Changing Times

Confusion

A/N. Welcome to book two. As I said, I still have a few things planned. Hope you enjoy this book as much as the first. Also, if you haven't read the first one, Falling Into Dark, read that before this one. It will make much more sense.

RECAP

You wake up on a bus, going to ComiCon. Nikki is still asleep. As you think back on why you are on the bus, memories of Dark, Anti, and your adventures come to the front of your mind. You don't know what to think.

You end up shifting, which wakes up Nikki. She looks around, then at you. Her face shows she is confused. "Y/N, where are we?"

"On the way to ComiCon, to go see my brother. Don't you remember?"

She thinks for a moment. "Oh yea. I forgot."

She turns to look outside. You notice she doesn't feel right, but you don't ask her what is wrong. You mind keeps going back to the memories that don't fit.

Was it all a dream? It just seems so real. Dark's voice, his touch. My powers, they felt real. The only thing that explains it, is it was a dream. But I never have dreams that vivid. And then my entire life before all the events. Why do I remember all this?

You are pulled out of your thoughts by your cell going off. You pick it up.

"Hello."

"Hey, cousin. Where are you, why aren't you guys here yet?"

"Umm. Nikki's car broke down at the last second. We had enough time to get it in the shop. We are taking a bus. We should be there in about ten minutes."

"Ok see you soon."

Nikki looks over at you. "Was that your cousin?"

"Yeah. Calling to see what is taking us so long."

She looks back out the window. You sense mention between you two. I wonder what is wrong with her.

"Hey Nikki. What is wrong? You don't seem like yourself."

She looks at you. "Yeah. I just... have so many things going in my mind. It feels strange."

You then see her scratch where her mark was. Well, where it was in your dream.

"I know the feeling. Its like, A part off life never happened."

She seems surprised. "It's exactly like that. I had this super vivid dream. I remember so many things, and its not real."

"I had a dream too. It seems so real, I almost wish it was."

You two are pulled out of your conversation by the bus stopping. You step out of the bus, only to be tacked by your cousin. "Really. I am already tired of that." You get up and see your cousin smiling. You look at her hair. "When did you dye half your hair pink?"

"You know, I kinda forget. But I like it this way. It helps me feel complete."

That's an odd way of putting it.

"This will sound strange. Did you have a dream last night?"

"No, why do you ask?"

"Just wondering. Don't worry, nothing important."

You walk over to a shaded area, waiting for Nikki to get off the bus. You lean against the wall. The shade is away from the crowd, which is fine with you.

Ahh. Shade. I always did love the shadows. How you worded that reminds you of the dream. I wonder...

You turn around and look at the wall. You close your eyes and put your hand on the wall. You focus, trying to access the shadows. You get pulled out of focusing by your cousin.

"Y/N, here she comes. What are you doing?"

You turn around to see both Brit and Nikki looking at you. "Uh. Nothing. Just being stupid."

Brittany turns around, giving no more thought. Nikki looks at her. "Go on ahead, me and him will be in shortly." Brit gives her a thumbs up as she joins the rest of the crowd.

She looks at you. "Spill it. What were you doing?"

"Nothing. Just being me."

She gives you her 'oh really' look. "I know you. You were trying to Shadowjump, weren't you?"

You stare at her wide eyed. "How do you know about that?"

You impulsively scratch where your brand would have been. You look in her eyes, and you both speak. "The dream."

You speak. "So we both had the same dream, but from our perspectives. That is just strange."

You glance at your cell. "We better get in there before Brit freaks out. We will talk about this later."

You head in and meet back up with Brit. You all wander around, checking things out. As you walk around, you notice you have a slight pain. A literal pain in the ass. Brittany notices it, cause after a while you start to walk weird.

"What's wrong Cuz, you're walking weird?"

You look at her. "I don't know, I just have a strange pain in my ass. Its not major, but its there." Realization dawns on you. "Oh no."

You glance at Nikki, whom you assume figured it out. In my dream, I had sex with Mark. But in the real world, I don't have an explanation. I don't understand... You then hear a voice in your head, one that isn't yours. Y/N, where... It fades away. It sounds so distant, like he isn't anywhere near you.

You recognize it as Dark's, the voice of the body you made. You try to sense where it came from, but you don't. Nikki notices you focusing. When you stop, she talks. "What's wrong?

"I thought. I could have sworn..." You sigh. "Nevermind. It was nothing."

She doesn't press the issue, but she brings up a new topic. "So, you ready to see your brother?"

"Yes, but I don't think I will say who I am. I have so many things to sort through in my head. I want to at least work on the puzzle before adding new pieces."

"I understand. I feel the same thing, strangely, with Jack. It's weird, I don't know how to explain it."

You wander over to Mark's table. You and Nikki hop in line, and some security goons cut the line after you.

Finally you get up to Mark. He stands up. "Well, looks like you two are the last. Who might you two be?"

Nikki introduces herself. Mark turns to you. "I'm Y/N. I would consider myself I huge fan. I'm just happy I get to meet you."

You stare into his eyes, but you don't see anything. You all talk for a little, and you eventually leave. Mark doesn't know. Which is good for now.