Life Is But a Dream: Delusion

Staring out of the shoji screen, Fawks watched as Yuinatsu, Ginjiro and Kanaye played together in the garden. A soft smile tugged on her lips, in this moment she was completely content.

“None of it is real, Fawkeisha”

Fawks turned abruptly, the man standing behind her seemed so out of place. He was dressed in a white lab coat, his cold black eyes peered back at her from behind horn-rimmed glasses and his brown hair was slicked back.

“You have to except that…”

“Who the hell are you?! How did you even get in here?!” she shouted. Suddenly her room faded away and she was standing in the middle of a black nothingness.

“You are a prisoner to your delusion. You must deny it if you ever wish to return to reality…”

 

Fawks sat up straight in bed, sweat pouring from her brow, her breath coming in shallow pants.

“Fawks-chan?”

She blinked, glancing at Sessho-maru lying beside her in bed.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah…just a nightmare…” Fawks sighed, running a hand through her damp tangle of hair.

“Your youki is still weak, beloved, you should rest for several hours more” he said pulling her into his arms. “Our earlier romp didn’t help you any…”

“You loved every minute of it…”Fawks sighed in contentment as she cuddled against her mate’s strong chest.

Sessho-maru chuckled softly, his breathing soon slowed, as he drifted back to sleep. Still, the dream wasn’t far from his mind.

 

“Are you sure you’re well enough to be up, mother?” Tensei asked as she helped Fawks dress Yukinatsu.

“It’s not like I could rest much with your father around…”

“Yes…we heard…” Tensei made a face.

“I refuse to acknowledge that…” Fawks sniffed, securing Yuki’s obi. “Eh? Where are the twins? Usually they would be bursting down the door to play with Yuki?”

“Father and Sensuke took them out hunting. It’s their first time so they were really excited” Tensei smiled.

“That’s wonderful, but I’m still worried they might be too young…” Fawks began.

“Sensuke was about their age when father first took him out and so was I” Tensei began.

“Yes and do you not remember the big stink I raised about it? I didn’t talk to him for three days” Fawks reminded with a pout.

“As a matter of fact I do, because that particular fight ended in a bought of extraordinarily loud make-up sex…” Tensei noted dryly.

“Tensei!” Fawks cried.

“I’m still very good at shocking you, aren’t I mother…” Tensei chuckled. Fawks shook her head. Yukinatsu pouted.

“Eh? What’s wrong, Yuki-chan?” Tensei began.

“I think somebody’s mad that she didn’t get to go along with her daddy and big brothers” Fawks smiled softly, ruffling her silver curls.

“Don’t worry, Yuki-chan. I’m sure the boys will be home soon. In the meantime why don’t we play together…” Tensei, comforted pulling the small girl into a bear hug. Yuki giggled loudly.

“Be gentle!” Fawks began.

“Of course, mother!” Tensei called as the two flounced from the room. Fawks smiled softly, shaking her head.

“You have to wake up, Fawkeisha!”

Fawks turned, the doctor was standing behind her, his face stern.

“You again…” Fawks growled getting to her feet.

“You can’t live in this fantasy you’ve concocted for yourself!”

“I don’t know who you are, or how you got here, but there’s no way I’m believing anything you say!” she replied, flexing her claws.

“I really don’t want to use force…”

“Try me!” She snarled, flames shooting out of her hands. Her world suddenly tilted and she fell to her knees, “…What?!”

“Don’t fight it, Fawkeisha, you know it will only be worse if you do”

“Mama!”

She heard the boys call her and the pattering of their feet down the hall.

‘…no…stay back…!’ she wanted to scream but her mouth felt as if it were stuffed with cotton. The room seemed to be melting, the colors sagging and dripping like a freshly painted canvas left out in the rain.

“…what…?” Fawks managed. The castle faded from sight, in its place stood an opaque room with very with no windows and a desk against the far wall. She was seated on the small bed, the man in the lab coat, sitting at the desk across from her. Glancing up at the door, she glimpse two very large and muscular men dressed in hospital scrubs.

Fawks blinked as if the act alone could erase them from her sight.

“Are you awake now, Fawkeisha?” the doctor asked.

“…Where…?

“You’re in the hospital, Fawkeisha, where you have been residing for the past four years”

“…Four…?” Fawks suddenly felt ill, her hand flew to her mouth.

“Do you know how old you are? What year it is?” he asked. Fawks rose to her feet, the act alone making her dizzy, one of the orderlies caught her.

“Easy there, Fawks…” he muttered to her.

“…Why am I here? Where is my husband? My children?” she began.

“You have no children, and you were never married. You’re only twenty-years-old, Fawkeisha”

Fawks began to hyperventilate, shaking all over.

“…no…that’s not true…that can’t be true! I have a husband and five children!” She cried.

“…and you left your life in modern Japan to be with your demon lover in the warring states period of Musashi’s domain?” the doctor raised an eyebrow. Fawks looked at him, her eyes wide with horror.

“That was all a delusion, one you concocted to deal with past trauma…”

“You’re lying!” Fawks cried, lunging at him but the orderly held her back. “You bastard! What did you do to them! What have you done to my family!”

The other orderly stepped forward and the two tied her down on the bed with leather straps. She struggled, screamed and fought as the doctor removed a syringe from his lab coat, pressing the needle into her arm. The moment he pushed down the plunger, all of her strength seemed to drain right out of her. Darkness closed in around her, pulling her into a cold, dreamless sleep.