Who was she again?

She thought her name began with a K, or was that her last name?

She looked to the veins running up her arm, tainted black and her trembles were visible. She had gotten so used to it by now she no longer noticed. Here she was, locked away because of what she was becoming. Even her own mother had looked at her in fear and repulsion, so much so that she doubted she even loved her any more.

All because of that damned witch.

She had had plenty of time to think about this. Plenty of time to think about what she had done to her and what she wanted to do in return.

She wanted nothing more than to grab her, twist her, crush her; kill her.

She could feel scratching; clawing below her skin, as if something wanted to burst out and tear through what was keeping her here. No, no! Those thoughts weren't human.

She shook her head and scratched at her arm, leaving the skin rawed and cursing as she ripped through her own skin, a horrible black-red substance oozing through the ugly wound left. It was too thick. It was too dark. It was too inhuman. A low growl tore through her chest before she clenched her fists and cut it off, sharpened nails digging into her palms and drawing more of the oozing substance she refused to call her lifeblood.

Sometimes the witch appeared to her in her dreams and nothing annoyed her more than hearing her taunt and tell no lies about her condition. And every swipe she made, every lunge, every assault that she attempted was left unfulfilled and unsatisfied, with her anger mounting day by day.

The one thing that stuck in her mind, however, was the witch saying that this was only the first phase. Months, or perhaps a year of this agony, were only the first phase of what was happening to her. She had no idea what she was. She didn't know whether she was more human or more… Well, monster. But what came next? The witch wouldn't tell her.

But every day, she sat in her cell and tried to reclaim her memories. She remembered very little from her life. She remembered her mother, or rather, the look she had on her face when this infection started to show and she had found out. She remembered a couple of her friends, but nothing about how they had reacted when she had been made to leave. The one thing she never forgot though, was the witch.

It was a form of meditation, she supposed, one that calmed her down and helped her retain her human side. She couldn't help but feel, however, that there was something growing in her mind. But she still didn't want to admit that she was scared, possibly knowing that the witch was right. Or even that the witch knew how she was feeling.

Suddenly, she heard something be shoved into her cell and something snapped. Or did it click? An animal, live, had been thrown in, only a paltry little thing, but enough to send her newfound instincts into a frenzy. She could hear its heartbeat; sense its fear and she knew it had seen her. But that didn't matter, it had nowhere to go.

With little to no hesitation, she couldn't stop herself from lunging with speed she didn't know she had, harshly clamping around its neck and ripping its throat out with her bare hands. Blood caked her hands, splattered on her body and she soon tore into it with her teeth, raw and animalistic.

When she came to, there were barely a few scraps left, entrails and organs hanging, a bloodied mess of bones and she felt sick to her stomach. What was she…? She had had this kind of incident happen before, but they had never sent something that was alive. Was it just a morbidly twisted, or even worse, fascinated guard…?

"Enjoying yourself there?"

She whirled round, to face what she had dreaded. The witch was there, sat on the small stool that she had been given. Her thoughts instantly went to those violent ones, crush her, grind her into nothing but dust and draw out her death for doing this to her. Even if those thoughts invaded and prodded at her mind, she found herself rooted the spot, soaked in blood; her body trembling.

"I'd say things are progressing quite nicely… You haven't had the chance to look in a mirror, have you?" She asked, pacing around her.

"Why… Wh-why did you do this to me…?" That was a question she had never asked before. She had either never spoken, or been too consumed with rage to ask anything coherent.

"Well… If I had say why… It's interesting."

"Interesting…?"

She let out a laugh, a malicious glint in her eyes, "It's gorgeous. To see everything that you can do to the body with a subject… My dear, this is a hobby! Why else would I be doing this? I'm not new to it either. Do you not remember your name again? I told you last time."

She had no choice but to shake her head.

"Your name is very important, Minami Kotori. Do try and not to lose it," She hummed, conjuring up a mirror, "Take a look. Progress is coming along nicely, wouldn't you agree?"

Kotori. That was it. She didn't want to gaze towards the mirror, but she was fixated by her rapidly changing form. Not that she could remember it too well, but now that things were face to face with her, she couldn't deny that she didn't look human.

First of all was her face. With still a semblance of humanity there, her eyes had completely lost its iris, the amber colour that had been one of her favourite things inherited from her mother was gone. Instead, her pupil had taken over the area her iris once had, a pitch black. Thread veins were present on her right cheek and she couldn't help but gingerly touch them and spreading from those was a light grey patch. Dried blood smeared her lips and she knew her teeth were sharper. Her hair wasn't flattering either, it had lost its lustre, even if the small tuft was still present, it didn't make her feel that much better at all.

