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The Other Half by Michael Mark "Percival_Brock" Maquilan Characters:
Kimberly Redmill slung her duffel bag over her shoulder. "I'm glad it's all over..." she mumbled. Kim stands a tall five-feet-eight human spirit over the rock outcropping, wearing a green leather jacket over a black sleeveless shirt and pants. Her short yellow-blonde hair resisted dancing with the wind, as with the tied-up patch of red hair over her forehead. Watching the sun sink into the sea, she thought something was missing. After the two years' journey with the Heroes, saving Murgen, earning everyone's respect, battling monsters, returning home, receiving crystal, getting a job, finding a place to sleep for the night... something was missing, though Kim could not figure out what. A paw suddenly appeared on her shoulder. "Kim," a voice said, rather softly. "It's getting dark. Should you not return to the dojo?" "Hmm, that I shall..." she replied. *** Delacao the tiger-spirit had offered Kim his dojo to sleep for the night. He stands only a little taller than her, with yellow fur, and the occasional black stripe. He and Kim sat at opposite ends of a small bamboo table, where sushi scraps lay at the middle of the table, and cups of green tea lay next to the two spirits. "Are you sure about this?" Kim asked Delacao. Delacao shrugged. "What are friends and comrades for?" After a few moments of silent chewing and swallowing, Kim held a chopstick with a piece of sushi up. "You seem to live alone. Don't you have a family?" "I used to." the tiger replied, clenching his fist. "The Heroes were my family... and my former students were my family... and Shaokaola--she was also my family. I don't have a real family." Kim already knew what happened to the Heroes. "Shaokaola?" "She preferred to live in her own house at the end of the dirt road in the forest." "What about the students?" she asked. "They left me when I became one of the Heroes. Said I had no time for them." How sad. Delacao offered Kim the last piece of sushi at the middle of the table, then stood up. "Please make yourself comfortable here." he invited her, with a hint of sadness in his voice. "I regret I have to go wash these dishes and clean the storage room." The tiger took the porcelain plates from the table and placed them on a black-red tray. He carried the tray with him towards the sliding bamboo door to Kim's left. Slowly he slid the door open, passed through with gingerly steps, then closed the door behind him. "He just wants to be alone." Kim convinced herself, even though she knew he was also looking for company. *** Under the light of the full moon, the garden outside the dojo because a silhouette of shapes and dim lights. Leaves danced in the night breeze, forming thousands of little shadows in hundreds of little shapes. Lilies closed up, as if preparing for sleep. The other flowers remained open, enjoying the refreshing coolness in the dark. Water flowed through the garden, under the bridge, and past the rock formation, tipping the bamboo construct up and down like a little see-saw. Kim stood upon the bridge and found herself deep in thought... about what happened during all her journeys with the Heroes... and what was missing... She leant on the bridge rail and sighed something under her breath. "Sis, why?" a voice asked her in her mind. Yes, I remember now. Cara... the white-feathered chicken spirit. Cara was a chicken spirit. Her parents died when she was turning seven, leaving only her. She cried for a whole week in her empty home, neither eating nor drinking any water. When Kim passed by their house, hearing a faint crying sound, Cara was near death from hunger, thirst, and despair. Knowing that her parents would not accept an extra dependent at home, Kim, being a half-chicken spirit, decided to "take" Cara within herself to save her life. Afterwards, Kim and Cara became the best of friends, to the point that Cara took Kim's surname: Redmill. Kim would appear at home and wherever she is needed, but sometimes, she let Cara out, when she had the money to treat Cara to an enjoyable meal. In the beginning, Cara would not eat, and Kim's voice had to encourage Cara, telling her that it was all right, before she would even take one bite. Soon, Cara was able to eat by herself, and Kim was proud of her. Later, Cara wanted to prove herself and become one of the heroes, so Kim let her participate in the race, as Cara the chicken spirit, instead of Kim the human spirit. Cara finished tenth in the race, and got to meet the eleven other heroes, who gave her the affectionate nicknames "Chicky" and "Tart". She was particularly fond of Howard the young boar-spirit, Eto Ranger #12, and often watched stars with him. Cara had so much fun in the first few journeys that she wouldn't let Kim out. But when she found herself drowning in one Novel World, she let Kim take over. Body and mind became Kim's once again; and Kim swam to safety. Kim tried so hard to prove that she and Cara were