Brilliant rays of golden sunlight flowed beautifully into the room. Beautiful and elegant streaks of light lay on the wooden floor. A cool autumn breeze blew in through the window, bringing with it the smell of oak trees and the last sweet scent of the now dying sakura trees. Even now some of the petals from the closest sakura floated in and landed gently on the floor. They remained that way undisturbed by anything, at least temporarily undisturbed. A small hand gently picked a few of the petals up from the floor, majestic amber eyes surveyed them with the utmost scrutiny, and a like inhalation brought the sweet scent in. This was peace. It was this feeling that she’d been taught to enjoy for as long as she could. She had been taught that not everything remained peaceful forever. Her mother and grandmother had raised her to be prepared for anything. From the time her family had first learned of her strange ability she’d been trained to do things that other girls normally wouldn’t have to do.
With a light exhalation she released the petals from between her tiny fingers, letting the petals drift in the air before her. She turned ever so slightly so that only her profile could be seen from the window. The wind blew strands of her chestnut hair in her face and she gently brushed it back behind her ear where it couldn’t bother her. Content was written on her face and the sun made her ivory skin appear a slight olive color. A sigh left her small lips and she looked around the room. She’d long since rolled up the tatami mat she slept on and put it in the closet. The only things that adorned the room now were a dresser and a few pictures she’d drawn as a child. There was nothing more than that. This child wasn’t like other girls, she’d excelled beyond the other girls in her class, and she didn’t find interest in the stuff they did. It wasn’t that she wasn’t curious, her life just didn’t seem to fit the lifestyle other girls had. Although she was curios she was satisfied with what she’d been given. Every day was the same for her, and so with one last glance out the window she went to the door, grabbed her school bag and started for the front entrance. Her feet were light against the beautiful wood. The navy blue uniform skirt swayed gently around her legs as she stepped quietly into the kitchen. Standing over the kitchen n stove was her mother. The woman's graying black hair pulled up into a light messy bun. Her mother was small in stature, completely on the skinny side, her skin was lighter than her daughters with no hidden trace of that olive color that so many other members of the family seemed to have. A slight tilt of her head and the young girl could see the small smile that placed itself gently on her mother’s lips. It was a smile that had settled even the worst of arguments.
"Good morning, mother."
"Good morning, Shaiya."
The small girl flushed a light shade of pink. The name was simply a pet name that she'd earned, seeing as her name was quite long. It was rare that her family ever used it, although she didn't mind it. However, the fact that her mother was doing it now was to simply remind her of how she was to act in public, especially at school.
"I'm going now, mother."
"Take care."
"Yes, ma'am."
Shaiya left the house quietly, slipping her shoes on as she did so. The school was walking distance from the shrine she'd been raised on. She wasn't even halfway there and she could already hear the other kids talking and having fun. Already she wanted to turn around and go back home. She knew for a fact she'd stick out. She was a thirteen year old girl in her first year of high school. It had never happened at this school and therefore she knew that most everyone would be able to point her out. Still her courage got the better of her and she kept going. When she reached the gate she could hear the hushed voices and feel the eyes that watched her. It felt like holes were being burned into her very skin. Like the feeling of holding a match to her arm and waiting until it had fallen completely apart before mocking her. The feeling was strange yet it bothered her. She didn't want people to think she was different from them.
It bothered her all the way up to the entrance of the school, but she dared not glance back for fear of what might happen. All her training had not prepared her for this. Probably because her family hadn't expected her to be as smart as she was. She knew better of course that there really was no way she could have been prepared for this. She sighed and stared quietly at the doors in front of her. Unfortunately, before she could process any thoughts something pelted the back of her head. She turned ever so slightly that when the next object was mere inches from her face she caught it in midair. The item spun dangerously in her palm, burning and damaging the skin that was trying to contain it. There was no sign of strain on Shaiya's face, she merely watched as it slowed and then finally came to a stop. She set her bag by her leg, and with her other hand examined the object that had been tossed at her. It was a ball, and no ordinary ball at that. The ball was ornately designed with sakura petals, all throughout. The petals were drawn so intricately that if you weren’t holding it up close they appeared real. They even looked soft to the touch; however, that was not the case. In fact upon further inspection she noted that if she wanted to she could erase the petals and it wouldn’t be so decorative anymore. This was not what interested her; between the petals small words were written in what appeared to be her elementary school handwriting. Stunned she raised her head and looked around curiously. Her wandering gaze landed on a boy hiding behind a tree. He wasn't looking in her direction, but so many of the other kids were glaring daggers at him. Though she knew not what made him so different or what had caused such a reaction from someone she didn't know, she felt a slight pang of some sort of anguish inside.
