The morning breeze drifted softly through Fumiko's room, fluttering the curtains as sunlight spilled across the wooden floor. Everything looked calm– too calm. The golden rays warmed her skin, but the faint ache in her muscles reminded her that last night's chaos had been real.
Her body felt heavy and exhausted. Slowly, she blinked her eyes open, staring at the ceiling.
"Was that… all real?"
She whispered, her voice hoarse.
But the injury on her arm, now wrapped neatly in a bandage, answered for her. The cut pulsed gently with pain, and with it came the memory of the creature's screech, the shimmer of her summoned blade, and the terrified child in her arms.
She sat up, groaning softly, her eyes drawn to the mysterious device sitting on her desk. The faint light of dawn reflected off its metallic surface. It looked harmless, yet that very object had called her into a nightmare made real.
She pushed herself out of bed, the world still feeling oddly distant, as if she were walking through a dream that hadn't ended. She decided to ignore it and follow her daily routine– brushed her teeth, washed her face, and tried to shake the unease gnawing at her chest.
But no matter what she did, the image of that glowing sword flashed again in her mind. Her hand twitched instinctively.
"Let's see if I can do that again…"
She held her palm out, focusing all her energy, waiting for the surge of warmth she'd felt last night. Nothing happened.
"Figures…"
She sighed, forcing a tired smile.
"Guess it's not that easy. I'll have to train myself to handle whatever this 'power' is."
In the mirror, her reflection looked back, a girl who had changed in just one night. Her eyes held something new: quiet resolve.
---
The streets were quiet when she left home. Morning sunlight painted the pavement gold, and the air smelled faintly of jasmine.
As she reached the bus stop, she spotted Ami waiting, tapping her foot impatiently.
"Heyyy, Fumiko!"
Ami called out with her usual grin.
"Who's the latecomer now, huh? I–"
Her words stopped mid-sentence when her eyes caught the white bandage on Fumiko's arm.
"Wait… what happened to you?!"
Fumiko flinched, hiding her arm instinctively.
"Ah– this? Just tripped over the stairs last night. Nothing serious, haha."
Ami frowned, taking Fumiko's arm gently in her hands.
"That doesn't look like a simple scratch! Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine, Ami. Really. Don't worry about it."
Ami's eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"If you say so… but if you start fainting in class, I'm dragging you to the nurse."
Fumiko laughed nervously, trying to change the subject.
"Come on! We'll miss the bus if we stand here playing doctor!"
She lightly pushed Ami forward, and together they began walking toward the stop.
Ami, though smiling, couldn't shake the worry in her eyes.
---
Classes passed quietly that day, but Fumiko felt an unsettling prickle on her skin– as if unseen eyes were following her every move. Whenever she glanced behind her, there was nothing but the usual classroom chatter.
You're just imagining things, she told herself. But the feeling never left.
---
During recess, the four friends gathered in their usual corner of the canteen. Yuki sat glued to her phone, scrolling endlessly. Ami and Rin chatted animatedly about the upcoming sports meet, while Fumiko quietly picked at her lunch.
Rin noticed Fumiko's behaviour and her voice broke through the chatter.
"Hey, Fumiko. You look exhausted. You sure you're okay? I can carry you home if you want."
Fumiko smiled weakly.
"No, no, I'm fine. Just didn't sleep much. Late-night studying, you know?"
Rin frowned, crossing her arms.
"You've got to take care of yourself. But fine. If you say so."
"I will, I promise,"
Fumiko replied quickly, desperate to change the subject.
"Anyway, how's your basketball training going? I heard there's a big match coming up."
Rin's eyes lit up instantly.
"Oh, that? Going great! You should see me on the court lately– I'm on fire!"
"Can't wait to see you in beast mode!"
Yuki chimed in with a grin, still half-distracted by her phone.
"We'll be there cheering for you,"
Ami added, smiling warmly.
"All of us."
Rin beamed.
"You'd better be! You're my lucky charms, after all."
"Aww, that's so sweet of you!, Rin-chan!"
Yuki teased, clutching her chest dramatically.
