Starring:
Date: March 13, 2011
Summary:
None given.
"Dreams - Visions of Time?"
Unknown location
"Back Again I see Ryoji-bozu! But then again you never do really learn
do ya?", the familiar voice whispered quietly into Ryojis ears the moment
his eyes, useless as they were, fluttered closed in preparation for his
intended trip to the realm of dreams. No such luck apparently. However,
after grudge ling reopening to give the source of his untimely awakening a
sightless, but still unnerving glare, Ryoji came to a stunning yet awkward
realization. He could see for once without the use of his clans kekkei
Genkai. More importantly though is the fact that -saw- was none other than
himself. A completely perfect duplicate down to the very same eternally
ruined skin surrounding much of the upper right side of his face.
"."
"Heh! Speechless too! How path—" "That I Am!", Ryoji quickly interjected
after having already growen tired of this warped mockery of him. When no
rebuttal seemed imminent to come, Ryoji took his time testing out his new
eyes to survey his surroundings. Or lack thereof considering the fact that
no matter how much he strained them, all that could be seen was an endless
plain, a clear blue sky, and the ruins of a worn down cobblestone path
stretching from before his feet to far into the horizon. All of this and a
single, windswept oak tree whose shade and body the Iga had had the
pleasure of enjoying up until the sudden need to begin walking overcame
him.
The next thing Ryoji knows is the feeling of hours if not even days have
gone by since the urge first over took him, and the fatigue of those hours
wearing him down in a way he never thought possible. Especially when
considering the EXTENSIVE amount of time the wanderer usually spends
traveling by foot from one end of the known world to the other! Yet, at
the same time none at all passed. "Quite a peculiar quandary it be yeah?",
the clone voiced the originals concern. "But again! Noooot exactly
something you dont already know about since last time you were—" "Why?",
Ryoji interjected without faltering or averting his gaze from the path
ahead due to his strength already being stretched to its limits just
trying to keep his body from giving out on him. "Why do I not remember?
Surely even a desolate place like this would trigger…something of a
recall." In answer the Doppelganger chuckled rambunctiously and
remorselessly despite the obvious pain it was inflicted to its counter
part mind. Eventually the amused copies laughter died down to nothingness.
"Maybe…Maybe it has something to do.." It reached out an arm to wrap
around the originals neck, caress his cheek softily, then continued in a
more subdued tone "with the fact that no matter what happened to you here,
you -never- bothered to look back. Care to, take a peek?", It tempted
further as it carefully turned Ryojis head towards what laid behind them…
Instinct. Fear. Stubbornness. Rage. All these emotions and more warred
within him; but what truly drove home the point for Ryoji was the
continuing increase of noise, a myriad of unknown voices, echoing in his
skull a single warning: Dont Look! Ultimatlely giving him the strength he
needed to struggle against his counterparts pull. "Che", Ryojis only
warning before the pressure forcing his head behind him suddenly released
inadvertently making the Iga taking a tumble into soft, moist mush of
recently rained on grass and earth. Ryoji however would not be able to
analyze this sudden change to the environment or the sudden darkness
overwhelming sight on account that his body was still recovering from the
first ordeal. If his heavy breathing wasnt already enough a sign as it is.
"Still the same as then too. Never truly wishing for change out of that
pathetic fear of yours… No, heheh. NOT just that, but also never
allowing for your curiosity, OUR curiosity to be truly sated because of
that same nonsense fear and so called wall of logic WHICH, contrary to
popular belief, WILL, FALL! Got it?!", The copy commanded with a stomp
hard enough to splatter mud onto Ryojis face. "You *cough* *cough*…You,
still didnt, answer my… question." The fallen teenager stated hoarsely
in monotone. The copy though merely shrugged, "What difference does to
make? You CANT listen. You CANT turn back. Instead all you can do—"
Abruptly he goes silent.
