Prologue: The Promise of Reunion

A strong wind blew through the forest, telling of something unexpected. Adrianne sits up, wondering what is about to unfold in the forest by her home.

Adrian lives close to the city but just at the edge. She is twenty years old and a prospering manga artist. Continuing her grandma's tradition, she cooks with food from a vast garden near her home. Using the skill off her grandpa, she dived into the anime world, till soon, it was all she knew. She still had a very childish personality, stubborn and troublemaking along with brave and wise. She was well known in the forest by her home, the animals seem to have started thinking her an inhabitant more than an intruder. She is very different looking, causing bullying when smaller, though, she hasn't grown much. Adrianne is 5.4; she is very fit, being a black belt at a nearby dojo. She is an amazing dancer and an assistant teacher in kendo, or sword-fighting. She has shoulder-length red hair and yellow eyes. When younger, most thought her love of anime was just grade 8 syndrome, a case of infatuation to an object, or thing, that starts around grade 8. They then realized it was much more and her mother, being a sort of down-to-earth type of person, tried to persuade her to stop for years. Adrianne has a more in-depth reason of this love for anime. When she was little, she remembers a day that is so real that she knows she didn't make it up.

She was twelve at the time, she had been at her grandparents and went for a walk into the forest. She came to a clearing and noticed the trees were different. She saw monster like things walking around but she felt no fear, only curiosity. She started to walk, in just a random direction, and decided to stop at a river. When there, she noticed a young boy in the water. Without a second thought, she dove into the water and hauled him out. After checking that he was alive and breathing, she got a better look at him. He looked about two years older than her, with long, dark hair. Hearing her stomach growl, she goes to hunt for something small to eat. She catches three, squirrel-like creatures with a knife she got from her grandpa and collected a few berries she recognized. When she came back, he was still unconscious. Positive he was fine, she begins skinning and cooking the animals. Most girls would be disgusted by this but she was used to it and found it entertaining and time consuming. Though she would only kill for food or self-defence. Looking again at the older boy, she decides that she should dry his shirt while she has a fire. She carefully peels it off, blushing upon seeing a six-pack in all its wet glory. She lays the shirt by the fire and when the animals are ready to eat, she sees her companion stir. His eyelids lift to reveal beautiful, gray orbs. He sits up fast, seemingly in a panic.

Adrianne P.O.V.

"You took quite a tumble, are you okay?" He stares at me and I blush, it must be my eyes.

"Where's my shirt?" I pick it up and hand it to him; it's mostly dry but good enough.

"Did you pull me out of the river?" I nod. He pulls his shirt back on and I hand him some food. He doesn't even pause and wolfs it down.

"Who are you? I'm Adrianne Hawk, 12 years old." I hand him the second squirrel thing and I eat my own. He seems to contemplate something before he sticks his hand towards me.

"I'm Yuri Lowell, 14 years old." We shake.

"Where are you from Yuri?" He points to a city off in the distance. I then realize why the trees looked different, this is anime! That means I'm not in my own world…shit.

"Zaphias. Where are you from?" I decide to use my only excuse.

"I don't live in the cities, I live in forests like this and I constantly move around, I'll probably start moving tomorrow." He stares at me in amazement.

"How do you survive the monsters?!" I nod upwards.

"I sleep in trees sometimes, but I have no idea about where I am. I was only taught basic stuff from my grandparents." True, I was introduced to manga by my grandparents and they help me learn the Japanese culture, I'm already speaking it fluently, or I wouldn't be able to talk to Yuri at all!

"This is our world Tera luminous."(I think that's how you spell it I have no internet right now.) He explained to me about the world and about his life. We climb trees and play till the sun is low in the sky, I look at him.

"I need to get going soon." He looks at the ground, saddened by the news, then he looks at me.

"Do you sing Dri?" Surprised at the nickname I pause.

"Kinda. Everyone says I'm good but I'm not sure Yu." He laughs at my nickname and we pause for a little bit.

"Could you sing me a song?" I look over at him and his face turns red. "I-I just wanted to hear w-what your voice was like t-that's all." I laugh and nod.

"Sure I guess, what do you want me to sing Yu?" He shrugs, his face still with a pink tint. I think till I get a good song I then start to sing.

I'm just the boy inside the man.

Not exactly who you think I am.

Tryin' to trace my steps back here again.

So many times.

I'm just a speck inside your hand.

You came and made me who I am.

I remember where it all began, so clearly.

I feel a million miles away, still you connect me in your way.

And you create in me somethin' I would have never seen.

When I could only see the floor, you made my window a door.

So when they say they don't believe.

I hope that they see you in me.

After all the lights go down, I'm just the words you are the sound.

A strange type of chemistry, how you've become a part of me.

And when I sit alone at night, your thoughts burn through me like a fire.

You're the only one who knows.

Who I really am.

We all want to be somebody.

We just need a taste of who we are.

We all want to be somebody.

We're willing to go, but not that far.

'Be Somebody' By Thousand Foot Krutch.

I open my eyes, which I had closed while in the midst of singing, to see Yuri staring at me mouth agape.

"That was amazing! That song is cool too!" I laugh and in my head I come to a conclusion. When singing, my English songs are Japanese and vice versa. I look at the setting sun and stand up.

"I need to go." Yuri's expression saddens and I hug him. "You're the best friend I've ever had, I hope we meet again someday." I feel a tear fall down my cheek. When he releases me I see him unbutton a black braid, leather bracelet off his wrist. He hands it to me.

"This is our promise to meet again. Okay?" He sadly smiles and I undo my necklace, which is a plain black chain, and hand it to him.

"Here, this is my promise to you, our promise of reunion." We laugh and I clasp the bracelet on my wrist, while he puts the necklace on. I take a step back then give him a quick peck on the cheek. I then take off running back towards my world. When I get there it seems I've only been in the woods a couple seconds, but it had been a whole day.

Now I look into the woods from my home. I feel a strong need for an adventure, I know this feeling. Giddiness fills me and I sprint inside my house. I grab an old-fashioned leather bag and pack it with a change of clothes, drawing materials, food and some knives. My clothes are of a similar fashion to what Yuri was wearing so I have no worries for clothes. I slip on baggy, black pants and tie them with a long belt that wraps around three times at different angles. I put on a red shirt with the sleeves ripped off just after my elbow. I then throw on a black vest over top. I stick some knives for combat on my belt and grab my katana. This katana was my last present from my grandparents; they accepted me for whom I was. The katana's blade is a pure black with a red cloth hilt and case. I slip on black buckle boots then head out to the forest. I walk until I see the trees change and the familiar breeze dance through my hair.

I'm back.

I had this idea and I just couldn't hold back! Now I have two stories on the go and they make take more time I release them so hang on for me! Hope you like it!

From: Phineko