Journeys to the Dreamscape

Part 5

I sat up quickly and yelled between my hard breaths. I was hyperventilating by this point and I felt my hands shaking. I tried to get up from Nightopia when I slipped off the platform and fell to the ground. I lay sitting down, facing the floor with my hands supporting me up. My vision distorted slightly as I gazed down at the floor and at my hands when I decided to then close my eyes tightly. I could only hear the sound of my heavy breathing pound in my ears when I faintly heard the sound of rushing steps. Before I knew it I felt a presence around my body and I couldn't help but hug it back as I gripped the fabric I felt under my hands tightly. There was a comforting feeling around me as my breathing began to be more at ease and I regained my senses. I kept my eyes closed but loosened their tension as my body began to relax. I loosened my grip on whatever it was under my grasp as I buried my face in it. I then I heard a distant and echoed voice "Musouka? Musouka?" It said. It began to sound clearer than before now. "Musouka? It's ok. It's ok, you're here now. It's safe. Alright?" I felt a hand stroke my head tenderly. I decided to finally look up at the source of the voice. I opened my eyes slowly as I began to look up. My vision was slightly blurred with the few tears welled up in my eyes. When they came into focus, it was Hitomu looking down at me with tired yet consoling eyes and a smirk.

I closed my eyes again as I buried myself in his chest once more and let out a small sob. "Shh I know, nightmares especially in the Dreamscape are terrible. It's okay," I heard him say. I sniffed and tried to regain my composure. I looked up at him again and gave a small smile. "Listen, Musouka, I just want to say... I'm sorry for what happened and how it ended. It wasn't in my place to go off like that. Especially before you were going to do something important. I'm sorry," he said as he wiped a tear from my face. "No, it's ok. I'm sorry for not acknowledging your feelings about well, everything before. And thank you so much for being here to catch me when I fall, in this case, literally," I said with a small laugh. He smiled warmly as he looked down at me. We then pulled each other into a deep hug. It was always nice when we had tender moments like these. They are the ones that bring a bond closer between us no matter what.

We let go of each other as I turned to lay my back on his chest. I grabbed one of his hands and looked down at it as I stroked his fingers with my thumb casually. "So... How long was I gone this time?" I asked being afraid of the answer. "You'll be glad to hear, that you were gone for just a few hours. A few hours short of a whole day," he said. I looked up from his hand in surprise. I then turned my head to look at him, not changing my expression as I put his hand down. He looked down at me and nodded with a smile. Really?? That means some actual progress on the improvement of Nightopia came with that experience. Shorter duration of real world time while in the Dreamscape! "Ah that's great!" I said as I turned to look forward again. "Also, you'll be glad to hear that I actually remembered how my dream ended this time," I said proudly. "Hey and you can never remember those!" He said. "I know!" I responded. We laughed shortly then sighed. After a moment of silence, I began to have a strange feeling in my head. I held it with one hand as I furrowed my brows. Hitomu tilted his head curiously. "Are you ok?" He asked. "Yeah I just... Feel... Odd," I said unsurely. Oh wait, Satoru said something about transmitting their new location to me. Maybe this was how. "Uh here, let me get you something to write with," he said. I then felt Hitomu shift his weight to one side as he felt in his pockets. He then ran out of the room and returned surprisingly quick with my dream journal. He handed it to me as he sat behind me again. He must have done this before with his own encounter and knew what was going on. I opened to the latest page and began to write swiftly. I didn't even know what I was about to write. It was as if my hand had a mind of its own!

When I finished I lifted the book closer to me. Hitomu placed his face next to mine as he attempted to see as well. This time, the location was a warehouse for arbitrary technology not too far from our area, thankfully enough. I sighed deeply then."Alright, let's get ready and get going," I said as I knelt on one knee and began to stand. "Not... Before you've had some rest and something to eat," Hitomu said stopping my movement as he got up first. He then offered his hand out. I took it and he pulled me up. He smiled at me kindly as I returned it as I shook my head. He shouldn't need to worry about me so much. But... He's Hitomu, and that's what he does. Which is admittedly one of the things I like about him. He put my arm over his shoulders and lead us out of the room and into the kitchen.