The Vanishing Sky

"I hope you know, you're one of the things I've found that makes me happy." Himari said taking Sachi's hand.

Sachi raised her head. "What?"

A sudden hush fell over, as if the wind itself had forgotten how to breathe. 

The ground trembled. Not like in had before, this time it was more like the entire island exhaled. 

Trees swayed, not from wind, but from some unseen force rippling through the soil. Rocks rolled. Dust lifted.

And then it happened.

The horizon tilted ever so slightly. The sky that had once been within arm's reach now seemed to run away from the island. It was as if the entire mass of land had begun to sink. Not fast - just enough to feel it in the gut, just enough for the stomach to drop, just enough to realize the Collapse was approaching. 

The sound of the ground trembling was soon replaced by a high sharp whine, vibrating in their teeth, attacking their ear drums, making the air shimmer with heatless pressure. 

Soon, everything came to a stop. No more shaking, no more noise, no more moving. 

It was safe, for now. 

But it was clear that this wouldn't last. This was just the beginning. Just a warning.

The girls regained their balance. 

"Are we close to where you met that old woman yet?" Himari asked, seemingly unfazed. 

Sachi looked around the surroundings. "I think so, it looks familiar."

Sachi noticed a path that seemed to be calling for her. "It's this way." Sachi took off running down the path with Himari following closely behind.

-

Soon enough the girls found themselves in front of the roots of two great trees, but there was no cabin as there was before.

Desperately, Sachi looked around. "I know it was here. I remember these trees clearly."

Sachi got closer to the trees to closely inspect them. She's going to think I'm a liar. That I made it all up. "It really was here..."

Himari got close to the trees only to find nothing there. 

Sachi's hands began to tremble.

Attention seeker. Liar. Two-faced. Deceitful. Conniving brat. Sachi's mind replaying the names she's been called like a broken record.

Defeatedly, Sachi lowered her head. "I'm sorry... I really thought it was here..."

"I believe you." Himari said without an ounce of doubt.

"What? Why?" Sachi was taken aback, no one ever just simply believed her. Not her teachers. Not her classmates. Not her doctors. Not her family. No one.

"Why should I doubt you? You have no reason to lie."

"But the cabin and old woman aren't here..."

"There must be some reason for that. Maybe it's just like the messenger deer, it was something only you could see."

"How could you believe me so easily when there's no proof?" 

Himari turned to Sachi. "Because you're my friend. Why wouldn't I believe you?" There wasn't malice in her words. No smirk or mockery present. It didn't feel like a trick or a trap. It felt real. Genuine. 

Something inside Sachi fluttered. Her voice got caught in her throat. "Friend...?"

Something so simple yet it meant everything to Sachi. She had never had a real friend before. Was it really this simple? 

Sachi stared at Himari, her mouth slightly open, as if words were supposed to come but never did. The silence between them stretched. Not awkward, but heavy with meaning. For a moment, all the noise - the rustling trees, distant chirps of birds - faded into stillness.

Himari smiled, a small chuckle escaping her mouth. "You're looking at me like you've never had a friend before."

Sachi didn't say anything. Her eyes running away from Himari, shame filling up inside of her.

"Well," Himari said softly, "you do now."

The wind returned, gently stirring the leaves above. Sachi held her breath, scared that even the slightest of movements would destroy the moment. It felt delicate, too precious. Something inside her wanted to run away, to ruin it before it disappeared and hurt her like everything else, but she didn't. 

Instead, she whispered, "Thank you..."

-

The faint sound of a bell.

The faint sound of a crack.

-

The faraway yet all too close sound echoed again in Sachi's ear. She looked around wondering where it could've come from.

Himari, unaware of the sound, made a decision within her heart. "I think we should go to the kingdom. They'll be a library we could use to find information about the Great Collapse and maybe we can find someone else there to help."

Sachi's focus turned to Himari. "The kingdom?"

"It's where the royal family resides and the richest and noblest families live. So, we'll have to be careful that you aren't seen by anyone of high rank"

"Why?"

"Who knows what they'll do if they find the person responsible for the Collapse. With two quakes in one day and the islands itself sinking, I'm sure everyone has an idea of what's going on."

"Is it really a good idea to go?" Worry taking control of Sachi's voice.

"I don't think there would be anywhere else that could benefit us. We need to figure out if there's any information about stopping the Collapse and the only place that would be is the ancient library where all the world's history is found."

"What do we do if we run into those people of high rank?"

"How fast can you run?"

"Not fast at all..." Sachi shamefully admitted.

Himari pondered hard for a moment. "Maybe we should raid the weaponry..."

Dumbfounded by Himari's plan. "If I can't run fast, what makes you think I would be a good thief?"

"You have a point there. Hmmm... I guess we just have to beg Nobu to be our bodyguard."

"Do you think he'd help us?"

Himari imitated what she believed Nobu's reaction would be. "I am in no mood to babysit you children! Is something he would totally say, but I think we can convince him" 

"How?"

"Just leave it to me." Himari took her necklace out and with a sharp blow into the noiseless whistle, she called for Nobu.

With a crack of displaced air and a gust of dark feathers, Nobu appeared.

"Why have you called me again?" Irritation already soaked in his voice. "I told you not to-"

"I know but I need your help." Himari quickly interrupted, her hands fiddling about. "I wouldn't ask if I didn't need you."

His wings twitched. "Whatever you need is not my concern."

"We need someone strong and brave to help us survive in the kingdom." Her eyes staring deeply into Nobu's eyes. "Please?"

Nobu scoffed, folding his arms. "Flattery will get you nowhere."

Himari approached Nobu, gently placing her hand on his. "You're the only one that can help us. Without you, we'll be in a lot of danger."

"You want me to protect both of you?" Nobu nodded toward Sachi with sneer in his voice. "The otherworlder child stinks of fragile soul and bad luck."

Sachi flinched at the words.

Himari moved between them. "Hey! She isn't stinky. And she is my friend."

Sachi sniffed herself, now self-consciousness that her smell is up for discussion.

Nobu's expression didn't change, his eyes didn't waver, but neither did Himari's. 

"I've never asked you for anything selfishly before." Himari said, her voice low. "But I'm asking now. Please, Nobu. I don't care if you grumble the whole way. Just help us get to where we need to go safely. If you can't willingly help us just for the sake of it, then I'd happily make another deal with you."

Silence.

Sachi wondered what Himari meant by a deal.

Himari stared into Nobu's eyes with determination.

Then a sigh - low and reluctant, like a strong cloud giving in to the rain.

"You always find the exact works to make me want to do regretful things." Nobu muttered. His eyes averting Himari. "Fine... I will watch over you both. But if either of you falls behind, I'll leave you."

Himari smiled. "I'll take that risk."

Nobu turned to Sachi. "You. Try not to die too easily."

Sachi blinked. "I... I'll do my best?" This whole interaction went over Sachi's head.

"The kingdom you said?" Nobu transformed into his large crow self. His glossy black wings flaring wide, inviting the girls to get on his back and hold on tight. With a strong force, they were in the air soaring above the islands. 

When the girls looked below it was clear there was something different about the islands. Some lower than before, some tilted as if it lost its balance, and some smaller like it was chipped away at. This was only the beginning. How much worse would it get?