Love Stories From Starlight Kingdom (ch3)

EARLY RELEASE FOR MY $30+ PATRONS!

This is my first ever Junnana! I won't reveal what fairytale this one is based off of because it might spoil some things. But it did end up being much longer than I thought it would, and I got a lot more into it than I thought as well!

And perhaps you'll catch a little hint for the final chapter coming next...

This is the autumn chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight.

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												Chapter 3. The Archer And The Loner

Once, there was a girl who was the most skillful archer in all the land. Her name was Junna Hoshimi, and it was said an arrow shot by her on one edge of a forest could pierce a falling leaf on the other.

There are plenty of other rumors about her skillful marksmanship, and most of them are true.

Junna lives alone in a humble house beside a small forest, not far from Starlight Kingdom's main town. Her family hadn't been the richest nor the poorest, but Junna had struck out on her own at an early age so as not to burden her parents.

She'd made her money by performing with her bow and arrows, entertaining the people and taking on bets that she could hit whatever object they decided on. She would hit anything that wasn't living – after all, she was an entertainer, not pest control.

She won every bet, of course, and earned a pretty penny in doing so. With her expert eyesight and sturdy posture, she'd find a trajectory to hit even the most obscure of targets that had been deliberately blocked off, and thus had made a reputation for herself.

But Junna has begun to notice that people have recently been getting a little bored with her. After all, once they've seen her shoot one impressive arrow, they've seen it a million times.

Therefore, she's been trying out new ways to bring in her income, and the main focus right now is to practice shooting at night. The plan is to amaze people with her aim in almost complete darkness, which is sure to keep the money coming in for quite some time until she can think of the next trick, or begin recycling old ones.

Therefore, in recent weeks, Junna has been waking early to start her days soon enough to have a few extra hours of night to practice by. She wakes well before sunrise and goes out to shoot falling leaves. Now that autumn is upon them, she has plenty of targets.

It's all the same techniques she uses to hit them during daylight, just with the added challenge of the movement of shadows all around her. She's gotten pretty good at it recently, but not yet good enough to consider it content she can show her customers.

This morning is no different. Junna wakes alone in her bed, which she's beginning to notice is growing colder by the morning. The fire she keeps going in the hearth can only do so much in the colder months, and she's laid out as many quilts as can fit on the mattress.

Sitting up, she puts on her glasses and stretches out her shivers, quickly changing out of her nightgown and into leggings, a skirt, a warm button-up shirt, and a shawl around her shoulders. She then ties a band in her hair and a light blue handkerchief around her neck. She prepares a quick breakfast in her little kitchen, eating in the quiet of the morning before even the birds are up and chirping.

When ready, she slings her bow and quiver of arrows over her shoulder and heads out into the chilly air toward the forest.

The moon is sliced thin and still glowing overhead, and the sky is dappled with gray clouds. She heads toward the little pond today, wanting to somehow work water and reflection into her next trick. Maybe to shoot her target only by looking at where it is based off the surface of the water? She still needs to think it over a bit.

As she walks, she pauses briefly to fire a few shots. She hits two of the leaves she'd aimed for, but misses the other. Heaving a sigh, she starts off to collect the arrows.

Retrieval is always the most difficult thing for her. While she may be good and standing still and pulling the string, she isn't the best at trudging through the woods to yank an arrow out of the trunk of a tree and then trudge all the way back. And oftentimes they'd get lodged too high up for her, and she'd either have to climb up to get them or knock them down with branches.

She ends up wasting a good deal of time this morning searching for one of her arrows, and by the time she finds it the sun has nearly risen and she's only shot those three arrows.

"Great," she mutters, shoving it back into the quiver. "The whole point of coming out here was to practice in darkness, and now the sun's just about up..."

She might as well just call it quits for the time being and try again at dusk.

But just before Junna turns to head back, a gust of wind carries over her. The perfect opportunity to aim at some crazily-spiraling leaves.

She's up for the challenge.

Drawing an arrow, she raises her bow to the lightening sky, where all of the trees overhead are rustling. Dozens of leaves come loose and dance through the air, most so quick they're gone in a blink.

Junna can barely discern one from the other, even with the sun just beginning to peek over the horizon. She has a few seconds left until the light shines through. She can still make one difficult shot in the dark.

She selects her target, a leaf that loops and twirls on the breeze, making sharp falls and rises as it goes. Junna pulls back on her string, predicts its next movement based on the wind, and fires right as the sun breaks over the mountains. She squints just as a ray gets in her eyes, but from what she can see, her arrow hits its mark.

And perhaps, more than its mark.

She can't be sure, due to the speed at which it all happens, and the light in her eyes, but it almost appears that her arrow goes beyond the leaf to hit something else.

She isn't sure until she sees something fall from the sky, something white like the clouds, something even her expert eye had missed.

"Oh no..."

She'd never shot an animal in all her life, denied every challenge for her to shoot down a duck or swan or sparrow, or to rid a garden of rabbits. It hadn't looked like a direct hit - perhaps just the tip of a wing to make it stagger and drop - but hopefully not enough to be fatal.

Either way, a sickening grip twists in her chest as she tries to discern where the creature falls. But there are so many leaves and clouds and trees-

Then a splash.

Junna hurries on toward the pond. She can see the water clearly now with the sun bathing down on it as she bursts through the bushes lining the bank. She looks for any odd shape on the water, any struggling form-

"Ah..."

A moan of pain sounds from nearby, but what surprises Junna is that the voice it comes from is definitely not that of an injured animal. It's unmistakably human.

Her eyes follow the ripples in the water all the way over to the edge. Junna stops dead in her tracks at the sight before her.

A human girl is crumpled at the edge of the pond, hunched over herself, clutching a bleeding hand that stains her white dress. Other than that dress, she wears nothing – no quilt or shawl, no shoes or gloves or hat.

Junna instantly forgets all thoughts of a fallen bird and rushes to the girl's side.

"H-Hey!" She pauses a few feet away from her, bow still in-hand, eyes wide. She's never seen this girl before. She has yellow hair that's tied into small twin-tails, and when she looks up at Junna, her green eyes are anguished and scared.

Before Junna can inquire anything more, the girl whimpers at the sight of the weapon in her hand. Junna quickly slings the bow over her shoulder and out of sight.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you. I just wanna help." She crouches down beside the girl, who's still bleeding from somewhere on her hand or arm. The water lapping at her bare toes is stained with drops of red that slip through her fingers. Junna offers out her own hand tentatively. "My name is Junna. Please let me help you."

The frightened girl sniffles and looks her over nervously, and all the while Junna just smiles softly. Eventually, the girl in white speaks.

"Junna..."

The archer nods.

"That's right. What's your name?"

The girl blinks, her shoulders slowly relaxing.

"Nana."

Junna moves a little closer.

"Nana," she nods. "What happened to you? Why are you out here by yourself at this hour? What happened to your hand?"

