Memoirs Of The In-Between: Chapter 4

Upon nearing the entrance to the city, we were greeted by calls from high on the top of the wall. I looked up to see what I assumed were black-garbed guards, waving down at us. Beyond the horizontal line of bubbles was the entrance to the city. A large gate opened outward by two doors, golden with protruding artwork in the shape of a large decorative shield – the same design upon the shield that CiCi held on her forearm. Above the wall, several large strange structures sat near the guards, and I noted some of the guards had long-range weapons such as bows and crossbows. I was staring at the strange arches, and large metal tubes that sat on rotating pivots, wondering what they were, when it seemed Vivian read my mind.

“The city's defense system. The strange arches are for those whose soulmates convey elemental magic. The black metal things are called guns and cannons, for people to channel their energy into special spheres we’ve constructed that hold our energies. We can then shoot them at Tisin and cleanse them from afar while our defenses rally. As far as I know, we’ve only had to use them once in our history. It’s not often that a Tisin strong enough comes near our city.”

I couldn’t help but think having a defense system was genius, not just against Tisin. Humans were fickle and you never knew who was planning a betrayal or raising an army to take out whoever was in charge. My thoughts wandered to my treacherous father who had planned on betraying the Empress and starting a civil war, and I shook those thoughts away quickly, wanting to forget my past as soon as possible.

Looking up at the golden doors, I realized this wall had to have been at least seven stories high. I couldn’t help but feel a bit intimidated as they swung wide open to allow our little group of six to pass through. The gates opened up to a bustling street, full of merchant stalls, shops, and houses. Children were chasing each other through the streets, while adults loitered and talked. The noise was incredible and it reminded me of the city outside the palace grounds in Japan where I had been apparently three limbo weeks ago. The noise did not stop as we came in, though people turned, smiled, and waved to the group I was traveling with. Children ran up to our horses and offered them treats as they walked, and I was floored.

“Are you all considered royalty?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “I know Alice was making such a fuss about the Spirit Warriors-”

“We're not royalty.” Artemius, speaking for the first time since I met him, shocked me. His voice was gruff and sharp as he glared at me with vivid orange eyes. I looked back at him then and decided that we were probably not going to be interacting much, as I was quickly growing a dislike for him. Perhaps I had offended him in some way, but I was rapidly growing annoyed with his bad attitude.

I looked away from him, my lips set in irritation at his gruff response to my question and Vivian cleared her throat before speaking up, taking over the conversation. “We are simply the soldiers who protect the people. There is no royalty here... If there was, however, it would be CiCi”

“So.. the spirit warriors are military?” I asked, unable to brush aside the curiosity that overcame my irritation.

“I suppose. There is no real king or queen here. There’s no need for a true military. We simply exist to protect the souls here and keep the soul cycle in balance. We don’t really have real militant motives. We simply train people how to use their soulmates, and then we send groups out to various locations throughout Limbo so that we can protect people, and find souls who show potential to awaken their soulmates. Was the military treated well where you come from?” Vivian drew her Appaloosa mount next to mine so that she could easily talk to me. I nodded at this, a small faint smile tugging at my lips in a dry fashion.

“Sort of. They were treated with respect and fear. Different nobles command the military in their area. However, the idea is that the nobles who command the soldiers are loyal to the Emperor, or Empress. However, it never boded well for the people to see a large group of them marching on horses and fully geared. It usually meant another war, more people being sent to deaths, and possible destruction of villages due to battles. Not to mention, people did not have the choice of joining the military during times of war. Should the Emperor, or rather, Empress from my world command it, every available son was ordered to join any war we may get involved in. It is said to bring honor to one’s family, I always saw it as ripping young men away from wives and tearing families apart.” I explained in a heavy voice. Vivian frowned at this, then reached over and gave my shoulder a gentle pat.

“Don't worry. Once you've graduated you will not be feared or hated. The people of Limbo will revere you almost. You will be one of the ones protecting their children, or even potentially helping create available souls for children. We are the ones that make life continue here. It was CiCi that brought order in this world to fruition. In the elaborate scheme of things, we are basically energy mediators.” Vivian said, smiling as people made way for us on the street. I couldn't help but feel good about this... after all, what was worse than being hated by someone you strive to protect? I didn’t want to be a part of anything that was coercive anymore.

