ROTU: Chapter Thirteen

"Up, Okami-chan," Shakou said as he did most mornings just before dawn to wake Jalena to train. He paused in the doorway when he saw her already-made bed, then smiled as he heard a soft chuckle behind him.

"Looks like I beat you to it today," Jalena said over the top of a steaming mug.

He flipped her hair as he walked past her. "Good. Now, you can become better than your Sensei."

In the days that followed throughout the next year, Jalena and Shakou increased their hours spent training together and though Jalena felt better since the night by the river, no more memories had surfaced. Soon the two were inseparable.

Anytime she glimpsed a memory of an unfamiliar face or heard the voices of the ghosts of her past, an unexpected panic attack would surface, catching her off guard and pushing the memory away again. Each time it happened, Shakou guided her through it.

"Breathe, Okami-chan," he would say as she gasped for breath. He would face her and lace his fingers through hers. "Match your breath with mine. Look at me and feel the emotion release within you. Do not look away until the pressure has released."

Do not look away… the words echoed in her mind. She had said them to someone before, but she could not remember who or when.

Jalena's panic attacks became less overtime as she fell more in love with her life in Japan. The only disruption in her stream of happiness was Ryu's departure. He announced to the two after they had completed a morning run that he was leaving for Tibet.

"I must continue my travels to help others," he said as she saw Jalena's expression fall.

Ryu privately told Shakou later the main reason for his departure. "Though I must travel to help others, I must leave for her. She has become too comfortable with her life here. While it is good that she is happy again, she runs the risk of forgetting who she is completely if she continues to push her memories away."

Shakou and Jalena stood at the front of their home as Ryu left. Jalena was saddened at the sight of Ryu leaving, unsure why a sense of anxiety accompanied the tightness in her chest as she watched the elder walk away. She breathed deeply, not wanting to experience any more panic attacks than she had already endured.

"Has he been gone this long before?" Jalena asked Shakou when six more months passed without a word from Ryu.

"Longer," Shakou replied. "Oyaji is needed in many places. He comes to Japan to rest, but he works everywhere. He is not dead," he added when he noted Jalena's worried expression. "I would know. The energy of the dragon messenger will enter me, and I will take Oyaji's place as a realm seer."

It was over a year before Ryu returned.

Shakou glimpsed his father walking up the long dirt path to the house through a front window and smiled. "Okami, he is back," he called.

Both bolted from the house and greeted Ryu with a tight embrace. Ryu laughed heartily and the three fell into their normal routine once more with Ryu sharing stories about the people he met on his journey each night as they dined.

"You have returned because she is about to leave," Shakou guessed one night as the two watched Jalena practice fighting sequences beneath the moon.

"Yes, but not just that," Ryu replied gently. "It is time for a transition. You sense it accurately because my power is already shifting to you, even though you are in denial of it."

"Tosan—" Shakou began.

"Do not let your sadness overtake you, Shakou-kun," Ryu interrupted. "You will have open communication with me as well as the other dragon messengers when I depart here."

"Your physical presence is important too," Shakou said quietly.

Ryu nodded. He put a hand on his son's shoulder. "It is always easier for those who leave this realm than those who are left behind to mourn. However, after you have achieved your full power, you will not feel so alone." His gaze returned to Jalena. "She will return your love by being with you during those times. Her care for you has deepened, as I expected."

Shakou nodded. "It will be hard to let her go."

"You will see her across the realms as you take on assignments," Ryu stated gently. "She will be an asset to have at your side."

"She already is."

Ryu squeezed Shakou's shoulder.

Jalena became quiet over the next week, and even more sullen the following one. She brushed Shakou's concern away, explaining that she was just deep in thought or tired. When Shakou passionately confronted her and demanded she tell him what was wrong one evening, she could no longer hold back her tears.

He softened his voice. "You cannot hide your heart from me, Okami-chan. What has happened?"

Jalena sat down in the nearest chair. "I have been getting flashes of memories from my life in Colorado," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "The other night, I remembered where I live."

Shakou's eyes widened as he sat next to her. "How long have you known?"

"About a week."

The two sat in silence for a short time before he grabbed her hand. "You know my wish is for you to stay forever. If it was up to my heart and not a larger understanding, I would not have you leave my sight. What can I say? I was designed to love you."

"Shakou, I can't go." She grabbed onto him tightly and sniffed as she wiped her eyes with the other. "I love it here."

Shakou returned her hug. "You must find out who you are," he mumbled as he tightened his grip on her.

She dropped her gaze as she released him slowly, leaving her forearm resting on his. "I know. Will you come…?"

"There is no place I wish to be than by your side, but I cannot yet," he said quietly. "Oyaji is…"

"What?"

"His time in this realm is almost over," Shakou explained, "although I do not know exactly when he will go. I am to take his place."

"Then I will stay until," Jalena said as she stood.

"No, Okami-san," Ryu said as he stepped into the room from a nearby hallway. "You must not delay on my behalf. You are a warrior from another dimension, here on an important mission. The memories of your life are returning because it is time for you to continue what you have come to this realm for."

Jalena laughed as her gaze fleeted between the two men.

Both their expressions remained serious. Shakou avoided her stare.

"What?" She cleared her throat as her laughter died. "Like—not human? I thought you said I had warrior blood like I was a fighter," she held up a fist, "you know—a strong spirit…not literally."

Jalena took a deep breath as she rubbed her chest where a sharp pain suddenly pierced her. Her heart began to beat faster as her skin flushed.

