Back track- In the future, moments before the mysterious drop-in
Soft splashes of waves rang delicately in the air and the wind ran along a cliff’s edge before playfully flying down to meet with the sea. In turn the sea’s waves embraced the wind as if welcoming home an old friend.
“How I envy you.”
A teenage girl looked down from the cliff’s edge, eyeing the scene that won the intense gaze of her aqua eyes. Although her body was shielded with a heavy, dark cloak, her slim legs were virtually left unguarded except for the pair of shorts that clung to her waist and the pair of shoes on her feet. Sensing her sadness the wind rose back up to her and played with the girl’s shoulder-length, sandy blonde hair. The layered golden pieces became slightly messed. She couldn’t help but grin slightly.
“Stop that you.”
The indifferent words came out and had almost fooled the breeze until the wind detected the hidden lace of humor in her voice. The girl’s sparkling eyes had also given her away. This time feeling bolder the wind pushed on the small of the girl’s back towards the water below. For a moment she hesitated but finally decided to yield to its request. Slowly the teenager started to carefully scale down the rocky cliff to the smooth beach of sand below.
“I know, I know, just give me a minute!” She snapped at the teasing wind.
The girl walked a quarter way down the beach away from the cliff before sitting herself down on the sand. Her senses tingled as she took everything in. There was the sound of seagulls bickering in the sky above. The wind had turned its attention toward the sea once more and the two played their game of tag. ‘They can act like children sometimes. ’ Soon the sea’s flirting waves to the wind escalated in its act, teasing the tempted wind. Trying to hide its uncertainty the wind tried harder to dodge the sea’s hugs but the teenager who observed the scene could see that it was too late because her friend had already fallen for sea’s charm. With one quick unexpected rise the sea threw off the wind’s timing and grasped it tightly before the two elements mixed. ‘Never stood a chance’. The girl shook her head with a chuckle, She knew the wind was just playing hard to get and didn’t mind being snared but the episode was definitely amusing in her mind she decided.
After a short pause she reflected on her feelings. One feeling in particular grew stronger by the second. The longing to belong had started to well up inside her chest. ‘Loneliness?’ The girl frowned and shook her head once again but harder. After mentally slapping herself she realized that she was sweating profusely. One glance up at the sun was all she needed to confirm her suspicions. She scowled to let herself be caught up in the moment enough to dull her senses. Once she was satisfied that she had scolded herself enough she finally thought out-loud,
"Guess I should do something about it …” She mumbled.
Without a second thought the blonde shed the heavy cloak off, allowing it to fall to the ground with a thump.
Thump Now on with the cloak on the ground the blue, sleeveless shirt the blonde wore and her healing bruises on the girl’s arms were finally exposed. ‘Now for the shoes.’ Before she kicked off the loose hanging pieces of leather from her feet a light bulb lit up in her head. Being bored was something that the blonde could never stick with. Firstly she pushed herself up to her feet using her slightly rough hands and then backed up a few steps before inspecting the long stretch of beach that lay in front of her.
She had noticed it, sensed it. The pair of dark eyes that had been watching her since her climb down the cliff. The wind picked up again revealing the person’s location when a few strands of dark, colored hair flew up behind the rocky base of the cliff. A mischievous grin spread itself across the blonde’s face. Bending her knees slightly she looked down a few seconds before shooting her head up and broke into a quick accelerating run. Almost immediately after she had gained momentum the blonde kicked her foot up, allowing the shoe to fly.
Whack
“Oww!”
“HAHAHAHA!”
The person in hiding stood up still looking startled from the surprise attack only to see the blonde teenager rolling in the sand laughing her guts out.
“I got you good Hotaru chan!”
The short, dark haired senshi of destruction felt the blush of humiliation spread across her cheeks, wanting nothing more than to strangle the blonde.
“Kaiya!”
The blonde stopped laughing and her head shot up from the anger that radiated in the voice that called her. The person who was glaring at her had a light black t-shirt, black shorts and a pair of straw made sandals on.
“Now your going to get it.”
‘Uh-oh.’
“Yaaaaah!” Kaiya let out as Hotaru tackled her.
Pinning the younger girl down Hotaru started unmercifully tickling Kaiya.
“No! Stop! I…Can’t…Breathe!” She gasped.
Hotaru ignored the girl’s pleas.
“C’mon sis! I give!”
There was a pause, then frowning a bit Hotaru let the blonde recover her breath. However she let her guard down too quickly and soon found herself on the receiving end of the tickles.
“Cheater!”
Their laughter rivaled the bickering sounds of the seagulls’ and soon dominated, filling the surrounding area with their voices. It was some time later when they both declared a truce.
