My eyes flickered open, only to be enveloped by darkness. It was a suffocating void, and I couldn't feel a single part of my body. A creeping sensation of panic slowly came over me, as I tried and failed to recall how I got here. A strange sense of weightlessness accompanied me. It was as if I were adrift in the vastness of space, cut off from all that I had once known. Each second felt like an eternity, and I lost track of time. The minutes blurred into hours, the hours into days, and perhaps even longer.
It seemed that consciousness wasn't a constant wherever I was either. Sometimes, I would be aware and others I simply drifted off into daydreams. I often dreamt about my life, of my parents, my younger brother, and my friends. I dreamt of the future goals that I was aspiring to reach. Getting my degree, and being able to genuinely help out my parents. I wasn't lucid for a lot of the time I was in that void, but I was still aware of the vast emptiness that surrounded me. Then something interesting happened.
A distant and indistinct voice rang out, breaking through the silence of the void. It was like a whisper carried on the wind, barely audible yet somehow reaching my ears. The voice seemed to echo as if calling from a distant place. It was a voice I didn't recognize, but its urgency was palpable.
"Push! You're almost there! Push!" the voice cried out. The words were incomprehensible as if spoken in a language foreign to me. They held a sense of urgency and purpose, but their meaning eluded me. Push? Almost where? I had no context for these commands, and they only added to my confusion.
I tried calling out to the voice and attempted to move towards it but I couldn't. However, my efforts didn't last long as a freezing sensation spread through me. As if an ice-cold hand had reached down deep into whatever my body was. In the midst of my bewilderment, a sudden jolt of movement startledlikeIt was as if an invisible force had taken hold of me, pr me forward through the darkness. My senses were overwhelmed as the void seemed to twist and reshape around me.
"Almost there! Just a little more!" the voice rang out again. It was growing clearer and more distinct. It became the focal point amidst the chaos, guiding me through the vast expanse.
Fear and curiosity mingled within me as I clung to the voice like a lifeline. I didn't know where I was going or what awaited me, but I trusted that the voice held the answers I sought. The journey continued, and with each passing moment, the darkness began to give way. Shapes and forms materialized, a world awakening before me.
Then suddenly, in an abrupt burst of blinding light, the void receded, and I found myself emerging into an entirely new existence.
I felt an overwhelming sensation of warmth surrounding me as I slowly opened my eyes to a dimly lit, lavishly adorned room. It was unlike anything I had ever seen in my life. The air carried a delicate fragrance of incense. I looked around as I heard the murmurs of the people near me.
"It's a boy." One of them said. I looked up to see who said that only to find them staring at me with a mix of detachment and solemnity. The woman holding me, a midwife dressed in traditional Japanese clothing, cradled me with a sense of duty rather than affection. Her eyes, while filled with a measure of responsibility, lacked the warmth one would expect from someone welcoming a new life.
The room felt distant and solemn, shrouded in secrets and hidden intentions. I wondered why I was here, who I truly was, and what awaited me in this world. She handed me over to what I presumed to be my mother. As her warm embrace enveloped me, I felt a flicker of comfort, a sense of belonging amidst the uncertainty. Nearby, my father stood, his eyes filled with a mixture of pride and concern. He reached out, gently touching my small hand with his large, calloused fingers—a wordless gesture of love and protection.
The moments passed like hours as I lay there—a newborn with no voice to express my confusion or seek answers. Not long after, the exhaustion had finally settled in, and I drifted off to sleep.
When I next awoke I was surrounded by people all staring at me. I was being held up by an elderly man who gave me a calculating stare as if he were appraising an object.
"He's definitely the one." He spoke, silencing the murmurs of the people around us.
I blinked down at him, not being able to comprehend his words entirely. What did he mean by "the one"?
The elderly man looked into my eyes, before continuing. A hint of satisfaction could be heard in his tone "The boy has inherited the Ten Shadows technique." he declared, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
'Ten Shadows technique?' I thought to myself. The familiarity of the words had sent a shiver down my spine. I couldn't recall precisely where I had first heard it from but I knew the words carried an air of significance I could not ignore.
The people around us exchanged glances with each other, their expressions a mix of curiosity and anticipation. It seemed that they also understood the significance of such an inheritance.
"Do you really believe this child can wield such power?" one of them asked, skepticism tainting their tone.
The elderly man nodded. "Indeed. The Ten Shadows technique is not to be taken lightly. It has been passed down through generations in the Zenin Clan and holds immense power. We cannot afford to let his potential go to waste."
The others fell silent, contemplating the implications of my inheritance. It was clear that the decision weighed heavily on their minds.
Finally, another one of them spoke up, their voice carrying an air of authority. "If the boy truly possesses the Ten Shadows technique, we cannot leave anything to chance. He must be brought up under the proper guidance to ensure he reaches his full potential."
The elderly man nodded in agreement. "I suggest we take him away from his current environment. The branch family he was born under may not be able to draw out his latent abilities. We need the best instructors and resources at his disposal."
My heart raced as I heard their conversation. Take me away? But I had just been born into this world, and they already wanted to separate me from my parents.
I glanced at my mother and father, whose faces now bore a solemn look. The weight of their inability to speak out against these people was evident in their eyes. They exchanged glances, the unspoken emotions passing between them—a mixture of love, anguish, and resignation.
I reached out with tiny, trembling hands, my newborn instincts seeking comfort and reassurance from the people I had just begun to recognize as my parents. My mother's gaze met mine, and for a fleeting moment, I felt a spark of warmth in her eyes—a wordless promise of love that couldn't be expressed in words.
"It is for the boy's future," the elderly man said, his voice measured but firm. "He carries the legacy of the Ten Shadows technique within him. Such potential cannot be left to chance."
My father's jaw tightened, his expression torn between the love for his child and the knowledge that the old man's words held great weight and significance. He stepped closer, his hand hovering near my tiny form, a silent plea to protect and hold onto this fleeting moment.
"We will provide him with the best education, the best guidance," Another person had chimed in, attempting to ease the tension in the room.
However, their assurances fell on deaf ears. My parents knew that once the decision was made, there would be little they could do to change the course of events. The weight of tradition, the pursuit of power, and the future of the Zenin Clan had already intertwined with my fate.
At that moment, the true gravity of the situation settled upon me. I was more than just a newborn; I was a vessel of destiny, who was to be molded by the hands of those who believed in the potential of the Ten Shadows technique. The elderly man carefully handed me back to my mother, her arms cradling me with tenderness and love.
I felt a connection—our shared bond, our unspoken understanding. My tiny fingers grasped her hand, seeking comfort and reassurance in this moment of uncertainty. In her gaze, I saw the mixture of hope and sorrow, the silent plea for my well-being, and the struggle to come to terms with the decisions that fate had laid upon us. Nearby, my father stood, his strong presence a pillar of support and love. Though he remained silent, the weight of his emotions was palpable in his eyes—a fierce determination to protect and nurture his newborn child.
While the others discussed and finalized their plans to take me away, the room seemed to close in around me, filled with a mix of anticipation and melancholy. Their voices discussed my future, a future that had already been charted without my consent. The weight of the unknown pressed upon my shoulders, and I couldn't help but feel both apprehensive and curious about the path that lay ahead, but deep within, a flicker of determination ignited—a silent promise to embrace whatever fate had in store for me.
Thanks for reading everyone! I've been binging JJK as of late and had this story floating around my head for the past couple of days. I've finally been able to sit down and write it out so let me know your thoughts!
