Chiming of the Belles [Event-Halloween]

[E-Rank] Anchoring Oneself
[D-Rank] Exploring Your World
[C-Rank] Finding Monsters
[B-Rank] Giving Form to the Formless
[A-Rank] Nightmares Have Dreams
[S-Rank] Nightmarish Avatar, Devourer of Dreams

Total Ryo Reward: 38,750 Ryo
Total AP Reward: 192 AP
Total Dream Tokens: 100 DTs + Dream Waiver
Total WC Required: 15,500 WC

[Normal Appearance minus small adjustment to physique as detailed below.]

Reaching out with some semblance of recognition of what was going on, Marabelle sought after those who felt similar or could be worked with in the future as her emotions and dreams began to fill the space. A massive spire grew before her as she looked up at the top, a bell tower stood tall, piecing into the ethereal sea of dreams before her. She knew this was a chance to call out, to reach out, to hear out those who may be willing to join her cause of a better world. It was a working idea and thought and perhaps through investigation of the Land of Nightmares and what transpired to cause it to become so, would allow her to find others to pull into her cause. She was a seedling leader looking for others to water and help her grow but also for those who wandered as she herself was a wanderer.

Her stature remained the same as she formed her body once more in the Dreamscape, her back rejoiced once more in the sensation of a weight being lifted off of her. If her body could sing it would as she stretched out and prepared for what was to come. The Everbloom's kimono clashed against the backdrop formed before her as she moved, but the design remained in place. The only time the design moved was if she had moved against the space itself. It was as if looking through a lens of some kind but the only way to change what you saw was to move the thing you were looking at and not the lens. She stood alone for the moment but she knew there would be others to arrive and meet. She was not a shy little girl though her appearance might argue it.

WC: 300, TWC: 300 | TMWC: 300 / 15,500

"It is time."

"Is it? All so suddenly?"

"Yes."

"Can't I just go back to sleep?"

"No."

"How are you going to stop me if I close my eyes and refuse to get up?"

"That matters little. The transition has already begun."

The chime of a large bell from a distant tower reverberated through the mind of the traveler as the distant spire in the dreamscape was accompanied by a forest of trees surrounding it. Willows and oaks; ancient trees that were familiar to the southern part of the continent and primarily found around sources of water. The apparition was in the blink of an eye as he occupied space that was once vacant some five meters from the pink-haired girl. The form of the traveler had shifted some, the typical lankiness to his features present though his person was nondescript; a pattern of pencil markings strewn across a black and white outline of a person. It was easy to see hands, legs, arms, and feet, but there was no definition to them outside of the outline, which constantly shifted in an endless sprawl of unending marks and lines cutting across the planes of his figure. The exception to this started at the neck; his facial features frozen amidst the sporadic sprawl of his body into a stoic set of eyes that flickered with pupilless color. Violet hues gave way to warm orange and brilliant greens, his mouth and nose sculpted in the same black and white ink but with a definition that made one believe everything around the image of his face was meant to be blurry. Captivating, or perhaps unsettling. Either way, for all the uncertainty that the rest of him showed, it was these features masked only by the occasional draping of black hair that remained immutable.

Standing as he was, his gaze turned to the only other figure in the immediate area, his eyes blinking a couple of times as he came to terms with the kaleidoscope of pink and red that her outfit gave off before he'd lift a hand to rub what she could assume was his thumb across his nose a couple of times. "Hmh." He would intone. "You didn't say there was going to be anyone else here." It was unclear who it was he might have been speaking to, though when no immediate response came, the boy would glance this way and that, taking in his surroundings and seemingly not terribly shaken up about finding himself in an unfamiliar place. No, he had an air about him that suggested this was more common than uncommon. Whatever he might have been looking for, he didn't seem to find, and instead retrained his gaze on the smaller woman, studying her for a moment before he breathed out a soft sigh.

"Hey kid. Crazy dream, huh?" He spoke casually, though if Marabelle was particularly perceptive in social graces, it wouldn't be hard to recognize that Joski was attempting to be comforting. Turning, he'd gaze at the bell tower in the distance for some time, his eyes reaching skyward to plant on the very top, wondering if this was the same sort of thing that had happened a year ago. Appendages akin to fingers would stroke at his chin before he spoke again. "If something spooky happens, don't worry. It's just a dream. And dreams can't hurt you." Or at least, he would make an effort to make his claim a reality as best he could, though all the same, he'd offer another reassuring nod to the girl. Granted, she didn't exactly seem all that freaked out. But these places had a funny way of getting crazy fast. Best to establish himself as a friend before anything truly spooky showed up.

WC - 626

A light wind gusted through the open door, waking the monk from his slumber. The smell of incense was carried on the breeze, filling his nostrils with the scent of home. A sense of comfort bloomed inside of him, filling his heart and warming his bones. Yes, he knew where he was. He sat up slowly from his futon and looked around his bedroom, built from centuries old wooden beams that held sturdy and steadfast as they day they were erected. The room was sparsely furnished, containing only a wooden chest of drawers, a small writing desk, and a cushion to sit on. The room was filled with amber light, motes of dust dancing within the scattered rays, and as he gazed wistfully out of the open door and across the open balcony, he could see the sun glowing warmly like a lantern hung low in the sky.

This was the Temple of Wind, the only home Akash had ever known. But how he arrived back here was a mystery to the monk, one that pressed on his mind. Slowly, Akash stood up and wandered through the door out to the balcony, where he stood a moment cherishing the breathtaking mountain scape that surrounded his temple home, so high above the rest of civilization that the skies expanded endlessly in every direction. The monks revered the wind itself as a spiritual guide, and what better way to understand the winds than to live among the clouds. After a moment of reflection, Akash turned and continued along the balcony toward the courtyard pathway, where he began to hear a familiar sound. The distant drone of monks chanting mantras.

Akash felt his heart skip a beat. Surely, he must not be the only one here! His steps quickened as he seemed to glide down the walkway into the courtyard, passing a large bronze bell on his way to the sanctuary. Something in the corner of his eye made him stop, however, and turn back to take a closer look at the bell. It was as tall as he was if not slightly more so, and it had been polished regularly every day by the resident monks. But it wasn't the bell itself that gave him pause. Standing in his reflection was a boy perhaps younger than he was, with features that were starkly different to his own. The usual blue tint to Akash's skin was gone, and was replaced by blue arrow tattoos spanning the length of his body, rounding his head and gliding down each of his arms. His right shoulder was bared in a more traditional style robe, his head was shaved clean, and around his neck was a tasseled wooden amulet adorned with the emblem of air, such as those that were worn by the Wind Temple masters.

Akash was perturbed by his sudden change of appearance. How would the other monks recognize him? But his thoughts were quickly swept away when he heard a familiar voice acknowledge him. "Disciple Akash," it said, and he quickly turned to see an old man wearing full robes the color of turmeric and saffron, his head bald except for the long white beard that could have been tucked into his belt. A wooden amulet like the one Akash now wore was draped over the man's neck, and his eyes twinkled kindly.

Akash stared at the old man, his mouth open in bewilderment. "Master Jing," he whispered, pressing his palms together and bowing respectfully, his usually airy voice cracking with emotion. "Master, how... are you here? Remember, you passed away before I left the temple... I attended your funeral," he said, a clenching feeling in his gut. The old man smiled patiently. "Akash, you must look beyond what you see... Surely you have realized that the world that we are standing in is of no ordinary sort. There is a journey ahead of you, Akash. You must venture out of this temple, and seek what it is you're meant to find."

Akash was silent as he processed Master Jing's words, his brows furrowed softly. "A journey?" he repeated, before nodding slowly. "... Then I shall go to meet it." The old man smiled proudly, before holding out his staff to the young monk. When Akash grasped it, a pair of red wings expanded from the sides, turning the simple staff into a fan-like glider. His face lit up when he saw it, and he laughed. "How interesting!" he marveled, and Master Jing chuckled. "It is a tool that will help you on your path," he explained, gesturing to the open skies surrounding the temple. "You may use it to glide safely to the surface of this world, where your journey will truly begin. Ah, and lest I forget... I have another gift for you." As he spoke, a ring tailed lemur appeared from behind him and scampered up Akash's shoulder. It had a small, dark face and large, bat-like ears, and its body was covered in soft white fur. "His name is Momo, and he will be your guide once you reach the surface. Heed him well, and you will not lose your way."

Momo cocked his head curiously, as if he too was surprised to hear the Master speak so confidently about his navigation skills. Akash stroked the top of Momo's head lightly, and smiled. "Thank you, Master Jing," he said, pausing for a moment and gazing upon the old man. He hadn't the words to express the amount of love and admiration he had for his old master. Even so, it seemed that Master Jing understood the feelings in Akash's heart, and he smiled warmly in response. "It was nice to see you, Master Jing," Akash said quietly, before turning toward the open balcony and staring into the expanse of sky before him. He couldn't look back, now. Exhaling a deep breath, Akash opened his glider, stepped up to the edge of the balcony...

And jumped.

Wind rushed past his face, buffeting his clothes and making poor Momo hold onto his shoulder for dear life, until a gust finally caught the underside of the glider and leveled them out, allowing them to coast smoothly on the shifting breezes. Akash stared down at the landscape beneath him, intrigued by how it seemed to shift and breathe... almost as if it were alive. Some corners hid dark forests that seemed to beckon him into the shadows, while in other places, raging seas churned and crashed, as a warning to careless travelers. Just then, somewhere in the distance, a bell rang out loud and clear, piercing the skies with a long, low note.