the same. However, in her human body, she was still stuck with the "annoying" nicknames. Later, the heroes got used to Kim's appearance, though Howard was concerned that "Cara" didn't watch the stars with him anymore. "Sis, you are so cruel! Please let me watch the stars with Howard!" the voice returned. "I'm afraid that if I let you take over, I won't be able to come back." Kim replied. "Then please release me from your body, sis!" the voice begged. "It's a painful process." Kim answered, shaking her head and crossing her arms. "You should be happy I saved you. Besides, two bodies will mean two meals." The voice cried out, "But I am trapped within your body. Sis, please let me go!" Kim became impressed at Cara's willpower. She never thought that after Cara lost her parents she'd be able to accomplish anything. Well, Cara must've gotten over her grief and depression... because of the journeys with the Heroes, perhaps..? No, Cara was right. It was more like prison. And Kim thought that Cara deserved to be herself again... So Kim closed her eyes and concentrated. Daggers of pain shot through her. Her hands grasped the bridge rail to ease the pain. Ice cold sensations tore her apart as her body became translucent and cycled in and out of reality. Her legs trembled, her eyes closed... Yet she did not scream at all. Kim collapsed on the bridge, using her arm for support. She heaved quick, exhausted breaths, along with the occasional cough. She had a hand grasping her painful chest. To her, the world was a blur of pain and darkness. "Sis!" the voice came again, this time not from within Kim's head, but from beside her. "A-are you all right?" Kim managed to sit up, leaning on the bridge rail. "I'm all right..." she assured. When Kim's vision cleared, she saw a short, young, female chicken spirit with a yellow beak and covered with white feathers sitting beside her. She had the same hair as Kim, yellow, patch of red, and all, minus the strands of hair down the side of her face. Her arms were wide, as if they were her wings. Her hands seemed like the feathers at the end of her "wings", with four "fingers". Her feet had three toes: one small one above her ankles pointing backward and two facing forward, with claws at the end. Cara. When Kim realized that Cara was unclothed, she took off her jacket and wrapped it around Cara, saying, "You must be feeling cold." "Um, thanks sis." Cara muttered. "Don't tell me you're feeling down again." Kim teased. Cara curled around the jacket. "I didn't know releasing me was that painful..." she sighed, almost in tears. "I'm sorry I asked in the first place..." Kim turned towards Cara. "Cara, it was my fault anyway that you had to be trapped within me. I should've asked for your permission first that day." "But you did what you thought was the best for me, right?" Cara asked. Kim nod her head. "Yes, I thought it was. But there were... other options which I didn't take. It was my mistake and I had to suffer for it." Cara embraced Kim with her broad wing-arms. "I'm sorry that you had to make so many sacrifices for me, sis." This time, Kim shook her head. "Let's get you some decent clothes to wear, shall we?" Cara stood up and smiled at "sis". "Who's there?" a Delacao's hoarse voice came from the dojo entrance. He stepped outside the bamboo doors and made his way to the bridge. Delacao spotted Kim in the dim moonlight. "Oh, it's only you, and..." Then the tiger turned to the other girl. "And who might you be?" Cara simply smiled at him. "Hello, Delacao. I am Cara Redmill, Kim's... younger sister." "Have we met before?" Delacao curiously asked her. Kim interrupted. "Guy, you have space for another head?" Delacao gave a nod. "Sure. Cara may sleep in your room." Kim walked by Delacao and punched his arm. "Sure, thanks." she said. "Thanks a lot, Delacao!" Cara said, walking right behind Kim. Delacao stroked his chin. "Hmm... I'd swear Kim and Cara look too much like each other... what the heck, I guess it's because they're sisters..." So the two sisters walked from the garden, up the stairs, and into Kim's room within Delacao's dojo, where Cara found a bamboo-green kimono in the wardrobe which was just her size. Kim found a kimono her size in the wardrobe as well. And then they both slept, sharing the single sleeping bag in the room. *** Howard the boar-spirit sat on a bench in the park, enjoying a large green lollipop. The sun was not too high up in the sky full of clouds, promising a cool, breezy day. Around the stone path scattered leaves in a polka-dot fashion. The trees which stood along the side welcomed the birds which perched upon their branches seeking shelter from the wind, or built a home upon the same branches to raise their families. Because of this kindness the park basked in the beautiful song of the grateful yearlings. He stretched his arms and smiled. "What a nice morning..." he told himself. Indeed it was. Kim, in her green jacket and black outfit, appeared from between the trees and sat next to Howard. Howard noticed the