Vol 1 Chapter 2.4 (1/2)
Chapter 2 - Wield the fabled blade - Part 4
For the third night I'm all sure and set. I'm expecting to see the children's park at the dead of night. Just like what happened twice before.
Well then, to check my stuff at hand. Before hitting the bed, I've placed various things around my bedside. A saw (I'm really using this as a weapon), a s.h.i.+ai (I've bought this one for my PE cla.s.s), a golf club (Dad's), a laser blade (I used to play this toy when I was a kid), and my table tennis racket (for some unknown reason); perhaps within this dream somehow I would have something? I looked down and,
”... ... uu--n ..”
I groaned instinctively. On my left leg a plastic tube lies (laser blade). ... ... That's it. No racket, no saw, no s.h.i.+ai, not even a golf club. None of them lay on my feet.
”Why this .... Well, it must have a good impact.”
To sum it up, even my memories have gone old. I really used to play with Shun ”Cosmos Wars” make-believe games.
”Tch ...”
For a test run, I drew the grey plastic tube from its holder and wielded it. But nothing happened. Unlike what would happen in the movies where a beam of light would appear from the saber.
It would be good if even an edge had come out. I pull out the blue-green colored bamboo shoot-shaped blade from the plastic tube.
”Wow, how nostalgic ... !”
Remembering my past, I set up my sword in a cool-looking way. To prepare myself, I swing the blade again and again. It only made a buzzing sound, cutting the air.
”Nothing changed ... at this rate it should have been turned to a weapon, somehow it's not happening? Looks like plastic no matter how I do it ...”
I hold my breath, shut off my emotions.
This is a dream. There is no common sense. Therefore cast away common sense. Imagine it. Imagine your thoughts coming to life in this world. So ---
”... ... ...”
Beside me is a tree. I imagine it as my old enemy Darth Gazer. Closing my eyes, I imagine that one scene from the movie. My entire body tenses up. I swing my weapon with all my might ---
*scream*
I have swung forcefully! In the next instant,
*clang*
”Aaaaagh!!? My treasured item's ...”
As the blade struck the tree trunk it merely bent, no make that broken! As I pick up the tip tumbling on the ground in hot haste, the core of the blade (etc) was completely destroyed. I see, this is what happens when you hit a plastic toy ...
”I ... it's all right! This only a dream, a dream --- !”
That house that was destroyed by that dragon was not in reality! It's all right, it will be AOK as before if I wake up from this dream! So calm down, you. By the way might there be some other worrying matters? Because in the end I have nothing to be able to use as a weapon. Unarmed, in short.
”This is gonna be difficult, ...”
If I'm spotted by a monster I have no choice but to run away. I wonder if will I be able to meet up with Akeno ... ?
I've promised Akeno to ”meet up in school”. We haven't decided the time (time stops within the dream); I try to use the phone, but as I thought, the lines are dead.
I should be like ”Go hide somewhere safe until I find you”-kind of a knight this evening, but as expected my equipment's fit for an average level 1 hero, a fruit knife from the convenience store. By the time the need to protect the princess comes, (in a change of situation) it's not unlikely I will be protected by the princess. Honestly, I would not win even against a slime ...
Though I could just throw this reminiscent item, this broken laser blade, away within this dream, I couldn't go on incognito, so I carried along the remaining unbroken blade.
Along the way, as I pa.s.sed by the place where we were attacked by the dragon last night, the brick was standing as it was before.
”... ... ah, the station”
Though I walked on nervously due to my trauma, I did not encounter not a single monster, so I unexpectedly and quickly arrive at the south entrance of Nanaobi Station.
That evening, there were lots of cars pa.s.sing by as Akeno and I walked on the main street. Right now, no moving car is in sight. The one-way three-car-wide lane is empty. But, there were cars parked on-street and on the parking lot; for bicycles, in the rotary guard rail south of the station, there would be some standing along in this dream world.
”!! There ...”
There should be some bicycles left alone unlocked. I could go the to school with those. With bikes I could go on fast. I can rejoin Akeno in a hurry, and if some monster finds me perhaps I can run for it. At any rate, it's better than walking.
