Resilient Little Human (Kamigami no Asobi Oc)

The Garden

"Okay, and then play a G, " A young woman instructed an older man across from her bean bag seat as she played the said chord on her own bass guitar.

The smooth, but drumming tunes sang out into the nearly empty studio room.

"Uh huh, " The man repeated her actions, creating a lower hum of strings. "Erika, I've got a question for you." He suddenly placed his blazing red colored guitar on the guitar stand next to him.

The blonde girl looked at him with her grey eyes. "Please don't ask me to unclog the bus toilet again." She cringed, her nose scrunching up in disgust. "I couldn't handle the air last time."

The man barked a chuckle, ducking his head in embarrassment. "No, not that. I learned my lesson. No hot tamales with chili sauce while drinking beer again."

Erika laughed wholeheartedly, "You're so adorable, Jackson." She grinned with amusement. "It's not like you to get all flustered just now." The teen went back to drumming her guitar.

The man, Jackson, grimaced at the 'adorable' part of Erika's sentence. "Erika, it's not that at all. I know I'm seven years older than you, " this certainly claimed Erika's attention, she stopped drumming the strings and warily glanced at Jackson. This again. "And I could be a big brother to you, but I think we should--"

"Jackson." Erika interrupted the man. "You're a great guy, really." The girl tucked her hair behind her ears, pausing for a second and continued, "But I'm not ready to date. I didn't agree to have you as our manager just to date me.  I just...just don't think of you as a potential boyfriend." She tried to let him down, as so many times before. "Right now, I wanna be a free spirit and travel with my music. I'm sorry." She really was sorry, and the guilt ate away at her seeing absolute rejection flame within Jackson's brown eyes.

"Right, sorry for bringing it up again." He mumbled, nearly inaudible to her ears.

Feeling the awkward silence make her uncomfortable, she places her guitar on a stand of its own and heaved herself from the bean bag chair.

Erika left Jackson there alone in the guilty silence. She really didn't need him pulling a guilty party on her now. Jackson was a great guy, she just didn't harbor anything for him, and she certainly did not want him trying to force fake emotions her way.

Exiting the studio building, the sun beat down Erika. Man, it had gotten hot out today. She hadn't realized it would be this hot. Walking across the hot asphalt lot, Erika beelined for the tour bus. Each of the band members chipped in as much as they can; took two years worth of summer jobs and part-timing at crappy gigs. The bus wasn't much, it wasn't big. It was like an RV, but with glossy tie-dye waves and animated chibis of each band member with their chosen instruments.

Grenade. An unoriginal name for an upcoming band. They'd probably have to change it later on, but they wanted it to be a representation. One day, they'd become the 'bomb' of the music world. It was also a private joke between them.

Clamping the bus door open, Erika hobbled up the steps, the door creaking as it slammed shut.

"Ugh!" Erika groaned loudly, heading for the tiny back bathroom.

She really did hope it didn't stink in there, she was the only girl on the bus, and if she made it a goal to keep the most important area clean and fresh-aired.

Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump.

Her heart suddenly pulsated like a giant drum. Whoa, what was that? Questioning herself the unanswerable puzzled her.

She shut the bathroom door and locked it. None of the guys were here, in the most obvious sense, they'd be roaming about the town.

Glancing at the mirror, she glared at the woman inside it. Erika never did think of herself as a cute-pretty. Her shoulder-length ash-blonde hair was tied into a tight little ponytail, showing off her helix piercings. Her face was average and heart-shaped. There was absolutely nothing to gawk at. She was pale and burned easily in the sun. She did like her cute button nose. Her eyes were the most alluring. Like thundering storm clouds breaking a blue sunny sky, her mother had said once.

She tugged on her tank top a little, exposing what cleavage she developed over the four years of puberty. She was lucky enough to have just a little, but she was grateful.

Erika leaned over the sink, pinching her cheeks with her fingers, pulling the skin with painful stings erupting inside the muscles. The teen let go of her cheeks and sigh heavily.

She didn't even understand why or how Jackson came to crushing on her. The only other thought that crossed her mind was that he wanted someone young. And since she was at the legal age, she was the right option for him. Ugh. She shouldn't think like that. He probably genuinely likes her--

Erika Gales.

Erika yelped with fright at the scary, booming voice. It was a guy, no doubt about it. Confusion took over her mind. Erika glanced at the pasty bathroom walls, hoping to find a tiny microphone and camera. The guys must be pranking her. Yeah, they've pranked her plenty of time in the past.

Heart racing, she unlocks the door and hastily shuffles out, glancing around the small living area warily.

"Anyone here?" Yeah, just let them know you're here. It might be a serial killer. Resisting the urge to facepalm, Erika noticed a long, rectangular box on the built-in sofa.

"What's this?" Everything she felt just then, it washed away. "Maybe an admirer? Or a non-existent obsessed fan?" the red ribbon gleamed under the sunlight leaking through the thin curtains.

Erika Gales.

"The fu--" Erika shrieked loudly, nearly jumping from her converse.

Silver entered her vision, escaping the lid of the box. Of course, like a moth to a flame, Erika reached for the ribbon and undid the bow.

Once the lid was off, the silvery light faded.

"U-uhh..." Erika found herself staring a very, very polished sword. Was it a prop? Or was it for a medieval music video? Or...maybe it was for Dan's comic-con fixation? Now that she thought of it, it probably was.

"I should leave it here for now." Lowering the lid back to cover the sword, the weapon rattled, causing the teen to gasp.

"What the ---"

The sword flashed a bright light, and everything went dark for Erika.