as I turned away. "Something..." A stiff breathe in. "... funny... Torega?" She screwed her face up as I shook my head. "Excellent. Clean your filthy selves up and line up in the main hall. The Descendents are already sifting through the usuals. You're late."
At this we scrambled. Over and over I'd heard Imori press the importance of the Line Up. 'It comes once on a very, very blue moon, boys. It's your one chance to get out of this god foresaken hole. Pray to something one of them finds you fitting a very tight bill because they come once every five years,' he'd stressed as he sweat nervously. Apparently it wasn't his first Line Up.
Honestly, we'd done nothing to look overly presentable. I was still crammed into my disheveled clothes from last night, short leather jacket, tight jeans, glitter and all, and looked a mess. Probably because I'd cried most of the night and my hair was flipping up in all directions. Though, this didn't seem like a bad thing.
When Will and I crammed into the hall we stood in the middle of two girls that looked at us like scum. Their eyes rolled and then oggled at the men and women surveying them from a distance. I could see men, women, and Its all working what they had in order to get a ticket out. From out of the corner of my eye I heard a girl gossipping to another wildly. Her eyes were watery and looked as if she were about to cry. Something about her forgetting her lucky hair barette in her room. Another was fretting over her snakeling hair that kept hissing and biting her scaley fingers. Across the room was a line of younger girls with stern looks and stiff poses that the Descendents scrutinized harshly. The static in the air was nearly visible.
As for Will he seemed to sweat bullets, but somehow this made him glisten attractively in the lamplight. His lips pursed as he rubbed his wrist where his own Domete mark had been. He kept swearing that it wasn't coming back. I recalled that these Descendents were actually members of the Pillar clans and that a member would recognize their sign instantly. Seeing his panic now it was clear that he was more than scared of getting stuck here for another five years. Honestly, I was just as nervous, but in a different way.
My stomach felt like it wasn't just doing flips, but squeezing, twisting, and being run out like a towel in water. Throat tightening, I started breathing fast. It was understandable to be scared, but considering all the circumstances, it would be perfectly acceptable if you broke down in tears.
Looking out across the vast entertainment room I could see the Descendents pushing the girls and boys down the line. None had been picked yet and several had dashed off with tears spilling down their faces. Though some acted as if the whole ordeal was a hierarchy, truly, we all hated it. Hell, we loathed it. We'd rather die than work another night. While some just sat there with their expressions of monotony, others keeled over in agony. It was impressive how some had adapted to not care. Then again, some were here longer than others.
From where I stood I spotted one of the girls that had cowered in the corner of the cage with Will and me. Her long red hair was swept behind her and showed her pale face that had somehow become translucent with panic. Her freckles were extremely contrasted against her fair skin and something about her made the Descendents notice. One of the taller women stepped forward and touched her hair. She made note of something, flipped her wrists, looked at her neck, and checked her ankles. Suddenly she stood back and pointed at her.
A chorus of shrieks erupted from her line-mates. One girl lunged out and took a swipe at the Descendants throats, but froze with the most horrid look on her face. It was as if the blood was being drained from her body as the man from behind touched her back. There was a cry of shock as she hit the floor, mouth foaming. She trembled a bit, and then her eyes rolled back. Her voice was shaking and moaning wildly as her body convulsed on the floor. The Descendants stood back as the girl died in her seizures.
The room went cold with trauma as they watched her life drain from her face. People muttered and some sobbed in mourning as they'd known her well. Then, just when the Descendants were about to move on, the girl gasped violently. Her lungs heaved and swallowed air like a starving man would food. Her chest rose and fell violently with shock as she got to her feet but hovered there on her knees. Two friends collapsed on their knees to help her.
"No need to be alarmed, just to shut her up," it was Imori who sighed boringly as if it were just all a day's work.
"I-I could have died!" She shrieked in horror as tears nearly gushed from her eyes.
"Corpsis Muertes," he smirked. "I could have... that is, if you insist," he made a feinting lunge that nearly gave the girl a heart attack.
"Enough, Imori," one of the Descendants shook his head as Imori stood back in line.
"Anything, honey," he spat his words as he leaned back against the wall.
"Think anything's there?" Will laughed nervously. I looked down at his wrist and he'd nearly rubbed it raw with fear the mark wouldn't show. It was strange because it was literally there just moments ago.
Though, his panic would have to last for a little while. The Descendants were on the other side of the room that was at least three times as large as our massive dorms.

