Chapter 4: The Awakening

“Opposites always balance each other- black, white, predator and prey. The fisherman will be lost without his fish, just like a husband needs a wife to be a husband.” He was an old man, his face crinkled and creased with age, a master at saying the most obvious
of things. Sensei Yuri-san stood before his young students, his hands folded behind his back, a smile on his face. “So it is that you, my precious young ones, will face the opposite of yourselves… but not now.”

Yuri-san’s pupils sat before him on folded knees. No breeze stirred leaves above their heads today. Perspiration shined on many faces, leading to dreams of cold lakes and snow cones. “right now, we go to have fun! Now shoe! shoe! shoe! Enjoy the beautiful day!” The little old man turned on his feet and shuffled towards his garden.

Haylee stood up from where she’d been sitting and stretched her legs. Someone shoved her from behind and as she turned her eyes watched a giggling Cloe run in the direction of the dormitories, “Beat you to the water ni chan!!”

“Not a chance!” Haylee started to run after her, but suddenly she found herself yanked back and rolled into strong arms. Black hair framed a face with two regular black eyes, “not so fast…” He smiled.

“Don’t Driedell, I’m going to lose now,” Haylee replied with a slightly giddy giggle.

“Aw, but all I wanted was a kiss…”

“Not now Driedell… not now,” the woman murmured as she rolled over on the bed she lay in. The slow dripping sound of water began to pierce her hearing, distorting the picture perfect world in her head. She felt weak. Her mouth was as dry as a cottonball and her eyes, well… one opened slightly and the other felt like it was
glued shut.

Through blurred eyes she picked out a figure sitting a short distance away, with his hands folded over chair arms. With a start, Haylee sat up, now more alert and recalling her situation. That’s also when she came to notice how clean she felt and how she was
wearing nothing more than a silk night gown.

She snatched the blanket up and pulled on it to cover herself. Driedell simply smiled from where he sat, “There isn’t any need to panic. I’ve seen it already… don’t you remember? That time at the lake?”

Haylee’s eyes clouded over a bit. A bright moon, hands larger than hers, and a single phrase, rushed into her mind. Her eyes refocused and she stared back at the man who’s expression reminded her of a plotting feline.

“I see that they are starting to re-surface… good, this could make my job easier,” Driedell said, lifting a hand to cover the patch on his left eye for a brief moment and then standing up. “If you’ll dress and then meet me out in the corridor… I might be willing to
explain some things.”

Walking towards the door, he opened it and then paused briefly, “Oh, I wouldn’t try anything… funny.” Driedell gave her a nod and then stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him.

*****

Twenty minutes had passed and Haylee had yet to step out of the room. She’d been pu and down every nook and cranny and had not found any opening. She slouched on the edge of the bed, staring at the single door. Haylee now wore a white dress. It wrapped around her, showing off her womanly figure. The lenth came to her ankles and
swished around her calves as she stood up relunctantly.

She couldn’t make Driedell wait forever. he would probably force her to come anyways, like he had before. Her hand lifted up to open the door. As she touched the door knob, her vision blurred to black for a few seconds…

“I didn’t mean to Haylee… It just sort of happened,” She stood before her, refusing to meet her eyes. Her older sister was looking at her with cold brown eyes. Yes, looking at Cloe and feeling betrayed.

“It ‘just happened’ ? Haylee gave a frustrated release of air and turned away from her. She wasn’t going to cry. No. Not her.

He had lied to her. Him! Driedell! Her teeth ground in her mouth, her jaw refusing to relax. A moonlit night… a single phrase… had he done the same with Cloe?

“Ni chan? Ni chan!” Haylee looked back at her, the eyes of the other woman opened wide. She knew her older sister well enough to know she was going to do something brash. But Haylee didn’t care. She turned to leave, Cloe reaching out to grab her arm, “Don’t… whatever it is…”

“Let. Go. Of. Me.” Her sister had no control over this. She’d already made up her mind. Sensei Yuri-san had stated a while back that they would face what was opposite of themselves. Haylee was female. Driedell was male. How more opposite could one get?

Her breathing was raspy, her head pressed against the surface of the door, her hand still draped on the door handle. She opened her eyes. Well, that confirmed one thing. Driedell was not to be trusted.

Haylee twisted the knob and stepped out into the corridor. Driedell stood nearby, leaning against a wall with his hands in his pockets.

She stopped a short distance away from him, her arms hanging loosely at her sides. He didn’t say anything or even look at her as he pushed off the wall and started to walk. Haylee followed after him for what other choice did she have?

“I’m sure you have many questions. Start asking.”

Free reign on questions? She doubted if he would tell her all of the truth. But… she might as well get what information she could. “Where am I?”

“You are in the Nexus.”

“The Nexus?”

“A dimension inside of another dimension or a world inside a world.”

“How?”

“Ask a scientist.”

“That’s not very helful.”

“I didn’t say I would be helpful.”

“Fine. What are you doing here?”

Driedell paused in his walking and glanced back at her, “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

“You’re not going to tell me?”

“No… I’m going to show you.” He waved a hand, the wall fading to nothing. He held his other hand out as an invitation.

Haylee glanced at it and then walked pass him, ignoring his offer…