I, Chitose, am died at 15 years of age. How did it happen? I saved a pregnant woman on the verge of falling from stairs, however I fell instead.
“Are you still here?” asks a voice.
“Who are you?” I ask.
“I am the grandmother of the unborn child you save. I wanted to thank you for saving the unborn child.”
“No problem.” I start saying.
“To me it is a problem, for your body’s time was to be at least another 50 years and that this was suppose be your last life.”
“Body’s time and last life?”
“Oh, body’s time, is how long you were suppose be alive for and a soul is given a certain time span.”
“Why is it a problem for you, when I died? And why is there a time span for a soul?” I ask.
“Because it was the way, for which you died. And time span is for souls for so many lives and then
the soul stop existing.”
“For it was my unborn grandchild that was the cause.”
“Before I tell you how, I must tell you something….
I am a witch.”
“A Witch?”
“Yes, a witch, and why the way my grandchild is, too.”
“TOO!?”
“One more thing… My grandchild is my great-great-great-grandchild.”
“Eh!? So how am I speaking to you, for you must be dead?”
“Because after our moral bodies die, we transcend to a world for witches until a child of our line is born who can take our places. Then we truly died.”
“The child was playing with her powers in the mother’s womb is the reason her mother lost balance. Which made you support her instead. Resulting in you falling.”
“And that child who you saved, is the one who will take my place, for that I must thank you. So I will grant you three wishes for saving, that child, but there’s not much time for you’re about to start the journey to reincarnate, and this is your last reincarnation.”
“Three wishes…. Before I make a wish, can I ask questions?”
“Sure no problem, but like I said before there’s not much time, so only seven questions I will allow.”
“First, is what is the ‘journey to reincarnate’?”
“ ‘Journey to reincarnate’ is where you walk for each year of life you lived, in days, so you were alive for 15 years, so you will walk for 15 days at least, before you reincarnate in your next mother’s body. However, when you walk you will forgot about this life, so as walking you will begin to forget about why you’re walking, which is why I said at least 15 days.”
“Second, am I being reincarnate in this world or in another world?”
“This world.”
“Third, am I being reincarnate in Japan?”
“That I do not know, however if you help people while walking during the journey you can have more of a say in which country your born into and even what sex you are, that much is what I know.”
“Fourth, can I wish to keep my memories of this life?”
“That is really not a wish, for that is easy to do.”
“Fifth, then can I wish to keep this ring while I live in my next life?”
As I ask this, I pull out my ring that my love, Itami Atsurou, gave me during my birthday, to keep in place for an engagement ring.
“Yes, it is possible.”
“Sixth, can I wish for a body that is harder to harm for a period of time?”
“It depends on how long.”
“For about 17 years from birth.”
“Possible.”
“My seventh question is in two parts, Can you split souls?”
“Yes.”
“Can you split souls into three parts?”
“Yes, however is makes the soul unstable for very long periods of time.”
“Sorry I have one last question- Can it hold out for 17 years?”
“If its just for 17 years… Yes.”
After thinking all the information that I got, through.
So I will do it like this.
“I wish to have my previous past lives memories, come to me in my new mother’s womb, and to keep this ring in my next life.”
“I wish to have a body that’s harder to harm, just for 17 years from the birth of my soul’s new body and to heal quickly.”
“I wish that at the end of my walking, to have my soul spilt into threes, one me, that will stay with my remains, one neutral and one the new name person.”
“How do you want to re-put together your soul?”
“By the seventeenth birthday, I will give a test to the one who inherited my soul, to see if that one’s connections, to people, are there or not. If they are there, my part of the soul will go back to being that person’s, so will the one that’s neutral. But if that person’s does not have connections to people, I will gain the body and that person will become my part of my soul, as well as the neutral part.”
“Only one of us can have the body.”
“So, in other words, you will fight for the right to own the body. Can I ask what do you mean by ‘connections’?”
“Yes, by connections I mean that the person must have a lot of friends, must fall in love, and that the person will be drawn over time to my remains and family. The last thing is that the person must make a connection with my family.
