Shinohara Kozue's Story

The train hurried along as I held the note and rose in my hands. It read:

I would like to meet you, please come over to The Sacred Garden.

Being invited to The Sacred Garden could only meant death. Mother Gaia created us Glass and we had to die one day and return to her. However it was different for the Divine and the Shadows. Every glass knew about my upcoming death and everyone in town was delighted. I heard they even planned on having a festival tonight in town. I smiled to myself as I thought about death, 'Now, even Mother Gaia deemed me useless'. I tried hard to not think of myself in that way but it was natural. I touched my hair which I have just cut off to leave as a keepsake for my worrisome guardian. She was always worried about me. She represented my emotions that I didn't show. After the note and rose was delivered by a petite blue bird yesterday, I smiled as she frantically tried to understand what the letter meant.

She prepared me for the trip, giving me a lot of support and encouragement. I will never forget the warmth of her hands as she combed and tied my hair into a low ponytail before cutting it away, her tears as she sent me off at the train station. I stopped myself from thinking further, I wouldn't want to cry. Then, the speakers blared, "Arriving at The Sacred Garden. Arriving at the Sacred Garden. To those who are getting down, my wish you have a pleasant trip and have a nice day." I blinked and looked up, determined. Folding the note, I placed it in my jacket's pocket and grabbed my sling bag where I have sweets, snacks and water prepared just so I was hungry.

The train door opened and I stepped down onto the grassy plains. The entrance to the Garden was simply magnificent. The golden gate were laced with vines and flowers in various colours and sizes. The blue bird from yesterday flew down and settled on my head as the gate opened. I stepped in, unaware of the journey in front of me as the gates closed behind me.

Blake sat in a train, there was a festival tonight, and what better place to cause some havoc? It was in the sacred garden, even better... Blake felt a stinging in his mind, and when it subsided he heard; "Tonight, you will start what we will end."... Then it faded away. That voice was terrifying, but not because it was demonic, because of how silky and pleasant it was. It was Satan. Blake had received orders directly from him before, and he hated it every time.

Blake's train stopped. He could see only him and another girl getting off the train and walking towards the gardens. The gate was garbed with vines, as if it was a royal clothing that said; "I'm the king of gates.", Blake scoffed and walked in after the girl. As he passed the flowers on the vines shut, and died. Blake smiled at this. Not so high and mighty now, huh gate? Blake thought o himself. He shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans and continued on deeper into the gardens. The beauty sickened him.

I had not noticed as I was so deep in my thoughts, but there was someone following me. I glanced back and saw the "someone", it was a guy. 'Eh. When did he? He's a glass too? I'm gonna be killed with this guy...',I thought to myself as I started panicking.

I contemplated whether to talk to him or not, but since we were going to die together...Might as well.

I turned over and said with a smile, "Hi. It seems like we would be dying today. Since we both are glass...I envy the Shadows and Divine, they can enter this place even without knowing that they would die. Haha..." 'That sounded so awkward...'

Blake smiled as this girl talked to him. How naive glass could be astounded him. It was one of the traits that made him stronger, he could smell the awkwardness and a slight hint of fear, he expected more fear, but this was enough to make him strong. He had been storing up power as a spirit to cause many disasters and he still had a large stockpile of energy just waiting to be released.

"I envy them as well." Blake said with a slight smirk. He continued walking with this girl, reading her. She was very awkward, but he sensed a good about her. She wasn't physically strong, but she had a dark past and was determined to make things better than that was. Or at least that's what Blake saw in her. Although Blake wasn't a spirit any longer, he could still read other's souls like he was. It was a good gift to have.

Blake needed to gain her trust more than he ever would as a Glass. Blake looked out in the distance looked with a surprised and fearful face. "No, no... NO!" He yelled out and ran off. Blake sped away like there was no tomorrow and waited until he passed through a crop of bushes to change form. He hopped onto his hands an knees and his clothes were absorbed into his body as hair began to grow, it was jet black hair and matted somewhat. Blake had become a larger than usual, yet still small black fox with a white tipped tail and ears. Blake then rolled onto his fury back and yelped as if someone had stepped on him to make this girl think that he had been wounded and come and check on him.

