Some Time Ago, at Nozomi's House

  Nozomi trudged up to her room, her exhaustion outweighing her hunger. She could always eat later when she felt less drained.

  Once inside, she dropped her school bag on the floor and grabbed the blue rabbit plush she had nicknamed Samson, before collapsing onto her bed. The mattress embraced her tired body instantly. Just a quick rest... just a tiny bit…

  "Hey, wake up!" An unfamiliar voice called for her.

  Nozomi opened her eyes wide before she scanned her room for the source of the voice. Uh? What was that!? I swear I just-

  "Down here!" the voice called for her attention again, sounding slightly annoyed this time.

  When Nozomi lowered her gaze, her eyes met that same strange dog that had almost fallen from a tree and had caused her to arrive late to class; they even had the same golden star birthmark on its forehead, but this time it was noticeably smaller.

  "There you go. First things first, thank you for saving me back there. Now let me—H-hey! Don't go back to sleep!" The dog called urgently to Nozomi as she returned to sleep again.

  A talking dog? Pfft. What a weird dream. Normally, she played along with her dreams, but this time she felt too tired to care. I wonder what happens if you fall asleep in a dream? Will my dream self dream about my awake self? That sounds boring...

  She would have fallen asleep if a sudden, sharp pain in her leg hadn't jolted her awake and made her tumble off her bed. "Ow! Wha-, what just happened?!" she exclaimed, massaging her leg.

  "Will you please listen?" the dog, now on her bed, demanded. "My name is Seiza, and I need your help. Here, take this." After Seiza spoke, a bright light flared from his birthmark that made Nozomi reflexively shut her eyes.

  When she opened them again, a star-shaped bronze pendant with a bull insignia floated in front of her.

  "Wow..." she murmured, forgetting about her pain before getting up to examine the pendant in the mirror.

  Seiza noticed he had her full attention and quickly took advantage of it. "Listen, the world is in danger. Evil creatures that won’t hesitate to hurt anyone they come across are out there, and I need your help to protect this world and stop them from obtaining the Crystal of-!"

  "Yeah, yeah, whatever you say." Nozomi dismissed the talking dog. This wasn't her first dream where she saved the world, so she found it hard to take it seriously.

  Seiza's words fell on deaf ears as she admired the pendant. She rubbed her finger over the intricate engravings until a bright light from the pendant caught her by surprise.

  "W-what's going on?!" she asked herself, before turning to Seiza.

  "The pendant is reacting to you!" Seiza was quick to explain, raising a paw towards it. "Now say these words while reaching for the skies: by the power of the constellations, transform!"

  Nozomi looked at him, confused, but decided to humor the talking dog from her dream. She raised her right hand towards the ceiling, clutching the pendant to her chest. "By the power of the constellations, transform!"

  Light enveloped her in a radiant embrace, a dazzling spectacle that seemed to suspend time itself momentarily.

  When the brilliance finally subsided, Nozomi found herself standing before a mirror, her breath catching in her throat as she took in her transformed reflection. Her once messy, short blonde hair had grown into cascading waves of shimmering white-silver, each strand glowing with an ethereal light that framed her face like a halo.

  Her school uniform—formerly a stark black emblem of mundane normalcy—had been utterly transfigured. Now, her attire gleamed in pristine white, interwoven with subtle hints of silver that caught the light with every movement and gave it an almost divine elegance.

  The pendant, which had once hung modestly around her neck, had morphed into an exquisite bronze tiara.

  Delicate, yet regal, the tiara featured small, curving horns that lent her an almost otherworldly presence. Nestled between them was a luminescent white gem, its surface glowing as if imbued with power.

  Her eyes, previously a mere aspect of her humanity, now sparkled with a white-silver brilliance, emitting a gentle, captivating glow. They were windows to a newfound inner power, shining with a light that seemed to reach out and touch the soul of anyone who gazed into them.

  Nozomi's transformed self radiated a mystical elegance and strength, each detail a testament to the extraordinary metamorphosis she had undergone.

