by Aron Lewes
“To my knowledge, Taishi's never had a girlfriend,” his grandmother calls him out. “He just works and works and works and works and... well, you know how he is.”
I chuckle at her observation. “Yeah, he does work pretty hard.”
So, unlike Jophiel, Taishi is celibate? Is that what I can take away from this?
“I've always thought he was waiting for his soulmate,” Ritsuka continues. “Maybe you are his soulmate?”
I don't reply. I just smile at Taishi.
And to my utter amazement, he actually smiles back at me.
“So... if people can change their age after fifty missions, why does Wilma Dawes choose to look like an old fart?”
Hearing Alyx's question, I snort with laughter. Fortunately, I just got back from a visit with Taishi's mom and grandmother, so I actually have an answer for her. “Maybe she prefers that age because it makes her loved ones more comfortable? Like... maybe she spends time with a daughter and a granddaughter or something, and looking older makes more sense?”
“Maybeee...” Alyx is in her bed, surrounded by a sea of Regal Crimson posters. She's even wallpapering my side of the room now. If it makes her happy, I guess I don't mind. “Still, if you could look eighteen or eighty... what would you choose? What's the obvious choice?”
I feel a bit sheepish about my answer, so I mumble it. “Eighteen.”
“Exactly! Wilma Dawes is craaaazy.”
“Do you like your new partner better?” I ask. I assume she does, because she actually passed her fourth mission. Alyx has a five out of ten now. It makes me feel weirdly proud of her.
“Hell yeah!” Alyx exclaims. “He's kind of cute too. I mean... he's no Taishi, and he looks too old for me, but he's cute.”
“That's good.” Maybe she needed a cute instructor to motivate her? I feel sorry for Wilma Dawes, though. I wonder if Jophiel ever admonished her for leaving Alyx behind?
Alyx goes quiet for a bit, which is hardly unusual. When she's quiet, I just assume she's listening to her music. A few minutes later, when I look over at her, she's got tears in her eyes. Even that doesn't make me raise an eyebrow. She's probably looking at pictures of Kerry What's-His-Name from Regal Crimson, and he's bringing her to tears.
“Hey... Leigh?”
I put down the book I'm reading and turn to her. “Hmm?”
“Um... well...” Alyx is hesitating, and that is weird. She's usually the type of person who tells me exactly what's on her mind. “I was just wondering if... if you would take me somewhere else. You know... with your warping skill.”
I hope it's not another Regal Crimson concert. If it is, I swear to God, I'm hitting her with my pillow. I've already had enough Regal Crimson to last a lifetime.
All of a sudden, Alyx shows me a picture on her LightTab. It's a picture of a dark-haired, smiling woman.
“My mom,” Alyx tells me. “I was just looking at her, and... well... I thought I'd go see her. So if it's not too much trouble...?”
“Yeah, yeah! Of course!” As soon as I leap from bed, I start doubting myself. I've never met Alyx's mom, and I've never been to Alyx's house. What if my warping skills can't get us there? “Let me see your mom's picture. If I focus on her face, I think it'll work.”
“Okay.” Alyx hands over her LightTab with a sigh. “I should probably change my hair color. I know it's silly. I know Mom can't see me, but she always hated my crazy colors.”
“I think the crazy colors suit you.” I grab Alyx's arm and try to focus on the lady on the LightTab. Alyx keeps talking. I don't think she realizes she's distracting me.
“Wilma tried to teach me how to warp. I couldn't do it. Apparently, though, it's not a big deal. A lot of spirits can't warp until they're several missions in. You are just super, ultra advanced.”
“I don't know about that,” I chuckle at her praise. “Now... can you please be quiet? I need to think.”
I hope I didn't sound too rude. Seriously, though, warping is difficult work.
When my mind is clear, Alyx and I swirl down to earth, wrapped in a whirlwind of light. A little while later, our feet touch the floor—a cold, tiled bathroom floor.
Alyx's mom is sitting on the toilet when we arrive. Oops.
“Oh my god! Sorry, Mom!” Alyx exclaims as she shoves me out of the room. “Whoops. I guess you just never know when and where you'll appear, right?”
“I don't miss toileting,” I suddenly blurt out.
