(Occurs during the timeline of the wraiths).

Dusk descended peacefully over Mitakihara city. Hitomi Shizuki, an upper-class, talented and sophisticated student remained in the school library. She was distant lately, after the agreement with her now ex-boyfriend, Kyosuke Kamijo. A young lad so passionate about his life goal, he knew it would mean great time apart from one another and thus decided to end their intimate connection, but stay friends. He'd be traveling abroad frequently to perform for high class revenues, like The Royal Albert Hall and for important associates. It made sense. More than anything, he hadn't wanted to hurt her, leaving with her the old saying 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder', as she lay in bed, thinking about him all night every night, hoping he come home some day sooner to briefly re-unite, only to set off again. Despite the understanding, it still hurt her so deeply, as she skimmed through the collection of books, hoping to find something deep to withdraw her mind from the thoughts of him.

She found herself flicking through a poetry section and came across a book with work by Robert Browning.

Perpetual exclamations of joy pursued and swept up the girl's attention, from the window beside her. Curious, she stepped up to the window sill and peered out, laying her eyes upon the school's track team. Sayaka Miki, a more middle-to -ower class, with tongue-in-cheek attitude and a tomboyish aura, had joined recently to boost her stamina when out late at night. Thinking about it, Hitomi thought herself very excluded from the close friendships around her. She wished she had someone, not necessarily romantic so to speak, to spend time with. The young lady had no idea of the lives of her friends these days and supposed it was because they were growing up so fast and there were no similarities or interests there worth stapling them together. She felt detached and saddened, leaning on the ledge and watching them prepare for the last race.

The tall, blueberry haired gal, reached her arms up, stretching. Her shape was faintly more exposed: showing off long, strong legs, a slender pair of arms and a slim tummy. The upperclass-man, with hair like draping curves of seaweed, blushed lightly, as she took in her friend's stance, before she positioned herself at the start point. The stopwatch clicked and they sprinted off around the oval track, other students cheering them on. Despite her essence of subtle masculinity, there was indeed a feminine grace about Sayaka that Hitomi couldn't put her finger on. She just shone. Dashing through the course like a ceaseless rush of power, like a powerful wave that brushed aside drifting subjects. Subjects that thought they could top her and bring her beneath them. Her pixie hair, softly ruffled, waved restricted, unlike some other girls with hair that chased behind them, like tangled banners. While certainly not the all-time fastest, she came in close behind the proclaimed 'first' and slowed, like the waters crashing in and slowly drifting along the beach, until they were dragged back out again. She panted, resting her hands on her knees, catching her breath. The whistle signaled the end of the lesson and the group of girls made off for the changing room.

Taken in by that exhilarating display, Hitomi felt a spark of adrenaline herself from just observing and she hugged the Browning book to herself. Then a repugnant feeling of shame crept up on her. She was admiring and adoring another girl. A close friend at that. That wasn't right. Her parents expected better of her. Why on earth, after such a good-natured, leisurely, modest up bringing did she bring herself to... this? Leaning back accidentally, she knocked one of the shelves and a book dropped out and onto the floor. She picked it up and gazed bewildered at the name 'Sappho'. Intrigued, she opened up the book.

Fragment 1 V (Hymn to Aphrodite): 6th Stanza

"For if indeed she flees, soon will she pursue,
and though she receives not your gifts, she will give them,
and if she loves not now, soon she will love,
even against her will."

Unsure of it's impression, but still mildly interested, she took it, along with the Browning book and exited the library.

'Hello, Sayaka' she greeted the bluenette casually. She'd waited outside the changing room for her, on a bench in the shade of the trees and Sayaka appeared rather sweaty still from the race.

'O-Oh, hey Hitomi! What's up?' she perked, weary but still a spot of energy persisted.

'Nothing much. I've finished my studies for today and thought I'd walk home with you'.

'Really? Sure! I'll warn you though; the showers weren't working today, so I wouldn't stand so close' she laughed awkwardly, fanning herself effortlessly with her hand.

'No worries. It's been a hot day. Where's Madoka?'

'Oh, she went home earlier. Mami-san is tutoring her in math'

'Okay. Well, when you're ready, we'll go' she smiled warmly.

