The Dunes Of Death
Chapter 2: "Now you are just arguing semantics."
(Orimura bath house)
A young boy and 4 women are currently sitting in an onsen, enjoying the waves of steam dissipating into the air and the gentle heat of the water.
The boy seemed to be deep in thought looking to the moon.
"Hmm...what are you thinking, Ichika." His aunt Shiori questioned him.
"Why do the birds fly south when its cold and north when its warm?" Ichika quipped.
"That is their animal instinct." Minazuki answered while reading a book about advanced chemical biology.
"Instinct?"
"Think of it like...umm...intense emotions that happen depending on a situation." Shiori tried her best to explain.
"Huh?"
"It is a protocol that the bird's parents used to follow, it is so cemented in their behavior that they automatically do it." Izanami decided to speak clearly after sorting her son's question into her own thoughts.
"Reflex?"
"Exactly, but a bit more subtle, instead of your body moving, its your thought processes skipping steps to an ultimate outcome." Izanami went further to explain.
"I see...Was I born with instincts?"
"Of course, you breathe, eat, sleep, these are all instinctual needs. Lets not forget that your drive to protect your loved ones comes from your father."
"I see now! Thanks Kaa-san." Ichika beamed a happy smile.
' Passed on through parents and ancestors huh? So its some sort of genetic memory?...Genetic Memory. I wonder if there is a way to access it?'
Little did the boy know that he just asked a question that he would dedicate his entire life to solving.
(TIME SKIP)
(8 years later)
A 13 year old boy sat in his room sifting through research documents. Piling over them as to distract himself from noticing how late it was.
"I'm so close...this machine is almost complete. Just need to finish the last few lines of coding and algorithms. That research I borrowed back in Sweden helped me out tremendously. As well as that memory transfer ability father taught me, stealing that Warren Vidic's memories helped me increase my progress thrice fold. Hahaha, such a tool he was. Me being subject 0? That poor Aileen woman stood in my place however. Wonder what happened to her?" Ichika mused quietly.
"What happened to who?" A cold voice brushed against his ear, warm breath following it.
"WAHH!" Ichika hurriedly turned toward the sound and flung a dagger from his sleeve in its direction. It was caught out of the air.
There she stood, in the dusk of pure moonlight and smothering candlelight, Chiasa Orimura.
"What are you working on, Ichika?" Chiasa tried peeking on Ichika's papers but they were hurriedly covered by Ichika in a swoosh of a blanket.
"Delicate things." Ichika said.
"Muuu...come on! Tell me!" Chiasa pressured in a fake cute tone.
"You wouldn't believe me even if I could explain. Trust me." Ichika shook his head at his sister.
"Just give me a clue at least?" She lightly begged.
"Genetics." A single word came out of Ichika's mouth.
"I see. I understand now. Delicate indeed, one mess up could send you down a rabbit hole of problems. Just promise me one thing?"
"Hm?"
"Be careful."
"Don't worry, Careful is my middle name."
"Sure. I'll be taking my leave now, good night Ichika." Chiasa opened a portal to her computerized realm.
"Hey hold up!" Ichika hollered after her.
Chiasa turned around, only to be embraced by Ichika and given a peck on the cheek.
"Good night Nee-san!" Ichika beamed at her.
She blushed a slight hue of pink before giving her own peck on his cheek and walking through her portal.
After it closed Ichika let out a sigh and dropped to the ground.
"I was so close to getting my cover blown. Course she had to hit me up with a random inspection now of all times.." Ichika sat on the ground to relax.
He didn't know why, but if he ever thought about telling his parents or sisters about his pet project. He would hear a voice telling him to stop and keep it hidden, if such power fell into the wrong hands. It could blow up in his face. Maybe in the future...maybe.
(The next morning.)
All of the main house Orimura were sat around a very large table eating breakfast.
They engaged in merry conversations with Ichika always starting it off and letting it simmer and rise, then fall, then simmer.
Although thoughts nagged in the back of his mind.
