Across Worlds

Chapter 1: The door In The Sky

I peeled back the slip of wrinkled plastic that was stuck to the breakfast burrito that I had bought during my brunch break at school. The sloppy burrito plopped forward like a spineless worm as I dumped a pile of red hot taco sauce on it. It may seem a bit disgusting upon first opening, but in reality it was actually really good, especially with taco sauce on it. It's become a habit almost for me to get one every brunch after second period ends. Plus, my third period teacher doesn't mind that I eat in class, only because I was one of his top students that actually pay attention in class. It was just like any other ordinary day.

In my world, nothing exciting existed. Students go to school, go home and sleep. Parents go to work, come home exhausted, eat then head off to bed. The next morning the same ritual is done. Over and over again, three hundred sixty five days a year, four weeks a month, seven days a week. It's all the same. Sometimes I wonder if people ever get bored or are they too into the same thing to realize that they do the same thing in repetition. My dreary life's the same, except for the unusual pop ins that I get from time to time.

I suppose, I'm a bit lucky. My life isn't all that normal, people from other worlds like to drop into my mine sometimes. Whether it be sprites, wood nymphs, or dwarfs, they all have a habit of dropping into my life. Some come because they have requests in asking me for help, others is just because they accidently get caught into wormholes. Wormholes were portals that link one world to another, usually they are kept closed unless called upon by one that holds the power in opening them. The only other time that wormholes appear is when one is in dire need of help and calls upon it by sheer will, but the willpower has to be strong enough to pull one world open to get into another.

On normal occasions, it's just those that come by and their appeals aren't that hard, at most it's just helping a lost fairy finding something it has lost or helping the dwarfs rebuild a broken down house. It was just small stuff, then I send them back home. Yes, I can open portals on my own. I've never asked where the power came from, all I remember is that I've had it since I can remember. Since I was young, things were always coming up to ask me to send them home. At first I didn't understand, but I found out that as long as I wished it in my head, the portal would open. As I grew older I practiced opening portals on my own time, I never told anyone about it because I feared being shunned, but along the way I found the right words to open one completely.

Every time I had opened one, I can see the world that I've connected myself with and most of the time it ended up being the same one. It looked just the same as mine except the people that I watched over had little floating characters over their shoulders. Not everyone had them, just specific ones. There was a blond child that had one, one with rosette hair, then a young red-head with pigtails, a soccer player student with auburn hair, an older teen with a cat-like aura, a gorgeous singer, a boy with beautiful ebony long hair, and a young boy with glasses.

I've stepped through the wormholes before and ventured into their world on several occasions, but I've never let myself be known. That is until I walked into Seiyo Academy. The school that the kids went to, well at least a good portion of them did. It was there that I met Tsukasa-san. The man had this soft blond hair and caressing smile, he almost seemed like an angel. He was this strange character that gave me this odd sense of comfort. I was 14 when I first saw him, he had caught me snooping around the school ground and had offered me tea at his office. At first I was skeptical, but he had told me that he wouldn't report me to the police. He said that there was something about me that he liked, something special.

During tea, I just sat there listening him talk. It wasn't an annoying type of talking, but a nice slow pace talking. He told stories about kids and their would-be selves and this thing called an 'egg' that resides in every child and if they were strong enough to want to be someone then the egg would appear before its holder and reveal itself. He showed me the book that he had written for children, it was called 'Kokoro no Tamago'. It was nice story, but I didn't know what it had to do with me. After an hour, I told him that I had to leave, that my mom was probably wanting me home for dinner. I hadn't wanted to lie, and I hadn't wanted to leave. For once there was an adult that hadn't forced me like them, Tsukasa was just his own loving and caring self.

I remembered that soft smile he gave me as he waved goodbye, I had sauntered to the door when I hesitantly looked back at him. He had tilted his head at me and laughed, I felt my own face flush from embarrassment. The doorknob was cold under my small hands as I furrowed my brows at him and frowned. Before I ran out his office I left my name and he just chuckled.

"Nanami... Motoko Nanami."

"Amakawa Tsukasa."

After that encounter I finally found out what those little floating characters were. They were the owners would-be selves that had hatched because they had all wanted to be someone they really wanted to be. Not only that, but as I continued to watch I saw that they can merge and become one with their characters. They fight those that has lost their way and purify their so called 'X- Eggs'. There were only a few that was able to cleanse them and that was the rosette haired one that currently had 4 charas named, Hinamori Amu and the gorgeous singer, Hoshino Utau. Those two seemed to dislike each other but actually are best friends, it was actually funny watching those two fight over the older teen that seemed to be Utau's older brother and an acquaintance to Amu.

