❝ Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle! ❞ –Lewis Carroll
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Akira was frustrated. Her emotions were all jumbled up, as if you looked inside a bag of different colored M&Ms. They tossed and turned; churning in her stomach and she felt sick. She stomped angrily to her room with her feet and shut the door behind her. Sliding down the wall, Akira curled up with her knees against her heaving chest. She lowered her head and stifled her sobbing, yet her shoulders still shook as she dug her fingernails into her legs; she wouldn't allow any more tears to fall.
In eleven years, Akira hadn't once shed a tear. Back when she was five, she didn't place in a dance festival and Haruto was extremely ashamed of her. In his anger, he had doled out the worst punishment she had ever experienced and since then, Akira refused to make the same mistake again.
It was bad enough that Haruto made her feel degraded in front of Miguel, but the fact that her only friend in the sixteen years she'd been alive had lied to her and didn't tell her that her hallucinations were real for so long; it terrified her. The thought of those... Creatures actually existing in the real world and not in her head shook her to the core. They spoke to her; told her things she never wanted to hear. Now she had to acknowledge that they weren't a figment of her imagination, but real? Akira lifted her head to see a bottle of psychotics on her desk across the room.
Akira always wondered how she could still see the monsters after taking her medication; the whispers in her ear, the sudden attacks which would have her running for her life... Each and every single moment actually happened.
Her hand immediately came over her mouth and she lurched forward, gagging; she wanted to vomit. All those pills... All those medications that the doctor advised her to take felt like they were coming up at any moment. The feeling crawled up her throat like an army of ants. Every time she had to plug her nose and choke down each and every drop or pill per day was painful, but now she learns that they were simply harming her body instead of doing her any good?
A soft rap resounded by her ear and she snapped out of her trance; flinching at the sound. "Fujioka-san?" She heard Miguel say quietly, "Are you there?" Her eyes scanned across the room, looking for a fitting hiding place. She immediately scurried towards her closet and slid the door closed behind her. Her hands covered her mouth and nose so that he couldn't even hear her breathing while trying to hold back her urge to retch. Each exhale was slowly let out in worry with her warm breath hugging against her hands.
The door creaked open and Akira heard quiet footsteps into her room. "Where else could she be?" Miguel's voice rang right by the closet door and Akira sat as white as marble and still as stone. She heard some shuffling which sounded as if he were in front of the door. Attempting to create as much distance as she could, Akira scooted backward until her shoulder blades hit the wall. It wasn't much, but it assured her a lot more than it should have.
Go away, Akira thought to herself. Before I throw up on my yukata that sensei paid for and he yells at me.
Her breath was growing thin. Her legs shook and began to feel numb while her toes curled against the wooden floor. She pulled her yukata over her legs even though she wasn't feeling cold. "I need to explain to her about everything before it's too late," Miguel sounded like he was talking to someone, although the only other people in the household he could be holding a conversation with would be Haruto and Ryota. "If you could just give me a little longer to convince her."
"There is very little time left, Owens," A low female voice spoke. It sounded strict and uptight, as if they were a powerful leader of some sorts. Akira frowned; the only person who wasn't a male in their family was herself. Who could he have been talking to? Granted, Ryota did sound like a girl with his pubescent-sounding voice, but not with the strength and courage that this one held. She moved herself closer and pressed her ear against the door, cautious but slightly intrigued. "They are getting upset. Who knows what would happen if we frustrate this deity any further?"
Deity?
Her sickly feeling was instantly replaced with a wave of confusion.
"I know, Reyna," Miguel sighed as if he were losing his patience. "But I've told you; Akira's different. She needs to be eased into the situation, not chucked in and ready for war. She wasn't born in battle armor with a golden sword in her hand. Just a little longer."
"It has been six months," The girl said with a hint of worry painting her voice only if one listened closely. "If I dare say, they will not tolerate this much longer. I will give you one more day, Owens. Tell her that she is a demigod. Then, after the twenty-four hours are up, the Pegasi will arrive for your location. I expect both to be occupied with a passenger."
There was a still silence for a few seconds and Akira held her breath. If felt like one could physically grab the tension and snap it in half with both hands. She felt puzzled; an overload of information piled on top of the stress from the Kabuki competition and the hellhound attack was causing her head to pulse.
"What is a demigod?" She said aloud on accident, slightly muffled since they were behind her hands, but nevertheless audible.
A clattering sound happened outside of the door as if Miguel dropped something. "Fujioka-san?" He called out again. "Are you... In the closet?"
Nibbling on her nails and internally yelling at herself for being an imbecile, Akira merely responded, "No, I am not here." She heard him snort lightly like he was holding back his laughter.
"How interesting," Miguel replied while rapping his knuckles against the door, "If you don't mind, talking closet, would it be alright if you open up so I can talk to Fujioka-san?"
Akira contemplated it for a moment, and thinking it over she finally opened it to reveal Miguel's face which was filled with worry, although he managed a smile. "Akira," She looked down sheepishly. "Akira is fine."
His smile grew bigger. "You overheard that conversation, right?"
She uncomfortably nodded.
