The Melancholic Spring
Her heart aches with concern, for the sake of her companions just beyond the garden
"The Taisha reported today that the restoration of the Grand Seto Bridge has been progressing on schedule. During this morning's press conference, the Taisha sounded optimistic that the bridge may be back to its original state by mid-302."
The interior of the small udon shop is filled with the clamor of the late-afternoon dinner rush. Waitresses busily scramble from table to table to wait on the packed house as the TV blares a report on the status of the Grand Seto Bridge's construction to the half-attentive audience. Tables within the quaint eatery are packed with families partaking in their evening meals and students stopping for a bite to eat after their clubs.
Two young girls relax at a small table set in the restaurant's rear corner. The collars and skirts of their matching school uniforms are colored in a muted grey, and a green ribbon drapes from each girl's collar. The brown-haired girl leans back in her seat as she thumbs through a feed of pictures and statuses on her phone. Several empty bowls, once containing the shop's signature dish, are stacked in front of her on the table.
"Haru, are you just going to sit on your phone the whole time?"
The blonde-haired girl sitting across from Haruka chastises the junior-high student. From the moment the two girls had sat down, Haruka's phone had rarely left her hands.
"What's the problem, Lily? I didn't look at my phone once after lunch today, I think I've earned it."
"The fact you had to add 'after lunch' is the problem, Haru… "
From one look at the blonde locks and dazzling appearance of Kobayakawa Lily, it would be hard to believe that the young girl once fought alongside Haruka, Rina, and the rest of the Sentinels in their fight to free the world. Placed at Rank 26, she was the designated shield-bearing member of Noriko's party. Lily and Haruka formed a fast friendship through their time as Sentinels and the blonde-haired defender likely stood as Haruka's closest confidant in the blue-haired Sentinel's absence.
"Lily, you need to lighten up. I think Mebuki might have rubbed off on you a bit too much."
"Well, pardon me for worrying about your wellbeing, Haruka. Pray tell, how did you do on last week's quiz?"
Lily's question strikes Haruka like a surprise attack from a Stardust; she motions frantically at her junior, but leans a bit too far back and tumbles to the floor. Lily leans over slightly, ensuring Haruka's safety while also taking amusement at the shocked reaction. Haruka dusts herself off and nervously sputters a response.
"I—It was fine! Everyone misses the mark once in a while, right?"
Lily lets out an audible sigh and shakes her head, clearly not surprised by this excuse. She continues to scold her lackadaisical companion as Haruka rights herself in her chair and casually continues scrolling through her feed.
"Honestly, Haruka, if you put as much effort into your schooling as you did into training, you could be top of the class."
"Eh, all this school stuff's never been for me. I'm just going to inherit Pops' business after high school anyways, so it's fine."
Haruka nonchalantly brushes off Lily's concern as she continues to gaze into the small screen in front of her. After a particular motion, her face is briefly splashed with a somber look, only barely long enough for Lily to catch it. Suspicious of the true motive behind Haruka's demeanor, Lily shifts the topic of conversation.
"Have you heard from either of them today?"
Haruka's eyes seem to widen as Lily strikes at the heart of what has been bothering the former Sentinel. For the first time since entering the restaurant, Haruka presses the lock button on her phone. The screen quickly dims before Haruka finally gives her full attention to the concerned girl sitting across from her. Shaking her head, she responds to Lily's query.
"Nope, not since two days ago. Last thing Rina told me, the two of them had performed the ritual at Kibitsu Shrine and they were headed for Okayama Castle. I tried texting her a couple times throughout the day, but no response."
"Well, she does have Ishida with her. With her around, I'm sure Rina's just fine."
Lily's words do little to calm Haruka's restless state of mind as she opens her phone once again. Floating through the texts the girls have exchanged since Rina and Noriko departed on their journey fills her with an uncharacteristic worry.
"She told me the rumors are true, Lily. There are still Stardust out there. Everything may look like it's back to normal, but they're still out there."
"So? We fought them plenty of times with Commander Kusunoki. If there were Vertexes out there, that would be another thing… but the two of them should be able to handle a few Stardust just fine."
Haruka wears her uncertainty on her face as she continues to share her worries for her two companions. Lily slowly rises from her seat and walks to the other side of the table, wrapping her arms around Haruka from behind and resting her head on the girl's shoulder. She consoles her distressed friend, reminiscing about their days as comrades-in-arms.
"I never took you as the type to worry this much, Haruka. Back when we were with the Sentinels, you were always looking to jump into the fray. It took everything we could muster to keep you from charging in alone."
