The images came in an almost-blur…some stood out from the rest

A full moon lit a scene at midnight, casting long shadows and throwing a grassy field into high relief.

On the grass lay an intricately decorated green staff, about forty feet away. With molasses-in-January slowness that comes in dreams, the girl realized that she needed that staff. Without it…

She attempted to get up, tried to reach it, but it was use less. She was too worn out, used up, unable to go on. There was no way she could make her body move.

Just as she began to accept that she had lost, a shadow started to creep across the moon-

April 1

A loud noise split the deafening silence inside the dream.

"Ayame! Wake up! It's SUNNY!!"

"What the-"

The screeching noise that had rescued her from the weirdest dream she'd ever had burst into her room.

"It's SPRING Ayame!! SPRIIIIIIINGG!!"

"Bloody hell- Lindsay, it's been spring for almost three weeks now!" Ayame croaked, not completely awake yet.

The overly cheerful girl ran around the room jumping for joy. "But it's SUNNY today MeyMey!!" Lindsay said opening the window and letting in said sunshine "That means today is the official First Day of Spring!!"

Ayame rubbed groggy eyes as she retorted "That doesn't make any sense! And would you quit calling me that?!"

"No way, MeyMey." Lindsay said as she giggled at her own cliché rhyme.

Ayame gave the girl the coldest glare she could muster in her bleary, early-morning state. "I'm going back to sleep," she said as she rolled over.

"Ah ah ah! We have to go to school!" Lindsay attempted to shake her out of her grogginess.

Ayame groaned. "Fine." She croaked "I'm getting up. Go annoy Sarah, or someone."

Lindsay happily skipped out, saying "I'll see you in Algebra!"

I hate her. Ayame thought as she dragged her, quite groggy, self into her school uniform.

But…what was with that dream?

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Various students bustled around, vying to get to their respective classes on time, as one ran to finish an errand.

She threw open the door marked High School English and greeted the red-haired woman behind the desk breathlessly.

"Morning (gasp) Ms. Moore."

"Good morning Miss Hazel. To what do I owe this honor?"

Ayame handed the woman a manila envelope. "Professor Harksford asked me to hand this to you (wheeze) on my way to class."

Ms. Moore raised an eyebrow. "Isn't your first class in the Science building? On the other side of the campus?" she glanced at her watch "In two minutes?"

The girl sprang up, looking at her own watch. "Shit- Excuse me, mum."

And with that she bolted out of the room, wailing "I'm going to be late, again!"

Ms. Moore just smiled and opened the envelope.

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My name is Ayame Hazel, I'm 14 years old, and I live at Brennan Academy Institute of Learning.

Well, I don't live here, exactly, but for a good chunk of the year, yeah.

Nothing is extraordinary or special about me. I'm pretty much just…me. Yeah. Something like that.

So basically this paper is a waste of time, and I think you need to think up a better assignment, Professor.

"Miss Hazel, would you kindly see me after class?" The dark-skinned man called softly, not wanting to disturb his reading students.

A clear bell tolled across the campus.

"Now then, Miss Hazel?"

"Yes sir."

As students filed out, Professor Clifton showed Ayame the paper he had been reading. "Why do you make my life so complicated?" he sighed, exasperated.

The girl laughed nervously.

"I really don't understand why you think this is a 'waste of time', as you put it," he said lightly. "You don't want to write a paper about yourself?"

"It's not that I don't, sir…" she replied, fiddling with her bag. "It's just that I really don't see anything that you might find fascinating about me. You did say to include 'interesting facts about ourselves'." She shrugged.

"Didn't you live in Japan? That's 'interesting'."

Ayame gave him a glare.

"Oh. Right. Well, I am sure you can think of something. Just write about things you like to do, types of books you like, whatever."

She sighed. "I'll try, sir."

"Good." Professor Clifton gave her a rare smile. "I'll expect another rough draft by Thursday."

"Yes sir."

And with that she left.

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"Hey! Lady!"

Ayame swung around to stare at what looked like a student from Brennan Academy's new elementary faction.

The boy grabbed a lock of Ayame's shoulder length hair and yanked.

"You know you're not supposed to have colored hair, Lady!"

"Huh?" she replied eloquently.

"Your hair." He yanked his fistful again, before Ayame slapped his hand away. "Your hair is purple. You're not 'lowed to have colored hair, Lady."

She looked at the boy oddly before realization set in.

"Oh." She pointed at her head. "My hair is not purple, kid."

The boy insisted that it was.

" It's just the way the sunlight hits it. Look." She held up a book to the sun.

"Hey, it's black now!"

"Actually, it's dark brown, but whatever."

The boy cocked his head to one side and said; "I did think it was odd that you would dye your hair purple when you have green eyes. You have very pretty eyes, Lady."

Ayame covered her mouth with one hand as she blushed deeply. "Don't you have class now? Shoo!" She waved a hand at him as if he were a pest.

He giggled and waved, half-running away.

The bells tolled once again, startling the girl into a run.

...

So begins the eclipse.