I edited the prologue a little bit. It came to my attention that the way I wrote it the first time wasn't really the way I wanted to portray my character and it really sucks, to be honest.

I will be editing all the chapters as well now that I'm in my summer vacation.

I won't be making any big changes, since I know that I won't be able to actually go through with that. I will only try to make it so that the sequencing makes sense and is logical - something that my story lacks. The edited chapters will most likely become a few large chapters, thus reducing the number f chapters this story currently has.

Anyways, please enjoy!

-iamalinenicetomeetyou-

Books aren't always the correct source for information. After all, many books of the same kind are published every day by authors all over the world. One particular subject or topic can be found in numerous books and you won't even know which book has the information correct.

But I can't help but love them.

The crisp sound as you turn a page of a worn out book... the smell penetrating my sense of smell as I bury my face inside the pages... the smooth but rough texture on my fingertips... and the smile it can give me.

I don't have anything that I love more than books.

This feeling doesn't change a bit as I stare up ahead at the bright and burning bookshelves right in front of me.

From outside, I could hear the sounds of people screaming for help, for mercy and even of someone praying to the Lord. I could hear the sounds of panicky footsteps, desperate for the exit outside the lick of the burning flames, the collapse of the burning walls, and the escape from the painful death awaiting them.

I pressed the book I had in my hands into my chest and tried to calm my beating heart. I hadn't noticed the fire at first, being too concentrated on what I was reading. When I felt the heat, it was already too late. The fire crept upon the carpet even as I doused it with the litre of water I had brought from home.

With no choice left, I stood atop the table, watching as the floor turned into a sea of flames beneath me. Looking around, I found only one narrow path where I could jump and land just barely to escape from the wall of fire. It would be extremely risky – I looked at the shaking and clearly unstable bookshelf beside the path – but it's more risky to just wait for help and stay put.

Grabbing my bag, I placed the books inside, snatched the handkerchief, and zipped it shut. Wrapping the cloth around my nose to avoid being suffocated by the thick smoke, I strapped my bag over my shoulders, took a deep breath and…

I jumped.

The gap between the bookshelves was extremely narrow. For once, I thanked my puberty for granting me a lanky feminine physique instead of a filled out one. It helped in my landing as I shakily gripped the too warm wood part of the unstable bookshelf.

It gripped my heart unpleasantly to abandon all these treasures inside to burn, but it would hardly be better to die along with the knowledge.

Running for my life, I ignored the burning sensation of the fire slowly burning my rubber shoes.

I ignored the dying screams of the man that I knew was just on the other side of the area where I had huddled just a bit earlier to read – when everything was just fine.

I ignored the dead bodies that scattered the floor in great numbers, ignored the twitching bodies of a child and his mother who drowned in flames and steeled my mind to just look forward and run.

It worked. It turned me numb to the rotting smell beneath the thick smoke. It turned me numb to the blinding pain of my horribly burned feet and the fire that was slowly creeping its way up my legs through the fabric of my jeans. It enhanced my focus on avoiding the falling debris within the building.

When I finally reached the entrance area, I could feel the relief that blossomed in my chest seep the remaining strength that I had. It was strange that the fire was not as strong in this area as it was in the back. I ignored the sudden bad feeling that crept up my spine and the idea that ran through my mind in favour of running towards the wooden doors that led to outside – safesafesafesafe.

And then it happened.

Something – someone – grabbed the hood of my shirt, pulled and threw me on my stomach. Blinding pain ran through me as I hit my chin in the process. A hand forced my face on the ground as I felt someone sit on my back, their heavy panting clear to my ears. A brown boot-cladded foot was the only thing I could make out from the person.

"Don't think you're going anywhere - ugh!" I bucked my body beneath the person, successfully throwing him off my back as I began to sit up and hightail it out of there.

As soon as I got on my feet though, the same strength that had me on the ground lifted me off of it instead.

"No one told me you'd be so annoying," the person I could now identify as a man muttered to himself, as struggled against the grip he had on my collar, my feet dangling a feet up on the air. "Damn…this isn't worth the money," he added, wiping odd the blood on his lips.

Told him? Money? The idea that was building up inside my mind a moment ago immediately sprung forth.

Whenever I came to the library, I always situated myself in the back, enjoying the sun that shined through the large windows the library had. Whenever I came to the library, I always bought at least three litres of water from the vending machine outside to last me the day in addition to the one I brought from home, but earlier this morning, the vending machine was broken.

Whenever I came to the library, I always came alone.

And now this man – who is too calm to be anything but the arsonist – is implying that he was looking for me.

Fear gripped my body and I renewed my vigour in my struggles, kicking and scratching the man's face. Nothing worked though, as the man ignored the attacks I inflicted on him and simply slammed me once again to the ground.

I was about to throw him off me again when a sharp pain hit me.

A long sword that resembled a katana ran its length in my stomach. It's glistening blade portrayed its surroundings in a clear reflection.

