“Where will we be landing?” Cap asked.

    “Most of these wars seem to be focused around Japan, generally Tokyo,” Aquila replied. “So, I’d guess we’d probably land somewhere there.”

    “I’ve got a hole!” Sayori announced.

    “Good!” Yukari called back. “Figure out its borders. Cap, how are you at catching?”

    “Pretty decent,” Cap said.

    “Good!” Yukari said, breaking a fresh timber in half and throwing each half to him.

    “I’ll figure out what’s safe between us and Aquila and Kasumi,” Yuri said, taking one of the timber halves from Cap and starting to break it into coals.

    “So we need Japanese money,” Cap said, turning to Aquila and Kasumi. “Enough for what, one week in a hotel? Then there’s food, transit...”

    “Five million yen should do it,” Kasumi said.

    “I’m out of timbers,” Yukari declared. Aquila turned to look at her. A path of coals stretched towards her and Kasumi, stopping around six feet short.

    Aquila winced. “If I use my powers to map the rest of the way, it will...”

    “Don’t be silly,” Yukari said. “I’ll just re-use the coals I’ve got.” She stepped out onto the path of coals and started gathering them up, tossing them into the uncharted space between her and Aquila.

    “We’ve got a hole right here,” Yuri said, pointing to a spot between her and Aquila. “I think the other side of it should be fine, though. I’m checking now.” She tossed some more coals to the side of the hole. “I think we’ve got a safe space big enough for all of us to stand!”

    Aquila heard a sharp intake of breath from Kasumi. “I almost stepped in that hole.”

    “I’ve got a problem,” Sayori called, her voice trembling. “And I’m out of coals.”

    Aquila turned to look where Sayori was crouched. A thin path of coals, no more than four inches wide, led between her and where Aquila and Kasumi were standing.

    “There’s holes on either side,” Sayori said. “Really big ones. And...um...I don’t think I can cross that.”

    “I’ll get airborne and pick her up,” Cap said.

    “No,” Yukari declared, finishing her path to Aquila and Kasumi. “I’ve got this. Time to pull my weight.”

    Cap blinked. “Yukari, it’s okay. I can handle this. You don’t have to–”

    Yukari gave him a smile. “Yes I do. Besides, no passengers on this trip.” She stepped with care over to Sayori’s path. “Sayori, I want you to listen carefully. You are going to step halfway and then jump, and I will catch you.”

    Sayori glared at her. “Are you crazy? I can’t do that! Let Cap pick me up!”

    “Yes you can,” Yukari said. “It’s just walking in a straight line. Easiest thing in the world.”

    “Yukari, you don’t understand!” Sayori cried. “I’m not like you! I’m not brave or fearless – I’m cautious! I’m always safe!”

    Cap glanced at Kasumi. “Should I...?”

    Kasumi shook her head.

    Yukari sighed. “Sayori, you don’t understand. All those things I do, they all start with caution. They all begin with safety gear, and planning to remove every possible danger. It’s only once all that is done that you take a leap of faith. And even then, the first time is always scary – but it’s only once you take that leap that you learn that you were capable of doing it the entire time. You’ve marked the safe path. Cap is nearby, and if something goes wrong and you lose your balance, he will save you...but he won’t need to. Because you’ve made everything as safe as it can get, and you’ve got this, and you’ve been capable of doing this all along.”

    Sayori shook her head, her eyes wide with fear.

    “Sayori, I know what you did for me,” Yukari said, her voice trembling as she leaned as far forward as she could and held out her hand. “I know that I wouldn’t have lasted long enough for them to rescue us from our story if it hadn’t been for you. I know what you’ve sacrificed so that we can become the people we are today. I owe you everything – now, please, let me repay you for that. Have faith in me – I will not let you fall!”

    Taking a deep breath, Sayori rose to her feet.

    “You’ve got this,” Yukari said. “Just walk in a straight line.”

    Sayori stepped onto the narrow path of coals, putting one foot in front of the other, glancing down with every step, her breath ragged.

    “You’re almost there,” Yukari said. “Just a few more steps. Keep your eyes open. One foot after another. And...” Yukari took Sayori’s hand and pulled her off the path. “...and you did it. Was that so hard?”

    Sayori embraced Yukari, shaking like a leaf. Once she calmed down she blinked, let go, and stared at her. “Wait, you said that I would jump after the halfway point.”

