The Dream Shifter

The castle was safe now; it had been defended well against the overwhelming numbers of enemy soldiers that laid siege to its walls. As the rising moon bathed its warm pale blue light over the field the victorious champion of the people stood up pulling his sword free from its b****y sheath. The blood of those he had slain was coating his dulled battle-worn armor allowing a subtle glow in the moonlight to surround him. Through labored breathing and aching muscles, he marched through the battlefield of death where the Lord Armuti waited for him.   He knelt at the lord's feet saddened in the loss of so many but relieved for the battle to be over. Lord Armuti lowered his hands on the champion's shoulders displaying a proud smile for the miraculous victory achieved. The lord grabbed him then by the sides of his arms insisting that he no longer kneel.   "Champion Yuki, your name shall ring from these halls evermore! All praise Champion Yuki!"   The remaining soldiers gathered around the two shouting with Lord Armuti in honor of their champion. All cried out his name for him to hear echoing through fields.   "Champion Yuki! Yuki! Yuki!"   They repeated their chant, clashing their swords against their shields building the champion to a smile.   "Yuki! Yuki… Yuki! Yuki…Yuki…"   Amongst the chanting, there was another distinct voice that he could hear rising over the others in a different tone. He barely acknowledged it at first, but it was persistent refusing to give up calling to him. As each call to his name came the voice became clearer and clearer until he could tell that it was a woman's voice mixed in with all of the men. The voice drew him away forcing his focus on it.   "Yuki…time to wake up!"   The entire world went black suddenly, washing away as though it had all been freshly painted pealing way under the pressure of water. All that he could see was the black void around him and then a narrow line of light that slowly widened, revealing his bedroom ceiling and his older sister, Momoko's brown eyes staring over him.   "I see that you're awake now, Yuki,"   Momoko said with a warm smile that she always managed to have. Now that she was satisfied that she had breached through Yuki's sleep she stood back up straight watching for another moment. She flipped back her ponytail of black hair that fell to the middle of her back just below the shoulder blades. Her short bangs adjusted themselves from leaning over.   Yuki scanned his room feeling a little disappointed that it was only a dream again. He was back in his bedroom normal and ordinary Yuki a fifteen-year-old high school student attending Monou High School in Konomoka near Tokyo. A slow drawn out yawn escaped his mouth leaving him to feel suddenly tired and his bed was still very warm and comfortable. His dream might still be there for him to grab before it was too late. Yuki's eyes closed rolling over.   "Just a few more minutes, Momoko," Yuki mumbled through his pillow.   Momoko rested her hands on her hips, not surprised by this, narrowing her eyes at him.   "Come on, Yuki. You have to get up. I'm not going to be nice anymore."   She leaned in against his bed one more time staring at him to look for a change, but there was no movement. A faint sigh escaped her lips before she mounted Yuki's bed and sat down on top of him.   The sudden weight on his chest and air forced out made Yuki nearly yelp as he was sprung forward in surprise. His eyes were widened ready to fall out as he tried to recover himself.   "Momoko?! What are you doing? I can hardly breathe."   He flailed his arms at his older sister in an attempt to force her off of him, but she was able to easily prevent him.   She gave him a wicked smirk back, pleased to see that she finally had his attention.   "Gotta toughen you up a little," Momoko said roughing Yuki's hair up a little enjoying the moment.   "Fine…fine! I'm awake. You can get off me now!"   Yuki pushed at Momoko as she gave him some room to move. Once he was freed from her hold he dragged himself out of his bed, quickly standing recovering himself fully.   Momoko swiftly departed his room shouting back to him before she returned downstairs.   "Get your brothers up before you go to the shower."   There was a momentary pause as Yuki was about to say something back.   "Because I have to finish making your lunches and breakfast. You have responsibilities in this house too."   Once she was finished her presence was completely gone, and Yuki narrowed his eyes slightly.   'You were already up here. Why can't you wake them up?'   Yuki reluctantly pulled his legs along to Ken and Jun's, his two younger brothers, the room where their door was left slightly ajar. He pushed the door open slowly, his eyes still half-closed waking up, and walked into their room towards their beds that sat on opposite walls in the back of the room. The lumps in their beds told him that they were still asleep. However, he was suddenly attacked from behind by a small weight, but plenty to knock him over to the floor.   "Good morning, Yuki!"   Ken said cheerfully having mounted his back with a proud smile across his face. He rocked around to Yuki's displeasure and pain, even if it did wake him up further. Ken, the older of the two, age ten was beaming his dark black eyes down at his older brother while his spiked black hair seemed to have even more exciting than him.   Yuki reached his hand out to Jun seeing him stand near his bed watching silently. Jun at age nine and youngest held a nearly blank silent look at Yuki with his dark blue eyes appearing like a void that could drag you in. His black hair nearly matched Yuki's in style but was evenly cut across before touching the shoulders while Yuki had opted more for an uneven cut.   "Can you get Ken off me, Jun?"   There was a moment where nothing happened as though it was sinking in and then Jun moved towards him. Unfortunately, Jun took hold of Yuki's hand looking happy as well, if not distant.   "No…Jun," Yuki whined, "You're supposed to help me."   Yuki let out a heavy sigh considering his misfortune and how he was going to get free. The pounding on his back was getting to the breaking point after already being assault by his sister only a few minutes earlier.   After a couple more bounces he had enough from Ken and finally broke through his sleep fogged mind to realize that he could just stand up. Ken slid down looking very disappointed as Yuki walked out of their room. Ken ran up to Yuki grabbing at his leg giggling as though he was playing a game with him. Jun silently joined him on the other leg to Yuki's exasperation.   "I've got to get ready for school, as you do."   Yuki pulled on his legs, trying to pull free but only found heavy resistance that was too strong to break.   "Guys, come on."   Neither of them seemed to be listening to him, not wanting to let well.   'This is too much energy for so early in the morning. I'm not ready to deal with this.'   He stopped trying to drag his legs free and quickly separate the two from him sharply with his hands and disappeared before anything more could happen.   Yuki stepped into the bathroom staring in the mirror for a moment, thinking about his dream.   'And it was such a fun one too. Oh well... there'll be another tonight. Can't wait.'   He roughed up his hair a little still feeling a little tired. It was difficult to tell, but if closely stared at it he actually had very dark blue hair rather than the typical black that most Japanese did. He never understood it but seeing as no one noticed there was no problem. The contrasting light brown eyes he had blinked one more time before he stepped forward to wake up the rest of the way.   A shower and a quick breakfast later Yuki was working his way out the door. Momoko called out to him before he was able to get too far.   "Don't forget your lunch! And remember you need to return home quickly since I'll be at work late after class."   Yuki gladly took the wrapped lunch and tried to ignore the rest of it emptily nodding to Momoko as he opened the door.   "Yeah…sure…"   "I'm serious. You need to be here when Ken and Jun get home. I won't be here and they can't be alone."   Yuki disappeared out the door as Momoko finished her reminder that he had heard time again before.   "Yuki!" she said, not surprised, but still annoyed that he merely shrugged it off.   'He never changes in that remark. He has to step up eventually.'