Dreams And Proclamations 10/?
Title: Dreams And Proclamations
Author:
joatex
Pairing: Akame
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama, Romance
Warning: None...I think... (-_-U)
Disclaimer: No.... the boys aren't mine, sad.... but true (T^T)
Summary: It's been years after a nuclear war broke out, and a group of survivors created a small city. One, in which, Kazuya lives in. But when he runs across an Outcast in the Wastelands, there is a change brewing in the winds.
A/N: Enjoy (n_n)
A million thanks to harajukyuu for the awesome banner (n_n)
Previous Chapters: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09
Kame POV: Pink
Jin POV: Red
Chapter 10: Real or Not Real
Jin
I woke up, practically hanging off of my bed. I propped myself up with my elbow, and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. When they came back into focus, I was faced with the back of Kazuya's head. It took me a moment to remember that I had fallen asleep while I was trying to comfort him after he had a nightmare.
Quietly, I climbed out of my bed, being extremely careful not to wake him. I made it out of the room without disturbing his sleep. "Jin?" I jumped when Hana said my name. I was too focused on getting out of the room without waking Kazuya. "Huh?" She was the only one in the room. Either the kids were still asleep, or were outside playing. Most likely the second.
I sat down at the makeshift table that was in the room. Hana was cleaning our food box of spoiled contents that couldn't be salvaged. "What was all that commotion last night?" I yawned, stilled rubbing the last of the sleep out of my eyes. "It was Kazuya. I guess he had some kind of bad dream. Because when I walked in there, he was seriously freaked out about this Reiko, I'm guessing she's his grandmother or some kind of family. He wouldn't tell me though, so I don't know what really went on."
Hana looked over at the closed room and said, "I hope he's going to be okay." I nodded. I hadn't ever seen anyone that out of it from a dream; I had seen my share of people losing their minds though. Out of the old window, I could see the sun was vanishing behind gray clouds.
Hana saw this as well and said, "Looks like we'll finally be getting some rain soon. Good. We were running low on water." The ominous clouds were coming from the direction of the mountains, and coming in fast. If they did hold rain, it would be here within the hour. I said, "If it's going to rain, then I better go and fix Rika's floor before the bottom falls out."
Hana nodded as she put the food that was still good, back in the box. "That might be a smart idea." She handed me a small portion of food to eat. I wasn't all that hungry, but that didn't mean that I wouldn't be later on during the day. Especially if I was going to be doing work.
I heard the click of my room door, and Kazuya stepped out. His hair was slightly messed up, but it looked like he had tried to fix it. His eyes were still red from where he had cried last night. I stood up from the table and made my way towards him. "How are you doing?" I asked softly.
He rubbed his eye like I had been doing mine all morning. "Fine. I need to get going." He turned to walk out of the house, but I stopped him by grabbing his wrist. He turned and looked at my hand with confusion. "Go? After how you were last night? Don't you think you should at least rest a little bit more and make sure you're fit for travel?"
I knew he could make the short walk back to the City, but he still looked dazed and lost. Almost like he couldn't decide what was real or not. "I wish I could stay more, but I have to make sure Reiko isn't hurt." he tried to slip through my grip, but I wasn't letting him go anywhere.
"Kazuya, that was just a dream. I'm sure she's fine." His expression told me that he didn't believe me. "I have to make sure though," he said sternly. He stared me down, but his face still showed signs of the fear and grief he was showing last night.
I sighed, and let go of his wrist. His hand fell by his side. "Alright. Go and make sure she's okay." He thanked me for understanding, and ran from the house. I prayed that nothing bad happened to him.
+++++++++++++
Kame
The only let-up I had from my nightmare, was when I had fallen asleep the second time. Maybe it was because Jin said he wasn't going to leave until I fell asleep, and I felt safe from whatever might be out there that was trying to hurt me.
But the moment I woke up, I immediately thought about Reiko. I couldn't stop thinking about my dream, and how I had to watch as she was taken away to some mysterious place by the Officials. I had to know if she was okay. I climbed out of the bed, and ran out of the room.
Jin and Hana were in the other room. They both saw me, and Jin was the one who stood up and walked over to me. He asked if I was alright, and I told him I was fine. He didn't seem to believe me though. When I told him what I was about to do, he grabbed my wrist and wouldn't let me leave.
He kept on telling me how Reiko was fine, and that it was all a bad dream. I didn't care if it had been the happiest dream in my life, I wanted to make sure she was safe. Jin finally let me go, and I ran out of the house.
