4 years before the events of Birth by Sleep
"Leave them alone, Brok!"
"And what do you wanna do about it pipsqueak, eh?"
"I'll beat you up!"
"You? You're joking."
The boys starts to laugh at the little red-haired girl that stood before them. Her face was full of determination, but everyone who looked at the scene would have known that she wouldn't stand a chance against the gang of boy who were at least a head taller than her.
Behind the girl crunched a group of kids, broken toys and dolls scattered around them. Some of them were even younger than her and they looked terrified towards the older kids.
When the boys had calmed down, their leader Brok stepped forward, so that he was towering before the girl.
"That was a nice joke Akira. But you better get lost while we are still in a good mood."
But Akira wasn't fazed by this threat. Instead she stuck out her chest, raised herself on tiptoes and looked with all the defiance she could muster at him.
"No! I won't go until you meanies stop bullying the other kids!"
Very annoyed by this, Brok then simply pushed Akira. Since she was still on her tiptoes, she stumbled backwards and landed on her backside.
"They shouldn't have played at our hangout place. It's their own fault."
"But this place belongs to no one. Everyone can play or sit here!"
"But not when we're around." Fed up with her screaming around, Brok grabs Akira by her collar and lifts her up to his eye level with a mean grin. "We just wanted to scare them away, but since you are so annoying, we will beat you up first and then the little babies."
His buddies cracked their knuckles with dark chuckles and cornered the other kids, so they wouldn't have a chance to flee. Most of them started to whimper, one girl even screamed.
Brok had just lifted his first to give Akira the first punch, when someone suddenly shouted.
"What the heck is going on here?"
One of the royal guards, Braig, stood behind Brok, frowning at the scenario before him.
"Oh, nothing Braig, sir!" the young boy said in panic and immediately let go of Akira, who plumped back on the ground with an ouch. The other boys also stepped back from the kids, trying to act innocent, but the fear was visible in their faces.
But Braig didn't believe those words for a second. Coming closer and now looming over Brok, he crossed his arms and glared down at the boy.
"Doesn't look like nothing. Badgering the weak again Brok?"
"O-of course not, sir. We were. just..just playing with them. Yeah!"
His friends nodded at that.
"Pah, as if." Braig scoffed, when his attention was taken by Akira, who pointed her finger at Brok.
"Yeah, they wanted to beat me up and then the others, too!"
"Why, you little-" Brok started to curse between clenched teeth, but was then clouted by Braig on the head.
"Making such a ruckus and then lying to me? Your parents surely have never taught you any manners."
When Brok lifted his eyes again, he suddenly looked at the tip of Braig's arrowgun.
"Maybe I should teach you one or two things," the man said with a grin, looking from one boy to the other.
Brok was trembling in fear, but the moment he heard a click from the gun, he cowered down and tried to protect himself with his hands over the his head.
"I'm sorry Mr. Braig, I promise we won't do it again!" he sobbed and his friends, hugging each other and whimpering in fear, nodded strongly at that.
Letting his ganze slowly wander over the boys, Braig hummed contemplative, before he pulled his gun back.
"Hope so. Then run along you little brats, before I change my mind."
As fast as he could, Brok scrambled back to his feet and ran away from the little plaza, his friends hot on his heels.
Braig watched them almost trample over each other and made a disdainful sound at that, while he put his arrowgun away.
His eyes then went to the remaining kids, who all flinched. All but Akira, who looked fascinated at the guardsman.
"And you! Get this mess cleaned up," he commanded them.
Without a word of protest, the kids sprang to their feet and collected the broken parts of their toys from the ground.
Seeing that the plaza was taken care of, Braig nodded pleased and then walked away, probably going back to his patrol.
Meanwhile, Akira had gotten back on her feet and watched after him, a sparkle in her eyes.
"He is sooo cool! I hope I can be as strong as him one day," she thought and was considering following him, when she heard the other kids talking about her.
"Why does she always need to play the hero?"
"Because of her they would have hurt us!"
"She just causes even more trouble."
Not wanting to hear anymore, Akira put her hands into her pockets and with her head bent left the plaza.
They always said things like that.
But she wanted to help!
Couldn't they see it?
Maybe she needed to become stronger first and actually proof that she just wants to protect them.
"Hey, wait!" someone suddenly called her from behind.
Turning around Akira saw a younger girl with green hair running after her. When she reached her, she stopped and had to gasp for air.
"Why were you leaving?" the girl asked, when she got her breath back.
"Uh, I just...have to do some stuff," Akira quickly came up. She didn't want to show how upset she really was.
"Oh, okay," the girl said a bit puzzled, but then her face broke into a bright smile. "I just wanted to thank you. It was really brave from you to stand up to those bullies."
Akira looked in bewilderment at the girl.
Did she... thanked her?
"Ah well, it's not like it helped a lot," she muttered, but was still blushing a bit. The girl giggled at that.
"Maybe. But thanks to you they didn't get to break my doll," she explained and held up a doll that looked like a girl with a flower dress. "So thank you from us both!"
The radiant smile from the girl was so infectious, Akira couldn't help but smile back.
"Then I'm glad I could help. You are welcome."
Humming happily, the girl hugged the doll close to her.
"What's your name?"
"Akira. And yours?"
"I'm Ilana. It's nice to meet you."
"It's nice to meet you, too."
Again Ilana hummed happily and then looked very curious at her.
"Do you also have a doll? I didn't see one with you, when you came to the plaza."
"No, I don't really play with dolls. But I have toy swords," she answered enthusiastic. Ilana made big eyes of wonder at that.
"Ohhh, that is great. I'm sure you are a strong warrior."
"I'm working on it," she said and scratched her head bashfully.
"Good, I'm sure you can do it!" Ilana cheered for her, making Akira laugh.
It was amazing how such a simple conversation could lift up her mood so much. Talking to someone like this was really nice.
"Well, I have to go home now. Will you come to the plaza tomorrow again?" Ilana asked and looked hopefully at her.
"Hmmm, I...don't think so. After today we should not go the plaza for a few days," she said, mostly to disguise that she didn't want to see the other kids for now.
"Maybe," Ilana sighed a bit sad, but just a second later she beamed again. "Then we will meet somewhere else, okay?"
"Sure, if you want," Akira agreed, even tho she was surprised that Ilana wanted to see her again so badly.
"Yay. Then I will see you soon. Bye Akira!" she said and waved goodbye, before she turned around and frolicked away.
Akira stood there for a moment longer.
"When and where do we want to meet?" she mumbled to herself and crossed her arms behind her head. But she stopped thinking about it soon enough and went home, those bad words of the other kids already forgotten.