Chapter 10: The Long Road

Natsuki followed Shizuru along the narrow path uphill. She was dressed in a lime-colored kimono, clumsily treading on the wooden geta. Her long hair was let loose, blowing with the soft, cool wind. The light air around her felt soothing in the sun, but the walk had soon become exhausting. Shizuru had led the way into the deep forest for an hour now, and the girl showed no sign of slowing down. As if on cue, Shizuru turned around to Natsuki, and smiled in amusement.

"I play basketball, and I do surf…" Natsuki muttered, picking up her speed to catch up with the taller girl. "But I can't say I'm a sporty person. I don't like walking. It's… It's boring… Jeez…" She irritably jerked her right geta out from the pool of mud, and then cursed at the splash of dark spots on her kimono and legs.

Shaking her head, Shizuru started walking again. "You keep mentioning strange things I have never heard of. It makes me wonder what your country is like."

Natsuki rushed to keep up with the girl, and when they were at the same pace. "The right word should be 'my world'. And I can tell you right now that it's very different from yours. We ride motorcycles and cars—and—and we've got planes and ships. Oh, definitely, we've got phones and internet. Whatever. You wouldn't understand anyway. And we don't walk on getas into the woods anymore. Oh, on another thought, it's slightly better than heels… Yeah—"

Natsuki only stopped talking when Shizuru paused in her tracks. She looked up to see a curious look in the girl's eyes. She didn't know whether it was the oddity of the conversation, or the sheer fixation of Shizuru's stare, she just had to look down. "You think I'm crazy, don't you?"

"A little strange."

"You're being nice." Natsuki scratched her head, and sighed in defeat. "Whatever I've told you, please believe that I am telling the truth. I'm not from here. I don't belong here… in your world."

After a moment of silence, Shizuru lightly patted Natsuki's shoulder, and continued the walk. "Do not fret. I am getting used to your strangeness, and I say that I am quite fascinated by it. But that is life, I suppose. Life is strange."

Upon hearing the comforting words, Natsuki closely followed Shizuru, and lightly poked the girl with her elbow. "Uh-huh, dressing up as your brother makes you even weirder than me."

"I suppose we are a match somehow," Shizuru said, chuckling.

Natsuki blushed, taken by surprise by Shizuru's take on it. She thought that she might upset the girl for bringing the subject of Eiji up again, but she couldn't deny that she secretly wished for Shizuru to slip. It seemed that the girl had read her too well.

Before long, they stopped to take a lunch break. Shizuru had carried bento for both of them, along with a violet-colored, paper umbrella. Natsuki had offered to help, but Shizuru politely refused. It amused Natsuki that an upper-class girl like Shizuru seemed to like handling things herself, while she could easily have her maids do it for her. Midori had wanted to follow them out here, but Shizuru wouldn't want another fight between them to ruin the sunny day.

"Are you hungry?" Shizuru sat down at a big sakura tree. A thick plane of sakura leaves blanketed the ground, acting as a cushion for her.

Natsuki sank down beside her. "Oh, good! I'm starving!" For some reasons, her graceless demeanor earned her another smile from Shizuru. Her cheeks suddenly felt warm, and she decided that it was only her being exhausted from the long walk.

"When Midori knew that I would not allow her to come with us, she made this for us instead. We should be thankful to her. She is certainly more thoughtful and gentle than you might think," Shizuru said, nodding as she took another bite from the rice balls.

Natsuki couldn't help but smile at how Shizuru appreciated an easy meal cooked by her maid. Midori must have been more than just a faithful servant to the girl, almost like a big sister, if one would say. Her thoughts then drifted back to her own world, where she once had someone like Midori by her side. Mai had been the closest friend she had have, caring and understanding her in situations most people would turn their back to her.

"You look sad now. What is troubling you, Kruger-san?"

