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Mira scowls as her mother gives a speech, talking about her precious darlings and how to take care of them. She shoots a glare at the flowers, rolling her eyes. She smooths her face into a practiced smile as her father looks over at her, picking her way to the buffet table.
If she's lucky, everyone will leave her alone and she can just eat.
She's never lucky.
Mira had forgotten that being near the food meant everyone goes there, which she had planned for, she knows how to play the game. She just hadn't expected anyone to actually want to talk to her.
Mira escapes the conversations eventually, heading to the pond for quiet. It's one of her favorite places. The water laps against the shore, the wind blows off, chilling her bare arms slightly.
Mira can feel her shoulders relax, feel the tension of being perfect drain out of her as she stands by the pond.
Something glints in the water. Mira leans forward, trying to catch sight of it again. Another glint, and Mira leans farther out.
A blue scaled hand comes up, grabbing Mira’s hand, and yanks her under the water.
Mira blinks, holding her breath, following the blue hand to a blue arm to a blue….thing. A demon? Mira shakes her head, refocusing. The hand is digging into her wrist, and Mira tries to tug her hand back, tries to punch the demon, looking up as the light gets farther away. A lucky hit gets her free and she starts swimming up.
Mira’s leg is grabbed, and she grunts, losing air. Looking down, she sees the thing grabbing her ankle, and can feel her ankle getting compressed as the thing squeezes. It smiles at her, teeth glinting, as it pulls her down.
Mira can feel her lungs burning, her sight getting fuzzy at the edges. She kicks at the demon, missing it and it swipes at her, leaving long scratches down her leg.
Mira’s sight fails more, her head pounding, and she bends, using the last of her strength to punch the demon in its’ stupid grinning face. A light flashes as she makes contact, and she feels it let go and starts swimming up to the surface.
She reaches the edge just as her body reflexes take over, and her mouth opens, inhaling water right as she bursts out of the surface. She drags herself to the shore, laying half in and half out, trying to catch her breath, coughing.
Mira is so distracted she doesn't register anyone else around until a hand closes around her arm, yanking her up, forcing her to stand on shaky legs.
“What do you think you're doing?” Mira’s mother hisses at her, nails digging in. Mira blinks at her. “You're an embarrassment to our name, throwing a fit.”
Mira blinks again. Her mother's face is blurry and Mira wonders if she lost her glasses under the water, or if there's still water from the pond in her eyes.
Mira almost….
“We apologize for Mira’s actions. She has delicate sensibilities, and the party must have become overwhelming. We are sorry that you had to see this.” Mira’s father says. “Sally! Please take Mira to her room.”
“Of course, sir.” Sally says, bowing. She turns to Mira, her smile twisting to a frown as she grabs Mira by the wrist and starts dragging her out of the party and into the house.
Mira stumbles behind her, still on shaky legs and coughing occasionally. She knows Sally is talking at her and she should probably listen, but it's also probably just a lecture.
Mira almost….
“...you do that to your family?” Sally is saying once Mira is able to focus. “Honestly. You should really know better, child. Just out there, throwing a fit. Embarrassment to your family name, that's what it was.”
“Wasn't.” Mira mumbles.
“No? You clamber out of the pond in the middle of a party, interrupting your father's speech. There was no reason for a swim. Honestly. You are such an embarrassment to your parents, I don't know why they don't punish you for acting out.”
They arrive at Mira’s room, and Sally pushes Mira in. She falls to the floor, her legs finally giving out, and curls up as she hears the lock click.
Mira’s shivering gets worse as she lays there, waiting until her breathing evens out a bit. Eventually, she sits up, getting her phone out and glares at it as the screen is blurry. She searches for how to survive almost drowning in cold water.
The first thing to pop up is to get out of the wet clothes immediately and put on dry warm clothes. Mira shakily stands up, falling down immediately. She crawls to her closet, grabbing the first sweatshirt and sweatpants she saw, the ones hidden behind the door.
She changes clothes quickly, dropping her soaked dress by the closet. Her phone continues to read out to her dangers of almost drowning and that she'd have to pay attention to her lungs.
She's still shivering. Mira grabs another blanket from her closet, wrapping herself in it and huddles against the wall.
Mira almost died.
Mira almost died and no one cared noticed.
Mira almost died and her family scolded her.
Mira’s eyes water and her vision blurs, and she must not have gotten the pond water out, because that's the only possible reason for water in her eyes.
