Chapter 1: Chapter Zero: A Shattered Reflection and a Future to be

A black limousine drove up to an empty road, the sound of gravel milling against its rubber tires were the only thing filling the void of an otherwise banal silence over the area. As it reached full stop a door slowly swung open and from it emerged a coterie of men and woman clad in black business suits, they each held themselves in a calm confidence fitting for professionals of their caliber. Soon after came the hand a young woman helped outside by one of the guards, the young lady was quite young, somewhere around the age of 19 to 20 years. She was by no means short, standing at 5 feet and 9 inches paired with a healthy build just sleek enough to draw peoples gazes and wavy purple hair that reached to her shoulders vibrant enough to make her stick out amidst a crowd. Put all together with a visibly expensive blue dress and the girl carried a dignified air about her, prideful and sure of her every decision with the resolution to match. It was nearing mid-day but one could be excused for mistaking the time, a faint mist presided over the area. It was nothing unexpected of course, the day prior was possessed by a blistering heat and the young lady has herself escorted to a water reservoir. She had a meeting scheduled here and a little fog wouldn’t keep her from the prize she had laid out for her. As she moved to head towards the waterside the escorts moved to flank her but the young lady motioned for them to halt.

“Will you not be needing us to follow you young madame?” The escort who helped her out inquired unsure of their young lady’s decision only to be met with a simple shake of the head
“I promised that I would spare them the privacy when we would meet face to face. Us and just us so don’t get in the way” her response carried an air of finality in the words. The girl was determined to see this through. But what this was the unfortunate escorts couldn’t yet fathom. Nevertheless, they moved aside as ordered allowing the young woman to proceed alone to the mist shrouded reservoir.

There by the safety railings a young man waited, idly leaning against the rusting metal poles with a bored expression on his face. His eyes were glued to a pocket watch staring into the reflection made by the glass protecting its inner mechanisms which seemed to glow with a strange orange hue. He too was a younger man of healthy stature and build but it was hard to make out any details. He donned a unremarkable if not quality made beige hooded trench coat, its cowl was raised obscuring most of his face but one perceptive enough would just catch the sight of dark amber eyes and the whisps of messy black hair. Otherwise, one could only make out his mouth which was shaped into a circle as he whistled away a strange almost otherworldly tune.

It seemed as if the melody drew in its prey as he soon heard the light footfalls of a young woman meet the concrete platform of the reservoirs edge, on the cue he tucked the pocket watch away and stood upright to properly greet his conversation partner to be. As the purple haired woman appeared from the mist, he gave them a curt nod in greeting and spoke up first taking the initiative in the conversation’s flow.

“ah you must be our dearest Pioneer of the arts. Miss Midori yes? I could say that you are an Aspiring Muse to in the making for the many aspirations of would-be Voyagers.” The man spoke in a refined manner, polite and well-mannered much to the girl’s pleasure.

In response she gave a small smile amused at the display before her eyes narrowed on the goal in her mind. “I guess I don’t mind being called all that. I take it you’ve heard of me before?” her amusement quickly turned to questions in preparation for that goal, the girl had steeled her mind the entire way here, she was prepared to offer them everything for the man to sign onto their contract. But it couldn’t hurt to probe them a little first, perhaps she would gain some valuable information or at the very least some entertainment before the business came.

The young man just laughed at the question, the hood over his head only letting through the sight of a grin. “Of course I have! You dear miss Aspiring Muse would be the one and only Midori Hayashida. A world class voyager hovering at the top 100 of the world's rankings, risen to the position of Vice Guild Master of the Twilight Rose Guild at a young age, and Heir apparent to the affluent Hayashida clan. I could go on and on with the exposition but if I may be frank I hear enough about you from all the trainees back at Elysium.” He raised his arms above his shoulders as if mimicking a gesture of surrender afore leaning against the railing watching both of their reflections as they conversed. “All due respect of course.”

At such a bold answer the girl couldn’t help but laugh. Nobody has ever treated her so casually before. “And you would be that Trainee making waves at Elysium I’ve been hearing so much about. A prodigy amongst voyagers they would say”

At the praise the young man couldn’t help but smile more, reaching into his coat and flipping open a pocket watch to check the time once again. “oh, I wouldn’t call myself anything special like that…no prodigy or anything that grand. Rather I would say I am an Aspiring Muse just like you. We are the same in that regard are we not?”

the girl was genuinely pleased at this point, they seemed to have good chemistry. It was only a matter of time until she recruited them. “I suppose I can agree with that. We are the same in that regard yes.”

