43You know I was editing in 2016 and gave up? Yeah- I'm starting editing again. Crickey I forgot what a mess this was! Like- honestly- did I even know how emotions felt or know anything about writing realism. From the way I'd been describing things I think not. I'm going to blank out the chapters after as I start editing them because I'm making major changes to characters and possibly the plot although that won't be as big an issue and I don't want anyone to get writing whiplash.
I look around curiously as the Sun warms my skin, my joints clicking like a puppet's. I focus, trying to place myself.
Where is this? Did I fall asleep again?
I open my mouth to ask a question but realise at the last second that I don't recognise anyone.
I stand, letting my gaze sweep over the people around me, searching for the most honest looking one.
The blonde smiles at me and I return the gesture. Perhaps he wouldn't mind?
"Um, hello." I start anxiously, "I was wondering if you know where this is? I think I may be lost." Nervousness weighs my stomach down and I make a conscious effort to keep my gaze matched with his.
People are more likely to take you seriously if you seem confident.
He grins even wider and I marvel at the fact that it's possible.
"Sorry, I don't have a clue. It definitely isn't my world though!" I stare at him in confusion. His answer doesn't make sense.
Apparently confidence doesn't stop people from being mad.
I go to ask the more straight-forward looking guy before I see what he's wearing.
Cautiously I look back at the blonde who hasn't moved- he's still grinning- and I see that he too is wearing weird clothes.
The dark haired man turns away as a young boy trips in the middle of the clearing street. Everyone is giving worried glances up and I look too.
Standing right on the skyline of this city are people.
On one side are tall men. On the other, ones with brightly coloured hair.
The leader of the bright-hair gang shouts and his men point at the boys in the road.
Were there two before?
The brown haired kid next to me runs to help them and I watch as for a few seconds all hell breaks loose.
Coloured bolts of light shoot from the men's hands. One side aims for the boys, the other for the fat man.
A burst of light and warmth forces me to look away.
I turn back as soon as the glares abates and stare at the wolf standing in front of the boys- that definitely wasn't there before- the space around them burning with a strange aura before seeming to melt into the tallest boy.
The fat man and his team flee at the sight of it.
"So, you have a special kudan too. You have fire and I have water so this should be interesting…" Calls out the man leading the team still on the roof.
His 'kudan', as I think the man on the roof called it, begins to charge an attack.
One of his men whispers something in his ear and he frowns before turning back to the boys as the watery thing stops charging.
"Eh, it'll have to wait until next time kid. What's your name?" The man asks. The boy still looks shocked by the wolf's sudden appearance but replies nevertheless.
"Syaoran." He calls back.
The group disappears and one of the black haired boys merges into the other, much to the confusion of the black haired man and the interest of Syaoran. After a brief explanation, the black-haired boy assuming we are all together and travellers, and plenty of gratitude he introduces himself as Masayoshi.
"Ah! I have to go now otherwise my parents will worry. Thank you for saving me Syaoran-kun. I hope we meet again!" Masayoshi almost yells, clambering to his feet.
Suddenly I remember my own predicament.
"I'm sorry. Does anybody know where this is? I really need to get home to my family too." I say, looking around at the group and hoping one of them might have an answer.
The black haired man sighs irritably.
"We're all in the same situation, kid. None of us know where we are." He grumbles.
Does he mean this group in general? How can all of these people not know where we are? The low probability of it happening makes it feel almost nightmarish. How can no one here know? It shouldn't be possible- my family- shouldn't someone have seen me with them?
Something gently presses on my shoulder.
I look across, torn from my panic.
"Are you okay?" Asks the white almost-rabbit on my shoulder.
With no sensible response in sight and quite near the end of my tether I feel my face heat, confusion and stress feeding one another as they build to a crescendo in my head.
"Don't cry! Mokona-chan is your friend!" Says the creature perched on my shoulder, trying to nuzzle into my neck as I bury my face in my palms. The tears burn my eyes and I swallow, trying to hold them in.
"Everything is confusing and- and I don't know where I am and I- I don't know where my family are. I can't remember how I got here! Now you are talking to me and- you can't talk! You're an animal- I just- I just need to go home!" I cry, unaware of anything but my stress.
"Hello." Says another voice. A woman.
I look up, barely able to see. It's enough to tell that she has black hair.
I swallow.
"He-hello." I respond as best I can, sobs choking me. I think the woman smiles. She bends down a little to reach my height better and rests one hand on my shoulder. The woman looks at my right shoulder.
"I think you should leave for a little bit, Mokona-chan." She says gently, her gaze turning back to me as the white-furred thing leaps from me.