As I begin my search, I have found three unlocked bicycles. But they're dusty and totally worn-out, with extra warning stickers put on.
”Hm, at least a rider is in a far better state ...”
Perhaps, it's much easier to get one at the north exit of the station ---
”Oooii ---- !!”
”-------- !!?”
I totally froze on hearing someone's voice. Not a monster's growl, it's a human call. Not Akeno's, not Valkyrie's, it's a deep male voice .... Are there more people within this world ... !?
A lad was coming down alone in the south exit stairs. With his head styled like a sea urchin, an oval face, a tapered jaw. Though his clothes are so tattered I can't recognize it at first, I can make out the Suijou Academy uniform markings.
”Hos.h.i.+!! Ain't that you Hos.h.i.+!”
”... eh ... Saitou ... ?”
Coming at me with a smile is Saitou Masanori, a young toughie the same year as me. Though there are special promotion courses set up in our school to devote our energies to studying them, it's a mammoth school anyway. If there are pins, there are dowels. There are bad guys too in the likes of Saitou.
”You were 'called' by this world, eh.”
”Just like you.”
We're not normally buddies, but it's another story if we meet suddenly in an uninhabited street. I smile naturally.
”It's nice to meet 'ya. I'm getting worried at being separated from my comrades.”
”Me too, I'm getting lonely ... eh, what comrades?”
Are there other people besides us that see the same dream we're seeing?
”We'll chat later. First we change locations. It's dangerous here, we could get spotted by that monster.”
Saitou s.h.i.+vered lightly as he scans the surroundings. For him to be vigilant, it's probably appropriate to think that there are other monsters in this dream besides the dragon.
”Well, how 'bout the convenience store?”
I pointed at the Clan Mart across the main street.
”Fine with me. I'm just getting hungry. We'll talk as I eat.”
Within the agreeably air-conditioned store interior, Saitou spreads out the food on the floor in front of the register, sat down and began to speak. I too this time leave the payment behind. This made Saitou amazed, but I also left behind an amount roughly to how much he got.
”... after Ma.s.san, Homura-san. That makes us 5 in all”
”5 persons ... and 5 days before ...”
Saitou's group was originally a group of five young toughies, for them it's their fifth night in this dream. They have probably encounter many a monster on their way, the varieties ranging from dragons to slimes. This dream world is way bigger than we think otherwise.
”Well, the way we see it, monsters like that ain't that scary that all ...”
Saitou proudly gulps down a can of beer. For them with the ability to control the dream already in their hands, they would be using that to fight the monsters.
”It's way different unlike being a normal human; if you become a superhero, you'll be using ESP, or the way we see it, magic.”
For me who's feeling frustration from the laser blade back there, I could only feel admiration.
”Is that so ... For example, what ability do you have? What can you do, Saitou?”
”M, me? Me, ... well it's ..., quite good. I can control fire at will. With only one wave, I can turn a monster into a fire daruma.”
”Really! Awesome. Let me see your power!”
”Eh, you want to see it?”
”Can't you do it?”
”Well, what can I say ... I can't control it. Even if I can bring down a monster, I can't even use it for a lighter ...”
”I see, you're saying it's impossible”
If we do some flashy fireworks in the narrow store, it would only end up burning buildings down. We do it outside, on the other hand, would only attract monsters and danger upon us.
”Anyway, I'm counting on you”
”Right, leave it to me”
Saitou struck his chest. It's usual to think of not mixing with toughies, but in this condition these guys are reliable.
”Anyway, from here on it's my call. I have a friend waiting for me so I must go for the school. Care to join me, Saitou?”
As we were eating and drinking, I think Akeno must have been feeling helpless. We can't stay here longer worrying.
”Can she use her powers?”
”Dunno. She's the same as me, trying out her powers tonight.”
”Whether or not she can use it is a delicate matter, hmm ...”
”It would be fine if she can realize it, until then I can't help but protect her. Either way I just can't leave her behind. On the other hand, I can't use my powers. So please, Saitou, I ask of you.”
” ... ... I know ... ... But I have my comrades to worry about, so I must find them quickly ... but where were they going I don't know.”