'What the hell do I call it? I worked on it nearly my whole life and still don't got a name for this thing. Should I ask someone? But who?'
Struck with a sudden thought, Ichika started to stare at his aunt Shiori.
(P.O.V Change)
Shiori was calmly and contently eating her breakfast until she felt a strange feeling causing her to pause.
It was as if some interesting development had taken place somewhere on Earth.
Noticing her sisters glances and subtle smirks, she stared back and gave a light smirk of her own.
They had noticed the feeling too it seemed.
Although now she felt a different feeling, like someone was staring at her.
She glanced around while returning to eating, sorting through people to find the one who is watching her and if the gaze is hostile or not. Her sisters decided funny times for duels.
She stumbled upon a pair of piercing sky blue eyes looking back into her own and smiled.
'Oh it's just Ichika.'
He seemed to clumsily return the smile and scratch his neck, before staring back seriously and pointing to his head.
'Huh? Oh he wants to talk to me telepathically, i see.' She nodded at him and put up 2 fingers, closed her sky blue eyes, and reopened them to show almost pure golden eyes.
'Better be sure to encode my connection to him, otherwise Chiasa might see and gain interest.' Shiori finished with her adjustments and established the connection.
'What was it you needed, Ichika?'
'Oh hey aunt Shiori, I had a question.'
'Shoot.'
'Where are memories stored?'
'Eh? Well Ichika it is the hippocampus in the brain. Why?'
'Where is instinct stored?'
'DNA? Why are you asking me this?'
'...I can trust her...she isn't like the others in that way...'
'I can hear you, you know that right?'
'Aunt Shiori...I made something that maybe shouldn't exist yet.'
'...What do you mean by that?' She took a second to pause her eating.
'I have created a machine that allows the user to see genetic memories.'
'Why Ichika?'
'To...to know who and what I really am.'
'Ichika...your my darling nephew, your mother's pride and joy. Why would you go so far as to...?
'I need answers Aunt Shiori, I need them badly. Sometimes I get the feeling that something bad is going to happen to our world and I need the skills to face it.'
'And what do you need of me?'
'A name. A name for the machine destined to save all souls.'
'...Souls huh? What about the...'
'Hm?'
'Animus. It means souls or spirits in Latin.
'That sounds very good actually, thank you.'
'I want you to write reports on what you learn alright?'
'Why? Isn't all this common knowledge found in the archives of the Orimura.'
'Lets just say...5 heirs ago, our forefathers had a brawl in the record areas and may have...obliterated every piece of information before the Kamakura period...'
'...Your joking?'
'Not at all.'
'Fine then, if I find any information related to that time period and before ill send it to you.'
'Good. Oh and Ichika?'
'Yes, Oba-san?'
'I want documentation.'
'I know, I already promis-'
'No.'
'Eh?'
'I want documentation about your personal feelings and emotions about the things you see. Tell me it all and don't leave out any details.'
'You got it Shiori-Obaasan.'
(Time Skip)
The Animus was completed 6 months after its name was brought to life.
A true work of art created by pure hard work and dedication.
Ichika needed a bit of expertise for the final steps in terms of mechanics. The books Aunt Shiori provided helped out massively.
He was ready with credible DNA samples on his part. He took blood and spit from...well the entire main family. Thankfully Aunt Minazuki had vials for that purpose. She claimed it was for "Decoration" but Ichika really didn't care. Neither did she apparently because it had been 6 months since he took them. He had each of the 14 blood samples loaded into the animus. 5 of his elders (dad, mom and aunts.) and 9 of his own generation including himself. He found it strange however, all of his generations DNA samples looked a little identical...a little too identical. They couldn't be clones but the all shared a great amount of genetics with one another curiously.
"I think I'm gonna start now. I dont have anything to do for a while. With summer's missions being taken by Madoka and her superiors." Ichika mumbled to himself.
He sat into the animus, which looked to be a comfortable throne of sorts and concentrated all of his mental energy into keeping himself awake.
5 minutes later, he was in a blissful half-sleep. He was recounting the story of Rin Orimura, the 1st patriarch of the Orimura line.