DONG

Momo's ears twitched toward the sound, and he chattered excitedly. Taking his cue, Akash veered the glider gently toward the source of the noise, squinting as he gazed ahead. There looked to be the shape of a tall tower in the distance, a large bell housed in the very top of it. DONG, the bell chimed again, and Akash began to dive. Steeper and steeper he dove, the wind whistling in his ears as he picked up speed. Momo clung to Akash's shoulder and hid his head in the monk's robes, grabbing onto his long ears and pulling them over his eyes frantically. If he was going to die, he didn't want to be around to see it.

About thirty meters off the ground though, Akash leveled out again, gliding toward what he now saw was a pair of individuals standing before the bell tower. Gliding down as low as he could, Akash closed the wings of the staff at the final moment, landing on his feet with a surprising amount of lightness considering the height he'd just come from. His head tilted to one side as he observed the pair in front of him. One was a rather small woman - perhaps even a girl - wearing a bright pink kimono with pink hair to match. And the other was a man with an almost illusory appearance, as if he barely had substance at all. He didn't know who these people were, but he had the sense that he was meant to meet them.

"Hello," he said, taking a cautious step forward. "My name is Akash. I believe we are destined to meet." He looked to the tower then, pointing up at the large bell. "The chime... it called to me," he explained, before smiling quietly. He truthfully couldn't say anything else about the matter. Whatever this journey was that he had to embark on, he had no knowledge of it in the slightest. He waited to see if either of them had anything to say that would shed light on the situation.
____________________________________
WC: 1,450 | TWC: 1,450 | TMWC: 2,376/15,500

As Joski formed and developed into a form, Marabelle simply bowed at the comment before assessing how best to proceed. Her understanding of what was going on was only half-baked from the encounters she had thus far with the idea of the Land of Dreams, let alone considering it the Land of Nightmares. "I think dreams ca-" She began as she sensed outward another presence beginning to descend upon the scene. Seeing the boy land gracefully, Marabelle returned his sudden drop-in with a smile. As he explained what drew him here, she provided an affirming nod before looking up at it. "It was an idea I had, a dream that I am dreaming of now. One that I hope to make reality." She began putting a hand on the structure itself before turning to the two, "My name is Marabelle Blossom." She began as the space around them began to shift into a variety of different places. From blooming Sakura trees to floating rocks above their heads and to fertile fields spanning toward the horizon before becoming an ethereal edge to the space before them.

"To my knowledge, The Land of Dreams is in danger, and... I've used this chance to try to call upon those who may see value in my dream." She said as the smallest present began to walk towards the darkness that felt and appeared deeper than the rest that was visible. "The surrounding we have currently appears to be of the various villages I've seen so far." She said a tone of melancholy laced the words. "We need to succeed in finding out more about why the Land of Nightmares is rebelling, destroying, corrupting, whatever it is doing should we have a chance to properly meet." She added as creatures began to form from the grass surrounding them. They spawned a few hundred meters away but the sight was plain to see for the trio. "The bell itself I dreamt of too. To sound off as an alarm for danger and to sound off as a signal that someone is coming." She explained as the creatures began to near. She then stopped in the field breathing in before breathing out with her eyes closing.

Determination. Drive. Ambition. These were three words that could be seen as attributes of the small woman. As she focused herself forward she slowly drew her tanto out and and focused. From there she could feel the wind pick up against the grass as she unleashed a torrent of water from her blade in a wide arc against the beasts before her. She remained vigilant as more came and she danced with her blade against the creatures. Once they were finished off, Marabelle opened her eyes and turned to the two, "I am sure your journeys have destinations that are planned for elsewhere. But I hope to reach out and perhaps through this encounter convince you two to join me in my plans." She said finally as the bell tower began to fade and so too did the nameless bell that called them there. She did not wave goodbye to the tower, but it was plain to see that there was a sense of sadness to see what was her dream come and go.

Turning after hearing their responses, the Everbloom continued onward as she picked up stuffed animals on her walk forward and onward. The dreams of others nearby them were likely to seep into the space they occupied and thus any nightmares were going to be dealt with either by them or by those on the other side who were awake. Time was ticking and they needed to proceed. All throughout the explanation and display of skill, her face never changed. Hope and kindness appeared to fuel Marabelle as she moved forward toward the darkness that grew in their sight. There was still much to face and discover and their journey only began there. Should these two agree to join her on her mission, she knew that the makings of something good for the world were set to form and grow before them. Either way, she would fight onward for the dream of a better tomorrow regardless of today.

WC: 700, TWC: 1,000 | TMWC: 3,076 / 15,500

The arrival of a third hadn't been expected, though the life sense of the traveler kicked in as the air rider descended upon them, landing just a small distance from the both of them. Violet eyes glanced over the newcomer, finding remarkably little out of place about them; it seemed both of these people had stability to their forms in this place. A place that was quickly identified as the Land of Dreams by the woman who identified herself as Marabelle Blossom. "Sounds like the name of a manga artist," the man thought to himself, though these thoughts would quickly diverge as the robbed shinobi began to describe their situation. A notable shift would flicker across Joski's expression as the realization that her smaller appearance was likely a product of an image reflected in this place. Just like his own form being less than detailed. Regardless, he absorbed the situation as it was explained. "You're awfully well informed," he would say aloud, a hand reaching behind him for something but finding whatever he was looking for to be absent. A soft huff would sound from him as his hand returned to his side. Although the thought was pointed, it was not colored with doubt. Instead, Joski would pick up as monsters began to form. "I've experienced something like this before, but it's...different, this time. I hadn't been summoned by others before. Not that you'll hear me complaining about the help this time either."

The sentiment had been aimed to be shared with both of them, a nod of his head offered to Akash once he finished. "You both can call me Jojo. I don't know from what land either of you hails, but it seems that we share a purpose in being here." The words tasted strange on his tongue; a purpose for being here. The traveler knew he was often led to where he needed to go, but rarely did the reason for such make itself so readily apparent. From his side, the shape of a blade would be drawn as he made to move along with the group as they traveled, not allowing Marabelle to get much further away from them. There was a grace to his movements in this place, as though he were unhindered. It felt as though by comparison the land of material had him moving through water, and like water, he flowed with grace in the Land of Dreams. The blade he had pulled from his side appeared etched in black and white but with the unmistakable edge of a weapon, cutting creatures that appeared on their flanks as the group moved. "I don't mind sharing this with either of you, but I don't hold a village as a home. I don't condone the wars they start with others for the sake of creed or history- I simply journey across the land using what I have learned to keep me alive. I am neither well educated nor skilled, but if the both of you mean to bring harmony to this place, then you can count me among your allies." More strange words that didn't quite sit naturally upon his palette. What were these strange sentiments, and why was he so freely sharing them with these strangers? Had this land eased him into a sense of familiarity?

There was no glorious form to his blade more than the grace of its movements. No elements or chakra flowed through it, he simply exercised a great deal of speed and precision to just cuts, disarming their amorphous foes of the ability to move before traveling onward. As the group moved, the land would morph around them into a mountainous valley, hues and colors taking on a flat tone as if they were being etched upon a paper canvas. Clouds above them written in choppy, uneven lines that swirled as if caught between three frames of an animation. Birds flapped their wings in two frame strokes yet remained aloft. All the while, their forms remained as they were, projected as foreign objects against the sprawl of this land. As more monsters came, Joski would find the ease to keep appraised of their surroundings but something out of the corner of his eye would elude him more than once. A sensation that became troublesome, and then worrisome. The more it happened, the more Joski was burdened with the sensation of being observed by something he couldn't see. Something outside the range of his life sense. "Something is stalking us," he would eventually share with the others, potentially cutting into a conversation held between the other two. "I can't get a good look at it, but something is lingering on the edges of my vision, and whenever I try to get a clear view of it, it is gone." There was only a moment to let that sink in before Joski would continue. "Best we stay close together, I think."


WC - 820

TWC - 1,446

With consideration of quite a lot to take into mind, it was something that Marabelle was acutely aware of. The ideas and concepts that she initially presented seemed to work well for Jojo, though a name like that sounded ridiculous to her. She gave an affirming nod from his commentary about having help, “Any help would be and is happily accepted.” She sought to look forward and she knew there was many steps that would require sacrifice and cooperation involving a multitude of forces and of multitude of personalities. She sought to look after the places she could reach and even in the Land of Nightmares that did not change for the kunoichi. Serveying the surroundings, she could tell from Jojo’s disposition that his encounters previously within the space were not fond memories. It was when he broke the silence describing his own situation that Marabelle offered a gentle and kindred smile towards the man.

“I am from Bean Jam myself. A quiet and peaceful land that relies heavily on trade and safety through proximity and lack of established forces. I too do not condone or support the conflicts that the villages of the world send youth to but I’m aware that a system without protectors is less a world ruled by the laws of nature and more a world broken through the laws of fickle minds.” She began as their travel lead to the shifting and turning of the land around them. As she spoke, the world would shift to give some sense of where she had been and traveled as she spoke, her Ninshū ability typically dormant forming strong bond with the conceptualization of concepts. “I am currently traveling and have ended up in Hoshigakure at this time. I am still deciding how best to approach trying to improve the quality of the world be it externally of the shinobi system we find ourselves adjacent to or internally through diplomatic means. Surely there is not a right methodology to approach such global concepts but that won’t stop me from improving the world wherever I am.” She declared drawing her own blade at Jojo’s notation of awareness. She adjusted her hand to allow her to perform seals before activating her Mind’s Eye. Her senses reaching further than her standard sensory capacity she confirmed Joski’s suspicions. “Be prepared the creatures of the Land of Nightmares are approaching.” With that she maintained her seal of confrontation to be able to keep her own sensory skills active. Even with a single hand occupied, her other hand gripped her blade with confidence.

