Really crappily written OC story because I need to get out of writer's block. Most of this feels very forced, but please bear with it ^
Chapter 1 - White is a horrible color
There are four levels of bonds you can have with your siblings. One is deep, utter hatred. Another is annoyance, and barely tolerant, just acknowledging that they're there. Another is one where you understand each other, and are there for each other. The last one, is a soul connection, where you honestly probably know your sibling better than yourself.
When you ask many what they thought of their younger siblings, the instant response would usually be 'they're so annoying!'. It was perfectly normal, but Ayden could never wrap her head around it. To her, her younger sister Ava was the most precious thing in the world. She would (not literally) conquer armies to see her smile, slay dragons to see her laugh, cross oceans to make her happy. They were the only family each other had, as their parents had died when they were young, Ayden herself being only 10, while Ava was 7. They had been moved to an orphanage, because for some strange reason their parents had no other living relatives, and had presided there since.
Now, nearly four years later, on the warm, sunny afternoon of June 18th, marked the day that everything would change.
Ava suddenly collapsed on the ground in the middle of their short recess. Ayden had cried out in alarm, catching her sibling before she could make contact with the ground. Panic spreading throughout her body, Ayden quickly ran to find one of the orphanage caretakers, lugging her 11 year old sister on her back.
Ava was quickly driven to a hospital on the back of an ambulance, Ayden worriedly holding onto her hand the whole ride. The rooms of the hospital were so sickenly white, but Ayden sat patiently in the lobby, waiting for the news, cold sweat rolling down her forehead and dread filling her body.
It seemed only hours later, did that brunette nurse wearing all white step out of the room with her white clipboard, her white pen in hand.
"Are you Ayden Kent?" The nurse asked politely, sitting next to the silent girl. Now, even her last name seemed to taunt her, Kent, meaning white in Welsh. "My name is Tsubaki, it's nice to meet you."
"It's nice to meet you too." Ayden muttered politely. "What's the condition of my sister? Will she be okay?" The older women's gaze softened in pity, and Ayden braced herself for the coming news.
"Well, your sister is... not all that well." Tsubaki blabbed nervously, Ayden sat unamused next to her. "She's diagnosed with a really bad illness as of right now." A clenching feeling could be felt in Ayden's stomach.
"How bad?" The black haired girl demanded, her full attention snapping to the nurse. "Is it curable? How long will the surgery take? Will she make a recovery?"
"Well, the thing is-"
"Please get to the point ma'am." Ayden interrupted curtly, not really interested in hearing the nurse's excuses. "Don't beat around the bush please."
"She's diagnosed with an illness we've only seen a few times before." Tsubaki sighed, not looking Ayden in the eye. "In fact, it's so recent that there isn't even a name for it, but one thing is for sure, it only happens to run in your family."
"Is it curable?" Ayden asked, breath hitching in her throat as she clutched tighter onto the seat.
"I'm afraid not." Tsubaki frowned. "It came from generations of inbreeding on your families part, and some sort of strange genetics. If this had happened a decade or so into the future, I'm sure we could've cured it." Her stomach fell, and Ayden's breath came out in short ragged breaths, and it felt like no words could describe her devastation. They can't save her. She's going to die, she's going to die. Ava's going to die.
"Can she- will she- How long does she have left?" Ayden wailed, barely stopping herself from grabbing onto the nurse's uniform. Tsubaki's eyes softened, seeing the state of distress the girl was in, and patted the younger girl consolingly on the shoulder.
"I'm going to be honest with you Ayden." Tsubaki said softly. "At most, she'd be lucky to see another week." Don't cry, don't cry, not now, Ava needs you, don't cry Ayden. "You know dear, it's okay to cry."
"Can I... can I see her?"
"Certainly." Tsubaki said, standing up quickly, brushing imaginary dust off of her white, white dress. "Please, follow me." The walked down the white hallways, and Tsubaki pushed open a white door that was labeled 314. Ayden almost broke down when she saw her younger sister hooked up to so many IVs, so many fragile machines that were now her lifeline. Ava's eyes fluttered open a bit upon the sound of the door opening.
"A-ayden?" Came a soft, timid voice that Ayden had burned into her memory. Rushing to her sister's side, Ayden grabbed onto one of Ava's hands, squeezing reassuringly, although she herself was about to break down.
"I'm here." Ayden managed to coo out softly. "It's okay, you're going to be fine."
"Ah- where am I?" Ava mumbled. "Everything's so bright in here."
