The Echoes of Belecia: Flowers in the Desert

By J.R. Holmes

When Azuki Inoue first got her medallion at the tender age of fifteen, she thought it was the second best to ever happen to her, after her best friend, Hinata Ishihara. She finds new friends in Shin Hirayama, Kayume Suzuki, and Umeko Kodama, each a wielder of a medallion that blesses them with powers unique to each of them and strong enough for them to dream of making change in the world. But it's not the power that she cares for. It's the way the magic flows through Azuki, as natural as breathing, and how happy she feels in her golds and blues, the feeling of belonging she has when she's with her friends. But then one night during the summer she turned sixteen, everything changed. Azuki, her friends, and many others just like them were suddenly taken, kidnapped by a mysterious international organization, and sent to the far-off world where their medallions originated from: Belecia. Now stranded in a vibrant but monster-infested world, Azuki, her friends, and the other medallion holders that come from all over Earth must learn to survive while struggling to discover what tragedies befell the strange other world that feels like home, a place where deserts grow flowers, whales carry stars on their backs, and black mountains scream with the voices of the dead and the damned.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Newman Springs Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: May 31, 2022
• ISBN: 9781638813491

Book preview

THE

ECHOES

OF

BELECIA

Flowers in the Desert

J.R. HOLMES

Copyright © 2022 J.R. Holmes

All rights reserved

First Edition

NEWMAN SPRINGS PUBLISHING

320 Broad Street

Red Bank, NJ 07701

First originally published by Newman Springs Publishing 2022

ISBN 978-1-63881-348-4 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63881-349-1 (Digital)

Printed in the United States of America

To my darlings of the Lighthouse, this world is for all of us.

To my beloved Watson, Belecia wouldn’t exist without you.

Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1: Last Day

Chapter 2: Traveling Home

Chapter 3: AnimaGO! Assembles

Chapter 4: The Knight

Chapter 5: An Unwelcome Change

Chapter 6: Bellflower

Chapter 7: Familiar

Chapter 8: Telltale Heart

Chapter 9: Brief

Chapter 10: New Arrivals

Chapter 11: Sapphire and Amber

Chapter 12: First Night

Chapter 13: The Journal

Chapter 14: Breathing Hearts

Chapter 15: Jade and Violets

Chapter 16: The Council

Chapter 17: Falling with Awkwardness

Chapter 18: Flowers in the Desert

Chapter 19: Discovery

Chapter 20: Arrival

Chapter 21: A Call from the Stars

Chapter 22: Morning Ventures

Chapter 23: The Blossom and the Stag

Chapter 24: The Meeting

Chapter 25: A Feeling of Home

Chapter 26: Preparations

Chapter 27: Heading Out

Chapter 28:

Chapter 29: Lain before the Arch

Chapter 30: Summoning

Chapter 31: The Maw

Chapter 32: Star Whales

Chapter 33: Nightmares

Chapter 34: Fire Blooms

Chapter 35: Those Left Behind

Chapter 36: Dreams of Ice and Flowers

Chapter 37: The Fate of Belecia

Chapter 38: Abendrot, Cwth, Latibule

Chapter 39: The Field of Stars

Chapter 40: One of the Children

Chapter 41: The Heart of Ekkorah

Chapter 42: A Talk

Chapter 43: Messengers

Chapter 44: Caims and Farewell

Chapter 45: The Isle and the Garden

Chapter 46: Rain Clouds

Chapter 47: Overgrown

Chapter 48: The Journal of E

Chapter 49: Ruin and Loss

List of Characters

Important Terms

Prologue

It’s dark and freezing, the hard floor beneath me metallic. I can hear the roar of wind and claps of thunder that sound threateningly close.

It’s happening.

The thought perplexes me as I struggle to remember where I am.

I do notice that my fingers have gone numb with cold and my forehead is throbbing painfully.

As I struggle to collect myself, I realize I’m not alone.

The smell of laundry and cleaning products makes my nose twitch, and as I gain clarity, I hear a voice I know well come through the near-deafening roar outside. There by my side, hands gripping my shoulders, she whispers pleadingly, Azuki? Azuki, please.

The voice of my best friend, Hinata, is close enough that I can feel her warm breath against my face.

Azuki, please wake up!

H-Hinata? My throat is dry, and I worry how long I’ve been out. How long has she been afraid that the guard has seriously hurt me?

The memory of being bashed upside the head with a rifle by the guard that had been pushing Hinata to hurry up hits me like a hammer, my head throbbing in response.

