It was a snowy day. Somewhere in mid-december. Children were playing at the park with their families. Laughing, smiling and having fun. Exept for a little boy. He sat on a bench, listening to other children's laughs and their parents' scolding.
„Are you cold?" asked a girl's voice near the boy. The boy looked over his shoulder to see who it is. The girl had a pure white snow cloak, light blonde hair and worried grayish blue eyes. „Not really.." he muttered.
The girl sat next to him. „My name is Nozomi," said the girl, smiling at the boy. „what's your name?" „Tora.." said the boy, looking back at her. „Nice to meet you, Tora-kun." smiled Nozomi, reaching her hand out to Tora.
Tora looked at her hand „What's with the hand?" „You're supposed to shake it when you meet someone or greet." said Nozomi, giggleing. „Well, that's what my Mummy told me." Tora looked down for a bit and shook Nozomi's hand. „Nice to meet you too, Nozomi-chan." he smiled. When he smiled, Nozomi instantly hugged him. „Your smile is so cute, Tora-kun!" She giggled and made Tora blush. Nozomi stopped hugging him and looked at Tora, who's hat fell oof from the instant hug. She blinked. Tora had dark firey phoenix red hair. „Is that your natural hair color, Tora-kun?" she asked him. „Y-Yeah." said Tora, putting his hat back on. „I see." said Nozomi. „I've never seen a hair color like that." She giggled. „I guess there's first time for everything, right?" Tora nodded. Nozomi looked around the park. „Where's your Mummy and Daddy, Tora-kun?" Tora's face turned sad and she said to Nozomi „My Mom can't come outside and my Dad is traveling." „Ahh, I see," said Nozomi. „so your Daddy is an adventurer?" Tora nodded. They stayed quiet for a while. „Hey, Tora-kun," said Nozomi, looking at the frozen waterfall. „why are you here alone? And in the cold too." The frozen wind waved her hair like she was an angel, who fell from the sky. To Tora, that might be true. „I ran away from home." said Tora looking away. Nozomi turned to him, eyes widened a bit. „Why did you run away?" said Nozomi with a concerned low voice. „Well," said Tora sighing. „I had a fight with my Mom." Nozomi looked down. „I see." said Nozomi quietly. „I've never had a fight with my Mummy and Daddy." She started to smile nervously. „Well, sometimes my Mummy scolds me when I forget to brush my teeth." Tora started to laugh. Nozomi smiled and was relieved that he smiled again.
„Nozomi, there you are!" shouted a woman, running towards Nozomi and Tora. She hugged Nozomi, eyes watery. „I was so worried about you!" she sobbed. „I told you to never wander away from Mummy and Daddy!" A man came too and he said to Nozomi „Do that again and you're grounded."
„Yes, sir." pouted Nozomi. Tora stared at the family. „Ahh, Mummy," snapped Nozomi. „This is Tora-kun! He's my new friend!" She pointed at Tora. Nozomi's parents looked at Tora. He bowed down to Nozomi's parents. „I'm very pleased to meet you, Nozomi's parents." Nozomi's Mother smiled at him. „Don't be so formal with us." said Nozomi's Mother lightly. „Every friend of Nozomi, is a friend of our entire family." Tora blinked. „You can call me Auntie Asuka if you want, and call the big guy Uncle Choichiru." He pointed at the big guy behind her. Tora's eyes widened as much as Choichiru's. „I can feel.. Pure Essence." said Tora. Choichiru glared at Tora. Asuka and Nozomi blinked. „Pure Essence?" repeated Nozomi, confused. „Daddy, what's that?" she continued, looking at her Father. „It's nothing dear, just child imagination." he anwsered to Nozomi, smiling. His smile looked fake, but you can easily fool a child with your fake smile. „Now, let's go home. It's getting cold." Choichiru took Nozomi's hand and started heading towards the family car. Nozomi pulled her hand out of her dad's grasp and ran to her