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[choseanidiot]

It didn't take long to wake up after the dream ended and the call for 'next stop, Utopia Academy' (what was this, a Wa train?) to penetrate the hazy fog of near-waking. Enki woke with a start, because what he was sleeping on wasn't soft enough to be his bed. He also happened to have his head in someone's lap. The name he'd been about to mumble died unsaid, because he couldn't remember. How. Could he not remember the name of his nyokai?

Getting up from the bench fast enough to render everything a blur (and too quick, so close to waking, so he stumbled back against the window), Enki stared at the young man whose lap he'd... borrowed. It wasn't Shoryu. That would be understandable if it had been, but it wasn't.

"Who are you?" So he solved that by demanding a name, all the while trying to figure out what was going on. He couldn't feel his nyokai (HOW could he not remember her name?) or any of his shirei, nor the presence of the king. How was that even possible.

Comments

[ninjasloveme]

Gaara hadn't been asleep for some time, but the deep sleep of his neighbour - and his weight - had necessitated that he remain perfectly still, awake or not. It had, at least, meant that he had plenty of time to think without giving in to the temptation to lash out or do something equally rash. So when the boy who had been using him as a pillow woke up and began to panic, his own expression remained perfectly composed.

"Gaara, fifth Kazekage of the village of Sand. You are?"

[choseanidiot]

It wasn't a title he recognized at all, but it was obvious by the same title the young man carried some sort of importance. Grimacing (mostly at himself), Enki gave a quick bow.

"Enki, Taiho of En," he added his second title with a faint frown, not sure why he did so; anyone would have recognized him from his name. But since he had not recognized Gaara's title; he was rather sure that wasn't even a title someone in Wa used, even less at this point in the history of Over There, it was just as likely that Gaara wouldn't know it.

"What is going on?" He kept from snapping, barely, but there was a certain... inflection in his voice Shoryu wouldn't have approved of, especially considering this Gaara was a potentially important person (though not where Enki came from, obviously).

That Gaara may not know what was going on was possible, but Enki was perfectly satisfied with believeing he did know something, for the moment. The only small fortune seemed to be that he wasn't bound in any way.

[ninjasloveme]

He inclined his head slightly. Like Enki, he didn't recognise the title, but was willing to err on the side of politeness.

"I don't know," he said, honestly and with just a small amount of frustration. "We are currently travelling to somewhere called Utopia Academy. Potentially a school." He paused, then revised that. "We are being taken there, by someone whose identity and strength are not known."

[choseanidiot]

And that 'we' Enki finally took the time to see, weren't just him and this redhead, but a few others too. This wasn't good. Unknown destination, unknown reason, and quite a few hostages. Would they be willing to hurt them if someone tried to get away? Not that he could attempt it without his shirei...

"Great." Enki muttered and shifted on his feet, uncertain why he felt such unease. Something was wrong, and he didn't mean the situation, but he couldn't see any sort of binding at all. But uncertain of this, he turned around and stared at his face, but his forehead was unmarked. Of course, the horn wouldn't be visible...

"Is this something you recognize?" Enki turned back with another frown, making a wide gesture to take in the tram carriage. He was certainly not home, but it was a good question if this was Wa, either. Were they all just 'special' enough to kidnap, anyway? Because if they weren't in his world, he didn't see what anyone would gain from kidnapping him, unless whoever did it thought it could gain them kingship... But he'd already chosen... chosen... What. Enki felt like tugging his hair, but restrained himself fists at his sides. Why couldn't he remember who he ahd chosen? This was not right!

"And are you missing things in your memory too?" Enki snapped, not sure if he was angry in general or suspicious again. But even so, if Gaara was lying about not being involved, there was probably a reason for that.

[ninjasloveme]

Gaara sat back against the bench, following Enki's gesture with a frown of his own. There were obvious gaps in his memory, several of which were extremely worrying.

"Some things," he admitted, after a moment's silence. He looked out at whatever body of water they were now crossing, and wondered why someone with a technique that could remove information from a ninja's mind would bother to leave them unattended on... whatever this was. He had heard of vehicles like this, but they were mainly limited to outer areas like Snow Country; he'd never had the opportunity to see one for himself. Almost to himself, he murmured, "An illusion...?"

[choseanidiot]

And he'd bet that they weren't alone in missing memories. So. Whoever had done this had taken memories? Why? What was even the use of that? With an annoyed sigh, he sat down on the bench opposite of Gaara, crossing his legs at his ankles.

"Any reasons for this to be an illusion? Enki leaned forward with a frown, elbows on knees, chin on interlaced fingers. It was almost automatic, this reaction to listen to someone else's reasoning and then consider what it held. But then, no matter his... nature, five hundred years of doing just that would leave its trace.

[ninjasloveme]

Admit no weakness, they will use it against you.

But no, distrust wasn't his way any longer. If they were all prisoners, they would have to work together. If the others were enemies, they would already know what they'd done. He folded his arms, head tilting slightly as he watched the other boy's movements.

"I can't mold chakra," he said, "That is... normally one of the signs of an illusionary technique." It almost sounded like he was instructing him, rather than having a conversation.

[choseanidiot]

His eyebrows rose a a bit, because he'd never heard of anyone except kirin using their will and spiritual energy to do anything. Especially not in Wa. Enki squinted at Gaara, but no, this guy was no kirin. There had been red kirin, he'd heard, but compared to the things he'd forgotten, there simply was no kirin aura around him.

"That something you and people you know can usually do? Where I'm from, this isn't... usual." Not usual was the least of it, really.

It was strange to consider that in some other place, people may routinely use their spiritual energy to... do things. He wasn't sure what else Gaara was used to be doing with it. Enki had, after all only used it for... A frown flittered over his face. Another thing gone. First, he couldn't feel his shirei, and now he'd forgotten how to bind youkai? He was practically helpless!

[ninjasloveme]

"Shinobi can," Gaara's reply was a little distracted. People he knew... Why was that a disquieting thought? His brow furrowed as he tried to chase it to some kind of conclusion, but to no avail. He'd have to work on that. For now...

"There are no shinobi in En?"

[choseanidiot]

That word was easy enough to reference, especially since he took the time to go Over There every now and then.

"No. There're warriors... soldiers... kingsmen, of course," and here there was an infitesmal pause as Enki more or less unconciously scowled at the necessecity of all these people who were willing to inflict violence. But, unfortunately, sometimes it was needed.
"But no shinobi. And even less a wide use of chakra." And he really didn't want to know what people would do, if they could bind youkai to them as kirin could.

Once again, he tried to reach out, call the names of his shirei, but there was no answer. He wasn't even sure if he'd simply been unable to call properly. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Enki realized that he'd technically not been this vulnerable since he was four.

[ninjasloveme]

Gaara nodded his understanding, but was spared from replying by the carriage juddering to a halt.

"We've arrived," he said, as unnecessary as that was, and then hesitated. The boy didn't look particularly strong, or prepared; he looked worried, unsure. Without chakra, they were vulnerable, but Gaara was at least sure he could defend himself through ordinary means if it came to that. "Stay with me," he added, more an invitation than a command. "There's no reason to face this alone."