Lily's words brush up memories of a particular mission from their time as Sentinels.
＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊
The mission was one like any other assigned to the group of former Hero candidates. Venture into the outside world to perform reconnaissance and establish a location to plant the Shinju-sama's seed. As the eight ships of the Exo-barrier Special Investigations Fleet push further into the fiery hellscape of the outside world, the Sentinels' leading officer, Kusunoki Mebuki, gives orders from the head of the pack.
"All ships, slow your advance. We're approaching the designated location."
Standing at the bow of one of the ships, Noriko's uniform sways in the warm breeze, emblazoned with her ship's "04" designation at her collar. Her silver ponytail brushes against her neck as she faces the fleet's ultimate destination.
In the back of the ship, Rina rests against the side wall of the wooden craft's deck, desperately trying to fan herself with her hand. Haruka sits next to her atop the ledge of the boat and, across from her, Lily's shield is firmly stuck into the floorboards beside her, ready to respond to an attack at any moment.
"Nori-Noriiiii… It's too hoooot… "
Haruka chuckles at her companion's plight, sticking her tongue out as she cracks a joke at Rina's expense.
"I guess the whole 'ice down the back of the uniform' trick didn't work, eh, Rina?"
A harsh pout stretches across Rina's face as she stamps both hands against the floor.
"That was your idea, Harurun!"
"Was it? Oops~"
Haruka continues to tease and prod the blue-haired girl next to her as Rina bakes in the incessant heat of the outside world. Lily loudly sighs, clearly not amused by Haruka's antics, and continues to scope out the girls' surroundings.
"Can you two take this even slightly seriously?"
As she surveys the area, the swaying of her head snaps to an immediate stop as she catches a glimpse of something in her eye. It takes Lily only a moment to process the source of the momentary glint of light as she jumps to her feet, shouting into her communicator.
"Commander Kusunoki! Stardust incoming from the northwest!"
Mebuki sharply pivots in the direction of Lily's warning, quickly catching sight of a swarming mass of Stardust charging towards the fleet.
"Sentinels, battle stations!"
In an instant, the fleet of ships comes to a full halt and rushes to arm themselves for combat. Rina and Haruka jump to their feet and swing the muskets from their backs as Noriko arms herself with her bayonet. Noriko takes aim at the oncoming cloud of white and barks orders to the other members of her group.
"Ship 4, take aim!"
"Steady… steady…"
As the cloud comes ever closer, a chorus of gunshots ring out from the ships surrounding Noriko's group. The crimson sky of the battlefield is filled with beams of green light dashing across the skies and into the mass of ravenous Stardust. As the enemy approaches Ship 4, the sound of Noriko's voice cuts through the air like a sonic boom.
"Fire!"
At Noriko's command, the three gun-wielding Sentinels ripped into the approaching Stardust. Reloading as quickly as they can, the three rain bullets upon the grotesque mass of heavenly beasts as they circle the fleet, occasionally charging through the Sentinels' ranks. From all around them, the other ships call out their condition as the Stardust presses their attack.
"Ship 5 has taken minor structural damage!"
"Ship 3 is under fire, we need back-up!"
"Ship 2, move to back-up Ship 3! Ship 5, move to the back!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
Through the cacophony of cries and shouts from the Sentinels, the voice of their commander, Kusunoki Mebuki, seems to always cut through the chaff and unite the group as one. As Ship 4 presses their attack against the Stardust, a fire begins to burn in Haruka's eyes.
"Alright, come on! Let's get this over with, already!"
As Rina and Noriko continue to fire into the swarm of Stardust, Haruka lowers her gun. With a swift movement, she flips the gun around in her hands and grips the firearm near its muzzle. The girl's face is cast in a wild grin as she shouts defiantly into the swarm of heavenly beasts.
"Let's see how you freaks like this one!"
With enough force to jostle the boat, Haruka rockets off and into the air towards the oncoming Stardust. Clutching her musket in one hand like a club, she brings the muzzle down hard over the head of a Stardust. The force of the impact causes the beast to burst beneath her mighty swing as she takes off towards another.
"Haruka, are you insane?!"
Lily screams out to the reckless Sentinel as Noriko and Rina scramble to provide cover fire for their dear friend. Bullets continue to rain through the sky from all directions as Haruka darts around, repeatedly bashing one Stardust after another with the handle of her weapon. As she takes down her seventh Stardust, she turns back towards the ship with her signature confident smile.
"See, guys, it's no problem!"