Mira almost drowned because of some weird thing in the water.
That no one else saw.
…Did Mira see it? Or did she imagine it after falling into the pond?
No. There's scratches on her leg. Long, red, achy scratches. Proving it was real. Proving she wasn't just throwing a fit like her family thinks.
Mira falls asleep sitting up, her rasping breathing filling the room.
Light hits her eyes the next day and she flinches awake, hitting her head on the wall. She winces, lifting her hand to check it. Mira finds no blood, just a slight throb in her head.
Mira struggles to stand, leaning against the wall. She blinks down at herself, wearing sweatpants and sweatshirt, stuff she can't wear around her family, and it takes a minute for her to remember the day before.
Mira glances at her door warily. She vaguely remembers Sally locking it, and she's relatively sure it will still be locked.
Mira tries it anyway.
She's right. It's still locked. Mira sighs, turning away.
She checks the scratches on her leg, wincing at them. They're long, from her knee to her ankle. Mira grabs a washcloth, from the attached powder room, cleans them off, hoping waiting a day wouldn't hurt her.
Her ankle and wrist throb, so she checks them next. Both are bruised, and she just makes a note to check them over the next week.
Mira closes her eyes, and listens to her breathing. It's better than yesterday, but not good, a slight wheeze, unnoticeable to anyone except her…if she saw anyone today.
Her stomach rumbles and she ignores it with ease.
She checks her phone again, seeing the last things she searched for. She scans it again, having grabbed her back up glasses, making sure she had followed the directions. Luckily, it looks like she had, and all she had to do was make sure her breathing stayed okay.
An easy task since she can't do anything.
Mira gets comfortable in her bed, opening her book and ignoring the rest of the world.
Mira stomps out of the building, heading towards the lake she can see. She can hear the others following behind her and ignores them.
It's a cult.
It has to be a cult. Demons don't exist.
Mira ignores the flash of teeth in her mind.
And even if they did, which they don't, it wouldn't be idols fighting them, it'd be…priests or something.
Mira can feel eyes on her and she whirls around, glaring at Rumi and Zoey.
“You can’t believe this.” Mira states.
“I grew up with it. It's true.” Rumi states.
“Of course you'd believe it.” Mira scoffs, shaking her head and rolling her eyes.
“What's that mean?” Rumi narrows her eyes.
“Zoey.” Mira looks at Zoey, ignoring Rumi’s narrowed eyes. Zoey freezes. “Zoey. Tell me you don't believe them.”
“Weeeelllll….” Zoey drawls. “It's not…not possible?”
“What.”
“Ok, it's not like I've ever seen one myself, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. But there's plenty of things I've not seen that absolutely exist because other people have seen them, and so I can't say they don't exist, because they exist to them, y'know?” Zoey rambles, hands clasped behind her back as she gently bounces on her feet.
“Are you saying that they only exist to me? Like, in my mind?” Rumi asks, blinking. “Cuz they don't. They're real. Like, physically real. They have bodies.”
“That's not what I meant!” Zoey insists, flapping her hand. She takes a deep breath, stilling her hand. “I've never seen a demon. But I have seen that glowing thing, which means something is happening.”
“The Honmoon.” Rumi nods.
“So I can't say demons don't exist, but I don't know if they do exist.” Zoey finishes, hunching her shoulders and looking at the ground, glancing up at the girls.
“Demons don't exist!” Mira shouts, raising her hand. Zoey flinches back, and Mira lowers her voice. “They don't exist. They're not real. They can't be.”
“Why are you so against demons existing!?” Rumi shouts, her fisted hand twitching.
“Because….”
“Mira, watch out!” Rumi shouts.
Mira feels something grab her ankle, pulling her into the lake. Zoey leaps forward, just missing Mira’s hand as she's pulled into the lake.
Mira twists, kicking out as multiple other hands rise from the depths, grabbing her legs, her arms, and she sees the light getting further away.
Oh. I guess it was real, Mira thinks, looking down and seeing blue things, teeth gleaming in the darkness as Mira tries to fight back, her lungs beginning to burn, earlier than she thought they would. Wonder if they affect us, Mira muses.
Her last sight is Zoey diving to grab her.
“Mira!” Zoey screams as she disappears under the water. “Rumi, what happened?” She turns watery eyes on Rumi.
