Arise

-----Yui's POV

I was going to ask if I could stay the night, but with Kaede's mother suddenly entering the room before the visiting hours were up, I decided to leave it for now and head back home with my parents. Thankfully, Kaede still looked to be in stable condition as we left so I feel a lot better with the idea of going home. But even as I'm sitting in the back of the car, looking down at my hand, I can still feel the lingering sensation of Kaede's hand.

Mom: "How was it?"

Yui: "She's doing well. Even though she was asleep, she still grabbed my hand."

Mom: "That's great news!"

Dad: "Mm! Maybe she'll even wake up by morning."

Yui: "D-don't jinx it dad!"

Dad: "Hahahah."

I can't help but smile at this warm atmosphere. Even though Kaede's still stuck in hospital, it feels like we've passed the scary part. It's just a matter of when Kaede will wake up...

...

Once we got home, mom immediately started on dinner as dad and I helped clean up and set the table. But after dinner, I went back up into my room as I pulled out Kaede's contacts. I couldn't help but stare at the golden lens as I think back on that day when she took these off. Her eyes that day... Were shining a beautiful red. I just hope the next time I see them that I can face her properly, and not push her away.

Yui: "Hahh~"

-----Kaede's POV

It's a strange feeling, reliving your past. I felt as though the life I had been living in school was all but a lie the longer I delved into these memories. Mell, Fleur, Faye, Sicily, Lillian, Mai and her siblings... I slowly remembered everything in this world of mist, changing shape with every memory that past... Including the time when all of this began... When I killed myself.

That vision I saw outside Yui's house that day... It really was me seeing into the future, no... That's not right. I guess in this case it would be more accurate to say it's the past. That boy who killed Yui, was the same boy I saw in that cafeteria. I can still recall the sight of his mutilated corpse. Right now, in this timeline, I've yet to even speak with him, so maybe that future will never come to pass. But... That's the least of my concerns right now.

I've already ruined my relationship with Yui in this world... I understand now that what I was feeling at the time was but a fragment of my past, but now that I've remembered everything, all I feel is guilt.

(Yui: "...Maybe you should just go.")

Her last words she spoke to me... My Yui isn't the Yui in this world, I fully understand that now. I can still remember the look on her face... But I guess I had it coming, this wasn't how it was meant to be. If only I had known, I would've played the act, perfectly reliving the events on my past life, but it's too late now... I've ruined everything by coming onto her. I almost don't even want to wake up. I don't want to see what kind of look she'll give me when I do. Maybe it's just better if I just stay asleep.

Mai: "I see you're finally back."

Kaede: "..."

While I've been waiting around in this misty darkness, a white naked figure walks my way as the mist that's covering this world of darkness slowly forms clothes around her. I guess my first thought was that she was naked, so maybe my mind just subconsciously gave her clothes. Is this another memory?

Mai: "Fufu, no it's not."

Kaede: "Prove it then. Do something that I don't remember."

Mai: "Hmmm."

It was then that she suddenly extending her right arm out towards me before giving me the middle finger. I was honestly shocked to see her do that, but I can't say I've ever seen her do that before.

Kaede: "Pfft."

Mai: "That's for forgetting."

Kaede: "Yeah... I know."

Mai: "You sure are something though. Were you that keen on dying again?"

Kaede: "Hehe, maybe."

Thinking back on it, maybe I purposefully threw myself in front of that vehicle, thinking that my love won't be fulfilled in this world again. It's not the first time I did something like that.

Mai: "But you do know that you can't return to that world."

Kaede: "...Why?"

Her words just now quickly smothered the guilt I was feeling with rage. Is she saying that I'll never see Mell again? Fleur and Faye? Sicily and Lillian? Everyone?

Kaede: "You're still bound to me, right? Find a way."

Mai: "...I'm trying."

Kaede: "I don't care, try harder. You know full well that I don't belong in this world."

Mai: "..."

Kaede: "So do it."

Mai: "You really are back, hehe."

Kaede: "Hahh..."

I exhale, trying to calm myself down, but would I even be exhaling in this place? I don't even feel as though I need to breathe now that I think about it. Stupid...

Kaede: "I know... I know that you were trying. Even before this started, you were trying to find a way out of this mess."

Mai: "Y-yeah..."

Kaede: "So? Did you find anything?"

Mai: "Nothing substantial, no. I'm still trying to sort out everything in this world

?: "Hello?"

Kaede: "Hmm?"

And just then, a voice echoed through the darkness, but the mist never gave shape to this voice like what it did with Mai.

Mai: "You here her too, Kaede?"

Kaede: "Yeah? Who is this?"

?: "It's Selene."

Kaede: "What?!"

Selene: "It's good to finally talk with you, hehe."

Kaede: "Wait, Mai. This is Selene? How?!"

Mai: "I... Maybe because your souls are still linked... I'm not too sure why it's happening now, but it could be because you've finally returned. She might've been trying to contact you all this time."

Selene: "Mhmm! Kaede."

Kaede: "Yes?"

Selene: "Hehehe! This is so cool! I've always wanted to be able to say thank you."

Kaede: "Thank me?"

