Yona grimaced and took another step back, catching her own weight. She was nauseated with the pain for an instant, but largely her body was reacting to what it expected came next. Those claws, cleaving through her neck, through her belly, spilling her life's blood across the strange pocket dimension, and her body never to be found. She knew, at least in her head, that they had no plans to kill her. But the sudden and swift onslaught brought about a brief hesitation and a fear. Yona could not trust their intentions, and if this CEO intended to kill her, she knew she would not survive the encounter. Her bag, laden with treasure on her bag, put her further off balance and she used the Blade of Thorns to try to stay upright.
Her lime green eyes were filled for an instant with sick pleasure, having injured and actually hit the CEO who taunted her so. "How did that taste?" She laughed, her voice forced but the sound still genuine. Yona's pride was shattered when her retort was met with the sight of the male's injury simply healing before her eyes. Her bright eyes widened, "What?! No! NO!" She shouted, "Cheater!" To which the male grinned his irksome grin, mocking her further. Was she not strong enough to hit him and deal lasting damage? Was her attack so futile? Worse yet, his words rang in her head as she stumbled back with her exuberance. She landed hard on her rear, hilt still in hand, has anyone ever allowed you to hit them?
Yona closed her eyes and when she re-opened them she found her vision confusing, familiar, nostalgic, yet... real. She shook her head, her body aching, sore all over. She rubbed her arm, her neck, it hurt like a kink stuck in the muscles. She sat up slowly, observing her legs, completely scar free. She stared at them a long time, puzzled, licking her lips. She made a face, tasting... honey? Honey, like the fresh honey from the bees who used the Hisamori greenhouse as home. Honey, like she spread over warm bread for lunch. Yona rubbed her hand through her green hair, and heard the sound of a laughing voice. Her eyes welled up for just a few seconds without really comprehending why, until she turned her head and saw him: Sato.
Her young black haired brother, eight years old, running up behind her with a garland of yellow flower buds. Yona frowned instinctively then, the kid was usually such a nuisance. "Yona Yona Yonaaaa! Were you sleeping again!?" He called out in his high pitched and overly loud voice. The female rubbed her head, back in her fourteen year old body, feeling the strain of being an older sister. "What do I get no privacy?" She snarked back, getting to her feet and struggling. Upon the grassy hill, Yona could see small homes, and several people standing around watching her. "Can I help you?" She demanded rhetorically. With a shake of her head, she grabbed up her brother's hand and started to walk back to their house.
It was warm outside, even in the late afternoon. The silence was nice, the scent of thistle and clover in the field, small clusters of fireflies floating out of the grass as they walked. Sato dropped her hand to skip ahead, nearly shouting once again, "Yona, will the frost ruin the greenhouse?" She sighed, silence broken. "No, Sato, we tell you every year. The plants are safe in there." Sato grinned and tripped over a root. He fell to his knees and then jumped back up as if nothing had happened. Finally, Yona cracked a genuine grin, "Let's get you home." Sato rubbed his hands together and then touched the little yellow garland, growing yet another bloom on the circle of flowers.
"I made this for you, Onēsan, do you like it?" He asked. Yona paused, bending down to take it from him, "You're getting very good at your magic. Someday soon you can help me in the greenhouse. Maybe even this year." Sato smiled broadly, his cheeks dimply and his green eyes bright. He cheered loudly and clapped his hands, taking off from her and racing into the house. She could hear his shouts even from outside. "Dad, dad, dadddd! Yona says I can help in the greenhouse!" Her lips twisted sideways, hoping the kid didn't give her more work to do. She headed inside, rubbing at her aching collarbone and right arm- surely that nap on the hill did her no favors. Whatever dream she had was just pure hell, but at least she was here now.
The hours passed smoothly that night. She ate a simple and fresh dinner made by her father. He promised to teach her the recipe as always, but Yona doubted he would ever get around to it. The large man had bright green hair like she did and Yona admired his skills both in the kitchen and in the garden. She thought he worked her far too hard, never teaching her quite enough to satisfy her, always seeming to hold back. She waited many years and still she had yet to hear that he was proud of her accomplishments. Yona hugged her father, kissing his cheek, and ruffled the hair of her brother. She wished them good night and moved back into her small room. She closed the door, tossed the yellow garland on the nightstand, and fell asleep quickly.
Yona was then awakened by the smell of smoke. She rushed out of bed, feeling slow, sluggish, exhausted. She pounded on the door but it would not open, it was stuck on something. Yona screamed out, her voice in a raw panic, "Dad? Sato?" But she heard only screaming, her father and Sato both, and too far to hear what they were saying. Yona kicked at the door and it came free. She saw the dark hair of her brother, then a shoulder, then his face. Hastily, she grabbed for his arm, pulling Sato into her room. "Come on, I got you." Yona moved towards the window, broke it open with a chair, and crawled out. She reached her hands back in and for once, a very quiet and frightened Sato reached for her arms back. Yona lifted him and held him tight, like she did when he was a toddler.
When she moved around their home, she sighed in relief. She tucked her green hair in behind her left ear and ran to her father, where he stood frantically pacing besides a group of well adorned knights. A small group of maybe six Rune Knights stood there, hands on hips, declaring to her father, "Your house received only minimal damage. Looks like everything is okay."
But her dear father paid no mind to the men clad in green with white capes. By the light of the moon, catching the sight of his children, he ran to them. Yona embraced her father, feeling his large arms wrapped around her and Sato both. "Thank the gods, I was so worried for you." Yona nuzzled her face into his chest, feeling a weight like none other lifted from her chest. She was shaking all over, even though she was safe, not understanding just quite why. "I'm fine, Dad. I'm fine, and so is Sato." In the tight embrace, she finally heard the words she had waited so long to hear. "I am so very proud of you, Yona."