[b]Kotori Shirohane - Heartbreak Hospital: Intensive Care Unit | Unknown Time[/b]

As the shadows gathered around her mirror image, Kotori remained transfixed by it - what was this... thing? Was it... her? Was that what she really was? Her thoughts were circling all around her mind, leaving her entirely dazed and unable to even react as she was thrown across the room by her other self as it engaged in the intruders. [color=green][i]'No... no, it's not that, I... I'm not afraid of what other people think; I've got a reason to keep my distance...'[/i][/color] Unbeknownst to her, Kotori's further denial only served to sustain her twisted other self as it took the fights to the four intruders. [color=green][i]'I... I can't help it, really. It's just that... what if they get hurt? I don't want that - no, never...'[/i][/color] Through misty eyes, Kotori slowly lifted her head up - just in time to see her other self blast its attackers with bolts of lightning. For a moment, hesitation entered her thoughts. [color=green][i]'No, please... stop! You're just getting hurt over me! Stop... please...'[/i][/color] she pleaded silently - but the four did not even falter; instead even redoubling their efforts. [color=green][i]'Why... why won't you stop? You don't have to do this, I... I...'[/i][/color] Blinking slowly, it was only now that Kotori realised that she could feel something on her cheeks - tears that had unknowingly started to form.

Looking on, there was nothing she could do to stop the four of them from throwing themselves at the cruel shadow that was supposed to be herself - even if her voice would have obeyed her, she wouldn't have any words to make them stop; nothing she could say would have made them abandon this fight. But why would they do that for someone they barely knew? A sense of helplessness overcame Kotori at that realisation - and at the same moment, her shadow hesitated for just a brief instant; barely noticeable. Here she was, wanting to stop four people from throwing themselves into a life-or-death battle and she couldn't even get a whisper out. She had a reason, didn't she? She didn't want to see others get hurt over herself - and yet here they were, doing just that without even being asked to do so. People she wanted to 'protect' - what good would that be, what could she really do? People were going to get harmed, one way or another - and they were going to live their lives how they saw fit, no matter what she said or did.

Closing her eyes as her thoughts slowed down, the shadow began to become more frantic; the prolonged fight taking quite a toll on the party. [color=green][i]'...what good is it if I keep people away and it just hurts them anyway - and... me? I... I don't want that. No, I never wanted that, but... but what should I do? I... I don't know anymore. I just... I...'[/i][/color] [color=slategray]"Kotori... There's nothing wrong with hiding away, when you're afraid... That's what we do."[/color]

Her eyes blinked open and turned toward the speaker - who kept on talking, asking her if it wasn't sad. He didn't even know her - and yet, he was risking his and his friends lives for her sake; even trying to help her through her inner turmoil. Kotori opened her mouth, as if to respond - but to her bitter realisation, she didn't have any words. It was at that moment - even as the boy told her to watch - that her shadow's words finally reached her core. She was right - of course she was. She had been right all along - and she'd known as much, but she just didn't want it to be true. Of course she had a reason to keep people away - but how long had it been since that had been the truth and not just a lipservice of an excuse toward herself?

She wasn't doing some noble deed - she was really just a shy girl who covered up her insecurities by clinging to something as an excuse. But what good was an excuse if it failed to even prevent exactly what it was supposed to guard against? And with that admittance, an unfelt wind swept across the battlefield, sweeping up the shadow as it wilted; leaving instead the once-more human form of Kotori in its wake. Looking at her, Kotori herself slowly pushed herself up from the ground; hands clutched before her chest as she closed the distance between them. The golden eyes fixed themselves on Kotori's own behind her glasses. There was still a wetness about her cheeks, but no longer did any tears gather in her eyes as she knelt down in front of her other self. And then, with a small smile, she extended her tightly-grasped hands out toward her shadow; revealing within her palms the previously discarded glasses of her golden-eyed self.

