The Dream Shifter

Chapter 200

Even though there was no body the tone of the voice almost sounded like they shrugged in disbelief at Yumi. 'Really? I find that hard to believe. Does a sister just cower away making others speak for her when she has the power to do something herself? Doesn't sound like a sister to me.'

Yumi jumped up to her feet no longer able to remain still. She threw out her hand in the best direction of the voice. 'I am his sister! And I would do anything I could for him!'

'I only believe actions, not words!' The condescending tone in the voice stayed as strong as before. Almost a mocking grin seemed to surface in the words.

'Then I will!' She disappeared from the space of their communion.

A vague shadow surfaced from the void with no clearly definable form. 'Such a troublesome individual. Was that good enough for you?' The anticipated response never came to the voice. Starting to fade away into the air the shadow had almost completely dissipated. 'You won't be able to remain quiet forever…'

Yumi's eyes snapped open with reality slamming into her chest enough to make her gasp and feel as though something knocked the wind from her. She took in a deep breath and examined her surroundings to make sure that reality had returned. In front of her, Seiji still held onto Ayumi and Yuki held back staying at her side. They still fought as though almost no time had passed. Yumi felt the strength suddenly surge through her body. 'I'll show you! I'm not weak! I'm here now and I can't be useless!'

When Yumi pushed off Yuki's hands, it pulled his attention back to her. His face changed to confusion seeing the shifting emotions in her eyes. "Yumi? Is something wrong?"

"No," she sternly stated. Yumi stood up once freed from her crutch in Yuki. "This is something I must do." She walked over to Seiji and Ayumi locked in a debate still. His voice yelled over top of Ayumi's calm even tone. Yumi lifted up her hand between the two and placed it on Seiji. "It's time to let her go."

Seiji's eyes widened in shock that Yumi would be saying such words to him. It made his hand tighten further onto the tunic. "Did you not hear what she's been saying?"

"Yes, I've heard. And she's right."

"What?" shouted most of the group in unison. Even Ayumi gave her a questioning look while still having the calculating expression buried behind. Yuki ran up to Yumi putting his hand on her shoulder trying to understand her.

Yumi looked over at Yuki. "Ayumi's right. You have something important that you need to do, Yuki. Which is why I will go and find my brother alone."

When Yumi pushed off Yuki's hands, it pulled his attention back to her. His face changed to confusion seeing the shifting emotions in her eyes. "Yumi? Is something wrong?"

"No," she sternly stated. Yumi stood up once freed from her crutch in Yuki. "This is something I must do." She walked over to Seiji and Ayumi locked in a debate still. His voice yelled over top of Ayumi's calm even tone. Yumi lifted up her hand between the two and placed it on Seiji. "It's time to let her go."

Seiji's eyes widened in shock that Yumi would be saying such words to him. It made his hand tighten further onto the tunic. "Did you not hear what she's been saying?"

"Yes, I've heard. And she's right."

"What?" shouted most of the group in unison. Even Ayumi gave her a questioning look while still having the calculating expression buried behind. Yuki ran up to Yumi putting his hand on her shoulder trying to understand her.

Yumi looked over at Yuki. "Ayumi's right. You have something important that you need to do, Yuki. Which is why I will go and find my brother alone."

If the first statement from Yumi was not enough to put everyone into shock, her second nearly put the group into a coma. While the methods of expressing their shock varied, it was all the same. No one expected to her to say such a reckless thing. It completely defused the tension from before, even if it might have replaced it with something even worse.

Not understanding Yumi at all, Yuki's hand became heavy on her shoulder. Panic already spread through his face and into his hand. "What are you saying, Yumi? You can't do that! It's too dangerous! We'll go together to get Yori back!"

"He's right!" added Seiji. He finally dropped Ayumi to the ground, no longer interested in their argument. The concern of Yumi convincing herself that she needed to rescue Yori on her own made him turn to face her. He had to stop her from doing something foolhardy.

Saki stepped up joining them. She saw the look in Yumi's eyes built with determination and resolved to turn to confidence. It worried her the look that she saw. "Yumi, you don't have to do this alone. This isn't a burden you have to bare alone. Ayumi doesn't speak for everyone."

Yumi shook her head lightly. "I know, but what she says is correct. There is something even more important than just my brother at stake. It's only been a little glimpse, but it is clear that there are wrongs being done here. Soldiers are meant to protect, not scare its people. We don't even know what the rest of Atlantis is like or feeling right now. Ayumi feels strongly that they need his help and I don't doubt those feelings." She tilted her head towards Ayumi carrying a slight smile. All Ayumi returned was a small narrowing on her eyelids and quickly shifting her gaze away.

