Desire - Awakened
Keibiin races to Omoide's room, only slowing as she approaches the door. She knocks lightly, not expecting an answer, and then grabs the door handle, pushing down gently. The door opens easily and swings inward.
"Omoide? Omoide, I'm coming in now, okay?" She waits a second or two, just in case he is conscious but indisposed. Not hearing a reply, she opens the door fully and walks inside.
Surveying the room, she sees Omoide laying on the bed at the other side of the room. He is on his back, arms at his side and only wearing compression shorts. 'This must have come on suddenly if he didn't even have time to get into the onsen.' Sumi thinks to herself as she closes the door and engages the lock.
She walks quickly to the bed and checks Omoide's vitals. 'Everything looks normal and he doesn't appear to have been stressed when summoned so maybe it wasn't too rushed.'
Keibiin begins her routine of setting up the portable IV and monitors. She finds a lightweight sheet and covers Omoide's body up to his neck. She knows his senses become very acute when he returns from the summoning, that's why he prefers to be in a sensory chamber or water. The onsen would have been perfect, if he had made it there. Then again, she took so long to get to him, he could have slipped beneath the surface and drowned.
Once everything is set up and the machines beeping away, she closes all the curtains and darkens the room as much as possible. She then goes to the desk in the corner of the room where Omoide's workstation is set up.
She wakes up the laptop and checks the incoming emails. All the usual inquiries and requests for consults fill the inbox but one stands out. The subject line: "I Know What You Are" She raises an eyebrow and quarantines the email, running security software to make sure the email isn't infected with a virus or something even more malicious.
After a few seconds, there is an audible tone and a dialog box opens up with a message indicating the email is legitimate with nothing unusual attached or contained within.
Keibiin glances at Omoide back on the bed and studies the monitors. Satisfied that everything is still normal, she turns back to the laptop and moves into the chair.
"Okay, let's see what this is about, shall we?" She smiles and clicks on the email to open it.
To omoidenobannin,
My name is Terrance Modone and my father is Larax Modone. Our names may mean nothing to you but your name seems to mean everything to my father. He fell ill about a month ago. He couldn't sleep, became irritable and irrational most of the time. Claiming that he was living the 'wrong life' and that his immediate family are a life he didn't ask for. He was admitted for psychiatric observation two weeks ago. It hasn't been going well. He fought with everyone, refused counseling and has started refusing food and water and just basically keeping himself hygienically clean.
He was started on heavy medication last week and had great improvements and even started asking for counseling. He apologized to our family and seemed to be back to his normal self but was having issues sleeping. The facility started him on a sleep aid three days ago. He has been in a trance-like state ever since and will only say 'omoidenobannin'.
I researched this word and found several mythical legends and stories but one searched brought up your professional biography. I don't know if I want to find the correlation between the word my father chants, the myths and legends I have read and the fact that your name is very similar and your expertise is memory and sleep disorders.
In any case, my father needs your help. My father is still a young man, and he deserves to live out his best life being a husband, father and grandfather.
My contact information is below along with the hospital where my father is and the doctors managing his care.
Sincerely,
-------
Keibiin enters the names and contact information along with the hospital and doctor's names into the digital logbook for requests. She looks over her shoulder and checks the displays monitoring Omoide's vitals. Again satisfied that he is still stable, she beings the reply to Terrance.
Mr. Terrance Modone,
My name is Keibiin Shugosha and I am Mr. Bannin's personal assistant. I have reviewed your request and will recommend your father for evaluation. I have attached 'Release of Medical Information' form to this reply. Please fill this out and email the completed form to this email address with the hospital's administration and attending doctor's for your father, in copy.
Once we have your father's medical records, they will be reviewed by Mr. Bannin and a treatment course will be determined.
Thank you for contacting Mr. Bannin on your father's behalf.
Sincerely,
------
Keibiin attaches the release form, reviews her reply and clicks on the 'send' icon. She sighs and checks her watch. It's been about 45 minutes since Omoide sent his text about the summoning. He is usually back on the world plane by now. She gets up from the chair and walks over to the bed.
Checking the monitors yet again, she sees his body temperature has dropped and his heart rate has increased slightly. This isn't unusual when he has several memories to release but he was summoned without having any collected memories to extract.
