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Collecting Stars

Summary:

Kasumi is chosen by a magical stone to reunite lost friends.

Notes:

This is a reupload. I rewrote some parts and changed the plot to make more sense. This is also the first fic I have published. Hope you like it!

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Chapter 1: Apple of Fate

Chapter Text

Sunlight streamed through the windows into Kasumi's bedroom. She got dressed quickly and hurriedly put on her boots, running out the front door.

"I'm going out! I'll be home soon!" she shouted to her mother. She didn't wait for a reply and set off.

 

She walked through town, greeting everyone as she went. She lived closer to the woods than the castle, which seemed to cast a shadow on the town. As she approached the gate, she felt for the knife she had at her side, making sure it was there. The forest could be dangerous, even the dirt road that led through it. Kasumi had experience in the woods and was confident enough, however. She started along the road, admiring the scenery.

 

After walking for around 10 minutes, she stopped and looked for some fruit to eat. There should be an apple tree around here somewhere… she thought. Then, she spotted an apple on a small tree. She reached for it, but as soon as she touched the apple she heard a rustle from the leaves. Confused, she pulled the apple down only to find a squirrel attached to the top half. Panic set in, despite it being a tiny squirrel. She yanked the apple, suddenly causing the squirrel to fly out of the tree right onto her. "Oh my goooOOD," she yelled. Her fear made her stand still. The squirrel was stiff as a board too. Kasumi then grabbed the squirrel with her free hand, throwing it to the ground. "I'm so sorry little squirrel!" she said as she ran off, adrenaline pushing her. The squirrel chased after her as if its life depended on that apple. Kasumi noticed this and ran faster. "What the hell?" she yelled to herself, confusion settling in. She tried to run faster, not knowing what direction she was heading in. The forest was a blur till she spotted a faint glow in front of her. Distracted, she ran right into something—or someone—as she tumbled to the ground. She grunted as her head hit the ground and heard a muffled sound as she laid. She groaned as she pushed herself up, only to realize there was a person tangled underneath her. She stayed there for a few moments, looking at who was beneath her. It was a girl, who was very pretty , Kasumi noted to herself. The girl had blonde hair that was put up into, now messy, pigtails. She pushed Kasumi off her after those few seconds went by, causing them to separate. "What the hell? Who are you?" the girl shouted, getting up and readying a staff at Kasumi, who was still dazed. Kasumi winced, her head ringing from the impact. "I-i'm, uh I-" she stammered, unable to finish her sentence before getting cut off. "Are you like blind or something!? Or do you always just barrel into people at top speed!?" the girl shouted, her staff still pointed at Kasumi, who was looking for the apple she risked her life for. "I- Oh, for fuck's sake, are you even listening?" the girl said, annoyed more than anything. Kasumi handed her the apple, dusting off the dirt that got onto it. "This is why I ran into you. Sorry about that by the way," she said, rubbing her head which still hurt. The girl looked unamused and walked past Kasumi. "Wait!" she yelled, jogging to keep up with her. "I really am sorry! And I don't normally run into people like that!" she apologized, to no avail.

 

They walked together in silence for a while until the blonde girl finally spoke up, "You can stop following me now," she said, shooing Kasumi away. They had arrived at a gate which was covered in vines and flowers. The fence it was connected to was covered as well. She realized that she didn't see a house, it was just a fenced area. "What is this place?" she asked, turning to the girl. "My house," she replied plainly. "There is no house!" Kasumi cried, pointing towards the gate. "Oh well, bye now!" the girl said, pushing Kasumi away. "Can I visit you? I want to see your house. How is it hidden? Please show me! Pleaseee!" she pleaded, causing the girl to pinch her nose in annoyance. "Oh my god, okay, fine!" she said, "just stop, talking!" Kasumi grinned and went to give the girl a hug. She didn't expect the embrace and just stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do. "Why are you hugging me, you don't even know my name," she said, squirming out of Kasumi's grasp. "True! Hi, I'm  Kasumi Toyama! What's your name?" she said, extending her hand for a handshake. The girl didn't shake Kasumi's hand, " Arisa Ichigaya," she walked into the gate, giving a small wave before she disappeared to Kasumi. Kasumi stared at the gate, tilting her head. 

