Darkness...
Where am I?
Floating within a black abyss...
Can't see...
Can't speak...
"-xxx-xxxxxxx-!" Incomprehensible sounds were in the distance.
"--XX-X-XXX-XX!" Growing closer.
Are those voices?
"-XXXXXX, it's almost time to go through."
"We better make it in time." another voice speaks.
"Relax Fuyuka, there are innocent people on that side. He won't let that filth succeed."
Am I dreaming?
"I am relaxed. But yeah, you're right Yuna... He won't succeed."
"Reminds me of the other time we were face to face with that bastard... And he first figured out about -X%Yr@X-X/#@x--Xa5&--?"
What the hell? Why was that last part so distorted?
"Oh yes, that was intense. Do you remember that, Mizuki?"
"Yeah, I remember, Aneko. That was the first time I've seen his face look so shocked."
Who are they referring to? and how many people are here?
"Is everyone here? Are we ready?"
"I think we're just waiting on Ame."
I wish I could see, damn it. What kind of dream is this?
"I'm here!"
"What took you so long, Ame?"
"Sorry, getting here took longer than I thought."
"It's fine, anyways we're all here now. You ready, Minoru?"
"...Yes."
This voice... it sounds like me, but...
Minoru isn't my name...
"So long as Minoru is here, we are sure to succeed."
"Stop depending on Minoru so Much, Ulesse. We're here too."
"Oh, stop acting like you don't depend on him just as much as the rest of us, Ava."
This is so strange, and some of these names are quite peculiar.
Lost in thought, an unseen hand lightly grabbed me on my shoulder and the darkness begins to dissipate, opening up to a setting I am unfamiliar with.
6 human silhouettes were before me. They stood in front of a bright light that my eyes weren't adjusted to.
I looked over to my left to see the person that grabbed my shoulder.
And there stood the 7th person.
"Are you ok, Minoru?"
Her... I can see her.
This woman. Dressed in clothes that were styled similarly to those from The Middle Ages.
She looked me in the eyes.
A pretty face.
Long blonde hair shining like the sun.
Bright sky-blue eyes that put me at ease.
A firm yet soothing voice that could calm a crying child.
...Beautiful...
...
"Are you going to say something?"
"Sorry, I just remembered something. But I'm okay."
(I'm going to assume that this body I'm in is mine, however, I'm not in control... It's Like my body is possessed and all I'm able to control are my eyes.)
The 'me' in the dream turns away from the woman to look back at the rest of the group. My eyes are now adjusted to the light. It was like a spiraling blue portal-like thing that you'd see in some sci-fi or fantasy movie.
The people were still silhouettes to me.
Although they were only shadows, there was a weird sense of familiarity towards them.
After walking passed them, I stood right in front of the portal.
What the hell is this? So bright.
My heartbeat was beginning to increase. I can hear it clearly as if it were pumping next to my ears.
"...Let's go."
I step through. A weird feeling runs through me, as I am now inside a portal...
How is my mind able to comprehend this?
Now on the other side, I am seeing a completely different scene. However...
...This soil...
...
GASP!!
I jolted up yanking off my covers and looked around in confusion, feeling out of breath.
"This is my apartment."
I placed my hand on my chest as my heart is still beating hastily.
"What the hell kind of dream was that??"
My head pounded like it was about to explode, I couldn't think or see clearly.
Sweat secreted out of every pore of my body like bullets.
After sitting there for a while trying to catch my breath, I got up and staggered towards the sink in the kitchen and drank straight from the faucet.
After downing what felt like a gallon of water and wiping off the sweat, my head started to ease from the pain, and I could think clearly.
"What the hell was that about?"
Questions began rapidly running through my head.
(Where was that place? Why was my name Minoru? Where did the portal take me to?)
So many questions were left unanswered. But alas, I brushed it off.
"Eh whatever, it was vivid a dream but it all probably means nothing. Doesn't everybody have at least one vivid dream in their lifetime?"
Although I dismissed the contents of the dream, I was stuck on this one particular question.
"Why the hell were they all women though?"
Such a pointless question, but I was hung up on it for some reason.
"That damn bastard, Haru... I knew I shouldn't have watched that anime, now he has me dreaming about harems now."
I threw my towel into the sink and walked back to the room, and just put it all to the side in my mind.
However, my mind was too clouded with gathering my thoughts and cleaning myself up, that... There was one particular thing that I didn't notice in my dream, at the time.
That woman...
I thought she was...
...
After taking a quick bath to wash off all the sweat thoroughly, I'm now standing in the middle of my apartment.
I let out a long sigh.
"It's too damn early to be awake" I peeked through the curtains "The sun is still below the horizon. Now I'm wide awake and I won't be able to fall back asleep."
I flopped down on the futon and lay there for a few minutes.
"Guess I'll watch tv." I said as I reached for the remote.
After finding something to watch, I tossed the remote next to me and got comfortable.
...
An hour passed by with me just watching TV.
Feeling bored I got up and opened the curtains. "Looks like the sun is finally rising." I stared at the blue sky for a while.
"I don't feel like working today."
I grabbed my phone, preparing to call in sick. "Hopefully Haru doesn't break down while working by himself."
Suddenly, my phone started buzzing in my hand just as I was about to hit the call button.
It was my boss.
"Uhh, Hello sir." I answered.
"Oh, good you're awake... Listen, I need you to come to work and fill in for the early morning shift."
"Uh, actually I-"
"Listen, no other employee is available. If you come in, I'll increase your pay, how does that sound?"
"Um..."
I really want to stay home, but having my pay increased isn't something I can just say no to.
And the cafe must be a lot busier than usual if he's offering something like that all of a sudden.
"Alright, I'll be there in 40."
"Make it 20! Great! Thanks! See you in a bit!" the call abruptly ended on that note.
"I swear, he lets his employees walk all over him and gives them days off whenever they want, but he's never allowed or just outright offered a pay increase so easily. Why not just threaten to fire me?"
I look back out the window while taking another deep breath.
"He's too nice for his own good, it's no wonder he hired me on the spot back then, even though I'm a foreigner."
I turn away from the window "I really wanted to stay home too." Tossing my phone onto the futon I unknowingly hit the remote, causing it to slide and balance at the edge for a second.
"Whatever, just don't let there be any more surprises today."
My monologue was cut off by the sound of the remote smacking the floor.
"BREAKING NEWS: Early this morning a man was killed after being hit by a semi-truck near Shinjuku Station..."
"...Seriously. What the hell is that timing? The surprises just don't stop do they?"
"Before he was hit by the truck he was seen with bruises and cuts all over his body..."
"This almost reminds me of the beginning of an anime that Haru showed me." I continued talking while the newsperson spoke.
"It wasn't determined if it was just a freak accident or a possible murder..."
"Seems pretty obvious but let's just go with a little bit of both."
"The authorities on the scene were able to identify him from his wallet and his phone that were on him..."
"Anyways, I better go get ready-" I stopped in my tracks.
"The man was identified as..."
Staring at the picture showing on the TV.
"25-year-old..."
"...Well, I'll be damned."