Initially I was going to upload these periodically, but I'd rather just upload all at once and give you all some thoughts I have in the meanwhile. In rereading the doc of this fic I have, this was by far my favorite chapter. I think it definitely sets up the plot of this fic really well. It's a shame it's so short, but I'm not going back to flesh it out.

"Through all of this noise,

Chasing a shadow,

Why looking for answers, just leaves a question?"

- "Voice", Pay Money To My Pain

The girl who was with Runo (at least Julie assumed that by the way she was acting) tried to get Julie to move away. She wouldn't budge. "Runo." She said again, firmly. "Tell me right now. What are you seeing?"

Runo stayed quiet, although she did try to jerk her head back and forth. Julie prevented that.

"Runo. As the Subterra Queen, I command you to speak to me." The way Julie was acting came back to her in an instant. She knew what to do in this situation.

"...They're back...Devastation...No way Vestroia will survive..." Runo spoke lowly, and Julie was very sure it wasn't in the voice she spoke with normally. "We have to go back...we have to go...back..."

"What's wrong?!" The girl Runo was with asked, worried for her friend. "What's wrong with her?"

"I'm going to ask that everyone leave now." Julie said seriously. "As a miko, I'm going to take away the bad energy from this girl." It was a lie that she was a miko, but people seemed to buy it. Especially the girl Runo was with. People began to clear away, except the girl Runo was with.

"Are you really a miko? Lucky! Please help her!" Julie wasn't going to tell her she wasn't, but what she was about to do might as well have made her a miko. Julie nodded, and then closed her eyes. She felt Runo in front of her.

Then she felt as though she were being pulled through space at an intense speed.

There were people. People with oddly shaded hair, and with forms of technology Julie had never seen before. They were talking about something. One of them wore a mask that could have been taken from a robot's face, and was very flamboyant in his clothing choice.

"Honestly Clay. I'm getting annoyed." He spoke to a middle aged man with orange hair. He looked like a stay at home dad.

"Spectra, I promise we're almost there."

"It's been 3 years Clay! Cut the crap! Everyday we're not on Vestroia is another lecture given to me by King Zenoheld." The Spectra man said. "Are you almost through this damn barrier or not?"

"I am." Clay replied. "Give me another 3 months and we'll be there."

"You better be telling the truth." Spectra threatened before leaving his presence. He was muttering to himself.

"Damn children. They put up more of a fight than we Vestals anticipated. No more now." Spectra muttered.

In the present time, Julie blinked herself awake. Runo moaned slightly afterwards. Julie could see her eyes light up in recognition as she calmed down from her spiral.

"Julie?" She asked as she came to. "Is that you?" Her voice was a drawl. Julie nodded.

"It's me, Runo." She answered.

"What happened?" Asked Runo. She clutched onto the table for stability. Julie smiled softly.

"I had to take the light. Like old times." Runo listened to her words, but it took a moment for them to process through her mind. Then she remembered.

"The...the Vestals..."

"Um, Runo? Who is this?" Runo's friend asked. "And what did she do? You didn't tell me you knew a miko!"

"I don't." Runo replied. Julie chuckled.

"Sorry about that. I'm Julie. An old friend of Runo's."

"Are you the Australian?" Runo's friend rudely asked. Well, Julie was sure she meant well, but it came off as rude.

"Um...yes?" Before that conversation could continue onward, Runo suddenly lunged forward and grabbed Julie's arm tightly.

"W-we have to go. We have to get the others and-" She winced, grabbing her head again.

"Calm down sweetie." Julie muttered, gently placing her hand over Runo's. "I didn't see the entire thing, but I saw the end." She frowned. "This is real isn't it?" Runo nodded.

"There's no possible way for two people to have the exact same vision at the same time." She replied. "And if I'm correct, you saw the masked man at the end."

"That's exactly who I saw."

"You just confirmed my fear."

"Runo? What are you speaking? English?" The two girls looked at the other girl in their presence.

"Who is that?" Julie asked the blue haired girl, who was holding her head.

"Friend from school..." Muttered Runo. "What is she talking about? Aren't we speaking in...Japanese..." The two slowly realized what exactly was happening.

"Holy-" Runo slumped over before she could finish her sentence. Runo's friend began to freak out, but Julie only sighed and clenched her head in pain, a wave of nausea overcoming her.