"Mrs. Arashi, you can't go along with this," James sought out her help.
"Let's just do what they say, James. I've watched Crimson grow with little guidance from me. She had to face this cold world on her own, but one thing she never showed was fear. She's frightened now, James. That's not the Crimson I know. I've known and met Storm Yuna multiple times over the years. She too, has never displayed any anxiety I have seen. Let's listen to them and give her space."
I heard James grumble under his breath, then heard shuffling footsteps. I waited, crying as quietly as I could under the sheets. I felt helpless and I hated it.
"Can you get Uru in here? I think she'd be able to calm her down," Voice Two instructed.
"Sure. I'll be outside if you need me. I'll tell the others to relax in the living room until we sort this out," Voice One affirmed.
"Okay. And good luck dealing with Mr. Bipolar," Voice Three sounded amused.
"He needs to figure out what the hell he wants. I don't like him and his father's an ass too. We’ll talk about that later," Mr. Stern Voice complained.
I heard footsteps and the creak of the door.
"Where did that wolf come from?" I could hear James shout from what I assumed was the hall.
"There. I'll be outside," Voice One declared.
"Thanks, Akihiro." That came from Voice Two.
"Just make sure she's okay. I don't want her getting hurt. We'll figure this out," Akihiro replied.
I heard the sound of footsteps, getting quieter and then the click of the door gently closing. I was moved by the note of concern coming from the man named Akihiro. He didn’t know me, but wanted to ensure I didn’t get hurt. That thought alone gave me a little comfort.
I wanted to stay in my bubble, and cry quietly to myself. I wanted to figure out what was going on but was unsure of what to do or say in order to achieve that. I felt trapped and afraid. But I needed answers, and this person would hopefully give them to me.
"Crimson, do you want to see Urufu?" Voice Two asked.
I blinked, recognizing the name immediately. I peeked out from under the blanket and was greeted by Uru's nose rubbing against mine.
"Woof!" She nudged her head beneath the blanket to lick my face.
I giggled, lifting the fabric to let her in.
Both sides of me knew the familiar and I knew she would always bring comfort to me. I embraced her, allowing my tears to flow as I snuggled into her. I cried about so many things.
I cried over the fact that my father would always hate me and my mother would always stand by his side rather than mine. I cried out the self-pity I felt about my situation with James and how he would likely never admit his love for me.
Finally, I mourned for Storm Yuna. The memories slowly began to return, including those final moments on that hill, with the cherry blossoms floating through the air as the last glimpse of Storm's smile became nothing but light. Her last words echoed over and over again in my mind, only making me sadder.
"Crimson." The male watched me cry and cry until he let out a soft exhale.
He slid onto the bed and pulled me into his arms, allowing me to sob into his chest while he rubbed my back soothingly.
Uru rested half of her body on my lap, nudging herself between my body and this stranger who I knew I'd loved once before.
He had always shown compassion beyond words and was a calm leader who wanted everyone to be happy. I cried until I had no more tears to shed.
"Crimson?" he questioned.
I was silent, going through my thoughts to figure out who I currently was.
"Are you Crimson or Storm?"
"Storm...I think?" I mumbled, although still unsure.
"Your mind is gonna keep alternating back and forth. When it does, I want you to tell me," he explained.
"But it's happening every few seconds," I admitted. His familiar voice returned back to that of the kind stranger that held me in his arms.
"Are you experiencing it now?" he asked.
"Yes. I'm Crimson now," I declared.
"Okay. What do you want me to call you for now?"
I was silent for a few moments. "Crimson Storm. For now at least. Maybe Crimstorm? Does that sound weird?" I wondered aloud.
"Woof?" Uru tilted her head as if considering.
"Crimson Storm. Crimstorm for short. That way, regardless of you switching back and forth, you'll know we're directly talking with both parts of you. Does that make some type of sense?" he asked.
I nodded against his chest, before leaning back to meet his kind eyes.
We stared in silence and then his name entered my mind.
"Yoshi...mitsu?" I hesitated, not because I didn't recognize him, but because the other half of my brain knew I hadn't introduced myself to him prior to this.
"Nice to meet you, Crimson Storm. Yes, my name is Yoshimitsu. Are you feeling a little better?"
I was surprised by him asking about my health. I wasn't used to someone showing concern and compassion unless I'd fainted out of nowhere or looked like death.
"A little better. I'm sorry. I barely know you. I mean. I do...well. I don't. I give up." My shoulders slumped in exhaustion. I was so tired of trying to figure out what was going on.
I needed answers, but the constant back and forth shifting of memories and emotions was just too much for me right now.
"Take your time, Crimstorm. It's a lot to take in and you're still adapting to Storm’s magic," Yoshimitsu explained.
I was gonna ask him to elaborate but then a random question popped into my mind. "Can I call you Yoshi? Like before?"
I didn't remember what ‘before’ referred to, but he smiled, a loving wide grin that reached his sapphire eyes and showed so much passion, I was left speechless as I continued to stare at him. I couldn't ignore the way my heart suddenly raced and my stomach flipped with excitement and joy.
"Yes. You can call me Yoshi if it is easier for you," he replied.
I nodded, pulling out of his embrace. I shuffled on the bed till my back pressed against the wall. Uru walked over and sat to my left side.
"Can I ask a few questions?" One part of me wanted nothing more than to stay in his arms, but the other part wanted answers and knew Yoshi could give them to me without making me feel overwhelmed. I would have to listen to my instincts for now until I figured all this out. I had moved because I needed space between us to think straight.
"Certainly. Anything you like. I'll try my best to answer them." He crossed his legs and turned his body to face me, although still keeping his distance. I gave him a small smile, happy that he respected my need for space.
Now that he was in front of me, I could take a moment to admire his appearance. He had long black hair that was currently tied with a white ribbon; only a few loose strands rested on both sides of his oval face. His skin was tanned like he enjoyed the sun, but it didn't hide his Japanese heritage.
He was clean-shaven and his sapphire eyes were very fascinating. I could still see the small bands of gold that twinkled against the dark blue, making his eyes very unique in comparison to other shifters I'd seen. He wore a navy blue top and loose black pants. His overall appearance gave off a classy but down to earth vibe.
"What time is it?"
"Four in the afternoon," he replied calmly.
"How long have I been unconscious?" I wondered.
"Five days."
My eyes widened. "Five? Um...is that normal?"
"No."
I paused, trying to figure out how to reword my question to what I actually meant to ask: if it was normal for someone to come across a pocket watch, unlock its magical secrets, and wake up in the same body with more than just your own memories.
"Crimstorm?"
I lifted my head back up to meet his soft expression. "You were unconscious for too short of a time. That's why we're concerned," Yoshi revealed.
"Too short?" I didn’t understand.