Hitomi hadn't taken into consideration how tense it would be. It'd been a while since they'd last spoken to one another. Things were still slightly on the fence, in regards to confessing to her friend her feelings for Kyosuke, not long ago. Eager to break the silence, Sayaka spoke up.

'Hey, Hitomi. I know it's been pretty hard, for both of us, seeing that Kyosuke isn't gonna be around so much anymore, but don't feel you're a stranger or anything. You can come into our group and talk with us whenever you like'

The emerald eyed gal lifted her head and smiled enthusiastically. 'Thank you, that means a lot'.

'I hate to think of you being lonely, Hitomi. Sure we had hit some snag, but, we're cool now, right?'

She nodded, biting her lip. Although there was that optimism, she couldn't shake the clinging of guilt, latching onto her conscience and not letting go. Until, the sapphire scoundrel nudged and bumped her playfully 'Hey, c'mon. I know it seems like the end of the world, but, there's plenty more fish in the sea, huh?' she chuckled, stretching her arms again behind herself.

'Y-Yeah, I guess you could say that' the upperclass-man murmured, her eyes slowly lifting to Sayaka. Her face was practically beaming. It was a carefree smile, saying 'I could manage and take on anything. I know who I am and who I want to become'. Hitomi hadn't a clue who she truly was and that frightened her. She'd put up a confident front of course, to preserve her elegant image, but lingering underneath, she was so afraid. The future, becoming an adult and facing grand changes weren't so far away and her friends already seemed to be embracing it. While everybody was stepping open mindedly into life and adapting, she felt she was still lurking in the shadows, her mentality in reality still a step behind everyone else.

'Thanks for walking me home, Hitomi. You wanna come in for a snack or something?' she offered, opening the front gate.

'Oh, I'd better not. I'm sure you need to relax after your training, but maybe another time'.

'Sure, cya tomorrow, Hitomi. Have a safe trip home'.

Taking her trip back in to the city, the sophisticated student was drowning somewhat in misery. Everything, everyone was disappearing. Her emotions were all so uncertain too. Since she was young, her parents told her about that 'lifestyle' and how immoral and corrupting it was. It wasn't fair and there was no sense to be made from it. A memory played out for her, in her mind. Since they were so young, Hitomi had longed to be close to Sayaka, but Madoka warranted her attention for being so frail and sensitive. The 'young lady' wanted to be bold and strong as the bluenette, but her parents looked down on it, seeing it as a form of play and that she ought to be looking to behave and present herself as a young woman. Her family never approved of Sayaka, but that only made her yearn for her even more.

Thinking deeply, she suspected the reason she set herself up, rather enforced, with Kyosuke was to prove to herself she could be 'normal', that what she was feeling was just a phase or figment of her imagination. It's not like she didn't have feelings at all for Kyosuke, she missed him and it truly did hurt when he gave the news of his departure. They just weren't as strong as she'd hoped for them to be. But she'd believed it so much, she thought he was really the one. Like Sayaka, they'd known each other since they were a bit younger, perhaps a lot later than Sayaka, and felt she could really trust him more than any other boy, but the world had other plans. What was worse is she knew she hurt Sayaka too doing so. She hadn't really meant to and was sure their connection was complete platonic, but judging her reaction and the way she attempted to brush her hidden love aside, like water off a raincoat, made her own heartbreak and her conscience fill up like a sponge with total shame. Or maybe she was aware all along, and simple wanted him out of the way and out of her thoughts. She abhorred herself, literally sickened by her own failure as a friend and a girlfriend. She wanted to rid of her feelings like they were nothing to her, but she couldn't deny it anymore.

The night soon swallowed the buildings whole and, as she turned a corner, towards her destination in Mitakihara's plaza, all reality suffocated and fell dead all around her, as she stared up at the overwhelming formations. Tall as towers and morphed like statues of western antiquity, the creatures shuddered, emitting violent static and opening their mouths to project white noise that knocked the girl off her feet. As great lords, they loomed over her helpless body. As if being rendered, Hitomi felt like her spirit was being torn from her body, as they opened their mouths again and her body levitated upwards, slowly. The creatures were a blinding white and the voices cancelled out all else. Was this her punishment? What she deserved? Her self loathing sucked away all her cares and she lay limp in the dragging force, a tear running down her cheek. This was all too much. Too confusing and painful. 'Sayaka... forgive me' she whispered endearingly, choked, before she squeezed her eyes tight and waited for death to collect her.

