Tremors
The Dolls 3: Tremors
Nino, Yuki, and the three dolls continued to watch Sho's segment over dessert and some warm tea until the program ended. The dishes were put away by Yuki's servants and Nino was given some medicine for his fever. As the rain finally started to subside, Yuki and Nino started forming plans on how to get Sho to visit their little boutique...
"Sho's a pretty good looking guy, don't you think?" Yuki turned to Nino who looked considerably better after being fed.
"Yes, I suppose he is. He just looks a bit ... dorky to me" Nino replied
"Still, you admit he is attractive," Yuki quirked a brow at Nino as she tentatively experimented with the TV's remote control.
"Of course, or he wouldn't have gotten on television..." Nino replied, distracted by how Yuki surfed channels, changed the volume, and played with the color settings all at once.
"Well, we are a fashion boutique, aren't we?"
"Yes...what do you have in mind?"
"I don't know... I suppose we could invite him to do a little feature on our shop, or ... or, maybe we could get him as a model!" said Yuki, her eyes twinkling, as she pictured Sho looking sleek and elegant in a tailored Armani suit; Plans of how to actually get Sho to the boutique temporarily forgotten...
"That sounds like an idea..." Nino reflected, working out the details of Yuki's plans.
"Well, it's getting late," Yuki said as she switched the television off and got up to stretch her arms "Good thing it's a weekend tomorrow. You don't have to wake up early"
"Oh yes, thank you for the clothes and the food," Nino replied "I think the rain's not that strong anymore..."
"Don't even think about going home," Yuki wagged her finger at Nino "You still have a fever, and I'm not letting you go home sick."
Nino merely nodded in assent as Yuki once more summoned her servants to prepare one of the guest rooms.
"...really, that's not necessary, I could sleep on the couch here" Nino offered
"Don't be silly, you're sick and you need to be comfortable... unless of course you'd like to sleep with Ohno?" Yuki winked "You can take him to your room if you want..."
"No n-not really," Nino stammered, remembering the funny voices in his head, (especially the one that protested when he said that Sho was dorky)
"Are you sure? Ohno would have loved it though" Yuki teased.
"Maybe some other time..." Nino squeaked in reply as he began to follow Yuki through the colorful display aisles of of clothes, shoes, and accessories that her shop carried.
"Um... I've been wondering..." Nino began
"Yes?"
"Where will you and your servants sleep? This boutique is big, I'm sure but..."
"Well, you're about to enter a part of the shop that customers don't usually get to see..."
Nino and Yuki stopped in front of a plain, heavy wooden door. From one of her dress pockets, Yuki produced a small golden key etched with intricate glyphs and patterns. As Yuki turned the key, a golden-yellow glow crept out from under the door. Yuki placed the palms of her hands on each side of the door and leaned in slightly, closing her eyes, while she started to softly chant words in a language unfamiliar to Nino's ear. As Yuki chanted, strange runes and symbols carved themselves out on the door's surface. The glyphs emitted an eerie red glow and began to dance and rearrange itself, as if following Yuki's voice. When the glyphs finally stood stationary, Yuki held the doorknob and uttered one final syllable before turning it and pulling the door open. Nino, who had been silently watching the strange events unfold right before his eyes, was seriously starting to doubt that this was a hallucination created by his fever. With his feet glued where he stood, Nino wondered why he wasn't already running out to the street and screaming his lungs off. A deep-seated instinct, however, told him to stay and see what would happen next.
His agitation increased as Yuki pulled the door open. On the other side was a lavishly decorated living room that belonged to a large mansion; it's decor largely inspired by the Victorian era, with its heavy drapes and its vibrant, mahogany fixtures. Buried memories threatened to spill out from Nino like a drowning man gasping for air as Yuki gently led him to sit on one of the lush couches of the living room. Nino, looking at his surroundings, could not possibly fathom how such a big space could fit inside a boutique. But a part of him told him that it was possible, and that even he was capable of such a feat...
Do you remember now, Nino? Yuki silently thought as she observed Nino: face pale, brows furrowed and clearly terrified.
Oh no, this isn't good... maybe I was forcing it too soon...
Yuki sat beside Nino and ran her fingers through his hair in a soothing gesture.
"Are you alright? You seem really tired. Come, I'll show you to your room."
Yuki once more took Nino by his cold, clammy hands and led him to a room which was a fraction smaller than the living area, but just as lavishly decorated. Nino remained in shock; silent and unresisting as Yuki laid him down on the fluffy pillows of his big, white bed and tucked him in.