She had had plenty of an opportunity to see the rest of her body, perhaps not as vividly as she could now, though. Besides, this mirror seemed to draw out the worst in her. Then again, maybe that was simply reality. She looked to her arms and a dark grey path had been carved out underneath her skin, trailing all the way up to her very shoulder and perhaps beyond. Her fingernails had become more like blackened claws and the only thing that seemed to be normal was her hands, mainly.

Her shirt was disheveled and had soaked up an alarming amount of blood, sticking to her body in an unflattering way, but she would rather it be on than off at this point in time, glancing to the witch that stood with an infuriating smirk on her face. Hesitantly though, she unbuttoned the blouse to reveal greyed and blackened skin, with the only non-discoloured parts covered in ugly-looking thread veins.

"I've seen enough," She said, rather strained, scratching at her arm and feeling a slight lump on the greyed areas of her arm, a wave of nausea hitting her nearly immediately square in the stomach, before then hastily buttoning her blouse back up with shaking fingers.

The witch seemed to notice, "Phase two comes faster than you'd think, no?"

She swallowed and turned away from the mirror, seeing it dissipate out of the corner of her eye, "How did you get in here…?"

"Magic," She stated simply, "As if there was ever any doubt?"

"And the live animal…?"

"Well, it's not live anymore, is it?" She mused out loud, "You did quite a number on it, I must say."

Kotori shook her head and awaited a proper answer, not wanting to open her mouth.

"Of course, that was magic too. It was a real creature that I brought with me to see how you'd react to it. Think of yourself as a guinea pig and that was a little treat."

"Can you tell me what's going to happen next…?" It was a faint hope, but perhaps knowing would soften the blow and perhaps the witch would be kind enough to tell her.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you. Not because I don't want to, but rather because I don't actually know! I've never used what I used on you before. It's all a little mystery to the both of us and honestly, I can't wait," The witch sighed, "But I'm afraid I really must be getting off. People to see, to curse, that kind of thing. Good luck with your, 'phase two'."

The witch shot her a grin, before Kotori blurted, "Wait!"

"Mm?"

"What's… What's your name, exactly?"

"I've told you before, haven't I?"

"I don't remember…"

"My my, you don't have the best memory, do you? Then again, if you didn't remember your own name, how can you be expected to remember mine? Tojo Nozomi," She gave her a polite bow, "But ah, as I said, I must be getting off. I have another to attend to."

"I'm not the only one?"

"Of course not, I have multiple projects going at once!"

"What's your goal…? Your reasoning behind this…?"

"Ah-ah, you've used up your question quota for the day. No more," She said, tutting and then disappearing in an obnoxious, choking puff of purple smoke.

Kotori collapsed against the wall, bringing up her knees and hugging into them pitifully, letting out a few choked sobs. But she had to remember what she had been told. If she forgot, she doubted Nozomi would tell her again. Still though, she didn't want to lose the memories, however vague and painful, of her friends and her mother. Before she knew it though, she had passed out from exhaustion, sprawled on the cold floor as though she were lifeless.

Even though Kotori hadn't seen the sunlight in so long, she was sure that Winter must have been hitting, as the cell was filled with harsh, biting cold.

But it didn't bother her too much, for whatever reason.

She brought her hand to her arm again, where things that were sharp were poking underneath her skin, ready to pierce at any moment and whatever they were, she saw the pitch black colouring below.

She couldn't see her face though, to see how whatever was happening to her cheek was progressing, but upon touching it, she could feel that the skin seemed to be too shallow, as if thinning away.

Her legs were gradually becoming rougher, from what though, she could only guess. With another sigh, she sat cross legged and shaking still, jabbing pains shooting through her arms.

Then, she heard the cell door open and she raised herself with a start, pressing herself close up to the wall. She supposed right now she was more human, as fear spread through her. Heavily booted feet padded along the cold stone before stopping, "Kotori…"

Kotori's hand came up to partially cover her face, but she looked through the gap in her fingers at the girl in front of her. She seemed like a stranger, but so familiar at the same time. Dark blue hair, brown eyes, armoured and with a weapon at her side, which only made her heart rate double. It almost made her want to lash out. But she forced herself to sit back down.

"Kotori," She repeated, "What happened…?"

She shook her head, ignoring the question, "Who are you…?"

"You don't remember?" She asked, sitting herself down with her, "Sonoda Umi. Does that mean anything to you?"

Kotori did agree the name sounded familiar, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She looked to see that the girl; Umi, did seem genuinely concerned for her.

"You sound familiar… I just don't remember a lot."

Umi sighed, "Alright… But what happened to you? You disappeared. Your mother wouldn't tell me or Honoka where you'd gone."

"I don't know."

"You don't remember a lot then?" Umi sighed, "You don't remember anything? Anything about Honoka?"

"The name sounds familiar."

"But nothing else?"

She shook her head.

"Do you remember anything about me?"

Kotori shook her head again.