Creatures formed beyond the sight and vision present and lunged towards the group as they began to and ventured deeper into the Land of Dreams, seeking out where the Pand of Nightmares truly began. The scenery changes and flickered between those present as it seemed to incorporate parts and pieces of their current locations. Though their memories and aspirations seemed to shift and malform the landscape of the Dreamscape Sea. There was a plethora of needs needing to be met as Marabelle took note of something acute and shuffled to the side of their vision. “Be on guard! I believe we will likely maintain encounters for a while.” She began barking out loud above the roars and screeches of the entities approaching, “It appears the space is taking on attributes of our own surroundings. I see a withered and weathered teddy bear off in the distance. It will like start with children’s dreams and nightmares and then start creating amalgamations for us to encounter. There is not much set in the reality of this space but be warned that if a dreamer is aware or is creative, the weak spots or extra abilities may not be inherently present and visible.” Marabelle explained as she used her seal to keep her Mind’s eye open. Her blade in the other hand using simple strokes to defeat the creatures that approached her.

She sensed a degree of uncertainty from their third companion before speaking out, “You seem like a peaceful soul.” She spoke to Akash, “do not fret, if you do not wish to act out of violence, support in what ways you are comfortable with. Allies are appreciated no matter their skillset or limitations. Not everyone is willing to go down their own distinct path, and many more abandon their own campus when things become difficult.” She empathized and assumed looking at the monk child about his own principles. She felt it was a reasonable response to hopefully help ease the monk in such a situation. They did not need doubt or uncertainty to cause problems within the space. She turned forward and stepped with a fluid swing cutting down one more enemy that came after the group. “I do not want to fear what may happen if we perish here. I have too much to worry about in the Land of the Waking to be defeated here.” She said with a smile and air of confidence. The aura of the Everbloom was not of cockiness or brash and gross misunderstanding of the situation, but rather one of determination and willingness to act on one’s will. She was a curious one in contrast to most shinobi but it appeared that the folks present were likely of similar minds at minimum.

On the note of that conceptually, Marabelle’s focus was undaunted in the face of flying spider monkeys and rolling armadillo buffalo. She spoke as she focused and continued onward, “I have travelled and been considering finding a group of like-minded people. Be it those who have been discouraged, to those seeking a better world, to even those who simply wish for an alternative. I think I can find a way to help the world and I hope you all will let me speak out on this.” She said being considerate of the situation they were in presently. “Of course this situation is vitally more important and with the present issue likely a bigger problem to what I wish to do in general, I am glad to be able to count you two as allies in this world-endangering scenario.” She added optimistically as she did not consider the issue present world-ending. That was when she also stop talking for a moment. Her focus darted from the corner of her vision as she using her blade to cut more voraciously against the armored and bipedal saber mammoth geckos. “I can see something out of the corner of my eyes. I feel like as we progress we more than likely will see the formation of whatever that is. It’s beyond my sensory range let alone having enough definition to identify it.”

She elaborated as the Dreamscape shifted again, blending the snow and grassy fields of their domains. In the far distance, mountains grew and rose and subsides and left behind the shadows of their sides on the ground below them. There was no inherent rhyme or reason for the changes yet here they occurred, never giving a sense of stability within their encounters. As more creatures formed she cursed at their luck as she let her seal of confrontation be released, her other hand gripping the hilt of the blade before breathing differently. It sounded fuller and deeper in comparison to how it was previously. Her demeanor changed as the waves of creatures intensified, “I apologize if my rambling is making sorting and figuring things out more difficult. I find myself in good company for once on my travels and it appears it is a byproduct of a more dangerous issue that is plaguing our world and not simply running into each other over a cup of tea.” She said with a small sense of humor even in these difficult times.

As she breathes and focused on her own capacity, Marabelle’s blade seemed to be etched with the water currents of rivers as she danced and formed a pathway almost with static images of herself creating a defensive measure against the forces that were coming towards them. “If they cross through my path I have formed, it either will hurt them or slow them down.” She said as she formed a protective circle with a diameter of a bit under 10 meters. “Leave or fight within is up to you, but I will be staying within the circle to lure them towards the ring I made. It should help stop some of the weaker creatures from dealing sneaky damage if they become forgotten about or ignored while handling more dangerous ones.” She explained as she aimed a crescent arc of water affinity chakra towards a large beast formed of a tiger, bear and a jackrabbit. Thankfully for the group the knowledge of kangaroos were not massively present for the denizens of the world they were close to. Marabelle’s blade continued to work to defend against the forces, weather the storm that was before them, and support the two that were currently present with the young Blossom.

WC: 1,500, TWC, 2,500 | TMWC: 5,396 / 15,500

It was certainly loud, traveling with other people. Then again, there was never an instance where this realization would fail to return whenever he took to having company on the road. Be it sharing a shelter in a storm, passing through an in, or sharing a ride between the more populated villages. There was always so much talking. He even recalled the times on a distant beach where he could shunt out all of the extra noise of people cheering and shouting- generally people enjoying themselves. How dare they. But in this instance, the woman whom he mistook for a child at the outset had a great deal to say. A great deal to explain. A person who held a mission very near and dear to themselves. It was in the following moments that the contrast between the two became about as evident as their metaphysical appearances in the realm of dreams; one of them a vibrant ray of hope and ambition while the other was a stoggy black and white mass that listed along with the flow of things without any real direction or purpose. And still, despite this contrast, Joski couldn't help but find himself at least partially endeared by artists formally known as Marabelle Blossom. "She sure has some wild ideas. What sort of place is Bean Jam to inspire its people to travel the world and inject themselves into matters so far removed from their own? Does she have no thought of the sanctity of others, or is she simply a person who sees a problem and is compelled to fix it? Either way, it could be troublesome to deal with. Who wants to stick their nose into the business of others, even if we are trying to make it better?" A small raincloud in the mind of the traveler who sat by the warmth of a fire provided by the traveling medic. Although he rejected most of what she said mentally, it still provided him with the same warm feeling of comfort that sitting around a campfire might.

"I am also currently in Hoshigakure," Joski would say aloud as the movement of the group continued, finally finding his voice among the sea of his thoughts. "I have been here for the past year, ever since the last event like this occurred. I had been following a guide, so to speak." It might be apparent that even stating it in those terms didn't exactly sit right even with Joski, though he made no immediate attempt to correct them. Instead, he would continue. "It's been a nice visit, but I was just preparing to continue my travels. I guess there must have been a reason for us to meet now instead of weeks ago or weeks from now. Truth be told, I'm not sure I'm the sort of person you want by your side when it comes to trying to fix the world. I've spent a great many of my years just trying to survive in it. I'm not like these people in the village." What he meant by that exactly was a convoluted conversation that had little place on the battlefield. A field that continued to fill with strange amalgamations of creatures. Three-headed stuffed animals the size of a horse or a scorpion with boxing gloves for each pincer and on the end of its tail. These foes, like the others before, were chopped and sliced away as the trio moved deeper into the land of dreams.

As the monsters became numerous, Joski took in a long breath as he closed his eyes before an expansion of chakra visibly burst forth from him, like brilliant scintillating dust that swam amidst them for a moment as the dark pools that were the eyes of the traveler shifted almost like they reflected a screen that was zooming outwards as the Uchugan opened. Millions of specs lit the man's eyes as though he were looking through the scope of a galaxy as the chakra-infused dust evaporated around him. The vision that awaited him could have been awe-inspiring if he had a moment to soak it all in. The measures of the universe flowed through this place like a river, and his enhanced sense of life extended to everything around him. Lights and motes of stardust swirled together in his eyes as constellations formed, collapsed, and burst outwards again. The power of life mingled with imagination here, and it was beautiful. "Wow," breathed the man quietly as he took just a moment to observe his surroundings before his focus returned to Marabelle, who had continued to speak all through the ordeal.

The aura of the woman was outlined with brilliant energy, glowing violet and orange swirled within his form as galaxies rushed by. She was radiant in the energy she exuded, driven. Passionate. Even a glimpse into her life energy gave the traveler another feeling of that same comfort of familiarity. It made it difficult to comprehend everything she had been saying, but the mind of the boy was able to keep up with the apology she offered for rambling. It took Joski a moment to align his feelings once more, the senses expanded out greatly to the area around them giving Joski a perfect sense of the amalgamations that began to form as they moved. When Marabelle created a parameter, Joski would slip readily inside and take up a stance to address creatures that approached the barrier. "I think I would have preferred the tea," Joski spoke lowly, only partially in jest before he continued. "I don't know if I am the sort of soul you are searching for, but regardless, you have found me. I can tell just from what I can see of you that you have a brilliance to your soul I have not seen before. It is gleaming. Shimmering. Like the sun being reflected in the pools of a wavering pond." Beautiful, he might have added, though it was a thought he kept to himself for fear of giving off the wrong impression.

"If we get out of this, you should seek me out. I don't exactly make myself easy to find, but on any given afternoon, I tend to inhabit the outdoor areas of the cafes within the city. You'll likely recognize me now that you have seen me. I don't know what lies at the end of all of this, but I have no intention of falling here. Which means neither of you are allowed to either." Affirming the grip on his blade, Joski readied himself for whatever might come. Around them, the world seemed to shift readily; it seemed they need not be physically moving in order to travel the realm of dreams. Mountains rose and fell, waves of an ocean crashed in the distance only to turn into vibrant green trees that would then burst and split into all manner of wild shrubbery that was then devoured by the landscape around it. An ever-shifting plane from which creature after creature would emerge to engage them.