At least an hour went by before the Descendants made their way to our end of the line. Some of the people had ran back in shock and others stayed to see who'd make it out and who'd go back to the cages to make quick cash.
Finally the five people walked in front of us and three others, one boy and two girls. They were terrifying up close where their eyes were searching you front and back. They first looked over a girl who said her name was Sasaya and had long green hair and black eyes like Imori. Her body was rigid with fear as they checked the neck, forehead, ankles, and wrists. "Sorry," one said for her. "Better luck... er... what is it, five years? Yeah, better luck next half decade," one of the Descendants shrugged as she nearly broke down in tears.
Next was the boy with short black hair and white eyes. He looked nervously at the ground and rubbed his neck as if it had a very bad itch. "Name?" One of the male Descendants bellowed from his large gut. The man looked up sheepishly and nodded. "Name?"
"T-Toya," he said shortly. "Toya Nomori."
"Hmm... What's wrong with your neck, son?" The large bearded Descendent smirked. "A new tattoo? A mark perhaps?"
Toya's face went pale as he nodded hurriedly. The man motioned for him to bend lower for him to see. Low and behold was a similar marking in exquisite calligraphy of a crest name. The man beamed with delight. "Almost thought the Shiga clan hadn't found its marker this lot," he marked off on his chart and turned back to Boss Lady. "Senma, get Nomori packed." A few around him sounded shocked and pleased as he didn't seem very cut out of the work he'd been forced into.
Even so, he wasn't short of thanks. "Th-thank you very much! Ah, Descendant, sir, thank you! I-I mean it, sir, thank you very much!" He bowed over and over again in nervous excitement.
"Alright, I understand. Now, pack up." And with that Toya flew across the room and ducked into the hall. Man, was he tall.
Next was yours truly. I thought I'd die as the first four checked the normal spots. All four looked astonished as they turned to the stern man Imori had spoken to before. He was busy writing something and cramming it into his robes before he did anything else.
"Um... Nal... Nal, you've got one," the female Descendent shook his shoulder.
Nal grimaced. "Check it again. Sago hasn't chosen a Dominici in centuries. This kid's probably a damn fake. Get one every year," he sighed. "Ah, but then again there's that one kid back fro--..." Nal raised his eyes to my forehead and nearly dropped his clipboard. The four looked at him with triumph as they motioned towards my face.
"Told you," the large one smirked.
"This... that's impossible!" He shoved his clipboard into one of the other's hands. "You! Who'd you pay for this?"
I stood frozen for a moment. My lips were wide with words to say, but my throat was dry and empty. I had no air, I had no words, and I couldn't begin to explain it. "I asked you... where did you get this?"
"I can't say the name... er.... sir..." I looked off to the side, but Nal moved to meet my eyes.
"Why not?"
"Because the last time I did I got stuck here," I looked off to the other side. Something about his stare frightened me.
"Trouble maker. Sago would have said something," he barked. I winced nervously in fear that his name would send me plummeting into another dimension of hell. Who knew what they did there. "I'll get the truth out of you," he pushed up his robe sleeve and chanted over his palm. It lit blue with fire just like Juri's finger.
My back hit the wall fear as his hand came down against my forehead. I screamed for him not to say it, but it was too late. Will had stepped back and shielded his eyes as the man cast his words.
"DOMINICIA!"
The four Descendants threw back in shock as a flash of blue engulfed my eyes. My shoulders slumped as Nal pulled pressure off my skull. He seemed to grin with satisfaction as my eyes rolled back into my head. "See? Complete... fake...?" But he wouldn't have his way just yet.
My knees hit the floor as I keeled over. I felt similar to how the girl looked when Imori had nearly killed her. Legs trembling, I failed to get to my feet. I couldn't see anything and my mouth was raw and hot as if I'd just vomited. Maybe I had. I couldn't tell. I rolled over on my back and began convulsing with my teeth clenched tight. From a distant place I heard Will's screams and two medic’s voices.
A flashback?
"I need two bags of saline! Damn it, where's my saline? This kid's vitals are dropping fast. SAKARA, where's the damn road?!" A woman snarled at a driver.
"It's raining too hard! This island... Wait, I see the port!"
"PEDAL IT, DAMN IT!" She shrieked as she bent over me. "Noya, watch his numbers. I need to find some damn saline," her voice turned away.
"Roger."
