The Red Hand

Chapter 138 –  The Nightmare.

Akagi and Yumi were getting ready for bed after a long day of busy work, plans, and preparation for the upcoming formation of her new nation. Family operations never ceased, and currently, Marshal was leading a team to hunt down South American drug cartels, while others were on an extensive intel gathering operation within Omara. Yumi was busy finishing up the bathroom, so Akagi decided to have a bit of fun by playing around with the mirror while she waited.

pbbbt! Akagi stuck out her tongue at the mirror and blew a raspberry.

"Heh-heh..." She smiled as she started to make all sorts of funny faces at herself. Getting into it, she began morphing her face into other strange shapes and even other people before bursting out laughing.

{Kana would kill me if she saw me transformed into her like that. Though she might like the cat ears.} (Akagi)

"Are you having fun?" Yumi said while leaning in the bathroom doorway.

"Yes!" Akagi smiled.

Yumi shook her head. "You really do remind me of my sister sometimes with your antics. One minute you're acting normal, then the next I see you transformed in front of the mirror playing with yourself." Yumi sighed as she crawled into bed.

{Not that I dislike any of that.} (Yumi)

"I'll take your words as a compliment." Akagi leapt into bed with her. "We've got a busy week coming up, so let's get some rest." She smiled as Yumi wrapped her arms around her from behind.

"Indeed, and don't forget that in May I'll be gone for around a week to wrap things up. I'll try to pop back in as much as possible, but we might be apart for a few days." Yumi smiled as Akagi turned off the lights.

“I'll be fine! If I couldn't be away from you for that small amount of time, that would be pathetic.” Akagi laughed, but internally she knew those few days would be awful.

“But in the mean time, we've got a really fun event coming up this month and I'm looking forward to it!” Kana's birthday would be in a few days, and they planned on going to see the Sakura trees bloom.

"Goodnight." (Yumi)

"Goodnight, Yumi." Akagi closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

_____________________________________________________________________________

*CHIRP* *CHIRP*

The sound of birds echoed throughout Akagi's room, it seemed the morning had came quite quickly, and it was time for the start of the day.

"Stupid birds." Akagi complained that they'd woken her up. "What time is it anyway?" She slowly opened her eyes and looked at the small digital clock that was on the table next to her bed. "Nine? Why didn't my alarm go off?" She yawed, but a moment, later her eyes snapped open. "Wait!" She sat up fast. "That's the-" The small digital clock was not the one she usually used, and the table it sat upon was a completely different one than should have sat next to her bed. She recognized both, but that only made things worse.

"No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No." She leapt out of her bed, a bed that was very different than the one she got in with Yumi, and stood in front of her mirror. What greeted her was not her face as Akagi, but Rishia's.

"Wh-what's going on?!?" Akagi screamed. “W-Why am I?!?” She ran her hands over her face in a panic. Akagi could feel the blood pulsing through her body, and could hear the beat of her heart in in her chest. Things that ordinarily shouldn't be possible.

"Wait, Wait, Wait. Calm down me. Calm down! No need to panic. This same thing happened when I went and spoke to the inner versions of myself. I transformed back then too and it was just a dream basically." She took a deep breath. "I can just transform back and-" Her entire body shuddered at a sudden realization.

"I-I can't feel it..." Akagi stumbled backward, nearly tripping and falling onto her bed. "I can't feel anything." She couldn't sense her power or her abilities, and her shadow was not behind her like it always was.

“M-my power... its gone! I can't change back! I can't I can't.... I CAN'T CHANGE BACK!” Akagi screamed as her head swirled. “My power, my strength all of it. It's gone! Why? How?!?”

{Did someone do this?!? Is this punishment for not destroying the world?!?} Akagi was struggling to keep her thoughts together as she tried to figure out what was going on. Looking around, it was clear that she was in her room at her old house, and she could tell the outside world was there, unlike before.

“I-I can't go back.... I can't go back to being like this!” Akagi began to claw at her own face, in a futile attempt to rip it off, even drawing a bit of blood as her nails scratched her cheeks. “This isn't me! I'm not Rishia! I'm Akagi. Akagi dammit!”

But unfortunately for her, being stuck in her old body wasn't the end of it. Her body began to shake as she clutched her chest in pain, and she felt like she was about to vomit.

{Nooo. NOOOOOOOO!} (Akagi)

"YUMI!" Akagi screamed as panic set in further. "I can't feel Yumi!" She began shaking. "I can't feel her! I can't feel her anywhere!" Ever since the two connected, both could feel a small warmth from within that let them know the other was alive and well. But now, she couldn't feel Yumi at all and the sudden loss of that warmth had begun to drive her mad. Real or not, the loss of that feeling was not something she could tolerate.