Quickly, I started to close the distance between me and the City. I would be there in no time. Above me, the sky had clouded over with clouds. They looked like they were going to bring rain soon. I ignored them, and kept my mind set on getting back to Reiko.
My eyes locked onto the opening in the fence, and I didn't hesitate to slip through it. Any thoughts or worries I had about the Officials didn't even occur to me. I just wanted to get back home and see if everything was just as I had left it. If there were any Officials standing around, I didn't notice them. I ran up the walkway of my house, and through the front door. "Reiko? Are you in here?"
My heart dropped when nobody answered back. "Reiko!" Still nothing. Frantically, I began to run around the house looking for her. All of the rooms were empty. When I ran back into the kitchen, I saw that the table that she always sat at, had been flipped over. That doesn't mean anything. That table always falls over.
I started to think that she may have gone into the City for something, and that she would be back any minute. But I didn't want to wait a minute. I wanted to know where she was right then and there. I ran out of the house and started to make my way towards the market, thinking that I would find her there.
Up ahead, I saw Tatsuya standing around one of the vendors. "Kame?" He started to run towards me, and stopped when he finally reached me. "Kame? Where have you been?" His voice was strained and his words came out quickly. "I wish I could tell you, Tat-chan. But I need to find Reiko."
His facial expression turned from worried, to grim. I noticed this drastic change and asked, "What happened? Tell me!" He grabbed one of my hands, and walked me over to the Courtyard across the street. He sat me down on a bench. "I want you to be sitting down, Kame." I shook his hand off of my shoulder.
"Where's Reiko?" I demanded. A few people turned around when I shouted. Tatsuya shushed me by holding his finger up to his lips. "You really don't know?" I was almost on the verge of tears. If he knew where Reiko was, then why didn't he just tell me already and save me so much worry? "Just tell me. Please," I begged.
Tatsuya sat down next to me on the bench, and looked at me with his same grim expression. "The Officials took her away sometime last night. They were saying that she was plotting an escape from the City and conspiring with the Outcasts."
I couldn't believe my ears. Reiko had never spoke to an Outcast in her life. And plotting an escape? She had never gone ten feet near the fence because she obeyed the laws of the City. They were trying to get to me through Reiko. Tears were now flooding down my face.
I didn't know what was worse, the dream where I watched the Officials take her away, or not even knowing it and now finding out from one of my friends. I pushed myself from the bench, and started to run back towards my house. I didn't want to believe it.
I couldn't come to terms with the idea that Reiko had been taken away, it was too horrible for me to even think about. People stared at me when I ran by them. They were probably wondering why I was crying. I ran back into my house, locking the door behind me.
A part of me was saying that was the right thing to do in case somebody tried to walk in. They'd at least have to work their way in if they wanted to get to me. But it didn't seem like I had been followed from what I could tell. I pulled the curtains shut on every window.
All I wanted to do was be alone, and not disturbed by anyone. I paced around the kitchen before setting the fallen table upright. It was all so surreal. They didn't have to take away Reiko. I would have gladly taken her place if it meant that she would be safe.
After all, this did happen because of me. I was sure of it. Other than the table, nothing else had been disturbed. All of it was the same as it looked when I left the other day. Out of anger and frustration, I stomped my foot down on the wooden floor. It didn't make the usual sound it did.
This was more hollow sounded than solid. I bent down, and traced my fingers along the wood board. There was a semicircle cut at the top of the board, which I had always thought had been a hole. But it was certainly cut by human hands. I hit against the board with my knuckles.
It made that hollow sound, and even moved a little bit. This board wasn't nailed down like the rest of them were. I had lived in this house for a long time, and never noticed this strange board until now. I looked back up at the hole at the top of the board. Slowly, I hooked my finger in it, and lifted up.
The board came up with no resistance. I laid it over to the side, and was faced with a small hole that was dug into the dirt underneath. Rock solid dirt made up the sides of the hole, which was no bigger than a square foot. But resting in the center of the hole, was a rusted metal box.
It had to be something Reiko had hidden. How else would it have gotten there? Carefully, I lifted the box from its hiding spot, being cautious as to not cut myself on the jagged edges. I set it down next to the board that I removed. The lid wouldn't budge, when I saw a little button on the front of the box.
