Lost in Time- A Kenji Kishimoto series
Summary: Kenji Kishimoto and Leyla Demir, a time-manupilator, are accidentally transported decades into the past during a mission gone wrong. As they navigate a pre-Reestablishment world, their growing bond is challenged by the decision to alter history or return to their own time, facing the risks of changing the future.
A/n: Had this idea for a while and decided to just write it out bcs I couldnât stop thinking abt it. But idk if I should make it into a whole series tho. Anywaysss, Hope you enioy and do leave comments if you wish to write your thoughts on this:)
"Absolutely not."
"But Warner-"
"I said 'no', Castle and I won't be risking Juliette's life for it either."
Castle let out a frustrated sigh as he shook his head, leaning forward on the table "You are clearly not hearing me! I am telling you that this is a life or death matter Warner-"
"I don't care-"
"What the hell is happening here?" Kenji came strolling into the small room with an annoyed expression on his face.
He heard Warner mutter something along the lines of "Great, another imbecile." but decided to ignore it and looked at Castle for an explanation.
The older man sighed and stood up from the small chair and crossed his arms. Warner too, got up, saying "It is none of your business."
Kenji just rolled his eyes and pointed to the exit hissing "None of my business? Excusez-moi but your whole little 'argument' can be heard on every part of the base which is why Nouria even SENT me to come check on you guys."
Warner stared indifferently at Kenji. "Well you can go back and tell her that everything is fine-"
"Nothing's fine, Warner, and you know it. The mission-"
"Is not happening." The boy snapped as he glared back at Castle before continuing "I have had enough with this pointless conversation. I am not risking my and Juliette's happiness by doing that right after we got married and while we are all repairing a broken world."
Kenji furrowed his brows as he looked between the two men. "Uhhh....what exactly are you guys talking about? What is Warner going to do?"
Castle shook his head slightly as he said, "I got intel that the Nexus Device is still out there which is why I called upon Warner to inform him on the matter."
"And try to send me on that mission of yours to get it back. Over a meaningless rumor." Warner finished for him.
Kenji just put up his hands, feeling more confused than ever. "Wait a second, what the hell is a Nex-blabla device?"
Aaron sighed out frustratedly as Castle crossed his arms "A Nexus Device. And what it is, is an important relic that was kept very well hidden within the Reestablishment. It is rumoured to have the power to manipulate time which is why, we need to retrieve it before someone else gets to it-"
"You said it yourself, Castle, it is a rumor and I won't be risking my wife's or my life to go on a mission over a something that is only a rumor, a lie."
Castle glared back at the blond boy as he said, "That doesn't mean anything, Warner. You should know better than anyone else that during a war, all possibilities must be taken into account-"
"This isn't war. Therefore, we do not have to take all possibilities, all cases into account-"
"IT IS A WAR!"
Castles angry shout seemingly shocked not only Kenji but also Warner as his eyes slightly widened before becoming cold once more.
Castle gave neither of them a chance to talk as he opened his mouth once again. "Do you know how many people are still out there, still angry with us for taking out the old supreme leaders of The Reestablishment? Do you know how many of them are out there planning coups, assasination attempts and so on, on your, Juliette's and the rest of our lives? Just because we took out the big guys doesn't mean everything's over."
Kenji saw how Warner was clearly about to retort with something cruel so quickly intercepted their argument. " Maybe- maybe you could send me? I mean Warner and Juliette are busy with being leaders and all that shit, everyone else is also busy with the whole aftershocks of a war and I....well, I wouldn't mind doing something exciting."
Aaron slowly turned his head sideways to look at him as he deadpanned, "Exciting? You call this pointless, imbecile plan to go after something that may not even exist....exciting? Of course I should have expected to hear something like this from you, Kishimoto."
Kenji shrugged his shoulders. "Well sorry mr. 'I find everything and everyone except my wife boring and have no joy in life' but some of us want to go on missions and do something EVEN those that may or may not be real."
"Your not even fit for it."
Kenji's eyes widened before he scoffed "I'm sorry? You are telling me that I am not fit for the mission?"
Warner stood fully straight, scanned Kenji from head to toe, looked back at him, letting his emotionless eyes convey the message.
Kenji balled his hands into fists. "You-"
"Actually Kenji, you are right. You may be even more suited for this mission than Warner or Juliette."
