Minda's Twin (Observer)

[observer]

"Yes. Not many in the village know about it. You are lucky my son was helping this old woman up there to rest her weary bones." The old woman smiled. "Though he is likely to be a bit shy not that you're awake..." She said, looking over her shoulder as her son prepared some tea.

[The Master of the World]

"Shy? Why would he be shy? I'm not one to judge." Haruka said.

[observer]

"Oh it's not just because of you. He's been worried about losing me as he lost his former love." She said. "A stranger had come into the village a few years back and taken a liking to her. She spent more time with him than my son as the weeks passed. Something about the outsider though had not sat well with him, so when the two went to leave he followed. He was right to be concerned though...The stranger was more than he seemed."

[The Master of the World]

"Really now? That's a shame." Haruka said.

[observer]

"I think he is still haunted by her screams...And with my age I'm not long for this world. His father passed years ago, so when I'm gone he'll be all alone." The old woman said sadly.

[The Master of the World]

"Well...maybe I can look after him for you." Haruka said.

[observer]

"I couldn't ask you to do that...Especially not in your condition." The old woman said.

[The Master of the World]

"Please, I feel fine now." she said.

[observer]

Sitting up Haruka winced in pain. "No need to put on a brave face for me. You did fall out of a plane after all."

[The Master of the World]

"Yeah...I did." she said. "But...I still wanna help him."

[observer]

"Help him by recovering first. I know the old stories said the spring had magical powers, but I doubt they are that magical. They hardly do anything for my old bones." The old woman said. "What kind of magical powers?" Haruka asked.

[The Master of the World]

"Like...bringing back the dead or flying through the skies?" she asked.

[observer]

"Please. If it could bring back the dead then surely it would have worked on my son's lost love." The old woman said. "No, the old stories say it could revitalize a person and ease their pain. But those are just stories." The old woman said as she slowly got up. "Just like the stories of other springs further up the mountain. Though those ones are supposedly guarded by various creatures and yokai."

[The Master of the World]

"I see..." Haruka said as she slowly got up. "Then I'll just have to steal from them."

[observer]

"What? You can't. The way up into the mountains is treacherous. Especially after the rock slide." The old woman said as Haruka took a step toward the door. The old woman was in shock. The girl's injuries should have left her in bed for weeks if not months.