Nana shakes her head, and her whole body shivers. Junna slowly removes her bow and quiver and drops them aside, then takes off her shawl. She inches forward and gently drapes it around the other girl's shoulders. Nana sighs.

"I... I got lost. Something sharp cut me, and I fell..." She moves her hand aside to reveal the wound on her left palm. It's a long gash that veers off from the center outward toward her pinkie.

Junna grimaces at the sight of it. She quickly unties the handkerchief from her neck and holds it out. Nana cautiously offers her bleeding hand. Junna dips the handkerchief in the pond first and cleans away as much of the blood as she can. Nana flinches.

"Sorry," Junna murmur. "It might hurt a little." She's as gentle as possible with what she's doing, taking care not to aggravate the wound. After cleaning it, she wraps it up and ties the handkerchief in a secure knot around the back of Nana's hand. "There. That should do it until you can get it treated properly."

Junna looks around them as the sun shines down through the forest.

"Where did you come from? I'll take you back home."

But Nana quickly stiffens and moves away from her at the notion.

"N-No... I-I don't have a home. Not anymore..." She brings her hands to her chest as her eyes begin to water. Junna instantly softens her voice.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have assumed." She can only think this girl's house was destroyed by a fire or a storm, that something bad had happened that rendered her unable to return. Junna lowers her gaze. "Do you have... anyone you can go back to...?"

Nana just shakes her head. Junna sighs.

"All right then. It's settled." She straightens up her back and offers out her hand. "You're coming with me."

Nana peeks up at her in confusion.

"Eh?"

"You heard me. At least let me treat your wound. You can stay with me until you're well enough to travel on your own. It may still be good weather for now, but winter is around the corner. You can stay with me until spring if you need to."

Nana blinks, and the tears drip down her face, eyes puzzled as she tries to process the offer. Clearly, no stranger has ever been so kind to her before.

"Are... Are you sure...?"

"Of course."

"B-But I have no money to give you..."

Junna smiles. "Who said anything about money? You can help me with the chores around the house and that'll be payment enough. Sound fair?"

Nana is quiet for another moment. It looks like a million thoughts are buzzing in her head, but Junna lets her weigh her options. When she finally does reply, it's with a small, tight smile.

"All right. Then I'll stay for a little while. But... I think you'll find it's best if I move on quickly..."

Junna tilts her head, her outstretched hand still waiting.

"Why's that?"

Nana looks down into her lap.

"You see... I'm under a curse... and most people don't want to stay around me for too long... That's sort of why I was out here today..."

Junna bites her lip, but she doesn't recoil her hand. She's heard about people who've been cursed. There had been cursed crops that had nearly killed a girl on the other side of town, and their own kingdom's princess had been cursed at birth.

Junna had even heard rumors about a cursed castle high up in the mountains where a monster lives. Apparently, it had once been a person who'd befallen a curse, and now it allegedly slaughters innocent travelers.

Curses were certainly real in Starlight Kingdom, and they were nothing to scoff at. They were serious, and even life-threatening.

As Junna looks this ragged girl over now, she has to wonder what kind of curse Nana might be under, and what consequences that could mean for Junna for taking her in.

Nana is silent for a moment, and Junna can tell she's letting her mull it over, already expecting rejection. Junna doesn't want to be too nosy, but if she is going to take care of her, Nana's curse is going to become some of her business one way or another. So she treads gently with her words.

"Can you tell me... what your curse is?"

Nana shakes her head. Junna isn't sure if she's cursed not to be able tell, or she simply doesn't want to. But Junna can work around that.

"Will it affect me directly? Like... will I turn into a frog if I touch you or something like that?"

And for the first time, Nana actually laughs.

"Aha!" she chuckles. "Oh! S-Sorry! I didn't mean to be rude. That was just such an unexpected guess... But no. You won't turn into a frog if you touch me. You've already touched me, haven't you?" She lifts up her wrapped hand. Junna blushes.

"O-Oh yeah..." She clears her throat and lifts her chin. "Well then, if your curse isn't going to bother me directly, then I see no reason not to help you." She stretches her hand out a little further toward Nana. "So please. Let me help you as much as I can."

Nana's hand twitches, as if she's finally about to accept, but she pauses one more time.

"Just... one more question..."

"Sure."

Nana swallows. "Do you... always come out at night...? I mean, do you do any of your work after sundown? I've found that people who are around me tend to fall asleep very early and wake up rather late. I'm not sure if that's part of my curse or not, but..."

Junna blinks, then laughs outright.

"Ha! So you're saying your curse might make me sleep a little longer? I'd consider that a blessing!"

Nana flinches, but then slowly lifts her gaze back up to hers.

"A... blessing...?"

"Absolutely!" Junna grins. "I don't have to train at nighttime then. I'll just practice in heavily-shadowed areas and it'll be like the same thing. If having you with me means I'll get to sleep more, then I can't insist you come with me quickly enough. Ah, but don't get the wrong idea." Once again her voice and her eyes become soft. "That isn't the main reason I want you to come with me. I want to help you as much as I can. So... what do you say, Nana?"

Nana lets out a tiny gasp. There's a sniffle as she looks from Junna's eyes down to her hand. Gingerly, with the shaking fingers of her injured hand, she accepts Junna's.

"Then... if you'll have me..."

Junna smiles again.

"Of course I will. Now then, first thing's first. Let me help you up."

Junna takes her hand and helps Nana sling an arm across her shoulders. She hadn't noticed it when Nana was on the ground, but now as Junna stands up with her, she realizes Nana is a bit taller than she is. She's very shaky on her legs though, as if she'd forgotten how to use them for a while, so Junna is sure to keep her steady.

"Easy," she says. "We don't have to rush." She says as much, then adds on. "We... don't have to rush, do we? Is anyone... after you?"

Nana pants a little as she struggles for balance and shakes her head.

"No, thankfully."

"All right good. Then we don't have to rush."

Junna does her best to shift her bow and quiver to one side of her back so Nana can lean against her side. Once she feels steady enough to start walking, Junna begins at a slow pace, being mindful of the roots and rocks and the fact that Nana is barefoot.

"I'll run you a bath once we get back to my place," she says. "And I'll make you a little something to eat. You must be starving."

Nana hangs her head guiltily and nods.

"I'm sorry. I wish I could give you money..."

"Hey, we talked about this, right? Instead of money, how are you with cleaning?"

"...I can clean. And cook. And... I like to do laundry."

"Seriously-?!" Junna almost trips in her shock, but manages to right herself at the last second. "I can't stand laundry."

Nana finally cracks another little smile.

"Then please let me take care of it."

Junna lets out a sing-songy sigh.

"You might be cursed, but you're definitely a blessing to me."

And she can't be quite sure, but she feels like Nana leans a little closer to her after that.

As they make their way back toward her home, Junna ponders about what she'll do about clothing. Her old pieces are probably too small for Nana, but she won't be able to buy her anything just yet. Trading might be her best option.

