Yggdrasil's Nexus: Prologue (Etrian Odyssey Nexus Fanfiction)

Chapter 1 - A Highlander's Wish

The night sky was always a pleasant sight to behold. Shirota and Shira definitely had some fun watching the night sky before the Dancer let out a yawn. A side effect that mostly came from her efforts of using her dance skills to assist with the exploration of the Sacred Mountain's labyrinths earlier today for a quest.

"I'm glad I'm able to spend some more time with you, mom. I wanted to make it up to you, so I hoped this was a start..." Shirota began, smiling as she placed her head on her mother's shoulder.

"Me too, my sweet sunshine," Shira replied, in a soothing tone, looking at her daughter's eyes, and smiled back at her. "I hope we can do more of this, soon..." She continued, hoping to spend more time with her daughter and catch up with what she's been up to the past few months.

"We will, don't you worry." Shirota hummed, starting to make her way over to the bed with her warm pair of clothes on her. She wasn't willing to get the cold over being through cold temperatures, so some warm clothes really helped her thrive in the cold region of the Sacred Mountains, and the often cold winds that arrived during her time in Tharsis.

"For now though, I'm gonna get some shut eye." Shirota sighed, falling onto the bed and placing the sheets over herself. The silver-clad Imperial knelt beside her bed.

"Very well. Good night, Shirota. I love you." Shira cooed, getting a little chuckle out of Shirota.

"I love you too, mom." Shirota responded, feeling her mother place a kiss on her cheek before getting up and make her way out of the room, closing the door behind her. It certainly felt like years since she spent time growing up alongside her daughter.

Whenever Imperial duties weren't weighing on her shoulders, she would teach her daughter the ways of dancing. It was always something to help pass the time, and to get close to each other as mother and daughter. Ever since her disappearance though, she was worried her lessons would be for naught.

A faint recalling of her memory reminded her that she talked to his husband about the possibility of her being unable to return. There was a village of dancers not far from the presumed location of civilization beyond the Cloudy Stronghold, and she had suggested that they live there should anything happen to her. She might not be aware of how happy her husband is, but the letter she received back from him a few days ago was reassuring , and that he was soon coming to Tharsis.

Needless to say, Shira and Shirota couldn't be anymore happier. Soon, they were going to be reunited as a family... Kurita and her sisters were still looking for their father, but the guild searched everywhere in search for him, and so far, turned up nothing.

Glaring up from the ground, she noticed that someone was on the balcony. A man with long brown hair and wore clothes from the Highlander tribe, staring at the night sky... Shira placed a hand on her hips, unable to help ponder to herself why he would be out at a time like this. She was usually strict about being able to sleep on time, so seeing their guild leader not get any sleep is a bit worrying, both as a friend, and as a mother.

Without regard to her movement, Shira walks up to him, hoping to question the man who refuses to sleep. "You know you should be asleep by this time. So why are you still up?"

Startled, Korey turns to see Shira approaching him, with a rather stern look on her face. It's only been a few weeks since Shira joined his guild, but her stern look reminded him of his mother whenever she was crossed... He took a few seconds to recompose himself.

"I just... couldn't sleep, Shira." Korey replied, taking a deep breath as he looks back at the sky. "I thought looking at the night sky would help tire me out, but every time I look at them, it reminds me of my time back home..."