When mind becomes a prison p1

"Kimberly?!"

"Tacito!" Kimberly replied standing in front of him before the portal disappeared behind her.

"Kimberly...what the hell...just happened?!" He asked.

"I honestly have no idea...where are we? This place is unfamiliar." She said.

"Wait, so you're...Kimberly...from Ned's house...right?"

"Why? Is there another Kimberly around?"

"If there is...I still haven't...met her yet... but...it seems that...we're in some...sort of an...alternative reality somehow!" Tacito said.

"Alternative?...so like it's the same world as our, but people's roles are switched?" She asked.

"No, not exactly...this is Derora...back if the...trap party thing...didn't actually happen...here, let me... explain!" Tacito replied ushering for her to sit with him.

...Few minutes later...

"So basically that's...it for now." Tacito said.

"Hmmm, I see..." Kimberly replied nodding with her head, "However, I don't think that this place is real...it must be a dream, one that was crafted especially for you." She added.

"Crafted for me?...If this is...really a dream...why does everything...feel so real?...and why would...you be here?" Tacito asked.

Remembering something, "Oh! During one of the classes that I took during my school year in 'Ladiesworth' academy, our professor spoke about possessions!" Kimberly said.

"Like ghost possessions?...do you think...I was possessed?" Tacito asked.

"You said you have a crafted body, it makes you seriously vulnerable for possession, and judging from what you told me.

You have no idea what happened to you or how you ended-up here, meaning that you couldn't even feel the possession happen." Kimberly replied.

"It's true I'm...vulnerable especially since...I gave my...Enchanted earrings to...Rapunzel." Tacito said.

"I see! Well, Our professor said that most People who got possessed by powerful evil ghosts and survived, reported similar circumstances like yours.

And these people got thrown into a place in their subconscious That was uniquely designed to keep them trapped, so the ghost can gradually and fully take control of them.

And the longer they remain there, the more control the ghost gets...and the harder it is to escape." Kimberly explained.

"So if everything...you're saying is...true, that means...this place was...designed to make...me wanna stay...however that also...means I still...have a fighting...chance of getting...out of here." Tacito said.

"Bingo!" Kimberly replied smiling.

"For all of...this to be...valid...a powerful evil... ghost must try...to possess me...So who could...be that ghost?" Tacito asked.

"Honestly, I could be wrong...it's just that I'm not sure how explain this." Kimberly replied.

"You still haven't...explained to me...how you're here?" Tacito asked.

Hesitant, "Honestly I'm not sure if I can explain it." Kimberly replied.

"Is it a...secret?...btw are you...comfortable by me...calling you 'Kimberly'?" He asked.

"It's okay to call me Kimberly...Norma is mostly my name inside the job...outside I'm just Kimberly...Although I did ask Socorro to call me Norma once, and Lady Orange uses Norma all the time...maybe that caused confusion on what name people should use.

Anyways as for how I'm here...I don't know exactly the first phase of how I got here, the last thing I remember was Lady Orange leaving the kitchen after I gave her some water, then I was pouring myself a cup of water but...

Suddenly it all went black, I must've gotten unconscious somehow." She said, "You don't think...you were possessed...too?" Tacito questioned.

"No...or I would've been stuck into my own world." Kimberly replied.

"Then please Kimberly...explain the Portal." Tacito said.

Sighing, "Tacito...you know how Yurei is a place jumper?" Kimberly said and Tacito nodded.

"I'm what's known as a World jumper...I can travel from a world to another on my own... apparently even ones made inside other people's subconscious." Kimberly explained hesitatingly, "My abilities are secret even from my friends...so I hoped I don't have to tell anyone about it, but I guess time has come." She added sighing again.

"Does that mean...you can get...us out of...here?...why would you...hide your ability?...it's quite useful." Tacito asked.

"I can get us out of here but..."

"But what?"

"First of all, this is my first time in a world like this, I had no idea I could do this so I'm pretty confused myself, although I heard about things like this happening to others like me, it's the first time it happens to me.

And about the portal...after I presumably passed out, I woke-up next in a weird chamber.

It seemed like a wine cellar or something, it's was dark and creepy and I swear I could've smelled blood...I honestly didn't really wanna stick around there, so I tried to get outside through the door, but the next thing I knew, I was coming out of that Portal!" Kimberly explained.

"Creepy and dark...wine cellar?...Wait...is that even...possible?!" A stunned Tacito said, if what Kimberly said was real, then her theory might be real too.

"Is everything alright?" She asked.

"Kim...if this place... exists in my... subconscious...is there a...chance that you..." Tacito tried to ask, but before he could finish his question, someone approached him.

It was Socorro, Tacito immediately noticed the big flashy wedding ring that she wore over her gloved hand.

"Your highness, why are you talking to yourself...not that I am Judging you, I do that myself sometimes." Socorro said smiling.

Hearing her words, Tacito blinked twice in surprise then glanced at Kimberly besides him.

"Oh my god! She can't see or hear me! This has never happened before!" She said but Tacito didn't reply to her, and turned again to face Socorro.

"What are you looking at your highness?" Socorro asked, "Nothing...I thought I...heard something, like laughter." Tacito replied.