Mother. „Mummy, can Tora stay for diner?" she pouted. Asuka sighed. „My, my." she looked at Choichiru. He looked back at her for a second and continued walking towards the car. Asuka had a worried face, but turned it into a sweet motherly smile when looking at Tora. „So, Tora," she said. „wanna come to our house for diner and will your parents be okay with that? We don't wanna get in trouble, do we?" Tora nodded slyly „My parents aren't here and I think they will be okay with that." Nozomi's eyes started to sparkle. „Well, let's go then!" said Asuka, smiling and she headed towards the car. Nozomi took Tora's hand and started to giggle. Tora started to smile again. This is the first time anyone's been so kind to him. They followed Nozomi's mother. On the way to the car, Tora started to talk „Nozomi-san," he said nervously, looking a bit down. Nozomi looked at him. „I'm jealous of you. Your Mother is so kind and loveable." he finished. Nozomi started to talk, but was cut off by his Father shouting „Nozomi, hurry up! We don't wanna get stuck in traffic again!" „Y-Yes!" shouted Nozomi back. Tora and Nozomi went into the car. On the way to Nozomi's house, all Tora did was stare outside the car window. The snow was falling softly to the ground. Nozomi and Tora didn't even talk to each other. Nozomi got really worried. The car finally stopped and Choichiru opened the door for Nozomi and Tora. When Tora came out of the car he stared at their house. It looked very common. „Come inside." smiled Nozomi, inviting Tora in. Tora wasn't certain what to do, but he went in anyway. Inside the house there were christmas decorations everywhere. Taro looked around the house, mouth open. „It's so.. sparkley.." he whispered to self. Then he heard barking coming from upstairs. Tora looked upstairs and saw a german shepard's breed puppy running downstairs. The dog tackled Tora. He couldn't help but laugh. Nozomi looked at them with interest. „Oo, Kinko seems to like you." She giggled. Tora smiled and patted Kinko's head. He closed his eyes and thought about the dog he had once, who passed away of an illness. He had a feeling that he's gonna cry, but he refused to cry in front of Nozomi. „Tora-kun, would you like to help me and Nozomi-chan bake gingerbread cookies?" smiled Asuka, kneeling down to Tora. Her smile was so kind to make Tora blush lighty. He nodded. „Dibbs on the puppy apron!!" shouted Nozomi instantly. „My, my." giggled Asuka. Tora smiled and started to laugh. Nozomi's eyes widened when she was putting on the apron while looking at Tora laugh. „C-Cute!!" she shouted, glomping Tora. „My, my, my." said Asuka, looking at them. Few minutes later, they started to bake. Tora hasn't had so much fun in his entire life. Is this beginning of his new fun future?
„My, my, my, my, they look so delicious." said Asuka, taking out the plate from the oven. „Yeah, mine's all crumbely and Tora's and Mommy's cookies look more cute." pouted Nozomi. „Not fair!" she sobbed. „My, my." said Asuka, patting on Nozomi's head, trying to comfort her of course. Tora looked at her cookies, they were crumbeled. He took one of Nozomi's made cookies and bit it. „It's delicious." He said to Nozomi. „Really?" said Nozomi, wiping off her tears and starts putting up a bright smile. Asuka smiled at Tora, like she was proud of him. „My mother once told me that the most powerful magic comes from the smallest star, and I think this goes for the cookies as well. As in the most delicious cookie is often the most crumbled one." Nozomi started crying, but these weren't the tears of saddness, but happiness. She hugged Tora tightly. „My, my." smiled Asuka at them. Choichiru peeked at the kitchen from the living room. He somewhat glared and smiled at the same time. He turned around and headed back to reading the newspaper.