"Onee-chan!" Kana's voice rang out as she opened the door to the room. "Are you ok? You screamed really loud!" However, this Kana was not the same one she'd seen earlier that day. She was younger, probably around twelve years old and her face gave off a much more innocent look. "You look pale. Are you ok?"

"K-Kana?" Akagi stumbled, barely able to speak over the massive headache and nausea. "Are you r-really Kana?" She asked.

"What do you mean? Did you have a bad dream or something?" Kana tilted her head. "Of course I'm me."

{I-if she's small like that, then... did I go back in time?} (Akagi)

"Do you remember any of it?" Akagi asked. "Yumi, Chloe, Mika, Naomi any of them?!?" She grabbed her sister's shoulders and started to shake her. “Please tell me you do!”

"W-what are y-you t-talking about?" Kana said while being shaken. "Who are they? Friends of yours?"

Upon hearing that Kana had no idea who she was talking about, Akagi let go. "What day is it? Tell me!"

"Hm? Today?" Kana gave her the date. It was the same day that FWO launched all those years ago. "Was something supposed to happen today? I don't recall you saying anything about a game launch or something."

{FWO... it never launched?!?} Akagi thought for a moment. {Don't tell me... please don't tell me that it was all a dream. That everything was just...} She began to think that somehow she dreamed everything from the last four years, as insane as that was. But right now, that was the only thing her mind could think of, and that meant that everyone was gone, her power was gone, all of it was gone.

"I'm... I'm alone again..." Akagi wrapped her arms around her torso. “I'm alone, they're all gone. They never existed... it was all a dream...” She started to hyper ventilate.

“Onee-chan?” Kana started to get worried. “What's wrong?”

Akagi ignored her and slowly walked out of her room and downstairs into the living room. Shima and Taichi were elsewhere this weekend and weren't home, so it was just the two of them.

"Onee-chan!" Kana chased after her. "Please tell me what's going on? Did you have a nightmare? Did mom and dad do something again?” She could tell something happened and wanted to help.

Akagi looked back at her. But instead of her usually kind and caring eyes. Akagi's eyes were filled with hate and anger. "Don't talk to me, you fucking brat!" She was in no mood for Kana, and her mental state was slowly collapsing under the idea that she was back to being Rishia again.

"Onee-chan!" Kana grabbed onto her shirt, trying to stop her. "Why are you being so mean?!?"

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Akagi screamed as she pushed Kana away, causing the young girl to tumble onto the floor. "It's all over! All of it! Everyone's gone! I'm alone again! I have nothing, no one! I'm... I'm..." She started to cry.

{WHY??? AM I NOT ALLOWED TO BE HAPPY?!? IS MY LIFE SUPPOSE TO BE NOTHING MORE THAN SICK JOKE?!?} Akagi collapsed onto the floor.

"Who's gone?!? What are you talking about?" Kana was confused. "And you're not alone! You have me." She tried to hug Akagi, but once she got close enough, Akagi punched her sister in the face.

“Keep away from me you disgusting BRAT!” (Akagi)

Kana rubbed her cheek and began crying.

“Go ahead! Cry! And know that what you're feeling pales in comparison to what I'm experiencing right now.” Akagi screamed.

“Onee-chan...” Kana was still crying. “W-why did you-” She was stopped as Akagi grabbed her by the collar.

“I lost it all! Everyone, all my friends, my new family and the most important person in the world! All of them are gone!”(Akagi)

“What are you-” Kana was again cut off by Akagi's screaming.

“Nearly five years! Five fucking years! All of it was a dream! All that happiness, that joy... it was all fake!” Akagi threw Kana into the nearby end-table causing a loud smack as a picture frame fell off, causing the glass to shatter.

“I found happiness, Kana! I found people who cared for me! Who loved me despite everything!” Akagi started laughing. “And it was all a cruel joke played upon me by my own mind. I was given a glimpse at a better life, only to have it pulled away from me once I'd gotten complacent. Once I'd thought I could finally be happy...”

“Onee-chan please calm down!” Kana stood up, still wobbly from being tossed around. “I don't know what you're talking about, but there is no reason to get violent!”

“It doesn't matter anymore.” Akagi glared at her sister. “None of it does...”

