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[AstraKiseki]

Chapter One
Harmony


"Harm, we need to talk."

Harmony looked up from her homework, brown eyes blinking. "Yeah, Christina?"

"You need to stop playing that stupid computer game, whatever it's called."

"Baldur's Gate 2." Harmony supplied innocently. "And why? It does no harm to me."

Christina shook her head. "It does. You play on the computer every single spare moment you have."

Harmony's eyes narrowed. "Not every moment, Christina. I eat and sleep."

"One, you eat while you're playing. Three, I've found you asleep with your head on the keyboard countless times. I simply don't get how you can pull your grades!" Christina snapped.

Harmony shrugged. "I suppose it's a gift. By and by, that's two things you pointed out, not three." She returned to her work. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to finish this assignment."

"Finish it at home!"

The bus ran over a bump as Harmony rolled her eyes. "It is just easier to finish it here. I'm not tempted to play anything on the bus."

Christina sighed. "It's no use, is it?"

"If I recall correctly, I said something like that in seventh grade about your little boy band obsession. I quote you in this. 'Damn straight.'" Harmony grinned.

Christina grinned wanly. "At least that game doesn't get in between our friendship."

Harmony chuckled. "Or is it because you haven't tried to get in between the game and myself?"

Christina laughed brightly. "What is it about this game that has you so focused?"

"The characters, the story, the graphics, the mods." Harmony said, looking at her homework.

"Bullshit. You're blushing." Christina retorted in a sing-song voice.

Harmony looked at Christina, speaking in a dead voice. "I am in love with a bloody non-player character."

[AstraKiseki]

Chapter Two
Starlight, star bright


"Harm, is there something wrong?"

Harmony looked from the food she was idly picking at, and up at her grandmother with a sigh. "No, Nanna. I just want to go outside."

Nanna looked outside into the cold clear night of Southern California. "We are in a safe neighborhood, and you are a strong girl. I suppose you can go outside. But dress warmly."

Harmony smiled and stood from the dinner table, heading for her room. She slipped in like a shadow, and changed out of her normal 'homey' clothes of sweatpants and a tank top, into a simple long-sleeved t-shirt and warm pants. Instead of a jacket, Harmony took her prized possession, a brown cloak that her aunt had made for her mother well before her birth. Nanna often claimed it had magic within it.

Harmony rolled her eyes as she wrapped herself in the cloak, grinning. Magic wasn't real, and neither was the one person she had a crush on. She stepped outside with a frown, back to thinking on him. She was sorely tempted to slam her head into the door, but...

She shut the door and began to walk on the sidewalk, her mind swirling about like snowflakes in the wind, an occurance rare in this part of California.

Harmony looked up at the few stars not drowned by the light.

"Starlight, starbright,
Oh, only stars I see this winter night,
I wish with hope shining bright,
that you will bless me with one sweet night." Harmony recited her version of the rhyme, speaking with a catch in her voice. A gust of chill wind blew then, and Harmony opened her eyes.

"Now, care to explain how you got here, fair lady?"