It was a cold night
heavy rain falling down drumming against the metal roof of the lonely bus stop.
In this unknown place, someone sat, hunched against the chill.
His face shadowed as she waited,
Afterward, the scene shifted to a forest;
Footsteps splashed through the forest floor, and each step drove through puddles, sending bursts of water flying.
The scene continues running through the forest, crossed by many trees until the stranger falls from a cliff.
The stranger felt no pain at all and kept moving, but when she looked around she realized she was deep within a cave.
Shadows on every side of the cave, as she moved forward, a faint glow appeared in the distance.
Drawn by the light, walked toward it, each step echoing in the stillness.
The light grew brighter until, with one last step the stranger emerged into the open air.
She blinked against the sudden brightness and found herself standing before a towering tree with a vibrant shade of blue and red leaves,
Standing in a colorful sky despite its beauty the place is filled with sadness, anger, and the loss of hope.
The scene shifts to a bedroom;
A girl wakes up from a dream, her eyes wide with fear she throws the cover back and buries her face into the pillow.
Her alarm clock starts to ring reminder of another school day, she reaches over it and turns it off,
She rises from her bed and makes her way to the bathroom, the steam from the shower already filling the air.
She washes her face and brushes her teeth, trying to shake off the lingering chill of her dream.
Once she's ready, she heads to the dining room where her mother is already waiting.
The breakfast spread out before her, the girl sat down to eat, and her mother asked her.
"How was school?", the girl replied and told her mother about her explaining that nothing changed at all.
It was the same, I just had a little bad dream last night that's all.
Her father who is listening from across the room said, "If something happened just tell us".
The girl hesitates for a moment, then nod, saying "Yes", in a small voice.
She finishes her breakfast and then rises to leave, her mother walks to the door,
Reminding her to be careful and call if she needs anything, she smiles and waves saying goodbye.
She stepped outside, pulling the door shut behind her.
The morning air was cool, faint sunlight through the clouds, casting a gentle glow on the quiet street.
The scene focuses on her introduction;
"My name is Ruri", she thought as she set off toward school, her long brown hair swinging with each step,
Her short bang sat above her blue eyes, she was still a bit sleepy-looking in the early daylight.
She's sixteen years old and a first-year senior high school student.
She is walking in a street going on her way to go to school when she remembers something from when she was young.
When I was young, people in my province would often stare at me, captivated by the color of my eyes.
Some whispered behind their hands, calling me a cursed child, while others with wonder in their voices, spoke of me as the "Moon Princess".
My eyes were an unusual blue, deep and clear, like a shard of the night sky.
There was an old woman who would visit our house, she often spoke with my parents,
Her stories are woven from the threads of ancient lore, she shared a tale that caught my attention.
A tale that seemed to echo something deep within me.
The story is about a princess with eyes like the moon sky was born, bringing light and laughter to her kingdom. Her presence alone seemed to calm storms, heal fields, and warm hearts.
But one day, curiosity drew her beyond the borders, where she promised to return soon.
In her absence, shadows fell. Crops failed, storms raged, and the kingdom was overrun.
Years later, she returned to find her home in ruins. An old woman revealed the truth: her presence had unknowingly held a curse at bay.
Stricken by guilt, the princess retreated into the forest, planting a sprout from her travels. She gave her life to it, and a great tree grew, restoring peace.
But as the tree aged, it opened a portal beneath its roots. Spirits slipped through, stirring ancient grievances, until twelve sorcerers sealed the tree.
Only two returned. Now, the tree stands as a symbol of sacrifice and a reminder of what still waits beyond.