In a Place Called Haven

Haven

Disclaimer and important info: PLEASE READ ME!!! I'M IMPORTANT!!

Toboe: Hello folks, how is everyone? Good! That's great. Anyway, as you can tell, this is a new fanfic-and for once it's not about Wolf's Rain. –happy dance- It is a fanfic about a new manga called +Anima. Very, very cute. I recommend it if you haven't read it, but if you haven't you can still easily understand this story. For once I'm not using the characters in the book, but taking the idea and turning it into my own. It is a fanfic though, and I give all ideas for +Anima to the writer and Tokyopop. Anyway, so even if you haven't read this it should be really easy to understand. There is only one character in this that is someone else. That's Edward, from Twilight. (If you haven't read it, shame on you!) I changed him a bit to fit in this story but he's still Edward underneath. Anyway, this disclaimer got to long, so on with the story. By the way, this is going to be a collection of short stories about a place called Haven. This chapter is just an overview on Haven.

There is a world not too different from our own. In this world, there were two different types of 'people'; humans and +Anima. Humans are the majority, as it is in any other world. They thrive where nothing can, and fight when there was nothing left to fight for. They make beasts do their labor and harvest the bounties of the land. And in this world there are many different types of humans. Far in the south live the dark skinned people and far to the north live the pale folk. Our story takes place up in the north in the kingdom of Astarian, which is a rich and varied county from the tip of its ice covered mountains to the bottom of its low plains. And, again, there are more types of people, the native Kim-un-kur and the Astarians. The Kim-ur-kur way of life was very basic, their clothing very ornate though, and simple hair beads told all they needed when greeting each other. The Astarians were more modern, relying on steel blades and thick stone cities for their everyday life. And while they did not always get along, they were of the same people and thus grew acceptance.

But then came another type of people, a people who were not so different and could even be called cousins to the humans. The +Anima.

No one really knows how +Anima children came into existence, only that they were quickly hated in most situations. They were said to be born of a mother who wished with all her heart for something different, such as to fly like a bird, swim like fish, or run like a horse; but that wasn't entirely true; many +Anima children born to Astarian parents often weren't wanted and were abandoned. The Kim-un-kur, however, loved their children whether they were +Anima or not, and that created problems with the Astarians. The Kim-un-kur were very close to nature and held all life to a higher degree then the Astarians. The first +Anima was born to a Kim-un-kur and her birth was greatly celebrated. While the Kim-un-kur thought protector sprits had come to earth in the form of their children, the Astarians thought the children were sharing their bodies with demons.

+Anima children were born with the strange birthmark that could only be described as magical. These birthmarks came in many different forms and gave them the power to change. For some the change was slight, like claws or fangs, and for others the changes were dramatic. Some grew large wings that would take them high into the sky, or their whole lower body turned into a fish tail and their birthmark into gills. For children like this, life was unbearable; while they could masquerade as a human, they were denying their true nature. When these children grew a little older, they tended to stay in the Kim-un-kur clans or become wanderers so no one could find out their true nature.

Then the wars happened.

The Astarian army vastly outnumbered the few +Anima and Kim-un-kur who had risen to the +Anima's aid. The soldiers mercilessly slaughtered any +Anima they found, be it man or woman, infant or child. Some of the general people cheered at this news but most were angered. But as they haughtily looked down at the bodies of defenseless children they became sickened by the knowledge that they were responsible these atrocities. Even thought most hated the +Anima, they were not savage, bloodthirsty murderers at that that sight they saw a little clearer and tried to repent.

So the war stopped.

But it was too late; the few remaining +Anima had fled and the Kim-un-kur themselves scattered. Not many openly showed their hair beads, or wore their ancestral clothes anymore. The Kim-un-kur markets weren't open any longer, and the chance of a rare sight of a flying +Anima became extinct. And so the world went on, a little less bright.

Then an Astarian mother had a child with a strange birthmark.

When this happened, the Kim-un-kur clans came out of hiding and the +Anima warily masqueraded as humans once more. They believed that this would change the Astarian way of thinking about these half animal miracles, but while it softened the hard edge of their anger, it did little else. And so a few of these +Anima, sick with the pain of undeserved loathing, set of to create their own world, away from the hurts and suffering they had been forced to endure in a human filled world. And they created Haven.

