• **** (Trouble)
    “YOU WHAT?”
    “Yes.”
    “NOW THIS!”
    “...Yes.”
    “WE STILL-“
    “Please be quiet... she’s still...”
    “Oh.” There was a pause. “Okay, we still don’t know what Blood Pacts do when we deal with things this powerful. What if that stunt-” Venom filled her voice. “Leaves her like this forever? What then, Alex? If she forcibly quits because she loses all power, we have to kill her. And then what are you going to tell her parents?” A tense silence. I was on the bed again. Everyone has gathered, it seems...
    “It won’t. Come to. That.”
    “Oh, and what about you?”
    “It’s done the same thing to me as it did her.”
    “That is?”
    “Nothing.”
    “And what if something has happened? What if she dies because of this?” I found my mouth again.
    “That can’t happen.” I sat up. “I don’t feel any different...” I stood up steadily, then opened my eyes. Everyone was there, surrounding the bed. I smiled. “Does anyone have a drink? Man, I’m parched...” I held my throat. My stomach grumbled. And it looked as if I was still logged in... “And food?” Libra laughed. She was at Ri-chan’s throat – I assume it was her shouting – With Tsu-chan looking worried sick next to her. Light sat in the corner whilst Sinistra and Dextera were trying to fuss over me. I bowed to Libra.
    “I am sorry if I caused any tension, Master...” She put her finger under my chin and raised my head to her eye level. She giggled.
    “... Don’t be ridiculous, Dark. But are you sure you feel alright?” I smiled and inhaled, but she interrupted me before I could speak. “...You have been out for a while... then the blackout...” I blushed.
    “T-th-the blackout was because I could suddenly feel everyone’s presence, and momentarily read their minds. And then everything smelt and sounded funny...” I furrowed my brow in thought. “It was really weird. For a split second... I felt like I knew everything, but knew nothing...” I paused, waiting for a response. None. I continued. “Now that I think about it... something feels... open.”
    “Explain, please.” Everyone was looking at me, even Light, who was looking away in disgust before. “What’s open?” I closed my eyes.
    “It feels... looser. It feels as if a weight’s been lifted.” I paused again. “It’s easier. I think...” I grimaced. “...It’s another ability...” I sighed and opened my eyes. “Or at least hopefully more control over what I do have.” Libra smiled and let go of Ri-chan’s neck. He sank slightly, and Tsu-chan whisked him away before I could react. Libra smiled pleasantly, then Light walked out with a huff.
    “But I’d still like you to be checked out by our resident doctors, first.” There was an evil glint in Dextera’s eyes...
    *** (Death I)
    I stumbled out of that damn room an hour later. 6 in the morning. I had been given the all clear by Sinistra and Dextera. And food, thankfully. It’s still Sunday, I noted. Parents not home till tomorrow night. Ugh. Tsu-chan came bouncing in. I glomped her.
    “Tsu-chaaaan... Thank you so much for doing so much on Friday.” I stopped. She seemed... well, colder... She smiled warmly, and put her arms around me.
    “Aww... Anything for you, Mi-chan!” She paused. “I made sure the kitchen and living rooms are clean. Your dress is in the wardrobe and the chocolates are in your stash spot.” She stuck her tongue out. “Yes, I do know where it is. Anyway, the roses are in water, too. And I finished the chocolate from the fountain.” She winked. I smiled at her...
    Mi-chan and Alex... Does she really mean that much to him? A foreign thought... was that Tsu-chan’s? It was her voice.
    That b***h has her hands on my Shield again. First Alex, then Katherine... Another foreign thought filled with venom. Thankfully not Tsu-chan....
    “Shield.” Ah, Light. I released Tsu-chan and she sauntered off... on order apparently. As she disappeared around the corner, Light was in my personal space. “WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?” She grabbed my throat and pushed me to the wall. “YOU ******** SLUT! YOU DO THIS ON PURPOSE! YOU WANT THE CENTRE OF ATTENTION ALL THE TIME!” She pressed down on my airway, cutting off my air supply. I hung limply from the wall. “You’re pathetic. I’m killing you, and you just hang there like a doll.” I nodded.
    Why? Can’t she even defend herself? Does she have no will to fight? I tried to speak, my breath in ragged shreds.
    “Yes...Light... I... have... no... will... to... fight... I... do.... not... wish... to...Ne....ver... with.... a... tea....mmmm... Ah!” She pressed down harder, blocking my airway completely. My hands reached to her wrists to give a comforting, non-violent touch.