WC - 1,174
TWC - 2,620

The conversation between Jirou and herself took precedence within the Dreamscape. Taking notes of how he vocalized his interests and the current path being walked, Marabelle nodded and her demeanor did not change. The commentary provided was balanced with sword swings and strikes between the duo. Even Akash who journeyed with them was accomplishing quite amazing tasks within the sea of dreams. The two piqued the interest of the Everbloom though the thoughts that were heavy was the idea of not being the sort of individuals who would be of her distinction to be of aid. Her mind pondered this heavily as the creatures progressed upon them as they continued forward, a mix of weather and storms that were hovering overhead.

With the commentary of tea, Marabelle laughed lightly given the circumstances, "I would have preferred tea myself as well. Perhaps given the chance I will reach out to see you while within Hoshigakure. I have plans to travel once more but I hope to ally myself with others for whatever justification they have. Fixing the world isn't the way of putting it." She said as her blade felt the surge of her breathing style as water affinity chakra laced the blade, the ring she created proving useful at the moment. There were some creatures that made it past and were subsequently cut down in fluid motions. Marabelle was unwavering in the face of the issues and even though her face was lit with confidence, there was hesitation and concern. "I move myself forward for others. Even if I reach my hand out not all will accept it. I recognize that one person alone cannot change the world without significant opposition. Even if one were to aim to unite the world through a common cause, one would need to be a villain of great proportions. One that tears the threads of war and differences as they pose a greater issue than others. Yet a peace made through war is no peace at all." She elaborated as her sword remained true to each stroke she let forth.

"Not everyone will see eye to eye. Not everyone will seek knowledge and understanding. Not everyone will preserve life over all else." Marabelle continued as her blade became sheathed and she performed seals before she unleashed a shower of senbons in a forward direction away from the other two with her. "My goal and desire is to make it easier to communicate. To reach out, to get help, to see others for what they are." She said as her expression softened and pulling her blade out once more to continue her swings. "We are all trying. Trying to survive. Trying to overcome. Yet no one puts others first because being selfless..." Marabelle stated pausing mid-swing before bringing her blade down against another monster that was formed of flowers, rabbits, and anteaters. "Is always considered the worst option. Having to choose to protect one person over another is always something that will be faced yet no one is willing to admit or willing to accept, that sometimes they do not need help more than others." She spoke out with a sigh. It was obvious she took this idea with heavy consideration and concern about how best to proceed.

She watched as the ring of water she formed began to fade as some of the monsters began to lurk and sulk away from the trio. The shadow in the corner of her eye began to look like it was clapping. Marabelle turned the others and gave them a stern look, "There is something stronger more sinister coming. Be prepared." That was when the clapping she saw became hearable as footsteps on what sounded like tile floor came into the scene. The colors and hues of the dreamscape formed below them tatami mats, tile, and cobblestone. Three different landscapes and structures began to form, and while it was forming the shadow figure that came from Marabelle's vision walked upon the tile towards the group. "What an amazing speech you gave. Yet you won't admit to yourself the folly of such a desire. Such a dream! How strong in the mind of you can give so much to feed us. To feed the nightmares. Let's see how high such a dream falling will provide." A dark negative in appearance Marabelle strolled out into their respective sights. As Marabelle turned to look, nightmare versions of Akash and Jojo became visible making commentary of their own though Marabelle's mind was locked on what her antithesis said. "If I don't try, I won't succeed." The Everbloom said in response.

"Surely you don't think that's true right? Consider the options of those with and those without. The shinobi system is flawed. It's folly to try to change a system that was like this well before your birth! That will return to where and what it was if you are even remotely successful! How do you plan to gauge your success? You don't run a village. You don't rule over anyone either! Your ideas? Weak. Your plan? Unmade. You can't even consider the dangers people like those near you now will cause to your dream. Yet here you are, reaching a hand out for them to express interest but concern. Desire yet no sustenance to that decision. Do you think you, a small girl from Bean Jam, could make a change in the world? What an amazing dream to consume for the Land of Nightmares. I am thrilled to be the one to help cause the fall of such an innocent and naive woman." It rambled and rambled, almost a mirror to how Marabelle spoke but it was in true juxtaposition to her own words that she closed her eyes, blade in hand giving a soft nodding motion to the questions it spoke out towards her.

"I do think it's true. Sure the system is flawed, but humans are flawed creatures. I am flawed, the Otokage I've met is flawed. The other kages I might encounter on my journey are also flawed. Even if they fuel themselves and consider them to be perfect they are flawed in some facet. My success is not trackable. Perhaps instead of forming an organization, I should consider a diplomatic route within the system. Perhaps forming a roaming group of like-minded individuals with their own goals, own motivations is a weak and unmade plan. My dream is not one that has an end." She said firmly, her eyes opening, her whole form tense with her flowing chakra, the blade in her hand screaming from her intensity as the pressure she exuded was semi-tangible in the Dreamscape Sea. "I am a young woman from Bean Jam, a land untouched by major shinobi forces. Yet that world is going to change soon. If I cannot change what the world is around me, then I will do what I can. I don't plan to fix the world. There is no fixing the pains and suffering that generations of generations of shinobi have suffered." That was when with a slash, water formed and launched toward the negative colored Nightmare Marabelle, "That's why I aim to heal!"

Her shout shook the scene that the Nightmare Marabelle was standing in. Drawing its own blade finally the sound of clashing steel and the screech of intentions was audible to the space around her, though it was to be determined how much the other two heard of their conversation. Matching strikes and speed, the two Marabelles fought as their feet against the tile made different noises. The metal of Nightmare Marabelle's footwear made tapping and loud audible clacks against the tile. Yet Marabelle's own sandals of woven goods and soft material made soft and more heavy thudding and pounding noises. The contrast between doubt and dismissiveness of Nightmare Marabelle being fought against Marabelle's hope and determination echoed the sea's change as the structures near them would alternate between decrepit buildings and pristine fixed-up buildings. It was as if the two fought for different worlds beyond just the Land of Dreams and Nightmares. It felt for her that the blade that she clashed against was her own, given up, disjointed, and disillusioned with the world. There was a sadness she could feel in the nightmare version of herself that she felt like it was likely her own potential should she fall and stumble. She fought against a possible future and she knew that she needed to rise above the disdain and troubled soul of the entity that latched onto her doubt and exemplified it to an extreme.

The fighting between the two continued for a while, as each one had advantages and waned when unable to maintain the edge in the fight itself. There was a plethora of issues that she faced and knowing that it was for herself that she fought for, gave Marabelle some issues as the situation present was a solo problem, one that she needed to fight against for herself and others yet it felt so dissonant to what she had encountered so far. Surely the idea and concept she had were reasonable to the extent of application but it was true, there is no ending or safeguard of the future. She knew that fully aware that places she had helped and left were likely also suffering without her presence though it was also folly to consider it that way. In novels and stories, the heroes of yore were always moving in their own machinations towards their goal. There was no time to go back to where one started their journey to make sure they were fine. It was trust and faith that things would improve when they left for their objective was much larger. Yet she stood alone through the time of her travels up to this point. Even when she was in Otogakure no Sato there was doubt she faced as those there were focused on themselves and their own world, isolationist to a fault almost.

Yet there stood herself fighting for the opposite of what she wished and putting it face first into her. That was when she spoke once more antagonizing Marabelle, "Why not join a village bent on the subjugation of others? Rule and in ruling there will be the peace you seek! War is just a tool like a scalpel to remove those bad infections! If not, why not destroy villages?? Seek out the destruction of the system in its entirety and then no one has to grow up as a shinobi, lose the lives of their loved ones, and avoid the terror of coming home to a corpse!" It shouted, the blade in its hand covered in decayed or decaying depending on how you looked at it, plum blossoms. A grit in her own teeth batted the blade back gaining some distance between the two of them. Their swords sang against each other as Marabelle could feel the dissonance within the blade as it was once one that was of a dream, a mighty blade that was being used by another corrupted creature of Nightmares. Be it what it was before or after this whole incident, was not clear but that was when Marabelle got an idea as she sighed before bringing up her sword once more against the Nightmare entity. "Because then there is no healing. There is no support being made or granted to those who need a hand. Not everyone wishes for a better world, or at least a world more inclusive than their own."

That was when the nightmare before her raged bringing her blade forward towards her. "And that is not a world I wish to support. That is a world I will fight against. Fight for the sanctity of lives be it my own or others. I will make mistakes. I will cause problems and maybe wind up with more for my head than I will ever expect." Marabelle spoke, her words almost tinged with an acceptance of a cruel world even though she understood it well before. "Yet that is not enough for me to stop now. To stop when I have not started." Her words angered her as no matter what the nightmare said and spoke, Marabelle never backed down or budged in her direction, a resolve stronger than the blade that she wielded. The edges of the blades cried as they resonated against each other once more. It was a long-drawn battle of an unstoppable force against the immovable mountain that was Marabelle. Her mind was made long ago, and though the direction was uncertain, she knew deep within her heart that the dream she sought was a long road, one that had no end and would not end till she died. Even if she did, she knew that others might step up and rise to support her fight for a better world. This was not something that gave her hope, moreover, it gave her the drive to pursue it further. In a world as large as theirs, others had to have something akin to her dream within them. Even if they did not, just her message was enough to reach out with.

