After One Thousand Years

Take Off and Fly
Source: https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/98984806

Diary 1337---Entry 1002 Floating Back

Slowly blanketing over me, gentle rays of light poke me, pulling my eyelids up and exposing my brain to the sights that enter. I creek my mouth open, exhausted, exhaling, dry… and alive. Slouching my head to the left, I feel and hear a pillow shifting below me. My eyes shift down with my head and I stare at wall. I slowly draw them across the wall and realize I’m in a room. It’s an empty, silent room. There’s a window…or maybe it’s a door…It’s clear. Glass…I shift to the right. There’s a…coat rack. It’s holding something. The haze in my mind sit comfortably, making me feel yet uneasy. Blinking a few times, my vision corrects itself. I rub my eyes with both hands and feel a light sheet fall from underneath them. Rubbing my eyes, the warmth of my body…refreshing.

I pick myself up and sit over the side of my bed. I was up against a wall, so only the right side is available. The floor is hardwood, smooth to the touch and brightly reflecting the light from outside off of it. I look back at the rack, my clothes are hanging off of it. Where am I? What happened? What brought me here? Pondering these questions in my head I push myself off of the bed and look around at the room. It’s mostly empty, save for a desk on the opposite side of the bed. There’s a monitor sitting on it, and I assume it’s hooked up to a computer. In front of me is a door, to the right of the door is the kitchen…or what reminds me of a kitchen at least. A sink and a fridge, a cabinet on the left. Oh…there’s another door to the left. I wander over to it, the cold feeling imprinted upon the flooring sticks itself to me. I’m not wearing any socks or shoes. In fact…looking down I stare at my outfit…It’s…oh…this is my shirt…A white button up shirt…no leg wear…it’s a bit too restrictive so my shirt and underwear are all I need when sleeping. How…when did I…put it on? Was…did I have a bit too much to drink last night? Did…someone bring me to a hotel? I…

Putting my thoughts on hold, I reach for the door on the left. Opening it up, it leads down a dim hallway with another door yet on the left side. Steeping into the hollow hall, I walk towards the other door. Pushing the door open, it leads to a dark room. I rub my right hand up against the wall, looking for some sort of light switch. Feeling the grooves in the wall, I’ve found my switch and press up on it, illuminating the darkness. It’s…a bathroom. A neat, tidy and simple bathroom fitted with a sink, toilet and walk in shower. It’s…nice. Really nice, the vanity in here is…it’s flawless. Has to be some sort of granite…something fancy. Bright white, perfectly clear. A perfect bathroom for the perfect person. Heh…

To the right of the sink is a towel rack, multiple towels, all multiple sizes. I guess from small washcloths to full size towels, everything I need to clean myself up. I turn to the sink and pull on both knobs, letting the water run to what I think will be a warm temperature. A mirror above the sink had been staring at me the entire time I was looking around.

Yeah…still me. I look at my face, angling from right, center, then left. I pull my index and middle finger up on both hands and press them into my face. I feel real, I think it’s real. It’s me.

I stare at the side of the mirror. Reaching towards it with my right hand, I pull on it's handle. It opens up to several rows of beauty products, soaps, toothpaste, a toothbrush, and even razors. I reach for a bar of soap, unwrapping it and taking holding of it. Bringing my hands to the water, a comfortable temperature greet me as I begin washing my hands. I set the soap to the side and rub my hands together for a few moments before giving them a rinse. I pick the bar back up and fill my hands once more, bending over a little bit and then setting it back aside. I press my hands into my face and rub my cheeks, my chin, over and under my lips and finally my forehead. After cleaning up, I bring my hands back to the water and rinse them. Following that I pool some water in my hands and splash it into my face, rinsing the soap off again. I reach for a washcloth and pat my face dry, looking back at myself in the mirror I can’t help but be impressed. Beauty sleep works far too much for my own benefit. I set the washcloth back and reach for the toothpaste and brush. I continue my morning regimen, taking care of everything and cleaning the counter up as I finish. I shoot myself a smile and walk back into the room. I sit at the desk and stare at the things on it. A calendar, a phone, a notepad and a pen. Pretty simple…although this phone is…kinda old. Wired into the wall, has a cord, basic interface, message recorder on the right. A few decades at least…

キンコン

*キンコン*
            *キンコン*

キンコン

Ah…Is that…the doorbell? I get up and walk to the coat rack, grabbing my skirt from it and slide it up. There we go, halfway dressed, should be ok…

I step towards the front door, or at least what I think is the front door and look into the peephole. Wh-what? What the hell is that! I pull the door open, it wasn’t locked, and greet the creature standing outside, awaiting me.