They both turned to look back at Castle who has been analyzing them both this whole time.
Warner replied with a "You have gone mad." at the same time as Kenji said "Hell yeah, I am."
Castle sat back down, still seemingly assesing Kenji. "Why not? I didn't realize it when I called you here, Warner, but your and Kenji's skills are incomparable. I think you would be easily caught. Kenji, however, has been trained like a true soldier. I believe he would be able to move, attack and do the job sharply, stealthily, and to the point. Of course his invisibility power is a whole other advantage. Look how well he did when I sent him to take Juliette out of the jail Warner built the first time around."
Kenji smirked and nudged Warner who roughly pushed him away. But then his smirk fell as confusion overtook his features. "Wait, doesn't Warner also have the ability to be invisible."
Warner rolled his eyes. "I do, but I can only do it if someone else does it near me and I take in their power. Do you really think that there is someone in The Reestablishment with powers? Really?"
"Ohhhh right, right. Totally forgot about your whole copying people-"
"It is not copying, it is just mirroring. You idiot."
"Same thing-"
Castles stern voice stopped them both from another argument as he said, "Alright that will be enough you two. Warner, you may leave. Kenji, stay."
Warner looked at him and then at Kenji before heading towards the door "Can't wait to tell Juliette about your death, Kishimoto."
Kenji just laughed and sat down on the creaky stool opposite of Castles desk. "Love you too, bro."
Castles got up and took two steps to reach the small, wooden cabinet near the window. He took out some papers before coming to sit back down, putting the papers on the table and spreading them out.
Kenji took one and began eyeing it. "This is a map."
Castle nodded as he said "Yes, a map of both the insides and the outsides of the whole area where some supporters of the old Reestablishment have taken refuge. Thanks to Sam, I was able to locate this place and get a proper detailed map on their residence. You will be breaking in here."
Kenji looked back at his friend "Quick question, how does this...whatever device look like?"
Castle sighed, "Nexus Device, Kenji. From what I know, It is supposed to look like a small, sleek and advanced piece of technology, almost like a wristwatch or a handheld gadget. You'll know it when you see it."
Kenji looked suspiciously at him "Aha....so just look for small things while also trying not to be killed or discovered, putting the whole resistance in jeopardy."
Castle smiles knowingly. "That is where you're wrong. You won't be going on this mission alone."
Kenji's rolled his eyes. "Please don't send me with anyone from here, God, especially not with Adam."
That caused his friend to chuckle before he regained his composure. "Actually, you have not met her. None of you have. You could say that she is a....good friend of mine."
Kenji's eyes widened. "Wait, what? You have friends?"
Castle gave him a stern look but that didn't stop him from slipping op and smiling slightly as he watched his close friend chuckle.
But then, as if realizing, Kenji's smile dropped as his eyes widened in horror. "Wait wait wait- A she? And none of us know her or ever met her? And you're sending her with me? Who the hell is she?"
"Leyla Demir, she is Turkish and the best trained killer I know with the most unique power. Time-manipulation."
Kenji leaned back with crossed arms, a confused expression overtaking his face. "Time-manipulation? You mean, she can stop time or some shit?"
"Language."
"Sorry, yeah, I mean- she can stop time or stuff?"
Castle smiled while slightly shaking his head. "It means, she can do anything that is time-related. Stop it, blink in to the future, the past, and even reverse it."
Kenji's eyes widened, mouth hanging wide open. "Jesus Christ. How can someone have such kind of power?"
Castle leaned back in his seat and regarded him with a knowing look. "You'll just have to see her for yourself. But do be careful, she is usually deathly quite and her answers are often short, straight to the point and cold. You won't be making much conversation with her but I believe that is what makes her so great at her job. She just comes, does what she is assigned to do, and then leaves."
Kenji scoffed, stood up and took the papers. "Oh I'll make her talk, alright. No one can ever resist the Kenji Kishimoto, after all."
He turned around, intending to head for the door before Castle stopped him. "Don't you want to know when you'll be heading out?"
He turned around with a sheepish smile. "Right, yeah. Uhh when do I need to leave?"
"This night, at eleven sharp. That is usually the time twenty-five minutes before the guards do their shift change which leaves the area unguarded for exactly three whole minutes."