Natsuki stared down at a rice ball in her hands. She hadn't taken a bite yet. "It's… It's Natsuki. You can call me 'Natsuki' from now on." She then took a big bite and chewed as fast as she could. It was inept to think back—to ponder. Perhaps, it was time to move on in this strange, new place she had not known before.

A softest smile graced Shizuru's lips as she looked down. "That is nice of you."

They quietly ate their lunch, and soon started trekking uphill once again. Natsuki wiped the sweat off her forehead with the edge of her sleeve. Although her body felt tired, her will to carry on overcame it. Not another word of complain escaped her mouth. She wanted to reach the place. She wanted to see it with her own eyes as it might solve the riddle.

Shizuru eventually stopped and pointed forward. "That is the hut they say haunted. It has been left empty for many years now."

Natsuki paused. There was a small cabin locating just a hundred meters ahead of them. It seemed strange to see a shelter in the middle of nowhere. She could hear the sound of waves crashing not too distant away, and she could tell that they were high above the shores by now. She didn't like the sound, the height, or the thought of staying for too long, but something just drew her to it. She moved ahead Shizuru, heading towards the cabin without waiting for the girl.

Natsuki slid the worn, shoji door open. She inwardly flinched at the creaky sounds the wood gave, and the smell of lavender that suddenly hit her hard. It was the same scent she smelled when she first met Shizuru, the same one that had haunted her for a long time. She stepped inside and inspected the area. A small, dusted, low table stood in the middle of the room. There was a torn, wooden partition standing in the right corner, presumably separating a part of this tiny space into a sleeping area. A thick web of dust covered a cupboard to her left. The cabin seemed peaceful in its melancholy isolation.

All of a sudden, the wind became harsh and pushed the windows open. Natsuki raised one hand above her eyes, squinting. She couldn't tell where the wind came from as she looked out and around to see how still the leaves on the ground outside were.

Shizuru rushed into the cabin and closed some of the windows. When the wind calmed, she then turned around, inspecting the place a little. "I have been here only once when I was a child. I was lost in the woods and found this cabin. My father would not let me come back here again when it was rumored around the island that it is haunted. They say the evil spirit will affect your life, bringing bad luck."

"There is no such thing as spirits. At least, they don't exist in my world." Natsuki shrugged. She ran her hand along the table and pulled the web in her hand.

Standing by a window, Shizuru lifted the curtain of web and blankly stared at it. "I am curious about your world. What is it like?"

Before Natsuki could answer the question, thunders rambled. Dark, thick clouds invaded the sky. Everything dimmed down in a matter of seconds, and the wind began to rock the door and windows again. Out of the blue, she snapped at the sound of footsteps. She turned around a few times, her eyes searching vigilantly. She swore she could feel a presence around the cabin, but it wasn't Shizuru or her. There was someone else. Turning around, she tried to catch the intruder in the act, but it escaped her every time.

Natsuki moved besides a window near the doorway, and peeked out. "Do you have enemies?"

Shizuru blinked in confusion. "Well… some…"

"Then we should leave. We might be followed."

Frowning, Shizuru walked towards Natsuki and looked out the window. "I do not see anyone. Besides, they could not have followed me here. This is Fuuka Island."

"They…" Natsuki turned to look at Shizuru. "Who are they?"

Shizuru stood still for a moment, and then gazed back at Natsuki.

Now, their gazes locked. "Are they the same people who hurt you? Was it… Was it because they thought you were Eiji?" Natsuki whispered.

The question left Shizuru in silence. The wind became harsher, and the windows gave out creaky sounds to fill in the silence between them. Reluctantly, Shizuru reached out to tuck the strands of raven hair behind Natsuki's ear. Her heart beating faster, Natsuki counted every second for an answer.

"If I told you, you will never leave this island again," Shizuru said, chuckling.

Natsuki couldn't tell if Shizuru was just teasing or not, but her curiosity was getting the best of her.