Azuki! Her tearful voice is full of relief, and I’m a little startled when she suddenly hugs me, the darkness we are sitting in disorienting. Oh, thank God, I’ve been so worried!

I-I’m okay… I brace myself with one arm as I return the hug with the other, her hair soft against my warm cheek. I’m okay…

I didn’t get a look at the others before they separated us, and I don’t know where they are or—

Shh, shh… I try to calm her, though I’m equally worried about our friends. We’ll find them…when we get to this place, I swear we will.

She nods in acknowledgment, sniffling into my chest.

We sit holding each other for what feels like eternity in the quietness of each other’s breathing and the ever-growing intensity of the roar outside.

From the roar, I’m able to catch the faint creaking of machinery moving beneath us, but before I can speak, the floor drops out and we’re free-falling.

Hinata screams as I hold her to me, forcing an eye open and feeling chilled at the sight of two suns hanging over black mountains—one yellow, the other blue—and dozens of specks falling in the distance, knowing our friends are among them.

As we fall, I fear what fate has in store for us and for the world whose fate we hold in our hands.

Chapter 1

Last Day

It was a warm June afternoon, and I could feel the breeze flowing through the schoolyard, carrying the smell of the sea one moment and pine trees the next.

I watched and waved goodbye to my fellow classmates as they left the school grounds. I fidgeted as I looked between my phone and the main building of Kyunatani High, hoping for a glimpse of my friends.

We’re going to be late meeting Kayume-senpai at this rate—

Hey, Kodama-kun! Have a good summer! See ya at camp!

A rough hand clapped down on my shoulder, nearly knocking me over, and I blushed as I realized it was Asano Hoshiro, the third year captain of the soccer team I had a crush on (who was also possibly the sole reason I’d joined the said team in the first place).

He was tall and handsome, incredibly friendly and kind, not to mention brilliant at soccer. Our coach, Hayashi-sensei, thought he had what it took to go pro after he graduated.

OH, uh! I managed to stutter out, looking down and hugging my satchel, wishing I was less obvious. Ha-have a good su-summer, S-Senpai.

He flashed me a grin before going off with the other team senpai, the sun playing off his curly hair, leaving my heart aflutter as I stared after him.

He’s so cool…and I’m a mess. I sighed, turning back to the main doors. Give up on it, Umeko…he only sees Yoshitomi when he looks at you…

Just thinking of that name left a bitterness in my mouth, like when pills linger too long on your tongue.

I was thankful for the sudden burst of warmth from the medallion around my neck, tucked away beneath my uniform shirt, moments before three figures came running out of the building.

At the helm was Hinata-senpai, her wild black hair bouncing as she slipped into her backpack. Next was Azuki-senpai, never far from Hinata-senpai’s side, chestnut-brown hair in a flowing ponytail. They were a year ahead of me and had been friends since they were little kids.

Last was Shin-senpai, a third year, who was grinning with an air of someone who was ready for the days ahead, red spikes slicked back from her head.

Sorry for keeping you waiting, Kodama-chan. Hinata beamed, glancing around before giving me a hug.

I hugged her back, feeling at ease now they were here. It’s fine. What kept you so long?

Shin-senpai was too busy mooning over Asakura-sensei and— Hinata jumped out of Shin’s reach with a high-pitched laugh.

Shut up, Hina, I was not!

She’s just teasing you, Shin-kun. Azuki chuckled, smiling as she patted the older girl’s shoulder. Someone has to since Kayume-senpai isn’t here.

Ah! Hinata exclaimed as she looked up from her phone. Kayume-senpai! We’re gonna be late meeting her!

Shit, you’re right. Shin turned to me. Ume, let’s go get our bikes!

Hearing my name from her lips filled me with happiness as I nodded, following her to the bike rack on the side of the school, now empty save ours.

I had only been with them for seven months, nearing eight, but they were my best friends, the ones who knew who I really was and loved me with an unconditional fierceness.

We rode our bikes back, my powder-blue ten-speed and Shin’s slightly rusted cruiser she was constantly covering in stickers and duct tape, pausing only long enough to allow Hinata and Azuki to jump on the back before speeding off down the road that led back to our hometown.

Chapter 2

Traveling Home

We were from a little town called Yorisou, named for the way we were nestled both in a valley and beside the bay that opened out to the ocean. A large portion of the local populace made a living in various kinds of fish work, save those who commuted on the train to the city an hour away.

