I opened my eyes once I felt an unpleasant rocking. I was on a boat, though the scene looked more like an oil painting than real life. Or perhaps it was real life, and the grey world was the illusion?

I looked out onto the water. The scene moved but not in what I thought was the usual way, but rather like a painter was quickly adding to the work as we drove through it. Looking carefully, some trees seemed to suggest they jumped from one location to the next, like a series of paintings stacked on top of each other with only the slightest differences to create movement.

It took some getting used to, but eventually, I tuned the jumpy movements out and focused on who sat in the boat with me. Four men were present. Two rowed and were so indistinct that faces had been neglected to be painted. Another faceless one stared at a map, and the last wore a familiar smiling Oni mask. Nobuyuki, I believe, was his name. He smiled when I looked in his direction, though it was the mask that moved. I couldn’t help but wonder if his face was as blank as the rest on the boat underneath. I wanted to reach over and tear the mask off, but that was the least of my troubles. Every action I made, large or small, was fixed. I could not deviate from whatever path my body was linked to. I would have thought this a dream, but if it was, I would have expected to exercise some degree of control once I realized it.

We reached a green-painted shore that butted up against a steep rock face. The scene was beautiful, but I didn’t have time to dwell much longer. I began to move out of the ship automatically and against my wishes. I was wearing a dark black uniform, I think the same one I wore under my kimono, but the bright pink fabric was nowhere to be seen. Did this occur before I got it? The men in the boat left Nobuyuki and me on the sand and headed back to the sea. I walked with the Oni man along the painted scene.

He said something, his masked smile moved like lips, but I heard nothing. I responded; though my lips moved, I heard nothing as well. It quickly became relevant that the entire scene was silent. There was no breeze among the swaying trees or cries of the birds as they flew through the air. It truly was like a painting; sound was not necessary.

Nobuyuki and I continued along, exchanging words but not making any sounds. I wanted to scream and break the silence, but no opportunity was offered.

Instead, we began to climb a hill and approach a large castle. Two samurai stood at the top and stared down at us. Though they lacked faces, I could tell they were glaring. They said something, there was no sound or even lips moving to indicate it, but somehow I knew. I rolled my eyes and kept moving without another word.

In a short time, Nobuyuki and I reached a set of closed doors. We lowered to a kneeling position as they were slid open.

I would have gasped if I could. The man sitting behind the doors was not part of the painting. He looked real, and his face was as clear as possible.

His clothes indicated his importance. A long grey sokutai was draped around his body, and a black kanmuri sat on his head. I knew in an instant. He was the young emperor. The one I would protect. The one I would use as a pawn. And the one I would kill if his usefulness ran out.

A smile ran across a thin face. His hair was jet black, and his chin had a few short whiskers, likely his first considering his age—though I think I would have been relatively young at this moment as well. His eyes were a deep brown, and his skin was pale enough to suggest he spent much more time inside than out.

“Welcome!” he bellowed with excitement. A smile lined his face. I would have jumped at the sudden sound if I could.

I said something; his voice was the only thing that broke the silence of the painting with an occasional ‘mm-hmm’ to my mute words.

When I finished speaking, he jumped up and laughed. I could feel an immediate dislike.

“Well, no need to be so stuffy! We should get to know each other if you're my new bodyguard.” He walked up and held out a hand, suggesting he would pull me up to my feet, but I didn’t accept. “What’s your name?” he asked. I answered.

“Kiko, wonderful! You can call me Akimitsu!” some of the faceless figures in the scene moved and seemed to shout at the young emperor, but he waved his hands dismissively.

“Ignore them, Kiko; let’s go see around the castle!”

He didn’t offer me a hand again but reached down and pulled me up. I stood slightly taller than him; he had likely not yet had his final growth spurt.

The young emperor pulled me along, and we exited the room. I couldn’t help but think he must have been excited to have someone the same age around. Though I am not sure why that feeling came to me.

As we ran down a hall, the colors of the painted scene began to fade. Soon it was all grey, then the details lessened. Eventually, it went all black, and that was when my eyes opened. I gasped and sat up in a flash.

“Sleep well?” a voice said on my left side.

I turned to the source.

The face of a small blue dragon was a finger's length away from mine. I jumped to get away, but It was no use.

The blue serpentine body held tight around my neck like a scarf. I tried to grab for the scaly form, but my hands either couldn’t find the creature or simply passed through like it was nothing. After several moments of struggle, my hands fell down to my waist.

“Done yet, Kiko?” the creature asked with what I could figure was an attempt to hold back a laugh.

It was clear this creature was a miniature version of the giant dragon, Azul, whom I had met in the temple. I suspect opening the box is what allowed it to wrap around me.

“What’s going on?” I asked. I could only hope the dragon was as talkative now as he had been in the cavern.

“That’s rather vague, my dear. Do you wish to know something about this moment? Or perhaps something else happening in another world? Or was it merely a friendly greeting to address me?”

I think he liked the sound of his own voice.

“Why are you here, wrapped around my neck?” I didn’t bother to hide the frustration in my tone.

“Why am I here? That is still a bit vague, but I suppose I can take a crack at what you probably are looking for. Opening the box in my prison opened the door, so to speak. Unfortunately, it was not meant for dragons to pass through, so I broke off a small part of myself to travel along.”

I suspect the dragon knew this would happen or planned it when we encountered each other. Either way, it seemed I was stuck. Perhaps I could think of something in the morning? I did my best to lay back down. The dragon's form did nothing to affect my posture. It was like it wasn’t there; perhaps it was only in my head? Or maybe this was a dream as well? Was he still there, staring at me? I was in for a miserable night if my thoughts didn’t calm down.