The city was thriving and children chased giant fish that swam between buildings and merchant stands, laughing innocently as aquatic life played tag, chase, and hide-n-seek with them. We walked along the street, our mounts getting plenty of affection from children and adults alike as we passed, gentle touches. A lot of people stared at me curiously. A girl in a plain cotton dress, barefoot on an Arabian mare with what was obviously a sword wrapped in a sheet slung across her back. I pictured myself the way they must be seeing me and I couldn't help but grin. It would have been an odd sight indeed.

The city was extremely large and it seemed not many people here were left wanting. I watched the people as we passed and I did not see any overly thin people to indicate starvation, and the city seemed to be fairly balanced in wealth. If there was any indication of slums, I did not see them. I wondered how the economy worked here, and if there was a currency I needed to worry about earning.

Through the city, we continued to travel north until we reached another enclosed area within the city itself.

“This is where the Spirit Warriors learn, practice, live, and belong,” Ivan said, coming up near me again as CiCi, Artemius, and Vivian went through a much smaller gate into the enclosed area. Beyond, I saw buildings of various shapes and sizes, all made of coral and shell. I smiled a bit, wondering how to tell the difference between the buildings as he led me through. Elliot, who was behind me, began to point to things and explain.

“That building over there is the barracks. Everyone who is not a ranking officer sleeps there, in rooms either shared or on their own. Like... a fancy inn if you will. And those over there, those are the briefing rooms where everyone gets assigned their tasks and gets told how to do them and such. The nice-looking buildings to our east, those are where the ranking officers live, such as Vivy, and Arty--”

“I told you not to call me that!” Artemius’ orange eyes snapped back to us and Ivan simply smiled at him in return sweetly, then continued talking, picking up where Elliot left off.

“And oh, see that big building up ahead? That's the academy, where you will be going for the next few months. Learning what a Spirit Warrior is and does, and all that fun stuff. The training grounds are behind it.” I looked up at the direction he was pointing, and saw a large building that looked more like a politician’s leisure house than a school, made up of pink and green coral and rock, and nodded, my brows furrowing in anxiety. I couldn’t help but wonder just when that would all begin. It seemed I would not need to wait for my answer long, CiCi twisted in her saddle to address us all at that moment.

“Vivian and Artemius will go and write up the official reports for documentation. Elliot, Ivan you two go report to Clause and Leon – let them know we are home with the new addition to the family. I will take her to get her situated into her new schedule and living quarters.” She ordered. A chorus of 'Yes Chief!” echoed around me and with that, everyone scattered into different directions, leaving me alone with the Chief of the Spirit Warriors. I nudged my mare to walk beside her as she continued forward.

“As you were briefly told by Ivan, up ahead is the school where you will be getting your re-education about everything you know.” She said in a pleasant voice as we advanced towards the structure. “You will be able to move at your own pace – and since you are not waiting on an awakening you will be in some classes between beginner and advanced. You will learn how to adapt to life here in Limbo with the life classes, you will learn the whys and hows of this world in the simple education classes, and you will also be taught to fight properly.” She explained as she turned to the left and I could see that we were coming upon stables. I assumed we would be walking the rest of the way to wherever she was showing me but I couldn't help but feel a bit insulted at her insinuation that I did not know how to fight. Did she or did she not watch me take down that creature earlier? I killed people for a living – I knew how to fight.

“Excuse me... I really don't need to learn how to fight...I am not proud of what I was when I was alive but I cannot change it. I was an assassin and a hit woman. I had to learn to fight. I was the Empress's top fighter, other than my father.”

“Exactly. You are not a killer anymore. Whatever you learned you will need to relearn in a different light. Instead of sneaking and killing and striking down, you will face this new type of life with honor, courage, and conviction. You will be facing enemies head-on. And they will not be the same as what you face in the living world. These will be creatures that you probably never even imagined before. Creatures with multiple body parts that are their weapons. They will be more dangerous than a man with a sword. Also, none of what we do involves ending a life unless it is by our enemy’s own volition. We do not kill anything. We cleanse and purify. You will need to reprogram your mind to recognize this.” She told me in a firm voice and I looked at her abashed.

I recognized at that moment that she was right. No matter how I looked at it, my world had been filled with violence and death. This world, and what the spirit warriors were, was the complete opposite of that. They were recycling souls to start new lives. And if my enemies were anything like I faced today, I would need to learn a better way to fight other than getting slammed by scorpion tales and giant cat paws.