On the ride home, from where I stood on the back of Shin’s bike, my hands on her shoulders, I could see the roofs of Yorisou peeking just over the trees.

Despite the commute to my favorite ice-cream place being kind of a pain, I couldn’t imagine growing up in the city, especially since it would mean missing out on the best part of my life so far.

I glanced at Hinata, who was beaming, black hair dancing wildly in the wind that drew back her hair from her beautiful smiling face as she hung on to Umeko.

I felt myself blush and quickly looked away, feeling as if my heart was going to fly out of my chest as I crouched down behind Shin.

We’d been friends since we were kids, since my parents sent me here just before I started kindergarten. But sometime in junior high, those feelings started to change. Alas, Hinata had never mentioned nor shown any hint of being interested in girls, which only made me feel my foolish crush was truly hopeless.

I was jolted from my melancholy as Shin hit a stone. I was quick to cling to her as we left the school hill and turned into town, the salty sea air growing stronger.

Sorry, Azu! Shin said, glancing back. You good?

I-I’m good.

Startled, arms secured tightly around Shin’s middle, I steadied myself as we biked past the delicious smells of cooking at the only restaurant in town, which Shin’s mom, Auntie Chitsuko, co-owned and was the head cook.

Usually, Shin would be heading there after school to work the afternoon shift, but since it was the beginning of summer break, she’d gotten the entire first week off to hang out with us at my house.

As we neared the two-story house I shared with my pet fish, Ponyo and Sosuke, a figure came into view in the front beside the front gate, and I noticed that Shin immediately perked up.

Yooo! Her excited tone caught the figure’s attention. Sorry we’re late, Kayu!

Long brown hair falling in chocolate waves down her back, moving like wind-caressed silk when she turns, and with blue dress fluttering, Kayume Suzuki, the eldest of us and the leader of our little gang, smiled warmly, her eyes gentle like green tea in a blue China glass.

There you all are. She stepped forward as we stopped and dismounted, her voice falling like dew on spiderwebs. You forgot to leave me the key again, Azuki-chan.

I felt a surge of panic. I could’ve sworn I left it in the flowerpot by the door, like usual.

Oh, shit, Senpai, I’m sorry!

She chuckled and reached up to pat my head, with my most recent growth spurt setting me at 180 cm. even.

It’s quite all right. It just means you’ll have to wait until later for tea and cookies.

I couldn’t help but giggle. I was always filled with a familial warmth when Kayume was around.

Your baking is always worth the wait, Senpai.

Kayu!

Shin all but pushed past me, scooping Kayume up in a hug, making the elder girl laugh as they spun, her hair fanning out and sending the familiar smell of strawberries my way.

Kuko-chan, put me down!

Senpai’s cheeks were rosy as Shin set her on her feet again, earning herself a light smack to the arm.

You know I get dizzy easily.

Yeah, I know. That’s why we can’t even go on the teacup ride at Kupa Craba Land. Shin was grinning, obviously happy to see Senpai as much as we were for the first time in nearly a month.

They were exceptionally close, having been together for over a year before Hinata and I came along, and the gang of two became four.

Hinata reckoned that Shin probably would’ve left to go with Kayume to the city if not for her mother and the promise she made to graduate, to which Ume and I had agreed.

That was the plan regardless, once we’d all graduated. Hinata wanted to go to college for accounting or business, and Ume wanted to be free to dress how she liked without worrying about anyone from home finding out.

I didn’t really have any plans, no set idea for what I wanted to do with my life. I still had another year and a half of school to figure that out. Hopefully, something would happen that would give me an idea for my future.

So tiny as always, Umeko-chan, Kayume said after hugging Hinata, earning a look of dismay from our youngest member. Are you not drinking your milk?

Kayume-senpai, I’m only an inch shorter than Hinata-senpai. That’s no fair!

And she teased me about it for a whole year, so it’s your turn!

Hinata’s expression changed to that of a mischievous cat, and Ume stuck her tongue out in response.

Just wait till I hit my growth spurt! I bet I’ll be taller than even Shin-senpai!

We laughed and chatted until Kayume suggested we head inside before the butter she’d brought melted in her shopping bag.

Sure thing. I led the way, pulling my keys from my backpack. Come on, everyone!

Chapter 3

AnimaGO! Assembles

Whenever we got together for a sleepover, we always started it with the same activities, and at this point, they felt like proper rituals.

