Journey
Rocks surrounded her, as if made from finely sculpted clay, and their saturated red and orange hues instinctively made her want to shut her eyes. Wherever this place was, it wasn't Japan. There was no foliage or animals in sight. She briefly considered the possibility her god had banished her to this place. She could not sense him ,and her robes that were ideal for the harsh winds that plagued the fringes of Satellite, only made her hot and bothered. Asuka walked, and the further she walked , the more she realized that it wouldn't be simple to return to the castle. She let go of what little pride she held onto and began to shout.
"Aslla Piscu! Why did you leave me here?" She called out. Her shouts echoed back at her and the familiar presence did not return. She sighed and sat down on a rock formation that conveniently served as a makeshift seat. A laugh disrupted the steady silence, she stood abruptly, searching for the culprit. Asuka recognized the sound, even if she hadn't heard it in a century.
"Judai?" she said uncertainly. No matter where she searched, she didn't find as much as a silhouette. The heat must be getting to her, Asuka decided. She abandoned her robe. Unfortunately, the clothes underneath were dark and would do little to relieve her.
"The one and only," he said. She turned around, and there he was with the same mid length shaggy hair cut, red jacket and cocky grin. Asuka didn't quite believe what she saw. It was much too soon for him to be here.
"Are you really?" she asked. He didn't answer and looked her over speculatively. Asuka resisted the urge to throw the robe back on.
"You've changed," he stated finally. She scoffed. Of all the conversations she imagined having with him, this was turning out to be rather disappointing..
To her surprise, he took off running. She compulsively chased after him. Soon, the chase became repetitive. Technically, she could keep up with him easily, but he masterfully dodged and ducked between the rock formations, effectively slowing her down. Without warning, he simply disappeared in a puff of amethyst smoke. The familiar escape tactic left her surprisingly bitter. Must he always take off without so much as a goodbye, she grumbled to herself.
Having no other option, she started walking again without any idea if she were truly getting anywhere. A melody of chirps greeted her from above, her instincts told her to climb up there. The rock surface was smooth and curved to form natural hand grips. She lifted herself easily to the top, what she found confounded her. Judai stood there with his back turned to her. His arm extended to serve as a perch to two birds, a raven and a falcon, he stroked their feathers. She could have sworn the chirps belonged to a couple of baby birds.
" I know why you're here," he said. She couldn't identify why herself. She walked up to him anyway.
"You can't stop them from flying away," he stated while she did indeed give into the urge to grab them. The two birds took off in the same general direction. She immediately jumped down from the cliff and ran after them. He smiled and began to fade.
"It is in their nature after all," he said, his voice echoing. She barely registered his disappearance. Asuka followed the birds, but she could never reach the heights they could. She gave up when nightfall hit. Their disappearance left her empty. She heard the crackling of fire and turned around. Of course, he was there. Judai offered her some shrimp. She didn't question where he could have possibly found such a thing here. The place was devoid of the rules she was accustomed to. For the life of her, she still didn't know why she chased those birds.
A shooting star graced the night sky. The sight made her smile. Judai eyed it nonchalantly.
"You'll never reach it," Judai retorted promptly. She glared at him and took his plate. He made a small sound of protest.
"It has to fall to earth eventually, oh wise one," she replied sarcastically. Asuka made sure to consume the shrimp quickly. He didn't make a move to stop her. In fact, his face had taken a serious undertone.
"But it will never be as brilliant as it was in the sky," Judai said. She couldn't argue that point, and it made her irritable. He conjured another plate. He gave her a haughty grin.
"Then, it is just a hunk of rock," he said and popped a piece of shrimp into his mouth. She remained quiet. He frowned.
"You're kind of lifeless," he said.
"Unlike you, I don't need to say every little thing I think," she snapped at him. He sprawled himself on the rock, staring at her intently.
"Or is there nothing left," he accused. The plates were gone, spirited away from whence they came. She didn't take her eyes off of him in case he chose to leave in a similar fashion. She abandoned her usual stiff countenance.
