Must Be Dreaming
Orchestration I: Threshold
"Welcome to Our Town"
Sasuke observed his mother from within the RahXephon. She was facing him head on, ignoring the blood trailing down her face.
"Mom…" his face scrunched up in confusion.
"So you've awakened, Sasuke. It was long," she stood from her knelt position," and what I lost was also great.
"What do you mean? What are you saying, Mom?" sweat trickled down his jaw.
"I've been waiting. For the day your blood would awaken within you."
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
Shinobu Kushina's fingers flew furiously across the keyboard before her as Masayoshi Fugaku watched Fortissimo sing its chilling melody.
"Quantum condensation reaction in the Dolem." The redhead informed the observing man. Fugaku leaned over her shoulder to further inspect the screen.
"FD phase conversion increasing rapidly."
"Its FD phase conversion coefficient is… " He stared in nervous anticipation as beads of perspiration littered his brow.
"Is it going to awaken?
The red clad figures tuned to Fortissimo and Allegretto remained floating within their glass entrapments.
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
"I can barely hear you! The Dolem and Xephon are… What?!" the lanky man shouted in surprise as the wall behind him crumbled and Allegretto appeared behind Mikoto.
"Mom!" Sasuke yelled, leaning forward inside the RahXephon anxiously. A gasp escaped his lips as his mother came into view, unharmed and floating atop a slab of concrete before the dolem's face.
She hovered above the debris before shifting to stand on Allegretto's head, extending her arms forward as if seeking an embrace; closed crimson eyes slid open to halfway.
"Come, Sasuke, my… " The sentence trailed off as the large blue dolem moved towards RahXephon.
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
Pink hair whipped rapidly about her face as she rushed quickly up the rocky step path suspended in the air.
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
Mikoto's red eyes widened in shock when they zoned in on the scarlet clothed female upon RahXephon's shoulder; Reika gazed back calmly.
"You are…" Mikoto murmured. Reika smirked.
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
"Sasuke, no!" the green eyed female hollered at him just before the wall behind her exploded. She cried out in surprise when a large chunk flew at her. Sasuke jerked to the left, plunging his arm through a clear liquid barrier that rippled around his arm. The RahXephon's arm shot forward, its hand closing around the woman to block the debris. Fortissimo appeared before him, but he paid it no mind.
Sasuke sighed in relief when he pulled RahXephon's arm away to view the crouched figure with hands shielding her head. Light illuminated RahXephon's hand as a brilliant white circle encased the female, she hovered unconscious in his palm.
The large humanoid being's wings extended from its head as his mouth opened to cry its tune. It soared into the air, shooting through the opening in the ceiling of the domed room to the skies above, Fortissimo following after.
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
Sasuke's mother swiped at the blood on her face as she whispered to herself.
"That is Ixtli? I see."
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
The wind blew violently around Reika from her position on RahXephon's shoulder.
"Sing, RahXephon, sing your song." Pupils within red eyes dilated at these words.
"The song that is forbidden. Sing, RahXephon, so that someday, all will become one." Sasuke turned to look at his left shoulder.
"Haruno?" his head wrenched back to face the large red creature in front of him as a luminous yellow orb gathered before Fortissimo's mouth. RahXephon's arm came up to block the wide yellow beam of light that shot forward. Sasuke's eyes shut tight as he braced himself against the attack. The ray continued past him to the city beyond, an explosion rocked the earth below as it made contact. RahXephon's hand fell from its left shoulder only to find Haruno Reika gone.
"Haruno?" Sasuke called looking left to right in search of the girl. He stared in dread as a long pink ribbon fluttered through the air. Eyes widened as an image of the light cherry-headed young woman flickered in his mind. The strip of cloth continued its descent through the night sky in front of RahXephon. Shadows fell across his face before he threw his head back to release a scream of anguish.
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
Kushina and Fugaku stared in awe as the scream reverberated within the facility, the alarm blasting throughout the building.
"Xephon's quantum condensation field has increased beyond our ability to measure. Level 12-plus." Scribbles of lines ran across the monitor at the bottom as two different screens above it displayed Fortissimo and RahXephon's fluctuating harmonious melodies.
"It's resonating with the aria?!" Fugaku cried in disbelief.
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
Fortissimo prepared for another attack, shooting the beam forward again at the RahXephon. Sasuke's scream cut off as he lurched ahead, an invisible force field had appeared around RahXephon's body, protecting it from the attack.
A roar ripped from his throat as he thrust his arm frontward. Rahxephon's hand closed around the dolem's neck and squeezed mercilessly.
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
Within the glass cage, Fortissimo's host attempted to free itself from strangulation.
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
Sasuke snarled in rage at the same time as RahXephon's hand radiated gold light. Fortissimo's body shattered to pieces in his grasp.
