Requiem 12: Ryouzampaku
It's the middle of the morning, and Tom's just waking up from...
...from...
From...wait. What?
But...Shadowkind...Reaper...what happened?
The sheets are there, the covers are there...but the floor is black as night. The walls are missing, nothing but a black hole.
Nothing but a bed in the middle of nothingness.
And sitting at the end, of course, writing away in his book of dreams is none other than Morpheus.
He looks up and frowns at Tom. "Evening."
Tom's mind goes into 'what the fuck mode' for just a moment. Until, you know, noticing his companion... "Oh. Hey, we meet again."
"...Something wrong?"
"Well...sort of."
"I ran out of dream."
He holds up the book, displaying that he is in fact at the last page.
"...Uhm... What?"
"This book is your dream book. It's all your dreams for all your life."
"It lasts until the day your heart stops beating."
Tom blinks for a moment... "...So... That's not good, is it?"
"It wouldn't be, but you're not dead."
"Believe me," Ryoji says, swinging around to stand on the black dreamstuff. Flowers spring up where he walks, dying in a heartbeat as he leaves the
space.
"Yeah... I noticed..."
"I know dead people."
"...So what does it mean?"
He rubs his chin. "It was right about after the Skull Man left that it started, so I had to fill in the blanks to keep your mind from going into
shock..."
"I dunno," He admits honestly.
"...I see."
"I'd guess a coma, but that's just one long dream. And they really hurt my arm after a while."
"So does that mean I'll stop dreaming altogether?"
"I dunno." He admits again, "I've never heard of a case like this."
"I see..."
"And I've read all the prior Morpheuses cases."
"Morpheui?"
"...And nothing like it?"
"Nothing."
"You're a very unique person, Tom."
"Well, that's mildly disconcerting."
"Heh, so people tell me..."
Ryoji sits down on the bed as the scenery changes to a pleasant beach.
And Tom is still in bed. Unfortunate, that. "Oh hey, I needed to ask..."
"Hm?"
"...Was it really Minato?"
"What?"
"I mean, your death."
"Was it really Minato that did it?"
At that, he smiles. "You know the rules."
"Heh, I don't suppose you can bend them either, huh?"
"Uh-uh."
"Ah well. That just means when I find the truth, it'll be more rewarding."
"I'm glad you think that way."
"So if I run out of dream, does that mean I just start popping up here more often?"
"You know what I'm gonna say."
"Well, of course I do. That's my style."
"Heh... 'I don't know,' right?"
"That's fine, too. If it's the unknown, I'll rush in head first to chase after it."
"It's mildly unnerving, really," Morpheus notes as a couple of women (approximations of various women Tom's after) run past along the beach.
"I mean."
"I know what happened to you, and why I had to start writing so fast, but I don't know why you're 'not dreaming'."
"I can only assume that somebody shunted you out of your dream and into the space between dream and reality."
"...You mean the Velvet Room, right?"
"Yeah. Igor wasn't pleased with that."
"In this specific case, I mean here."
"The Velvet Room is part of this place too."
"Wait."
"Oh, is it?"
He stops, frowning at Tom. "How do you know about the Velvet Room?"
"Huh?"
"...I guess I fell in, once."
"I think it was at your old School. I opened the door to leave, and there I was."
At that, something changes. Ryoji stands up and shouts, "IGOR!", and the world shifts blue, leaving Tom sitting in the bed with Ryoji standing on the
blue carpet and Igor staring at the both of them.
Tom blinks at the sudden shift of reality. At least he was still in his bed...
"You seem so surprised," Igor offers, holding out his fingers. "Did I do something to upset you, Morpheus?"
"There are rules about throwing people into my realm," Ryoji answers, "You know them as well as I do."
"I thought it was preferrable to allowing him to die so soon."
"Then you get to explain it." Ryoji steps aside as Igor locks his eyes on Tom.
"I'm lost here, folks."
"But yeah, I like being alive a lot more than being dead."
"As Morpheus no doubt informed you, you are sitting in the realm that is both dream and truth."
"The rainbow bridge to Asgard, as it were."
"Yeah... This place feels pretty 'real' to me."
"...So if I get through here, I get to hang out with a legion of Valkyries and eat meat and drink booze until I get to smash faces all night long..."
"Right?"
"No."
"Damn. I thought so."
"You cross the bridge each time you sleep."
" I see..."
"Fantasy and reality are one and the same within these corridors of the Bridge, and nothing that occurs here is truth or fiction," Igor informs him
in that irritating double-talk.
"The last thing that occured in reality was your encounter with the Skull Man, you see."
"..."
"So the whole thing about Reaper..."
"Was just me in here?"
"Was a dream," Ryoji answers helpfully, "Made to cover the horrible trauma you were put through."
"Had I allowed you to remain in the world, your heart would no longer be beating."
"...Anyone wanna tell me what Trauma that is?"
"The trauma was the shock of being ripped from the waking world in the middle of the day."
"Instead, I had to trick Morpheus into fabricating a believable journey."
"I see."
"...So what the hell happened to push me through into here?"
"You see, I saw the future." Igor notes, holding out his hand, "And had I allowed you to meet with the 'people' you met with in here,
you would have been murdered."
"And so would they."
"..."
"I see."
"So to save both mine and the lives of those people, you pulled me here."
"You and they are still of use to the hands manipulating your life." He folds his hands in front of him, leaning forwards.
"It was not my choice, I assure you.
