Little Fairy
On the small island of Satellite the kind owner of an orphanage has fallen onto hard times. To ensure that their funds wouldn't run dry she was forced to open her doors to the public by turning it into a small inn. The young orphans, bright and cheerful, have always been oblivious to their financial situation, which is what she wants even though it means they are of no assistance. Instead, she has the help of her godson who also is an orphan. His name is Yūsei and he is a kind-hearted young man who cares for her dearly.
仙女
Yūsei sighs wearily. He is a man of many skills and talents. However, healing is not one of them.
A muted rustling sound comes from the room behind him. It's Martha. She hasn't been well over the past few days. This morning she collapsed. The doctor has went home. He was utterly perplexed by her condition, even stating "it makes no sense". Martha's forehead is hot and sticky. Her breathing is shallow: alarmingly so. Nothing seems able to wake her.
Yūsei glances down from the landing. The ground floor is empty. The tables, set and ready for guests' are still unused. He can't remember the last time they had a paying customer. The inn has always been empty and that seems to a fate unlikely to change. He dreads to think of what the kids will think when they come home. He remembers how wild the games were when he was young. He was always hungry when he returned.
There isn't enough money to buy food. There isn't any food in the building. He had to arrange a future method of paying with the doctor. He can't even buy the most rudimentary of medicines for Martha. Tiredly, he sighs. He doesn't have a job. Almost no one has a job. The island is poor: almost too poor to sustain itself. He shakes his head and makes his way downwards.
The stairs creak loudly with every step he takes. He can feel the wooden planks bending under his weight. He can't make new ones without buying supplies. It seems that their family is doomed. He steps onto the ground floor, relieved that the stairs didn't collapse beneath him. The bustling noises of the city rise around him and arouse his curiosity. He makes his way over to the door.
The streets are lined with stalls. Some people are trying to sell old pieces of mechanics that aren't fit for use. Others are trying to barter with passers-by in the hopes of changing their future for the better. However, most stalls are for food. The intoxicating aroma fills the streets and lingers over the entire city. There was the smell of food even when he was a child. The trade is just about the most honest. The stall holders are given money if a person was caught stealing from them. Their main source of income comes from the desperation of the people.
Yūsei can see an unfortunate future ahead for him and the orphans. Whether Martha is a part of that future or not is highly questionable. He can't help but wonder what would be better for her. If she lives she might suffer from starvation. If she dies then all of the city would suffer without her kindness.
"Hi, mister," a voice calls from close by.
Yūsei looks to his right. A boy is standing on the porch. His hands are shoved deep into his pockets. His face is smeared with soot and dust. His dungarees have a broken strap that trails along the ground.
Yūsei replies politely. "Hi, Taiga, what are you doing here?"
Taiga kicks the ground absentmindedly. "My dad didn't ground me, you know… He just said that out in front o' everyone,"
He frowns. "I see,"
The boy looks up. "What's wrong? You look worried and tired,"
Yūsei shakes his head slowly. "Martha's ill. The doctor doesn't know what it could be,"
Taiga frowns thoughtfully. "Well, sounds like ya need a bit o' help,"
He looks at the youngster questioningly. "Do you have any suggestions?"
A wide grin spreads across Taiga's face like wildfire. "You bet! There's been talk o' an island near here: smaller than this one. They say there's a… cure for everything,"
He shakes his head again. "I can't leave the kids,"
The boy stamps his feet. "It ain't far! They're playing anyway! I could go distract 'em for you. I mean, you don't want 'em to know, do ya?"
He sighs. "Thank you, Taiga, but I don't even know if there is an island. I haven't heard of an island other than Neo Domino and there are a lot of baseless rumours in places like this,"
"Don't worry about it," Taiga nods in the direction he came from. "My dad's got a boat he ain't using. He said I can use it for whatever and I want you to use it. They say the island's that-a-ways too! 'sides, you've nothing to lose, Yūsei. This way you'll be able to say ya tired everything."
He stands. "Thank you. I won't forget this,"
Taiga yells excitedly and jumps up and down as he waves. His supportive cries are quickly drowned out by the busy chatter of the vendors. The smell of herbs and food surround Yūsei. The odours of freshly made meals taunt him but he daren't stop or turn back. His focus is directed to the emerging view of the sea. The cerulean waters glisten beautifully. The sea looks to be infinite but he has more sense than to believe that it does.
As he steps out of the narrow street the space opens and the crowd thins. His eyes immediately settle of Taiga's father's rowing boat. He approaches it warily, watching for anyone watching him. He knows that the boat is Taiga's fathers. A strange image has been carved into the side. He can remember the day Taiga ran past him with buckets of thick dye yelling something indistinguishable. The colours have since faded but it's the only boat with a drawing on it.
Yūsei works quickly to untie the boat. The rope comes away with ease. It falls to the ground in a semi-neat bundle. Content that he has permission, and desperate to at least try, Yūsei jumps aboard. He pushes away from the dock with the oar. He grips the oar tightly and reassures himself of the odd task. He lowers it into the water and begins to row.
