A/N: Thank you SO very much to the people who have taken the time to review! I've already said this before but it does mean a lot to hear from you. If you want to know more about the thought process for some details in the story, I recommend you take the time to read my notes at the bottom.
Question: What medium do you read stories on here? I've been editing the paragraphs so they work well when reading this on the phone app but haven't considered how this looks on a computer screen. All I know is when the paragraphs get too long in my word doc, then they are uncomfortably long on a phone screen.
~~Earth~~
Sinking again into the soothing warmth of scented bathwater in her old home, Hitomi mulled over the events of this morning. Having had mental powers for over a decade now, not much could instill a feeling of surprise in her. The unexpected way they had grown into something entirely new, however, caused a strange feeling to extend in the pit of her stomach.
She carefully cleaned the inside of her nose where the blood had trickled down earlier. The fact that she had ended up with headaches of varying magnitudes, as well as a nosebleed, had her a tad worried.
Perhaps…she contemplated…messing with the outcome of what I'm seeing is taking more out of me than I thought. In addition to the slowly subsiding pain behind her eyes, she was starving.
After finishing the only full bath she would have the chance to take for a while, she dressed again in her tracksuit, deciding that she wanted to just be comfortable on her way home. Hitomi found the red dress freshly washed and neatly folded on top of her gym bag.
"Thanks for washing my dress, mom," Hitomi said as she hugged her mother goodbye. She wanted to get home, regardless of her protesting stomach.
Mrs. Kanzaki smiled fondly. "Don't mention it, dear."
After exchanging hugs and goodbyes with her brother and father, as well as a few stern words about promises of more frequent visits, she was on her way. Hitomi was relieved to have been able to extract herself from the loving grasp of her family rather fast. She would have had a hard time escaping their suspicions that something out of the ordinary was happening.
Explaining the physical distress she was currently suffering would have been awkward and she decided that it was quite unnecessary to worry them.
What's actually going on though? I need to get to the bottom of what that old lady said. Hitomi thought as each step put more distance between her and her family.
While she watched the form of her only daughter grow smaller in the distance, Mrs. Kanzaki couldn't help but wonder if Hitomi's slightly strange behavior had anything to do with the ring she had spotted on her hand. The pink stone looked almost identical to the one Hitomi had inherited from her own mother. Surely this was not a bad omen? She rubbed her arms with her hands as a cold feeling of foreboding slowly spread through her limbs.
When the door of her apartment closed behind Hitomi and the lock snapped shut, she let out a sigh of relief. The trip home had been uneventful, but she had grown more and more tired by the minute. Without taking her shoes off, she walked into the kitchen and inspected the contents of her fridge.
Delighted at finding a small plastic container with overnight oats she had prepared two days ago, Hitomi decided that a cold lunch was better than having to exert herself with cooking a warm meal. She took the container and shuffled across the small area that separated her kitchen from the sitting area, finally kicking off her running shoes in the process. Her shoulders were slumped in exhaustion and all she wanted to do was eat and sleep.
The soft couch pillows engulfed her comfortingly as she sunk down low and popped the lid off the box. The oats and yogurt tasted tangy and stale which did nothing to rejuvenate her at the moment. Chewing thoughtfully, she folded her long legs at her side.
I wonder what would happen if I just kept on using my powers. I already know it doesn't always work, or that I can't see into everybody's future.
She pondered this for a moment.
It's probably best to not try anything again right now.
After she finished the contents of the container, she set it next to herself on the couch and rested her head on the pillow behind her head. The oats did a good job filling the gaping hole in her stomach, but she was still exhausted beyond belief.
Okay, just a short nap before doing the laundry. I've been avoiding that for days now.
~~Gaea~~
The king of Fanelia cleared his throat quietly as he stepped onto the low dais and took his seat in the other large chair next to Merle's own. After a proper scolding, he had swiftly disappeared into his private chambers to dress in his more representative, royal garb.
