While fighting a horde of zombies alone, Takeo Masaki is rescued by the young Richtofen, who offers him a chance to fix the Timelines and end the suffering.
Takeo Masaki is given the Summoning Key and reads from the Kronorium, as Richtofen and Nikol...
There came the slashing and hacking of sword through flesh as Takeo Masaki kept the zombies away from himself. He'd become separated from the others and his situation was becoming more dire as more zombies swarmed to his location. He stepped back, careful as he could, but the mud seemed extra slick this time and he fell back to the ground. He struggled to get up, the mud causing his hands to slip each time and his face to inch closer to the mud.
Was he to die like this? Face down in the mud?
As the closest zombies went to lunge, the sound of the Ray Gun firing and zombies dying filled Takeos' ears. He remained still as could be, waiting for whatever insult his company would give him, but none came. Curiously, Takeo moved his head to look around, catching sight of an unfamiliar shadow.
"Here, let mich help you up~"
The German accent was familiar to Takeo, yet it lacked any mockery or madness, which raised a concern to the Jap. He looked over his shoulder to see a hand, which he took, firmly. The stranger helped him up and stood back, Takeo taking the moment to brush some of the clumps of mud from his uniform, before looking to the man. He was young; black of hair, by his ears were slightly greyed from stress; and his eyes held an emerald glint all too familiar. Despite this, he could only be a relation of the Doctors' and not the Doctor himself. That was impossible.
"Who are you?" Takeo asked, evenly. The man smirked. "You know who I am, Takeo~" "Why are you here?" "To change your Future, Takeo. To change the Future ve are all heading towards. I'd rather ve avoid both of zhem, if I am honest."
Takeo tilted his head a touch, not quite understanding what this man was saying. In response to such a look, the man took from his pocket a golden sphere that shone with a soft, blue light. Takeo looked to it, then up at the man, suspicious of the artefact, which the other quite pleasantly held forth for Takeo to take.
"What is it?" "All in Time, Takeo" he chuckled. "I mean you no harm; quite zhe opposite, actually~ Take zhis, und follow me."
The young man pressed on the sphere and a shimmering portal opened up behind him, causing Takeo to take a cautionary step back. The young man stepped through it without hesitation, so Takeo followed shortly after, his katana held close. If the man was to trick him, it would be the last thing he did. Once through the shimmering, whirling portal, it closed behind them and Takeo had to close his eyes to the brightness of the sun. In a short minute, Takeo blinked his eyes, staring at a garden, pristinely manicured and quiet in the morning rays. Where was he? What was that thing? Before he could ask, the German spoke once more.
"Zhis is one of zee Futures in peril" he said, quietly. "It is a better one, not quite perfect, however. A mistake vas made." "And the other Future you speak of?" "Darkness... no life, only ghosts of good zhings, Past."
Takeo looked from the German to the garden again, thinking. He did not quite understand, and frankly, he wondered why he was even taking this so calmly. The man must have sensed such restlessness and placed a cautionary hand on Takeos' shoulder, before offering the orb once more.
"Take zhis~ It is called zee Summoning Key, und it vill help you on your vay!" "I do not trust you." "Completely reasonable, given who I am~ But, if not mich you trust, vhy not yourself~?"
Takeo frowned, deeply, at the statement. The man smiled widely and presented Takeo with an old book, adorned with strange symbols and metals. Takeo took it up as well, feeling a weight to them that was not quite right. The weight of choice, of destiny.
"You have a long vay to go, Takeo, und I trust you. Read zhis book before you go back und all vill be explained~"
The man turned to go, pausing for a moment. He didn't look back as he spoke his final words:
"I hear the Cherry Blossoms are nice zhis time of year~"
Takeo flinched at that, but made no move after him, instead gazing to the ominous book and orb in his hands. He inspected each, careful not to open or press, lest he open a portal or read something forbidden, before looking around the garden. He felt himself drawn towards them, long before his eyes caught sight of the pastel petals of a Cherry tree. He knew them well from home, if he could recall it well enough. He sat beneath it, looking up to the limbs as they held their delicate burden of flowers, before he dared open the book.
Takeo Masaki never got to touch a single page as the book sprung to life, flipping passed pages in a blur, until it had reached the ones he needed to see first. Takeos' eyes narrowed at first, reading the passages and examining diagrams, each word and picture making his eyes widen, his jaw dropping as his mind was forced free.
A life ruled by discipline, always seeking praise, honour, only to be neglected and rejected. A mother whose love shone brightest, but life so short. Swift and steady, a dancer of the blade. Betrayal and capture, torture and death... A war without end? The end brought about by one true friend... A fragile Hope...
He felt the book drop from his hands, his head swimming and ears ringing, blinded by a white light he could not get away from--
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Takeo gasped and sat upright in terror, cold sweating running down his face. He looked around, panting heavily, wondering if it had been a dream... He was laying in the swamp, close by where he had fallen just a minute ago, but his hand was heavy at his chest as he looked down to see the golden orb and its' strange glowing symbols.
No, it was no dream, he thought in fear. What I saw; what I felt... It was real.
He dropped the orb into his lap, brought his knees to his chest and held his head as waves and waves of memories and sounds and feelings crashed into his brain, ripping at his sanity, until he was sure he would go mad with it all. His hope was so frail, his heart cracking with the reality, yet... he held firm. This would not break him; not today. He had seen what he needed to do, and he would achieve it. For deep in the memories and feelings and sounds that hurt his head, there was a boy who had the brightest dreams of all.