In the depths of darkness within a castle. There were golem's and mountian giants guarding the place in the dungeon releated room. „So they've finally met?" says a woman with white hair, cat ears and in a witches outfit. „The boy even suspects that her father is a magical creature." chuckled a man next to her. He had dark brown hair and black eyes. „Yamazaru, this is not a laughing matter!" shouted the woman at the man. „This boy can lead the true heiress back to Nagatha and if he does, then our family will loose our reputation, wealth and our spirit animals!" She sounded serious and angry at Yamazaru. „Hold your horses, Shironeko," said Yamazaru to her, grinning. „I'll kill him, just wait." He started to laugh maniacly while brown smoke gathered around him and he dissappeared. The voice still echoed in the room. Shironeko sighed. „You better be right," she said while walking towards a glass ice coffin near a throne. „or else our brother will die." A tear fell down her cheek when she kneeled down to the coffin. „Don't fail us, Yamazaru.." she whispered as she cried on the coffin. The darkness faded away.„Nozomi, Tora, dinner!" shouted Asuka near the stairs. „Coming, Mommy!" shouted Nozomi back. Asuka smiled. Nozomi grabbed Tora's hand, giggleing and dashed downstairs with him. She looked at the table „What's for dessert?" Nozomi asked her Mother, with a serious face. „Dumplings, deary." smiled Asuka as she started to sit on her seat next to Choichiru, who was still reading the newspaper. Nozomi's eyes started to sparkle with delight. „Did you hear, Tora-kun?! Today's dumpling day!" she giggle, jumping up and down. Then she noticed that Tora was on the floor, world spinning around him. She shoke Tora. „Mommy, Tora died!!" „My, my, my." said Asuka. „N-No, I'm alright.." said Tora, trying not to talk like he is dizzy. „Ahh, thank god!" said Nozomi crying and hugging Tora very tight. „Enough, Nozomi, sit down and eat your dinner." said Nozomi's father, Choichiru, with a cold voice. Asuka's smile faded, Nozomi pouted and headed to her seat, followed by Tora. Nozomi sat down to her seat what was in front of her Mother and Tora sat next to Nozomi, what was also in front of Choichiru. „Dear, I think you should stop reading the newspaper now.." said Asuka, with a concerned voice, to Choichiru. He sighed and threw the news paper next to Kinko, who was biting his plastic bone. „Who wants to say the prayers?" asked Asuka looking at everyone on the table with her kind smile. Nozomi raised her hand shouting „Me! Pick me!" „Keep it down, Nozomi!" shouted Choichiru at her. Nozomi was a bit shocked, but ignored it. Asuka's smile faded and she gave Nozomi as sign that she should go ahead. Tora glared at Choichiru. „Well," started Nozomi, praying, followed by everyone else. „God, I, Nozomi Isamu, thank you for helping my family have money for this food and my Mother for making delicious meals every day. And I also thank you for letting me meet Tora. Even though I just met him, I have a feeling that I've known him more. As if you guided him to meet with me." Hearing those words Tora felt touched and he blushed lightly. „This may sound awkward but," Nozomi continued. „help me get closer to Tora and protect him no matter what. Amen." Tora's blush got redder by these words. No one's been as kind to her, like Nozomi. Nozomi's smile, her gray-blue eyes, light hair, it all made Tora's heart beat faster. What was this feeling Tora discovered? It made his heart beat even faster by the second. After everyone repeated „Amen." after Nozomi, the floor and the table started shaking. „Earthquake?!" shouted Choichiru, standing up. „Wrong~" said a voice somewhere around the house. „Yamazura?!" „W-what's going on?" said Asuka, when she stood up from her seat and ran to Nozomi and Tora to protect them. A brown cloud of smoke appeared in front of Choichiru and started to fade away after a few seconds. Choichiru's eyes widened. „Yo," said Yamazura. „Prince." He grinned. Anger filled Choichiru's face when he called him that. „Prince?" repeated Nozomi. Choichiru's face got serious and he pointed at Yamazura, closed his eyes and started mumbleing something very fast. „Heh," said Yamazura with a disgusted voice. „You're gonna release Chohoshi, huh? Very well then." He laughed and started mumbleing some words very fast too. „What are they doing?" said Nozomi, staring at both of them, confused. „They're summoning their spirit animals.." said Tora with a serious face. „Spirit animals?" repeated Nozomi, still confused. Asuka looked down. „In a kingdom named Nagatha, every person is born with their own spirit animal, what allows them to use the chosen magic." explained Tora. Nozomi stared at him. Did she hear it right? Magic? She felt excited and yet very scared. Yamazura and Choichiru stopped