“Zoey. Focus on rescuing Mira. I'll take care of the demons.” Rumi says.
“I…ok, yeah. I can do that.” Zoey nods. She takes a deep breath, diving into the water.
She searches for Mira, spying pink hair far down below, and starts swimming. She barely pauses as a flash of dark blue reaches for her, a flash of purple distracting it.
She sees Mira’s eyes close as she gets closer, and Zoey grabs Mira's hand, pulling her up, her other hand punching anything she doesn’t register as Mira. Rumi appears seconds later, doing something that lets out a bright light and the demons (apparently they are real, Zoey thinks, a little hysterically) hiss, flinching back and releasing Mira.
Zoey shifts, getting her arm around Mira and starts swimming up. She glances back at Rumi once, who waves her on as she turns to the demons, and hopes she'll be okay.
Zoey's lungs are burning as she eventually hauls herself and Mira out of the lake, dragging her away from the edge. Zoey coughs, watching Mira who…doesn't seem to be breathing.
Zoey makes sure Mira is flat on her back, beginning chest compressions. After 30, she leans up, leans Mira’s head back, pinches her nose and breathes into her mouth. She does this twice more, until Mira’s chest rises, and she starts coughing.
Zoey chuckles, relief flowing through her body. Mira's eyes open, a small slit, and Zoey grins at her, beginning to reassure her when she freezes.
A second later, she turns to the lake, realizing Rumi hadn't surfaced yet. She's debating jumping in, when the lake ripples, and Zoey tenses, relaxing as Rumi surfaces.
“You're okay!” Rumi says, smiling. Her eyes land on Mira, and she frowns. “We gotta get Celine.”
“I…I'm fine.” Mira coughs out, getting onto her hands and knees, wobbling.
“Sure you are. You're totally fine. The finest ever.” Zoey agrees, sliding one of Mira’s arms over her shoulder and helping her to her feet as Rumi does the same thing on the other side.
They slowly make their way to the building, stopping wherever Mira wavers too much, or starts coughing too hard.
“Celine! Help!” Rumi shouts.
Celine opens the door, staring at Mira, Rumi, and Zoey, all dripping wet, Mira wavering between the two, her eyes barely open.
“What happened?” Celine asks, immediately moving to check Mira out.
“Water demons got her.” Rumi says.
“She was under a long time, I tried doing CPR but it's been a longer time since I've been officially certified. Is she going to be okay?” Zoey asks.
“Most likely, but we'll have to take her to the hospital to get her checked out by an actual doctor. Rumi, did you take care of the demons?”
“Yes, Celine.” Rumi replies.
“No. No hospital.” Mira says. “..m fine.”
“We have very different definitions for fine.” Zoey tells Mira. Rumi snorts.
“Zoey. Y'know you're an angel. You're, like, beautiful. And kind, most wouldn't have done that. And sweet. Y'know this, right?” Mira suddenly says, trying to face Zoey. Zoey blushes, adjusting to keep Mira upright.
“And Rumi.” Mira continues, turning to face Rumi. A fish flies out of her hair, smacking Zoey in the face, who just grabs it. “Rumi. You're so strong. And you're beautiful too.”
“Uh. Do you think she knows what she's saying?” Zoey asks. The fish in her hand flaps. “Oh, I guess we have dinner tonight, Celine.”
“I really really hope she doesn't.” Rumi mutters, flinching at being called beautiful. “Celine?”
“She…probably doesn't know, near death experiences mess with the mind.” Celine reassures them. She really hopes Mira doesn't know or will remember, band relationships are a nightmare to navigate, and leaving someone out always hurts. “Zoey, too small for dinner, go throw that back into the lake. Then we'll go to the hospital.”
“No hospital.” Mira insists again. “Jus’ need res’.”
“You need more than rest. You almost drowned, you need to be checked out.” Celine says.
“Didn’t las’ time.” Mira mutters.
“What.” Celine snaps.
That's Celine’s worried tone, which is close to Celine’s pissed tone, and Rumi knows Mira can't tell the difference, especially as Mira shrinks.
“Sorry, ‘m sorry.” Mira says. “Sorry, sorry.”
Rumi shifts, placing herself in front of Mira, who relaxes just a bit.
“Um. We should probably go now, I'm sure waiting isn't great for Mira.” Zoey's returned from throwing the fish into the lake, her hands twisting in front of her.