Selene: "You saved my mom, right? I know it was complicated as you were holding onto me through all of it, and I know I must've been a burden to you. I'm also sorry about that."

Kaede: "Hehe, it's okay. If it wasn't for you, I would've never grown to accept who I was there. And even now."

Selene: "Ah, right. You had to deal with all that... Yeah... I'm really sorry about that."

I can't believe the conversation I'm having right now. Am I really talking with Selene? Or am I just so high on drugs in the hospital that I'm just making up all of this in my mind?

Kaede: "It certainly was hard living like a vampire. But again, you gave some comfort in my life. So it's not something you need to apologize for."

Selene: "Hehehe."

Kaede: "Wait, but time reversed, right? So aren't you not born yet?"

Selene: "Huh? No, I'm about 1, close to 2 years old. Vampires mature quite fast, and especially since I still hold all the memories from before."

Kaede: "I guess that makes sense."

Selene: "What about you?"

Kaede: "Hmm?"

Selene: "How old are you?"

Kaede: "It's a bit silly asking that question, isn't it? I mean, mentally aren't we both old?"

Selene: "I guess so, hehe."

I don't know when, but all the guilt and anger had all disappeared inside me as I find myself having fun talking with my so called other half, or perhaps maybe even my twin?

Kaede: "But the world I'm in right now, I guess I'm 15."

Selene: "Oooh! So then you're like my older sister?"

Kaede: "Pfft."

Selene: "Ehh? Why is that funny?"

Kaede: "N-no, hehe. I was actually that as well, that we're like twin sisters."

Selene: "Ahh~"

Kaede: "Hehe, you sound happy."

Selene: "Of course I am! I always admired you, Kaede. Ah, I mean sis."

Kaede: "Already choose to call me that now?"

Selene: "I can't?"

Kaede: "Pfft. Of course you can sis."

Selene: "Ehehehe~"

God, just talking with Selene like this is so pleasing. It's like a piece of myself is has finally been found, making me whole again.

Mai: "Actually, calling you two twins might be correct."

Selene: "What do you mean?"

Mai: "Well, Kaede is actually changing in her world. You two also look strikingly similar."

Selene: "Really?!"

I for one already knew that Selene and I shared a lot of similarities in appearance, but I feel like with how my body's changing in this world, it's almost like we're becoming even more alike.

Selene: "Ahh~ Kaede! I wanna see you!"

Kaede: "Yeah... I do too."

Selene: "So Mai! Shouldn't you get back to work?"

Mai: "Hah~ So now I have two people ordering me around now?"

Kaede/Selene: "Pfft."

Mai: "I'll see what I can do."

And just like that, Mai disappears in the world of mist and darkness. But I guess I'm no longer alone. Maybe it's 'cause I haven't met Selene in person yet that she isn't appearing in this mist like space.

Selene: "Mmmm. Now it's just us."

Kaede: "Hehe, yeah."

Selene: "We'll try and figure something out ourselves as well."

Kaede: "Hmm? How so?"

Selene: "Well, we're quite fortunate, right? We're talking together despite being in completely different worlds."

Kaede: "I-I guess you have a point."

Of course I was aware about it, but it never truly crossed my mind until now.

Kaede: "Maybe we could find something."

Selene: "Mhmm! So let's work together from now on sis!"

Kaede: "Hehe. Yeah... We'll meet up soon, sis."

Selene: "Mmm."

Before, I was thinking of just staying in this world of darkness, never to wake up again. But even though I'm frightened of Yui and what I have done, after talking with Selene, I feel as if I've been reignited as I feel as though my body is growing hotter by the second. And in the next moment, the misty darkness that has engulfed me all this time slowly fades away as a crack of light soon breaks through. It was then that I felt my eyelids begin to open as the light I saw in the darkness is quickly replaced with the sight of a ceiling. 

The only sound I could hear is the occasional beeping sound coming from a monitor next to me along with that appears to be oxygen being pumped through this mask that's on my face. I continue to lay down for a few more moments to process everything before finally sitting up, taking the mask away from my face as I do so. It was then that I felt my head being caught as I soon discovered that something was already on my head. I quickly take it off with my right hand, and that's when I saw that my left hand was in a cast.

Kaede: "I forgot how weak my body was..."

No, that's not it. I know full well as to why I'm weak. Vampires live off of blood, and the current me hasn't even had a drop of blood. Of course I'd be weak. But...

Kaede: "Hmmm."

With my right hand, I move it over to my left as I try to attempt to use light magic in order to heal my arm. I wasn't sure if it would work or not as I'm still in Earth, so it was shocking to see that I somehow still possessed mana as light magic soon spread out from the palm of my hand, slowly engulfing my left arm. Thankfully no one is around so this shouldn't cause any problems. After feeling that my arm has been fully healed, I rip the cast off, tossing it to the side.

Wait, but hang on. Magic doesn't exist in this world... Would that mean that I'm the first magic user?

Kaede: "Pfft."

That said, I still feel lethargic, as when I move my legs off the side of the bed, I can barely feel anything. I know that if I try to stand up, I'd most likely collapse. What a pain...