Everyone laughed. For a fleeting moment, Fumiko forgot about the creeping dread that had followed her all morning.
---
The rest of the day passed uneventfully. When school ended, they waved goodbye and went their separate ways.
By the time Fumiko got home, the sun had set, painting the sky in deep violet and gold.
Night fell quietly.
Fumiko sat by her window, resting her chin on her knees as she gazed at the stars. The city lights below twinkled like reflections of those distant constellations.
In her hand, she held the strange device. Its weight felt heavier tonight, as if it knew something she didn't.
"I need to figure you out,"
She whispered.
"Why me? What are you trying to show me?"
The device lay silent in her palm. She sighed, setting it down on her desk.
"I can't keep waiting for signs forever…"
She was about to head to bed when a sudden beep from the device shattered the silence.
Her heart stopped.
The device's screen flickered to life again, red light pulsing like a heartbeat.
"Abyss attack…? At this time?"
The glowing text appeared– just like last time.
"Current location: Target zone – Fumiko's residence. Garden area."
Fumiko's body froze at its place.
"W-What? My garden?"
Her pulse quickened. She grabbed the device and rushed downstairs, adrenaline flooding her veins. The night air outside was icy, the grass damp beneath her feet.
She scanned the garden, her eyes darting from tree to tree. The device beeped faster, louder– something was close.
A faint rustle came from the far corner near the old maple tree. Fumiko's breath hitched.
She crept forward slowly, gripping the device like a weapon. The bushes trembled again.
"Alright… come out"
She whispered.
"I know you're there."
The moment she peeked behind the tree, a figure leaped out.
"YAAHH!"
"AHHH!"
"Yuki!?"
"F-Fumiko-chan!?"
They both froze, eyes wide, before letting out an awkward laugh.
"What are you doing here this late?"
Fumiko asked, her voice still shaking.
"I-I wasn't doing anything weird!"
Yuki stammered, brushing off leaves from her hair.
"I just… came to borrow something from Rin-chan, but on the way I heard dogs barking, and I panicked and ran! I saw your house and, uh, decided to hide here."
Fumiko blinked.
"…You hid. In my bushes. At midnight."
Yuki smiled sheepishly.
"I panicked, okay?!"
Despite herself, Fumiko chuckled.
"You could've knocked on the door, you know."
"Didn't wanna wake you up! But uh… sorry for scaring you."
"It's fine,"
Fumiko said softly.
"Come inside, at least. It's freezing out here."
But Yuki shook her head.
"No, no, I'm fine! I was just leaving anyway. Sorry again!"
"Yuki, it's late. Are you sure?"
"Totally! I'll just borrow the thing from Rin-chan tomorrow. See ya, Fumiko-chan!"
Yuki waved cheerfully, turning to leave.
Fumiko smiled faintly, though unease tugged at her heart.
"Alright… but hurry home, okay? The dogs here aren't exactly friendly, they might bite"
Yuki gasped dramatically.
"FUMIKO-CHAN!! Now you're trying to curse me before I even get home!"
"I'm serious!"
Fumiko laughed, shaking her head.
"Goodnight, scaredy-cat!"
Yuki called out as she walked away.
"Goodnight, troublemaker!"
Fumiko replied, waving until Yuki vanished beyond the streetlights.
When the last echo of Yuki's footsteps faded, silence reclaimed the garden.
Fumiko looked down at the device– its screen had gone dark, no longer beeping. She exhaled slowly, letting her shoulders relax.
"Guess it was just a false alarm…"
She murmured, stepping back toward the house.
The moonlight shimmered faintly against the garden's edge, brushing over the tree where Yuki had been hiding.
For a while, everything seemed calm again. Peaceful.
But then– something stirred.
A ripple of darkness spread across the soil, and from behind the tree, a faint figure began to take form– a humanoid shadow, its edges rippling like smoke.
It tilted its head slightly, eyes glowing faintly crimson as a distorted voice broke the silence.
"Target...Missed"
Its whisper echoed through the garden, chilling and mechanical, before the figure melted back into the night, leaving behind only the sound of rustling leaves and the soft sigh of the midnight wind.