"I don't plan to just walk up and offer healing of the pains. It takes time." She said the blade in her hand clashing heavier against the blade of the Nightmare Marabelle. "I have to speak. I have to talk. I have to listen!" She shouted against the entity mirroring her except now there was doubt in its form, the negative coloration beginning to alter in the moment. "Listen to their woes! Listen to their pains! Listen to what they are saying! Listen to what they seek, listen to the direction they want to go!" She vocalized louder and louder with each statement. It almost seemed as if she was growing in size against her juxtaposed nightmare but it was the opposite. As her words grew, the body of the entity that faced her shrank with each strike. Firm blade strokes and words began to tear the entity apart as the dream it wished to consume raged against the space, altering and claiming dominion over the surrounding world. Her powers peaked as streaks of energy followed her movements, her Qi leaking out through the motions of her body and blade in tandem. For those around her, it was as if a bud of a flower had bloomed in the Dreamscape Sea but it was just Marabelle's desire to make a better world and understand it along the way.

The creature shrieked as the blade in its hand cracked and shattered into petals, the blade Marabelle raised against it found its mark, a place by its head into the ground. Marabelle's posture above the entity was that of defiance to its words but also as a wall to protect the world she decided would be on her back. She wanted to make a change and she would fight till the end to make it come true. No nightmare, back-of-the-head thoughts, or opponents she faced would deter her. She would rise to each challenge and no matter the size of the wave that was before her, Marabelle the Everbloom would weather the storm. Even though she dealt no physical damage against the monster that was trying to sway and destroy the ideas Marabelle sought, its form was distorted, altered, and changing. Marabelle's will was strong and even with the idea that those who heard her call voiced they may not be right to stand beside her, she still stood, accepting and willing to continue forward with them. There was a calmness to the idea present but Marabelle knew well enough that there was more to do and accomplish. The Nightmare Marabelle was about to speak up once more but its form was too weak and it simply began to fade into the aetherial sea that was before them.

Turning to see the group behind her, Marablle gave a reassuring smile as she sheathed her blade once more, "I hope you two are well after that encounter. I'm sure there is still much to discuss and talk about but I will do what I can to find you all in the real world before us. As much as our dreams have changed and altered quite a bit of our appearance, I stay true to what and who I am. I hope I can convince you two that I am as genuine as the form I am in, in such a plane of reality." She said with an assurance looking between Akash and Jojo. There was always much more to talk and discuss about but there was much she could accomplish as long as the time permitted for her to try. Her own coloration and form stayed the same throughout but some cuts and knicks on her body had blood seeping into her kimono giving it a battle-worn look that did not fit the woman who wore them. It appeared as if the trees upon the cloth were bleeding and crying on the fabric as she turned forward, there was still much more for the trio to accomplish and do, and thus, she remained true to the objective speaking once more, "I will do what I can to support whatever you wish to accomplish. I am just here to help facilitate and hopefully, I can find others who share the cause and desire to see the world be better than where it is now. I know many have been hurt but I do not know the stories. I do not know what has transpired on the main continent and even then, there is much travel necessary. What I really seek is companions who wish to help me learn, help me accumulate knowledge of the world, and see what we can do to help appease relations, being villages together, bring goals to align, and find compromise in actions."

There was no fear in the words that Marabelle spoke towards the two as the forms they fought coalesced together in a shadowy amass of energy, power, and terror. The Everbloom drawing her blade once more kept her gaze forward towards the formation of such a creature. It grew and rose well beyond its normal scope of horizon and height as its form blended well into the Dreamscape itself. Its lower have submerged, its torso and above growing and towering over the trio. The creature roared and laughed against them as there was much to discuss but it shook its head instead before speaking towards them, "Folly is the fool. All I see are three who have avoided the world, hid away from the terror of life, and ignored human nature for what it is! Weak is the will of those who do not have, and weak is the form of those who question and are unsure. Surely between the three vagabonds across the land that I see you understand that the world will always be the way it is?" It extended the question as its arm formed into a long lengthy bone-like form with musculature shadows that held it together making a grotesque form as nails formed into talons on its arm. The other arm was massive and full in form versus the other, almost representative of the past that haunted and clawed at the present against the healthy and strong future. In Marabelle's eyes, there was another battle being waged here and it was not just about the Land of Dreams and Nightmares. It appeared an attribute of Marabelle's fight fed into the creature and seemed like there was more it would speak on the others as the first swing from the arm of the deadly past went towards the group.

With a quick flick of her wrist and form, her chakra surged briefly as she took a firm step forward toward the arm and punched it. A wild gesture as the chakra enhanced strength of hers impacted on the limb sending it flying back and upward against the creature in defiance. "Do not let its words sully your journey thus far! We've lived and made it this far in a world of wars, ignorance, and famine. We all have our own backstories and justifications to be where we are. We stand in this space together and even if we do not find common ground to fight for, I know we all will fight for a just cause wherever we land and end up!" She spoke towards the duo as the arms began to swing once more towards her, aiming to squash her. Another breathe escaped her lips as the tip of her blade lowered before lunging forward at the hand, an invisible force clashing and holding it still as it aimed to quash the Bean Jam woman. There was a terrible fight to overcome now, and it was up to the trio to fight back against the entity without a name and with a terrifying purpose against them.

WC: 3,500, TWC: 6,000 | TMWC: 10,070 / 15,500

The following day after the events that transpired with a black, globulous freak of nature, Yushia Ryou wakes up from a dreamless sleep to the sound of birds chirping just outside her window. The sun is shining brightly through the cracks of her blinds, which she takes as a sign to get out of bed.

"I didn't have any dreams last night," She thinks to herself. "I'm not sure what that means, but it's probably for the best."

She then proceeds to get dressed and ready for the day ahead. Putting on her uniform and tying her hair into a ponytail and two braids that rest at either side of her pectorals, she then descends the steps down onto the main floor, she hears a familiar chirring by the window sill.

"Mana?" She remarks, walking over to her pet snow petrel who perched just outside the window. Mana chirps happily as Yushia opens the window for her to come in. "Good morning," She said with the faintest hint of a smile, stroking Mana's head with her finger. "How did you sleep?"

Mana responds with another cheerful chirp before hopping onto Yushia's shoulder.

"I see. Well, I'm glad you had a good night's rest."

Yushia then exits her room and later approaches Akash's, knocking thrice before she waits patiently with her hands tucked beneath the sleeves of her haori. Strangely enough, she hears no sound nor anything to denote his presence beyond the door that blocks her view. Even with her Frostborn heritage, she fails to sense any recognizable heat signatures within five meters of where she stood from the door, which covers enough of the room to make an estimated assertion as to whether he remains elsewhere in the room or not. Has Akash already taken leave before she arose? Where could he have gone off to? The likely prospect points to the idea he may already be familiarizing himself with the village, remembering his vibrant passion for understanding Hyoga's culture and traditions. And so, taking advantage of the early rise of the morning sun would make the most logical sense to take in as much as he could before the day's end. Perhaps she'll find him later in the day or toward the moon's rise after the sun's set.

She shrugs her shoulders and her hazel brown gaze afixes to Mana. "It appears I'll be in my own company for today, it seems," She parts the sleeves of her haori and reaches to push her breast pocket open. "Not the most comfortable, but it'll keep you hidden well enough from wandering eyes. I imagine neither of us favors the idea of others watching us intermittently while we eat. And of course, I'll share what I have with you all the while before we venture out to make sense of the madness from yesterday."

Mana responds with an affirmative chirp before hopping into Yushia's breast pocket, which she then closes and adjusts such that Mana's only the scalp of the petrel's head is visible enough within reason for plausible deniability from onlookers. Yushia then proceeds to descend the stairs and onto the main floor of the Snow Fox Inn. It's as charming inside as it is on the outside. Squared, stone beams support the upper floor and the rows of small lights attached to them. The walls are swarmed with flags of all sorts and sizes. Some are from nearby towns or provinces, others from the far corners of the world. They must've been fitted to the owner.

The inn itself is packed. Soldiers seem to be the primary clientele here, which could be seen as a bad sign, though you're sure it's not. Several long tables are occupied by, what must be separate groups who have bonded over great food and conversation. The other, smaller tables are also occupied by people who clearly enjoy each other's company, though they seem to be strangers who have met here. Even most of the stools at the bar are occupied, though nobody seems to mind more company.

"Good morning," Yushia greets the innkeeper, who seems to be a middle-aged man with a thick beard and a large frame. He wore an apron over his clothes and had a towel draped over his right shoulder. He smiled at her as he looked up from cleaning a glass.

"Good morning! What can I get you?" He asks in a friendly tone.

Yushia looks down at the menu on the counter before her and scans it for anything that might catch her fancy. She then looks back up at him and responds with, "I'll have the breakfast special."

The innkeeper nods and says, "Coming right up!" He then turns around and walks away, presumably to prepare Yushia's meal.

While she waits, Yushia takes in the sights of the tavern and its patrons. The atmosphere is pleasant and warm, which is a stark contrast to the cold outside. There are several conversations going on around her, but none are loud enough to be distracting or obnoxious. Everyone seems happy to be here, which puts Yushia's mind at ease a bit. Not too long after, the innkeeper returns with a veritable palate.

"Here you go!" The innkeeper says as he places a plate of food in front of Yushia. On it are an array of unusual delectables that she's never seen before. The plate consists of three small bowls: one filled with a light brown liquid, another filled with a dark green substance, and the third filled with what appears to be some sort of meaty stew.