Savel flitted through the air on her steely wings, she flew with her back parallel to the ground, her eyes closed as she reclined on the cushion of air. She smiled, her teeth glinting ever so slightly in the light. She was above a train station, out of sight from anyone, the roof blocking her spot from prying eyes. She could, however see everyone else. She watched everyone pass about in the station, and tried to see Blake, her fellow missionary. She saw him eventually and grinned. Savel stretched and quickly fluttered behind a tree. She then scrunched her eyes closed, and disguised herself as an innocent school girl going to the festival. Her usual disguise. She raised her hands to the tree, and made a very realistic looking satchel out of the tree's wood. She tested it out, and smiled. She then strode out confidently onto the train station, then entered the train.

With wide green eyes and a fake festival ticket sticking out of her satchel, Savel sat a few rows behind Blake as she knew he would see her, and he knew her disguise. She didn't want him to know she was part of this mission too. She sat back and relaxed, listening to the chatter of the Glass around her. She was tutting over how stupid they were when Satan's voice echoed through her mind. "Tonight, you will start what we will end." She grinned mischievously and waited for the journey to stop so she could wreak some havoc. Eventually they stopped outside Mother Gaia's garden, and she could barely contain herself. She remembered she was in disguise as a stupid Glass child so she let out a whoop and exited the train, hoping that Blake and the Glass accompanying him hadn't noticed her.

She watched as Blake and the Glass girl entered the garden and Blake killed the flowers. Savel felt pity and amusement at the same time, and wondered which emotion to respond to. She smiled and when no one was looking, she made wooden thorn flowers on the dead vines. She did love thorns. She entered the garden, a little jolt running through her as she put foot on the holy land. She shuddered then continued on. Savel watched as Blake fooled the green haired Glass girl, and shifted into his fox form. She decided now would be a good time to step in. She sped to the fox form Blake, and knelt next to him. She called out in a sugar sweet voice;"Someone! Help! One of Mother's creatures is hurt!" As the green haired girl approached, Savel winked and rose a finger to her lips at Blake before the girl got there. She put on a facade of worry and looked up at the Glass. "I think someone stepped on it! I don't know how to heal animals, do you know anything? Anything at all?" She forced a tear to her eye and waited for her response.

Kozue was puzzled as to why the guy ran away suddenly just now. However puzzled she was, she continued on. She was getting closer to the heart of the garden where Mother Gaia is resting. She felt warm in her heart. 'Maybe this is the part where people feel peace and rest in peace...', she thought to herself.

Then, she heard a call for help. She followed the sound and arrived at the scene where there was a girl with a fox on the ground. "I think someone stepped on it! I don't know how to heal animals, do you know anything? Anything at all?" The girl asked as tears brimmed in her eyes. Kozue became very much flustered.

"Hmm...I don't really know..." Kozue said as she bent down to smooth the jet black hair, hoping to ease the pain. "We should bring it to Mother Gaia. I am sure that she can do something about it." Kozue said as she picked up the fox and started bringing it back on the right track. 'Is it me or does this fox feel cold to the touch?', she thought to herself.

Blake whimpered as he was picked up. Taking the form of an animal allowed him to do as they do, yet he was really a spirit, so he could still speak. Most shapeshifters couldn't do so. Blake looked at Savel and sent her a mental feeling of pleasure to tell her she had done well. It was challenging to focus all of his mind in it, but he did. That's how spirits spoke to mortals, that's why they rarely did it, it's extremely hard.

Blake could tell he was cold. It was hard to focus on making himself warm seeing as spirits were cold. But maybe he could play it off as the first symptom of a disease. Blake began to cough and shake, between coughs he whimpered like, well a stepped on pup. Blake was good at deception, he drew strength when Glass did it so he liked to view such things.

It begun coughing and shaking as Kozue hurried to Mother Gaia. She hugged it close to her to give it some warmth. The other girl followed after her. As Kozue ran, she felt many pairs of eyes on her. She shrugged it off as Mother Gaia's creature in the Garden. She ran to the center where she saw a figure sitting among the plants, she seems to be resting. "Mother-Mother Gaia! The fox..." Kozue said in between pants as she stretch out the fox towards Mother Gaia. The figure moved to motion Kozue to go closer. Kozue followed. She took a few steps closer.

