A few weeks passed by faster than Apollo's sun chariot. I had adjusted to school enough to the point where I was tolerant of the yellow uniform. My grades weren't the best, mostly B's and C's, but thankfully, I didn't have a scholarship like Haruhi. Dad had paid for my entrance to Ouran, meaning, I didn't need to work my ass off to be the highest in the class.
Through out the whole day in school, I tried to stay awake, but it seemed fatigue was wearing me down.
For the past few days, I've been staying up late getting rid of all the monsters that appeared, only sleeping for about five hours. It was beginning to take a toll on me, especially with the sneaking out I kept doing.
"Hey Kotoko-chan, you okay?" Kaoru asked. I glanced at him with blank eyes.
I must have looked horrible with dark bags under my eyes and disheveled hair. "Hm? Oh, yeah. Perfect. Just tired." A yawn escaped me and I struggled to open my eyes.
"You should have stayed home." Haruhi scolded. I waved her off.
"And leave you at the hands of these people? No way."
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" The twins pouted at me.
"Nothing..." I grinned.
~~~~{Line Break}~~~~
I dragged my feet all the way to the club room. Nothing had really happened today, just a few teachers getting mad at me for falling asleep.
Opening the door, I ignored all the decorations I normally would have gaped at.
"Is Koto-chan okay?" I heard Honey whisper.
"Haruhi says she's just tired from not sleeping." Hikaru replied.
Walking over to a random couch, I looked at the hosts. "I'ma' take a nap." Then I promptly fell forward onto the soft cushions.
They blinked at my unconscious form.
"Come on now people, let's get moving. We have much to do before the ladies arrive." Kyoya stated, pushing up his glasses.
*DREAM STATE*
From where I stood, I could see Percy standing in front of Luke-no, that wasn't him. I mean it was him, but his eyes were pure gold. Kronos.
Lu-Kronos was glaring at the two giants that held Beckendorf in their arms. I gasped at his state. He had a swollen eye and cuts all over his face and arms.
"And did you perhaps, send someone to actually CHECK THE ENGINE ROOM?!"
Shivers went down my back at the sound of his voice. It sounded like nails running across a chalk board.
The Demigod that was next to the giants, scrambled back in fear and ran to check the engine room. Percy met Beckendorf's eyes and they had a silent conversation, Beckendorf forming a zero with his hand.
Kronos then turned to Percy. "You'll have to excuse my incompetent help, Percy Jackson. But it doesn't matter. We have you now. We've known you were coming for weeks." A spy in the camp?! Kronos held out his hand and a silver bracelet hung between his fingers, a scythe charm on it, his symbol.
"Communication device..." Percy muttered. "Spy at camp."
"You can't count on friends. They will always let you down. Luke learned that lesson the hard way. Now drop your sword and surrender or your friend dies."
Percy looked conflicted and Beckendorf mouthed "Go." at him.
He shook his head and stayed in his spot.
Beckendorf had his left arm free and raised it up towards his watch.
"What issss he doing? What isss that on hisss wrissst?" A Dracaenae hissed.
Percy, with no other choice, threw his sword at Kronos, which made him pause, and he ran across the deck, jumping off.
Beckendorf pushed the button on the watch, and the Princess Andromeda exploded in green flames, that spread out many yards.
*END DREAM*
I woke up screaming. I sat up and trembled.
Around me, I could hear the hosts dropping any task they we're doing and run to me, yet I paid no mind to them.
'PercydeadtoobigexplosionspycampdangerKronos!' My thoughts were a mess and I was trembling. Percy and Beckendorf couldn't be dead, they just couldn't.
What happens now?
What about the prophecy? What about camp? Our safe haven could now be a danger. I felt a hand on my shoulder and blankly looked at the person. Haruhi was next to me, her eyes filled with worry.
"Kotoko...?" I smiled but it turned out more like a grimace
."Sorry." I cringed at how my voice cracked. "Bad dream."
Standing up, I pushed Haruhi's hand away and walked past the hosts.
"Wait, Kotoko--"
"I'm going home. See you later." I interrupted dully. Feeling the stares on my back, I ignored it and kept walking to the door.
~~~~{Line Break}~~~~
They watched as Kotoko went through the doors.
"Is she going to be okay?" Honey asked. He squeezed his rabbit close to him in worry.
"I think I should go with her..." Haruhi said.
"You can't." Kyoya stated. Haruhi turned around and glared.
"Why not? She's my cousin and right now I don't know why she's like that!"
"The ladies are coming and we can not just leave them. You have your debt remember?" He lifted his glasses up his nose causing the light to reflect.
"Don't worry my daughter! We shall all go visit Kotoko after club hours." Tamaki reassured. Haruhi gave him a small smile, not even yelling at him for calling her his daughter.
"It's just...she's been having these nightmares lately. It's nothing big, but this is the first time I've seen her look so...dead."
The others let the words sink in, worrying about Kotoko even more than before.
__________________________________________________________
As soon as I walked out of the front gates, I ran all the way home, not even wanting to take the bus.I had to get these questions out of my head.
Just what happened to Percy?
.
.
.
After shortening a thirty minute trip into fifteen, I quickly unlocked the door and ran into the bathroom, grabbing a sieve* on the way there.
I fumbled for a bit with the sieve but managed to create a fine mist with the shower head.
Pulling out a drachma from my pocket, I flipped it into the water with my thumb.
