The Dream Shifter

Chapter 50

The top of the hill that the Tsuji Shrine sat on suddenly was darkened by passing clouds covering up the sun. A silent breeze wheeled through the ground holding off the tension that was coming to a slow boil. It left the two old friends staring at each other with a knowing look that was weighing and sorting through thoughts.

Seiji took a step forward breaking the standoff that was between them. He had a long pensive expression that seemed to be unnatural for him. It was that aura that was making it easy for Yuki to read him. Seiji resumed walking in front of him towards the stairs of the main shrine.

The wood of the shrine was well polished with a reflection of the surroundings bouncing in it as Seiji stepped on the old boards. He was followed up by Yuki not long after and made their way to the back of the shrine around the outside. A small groan from the back steps was let go as Seiji took a seat. Yuki leaned up against the supporting pillar of wood looking down.

"So… Yuki… The past year?"

"Huh?"

Yuki said looking up a little trying to understand where Seiji was headed. There were still no answers for Yuki to the reason of Seiji's appearance or purpose. It was making him increasingly curious, especially since he did not remember Seiji acting like this before when they were close friends.

Silence poured in again for a moment as Seiji searched for his words that continued to slip through his fingers.

"What I mean… How has the year been for you?"

Seiji tried to paint a friendly and happy face on but failed in the attempt.

Yuki slipped from the pillar in surprise but eventually righted himself back up.

"Wha?!"

"Well, I haven't seen you in a while. What have you been doing?"

Seiji was starting to act like Yuki was being the strange one for acting so off-balanced by the question as though it was an unbelievable thing to consider.

The near matter-of-fact attitude continued to puzzle Yuki as he stared at his friend. He slowly pulled himself back and blinked once to smooth out his disjointed feeling.

"Well, I've been going to school and started high school."

Seiji lowered his eyes a little annoyed by the easy answer.

"Yeah, I know that. Besides school."

"I uh…"

Yuki tried to think about what he had been doing, but found it all pretty ordinary and uneventful, besides one thing.

'I can't tell him that I'm an heir to some strange land that I've never seen and have powers that defy reality. And that I'm being hunted by an evil group of people trying to take control forcibly from the rightful ruler.'

The gears turned in Yuki's head trying to come up with anything that worked no matter how small.

"I ate Takoyaki!"

It was Seiji this time that lost his grip and fell down the stairs landing on his back upside down staring in disbelief and utter confusion at the response. Seiji recovered quickly and leaped up to the stairs glaring back at Yuki for giving such a ridiculous answer to him.

"What sort of answer is that?! I didn't ask what you ate!"

"Well, I did!"

Yuki said leaning in trying to re-enforce that he was being honest, even though it was a random answer.

Seiji grabbed Yuki up by the collar of his uniform and stared at him for a minute without words. Then when he seemed like he was going to punch Yuki he let him down and changed his expression.

"If it was a year ago you'd never have even said a word. Guess that'll do."

Seiji stepped down off the stairs into the grounds behind the shrine leaving a foot on one stone tile each.

Yuki pulled down his jacket to straighten it out and made it down a couple of steps.

"You know that I'm not the same, right? I've put the past behind me. Was this a test or something, Seiji?"

"A test? No, I know without a test… I guess I—"

"Yuki!"

Shoji yelled from the shrine as he threw open the doors on their skids without concern. The young boy leaped on Yuki's back hugging him tightly as Yuki had early to Seiji.

"I'm all finished with my training. So we can play, Yuki!"

"Shoji! You're going to hurt, Yuki!"

Seiji said rushing to Yuki's aid to pull off his hyperactive little brother. He struggled with Shoji a little but eventually managed to pull him off sharply with a fist to his head.

Shoji looked up at Seiji rubbing his head holding back a tear in his eye.

"What you do that for? Yuki's strong."

"Well, I…"

"It's fine," said Yuki patting Shoji on the head.

'Seiji's acting strange. I wonder what is eating him?'

He wanted to go over to Seiji and talk straight with him, but that seemed to be impossible. It was rare for them to talk seriously from what he could remember and there seemed to be something in front of Seiji holding him back. He had not seen his friend in a while, but he was not like the friend that he remembered.

A creaking of the boards signaled another visitor to the back of the shrine. It was the grandfather of Shoji and Seiji and the head of the Tsuji family. He was the one that taught the ways of the priesthood and held the line of tradition before him.

As to be expected, he wore the standard vestments of the Shinto priests without compromising for any of the modernism that was slowly trying to seep into their world. In his age, he was almost completely bald with only a ring of hair around the base of his head that hung close to his very wrinkled and dotted head.

However, in spite of his appearances, he had the fierceness of anyone half his age and refused to acknowledge age as a weakness.

"Seiji, you missed your training again. At this rate, your brother will pass you."

