—START—

-3rdPerson POV-

This place was unnatural.

Tokito had that figured it out the moment he arrived here.

Misty faces as he lived with mysterious people around, the world sometimes turning into nothing but fog.

Needless to say, this place wasn't real and was a product of whatever it was that put everyone down back in the meeting.

(Only an idiot would think it was real) Thought with his usual apathy the mist Hashira as he snuck out of the little shed.

If he was in a place like this, then the others would most likely would be around too and it was only a matter of finding them.

His muscles felt painful as he ran, going in the direction he thinks it's the most familiar when trying to recall the Ubuyashiki's manor location. The current weakness he was bound too irritating him more than he'd ever remembers being.

Breathing like this felt hard for the first time since his beginning with a sword.

Muichiro made his way through the forest, passing by tree after tree, until he arrived at a clearing.

Where a shack in the woods he'd thought had been left behind now was in place.

"Shit" He muttered under his breath, as he was back at the beginning.

As if he needed more evidence to prove the fakeness of this place.

How could he even find the way out of a place without exit.

This was getting ridiculous, something like this was never within their plan.

A child with a brain more scattered than a new born, that's his biggest weakness. (How pitiful, more reason to finish this sooner and receive the blood from the lord)

All of their faculties had been needed just to keep the mist from breaking the child's mind word, and now said child was trying to escape.

All was going horribly and it hadn't been five full days already, that was not enough time to him to consume them.

Creature would focus here, keeping the menace confined to itself while allowing the world to begin corroding the others.

After they go, they'll have all they need to break this one.

Until then, their hands were tied.

He had run away before, from his village, his traditions, and the family that he came to despise at some point, not all of them of course.

So why couldn't he do so now when there was a chance to save more than just himself.

Uzui felt afraid, his fear was holding him back, stopping him from acting .

It wasn't as he thought anyone presented a danger for him now, with a much better technique and total concentration breathing on his side, with constant still being a work in progress.

Even his father and older brother would not be much trouble for him anymore.

No, his fears came in the form of how many lives he'd have to crush in order to get out of here.

Today was not normal, the security around the manor was much more active, with members of subordinate families working on keeping the perimeters safe at night while also having commanding officers in the form of the best ranked siblings in the family keeping everyone in check.

If Tengen were to try and escape with someone now, it would be a bloody path out, not a clean exit much like in his dreams.

And he'd be the one crushing many of the lives in his path no different than a demon.

That's the cruelty of reality he supposed.

Leaving those ideas behind the Shinobi prepared himself to go out of his room, a bell was rung.

The sound was one Tengen was unfamiliar with, bells were normally a way for their father to reunite everyone in a single room, normally unused unless the situation was one of importance.

They always had a particular ring to them, and with his awesome hearing he could tell most differences.

And those in the family who couldn't, they were punished, which made it all the more weird and worrisome when it was a sound the shinobi hadn't heard before.

(Training is done for the day, what could he need now?) Despite that Uzui couldn't just disregard his call, making him change his plans for the day to meet the old man.

Upon leaving the room he encountered two of his siblings making their way there.

On his way to the main room others joined the walk one by one, also having heard the call as there was no place in this house where that sound would not reach.

"Hey…are you aware of what father wants?" Meiyami approached him at some point during their travel, and as the most amicable of all in the family Tengen was rather fond of her and would not shy from any interaction.

"No, Kyoya would be the only one who would know" As the successor, he was the only one the patriarch would ever tell anything. "Just be prepared for anything" Something felt wrong here.

Inside the room two people waited for all, it was their oldest brother and their father those who called for them and were here expecting all of them to arrive.

By reflex all siblings bowed in respect as they've been taught, quickly moving towards their designed station by their strengths.

Uzui had to take the seat closest to his father other that Kyoya's, his stature moving up in the family ever since he implemented breathing into his training.

"Adequate timing" The man got up from his seat, receiving everyone with a slight bow and a serious expression. " Today's discussion will be of the upmost importance for the clan going forward, I expect a proper behavior from all of you during this meeting"

(What could be so important that he'd gather us all under a different call) The calls of the bell were important in significance for father, as he instilled those into them from childhood.

The fact that it was a different one from any other meant it was a deliberate use that it would gain going forward, but the man didn't know for what.

The patriarch turned towards his eldest, Kyoya and motioned him to begin the explanation.