Mother Gaia gently stroked the fox before retracting her hand. "How did you get in here? You are...A part of The Sealed." Mother Gaia said as the plants around her suddenly take an offensive stance. "Glass girl, you should let go of it. Now!" Mother Gaia said as she pulled Kozue away after Kozue let the fox down.

'This fox is a sealed?' Kozue thought blankly.

Blake shuddered at The Mothers touch. Blake leaped from the girls arms and took a stance toward The Mother. "Call off your vile pets." Blake said in his true voice, as a Glass he sounded like a normal man, but as any other form his voice was smooth, charming, and intimidating. Blake sat on his fury haunches and scratched at his ear. "I'm here as a messenger. The world is changing, and if you don't want to be collateral damage the true father of this world kindly offers you a spot below him in exchange for your life." Blake said. He would have taken his true form, but a dragon would be much to offensive of a position to take as a messenger. A small venerable black fox would be nearly harmless. "And don't try capturing me and sealing me again. Your seal is far too weak for the likes of me." Blake added.

Blake made a link with Savel quickly in his mind. "She only suspect me so far, as long as I keep her distracted you should be able to hold the Glass girl hostage so we can get out of here after this pompous treehugger has received her message. Then I can set this filth garden alight." Blake told Savel.

"Working below? I do not need it, I'd rather perish than work under someone as corrupted as him." Mother Gaia spatted out, holding Kozue close to herself. "Tell him that I also have my own messengers. 6 in fact. They will defeat him in my stead, they will erase the Sealed race." Mother continued.

'Erase the Sealed..?' Kozue thought. "She is one of them." Mother added, as if she declared something so important that the whole world should know. "Yes?!" Kozue asked aloud.

"Tell him that his end is near and only time will proof that evil can never overtake good." Mother Gaia said proudly in a threatening matter.

"I will tell him all that you have said. I believe it is wise of you to choose six to die for you instead of an entire army. Quicker for me and less work. About erasing the Sealed though... One problem... How can you erase what is not there?" With that Blake let his black fox form shed. The form kind of just turned to dust and blew away with a chilling wind. Blake had taken his original form. A spirit. The Mother could most likely sense his presence, but he didn't mind, this was just to scare that glass girl, and put on a good show Blake wasn't "The Minstrel" for nothing.

Blake allowed himself to float up over the garden. The place was beautiful and made blake want to vomit. Blake channeled some of his energy into the trees in the garden and set them alight. Savel would find her own way out. She would be ok. "Hear my music Mother, and ejoy." Blake taunted. He saw Savel wasn't doing anything. He sighed and took on his dragon form. Since he took it out of his spirit form it looked like he just appeared of thin air. Blake swooped down letting out a harsh roar right at mother Gaia and the green haired girl. Blake grabbed savel between his talons and let out a huge beat of his wings and he was off.

The fox disappeared in front of Kozue's eyes. More accurately, it turned to dust. "Wha-" She was about to say before the Garden was set ablaze. "Mother...Gaia..." Kozue said as she tried to process the information. 'Me? 6 messengers? Satan? I thought I was going to die? Why?' She could only think of questions and more questions.

"Ugh..." Mother breathed out. Kozue focused her attention on Mother Gaia and noticed burnt wounds on her arms. "Put out the fire for me." She whispered and rain started raining from a corner of the Garden and spread out, however, it did not rain over at where the two of them was. "Kozue, I need your help. Please help me restore peace to this world and this residents. You have to go in search of the other 5. I am sure you can do it." Mother Gaia said, smiling as she patted Kozue on the back. "But...I am already considered dead." Kozue muttered, my mind in a mess. "Yes, I understand. I will try to not get you to your town anymore. In this journey, this little guy will keep you company." Mother said as the same blue little bird flew down. "Her name is Piyo." Mother Gaia introduced. The bird rested on Kozue's shoulders.

"She will protect you from dangers until you can do so by yourself. I will leave it to you Kozue. Now, get going." Mother said as she kissed Kozue on the forehead.

