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There really was no place like Maple Delta. The gentle sounds of the water flowing. How the wind blew through the air and caused a symphony of nature to play in Klaudia’s ears. Striking leaves of orange and red hues covered the trees of the forest. Every aspect of this place always captivated Klaudia. It was one of her favorite places to be. At least once the monsters were cleared out of course.
“Klaudia!”
A bright and cheery voice called out. Klaudia didn’t even have to look back to know who it belonged to. Once her eyes had met Ryza the alchemist started jogging over faster.
“Whew! Sorry, I’m late. I got distracted by this new recipe I wanted to try.” Ryza offered an apologetic smile. A smile which made Klaudia’s heart flutter for a second. She quickly stared down at her hands and shook her head.
“You don’t have to apologize.” Klaudia let a beat pass between them. “So, what did you want to show me out here?” She gently dragged her foot on the ground causing some dirt to stir. As she asked the question Klaudia tucked some hair behind her ear.
“I want to show you this!” Ryza held out her hands with a little fanfare tune. A pair of dark brown shoes rested there. Soft white wings graced both sides of the footwear.
“Oh! These are so cute,”
Klaudia’s words made a blush of pride color Ryza’s cheeks.
“I know but that’s not the coolest part!” Ryza moved the winged shoes to one hand then immediately reached out and grabbed Klaudia’s.
The merchant’s daughter blushed at the sudden touch but was pulled out of her thoughts as soon as Ryza started running forward.
“Wait! W-Where are we going?” Klaudia asked as she tried her best to keep up with her friend’s speed.
“You’ll see!” Ryza looked back with a grin then kept running until she suddenly stopped. Klaudia worked to catch her breath and took in the surrounding area. It looked like the rest of the red forest. It was a beautiful spot by some of the grass covered stones but Klaudia was still confused about what had gotten Ryza so excited. She wasn’t sure what her friend wanted to show her.
“I wanted to show you how these shoes worked. “
Klaudia’s eyes met her friend’s again. It was almost as if Ryza had heard her inner thoughts.
“I’m gonna show Lent and Tao too, eventually, but I wanted you to be the first.” Ryza had a smile on her face as always but this one looked different. It was a shy one. Klaudia was stuck on that fact until she felt Ryza’s hands take hers.
Her heart beat pounded against her chest and Klaudia struggled to find the words. Suddenly a gust of wind surrounded her. On instinct, Klaudia closed her eyes and held onto Ryza’s hands tighter when her body started to feel as light as a feather.
“I’ve got you.”
Ryza’s voice tickled Klaudia’s ear causing her to open her eyes. Her face burned a deeper shade of red when she saw how close her friend was to her. Ryza was holding her. The distance between them was so small. Their lips were so close together that they could almost-
Klaudia’s heart fluttered a fast-tempoed melody.
“Pretty cool, huh?” Ryza beamed. “How does it feel to be flying?”
“Flying?” Klaudia looked down and gasped. They were in midair. Their feet were no longer on the ground.
“Well, I guess it’s more floating but same difference.” Ryza laughed. “I love this,” She held onto Klaudia and spun around. The scenery around them turned into a colorful tapestry of greens, reds and blues. It was stunning and it would’ve taken Klaudia’s breath away if Ryza hadn’t already done it first.
“So, do you like it?” Ryza stared at her friend with anxious anticipation.
“Yeah,” Klaudia nodded. “ I do.”
“Really? Yes!!!” Ryza spun them around again and laughed. “Oh man, I was really hoping you would! I stayed up all night trying to get these ready for today and,” She continued to talk on and on about the alchemical process. Klaudia listened with a gentle smile. She couldn’t seem to stop looking into Ryza’s joyful eyes. How the light seemed to bring out the faint specks of gold in her amber brown eyes.
There was going to be a lot that Klaudia was going to add in her diary today. It was all going to be about the wonderful memories and feelings Ryza gave her. All about this amazing energetic girl and this wonderful summer she fell for her.