Chapter One: Kidnapped?

The music pumped through her body evenly, fueling her muscles and the desire to dance. After the hit dropped, she let the music pull her into swaying and jumping. She twirled around, happily dancing to the beat. After a moment, when she knew the lyrics were about to start up, she adjusted her face mic in a swift move, where the audience wouldn't see it. She turned and strutted across the stage, swaying her hips in time with the music. The crowd went wild. Her backup dancers jolted and jumped in moves. 

"I forgot to wear my cross tonight,"She began. The lights flashed around her, the fog machine pushing synthetic fog across the stage. "I left my garlic at home...it's so dumb but it's so fun to wander around the city alone!" She spun around her backup dancers, drawing her hand across the chest of one of the pretty boys. "I'm running falling down, chase me all over this town and now you've finally got me, what am I to do? Oh, oh, oh, Sexy Vampire, I'm falling in love-" One of the backup dancers grabbed her, dipping her. "So bite me baby, and drink all my blood, oh yeah." They released her and she spun into another dancer. He did just the same pose with her. "Sexy Vampire, I'm falling in love, so do what you want to do." 

When her performance was over, her manager waved her off stage. She headed towards him with a few last waves to the audience. The curtain descended. The back up dancers followed her off. Hiromi took a deep breath and stretched, pulling the microphone off her face. She tossed it at her manager. 

"I told you I didn't want to do that song tonight, you still set up for it." Her manager handed the mic to his assistant, and followed after her as she walked away. 

"I'm sorry, Hiro, but-"

"It's Hiromi. My stage name is Hiro, but offstage, I'm Hiromi, got it?"She hissed, turning on him. He gave her an apologetic look. She jabbed her finger at his chest. "Why the hell are you still following me? Show's over. I'm done for the night." 

"Hiromi, you have a signing-"

"Bull-shit! I'm so done with this. I QUIT!"Hiromi screeched. Everyone standing there gaped at her. She whirled around, throwing her hands in the air. "This has become more than I can handle! I don't want the fame and fortune, if it weren't for the damned talent scouts, I'd be in high school like a normal girl right now!" She stomped off towards her dressing room and slammed the door behind her. She huffed and slouched on the couch, running a hand through her hair. After a moment a knock sounded on the door. She sighed. "Come in." The door opened to reveal her manager. He stepped in and closed the door, moving to sit on the couch beside her. 

"What's wrong?"He asked her with a sigh. He knew there was something wrong. She only ever acted like this when something was bothering her. Hiromi was young, and it only made sense that she acted like this. He frowned at her when she didn't answer. "Are you homesick?" Hiromi  slowly nodded. He nodded once to himself. He leaned back. Hiromi hadn't been to her home in over a year. Of course she was homesick. "Here's what we'll do. You go to the signing, put on a happy face as Hiro, and then in the morning we'll announce you're taking a short break from the tour. You'll go home, which no one will know about, and then we'll come back and get you after a month off. Does that sound alright, or would you like more time?" Hiromi blinked at him in surprise. 

"That sounds...pretty good..."Hiromi murmured. He nodded and smiled at her. 

"Good...now let's go, okay? I'm sorry for forcing you to do that song. The boss told me he wanted that one done tonight, and there wasn't enough time to pre-warn you,"He told her. Hiromi sighed. She nodded once. He stood up and offered her his hand. 

****

When the bus pulled to a stop at the bottom of the mountain, Hiromi got out with her bag in hand. She watched the bus drive away and turned, holding her floppy hat on her hand as she looked up at the mountain trail. Her parents lived up at the shrine, Kuroyama shrine, on the mountain, and had always lived there for as long as she could remember. Hiromi was from the small mountain village of Natsuyama, which was hidden somewhere in the black mountain ridge. She started up the trail, her eyes dancing around. It had been a while since she'd gotten to walk through the mountain's beautiful woods. 

She smiled to herself, holding her bag to the front. 

"Hiromi." 

She paused and looked around. Someone had said her name. Or at least, that's what she'd heard. Hiromi blinked, frowning to herself. I must be imagining things. It's just because I'm so relieved to be home, or something like that. She smiled to herself again. Alright, no more dawdling. Hiromi started walking again. 

"Hiromi Kuroyama." 

Hiromi jolted to a stop. It was definitely her name that time. She turned and looked around. There was no one there. Hiromi wrinkled her eyebrows. She started back up the trail, faster this time. I just need to get home. That's it. Hiromi sped up the trail, not stopping for anything. 

"Hiromi Kuroyama." 

Fear tugged at her heart. She could almost feel someone behind her, as if they were following her. Hiromi paused and slowly turned around. The forest was growing dark, speeding towards her. What the hell?! She thought. Hiromi turned, taking off running.

"Hiromi."

"Hiromi."

"Hiromi Kuroyama." A hand reached out and grabbed her shoulder. 

"NO!"Hiromi screamed, turning around. She slammed her bag into the person, but it didn't phase them. She dropped the bag and ran, pushing her legs up the hill. Her thighs and calves ached with the sudden force of her running up a hill. 

"Hiromi Kuroyama. Stop running." 

Her legs froze up on her. Hiromi toppled to the ground, catching herself on her hands. She turned around, looking up. Standing there was a figure, surrounded in shadows. She gaped up at it. It moved, reaching for her. 

"No!"

