Archive of Our Own

The sounds of horse hooves clacking at the gravel path filled the air as they carried three traveling musicians across the plains. The sun's rays were so hot that one of them, Ichika, felt like she could melt into a puddle right then and there.

"Hah..." Saki sighed. Her shoulders sagged from the heat. "How much farther until the nearest town?"

Shiho flapped the map in front of her and eyed her compass. "It should take us about three days for us to get there."

"I'll be a baked fish by then!!"

"Well that will solve our food problem."

"Shiho-chan!!"

Ichika halted her horse. "Perhaps we should take a break here. We can continue when it's dark."

"Yes please!!" Saki practically flopped off her horse and collapsed onto the ground. "Aaa I love the ground."

"Get up, Saki," Shiho said as she hopped off her horse. "You gotta help set up the tent."

"Just let me stay here for a few more minutes!!"

"Ichika, feel free to run over Saki with your horse."

"Okay okay! I'm getting up!" Saki quickly scrambled up to her feet. "You're ruthless, Shiho-chan."

"I'm just looking out for your wellbeing. Now help out." Shiho tossed a tarp at Saki and the blond stumbled as she caught it.

Ichika jumped off her horse while the two bickered as they set up their shelter. She hoisted up her guitar over her shoulder and guided their horses to a nearby grass patch for them to graze. The girls have been traveling together for years but it had never been this strenuous before. Ichika sighed as she wrung out the sweat from her shirt. Who knew that it could be this hot?

"Icchan!" Saki called, "Can I have some of your water? I'm all out."

"Ah! Sure." Ichika hurried over to her and strapped off her canteen. She handed it to Saki who eagerly chugged it.

"The map shows a river just up ahead. We should refill there when we head off." Shiho said as she hammered in the last nail to the tent. She wiped off the sweat from her forehead. "Phew. I'm done."

"Finally! Home sweet home!" Saki tumbled into the tent and made one with the floor. Shiho lightly chuckled to herself but it quickly turned into a cough once Ichika took notice. 

"It's just a cough," Shiho grumbled.

"Sure sure."

"You- ugh nevermind."

Ichika just responded with a playful hum as they joined Saki in the tent.

---

Despite Ichika saying that they should take a break, the musicians grew restless and began practicing their performance for their next show to fill the dead air. However, it later proved to be just as frustrating.

"Ichika," Shiho sighed, "You're falling behind again."

Ichika fiddled with her guitar with a groan. They've been playing the same verse over and over again but she still can't get the hang of the rhythm while focusing on her chords. "Sorry..." she muttered.

Shiho tapped her viola bow, deep in thought. "There's no way we can play like this. We're always following a different rhythm. It's basically impossible to play complicated pieces."

Saki rested her chin on her accordion, a bit exasperated. "Such a massive roadblock! Maybe we should just-"

The thundering neighs from their horses interrupted the musicians from their thoughts and Ichika rushed out of the tent to check out the commotion. The horses were struggling as they tried to yank out their leashes in a panic. What is happening for the horses to act this way?

"Guys! Look!" Saki screeched. Ichika whirled around and spotted a massive tornado barreling towards their tent.

"WE GOTTA GO RIGHT NOW!!" Shiho yelled. She charged out of the tent and Ichika and Saki shortly followed her. Shiho and Saki wrenched out their horses' leashes and scrambled on top of them. Ichika reached out for her horse's leash but the horse ripped it off the ground and bolted away, kicking Ichika hard to the ground. Shiho and Saki were already racing away on their horses.

"Wait! Guys!!" Ichika shouted. But her voice drowned in the wind. She tried to get up but the sharp pain from the horse's hooves kept her down. She grabbed her ribs and hissed.

Saki took notice of Ichika's absence and turned around to find her still on the ground. "ICCHAN!?!?"

Shiho turned around from Saki's scream. "ICHIKA!!" She started charging her horse towards her but Ichika raised her hands to stop her.

"NO!! RUN AWAY!!" She yelled. The storm is too close now. If Shiho were to come here, she'll also-

Ichika could feel her body lifting into the air and she desperately gripped on the dirt below her. But it was useless as the tornado sucked her in and the last thing she remembered hearing were the horrified cries of her name in the wind.