He carefully held out his hand like he was afraid she'd bite him like a rabid dog. "Do you mind coming out of the closet so we can talk about it?" Akira stared at him, almost blankly like she was mentally shutting down, yet finally took his hand which he helped her get up onto her feet.
"I did not expect to come out quite literally," She spoke jokingly, and he nearly spat.
He coughed to recompose himself. "Alright, before I explain everything..." Miguel let go of her hand. "I just wanted to apologize. I didn't mean to betray or lie to you in any way. I should've been honest about why I came here." He paused. "I was your friend then, and still want to be now. Think we can continue being friends?" His words were spoken with such utmost sincerity that she wanted to believe him.
Akira nibbled her lower lip. She was hesitant because she was wary and doubtful; who knows if he was trying to deceive her again, yet she cautiously nodded her head yes.
"Great," Miguel's smiled so wide that it revealed his braces. "Now, where should I begin?"
"Demigod," The term immediately rolled right past Akira's lips. "What does the word demigod mean?"
Miguel tilted his head, trying to figure out how to explain it simply so that Akira wouldn't get too confused. "A demigod is a child of a god with a mortal, in particular, Greek and Roman gods. A common term could also be half-blood."
Her expression changed to a frown. "You were only talking about mythology? Something that does not exist?"
Miguel's smile quickly faded and he placed a hand on her shoulder. "No, Akira," His voice dropped to a low whisper as if he were afraid someone was listening to their conversation. "They are real, and we cannot deny that."
"You lie," Akira's steady stare burned into his head. The nauseating feeling began to return. "You said that you would not lie."
He shook his head. "I wouldn't lie to you twice, Akira-san. I keep my word. That's where the monsters derive from; they come from Greek and Roman mythology." Miguel's voice grew so thin that she could barely hear what he was saying. "There are... Camps, back in America where children of the Gods reside. I simply told your dad that our camp was a dance academy. They sent me here because we assume..." He coughed into his fist. "That you may be one as well."
Now, if Akira weren't in a mental state of collapse already, she may have keeled over and fallen unconscious from the overwhelming experiences she had today. "You are absolutely ridiculous!" Her voice began to raise. "Children of the gods, and especially Greek gods themselves do not exist!" She jabbed a finger at his chest in frustration.
Swiftly, Miguel covered her mouth with his hand and Akira nearly recoiled backward from the force. "If you say more, they'll be angered. I can assure you that they are real if you come to camp with me; otherwise, your life may be endangered to more monsters and I won't be there to help. Alright?"
She slowly nodded her head, although her thoughts were clouding over. When he removed his hand, she asked, "Then what about other beliefs? Are you stating that they are not true? Am I supposed to toss my religion, Shinto, if I'm to accept that I am a... A child of a deity? The kami will not be satisfied with me falling astray."
Miguel's eyes widened as if he had forgotten and suddenly remembered her family's faith. He stuttered and mumbled under his breath, unable to get a coherent string of words together. "I-I can't really explain," He held his hands up in surrender. "But Reyna will; she's one of the camp's praetor and should be able to clarify a few things. Lupa won't be around to train you, but that'll be explained when we get there. Please trust me on this."
First, Akira was to accept that the monsters from her hallucinations were real. Then Miguel tells her that the gods from Greek and Roman mythology exist, and finally, she may need to toss aside the faith she was raised up in for most of her life? All of the terms he was throwing right at her made her head throb. She wanted to refuse completely and run to the shrines to pray for answers, but for some reason, Akira felt almost compelled to believe him. It was as if some sort of biological urge was telling her to go with him to America, like a conscience.
She pursed her lips and finally said, "Alright. I will believe you, for now. Please do not..." Her voice cracked slightly. "Do not lie to me again."
"I swear on the River Styx," He replied earnestly with his hand over his heart. Akira didn't understand what that meant but decided that she had her fill of questions and answers for the day.
Miguel turned around and headed for the door. "We'll leave in the morning since it's about a ten-hour flight from Japan to the west side of America. Get packed; I recommend a whole bunch of snacks. I'll meet you outside the house." He placed a hand on the doorknob. The hinges on the door squeaked like mice as he pulled it open.
Akira decided to say something before he left. "You know, Miguel," She called out. "You used the word 'infamous' in the wrong context. Well done, foreign exchange student."
He smirked, a bit surprised at her change in tone.
"French foreign exchange student," Miguel corrected. "English isn't my first language either." He paused in his tracks for a brief moment, trying to recall the definition of the word while tapping a finger against his chin. "You're right, but your dad seemed fine with it," He grinned. "I guess that means he's truly evil at heart." Miguel waved his hand and closed the door behind him.
She finally let out a laugh, and relief she'd been yearning for all afternoon settled over her. It was like taking a warm bath filled with bubbles. Finally feeling upbeat and the sick feeling gone from her stomach, with her hands on her hips and a smile on her face, Akira spun on her heel and turned to her closet.
Even with all of her questions and a lack of answers, she felt ready to set out for Camp Jupiter.
i apologize for accidentally hitting the publish button with my fat hand earlier... this chapter is so dialogue-y so i don't like it ><
(people are already shipping miguel and akira and it's only chapter three like calm your hormones people-)
name three meaningful things you like about akira; go!