2 Chapter 2 - Awake

Focus Change ~ The Child of Fate

"Uugh~?" An unfamiliar voice groaned as I turned over my heavy limbs.

'Weird, is that what my voice sound like?' I thought opening my eyes... Big mistake.

"Fudge!" I yell stricken with pain, blinding light filling my vision.

Reeling I slammed my watering eyes shut, sunspots danced through my head.

"Dang it~! I just woke up, why am I already getting hurt?!" I shouted, rubbing my eyes as the pain subsided.

'I guess that's rule #1 now!' I thought, reflecting on my recklessness.

The cheery thoughts serving to temper my excitement.

Fearing the pain, I cautiously opened my eyes. Taking my time as I open them… slowly this time to avoid being blinded again.

It's a strange feeling you know... Kind of like... you remember something, but it's just out of reach.

'What was it called again… Nostalgia? Yeah... that's it...' I thought to myself as the feeling tugged at my spirit.

Like it was pulling me down a dark corridor… one filled with old negatives littering the walls, each photo clearer than the last.

Curious, I stumbled through the collection of blurry photos.

Staring at them one by one, searching for the source of this feeling.

Finally after stumbling down the line I finally stopped in front of a single blurry slide.

'Here it is… Just looking at it is… so, nostalgic…' To think that so much feeling could be locked inside such a little frame…

Reaching out to it I hesitated, remembering Rule #1 [Don't jump in head first!]. With nothing left to do I just stared at it, anxiously as if waiting for it to do something.

Until finally, it started to shake and gitter like an old projector, playing a long forgotten film…

Watching, I see a scene play out frame by frame…. like they're telling a story that's almost familiar to me.

(One.)[A stern woman walked onto the projection of a messy and cluttered room.] |Tick|

(Two.)[Towering over a sleeping figure tucked away in the corner of the slide.] |Tick|

(Three.)[Tutting disapprovingly, she strolled over to the window curtains and threw them open.] |Tick|

(Four.)[Letting in the blinding morning glare she begins screaming at the downed boy.] |Tick_ Tick_ Tick_ . . .|

[End]

'Huh~, that doesn't look very pleasant.' I thought squirming.

After all, what's so nice about being tossed out of bed just to be shuttled off to School…?

'What a strange feeling…' I concluded dazedly… 'It's so… hollow.'

Intrigued by the feeling the pictures gave me I reached out to a few more, each showing fragments of the past....

Some of a boy working in a mansion... and others were of a boy sitting in a droll classroom.

'What are these…?' Curiously reaching for another, disregarding my caution...

'It was all so confusing' I thought spitefuly.

In one scene I was in a forest of stone buildings, the next I'm slaving away in a mansion.

Then in one I died in a school 'Accident'.

'Huh~, that doesn't seem quite right?' I said to myself.

I could clearly recall Dye O's guards dragging me into the forest in all its grisly details.

Grimacing as I remember the gruesome seen of a mangled body having its chest ripped open.

But after that is where things get… murky.

It's where the frames started to blur even more… sometimes even overlapping...

Like I was trying to watch the same movie from two different perspectives.

One side was an Action movie; the other was…

Horror...

In one frame, I was staring at a pathetic little soul that was about to give out.

In the next, I was trembling in fear of the hungry predator leering at me.

And then I pounced, fighting for supremacy.

One wrong move meant death.

A brutal fight as one feebly swung at the other.

But inevitably I; the weak flame faltered.

And I; the Invader hesitated.

Looking at that pale flame I reached out a lonely hand…

I was… asking if it wanted to come with me…

And my other half accepted…

Slowly the tangled mess of memories started to slide into place.

Forming two very distinct stories.

Each their own.

One of Ink.

And one of Cloth.

As the memories settled, a certain clarity came with it.

The realisation of what this is.

All of the experiences they had were now mine.

All of them…

From birth to fall.

Looking back on them was like watching TV…

An invention from the world Jack Funke had come from.

That man really loved that glowing box.

A boy with a powerful body and passion for stories.

He was the type who always had his nose buried in a book… or glued to a screen.

Always wishing he could "Touch the other side of the Glass" as he so fondly put it.

But that was an impossible wish.

So he did the next best thing, and spun worlds into existence through Ink.

Imagining his life as a wandering bard in each strip he wrote.

It was a tragic 'accidental' death. But Fate had other plans for the 16 year old.

But reincarnation is a fickle mistress, for in order to gain life, life must be severed in equivalent exchange.

But when has life been easy to take?

Any life, even the damned, still has potential.

Even our young whipping boy, Kaiya Seto.

A boy living his life with eyes full of hope.

And a back covered in scars.

But don't let that fool you, the young elf could be quite talkative once he got going.

Especially when you've peaked his interest, quite unlike the reclusive Jack.

The poor boy was unlucky enough to catch Die'O in a bad mood, and was dragged away for some much needed Stress Relief.

For that was the fate of our young elf.

To be used like a caged songbird that would sing when commanded.