---

Ichika woke up to find a bird pecking at her hair. She groaned as she sat up, scaring the bird away. Every part of her body felt like it was on fire. She blinked the spots out of her eyes to find herself surrounded by trees. Ugh... where is she? Ichika grabbed a nearby stick and used it as a cane to pull herself up. Leaves fell off from her head and she looked down to find a huge pile of them below her. They're probably the reason why she's not dead...

Ichika shook her head and sighed. She needs to find Saki and Shiho. But... how? She surely doesn't know where she is or how far that tornado carried her. Hah... nevermind that. Right now, she needs to find some shelter if she wants to be alive by the time she finds her friends. She winced as she started to trudge through the forest. That wish might not happen at this rate.

---

Ichika didn't know how long she was walking for but it felt like days. She was practically dragging her legs through the seemingly endless forest. Her vision seemed to get hazier and hazier at every step. Water. She needs water. There's no way she will be able to go on. She might as well shrivel up into a raisin right now.

As if the world heard her prayers, Ichika's ears caught the sound of flowing water nearby. With the last inch of her strength, she scrambled to the source of the sound. 

Soon enough she was able to find a pond. It was pretty small but water is still water. However, that slipped out of her mind when she saw something completely unexpected. 

A girl with long brown hair and eyes the same color as the water was aimlessly walking around in it. The white long dress she wore flowed in the water. The lotuses that floated above the pond glowed as she walked past them. She herself glowed a similar hue. 

She was beautiful.

Maybe the tornado did kill Ichika and she's in heaven right now.

She was so mesmerizing that Ichika's mind ran blank and she slipped and fell into the water with a loud splash.  

The girl looked over in shock. "W-who's there!?" she yelped.

"Blugh" was the only thing Ichika could reply as she weakly tried to keep her head above the water. The girl ran over and dragged Ichika to the surface.

"Are you okay!?" The girl asked as she patted Ichika's face. But the musician was too busy coughing the water out to answer.

The girl furrowed her eyebrows. "Wait... you're very injured." She leaned over and rested her forehead on Ichika's. She murmured something and suddenly, Ichika's body felt lighter and she was breathing normally again.

The girl leaned back, allowing Ichika to sit up. "So, how are you feeling?" she asked.

"Um... I..." Ichika was staring at her arms and wiggling her legs. Nothing hurts. She doesn't feel tired anymore. In fact, she feels like she could run across the world she never felt so good. "I feel great," she croaked.

"Phew, good." The girl rested her hand on her chest in relief. "So what do you want? But just so you know, you can only have one."

Ichika stopped. "H-huh?"

"You're here for a wish right?" The girl twiddled with her hair. "Are you not?"

"No, I just came here for a drink of water..." Ichika frowned. "What do you mean wish?"

"I'm a spirit who can grant wishes. Travelers come here from time to time to ask for a wish from me." The girl looked off in the distance. "Usually, they ask about wealth, fame, talent, and love. So, what about you?"

"Um... like I said. I haven't really come here for a wish..."

"Really?" she tilted her head. "Everybody has something to wish for."

Well Ichika guesses that's true. She could wish to get out of here. But where would she go? She doesn't have a home much less know where she would go alone. Wherever her home is, it's with Shiho and Saki. "Then... can you help me find my friends?" Ichika said.

The girl replied with a sad smile. "Ah... sorry. I cannot grant that wish if I don't know what your friends look like..."

Ichika collapsed back in the muddy grass in defeat. Of course it wouldn't be that easy. 

"B-but you can ask for something else!" the girl quickly said in hopes to assure her.

Ichika sighed. What did the other travelers wish for? Wealth? What's the point if she doesn't know where she is? Fame? A lot of people already know her from her music performances with Saki and Shiho and they give the best support that Ichika could ask for. Plus, it really doesn't help when nobody knows where she is. Talent? Although she wishes to get better at her guitar, it's not like she could play it now. Love? Her friends were already plenty. All these wishes are basically useless if she's stuck here. "I guess you?" She mumbled without a thought.

"Uh, huh!?" the girl said in shock.

Ichika sat up, ignoring the mud dripping from her hair. "It looks like I'm not getting out of here. I'm lonely and need someone to talk to."

