"La la laa la la la la laa. Through and through the battles we fought..."
She opened her heavy eyelids and saw that she was floating in a dark void. The only light source she saw was emitting from her chest. The coat and black jeans that she was wearing faded away and manifested into a bright blue kimono. The design was intricate with cranes flying after each other above a glamorous koi pond.
*What is this? Why and how am I in a kimono?* she questioned, gazing at the bright attire.
Her hair was a lighter color than before. Originally her hair was a dark shade of brown but now it was more a light ash brown. Her hair flowed around her as if she were swimming in deep dark waters. Her hair consumed her and she was barely able to see anything!
She looked around to see if there was anything else in this weird place. In this dark void, the only light source she could find was from her chest, but as she looked around she saw shining light in a certain direction.
Yuriko did not know how to move into this place. She couldn't walk there, there was no surface for her to stand on anyways, so that's out of the idea. She can't fly there can she? She used a swimming motion to propel herself forwards; unexpectedly, it worked! She slowly moved forwards inch by inch and a voice called out to her from the dark void.
"Who are you? How did you get in here?"
The voice echoed in this seemingly empty place.
"Answer my question dear." The voice continued "Would you be interested in a cup of tea since you are here? I'll be waiting."
Yuriko looked left and right, gazing in every direction she c can. A feeling of uneasiness fell upon her, drops of sweat streaming down her face. Then she felt a tug like something or someone was pulling her. Then in an instant, she was pulled over to that drop of light in the middle of the dark void.
The place was bright and Yuriko's eyes were getting used to the light. As her feet touched the lightly colored ground she cautiously and curiously explored the place. The building before her was a traditional Japanese house. In front of the house was a zen garden with a small pond.
The place was dotted with sakura trees and sakura petals fall like rain in this grand estate. The pink droplets gave a bright contrast against the bright white sky. The water of the pond was crystal clear with different colored koi within it. The grand estate was on an island seemingly in the middle of a void, with nothing even remotely close to it.
Yuriko strolled through the luscious garden without a care in the world. She hummed the song her sister used to sing to her.
"Through and through the battle we fought," she sang, carefreely. "The troubles we've always thought about-"
After she finished that little lyric another voice chimed into this song.
"You and I, we sit there and sigh; together beneath stars and moon~"
Yuriko glanced in the direction of that calming voice, shocked. A lady was sitting on the engawa, tea in hand.
"Ah~It seems like I finally caught the little healer's attention."
"Who are you?" Yuriko questioned.
"I'm the owner of this estate within this spiritual space of course," she replied after a sip of tea.
*Ha? What does she mean by spiritual space? So does she own this whole thing including the black part?*
"To answer that question of yours, yes, unfortunately, I also own the void."
"What the! H-how did you know that I was going to ask you a question? Can you read my mind or something?!"
"Please be polite to the owner of the place you're staying in."
Yuriko bit her lip in an instant, not knowing what the lady could do. The lady gestured for Yuriko to sit down beside her. Reluctantly, she slowly walked to the engawa and sat down next to the lady.
"Now that things have calmed down I need to ask you a question." the lady stated.
"Sure go ahead."
"How did you get in here"
The lady glared at Yuriko pressuring her to answer. Yuriko blatantly stared at her with confused eyes. She shrunk beneath the pressure and screamed back at the lady.
"I-I don't know! I don't even know what even is a spiritual space! Please I don't know, I just want to go back to see my sister..."
She went quiet and the lady stopped the pressuring.
"I'm sorry my dear. I was just enraged at the thought of someone coming into my haven."
Yuriko gave her a puzzled look.
"I'm sorry for ignoring your first question, you can call me Izumi. I'll go get some matcha. Do you want some treats? I have mochi and a few other types of wagashi." Izumi suggested.
"Mochi will do fine, thanks."
"Oh and be my guest dear. You can walk around the garden again if you want, this will take some time."
"Thank you, I'll enjoy the garden thank you very much."
As Izumi left her field of vision Yuriko let out a long sigh and went into deep thought.
*I'm confused...what is all of this? A moment ago I was in the hospital in a doctor's coat. But...now I'm in a kimono sitting on the wooden floor of an engawa. And I'm waiting on a lady I just met to bring me tea and mochi.*
The sakura petals continue to fall around her. She reaches out to one and tenderly holds it within her fingers. Memories flow into her head. The times she spent with her sister in Kyoto and all the good memories.
"Hey sis look! The sakura is blooming!" a voice exclaimed.
"I know, I know I can see them even though I don't have my glasses on. They are surely beautiful aren't they." Miharu answered.
"Of course they are! Grandma planted these trees herself!"
"She did, she surely did."
The young pair of sisters carefully gazed at the grand tree in their backyard while having snacks. The engawa before them was filled with treats like mochi, fruit sandwiches, freshly cut fruit, and matcha. Cold for Yuriko and hot for Miharu.