"Say, Junna...san?"

"Huh? Sorry. Yes? What's up?"

Nana doesn't look directly at her, and Junna's a little thankful for that. Their faces are awfully close right now. The hair of one of Nana's twin-tails covers the side of her face as she asks,

"Do... Do you hunt?" Her voice has fallen quiet again, that same almost-scared sort of tone she'd had when Junna had first found her. Junna shakes her head.

"Oh, because of the arrows, huh? No, I don't hunt. I'm a performer. That's why I was out in the woods so early this morning. I was practicing my aim on some leaves in the dark. I thought I hit a bird or something by accident, but I never found a body, so I'm hoping it was just my imagination. Actually-" she smiles. "That's how I ended up finding you. My arrows led me straight to you, Nana. Now if that isn't fate, I don't know what is."

Nana makes a whimpering sound, and Junna can't tell if she's nervous or flattered.

"It... could have been my curse drawing you to me..."

Junna gives a pat to the other girl's side.

"Y'know, your curse isn't the only thing in the world. There are other things too, like accidents, coincidence, and even destiny. So don't chalk everything up to misfortune."

Nana falls silent and doesn't say another word all the way back.

When they finally arrive, Junna invites her right in.

"Here we are. Home sweet home. It isn't much, but it'll do." She leads her guest in through the wooden door to reveal the humble common room and kitchen inside. There's only a single couch and a few chairs, but Junna never really had guests until today.

She drops her bow and arrows to the floor, then leads Nana over to the couch and helps her sit. She tries not to chuckle at Nana's reaction.

She's absolutely marveling at the messy little house, her eyes wide in quiet wonder. It makes Junna wonder what other kinds of places she'd lived in, but she doesn't want to pry.

"Wait here," she says. "I'll bring you some water."

Junna hurries into the kitchen for a glass and fills it at the sink. For some reason, part of her almost expects Nana to have vanished upon her return. But she's still there in her ruffled white dress and Junna's shawl, with her handkerchiefed hand in her lap, gazing around like a starstruck child. Junna approaches her quietly and hands her the glass.

"Here. Drink."

Nana perks up.

"Th-Thank you."

But when she reaches up to accept the cup, her grip is a little too awkward to hold onto it, thanks to her injury. So Junna rests her hand over hers, helping Nana keep the glass secure as she drinks. She's glad to find that Nana isn't shivering anymore, and her skin isn't quite so cold and clammy as it'd been before. She finishes every last drop as if she hasn't drank anything in days. Junna offers to refill it for her.

"You can have more if you'd like."

Nana quickly shakes her head.

"No, that's all right."

But Junna returns to the kitchen to refill the glass anyway and brings it back to her. When she's offered more water, Nana shyly accepts.

After the second glass, she seems much more relaxed and relieved. Junna crosses the room to start up a fire in the hearth, then once it's going heads into the bathroom.

"I'll run you some water," she calls.

Nana simply nods.

As the tub is filling, Junna scurries up to her room to dig through her closet in search of something that might fit Nana. She manages to find a large hay-colored sweater as well as some leggings and a skirt. She also takes a pair of socks for her, because just looking at the poor girl's bare feet in the autumn weather makes Junna shudder.

She brings it all back to the bathroom just as the bath is filling and turns off the water, then retreats back to the common room to gather her patient.

Nana is still sitting on the couch, but this time she has her eyes closed, and she's leaning toward the direction of the hearth, as if seeking out the warmth. Junna doesn't call for her just yet. The bath needs to cool a bit anyway, so she lets Nana rest for a few minutes, unable to wipe the smile off her face at the sight of her.

When she feels the water has cooled enough, Junna tiptoes forward to the couch and taps the girl's shoulder. Nana wakes with a start.

"Eh? Oh! I-I'm sorry-"

"Don't be. You clearly needed a rest," Junna grins. "But now you need a bath. It'll warm you right up!" She takes Nana's good hand and helps her to her feet, then guides her into the bathroom.

There, Junna has her sit on a stool as she pulls out a small medical kit. She removes the handkerchief and tosses it into the dirty laundry pile in the corner of the room, then treats the wound a bit more professionally.

"This might hurt a little, but bear with me." Junna warns her before she pours a bit of disinfectant over the gash. But Nana doesn't even flinch at the sting. It makes Junna wonder just how badly she'd been hurt in the past for her to be completely used to such pain.

She dries the wound off, then wraps it in bandages, securing it with a tiny bow. "There. You should be all set. I'll change the bandages every day until it's fully-healed."

Nana blinks down at her hand and wiggles her fingers.

"It already feels so much better. Thank you, Junna-san."

"Don't mention it." Junna puts her supplies away and gets to her feet. "There are some clean clothes and a towel for you on the sink. Take as long as you'd like. If you need anything, just call for me."

Nana almost looks nervous again at the notion of Junna leaving her, but she nods determinedly.

"Okay."

So Junna takes her leave and closes the door behind herself, then heads back to the kitchen to begin making some food.

Now is when all the questions come back to her, wondering where Nana came from and about her curse. But Junna would rather help her recover just assuming she's a regular girl. She doesn't want to see Nana as 'cursed.'

"Especially if the worst thing it'll do to me is help me sleep," she chuckles.

She prepares some soup and sandwiches for the two of them, unable to recall the last time she'd made food for anyone other than herself. She places everything out on the little table, then heads back toward the bathroom.

"Everything okay?" she calls. She's worried Nana may have fallen asleep or something like that. But thankfully she calls back right away.

"Y-Yes! Everything is fine, Junna-san!"

Junna chuckles.

"All right. Your food is read whenever you are. Do you need any help?"

"I think I'll be all right."

Junna stays nearby just in case something happens, but Nana doesn't call for her assistance. After several more minutes, the bathroom door opens and she steps out wearing the fall leaf-colored sweater, the black leggings, and brown skirt. Her hair is down, wavy and damp, and Junna is dumbstruck at the sight of her. She's absolutely glowing now, clean and warm and happy with a blush across her cheeks. Nana waits for a moment, fidgeting in her new clothes.

"Do I look okay...?"

Junna snaps out of her trance.

"Yeah! Definitely! You look great!"

"Thank you."

Junna brings her back to the kitchen where they sit across from one another and begin eating. Junna keeps an eye on her for a reaction. She knows she isn't the best at cooking, but Nana doesn't seem fazed. She digs into the sandwich and drinks every last drop of the soup within minutes.

"Wow." Junna blinks. "You must've been hungry."

Nana sighs and smiles back at her, but then without warning her eyes begin to water and drip. Junna nearly chokes.

"H-Hey! What's the matter? Does your hand hurt again?"

Nana shakes her head and wipes her eyes.

"No... I'm just... so grateful to you, Junna-san..."

Junna exhales, glad they aren't the bad kind of tears.

