justice

Chapter Six

When Just opened her eyes, she was no longer in her bed. Instead, she was lying down in the middle of a huge, grassy field. She stood up and brushed herself off. Walking in no particular direction, she slowly wandered into a thick copse of fir trees. She tried to bat the branches away so she could see, but every time she batted one away, another came back and hit her in the face. As she was about to turn around, she heard the buzz of a saw and the screeeeeee of the saw hitting wood. She shielded her head with her hands as sawdust went everywhere. When she moved her arms, she saw someone shrouded in a huge cloak. It was a dark green, the same color as the fir trees.

'C'mere.' said the person. Just cautiously walked towards them. They held out a stone, and Just eyed it suspiciously.

'Jeez, don't you trust me?' said Cloak. Just shook her head when she realized that she could not speak. Cloak leaned back and sighed. He turned to leave, then turned back super fast and threw the stone right at her face. Just screamed, then grabbed her throat, surprised at the sound.

"Really, Justice.' said Cloak. 'Not all strangers are dangerous.'

Just woke up in cold sweat. Looking around, she saw that she was still in her bed, deep within the tree. She shook her head and got out of bed. There by the bed was a tree stump, and on it was a fresh pair of clothes. It was a light green shirt with a dark green tunic to wear over it. There was a light green belt with a buckle, and dark brown leggings that looked to be woven out of tree bark. Below that, on the ground, was a long white flower petal to tie her hair back with, and a pair of red-cuffed boots.

Just quickly changed, and stuffed her ratty old clothes and backpack into a leather satchel hanging by the bed. Heading towards the entrance, she was stopped by the guardian wind spirit. What was her name... Nellson? Belly?

"Nellie?" asked Just, groggily.

"Yes, that's me, the udara spirit." said the spirit. "You and Tee are off in a few hours."

"We...we are?"

Nellie sighed. "Yes! Wow, who would've thought that such a long time in Otherplace would have changed you so much!"

"Wait-you know what I used to be like? What...my family used to be like?"

"Yes. You were just this age when you went to confront the Evil. Your daily...if you had one, I never met them. But we decided it best for you to restart your life in the Otherplace, after you were wounded by the Evil. Tee brought you back just when he was supposed to."

"You sound like you know him so well."

A sad smile crossed Nellies' face. "I did. You know, Tee is the Chosen Asset. He is the Chosen Member to help you on your quest. He and I used to be close, until he chose you over me."

Just was confused. She had done this before? If so, why did she not remember any of it? And Tee had chosen between them? What did that mean? Nellie sensed her confusion, and turned away.

"Look, the past does not matter now. He still likes you better, even after all this time. But I will not hold it against you. I can wind-transport you as far as the Chasm of Screams, and I can make that banana leaf you have there a map, but then, I can't help you. My powers are limited to begin with, Just."

Just turned to her in shock.

Nellie immediately blushed with self-consciousness. "What? What is it? Did I say something wrong?"

Just shook her head and said quickly, "No! No, not at all! I was just so happy and surprised that you did not call me the Maiden or missus or something like that! Thank you!"

Now Nellie looked even more confused. "Oh, well-"

Just grinned, and looked at Nellie. She had pure white skin, and long light black hair with white tips. She had dark eyes framed by said hair. She had a light blue crop top which ended in tatters that fluttered in the breeze. Below that, she had on a dark-blue-and-purple layered skirt. She didn't have any shoes. Attached to her wrists were long strips of gauzy light blue fabric. She was, in short, beautiful. Just hoped that they could be friends one day.

"Hey guys." said Tee, walking up behind them. Nellie straightened and nodded to Tee.

"Morning." she said stiffly. She motioned to a table a few feet away. On it was a tray of food that Just had not noticed before.

"Go on and eat up, Tee." said Nellie. Tee nodded and went over to eat an apple. Nellie stole a glance at Just and smiled slightly. "You go too, Maiden. You have a long journey ahead of you." Just started to say something, but Nellie stopped her. "Just, go. Please trust me."

Just nodded, and went to fill her pack with the oranges and loaves of ciabatta she saw. As she walked away, she heard Nellie say one last thing.

"Good luck, Just."

Just walked up beside Tee and pulled out her banana leaf/prophecy/map. Sure enough, there was the Forest of Isolation, the Palace of Wealth, and a small clearing labeled PORTAL. Beyond that, the map was murky, but Just could just make out the words CHASM OF SCREAMS and FIELDS OF DESPAIR.

"Well, that sounds uplifting." said Tee, motioning to the map. "I have heard about that place. They say that for every tree you touch, a single pang of despair chips away at your heart. There are not that many trees, though, so you just avoid them. They are open fields, after all." Just nodded, eyeing a huge chunk of cheese. She was about to reach for it when she heard a familiar gravelly voice.

"Maiden, are you going already?"

Just turned and bowed to the King, who fussied her up almost immediatly.

"Well, if you two are going, then go! I have a conference I need to attend, but good luck!"

The King went and ran off as soon as he had come. Tee turned to Just, who had just finished stuffing her backpack with food. She turned and nodded to Nellie, who nodded back. Just felt her hair swirl around her head in a fierce windstorm as Nellie lifted the pair into the air and swept them away towards the Chasm of Screams.

"Good luck, Just." she whispered. "May the udara grant you safe passage."