"After careful consideration Father and I have decided to reenact the initial plan for the successors of Uzui" Something shattered in Uzui at that moment, those words, that exact same proclamation as the one who turned a family of nine to one of two. "From the days to come training will begin intensifying even more, and each of you will be given a task to complete before the year is over"

Ba-dum

"Failure to complete it will result in death, as shinobi that is the only alternative to success" Their brother finished, but Tengen had stopped listening to a while ago.

Ba-dum

As their explanation continued his heart began beating faster and faster, his brain was trying to keep up with what had just been said, but apparently that was not all, forcing himself to recover and pay attention.

This time it was his father who explained. "Those who complete said task shall be rewarded of course, those over fourteen will have the right to marriage, those under will not and instead will be allowed to ask something of me, whatever it is I shall grant"

Ba-dum

Slowly but surely Tengen began to reign over himself, this couldn't be, he refused to acknowledge that, so he asked. "Clan head, what might we expect from our tasks" Talking like this was really against his style, but he had to give the respect.

"It could be anything" Was the answer he got, a vague statement that raised even more alarms in him.

With that, the room entered into a massive silence, nobody else had anything to add.

"Very well, I want you all to come in to the side room one by one, there I will be assigning you your tasks" Pointing at Tengen to be the first to accompany him.

The shinobi's response was fast, getting up and following the patriarch where he wanted him.

Now the two of them were alone.

"Tengen, You're growth over the past days has excelled and gone beyond my own predictions, thus I shall entrust you with the most ardent task besides the Heir's" a small scroll was placed in his hands. "Do not open it until today at midnight"

In his hands now was the thing that brough his worst days, something he was not responsible for during the first time he remembers these events, even if in those dreams it had happened at a much younger age.

It angered him that it was him who'd been chosen for this.

Despite that, he couldn't oppose openly. "It shall be done" Was his answer, everything about himself hidden under a layer of neutrality.

However, that was far from how he felt right now.

"Have you finished?" Someone called out to him, but there was no answer, Obanai would not give them one. "Obanai Iguro, do not ignore me"

His mother called for him once more.

It was funny for him, years on end without ever actually seeing her just for her to begin showing up now, after being cut across his mouth and after resolving himself to escape.

Seeing her more these past days than he'd ever done so before, and she still thought Iguro would ever listen to her.

Honestly, it made him just want to flee then and there just to see her face.

Something he ultimately chose not to do after the first day here, while a bit risky it was also a safe opportunity for some figuring out. Biding his time to try and understand what exactly was the world around him now, as he was sure it wasn't real.

And sure enough, inconsistencies began to form when threading through his life here.

While hunger could be felt, starving oneself lead to nothing, the normal signs of it never truly showing.

Pain was another inconsistency, even a paper cut was felt strongly, much less something like his scar.

Someone, whoever controlled this stupid place was making everything way more painful than it should be, it became much more obvious as the settling burning feeling his face hadn't been vanishing at all.

This was most likely the work of a pathetic demon.

He was forced out of his thoughts by a hit on the bath's door. "I am here" Despite that, acting out of line would be detrimental to himself, thus he complies. (Everything I needed from here is secured anyways) The two of them had been in the baths for a while.

The demon didn't like his meal dirty and the woman was simply a watch dog for the creature.

He opened the door fully clothed once more, just to find her outraged face looking unto him. "You answer me when I ask, understood?" He didn't respond again, simply turning and walking towards his cell once more, as it was a routine by now.

A shot whisper emerged from the woman at the blatant disrespect. "Iguro!" But the boy isn't giving any note to her, much more focused on what he found to be more important.

(With this, it shouldn't be more than a day before I can get the hell out of here) His preparation was almost complete, this time he wasn't as foolish and naïve, this time he'd get the perfect escape.

Even if it meant all of them dying in the process again, and having his own sin duplicated.

All to return to what it should be and go to her side again.

For now however, he'd play with their rules.

Walking through the town was a peaceful affair.

Familiar faces were passed as the man turned child tried to stay away from his home for a few hours, not bearing anymore to look at his sister on her nonexistent face.

His own mental was tested by virtue of being in the same room as her, and his guilt at not remembering it just made it worst.

So when a chance was presented to him in the form of Tsutako leaving to meet up with his fiancée, the black haired kid left not much later, venturing into town to have some clarity of thinking.

