“I wasn’t either, but I needed to know. Mother never spoke about you.”
“I’m sorry, your mother was a good woman regardless,” said Shino.
“I have to ask you, why now?” asked Savanah.
“Your mother cast a spell which hid your whereabouts. Until she passed, I couldn’t find any trace of you. Once your essence appeared again, I at once sent you a letter,” said Shino.
Savanah stood confused, because how could Gianna cast a spell without magical abilities. He knew he needed to explain his words as she backed away and withdrew her hand from his.
“Your mother lost her natural magical abilities, but she could still do spells if she felt it was necessary. I understand you must have many questions, but tell me about yourself, please,” said Shino.
“I’m married, no children,” said Savanah, as she lied protecting young Mia.
They sat there and spoke for hours, Shino told her of his wife and two sons, Shino, Jr., and Shima. Shino, Jr. was twenty-four years old, and Shimatsu was twenty-three years old. He married the same woman he cheated on, with Gianna. It hurt Savanah to know she has two brothers, and they did not grow up together, but glad to hear she was not a secret.
Before long, Savanah glanced at her wrist and realized the time. Shino begged for her to stay longer, but the sitter could only wait until a specific time. As they said their goodbyes, he asked her if they could still write, she agreed. His last words, “Never say goodbye, it sounds too much like the end,” caught her off guard, but they never saw each other after that.
10:14 AM, Wednesday, February 15th, 2017
Savanah sat at the kitchen counter as she enchanted talismans and conjured potions. She prepared for Mia’s marking ceremony. The sliding door opened and surprised Savanah. She could not believe the guys were still awake after they stayed up the entire night.
“Who’s she up to now?” asked Savanah.
“You,” said Ishigo.
“Coffee?” asked Ren.
Mia entered the last part of past lives, the lives of her parents, Savanah Inatoka and Dmitrius Ryabtsev. They met after Savanah graduated from high school, she was eighteen, and he twenty-one. With love, they dated for two years before Savanah became pregnant. As an honorable man, Dmitrius proposed, within in a two-month time span they married. Savanah wanted no one to know she was pregnant before the wedding.
Nine months pregnant, tragedy struck, someone murdered her mother, and upon hearing the news, Savanah went into labor. After twenty-four hours, she gave birth, but not without first having a rush of suppressed memories flood her mind. The spell broke, which she was uninformed. Not long after Mia’s fifteenth birthday tragedy struck once more, her father died, left to die alone in an abandoned warehouse. With the death of her mother and husband, Savanah found herself lost at only thirty-six years old.
8:23 AM, Tuesday, September 10th, 1991
Twenty-six years ago, Savanah and Dmitrius’ house, Dmitrius had just left work, only a few blocks from the house when he received the phone call about Gianna. Without hesitation, he turned the car around and raced home. Noticing his vehicle, Savanah met him outside the front door. Greeted by despair, Savanah regretted her question.
“What happened, Dima, did you forget something?”
“Savanah, we should go inside, I have unwelcome news.”
After ten minutes of argument, he convinced her to sit before he broke the news. With the shock and stress of the information, Savanah collapsed, within seconds contractions began. Dima noticed the puddle on the floor and helped clean Savanah up before they got into the car. Packed and ready, for her due date was soon, nothing delayed them as they made their way to the hospital. With sirens blaring Dima drove with a fire under him, surprised she did not give birth in the car.
8:43 AM, Tuesday, September 10th, 1991
Upon arrival, they could not believe the hospital made them wait an hour for a room. Dima tried to calm Savanah with the compliments of her grace, but between the labor pain and impatience for the hospital staff, she did not want to listen. After a day of labor, Savanah gave birth to a healthy baby girl they named Mia. Four thirty-six in the morning with a weight of seven pounds and a height of nineteen inches. Unfortunate for Savanah, it was one of the best and worst weeks of her life.
10:59 AM, Wednesday, February 15th, 2017
Mia’s skin became ice to the touch and tears rolled her face as if she had been experiencing a nightmare she could not escape. Consumed with worry, Gigi rushed to the kitchen to alert Savanah, but she knew the reason behind it.
“She’s fine, Gigi. It means she’s reliving her father’s memories. While he was alive they were close, and his death bore heavy on Mia,” said Savanah.
Unlike Savanah, consumed by worry Ishigo and Ren rushed behind Gigi into Mia’s room. Not far behind, Savanah entered the room with a warm compress, placing it on Mia’s forehead and covered her with a blanket.
“She’ll be fine, but if you want to see what she sees, then return to the mirror portal,” said Savanah.
“The what?” asked Gigi.
“I can’t explain it, you’d have to come see it,” said Ren.
“I’ll stay with Mia, you should try to get sleep,” said Ishigo, as Gigi followed Ren.
Dmitrius Ryabtsev, Prince of the Ryabtsev Bloodline, but seven years before he met Savanah, he ran away to the human realm having a similar ritual as Gianna. In the human realm, known as a respected man who cared for his family. His younger brother, Tavvi, knew the Council disapproved of an assassination order on another Royal. Dima was the only thing that stood between Tavvi and the thrown, with that Tavvi hired an associate to carry the order out. Too coward to do the deed himself, Dima died alone in a warehouse frigid enough to be a freezer.