"T-that's not a good wish at all!"

"Well it's better than the other options. I don't really want any of the things you mentioned."

"B-but..." the girl sighed. "Please be serious and pick a better wish..."

"Then..." Ichika scratched her head. "Do you know a safe place where I can sleep for the night?"

"That's not a good wish either!!"

"Well there isn't anything else I want." Ichika looked at her. "Why do you want me to make a wish so bad anyway?"

"T-that's-!!" the girl slumped. "Well... every other traveler that came here wanted a wish."

"Well I'm a traveler that wants to sleep." Ichika stood up and stretched her arms. "I've been walking all day and I'm tired."

The girl looked like she was about to protest but gave up midway through. "Well... if you need a place to sleep, there is a hollow tree that you can fit in over there." She pointed at a tree nearby.

"Does that count as you granting me my wish?"

"No!!"

---

"Did you come up with a better wish yet?" the girl asked when Ichika visited her the next day.

"I wish to know your name," Ichika said.

"...you're really bad at coming up with wishes."

Ichika hummed in reply. "My name's Ichika. And you?"

The girl sighed and trailed the water with her hand. "Honami."

"Honami," Ichika repeated with a grin. "That's a cute name."

Honami stiffened at the compliment. "...thank you..."

Ichika hopped over a rock near the water and sat on it with her hands on her knees. "So how long have you been granting wishes for?"

"For as long as I can remember," Honami replied. She picked up a lotus from the water and it glowed in her hand. "I can't even count the number of travelers that came by here."

Ichika stared at the flower in awe. "How often do travelers usually come here?"

"I'm not really sure. Months? Years? Time is abstract to me." Honami looked up at Ichika. "The first thing that travelers always ask me are the wishes they want. So I'm just confused on why you're not asking me for anything."

"I did ask to get reunited with my friends again though..." Ichika mumbled. 

Honami winced. "I'm sorry I couldn't grant it..."

Ichika waved it off. "It's okay. It's not like it's your fault that I'm stuck here anyway."

Honami set the lotus back on the water and walked over to Ichika. "Um... may I ask why you're here if you aren't looking for a wish?"

"Enough with the wishes already," Ichika sighed. "I was traveling with my friends until a huge tornado took me hostage and threw me here."

The girl shrunk back, seemingly regretting that she asked. "Oh... I'm sorry about that."

Ichika huffed out a breath. "There really isn't anything I can do about it now..."

Honami took a small glance at her as she twiddled her thumbs. "Um... where were you supposed to go before all of this?"

"Nowhere really," Ichika kicked her feet in the water. "We just travel here and there, playing music for the towns we run into."

"Music?"

"Yeah..." Ichika let out a small smile. "I play the guitar and my two friends play the accordion and the viola. It's an odd combo but we make it work. The smiles and laughter for the people we play for is such a surreal experience."

"Music can do that?"

"Of course!" Ichika leaned back and stared at the sky. "I'm guessing that if you've been here your whole life, you probably never heard of it before."

Honami let out an uneasy smile. "No... I haven't."

"It's a shame I don't have my guitar then," Ichika sighed. "I would love to have it right now so I can play for you until the sun sets." Ichika raised her head to find Honami staring at her intently. "That wasn't my wish, by the way." Ichika said sternly.

---

Ichika spent the next few days hanging out with the spirit of the pond. Although Honami didn't have much to talk about, she sat and listened to the long stories that Ichika had about her adventures as a traveling musician. 

"And then Saki ended up burning down the tent and we ended up having to sleep on our horses for weeks," Ichika laughed. 

Honami didn't laugh with her. "Ichika-chan."

"Yeah?"

Honami reached out to touch Ichika's face and she tensed up. "You're starting to cry again."

"Huh? I..." Ichika pulled away from Honami's touch. Ever since a few days ago, reality finally caught up with Ichika and it hit like a speeding train. Now, there hasn't been a day that has passed without Ichika breaking down into a crying mess. She really is stuck here forever. There is no telling when or even if Saki and Shiho will ever find her here. She wiped her tears away with her sleeve and let out a shaking breath. "Sorry..." she choked.