"I'm sorry Nino, I didn't mean to scare you," Yuki whispered as she traced a few glyphs in the air and silently murmured a sleeping spell. Nino fell asleep almost immediately, his angelic face peaceful in slumber.
"Rest well, Nino. Remember things at your own pace, I'm sure Ohno and the others will understand... Besides, we still need to get Sho, right?" Yuki whispered to Nino's sleeping form as he turned to his side, curled up in a fetal position and wrapped his arms around a pillow.
"I don't know what you've been through, but I'll be here to help you with whatever you need," a tear slowly rolled down Yuki's cheek as she kissed her little brother goodnight. As Yuki turned to leave, she turned off the lights and left the door slightly ajar, letting the soft light from the hallway enter Nino's room.
*******
Although spelled, Nino's sleep was far from peaceful. After a few hours, Yuki's enchantment wore off and Nino began sleeping fitfully; his legs getting tangled up in the sheets as he tossed and turned while his mind started digging into memories of a buried past that surfaced as disjointed fragments of a lucid dream.
In his dream, Nino saw grand castles and temples surrounded by lush, green vegetation and fields of flowers. Names of familiar faces flashed in succession through his fuzzy mind, and although he could not tell what they were to him, he knew they were special. He saw Yuki in a white robe, holding an ornate silver staff embedded with precious stones; Aiba, in the woods as he merrily played with wild forest animals; Sho, in a brown caftan surrounded by old and dusty tomes; Jun, in his clean, whitewashed study lined with various scrolls and record books; and Ohno, in a sky-blue robe, surrounded by various paintings and sculptures as he calmly stared into a scrying pool. He remembered an idyllic world full of enchantment where he could move things by his mind, and where the weather would bend to his whims at the wave of his hand. At the blink of an eye, however, the peaceful scenery changed. The castles that once stood proudly, lay in ruins; the green grass and the tall, strong trees that once gave shelter were burnt to cinders, and all around him, people and animals lay dead. Nino remembered the tearful goodbyes as he and Sho spelled Ohno, Jun and Aiba into unmoving, lifeless dolls despite the violent and angry protests. He also recalls Yuki's resolve to bring the three to safety even though he knew how badly her heart was against leaving the two behind.
The last few moments of his dream were made of an angry ball of flame that drew nearer, and a vow to reunite with the others in another life. Afterwards, came the unbearable heat and an immense pain that ate at his skin. A comforting darkness followed, and Nino made a silent promise to forget all the painful parts of this memory.
As his soul peacefully floated along the void, a large part of Nino was eternally grateful that he was able to save what was most important to him...
"Ohno..." Nino mumbled as he suddenly sat up; eyes wide open, although his mind was still locked in a dream state. Nino started to grope blindly in the dim room and stumbled out of his bed, knocking over a small lamp perched on his bedside table.
"Nino, what is it?" Yuki, unable to sleep in her own room, popped in to check on the commotion.
"Ohno. Where's Ohno? I need to find him."
"He's right here..." Yuki gently led a half -asleep Nino to the living room where dolls sat.
"Ohno!" Nino exclaimed, as he rushed to Ohno's side and held his unmoving figure in a tight embrace. Ohno's tailored suit got soaked in tears as Nino cried and sobbed himself to sleep on Ohno's shoulders.
Nino...What's wrong?
Poor Nino... I wonder what happened?
I don't know, Aiba... I wish I did. Jun replied, deeply frustrated at his inability to help.
I wonder if Sho went through the same thing?
We'll never know until he gets here, unfortunately...
I think Ohno won't be staying with us tonight, Aiba said as Yuki led her distressed little brother back to his bedroom once more, with Ohno in tow.
**********
The following morning found Ohno lying stiffly beside Nino on his four-poster bed, with his unblinking eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. Nino, who had forgotten most of what transpired the night before, merely dismissed Ohno's appearance as a prank from Yuki. Nevertheless, in the few groggy minutes that he spent trying to grasp at a dream that he couldn't remember, Nino looked at Ohno with a fondness saved for loved ones and old friends.
As he smoothed the doll's unkempt hair, a small voice spoke in his mind:
Good Morning, Nino I hope you slept well...
Good Morning, Ohno. Nino replied, smiling fondly at the mannequin.
A few minutes later came a loud knock, and a voice that said:
"Oi Nino, breakfast is ready! Come and get it!"
"I'm coming...o--"... Oneechan? Nino just scratched his head as he got up, stretched his limbs and stepped out, leaving Ohno alone inside the big room.
I missed you, Nino...