The gold metal trimming on the high collar of his dark blue shirt repeated itself in the intricate design of the golden coronet on his head he preferred above the big, official crown Fanelian rulers were required to bear at more official functions. A much more lose and comfortable, deep red Haori coat made from a soft, fine fabric was hemmed with embroidery depicting the Fanelian dragon crest. Luckily, the traditional dress code allowed him a simple pair of black breeches and boots to complement the traditional finery.
He tugged on the collar of his shirt and made a mental note to perhaps have somebody look into revising this part of the royal wardrobe. His wild hair had been hastily arranged to accommodate the coronet on the way to the grand hall. For all the changes he had made in Fanelia and especially around the palace, some traditions were still honored.
A single individual already stood in the middle of the room, encircled by the heavy, wooden tables which were crowded with the vassals of Fanelia making up the grand sunodos. Each vassal was an elected official of the people of Fanelia. Some were the heads of their guild, others respected members of society. Van and Merle were seated at the front of the room, while two of the four seats next to them reserved for the wyverns, the king's closest circle, remained empty.
Van leaned in and whispered to Merle. "Where is Gajeel?"
He didn't see her roll her eyes in mock annoyance. "In Repun. Surely you remember?"
"Right." Van rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger for a moment before he realized everybody was waiting for him.
The figure in the middle of the room had patiently stood on the dark, lacquered wooden floor one would step on when bringing concerns to the grand sunodos of Fanelia.
"Second sunodos of the blue moon. Open to the concerns of Fanelia." Van declared in a voice full of royal authority. "State your business."
A nervous smile graced the old man's face as he addressed Van. "My lord, I am a merchant from Furth. During the last three moons, I have lost three mules and one entire load of goods to the same group of bandits." He swallowed. "I fear that the roads between Furth and the capital are not safe anymore. We require some protection, especially at dusk and dawn."
Van quickly responded. "We will send a unit of soldiers to patrol at once. The safety of our commercial routes is of utmost priority. The crown expresses its gratitude for bringing this to our attention."
The man bowed curtly and left the circle. One after the other, citizens came to state their concerns and either receive a direct response from the king, or from the combined votes of the crown and vassals.
At last, one of the wyverns himself rose to take the place in the middle. General Kur, Commander of the Wind Army had always preferred the lighter samurai armor above the more heavily plated one, whether in battle or around the palace. The grey material with the blue under clothing accentuated his one, pale blue eye. Rugged chestnut hair hung heavily over the patch covering the other. The light stubble on his face made him look older although he was close to the king's age.
"My lord, my lady and honored vassals." Without the need to introduce himself, Kur decided to address the subject of concern directly.
"There have been reports of violent dragon attacks near the northern border of Asturia, as well as sightings near Godashim. A falcon from Basram arrived just before this sunodos. I request permission not only from the crown but also from the people of Fanelia to withdraw some of the levi-ships patrolling the outskirts of our capital to enforce our borders more, especially to the north and east. Should an attack at the border regions occur, the people in our remote villages will be the first ones to suffer."
There was a collective gasp at the word dragons. Hushed whispers were exchanged while others were less considerate. A woman from the tables with a long, grey braid exclaimed loudly. "But dragons haven't attacked in years! How can this be?" More insistent discussion amongst the vassals followed.
Van silenced the room with a gesture of his hand and motioned for Kur to continue. "I do not know what the cause of these attacks is yet. The messages I have received so far are very brief. I, however, am hesitant to be lenient in taking their content seriously." He shot a dark look towards Van and Merle. "Heightened tensions between Zaibach and Basram may be the cause of the dragon attacks."
It was common knowledge by now that dragons were peaceful creatures, just as long as one approached them with equally peaceful intentions. Violent dragons were usually a response to reckless provocation by foolish individuals.
Van's seemingly permanent frown grew more pronounced as he evaluated this concerning information. After a few moments, he turned to Merle and gave her a short nod. She swallowed nervously but slowly rose after thinking on this matter for some time. Why did he lately leave all of the difficult decisions to her?
Finally, she addressed the room with a resolved expression. "I propose the deployment of our four fastest levi-ships from the immediate area of the capital. We will divert the remaining two to patrol the sky directly above the city and the entrance of the mountain pass. In the event of an attack, the ships on the border will be the first to spot a hostile dragon intrude from the outside. A tighter border security should improve the ability to spot them." She quietly let out a long breath, wondering if she had made the strategically correct choice.