"If only I was able to help you," Honami lowered her hand and looked down. "I don't know why you always tell me these stories if you end up so sad in the end"

"They're nice memories. I can't help but share them," Ichika said. She shook her head and stood up. "All this crying is making me hungry." She looked up and found a couple of apples hanging up on a tree. "Oh I didn't know that there are apples here!" She ran over to the tree and started to climb up it.

"Ah, Ichika-chan!" Honami shouted. "You could get hurt!"

"You don't have anything to worry about! Like I said, I traveled a lot. I would be dead by now if I didn't know how to scavenge or hunt for food," Ichika called back, "Besides, you can heal me up like last time!"

"But still..." Honami hurried over to Ichika's tree while staying in the pond's water. "If you make a wish about having plenty of food, you wouldn't have to worry about hurting yourself again."

"No thank you. I thought I said I had enough about the wishes?" Ichika plucked off some apples from the tree and tossed them down for Honami to catch. "Besides, food tastes better when you get them yourself." She hopped down and took out the knife from her belt. Luckily, it didn't fly off of her from the tornado or Ichika wouldn't know what to do. She reached out her hand and Honami gave her back the apples. "So," Ichika said as she plopped down on the grass, rubbing the apples with her shirt, "What type of shape do you want?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"The shape of the apple slices," Ichika twirled the knife in her hand. "Do you want me to peel them into flowers? Rabbits? In a checkered pattern?"

Honami looked at Ichika's whirling knife worriedly. "What's the point of decorating the apples if they're gonna end up getting eaten?"

Ichika shrugged. "Well we only live life once, why not live it happily?"

Honami was silent after that. "...I guess you can peel them into flowers..."

In a flash, Ichika peeled the apple into a beautiful flower that looked just like the lotuses that drift across the pond. She took a second to examine her masterpiece before holding it out to Honami.

Honami took a step back at the gesture. "Um, huh?"

"They're your apple slices," Ichika said. 

Honami looked perplexed. "But why? What about you?"

"That's why I got extra." Ichika scratched her cheek. "Plus I wanted to thank you for helping me and keeping me company."

Honami just stared at the apple slices. "I..."

"Come on. I insist." Ichika said, "It's just gonna turn brown if you don't eat it."

Honami hesitantly took an apple slice and stared at it. "It's almost too beautiful to eat..." she murmured.

---

The next day, Ichika found that the pond somehow got bigger than yesterday. She found Honami sitting on the rock that Ichika usually sat on when it was near the shore. But now, it was nearly a quarter of the way submerged in the water.

"How did the pond get bigger?" Ichika asked. She sat on a patch of grass at the edge of the water.

"I'm not sure, actually." Honami swayed her hand in the water. "Whenever I grant a wish, the pond gets a little bit smaller but I have no idea why it got bigger just now. It never grew before." She let out a small laugh. "It feels weird to be sitting on this rock again since I cannot leave the water."

Huh? This pond was bigger before? When Ichika found the pond, it looked like it could only supply 15 horses before it would be bone dry. Just how many wishes did Honami grant? "How big was the pond before?" Ichika asked.

Honami tapped her chin deep in thought. "It's been forever since I granted my first wish but..." She pointed at a tree that was at least 100 paces from where Ichika was standing. "I'd say it was around there."

Ichika gaped at the area that was now covered in bushes and shrubs. Ichika didn't know how much water was lost per wish but judging on how big the pond grew, Ichika could guess that Honami had granted hundreds or even thousands of wishes at least. Ichika stared at the now tiny pond. Just how many wishes would Honami be able to handle before the pond is bone dry? "Why do you even grant wishes if your pond shrinks like this?" Ichika mumbled.

Honami looked a bit startled by Ichika's question. "Um, I've never really thought about it. It just feels like a natural thing to do." She twiddled with her fingers. "I mean, what other purpose do I have? Other than granting wishes, I'm just a normal girl all alone in this forest."

But didn't Honami say that the first thing travelers say to her would be a request for a wish? Ichika gripped on the grass so hard that her knuckles started to turn white. They're exploiting her. Taking advantage of her kindness, hurting her while they reaped the benefits. Was that why Honami was so insistent on granting Ichika a wish? Because she feels worthless if she doesn't?

