Chapter Fifteen: "Who I am"

He wasn't exactly sure what  he was doing in that moment. He was lying on his back, staring up at the ceiling as a collage of very sobering thoughts passed through his head. He certainly wasn't sure of what he was doing, and now that he was alone to his own thoughts he couldn't get himself to fall asleep without thinking of things which seemed to make sense, which seemed odd, considering that at night, one's thoughts were usually overrun with emotions that the stress of the day had accumulated. Carefully he tossed the blanket from his body and began to walk towards the bathroom to get a drink of water or something. As he turned from the room, which belonged to a girl he had just met not so long ago, and into the hallway, he came face to face with her mother who was nothing more than a shadowy figure in the dark hallway. He stopped in his tracks, already feeling awkward being here in the house of a stranger, and words failed to come to his mind as he simply stood there staring at her in dark.

"I'd like to speak with you." She said quietly, directing him towards the kitchen, where a dim light was kept above the stove. Unsure of what it was she was going to tell him, he shuffled his way into the kitchen and sat at the table trying to rub the sleep from his eyes. The mother sat across from him, her hands clasped together as she eyed him carefully. "I wanted to hear your story once more. You said you were doing this for a friend right?" As she leaned in, he noticed that there was a seriousness which was not present earlier, and that piercing glance seemed to penetrate through any expression he tried to hold. Ah hell. Somewhere along the way here I lost my composure, now is probably the best time to find it again...wherever it went. He avoided her stare and looked down at his own hands that were folded in his lap. There was no salvation there. With a slight sigh, he leaned back in his chair and began to recount the entire story. He began with the robbery at the fast food joint, as it made most sense to start from the very beginning as far as he could tell. He detailed as best he could about the blonde woman, and the business card invitation. He also recounted the events in which the entire ordeal over the domes became absolutely clear to him inside of Jack's car. The forewarning that he received seemed to be coming to light. The woman took it all in and nodded her head. "That's quite a story." She said, slightly biting her lip and then smiling slightly. "Let me tell you a bit of mine." It was inside of that dark kitchen that a lot become clear to Kaz. The entire bizarreness of his coming here, and spending the night was more or less relieved. It was true that the city of Stadweld, was being watched. It was true that it probably wasn't safe for him to go prancing about after hours. Yet what probably bothered him most was what she expected of him tomorrow. 

"As it stands now, my daughter is one of the best candidates to infiltrate the domes." Her mother ventured. It was the exact opposite of what she was pressing earlier, and it became clear to him that she was implementing a form of reserve psychology on her daughter. Though he wasn't angry at the aspect. He reflected upon it for a while. It pained the woman that she was going to use Michi for gathering information. A few days earlier, Kaz would have rolled his eyes and would have sat it out. Thoughts such as, this is a pain in the ass. Or, What the hell am I supposed to do? Protect her or something? The truth behind the mothers words stung a hard blow to his sense of judgment. Naturally he wanted to do whatever he could to help his friend, but that tie just didn't seem strong enough for him. Now that he had a strange attachment to Michi, he felt obligated to see things through. It was a cunning and fiendish trap, yet he couldn't find it in him to rely his irritated to her. He was tired, and he wanted nothing more than to curl up in his makeshift bed, and come morning he would make plans to forget much of what happened. Perhaps this too was apart of her plan. He was the bait, and Michi was her little undercover operative. If the plan were to succeed, then the entire plot behind the domes would be unveiled. It would collapse and the city would be free. With such things floating through his mind, he fell asleep, and the next morning he uneasily awoke to the sight of Michi stepping over him with a slight smile etched on her face. What the hell am I going to do?

 

“What do we do now?” Michi asked Kaz as they sat quite a far distance from the two domes which were on the edge of the horizon. “The meeting isn’t in till one, so it’s not like we need to do anything right away.” He stated turning around suddenly. “What? You aren’t scared are you?” The girl pressed, following him. “Yeah, probably…” he trailed off as he stopped in front of a familiar coffee shop and walked in. At least let me get out of the cold. After all, I feel like I’m walking in a dream. How pathetic of me…if I wasn’t girl shy, everything would have gone a lot smoother from the start. Now I have…a lot of unnecessary tension. No matter how much he tried to think of the task at hand, Kaz could only focus on what had happened last night. It had all started off as something normal and he hadn’t expected it to escalate into a night of fun times, but now there was more than just that…
This girl’s mother…is quite something else. If I hadn’t woken up in the middle of the night, I wouldn’t have even known what she was planning, still…it’s kind of odd how keen Michi’s observation power is, despite the fact of how spacey is actually is. Does she even know what’s happening? He grabbed his order of a muffin and coffee and took a seat in the back again, glancing at her offhandedly. She seemed cheerful enough, but he wondered how she would normally act if she wasn’t under such stress. The two of them sat across from each other enjoying their little brunch. Kaz quietly continued to eat, feeling the shyness he often expressed around girls returning as the strange ‘high’ of the night before began to fade. Yet his resolve wasn’t exactly broken. Not yet. What the hell was I thinking? I can’t just lose my head anymore. Not if I expect to save Jack and Kylie.
 

“So, what’s the game plan going to be?” Michi asked suddenly, and he looked up for a moment to see where she was looking, and was caught by her gaze head on. S-she…she’s like a basilisk…you take after mom, ya know that? He had stopped and just looked at her before looking away. “What’s with that look?” She said with a sly smirk and he shrugged. “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about…” was all he could say. “Oh, I see, you’re still thinking about last night, right?” She said cheerfully clasping her hands together. “S-somehow, I want to forget about it…” he admitted. “Aw, that’s not any good for you; you should expand your horizons a bit! Take some risks!” Michi was pretending to box some invisible foe and Kaz’s eyes narrowed for a moment. “Yeah, well you did kidnap me to see if I was an enemy or not, right?” He asked and the Japanese girl stopped for a moment, but maintained her smile. “Yeah, that is true. But, I feel like you’re a good person Kaz.” For some reason, it made him feel better, but there was some kind of self defensive mechanism which prevented him from being completely swept away by gratification. “Either way, we need to trust each other, to help out our friends.” He said folding up the muffin wrapper, Michi suddenly looked somber. “Yeah…but I’m worried you know.” She stated seriously. “When this all started, my…my father disappeared. I was so scared and lost because I thought for a brief moment that I would never get a chance to be with him again. It was the first time that I actually felt that way…what if, what if I end up…” She never finished her sentence, as Kaz closed his eyes. You’re mom…she really does want you to go you know? It can’t be easy for her, but, it is her full intention to have you go in there and bring the hammer of justice down or something.

