Author's Notes - This is the start of a long story based of a looooong set of RolePlays I've done with many people. Whenever I have someone else's characters here, I'll mention it and give them all credit, but so far all the characters I use are mine and created. But I do thank all the friends who have helped with this due to their great writing abilities, they are the true creators of 'Neverending Crystals'.

Neverending Crystals
The tale of a Princess, a destiny, and an unfulfilled legend...
Chapter 1 - Purinsesu

All stories have to start somewhere... But where should mine start? From a battle? From a dream? From a death? From a birth? Let us begin, from where I can remember.. The little memory I have left in my sanity which remains hidden in my mind, from when I was a small child... I was wealthy, I was happy, and it seemed like I had everything I would ever need. But what did I know? I was only 6 years old.. My Mother was Queen Usagi Kinsei of the Crysta kingdom, a beautiful kingdom known in the land for it's strong army and beautiful magic crystals. My Father had just died, the cause was mysterious and unknown, plus my Mother would not let an investigation occur, meaning the death probably wasn't a mystery at all. I lived in Crysta Palace, at the heart of our city. A strange city in a land called Karan, like a cross between England and Japan. It was strange and kind of medievil, but with a high level of technology, higher than what you would call "modern". We'll start with a day I can remember as I search through my painful memories of loss, love and misfortune, the day a visitor came to the palace...