“Oh my god, yes! Me neither!” Alyx adamantly agrees.
I take a moment to glance around the hallway. There's a sizable dust bunny on the floor—it's so big, I'm just going to call it a dust dinosaur instead. The wallpaper is peeling, and I think there might be mold on the wall.
“Yeah, my house is gross,” Alyx says, as if reading my mind. “My mom and I hate cleaning, and we're really poor.”
“That's okay. It's not like my parents were rich or anything. Your mom looks really young, by the way.”
“A lot of people tell me that.” In the middle of her sentence, Alyx's hair color changes from green to brown. And it's a huge difference. “My mom had me when she was eighteen. Sometimes, we were more like sisters than a mother and daughter. She's really awesome.”
I hear the toilet flush, so I assume she's coming out soon. There's a question floating around in my mind, but I don't know if it's appropriate. Maybe I should just be brave? “Alyx... can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“It won't make you mad... will it?”
“Nah. I'm pretty easy-going. I don't get mad about much.”
She might get mad about this, though. It's a really personal question. “Why did you kill yourself? If you and your mom got along... why do it?”
“I dunno.” Alyx sheepishly flicks the hallway's peeling wallpaper. “I guess... I just felt lonely sometimes.”
“But why? If you had a mom who loved you, you--”
Alyx interrupts me. “I regret it, okay? I regret that I did it!” Her lips bend into a tight, vexed grin. “If I could go back, I wouldn't kill myself. Are you happy now?”
I want to tell her about Taishi's story, but he's a private guy, and it's not my story to tell. I'm still surprised he opened up to me about it.
Alyx suddenly points to an empty bottle of vodka on the floor. “She's drinking again,” my roommate quietly notes. “It's probably because of me. Great.”
When Alyx's mom emerges from the bathroom, we quietly follow her down the hall.
“It was just the two of us for the longest time, you know,” Alyx continues. “Just me and her. My dad left when I was little, so... oh god.”
Alyx sounds surprised, so I ask. “What? What is it?”
“My mom's going into my bedroom...” Alyx delivers the information with a groan. “I wonder why.”
We head into Alyx's bedroom, which is predictably decorated with all things Regal Crimson. The other day, I was looking up Japanese stuff because of Taishi, and I stumbled across the word “otaku.” A super fan. Alyx is definitely an otaku for Regal Crimson.
Alyx's old clothes are scattered around the room. Her mom collects several articles, sits on Alyx's bed, and cradles the clothes against her cheek.
Alyx doesn't say anything. When I look over at her, she's on the verge of tears again. Secretly, I reach into my pocket and touch my quartz crystal. Maybe I shouldn't pry, but I want to know what her mom is thinking.
Unfortunately, I only hear fragments of her thoughts.
Why... leave me... never... so sad...
She buries her face against Alyx's t-shirt and heaves a sob. The thought in her head is so strong, I hear it loud and clear.
What am I going to do when your clothes stop smelling like you?
Alyx sits beside her mom and drapes an arm around her shoulder. “Mom, I'm so sorry!” she cries. “I'm so, so sorry! I wish I could go back! If I could, there's no way I would leave you again! I'm such a dick!”
As I watch them sob, my own eyes a
re blurred by tears. I never really had much pity for Alyx. People who commit suicide used to make me so angry. Now that I've seen this side of her, I feel a little relieved. She's not as cold as I thought.
“Mom, I love you!” Alyx cries. “I really, really wish I could go back and change my mind. I miss you so much. You were the only person in the world who could make me laugh until I couldn't breathe. We were hilarious together. And you were the only person in the world who shared my obsession with this stupid band!” Alyx gestures toward her wall of Regal Crimson posters. “Why do you think I love them so much? It's because I got to enjoy them with you!”
Okay. I'm officially crying now. I was trying to hold back my tears, but I can't. I think I'm too soft.
When Alyx touches her mom's hair, we both see her flinch. “Oh my god!” exclaims a sniffling Alyx. “Do you think she felt that?”
“I don't know. Maybe?”
“You'll see me again, Mom,” Alyx whispers and strokes her mother's hair. “I wish you knew that. I love you tons, okay?”