 
“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.” He said the words her mother would've had him say, and it made him almost blush with embarrassment. What the hell, it sounds so cool, and yet, so cliche'. Michi smiled slightly. “Yeah, I hope so…but, what are we going to do exactly?” Kaz leaned back in his chair and looked up at the coffee shop ceiling, and the gears inside of his mind began to turn. What should I do? How can I explain my intentions without revealing her mother’s plan? Seriously! All we need to do is get far enough without being detected so that the evidence gets directed to the outside world or something…getting past the entrance shouldn’t be that hard now should it? Getting Michi past the entrance will be…damn it. What the hell should I do? I can’t just waltz up and say something pathetic like, “This is my girlfriend, and she was interested in this line of business as well.” Damn, I’m not much of an actor. The only thing I can really do is play games or not care about something to point where people mistake it for calmness. I guess I could just get her to do some acting right?
“Hey. Boss.” Michi whispered suddenly, and Kaz opened his eyes and looked to where she was pointing. Just outside of the coffee shop there was a man who was having a rather involved conversation with a woman. It didn’t strike Kaz as odd at first, in till he realized just who it was that was fighting. A strange sense of fear and anxiety began to rise inside of him and the color drained from his face. “H-hey, what’s wrong?” Michi asked, noticing his reaction. That woman, the blonde woman! There is no mistaking her! What the hell is she doing yelling with Trey? That is Trey isn’t it?! He thought he was seeing things for a moment, and scooted back further into the corner. “That man…he seems…awfully familiar…” She commented, sipping her coffee and looking through the window. The man shrugged, and turned away, and the woman seemed to storm off to her car and much to Kaz’s distaste, he came into the coffee shop, and almost immediately came straight to the table where they were sitting. Not even a second glance! What the hell was he spying on me or something? The supposed king of rumors stopped at the table with half of a smile etched on his face. “Skipping out on school, Kaz?” Trey asked nonchalantly, ignoring Michi who was looking him over with a very scrutinizing stare, and Kaz in turn gave the rumor-lord of Stadweld a very dry glance. “Who was that woman you were exchanging with?” He asked ignoring the question, and Trey laughed shoving his hands into his coat pocket. “She got pissed off because I’ve been going too close that dome. I can’t help myself you know?” He stated turning around and looking out of the coffee shop window. “Good, she drove away…” He added quietly. Michi then suddenly stood up, knocking the chair back onto the floor, and outright pointed a finger straight at the man. There was a very grim and serious expression etched onto her face as she had the look of a witness identifying a murderer. “Huh, Michi?” Kaz stated slowly standing up himself.
“Who are you?” She asked quietly with her condescending stare. A somber note was rising in her voice, and the boy turned to face her directly, and there was an expression of moderate surprise on his face as he took a step back. “Do you know her…Trey?” Kaz asked, completely confused by the sudden turn of events. “Could it be…?” Trey inquired, as his shocked expression slowly turned into a smile. “Answer the question! Who are you?” Michi repeated and the boy smirked as he turned to leave. “If you really want to know, you’ll have to come and find me...” He trailed off stepping out of the coffee shop, leaving the two high school students to ponder what had just happened. For a moment, Michi thought to give chase, but then she saw how confused Kaz was and she sighed, and picked up the fallen chair.
“Sorry about that…” She tried to smile but it quickly faded.
“What was that all about anyway?” The other inquired as he reseated himself.
“Well, a boy named Troy Wegner used to go to my old school. I remember him because…he was always off by himself. He didn’t have good people skills, so it’s no mystery how he ended up the way he did…in the end…” There was a clear sadness the girl's eyes as she looked down into the bottom of her empty mug.
“What happened?”
“He committed suicide in the boy’s bathroom. Drowned himself in the toilet…I, I wasn't there at the school long after, as my parents had to move again, but I’ll never forget that boy…” She trailed off.
“So…what…are you saying?” Though Kaz had a pretty good idea what she was hinting at and it sent a wave of uncertainty through his body.
“Don’t you get it! That Trey or whatever.. he is the spitting image of Troy, in every single way I can remember. There is no mistaking it…except now...he somehow seems different..." She said quietly, and Kaz shook his head. No matter how good your sense of observation is, there is no way that this Troy or whatever is the same as Trey. Yet as he thought it, he coudn't get himself to outright deny her claim.
“But...Troy is dead, right? Trey certainly isn’t dead, right?” He offered and she slumped her shoulders. "We should really go after him." It seemed to bother her greatly, and Kaz sighed. Seriously…what the hell is going on? Trey…is dead? Or what? We have more important things to take care of. We can't be chasing some kind of ghost.
"Either way, we might run into him again if we go to the domes." Kaz said adjusting his jacket and letting out another sigh. This is becoming a pain in the ass. What the hell is going on? Just when I think all of the pieces are coming together...
Michi then stood up with renewed vigor. "Come on! I think it's time we give chase, don't you? He probably went off to the domes, right?" She said rushing out of the cafe and he reluctantly followed after her. The cool air was definitely starting to bother him, especially now that he reentered it after being in the warm coffee shop. Looking down the nearly empty streets, he couldn't see Trey anywhere. Which was to be expected of the elusive man. "Hey, Michi!" He called out, catching up to her. The girl seemed to have stopped because of something, she was standing still on the sidewalk looking out at the horizon where the domes were as the wind whipped her tied back black hair. "Hey...is everything okay?" He asked and she nodded slightly. "I just..." She turned and leaned up against the side of the building and slowly slid down to a sitting position. He sat down next to her as they looked across the other side of the street.

"I haven't been myself lately." She said quietly, staring at her hands. Kaz was silent. "I guess you wouldn't know, because when we first met yesterday...I wasn't myself either." She craned her neck up at the sky, wrapping her hands around her knees, and for a moment she thought that Kaz was going to say something but the boy just sat there. She tried to study his expression but she couldn't see it. 'Careful. I should be, careful. I should be more composed. I may space out, but I'm not as confident as Norie is. I'm not Norie! I'm...Michi. Michi Kasahara. Last night, when I was about to fall asleep, I began to think of how...crazy things were around me. My father was alive, but, he's out of the country. My mom tries to hide it but she's really worried, about me, about dad, about the entire company. Our entire future is a mess, and all I could think of was my future. Does that make me selfish, or normal? What am I supposed to do? I've been pretending. Trying to be outgoing, trying to do something...but I don't even know why...should I be like this?

Her thoughts were interrupted when Kaz suddenly placed his hand on her shoulder. "Hey, are you okay?" He was saying. She realized that she was on the verge of tears for some strange reason. "Why...am I crying?" She mumbled, trying to wipe them away. "We have to do this." He stood up and then reached out his hand. She took it and he pulled her up to her feet. "You're right. I was just..." She looked away for a moment. "Don't worry about it." He said stepping past her and moving forwards towards the domes. Before she could say anything else, before she had a chance to explain, he was already on his way towards the domes. 'I may still yet to understand him completely...but...I have to be strong! I will overcome this.' She ran up beside him, and with new determination they began to head towards the domes. 'Somehow, I feel like he was telling me, to let it go, and to just move forward. I think he understands...somehow...he understands. You're going to make a great leader someday, aren't you Kaz? Yet even as she thought that she couldn't wash away what was coursing through her mind. This wasn't the first time something like this had happened. It had been happening for years. She felt like she was being dragged down a river, and all she was hoping for was a rock to hold onto before she was swept under the water. She knew better than anyone, that Kaz could not be that rock. Not now, not yet, and only in the future, if she wanted him to be, could she try to hold onto the boy she knew almost nothing about.

They crossed into the gravel lot, and made their way towards the shimmering white structures. The calm and composed Kaz was looking dead ahead, while the quiet and aware Michi was taking in all kinds of details as they stepped near a visible entrance. It was a simple double door constructed into the side of the dome. As they approached, it seemed to open for them, and looking around, they walked inside. Almost immediately the door behind them shut with some kind of sliding mechanic, and it was inferred that it was locked. "So what is this, the legend of Zelda?" He asked, and the girl turned to him with a slightly bemused expression on her face. "Not exactly, Mister Reinfold." A slightly familiar looking woman said with a bit of a smile. The blonde woman strode up to them eying them with the same tenacity she had when Kaz had first met her, and the tinge of annoyance once more resurfaced inside of his mind. "So who is this you've brought with you?" She asked turning to Michi, and leaning in close to the girl's face. "Um, she's a friend of mine..." He said hesitantly, as the woman circled around the girl, and then giggled slightly. "Oh really, you sure do make friends fast, Mister Reinfold." The woman said as her smile disappeared and it was replaced with a slight grimmace. "Okay, you can go to that ticketing booth thingy and be on your merry little way. Enjoy the tour you two." She said with a hint of sarcasm, walking away after directing them to a ticket booth similar to that of a movie theater. A strange looking guard was sitting there wearing a typical 'theater' uniform, though it was bright blue with brass buttons, and he cheerfully greeted them as they approached. "Hello! Do you need something today my good sir, and lovely lady?" He asked, and Kaz was thrown off by his strangely positive demeanor. "Uh...yeah we want to check this place out." He said gesturing back to Michi and the man nodded. "Okay, very well, may I see your invitation?" He asked and the boy pulled the small business card the woman had handed him last week and showed it to the man and he nodded. "Okay, and yours?" He asked the girl and Kaz instantly interrupted. "She's with me." He grabbed her arm and yanked her. And he's supposed to be girl shy?!'
"I'm sorry sir that isn't how it works." The man said with a bit of a chuckle. "Then how does it work?!" Kaz asked growing a bit impatient, trying to play the role of a highly important executive, who was thinking of 'investing' in this business. Though it certainly was far from the truth, it seemed to be the first thing that popped into his head. "Well she needs an invitation to go on." The guard said, maintaining his bright tone which was becoming increasingly suspicious to the pair of students. "Ah hell, it looks like we'll be here a while then." He said, stepping back towards the lobby proper and sitting down in one of their chairs. Michi looked at him darkly for a moment. As he sat there thinking about it, he wondered if he could play a little trick on the ticket man. Slowly he stood up from his spot and let out an over exaggerated sigh and stretched out his arms. "Hey, I've got an idea!" He said standing up, and walking back to the guard. "I can go through right?" He asked, and the guard nodded. "That's right sir!" He said, and so Kaz moved towards the door and it opened for him. Then he tossed the card to Michi. For a moment the girl gave him a bit of a skeptical look, but then she scooped up the card and with a bit of acting she pretended that she had just found it. "Oh look! my invitation!" She said showing it to the guard and still wearing his overly large smile the man took it and then handed it back to her. "Alright miss! You're good to go! Enjoy the tour!" He said and with a bizarre look she slowly walked after Kaz as they entered the next room.

