realityshifted | 001 | time here all but means nothing, just shadows that move across the wall.

001 | time here all but means nothing, just shadows that move across the wall.

You know, I have better things to do than daydream. Do I daydream?

[ Sakura has to stop and consider this, since she doesn't think she does so much anymore. Hadn't she been going to the store? The weird one, one of the first rebuilt after the attack, that'd made no sense when she'd stopped in to see how things were doing. Who had she even met at the time? Why had she come in again? ]

Not that it matters. Come on, wake up, stop staring into... oblivion? What kind of place is this to dream about?

[ Dreams are what make sense, if this is more of a nightmare after current events. No floor, endless stars? Points of light in darkness and buildings that feel more like child's building blocks strewn about an area, held up by nothing she could actively grasp as being there and concrete left her unsteady. What had -- been mentioned before? She pinches herself, flinches, and frowns. ]

Ouch! I knew that trick wouldn't work.

[ Things could stand to be a little more familiar. Sakura runs a hand through her hair, schooling herself into meditative breathing. Look. Observe. React accordingly. ]

All right, the stress has finally gotten to me. I'm standing in the middle of space, and there's an information booth. I wonder if it has any tips for how to locate your sanity when it's gone missing.

[ She makes herself stop again, largely because she's talking out loud to herself, and this isn't as helpful as she wishes it was. Time to pretend an audience! ]

Hey, if anyone can hear me, a little guidance would be appreciated! You've got a really nice place here, but there's a few dozen appointments I have to keep and a Hokage I need to check in on, along with most of a hospital to help run, and a war to prepare for, so as much as I'd love to stay, I need to get going.

[ Another pause, and she looks upward toward the sky that isn't the proper sky, and sighs. ]

Or I can use the information booth and file a complaint with whoever's in charge. [ Adjusting the gloves on her hands, she smiles. ] In a manner of speaking.

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Time... stops.

[ She isn't even close to believing that right now. ot to mention, for all he's relaxed, she isn't, and doesn't appear to be getting any more so. ]

Who are you? And if you don't mind, where exactly is here?

It does. If you wish to see for yourself, then simply think of home.

[It's easy to read her posture, and Mu keeps his distance.]

Mu name is Mu, and this is the Astral Plane.

[ Without understanding that he pretty much literally means what he says, she frowns. The idea of an astral plane is... around in more theoretical literature. She's glossed over it in fits of curiosity, but never spent time really thinking about it. Too little impact on the realities of life. ]

An astral plane of existence? Or the astral plane of existence?

'The,' I think, though perhaps not in the spiritual sense many think of. It's simply the title of this place, fitting as it is.

Right.

[ She brings a gloved hand up to her face, pinching the bridge of her nose. ]

I'm on the Astral Plane. Thank you for the name, Mu.

[ Manners. Several beats too late to be anything but rude, if she's more reserved and holding herself at a distance. On home territory, she'd probably be smiling. This is too off-centering for that. ]

I'm... Sakura.

[If he notices, he isn't showing it] Sakura...ah, after the tress with those lovely blossoms, yes?

[Sometimes, he misses his old mergers.]

Ah, yes. After the cherry trees.

[ She attempts something of a smile, lips curling up at the corners. ]

Not for the hair. My parents just got lucky on that one. Or maybe I did.

[Her smile is met with a chuckle, and a careful step forward. He's not exactly one to comment on an outlandish shade of hair - his is lavender, after all.]

Perhaps, but there is something to be said for intuition.

[ His statement makes her laugh, short lived and genuine. Sakura shakes her head, and shrugs. ]

Must've been all on dad, in that case. I think my mother was convinced I was a boy right up until I was born.

[ She shakes her head. ]

Which is neither here nor there. It fits in with our family name, so I think it had more to do with that, if I like the idea of someone being intuitive around then.

And may I ask what the family is named for?

Spring. I think the literal meaning is closer to "fields of spring," or something similar, but spring is the basic idea. A spring flower for a spring family makes sense.

[ Another pause, and then conceding that this conversation is strange enough, Sakura goes on. ]

It's not a clan name, so there's no real tradition to follow.

Are such things important to a clan? Ah...forgive my curiosity.

I don't mind, but I'm afraid I can't answer you. It's not something I've talked about with anyone from one of the Clans, if my guess is yes, considering the family name is so important, some reasoning behind the given names is probably important too.

That makes sense. I'm afraid I don't have much experience with the concept.

I could probably offer a better explanation some other time. [ Said as she's back to looking around. ] When I feel better grounded. There's a lot of interesting history behind the clans, even from an outsider's perspective.

I look forward to it. In the meantime I don't suppose there's anything I can do to help you, hm?

Pinch me?

[ Awkward, somewhat resigned smile? ]

If you wish.

[Mu steps closer again, and, slowy enough that she can back away if she changes her mind, reaches out to gently pinch her upper arm.]

[ She says ouch out of reflex, almost amusing, since she barely winces. More so, she knew this was coming, and it only backed up what she did earlier. ]

Nope, still not awake. Or maybe I am, but I can't be.

[ She frowns, feeling a little lost. ]

You said it's easy to get back to reality?

[Her reaction gets a bit of a smile out of Mu, as he steps back and nods.]

It only requires a concious thought of home. Many liken it to 'taking a step,' if that makes sense?

[ She's midway to saying yes, when she disappears.

... Mu, you have given her good advice. And Sakura is quick to have thought of home! ]

[Mu smiles and shakes his head. If Sakura is as clever as she seems, she'll be back before long, so he hangs around.]

[ It takes about fifteen minutes, because Sakura had to do a few sense checks on herself back home. She dodges from thinking about what just happened, but still -- there she is.

Popping back into existence on the Plane, face a sort of mask of disbelief. ]

I'm back.

You are indeed. Welcome back.

[ She still doesn't want to believe this. But she's pretty grounded. ]

Thank you. Is that a bench?

[ She thinks it is. Pardon her as she goes to... sit down. ]

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