However, that person can’t tell anyone until the seventeenth birthday.
But there’s a catch to it. And that’s…………”
As she told me I am struck speechless, at how much deep thought she put into this.
“Okay, you want to also take what you just said as well, right?”
“Yes.”
“Ok.”
“Here is two small glass balls, that you need to keep with you for its your first wish about getting previous lives memories and keeping your ring.”
“Do I have to keep both of them?”
“No just one will do the job, but I wanted to give you the second, for I think you will need it.”
“Next is your wish for a harder to harm body for seventeenth years.”
She puts her hand to the chest of the girl and feeds power to it.
“Now about your wish to split your soul.”
Waving her hand, she makes a small machine for Chitose to carry for the next 15 days.
“Make sure you use the machine at the last step of your walk and last second.”
“Yes.”
As I start feeling very light and light starts shining around me.
“It is time for you to go.”
“I will give you something else, it will be a surprise for when you’re born.”
“Ok.”
As she fades, she thanks the woman one last time.
“Thank you….”
“Good luck and try your best in your next life, child without a new name.”
Part 2
As I come to, I look around me and see that I am where there’s clouds and a huge track, with out end, to walk on.
As I get up I then look to see which way to go, I see a arrow pointing the way.
As I start walking there’s a message coming up.
Welcome to the place where you will start the process of your reincarnation. You will walk or run for 15 days before you reincarnate. You won’t get hungry or tired, no matter how much you walk. Stopping is possible, but you will have to restart within a day of stopping. Please note that there’s others, who are the same as you, walking to reincarnation. If you have questions try asking, if answerable I will answer. You have 15 day left of walking or running.
“How can I dismiss the welcoming message?”
Just wave your hand at it.
“Ok.”
I wave my hand at it.
It disappears.
Replacing it was…
Countdown 15 days
I start walking.
After a day worth of walking I come across a child about 10 years of age, she was crying.
“Why are you crying child?” I stop for the first time.
“I hurt.”
“Why don’t we walk for a day or so, together?”
“OK!”
She takes my hand and stops crying.
As we walk we start talking to each other.
I found out about her family, pets, friends and much more.
At the end of the day, that we spent together she says.
“You’re like a mother.”
With that she goes walking with other children her age.
As I continue walking, I starting helping others.
When the counter hit 5, I stop for a while and thought about what all the people I helped say.
Mother, Father, Sister and Brother, were what they said that I was like. So I thought I can’t be all that, can I?
I start walking again, however in time I spot a girl who looks to be about 9.
Going up to her I say, “Hi.”
“Hi.” She says back with a sad look in her eyes.
“Why do you look so sad?”
“For I just died and left my mother all alone, back home.”
“That can’t be all?”
“No, I died from an illness, that I was born with.”
“And…”
“Go on.”
“That I don’t want to forget her, for she supported me through my illness from my birth.”
For I think you will need it… Rings in her head.
Thinking carefully through, what I am going to do, I decide.
“I can help you keep your memories.”
“How?”
“By giving you one of something I have to help you keep your memories. But…”
“But?”
“Can you do something for me?”
“What would it be?”
“Can you go into a Japanese priest or priestess family, in your next life?”
“How can I do that?”
“By helping people you see here, on the track.”
“How will I know that I helped enough people to make the cut?”
“Hold on, How many people does she have to help in order to pick what type of family she wants to get in to and where?”
She must help 1,000 people while walking.
“A thousand people the system says.”
“But I only have nine days.”
“Wait, How many people do I have to help to be born in Japan and to get a girl’s body?”
750 people
“How many do I have now?”
1,050
“Can I transfer over people who I helped over to her?”
Yes.
“Then transfer over 325 people over to her.”
Beginning the transfer.
Transfer completed.
“There you go...” I
“Now you only have 725 to go.” I gave her the small glass ball.
“Ok, I agree to the condition. Can you do me a favor?” She takes it.
“Yes.”
“When your able to, can you go visit my mom?”
“Yes.”
“Why don’t we walk and talk for a day or so?”