Above him a multicolored band appeared around a luminous white vortex. RahXephon's body slowly floated towards it.
Fortissimo's face was crushed within RahXephon's hand.
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
The red clad body behind the glass released a silent scream before disintegrating in to nothing.
"This is…"
Fugaku straightened as he and Kushina watched the monitor before them. Three square, green grids were layered one after another about an earth sphere.
"Quantum condensation field converging into a dipolar shape. Merging with the boundary. A corridor has been formed." Kushina reported as the top grid curved inward, gradually moving through the second grid until it reached the third.
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
The white vortex closed around RahXephon, ripples converging from the midpoint point of the once there circle, the sky returned to its original state.
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
"It appears Xephon has leapt the Barrier."
"The Barrier?! Are you saying it got outside?! It's gone outside with Ollin?! This is terrible!"
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
Mikoto gazed into the sky from within the Room of Rah.
"Go on, Sasuke. You will come back to me again without fail." she smiled. "Together with Ixtli, without fail."
A crab skittered across the ground, pausing before the dazed boy's face. His eyes opened mo.o.o.o.o.o.o. to look at the creature before it continued on its way. Sasuke rolled on to his back, gasping in shock as his eyes locked on to the large winged titan above him. He quickly got to his feet before running a slight distance away, pausing as his gaze rose in to the air. Beyond a rundown building, a thin metal tower, and over a wide expanse of trees, a large red, orange, and brown bubble stretched far in to the sky. He gaped in wonder at the spectacle.
Behind him a door on a shore stuck boat burst open. The pink haired woman stood with her arms crossed, muttering to herself in thought.
"This place is no good either. No usable communication unit." Fingers strummed against her forearm in frustration.
"Well, what to do now?" she questioned herself with a sigh.
"Hey!" her head cocked to the side at Sasuke's call.
"You're awake. How do you feel?"
Sasuke jumped over the side of the boat, arm extending to point at the sphere behind him.
"That thing! What is that? That wall-like thing?"
"That? It's Tokyo Jupiter." she said with a smile. "It sort of looks like Jupiter, doesn't it?"
Sasuke frowned at her, "Tokyo Jupiter?" he asked. She glanced at him over her shoulder.
"Right, the place that was your entire world until just now." She responded.
"What do you mean?"
"Quiet!" A hand was thrust back to silence him as she jerked to face forward
Something darted through the shadows. The woman took off after it, leaping over the side of another bought and peering off its ledge in search of the intruder. Sasuke followed, coming to a halt to look over the edge she was perched upon, rocking the boat in the water. She cried out in surprise as she lost her balance, tumbling towards the water.
Everything moved in slow motion as Sasuke lunged forward to wrap his arms around her waist, his chin pressed into her body.
Splash!
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
Water dripped from her hair and body as she trudged on in annoyance, her pink jacket thrown over her right shoulder.
"I said I was sorry. But it's partly your fault for getting up there too." Sasuke proclaimed, his features schooled in disdain of the whole situation.
He paused behind her as she stopped in front of a large map of the island they were currently on.
"Miura Peninsula?!" Sasuke said in astonishment. "Wasn't the outside world obliterated a long time ago?"
"That's what you've been taught to believe, but as you can see, this place really exists." He turned his head to her.
"Can't believe it? Very well, it is better not to believe everything you're told. You're not a child after all. You never know, I might have contrived all this just to confuse you."
"What for?" She started in shock at his question.
"I wouldn't say such things if I were intending to confuse you, now would I?" Her eyes narrowed and twitched just before she drew in a breath and sneezed.
"Well, we're both on the verge of catching a cold. That's a fact."
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
They entered an old, rundown shopping center in search of spare clothing and food.
Sasuke exited his fitting room fiddling with the cuff of his long sleeved, pink button up shirt beneath the purple jersey with a gold star in a red circle he wore. His pants were a deep burgundy, a belt encircling his waist, his feet sheathed in brown shoes. A phone covered in dust caught his attention on a counter, he brushed it off with his hand. A voice called to him from a different changing room.
"You're just wasting your time trying it." Sasuke twisted to look at the moth eaten cloth shielding the pink haired woman from view. His gaze moved to her feet where she was removing a yellow sock and leisurely trailed up.
"There's no power here. Same with the phones." He swiftly turned back to the phone, pressing his finger to the dial tone button, as he caught sight of her underwear clad through holes and gashes in the curtain. He hung the phone up after his futile attempts to get a tone. The sound of clanging metal alerted him to her presence as she threw the cloth back and stepped out.
She wore a black jacket over a green shirt, a brown skirt held up by a black belt, draped over thighs to her calves, socks and black heels covered her feet.
