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Fugo awoke to the soft rustle of long strands of green grass gently swaying around him. Facing the open sky with his back pressed against the soft ground, he brought up a hand to shield his eyes for the sun’s soft rays. He blinked back the discomfort and when his eyes had adjusted, he was treated to a picturesque clear blue sky. A dream. It has to be a dream.
But, in all honesty, Fugo was glad this was a dream. Most of his nights had been filled with either nothing or...worse...making this a pleasant surprise. He might as well enjoy it, right?
He allowed his eyes to slip close once more, now with a forearm draped across them. This way he could really enjoy the soft sunlight spilling between the shifting greens, listening to the sounds of nature around him. It had been so long since he’d indulged in this type of thing, outside of the occasional trip to the lavish and expansive garden Gio kept, but never alone like this. It’s...actually really nice.
Although finally being all alone, he couldn’t help but let his mind wander and began to question the nature of this dream. Perhaps this could be his brain’s way of subconsciously telling him to go outside more, take in some actual sunlight now and again. Dreams do typically reflect ones’ subconscious needs and desires. But, then again, that would also bring into question the meaning behind his plethora of nightmares. He dwelled on that through for a bit, soon enough coming to quickly regret it as he shifted through the commonalities within them.
His brain must have realized it’s mistake in placing him in a peaceful dream, because his souring mood is punctuated further by a sharp tug of his hair by some unseen assailant. He hissed out a sound of pain as his head reflexively jerked forward away from the pulling. He scrambled away (with a few missing strands) to look upon his attacker; pale blue eyes, a stark white face, and a thick black column of a neck connecting it to the towering form of a pure black horse.
Who hadn't seemed to notice it’s mistake and walked closer to attempt another bite at Fugo’s blond locks than the vivid green grass all around them. This act pulled it further into the small clearing, his restless nap left behind, to reveal the wooden-leather harness attached to its neck that sloped into the small of its back. As Fugo moved back away from the beast, he noticed that the harness was starched to a carriage- no, more of a chariot -clearly meant for two horses based on the empty harness beside it. He dusted off his clothing and rose to his feet, noting the grass reached just above his knees while it only reached half way up the horse’s legs.
“I’m assuming you’re meant to represent some subconscious thought floating around in my mind. Well? Out with it, I already know this is a dream.”
The horse stared at him with it’s odd ghostly white face before leaning over to nibble at some grass. So much for vivid dreaming, honestly what was he expecting though? For it to talk?
He let out a sigh and turned away from it to look out into the fields upon fields of rolling green grass, it really did seem to go on for miles. If he squinted Fugo could make out a few patches of brown mixed between, making up bits of what seemed to be a long winding dirt path in the distance. This time it’s a sharp tug at the sleeve of his shirt that pulled him away from sight to focus back on the horse and chariot behind him. This dream was making it awfully clear where it was heading.
Fugo placed a hand into the horse’s muzzle, “You can let go, you know. I’m pretty sure I understand what you want me to do.”
The horse let go with a disinterested snort, shuffling further to bring the chariot closer towards Fugo. As it moved, Fugo caught a glimpse of gold at the edge of it’s harness; a golden name tag pressed into leather. Printed in gothic font was the name, “...Haze?”
The winnie he received in response solidified who the name belonged to. Fugo followed down the sloop of the harness against Haze’s back, to the slim wooden beams connecting it to the front of the chariot, and grabbed the reins hanging there before he cautiously stepped into the chariot itself. It felt weird talking to a horse in his dreams, but it’s not like he had much of a choice if he wanted to see this through to the end, “I’ve never...ridden one of these before. I’m assuming you can just take me where I need to go, right?”
When the horse didn’t react, he specified, “The dirt path? It’s...just a bit further ahead.”
He had to scramble for the reins as the chariot jerked forward with Haze’s abrupt movement, but soon enough they were shooting forward across the field.
At first everything seemed fine, Haze did his best despite being the only horse tethered and Fugo could now clearly see the path winding back into more fields, but after a while they’d seem to have reached some sort of a standstill. Because no matter how long they continued, the path never grew any closer.
He could see Haze’s exhaustion as it’s pace slowed from a steady canter to a slower trout. Although Fugo himself probably wasn’t that heavy, the imbalance of the empty harness beside Haze’s must be rough. Fugo pulled gently on the reins, catching it’s attention, “Let’s stop here, okay?”
Haze came to a halt and Fugo gingerly stepped off the wooden chariot onto solid ground once more. He felt the ache of the long ride on his body, showing how unaccustomed he was to type of thing. Can he be sure this is a dream at this point? He’d felt and is currently experiencing the ache of pain through his body, that type of stuff was supposed to wake you up. His attempts of vivid dreaming hadn’t been much better, but that could just chalked up to his lack of imagination more so than this place not being a dream to begin with.
So, he did what any sensible person does, and let himself fall backwards to the ground with a hard thump. “ Ooh- ah- “ Ya, that hurt, “...Fuck.”
Hmm, not a dream. What did that make this then? He racked his brain for answers and realized he’d been forgetting something. Fugo had been...he’d been fighting someone, on a mission for Giorno. He couldn’t remember the guy’s name or their face, but he knew they were a Stand user and he’d seen it but— Why couldn’t he remember? This must be part of its ability, because it feels like some sort of mental lock within his mind that pulsed with pain the moment he got close. Even just realizing that much gave him a splitting headache that makes him curl up into himself despite the strain on his sore muscles.