'Shaiyunaira Misaki, you are the Spirit Talker. The one who will bring balance back to this world and the spirit world. You alone can do that'
Shock writ itself over Shaiya's face, and the entire courtyard turned to her. She was confused, her mind scrambled for the thoughts, the words she needed in order to function properly, but none were to be found. Moments Later the girl collapsed to the ground unconscious.
Shaiya woke with a start, her heart pounding in her chest. The feeling was so painful she was sure that it would just tear right through her chest and leave her lifeless. When it didn’t she relaxed and took in her surroundings. It was a habit of hers, though she figured lots of people did that. A small desk sat off the side, stacks of papers lay upon it in an un-orderly fashion. In front of this desk was a large window looking out upon a lake bigger than her backyard. Somehow she’d found peace amongst all the terror that had overcome her. For some reason this scenery made her feel more at home. She stood from the small bed she’d been placed on, the tile beneath her feet cold to the touch, a feeling of some form of life she’d been taught. The pure white tile she stood on shined impeccably in the light. She looked at herself and almost instantly felt out of place. A porcelain doll among Barbie dolls, her mother would have said. Again her eyes did a meticulous scan of everything, from the 3 story high ceiling to the brick walls and, obviously, the door. Spotting her shoes by the foot of the bed she grabbed them and put them on.
For all her scrutiny was worth she hadn’t noticed the shadow in the corner that seemed to move, the breeze that came from no open window, and the scent that trailed it. Didn’t hear the gentle whisper that was everywhere, yet in one spot at the same time. So focused was her scrutiny that she failed to notice the scattered sakura petals that lay carelessly on the floor and the blood that stained the side of her shirt. Even failed to notice the pendant that now hang on her neck, as if clinging to her for dearest life. Her entire being didn’t take note of the weight now bearing down on her like that of being held down by heavy boulders. So unawares of it was she that when she stood after putting her shoes on the sudden thump against her chest felt painful. A gasp left her and instinctively she reached for her chest, at the same time a woman walked in with a gracious smile on her face. She had gentle grey eyes and her hair had gone completely grey.
“It’s good to see you’re up.”
Shaiya merely nodded her head and watched the woman curiously. She had a slight limp in her left leg, her body appeared frail, and she was dressed in a white lab coat and black flats. The woman simply smiled as she came to check on Shaiya.
"What happened?"
Shaiya's voice was gentle, like the water that trickles over stones in a river.
"Well, no one's really sure. Aside from you being hit in the head, none of the other students could tell us what had cut your side. It was a shallow cut so you should be fine. Since you're up you can go to your classes, at least the rest of them any way."
"Umm, right."
Shaiya quietly left the nurses office and started to her left, truthfully she didn't know where she was going. Her feet carried her aimlessly trough the halls to a point where she started noticing that the empty classrooms were strange, and the walls around her had no consistency. They were somehow different from each other. One wall would be a beautiful cream color and then the next a strange orange that made no sense. She stopped and looked around, then continued on her way. She went frustratingly down the halls until she spotted someone. She stared at the person, confused. They weren’t in the school uniform she’d seen the other students wear. This person seemed to be almost perfect in a way. Cautiously, she stepped forward and immediately the person turned. Stunning emerald eyes turned on her in shock. These eyes were familiar to her. The way they danced like leaves in the summer breeze. Just the way they glistened in the light was like two stars had been shrunken and placed in them.
“Sh-Shaiya!”
The voice was gentle and caring. It resounded with so much certainty, it was beautiful even, and it filled her with some sort of anxiousness. Her feet moved of their own free will, taking her closer and closer to the person. She was almost within arm’s length when the walls morphed and vines wrapped around her arms and legs. The vines were a dark purple color and there were blood colored thorns along the sides. The thorns cut painfully into Shaiya’s skin causing her to scream in pain.
Ivy
He stared horrified as the vines pulled her back and away from him, watched as her blood dripped onto the floor. One step forward and a vine lashed out towards him, cracking the ground at his feet. A smirk played on his lips. Slowly and deliberately ivy pulled a vine from his sleeve. It was a beautiful smooth moss color, close to the emerald that played in his eyes and the deep forest, but not quite. He let the end coil at his feet in an almost snake-like motion. There were no thorns on this vine, as it was obviously made to be a whip of some sort, yet even to the vines that held Shaiya in place there was a peculiar strangeness about it. One of the vines moved impulsively and lashed out again. Halfway there it was cut in half. A barely conscious Shaiya was dropped to the floor as the vines receded back to where they’d come from. Ivy’s arm returned to his side as if nothing had happened, his hand loosened on the vine, and swiftly the vine receded back into the sleeve of his clothing and painted itself back on to his skin.
