Those of Us Alone

Chapter 46: A Familiar Place and A Familiar Face

Midori's POV

"I was really hoping for a peaceful, dreamless sleep tonight," I mutter annoyingly looking at a very smug blue dragon.

I was back in the same 'astral plane', or whatever, that I had found myself in . . . uh . . . when was it that I was here?

"A few months ago," I turned and jumped in surprise, looking at the dragon. How did -? "Your thoughts get projected to me when we are here in this place because we are connected."

"Uh-huh . . ."

The dragon had moved, stalking around me before placing its face before mine, "You really did lose a lot of your memory, didn't you?" I raised an eyebrow, but waited for him to elaborate, "You obviously do not know how the two of us are connected, and yet, you had so much disdain in your voice - pointed towards me like I was an old friend."

"At this point," I said with a shrug, "it wouldn't surprise me if all the people that were introduced to me - with no malice - ended up being an old friend."

A scoff, "That's a dangerous mentality."

I rolled my eyes, "Apparently, all I know is that regardless of what my mind is trying to tell me about what I should know, my instincts are what I need to trust." I turned my head to look off into the distance, catching the scenery of all the blue clouds that surrounded us. I sighed before turning my gaze to meet the golden eyes of the blue dragon that now kept me company, "My instincts have yet to lead me astray. Even when I was at a loss for what to do in certain situations, I never got into much trouble reacting the way my body seems to want to."

A glint of mischief filled the eyes of the majestic beast, "Oh, and what were your instincts saying then about your blonde friend?"

I quickly snapped my gaze away from the dragon and made a b-line for a particularly comfy looking cloud.

"Silence?" This guy thought that he was all high and mighty, "Come now, your bright red face tells me otherwise."

Much like what I did with my gaze a few moments ago, I snapped back at the dragon, "Did you just bring me here to torment me even more with things that I am confused over?!"

Laughter flowed throughout the clouded area. I was currently trying to hide from the world by shoving my face into the soft cloud that I was holding in my lap. I froze, "Why is this even nostalgic to me?!?!"

Suddenly, a calming but joyful voice spoke up, "Glad to see you're much livelier this time around, Midori."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I'm really sorry," I said bowing slightly to my predecessor, Abi. 

The man smiled before waving his hand, "It's not that big of a deal, Midori. We only met once."

"But," I mutter looking down at my lap, "I just have this feeling that I thought you were important - someone I would have remembered if it weren't for that stupid injury!" 

Somehow, I ended up on my feet, and I began to pace with my head in my hands. I was stressed beyond belief, and Abi was like enough to tell me that 'here' was 'heaven' or something like that. That just elevated my stress because of the obvious question - was I dead?

Thankfully, Abi was also kind enough to answer that for me; no, I was not dead, just asleep like I assumed when I first 'appeared' here. Also, apparently because of the fact that I was not dying, my mind decided that I needed to work some things through and I suddenly ended up here.

"Is everything alright, Midori-san?" 

I stop and look over to him before I resumed what I was doing, answering him during my stressful pacing, "No, nothing is alright." All that answered was silence, so I took that to mean that I needed to elaborate, "I feel so behind! I can interact with people I knew, but they have to be somewhat reserved because I just had to go lose my memory! AND now I'm not even sure what to believe! Who am I to trust?! I'm so confused!" I stopped and turned to look at an understanding and compassionate Abi, "Not only that, but I've forgotten everything that has to do with the most current part of my life! You're my predecessor, but why? Why is this dragon and I connected? How much family do I have that I have forgotten? I have no idea what I - !"

A pair of hands were placed upon my shoulders, surprising me enough that I stopped ranting and looked into Abi's eyes, "Okay. Take a breath." Doing as he said, I slowly breathe in - surprised by how much I actually needed that calm breath of air. He then continued in a soft, calming voice, "While I can't answer on who to trust, I can tell you that for sure that I am your predecessor - if anything was proof of that, it would be the breakdown you're having in your mind but not outside of your mind." I nod. "These questions are not unfamiliar to me. As to why we are connected . . . do you remember the creation story?"

I blinked, that was actually something I remembered, "Surprisingly, yes. I believe that I heard it from one of the many people who were enslaved with me."

"Midori," he gave a small smile as the next words tumbled from his mouth, "You are the current generation's blue dragon warrior," my eyes widened, and that information began to clear a few things up, so much so that I almost missed the rest of what Abi was saying, "- well, one of them."

Slowly, I sank to my knees, trying to process the information, "So . . . I'm one of this generation's blue dragon warriors?" Abi nodded as I thought out my problems aloud, "Okay. That . . . that makes a little bit of sense - why I can see far and through things . . ." Another nod of encouragement, "And if I'm only one of the blue dragon warriors, then is there one more?" A nod of affirmation, "I heard I had a brother . . . Hak?" Abi actually responded this time by shaking his head no, "Okay . . . Wait! Yona said that Hak and I weren't actually related! . . . So, I have another brother?"

Suddenly, it was as if I was fading out, I looked around as the world began to get hazy, "What's going on?!?"

Laughter filled what was left of the air, "It's alright, Midori." I looked over to where Abi stood, "I promise you will come back as long as you want to know what you forgot." I went to speak, but Abi held up his hand and continued speaking, "It appears you are waking up now. Good luck, Midori!"

~~~~~~~~~~~

I scrunched up my face as I tried to open my eyes and got temporarily blinded by the rays of sunlight that streamed through my window.

Turning over, all I really wanted to do was go back to sleep. I was exhausted, though I had no idea why . . . oh, hold on. Maybe it was that dream? It was so vivid that there was no way that I imagined it all . . . right?

I didn't have long to contemplate that thought as the Earth General's Wife, Lady Yun-ho, burst into my room with two maids - one holding a dress and haori, and the other holding a box of who-knows-what, "Lady Midori~! Get up! I brought you some clothes to wear!"

I sighed, but complied in sitting up, "Good morning, Lady Yun-ho."

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Hey guys!

I finished writing another chapter! 

I figure that going into the 'spiritual realm' is a good way for Midori to find some things out.  I've written her to be a pretty guarded character, so I feel like it would take Midori getting pretty close to another person to speak about her feelings aloud.

The way I worked around that is like what I did when she was 'dying'. That realm is a place where she has to face herself in order to escape, though now, since she isn't dying, her 'psyche' is reaching out to those she is closest to spiritually. So, that's why I thought that it would be good - especially since she is away from one side of her lost story.

So, I hope you like this chapter!

~Ashley