{So what? I'm suppose to just go back to how things were? Accept being an unloved child in a house that hates me, have no power, and have to listen to others?} Akagi thought to herself. {No... NO! I might be back to being Rishia in body, but my mind, MY MIND, is still Akagi. I am still Akagi!} (Akagi)

Akagi began to laugh manically as she looked at her sister.

“Onee-chan, you're scaring me.” Kana shuddered at her sisters laugh.

“Good.” Akagi's eyes had changed, and Kana could tell, that something inside her sister had snapped. “You should be afraid of me.” She walked closer to her sister. “You know, I've always hated you Kana. You were the favorite child, everyone loved you and you could do nothing wrong.”

Kana had frozen in fear, she could tell Akagi was about to do something horrible to her as she continued to get closer. “They always compared me to you, told me I was a waste of space, that I would never be good enough.” She stopped just in front of Kana, staring down at her. “Now, how funny would it be if Shima and Taichi came home from their little trip...” Akagi cupped Kana's cheeks. “And they were greeted with you chopped into all kinds of tiny bits and strewn across the house? I don't know about them, but I think that would be fun!” Akagi stepped backwards as she began to laugh psychotically. “Oh! How wonderful would that be! The looks on their face as I bathe in the blood of their precious daughter. The realization that all their life's work was undone in a second by the very monster they created!”

Kana began to shake as she watched. She wanted to run away, but her legs wouldn't move.

“I don't need my powers to kill a twelve year old.” Akagi's lips contorted into a horrifying smile as she looked at her sister. “From what I recall, those two won't be back for a good while. So Kana, how about we play a game.”

“A-a g-game?” Kana said meekly.

“Indeed, a game!” Akagi chuckled. “The rules are simple! All you have to do is stay alive! So do your best!”

{S-she's serious! She's going to kill me!} Kana once again tried to back away, but fell onto the floor as her legs gave out.

“Ohhh....” Akagi's entire body shuttered. “There it is! The look! AHHHHH.” Akagi ran her hands over her body as she shivered in pleasure. “Kana, you've made me one happy girl! The forbidden fruit has been picked and I've finally got to see what it would look like for my precious little sister to have that look of sheer terror and horror on her face.” Akagi knelt down on front her her. “So how does it feel? To know that the Onee-chan you love so much is about to kill you?”

“....” Kana whispered something.

“Speak up I can't hear you.” Akagi asked her to speak again.

“Do it...” Kana said.

“What?” Akagi was momentarily shocked by her words.

“I said, do it.” Kana looked into her sisters eyes. “I deserve to die anyway...”

“W-wha?” Akagi had no response.

“I took your family from you, Onee-chan. So please, kill me.” Kana grabbed the hem of Akagi's shirt. “If killing me will make you happy, if it will repay the debt I have to you.... then do it!”

Her words brought Akagi back to the conversation in the kitchen all those months ago, where Kana revealed that she knew Akagi was going to kill her when she was a child.

{Kana said the same thing back then too. That she deserved to die... What... what is wrong with me... This isn't Kana's fault... its Shima and Taichi's... Even... even if it was all a dream... No... I can't allow myself to go down that route... because...} Akagi took a deep breath and stood up.

“I'm sorry, Kana.” Akagi said. “I'm not going to hurt you. You don't deserve to die, and its not your fault those idiots have treated me like garbage for all these years. They never loved me to begin with.” She hugged her.

“Onee-chan.” Kana said from the floor.

“But, this will be the end.” Akagi gave a bitter smile as she turned to leave the house. “This is goodbye Kana, I'm sorry and... and no matter what... I love you.”

Kana panicked at these words and jumped up to follow her sister. "Onee-chan! Where are you going?!? Why does it sound like your going to leave and never come back?!?" Akagi stood in the half open door to the house, just about to leave.

Akagi looked back at her, tears running down her face. "I can't stay anymore, Kana. I've lost too much, and I'm not strong enough to continue on anymore. I can't stay here and pretend to be someone I'm not, not when I've seen what real happiness is."

{Without Yumi and the others, this life just isn't worth it anymore, and I need to get away before I do something I'll regret.} (Akagi)

Akagi walked out the door and took off down the street. She could hear Kana screaming from behind, but she ignored it. It was just like she'd told her sister at the school. If she had to go back to being Rishia and live her old life, then she'd rather end it all.

Not too far from her house was a train crossing, one that she knew would soon become active for commute. As she walked towards her death, she thought back to all the happy memories, things she was now certain were dreams. Perhaps if she'd given it a bit more thought, she'd have figured out that everything couldn't have been a dream, and that it was impossible for a mind to create such a long and elaborate construct. But with her unstable mental state, and the lack of Yumi's warmth, it was hard for her to process anything logically. That's just how important their bond was, and the loss of her other half meant that she could no longer continue living.