An idea suddenly popped in her head. If granting wishes causes the pond to shrink, then if the opposite happens, would it grow? Ichika crossed her legs and pondered for a bit. The pond probably grew because of something that happened yesterday. "Hey, what do travelers do whenever you grant their wishes?" Ichika asked.

Honami was slightly confused by her question. "They would just leave. Why?"

Ichika snapped her fingers. That's it! Yesterday, she gave Honami an apple. Perhaps the act of giving would make Honami's pond grow? She just had to test this theory. "Honami," Ichika ushered, "Come here."

"Huh? Uh okay." Honami stood up from her rock and threaded over to her.

"Lean down."

"What!?"

"Please?"

Honami leaned down a bit and Ichika slipped off the necklace she was wearing and put it around the spirit's neck. Honami's eyes widened at the gesture. "W-wha-" she stammered.

Ichika leaned back with a grin. "Consider it as a gift. It looks good on you."

Honami blushed a wonderful shade of red as she touched the necklace. "I-I can't accept this!!"

"Why not?"

"Well it's because it's yours!"

"So I can do whatever I want with it," Ichika laughed, "So I decided to give it to you."

"B-but-!!"

Ichika stood up and poked Honami in the cheek. "Red looks good on you." The brunette's blush deepened.

The next day, Ichika found the pond to have grown again. Looks like her guess was correct. Now one thing is certain.

She will give something to Honami everyday.

---

Ichika's gifts varied from flowers, fruits, wood carvings, and more. Honami's protests fell short as there was no stopping the musician. Each day, the pond grew bigger and bigger like Ichika had expected and now, it has reached a quarter to its original size. Of course she was delighted but she couldn't find herself to be able to celebrate it. 

Because she ran out of things to give.

"Ichika-chan, it's okay," Honami said, "You've done more than enough."

Ichika shook her head and grumbled, "No, it's nothing compared to what you've done for all the travelers that come by here or even me. I want to make up for everything you have lost."

Honami could only give a sad smile in reply.

Ichika looked at Honami in the eyes. "What do you want?"

"H-huh!?"

"These are your gifts, after all. What do you want me to give?"

"Well I..." Honami shifted her feet and stared at the now large pond. Deer, birds, and frogs had started to come by to hang out at the now plentiful environment. She turned back to Ichika with a tiny flush on her cheeks. "Um... I've always been curious about this music you've always talked about... I want to hear it...."

Ichika nearly fell over. She never actually expected Honami to ask for anything, much less ask about music. Ichika started to have red cheeks of her own. "Well um I don't have my guitar..."

Honami shrunk away. "Ah... sorry. It was a dumb request wasn't it?" 

"No no no!" Ichika regained her posture. "It's just I would have to sing without it and it might sound a bit awkward."

"I don't mind," Honami said, "I never heard music before so I wouldn't know."

Ichika winced. "I'd much rather give you a more proper introduction to music..."

"I can give you a guit-"

"Nope!! You are not gonna grant me a wish!" Ichika quickly waved her hands to interrupt the spirit. She sighed and sat down on the grass. "I'll sing you a song. Just don't make fun of me..."

Then, she sang. It was an upbeat song that she and her friends first played when they decided to become musicians travelers. She croaked at first as the memory started to flow back to her at first but she managed to keep a steady voice as she sang. Her friends and Ichika had written this song together in hopes of staying together until the end. Though, that promise seemed to have fallen flat now. Ichika shoved these feelings away. All that matters right now is Honami. What she has been through, walking around in this tiny pond all lonely for years with her only purpose is giving away her soul to travelers is nothing Ichika could compare. 

Over her singing, she could hear a soft tapping. It was a steady beat that matched Ichika's song and it helped guide her through the song despite her plaguing thoughts. Ichika looked over to find Honami leaning over on a rock. Her fingers were gently tapping on it, following the rhythm of the piece. Ichika almost lost herself from the sight but managed to followed the beat and finished her song. The girls were in silence. 

Finally, Honami found the words to speak. "That was beautiful..." she whispered, "I can see what you mean by music bringing smiles now..."

Ichika didn't say anything and was staring at her.

The spirit got all flustered at the musician's gaze. "Um... what is i-"

"How did you do that?"