His strength soon carries him far enough away for Satellite to be a mere speck on the horizon. The little black dot of his home will soon disappear from sight. His hopes that the island truly does exist abandoned him minutes ago. His efforts since have been to ensure that there is no island. It's also to give him time to think. Even if Martha makes a miraculous recovery there's still the issue of the lack of funds.
Yūsei pulls the oars into the boat. For a long moment he sits in silence. There isn't a satisfactory answer no matter how he looks at it. His gaze turns to Satellite once more. The tiny dot disappears with the ebb and flow of the sea. Even the smallest of ripples seem to hide the island. The wind is slowly easing the boat further out to sea. He glances over his shoulder. There's nothing at all. He can't keep wasting time.
As he reaches for the oars the boat suddenly lurches. His hands grasp the sides of the boat instinctively. A small wave crashes against the boat: unusually powerful for tame waters. A cold gust of sea breeze blows his fringe across his eyes. He brushes his hair out of the way only to find that his view of Satellite has vanished and the sea has darkened. Startled, he turns in the direction that the brewing storm is carrying him. To his horror a gargantuan wave is hurtling towards him along with two others, equally as enormous.
A soothing breeze caresses Yūsei's face. His head groggily turns to the side. His eyes hesitantly begin to open and he finds himself to be on a sandy beach. He raises his hand to shield his eyes from the blinding sun. As his clarity becomes clearer he sits up. His eyes turn to the right: searching for answers to a question that he can't find the words to even ask. He then looks to the left and finds the rowing boat but his concentration is elsewhere.
He peers down the sandy shores curiously. The scene has an exact replica from his memories. When he was young he ventured out of the city. As the sun was setting he found himself on a pot-holed old road next to a small stretch of beach. The road thankfully led him back him. For a brief moment, he wonders if it's the same road. Then a breeze brushes over the back of his neck. He frowns and glances over his shoulder.
The view stuns him. It's nothing like Satellite. Beyond the beach is a calm sea of emerald. The individual blades of grass are impossible to distinguish as they move in unison with the breeze. The russet bark of trees beyond the grass is equally as warm and inviting. Yet, what captivates him most of all, are the blossoms. They each bloom with their pale faces towards the sun. Each petal is pale pink but each shade looks to be unique to each blossom.
This is not Satellite. Satellite is endless grey skeletons of once grand buildings. Satellite is a place of perpetual despair. This place is beautiful - dangerously so. Yūsei slowly makes his way inland. The only sounds are the gentle lapping of the waves and the whisper of the breeze. Yūsei's instincts are known for being uncannily accurate, yet they tell him nothing now. As he walks his signature motorcycle boots crunch the grains of sand.
As he steps onto the lush grass his eyes settle on the trees once more. Directly in front of him they arch to create a perfect tunnel. He slows his pace as he walks beneath it. The path glows pink from the filtered sunlight. To Yūsei the arch is too perfect to have been formed naturally but he doesn't worry. While it's true that he grew up with tales of heroes and dragons, elves and demons, he thinks nothing of them. He's far too sensible to fear them or think of them as anything more than tales.
He steps out from the tunnel and the pink glow vanishes. Yūsei glances back at the archway curiously. For the first time, they move. The branches shiver with the cooling breeze. He thinks nothing of it and turns to face another path. This one leads into a wood land. Here the leaves are unusually dark. They guard against most of the sunlight. Still, he presses on. The goal of finding the cure, if there is one, is too important for him to take lightly.
He reaches the end of the woodlands in less than ten minutes. The natural pathway leads him to the sun's warmth and light. The scenery has changed to that of open land. There's almost no grass in the area despite the soil looking in good condition. It's the first true sign of other people though he counts it as the third. As he steps out of the woods and into the warm light a quiet splash echoes.
He turns and finds a water lily pad covered lake to his right.
Author's Note:
- Original Author's Note:
Author's Note: I really hope that by the end of this you'll help me. I want to request a new category to be added to the Games section but I'm scared of asking for it and being denied because there isn't a demand for it. I only want people who truly love this to help me. By my strangeness I suppose you've realised by now that this is a re-telling of a story that already exists. I couldn't resist this as this series, both game and television series, have sparked something in me. Every time I think or talk about this series something in my chest erupts and I'm flooded with emotions. There is nothing else that evokes that reaction in me (except Gǔjiàn Qítán, of which I have written a re-telling of in the Naruto category).I want this to make you happy as well. I'm hoping that, by the end of this, you'll all come away with an adoration of this fanfiction's origins.
If you already know what series this is derived from then… I love you!
Thank you for reading. I truly hope that you're having an amazing time reading this. I'm so sorry if I couldn't communicate the correct sentiments or have missed something out and you haven't enjoyed this. Please tell me what I can do to help you enjoy the experience more.