"I am Arashi." She introduces herself. I nod and she places the other hand on my shoulder too.
"What's your name?" Arashi asks gently as I try and tame my tears.
"Eliza." I say with a sniff, "I'm called Eliza."
The woman wraps an arm around my shoulders, rubbing circles on my back.
"I think you have had a long day and you need somewhere to stay for the night, Eliza-san." She says, "These people do too and we are letting them stay for free for a while. Do you think you would like that?" Arashi asks. I nod, feeling tears well up again.
"Please." I ask, voice small. She takes my hand, squeezing it a little.
"Okay then. When we get there we'll talk about some things, alright? It might help us find your family." Arashi says and I nod my consent again.
"Ready to go?" She asks, tugging lightly on my hand.
"Y-yes." I say, wiping my eyes with my other hand.
The men and boy talk behind us quietly while we walk, the rabbit thing too, it's voice pitched higher than the rest.
"So what kind of things do you like to eat?" Asks Arashi, peering down at me. I think for a moment, sniffing.
"I don't know. I like lots of things." I reply, still thinking, "I like sweet things especially." I clarify. The woman nods again and we fall into silence. Her hand in mine is reassuring nevertheless.
We soon reach the woman's house. It's a hotel actually- she lives there with her husband, Sorata.
She pushes open the door, ushering me inside. The group are directed past us by her husband who shouts out directions to them, waiting behind me as I talk to his wife.
"Would you be okay to stay with those people?" Arashi asks, "Just while I talk with my husband and we make some food? I wouldn't want you to be by yourself." She says.
"Okay." I agree, nodding. She smiles again, patting me on the head.
"They're just up the stairs in the second room on the left." She tells me. I nod again, repeating the directions in my head lest I forget.
"Okay." I repeat, climbing the stairs one-by-one.
I can feel the weight of the couple's gaze as I walk.
I knock gently on the door I have been directed to, hearing voices from inside the room. It opens and the blonde smiles down at me. Something about seeing him brings back my earlier panic. Nervously I step back, fingers going to my temple, and the grin softens.
"Hey." He says, voice gentle, "Do you want to come in?" I nod and he steps back, still holding the door.
I step in, past him. A girl lies in a bed on the floor sleeping. The worried looking boy from earlier smiles briefly before going back to tending to the girl.
"Who is she?" I ask, standing beside him. He looks up again then back at the girl, sweeping damp hair behind her ear gently.
"She's Sakura-hime." He says, smiling at her, "We've been friends for a long time." He explains. As soon as he finishes a pained look crosses his face.
"Are you okay?" I ask, wondering if he's had a day like mine too.
He looks up again, smiling at me sadly.
"Yeah. It's okay." He says, his hand finding hers.
"I'm Syaoran." He says, that worried expression still not gone, "What's your name?" The boy asks, smiling somewhat carefully.
"I'm Eliza. Eliza Parldew." I say, smiling back a little, "It's nice to meet you, Syaoran-san." I add, looking back down at the girl on the floor. She doesn't stir.
"Is she okay?" I ask of Sakura as she breathes softly. Syaoran looks at me, startled for a second. He bites his lip, looks at the princess and slowly closes and opens his eyes,
"No." He says eventually, not looking at me, "She's not." The boy says. For a while he doesn't speak, that pained expression on his face again.
"She's- Sakura-hime's memories have been taken away and scattered and I- I-" Syaoran blinks back tears, brushing away the few that fall on Sakura's face.
"I have to find them. I paid her memories of me as a price to travel and get her memories back for her. She won't remember me when she wakes up." He explains, eyes closed as he breathes in and out.
"It's worth it though- if I can see her smile again." He says, smile trembling on his lips. I look at the floor, my hands clenching on my knees.
"How?" The word spills out before I can stop it.
"Huh?" I look up at Syaoran's confusion.
"How?" I repeat, "How did you give away her memories of you? How would that let you travel? How did she lose her memories like that in the first place?" I ask, confused myself.
"You really don't remember?" Asks a gruff voice. I turn towards it, looking at the man dressed in dark clothes sitting against the wall. His red eyes stare into me.
"You don't remember any of it?" He asks again, gaze fixed on me.
The door opens.
"Mokona-chan- can we talk to you for a bit?" Calls Arashi, hand still on the door handle. The small white creature hops over from the blonde man, leaping onto the woman's shoulder with a strange nod.
"Do you want to talk to Yuuko-chan?" It asks as the dark-haired woman closes the door. I don't hear the reply. Expectantly I turn back to Syaoran. He smiles again- a soft thing- and begins to explain.