"What?" she mouthed. Judai had never doubted her before. She'd been proud, strong, whole, all on her own.
"It's hard to share. I would know," he mused, and his eyes flickered for an instant to his multi colored counterpart.
Aslla Piscu, she recalled suddenly. Her focus had decidedly shifted when Judai showed up. And yet, How many times today had she wished for the bird's company? For the gods help? Without him, there was an unusual ache and weariness that she hated, leaving her a listless useless mess.
"I'm right here aren't I," she protested. He cocked his head and puffed his cheeks.
"Are you really?" he accused as she had earlier today. She let out a little laugh. Judai brightened at the sound.
"That's a little better," he said. She nodded absently. He approached her. She patted the hunk of rock beside her. He obliged, holding his hands to the fire. She noted the cold and wished she had kept her robe.
"What do you want?"he asked. She didn't hesitate.
"You," she answered honestly. His eyes widened. Her answer had been unexpected. She hadn't been so forward before, but she had waited longer than he'd ever know. She shivered, and he recovered, relinquishing his jacket.
"Then, why are you still lost?" he countered. The canyon image wavered at the question, taking a surreal like quality. Judai eyes darted to the collapsing landscape nervously. She held her face in her hands.
"I . . . I don't know," she mumbled. He grabbed her shoulder.
"Do you remember what you used to want?"he pressed. She faced him with a reserved expression.
"It doesn't matter anymore," she said. The image began to bleed into a mass of darkness. Her senses picked up the humming bird's presence nearby, and she understood. The figment had yet to give up getting her attention.
"Why?" he asked. She wondered how she missed it before. She indulged him.
"Because,"she began to say. The landscape disappeared completely. Judai's image started to waver.
"I'm too late," he said tiredly. For a moment, she second guessed herself.
"Judai," she shouted. She felt the mattress under her hands. Dizzy, she shut her eyes. Two small hands tugged at her night gown.
"Yes," she acknowledged him. His two big blue eyes looked at her with concern.
"Did mommy have a bad dream about Jay Jay?" Yusei asked. She winced when she realized that she had let his name slip out. Her heartbeat was erratic and the earthbound immortals presence felt encroaching. She pushed against the mass in her mind instinctively. Then, the sudden surge of the humming birds energy calmed her. She sank back into the sheets.
"No, it's okay," she assured him. Tugging on her night gown again, he refused to let the matter drop. Ignoring him, she checked on the other two who were sound asleep. Her agitation lessened with the sight, relieving fears she hadn't realized were there. Yusei didn't stop tugging her nightgown. She turned and stroked his raven locks. He wormed closer to her. Asuka held him tightly and decided to use the situation to her advantage.
"I'm not going to lie. I had a bad dream. I don't like it when people leave me," she confessed. He nodded, immersed in the silken fabric of her nightgown.
"You won't run away will you?" She asked. He lifted his head and yawned.
"No," he replied simply. She patted his head. He was a good kid. Yusei laid back down. She waited until she could hear him breathe evenly.
"I hate you. Why would you do that to me?" she addressed the entity inside her. The being stirred, barely reacting to the insult. She received a small pin prick of pain in response. The attack did nothing to her, serving as a warning shot.
Oh, you think I would plan something like that? It has only confused you. The being's tone regaled a distaste for her indiscretion. She never dreamed, to do so took energy from Aslla Piscu. When she did, she could not tell the difference. The god's power made it vivid, too vivid. Judai, she let the single thought echo.
Forget him, now is not the time to summon him, and to do so in the dream scape was reckless. The god chided. Asuka studied the cracks in the ceiling. It was unlike the creature to be so flustered.
"He blocked you," she realized. The god did not deny it.
In a manner of speaking, he was a good copy but a copy nonetheless. Aslla Piscu admitted, emitting a heat of irritation.
A copy that thought I was broken, she added. The humming bird didn't respond. More of the familiar cooling touch flooded her mind, the desire for rest returned when she needed none, and her eyes closed into the usual oblivion.