"We're at the hospital." Ayden responded, continuing to rub circles on the back of her sister's hand. "You just fell and hit your head while running, that's all." Ayden never wanted to lie to her sister, but now…
"Ah, really?" Ava smiled, eyes crinkling slightly as she steadily breathed in and out. "Then you should go home and rest, Ayden-nee."
"Of course not, I'll stay here with you." Ayden rejected, ignoring the nurses scurrying around with her.
"No, you should go home Ayden-nee, it's just a head injury, I'll be fine soon." Ava smiled, as Ayden felt her chest tighten. "I'm sorry for making you worry."
"Right." Ayden said, forcing the tears back in. No, don't cry, Ava needs you, don't cry, don't cry. "I'll still stay here with you though."
"Really nee-san, I'll be fine." Ava huffed stubbornly. "Everything will be alright in the end..."
"And if it isn't." Ayden continued, eyes watering at the poem the two used to recite over and over. "It's not the end yet."
"That's right nee-chan, so just go home and rest. Feed Mr. Bunny for me please?"
"Of course I will." Ayden promised, giving her sister's hand another tight squeeze.
"Visiting hours are over." One nurse said curtly, standing next to Ayden, interrupting their bonding session. "We'd like to ask you to leave now." Ayden took one last look at Ava, giving her a smile, knowing it might be one of the last she could ever give, she was promptly ushered out the room, and into another white, white hallway with white, white benches.
She was beginning to hate that color.
Tears began to roll down her cheeks as she stepped outside into the pouring rain.
"Look Ava." Ayden muttered softly, looking up at the soft, gray sky. "It's beginning to rain."
/Line break\\
Walking through the streets, Ayden passed by a small flower shop. Taking a glance out of the corner of her eye, she spotted what was on the display window. Some pink and purple sweet pea flowers were arranged in an elaborate fashion, and Ayden took a moment to observe. Sweet peas… they're Ava's favorite. 'Good times'... Feeling around in her pocket for how much change she had on her, Ayden managed to fish out a couple of coins.
"Just enough for two…" Ayden noted duly, opening the door. "That will have to do."
"Welcome." The shopkeeper mumbled, not even looking up from his magazine. "How can I help you today?"
"I'd like two sweet pea flowers please." Ayden asked politely, pointing to the selection. The shopkeeper looked up, eyebrow raising when he saw Ayden's appearance, but making no further comment. Walking over, he carelessly plucked two out of the bouquet, handing them to the girl, who in exchange dropped her change in his hand.
"Thank you for shopping here." The shopkeeper recited, pocketing the money. "Please come again." Ayden nodded politely, walking back out the door, pulling her coat over the flowers for protection against the rain.
That night, Ayden curled up in her and Ava's shared bed, laying awake the whole night, not being able to sleep. So next morning when the caretakers came to wake her, expecting to have to drag the girl out of bed, she was already dressed, flowers in hand, the bags under her eyes noticeable.
"Morning Ayden-chan, how are you doing today?"
"Fine." Was the short, curt response as Ayden pulled on her coat. "I'll be going to the hospital again today, is that fine?"
"Of course." The caretaker smiled. "Just take the main roads and be safe. We hope Ava gets better."
"Yeah…" Ayden said numbly, walking out into the hallway. "I hope so too." Ayden walked down the streets, barely paying attention to where she was going, although the route to the hospital was very familiar to her. The white, white walls of the waiting room greeted her again, but this time, Ayden wasn't the only one there. Sitting across the bench from her was a man, cloaked in black, a suspicious looking mask on their face.
"Hello." Adira greeted out of habit, crossing her legs uncomfortably as her eyes scanned the walls for any clocks, only to see none.
"Hello to you as well." The stranger greeted, silence crossing over the two for a moment. "Who are you here for?"
"My sister. You?"
"An old acquaintance." The man said with amusement, although the mask was preventing Ayden from getting a clear view at him. "You must really love your sister, to be here so early."
"I do." Ayden admitted, linking her hands together in her lap, not sure why she felt so obliged to answer this stranger's questions. It must've been her lack of sleep. "She's the only family I have left."
"Is that so." The man said, sympathy creeping into his voice, before it was gone entirely. "I'm Tatsuo, what's your name?"
"... Ayden."
"Ayden, huh? That's a nice name."
"Thank you." Ayden said, bowing her head slightly. "How is your acquaintance?"
"Oh, fairly well, he's just having troubles walking as of lately."