{Everyone... I'm sorry...} Akagi slowly walked toward the crossing, her eyes glazed over and her face filled with tears. {I can't do this... I can't do it alone... I'm not... I'm not strong enough... not anymore...}

*BING* *BING* *BING* *BING*

As she stood in front of the crossing, lights started blaring and alarms rang out as the gates closed in front of her. She could see the train approaching from the north, and when it got close enough she would jump.

{But none of that matters, because, I'll be with you all soon...}

*BING* *BING* *BING* *BING*

The train got ever closer, and once it reached the point where it couldn't stop, Akagi leapt over the guard rail and jumped in front of the oncoming train. The last thing she saw before it collided with her was the screaming face of Kana on her bike, watching in horror at what was about to happen.

{I'm sorry Kana... Grow up to be the kind girl you were in my dream, and if possible. Forget about me...}

*BANG* *SCREECH*

"ONEE-CHAN!!!!!!!!!!" Kana screamed as she watched the horrific sight of Akagi's body exploding on contact with the train.

_____________________________________________________________________________

<Yumi POV>

Yumi was peacefully sleeping when she heard Akagi fidgeting in her sleep and wincing in pain.

"Hmmm?" She slowly opened one eye. "Is everything alright, my Lord?" Yumi pushed on Akagi, who started fidgeting harder in her sleep.

{A nightmare?} Yumi didn't think Akagi could have those, but figured it best to wake her up.

"My Lord, wake up. It's just a dream." Yumi pushed on her harder, to no avail, as Akagi started sweating and her face contorted in pain. "Please wake up!"

Nothing seemed to be working as she prodded, poked, and even slapped Akagi to get her to wake up. "Please, it's just a dream! Wake up!" Yumi was starting to get worried. She'd never seen Akagi in so much distress, and figured that whatever she was dreaming was extremely unpleasant.

"Hmmmm." Yumi thought for a moment before summoning her staff and channeling healing magic onto Akagi. "Perhaps this will help? I've heard healing magic can be used to quell nightmares." But even this seemed to do nothing.

{I might need to get Kana.} Just as Yumi was about to get out of bed, Akagi sat up, her eyes snapped opened, and she screamed in a horrifyingly distorted voice.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA" (Akagi)

"My Lord, calm down!" Yumi grabbed onto her and pulled her into a hug as Akagi flailed about. "It was just a nightmare! Please calm down! It's ok! I'm right here!"

[They're all gone! Everyone's gone!] Akagi began to talk in Demon.

"It's alright. It's alright. I'm right here." Yumi hugged her tighter.

{What the hell happened?!?} (Yumi)

A few seconds later, Kana burst into the room. Hers was next door, and Akagi's scream woke her up from a dead sleep.

"What's going on?!?" Kana exclaimed as she saw Akagi shaking on the bed and her eyes started darting back and forth as her teeth chattered.

[I'm-I'm alone again. Alone again.] Akagi kept speaking in Demon

"She had some kind of nightmare!" Yumi looked at Kana, who ran over.

[It's ok! Onee-chan breathe. It's fine. You're not alone. We're all right here.] Kana spoke to her in Demon.

When she did, Akagi looked up at Kana through teary eyes.

[I'm sorry, Kana. I'm sorry you had to watch. I'm sorry for what I did. Don't hate me...] Akagi continued to ramble.

"What did she say?" Yumi asked.

"She apologized for making me watch something and for doing something." Kana started stroking her sister's head.

{This isn't good. I don't know what brought this on, but its worse that the kind of attacks she's had before.} (Kana)

"She's having a bad attack, Yumi. I haven't seen her like this since we were kids. Whatever she saw must have been horrific if she's freaked out this bad." Kana didn't like seeing her sister this way and was getting upset herself.

"What should we do?" Yumi wasn't really sure what to do in such a situation, as her knowledge of Akagi's illnesses and issues was incomplete.

"Just keep hold of her like you are. The best thing we can do is stay with her until the attack passes or at least settles down a bit." Kana had done something similar in the past. “This one... it might take a while though.”

Akagi's scream sent the entire estate on alert as, one by one, other members of the family poured into the main house to check on their master. Chloe's team went on high alert and were scouting for enemies, while Yumi and Kana explained what was going on to those who stopped by. None of them had ever seen Akagi so shaken, so this was a complete surprise. Of course, their first concern was for her safety and well-being, and the entire estate spent the next several hours in a state of anxiety until she calmed down.