"I've... been alive... been me... for two years..." He laughed. "Its... my 'birthday' in a couple days actually..." He shook his head. "In those two years, I've always had nightmares about... About seeing people slaughtered in front of me... by me. Or atleast in the first person... I thought they were just nightmares but... A few weeks ago, this friend I mentioned... we wandered into the woods and got attacked by... some kind of beast. I'd never seen one before. I thought I was going to die... Thought she was gonna die... Then I just... blacked out... Next thing I knew, I was in the hospital, and we were both ok... I had saved us. She told me I killed that beast... But it wasn't me...She... The screams..." He was drifting off in his own thoughts, his point vague due to forgotten or skipped details.
Akane tried to picture the situation as he was speaking. 'The two of them were somewhere, probably outside the campus, everything was normal until the beast appeared... And then he blacked out, yet he was the one who killed the beast according to the girl... And then she said they should stop seeing each other. The only explanation could be that she was terrified by what happened... But what was that actually?!'
"The screams? Whose screams? Also is there anything else she told you about the incident?"
she thought of something for a second or two and added "And apart from having nightmares... Have you had more of similar experiences with blackouts in past two years?"
"The screams? Whose screams? Also is there anything else she told you about the incident?"
she thought of something for a second or two and added "And apart from having nightmares... Have you had more of similar experiences with blackouts in past two years?"
He was snapped out of it by her questions. "Oh... I'm... getting off track. No, this was the first and so far only time this had happened... The screams..." He shook his head. "The screams are her power... She can hear the dead... Thats how I know for sure... She didn't see what happened, she just heard them... the people he... The people I killed... Thousands of voices screaming out until it was deafening and debilitating for her... I'm not sure why they only screamed then... The theory is that I... I turned into him... My 'blackout'... is just because I don't have HIS memories..."
'That... could be possible. It is rare to see kitsune go berserk and usually it's a matter which would be settled easily by Okami. But this is really a special case, nobody from our shrine even knew there was a demonic kitsune killing people wildly... strange...' Akane was trying to find a logical explanation, but something was missing and it was probably buried in the lost memory of his past.
"Listen, from what you've said it's obvious that you didn't really do anything to hurt your friend, and that's what is the most important." She said trying to calm him first.
"As for your theory, it might be possible that you... did turn into something different. However, that something is not Kenta." She sighed.
"It's really complicated... What I want to say is, if you could find out more about your past, or at least more about your nightmares, you'd probably be able to take control over that something you might have turned into."
She stroked his hair and gave him a warm look. "My powers may be just what you need, though I can't be hundred percent sure that my plan will work. It might also be a terrifying experience for us both, but I'm ready to do anything to help you! So are you ready to hear about it?"
"Listen, from what you've said it's obvious that you didn't really do anything to hurt your friend, and that's what is the most important." She said trying to calm him first.
"As for your theory, it might be possible that you... did turn into something different. However, that something is not Kenta." She sighed.
"It's really complicated... What I want to say is, if you could find out more about your past, or at least more about your nightmares, you'd probably be able to take control over that something you might have turned into."
She stroked his hair and gave him a warm look. "My powers may be just what you need, though I can't be hundred percent sure that my plan will work. It might also be a terrifying experience for us both, but I'm ready to do anything to help you! So are you ready to hear about it?"
"Take... control? ..." He shook his head. "Nee-chan, I... I don't think thats a good idea... It seems more likely that HE would take control... He..." Kenta held his head. "He was the original. He was here first. Its his body. His mind. His... soul..." He looked at her, his eyes wide with fear. "This is what I'm most afraid of... Maybe... Maybe why she was afraid I'd... Just be gone one day... I... I don't know what makes me me! What part is Kenta?! I can't... I ..." He stopped, closed his eyes, and curled up into a ball, his knees up to his head. "... I don't... I don't have a soul... Like you do..."
"Of course you do have a soul Kenta..." She said softly. "How can someone who genuinely cares for other people be a person without a soul? The people without a soul can't cry! They're empty. But you're nothing like that, you have feelings and that's what makes you you! So, whatever happened in the past you are the one who possesses this body now and you should make the best use of it protecting those you care about..." She poked his shoulder lightly as she said that.
"Like, for example, that friend of yours who I'm sure didn't want to lose you. But first of all you need to protect yourself from him. You need to learn what he really is and why is he appearing in your dreams. Don't be afraid Kenta, you can do it you're stronger than him - the fact that you're here proves it."
"Like, for example, that friend of yours who I'm sure didn't want to lose you. But first of all you need to protect yourself from him. You need to learn what he really is and why is he appearing in your dreams. Don't be afraid Kenta, you can do it you're stronger than him - the fact that you're here proves it."
Kenta slowly picked up his head to look at her. "Thats... all it takes to have a soul?..." He shook his head and took a deep breath. "A-alright, Nee-chan. How do I... How do I learn more about him? How do I make sure I don't lose?"
Akane nodded to confirm what she previously said about having a soul.
"Well, let's focus on learning about him first, that's the main thing. Once you know what he is we'll figure how to deal with him. You won't lose Kenta!" She took his hand and squeezed it mildly to encourage him.
"Now, I should tell you some more about my powers first. You've already had an experience with my illusion spell. The one I used then is shiro and allows me to create pleasant illusions, but there is also its opposite kuro, which allows me to create terrifying illusions such as the one of a nightmare... anyone's nightmare..." She paused giving him some time to process the information.
"So this is what I suggest: I think I should use kuro to induce your nightmare. Considering that my spell is very powerful it'll affect all your senses so you won't only have a blurry picture of it - it'll seem real... I know it might be torturing for both of us, but I'm afraid there are no too many other options you have if you want learn more about him. But... Do you think you could do it?"
"Well, let's focus on learning about him first, that's the main thing. Once you know what he is we'll figure how to deal with him. You won't lose Kenta!" She took his hand and squeezed it mildly to encourage him.
"Now, I should tell you some more about my powers first. You've already had an experience with my illusion spell. The one I used then is shiro and allows me to create pleasant illusions, but there is also its opposite kuro, which allows me to create terrifying illusions such as the one of a nightmare... anyone's nightmare..." She paused giving him some time to process the information.
"So this is what I suggest: I think I should use kuro to induce your nightmare. Considering that my spell is very powerful it'll affect all your senses so you won't only have a blurry picture of it - it'll seem real... I know it might be torturing for both of us, but I'm afraid there are no too many other options you have if you want learn more about him. But... Do you think you could do it?"
Kenta swallowed hard and quickly nodded before he could hesitate. "I've been through it so many times. It couldn't be that hard to--" He cut himself off with a realization. "Wait... both of us?" He asked. "It'll... It'll hurt you too?"
Akane was deeply moved by how bravely he accepted to give a try to something so disturbing, worrying only about what will happen to her.
"It will only hurt me to see you suffering while going through that." She replied.
"I won't be able to see what you see and feel what you feel because kuro doesn't affect me at all. Though, I'll still be able to see your reaction to it and that could be hard to watch... However, my dark spell can last for maximum 20 seconds in case I fully focus on it and as soon as it breaks you'll be fine, I promise you."
"It will only hurt me to see you suffering while going through that." She replied.
"I won't be able to see what you see and feel what you feel because kuro doesn't affect me at all. Though, I'll still be able to see your reaction to it and that could be hard to watch... However, my dark spell can last for maximum 20 seconds in case I fully focus on it and as soon as it breaks you'll be fine, I promise you."