The fact that it worked, disturbed them more than if it hadn't. The overly optimistic guard had disturbed them mainly by his own ignorance. It was like the most obvious loophole, and yet somehow it worked. That made Kaz think of all kinds of things. He had tried to make it seem obvious for a number of reasons, and none of them really checked out. His initial goal was to try and get that man out of the booth to attack them or something so he might get a commotion long enough to let Michi through so she could carry out her mother's secret plan. Though in retrospect, he wasn't even sure how long he could have maintained a fully grown man in a fight. The pair moved onto the hallway, and the fine plaster walls covered with all kinds of monitors.

Michi eyed them carefully. Her level of assessment was top grade, and as they first entered the room she turned around full circle, and noted that the door they had come through had closed and most likely had locked. She examined the carpet, and through her shoes she could feel the change in the structure. It wasn't a visible observation, but she could tell by her ears as well that a new assortment of hums and whirrs were added to this new corridor they had entered. Though the blackened screens on the walls appeared to not be functioning. She carefully placed her hand against the plaster and knocked on it, and then they moved on, her assessment had yet to bear anything significant. They came to a corner, where a guard stood, dressed in full battle gear, he looked like a swat team member, holding onto a deadly looking automatic, he took note of the two but didn't seem to move in the least.

"Can we go through this door?" Kaz asked pointing towards the door he was guarding. The man was silent, and didn't even turn to acknowledge their presence. The door itself was a lot different from what he had normally seen in most facilities. It was command operated, so there wasn't even a handle on it. "Well this is great..." He muttered to himself, deciding to walk around the corner and away from the guard, which in all honesty frightened him a great deal. "We're kind of at a loss here, if we can't go through." Michi said quietly. They stood there thinking of what to do when suddenly the boy tensed up and fell down to the ground and Michi was so taken aback by the motion she wasn't sure what had happened to him. As the boy remained motionless on the floor she timidly knelt down next to him, and wasn't sure what to do. What, what do I do? Should I move him, or, um... She prodded him gently, turning him over. It was odd because his eyes were still open and it had come without warning. Does...does he have some kind of history of phasing out like this? Ah, I wish I knew, I wish I knew how to help him. So, maybe I should see if he's just...unconscious, right... She held her head over his open mouth and a few strands of her black hair tickled his chin and nose, as she felt air escaping his lips. Then, she took her two fingers and pressed them against his neck to see that his pulse was regular. Okay...so he's just asleep, I get it now. She sat down and sighed. For some reason, she didn't feel all that scared. Her mind had made a shift once more, as it was before, she was pretending to act like Norie for some reason, or that is the conclusion she had come to. She wondered why she cried earlier, if it was natural for her to do that in front of Kaz. Kaz...what did she really think of him? She was a bit worried confronting him that first time in the school courtyard, and yet, his own shyness made it easier for her it seemed. Time slowly ticked away, and she was given time to think about it on her own recollection. It was true that during the events that Norie was trying to help out her sister, and that her father had disappeared and had miraculously reappeared safely, Michi had felt her persona slowly changing. Like a disease had taken a hold of her, but perhaps that was a little harsh to call it a disease. Norie was a lot more popular than she was willing to showcase. Her outgoing personality had gotten her a lot of attention, and a lot of people seemed to respect her bold nature. Michi on the other hand wasn't a head first kind of girl. She had experience in a lot of areas that most girls knew nothing about. Social awkwardness was second-nature to her, as she had traveled to so many different schools in her lifetime. She knew how to prepare, she knew what to expect, she had met all kinds of different people, yet she had never actually gotten to know them very well. This was her chance. Maybe she was sad, maybe she had cried, because she didn't want to leave again, and yet she knew it was going to happen anyway. Her analysis of the night previous was a bit skewed now that she felt sober in a way. She wondered if Kaz felt the same way. For being girl shy, he probably had no dating experience. Imaging how he must feel after spending a night, sleeping so close to her, how would he feel? Then again, in that regard, they were both at a loss. She had never dated, when would she have had the chance?

I wonder why I'm thinking of this all of a sudden? I mean, it's not like, we...did anything. We talked, but you know, mom was there. Earlier, when I was crying...he just...sort of helped me along the way. I shouldn't have done that. I don't really understand it myself. I felt like I had a lot of fun last night, but...it keeps coming to my mind. Like, it shouldn't have gone that way. Like, it's not who I am... In looking at Kaz's resting body, she thought that he felt the same way. That, chances are, when this is all said and done, he'd probably just pick up where he left off. Assuming it ended right. If it everything turns out...she didn't want to think about it anymore. It made her almost want things to not go well. If something bad happens, then it might just break the cycle she's stuck in. Her father will definitely be firm on having them move. They will return to Japan, and definitely find new jobs. They won't stay here if they no longer want to work for Senba. Her educational life, and social life will be shattered once more in a single blow.

Damn them! I hate this whole place! She slammed her fist onto the industrial carpet, and felt the sting from the concrete on her knuckles. I just wish I could...stay here...She curled up again, stretching her arms over her knees, and wondering if the boy would ever wake up. Then, the doorway they were trying to go through before opened. Even though she was sitting around the corner, she knew, as she could hear two people walk around the bend and met them. "Oh my, how did this happen?" One boy asked casually, who surprisingly was wearing the school uniform of Saxon, and the other boy who stood next to him was the Troy look-alike she had just met in the cafe hours previously. "Isn't that your friend?" Trey asked the boy pointing to the unconscious Kaz. "Oh yes, well, I'll take care of him. What about the girl?" He asked, sounding like a professional of sorts, and Trey smiled slightly. "Don't worry, I have some questions to ask her anyway." He said moving along and she stood up clenching her fists, and he waved his hand. "Hey, don't get all uppity now. Nothing bad is going to happen. Besides I have a lot of things I need to tell you..." He said and she stepped back outstretching her arms. "I don't want you to take him." She said sternly, and her cheeks flushed, and the two boys stopped. "I wonder why she didn't get paralyzed either. Wouldn't she make a wonderful subject to test the memory machine on?" The other boy asked and Trey scoffed. "Yeah right...if she's not paralyzed, then she's obviously got some kind of immunity. Either way, you can't take every single girl you catch your net, and put them inside of that thing you know? It definitely is too dangerous." He casually moved right in front of Michi. Not wanting to waste any time, the girl sprung into action as she aimed a punch right for his stomach, yet somehow, though she didn't know exactly how it happened, he caught her arm, and spun around her in one graceful movement, and had her completely immobilized. She gritted her teeth. "Alright, do whatever you wish, Jack." He said as he slowly moved out of the room with Michi in tow. "Let me go!" She screamed and kicked, but it was to no avail as he managed to drag her back out into the lobby and then into a closed room, where he locked the door and sighed. "Damn it all, you make so much noise, eh?" He stated finding a chair to sit in. The room was comfortable enough, with a single table in the center, and two chairs. "Normally, we use this room for interrogating, but in this case, Michi, I want you to do the interrogating." He said with a bright smile as he leaned back. The girl looked around for a moment. "Why are there holes in walls?" She asked, and it took him by surprise as he glanced around for a moment. "You can really see them? They're not that out-standing are they?" He asked raising an eyebrow. "What are they for?" She asked trying to relax. In her mind, she wasn't sure if this man was to be trusted or not. Certainly she was worried about Kaz, but there was one detail which made little sense to her. Trey called that boy 'Jack' in which case, it would mean that the very friend Kaz was working for, was somehow connected to these domes. The information they had pooled yesterday had brought her to a strange conclusion at this point. Though now that she was trapped in a room with a person she thought was dead, it made things a bit more interesting. There was definitely something she wanted to ask this strange look-alike. Letting out a sigh, and clasping her hands together, Michi stared head on into Trey's eyes and began her interrogation.