Rina and Noriko breathe a sigh of relief as Haruka appears to be unharmed. However, Lily's worries persist for the reckless Sentinel, her fears quickly being realized by a Stardust lurching up and ramming Haruka from behind. The brash brown-haired girl is sent tumbling towards the ship, scrambling to grip her musket once more as the beast's ravenous maw storms towards her. Haruka closes her eyes, bracing for impact as the Stardust approaches her. However, the creature's attack is stopped just short of sinking its teeth into her.
"Honestly, Haruka!"
As Haruka opens her eyes, she sees Lily's golden blonde hair swaying before her, erecting a translucent green shield to hold the hungry Stardust at bay. Lily shakes her head and scolds the rash nature of her partner's attack.
"You idiot, what would you do if you didn't have me around?"
"Lily…"
Lily turns her head to Haruka and sees the normally brazen girl gently smiling back at her. Surprised by the genuine gratitude in Haruka's face, Lily begins to glow a bright shade of red as she embarrassedly turns back towards the stymied Stardust.
"L— Let's return to the ship!"
"Y— Yeah."
Haruka quickly blasts the white mass Lily had been holding at bay as the two girls descend once more back to Rina and Noriko's side.
＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊
Releasing her grip on Haruka, Lily teases her partner once more as she slowly strolls back to her own seat.
"Honestly, Haruka, you have such a one-track mind. It would suit you well to pay better attention to your surroundings."
As Lily sits at the table once more, a familiar voice rings out from within the udon shop.
"Miss Inokuma! Miss Kobayakawa!"
From across the small shop, a girl with blonde hair a shade darker than Lily's approaches the table. She carries an air of haughtiness in her posture and demeanor as the two girls turn their attention towards her.
"Ah, Yumiko! It's good to see you!"
Miroku Yumiko, another of the group of Sentinels who had served directly underneath Mebuki. Her skill and poise in battle was only matched by her unwavering pride in the name of the Miroku family. Haruka's face shifts into a smug grin at the arrival of Yumiko, poking fun at the group's "rich girl".
"What are you doing here, Yumiko? I wouldn't expect to see the high and mighty 'heir to the Miroku family name' in a tiny shop like this."
Lily looks back at Haruka with a smile as she ushers Yumiko to the table.
"I invited her, Haruka. I thought it could be a nice little Sentinel reunion of sorts."
Taking her seat beside Lily, Yumiko sets down her school bag and sits prim and proper, accentuating her posture as she joins the two girls.
"Miss Kobayakawa was insistent. She said that you've been struggling since Miss Ishida and Miss Konoe embarked on their journey."
"I— It's nothing! It's not that big a deal, geez. You didn't need to call Yumiko here for this, Lily."
Haruka blushes heavily as she turns away from Yumiko, trying to no avail to hide her obvious embarrassment. Yumiko and Lily share a chuckle as the two girls recognize Haruka's loneliness.
"You really miss Rina, don't you?"
"Yeah…"
Haruka lets her true feelings slip as Lily finally manages to pry the answer she had been waiting for throughout their entire outing. Yumiko then pipes up with an observation of her own.
"You and Miss Konoe were rarely separated during those months, were you, Miss Inokuma?"
"They were joined at the hip. Anywhere Rina went, Haruka followed. The three of us were assigned to the same class after things returned to normal too."
"I see…"
A hushed silence falls over the three girls as they ponder over the situation before them. Suddenly, a sharp vibration from Haruka's phone pierces through the stillness. She quickly scrambles for the small device and opens it. Tears begin to stream from her eyes as a lone notification sits on her homescreen.
"New message
Rina"
She hurriedly unlocks the device and sets it in front of her on the table, opened to the text message from Rina. The three girls all crowd around the table, reading a message describing the discovery Rina and Noriko had made at Okayama Castle and the ceremony the two Scouts had performed at Himeji Castle. Haruka breathes a sigh of relief as her mind is finally able to rest once more.
"Are you not going to reply to her, Miss Inokuma?"
A lightbulb seems to flash on in Lily's head as she reaches for Haruka's phone, pulling it away before the brown-haired girl can grab it.
"Say, Haruka. Rina sent you a photo when she first got over there to let you know they made it safely, right?"
"Yeah, she did."
"So, what do you say we send her one back? Let her know everyone's okay back home too?"
Lily's idea warms Haruka's heart as she happily smiles at her two companions. The positive upturn in her demeanor in turn comforts Yumiko and Lily as they crowd together around the table. With Lily holding the phone in the air, the brilliant smiles of the three former Sentinels are captured with the hope that their jovial demeanors will help to push their adventuring companions onward.