"Done?" He asked, his eyes trailing over her form.
"I am, at least." Her narrowed eyes ran critically over his attire, eyebrow cocked.
"What?"
"Rejected!" she cried.
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
Sasuke grumbled in irritation as he slipped the brown jacket on. He had been forced to change his entire outfit except for his shoes. He cut his eyes towards the woman only to find her watching him, her gaze soft and a smile on her face.
"Now that's more like it" she spoke, his eyebrow twitched.
She lifted a bottle of mineral water to her face and blew the dust from it, coughing as a cloud rose in the air. She threw the container in a fit of fury, before tossing the others in to the cart Sasuke stood behind. They continued through the store searching for non-perishable items, Sasuke paused beside a display of boxes, picking one up to inspect.
"I wouldn't if I were you. Food in sealed packs doesn't last as well as canned goods." she warned.
"What? But sealed packs are still okay for about three years, right?"
"Three years?" she took the box from his grasp to read.
"Oh, right. You don't know yet, do you?"
"Know what?" she walked away without answering his question.
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
They made their way across a barren parking lot, Sasuke pushing the shopping cart behind the leading female.
"Where are we going know?"
"The sun's going to set soon. We'd better go back to the RahXephon and find a place to settle in." she replied casually.
"The RahXephon?" Sasuke paused in pushing the cart as she turned to him.
"Right, that giant with wings. You were assimilated with that thing. Don't you remember?"
Sasuke stared at the giant in question.
"RahXephon…"
'Today, the members of Japan's skateboard jumping team were announced in anticipation of the .o.o.o.o.o.o.o.Kabul Olympics starting in July next year. On the women's team is Yui Nagase, who had to settle for a silver medal in the last Olympics in 2024 at Pyongyang.'
"2024?!" Sasuke gaped at the radio.
"Is something wrong?"
"Didn't he just say 2024?"
"Yes, he did."
"But it's 2015 right now isn't it? I was born in 1998 and… "she cut him off.
"You're seventeen years old, right? Wait a minute, I'm getting confused." She looked down at her watch, ticking her fingers off as she counted in her head.
"Today's November 10th, right?"
"November?!"
"Of 2027, yes."
"Are you from the future?" the chopsticks she held clattered to her plate as she threw her head back laughing, her right arm resting over her stomach. She rolled over onto the floor while Sasuke watched her in confusion. It stopped as suddenly as it started, her eyes opened as she gazed at him from the floor.
"It'll take me a while to explain it to you. Do you want to hear it right away?" Sasuke looked down as he answered.
"I may not be able to understand, even if you tell me."
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
Sasuke watched silently while the rosette poured coffee into a mug before offering to him.
"Is what I said bothering you? That this might be some kind of conspiracy too? He accepted the mug gratefully and sipped at it, cringing at the flavor.
"It's not quite as sweet as love or black as the Devil, but it's still coffee, you know?"
"I feel like I know how Urashimataro felt now."
"Though the RahXephon's a bit too big to be a treasure casket." They chuckled at the comment shortly, before Sasuke's mood changed.
"I wasn't able to save my friend, Reika. Tell me one thing."
"All right, what is it?"
"My mom and my friends… They still exist on the other side of that wall, right? Tokyo Jupiter…"
"That's what we call it."
"They're alive in there, right?" She nodded in affirmation.
"They're alive…" he murmured quietly to himself, his shoulders slumping in relief.
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
Morning found the pink hair female sleeping lightly beneath a red sleeping bag. Her eyes fluttered open slowly to be greeted by a similar empty blue one. She sat up with a start snatching the note from the palette.
"Sasuke?!"
'Please don't look for me.'
She signed in exasperation at the piece of paper.
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
Sasuke wandered the ghost city, silently taking in his surroundings. He travelled by abandoned buildings, down deserted roads, through empty parks in curious amazement. He trudged up a steep street, pausing to look around. Ringing sounded from his left where a pay phone sat idly. He pressed the receiver to his ear before speaking.
"Hello? Hello?"
"…suke…" He gasped in shock as his mother's voice filtered through.
"Sasuke…"
"Mom?!"
"Be careful, Sasuke."
"Mom, where are you right now? Tokyo? You're still in Tokyo, right? Right now, I'm…"
"They… The ones that wrecked our city… They'll try to make you forget about me."
"Make me forget?! What do you mean, forget? How could they do something like that? Hey, Mom, I saw you! That was you, wasn't it? With those men?!"
"They'll compel you to hate me. They're sure to try and make you believe. All sorts of things… They'll do anything to that end. Be careful."
Sasuke pulled the phone away from his face.
"Then, that woman's really a…"
"I'll be waiting." His mother's voice sounded from the phone followed by unintelligible mumbling then static.