“Then you can tell me about your mother.” I say.
As we walk hear about the illness that plagued her since birth.
And more.
Then we starting talking about my past life.
“Why do you have your memories at 5 countdown?”
Once I said that I had 5 day left.
“Because my death was cause by a witch unborn, that line’s witch granted me three wishes and part of my wish was to retrieve my past lives memories in my new mother’s body, so I kept my memories of this past life.”
“Tell me about your past life.”
“Well, the one I love was born in the same hospital, was born five days before I was, and was in the same room as my birth mom was in.”
“So they became friends.” She said.
“Yes.”
“That and we lived close together.”
“So as we grew up we fell in love.”
“What ring?” When I mention the ring.
“The ring was from Atsurou for my 15th birthday.” I say while pulling out the ring.
The ring was 14 cart gold, with a small heart opal and on either side it a very small diamond, and engrave on the inside is I love you, Atsurou.
“Tell me how he gave it to you.”
“OK, well that day he asked my mom to make sure that I felt as beautiful as I am. So my mom took me out on a shipping trip the day before and we purchased a full outfit, shoes, a dress and accessories for the next day.
That day I spent two hours with my family for a small celebration, then I started getting ready for the night. With my mom, I went to a spa and got pamper, for another two hours or so. After that we went back to the house and I start to put clothes on, then the accessories, last would be the makeup.
He arrive on time at 4:30 to pick me up in a small car, with a driver. We went to the restaurant, that had our reservation for 5:20 pm.
When we ordered our dinner, we went to the small dance floor on the roof. Which allows slow dancing. After dancing for a bit, our card, from the table went off so we returned to the table for dinner.
Finishing dinner we paid then left.
Having the driver, drive us to a nighttime park. We then go in for that was our last stop and we went around to the different spots that had light presentations.
At 9:35 pm, all lights went out and we saw a firework show at the end.
Stolen story; please report.
After the last firework, shot into the sky, he pulls out a small box, and starts speaking.
“Chitose, I love you. We don’t say it that much, for you and I are both very shy. However I want to tell you now. I wish to one day marry you.”
“If I could I would marry you the day after your 16th birthday. But I know that you want your wedding dress to be made by yourself, our mothers and the nurses who were there for our births.”
He stops and looks at me, with eyes that have so much love in them.
And I said the one word I could think of.
“Yes.”
“I had made, two rings one for you and one for me.”
He opens the box and hands it to me.
They were pair rings, both the same. The rings were gold, with a small heart opal and on either side it a very small diamond.
Taking out the one on the right I saw the inside. I love you, Chitose was engrave on the inside.
“I knew you would take that one.”
He says.
Taking out the ring on the left, he asks.
“Can I put this on your left hand?”
Tears forming in my eyes, I whisper, “Yes.”
Gently taking my left hand, he puts on the ring. The ring was a perfect fit.
After the ring settles into place, I gather my voice and ask.
“Can I put this on your left hand, Atsurou?”
“Yes.”
He says with a voice that has strengthen to it.
Taking his left hand, I begin putting on the ring. His ring also was a perfect fit.
After it settles into place, we both begin to move our heads towards each other, we don’t kiss on the lips but each other’s cheeks.
Pulling away we both blush, bright tomato red.
Taking my hand we leave the park, for the car and driver.
Holding each other’s hands. We got back to my house by 10:45 pm.”
After finishing my story, I stop walking and looked at the girl, who was blushing, and who had tears in the eyes.
“That was the most gorgeous story that I ever heard.”
The child says.
Who starts walking again.
“Mmm.”
Blushing she said. Who follows.
“But you must have regrets, right?”
“Yes.”
She says, with a deep sadness in her voice and eyes.
“My first one is that I could not tell him that I loved him one last time.”
“My second one is that when I was dying, I was not able to respond to him calling my name.”
“My last one is that I left him alone” She whispers as if in pain.
“That’s all…”
“Is that why you wished for what you did?”
“Yes and No.”
“Something in my heart told me to wish for the part about getting my past lives memories, back.”
“So will you force yourself future self into falling in love with him?”