All she can do is watch, wait, and hope that their god wasn't displeased with Omoide being distracted by Benjimin's illness and not seeking out the other 98 original souls for memory collection.
Another 15 minutes goes by before the monitors begin to show more rapid brain activity. Omoide's heart rate increases dramatically and his respiration responds in kind. Keibiin notices sweat beading on his forehead and his hands begin to twitch.
Keibiin knows this is going to be a painful reentry to the world plane for Omoide. The trilling of the monitor alarms crescendo suddenly, then fall back into their rhythmic normal as she begins her pressure point procedure to bring Omoide fully back to this plane.
Omoide takes in a deep breath and holds it for a few seconds and lets it back out slowly. He keeps his eyes close while trying to align his senses. "Keibiin," his voice is raspy and low. "please remove the sheet. My skin is overly sensitive and my muscles are tight and sore."
She removes the sheet from Omoide's body and notices it's damp in places and he has beads of sweat on his abdomen and the hair on his legs is matted down with sweat as well. "Is that better?" She whispers as she removes the IV from his arm and sensors from the rest of his body.
He nods slightly. "Yes. Please help me to the onsen." He begins to push himself up into a sitting position with his legs hanging off of the side of the bed. His eyes are still closed, being bothered by the dimmed lights in the room.
"One moment, please." Keibiin says as she is taking off her suit jacket, shirt, shoes, stockings and pants. She is now only in a compression camisole and compression shorts. She moves in front of Omoide and takes his hands, pulling him gently to his feet.
"Here, lean on me. You can keep your eyes closed. There are three steps to get down into the onsen but I will guide you down." She tries to support his much larger frame by putting his arm around her shoulder.
They walk slowly through the bathroom doorway and to the left. She has Omoide pause for a moment while she slides the shoji open revealing a sunken hot spring bath. The water is warm enough to release clouds of steam into the air.
"Alright, right foot will step down first. Let me know if it's too hot for your skin and I can just draw a bath for you instead." She maneuvers herself just slightly in front of Omoide, still supporting his weight but guiding him forward at the same time.
Omoide slowly lowers his foot into the water. He hisses slightly at the heat of the water sending a tingling sensation that erupts over his skin. Keibiin is prepared to move him out of the onsen but he shakes his head slightly. "It's fine. Just surprised me at first." He lowers his head as he rests his foot on the first step.
He then lowers his other foot into the water and down on the second step. After few minutes of slow movements, he has both feet on the bottom of the bath while Keibiin guides him to a low seat at the side of the bath.
He sits slowly, allowing the hot water to completely take over all of his senses, relaxing his muscles and mind at the same time. Once he has been seated for a few minutes, Keibiin releases his hands. "You seemed to have been gone longer than usual. How is your head feeling? Do you want to try and open your eyes now?" She asks a little concerned.
Omoide drops his head slightly. "Yes. There was much to discuss and I have some questions for you but, for another time. My head is fine, very clear actually." He opens his downcast eyes and blinks a few times.
"This water is exceptionally clear. When did you start painting your toenails, Keibiin? That emerald green color looks good. So clear and bright, even through the water." He smiles and raises his head to look Keibiin in the eyes.
Omoide gasps and his eyes widen as his gaze locks onto Keibiin's eyes. "Your eyes, Keibiin." He says with wonder in is voice and astonishment in his eyes. He moves his hands to cup her face as his thumbs move under her eyes.
She smiles brightly at Omoide. "Yes, Omoide. What about my eyes? What do you see, Omoide?" She continues to smile at him.
"They are blue." He says breathlessly. "Such a deep blue. Have they always been this color? This deep deep blue?" He releases her face and leans back to get a full view of her.
Keibiin smiles and her eyes begin to water. "Yes Omoide, my eyes have always been blue, deep blue. Just like yours. Just like all of the 100 original souls." She takes his head in her hands and leans down to kiss his forehead. Leaving her lips on his skin she whispers. "Your Desire has been asleep for so many years. I'm glad you have asked to have it awakened."
Keibiin moves back from Omoide and releases his face from her grasp. "You stay here and recover. We have a case to review and you have friends that have been missing you. Oh, and you missed dinner." With that final statement, Keibiin climbs the stairs out of the onsen, grabs a towel from the rack and leaves the hot spring, closing the shoji behind her.
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