After sitting down, she looked at Van from the corner of her eyes and caught a slight nod. Relieved, she leaned back in her chair.
Van addressed the room "Those in favor?" He raised his own hand along with Merle, Kur, and more than half the vassals.
~~Earth~~
Hitomi woke slowly. Her neck was stiff and offended due to the awkward position she found herself in. She was curled up on the side of her couch, head resting on the soft but stiff armrest. The plastic container and spoon had tumbled to the floor and splattered some of the yogurt remnants across the carpet.
Great…
She stretched slowly and looked towards the clock on the small radio next to her.
WHAT? That can't be right.
'06:39' it read in glowing, digital digits. Had she really slept for almost sixteen hours?
She looked out the big glass door leading to the small balcony. The sun was indeed beginning to rise, coloring the buildings outside in an orange hue.
To be sure, she walked into the kitchen and confirmed the time on the microwave. No doubt about it. She had slept for sixteen hours, on the couch, and it was Monday.
Nothing I can do about it. It's race day!
Arms stretched high in the air, she yawned slowly. Apart from the neck pain, she felt completely revived. The sleep of the dead, so it seemed, had given new life to her tired body and mind.
I wonder if using my powers in these new ways just takes a big toll on me.
Curiously, she started to consider the possibility of calling forth a vision of somebody without physically seeing them.
I wonder if I could see Van…ugh no. Bad idea. What if I see something I don't want to see, like his family.
She slapped her hands across her eyes and slowly raked her fingers upwards and into her short hair, tugging it roughly to collect herself.
No. Somebody else.
Ignoring the plastic container on the floor, she settled into the couch again and closed her eyes. She started to picture Rai's face. Her green eyes and red, curly hair. The newly familiar tingle almost instantly started to tickle the top of her head as the pink stone glowed gently in its setting on her finger. Like a giant mass of ants, the tingle spread across her scalp and to the back of her neck.
The red-haired teenager smiled and waved at Hitomi in her mind. 'Hey, coach!' She spun on the heel of her new running shoes and started to jog.
Run faster. Hitomi urged her on. Rai picked up her pace.
Run as fast as you would for the one hundred meters.
Rai obliged and as she changed her running form to that of a sprint, the familiar white lines on a long stretch of red tartan appeared. Around her, the stadium materialized. Crowds of people cheered and clapped. Hitomi was briefly distracted by the detail that fabricated itself in the simple scene she had meant to see.
Is this now actually her future, or something I am creating? I can't tell…. Well. Doesn't matter right now. I want to look at something. Focus, Hitomi.
Her attention snapped back to Rai, as her eyes moved wildly behind closed eyelids. She zoomed in on the girl.
Her form is good. Arms are in sync with her legs. Feet are a bit unsteady. Why?
She concentrated on Rai's feet and the movement of each step she took, heels rolling to toes. Hitomi evaluated the movement for a few moments until she saw it.
Aha! New shoes still have a too stiff sole. Anything else?
She switched her angle to regard the teenager's face. Her lips were pressed together.
Not good. Why is she not breathing through her mouth?
After some time, Hitomi saw it and if anybody had been standing next to her, the laugh that escaped her would have surely startled them.
She had too much to drink and has water sloshing around her stomach.
Hitomi opened her eyes and stood from her seat with purpose. The faint pressure in her head went almost unnoticed. She retrieved her cell phone from her duffle bag and found Rai's phone number. While the phone established a connection, she picked up the duffle bag and walked into her bedroom.
"Good morning….Yes, it's coach Kanzaki…..mhm… are you nervous?... Listen, do you still have your old pair of running shoes?...Great, I want you to wear them today instead of your new ones. I have been thinking and it's probably better to compete with those instead of the ones you just got ….Oh… and skip the green tea this morning, ok?...Just trust me…. Very good… I'll see you, girls, there."
She disconnected the call and opened her wardrobe to find the official, green tracksuit that identified her as an athletic coach of Kamakura Kita. After stocking her duffle bag with some additional fresh clothes and necessities, she decided that it would probably be the last day she could get away with wearing her favorite, red dress and denim jacket.
