Chapter Five

5 – Spires

She hadn’t known exactly what she’d expected when the spindly towers in the distance became less distant, but she knew that she hadn’t quite believed Len’s description of the heart of the city practically being carved from the bedrock. At first, it seemed she had been right: the first few layers of the city seemed like a cross between an idyllic Victorian suburb (or what she imagined one might look like) and some sort of bland architectural style that wouldn’t have seemed too out of place back home. As near as Yuri could tell, the streets were all cobblestone or brick, extremely well taken care of, and apparently laid out in a sort of spiraling pattern like a nautilus shell.
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Chapter Four

4 – A Brief History

Len made a short detour behind the counter, preparing two more cups of tea and a plate with four more delightful pastries before leading Yuri gently to the patio in front of the Sunset Cafe. Through some seemingly miraculous equilibristic feat, he managed to balance both cups (on saucers), a small pitcher of cream, a tiny pot of honey, and the plate while opening the door, then pulling out two chairs. Yuri graciously planted herself in one of the chairs, and Len sat across from her, laying out the tea and pastries in a cheerful spread. He then cocked his hips to one side as he fished around in his pocket and produced a battered silver case and a bedraggled box of matches. “You do not mind, do you?”
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Chapter Three

3 – Tea and Honey

Lunch was good, as Ro had declared it would be, and it passed relatively amicably. Briefly, Yuri wondered how lasagna could taste so anal-retentive, but she decided it was a subject better left for some other time. Once the dishes had been piled in the sink and Kiih had changed into more presentable clothing (which constituted a gunmetal gray three-piece suit accented by a silver pocketwatch in the vest), they set out for town. “S’not a bad walk,” he said. “No need for bicycles. ‘Sides, it seems like ya’ve had a bit too much of ‘em for one day.”

“I appreciate that,” she said.

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Chapter Two

2 – Strange Land

When next she opened her eyes, she saw grass and very little else. She could discern that it was daytime, though, and that her body seemed to be totally intact. Upon a little more observation, she seemed to still be in possession of her helmet and her bag, and (judging by the weight of it on her back) all of the items it contained. With a grunt, she pulled her arms and knees close and pushed herself into a kneeling position.

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Prologue and Chapter One

Prologue – Honesty

The girl whom Yuri Kitazawa saw in the mirror looked far too little like herself for comfort. Her cheekbones were high, her chin delicate and pointed, her face shaped a bit like a heart, like Yuri’s were. Her hair looked rather like Yuri’s did: a shade between violet and royal purple, shoulder-length, and with a few oddly-placed streaks of blue-black. However, the corners of the girl’s mouth were pulled ever so slightly downward, and her eyes were sunken, hooded, wary, and tired.

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