"Geez, you scared me... You're a bit of a crybaby, huh?" she says, not unkindly.

Nana sniffles and wipes her eyes some more. Junna finishes her food with a smile.

After that, she tries to insist Nana take a rest, but the girl is determined to start repaying her debt to Junna right away. She washes and dries all of the dirty laundry herself without needing to be shown any pointers, and then washes the dishes and dusts the house.

All the while, Junna watches her in amazement. Not only does Nana do the chores much more quickly than Junna herself ever did, but she does them much more efficiently as well. Junna helps where she can as well.

By the time they're all finished dusting and sweeping, it's mid-afternoon. Junna makes her an offer.

"You're really good at all this stuff, even when your hand is hurt. Do you wanna take a rest now? I was going to head into town for one of my shows."

Nana perks up instantly with a sparkle in her eyes.

"A show? Like with your arrows?"

Junna nods. "Yeah."

"I want to see! Please, can I come, Junna-san?"

"S-Sure. If you're feeling up for it. Lemme find you some shoes first..."

So once all is said and done, and Junna has given her some old boots and tied her hair for her, she gathers up her bow and arrows and leads Nana to the door.

"I'll make it a bit of a quick show today," she says. "I want you to get plenty of rest tonight."

"Okay!" Nana is much more lively now after she's bathed, eaten, and gotten into some fresh clothes. She smiles and scurries after Junna, excitedly taking her hand in glee. Junna blushes, but doesn't let go.

She leads Nana out through the small patch of woods that will take them into town. Junna steals a few glances at her companion to gauge a reaction.

Nana marvels at the little shops and buildings not as if she's never been here before, but as if it had been a long, long time since she had. As they walk, Junna hears the excited murmurs of people as they recognize her.

"Look! Hoshimi-san the archer is here!"

All it takes is a handful of people to spread the word, and before long there's a bit of a crowd following behind.

Junna leads Nana and her audience to a certain part of town near the outskirts. There's a wide field here, speckled with a few trees, logs, and other potential targets. Junna pauses where cobblestone turns to grass, and finally turns to Nana, who is bursting with quiet anticipation.

"It's not much," Junna murmurs. "But it's enough to keep food on the table."

She releases Nana's hand for the time being and has her step back, then faces the gathering crowd. Most of them are families with children who are excited to see her fire the impressive shots, while only a few are people she doesn't recognize.

There are always one or two people who challenge her to hit some impossible target for a handsome amount of money, and when she does make her mark every time, the witnesses in the audience never allow the challengers to go back on their word.

Junna is satisfied with today's crowd. She clears her throat and lifts her arms invitingly.

"People of Starlight Kingdom. I visit you once again with arrows sharpened. Today's color is red."

A shocked murmur travels through the crowd. Most people know by now that one of Junna's main acts is to hit leaves free-falling through the air, which seems impossible enough. But she had recently increased the level of difficulty by limiting herself to only hitting leaves of a certain color.

Saying she would only hit green or yellow or orange leaves was typical on her average days, as the majority of leaves were often one of those colors, and she was more likely than not to hit them.

She only chose red on her best days. And with Nana eagerly watching her with the same twinkle in her eyes as the young children gathered here, Junna is feeling confident today.

As the crowd mutters their skepticism, Junna counts her arrows behind her back. Fifteen, meaning she had twelve to do with as she pleases.

She begins with several exaggerated tricks, first firing one with a bit of a twirl, so that when it soars up through the air it almost looks like a flying snake. There are gasps of awe from the children and a few adults as well, but what amuses her the most is how Nana is trying to hold back her squeals.

Next, Junna fires five arrows in succession, all at slightly different angles, a pattern that ultimately looks like rising fireworks, only without the colorful payoff. The crowd claps and talks, but everyone knows the real challenge is hitting those leaves.

Junna uses her final arrows on generic tricks she'd invented herself, until the wind blows. She turns back toward the field to where the forest trees beyond are swaying in the wind. In a second, dozens of leaves are suddenly let loose on the air, yellows and greens spiraling altogether in a mix, dipping and rising randomly, unpredictable on the breeze.

Junna spots only one red leaf in the bunch and never takes her eyes off of it as she draws her next arrow and raises her bow. The audience quiets down, though she hears a few of the usual, "no way she can do it" comments.

But in contrast to the nonbelievers, she can feel Nana willing her on, and that's all she really needs.

Junna pulls back on the string and waits, following the tiny red leaf spinning wildly far above the field. She exhales, then lets the arrow slip free. It shoots sharply in a perfect line, missing every other leaf in the bunch and hitting its intended target indisputably.

The people behind her gasp and cry out before they begin the applause. Some start to toss their fares at Junna's boots already, but most of them know this is only the start. Her first shot is always the most basic, while the second and third are more and more impressive.

Junna spares a moment to glance at Nana to find her jaw has dropped. Junna chuckles.

"You look like one of the kids."

Nana closes her mouth and smiles.

"That was amazing, Junna-san!"

"Thanks. Stick around, though," she says with a wink.

The next gust of wind comes, and again only a single red leaf is spotted. Junna draws her second-to-last arrow and follows it. But this time, she lifts one foot off the ground, balancing only on one leg as she aims. The people mutter in amazement and disbelief again, but Junna barely trembles at all. She maintains her balance and her aim, and when she releases, she strikes the red leaf perfectly.

Another chorus of cheers goes up, and more money is tossed to her. Junna takes a bow and reaches for her final arrow.

The next breeze comes, and it's a much stronger gust. Twice as many leaves come free and nearly cover the sky. Junna spots her red leaf and takes aim, but then someone calls out from behind her.

"There's two!"

When Junna looks away for a split second, sure enough she spots another red leaf. She's down to her last arrow, so common sense would dictate choosing one. But a man in the audience reads her mind.

"Hit em' both!"

He says it with a laugh, and most others laugh with him. But Junna smirks.

"My thoughts exactly, sir."

Nana and the group of awestruck children gasp incredulously.

Junna keeps her arrow following one red leaf and her eyes following the other. They both move quickly and often get blocked out by other leaves. She waits, watching the way they both dip and flutter on the current. The people behind her scoff and say things about giving her double the money if she makes the hit.

"I'll hold you to that, sir," she calls out.

She waits and waits, seconds that feel like hours, until the two red leaves travel closer. They're still a good ten feet apart when she fires. Some people laugh and some boo her, as the arrow looks on-course to hit only one. But at the last second, the other leaf makes a sharp arc and overlaps the first. The arrow pierces both at the same second, then flies off into the valley.

The crowd is awed into silence, but not for long. Nana is the first to break free from the trance.

"Wow! You did it, Junna-chan!" She throws her arms around Junna and nearly knocks her off her feet. The crowds behind them cheer and applaud, the children jumping up and down as their parents pay for the entertainment. The men who'd scoffed at her are jostled to the front and made to cough up the money they'd promised.

Junna wraps her arms around Nana and laughs before facing her audience.