I nodded at her and cast my eyes down as two young-looking men came from the stables carrying leads for the horses. I attempted to dismount gracefully but I'd been on her for nearly five hours now, and I found my legs gave way under me. As my knees buckled I expected to hit the ground but I was shocked when strong arms caught me around the waist and lifted me back up and held on to me, keeping me steady while my legs tingled and tried to come back to life. I looked back over my shoulder and blinked at the most beautiful man I'd ever seen. He was looking down at me with concerned earth-colored eyes. I felt my face burn in embarrassment as I struggled to find my balance on my tingling and sore legs.

“Not used to horseback?” He asked and I looked away, feeling completely helpless. Slowly he released his grip on me, and as my mare was led away, I managed to stand, though my legs trembled beneath me.

“Chief Leon,” CiCi said pleasantly, as she came forward and put a hand under my arm to help steady me, while I looked down, sliding my eyes up to sneak another look at the man who had caught me. His skin was olive brown, his long hair in a braid that fell down to the small of his back. He had a white feather lying down in his braid near the base of his neck. His jawline was strong with high cheekbones and he was shirtless. His upper body was solid muscle and he was defined with beautiful curves. And goodness he was tall. He had to have been a good foot taller than CiCi. I looked away, unused to seeing so much skin and feeling uncomfortable. People were extremely modest where I came from.

“This is the wielder of the power we felt awakened. When we got to her she'd taken down a rather large Tisin on her own, and her soul mate had already emerged.” CiCi said.

“My name is Yuzuki Kobayashi.” I introduced myself, bowing my head in respect. She'd called him a Chief, so I believed he was the same rank as CiCi was herself. Looking up at him now, I saw he was looking at me with analytical eyes.

“I am Leon, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Yuzuki.” His voice was as strong as his body appeared to be and I found myself admiring him for no apparent reason. Malakaii had said our appearance reflected our soul when we were alive and I couldn’t help but assume he must have been a mighty person when he lived. “I am glad to see you are all back safely. I worried when a dark hour passed and you hadn’t returned. Why did you not fly?” Leon directed this question to CiCi and she flicked her eye to me, a note of amusement crept into her voice as she spoke next.

“Apparently Miss Kobayashi transcended into this world like you, Malakaii, Clause, and I. She'd barely woken up today, and within a few hours of her being awake, her spirit began to awaken and she had to fight a strange monster who injured her. She was confused and wary enough, I didn't want to completely overwhelm her. Malakaii was the one who found her.” I looked up at her when she finished, again that overwhelming confusion from earlier welling up within me again. It must have shown on my face as I looked between the two Chiefs because they both gave a soft laugh at my expression.

“That’s fair. And impressive.” Leon said after a small laugh. “I look forward to working with you, Yuzuki.”

“You're going to have to teach her first. She knows literally nothing of this world. You remember how it was when you first came here, yes? I certainly do.” CiCi said in what I couldn't help but distinguish as a tired voice. I felt frustrated and confused and my legs were screaming as the numbness went away and the feeling of being saddle sore kicked in.

“Sorry.” I retorted, in a hot-tempered manner, and again, both Chiefs gave a small chuckle.

“I am sure you will fit in just fine, once you have had some of your questions answered,” CiCi said in a reassuring voice. “But I imagine your body is rather fatigued. You've barely begun to function in this world and your body has been put in some rather strenuous situations. Let’s get you settled in and once you're comfortable we can talk about your schedule for schooling,” she said and took a step. I went to follow her, but even with her hand under my arm, my legs once again gave out when I attempted to walk. I looked up at them from the ground, my face burning in humiliation as CiCi gave me a sympathetic smile. Leon reached down and scooped me up in a seemingly effortless manner and followed CiCi back towards the building that Ivan had pointed out as the barracks.

I was not sure what I was more focused on, the fact I was completely embarrassed and ashamed at having to be carried or the fact that it was a Chief who, was more beautiful as a man than I was as a woman, who was carrying me. The fact that I was sure he was prettier than me was humiliating in its own right. I found however, I did not have the energy to hold onto the feelings of ire within me. After a few minutes, my exhaustion snaked through me and I felt my body grow heavy. On top of the pains in my ribs from fighting the Tisin earlier, and the ache in my legs from riding a horse for five hours, I was quite grateful for being carried. Unfortunately for the two chiefs escorting me to where I would live, my mind was not quite as exhausted as my body.