"Where we both lived I worked in the ruins as an archaeologist. Only last night I was exploring a new chamber we had unearthed with an engraving in the middle of the floor. I don't know why but Sakura-hime was there, staring at the seal. She looked at me but she didn't see me. I tried to speak to her but she went and knelt on the seal, not hearing me but saying something about being called. It split open and she floated above it before falling slowly down. I followed her down. I don't know how but she flew up to the wall in the chamber which had the same pattern as the seal- it looked like she had wings which matched the engraving. She began to sink into the wall but I grabbed her and the wings shattered, pieces shooting out everywhere. They were her memories. I was sent to the witch of dimensions with Sakura-hime by the high-priest of our country to try and regain her memories. The witch took the memories that Sakura-hime had of me and in return gave us Mokona-san. Mokona-san will transport us across worlds so I can get back Sakura-chan's memories." The boy explains.
"She took the source of my magic too." Says the blond, stepping closer to us, smiling brightly.
"I'm sorry for scaring you earlier, Eliza-chan. My name's Fai D. Flourite. I'm a humble wizard from a place called Ceres. You can call me Fai though." He offers, voice soft.
"She took your sword- didn't she, Kuro-tan?" The man asks playfully the next second, grinning at the man dressed all in black.
"What's with the stupid names! It's Kurogane!" He snaps, standing, his hands automatically going to his hip. He looks down and sighs, frustratedly.
"But she did." He says, leaning back against the wall, arms folded. Kurogane is still glaring at Fai.
The tall blonde bends down next to me and I shuffle closer to Syaoran, unnerved by his sudden closeness. He peers down at the princess then back at the boy. Fai utters a noise of confusion, lips parting.
I barely have time to duck as he darts forwards. He grabs my arm as I fall backwards and I pull it from his grasp, letting myself drop onto my elbows. My breaths come fast and I realise I am hyperventilating. I try to calm down, letting my hands find my temples again, rubbing at the tension.
"What the hell was that!" Shouts Kurogane. He goes ignored.
The blonde man looks back at me, removing his hand from inside Syaoran's cloak. He smiles tentatively, eyes wide as he apologises again. He blurs slightly.
"I'm sorry, Eli-ko. I didn't realise you were so jumpy. I just felt this and had to get it- I thought you were going to hurt yourself so I reached out." He explains, hands kept close to himself. I look up at the white thing in his hand- a feather. Carefully I reach out. Seeing my aim the man lowers the feather.
My fingers brush over it and I feel my blood stop rushing about, my head clearing. I take them away and feel the dull ache again where Fai had grabbed me and the pain in my head. I pull myself up and stand back from him a little.
"It feels calming." I say, clasping my hands in front of me, unsure.
Fai smiles, delighted for some reason, his eyes crinkle around the edges.
"Yes. It is." He says, twirling it around in his fingers, "There's a lot of magic coming from this thing." He informs us. Fai leans back on his other arm, looks down on Sakura.
"I think," The blonde says carefully, "That this is one of Sakura-chan's memories." He offers it to Syaoran who takes it delicately. The boy's eyebrows shoot upwards in surprise.
"You think so?" He asks, breathing carefully as if he might destroy it with just his breath. Fai nods.
"I'm not completely certain." The blonde admits, "If you hold it out to her maybe she'll take it in somehow- a body can't take in someone else's memories so then we'll know for sure." He says with a smile.
Syaoran does, gently extending his arm. He frowns when nothing happens and lowers his arm.
"Ah!" He releases the feather in shock and ripples form above the girl's chest, the feather drifting down into them and disappearing.
There's a knock on the door again before it opens.
"Dinner's ready." Says Arashi, looking at me with curiosity. I stare back and she quirks a small smile to reassure me.
She holds the door open as everyone leaves the room, first Kurogane, then Syaoran after giving Sakura one last lingering glance.
"Eli-ko?" I ask, peering up at Fai as we walk towards the door. He looks down, shocked by my presence but smiles warmly.
"Ah- sorry. I know it sounds silly but it slipped out. If you really hate it I can stop." He says gently. His hand rests on my shoulder for a second before I jump and he removes it. The man doesn't frown or blame me for it.
"I'm sorry." I say reflexively, "I know you won't hurt me but…" I trail off, unable to explain myself.
"Eli-ko is okay." I agree.
Fai grins, not demanding an answer for my nervousness.
"Then Eli-ko it is." He says.
"You didn't offer to Kurogane-san." I point out. The blonde grins cheekily.
"Well- he's so much fun to annoy! You don't get annoyed so it's not as fun with you." He explains with a laugh.
He really is a strange man.
Arashi closes the door behind us softly, following us down the stairs.