"Thank you all! Enjoy your evening!"

As the crowd disperses, Nana finally lets her go, still beaming. Junna crouches down to begin gathering her earnings.

"I'm glad you liked the show," she said.

"Yes!" Nana claps. "You were amazing, Junna-san!"

"Aw..."

"Eh? What is it?"

"You went back to 'san.'"

"Eh? Did I not say that earlier?"

Junna gathers the last of the coins and puts them into her pocket before standing again.

"It's all right. You can call me whatever you like."

Nana clutches her hands together in nervous excitement.

"Th-Then... Junna-chan?"

"Yes?"

Nana smiles.

"Junna-chan!"

Junna smiles back.

"Thanks for your support. I think you really got the kids more excited, which had the parents inclined to pay a bit more. We can buy you some new clothes with the funds."

"Really?"

Junna nods. "But now comes the worst part," she sighs.

"The worst part...?" Nana frowns.

Junna looks across the wide field and grunts.

"Arrow retrieval."

Nana blinks. "Oh..."

"Yeah. Shooting them is all fun and games, but then you gotta go hike around to collect them. Can't risk letting some kid find one and getting hurt."

Nana hums in understanding.

"Then please let me help you get them."

Junna smiles up at her.

"That'd be great."

They head off into the field and begin hunting down the arrows one by one. Junna couldn't be more thrilled to have Nana helping her search. She's never enjoyed this part, but Nana doesn't seem to mind one bit, nor did she seem to mind the laundry or cooking or cleaning.

Junna has probably done about half the amount of work she typically does today thanks to her guest, and yet she suddenly begins to feel oddly tired. It's still a ways before sunset, which she finds strange, but then she remembers what Nana had warned about her curse.

"Guess she wasn't kidding," Junna mutters beneath a yawn. "We'd better get back before I fall asleep out here. Nana!" She raises her voice to get the blonde girl's attention. Nana has gathered up several arrows in her arms and hurries over to hand them to her.

"This is all I could find."

"That's fine. We got most of them. We can always come back tomorrow." Junna gives her a tired smile as she puts the arrows back into her quiver. Nana had been smiling just about the entire time they'd been in town today, but now she starts to frown.

"Junna-chan... are you feeling tired...?"

"Just a little bit." Junna tries to sound more lively than she feels, but Nana must see through her. She hangs her head, shoulders slumping.

"I'm sorry. I bet there are many more things you wish you could've done this evening, but being around me is making you want to sleep..."

"Hey, it's totally fine." Junna steps up to her and gently takes both of her hands. "It's been a bit of a crazy day, so I don't mind getting some extra sleep. Don't feel guilty about it or anything. I really don't mind."

Nana peeks up at her and manages a tiny smile.

"Okay."

"Good. Now let's go home."

Junna doesn't think she's ever said those words to someone other than her own parents when she was a small child. It feels oddly comforting to say them to Nana now.

And Nana doesn't say anything, but there's a look in her eyes that conveys she's been wanting to hear those words for a very long time.

Junna keeps hold of her good hand and leads her back through the town, trying to ignore the sagging, tired feeling filling her limbs. She's amazed she manages to make it back to the house without dropping. She doesn't even know if she'll manage to prepare dinner.

"All right," she yawns, putting away her bow and quiver. "I'm gonna hop in the bath, then maybe I'll be able to make us something to eat..."

"Don't worry!" Nana says. "I'll make dinner."

"You sure?"

"Yes! That was our deal, after all."

So as Junna groggily disrobes in the bathroom and sinks into the warm bath water, Nana determinedly chops away at some meats and vegetables in the kitchen. By sheer force of will, Junna manages to dry off and change into her sleep clothes, then join her to eat. But she feels herself nodding off at the table, even before the sun has set.

"Crap..." she mumbles. "Sorry, Nana. I'm really feeling it now..."

"It's all right." Nana hastily gets up from her side of the table and goes to Junna, putting both hands on her shoulders to keep her from swaying. "You've taken care of me so much today, Junna-chan. I'll take care of you now."

Junna hums and leans back in her chair a little, into Nana's touch.

"I'm glad... I'm glad I met you, Nana..."

Those are the last words she manages before she falls asleep at the table.

Nana's heart twinges, and she can't tell if it's in a good way or not. She's enjoyed every second of being with Junna, but she still can't shake away this awful guilty feeling that she's stealing time from her.

Her curse makes people close to her fall asleep a while before sunset, and stay asleep until a while after sunrise in order to protect Nana's secret. It's to protect herself, but it affects the people around her, and she always felt like she was robbing them of precious time in their lives - time they could still be awake and enjoying, if not for her.

She blinks, and two tears drop down to land on Junna's head. Nana can tell by the slant of sunlight that it's almost time.

She quickly gathers Junna into her arms and heads up the stairs to the bedroom. She lies Junna down and covers her, then takes a long moment to gaze at her. More tears come.

"You've been so kind to me... Thank you, Junna-chan..."

She lifts Junna's hand to her lips and kisses it, then backs away. She turns and rushes down the stairs, then out the door, leaving the kitchen still unclean from supper.

Nana runs as far out into the woods as she can before the sun sets. Her plan is to disappear from Junna's life and never return - for both their sakes.

But as the sun sets and her body changes, her heart remains the same.

When Junna wakes the next morning, the sun is already up and flooding her room. She mutters a curse, remembering she'd wanted to get up early from now on to practice shooting her arrows in the dark.

But as she pushes herself up, the rest of the memories come back.

She looks around sharply for Nana, but doesn't find her in the bedroom. The mattress beside her also shows no signs of being slept in; though Junna hadn't gotten to offer to let her sleep there before she herself had fallen asleep.

"Nana?" she calls. But she hears no response or movement throughout the house.

Junna jumps out of bed and rushes to her closet. The sweater and skirt are missing, which means she'd given them to a real person and not just an image in a dream.

She gets dressed and hurries down the stairs, calling for Nana again. She finds the table unclean from last night's supper, which worries her. Nana had been so clearly enthusiastic to help with the chores, Junna finds it odd that she would've left things like this after Junna had fallen asleep.

"Nana!" She shouts as loudly as she can, but there's still no reply.

Junna begins to pace. She doesn't know what to do. It doesn't look like anyone had broken in and kidnapped her, but she can't understand why Nana would have left in the middle of the night. Junna holds her head in her hands and sighs.

"I mean... I guess it's her choice to go wherever she wants... I didn't wanna force her to stay with me... But I wanted to make sure her injury was fully-healed, and I wanted to at least say goodbye..."

She lifts her face and looks back to the table and its dirty plates. Maybe she'd been foolish to think Nana would want to stay with her. Maybe she'd been foolish to enjoy the company of a girl she'd found barefoot in the woods whom she knew nothing about...

Junna heaves a sigh. "I just hope she's okay..."