[color=green]"I'm sorry,"[/color] Kotori said, her voice still quiet. [color=green]"You're right. You really are. I'm not helping anyone by hiding away - in fact, I'm even hurting them."[/color] Her shadow-self took the glasses wordlessly, slowly putting them on as she watched Kotori's smile dim for a moment. [color=green]"And you're right about using an excuse - it had been the truth. But that was three years ago. It was just too much - he was gone from one moment to another, and then to hear that my heart was the same; that it might stop at any moment - I was scared of dying, I was hurt. I didn't want to hurt anyone else - so I kept my distance. But at some point... I stopped being afraid of dying and instead became afraid of living."[/color]

Kotori's smile had vanished; instead giving way to sorrow as she spoke to herself of her own memories. [color=green]"But..."[/color] she then said before taking a deep breath. [color=green]"I also realised that no matter what, I can't just avoid people entirely - no matter what I do, I will still affect others. And what if..."[/color] Kotori paused for a moment - as a small smile began to form again on her lips, [color=green]"what if I can affect them positively, in the here and now, instead of only negatively?"[/color] With that, she slowly put her arms out to her sides - a rather awkward attempt at a hug, if there had ever been one. [color=green]"So let's not be afraid of our scars. If we're broken hearts, who's to say we can't still be happy?"[/color]

At her words, Kotori's mirror image blinked slowly - before shaking her head. But not condescendingly or even denying her words - rather, in incredulity at her real self's words in conjunction with her silly gesture. A small chuckle began in her throat - but this time it was neither cruel nor disturbing. No, it was simply the laughter of an amused girl who'd just witnessed herself making an incredibly embarassing speech - before throwing her arms around her real self. And with that, a faint glow began to emanate from the smiling shadow as she faded once again - but this time into light rather than shadows. The light grew in intensity - yet somehow never becoming painful to the eye - as it floated upwards. At its very peak of brightness, the mass of light then gave off a brilliant flash - and began to morph into a new shape even as an object began to slowly descend from its core.

Kotori, who had watched the whole thing still kneeling on the ground, had fixed her eyes on the entire process - yet despite being just as inexplicable as anything that had happened since she had awoken in this strange place, she felt none of the fear. Instead, it felt... familiar; like the warmth of a home on a cold winter day. Above her, the flash faded - and revealed in its stead [url=http://i.imgur.com/dcWGhC0.png]a new figure[/url]; clad in robes of white and red. Within its hands it grasped the stem of a blooming rose - yet its thorns made no attempt to sting her. The figure was evidently both human and female, even in spite of the flowery outgrowth that were her hair. Kotori, meanwhile, had extended her hands upwards toward the object that had come floating down from above: A card which came to rest in her hands. Holding it close to her chest, Kotori looked up again at her persona - a word which came to her inexplicably yet completely naturally - she smiled as her voice filled her mind.

[color=gold]"I am thou. Thou art I.[/color]

Kikuri-Hime was her name - something that Kotori knew just as naturally as the fact that she was smiling back at her before slowly fading away. Yet she didn't feel saddened by the departure - because she wasn't really gone when she was her inner self after all. Slowly getting back up on her feet, Kotori turned to face her saviours - and immediately bowed deeply. [color=green]"Uhm, imsor-"[/color] She jumbled her words as the full embarassement of having the four of them hear all her previous words to her herself; her face taking on a quickly deepening red colour - but then she stopped, took a deep breath and stood up straight again. Kotori's cheeks made evident that she was still quite embarassed as she spoke again: [color=green]"I am sorry to have caused you so much trouble and am really grateful for what you have done for me."[/color] Though it took her full concentration to do so, Kotori spoke without a hint of hesitation; no small stutter and in a clear and audible tone instead of her usual quiet voice.

A small smile accompanied her words - but before she could say anything more she blinked once, twice as her mind became clouded. All the fatigue came pouring over her as she began to sway on her legs - and then finally collapse into unconsciousness once again; without even being able to mumble another 'Sorry' for troubling them even further.