Kayume beelined for the kitchen, right at home as she made tea and cookies from scratch, a different kind every sleepover. Today was chocolate peanut-butter cookie sandwiches filled with marshmallow, Shin’s favorite.

Hinata would pick out movies, causing bickering among ourselves as we tried to decide what to watch.

Alas, my love of horror movies usually never made the cut, even with Shin’s vote. More often than not, we watched them together whenever the others were busy.

For now, it was a musical, a genre I loved nearly as much as horror; an American rom-com that had recently been released on DVD that Kayume had brought, which I wasn’t so much a fan of; and a third slot that was reserved for a movie from an anime we’d been watching together.

Shin oversaw setting up the pillow fort in the living room while Ume headed upstairs, changing into the clothes she kept here, often bought on our weekend trips to the city.

Today was a cute black-and-pink hoodie dress from her favorite provider Bunny Girl.

She came back downstairs all aflutter, giggling with an aura of peacefulness and happiness as she spun, and seeing it made me glad she had been chosen by whatever beings that had gifted us our medallions.

I hated to think what kind of life she might’ve had, living in denial of who she really was and the effect of doing so can have on her. Umeko was the name she chose after receiving her medallion, the night of her first sleepover with us. She was the official little sister of the group, and I wouldn’t want her any other way.

Filled with the smell of freshly made cookies and tea and warm voices and laughter, the house I lived in became as close to a home as I had ever felt.

Azucha, are you gonna make the sundaes now?

I looked up from washing the few dishes from Kayume’s cookie-making while the older girl was changing upstairs to find not only Hinata staring at me expectantly but Ume and Shin as well.

Nope. I shook my head. Kayume-senpai said no ice-cream sundaes until after dinner.

There was a collective groan, and I couldn’t help but grin.

Sorry, ladies, boss’s orders.

They made do with snacking on various things; and before long, with a large plate of cookie sandwiches and fresh bowl of popcorn, we crowded together and settled comfortably into the pillow fort.

Now is the official beginning of the thirty-eighth AnimaGO! sleepover, my darling friends. Kayume beamed, having changed into sweatpants and a flowy blue nightshirt, her long dark hair in a loose braid over her shoulder. Sound off, ladies.

I’ll go first.

Shin, in a muscle shirt and shorts, unclasped the cord around her neck and held in the palm of her hand a tarnished gold medallion with the engraving of a bear on it. It carried ticks and scratches from untold lifetimes. She took a breath.

"Thunder Bear."

At once, it shimmered with red light, and the faint sound of a thunderclap could be heard.

Up next, I pulled my medallion from the strap in my hair, holding it on a splayed hand. The engraved wolf appeared peaceful, and I found myself smiling.

"Sapphire Wolf."

Warm energy enveloped me like a rainstorm before settling beneath my skin, snug and comfortable like a well-worn piece of clothing. The sound of a lone howl rang out as a deep misty-blue light danced in waves around the medallion.

Hinata, who was nestled in a long sleeve portraying her favorite anime character and orange-patterned bottoms, slipped her medallion from the makeshift holder that allowed her to use it as a hair clip, holding it in her cupped hands.

"Tiger Sun."

A flash of heat was coupled with a deep rumbling that flowed from it along with a glittering golden light.

Ume pulled a leather cord from beneath her hoodie, her medallion with it. Her voice was flowing with confidence that was rare to hear outside our sleepovers.

"Rabbit Blossom."

Faint pink light bloomed, carrying the gentle scent of spring grass and new flowers.

Last but not least, Kayume, whose medallion was usually worn as a brooch, held out the weighty pendant.

"Blooming Swan."

It glowed a pale blue briefly, carrying the sound of water and of wind in grass, before the colors all turned a pale cream, syncing with the rhythm of our hearts, as ropes of the same light appeared, connecting us all in a circle.

All at once, we closed our hands, and the lights disappeared. Another stronger wave of energy flowed over us, leaving our heartbeats singing almost too loud in our ears. Yet the feeling itself was borderline euphoric. The sense of love and belonging that the bonds made between us amplified.

We sat still without speaking for a long moment before Umeko burst into giggles, falling against Kayume’s shoulder and breaking the near trance that had occurred.

Ha! Shin laughed, grinning. Ume has to do dishes after dinner!

No, wait, she groaned. No fair, syncing always makes me giggly!

Rules are rules, Umeko-chan. Kayume chuckled, a dusting of pink along her cheeks as she reattached her medallion. Worry not, Kuko-chan will assist you as the second to laugh.

