The soft breeze cradles my body as I lie still, resting on a cloud as fluffy as a daydream. Slowly, I awaken and sit up, finding myself on a single cloud suspended above an endless, rolling meadow.
"What now?" I sigh, accepting the surreal beauty around me. There seems to be no safe way down, only a descent into the unknown infinity.
"Greetings, Hitoshi," a voice, as gentle as the wind, whispers from behind me. I turn to see a girl with blue hair, wearing a unique black and white dress with fluffy balls dressed around it. A long crimson sleeping cap rests on her head, and she has what seems to be a tail. She also looked about my age.
"W-who are you?" I ask, my fear losing to curiosity.
"I am Doremy Sweet, the ruler of the Dream World," she says, a smug look plastered onto her face. She seems proud of her title.
A sense of calm washes over me. "Oh, thank goodness. I thought this was just a dream. I was terrified I was lost in that void forever," I admit, my hand finding peace on my chest, where my heart beat begins to steady.
"Oh, my dear Hitoshi, that reality was as real as this dream. But what you see now is a dream," Doremy says, sitting beside me, her touch as delicate as the cloud that supports my weight. Though her touch didn't soothe me for long, panic began to find its way into my body and my heart beat rising once more.
"What!?" I shout. "You've got to be joking! Do you have any idea what's going on? Why is this happening to me? What's going to happen to me?" The questions I demanded answers to were, in reality, ones I would prefer left unanswered. The possibility of the answers being terrifying loomed over me.
"There's no need to panic, sweetie. Right now, you are safe. As for the future and what will happen to you, even I don't know. However, I can answer your other questions," she reassures me, her sincerity and genuine concern calming my nerves. Her presence reminded me of my mother, and the panic subsided under her graceful demeanor.
Doremy rises and gently pats me on the head before snapping her fingers. Out of thin air, a whiteboard and projector materialize, as well as transforming the warm, sunny sky into a cold night sky. She clicks a remote she seemingly conjured and the projector springs to life.
"This is Gensokyo, the Land of Illusions," she says, directing my attention to the projected map that resembles one from a video game, making it even more challenging to believe this is real. "This is where you've been brought, a perilous world filled with magic and fantasy."
She changes the slide, revealing a woman who looks oddly familiar.
"She looks familiar," I remark before the answer strikes me like a sudden revelation. "Wait! That's the same person I saw in that void, wearing the same dress!"
"Correct!" Doremy affirms before conjuring an unnamed trophy into my hands. "This is Yukari Yakumo, the ruler of boundaries; a Youkai! She's the one who brought you here. The reason for her actions remains unknown to me, although she tends to do things like this quite often."
"She does!?" I shout in bewilderment.
"Well, not exactly this. She usually messes around and is considered a wild card, but forcibly bringing people from the outside world into Gensokyo? This is the first. Usually it's the people from the outside world that end up wandering into Gensokyo on their own." Doremy wears an embarrassed expression.
"Okay, wait, back it up. What's a Youkai?" I ask in confusion.
"Well, in simple terms, they are supernatural beings—like ghosts or folk creatures. They may look human, but be warned, they are powerful, and some don't take kindly to humans like yourself. Many Youkai roam the land of Gensokyo," Doremy explains.
"So, are you a Youkai?" I ask, concern lacing my voice.
Doremy wears an enigmatic smirk, her response filled with a touch of mischief, "I'm a Baku, a type of Youkai that devours people's dreams and nightmares!"
A shiver of fear runs down my spine, and I instinctively take a step back. But then, she bursts into laughter.
"Hahaha! Don't worry, I won't hurt you. You're a special case!" She reassures me, her once menacing demeanor transforming into warmth.
A relieved sigh escapes my lips, and it feels as if a heavy weight has been lifted from my chest, allowing me to breathe more freely.
"What Yukari has done is very strange. The fact that she's done this is the reason I came to visit you in your dreams. As I mentioned, you're a special case. I usually don't interact with humans in this manner, but my curiosity got the best of me," her serious expression gives way to a bright and inviting smile.
"Well, I'm flattered, but I still have no idea what's going on," I say, then collapse onto my back, letting the cloud catch me.
"Listen, Hitoshi," Doremy lies down next to me. "If you want to leave Gensokyo and get back home, finding Yukari and convincing her to send you back is your best bet. There's also a shrine maiden named Reimu Hakurei; she might be able to help you."
I sigh and accept the cold truth, "Okay, but I'm scared. I'm really frightened, you know?"
Doremy smiles. Her smile grants me a moment of peace, though it doesn't last long. The world around me begins to distort and blur, Doremy included.
"What? What's happening now?" I say as I scramble to my feet.
"Oh, it seems you're waking up," Doremy says as she also rises.
I grab onto her distorting form, "Hey, are you okay?"
She laughs, lifting my arms off her and intertwining her hands with mine. "Haha, you're so sweet. Being this concerned for someone you just met, someone who's so different from the people of your world."
Doremy pats my head again and steps back, "Don't worry, Hitoshi; this doesn't hurt at all. It's just what happens when the people I visit start waking up."
A sigh of relief escapes me.
"Listen, Hitoshi, this world is dangerous, and you will encounter strong adversaries," she warns.
"Adversaries!?" I shout in disbelief and confusion.
"Stay strong and do your best; you've already made a friend in this world!" She says, wearing that warm smile again.
"Will I see you again?" I ask, a smile on my face as well; her smiles seem to be contagious.
"Whenever you fall asleep, I'll visit you when I can. Now, goodbye, Hitoshi; I'm so glad I got to meet you," Doremy says before completely disappearing.