Maybe there's a reason I was sent here. Maybe it's meant to be…

Natsuki grimaced at the thought. Everything happened for a reason, but she had not yet found why she was caught in this apparent time-loop of the past. She could only hope to get some clues, which might be able to help her break out of this mess.

"When Eiji turned thirteen, he was arranged to marry Princess Akane, but he was poisoned by his rivals. He nearly died, and it took him years to recover." Shizuru then looked out into the greenness outside, her gaze calm. "My father thought that since we both look so much alike, I should take his role instead. He expects me to uphold our family's importance in the imperial court until Eiji is well enough, or… until he is willing to marry again. He is eighteen years old now, but he has refused every woman father has founded for him. Duty to him is nothing now. He has changed."

"Oh, I'm glad he did. You shouldn't listen to your father. You're not being yourself. It's not a life." Natsuki then frowned. "I don't know much about politics in court, but… did they hurt you for the same reason they poisoned Eiji?"

Shizuru then sat down at the low table. "No, it was a misunderstanding. I know that person rather well. We have been… friends for several years. I know that she certainly did not mean it."

"Wow. So it's a woman." Natsuki followed to the table and sat down opposite to Shizuru.

Shizuru looked up and down, avoiding the emerald, curious stare.

Natsuki raised her brows and grinned. "I heard Midori talking about one of your guards. What's his name again? Err—oh, Kiyoshi! Right. Shouldn't he be able to protect you from that vicious girl at the Capital?"

Shizuru bit her bottom lip, fixing her gaze on the filthy, tatami floor. "Kiyoshi is just a guard. He does not interfere with my personal matters."

Natsuki shrugged. "Well, what about you? When will you marry? You're seventeen now, aren't you?"

Shizuru nodded. "It is up to my father to decide. He knows the best for both of us. To the world, Fujino Shizuru is the ill one, confined to bed in the Fuuka mansion. She does not leave the island until Eiji marries. To the people beyond Fuuka, she does not exist."

At the last words, Natsuki paused for a moment. "But you are real to me."

Shizuru's head shot up at the words. She opened her mouth to speak, but stopped at the sudden, heavy downpour. She looked out the window, sulking at the sudden change of climate. "It is good that we had lunch before. It might take a while for the rain to stop. How strange. It is nearing winter, yet it still rains."

"It's so dark outside." Natsuki watched the thick clouds moving fast in the sky. She rubbed her arms as the air became colder, the wind harsher.

Shizuru noted Natsuki's slight quiver, and instantly moved to the cupboard. She opened it and searched through things. There were ceramic pots and bowls, all covered in thick dust.

"Huh. Someone did actually live here. You're sure it was the writer?" Natsuki remarked.

"That is what they say."

"How long has it been since her death?"

"No one seems to know for sure."

Natsuki rested her chin on her palm, watching Shizuru fumbling through stuff in the cupboard. "If nobody knows any concrete story about this writer, why did you think it's her spirit after all?"

"To answer your doubt, I suppose it is their love stories that matched. Since this island is closed to the outsiders, I could guess that she was not just a stranger wandering into this island. Plus, she was a foreigner. It made it more obvious." Shizuru turned around to face Natsuki, beaming. "Candles!"

"You don't mean that we might be stuck here for hours, right?" Natsuki didn't particularly enjoy the idea of spending long hours inside this old, creepy cabin. Besides, they didn't have any food left for dinner. She suddenly missed the warm, soft bed in the mansion. Even if she hated being stuck here, having maids arranging things for her at will was something else. In the end, she was still a spoilt brat her father and Mai seemed to want her to be.

Shizuru crawled back to the low table. She took a rusty candle stand and put a candle on top of it. She then lit the candle up, lending some more light inside the hut. "There are more candles stored in the cupboard. But we should be careful with it just in case the rain does not stop soon."

Natsuki rubbed her temples, her face twisting in displease. "Now, I wish Midori had tagged along. She might be a bit more useful than you in situation like this."