Savel stood on the side of the whole thing, acting befuddled by all that was happening, like a teenager glass would be. Inside however she was barely stopping herself from laughing, as she couldn't believe that Mother Gaia herself hadn't sensed her yet. Observing her, she reckoned that must be what Satan would have looked like if he'd walked the good path. And been female. She shuddered, almost gagging with the purity she emitted. She was glad that any weak glass would be overwhelmed with power and react in that way, so she was in the clear. Then, when Blake sent her a mental image, she smirked, already planning what she would do. Then, when Blake sassed the Mother herself, she subtly mouthed to his spirit form behind her mouth; Ouuuuuch! Knowing they would start to suspect her, Savel shook her glass knees, and whimpered, then before anyone could do anything, ran into the trees screaming, disappearing in the shadows of the canopy.

Once out of sight, Savel returned to her normal form. She sighed in bliss. Glass clothes were ridiculous, the only really useful thing of the outfit was the bag, which she then threw on the ground. It exploded into splinters, but Savel was untouched as she strode away, adjusting her ebony wood hair clip. She might as well look good if she was gonna wreak havoc on this place. She jumped high into the air, leaving a little cloud of dust unsettled on the ground as she took off. She fluttered above the garden, keeping to the edge of the crowd's view. She lay with her belly parallel to the ground, hovering as she watched people walking about below. She peered until she saw Blake and sent him a mental message. So, you ready to get this festival interesting? I'll get the Glass girl when she isn't in reach of the Mother though. She grinned at the thought of the havoc about to occur.

Savel hovered next to her partner in crime and thought on his question, wondering which to do first. She knew no one would hear, she whispered;"We should create a distraction, then you separate the kids with your fire like KABOOM! They'll piss themselves." She laughed to herself, glad she worked for the devil. Not something an average being on Gaia would say. She reclined on a cushion of air and grinned, her eyes alight with a flame of slight insanity, as usual. She observed Blake as his hawk wings beat slightly faster than normal, and was puzzled as to why he exhausted himself so. She shrugged it off and continued planning. She grinned when she thought of a great way to create dark feelings in glass hearts below. She held a finger to her lips then fluttered around behind the crowd, out of sight, sending a mental note to Blake. "Get ready."

Getting to a good vantage point, Savel hovered above the crowd, and subtly but quickly grew trees far ahead of the glass on the path. When the crowd got to the trees, she furrowed her brow, and made a master piece of wood out of sight of the crowd, then grinned at it, proud of her work. She then set it down, and drove the ice cream truck to a small patch and bent the trees over it, making it look like it was bathed in heavenly light. On a hot day like this, kids would beg for ice cream. And they did. They tugged on their parent's coats and pants, gathering awwwws from childless adults. Parents dug into their wallets, and gave their children whatever loose change they had, and sent them on their way. Of course there were the occasional tight parents, but that wouldn't matter in a while.

When everyone was busy giving their children money, Savel fluttered down into the van, behind the counter, and leaned on it, smiling happily at the children, and widened her eyes. "Hey kids! Now, what'll it be?" She asked the kid at the front, and he looked at her puzzled. "Aren't you a divine? Why are you in an ice cream van?" Savel stood straight, put a finger to her chin and looked at the child, mocking him and the other children. "You know what, it's just occurred to me why a not so divine divine such as me is doing here!" She then pulled her finger away, but kept the mocking look on her face. "It's because you're going to die!" Savel then brought her hands palm up and raised them above her head, her face keeping that terrifying look as she rose tall thorn bushes from the ground, forming a wall between the adults and the children for Blake to set alight, summoning cries of MY BABY! or DANNY! but, only one bothered to try and run to the wall. Savel tutted and controlled the thorns to surround the would be hero, blocking him from view and sunlight, thorns jabbing into him, summoning gashes and cuts, and only Savel knew. And Blake of course, thanks to their mental link. Which reminded Savel. "Blake! You gonna set this sucker alight?" Savel then settled down, and watched the weeping children in front of her, waiting for the stupid Glass girl Mother Gaia had chosen to be her "Warrior"

Savel watched Blake's havoc, and grinned at the mischief. "This is GREAT! I'll make holes in the thorns. Why let them say goodbye?" She laughed out loud, and bent the thorns to her will, making large holes in the fire that the cowering children could see through. She smirked evilly at their expressions as they watched all they'd ever known since they were born go up in flames. She laughed manically, and decided to terrify them some more. She fluttered down in front of the children and as she landed as a silhouette in front of the fire, she sent a mental message to Blake. "Try and shepherd that Glass girl here somehow. I'm going to put on a show for the kids."Opening her eyes again, Savel looked down at the children huddled on the ground and pouted her lips at them. "Don't worry kiddie winks! We'll be back to the show right after this break!" She then clicked her fingers and the thorns rose in a circle around the children. As she was slowly hidden from view, Savel waved cheerily at the children, not reacting in any way to the tears streaming down their faces.