"I'm going to visit you tomorrow!" she yelled to the gate, not knowing if Arisa was there still. At that, she turned and walked back home.

 

Kasumi entered the house, carrying a few apples to share with everyone. Her sister was sitting in the living room reading a book. "Asuka! Guess what!" she said, sitting beside her. "Hm?" Asuka replied, not looking up from her book. "I made a new friend today! She lives out in the woods in a magic house. She was also really pretty, even though I did mess her hair and outfit up..." Kasumi rambled. Asuka glanced at her sister, an eyebrow raised. 

"What?" Kasumi asked. 

"Oh, nothing," Asuka replied. Kasumi put an apple on her sister's lap and went to her room. She lay in bed, humming to herself with a smile. 

"I can't wait for tomorrow," she sighed.

Chapter 2: Starstruck

Summary:

This chapter is from Arisa's POV. Really gay stuff guys.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Arisa slammed the door shut as she walked in, her head spinning. She saw her grandma organizing some jars around in the kitchen. She paused to greet her and Arisa greeted her back in a less-than-enthusiastic way. She hung her staff up on the wall beside two others. Sitting at the small table and looking at the smaller jars left out, she let out a small sigh.

“What’s wrong dear?” her grandma asked, sitting down beside her.

“Nothing really, but…” Arisa turned toward her grandma, “I met someone today, a girl. She was kinda weird and also basically tackled me into the ground. But she also gave me a hug when she left. That was the weirdest part.” she finished, seeing a kind expression on her grandma’s face. “Seems like you’ve made a friend,” she replied, giving Arisa a pat on the back. Arisa scrunched her face, almost alarmed by this revelation. 

“A friend? No, I wouldn’t call her that, really. I only just met her and I doubt I'll see her again. Plus, she lives in town, I don’t think she would go through the trouble of coming all the way out here to see me again. I bet she’s already forgotten where we live. About me...” she trailed off, fiddling with a small jar of dried leaves. She felt her grandma hug her from behind, planting a small kiss on her head.

“We can only wait and see. But I say she hasn’t forgotten." Arisa gave a small nod and went to her room. She couldn’t stop thinking about a girl she had known for barely 30 minutes. She tried to read a book to take her mind off of things, but it didn’t help.

“What is it about you, Kasumi?” she whispered to herself. Her mind was flooding with the image of her, and she felt her face grow hot. She remembered the look she gave her when Kasumi accidentally tackled her. Those few seconds felt like hours when she had stared into her eyes. Arisa then caught herself and put her face into her pillow. She briefly screamed into it, seeing if that would help with her flustered face situation. It sorta did. I hope you forgot about me Arisa thought to herself, not wanting to get her hopes up.

 

The next day came and Arisa got dressed quicker than usual. Her grandma was still making breakfast when she got downstairs, but there was no comment on this. Arisa felt nervous as if the wait was killing her. 

“Did you sleep well?” her grandma asked, setting the food on the table. Arisa gently nodded, staring at the food in front of her. Her mind was racing with the hope that Kasumi would show up but also the dread of her forgetting about her entirely. She wasn’t that hungry, to say the least. Her grandma encouraged her to eat though, so she took a few bites for her. She was ready to go outside and see if Kasumi would come. She also needed to do her chores so she excused herself from the table and headed out. To her surprise Kasumi was already there, standing by the gate and looking around. She felt her heart almost skip a beat and wanted to run to her but she contained herself. She calmly walked to the gate, emerging on the other side. Suddenly, Kasumi embraced her in a tight hug, and Arisa's first instinct was to pull herself away. She couldn't indulge herself when there was no guarantee that she would have this for long. 