Our malleable cloth, woven to the dreams and desires of those who needed the fodder.

It is truly a shame for such a beautiful voice to be snuffed out.

As all birds love to sing.

And hate Cages.

Is this mine now?

They are a part of me now, right?

But I'm not apart of Them…. am I?

"Who am I?" I whispered, giving voice to my thoughts.

But the words only rang louder as I spoke them.

Shaking me to the core, as if I were a bell singing a haunting melody.

Even now, with what once was dancing through my vision.

Their last moments only haunting me as I watched.

Reduced to nothing more than a bystander as there lives crumbled around me.

"Who am I?" I said again.

The echoes getting louder as I see a pond not 10 feet away.

NO!

They can't be me.

They had their own passions.

They had their own dreams.

What do I have!?

"WHO AM I?" I demanded, seeking to end the screams of my addled mind.

Crawling over to the clear body of water, not knowing why.

But I had to see it.

"Who are you?" I whimpered, staring into the lake.

An unfamiliar face staring back at me.

It wasn't a face I recognised...

It wasn't a face They recognised...

It wasn't Jack's face, with his rugged good looks…

It wasn't Kaiya's face, with his inhuman grace and beauty…

It was the face of a boy on the verge of tears.

A boy who was lost and looking for comfort.

A boy who was about to break…

A boy with a sturdy and sharp face that betrayed his youth.

A boy with fair white skin and short pointed ears, to short for an elf.

A boy with long silver hair that draped down over his shoulders.

Everything about him shone with an otherworldly charm.

His lavender eyes seemed to teem with untold power.

The crown of horns settled on top of his head, glistening with an aura of rigidity.

Thick ivory bands wrapping their way from behind his ears as if to crown him.

As if standing testament to his unique status.

Is this Me?

"What am I?" I cry to myself.

Tears blurring my vision.

As the raindrops begin to fall.

But I cared little for the weeping world, plagued by my thoughts.

As I sat there, I tried calming my nerves.

Only to be left with more questions.

Panic creeping up my throat.

Just desperate for answers.

"I JUST NEED ANSWERS!" I shouted in distress.

Wiping my black tears away as I drag myself back to the tree.

Exhausted, I collapse back into a little ball.

Livid with the crying, and tired with the answerless questions, I drifted off to sleep.

A song lulling me to unconsciousness.

"Into each life some rain must fall

But too much is falling in mine

Into each heart some tears must fall

But some day the sun will shine

Some folks can lose the blues in their hearts

But when I think of you another shower starts

Into each life some rain must fall

But too much is falling in mine."

It is an old Jazz song from Jack's life.

Into each life some rain must fall, by the Ink Spots.

A song about how life is going to be painful, but is always worth it in the end.

Jack would always sing it whenever he was overwhelmed, it calmed him.

A habit he picked up from his mom.

And now… It lulled me to sleep.

Carrying me to a memory I should have long since seen…

The last of Their memories...

It was weird….

I was the two of Them at once.

I was Them and They were being held in giant hands.

Hands that lovingly washed me.

Covered me in warmth.

And began to knead them together.

Fusing Them together, blending them into something new.

Leaving nothing behind.

Nothing but Me.

With a satisfied hum It's work was done.

And with me in its arms It rocked me to sleep.

Rocking me gently like a new mother holding her child.

'Is this really me?' I asked quietly, my mind roused from its daze.

But That invisible giant heard me as it smiled at me.

"My little Kars Moira." It whispered gently as it shifted its attention.

Turning Its focus to look at a sleeping boy, no older than 10.

His silver hair and ivory horns gave him a unique appearance, making him hard to forget.

'So They were me!' I thought with great plight.

"Hush child…

Don't worry about the memories that are not your own.

You are Fae.

Child of Fate; My Child.

Peering into your Old Karma is a simple task."

'Old Karma?' I thought deliriously.

"Your past life child." It said lovingly...

"Those were the memories of those who came before you.

They are now a part of you.

They are memories you should not possess… Yet you do.

Though they are not yours, use them wisely my child."

"Who are you?" I asked in wonder.

"Hihihi, my child where you not listening, I am Fate.

I made you with my own hands, call me mother.

As for where you are, then that would be Sotas.

It is a world of Magic that can be quite harsh at times but it is now your home."

"Mother?" I said dazed.

"Yes you are a child of Fate and The World.

As my child you are keenly attuned to Karma.

This is what is allowing you to peer into your Old Karma.

Although It has other uses I will leave those for you to find."

"Are you going somewhere?" I asked sleepily.

"I am sorry child but I cannot stay with you." My mother said, as she prepared to say goodbye.

"Don't worry I won't leave you empty handed, I left you a Jade Library.

If you ever have any questions it has some books in it.

And although I won't be able to talk with you very often, you can still send me letters with it.

But, just remember.

I will be watching."

"Thank you Mom." I said as tears welled up in my eyes again.

"Goodbye Kars." She said in a far away voice.

"Goodbye." I repeated soberly as I slipped away into an even deeper sleep…