“Leon mentioned flying? I don't understand. I mean, I know the time difference of when you must have felt me... erm.. awaken, the time you got to me and the ride back here doesn't add up. Did you guys fly? But then how did you get the horses?” I asked, looking over at CiCi inquisitively. The chief with emerald eyes smiled and looked up towards Leon, with obvious intent to tease me and my lack of knowledge.

“See what we've put up with for hours?” She told him pointedly. “It's your turn to answer questions.” To this, Leon laughed, and with his laughter, his chest rumbled against me and I again felt my cheeks burn in embarrassment. Was teasing me truly necessary? Leon looked down at me, however, his gentle smile chasing my self-conscious embarrassment away.

“The mares you were riding are kind of mythological in themselves. They can manipulate their own energy or their rider's energy and create wings for themselves in order to fly.” He explained simply.

“Can we manipulate our energy to do the same thing?” I asked, amazed. I wasn't quite sure what that looked like but I was almost tempted to ask if we could turn around so they could show me. Leon at this point, to my confusion, looked at me wearing his own look of amazement.

“Do flying horses exist where you're from or something? Most people would be in shock, or disbelief at the mention of horses with wings.”

“You must not be from my line of time. From whence I came, dragons still roamed the sky. When I was a child they were completely free, though recently... well, closer to my time of death they were being hunted for their magic. If dragons can exist, why not fly horses? Plus, I’m dreaming while I am dead. Horses with wings are not so surprising after all of this. Can we make wings if we learn how to manipulate our energy?” I asked, pressing the matter, not caring much for talking about my life on earth. At this explanation though, it both pacified and amused the chiefs escorting me to my new home.

“Well, we can certainly shift and pull our energy but I don't know of anyone who's made wings for themselves or we wouldn't bother with the horses,” Leon answered simply and I found myself ever more curious.

“So what can we do?” I pressed. My mind was completely scattered, there was so much I didn't know and I was picking up on random tidbits of information which only made my mind reel faster. Leon looked at CiCi, who interjected then.

“You will learn all this in due time, child. For now, relax.” She said firmly. I had the strong urge to have a tantrum and sulk however I maintained my dignity long enough to look away and take a deep breath. It was then I noticed other people within the enclosed area, watching us. There were a few women and I couldn't help but feel a smug satisfaction in realizing the glares they were giving me were ones of envy. One could gather a lot of information from a simple look, and with the repetitive dirty looks I was receiving by the women we passed was that Chief Leon was probably the most coveted man in all of Warrior City.

I wanted to snort with laughter, but I bit my lip and contained myself once again. Easy, steady as still water, I reminded myself. It was not very long until we reached the barracks and CiCi led us inside. Once we stepped inside the ocean wonderland, the scenery dropped away, and my long hair fell down and hung normally. I looked down a long hall of doors that curved. The building was huge and it had ten levels.

“This is the base level. There are one hundred rooms on each floor, meaning there are a thousand rooms in this building. Only about half of them are being used so there is no problem finding you one. Most people tend to want to stay upstairs so they have a view-” CiCi began to explain.

“If there is a room on this floor I would like it,” I said quickly. Mostly I just wanted to be set down, as my self-conscious wariness arose again. It was only a matter of time before my Kobayashi pride got me in trouble if I continued to feel helpless. CiCi smiled and nodded in agreement as if she understood my silent indignation. She led us down the hall and at that moment I would have staked my life on the fact that the hall kept growing longer the more we walked. Finally at door 33 she stopped and opened it.

“The vacant rooms are kept unlocked. I will be sending a healer to you with food and some medicines for your wounds later. She will also be in possession of your room key and some uniforms. Feel free to make this your home. We will get you some civilian clothes later on when you're more settled in.” CiCi explained as Leon carried me in. I looked around my new home as I was being carried into it for the first time. It was bare of decorations at the moment, but it was quite cozy all the same. A white couch sat in the middle of what seemed to be a lounge room, with a matching loveseat and armchair. A redwood coffee table sat in front of it. It opened up to a small kitchen where a black and white stove sat against a black and white marble countertop. He led me through a small hallway and through to a small bedroom. The bed had a plain blanket on top that was a neutral brown, topped with a thick pillow that had a brown pillowcase. The bed was a decent size and it looked much more comfortable and very foreign to the mats I was used to sleeping on. Leon walked in and set me down gently on the bed. Helping me untangle Estrakulius from my back, he set him down next to the bed on the floor before walking out of my room quietly. He seemed to be as uncomfortable being in 'my' room as I was uncomfortable with a man helping me into bed.