Kenji nodded and turned around to leave but stopped once more when he heard Castle get up and look at him, worry slightly evident in his tone as he said, "Be careful, Kenji. I trust you and your skills very much but-"
Kenji smiled softly before saying, "I'll try my best not to die and if I do, tell Warner I will be coming back to haunt the shi- stuff out of him."
***********
It had been a while since Kenji felt this amount of excitement. Before it was all about them fighting and figuring out how to bring down The Reestablishment and then, once they did that, they had a broken world to deal with. And while it was tiring but great how they were restoring and creating a better, more brighter world, Kenji admittedly felt very useless.
These past few months it was almost always "Do this Kenji" or "Don't do this Kenji" or "Maybe you shouldn't do that" or "Just go ask Juliette" or "I don't know, Kenji, you kinda mess things up. Just stick to easy day to day work."
So what he destroyed a building that had Juliette's wedding dress inside? So what if his attempts at organizing things ended in chaos? So what if he accidentally threw away a stash of documents Haider sent? It was all accidental, okay? Atleast he was trying his best.
"Useless, you're useless." Kenji scoffed to himself as he put on his weapons, attempting to cheer himself up with the mission ahead. Finally, some action. Something to distract himself from.
He has been analyzing and constantly checking the maps for the past couple of hours, planning the area from which he would sneak in, which room the Nexus device could be in. Honestly? The place doesn't even look big at all. Well, he will see it soon for himself anyway. Kenji looked at the electronic clock,
10:58 pm
Time to leave on a little suicide mission.
With a final look in the mirror at himself, his black tactical gear, and all his weapons, visible and not-visible, Kenii left the house.
Twenty minutes later, he had managed to arrive at the location, turning off his invisibility and immediately hiding behind a large bush. Where is this Leyla? They only have four minutes left before the shift change. Whatever, if she doesn't show up, he is going in alone. He doesn't need a nanny to track along with him-
A sound came from behind him.
Kenji quickly took the small knife hidden in his boot and turned around, intending to land a shot at whoever or whatever is behind him but stopped when he saw the person.
He couldn't see her properly at all because it quite dark and she is wearing dark gear similar to his but from what he can see, atleast due to the faint light coming from the broken tall lamp beside them, if this woman is Leyla.....she is absolutely gorgeous.
An elegant yet strong build, warm, slightly tanned complexion, seemingly dark hair but what stood out the most....those otherworldly emerald eyes that could hypnotize you and look absolutely lethal as they stare back at him.
Kenji's trance came to a stop when she said with a slight hint of an accent, "I guess you're the idiot Castle told me about."
He didn't have the chance to reply as she wordlessly crouched beside him and looked through a small opening at the base.
Kenji collected himself and looked at her, asking "I-I am Kenji, this is the first time we meet."
She looked down at her watch, muttering a "One minute left."
He scoffed looking at the guards "Rude."
She still ignored him.
"Um anyways, how did you get to know Castle? I mean, we are like this close with him so I thought I would know about yo-"
She silenced him with a hiss.
"We have nearly twenty seconds before the shift change and I would very much appreciate it if you could just shut the hell up so we can get this over with and then go our separate ways."
He furrowed his brows in frustration. "What's wrong with you? I was just trying to be civil but I guess you wouldn't understand that since you are acting like a cranky old bit-"
She clearly either heard him and chose to ignore him or was too focused on the time because she quickly cut his rant off "It's time. Get up."
Kenji scoffed but got up, refocusing his attention back on the main goal. Get the device and get the hell out. It can't fall into the wrong hands. It can't.
He held his hand out for her to take, causing her to look at him with a raised eyebrow.
"How do you expect to get in there? Just walk in? I can make us turn invisible, just hold my hand."
She clearly didn't want to but looked at the base and then back at him before sighing and taking ahold of his wrist instead of his hand. He found it weird but just kept his mouth shut as they both turned invisible.
Kenji felt her hold on his wrist tighten as she adjusted into the feeling. He whispered silently as they began to walk, "Are you ok-"
"Shhh, guards."
Kenji didn't need any more explanation as he saw three guards in the distance seemingly talking with one another. Seems like an awful lot of guards for a small area. That could only mean that they do have something important to protect.
They began silently heading towards an open back door when a woman dressed in a black shirt and loose pants stepped out, standing right in front of the entryway with her head bowed down, looking at a....notepad?