Still not convinced, Yuki pulled in front of Yumi to make sure she saw him with no distraction. The moment that his eyes met her a little hesitation suddenly bubbled up in his heart. 'She's got that determined look in her eyes like before…when she took charge…' He realized then at that instant he could not look at her. His head fell down hanging at his shoulders. The shaking did not cease for him. "…but none of that matters…to me… …saving your brother's more important to me…right now…"

She lifted her hand up to rest on his wrist and forearm. "Thank you, Yuki. But I can't let you make that decision." A sudden blast of wind raked along everyone's clothes, sending ripples through the material. Yumi knelt down as Yuki collapsed over her shoulder. She looked over to Ayumi calling her in silence. Slowly, Ayumi approached with caution. Passing off Yuki, Yumi stood up to leave him in her care. "I trust you to make sure he stays the course."

"…yes…" Ayumi looked down at Yuki seeing him unconscious. She was not entirely certain what to make of the situation. Everything returned to the order she wished. She had Yuki.

In the surprise of the scene, most of them could not react. However, Saki broke free from the stunned effect and rushed over to Yumi's side. "You don't even know where he is! Are you going to search the entire countryside for him?"

Yumi looked back at Saki smiling at her. "No," she calmly spoke with her head shaking. "I know exactly where he is."

"What? How?"

"It's my power, I think…" Her hand raised a little to her gaze with her head turned back forward. "I'm still figuring it all out, but I can sense him out there. I just have to follow the feeling and I'll find him at the end."

Saki threw her arm out swiping at the air with her words. "If that's the case you don't have to go alone! We'll go with you and be back on track in no time! I can do it myself! With my speed we won't waste anytime!"

"That's a pretty broken power," commented Seiji. He finally came out of his paralysis and stepped out into the conversation. "It's not very sporting considering they're all just a bunch of normal humans."

She turned her head back towards Seiji quickly. "To hell with fair play!" snipped Saki, not in the mood for Seiji sense of honor.

"No, he is my brother. This is only something for me to do."

"Yumi!" Saki turned to face Yumi only to be blasted with wind. The force was enough to kick up dirt and make it difficult for her to see. She had to hold up her arms and squint her eyes. "Yumi!" Saki shouted through the cloud to no avail. Once the wind calmed and she could see again nothing remained. Yumi was gone. "Yumi!"

The force that pulled on him stirred awake his mind. It felt as though ripped from his home. He wanted to return, but knew it to be impossible. Still groggy from the experience, it took him a while to wake up fully. Once awake, he lazily scanned the environment. His lightheadedness persisted in spite of his alertness rising. 'Where am I?'

Yori tried to get up to move, but found it impossible. It took him several vain attempts to actually realize the futility of trying. The futility did clear the rest of the hazy from his mind making everything suddenly sharp. He felt his arms stretched a little and pinned in an awkward position for him. His arms were behind him. An abrasive touch to his wrists when he twisted his arms told him enough. 'I'm tied up! What happened to me?'

Upon the realization of his situation, Yori tried to pull at his arms again, but found the bonds too tight. Escape seemed out of reach. 'Where is this?' Yori looked around the space in search of anything that might help him. Unfortunately, the entire room was empty. All he saw was canvas lightly billowing with passing winds. 'A tent? We don't have a tent, unless this is Hayashi's doing…' The longer that he considered the more he ruled the option out.

The situation drew on and he came to the only logical conclusion, one that he dreaded. The mere thought had his body shaking and his stomach churning in fear. '…I've been captured…' Once he understood, he started to think back. He needed to know what happened. Unfortunately, his mind blanked on him. 'The last thing I remember was being surrounded by the soldiers and then them dropping…but what happened after…'

Any more thoughts would have to wait for Yori. The flap of the tent slid apart bleeding sunlight through on his face. Its bright light blinded him until a shadow stepped forward. In the sun, all he saw was a darkened figure approach before the light cut away. He caught sight of another figure in the gloom of the tent, but they disappeared out of sight behind him before he had a chance to see fully. The more important figure stood before him less a meter away.

A black uniform became clear to Yori with his vision returning back to familiarity with the darkness. The man stood tall. Well formed muscles exposed on his chest and arms showed him to be trained and physical. Yori did not know if his own fear made the presence feel even more imposing than the man's stature. The closer he focused on the face the more he knew he recognized it. Short closely cut dark blonde hair hugged his head and narrow piercing eyes of deep blue, same as before. 'He was one of the soldiers that attacked us! Did he capture me?'