Fan Fiction ❯ Second Chance ❯ Reality is Sometimes the Strangest Dream ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Akakamino Shiroko hummed happily and skipped up the stairs to her sister's bedroom. She couldn't wait to tell her all about the great day she had had at baton. Being intrusive as always, Shiroko refused to knock at the bedroom door and just plowed right in. "Baton was awesome today, Reiko!" she exclaimed, blond ponytail bouncing with every step as she walked to the bed. "Reiko?" She attempted to wake her older sister up, shaking her arm and calling out to her. "Reiko?!" The little girl began to tremble. She couldn't understand why her sister wouldn't wake up. "Mommy! Daddy!" she screamed, rushing down the stairs. "Reiko won't wake up!"

The parents of Shiroko and Reiko met their daughter at the bottom of the staircase. "Honey, what do you mean she won't wake up?" Her mother asked.

"She's sleeping, but she won't wake up, Mommy! I poked her and I pinched her and I tapped her and I called her name but she won't wake up!" Shiroko told them, eyes filling with frightened tears.

Mr. Akakamino ran up the stairs to his daughter's room as his wife comforted their youngest child. He also tried to wake her up, shaking her and yelling at her name, telling her that if this was a trick to scare her sister than it wasn't funny. Then, something caught his eye. On her dresser was a bottle and an almost empty glass, which still had a little water left in it. He immediately recognized the bottle as the sleeping pills his mother had taken when she stayed with them a few years ago, before she passed away. It had been half-full then. Now it was completely empty, not a pill in sight. His breath caught in his throat as he put two and two together, staring at his oldest daughter. "Reiko, how could you?"

He picked up the phone on her night stand and preceded to dial an ambulance, blinking away the tears of hurt and fear.


There was something wrong. She could feel it in he bones. If she had bones. She wasn't quite sure anyone. In fact, she wasn't quite sure where she was. Wherever it was, she hadn't come here willingly. She would never leave home without her jacket. That was the one thing that kept her safe. But the leather material wasn't wrapped around her arms and shoulders and she felt utterly lost and alone.

"I hate fog," she said aloud, not even sure if she was talking to herself, the fog so thick she most likely wouldn't have been able to make out anyone if there were people there. Fur rubbing against her ankle was probably a bad thing though. She didn't know much about rats, but did they like fog? Definitely not wanting to find out, she lifted her right foot off the ground and shook it out. Whatever was on her went flying and landed several feet away.

"That was very rude, you know!" whatever it was scolded her.

She stared at it as it came closer to her. "A fox. A fox is talking to me. I get it now! It's a dream! Odd one at that I usually dream about normal things, like entrance exams and such. At least I think. I don't remember most of my dreams. I'm talking to myself again, I should really stop doing that."

"You are an odd one, aren't you," the fox commented from the ground, taking a moment to wash its paw full of beautiful red-orange fur.

"I'm odd? You're a talking fox!" she yelled at it, annoyed that this thing was calling her odd when it was something right out of a Ghibli movie.

It rolled it's green eyes at her. "Come with me, they sent me to get you, odd one."

She followed it as it walked away through the fog, not noticing it clearing up. "I am not an odd one! I have a name you know! It's--"

"Akakamino Reiko," said a beautiful voice from the left of her.

Reiko realized she was in a circular patio made entirely of stone. The architecture was breathtaking, but she barely noticed as she looked at the woman who was talking to her. "Who are you and how do you know my name?"

The fox rolled his eyes again. "Of course she knows your name. Why would she have sent for you if she didn't know your name?"

"I don't know who sent for me!" Reiko protested. "All you said was 'they'. 'They' isn't very descriptive, now is it?"

It scowled at her, and began to retort when the woman interrupted. "Stop fighting this instant. Reiko, I am one of the ones who called for you. The other two on your case couldn't make it at the moment, so I'm here."

"Uh huhAnd you are?"

"Oh, forgive me," the woman said, adjusting her toga. "I'm Aphrodite."

Reiko blinked. "Sure you are, and I'm the Pope."

"How dare you speak to her that way!" The fox growled. "She's a goddess, you oddball mortal!"

"Fox, calm yourself," the so-called goddess directed, picking him up and stroking it's fur to calm it.