"
"I take it you mean the Shadow Syndicate."
"There are higher things at work than they."
"Higher things?"
"Yes, higher things."
"Does this have to do with the incident at the school?"
"The one nobody seems to want to tell me about."
"It does, but in the way that all things are connected in this city of sorrow."
"All part of a much larger picture, huh..."
"It is not an immediate presence, nor is its link a powerful one."
"But each stone in the lake ripples."
"And further and further they ripple against the bounds of the lake until it bursts forth."
"You mean this entity, or power 'pulling the strings,' right?"
"I mean reality itself."
"Is it the one who keeps calling me?"
"...Aha."
"I cannot answer that."
"I understand."
"I am under a contract, you see." He waves his hand at the table. "Contracts are the most sacred of things in the Bridge."
"And I take it you also can't tell me what my running out of dreams implies."
"It implies that Morpheus instinctively knew something was wrong." Igor replies, "You are not dead, nor will you die any time soon."
"When you are returned to your own world at the hospital, and go to sleep again this night, your dreams will be restored once more."
"...I see."
"However," Igor stresses, holding up a finger.
"Hm?"
"Do not think that I will intervene again."
"I do not like you or appreciate your existence, and it is only by the contract to which I am bound that I interfered in your death this time."
"I won't think it, but somehow, I doubt this is our last meeting."
"The next time I call for you, you will be aware and awake."
With that, Igor waves his hand, and the velvet paradise is dismissed, leaving Tom and Morpheus standing in the black.
"...So then..."
"...That was foreboding."
"I take it he's like that a lot."
"I'm sorry." Morpheus apologizes.
"He is. But he saved your life either way..."
"Don't worry about it," Tom chuckles, pushing back his hair, "Yeah. I'm thankful."
"And to you as well, for keeping me alive then."
"Don't worry, I won't let Minato fall any further."
"I trust you." Ryoji replies. "No matter what you may be, who you are is what counts."
"If he isn't responsible... Then he doesn't deserve any of this suffering."
With that, he pats Tom on the shoulder...
...and Tom stumbles out of the bathroom at the hospital.
Second floor, if his memory serves.
Tom catches himself in mid-step. That was a terribly sudden transition...
...Is he at least in good shape?
He seems undamaged.
And in his proper clothes?
Still sopping wet from the rain, still holding the umbrella.
...But what Ryoji said... 'What I am?' he muses, 'What I am is what I am, but yes... Who I am is what counts. Still though...'
...He had other things to do. He was in the hospital anyway, so...
Roll. Where was Roll's room?
Second floor, just down the hall. How kind of Ryoji.
Or maybe Igor...
...no, probably Ryoji.
Well, in either case, kindness was always appreciated.
He'd start down towards that room, knocking on the door before trying anything else, "Hello, is anyone in there?"
The door swings open - Roll seems to be there, but the other two don't.
She looks up as he enters and waves with her good arm.
Tom shuts the door as he enters, a warm smile on his face, "Hey there. Feeling any better today?"
"A little."
"That's good. I was worried there for a while."
"...But then I remembered you're Roll, so that sort of vanished."
"Nyahhhh."
"Hey, that was a compliment!"
"Hard to tell." She teases, patting the chair next to her bed.
Tom chuckles, dropping gently into the seat, "So I heard the food here's something else."
"Yeah, it's something else alright - something else entirely from food."
"Euch. That bad, huh?"
"It's edible..."
"I'll have to get them to bring in instant noodles, or something."
"At least you know that's safe."
"They won't let me."
"They say they wanna make sure I don't get food poisoning or something to complicate it already."
"...But it's instant noodles."
'If those aren't safe anymore, I don't think I want to leave my room."
"I know, right?"
"Well, hey, how about I sneak you a cup next time I come?"
"I'd like that." She smiles.
"I can even pick up a bowl from Kensei's."
"Oh God yes! I've been craving some of those noodles since I got my arm cut open."
"And don't remind me that it was just after we left, 'cause those noodles are addictive!"
"Heh, I'll make sure to drop by before I come next time around."
"What're you craving for? Beef? Wanton?"
"Beef, definitely."
"Right then! I'll pick up a bowl for you. That's payback for letting you get cut up."
"Yeah, then we'll be totally equal." She smirks.
"Hey, I'm risking my head by dropping by that guy's restaurant. With the things I've run into so far, I wouldn't be surprised if Ba Kensei
wants my head, too."
"Nahhh...he's a nice guy. I'm sure you'll be okay."
"But you better hold to that promise!"
"Hah. Don't worry! I've still got a day before that Knight guy shows up, so I've got time."
"I'll probably drop by tomorrow morning."
"Okay."
"...Actually, what time is it now?"
"Kinda late, actually. Why?"
"...Huh. Weird, I guess the day just passes by quick when you're wandering town."
"Then again, it's raining, so I probably didn't notice."
"I was thinking I'd bring you a bowl for dinner, but it looks like it's a little late for that. Tomorrow it is."
"Sounds good."
"Well then..." Tom pushes onto his feet, "I'll let you get some rest."
As Tom leaves the hospital and reenters the pouring rain, he can see that it is indeed late - streetlights are flickering on, and it's generally becoming a
bad sort of darkness.
Well, in this city, Tom didn't seem to find very much 'Good' darkness.
Either way, he'd hurry himself home.
On the way home, he's met by Shinji, who directs him into Akihiko's across the street after a brief moment.
