@Sarcelle Renard @chukklehed @CrimmyNatsume Natsumi(?); Saturday Morning - Practice Building?
The girl was still on the ground trying to catch her breath as her body ached from the blow she took and the subsequent crash that followed. Her head was throbbing in pain and her hearing continued to be clouded with a loud ringing.
"...h-help-" A desperate call out from her, probably not even audible unless they were right next to her.
Why did this happen? All she wanted was to live comfortably, in the presence of her friends and her parents. Laughing together, doing homework together, eating dinner together, living life together.
But all of that was irrelevant now. She was gonna die here. All alone, in a place she didn't even recognize.
"I just want to go back to the way things were."...
"A simple test; can you state your name?"A voice called out to her.
"My... name?"The voice was warm, comforting even. It felt familiar, yet foreign to her. Like an old friend that she hasn't met in some ten years or so. Her hearing began to clear up little by little, and the pain in her head was subsiding.
"This... should be easy. My name is Natsu...mi?" Her thoughts paused for a second as the name sunk in.
"Wait, is that my name?" It sounded almost correct. But she couldn't tell what was wrong.
"I am-... I'm...""Stop! Fire won't work, use ice or wind!"Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard another voice shout out. The pain had almost completely disappeared, and Natsumi was finally able to relax a little and open her eyes. Looking for the source of the command, she found the black haired girl from earlier with... wires sticking out of her. The sight of someone else behind the black haired girl with wires and cables connecting them both looked unnatural to Natsumi. But the other girl didn't seem to be in pain from it.
"What is she-?"She finally found the strength to sit up right, and once again found the source of her fear and despair in front of them. Her body froze at the sight of it, and the voice from before spoke once more. This time, it sounded much clearer in her head.
"Do you truly wish to go back to the way things were?"The voice was angry, no longer comforting as it was before.
"...I-" She hesitated, and the voice cut her off.
"Back when things were simpler?""I-...!""Your answer!?""I DO!""..."No answer came from the voice.
"I do want to go back." Her voice was trembling.
"I miss everyone. I miss all the laughs and the fun we were having." She paused for a moment as she pondered about her answer a little more.
"But I-... I know things can't be the same anymore. I know that I can't change the past either.""...And so, what will you do now?" The voice was warmer now, like a father talking to their crying child.
"You should already know right? I might have some regrets, but I won't forget. And I will move forward. I know things will be hard, but I have to."The girl was now standing up, with a clear head and a regained resolve.
"Heh... Very good. Now then, tell me- What is your name?"This time, the answer was crystal clear.
"Natsume Ishikawa."Her body started to feel a little lighter and warmer. The mysterious voice had manifested behind her as a large white tiger. The tiger itself was glowing, with certain spots being covered with a blue flame that was warm to the touch. She could feel its power flowing through her body, its presence also very comforting.
Looking forward, the monster had began to charge towards Yuuhei as it reeled back its arm for a swing at him.
The girl held out her hand as she ran forward.
"I won't make it in time-" The monster was simply much closer to Yuuhei than she was.
"Byakko!" The tiger's name had come to her mind unconsciously, as if she had known it like a very close friend's.
With a roar, the tiger had sent out some of its power from her hand towards the blonde and formed a defensive shield of sorts. Natsume couldn't stop the attack, but she could at least try to stop the blow from killing him if he can't dodge it.