"What are you going to do about it, fur ball?!" she shot back.

"Reiko, you get a hold of yourself as well. I want no more fighting between the two. If you're going to be partners you shouldn't fight. And yes, I am the goddess Aphrodite, whether you believe me or not."

"Partners? Partners in what, I should be dead by now. I took enough sleeping pills and dead people don't have partners," she told her airily.

"Quite true, you are dead," Aphrodite said absentmindedly, pushing her blond curls back and petting Fox some more. "That's the only way you'd be able to visit me."

"Good, then everything went fine. You can send me to realms of the dead or whatever now." Reiko closed her eyes, preparing to get beamed or transported or whatever these gods did.

"It's not that simple, dear."

She cracked open one of her eyes, "What do you mean 'It's not that simple'? I'm dead, I go to the realms of the dead, that's how these things work."

"You're a very special case, Reiko"

"You sound like my guidance counselor."

"What she's trying to say is, you're not staying dead," Fox grumbled, looking very upset about that.

There was silence for a while. If there were crickets wherever they were, you could have heard them chirping. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN, I'M NOT STAYING DEAD?!"

"I expected you'd have that kind of reaction" Aphrodite sighed. "But since you are one of the many people who commit suicide each year, we want you to help us."

"No!" Reiko said defiantly.

"You don't exactly have a choice," the goddess threatened as she gestured around. "We're in Limbo right now. You know what that is?"

"The realm between Earth and the Realms of the Dead and the Immortals," she replied immediately.

"Wow, she actually knows something!" Fox gasped in shock, receiving a glare that sent him cuddling back into Aphrodite's arms.

"That's right. Now, if you don't agree to this, you will stay here forever. You will never advance to the Realms of the Dead, but stay here alone. It's your choice, and this will be the only chance you get, so consider your option wisely," Aphrodite sat elegantly on one of the stone benches, watching the mortal closely.

Reiko sighed and glared at her. "You sure you're a goddess?"

She smiled, blue eyes sparkling as she winked and tossed her blonde hair.

"Fine, I'll do it, but only because you blackmailed me. Isn't that a sin or something?"

"I'm a Greek goddess, it's ok for us to do things like that." She waggled her fingers at Reiko. "Have fun and I'll be in communication later."

"Huh?" Reiko wondered as everything stared to fade away. "Don't I even get anything explained!"

"I'll explain later!" Aphrodite yelled at the last second. "Tata!" Then everything faded away


Reiko blinked her eyes, then closed them tightly. "Bright light, bright light" She heard sighs of relief all around her.

"Sis!" She was hugged hard and she looked down to see a brunette head similar to her own. "Are you ok, Reiko?"

"I-I'm fine, Shiroko" she said slowly, hugging her little sister back and stroking her hair.

"Honey, let your sister breathe," their mom pulled Shiroko off gently, smiling at her elder daughter. "It's good to see you awake, dear."

Reiko felt soft cloth touch her shoulders and bare back and realized that her dad had placed her leather jacket over her shoulders. "Thought you would want that," he told her and she quickly put her arms through the sleeves and hugged her beloved jacket around herself.

"Thanks" their daughter whispered, brushing back a lock of her long wavy hair that had fallen into her eyes.

Her parents exchanged a look and nodded. "I should take Shiroko home, she has school tomorrow," her mother suggested, getting to her feet and getting her purse.

"Awwwww, do I have to ma?" Shiroko protested. "I wanna stay with Reiko!" She gave her big sister another hug, smiling as her hair was stroked.

"You still have homework, don't you?" Her father asked.

"I-" She started, the looked to the ground. "yes"

"Then we should go. I'll bring you over after school tomorrow and hopefully she'll be able to come home soon." Shiroko gave her another hug, then went to stand by the door with her mom.

"Ma!" Reiko said hurriedly as they started to walk out the door.

"Yes, dear?"

"Can Ihave a hug before you leave?" Mrs. Akakamino looked pleasantly surprised and gave her daughter a big hug. Reiko breathed in deeply, and sighed in relief. She didn't smell any alcohol on her mom. Maybe she should try to kill herself more often, for Shiroko's sake at least.