"Kozue, Kozue, you have to find the rest of the team first. Until then, you cannot do anything." The petite blue bird said to the green haired girl. "You can talk?!" Kozue exclaimed. "I'm not very shocked considering the situation now though..."Kozue whispered after thinking about the things that have happened up till now. "I can. I'm Piyo." It answered. "Where are we going to find them first?" Kozue asked. "We are going to Crystal Forest now, one of the messengers are there." Piyo said leading the way to the forest. "We are going to walk there?" Kozue asked as she looked into the distance. "Piyo will fly, Kozue will walk." Piyo answered much to Kozue's horror. "I will die." Kozue said to herself. "It's near you know." Piyo encouraged.

They continued in silence until Kozue asked, "What are the missionaries of Satan supposed to do? What can I do against them?"

Piyo thought for a moment, "They cause chaos and kill people, bringing harm to the world basically. Piyo doesn't know what you can do, maybe you are just here for decoration."

"Decoration huh, fancy hearing that from a birdie. What are we going to do against them now?" Kozue asked thoughtful, she knew that as a Glass there was no way she can win against a Shadow or Divine. "We are not going to do anything. I cannot do anything more than protecting you." Piyo answered, slowing down as if saddened by the thought of Glasses dying this very moment. "Why can't we help?!" Kozue exclaimed. "You are just a Glass and I am just a talking bird that is sent to protect you and only that." Piyo answered, stating the obvious. "We must find at least one more person before we can do anything about them." Piyo continued. "But, people will die!" Kozue said. "Unless we find one more person, we are not to have any contact with the Satan missionaries." Piyo said coldly, flying ahead of Kozue giving her space to think things through.

Savel fluttered above the cage of thorns she'd made for the children, looking for the glass girl. She looked down at the terrified children and smiled, entertained by the havoc she had caused with Blake. She turned to see the parents and adults burning, screaming and running around. She laughed, and flew higher, getting a better view of the garden. She lay on a pocket of air, her wings barely flapping at all. She looked around and saw the glass girl running towards the crystal forestwith a blue bird. Using her magic, she saw it was a magical bird, but very basic. Not a shape shifter. She grinned and sent a message to Blake. "Get that bird away from her. I'll do the rest."

"Done." Blake said, he smashed his wings towards the ground taking lift off, then he changed into the form of a falcon. Big enough to kill a little blue bird, small and agile enough to catch it. Blake climbed through the air reaching a great hight, then he turned his beak down and speeded towards the green haired girl, Blake literally had eyes like a hawk... or falcon. He could see his prey from miles away. Blake plummeted at breakneck speed towards the little birdie then as he got about twenty feet behind the girl he began to pull up, and he was in perfect position to clamp this little blue disgrace in his beak and break it's neck.

The forest was just in sight when Kozue felt the wind speed pick up suddenly. A gush of strong wind blew from behind her and her hair flowed. "Piyo how much more to walk, I'm tired a-" Kozue spoke as she turned back to face her little birdie friend, however to her horror she saw a falcon very near them. She grabbed Piyo in her palm and ran for her life. Piyo fainted from the pressure placed on it when Kozue grabbed it tightly.

She only thought of one thing, and that was running. Running away from the falcon. She was not even sure that it was going to attack them or it was just flying along. However, it seemed creepily familiar. The trees become larger and larger and eventually she was running under them. The earthen ground was dyed in many different colours, from the light of the crystals. It was nearing evening. If she was not running, she would have stopped to sigh in awe at the brilliant scene.

She ran without a sense of direction. She did not dare to look back, afraid that it might be closer to her then she thought. She needed help and fast. Just then she saw a figure walking not too far away from her. "Please! Help me!" She shouted as she chased after the figure. "Please!" She yelled again just in case the figure didn't hear her. "Help me." She whispered. If the figure could help her, she was sure that she would be fine. This was after all the forest which is part of the Divine's land.

[Note: The next post should take place in the Crystal Forest. Do change the location. Thanks!]

Ignore.