“どうもうどうもう
How are you? I’m really glad you’re awake! How was your rest? Do you feel better? What do you think of your room? Did you find the facilities to your liking-peko?”

“I uh…”

“Wonderful!” This girl…this…what even is she? A…rabbit? A human? A...no a human would be normal... After pushing me back a little and inviting herself withing she pulls her hands forwards from behind her back. A clipboard with some manner of work on it, she begins to read it to me.

"Over the past few years we feel that you are finally in a position to move on and this combat exam, provided you pass, will lead into the graduation for your studies. The approval comes from…let’s see here-peko…Your professors have all given full recommendations. The previous council has also found your ability exceptional, two of them giving recommendations as well. If you give the approval, then I’ll inform the staff that you are ready to take the next step and prepare for the future-peko.” … The future? Recommendations?

“H-hey hold on a second!” I reply to the news with the fog in my mind laying heavy once more. How did I end up here? Or…what led to me forgetting why I’m here?

“Did you have a question-peko? I’m certain that so much good news at once can be a little difficult to process.” She ends her sentence with a smile and…peko. A lot of her sentences have ended like that.

“I…uh…th-thank you! I will proceed with the uh exam in that case. P-please let me know more when the time comes!” Bowing my head to her, she bows in return. Perhaps it would be best to just go with the flow for the time being, get my bearings before trying out anything. Graduating right? You graduate from schools so…I’m in a school?

“OKAY-PEKO! I will inform the administration post haste! Thank you for your cooperation 962. I shall be in contact with you when more information is released. Take this sheet here... Have a nice day~” She turns around, pulling the top paper from her clipboard off and sets it on my desk, then heads out the door.

Alright…alright…I am not…in the wait…where was I? I…really need a minute here. Heading back into my room I take another look at everything around me. A combat test…so a fight against someone or something…I stand over my desk, leaning on it and staring down at the monitor. How odd…it feels…familiar…like a wave of nostalgia splash my face.

I’m against…let’s see here…Ah
Myth Initiative Designation: Death
Mori Calvin

“Uhh that’s Yung Sh1ni1gam1 Bo1 aka C-Man. Best put some motha fuckin RESPECC on my name bitch!” He throws his feet over the table and pushes himself back into his chair. This guy’s…outrageous. The track jacket, all the gold chains around his neck, rings on rings around his fingers. Where did they get this guy? Is he really…?

“And Calvin, you’ll be up against…
Council Club Candidate: Time
Ouro Kronii.” Friend A turns away from us and walks back towards the doors into the restricted area. Wait…what?! I... the…where’s my room? Did…huh? HUH? Dazed and confused, I look around the room and stare at the people inside. Wasn’t I…staring at my desk? Wait? My desk? Wasn’t it…? My brain feeling as if had missed some sort of story build up...The previous voice breaks my train of thought.

“This will be a battle that is not in your favour Ms. Kronii. On the other side, this will be a battle most simple for Calvin. Your final test is to best each other, by any means necessary. The winner will graduate and formally move onto their duties, the loser will be liberated from the sphere. Good luck to you both.” The slim girl exits the room. Now that I can think about it again…where am I. It’s…kinda like an office. A few chairs, some cubicles on the sides…a couch and a big TV. This is so odd…Oh! I didn’t even notice the windows, that’s a nice view of Tokyo. Wait Tokyo? Wasn’t I…

“I don’t need no luck! Luck needs me. Oh and by the way babe, I gotta lot of shit to do when I finish so…let’s make it easy on you huh? Just let me win.”

“Huh? Let you win? W-why would I do that?”

“Because bitch! I got shit to do! Weren’t you listening? You don’t know how busy a mf is! Dreams riding on this and shit!” This guy is really something else! What a tool! Who is he kidding? Dreams? He dresses like a clown and has all this ambition? For what?

