-- Title -- Suicide Treatment

-- Author -- Daimon Minerva

-==-- Nichole's POV once again. Continuation of the other chapter.

-===- ( Contains - Nothing out of the ordinary. Just introduction of new character ) -===-

-- Chapter -- Twenty Five

-- Title -- McKalin Island, Oasis of Dreams

=--///--==

I opened my eyes and I was traveling through a wooded area. Arms were underneath me and held me above the ground. My vision faded out again and the next time I opened my eyes I looked up to see a shadowed face, but I could tell it was a guy. I turned over to lay close to his chest and it was bare, but warm like sunlight. My mind filled with thoughts, questions and worry about where I was going. Where was Typhoon?

Where was the ocean?

Who is this guy that is carrying me?

I closed my eyes again and fell asleep to the sound of tropical birds belting out their tunes.

"Are you hungry?" A voice asked.

I opened my eyes and a guy was nelt next to me. His eyes were golden and his hair was pitch black, he had a toned body as far as I could tell. On both biceps were barcode tattoos and even on his neck there was a pair. He wore a pair of tattered shorts that were navy blue and I found myself staring at his six pack. "Nichole..can you speak?" He asked.

His voice was somehow familiar and I couldn't put my finger on why it was. I smiled faintly and nodded. "Yes..how do you know my name?" I inquired.

"Typhoon told me all about you," he replied and smiled," I am Raye."

"Raye....where are we?"

"McKalin Island, off the coast of Dragonia."

I looked around and realized we were in a sort of tree house building. My stomach grumbled loudly and Raye laughed. "I see that you're hungry, I'll get you something to eat," he said with a welcoming smile.

He stood up and walked behind a screen, leaving me alone in this strange room. The walls were bare and I looked down at myself. I was clothed in strange garments, a shirt that seemed more like a sports bra but was slit in the middle where my breasts were and the skirt was to the middle of my legs with a pair of shorts underneath them. I sat up and leaned forward, placing my hand to my forehead as my mind fazed into a dizzy spell. I looked across the room and spotted a mirror which reflected me back. My eyes widened at the girl who looked back at me and I touched my face, my reflection did the same. I was older and my face looked flawless. My skin was ebony and it had a golden glow to it. My hair was cut short enough to be boyish, but I still held my feminen qualities and it showed with the clothing I wore. My hair was a different color, more of a reddish hue with brown and my eyes were slanted slightly. I slowly stood up and stumbled over to the mirror. My eye color had changed also to an emerald color and I stared at my reflection. "What happened to me?" I murmered.

I had to admit I was beautiful, more so than I was before, but it seemed this body didn't belong to me and the feel of it was different. I was taller, maybe around 5'6 now and my breasts were larger. My body more curvacious and sultry. I looked amazonian, but I still had both my breasts and I chuckled. "I look much older...but how? How long have I been asleep? Did I die and possess some tropical beauty's body?"

"Nichole, you're strong enough to stand up, that's good," Raye's voice said.

I turned around and stumbled back, but in an instant Raye caught me before I fell into the mirror. His hand was pressed against my back and in his other hand was a bowl with weird looking fruits. He smiled and helped me stand up straight. "I spoke too soon I guess, sorry to have startled you."

"That's alright...I'm just getting used to...this," I replied.

"Used to what?"

"Nevermind..."

He handed me the bowl and helped me over to a chair to sit down at. I stared at the odd fruit and Raye snatched a reddish looking pear from the bowl. "You're not used to seeing food like this, are you?" He asked and after I shook my head no, he smiled.

"Well, I assure you I'm not trying to poison you and this fruit will help you gain back your strength from the journey you took. Typhoon will be happy to see you back on your feet."

"Typhoon...she helped me get here...but, all I remember is being in my room and then...in water," I said with a frown.

"Typhoon will talk to you about it once you get your strength back, Nichole. So eat up. I'm going to hunt for a little bit and I'll be back by nightfall."

He stood up and I grabbed his arm. "Thank you....really...for taking me in..."

Raye smiled. "No problem, princess."

