Part 6 (1/2)

Until now, such men had pa.s.sed through Her life as mediators...mere stepping stones to keep Her alive until today. Those before him were all so foolish, though they never doubted their own greatness. Scoffing at them, She'd remained outwardly silent.

But She would hide no longer.

She'd devised many plans for Her happiness over the long years. While pretending to yield to these men, She had positioned strength at crucial points, someday to manipulate their very cores. The men did not know this.

The first man ever to know what I have done and who I am - probably this Tos.h.i.+aki Nagas.h.i.+ma will be the one. She thought this.

She remembered Tos.h.i.+aki's eyes and felt warm all over, felt a quickening of all Her functions. This feeling... She didn't remember ever experiencing it until She met him. She did not know what it was. But the woman called Kiyomi tasted it when she was loved by Tos.h.i.+aki, this She knew.

And now She Herself was feeling it.

Did this mean: She and Tos.h.i.+aki loved each other?

Maybe. But She could not explain why She had become capable of this sensation.

But this is evolution, She told Herself.

This was simply Her way of acclimating to Her new environment. She had evolved, once again.

Tos.h.i.+aki had to be used, further. He would grant Her every desire. From now on, it will no longer just be creating copies of Herself...

He will give Me a daughter.

She multiplied fully into the s.p.a.ce around Her. There was ample s.p.a.ce.

Doing this brought Her great delight. However, this alone would not satisfy Her.

Everything up to this point had been mere preparation.

As She continued to multiply, She occasionally had a dream. It was the life <f a=”” woman=”” named=”” kiyomi,=”” whom=”” she=”” had=”” observed=”” for=”” 25=”” years.=”” one=”” by=”” one,=”” she=”” dug=”” up=”” memories=”” that=”” had=”” lodged=”” deep=”” within=”” kiyomi.=”” in=”” comparison=”” with=”” the=”” ocean=”” of=”” time=”” she'd=”” spent=”” waiting,=”” the=”” shallow=”” years=”” kiyomi's=”” existence=”” were=”” but=”” a=”” few=”” solemn=”” waves.=”” because=”” this=”” was=”” true,=”” she=”” could=”” evoke=”” kiyoki's=”” memories=”” with=”” great=””></f>< p=””>

It was fun rummaging around in Kiyomi's being. For it meant also to remember Tos.h.i.+aki.

Quietly, but steadily, She replicated Herself, as She dreamed...

PART TWO.

SYMBIOSIS.

1.

Kiyomi Kataoka loved her birthday.

Whenever the day came near, everything from school to streets took on a new vitality.

She was greeted with joyful laughter and song wherever she went. She loved all of it. Not everyone was excited for her sake, of course, but she liked to think that all the people in the world were enjoying themselves on her account. It was the time of year when shopping districts resounded with the familiar lilt of ”Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and ”Jingle Bells,” and smiles graced the faces of all who walked the streets. It was truly the best day of the year.

When Christmas approached, she and her parents decorated a real tree in their living room. From the time she was in kindergarten, they had spruced up the house together every year. Kiyomi always had the honor of plugging in the cord to set the tree aglow, but only after making sure the room was as dark as possible. The large tree would scintillate with blues and reds and, as she watched the lights reflecting off the wallpaper, Kiyomi thought of how wonderful it was to have a birthday on Christmas Eve.

Dining grade school, she invited her friends every year to her birthday party. Her mother did most of the cooking, but Kiyomi also helped out with the smaller things. Cooking with her mother was always fun. After the food was ready, her friends came over and wished her a happy birthday as they walked through the door.

They all arrived with presents in hand and Kiyomi delighted in seeing them pile up under the Christmas tree. They then gathered around the large dining table to eat, play games, and sing songs. Kiyomi usually played ”Silent Night,” which she had learned from her piano teacher. After her friends returned home, she received presents from her parents, usually books and stuffed animals.

”You know, Kiyomi, you were born exactly at this time,” said her mother as she glanced at the clock on Kiyomi's tenth birthday.

Her father was sitting on the couch, smoking a pipe. He looked at Kiyomi and smiled warmly. He said: ”It was nine o'clock when I heard your cry. It was such a lovely cry...full of strength.

And your mother was crying too, from joy. It was a cloudless night. At midnight, I looked out the window; the hospital was on a hilltop, so the entire town was spread out below me. I could see the stars so clearly. That's when I decided to name you Kiyomi.”

The characters of her name meant ”holy” and ”beauty.”

Stuffed animals clutched at her side, Kiyomi waited for Santa Claus to come. But eventually she succ.u.mbed to sleep.

She had a dream that night, as she did every year.

A dark place. A low rumbling, resounding without pause. A stream slowly enveloped her body, clouding her perception of up and down. She surrendered to the current, feeling herself floating upon it. Enveloped by a womb-like warmth, time could not be felt here.

Kiyomi tried to imagine where she might be; she felt mysteriously at home. I've been here long ago. But she could not remember where ”here” was. All was dark, and there was nothing, in this dream that was like a dream...

When she opened her eyes the next morning, a pile of Christmas presents, rivaling the amount she had received for her birthday the night before, was stacked neatly at her bedside.

Kiyomi tried asking her parents once.

”Does Santa make you dream?” Her parents exchanged confused glances, but listened intently as she told them everything about the dream. When she expressed a feeling of having been there before, they groaned with surprise and admiration. She asked them, ”You know the place?”

Her mother smiled gently and embraced her.

”I think I do, sweetie. You were probably in my tummy.”

”In your tummy?”

”That's where you came from. I'm sure you were just remembering the feeling of being inside me.”

”Is it dark in there?”

”Yes, it's dark and warm, and it feels like you're floating in a bath.” ”Hm...”

”I've never had that kind of dream. You must have a good memory.”

”Don't other people dream about it too?”