"What an insult, Kruger-san—"

"It's 'Natsuki'. Don't make me repeat myself." Natsuki rolled her eyes.

"I promise that we will get through the day, or night unscathed, Natsuki."

Natsuki smirked. "Like your arm? No, thanks."

"It was a misunderstanding. Do not make me repeat myself," Shizuru said with a straight face.

Natsuki grinned, now resting her chin on both palms. "Tell me about the girl. Who is she? Is she always fierce and scary?"

Immediately, Shizuru looked away.

"Come on. Don't be shy."

"It is a personal matter—"

"Is she Eiji's lover, or yours?"

Shizuru's eyes widened at the question. "P—Pardon?"

"Well, did she know that you are not the real Eiji?"

Shizuru closed her eyes for a moment, and then let out a sigh. "I am beginning to think that it was a mistake to let you know about this."

Natsuki's brows knitted in perplexity. "You wouldn't even tell Midori about this girl. Why did you tell me?"

For a long moment, Shizuru just stared at the raven-haired woman. Her lips moved a few times, but paused before a word come out. She then straightened herself up. "Like you said, I feel that you do not belong here, and what I told you would mean… nothing. I have no idea why I feel that way. My imagination convinces me that you are unreal, that… you are the writer, which is impossible… Is it?"

Natsuki stopped. Her gaze slowly dropped to the table. In all honesty, she didn't know where she was. She didn't know if she was dreaming. She didn't know if she was still sane after all. What impossible had become possible. What was unimaginable had become real.

Shizuru reached out her hand across the table and took Natsuki's in her hers. The warmth from the girl pulled Natsuki back from the oblivion she was in. She looked up at the girl, holding her breath.

"As much as you want, I want to know why you are here… Everything happens for a reason."

Natsuki breathed again. She was not alone on this long, mystifying road after all.

The rain continued to pour. It had been hours and showed no sign of stopping. The murky sky turned into black. The sun had set. Sitting next to the front door, Shizuru toyed with the umbrella. It wasn't much help in this severe climate. They both would fell ill in this cold, wet weather, if they so wished to trek back to the mansion in the rain.

Natsuki had spent hours walking around, inspecting the cabin, and now sitting next to the window, glancing out at the dark sky. She hugged her knees and clamped her jaw shut, shivering more and more each second past. It seemed that the more she wished to leave this place, the heavier the rain fell.

Without a word, Shizuru left the umbrella at the doorway, and walked towards the grubby partition. She pulled and spread out the worn mattress kept in the corner. She then gestured for Natsuki to come closer. "You should get some rest. It is likely that we will spend a night here."

"Where's Midori? Your guards? Why don't they come find you?" Natsuki groaned, resting her chin on her knees. She watched the girl tapping the dust from the mattress.

Shizuru chuckled. "It seems to be our bad luck. I told them not to disturb me."

"So it's all your fault. Jeez, I'm hungry." Natsuki crawled towards the mattress. At the very least, it looked warmer behind the partition. Hugging her arms, she then lied down on the mattress.

Shizuru pulled a thin blanket over Natsuki. "I will wake you when the rain stops."

Natsuki grabbed Shizuru's wrist and pulled her in before she could move away. Shizuru toppled over her, and they both halted. Their faces were so close that that they could feel each other's warm breath.

"Uh—w—well, where are you going?" Natsuki stuttered, softly brushing the strands of chestnut hair from her face. Discomfort instantly filled her chest as she was under Shizuru's watchful gaze.

"You are still unwell, so you should take some rest."

Natsuki paid no attention to Shizuru's excuse and pulled the girl down next to her. She closed her eyes and said, "We'll wake again when the sky is clear. Now, sleep." She could feel Shizuru's body tensed beside her, but she didn't dare to open her eyes. There had always been a weird feeling whenever she was close to the girl, always a little more than that familiar scent of lavender, but she didn't want to take the sentiment into consideration. She believed that she just wasn't used to being close to strangers.