“Despite what we were told, I assure you, I will not be losing this fight. I have a lot riding on this too! My mentor would never…”

“Never what? That detective bitch don’t know shit either. Y’all messin’ with a mf force of nature!” He strides towards me, his head held high, a gross grin plastered on his mug. Boy I sure would like to slug this creep right now.

“Tell you what. I’ll even let you be my first bitch. You can watch me rise to greatness cus I’ma bout to take the whole universe by storm!”

“You inconsiderate, complete fu…” My reply is cut short by an announcement over the intercom.

Would the contestants please make their way to their respective rooms. They have been assigned to you based on color. Your color is on your Exam Certification sheet from your guarantors. You may take any tools, weapons, and devices that you believe will assist you in your examinations. Again, would the contestants please make their ways to their respective rooms.

“Shit…ay what color you got?” He looks at me with a confused look on his face. How the hell does this guy dress himself in the mornings?

“Blue…” I should’ve told him to f off…but ugh whatever. Let’s just get this over with so I can meet back up with A⃣ m⃣ e⃣ l⃣ i⃣ a⃣. huh?

“Aight cool. Well, see you in the ring then. So I can show everyone that you a has been. PEACE!” He turns around and heads out the same door that Friend A did. What did I do in my past life to deserve this…if I even have past lives? Well…guess I should head down too. Not like I need to bring anything. My sword just kinda…materializes? And well…I should be good. I don’t lose fights. I’m Ouro Kronii!

I settle into the room I was told to enter. Another empty, silent room with nothing other than a few chairs and a couch. This seems to be a trend…was it always like this? Well no point in focusing on it when I’m about to do the exam. He was death right? So he probably uses…a scythe or something. And maybe he can summon skeletons to fight for him…is that cheating? He has to fight on his own right? Right. Hmm what else…

“60 seconds to doors opening. 60 seconds.” The announcement really echoes off of the walls of the hollow room. A minute…in a minute I’ll be fighting that loser. It’s fine. I’ll just mess with him a bit then knock him out…or maybe I should beat him quick…would that earn me a higher grade? The door to the testing grounds opens up, well no more time for thinking. Let’s just pass the exam and evaluate this weird day afterwards. I step out of the silent room, full confident in my ability to beat this loser and move on.

The corridor is long and equally silent. Guess there’s no crowd to witness my perfect performance. Well I guess that also means I can just make this quick. No point in dallying. The hall opens up to an arena. A giant circle…with a dome on top of it. Oh I see Friend A and Pekora and…and a third…figure…they’re kinda…blurry am I…is my vision off? In that split second, I took to consider if something was wrong with me, the sound of the air being sliced comes from in front of me! A huge scythe is flying towards me! I freeze the world around me and step to the side. How dirty! He just came out guns blazing? I resume the flow and stare at the scythe that’s now traveling into a part of the wall behind me. Insane…and annoying…

“Thought that’d get ya. Oh well. Next one will finish ya.” He leaps upwards, that’s a really high leap. Landing by his scythe he lifts it up and starts spinning it around his body. Despite of the size of that scythe, he’s wielding it with no struggle at all! Ugh what a pain. The guy looks like a loser but is actually good at things, why is this a trope? I hate it! And… he rhymed the word with itself? What is wrong with this guy?

“Best get your bony ass out of the way Kronii, or your gonna get exposed like a mothafuckin’ phony! Ahahaha damn it feels good to be out here!” He continues his sentence into laughter, his slices still precise and calculated. Every swing he does feels like a test. But even so…wait…my ass is bony? What the hell?! H-hey! It’s…it’s…th-that’s!

ぞっと

The scythe executes the air right in front of my face, sending shivers down my spine. A second. That’s all it took. A single second to send that fear into me. My eyes widen, I guess I should take him at least semi-seriously now. And you know what, there’s no reason to play fair. Let’s throw my style into the mix and see if he can keep up!

“Alright, enough! Let’s see you dodge this pretty boy!” Snapping my left hand, I summon my blade and freeze time. You never saw it coming, sorry it has to end so melodramatically man. But I need to get the frick out of here and find out what’s going on!

In the quiet and empty world, frozen by time, I am its master. This is my domain. And I’m going to claim what is mine!

