Taking Command for the Coming War

"Kana...."

Kimi said to herself as she sighed, leaning on the counter that was within the dining car of the bullet train as she sipped her bubble tea. Kimi considered that in another world, in a completely different reality - she wouldn't have to go searching for Kana like this, but maybe instead they could go to a theme park together, or even snowboarding back in Hokkaido? Kimi couldn't help but feel her hands tremble at the thought of that, before catching herself and carefully sipping the rest of her bubble tea, before taking the can with her, so that she could throw it away once she could find a neighborhood trashcan once she was in Osaka. It wasn't that she wanted to use the waste collection area for a neighborhood that wasn't hers, but she was temporarily away from home.

"Where are you, Kana? Where are you in Osaka....?"

Kimi said to herself as she got on her phone once she was sitting in her seat again, after putting her school bag on the seat beside her that was empty. As she thought about what to put in the internet browser, a thought came to Kimi as she looked at her school bag and considered the card that was inside. That's when it came to her!

"Kana - Sorcerers and Slayers Cosplay and Card Contest - Winner"

That was what Kimi typed into the search engine as she held her breath for a moment, looking at the screen of her phone, and considering if she'd actually come up with any leads? After a wait that felt like an eternity but in reality was maybe between ten and thirty seconds - the search results populated on the screen. The first few talked about the card game, and about the expansion pack - but then another result appeared to be not only promising, but actually just what she was looking for! It was from an otaku-centric e-news website called Kawaii News Now! - and Kimi clicked on the link to open the story, feeling pulsed that she did so once the page loaded, and the headline populated with a picture of Kana in her cosplay as the Sorceress Queen.

"Meet Kana Watanabe - the Osaka Cosplayer Who is One of the Four Winners of the Sorcerers and Slayers Cosplay and Card Game Contest!"

Kimi wanted to jump up and cheer - but she held her breath and maintained her composure instead, being mindful that she didn't want to disturb anyone with any sort of antics. She then nodded to herself, sighing and opening a new window on her phone, looking up on the e-directory, before she managed to find an address for Kana, and judging by the fact that the other Kana Watanabe's were all listed as being in retirement homes - the search wasn't too hard to find! 

With that in mind, Kimi yawned into her hand and then fell asleep, making sure to set a vibrating alarm on her phone that she'd feel once her school bag would end up shaking when the alarm went off. Kimi figured that she should rest and let her mind be cleared before she confronted Kana - a feat that even with the card that she had, it wouldn't be easy to work through the emotions of seeing her, of truly coming face to face with someone that wouldn't know who she was at first. 

It wasn't ling before the bullet train had pulled into the main station in Osaka, and near simultaneously - the vibrating alarm on Kimi's phone went off and woke her up. Kimi stretched as she stood up, grabbing her school bag and then taking a breath as she exited the bullet train and looked around as she stood on the platform. 

"Alright - this is it, the beginning of the end, and the dawn of a new age."

Kimi said to herself as she then began to walk down the stairs from the platform, passing by a professionally-made and mounted mural with a stylized depiction of the battle that she'd had against Riku in the last War of the Realm, drawn in a distinctive anime style and thus concealing her identity and likeness. 

"I...."

Kimi stammered as she felt weak in her legs, the bracing herself with one had against the mural, her gaze lingering down to the announcement text as she read what it said: 

"Return to the Primordial Elemental Elder Realm - and Unleash The War of The Realm with All New Sorcerers and Slayers cards! December 25, 2025"

Kimi read the headline with trauma first and foremost in her mind, trying to think about how this was going to work - then figuring that since the memories of those who had been transported to that other world with the enchanted cards the first time - Haruto, Akio, Aoto, and Sota could once again lure unsuspecting victims into that other world to fulfill their collective roles in a war for the sake of tradition and nothing more.

Kimi then caught her breath and regained her composure, nodding to herself as she then full stood up and looked around as people passed by her, not suspecting anything, which she was admittedly grateful for. A moment or so later, Kimi looked at her phone and typed out the address that she'd found for Kana, seeing how far it was from the train station?

Fortunately for Kimi, she noticed that Kana's address was only five minutes away - and it appeared to be a condo in a high rise like what she lived in. Kimi smiled to herself, before taking. breath and making the short walk to Kana's condo. All the while, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease mixed with a sense of excitement - yet the whole time wondering how it was actually going to go before she restored Kana's memories?

Soon enough, Kimi was standing at the front door of the building that Kana and presumably her parents too, lived in. The building was a mostly glass high rise that looked like it was built during the "Lost Decade" - and Kimi wondered in a moment of distraction - how a place like this could've been made at that time, considering everything that she'd learned about that time? Soon enough, she made her way to the front door of Kana's condo - a standard, black wooden door with a simple silver handle and a doorbell right next to it. 

"Alright....it's time."

Kimi said to herself as she took a breath and rang the doorbell. As she waited - she could hear footsteps coming from inside, and then muffled sounds that must've been the person on the other side putting on their shoes in the slightly sunken area in front of the front door. Just then, the door opened and Kana stood there in a black Sorcerers and Slayers branded t-shirt that was just above the waist short, along with black sweatpants. 

"Hi Kana, may I come in.......I really need to tell you something."

Kimi said as she blushed and Kana looked exceptionally confused. There was no turning back now - and Kimi knew that all too well.