Meanwhile, Kaz was slowly coming to. The last thing he remembered was his muscles becoming stiff, and then blacking out. Whatever happened, it was clear that he was alright, and fully conscious now. As he slowly lifted his head he rubbed his eyes wearily. The room he was in looked very similar to a sort of living room. There was a bathroom across the wall, as he could barely make out a toilet past the slightly ajar door. He, himself was slumped at a table, and he could hear someone cooking behind him. "How are you feeling?" Someone asked, and the familiar voice, made him quickly turn as he saw Jack standing there with an apron strapped over his school uniform and a frying pan held tightly in his hand.

"Jack!" 

/End

So sorry to leave you on such a cliff-hanger ending. The long-time friend of Kaz is casually cooking inside of the dome structures, but what does this mean? More importantly, what is the real secret behind Trey? Is he really deceased? What will Michi's interrogation unveil? 

Unfortunately, none of these answers will come for quite some time, as next week we delve into the past once more. Who will we see this time struggle with the memories they wish to so desperately hide? Find out next week on Scratch! [Which will most likely be posted on Wednesday, though no promises!] 

-DRS

Happy Thanksgiving to all [Even those outside US]

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful that this has been read at all. Definitely.
Unfortunately, because of the holidays here, I wont be posting in till Saturday. I know it is short notice, but I hope you understand.

Well, keep reading! I hope.
:)

Chapter Fourteen: Secrets in Sedation

"What the hell is wrong with these doors?" Toru shouted through his mask as the large sliding doors kept opening and closing as to lead him through the segmented dome structure. Seriously! If they want to lead me somewhere, why don't they just get on with it and unlock all of the doors?! Who do they think I am, some kind of foolish coward?! He thought as he continued to navigate the hallway holding his gun at the ready in case there was a trap waiting around the corner. It didn't help that his vision wasn't perfect while wearing the mask, as it cut into her peripherals. Either way, I am going to get somewhere...and I will destroy anyone who is responsible for ruining -my- future... There was a slyness to his thoughts as he ventured through yet another door, which like all the others began to close and lock just as he passed through. He wasn't sure if he actually was doing this for his own sake. It was true that he had a slight resentment towards his controlling authoritative father, but somewhere in his mind, he thought that disliking his old man was probably about of executive's plan to toughen up his son for the big seat one day. If there was anyone he was doing this for, it would be his mother, who was currently living the life he had always wanted. A nice, quiet, normal existence in his own country of Japan. That was were the roots of Senba were. Not in some backwater town that his father turned around into a gang infested-mafia controlled semi-suburbia. Who on earth would plan such a thing? The city was nowhere near any major town or establishment, and if it hadn't been for the discovery of a key element in their new line of chemical products, they wouldn't have ever bothered with such a place. Yet it made him wonder from time to time, why there were gangs in a town like this. Many believed it was the appearance of cooperate wealth, who oftentimes enjoyed the finer things in life that their clean money, wouldn't be willing to buy. Drugs were of course the biggest thing for any kind of Mafia. It was true that this state was a border to Canada, but, Canada is no Mexico. Damn it, I need to stop thinking about stupid things like that...

He brought his mind to the here and now. "They must be watching me from somewhere right? Every single room and hallway I go into must have some kind of camera, how else would they be able to track my progress?" He was regretting not knocking out the power, but he wasn't sure what kind of equipment they would have. Suppose he needed the power to get to his enemies? He didn't think making overly rash decisions was a good idea at this point. Aside from the fact that he was making rather rash decisions already. He stopped in his tracks and took a quick glance around the room. If they did have cameras, there were too many for him to shoot, or they were too small so he wouldn't be able to find them. He had been keeping track of his general direction; When he had entered in and was starting to move towards the top, he was suddenly directed into a more interior room, and from there on, he had moved in all kinds of directions, most likely in an attempt to confuse him or lead him into a trap.

Each room was approximately the same size, and he began to wonder if this little maze was a test of his patience. He could always continue on through the door to the next room, but that was quickly starting to bother him. He stopped here and rested his back against corner so he could get a better good look at the other doors. Naturally, one of them was open. It had to be manually operated. He guessed that this was so because the pace in which he moved was not consistent enough for the doors to be automatic. Unless of course the doors had some kind of sensor, where, if you passed through it would automatically lock after a certain amount time. Deciding to test that theory, he took his backpack and swung it through the opening and then quickly pulled it back. There was no response. He went to sit back down and he shrugged. He was growing tired, but at least he wasn't hungry or thirsty. He could sit here for quite a long time if he wanted to. It would give him a chance to cool his head a bit, and think over what he should actually do, as opposed to what he wanted to do.

"Ah damn...this is becoming a bit complicated isn't it? Why don't you just give up? Playing games like this doesn't work on me you know?" He said looking around at the ceiling. It was here that the open door suddenly closed and at first he thought it was because of what he had said. "What? What the hell?!" He asked turning around when suddenly the door that he had just come through opened up again. "You...want me to go back now is that it?" He questioned, stepping through into the room he had come from, and then the door closed and locked as usual. Here was was stuck. Usually another door opened, but this time, nothing happened. "Okay...so now you've decided to trap me. Either way it wont matter right?" He asked, but shortly after he could hear another door opening, something further away. "Ah shit! It was some kind of reverse thinking? Like...oh well, game over?" He chuckled in till the lights suddenly went out. "Shit!" He looked around in the dark for a while, but then the lights came on again. He wanted to keep jeering at whoever was taunting him, but then another door opened, a different door. Now he had an opportunity to move on again. It might be a trap, but something tells me that they are having problems of their own right now. Maybe some kind of internal strife? Well what it is, I'm going to figure out what these guys are up to. I do have a link to Keiko...though it may be possible that she has been compromised by this time...there is also that deal I made with the government...corporate scandals are reason enough to cause the military to get involved, it is as wide scale as I believe it to be.
 
Carefully, he waked through the doorway and into a fairly large room. There were people inside of this room, and they were running around frantically calling out to one another. It reminded him of an operation in the ER. He slipped in and found a dark corner to sit and wait. What is this place? A bunch of scientists, or doctors or something... He noticed a bunch of chairs all lined up next to each other. They reminded him of those reclining dentist chairs. All of them were empty except for one chair where a single girl was hooked up to some kind of machine. He needed to get closer to understand it's purpose or reason, but seemed like there was an IV hooked up to her arm. Don't tell me this is some kind of, underground dentistry? After a while the majority of the workers scurried off through a door that was positioned across the room, leaving only two people left who hovered over the girl in the chair and their voices echoed throughout the large room.

"Is she stable?" One of the men asked, dressed in a black overcoat, and was a balding man. Toru listened intently as he reached into his bag and held out his phone, which doubled as a high spec camera and recording device. "Yes, at least for now. That sudden power outage however... what could have caused it?" The other asked, who was also bald, and was wearing a white overcoat, similar to that of a lab scientist or doctor. "We're still investigating it. I was under the impression that all of our operators were drugged. It would be impossible for them to break the machine unless of course," The man paused for a moment. "The tester? I thought Merideth drugged him?" The doctor interjected. "No, apparently not. But that doesn't matter Doctor. Tell me the current status of Miss Galdrin." The supposed, 'superior officer' brushed the doctor's inquiry aside and walked over to some kind of monitor.
"Well, we gleaned over most of her memories from any point of relevance...most of it is just boring teen drama, you know the usual kind of stuff. There is one scene...which does pertain to Maki..." The doctor was now interacting with some kind of terminal, while his superior watched. "She repressed a lot of it, so the feed isn't exactly clear I don't think..."
"Why was it repressed, that shouldn't happen right?" The black coated man asked leaning forward.
"Most of our subjects don't have any heavy trauma...however...similar to that of a nightmare, some people are able to wake themselves before anything bad really happens. So in the instance which the subject doesn't want to relive a particular scene, it could be possible to repress it from a simple glance alone..." Hardly anything the two men were saying made any sense to Toru who was waiting to see if they would leave so he could get a chance to examine the equipment more closely. It sounded like some bogus science fiction to him, but just the same, he had most of their conversation recorded onto his phone. The superior then began to watch something on the screen. "Oh I see, this is odd...did the sedation get affected by the power-outage?" He asked and the doctor shrugged. "Her vitals are normal, but if anything it would only hamper her awakening...which is due in about ten to fifteen minutes." He said checking his watch. "Very well, we'll scan her again if we have the time. I heard some subjects got into our base, high command hasn't given any direct orders concerning them, but I think if we run into them we should try to capture them." He looked around slowly, as if suspected that someone was in the room watching them, which of course was true as Toru sulked back as far as he could go. "Intruders? Really?" The doctor sounded surprised. "Just some high school students or something. Chances are they were brought here for specific reasons, after all I heard that everyone here is somehow connected to the Mafia or to Senba, and it's just tying up loose ends, the project has really reached it's final moments." He seemed to sound proud of the achievement, and then he began to walk away. "I'll be back for her awakening, Doctor." He said with a wave, exiting through the same doors as the others. 