"Hyyyyyaaaaaa"

Pulling my arm backwards, I set up a quick and straight forward hit. I’ll even spare you and hit a non-lethal spot, just so your story doesn’t end here. You’re a chatty guy, you can talk it out with the staff members. I move into my slice, dealing the blow that will get me my answers

“Ahhh…so that’s the nature of time. No wonder Friend A said this would be simple! Ahahaha your trick is easy to beat, so stand still and admit defeat!” Calvin moves his arm upward, swinging his scythe in front of my sword. He…HE! He broke free! He…how what? I-impossible! I…I

“Now let me give you my grand speech about how I got around your trick. You see, I’m Death’s apprentice. The motha fuckin one and only, YUNG SH1N1GAM1 BO1! And before you get out your next breath, lemme tell ya. Well we all got expiration dates baby, some sooner than others. But me? I’m the motha fuckin Da Vinci! You freeze time, I spit a rhyme. I killed the time you froze and now it don’t exist. So don’t even try n persist, cus ima knock yo lights out. Welcome to my hood. Know what’s good?” He brings his scythe back down and I jump away as fast as I can to get away.

“I’m impressed. Never seen someone live after I freeze time. Guess someone down there’s got your back.” I take this moment to catch my breath. Even if he freed himself, I need to stay calm. Don’t show weakness for a second. He seems to be the type that catches on quick. If he senses these nerves, this fight will be over.

“Thanks for the compliment baby, I knew I’d get that sweet side to show. Now howsabout I show you my trick, as thanks for you showin’ yours?” His grin widens, a toothy smile travels towards me as he slams his scythe into the ground. “Lets get tha fuckin’ party started yeahhhhhhh.”

The area around him cloaks in a dark spiral. Black mist surrounds his body and the air in the area loses its warmth. Wh-what is…In an amount of time that I couldn’t even record, he flies out at me. My brain, just barely keeping up with what happened, or perhaps it was instinct, self-preservation. I freeze time and leap away again. He knows he has the upper hand, making me run away from the encounter. His scythe slams into the ground, the arena visibly shook by the power behind the impact. It’s…it’s different!

Picking his body up, he stretches himself out. His chains and rings and everything are gone. He’s in a dark black cloak, really dark, it’s absorbing the light around him. His hood is up, hiding his face but withing, bright red eyes stare out at me. The ground around him…he has his own aura. Blood red trickles upwards around him, he’s certainly more fearsome than the weirdo who started this fight.

“Aahahahaha. Just in the nick of Kronii. Just barely. Time ain’t no slouch huh? But that luck ain’t gonna carry you forever. And I’ll see to it!”

“See to it? Heh…Can you see this?!” I freeze time once again and speed towards him, sword in position to swing into his left side. Even if he breaks free, he’ll have to react, and when he does, that’s when I’ll go in!

I slash into him, as hard as I can, hoping that I got his attention.

“Ha! Another cheap trick! What did I tell you about those!” He once again, moves in my frozen world, killing the time I stopped but that’s fine! It’s perfect! Because now your other side is wide open! His scythe slams into the left, a close call, but one I sorely needed to make.

Tossing my blade into my right hand, I move with swiftness and precision into his right. If I get through the rib cage, this fight will be over! I push and push, waiting for his expression to change as my blade contacts his robes.

“J-just a bit more!” I yell out as I force the blade into him.

“You’re a fool! Let me show you the results of all my hard work! Didn’t ya see ya boi swingin’ this thing around? You’re finished!” I push my sword into the right side of his chest, hoping that

slice

Th-that…

“Aahahahah. There it is! Proof you’re no match for me time bitch!”

His hands grip his scythe, and he kicks off of the ground. The move shoots his weapon skyward. From left to right, like a crescent moon, anything and everything in the area makes the cut. I stare in disbelief as my right arm is flung into the air. No different from tossing a doll. My arm fall back to the earth, a limp, lifeless piece of meat. I leap back and immediately fall to my knees.

My mind starting to blank, I’m injured. Beyond injured. That was my fucking arm! Energy expending from my body rapidly, probably trying to…make sense of what happened to it and where the fuck my arm just went.

“You ready to lay it down? Ya lost to the C-man, ain’t no shame in that. You just don’t got that flame.” He smirks at me, picking his scythe back up and setting it over his shoulder. Well…guess that’s it. Whatever happens to loser will happen to me. Upsetting as it is to fail, at least I won’t live to see that whatever. Shutting my eyes I let go, drifting back into the dark, into nothingness.