My eyes widened and before I could ask him what he meant by that, he had rushed out of the building. I looked down at the fruit and picked one up, examined it and took a bite. A minute later I was finished with the whole bowl and I felt warmth throughout my body, like the warmth I felt with Typhoon. I stood up and found I was more stable, so I walked towards where Raye had vanished. Through a set of doors I came to a rope ladder and I looked down. This was a tree house and a very nicely built one also, with enough height to be a five story building. I grabbed a hold of the ladder and descended down towards the leaf littered ground.

"I see you've found your strength," a small voice said.

I looked around and saw nothing. I felt eyes on me, but ignored it as I climbed down and dropped the last foot of the ladder. I turned around and cried out in surprise to see a black jaguar standing there. His eyes were baby blue and he was larger than most jaguars you see on television, he wasn't like most either. He was panting and his right leg was propped up. I nelt down and held my hand out to him. "Are you hurt?" I asked.

The jaguar limped forward and bared his fangs as if studying my scent. I edged closer and touched his paw. "Did you break it? Or is there something stuck in your pads?"

I reached underneath his paw and winced as I felt a large spike. Pulling back, the spike had cut me also and I looked into the jaguar's eyes. His baby blue eyes reminded me of someone and I couldn't think of who he reminded me of. I reached under again with both hands and pulled as hard as I could. The jaguar stood completely still and closed his eyes as I yanked it out of his paw. I dropped the spike on the ground and held my hand out to him. "Are you alright now?" I asked.

The jaguar let his foot touch the ground and he limped closer to me. His jaw rested on my palm and I heard a rumble in his body. His blue eyes caught my eyes and his own glowed slightly. He turned and looked at me. I stood up and he stood as tall as my hip. "You want to take me somewhere?"

He growled and limped away, his tail bobbing. I took a hold of the end of it so he would know I was with him and he led me through the forest. Macaws screamed from the treetops and the jaguar paid no mind to them as we walked for what seemed like hours. Finally we stepped out of the forest and onto a sandy beach. My eyes widened when I spotted Typhoon and she turned to me. "You've found your strength and a new friend, Nichole," she said from the beach.

I walked around the jaguar and over to Typhoon. "I have...now tell me, please, why do I look this way?" I asked.

The jaguar appeared beside me and he sat down next to me. Typhoon made a rumbling noise in her throat and leaned towards me. "Time changes quickly here, child. You've aged considerably since you've been asleep and also weak because of the lack of movement."

"Who is Raye?"

"Raye? Oh, the young man I told to nurture you back to health. He's a water sprite and came from Dragonia, he was banished from their world a long time ago. He volunteered himself to take you in and I let him. Been a long time since he's taken care of anyone who had came to this island and I guess you struck him in the heart. I don't think I'm going to be able to take any more trips in the ocean anytime soon, my child. I know where you are heading and I'm sorry that I cannot take you. Just wait...waiting is best," Typhoon replied.

"How much have I aged?"

"You've added three years to your age...nineteen years old now. Raye is twenty three in human years and five hundred in his real life years. That jaguar next to you is a shy little girl, her name...what will you name her?"

I looked at the jaguar at my side and she looked at me. "I don't know...something will come to me..."

"Take all the time you need," the jaguar said and rubbed her head against my leg.

"Do all things talk here?" I asked.

"Yes, even the trees if you ask them to," Typhoon replied.

"There you are!" Raye's voice called from the forest.

I turned around and he sprinted over before stopping a few feet away. "I was looking everywhere for you...but I could have guessed you were visiting Typhoon. It's getting late and Typhoon needs rest."

I turned to Typhoon and she was already fast asleep. "Alright..."

"Who's your new friend?" Raye asked as he gestured to the jaguar.

"..Myra...," I replied.

The jaguar looked up at me and purred. "Beautiful name, m'lady," she said.

Raye smiled. "Ready to go back home?" He asked.

I nodded slowly. This would be my home for now and I wondered why I was even in this world. Dragonia, I don't know why but that place seemed familiar somehow. I walked next to Raye and Myra trotted behind us as we made out way back to our home.

=== to be continued... Seems like...hmm...you'll find out =D