Previous: Trickles Next: Siblings
Nino, Yuki, and the three dolls continued to watch Sho's segment over dessert and some warm tea until the program ended. The dishes were put away by Yuki's servants and Nino was given some medicine for his fever. As the rain finally started to subside, Yuki and Nino started forming plans on how to get Sho to visit their little boutique...
"Sho's a pretty good looking guy, don't you think?" Yuki turned to Nino who looked considerably better after being fed.
"Yes, I suppose he is. He just looks a bit ... dorky to me" Nino replied
"Still, you admit he is attractive," Yuki quirked a brow at Nino as she tentatively experimented with the TV's remote control.
"Of course, or he wouldn't have gotten on television..." Nino replied, distracted by how Yuki surfed channels, changed the volume, and played with the color settings all at once.
"Well, we are a fashion boutique, aren't we?"
"Yes...what do you have in mind?"
"I don't know... I suppose we could invite him to do a little feature on our shop, or ... or, maybe we could get him as a model!" said Yuki, her eyes twinkling, as she pictured Sho looking sleek and elegant in a tailored Armani suit; Plans of how to actually get Sho to the boutique temporarily forgotten...
"That sounds like an idea..." Nino reflected, working out the details of Yuki's plans.
"Well, it's getting late," Yuki said as she switched the television off and got up to stretch her arms "Good thing it's a weekend tomorrow. You don't have to wake up early"
"Oh yes, thank you for the clothes and the food," Nino replied "I think the rain's not that strong anymore..."
"Don't even think about going home," Yuki wagged her finger at Nino "You still have a fever, and I'm not letting you go home sick."
Nino merely nodded in assent as Yuki once more summoned her servants to prepare one of the guest rooms.
"...really, that's not necessary, I could sleep on the couch here" Nino offered
"Don't be silly, you're sick and you need to be comfortable... unless of course you'd like to sleep with Ohno?" Yuki winked "You can take him to your room if you want..."
"No n-not really," Nino stammered, remembering the funny voices in his head, (especially the one that protested when he said that Sho was dorky)
"Are you sure? Ohno would have loved it though" Yuki teased.
"Maybe some other time..." Nino squeaked in reply as he began to follow Yuki through the colorful display aisles of of clothes, shoes, and accessories that her shop carried.
"Um... I've been wondering..." Nino began
"Yes?"
"Where will you and your servants sleep? This boutique is big, I'm sure but..."
"Well, you're about to enter a part of the shop that customers don't usually get to see..."
Nino and Yuki stopped in front of a plain, heavy wooden door. From one of her dress pockets, Yuki produced a small golden key etched with intricate glyphs and patterns. As Yuki turned the key, a golden-yellow glow crept out from under the door. Yuki placed the palms of her hands on each side of the door and leaned in slightly, closing her eyes, while she started to softly chant words in a language unfamiliar to Nino's ear. As Yuki chanted, strange runes and symbols carved themselves out on the door's surface. The glyphs emitted an eerie red glow and began to dance and rearrange itself, as if following Yuki's voice. When the glyphs finally stood stationary, Yuki held the doorknob and uttered one final syllable before turning it and pulling the door open. Nino, who had been silently watching the strange events unfold right before his eyes, was seriously starting to doubt that this was a hallucination created by his fever. With his feet glued where he stood, Nino wondered why he wasn't already running out to the street and screaming his lungs off. A deep-seated instinct, however, told him to stay and see what would happen next.
His agitation increased as Yuki pulled the door open. On the other side was a lavishly decorated living room that belonged to a large mansion; it's decor largely inspired by the Victorian era, with its heavy drapes and its vibrant, mahogany fixtures. Buried memories threatened to spill out from Nino like a drowning man gasping for air as Yuki gently led him to sit on one of the lush couches of the living room. Nino, looking at his surroundings, could not possibly fathom how such a big space could fit inside a boutique. But a part of him told him that it was possible, and that even he was capable of such a feat...
Do you remember now, Nino? Yuki silently thought as she observed Nino: face pale, brows furrowed and clearly terrified.
Oh no, this isn't good... maybe I was forcing it too soon...
Yuki sat beside Nino and ran her fingers through his hair in a soothing gesture.
"Are you alright? You seem really tired. Come, I'll show you to your room."
Yuki once more took Nino by his cold, clammy hands and led him to a room which was a fraction smaller than the living area, but just as lavishly decorated. Nino remained in shock; silent and unresisting as Yuki laid him down on the fluffy pillows of his big, white bed and tucked him in.
