Awakening Despair[OPEN]

What was once the dead silence of a forgotten world was suddenly and rudely interrupted by the gentle clicking of wood, followed briefly by the same wood sliding open upon itself. From thin air an old paper sliding door had appeared, a shoji, which opened to reveal a bright white light. A single black butterfly fluttered silently from within the light, and soon it was followed by a lone Shinigami. Yuki calmly made her exit from the other-worldly gateway, despite the unfamiliar territory that rested before her. As the gate sealed shut behind her she took a few moments to linger in place, glancing about at her new surroundings.

What is this place? This is not a desert. Indeed, it was no desert, and as such, this was not Hueco Mundo, her initial destination. She had desired a very quick trip into the home world of the Hollows, a simple peek into where they came from, or perhaps where they ended up. If nothing else, it might have given her some new perspective into their development, or something to help her in her daily patrols. But a mistake had obviously been made by someone, and instead she had been transported to this place, wherever it was. If she had been more studious about the Shinigami’s history, then she may have known where it was that she’d ended up, and some fear might have crept into her heart. However that had never been a favorite subject of hers’.

Well, I am here now. I may as well proceed. The quiet clicking of wood against metal echoed through ancient halls. Yuki’s bright red orb slowly drifted about, taking in hauntingly beautiful halls massive in scale and untouched by the passage of time. A quick glance backward revealed a pair of gates designed for a fortress. Despite the darkness, there were the occasional torch, which lit small pockets, and these provided her with plenty of light. If there are burning torches then there must certainly be occupants. Is this Earth? Perhaps I was actually sent to Hueco Mundo. Maybe a Hollow city? Do those even exist?

Curiosity filled her every being, briefly awakening feelings which had been missing since her childhood. It brought her back to a simpler time, not one which she enjoyed sinking into thought about, but one which had its good moments. Exploring with wonder and discovering new things had always been one of her favorite activities. After all, what else could she do during those days? Toys were not a luxury they could afford, and exploration was linked into their survival. It brought food, and information, and supplies, and sometimes even the occasional coin. Most of all, it was fun. That was not something that she’d had for a couple of years now. Not since Takuma had perished.

As she was about to scold herself for bringing such thoughts to life, something else caught her interest. The air was suddenly dense with something menacing. Breathing became somewhat more difficult, and for a moment she was forced to stop, a hand drawn unconsciously towards her throat. What is this? But, as quickly as it had been noticed, it suddenly disappeared. A deeper breath was taken before she continued forth, her gaze focused forwards towards a great set of wooden doors.

Her pace had slowed somewhat due to growing caution, but finally she reached the doors, setting one of her ears close to it, in an attempt to listen to what might lie within. There was nothing but silence, and for a moment she grew concerned that something had noticed her approach, and that it was now in waiting for her. So, for a couple of minutes she waited with one hand near her weapon. Calm yourself. If somebody was here then you would have surely detected them by now. Perhaps there really isn’t anyone here anymore? That has to be the case, right? Ignoring her beating heart, and following minutes of waiting, Yuki’s hand stretched out, aiming to push open the great doors before her.

Suddenly everything grew heavy, her eye widening with shock as she was very nearly brought to her knees! A sickening feeling of dread permeated the air, catching her off guard enough to make her feel ill, at least for a brief moment. Then she heard it: through the great wooden doors was a sound, the exhaling of breath, followed by a single sentence. Someone was alive, someone quite powerful, someone who may or may not have been an enemy. Part of her screamed out to run as quickly as she could, to hop right back through the Senkaimon to safety. But part of her was curious, and another part ashamed of such a cowardly thought, and it was these two parts which ultimately won out in the end.

Taking in a quiet breath, Yuki pushed against the door, which slowly though loudly creaked inwards, until it formed just large enough of a gap to allow her entry. She paused again for a moment before making her entrance. Instantly brought to her attention was a huge machine covered with cables, which descended down into the back of what appeared to be a throne, upon which sat a corpse. At least, one might originally assume that it was a corpse, however she knew better. She could feel the spiritual energy coursing from this being, clear to her now as the source of all those dreadful feelings she’d experienced since her arrival. It, or rather he, appeared to be a Shinigami, or perhaps a Human, and while she’d seen Hollows in the past who stood upon two legs, she’d never seen one that shared this many similarities.

Still, something was not right about this scene. Why would a Human or a Shinigami be here, alone for that matter? It simply did not add up. Calming herself, she started to take slow, careful steps towards the man, her eye never leaving his figure, although for the moment her weapon remained restrained at her side. The young Shinigami’s gaze crept over the stranger’s form, taking in whatever information she possibly could, ultimately resting upon his face when she came to a halt a few meters away from the throne. It would be clear to any Hollow that she was a Shinigami, as she wore their outfit and wielded their typical choice of weapon.

With her heart and mind both calmed, and having adjusted as best she could to the change in the air’s density, Yuki spoke with a quieted voice and a fairly neutral tone despite the dangerous situation.

“Hello. I am Yuki Kameko.”

Introductions were always the most polite way to start a conversation, especially with potentially dangerous strangers!