Lilly waited anxiously at the bus stop. It was only going to be a few stops to her new school, although it was just a little further away then her old one. Her mother had sacrificed a lot to send her here... she knew that. Sure they were a fairly well off family but still...
The bus came in less then ten minutes. Things were relatively calm, despite everyone including the driver being a changed creature. As a child she didn't have to pay... one small perk, she mused. She looked out the window at the new morning and thought a bit of her old life. What did she used to do in the morning? It was probably now she would have met with Julian. She wondered if he was ever going to get his just deserts. His transformation was hardly a punishment... but then she kicked herself for wishing something bad to happen to someone. That just wasn't right either.
There was another group of children on the other side of the bus. She caught a glance and realised they were laughing at her. Why? She glanced down at her school uniform her twin tails twirling too and fro, displaying her emotions more then her expression. She seemed to be dressed fine. She had to forgo the shoes as usual... was that the reason?
"Furry girl furry girl furry girl," she heard one of them chant with a snigger.
Lilly flushed a bit. She had heard that word before but didn't really know what it meant. There were a lot of transformed people with fur, but as she was a squirrel it seemed to hold some... special significance to the word. All that was lost though as she wanted to confront them, but they were getting off the bus.
Oh... they were from a rival school? She remembered now, there was a little bit of rivalry between them. Was that all it was?
She clutched her bag, and waited for the next couple of stops to her school.
Lomasi looked anxiously at the forest as she glanced back to her grandfather. Dyami seemed to be in a trance as he then rose. A great fire was burning in azure flames.
"Is my sister going to be okay, grandfather?" She asked sadly.
Dyami sighed a bit. "Her time with us was always going to be short granddaughter... but now you have a choice too. You can follow her..."
Lomasi blinked. "I- can follow her? To where?"
"That... I do not know. I ate the fruit of the witch's realm, and have some of her gifts... but it is a power that weakens with each breath I take." He crouched down, placing a pinch of black salt onto the fire. "I know now, where you must go... but I do not know how you will make it there. You must travel into the structure they call a church, in the place they name Hedge. Two of your companions must wear veils or be discovered..." he gestured to some clothing for Lomasi to take. "Go In the courtyard, a way to the future will appear... on a certain sunrise. I know not the day. The witch will follow you all..."
"Come with us grandfather!" She said suddenly.
The elder man smiled. "Sweet child, I have seen more life and wonders then any could dream of... that world belongs to you, if it will accept you. I know this... in my heart that it will. I will be with you in spirit. Go now. Take the horse, and await your friends at the edge of the woods. Travel to Hedge... and remember our ways. Teach them, for they will be needed."
"Will... I ever see you again?" Lomasi asked worried.
"You will my child... of course you will."
Class was going to start soon, and Lilly had yet to see Artemis or Jenny. She knew Artemis tended to come a bit later, often appearing 'just in time' for class, while Jenny was always here early. The squirrel girl was caught in the middle of these two schedules they kept. In theory it meant she could spend time playing with Jenny, but the magic girl liked to spend the extra time reading in the library or looking at some of the arts and crafts older children made.
Lilly thought a bit about.. well.. everything.
It was hard not to get too anxious about it all. She had whined and got angry and.. and... what exactly did it achieve? She almost lost the only friends she had made, she had gone into a downward spiral, and... had never felt so low in her entire life.
Was that really how she wanted to spend her childhood?
She couldn't remember much about being a grown-up, but she knew she wasn't supposed to be sad about things like this. Maybe she.... should just relax too? It's not as if she was alone. There were others with worse bodies, right?
She suddenly saw Artemis down the corridor. She ran to the moon girl quickly. "A-Artemis?"
The moon girl looked at her frowning slightly, the cratered blush of her skin appearing briefly. "Yeah?" She said quite neutrally.
Lilly let out a breath relieved. Artemis was acting a bit icy to her, but that was okay. "Look- I'm sorry," she said tensing a little.
Would it be enough?
Haru arrived in the library to check in a few books, when she noticed the elder girl Brittany. The strange ghost looked concerned of something. Haru walked up to her.
"Are you okay?" the three eyed girl asked.
"Yes... but I fear I'm forgetting something," She said uncertainly. She stared at the red string tied around her finger. It meant a spirit was around right? But that could not be. The time where one could do such magic had long past. Yet she knew that was the only reason she would perform this act...
"I hope its nothing important?"
"I...don't know." sighed the ghost girl. With mediation she should be able to piece her memory together. "I've been reading up on this world. It is quite astonishing. All this created by invention... I would never have thought it possible."
Haru smiled a bit. She wasn't sure quite how Brittany was able to learn so much being from the past. However she was quite comfortable with technology. Or maybe humans were just naturally very adaptable? If anything, the current crisis has certainly showed that.
Brittany walked to a shelf. "But this intrigues me the most," She said gesturing to the book. "The story of King Arthur," she said thoughtfully.
"H-How much of it is real?" Asked Haru very curiously.
"Almost none of it is the truth, but there are elements of truth in it," the ghost said with a faint smile. "The names are all correct, but not much else. You have created a story of heroes and villains... when the truth was far more complicated then that."
Haru wondered if her eye could possible see 'truth' in the legend. But the only truth her eye revealed was that it was simply, a book. Unless the book came from that time, her ability couldn't discern more.
Brittany noticed the young girl's gaze and smiled. "I see you are becoming more comfortable with your ability?"
Haru bit her lip. "No- Not really. But it is part of me. It's something I do. I just...."
"You do not wish to become the tool of others," nodded the ghost-girl sagely.
"H-How did you know?"
Brittany placed a kind hand onto Haru's shoulder. "I faced similar burdens, when I spoke with spirits. Perhaps someone would ask me to place a boon for them. A lord would pay great sums for my skills to summon a guardian."
The three eyed girl nodded. She glanced at the time. "Oh- I have to go see Ken. It's almost time for practice."
"You should make him wait a little for you, Lady Haru." Brittany said with a wink.
"Huh- No we- um-" the three eyed girl turned beat red.
The ghost girl chuckled a little. Haru was so young and easily teased. From what she knew of Ken, he appeared an honourable young boy worthy of Haru's affections. But of course, she couldn't say that to her. "I hope we will see each other again soon. You know... if you see anything unusual, you should let Jon know. You can trust her."
"Yeah... I guess. Thanks"
