Chapter Four

Ow…my head hurts… Yasmine thought as her mind seemed to finally come back together. Wait, why’s everything so dark?

Yasmine realized then that her eyes were closed, apparently not having the strength to open them. As she tried moving, her muscles were so weak that she couldn’t even lift her arms.

            “Mom….dad…” Yasmine muttered weakly, hoping she was at home. Why can’t I raise my voice?

Her eyes slowly began to open, shocked that she wasn’t in her room at home, in fact she was in a luxurious bed in a dark room, the windows curtains were drawn back and the door was locked. Yasmine slowly turned her head, wincing at the slight pain that pinched at her neck. She pushed herself up, shocked to see herself in her now dirty and tattered school clothes. The room was large, spacious and clean, a dresser against the wall and a flat screen above it. Yasmine rubbed her eyes, trying to get her vision to adjust.

            “Where am I?” Yasmine questioned, walking towards the window, she grabbed hold of the curtains and drew them back, welcomed by a jungle. The trees blocking her view as a pack of colorful birds flew by and squawked making Yasmine scream, falling back and landing on her backside. As she tried catching her breath, urgent footsteps came racing towards her room. The door flew open and a teenage boy, looking about two years older, appeared in the doorway.

            “Mistress, are you alright?” he asked urgently, he had Yasmine’s skin color, his hair straightened, sleek and as dark as night wearing a butlers uniform with gloves on his hands. He was really attractive but what really caught Yasmine’s attention were his mysterious green eyes.

            “I-I’m fine.” Yasmine said as the boy was at her side, helping her up like the gentlemen he was.

            “The bump on your head seems to have faded.” The boy said, checking the top of her scalp, feeling his hand comb through her hair made Yasmine shiver, suddenly having an empty feeling.

            “Does something trouble you mistress?” the boy asked.

            “Many things actually.” Yasmine said, realizing how short she really was when she had to look up just to make eye contact. “Where am I, what happened, where’s Brandt, who’re you?”

The boy placed a finger over her lips, making Yasmine’s face heat up, but he said emotionlessly “You are in Rio, Brazil.”

            “R-R-R-RIO?!” Yasmine said, feeling her mind spin and her stomach do a back flip.

            “What happened was that my master abducted you for a special mission in retrieving something vital.” The boy went on.

            “Abducted?!” Yasmine said, feeling her world crash down on her.

            “Master Brandt is currently resting; he’s quite tired from the long travel.” The boy continued.

            “I’ll kill him in his sleep for kidnapping me!” Yasmine said angrily clawing at the walls.

            “My name…is Raven and I am Master Brandt’s servant.” The boy Raven concluded. 

Yasmine’s anger faded, looking at Raven who stared back with no emotion. Raven approached Yasmine, taking her hand delicately and saying “Please don’t hate the master, he wishes for the best.”

Yasmine looked at him blankly, Raven allowing Yasmine’s hand to slip from his fingers. He dusted off Yasmine’s sleeves and said “I’d better get you new clothes, you’ll be dinning with the young master tonight, and he wishes to speak with you.”

He directed her to a bath, Japanese styled, handing her a towel and adding “I’ll bring you clean clothes, please take as long as you like.”

Yasmine entered the bathroom and Raven closed the door behind her, leaving her some privacy. As his footsteps disappeared, Yasmine collapsed to her knees hiding her face in her hands.

            “No, no crying!” Yasmine commanded herself, wiping away the tears from her face. “I need to get out of here!”

Yasmine quickly washed herself in, wanting to feel clean at least, and wiped away the fog that was being collected on the mirror, the face that stared back at her shocked her. Looking back was a short girl with long turquoise hair that reached her behind, wide child like eyes and looking scared. Yasmine gingerly touched her hair, flinching when the image in the mirror followed.

            “Wha-what happened?!” Yasmine screamed, getting up and backing away, running into the wall and hitting the wall hard. She crumbled to the floor, soon sobbing.

            “I can’t deal with this…” Yasmine muttered, wiping her eyes, soon feeling the diamond on her palm. Looking at it, it seemed to have seeped deeper into her skin, a strange circle with symbols surrounding it. Her hand turned into a fist, which clenched irritably. She rose from her spot, tightening the towel around her and leaving the bathroom. She found new clothes on the bed, waiting for her. She quickly changed into them aggressively and stormed out of her new bedroom.

 

            “Glad you could join me.” Brandt said coolly.

            “Why me?” Yasmine instantly asked they were eating a simple dinner of fried chicken and fries, probably hoping Yasmine would adjust to the place if they had fast food.

            “I thought Raven clarified that for you.” Brandt said. He took a sip of soda from his glass, looking at Yasmine expecting Yasmine to drink from hers.