"H-huh?!"

Ichika pointed at Honami's hands which were still resting on the rock. "You were tapping a nice beat and it matched perfectly to the song I sang."

"I-I was? I didn't realize."

Ichika laughed. "You would make a good drummer!"

"A what?"

"Someone who plays on these sort of hollow cylinders. They would keep the rhythm which supports a band in their playing," Ichika sighed, "We didn't have a drummer in our band so we just end up with a rhythm that goes all over the place."

Honami straightened herself and gave Ichika a determined look. "Then um... can you teach me?"

"Teach you?"

"More about music... I want to start learning the drums..." Honami muttered.

Ichika stared at her after that request. Honami has been surprising her a lot lately. Ichika grinned. "Sure. I might not be as good as Shiho when it comes to music, but I will help the best I can."

---

Everyday, Ichika sang Honami a new song and everyday, she gave Honami mini lessons on music. From the tempos, to pitch, to scales. She learns quick. Sometimes during Ichika singing, she could hear Honami softly singing along with her. It would send her brain in scrambles. Having someone with a gentle voice singing like that is dangerous for her. 

Those days flew by like it was nothing. Soon enough, Ichika was sure that a few months had gone by. The pond was nearing halfway of its original size and she could not be happier. Honami's mood gradually changed as well. Before, there always was an air of sadness and worry around her but now, she was smiling more than ever. Even the lotuses glowed brighter as she walked by. The sight was enough to get Ichika's heart racing at a pace that she didn't even know it could reach.

One day, Ichika was laying low in the bushes. There was a boar in her sights, grazing the grass. She clenched the knife in her hands. Even though she had been doing this for years, she hates this part of hunting. Normally, she and her friends would buy as much food as they can from the towns they visited to avoid this certain situation but with Ichika all alone in the forest, she had no choice but to resort to solely hunting. She braced her legs, ready to pounce when she heard a familiar voice.

"Are you sure we are in the right place, Shiho-chan? This place is a bit freaky..."

Ichika stumbled and fell face first. The boar jumped upon seeing her and bolted away. Ichika groaned as she got up and frantically looked around. But she found nothing. Being in the forest for months is surely messing with her head. She sighed and dusted off the dirt. There goes her dinner... She might need to ask Honami to help bring her sanity back. She hopped through the bushes only to bump into an unexpected tree. Was there even a tree there?

"Ichika!?"

She surely has gone insane. Since when do trees talk? Ichika frowned as she looked up. But instead of seeing a tree, Shiho and Saki were standing before her. Ichika gasped as she frantically stood up. "Saki!? Shiho!?"

"Icchan!! We've been looking all over for you!" Saki cried. She pulled Ichika into a tight hug, almost suffocating her.

"Saki, don't kill her. We just found her," Shiho said. But she wrapped Ichika into just as tight of a hug.

But Ichika didn't care. Tears welled up in her eyes as she hugged back. They're here. They are really here. Saki and Shiho... her friends... After so so long, they finally reunited again. Ichika sobbed in their arms that she desperately missed. 

---

"H-how did you find me?" Ichika asked after crying until her eyes were dry. 

The other two musician's eyes were equally as red as hers. "We followed the storm the best we could after it took you away but we just couldn't catch up to it," Saki said.

"So we tried following the tornado's traces," Shiho continued, "But because we lost all of our stuff, we couldn't go for long and it seemed like it was no use."

"But!" Saki piped up, "We came across this nice traveling merchant and he told us to go here as there was something that could help us find you!" She laughed, "But it looks like we didn't need it in the end."

"Could it be that you were also here for the same reason, Ichika?" Shiho asked.

Could that merchant be talking about Honami? Ichika let out a small smile. "I don't think she would be able to help you anyway..."

"Huh? Why not?"

"Well..." Ichika rocked on her feet, "She can't find people if she doesn't know what they look like."

"Wait, she?" Saki said, "The merchant didn't say anything about this spirit being a girl. He just called her an it. Did you see her already?"

Ichika twiddled with her thumbs. The word 'it' hung in the air. "Yeah I have. The tornado actually launched me here and she's been helping me ever since."

