The Summoning Pact

Chapter Sixteen - A Harrowing Journey

Chapter Sixteen – A Harrowing Journey

It felt like floating in a swimming pool, was what Tsuna first noted, weightless and free, pulled by the currents, but still liable to bump into something. He had yet to figure out what that something was. He didn't have a physical body, didn't have any present nerve endings or skin or anything, but he could still feel.

Stay with me, Tsuna, was whispered somewhere that was nearby and far away, a comforting warmth curled around his very being.

Whoa, whoa, not like that. Here, let me–

It was like a spark of lightning on a dark night, realisation of how it worked, and Tsuna felt himself tremble gently.

Is that better?

He didn't have a mouth to talk with or a body to move, so Tsuna didn't know how to respond.

No? How about now?

There was a snapping sensation from something within him, like stretching an elastic band and letting it go. Tsuna suddenly found himself standing on the sidewalk of his old house, staring at his hands.

"There we go," Skull said pleasantly next to the brunet. "It took some finagling and modification of the rules, but there we go."

"This is my house," Tsuna said numbly, staring at the familiar door, the familiar wind-chime tinkling gently in a breeze he couldn't feel.

"Is that bad?" Skull asked, jovial manner diminishing slightly. "I tried to pick somewhere you recognised so it wouldn't be as hard to navigate."

"No…no. It's…refreshing." Tsuna stared at his palms again. There was an ethereal quality to his body, his arms slightly see through. "We're on a different plane?"

"Mmhmm." Skull moved to loop an arm around his, interlocking gently at the elbow. Tsuna flinched gently at the jolt that shocked his body from the point of contact, his skin feeling electrified.

"We're actually on my plane, and in a moment, we're going to take a few steps and jump into the Sun plane, where Reborn is being a scaredy-cat. I picked somewhere familiar so you could wander about in your human form and not worry about the intricacies of being nothing but pure Aether."

Tsuna flexed his fingers and felt something within him echo. It was an unsettling sensation.

"Thanks," he said slowly. "It feels better being somewhat solid than what was happening before."

Skull grinned down at him and Tsuna felt himself smiling slightly in response. From above, something made a guttural noise and Tsuna started to instinctively lift his eyes.

Skull immediately pressed his free hand over Tsuna's eyes.

"Verde told me what happened in the slip-space. If you look up now, you'll get further lost."

"Should I keep my eyes shut?" Tsuna asked, lifting to try and pry Skull's palm away from his face.

"Please, I don't want to imagine what the others would do to me if I lost you."

Tsuna dropped his arm from Skull's and gripped onto his fingers instead.

"I trust you to lead me then."

There was a growing sensation behind his collarbone, building and building like an expanding balloon. Tsuna did his absolute best to ignore it as Skull led him several steps forward, keeping his eyes on their feet.

Then, between one step and the next, the ground was falling out from beneath him. Tsuna's startled yelp was swallowed when his breath was caught in his throat. He was jerked to the side, like a leaf caught in a breeze.