"What are these?" Yushia asks curiously. "I've never seen anything like them."

The innkeeper smiles and replies, "They're traditional dishes from this region. The brown liquid is called 'katsuramuki', which means 'to peel away'. It's made from fermented soybeans and is used as a dipping sauce for the other two dishes. The green substance is called 'konomon' and it's made from fermented rice bran. It's used as a condiment for the stew."

Yushia nodded and thanked him before digging into her meal. The food was delicious and she enjoyed every bite. She tried each dish separately first, then together, and she found that they complimented each other perfectly. She couldn't believe how good everything tasted, especially considering the unusual ingredients. However, it would be folly of Yushia to enjoy the three bowls and to her fortune, due to the liquid nature of the meal, she's able to smuggle to the petrel several sips in varying combinations, taking note of the bird's response to each bowl in combination, save for the stew, which may or may not have fat contents that can prove lethal considering the location they're in. A hardy people would require a hearty meal, and fatty foods would certainly help stymie one's hunger while out in the arduous winter winds.

Erstwhile, a couple—a man and a woman—approach Yushia's table, which the young swordswoman detects from the increasing pitter-patters of the stone floor toward her table. She adjusts her sitting posture to hide the snow petrel well enough beneath her haori, but so much so that the bird is completely hidden from plain view lest one genuinely ventures a gander. Mana seems to understand this and remains perfectly still within the confines of Yushia's pocket.

"Excuse me," The young woman intercedes as she approaches Yushia's table. "Do you mind if we sit here?" The young woman in question has a comely visage and wears a kosode with a haori jacket and hakama pants underneath. Studying her features further, she notes the woman sporting similar shades of color for her hair and complexion. The older-looking man who stands beside her has a more handsome profile and wears a kosode with hakama pants underneath. He also has a beard and mustache resembling a familiar visage to an otherwise. Both of them appear friendly enough, but Yushia is still cautious.

"I don't mind at all," Yushia replies with a courteous smile as she gestures toward the empty seats at her table. The two take their seats and introduce themselves as Hana and Rikuto. They're a couple that has been traveling together for several years now, and they've decided to stop by this tavern for some food and drink before continuing on their journey.

"So where are you from?" Hana asks curiously.

"I'm originally from the Land of Snow," Yushia replies with a rehearsed response, attempting to assuage any of their curiosities without exposing her true origins. One can never be too careful in the presence of strangers, especially if one holds, arguably, a questionable background such as Yushia's. The less people know the better, and to do so to give herself plausible deniability, she offers half-truths to those with inquisitive minds. "But I've been traveling around a lot lately."

Hana nods and asks, "What brought you here?"

Yushia pauses for a moment before replying, "I heard about some recent happenings here in the village, the stuff of dreams taking on new life in reality. It all happened shortly after an acquaintance of mine and I arrived here in the village just yesterday morning. I hoped to get together with him today to resolve the issue, as I imagine something that's from dreams can't necessarily be fixed where it doesn't originally belong. I pray your travels have been uneventful since? I'm unaware how long either of you have been here in the village for."

Hana smiles and replies, "Yes, we've had a very relaxing time here so far. We arrived here a few days ago and decided to take advantage of the hospitality that this village has to offer. The food is delicious, the beds are comfortable, and the people are friendly. It's been a wonderful experience so far."

Yushia nods and says, "That's good to hear. I hope you both continue to enjoy your stay here."

Rikuto then chimes in with a remark of his own. "You and Hana share a striking resemblance," He notes with a chuckle.

"Oh?" Yushia cocks an eyebrow at Rikuto's remark. "Is that so? I suppose we do have similar features." She then turns toward Hana and asks, "What brings you two here together?"

Hana smiles and replies, "Well, I met Rikuto a few years ago when he was traveling through my hometown. We hit it off right away and have been traveling together ever since!"

Rikuto laughs and adds, "It was love at first sight!"

Yushia smiles and nods as she listens to their story. It seems they're very much in love with each other, which is nice to see. Would fit the narrative from the scant memories she can recall during her upbringing and the stories her father would regale her of before Yushia was conceived. And in truth, it frightens her a little how nigh-accurate the detail of their relationship has progressed and grown. It's almost hard to believe that her money-addled drunkard of a father somehow managed to swoon Hana, but she doesn't dwell on the thought long.

Hana then asks, "So what about you? Do you have anyone special in your life?"

Yushia thinks for a moment before replying, "No, not really. I've never really had time for romance or relationships. I've always been too busy traveling and training. It would cause problems." A half-truth, to be certain. While the concept of romance has crossed her mind during the two years since she's become a Vagabond, it appears as though each passing year gives her more and more reason to suggest the feeling as nothing more than fleeting. Romantic relations, in and of themselves, are already complex to begin with and depending on their very nature of them, may either be short or long-lived. Yushia already struggles with maintaining a positive, if at least, balanced self-image, with an already pre-conception of being "damaged goods", and even then, she'd have to contemplate how to navigate something so volatile to an already volatile lifestyle in tandem with the "baggage" she carries as a consequential byproduct of her past. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that she would even find a partner who would understand or accept her situation, which makes it all the more challenging to consider. To burden them with her life's ever-heaping problems would be unkind and would prefer to shoulder it alone. Even at her expense.

Rikuto chuckles and says, "Well that's too bad! A girl like you should be able to find someone special, no problem!"

Yushia smiles politely and says, "Thank you for the kind words. But I'm fine being on my own for now. Besides, I have other priorities right now."

Hana nods and says, "I understand. But if you ever change your mind, I'm sure you'll find someone who will love you for who you are."

Yushia continues to smile politely as she listens to Hana's words. She appreciates the sentiment, but she knows that finding someone like that would be difficult, if not impossible. Still, it's nice to hear someone say that they believe in her. It makes her feel a little better about herself.

Yushia then finishes her meal and stands up from her seat. "Thank you both for the company," She says with a bow. "But I must be going now. I have some important business to attend to." She then turns around and walks toward the exit of the Snow Fox Inn. As she walks away, she can hear Rikuto and Hana talking about how nice she is and how they wish they could stay longer. Although Yushia doesn't show it as she leaves the inn, feeling good about the conversation she just had. The rest of the day is relatively uneventful, with a couple of stray dream-esque entities running amok, the village military is quick to dispatch a team to quell the chaos faster than Yushia can intervene, herself, to stymie them. This gives her plenty of time and a bit of peace of mind to explore the village proper without her mind hyper-analyzing the likelihood of another nightmarish attack.

Mana, on the other hand, cannot help but feel that something is amiss. She has been flying around the village for some time now, keeping an eye out for anything unusual or suspicious. However, so far there has been nothing out of the ordinary. Still, she can't shake this feeling that something isn't right. Maybe it's just her imagination or maybe it's just because she hasn't had a good night's sleep in a while. Either way, she decides to keep an eye out for anything unusual. Yushia spends the rest of her day exploring the town. She visits various shops and vendors, talks to some of the villagers, and even plays with some of the local children. It's nice to see such a lively place after spending so much time in the wilderness. By the end of the day, Yushia is feeling pretty tired and decides to head back to the inn to get some rest.

Where an unlikely adventure awaits her beyond the Land of Waking.




A vast expanse of water that exists within the realm of dreams and imagination. It is filled with countless islands made up of various types of dreams and imaginations, some small and some large, floating aimlessly across its surface. Each island represents a different dream or imagination, and they can be found anywhere in the Sea. Within, a globule of somber, baby blue light strays throughout the boundless sea of dreams and imagination, each cast from recollections of distant thoughts and memories in rhombus-shaped, dazzling crystals. With every second that goes by, its surface ripples. The tides of dreams and imagination ebb and flow with every passing moment and despite the vastness of this place, a resonance calls out to the orb. Beckoning it.

Further down the dream stream lies a crystal, a dreamland, of odd proportions. A quintessence of the mind's eye. However, the orb seems weary of the calling and as it draws closer to the crystal, it veers right past it and continues its journey. Yet, the same crystal continues to call for the orb of light. The sounds, once incoherent, soon resemble the toll of a hollowed sound. The orb continues on its way, but the toll's chime exponentiates into a mind-numbing shrill that forces the light to stop in its tracks. It then turns around and heads back toward the crystal. Upon reaching it, the orb begins to glow brighter and brighter until finally, with a silent burst of brilliant, flashing lights, it disappears.

A lone figure rests atop a meadow, decorated in a pattern of spring flowers and grasses. A soft, gentle breeze blows through her long, ashen-gray silky hair. She sits up slowly, stretching her arms above her head before opening her eyes. The first thing she sees is a beautiful blue sky filled with fluffy white clouds. She smiles as she takes in the sight. It's been a while since she's seen such a beautiful day. As she continues to look around, she notices something strange. The sky seems to be getting darker and darker by the minute, and soon it's almost completely black. The clouds are also starting to turn an ominous shade of red.

The girl gets to her feet and begins to run as fast as she can. She doesn't know where she's going or what's happening but she knows that she needs to get away from whatever is causing this darkness and fear. Suddenly, she trips over something and falls face-first into the ground. She quickly gets back up and looks around. She's surrounded by darkness now and she can't see anything except for a single light in the distance. She starts running toward it, hoping that it will lead her out of this place. Out of this nightmare. But as she gets closer, the light seems to be getting further away. She keeps running until finally, she reaches the edge of a cliff. She looks down and sees nothing but darkness below her.

