Finding Beauty in the Darkness *Obi x OC*(COMPLETE)

Unresponsive (Part 1)

Obi POV

I slip down from the trees and look around to find her running across the grounds with a panting Ryuu trailing behind her. If she's here where is Ryanne? I make my way over to her and she crashes into me hard enough to almost knock me over. She's panting and crying as she tries to catch her breath. I look to Ryuu for help but he says he doesn't know what happened. She just showed up looking for me with tears in her eyes.

"S-Something's wrong with M-Mistress Rya!" She finally chokes out. "Please help her!"

"What do you mean? What happened?"

"I-I don't know. I woke up yesterday and heard her scream. S-She's in her room and won't come out. T-The door is locked. I didn't know what else to do... She stopped talking this morning and I got scared... What if she's dead Mister Obi?"

"She's not dead." I hope... "You two go back and find Miss Shirayuki, tell her that I need her to come back with us. I need to tell Master that I'm leaving. I'll meet you at the medical buildings as soon as I can, okay? We'll figure out what's going on with Miss Ryanne."

I rush through the castle searching for Master since he wasn't in his office. Why can't he be where he usually is when I need him? I crash into Mitsuhide and ask him where he is. I curse when he tells me that Prince Izana returned this morning and they're meeting with each other right now.

"Tell him that I'll be back when I can." I tell him as I turn to leave.

"Wait, what?" He asks, catching my shoulder to stop me. "You can't just take off without him letting you. You'll get in trouble."

"Mitsuhide, I have to go. I can't wait around for him either." I turn to face him and he arches a brow.

"What's going on?"

"Aeri showed up on the grounds, she ran here from the cottage. Something is wrong with Ryanne and the door is locked to her room so Aeri hasn't been able to get inside. I'm bringing Shirayuki with me as well. If Master has a problem with it, well, sometimes it's better to ask forgiveness than to ask permission."

Shirayuki, Aeri, and I head back to the cottage a few minutes later. I really hope that Ryanne is okay. There's really no telling what happened until I'm able to get in there. I offered to carry Aeri back to let her rest and she quickly fell asleep on my back. I turn to Shirayuki and thank her for agreeing to come. If it's truly a medical emergency I'd like to have someone on hand and with everything Ryanne has in the cottage Shirayuki should be set up to care for her. It's strange now, to look at Shirayuki and not get that painful tug in my chest. I guess I've finally truly gotten over her.

"When we get there, please wait in the main room with Aeri. I'll try to see if she will talk to me and if not I'll pick the lock and go in. If-If it's the worst case scenario, I want you to take Aeri back to the castle."

She nods but gives me a hopeful look. "I think she will be okay. I just wish we knew what happened."

"I do too."

We make it to the cottage and I put Aeri on the couch despite her protests that she wants to check on Ryanne with me. Shirayuki holds her as she starts to cry and I tear my gaze away and head back toward Ryanne's room. I knock on the door a few times and call her name but I don't hear anything from the other side. I try the knob but it's locked like Aeri had said. I pull a dagger from my pouch and get to work on the lock as I try to tune out Aeri's sobs and my worrisome thoughts. Anything could be waiting for me on the other side of this door... She could have accidentally poisoned herself, purposefully poisoned herself, she could have gotten sick, anything. The lock clicks and I close my eyes and take a steadying breath as I slowly open the door.

My eyes widen as I look around the room. Everything is trashed. Her desks have been knocked over, jars broken, the curtains torn from the windows. Books, clothes, herbs all scattered throughout. Through the open door I can see the mirror in her bathroom is shattered, blood dried in drips in a fist-sized point of impact. In the middle of all the destruction is Ryanne curled up on her bed. She's breathing normally and her eyes are open but she hasn't reacted to my presence. Her shirt and her sheets are covered in dried blood and I can see deep gashes on her knuckles on one hand.

"Miss Ryanne?"

She blinks but that's all the reaction I get out of her.

"Please, tell me if something is wrong. Aeri is worried sick about you and ran all the way to the castle to get me. Miss Shirayuki is here in case you need treatment."

Her eyes fill with tears that she doesn't bother to wipe away as they trail down her cheeks. I step further into the room and gently close the door before kneeling by her bed.

"Please Miss. Just say something, wiggle your finger, blink twice, something to let me know that you're okay..."

She doesn't respond, so I move out to the main room. Aeri had apparently cried herself back to sleep, so I pull Shirayuki into the kitchen.

"She's alive and at least somewhat awake but she doesn't seem to be responding. I'm not sure if it's of her own will or if something's wrong but her knuckles have deep gashes. Will you treat them at least? I'll try to get her to respond after that."