Sitting up I watched him step out through the door as CiCi peeked in through the door frame. “Classes start tomorrow when the sun rises. Be in the front office, and I will be there to escort you around.” CiCi said. “You will have a visitor later, be sure to treat her kindly,” CiCi ordered, then turned and headed out of the house. Leon gave a small wave as he followed, calling over his shoulder that he would see me again soon.

I sighed as I was left alone in a strange world and looked around my room. There was a small closet, a nice little chest of drawers, and... a window! I looked out the window that had no blinds at the moment and saw that the scenery had changed outside. I blinked in shock. The buildings had all turned into huts that were made of grass, some were actually large holes in the ground, and plush green grass grew. Large colored eggs dotted the scenery in several places, and many rabbits hopped, crawling over the buildings, eating the grass and even parts of the buildings. I wanted to ponder what this scenery was, but I felt the fatigue creeping up once again, and I leaned against the fluffy pillow and rather quickly...I fell asleep.

I don't know how long I slept for but the sun had been still up over the clouds when I had closed my eyes. When I woke it was pitch black within the room. What woke me was the sound of a loud bang in the hallway. I sat up, trying to blink the grog and haze from my mind and eyes, the inky blackness feeling heavy on my flesh. I sat very still, my eyes aimed toward the area where I knew the door was, I waited. A rustling was coming from the hallway, a female-sounding voice muttering, and groaning.

“Oh blast it, where did it go? Darn walls, always jumping out and slamming into people. Ohhh, I'm going to have to heal myself by the time I find that stupid lantern. Oh... there's one of the uniforms...” Another thunk sounded and a small squeal sounded from the voice. “Ouch! My head... oh darn it! Where? Light! I need light!” I sighed and decided that the owner of the voice who was obviously not graceful, or even remotely knowledgeable how important it was to be aware of your surroundings. The fact that she was completely the opposite of silent, she was probably not here to kill me in my sleep either. I turned and lowered my feet, pausing when I felt Estrakulius under my feet. When my foot touched the cold steel of the blade, the blade began to glow a gentle purple. It wasn't brilliant, but bright enough to make me blink a few times, trying to adjust my eyes to the abrupt light that filled the room, just strong enough to create a faint shadow of myself on the roof.

The muttering stopped, and I reached down and grabbed Estrakulius curiously staring at the gentle purple light. It reminded me of the lavender flowers Alice had picked for me. Great, of course my talking sword that appeared out of my body was now glowing on top of all the strange things that had happened today. Why would it NOT glow? That would be almost normal. I slowly stood, my legs screaming and threatening to crumble underneath me, but I forced my legs to find their bearing, and slowly I hobbled over to the door frame, and stepped out into the hall.

While I knew someone was in my hallway, I wasn't expecting a young woman on her hands and knees, blinking up at me appearing startled despite the fact that she was the one who was intruding. She was amongst several piles of clothes, and other various supplies scattered all over the ground. I raised my eyebrow and leaned against the wall, holding Estrakulius out over the debris. I looked at the young girl's face, and her eyes were mostly concentrated on the sword in my hand.

“I haven't even had time to make the place mine and someone is already breaking in, and making a mess,” I said in a light tone, and I watched with a grim satisfaction as her mouth opened and closed as if she were searching for words that would not come out. Her eyes were wide, and she looked completely flabbergasted. My eyes picked out a small glass lantern on the ground and I gestured Estrakulius towards it. “Is that what you're looking for?” I asked her, feeling rather amused at the situation. She turned her head towards it, and let out a little noise that sounded suspiciously like a victorious squeal and I watched as she literally pounced at it, and grabbed it up, hugging it to her.

“Gotcha!” She said happily. “Thank you. Wow, so you really did cleanse a Tisin on your own. They only glow when energy has been put into them. Your soulmate I mean. Well, actually, glowing is rare. Which is why I didn't use my soulmate. She doesn't glow because that's not part of her talent. Soulmates' talents depend on the person. Thanks for the light. Hi! I'm Kora by the by, I am here to heal you, she also told me to bring you some clothes. And I brought a lamp because I figured you'd not yet figured out how to use the sprite lamps. I was right, oh but then the stupid wall hurt me and I fell and dropped everything and the darned lantern went out. You're Yuzuki right?” The girl had a youthful voice and I couldn't help but feel a small headache forming when she began to ramble. She spoke fast, and I could vow that she didn't take a single breath between sentences. Her voice was with a strange accent I'd never heard before. When she finally stopped talking, I was vaguely aware I was supposed to answer her, but I hesitated, afraid she’d start talking again.