They often fought over that guy named Tsukiyomi Ikuto, this absolutely gorgeous guy that was now a senior in high school. He seemed very attached to Amu, but all the same very supportive of his younger sister. I've never personally met them to a point where we became friends, but with each one I've showed myself when they had called me. I met Utau when were really young, probably when I was 7 or so. I was at recess in my own world when I heard a cry, at that moment nothing mattered but to find that person who was crying. That person sounded so sad and distraught. Without realizing it a portal opened and I ran head long into it.

When I stepped out I was standing in a small forest and a young girl was huddled in a ball at the base of a tree. She had long blond hair that was tied in two pigtails on top of her head. I mindlessly walked over to her and kneeled dow so I can get a better look at her.

"Ano... What's wrong?" I had asked her, the girl just continued to cry until I patted her head gently and she glanced up at me with puffy red eyes. If she wasn't crying, I would've thought she might have been really cute. She had these large lilac eyes that gleamed of a very powerful person. Back then, she didn't have her charas yet.

"W... Who... Who are you?" She stammered wiping her nose and eyes with the back of her hand, trying to look tough. I had to laugh a little and told her my name, "Nanami?" She blinked through her tears. It seemed something terrible has happened to the poor girl that the tears wouldn't stop. "Papa's gone and mama's sick... They said she's not getting better. Onii-san is trying hard to be strong, but all Utau can do is cry. Onii-san told me not to cry... bu... But I just can't help it! He... He said they'll just pity us." She cried with more tears leaking out, she bundled herself back into a ball.

"Utau... That's a pretty name." I said softly sitting next to her. "Ne Utau-chan, you can cry. Sometime it makes me feel all better inside when I cry. It lets out all this yucky feeling I have inside myself." I scrunched up my legs and huddled it with my arms around it. I plopped my chin upon my knees and glanced out at the small town beneath the hill. "But... You have to be strong too Utau, for the sake of your brother that is. He can't do it all on his own, wouldn't you think that's a little selfish?" I asked her without looking at the girl next to me. I didn't know what was it like to have a father walk out on me and a mother that's weak. My own parents were almost the complete opposite. They were strong and worked all the time, but they love their work so much that sometimes they forget that they have children at home.

Utau raised her head and stared at the me, her lips quivering as she listened to a total stranger that seemed to appear out of nowhere. "You see, I have two siblings myself. I'm responsible for them when mama and papa aren't home. Most of the time they aren't so I'm always left in charge. It's hard when all the pressure is on you to be strong. Sometimes, you just want to sit and cry yourself, but you can't because you're the oldest. I'm sure your brother didn't mean to sound so strict, but I really think he's just trying to ask for help in his own way. He needs you right now, Utau."

"Hnn?" The girl's tears stopped, but there were still streak stains on her cheeks that made me laugh. I grinned at her hoping to make her feel better, I know when I made that smile, people back home can't help but smile too. It was one of the neat things that I learned about myself.

"So cry now so you can smile at your brother later, make him feel like it'll be alright as long as you are around because you, Utau-chan, can be strong too. For the sake of your brother!" I stood up and patted my pleat skirt and gave her a thumbs up, god I was such a dork back then. "Do your best, Utau-chan!" With that I turned around and started running down the hill, I muttered several words and pointed in front of me. A crack appeared then it shattered into a larger crack like a whole in a wall and I jumped in. My duty was done, Utau had stopped crying, that last image really made my day. A young girl nodding her head with the biggest smile on her face, I just knew that she and her brother would be fine.

I wanted to make sure that those two would really be okay, since I tend to doubt my own words, I took a peek at them from time to time. I learned that Ikuto was Utau's brother's name, like she had said, he really was trying to be strong and he was. I understood Ikuto up to a point where sibling responsibilities came in, but the rest I didn't. Even though I was young, I knew sadness when I see it and it was written all over his face. For once I just wanted to jump in and console him, but I knew I couldn't, I had to keep this power a secret. But it still hurts watching Utau and Ikuto go through such trials.