lady sitting beside her. "Oh, hi, Chicky! How are you?" "Fine." Kim mumbled. "And for the last time, don't call me Chicky!" "Oh..." Howard looked downwards. "I-I'm sorry, Chic-I mean, Kim. You were telling everyone that you and the young girl were the same person... yet, you never played with me." Howard shifted on his seat. "You remind me of her, Ch-I mean, Kim. When I see you, I feel sad because you remind me of the girl who used to play with me." "Is she dead?" Howard asked Kim. "I know she wouldn't just go away... she was my best friend. She used to watch stars with me... we played checkers (and she always won)..." Howard dropped the lollipop and continued his monologue. "I know if... if she was around, I wouldn't cry so much, so I wouldn't hurt anyone with my... powers. I miss her. I look at the checkerboard in papa's house and I feel sad. And I couldn't watch the stars anymore because..." "...because you were waiting for her." Kim interrupted. "Um, yes. How did you know?" Howard asked in surprise and curiosity. "That's what you've been telling me all the time." Kim coldly replied. "For the last time, I don't have to tell you that I'm no friend of yours. I just listen to you because it's polite to do so, because I can put up with you and your childishness. If you'll just grow up, you would realize that she's... gone forever, and she... won't come back!" Howard clenched his fist and scowled, "But... but isn't hope a good thing? Months after Chicky disappeared, I was sad because I knew that she wouldn't come back... but when we fought the monsters I knew that nothing is impossible, right?" "Right?" Howard asked Kim, a tear forming in his eye. "Right." Kim replied, grinning. "Nothing is impossible, after all." "You're right!" a cheerful voice came from behind the bench. "Chicky?" Howard beamed, a twinkle in his eye. He looked over his shoulder, but he didn't see anyone. He sighed and dismissed it as a figment of his imagination. "Over here!" Cara was already standing up in front of the bench. Howard turned towards the voice. "Chicky!" The young boar leapt off the bench and embraced the young chicken spirit. "Wh-where have you been?" he cried. "I missed you." Cara hugged back. "I'm fine." she answered with a smile. "Fine?" Howard wondered what the connection is. "So where have you been?" he asked again. Cara looked at her sister for an answer. Kim nodded back, then Cara answered Howard, "Somewhere. But I'm back... so we can play checkers again..." "...and we can watch the stars together?" "Yeah, we can do that!" "All right!" Howard took Cara's hands and looked downwards. "You know, I really missed you." Cara blushed. Her head followed Howard's. "I missed you too..." Howard's face turned red. "I'm glad you came back... I thought you were dead." "Dead!?" Cara slapped Howard in the face. "How dare you!" "I'm sorry..." Howard apologized, rubbing his painful cheek. "Oh, I'm sorry..!" Cara apologized. Howard and Cara stared at each other for a moment. Then they both laughed. *** Kim was watching all of these strange events unfold, and she knew exactly what seemed missing from her. Not Cara's feelings of emptiness, but rather, it was her own feeling of emptiness. Like one of the adventures Cara once had, where she and Delacao sat at opposite ends of a campfire. Kim was inside Cara, so she knew what happened... Cara asked Delacao, "Why are you doing all this for me?" Delacao shook his head and replied, "Because I am your friend, that's all." He was right. So this what having a friend truly is. All this time Kim acted tough. She trained herself in martial arts, lifted weights, and even sparred in the streets. In time she built her muscles, and her reputation as a fighter. In the end, people were actually afraid of her... even the heroes were reluctant to accept her in the team. Is this artificial loneliness the meaning of life? For a while Kim thought it was. In the same story, when Delacao had injured himself trying to save Cara, she clenched her fist and wanted to take the monster on, even knowing her inability to do so. So Kim took over from there and defeated the monster. What drove Kim to fight the monster? It was Cara's concern for a friend. By the end of that journey, Kim had inherited Cara's sentiments for her new friend Delacao, and actually thanked him for saving "her" life. Delacao was shocked that Kim even thanked him. Nobody expected Kim's reaction that day. It was so strange and so "unlike her" that Powell the mouse-spirit teased that she was falling in love with Delacao. Yes, it is okay to deviate from the norm, avoid needing other people, and act tough. But that does not entail having no friends. *** "I brought an extra lollipop." Howard said, fishing a yellow lollipop from his pocket. "Here, take it." "Oh, wow!" Cara exclaimed. "Thanks a lot, Howard..." Howard scratched the back of his head. "Y-you're welcome, Cara... that's your real name, right?" "Right; I'm glad you still remembered..!" |
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