~~~~~
All I could recall from last night was the faint familiar smell of jasmine from Orochi carrying me. My body had gone into a craze of burning and he stayed with me until it was gone.
It seemed all so unreal. After I agreed to Akuma, Aiya had pulled me out and sent me back to the demon world where Orochi and Tomoko were waiting for my arrival back. It sadden me to know that I had caused both of them worry.
I lay awake and alone in my room scared of what they might think of me now. Did I disappoint them? Were they mad at me? I didn't know.
Thoughts of doubt ran throw my head like a waterfall. The more they tumbled into my head, the more I felt more insecure about myself.
Now that I knew who was the demon I was connected to, I was more scared of what I promised than what I could do. Letting him live freely like I do? What did that mean?
My body felt exhausted from the night before. I try to roll over onto my side but I yelp out in pain. Footsteps rummage down the hall and my door slides open over so gently. Tomoko's head pops into the room, "Are you alright, Miss?"
I grin softly, "Yeah, come up me sit up please."
She nods and comes in to do so. My back lays against the soft cool pillow and I close my eyes taking silence in. "So what exactly happened, Miss?"
I open one eye to see that she is looking down at her folded hands in her lap, her small circle brows furrowed. It comes to my attention that out of the two of them, she was probably the most worried.
"It was bizarre. All of it seemed so unreal," I shake my head in disbelief. "I'm sorry for worrying you."
I reach out and take a hold of her hand and reassure the little fox that I'm fine. Hopefully, she would believe me.
She nods her head, "Are you hungry?"
In that moment my stomach growls on time, I nervously chuckle, "Yeah. I suppose so, huh?"
She giggles and jumps up from my bed, "Well, I'll go make something and you rest while I do so."
I nod as she leaves the room and pull the bed sheet up to my chin groaning to myself. "Everything feels so sore."
As I lay back, I feel myself start to slowly doze off into sleep while waiting for Tomoko. My energy feels like its at an all time low now. A knock erupts the silence in my room as Tomoko walks in with a tray a food. I gratefully smile as she sets in front of me, "Thank you a ton."
She nods and sits at the end of the bed while I slowly begin to eat the warm food. It was her vegetable soup I had the night before and steaming hot tea. My favorite now that I have grown close to Tomoko. I close my eyes pleased by the warm soup hitting my mouth, "I love this soup, now."
Tomoko laughs, "I'm glad you like it. It's the least I could do right now."
I continue eating the soup and rice until my stomach was full of warm food. "Did anything happen while I was out? At least in the demon world?"
She nods, "Your body was on fire like you had some insane fever. You kept thrashing round like a mad woman. We were so scared of what was happening."
I sigh at her words, knowing that I put them through that much stress is horrible.
"Once you started screaming... I was terrified of what would happen next. I couldn't do anything, I felt helpless like I failed my Mistress." Her ears go down along with her shoulders slumping in defeat.
I chuckle, "It's my fault for worrying you Momo. Please, think nothing of it. I will make it up to you guys. It means everything that you are behind my back." She smiles and nods.
"So what really happened?"
My eyebrows furrow, "It's so hard to explain but you know how everyone in my family has demon blood?"
She nods in reply. "Well, everyone has a certain demon spirit attached to them and I... Have the worst."
Tomoko raises and eyebrow at me, "What do you mean worst?"
I sigh in frustration, "I have the worst demon. It's Akuma."
It's silent for a few minutes after I confess to her. I'm afraid of what she might think now. Would she be scared of me? How is she going to react?
The door to our room opens and Orochi walks in silent. Just strolls up to the bed and stares at me with a blank gaze. "So that's why you were in that much pain?" He asks.
So he must have heard...
I look down at my tray and intertwin my fingers together, "Yeah..."
It falls silent again and I'm unsure of what to say now.
"Are you okay?" Tomoko asks.
"Suprisingly, yeah. But my whole body is just sore." I reach up and rub my shoulder as a sharp pain shoots through the right side of my body.
"Well, later Master can help you to the springs to bathe and I can help with food. Or anything you like." She says.
I nod willingly, "Please, I would much appreciate it."
"Ahem." I look over to Orochi as he breaks the conversation, clearly signaling he wants to speak with me. Tomoko takes the hint and slowly walks out of the room, closing shut the door behind her.
Orochi speaks up first, "So, Aiya told me what happened with you in the spirit world."
"Oh."
"She's afraid to let you back because she thinks it might happen again."
"What?" My eyes dart up to him in confusion.
He nods with a solemn look on his face. "She is scared that if you continue. It might create more danger for you."
I groan, "Just because of a scream doesn't mean I'm going to die."
His eyes snap up to mine with dark gold eyes, almost brown. "It wasn't just a scream, Ren. You were begging, no; pleading for it to stop because it was too painful for you."
"What do you know! I'm fine!" I snap back at him.
He glares at me and flicks my arm. I hiss and back away from him. "Exactly."
"Well, I'm not going to give up after one try. It's the only chance I have."
Orochi sighs, "I know... I know.."
"How did I get here in new clothes?" I ask him.
"Huh? You don't remember?" He looks at me with a puzzled expression.
I raise an eyebrow, "What do you mean, don't remember?"
He scoffs and smirks at me, "Oh, you pounced at me like an evil demon dog and was going to eat me alive."
"HUH?!"
Orochi burst out laughing at me, "God! Your are so easy to fool!"
I glare at him, "Oh, shut up you big grape."
Silence.
"Grape, huh?" He raises an eyebrow.
I gulp, "Uhhhh, no no! I never said that."
A snort comes from him, "Yeah, sure."
I shake my head and finish off the rest of my food that was left over. "So, what now?"
He looks at me, "You are recovering from last night and nothing else. I'm not having you over exert yourself."
I roll my eyes as I drink the cup of tea that was sitting on my tray, "Okay, whatever. You do the same as well."
"I know when to give in, not push myself to the brink of death." He states.
"Weren't you the one who passed out because you used to much magic?"
Silence.
"Yeah that's what I thought, grape." I sip my tea and smirk at him.
"Am I going to be called a fruit now?"
I laugh, "If you want to be called one, then sure."
As time passes, the air gets lighter and lighter. The weight of his anger has dissipated and I feel much better. My heart felt more at ease knowing that they were only concerned at the moment that if I was alright.
It worries me that they would think of me differently if they think of me as a horrible demon possessed girl. Orochi seemed to be more upset with the fact that I wanted to continue than the demon.
Did he know?
Does he think that Akuma could be an advantage for us against Beliath?
But the thing that set myself up for failure, how can I improve myself when I get shut down at every path I cross? Am I just to weak for this life?
Would Beliath win?
Uncertainty was setting forth upon me, I don't know how to react to it. But the thing I am most sure about is that I have my two friends now. That's all the support I needed at my back.
For now.