Toru silently crept along, removing his gas mask, as he assumed that they wouldn't gas a room that they had employees in. It seemed like there was only the one doctor in the room, and so he crept up slowly, in till he was close enough to get a clean shot. Holding the gun squarely at the man's back, he continued to step forward. Inch, by inch... Suddenly the man turned around, and Toru, out of impulse lifted the gun and smashed it into the man forcefully knocking him to the ground. Not even bothering to see if the man was alive or dead he walked over to the machine that the girl was hook up to. It was connected to her arm, like an IV, as he had seen before. There was a piece of equipment just above her forehead that had some kind of scanner attached to it. Looking at the wires he could tell that they were somehow getting information from her mind, judging from their conversation, it was likely that they were using some kind of technical hypnosis on her, to get information from her past.

Her heartbeat was being monitored, and for now it seemed stable. The girl was resting peacefully in the chair, her chest slowly rose and fell as she was in a very deep sleep. The doctor said her awakening would commence soon, but he wasn't sure what that meant exactly. Having never been to school or anything like that, he had no idea who she was, aside from her given name of Miss Gladrin. This is definitely illegeal. He thought darkly. Unless of course she gave them permission to be admitted to this facility, it can't be positive. I'll interrogate her later. He thought, holding out his phone, and began to take pictures of the equipment, wondering if it was purchased using the Senba funds his father had worked so hard to acquire. He even took a picture of the unconscious doctor, who, after briefly checking his body, didn't have any form of ID. That's odd, if he doesn't have any identification, how do they know he is one of their personnel? It seemed highly unprofessional to him, and it certainly wasn't something that Senba would allow for any branch of their company.

It was after he was finished with his investigation of the room that the doors quickly opened and a billowing white smoke came hissing into the room. "Damn it!" he threw on the gas mask and sunk low next to the machine. If anything, they wouldn't risk destroying their equipment. At least ten armed guards with gas masks and gear similar to that of Toru's appeared into the room with automatic assault rifles. Damn so fast? They must be monitoring this room as well.

Someone, who was out of his sight began to clap. "Very well done, Mr. Toru Senba." It was an unfamiliar voice, and he had no time to check to see what it was. "You got much further than what I would have expected. After all that evidence you collected, it's a shame it wont be going anywhere outside of this dome." There was something crude in the words being spoken to him, a sly, overconfidence resided in that voice. "Actually, whoever the hell you are, you're wrong about that." He replied through his mask. "What?"
"I sent all of the information I gathered via text message to a member of the company who is unaffiliated with this...disgusting rabble." Stupid bastard, you should have come here directly, instead of waiting to sound cool. Even if I die, it wont matter, as long as I take you down...right, boss man? He smiled under his mask, and yet he knew that the guards could see him, and he could see them. "What good will that do?" The man suddenly replied. "There isn't enough time to save you!" Then the order came and the guards came rushing towards him.

"Hold your fire damn it!" Someone called out, and it was the same man who had been speaking with the doctor previously. "Seriously, are you an idiot?" The man came up, trying to part away the fog, and he knelt beside the bleeding doctor. "Damn you!" He shouted, "What is this?!"
"Arrest the boy!" The other commander yelled out.
There was no longer any time to hesitate. Toru had made his move, killing one of the guards from a quick shot of his gun, and then grabbing the automatic that once was firmly held in his arms. "Fire! damn it fire!" The other man was screaming, and an array of bullets came cascading out, and a few more guards fell, all the while, Toru circled around, and found the one in charge, who was standing at the back of the line. At least five of the guards were on the ground wounded. "Don't shoot near the machines you fools! We have a valuable test subject in here!"
"Stop overriding my order!"
"You scum!" Toru exclaimed slamming the butt of the automatic into the commander's gut, and the unsheathing the combat knife the guard had, he twirled it around and brought it swiftly to the edge of the man's throat. "Call it." He whispered. "C-cease fire...open the vents damn it! Get the smoke out of here!" The vents opened, and the remaining guards stood there, as well as the superior who was tending to the doctor. "You could have killed our best physician!" He snapped at the commander whom he had just noticed was under duress. "When...when did he?"
"What did I tell you...we needed to arrest the rat..." He struggled to talk while the blade was held against his jugular. This all seems so...easy? He thought for a moment, but then he continued on his his plan.

"Do you have a line to your superior?" Toru asked holding the man expertly, as it seemed as if it wasn't the first time he had held someone hostage, and the man who finished checking the doctor raised a gun and pointed it at the girl. "Don't make threats. Everyone on our staff is fully prepared to sacrifice their life. If he was truly worthy of our corporation, he wouldn't be in that position." The other man stated callously. "K-Kennen...w-what are you d-oing?" The other man asked as Toru continued to maintain his grip on the large man. Quietly he began to whisper into the man's ear. "Fully prepared? Are you? You aren't the first man I've killed. But you know how much power I hold, even outside of this pathetic town, my mother still lives in Japan. There is no shame in living you know." The large man tried to turn to catch a glimpse of Toru. "What will it be boy? Are you willing to sacrifice this girl's life for your own pathetic gain?"
Toru scoffed. "So much for precious test subject right? You're bluffing." He called. "So do we have a deal? I wont miss..." He whispered, and the large man nodded. "Y-yeah...I...don't want to die..." and Toru then took his gun, a slight smile appearing on his face. "You think I'm bluffing?! Ha! You imbicle!" A shot rang out, as Toru had the gun positioned behind the baggy coat sleeve of his former captor and with his skills, he managed to hit his target square in the shoulder causing him to fall down. Not wanting to take any risks, he tucked his foot inside of the larger man's leg, and tripped him onto his stomach, and fire a few rounds at the remaining guards who stood still like bowling pins, unable to react on their own, they fell to the ground one by one. There was a long silence with groaning, and Toru keeping an eye on everyone who had fallen, slowly made his way over to the girl in the chair. The time had passed, she was about to awaken.

"D-da, damn you kid..." The man gurgled as Toru removed the IV from her arm as her eyes slowly opened and looked up at the dark room. "...." It seemed as if she couldn't speak, her head slowly turned towards a boy who was hovering over her. She felt herself being elevated. "Come on move!" She heard his words, but she couldn't get her body to move. She felt her arm wrap around his neck as he began to pull her away from the room and into another door.

Just who is this girl? Well whatever, she is a key witness for later. She must have been apprehended by these people... He thought as the commander who once tried to take his life followed him. "W-wait Toru!" He called after him. "What do you want? I spared your life. Be thankful for that." The boy snapped, and the man fell onto his hands and knees breathing heavily. "What? What is wrong with you?" He asked, and he reached into his suit pocket and removed a flash drive and began to cough up blood. "We...swore an oath to...remain loyal...I'm sorry...forgive me...that's...all you need...to know..." He then fell down in a heap and was still. "Damn it." He bent down and scooped up the flash drive and pocketed it before moving on. Why do I feel like everything happened so fast? He stopped in his tracks.

"What do I do now?" He asked out loud. The girl was growing heavy in his arms. He slowly let her down on the floor, and there was a trail of drool coming from her mouth. They were in some kind of strange white room, that had all kinds of glowing panels on the wall, and he wasn't sure what to do. There was the way he had come from, which would take him back to that wounded man and his army of guards. There was only one other door. He scooped up the girl, who was half conscious, and he managed to carry her to the next door, which slid open as he approached.  

The girl grabbed onto his shirt. "Where...?" she asked quietly and he looked through the empty room and shrugged. "I wish I knew!" He replied walking through and noticing that this room was some kind of computer maintenance room. He stopped short just inside as there was someone inside of the room, looking directly at him. "Oh...are you the one causing all of this ruckus?" the person asked, who was probably just a few years older than Toru. "Not like I care though." He said walking past Toru, and then he placed a hand on his back. "Why don't you keep making some noise, and see where it gets you." He stated quietly, and then he out the door before Toru could even think of what to do. He then decided it was best to ignore the person, and set the girl down in one of the swivel chairs. He looked around, but didn't find any kind of first aid kit to try and help her. She was definitely phasing in and out of consciousness as drool continued to flow from her mouth.