"It could be the sounds of some of your younger siblings nearby, they like to play around here, just like you and Prince Yurei did back in the days." Socorro said while attempting to sit exactly where Kimberly was.

Kimberly gasped as Socorro sat right through her like she was made of nothing, "Ahh?! Am I a ghost now?!" A freaked out Kimberly said as she jumped away standing.

Tacito did his best to remain calm, and smiled a little at Socorro as she sat by his side.

"How did you...find me here?" Tacito asked.

"When...I was told you've woken-up, I came to see it for myself." Socorro said.

"Is that so?..." Tacito replied, he found himself looking at her ring once more.

Noticing his gaze, Socorro chuckled, "Matilda went all out in our wedding..." She said.

"I can tell...she loves you...so much by...the size of...that big diamond." Tacito joked.

"She does, you probably don't remember it, but it's been few years since we got married...yet, she still treats me like it's our honeymoon everyday.

Matilda really saved my life you know, and she never gave-up on me...who would've thought that Socorro Belmonte would surrounder to society's norms and start a family!" Socorro said chuckling.

"Do you have...a kid, Socorro?" Tacito asked.

"I have pets...I'm a pet mom." Socorro replied.

"Socorro, can I...ask you something?"

"Sure!"

"I happened to...think about Kimberly...do you know... what she's doing...now?" Tacito asked.

"Oh! You mean Norma Kelly? Because that's her name now, she's always on set somewhere filming something! Matilda watches her all the time!

Norma is also a professor at his majesty's art academy." Socorro replied smiling.

"Wow?! This is insane! she mentioned that academy again!" Kimberly said.

"Why don't you...call her Kimberly?...i thought that...Norma was just...like

Her Fame/work name." Tacito asked.

"Seems like you're having some of your memories back...well it's true that many people mistake her name to be actually Norma, especially after her transition...but her name remains Kimberly.

It is a gender neutral name to begin with, and usually those who call her Norma are people that work with her, like fellow professors.

But I call her Norma because first of all she asked me to do so...and second, her and I aren't that close, only those who are close with Norma, call her Kimberly.

But her and I have no relationship aside from Matilda." Socorro explained.

"This is weird...could my presence here be affecting how she's answering? I did ask Socorro to call me Norma when she came to 'Ladiesworth' academy, but that was just a professional gesture because over there I'm a professor, and she was going to be a potential student of mine, so she had to address me with respect by my work name.

And I am very sure that I haven't told you Tacito about this incident!" Kimberly spoke-up.

Hearing what she said Tacito decided to test something, "Coco...can I ask...you a bit...of a personal... question?"

"You can try, though I am not so sure I might respond." Socorro replied.

"Do you by...any chance hate...Kimberly?"

Kimberly was stunned by the question, she wasn't surprised but rather disappointed that Tacito would ask it.

Especially when Socorro chuckled and said, "Wow, Even without some of your memories, you're still really good at uncovering people's secret emotions."

"Why do you...hate her, coco?" Taco asked.

Feeling sad, "She hates me because of how close Matilda and I are... Maybe that's the real reason I corrected her when she called me 'Kimberly' at the academy..." Kimberly replied.

"I don't really want to talk about it right now... I'm afraid I might seem like a bad person even more.

Anyways, I hope you keep this part of our conversation between us, your highness." Socorro said standing-up, "I gotta go now, his majesty needs me, he's already doing much work with that big belly, poor Man can't even sit in his desk comfortably.

I mean who would want that many children? We have now enough heirs for both Derora and Junglaya for years to come." She added complaining.

Tacito smiled at her, "This is what happens when you put two people who love children, in the same bed." He said making Socorro laugh.

...Few minutes later...

Walking side by side, Tacito and Kimberly chatted a bit, ever since the conversation with Socorro, Kimberly was feeling down.

After the Derorian Assistant left, the two decided to leave as well, so they walked out of the garden and decided to head towards the knights training area within the palace, while talking about Socorro and Kimberly's complicated relationship.

Sighing, "I'm still surprised this world is effected by my presence...Although I never heard her say that she hates me in real life yet, hearing it here hurts more than expected." Kimberly said.

"I'm really sorry...that I asked...her that question.

I had a...feeling for a...while that the... two of you...haven't really resolved...what happened that...time." Tacito replied.

"I admit that when I asked Socorro to call me Norma instead of Kimberly, it was partially because I wanted to distance myself from her.

I was really surprised that Lady Orange chose her as a student! I have to teach her! I can't imagine how awkward that'll be.

it's enough that I feel like a homewrecker every time I'm in the same room as her and Matilda even though they're mates!" Kimberly said.

"It's normal that...you tried to...distance yourself from...Socorro...Especially when the...paparazzi took those...pictures of you...and Matilda together." Tacito replied.

"When we get back to our world, I'll ask Socorro for a private talk, I need to fix things with her!" Kimberly said enthusiastically.

"Let's forget about...all this drama.

Now that we...know nobody can...see or hear...you or even...touch you but...myself.

What are we...going to do?" Tacito asked, but before Kimberly could answer, someone else walked-up to Tacito.