“Truce?”
The blonde’s sister eyed the outstretched hand carefully. In the back of her mind she faintly recalled falling into this trap once, allowing herself to be caught by surprise being sent airborne doing a flip before landing on her back. ‘If she tries it again she’ll be sorry”. Hotaru met the hand and to her surprise her sister was being sincere this time. She continued to watch her sister cautiously.
Kaiya sat down and partially submerged her feet in the cool water, allowing the sea’s soft caresses to take her. Half expecting to see Kaiya look at her Hotaru continued to watch. But Kaiya was looking intensely at something else with a softened expression in her eyes. Following her sister’s line of vision Hotaru softly gasped when she finally acknowledged the beautifully painted sunset in the sky. The two sisters watched the scene in silence.
Hotaru soon grew tired of standing and she too soaked her feet after she removed her footwear. ‘I’m going to need a good sanitizer after this’. There was a pause in her thoughts. Then the silence was broken when Hotaru softly asked the question she came to Kaiya about,
“Are you really going to go?”
Kaiya twitched slightly, feeling the pain in her sister’s hurt voice. When Kaiya said nothing, Hotaru continued.
“I miss them too.”
“Miss…who?”
There was coldness in Kaiya’s response. ‘You know who…’.
“Our parents, I know you miss them Kaiya, don’t deny it.” There was more force behind the statement than the last.
“No I don’t!” Angry flashed in Kaiya’s eyes.
Partially surprised by Kaiya’s outburst Hotaru tried to keep her voice calm, and tried again.
“You still…haven’t forgiven them yet?”
There was a pause, wind and the sea had both become very quiet, listening in on the two girl’s conversation. Kaiya face was burning with hate, something that Hotaru had rarely ever seen. ‘There was only one other time that Kaiya was like this…’.There was a sad expression on Hotaru’s face, she wanted more than anything to tell her sister what she knew but she couldn’t, Setsuna wouldn’t approve.
“I’m going now.”
“Nani?”
Kaiya had stood up, her face was covered in shadow as she staggered over to her cloak and shoes. Hotaru stood up as well and moved cautiously towards her sister. After slipping on her shoes Kaiya paused, her back still facing Hotaru. She took a deep breath before asking,
“It’s cold isn’t it?” Kaiya picked up her cloak and wrapped it around her shivering sister’s shoulders. Hotaru hadn’t even noticed how cold she was until her skin felt the warmth emitted from her younger sister’s cloak.
“Kaiya…”
“mm…?”
Hotaru ran back to the cliff’s edge and recovered a small black pouch. Kaiya saw uncertainty in the girl’s eyes . Hotaru bit her bottom lip and then held out the bag for her sister to accept.
“What is it?”
Hotaru was looking down, refusing her sister eye contact.
“My most treasured object…” She whispered. “To bring you good luck.”
Kaiya was stunned. She wasn’t sure what to say but she settled with,
“I can’t take it. It’s precious to you.”
Kaiya knew her shy sister treasured only a few selective objects and people. However Hotaru shook her head and began to insist, pleading in her eyes that Kaiya would understand. Their eyes met and finally Kaiya caved in. ‘I can’t say no to that look’ With a sigh she moved her shaking hands to the grasp the small bundle and then tucked it around a tiny loop on her shorts, allowing the precious object to hang securely around her waist. When she looked into Hotaru’s eyes once more the uncertainty that once occupied those dark orbs had been replaced with a resolved confidence.
“Arigato Hotaru chan.”
Not being very good with good-byes Kaiya struggled between the want to make a quick exit and the want to stay with her older sister, but her feeling of needing to know was stronger.
Turning away from Hotaru, she started to trudge towards the cliff’s base at the end of the beach where Hotaru had just returned. This time the dark haired girl did not follow her sister, holding back the desire she chose to watch quietly instead. ‘This may be the last time I’ll ever see her’. Surprised by her own thoughts she quickly shook her head, replacing the thought with another. ‘No, I will her see her again!’.
Kaiya reached her chosen departure spot and turned around to face Hotaru. Hotaru didn’t need words to know what her sister was thinking. ‘Love you, see you soon’ Kaiya thought. Seeing the understanding glance from Hotaru, Kaiya raised her hand showing a tiny object clutched in the palm of her hand. A bright, pink light engulfed her body and she was gone.
Hotaru watched her sister disappear, staring into the empty space in front. The wind picked up once more and petted her hair to comfort the poor girl. A few dusts of sand flew into the sea.
Plip, Plip.
Oblivious to her hot flowing tears Hotaru softly whispered,
“Come home safe…”
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