    Yukari nodded. “It was the walking you were afraid of. So, that’s what I tried to reduce. And once you were halfway, you were doing so well you didn’t need to risk jumping at all...just like I thought you would.”

    “Okay,” Sayori said. “But whatever you think you owe me, it’s paid in full now, got it? Next time, just let Cap fly me.”

    Yukari chuckled. “I’ll do that.”

    Sayori turned to Aquila and Kasumi. “Do we have a plan?”

    Aquila nodded. “I think we’ve got enough time to create one thing using Kasumi’s sketchbook before Balthazar sees it and comes for us. So, Kasumi’s going to sketch an envelope with the money we’ll need, and then we’re going to hold hands and form a chain with Kasumi on one end and one of you on the other. Kasumi will show me the sketch, the person on the other end of the chain will grab the money when it appears, and as soon as they do, I’ll jump us to the hub world. And with luck, we’ll land in Tokyo, and be gone from here before Balthazar arrives.”

    Kasumi pulled out her sketchbook and began drawing. “Nobody look at this,” she said.

    “I’ll take the end of the line,” Yuri offered.

    “Alright,” Aquila said. “Everybody form a chain. Yuri on one end, and me on the other. Kasumi, grab my hand whenever you’re ready.”

    “My hands are still shaking,” Sayori muttered as she took hold of Yukari and Cap’s hands.

    “You won’t believe how often that still happens to me,” Yukari said, taking hold of Aquila’s hand.

    Yuri took Cap’s hand in hers and crouched down. “I’m ready to grab the envelope. Get it as close to me as you can.”

    Kasumi put her pencil away and grabbed Aquila’s hand. “On three. One...two...three!” With her free hand, she held the sketchbook up so Aquila could see it. A drawing of a large envelope stuffed with bills filled most of the page, with some notes below about denominations and where it should appear.

    “I’ve got it!” Yuri called.

    Aquila jumped them into the information stream. She felt her entire body stretch, and then snap back into shape. And then they were somewhere else.

    Aquila winced as she let go of Kasumi and Yukari. “Damn. I’d forgotten what that felt like.”

    “At least we landed in an alley,” Kasumi said. “No witnesses.”

    “What the hell was that?” Sayori demanded. “I think I might be taller...or shorter?”

    “That was travel up an active information stream,” Aquila said. “When I make a path of my own it’s a lot more...gentle. And, we’ll all the same height as we when started.”

    “Pity,” Yukari said. “I wouldn’t have minded another couple of inches. That felt...weird.”

    Aquila took stock of her surroundings. By the position of the sun, it was the early afternoon, and by the chill in the air, sometime around late March. They were in a small alley emptying into a busy street, passers-by glancing at them with flashes of interest. The street signs were in Japanese.

    “It’s Japan,” Kasumi said. “And I think this is Tokyo.”

    “It’s Tokyo,” Aquila stated. “I know that intersection. There’s a great ramen place just around the corner. I used to eat there all the time. At least, there was nine years ago...assuming this hub world is similar to Kasumi’s.”

    “Before we do anything, we need to find a public water closet and wash up,” Yukari said, holding up her hands. They were black with soot. “We probably don’t want to look like coal miners.”

    “The ramen place has a water closet,” Aquila said. “I could go for ramen right now.” She looked at Kasumi, who was staring at her intently with a smile. “What?”

    “I’m just imagining you during your war, sitting and eating ramen.”

    Aquila shrugged. “We had to eat. And, it turned out the owner was really into cosplay, so he gave us a special rate. And then the word got out that there were these really great cosplayers eating there, and more came, and by the time my war ended, we were the least outlandishly dressed people in the place. Made for great camouflage, though. The other side didn’t suspect a thing.” She looked down the street at the nearby intersection. “Let’s get some ramen. We’ll wash up, get something to eat, and plan our next move.”

    “Well,” Cap said, looking around. “As far as starts go, this isn’t too bad.”

    Aquila sighed. “Cap, don’t let the peaceful appearances fool you. If this is anything like my war, then by now at least one side has figured out how to detect arrivals from the story worlds. They know we’re here, and there’s probably already somebody coming to investigate. The good news is that most of the time when somebody falls through the information stream, they’re disoriented enough that they stick out like a sore thumb. We’re not – and we’re dressed in such a way that we can blend in pretty easily. But, we’re now at the heart of this war, and the sooner we can find Natsuki and get back into the story worlds, the better.”

NEXT: “Hotel”