The air inside is nice and warm - a real comfort at a time like this - and Mitsuru is just departing, a nod of her head as she slinks on by.
Shinji sits down at the bar and gestures for Tom to do the same as Akihiko moves over.
Tom nods and places himself in a seat, arms idle across the bar table, "Hey there guys... What's up?"
"I heard about what happened with Adam," Shinji informs him as Akihiko sets a steel mug down in front of Tom.
Tom sips the contents of the mug, gathering his thoughts for a moment... "Yeah. That was..."
"Reckless," Shinji finishes.
"Stupid," Akihiko offers.
"...Yeah. I got lost."
"Thick-headed," Ai-chan puts in from where she's gathering messes off tables.
"The point is," Shinji returns, "You get into a lot of deep crap."
"On a more or less daily basis," Akihiko agrees.
Tom tilts up at the other cyborg (not that he knows yet) "Hey there, I don't think we've met..."
"...And yeah. I've noticed that."
"Hey, pay attention!" Shinji snaps. "Chase girls later."
"Anyway." Akihiko coughs. "I pulled a couple strings with some old friends of mine, and I think it'd be wise of you to..."
Tom chuckles, "Sorry! I guess skirt chasing's just hard for me to break."
"...how can I put this delicately...learn to actually fight."
"I know you were an amateur boxer, but that's not enough to cut it here."
"Uhm..."
"Okay then..."
"So what do you guys suggest?"
"Oh, come on, Tom." Shinji mutters, "You saw what Fenrir could do."
"Hey, I never said I disagreed with you. I do need to get stronger..."
"I'm just wondering what you guys have in mind."
"The dojo I used to visit when I was learning how to box," Akihiko answers.
"I'll take you when we finish our drinks," Shinji offers. "Your track record at getting around in this city is pathetic."
"No offense," Akihiko adds.
"No, I meant to offend him."
"...Oh! Okay. I thought you were talking about something crazy like locking me in a cage with a few dozen tigers."
"I accept that completely. My sense of direction is horrible."
"It's...awful," Akihiko agrees.
"Yeah. I couldn't find my way out of a paper bag."
"If just half of what I've heard is true...yeah."
"Drink up," Shinji urges, "You'll need it."
Tom blinks, and does as he's told.
He took a sip anyway, so it was too late to ask if it was on the house or not.
"You'll like it," Akihiko agrees, "It's a nice place. By the way, that'll be five bucks."
Tom sighs, "I knew it."
"I need to pay for that steel mug somehow."
"Hah. I guess so!"
Once drinks are done (and a bit of discussion about how Tom should be much better after this), Shinji stands up and gestures for Tom to follow.
Tom shrugs and, again, does as he's told.
Getting lost at this time of night is a VERY bad idea.
"Just be warned," Shinji informs him slowly as they make their way through the dark streets, flickering light and rain the only 'comfort'.
"They may not take you."
"Is there a test or something?" Tom asks, his umbrella shielding him from the rain.
"Maybe."
"They may just decide they don't like you."
"...I'm going to hurt tomorrow, aren't I?"
"They're a weird bunch."
"Weird as in...?"
"You'll see."
"...Okay..."
As they near the dojo, it's blatantly obvious just how insane this place is. The door itself is twice as tall as Tom, maybe larger, and just as wide;
Shinji is forced to reach up and knock.
"HEY!" He shouts, "I BROUGHT THE GUY!"
Tom is indeed forced to won- Oookay, that was sudden.
The door opens inwardly - standing there is a man, a short Chinese man in a cheongsam with a bowler hat.
"...Hey... I know you..."
"Ba Kensei. You're the cyborg, the one that eats with that nice Roll girl."
"Very firm." He nods and stands aside. "Come on in. You look frigid."
Chinese man, bowler hat... "Oh right! Yeah, that's me."
Shinji turns away. "Good luck."
"Heh, thanks..." nodding, Tom tries to do just that, "Uh, thanks Shinji... Don't run into anything on the way home."
He waves over his shoulder as he departs into the darkness. Tom's lead inside by Ba Kensei - the dojo is extremely old, wooden, and very clearly
hand-built.
It's charming, Tom would admit, extraordinary in a way different than Roger's Manor, but none the less amazing. The fact that it was still in one piece
is actually astounding.
"Welcome to Ryouzampaku."
"Ryouzampaku? Well, thanks for the welcome."
"Hehe." He chuckles into his hand.
"It's rather cold out today."
"I expect everyone is practicing inside."
"...At this time of night?"
"Dedication, huh?"
"You expect wrong, Kensei!"
From the rooftop, a man - sorta - in a red-yellow-and-black mask, grey coat, and...spandex?...leaps, landing next to the pair and falling in stride.
"Ah, Schwarz. Speaking of dedication..."
"Schwarz Bruder, Tom Magnusson."
"Guten Tag," Schwarz replies, holding out his hand to the side.
"Schwarz Bruder is the best ninja in the world," Kensei informs Tom helpfully, "But that's not saying too much - at Ryouzampaku, if you
aren't the best, you don't deserve to be part of it! Hah!"
"Schwarz? I know a Schwarz..." Tom ponders for a moment before realization strikes, "...Schwarz- like, Gundam Fight Schwarz?"
"That is correct!" Schwarz crosses his arms. "I was the Gundamfighter for Central in the last Gundamfight."
"...My lord. It's an honor, sir!"