Saki and Shiho gasped at Ichika's words. "Well, we have to thank her for taking care of our Icchan then!" Saki hopped.

Shiho nodded. "Agreed. It's the proper thing to do. Do you have any idea on what we should give as a thank you gift, Ichika?"

Ichika's eyes widened in realization of what was happening. She finally found her friends again and now... she had to leave. She gripped her shirt tightly. She should be ecstatic right now. She's been waiting for this moment for months. So why is she feeling so sad instead?

"Icchan?"

Ichika looked up to find Saki and Shiho looking at her with great worry. 

"Ichika, are you okay?" Shiho asked. 

"I-I need to go somewhere real quick!" Ichika bolted off into the forest. 

"Icchan!" Saki yelled.

"Stay where you are so I can find you again!" Ichika called, not looking back.

---

Honami turned around in surprise to find Ichika panting in front of her.

"Ichika-chan? Are you okay?" she asked as she drifted over to her. It took a bit longer for Honami to get to her now that she has a lot more water to tread through.

"I found my friends," Ichika said.

Honami stopped and then beamed at her. "Really? That's fantastic, Ichika-chan!" she smiled at her, "So I guess you're here to say 'good-bye' then?"

Ichika stared at her. Although Honami was smiling, it was way less bright than it usually was. Even the lotuses around her started to fade. Ichika gritted her teeth. She hates seeing Honami like this. She wants to be the reason that Honami smiles, but not this way.

That's it. She's made up her mind. "I'm ready to make my wish," Ichika declared.

She could see Honami start to falter a bit after she heard Ichika's statement. "O-okay. What will it be?"

"I wish for you to leave with me."

Frogs croaked as they jumped around the pond, filling the void as Ichika waited for Honami's answer.

The spirit stumbled back. "What!?!?! But I can't leave the pond!"

"Why not?"

"B-because!! There might be other travelers that need my help..."

"So you're not bound to the pond."

Honami was silent. Her arms hung to her side. "Yes... but I wouldn't be able to grant wishes anymore..." she finally said.

"You don't need to grant wishes to be who you are," Ichika continued, "So are you saying you can't leave the pond? Or you wouldn't?"

"I-I..." she stammered.

"Honami... you're too kind for your own good. Please don't say you'd rather wander aimlessly in a pond for the rest of your life, granting wishes for those who wouldn't even spare a thank you."

Honami whimpered as she took a step back. 

"Think about yourself for once, Honami," Ichika pleaded, "I can take you to see beyond the few steps that your pond offers."

"..."

"Who cares if you're selfish. Is that really a bad thing? You deserve it more than anyone."

"Ichika-chan..."

Ichika reached out her hand to the spirit who was now farther than where she was before. "Please... I want to be able to show you how I actually make music." She smiled. "And then you can be our drummer."

Honami clenched her hands near her chest.

"What do you want, Honami?" Ichika begged.

"I want..." she trembled as she covered her face. "I want... you... I can't imagine my life without you anymore..."

Ichika smiled. "Then come on, what are you waiting for? I'll introduce you to my friends."

The spirit crept closer to the shore and hesitantly took Ichika's hand. The guitarist pulled her out of the water but the pull was so strong that the girls ended up collapsing onto the ground. 

The spirit's glow faded away and the lotuses on the pond blurred into just normal white lotuses. The crystal clear pond turned into a murky green.

Honami, who was now on land and on top of Ichika, stared at the guitarist with her wide blue eyes. Despite her glow being gone, her eyes were sparkling. Ichika could feel Honami's heartbeat in her chest as it went up and down. She was sure her own heart was beating at a similar rhythm.

Ichika laughed. "Hello, Honami."

"Hello, Ichika-chan." Her smile was dazzling. Ichika couldn't wait to see it everyday for the rest of her life.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Hmm..." Honami buried her head into Ichika's neck, sighing. "Not yet. I want to stay here for a little while longer..." she murmured. The musician could feel how hot her face was on her neck. Ichika, whose face was at a similar temperature, raised her hand and stroked the former spirit's long brown hair.

"Okay. Just for a bit." Her other arm wrapped around Honami's waist, pulling her in closer and taking in all her warmth. "Thank you for granting my wish, Honami."