The world around me soon follows, fading away like a dream upon waking.
…
…
I've been brought back to reality, or whatever this reality is.
Slowly, I open my eyes and wait for them to adjust. The feeling beneath me is no longer a soft cloud but a lumpy, worn-out mattress. The air carries a stale, musty odor, and the room feels suffocating. What surrounds me isn't the vast meadow anymore, but a cage of rotting wood.
I sit up and scan the area. I find myself in a dismal, run-down shack. To the left of the bed is what once might have passed as a dining area and a living room. There's a table, missing half of the fourth peg holding it up, sagging under its own weight. A solitary chair, its fabric torn and stuffing spilling out, sits beside it. A gas stove top, stained and rusted, supports a battered pot. Next to the stove is a grimy counter, barely visible under layers of grime, with a can of something that could be food, though I hesitate to investigate. A decrepit fridge stands nearby, its door hanging off its hinges, clearly non-functional.
Closer to the front, near the entrance, there's a threadbare couch, its fabric riddled with holes, and a side-table that seems on the verge of collapsing. The door to this miserable place hangs askew, barely clinging to the frame, held together by the last remnants of its hinges. Beside the door, a wooden shield leans against the wall, weathered and chipped, and a rusted steel sword, ancient and stained, rests on the floor.
There's really nothing for me to say. I'm trapped on this wretched bed, struggling to gather my scattered thoughts. I want to scream out my anger, unleash a torrent of vile words towards Yukari, the person who kidnapped and brought me here. A part of me even entertains the thought of running out and embracing the fate that awaits me in the hands of these so-called "adversaries" Doremy mentioned. But I don't do any of that.
I just cry.
I let my fear and anger flow out, tears streaming down my face and pooling in my trembling hands.
I cried for the people I left behind, for the world I used to know.
I cried for those who might have stumbled into this cruel realm, their lives snatched away without warning.
I cried for what felt like an eternity, my sobs echoing in the desolate silence.
After what seemed like an eternity, I wipe the tears away, my emotions drained, and try to make sense of my situation.
"Okay, Hitoshi. Pull yourself together. You wanted excitement in your life, well, now you have it. Maybe not in the way you expected, but what choice do you have?" I mutter, attempting to bolster my crumbling self-esteem.
I throw myself off the bed and stand up, taking one last glance around the room.
"This place is far from safe. It feels like it's teetering on the edge of complete ruin," I say, pressing my hand against the wall. It quivers under my touch, confirming my fears.
I have no idea where to begin my search for Yukari or Reimu. Doremy's instructions were vague at best, but I'm grateful for them nonetheless. Her guidance, though limited, is the flickering candle in the darkness of my despair. A new feeling overwhelms me.
It's hope.
"Right now, the two most important things for survival are food and water," I say as I snatch the pot off the stove and walk towards the door.
This all began with me facing a door—a door that stood between me and a new life. Ironic, isn't it? Right now, I am not only about to step into my new life but also a completely new world. My gaze falls to the bottom right of the door, where a sword and shield lie dormant. I hesitate, my hand hovering over them, uncertain of my abilities. In the end, I picked the sword up and threw the shield and it's strap over my shoulder.
"Doremy did mention these creatures called Youkai. I could always use extra protection, though I've never used a sword or shield before," I mutter, my voice laced with a lack of confidence in myself.
Upon opening the door, I'm greeted with the warm caress of the sun, its golden rays painting the world in hues of amber and emerald. Gratitude swells within me, knowing that this new world still basks in the loving embrace of the sun. Around me, a lush green forest unfolds, a sanctuary teeming with vibrant life. The foliage cascades down from a majestic mountain, its peak adorned with a crown of clouds that seem to caress the sky, and at the mountain's base, it meets the ripe green landscape that is Gensokyo.
"Wow, this place is… beautiful," I whisper, my voice lost in the awe that washes over me.
"Though I mustn't get distracted; I need to find water first." I grip my sword tightly, a mixture of wonder and caution in my eyes as I survey the breathtaking scenery before me.
The air is filled with the gentle melody of water, the sound of it colliding with itself, echoing through the forest.
"A waterfall!" I exclaim in excitement, my spirits lifted at the prospect of water close by, providing not just sustenance but also a source of comfort and solace. Knowing I wouldn't need to travel too far from my new home is a blessing.
I begin to walk toward the sound, my sword carving marks into the trees I pass, leaving a trail for me to follow back. The forest, although rich in life, isn't overly dense, allowing me to traverse it with ease. After a minute or two of navigating the verdant wilderness, I arrive at a crystal blue lake. The waterfall I heard crashes onto the water, creating a symphony of nature's music with the river below. The flowing river connects to the lake, completing the picturesque scene before me. It's as if I've stepped into a painting, an oasis of serenity and unimaginable beauty.
Taking a moment to absorb the sights, I walk over to the river partnered with the lake, feeling a sense of peace wash over me.
"I remember hearing somewhere that flowing water is the cleanest; I hope it's true," I murmur as I bend down, the anticipation of refreshing water rejuvenating my soul.
I diligently clean the pot, scrubbing away any remnants of grime that might taint the water. Once satisfied, I let the running water flow into the pot, watching it fill to the brim with pure, clear liquid. With my sword safely sheathed in its holster, I carefully carry the pot back to my new home, guided by the marks I etched into the trees, my heart swelling with gratitude for this unexpected moment of tranquility amidst the unknown.
I enter my new home and place the pot on the counter, relieved and proud that I got ahold of such a vital resource.
I will make it home.
I will live.
For my parents.
For Jason.
For myself.
Amidst my happiness, a knock echoes through the walls.
Someone was at the door.