"Mom! Please, tell me! What was with that blood? Why was your blood…" Sasuke cried in to the phone. A picture of blue blood trailing over his mother's cheek flashed through his mind. The phone hung limply from its cord as Sasuke dashed away. He rushed beneath a wire fence, his jacket catching on a stray piece; he tugged it away sharply before continuing on. He stopped at the edge of a cliff to stare at the large half dome of the pseudo-Jupiter.
The squeak of tires behind him alerted him to the presence of his female companion. They gazed silently at one another before she spoke.
"On the other side is your city. There's ten kilometers from here to that wall. It's assumed that the lower part is also hemispherical."
"But we made it out of there."
"That's true."
"Then I could also go back."
"You can't. New technology was finally developed recently to get past that wall of time-potential, but a colossal amount of energy is required to use it. No matter how much you wish to go back, I have no means of helping you right now." The wind blew her pink locks in her eyes as she looked down.
"I'm not saying this to be mean."
He turned to look at the giant globe, his eyes narrowing before he yelled at it.
"Damn it all!"
He took the bike from her grasp, turning it to face from the way they had come before throwing his leg over it and waiting silently.
"What is it?"
"Get on." Was his simple command.
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
She rode side-saddle behind him, her arms locked around his waist, face pressed into his back.
"I have to call for pick-up somehow." she muttered softly.
"A pick-up?"
"You weren't going to live in that rundown boat forever, were you?" she questioned good-naturedly. They continued in silence until they reach the bay, where their current residence was located.
He held his hand out to her after he climbed onto the boat; she grasped it, smiling, neither moving as they studied one another. A sudden clatter sounded behind them, startling the two from their silent reverie, the woman pulling away first as she slipped a gun out.
"What's wrong? Is someone there?" Sasuke called after her retreating form. She hushed him from her crouched position beside a space between the two buildings she had pressed herself against. She peeked around the corner before throwing her body to the side, gun raised before her. A surprised breath of air pushed forth from her lungs.
"What are you doing here? Are you all alone? Where did everyone else go?"
Sasuke moved to stand behind her as she spoke, curious as to who or what had been discovered by the strange female.
"Good boy, I can't believe you survived so well on your own." She cooed at the small feline creeping toward her, meowing.
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
The cat ate ravenously from a saucer as the two watched.
"What are you going to do with that cat?"
"What am I going to do?" her brows drew up in thought. The cat stretched before advancing and rubbing against her knees, a small meow escaping its throat. She looked up at Sasuke her cheeks flushed in excitement.
"Can't I take him with us?" she pleaded, eyes wide and glossy.
"Why are you asking me?"
The woman clasped her hands together as she attempted reasoning with him.
"I fed him already. If we just abandon him after that, he's sure to think, 'What horrible people they were!' So can I, please?!"
"Like I said, it's not for me to…" Sasuke trailed off as he analyzed her sentence.
"Take him with us? Where?" The cat darted out the open door, the woman hopping up quickly to chase after him.
"Oh, what's the matter?! Where are you going?!"
"He wants to go home, so just let him go. He probably has family somewhere." He called after her.
Sasuke approached the silent female as she stared into the distance, the cat cradled in her arms.
"What's the matter?"
"Get off the boat. Take care of him for me." She replied hurriedly, thrusting the feline into his arms as she pushed him off the vessel.
"What's going on?"
She picked up the jugs of gasoline, soaking the ship in it before setting it ablaze. They watched quietly as flames licked at the night sky, RahXephon looming stoically overhead.
.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
Viridian eyes peered expectantly across the ocean early the next morning.
"Looks like they've finally come for us." The rosette murmured.
"You sure made us wait, Lilia Litvyak."
"Li… What?"
"A special duty aircraft carrier under TERRA." Sasuke stared at her in confusion.
"TERRA? What's TERRA?"
"The Earth Federation's Anti-Mu Strategic Research Organization. It's where I work." She faced him fully, bringing her hand up to salute him.
"TERRA Intelligence Division, Department 2, Special Duty Captain, Yamanaka Sakura. No need to salute me." She declared with a grin.
Sasuke gaped at her, pondering to himself why he had not thought to ask her name before; RahXephon's impending form crouched over them as naval ships approached from the sea.
"Yume no Tamago"
"Grant me
The ends of the dream
Grant me
People's hearts
Grant me
When will time shine
At the song of loving
The fledgling dream whispers to you
Ah, RahXephon
Fly me to the music
Grant me
The ends of the dream
Grant me
Someday"
Preview:
A tiny lie…
One who comes forth from the ocean…
Two blood vessels…
What trembles is the boy's timbre.
Must Be Dreaming, Fourth Movement: "Watch the Year Hand"