"Hey...just hang in there, okay? Can you even hear me?" He asked looking at her. Somehow, the girl stroke a somber note for him. He couldn't help but joke around when such a deluded girl was right in front of him. He wondered if she could even think straight. Yet before he could even plan his next move the door opened again and there was the superior from before, followed by a set of two guards. "You've gone on far enough!" He demanded, holding the gun directly at Toru, and the boy slowly stood up. 'Shit, I let my guard down...when that one guy just left without doing anything...something strange is happening...I can feel it...
"But it is strange how you were able to even get into that room, the computer systems here would have automatically directed you to the head of security of this structure." He frowned. "So? What do you want me to explain to you?" He asked smiling slightly. "More or less I'm curious about who you are...and what you think you are doing inside of this dome." He entered the room completely, and sat down in a chair a fair distance away from Toru. The boy smiled for a moment, looking at the guards who were holding the automatics with a bit of uncertainty. "I want to know why my father has suddenly started acting strange. It's your own damn fault for leading me here, but I would have expected better security."

"Our security is flawless. The moment you entered the main hallway, we had our cameras on you. We were tracing your every move, in till of course one of our programmers malfunctioned. But even so, the system shouldn't have let you go any further."

"Then it's obvious." Toru started. "Internal strife." The man's eyes narrowed. "Indeed, but everyone is controlled. Internal strife is impossible." He added, "You even saw it yourself when Vanon died in the hallway."
"Oh, that huh?" Toru knew that it was strange how they could have such a system rigged, and why that man would betray his company if it meant his death. In fact, that didn't make any sense at all. "Hold on a second...That man..." he couldn't figure through it, then he caught a glimpse of the bald man's shoulder. "You're...shoulder!" He exclaimed. The superior he thought he saw in the room that he had shot was not the same man who was sitting here before him, unless of course...'Impossible...but...how? Also that commander, he was...willing to do anything for his life so...what the hell is going on?'

"I see you've come to a conclusion, would you mind enlightening me?" The superior asked with a sly smile. 'Am I dreaming? No, that can't be, is this the work of some kind of illusion or something that triggered inside of my brain, in that case, I...I can't do anything? No, it can't be a toxin, because the doctor, was it prior? No, not even that much...it would have to have been sometime before entering this room...No wait, it's not that...'

"That's it...that's when you got me..." He closed his eyes and put his hands behind his head. "You gassed the room just after you left. It makes sense...some kind of...neurological...affecting chemical or something. I let my guard down when I assumed you wouldn't gas your own subordinate." The man stood up and re-pointed the gun. "You did good. For a kid. But I told you, our security is flawless. Well, good bye--"
"Wait. There is still one inconsistency." The man paused. "What? An inconsistency?"

"Illusions of the mind lack the vividness of the situation. It's impossible for a mutation to be this strong." He closed his eyes. "More likely, you didn't use gas. That level of control can't exist, even in the most effective of air systems." He added. I jumped to conclusions, the gas was just a precursor.If they had gassed the same room that the doctor was in, it would have to have taken affect immedately, and then only in a few minutes it would have to have dissipated..

"Then how do you explain this?" The man asked with a smile.
"Who do you think I am?! Some kind of philosopher?" He asked suddenly, feeling the rush once more. The blood was boiling underneath his skin, and he quickly reached for the knife he had used against the commander. "I don't need answers to such stupid questions!" He threw the knife just as the man fired the gun, and a sudden sharp pain filled his arm as he fell down with a scream. "Damn..you ass hole!" He used his legs to surge forward as the man worked to remove the knife that was lodged into his shoulder. Toru was already there, using his own shoulder to smash into the man's gut and into the back wall. Then with his left hand he held his opponents mouth shut. "Isn't it true, that those guards wont do anything, unless you tell them?" He asked recalling back to the time when he shot down about four of them without any reaction whatsoever. The man was growling through his clenched teeth, and then Toru wrapped his left hand around the man's throat. 'The only way I can win, is if I kill him...'

"If this is some kind of illusion, then we'll just wake up from this and everything will be fine right?"

Then the door to the room opened, he could hardly turn around to see who it was, when the man he was trying to choke suddenly surged forward and knocked him down. "Insolent...whelp!" He coughed, holding on his neck. "Oh...I didn't know there was some kind of fight going on in here..." A girl spoke, looking over at the boy and the girl looked severly worried. "Is he alright?" Her voiced sounded distorted as if she was speaking through a thick glass panel, and the man who Toru was trying to choke began to hold him down. There was the sound of gunfire in the distance as everything began to grow blurry and distorted, and then power flashed off again.

The guards suddenly fell to the ground, whether they were unconscious or dead, Toru didn't know. The room was dark, and he could hear the man rummaging throughout the room, searching for something. What the hell is going on? The door opened, and the girl who was inside the room already, reentered with some kind of medical kit. "You idiots! What have you done with my system!" She screamed stepping over the fallen guards, and the power returned on, and the girl's face was full of rage. "The system! You idiots broke the mainframe!" She screamed, her dyed pink hair caught Toru's eye as it jingled above her shoulders.

"Do you know how long me and Micheal worked on this system?!" She exclaimed stomping on the ground, kicking the fallen guards out of the way, as a dim light began to flash on. The man in the black overcoat looked bewildered around for a moment, and then slowly he got his feet, while Toru remained on the floor. "It...it turned off?" He asked suddenly. "What is wrong with you people today? All of the staff members here are complete idiots! All they do is flash their weapons and don't even think of the magnificence of this place! Let alone drugging people you don't even have background checks on!" She gave the man a dirty look. "Stupid Meri had her little lab rat go crazy on us, and we've been trying to reestablish the connection! Ever since, the power has been flashing off and on. I wonder who ordered the second dome to submerge?! Don't they know that it temporarily cuts off all of the power? Not only that but the signal is nullified. It's not like they need to go down in order to gas those stupid little kids."

While the fairly young woman continued to rant on and on about her system, Toru began to get to his feet, and walk over to the girl whom he had rescued from whatever machine it was. "Hey, what do you think you're doing anyway? You are responsible! I demand that you remedy this situation!" The girl shouted turning to Toru who smirked.
"Like hell!" He shot back, noticing how the girl seemed to stare off into an empty kind of space. "I can't even think straight, thanks to you bastards..." he sputtered for a moment sitting down again, finding that his strength had finally waned, and he was no longer able to stand on his own. "Huh? What happened to her?" The girl asked stepping over to examine her. "Amy, now isn't the--"
"Shut up! Get out of here! Take these...dead weights with you." She shooed him away with her hand, and the commander reluctantly began to drag away the guards into the hallway before finally disappearing. "Oh my, she's definitely not looking too well..."
"Is she going to be alright?" He asked, and Amy turned around suddenly looking irritated. "Hey! We've been watching you cause all of this havoc! I know we tried to paralyze you before you got anywhere, but someone just happened to mess with our code...and now we're having power issues..." She snapped. "Ehe...sorry, but you should of seen it comin', seriously this is all illegal as far as I can tell."
The girl smiled brightly. "That's why I'm a free-agent of course! There's nothing criminal about my job." She then turned back to the girl, and held her head to her chest. "Oh my, too bad you pretty much knocked out our only doctor..." She said with a bit of sarcasm. "Honestly, medical science isn't my strong suit, but she'll recover if she gets taken to a hospital I guess..." It wasn't a very convincing statement. "I...think I'll just...rest for now..." he wasn't sure what was going through his head. "No, don't go to sleep just yet." Amy said opening the medical kit and taking out a small flashlight and shining it in his eye. "Hey! What the hell is wrong with you?!" He asked and she slapped him across the face. "Don't you know? You were gassed as some point, but for some reason, you were only partically affected. A lot of stuff you've seen or witnessed wasn't exactly there...I need to make sure your sober so when you wake up, you wont be stuck in some kind of perpetual dream state." She stated informatively and he nodded slightly. "Yeah...so do you really have pink hair?" He asked with a smile, and she frowned. "What's with that tone? What's wrong with a little expressionism? But yeah, okay you're good, whatever. I'll see what I can do for sleeping beauty over here. Take it easy." She said and Toru slouched over in his chair and fell into an empty sleep, with no thought or consciousness. 