    Fight back, b***h! My mind wandered... I heard a screaming coming from inside... Light removed one hand and repeatedly hit me. Die, b***h, DIE! I’ll beat you to a pulp – Not even Jess will recognise you! She hit so hard, bones broke under her fist. Skin bruised, bones broken and occasionally, blood from smashed skin. More screaming... Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! I felt my control slipping from my grasp. There was a bright light... I felt like I was watching my body from the inside... My foot moved up to rest under her chin, despite the protest from the rest of my body. My hand grabbed her wrists, crushing them as the foot rose to knock her out. We both fell to the floor. I was gasping for air whilst my neck remained crumpled – she had been pressing so hard, my trachea had been heavily deformed, my oesophagus mush. My spine didn’t look so good, either. If I wasn’t logged in, I would be dead already. I would've been dead ages ago... She opened her eyes and trying to move her wrists – I realised, with horror, that her wrists were... crushed to a fraction of their original diameters... She was whimpering in pain. I couldn’t move nor make a sound. I couldn’t heal much... why can’t I heal? I closed my eyes in silent pain, but it was all so distant... I heard hurried footsteps – people running down the corridor.
    What happened? Is Dark alright?
    Her neck... her neck. Can she breathe?
    Light’s wrists... Will they be alright?
    ...Light will pay if she survives...     Many strange voices... familiar but I was too dizzy to work out who was thinking what. Ri-chan? It all started to go black and cold as I struggled to breathe. It’s fading away... Alex... I felt hands trying to find a pulse at my non-mangled wrist.
    “She’s fading... Mi-chan, can you hear me? Hold on...”
    Damn... ETHER’ll be the death of her. Don’t leave me before I can make this up to you...
    I won’t. Heh. I replied to him telepathically. I could feel his surprise.
    What? Mi-chan? I heard her voice, I’m sure... but no-one else heard.
    No surprises there. Yay for telepathy! He seemed to give an internal chuckle, but sorrow emanated from him.
    I... we can’t heal you... Can you heal yourself?
    I can’t. How’s Light? There was a pause. Ri-chan, I can’t heal myself too well when I can’t breathe... I couldn’t hear him anymore, but I knew he would reply... Ri-chan... it’s getting colder... Can’t... feel... It suddenly seemed weird, looking at things from this angle. I seemed to suddenly be standing down the corridor, watching the scene. I felt so numb... Ri-chan was gripping me tightly as Dextera was trying to straighten my throat out manually – he had his fingers down my throat. I couldn’t hear, but I could just make out the words by reading their lips.
    “I can straighten most of it out, but we still need it to be healed. Her spine can’t take much more... How’s the pulse?”
    “It’s still there... just... It’s fading fast... Please, is there nothing we can do?”
    “Dark was the only one who could heal such injuries. Even Light’s injuries are out of our hands.”
    “Dextera...”
    “Sword. I will do what I can.” He sighed. There was a pause, Dextera seemingly thinking hard. “You’re wrong. You can try to heal her. Blood pacts are funny things...”
    “I... I can’t.” Another pause. I looked to Light. She refused to let Sinistra touch her wrists to straighten them out... I knew illusions wouldn’t work on her, and neither would Tsu-chan’s telepathic skills. Tsu-chan was talking to Libra, who was explaining what had happened.
    “...and after you left them, Light ran to her and they were like that for a while... I can’t see the details, but I saw Light back off a bit, where we found her. I was worried when neither of them moved and then Dark’s light began to weaken...” I returned to looking at Ri-chan and Dextera. Ri-chan was shouting at me... Dextera was trying to pry him off of me as Libra and Tsu-chan looked their direction. Light looked smug, somehow. Ri-chan was crying. He held my mostly mangled body closer and kissed my cheek. I saw a tear fall from my eye. It met one of his and he gasped – his hands were glowing.... healing my body... whilst his hands were still glowing, he put them to my crushed neck and it healed. Wherever he moved his hands, I was healing up... I heard a steady beat of a drum in the far distance... My surroundings faded to black.
    In front of me now was a mirror. It reflected me as my usual form although I was still logged in. I stepped towards the mirror and reached to touch the glass... unsurprisingly, my reflection did the same.
    “Are you Mirari?” I was surprised to hear my reflection speak. A sweet, soothing but mature voice. Not mine. “Are you Mirari?” I wasn’t sure if I could speak, so I just nodded. She smiled sweetly at me. “You don’t need to be afraid, Mirari. I am here for you.” I was reassured by her voice, and found mine. I smiled back at my reflection.
    “...Who are you? And... where are we?” She smiled wider.
    “This is the ethereal space between life and death. I am neither here or there.” She bowed slightly. “My name is Misenrari. I am you and Miscenco, but neither.” I was confused. She seemed to know this... “...But you don’t need to know that now. What you do need to know is if you want to return, and to where.”
    “What do you mean...?”
    “You’ve died, you’ve lived. You’ve got to go back somewhere now that you got here.”
    “How did I get here?”
    “You were called. Miscenco’s watching you...” I blinked. No, still don’t understand. And did she just say I was dead? Miscenco? “She’s always with you, you know. That’s the good thing about being special like that. You’re never alone.” She pointed to my chest. “Eight Winged Heart. You are free from normal death rules, unlike most humans.” She smiled. “I’ve told you too much. You need to live.” She grinned and the mirror smashed into light. “You never really had a choice, Mirari.” The floor felt like it smashed, too. Laughter pealed around me as I fell...
