So I've been playing with this one for a while. I've written it, rewritten it, and I'm rewriting it again. This time, I actually have a plan. (A plan is always good I suppose!) Let me know what you think...? And this time there will be a lot more Itachi. Promise.
I don't really work well with others. It's kind of hard when I know things about them that they don't know I know. Don't get confused.
One might assume that a dream catcher can see other's dreams, maybe even hear their thoughts. Nope. It's actually much simpler. I just travel into people's dreams and other fun things. Most people dream of memories of things they feel emotionally strong about. Some people dream of nonsense. I've experienced it all. The problem is the part I play in the dreams. But that is a story for another time.
July - Day One
I was walking somewhere. I could feel the cement under my feet but only darkness surrounded me. Bubbles of various colors, containing the dreams of strangers, glowed in the darkness. A pink bubble shown in the distance, brighter than the rest. A green to my left dimmed in comparison. A grayish blue bubble shown at my side. I could feel my own bubble-the one that surrounded me- expand, trying to come in contact with a person's dream. I stood there and stared at the dull blue bubble my presence was reaching for. I looked closer at the bubble, trying to get a better idea of the dream it contained. I could just make out images of buildings and an empty street. I felt my range of contact push into the bubble, and my sense of gravity began to turn.
I felt myself flip and fall until I was pushed into a sitting position. Momentarily disoriented, I let out a breath before looking around at the dream that I had just entered. I was sitting at the top of a building with my feet hanging off the edge. The sky was bright, and a light breeze blew past me. I looked around for another person. In the distance I could see a women at a food stand. Maybe it was her dream. I jumped down from the roof, my feet landing softly. I looked around. I had never been to this place, but I could see the Konoha mountains in the distance. Oh, so this dream was probably from someone in the village. It was often that I happened to choose the dream of someone so close to me. I didn't recognize this part of the village though. Was this a made up part of town?
I began walking towards the woman at the stand until I noticed another person walking towards me. He seemed to not be paying attention to all that was around him. Just walking. As he got closer, I noticed the Anbu mask he was wearing. Screw the lady, this guy looked much cooler. Anbu were awesome. I started to walk towards him curiously and he stopped nearly ten feet away.
His mask was of a cat. I quite liked cats. And thus I liked this Anbu. He stared at me for a moment before tilting his head slightly to the side.
"Did you live here?" He asked me. What should I say? I didn't know who this was and I didn't want to give away my secret. Why else would I be in his dream.
"Yes," I lied. I noticed him look down in response to my words. Was it a gesture of sadness, or maybe guilt? I heard him mutter something under his breath.
"I don't even remember you..." he said quietly to himself. He lifted his head once more to look at me through the eyes of a cat. "What was your name?"
...Was?
Huh. This must be a dream of the past then.
I answered honestly, "Seiko." Well, half honestly. Didn't want him researching my family name.
He nodded. Moments passed as he stared at me, as if trying to remember me.
...And he was still staring.
Okay, this is getting awkward. I should say something. What should I say? I couldn't think of anything. Augh, the longer I didn't say anything, the more awkward this got. Just say something, Seiko!
"Why do you wear a mask?" I blurted out. Immediately I felt stupid. What a stupid question. But he answered.
"I am an Anbu. The Anbu must wear masks to conceal their identity," he said. Wow. He answered a stupid question as though it was an acceptable question. I nervously grabbed at a lock of my hair. It was nearly as dark as mystery Anbu man.
Why was even I trying to talk to this guy? Did I know it was a guy? A bit sexist assuming ultra powerful ninja man is a male. There I go again. Ultra powerful ninja man. It was definitely a guy.
Again there was silence. I bit my lip and looked around at the buildings. I looked past him and the lady at the shop was gone. So it was this Anbu's dream. I didn't want to ask who this strange person was. I didn't want to accidentally steal any of this village's secrets. Anbu are pretty serious.
But there was a silence that continued to drag on as the Anbu lowered his head. He seemed to be thinking about something. Finally, he looked back up at me.
"Want to sit and talk somewhere?" He asked politely. I nodded, a silly blush hitting my face. Gosh, I hope this Anbu doesn't catch sight of me in the village. That would be so embarrassing. And then he'll know my secret and the Hokage will have to explain to him how it is top secret and then I am going to be found out by everyone and shunned. Not to mention, I'd probably be accused of trying to steal secrets and interrogated on what I found out.
Basically, lots of bad shit would happen if I was recognized by this Anbu dude in real life and I really picked the wrong dream here and should really leave.
But hey. He had a kitty mask.
He turned, waiting for me to follow and starting walking off. I scurried to catch up and starting walking along side him. He was taller than me, with long dark hair that was tied in a pony tail. I could see loose strands fall at the sides of the cat mask he wore. I could tell it was definitely male from the male structure and clothes he wore. Classic ninja outfit. It seemed a bit outdated, but regardless, he was a shinobi. There was a small shop with the Kanji 茶 'cha' written on the cloth that lined the doorway. The masked man pushed his way past the cloth and I followed after. Small tables were scattered here and there. A tea shop? I need to do some serious exploring of the village. I've never been here.