Shit. How the hell are they supposed to move past her and get inside? It's not like they can just walk through her. Kenji felt Leyla's body stand closer to him as they both stopped and just stared at the woman.
Please, for the love of God, can she just-
"Mrs.Pierson, we have a report."
The woman lifted her head to look back at a bulky man who came from behind her.
"I don't have the time, Michael. Tell them if they are going to try and once again just prolong the matter-"
"No, mrs.Pierson trust me, we made it very clear to them that we don't have the patience for their games no more. And by very clear I mean....we used other methods to make them understand."
The woman--mrs.Pierson, apparently--smiled and said a simple "Good" and moved past the man.
What were they talking about? It sure as hell seemed quite crucial. Kenji really felt like he needed to follow them and it seemed like Leyla was thinking the same because she just gripped his wrist tighter with her gloved hand, and made him follow her as she took the lead, entering through the door and following the two strangers.
The hallway was extremely narrow and the walls looked like they are about to crumble down any second now. Kenji barely managed to not trip over something or make noise as he followed Leyla through the tight hallway. Honestly, it seems like she doesn't even have a problem with this. Not once has Leyla made a sound, moving so quietly making Kenji think that if she weren't holding his wrist right now, he wouldn't even be sure if she is still there.
Has she done this before? Of course she has, you idiot. Has she seen worse? What could possible be worse than the war they had? He wonders what she did during that time.
Stop it. Idiot. Why the hell do you care? Why do you even wonder?
Finally, they reached a small opening with only an open door in the center. The wallpaper's here were piss yellow and almost fully ripped off the walls. God, it's not like Kenji is currently staying in a luxury plaza but...what the hell is this shithole? And who the hell are these people?
They quietly came to stand in the entryway as they both took in the room and the people inside it. The woman and the man from earlier were here as well as two more people whom Kenji didn't know about. They were holding what looked like a medium sized, black, shiny box.
He felt Leyla about to step inside the room so he pulled her back immediately, getting the point across that they can stand here and listen. Surprisingly, Leyla listened as he felt her body freeze in one place.
Kenji and Leyla pressed against the wall, their breaths shallow as they listened to the muffled conversation inside the room. The two unknown figures were standing beside a table, the black box placed in the center. The womanâMrs. Piersonâwas now engaged in a conversation with a very short and fidgety man.
"We've had issues with the security systems," Mrs. Pierson was saying, her tone clipped. "Do you have the new codes?"
The man nodded, reaching into his jacket and pulling out a small, metal key. He placed it on the table next to the box. "This is the key to the main vault. Itâs the last piece we need to complete the upgrades."
Mrs. Piersonâs eyes narrowed as she examined the key. "Good. The Nexus Device must be secured before the operation begins."
Kenjiâs eyes widened slightly. The mention of the Nexus Device caught his attention. So it is something important. Hah! Kenji couldn't wait to see the look on Warner's face when he tells him that he was wrong.
The second man, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up. "The vault's security is tight, but if we can get this device out, it will be worth the risk. The information weâve received suggests it's an invaluable asset."
Mrs. Pierson nodded, a grim smile on her face. "Indeed. Make sure it's kept in a secure location until the time is right. We wouldnât want anyone else discovering it."
Kenji felt Leylaâs grip tighten on his wrist. She was clearly assessing the situation, trying to plan their next move. He could sense her tension; she was used to dealing with high-stakes situations, and this one seemed to be no different.
As the conversation continued, Kenjiâs attention shifted to the black box. It seemed to be the central focus of their discussion, and if it contained the Nexus Device, they were very close to their objective.
Leyla and Kenji slipped into the room, moving with the practiced stealth that Leyla had demonstrated earlier. Kenji's heart raced, but he kept his focus on the black box, which now lay tantalizingly close. Leyla quickly assessed the room, noting the positions of the two men and the security measures in place.
As they approached the black box, their movements were swift but not without tension. He quickly but carefully as to not touch anything and cause alert, dragged Leyla towards a corner of the room, far from the four people and the three guards currently discussing something in low tones.
"Let's go through the left side of the table, no one is standing there." He whispered so quietly, he thought maybe she hadn't even heard him. But Leyla's confirming squeeze to his wrist told him that she agreed.
