"Look, isn't it pretty? It feels magical, doesn't it?"

"Hey, are you sure? We're not supposed to do this, you know. . "

"It's completely fine," a female giggled, "it's like an adventure, right? You always said that you wanted to be a knight in shining armour."

"Y-Yes, but it's reckless!"

"Of course I know it is, trust me, okay?"

"We're only twelve. . . It's not right. We aren't even supposed to know about the Mirror. . . "

"Don't worry. All of our friends are here, you'll see, Ronan. It'll be fun; it'll be an adventure. We'll all stay as friends /forever/, alright?"

"Just. . How long. . Is /forever/. .? What if, once we enter, we forget about each other? All of us, all twelve."

"You're overthinking this, twelve is a big number, considering the circumstances. You'll see, we'll see each other again. Let's go in tomorrow, okay? We'll all hold hands. Enter one-by-one," she smiled at him.

"Elesis. . I'm not sure. ."

"I swear, if anything happens, I'll find you. Okay?" she gave him a quick squeeze on his hand. He relaxed a bit, but it didn't change the fact that the redhead was too reckless. Her ambition is admired, it made her a leader, but what are the costs? Even so, Ronan nodded. His childhood friend, he'd protect her forever.

/Will fate bring them back as themselves, or will they be destined to lead their own future; only with an altered past?/

All of the participants nodded. The only one, Elesis, was talking. She made everyone hold hands, all the children of the orphanage. Some were shy, like Lime was. Another was quiet, deathly, like Lass was. Some were brave, like Elesis was. Others were the peacemakers, Lire. So vastly different, yet so similar.

They wanted to do something great.

The only thing was, this "great" thing may drive these friends apart.

"Ready, everyone? Let's swear, in all of the world, if we get separated we'll still be friends, right? No matter what."

Ronan's stomach lurched forward. He looked over to Lass, who was feeling the same. He knew something wasn't right. It happened before,

It happened.

Even Elesis looked a tad bit sick.

All of them knew, though, this was supposed to happen

Written in pavement.

/But, what if something different were to happen?/

". . . Hey, everyone."

Everybody looked at Elesis, her usually loud and commanding voice dwindled to a whisper.

"Everyone. . I think we should switch our lockets, pendants, the things that we always keep with us. Because, well, it might do us some good, once we're in there. Okay? Even if it is a bit silly."

All of the group nodded, though none were those of superstition. None objected. One-by-one, each person took of their belongings.

Elesis took off her necklace, a deep ruby. Small and shaped like a rose, belonging to her mother. It had a crack in it, the necklace got it right before her parents were murdered before her very eyes. Looking at it made people think of blood; blood that tainted the young Elesis' feet when she stepped out of the cupboards. Elesis never flashed this necklace, for it hurt her with all of her heart, despite its importance. The memory of her dead family, astrew on the dirty floor of their little house was too much to bear. My cursed red eyes- I'm not a demon. . . Please don't hurt anybody else. .

Lire took off a ring. It had a deep-set emerald. It was the one thing that she kept before she was sold as a slave by her family, whom were of low-class and desperate for money. Lire escaped with it, using the sharp edge to cut the rope binds that cut deep scars into her skin. She met Amy at the same place, and bonded with her as they both escaped certain abuse. This ring granted me my life here; I hope that the one who gets it will use it well.

Arme was a witch. She always was- at least that's what everybody told her. They sneered at her; bullied her to tears. I'm not a witch. . . I can't use magic- It's my cursed eyes! My bright and unusual violet eyes. . . That's why. . She knew that she had no power. She knew that she was just a weak, small girl, labeled as a 'witch', was called 'devil's daughter'. Living in the brights of the city all of her life. . . She knew that if she had escaped this polluted landscape she'd be executed by hanging. The people here were afraid of her violet eyes; they left her alone. Too alone. A young girl, younger than the rest, who was too used to being by herself. My bracelet. . . A cross. She took off her only accessory. A bracelet made to "contain" the "witch" inside of her. She knew it did nothing. She knew that this item was only jewelry of restriction and labeling.

Lass took out a pocket knife. He had used this knife to steal food, living as a street rat for most of his life. He was a year older than the other children, yet he knew more. He knew about the danger of killing, he knew about the attacks of pollution. He knew what it was like to murder with your own hand, he knew what it was like to have blood stains brought upon himself. I'm a murderer; and I don't regret. It's all for survival, after all. Nobody here would judge me now. A killer I am- and I accept.

Ryan shifted in his place. He was always a victim of bullying- his unnaturally pointy ears would always earn him nicknames. Abandoned at the age of six by his mother; he lived on roots and plants all of his life. I'm only here because of my ears. . My stupid ears! His strange looks couldn't be hidden. He would always act so bright- happy. My identity is a lie. I don't want to leave here, I don't want to forget my /friends/; but everybody said that this 'Mirror World' would make things better. It'd make me accepted. He smiled sadly and took out a crude necklace with one stone hanging on. It was an opal- chipped and worn down to the shape of an open flower. Mama. . . I love you; you saved me from Papa, who would hit me for being a weird boy. You left me here, so I wouldn't be hurt by mean words. You left me by myself here, while you had to suffer from Papa's fist. . .