            “It smells funny…” Yasmine clarified.

            “So, it’s normal coke.” Brandt said, beginning to get annoyed.

            “You put something in it.” Yasmine said. “I wanna know everything!”

            “Can’t tell you that yet.” Brandt said removing himself from the table, Yasmine following with a fried chicken leg in her mouth.

            “Tell me now!” Yasmine demanded.

            “I’ll tell you later, go to sleep or something!” Brandt ordered.

            “I’ve been knocked out for over EIGHT hours; of course I’m not gonna pass out so soon!” Yasmine said till Brandt spun around and grabbed her by the wrists and pinning her to the wall. Yasmine tried kicking him but he just squeezed outrageously hard on her wrist.

            “Ow…” Yasmine muttered.

            “Go to sleep.” Brandt said, releasing Yasmine and allowing her to slide to the floor. Yasmine rubbed her wrists and got up, heading back to her room. She slammed the door and hopped on her bed, shoving her face in the pillow and screaming in it.

            “What a freaking JERK!” Yasmine said, her scream muffled by the pillow as she angrily punched at the air.

~ * ~

            Rachel awoke to a blasting headache. She pushed herself up, feeling her head spin briefly and causing her to fall to the floor. When her eyes opened she came to a sideways bedroom and the floor, putting two and two together she realized she was on the floor. She got up, feeling extremely weak as she pushed herself to at least sit up and leaning against the tall bed.

Wait…I don’t have a bed this tall… Rachel suddenly thought urgently and bolted up. She was in a room colored a velvety color with a chandelier hanging over her head. A tall canopy bed was behind her, a mahogany dresser in the corner, two doors, a desk and one window which was drawn back. Curious, Rachel walked towards the window and drew back the curtains, welcomed to sandy beaches, blooming hibiscus and a humming bird zooming by. Rachel was rather shocked, her body frozen in place as her hands trembled.

Wh-Where…? Rachel thought till she heard the door open. Walking inside was a woman with hair almost matching the room and wearing a black dress, white apron and a maid’s hat. The thing that really stood out was her outrageously large glasses.

            “Hello, my name is May-Rin and I’ll be your maid.” May-Rin said and went to making up Rachel’s messy bed.

            “Uh…where are we?” Rachel asked.

            “Hawaii.” May-Rin replied.

Rachel felt her heart stop for a brief moment, gripping her chest and gasping for air. She nearly felt like she was going to faint but May-Rin was there to catch her. Rachel’s face suddenly felt hot and her world felt like it was spinning. She could barely hear May-Rin calling out to her.

If anyone can hear me…I think my world is collapsing… Rachel thought, trying to grip her dying world.

 

            Rachel awoke again, this time in darkness, a wet towel on her forehead and a thin blanket covering her. She took off the wet towel off her forehead and sat up. She felt her chest, soon feeling the diamond implanted in her chest.

This isn’t a dream…. Rachel thought getting up and walking towards the window. She drew back the curtains and saw the same landscape she had seen before she passed out. She released a sigh of annoyance and said “This is just like the animes….I get abducted by an attractive guy and now he won’t let me out of his sights….This is lame.”

Rachel passed by her dresser, passing a full body mirror and realized she had changed. Her brown hair had remained the same but was now stopping at her neck. The hair style made her look childish almost, large eyes with dark irises and a small mouth that grew larger when she looked at the girl before her.

            “Wha-wha-wha…” Rachel mumbled, looking at her hands which had perfect skin and her nails looking healthy and long.

            “She seems like she doesn’t like it here.” A voice said. Rachel quickly turned towards her door and realized it was slightly ajar, letting some light leek in. She crept towards her door, realizing now that she wore a night gown and hated it because it nearly made her trip on the way to the door. Rachel went to her knees and peeked through the tiny crack of the door. She spotted Coran talking with May-Rin.

            “She’ll have to get used to it.” Coran said bluntly.

            “I-I just think we shouldn’t have taken her like this. Try talking to Valentine out of this plan it’s dangerous.” May-Rin said nervously.

            “I didn’t ask you what you thought May-Rin.” Coran clarified bluntly. “I’m not following Valentines orders; I’m merely following my instincts. Rachel will be moved soon this is just temporarily, we just need to prepare her.”

            “And by we you mean me.” May-Rin asked.

            “Yes, I’ll be out most the time. My private home is well hidden and most likely the others hid their captives as well. Only question is where exactly they are?”

            “You wish to bring them together?” May-Rin asked. 

            “Yes…So I can dispose of them.” Coran said bluntly. Rachel covered her mouth to hold back a gasp. She quickly got up and sat on her bed, still being able to hear them.

            “We only need Rachel; it’s as easy as that.” Coran explained. “She’ll go through the acceptance ceremony and if it chooses her then we’ll be fine.”

