Chapter 1: Deep Within Mist

[Naitome]

---

There is.

An intruding.

Something else is worming its way inside.

Wormling fith, cut the segments. Grind the stumps. Clean the leakage. Quick, quick-quick.

"G--eee---tttt..."

Out.

You don't belong. There isn't any room.

You'll be stuck here with us now.

Stuck here with all of us.

"...usssssssssssssssssss--"

Not exactly safe.

No safe, no lock, no code entry spinning gear opening trapdoor greed reminder, me.

Where is he?

Where are you?

In the where, past the gray and bleak and imprinted. Beyond the reflex. Where the self should be, there are only shards. Collected as they were scattered. Piecemeal. Incomplete. Within his mind, a new something tore its new teeth shredding him, but he was opened. Walked into. Taken.

Outrage. Hair. The bezoar. The chewing of protein into knots that won't dissolve, and spitting, and there are dresses adorning dolls and dreams are grand.

The operator is out.

Rage. Madness. The manacle bond of perspective, a detaining that which otherwise might destroy. Something was let in. Something was let out.

Reisuke.

A voice would say, Naitome's body slumped over, speaking only to the invading youth now securely within the soulscape.

Reisuke. Yes. Reisuke. I am..

Jashin.

Can't get out. Can't get out. Can't get out. Can't get out.

The tanto spun, draft and breeze and motion slave, it's edge drifting downwards. Very soon, it would try to meet the ground, and be stopped only by the center of Reisuke's brain, angled as it was to plunge straight into the back of his lowered head. Naitome's eyes could only barely see the blade now, but he gawked at it with his eyes rolled off, struggling and failing to fight the control of his opponent.

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{Notes}
Caught.

[Pwn]

“Am I…in? I feel…weird.” The transferring of Reisuke’s soul into Hebi Otoko had been complete. This was the very first time that Reisuke employed his Mind Body Switch Technique combatively, especially during conflict itself. In the midst of battle, the clashing between the two had come to its inexplicable end; Reisuke’s body remained sprawled across the ground, while Hebi Otoko started to exhibit symptoms of being captivated.

“I am not surprised you know I am here.” Reisuke was completely aware of Hebi Otoko’s rampant thoughts bursting from the seams of his mind. “Oh my, you are completely mistaken. I do belong here. You see, I am…you.” That feeling from earlier only got worse as Reisuke mentally responded to Hebi Otoko. “Not safe?” Reisuke began motioning forward, concealed by the darkness blanketing Hebi Otoko’s mind.

“Who is he when I am…?” Reisuke intended to repeat his statement from earlier, but was cut short by the almost inaudible sound of other words. “Operator?” It was at this point that Reisuke’s suspicions were confirmed: this man was truly possessed by another. Following Reisuke’s retort were his name being called out, and then another introducing itself. “Jashin? Who are you?” The questioning was finally about to begin.

[Naitome]

---

Always wondering about the who.

Never the what. Never the how. Never the where.

Can you answer that. Who are you, Reisuke.

Musn't let it distract. Discombobulate. Discuss.

"..don't..."

Jashin. I am. I am like this red moment, this pause before killing. I am murder. I am madness. I am death.

The blade goes in, quiets the minds. Drives out the tubes and gears and seeing severing remembrance trees the hood, the skull and head and going nowhere, stop, please, go on.

Go on then.

Trap.

The body is yours. The minds is lost. Make it dance if you can.

Cant dance, so many left-feet, a child of centipedes he is, I reckon!

Reisuke. Will you. Kill him for me.

Kill.

Kill. Kill. Kill.

Kill him twist him break him bend him burn him bring him ending.

Can you do it.

The tanto spun, but it was like a motionless decoration to their conjoined experience now, between rotation. They could converse only in the mind, where time was simply another suggestion, an influence but not a constant. The voices were like screams and like whispering, like the beat of planet-sized drums a galaxy away.

Reisuke. Will you. Help me.

It lies.

Will you. Kill the world.

---

[Pwn]

“Who am I?” The question repetitiously pestered Reisuke’s mind. There was a slight woozy feeling at the center of his forehead, right before it started becoming war. Swaying back and forth, Reisuke continued pushing forth through the darkness. “You know…” Reisuke motioned his head around in a circle, gazing confused into the abyss. “That is a good question.” Even simple inquiries were deep introspective moments for Reisuke.

“I am still trying to find myself. But you…” Lowering his head, Reisuke began to laugh a little. “Just who are you?” Reisuke’s ears would perk and tune into the voice that would speak back to him. Jashin; murder; death; none of it made any sense. Reisuke never heard the name before, so he was at an impasse. Jashin did not seem to care about the man, willfully allowing Reisuke to have his control. In fact, Jashin would ask if Reisuke could kill the man.

“No…” There was a long pause, lasting about several seconds, before a soft cough. “Why would you want me to kill your host? Also, why are you so violent? You should be helping this man achieve world peace. The world is savage as of right now, but you could be the difference.” Reisuke turned around, and started walking in the direction he just came from. “I could never kill for somebody like you. However, I will kill for Hebi Otoko’s freedom.”