"I'll walk you out and try to find the nurse. Be back in a bit, sweetie." Mr. Akakamino placed a kiss on his oldest daughter's forehead and walked out with his youngest child and wife.

Reiko laid back on her pillows and sighed. At least her mom was sober for once. That would keep Shiroko safe on the way home, but she'd ask her father to go home soon. She surveyed the hospital room. It was a single, which surprised her. She knew they were expensive. It was painted white, with white and gray tiles. She supposed that the brown door that her family hadn't exited from was the bathroom. Suddenly, the blue door opened and she sat up, preparing to have to talk to her father.

It wasn't her father though. Not even close. A guy, around her age she supposed, came sauntering in, carrying some flowers. He had brown hair that was cut in the fashionable style for boys and wore a blue school uniform that was oddly familiar to her over his muscular build. "Hey, Grandpa--" He stared, gray eyes wide, at the pretty girl who was where his grandfather was supposed to be. "I-I'm sorry!" he stuttered. "Wrong room! Please excuse me!"

He walked backwards out of the room quickly, closing the door behind him. "Hmph," Reiko crossed her arms. "He could have left the flowers."

Mr. Akakamino returned a few minutes later. He didn't say anything, but sat down on the side of her bed and held Reiko tightly, kissing the top of her head over and over. "Oh, sweetie, I was so scared I don't know what I would have done without you." He pulled away from her, holding her by the shoulders and looking her straight in the eye. "Promise me you'll never do anything like that again. Please, Reiko, promise me that."

She nodded, swallowing to try and rid herself of the lump that had formed in her throat. "I promise, Dad, I'm really sorry."

He hugged her again. "It's ok, I know things haven't always been easy for you."

"That's an understatement," she snorted.

"Without you this family wouldn't be here anymore, and I mean that." He held her for a few minutes longer, blinking away tears that had started to gather in his eyes. "I should go, baby, I have work tomorrow."

She nodded. "I know. Have a good day."

"Thanks dear. I'll try to come and see you during lunch." He handed her a bag that was in her closet. "This is just some things I brought you from home: books, CD player, CDs, that sort of thing."

She nodded at the contents. "Thank you, daddy."

He kissed her forehead once more. "I'll see you tomorrow, sweetheart. The nurse should be here in a bit."

Reiko watched as her father left, then she stuck her bag on the floor within reach and laid back, closing her eyes. She felt bad now. She hated feeling bad. Reiko couldn't believe that she had hurt her father and Shiroko, who she had practically devoted her life to protecting.

Something else was bothering her though. Something in the back of her mind that she couldn't quite remember. It felt like bits and pieces of a fleeting dream that stayed beyond her grasp no matter how hard she tried to hold on to it.

The nurse came in then, and she decided she would think about it later, when someone wasn't taking her vital signs and sticking needles in her arm.


Reiko's doctor allowed her to go home three days later, but advised her not to go to school until Monday so she would have a few more days to rest. Unfortunately, Monday rolled around eventually, meaning everyone had to get back to work and education.

Reiko groaned as her alarm went off, but got up anyway and stumbled in to the bathroom to bathe. She let the furo sooth away the aches in her body after an uncomfortable night's sleep, then got changed into her school uniform. She had a traditional sailor skirt in dark blue, though her white shirt was not as traditional. It was normal by the breast, a button down with a collar and a dark blue tie that matched her skirt. Over the stomach were corset type strings though, giving it a different look. There was a blue blazer that completed the outfit, and she slipped that over her shoulders, looking longingly at her leather jacket that hung over the back of her desk chair. She carefully used her brush to comb out any tangles in her hair, then slipped a headband on. She wondered how her teachers and classmates would react to the suddenly studious look she had acquired.

After slipping some socks on to warm her feet, she ran downstairs to join her family for breakfast, which smelled great. She looked at the odd yellow substance on her plate. "What is this?" she asked her mom.

"It's an American recipe I looked up in that book your aunt got me for Christmas," her mom told her, taking a bite. "They're called "scrambled eggs." They're quite good. Try them."

Reiko sat down hesitantly and only took a bite after making sure her father and sister were eating them fine. "These aren't half bad."

"You sound surprised. I'm not that bad of a cook!" Her mother protested.