/end

What will happen next time on Scratch? This chapter certainly has a confusing element to it don't you think? Still, all things will come together. Stick around, and catch chapter fifteen, when Kaz and Michi make their grand appearance in their own infiltration of the dome structures! 

Chapter Thirteen: Norina

Summer was over, you could almost smell it in the air when you walked down the street, when the sun was dipping down underneath the horizon line, and that certain feeling just washes over you like a blanket. At first you feel so tense and unsure of what is really happening, and then, after a while, you start to get excited and nervous at the same time. What's happening? What is going to happen? I remember feeling that way when I was about to change schools for the first time in my life. Over the summer, I had spent a lot of time traveling across the country on the road. I wasn't exactly sure what was going on, but I remember being tired and not being able to sleep in my bed. Everyone around me was always rushing around trying to get something done, while I ended up doing nothing at all. Those days are over, I remember feeling so grown up at this point in time. Standing there, at the end of the street, and feeling the wind blow my hair...I always liked the wind. A nice gentle breeze to keep you going. That just seems silly now, doesn't it! Like something you wouldn't really say except in those special moments...I remember now, my first, real year of middle school. That was the time when I first met my little sister. I was a single child before that you know? It just, it would feel weird...if I was still a single child now. I wonder how I would have turned out? Ah well...

The sun didn't shine so brightly the day that the yellow bus came rolling around the corner and stopping directly in front of her house. Norina stood there, all prettied up by her mother, holding onto her bag with both hands looking like nothing less of an angel. When the doors opened, as the smell of diesel exhaust filled her nostrils, she began to feel a little bit, uncertain, as to what middle school might be like. It was her first time in this town, and she didn't know what to except from the people who lived here. Naturally, it was something most children would be worried about. She walked down the narrow hallway, looking left and right at the various kids who were either half asleep or hyperactive. Not seeing any seats unoccupied, she took a seat next to one of the sleeping ones and quietly clasped her hands on her lap. The bus jolted to life and sped off. Murmurs filled the bus. Why does she get her own bus stop? Is her family rich or something? I don't get why she has to ride the bus, can't she just get a ride to school? I'm sure her parents wouldn't mind, she looks dressed up enough don't ya think? Naturally, she ignored, or didn't hear most of what was being said, but her stomach was doing summer-salts inside of her just the same. The white dress probably didn't help her image she suspected. But the first day of school just happened to be the designated picture day. Something about, 'not being in town' any other time, and so she was cursed with an overly dignified first impression. The person sitting next to her, a fairly large black fellow slowly opened his eye and looked at the person who had decided to sit next to him. He leaned back in his seat suddenly, and stretched out his legs. "You must be new little girl." His deep voice commented. Now, a normal young student, freshly transferring to a new school might have thought of something horrible; but all little Norina could think to say was: "Do you want to be my friend?" Naturally, it sounded like a story-book kind of thing, and the older boy smiled slightly. "You sure get in quick huh." He said, forming a fist. "Sure baby girl, I'll be yo friend." She wasn't sure what exactly what to do so she just formed her own little hand into a fist, and he bumped it with a chuckle. "Yo' jus a funny little thing ha-ha!" He laughed. 

The first friend she made in this town was Dwayne. He was known for keeping his cool, and not blowing his head off over little things. Many thought of him as a kind of background figure. Whenever the gangs got into a tussle, he'd be in the back saying a thing or two, but he didn't really get his hands dirty. Norina, only talked to him on the bus, as the middle school classes were often separated. Still, it was bizarre, how after they started talking, people riding her bus stopped asking about who she was, or where she belonged. Though there were a fair amount of unpleasant jokes. [Which usually got silenced fairly quickly].

However, the words didn't stop outside of the bus. The first day, had been something that Norina would have rather forgotten as it started a downward spiral into quite possibly, the worst moments of her life. It began when class had actual ended, and her show of elegance during the picture taking sequence had attracted, some unwanted attention. She was walking down towards the parking lot to get picked up from school. Her white dress couldn't be mistaken, as a group of students slowly made their way in front of her from the lot. "Hey you rich girl, what are you doing out here?" The leading boy asked. His head was buzzed and his frowning expression made her wonder if she had done something wrong, and she suddenly felt tense all over, and she desperately wished that her mom was nearby. "You're parents must pamper you!"
"Daddy's precious little baby!"
"Mommy's angel!"
They were jeering at her. She stopped, and began to feel a bit touched by their words, a nagging sadness started to pull at her. "What...are you talking about?" She asked, and then she was surrounded by the group. "How much did this cost you?" The boy asked picking up her hat and she reached out to grab it. "Hey! What?" She tried to start but she was pushed back. "Pretty little girl, always looking her best because her parents doted over their little angel!" She was then pushed into the ground from behind. "Stop!" She tried to say, but someone even put in a kick, and she felt pain in her side. There were tears coming to her eyes. "Stop! Stop..why are you doing this to me?" She was saying looking up at the boy who crumpled up her hat and tossed onto her shaking body. "Don't come near me, you filthy bitch." He spat on her and then walked away, along with the rest of his gang. She sat there sobbing, wondering what she had done wrong, what had she done that had caused this? Why...why did this happen? "
"Norina?" It was her mother who raced up to her daughter, placing a hand on her shoulder and trying to soothe her, while trying to discern what had just happened.

"What happened? What happened to you? Who did this to you?" Her mother asked, but there was no answer, she didn't know. "Am...I a bad person?" She asked looking at her mother and there were tears rolling down her face now, steadily rolling down her cheeks. "No of course not...there there, let's get you back home..."
The dirt and the stains would wash away easily enough, but the words, the words remained. Filthy bitch!

That was the first time anyone had ever hurt me so badly. Sure there had been scuffles in the past, but they never lasted long or amounted to anything. I was so upset, I...I had to ask Dwayne about it. I wasn't sure what else to do. My mom tried to assure me, by telling me that the principle would look into it, but somehow, somehow I couldn't get myself to believe that. I felt like the whole school wanted to bring me down to their level. 

The following day, Norina did as her intuition instruction. Tell a friend. Even though, it was only their second meeting, she couldn't help but find a seat next to the sleeping young man, who, after she sat down next to him opened his eye to check if it was here and then he slowly leaned back again and smiled. "You smell nice, I can deal with that." He greeted her, and she looked like she was concentrating on something. "Huh, what's got you all worked up in the mornin'?" He asked, and she let out a sigh. "These...these boys after school called me...a bitch..." She whispered the last words into his ear, as if it were something bad, and his eyes furrowed slightly as he looked out of the window. "I see... let me tell you a little somethin about this town." He said quietly. "Though the suits don't like to admit it, allota this place is controlled by the gangs you know?" He turned to her darkly. "Many of these kids got a problem with yo mom and dad's income I bet." He sighed and then he smiled slightly. "But, they should know better. Don't worry baby girl. I'm gonna ask around, see if I can get them boys to stop." 

Norina felt reassured. Though, at the time, she didn't exactly know what Dwayne was talking about. Things like gangs and fights were all but nonexistent at her last school, and even still, it seemed like something that should never get in her way. The words continued to haunt her, despite her friend's comforting words. There were other rich girls at her school weren't there? Why weren't they being picked on by these bullies? Or were they, and she just didn't notice it? Still, she was nervous as she left the school and started to head off to the parking lot once more. Did Dwayne really look into it? Or was that just to get me to stop worrying? It never occurred to her that her friend really didn't want to do anything for her, and that it was all some kind of game to him, but when the group of students came from the parking lot, she suddenly felt that re-emergence of fear welling up inside of her. "Well, well, well...what did I tell you little rich butch huh?" The same boy asked stepping up to her and pushing her down to the ground and kicking her bag. "I don't want to see you around here got it?!" He demanded and everyone else began to chuckle and someone even threw a clump of dirt at her and she began to feel tears coming to her once more. "S-stop it!" She cried out, but it seemed like it would be the same as last time in till...