"Mother, Mother, they're here!!" I shouted as I rushed down the corridor to my Mother's study. I was wearing my usual long frilly white silk dress with small pearls in it, a golden bracelet on my left wrist, and a golden locket around my neck. My long light blonde hair gleamed as I ran, for the gentle sunlight shone through the many windows in the beautiful crystal palace, making my soft blue eyes shimmer slightly. I ran to the door and leaped up to grab the high doorhandle and turned it, to see my Mother inside talking with a group of strange men dressed in black.
"Princess!" My Mother gasped slightly as she approached me. "Please, I've told you not to enter here without my permission!"
"Ohh..." I muttered in my usual way. "But they're here!!" I jumped up and down out of excitement with my normal large happy grin.
"Alright dear. Go and greet them, I shall be there soon, alright?" My Mother smiled so kindly, I remember it so well. She had long silky violet hair and pearly icey blue eyes that made her look like an angel, and she wore a beautiful silky black dress.. She used to wear white, but ever since the King's death she only seemed to wear black and/or grey, it confused me but I didn't mind. Like I said, I was only 6 years old..
"Ok, Mummy!" I smiled, but then quickly corrected myself. "Uhh, I mean, Mother!" I quickly skipped along as my Mother shut the door. I ran as fast as I could to greet the guests, my Mother told me they had news from their kingdom, a peasant and his magical son. I didn't undertstand this at all, what was magic? Did I have it? Was it used to describe something? I never knew any of this, so of coarse I was curious, I wasn't exactly a shy child.
As I got to the palace entrance I bumped head first into a tall thin looking man with a gentle smile. He gently took my hand and helped me up, he wore peasant's rags, which I had never seen before and they looked quite humerous to me. He had short brown hair and soft brown eyes, with a small neat grey beard.
"H-hello... Um, I mean... Greetings!" I stuttered slightly from being so nervous, Mother had never allowed me to greet the guests on my own before, it must have been something I did that allowed me to get such a job, or so I thought at the time. "I am Princess Kasumi Usagi Felicity Kinsei of Crysta, my Mother the Queen shall arrive soon, you are welcome to enter the Palace." I smiled, my neat posh English accent stood out so well as I heard the man talk, he sounded slightly oriental.
"I thank you, Princess." Was all I heard him say as he walked past me, and then I saw him.. A young boy, about 7 or so, with short neat black hair and sharp cat-like golden eyes. He looked strange, like he was part feline or something, and he wore the clothes of a Prince.
"Hello!" I bursted into the poor boy's ear and he fell backwards in shock, so of coarse I laughed. I was too lively sometimes, I often scared the maid's daughters and got into fights with the maid's sons.
"Uhh..." The boy slowely got to his feet and glared, a little angry. "You must be Kasumi..."
"WRONG! I am Princess Kasumi Usagi Felicity Kinsei!" I blurted out and tried not to laugh as the boy smirked in a teasing way. Yes, I was Princess Kasumi of Crysta, the only identity I'd ever known..
"Well, I'll just call you 'Sumi' then."
"Huh!? No way, you shall call me Princess!" I loved to have authority, I was born with it. As I look back, I realise what a petite brat I was at times.
"Sure, sure, Sumi." The strange boy grinned as he followed after his Father, leaving me to stand and pout in anger.
Later, at meal time, myself, Mother, the boy and the boy's Father sat around the large table in the even larger dining room. I picked away at my food rather than eating it, I never was one to eat much, explaining my weakness and thin figure.
"So, you say your boy has powers..?" The Queen glanced up in a questioning manner at the boy's Father.
"Yes, your highness... His Mother was a Goddess, you see. He seems to have... Strange gifts. I heard about your magic teachings in Crysta, and, well, I..." His voice was soft and gentle, as if all he wanted to do was help his son, and nothing else, like his own life was meaningless, I had never seen or heard anyone act like this before, I'd only known wealth and greed.
"I understand... Kasumi, why don't you show Crescent the gardens..?" My Mother looked to me sharply as she always did when she truely wanted me to do something.
"But, Mother, I haven't finished.." I whined, but as I saw her eyes narrow into a glare I soon changed my thoughts. "Uh, yes Mother.." I quickly got down from the table, followed by Crescent (the strange magical feline boy) and lead him to the gardens.
I walked over to the Koi pond and looked down at the cute golden fish swimming back and forth, he approached me with caution.
"Sumi.." His voice seemed quiet, and so unlike before, I'd never heard this tone...Except from after my Father died, and my Mother spoke to me.. "I mean, Princess..."
"Uh, what is it, Crescent?" I turned around to face him with a smile.
"We'll meet again... I won't be here for long.. You have magic, Princess. Please, promise me you'll remember, you'll remember me.. Never forget, you cannot.. You're destiny is similar to mine, never forget me. And, don't forget your soul..." His eyes seemed so cold and his words confused me. What was he talking about..? I didn't understand, I don't think I ever will.. He was just a small boy like me, why did he speak this way... To me..
"Crescent.. I, I don't understand" I spoke the truth, as I was always taught to by my Father.
"You will, one day..." Crescent sat down on a bench by the pond, so I sat next to him. I thought about his words, they played over and over in my mind, it was so weird. I had lead a very sheltered life, and only now had I began to think about that. That's when something very strange happened... Crescent leaned over to me, his lips near mine, I totally froze. He was going to... I hit him, I just hit him. Just like that, smack, right in the face, causing him to go flying into the pond. "What was that for!?" He growled angrily and attempted to climb out the pond, causing him to slip over backwards into the water.
"Crescent, never EVER try to kiss me!!" I tried to look serious but ended up in a fit of laughter as Crescent weakly got out of the pond, totally wet and shivering. Just as I went to ask him if he was alright, his Father quickly went up to him.
"Crescent, we must leave... What happened to you!?" He was shocked and confused, so looked to me.
"I apologise, um... It was my fault" I said with slight truth, no longer laughing as I realised my cruelness.
"It was my fault, Father. Do not worry, let us leave now." Crescent smiled at me as him and his Father left. I was left to stand in confusion. Why did they have to leave? Had I done something wrong? I'm sorry... I'm sorry Crescent, I shouldn't have pushed you. Yet I hate affection, I hate closeness, and he knew that... I went to go see my Mother when suddenly a hand grasped my shoulder, causing me to quickly turn around in shock. It was a tall young man of about 16 years old with long beautiful dark purple hair and icey blue eyes like my Mother's, he wore a dark mage's outfit and a sweet smile was on his face.
"Princess, your Mother is in a bad mood right now, I suggest you do not talk to her yet... Okay?" He spoke with kindness in his voice, he always did..
"Yes, Sato-san." I replied quickly, I always did what he told me to, he was like a hero to me, like a brother. He was my teacher, my sword and martial arts trainer, and my magic controller, Satoshi Tejiri, a boy who lived in the Palace that seemed to have no purpose. He was there at my birth, he knew my Father and was close to him..
Later that night I lay in my bed staring at the ceiling, everything felt so differant. Before I was a happy lively child who had everything she needed and loved to have fun and play games, but now I knew my true feelings. I hid the sadness of my Father's death, the Father I loved so much, with every inch of my heart. I hated this place, I wanted to leave, become a mage, a warrior, anything but a stupid weakling of a Princess! I heard my Mother talk about me often, how weak my soul and skills were, and I knew that the people of Crysta agreed, but I ignored this.. I just pretended I never heard it, as if everything was alright and ok. This was the start of my true vision, my savior light, my guiding torch to a realm of magic and happiness... But, I was so wrong. I never had true happiness, and I doubt I'll get it yet.
I climbed out of bed and walked over to my dressing table to pick up my locket which I had taken off when I got changed for bed. I picked it up slowely, admiring it's beautiful chain and cute dragon carving on the front. I opened it carefully to see a crystal on one side, and a blue gem in the shape of a tear on the other. Suddenly a quiet sad tune began to play, it echoed through my mind and soul. A tune that seemed so familiar and yet was unknown to everyone, it brought words to my mind that could not be heard, and the sound was like pure heaven itself, no instrument, no voice, just a magical tune... It brought joy, yet it was a sad melody, as confusing as when I recieved the locket... It was my 5th birthday, Satoshi gave it to me.. He said it belonged to his Father's Mother and was to be passed down to his daughter, but instead he wanted me to have it... I didn't understand, I didn't even know Satoshi had a Father because he lived in the palace before my birth, I didn't know much about his mysterious life. Then again, Satoshi was kind of like a Father now, for King Kinsei was dead...

In Chapter 2, this small saga shall continue. And when it's finished, more memories continue as Kasumi searches through her mind to bring out her life story as her sanity slowely disappears. Please review, as long as I get at least 1 review I'll continue, and I plan to have more interesting events in the next chapter. Arigatou, Ai no tenshi wa hohoende'ru yo

Kawarinaku Kinsei