With quick movements he went and lifted Shaiya up off the ground and held her close to his body. Her cuts were horrible and she was bleeding all over the place. The cut in her stomach, for instance, was the largest with the skin around it a bruising purple color and drawing away. Suppressing a gag he started carrying her out of the portal that she’d so carelessly walked through, when someone called out to him. He stopped and turned around. Hair a crimson sunset, eyes the color of a bloody war, and skin a rich cream tanned color like that of a man who has seen many suns. This is how this man had been described. He was known as the “Blood Prince” and he was the only spirit that existed with the power to cure any blood disease.
“Going somewhere, Ivy?”
This one went by the name of Chi. He was arrogant, cocky, and many other things, including, but not limited to ferocious. Chi was a fighter, which made him a good ally in combat. Even so he was limited to his laziness as well. The only annoying thing about Chi was his ability to know things he shouldn’t.
“Actually I was. Unless you have something urgent to say I’m going now.”
“If you take her out like that she’ll die. Her real body will suffer the damages her spiritual body took.”
“And that is where you’re wrong.”
“How’s that?”
“If you really want to know you can follow me.”
He knew for a fact that Chi never turned down an offer to satisfy his curiosity. Again he started out of the portal, behind him the distinct sound of the metal chains on Chi’s boots tapped rhythmically. Just outside the portal lay Shaiya’s body. A group of students were prodding it frantically, trying to get her to regain conscious. An agitated sigh left his lips and he turned to a nearby bend in the hallway. The boy he was looking for still stood there, patiently waiting; his eyes were steadied on Shaiya’s unmoving body.
“Seikatsu, if you please.”
The boy moved and the air around him crackled with some unknown energy. He was the twin of Raiden, the spirit of lightening. Everything about the young man screamed power. His problem, well, he was the silent type and avoided most everyone. The only person that truly interested him was Shaiya. His shoes sparked lightly, at least in the eyes of the spirits, his skin glowed with what was called the purity of life, his eyes were a sparkling honey, and his hair was a sun dyed blonde with beautiful and majestic streaks of amethyst. Every move he mad e was elegant and god-like. This boy was indeed a sight to behold. With the grace of a prince he picked Shaiya up off the floor, turned on his heel, and started leaving. Ivy followed quietly, again the only sound came from Chi’s chain boots. The two followed Seikatsu through the school and out the front entrance. The trio was silent as they entered the courtyard. Life seemed to flourish beneath Seikatsu’s feet as he walked.
Seikatsu
Her body was light in his arms. So light that from time to time he had to look down to make sure she was still there, physically at least. Her spirit remained in the hands of the other one. He didn’t know their names, but he knew they were by far older than him. The taller of the two was carrying the girl’s spiritual body, which was severely damaged. No words left his lips as he left the school grounds and started back for the shrine. Thankfully the shrine wasn’t far and he’d be able to get in through the side entrance. The main entrance was mostly steps and was closer to the house, while the side entrance was a slight hill and further from the house. In fact it led right up to the shrine.
The hill was covered in light green moss and tiny white flowers. Trees hid this entrance from public view. Hoisting the tiny girl up into his arms he ascended the hill and walked up to the shrine. He gently laid her at the foot of the shrine and stood, waiting patiently. There was a flash of light beside him; electricity danced in the air.
“She’s dead.”
“No, Raiden, she’s not. She’s just not in her body.”
Lightening danced in his eyes and his hair flowed around him like electricity. Beautiful honey blonde hair and shocking yellow eyes. That’s what made him so different from his brother; well, that and the purple streaks that danced in his hair.
“Then, where is she?”
“One of them is bringing her now.”
“So, what the hell do they need me for?”
“I need you to cut her nerve system off temporarily while I fix her injuries.”
“Whatever.”
Ivy
He approached the two boys cautiously. There was no one who knew the pair better than Ivy. There was silence as he approached. Raiden was the only one who turned ever so slightly, the lightening sparking around him gently. Seikatsu, however, didn't budge. The boy didn't ever turn or make any sign of having noticed Ivy's presence. Ivy simply walked up to Shaiya's body and stopped.
"Are you boys ready?"
"Seikatsu, might not be ready, but I am."
"Ignore Raiden, I'm ready."
There was no hesitation in what Ivy did next. He dropped Shaiya's spirit into her body. She jerked and then stopped. Her body was beautifully suspended in the air with beautiful hazes of lightening around her. Slowly the wounds on her body started healing over and closing.