I better bring it in case I want to go get food after the race is over. She grinned excitedly at the thought of treating herself to a quiet dinner at her favorite sushi restaurant.
The team of girls chattered excitedly amongst themselves as they stood in their designated area performing some warm-up stretches. Rai stood tall as she greedily took a swig of water from the large, almost empty bottle. Hitomi reached for it and snatched it out of her hand, effectively causing the rest of the water to splatter down the girl's face. Rai shrieked in surprise.
Hitomi giggled apologetically. "Oops. Sorry, Rei." She shrugged. But I think you're hydrated well enough for a one hundred meter sprint.
"Ahm… okay coach, whatever you say." Rai stuttered in confusion, wiping her face on the bottom of her shirt.
When it was her time to step to the starting blocks, Hitomi spoke a few words of encouragement. "Don't forget to breathe through your mouth. You will do just fine. Trust me."
The girl smiled and nodded in response as she gave Hitomi a thumbs-up with both hands.
Her run was over fast. The changes Hitomi had tried to make seemed to have a positive impact on Rai's performance. Her strides were sure and steady and her breathing evener.
She ended up coming in third. The best she had placed this season. Her whole team was ecstatic.
Five out of eight girls on her team managed to place. Three had qualified for the next race in two months, Rai being one of them. Hitomi was beyond proud.
"Coach, I'm so glad you told me to wear my old shoes! I felt so much more confident in them! It's almost like you knew!" Rai exclaimed excitedly with a smile that lit up her whole face.
Hitomi laughed sheepishly. "Oh, it's just experience. Now keep wearing the new ones to practice so you get used to them more. Next time, they should be good to go."
Rai nodded happily.
Wow… did we….I mean I just cheat? Best possible outcome…She felt a small pang of guilt towards the other competitors but decided to worry more about it later.
After the event concluded, Hitomi found the locker room designated for female staff members and changed into her street clothes. Her red dress smelled comfortingly like the detergent her mother had been using since she could remember. After slipping into her trusty denim jacket, she put on the pair of thick, knee-high stockings she had packed and slipped into her brown boots.
It was only a short trip to Tanioka's from the stadium. The spicy ahi and rice bowl she ordered, tasted even better after such a victorious day.
As she sat and ate, she thought about her involvement in today's race results.
So...I am kind of getting the hang of this. I'm not sure what to do though. It's definitely not okay to keep messing with people's futures. I may be trying to do good but I don't know what it's doing to others. Or me, for that matter.
She thoughtfully traced the tip of her nose with the back end of her chopsticks
After leaving the restaurant, she enjoyed walking in blissful solitude. When the first snowflake fell, it landed on her nose and dissolved instantly.
She inhaled the icy air deeply as she turned into the familiar neighborhood park. Loose gravel crunched soundly under her boots.
Ah yes. Winter is definitely here now. I wonder what winter is like on Gaea.
Hitomi enjoyed the official change in season when suddenly, cold air churned to fire in her lungs. She clutched her throat as the breath she had been taking stagnated and caught in her larynx.
Wheezing noisily, she fell to her knees but managed to catch herself with one hand. The skin on her knees screamed in pain as the gravel dug into it harshly. She continued to wheeze and cough and clenched her eyes shut tightly, straining desperately. Then, like a powerful kick to the head, her brain exploded in pain. Her eyes and mouth snapped open in a silent scream.
She was no longer in the park. Instead, she found herself on a battlefield. Corpses littered the bloody ground around her, not just maimed and mutilated, but charred to the bones. The pungent smell of burned flesh filled her nostrils and seemed to spread into the depths of her lungs. She gagged silently. Hitomi didn't need to look up to know that two moons would be visible in the sky.
Her vision blurred and shifted. She stood in the square of an unfamiliar, big city. People were screaming in panic as a massive dragon unleashed a powerful flame from the depths of its glowing, bulging belly. Hitomi watched in horror as a mother shielding her small child was reduced to nothing by the scorching flames. The beast touched down in front of her and its glowing yellow eyes pierced her with their stare.