"Hah!" Schwarz grabs Kensei by the scruff of his neck. "You say it as if this isn't a city of unusual things."
Kensei slips downwards, and Schwarz's knee slams up into his face.
As Kensei rubs his nose, he protsts, "I was only going to see if the girls were practicing outside."
"I know what you were planning! I'm fairly certain I just saved your life!"
"You have no soul."
"Uhm..."
"I think I'm lost. I do that a lot... Anyway, it's a great honor to meet you both. Tom Magnusson, detective and trouble magnet, at your
service."
"Schwarz Bruder!" Schwarz reintroduces himself. "Student of every village!"
"Sand, Leaf, Cloud, Mist, Sound - I know their secrets all."
"I take it you are the new hopeful who wishes to learn from our dojo!"
"Yeah. That's me. A couple of my friends suggested it..."
"And truth be told, I agree completely."
"I'm sure you do! But we may not accept you!"
"After my run in with Fenrir... I think I do need to be stronger, to protect the ones I care about."
"That's fine. Whatever you need me to do, I'll do it."
"Hiko! You can come out now!"
A man in a huge white cape with flowing black hair leaps from the tree, landing in stride behind them.
"It isn't a test! No test can probe the heart as deeply as learning about the person!"
The man called 'Hiko' is a monster of a man, certainly, and how he's even able to move in that cape is a mystery. "Magnusson, hn..." He
murmurs, "Seijurou Hiko the 40th."
Tom does ponder that. That was, indeed, a huge cape. For a huge man. He figured that was the reason they had such a huge door... "Hello there, sir."
Not a beat missed, "It's good to meet you."
Schwarz opens the door. Hiko says nothing.
Inside, a pair of women, an exceedingly huge old man, a man in green and yellow, and a guy in blue sit directly on the wooden floor around a table.
The first woman's brown hair is extremely long, matched only by the determination in her eyes; her black skirt and white sports bra combo do a great deal
to accent her *ahem* assets, but she certainly doesn't get by on looks alone if her
posture is anything to speak of - in fact, she seems to be a boxer just based on the way she's sitting.
The second is a woman in red, with similarly long hair done up in a ponytail; her outfit is similarly 'distracting', but again, she's clearly not
one to get by just on her looks.
The man in yellow and green is the only one not 'reclining' in some fashion or another - his legs are crossed, his spine is ramrod-straight, and the
mask over his face does little to hide his fighting aura.
The last is a man in blue, a sake bottle sitting next to him. He looks like a cap would belong on his head were he maybe ten years younger, but his eyes are a
picture of stubbornness, and his own killing aura radiates outwards so fiercely even Tom can sense it.
The last is the old man, whose muscles are clearly those of someone who's been fighting his whole life - and a long life it is. He must be older than the
entire group put together.
Tom swallows. Harshly. And not just at the cleaveage. That guy was just creepy, like something was about to reach out of the air around him and land a punch in
the poor Britannian's face...
"Akihiko called ahead about this one," Kensei informs the group, "It's Magnusson."
Tom nods, cautiously, "As I've said a great many times, it's an honor."
"Aki? How's he doing?" The brown-haired woman looks up. Boing.
"He said he'd like to come back for a bit more training if it's alright with you."
"Oh, it's always fine with me!" She waves her hand dismissively before focusing on Tom, narrowing her eyes at him.
It's vaguely similar to being eyed by Mitsuru - that predatorial gaze - but a thousand times more severe. This woman probably could take him apart with
little more than a motion.
Boing and then OHGODDAGGEREYES.
In any other case, Tom would oblige, but this seemed a bit more literal than not.
"Try not to scare this one off, Tifa - we need the money."
The other woman turns to look at Tom as well, a much more passive, flowing stare.
"I don't like him." The one in blue says after a minute. "Cyborg."
"No upper body to work on."
"Hoho...you'll have to forgive Jotaro." The old man laughs.
"He doesn't take well to anyone."
Tom rolls his shoulders, "Hey, no problem. I'm used to it, floating around the alleys in this city," He chuckles, awkwardly, perhaps a bit
nervously.
"Sit down."
Tom nods and does so, one mechanical leg over another.
"Legs, too?" Jotaro snorts.
"Yeah. But it wasn't really my choice, these."
"Something called the Shadow Syndicate hacked off my arms and legs and replaced them."
"A fundamental part of fighting," Kensei informs him, "Is learning how to-"
At that, everyone goes silent.
Tom blinks...
"Uhm... Did I say something?"
"Are you telling the truth?" The old man asks.
"Pretty sure I am. He's generally a pretty reliable source, and I've been looking into it as well."
"They do seem like the most likely."
"Tch. How can we train somebody who can't ever get stronger?" Jotaro asks the room in general.
"...what do you want to learn?" The man in green asks after a long moment.
"I want to learn to become stronger. There are people in this city who deserve protection from Endgame, and from Requiems... And they deserve to know the
truth."
"Is that so?"
"I need to give them that, but to do that, I need to keep living until I find the answer."
"...Someone who trusts me is already in the hospital because I couldn't defend her in time."
"Very well." The man in green replies, standing.
"Heh, heh." The old man chuckles. "Iron Fist seems to have taken to you. Then I guess you're in."
Tom nods, smiling, "Well then, it's good to be on board. Thank you for taking me in."
"Hmph. You're expected to show up at least once a week."
"And then we'll..."
"Put you through hell." Is it just Tom, or did the whole room get darker?