She limps over to the kitchen table to begin cleaning up, already missing the sounds of Nana moving around in some other part of the house behind her, her soft little hums and her joyful call of-

"Junna-chan!"

Junna looks up in shock just as the door opens, and a familiar girl hurries in. She's dressed in the same clothes she'd been wearing yesterday, and she's a little dirty, but overall she looks exactly the same. Junna drops the plates back onto the table and hurries to her.

"Nana!"

Both girls are too overjoyed to hold back, and throw their arms around each other. Relieved, Junna takes a step back to look her over.

"I thought you'd left me." She says it quietly, sadly, in a way that makes Nana's heart hurt. She looks away.

"I... To tell the truth, I was going to... My curse has never been good to anyone, especially those closest to me... But I just..." She lifts her face, and there's guilt in her eyes. "I wanted to see you again..."

Junna reaches out to take her injured hand, still wrapped in the bandages. She kisses it.

"Well, that's good. Because I wanted to see you, too."

Nana can't help it. She smiles, and then bursts into tears.

Junna holds her gently.

"Listen..." she murmurs. "I don't care about your curse. I... I want you to stay with me, Nana. However that works for you. Whatever you need to do, then you can do it. Just... please come back to me in the end. Okay?"

Nana can't speak through all the sobbing, but she nods. She clings to Junna with shaking hands and buries her face in her shoulder.

And so the terms are set.

Nana will stay with Junna and earn her keep through chores, doing whatever her curse demands of her so long as she stays by Junna's side.

And Junna will accept the consequences of the curse, light as she believes they are, and take care of Nana however she can.

And so the two girls continue living together just as they had that very first day.

Junna always wakes rather late nowadays due to Nana's curse, and when she does open her eyes Nana is never in bed beside her like she hopes she might be. The bed never shows any signs of having been slept in.

It doesn't take her long to figure out that Nana's curse must activate at night, and that whatever it is, Nana vacates the house to go elsewhere until sunrise. Junna's imagination goes wild wondering what she could be doing, where she could be sleeping…

But she never asks, because as much as she cares for Nana, she knows full-well that discussing her curse only embarrasses the poor girl. It may be best to let her keep her secret as she pleases.

Nana is always back in time to begin on breakfast, which the two of them enjoy together. Then Nana gets to her chores as Junna goes out to practice her skills. Sometimes, she goes to town to perform alone, and sometimes Nana accompanies her.

By evening, Junna always becomes sleepy about an hour before sunset, so they've learned to have their days end sooner. They eat dinner, and if Junna doesn't make it to bed herself, Nana carries her.

And never once does Junna complain or interrogate Nana about her curse. She's so different from all the other people Nana has met in her life. She can tell Junna's feelings are true and pure, that she really cares for her as much as Nana does for her.

And that's what causes the guilt.

Horrible, heavy, tear-inducing guilt that often brings Nana to her knees when Junna is out and unable to see her.

She despises the feeling that she's tricking Junna somehow, and that her curse is stealing her life away. Not in the literal sense that some curses steal life, perhaps, but in the sense that Nana is stealing away several hours from each of Junna's days. She makes her sleep much sooner than she needs to, and much later than she wants to.

And though Junna never says anything, Nana knows it must be hurting her.

It hurts Nana even more; that awful guilt that churns away at her a little more each day, and especially at night when she leaves her.

She wants to sleep beside Junna in her warm bed. But instead she's forced to leave and go far away from her even on the most bitter cold of nights. All because of a curse that was placed on her before she was even old enough to speak.

"It's not fair…" Nana whispers to herself over and over again as silent tears fall; sometimes when Junna is outside or in town, sometimes when she's in the bath or in her room. Nana cries, and she laments, and she regrets. "I'm sorry, Junna-chan…"

The air outside grows colder as more and more leaves begin to fall.

Junna's performance business is better than it's ever been, and with Nana there to help collect her arrows and clean up the house while she's working, Junna has had plenty of time to do things at her own pace.

She loves this new life she's found together with Nana. Curse or no curse, she knows she'd enjoy just getting to be with her every day, even if not at night.

But it's as autumn nears its end and winter approaches when she starts to worry the most. She doesn't know where Nana goes at night, but she has to hope it's someplace warm and safe from the elements.

Junna has tried a few times to feign sleep and keep herself awake, just so she can see where Nana goes, but it's never worked. The curse is always too strong and has her fully asleep in minutes.

She gets to enjoy the days, though, cooking together with Nana and folding laundry with her, going out for walks in the forest and to the pond as the changing leaves flutter around them.

And more than once their hands have come together, at first by accident, but more recently on purpose.

Junna's been giddy in love without even fully realizing it.

Today in particular, she'd done well in town and had decided to buy Nana a new dress. She'd had her eye on it for a while now and had been saving up money on the side for it. It resembles the one Nana had been wearing the day they'd met, long and white and ruffled, but this one is much fancier. Just imagining her reaction makes Junna smile.

She hurries all the way home that day with the dress concealed in a bag on her arm, already calling out before she's reached the door.

"Nana!"

Junna is about to push in when she realizes the door is slightly ajar. She holds back another call of her name and curiously peers through.

And that's the first time she sees it. Nana collapsed on the kitchen floor, sobbing into her knees, stifling herself as much as possible.

Junna panics, but sees no blood, nothing broken, nothing disturbed or stolen. And she knows right away why Nana's crying. She just has to wonder how many times this has happened without her knowing about it.

A shudder runs through her when she realizes Nana must cry alone like this every day, every night…

Junna wants to go to her. She wants to go to her so badly. But she knows it will only make Nana hurt more if she's found crying.

So Junna decides here and now that she's going to put an end to this. Tonight.

She steps away from the door and waits, hiding herself until Nana has stopped sobbing.

It takes a long time.

It's nearly evening by the time Nana gets back on her feet and gradually begins cooking. Junna gives her another minute, then enters the house as if she'd seen nothing.

"I'm home!"

Nana jolts at the counter, then quickly wipes her face and turns around.

"Welcome back! How did it go?"

"Pretty well." Junna jostles the bag on her arm as she puts down her bow and quiver. "I even got you a little something."

"E-Eh?" Nana nearly drops the tomato she'd been cutting. "J-Junna-chan, you didn't have to do that!"

"But I wanted to! Consider it a 'thank you' for all the stuff you do around here. It's the least I can do." Junna steps close to her and takes both her hands. The injury on her left had healed by now, allowing Junna to give it a little squeeze as she has Nana put the vegetables down. She can feel her trembling slightly, fingers quivering and cold. Junna looks up into her eyes and smiles softly. "Please, Nana. It's okay."

A flash goes through Nana's eyes as if she's about to break down crying all over again. But she powers through, wiping her hands on a dish towel before accepting the bag from Junna.

Slowly, carefully, she reaches in and pulls out the long white dress. A gasp forms on her lips as her eyes sparkle, marveling at the soft downy fabric as she holds it up against herself.

