[OPEN] When cornered...

[babel_hacker]

WHO: Atsuro and you!
WHEN: June 27th, Dark Hour
WHERE: Around the city.
SUMMARY: Atsuro lost track of time, but then…help came.
RATING: PG. PG-13 at most.
WARNINGS: None.

“The number you’re trying to call isn’t in service.” Atsuro pressed the hang up button and try another number. He had been trying to call his parents and friends for a while, only to get the same message each time.

“The number you’re trying to call isn’t in service.”

A part of him hoped his parents would receive it. They’re in Silicon Valley, all the way in California, so his phone should reach them. But instead of his mother’s voice, he heard the automatic, recorded voice. The same results came from calling his friends and even Naoya.

“The number you’re trying to call isn’t in service.”

After stopping it for now, Atsuro walked around the city to gather information. The locals didn’t seem to know very much when he questioned them. He tried to stay optimistic, but a part of him wanted to resign to this situation.

Eventually, Atsuro enrolled at the local high school in Prospero and already signed the applications for one of the local dorms. Even in another country, he has to keep up his studies if Atsuro want to do what he loves for a living, and he don’t want to disappoint his parents and teacher.

-

He lost track of time.

Which is why Atsuro is running away from the strange shadowy creatures, but they’re gaining on him slowly. While he’s fairly healthy for his age, Atsuro doesn’t exercise regularly and thus, isn’t that fast. After this experience, he would promise himself to exercise more.

I must get away! I don’t want them get near me!

Who knows what those creature will do to him? His mind brings up ideas, such as them swallowing him up into their bodies, but he quickly push the mental image aside to focus on running.

And trips.

No! I...can’t let them get near me! I have to fight them off! I… “I won’t let you get me!”

Pushing himself off the ground, he looks over at the incoming creatures when he feel a pang of pain in his head. Then, a voice speaks as his vision blurred.

”Thou art I and I am thou...”

Standing on his feet, Atsuro watch the shadows get closer to him, before shaking himself out of his daze.

“I am Amirani...
I am he who defy God to bring forth knowledge.”

A flash of light, making Atsuro shield his eyes with his arm from the brightness. There are the sounds of slashing and loud screeches, before the light fade. Lowering his arm, he stares at the hovering figure in front of him: an armoured swordsman.

Then, he is gone.

Comments

[berry-paunch.livejournal.com]

Tatsuma offered an arm to Atsuro, noticing he looked a little wobbly on his feet.

"Do you know what that was?"

[babel_hacker]

Atsuro placed a hand on Tatsuma's arm, steadying himself.

"I don't know...it...he appears and I think he helped me."

[berry-paunch.livejournal.com]

Tatsuma nodded in response. And, after only a slight hesitation--

"It looked like a spirit."

[babel_hacker]

"Maybe it is..." Atsuro looked thoughtful, thinking back to it. "Its...his name is Amirani."

[berry-paunch.livejournal.com]

A few curious blinks. And then, simply: "Amirani?"

[babel_hacker]

"That's his name...he told me that." It felt like the swordsman spoke to him in his mind.

[berry-paunch.livejournal.com]

"Did it say anything else?" Tatsuma couldn't help but be curious. This spirit was so different from any of the ones he had encountered before. The fact that it had helped instead of trying to kill the two of them already set it apart from the others by quite a margin.

[babel_hacker]

"Something about 'I am thou and thou art I'." Which got Atsuro's attention. That implied he's Atsuro, somehow.

[berry-paunch.livejournal.com]

This time, Tatsuma remains silent. I am thou and thou art I. It almost sounded like...

Not far away, there was the sound of metal banging onto the ground. A trash can lid, or something similar. At any rate, it was enough to make Tatsuma snap his attention towards the source, his eyebrows furrowing as he reflexively took up a fighting stance. With one arm outstretched, index and middle fingers intertwined, he waited for the creature to reveal itself.

[babel_hacker]

That sound caught Atsuro's attention as well, his head snapped towards where it's coming from. He unconsciously shifted into a cautious stance, ready to run at a moment's notice.

"...You heard that?"

[berry-paunch.livejournal.com]

Tatsuma nodded, his gaze unwavering. Even if he couldn't yet see them, he knew their approximate location.

It didn't take long for the Shadows to come into view. Their masks were the most visible portion, with their 'bodies' blending in with the dark. Just counting the masks alone, there were only three or so; unfortunately, with no knowledge of how to fight them, the number managed to maintain a certain level of intimidation.

To make matters worse, Tatsuma began acting strangely as they neared. Though they had yet to attack, he broke the stance to put a hand to his head, wincing as a sharp pain lanced through his mind.

[babel_hacker]

Atsuro watched the Shadows came into view. Not quite, with only their masks being the most visible part in this ominous atmosphere. The closer they approach, the more menacing they look.

'They're coming...' He quickly looked over at Tatsuma, when the other boy suddenly seem to get a headache. "Hey, are you okay?"

[berry-paunch.livejournal.com]

"Nng..." He pressed both hands to his head, hunched over in pain. He couldn't even pay any heed to the rapidly approaching Shadows - his vision had gone blurry, and his head hurt...

Thou art I, and I am thou...

To you, who bears the marks... The golden dragon Kohryu has awakened once again.

Unbeknownst to Tatsuma, a light began to glow before him, revealing a large, golden dragon. With a mighty roar, it tore through the Shadows in an instant, decimating the small group. The deed done, it vanished in much the same manner as Amirani, leaving Tatsuma to slowly draw his hands from his face in bewilderment.

[babel_hacker]

"What..." Atsuro watched the golden dragon appeared and tearing the Shadows apart in awe. After it vanished, he blinked and then looked over at Tatsuma.

"What...What happened just now?"

[berry-paunch.livejournal.com]

"...It spoke to me," Tatsuma replied quietly.

[babel_hacker]

"...What did it said to you?" Atsuro asked, daring to hope for similarities.

[berry-paunch.livejournal.com]

"...Its name." Also that it was a dragon, and he had the marks, but half of that was obvious and the other half he didn't feel the need to mention, so it was left unsaid.

[babel_hacker]

"So it's like with Amirani..." Atsuro pondered for a moment, before glancing around for any more of those Shadows.

[berry-paunch.livejournal.com]

Tatsuma does the same, straining his ears for the barest hint of an inhuman sound. His eyes have mostly adjusted to the darkness once again, but he is careful not to rely on one sense alone.

[babel_hacker]

Atsuro looked in one direction. He thought he saw movement over there. "...Can we outrun them?"

[berry-paunch.livejournal.com]

Tatsuma pauses. "Maybe. I can distract them while you run."

Gripping one hand in the other for a second, he takes up his fighting stance yet again. If anything, he clearly knows what he's doing.

[babel_hacker]

"What about you?"

He does know what he's doing, but Atsuro's worried about his safety after he manage to escape.

[berry-paunch.livejournal.com]

"I'll follow afterward." His gaze is focused entirely on that little bit of movement in the distance. "Go."

[babel_hacker]

"Be careful." He glanced at that movement, before slowly starts moving into a run.

[berry-paunch.livejournal.com]

Tatsuma only nods, not even bothering to turn and look as Atsuro makes his escape. He'll keep listening to make sure those footsteps aren't interrupted.

As the Shadows near, he suddenly races towards them, pushing off from the ground to deliver a powerful kick at the lead. Though it resists for a split second, the force is enough to knock it to the ground.