Prologue
Believers Grace
I stared at the vast humongous purple-colored portal in front of me. I didn't know where it would take me to, nor did I know how it would end when I finally got there. And yet.. The answer, was in there. I had to find the answer, and fast. I strode toward the portal, when, suddenly, the school bell rang from above me. I gasped aloud. Uh oh. I raced off back to school, making sure to hide the portal away before anyone could see it. Sure, the answer was in there, but I definitely wasn't gonna be late for School!
Outrealms Grace
"WHAT?!" Was the scream that echoed throughout the Alford house that day, causing the currently headsetless Andrew to quickly cover his ears upstairs. "A summer camp, Jodie?" The young girl asks her stepmother. "Really?" "Yes, I'm afraid so." Jodie says in sympathy, her mouth curved into a thin line. "But why?!" I scream out. "Why does it have to be summer camp?!" Jodie rolls her eyes in irritation. "Grace, you need to go out in the world and learn once in a while instead of spending the whole day with your face in your DS." I think for a minute about this, and, finally, just a hint of a smile curves up the corner of my lips. "Well, OK. But who can come with me?" "Aoi can't come, she's too adorable." Jodie tells me. "What is THAT supposed to mean?!" I scream out in protest, looking at Aoi as a awkward silence occurs. "...But yeah, she IS pretty adorable." "What about..." I immediately think of Sheena, and I bite my lip, knowing how selfish I was being, but I ask anyway. "Can't Sheena come with us?" "Unfortunately, no. Sheena's body is getting too debilitated to go with us, and while you're at the summer camp, she'll be treated by a expert technician. And, besides, about Kanon..." She turns to look at the other young girl with the short brown hair and innocent expression. 'Aoi Kanon, the young fox human girl who Sheena found injured. However, she has recovered now! She is really innocent and sweet, and likes to say the word "Auu" to convey her dissatisfaction or sadness.' "...Aoi probably'll be confused if we take her there, anyway." Jodie finishes. "But, Sheena *said* we could go together, and that she could even be my supervisor!" I cry out, feeling hopeless. "Supervisor?" Jodie questions. "Yeah, remember last year? When Sheena was Andrew and Tyler's supervisor in the store?" I ask, a faint sense of hope now panging at my chest. "That was *years* ago, Grace." Jodie says sternly, causing me to gulp nervously. "But, but... They had such fun together! And, imagine Sheena being *my* supervisor at the camp! Imagine how fun it'd be!" I scream excitedly. Jodie smiles sadly. "I remember. But, Sheena, well..." She pauses and takes a shaky breath before speaking again."She needs to be treated to before she cannot be bedridden like she is now." "Treated to? Like... operate on her? With all the screwdrivers and the electric sparks and stuff?" I say, my brain thinking way faster than it should be doing at this time. "Yes, Grace. They're going to operate on her memory chip." Jodie says. "That way, she'll be better when you get back from the summer camp." "You say that... And yet... How can you be so sure?" I whisper in a mad, yet almost unhearable voice, without thinking. "You can't see the future! You don't know if that's possible!" Tears well up in my eyes and I start to cry. My vision blurs, and I can make out the comforting tone of Jodie's voice, but I don't listen to her. I, instead, turn on my heel and rush upstairs, crying wildly.
I dash upstairs and freefall onto my bed, startling Sheena awake. I continue crying, however, not choosing to notice anything - anything at all. "Yuyo-Chan?" Sheena finally asks me quietly. "Dajiobu?" (Are you alright?) I look up and wipe the few stray tears in my eyes away from my face, sniffling. "Yeah, I'm fine." Sheena continues to stare at me worriedly. "But, you seemed mad. You know that you can tell me what's wrong." I hesitate, but, after a moment, I begin to speak. "I... I want you to come with me to the summer camp." I begin. "Come with you? Um, I'm sorry, but I can't." Sheena replies even more so quietly. "But, why?" I question, my fists clenched together tightly in anger and face downcast like the storm clouds of a rainy night. "I'm getting worked on by a technician. He says he's really good at it... So I'll get better. I know I will!" Sheena says, blue eyes glimmering with tears. "I'll get better. I'm sure of it!" "...Sheena." I say, tears of contagious sadness filling my eyes as well. "And, and... And then we can play together, and help each other out!" My tears are spilling over. I can't hold it in anymore. Finally, finally, I cry on Sheena, and Sheena cries on me. Then, as night comes, I fall asleep in Sheena's frail arms, as usual.