"Oh? And what do we have here?" An ominous voice bellows behind her, prompting the girl to swivel on her foot to ascertain the projection's owner. Before she stands a familiar sight... wait... she certainly looks familiar to someone she already knows, but she can't recall whom. The owner of the ominous voice, now seven meters away, is a young woman, in her late-teens at least, with a lithe physique followed by long, ashen-gray hair tied into a ponytail down to her upper waist with two braids that flow at either side of her shoulders down to her lower chest. She has a pair of deep, brown eyes and sharp facial features accompanied by an ivory complexion with two odd scars across her forehead and right cheekbone.

Her attire, on the other hand, gives the girl a reason to be frightened. The older woman wore attire resembling a rogue with clothing made out of silk, leather, and furs. A black kimono jacket with chestnut-colored trims and a white obi tied around her waist, a pair of black hakama pants with auburn-colored trims along the sides and bottom edges, and a pair of black sandal boots. Her arms are covered in scars from her digits up to her forearm and she wears a cherry mahogany haori. Then there is her weapon of choice... an odachi blade that's as long as the woman is tall, rests on her right shoulder, and the butt of her blade is held up by the palm of her right hand. In the unknown swordswoman's retinue are three black-furred wolves with glowing, yellow eyes and sharp fangs. They're each as big as a horse and have claws that look like they could tear through flesh easily. The girl can't help but feel terrified at the sight of them.

"Wh-Who are you?" The girl asks, trying to sound brave despite being scared out of her mind.

The older woman smiles wickedly and says, "Ryou. Ryou Yushia. And you are in my territory." Yushia then takes a step forward and continues speaking, "Now tell me, why are you here? Are you lost? Or perhaps you're looking for something?"

The girl shakes her head and says, "N-No! I'm not lost or looking for anything! I just... I don't know how I got here..."

Yushia raises an eyebrow and says, "You don't know how you got here? Interesting... Well, I suppose it doesn't matter. After all, you won't be leaving here alive."

Yushia then draws her odachi blade with her left hand, the tip of its blade pointed at the girl's chest. She then says, "Any last words?" The girl is too scared to even speak. She just stands there, trembling in fear as she stares at the blade that's about to take her life. Yushia sighs and says, "Very well. And don't worry, I'll be quick about it." She then raises her blade above her head and prepares to strike down on the girl when suddenly, something stops her.

A voice calls out from behind Yushia, "Stop!" Yushia turns around and sees another young woman standing behind her. This one looks like an older version of the girl who's about to be killed by Yushia. The older woman has long, ashen-gray hair tied into a ponytail with two braids that flow at either side of her shoulders down to her lower chest, deep brown eyes, sharp facial features, an ivory complexion with two odd scars across her forehead, and right cheekbone. Her attire resembles that of a Gakuran uniform, consisting of a buttoned shirt having the kanji「 滅 」engraved on the back in white over her white undershirt. It also consists of long, saggy tattsuke-hakama pants strapped by a white buckled belt and a pair of maroon-colored Kyahan extending into tabi socks. Additionally, she wears a lavishly, redwood and old rose-designed haori over her uniform with sleeves reaching up to her wrists and its folds stopping just at her knees.

"Have you taken complete leave of your senses, Yushia?" The older woman scolds the odachi vagrant, "There's no need to kill this girl. She's not harming anyone."

Yushia scoffs at the older woman and says, "She's trespassing on our land! I have every right to kill her!" The older woman shakes her head and says, "To what end, then? What purpose will it serve if you kill her?" Yushia doesn't answer. She just stands there, glaring at the older woman.

The older woman sighs and walks over to the girl. "Hello, Little One," She kneels, puts her hand on the girl's shoulder, and says, "Pardon my sister's abrasiveness. She can be quite rude at times, but she means well, for our safety. My name is Yuki Sayuri. What's yours?"

The girl looks up at Sayuri and says, "I'm... I'm..." She trails off as she tries to remember her name.

Sayuri smiles gently and says, "It's okay. Take your time."

The girl takes a deep breath and says, "My name is... my name is... I don't know..." Tears start to form in her eyes as she realizes that she can't remember anything about herself.

Sayuri wraps her arms around the girl and says, "There, there. Don't cry. You're safe now."

The girl sniffles and asks, "But... but what about my memories? I can't remember anything about myself!"

Sayuri pulls away from the girl and says, "Don't worry about that right now. All that matters is that you're safe." She then stands up and turns to face Yushia. "Yushia," She says sternly, "You need to stop this madness. This isn't who we are anymore."

Yushia scoffs and says, "Oh please. We both know that's not true. You just want me to be like you so that you can feel better about yourself."

Sayuri shakes her head and says, "No, I don't. I'm just asking you to stop being so violent towards people who haven't done anything wrong."

The girl looks up at Sayuri and asks, "What do you mean?"

Sayuri looks down at the girl and says, "My sister here... She—We—have gone through a lot of suffering and anguish in our lives. We've both seen things that most people could never imagine. And because of that, we've become hardened and cynical about life. But I believe that there is still hope for us. That we can find happiness again if we try hard enough."

Yushia laughs and says, "Happiness? What a joke! There's no such thing as happiness in this world. It's nothing but pain and misery, you know that better than anyone else."

Sayuri sighs and says, "You're wrong, Yushia. Happiness does exist. It may be hard to find sometimes, but it's out there waiting for us if we look for it."

The girl looks up at Sayuri and asks, "What does she mean?"

"Well," Sayuri continues, "Happiness isn't something that just happens to you. It's something that you have to work for. You have to put in the effort to find it and then keep working towards it even when things get tough. But once you find happiness, it will make all of the hard work worth it. Alas, my sister finds it a fool's errand and would rather revel in the sadness that continues to consume her while feigning that it gives her strength. While it's true that hardship builds one's character, it's how we interpret the struggles of life that count. Too much hardship is just as dangerous as too little. The key is finding the right balance between the two."

Yushia scoffs and says, "You're so naïve! Happiness is nothing but a lie told by those who are weak-willed. Those who can't accept reality for what it is. Those who refuse to face their own demons and instead choose to hide behind false hope and empty promises."

Sayuri shakes her head and says, "No, Yushia. Happiness isn't just a lie. It's real. It's out there waiting for us if we only look hard enough."

"Happiness is not a lie!" The girl shouts angrily at Yushia, "It's real! I know it is! I've felt it before!"

Yushia looks down at the girl and says, "Oh really? And how would you know that?"

The girl looks up at Yushia and says, "Because... because I remember! I remember feeling happy before! I remember being loved and cared for! I remember having friends who made me laugh and smile! I remember having a family who loved me unconditionally! That's how I know happiness is real!"

Yushia stares at the girl for a moment before laughing hysterically. She then says, "You're pathetic. You're just a little girl who's been brainwashed by those around her into believing in something that doesn't exist. Happiness is nothing but a fantasy created by those who are too scared to face reality. It's a lie told by people who are too weak to deal with the harshness of life. The sooner you learn that, kid, the easier it becomes to navigate through it and not become a slave to your emotions."

The girl shakes her head and says, "No... No! I refuse to believe that happiness is just some lie told by people who are too weak or scared to face reality! I know it's real! And I'm going to prove it to you!"

"Really? And how exactly are you going to do that?"

"I'm going to find my memories! Once I remember who I was before I lost them, then you'll have no choice but to admit that happiness is real!"

Yushia scoffs and says sarcastically, "Oh yeah? And how are you going to find your memories when you can't even remember your name?"

The girl looks down at the ground for a moment before looking back up at her. She then says determinedly, "I don't know... But I'll find a way! I'll keep searching until I find them! Even if it takes me the rest of my life!"

"The rest of your life? You really think you're going to live that long?"

"Yes!"

Thereafter there's a pregnant pause followed by a defeating silence that permeates the air, the gazes of the girl and Yushia stare into each other with intense gravity as Sayuri eyes between the two cautiously. Neither pair appears to relent in their conviction as they continue to hold firm in their respective stances. Then, after what feels like an eternity, Yushia's brow twitches, and the silence is broken—




"Annoying."

Yushia raises her hand and snaps her fingers with her index pointing toward the girl, the three wolves howl and snarl before they charge at her. The girl gasps and backs away from them as they close in on her until Sayuri stands in front of the girl and, without a word, performs a series of quick slashes and cuts along the vital arteries of the wolves as they disperse into a fine, black mist, back from the dream stream from whence they came.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Protecting this little girl."

"Why?"

"Because it's the right thing to do."

"The right thing to do? Are you serious?"

"Yes."

Yushia scoffs and rolls her eyes. She then says, "You really are pathetic," Yushia holds steadfast to the handle of her odachi and assumes a low-guard stance. "Move it."

Sayuri shakes her head and says, "No."

Yushia grits her teeth and says angrily, "Move. It." Sayuri continues to stand her ground. "You insufferable little—!" Yushia shouts as she lunges at Sayuri and attempts to skewer her with the tip of her blade. Sayuri, fleet-footed, adjusts her posture and side-steps from the blow, but being aware that she's protecting her quarry, opts for a different strategy. Instead, she swivels her arm over the odachi and hooks underneath it to catch the blade just inches from the fear-frozen girl. Tightening her core, she attempts and successfully pivots with her hips to disarm Yushia, and throws the blade a meter away.

Simultaneously in that same motion, she tries to swing her blade toward Yushia's midsection. Yushia reflexively grabs the edge of her weapon and catches it with her left hand before it makes contact with her body. Sayuri then draws her blade back in one fell swoop, drawing liquid crimson from Yushia's hand as she reels and curses under her breath.