"That's fine. I've told you countless times, I don't care about any of that. Why can't you leave me alone?!"

Seiji turned away from his grandfather starting to have anger shaking his arms.

"But it's fun!"

Shoji ran from Yuki over to Seiji grabbing his hand to keep him from leaving. It was an all too common argument for them.

"Please. You're much better than I am."

Seiji ripped free his hand and started to walk from the shrine towards the protected woods below.

"I told you. I don't want your tradition!"

"Watch your tongue, boy!" his grandfather snapped from the shrine staring down at Seiji, who only paused for a moment before he continued walking away.

Seiji was out of sight before long down the stairs not wanting to be followed as everyone already knew. Their grandfather turned to Yuki looking at him through his deep-set eyes and dry lips speaking coldly to the high school student.

"I thought you might have changed him in the past. I thought you might drive him back to where he was meant to be, but I was wrong. You were only a negative influence that encourages his rebellious side. I see that hasn't changed."

Once he was done berating Yuki he turned back and entered the shrine fading into the shadows.

Shoji looked down the path and up at his grandfather before to Yuki. It was painted heavy on the young kid's face how confused he was now. He did not know who to follow and wanted to go with both while knowing that it was completely impossible.

"Yuki…"

"I'm sorry, Shoji."

Yuki was beginning to feel out of place now that the only reason he was at the shrine disappeared. He wanted to leave, but he could not leave Shoji like he was. However, the words that he should say were not coming to him.

"Grandfather and brother always fight like this. Why?"

Shoji collapsed to his knees on the tile with Yuki quickly rushing to his side. He pulled tightly on Yuki's clothes in his confusion.

Yuki thought back to his family for a moment hearing the echoing of his sister yelling at him.

'Maybe that's why Seiji and I got along so well then. We were so similar then.'

He stared into Shoji's face wishing to find the answers that he needed, but still coming up short. This was not something that he was very good at.

"I think they'll always fight because of who they are, Shoji. But don't think this is your fault. If you keep trying and don't give up… Your feelings will make it through."

Shoji wiped away his tears but still had an uncertain questioning look for Yuki.

"My feelings will make it through if I don't give up?"

He nodded with a smile to Shoji to assure him.

"I promise."

"Really?!"

Shoji seemed to return to his cheerful self. He jumped up and hugged Yuki quickly before running off down the stairs in the direction that Seiji had left.

The grounds were empty once more leaving Yuki standing in the wind that blew through. The silence made him awkward and knew that he had already overstayed. He slowly made his way to the front of the shrine to put him back on his path.

'If you don't give up huh?'

Yuki stared down at his hand still confused about the power that was locked inside him.

'I guess I should listen to my advice.'

Seiji sat on a rock a little off the path of stairs that sink into the forest behind the shrine. The shrine was surrounded in a modern city and the last bastion of the old ways was held trapped on all sides by the skyscrapers and highways. It was only held at bay by the small forest and hill that the shrine sat upon for protection. Most just saw it as a city park that was allowed to run wild within a boundary, but for Seiji, it was his only escape from everything.

'I finally managed to talk to him again after everything and I can't say anything to him. Then grandfather has to go and screw things up, making it impossible. I bet Yuki's already left and my chance as well. Since when was I such a coward?'

The rustling of leaves nearby went unnoticed by Seiji as he sat with his hands around the sides of his head. Shoji was standing in front of him without saying a word for minutes just watching his brother and wondering what was going on in his thoughts. It took him that time to get up the courage to speak to his older brother and reach out his hand to touch his arm.

"Seiji?"

"Shoji!" Seiji said pulling back his head and body in surprise.

"How did you find me?"

Shoji smiled back at him.

"You always go to the same place after your fight with grandfather, but I've never told him."

"…I see…"

"Please, let's go back!"

"Shoji…"

Seiji's face darkened a little thinking about what he would have to face back at home. It was still too early for him to return. The shaking had not stopped for him.

"…sorry, Shoji, but I'm not going back yet."

He flexed his hand at his side letting it breathe, but it was still vibrating in anger.

Shoji held his head down hearing his brother's reply but raised his head back up hearing Yuki's words echo through him.

'If you keep trying and don't give up… Your feelings will make it through.'

He narrowed his eyes a little in determination staring at his reluctant brother.

"If I don't give up… If I keep trying…" he said softly, but it pulled Seiji back towards him confused.

"You said you'd show me something, Seiji!"

"Huh?"

"Before, you said you'd show me."

"But…"

Shoji grabbed on to Seiji's arm pulling at his shoulder with him to get him to stand up.

"I won't give up!" said Shoji staring unwaveringly at Seiji as he tried to pull away.

Whether it was his words or his little brother neither mattered at that moment when he stood up and walked away with Shoji back up the stairs.

…

..

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