8:42 AM, Thursday, February 15th, 2007
Ten years ago, on an icy winter’s day, Savanah burst through her front door. Her thoughts spiraled as she ran through the streets searching for Dima, the last thing on Savanah’s mind being a jacket. Meanwhile, across town in an abandoned warehouse, laid the body of Dmitrius Ryabtsev. A fellow officer found his body during a routine patrol, and upon the discovery, they radioed it into the station.
The medical examiner arrived and confirmed Dima’s identity by his state ID, then notified Captain Barrowitz. As he rushed to the crime scene, the captain hoped the officers were wrong, dreading the call he must make if they were not. The medical examiner, Dr. Williams, explained to Captain Barrowitz that Dima’s death was no accident, someone shot him execution style, a bullet to the back of the head. Once at the lab, Dr. Williams noticed evidence of a struggle.
Even in death, Dima got the wrongdoer. Dr. Williams found DNA evidence under his fingernails that belonged to the murderer. Before she discovered the DNA, the forensics team scoured the scene in search of any evidence. The captain left Detective Hernandez in charge when he heard a commotion.
“Where’s Captain Barrowitz?” asked Savanah.
He saw Savanah and ducked inside the building as he held his chest.
“Crap, Dima’s wife,” said John.
Captain Barrowitz calmed himself before he returned outside to face her. As he collected his thoughts, Savanah’s demands grew in pitch. “John!” said Savanah, she shouted the second she spotted him, “Where is he?” Savanah ran to him and pounded on his chest while she dropped to the floor. John grabbed her arms as she fell and knelt beside her as she sobbed leaning into his chest.
“He was a good officer; you don’t want to see him this way. I’ll drive you home, where we can wait for the medical examiner to finish her autopsy and clean him up,” said John.
After a while, Captain Barrowitz convinced Savanah to let him drive her home, and he stayed by her side through everything; the culprit’s arrest and trial.
12:35 PM, Wednesday, February 15th, 2017
Screams echoed the house as Mia jumped up, waking Ishigo into a panic. Not long after, everyone else barged into Mia’s room flinging the
door open. With Mia’s tears, Savanah rushed to her side. The guys both expressed faces of annoyance in reaction to Savanah.
“Mia, are you, alright?” asked Savanah.
Mia remained silent, tears rolled her face, and she tightened her grasp around her mother.
“Now you know everything about our family’s past,” said Savanah.
“Must I return?” asked Mia.
“Yes, my sweet child, you must learn of the prophecy in its entirety,” said Savanah.
With the wave of her hand across Mia’s face, Mia once more fell into a slumber.
“You could’ve given her a break before sending her back,” said Ren.
The visions of prophecy flashed before Mia’s eyes, forced to watch every gruesome detail the future offered.
“It shouldn’t be much longer,” said Savanah.
Mia sat up and surprised everyone with a horrified look on her face.
“What happened, what d’you see?” asked Gigi.
“It’s horrible, there’s nothing left, but flames and waste,” said Mia.
The months to come, Savanah explained come filled with hardships. She had much to learn, and Savanah had little time to teach before she took her seat with the Council. Time flew by as they underwent their training. Mia suffered nightmare after nightmare every night, unable to shake the horrors shown to her.
What Now?
Ishigo’s Story
7:42 PM, Sunday, September 10th, 2017
At the apartment, a portal opens and exits Mia, Gigi, and the guys.
“Well, that was entertaining,” says Gigi.
“Don’t remind me, please,” says Ren.
“Mia?” asks Ishigo, as he clutches her hand, “I love you.”
Silence settles over everyone, halting in their tracks to glance at one and other.
“We all do,” says Gigi.
“I love you too, all of you,” says Mia.
With flashes of joy passing, they retire inside, drained from the day’s stresses. Gigi and Ren make dinner; no one had eaten since this afternoon, their stomach’s grumbles echo. Gigi laughs for a moment at the obscene loudness from Ren’s tummy, but hers soon follows.
9:07 AM, Wednesday, March 15th, 2017
Six months ago, in a field somewhere, they trained in hand to hand combat. Savanah took a mortal form as she considered it to be more natural when it came to moving around in society, while they trained. She focused on them learning necessary fighting skills before they went separate ways to hone their more unique abilities. Mia and Ren assigned to stay at the apartment with Savanah for magical training, Ishigo shipped off to an assassin’s camp, and Gigi a shifter’s retreat, but it was no vacation. Exhausted only a month into training.
“Keep it up, you’re doing great, girls!” said Savanah.
They trained for hours upon hours every day for that month, Savanah reluctant to give them breaks, awaiting the doom of both realms to begin. For equality of fighting skills Mia and Gigi matched well, but the guys not so much.
“Alright, it’s the boy’s turn,” said Savanah.
Exhausted and beaten up the girls dragged themselves back to the sideline, well matched they fought for over an hour, unlike the boys. Ishigo and Ren’s sparring session lasted only minutes with Ishigo winning, again.