It's the middle of the morning, and Tom's just waking up from...
...from...
From...wait. What?
But...Shadowkind...Reaper...what happened?
The sheets are there, the covers are there...but the floor is black as night. The walls are missing, nothing but a black hole.
Nothing but a bed in the middle of nothingness.
And sitting at the end, of course, writing away in his book of dreams is none other than Morpheus.
He looks up and frowns at Tom. "Evening."
Tom's mind goes into 'what the fuck mode' for just a moment. Until, you know, noticing his companion... "Oh. Hey, we meet again."
"...Something wrong?"
"Well...sort of."
"I ran out of dream."
He holds up the book, displaying that he is in fact at the last page.
"...Uhm... What?"
"This book is your dream book. It's all your dreams for all your life."
"It lasts until the day your heart stops beating."
Tom blinks for a moment... "...So... That's not good, is it?"
"It wouldn't be, but you're not dead."
"Believe me," Ryoji says, swinging around to stand on the black dreamstuff. Flowers spring up where he walks, dying in a heartbeat as he leaves the
space.
"Yeah... I noticed..."
"I know dead people."
"...So what does it mean?"
He rubs his chin. "It was right about after the Skull Man left that it started, so I had to fill in the blanks to keep your mind from going into
shock..."
"I dunno," He admits honestly.
"...I see."
"I'd guess a coma, but that's just one long dream. And they really hurt my arm after a while."
"So does that mean I'll stop dreaming altogether?"
"I dunno." He admits again, "I've never heard of a case like this."
"I see..."
"And I've read all the prior Morpheuses cases."
"Morpheui?"
"...And nothing like it?"
"Nothing."
"You're a very unique person, Tom."
"Well, that's mildly disconcerting."
"Heh, so people tell me..."
Ryoji sits down on the bed as the scenery changes to a pleasant beach.
And Tom is still in bed. Unfortunate, that. "Oh hey, I needed to ask..."
"Hm?"
"...Was it really Minato?"
"What?"
"I mean, your death."
"Was it really Minato that did it?"
At that, he smiles. "You know the rules."
"Heh, I don't suppose you can bend them either, huh?"
"Uh-uh."
"Ah well. That just means when I find the truth, it'll be more rewarding."
"I'm glad you think that way."
"So if I run out of dream, does that mean I just start popping up here more often?"
"You know what I'm gonna say."
"Well, of course I do. That's my style."
"Heh... 'I don't know,' right?"
"That's fine, too. If it's the unknown, I'll rush in head first to chase after it."
"It's mildly unnerving, really," Morpheus notes as a couple of women (approximations of various women Tom's after) run past along the beach.
"I mean."
"I know what happened to you, and why I had to start writing so fast, but I don't know why you're 'not dreaming'."
"I can only assume that somebody shunted you out of your dream and into the space between dream and reality."
"...You mean the Velvet Room, right?"
"Yeah. Igor wasn't pleased with that."
"In this specific case, I mean here."
"The Velvet Room is part of this place too."
"Wait."
"Oh, is it?"
He stops, frowning at Tom. "How do you know about the Velvet Room?"
"Huh?"
"...I guess I fell in, once."
"I think it was at your old School. I opened the door to leave, and there I was."
At that, something changes. Ryoji stands up and shouts, "IGOR!", and the world shifts blue, leaving Tom sitting in the bed with Ryoji standing on the
blue carpet and Igor staring at the both of them.
Tom blinks at the sudden shift of reality. At least he was still in his bed...
"You seem so surprised," Igor offers, holding out his fingers. "Did I do something to upset you, Morpheus?"
"There are rules about throwing people into my realm," Ryoji answers, "You know them as well as I do."
"I thought it was preferrable to allowing him to die so soon."
"Then you get to explain it." Ryoji steps aside as Igor locks his eyes on Tom.
"I'm lost here, folks."
"But yeah, I like being alive a lot more than being dead."
"As Morpheus no doubt informed you, you are sitting in the realm that is both dream and truth."
"The rainbow bridge to Asgard, as it were."
"Yeah... This place feels pretty 'real' to me."
"...So if I get through here, I get to hang out with a legion of Valkyries and eat meat and drink booze until I get to smash faces all night long..."
"Right?"
"No."
"Damn. I thought so."
"You cross the bridge each time you sleep."
" I see..."
"Fantasy and reality are one and the same within these corridors of the Bridge, and nothing that occurs here is truth or fiction," Igor informs him
in that irritating double-talk.
"The last thing that occured in reality was your encounter with the Skull Man, you see."
"..."
"So the whole thing about Reaper..."
"Was just me in here?"
"Was a dream," Ryoji answers helpfully, "Made to cover the horrible trauma you were put through."
"Had I allowed you to remain in the world, your heart would no longer be beating."
"...Anyone wanna tell me what Trauma that is?"
"The trauma was the shock of being ripped from the waking world in the middle of the day."
"Instead, I had to trick Morpheus into fabricating a believable journey."
"I see."
"...So what the hell happened to push me through into here?"
"You see, I saw the future." Igor notes, holding out his hand, "And had I allowed you to meet with the 'people' you met with in here,
you would have been murdered."
"And so would they."
"..."
"I see."
"So to save both mine and the lives of those people, you pulled me here."
"You and they are still of use to the hands manipulating your life." He folds his hands in front of him, leaning forwards.
"It was not my choice, I assure you.