Ah, hell. Shin pouted, tying the medallion back around her neck. I always have to do dishes.

Hinata and I joined in, free of the chance of such a dreaded chore.

Now that we have synched, what shall we watch first?

"I wanna watch Phantom!"

What, again?

"It’s either Phantom or Sweeny Todd, and we can’t watch that because it makes Kayume-senpai cry."

Shin looked at Kayume, dark-brown eyes softening, then sighed.

"All right, Phantom it is."

And so, almost a tradition itself, we watched The Phantom of the Opera, which meant Ume and I performed most of the songs, unable to help it.

Ume was always Christine, blessed with a beautiful soprano, while Kayume and I sometimes filled in the additional singing roles, with me usually ending up as Raoul or Erik.

I slunk off to the kitchen to make dinner as they went onto the rom-com. Shin soon joined me.

Did it get sad, Shin-kun?

Rom-coms are stupid, she grumbled while grabbing a juice from the fridge.

I’ll take that as a yes.

Yeah, well, shut your face. Tell me whatcha need, Azu.

We’re having tonkatsu, chicken curry with rice, tempura, green beans, miso. And I have some edamame set aside for Ume-chan. I’m working on the curry but have everything set for the tempura if you wanna start that.

Nice. She passed by, pausing to give me a friendly nudge. On it.

We chatted and listened to music as the smell of cooking food filled the kitchen, soon enticing the others in; and before long, we were finished, serving plates piled high with enough food to feed more than double our number.

But with how our lifestyles would be shifting during our break, we needed the energy.

After we finish eating and watch that anime movie Azuki-chan has been excitedly waiting to share with us, I bounced the idea of finally sharing the movie I’d watched dozens of times at this point with them, then we’ll settle down for four-or-so hours. Deal?

We all nodded, mouths full as we chowed down and took moments to drink, breathe, or make a comment about our civvie lives.

It was moments like those that I often thought back to the creation of our little gang, when I’d had my medallion a few months and Hinata was the newest member. Shin and Kayume had invited us to go and get ice cream in the city. It was while eating in a small nearby park, the trees in gorgeous autumn shades of red, orange, and yellow, that Shin spoke up.

I’ve been thinking. We should start a crime-fighting group.

"What’re you talking about, Hirayama-senpai?"

Come on, think about it! We were given these medallions for a reason! She’d held her medallion up to the light of the setting sun, half-melted mint chocolate-chip cone in hand. So why not use them to help people?

Hinata had thought she was crazy, but I’d loved the idea immediately. Using the medallions, even then, felt like it was the right thing, as if it was what I was meant to do.

I felt my medallion, now on a leather cord around my neck, warm up as I gently traced the wolf engraving with a fingertip.

What I’m meant to do…

Chapter 4

The Knight

Yo, Hina, wake up.

I felt Shin shake my shoulder, and I groaned in response, snuggling closer to Azuki’s side. The immense body heat she radiated made me wanna drift back to sleep.

Come on, Hinata-chan, Azuki murmured, leaning down to nudge me while Ume, who always claimed Azuki’s other side, yawned cutely and sat up. Time to get going.

With a final half-hearted murmur of protest and a glance at the glowing 12:38 on Azuki’s clock, I pushed myself up, tearing myself away from my blanket.

Shin was already fully dressed, helping Kayume zip up the back of her dress as Umeko shambled off to the bathroom with a bedhead. Azu headed downstairs, having slept in her clothes, to get our snacks ready.

Hustle, ladies, Kayume said as Shin finished braiding her hair. It’s quite the walk.

I kicked myself into gear, making a point to ask for coffee once we reach the city, and was soon heading down with the others to where Azuki was packing a backpack with food, though we wouldn’t be eating it for a couple of hours.

Ready, Azuki-chan?

All set, Senpai. She smiled, her excitement nearly palpable as she shouldered the backpack.

I felt a mix of affection and annoyance for my best friend as she led the way out of the back door and into the warm night air.

As tired as I felt and would prefer to be upstairs in our huge makeshift nest fast asleep, the look on her face was enough for me to deal…for a bit.

She’d been the most enthusiastic about the gang idea Shin had proposed, the one who put so much energy into practicing and learning to control her powers.

Personally, I would’ve been perfectly happy without the medallion that now hung around my neck, though I couldn’t deny being glad for the friends we’d made, especially for Azuki’s sake.