A subtle shift in the earth followed by something grabbing onto the
originals shoulder causes its owner to flinch away reflexively. "Is
keeping treading forward regardless of what consequences youll end up
paying for.", A different, kinder, still familiar, but strangely enough
more aged voice spoke mere inches away from Ryojis face. "……Otherwise,
I wouldnt be.. Me. Id, Id just be the sheep again. Unsatisfied for the
rest of my life and simply wasting time until my turn in the slaughter
house came…. Isnt that it?" The instance this question left Ryojis
mouth, the world shifted back again; only this time in an explosion of
nothing but heat and blinding colors of all shades. "Mm-mmm…. *brow
raise* Whoa. Is this, the nexus of worlds?", The wanderer asked just as
soon as his senses were able to adjust to the changes wrought by the burst
of light. The damp earth of the darkness from before was replaced with
solid white stonework floor in the shape of a huge disc and surrounded by
the empty plains that first greeted the Iga. Time also has seemed to
finally elapsed since his arrival on account of the sun being but an hour
or two away from setting beyond the horizon behind Ryoji. Then lastly, a
wide array of floating entryways, be they simple hardwood doors, bead
curtains, or even a sheet of water falling over a hidden cave, and all of
which remain floating along the edges of the disc shaped stonework rising
and are separated by nothing but a few meters of empty space between them.
There was also one other astonishing sight that inevitably drifted into
view once the Iga absorbed all else. The sight of his furious (as furious
as a silent movie character can be) doppelganger bound in all manner of
chains adhered to the ground by some unknown force; and… His father!?
"Close, but not quite bozu-chan~ Hmm… but someday youll figure this
all out though of that you can most definitely trust me on.", Ryoji most
hated phrase is uttered by Ryou(?) in such a matter-of-fact tone that it
only incited the Igas annoyance even further. Somehow through the the haze
of confusion and aggravation over the whole train of events that led up to
this point, Ryoji began to take notice key differences between his
memories of his father, and the present man standing in front of him. In
fact, considering how many years have past since their last fateful
meeting, this, copy was way too young and vibrant to pass as him. That and
his frugal choice of wearing consisting only of a well-worn beige cloak
with something grey and furry clinging to his back was starting to remind
him of…
"Heh. Thats it. Get those rust free gears of your turning and youll see
through everything. Though too little too late this time." The elder man
stated reluctantly, but when Ryojis expression of bewilderment only grew,
a simple yet visually blurry headshake was given. "Too soon… listen
Ryoji-bozu and listen carefully. What this world represents is.
Thus making Mr. Chains and me _. __ cant drift for. So,
do_ find Yuknightmare. _your dreams." The Ryou
look alike explained hurriedly with a progressively more look of
desperation written into his face. Yet for some reason the words were
becoming harder to hear in some places if not out right blotted out by a
sudden rise in the voices from before. Unlike before their intensity had
increased by two-fold, ravaging his hearing, and by extension the Igas
sanity until it became all too much for him to try and ignore or endure
stoically without at least blocking his ears. Seeing this, the elder man
immediately drew himself into a crouch to get a firm grip onto Ryojis
shoulder and try to shake him out of whater it was tormenting the poor
teenager. Time seemed to slow along side a growing darkness peeling away
his vision during the frantic rescue attempt. But the final curtain of
darkness wouldnt drop until the image of his copy, sill bearing the weight
of so many now rusted and twisted chains, dragged itself into view just
within visual range over the other mans shoulder. And with murderous,
feral grin plastered onto its skull, the doppleganger raised its hand into
the all too familiar position of Ryojis still imperfect secret technique.
Paralyzed by his fear of what was sure to come, Ryoji could only watch
as the chakra gathered rapidly around the hand, was fine tuned into the
shape of a cone, then began to rotate so violently that the very air was
drawn like a vacuum to surround the horribly beautiful array of focused
chakra…
…White Out….
A pair of unseeing sea-green eyes openend prior to the rest of Ryojis
body return online. Ready and willing to start out a new day.
"…..*sighs*…Another dreamless nap again. How depressing."