"
"I take it you mean the Shadow Syndicate."
"There are higher things at work than they."
"Higher things?"
"Yes, higher things."
"Does this have to do with the incident at the school?"
"The one nobody seems to want to tell me about."
"It does, but in the way that all things are connected in this city of sorrow."
"All part of a much larger picture, huh..."
"It is not an immediate presence, nor is its link a powerful one."
"But each stone in the lake ripples."
"And further and further they ripple against the bounds of the lake until it bursts forth."
"You mean this entity, or power 'pulling the strings,' right?"
"I mean reality itself."
"Is it the one who keeps calling me?"
"...Aha."
"I cannot answer that."
"I understand."
"I am under a contract, you see." He waves his hand at the table. "Contracts are the most sacred of things in the Bridge."
"And I take it you also can't tell me what my running out of dreams implies."
"It implies that Morpheus instinctively knew something was wrong." Igor replies, "You are not dead, nor will you die any time soon."
"When you are returned to your own world at the hospital, and go to sleep again this night, your dreams will be restored once more."
"...I see."
"However," Igor stresses, holding up a finger.
"Hm?"
"Do not think that I will intervene again."
"I do not like you or appreciate your existence, and it is only by the contract to which I am bound that I interfered in your death this time."
"I won't think it, but somehow, I doubt this is our last meeting."
"The next time I call for you, you will be aware and awake."
With that, Igor waves his hand, and the velvet paradise is dismissed, leaving Tom and Morpheus standing in the black.
"...So then..."
"...That was foreboding."
"I take it he's like that a lot."
"I'm sorry." Morpheus apologizes.
"He is. But he saved your life either way..."
"Don't worry about it," Tom chuckles, pushing back his hair, "Yeah. I'm thankful."
"And to you as well, for keeping me alive then."
"Don't worry, I won't let Minato fall any further."
"I trust you." Ryoji replies. "No matter what you may be, who you are is what counts."
"If he isn't responsible... Then he doesn't deserve any of this suffering."
With that, he pats Tom on the shoulder...
...and Tom stumbles out of the bathroom at the hospital.
Second floor, if his memory serves.
Tom catches himself in mid-step. That was a terribly sudden transition...
...Is he at least in good shape?
He seems undamaged.
And in his proper clothes?
Still sopping wet from the rain, still holding the umbrella.
...But what Ryoji said... 'What I am?' he muses, 'What I am is what I am, but yes... Who I am is what counts. Still though...'
...He had other things to do. He was in the hospital anyway, so...
Roll. Where was Roll's room?
Second floor, just down the hall. How kind of Ryoji.
Or maybe Igor...
...no, probably Ryoji.
Well, in either case, kindness was always appreciated.
He'd start down towards that room, knocking on the door before trying anything else, "Hello, is anyone in there?"
The door swings open - Roll seems to be there, but the other two don't.
She looks up as he enters and waves with her good arm.
Tom shuts the door as he enters, a warm smile on his face, "Hey there. Feeling any better today?"
"A little."
"That's good. I was worried there for a while."
"...But then I remembered you're Roll, so that sort of vanished."
"Nyahhhh."
"Hey, that was a compliment!"
"Hard to tell." She teases, patting the chair next to her bed.
Tom chuckles, dropping gently into the seat, "So I heard the food here's something else."
"Yeah, it's something else alright - something else entirely from food."
"Euch. That bad, huh?"
"It's edible..."
"I'll have to get them to bring in instant noodles, or something."
"At least you know that's safe."
"They won't let me."
"They say they wanna make sure I don't get food poisoning or something to complicate it already."
"...But it's instant noodles."
'If those aren't safe anymore, I don't think I want to leave my room."
"I know, right?"
"Well, hey, how about I sneak you a cup next time I come?"
"I'd like that." She smiles.
"I can even pick up a bowl from Kensei's."
"Oh God yes! I've been craving some of those noodles since I got my arm cut open."
"And don't remind me that it was just after we left, 'cause those noodles are addictive!"
"Heh, I'll make sure to drop by before I come next time around."
"What're you craving for? Beef? Wanton?"
"Beef, definitely."
"Right then! I'll pick up a bowl for you. That's payback for letting you get cut up."
"Yeah, then we'll be totally equal." She smirks.
"Hey, I'm risking my head by dropping by that guy's restaurant. With the things I've run into so far, I wouldn't be surprised if Ba Kensei
wants my head, too."
"Nahhh...he's a nice guy. I'm sure you'll be okay."
"But you better hold to that promise!"
"Hah. Don't worry! I've still got a day before that Knight guy shows up, so I've got time."
"I'll probably drop by tomorrow morning."
"Okay."
"...Actually, what time is it now?"
"Kinda late, actually. Why?"
"...Huh. Weird, I guess the day just passes by quick when you're wandering town."
"Then again, it's raining, so I probably didn't notice."
"I was thinking I'd bring you a bowl for dinner, but it looks like it's a little late for that. Tomorrow it is."
"Sounds good."
"Well then..." Tom pushes onto his feet, "I'll let you get some rest."
As Tom leaves the hospital and reenters the pouring rain, he can see that it is indeed late - streetlights are flickering on, and it's generally becoming a
bad sort of darkness.
Well, in this city, Tom didn't seem to find very much 'Good' darkness.
Either way, he'd hurry himself home.
On the way home, he's met by Shinji, who directs him into Akihiko's across the street after a brief moment.