Junna can't stop smiling.

"So?" she prompts. "What do you think?"

"Oh, Junna-chan…" she chokes. "It's so pretty… I love it!"

Nana throws her arms around her gleefully. Junna hugs her back.

"I'm glad!" She holds onto her for a long moment, even after Nana's happy jitters have died down. Nana doesn't let go of her either.

For a moment they're just quiet, pressed up close and warm, breathing together, feeling things they can't quite put into words. They only part when the soup begins boiling over and Junna takes the dress from her so Nana can tend to the food.

"I can't wait to wear it!" Nana says over the stove. "Junna-chan, do you think you could watch the food for a minute so I can go put it on?"

"Sure thing," Junna agrees. Nana squeals in delight and scurries off.

A moment later, she peers around the corner shyly. Junna encourages her.

"Come on, let me see!"

Blushing, Nana steps forward in her new dress. It's a lovely, shining white, fluttering almost all the way down to her shoes, and it fits her perfectly. She shuffles her feet and fiddles with her fingers.

"So? Wh-What do you think…?"

Junna grins, feeling a warmth spreading through her chest.

"It's perfect! You're beautiful, Nana!"

Nana absolutely glows.

"Thank you, Junna-chan!"

Nana twirls past her back toward the food, getting ready to serve it.

Junna is about to turn and take off her boots and jacket to get ready for supper when a sudden dizzy spell hits. She sways as blackness rings her vision, and a heavy fatigued feeling grips her. She begins to fall, and Nana only just manages to whirl around and catch her.

"Junna-chan!"

Junna clings onto her for balance, her eyelids suddenly feeling too heavy to keep open.

"Crap… sorry…" She knows it's the curse. Depending on Nana's emotions, it might take hold on Junna sooner on some evenings than others. Nana knows it too, and Junna can already see the joy in her eyes being eaten away by guilt.

"No… I'm sorry, Junna-chan…"

"Don't be…" she yawns. "I don't care if I miss dinner. I can't wait to wake up tomorrow… and have breakfast with you…"

She means it. She really means it, and she wants Nana to understand that.

Because the look in Nana's eyes is scaring her. She looks so sad, so upset, so guilty. All of the excitement from a moment ago has completely vanished. For some reason, Junna feels like something might happen, something bad…

"Nana…" She struggles to stay awake, fighting the curse with all her strength, both mental and physical. "Nana… please- don't blame yourself…"

But Nana shakes her head. Junna can already see the tears dripping.

"But it's my fault… It's my fault you're like this, Junna-chan… That you can't even stay awake to talk to me when you want to…" Slowly she kneels to the floor and cradles Junna in her lap, hugging her softly.

Junna doesn't like it. It feels like this is the last time, like she won't ever get to hold her again…

"Nana-"

"I'm sorry, Junna-chan. Even though you just got this lovely dress for me... I… I can't continue to let you suffer like this-"

"I'm not… suffering-" Junna protests groggily. "I just-"

"It's okay…" Nana leans back and looks down into her eyes sadly. So sadly. "Thank you for everything, Junna-chan. I know you really cared about me. I can tell your feelings were genuine. And mine are too. That's why…" Her voice breaks, and the tears fall faster. "That's why… I've got to free you from this curse… I'm breaking our promise, Junna-chan. I won't come back this time. I'm sorry."

Junna hadn't even realized when she herself had begun to cry as well. The tears are clouding her vision, making it all the more difficult for her to keep her eyes open as the curse drags at her consciousness.

"N-No…" she whimpers. "Nana, please… don't go… I-"

But at that moment, the sun sets, and the last few rays of light vanish into darkness.

And then, another light flashes across Junna's vision.

That last thing she sees is Nana, enveloped in light, crying.

And then it all goes black-

No… No… No!

Junna refuses the darkness. She refuses to let Nana go. She refuses to lose her.

Because she knows that's exactly what's going to happen tonight if she falls asleep.

She's going to lose Nana. Forever.

So Junna fights.

Fights like she's never fought for anything before. Her mind is filling with darkness, all except for one small piece.

The only light she can find is Nana, crying and in pain.

Her words tell Junna not to follow her. But her heart says just the opposite:

Please come find me…

Junna will be damned if she doesn't go to her. Right now.

She claws through the darkness toward that one little sliver.

She can feel her senses coming back to her; the smell of the dinner Nana had cooked for her, the feeling of the kitchen floor where Nana had so carefully lain her down…

The light begins to grow, bit by bit, and the darkness shrinks. Junna runs to her and screams her name.

Nana-

"Nana-!"

And suddenly it isn't all in her head anymore. She's awake, jolting upright on the kitchen floor, still in the same clothes she'd come home in, the food still warm and ready on the counter.

Nana is gone. The door is just clattering shut.

Junna jumps to her feet, all traces of fatigue gone - banished. She'd broken through the curse. Now she just needs to catch her.

"Nana-!"

Junna rushes out the door and into the cold twilight. The first flurry of the season has started to fall, giving the wind a bitter, bitter chill. Junna whirls around, eyes wide and searching. She'd trained in the dark for her performances. Her eyesight has become keen.

But she doesn't see her anywhere. Nana is a tall girl, not the type who would be able to hide so well so quickly, especially not in her anguish.

"Nana!"

Junna's voice echoes throughout the woods. There's no reply.

She curses, stomping her boot into the light layer of snow, feeling hot tears rising up and falling down.

"No, no, no-! I can't lose her!"

She chooses a direction and just runs. She doesn't even know where she's going. She doesn't even know what Nana's curse is. She could be teleported to another kingdom every night for all she knows. She could be forced to appease some nameless man, or slay monsters for some coward king, or made to work until her hands bleed. She could already be gone.

"No!" Junna's voice rises up loud and scared, the pounding turmoil inside her chest a haphazard contrast to the quiet, sleeping forest all around her. "Nana! Nana!"

She runs. Continues running until she begins to recognize where it is her feet are taking her. The crystalline pond is in sight on the other side of some bushes, the water glowing silver in the moonlight.

The very place she'd first met her. Junna still remembers it as if it had been yesterday. She'd pushed through a few brambles and found a girl lying there in the mud, wet and bleeding.

Her mind repaints the picture as she slows to a nervous walk and parts the very same bushes.

"Nana…?"

But it's not a girl that looks back up at her this time.

Sleek, snow-white feathers glow faintly in the flurries and moonshine. Webbed orange feet like fallen leaves, and a beak to match, with a single line of black to outline. Two scared marble eyes look back up at her - and it's a long distance for her to look up in this form.

The swan cries out and flutters back, lifting her beautiful wings in preparation to fly. But Junna drops to her knees, hands clasped together in a plea.

"No-! Nana, wait-!"

The bird freezes and turns her head slowly back to the girl. The trembling wings sag back into place on her back, and the orange beak parts.

"Junna… chan…?"