I placed my thumb on it, and pushed it to the side. The lid then popped up slightly, allowing me to see the contents inside. I lifted it up, and was greeted with a yellow-stained piece of paper. When I took it out, it felt as if it would fall apart in my hands. The edges were brittle, and little pieces of the paper were flaking off and landing in my lap and on the floor.
It made crinkling sounds as I unfolded it. My eyes widened when I saw what was on the inside. In faded colors, was a map. It showed a little place circled, and next to that was written in ink, "City." All around that, was a gray color that had "Wastelands" on it. There was another circle that seemed to be about a mile from the City.
That has to be where the Outcasts live. And beyond that, was a group of triangles that represented mountains. There was a question mark on the other side of them. I found that there was more to the map, and unfolded it the rest of the way. There were more spots circled along in the Wastelands.
Nothing was written beside them. What did they represent? When I looked closer at the map, I noticed there was a faint line that started at our City and went from circle to circle, then ended at the mountain range. It was marking directions to take. I looked back in the box, wondering if anything else was inside of it.
And there was. It was another piece of paper, newer and smaller than the map that I had found. It was folded the same way. Written in Reiko's handwriting, was a list of detailed instructions. They were explaining what steps to take for escaping the City, and where to go after that.
They ended up at the mountain range, and just like on the map, the step after that had a question mark. Reiko….She was actually trying to escape. My guess was that the circles on the map, were actually more Cities that were like ours.
I suddenly grew paranoid, and hid the map and instructions in the pocket of my pants. I dropped the box back down in its secret hole, and covered it back up with the board. This was why they took Reiko away. What Tatsuya had told me was true; she was planning an escape and was going to help out the Outcasts along the way.
But why would she want to leave and go someplace, that she wasn't even sure existed? She had to know something that was going to happen. Making sure that the map couldn't be seen from my pocket, I left the house as naturally as I could.
I knew if I had been at home when they took Reiko away, they would have taken me as well. Whether I knew her plans or not. Right now, I could be killed for having this map. I slipped back through the fence, and ran out into the Wastelands. There wasn't any reason to worry about being seen anymore.
They were already hunting me, I was sure. I placed my hand on the pocket that held the map. Jin needed to see it. This map was something that was concerning a possible freedom on the other side of those mountains, and he had every right to know.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A/N: Hope you liked it. (n_n)
Chapter 11
Author:
joatex
Pairing: Akame
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama, Romance
Warning: None...I think... (-_-U)
Disclaimer: No.... the boys aren't mine, sad.... but true (T^T)
Summary: It's been years after a nuclear war broke out, and a group of survivors created a small city. One, in which, Kazuya lives in. But when he runs across an Outcast in the Wastelands, there is a change brewing in the winds.
A/N: Enjoy (n_n)
A million thanks to harajukyuu for the awesome banner (n_n)
Previous Chapters: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09
Kame POV: Pink
Jin POV: Red
Chapter 10: Real or Not Real
Jin
I woke up, practically hanging off of my bed. I propped myself up with my elbow, and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. When they came back into focus, I was faced with the back of Kazuya's head. It took me a moment to remember that I had fallen asleep while I was trying to comfort him after he had a nightmare.
Quietly, I climbed out of my bed, being extremely careful not to wake him. I made it out of the room without disturbing his sleep. "Jin?" I jumped when Hana said my name. I was too focused on getting out of the room without waking Kazuya. "Huh?" She was the only one in the room. Either the kids were still asleep, or were outside playing. Most likely the second.
I sat down at the makeshift table that was in the room. Hana was cleaning our food box of spoiled contents that couldn't be salvaged. "What was all that commotion last night?" I yawned, stilled rubbing the last of the sleep out of my eyes. "It was Kazuya. I guess he had some kind of bad dream. Because when I walked in there, he was seriously freaked out about this Reiko, I'm guessing she's his grandmother or some kind of family. He wouldn't tell me though, so I don't know what really went on."
Hana looked over at the closed room and said, "I hope he's going to be okay." I nodded. I hadn't ever seen anyone that out of it from a dream; I had seen my share of people losing their minds though. Out of the old window, I could see the sun was vanishing behind gray clouds.
Hana saw this as well and said, "Looks like we'll finally be getting some rain soon. Good. We were running low on water." The ominous clouds were coming from the direction of the mountains, and coming in fast. If they did hold rain, it would be here within the hour. I said, "If it's going to rain, then I better go and fix Rika's floor before the bottom falls out."