“No. True love, can’t be forced. However she needs to fall in love with someone.”
“She, my future self, will be born in a family that is far way from my old home and love. I am leaving it up to fate for who she falls in love with.”
“I see.”
“I have a question, why do you want me to be born in a Japanese family that is a priest or priestess?”
“For if my future self does not listen to what her body is saying.”
“Some families have powers to them, I want you to support her body if she does not listen to it.”
“And unfortunately, my body moves by itself. So that’s why I wished to have a body that is harder to harm, for her. If I was born with it, I think so will she.”
“Why did you wish for the third?”
“I want my future self to be happy or if not she can give up, her body.”
“Plus it was pure selfishness on my part.”
As saying that she looks at the counter- countdown 3 days left.
“Well, on my counter there’s three days left. So, shall we part now?”
“Alright, but how can we contact each other over there?” the kid asked.
“Oh, here’s the phone’s number xxxxxxxxxx.”
She gives the number without fail.
“Ok, I remember it.”
“So bye and good luck!” She says, while hugging her.
I start walking away from the child.
After turning around I see that I am out of sight, of the girl.
Once I start walking again, I say, “System, once l hit one day can you covert to hours, then after that covert to minutes after I hit an hour?”
Yes, I will.
After asking that, I start to look around to help more people.
Part 3
Less than ten minutes .
Out of nowhere said the System.
“Ok.”
As walking I starting thinking about my old family, for until my future self, meets them I won’t think about them or if anything I hope she will pray for them to be living happily, even if it hurts them from my death.
My little brother Amamiya Chiharu. He’s eight years of age and he’s small, round and warm. We, my family, would not let him cook for fear him hurting himself. He fell from a tree when he was four, thus resulting in him having a fear of highs.
My mom, was a warm person as well. She could talk your head to sleep, for she loved to talk, to see people.
My dad, was someone who was gentle and kind. He also wore glasses and he smokes. I remember that he would come home and have a glass of beer or wine, just one mind you.
As these thoughts went through my mind, my tears start flowing.
I start talking.
“Mom, Dad, and Chiharu I must say good bye.”
“Thank you for loving me.”
“One day, I will see you again, however I will have changed.”
“I just won’t be your daughter alone, but someone else’s.”
Less than two minutes.
At that I stop talking.
Checking to see if I had the small glass ball, ring and small machine, I pick up the small machine and looked it over to make sure that I knew what to do.
A beep rings out and I see that- sec. 59, appears.
Taking a deep breath I ready myself.
30, 29, 28, 27, 26, 25, 24, 23, 22, ,21, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Once the one showed up I hit the button and had the last step I took.
Her soul became light and splits into threes. Which hurts a lot, by the way.
One light goes back to her old body.
And the two others goes to another woman’s body.
***
The child in the womb, sleeps and remembers.
All the lives, she lived.
Male, female, animals and others lives she remembered.
And at last she remembers, what her soul wishes for the most.
And decides that in her next life and last one, that I will become what I want most.
So she gives herself a name - Ai.
***
“Honey, I am pregnant,” says a woman to her husband, “I felt it just now….”
“but you would just be a couple of seconds pregnant?” He says.
“I felt it, no it is not a it, but a girl.”
“then we will call her Niina.”
“Looks like we are going to have to tell Yuuka.”
“Yep, that’s she is going to be an older sister.”
***
Five months later, early morning
Waking up, the woman turns to her husband and says, “Aoyagi Ai Niina, is the name of our child.”
“But having three names is not done.” Her husband says.
“I know, but I just had a dream and saw the name.”
“What if we change the first name adding Ai to the name how ever we can?”
The child kicks, “Ouch!”
“No that won’t work. She just kick.” Says her.
“But… she shouldn’t be able to understand us.”
“Bond? I just felt that word in my mind.”
“She wants that bond in her name.” The woman says slowly as if unsure, the child gently tabs three times.
“But she will be made fun of… she may become sad because of it.”
‘“No, I won’t she says.”’
“Alright, I agree to the name…”
“But how are you able to understand her?”
