"Now where am I?"
She had asked the two wolves beside her, hoping they would tell her something. Lone and behold they just stared at her. Two pairs of white foggy bulging eyes stared at her, most likely confused as they had already completed their task.
One of them walked up to her and placed the tattered and slightly soggy Taliman in Yuriko's palm.
"Ew! I know your not real wolves but still, it's covered in your saliva!"
The wolf shrunk and whimpered at the sound of its master's raising her voice.
"Oh my, I'm sorry please don't whimper. How bout helping me out with something?"
The little white wolf jumped at the question and sat down nicely, awaiting orders from its master.
*Ok, OK now! It looks like we are some sort of forest: reminds me of the forest we went hiking in Thailand. We got lost and had to camp for a night, we...*
As she said those words she silently gazed down, looking at her hand which she had used to carry the Life Remnant. Tho she has only been separated from the "real" world for less than a day she eagerly wants to go back. However, a part of her wishes to stay.
Looking at their master the two pups glance at each other, awaiting further orders.
"Listen up little pups help me gather some fruits or something for us to eat then we can go play, that will be your reward ok?"
They had a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. They climbed on cliffs, swam through rivers, and ran through grass fields.
"Come here, I found some of these berries. Oo I'm hungry, itadakimasu!"
Before the round reddish berries made it into her mouth one of the wolves swatted it out of her hand with its tail.
"Hey what was that for!"
To demonstrate it ate the berries and its body turned jet black.
Yuriko starred in shocks and then sprang into action.
"Oh my, I'm so sorry. Why did you eat it!"
Its body slowly turned back to a white coat but it left black tips on its ear paws, tail, and snout.
"Are you ok little pup?!"
The little pup nodded and smiled.
Yuriko was thinking about what to do and an idea sprang into her mind.
"Oo now that you two look different I can give you two names!"
When she suggested the idea the two pups jumped in excitement.
"Ok, so you the one with black tips how bout I name you Ikuro and you the white one, Shiromi?"
The two pups jumped and landed on top of her.
"Ok, ok stop. Stop licking my face you two!"
They laughed and played with each other for the rest of the afternoon.
"That should be enough sticks. can one of you light a fire?"
In a blink of an eye, flames burst and lit the pile of sticks, providing a source of warmth.
Yuriko cooks the fish she caught from the river nearby and gave some to the pups, 3 fish each. They enjoy a night's rest under the stars.
"Is that a human with two spirits?"
"I think it is!"
"Oh, quick guys leave! She's waking up."
"Ow!"
Yuriko opened her eyes to a pile of soot and ashes, two pups snoring away, and a flower on her belly.
"A flower? Well, good morn'in pups."
As she stretched her are parallel to her ear and she feels that something is missing.
*Mn- wait,* she feels around her ear *No, it's missing!*
"My earring is missing!"
Her screams woke up the slumbering pups and seemed to have shaken the entire forest.
She gazed around and picked up the pups.
"Ok, so you're wolves and you can sniff out where it is right?"
The wolves gave each other a confused and sleepy look. After a short moment, they were sniffing everywhere trying to look for the lost earring.
After walking around for 5 mins they arrived at a forest clearing.
The sound of sniffs and crying was heard from the area.
"Did you two hear that too?"
The pups nodded and they ran over to see a girl lying on the forest ground, cuts painted in crimson all over her right leg.
"Little girl is your ok?"
"A human?..."
"Don't answer me right now this will hurt a little bit."
Yuriko rolled up her long sleeves and tore off one to use as a bandage.
"One of you pups go collect some water and put it in this leaf bowl. Then one of you finds some stick for me."
The pups did as they were told and got the equipment needed. Yuriko soaked the ripped sleeve in the water and slowly wiped away the caked blood.
The girl's leg twitches under the pain but she remained silent, refusing to look at Yuriko directly.
"It will hurt a little bit. After I clean it I'll bandage it up for ya."
Smiling she continued to do her thing. She had torn her left sleeve off and ripped it in half again creating two pieces of fabric. She used one to clean the wound and the other piece for a bandage.
After cleaning the blood off she washed the leg down with cold water from the stream and bandaged it up.
"There you go. Here take my hand."
Yuriko offered her hand and the girl took it. Yuriko helped her up and the girl thanked her.
"Thank y-you human."
"No worries. And can you stop calling human my name's Yuriko."
"Riko..."
The girl want quiet and then dragged Yuriko furthered into the forest.
"Whoa, wait you still hurt."
They ran at the speed of the wind and arrived at a flower field.
The field was filled with little fairies and nymph-looking spirits. They were all playing happily until they spotted Yuriko. The moment they saw her they hid with only small wing tips poking out.
'What is this place? It's beautiful but what were the little creatures flying around just now?'
"Follow me."
With no choice, Yuriko was dragged around by the little. When she stopped they were in front of a grand tree.
"Leva this is the human I have been talking about."
"Minty you have done well by bringing her here."
A voice spoke to her but there was no one there.
"Thank you for helping one of my fairies human."
"Leva is a tree spirit so you won't see her he he..."
"Thanks for telling me that after I meet her."
"Human I appreciate you helping my fairies. As a thank you, I will grant you something you want."
Shocked at the response she quickly denied the reward.
"Oh, it's fine you don't have to. I'm a doctor helping people is my job I don't need anything in return."
"So you don't want a rewarding human?"
