posted 07-20-2003 05:29 PM            

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She was just your average collage girl. Or at least that was how she appeared. In reality she was far more than your average collage girl. Yumada Setsuna was a serious girl, a very serious girl and she didn't belive in fairy tales or princes on white horses. She didn't believe in princes at all. It was all a myth. Love, that one person just for you...all of it was a misleading myth for fools to believe in as far as she was concerned. Setsuna was around 20 years old and a sophmore in collage. She had shoulder length saphire blue hair and cold, emerald eyes. She had a sharp tongue and wit to match but she was unsure of where she was going. She had lost her dream a long time ago. Or that was what she thought.

Miss Yumada was walking down the secluded nature walk on campus one evening when she came across something she had never seen. Strange enough, she had been down the same path several times before. It has been a while since I last came this way. She mused and looked at the two paths that stood in her way. To the left was the familar one that she always took, to the right was a new path that looked identical to the other. She shruged and took the right path. "You choose wisely Miss Yumada." A soft voice whispered in her ear. She started and turned around.

"Who..." She was speaking to thin air. Surely she had heard a voice...or at least she could have sworn that she had...hadn't she... She shrugged. I must have been imagining things. Voices don't just appear out of thin air. She continued down the path which emerged into a moonlit clearing. She looked around herself. Funny...I don't remember this being a part of the campus. A breeze picked up and blew her hair and dress around her. She rolled her eyes. Great just what I wanted...I hope it doesn't start raining before I get back to my dorm...She turned around and froze in place. The path she had followed was gone. The only remaining path went ahead. Okay...Now this is getting a bit strange...I have got to be dreaming...That's it, I'm probably sitting in my ethics class and have fallen asleep. Okay Setsuna...time to wake up and take notes now...Why am I not waking up? She sighed and walked down the path. Dreaming or not I do not care to get rained on. As she went farther into the woods it began to get darker. Along the way the forest thinned out again and she found herself walking parallel to a river. It's a very realistic dream, I'll give it that. But a dream non-the-less. I hope I wake up before the end of class...She heard a noise behind her and turned around. A group of brigands stood blocking the path back to the woods. "All right guys, You aren't here. I'm not here, this is a dream so go away." The leader raised his eyebrow.

"Excuse me? Young ladies like yourself shouldn't be wandering out alone." He drew his sword. She rolled her eyes.

"Oh please, I've taken more self defense courses than you can imagine in that tiny brain of yours. Not to mention I'm dreaming and I'm going to win anyway. So you might as well just give up." The leader choked and turned red.

"You insolent little...Get her!" He bellowed at his gang. They drew their weapons and advanced. She rolled up her sleeves and dropped into a defensive position. She quickly disarmed the men and left them groaning on the ground. The leader growled, infuriated."She's just a little girl. What kind of men are you?"

"Obviously not a very bright bunch. Look I told you, You don't exist. I'm dreaming and I'm quite easily defeating you. Why is that? That's because this is my dream and I can do whatever I want. Now, be a good little boy and go home to your mommy." She smirked and turned to continue on her way. His left eye started twitching and he snarled at his men.

"Get up!" Not wanting to call down their leader's wrath they staggered to their feet. They advanced on Setsuna once more and she simply narrowed her eyes at them. They all turned around.

"Forget it boss. She's scarier!" Then they swiftly vacated the area. The boss narrowed his eyes.

"You may have scared my men, but I will not allow a mere girl to insult my manliness and get away with it." He charged at her and slashed out with his sword. She dodged easily and watched him rush past. He skid to a halt and turned once more, acting more like an enraged bull than the leader of a gang. He turned and lunged at her again. She again dodged and as he rushed past her she kicked him in the rear and sent him stumbling.

"All right buddy, this was fun and all but play time's over, run along." She turned her back on him once again and he raised his sword to attack her once more. Why doesn't he just give up... She was about to dodge his dash once more when an arrow whizzed by her head. She heard a cry from behind her and turned around. The bandit leader fell to the ground dead, an arrow sticking out of his chest. Her eyes went wide and she turned around to see where the arrow had come from.

On a hill a short distance away stood the most beautiful white horse and upon the horse was an equally beautiful prince. He had shoulder length, straight, platinum blonde hair. His eyes were a blue so brilliant as if they were the ocean. He smiled at her and rose petals floated by. She raised an eyebrow as he dismounted and unstrung his bow. "It is a good thing I was going down this road. I hope that ruffian did not harm you, maiden." She narrowed her eyes.

"What'd ya go and kill him for? I had everything under control." She balled her hands into fists and stalked over to him. He blinked but continued with his speech.

"Fear not, fair maiden, for he shall not harm thee further."

"Of course not...you killed him."

"I am Prince Zarfendale of the kingdom of Arcanal. I am on a quest to find my one true love to make my bride so that we might rule Arcanal together when I ascend to the throne."

Setsuna sighed, exasperated. "That's all well and good but you shouldn't have interfered with my fight. I had it under control and would have beaten the tar out of him without having to kill him. Now, If you'll excuse me..."

Zarfendale blinked and started at her open mouthed. "But...But I just saved you. I am the most beautiful man in the world and I just saved you." A breeze came up and made his cloak billow slightly and his hair move softly. Strangely enough the wind only affected him. Setsuna frowned.

"First of all I had him beat. Secondly, I don't know what your game is, Zarfie, but I'm not interested. Now I'm going to find something to eat. You have fun looking for that weakling princess of yours." She pushed past him and continued on her way. Zarfendale fell out of his saddle in shock. No girl had ever dared refuse his charms. He quickly collected himself and stared at her. He suddenly realized she was getting away and he hastily grabbed his horse's reins and ran after her.

"Wait...maiden...please...wait!" He yelped and she rolled her eyes. He soon caught up with her and she lifted her gaze to the sky.

What did I do to deserve this? She continued walking away from him, hoping beyond hope that he would stop following her. But then, things are never that easy. She turned to Zarfendale. "Okay...if you're gonna follow me, roleplaying reject, at least tell me where I can find a bathroom." Zarfendale blinked.

"Bathroom?" Zarfendale looked confused and Setsuna raised her eyebrows.

"Oh right....um...Outhouse, latrine...something along those lines...." Her questions were returned by a blank stare and then life came back to the prince's eyes.

"A latrine? I have heard of those but have never had to use one before." His blatent statement caused her to stumble.

"Wha...What?!?! What do you do when you have to go?"

"Go where?"

"Where? To the bathroom of course."

"Ah, that...well that is for commoners...the royal do not have to go to the bathroom." Her eyebrows lifted and she sighed.

"Fine then...don't follow me..." She headed off the path and into the woods.

"But, maiden!"

"Don't follow me....I'll be back." She rolled her eyes and grumbled to herself. The prince stood on the side of the path completely perplexed. She returned shortly and sighed. "You are so strange."

"I am strange? Forgive me, maiden...but thou art the strange one. What type of clothing is that? Certainly not common wear...but not nobel either. Of what rank are you?"

She blinked and walked alongside the prince. "Rank...what do you mean what rank?"

"Well, Are you a commoner...a nobel woman...a princess...Oh...Oh I'm sorry..." The prince's face became as red as the first sunset. "I should never have bothered you...thou art a priestess..."

Her eyes went wide. "What?!?! Oh no...No...No...I'm most certainly NOT a priestess thank you." The prince let out a sigh of relief. "Where I come from we don't have ranks."