Seijuro stepped out of the chamber and a bright light hit him. He squinted,
"Welcome to the Fear Foundation, young Seijuro." Frank turned his wheelchair to face him, shades lowered, a smirk tugging one corner of his mouth.
Frank's skin was light brown and his black hair, down and messy. He wore the same white cloak as the other Captains, only his etched together with brooch with a different symbol. A ring. Weird. His smile was warm in a way that made Seijuro both relieved and uneasy.
Seijuro took a step towards the huge glass window and froze. Before him, the Foundation was built with white stone and glass in the middle of the woods, towers and terraces stacked around a massive central dome that hummed faintly.
Encasing it all, a shimmering force field encased the foundation in rippling light. Paths wound between courtyards, people drifted in groups, heads bowed in conversation or training, like a scene out of an action movie.
Not to mention the gardens and courtyards that broke the white expanse, and cherry blossom trees lined broad walkways, petals drifting in warm drafts. Seijuro could see this was a fortress of knowledge and power, a reason to be isolated and protected. From his village he had only ever seen hints of places like this. Up close, it felt like entering another world,
"Where are we going?" Seijuro asked, voice small,
"Showing you around," Frank said, pushing himself forward. "And I'm sure you have questions."
Seijuro followed hesitantly. His eyes drifted to the sword clutched in his hand, "Ren… is he truly in here?"
Frank's face softened, "Come closer, Seijuro."
He obeyed, still hesitant. His eyes narrowed. Frank opened his hand, placing it on the blade, and then his other on Seijuro's chest palm first.
A violet cloud emerged from Frank's chest, flowing gracefully through his arms, and then passing onto Seijuro and the weapon. His mind went blank, but he could feel it. A pulsing resembling a heartbeat rumbled through Seijuro's entire body. He shifted slightly, believing it to be a trick of the mind, but no,
"Your brother's heart beats strongly."
Seijuro didn't know whether to smile or cry. His lip began to quiver, but he bit firmly into it. Frank removed his hand from his chest and the sword.
Seijuro exhaled shakily. To him, that heartbeat was his hope. Although he couldn't see it, he knew it was present. His expression shifted back to Frank who by now, had turned away from him.
He pushed himself forward through the long, spacious hallway. The wheels grinding on the crystal alloy floor. Seijuro could faintly see his own reflection within the polished surface,
This place is crazy.
Unbeknownst to the young lad, it would get crazier,
"Who are you guys?"
Frank glanced over his shoulder, his smile never leaving his face,
"We are Captains. We keep humanity safe from what we call 'fears.'"
"Fears?" Seijuro echoed,
"Fears form when a person's mind breaks under pressure, trauma, phobia, grief. Dark matter or Tenebris leaks from the mind, soul and body. At first it's weak and mindless, but the more dark matter a person emits, or when multiple emit it, the stronger the creature becomes. Left unchecked, they can harm, or worse, corrupt people."
Frank's smile faded ever so slightly. Seijuro noticed it. He glanced at the sword in Seijuro's hands and sighed, "What you released weren't normal fears. A former Captain, as Kael yelled out, Captain Kenji's father tried to contain them, but the power was too much. They were sealed in that box, hidden behind barriers. How you breached those protections is something we can't explain. The Captain who tried to stop them paid the price."
Seijuro's throat tightened. He looked upward. His eyes greeted with lustrous glass panels exposing the sky. They slow down as they reach the end of the hallway stopping in front of an elevator.
The doors opened without a sound, revealing an interior of light and glass. Seijuro's jaw dropped at the sight of the foreign entity. His mind attempted to deny the existence of such a machine.
Frank glided in first, turning effortlessly to face forward. Seijuro stepped in one foot at a time. He could see the confused look Frank was giving him, but standing in what looked to be a death trap? He didn't give a crap in the slightest.
The doors sealed behind them with a click and then began their descent. Seijuro kept his focus outside. Everything looked small from this vantage point, but as they continued downward, he was feeling more and more captivated by the view itself.
They continued down in silence. Occasionally, Seijuro made quick glances at Frank, studying him intently. His trust wasn't won that easily. The elevator paused and the doors slid open again, revealing what looked to be a reception.
Frank rolled out first with Seijuro behind him. The air was cleaner and lightly perfumed. Seijuro took in another breath, was it out of fear of what was to come? Or just to smell sweet aroma once more? He wasn't sure himself.
They continued forward, walking out and stopping just short of the door. Frank looked out toward the woods. "Through those trees is where you'll train. You'll live in the accommodation here at the Foundation. Your training gear and uniform have already been sent to your home."
Seijuro's voice dropped. "My mother…"
Frank's hand hovered over Seijuro's arm, "Your mother," he said softly. "You won't be the one to tell her, we wont burden you with that. By the time you return, she'll know."
"When do I start?" Seijuro wiped at his face,
"At dawn. You're from Lunar Village, yes?"
Seijuro blinked. "How did you…"
Frank nodded toward the crescent pendant clutched at Seijuro's throat. "The pendant. Old traditions die slowly." He pushed a little farther and gave Seijuro a final look. "See you tomorrow, young Seijuro."
As Frank rolled back inside, Kenji's stern shadow fell across the doorway. He extended his left hand and small sphere of dark energy spun into being and the air shimmered. A doorway opened in the space between them,
"Walk through there," Kenji said in his usual cold tone. "It will take you home."
Seijuro nodded and stepped into the portal. He emerged into the familiar village he'd grown up in. Low wooden houses, the distant laughter of children, the smell of cooking drifting on the breeze.
On the porch of his home his mother scoured the horizon, eyes raw with worry. He ran to her. She saw him and the fear of waiting and pain of loss poured out in a single, stunned gasp. He sheathed the sword on his back and they fell into each other's arms, both of them crying. Anger smoldered under the grief. Seijuro remembered the man's words…
'You'll die before you can regret the choice you made today…'
He felt a cold, hard knot form in his chest,
I'll make them suffer for what they did.
He clenched Ren's toy in his fist.