  "W-what?" Nozomi muttered to herself, hardly recognizing the beautiful person in the mirror. She touched her smooth, white hair, amazed at her transformed self. Is this... really me?

  Her admiration was cut short as the gem on her tiara shone red, projecting an image of a humanoid feline creature approaching Yoshino, who walked on a familiar street, none the wiser.

  "W-what's that thing?!" she recoiled. "And is that Yoshino?!" she exclaimed, pointing at the image.

  Seiza gasped and turned to Nozomi, eyes filled with urgency. "That’s one of the evil creatures I warned you about! If we don't act quickly, she’ll be a goner too!"

  Nozomi slowly nodded. "Okay, let’s go!" She hadn’t paid attention to Seiza earlier, but now understood what was at stake.

  They rushed from her room, Nozomi glancing to ensure no one saw them. The only light in the hallway came from under her brother's door, indicating he hadn’t heard her conversation with Seiza.

  Downstairs, she slipped on her shoes, which turned white like her outfit. They dashed outside, Nozomi leading the way to Yoshino's usual route home, with Seiza at her side.

  "Stop, this isn’t fast enough. Hold me!" Seiza demanded after a few seconds of running.

  "Oh, o-okay!" Nozomi did as ordered with some awkwardness from a lack of experience in carrying dogs.

  Seiza closed his eyes to concentrate, soon lifting them both off the ground. As they soared over the city, Nozomi marveled at the view below.

  "I have a few tricks like this, but I need to concentrate. If you don’t want to fall face-first on the ground, don’t let go while we’re like this!" Seiza warned.

  Nozomi, snapping out of her awe, nodded, holding him tighter. "Okay, I know where Yoshino might be. Go in THAT direction!" She pointed to the general direction where her best friend’s house was.

  Approaching their destination, they saw a black, dome-like barrier. Descending, Nozomi touched the barrier, only to be repelled by an invisible force.

  "What is this? Why can't I enter?" she asked Seiza, confused.

  "Because it can’t be opened by normal means. Give me a minute..."He closed his eyes to concentrate. Soon, the black wall of darkness in front of him rotated like a spiral, until a cave entrance was formed from it, revealing the barrier’s pitch-black interior.

  "Okay, the path is clear," Seiza said, sighing in relief.

  Nozomi stared into the darkness, soon taking an instinctual step back from the strong sense of foreboding she felt. "Hey, Seiza... could I... hold onto you while we're inside?"

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  Seiza tilted his head, confused at her for a few seconds before shrugging. "Sure."

  Clutching Seiza tightly, Nozomi took a deep breath, steeling herself, and stepped into the darkness. It's just a dream... there’s nothing to fear.

  The gem on her tiara illuminated the path ahead. Wow! Ask, and you shall receive, neat! Can I get a billion yen next?

  Unfortunately, no yen bills suddenly fell on her lap in the first seconds or in the foreseeable future. Tsk, not even in my dreams can I be rich? Forget companies, my subconscious was the true cheapskate all along!

  The magical girl was soon snapped out of her thoughts by Seiza's voice, his ears perking up. "Wait!"

  "Hmm? What’s wrong?" Nozomi asked, but was interrupted by the ground trembling beneath her. Before she could react, she fell into the darkness below, closing her eyes and holding the talking dog close to her chest in fear. It’s just a dream...it’ll be okay!

  She felt herself slowing down. Opening her eyes, she saw Seiza had slowed their fall. "Phew, good thing we were already holding on to each other. Thanks for not yelling, by the way."

  Nozomi nodded absentmindedly, still in slight shock over the sudden fall.

  As they descended, two figures became visible. The white-haired teenager gasped upon seeing Yoshino, injured and lying against a dumpster. The feline creature from before was nearby, looking up at the ones who invaded its domain with a scowl.

  "What the—what is this?!" The creature growled.

  Nozomi touched the ground, her eyes widening in dread at Yoshino's condition. "Yoshino..." she muttered as Seiza left her arms.