Kenji crept closer to the box, his heart racing with anticipation. As he reached for it, he felt a sudden jolt in his power, a flicker of instability.
In that instant, Kenjiâs invisibility wavered. He was momentarily visibleâa ghostly outline against the darknessâbefore he could re-stabilize his power. It was enough. Mrs. Piersonâs eyes snapped to his position, her expression shifting from confusion to alarm.
âThereâs someone there!â Mrs. Pierson shouted, her voice echoing through the room.
The men turned sharply, their eyes scanning the space. Kenji and Leylaâs invisibility wavered again as they scrambled to adjust their powers. Kenjiâs face was now partially visible, caught in the beam of a flickering overhead light. The guardsâ alarms were triggered.
âGet them!â one of the men yelled, rushing toward Kenji and Leyla.
The room erupted into chaos. Leyla moved quickly, drawing her weapons and engaging the guards with precise, fluid motions. Kenji, trying to regain full control of his invisibility, grabbed the box and fumbled with it, struggling to keep his powers stable.
Mrs. Pierson lunged for the box, trying to reclaim it from Kenji. He fought back, his movements erratic as he fought to maintain his invisibility. The struggle was fierce, and the room became a whirlwind of combat.
Leyla managed to fend off the attacking guards, her movements a blur of skill and precision. She glanced over at Kenji, who was wrestling with Mrs. Pierson and another man for control of the box.
âKenji, letâs go!â Leyla shouted, urgency in her voice.
Gunshots were heard everywhere as Kenji managed to regain control over his body and become invisible, quickly runing and appearing behind one of the guards and snapping his neck, then moving on to the man named Michael and using one of the knives strapped to his body to stab his back, causing the man to crumble on the floor with a cry.
Leyla seemingly swiftly took care of the other two guards, her swift and fluid motions knocking out mrs.Pierson in the process. She wanted to kill her but the shouts from the outside confirmed Kenji's thoughts that there are more guards coming and they needed to get the hell out....like right now. He quickly grabbed Leyla and ran.
With the box secured, Kenji and Leyla made a break for the back door, their path now clear thanks to Leylaâs skilled combat. They dashed down the narrow hallway, the sounds of pursuit growing louder behind them.
Outside, they sprinted through the darkness, Kenji still trying to stabilize his powers. As they reached a corner of the building, Kenji glanced back to see guards pouring out, their shouts growing fainter.
Leyla skidded to a halt, pulling Kenji into a shadowed alcove. âWe need to get out of here before they catch up.â
Kenji nodded, his breath coming in ragged gasps. âI think... I think Iâm losing my powers.â
"No you are not. I think its the effects of being this close to the device that are affecting our powers. It's too strong! Even I feel my own powers waning."
Leyla, her breath steadying, glanced at the device. âWe need to figure out what this thing actually does. There might be a way to use it to our advantage.â
Kenji nodded, looking equally determined and exhausted. âAlright, letâs see what weâve got.â
They moved to a small, dusty and broken chair in the alcove. Kenji placed the box on it, and Leyla began to carefully pry it open. Tension was high, and they both felt the urgency of their situation.
As Leyla worked on the box, Kenjiâs impatience got the better of him. He reached over to help, but his movements were rushed and clumsy. âCome on, hurry up! We donât have all night.â
Leyla shot him a sharp look. âSlow down, Kenji. We donât know what weâre dealing with.â
Kenjiâs frustration boiled over. âI know! But we need to get out of here beforeââ
He accidentally knocked the box off the table with a jolt. The device tumbled to the ground, and the lid popped open. A strange, pulsating glow emanated from within, filling the room with a blinding light.
âWhat did you do?â Leyla shouted as she tried to grab the device, but the light grew intense, enveloping them both.
Kenji reached for the device, but it slipped from his grasp. As he tried to stabilize it, he and Leyla were both caught in the expanding radiance. The light grew brighter and brighter until everything around them was engulfed in a blinding flash.
When the light finally faded, Kenji and Leyla found themselves in an entirely different setting. The warehouse was gone, replaced by a landscape that was completely unfamiliar. They were surrounded by a complete and vast greenery, the sun was high and shining brightly, there were cows and sheep on the grass, large trees covering the area.
âWhat the hell just happened?â Kenji asked, his voice tinged with panic.
