Legendary Dream Walker

Chapter 5: Lullabies and dangerous past

"Come on you two, time for bed." I called to the twins. Meng immediately pouted.

"But I'm not sleepy yet! Not even a little!" He protested, even as he followed Jing and I to his new room.

"Meng." The grumpy boy yawned as he looked up at me. "If you go to sleep now, we can go do some exploring tomorrow,  and see if they have a park near by." I bargained as I tucked him into his bed first. "You and your brother could go play ball, while Uncle Jackson goes to his appointment. Does that sound ok?" Meng nodded at me, as I tucked in Jing.

"OK. Can you  and Uncle Jackson sing to me and Jing a song before you go?"

"I..."

"Please?!" Jing implored, with scared eyes. I inwardly sighed, as my heart ached. Poor Jing has had a fear of abandonment ever since my step-dad left.

"You'll be alright, Jing. Jackson and I will never leave you. Never ever. OK,  sweetheart?" I held his small shaking hand in mine and gave it a squeeze.

"Do the Isabella's Lullaby please!" Meng requested.

"But... my voice is terrible!" I protested,  trying to get out of it.

"Oh come on Kitty! You're not that bad..." I looked up and saw Jackson holding out my guitar.

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Yes, I do play the guitar. And I'm super shy when it comes to singing... For very personal reasons. For those of you wondering how Jackson knows the song, well... One day the boys and I were having our usual anime movie/series marathon (It was a Friday) and he stayed the night. Or rather we all stayed up almost all night.

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The boys started to give me their best puppy eyes.

"Oh, alright." I relented. Those two really are too cute for their own good. "But just this once, ok?"

"Yay!" I took my guitar in hand, and began to strum.

The boys were sound asleep by the time we finished. I gently kissed their foreheads  before heading to the door.

"Goodnight boys. Sweet dreams." Quietly I closed the door, and headed to the kitchen.

"I don't know why you don't sing more often, Kitsune. You have a very pretty voice, " Jackson spoke quietly. I shook my head.

"I thank you for your opinion, but it's best if I don't." He frowned at me.

"Why not? You used to sing all the time! Then I was gone for a week and when I came back... That crystal melody was gone. What happened?!" Jackson asked.

"N-nothing happened! I-Im fine." I tried to brush it off. That wasn't a memory I'd like to return to.

"No, you are not fine! Something obviously happened. You used to love singing!" Jackson hugged me tight. "You've helped me so many times- you help everyone!  This time let me help you. Please Kitty?" I sighed deeply. He was right.

"It was right after you left for that week that I found her..."

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

I had been coming home from the store with food for me and the boys that week, (I had hired a babysitter to watch the twins,  and my dream walking seer abilities allowed me know if they were safe for the boys.) and had just turned the corner. A 6 year old little girl was shivering in front of me,  covered in cuts and bruises.

"Oh my! Are you ok?!" I dropped my bags down on the ground, and she shied away from me immediately as I reached for her. I pulled quickly back, and she began sobbing.

"P-Please don't h-hurt me! I'll g-get it right this t-time. I promise!" My heart broke in sadness at the sight before me. At first I was at a loss at what to do. She was so frightened she wouldn't let me anywhere near to her. So I got down on my knees and sang the song I used to sing 4 year old Jing back to sleep when he'd wake up  crying every night at 2am, feeling terrified and alone.

She slowly calmed down, and I asked if I could help her.

"I want my Eomma!" She cried to me, burying herself in my arms. Tears pricked my eyes at her words. 'So do I little one.'

"Can you tell me how to get to where your Eomma and Appa live?" I asked her sweetly. She nodded,  and I stood up carefully, the groceries in one hand, and held the girl tightly in the other. As I followed her directions, I asked her to tell my about her favorite things, like her favorite animal and such. I learned that her name was Hanna, and she had an older sister, and younger brother. Then I finally managed to find the problem. The young music instructor her parents had assigned for her and her siblings had caused her wounds. I was absolutely stunned at this news. Apparently all the other times he had bullied the kids, but hadn't inflicted lasting visible damage... This time he had snapped. She started crying again, and shaking like a leaf. Right when we reached her home, I could hear another kid shriek from inside. My blood ran cold,  and after using my seer ability to determine the safest hiding place for her, I carefully yet quickly placed the girl and my bags on the ground behind a rather large flower bush.

"Stay here, ok?" I quickly got my phone out to call the police, and gave them the address. The kid shrieked again and I closed my eyes, my heart pounding. Feeling my body hum with it's forbidden hidden power,  I broke down the door easily, (despite being 5 ft at the time) and headed in. Immediately I noticed the trouble, and anger flooded my veins. A girl about 10, and a little boy younger than Hanna were trapped, cornered by an unknown young male adult.

"Leave them alone!" I shouted at him. He immediately turned around and I glared at him. He grinned sadistically, trying to make me submit in fear. Unfortunately for him, my boiling rage rendered his little performance useless.

"Another asian. Absolutely perfect!" I frowned at him. "You have quite the lovely voice, darling..."

'What?!' It was a split second later I realized what he was.

"Shit!" The police hadn't arrived yet, and Hanna and her siblings were still in danger. I tackled him to the floor away from the kids. Something sharp slid down my side, but I didn't take much notice... until he started to slid his hands over my body and I jerked back feeling very violated.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

"Finally the cops came, and they arrested the guy who as I had thought, was anti-asian. I had survived the ordeal with a little injury, but all the same it was enough to put me off singing... Almost for good," I finished, shivering as I replayed the memory. Jackson hugged me tighter.

"But you're safe now. You saved Hanna and her siblings, and even put that guy behind bars!" He tried to reassure me. "Always willing to help others, even in the face of danger... The world definetly needs more people like you, Kitsune."

"Thanks for listening, Jackson. You're the best."