After a while, Natsuki could feel Shizuru relax a little, slightly turning into a more comfortable position. She only opened her eyes again when Shizuru's breathing became regular and quiet, then she found that the girl was already fast asleep.

"Hey… Hey… Shizuru…" Natsuki tenderly pulled the girl's arm, but there was no response. Shizuru fell into deep slumber as soon as her head hit the mattress. It seemed that Shizuru was as tired as she was. Wide-eyed, she inwardly griped; she would be totally alone in the dark now.

Suddenly, Natsuki snapped. If she wasn't mistaken, a set of shadow had passed the window beyond the partition. The murky shadow appeared to be the same one she saw this afternoon, the one circling around the cabin. What more noticeable now was the strands of silver, long hair flowing in the wind as it moved.

Natsuki sat up, her gaze darting around, watching every gap between the windows. There was someone near, someone watching them. Was it Shizuru's enemy, or was it her own imagination? She got up from the mattress, following the shadow, which became more apparent each time, from one window to another. It seemed to repeat its path, moving from one spot to another.

Natsuki shut her eyes for a moment before she muttered, "Natsuki… Natsuki Kruger…?"

She knew that she sounded insane just now, but it was the only theory she could come up with. "Na—Natsuki Kruger…? Kruger…? Answer me…!" She rushed towards the front door and slid it open. The wind swept in, killing the candlelight inside. The rain still fell hard, and she could see nothing in the dark outside of the cabin. She squinted, turning around.

Where did it go?

She turned around, but froze, her breath caught in her throat. What appeared before her was no longer a set of passing shadow, but an old woman with silver, long hair, standing at the low table. Then she passed in front of Natsuki, and out the front door. Natsuki couldn't count how many times the old woman repeated her tracks, but the vision seemed to replicate itself countless times like a skipped, bad, old film. What startled her even more was the smell of lavender that struck her every time the old woman passed her to go through the front door.

Natsuki rubbed her eyes a few times, trying to rid herself of the fatigue. She couldn't have been imagining it, could she? Then the old woman walked out of the cabin and headed into the woods. Natsuki reluctantly followed. She needed to know what was going on, who the old woman was.

The old woman eventually stopped in the middle of the forest and knelt down, her silver hair hanging down, hiding her face. She started digging into the ground with her bare hands. All the while, she mumbled things that Natsuki could not hear.

"Are… Are you… Natsuki Kruger…?" Natsuki tried to get the old woman's attention, but there was no response. The old woman kept digging until her fingertips bled.

When the hole was deep enough, the old woman took out a tiny, wooden box out of her pocket and buried it.

What…

Her whole body wet from the downpour, Natsuki watched the scene unfolded before her eyes as if she had seen it before.

What's in it…?

She wanted to know. She needed to know. Clenching her fists, she tried to move closer to the old woman, but her legs just wouldn't move. Her eyes became hot, and her breath ragged. She couldn't tell if they were tears or the rain that was bathing her cheeks. She wouldn't know why she would be crying, but her heart ached like it had never felt before. Her face paled. She reached her hand out as she watched the old woman covering the hole in the ground, burying what seemed to be her deepest secret.

She knew. She once knew. But she just couldn't tell what it was now. Natsuki bit her bottom lip and looked away. It hurt too much to watch. It took every ounce of energy within her to stand. Before she knew it, her knees gradually weakened, and she slid to the ground. Only then, she was shaken by a pair of warm hands.

"Natsuki… Natsuki…!"

Her heavy eyelids closed, Natsuki recognized it as Shizuru's voice. She wanted to call out for the girl, but her voice wouldn't come out. Shizuru spoke more words, but its content was lost to her numbed mind. Soon, everything became absolute black and silent.

A/N: Thanks for dropping by :) Anyway, since I've got a bit more time these days, I'm going to try and finish the next chapter for 'Legend of the Vampire'. After a year of absence, I only got a page just a few days ago. =_=