"Don't hug me," she said bluntly, getting a nod from Kasumi. She felt like that wouldn't be the last time that would happen. 

"Can I see your house now?" Kasumi asked, peering inside the gate at nothing. 

"You can, for a price," Arisa replied, giving a smug grin. “Wha- I- I don’t have any money!” Kasumi cried, emptying her pockets. 

“Oh well,” Arisa shrugged, walking into the gate. 

“Wait! Please let me see!” Kasumi cried, clasping her hands together. Arisa rolled her eyes and grabbed her hands. She whispered the spell under her breath and pulled Kasumi through. She heard her gasp and saw the look of awe on her face. Arisa smiled, then realized she was still holding her hands. She quickly let go but Kasumi didn’t seem to notice. 

“Your house is like, really cool!” she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. 

“Yeah it's, whatever, I guess…” Arisa mumbled, glancing away. She watched Kasumi run around and look at everything. It reminded her of a puppy in a way. 

“You know there’s more inside right?” she pointed out, seeing her face light up with even more curiosity.

 

They had walked around to the door that led to the shop her grandparents ran. She often came in here to tidy up and restock when her grandma didn’t and studied a lot of the items people brought in. She didn’t have much else to do in her free time anyway. They ended up in the gemstone section of the store. Kasumi seemed to be interested in one particular one, however. It was a colorless sapphire that was encased in a magic-sealed glass case. Arisa didn’t know why her grandma sealed it but she assumed it was for good reason. Despite it being encased, Kasumi grabbed the glass contained and tried to get the stone out. 

“What the hell are you doing!?” Arisa yelled, reaching for the case. Kasumi pulled it away, pointing at the stone.

“Look! It's a stone star!” she exclaimed. 

“No, it’s not! It’s just a sapphire. The “star” is just how it looks in the light!” Arisa explained, frustrated and scared that the case and stone would break. 

“Can I have it?” Kasumi asked, looking at the stone. 

“No! Give me the case, please!” Arisa pleaded. Kasumi handed the case over with a pout, but when Arisa grabbed the case, it was hot, like really hot! The sudden heat made her drop the case, and it shattered on the ground. They both stared in disbelief and Arisa felt really stupid at the moment. But the stone didn’t hit the floor. It was glowing and started floating upwards. It floated in front of Kasumi’s face and suddenly a white light enveloped the room. When Arisa opened her eyes, she saw Kasumi in a dazed state but she began to fall forward. Arisa caught her, but it was at an awkward angle. 

“Wha… Hey! Kasumi?” Arisa shook the girl a little. Panic set in and she didn’t know if she should leave her like this and get help or stay. She didn’t have to decide though. Kasumi returned to normal, gasping for air as if she couldn’t breathe. The stone’s light faded and it turned into a shade of red. Kasumi grabbed it and seemed to just stare at it. Arisa had no idea what just happened but assumed it was important. 

“Here, let's go inside. I’ll clean this up,” she said, guiding Kasumi to the door.

 

Inside, her grandma was sipping out of a cup. 

“You set off the stone?” she asked, stopping them in their tracks. She gestured for Kasumi to sit. Arisa knew she had to clean her mess before she got to sit. She grabbed the broom and turned the lights on in the shop. She noticed that the glass seemed to have some sort of blue steam coming off of it. Arisa noted to ask about that. She swept and then quickly ran back into the kitchen. As soon as she returned, Kasumi seemed finished talking about what happened. Are you serious? She mentally screamed. Her grandma had a serious look on her face, which was not something Arisa saw often. 

“Arisa, you should get your friend home for now,” she said, taking another sip out of her cup. Arisa nodded, gesturing for Kasumi to follow her.

 

At the gate, Kasumi seemed a little less energetic compared to when she first arrived. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow!” she said with a smile. Arisa smiled back but quickly turned her face away. 

