When The Stars Align (WTSA)

Act 1 - Premonition

I looked up at the now dim-lit sky and reached for Motoki's wrist with a watch wrapped around it, forgetting that I had my own. I held his warm hand as I checked the time. It was past my curfew! I looked up back at him with a tense expression as he looked both concerned and confused. "What's wrong, Honoka?" He asked me, releasing my hand from his.

"My curfew passed- and now my mom's gonna be really, upset and angry with me as soon as I get home! And I really-" I rambled as my body tensed up. "I just gotta get home!" I yelled as I scrambled out there. "Bye, Honoka!" Motoki shouted in the distance.

I continued to run down the sidewalk, slowly losing energy causing me to slow down. I checked my watch as I came to a stop. It was even later, but this gave me an idea. "I should buy my mom a gift, so maybe my punishment won't be as harsh and I can use it as an on why I was so late." I thought to myself.

I looked around to see if there were any gift or even jewelry stores around. I quickly spotted a jewelry store in the corner of my eye, flowing with customers. "If so many people are there, it must be full quality right?" I thought to myself as I ran to the store to get a spot in line.

As I walked into the store, I began feeling a bit uneasy. "Something about this store doesn't feel right." My gut told me. I just ignored it as I stared at my watch, watching the time go by. As I got more bored with just staring at my watch, I began looking around the store.

I quickly noticed a girl standing next to the clerk. She had brunette waves that shook when she moved, her hair came to her chin, and a green bow peeked behind her ears. She was also wearing the Juban Middle School uniform. The girl seemed to be looking around and staring at people, investigating them. I moved up the line, being next in line now.

But, I soon noticed why the girl was looking around.

All the customers who had purchased previously purchased the products in the store began to look sleepy. They began wobbling around the store, some even falling to the ground. Suddenly, the clerk began to transform into a blood-curdling monster and began to attack the brunette girl that was just next to her.

I scream in horror watching the monster lift the girl. Her legs dangled in the air as the monster brought her up by her arms. Both the monster and the girl looked at me, the monster staring directly into my eyes. It quickly put its hand over her face, dropping her as soon as it finished, and began charging at me.

I attempted to run back in the direction I came from, my hair whipping me as I turned, but instead tripped on my shoes and fell flat on my stomach. Still, on the floor, I turned my head around. The monster seemed to be approaching me even faster.

"Someone help!" I screamed, even louder than before. As the footsteps got louder and closer, my stomach began to churn and I began to say small prayers, hoping for anything less than death. As a big shadow approached me, I shut my eyes tight, bracing for impact.

But nothing seemed to happen.

I peeked my eyes open to see a rose charging between the monster and me. The rose hit the ground, almost piercing the monster's hand as it jumped away from me. I looked up to see where the rose had come from. Still aware of my surroundings, I backed away from the monster and looked around.

"Huh, what?"

To my surprise, the rose had seemed to come from nowhere as there was nobody awake other than the monster, to throw the rose between us. I began to hear shuffling. I turned my head to see that the monster was no longer distracted by the rose, and began to chase after me once again. I swept up my bag, ready to swing it, as it came closer.

But before I could properly stand up, a pair of strong arms swept me up from under my feet and took me outside of the jewelry store. As they jumped up to a tall building, ahead of the jewelry store, their grip on my thighs hardened, turning them red.