We sat at a table in the corner near the door. Scratch marks were on the table where we sat. I ran my fingers along the grain of the table nervously. The Anbu man sat on the other side but faced slightly away from me.
"The dango here is the best. I've never been able to find anywhere to replace it." He murmured.
I nodded, pretending to understand why it needed to be replaced in the first place. Maybe this place actually didn't exist in real life?
A lady walked by the table. Her face was unnaturally shadowed, obscuring her features. This was common in other people's dreams. When the Anbu man turned to look up at the girl, the shadows lifted, allowing her face to be seen. That was common too. It was as if anyone in a dream was just a featureless, background character unless they had the dreamer's attention.
"Harumi-san," He acknowledged her kindly. "Can we have some Mitarashi Dango and," he paused and turned to me, "What kind of tea do you like?" He asked. Judging by the Hokage Mountain, this place must be somewhere in the east corner of the village. What was in that corner. I hardly went there. There was never a need. Did he just ask me a question? Tea? Tea? What's Tea?!
"I don't know." I answered. Did I just ask myself what's tea? Stupid startled brain. I need to pay more attention.
"Let's try some Matcha first." He told the girl and slowly she faded back into the background of the dream.
Silence took over the table. I looked up at him and he seemed to gaze past me at the entrance of the shop. His sight lingered there for a moment before turning to me. I looked away quickly and scolded myself for staring.
"I haven't been to this shop in a long time." He murmured.
"Why not?" I asked abruptly.
He looked down again. With the mask, I could hardly discern the expression that must have been on his face.
I couldn't help but let my curiosity show. It was one of those features they don't teach you to school in the academy. "I just could never come back," he said lowly.
"Until now." I responded. He head tilted slightly to look up at me. He seemed to gaze there for a moment.
"Until now." He repeated.
For a moment, the rest of the shop seemed to blur. I pulled at my dark hair unsurely. Strange.
He stared at me for several moments before I turned my sight to return the gaze. It fell back onto the porcelain mask. My eyes failing to look past it. Then, his hand reached over his mask and he started to pull it away. Shocked, I turned away. I couldn't see his face! Was that treason? I'd know the identity of one of Konoha's Anbu.
I started hardly at the blurry wall to our right. I could barely see his features in my peripherals. I will not look. I will not look.
"You turn away," he stated. Hurt washed through his dream, the emotions suddenly contacting me. Guilt. Anger. Sorrow. Shit. I don't like this dream.
"I just-" and I turned for just moment. Sitting there was a gorgeous boy of holy shit is that an Uchiha? My shock was so plainly clear that I felt myself being pulled from the dream. Holy shit.
The next morning, I couldn't stop thinking about the dream and the boy I had met last night. I was still distracted as I walked down the streets of Konoha.
"Uck."
Crap. I just ran into someone. Sasuke Uchiha. Ugh. He's so unfriendly. He likes to give stare downs to people that annoy him and holy shit. He's an uchiha. Did I - Did I go into his dream? I cowered suddenly in the boy's presence until I realized he was 12 years old and I was 16. Seiko. Stop it. He doesn't know it was really you in his dream.
I tried to not cower before the great and mighty Uchiha until he let out a quick, "pfft," and stalked away. Little brat. I realized however, that the boy in the dream was quite a bit older. And an Anbu.
An Anbu.
A then I was curled over laughing. The little Sasuke brat dreams of himself older as an Anbu. Ha, that's just great.
Unless of course, it might not have been Sasuke's dream. Could have been an Uchiha-esque individual. With pretty hair. And a pretty face. And a pretty kitty mask- Stop that. I scolded myself.
Anyways, as I continued to ponder my life circumstances, I decided I was hungry.
Ichiraku's had the best ramen and at an affordable price too. I sat down and Ayame, the owner's daughter, came by to take my order.
"Usual beef ramen?" she asked with a smile. I was about to nod yes, but a memory came to my mind.
"Do you have any dango?" I asked. Ayame nodded.
"What kind were you looking for?" she asked. I opened my mouth to speak and then paused. What kind? There were kinds?
"Uh…" I trailed off. She laughed a moment and began listing off different types.
"We've got Yaki Dango, Anko, Kinako, Cha, Botchan, and Mitarashi," she smiled when she finished. Holy crap there were a lot. I was curious about the Anko Dango, but maybe I would see that boy again and I could try it with him.
Wait? What? Seiko. You will never see that boy again. What are you doing even thinking about him?
Flustered, I blurted out the only one that seemed familiar to me, "I'll have the Mitarashi Dango, please."
So, uh. Reviews? Maybe? (. .)