"Ah, I see. He will be fine though, right?" Ayden asked, although her heart was not really in it, her thoughts wandering to what was happening to Ava.
"He'll be fine in no time." Silence fell over the two, as Ayden glance over at the man, looking at his pale, ivory mask.
"Say, Ayden-san." Tatsuo said, his black cloak shifting as he moved slightly. "If I were to tell you there was a way to save your sister, how far are you willing to go save your sister?" Ayden perked up at this, her whole attention shifting to the man in front of her.
"As far as it takes." Ayden answered truthfully, nervously twirling the flowers she had in hand.
"Even if it kills you?" Tatsuo pressed on, the atmosphere becoming slightly more suffocating.
"Yes." Ayden replied without hesitation.
"Even if it were to send you to another world?" Tatsuo asked, leaning forward, the masks empty black eyes staring into Ayden's green ones.
"Excuse me?" Ayden blinked, startled at the sudden and out of place question.
"I said, if the only way to save your sister is to send you to another world, would you do it?" Tatsuo asked, leaning backwards letting Ayden catch a glimpse of blood red behind the mask.
"Without a shadow of a doubt." Ayden replied firmly, straightening, although passing Tatsuo's words off as just ordinary questions. Tatsuo began to chuckle, before those turned into deep, rumbling laughter.
"What an interesting girl." Tatsuo said, smiling at the confused girl. "Alright, when the nurses let us in, I will help your sister."
"You're a doctor?" Ayden asked, her hopes beginning to rise. "You can really save her?"
"Of course." Tatsuo replied easily, reaching a long, limb out to awkwardly pat Ayden's tousled black hair. " However, in exchange, you will have to do something for me."
"What is it?" Ayden asked, her voice getting desperate.
"Why, I already asked you about it, didn't I?" Tatsuo grinned. "Even if I were to send you to another world, would you still go save your sister?" Ayden blinked, her eyebrows furrowing together. Come again…?
"Tatsuo-san, are you… joking?" Ayden asked, looking strangely at the man.
"I am completely serious." Tatsuo said, leaning forward. "Ayden, do you believe in supernatural things?"
"Slightly, but-"
"Then just listen to me." Tatsuo interjected, holding a hand up to tell the girl to stop talking. "I will send you to a world, and you will need to become a hunter, which is a job profession in this… world. When I heal your sister, the healing won't be permanent, and so I'll need you to find a cure, and bring it back."
"That's… the favor?" Ayden frowned, trying to wrap her mind around the confusing events. "Bring back a cure for my sister? I don't see how that'll benefit you at all."
"Don't be so cynical now." Tatsuo chuckled, as the door to 314 clicked open. "I do have something to gain from this, you'll just have to see."
"This is your sister? She takes after you very much." Tatsuo mused, sitting next to the unconscious girl's bedside, a nurse looking at him strangely, narrowing her eyes at his strange choice of dress, before cautiously leaving the room.
"Thank you." Ayden said, nervously fidgeting with the edge of her jacket, unsure as why she brought this man into her sister's room when she hardly knew him. "So, can you fix her?"
"I said I would." Tatsuo replied, stretching out an arm over Ava, his pale hand hovering above Ava's chest. A blue light began to glow, Ayden watched in awe, as the color returned to Ava's face, her breathing steadied, and her heart rate seemingly going back to normal. Ayden covered her mouth with both hands, as warm tears began to trail down her cheeks.
"She's okay, she's okay, she's okay." Ayden repeated, as if in a mantra. "Thank you so much!"
"You're very welcome. Now, I need you to calm down, and listen to me." Tatsuo said, resting an hand on Ayden's shoulder. The girl managed to calm her excitement, and look at the man. "First of all, I need you to remember her recovery isn't permanent, she could relapse back into it at any moment. However, she should be fine for a good twenty or so years. Now, about the favor I wanted you to do."
"What is it?" Ayden asked. "You were joking about the world thing… right?"
"Certainly not, I was quite serious when I said I wanted to send you into another world." Tatsuo said, his voice unreadable, as the temperature seemingly dropped a few degrees. Ayden gulped, sensing danger and unconsciously moving to guard her sister. Tatsuo stood up, his cloak billowing out behind him. "Relax, I will not harm her." Ayden lowered her arm, however she was still hovering protectively over her sister. This time, Tatsuo reached out towards her. "Do not fail me, Ayden Kent. Remember, you owe your sister's life to me." And whatever Ayden was about to say stopped in her throat, as the same blue light that healed her sister engulfed her, and she knew no more.