Chapter 23 – Mecchen House Rebuilding

Jamie pressed his hands together and shook his head. “Why didn’t she fix us? Why? Wake her up and ask her!”

Reiko bent forward with her legs holding fast to the floor. “Why does she force me to continue to exist in torment?! Ask her that!”

The questions came in fast waves. Aneko wanted to know about her mother. Mami asked, “What did she mean about ‘papers’?”

Miki seemed equally-curious about Hitomi’s words. Only Keiko and Tara didn’t offer a question to the rising torrent.

Tara stepped in front of me with her hands out. She smiled softly and announced, “I can answer questions. Not everything, but I remember some things about my old life.”

She took the questions in the order they were asked and looked to Jamie first. “As you may have gathered, Hitomi’s wish was to fix you… and Keiko and Kelly-kun. That’s why she did all this.”

Jamie shook his head. “No! She was wrong. She was deluded! I don’t believe anything she said.”

Tara bowed. “...Do you trust me?”

Jamie opened his mouth and then clenched it. “I have… concerns because of what happened.”

She nodded gently. “That’s okay, Jamie-kun. Hitomi was wrong about many things, and so was I. But I know the four of you are Toki’s daughters.”

Hearing it from Tara made me quiver a bit.

Aneko rubbed her hands and asked, “You knew my… I mean you knew Toki?”

Tara gave a friendly nod. “She is a rare presence. But she retains her… human qualities.” Tara gave a slight smile, as though she’d just told a little joke only she fully understood.

Reiko growled. “And what about ME!?”

Tara bent her arms. “My apologies. Hitomi’s actions in creating you and others still makes me ill to think about it. She forced together and pulled apart so many lives.”

Reiko kept her eyes steady on Tara, though her entire body trembled. “And your part in this?”

Tara slumped softly. “I gave of myself. I was weak, alone, and afraid… I’m sorry.”

Reiko shook her head. “So, you helped her and what… became her little spy with a new body and a new life?”

Tara shut her eyes. “I helped her. I let her use me as necessary. I had a second life and I swore to treasure it and live it to its fullest, no matter how long it lasted.”

Reiko clenched her hands. “And you doomed others to suffer in this life. Why did she lie to me? She didn’t end the pain!”

Tara turned to Hitomi’s sleeping form. “Only she can answer that.”

Reiko glared at Hitomi. “Then wake her. I want my answers.”

Tara held her hand up. “I doubt anyone could rouse her right now. I’ve only seen an Aeternalae like her give a little of themselves, and after that, they may slumber for a long time. I don’t know quite how much she gave up.”

Reiko’s gaze didn’t waver. “I’ll wait.”

Tara looked at Mami next. “You asked about papers. I don’t remember who heard what from Hitomi, but so you all know… each of you were crafted from an item or an idea which Hitomi borrowed from around Toki’s influence.”

Hitomi had put it in different words, but that fit with what I’d heard from her. The how still eluded me though.

Tara pointed around to everyone and reiterated what Hitomi had said about their core item. She then kept her fingers on Ms. Ishida, Katsumi, Reiko, Sumi, and Miki.

“For you five, I suspect Hitomi had to borrow even more. It’s just a thought, but I think she borrowed from the Dreamers.”

Jamie frowned. “What the heck is that?”

Tara scratched at her ear. We watched her carefully. “I only know bits and pieces. But imagine an… Aeternalae, an Awakened, what-have-you, is meant to be, destined… Someday, he or she will meet up with Aeternalae who help them be what they were meant to become. Toki always regarded her ‘Aninae’, or Aeternalae students, with careful consideration…”

I felt the strange words wash over me, hoping that some aspect of the flame within would latch onto one and make sense of it for me.

Tara gave a slow shrug. “But, as with all things, I suspect it’s more than that. I was a normal human, so I could only put together a sliver. I have heard much, but the more I hear, the less I understood.”

I felt in the same place.

Jamie rubbed above his eye. “I wish I’d never gone for that walk… then I wouldn’t be in this mess and wearing this… dress which I’d like to take off as soon as possible.” I winced when he tugged at the hem of the pink dress, fearful he would tear a seam.

Tara offered to help Jamie change. He watched her a moment, set his face, and shook his head. “No. I’ll do it alone.”

He picked out an androgynous change of clothes and walked down the hall.

[Fan drawing of Katsumi by Zack]

Pussy seemed playful and undeterred in her affection by all that had happened. Akiko seemed equally-playful with my leg. Katsumi sniffled and folded her arms. “So, what’s your real name?”

Tara smiled gently. “Tara now. My name used to be Aaron Raleigh. My wife was Mildred. She was born special.”

I looked into Tara’s blue eyes. She looked so far away as she spoke. A blend of joy and melancholy crossed her features. Katsumi blinked. “You were a man.”

Tara nodded. “In my sixties. I taught music and sign language all my life. That’s how I met Mildred.” She brushed her own hair gently.

Jamie stood at the edge of the hallway with the pink dress in his hands. He looked at me, the sweater still around his waist and the plushie under his arm. Akiko leaned over to look at Tara with her hands clutched in front of her.

I cautiously accepted the dress from Jamie. I laid the garment across my skin. It didn’t feel remarkable in any way. I missed Ami, but I also wondered if she felt better this way. I wouldn’t want to drag her back to humanity and leave her suffering in the same dark place as before.

But I also didn’t want to leave her sibling, if he truly existed, to fear and uncertainty.

