Tears of Fire-

Chapter 1

Mira’s bright red hair glinted in the sun as she turned around to face her friends.  “Hurry up!” she called to the two while waving her arms above her head.

“Why’s she so happy?” questioned the girl with purple hair.

“Did you forget, Kitasa?  Today’s the first day of summer,” said a black haired boy with his hands in his pockets.

“What’s that supposed to mean, Yoshitaka?” questioned Kitasa, tilting her head sideways.

“You did.  I can’t believe it.  Anyway, today is the day that she was going to be told that secret,” Yoshitaka said shaking his head.

“Oh, right!  Now I feel like an idiot,” said the other in reply.  “But who’s going to tell her what?”

Before she could get an answer, however, Mira came and began pulling them down the street by their ears with the poor pair whimpering behind her.

When they had finally got to Mira’s apartment building, the first thing all of them did was check their mail and then follow Mira to her apartment.  In their mail was a package with a letter taped to it.

“Hey, we all got the same thing.  I wonder why,” Kitasa said in an offhand way.

“I told my dad we’re all friends,” Mira said absently, tugging at her letter.

“Your dad?  I didn’t know you had a dad,” asked Yoshitaka quizzically.

“Of course,” said Mira opening her door.  All of them went and plopped down on the couch.  Mira was the first to open and read her letter.  It said:

Dear Mira,

Please accept my sincerest apologies.  I am afraid that that I am guilty of telling a terrible lie.  I am not actually your father, whom I have never met.

I found you with your mother when you were still a little child.  When I tried to tell you a secret, your mother went berserk and ran.  I gave chase and two of my friends followed her.  She tripped and fell, and was dying when I implanted the secret into your mind while my friends tried to heal her.

The secret I can’t write nor speak.  You must discover its meaning on your own, because it changes from soul to soul.  Do NOT under any circumstances open this package if those two friends of yours are there.  You will see why when you open it.

                                                                                                Sincerely,

                                                                                                A Dear Friend

Note: Mira, we hate to inform you that your friend died two days after writing this, his last request being that you and your friends receive your packages on the first day of summer.

Kitasa and Yoshitaka both had letters that basically said not to open it with oust Mira and the other person there and thanked them for being such dear friends to her.  It did not, however, tell them that he was not Mira’s real dad.

“Hey, that was nice of your dad, Mira.  Are you ready to open the package?” Yoshitaka said politely.

“Sure!” she said happily.  The group tore open the tape that kept the cardboard boxes shut.  Inside the box was a bunch of popcorn and three items each surrounded by bubble wrap so that you could not see what they were.

Kitasa, who was never known for patience, managed to open one of hers first.  What fell out of the bubble wrap and onto her lap was almost indescribable.  It was a crystal clear gem on a small necklace.  The necklace, however, was not on a chain but on a white ribbon trimmed with gold.

Yoshitaka and Mira both found something similar, but Yoshitaka’s was colored black and Mira’s red and both were trimmed with gold as well.  Continuing to open packages, they found other treasures.  All had a gem on a ribbon that went around their heads, and colored as the previous gems were.

The last ones, however, were different.  Mira had a gem that attached to her right belt loops and hung down on the left side, slightly below her hips. Yoshitaka had a gem that fit perfectly in his right palm and was attached by to rings that fit on his index and pinkie fingers and on a bracelet.  Kitasa had a similar one that fit in her left hand.

Yoshitaka said very slowly, “Mira, do you have any clue what we are supposed to use these for?”

“I don’t know yet,” she said strapping her things on, “But they are pretty.  Maybe we will figure out latter.”

The instant Mira finished strapping her headpiece on, she felt something inside of her stir.  She closed her eyes and felt something throb inside of her, like a slow and steady pulse.  It soothed her, but yet, it seemed to have a voice of it’s own.  It called to her, yearning to be released.

She brought it forth and called back to it, concentrating it at the palm of her hand.  Seconds later, Kitasa and Yoshitaka both let out a small yelp causing Mira to open her eyes.

There was a small flame glowing in her hand.

AN:  Hello!!  I bet you didn’t see ANY of that coming!  Good, I don’t want you to know what’s happening because otherwise it wouldn’t be any fun, and besides, I bet you actually liked it anyway.