The silent, empty dark of the universe surround me. Did…did I already die or? I stare out into the abyss, awaiting my judgement. I stare into the void, all consuming, all dark, all empty. It’s sad. Lonely. This is so unlike me. How did that all happen so fast? Is this where it ends? To HIM? I stare and stare stare and stare. stare and stare. stare and stare. stare and stare. stare and stare. stare and stare. stare and stare. stare and stare. stare and stare. stare and stare. stare and stare. stare and stare. and then I see me. I’m there. Slashing something. Left and right. Swords in both hands. Moving so freely. Stripping the time back and moving it forwards. Elegantly dodging every attack while landing every attack. She’s beautiful. She’s flawless. She’s perfect. It’s me. I’m her.

I turn around and stare at my foe. He’s there, ripples of black, red and pink radiate from his body. He’s a proud person. Strong and true. The scythe chose him. What an interesting life. And he ended up here, to follow in the footsteps of his mentor. Opposites were we? Behind his façade…he’s just a normal guy. His ups. His downs. His successes and his struggles. Admirable. But I shouldn’t need worry, he’ll be fine. Plus. That’s him. That’s who he is. And that’s the difference. I’m perfection. He’s ambitious. I’m flawless. He’s flawed. Yeah...yeah that's what I am. I see it now.

“You just forgot one very, very, simple thing Calvin.”

“Wh-what’s that bitch?”

“You still need to follow the rules. Stopping me in the moment is nothing.”

“I-in the moment? You sayin’ I finish quick?”

“It was beautiful. Truly beautiful. The spiral mix of reds, pinks and black. Your origin is a sight to truly behold.”

“What the fuck are you talking about you crazy bitch? My origin. Origin deez nuuuuuuuuttttttsssssssssss.” He leaps at me from above, his form immaculate. His determination, admirable. Good. Fantastic work Calvin, you really are the best. You took me to the very edge. Let’s enjoy this to the fullest!

“And unfortunately for you. I’m perfect.” I snap my left hand and let the magic happen.

“Shut up. Shut the fuck up! This is over!” He crashes into the ground; his rage shaking the planet itself. Whatever he wants from winning, he’s willing to kill to get it. Unfortunately, you had to go up against me. Perfection.

“It’s like you said. I’m the time bitch. But I prefer warden. The Warden of Time that is. Stopping it isn’t the only thing I can do; I can push it forward and backward. Time exists by my design. Just because you can stop the pause, doesn’t mean you free yourself from it’s pull!” Ripping time back, I take us back to the beginning of the fight. My arm returns, he loses his origin form. But I go back with all the knowledge, and he doesn’t.

“Best get your bony ass out of the way Kronii, or your gonna get exposed like a mothafuckin’ phony! Ahahaha damn it feels good to be out here!” He continues his sentence into laughter, his slices still precise and calculated. But even so…wait…Ahhh…here we are. Back again. I’ll make quick work of this.

“Sorry man. Can’t turn back time. That’s my field. You’ll always be a prisoner of your ambition.”

I snap both of my fingers and in them now appear two blades. A tock to my tick. I suppose control grows with possession of both. Clocks don’t really work with just a single hand huh? I play the scene forward, skipping time and everything he would’ve seen. Kicking him down to the ground, I get on top of him and lay my blades on his neck like a pair of scissors.

“Surrender. Now. Or I’ll send you back to your boss in a bag.” I stare into his pink eyes; they’re wrought with fear. Looking everywhere but at me. His breathing is irregular, he’s shaking. Honestly it's a little satisfying, knocking him down a peg. His heart has admitted defeat, now just say it.

“W-when did…nobody told me you could d-do this…MAN
FUCK
YOU WIN ALRIGHT
Don’t…kill ya boi.”

Calvin puts his hands up and sighs. His admission of surrender causes a door to open up behind us and an image flashes in my mind

Hello

“Ame…Hey…Ame? Ame? Yo Ame…you gotta wake up man!”

Take Off and Fly:
Entry 1001 Prenotion: Entry 1003

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Pub: 27 Jul 2022 09:00 UTC
Edit: 22 Aug 2022 06:49 UTC
Views: 1509