Thoughts A-Swirling, Like a Sakura Petal

Hitomi stood underneath the boughs of a sakura blossom tree, watching the petals fall around her. It was quite serene, and it allowed her to think freely. In fact, she was thinking so deeply that it would be no surprise if someone was standing right beside her that she wouldn't notice. Remembering the tune that she had heard Jening hum, she began to sing, adding lyrics to the melody. They changed each time, as she tried to find the best words to fit the mood of the song.

She wasn't too sure what she was doing in this part of the realm, it was always so desolate and dead.. Actually that wasn't all true, there was alway that gorgeous hill in the center, but not much else. she was idly considering going back to the Lake when she heard something... Attracted perhaps by a heavenly melody, Umbra trudged her way up the hill of oddly placed Sakura trees, trying to see who was making such a lovely tune..

"Waundering in starlight, unaffected by time,
Two lonely souls meet,
Only time will tell..."
She sang, following the notes of the tune with her voice. She still wasn't paying attention to anything that might be around her, instead her thoughts were in a different time, another place...

She made her way to the top of the hill, seeing that she wasn't noticed. Perhaps for the best, she thought. She took a seat by a tree opposite of Hitomi, so that she could still hear the music as if she had a front row seat, but couldn't be seen from her angle at all. She closed her eyes; is was a love song, sung from a newly flustered heart. She couldn't help but smile at that, having given up on such thoughts ages ago..

Hitomi paused in her singing. She thought she had been alone. She didn't look over to where she had thought she had hear the rustle of petals and grasses. Instead, she called, "Hello...?" Her voice was soft. "Is there anyone there?"

She sighed, caught afterall. She rose to face her, smiling slightly. She wasn't used to this kind of interaction, but she'd put up with it as much as she had to.

"Sorry... you had such a wonderful singing voice that I thought I'd come up and listen. Hope I didn't cause any fear.."

Hitomi's eyes were wary. "I thank you for the compliment. It wasn't exactly fear, but more like surprise. What is it that you are called? I am Hitomi."

"Umbra"

She replied matter-of-factly, as she kept leaning beside the tree. This really was a beautiful place, and she wished only to hear more of that lovely singing.. but she couldn't exactly demand such from Hitomi.. Ah, how she cursed the complexity of socializing..

Hitomi smiled a bit, "Nice to meet you then, Umbra. Please, excuse me while I think of more lyrics." Hitomi turned, her eyes glazing as she switched to a passive state. All she wanted was to remember that one chance meeting.
She hummed the melody once before singing again. "Eyes alike, and lifestyles the same,
I desperately wish,
To see him again...

To cease in our wandering,
Yet always be free,
Where ever I go,
I hope you'll be with me..."

She sat back down, trying to relax.. Why was so much changing in the realm these days? Perhaps it was all for the better in the end, but Umbra severely disliked change, more than most people.. Yet, she managed to cool herself as the singing voice was beginning to take over her thoughts...

"Such a lovely voice"

Her singing died slowly to a hum, then silence filled the area. Hitomi's golden eyes began to tear, knowing that it was most likely that she never WOULD see him again, though his name rang through her mind. Jening... She almost willed it to be a call to him, though she doubted that anything would result from such a foolish idea.

A croaking frog broke the silence. It jumped out from the grass and landed in front of Hitomi. It would croak loudly again, before remaining there, still and quiet except for the occarional croak. If one listened closely, the sound of crickets and cicadas could be heard in the distance. The somehow peaceful sound of insects filling the air...

*Jening was passing by what seemed like a forest of sakura trees. The pink contrasted against today's formal wear: his smooth jacket was black and white was the shirt underneath, his black pants pressed and firm. The brown leather shoes on his feel matched his silky tie, which was firmly to his neck. Whistling a tune as he passed the trees by, he stopped as he heard a song being sung. It was a familiar melody...but sounded like it had a twist. Either way, he stopped to listen for a moment, then quickly turned on his heel to face the opposite direction*

'The last time Jening followed a mysterious female singing voice, he got in trouble...let's go elsewhere."

*he proceeded to waltz the opposite way, smirking a little in his memory*

Hitomi smiled at the frog a bit, a tear coming from each of her eyes. "Hello, frog..." She said a little sadly. Obviously a frog was not what she wanted to see at the moment. She listened to the soothing sounds of nature, hearing a melody within it all. She began to hum, then words came unbidden to her lips, a harmonious tune carrying her voice to any listening ears,
For her name was Hitomi,
And his, T'was Jening,
A world away,
Yet so close at heart....

*his ears pricked, his senses quite well, and he stopped in his tracks to listen. Jening swore someone spoke his name far off. He must be wrong*

"To trap and lure Jening eh?"

*shaking his head, he walks quickly, quite quickly, the other way in determination*

She fell silent once more, and stood beneath the drifting Sakura petals. Her eyes had but a few drying tears. She started to walk away, calling over her shoulder, "Goodbye. I must go now." To Umbra.
As she walked, a thousand thoughts swirled about, each demanding her attention. She paid them no heed, however, still stuck in that trance-like state. As she came to the boundry of the hill, and the seemingly endless blackened landscape stretched out before her, she changed a few things about her form. Her lashes thickened, to keep any grit blown up by the wind from her eyes, and her hair shortened itself, as to not be a nuisance in the savage winds that would no doubt appear.
Coming out of her trace-like state, Hitomi sighed. She didn't really want to walk back, but she didn't have the energy to grow herself a pair of wings, then use them to cross such a great distance. Ah, well. She thought, The walk won't be that bad... It might just give me the time I need to think.
Stepping onto the hard, blackened earth, Hitomi headed out at a brisk walk.