Renascence
O
Erring Steps
O
It was near the end of winter, the cold gingerly giving in to the spring's stubborn warmth. The sky was cloudy around this time though, but that didn't stop Yumemi from looking up.
She used to carry around a pink parasol so she wouldn't have to look up and see the floating island, but now that she'd met to and talked to Munto, it wasn't frightening anymore. She could tell Ichiko was glad that she wasn't carrying the umbrella anymore, but recently her head had been in the clouds more than usual.
Staring up into the sky, muffling out Suzume's chit chat, she stared at the diamond in the sky, a darker blue figment against the cerulean surroundings. How was Munto doing? What was happening? She could feel it, in the corners of her eyes, flashing behind her sockets and sending little waves of electricity to her feet. Something was still wrong in the magical kingdom, but what?
"Yumemi!"
She suddenly looked around to her friends, and Ichiko had her hands planted on her hips, giving her a pointed look. Yumemi shrugged helplessly; she'd once again been caught off-guard. However, her friend only sighed and dragged her back to the conversation.
"Anyway, how'd you think you did on your finals? I know I must have bombed math."
In all of her thinking, Yumemi almost forgot that she experienced finals last week. It seemed so unimportant in comparison to what might be happening in the magical world, but it wasn't as if she could go check and see.
No, it was better to stay focused on her world. If Munto needed help, he would come to her.
Still…
Yumemi looked back up into the sky, sighing. "I think I did alright on my finals," she answered softly, as all her speech was soft. Ichiko grinned a little, swatting the nearby crosswalk switch, waiting for traffic to slow.
She wished she could have at least talked to Munto after she saved their worlds. It finally felt right for once, as if she had been given a reason for all of her insane suffering in her short life-span. It felt like she was finally making a difference, even if it wasn't in her own world.
Underneath her, the ground shook, trembling. Automatically, Ichiko grabbed onto Yumemi's arm and leaned against the nearby crosswalk pole. "Another earthquake?"
The ground shuddered under their feet once more, before ceasing. They all let out a breath that hadn't realized they'd been holding, surveying the area. Across white paint, the crosswalk symbol flashed. It seemed safer once more.
They started walking, Yumemi still keeping up with her friends. Her eyes still wandered over to the island in the sky though; it was her only connection she had with Munto in any way, except for the odd feelings she would get sometimes with the earthquakes.
Without warning, the ground rumbled again, quaking under Yumemi's feet. She was suddenly thrown off balance, flinging backwards.
"Yumemi!" Ichiko cried out, her face contorting in dread.
Time seemed to slow down, as though every second was holding its breath. As Yumemi plummeted off her feet, a passing car veered off track from the sudden tectonic tremblings. She could see the driver, a woman with her hair pulled back, trying to swerve out of the way, panic painted across her features. The car was blue, it's front metallic and shiny. Yumemi's hair was tangling around her face, her feet scrambling underneath her, as she was slammed by the car. She heard something pop under her skin, and felt pieces inside of her shift and crack.
Her body swung downwards, her face toward the sky. She saw the island, a dark blue blotch in the sky, never moving.
Pain shot through Yumemi's head as she slammed into the asphalt, and everything went black.
O
The first thing Yumemi was aware of was siren's, loud and obnoxious, like when they would pass by her window at night, leaving her shivering and wondering who was hurt.
Nothing hurt though, so it wasn't herself that was damaged. Who was it then?
Memories edged back into her brain as she recalled the last few minutes. There was an earthquake, and she fell to her feet. She was hit by a passing car. Was the ambulance for the driver, then? She might've gotten hurt, but Yumemi barely felt anything, just an ethereal warm feeling all around her, wafting in and out of her like an internal heater.
Opening her eyes, they felt heavy like she had never opened them before, her eyes adjusted. She was staring at someone, right in front of her. The girl had her eyes shut, and blood dribbling from her nose and mouth, drenching down her forehead. The beginnings of a bruise were forming along her nose, but an oxygen mask secured tightly over her face made it hard to see where it ended. The girl was a mess, yes, chunks of her hair drenched in blood, her school uniform ruined in it, but that was not alarming part.
Yumemi was looking at herself.
She heard Ichiko crying out, but scarcely heard a thing other than the roaring in her ears as she watched Medic's desperately fight to keep her revived body alive.
O
Munto hesitated slightly, dragging his attention from the battle, cocking his head as though he heard a whisper just behind his neck, a flash of light beyond his field of vision.
Rui, one of his closest friends and best general, glanced at him with a worried expression. "King Munto?" He asked aloud, concerned.
He shook his head, his crimson mane of hair wafting with the movement. "Nothing, Rui," he responded in a low voice. "It just felt like…" The snowy haired General waited patiently; sometimes it took time for Munto to organize his thoughts.
"It felt like somebody just got hurt, is all…"