Fragile Strings of the Heart
Kazumi opened her eyes to see a cloudy grey sky. Rain was just beginning to fall, splashing off of her cheeks. She sat up slowly and rubbed her forehead.
"Ouch... why do I feel like I fell off a cliff?" she muttered aloud. The redhead looked around and saw that she was sitting in tall, dry grass. When she stood up, the long stalks still came up to her waist. "Where the heck am I?"
Kazumi saw a house a few hundred yards away. It was an older style Japanese home, with paper walls and sliding doors. Curious, she began walking towards it.
Nodoka was crying in fear. One minute, she had been with Yue, just talking about nothing. Now, she was here in this strange place, and she had no idea what to do or where to go.
"I'm lost!" the purplette sobbed. "Where am I?" she hugged her knees, rocking back and forth under a cherry blossom tree. A light wind blew and rain began to fall, causing the freshly bloomed pink flowers to fall apart, and the petals to rain down on Nodoka's head. The beauty and mystery of the moment made her forget her predicament for a while. The sight of the petals reminded her of Setsuna, and a guilty blush crossed her cheeks, knowing what this could mean for her and Yue.
"I-I have to find out where I am and how to get back home..." Nodoka muttered to herself, starting to walk out of the trees.
When Setsuna emerged from the grass, she knew immediately where she was.
Th-this is... Konoka's house! The little swordsman thought in shock. But what am I doing here? And why am I so small? Is this... the past?
Setsuna decided the only way to know was to find Konoka or her father and talk to them. She headed for the familiar building, but stopped suddenly when she saw someone else going in the same direction a little ways away.
What the... Kazumi!
"Kazumi!" Setsuna called, her little voice echoing in the clearing. The reporter looked around, and when she saw Setsuna, she tilted her head and walked over.
"Hello little girl," she said. "You look familiar... Is this a dream?"
"Kazumi it's me, Setsuna! And I have no idea what this is, but it sure is weird. You haven't seen anyone else, have you?"
"What? You couldn't be Setsuna, you're way too little... wait..." Kazumi looked into the little girls eyes. "It is you! Setsuna!" She scooped the tyke into her arms and squeezed her hard.
"Mph!" The little sword girl was smothered by her friend's expansive chest, and she blushed furiously, knowing that if she had been in her normal body, she may have enjoyed it.
"Man, you're so cute like this! But why are you like this?"
"Beats me..." Setsuna shrugged and looked around, still held up in Kazumi's arms. "If you're here, then I wonder who else is?"
"Kazumi!" a voice called. It was faint, barely even considered a shout.
"Nodoka!" Setsuna called back. "Over here!"
Out of a patch of grass, the purple-haired librarian emerged, her clothes disheveled and hair tangled up. Her eyes were red from tears and she had a few cuts on her arms and face.
"I-I saw you from the trees, but I got lost in this grass..." she panted. After regaining her breath, Nodoka looked around, confused. "Where's Setsuna?" she asked "I heard her voice."
"Right here," the little girl said. Nodoka looked at her and gasped, before her cheeks reddened in jealousy of Kazumi. "Setsuna, I- what happened to you?"
"I'd like to know myself, but I don't think any answers are going to come to us just standing here. Come on, we should go in the house and see if there's anyone else from our class, especially Konoka or Sayo."
Nodoka and Kazumi both looked at her curiously, wondering why she had suggested those two girls. Setsuna, on the other hand, knew exactly why they might be here, because she loved them, as well as Nodoka and Kazumi. Sh thought that something might be bringing the girls here, for a reason she did not yet know. As they approached the front of the house, Setsuna now on her own two feet, they all heard a screeching sound. The three girls whipped around to see the fairy coming at them quickly over the grass.
"Inside, quick!" Kazumi yanked the door open, shoving Nodoka through and picking Setsuna back up. When the door closed behind them, they found themselves in pitch blackness. Setsuna used her chi skills to summon a flame on the end of her finger, small but bright. In the newly created light, the Shinmeiryuu girl realized that she was back to her normal self. Kazumi set her on her feet, her face red even in the firelight.
"There's no one here..." Setsuna muttered as she walked once around the room, "And the rest of the house... it's just gone. There're no doors or windows, even though I could see them from outside..."
"Setsuna..." Nodoka mumbled, clutching to the raven-haired girl's arm. "I'm scared, what's going on?"
Setsuna shook her head.
"I don't know, but I hope we find out soon. Kazumi, check to see if the fairy's still out there."
The reporter nodded and turned to check the door, but it was gone. They were now standing in a blank room, that seemed to be getting smaller!
"Setsunaaa!" Nodoka wailed. Kazumi backed away from the wall, and they all clustered together in the middle as the room closed in on them. The darkness seemed to press in, quenching Setsuna's flame and engulfing their legs and arms. Setsuna felt like she was drowning, the shadows closing over her head like water. Everything was strangely silent, and the only thing she could hear was her own heartbeat.
Suddenly, a light cut through the blackness, and Setsuna felt like she was falling. She landed on something soft and laid still for a long time, her eyes closed. When she sat up and looked around, she saw something familiar; the limitless white room from her dream. A figure approached from the edge of her vision before kneeling down and taking her hand. Setsuna accepted the help and took to her feet.
"Yume..." she muttered when she saw those familiar gold eyes. "i never thought I'd see you again."
"Well..." the image said. "Surprise! Here I am."
Yay! Another update! Sorry it took a little while, but it's better than waiting three months, am I right? Anyway, I hope you guys like this one, because I'm sure happy with it. I love writing about the magical world because it's so interesting and easy to mold. Anyways, Next chapter: What happened to Kazumi and Nodoka? Why has Yume appeared again? And where are Konoka and Sayo? Wait for the next installment with BARELY WITHHELD IMPATIENCE!