//------------------------------// // Checkered Dreams // Story: Friend from the Otherworld // by Wasteland_Tyrant //------------------------------// Here we go again... Yomi Takanashi awoke to a desolate world of bleak colors with unmarked graves and ruined buildings dotting the landscape. Everywhere she turned the barren earth was lined with a dirty checkerboard pattern stretching as far as the eye could see. Even the sky was a myriad of depressing shades composed of only gray and pale green with hints of black appearing every now and then. The only thing that seem normal to her was a pale moon waning in the sky unreachable to any who gazed upon it. Yomi didn't have to think twice to know where she was. The Otherworld. A mysterious place where dark clothed beings with unusual appearances fight to exterminate one another for reasons unknown aptly named Otherselfs. Beings that have an uncanny look to normal, everyday people on earth. Though in this case, Yomi was anything, but normal. After all, Being possessed by your own Otherself after feeling jealous was unheard of. An expierience no one should ever have to go through, especially a second time. This has got to be what? The twelfth time this month? I haven't slept well in weeks. When will she just give up... As if on Que a pair large obsidian skull with glowing green eyes floated silently toward her wearing permanent, condescending smiles. This did not worry the young girl for this had all become routine ever since her original visit. No, what did worry her was the fact that the third visitor had had a Cheshire grin plastered all over her face as opposed to the emotionless gaze she knew oh so well. A small chuckle was heard. Its owner drilling holes into the preteen below her. A girl with bright neon green eyes and wavy dark hair with a tint of green to it, along with bangs wearing a gothic lolita style dress accompanied by a black bolero, sat atop one of the skulls. She also had a pair of skeletal horns on her head with matching black gauntlets for hands gripping a large scythe to further compliment her unfriendly demeanor and a pair of leggings with black pumps on her feet. If one could see from a different angle, they would notice a pair of wings that sit low on her back. Deep down Yomi felt that somehow this meeting would be different from others. And not in a good way. Hello Yomi... "Why are you smiling Dead Master"? We're going to be together again now... We don't need- "Mato" ...Her "You don't, but I do" At this the doppelganger known as Dead Master let out the most childish laughter Yomi has ever heard. Her bravado slowly began to fade as this... demon continued to laugh even forcing her skeletal hands to clutch her stomach as if she had trouble controlling herself. Her face expressing sheer insanity. Small tears dripping down her face Something's wrong. That laughter... it's like she's finally lost it... heheheheh...AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA- Dead Master was howling with joy at this point, jumping off of her servant and making her way towards Yomi like a little toddler on Christmas day. Yomi bravely stood her ground hoping for her heroine to come to save once again by battling Dead until she retreated, and would always send her home by taking her hand as a bright blue light took her out of the lifeless world only to awake safe and sound... But she didn't come. Dead Master dropped her scythe on the ground and tackled Yomi one hand grabbing hold of her left arm and waist nearly suffocating the poor girl and the other accosting her right wrist. All courage was gone at this point for Yomi as Dead Masters claws dug into her flesh, her clothes shifting from her simple nightgown to the ebony dress that her unwanted Otherself constantly paraded herself during any appearance and her vision slowly blurred as shadows began to embrace the two threatening to force Yomi into Dead Master possession like before, all those many weeks ago . Through it all Dead Master was still laughing like a hyena, her breaths becoming short and ragged, pupils dilated to mere pinpricks, hair frazzled and unkempt, and eyes twitching like a dying insect. Yomi begged and pleaded to let go only to be meet with the sickening laughter. As the seconds dragged on, through the haze and dust she barley registered a look of desperation on the face of her "MATO HELP ME!" SHE'S NOT HERE! WE DON'T NEED HER! N-no... not again p-please! When all seemed lost, the truly unexpected happened . Dead Master ceased all her actvities and gasped as the sky erupted in an explosion of color. The two would be aristocrats looked up just in time to see a rainbow column envelope them. ENOUGH! --- Something was not right. Kuroi Mato knew this the moment she woke up in a cold sweat. She began muttering to herself "Yomi... whats wrong?" The 'first year ace' made a dash for her cell phone and vigorously attempted to call her best friend, and hopefully one day more than a best friend. She was met with silence. "N-No... no, no, no-nononono-NO! Yomi please! DON'T GO!" She was gone. She failed her again. She swore to protect her from anything, even in her dreams, which she knew she did judging by the late night texts she would receive. Such memories brought tears to her eyes as she remembered the current predicament the two were in. It was beyond discomforting to know how close the two had become since her first disappearance. They had both found such a new level of understanding in each other that not sensing if something, let alone anything was wrong was unheard of. It was this bond that Mato had hoped would help her take their relationship to the next level. Unfortunately, realizing the possible danger Yomi was in that chance may be lost if she didn't act and she knew what she had to do. Grabbing her cellphone strap she quietly whispered. "Black Rock Shooter... I need you." --- Why am I awake? It's as if something was forced into my consciousness like a house alarm, not that I need another one after the whole kidnapper thing. It was only Yomi's disappearance a few weeks ago that caused the neighborhood to increase home security. Yomi... She claims that she was kidnapped, she said that she was unconscious the whole time, she swore that she didn't see the face of her 'kidnapper', but I know the truth. Kinda...It had something to do with her all three of us,Yomi, Mato and I. Specifically she and Mato. The two of them had gotten closer since then, and i'm starting to think that they know exactly what happend. And they WON'T tell me. Do they not trust me? Don't they care about my opinion? Does Mato... not LIKE me anymore? No... no, i'm just getting worked up again. I should go back to bed... As Koutari Yuu returned to her slumber her eyes suddenly shot wide open and changed to a dull gray color. "Yuu... Yomi's missing again..." Yuu found herself smiling.