"Oh Iris, goddess of the Rainbow, please accept my offering, Chiron, Camp Half-Blood." The water blurred and shifted into the familiar background of camp. Seeing Chiron in the Big House dancing to his old music in his centaur form made me cheer up a bit.
"I love your moves." I smirked. Chiron turned around so fast I thought he got whiplash. He grabbed his heart in surprise.
"Zeus' Beard!" He yelled out. "Child, please don't scare me like that."
I bit my lip to stop from laughing. "Come on. You have to teach me your moves when I get back."
"I will do no such thing! It's bad enough you saw me dance." He bristled then calm down. "Now, what is the reason to your call?"
My smile fading, I remembered the topic. "Chiron...I had about dream about Percy." He stiffened at his name.
"What happened?" I told him the dream I had.
His face darkened. "Kotoko, I don't know the easy way to tell you...but Percy and Charles are dead.
"Everything around me froze. I kept denying the possibility of them dying, but now...I can't help but believe it.
"When will you burn their shrouds?" I asked monotone.
"Tomorrow."
"I see. And how are the rest taking it?"
"Silena is heart-broken, as well as Annabeth."
"Chiron, before I forget, I also heard that there was a spy at camp. That was how the Crooked One knew they were coming."
He rubbed his face. "Oh dear. I will need to discuss this with the cabin counselors."
We talked a bit more, with me only answering with short syllabubs.
I ended the call and walked back to the living room where I sat with my head on my knees.
'I'm not gonna cry. I'm not gonna cry.' I chanted in my head.
A while later, I was in the same position when Haruhi came home. Right behind her were the others.
"Kotoko?" She asked. I slowly lifted my head and turned to them. "Is everything alright."
I shook my head. "I called camp." I whispered.
"Does this have to do with your dream?" A nod in reply.
"Percy and Beckendorf," My voice cracked, yet I held the tears in. "T-they confirmed it. They're...th-they're dead."
Everyone's eyes widened.
"Percy, your cousin?" Hikaru asked gently.
"Yeah. He's dead. Just like Bianca and mom." I closed my eyes tightly. I heard someone's clothes shuffle and walk to me.
They placed their large warm hand on my head. Glancing up, I met Mori's eyes.
I don't know how he did it. Maybe it was his soft gaze.
Or his comforting hand.
Or maybe just his relaxing presence, but it was all I need to bring down my walls temporarily, and cry like a baby.
He sat down with me in between his legs, and didn't mind at all that I was soaking his uniform with my tears.
Haruhi knelt down and joined the hug.
"It's okay." She whispered. I let go off Mori and latched onto her.
"It's not okay!" I screamed, sobbing on her shoulder. "He's dead! Another p-person I loved died! W-w-what if you o-or Nico or T-thalia died too?! I can't hand-dle it!"
The hosts had pained expressions on their face.
"Please don't leave m-me!" I said desperately, tightening my hold. Haruhi let a few tears run down her cheeks.
"I won't." She promised.
"Don't l-eave me, don't-t, don't leave." I repeated endlessly. Not once did she let go of me.
________________________________________________________
Haruhi looked down at her cousin's sleeping form. She had fallen asleep crying, a few minutes earlier. Her face was red and swollen with tear stains.
To say she was shocked was an understatement. Haruhi had no idea Kotoko was suffering from autophobia*.
If only she had known...Just why did Kotoko keep this to herself? Why didn't she say anything to her or dad?
She was taken out of her thoughts when Tamaki spoke to her."Haruhi?"
She looked up to see him confused and a bit awkward. In fact the other guys were a bit uncomfortable.
"You guys don't have to stay. I'll take care of Kotoko."
"No, it's not that. I was thinking...how did she get like this?"
Looking back at Kotoko, she sighed. "I don't know. I didn't know she was like this. But, it might have started when her mom died."
"How did she die, Haru-chan?" Honey asked. She scrunched up her eyebrows, trying to remember.
"We were seven, and she and her mom went to the grocery store. An hour passed and we got worried. They never took more than thirty minutes, since it was nearby. Then Kotoko rushed in crying about her mom. I think she was saying, 'It got her.'" She paused. "We went to where she told us, and we...we saw her mom bleeding to death. After, Kotoko refused to say what happened that day."
"..." Tamaki was still processing this. "She saw her own mother die..."
"There are many things that still bother me from that day." She continued. "Afterwards, the police officers took Kotoko to an orphanage. Dad was going to adopt her right away, but someone already got her before us. I didn't see her again until this year."
"You guys should go." Haruhi said. She tried to pick up Kotoko but was too weak. Mori came and lifted her up. "Thanks Mori-senpai."
"Yeah."
Walking to her and Kotoko's room, she opened it for Mori, who gently laid her in her bed. He tucked her in and brushed a few stray hairs away from her face.
He walked back out to join the other hosts.
"Will you be at school?" Kaoru asked.
"I don't know. Bye." She shut the door and went back to Kotoko's side.
Touching her cheek, Haruhi frowned. "Just what happened?" She whispered.
_______________________________________
Sorry if any of the characters were a bit OOC.
This chapter may be a bit sad and dramatic but it will get better on the next one!
Sieve: A utensil consisting of a wire or plastic mesh held in a frame, used for straining solids from liquids, for separating coarser from finer particles, or for reducing soft solids to a pulp.
Autophobia: Fear of solitude or abandonment.