"You should've left him there to die. Its a dangerous world out there, I won't lose you too." My mother scolded. The agedness of her gray, auburn hair and the creases- now indents around her mouth- had yet not reached her eyes.
Everyone said there was still a little bit of youth left in my Mother, smoldering silently beneath her frail, hardened surface. I'll admit, she wasn't an easy woman to deal with. But here in the slums, I wasn't any pushover either. Since our move to the slums of Underground Twilight Town, she'd been especially protective of me, and forced me to carry a gun with me at all times. We ran a little, prosperous Inn in the second district, called the Paopu Cafe and Inn. Most of Underground Twilight Town is filled with small, shanty-like villages closely packed together, with restaurants, Inns, and brothels scattered about.
Destiny Islands was my home. I don't know what's become of that place since the last seven years of our absence, but none of that matters now. When I was nine years old, my Father had to leave the Islands to journey far away. He promised us he would return, but I never saw him again. After a few months, the Heartless and Nobodies stormed the Islands, and we were forced to flee. For a year, my Mom and I lived in Hollow Bastion. I made some new friends and got accustomed to my new surroundings, but before I knew it, the Heartless were there too.
So, six years ago, my Mom and I came here...to Underground Twilight Town. The surface of Twilight Town is rumored to be ridden with Heartless and other fiends thanks to The Order. Mom's chronic Depression eventually caused her physical illness. A mysterious ailment plagued her, one that prevented her from keeping on her feet too long, binding her to a wheelchair for the majority of the time. I found myself running around more often- cooking, cleaning, and helping her do the menial things like running errands. In addition to all those things, we also had an Inn to run. I was constantly running...
It was a busy day at the Paopu Cafe. My friend, Ember, was about to relieve me of my shift. Today, I was bent on going to the outskirts of Underground Twilight Town. My Mom had nearly popped a vein in her head when she discovered that I had even entertained the idea. No one really went to the outskirts of UTT, because it was blocked off, and its where the last known entrance to the surface world is. The entrance is bolted shut, of course, but there's some speculation that only hoodlums, theives, or fiends wander out there. After knowing this, why would I want to go? It was the only place I could find sunlight and fresh air. The only thing in this machina dump that reminded me of home and turquiose seas, and him...
The streets were always crowded. On one side, were the merchants with their yellowish-looking vegetables, getting in your face with their pungent stares. On the other, were the men you wanted to avoid the most- the skeevy looking guys on the corner with their greasy, haggard faces, who raped you with their eyes every time you passed. Time made you less vulnerable to their scrutiny, and so you learned to ignore their violating stares. Instead, you would focus on the bright, flashing lights of the square, and the dismal-looking shacks that lined your path.
Often, I would see children jump-roping or old men gambling at the sides of the square, so consumed and contented in their games, that it would seem they were unphased by the fact there was no moon or sky to look up at at night. In those brief moments, life would seem normal...like this had been my home all along. It would seem like I was used to waking up every morning to the light of a street lamp, and the darkness above our heads.
I gripped my gun in my pocket, as I walked to the gates leading out of the Second District. The outskirts of UTT was located near the First District. In all, there were five districts in UTT. For some reason, there was a lot of commotion by the gates that day. The Guards were dealing with a noisy mob of people- more refugees I assumed- but they gave me the Okay to proceed.
At the very far end of the First district, there was a small, abandoned shanty squished between two larger shanties. It had collapsed in, now a giant heap of scrap compared to the more massive dwellings that stood beside it. I disappeared inside. I removed one of the brittle wooden floorboards, revealing the tunnel that resurfaced on the outskirts of UTT. I'd discovered it my first year living here. I took a deep breath, and jumped inside.
The air in the tunnel was moist and warm, invigorating to anyone who's lived in a hot, metal heap for any long period of time. I was bubbling with excitement as I reached the end. I twisted the latch and popped the hatch open. A cool breeze of air hit me as I plopped myself onto the ground, the feathery blades of grass tickling my neck. This was the only place there was sunlight, closer to the surface than any of the other districts. It wasn't much, but a few soft rays of sunlight filtered in, nourishing the scarce life that existed there. An air of enchantment hung about the place. I wanted to lie there forever, let the cool wind kiss my face, when I heard a strange sound in the distance...by the entrance. I shot up, alarmed, and instinctively clicked my gun, pointing it in the direction of the sound.
A man limped out of a portal of darkness, carrying a sword. The vortex dissipated behind him, as he fell onto the ground. I wasn't sure what to do. Should I run? Leave him there to take care of himself? I tried to match his face with any visiters I'd seen before at Paopu Cafe, but my mind drew blank. He was new. I was sure I'd never run into him before. Yet, why did he look so familiar? I lightly crept over to him, and kneeled down beside him, looking over his face in careful observation. He had silvery hair, cut short and disheveled, and was wearing a blue cloak, which was stained- with what I found later to be blood. His breathing was so shallow that I had to stoop low, to feel his breath on my cheek. Out of the corner of my eye, something else caught my attention.
His weapon wasn't just any ordinary weapon. It was a key-blade. Ever since The Order created their Key-Blade Army- a force of key-bearers that exercised brute force with no mercy- the key-blade wasn't such a wholesome thing anymore. It was hated. Did this mean he was one of them? If he was seen towing this thing around, he could've been killed. No doubt about it. I was in a rut. If he was indeed a murderer, then I would be helping a murderer. Would it be right? To help him? I got a sickening feeling in my stomach as I debated this in my head. I knew my Mom would probably flip if she even found out I was there. But I couldn't leave him there.
First, I tried waking him up. No luck. He groaned in pain when I shook him, so I gave up on that. Instead, I dealt with the key-blade, hiding it in a hollow log tucked snugly away in the tall weeds. Then, I managed to get him conscious enough to get him on his feet. Together, we headed back to the Second district.
Using the alcohol from the bar, I cleaned and bandaged his wounds. He still hadn't waken up yet, only grimaced in pain when I had tended to his injuries. He was laid out on a bed in one of our small rooms on the second floor. It was getting late, but beneath, I could still hear the clatter and bustle of the Cafe. On the second floor- where I was- there were three small rooms for guests, and on the third floor, there were two rooms for Mom and I. Above, I could hear my Mom struggling out of bed, and the floor creak beneath her as she walked down the tight stairwell. I tensed for reproach.
"You should've left him there to die. Its a dangerous world out there, I won't lose you too." My mother scolded. I could hear her voice from down the hall. I knew she was talking to me.
"I couldn't! He was all alone, and wounded!" Why couldn't she understand?
"No! Its called foolishness!" I could hear the touch of bitterness in her tone as she rounded the corner to face me.
"Don't you have any kindness left in your heart?"
"It died with your Father, a long time ago."
I couldn't reply to that. I stared at our guest's face. The pale light of the street lamp made his skin a yellow hue, as it did everything around here. His breathing had returned to normal, and I had combed his hair a bit to make him look less of a mess. It wasn't often we had visiters like him anyway. I heard Mom sigh in disdain as she turned our back on us, and returned to her room.
"Well, as long as he's staying here for free, we might as well make him useful. He starts running errands tomorrow, whether he's ready or not." She called from behind her.