#(i'm so happy to hear that homu is your favorite pmmm character!)

[clarafell]

@sunsdrop has made a contract.          —         ★

Tonight, on a particularly quiet night, is when a new light takes the the stage across the sky. There are no softly glowing lantern nights filling the bleak night sky tonight. Only a single streak of purple light soars across the night sky, mesmerizing everyone who witnesses the shooting star with a mix of unfathomable love and bittersweet longing. It moves slow, pulsing with shades of purple. The citizens of Corona Kingdom, for one splitting moment, think the purple light of the shooting star must be a symbolic scene of the future... Is it a sign that maybe, just maybe, their lost princess will finally appear?

The more hopeful folk that witness the strange star are filled with inspiration as the star's magic fills them. They begin working on their lanterns for their lost princess, hit with inspiration to really make the lanterns as captivating as the star. They bring their loved ones closer, sharing in the beauty of the purple star. They cannot explain why the star is such an unthinkable color, but they are positive that nothing is wrong. To them, the world is full of brand new surprises at every corner.

Not everyone who sees the blaze of the star are filled with love, however. Others, the ones with shards of negativity in their hearts, are filled with a deep despair. They clutch at their hearts, stabbed by the heartache. Longing glazes over their eyes as they drift to sleep. Something is wrong, so very wrong. But they cannot pinpoint the reason why. All they can do is blame the sight of the wicked shooting star.

Then, without warning, the star lands deep within the forest...

Time moves forward, uncaring and unfeeling.

Homura finally awakens within a semi-small crater in the middle of a dark clearing, though she initially mistakes it for a freshly dug grave. She hears the sound of rushing water and the chirping of crickets. She cannot see so well, she notices. It's the middle of the night. Staying true as her companion, the moonlight from above gives her enough light to distantly make out a looming structure. Though she couldn't make out the details, it looked like a tower—

Is that the Isolation Field? Panic grips at her chest at the same, heavy as the blade of a guillotine. It's anxiety, she registers. An image, a memory perhaps, of a flower-shaped tower begins to surface in her mind the longer she stares at the looming building. It is dark as night, shaped like a rose. The very top of the Isolation Field is a pitch-dark rose, blossoming. Confusion mingles with the dread in the pit of her stomach, but she still stares up at the tower.

What is... But what is the Isolation Field? A jolt of pain pierces her head, instantly causing a sharp cry to leave her lips. It is both her prison and her grave, something in the back of her hazy mind answers back to her. Run, it urges her. But run from what?

Homura forces her body to move, though every muscle in her body is screaming in pain. She keeps moving until she rises back to her feet. She takes a step, but she soon stumbles back onto her knees. She is weak, she notices. Unable to ignore the pounding urge of anxiety, she forces herself to keep moving. She begins to crawl until she reaches out of the crater, noticing the damage of the clearing.

The rest of the forest is unarmed. The tower looms above her, imposing as a really tall figure. She sees a light in the distance, almost like the blaze of a torch. It looked like an hovering red eye as it moves in the darkness, threatening to come closer— They are always watching you. So many eyes are watching you, ready to begin their next wave of torture on your soul with no remorse. The thought invades her mind as she stares, cloaked by darkness.

Even if she is cloaked by the comfort of darkness, she cannot shake the spark of uneasiness from her weary mind. The sensation of being watched by a thousand floating eyes, red and emotionless, blooms within her mind. Get away, get away, get away— Yes, that's what she needs to do—

She pulls herself back to her feet, feeling as shaky as a fawn.

She takes hasty steps back and back until she slips away, fleeing from the damage of the crater. She keeps walking blindly in the forest, not caring if she made noise. Her long hair is caught by the forest as scratches bruise her exposed arms, nipping at her face. It's cold tonight, but she keeps moving. She looks back every now and then, hoping to evade the light. To avoid that cold, warmthless tower.

Shaped like a diamond, this purple gemstone on the ground catches her attention. It glows, but the more confusing part is how she feels something coming from it— She stares at it, transfixed enough to come to a total stop. The pulse of energy calls out to her. It's the most familiar feeling she has known. She doesn't know where she is, but the beautiful glow of the light still calls out to her. She doesn't feel familiar, she can barely remember who she is, but the glowing light feels like... hers.

Except it wasn't hers.

The diamond gemstone is attached to the tail of a black lizard, small and lithe. It stares at her with unblinking eyes. The eyes, she noticed with a mix of surprise, are actually gemstones. They match the color of gemstone hanging from its tail, smooth and lacking any sign of normal life. Its mouth, however, is frozen in a wide grin. A coiling tongue hangs out, black as the rest of its body.

In all honesty, Homura could easily mistaken it as some kind of toy... But, without warning, it lifts its head to look up her. Purple eyes stare back at her, glowing more faintly compared to the radiant gemstone.

It cocks its head to the side, though it doesn't make a single noise. She can barely see the details of the lizard's body in all the darkness. Homura takes a step forward, wise enough to be cautious... It doesn't move, standing its ground. No, it wasn't just brave. It looks a lot more relaxed, almost as if it recognized her.

She takes another step, raising her hand to grab it.

As soon as it notices her arm's movement is when the lizard mischievously begins to scamper away. It doesn't completely dart into the bushes, however. It shows off, racing up a tall tree until it looms above her on a tree branch. The tail sways coyly, almost as if taunting her to try to grab the gemstone now. For a moment, Homura only stares in shock. It doesn't take long until her shock begins to sour into frustration, perhaps a mix of humiliation.

They were alone, yes, but she did not appreciate being toyed with by some... some weird-looking lizard. Homura opens her mouth to finally speak, though she had no idea what what she would even say to the lizard.

A loud snap of a branch from her right side instantly brings her back to her surroundings. The lizard jumps down from its branch, landing effortlessly on her shoulder. She tries to grab it, but it has more quicker reflexes. It avoids her grasp, naturally. What she didn't expect is how it reaches up to curl against her ear. It feels slightly warm, but she doesn't think it actually has blood and organs.

At first, she thought it was going to harm her ear somehow— But all it does is hug around her ear, arranging itself neatly until it resembles an earring. To be more specific, an ear cuff. Suddenly, the lizard loses life as it begins to fit more snugly on her ear. The warmth is gone, replaced by the cold touch of a piece of jewelry. Homura reaches her hand to touch the lizard, but she is shocked to just feel the cold touch of a lizard-shaped jewelry. Her wandering hand feels strange engravings on its back, almost like the runes is some kind of name.

Move ahead, move ahead! A voice whispers into her ear, childlike. She swears she is losing it from the fall, perhaps maybe even damaged her head. Her body is already hurting, so she wouldn't be surprised if she is hallucinating.

A soul is near! So bright, so bright! Follow her, follow her!

How can she even find someone when the eager whisper in her ear refuses to give her any form direction? But... She does feel a pull in the general direction, something like a tug in her body. It coursed through her body, almost as if she could sense the presence of someone else.

She stands there, still relieved the snap of a branch turned out to be only part of the wildlife. She wasn't sure what it was, but it encouraged her to move forward until she found herself stumbling onto a worn path. It was a road, she noticed. She kept falling down the road, trying to chase away the growing fatigue. She doesn't know how long she walks, but she comes to the edge of the forest.

A figure stood at the edge of the forest, carrying a lantern. She couldn't make out the details, but what she did notice is the very long length of her hair. It's dazzling under the moonlight, but Homura finds herself too worn out to examine the details. She slumps against a tree, using it for support. She wished she dressed more warmly to combat the night's chill.

❝ Who... Who are you? ❞ Homura mumbles out the question to the hazy silhouette, but she already knows the question is not for the stranger.

It's for herself.