"We'd know if you didn't make me cook so much" Reiko whispered under her breath.

"Hm?" Her parents asked, who hadn't heard her because of her low tone.

"Nothing" She continued to eat her eggs, staring off into space until thinking of something. "Isn't everyone at school going to wonder where I was?"

"You're teachers know where you were, but we asked them not to tell your classmates. We thought that would be your decision." Her father informed her.

She swallowed her last bite of breakfast and took a long sip of tea. "My teachers know" She got up quickly and ran upstairs, grabbing her jacket and putting it on over her blazer.

"Why are you wearing that?" Shiroko asked.

"Well, I doubt my teachers will scold the mentally unstable student." She grinned.

Her father frowned at her. "If that's what all of this was about you are grounded for the rest of your life."

She laughed for the first time in weeks, and kissed his cheek. "Don't worry about it. I'm heading off, see you all later!" She put her shoes on by the door, running out into the sunshine. She hadn't realized just how much she had taken for granted until she was stuck in the hospital. For those few days she had forgotten the feeling of the warmth of the sun or the feeling of the breeze as she walked along the water and over the bridge that was the way to her school.

It wasn't a long walk, and she arrived at her middle school in just a few minutes. She was in class 3-B, in her last year. Next year, as long as she passed her entrance exams, she would enter high school. For now though, this building was where she had to attend Monday-Saturday.

Even students who weren't her classmates were staring at her and whispering as she entered the campus and went to change her shoes, most likely because of the oddness of her jacket over the required uniform. She ignored their glances and went to class without stopping to talk to anyone. She wasn't exactly the most popular person at school; by the look on her classmates faces when she entered the room, it seemed that was an understatement.

She sat down in her usual seat, not expecting anyone to speak to her as usual. The same groups were together as always, chatting about the things they spoke about every day, she supposed. She wasn't quite sure though, as she has almost never been part of those conversations, just sat aside waiting for the day to start so that it would end and she could go home. The same thing every day.

Or maybe not. Today, he walked in. He never had before, but that didn't mean he hadn't seen him before. It was the same guy who had accidentally walked into her room at the hospital. Except this time he was carrying a school bag instead of a bouquet. He started walking over to her but she met his eye and gave him a glare that obviously meant 'DO NOT TALK TO ME', stopping him in his tracks. He looked at her for a moment, then took his seat in the front row as the teacher walked in.

"Good morning, class," she began.

"Good morning, Takahashi-sensei," the class chorused.

Takahashi-sensei looked at everyone, making sure everything was in order. Her eyes rested on Reiko in her leather jacket and after a brief pause, nodded an approval before beginning the math lesson.

Reiko grinned. It was nice to have some power over the teachers. Odd, indescribably odd, but it was still a nice feeling. Power wasn't something you got often as a teenager, and it was even rarer to have it over an authority figure. She sat back in her seat, occasionally taking notes, but understanding enough not to need them.

The day went by surprisingly quickly. None of the teachers questioned her about her choice of wardrobe, but her dad had said that they knew what had happened. She figured that none of them wanted to risk an 'episode' or something of the sort in her room, even though she didn't have those kind of things. The less they knew, the better for her, it seemed.

No one spoke to her during lunch or after school during cleanup. It wasn't her day so she simply went downstairs and changed shoes, starting on her way home. "Uhexcuse me?"

She didn't turn around, thinking that whoever it was was talking to someone behind her. The tap on her shoulder frightened her though and she spun quickly to look at the nutcase who would approach her.

It was the guy from the hospital, the same one in her class. It seemed the hint from earlier hadn't lasted long. "You're Akakamino Reiko, right?"

"Yeah...and you are?"

"I'm Cohen Christian," he extended a hand, which she silently refused to shake. "I'm the guy who walked in on you in the hospital. I just wanted to apologize again and make sure you're alright."

She stared at him for a second. Someone besides her family actually cared? Had this ever happened before? Nothing off the top of her head came to mind. "I'm fine." She turned and started to walk away again, taking him by surprise.

"Are you sure? It must have been pretty serious if you were in the hospital."

"Perfectly fine. Couldn't be better."

