Hello! Please, enjoy what you read at your own will, within reason and respect. Thank you for reading.

Disclaimer: I do not claim nor own anything. All rights are reserved to their respective owners and no copyright infringement intended. This fiction is for pure entertainment only and not for commercial purposes.


After Mikoto finished her story, an anxious silence filled the room, save for the slight rustling of the bed's fabric. A cool air swept Mikoto's back, coated in oil that Mai had rubbed on her body. The effect was not the same as the oil Kei had given to Mikoto, but it was relaxing the muscles. Stiffly trying to get up from the bed, a pair of hands gently pushed Mikoto down back on the bed, and pulled down the back of her shirt as she settled on her stomach.

"Mai…?" Mikoto called out, her body tensing up in this creepy silence.

"Shhh… I'll be right back. I promise." Mai said pleasantly and kindly to ease the nervousness from Mikoto.

"Oh… Okay…" Mikoto replied, her heart beating in odd sequences, mixed between fear and worry of her own safety.

Mikoto felt a weight lifted from the side of the bed. Mikoto turned to look, out of uncertainty and worry. Mai was there, looking at her with a soft glance and smile as she dried her hands with a tissue. Mikoto's gaze was uncertain and obvious to Mai's eyes.

Mai giggled warmly, "It's late in the night. Could you turn around so that I can change into my pyjamas?" She teasingly grinned, as Mikoto blushed a pink hue and whipped around.

Mikoto yelped and hid under the cover, her cheeks a tint of pink, as the memories of soft mounds pressing at her face roamed in her head. They were certainly soft and… large, Mikoto embarrassingly thought. It was almost as if Mikoto was resting on a pillow. Mikoto frowned and slapped a palm to her forehead for such rude thoughts of her friend.

A few minutes later, the cover was pulled away and then came Mai, climbing on the bed in front of Mikoto and then lied down on the pillow. Mikoto quickly turned to the other side, causing Mai to grin at the cute blush she hid. Frankly, Mai wanted to take the couch, but after hearing Mikoto's story. It felt like Mikoto was alone for a long time and went on her own fights. Clueless to seek something due to the events that had fallen onto Mikoto, yet she kept going where her heart takes.

It was not a bad thing, as Mai too had followed and believed in her heart that Takumi had dreams he wanted to follow. The doubts came along too, wondering if Takumi, a prince, had changed him and his dream. Regardless of that, Mai could only go with what she had known and hoped that her doubts will end in time.

"Mikoto…" Mai whispered, as she looked at the ceiling with her hands folded on her waist.

Mikoto heard the sombreness of Mai's voice and replied with a slight stutter, "Y-yes…?"

"What you're doing… Is it something that you want to do?" Mai asked, and she met the fierce glare from Mikoto turning on the bed.

"They're doing bad things, and Mikoto was the one that made it easier for them. Mai-" Mikoto fell silent as Mai shook her head.

"That's not what I meant Mikoto." Mai said and softly smiled at Mikoto, earning her a puzzled gaze.

"Do you do what you do because it's something you believe you have to do?" Mai asked.

"Mikoto… doesn't understand…" Mikoto replied, her brows furrowed and lips in a tight line.

Mai warmly smiled and patted Mikoto's head, "The things you do feels like you're doing it because of the things that have happened to you. I think that you have never given it thought that if it was what you wanted or wished to do." She stated politely and gently.

Mikoto blinked her eyes, and then she turned on her back, but that was uncomfortable, and then she turned on her side to avoid the irritation in her shoulder. Mai suppressed a laugh as she heard a soft, thoughtful hum coming from Mikoto. It would take a while for Mikoto to consider her thoughts and motives, so Mai looked back up at the ceiling.

A while turned into about an hour, which Mai had been fighting against the lull of silence that put her to sleep. Despite easily going to sleep and letting Mikoto keep the answer to herself, Mai would not want to be a horrible friend.

"Mai…" Mikoto whispered, startling Mai and slapping away the drowsiness that invaded her.

"Yes?" Mai softly replied, keeping her eyes on the ceiling.

"You know… I think Mikoto is stupid for a long time." Mikoto stated, as if it was a fact.

"I was scared…" Mikoto said, before Mai could intervene, "I was scared because of the house. It was the first house I saw that was burning… I had never seen fire until it was that house… and when my teacher said my master was burning down a home of good hearts and memories…" her voice began to strain up.

"I remembered the time together, living with my teacher in his house. It felt like Mikoto was his granddaughter, and it felt right in his arms, even if he was a bit mean sometimes." Mikoto's reminiscent memories took a happy turn in her voice.

"But Mikoto… doesn't deserve it…" Mikoto sighed heavily, "It doesn't feel right when Mikoto has done so many things that caused other people lost and hurt." She said, her hand clenching onto bed's sheet into a fist.

Mai sensed the guilt running inside Mikoto, the shoulders visibly stiffening on suppressing an emotion. Mai could not give out an answer, so she thought things through. Mai was certain that Mikoto was not doing it for revenge, but for answers. However, Mai believed that Mikoto's answer might lie somewhere outside of the things Mikoto have done.