People around looked at his walking alone as a strange occurrence, which would not be too farfetched as Giyuu would always be accompanied by his sister on most occasions.

…They had truly been inseparable…

Tomioka ignored the stares, moving quickly and leaving the town behind completely.

(These hands) clean and without callouses, hands that had never held a sword before. (How would I kill the demon with these?) It was never a doubt for him that this was the result of a demon.

Seeing all of the Hashira fall asleep out of nowhere when it had just been Rengoku at the start called for a cause, and this place was unnatural.

So a demon was the only conclusion.

After an hour of walking, he finally reached his destination, the path leading towards one destination, the lake.

It was his safe zone, the place where he could go and hide for a few hours to clear his mind whenever he needed to, or, it had been back in the day, as he now had the Water State for that.

Giyuu stopped himself from letting his thoughts stray too much from what was important now, this was not the time for reminiscence, rather, it was time to find a way out this false world.

(This all began when I found everyone unconscious) By the time he had reached the lake his legs felt tired, the poor stamina he had as a child was a hindrance now.

And since he ended up here after that then the only reasonable explanation was that he's still down and was living in some sort of memory.

Knowing all that however did not help in the slightest into finding a way out as everything looked, smelled, felt, and tasted just as the real world.

That's why he chose to come here, it was a place that wasn't normally visited by people and where he wouldn't be under the eyes of the fake Tsutako.

(How could I get myself to wake up?) that was the most important thing right now, he didn't know how long he's spent in this place for real, it could be just an hour or maybe the five days and this is happening in real time.

The others were probably in a very similar situation too.

Whatever the case is, it mean that as they stay longer asleep there will be more lives in danger due to their absence, and their own bodies will begin to worsen in health for a complete lack of movement.

Leading Tomioka to try and think ways out.

(Pain…it wouldn't work, I hit my foot on accident and it hurt, but it did nothing, dying is too risky, this sleep isn't natural so looking for waking up in death might be too risky) And those were the two most common ways that make someone wake up from a dream. (Maybe falling? Sometimes I get up from a nightmare if I feel like falling)

He was no expert in neither dreams nor the human mind and considering there weren't many other safe options Giyuu decided to approach it from that angle, looking for a three that hanged close to the body of water.

And began climbing it right until he was more or less in the middle of the tree.

(This should be high enough) the tree wasn't pretty big, but for what he was planning, it was just right.

Giyuu then stood up, shaking as the stability of the branch wouldn't hold for long, and jumped backwards, falling unto the water bellow without anything special happening, proving wrong his theory.

So he sank

Any attempt to swim was fruitless as the water didn't budge and restricted his movements.

Like it wasn't water at all.

Giyuu went deeper.

And deeper.

Air became scarce, Tomioka's lungs wouldn't hold for longer.

Everything became dark.

Until he came out on the other side.

"What?"

He grasped for air as he swam towards the edge, carefully setting himself on the ground after getting out.

(I fell in the water) He was wet, it was obvious, but after that he sunk and sunk, and then like if he was floating up the water pushed and Giyuu came upon the surface.

But it wasn't the same one as he'd been in, all flora was different, the sudden chill that ran through him also proved a completely different climate to the one moments ago.

The grass too was not the same, leaving Tomioka stranded in a strange place.

With the body of a familiar boy by his side.

Another lap happened in this infinite loop of a road.

It didn't matter where Tokito took off too, whichever direction he ran too, or even if he turned back from where he originally came from.

It all lead back towards the shack.

(This is irritating) despite everything, the mist Hashira tried one more time, running off into another direction.

A long time ago his sandals had worn out and fallen.

His feet could feel every little rock along the way, every stick that he stepped on the way, making every track painful, only to return once more to the same place.

"Something is actively trying to keep me here" He had believed that whatever this place was the looping was part of its nature, but after seeing it happen over and over in front of his eyes.

It was clear that something was constantly in control of this place.

(It could be a demon's doing…no, none of the know of Oyakata-sama's house) But what other explanation could there be, nothing else could create a situation like this one. "Maybe we weren't found, but were marked"

A blood demon art that didn't burn under the sun and stick with one of them?! How terrifying. (I need to get out of this place fast, if they learnt of the manors location he could be In danger)

Yet that still didn't solve the problem of how.

"Oi, why are you standing around like an idiot?" The other Muichiro stepped out of the house at that moment, his expression was an irritated one.

