Contract with a Star (On Hold, Possibly Forever)

Nari Pouts on a Boat

            “About eight months left before we have to send her back up.” Rena finished as she appeared out of the dream world.

            “Are you serious?! And why are we on a boat?!” Nari screeched.

            “I’m completely serious. And we’re on a boat because I told the Cloudwalkers to take your body to a boat and send us to Sakura Country.” Rena answered.

            “When did you do that?” Nari tried to stand up, but she had never been on a boat for longer than an hour before and it was easier to sit when she was mad at Rena.

            “Three days ago.” Rena backed up at the glare she got from Nari. “What? Time moves differently in a dream. You know you spent almost two days of real world time sleeping in the dream world? While I was waiting, I asked the Cloudwalkers, who were grateful that you had stopped that awful screaming, to send us along to Sakura Country. Well, I asked for Lightning Country, but ironically, Storm and Lightning don’t get along.” Rena laughed, but Nari was in no mood.

            “You know, I didn’t get to see a single Cloudwalker.” Nari pouted.

            “Be happy you didn’t.” Rena countered. “Dullest people in the entire hemisphere. I almost bashed your skull in when I was talking to them. That would have been even more mind-numbing.” Rena laughed at her little joke.

            “That was about as funny as my dad’s jokes about road crossing chickens.” The sarcasm in Nari’s voice was palpable. “Did you at least bring Eleia?”

            “Yeah, I brought her. I actually like her, unlike certain spoilsports that can go eat chicken droppings for all I care.” Rena muttered the second sentence, pouting in the corner.

            The two girls ended up ignoring each other for the remainder of the boat trip. For the most part, Nari spent the entire time trying not to throw up and when that failed, trying not to throw up on her own clothes. Rena was stuck taking care of Eleia, who did not enjoy the moving ground she had been forced onto. Rena was forced to sedate her with excess soul energy she had gathered over the years every time the waves grew too strong. It was not a pleasant trip, although it was certainly expensive. The Kydels were rapidly disappearing.

            Rena forced Nari to buy even more clothes as she left the dock. At the very least, Nari was allowed to put away the jacket because Sakura Country had a nice, even temperature. The weird thing was, all she had to buy were some black cat ears. She asked about it.

            “Sakura Country is a very flaky country. They always have to be on the cusp of fashion, unlike the Forest Country, which is almost completely isolated. Right now, the fashion is cute animals. You’ll fit right in with cat ears and a tail.” Rena told Nari as they walked down the streets without purpose, getting many compliments on the combination of Onyx and Sakura.

            Nari stopped. “What do you mean cat ears and a tail? I didn’t buy a tail!” Nari whispered out of the corner of her mouth. She glared to her left in distrust.

            “I gave you one. I figured you wouldn’t be able to afford one, and I just felt a bit of nostalgia for tails. Obviously people love it, but be careful not to touch anyone with it, they might realize it’s a real one and not a puppet one.” Rena turned and laughed at Nari. “You know, when you get mad, your tail twitches.”

            Nari whipped around and saw the truth of the statement. She turned back to glare harder at the trickster. “I hate you so much.” Rena knew she didn’t mean it, and it only made her laugh even more.

            “So, where’s Sakura Country’s gold?” The statement seemed odd, but they had stopped in some type of café and no one could hear Nari over the hustling and bustling of the other customers.

            Rena didn’t know, but her answer was drowned out by a yawn anyway. It was the kind of sound Nari was starting to identify as one only she could hear. Nari looked around and saw something she had definitely not expected. There was a young woman with pink eyes and black hair stretching in the middle of the café, completely ignored by everyone else. Nari knew exactly why she looked familiar.