“Yes. I am Yuzuki. When you say she told you to do all this, I assume you mean CiCi? So you're the healer?”

“Yep! I just barely graduated a few months ago, but I am very good at what I do. She says your ribs are probably bruised or cracked, and you've got a good old-fashioned case of saddle sore. Your body is new in this world so you're different from most people. In fact you're like Leon and CiCi and Claus. Hey, did Leon really carry you all the way here from the stables? That's the rumors going around, lots of girls are so jealous!” She said giggling. This time as she spoke she reached down and touched the lantern, and a bright pink ball of light flew into the glass, shimmering there for a moment before a blue spark flickered within the glass and the wick within actually caught fire – the pink light disappearing. Kora looked up and caught me staring at the lantern, and a bright smile filled her face.

“The glass is actually a little machine. I put my energy into it, and the glass somehow creates an actual fire out of the energy, so that normal firelight fills it, and we don't see everything in the shades of our personal energy. It's quite useful. This is quite new, and still in the testing phase but it's been a dream to have. We have great scientists working to create neat stuff like this all the time. You'll learn how to manipulate your own energy later. Go lay down, and I will turn on more lanterns that are built into this little room so you're not in the dark, kay?” Kora said, standing up off the floor finally and coming towards me. She was about my height but she seemed younger, like Elliot’s age. And she seemed like a little ball of pent-up energy so I held my hand out and moved on my own, for fear of hurting my already tender and sore body – or just touching me period. I turned and hobbled back to my bed and sat down gingerly as she flitted about in the main room for a few minutes. I saw a glowing light flick on there as I waited in the dark room, with only the gentle lavender-colored light emitting from Estrakulius until she came back.

The first thing Kora did was set the lantern down on the wood dresser and immediately I felt a hinge of unease. She turned and came by the bed and near the headboard, I noticed for the first time, a round, spherical orb that seemed to be hinged to the wall. It had a small little knob on the left side of it, and she put her two fingers around it and it twisted. I jumped back when it clicked and a yellow light flooded the room. I yelped out in pain as my entire body screamed at me angrily for landing on the hard wooden floor and I looked up at the orb, and around the room. The entire room was filled with a soft yellow light though it didn't seem to affect the colors around me. I saw Kora had a bright pink robe on, that was designed exactly like the soldier's outfits, and attached to her waist was something I recognized instantly. It was long, about the length of her arms, a giant yellow and pink folded fan. The frame was white, and it seemed to be made of white jade, and the very tip of it had a little metal gleam to the edges that folded with the fan. I wondered if it was a thin little blade attached and I opened my mouth to ask but before I could utter a word, Kora turned and let out a horrified little shriek.

“Oh, my stars! You okay? What happened? Did you fall off the bed? Did the light scare you? I guess I should have warned you, CiCi said you were from a time that didn't have this kind of stuff - so you're probably shocked huh? Oh girly, let’s get you up.” She knelt by me now and before I could protest she was lifting me up from behind, chanting 'up, up, up, up' under her breath. Again my tender body protested and I swiftly struggled to find my feet and lift myself up to ease the pain faster. I crawled back on the bed and sat on the edge, my eyes glued to the spherical lamp uneasily.

“What is it?” I asked as she fussed and bothered over me.

“A lamp of course. The scientists made this a few years ago. It’s a little machine that absorbs the natural energy around us, like the energy that we give off and stuff, and turns it into synthetic light.” Kora said. “Now, let’s see about these wounds...”

“I really don't need to be healed. It's just some achy muscles and sore bones. Nothing really in need of a healer...I mean, you can't do much for that type of thing anyways, right?” I couldn't help but feel uneasy once again. “Can you get that fire off that wood?” I said, trying to direct the girls' attention from me. Kora turned and noticed the lamp on the wooden table and she went to it promptly and put it out.

“Sorry about that, I got distracted with your trapeze act off the bed. Now, let me get ya all healed up. Achy muscles and sore bones are my specialty. Okay, so not really, but they are very easy to fix up.”

