The Dream Shifter

Chapter 297

"The elite," spoke Haruo, an odd person to get the answer. He shifted back to the foreground to join them. "Every group, people, species, organization has the ones that are better than the rest. The ones that succeed without effort, the ones born with talent. I doubt the people here are any different."

Yuki nodded in agreement. "He's right. As powerful as Vangelis was I know there is someone more powerful standing at the top." His voice became rough by the end, as thoughts turned to someone that they all knew. "But he's not the only one. There are plenty of others stronger and more monstrous than Vangelis ahead of us." He tilted his head around towards the unseen capital.

"Huh? How do you know this? I thought Ayumi has been keeping everything to herself."

"She has been," Yuki responded quickly. Directions shifted back to her. "But it's an obvious conclusion to reach. It's a standard plot device."

Saki jumped up to her feet to whack Yuki for his delusions. "Yuki, this is the real world not one of your manga!" Ayumi's hand came out in front of the two to halt Saki. "Ayumi?"

"I wish I could agree with you, but Yuki's correct on this matter."

"Seriously? This is Yuki and his wild ideas again!"

"Hey! Haruo agreed with me and you're attacking me!"

No denial came from Ayumi. It left Saki to return to her seat. Once things settled down, Ayumi spoke, "The ones you're talking about are part of the Omega Division."

"I don't like the sound of that," Saki inserted.

"Sounds appropriate. This is the organization with the best?"

"Yes, the Omega Division only deploys with orders from the council, the King or General of the Army. Most of their missions are capturing or subduing other Meso Prosecho."

"So they're used to fighting, unlike those we've fought."

"But they're all soldiers, aren't they all used to fighting?" questioned Saki.

"You realized, huh?"

"Yes, I'm more observant then you give me credit for. Vangelis was skilled and knew what he was doing, but he's one of the exceptions, right? A border patrol protecting the edge against normal humans, which already puts people to sleep is hardly much real practice. Atlantis I can't imagine has many threats, so they just waste their time away."

"Correct," Ayumi confirmed. 'I didn't expect this much from him. He plays the fool too well...how much is he hiding from me?' She glanced around quickly, still reading the scene from the others. Haruo remained quiet, but alert and too keen. Saki was the weak point. "If you didn't give the impression of a fool, people wouldn't think less of you."

"I'm less concerned over people's opinion of me. It just means they can't see the truth."

His words made Ayumi narrow her eyes. She was not sure if those words were meant for her or a general statement of his personal philosophy. Regardless, she moved things along. "Was it your observations that taught you about folding?"

The word popped up in Saki's mind. She recalled him mentioning it. "You used the word before, Yuki. Did you learn something from your fight?"

"Yeah, I learned I need to ask more questions." He stared at Ayumi, rather than meeting Saki's gaze.

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"I gave you what you needed to survive. You're the one not interested in learning anymore."

"True, it was my fault for being passive about things until now. I didn't care about your situation or what you wanted with me. I just wanted my life back, so I didn't bother getting any deeper. That's my fault. Now that I'm here, I'm regretting that."

"Regret won't change things."

"I know."

Saki leaned in between the two. She felt the increasing tension. "Hey! What's folding?" They both looked at her without saying anything. It almost felt like they were communicating to her telepathically. The attention made her face a little red, but she pushed through forcing a stubborn look.

Yuki gave in first and leaned away a little. "From what I saw, it's a technique to compress their field and increase their power. The way Vangelis talked, it doesn't sound like most can do more than one of them, but he could do it three times."

"Is the change that significant?"

"For you no, but for me yes."

"So you've figured it out?" inquired Ayumi.

"Sort of, but I don't know what sort of measurement you have for the difference between one fold or two."

"Each fold reduces the radius by half."

"I see, then I still have a way to go then."

Ayumi remained still thinking about what he said. 'If he can actually complete a fold the power he would have…' Her thoughts carried her away for moment, but Yuki dragged her back to reality.

"While you're in an answering mood, I want to know something." The already serious mood managed to turn even more serious. Yuki made it clear he was not going to accept anything, but an agreement from Ayumi.

Understanding Yuki's stance, Ayumi nodded to him. "Fine, what is it?"

"I want to know more about you and your people. I can't be going into this blind anymore."

"That's a long story."

"We have time. You can start with those people back there. They knew you from the South Gate." Yuki leaned in a little, as did Saki. Both were very interested in hearing about her past. "Tell me about your time with them."

A spring morning like any other, it was calm and soothing. Gentle winds let the trees play. Slightly chilled air forced warmer cloths. It was a normal day in Atlantis. Everything had just begun. The possibilities were endless. That is what she hoped for anyway.

The South Gate Headquarters stood before her, as tall and majestic as always. It had the classical design the military maintained in all aspects of their presence. Behind the traditional appearance held modernisms for the comfort of the soldiers. Everything needed to protect Atlantis from the outside world. It was the wall of Atlantis and its shield and protector. Assignment to the border patrol was a duty nearly all took, unless circumstances allowed them to be exempt.

Border duty was an honor. It was the greatest pride a soldier should have. They were on the frontlines of protecting the citizens from the dangers of the world beyond the barrier. It was a noble cause everyone supported and stood behind. It was something no one could doubt or see fault in taking. The distinguished honor was proof of loyalty, duty and devotion to one's country and King. Any achievements earned in the line of duty were highly regarded accolades. They were proof of one's ability.