I felt lifeless. My arms and legs were numb and my head was burning hot. The sounds of beeping and hissing filled my ears as I lay on some sort of soft bed. There was a sharp pain in my arm and for some reason I was sure one of my legs was missing.
"You're gonna be okay kid... we've gotcha... you're gonna be okay," a woman's voice soothed me as she smoothed out my forehead. "Camping trip gone bad?" Was I conscious? Was I looking at her?
"Dogs... d-dogs... the dogs... Sag... im..."
"Don't talk. You need rest," she said again.
"Dogs... don't... let the dogs... get him..."

My body was stiff and aching. Am I dead? Was my first thought. Lips pursing as if they were sewn shut, eyes unable to focus, I stared at the ceiling. Ceiling... ceiling... ceiling! "AUGH!!" I screamed as I flew upright. Imori and Nal jumped back as I dug my nails into the bedding.
I needed to get a hold on things. It was the dorm room and it was morning. The sun was coming up, but there was nobody in the room with me. No, not the dorms. It was a private room. Nal was sitting to my right, Imori to my left. They looked stunned and Nal had almost passed out in the shock of things. My first instinct was to touch my forehead where a heated pain was radiating from my mark. Though, when I felt it, it seemed raised somehow.
"Don't panic," Imori said calmly as he pulled my hands down to my lap. "The convulsions weren’t his intention."
"Wait... convuls-... YOU!" I flung my accusation at Nal who nearly hopped from his skin at my glowering face. "You sa-said that... that thing! I told you no!"
"Most are jokers. It usually just makes them faint. Dominici who are marked by the Pillars, or demonic lords, have an adverse reaction from their own infused immune systems. The counterattack is like an autoimmune disease that takes twenty years of damage and sums it up in three minutes."
"Tw-twenty years damage?!" I nearly howled as I hugged my shoulders. "What the fuck! What if I get brain damage! What if I die early?!"
"The damage isn't literally or lasting. It's like Corpsis muertes. It lasts maybe a week and most and you come out of it normally as you went in. No permanent side effects," Imori sounded like a plastic surgeon assuring his patient there would be no scars on their new faces. Rather, new lives.
It was really a lot to take in in just under a minute, but there was one thing I was majorly concerned about. "Where's Will?"
"Oh, him?" Nal said off-handedly.
"Oh him?!" I spat.
"He was one of the chosen. Domete... that's... that's uh... god, what family... who cares. Either way, he's in a much better place," he nodded.
Imori and I froze. "N-not the best ways of wording things, hun," Imori looked downwards as I went stark white.
"B-better place?! He's dead?!"
"Ah! No! No, I meant he's not working streets like common scum."
Another hit nerve. My face went beet red as I recalled the worse half of a long night that seemed to last eternity.
"I worked a day as a common scum, th-thank you very much!"
"Mmm... 'Pologies. Look, if you're not about to have another attack, I'd like to get you back. Sago hates late arrivals. Considering he's been trying to reap what he's sewn for over a decade, I'd say he's past impatient."
As if on cue Mari walked in with a large sack packed with my things and set it down on the ground. Her face was tired looking and she left as soon as she came. Imori sighed weakly as he helped me to my feet. "What a drag," Nal rolled his eyes.
"Be less of an ass, sometimes, Nal," Imori grumbled at him. "Don't mind her. She's just... tired, you know? Well, sympathize."
"Sort of..."
"I imagine you were suicidal last night... Will said you were a wreck."
My face turned red as my shirt at this news. Wait... my shirt was silver...
"Imori... um..." I motioned to my shirt and he glanced off.
Nal cut in with a, "Your nose also bled profusely when I was carrying you. Actually, your head hit the doorway and your nose started bleeding. My bad," he yawned.
"My bad?!"
"Get used to this," Imori whispered, "He's your chaperone for the ride."
My shoulders fell as I saw Nal pick up the bag. It was another rush into another life. The whole thing seemed just like when we moved in with grandma.

That day it was raining so hard that the roads were flooded. The little taxi had trouble turning curves and the car rocked like a giant hand was shaking it back and forth. Nagi was clinging to the door handle for dear life and looked a little green. I, however, sat there watching the water splash up against the car. I squinted hard to see the outside world. Everything was blurry and grey from inside the cab, but I needed something to focus on besides the stern look on our aunt's face and the radio report about the mysterious death of a woman near Nightfall Island. Anything to focus on but that.
