9

Maki’d never been there before and she was really impressed. That place was totally different from their underground refuge. She could raise her eyes and stare at the clear sky of the night without worrying about some beast jumping over her. It was a dream. A fortress erected over the ruins of a building complex, still with enough of the original structure standing to keep them safe. But there was something more fascinating that made Maki close her eyes and enjoy the moment. The air; the cold and soft breeze caressing her skin.

“I did exactly the same the first time I came here”

She heard a deep woman voice behind her and turned to see who she was. It didn’t matter if Maki was still a kid the last time she saw her.., not even almost ten years can make you forget Nakazawa Yuko.

“That’s why Hitomi wanted to take us here…” said the younger raising her eyes to the moon again.

“Your leader was a smart girl and wanted to give you a better place to live. Not to mention that she was better than her father in a lot of ways…”

Maki was going to say something but the woman just turned her back and walked towards Ishikawa with a worried expression.

“Where’s Fujimoto?”

“You know her…” answered Rika trying to not sound too concerned “Miki isn’t happy without doing something stupid from time to time…”

“Someday, that heroine complex of hers will kill that girl… What’s now? Another kid or some lady?”

“A girl”

“She stayed to help Aya” said Maki taking part in the conversation.

“Oh… Interesting. I’m sure they’ll have fun together”

Yuko began to laugh and everybody got really confused. Where was the joke?

“Well… Who do we have here?” this time was Yossi who attracted her attention “Extraordinary, really… Longer hair and some scratch here and there and I’d think that I’m seeing a ghost… Anyway, the girls told me that you have a little problem with your ‘means of transport’…”

“I think it was damaged at the shooting…”

Kaoru raised her hand and showed the machine on her wrist to Yuko, who watched it carefully inch by inch, trying to find where the problem was.

“You know… I don’t understand that kind of things” said Yuko finally defeated “We better let this to Asami. She’s the brain here”

“Konno-san?” Kaoru’s face glow with the mention of the name “She’s here?”

“Not right now. She’ll be back in two days. So…” Nakazawa smiled and passed her arm around Yossi’s back “…that give us plenty of time to know each other, don’t think so?”

***

Yossi had to be imagined it already… Nakazawa Yuko was Nakazawa Yuko, no matter what world they were. That means to use whatever reason, like the arrival of another world’s visitors, as an excuse to have a party, even if one of the guests was totally against it.

“Sorry about this” Rika apologized with a smile and sat next to her, away from the party.

“It’s ok. I’m already used to her”

“It has to be difficult… being away from home…”

The younger looked at Rika, who had her eyes glued to the sky, and then at the girls laughing at the party.

“Someway…, I’m at home…”

Rika lowered her head and stared at the woman at her side. It was as if she’d never gone away. She could touch her… she could kiss her… she could lose herself in her arms and forget the nightmare of the last months.

But then again, it wasn’t her.

The noise from the show in front of them brought Rika to reality. Yossi was entertained watching how Nono had taken a pair of wood sticks and was using them as sais against an Aibon-monster trying to attack her. A perfect parody of some Miki’s battle against the evil, that was received by the other girls with cheers and laughs. Yossi smiled as well, but when she turned to the girl next to her, she saw a worried look on her face.

“You’re ok?” asked the younger.

“Uhm?” Ishikawa wasn’t expecting the question “Yeah… I was just thinking…”

“Miki..., she’ll be fine, right?”

“I hope so…” sighed Rika.

***

“Aya… Aya!” Miki shouted and slap the younger a few times “Princess, wake up!”

Miki’s suspicions were right. When she uncovered the wound, Fujimoto could see clearly that the cut was infected and it could go worst if she couldn’t find help soon.

She looked outside. There were just a few hints of light… Still too early… Still too dark to take the risk…

“Shit! I’m not gonna let you die, do you hear me?!” she took Aya’s arm trying to lift her up “I don’t wan…na have your ghost prow…ling around me the rest of my life…”

To be continued...

Labels: Traveler