Rude Awakenings

I sat silent watching Lily closely and thoughtfully. "You speak as though you have experienced it yourself. Were you cheated by a dishonorable man?"

"More then the one." she slumps. Drawing her knees to her, she hugs them to her bosom; the black ink in her knuckles stands out against the whitening of the joints as she laces her fingers together hard enough to wince at the pain.

Without a second thought I break through a growing silence. "You should return to the water. It's warmth will help to release your ache." I smiled at her softly as I begin to work my fingers through my hair to untangle it. "Besides, you seemed happier in the water at least."

Lily's tension eases a moment, and she crawls back to the bath and slips her feet over the edge, dangling them into the water. Self-consciously, she pulls the towel from her hair and drapes it over her shoulders in a semblance of modesty as she hunches her shoulders and looks down into the water. Her nails dig into the palm of her hands even as she bites and chews on her lower lip, her thoughts still far and away.

I watched her and took in her form. Clearly there was something that was wrong with her. "What is it that bothers you so? Is it that I am here? I know that this is a house of spirits and may be unwelcome to humans such as myself."

Shacking herself, Lily turns and looks at Kiou in shock. "I'm no spirit, any more then you." she laughs, a cutting sound, "Though some might call mine the talent of sorcery." Lily dims a moment, staring more through then at Kiou. "I'm weak in front of you; so prim and proper, ignorant."

"I fear your words may be correct and that I am indeed ignorant of the workings of this place. I do not know what sorcery is but I imagine that if you have something that I do not know of, then you must be a being of immense power." I watch her with a light smile.

"Oh, you'll learn," Lily smiles. "I'm nothing too terribly special."

"I imagine.... If you live in a place such as this, then you cannot help but be special." I find myself smiling more despite myself. "Were you born here or in some other prefecture?"

"No, the Nightside is my home, and I've lived here all my life. Its paradise in hell... or vice-verca" she adds after a moment's thought.

My brow furrows as I try to process her words. 'Paradise' and 'hell' have such different meanings for me that I find myself wondering if this place can truly be considered a hell. There were no living ghosts here that I had seen that were looking to eat my liver. "If you were born here then.... Then you would be a spirit. I find it hard to accept that a person can simply be born here when all the people I have seen here seem to have such power. Not to mention that there are demons outside..."

Groaning, Lily slips into the pool and crosses in a moment. Taking the woman's hand, she presses it to her chest between her breasts. "Flesh and blood and beating heart; I'm no more spirit then you." Releasing, she steps back, "Surely there are those with talents that you would consider other worldly where you come from?"

I cannot stop the light blush I get as she places my hand to her chest. Seeing another naked woman is not a problem, however touching one is a whole other thing. "I... there is no one of which you speak... There are... spirits that take human form. They take people away to their world and keep them prisoner or devour them whilst they sleep. The gods have power as well, but they are limited by their sacred space..."

"I left my fox's tail in my other robe," Lily sighs and takes a seat opposite her.

"So you are a fox in human for then?" I watch her. "I had always imagined that you would be surrounded by balls of fire like the pictures always depicted of your kind." I sigh as I think about my statement. So much of this world seems odd and off. It's as though just when I feel I have it understood, I am consistently told differently.

"Let us start from scratch," Lily lets her exasperation into her voice, "My name is Lily. I live in the Nightside. I am gifted, and I am human. If you must think me bound to the spirits, think of me as touched and blessed by them, not as one of them."

My brow furrows in thought as I try to deal with this information. 'Gifted', 'touched', 'blessed'... none of these were words that were ever applied to people with qualities of the spirits. Spirits rarely tried to help people and those that did were usually looking for payment in return. "You are human yet you have the knowledge of a spirit? That is... Most interesting. I have... never heard of such a person before. You are truly unique in that regard."

"Oh, the elves would have loved you," Lily mumbles under her breath. "Spirits are just like you, no more evil or detached then humans; and with just as much capacity for good."

"Normally, I had been led to believe that spirits only took human form when they tried to tempt people; or possess them. Though regardless of their intentions, spirits are never truly considered good." I look to my reflection in thought once more. "Though... Given that I have in fact been spirited away... I imagine I am the least knowledgeable to speak on such things. I know nothing of this world, nor the workings of it. If you claim that you are human, with spirit powers, then I must take and accept that."

Smiling, Lily nods, "Just think of us a foreigners and you got it. Our customs are just a little different then yours."

I smile slowly as I look to her. "This is a new experience for me so please forgive me if I appear slow-witted to you. So much has happened and so many things are not like I am used to. Such as the room I woke up in.... I had thought I was home... But I was wrong." A soft sigh leaves me.

"The house welcomed you; your family as long as you stay here, though were probably more dysfunctional then you would be used to." Lily pushes herself up and sits on the lip of the tub and crosses her legs.

"Perhaps, as I have never had a large family before. Ever since I was little it has always been my grandparents, my mother, and I. Though, before I arrived here, it was only my mother and I." I smile sadly at her. "Perhaps a larger family is better." Her comment about the house finally dawns on me. "You mentioned the house welcoming me? What did you mean by that??

Lily looks around and shrugs. "Now the house is more like a god then anything you will encounter within. It protects us from outsiders and," she grimaces at the thought of Ignacy, "Ourselves. It makes room for each of us within its walls."

"I see. I believe I may need to make a shrine then to honor this place that is so willing to give me space. ". I smile as I look around the bathroom happily. "This is a strange place in which I have found myself. Strange indeed. "