The Girl of the Fireflies

Whispers

   "Uh, Katia-san?" I asked.

   "Huh?" she replied, tilting her head innocently. She blinked her big blue eyes. "How do you know I'm a swordsman?" She giggled. "I'm a seer." she responded. "I just know these things. Now get your sword."

   A few minutes later, I was back at the infirmary, with my 3-foot-long blade, Night Ripper. As I walked back to the infirmary, I put my sword in its sheath, which was on my back. Katia stood up. "All right, now I just need to change into my travel clothes." I sweat dropped. "Aren't those clothes fine?" I muttered. Katia ignored me and unbuttoned one button of her dress.

   Wait, what?!

   My face turned as red as an apple. "Wait, you're doing it here-" I was interrupted when she started glowing, and she was wearing a similar outfit, but with armor. She rolled her eyes. "Well, what did you think I was gonna do? It's changing magic. You just need to unbutton one button for it to work." I started to laugh uncomfortably. "Haha, okay, let's go." But before we could go, the lights flickered on and off.

   "Leave now," I heard someone say in a low, raspy whisper. "And never come back." Well, isn't that commanding. "Your village is doomed. Don't even try to rescue it, just leave."

   Well, then.

   As me and Katia left the infirmary, Katia suddenly clasped onto my arm. "Saito-kun! Look over there!" She exclaimed in a shaky voice. She pointed east, toward a group of skeletons. I had almost no time to think. "Katia-san, do you know any attacking magic?" She nodded. "Kaji, watashi no shōkan o kiite, watashitachi o sukui nasai! (Fire, hear my summons, come save us!)" She held up her hand, and she glowed golden, she was levitated, her hair blown by the wind, and a blast of fire came out, turning all the skeletons into dust.

   "Hey, Katia-san," I said, extremely impressed. She cocked her head. "That. Was. AWESOME!" But our excited state was stopped when the voice whispered again, "Go. Now."

   A few hours later, night was upon us. I had packed a few necessities before leaving, like food and water. I laid down the two blankets I had brought under a tree, knowing that that would be all we had. After getting settled under the blankets, Katia's eyes began to tear up. "Saito-kun, what if we can't protect the village? What if I die? What if YOU die?" she asked.

   I stared at her with knowing eyes. "You're not going to die," I comforted her. "Because, I'm going to be the one who will protect you."

(A/N: Anyone get the reference??)

   And with that, she closed her eyes, one last tear falling out, and fell asleep, her lips bent into a slight smile. Without thinking, I wiped the tears off her face. "Don't worry about it, " I whispered.

   Well, there we go! A nice romantic chapter for y'all before the really scary stuff happens!