Friends From the Future
By SenritsuBaroness
Author's Note: Italics are thoughts, bold type is flashbacks, and ~* indicates shift from one person to another.
Chapter One: Toryu's Troubles
She turned over in her warm bed, throwing out one long, slender arm, her rich navy blue hair cascading down her back.
"This is Deejay Shawna, with your morning wake-up call!" The alarm clock on her heart-shaped nightstand chirped. "It's a beautiful day in downtown Tampa, Florida! Sunny skies and pleasant temperatures are what's in store for today! And moving right along to traffic . . ."
"Ngghhh." Toryu rolled over, more locks of navy hair falling into her face. She plopped her pillow over her alarm clock and went back to Dreamland.
"The traffic today is light, not as heavy as yesterday . . ." the radio droned on.
Toryu sat up blankly and rubbed her eyes. "It's so hard not having Mom and Dad force me to get up and go to school."
Seventeen-year-old Toryu Tomokazu was the daughter of the mayor of Tampa. Because she and her family were rich, she was allowed to live alone in a large 4th floor condo that overlooked Tampa Bay. She'd graduated early from high school, and was attending the University of Tampa.
"I better hurry so I won't get caught in rush hour traffic," Toryu mumbled. It was hard having to drive to downtown Tampa every day, but Toryu refused to live on campus.
Toryu hurried through a cold shower and grabbed a cold, doughy slice of leftover pizza for breakfast as she dressed. She chose a white sleeveless jacket, a red tube top, a black mini skirt, and red and black dominatrix boots. She brushed her navy hair and put her usual orange hair clip in on the left side. She dusted her eyelids with blue eyeshadow and put on pink lipstick.
"I'll call Daddy when I get home," Toryu reminded herself. One of the things she had to do while living alone was constantly call her parents and let them know she was all right. She was also subjected to lie detector tests every month or so; after all, her parents' trust only went so far. They were always worrying about Toryu doing drugs, or losing her virginity. Truth was, Toryu wasn't interested in boys or drugs at the moment.
Toryu went to the parking hangar to her black Mercedes-Benz. Even in the dim lighting of the hangar, her Benz shone brightly; she'd just had it washed and waxed. She tossed her backpack into the front passenger seat and then climbed behind the wheel.
She put the key in the ignition and turned. Nothing.
"Dammit, I don't have time for this!" Toryu fumed, hitting the steering wheel angrily with her fist. BURRRRR! Cried the horn.
Regaining her calm, Toryu turned the key again. The engine sputtered but did not catch. Toryu narrowed her dark navy blue eyes. "Damn, you stupid car, you better start right now!" Toryu turned the key a third time, this time slamming her foot down on the accelerator. The car started. Toryu pulled out of the hangar and onto the bayside road.
She sighed happily as she opened the sunroof up. She loved to drive down the bayside road; it was much easier than taking Dale Mabry Highway or Kennedy Drive. The view was breathtaking; with beautiful, midnight blue waves lapping at the land. Of course, she hated three- and four-lane traffic, but it was worth the view of the bay. Plus, it was the only way to St. Petersburg without taking the toll bridge.
Toryu merged into the bridge traffic and looked down over the university. Obviously classes had already begun, since the parking lots were deserted. Damn, I'm late again, she thought. She took the nearest exit and turned onto Dale Mabry Highway, veering towards Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.
Once Toryu had arrived, she checked the clock. 9:15 A.M. Damn, I've missed almost all of first period, Toryu thought. She decided to hang out in the library until second period began. She hurried down the marble floor to the large oak doors of the library. Slowly, she pushed open the left door.
The library was deserted. Nobody was studying, or reading, or anything, not even the librarian could be found. Toryu stepped cautiously onto the lush purple carpet, her boot sinking into it. She browsed the shelves, looking for a good fantasy book.
Hmmm . . .what's this? She came across a rather thick book entitled "The Slayers". The cover was rather intricately designed, with a large magic circle and star on it.
Toryu recognized the circle; it was the circle of White magic. Toryu had never practiced any type of magic while living with her parents; but now that she lived alone she regularly practiced Black magic, having recently mastered the Dragon Slave. She was looking for more powerful spells to learn; as she'd found magic to be quite useful in warding away people who didn't seem to realize what the words "leave me alone" meant.
The book looked ancient, with pages that were so yellow they were on their way to turning brown. She blew off the thick blankets of dust and opened the book to a random page.
"Oh, my God!" Toryu gasped and thrust the book away as if it burned her. The book was glowing with a magnificent white light—more brilliant than any light Toryu had ever seen. The light grew brighter and brighter—Toryu squeezed her eyes shut and put her arms in front of her eyes, but the light still blinded her.
"Aaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!" Toryu screamed, and suddenly, all went dark.
~*
"We're on our way to pursue justice!" Amelia chirped, raising her fist high in the air.
Lina sighed and put her forehead in her hands. Amelia could be so annoying with her ramblings of justice and love. "Whatever you say, Amelia."
"I'm hungry," Gourry announced.
Lina sighed again and said, "Gourry, you just told us five minutes ago that you were hungry."
"Oh, I did?" Gourry asked.
Lina rolled her eyes. "Your short-term memory amazes me."
"Gee, thanks!" Gourry smiled.
"Ohhhh," Lina moaned.
"Hey, who is that?" Gourry pointed.
"Huh?" Lina turned to look where Gourry was pointing.
Sprawled out in a grassy field next to the road was a girl dressed in an odd black, red and white outfit. The girl had long, navy blue hair cascading down to her waist.
"We've got to help her!" Amelia cried. "She could be hurt!"
"Or, she could be sleeping," Gourry suggested.
"Ouch!!" Gourry clutched at his scalp where Lina had hit him.
~*
"What the hell?" Toryu sat up. "Aack, my head . . ." She clutched at her forehead. "Wait a minute, where the hell am I?" Toryu looked around. She was lying in a field of lush spring green grass. "I don't remember going outside."
"Are you all right?" A girl with flaming red hair in an unusual outfit asked Toryu.
"Who are you? Are you part of the Drama club?" Toryu asked. "How did I get outside?"
"You've been lying there for quite some time," the girl said.
"But, I was in the library at first," Toryu said. "Where am I?"
"You're outside the Kingdom of Seiryuu," A purple-haired girl chirped.
Toryu laughed. "That's a good one! There aren't any more kingdoms. The last European kingdoms collapsed in World War One, in 1918."
"What are you talking about?" the purple-haired girl asked. "What's World War One? And 1918 is a LONG way away?"
"Huh?" Toryu asked. "This isn't the year 2004?"
The red-haired girl and purple-haired girl shook their heads.
"And this isn't the University of Tampa?" Toryu asked.
The two girls shook their heads again.
Toryu blinked and suddenly remembered the bright light from the old book. I know what this means, Toryu thought. This means I'm in the past—in that old book!