Into Purgatory: Aki's Journey

Once you step out of the door, you find yourself in a deep blackness. The world around you seems to be moving like some dark shadow, until suddenly a light pierces the darkness, and you find yourself in a busy street of rukongai..

You have no exact idea where you are, but you know you have to keep moving, so you start to walk,

You find yourself coming upon a small group of people who are talking and laughing, and you approach them to ask them where you are; but as you try and speak, no sound seems to come from your lips, only a faint whisper of breath.. again you try to no avail... The people go on with their talk paying you no mind, until the finish and leave...

lost you have no idea what to do; it's then a man touches you on the shoulder, and you turn to face him....

welcome to purgatory Sara, your journey begins here..."

Rukongai? Well I guess I'm much closer to home than I thought Aki decided to ask around since such nice happy people seemed to be around. She asked them and nothing came out. Her voice was faint. She touché her throat an spoke but nothing. The people pay no attention and leave while she stands there baffled. When feeling a light tap she turns around to see who it is.

*staring at the you woman, the handsome young man smiled at her*

"Excuse me ms'am, but by any chance would you know what time it is?
My watch is broken..."

*He held up his right wrist to her, showing her the dead watch.*

Aki turn to see just a young who simPly asked for the time. She found it werid that a man from the Rukongai had a watch but she paid no attention and looked at her own that was made. She said the words noon but her voice did not come out and she grabbed her throat. And looked at him. She tried mouthing words with her faint voice. "my voice is gone! " she said while frantically pointing at her thoart.

*The young covered his ears as she spoke to him*

"Gone? Are you insane!? You're screaming at me...."

*using his finger to clear his ear, he shook his head before speaking again*

"But I guess I should get used to that out here... Strangers come and go so often in my town..."

*Looking at her closely, before sliding earplugs in, he asked*

"So tell me child; why do you think no one can here you?"

Aki eyes went a bit wide as she was confused. This man could hear her. "cause I spoke to them but non were able to hear! They just left..and my voice felt faint and gone..." she scratched her head in confusment. This wasn't like a game at all but just a visit to the Rukongai. "Aya what's going on.... Hey! How can you even hear me with those earplugs?"

*leaning back a bit, the man said*

"Because if I don't wear them you will shatter my eardrums.. trust me I can hear you...
So... You say you spoke to the others and they paid you no heed, and your own voice felt distant to you... Interesting..."

*Thinking for a moment, the man spoke again*

"So why do you think that is? I mean that the others can't hear you?
Perhaps it isn't that they can't hear you, maybe it's that they weren't listening to you...
And if that is the case, why would they not?"

This man seemed to understand a bit more than she did. The questions he asked sounded too silly for her. "I am on a game, of course the other characters wouldn't hear me...and if they weren't listening. Well I could think of a million reasons for that. Being one of them and than sudden;y becoming a warrior that barely cares for them. Who would talk to a person like that?" She said while chuckling and looking at the streets before facing him with a face, "I am not that loud! I could never speak loud enought to break a persons ear drums!"

*forced back by her rising voice, the man spoke*

"A game? I know of no game young one; this is very much real...
In a game you win and lose; here, there are consequences...

You say you don't care for them? But why? Your eyes tell me of a kind soul, who has so much wisdom concentrated into such a small frame of time...

Why would you not share that? There are some many in need of what you have to offer."

Aki laughed at his words. "Oh but the thing is reality and a game are so much alike. You loose a game there are consequences as well. In video games if you lose you might have to start over, or a board or hand game if you lose your might get a punishment. Only difference in life is that you only get one chance." He was a man that is very much different than anyone she met. He seemed to see through her.

She slightly looked at the sky and smilied, "I am not kind, I am a child. Who'd listen? My actions at times are not approved by others. I'm what you call...let's see an outsider. Sometimes in techinical terms of a game 'cheater'." She said these words and giggled right after smiling. "Though, my ideas are something said. I have strong um, feelings for them. But they are taken as suggestions from a kid. Not an action"

*the man could not help but let out a small chuckle*

"So if I am to understand you correctly, you feel your thoughts are overlooked because you are a child?
Such nonsense...
Age does not merit a person credibility; your a captain of the 13 squads aren't you? Child... bah... You gave that privilege up when you joined the academy...

No... It's not your age that's in question; it's not even your place on the 'Outside'... No, no...

It's your lack of forcefulness...

people do not overlook you; they listen to you... look at me; I hear your voice as you feel it should be... Your passion for your opinions is unquestionable, yet when you share them, you are hesitant to share them with that same passion...

Stop hiding it, the passion... Don't be afraid to say or do the wrong thing; take charge of a situation for better or worse; show everyone what a captain stands for... Don't hide behind age..."

Aki looked st him with a strange face and with an eyebrow raised. "who are you? A captain should not ven be a rank. We're just dogs or even a higher rank. My childish feature makes me sometimes seem like a joke. I guess it's my fault though" Though one thing did still hang in her mind nothing big but. "you seem very wise for a stranger in the Rukongai. How come were able to hear me when no one else could... Or would?

*Smiling at her, he was impressed with her quick grasp of things*

"And there is the real question; Why can I hear you...
Maybe it's because I hear everything you say and think for that matter..

But that would be simply a way to avoid the answer...

No the truth is, I hear you, because it's MY voice you are speaking with.."