“Yeah, whatever,” she said, closing her eyes. She watched as Kasumi walked through the gate, feeling a little sad. She walked back into the house, her grandma sorting through books. 

“Help me look through these, dear,” she said, and Arisa nodded. All the books were about magical stones and other related topics. She got to reading, spending the rest of her night skimming through various books.

Notes:

Thanks for reading! I'll be posting updates on my Tumblr @pyratedbunny.

Chapter 3: In a Trance

Summary:

This explains what happened when Kasumi found the stone.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

A bright light enveloped Kasumi in an instant and she was no longer at the shop. She looked to her side but Arisa wasn't there. Suddenly she was alone in an empty field. Taking in her surroundings, she saw was standing in the middle of a meadow. Flowers of all colors dotted the landscape as far as she could see. The sky was clear and the sun was shining bright. It seemed almost perfect but it was all so confusing. Where am I ? The stone was still in her hand. She looked at it for a moment before it started glowing. It pulsated similar to a heartbeat. She felt a warmth envelop her, the scene changing as she blinked. She was in a cave now, large and illuminated by bioluminescent moss and mushrooms. The stone floated out of Kasumi's grasp while emitting a bright light. She turned her head and shielded her eyes. The stone and light radiating from it seemed to take a humanoid form. It was a simple silhouette. It stayed floating in front of Kasumi, keeping level with her head. 

"You have questions. I have answers'' it said, its voice hollow yet booming. Kasumi didn't know if she felt fear or curiosity. She said nothing and kept a puzzled look on her face. The entity gestured for her to follow. She did. As they walked through the cave the colors seemed to grow brighter, lighting up the cave. Then they came to a stop, reaching a dead end. The end had a waterfall coming from atop but it was dark. Kasumi then noticed the water wasn't actually water. It was something else and it was glittery and shiny, almost like stars. She was fascinated now and moved towards it. The entity put an arm out, indicating for her to stop. 

"This is where I came from. Tossed here millennia ago. You are not the first to wake me, but you could be the last."  With this. the entity turned to face Kasumi. She looked around, then asked, "What do you mean by that? What are you and... and why did I ‘wake’ you?" with confusion in her voice. She seemed to be at a loss for words, her usual excited demeanor quelled and replaced. 

It seemed to stare in response, Kasumi couldn't say for sure. It had no face. 

"When there are those chosen by fate, we flock to them. I flock to you," it finished with a pointed finger in Kasumi's direction. She had her thinking face on, putting together the dots. 

"Was me meeting Arisa fate then?" Kasumi asked, a wide grin on her face. 

"Yes," responded the entity. 

This earned an embarrassing giggle from Kasumi, who was more relaxed now. 

“I have more questions,” she said.

“The squirrel? That was fate. It is magical after all,” the entity answered. 

“Dude! I thought I was gonna die!” Kasumi exclaimed, surprised at the revelation. 

“You would also like to know my name, correct?” the entity nodded at Kasumi. She nodded back.

“Mashiro,” it said. Kasumi gave a small ‘aah’ at this. 

“Well, Mashiro, how can I help you?” she asked enthusiastically. Mashiro turned towards the waterfall, crossing its arms.

“I am not the only one of my kind. There are four others like me. Think of us as fallen stars. We used to occupy a space in the sky together, creating a constellation. But a fight broke out and all of us paid the cost. If we can be reunited, I am sure we can go back,” it finished, raising a hand up towards the waterfall. Kasumi stared in awe. I’m talking to a real star!? She freaked out. 

“Please refrain from touching me, I could seriously hurt you,” Mashiro said, anticipating Kasumi’s next move. She gave a frown and slumped her shoulders. 

“Well, will you help me? You are not obligated to but I would greatly appreciate it, Kasumi,” Mashiro asked, turning towards her. Kasumi smiled and nodded.

“Of course! Why wouldn’t I?” she replied, grinning now. 