By the Gods NO!
She was torn away from the scene and suddenly found herself high in the sky, circling a very familiar palace. Its structure sat high atop an elevated platform, crowned by the massive growth that was the elder tree, which had survived even the aggressive destruction of the Zaibach forces over a decade ago. Fanelia's capital looked prosperous and proud, but her observation was cut short by the abrupt descent. Her massive, blue wings…why do I have WINGS?! powered her direct route towards the palace.
Hitomi had no control over what was happening. She was along for the ride, behind the dragon's third eye, as it deliberately aimed for the castle down below. Its movements were decisive and precise. A feeling of the coldest winter spread in her belly as the beast focused its power in one, single ball of ice and energy, ready to strike the elder tree in the center of the palace structure.
NO!
Hitomi bellowed. Her breath finally flowed freely again and the cold sensation spread from her belly into her limbs. It engulfed her as a whole. She could feel her body freeze in slow motion. The last thing she consciously felt were her eyeballs exploding with pain as a throbbing burn engulfed them from the inside out.
~~Fanelia~~
The pendant glowed brightly on top of the king's mahogany table. On the westernmost lookout of the castle walls, a single, tall form took note of the faint glow through the forest in the dark night. With swift, practiced movements, it descended the outer wall and deftly landed on the roof of a building below. The figure gracefully jumped and dashed from roof to roof, towards the forest in the distance.
When she slowly started coming to, Hitomi still felt cold. Lifting her head from the hard ground caused it to throb painfully. A small splatter of blood in the dirt was the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes. It mixed interestingly with the sparse, fresh snow. The back of her hand came away with a mix of crusted and fresh blood as she wiped her nose and lips.
Oh no. She thought in slight panic. How long was I passed out?
A sudden feeling of dread hit her as she recalled the mental images.
Gaea is in danger.
In her mind, she saw the twin moons hanging in the night sky before her eyes did. She inclined her head to confirm her suspicions. The movement caused her left eye to twitch and prickle in pain. After staring at the moons for a minute, she brought her legs to her side and gingerly rubbed her scraped knees.
She removed the tangled strap of her duffle bag from across her shoulder, unzipped it and found a small towel. She rubbed her nose and lips until her face felt clean. Dark red smears stained the white towel when she was done. She wiped her knees carefully for good measure, although the scrapes were mostly superficial.
Hitomi gasped in fear when she heard rustling in the underbrush. She quickly staggered to her feet and stupidly held the useless towel out in defense. "Who… who's there?" She demanded wearily.
The figure laughed softly and slowly revealed itself. Tallgrass grazed dark brown, leather boots which ended just under the knee. Powerful legs were covered by tight, black pants secured with a heavy looking belt, and a dark red shirt corseted the wearer's ample breasts. The feline's tail was lazily swinging to and fro. Long, fingerless gloves, Hitomi imagined with concern, provided convenient freedom to use her sharp claws.
An amused snort escaped the feline's mouth when she crossed her arms in front of her chest. Her cobalt blue eyes narrowed and her candy apple colored hair moved slightly at the twitch of her large, furry ears.
"Merle?" Hitomi gasped, emerald eyes wide as she dropped the useless towel in shock.
I'm definitely back on Gaea. But...how? I didn't wish for it.
Back on earth, Moira shakily drew her last breath as she smiled peacefully. "Your heart did."
Tbc…
A/N: And we have arrived! I feel the need to explain some things. Why? Idk.
Moon = month.
What I wanted to do differently from most other stories I have read:
Weather- It always seems to be warm in Gaea but damnit, winter is coming! Boom. So there's that.
Dragons- Never enough dragons. There will be dragons, as you may have already gathered.
How Hitomi gets to Gaea again- she def didn't wish for it consciously, but here she is.
I derived the word "sunodos" from the word synod, which is really a word describing the advisory council of the pope. The word "advisors" and "council" just seemed too easy to use and I put a lot of thought into the political structure of Fanelia. More explanations about that to come as we progress.
What's going on anyway? Zaibach and Basram at war? It sure appears so. Stay tuned!