Outside the world was shaded in greys and blues. The occasional flash of lightening would shake the entire town, thunder shattering the white-noise peace of the rainfall. Some had begun to rush home on foot to keep their houses in one piece; others were boarding up shops in fear of a tsunami. I, on the other hand, just watched. It seemed I was very good at watching. I am, after all, just an adolescent.
Beyond the rain I recalled that night. I hadn't seen Rumi since then and I'm sure that she wasn't in the mood to see me either. She'd run screaming from the forest in fear and yet I'd stayed behind. I'd met that... that man? Or was he a god? Who knew. All I knew was that he was something incredible. He'd carried a certain air about him that made one want to stay close by him. He was security.
"Do gods talk with humans?" I'd off-handedly asked Nagi in the back of the cab. He looked at me as if I was out of my mind.
"You're joking," he rolled his eyes as he held onto the seat as the cab took a sharp turn. "You must have been mistaken."
"I never said I had."
"You implied it," he folded his arms.
I did, didn't I? Even so, I needed to know. If he wasn't a god, was he a kind demon? He wasn't human, that's for sure. Whatever he was, I was stuck. For the life of me I could not remember his name, but there was something inside that made me believe I'd known it even before he told me.
Thinking back it felt like I was out in the forest longer than just one night. That, or there was a memory my mind was suppressing in fear of what it might reveal. Even though the dark of the night was terrifying in its own right, I felt incredibly at home. It was like I knew each twist and turn of the path, and that walking it could have been done blind.
Something familiar had radiated from that man's face and so I stayed longer than intended. The next thing I remembered was waking up on a stretcher in the back of an ambulance. The forest was far gone and a danger now. Risking another accident like that might give both Nagi and Obaa-san a heart attack.
Back in the cab we were pulling up to a curb by a long and winding road. "Not again," Nagi groaned as the car cut the engine.
"Can't drive any further, Miss. Might flip the cab," the driver turned to the stiff lipped woman.
"What do you mean you can't drive any further? The shrine's just up this hill!" Her voice was high and shrill as she looked taken aback by the sudden turn of events.
"Look, lady, if I could, I would, but it's too much of a risk. That hill's all mud and water. We'd sink or drown if we tried driving just now," he swung his arm in the direction of the cobblestone hill that had slick patches of muddy water trickling down between the aged cracks. Beside the old path was a rushing river of mud and bits of debris.
Nagi was clinging to his things as he tried not to imagine the ride up, but I was glued to the window. The looming camphors and ginko trees looked monstrous in the whipping wind. From their shaky branches came a bellowing howl that battered the car viciously. The river gained speed and spilled out into the small creek below the entrance bridge which had become a violent rapid.
"Sae, don't look so close. What if the window were bashed in," Nagi pulled me back into the middle of the bench seat. I shot him a venomous look, but he gave no mind to it.
My shoulders sank as I folded my arms tightly across my chest. I was sour as I watched the raging storm from the windshield that our aunt was scrutinizing for security purposes. Eyes fixated into the distance, I lost myself. The mark on my forehead that had been mentioned by the nurses and EMTs had somehow vanished. The doctor said it must have been a smudge of dirt lodged beneath my skin like a scrape, but I knew better. It had something to do with that man.
Just when I thought the storm was letting up the car shook with a loud bang. Nagi squealed with Aunt Nana as the car rattled on its creaky wheels. My eyes shot up to the roof that had been dented from something landing on it. "Huh," I reached out and touched the roof. Nana shrieked when the thing flew off the top of the car and landed on the bridge with practiced grace. Everyone was staring out the window now as it turned and stared darkly at the car. Though, I was sure it wasn't really concerned about the vehicle's state.
In fact, even to this day, I'd say it was staring straight at me. Its arm outstretched and, with a mysterious smirk, beckoned me from the car. As clear as day a voice echoed in my head.
Come, Dominici... Come when called... and I will do the same...
Like lightening I burst from the car and chased after the bobbing dark shape. Just when Nagi looked like he'd climb out after me a loud crack of thunder broke the sky open. Rain drenched the town once again and rushed me under the cover of the trees.
Excellent. You're very smart. Come, so they don't catch you, the misty voice hissed as the black shape with bright eyes dove towards a particularly large ginko tree. Little triangle leaves scattered the swollen roots of the impressively tall tree. Above the sky could not be seen because the branches were so thickly grown. From a distance I heard my brother calling for me at the top of his lungs, but his screams fell on deaf ears.