"I'm sorry Nino, I didn't mean to scare you," Yuki whispered as she traced a few glyphs in the air and silently murmured a sleeping spell. Nino fell asleep almost immediately, his angelic face peaceful in slumber.
"Rest well, Nino. Remember things at your own pace, I'm sure Ohno and the others will understand... Besides, we still need to get Sho, right?" Yuki whispered to Nino's sleeping form as he turned to his side, curled up in a fetal position and wrapped his arms around a pillow.
"I don't know what you've been through, but I'll be here to help you with whatever you need," a tear slowly rolled down Yuki's cheek as she kissed her little brother goodnight. As Yuki turned to leave, she turned off the lights and left the door slightly ajar, letting the soft light from the hallway enter Nino's room.
*******
Although spelled, Nino's sleep was far from peaceful. After a few hours, Yuki's enchantment wore off and Nino began sleeping fitfully; his legs getting tangled up in the sheets as he tossed and turned while his mind started digging into memories of a buried past that surfaced as disjointed fragments of a lucid dream.
In his dream, Nino saw grand castles and temples surrounded by lush, green vegetation and fields of flowers. Names of familiar faces flashed in succession through his fuzzy mind, and although he could not tell what they were to him, he knew they were special. He saw Yuki in a white robe, holding an ornate silver staff embedded with precious stones; Aiba, in the woods as he merrily played with wild forest animals; Sho, in a brown caftan surrounded by old and dusty tomes; Jun, in his clean, whitewashed study lined with various scrolls and record books; and Ohno, in a sky-blue robe, surrounded by various paintings and sculptures as he calmly stared into a scrying pool. He remembered an idyllic world full of enchantment where he could move things by his mind, and where the weather would bend to his whims at the wave of his hand. At the blink of an eye, however, the peaceful scenery changed. The castles that once stood proudly, lay in ruins; the green grass and the tall, strong trees that once gave shelter were burnt to cinders, and all around him, people and animals lay dead. Nino remembered the tearful goodbyes as he and Sho spelled Ohno, Jun and Aiba into unmoving, lifeless dolls despite the violent and angry protests. He also recalls Yuki's resolve to bring the three to safety even though he knew how badly her heart was against leaving the two behind.
The last few moments of his dream were made of an angry ball of flame that drew nearer, and a vow to reunite with the others in another life. Afterwards, came the unbearable heat and an immense pain that ate at his skin. A comforting darkness followed, and Nino made a silent promise to forget all the painful parts of this memory.
As his soul peacefully floated along the void, a large part of Nino was eternally grateful that he was able to save what was most important to him...
"Ohno..." Nino mumbled as he suddenly sat up; eyes wide open, although his mind was still locked in a dream state. Nino started to grope blindly in the dim room and stumbled out of his bed, knocking over a small lamp perched on his bedside table.
"Nino, what is it?" Yuki, unable to sleep in her own room, popped in to check on the commotion.
"Ohno. Where's Ohno? I need to find him."
"He's right here..." Yuki gently led a half -asleep Nino to the living room where dolls sat.
"Ohno!" Nino exclaimed, as he rushed to Ohno's side and held his unmoving figure in a tight embrace. Ohno's tailored suit got soaked in tears as Nino cried and sobbed himself to sleep on Ohno's shoulders.
Nino...What's wrong?
Poor Nino... I wonder what happened?
I don't know, Aiba... I wish I did. Jun replied, deeply frustrated at his inability to help.
I wonder if Sho went through the same thing?
We'll never know until he gets here, unfortunately...
I think Ohno won't be staying with us tonight, Aiba said as Yuki led her distressed little brother back to his bedroom once more, with Ohno in tow.
**********
The following morning found Ohno lying stiffly beside Nino on his four-poster bed, with his unblinking eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. Nino, who had forgotten most of what transpired the night before, merely dismissed Ohno's appearance as a prank from Yuki. Nevertheless, in the few groggy minutes that he spent trying to grasp at a dream that he couldn't remember, Nino looked at Ohno with a fondness saved for loved ones and old friends.
As he smoothed the doll's unkempt hair, a small voice spoke in his mind:
Good Morning, Nino I hope you slept well...
Good Morning, Ohno. Nino replied, smiling fondly at the mannequin.
A few minutes later came a loud knock, and a voice that said:
"Oi Nino, breakfast is ready! Come and get it!"
"I'm coming...o--"... Oneechan? Nino just scratched his head as he got up, stretched his limbs and stepped out, leaving Ohno alone inside the big room.
I missed you, Nino...
Previous: Trickles Next: Siblings