Years past and I learned to shut things out, I couldn't save everyone so I stopped with the watching. But every night, I'd pray for them, even if they weren't from my world and was off in another universe, I'd pray for their happiness, hoping one day they'll find it.

x x x

I blinked back to reality, I was spacing out again when I heard a slight noise coming into my ear then a slap to my head when I dropped my burrito back into the lunch box it came with. I averted my gaze to a boy standing next to me with a frown on his lips. He had his hand in his pockets when his eyes narrowed themselves at me with arched brows. I found myself narrowing my own at him with a pout.

"Sensei's calling your name, you dolt." He finally said. I snapped my head back at my wood shop teacher who had a suspicious look on his face as I raised my hand and called out a loud 'Here!'. I turned back to the boy and placed my hands on my hips at him.

"Thanks." I muttered looking away with a stubborn glare. He just leaned in closer to me making me lean backwards with a shocked expression. I could already feel the heat piling itself onto my cheeks as they flared bright red. "W... What?!" I stammered out with my arms across my chest. He sighed and picked up the napkin from the box and placed it on the corner of my lips.

"For a girl, you eat very sloppily." He muttered under his breath. Even though he was a boy, his touch was very gentle. He wiped away whatever it was on my face and stepped back with a smirk, "You had burrito on your face." He walked away and I fumed at him. I hated his smug attitude, reminded me too much of a particular person.

I stomped my foot and let myself rage in my head, I wanted to rip his head off for being such a suave jerk! I heard a snicker from behind when I sat back down on my chair with a huff. "Sanata-san really got you there, didn't he?" Jun sniggered with her hands on her lips, I just shot her a death glare and she laughed even more. "Oh, don't hate me for being right, Nanami."

"Ryou's just a jerk." I replied haughtily at her. Jun was a classmate and a friend, but all the same, she loved poking fun at me when Ryou pulled one of his suave moves at me which she would always say, 'You stumble at his presence'.

Ryou was just a quiet guy, just another normal teen. We're both in the same grade, but never in the same class except this last year. This year was the first year I had class with him, and I didn't know why of all the people in the school, I had to be his sole target. He was one of those people that liked to study, but always kept that cool persona. He had reading glasses which I might say, makes him rather cute when he puts them on. Not saying that I'm interested or anything.

"How come you never let me that close to you, Nanami-san?" An annoying voice piped itself next to me. I turned a stiff head at the boy sitting next to me with death scrawled all over my face when I showed him a fist. I showered his arm with multitude of punches until he ran away from me. I was still fuming, I needed something to punch with.

"Aw, Manju-kun ran away again. You should treat him more lightly, he's a fragile person. I mean even after that time you sent him flying to the language building across campus, he still confessed to you. Isn't that fate?" Jun crooned at me with her lashes batting at me. For a moment, I wanted to send her across campus too. "Okay, I was kidding, no need to kill me for it." She stuck her tongue at me with a smile. "But try and be a little more gentle towards Manju-kun, he is a friend." She interjected with a wink. I sighed and nodded my head as I pushed the lunch box away and placed my head on the table.

It was then that the ground began to shake, the rest of the class began to get up and look around. There was a loud cracking noise above us when I looked up, the ceiling was cracking into little pieces like a puzzle when my blood went cold. I knew what this was, someone was opening a wormhole on the other side and telling by its size it wasn't a sprite, it was something bigger. Suddenly, the ceiling disappeared and a large hole erupted from above and wind started tearing around the classroom.

Screams and yells could be heard when I felt someone grab a hold of my arm, I turned and saw Ryou pulling at me towards the exit when I shook my head. Someone needed me, and they were desperate or else they wouldn't make it so obvious especially right in the classroom in the middle of a lecture. I had to find out who. I shook my arm away from him and snapped my finger. Time stopped, the running people froze in place and the shocked Ryou stayed absolutely still next to me, everything was still. Yes, I can stop time when portals opened, it's one of the skills that came along with opening wormholes to make sure normal people didn't see and I was glad that it was a side power. It didn't mean I could use it on a normal basis, only when portals were opened.

I scrambled over the the hole and looked up, there was still a slight wind when a small body came rushing at me, but he was flying so fast I couldn't see clearly as to who it was. Something small smacked into my face and was screaming his head off when I pulled it off my face. A thrashing chara was waving its warms and legs, it had ears of a cat and it wore a black attire with a metal cross on its neck. He had pawed hands and feet and furry blue hair, if I wasn't wrong, this little guy belonged to Ikuto.