****

When Hiromi woke up, she was laying on soft grass. Above her were leaves, covering a sunny sky. She moved, covering her face with her hand, staring up at the sky. She sat up quickly, looking around. Her surroundings were unfamiliar. I've explored every inch of the Black Mountain ridge....how could I have ended up somewhere I don't recognize? Her eyes were wide. Her hand brushed something. Hiromi looked over to see her suitcase laying beside her. But how...I threw it at... Her mind went fuzzy. Her head throbbed. She touched her forehead in confusion. She wrinkled her eyebrows. Where am I? She wondered. She looked around. Her eyes found a building a little ways away from her. 

Hiromi stood up, grabbing her suitcase in hand. She glanced and saw her phone on the grass. She bent down and picked it up, clicking it on. The battery had a question mark on it, and there was no wifi connection. There was an x over her signal bars. No service...or wifi...where the hell would I be that has no service or wifi? Hiromi wondered. She tucked the phone in her back jeans pocket and turned walking off towards the building. Her eyes wandered around. She was definitely somewhere unfamiliar. Her hand reached out and she brushed one of the columns. Early Greek style columns...she thought. 

Hiromi turned as she spotted a shadow out of the corner of her eye. She stared down the hallway where she'd seen it, and then she watched as a white rabbit hopped into view. She wrinkled her eyebrows. What am I, Alice in Wonderland? She turned and walked over to the rabbit. It hopped away from her, taking off down the hallway. Yep, that's a bad idea...don't follow it. She turned around the opposite way and went down that hallway. Hiromi rounded corners and went down hallways. 

She took twists and turns, knowing she was lost. Hiromi paused, sighing and leaning against a column. She closed her eyes. 

"Where are we, I wonder,"someone spoke. A hum followed after. Hiromi's eyes tore open, looking around. She peeked around the corner to see a couple of girls walking towards her. One of the girls was shorter with pale brown hair and fuchsia eyes. The other was taller, with long blonde hair and blue eyes. Hiromi slid her gaze between the two. The blonde haired one wore an annoyed scowl, and was walking with crossed arms. 

"No clue,"spoke the pale brown haired girl. Her eyes shifted over the area. Hiromi stared at them. They both spotted her. "Hey." Hiromi jolted. The girls walked over to her and stopped. "Do you know where we are?" Hiromi stared at them. She crossed her arms and shook her head. 

"No,"She answered. She frowned hard. The blonde girl was staring at her hard. Hiromi glanced at her. "What?"

"You look familiar, do I know you?"The girl asked. Hiromi's heart leapt with panic. I hate being recognized in public, she thought. She quickly shook her head. Hiromi paused suddenly. 

"Hiromi Kuroyama. Ume Akimizu. Ren Fujita." 

The three girls looked around. Their names had all been called. Hiromi spotted a huge door at the end of the hall. She started towards it. 

"Ah-hey, wait,"the brown haired girl called out to her. Hiromi turned. "Where are you going?" 

"The voice. I think it came from that door,"Hiromi told her. She looked down at the ground, her eyebrows pinching together. Hiromi frowned hard. "I'm not sure where we are...and I'm not sure about you guys...but I want answers. And it looks like we'll only get them if we explore." The two girls both exchanged looks and nodded. The three girls headed off towards the doors. Hiromi and the girls pushed on the doors to open them. The doors creaked open loudly, heavily sliding against the floor. They stopped when there was a gap big enough for the three of them to go through. Hiromi paused. The room was large, drawing towards a throne in the back of it. There were large glass windows behind said throne, and steps leading up towards it. 

Sitting on the throne was a man, with golden hair and eyes. He had a beard, which was also golden. His eyes focused on the three girls. A large red carpet spread towards him, as if directing them where to walk. There were already two other girls in the room, standing at the foot of his throne. Neither turned to look at them. The other three girls stood still, staring at the man on his throne. He tapped his big staff that he held in his hand hard, the loud sound echoing in the room. The doors creaked shut behind them. The girls all jumped, turning around. Hiromi slowly turned back to face the man on the throne once again. 

"Come forward, Hiromi Kuroyama, Ume Akimizu, and Ren Fujita. I have been waiting." Hiromi stared at him. She could feel the power coming off of him in waves. He was strong, whoever he was. Hiromi started towards him. 

"What are you doing?!"Hissed the blonde girl. 

"If he wanted to hurt us he already would have,"Hiromi spoke without stopping. The other two girls slowly followed after her, cautious about it. Hiromi stopped in front of the throne. "Who are you?" The man stared down at her. A grin spread out on his face. 

"You're awfully confident,"He spoke. Hiromi said nothing. The strange man waved his staff. The two girls that were already in the room seemed to jolt suddenly. They fell to the floor. Hiromi blinked, looking at them. The two girls looked around, seemingly confused. He had them frozen in place, Hiromi realized. She glanced back up at him. The other two girls that had found her rushed to help the fallen girls. Who is this guy? He's powerful... "Greetings. I have brought you five girls here." All of them stared at him. The two pushed themselves up. One of them, a blonde with gray eyes, launched forward, her hand made into a fist. "I wouldn't." She stopped mid air, her eyes wide. He lowered her to the ground and she lowered her fist. 

"What the hell?"She muttered. 

"As I was saying, I have a specific purpose for bringing you five here. In time, I'll bring more girls here. You're the first. The test." 

Everyone stared at him. 

"You can't leave unless I say so."