(6 months later.)
Ichika finished the last of his ancestor's memories reaching until the end of the Asuka period.
He could only utter one thing after the Animus finished compiling all DNA files into its own video files.
"What...the...fuck?" Ichika's eyes appeared in a shocked daze and remained that way for 8 soild minutes. His brain trying to process information in rapid speeds akin to a river.
First off, the start of the Orimura clan is the most arguably strangest possibility. They were for a lack of a better word...precursors to the human race...
Ichika couldn't help but smash his head into a wall.
The Orimura clan is a clan of assassins.
Originally descended from the Isu of freedom and rebellion - CHUNÆCHARH.
A boy who rebelled with the humans against the Isu rule on earth. At the tender age of 18, he single handedly led the rebellion against his own kind.
The reason for his supposed betrayal? "I just want freedom, the choices, the infinite possibilites."
The solar flares came soon, and took with them the greater world.
It seems the boy was prepared and hid Adam and Eve with him in a underground vault he constructed with a good friend Consus.
He also had quite the harem...with both Isu and Human women loving him and his idealistic libertarian viewpoints.
"Let's all just have some fun? like this slavery stuff is kind of annoying?" A statement that won him much support and loyalty by...both sides? The thing with the Isu was that most of them actually liked humans as friends but their "Elite" counsel had other thoughts.
"Bunch of old goats who can't tell their ass from their elbow." as described by his beloved ancestor in front of a global crowd.
Ichika didn't know whether to laugh or feel proud of his ancestry. He sat in the animus for the first time expecting to find blood and sorrow spilled everywhere.
He also learned of his clans...pedigree, sister-brother marriages for preserving the purity of his bloodline...He quickly threw up after learning that. He just couldnt stomach it. After a logical discussion with his Aunt Shiori who revealed that...the practice still continues to this day and that his father is actually...his mom and aunts younger brother(he threw up in front of her on that count. She understood his predicament.)
(Flashback begin.)
"Right so...aww" Ichika groaned feeling bile coming up his throat once again. He shifted a trash bin more closer to him.
"Yes?" Shiori sat in front of him on an opposing couch
"How the hell aren't we like...fucking deformed?" Ichika questioned.
"I was hoping you would find the answer to that actually. But our Orimura gene's are definitely a big reason why."
"Great...more memories of this weird fucked up shit." Ichika held his stomach and started throwing up once more.
All Shiori could do was smile grimly in sympathy.
(Flashback end.)
Well he found the reason. CHUN-...Fuck it...Rebellion is his name.
Rebellion was an Isu...so his genetics werent picked and chosen like humanities.
Meaning that the Isu scientist purposely put the genetics of anti...well family marriages into human's genetic codes.
The reason by the "Elite" counsel: "Everything for these slaves must be hard. Grueling. Agonizing. Presenting them a mate from their own clans would be too lax. We wish to see them suffer to the highest degree. To find and lose love, to break their hearts. They deserve such pains for existing. For being able to do things that we physically cannot do, they must be punished mentally and emotionally."
In laymens terms, make mating a very hard process. after all if everyone could...fall for their own kin and not have any reprecussions. the human population would...increase by...500 thousand percent.
"Man what in fucks name..." Ichika muttered.
Rebellion had quite a large harem of about...23 women. A few of which included his own sisters...
Ichika proceed to smash his head harder into the concrete wall before him trying to not think of the images the animus showed him.
Each of these 23 women got their own branches in history...many leading to vast empires. Egypt was a long related cousin. Britain was a closer cousin. and the Japanese monarchy split from the Orimura clan during the Asuka period which meant...
"Holy shit I'm royalty?" Ichika muttered with a shocked look.
Anyway, getting to more important parts...
Reiki. The greatest mystery of the Orimura clan was quite literally Isu powers.
As Isu's get older, they get stronger. Rebellion was 355 before he had any children..with the Orimura clan being last at his age of 594...which meant they were...like 239 times stronger than the first one children.