The air inside is nice and warm - a real comfort at a time like this - and Mitsuru is just departing, a nod of her head as she slinks on by.
Shinji sits down at the bar and gestures for Tom to do the same as Akihiko moves over.
Tom nods and places himself in a seat, arms idle across the bar table, "Hey there guys... What's up?"
"I heard about what happened with Adam," Shinji informs him as Akihiko sets a steel mug down in front of Tom.
Tom sips the contents of the mug, gathering his thoughts for a moment... "Yeah. That was..."
"Reckless," Shinji finishes.
"Stupid," Akihiko offers.
"...Yeah. I got lost."
"Thick-headed," Ai-chan puts in from where she's gathering messes off tables.
"The point is," Shinji returns, "You get into a lot of deep crap."
"On a more or less daily basis," Akihiko agrees.
Tom tilts up at the other cyborg (not that he knows yet) "Hey there, I don't think we've met..."
"...And yeah. I've noticed that."
"Hey, pay attention!" Shinji snaps. "Chase girls later."
"Anyway." Akihiko coughs. "I pulled a couple strings with some old friends of mine, and I think it'd be wise of you to..."
Tom chuckles, "Sorry! I guess skirt chasing's just hard for me to break."
"...how can I put this delicately...learn to actually fight."
"I know you were an amateur boxer, but that's not enough to cut it here."
"Uhm..."
"Okay then..."
"So what do you guys suggest?"
"Oh, come on, Tom." Shinji mutters, "You saw what Fenrir could do."
"Hey, I never said I disagreed with you. I do need to get stronger..."
"I'm just wondering what you guys have in mind."
"The dojo I used to visit when I was learning how to box," Akihiko answers.
"I'll take you when we finish our drinks," Shinji offers. "Your track record at getting around in this city is pathetic."
"No offense," Akihiko adds.
"No, I meant to offend him."
"...Oh! Okay. I thought you were talking about something crazy like locking me in a cage with a few dozen tigers."
"I accept that completely. My sense of direction is horrible."
"It's...awful," Akihiko agrees.
"Yeah. I couldn't find my way out of a paper bag."
"If just half of what I've heard is true...yeah."
"Drink up," Shinji urges, "You'll need it."
Tom blinks, and does as he's told.
He took a sip anyway, so it was too late to ask if it was on the house or not.
"You'll like it," Akihiko agrees, "It's a nice place. By the way, that'll be five bucks."
Tom sighs, "I knew it."
"I need to pay for that steel mug somehow."
"Hah. I guess so!"
Once drinks are done (and a bit of discussion about how Tom should be much better after this), Shinji stands up and gestures for Tom to follow.
Tom shrugs and, again, does as he's told.
Getting lost at this time of night is a VERY bad idea.
"Just be warned," Shinji informs him slowly as they make their way through the dark streets, flickering light and rain the only 'comfort'.
"They may not take you."
"Is there a test or something?" Tom asks, his umbrella shielding him from the rain.
"Maybe."
"They may just decide they don't like you."
"...I'm going to hurt tomorrow, aren't I?"
"They're a weird bunch."
"Weird as in...?"
"You'll see."
"...Okay..."
As they near the dojo, it's blatantly obvious just how insane this place is. The door itself is twice as tall as Tom, maybe larger, and just as wide;
Shinji is forced to reach up and knock.
"HEY!" He shouts, "I BROUGHT THE GUY!"
Tom is indeed forced to won- Oookay, that was sudden.
The door opens inwardly - standing there is a man, a short Chinese man in a cheongsam with a bowler hat.
"...Hey... I know you..."
"Ba Kensei. You're the cyborg, the one that eats with that nice Roll girl."
"Very firm." He nods and stands aside. "Come on in. You look frigid."
Chinese man, bowler hat... "Oh right! Yeah, that's me."
Shinji turns away. "Good luck."
"Heh, thanks..." nodding, Tom tries to do just that, "Uh, thanks Shinji... Don't run into anything on the way home."
He waves over his shoulder as he departs into the darkness. Tom's lead inside by Ba Kensei - the dojo is extremely old, wooden, and very clearly
hand-built.
It's charming, Tom would admit, extraordinary in a way different than Roger's Manor, but none the less amazing. The fact that it was still in one piece
is actually astounding.
"Welcome to Ryouzampaku."
"Ryouzampaku? Well, thanks for the welcome."
"Hehe." He chuckles into his hand.
"It's rather cold out today."
"I expect everyone is practicing inside."
"...At this time of night?"
"Dedication, huh?"
"You expect wrong, Kensei!"
From the rooftop, a man - sorta - in a red-yellow-and-black mask, grey coat, and...spandex?...leaps, landing next to the pair and falling in stride.
"Ah, Schwarz. Speaking of dedication..."
"Schwarz Bruder, Tom Magnusson."
"Guten Tag," Schwarz replies, holding out his hand to the side.
"Schwarz Bruder is the best ninja in the world," Kensei informs Tom helpfully, "But that's not saying too much - at Ryouzampaku, if you
aren't the best, you don't deserve to be part of it! Hah!"
"Schwarz? I know a Schwarz..." Tom ponders for a moment before realization strikes, "...Schwarz- like, Gundam Fight Schwarz?"
"That is correct!" Schwarz crosses his arms. "I was the Gundamfighter for Central in the last Gundamfight."
"...My lord. It's an honor, sir!"