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In a heartbeat the girl went quiet, almost limp, the look in her eyes cold and empty and the air around her blank. At the sight the young man looked up from his watch confused, he waved his hand close to the girl’s face snapping his fingers at every pass. “Miss Midori are you alright? You cut off somewhere…” but it was a fruitless endeavor, the girl was completely unresponsive. He turned to the water’s surface once again, only this time he was greeted by his image and only his image in sync with his movements upon the dormant liquid The girl stood right next to him but the water showed nothing, as if she was never standing there to begin with. At the sight a content rictus began to form across his lips much too wide for a normal person to think normal.

His gaze then returned to his pocket watch, upon its glass was the transparent reflection of Midori Hayashida. The image seemed to look around disoriented at her situation. In her eyes the world went blank into an all-encompassing whiteness, a vast expense of infinite nothingness as far as the eye could see. The only other thing in that void was a window of sorts, a hole in space shaped all too eerily of their own silhouette showcasing the sky and water of the world outside world. Her disorientation soon became confusion, which then became bewilderment and then fear. That fear blossomed into panic as she desperately tried to break free, trying in vain to smash whatever force kept that window sealed. Again and again she bought her full might to bear against it only to end in futility.

The man couldn’t help but give a distant chuckle seeing it all unfold, there was a grim sense of satisfaction seeing it all. But he couldn’t rest upon his laurels for there was still work to do. With a free hand outstretched he closed his eyes and whispered something beneath his breath, a simple command “⌈Spawn Changeling⌋”. The world around went silent as the words were uttered, not even an echo from the wind or the slow sway of the platform floating upon the water. Then In the space before him the air distorted and bent as if the space itself began to malform, from it a sickly quasi transparent black ooze began to seep like blood from an open wound. The mass continued to seep until slowly it began to take shape. The viscous black liquid began to rise up high slowly amalgamating into a vaguely humanoid form, much too skinny and much to tall to be anywhere close to truly human shaped. Its limbs were mishappen, the limbs too thick and too long, its head devoid of features, just an ever-shifting blank void of ink constantly melting down into the rest of the body. Upon it’s back were unnatural tendrils seeping into the air and space around like the roots of an ancient tree. Upon fully manifesting the un-thing kneeled before the young man awaiting orders to be given.

There was no reluctance nor fear in the man’s eyes at such a chilling sight. He only needed gesture to the blank body devoid of consciousness. “You I bestow a name. Thou are now Midori Hayashida. Seasoned Voyager of the gates and heir to clan Hayashida”

The unnatural creature then stood and approached the blank puppet, it extended a hand towards its new being as its body slowly became more and more transparent. Steadily it began to assimilate itself with the empty husk, the mass phasing into the body and seeping through its every being. By the horrific scenes end breath returned to the girl as if nothing had ever changed…if anything they seemed even better than before. The girl had a bright smile etched across her face as if every wish they ever had all came true at once.
“Adjust to your new existence, you will be summoned soon” a new order was given right after, with it a flood of memories overtook the “girl” who could just barely manage to bow amidst the sensory overload. “It is My honor, Maker”

With the final piece in place the young man shut his watch closed again, and the now forgotten reflection was taken by a deep all-consuming darkness. They tried to scream but no sound could be made for there was no air to carry it. But it seemed to work, she sensed something with her in the dark…but it felt wrong. Ravenous things, angry things possessed by a vehemence the human mind was not made to comprehend. As the darkness took them the lost reflection could only close their eyes as they felt themselves slip away.

As they returned to the road the newly christened Midori and the young man spoke, they spoke of banalities and simple matters pleasant to pass the time away before the young girl was returned to her escorts. Their favorite foods and drinks, sharing nice places to hang out and the latest trends they managed to keep up with. Healthy and mundane things people of their age would speak of. As a guard returned to their lady's side they couldn’t help but finally ask to try and sate their curiosity.
“Did you get what you wanted miss?”

The young lady just giggled in turn and answered with a whimsical tune “oh not quite…but I ended up making a friend so it was still all worth it in the end~” she turned to face the young man in question as a thought crossed her mind. “Will you be needing a ride back Mister Cyrus?”

The boy graciously accepted the offer and yawned as he made for the limo, readjusting his coat to make sure he looked presentable. “oh I would appreciate it Miss Midori. There is still much more I have left to do”

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