The Mountain They Remember

The first thing they saw was a slope of greenery descending farther than their eyes could truly follow. The evening sun splashed light across it, making green touch orange as night steadily crept closer. The second thing they saw was the stone steps of the mountain, carrying them down from one of the doors set into its face. They passed many others as they kept going, thinking about the labyrinth and how you could emerge anywhere. It struck them that these stairs might not be the only way down, but they weren't eager to look for any others as they reached flat land again.

“Whew!” Kyoka stretched. “My thighs are going to hate me tomorrow.”

Mira giggled. “Mine too. I don't remember having to climb so many stairs when we first came.”

“That's because they carried us up. At least, I remember a pegasus carriage.”

“I don't.” Mira shook her head. “But that sounds so nice.”

“What about you two then?”

“I remember stairs,” Mira said, “and a gondola, maybe.”

“Oh, of course, we came from different places on the mountain. I've never ridden a gondola myself.”

“We really are from different places. There were a lot of them near me. The only time I saw a pegasus carriage was when people traveled from other places.”

“You saw travelers often?”

Mira nodded. “They'd usually come for one of our festivals.”

“Ooh! Did you live in a town then?”

“A pretty big one. 11,000 people.”

“11,000! Wow! My town had only about 5,000 people.”

“You seem like you come from a bigger place though.”

“And you seem like you come from a smaller one.” Kyoka snickered. “What about you, Lena?”

Lena had only been half-listening, a bit too focused on shining for others to really follow along. It took her a moment to realize what she had been asked.

“Oh. Um. A village. I think there were 1,400 of us at most. It's not a place you really go to either.”

“Is that why you don't want to go back?” Kyoka asked.

Lena shook her head. “No. It was nice enough being there. Plenty of other kids to play with, but…” She stopped and forced her parents out of her mind. “Well, what were your parents like?”

Kyoka crossed her arms. “Strict! My mom was the super important graduate after all. My dad took security seriously too.”

Mira giggled again. “It's hard to imagine you with strict parents.”

Kyoka grinned. “They let me do what I wanted so long as I behaved.”

Mira giggled for the third time. “Why do I think you didn't always behave?”

Kyoka snickered. “All I'm going to say is that I was a very smart girl. Now what about you?”

“My parents were very loving, and maybe a little overprotective.” Mira smiled softly. “Mom cried when the academy chose me.”

“Aww. But I bet she was just worried because you're so pretty. She probably thought someone would break your heart.”

Mira flushed. “Kyoka, you shouldn't say things like that.”

Kyoka grinned. “I should if they're true!”

Despite herself, Lena let out a small laugh. That seemed to remind them she was there.

“What about you, Lena?” Kyoka asked.

Those pushed-back memories started pushing their way forward. She wasn't going to say anything at first, but considering they had already answered her, she gave them the simplest answer back.

“They didn't like me.”

Kyoka let out an uncertain laugh. “What does that mean?”

Lena shrugged. “They didn't like me. I don't know why. They fed me, and bought me things, but they never liked me.” The two waited for her to elaborate. She sighed and picked the first memory that came to mind. “A neighbor bought me a pretty pink dress for my birthday once. I remember my parents smiling and thanking them, but the moment I got home they took the dress away. I never found out where they put it, so when my neighbor would ask if I liked it, I had to tell her I hadn't got the chance to wear it yet. When she asked my mom about it, Mom told her I was being ungrateful. She scolded me later for trying to provoke pity.”

Kyoka was frowning now. “I don't like your mom.”

“Your dad was like that too?” Mira asked gently.

“He was mean-spirited. He always had something negative to say about me.”

“I'm sorry, Lena.” Mira's voice was still gentle.

She gave her a polite smile.

Kyoka's frown had turned into a sneer, then a victorious laugh. “You must have been happy when you were chosen.”

Happy?

“Maybe if they took me right away. It was…” She stopped herself, realizing she was about to share another memory. “Sorry! That's sad, and we don't really know each other like that.”

Kyoka stepped forward and took her hand. “I asked! You did nothing wrong.”

A lump got caught in Lena's throat.

“And it's not your fault how your parents are. I only just met you, but I like you, Lena.” Mira took her other hand.

Tears welled in her eyes, but she tried to hold them back. Kyoka squeezed her hand firmly.

“You're my sister from now on,” she declared.

Lena simply nodded.

The moment may have stayed tender too, if there hadn't been a rustling from the brush. A man stumbled out, dusting leaves from himself, and held up his hands.

“Oh, good timing. I'm unarmed, I promise, so could you girls lead me back to town?”

Lena looked back and realized she couldn't see the stairs anymore. They had been following the path for a moment, and night was almost set.

“It's not back that way,” the man said with a laugh.

A chill ran up Lena's spine.

“We don't—” Mira started, only for Kyoka to squeeze her hand.

“Don't? Oh, no, don't tell me you're lost as well.” He laughed again. “It's getting dark out here too, it'll be hard to find our way.”

“Lemme guess! You have a camp nearby?” Kyoka called. She leaned in and whispered something to Mira. The crow on her shoulder fluttered off.

“As a matter of fact, I do. I travel the mountain from time to time, only came over because I heard chatter.”

Kyoka let out a long, suffering sigh. “Is it the clothes or where we came from?”

“Don't know what you mean little lady.”

She gave him a flat expression. “How many, Mira?”

Mira's eyes were glowing. “Five including him. Two at eleven, one at four, one at seven.”

The man whistled, and four other men pushed from the brush, each armed with a blade.

“The clothes, for the record. Real fine material. Mommy and Daddy paid big for it, didn't they?”

“No, but you will,” Kyoka crossed her arms. “I'll give you five seconds to change your mind.”

The men laughed. “Five,” their leader started counting.

“Four.” Another cackled.

“Three!” A third shouted.

“Two,” the fourth nudged the man beside him.

“One,” Kyoka sighed as she conjured her bow.

Her arrow hit their leader in the chest, driving halfway through him and knocking him back. She turned it on the man at four next, but he had the sense to dodge, ducking into the bush before the arrow could fly. The two at eleven rushed Mira and came up short as she took to the air. They showed a degree of skill as her chakrams flew, batting them back and dodging before they could be wounded. That left the one at seven for Lena, and he wasted no more time than any of his friends.

His first move was a downward slash that she sidestepped and batted wide. She closed the distance and swung her claws, tearing ragged lines across his face. He let out a scream as he stumbled back, and she kept going, claws dancing through the air. Compared to a doll, he was an easy target, falling into a bloody heap as he writhed on the ground.

Kyoka’s target let out a cry as an arrow caught him in the knee, and she leaped over the brush where he fell to put another between his eyes.

That only left Mira, whose chakrams still spun, following her hands as she guided them through the air. This new technique quickly overwhelmed her attackers, bringing them down as the pain became too much. Mira returned to the ground, clutching her chest, and the men glared with a mix of anger and horror.

“What are you?” One cried.

“Graduates!” Kyoka barked as she kicked him down, then turned her bow on the other. “Now tell us the direction towards town!”

“Follow the path! Take a right at the fork.”

“Thanks!” She knocked him out, then smiled at Lena and Mira. “Ready to go?” She asked.

Lena looked at the carnage they left, taking it as a sign. This was their first experience as graduates, and it left no room for hesitation…