“You're right, Zoey. Can you grab some dry clothes for all three of you from your rooms? We'll get the car started.” Celine asks. Zoey nods, bounding off. Celine turns her attention to Rumi, who raises an eyebrow. “It's okay, Mira, I'm not mad.”
“...kay.” Mira mutters. “...can I sit. E’eryt’ing is…spinning.”
“Can you wait until the car?” Celine asks.
“Try.”
Celine hurries to bring the car up, Rumi and Mira slowly following. Zoey's back with a full backpack, slotting back in under Mira’s other arm, and they make it to the car with ease.
“No one…know?” Mira asks. She coughs, deep, rattling, and Zoey flinches.
“Yeah, it'll be private, Mira. You relax, focus on breathing.” Celine orders, softly. Mira nods.
The next thing she knows, she's at the hospital. Mira’s not sure if she zoned out, or was unconscious, or what, but it's fine, the others are just being overprotective.
Which is weird, they met barely a week ago.
They shouldn't care. Mira's just…Mira.
“Hello, Mira. I'm Dr. Guild. What brings you in today?” The doctor asks. She looks nice, at least.
“I…the girls?” Mira responds uncertainly. She pauses as she runs the question back. “Oh. You meant why. Uh…. I guess cuz I almost drowned?”
“Mira has fallen into the lake. Zoey and Rumi went in after her.” Celine cuts in.
“She wasn't breathing when she got out, but I tried doing CPR!” Zoey adds.
“I need to listen to your lungs, then. Mira, take as deep a breath as you're able to.” Dr. Guild listens to her lungs as Mira tries to breathe deeply. She ends up coughing instead. “Ok, try a shallower breath.”
Dr. Guild listens, frowning the longer she listens.
“Mira, I need to ask some questions about your medical history. Would you like the others to stay or leave?”
“Don’t care, they can stay.” Mira responds, surprised to find herself actually meaning it.
“Do you have a history of asthma or bronchitis? Or anything that might have affected your breathing when you were younger?”
“No…” Mira shakes her head.
“What about what you said on the porch?” Rumi prompts Mira. Mira looks at her. “The last time?”
“Oh!...I guess that would count. Uh.” Dr. Guild looks at her expectantly, and Mira braces herself. “I…when I was younger, 13, maybe? I…fell into the family pond. I was under pretty long, but I was fine.”
“Did you get checked out when that happened?” Dr. Guild asks. Mira frowns, shaking her head. “While I was listening, your lungs don't sound great right now. I want you to wear this oxygen mask for just a few minutes and I'll listen again afterwards.” Mira shivers. “After you change out of those wet clothes. You as well, Rumi and Zoey, was it? All three of you should be in dry clothes.”
“I brought dry clothes! They're in the backpack. A few options, I wasn't sure if we should bundle up or layer up or just a T-shirt or what, so..yeah, we have options.” Zoey says, digging into the backpack.
“No sweatshirts or sweatpants, just regular clothes. Zoey, Celine said you were underwater almost as long?”
“Oh, no, no, I wasn't under long at all, I'm perfectly fine.” Zoey says, smiling at the doctor. Her eyes slide to the door, before refocusing on the doctor.
“Hmmm. Do you mind if I listen to your lungs when I come back? Yours as well, Rumi.” Dr. Guild says. She finishes turning the oxygen on, putting it on Mira, who grunts. “How's it feeling, Mira?”
“Weird.” Mira’s voice sounds muffled, distorted, and she hates the way it feels claustrophobic on her face, covering her mouth and nose.
“It won't be for long. I'll be back in a few minutes. Be in dry clothes.” Dr. Guild says. She beckons Celine out.
“Here, Mira! I brought you this button down shirt and these leggings. Rumi, you only have long sleeves? But I tried to grab the comfiest one.”
The girls all change quickly, and Mira’s leg starts bouncing when she's done, her eyes roaming the room.
“Can you…talk.” Mira asks after they sit in silence for…what seems too long. She winces at her voice.
“Oh! Do you girls know about the Mary River turtle? It's the most punk rock turtle in existence, and one of the weirdest!” Zoey starts rambling.
Mira watches Zoey ramble, her eyes occasionally drifting to Rumi. These girls…risked their lives for her.
What happened when she was a kid was real.
Demons do exist.
And Rumi fought them for her. Zoey rescued her.
They could have left her. She wouldn't have blamed them if they had.