  Thanks to her tiara's light, the scene was vividly illuminated, casting a soft, yet penetrating glow over the tragic tableau before her.

  Nozomi's gaze traveled with growing dread as the ethereal beam revealed the full extent of Yoshino’s injuries. Her leg bore the savage evidence of a vicious attack—deep, jagged claw marks ran from thigh to ankle, each laceration a grotesque testament to the ferocity of the assault. The leg itself was bent at a ghastly, unnatural angle, the bones clearly displaced beneath torn, blood-soaked skin.

  A dark, viscous pool of blood was steadily expanding around Yoshino, its deep crimson hue contrasting starkly against the pale earth.

  The sight was almost surreal, the smooth surface of the pooling blood rippled faintly as fresh rivulets spilled over from the open wounds, merging into the larger mass.

  The pungent, metallic scent of blood permeated the air, assaulting Nozomi’s senses with an almost tangible force. It was overwhelming—sharp and cloying, filling her nostrils and stirring the primal depths of her fear.

  As the reality of the scene crashed down upon her, Nozomi found herself instinctively stepping back, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. The combination of visual horror and the overwhelming scent was unlike anything she had ever experienced, leaving her reeling, her mind struggling to process the brutal reality of her friend’s condition.

  This can’t be real...it’s just a nightmare...She’s fine, she’s fine, she’s fine...

  Nozomi repeated to herself, her breathing becoming erratic.

  "Hey, are you listening?!" Seiza's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "I can save her, but you need to protect us!"

  Nozomi blinked, looking at Seiza as he concentrated on healing Yoshino. Okay, this is just a dream. I need to protect them.

  The feline creature, irritated by Nozomi's silence, demanded, "How dare you interrupt? Who are you?!"

  Nozomi was about to reveal her name, but then stopped. No, using my real name could cause trouble. I need a new name.

  Thinking quickly, she struck a dramatic pose, pointing at the monster in an attempt at defiance and to fool herself into bravery. "I am...Guardian Taurus Light, and I will stop you!"

  ***

  Back to the present.

  "And…the rest you can probably piece together. In any case," Standing up from the bench, Nozomi turned to face both of her friends. "Yoshino, this is Seiza, the one I just told you had healed your wounds and gave me the power to defeat that monster. And Seiza, this is my best friend in the whole world, Yoshino Kettei-chan!"

  Both Yoshino and Seiza chuckled at the dramatic introduction before Seiza gave a small, polite bow. "A pleasure to meet you, Kettei-san."

  Taken aback by his formality and the fact that it could really speak, Yoshino soon responded in kind. "O-oh, likewise. Also, thank you for healing my friend and me," she added, a grateful smile gracing her features. A teasing thought crossed her mind. "Speaking of which, I hope she hasn't given you too much trouble since she can be kind of an airhead."

  "H-hey! Come on, I just kind of forget things sometimes!" Nozomi protested, playfully pushing Yoshino.

  Seiza played along, raising a paw to his chin in mock contemplation. "I see...I'll keep that in mind. Thankfully, this time wasn't much of an issue besides a few close calls."

  Yoshino chuckled dryly. "Heh, yeah, really glad things turned out for the better…" Her expression darkened slightly as she gripped the half-empty plastic bottle tightly.

  Noticing the shift, Nozomi asked, "Yoshino?"

  Yoshino sighed, frustration evident. "Sorry, it's just…why? Why did that thing attack me in the first place? I don't remember doing anything that would make me a target specifically...what if it happens again!?"

  Seiza spoke up, drawing their attention. "I think I might know why you were targeted."

  "You do?!" Both Nozomi and Yoshino exclaimed simultaneously at Seiza.

  Seiza blinked, momentarily taken aback by their intensity. "Y-yes, but first, I must ask you, Yoshino. Did the monster demand anything from you, or did it just attack you?"

  Yoshino closed her eyes, trying to recall. "Hmm…I think it said it wanted something from me; I think it was something like a black rock?"

  Seiza's expression turned serious. "I see. Do you have something that looks like a black rock with you?"

