The Lake of Fairies

"I'm sure it was around here somewhere" Himari says guiding Sachi through the forest.

The two girls had been walking through the forest for hours, all in search of this lake of fairies.

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" Sachi asks with concern.

"I mean not entirely but how hard is it supposed to be to find a big lake?"

Sachi stops walking. "You mean you don't actually know where it is?"

"I've never seen it myself, but I've heard this island has it... Or is it a different place?" Himari's tilts her head in thought.

"You mean to tell me you've been dragging me around this whole time to tell me we're lost?"

"We're not lost... We're exploring... Yeah exploring."

"That's just a nice way of saying lost." 

Sachi takes a seat on a nearby rock, exhaustion taking over her body. "Maybe we should rest a bit."

"Good idea..." Himari's eyes wander off. "Uhhh... Wait right here!" She takes off running through the trees leaving Sachi alone.

The light of the day starts to fade as the sun falls lower in the sky. 

"I wonder where she went..." 

Sachi's thoughts start to wander. 

Did I complain too much?

Did I offend her?

Did she abandon me?

Sachi hugs her knees as she starts to feel a sense of loss.

"Of course she left... Why would she stay around me...?"

Sachi's eyes begin to feel heavy. She realizes she hasn't slept since she arrived in this world. 

Before Sachi knew it, she had drifted off to sleep.

-

"Sachi... Hey Sachi... Wake up." Himari gently shakes Sachi awake.

Sachi's eyes slowly open to see Himari standing there. She blinks a few times confused if this is reality. "You're here?"

"Yeah, I'm back. I'm sorry it took so long." Himari reaches into her pocket and pulls out what looks like cotton balls. "I thought you might be hungry, so I went to find some food. I found some cloud fruit if you want."

Himari offers the cotton ball looking fruit to Sachi.

"Cloud fruit?"

"It's famous among the nobles of the sky kingdom. It's just a pain to find, that's why I took a while."

Sachi's chest tightened. Here she thought Himari abandoned her while she was actually trying to do something for her. 

"I wanted to surprise you and honestly I didn't think it would be so hard to find. But it was rude of me to leave you alone so I'm sorry for not saying anything."

"I'm the one that should be sorry." Sachi confesses.

Himari looks at Sachi confused.

"I doubted you and misjudged you when you've given me no reason to."

"Did you think I left for good?"

Sachi shamefully nods her head.

Himari appears to be pondering for a moment. "Alright I forgive you. On one condition." She places a handful of the cloud fruit in Sachi's hands. "You have to eat every single one of these."

Sachi stares at the fruit and back at Himari. "Aren't you mad at me?"

"Mad? Why would I be mad? It's my fault for making you feel that way. If anyone should be mad it should be you. I left you alone for quite some time."

"I'm not mad at you at all. I'm just glad you're back."

"Well, it's nice you're not upset but to make it up to you anyway I also found the lake while search for the fruit. So, once we've eaten, we can head there if you'd like."

Himari sits herself next to Sachi and starts eating another handful of fruit she got from her pocket.

Sachi stares at the fruit. They almost looked like they were bundles of pearls. She hesitantly tried one.

"They're delicious!" Sachi exclaimed. She had never tasted anything like it. It was so light and fresh, as if she had taken a chunk of a real cloud herself to eat. 

Himari chuckled. "I'm glad you like them. They're also good for replenishing energy and hydration. I'm so glad I found them."

"Where did you even find them?"

"They're found on all the islands, but they only grow near bodies of water, which are hard to come by."

"Water is hard to come by?"

"It rarely ever rains around here so because of that all the lakes are strictly monitored so that no one takes any more than they're allowed. The lakes naturally fill back up thanks to the Suijin but it takes a lot of time so the people try to preserve it as much as they can."

"It must be hard to live without a big supply of water."

"I mean it's been like this for centuries, so everyone is used to it."

"Wait... If the lakes are strictly monitored, then why are we going to one?"

"Oh, the lake we're going to is a fairy lake. No one drinks the water of those lakes."

"Why not?"

"The water of the fairy lakes provides for the land like the trees and flowers. It's forbidden for the people to use it."

"Wow. It's impressive the people leave it alone when you're all already struggling with lack of water."

"I think it's because we're given enough to get by, so we don't feel the need to take what belongs to the land."

Himari notices Sachi has finished her fruit. "Shall we go see the lake now?"

Himari jumps off the rock and points in the direction of the lake. "It's that way. We weren't lost, we just needed to take a break."

Sachi follows Himari's lead to the lake.

-

As the sun's last light fades, the girls break away from the trees and before them stands a breathtaking sight. 

The tranquility of the night only added to the serene masterpiece in front of them.

A large lake that was so still it looked as though it were a framed picture. 

The lake emitted a faint blue glow, and small blue orbs of light danced a top the water.

Floating on the lake were lotus like flowers of a dazzling silver color along with small lily pads.

Around the lake were lily of the valley flowers with a crystal-clear look to them. 

The girls froze and held their breath. Afraid that the smallest movement or sound would shatter this reality. 

The serene calmest soothed Sachi's soul and for a moment even her mind was at ease.

Sachi gathered the courage to walk closer. She knelt before the edge of the lake and look at the brisk clear water. And for the first time, Sachi finally saw herself. 

She was no longer thin to the point of her bones showing. Her normal color has returned to her skin. Her hair no longer damaged. Her lips no longer dry and now full of color. And the dark circles were nowhere to be seen. Sachi stared at her reflection wondering when she started to look like this or if perhaps had she always looked like this. Did coming to this world give her a healthier look or had she always looked like this but her own despair clouded her view? 

Sachi sat there staring at her reflection in disbelief when all a sudden a splash of water was thrown in her face, bringing her back to reality.

The culprit, Himari, stood in the water knees deep giggling and splashing water at Sachi.

"I thought you said it was forbidden for people to use this water?!"

"It's forbidden to use it as drinking water! Nothing about playing in it!" Himari said as she prepares another splash. 

Sachi finally decides she is not going to just let herself get splashed. So, she joins in and attacks Himari back. 

"Show me what you got!" Himari teases.

Sachi grabs a lily pad and launches it at Himari, where it hits her right in the face. 

Himari slowly peels the lily pad off her "Oh, it's on now."

Himari runs towards Sachi and tackles her. The two girls sink below the water until quickly coming up for air. Another lily pad ends up on Himari's head. Sachi points at Himari's head but cannot keep the laughter inside. She lets herself laugh. Himari starts to pose using the lily pad as a hat. However, the look is not very fashionable or favorable on Himari, which causes Sachi to laugh more. Himari knowing how ridiculous she must look ends up laughing too. 

The girl's laughter echoes within the lake. 

For the first time in a very long time. Or maybe for the first time ever. Sachi felt at ease. She felt maybe even happy. She felt alive.