“I don’t know.”
“Does she know?”
Secret
“Secret she said.”
“Alright.”
“‘Tried’, she just said.”
“OK, will she talk to us again?”
“‘Not before I am born’, she says, ‘And my voice comes’.”
“Ok.”
***
Four months later, Early morning
Ai thinks that it’s time to be born, so she goes along with it.
***
“The baby’s coming!” Yells the mother, who wakes up from sleeping.
“She coming?”
“Yes.”
“Ok, stay in bed until I get the car ready and Yuuka ready.”
Getting up he dresses in less than 5 minutes.
Then he goes to Yuuka’s room and wakes her up, picking her up he runs downstairs. Going into the garage and pulling out the car from it, then making sure that the bags for the hospital are in it.
After that he runs back into the house to pick up his wife. Lending her downstairs, with one of her hands on the rail and the other one he holds. Making it down, she signs, “that was the hardest part before giving birth.”
“I know.”
“Let’s go.”
***
A few hours later Niina was born.
With her hands balled up coming out she was.
She starts crying for she knows that all babies need to cry.
Taking the baby a nurse quickly wipes her off.
Giving the child back to her mother, she opens her eyes for the first time.
The nurse leaves after checking out the room, to see if they need anything else right then.
The child then smiles at her mother and opens up her hands, for the mother to see.
“Wait, a ring and a what’s that? a bead?” Her mother says.
Her father comes over to see.
Picking up the ring he see the gems and the inscription I love you, Atsurou.
Then taking the other small piece he see that it has a hole through it.
“She had her hands closed since before coming out, right? I did not see her open her hands for the nurse.”
“Right.”
“Well, I am going to wash them off.” He says while walking to the sink.
“Ok, well I am going to clean her hands.” She says while grabbing a cloth to do so.
“She just tried to grab my hands, and with her eyes going wide.” Her mother laughs.
“Well, what should we do with this?” He brings back the ring and bead to the bed which, his wife and new born are on.
“Why don’t you try to leave the room with it?”
“Ok.” Her father starts walking to the door and opens it going through it, then closing it.
Less than a minute later a shriek sounds from the room. Opening the room in a hurry he stumbles back in and asks, “What happened?”
“She start crying a few seconds after you left, then she shriek like she was hurt, while getting a high temperature, but come over here, with the ring and the bead.”
While he walks back, and she asks, “Please give me the ring and bead.”
Handing over both, he sits down on the chair next to the bed.
Showing both to Niina, and handing both to her small hands, she immediately calms and her temperature goes back to normal. Niina then passes out.
“So what just happened?”
“Like I said before, when you left the room, she did not notice right a way but when she did she started to cry and after a few seconds she started to shriek, all while getting hot.”
“Which made me come back in.”
“Yes.”
“Before I woke up this morning, I had a dream about those things that were in her hand. And during the dream I felt that the ring and bead where very important to me.”
“And?”
“I won’t have known about the ring or the bead before, right? So I wanted you to try to take them out of the room to see what Niina would do…”
“And she cried and shriek when they were out of the room… So it means you were with her, this morning in your womb in the dream.”
“Yes, I believe so.”
“Meaning that she, for right now can’t be parted from the ring or bead.”
“Yes.”
***
Let’s go back in time a few minute, Niina just saw something that she never saw before. Ribbons or maybe it would be threads, on her mother’s left hand, ring finger.
I try to grab her hands and my eyes go wide.
The door faint closes but I don’t look over there but the sink where I assume my father would be. Not seeing him there I look through the room, thinking he must still be in the room.
Not seeing him, I start crying.
“Shh, what’s wrong Niina?” ask her mother.
And with that I open my lips and wail, like there’s no tomorrow. While wailing my body starts to hurt, and get hot.
My mother puts her hand to my forehead and feels how hot I am.
The door opens and stumbles in dad. Who starts talking to mom.
Mom gives the ring and bead back to me, after she got it back from father.
Then I pass out, when I see that the ribbons are on dad’s left hand as well.
Thinking what is going on!?