She’d never been the most social person, especially as a kid.

I could still recall our earliest moments and the day we became friends.

Azu was the quiet, withdrawn type growing up, always sitting away from everyone else, playing with blocks or reading books or coloring. She was always alone, and the only time I ever saw her smile was when her older brother, Takamichi, ten years her senior, picked her up at the end of each day.

It was months before we interacted properly, during one of our recesses in the little playground behind the school building.

I’d been playing fantasy kingdom with some of the other kids, chosen to be the princess despite wanting to be a dragon.

A very timid "Can I play?" was met with surprise as was the sight of Azuki, who usually spent outside time lying in the grass reading, standing there with a stuffed toy wolf held closely to her chest.

"Sure, Azuki-chan! One of the other girls beamed. You can be a knight with Tarou-chan and Hitoshi-chan! Hinata-chan is the princess!"

She’d nodded, taking one of the sticks the knights used as swords.

Then, as if she’d been waiting for the moment the whole time, she walked over and knelt in front of me.

"I promise to be your knight forever, Lady Princess."

The memory of her meeting my eyes for the first time was vivid, almost weirdly so. She seemed so sincere and serious, as if she’d really fight a dragon or enemy soldiers to keep me safe.

Even after that day, we never really talked in any substantial way. There was the occasional greeting or when we played together, and that wouldn’t change until our first year of elementary school.

I was walking home after a long day when I was attacked by a neighborhood dog that had gotten loose, one notorious for being violent and barking at anyone who dared get close to its house.

It was growling, enraged, backing me into a corner.

I was terrified, crying for help, when clearly out of nowhere, Azuki appeared and charged toward the dog, slamming into it to knock it over before planting herself firmly between me and the dog.

I remember screaming when it lunged at her, only to see her to full-on tackle the dog in turn, using her bookbag as a shield, though it still managed to scratch her face and catch her arm in its jaws.

Stop—she punched the dog repeatedly, forcing it to let go of her, voice overflowing with anger—it!

Finally, some neighbors showed up, and they managed to chase the dog away. Azuki had stood off, breathing heavily, watching as the neighbors looked over me as if she wasn’t there with angry red scratches and blood running down her arm, shirt stained with mud and dirt.

Azuki-chan! You’re bleeding!

She’d only shrugged. I’m okay. It doesn’t hurt that bad.

I managed to convince her to come home with me and let my mom, who was a nurse, clean her up.

She relented, and I led her by the hand toward home, where we were greeted by my currently-on-maternity-leave mother and my four-year-old brother, Kai.

Mom had been properly horrified, taking Azuki to the kitchen and bandaging her up while I explained what had happened. When she asked if Azuki wanted to call her parents, the quiet girl who hadn’t shed a tear simply said, Momma and Papa aren’t in town, and Michi-nii is taking university exams and won’t be home until tomorrow.

Mom insisted she stayed with us, and by the end of the night, we were inseparable. My proudest moment was when I managed to get her to smile.

When we got older, I asked her once why she’d fought the dog and protected me the way she had, only to receive a matter-of-fact answer.

I swore I’d protect you, remember? She’d grinned. I take my job as your knight very seriously.

Hinata-chan! A hand yanking me to the side pulled me from my memories, and I looked up to find Azuki standing there. Careful, you almost walked into that tree!

Sure enough, there was an old moss-covered oak just to my left, and while embarrassed by the fact I’d gotten so lost in my own head, I laughed it off and gave Azuki a smile.

Thanks, Azucha. I can always count on my knight.

She blushed a deep red up to her ears at that before returning the smile.

But of course, a promise is a promise.

By the way, I was wondering if you had done anything for the summer homework yet.

Yeah, I’ve got everything planned out. Why, need help?

You know me, I said, faking a deep sigh. It’s so much easier when you tell me.

We’ll have to do a study session later during the week. I’ll help out with everything I can. She offered her hand, clearly a little shy. Come on, the others already went on ahead.

I took it and did my best to keep up as we run after our friends hand in hand. Ah, the easy life of a princess and her knight.

Chapter 5

An Unwelcome Change

Azuki awakened to blackness with Hinata and Ume on either side, still sleeping peacefully. She could pick them out by scent easily, each of them carrying a distinct and unique smell that existed regardless of form or any perfume, alongside the faint hums of their heartbeats.

She hadn’t told them that the enhanced senses and strength from her magical form lingered after she powered down, more and more often in recent weeks.