"These treats are amazing!"
"Well, of course, I was the one who made them!"
"Really? But the mochis are aunty Natsu's right sis? It even has her Neko stamps on them."
"I knew you could taste them."
"Hmf, you lied to me ne-san"
"I did not! I did make them!" Miharu remarked "Well some of them. I made the matcha and the sandwiches."
"Ha! Soooo you did lie"
"AH- If you don't stop talking I will eat all of these treats by myself or worse give them to that boy you hate. Oh~ what's his name, Sukasa!"
"Don't you dare!"
The two sisters run around the engawa and garden, laughing and giggling. As the sound of laughter slowly fades away the sound of footsteps comes closer and closer. Yuriko looks behind her to see a familiar face behind her.
"Sis!"
Jumping up to hug the person tears fall down her face.
"Ah! Dear, please I have a tray with hot matcha in my hands."
As those words spew out of Izumi's mouth Yuriko's body quivers. Her face turns pale at the realization her grip loosens.
Izumi places the tray of contents on the engawa and then hugs Yuriko back.
Everything went silent and her eyes refuse to register what is before her. Izumi holds her tight and hums a soothing toon.
"Through and through the battle we fought;
The troubles we've always thought about~
You and I,
We sit there and sigh~"
The song seems to pull Yuriko out of her little silent world. Smiling with tears flowing down her cheeks she joins in.
"Together beneath stars and moon~
This trial will end near and soon,
Because we two will always be,
Together to the horizon till the edge of the sea~"
The two voices merge into one and the symphony was beautiful to witness.
"Here, tea and a napkin for those tears." a calming voice says.
As their eyes met Miharu appeared before her for just a moment making her cry even more.
"Um-ah here some sweets. They'll make you feel better."
"Thanks" she sniffs.
Yuriko nibbles on the mochi that Izumi gave her and sips on the cold tea.
Eyes widened she asks "How did you know I like my tea cold?"
"A brewer must know what their customer wants," Izumi replied, smiling.
After a short time of silently dining together, Izumi starts a conversation.
"Now that you have calmed down, tell me. Tell me, what happened before you were here?"
Yuriko stayed silent. Everything, the incident, Mira's voice, Saiko's comment, and her sister's questions rushed back to her. They ranged in her ears, blocking all other sounds from entering. A hand patted her on the head gently. Looking up Yuriko saw a gentle smile on her host's face.
"They're rushing back ha? Take it slowly I'll be listening, I have the time don't rush."
They sat there silently for a long time as Yuriko collected herself.
As Izumi was sipping her piping hot tea Yuriko finally answered her question.
"I was in a hospital. I was running up the stairs. The staff was waiting for me in the surgery room on the third floor."
Yuriko gave Izumi a silent side-eye. Izumi continued sipping her tea and nodded, suggesting she was listening.
"I was running so fast I didn't what was going on. The next moment everything went red and blurry then back. The next thing I knew I was floating in the void of this place. And then you pulled me to this island."
Eyes serious Izumi put down her tea to think.
*There is no way she could have entered. She just passed out and just appeared to her? Or is she... I-I do I? No... I can't tell her not now at least. I'm not the one who will tell her anyways... She will find out soon when she is with Marianna*
"This is complicated."
She paused to take a bite of watermelon then continued.
"You see no one can enter another "person" spiritual space unless the owner allows it."
"I see. Why don't people go into other people's spiritual spaces?"
With a serious face, Izumi's tone stiffens.
"The owner is like a god in their spiritual space. They can control anything. Gravity, space, and time, the objects within also include other people. Remember how I seemingly read your mind?"
"Yes, I do. You scared the hell out of me too!"
"Haha, I'm sorry my dear. Getting back to the point. The owner is a god and that "god" can control you. They can read your every movement, your thoughts, and your emotions. They can control your every movement, turning you into a puppet for their disposal"
Frightened eyes engulfed Yuriko's face.
"Don't worry. I will never do anything like that to you, dear."
Izumi patted her on the head and gave her a reassuring smile.
Their happy time did not last long as the island shook as if an earthquake hit.
Owooooo~~
The howl echoes as the "earthquake continues"
Two wolves faced their way. Their fur glowed illuminating the area.
"Interesting, this is truly interesting."
Their white piercing eyes focused on Yuriko.
Beaming Izumi stood up and sent a talisman their way. The wolves grabbed it in their jaws and understood her command.
"They are your spirit kin. They will guide you to where you need to be."
"Spirit kin?"
"I don't have time to explain. I have to go. Run!"
A black glitchy void, like a tsunami, starts to consume the tiny floating island.
"WAIT!"
Yuriko reached out but was held back by one of the wolves.
"I will see you again, maybe not so soon. Sayonara, Dear"
"NO!"
As their white fur brushed against the portal's opening the bright estate disappeared and she found herself in a forest.
"Ah. Thank you two." She petted the two doggos.
"Now where am I?"