Hana nodded as she put the food that was still good, back in the box. "That might be a smart idea." She handed me a small portion of food to eat. I wasn't all that hungry, but that didn't mean that I wouldn't be later on during the day. Especially if I was going to be doing work.
I heard the click of my room door, and Kazuya stepped out. His hair was slightly messed up, but it looked like he had tried to fix it. His eyes were still red from where he had cried last night. I stood up from the table and made my way towards him. "How are you doing?" I asked softly.
He rubbed his eye like I had been doing mine all morning. "Fine. I need to get going." He turned to walk out of the house, but I stopped him by grabbing his wrist. He turned and looked at my hand with confusion. "Go? After how you were last night? Don't you think you should at least rest a little bit more and make sure you're fit for travel?"
I knew he could make the short walk back to the City, but he still looked dazed and lost. Almost like he couldn't decide what was real or not. "I wish I could stay more, but I have to make sure Reiko isn't hurt." he tried to slip through my grip, but I wasn't letting him go anywhere.
"Kazuya, that was just a dream. I'm sure she's fine." His expression told me that he didn't believe me. "I have to make sure though," he said sternly. He stared me down, but his face still showed signs of the fear and grief he was showing last night.
I sighed, and let go of his wrist. His hand fell by his side. "Alright. Go and make sure she's okay." He thanked me for understanding, and ran from the house. I prayed that nothing bad happened to him.
+++++++++++++
Kame
The only let-up I had from my nightmare, was when I had fallen asleep the second time. Maybe it was because Jin said he wasn't going to leave until I fell asleep, and I felt safe from whatever might be out there that was trying to hurt me.
But the moment I woke up, I immediately thought about Reiko. I couldn't stop thinking about my dream, and how I had to watch as she was taken away to some mysterious place by the Officials. I had to know if she was okay. I climbed out of the bed, and ran out of the room.
Jin and Hana were in the other room. They both saw me, and Jin was the one who stood up and walked over to me. He asked if I was alright, and I told him I was fine. He didn't seem to believe me though. When I told him what I was about to do, he grabbed my wrist and wouldn't let me leave.
He kept on telling me how Reiko was fine, and that it was all a bad dream. I didn't care if it had been the happiest dream in my life, I wanted to make sure she was safe. Jin finally let me go, and I ran out of the house.
Quickly, I started to close the distance between me and the City. I would be there in no time. Above me, the sky had clouded over with clouds. They looked like they were going to bring rain soon. I ignored them, and kept my mind set on getting back to Reiko.
My eyes locked onto the opening in the fence, and I didn't hesitate to slip through it. Any thoughts or worries I had about the Officials didn't even occur to me. I just wanted to get back home and see if everything was just as I had left it. If there were any Officials standing around, I didn't notice them. I ran up the walkway of my house, and through the front door. "Reiko? Are you in here?"
My heart dropped when nobody answered back. "Reiko!" Still nothing. Frantically, I began to run around the house looking for her. All of the rooms were empty. When I ran back into the kitchen, I saw that the table that she always sat at, had been flipped over. That doesn't mean anything. That table always falls over.
I started to think that she may have gone into the City for something, and that she would be back any minute. But I didn't want to wait a minute. I wanted to know where she was right then and there. I ran out of the house and started to make my way towards the market, thinking that I would find her there.
Up ahead, I saw Tatsuya standing around one of the vendors. "Kame?" He started to run towards me, and stopped when he finally reached me. "Kame? Where have you been?" His voice was strained and his words came out quickly. "I wish I could tell you, Tat-chan. But I need to find Reiko."
His facial expression turned from worried, to grim. I noticed this drastic change and asked, "What happened? Tell me!" He grabbed one of my hands, and walked me over to the Courtyard across the street. He sat me down on a bench. "I want you to be sitting down, Kame." I shook his hand off of my shoulder.
"Where's Reiko?" I demanded. A few people turned around when I shouted. Tatsuya shushed me by holding his finger up to his lips. "You really don't know?" I was almost on the verge of tears. If he knew where Reiko was, then why didn't he just tell me already and save me so much worry? "Just tell me. Please," I begged.
Tatsuya sat down next to me on the bench, and looked at me with his same grim expression. "The Officials took her away sometime last night. They were saying that she was plotting an escape from the City and conspiring with the Outcasts."
I couldn't believe my ears. Reiko had never spoke to an Outcast in her life. And plotting an escape? She had never gone ten feet near the fence because she obeyed the laws of the City. They were trying to get to me through Reiko. Tears were now flooding down my face.