As he waited for the feeling to pass with his eyes screwed shut, a shadow passed over his eyelids and face blocking out the bright afternoon sun.
“Yo. Uh, you okay?”
Fugo cracked one eye open to gaze into the face he’d been expecting to see the moment believed this was a dream, “...Nara?”
The boy cocked his head to the side, bringing to mind the perfect snapshot of the seventeen year old trapped within his memories trying to finish his math homework, trapped forever in this youthful form. “Fugo? Whatcha’ doing here? Isn’t it a bit too early for you?”
“I’m— I’m older than you now, you know.”
Standing above Fugo, Narancia extended a hand out to help him up, “You don’t really look the part from where I’m standing.”
It’s unfair how quickly they fall back into this routine. He grabbed hold of the outstretched hand, and with some effort on Narancia’s part, stood up once again. At his full height he realized just how much taller he’d grown with Narancia’s seventeen year old self barely reaching his shoulders, it left a sour taste in his mouth that had him looking anywhere but the other boy.
His eyes caught the white coat of another horse as it walked past him towards Narancia. Seems like everyone gets a horse when they die. “So...I’m guessing this is the afterlife then?”
He watched Narancia turn his focus towards the white horse, bringing up a hand to brush absentmindedly at the side of its face that the horse clearly seemed to enjoy by the evident glee in it’s brown eyes. “Not really, it’s kinda’ like...the in between? Like between heaven and hell, that type of thing.”
He’d definitely heard of this, even read a few books about the subject after...well, after Narancia passed. “Purgatory. That’s what’s it called.”
Now pressed into his horse’s mane, Fugo had to strain to hear Narancia mutter out, “...so it does have a name.”
He can’t help but let out a small laugh at that, “What, you didn’t know?”
“No! I didn’t expect to end up...well, here .” Flopped over the small of his horse’s back, Narancia gestured out into the rolling fields of green around them.
That made Fugo pause in his laughter, bringing him back into contemplating the nature of this place, “You don’t know why?”
“I mean, ya. Of course I do! I was waiting for—“ Narancia cut off there with his face quickly reddening, without looking at Fugo he clambered back onto his white horse (barebacked) and pointed over in the direction of the dirt path in the distance. “Anyways, I’m here to lead you back. You were going the right way, but you need a guide to get through here.” He turned back to Fugo with a smug smile as his horse reared up in excitement, “Lucky you, you got me and Aero! Let’s go!”
“Go? Wait! Narancia, you aren’t—“ He stopped when he felt another tug at his sleeve, behind him Haze was still heaving for their earlier run.
He pinched the bridge of his nose and took a moment to compose himself, “My horse can’t keep carrying this thing by itself without a break first.” He stood firmly in place, stroking it’s main as it breathed heavily.
Narancia brought Aero around them in a steady trot, eyeing over the chariot, “Why not strap Aero in? I’m sure we could both fit in there, just kinda’ tight.”
“I…” He glanced over to see Haze raising its head to greet the other horse, it didn’t seem opposed to it, “I guess that could work. Bring it over here.”
“ ‘Kay!” Narancia stopped Aero over by the empty harness before jumping off to help comfort the white horse as it was strapped in, “Hey, hey, you’re fine. We’ll finally be crossing over, Aero!”
While Narancia was keeping Aero steady, Fugo still had some difficulty strapping it in. It's not like he dealt with horses often, so he struck up conversation while he fiddled with the straps. “You haven’t tried before?”
“Well, not exactly. I’ve just...been waiting to pay you back.”
That wasn't what he had been expecting, “For what?”
“You...basically saved my life back then, so— I wanted to pay you back, before I left.”
He wanted to ask a million questions; how long had Narancia been here, had he really been waiting for Fugo this whole time, what about seeing Bucciarati and Abbacchio or even just Narancia’s mother? But, he was a coward, and he could only ask, “...Nara, where are you taking me?”
“Back. I said I was returning the favor okay?” Narancia leaned back into Aero’s long white mane, eyes pinned to an invisible spot on it’s pure white coat as he continued, “I’d be... sad ...if you didn’t live at least another couple years or so. Especially after waitin’ this long. So just accept it okay? You deserve it, and I know the others still need you.”
The last strap clicked into place with more strength than Fugo intended as he turned to fully focus on the other boy, “But— But, what if I want to stay here, with you? And go to wherever people like us go?”
“Fugo…” Narancia looked like he was about to cry as he released his hold on Aero to wrap himself around the taller Fugo, until his arms squeezed tightly against his middle in a poor attempt to lift Fugo up off the ground. “You ain’t aloud! I’ll drag you across myself if I gotta’, Haze and Aero’ll help too!”
“I— I get it! Put me down!”
“No!”
With Narancia’s face pressed against his chest, Fugo felt the growing wetness of tears spurring on his own despite his best attempts. “ I’m sorry, I just- I missed you, I don’t want to go so soon.”
Narancia adjusts his hold on Fugo to be able to look up at him and reply between teary sniffles, “ I know , but I only bought you so much time by staying here.” He set Fugo down, but didn't let go completely, still holding onto one hand tightly within his own. “We still have some time, it’s a bit of a trip after all. And...next time, you can meet my mom. I know we’re all going there.”
With a quiet nod from Fugo, hand in hand, they stepped onto the Chariot with the reins split between them heading forwards towards the path that dipped far into the horizon.