“Believe it or not, my last owner refused my request. It is how I ended up entrapped in that sealed container,” Mashiro answered, its glow dimming a bit. Cool… Its glow changes with its mood! Kasumi thought.

“Anyways, can I go back now? It feels like we’ve been here forever!” she asked, giving a small stretch. 

“Ah, Uhm, the thing is I… do not have good control over my powers. That is why you were zapped here so suddenly. Let me think,” it responded, taking a spot on the ground. It turned its head towards the waterfall.

“This waterfall has magical capabilities. I am sure if you go into it, it will transport you back to where you previously were. I do not know how much time has passed in your world but I assume it is not a drastic amount,” it finished, looking down into the hole the waterfall was descending into. 

“How does it know where I was at?” Kasumi asked, concern in her voice.

“Most magic responds to thoughts and feelings. If you concentrate your feelings on where you were last or where you want to be, I am sure it will take you there. It put me here at the very least,” Mashiro explained. Kasumi nodded, still unsure. She did want to get back, though. 

“So do I just… jump in?” she asked, looking at Mashiro. 

“I assume so. But remember to concentrate on your feelings as you submerge yourself. I do not wish for a mistake to occur,” it answered. Kasumi gave a small nod before standing at the base of the hole the waterfall fell into. She looked down into nothing. It was pitch black, which made her stomach turn. Turning toward Mashiro, she gave a small wave.

“Guess I’ll see ya later! Maybe? I hope so,” she said before taking a brave jump down into the waterfall. 

It was cold, like water. She also could not breathe. Attempting to focus on her last location, she flooded her mind with her past surroundings. The dimly lit shop was filled with arrays of knick-knacks, weapons, and tools of the like. She imagined Arisa, who had a disappointed look on her face now that she remembers it. I’ll apologize when I’m back… Kasumi thought to herself as she felt the cold fade. She opened her eyes and saw she was in Arisa’s arms now. Realizing she was not breathing that whole time, she took a deep breath and choked on some ‘water’ that got into her mouth. She wasn’t wet but still cold . The stone was now floating in front of her, glowing a faint red. She grabbed it and stared at it for a moment. She knew she had to stand up but she wanted to stay in Arisa’s embrace for a few moments longer. To her dismay, Arisa began to stand up, reaching a hand to help her up. She took it.

“Here, let's go inside. I’ll clean this up,” Arisa said, gently taking Kasumi’s hand and leading her toward the door. Kasumi saw Arisa’s grandma standing nearby, a concerned look on her face. 

"Can you tell me what you saw?" she asked, gesturing for Kasumi to sit. She nodded and recalled everything. By the time she was done Arisa arrived. She had a disappointed look on her face. 

Kasumi's head was clouded with thoughts as the pair headed outside. She felt very drained as if the Stone was sapping her of her energy as it possessed her. That is a likely possibility… she noted to herself. Arisa opened the gate for her which made Kasumi snap out of her haze.

"I'll see you tomorrow!" she promised, taking Arisa's hands for a moment. At that, she headed home, ready for a good nap.

Notes:

I meant to upload this earlier but new pokemon game ... Hope u guys enjoyed !!

Chapter 4: Time to Read

Summary:

Saaya joins the fray!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Saaya was restocking the bakery when she heard the bell ring. She turned around, surprised to see Kasumi and another girl. 

"Hey Kasumi!" she said cheerfully, grinning. The two had been friends for a few months now. The girl beside her wasn’t familiar, however. She gave a small smile to her but it wasn't returned. Okay… she thought.

"Saaya, do you wanna help us read books!?" Kasumi asked her, staring intently.

"Maybe later. We don't close for another hour, ya know. But anyway, what books are you trying to read?" she replied, curious. Kasumi pulled a small stone out of her pocket, "holding" it in her hand. The stone was floating and glowing to Saaya's amazement.

“Where did you get this?” she asked, staring in awe.