"No. You have unconsciously suppressed your power, Okami-san," Ryu said. "It is the other reason why your body feels foreign and heavy to you, but it knows the truth. Even now, you feel it. That is why your heart is responding the way it is even when you mentally argue the logic of my words. Soon, you will remember completely who you are and why you are here."

A couple of days later, Jalena packed her belongings to return to the States, feeling heartbroken. She latched the chain of the small dragon pendant around her neck that Shakou had given her the night before.

"It is so you do not forget me," he had told her with a teasing smile.

"Like I ever could," she had whispered in reply.

She had stayed in Japan for over three years, and it felt to her as if she was leaving her home. Although now she was as physically fit and as skilled as most of the warriors Ryu had trained, she felt weak with sadness as she walked away from the only source of security and love she could remember in her life.

The fierce look that Shakou had given her as he tried unsuccessfully to suppress his tears was almost too much for her to bear.

"Shakou, manage your sorrow," Ryu said as the two watched Jalena's taxi disappear around the corner of their drive. "You will see her again, even before she awakens fully. When her transformation happens, make sure you are there. She will treasure your support.

"Teaching her the arts was not a strong enough trigger for her to gain back the memory of her truth as I first believed, but it was a start. Her emotional state will have to be shaken dramatically before she awakens."

"She will find her way," Shakou said with certainty. "I believe in who she is and what she represents." He turned to hurry into the house.

"Until that time, you have much work to do."

Shakou paused. "I will do my duty as expected, Tosan, but my heart..."

Ryu nodded. "I know. Her protection of it will endure so, for now, it is the right place for it to remain."

Knowing that she may never see Ryu again just compounded Jalena's sadness. She brushed away the words he said about her being from another realm and on a mission, deciding in the end that his words were mostly philosophical. She was focused more on trying to cope with leaving behind the only source of happiness she could remember. Even so, what overshadowed her longing to remain in Japan was curiosity about the life she had forgotten before that time.

It felt strange to be unable to recognize the people who greeted her at the airport. Anxiety spiked within her when the neighbor from across the street hurried to her as soon as she stepped out of the cab in front of her Colorado home. When Jalena saw the woman's face, she sighed in relief as her name came to mind—Nadia.

"It is a good thing you let me know where you kept the spare key, Jessica," Nadia said as Jalena retrieved the key and entered her house. "You were gone so long that this place would have been overrun with weeds and dust."

"I am thankful for your help, Nadia," Jalena said as she accepted Nadia's hug. "I was gone much longer than expected because I was injured in a tsunami and lost my things while I was over there. I will compensate you for your care."

"Oh no need, sweetheart! I am just happy that you are safe now. That must have been a terrible ordeal."

"It had its moments, but the people I met were…well, let's just say they became like family," she finished quietly.

Jalena slowly walked around the house, looking curiously at her paintings and other decorations.

"Did you get to paint while you were away, Jess?"

Jalena shook her head as she went to the rear patio door. "No, but I studied other things. Have you seen Haku?"

"No. She has not returned since you left. It is as if she knew you were gone. Maybe she will show now that you are…"

Her voice faded as Haku appeared between two trees at the end of Jalena's yard.

Nadia laughed. "Unbelievable."

Jalena slid the door open without a moment's delay and bolted across the yard.

Haku, now fully grown, dipped her head and wagged her tail before taking off toward Jalena.

"You knew!" Jalena shouted.

She chuckled, then stumbled back and embraced Haku as the wolf jumped and put her paws on Jalena's shoulders. Jalena slid to the grass and threw her arms around the wolf in a tight hug.

Haku licked Jalena and jumped around her playfully as the two wrestled.

"You…are so…big," Jalena expressed breathlessly.

Nadia smiled as she watched the duo from where she stood at the patio door.

"Please stay awhile…" Jalena whispered to the wolf "…until I feel more stable, anyway."

Haku responded with another lick.

"I'll leave you two to your reunion then, Jess," Nadia called. "I am glad you made it safely home."

"Wait, Nadia." Jalena stood. "I was wondering if you would be interested in working for me," she said as she and Haku came back inside. "I think I want to open a gallery at some point after I get more art completed."

Jalena had remembered earlier that day where she banked and the surplus of money she had in her account, although she still could not yet recall where the money had come from.

"Seriously, Jess?" Nadia asked. "I've actually been looking for a job."

"Do you need money?"

"Not much more than what I have now, but while you were away John and I got married." Nadia held up her hand to show Jalena her ring.

"I am happy for you, Nadia." Jalena smiled. "Any money you need is yours until I get everything in place for the gallery."

"That isn't necessary—"

"I insist. Consider it as payment for you taking care of my house if you must while I was lost—I mean, gone," Jalena quickly corrected.

"Thank you. I will touch base with you later," said Nadia.

After Nadia left, Jalena searched her house thoroughly for any information that would trigger her memories. The only strange thing she found was a single hand-written note in one of the kitchen drawers.

J,

Where are you? Contact me as soon as you return!

L

She stared at the note for a short time hoping the message would lead to a clue, but there was no more information provided. The J must mean that the note was for her—Jessica, but who was L?

She gave up on solving the mystery and returned to her paintings. She wished she could remember what they represented. The beautiful places she had painted looked more like fantasy than reality. The landscapes were representative of no place she could remember visiting. However, that didn't really mean much. She still couldn't remember anything before her home and Haku—not even how long she had lived in Colorado.

Taking her time, she went through the rest of her belongings to see if she could shake loose any other memories. When nothing came to mind, she took a lengthy jog along the trails behind her house with Haku. Upon her return, she picked up a paintbrush once more in an attempt to unveil more of her inner world.

***