The Guaridan's Sister

chapter 1~ Lulluby for a Stormy Night

[[piano]]

8.88 was cold, scared, and alone. That was all she could feel in the middle of a dark room in a rainstorm. Her small frame hugged itself closer every time the lightning flashed, or the thunder roared, until she was as tight as she could go. She couldn't venture further within herself for protection.

"8?" her small scared alone voice called out into the small dark room she had awoken in. "I'm scared!" she called as another bolt of lightning touched the ground and her small defensless body shivered.

She buried her face in her hands, not noticing the small sound that came to her right because she was too preoccupied with the noise of the storm around her.

"What happened?" said a deep, protective, but sleepy voice into the night, a few inches from her. 8.88 jumped slightly, but relaxed as she realized it was 8's voice.

[[Little child, be not afraid]]

"It's too loud," 8.88 whispered, wrapping her arms around his right arm for a hug. "I don't like it."

"It's OK," said 8, smiling lightly and sitting down with her, helping her into his arms. "I'm here."

[[The rain pounds harsh against the glass]]

8.88 smiled into his arm.

[[Like an unwanted stranger. There is no danger.]]

"I'm here," 8 repeated, whispering.

[[I am here tonight]]

"Don't worry. The rain will stop soon." said 8, crossing his legs and leaning against a wall of the room. "But for now, it's not so bad."

[[Little child, be not afraid. Though thunder explodes and lightning flash illuminates your tearstained face.]]

"If it's not bad then why does it scare me?" asked 8.88, her stitched eyebrows furrowed, confused.

[[I am here tonight.]]

8 looked out into the rain, as if it was now so interesting he needed it to respond to her.

[[And someday you'll know, that nature is so.]]

"8?" asked 8.88, wanting to know the answer to her question.

[[This same rain that draws you near me falls on rivers and land. And forests and sand. Makes the beautiful world that you see.]]

"You don't know how to listen." 8 said, after a minute of thinking about the question his little sister had asked. "There's music."

[[In the morning.]]

"Music?" asked 8.88, her pretty little eyebrows furrowing deeper. "All I hear is-"

A lightning bolt struck down and 8.88 hid her face behind 8's arm.

8 chuckled and gently revealed her face, lifting his arm above her triangular optics.

"-That" 8.88 said as she shivered. 8 hugged her closer for warmth.

[[Little child, be not afraid. The stormclouds mask your beloved moon and it's candlight beams- still, keep pleasant dreams.]]

"That's music." said 8, smiling now at the night.

[[I'm here tonight]]

"But... how?" asked 8.88, trying to understand, yet still hiding behind 8's arm.

[[Little child, be not afraid. The wind makes creatures of our trees, and the branches to hands. They're not real, understand?]]

"Listen."

[[I am here tonight.]]

So 8.88 listened. She closed her triangular optics, hugged 8 tight as if he would help, and tried to clear her mind. She sat there for several seconds before it happened- she heard rains' music. The small rythmic drumming of the tiny fists of water were exactly like what she considered music- and she didn't even know how to describe it.

"8!" she said happily, getting up from his arms now, optics still closed, "I can hear it!"

[[music subsides a little]]

"Good. Now, are you afraid?" asked 8, smiling as 8.88 ventued over to the window she had once been trying to avoid, to hear more of this rain.

[[very soft piano]]

"I..." began 8.88. "I wasn't afraid."

[[soft piano continues]]

"It's OK to be afraid." said 8, getting up. "I was afraid of the rain once."

[[For you know, once even Iiiiiii was a...]]

"You were?" asked 8.88, giving in to shock.

[[Little child...]]

"Yep." 8 said, as if he were proud to be scared of the rain

[[And I was afraid...]]

"But what made you realize it was only music?"

8 smiled.

[[ but a gentle someone always came]]

"6."

[[To dry all my tears,]]

"He told me he was scared once, but he just took the time to listen. And he heard music."

[[trade sweet sleep for fears,]]

"He taught me how to listen."

[[And to give a kiss goodnight.]]

"Really?" asked 8.88, smiling brightly. The idea of 6, her uncle in a sense, once telling an afraid 8 how to listen to the rain amused her- but not in a mean way.

[[Well now I am grown, and these years have shown]]

"Yep. And that's the way it is." said 8, turning to face the window.

"What's the way it is?" asked 8.88, furrowing her brows once more.

[[That rains a part of how life goes.]]

"Life. There are rainy days, and then there are sunny ones." said 8.

8.88 smiled. She could live happily in a life where thre were ups and downs- unpredictable and wild, but hopefully not dangerous.

"Like tomorrow." continued 8.

8.88 turned, "Tomorrow? What's tomorrow?"

[[But it's dark and it's late, so I'll hold you and wait.]]

"Sunny. That's what always comes after a rain storm. Sun. And rainbows."

8.88 smiled and hugged 8's arm, "Really, 8? Rainbows? I haven't seen one of those in such a long time."

"And when the rain comes again, I'll still be here." he said, looking out the window - avoiding her optics.

[[Until you're frightened eyes do close.]]

"And you'll be my rainbow." said 8.88, tugging on 8's arm. 8 finally smiled down at her and scooped her up again, holding her in one arm.

8.88 giggled- she loved being in 8's arms, it made her feel like she was flying.

[[But I hope that you know. That nature is so. This same rain that draws you near me falls on rivers and land, and forests and sand.]]

"Yes, I'll be your rainbow." said 8, sitting down on the floor to lean against the wall, with 8.88 still on his arm like a cute parrot with soft rabbit plushie feet.

[[Makes the beautiful world that you see.]]

8.88 snuggled her head into 8's chest and he smiled down at her, his own optics drooping.

[[In the morning.]]

8 sighed. He wished he could always be there for 8.88, though he wasn't sure. No one knew how long a stitchpunk could last...

[[Everything's fine in the morning]]

But 8 put out that thought as he began to fall asleep, vowing that until his last breath - if he had one- that he would guard 8.88 with his life.

[[The rain will be gone in the morning]]

8 let his optics droop closed, and he eventually fell asleep.

[[But I'll still be here in the morning.]]