Return To Airithan

by Keeneye945

When Sasha was 12 years old she was forced to move away from her home and best friend Sable. She left with a promise to one day return. 15 years later Sasha is able to fulfill that childhood promise. Back in her childhood home, Sasha can only wonder how much her childhood friend has changed. Will they become friends again? Will Sable even remember her? llager/Sable

1. Memories

Chapter 1: Memories

The train sped through the countryside making the trees and grass lining the edges of the track look like nothing more than green blurs. Trunks and suitcases rattled in the overhead compartments as restless passengers talked to one another. One person however was not talking excitedly about where they were headed.

Sasha had a bench to herself and was currently asleep with her head resting against the cool glass of the window. It was not a peaceful sleep though. She was mumbling incoherently in her sleep drawing the attention of the couple that was sitting across the isle. Various scenes from her childhood flashed though her subconscious, some fleeting, while others seemed to drag on forever.

"Watch this Sable!" Sasha called out, her childlike voice high with excitement as she swung higher and higher on a playground swing set as her best friend Sable watched on with a small smile on her face.

"Be Careful," Sable called out just as Sasha launched herself from the swing and flew high into the air. Time seemed to slow down as Sable watched her friend reach the peak of her jump and begin to fall. She could tell by the way that Sasha started waving her arms wildly and yelling that she had no control over the fall anymore.

Sable knew it was bad the moment that she saw Sasha land and collapse to the ground with an agonizing scream. Sasha was writhing on the ground clutching her ankle with tears pouring out of her eyes and down her face. Sable ran over and knelt down by her best friend whom she did not know how to help, so she did the only thing she could think of. She started crying as well and screaming out for help.

The scene shifted. It was two months later and Sasha was sitting on the floor of Sable's parents house. It was Sable's birthday and a small pile of presents stood stacked on the floor against the wall. "Happy Birthday Sable!" Sasha exclaimed, passing a small, neatly wrapped package to her best friend with a smile. Sable took the present and tore the colourful paper off, her face full of excitement. "I hope you like it," Sasha said nervously.

Sable opened the small journal like book that now rested in her hands. Inside the small book were several flowers that had been pressed perfectly between the pages. The colours were stunning and Sable smiled wider than she had her entire birthday. They had picked the flowers together just a few days ago, and Sasha had asked her mother to help her put the present together.

Sable gently sat the book on a side table and hugged Sasha tightly. The hedgehog buried her face in Sasha's shoulder and whispered, "It's my favourite gift ever. Thanks you."

Back in the present day, the train hit a rough section of tracks, but it was not enough to rouse Sasha from her sleep. Sasha shifted in the seat and her face slid down the window ever so slightly. Her dream shifted once again, and for the last time Sasha's mind was transported back to her childhood memories.

"Isn't this exciting Sasha?" Her mother said while carefully loading another box into the back of a moving truck. "A whole new adventure is waiting for us in the city!"

"If you say so," Sasha responded, her voice cracking as she held back tears. It had only been 5 months since Sasha had given Sable the pressed flowers for her birthday and everything was changing. Her father had been offered a job in a large city far away and it was moving day. In the blink of an eye Sasha was being pulled away from everything she had ever known. The only home that she had ever known, and her best friend. Sasha was being torn away from it all. She glanced around at the surrounding houses, including the small house that Sable lived in with her family and Sasha couldn't hold back the tears. They spilled over and ran slowly down her face.

Just then Sasha's father walked out of the house carrying two boxes and sat them in the truck before looking at her. "What's wrong with you?" He asked harshly.

"I...I...I don't want to go," Sasha replied, struggling to get the words out.

"Stop your crying and grab a box," he demanded. "You're 12 years old! Too old to be crying like this." Sasha's mom opened her mouth to say something, but he cut her off before the first syllable could be spoken. "I don't want to hear it. This is going to be good for all of us. We don't have anything in this tiny little town. Now finish getting the last of these boxes in so we can go!"

Sasha's mother didn't say anything. She just grabbed the rest of the boxes and began loading them in the truck, not even noticing that Sasha was crying harder now or that someone else had slowly walked up to watch.

Sable stood next to Sasha and just watched as Sasha's dad pulled the door down on the truck and climbed into the front. Sasha turned to look at her best friend and noticed that she was crying quietly too. Now knowing what to say, the two friends simply turned to face each other and embraced tightly. They held on to each other for several minutes, completely ignoring the sound of the truck starting. It wasn't until Sasha's dad started honking the horn and yelling for Sasha to get in that she spoke. "I'll come back one day," she vowed.

When Sasha finally climbed into the truck and her dad pulled away from the house all Sasha could do was to turn and watch her best friend waving sadly, her eyes full of tears. Sasha didn't know how long it would take her, but she would get back here one day.

A loud voice coming through an intercom jerked Sasha from her sleep. The voice caused her to jump up and smack the top of her head on the luggage rack. "Now arriving in Airithan station! Now arriving in Airithan station!" The voice called loudly and Sasha's heart began to race. It had been 15 years since her family had pulled her away from this small little town that she loved so much. 15 years since she had seen her best friend. Sasha couldn't help but wonder what had changed in the town as she pulled her single suitcase down from the rack when the train finally stopped. When the door slip open Sasha was the only one getting off at the stop. Her heart started racing faster, and Sasha closed her eyes as she stepped off of the train and into the tiny station. For the first time since she was 12 years old, Sasha was home.