---

Very few people traveled through the thick forest and into the secluded valley of Haven. Well, not many people knew it existed, or could even find it. Surrounded on three sides by the impassable mountains and filled to the brim with large ancient trees, it was a very impenetrable place. If you traveled for days into the green forest, towards the mountains, you would eventually come to a narrow pass between two mountains. Now, as you travel, the trees were eventually getting larger and larger, larger then any tree you had ever seen before. But as you looked down into the valley you would see trees that seemed to reach the heavens. On some of the smaller ones thirty people could have stood, fingertip to fingertip, and barely encircle its girth.

If you kept up your walk for another day you would eventually come across a quaint little homestead next to a large lake and the base of one of theses old giant trees. A nice couple would meet you, invite you to spend the night, and show you their farm. They would take you to their wide sprawling barn and show you their horses, sheep, and chickens, and point out their farmhands working on small sunny patches beneath the trees. If you were looking for a place to settle down, they would politely tell you they owned most of the forest and would never sell any of it. After a nice night in one of their stable hand's bed, which was surprisingly well kept, they would let you borrow one of their horses and one of the stable hands would lead you to the end of their property. The wife would have pack you a nice meal and would have given it to you while they both would ask you to keep this nice place a secret, because they didn't like lots of strangers tromping around their home and then wave you of with many good tidings. After a day of riding at a fairly quick pace you would be halfway out of the forest. You would slide of the dapple grey mare and try to not to groan when you saw the stable hand chuckle at your soreness. And you would wave good bye to the stable hand as she wrapped the mare's reins to her saddle and turned back home. You would continue on your adventure without another thought to the nice couple and their almost self sufficient farmstead. And if you did happen to remark about that strange little farm no one would bother to go there, for it took several days on horseback even if you knew the way to get there, and why bother only to find out the land was already owned. But you would never know the truth about this place. Not you.

---

"He's gone!" a figure on horseback yelled joyfully as her horse burst from the forest with a clatter of hoof beats. The sweaty black stallion tossed his head and stopped his hoof and the lithe dapple-gray mare loosely tied to his saddle nervously pranced around the mount.

With her words the heads of the farm hands toiling on small fields beneath the trees shot up and gave a cry of joy. Instantly wings blossomed and tails appeared. One worker unfurled his huge brown wings and shot up into the sky. His head was thrown back and he gave a great kestrel scream as his dark red hair, which was pulled back to prevent it from getting inthe way, fluttered out behind him. He shot through a narrow opening in the trees like a bullet, wings folding back hiding the complicated pattern of black bars and dark brown spots that decorated his wings, just before he entered a small entrance in the net hidden by leafy foliage so his wings weren't injured. And then he was out of the woven cover and into the vast tangle of branches. There was plenty of room between each tree limb for his seventeen-foot wingspan; in fact there was so much room another +Anima could have flown abreast with him and not had any problem. He shot past large houses built into the trees, over large tree branches whose tops had been smoothed into walkways, and under swinging rope bridges. People gave a shout as he raced overhead, not because the wind of his wings tussled their hair, feathers, tails, and clothing, but because they were overjoyed. The stranger had left.

All at one the ghost town became a bustling settlement as people threw out their doors to greet the fading sun. The band of silence was broken and the town was making up for it as people's voices swelled like the ocean.

The kestrel-human soared pass richly decorated houses calling the news out. Over the orphan house he did an elaborate spiral accompanied with an ear shattering screech when he saw the children were being let out. The children, some +Anima some not, cheered and clapped as he let out one final screech and wheeled past on his graceful wings. As he circled to get some lift his gaze fell on the town. There were houses and walkways, many covered with the scatterings of gold and red leaves everywhere skillfully created to look like extensions of the trees themselves. Humans and +Anima friends laughed together, the children played hard after a day indoors, and couples gave tender greetings. His black eyes lit up in excitement as the crisp air ruffled through his wings and he gave one more cry as he ascended up into the heavens.

