The Dream Shifter

Chapter 159

Yuki took a step forward digging into his emotions for his counter argument. "Besides Ayumi, Saki and Seiji are the only ones to have fought them and Haruo is the only one with special powers. This isn't something that you can do on determination alone!"

"I wouldn't make quick decisions about us without understanding us," began Fumiko speaking from the back and still being seen easily. She raised her hand up to the sky suddenly being covered in thin threads. Highly detailed and intricate writing glowed like ribbons in the area wrapping around her arm building to a red light. Small flames cracked through the developing orb until it was completely consumed. Once it reached critical mass the ball of fire exploded away from her palm sent into the sky. "We can look after ourselves and we are not without abilities of our own."

It was Yuki that was interrupted then by Saki. "I think you've lost, Yuki. I think the only one on your side is Ayumi at this point. We're all coming! Remember we can look after ourselves!"

Yuki sighed as he gave into their will. "…fine… Hope there's enough room Ayumi." He checked on Ayumi, who had held herself out of the debate. She looked mostly unfazed by the decision.

"Yeah, there'll be enough room."

Yori declared himself with a step out of the group and address Yuki. "Where will we be going?"

It took a minute for Yuki to think over it trying to remember before he declared cheerful, "I don't know!" Everyone fell over to the ground suddenly completely taken off guard by the nearly enthusiastic declaration of ignorance. Yuki gave them all a confused look for why they were overreacting for him answering honestly.

"How can you not know where you're going when you're planning on going?! That's the first thing you ask!" yelled Chiharu recovering before the others. "You're not just a weakling, but you're dumb too!"

A nod came from Yuki agreeing with her. "I guess I didn't really think about it too much. Knowing where they are isn't really going to change my decision on if I'm going or not."

"Somehow that makes perfect sense coming from him…" commented Yori, joining Chiharu and soon the others.

Yuki turned excitedly and expectantly to Ayumi. A bit of a glow surrounded his eyes in eagerness. "So what is your homeland called?"

Sweat dripped down Ayumi reacting to Yuki's energy. She held a minute longer increasing the suspense for everyone that waiting in anticipation. "Atlantis."

There was a mixed reaction of confusion and awe (mostly from Fumiko and Yuki), while Yori seemed more calculating than anything else. Yuki took the stage fueled by his own excitement. "You mean like the legendary city of Atlantis? From Greek myth?"

"The city that sank into the ocean thousands of years ago?" added Fumiko.

"The same, though I assure you we are no myth."

Ideas and theories ran rampant through Yuki's mind. His reading selection provided him with enough material to come up with endless possibilities. The possibilities could not hold him. "So is it like in some other dimension or something? Why are we at a dock? Do we need a submarine to reach the city because you're still living underwater?"

Ayumi did not know if she wanted to slap him or provide a legitimate answer to all of his overreaching questions. It required her to take a couple of breaths to settle herself down enough to deal with him. "We're here for a boat. We'll be traveling by boat to the homeland."

Yori pushed into the conversation physically by stepping almost in front of Yuki. He grew tired of the childish questions and wanted a straight answer. "If we're traveling by boat. Where is Atlantis located?"

"Antarctica."

The Pacific Ocean breeze was stiff and cool for the morning. The further away from Japan the cooler it seemed to get until land was no longer in sight. Only a single luxury liner sailed the seas south that morning leaving behind everything. It remained skillfully undetected in its trip. Aboard the deck only a few strolled its polished wood floors.

Having such a large ship to travel in had left some of the guests a little uneasy for the trip. They stayed cautiously towards the interior, which was vast and grand. Each room proved to be far more than they would ever need for the journey. The grandiose vision suited a happier occasion, which was not weighed down so heavily by the somber aura that lingered underneath false joy.

Near the center of the over lit and sparkling dance ballroom sat Yuki in a semi-meditative state. The ringing clatter of shoes briskly walking towards him alerted his senses. He opened his eyes in the direction of Ayumi's approach. "Hey Ayumi!"

The lowered brow and strictly controlled breathing made it clear that she was not pleased. "Must you always indulge your fantasies in such frivolities?" She came to stop in front of him crossing her arms. Calling her displeased understated Ayumi's mood.

Yuki became used to her stricter hand from all of the training he had with her. He slowly rose out from his position unfolding his legs to stand up. "No greeting?" he began, trying to keep things light despite Ayumi glaring at him. A drawn out second hoped for even something. "I guess we have already seen each other today. So you don't need to greet me."

Her words became mingled with emotions that rattled at her control. "You think this is a joke?"

He leaned back a little from Ayumi's pressing. It certainly had not been the first time that he saw a c***k in Ayumi's armor, but the frequency that he saw concerned him. "N-No! Of course not! I just made the first thing that came to mind that I thought would be comfortable for everyone."

"This isn't a pleasure cruise, Yuki!"

"I know that! You don't have to remind me!"

"Do you really?! While you're here there is an entire country of people uncertain living in fear not knowing why their king isn't there! Not knowing if they'll be saved in time!" Ayumi voice cracked and weakened with her words as though it was struggle just to talk about it. A slight shaking in her arms showed how much her discipline fought with her emotions.

Hesitation rose in Yuki as he watched her slowly fall apart in front of him talking about her people. He knew that they were in danger before from Ayumi, but he started to realize that she became like that every time she talked about the subject. 'She really is worried about them… Even through all of that tough act, it's eating away at her slowly the longer we take…' Yuki did not know what he should do feeling almost like Ayumi could cry at any moment. He followed what his instincts told him.

He stepped forward looking into Ayumi's shaking eyes feeling the deep pain that sat within them. Only centimeters stood between them as he waited to make sure he was welcome. Yuki slowly closed the remaining distance lifting up his arms wrapping gently around her. The fragile warmth of Ayumi overcame him. She reluctantly accepted his advance putting her shivering arms up against his back. It almost made him freeze in surprising holding her so close in such a defenseless and helpless state. He did not know what more to think just letting the moment hold for as long as it should. "Ayumi…I'm sorry…"

"…thank you…Yuki," whispered Ayumi, her head resting on his shoulder not quite burying herself.

"I really don't like this at all!" yelled Seiji over the deck as though he needed to be heard by everyone. Yori, Yumi and Fumiko all gave him the look that it was unnecessary to be shouting. Ever since they had left the docks Seiji held clamped tightly to the side of the railing. At first, it seemed as though he was just enjoying the youthful energetic pursuits of a free luxury ride at sea, one which he never would have seen before as a simple priest-in-training.

Yori reclined in one of the plentiful sun chairs appearing to be very relaxed. "I concur… This quite…unnerving…"

"Yes, I agree…it is quite unnatural!" added Fumiko resting on the wide banister with her back to the ocean.

Seiji pulled away from the railing in utter panic-stricken confusion. "How the hell can you say that with the way you're acting!?" He threw his arms out shaking them a little incredulously at them.

"No, it really is!"

A cautious slit in his narrowed eyes looked at the two of them suspiciously. "You're making fun of me again! Aren't you?"

Yori dismissed the notion with a flippant hand jester. "It's not as though you're a tough guy or someone that tries to maintain a certain image."

Two sharp strikes directly on target slammed into Seiji cutting him down quickly. It made it very difficult for him to fight back after Yori had been so piercing with his words. Bluffing his way through with bravado failed him already by complaining. He still managed to do depressed and dejected quite well though. However, it quickly changed when the thought that he heard them laughing at him. Anger fueled a second wind to stand him upright and glaring down at them. "How the hell can you not be freaked out by this dream crap?!"

"Yuki's not dreaming. He's just meditating," Yumi boldly inserted.