Contract with a Star (On Hold, Possibly Forever)

Nari Encounters More Stars

            Nari was dreaming, she knew with a dreamer’s certainty. But someone was shaking her like they were trying to wake her up, so Nari opened her eyes and got a face full of Rena. The girl stepped back to let Nari sit up. They were definitely not in the house anymore.

            There was sunlight streaming through the trees, but it was soft and comfortable. The very green grass was soft enough to sleep on, as six other girls seemed to be doing. Nari asked who they were.

            “Those are my sisters. Fire, Tiger, Lightning, Sakura, Sand, and Snow.” Rena pointed to each girl as she named them. “They live here with me. Before you ask, this is a sort of dream world you humans created. We found it a while ago, and since it’s made of soul energy, we decided to live here for the time being.”

            “Aren’t there ten stars?” Nari looked around the clearing, but it was enclosed by trees.

            “Yes, the other three are over there.” Rena pulled Nari’s hand to a small opening that had been invisible and likely nonexistent a moment ago. It led to another clearing, similar to the one behind them. There were two girls sitting cross legged in the middle, a ball of light resting on their laps. They looked up from the globes to greet Rena and Nari.

            “Are those the lights that came from the necklace and the brick? And wait, I thought you said there were three over here?” Nari tore her eyes away from the addictive glow to ask Rena.

            “They are, and she’s over there.” Rena pointed to the right of Nari, a frown on her face. There was a huge cage next to Nari, and she wondered how she could have missed it. The bars were thin, but the occupant evaded them in her sleep like they were fire. From what Nari knew of stars, the silver probably did burn them like fire. There was an unpleasant blue mist roiling around the girl and enveloping her, but it too did not touch the metal.

            Rena ignored the cage after she had pointed it out. Sitting down beside her sisters, who were face to face, Rena invited Nari to join the little circle. With a final glance at the captive, Nari sat.

            “Now, where should I begin?” Rena wondered aloud, “Perhaps the beginning would be best, but I want to know what you know first. Do you know the story of Ky?” Rena sounded academic.

            “Of course, I do. She, or he, caught you and made a deal with you, trapping you here until you were released by one of Ky’s blood, whoever that was.” Nari paid some attention to her mother’s history lessons.

            Rena smiled at the gender confusion. “You’re right, but you have to ask yourself two questions. How did Ky know a star would fall, and why did I fall in the first place?”

            “What? But, didn’t you fall because the world was dying?” Nari knew she had been told that, at the very least.

            “That’s a part of it. But, if the humans had died out, the world would have recovered eventually. We weren’t necessary for the earth’s revival, but we did help. We had a much bigger purpose than just helping a few humans fix what their ancestors messed up. But, I think it’s time to start at the beginning.” Rena paused, “Right after a nice, hot meal.”

            Three pairs of eyes turned to glare at her. “You know, she’s going to punch you in the face if you keep dragging it out like this.” The sister with black eyes stated.

            “She’s right, and I’m pretty sure that girl has a nasty right hook, so you might want to get on with the story.” The one with gray eyes added. Nari just silently waited, tempted to do exactly what the others expected of her.