"Now i know where the superiority complex of Jaaku Reiki user's come from."
Rebellion had 2 personalities it seemed. Sort of...Isu bi polared.
These became Jaaku and Junsuina Reiki's.
Or to be more accurate. Akuma and Tenshi reiki's which where the original reiki's but had to be sealed due to...freak accidents... over time they could be once again acheived...or through "Special training."
Also the Orimura clan were a clan of hidden ones?
Hidden ones were beings who preserved freedom with 3 tenets to their creed.
Hide in plain sight and never comprise the hidden ones. His family definitely still follow those two.
Stay your blade from the blood of the innocent...nope. He just saw his sister Chisaya pull out a revolver and shoot a women for gawking at her for too long in his last mission.
Apparently the 1st patriarch decided to disband his sect of the hidden ones. So they must remain somewhere in some sort of sect in this time as well.
Ichika needs more information...modern information.
"Man imma sleep, my head is just...wow." Ichika went to his room and decided to sleep everything off. It was like he was in a constant fever dream with the knowledge bestowed upon him.
He knew one thing though, he's just going to give his aunt the story from the 1st patriarch/matriarch till the end of the Asuka era. No way in hell is explaining Isu times to her.
(The next day)
*YAWN*
Ichika awoke with a fresh mind.
He walked to his lab hidden beneath, Shiro Yashiki, his mansion.
The animus had finished compiling data into video files. He quickly grabbed a tablet and plugged it into the animus's data core. He uploaded his selected data (carefully selected to completely ignore the Isu bits) into the tablet. He would have to give this personally to his aunt. She would then as agreed get Nobume or Miko to sit down and scribe all of the video files into actual books for the archives. All without mentioning his name. He didnt want anyone but her to know what he just experienced. She knew just as well as him about the side effects of prolonged use of the Animus.
Bleeding effect. That's the name he came up with for it. Or rather Warren Vidic did, seemed the bastard was still alive. He had to kill him and quickly. He was a major loose end to his plan to remain a well kept secret. If Chiasa picked up interest in the technology and hacked their records, she would no doubt find him listed there under Ruiji Fujimoto as subject 0. Can't have that happening, not now, not ever.
Oh right. Bleeding effect. The user of the animus basically goes through...schizophreniac moments where he or she believes they are their ancestor...He has had it happen to him before.
(Flashback Begin)
On a mission to Russia, the icy tundra ignited a memory of his...no it was Rin Orimura's. Rin was relaxing with his brother in the tundra, even though both were Jaaku reiki users and were prone to violent situations, something about this tundra enraptured both of them enough to quietly enjoy themselves. Going as far as to set up camp and sleep in the same tent(Unheard of by jaaku reiki users at the time.) and acted like actual brothers instead of assassins. They laughed and played in the snow with one another. As soon as that memory triggered, Ichika looked over to his mission partner Chifuyu and loudly called:
"Oi, Yukio, I'll race you to that hill!" and took off. Chifuyu was, of course, confused at this turn of events but still chased him down.
After stumbling his way onto the hill like a drunkard, Ichika merrily laughed and hollered down to Chifuyu:
"Boohoo, I win, Yukio!" With a cheeky grin and teasing eyes.
Chifuyu at this point was startingly worried, had the cold driven her brother mad?
"I did not even agree to such a challenge, Ichika. And who is this Yukio?" Chifuyu's eyebrow arched.
"Ichika...? Who?...oh" Ichika seemed to ponder his own name(?) for a moment before his eyes snapped open in brief shock.
"Why did you call me Yukio, Ichika?" Chifuyu did not seem to be wanting to let this one down.
Ichika filtered his head for a response to justify calling his sister his ancestors name.
"Uhhh Yukio means snow boy right?"
"Yes?"
"W-Well...You hold power over snow and your mannerisms are kinda like...uhh"
"A boy?"
Ichika nodded and immediately caught a snowball to the face. Hard.
"Owwwwwwww."
"Don't tease me!"
The two locked eyes for a brief moment and started laughing to one another.