He continued to follow her. "UhI was wonderingwould you like to go out for coffee or something? My treat, of course."

She almost choked in surprise. Was this guy seriously asking her out? "Um, no." She continued to walk, putting a little brisk step in her pace, yet still he followed until she finally sighed and turned around. "I don't know what you've heard about me, but you obviously can't take a hint because I'm not interested, so stop following me!"

His eyebrows rose in shock. "Well, first of all, I live over here too." She felt her face turn red with embarrassment. "But I do want to talk to you. Just give me ten minutes? I promise I won't try anything with you or anything. From what I've heard about you, you'd probably kill me before I could get a pinky finger on you and I'm definitely not a boxer or a martial artist."

She studied his face. He seemed honest enough. "Alright," she told him, wondering why she was doing this. "Where do you wanna go?"

"Well, you live in that neighborhood, right?" He pointed over the bridge she always crossed and she nodded. "You must know the café there, then. Lets get something to eat while we talk."

"As long as you pay," she smirked.

"But of course."

The pair walked in silence to the café and ordered something to eat. "So what did you want to talk to me about?" she asked as she sipped her coffee.

He sighed deeply. "I'm actually not sure if you'll believe me. It's a farfetched story"

"You already have me here, you might as well tell me," she pointed out.

"I had a dream about you the other night."

"I thought you said you weren't going to hit on me!" she interrupted before he could say anything else.

"I'm not trying to hit on you, it's the truth!" He sighed again. "I had a dream the other night. I didn't know it was about you at the time, but I saw you in the hospital the next day and then I knew. It sounds weird, but it's the truth. I knew that I had to talk to you, that you could help me in some way. You think I'm crazy, don't you?"

She shook her head. "Dreams can be odd," she said quietly, still not able to recall anything but fragments of one she once had. "But I don't see how I can help you. I'm justme."

"I don't know either, but I know it was you the dream was telling me to get to know. You don't seem like the worst person it could tell me to become friends with," he told her with a smile.

"You don't know me that well yet." She took the last gulp of her coffee. "But if that's what your dream is telling you, who am I to say no."

He blinked. "Really?"

"Sure. I'm sure there's a reason, we might as well find out what it is and get whatever rewards come with it, right?"

He grinned. "Sounds like a plan. Why don't we meet at the bridge tomorrow and we can walk to school together?"

Reiko nodded. "Alright. But if you tell anyone we're going out, I will go through with that death threat you thought I would do earlier."

Christian held up his hands in surrender. "Wouldn't even think about it. Never crossed my mind."

"Uh huh, sure." She checked her watch. "I should get going. My sister should be getting home soon and she'll worry if I'm not there." They stood up together. "Thank you for the coffee. I'll see you tomorrow, Christian." She struggled on the foreign name, getting used to it before waving and setting out for home.

She enjoyed the rest of the walk home, pondering over the decision she had made. She had made a friend. Why? Because of a dream that may or may not have actually occurred. But life hadn't been exactly normal lately, so why should meeting new people be?

She took out her key and unlocked the front door, sliding off her shoes as she entered her house. "Mom? Dad? Shiroko?" There was no answer. It wasn't that surprising. Her mother only did temporary jobs when she felt like it, her father's work times varied and her little sister occasionally did things after school. It was the perfect time to get started on her school work, with the house quiet as it was.

She got herself a glass of water and a box of chocolate pocky, carrying that to her room along with her school bag. She set everything on her desk and took out her homework.

"It's about time you got home! Do you realize how long I've been waiting?!"

"Well, excuse me for having something to do. I'm sorry it inconvenienced you!" She said automatically, not even knowing who she was speaking to. Reiko looked at her bed and all the memories came back to her: Limbo, the fog, the goddess, the fact that she had been dead.

The Fox was sitting on her bed.

's notes: Here's the first chapter, setting everything up. This was an idea I've had for a while, and I've changed several ideas (mostly characters) since I originally thought this up.
anyone who has committed suicide, I hope no one takes any offense to this. I know several people who have and they are all very good people.

This is my third story on Fictionpress.com and I hope you enjoy it. If you do, it would please me very much if you'd review and maybe look at some of my other stories. Questions, comments, reactions and reviews are greatly appreciated.