Churning Darkness. An island of pink. 3 figures are inside this pink haven. One woman has pink hair and two distinct eye colors - light blue and brown. One woman has purple hair with matching purple eyes. The last woman has glossy black hair and blank-obsidian eyes.
"Why?" The purple one asks.
"I didn't call a meeting." The pink one says while shaking her head.
The black one growls while examining the other two.
"It was I who brought you here." A voice booms from the storming darkness beyond.
All 3 women go on high alert. The pink one, the youngest, takes shelter behind the purple one.
"Do not be afraid." The voice booms again, "Perhaps a familiar form would do."
Ink leaks through the pink membrane in between the 3 women. It coalesces as it floats into the middle of the women. It finally settles into the shape of a black cat.
"Hello again, Kaori." The black cat says facing the pink one hiding behind the purple one.
Suddenly, the black-haired woman attacks the black cat from behind. Except, her hands go right through the cat. She tries to punch and choke but nothing happens. She gives up, frustrated.
"Only Kaori may hold me." The black cat says, "I won't harm her or any of you, Shade."
The purple one, Shade, thinks for a bit. She turns to the pink one, Kaori, then says, "Go."
Kaori leaves Shade's back and approaches the black cat with caution.
"Kuroi?" Kaori asks hesitantly.
"The one and only." Kuroi the black cat says waving its claws.
Kaori grabs hold of Kuroi, its real. She sniffs it then hugs it. For a moment, everything feels right.
"I've never left you." Kuroi says reassuringly.
"Hai." Kaori says, "So why are you reappearing now?
"In Dantian?" Shade asks.
The black one, Abyss, sulks in her corner. Distant from the conversation.
"This is Kaori's Dao-Heart." Kuroi explains, "It contains all 3 Dantians and many more wonders."
Kaori looks around, beyond her bubble of pink haven, into the roaring, all-encompassing void.
"As for why I am here now…" Kuroi says, "It is because your awakening happened early."
"My awakening?" Kaori asks.
"A lifetime ago, you made a wish." Kuroi says, "I'm here to facilitate that wish."
Kaori tilts her head, even more confused.
"Unfortunately, my time is short so we'll have to skip quite a few steps." Kuroi says.
The pink barrier begins to fade away. Kaori panics yet hangs on to Kuroi. Shade moves in to cover Kaori. The void storm surges in like an ocean. Chaos. Nothingness. Desolate.
"Shade, Kaori chose to do this." Kuroi says, "Let her shine."
Kaori is clinging onto Kuroi and Shade tightly. Kaori is in a full-blown panic. Violently shaking.
Shade looks at Kuroi in anger then, with a sigh, she caresses Kaori's head and says, "Safe."
"Cast your senses outward." Kuroi says spreading its paws, "Feel it all. Accept it all."
Kaori's shaking eases. Gradually she loosens up. As her senses cast out, she realizes the darkness swirls around her. As if she was the darkness itself. Not darkness, just the unknown. An ocean of mystery. Not every question needs an answer. Not every question has an answer.
"I'm not... afraid." Kaori mouthes as she stares out into the dark.
Kaori's previously left brown eye grows dark while her right light blue eye is now white.
"My time is up." Kuroi says as it fades, "We will meet again, properly next time."
The darkness dissolves.
"This is one downer of a simulation." The man says as he looks around.
The man stands on a never ending road to nowhere. Nothing surrounds this beam of a street.
"Your Dao-Heart is what you make it." A voice sounds from nowhere, "For it is as infinite as I."
"Identify yourself." The man says.
"Azeem, it is I." The voice without a body says.
Light particles gather in front of Azeem. With a flash, a dog appears. A small white Maltese.
"Rosh?" Azeem asks as he examines the floating dog.
"Quite so, Azeem." Rosh says waving its paws excitedly.
"Alhamdulillah!" Azeem says as he grabs the floating little furball into a sweet embrace.
"Unfortunately, time is short." Rosh says after a brief moment, "I am here on an urgent matter."
"It's quite hard to take you seriously when you are this cute." Azeem says with a laugh.
"I can grow to ten times my size or just take your form." Rosh retorts.
"I jest. I jest." Azeem says jovially then asks, "Why are you in my subconscious?"
"I am here to jump-start your awakening." Rosh says, "And to deliver an important message."
"An important message?" Azeem asks, "From who?"
"The current Prime Guide, Nur." Rosh says, "They said save Araoluwa."
"Save who?" Azeem asks.
"Araoluwa." Rosh further adds.
"But who is Araoluwa?" Azeem asks, still confused.
"I am merely relaying Nur's message." Rosh says with paws shrugging in the air.
"But how am I to find Araoluwa?" Azeem asks, "How am I to save them? Save them from what?"
"Sadly, Nur is in deep meditation and cannot be reached at the moment." Rosh answers.
"And who is Nur?" Azeem asks then sighs, "I am so lost."
"Just keep moving forward." Rosh says enthusiastically, "On to your awakening!"
"My awakening?" Azeem asks.
"Yes, do catch up dear lad." Rosh says then asks, "What do you see?"
"A road without end…" Azeem says then asks, "Is this a Star Trek thing?"
"What is-" Rosh begins to ask then shakes its head, "Just cast out your senses on the path."
"What do you mean by cast out my senses?" Azeem looks at Rosh.
"What do you think the path you are on symbolizes?" Rosh asks the suggests, "Experience it."
"You want me to walk all of that?" Azeem says, "That looks bloody endless."
"Catch me." Rosh says then disappears and reappears away, "I am your ticket out."
So the chase began. On and on. Endlessly. Azeem feels no soreness, only joy. Like a child with wings. As he runs, he ponders. Rosh had told Azeem to experience the path to catch it. The path was monotonous. How could Azeem experience a path that does not change? Keep moving forward. Like a beam of light. Azeem's perception expands. He senses… relativity. The beam becomes the wave. Azeem moves with intuition, appearing right beside Rosh.
"You caught me fair and square." Rosh says with a laugh.
"I felt something, Rosh." Azeem says excitedly, "I felt myself move through this entire path."
"A lot rests upon you but…" Rosh says. "I have known you in your many lives. You can do this."
"My many lives?" Azeem asks.
"You will experience it all in due time…" Rosh's voice trails off as the world fades away.