“Kanashi, how do you think you’d fare against these Toumeikan guys?” Asked Kenji.

  “Pft, I think a Joshin would kick my ass no problem and if Akatora is anything to go off of then a Hachibuto could squash me like a bug.” Kanashi answered glumly as he helped Kenji wrap a new set of bandages around his arms.

  “Really? I think you’re pretty strong as is…” Kenji frowned, tilting his head to the side.

  “Thanks… but I’m really a glass cannon. All the victories to this point have been pure luck and me being stupidly stubborn… I know that more than anyone.” Lamented Kanashi standing up and wiping his hands clean with a wet rag.

  Kenji, who'd finished wrapping his legs, stood up with stretch. Rolling his shoulders and jumping up and down a few times to ascertain his current condition.

  “You underestimate yourself Kanashi, yeah you’re weak but not as weak as you like to think you are.”

  “I’m just good at spamming magic from far away, the moment anyone gets close to me I'd be a goner. My sword is just to make sure I don’t die if someone gets too close. And even with that I’m still just an amateur copying what I see others do. If it came down to it and under the right conditions maybe I could hold my own against a Joshin long enough to survive and escape. But if one wanted to kill me… well I’d be dead.”

  “...” Kenji stared at Kanashi whilst biting at his inner cheek, his eyes filled with internal conflict. “Well, you might be right that you’re weak. But don’t worry you’ve got me here don’tcha?” He said, patting Kanashi on the back. “I’m the strongest aren’t I?”

  “I never would have expected you to be the mood picker upper type when we first met. But thanks, I’ll try to live up to your expectations. And well when I’m getting my ass kicked trying you’ll be the first name I cry out.” Kanashi laughed weakly, cracking his neck.

  “So what scheme do you have for us today?” Kenji asked with a sly gin.

  “Oh nothing, at least nothing that involves you per say. I need to figure out my own stuff right now.”

  Kenji's lips curved downwards at Kanashi, waving him off and crossing his arms. “I’m gonna get bored as hell in a place like this.” He muttered.

  “Look I know you’re used to big action and stuff but I mean, haven’t we had enough for now? Even yesterday, which was supposed to be a rest day, turned into a conflict.”

  “Even if I rest now it’s not like I’ll be healed when this invasion thing happens…”

  “...”

  Kanashi bit his cheek at Kenji's words. For the reason that he’d been hiding something from Kenji. That being Jin could heal him when he appeared, though he wasn’t sure who between Jin and Cao-Li was the better healer he knew that either of them could make Kenji good as new.

  But if Kenji knew that would he become even more reckless? Thinking that he could always just be healed afterwards? Would he push himself to the point of collapse thinking that someone could fix him up?

  That’s what I want to avoid the most… Thought Kanashi. “Okay fine, how about this. You can come with me, but no complaining. All I’m doing is making a phone call.”

  “Why would you need to leave to make a phone call?” Asked Kenji.

  “Because there’s still a high chance of our phones being tapped here, I need to find somewhere far from here and use a pay phone to contact Nordon. That’s probably the best course of action here.”

  “Well I’m ready when you are.” Kenji hummed.

  “...Yeah, well I would wait forever here if I could.” Kanashi frowned, looking down at his black arm. I have to be brave about this… I already decided yesterday, didn't I? So why am I having 2nd thoughts about this? Slapping himself hard enough to leave a mark, Kanashi shook his head and smiled towards Kenji. “Let’s do this!” He shouted, putting his hand out.

  “Yeah!” Kenji agreed, though confused he played along and met Kanashis hand with a smack. The latter feel pain surge through their arm.

  Damn you’re strong… Kanashi complained as his hand thumped with echoes of the impact.

  # # #

  “So um… what part of your plan involves this?” Kenji asked, looking at Kanashi.

  “Well, we need to scope out the area right? So we’ll use this to our vantage point to make sure no one is around when I do use the phone.” Kanashi explained with a wry smile and shrug. His index finger pointing at the small green payphone pod below them.

  “I guess I get it…” Kenji muttered, resting back on the couch.

  “Careful! We’ll fall out of the tree if you move too much!” Kanashi yelped, feeling the tree shake and a few leaves fall. “Why would you even put a sofa in a tree anyways?” He asked Kenji with a scowl.

  “No one was using it.” Kenji shrugged.

  When the pair had arrived at the park nearly devoid of life in the early morning hours Kenji found a couch which had been illegally dumped in the foliage and threw it up into the tree atop a knot of thick branches around four meters high. Surly ruining the day, perhaps even the whole week of some poor bird and or insect which had called it home.

  Picking at the ripped leather with a sigh, Kanashi continued to watch the people passing them down below. So far only a single dog and child had spotted them. The dog growled before the owner pulled it away assuming it was chasing a squirrel and the child gave them a glance before walking away as if seeing nothing out of the ordinary.

  “Well at least it’s a bit more comfortable then resting on a normal bark branch.”

  Not the athletic type and due to a lack of climbable trees in the harsh arid desert Kanashi had only climbed a large tree no more than twice before. Though with the help of others of course. He’d never quite understood how in movies and books people seem to just scale up a tree like a spider would a wall but he didn’t need to worry about that. With Enhancement and Observation he had been able to cleanly jump up to a branch and then swing to another higher up. Letting him land cleanly where Kenji had thrown up the couch. Said couch being one that reeked of alcohol and sweat. I’ll need to shower right away when I get back…

  Continuing to watch the pay phones pod Kanashi saw a few people use the phone though none for more than a few minutes, most likely due to not having a mass of coins in their pocket.

  I was thinking about it last night when trying to fall asleep but what am I even gonna say to Nordon? “Hey there buddy. I just played a prank on you so come meet me somewhere in Tousen!” No that’s not right… Maybe I can just be honest and apologize? That probably would work better than being confident about it, he might think I’m a douchebag if I try to force my confidence too hard. And then how do we come up with a meeting place? There’s a chance that the Toumeikan is listening to his phone calls specifically so if I do call him or the Venator Society then they for sure know where we plan to meet up. If we do that, he might just ignore me. Man what a mess I’ve gotten myself into.

  “Ughhh, come on Kanashi you’re just stalling yourself…” He muttered to himself as he shook his hands before him. “Come on, come on I got this, I just need a good kick in the back to get going!” He said, pounding on his chest.

  STOMP!

  “Huh?” is all that escaped Kanashis mouth as he suddenly felt himself be hit in the back by someone's shoe. Not quite strong enough to hurt but enough to push him from the tree and to the floor below.

  “Wow, wow wow that the hell?!” He yelped. Using Observation he immediately scouted a branch to break his fall, which he grabbed onto suspending himself in the air. “What the hell?!” He barked looking up to Kenji behind him who now lay spread out on the couch, chin resting in his palm as he looked down at Kanashi.

  “You said you needed a kick in the back didn’t you?” Kenji called down.

  “Yeah, well not literally!” Argued Kanashi, his face turning sour with a scowl But I guess this works… He thought.

  With that thought and accepting what must be done he let go of the branch and gracefully fell down to the floor, or at least he wished he did. Instead falling to his behind with a yelp, his tailbone shooting a jolt up his back.

  “How’d that happen?” Kenji asked.

  “Because you were distracting me!” Kanashi yelled up as he walked towards the empty phone booth. Grabbing the door handle, the kind which was built into the door and clutching it the plastic green door was pulled open. Stepping inside and closing the door behind him he turned to the phone and pulled from his pocket a handful of change. Counting out roughly a dollar's worth of quarters he put the first coin into the slot and listened to the ching as it was deposited.

  Standing still for a moment he hesitated to grab the phone by its handle.

  Come on, I can do it. At least for myself. I can at least try to fix what I broke and get over this already.

  Lifting the phone from its holder with a deep breath he pressed it to his ear, the cord stiff from age straining as he did so. The static echoed in his ear as he pressed the numbers into the key pad, the black keys sticky and the paint chipped showing their worn age.

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  Once finished he hit the pound key and listened to the ringing of the phone line in his ear.

  “...”

  “...”

  After what felt like at least 5 minutes but was probably no more than ten seconds he heard the phone click over to voicemail.

  [It seems as though Tatematsumi Nordon isn’t available, if you’d like to leave a message do so after the tone and press pound or hangup to send your message. Please leave a call back number and you’ll be reached back to shortly.]

  When the voice finished and the ring of the voicemail recording sound filled his ears like the humming of cicadas. Kanashi felt his throat freeze for a second. But he forced his saliva down with a hard swallow and opened his mouth wide, the words flowing out from it without thought.

  “Hey Nordon, It’s me, Kanashi. Sorry I can’t say too much because I’m at a payphone and I probably only have a few seconds left but I wanted to let you know that I’m here in Edoland and I’m safe. I’m sorry for everything and I get if you hate me but I’ve got some great people who you should meet. I’m sorry for everything and if you want me to I’ll leave or I’ll never even think about you again but I just want you to know that I really think you should meet these people and umm… I’m sorry for everything again, please call me with the number I’m sure you must have by now.”

  [Ten seconds remaining please insert 25 cents to continue for another minute or end your call.] The automated voice said.

  “So um yeah… I gotta go now but please just give them a chance I, I… I. I’m sorry for everything.”

  With that and as if set by fate itself the phone clicked off and the line died, ringing in Kanashis ear its annoying chime.

  “Ha-” With a deep sigh, and a gasp for air Kanashi nearly collapsed in the booth, his heart pounding and body covered in cold sweat. “I did, I did it.” He said aloud only intending himself to hear it. “I did it and now everything's fine right? I mean I did it!”

  With a laugh, Kanashi straightening himself with another gasp for air. The whole time he spoke he hadn’t paused for a breath.

  B-but what if he doesn’t want to talk to me? He thought suddenly, his heart dropping deep into his chest. What if he already hates me? What if he’s gonna ignore my call? What if he won’t even bother to listen to it or does too late? He must be busy with the Tsunami and all from yesterday right? I mean wouldn't that mean I failed? Wouldn’t everyone be mad at me then? Kenji because I can’t keep my promise of helping him fight Julius? Akatora because I betrayed his trust and now he can’t join the liberation? The Soutou because I only messed with their politics and nothing came from it? Did I mess up too bad to fix it all ready? Am I gonna be the reason for everything and everyone failing?

  “!”

  Suddenly coming from his side, where the constantly open and exposed wound given to him by Kageki Satoshi began to hurt. A sharp horrible pain which he’d somehow forgotten the effects of.

  “Gyah!”

  Falling to his knees he clutched his side as labored breaths left his mouth, the pain making his vision go white and eyes blur he gripped the open wound tightly. The seal placed upon it was unable to withhold the pain.

  “Damnit!” He grunted trying to stand up, though he couldn’t and slipped on the floor smacking his head into the door which swung open with a bang. “

  “Ha-ha-ha.” His side still burning, he pulled himself from the booth, griping at the grass. He didn't care how crazy he looked at that moment, he didn’t care how much people must have been staring at him. He only wanted to escape that pain which stemmed from the side of his hip. The burning, stabbing and slicing pain which made his eyes water.

  Then everything went white.

  # # #

  Kanashi looked around, finding himself in an oddly familiar place, one which he’d only been to once before but the person who lived there was seared into both his mind and body.

  “Kenkens house?” Kanashi asked aloud standing up. “How am I here?” He wondered looking around once more. It was clearly the spare bedroom he’d stayed in the night he’d slept at Kenkens house.

  “...”

  Walking across the tatami mat floor which bent under his footsteps. He approached the Shoji door, and with his right arm slid it open and stepped forwards to exit and enter the engawa and garden.

  “!”

  However just before he did so he looked down and flung himself back, the stagnant ocean blue water just below the door frame causing him to jolt. And endless sea stretching into the bright horizon for what seemed like infinity being where the familiar houses layout should have been.

  “What the hell?!” He shrieked scooting back against the tatami mat floor until he slammed into something.

  “This is a dream, this has to be a dream…” He thought, letting a few short breathes out.

  “D-dream?”

  “!?”

  Jumping once more at the sudden irregular voice which came from behind Kanashi spun around and what greeted him was a small flame like wisp, coiling in the air and looking back down into his eyes.

  “D-dream?” It repeated, as if never hearing those words before.

  “What’re you supposed to be?” Kanashi asked with a light laugh. “Jeez, every dream I have I keep meeting a new goofy partner in it huh?” He muttered, rubbing his eyes. First the [Author] then [Itachi] then the [Jackal] and now this [Thing]? I’m gonna have a full cast here soon. He joked only to himself who didn’t laugh.

  “Supposed to b-be…” The flame repeated once more.

  “Yeah, supposed to be…” Kanashi responded.

  “!”

  Suddenly as if charging him the flame flew towards Kanashi who tried to whip his right arm at it however-

  “My arm!?”

  He gasped seeing his arm as nothing more than a stump just below the shoulder. His ugly, thin and pitch black arm, darker than night, was no longer a part of him.

  “Y-your arm…” The wisp repeated and coiled up the Kanashis stump, rubbing against it.

  “A-are you… like the Ghost of Kenken or something?” Kanashi asked with a gulp.

  “G-ghost…” The thing repeated in that same inquisitive and focused childish voice and tone.

  “No, this is just a dream. Just a dream yeah, I’m just acting crazy I mean last thing I remember I…” Kanashi paused and licked his chapped lips. “What was I doing?”

  “D-doing…” The whips said.

  “Shut up!” Barked Kanashi swinging his stub of an arm at it, though the thing only kept pressing against him.

  “Arm… is arm…” The wisp argued pressing against the stump to no avail.

  “Yeah, you’re not connecting back to it there sorry buddy. Ya know what, why am I even talking to a damn dream ghost of a dead person.” Kanashi muttered, rubbing his brow with his one good arm.

  “Well I need to wake myself up, then I’ll surely find out what’s going on here.” He said, raising to his feet with a jump and looking around the room once again.

  Wait, I'm lucid dreaming aren’t I? Doesn't that mean I’m like God Mode in a video game? So can’t I just open a door or make one like I did in Akatoras [memories]?

  “Akatora…” The wisp said into Kanashi air.

  “Dammit, don't just read my thoughts!” Kanashi yelped, jumping away from the ball of flame and blowing air at it.

  The wisp seemingly taking the hint backed away from Kanashi who let out a sigh and turned to the closet door of the room. “Okay this door is gonna lead to… somewhere, yeah somewhere outta here.” He said aloud, shaking his shoulders and walking to the door.

  The wisp quickly followed behind him floating through the air hot on his trail but now staying at least an arms reach away. At least from his stump.

  Reaching his right arm out instinctively, Kanashi jumped at being nothing but open air.

  “Oh right…” He muttered, instead lifting his left arm and grabbing the door handle which he used to slide it open.

  “...”

  On the other side of the door what he saw was-

  # # #

  Kanashi opened his eyes, dry yet wet with tears at the same time he sat up and looked around where he’d awoken. That being his hotel room which he’d been given at the Casino by Akatora.

  “...”

  Looking down at his right arm he expected to see a stump but was for once happy to see the ugly pitch black limb which hung there weakly.

  I wonder why I suddenly felt like my arm was gone… He wondered, trying to think back on what he’d dreamt of but seeing nothing. “Hmmm, it’s no different than that time I slept at the love hotel or the nightmare I kept happening. I know I had a dream but I have no idea what it was… how annoying.” He sighed deeply. Sliding out of bed. “Ah shit, these are the clothes I sat on that dirty couch with.” He muttered seeing the same black shirt and black basketball shorts he’d put on that morning after a shower.

  Looking around the bedroom area of his hotel room he saw nothing and moved to the doorway which he peeked out of into the hallway. Across from him was the second spare bedroom, one smaller in size with only a single twin sized mattress and between his room and the spare room was a single bathroom with a toilet and bath combo. Walking forwards into the hallway he progressed about halfway until there was the next opening which led to the kitchen and living room area. Peeking out behind the wall there he saw Kenji flipping through a magazine on the couch.

  “Phew…” Kanashi sighed, feeling as if a cool air had swept over him.

  “Feeling better?” Kenji called out, without looking at Kanashi.

  “Yeah, I’m assuming it was you who took me back?” Kanashi asked.

  “Yep, now that makes us 2 and 1.”

  “For what?” Kanashi hummed tilting his head.

  “For carrying the other.” Kenji laughed, turning to look at Kanashi with his trademark wide grin.

  “Sorry, I didn’t know we were keeping count…”

  “You started it.”

  “Alright, that's fair. But only so you didn’t feel bad about me carrying you on my back before.” Argued Kanashi walking into the living room and falling down onto the second sofa to the right of the one Kenji sat at.

  “Ya know what happened to you? You just passed out on me there. Though you got poisoned or something…”

  “Over the phone?” Kanashi asked with a brow raised.

  “I don’t know what you magic people do.” Kenji answered plainly with a shrug.

  “Well… you could call it a poison if you wanted to, I guess… but it’s something I did to myself so don’t worry about it. I’ve always had it and will keep always having it.” But lately it’s been worse… Kanashi thought with a frown.

  “Well did you call the Nerdon guy?”

  “It’s Nordon… and yes I did but it went to voicemail so I left one. I hope he understood it though…”

  “Eh, as long as he knows you’re the one who called he should call you back anyways right?” Kenji asked.

  “I hope so… I really do hope so.” Kanashi said with a weak smile.

  One of my 2 favorite Bizzare moments in Jojo's Bizzare Adventure is in part 8 when Jousuke and Rai are hanging out in the Lambo in the park's tree. I hope I captured that vibe somewhat well. Maybe I’ll use it again.

  I was going to make this chapter longer but I saw that I was already at about 3500 words and decided to call it good enough. As you can see I’m trying to keep my chapters shorter as of late. My Grandmother reads this story and she struggles with the longer chapters. Unlike a book where you can mark exactly what page you’re on when reading online you kind of have to just try to remember or bookmark the tab in the right spot.

  As such I’m also aiming to break longer chapters up into smaller chunks. Though something within me loves to see that a chapter has reached 7,000, 9,000 and even 10,000 words. My goal is to one day make a single chapter over 37,000 words, mainly to say I can do the same as Tappei the author or Re:Zero. But that chapter won’t be anytime soon I don’t imagine…