The conversation stopped there and Rachel urgently went for her pants which happened to be sticking out of the laundry basket next to her own bathroom. She dug through her pockets and pulled out her cell phone. She retreated to the bed and threw the covers over her, dimming the light on her phone and urgently texting her friends.

SOS Coran’s hunting you down, need an escape plan!

            Rachel tucked her phone under her pillow and hid her face in the pillow. She slowly fell into a blackened sleep.

~ * ~

            Rylie woke up to the sun streaming down and over her eyes. She pulled the covers over her head and tried blocking out the sunlight. The covers were only pulled off her and an irritated voice scolded “Oi, get up the master wants you awake!”

            “Leave me be stranger!” Rylie retorted angrily back and tried taking the covers back. As the two started having a tug-of-war match, the door opened and Charlie just happened to be there.

            “Misaki, what’re you doing?!” Charlie asked angrily catching the teenage boy off guard.

            “Ah master Charlie!” the boy, Misaki, said nervously accidentally releasing the sheets and causing Rylie to roll backwards and hit her head against the wall.

            “OW!” Rylie screamed angrily.

            “Oh I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Misaki said urgently. Charlie glared at Misaki and said “Just tend to her needs, I have work to do.”

Charlie left the room and Misaki released a sigh.

            “God, what a jerk.” Rylie said once Charlie was out of hearing range.

            “Yes he is a jerk.” Misaki said. Misaki was taller than Rylie by three feet, having unruly brown hair and wearing a plain jeans and white shirt, having big brown eyes and a bright face.

            “Why do you work for him then?” Rylie asked, Misaki was currently searching her head for any swells.

            “Good pay.” Misaki said plainly.

            “Ah, figures.” Rylie said once the inspection was done.

            “Also….because he’s keeping my partner hostage.” Misaki said sadly. Rylie stayed silent for a while then said “I’m sorry.”

            “No it’s not your fault; you’d think going as far as keeping my partner hostage he had an interest in me.”

            “Does he?” Rylie asked.

            “Oh no, of course not, he just wanted me for my talents of cooking and household cleaning.”  Misaki explained. “Many say it’s rare.”

            “Don’t worry you’ll make your partner super happy with your skill.” Rylie said.

            “Yeah, he can’t do anything right by himself.” Misaki said with a laugh, straightening out the room.

            “Wait, he?” Rylie asked.

            “Yeah….I’m gay…” Misaki said nervously. Rylie suddenly tackled him in a hug making him fall to the floor and beaming at him.

            “This is uncomfortable.” Misaki pointed out.

            “BE MY FRIEND!” Rylie said determination in her eyes.

            “Uh…sure?” Misaki said only being squeezed tighter but appreciating the love. He soon pried Rylie away and dusted her off then himself.

            “Well let’s get you ready, here in England, appearance is everything.” Misaki said, Rylie sprinting past him and to the window. She ripped off the curtains and was welcomed to the busy streets of England, towering buildings and lushes green grass everywhere. The sidewalks were crowded and everything just looked so perfect.

            “I-I’m in England!” Rylie said happily. She walked passed Misaki and outside the mansion. Charlie seemed to have caught sight of her, she was currently in a night gown, and glared at Misaki as he chased after her. Rylie grabbed hold of the large knob and pulled the door open, feeling the cool air blow by her, her eyes widening at the scenery. She raced down the sidewalk, through the large flower bed to greet random people.

            “Wait, Rylie!” Misaki called, trying to catch up with Rylie. Rylie ran past everyone, her mouth in a giant smile as she felt the cool wind rush by her. She laughed gleefully and soon came to a park, doing a cartwheel till she landed on her back in the lushes grass, a large tree shielding her as she took in the English air. She was soon shrouded in a shadow, looking up she found Misaki gasping for air, his hands on his knees to catch his breath as he tried making words.

            “Rylie ~gasp~ you need to be ~gasp~ properly dressed…” Misaki said soon collapsing beside Rylie and letting the breeze cool him off.

            “Oh please, running out in public in my pajamas aren’t that bad.” Rylie said, only folding her hands behind her head and remaining where she was.

            “Actually, it is all that bad.” Misaki said. “You’ll be known as the crazed girl who ran out of one of the richest citizens houses in her silk pajamas.”

Hearing it from Misaki made Rylie’s face glow red, she sat up, soon reaching out to Misaki and saying bluntly “Carry me home.”

Misaki only chuckled as he got up, standing up before bending down and carrying Rylie bridal style back to the house.

            “Don’t worry though.” Misaki said as Rylie hid her face in his shoulder. “I don’t even think many noticed.”

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[Imagination-mage]

Boy in picture is Eska