*he was curious as to how she would react to this*

Aki looked at him confused but a. The same time with a look of suspicion. "Your voice? Impossible we each have our own. One cannot just lend another person their voice! " she retorted baffled, she laughed though. "Avoid the answer huh? Well maybe it is my voice YOU are speaking with! Or we are simply the same being with the same voice" she said smiling. There were too many answers to one simple thing that had to be said.

*Nodding the man agreed*

"Very true, Very Ture...
Perhaps it is your voice I speak with, but wouldn't that be the same as you speaking with my voice?

You are right; one cannot simply share a voice, no, but the same voice could be spoken together, much the way you hear your own voice inside your head when you think...

Doesn't matter for now though; I can see that that carefully placed defense of cynicism is still up...

Tell me then; why do you refuse to open up yourself in this conversation; yet you claim that you want to be heard by others?

How can you expect anyone to listen when there is a wall between you and them?

If it's fear that stops you, i can put that to rest quickly; I have no intentions of hurting you, nor could I if I wanted to.

What i want is to know your heart..."

Aki scratched her head and looked at him with confused face but she clearly understood him as he seemed to understand her than anyone. She smiled and touched his throat gently. "Your voice speaks many things. And I speak many things as well. It is not the voice.... I see. she tan touches the center of his chest with her fingertips. "there is a wall right there, I made that wall so your feeling
Aren't messed with mine.. I do fear many things and so do you. I fear being forgotten and being alone. Maybe that is why. If I speak the wrong things I may be left behind. I'm confused to my opinions as well." she puts her hand down and scratches her head again chuckling. [i]I should have stayed at that stupid beach[b]

*The young ran gently reached his hand up and ran his fingers down the left side of her face*

"To be alone; forgotten...
We all fear that. We are born into this world alone, and we leave it alone; both are journeys which no one else can share with us...

But in between, you are never alone...
people will not pass you by if you say the wrong things; the may give you strange looks or laugh, but they will never leave you;
You will only be forgotten if you continue to say nothing;
You are a leader; I know this because I know you; I am you...

before the end, it will be our voice that must speak; our voice that must lead;
And if no one listens than so be it... But it will NOT be because we didn't speak."

*Stepping away a bit, the man found a nice step to sit down on, and he motioned for her to come sit with him, as he continued*

"Life is funny in a way; Being left behind is the easy part; it's the willingness to keep up that takes real work.
One cannot simply hope to fade into the background, or accept an excuse as blame; no, you will never keep up that way...

You have to claim your voice; It is yours by right, and you should not be denied the use of it ever.."

Aki walked and sat next to him listening. She smiled, "If you really are me, your a much better version of me. I am afraid but I choose not to be left behind because I will move forward. Maybe even past my friends and soon they will follow me. I wish not to be left behind and I will also not leave behind anyone. she stared at the sky laughing. "If I should claim my voice and you are me or whatever... Than... Give me back my voice mister I need that to get home. "

*the man laughed at bit at her last words*

"Better Version? Nah... I'm just you the way you see yopurself; albeit in a male form..(that was my choosing).

As for getting your voice back and going home, I can't help you with either of those; those are things you have to do for yourself.
I can help though by saying that all you have to do to leave her is ask too;
This is your heart...

But finding your voice and claiming it, that is entirely up to you, and you may do it here, or you may not, it the end that doesn't matter...

What matters in these realms is that you get a look at the truth that lies within you..."

Aki stood up brushing the dirt off her pants. "I will claim my voice when it is time. For now I must be going. Will you be with me on this journey?" She asks adusting her goggles and sword. "I have to find myself huh... that's gonna be hard since I was sent here without any real directions... This is one tough game. "

"Ha... Like I told you dear, this isn't a game; There are no rules...
You started your journey the moment you walked through the door.

And as for me, I have no choice but to go with you; I mean, I am a creation of your own heart after all; I will always be with you."

*standing up, he pointed at a long street leading deep into the city blocks*

"Best guess I can tell you is that you need to head that way... Might as well talk as we walk right?"

Aki shrugged. "Not all games have rules." she said while starting to head to the direction at he was pointing at. "I'm glad I have at least another being to be with me on this trip." she was grateful that she wasnt alone and thought for a minute if the others were alone as well. She hoped not. "neh I still find it hard to believe I created you or something. You seem like a different being"

*shrugging as he walked with her, he said*

"I have no idea why I am like this; this is your doing.

*He laughed a bit a the thought*

"But yet here I am and here we are.
Either way it doesn't matter.
What does matter is why you need me:
As i said, You can leave here anytime you choose to; but you know, deep in your own being, I know you do, because I know it, That the day is approaching real fast that your friends are going to need your voice...
Just as you feel, I feel... And just as you are thinking, there had to be a reason someone choose you to have that key... That took a lot of faith in you to do."

Aki held his hand for a moment "I won't leave you, cause your a part of me. And no matter how much of a werido you are I won't leave no part behind." she letter go and looked beyond the road they were headed on. "The key was a mysterious item but it led me here and let me meet a part of myself. I hope to rejoin my friends and solve this puzzle together. she smiled than laughed. "next time I Make myself though I'll make sure that I enjoy games a lot more."

*Smiling back at her, the man began to slow evaporate as his final words drifted to her ears*

"And now you finally understand. Here at the edge of this town is where I stop, but up ahead is where you must go.
Take care my dear, and I pray that in the future you will remember our talk here if you ever doubt yourself..."

*And with that the man, like the town, faded away leaving only an empty road ahead...

But in the distance a familiar sight greets you*