Yuriko nodded and was going to excuse herself.
"In that case, I will remove the illusion that has been placed on you and reveal the truth"
"What do you mean?"
"Goodbye human."
"Bye Yuriko!" "Bye Bye!" "See you another day Riko!"
The nymphs and fairies wave goodbye in unison and disappeared. Leaving Yuriko and her wolves in a forest clearing.
Yuriko was still confused and questioned what Leva meant. Before she knew it the answer was right before her.
Her head starts pounding and when she removed her hand from the head it was painted crimson. Her arms were weak and her legs gave way and she collapses.
"I-Ikuro Shiromi are you two t-there? He-help me you two..."
Everything slowly fades to black as she hears an unfamiliar voice.
"Omg! Is she the one you were leading me t-"
After what felt like days her eyes finally opened. Like a window slowly letting light in. She was laying on a soft mattress with a small blanket covering her legs. She looked around and observed the room she is in.
The room was small and did not contain much: a small circular window, a shelf partially full of old worn down books, and a little table; books and paper falling off as we speak.
Everything was blurry but very bright; as if the Sun has just risen. As she got up she notice her left forearm was bandaged and one was flopping down and covering her eyes. She slowly got up and found that her right leg was also bandaged; the right thigh. A small note: the bandaging was sloppy and loose, leading to most of it slipping off, presumably while she was sleeping.
She slowly walked around the room; step by step. The floor creaked as she explored the room.
A notebook she found on the table. The contents include thus:
28/6 Afternoon
The girl's condition is getting better. Master told me to feed her the Pipa Flower nectar once a day. I'm not sure how that's going to help her but welllllll master said so. I got her clothes mended today, well tried to. The patterns are sooo intricate and I mean INTRICATE af. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Then ye ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I really need to go before master calls me. Oh no
The note ends there now to go die at the hands of master Marianna :) :(
The note was interesting... Half of it was in English and the other half was in another language. Yuriko flipped through the little notebook and either couldn't read what it says because it was in another language and the part that was English was written in handwriting that was IMPOSSIBLE to read; this is coming from a DOCTOR.
The sound of soft steps slowly became louder and louder. Yuriko may have passed out but her ears still work just as fine. She quickly jumped and hid behind the so call bed which was a mattress. The door creaked and open slowly, letting voices and a girl in.
"It'll be quick, I just need to check on her condition that's all."
The voice was clear. It was a young girl, seemingly a student talking to their teacher or senior.
Yuriko kept quiet and listened.
"Ok after then after you finish remember to meet with Ms. Mari ok?"
"I'll remember!"
The young girl quietly stepped into the room, a tray of stuff in hand. It looked like it included some type of medicine, clothes, bandages, and something else.
After she placed the tray down on the little table she began doing something, it was hard to see and keep oneself hidden at the same time.
Yuriko was suspicious and curious about who the girl is. She slowly got up and tackled the young girl.
"Eke! off"
Yuriko was on top of the girl pinning her down to the ground. Glaring she questioned the girl.
"Who are you!? Where am I!"
"Please, please I'm a friend, not a foe. I was the one who bandaged you. The two wolves lead me to you. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Ar-are they yours?"
*She found me? Ikkuro and Shirom lead her to me?*
"So you helped me?"
"Ye-yes right now you're in the attic of the library. Ca-can you let m-me go now?"
Yuriko was still skeptical about the girl. She held the girl down with her body weight before a sharp pain hit her head.
She collapsed grasping her head with her two hands. She wailed in pain, the girl trying to help her up.
"Oh no- Please don't do anything harsh. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Your body is still weak and hurt!"
*What? My body hurt but I was helping Leva and the other nymphs. What is happening? AhHhH! My head hurts like FU*K!*
"Calm down, ~ ~ ~ ~ You have been hurt, and oh on, the wound has opened up again. This will take a mome-"
After a short moment, she passed out from the pain and stress affecting her body.
It was black but she could hear the sounds of something, it was a familiar sound to her. *Beep... Beep* The sound of a heart monitor echoed in her ears and muffled voices spoke; however, she couldn't make out what the voices were saying.
"Wake up, wake u-"
A strong scent hit her nose and she quickly opened her eyes.
"Is that ammonia? Get that away from me I'm awake!"
"Epe- Uh da i jo u bu dee su ka? (Are you ok?)"
Bages had formed under her eyes and she felt tired and weak.
*She is trying to speak Japanese? Well, that is helpful. I couldn't understand a part of what she was yapping about a moment ago.* (Yuriko is speaking Japanese for the girl is speaking English/ Spanish. Yuriko can understand English but not Spanish.)
"Um- Yes? I'm fine."
The girl took in a deep breath, sighed, and continued with her "Japanese".
"O na ma ae waa? Waa ta chi waa Liliana dee su. (What's your name? I'm Liliana)"
"My name is Yuriko."
'Ok so her name is Yuriko. She didn't understand what I said earlier, does she have Varacna? Did she lose it?'
"A naa ta waa Varacna o cut te i maa su kaa? (Do you have a Varacna?)"
*Dara what now? No. No, I don't have one of whatever that is. What in the world is a Darakuna?*
"No... I don't think I have one."
*So she didn't lose it but that's impossible! How did she not get one? Does she even know she's...*
"Um... This might sound sudden but Omae Wa Mou Shindeiru!"
"Ha? I'm what?"