Separate Ways

After thanking Banri, the girls returned to the tavern, where the horse was ready.

Itsuki sighed. "I guess this is it... You two be safe."

"You be safe too." Sachi's voice shook. She was scared. She didn't know what this journey would hold for them.

Himari grabbed Sachi's and Itsuki's hands. "Let's not get discouraged. We have yet to start our journey. I'm sure there's something we can do. And even if not... Then at least we tried!"

The girls hugged each other once more before parting ways.

Himari tried her luck at mounting the horse, only to meet the same fate Sachi did by overshooting the jump and falling off the other side.

Sachi and Itsuki couldn't stifle their laughter.

Sachi helped Himari up as Itsuki produced stairs out of the ground for Sachi and Himari to mount the horse with.

Once Sachi and Himari were on the horse, they waved their final goodbyes and parted.

Itsuki, her family, and Kasumi all waved after them even long after their silhouette disappeared in the distance.

-

Himari hung on for dear life as Sachi rode the horse in the direction that the silk pulled her. "I'm not sure how I feel about this."

Sachi focused on the road ahead. "Trust me Himari, I won't let you fall."

Himari's memory reminded her of how Nobu would say those words. She loosened her grip on Sachi and put her trust in her. When she finally took the moment to experience the ride, she could feel the wind in her hair gently caressing her face. It reminded her of how it was to fly with Nobu in the sky. "This is nice Sachi..." Himari was overrun with nostalgia and grief. Sachi and Himari rode most of the way in silence, just enjoying the company of one another.

When night fell, Sachi and Himari stopped to rest. The two of them talking by the fire under the night sky.

Himari stared at the dark cloud barrier. "Hey Sachi. What do you want to do after this is all over?"

Sachi thought for a while. What do I want to do? She had never given much thought about her future in her own world, let alone in this world where it felt like she didn't have enough time to stop and think. "I don't know."

"Was there anything in your world that you wanted to do?"

"Not really... My world wasn't very kind to me. I just wanted to leave everything behind."

"Now that you have left everything behind, what will you do?"

"I didn't think there would be something to do after leaving everything behind..."

"Do you have any regrets about leaving?"

Sachi paused. Regrets? She never thought about it before. She thought about her classmates, her parents, her older sister. I doubt any of them miss me. They probably haven't even noticed I'm gone. "I don't miss the people I left behind. I know that probably sounds selfish, but I don't."

"I don't think it's selfish. I don't miss my home either. I think my leaving was a blessing in disguise. After all, I got to meet you."

"I'm glad I got to meet you, Himari. I feel like my very existence was so I could meet you."

Himari chuckled. "I'm glad I met you too Sachi. But I'm sure you don't only exist to meet me. I feel like there's so much out there for you that you just haven't discovered yet."

"What if I never discover it?"

"Then at least you tried. I don't know about you, but I think trying is the most important thing. It takes great strength and courage to try. And even if things don't work out, you will always have that strength and courage. No matter the results, no one can take that away from you."

"I never thought of it like that..." Sachi paused for a moment. "You know... If I had to point out a regret, then I wish I told people how I really felt..."

"How did you really feel?"

"Angry. I was so angry. I was angry that people bullied me for being sick and different. I was angry that my parents blamed me for their problems. I was angry my sister cut me off like I was nothing. I felt nothing but anger every day to the point that it numbed me to everything else. I thought if I stopped caring and ignored them then the anger would disappear. But it never did..."

"It must be exhausting to carry that."

"It is... I had to pretend nothing bothered me and I had to constantly lie to myself..."

"I hope you know you didn't deserve to be treated that way."

"But maybe I did. Maybe I did something." Sachi's voice broke.

"No. You didn't do anything that would justify being treated that way. If someone treats you bad, it doesn't reflect on you. That's them being a bad person, it has nothing to with you. Why are you making excuses for those people?"

"Because what other reason would there be for them to do those things to me?"

"Why does there have to be a reason? People are mean just to be mean. The same as people are nice just to be nice. Even if you have a reason, that's not going to bring you any closure, because the reality is you shouldn't have been treated like that regardless of their excuses."

"But my they're supposed to be my family..."

Himari chuckled. "No one said family is supposed to be perfect. Just because they're your parents or your sister, they can be bad people too, they can mess up too. Just because you are family does not make it a shield for poor behavior."

"I wish we could've been a normal family though..."

"I'm sure everyone wishes for a normal family. But you don't have to be blood to be family." Himari rolled over to look at Sachi. "I consider you my family Sachi."

"Me?"

Himari nodded. "That's how important you are to me. I hope you don't forget that."

Sachi smiled. "You're important to me too. I don't think I would be where I am today without you."

"I hope you can learn to always say what you feel and stand up for yourself, so you won't have any more regrets from now on."

Sachi chuckled. "I don't know about all that."

"Well maybe one day."

"Maybe."

Sachi and Himari talked through the night until eventually falling asleep.

When the sun rose, the bright light forced Sachi's eyes open. She looked over to see Himari's not so pretty sleeping routine. She was glad Himari was starting to feel better. I'm sure she's still hurt, but I admire her for standing so strong.

Sachi shook Himari awake. It took a few attempts before she finally awoke.

Sachi and Himari quickly got ready to continue their journey.

Himari pulled out Nobu's black feather and noticed it began to react to the area. Himari looked around and saw in the far distance, which she couldn't see before in the dark, was the faint silhouette outline of a giant mountain that looked like it went far into the cloud barrier. "Sachi look. I think the mountain is that way. Doesn't that look like it could be it?"

Sachi squinted in the direction Himari pointed in. "It does look like a mountain. And it does look like it goes up further in the cloud barrier."

"I really think it's that. I have a feeling."

Sachi looked at the silk thread tied around her wrist, moving it in different directions. It did not react to the direction of the mountain, but instead Sachi could feel a tug of resistance in the opposite direction. "I have a feeling we have to part ways..."

"Huh?"

"The thread is pulling me the opposite way your feather is guiding you..."

"Oh..."

Silence grew between the girls as the reality of the situation sunk in.

Himari took a deep breath. "You take the horse Sachi, and I'll continue by foot."

"That's way too far for you to go by foot. You should take the horse."

Himari shook her head. "I don't know how to ride it without you. Plus, I can see the mountain at least. You can't see how much further you need to go. It's better this way."

"If you say so..." Sachi's head sunk in defeat.

Himari placed her hands on Sachi's face, lifting her head up. "It's not time to be discouraged. Let's find the strength and courage to try. I believe in you Sachi. I'm sure you can handle this."

Sachi's lip quivered. "I'll miss you..." She didn't want to part ways, but she knew if she wanted to make a change then something must be done. 

Himari hugged Sachi tightly. "I'll miss you too. But we will see each other again so let's not be too sad."

Sachi and Himari hugged and said their goodbyes.

Sachi mounted the horse and took off in her direction. She didn't look back, for she knew if she did, she would lose her determination. 

Himari waved Sachi off until she couldn't see her anymore before heading the opposite way towards the mountain.