A Visitor

A tear slipped from her eye, and Mike wiped it away with his thumb.

Then, slowly, her lips parted, and she let out a breath of laughter. "A warrior, huh?" she murmured.

Mike grinned. "Yeah. And a damn good one, too."

Fanta laughed again, this time louder, and the sound was like music. Pure. Light. Beautiful. Mike found himself chuckling along with her.

"Oh, look at you," he teased, nudging her playfully.

She nudged him back.

The fire crackled to life beside them, casting a warm glow over their faces. The moment felt… right. Like the world had paused just for them.

Fanta lay back in the grass, her head resting against Mike's chest.

"Can you hear the sound of my heart?" Mike asked softly.

Fanta closed her eyes, listening. The steady thump-thump-thump beneath her ear made her smile.

"Yeah," she murmured. "It goes beep, beep, beep—oh wait, no. Yours goes doo, doo, doo, doo."

Mike chuckled. "You're ridiculous."

They lay there, watching the stars blink to life above them, neither wanting the moment to end.

"If you listen closely," Mike murmured, "you'll hear my heart spelling your name a thousand times over."

Fanta smirked. "Meh. My name is not doo, doo, doo, doo."

Mike grinned. "You little—"

Before he could finish, he attacked her sides, fingers dancing over her ribs as he tickled her mercilessly. Fanta shrieked, laughter spilling from her lips as she tried to escape his grasp. They rolled through the grass, their laughter echoing through the forest, until finally—Fanta landed on top of him.

She hovered over him, her violet hair falling around them like a curtain.

Mike's breath caught.

Then, she leaned down and kissed him.

It was soft at first, hesitant, but as he pulled her closer, it deepened into something more. Something urgent. Something real.

Here I am, kissing an angel from heaven, Mike thought.

Here I am, kissing someone who actually likes me, Fanta thought.

When they finally pulled away, Fanta whispered, "I've never been kissed before."

Mike smiled. "Ain't I the lucky one?"

Fanta laughed. "It's better than the books said."

Mike smirked. "Oh really? Wanna do it again?"

Fanta's face flushed. She quickly got off him. "I think not. It's making me feel… some kind of way."

Mike arched an eyebrow. "What way?"

Fanta crossed her arms. "A way people probably feel when they want to make babies. And I don't want babies. Not in this forest."

Mike burst out laughing. "Hey, don't worry. I can't fall pregnant either."

Their laughter filled the night.

And for the first time in both their lives, they weren't alone.

As their laughter settled into soft giggles and the night wrapped around them like a warm embrace, Mike stretched his arms behind his head, gazing at the stars. Fanta remained beside him, resting her head on his chest, listening to the rhythmic beating of his heart. It was a melody she never wanted to forget.

"You know," Mike murmured, his voice carrying a sense of awe, "it's funny how I'm having the time of my life in the middle of all this danger. I've nearly been killed twice, yet here I am, lying in the grass, laughing with the most amazing girl in the world."

Fanta tilted her head up to look at him. "The most amazing girl, huh?" she teased.

"Yeah," Mike said, turning to face her. "And I don't say that lightly. Fanta, you're... different. Special. I don't mean because of what you did back there—though that was insane—but because of you. The way you see the world, the way you make me feel... I've traveled all over the planet, but nothing—nothing—compares to this moment right here."

Fanta smiled, but there was hesitation in her eyes. "Mike..." Her voice softened, almost trembling.

He turned on his side to face her fully. "Yeah, baby, what's up?"

Fanta looked away, her fingers tracing shapes in the grass. "I've never had someone say those things to me before." She let out a nervous laugh. "Back in Ogamba, I was either invisible or a curse. Now, I'm a warrior, a demon, a savior... and to you, I'm the most amazing girl in the world? It's a lot to process."

Mike reached over and tucked a strand of violet hair behind her ear. "You don't have to process it all tonight. Just know that it's real. I'm real. And I'm not going anywhere."

Fanta swallowed hard. The idea of someone staying—of someone choosing her—was foreign, terrifying even. But looking into Mike's warm, steady eyes, she wanted to believe it.

She let out a breath. "Okay."

Mike grinned. "Good."

For a while, they simply lay there, listening to the night creatures stirring in the distance. The air smelled of damp earth, firewood, and the faint lingering scent of Fanta's floral aura. Mike closed his eyes, feeling a deep sense of peace.

"Mike," Fanta whispered after a long pause.

"Mhmm?"

"You do know that these grasses are littered with poisonous snakes, right?"

Mike's eyes shot open.

"Wait, what?"

Before he could fully react, a voice cut through the air, smooth and deliberate.

"Yes, they are," the voice said. "And it's a miracle neither of you has been bitten yet."

Mike jerked upright, his hand instinctively reaching for his pocket knife. Fanta was already alert, sitting up with her hands firmly on the ground, ready to spring into action.

From behind a thick tree, a shadow stepped forward, illuminated by the flickering glow of their fire. It was a woman—tall, regal, with skin kissed by the sun and eyes like molten amber. She wore a deep green cloak that blended seamlessly with the forest. Her posture was calm, composed, but her gaze was piercing, observing them as if she already knew them inside out.

"I come in peace," she said, raising her hands slightly. "My name is Sakura."

Mike didn't lower his guard. "You speak English."

Sakura gave a slow nod. "I speak many languages. And I've been watching you two for some time now."

Fanta narrowed her eyes. "Why?"

Sakura studied her for a moment, as if deciding how much to reveal. Then she took a slow step forward. "Because you, girl with the violet hair, are not ordinary. And I suspect you don't fully understand what you are."

Fanta's heart pounded in her chest.

Mike positioned himself slightly in front of her. "Okay, see, that's not creepy at all. What do you want?"

Sakura tilted her head, her expression unreadable. "To help her." She met Fanta's gaze. "To help you."

Fanta's fingers curled into the dirt beneath her. Something deep inside her told her that this moment—this woman—was important. She could feel it in her bones.

"Help me with what?" she asked cautiously.

Sakura smiled slightly. "With unlocking the truth of who you really are."

And just like that, the peaceful night turned electric with the weight of something unknown, something big.

The stars above twinkled as if they, too, were holding their breath for what came next.