"Yoru?" I found my voice again as Yoru looked up at me with his large golden cat-like eyes. It was furrowed in a worried expression and his lips were tucked out in a pout, he seemed frantic, "What are you doing here, Yoru?! Making such a ruckus in the middle of class!" I whispered loudly pulling at his face. Yoru groaned and tried to swat me away, but failed.

"Nya! Ikuto... It's Ikuto!" He managed to cry out, I let him go upon hearing his name. Yoru floated away rubbing at his face and muttering something incoherent under his breath. A slight rumble went through the ground when I looked up again and a dark lump started falling down. "Ikuto!" The large object landed itself on me with a thump as we both collided with the floor. "Ikuto nya!" The small chara flew over to its unconscious owner and began to shake him, "Wake up! Come on! You can't sleep now. Please Ikuto, nya!" The portal closed and we were left in silence.

I pushed myself away and blinked, there in the dark pile of clothes was Tsukiyomi Ikuto with his hands clutching the violin case strap tightly as if his life depended on it. His face was etched in pain and it was deathly pale as I crawled over to him and poked his face. He winced and I retreated looking at the Yoru instead.

"What's wrong with him? Is he sick?" I asked in concern. The story with Ikuto was very long and strange. Let's just say, we went back pretty far, every time he got into some kind of trouble with Easter he comes to me for hide out. It's not like they would understand the concept of dimension jumping. But every time, he was always so weak and beaten up looking, and this time was the worse. We're not exactly close, but I felt I had an obligation. I always help those that come through the portal no matter who they work for. Plus, he was Utau's only brother, I couldn't disappoint her.

Yoru raised his small furred head, "Ikuto was being chased by strange guys all over town, I think they were from Easter... But ever since we got his violin back it's like it's sucking the energy out of Ikuto, he can barely walk! I didn't know where else to turn to, but call you for help." He pleaded, it was such a heartbreaking face. Yoru must be very worried right now. I patted his head and touched his small face to comfort him.

"He'll be alright, Yoru. I can promise you that." I said softly, "But he can't stay here, we're in the middle of class and it's not like I can just waltz out of school with an unconscious boy in my arms. Isn't there some place where you can stash him so he can rest up?" I asked picking Ikuto up with my arms as I slung his over my shoulder. Jesus, he was heavy! "Hurry, Yoru!" I groaned from the weight.

"There's Amu's house, nya." He pointed out helpfully and I smiled at him gratefully. I pointed a finger at the back of the room.

"Those that which shields me, show me thy destination: Hinamori Amu's house." I stated as a blast of wind escaped from a cragged line where I had pointed at. Yoru hopped onto my shoulder as we stared into the hole which revealed a night time Japan, and a quaint house stood erect in a quiet neighborhood. "Is that her house?" I asked and Yoru nodded. I then stepped through as the gate behind me closed.

x x x

I landed softly on the balcony of one of the rooms as Ikuto slumped over more and I heaved. I brushed my dark brown hair back behind my ears and placed him on the ground and shivered. It was freezing! It was snowing over on this side of the world and I was only wearing a jean skirt with a tank top underneath a large red sweater, good thing I was wearing a scarf. Where I lived, winter wasn't as cold, it was warm enough to wear a skirt to school some times. I turned to Yoru and pointed to the empty room. It seemed like Amu wasn't in there, but I could hear footsteps in the house, that meant they were downstairs.

"Try the door." I suggested holding myself to keep warm, "Hurry, Ikuto might just suffer hypothermia if he stays out in this weather and I have to go back soon." I urged. Yoru floated over towards the door and jiggled it, to my relief, it opened upon first try. "Can you character change with him to get him tucked in?"

"You're not going to come in?" Yoru inquired and I shook my head with a smiled. I patted his head and took a step back.

"Sorry, I can't. With every minute I stay in your world, my power weakens on the other side and if I'm not there when the power weans, it'll only bring trouble for me. Don't worry, I'll be looking out for him till he gets better, I'm sure Amu-chan will treat him gently. Even though that girl may seem to dislike Ikuto-kun's guts, she still cares. Now go." I instructed lightly.

Yoru character transformed with Ikuto and I watched as they got into bed safely, I gave Yoru and Ikuto one last wave before turning and disappearing into the opened door in the sky.