"Hah!" Schwarz grabs Kensei by the scruff of his neck. "You say it as if this isn't a city of unusual things."
Kensei slips downwards, and Schwarz's knee slams up into his face.
As Kensei rubs his nose, he protsts, "I was only going to see if the girls were practicing outside."
"I know what you were planning! I'm fairly certain I just saved your life!"
"You have no soul."
"Uhm..."
"I think I'm lost. I do that a lot... Anyway, it's a great honor to meet you both. Tom Magnusson, detective and trouble magnet, at your
service."
"Schwarz Bruder!" Schwarz reintroduces himself. "Student of every village!"
"Sand, Leaf, Cloud, Mist, Sound - I know their secrets all."
"I take it you are the new hopeful who wishes to learn from our dojo!"
"Yeah. That's me. A couple of my friends suggested it..."
"And truth be told, I agree completely."
"I'm sure you do! But we may not accept you!"
"After my run in with Fenrir... I think I do need to be stronger, to protect the ones I care about."
"That's fine. Whatever you need me to do, I'll do it."
"Hiko! You can come out now!"
A man in a huge white cape with flowing black hair leaps from the tree, landing in stride behind them.
"It isn't a test! No test can probe the heart as deeply as learning about the person!"
The man called 'Hiko' is a monster of a man, certainly, and how he's even able to move in that cape is a mystery. "Magnusson, hn..." He
murmurs, "Seijurou Hiko the 40th."
Tom does ponder that. That was, indeed, a huge cape. For a huge man. He figured that was the reason they had such a huge door... "Hello there, sir."
Not a beat missed, "It's good to meet you."
Schwarz opens the door. Hiko says nothing.
Inside, a pair of women, an exceedingly huge old man, a man in green and yellow, and a guy in blue sit directly on the wooden floor around a table.
The first woman's brown hair is extremely long, matched only by the determination in her eyes; her black skirt and white sports bra combo do a great deal
to accent her *ahem* assets, but she certainly doesn't get by on looks alone if her
posture is anything to speak of - in fact, she seems to be a boxer just based on the way she's sitting.
The second is a woman in red, with similarly long hair done up in a ponytail; her outfit is similarly 'distracting', but again, she's clearly not
one to get by just on her looks.
The man in yellow and green is the only one not 'reclining' in some fashion or another - his legs are crossed, his spine is ramrod-straight, and the
mask over his face does little to hide his fighting aura.
The last is a man in blue, a sake bottle sitting next to him. He looks like a cap would belong on his head were he maybe ten years younger, but his eyes are a
picture of stubbornness, and his own killing aura radiates outwards so fiercely even Tom can sense it.
The last is the old man, whose muscles are clearly those of someone who's been fighting his whole life - and a long life it is. He must be older than the
entire group put together.
Tom swallows. Harshly. And not just at the cleaveage. That guy was just creepy, like something was about to reach out of the air around him and land a punch in
the poor Britannian's face...
"Akihiko called ahead about this one," Kensei informs the group, "It's Magnusson."
Tom nods, cautiously, "As I've said a great many times, it's an honor."
"Aki? How's he doing?" The brown-haired woman looks up. Boing.
"He said he'd like to come back for a bit more training if it's alright with you."
"Oh, it's always fine with me!" She waves her hand dismissively before focusing on Tom, narrowing her eyes at him.
It's vaguely similar to being eyed by Mitsuru - that predatorial gaze - but a thousand times more severe. This woman probably could take him apart with
little more than a motion.
Boing and then OHGODDAGGEREYES.
In any other case, Tom would oblige, but this seemed a bit more literal than not.
"Try not to scare this one off, Tifa - we need the money."
The other woman turns to look at Tom as well, a much more passive, flowing stare.
"I don't like him." The one in blue says after a minute. "Cyborg."
"No upper body to work on."
"Hoho...you'll have to forgive Jotaro." The old man laughs.
"He doesn't take well to anyone."
Tom rolls his shoulders, "Hey, no problem. I'm used to it, floating around the alleys in this city," He chuckles, awkwardly, perhaps a bit
nervously.
"Sit down."
Tom nods and does so, one mechanical leg over another.
"Legs, too?" Jotaro snorts.
"Yeah. But it wasn't really my choice, these."
"Something called the Shadow Syndicate hacked off my arms and legs and replaced them."
"A fundamental part of fighting," Kensei informs him, "Is learning how to-"
At that, everyone goes silent.
Tom blinks...
"Uhm... Did I say something?"
"Are you telling the truth?" The old man asks.
"Pretty sure I am. He's generally a pretty reliable source, and I've been looking into it as well."
"They do seem like the most likely."
"Tch. How can we train somebody who can't ever get stronger?" Jotaro asks the room in general.
"...what do you want to learn?" The man in green asks after a long moment.
"I want to learn to become stronger. There are people in this city who deserve protection from Endgame, and from Requiems... And they deserve to know the
truth."
"Is that so?"
"I need to give them that, but to do that, I need to keep living until I find the answer."
"...Someone who trusts me is already in the hospital because I couldn't defend her in time."
"Very well." The man in green replies, standing.
"Heh, heh." The old man chuckles. "Iron Fist seems to have taken to you. Then I guess you're in."
Tom nods, smiling, "Well then, it's good to be on board. Thank you for taking me in."
"Hmph. You're expected to show up at least once a week."
"And then we'll..."
"Put you through hell." Is it just Tom, or did the whole room get darker?