And the moment Muichiro landed his gaze unto him, a massive headache began forming strong enough to force him to the ground from the pain.

The fog he hadn't seen around in a while returned for a moment before vanishing. (The hell?!) looking at that person was painful, this was the reaction that should have happened the first time Muichiro looked at that boy.

The poor boy's breathing became erratic, loosing much of the control he'd gotten over it the past days.

(Why is this happening?) if nothing around was real, how could looking at someone he's never seen before cause this.

…

Unless it's not someone who he's never seen before…in fact, the pain Muichiro just felt isn't one stranger to him. (This, it's just like when I try to remember anything)

Muichiro tends to be aloof and scattered brain because it hurts to remember, things are foggy in his head and going through that brings more pain.

This same experience. (Memories…maybe that's what this is) And that in turn made the boy standing near him a part of the past he's forgotten.

"Muichiro!" Once again, the boys voice reached him, but unlike before even that was enough to make his head hurt again.

(Why?! I looked at him before and nothing happened, and now his voice is enough too?) Maybe it was the fact that he now knew what the other him was, maybe it was simply the demon playing with him.

In the end, there only thing that mattered was finding a way out before his head explodes.

(Wait) Or maybe letting himself be hurt by remembering is the way out.

Every time he felt himself just stopping thinking, letting his thoughts wander into that usual state of confusion and lack of awareness it was when the fog appeared.

And if Muichiro were to take things literally as if he was inside his own head then…

With his breath under control, the mist Hashira looked directly at his look alike, locking eyes with him for a few seconds as he prepared himself to run.

And he tried his hardest to remember who stood in front of him.

Mist overtook all at that moment, and before he could feel anything, Muichiro ran.

It was now or never.

Daytime had just arrived and Iguro was ready to leave.

In a similar fashion to his original plan he broke through one of the cell bars relatively easily, releasing himself from his cage and unto the proper manor.

People had just passed, meaning his guard wouldn't be around for another half an hour, that was all the time Iguro had.

The plan reduced itself into just a matter of avoiding every single person around, crawling on the floor and sometimes even climbing a wall just to stay out of sights.

All for the sun to receive him the moment he stepped outside.

(Now I need to reach the river before nighttime) Water would be the most limiting factor in getting away as he could not fight dehydration even if it wouldn't affect him properly it would still slow him down.

From that point on, it was still a work in progress as Obanai had no idea where he truly found himself in.

The man turned child used his bare feet to engrave some deep markings in the soil beneath himself before taking off carefully in the opposite direction.

Stepping unto some sticks and laying them over the bushed and running over them once.

It was all settled up from there and running became the only thing he had left to do.

Running while dodging trees, rocks and any other thing that would get in his path became his focus.

He continued, following a route he dimly remembers taking before, yet turning the other way when he found the road where Shinjuro had once found him in, taking breaks every hour or so.

Time flew by, each moment was necessary for him to gain as much distance as possible.

It was an agonizingly long journey for a body that had never exercised before, but it was necessary, thus his body never gave in.

Until he finally reached his first destination, the river.

Despite the tension and adrenaline, Iguro celebrated silently, under his mask there was a smile that spoke of how proud he was of his own plan.

It helped him not to think about what would be following towards the clan.

"Iguro?" a child like voice called from behind, and in a panic the snake Hashira swung the hairpin that had allowed him to escape, turning to look at the undesirable company.

A very familiar hair was now in his field of view. "Tomioka?!"

And in the kid Giyuu's arms was a very tired Muichiro.

It burned.

Everything burned for Creature at this moment.

The mental damage on that child was big, big enough to force break the limits of his own bubble of memories and getting himself lost while at the same time generating enough backlash to hurt them.

They were supposed to be nothing but memories at the moment and still they were brought down.

The child's mind had damaged him, staying within his mind was just worse the more he forced himself to remember.

Now Creature understands why those things were locked away where he couldn't reach them, if it could even damage them what would it do to a mere infant.

That stooped them in their thoughts.

Maybe they could use this against the bastard, making him suffer inside their own memories by virtue of pain alone wasn't Creature's style, they preferred breaking them at their best.

But maybe they'd make an exception for him.

For now though, they will have to accelerate their plans with the others, less they find the connecting points between their worlds.

With that decision Creature would bring the first tragedy forward then.

—END—