I looked at the offending object in shock, barely feeling my blood pool around me as my vision blurred and went out of focus.

The man then swiped it out of my stomach and threw a flaming ball on top of it, cauterizing the wound, but at the same time, burning me. My eyes sought the man's face, eager to remember the person who had been the one to end my life as he stood up to draw something with the sword on the floor, encircling my burning body.

It's strange. All of this is strange. How can someone carrying around a weapon enter or even walk around the area without anyone reporting him to the police?

He's getting paid to kill me – which must mean, if I'm correct, that he planned to kill me by setting fire to the back of the library, but must have started the fire somewhere quite far from my place and failed. Thus, he must have noticed that it wasn't me who was there but someone else, and tried to search for me. In that period of time, I was trying to run the hell away to the entrance area downstairs, where he later found me.

And now it's come to this.

I don't know why he targeted after me, or why anyone would want to kill a thirteen year old girl who has no influence in the world or anything whatsoever. The only reason I can think of as to why this happened is because of my grandmother who is hated by everybody in the town for being the "crazy lady" for making up stories of another world. However, I don't see the connection between this and that.

He finally stopped circling me and stood in front.

"I guess that's enough blood."

I placed all of my strength to one final look at his face.

"Well, I'll see you on the other side, hi-"

My eyes went slack and I went into a deep, silent sleep.

Until I woke up screaming anyway.

I felt a jolt of panic. Why am I screaming? The sound of my erratic heartbeat filled my ears. Heartbeat. One, two, three, fourfivesixseven...

Calm yourself. Calm down and think. That's what you're good at, right? Think, self, think!

Alright. By the sounds of things, there's a pandemonium in the room. And I say room cause the voices seem to bounce back. What is happening?

I opened my eyes but closed them immediately after a blinding light reached my eyes. Light? Where did light come from? Last thing I remember was sleeping in the library...which was burning.

A sharp pain was suddenly inflicted on my right arm and I whimpered. What is happening? Wait...this is the smell of chemicals. I sniffed more and winced when I also smelled the metallic smell of blood.

I don't know why, but my body feels like it's on the drop tower. Am I being passed on? But how?

BAM!

Then the voices stopped. I raised a brow internally. Why did they stop?

A rush of wind hovered over my body - how? - and I scrunched up my face in confusion. I've got no idea what is happening here but I know that it's something entirely out of my hands. In other words, I'm helpless in this current situation.

Another voice filled the now silent room. It was a woman's. The woman said something more but even though I could hear the voice clearly without another voice overlaying it, I couldn't understand.

It was another language.

That just complicated things more. The woman continued spouting sentences in an angry manner and after a few moments, the room began to liven up with voices again.

I felt another pin prick stinging pain in my arm again before I succumbed to unconsciousness.

The next thing I knew, I was seeing a concrete blue ceiling, the light momentarily blinding my sensitive eyes. This time, I didn't panic. I tried to calmly assess the current situation. Panicking wouldn't help. I've learned that since a long time ago.

Puffs of breath breezed my face and I moved my eyes to turn to that direction. And momentarily froze when a gigantic face met my sight. I blinked in a stupefied manner before jerking from shock.

I tried to move. Really, I did. But something was hindering me. I brushed the material around me using my fingertips and pressed my lips into a tight line. Cloth?

I turned my head side to side and wiggled my toes. Judging from my current lack of mobility and the straining of my limbs, the cloth only exposed my face. Huh. That certainly changes things.

The gigantic face emitted a groan and I stopped my train of thoughts altogether to focus on the foreign entity. I shifted my eyes over to it and felt my jaw drop as it sat up.

Looks like it wasn't only the face that was huge. I was like only half of her face. And yes it was a woman, judging from the long red locks and delicate if not slightly chubby features.

The woman, or was she a teen, rubbed her closed eyes and let out a soft yawn. I mentally applauded her for being so laid back under these circumstances. Honestly, wasn't she peeved by the fact that her body changed?

And then her eyes opened and my eyes widened in awe and slight horror.

Squinted eyes which colors ranged from between green and violet homed on me. And then she spoke a string of sentences which only increased my awe.

Sure I didn't understand a word from the sentence spoken. Sure I shouldn't be jumping to conclusions just from this. The back of my mind whirled around the idea and took it a part piece to piece in an attempt to make a certain conclusion.

Dattebane. DATTEBANE. DATTEBANE!

Who else, other than the character I had portrayed in my mind with her huge grin and large stomach - pregnantpregnant - standing beside a yellow haired man, uttered that phrase?

The teen's eyes widened in a bout of panic and she stood up, brushing the hair which fell in front of her face to the side, showing me that symbol. I choked a scream in my throat.

Konohagakure...

-pleaseshakemyhand-

I'm planning on making that much changes for the succeeding chapters. It's not much but I did add some details to flesh-out the OC more and show her personality.

So how was it? I would really appreciate any feedback that you can give me!

Edited: March 28, 2018