A story of a Thousand Falling Stars

Diminished

They had been wandering in the seemingly endless forest for days. However, neither Akemi nor Daisuke could shake the feeling that resided in their hearts, like a pitfall in their stomachs; it was that they would never reach their destination.

"Daisuke? How much longer do you think it will be until we find the one we're looking for?" Akemi asked him, desperate for a settling answer to make all of her fear go away.

Daisuke looked back at her, and rolled his eyes before turning to face ahead. "We may be there already if we didn't have to keep waiting for you to have your little moral conflicts." He answered sharply at Akemi.

Akemi's eyes widened; "How could you say something like that?" She snapped at her friend; as she stopped where she was walking and waited for him to face her. "I gave up everything so that we could save Japan!" She cried. "My mother's probably dead, as well as anyone that tried to protect her, and it's my entire fault! Of course I still wonder if I did the right thing!"

Daisuke stopped, and turned to face Akemi. "I get that this is hard for you." He stated as stared into Akemi's eyes; it wasn't a look of love; but a look of frustration that covered his face. "But this isn't your fault. I've told you that. What we need to do right now, is not cry, but find the kami that we're looking for, and get this over with."

Akemi opened her mouth to object, but quickly shut it. There was no point. He never listened to her; it would be no different now. She stomped on ahead, shouldering past Daisuke and making her way deeper into the maze of trees and bushes that they had both been so eager to enter in the first place, but now wanted no part in.

As Akemi continued to trudge through the dirt, and weave her way through the tall, thick trees of the wilderness, she began to think. With Daisuke so far behind her, she was able to realize something; when the two of them had first left the palace in search of the cave where the kami hid, they had been so strong together... but the more that they traveled, the more they seemed to... Grow apart. They had gotten on each other for little things, such as tears of sadness, or naïve comments. Akemi couldn't explain it, but it almost felt like someone- or something- was guiding their thoughts, and keeping them from their true selves. If they were going to find the man they were looking for, then they would have to start working togeth-

Akemi's thoughts were cut short as she was knocked off her feet, and sent rolling onto the soft ground below, sending crusty leaves flying through the air. The breath was knocked from Akemi as she felt the pressure of a much larger man land on top of her.

She pushed him off, and found herself face to face with Daisuke. "What are you doing?" She asked him angrily as he quickly got up. But Akemi didn't need him to answer, for in front of them, was a large, snarling bear. It had a thick, brown pelt and beady black eyes; its teeth were so clear that Akemi could almost see herself being ripped apart in their reflection. This creature looked hungry; but what really scared Akemi... was that it looked desperate too.

It continued to snarl, and leer at the two samurai warriors, until it slowly backed away, not wanting to fight both of them. Akemi and Daisuke stood completely still, staring at the bear until it was out of sight behind the trees and bushes.

Daisuke looked at Akemi; "what were you doing?" He asked her harshly; "how could you not have noticed that thing right behind you?"

Akemi blinked a couple of times; he was blaming her for that? "I'm sorry!" She spat at him; "I was busy thinking about the complete ass that you've been since we left the palace."