"Do you ever feel accomplished?" Mai asked, and saw Mikoto's shoulder quickly deflate and turned to look at her.

Mikoto was silent for a brief moment, and answered, "No…" She whispered, surprised by her own answer.

"Why…?" Mikoto asked, her own confusion rising even higher and annoying her at the same time.

Mai shook her head, "Not why, whom." She said and earned an irritated look from Mikoto.

"Doing all of what you do, for whom?" Mai gently took Mikoto's hand and squeezed comfortingly.

"Whom did you do it for, and for what?" Mai's eyes were gentle and firmly gazing at Mikoto.

Mikoto fell silent as her face adorned a crestfallen look, until Mai put a hand and gently caressed her cheek. Tiredness resided in their eyes, but a soft comfort embraced them. Mai could tell Mikoto did not want to sleep just yet.

"Mikoto, sleeping helps your thinking too. So please sleep, and when you have the answer, you can tell me." Mai advised, as she herself was tired to properly hear and think of Mikoto's reply.

Mikoto was disagreeable for a short moment, but Mai's advice was sound. Mikoto nodded and turned to the other side that brought least irritation to the back of her shoulder. Mai wondered if Mikoto was ever going to sleep, as it looked like Mikoto would be thinking throughout the night. Mai decided not to say anything of it and let Mikoto be. Perhaps the next day would freshen them up, and even if Mikoto has no answer to her question, Mai would be her companion to help.

"Mai… Thank you… Goodnight." Mikoto said sincerely, her eyes closing and snuggling comfortably under the blanket.

Mai broadly smiled and replied, "Goodnight Mikoto. Sleep tight."

They slept pleasantly, save for Mikoto, who remained invested in her thoughts. Mikoto believed that she was doing things with a lack of consideration, as she had been chasing after her master without conviction or resolve. What made Mikoto have to intervene her master's ambition? That question remained anchored in Mikoto's head, and she felt a wavering feeling that it has something to do with her teacher. Mikoto sighed and decided to sleep.


Dreams often were said to be visions, revelations, inspirations, motivations, ideas and many more. Or so Mikoto's teacher said, but he believed otherwise and that they were gears and machinations moving according to the power and infinity of the will. It could be any will, Mikoto, her teacher, master, 'friends', 'colleagues', and Mai too. The thought of it was frightening to Mikoto, but here she was in this mysterious astral plane.

Mikoto stood at the centre of several reflections of her pasts, each frozen in time and vivid in what it focused on. The reflections centred on people, names and places in few numbers, while several others focused on the jobs and items Mikoto had guarded. Mikoto decided to look at a few of the reflections, questioning the reason for another warped dream.

That question no longer mattered, as Mikoto stood before a reflection of a sword. This sword attracted Mikoto, like a moth to a flame, mesmerising and drawing her towards it. This sword was heavy and long in its reach, spanning up from Mikoto's feet and all the way up to her shoulders. Mikoto remembered that it was even longer when she was younger. How odd it was to remember it again, but for what reason does it show itself before Mikoto?

Suddenly, a younger girl that was a splitting image of Mikoto stood beside her. Their eyes shared the same spark of admiration when they looked at the sword. The sword had sharp double-edges and made of black steel that showed no flaws of poor forge, heavy yet wieldy. A circular golden guard and a hilt wrapped in red binding protected the wielder's hands, and finally, two red strings were tied at the ring on the back end of the hilt.

The young image of Mikoto turned to the present Mikoto, "Aren't you gonna' take it? It's really cool!" after voicing her excitement, the sword materialised and floated before the present Mikoto.

The present Mikoto swallowed an invisible lump, her fingers and body itching to take that sword. Yet, Mikoto shook her head and turned, only to find her splitting image was gone as well as her reflections.

"Take the sword." A voice echoed in the abyss.

Mikoto knew of that familiar voice; it was her teacher, but where was he in this warped dream?

"Take the sword, Mikoto. For it belongs to no others but you." The teacher's voice echoed again.

Mikoto's doubts welled inside her, as she had never remembered anything about that sword since her master had taken her in. Mikoto's doubts were answered to her when her hand unconsciously reached for the sword's grip. The weight collapsed onto Mikoto's hands and she quickly stood in a combat stance, her heart and blood answering in unity with the sword in her hand. It was bizarre, weird, and yet, stunning and amazing as Mikoto's hands firmly grasped on the sword's grip.

Then, it all rushed into Mikoto's mind, her hands shifting the sword to her side, keeping the grip relaxed next to her waist. Mikoto's hands suddenly felt urgent, precise and strong, as she suddenly swung her sword diagonally across an empty abyss. A weird deafening sound fell on Mikoto's ears, as if she had cut some sort of barrier and sound itself. Mikoto swung once more, following the gravity of her sword that swung to the side with a spin of her body. In a single spin, Mikoto struck diagonally across the abyss, and it felt much more powerful as her sword silently shrieked.

Joy filled Mikoto's body with each strikes, slashes, and pierces she did in the empty abyss. In fact, Mikoto was enjoying the silent shrieks of the sword, as a song sung with each swings she has made. Mikoto was light with her steps, following swings after swings with succession, and she soon felt free of any doubts or hesitations.

