Crescent Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Breathe ❯ Memories ( Chapter 1 )

Another AU I'm going to start. My inspiration for Phases is lacking, as is Remedy, but I promise an update sooner or later on both accounts. This is another story inspired by the second book in the series. I've got another story for after I'm finished with Phases, because this is gonna be another update as I please one. Actually, all my stories are now update as I please, because weekly updates are too much. I don't have the attention span. I am promising two updates/uploads per week though, and I hope Phases will be next on the list.

Anyway, I've ranted enough. Let's start off with the basic disclaimer!!

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Crescent Moon. If I did, I'd never finish the series thanks to my short attention span.

Breathe

Chapter One: Memories

He was drowning. Things were grabbing him, holding him down, something gagging his mouth so he couldn't breathe. He struggled beneath the weight, struggled to make some noise. His vision was pitch black. Memories flashed before him: a man and a woman hugging him; a taunting cry; a horrified scream; blood everywhere; a pretty young girl; a boy holding the girl in his arms; himself holding the girl in his arms; memories jumbled and flashed. Then stopped. Freeze. He saw himself, strapped down, fighting, bleeding…

Dying.

His world went black.

A light, piercing through the darkness like some holy beacon.

…Not holy. Far from it. Evil, cold, drawing him in.

“Death is not an option…”

Someone speaking…

“…We must keep him alive…”

Someone else…

“But this will help him…”

His eyes blinked open, the surreal reality attaching itself to him again, anchoring him down into life.

“…It's time to wake up, Mitsuru…”

◦◦◦

Mahiru sighed, pushing back a strand of blond hair. It was a dreary day, cold and wet with a 90-percent chance of gloom and doom. She glanced down at the bottle of pills in her hand, the ones her therapist had given her. That seemed to be the theory today: take your pill and everything will be alright.

She was sitting on her bathroom counter, her legs pressed against the wall, suspending the above the toilet. She'd been sitting there all morning, staring at the stupid pills almost as if she were going to take one, but not quite.

With another sigh, she twisted the top open and poured the pills into the toilet, using her foot to flush it.

And so began another day in Mahiru Shiraishi's life.

◦◦◦

Mitsuru battled with the straightjacket, squirming within it like a bug caught in a cocoon. He even started biting it with such desperation, but that stopped once he calmed down. A few hours later, he took to counting the buckles on the straightjacket out of sheer boredom. All he could see was white: white walls; white floors; white bed; and a mirror that was most likely a two-way one. He considered trying to break through it, but decided against; he was too weak to escape anyway.

A hidden door slid open; the door was also white and blended into the room so easily, he'd completely missed it. A woman stepped through wearing a long skirt and a baggy top, along with the usual white-robed doctor wear, her hair tied back. She pulled out a notebook and studied him curiously.

“That's weird…” she murmured, flipping through the notebook.

He made no response, merely turned his head and sat back. Slowly she moved toward him and knelt down beside him.

“Mitsuru Suou,” she said, no hint of pleasantries in her voice, “You were announced dead yesterday morning. Last night you were put in here. You hardly look dead to me.”

He remained silent, but turned to her with a half-curious look.

“Alright then. Since I know your name, I ought to give you mine. Kieko Himura. Now…”

She grabbed his head forcefully, surprising him. Her fingers seemed to sink into his head, into his mind.

“…Let's see I we can't get a look inside that head of yours.”

◦◦◦

Mahiru pulled the door open, her eyes half-closed drowsily. A cheery face greeted her, sunglasses closed over light blue eyes, blond hair sweeping over his face.

“He-e-e-ey, Mahi-”

She slammed the door shut and turned back to the couch.

“Mahiru!” Nozomu shouted from behind the door, banging on it with his fists, “Open up!”

She turned the volume up on the TV.

“`Hiru! You know if you don't open the door I'm coming in through the fire escape!”

She sighed, turned the TV off, and opened the door.

“What?” she asked crossly.

“I got a call,” he swept his sunglasses off casually in the manner that normally drove the ladies wild, “from your shrink.”

“Why is he calling you?” she eyed him carefully. Saiko Pisuto had been her shrink for the past two years, and he'd never mentioned to anyone on her number list anything that went on during the sessions.

“I'm your emergency contact. He figured it was time to call for an emergency.”

“Nozomu, I haven't spoken more than five words to you in the past two years. I wrote down that number because you were the only person I knew.”

“About that. Have you made any new friends yet?”

She glared at him. “…No.”

“Well there's your problem. Come on `Hiru,” he grabbed her arm, “We should go out somewhere.”

She yanked her arm free and crossed them over her chest. He gazed at her, his expression softening.

“Mahiru… It's been two years.”

Her lips tightened; her eyes hardened. He reached out to her again; she flinched, stepping sideways.

“Go.”

“Mahiru…”

“I said go.”

“Fine,” he flipped his sunglasses back on and flashed her a smile. “But I'm not giving up.”

She had a feeling he wouldn't.

◦◦◦

Keiko handed the notebook to Hokuto.

“What's this?” he asked, skimming the small handwriting.

“Notes. You set me up with a session, I got your information. His mind was very organized. Wasn't hard to pull out files and read them. I guess that's what happens when your mind's a copy of a past life.” She paused. “I wasn't sure what you were looking for…”

He smiled. “Don't worry. I've got special plans for this one.”

Keiko shrugged and left him to his maniacal laughter.

◦◦◦

Mahiru sat beneath the covers, the phone in her lap. Tears dripped down her cheeks and she wiped them away. Slowly she picked the phone up and pressed the speed-dial: number 5.

The phone rang.

“Hello?” Nozomu's voice filled her ears.

“N-Nozomu,” she sighed, “Maybe… maybe you could…” She swallowed. There was silence, but she could practically hear his smile.

“Sure, `Hiru. I'll be over in a minute.”

She muttered a goodbye, hung up, and groaned into her blanket.

Author(ess) Notes:

So there's the start of the AU. Confused? Understandable. All will be explained in due time, I promise. Yes, Mahiru's seeing a shrink. Good job for her though, not taking those pills and everything. But a depressed Mahiru is a thoroughly depressed Mahiru. She's mean at Nozomu for a reason, soon to be explained (hopefully.) I was going to make Misoka her shrink, but I decided against it; I have a better role for him and Akira too.

So, thanks for reading and please leave a review so I won't be so damn whiny all the time.

~Jimmy G.E. ^,.^.,^