"Enough of this, Yushia," Sayuri pleads, "You need to stop this madness."

Yushia scoffs and says sarcastically, "Or what? You'll kill me?"

Sayuri shakes her head and says, "No... but I will do what I must."

Yushia clicks her tongue and outstretches her right hand to the odachi it shakes and jostles before magnetizing and flying to her hand as she assumes her stance once more. "Then you'll die with her," Yushia says confidently. Sayuri sighs and shakes her head in disappointment. She then readies herself for another round of combat.

The two women circle around each other slowly, both waiting for the other to make the first move. The tension between them is palpable as they eye each other cautiously, neither one willing to give an inch. Finally, Yushia lunges forward with a quick thrust aimed directly at Sayuri's heart. Sayuri sidesteps to the left, letting the strike glide along the edge of her blade, and counters with a horizontal slash that Yushia parries easily. Yushia then follows up with a series of quick slashes and strikes, all of which are parried by Sayuri. The two continue to trade blows back and forth, neither one gaining the upper hand. Yushia is faster and more aggressive, while Sayuri is more methodical and precise in her movements.

After a particularly intense exchange, Yushia backs off slightly and takes a moment to catch her breath. She then looks at Sayuri with a mixture of admiration and disdain. "You're pretty good," she says between breaths. "For a weakling."

Sayuri shakes her head and says, "Quite the contrary... I just don't believe in killing people."

Yushia scoffs and rolls her eyes. "And why is that? Are you afraid of getting your hands dirty?"

"No," Sayuri replies calmly, "I just believe there are better ways to resolve conflicts than by resorting to violence."

Yushia shakes her head and says, "You're naïve. Violence is the only way to solve problems in this world. It's the only thing that people understand."

Sayuri sighs and says, "That may be true... But I choose to believe that there is still good in this world and that one day we will all learn to live together in peace and harmony."

"Peace?" Yushia scoffs, "There is no such thing as peace. Peace only postpones the inevitability of war to the advantage of your enemy. You can't have peace without war. And you can't have war without peace." Yushia then lunges at Sayuri with a faint, calligraphic trail of water that follows the motion of her odachi. Sayuri sidesteps from the strike, but Yushia quickly pivots on her left heel and swings her blade upward in a vertical slash that catches Sayuri by surprise.

Sayuri manages to block the attack with her own blade, but the force of the blow sends her flying backward and crashing into the ground. Yushia then rushes toward Sayuri and attempts to impale her with a downward thrust, but Sayuri rolls out of the way just in time. The tip of Yushia's blade pierces the ground where Sayuri was lying seconds before, creating a small crater in its wake. Sayuri quickly gets to her feet and assumes a defensive stance as she prepares for another attack from Yushia. Yushia lunges forward once more with a flurry of quick slashes and strikes aimed at different parts of Sayuri's body. Sayuri does her best to block each attack, but Yushia is too fast and too powerful. With each strike, Sayuri feels herself growing weaker and weaker until finally, she can no longer keep up with Yushia's assault.

Yushia then delivers a powerful blow that sends Sayuri flying backward and crashing into the ground again in front of the girl. This time, though, Sayuri doesn't get up right away. She lies there on her back, struggling to breathe as Yushia stands over her triumphantly.

"It's been fun," Yushia says mockingly, "But it's time for you to die." She then raises her blade above her head, preparing to deliver the killing blow. Just as she's about to bring it down on Sayuri, though, a voice calls out—




"Stop! Please!" The girl runs over and stands between Yushia and Sayuri, shielding the fallen swordswoman while crouching in front of her, hovering over her body with her own defensively.

"No... Don't—"

"Please don't hurt her! This isn't who you are!"

Yushia scoffs and says, "And how would you know that?"

The girl looks down at Sayuri's unconscious body before looking back up at Yushia. She then says determinedly, "Because... I've seen your heart."

There's a pregnant pause as Yushia stands there, dumbfounded by the girl's words. Finally, she shakes her head and laughs mockingly. "You've seen my heart? What does that even mean?"

"I can see it in your eyes! You're not a bad person! You're just lost and confused!"

"Oh, is that right? And how do you know that?"

The girl stands up and looks directly into Yushia's eyes. "Because I can see into your soul," She says confidently. "I can see the pain and suffering that you've endured. I can see the anger and frustration that you feel towards the world. But most importantly, I can see the love and compassion that you have for others." The girl then steps closer to Yushia, who adjusts her posture and brings her blade toward the girl's neck. However, she simply steps to the side and continues her approach, even while Yushia presses the edge of her sword against her carotid artery and draws blood, the girl doesn't relent and places her hand on her chest. "I can feel your heart beating inside of me," She says softly. "I can feel the warmth of your soul radiating from within."

Yushia stares at the girl in disbelief as tears begin to well up in her eyes. She then shakes her head and says, "You're wrong... You don't know anything about me."

The girl smiles and says, "But I do... I know more than you think." She then places Yushia's hand over her own heart and says, "You're... me. And I'm you. I'm both of you. After watching you two fight, I could feel everything with each strike and blow. The pain. The joy. The sorrow. The happiness. The anger. Everything. I don't know how to describe it, but I don't think either of you truly wants to hurt the other. You both just have wildly different views of life because you want to protect each other from having to relive it all over again. But in doing so, you end up hurting each other instead... Right?"

Yushia looks down at the ground, unable to meet the girl's gaze any longer. She then shakes her head and says defeatedly, "No... That's not true."

The girl—standing on her tippy-toes—then places her hand on Yushia's cheek, wiping away a tear that has rolled down her face. She then says softly, "I know it is... I can feel it, too. And I know that deep down inside, you're still the same person you always were. You're just lost and confused... But it doesn't have to continue being that way anymore."

Yushia looks up at the girl with tears streaming down her cheeks and says weakly, "How? How do I stop it?"

The girl smiles and says reassuringly, "You don't have to do anything. Just let go of your anger and hatred. Let go of your pain and suffering. Let go of all the negative emotions that are holding you back from being who you truly are."

Yushia shakes her head and says bewildered, "But how can I do that? How can I just let go of all the pain and suffering that I've endured? How can I just forgive everyone who's hurt me?"

The girl places both hands on Yushia's cheeks and looks directly into her eyes. She then says softly, "You don't need to forgive them... You just need to learn to accept what happened in your past and move on from it. It's okay to be angry and frustrated about what happened to you, but it's not healthy to hold onto those emotions forever. Eventually, they'll consume you and destroy you from within. I know it's not easy, but I believe in you."

Yushia looks up at the girl and says weakly, "How do I know if I can trust you? What if this is all just some trick?"

The girl shakes her head and says reassuringly, "It's not a trick... I promise. You don't have to trust me right now, but please believe me when I say that I'm here to help you. All of us are here to help you." The girl then turns around and looks at Sayuri's beaten body lying on the ground behind them. She then says softly, "She's hurting too... Just like you. She's lost and confused about who she is and where she came from. But deep down inside, she still has hope for a better future." The girl then turns back around to face Yushia again with tears welling up in her eyes. "That's why I need your help... We need your help."

Yushia stares at the girl for a moment before a resounding "snap" echoes from the cliff face.






"Just hold on tight to Washi, Yushia and I will handle the rest."

"Are you sure? What if you get really hurt?"

"You've seen me and my sister fight each other a bit ago, this is child's play for us." Sayuri slowly rises to one knee and pats the girl's head. "We'll work this out together."

The girl nods affirmatively as they approach the gargantuan, eldritch eidolon in the distance now 30 meters away. At the ground level moving at a relative, a pack of seven, horse-sized, black wolves runs in a V-shape formation, with the forefront runner hosting an obscenely large katana against the shoulder at the vanguard. She lets loose a sharp, intricate series of whistles when the distance between them and the eidolon is 10 meters, dispersing from the formation to encircle and close in on their quarry with a multitude of bone-gnawing bites and tissue-tearing slashes. The forerunner then strides up beside the pink-haired kunoichi and waves to the rest present whimsically. "Yo! Don't mind us!" She doesn't elaborate further. Scaling up from the hand of the best up along its arm, she weaves the following hand seals: Ox → Monkey → Hare → Rat → Boar. Her cheeks suddenly inflate and when she spits whatever contents are in her mouth, a torrential wave of water in the shape of a dragon toward the eyes of the creature. The body is 20 meters long from the tail to the point where the head connects to the neck and is three meters in width. The dragon's head is four meters long and half a meter thicker than the rest of its body, with its mouth opening up to 3 meters. Subsequently, she'll continue scaling up the beast's arm until she can get close enough to the joint that connects its arm to its shoulder to deliver a downward slash with her odachi and sever the limb. Even should the first attempt fail, she'll continue hacking away at it until it does and proceed to deliver fatal blows until it keels over.

Meanwhile, as a comically large, white-winged eagle soars directly above to the best of its ability, Sayuri turns to the girl one last time. "Remember: we have as much faith in you as you do in us!"

"I know... Just be careful!" The girl shouts back as she watches them descend upon their foe.

Thereafter, she takes "flight", leaping off from the back of the bird down toward the head of the beast in a spinning motion while she unsheathes her blade, a thin ink trail of calligraphic water and a chakra shroud of water envelops her following her descent, intending to strike the abomination from above with a circular slash to wound the beast before finding her hold of the beast shortly after to continue her assault with the same intent as her twin sibling. The girl in the sky atop the eagle watches the events unfold awe-struck.


WC: 7,099
TWC: 7,099/3,875
TMWC: 17,169/15,500