"Do you enjoy that sword in your hand?" The teacher asked, standing a distance away from Mikoto's side.

Mikoto stopped and hugged her sword, "It's amazing!" She joyously replied, her very form reverting into a young Mikoto that now rest its guard on her shoulder.

The teacher chuckled and said, "Then keep it and practice it, only when you are not in the master's vision. I will help you."

Mikoto tilted her head and asked, "Why does Mikoto have to hide from my master?"

The teacher grimly smiled at Mikoto, "That sword Mikoto… it represents something that only you possess, passed down from generations to generations, and wields the power of Earth itself. Beware, for if it is in the hands of others, they will carry power and land that no one will understand."

Mikoto felt the importance of the sword and gripped tightly, "How will I understand what Mikoto carries? And what if Mikoto does not have the sword?" She asked with plea and urgency.

The teacher shook his head, "That is something I cannot answer, for only you will learn of it. As for the sword…" He smirked and chuckled.

"If you lost it, get it back. It belongs to you most certainly."


The morning came in a wink of their sleep, as their bodies… somewhat tangled up into each other. Mai had an arm draped over Mikoto's waist, while Mikoto's hand clenched on her shirt. From a perspective, it would look like they were cuddling for warmth in the already heated room. Their blanket riding down on their stomachs, as the room slowly lit up by the rising sun's ray.

Before the sun's ray could touch them, Mai woke up first with a soft grumble. Mai turned on her back and lifted her hand from Mikoto's waist, resting them on her forehead with a sigh. Mai was not aware that she had placed her arm on Mikoto, but she was aware of the soft snore at her side. Mai smiled softly and wondered who it was that had such a cute snore. Mai lowered her arm from her forehead and tilted her head to the side.

A pleasant sight greeted Mai, as Mikoto's peaceful look warmed her heart. An innocent, pleasant, and youthful expression highlighted Mikoto's face. The fact that Mikoto was also sleeping unguardedly beside Mai was a little worrying. Mai felt that she should not worry about that and let Mikoto feel comfortable sleep on a real bed. Who knows if Mikoto ever had the chance to sleep without feeling guarded? With all the commotion between Mikoto and her master's men, it was unlikely for her to feel at ease with a lengthy sleep.

Mai moved her hand and gently pushed the soft locks of hair that cascaded near Mikoto's nose. Mikoto nuzzled to the slightest touch and graze of Mai's finger as Mai tucked her hair behind the ear. Mai supressed a laugh as Mikoto's brows arched up. Mai wondered if Mikoto was having a good dream. Nevertheless, Mai decided to get up and not bother Mikoto's rest.

As Mai tried to, she felt something tug on her shirt. Mai looked down to find Mikoto's hand clutching onto her shirt. Mai should have felt embarrassed or concerned, but looking at Mikoto's face, she believed that Mikoto trusted her to feel comfortable and safe. It warmed Mai's heart to be able to bring ease in Mikoto's journey that was still in the midst of process.

Mai gently cupped the hand that was holding her shirt, giving it a soft and comforting squeeze as she pulled them off her. Mikoto mumbled in her sleep and turned on her back as soon as Mai placed her hand on the bed. Mai giggled softly as Mikoto's lips parted and mumbled about food.

"Pancakes…" Mikoto muttered, her lips drooling with saliva and snoring with delight.

Mai covered her mouth as she laughed, taking in delight as Mikoto's mouth bit ceremoniously on empty air. Mai shook her head and calmed down. Then Mai got off the bed and stretched her bones and muscles, softly sighing in relief as the bones cracked with a relaxing jolt and loosening her muscles. Mai felt something slightly hot touched her leg. The sun's ray peaked through the gap between the curtains, giving it a warm yet blinding shine outside the window. Oddly enough, it did not feel too warm or hot in the morning, so Mai went over to the window and peaked behind the curtains.

Smirking ceremoniously, the winter greeted Mai with flakes of snow. The sky a fair grey and white, as the snow coated the trees and soil with fluffy snow. Moreover, the fortress looked less busy without the air transports moving about. Obviously due to the snow and perhaps that was why it was so busy yesterday. The clients were likely trying to gain early attention of their trade before the arrival of winter.

Apart from that, Mai wondered if her two 'saviours' would enjoy the winter at this time. Mai knew they were holders of several professional employees, but she worried that they too might not have their vacation. Mai decided not to worry, as her 'saviours' were wonderful and amazing on their jobs.

Closing the curtains back, Mai turned around to see Mikoto sleeping on her side this time. Mai let Mikoto be and went over to raise the blanket over to Mikoto's shoulder. Mikoto snuggled comfortably as the blanket gently wrapped her in warmth. Mai once again tucked Mikoto's soft locks of hair behind the ear, smiling as she thought of braiding Mikoto's hair.

Once Mai had done that, she decided to leave the room after lowering the heater's warmth. Mikoto should wake up soon and Mai would love to have pancakes with her. Before cooking, the first thing that Mai would always do was… radio exercises. A woman loves to feel pretty and fit, even if Mai had grown some abs on her body.