mumbleing the magic words and the room was filled with brown and silver light. When the light faded Nozomi couldn't belive her eyes. Is this real magic? There was a beautiful fairy-like woman with long gray hair and butterfly wings, glimmering next to her Father. She took a look at Yamazura. There was also someone next to him. It was different from Chohoshi. The one next to Yamazura was a man with a monkey tail and ears, short black hair and he was wearing black shaded glasses. Nozomi saw black aura, like a sky, near the guy's head. „It's been a long time since you've summoned me, Master.." said Chohoshi. Her voice was like an angel's voice, but since it sounded sad, it sounded more like a fallen angel's voice. Choichiru looked down sadly. „Your Spirit animal is kinda cute there," said Yamazura, grinning pervertedly. „mind if I shagg her later?" He winked. „I beg your pardon?!" said Chohoshi with a graceful angelic voice. Yamazura laughed. „You know you want it!" Chohoshi got angry and a sword appeared in her hand. The sword was glittering and bright like the stars on Chohoshi's wings. There was some ancient writing on the sword. „Don't ever talk to a lady like that!" shouted Chohoshi and striked directly at Yamazura. He just stood there, grinning. He wasn't even scared. When Chohoshi got closer, Yamazura's Spirit animal walked in front of his master and created a barrier around her master. „What!?" whispered Chohoshi to self, eyes widened. When her sword his the barrier, yellow light pushed her back what made her hit the wall, sword fell next to Chohoshi. She stood up, feeling a little weak. „Ha! Little butterfly got smacked!" grinned Yamazura. „Chohoshi, are you okay?" said Chichiru, worried. „Yeah, I'm alright." smiled Chohoshi picking up her sword. „I guess I kinda underestimated our opponent." Chohoshi mumbled some words fast and her blade started to glow light blue. Yamazura raised his eyebrow, staring at Chohoshi. Then Chohoshi started to run with unremarkable speed towards the barrier. „She has gained speed!?!" shouted Yamazura, not beliveing his eyes. Chohoshi hit the barrier a few times until the barrier dissappeared. Seiyuuki still, just stood in front of his master. Like that was just nothing. Chohoshi stopped next to Choichiru. „Nice job, Chohoshi!" praised Choichiru. His spirit animal nodded. Yamazura grinned „Heh, your Spirit animal has gained Vitesse[Means speed in French], I see." He looked at his Spirit animal, Seiyuuki. He nodded and Yamazura looked back at Choichiru and Chohoshi. „But, you're not the only one who's gained power essence." „What?!" said Choichiru and his Spirit animal toghether. Yamazura's spirit animal started to mumble some words and he started to grow, the taller he grew the more the house started to fall apart. „C-Could it be..?!" said Choichiru, not believing his eyes. „That's right," said Yamazura. „My Spirit animal has Croissance![Means Growth in French]" Seiyuuki's glasses dissappeared and he revealed his orange eyes. „H-How?!" said Choichiru to Yamazura. „Only the person with a loyal pure essence can get power essence!" „But I have loyal pure essence!" shouted Yamazura, laughing at Choichiru. „Don't tell me you can't tell? Ha! You're worthless! Living in this human world made you forget how to see loyal and dark pure essence." Then he looked up in the sky. „I have loyal pure essence.. 'Cause I'm doing this for my little brother, who's body is weak.." He pointed at Nozomi and Nozomi got even more scared. „The return of that bitch there will kill my brother!!" Choichiru took a look at her only daughter. He closed his eyes, furious as ever. Angry at Yamazura or himself, or both. „My family, the Yumefuki clan, the court of Nagatha has decided to remove our pure essence. Because of the mistakes our father made. But we're not like him! We will loose our wealth.. reputation.. and our Spirit animals. My little brother.. without his pure essence.. he will die. He was born with a weak body.." Yamazaru started to cry. „The pure essence is the only thing that will keep him alive!" he shouted. Everybody started at him. Nozomi's eyes started to water. Tora looked at Nozomi, tried to comfort her by holding her hand tight. Knowing Nozomi's kindness.. Tora knows what she might do. She will let herself be killed. „Enough about this! I promised my sister I will kill that brat!" shouted Yamazura. „Seiyuuki! Attack!" Seiyuuki let out another roar and bend over to smash Chohoshi with his fist. Before he could smash them, Chohoshi and Choichiru moved out of the way. Chohoshi jumped up and hit Seiyuuki with her blade. It didn't seem to effect him. „No way..!" said Chohoshi, couldn't belive her eyes. Seiyuuki grabbed Chohoshi's leg and threw her against the wall. „Chohoshi!" shouted Choichiru, running to her. „I'm okay, m-master." she said standing up, not giving in. She gained more speed and striked Seiyuuki again, this time her blade was glowing more. She hit him with all she's got and made Seiyuuki's arm bleed. The creature screamed in pain. Chohoshi smirked. „Shit!" said Yamazaru, looking at his weakened monster. He looked down on the ground, biting his finger as if he was thinking. „I guess there's no other choice.." he said, sighing. He started to mumble something very fast, like he did with his other spells. Choichiru looked at Yamazaru's spirit monster. His eyes were getting red like he was very furious. He was right. After the enchantment, Seiyuuki roared louder then before. „Fureur!?