“Really, It’s not needed. I mean, I've dealt with a lot worse and it only makes the body stronger.”

“Yuzuki, look. You're new around here so you are not sure how things work, but here it is.” Now Kora’s voice was firm and her strange accent was making it hard to take the young girl seriously. “CiCi ordered me to come and heal you. And a direct order from CiCi gets obeyed at all costs. Now quit ya fussing and watch my cool healing tricks or I will have to tie ya down to get the job done. And believe me! I have tied patients down before and I will do it again, m’kay hunny?”

I blinked at her, too shocked to really find a rebuttal to that. It was then she took her fan off of her hip. It was about three and a half feet long which wasn't saying much as Kora was only five feet and six inches tall. She had thick glossy brown hair that bounced in pretty curls and her brown eyes matched the soft-looking locks on her head. She seemed to have an air of innocence in her eyes that reminded me of a doe's, a glossy brown with a wideness that portrayed vulnerability. My eyes flicked back to the fan in her hand and she opened it. It opened pink and I couldn't help but smile at the sakura trees surrounding a pond with beautiful Koi fish decorated in gold on it. It reminded me a bit of the before life, where I was an Asian beauty that reeked of death.

“Now you just lay your pretty head down and I'll do the rest!” She said in an utterly cheerful voice. She talked so fast and cheerful, I almost felt her happiness leak into me.

“You talk so fast,” I grumbled at her and she let out a little laugh.

“Sorry, I'll try to tone it down. They say I talk with a deep accent like a Southern Belle. Who knows what that means though? Anyways! Down to business!”

Kora stepped forward and put her hand on my shoulder firmly and pushed me down. I laid back sighing and looked up at the ceiling. I really didn't know what healing involved, or why she took her fan off of her hip. As if hearing my thoughts, Kora piped up again, climbing onto the bed next to me and showing me the pretty pink and golden fan. It was then I noticed that her eyes were no longer brown. They were the greenest eyes I’d ever seen. Like glittering emeralds, they were only emphasized further by the fact that her brown hair framed her face in pretty curls.

“This is Shion, my soulmate. She's nifty, just like me. Now, I know your soulmate is a weapon, and don't get me wrong, Shion can be feisty when she wants to be.” She reached up with her other hand and gently touched the glint of silver on the tip. I looked up at it and saw indeed, it was a very thin blade, and I raised my brows up at her. She grinned back at me and cleared her throat as if trying not to look excessively proud of herself (which mind you, she was failing terribly). “But Shion's main function is healing. Now you just hold tight, sit back and enjoy the show.” I couldn't help but feel uneasy at this remark – this was a new position for me.

She cleared her throat again as if excited and she stood up on my bed next to me, and I glared up at her threateningly as she stepped over with one foot so she was standing literally over me. She raised her fan up, and closed her eyes. After a few minutes of what I felt was awkward standing still, the fan began to glow a bright pink, illuminating the silk fabric of it, and the gold seemed to be bolded. A faint breeze kissed my cheek and I looked over at the window and saw that it was still firmly closed. Looking back up at Kora I saw her curly brown hair wavering gently and without warning, the fan which expanded at least 3 feet wide when fully opened flicked to the side at a twist of Kora's wrist. She was holding it with her right hand and she swung her arm to the right, the gentle breeze that I felt on my cheeks before strengthened a little and she arched her arm up over her head, and began to spin the fan in the air - which I was completely impressed with. Fan spinning was an art form and it was hard enough with small, regular-sized fans – a giant one like this had to be murder on the wrist and arm.

I did not have long to be impressed because when she spun it over her head, the wind swirled faster around Kora and me. It began taking on a tinge of pink, like the color of the gentle bright glow of Shion. I watched, fascinated; I'd never been able to see the wind have color before, and being able to see so now gave me a respect for wind. I had never noticed how complicated it was, how wind was actually many condensed breezes and they were all individual but the same of one another. At least this was how Kora's wind looked. The wind began to reach out and touch me, kissing me before jumping back into its cyclone that whirled around us. If you've never seen tamed wind before, then you would never understand how a cyclone of wind could appear fierce and yet gentle at the same time.