Following the voice, I climbed between a gap in the roots of the tree. My hands tightly gripped a patch of roots. Nervously I felt around with my feet for solid ground. Closer... closer... closer... SLIP!! I hadn't grabbed root, but water-logged moss instead. I gasped as I slid into a clearing beneath the tree as if someone had pushed up the roots for a den.
When I got to my feet I crouched low. The voice was whispering to me from nearby and something told me to follow it. This way! It swam out of sight once again. I ducked into a passage beneath the earth and hurriedly scampered after the creature. I swept roots and clods of dirt out of my way as I chased the dark figure. My lungs were burning as I struggled to keep pace with the racing beast. No matter how fast I crawled, ducked, scooted, or elbowed through dirt and roots, I was still behind.
"W-wait!" I called after it, afraid I'd be stuck beneath the earth.
You're doing fine. Almost there. Now, keep up!
Sure enough the path began to widen into yet another den beneath the ground. However, there was a way out this time. A fallen tree had been grown over by vines and moss by time, a hole eaten away from its middle. The shadow figure smirked delightedly as it rose up from the owl's hole and into the sky above. My legs kicked after me to force my way up onto the earth. My hips were squeezed tight by the opening, but I got through.
As soon as I hit the ground, I gasped for air and splayed my arms and legs out on the dry earth. Wait... dry?
I sat up and looked around me. No longer was I scampering through wet mud and dripping earth. The ground was, and had been for some time, dry as a bone. The moss was soft and bouncy like a bed, the sky sparkling with little twinkling lights like stars. Even so, these little lights and cozy moss beds were not where the dark shape was.
"Like it?" The misty voice, now clearer, asked. "It's a corner of Hell, but, all things considered, it's pretty nice."
"You!" I gasped as I hopped from the springy moss. Looking up I saw the incredibly tall man winking down from above. His blue-tipped hair was swept back in a ponytail behind his head. When he turned it bounced like sprigs of parsley and looked a lot like it. It made me laugh and this made him smile.
Though, unlike the night we first met he wasn't glowing or the color of silver. His hair was black, sans the tips, he looked cleaner, and he was dressed far differently. Instead of his gliding cloak he was in pants that were a little short and a shirt that looked like they'd been chewed up, digested, and then spit up by Mother Nature. He looked down at himself and smiled. "Gotta plant stuff so it'll grow, you know?"
"Yeah," I smiled as he bent down to my height.
"Scary storm, huh?"
I nodded as he took my arm and looked at the loose bandages and bruises where needles had been in and out of my arm. "Ouch... No fun being hurt like this, is it?" I shook my head and he beamed right back. "Well let's fix that, huh?"
Like magic his hand lit with a blue-gold flame that flickered softly in the spot light of warm sunlight from above. "Just don't move for a sec, 'kay?" His hand came over my arm like a crashing wave of cold relief. He slid his touch from the top of my shoulder down to my wrist.
"Whoa," I gaped as the fire burned away the bandages, the pain, and the bruises in one cooling motion. "It's... not hot!"
"Soul fire. Much less acidic than carbon burning and twice as efficient," he gave me a thumbs-up as I chortled along with him. "Besides, this is my fault."
"Huh?"
"Right, right... well, you fell when you were running back home after I told you to... so, sorta my fault? Ah, past is past," he smirked as he lifted my arm and blew out the flames like he was shooing a fly. They doused easily and he seemed satisfied with the results. "Now!" He said as he lifted me into the air and set me on the back of his neck. I wobbled for a second before I found stability by holding onto his shirt. "You okay?"
"Y-yeah," I nodded weakly as he began to walk.
"Little buddy, this is all your domain," he gave me the tour of the peaceful place. "Hand-crafted safety room. Well, safety realm."
"Really?" I beamed as I saw the world from above.
The entire floor of the place was that spongy moss that made a little 'sproing' sound with each step. In the corners by other tree roots were brightly colored mushrooms that grew both tall and proud as well as short and round. Flowers snaked up the trunks of old trees and bloomed from hanging roots or in the bark of those ancient oaks and steady ginkos. Some of the flora made twinkling sounds when touched like little bells. Others gave off sweet scents of jasmine and honeysuckle.
On one side of the hideaway was a pool that was deep and dark green. Even though it was dark, anything growing beneath was seen just as clearly as if it were growing above the surface of the marsh. Dragonflies buzzed wildly and stiffly swung in the air around hanging bell flowers that grew at tree roots and by patches of sweet clover blossoms. Frogs croaked lowly as they lazed on mossy landings in the middle of the marsh.