“It was in Arisa’s shop! Her grandma told me I could take it since it won’t leave me.” Kasumi replied. 

“It won’t leave you?” Saaya asked, more confused. Kasumi put on a thinking face, saying suddenly, 

“Watch this!” At that, she threw the stone in the direction of a window, but nothing was actually thrown. Saaya saw the rock floating still within proximity of her hand. Her bewilderment caused Kasumi to respond, “I know, right?” Saaya glanced at Arisa, but the other girl seemed to show no interest. She was actually looking away from everyone. Saaya gave a small shrug, returning her gaze back to Kasumi, who had a contagious smile on her face. She hadn’t meant to stare and didn’t realize she was doing so till Arisa spoke up suddenly. 

“Shouldn’t we get started on our reading…?” she asked quietly. 

“Oh right!” Kasumi exclaimed, making it obvious that she forgot. “Saaya, you sure you can’t join us?” she pleaded, placing her hands together. 

“Uhh…” Saaya mumbled, feeling a hand on her shoulder. Upon glancing up she saw it was her mom. 

“She can go,” she reassured gently, giving her a small smile.

“Are you sure, mom?” Saaya gave a worried look. She nodded in response. At this, the girls promptly left the bakery and headed towards the library. 


The walk wasn’t long. Kasumi ran ahead of the two, holding the door open for them.

“After you, m’lady,” she said with a bow. Saaya decided to play along.

“Why, thank you, kind sir,” she replied with a small curtsy. The two giggled while Arisa stared blankly.

“Wow…” was all she said as she walked past the pair. Learn to live a little! Saaya thought with an eye roll. She and Kasumi entered the library. The entrance featured an intricate desk with the castle symbol embroidered on the front in gold. Behind the counter stood a girl with short black hair. She seemed very nervous as she greeted them.

“H-hi!” she said, giving a slight nod. Saaya recognized her. She went to school and church with her and was also a regular in the bakery.

“Hello!” Kasumi responded, leaning onto the counter. “You seem familiar. Do you go to school here?” The girl seemed overwhelmed a bit by the sudden attack. Saaya pulled Kasumi back from the counter as she apologized. 

“I’m sorry about her. We are looking for books on a certain… subject …?” she asked, unsure of herself.

“Uhm, well, first, my name is Rimi Ushigome and yes I do,” she told Kasumi, “but what subject are you trying to research?" she asked, turning towards Saaya.

“Ah, I think it’s easier to just show you,” Saaya answered, nudging Kasumi who promptly pulled the Stone out from her pocket. Rimi gave a small gasp as she looked at the magic rock. 

"I don't know what books you would need exactly but the librarian would. I'll go see if she's in her office," she told the pair as she went through a door behind the desk. 

"I wonder where Arisa went off to!" Kasumi wondered aloud, looking around. 

"Hmm, yeah. Hey Kasumi-," Saaya began to ask till Rimi returned. She looked concerned as she told them the librarian was not in her office.

"But ummm… I'm sure she's here somewhere! I can go look for her real quick if you two want to wait here," Rimi offered, gesturing to the tables and chairs that decorated the entrance. 

"Can we look with you? Three sets of eyes are better than one!" Kasumi asked, smiling. Saaya had no objections as they waited for an answer. 

"Well, if you insist. Do you want to go together or spread out?" Rimi questioned. 

Saaya answered, "You two can go together. I'll be fine on my own. I'm not totally unfamiliar with this place." At that, the three split. Saaya has only seen the librarian once. She wasn't exactly a people-person from what she heard. She walked past towering shelves displaying arrays of books. The soft lighting and weirdly comforting smell were probably what made the library the perfect place to escape. She was brought out of her thoughts whenever she spotted a head of blond hair accompanied by a lavender cloak. Caught ya! Saaya headed towards Arisa, noticing she was reading a slightly tattered book. "Hey there!" she greeted, causing the other girl to jump.

"...Hey," Arisa greeted back, a small blush on her face. 