    “Mi-chaaaaaaaan. No. No. NO! NO!” He was shouting in my ear, which hurt. He’s so loud... “Please... wake up! Wake up! Open your eyes! Be an idiot... just please...” I heard a slow and quiet drum beat. He was shaking my body now... “Call my name or insult me! I don’t care, just open your eyes... return to me, please... Mi-chan...” He stopped shaking me and was squeezing me very hard. If I had been breathing then, I wouldn’t have air in me...
    “Alex... Let her go... She’s... gone... SHE’S GONE!” Tsu-chan was sobbing. Was she sobbing into someone? It sounded like it...
    “Sword... You can’t bring her back from the beyond...” Dexie’s anguished voice. “Her heart’s stopped. We can’t use CPR...” His voice grew weak. “Even if we could, her neck... It’s...”
    “No. NO! She’s just... she’s just... sleeping... Yes, just sleeping...”It took a while to find myself again... I gasped as some air entered my lungs and the drumming became clear – my heart. I tried hard to find everything. No-one heard me gasp over Ri-chan’s... moaning and sobbing. Everything hurt so much... I suppose finding things wasn’t that hard when they screamed at you in pain... “She’ll wake up... she will... she will... SHE WILL!” Well, I now know Ri-chan can heal people. Although he did a poor job... I’m so thankful. I could hear Light’s laboured breathing... my hearing’s returning more.
    “Alex... she’s gone... she’s gone! Please... Let her go...”
    “No! She’s... fine...” He put a hand behind my head and clearly pulled my face closer to his. I felt his warm, sweet tongue part my cold lips and tickle the roof of my mouth.
    Dammit... Mi-chan... Please... respond. I can feel your heart beating... I feel your sweet breath...
    Ri-chan? I... I’m alive. Thank you... Thank you for not giving up... He pulled away, only to engulf me in his arms. He’s so warm... His warmth spread through me, as did his joy and relief....
    “Mi-chan...” I finally found my eyes and opened them slowly. I saw... everyone, very surprised, but still there... Tsu-chan was sobbing into Sinistra’s chest. Libra was holding her head in her hands. Dexie still had his hands on Ri-chan’s shoulders, still trying to pry him off me. He let go of Ri-chan’s shoulders and blinked twice as I healed up my body.
    “She’s alive... She’s ALIVE!” I blinked twice.
    “...Ev...ery... thing.... hurts.... Wha-.... what.... happened?” I buried my face in Ri-chan’s chest. He smiled and picked me up in his arms. I was stiff and cold still.
    “You need to heal, Mi-chan.” I looked over to Light.
    “I think... Light needs healing, first...” Ri-chan shook his head.
    “No. She doesn’t deserve your mercy. Let her suffer.”
    “Just because... she doesn’t deserve it... doesn’t mean she doesn’t need it.” I wriggled out of his arms (because he let me) and made my way somehow to the still floored Light. She’d passed out now... so I put my hands on hers and healed her wrists perfectly. I sank, Ri-chan sighing and picking me up again. He poked me gently.
    “You need to heal yourself.” He sighed. “Mi-chan... what will I do with you?” He chuckled and started to walk away from everyone. “I have an idea...” He sprinted with me in his arms to a secret room. It looked like a bedroom, with a king-size bed and other furnishings, such as a cabinet and a chest of drawers. Other than that, it was bare. “This is my bedroom in EA. It’s not much, but it’ll do for now. Okay, I rarely use it, but this is a safe place away from everyone.” He put me down on the bed, laying me out on my back gently. He kneeled on the edge, leaning over me. Geez, I’d like to move... “Well, everyone but you...”
    “Ri-chan... what are you doing?” He smiled, resting his hand on a bruise. He concentrated for a second before his hand started to flicker with a golden light. I could feel the bruise warming up and healing a bit, then he sighed as the little flicker faded. “Healing...” I could feel myself healing quicker than before. I looked at the bruise as it faded.
    “Yeah. I... It takes too much energy to do it...” He picked up an arm, where the skin was broken - it was healing rapidly. “You seem to be healing quicker than normal...” He kissed my healing skin. “So powerful... How are you able to do it?”
    “I have no idea...” I took the opportunity to heal some more of my skin. It was then that I noticed he had a scar across his right palm – was it from the Blood Pact, I wonder? I sighed. “But we need to talk, Sword.” A formal tone, one that I’d normally use for an order. He gave an uneasy smile.
    “What about, Dark?” I smiled gently.
    “Miscenco.” I sat up as he sat down beside me with a grim look on his face. “And how the Senran are involved. And Raphael Senran.” At the mention of the Senran... he closed his eyes... but I had given an order that he had to follow somehow. He sighed and took a deep breath. Yeah, this was going to be a long one...