Though, the true marvel was the large tree trunk I'd fallen from. Now sitting atop the man's shoulders I could see it was one of what seemed like an eternity of them. By the far edge of the marsh was one tree that seemed to be lit by a small opening in the sky that let in only the purest of sunlight. At first I was a little crestfallen that we'd not examine it closer, but the man saw no obstacle in the water. In fact, he walked right over it as if it were solid ground.
"Thought the fun was over, right?" He chuckled as he sent ripples through the dark green waters.
"Uh... yeah, sorta..." I stared down below. "AH!"
Giant koi swam beneath us as if nothing was new. Their mouths drew wide as they sucked in some plants in the water. Another one followed us diligently. "Good, Moga," he bent down and patted the fish as it lifted its head from the water. "Hmm... say, Sae, wanna ride her?"
I must have looked shocked and excited at the same time because he set me down on the water. Unfortunately I didn't have the power to walk over liquids and so he had me stand on his feet. Facing the water I could see the fish was doing circles around us like a shark closing in like prey. "Don't be scared. He's as trustworthy as a brother. If all goes wrong, turn to Moga," he bent a little and whispered to me as Moga stopped in front of us with his back raised above the water. "Go on..."
Cautiously I took a step out on the water. Moga swam closer as I carefully straddled his body. I was shocked as my hands touched the scaly surface of its back. "He's so cool!" I gasped as I patted the white spot just above its eyes.
"Ahem... well, Moga's a girl," the man smiled as the fish flapped its fins. I flushed and bit then nodded.
"Pardon me, Moga-chan," I smiled as I the fish lurched forward. "Ah!"
"Go on. Take her for a spin," he laughed as the fish darted forward.
Moga swam through the waters that flooded over my legs like velvet. The smooth sounds of her swimming put me in a trance as she squeezed through trees, globs of moss, and dodged anything that might hurt me. She was an excellent swimmer and an even kinder fish. She sped through the waters carefully, her fins sweeping the water beneath her instead of up at me. The man wasn't too far behind in terms of speed, but Moga still darted ahead excitedly.
The wind cut through me like a knife, yet it mattered not. I swung my arms out in the thrill of the moment. I was free, I was alive... there was no funeral, no hospital, no nagging brother or stuffy aunt; there was only freedom.
"WHOO!" I screamed into the marsh as Moga zipped and zoomed through the water like a small dragon.
"Having fun?" He called from behind, but I was deafened by my excitement.
Just when I thought we'd fly out of the water and race for the skies, Moga slowed to a stop at the plush banks of the illuminated tree. That tree... "Sa--!!"

"Sae?"
I was being shaken awake by strong hands. Though it is usually customary to nudge someone awake to gently break them from their spell of slumber, I was being shaken like a rattle in the hands of an infant. My neck whipped back and forth as the person shook me violently.
"W-w-wai... wai-... WAIT!" I said, voice shaking with each jerk.
Finally my vision focused and I could see Juri leaning over me. Juri's face, though my eyes were focused, was fuzzy and soft. Her eyes were wide with shock and fear as she searched the space around us. "Juri... what do you... JURI?!" I gasped as she leaned back as I flew to my feet.
Sure enough the girl was kneeling on the floor with her face frozen in shock. She covered her mouth so not to scream. Upon closer inspection it could be seen that she was not here at that very moment, if that made sense. It was as if she was a holograph flickering before me. Her face was pale and weak looking as she struggled to get to her feet. Juri staggered towards me with a look of pure terror. Reaching out to touch me, I flinched. The last time she'd touched me I nearly had a seizure.
"Sae, please. This is extremely important," her voice crackled and popped like an old television recording. Her figure began to become obscure and filled with static, even holes. "Sae, listen. You're in--..."
"I know where I am," I cut her off. "The question is how did you get here?" My voice was filled with mixed emotions of relief and fear. What would happen if she was seen? I'd probably never see anyone from home again. Then again, I couldn't exactly leave, now could I?
"It's a temporary heart stopper. Sae--."
"JURI!"
"The time to treat me like a child is not now! Now listen!" Her voice held a static-y conviction. It took me aback, but only a little. "Sae, whatever you do... Please, Sae... don't.... the guar--... ask... ae-... Nagi..." It was like trying to keep good reception on top of a mountain. Her image was breaking up fast and her words had gone. My heart began to throb in panic as I lunged forward to grasp her, but her body sifted into air as soon as she'd arrived.