“Why?” Mira mutters. She's interrupting Zoey's speech about punk rock turtles and she would feel bad about it, except..
Oh. She does feel bad about it. She'll make it up later.
Mira sighs, shaking her head as Zoey tries to explain how they evolved. She lifts the mask off, letting it hang down.
“Mira! You're supposed to keep that on.” Rumi scolds.
“Why come after me?” Mira asks. She's decidedly not looking at either of them, glaring at the floor, missing Rumi and Zoey exchanging a look.
“Mira. Look at me?” Zoey asks, gently. Mira grits her teeth, raising her head to stare at Zoey. “You were in danger. Of course I went after you! Did you think we wouldn't?” Her voice wavers.
“Risked yourself for no reason.” Mira mutters.
“Not no reason.” Zoey snaps.
“I have spent all week yelling at you. You flinched from me earlier.” Mira states. “It would have made sense to leave me.”
“You really don't know.” Zoey whispers. She shakes her head.
“Mira. You're our dancer. You haven't been yelling at Zoey all week, you've been helping her.” Rumi states.
“There's other dancers.” Mira denies. Zoey lifts the oxygen mask up, and Mira lets her put it on.
“But none that can make me understand what's needed.” Zoey says. “None that can keep up with my ramblings. None that understand my lyrics, and make the choreography fit.”
“We fought earlier.” Mira directs to Rumi.
“You're one of the few people that don't care that I'm awkward.” Rumi says. She looks at Zoey. “You too. You two can keep up with me, physically. You listen to me, you push me to want to be better.” Rumi blushes. “Um. I mean, I like the…..it's not really fighting, it's just, you make me think. Zoey, help.”
Mira chuckles, softly.
“Okay, okay.” Mira says, smiling. “...Thank you, both of you, for coming after me.”
“I still can't believe they're real.” Zoey says after a few minutes of silence. “And did you see those muscles? I mean, I know you said they had bodies, but I didn't know you meant they had bodies.”
“Zoey!” Rumi screeches.
“What? You can't deny it!” Zoey says.
“Zoey's right.” Mira smirks. Rumi looks between the two. “They're strong! Those arms? Those abs?”
“No, nope, not happening, both of you stop talking.” Rumi pleads, head in her hands, blushing. Zoey and Mira exchange smirks.
“Aw, c'mon, Rumi.” Zoey pouts. “You've never noticed them before?”
“Ew, no.” Rumi shakes her head, sticking her tongue out.
“Ok, girls, how's it going in here?” Dr. Guild returns, eyeing the laughing girls. “Mira, how do you feel?”
“Much better, doc. Can we go now?” Mira asks. She's not even lying, not really.
“Let me listen to your lungs, go ahead and remove the mask.” Dr. Guild says. She listens for a minute. “Sounding much better. You still have a small wheeze, but nothing that will be a problem in the future, as long as you take care of yourself. No smoking anything.”
“Sure thing, doc.” Mira agrees.
“Okay. Now, Zoey.” Dr. Guild turns her attention to Zoey, who freezes. “I just want to listen to your lungs real quick.”
“But I'm fine! I wasn't underwater nearly as long!” Zoey says. Her eyes dart to the door, to Rumi, to Mira.
“Maybe our definition is the same.” Mira teases.
Zoey sighs, letting Dr. Guild listen to her lungs. Nothing is wrong, except a high heartbeat, and Dr. Guild clears her and Mira to go home.
“Finally. Let's get out of here!” Rumi says. She waits by the door for Mira and Zoey, pulling them out quickly.
“Celine.” Dr. Guild stops Celine. “You need to keep an eye on both girls for the rest of the night. Make sure they stay sitting up, just in case. If anything happens, you can contact the ER.”
“We will. Thank you, Dr. Guild. The girls thank you too, they're just…” Celine sighs, shaking her head.
“They're kids. And I don't think any of them liked being here.” Dr. Guild says. “Good luck.”
Mira sits in the back of the car, watching Celine drive them back. She looks down when she feels Zoey snuggle into her, raising an eyebrow.
“Can I help you?” Mira asks.
“You're tall, so you have more warmth, and you have to share.” Zoey says. “Plus. You're comfortable. And safe.”
“S..safe?” Mira stutters. She watches Zoey drop off into a light doze, watches Rumi lean on her, the weight comfortable.
Yeah. She'll protect them, like they did her.