It was those reasons she stood at the stone path into the South Gate. She needed that proof before she returned. 'I'll be back, father. I'll show them my worth!' The young Atlantean girl, dressed in a white military uniform, took her first step into the compound.

She had a small smile on her face. Excitement triggered each of her steps. All of the stories she heard about the Gates created a fantastical image in her mind. 'It'll be different from the Academy. These are men and women serving their country. All of the prejudice and immaturity won't be here. Everyone here has to work together to keep Atlantis safe!' Her past was behind her. She did not have to worry about her appearance or status.

Everything would work out.

"Who are you?" asked a female senior officer.

"Yeah, who are you?" interjected Yuki, cutting off the story. Time jumped back to the present, with everyone gathered closely by Ayumi with heightened curiosity. The normally stone-walled Ayumi, who's past was more of a mystery than Tamamo-no-Mae, was actually revealing her secrets. Yet, her story was too strange to believe, by Yuki's judgment.

Appearing a little put off by Yuki's interruption, Ayumi tried to push through. "I said, I'm the new—"

"Are you really expecting us to believe this?" Yuki looked around at the others to try to gain some support. "Right? Guys?"

Haruo remained silent, not a surprising course. He would be of no help. However, Saki looked uncertainly, possibly skeptical. Yuki leaped on it, regardless of the truth. He placed himself almost uncomfortably close to Saki to force something out of her. "W-Well, it is a little…out of character?"

"See, I'm right!" Yuki turned back to Ayumi, emphasizing his point with his clinched fist. "Who's going to be believe this sweet little girl is the cold, merciless Ayumi we all know!" He presented an image pulled from her introduction of the little girl, she claimed to use to have been.

Redness surfaced in Ayumi's cheeks. She ripped the paper from Yuki's hand and crumpled it up, before chucking it off behind her to disappear far into the distance. "It is embarrassing for me as well, but what I'm telling you is the truth!" Ayumi stretched out from her seated position to confront Yuki directly. Her eyes said she was serious, but her face still blushed deeply.

A moment of silence carried out between the two, staring intently. Yuki lost the fight and back away, looking a little away. "You can't start going Tsundere on me now! You're tsuntsun!"

"…Yuki…" bemoaned Saki, before she whacked him in the back of the head.

"Hey! You don't even know what I'm talking about!"

"It's not like I hit you because I knew what it means."

"Right," nodded Yuki. He slowly turned back to Ayumi planning to resume his debate, but stopped. "Wait…" Yuki looked back at Saki, who did not meet his gaze. His eyes widened in realization.

Clearing her throat, Ayumi interrupted, "Can I continue?" Saki had Yuki distracted enough that Ayumi accepted his silence as a forfeit of his platform.

The eleven-year-old child stood before a towering woman. (Hey!) She clearly saw the senior officer badge attached to her uniform. It was hardly the first time she saw someone of such station, but the woman held fierce look. The look killed everything in the girl in that instant. She hardened her features. She was a soldier. Certain manners and discipline was expected of soldiers. The girl had to obey how the system worked. "I'm the new graduate from the academy. I've been assign to the South Gate."

"Right, I heard about you from the Captain." The woman looked the girl up and down, what little of her there was to examine. The child still had time to grow and be carefree, yet she was already a soldier. Life of those like her was just the same as those older. They received the same treatment, ignoring anything about maturity. It remained unusual to send a child out to the border, even if they were accepted as a soldier. Such duties waited until they finished growing. "Can't believe they're sending us children now."

The child recognized the stare well enough. She experienced it repeatedly in the Academy. The reason was numerous, but the stare was always the same. "I'll pull my own weight, ma'am!" Despite her stature and age, she held the same trained look from any soldier.

"You better. The reports claim you were at the top of your class, even among older cadets. Don't let Academy life make you think you know what you're doing out here. The demands of the patrol are nothing like what they trained for you. Just because you were good in practice doesn't mean you're ready for this. You have to prove your usefulness out here."

"I will, ma'am!" She saluted the woman, never breaking from her determination.

The senior officer stared down at the girl in silence. Her eyes read for any flicker or motion. She wanted a read on the child. "You act confident, but we'll see how long that lasts. I don't know what Command is thinking putting an eleven year old in charge of a squad, even with your marks. I'll be watching you, Second Lieutenant Eudokia."

"I understand! I'll meet your expectations, Lieutenant Commander Athene!"

One of Athene's assistants appeared from behind the woman. The young man stepped forward to replace his superior. While Athene fell into the shadows, eventually departing, her assistant presented Eudokia with her lodging assignment. "Second Lieutenant Eudokia, you have been assigned to Barracks M. You will find your squad, the South 241st Squad, in the same barracks."

Eudokia listened in silence to the man citing her orders. Her eyes read into his expression, while her ears pulled apart the variance in his tone.  'The same eyes, but there's fear as the source…and a little jealousy.' She saw his black uniform only carried a badge marked as Sergeant. He was a regular soldier, forced to start at the bottom and over a decade older than her.

Life was not fair. Fate was not equal.