"Juri! Where... JURI!" I screamed, but it was a fruitless effort.
When I reached out to grasp her, I hit the floor. A wave of shock shot up my legs as I bent over. My lungs were burning hot as I choked on the sensation of hot pain. Even so, I couldn’t stay on the floor forever. Biting my lip, I staggered to my feet.
When I straightened up I saw that I was in yet another room. It seemed like my life in this world would be measured in dimly lit bedrooms and seizing attacks. Its space was vast and quiet, everything a short ways from the bed consumed in velvet-like darkness. Through the quiet came a soft ringing sound.
Tink... tink... tink...
I closed my eyes to find the source. Each little ring was like the fluttering of an angel's wing, delicate and soft. My body turned wherever it danced to, the sound echoing off the darkened walls. Tink... tink... tink-tink... tink...
"Hello?" I whispered.
Tink-tink-tink thunk!
From the darkness fell a girl. Her light green hair splayed out before her as she tried to come to her feet. Little whimpers came from her rosy lips as she began backing away into the shadows. Her eyes were watery with tears at the sight of me. "No! Wait, no... Don’t be afraid," I knelt on the ground and looked up into her silvery eyes. They did not blink and refused to cry as they gazed powerfully into my eyes. Her hands unfolded from her chest and stretched towards me. "Yes... it's alright."
Slowly she walked forward and wove her fingers together around the back of my head. She was cold as ice. My skin shivered, but I dared not move. She was still staring into me as if trying to decipher my soul. Lazily she lolled her head to each side to see me better. Her green lashes fluttered gently as she leaned in close. Her white dress, coming only to her knees, rustled to provide the one sound in the room besides my breathing.
I felt a nervous sweat beading along my neck as she touched our foreheads together. She blinked slowly, eyes never truly leaving my face. A feeling of cool relief filled my forehead as she closed her eyes and smiled. I couldn't help but slip into that state along with her.
Then, like a knife cutting the air, she spoke.
"Shii ei la noh, koe kokoro... sasame noh ke.... yuga naga metto shela soh... somotto... nogatto... ryo..."
"Ha!" I gasped as I opened my eyes. As if she'd vanished into thin air, the girl was gone. Only the white light from the sky light above the raised bed remained. Only silence... "Shii ei... la noh, koe... kokoro..."
Just then a long cast of light drenched the room in bright light. The darkness receded like a fearful animal into its burrow, I left amongst the brave. From the light came a figure that stood in its blinding face, his fearless walk leading him closer and closer to me.
The figure bowed. "The young master is requested at dinner," the voice said.
Slowly revealing my face I saw that the bowing shape was in fact Imori. Instantly I rose to my feet in shock and surprise. "Hey, kiddo," he smirked as he saluted me cheerfully.
"Imori! God!" I wrapped him in a hug so tight that I was sure he'd be strangled.
"T-too tight, kid," he coughed as I released him. "Made it this far... good news, I guess," he swept his robes clean of dust.
"This far where?"
Imori smiled shortly as he led me from the dark room and into the light. First, wincing, I resisted leaving the room, but Imori dragged me into the daylight. Outside was a long corridor that was open to a vast and beautiful forest. The rushing sounds of waterfalls filled the air as dragonflies jerkily swung in the air nearby. "Where--?"
"Casa de Pillar," he smirked as he threw his arms out in display of the view. "Masaguri's mansion."
"Masaguri?" I looked up at him as he winked.
"You'd know him as Sago. None of the servants or Descendants have a right to say that name, so we go by his other name."
We walked down the corridor with Imori guiding the way. He stuck his head in several sliding doors, returning with a confused look each time. "You'd think he'd be in the obvious places," the green haired daemos muttered absentmindedly.
"Sir," from nowhere a little girl in black robes popped up and bowed in front of us. She didn't raise her head even as she spoke. "Masaguri-dono has sent a letter. He wishes a reply from young master, sir. Nal-dono is also to be away for some time. It seems that Masaguri-dono has encountered a troubling matter on earth," the girl said efficiently as she stuck her hands out with the letter perched atop her palms.
"Trouble, eh?" He smirked as he skimmed the message then tossed it to me. "Mainly for you, but no matter. Menma, send word to earth that the young master has arrived safely. Also, be careful, alright?" Imori bent at the knees and ruffled the young girl's hair gently. Face rosy and full of determination, she darted off around the corner to carry the news. "Fiesty, isn't she?"