[means Fruy in french]" He fell on his knees, staring at the monster. Choichiru had no other choice, but to summon back Chohoshi. He started to cry histaricly, like it was end of the world. „I-If you face him with Fureur, Chohoshi.. You'll surely die.. Cuz the end of Fureur.. The Spirit monster's near the fureur will be sucked dry.. And.. I can't loose you.." he said, tears flowing down on the ground. „Master.." said Chohoshi, touched my those words. Choichiru looked at Chohoshi with a smile. „This is the last time we'll see each other.." and Chohoshi started to fade into nothing. Yamazaru started to laugh maniacly and stared at the sky. „Sister! I did it! I defeated the Prince! Now, Seiyuuki, kill the bitch princess!!" After the command, Seiyuuki sent out another roar and started to smash the building, while Choichiru cried in sorrow. He failed to protect his family. Asuka ran around the house, finding a place where Seiyuuki couldn't smash, with Nozomi and Tora. „Mommy, what's Nagatha and what are these monsters?!" cried Nozomi while running with her mother. Asuka didn't anwser. Nozomi knew that she could anwser the question, but somehow Asuka refused to tell her. Nozomi looked at Tora, he didn't anwser as well. Why are they keeping this from Nozomi? Nozomi felt very lonely and confused. She wished that she could just understand this situation. Then Seiyuuki crushed the roof down and Asuka, Nozomi and Tora fell down with the whole house. „Victory smells great." says Yamazaru, smoking and laughing at the house. He saw choichiru who was still sulking on the ground. He smirked and walked to him. „You lost, „Prince"" he said and kicked him. Seiyuuki turned back to normal and faded away. „And they called you the most powerful spirit tainter in Nagatha.. Tch, Most powerful my ass!" he started to laugh like maniac as he dissappeared. Choichiru wiped his tears away. Maybe there's one more chance that they're alive.. He stood up and ran towards his house's ruins. He looked everywhere and called their names. „Asuka! Nozomi! Tora!" He looked around. No one anwsered. It made him hate himself even more. He found Asuka and Tora. He checked their pulse, they were alive. But there was no sign of Nozomi. „Nozomi!!!" he shouted with all he's got. But then he heard a weak voice calling for him „D-Dad.." he looked behind him and saw Nozomi. She was covered in blood. Her left eye was bloody. Choichiru ran to his daughter. „Nozomi! It's gonna be alright! Daddy's here!" His tears fell down . He couldn't bare it. „Daddy.." Nozomi smiled. „I'm gonna die, ain't I?" Choichiru's eyes widened. „N-No! You're gonna live!" He knows it's not true. Nozomi cried. Her tears got mixed with her blood. Choichiru hugged his daughter for the last time. He failed. He's a failure. Nozomi looked down at her father. Tora opened his eyes and shouted „Nozomi!!" he looked around the place, breathing heavily. Then he saw Choichiru, he was crying. He stood up and ran to him. When he got there, his eyes got empty. „No..zo..mi.." he said, empty inside. „Hey.." said Nozomi, weakly waving. „What's going on...?" asked Tora, eye sockets filled with water. Nozomi didn't anwser, cause Tora probably knows the anwser. Choichiru stood up. „Tora.. I'm gonna give her a second chance at life.. and.. I want you to.. protect her.. she won't have any memory of her past life.. but atleast she can be happy.." He smiled as he cried at the same time. It started to rain as if the clouds were crying. Raining in december was really rare. Just when Tora was just happy.. the sorrow had to come. He clinched his fist and nodded. Just when he made his first friend, just when he was happier then ever. He couldn't never forgive the person who did this to Nozomi. Choichiru mumbled some words and placed his hands on Nozomi's heart and a white light surrounded the town. When the light faded, Choichiru's body fell down like a corpse and Nozomi was sleeping. Her body was normal again, but not her memory. Tora kneeled before Nozomi and started to let out his sorrow.. Nozomi won't remember him.. His happiness faded.. „I'll protect you, Nozomi.. I'll protect you forever.."