Chifuyu laughed because it was a great moment to have with her younger brother.
Ichika laughed in intense relief, glad he wasn't caught spilling his secrets.
(Flashback end)
Ichika smiled lightly at the memory.
He talked about it to Shiori the next day, quite rudely now that he looks at it in retrospect, literally ripping her out of a conversation with Chisaya about clan finances. It went...well?
(Flashback Begin)
After moving to a very private room, Shiori heard it all with a calm smile on her face. As soon as he was done, her smile turned downward quite fast.
"Ichika...I think you should take a break from the Animus for about...4 days."
"4 DAYS?!" Ichika hollered but quickly put a hand over his mouth.
"Hehehe, i know you are excited about really using the machine to its fullest capacity but please...as your medical caretaker, I explicitly advise you to stop using it for a short period." Shiori explained.
Ichika felt rage for the first time in his life. The same way Rin and his sister Isane did whenever something would interrupt their peace filled tea sessions. Pure rage, like an animal unchained. THE ANIMUS WAS HIS GODDAMNIT, HE MADE THE MACHINE, HE WILL FUCKING USE IT.
The next words out of Ichika's mouth came as a total shock to both, as if his soul seemed to manifest words before his mind could process them properly. His innate Jaaku Reiki awakened as well...though it seemed to possess some of his ancestor's nature as well.
"But my life is so fucking boring! My ancestor's one's had so much freedom and strife to them while I'm stuck in this boring shithouse of a compound! I would rather be them then me, it's not like anyone really wants my dumb ass around all the time anyway."
Shiori saw Ichika's look of shock to what he said after his mind became clear from his Reiki's influence. He cursed? Sure he did cure rarely, but never in a row like this. Shiori's mind processed his words in a instant afterwards and immediately became angered. Her eyes turned sharp golden and her reiki's control slightly misaligned.
"Wait i didnt mea-" Ichika put his hands up placatingly.
*SLAP*
Ichika felt a sting on his right cheek. His head was turned left instantly.
It took him 2 seconds to register what just happened to him.
He just got slapped by his aunt Shiori? The pacifistic aunt who always takes care of him?
He turned back to her to witness a sight he thought was impossible.
Shiori Orimura, The cherry blossom of death, was...crying tears..?
"Hey, Hey Aunt-"
"Shut up."
Ichika immediately closed his mouth and looked down to the floor.
He felt two powerful hands wrap around his shoulders, forcing him to look at his aunt's eyes.
They stared at one another for a few seconds, the atmosphere was tenser then robbery. Ichika broke his silence first.
"I'm sorry, Aunt Shiori. I don't know what came over me."
Shiori's lips briefly trembled. She enveloped him into a hug very quickly. Nearly knocking the wind out of the poor boy.
"Just...never ever think that ever again, Ichika! Your life is not your ancestor's, hell it could be something way better, imagine it and stick to your goals and you could do way more than 1000 year old fossils. Ichika, maybe you can't see it, perhaps you are not wise enough yet. But everyone in this compound loves you more then you know, they would be ready to lay down their lives and pride for you! Ichika, you have to understand, without your presence our whole family would decay and fall apart in a matter of minutes. SO NEVER EVER THINK YOUR NOT IMPORTANT TO US, YOU HEAR ME?"
Ichika nodded with mixed tears of sorrow and happiness. Sorrow for the pain in his aunt's voice and knowing that he caused it. Happiness because he knows every word she is saying is absolutely true. After all, It's his dear Aunt Shiori who never lied to him in any matter, not even a misdirection, she spoke in only absolutes.
"I'm sorry for slapping you, it was a bad action caused by such careless actions. All of the main family loves you so much, from your father to your sister's. Us aunts especially, We are so proud of you and your progress. You have exceeded even our expectations. I hope you can forgive me." Shiori whispered with regret lacing her voice.
"If only you can forgive me, Aunt." Ichika pulled back and smiled clumsily.
"Of course." Shiori brightly smiled with joy.
Ichika was put into a trance because of his aunt's happy smile but smiled back all the same.
