Three figures dashed through the alleyway in a perfect line, every movement carefully practiced and coordinated. They made a series of complex turns, and reached a dead end. The one in the lead jumped to their left, kicking off the wall and grabbing the roof of the building on their right. As they pulled themselves up, the other two followed suit. They continued across the rooftop before jumping the gap between it and the next building, dashing over the rooftops of the small town.
As they got to the edge of town, they stopped and sat down. Each produced a small snack as they watched the ocean waves. The one on the left was a boy in a black tee shirt, shorts, and a hat; the one on the right was a boy of similar age with long red hair in a ponytail, a black shirt and baggy pants. The girl between then was leaning on their shoulders in shorts and a tank top, with black hair in twin pigtails hanging down to her waist.
"Gold, Silver," she said, talking to the boy on the left and right, respectively, "I can't believe it's almost summer. The summer of our eighteenth birthdays."
"Yeah. Freedom at last," Silver said.
"Freedom for you guys. I'm leaving for the Marines," Gold said. "Helping protect people everywhere, bringing justice and sailing the seven seas."
"You do that," Silver replied. "And I'll do whatever comes my way. I'll probably do my best to avoid the sea, too, so it's not likely we'll see each other again, Gold."
"Still can't swim, Silver?" Gold joked. "You nearly drowned, what, thirteen years ago? And you haven't touched the water since."
Silver made a dismissive motion with his hand. "I just never liked the water, okay? All I know is that when my birthday hits, I'm outta here."
Crystal grabbed the duo and pulled them in close.
"Hey, look," she whispered somberly, "we've got one summer left before we all leave for whatever. One last summer together as friends. Then we're all going to have to go our separate ways, so let's make this a summer to remember; the best summer ever."
"One last summer…" Gold mused. He put his hand up to the setting sun. "Friends forever?"
"Friends forever," Silver and Crystal said as they put their hands in. "Nakama."
Silver walked through the warm summer night, heading for the road out of town. He had decided; if Gold was really going to be a Marine, that meant Silver had to leave soon. He couldn't let Gold have ties to a pirate, and that was what Silver was going to be. It was the only way to get what he needed.
As Silver neared the gate, the worst possible thing happened. He saw Gold and Crystal, leaned up against one of the posts of the gate, talking. He couldn't think of a way to get past them without being seen or heard. He turned, deciding to try another route through the forest, when Gold turned and saw him.
"Silver!" he yelled, running over with Crystal in tow. "Great news! The Marine recruiter is coming to New Bark tomorrow!"
The words hit Silver like a bomb. He had to leave, now. Any Marine was bad news to him.
"That's great, Gold!" Silver said, faking happiness for his friend. "Though I'm not feeling all that great. I was going to go for a stroll outside the town, y'know? Fresh air."
"That sucks," Gold said absently, "but there's going to be a recruiter! Here! Tomorrow! It'll be great! I'll finally be a Marine! Can you believe it, Silver?"
Silver rubbed his temples. "Yeah, great, Gold. You'll finally be a Marine, at the beck and call of the government. Can I go for my walk now?"
"Look, Silver," Crystal pouted, "I know you aren't feeling well, but show some sympathy! Gold's dream is finally coming true!"
"Yeah!" Gold continued to shout. "A Marine!"
"Shut up!" Silver said, grabbing Gold and shoving him up against the nearest wall to Gold and Crystal's shock. "You can go spread the corrupt sense of 'justice' that the Marines follow. You can become a dog of the government. You can do whatever the hell you want. I don't care. But if you want a snowball's chance in hell of becoming a Marine for God knows why, don't tell them a thing about me or that you know me." He let go and turned to leave. "I have to go. Goodbye forever, New Bark. Good riddance."
As Silver walked towards the gate, he broke into a run. He had to get far, far away from this place if the Marines were coming. Break all ties and prove nobody had connections to him. No matter what he told himself, he couldn't bear to know the place he had grown up was hit by a Buster Call because of him.
"Silver!" Gold yelled as he ran after his friend. "Silver, what are you doing? What's wrong? Why-"
"Shut! UP!" Silver yelled as he stopped, turned, and punched Gold in the gut. Crystal began to cry from behind him, covering her mouth. Gold's eyes bugged out as he coughed, searching for breath. "What don't you get, idiot? I'm leaving, and I'm not coming back. Ever. It's not too complex."
Gold got to his knees, staring Silver in the eye, breathing hard. "What's wrong with you? What happened to making this the best summer ever? What happened to our Nakama?"
"Simple," Silver said coldly. "I left. Just like I'm leaving the town. Goodbye, Gold. The Marines will never accept such a weak fool."
"You bastard!" Gold yelled, stumbling forward in an attempt to hit Silver, who easily evaded.
"If you keep coming at me like that, I'll eventually be forced to fight back, and the results won't be pretty."
"I. Will. Not. Stop!" Gold yelled, continuing his spectacularly horrible assault as Silver sidestepped, jumped over, and ducked under every blow.
"That's it. This is pathetic. Crystal, scream for help," Silver said. He raised his arm as if to deliver a punch, but with his hand open and parallel to the ground. Then he brought his arm down towards Gold as if attacking with a sword, and, for a moment, nothing happened.
Then Gold's chest split open from shoulder to hip, a deep gash gushing blood.
"Gold!" Crystal screamed. "HELP!"
"It's survivable," Silver said, "by the lucky and the strong. If you're going to come after me as a Marine, you'll have to be both. Even if you survive it, you probably won't be able to fight. Goodbye, Gold."
Silver turned his back to his dying friend and left, never looking back or even sparing a thought for the town and life he had left behind. He had cut all ties with them. He was a loner now, with nothing to his name. No friends, no family, no connections.
This would not stop him.
Gold lay in the hospital bed, his vitals extremely low.
"It's a miracle he survived," a nurse said to his visitor. "We're not even sure if he'll be able to move normally after he recovers. Whatever did this barely missed everything vital, but it hit a heck of a lot of everything else."
"I think he'll be perfect for service when he recovers," the man said. "Of course, he wouldn't be able to make it in the normal rank-and-file in this condition, but I have a place in mind he'll make it just fine."
"Okay, whatever you say, Mr. Marine Recruiter. What did you say your name was, again?"
"I didn't."