"What do you think you're doing? Beating up a little girl like that?" It wasn't a teacher, or even an adult, to Norina, it sounded like another one of the bullies, but she noticed someone standing over her, his face was relaxed, with a slight smile there. "Who do you think you are, get lost!" The leader boy yelled gritting his teeth, and the other boy smirked. "Yeah, what do you think you are? Some kind of gang leader? Mark my words you little shit, you can't go fucking around in my territory." He stepped over Norina and grabbed the boy up by the collar, and the other kids began to shrink away. "H-hey, what are you doing?" The boy asked. "Tell me your name, so I know who's door to knock down tonight." He said shaking him. Norina watched for a moment, before standing up. "W-wait a second!" She called out and the other boy seemed to ignore her for a moment before dropping the kid on the ground. "You'd want to spare him?" He asked turning with a shocked expression on his face. "I...just think he made a mistake..." She said quietly looking at the ground, worried that she would get beat up just the same. "I don't want your fucking pity!" The other boy screamed before running away. Norina watched for a moment as the lot emptied out and her savior slowly turned to walk back towards the school. "Tch, you're an odd one kid." He said quietly as he passed her. "My name is Norina..." She said turning around. "Ah, t-thank you for saving me." She added quickly, and he stopped. "Don't mention it...Norina." He waved and was gone, slowly walking away from the lot in till her mother showed up. 

She thought the troubles of the day had ended there, but in a sense, the seeds of dissatisfaction were growing. Despite the dirt and stains on her clothes, her mother didn't seem as worried about it. She wondered what it could be as they quickly rushed home, and there her father was making preparations in the kitchen. "Ah, you're home, why don't you go wash up and come back down as soon as you can okay?" Her father said as he began to string letters up over the kitchen entrance. "What...what's going on?" She asked quietly, and her mother who was setting her purse down on the table quickly turned. "Oh, it's a surprise...someone is coming, someone very special." She said excitedly, "Now, go upstairs and wash, and change your clothes, they look a bit dirty." Caught up in the strange uncertainty of events, she couldn't help but think that she was more important right now, having just been bullied yesterday, and again today. What is happening? 

When she finished showering, and changing her clothes, she walked down into the kitchen and found that supper had been made already. There at the table was her mother and father, and some very young girl she had never seen before. Was it a neighbor? No, they're would be parents or something. It didn't help that the girl was Japanese, it made her think for a moment that her parents had scooped up some kid of the street to thoroughly question her about her culture. "Ah there you are, what took you so long?" Her mother asked standing up, and scooting back her chair, as she sat down she eyed the Japanese girl carefully. "Who are you?" She asked out loud. "Honey! Be more polite, this is Maki-Chan from Japan. She'll be staying with us from now on." Her mother was saying. "You can just call me Maki." The awfully mature voice replied as the much younger girl began to eat. She looked about three years or so younger than Norina, who, slowly closed her eyes while she sat at the table. They could have asked me. They could have told me. Why does this have to happen now? She felt something well up inside of her, something she was uncertain of at the time. "Norina, why aren't you eating?" Her mother asked, and suddenly she stood up. "Norina! What are you?" Her father asked the girl quickly turned on her heel and left the house through the front door and she wasn't even sure where she was going, but she found herself walking in the direction of the school. What am I doing? She thought as tears started to well up in her eyes.

I felt so betrayed. I don't know why, but it really bothered me. I guess you could say I wasn't too happy that the attention was being pulled away from me, and put on a girl who wasn't even my parent's child. So what? They wanted me to accept her as my sister. At the time, that was the last thing I wanted.

Norina had walked so far in till she sat down on a bench breathing heavily, feeling anger replace any sadness she might have had. She began to pound her fist into the ground, and thrash about in till someone came up behind her and restrained her. "Whoa, calm down, hey!" A somewhat familiar voice called out as she tried to break free. When she turned around she noticed the boy who had saved her earlier that day. His buzzed hair, and his baggy clothes made him look like an average street punk, but in his eyes there was concern. "Don't come out here at night, you here? You almost wandered off into the ghetto you know that?!" He exclaimed pointing across the street where the not so good looking houses were all lined up. "People get shot when they go down there if they don't know what they are doing." He lectured sternly, before steering her around. "Hey, why don't I walk you home?" He asked quietly. "I don't want to go home!" She protested and he sighed. "Okay, then let's just go for a walk." He took her by the hand and began to lead her away from the ghetto. "You can call me Dare by the way..." He said. 

That was the first night I spent with Dare. Unlike Dwayne, he seemed somewhat more like me. I couldn't help but admire his insight to the very society he was a part of. He was the first to admit that he was somewhat of a gangster, and he said he was never very proud of it. He used to be in a well-to-do family, but it got broken down in a series of events that he never actual told me. I just showed him my sympathy, and in turn, he started to show me how to be strong. I owe him a lot, but of course, there was one time, further down the road, that I guess you could say...I owed him everything.

An entire year had passed since that time. Although it had been intended for good, Maki's appearance in the family was never fully accepted by Norina, who took many different kinds of shots at her 'younger sister'. The two often quarreled, and it didn't help that every single time her parents sided with the young Japanese girl. 

I was jealous. I don't know, but I never liked visiting this...moment in my life. In fact, I don't even know why I'm thinking about it so much. 

"Norina...why do...insist on being so difficult as of late?"
"Why the hell should you care? Damn, half the time you talk to me it's because you want to know if Maki got to school safe! That thing you brought over here from Japan's got all your attention now doesn't it?!"
"Don't call your sister a thing! You...what's happening to you?"
"OH now you care! Seriously, don't even bother..."  

I don't want to talk about it! I said, I don't want to talk about it! Just let it be okay? It's not like I wanted things to turn out like that...

"I hate you! What kind of sister are you! All you do is go out late and make mom and dad worried!"
"Who the hell do you think you are?!"
'No stop...please not this one, I...
"Talking like Mom and Dad are really your parents, huh!? Why don't you just go back to your real parents?!" She shouted and there was an odd silence that followed. The two girls were outside away from the house as Maki had followed Norina out to wherever she was going. She was off to see Dare again, and yet her little 'sister' had tagged a long, but now there was a cold wind blowing through the air, and it had happened so suddenly that it had caught Norina's attention. Maki's fists were clenched. "You want to know what happened to my parents?" She asked slowly looking up at her sister, no longer with eyes that represented worry or concern, but those that were like steel, cold and unbending. In her entire life, especially in these short delinquent years, she had never seen such piercing eyes before. The heartless tone, along with the wind somehow made her hair stand on end, it was tangible fear, so suddenly conjured up from one simple statement.

"Do you really want to become apart of my world, girl I dared call sister?" She asked. No, no, please...please...I don't... She tried to resist. "What the hell are you talking about?" She tried to sound brave as Maki took a step forward. "My parents both died in the same night." She began. "They're bodies were cut up, and the murderer was never found..." She whispered quietly, and a wave of guilt washed over Norina. "So, sister of mine...do you know? I got a glimpse of the killer...why didn't they kill me? I could have said something, I wasn't that young when it happened you know?" She was standing right in front of the girl. "I...killed them." She stated. No..not any more!. Maki reached up and grabbed Norina's hand, and suddenly she pulled at the skin were the finger nails were connected, and Norina screamed horrible as blood began to run from her fingers. She tried to pull away but Maki was holding onto her arm, and she felt herself be pulled down. "What are you doing!?" She asked, and there seemed to be some kind of rage in her sister's eyes. "I...am...sick...and tired...of you!" The other howled, then it began to grow black.

"Norina, Norina are you okay?" She was being questioned. There was a bright light that was shining in her eyes, and she looked all around, and there were her parents standing around looking worried, and dare was sitting off to the side, and she seemed so confused. "Maki? Is Maki okay? I'm sorry, tell her I'm sorry..." she was trying to sit up but strong hands held her down. "It's okay...Norina..."

"Don't call me that...I don't want that name anymore...where is Maki? Maki I'm sorry...I'm..."

"I...shouldn't have told you."
"I shouldn't have been so mean to you...I want to make it up to you in anyway I can...I promise..."
"Is this out of fear?"
"...I don't know...I wanted...someone to love me...to understand...I don't want to be afraid of you, I want to help you...be strong..."

"So this is it then? You're not going to be staying around this part of town anymore?"
"I'm sorry...I wish I could...but with that new school, it looks like we wont be seeing each other as much."
"Hey, don't worry about it...say hi to Maki for me will ya?"
"I'll miss you Dare..."

A bright light.
Where am I? 

/End

((Sorry for missing, I posted this on the Facebook group, but: Chapter 14 is in the rough, and unless my monitor goes out again, I will be posting on Saturday. November has just been too inconsistent so far...has anyone voted yet? We'll here is your preview for the next chapter...))

~Next time on Scratch~

Toru is exploring Dome B. What will the renegade executive's son find? Will his marksmen-ship be put to the test? Will someone important die? Is this preview asking too many questions? Well, I could say, yes to all of them almost. ;) Keep reading to find out!