They relaxed and embraced for a few minutes more until it was time for Ichika's lessons with Saya in spear techniques.
(Flashback end.)
Ichika shook his head wistfully at the memory.
*PING*
Animus has finished transfer.
Ichika unplugged the cord between the Animus and tablet. He held the tablet firmly to himself, and got upstairs in record time.
However, an unexpected interruption found itself in front of him.
His mother.
Ichika laid eyes on her on his way and clutched the tablet behind him. He saw Sora standing behind her and used a special ability he picked up from his ancestors, as well as practice from his Aunt Shiori.
'Sora!'
'Young master, how are you doing-'
'Enough of that! Listen, there is a tablet behind me. I need you to take it and get it out off sight as fast as possible. I'm hiding it from everyone including Izanami Orimura.'
He didnt know that his ability usage was noticed by his mother, she didn't hear the previous conversation, due to her being interested in the sudden usage of his new ability.
She decided to wait but ultimately decided to join the conversation now.
'Oh Ichika dear, what are you discussing with your attendant?'
Ichika displayed shock on his face.
'Of course, i forgot you also could use this, I'm asking for breakfast.'
'My my, well you dont need to worry for that, come. Eat with your Kaa-san.'
"Wait, really?" Ichika decided to cut the three-way link.
"Oh sure, I was thinking why don't we go visit your father for breakfast, he is probably awakened right now."
"Sora could you bring me my coat please." Sora quickly nodded at made her way to get her master's coat.
Mother and son just stared at one another. Not much could be said in this moment, it was a simple transitionary moment.
"Are you excited to see your father, Ichika?" Izanami looked a bit curious
"Of course! I'm sure he is well." Ichika grinned faintly.
"I'm sure he will be surprised when he sees your hair." Izanami commented with a rumbling chuckle.
"M-My hair?"
It was at this moment Sora arrived behind Ichika and put the coat onto his shoulders.
Ichika quickly ducked his hands out backwards to Sora, who quickly took and put it behind her back. This action was never suspicious to Izanami or anyone else.
"Yes, your hair...Ichika, have you not taken a look at your self in a while?" Izanami became confused.
"er...no?" Ichika stuttered. He had been taking care of hygiene and hair care even though spending most days in the animus. But the exact specifications of his face and hair eluded even him. He went through the hygienic processes without much thought due to the shocks and stories told through the infernal machine.
"Umi, bring a mirror." Ichika ordered firmly. Using his voice that demanded great urgency.
After a mirror had been retrieved, he had been embarrassed to see it reached his waist.
He went to the kitchen and nabbed some shears he had lying for his occasional sewing escapades, as he brought it to his hair, a hand stopped him.
"Don't cut it, it looks beautiful." Izanami tilted her head at her son's actions.
"I'm a guy..." Ichika muttered with a light blush at the sudden praise.
"And? Just because you have long hair doesn't detract from your manliness, it shows confidence." Izanami explained.
They held one another's gaze for a solid 20 seconds. Confused son and loving/supportive mother.
"Right. Let us go then? I'm sure you know where Aunt Shiori is?" Ichika said as they made there way out of [Shiro Yashiki]
"Who says she is the only one that can open portals." Izanami pulled out her iron fan and cut through the air in an X motion.
A black portal opened in front of both of them.
"Okay...wow." Ichika's face held surprise and shock.
A mother's quiet giggle echoed throughout the mountains of Kyoto.
AN: this is the second chapter of mockeries. This is Tbt x assassins creed. Im thinking of writing a continuation. Hell i could probably make a whole story to it. Enjoy my passionate writings.
Reviews reactions:
Kerlongsj Evert Orlejov: Thank you! Do you wish for me to continue that small one shot and make it into a full story, because believe me, i am lowkey thinking of doing so. Please do consider pming me if you wish it so.
Vercingetorix Rex: If you meant some other thing, i dont comprehend. If this was a sneak diss meant at me, fuck yourself respectfully. Much love.
Anubis-Bahumut.
