eachdraidh | memory | open to both courts

It didn't make any sense. They stood in front of the automatic doors and fingerprint scanner, while Toki continued to try wrapping his brain around the fact that they even existed in this shadowy hallway. Things like that shouldn't be there in Amatsuki; not only was it vastly different from the Japan he knew anyway, that technology was two hundred years too early to be sitting there anyway.

For all of that, Kon had managed, with Toki's help, to unlock the doors. His friend was apprehensive and clearly confused by the machine, but Toki couldn't even begin to explain to him about fingerprint scanners or computers or anything like that, not at that moment. They could worry about that later, and Toki felt that going through the doors was the right thing to do. He tried to reign in his apprehension; it was just him and Kon here in the hallway, accompanied by Toki's newly acquired floating jellyfish companion, but he had to swallow his nerves.

Everything felt wrong, this was still Amatsuki after all, but--

All other thoughts went right out of Toki's head; the painfully familiar strains of Tōryanse played as the doors slid open. This time, it wasn't the haunting singing of children that Toki heard, but the electronic, wordless melody that played at crosswalks.

It was a crosswalk. It was modern buildings and people in modern clothes and the bustle of traffic and city noise. It was home. Everything was going to be okay, they'd be back home and maybe it all had an explanation but they could figure it out later, they were finally back. He barely heard Kon calling his name as he exclaimed "This is... home! We're home... but how?" even as he began running towards the familiar streets of the city.

His efforts were cut short as he slammed into what he realized must be a mirror. He was still cut off from the world on the other side of the glass, which seemed to be just an illusion after all.

He confirmed that Kon could see the other world as well, but Toki wasn't prepared for what the other boy had to say next. It shouldn't have surprised him, since Kon had an uncanny knack for seeing right through him, but the almost accusatory way the boy questioned him still hurt.

"Just now, you looked... really happy. I could tell you wanted to go back there, right?" Had he? He must have, because it was pure instinct to start running back home, running away from Amatsuki and everyone there.

"I guess I was happy... right?" he said, more to himself than Kon. Was he really that eager to abandon everyone and go back home? After a moment, Kon called his name, and Toki looked up at him, putting on a brave face and doing his best to push his thoughts down and out of the way for now.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

So how does someone's soul get all... floaty and not-in-them?

Souda, did you have demons back in your world?

... Nooooooooo... we did not.

Mm, they exist in mine. This particular demon wanted to distract us and showed us the shape of our souls. Like I said, it's complicated.

I... I get it, I think. I guess it's not so weird to learn about after experiencin' this whole place.

No, I guess it's not. A lot of people here probably have things back home that would sound made up if we didn't know any better.

Meanwhile I'm from a totally... ordinary...

-- well, shit, it ain't ordinary anymore, but I used ta have an ordinary world.

Used to? What changed, if you don't mind me asking?

Last place I was at? Had pitted me against my friends in a kill or be killed scenario. I bet it's hard to believe, but since I came here, this place has been way better to me. Even with my stupid horse.

[after a few moments, there is a very small "oh"]

It's not hard to believe. I'm just glad that things here are better for you than they were before.

memory | open to both courts

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio