Familiar Stranger: CH 1

Chapter 1: Unwanted Reunion

 

The first time he came across the other an unspeakable chill ran down his spine. There's no mistaking it, it's him.

He vehemently denies what he sees. He'd already sent the other back into Makai. He made sure of it the second time.

The other turned around and their eyes met.

 

"..Ryuga, he's human."

Zaruba's words felt like it came from far away.

 

The first thing that crossed his mind is that this isn't real. This can't be real.

 

The last thing he remembered was an explosion. He had been out chasing after a Horror as always with nothing out of place that night. It wasn't a particularly difficult opponent, certainly not one he'd have any problem with. He wasn't sure what happened at the end - the ground shook and he vaguely remembered hearing a thunder strike. Then everything turned white.

 

Whatever happened back then must've sent him somewhere else - like a different world.

If not, then there's no way they can be in close proximity without trying to kill each other.

Apparently in this world, he's still very much alive, very much human.

A Knight. Like himself. Like how he was, once.

The tension is palpable in between the two of them. Both party are wary of the other, ready to strike whenever the threat is made clear.

His grip on GaroKen is hard enough to turn his knuckles white.

"Calm down, Ryuga. Don't be rash."

Right. Fellow Knights can't cross blade.

 

Slowly, he releases his death grip and relaxes his stance, allowing some of the tension to dissolves.

 

 

 

---

 

The man before him is a total stranger, yet he feels achingly familiar. He's sure they have never met before but he felt like he had wronged the other in some way that he couldn't remember.

(The way the other reacts surely confirms his suspicion, however odd everything feels.)

 

"Who are you, and where are you from?"

Ever so direct. Fusa must've sensed his hesitation.

The other's stance had loosened somewhat but remained on high alert.

"..Dougai Ryuga, of Line City."

Line City. That's quite a distance away from here. Was the one stationed there someone like this..?

"Do you have a title?"

A flicker of uncertainty, gone just as fast. His gaze returned with steel in them. Slowly he raises the sword held in his left hand.

A Madou ring worn on the left middle finger-

-And a Soul Metal sword with a red scabbard.

 

"..Golden Knight, Garo."

 

 

 

 

 

---

 

 

It's been less than a week since he got stranded in this strange place - to him, it felt too long. Everything feels surreal. He doesn't know exactly where he is, or even whether he's still in his correct time period. He'd heard from Rian once - that one time she met a priest from a different time period, and that time's Garo as well.

That in its own is an unbelievable thought. Time travel isn't something he'd given time to ponder on, given his daily activities.

Well, if he can exist the way he is now, it feels quite convincing.

What is he, anyway?

Human? (He asks, and his senses echoes the same answer.)

(So did Zaruba.)

He can't be. (Denial. Refusal.)

Physically, they're the same person. The same voice, the same stature, the blade, that damn armor. Seeing it again made his chest constrict with pain and his hands tremble in rising panic. He had to physically force himself down, lest he might attack the other.

(Only to have the other turning towards him as he detransforms, with worry lining his features. The unfamiliar light in his eyes something more akin to fear. All of that, followed by a simple question uttered in uncharacteriscally small voice,

"..Are you.. okay?")

 

Fuck, his head hurts.

 

He probably should sleep, or something. Maybe at least take some rest.

..If he's not feeling so strung out. His mind running 300 miles per hour; agitated, on edge.

He couldn't remember the last time he actually managed to sleep properly. He did try, never able to get more than an hour at best (nightmares). Sometimes it got bad enough he just passes out. Other times Rian just went straight and cast a sleep magic on him.

He thought he got over it that time. He didn't.

So vivid it felt real. Each time it was something different - a missed step, one wrong strike, all of them lead to horrible situations. Each time he woke up in cold sweat, breathing hard, with disjointed memories. The only thing clear in his mind is sheer terror.

It get increasingly evident over time.

It began with little moments of self doubts with an undercurrent of anxiety, then it starts to get hard to concentrate. He'd talk about some of them to Rian, others he kept to himself. Wouldn't want to trouble her any more than she already is. One time Akizuki caught on, he proceed to beat (literally) some sense in to his head. Another time it even reaches Takeru and Aguri, and both reacted similarly. It sure does helps clear his mind, though.

 

(He tries not to think about it, but he misses them even more than ever.)

He doesn't know who to trust. He doesn't know who he can trust.

 

The priest, Fusa - she seems..nice. Generally. She hasn't done anything outright hostile or threatening, yet. But there's something about her that's hard to gauge.

The young boy, a knight in training, Toma. The first time he saw the kid he was quite.. shocked. (As if coming across him again hasn't done enough.) He's..bright, friendly - didn't even hesitate to approach a total stranger. The kid even manages to convince him for sparring sessions. All of that energy and enthusiasm, it gave a warm feeling in his chest. Wonder if this is how Akizuki feels when he trained his kids.

(He doesn't have much expectation for his own future, but if this is what Rian was speaking of then, perhaps-)

Then there's him. They had been dancing around each other for most of the time, never coming too close. Both wary of the other. He don't know what to make of the other, he couldn't trust the other as much as he couldn't trust himself at the moment.

At least, none of their interactions have gone south so far. Not that it's easy to hold any lengthy conversation with the other. Not with his current mental state.

It's frustrating.

Nothing about the other is what he's used to. The way he interacts with other people compared to how he is with the ones he's close to. His posture somewhat controlled, his words are clipped, never holding eye contact for long period, and moments of hesitation he never thought he'd seen from the other man.

 

Who are you?

 

(Everything is exhausting.)

 

 

 

 

---

 

 

"..Hey, can I ask you something?"

"..Yeah?" For some reason he can tell what her exact question is, having felt her steady gaze observing everything from afar.

"I don't know if it's just me - why are you so..tense around Jinga? As if you were expecting him to attack you."

Her question cuts through sharper than a knife. Out of concern, no doubt. One question he doesn't know how to answer.

'He looks like my worst enemy that I had to defeat twice over'

There's no way that'll make sense to her.

'I'm scared of him'

That'll just result in more questions that he has no answer to.

Time ticking. The back of his neck prickling from her stare.

"..Ryuga?"

What should he say?

"..I'm sorry, I just..have a bit of difficulty trusting people." She's definitely not convinced by that, judging from her sceptical look. She might as well be the hardest person he had gone up against.

"..Okay." He releases the breath he didn't realise he was holding. "-Just, I need to tell you - Jinga, he's not bad or anything. He'd probably rather hurt himself than anyone else. So.., I hope you'll give him a chance. It doesn't seem like it, but he's trying his best too."

Looks like it'll take him a much longer time to wrap his head around this problem.