I didn't know what was worse, the dream where I watched the Officials take her away, or not even knowing it and now finding out from one of my friends. I pushed myself from the bench, and started to run back towards my house. I didn't want to believe it.
I couldn't come to terms with the idea that Reiko had been taken away, it was too horrible for me to even think about. People stared at me when I ran by them. They were probably wondering why I was crying. I ran back into my house, locking the door behind me.
A part of me was saying that was the right thing to do in case somebody tried to walk in. They'd at least have to work their way in if they wanted to get to me. But it didn't seem like I had been followed from what I could tell. I pulled the curtains shut on every window.
All I wanted to do was be alone, and not disturbed by anyone. I paced around the kitchen before setting the fallen table upright. It was all so surreal. They didn't have to take away Reiko. I would have gladly taken her place if it meant that she would be safe.
After all, this did happen because of me. I was sure of it. Other than the table, nothing else had been disturbed. All of it was the same as it looked when I left the other day. Out of anger and frustration, I stomped my foot down on the wooden floor. It didn't make the usual sound it did.
This was more hollow sounded than solid. I bent down, and traced my fingers along the wood board. There was a semicircle cut at the top of the board, which I had always thought had been a hole. But it was certainly cut by human hands. I hit against the board with my knuckles.
It made that hollow sound, and even moved a little bit. This board wasn't nailed down like the rest of them were. I had lived in this house for a long time, and never noticed this strange board until now. I looked back up at the hole at the top of the board. Slowly, I hooked my finger in it, and lifted up.
The board came up with no resistance. I laid it over to the side, and was faced with a small hole that was dug into the dirt underneath. Rock solid dirt made up the sides of the hole, which was no bigger than a square foot. But resting in the center of the hole, was a rusted metal box.
It had to be something Reiko had hidden. How else would it have gotten there? Carefully, I lifted the box from its hiding spot, being cautious as to not cut myself on the jagged edges. I set it down next to the board that I removed. The lid wouldn't budge, when I saw a little button on the front of the box.
I placed my thumb on it, and pushed it to the side. The lid then popped up slightly, allowing me to see the contents inside. I lifted it up, and was greeted with a yellow-stained piece of paper. When I took it out, it felt as if it would fall apart in my hands. The edges were brittle, and little pieces of the paper were flaking off and landing in my lap and on the floor.
It made crinkling sounds as I unfolded it. My eyes widened when I saw what was on the inside. In faded colors, was a map. It showed a little place circled, and next to that was written in ink, "City." All around that, was a gray color that had "Wastelands" on it. There was another circle that seemed to be about a mile from the City.
That has to be where the Outcasts live. And beyond that, was a group of triangles that represented mountains. There was a question mark on the other side of them. I found that there was more to the map, and unfolded it the rest of the way. There were more spots circled along in the Wastelands.
Nothing was written beside them. What did they represent? When I looked closer at the map, I noticed there was a faint line that started at our City and went from circle to circle, then ended at the mountain range. It was marking directions to take. I looked back in the box, wondering if anything else was inside of it.
And there was. It was another piece of paper, newer and smaller than the map that I had found. It was folded the same way. Written in Reiko's handwriting, was a list of detailed instructions. They were explaining what steps to take for escaping the City, and where to go after that.
They ended up at the mountain range, and just like on the map, the step after that had a question mark. Reiko….She was actually trying to escape. My guess was that the circles on the map, were actually more Cities that were like ours.
I suddenly grew paranoid, and hid the map and instructions in the pocket of my pants. I dropped the box back down in its secret hole, and covered it back up with the board. This was why they took Reiko away. What Tatsuya had told me was true; she was planning an escape and was going to help out the Outcasts along the way.
But why would she want to leave and go someplace, that she wasn't even sure existed? She had to know something that was going to happen. Making sure that the map couldn't be seen from my pocket, I left the house as naturally as I could.
I knew if I had been at home when they took Reiko away, they would have taken me as well. Whether I knew her plans or not. Right now, I could be killed for having this map. I slipped back through the fence, and ran out into the Wastelands. There wasn't any reason to worry about being seen anymore.
They were already hunting me, I was sure. I placed my hand on the pocket that held the map. Jin needed to see it. This map was something that was concerning a possible freedom on the other side of those mountains, and he had every right to know.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A/N: Hope you liked it. (n_n)
Chapter 11