Very briefly, Umi looked quite hurt, "I see," She said, glancing away for a second, "Do you know what's happening to you? Anything at all? I know that you might not know me anymore, but please, I would truly do anything for you."

Kotori looked to see the sense of determination and urgency in Umi's eyes and she wondered about the relationship between them. One that she had seemingly forgotten, "I… Well… There's a witch. I think… I think she did this," Kotori gazed to the unsightly bumps beneath her skin, noting how one had become much more pronounced and itchy in particular.

"A witch?" Umi said, tilting her head, "There's one here? They're awfully rare."

"I-I'm sure… Tojo… Nozomi…? I think that's what she said…"

"I'll do what I can to find her, I swear."

"What if this happens to you too? Don't, please."

"Kotori, you may not remember but we've been… Friends ever since we were children. If something happened to you, or to Honoka I swore I wouldn't let it go."

Umi seemed all the more determined and whether or not it was based on anger, their relationship, or the fact that she had forgotten all about her. Kotori couldn't help but feel a pain in her chest from not remembering this girl at all.

"You shouldn't sacrifice yourself for someone who doesn't remember who you are…" Kotori said pitifully.

"Kotori… Please, I want to do something. I haven't been able to do anything for months."

"You should forget about me… I'm dangerous, I-I don't remember a lot and I'm barely human anymore," She said with a broken sob, "I don't know why I haven't even attacked you yet…"

"Because you don't want to, right? You're still human."

"I don't even know anymore…"

Umi opened her mouth to say something more, clearly concerned before there was a banging on the door, "Sonoda! Your time's up. Get out of there."

Umi didn't seem to want to go, but she hauled herself up, "I'm sorry. I'll come back when I can."

Kotori nodded, not looking up to see Umi go as the door slammed behind her.

That night, Kotori felt the searing, itching pain piercing the skin on her arms as one of the bumps finally tore through her skin, finding that midnight black feathers were sprouting from her. And even if her horror was long-lived, nothing detracted from the agony ripping through her veins at the same time. She could see them growing out, feel them clawing and soon both of the back of her arms were covered in these dense, thick feathers. The irony lost her, Kotori clenched her fists as the pain began to subside, hitting her back against the stone wall.

But then she found, upon hitting the wall, she could feel tiny spikes; dense bumps covering there as well. In particular, there were two larger bumps as well.

"Honoka!" As soon as she was off work, Umi had charged home, battering past whoever she could whilst blurting hasty apologies to anyone who would listen to her. She just about battered down the bakery doors, startling Honoka, so much so that she nearly dropped the tray she was holding.

"What, what?! Did you think I was asleep again?!"

Umi shook her head, "It's not that! It's Kotori!"

"Kotori-chan?!"

"I found her, I-I know where she is!"

"Where?! C'mon, you have to take me!" Honoka seemed suddenly filled with excitement, but then, Umi realised she would have to deliver a horrible reality.

What was she to say? That Kotori was becoming inhuman, that Kotori was undergoing pain Umi would likely never know; that Kotori didn't actually remember them anymore?

She swallowed.

"It's… She's… Not in a good situation. I can't show you where she is."

Honoka's face fell and Umi felt a wave of regret, "There's a reason. I will explain, but I need you to be prepared to hear the worst."

"Alright," Honoka blinked, "I'll just close up…"

Umi decided she should help as it would definitely speed things up. Soon enough, she would follow Honoka up the stairs and kneel beside the table with her, "Right… Kotori…"

Honoka decided to stay quiet, for once, Umi thought.

"She…" She struggled for the words, "She's in a cell. Below the repurposed castle, in the dungeons."

"But she's not a criminal, right?"

"No. But she's not the Kotori we know anymore. She doesn't remember us."

"What…?"

"I think a witch cursed or infected her. She's, well, transforming I suppose is the best word for it. I'm not entirely sure what she's becoming, but… It's clear we can't really hope to help her condition."

"Kotori-chan…" Honoka sniffled, her eyes watering, "But, you've seen her right…?"

"Yeah. I'm going to try and help her in any way I can, I promise."

"I'll help too! I don't want to sit by and let you do all the work."

"Alright… I don't know what we can do right now, but I suppose the best option is tracking down the witch that did this to her."

"Right!"

"I'm going to see her whenever I can though. I've pulled too many strings and done too many favours to let her slip away now…"

Honoka nodded seriously, "She'll be fine. We'll help her out. I want to see her again though. Can you try and sneak me in…?"

Umi couldn't help but manage a chuckle, "I'll see what I can do, but it'll be difficult."

Author's note: I dunno if any of this classifies as body horror but ehhhhhhhhhh… who's this dumbass who keeps writing new stuff when she has other stuff she needs to finish, amirite? I got bored, i'm so sorry.