Dark Ronin - The Woman with No Master

Chapter 5

6... 5... 4

Neera...

Neeraa...

"NEERANGANA!" I bolted out of my bed, meeting a familiar woman frantically shaking me. "Who are you? What's going on- " I breathed, "Utsuku... Utsuku!" I was interrupted by a familiarly unfamiliar voice. Okay, deep breath.... Wait, what's that burning smell? Who's the kid?

"Utsuku, Utsuku! It's me-"

Ryuu? Why he so small? And why does he look like a giant? And why does it feel like I'm floating? All these questions are killing me!

"Don't worry little one, I won't hurt you-"

Why the heck is he talking to me like that?- "Boy, what is wrong wi-"- why is this fool stroking my check like I'm some baby, and how is hand bigger than my face? What the heck is going on here?

"See Utsuku, I won't hurt you, promise. Just calm down-"

"I am calm; stop touch-" Why is he looking at me like he can't hear me? Okay, this is officially creepy!

"UTSUKU, STOP! YOU'RE KILLING HER!" Ryuu suddenly cracks my ear drum to pieces. Wait, what the hell, am I on fire?

"Why do I look like I'm on fire!?! HELLOOOO!!!" Why can't no one hear me, what the hell is-" Swish... A long, sunny whiplash swings out and attacks a young, familiar woman. She hits the floor instantly while another man shrieks from the other side. He runs towards her knocking the other two injured men. Where'd that come from? It looked like it came from behind me or something; but no one is behind me. Is she still breathing? "Utsuku, please stop before you hurt someone else," the boy returns my attention to him once again. Oh no, I... No. It did come from me, but how? I didn't mean to do it, well... whatever it was that I did. Please don't die.

AHHHHHH!!! "I WILL KILL YOU FOR THIS!" 

3... 2... 1

"What the heck?!" I breathlessly heaved from my pool of sweat. Shuddering, I dropped out of bed to run some cold water in the shower. This is getting all too normal for me. But what is this shaky feeling I'm getting; why does this dream feel so... so... different? Like it was a memory and not a dream? "Ugh, I need a drink," I mumbled to myself, slipping into the icy water in an attempt to cool my flying temperatures. "'Another dream?" Ryuu tapped the dark kitchen table. "I don't even know," I spoke after a gup of a cup of orange juice. I left the room just as light dizziness overtook my clouded head; after a few minutes Ryuu traced my footsteps. Jumping back in bed, Ryuu popped a small, silver-wrapped mint in my hand. Weakly smiling the little goodie into my mouth, Ryuu started scribbling onto his leftover wrapper:

There's no contests in the art of peace. A true person is invincible because he or she contests with nothing. Defeat means to defeat the mind of contention that we harbor within.

-Morihei Ueshiba

"I promise I'll never let anything happen to you; and in the meantime, deal with the fear that you have inside... shoot, we've been together how long and I haven't let you down yet," Ryuu moved me closer into him, "I don't plan on starting now or any other time. So let me take your pain away." Stifling a yarn, I lowered my head deeper into his chest and let myself succumb to the sleepiness that gnawed away at me.