"Oh, thank goodness!" Junna scoops the swan into her arms and hugs her as gently as she can, cradling the back of her head and stroking all down her neck and feathers. "Thank goodness…"

Nana coos and whimpers, but she doesn't try to get away. Junna is warm. She lays her head against her shoulder and nuzzles her cheek.

"Junna-chan… but- h-how are you awake…? How did you know-?"

"I don't care," she rasps. "I don't care how any of it happened… but it did. I'm here, Nana. I'm not letting you go again."

Nana is quiet, still. She can feel Junna's heart beating quickly, fearfully. She'd been worried about her, scared for her…

"No one else…" Nana whispers. "No one else has ever…"

Junna hugs her a little closer. Nana lets her, and she tells her story at long last:

"I… I was cursed when I was just a baby. I don't know how or by whom… or why it was a curse like this… But my parents couldn't handle it. They eventually broke through the sleep spell too, and they discovered what I became. They left me, and anyone else who ever tried to be my friend and broke through the curse, only to see me like this left me, too… There were times I'd found hunters out at night and considered letting them kill me, just so it could all be over… But I was too much of a coward.

"The only person who wanted me was a man running a traveling circus. A freak show. Everyone avoided me all day long so they wouldn't get affected by the sleep spell. Then they'd come to my cage at night and gawk at me after I'd turned into a swan. I stayed there because I got food and shelter… But it was so lonely…" Her voice breaks. "There was no one who would talk to me, o-or hold my hand… No one… until I ran away… and met you…"

Junna listens. She listens, and her heart aches terribly. She can't even begin to imagine that pain, that loneliness, that suffering she must have endured. All alone, cold, frightened…

"Nana…" She says her name so softly, so tenderly.

For a moment, Nana gets caught up in it all. She's almost willing to stay here in Junna's arms… Until she remembers just what she truly is-

"No-" She opens her wings and flaps them at Junna. Junna gasps and only lets go of her for fear of hurting her. Nana jumps from her arms, and Junna reaches out desperately.

"Wait! Please don't go-! Please-!" Junna curls in on herself sobbing, distraught at the possibility of losing her again.

Nana's wings tremble on the snowy breeze, but she doesn't lift off. Instead, she lowers them once again, tilting her head. She walks up to Junna, who is wailing with all her heart. For the sake of a bird. Nana shakes her head.

"Why…?" She stands there at the edge of the water and turns to see her reflection. "How? How did you break the sleep curse? How can you care so much…? How can you still come for me when you know what I am…?"

"Because I don't care!" Junna cries. She lifts her face from her lap, glasses smeared with tears as more fall down her cheeks.

Nana is stunned at the look in her eyes. It's like fire. Not the angry kind, but the warm, comforting kind that keeps you safe during the first snow of the season. Junna's eyes burn in desperation, as the fire in her heart burns.

"I don't care how it happened," she chokes. "I don't care- if you're cursed o-or if I get cursed, too. I don't care if you're a swan or a cat or a frog. I don't care about any of it! All I care about is you, Nana!"

A flash of light suddenly bursts through the night. Junna has to cover her eyes, but she still tries to reach out for the swan at the edge of the water.

"Nana-!"

She feels the feathers, and she pulls her into her arms.

Only, what ultimately ends up cradled against her chest isn't a bird.

It's a girl.

A tall, blubbering, twin-tailed girl in a long white dress.

Nana cries against her shoulder, wrapping her arms around Junna, clinging to her as if for life itself.

"Junna-chan! Junna-chan-!" She wails her heart out as years upon years of pain and secrecy finally come undone.

So many years she'd spent alone. Every night she'd turn into a cold white bird that people only stared and pointed at. No one would ever touch her. The ones who'd wanted to try would just fall asleep and leave her in the morning.

For so long she'd been alone. For so long she'd been cold. Trapped in that cage like the animal she was - like the animal people told her she was.

She'd prayed for a miracle every night, not truly thinking anyone would listen to the hopes of a bird.

But somehow, Junna had found her. Junna had been her miracle.

Junna's warmth, her acceptance, her love. It had broken - no - shattered Nana's curse.

"Junna-chan!" Nana sobs and shakes in her arms, the layers and layers of ice around her heart now melting away one by one.

Junna locks both arms around Nana's back tightly, relief and love bursting free and flooding her heart.

"Nana… Nana-! I love you… I mean it. No matter what happens, o-or what you become… I love you."

Nana nods vigorously, nestling into her shoulder.

"Me too… I love you too, Junna-chan!"

They both cry out loud at the edge of the forest, the quiet snowfall gently fluttering around them. When Nana is finally able to lift her head, she peers into the reflection of the pond. She's human. Finally and truly human.

When she turns back to Junna, her shimmering eyes are full of love.

"Thank you, Junna-chan. You saved me. My curse is... broken… it's finally…finally…"

Nana kisses her, honestly and joyfully. Junna can't kiss back quickly enough.

The moon watches over the two girls, and a gentle wind blows. Light as it is, it reminds them both of the snow. They part from the kiss - their very first - and brush their noses together. Junna reaches up to wipe away the last of Nana's tears. She smiles.

"Let's go home."

Nana closes her eyes and leans into her touch.

"Yeah."

With Nana far too cold and weak with relief, Junna scoops her up and carries her, just as Nana would carry her to bed whenever she fell asleep too soon. She blows the snow out of Nana's hair and keeps her close, using the moonlight to guide her path. Nana cuddles up to her chest, loosely hugging her around her neck, burrowing her face into her shoulder.

"You know…" she murmurs. "I'd always felt something different about you, Junna-chan. Ever since we met, you never called my curse unfortunate or bad. You never pitied me for it. You always said it was a blessing, just because it was a part of who I was." She leans back to look up at her, eyes sparkling. "I think I fell in love with you right from the start."

Junna blushes faintly and looks back to the house in the distance.

"W-Well that's good then. Because I think I might've loved you from the start, too…"

Nana giggles and sighs into her shoulder.

They finally make it home, where dinner has gone cold, but can be salvaged for the morning. The fire is still crackling in the hearth, filling the house with warmth.

Junna carries Nana up the stairs, and finally lies her down on the bed. For the first time she can remember, Nana curls up on a clean warm bed as a human girl.

Junna slips in beside her and covers her with blankets. Nana hugs her and cries. She cries, but it's with a smile.

Junna takes off her glasses and wraps her arms around her, kissing Nana's forehead, feeling her pulse beating softly against her own.

And finally they sleep; warmly, safely, and together.

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A/N: I'd really wanted to do the Swan Princess for Nana! It sort of mirrors her tragic-ness in the show as well, and how she and Junna had that heartfelt scene crying together. Nana just deserves so much love. I was debating Princess and the Frog for her too, since Nana likes frogs, but I felt the swan just worked better in this case.

And if you paid attention, there was not only a reminder of the previous 2 tales in this chapter, but a hint at our final and longest one coming up as winter begins...