"Sorry if I scared you. Whatcha reading?” Saaya asked, nodding towards her book.

“Oh um, a book about magic seals and stuff. Just trying to find some information about the Stone,” Arisa answered, fidgeting with her book.

“Oh? Is the Stone like a vessel or something?” Saaya questioned.

“Umm, yes and no? I think. I don’t exactly understand it but from what Kasumi told me I can only assume the Stone is something like a vessel,” replied Arisa.

"Ooh, interesting! But the main reason I came to find you is that we are looking for a librarian. Kasumi went off with Rimi to the other side of the library. I figured to look here and find you," Saaya finished, glancing at the books that lined the shelves. Arisa closed the book she had in hand, placing it back on the shelf.

"I saw her earlier, but I don't know if we'll find her here. In the actual library that is. Other parts aren't open to the public. We should just research ourselves," she noted, continuing to avoid eye contact. 

"You have a point but it still couldn't hurt to look, right? At the very least we could join up with the others," suggested Saaya, a soft smile on her face. She could see Arisa contemplating the idea in her head as she waited for an answer. She finally got a small nod in response. The pair walked together in silence while they searched. I really can't tell if she's just shy or doesn't like me… Saaya thought to herself with a glance towards the shorter girl. However, the silence didn’t last. They met up with the other two who seemed deep in conversation.

“Hey Saaya! Arisa! I was filling Rimi in on the Stone! Did you guys find the librarian?” Kasumi asked the pair.

“No, but Arisa mentioned something about a private room. Do you know anything about that, Rimi?” Saaya asked. Rimi’s eyes seemed to light up as she nodded.

“I forgot that was a possibility. I usually don’t go into that room,” she answered, twirling her hair in embarrassment.

“A secret room? What’s in there?” Kasumi asked.

“Probably secrets,” Saaya joked.

“Well, that isn’t exactly off the mark,” Rimi gave a small chuckle, “But even those of us who work here aren’t allowed in the room without explicit permission. Besides the librarian of course.”

“Then can’t you just go get permission?” Kasumi tilted her head.

“I mean, I can. It’s just, it’ll take a day at the shortest, a week at the longest to get permission,” Rimi gave a defeated sigh. 

“Having to wait is fine. It’s not like it’s anything super urgent!” Kasumi smiled.

“Uhm, Kasumi,” Arisa started, “What if you pass out again?”

“Aah, umm, I’m sure it’ll be fine!” Kasumi sounded like she was trying to convince herself.

Turning her gaze towards Kasumi, Saaya offered, “I could walk you home this evening, just as a precaution,” a small smile forming.

“Oo! You can come with me to take Arisa home!” Kasumi lit up.

“As long as there's no objection,” Saaya turned towards Arisa. She swore she saw her narrow her eyes but, hmm, no, it’s probably nothing .

“Um, sure,” Arisa plainly replied with her arms crossed. At this, Kasumi seemed to build up to a cheer until Saaya placed a hand on her shoulder.

“I get that this place is huge but it's still a library,” she put a finger to her lips. Kasumi nodded and simply grinned. Saaya found herself staring with a faint smile but quickly replaced her attention.

“As soon as you get news, just find me wherever, alright?” she told Rimi before the three headed home for the evening.


While she and Kasumi lived in town, Arisa lived quite a ways out into the surrounding forest. The distance wasn’t the issue, but rather the awkward silences that weren’t filled by Kasumi. Every question was answered with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’, which led the conversation nowhere. Kasumi seemed to not acknowledge the atmosphere, running ahead. Saaya looked at her surroundings as the group walked, leading to her asking, “Do you enjoy living out here in the forest?” Arisa didn’t look up when she nodded.

“Well, aside from it being pretty secluded, being surrounded by the fauna and flora is a plus. Also, the soil around my house is pretty rich in nutrients, which is good for all my plants,” she said, which surprised Saaya. Her face seemed intense as she talked, which led her to believe she was serious about plants. Suddenly, Kasumi’s voice rang out far in front of the duo,

“I found it!” which earned a confused expression from Saaya. Glancing over, she saw Arisa with furrowed brows.