All of a sudden, Alyx's mom whispers back to her, “I love you tons.”
I probably look startled, so Alyx explains, “It's what my mom and I used to say to each other. Tons.”
Unlike Jophiel during my first visit, I give Alyx all the time she needs. I even drift into another room to give her some privacy. Finally, after about a half-hour or so, Alyx reemerges from her bedroom.
“Thanks for doing this for me, Leigh.” To my surprise, Alyx gives me a hug. I never thought she was the hugging type. “I feel a lot better now.”
I wish I felt better after my first visit. I remember feeling way worse. “If it helped, I'm glad I could take you. I got sad when you got sad, though.”
“I know. You're so sappy,” Alyx teases me. “Sappy, sappy Leigh.”
When she's ready, I grab her hand and take her back Home, and back to our shared bedroom. Unfortunately, Jophiel is waiting for me. In my bed. Again.
“Leigh!” Jophiel exclaims. Even though Alyx is with me, he doesn't budge. He hangs out in my bed like he belongs there—and now Alyx probably thinks I'm having sex with him. Thanks a lot, Jophiel. “Hello, sweetheart. I was wondering when you'd get back.”
“Uh... hi.” Humiliation colors my cheeks. This is a wildly awkward moment. “Uh... Alyx? Can you give us a moment alone? I'm really sorry about this.”
“Oh, don't be sorry!” Alyx exclaims. I wish she would wipe the grin from her face. She probably thinks I'm going to tear off Jophiel's clothes as soon as she leaves. “I'll be back later. Way later. Take your time.”
As she slips through the door, I can feel my hands tightening into fists. It's not what it looks like! That's what I want to scream at her, but I don't.
“How are you, love?” asks the handsome Archangel, who has yet to move from my bed. He's even nuzzling his cheek against my pillow. “It's been awhile since I've seen you. Come here and kiss me.”
If he wasn't so gorgeous, I wouldn't feel tempted. But I remember what Taishi told me. There is no way I'm getting involved with a guy who makes up stories to get girls into bed with him.
“Nope.” I adamantly shake my head. “I'm not kissing you, Jophiel. Not now. Not ever. It's over.”
“What?” He sits up in bed, looking confounded. “Why?”
“Because... Taishi told me about you.” Uh oh. Maybe I shouldn't have said that? I just blamed this on Taishi. What if this comes back to bite me on the ass?
Jophiel narrows his bright blue eyes. He's so beautiful, it's strange to see him look angry. “What did Taishi say?”
I've already thrown Taishi under the figurative bus, so I might as well keep going. “He said you were never celibate. You made up a story. It's what you say to girls when you...”
“When I what?” Jophiel begs me to finish.
I try to soften it as much as I can. “When you... like them.”
“That bastard,” Jophiel hisses as he leaps from my bed. “He'll regret this, you know. I'll make him regret it.”
“No, please.” When I try to grab Jophiel's arm, he pulls it away from me. “Don't be mad at Taishi. I'm glad he told me the truth. He--”
“He will regret it,” Jophiel repeats, over-pronouncing every word. “The next time you see him, tell him to watch his back. He's made me very angry.”
As I watch Jophiel storm from the room, my head is in a fog.
Oh god.
What did I just do?
When Taishi fetches me for our fifth and final mission together, my thoughts are still with Jophiel. Do I tell Taishi what happened? Do I not tell him what happened?
He will regret it. Jophiel's words keep echoing in my mind. What did he mean by that?
“Are you alright, Riley-chan?” Taishi asks.
Why is he asking that question? Do I look freaked out?
“Uhh... yeah,” I reply. “Maybe I'm just sad that we're starting our last mission together. It's kind of bittersweet.”
“Perhaps. But after we succeed, you'll no longer be a student,” Taishi reminds me. “And we can still work together. Unless you...”
When he doesn't finish his sentence, I lightly poke him with my elbow. “Unless I what?”
“Never mind. It's not important. I should probably stop talking and take you where you need to go.” With an unusually wicked glint in his eye, Taishi adds, “Brace yourself.”
Our destination is not what I expected. We're standing in a field of dead, brown grass and wilting wildflowers. Two legions of armed, outfitted soldiers are staring each other down. Their banners are whipped by wind as both sides wait for the battle to commence.
