Reincarnated to another World

Setting Off For A Journey

Toshiaki's Pov

I stare at the younger girl in front of me.  She has a happy expression and I smile.  'I don't know why, but seeing her warms my heart.  I, just want to make her happy and have her never leave my side which is he real reason why I put that necklace on her.  The thought of her leaving me alone scares me so much.  Why?  What is this feeling?  I t's only been a week since I came in contact with her and yet she makes me feel these emotions I do not understand,' I think quietly to myself.  Then I let out a troubled sigh.  'Really, what should I do?'

Astra's Pov

It's been a week ever since I've become Toshiaki's 'pet'.  No matter how hard I try to destroy the necklace, it will never break.  Right now, I am currently doing my daily everyday work.  It's true when he said he won't mistreat me, even though he made me his 'pet' he never harmed me or forced me to do anything I didn't like and I was still able to go out into the city to sell my medicines.  The most he would do is order me to tell him a something interesting.   It seems like he is very bored here because he is never doing anything. 

"Say Toshiaki, why are you alone in the forest too?  I told you my reason, but you never told me yours.  Plus, I bought the first prince of the fire dragons is older than me."  I ask out of curiosity after finishing my work.  I set aside the medicines and pills I created into my space ring and walk over to Toshiaki.  Toskiaki looks at my with cold dead eyes when shocked me and I froze  as I felt a dangerous aura suddenly appear.   Right now, I could tell I that I needed to shut up and stay quiet.  "Sorry," I say as i shrink back.  I never seen Toshiaki like this and I didn't like it on bit.  Toshiaki then closes his eyes and the aura disappears.  I let out a sigh of relief and then he suddenly says.

"Astra, never ask that question again.  If you do, don't think I will let you off again," he says coldly.  I unconsciously think about escaping and felt and unbearable pain and I fall to the ground.  "You!  You just thought of leaving me just now didn't you!" He yells at me angrily.   In a split second, he appears in front of me and starts chocking me.

' I got so scared, why is he reacting like  this, it makes me want to get away from him even more, all I want is a peaceful life, why is it that now that I finally have the chance to , everything goes wrong?  I know life is not a fairytale, and it will never be, but why do I have to suffer this much?  Didn't I already suffer enough in my past life!!'  I though and again the pain comes back and I cry.  "To- toshi-shi-aki, your scaring me," I continue to cry out as I start to lose air.  Just when everything was about to turn dark, he lets go. 

"Sorry Astra, I shouldn't have done that to you, I'm, really sorry," Toshiaki says and turns and runs away.  It was right when he ran away I felt something wet fall onto my face.  I reach up and touch it, what fell on my face wasn't rain, which was my first thought, but instead it was Toshiaki's, tears?

"Toshiaki wait!"  I shout out.  'Although he hurt me, I just can't stand other being in pain, I have to try to help him,' I say to myself as I take off running in search for Toshiaki.  I t took half the day before I finally found him.  He was behind a waterfall crouched down on the ground with his forehead rested on his knees.

"Why are you here Astra?"  He asks me before I could say anything.  

"I can't leave you alone after seeing you crying," I tell him and walk over towards him.  He does nothing so I continue walking until I am by his side and sit down beside him. "I'm here and I can listen to any of your worries, Toshiaki, were friends you know."

"Friends?  Please, to me there is no such thing, in the end those you care about will always leave you," he says, but I could hear sadness in his voice.

"Well of course, no one can live forever, and not only that, everyone has their own destiny that they have to follow.  But you know, just because you are far apart, it downs mean that you can't care for that person, and just because our paths are different, it doesn't mean we will never see each other again.  You can't always be together with someone else also, because you and/or that person will eventually find or be together with that person," I tell him.

"Astra, you really are something, you know that," Toshiaki says and laughs a little as he lifts up his head.  "Then, will you listen to my story," he asks me.

"Of course," I tell him nodding and then he begins to tell me his past.  He explains his childhood, how he was the first prince and had to learn everything so he could be the next ruler, how the woman he thought was his mom wasn't and left him here, how it was because of his younger brother, how he was no longer able to grow up anymore and how he stayed in this forest for most of his life.

"Wow, I never knew you had to go through all these things," I say staring at him with gentle sad eyes.  If I had known all of these things, I would have wanted to help him long ago.  "Toshiaki, how would you feel about curing your body?" I ask him.

"Huh?" He stares at me in confusion, "Aren't you going to leave me?"

"Why would I?  Anyways you still need to answer my question," I tell him.

He stares at me for a minute before saying, "Alright, but how will you do that?"

I grab his wrist and soon identify what was causing his growth problem.  "I will be able to cure your body on three conditions," I tell him.

"Alright, name them," he tells me without hesitating.

"One, you have to remove the necklace," I say pointing to what was around my neck.  Second, you have to be my friend.  And third, well I don't actually know what the third condition is going to be but once I figure it out, I'll tell you," I say and stand up.  I face him and stick out my hand to him.  "Deal?"  I ask smiling.

Toshiaki stares and me for a minute before he nods.  "Deal,"  he tells me and returns my smile with his own.