The cloth gave me no answer for what action to take.

It made me think.

I told the group, “I need to make a few phone calls… does anyone else?”

I gazed over all of them. Katsumi turned away and brushed down her hair. Mami folded her hands several times but said nothing. Reiko fidgeted. Sumi seemed content just to embrace and cuddle her cat. Ms. Ishida seemed quite lost in thought. Only Miki stood and said, “Sure, I have a few people I’d like to check on.”

I left the pink dress carefully on the far couch.

Tara bowed as we left and said, “Mrs. Ishida was nice, but her husband Masuyo was an inspiration to me…” I felt tempted to stay to hear the rest, but I knew I could catch up later. Akiko followed my legs.

I used the phone in the kitchen. I had to dig around to find the numbers we’d accumulated. Miki provided me with Fuyuki’s. I rang Carolyn first.

She picked up on the third ring.

“Heyo!”

“This is Kelly… do you remember me?”

The boyish voice on the other end snickered. “Is this… Kimi’s game?”

“No. Serious…”

She gave a ‘huh’ and replied, “Well… yeah. Of course. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing here. Are you okay?”

She sighed away from the receiver. “Fair. The shop had some broken glass, but nothing that can’t be repaired. You guys okay?”

I looked around. There was only one broken window in this room compared with the other rooms. Otherwise, I didn’t see any other damage.

I told her, “We’re still checking, but we’re alright. I have a lot to talk to you about now though.”

She gave a long “hmmm”. “Is that so? I look forward to it. I hope at least one of my little theories is right.”

I said bye and called Shiori next. I figured her home number would have a better chance. I lost count of the rings before a groggy voice finally answered. The voice was male.

I blinked and asked, “Hello? Is Shioriko there?”

The man said ‘ugh’ a few times with the receiver knocking about. I could hear a trace of the words, “For you.” A girl coughed.

Shiori’s voice zoomed to the receiver with a few moments of static.

I posed the same question to her.

Long pause.

“Yes, I remember you… and your two friends. Is something wrong? We’re just… relaxing after cleaning up a few things that fell over.”

“I see…”

She fussed with the phone. “What’s up?”

I thought to ask, “Do you remember much from yesterday?”

She cleared her throat. “It’s actually something of a blur now that you mention it. I’d rather forget, considering. Is that why you called?”

“No, I just… well, something happened with all the things we’ve talked about and I’d like to catch you up.”

She grunted. For some reason, it sounded like she was laying down. “Cool. Should I meet you at ‘Mecchen House’?”

Unnecessarily, I shook my head. “We have stuff to clean up here too. I just wanted to make sure you were alright.”

She adjusted the phone. “Thank you. I’m so sorry I didn’t call first or come over or anything. I have someone over right now.”

“Yeah, I heard him,” I added a little cough.

She paused. The phone rustled. “Oh, woah! It’s not anything like that. We were just reading a bit.” The phone tumbled and crashed on the other end. I waited.

Shioriko cleared her throat and said, with the utmost calm, “A friend and I were reading in a bed.”

I smiled, also unnecessarily. “It’s none of my concern. I will talk to you later. Take care.”

Shioriko said a hasty, high-pitched ‘bye!’

Next, I made a phone call to Nina Metora. She picked up before the first ring.

“Hello?”

“Hi. This is Kelly. Do you remember me?”

“Kimono girl for Katsumi, right? Were you the blond one?”

I pulled on a lock of my own hair to check, just in case. “The redhead.”

“Oh. Cool. Why are you calling? Did Katsumi want something?”

“Not yet. Did you weather the storm okay?”

“Yup. I love storms. I just holed up in the living room and enjoyed the show. It was rather disappointing. I was expecting more.”

“I see. Do you remember Hitomi?”

She gave a little squeak and shifted the phone. Her voice shrunk. Akiko leaned closer.

“What about… Hitomi?”

That was really all I needed to ask. I told her, “There’s just some new stuff that came up. I’d like to talk to you and tell you what’s going on.”

Nina made a little sound and asked, “Really? Mm… okay. When?”

“I’ll call again soon. Things are still something of a mess here.”

She then asked, “Mess? Is Katsumi… okay? And Hitomi?”

“Both Katsumi and Hitomi are fine. It’s just broken glass and a lot of questions and concerns.”

“I see… okay.”

I finished with a little goodbye which felt more awkward than I intended.

I looked down at Fuyuki’s number. I couldn’t imagine what I would say. After a moment’s reflection, I stuffed the number away.

Later, I told myself. Not yet.

I passed the phone to Miki. I lingered as she dialed and caught the beginning, “Hiya, bro! Ya okay?...” before giving Miki some privacy.

Akiko gave my shirt a little tug, and I touched her hair. She kept giving tugs until I noticed how much she was fidgeting.

I led her inside the bathroom and was prepared to wait outside but she whimpered. I looked away and, fortunately, she didn’t need any more help from me than to just be around.

When she was done, she tugged on my hand and I held onto hers. She stopped fidgeting. She pressed her head into my hand. No unnatural warmth came from them, but she still pressed herself against them.

I led her out and back towards the living room. She slipped behind me, still holding my hand. I looked around and she looked up at me and said a quiet, “No?”, with the tone of a question.

I opened my mouth with the hope to teach her other, more positive words than “No”, but I wasn’t sure how to begin. So, I just shut my mouth and rubbed her head with my free hand. She pressed her cheek against my wrist and shut her eyes.