"Who...?"
"An apprentice girl. She was an orphan that was nearly sold into the House's hands. Luckily Nal was skipping out back from a rendezvous and saw her there. If he'd taken the front door she might have met you back in the barracks of hell. Che... but, hey, she turned out nice. She's strong willed, smart, cunning, and brave. Everything to be a perfect Descendent-to-be." As he spoke, Imori carried a longing gaze of affection towards the girl's memory. I couldn't help but smile at the thought that Imori, of all people, had any mothering instinct whatsoever. "What?" He snapped the second he caught my snickering stare.
"Nothing," I hid my laugh as he walked me down the corridor after Menma. Sure enough the girl was already dashing back from the room with a pad of ink and an enveloped message.
"Signa, sir!" She boisterously asked as Imori pulled out a little signa seal. Carefully he dipped it into the red ink and pressed its raised surface on the letter's corner.
"Nal...” I read the stamp and looked up at my companion. “Imori, that's not yours.”
"Shh. Nal's on business, so he'll know, A, I have his seal, and B, that it's trap proof," he explained as Menma tucked the letter into her robes. "Now! Show me your disguise, Men-chan," he asked as she nodded.
"Sir!" Menma hopped into the air with a pop, a puff of smoke concealing her. When the air cleared you could see a girl just as tall Menma, but far different. Her eyes were not that stunning color and, in fact, she looked much like Juri when she was in grade school. "My name is Nana-chan and I'm looking for Masaguri-san," she bowed courteously before us.
Imori beamed delightedly as he patted her head.
"Beautiful job, Men-chan. Now, you must hurry," he ushered her as she nodded stiffly.
"Sir, yes, sir!" And with that she threw herself off the side of the corridor with her back to the steep drop below. My heart dropped into my stomach as I threw my eyes over after her.
"M-Menma!" I gasped as I saw her latch onto a tree branch and swing to many more until she was out of sight. "W-wha....?"
"She's part monkey. Don't worry about her," he sighed as he pulled me up to my feet and continued to lead me through the warmly lit corridor.
Though, my attention could not be kept. Just inches away were low hanging cherry blossom trees and water pools that overflowed into a branching network of many more. Each were of a unique shade of blue green and had little lotus flowers dancing across the top. Beyond that was a massive shrine that sat at the foot of those hot springs.
Looking past those things, you could see a bundle of dark robed servants dashing about with bundles of clothes thrown over their backs and gardening tools in others. Tutting along at their ankles were little people with their own tools in hand.
Staring off into this magical place I became comfortable in ways I'd never imagined. However, staring wouldn't last very long because Imori was snapping his fingers before my face and tapping the letter in my hand. "You know, I'm sure this is a lot for you in one month, I get it, but focus."
"Yeah," I nodded slowly. Wait... wait... "ONE MONTH!?" I nearly dropped to the floor in shock. My knees wobbled as I braced myself against one of the beams propping up the roof. The blood in my face swam into my heart and pounded madly. "I-Imori... um... n-no, it's... it's been a few days," I stammered nervously.
Imori covered his mouth and looked off. He'd definitely said something he regretted. He opened his mouth to speak, stammered a bit, then shook his head. "Imori!"
"Hun... time moves faster on earth. It's been a month up there. I assumed you were still on Earth-time, but... oh, Sae, I'm sorry," he hugged me tightly. If I'd been in a right state of mind I might have shoved him back and ran, but I couldn't move. My lungs were tight, my legs were trembling violently, and it became hard to breathe. Is that why Juri looked so rushed and shocked? She'd been working a month to make a connection? Then what of Nagi? Of Obaa-san? Of Moshi and Rumi and the rest of the world! Had they lied and said I'd gone missing or was I dead on earth?
My head was spinning in circles when Imori let me go. Nails digging into my scalp I tried to force a clear thought. This guy, Sago... what else had he done? I knew about the safe dimension... and the name, the time in the forest... but still! There had to be something else that made me worthwhile. Something that made me worth stealing and trapping under three levels of hell and earth. Someone... anyone, I needed them to tell me what the hell was going on. "Sae, if you need to rest--..."
"No! No... I need to think... just... think..." I ground my palms into my head as I bent over my knees and stood up again. Trying to force blood back into your brain was like trying to force a gallon of water through a pin prick in three seconds. It just burst.
"Hey... relax, okay? You just need to calm down. Let's get you to a bath."