8:05 PM, Sunday, September 10th, 2017
Ishigo sat alone on the balcony as he thought about when his powers first awoke. Far away from home he was alone, confused, and losing his mind.
“At least Mia and Ren have us,” says Ishigo.
2:26 PM, Thursday, November 6th, 2008
Nine years ago, Western Iraq, somewhere in the Syrian Desert, surrounded by dead bodies stood a mortified Ishigo. He could not remember what disturbing events took place to leave his comrades shredded or why he stood unarmed covered in blood. In a blink of an eye, everything faded to black.
“What happened? Where am I?” asked Ishigo.
Unaware of an unknown presence, an unfamiliar voice answers him.
“My child, you’ve awoken.”
“Who are you?” asked Ishigo.
“At the moment, this information is unimportant. You must run and don’t stop until you reach Urfa. You’ll know you are there from the ruins that lay waste to the entire city,” said the voice.
“What about my me-,” said Ishigo.
“You killed them. Now, run!” said the voice.
Before he could understand what just happened the voice echoed in his head, “RUN!” Two months later, he ran until he found himself in an abandoned city ruined by the perils of war, Urfa, Turkey. Years passed by as Ishigo tried to survive the broken city.
12:06 PM, Wednesday, April 24th, 2013
After four years of hiding in Urfa, with no signs of another living creature, a cat appeared. At first, Ishigo was unsure if he should eat or befriend the cat because his supply of canned and dehydrated food had depleted. Skeptical the cat stayed its distance and let out an elongated meow; it looked as hungry as Ishigo. Before he knew it, the cat scattered and left Ishigo to his lonesome.
4:23 PM, Friday, April 26th, 2013
A few days later, in an abandoned factory, Ishigo scavenged hoping to find something, when the cat appeared, he called for it. As if the furry delight understood, the cat meowed back to his words and drew closer, as it sensed his desperation for companionship. Once the cat came close enough, Ishigo could pet it, thus beginning a one-sided conversation.
“How d’you get here?”
As the cat purred, she continued to meow in response to him, seeming as if the conversation was not so one-sided.
“Are you lost?”
From that day forward, Gigi never left Ishigo’s side.
3:42 PM, Tuesday, April 1st, 2014
One year later in Bulgaria, something about Gigi inspired Ishigo to move on from the idle position he held in Turkey. After an entire year of travel, they stopped in Pazardzhik, Bulgaria, but only for a few days to admire the scenery. The field had a magnificent river that flowed just southwest of the Balkan Mountains.
“Do you see this view?”
Gigi responded with a meow before they continued their journey to the west.
10:16 PM, Tuesday, August 5th, 2014
Another four months flew by as they arrived in Sofia, Bulgaria, where the closest international airport stood. With a night’s rest, Ishigo planned to sneak onto the next available plane to the United States.
8:01 AM, Wednesday, August 6th, 2014
The next morning, at Sofia International Airport, Ishigo snuck them onto a flight through the cargo bay. To sneak onto the plane was the simple part since the workers did not care to notice. Cramped in the cargo bay for fifteen hours was the problem, Gigi slept in Ishigo’s lap. With grace and stealth after fifteen hours Ishigo snuck them off the plane.
Unsure of where they landed Ishigo blended into the crowds and made sure no one followed. After walking for a while, he stopped to ask a stranger where they were. He could not have been happier to discover they landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.
2:12 AM, Thursday, August 7th, 2014
They wondered the airport for a few hours while Ishigo stole food, then made their way to the bus stops, able to grab a bus right away. Ishigo surprised himself remembering his way around after so many years. The bus traveled from Queens to Manhattan, last stop being Chinatown. Confused Gigi had no clue to why Ishigo was so excited.
Between the fifteen-hour flight, an hour and a half bus ride, and a twenty-minute walk through Chinatown, Gigi felt as exhausted as Ishigo looked. He carried her the rest of the way. They stopped, arriving at a suspicious looking restaurant and bar named Ching-Cheng. Ishigo hoped his sister still worked there.
“Stay here.”
Gigi as she always did, responded with a meow. Ishigo enjoyed Cheng’s place, there was delicious food, a bar packed with interesting people, and the restaurant and bar doubled as a front for the illegal gambling enterprise. It
surprised Ishigo to see the casino so dead, but it had been years. Nuwa worked the floor that night when Ishigo stopped her to ask if Ju still worked there.
“Excuse me?” asked Ishigo.
“Can I help you?” asked Nuwa.
“Does Ju still work here?”
“Who’s asking?” asked Nuwa.
She looked at Ishigo with a scowl as if he bothered her.
“You know what, tell Cheng, Ishigo Meshuto’s here.”
“How do-,” said Nuwa.
Ishigo interrupted, “Look, I haven’t been here in a while, and I don’t have time to play your games. So, run along and tell Cheng I’m here.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Before long, Nuwa scurried back; Cheng ordered her to escort Ishigo back. As they walked through the casino and into the back room, Ishigo could tell Cheng chewed her out for her rudeness. Upon entering the room, Ishigo noticed the monitor screens wall-to-wall that surveyed the restaurant, bar, and casino.
In This World, : What Becomes of Us Page 8