concoursec | (no subject)

Character(s): Ryu (Dreamer), Yuri (Viewer)
Location: Dreaming - Cedar Woods
Rating: PG
Open/Closed/Finished: Closed

Summary: A reunion between family.

"You know what's here, don't you?" A voice calls from behind. Garr's arms fold over his chest, eyes drifting over the path ahead. Ryu turns back and nods to his companion. "This is something I have to do alone."

Garr debates this momentarily, and settles on letting him go. "Alright. In that case, I'll wait here." Garr's response is lost, all he can hear now are his footsteps against the dirt and wood, and the wounded, growling Weretiger that brought the two of them here. The suspicion in his heart had risen when Ryu and Garr encountered the Weretiger on Ogre Road. It was such a slim chance, but a few brief words from his childhood was the only clue he had.

"If I was alone, I could have... Nevermind. You're both here now." Rei said, turning his attention to his younger brothers. "Let's get some rest for tomorrow."

Ryu always wondered what he meant by that, but he was snapped out of any thoughts of the past when the growling grew louder. Now he was a few mere feet away from the Weretiger One more turn around the corner, and his suspicions would be confirmed. Ryu took a deep breath, and rounded the corner with his eyes closed. The growling stopped, and he opened his eyes.

Blonde hair, clawed feet, and that unmistakable tail. There was nobody else it could have been, Rei was alive. The woren rose to his feet, a look of disbelief at what he thought to be his long dead brother. "...Ryu? Is that you? Was that you on Ogre Road?" Ryu couldn't will himself to speak, so he nodded in response. A moment of silence passed between the two, and Rei's disbelief gave way to a smile, and a raucous bout of laughter.

"That was you?!" Rei managed to yell between fits of laughter, "Doesn't that beat all? I never imagined I'd get beat by you, Ryu! I wasn't holding back at all!" Rei's laughter soon died down, and he took on a more serious expression. "I mean... I'm glad to know you're ok, I thought you were..." Ryu managed a soft smile, stepping closer to his older brother. "I have you to thank for that."

"I've been watching them... Those people that came from the black market; the ones who work with McNeil. I thought I could avenge you and Teepo if I attacked them. I've been fighting for years..." Ryu rested a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down. "But it wouldn't bring Teepo back..."

"I don't care!" Rei shouted, grief in his voice. Ryu's presence did little to lessen the pain he felt. "I won't stop. I'll keep attacking them until they know not to mess with me, or my family!" Ryu tried calling out to him, but the sound of his voice was lost as he transformed into the Weretiger before Ryu's very eyes, and bolted off into the forest.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yuri collapsed backwards in the middle of making herself a clumsy attempt at omerice. She was saved from a nasty head bump only by the presence of Borg, who shielded the fall squishily.

As she dreamed, she experienced emotions she had rarely felt before. Trudging the wilderness without fear. A happy reunion with his (?) brother. Tired comradery. A brave kind of conviction, a vow of protection.

She felt almost, for a moment, as if she'd been abruptly transported to a boy's manga, with its theme of hope and protection.

But no, this wasn't the naive optimism of heroes from comics. This was tired veterans, following hope that was fragile and nurtured by their shared presence.

Eventually she realized it was a dream, and pushed through the caul of it, emerging groggily into reality the same way she had after the Yellow Knife's attack.

Her omerice was badly burnt.