Ronan looked away. He greatly wished that he needn't part with his belongings, but it was inevitable. He took out a hair tie. He braced for the ridicule, but nobody paid mind. They knew that Ronan had always wanted to be a squire- or even a knight, even if they didn't exist in this age. Ronan would always tell all the other children stories of long-haired knights; and how cool it was to slay dragons, or even tame them! His strong desire for something that was nonexistent made his third-class family resent him. They disowned him, though his relative Harpe would send occasional and secret gifts. Someday we'll meet in this 'Mirror World', and we'll remember each other like you said, Elesis. . .

Amy was always the cheerful one. She was the same age as Lass; thirteen. When she was small, her mother claimed that Amy was an oracle. She knows full well; she was a fraud medium. Her mother was beautiful, Amy shined right under her. Not pretty enough to be overpowering, but pretty enough to be useful. Her mother, hiding under her child's glory, made lots of money. The day where their act was messed with, though, made them hated. Outcasts. Her mother sold Amy off into slavery to make a living, though Amy had escaped with Lire. Amy took out a brooch, the one that she had wore as a fraud oracle. It was her only valuable item, a brooch shaped as a teardrop, with a single amethyst surrounded by three little diamonds. Take my status as an oracle; I don't want to do this any more. I feel fake, I feel wrong. I want to leave it behind forever.

Jin took out a pendant. It was a pendant that he got from a kind monk. He was always considered as a strange child because of his eyes. Jin had fiery yellow eyes, fierce with passion and honour. Always treated as a leader, he would always put up a mask of confidence around his peers. It wasn't right; it wasn't me. Despite his well-made mask, nobody could deny the abuse and the negligence his parents put him though. They always said that I was worthless. That my eyes were weird- that I was a /disgrace/ to the family. He would always be beaten down- only to act like it was nothing in the morning. He taught himself how to fight. He struggled on to learn how to stick up for himself. In the end I was a coward- I ran away. I finally found people who were like me in the end, for that, I am grateful.

Rin was an immigrant, an illegal one at that. She came to this country, in search of freedom from her peers who took advantage of her status as a "deity". Rin never believed them; she always knew that this was just a facade to brainwash followers. She took off her earrings. She loved her earrings, not many girls got piercings in their ears. She always knew that earrings in this day were a symbol of inner-god. She disliked the concept, but the beauty of the azure orb would capture any girl's attention. She wished that her earrings will go away forever; so that her brief happiness at this orphanage would stay with her. If she was caught at this point, the punishment would be death by hanging. Into the mirror, Rin desired to go. I am not a goddess; I knew that long ago. I didn't have powers, I couldn't do anything. I can't cook, I can't clean, I can't use magic, and I can't bless anybody with good fortune! I'm useless; I'm not someone for people to worship.

Asin took of his badge, one that had marked his training as a fighter. The three blue topazes glowed brightly, set in a triangle. All his life, he wanted to be stronger. He hated to part with his symbol of training status, but there was no choice. In this world, he strived to get stronger. On the outside, he seemed like he was fine; smiling, even! But on the inside, it was a storm. Where would I go once I enter? Will I remember all of my /friends/ here? What if I forgot? What if. . . He was never meant to be here, he knew. Asin was an excellent actor, he acted his way into the orphanage. He acted his way into friends, he acted his way out of his true feelings. He hid behind a mask; a mask of a poor boy who only wanted a happy life. If only I had met them with my true feelings; with my broken and corrupted desire for attention. If only they had met me the way I really was. . .Would they still like me?

Lime had escaped with Rin. She was Rin's best friend; as she had served under Rin's goddess status. She was only a worshipper, a protector of the faithful goddess of whom will grant everybody happiness. She's generally a very happy-go-lucky girl, but she was always naturally outshined by a /deity/. Lime always believed in Rin, she knew that Rin wasn't the bad person that she thought she was. Lime saw the good in her, so she left with her. Lime took off her holy cross. The cross that she always wore around her neck. It was the cross that signified her religion, though she sadly admits it is disbanded. In a diluted cheeriness, she vowed to protect everything justice. Even if my friend isn't a goddess, I'll always be there for her. I'll count on it!

Edel was a quite different child. Unlike the others, who were born into lower ranks such as third-class and peasant, Edel was born into an extremely high ranked family. She was spoiled, babysat, and was adorned in all of the riches of the monarchy. Her unnaturally pale skin, and her silky lavender-blue hair made her quite popular among the courting males. She wanted to be something more, though, than to be a lady who awaited orders. She was a strange child, always training in the art of fencing; a male sport. Her family shunned her, the only one she looked up to was her older brother. I believed him so, he never told me. He never told me that I was disowned! . . . Just because I didn't want to be courted. Just because I didn't want to be living some stupid life as a stupid item, as a stupid piece of property belonging to a loveless male! Edel took off her garnet. It was a beautiful shade of red; the only piece of red on her outfit. It was given to her by her father. A rare show of emotion surged through her; though none of the children bothered.

Everybody exchanged their items, they wished each other luck, and they hoped to meet again. A ritual that would shatter the linear story- one that would have continued for centuries.

/"No matter what, we'll meet again; in a better world. Let's all go together- into Ernasis' Mirror, okay?"/

"Aaaah- Something's happening," a certain Highlander sat on a tree, "I wonder how this story will play out this time~"