Beating his wings in a slow circle, he hovered before landing expertly on the wooden deck in front of the Heaven Headquarters, his huge wings folding back with out a feather out of place. He was instantly bombarded by different people for information, but he held up a hand to still their questions as he stalked towards the large carved doors. The Haven's crest stared down at him as he pushed against the heavy double doors. As he walked down the large hall headed straight to the general's office, the images of the sign flashed before him in wide stained glass widows. A large tree was in the middle of it, and upon its sprawling branches were two simple wooden houses. The crest's background was split in half, two colours on the background representing the two types of scouts that patrolled and guarded Haven. The night scouts were a dark, almost black blue, and the day scouts a pale sky blue. Illustrations of dirty small gray houses crouched under at the base of the tree, symbolizing the oppression they had once faced in the towns of men.

But the kestrel only blinked as the colors bathed him in their glow. His was a wide stride and he walked as if any moment he would leap into the sky on his powerful wings. He deftly dogged people with loads of paper and skirted around arguing officials. Finally, at then end of the large walkway, he reached his destination: a large door with a mural of Haven carved into it with the utmost detail that surpassed even the stained glass that adorned the town hall. He could feel every detail in the coarse grains as he pushed them open and cautiously stuck his head in.

"Sir? Washi?"

The office was a clutter of organized junk if such a thing ever existed. Behind a large desk piled high with wood shavings, paperwork, and leftover meals, sat a young man. He was thirty-three but had the air of someone much older. While the kestrel, Rowta, was extremely tall and slender, Washi was of a sturdier built and of average height. Regardless of their height differences, the younger man saluted to Washi politely as he entered the room. His face was clean shaven and smooth, although he looked tired and a little worn. Rowta couldn't help but feel guilty; Washi most likely hadn't slept since the visitor entered the forest almost two days ago. As the head of the scouts and the leader of Haven, his superior had to oversee almost everything, and Rowta knew he wouldn't leave it to anyone who couldn't realize the impact detection would have on Haven if something went wrong. He was in his +Anima form, and a mop of white feathers was up high in anticipation, his large black wings fluttering anxiously.

"What's the report, Lieutenant?" Washi queried with a slight grin as he used the day scout's new title.

"Toboe just came back with an all-clear sign. I didn't stop to get the full report, sir."

"Oh, drop formalities. We're friends, Rowta. Oh, and come over here-there is something I think you need to see."

Washi stood up and turned to the open window. The adjacent porch was spacious, but unfortunately it didn't have enough room to land on, or it would make reporting a lot easier.

Washi stood next to him and gestured to the sprawling city below. From this vantage point, they could see all around them. Brightly colored people and falling gold and red leaves were everywhere, giving color to a normally rich green and brown landscape. Flags fluttered and birds made sweet music to welcome the summer night that bathed everyone in a pink glow as the sun started to sink in the horizon. It was ethereal sight that made a person feel irrelevant but wildly significant at the same time. Pride thudded in Rowta's chest, his heart caught as he realized the importance in helping to keep this paradise safe and secure.

Washi squeezed his shoulder and lead him away from the view.

"It's a calming sight isn't it? It makes me realize why I took this tiring position. Come, friend; let's get a drink. My treat."

And so ended another eventful day in Haven.

Toboe: I hope you all liked it. This one was kind of just to make you realize what these are going to be all about. I would to thank my editors Kisa, Nuni, and Bishelen. For your amusement I included one of our meetings.

Bishelen: -throwing papers at Toboe - What is this crap!

Toboe: -cowering- in a corner- I tried!!!

Kisa: YOU MADE ROWTA SOUND LIKE A PANSIE! NO ONE waves while they are flying!!

Toboe: I'm not the one who wanted to call him Alexi!

Kisa: It's a popular Russian male name!

Bishelen: What's this about white people living in the north and black people in the south? You are so Racist!! SEGRAGATION IS BAD!!!

Toboe: I didn't mean to make it sound like that!

Nuni: I actually don't think it's that bad. You need better flow and you are a little repetitive but I like it all in all.

Toboe: -tears of happiness in eyes- I LOVE YOU!!! –glomps-

Bishelen: Your story is full of useless and stupid commentary!!!

Toboe: -back to the present- They are good at heart so don't take it the wrong way. It wouldn't be half as good without them so send them your love. See ya'll next posting!