Leyla was looking around, her face pale with horror.
"Where- where the hell are we?!"
"In the past....or the future, I don't even know."
Kenji came closer to Leyla, eyes wide with shock and frustration.
"What the hell did you do, Leyla? This wasn't a part of the plan!"
The moment Leyla turned around to look at him, Kenji felt the air get knocked out of his lungs. He was wrong, her hair wasn't dark at all. The sunlight casted it's soft glows over them, allowing him to see her clearly. Her hair was a very light brown, seemingly slightly curly, her eyes were even more breathtaking under the light, and that face...her soft face that currently held an ice cold expression on it as she stared daggers at him.
".....so you are the one to blame, not me! don't you dare blame me!" Kenji realized then, that she had been shouting at him for the past minute but he completely drowned her words out as his eyes admired every inch of her uncovered body, which wasn't much really, just her face. But it was more than enough because....dear God he had never seen anyone look so beautifully innocent and yet be so cold and hurtful.
"What?" Kenji said with a soft smile, his eyes never leaving her face as his mind was still in his own world. She pinched his ear with her gloved hand, causing him to finally come back to reality as he hissed an "Ow! Why the hell did you do that?!"
She crossed her arms. "Listen, Kishimoto, we need to know the date for us to even know where the hell we ended up in. Time travel, anything having to do with time in general, isn't simple at all. One wrong move and you could end up in a place where you can't even get out of."
"Kishimoto, huh? So we are absolutely formal now?"
She sighed and looked skywards. "Out of all the things I said, this is what you are stuck on? And we were never informal to begin with."
Kenji smirked. "We could be informal too, if you only say the word--"
"Hey! What the hell are you doing on my lawn?"
They both turned around to see a man, presumably in his fifties, striding towards them.
Kenji pushed Leyla behind him as a serious expression overtook his face, readying to strike at any sign of danger. Leyla just scoffed and moved past him coming to stand beside him when the man reached them. Kenji was about to say something but she intercepted quickly.
"What is todays date, old man?"
The man looked at her and threw his arms in the air. "Old man? Old man?! I am only 58! And who the hell d'you think you are, heh? Coming into my lawn, my goddamn property unnanounced-"
Kenji heard Leyla's voice turn even icier, if it was possible, as she asked- no, stated in a threatening voice, "What date is it."
The man too, clearly got the memo as he quickly stopped rambling and looked between them, his hands fidgeting.
The moment he said the date, Kenji wanted to tear his hair off. They were in the fucking past! With no way out! or...
That's right, Leyla had her time powers! she could get them out, right?....right?
Leyla seemingly also understood what timeline they were in as she quickly dragged him away without saying another word to the old man, who was still muttering something under his breath but was too scared of Leyla to shoo them away. Once they were in the other side of the lawn, behind a large farmhouse, Kenji looked at her wide eyed, "We are in the past! Are you kidding me?! Is this actually happening?! What the-"
"Will you shut the hell up, Kishimoto? Yes, we are in the past, but....this past is different."
"How different?"
Leyla's eyes drifted behind him, seemingly lost in thought. "This is thirty years before the Reestablishment took over. I have been in thousands of timelines but never this, never this one."
Kenji's eyes widened as his mouth hanged open. He whisper-shouted "What?! So, you mean to tell me that there is no Reestablishment?1 No wonder this place is so vibrant and alive. Why didn't you ever come to this timeline?"
Leyla crossed her arms, her expression becoming indifferent once more. "That is none of your business."
Kenji sighed. She wasn't an easy one, that much was clear about her. "Whatever, now can you please use your little time traveling powers to get us back to our rightful timeline?"
"No, I can't."
Kenji felt the hope drain out of him. "No? What the hell do you mean, no?! Aren't you supposed to have these time-manipulating powers or whatever-"
"I do, alright? I do. It's just that they are absolutely depleted at the moment. The Nexus Device- it seemingly affected me more than anyone else because we both have the power of time. Like calls to like, it seems. We drained each others powers. I need a couple of days to recharge even half of what that stupid device took from me."
This was madness. Absolute madness. Kenji prayed that maybe this was some sort of a nightmare that he was in, that he would wake up soon and go about his day. But, alas, it was all very much real.
Kenji leaned against the wall, his eyes wide in horror and realization.
"Holy shit."
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