As my eyes scan the field, I see chain mail, spears, swords and maces. There are rusted helmets, shields, crossbows and catapults. I feel like I'm in the middle of a movie.
“Taishi,” I whisper. “Is this... medieval times?”
My instructor gives me a nod. “It's the year 1318. We're in Ireland.”
“Ireland? Really?” To be honest, I'm a little disappointed. I always thought Ireland would look a bit more green and lush.
“Yes. And we should probably find our charge before the battle begins. Come.” Taishi takes my wrist and gently pulls me along. I have no idea how he plans to locate one guy in an ocean of sweaty bodies. There are at least a thousand soldiers, and most of their faces are half-concealed by helmets.
As we search, we pass several spirit guides—at least, I think they're spirit guides, because they're dressed in jeans and graphic tees—and Victorian clothes, oddly enough. I guess it makes sense that a lot of guides would show up for this. A lot of people will be dying today, I'm sure.
A beep from Taishi's LightTab lets us know we're close to our charge. Taishi checks the picture on his screen and searches for a match in the sea of forlorn faces and downcast eyes.
“There he is,” Taishi says, pointing at a red-haired guy who's standing in front of us. “His name is Alroy O'Brien, he's thirty-four years old, and he's a soldier in the army of... Dee... oh...” Taishi shakes his head. “It's a Gaelic name. I'm not even going to try to pronounce it.”
When our new charge raises a cross to his lips, I quickly slip a hand in my pocket and grab my quartz crystal. If he's praying, it's a good time to listen to his thoughts.
“We need to figure out what he wants, right?” I ask.
“Well... we're seconds before a battle, so our next mission should be fairly obvious,” Taishi says. “We need to keep him alive.”
I barely hear Taishi's reply because I'm too busy listening to Alroy's thoughts.
Get me through this. Please, God, get me through this day. Let me see my family again. Let me return to Eleanor and Aisling. Even if I'm wounded, help me get back to them. Let me hold them in my arms after this.
“Taishi... there's more to his wish,” I report. “He wants to get back to his family. He wants to get back to Eleanor and Aisling.”
“Search for them,” Taishi says as he shoves the LightTab into my han
ds. While we were talking, the battle began. The two armies charge, and arrows from both sides are pouring into the sky.
“Stupid...” I grumble, turning my attention to Taishi's LightTab. “Wars are so stupid, don't you think? This is why women should run the world, Taishi. I'm serious. If it was a woman's world, I'm pretty sure there would be worldwide peace. We wouldn't kill each other... we'd talk things over.”
Taishi ignores me and chases our charge. I try to keep up with them, but they're moving fast. All I can do is try to keep my eye on them as both armies clash. To be honest, I wish I could close my eyes. Everywhere I look, there's death. To my left, an Irish soldier's eye is gouged by a spear. To my right, a man is simultaneously struck by an arrow and disemboweled by a blade. This is awful. I really hope it's over soon.
“Leigh!” When Taishi calls my name—instead of Riley-san—I almost don't realize he's calling to me. “Stay close to us, alright? Stay as close as you can.”
“Okay! I'll try!” I have no idea if he can hear me over the shouts and clanging blades.
When Taishi's katana deflects an arrow, protecting our charge, I understand why he wants to stay close to Alroy. I think he just saved his life. Less than a minute later, Taishi saves him again. I hear a strange pulsing noise, and a barely visible wave erupts from my instructor's hand. The pulse knocks back an advancing soldier, giving Alroy time to prepare for the attack.
If you're in a battle, Taishi Nakamura seems like a good guide to have at your side. Me, on the other hand? I'm pretty useless. I try to ignore the raging battle and focus on the LightTab.
Eleanor O'Brien, 28, painter.
Aisling O'Brien, 6, daughter.
Basically, Alroy wants to get back to his wife and child. That wasn't too difficult to predict. Before I can share my discoveries with Taishi, my body is frozen by the sound of a familiar voice.
“Taishi!” the voice screams. “Taishi Nakamura! Stop what you're doing and face me! If you want to sully my name, I intend to make you pay!”