The gentle glowing strands of wind that reached in and kissed my body were surprisingly warm and soothing to my aching body. I could feel my muscles relaxing, and the pain leaking from my broken ribs as if it were melting off of them like fat, however, I didn't pay attention to this much as I was way too thrilled with watching the wisps of glowing pink wind circle around me, darting in and out like little Sakura flower colored fireflies. A drop of liquid splashed on my cheek however after a few minutes and I looked up at Kora for the first time since I'd peeled my eyes away from the dancing fan to see her perspiring heavily. I reached up and touched the hand that was at her side and tugged at it gently.

“Kora-chan. That's enough.” I said in a gentle voice. I had come to the conclusion once I awoke in this world that I could shed the odd traditions of my life, including the tedious honorific system in which people called others by their last name and an honoring word according to rank or based on their friendship. However I was feeling deeply awed at the moment of this woman and her pink wind – and she'd done me a great service. My body felt refreshed and felt more spry than I'd felt as a young child. “I am feeling much better now.” Kora's brown eyes opened and looked down at me, and I was shocked to see the brown iris had turned a murky pink as well. I sat up from under her and gave her what was hopefully a reassuring smile and she whipped her fan downward and with one fluid motion, snapped it shut. Immediately the wind ceased and Kora half sat and half collapsed on her knees, still straddling my legs. I pulled my legs from under her and reached forward, guiding her into a more comfortable sitting position, feeling my own flurry of questions beginning to bubble to the surface.

“It was so beautiful, Kora-chan. I have never seen wind in that way! How does it heal?” I asked her, refraining from speaking as fast as she had with me. Kora had closed her eyes again and bent her head down for a moment, before looking up at me again. Her eyes, when her head finally raised, were back to the doe brown, and she gave me a tired smile.

“Well uh... see. My soul mate’s ability is wind. I can call upon the wind and add my own personal touches to them. I'm really not much of a fighter. However, I have a soulmate anyway. It turns out I am able to put whatever I'm feeling into my wind. It's always pink but in different shades. When I'm fighting, it’s like a hot pink, you know, how pink looks when they don't put enough white in the red and it doesn't look soft but its really vibrant? And when I'm healing it's always a mixture of that sunset pink glow and baby pink. I don't know how the winds work really, Shion tells me that is what her job is for. She makes it work and it's just my job to depend on her and use my powers for the right reasons. Sometimes we're able to outright heal, but anything too major needs to be taken and spread amongst others willingly, or transferred to another person. Sometimes I put wounds on myself from others because, I suppose as an added bonus, I heal faster than others too. And look at this complexion, I certainly don't scar.” Kora said all of this as if it were the most obvious explanation in the world, and I tilted my head. Estrakulius had not spoken to me since I pulled him from my body – however, Kora made it sound like she talked to Shion often.

I said nothing of this concern – it was probably a question for a teacher, and the girl looked tired. I didn't want to keep her around longer than I had to really, she'd done plenty and it seemed she could use a rest.

“Well, Kora... thank you so much. I appreciate it. You should go rest.” I said gently and she nodded at me, standing up slowly. Once up she grabbed Shion from the bed and latched the fan back onto a little golden hook I could see on her hip. This hook was attached to her belt and I couldn't help but marvel at how simple and yet brilliant that idea was. A simple ring at the base of the fan that glittered on the hook. She looked at me and dipped her knees into what is known as a curtsy (though it was not up to par with royalty) and turned on her heel.

“See ya later Alligator!” she called from my bedroom doorway and I looked at her, blinking. I wanted to tell her I was not a reptilian predator when she laughed and shook her head. “Right. I forget, you probably have your own way of talkin’. It’s an expression. One person says 'See ya later Alligator;' then the other says 'In a while, Crocodile.'” She explained patiently and though I still did not understand why people would call each other reptilian predators, I could see it was supposed to be cute as they rhymed in a gruff way.

“Ah, I see. In a while, Crocodile.” I said, giving her a little half bow from my bed, and she laughed, and gave one more little wave, then exited. I stood from the bed once she had gone and I heard the front door click shut and went to the window in my room. Looking out, I gasped. It was black, so very black and yet ...light. The moon was bright and it appeared very close. The glitter in the sky that is the stars were all so far apart when they should have looked close together from the ground. A purple and white swirling vortex could be seen off in the distance and a round, spherical planet with rings around it could be seen lingering not too far away. My eyes widened, once again feeling that shocking feeling of overwhelming amazement. Was this what it would look like, if we were closer to the stars and the world was not so big?

Looking out, I could see no ground, only a black abyss, and a girl in pink with brown hair bunny hopping slowly away from the building…

Chapters End

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