Feeling she was a moment from ceasing to be, the beings let out a thunderous growl, as a sword slashed through them and a faint shadow could be made out. The demons rippled, their opacity drastically reducing till they were invisible and then devoid of existence. The rich girl dropped, her body plummeting through the air, into the deep water-like darkness of the city, expecting to meet her own demise, until the shadow swooped and caught her, bringing her upward into the night sky, high and fast. Her rescuer found ground atop a sky scraper and gently lowered her down. The white cape wiggled in the wind, carelessly, like a tail and her blue attire, of a swords woman, glistened in the rising moonlight. Sayaka stood tall and proud with a soft smile, before she lunged off the building and into the crowd of demons far below.

The emerald eyed gal gasped and clambered to her feet, leaning off the rail and gazing far below, as her friend sliced and chopped through the dreadful beings with tremendous agility and lightening speed. Her endearing childhood friend, become as agile as a barracuda and engulfing as a great ocean wave, washed away the despicable demons in their wake. What a performance! Sending them all crashing and crushing into the city floor. As the cascading fragments left no remains to be seen, the bluenette rocketed back up to the skyscraper, the moonlight beside them, large and spot lighting.

'Gosh, Hitomi. I never thought I'd come across you on one of my nights. Are you alright? Are you hurt?'

Fairly evident, the upperclass-man was flabbergasted. She stuttered stupidly, unable to comprehend what had happened and what was going on. Smiling softly, Sayaka stepped over to her, the wind blowing her cape to hug around both of their figures.

'You'll be okay now, I promise. I said I wouldn't let anything happen to you' she whispered, assuringly.

Hitomi lifted her head slowly to capture her sapphire eyes with her own emerald ones, both gleaming. Caught up in the immense, emotional roller coaster, she came forward and wrapped her arms around her heroine. Taken aback, the blueberry haired tomboy blinked, unsure what to think of the situation. She'd never been so close to Hitomi to ever consider remotely embracing her, so she was caught of guard, but wasn't hesitant to hold her too.

-Fragment 1 V (Hymn to Aphrodite): 7th Stanza-

'Come to me now also, release me from harsh cares; accomplish as many things as my heart desires to accomplish; and you yourself be my fellow soldier' the moss haired girl whispered affectionately in her ear.

Sayaka clashed with her suit of armor, as she blushed lightly at the extract, not knowing fully what to think of such a statement. Hitomi withdrew slightly, her arms still linked around the other girl's waist as she stared dreamily at her. The bluenette's blush intensified, as the atmosphere wrought her almost senseless. Their hearts pounded loudly in their ears, as the gap between them was closed and Hitomi pressed her lips to hers.

'Hitomi, sweetie, time to get up. Your breakfast is ready' the voice of her father called softly through the bedroom door, before closing it again.

The young girl sat up, abruptly, looking about her surroundings. Had it really been a dream? Something that was configured due to her stress, loneliness and desire for a companion? Was it like that 'drowning' dream, where the water represent us being overwhelmed by our emotions and our problems? Perhaps, but it was too early to think of such things, as she dragged herself out of bed, to start another day.

In class, Hitomi sat, secretively reading more of Sappho, as the teacher prattled on about 'eggs' and her latest romantic failure. She turned to see Sayaka looking so exhausted at her desk. Bad sleep last night? Rubbing the back of her neck with a quiet groan, she turned to look at the upperclass-man, shyly smiling and waving to her. An immediate coat of red painted on Sayaka's face and she waved back slightly, then returned her eyes to the front of class. They'd need to have a long talk during lunch.

End.

(Inspired by Ludovico Einaudi's 'Le Onde' and 'Canzone Popolare Intro, and this picture on the Danbooru site:

.us/posts/1802978?tags=miki_sayaka+shizuki_hitomi

Hope you all enjoyed and will be uploading regularly until Friday 18th. Gonna be taking a break and will be writing again after New Year 2016! Comments and suggestions welcome. Keep in mind, I'm only writing less popular couples and pairings, so no Mado/Homu or Saya/Kyou. Sorry, but theres a tonne of stuff for those guys already and this batch of oneshots is for the people who like the odd pairs :) Goodnight!)