Sengoku Visions II

Chapter 1 - Always Wear Trainers

The weirdness of what my daughter still calls a Vision Quest, surfaced from time to time. Some things are best left as they are. Almost a year had passed; it seemed to slip by quickly, as real life often does.

A few things stayed with me, I carried the pendant wherever I went, but never took it from its bag. I took katana lessons every week and trained on horseback with one I had found on E-Bay that reminded me of the one back in that odd reality. I found I had a taste for sake, much to my friends' amusement, and also pushed myself at the gym.

What my friends found truly odd was I dyed my hair a silver white blonde - I told them it was because of the Wraith in Stargate Atlantis - and got away with it.

Several times when I was totally drunk I thought about putting it back on, but something always stopped me. I couldn't look at the hairpin, it always made my head start swirling, so it was put in a drawer and left there. Various scars faded out and I happily went back to playing the game.

* * * * *

My daughter and I had been invited out to a Spring Festival - a proper formal dress-up job, so posh we went to a friends house to spend the entire day getting ready, including professional hair and make-up. As the Prosecco started at lunchtime, the small group of us was well squiffy as we began to get into our outfits.

I was sitting in front of a large mirror, you know, the ones that are surrounded by lights, enjoying the fuss of having my hair done. The clinging black gown I was wearing was accented with diamanté and rather 'elegantly' I wore my trainers - I had no intention of putting on my high heels until I needed to. My long silver white hair looked stunning against the dress.

My daughter sat next to me, and as she went to top up my drink, she knocked over my handbag spilling the contents everywhere. One of the group reached over me and picked up the leather bag with gold cord as it spilt from my bag.

"Oooh, what's this then?"

My daughter and I looked at each other's horrified expression. In the reflection I saw her take out the pendant.

"Oh you must wear this! It will set off your dress!"

I saw in slow motion her lift it up to put it over my head.

"NO!!!" Both my daughter and I began to shout.

And then the world stopped.

Again.