“How? It’s invisible!” Arisa exclaimed, waving an arm in front of her.

“I remembered all the stuff around it, like this patch of flowers!” Kasumi pointed at a small clump of brightly colored flowers. Saaya said nothing as she watched the exchange. She followed behind Arisa as she quicked her pace. Saaya observed her pull out something that resembled a twig, a wand perhaps, and tap it gently in front of her. At that, a fence and wooden arch covered in entangling vines appeared slowly. So that's what she meant by invisible… More and more appeared, and suddenly a whole house was now in the middle of the woods. There was a pretty big garden in front of the house, a small, rocky pathway leading towards the door.

“Isn’t that suuuper cool?!” Kasumi suddenly leaped onto Saaya, wrapping her arms around her left arm. She had a bright smile as she looked at the other girl and Saaya couldn’t speak for a moment as she stared.

“U-uhm, yes,” she turned her gaze towards Arisa, who was looking away from the two, “I really do think it's cool! But if you don’t mind me asking, why the invisibility?”

“Well, the house doubles as a shop. It’s in the back. We have all kinds of magic items, artifacts, weapons, armor, etc., etc. You get it,” Arisa listed off with a twirl of her hand, “It's where Kasumi found the stone, actually,” she finished. Kasumi nodded and then her face lit up as if she just thought of something.

“Can Saaya see the shop?” she asked, but Saaya quickly intervened.

“Ah, no, no. I don’t need to. Kasumi, we need to head back before it gets too late,” she said in a semi-stern tone. Kasumi gave a defeated sigh as she slumped. Then, she walked over toward Arisa. Taking her hands in her own, she smiled as she said,

“I’ll see you tomorrow!” Saaya noticed the blush form on Arisa’s face.

“Y-yeah,” she grumbled as she pulled her hands away. Kasumi went back to Saaya’s side, waving as she said goodbye. The pair started their walk back home.

“Hey, Kasumi. I don’t think you ever told me how you two met,” Saaya started, turning her gaze toward Kasumi. Her face seemed to light up as she recounted the events of a few days ago. “You seem to really like her, even though you’ve only just met her,” she gave a small chuckle.

“Well, when I first saw her…” Kasumi paused, a slight blush appearing as she continued, “I could feel my heart pound in my chest. It was the same kind of feeling I feel when I see a starry sky, and I just want to stare at it forever. I felt it again when I woke up in her arms,” she finished, her smile gentle as she looked at the ground.

“That almost sounds like love,” Saaya teased, ignoring the sinking feeling in her chest.

“Well, I love all my friends!” Kasumi responded, unphased by the joke. Saaya held her tongue, figuring there was no reason to try to explain her joke.

 

They arrived back in town with the sun hanging low in the sky now. Saaya said her goodbyes after they got to Kasumi’s house. Her smile faded once she was alone, the sinking feeling never leaving her.

Notes:

I did not think it would take this long to upload another chapter. I hope you all like it and thanks for reading! :3

Chapter 5: update!

Chapter Text

hiii uhmmm i am not gonna be finishing this fic but if you want to read thru the docs i made for it i will link them here!!!(there is like at least 40+ pages of unformatted rambling) if u want to finish this fic urself just message me on my tumblr :3
( https://www.tumblr.com/blog/pyratedbunny )

docs!:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/13h_EVotlFQQDKiMZto-l3NJ7S_fBR-uCgXuFaLbOK7U/edit?usp=drive_link
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HtqozRz2UeNWEcsxfpYljrEQ_05TtcWAivKNogErir0/edit?usp=drive_link

Notes:

Thanks for reading if you did. You can follow me on Twitter or Tumblr @pyratedbunny where I will post new chapter updates!!