  Yoshino nodded slowly. "Yeah, just wait a minute..." She rummaged through her bag, eventually pulling out a small black rock. "Would this be what it wanted?"

  Seiza inspected the rock before shaking his head. "No, that's just a regular rock, one I can tell has been painted black from the smell. The monster probably mistook it for something else, making you a target."

  Yoshino raised an eyebrow. "What was it really after, then?"

  Seiza hesitated, glancing at Nozomi for confirmation. She nodded with a smile, offering silent encouragement. "Alright, I'll explain, but you have to promise not to share this information with anyone."

  Yoshino agreed cautiously, and Seiza took a deep breath. "The monster you encountered was a darkspawn, a creature fueled by other people’s negative emotions. It was likely searching for the Crystal of Darkness, a gem of pure negative energy. Your rock probably fooled it from the real thing."

  Yoshino slowly raised her hand. "Yes, Yoshino?" Seiza prompted.

  "That answers…some of my questions. But where does Nozomi fit into this Crystal of Darkness business?" she asked, looking between her friend and Seiza.

  Nozomi, still digesting the explanation, added, "Yeah, what does it have to do with me?"

  Seiza sighed. "To find and protect the Crystal of Darkness from darkspawns, I needed people with specific qualities, and Nozomi turned out to be one of them."

  Eyes wide with excitement, Nozomi jumped up from the bench. "Wait a minute, you mean I'm like...a superhero?!" Her eyes glowed with enthusiasm.

  Both Seiza and Yoshino sighed in unison at Nozomi's simplistic interpretation. Yoshino asked skeptically, "But why do you need her help? Can't you protect the crystal yourself?"

  Seiza looked down, his expression tinged with shame. "As much as I wish that I could, my magic isn’t suited to deal with darkspawns. In a one-on-one fight, I’m pretty much useless!"

  "Hey, don't be like that. If you hadn't healed us, we would've been in serious trouble. That counts for a lot in my book, right, Yoshino?" Nozomi nudged her head to signal for her friend to join.

  "Huh? Oh, yes." The brunette nodded in agreement. "If it wasn’t because of you, I would’ve certainly never seen how Nozomi’s hair looks after dyeing her hair white!"

  Seiza's eyes widened before a small, appreciative smile replaced his previous expression. "I-I see...Thanks."

  After a moment, Yoshino checked her watch and gasped. "Shit, the time! My mom's going to kill me if I don't get home soon! Can we talk about this tomorrow?"

  Quickly snapping out of her daydream, Nozomi nodded. "Yes, we can continue tomorrow. Get home safe!"

  Yoshino smiled and sprinted away, leaving Nozomi and Seiza alone in the playground.

  "Shall we call it a night as well?" Seiza suggested, his voice tired. Nozomi nodded in agreement. They made their way back to her home, entering through her bedroom window with the help of Seiza's ability to fly.

  As soon as her feet touched the bedroom floor of her room, Nozomi collapsed onto her bed, sinking into its comforting embrace. Oh, how I missed you. I just want to stay here forever!' she thought, a sigh of contentment escaping her lips.

  Just as sleep was about to claim her, her stomach growled loudly. Urgh, stomach! Why can't you wait until tomorrow?! Begrudgingly, she got out of bed, ready to head downstairs for dinner.

  Before reaching the door, she caught her reflection in the full-length mirror. Her appearance stunned her—long white hair, a white school uniform, and silver eyes stared back. "Seiza, can I ask you something?"

  Seiza, who was about to drift off to sleep on the carpet, perked up. He followed her gaze to the mirror and understood. "Just take off your tiara if you want to go back to normal."

  Nozomi removed the tiara, and in an instant, her appearance reverted. Her hair returned to its original length and color, her eyes their usual shade. She blinked, taking in the sudden change back to her regular, disorganized self.

  Looking at her hands, she saw the tiara had turned back into the star-shaped bronze pendant with the bull symbol. She placed it on top of her dresser before heading out for dinner.