Tengoku No Namida

~Prologue~

CRACK!

With a huff, Alex flung himself out of harm's way, landing safely a few feet away from large parts the crushed ceiling.

"Honey, are you okay?!" his mother called, pure worry in his voice.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," he replied, looking over the rubble. She gave a relieved sigh, before carefully climbing over, her husband right behind her to make sure she didn't trip and fall.

"I'm starting to think this wasn't such a good idea," she sighed finally reaching the other end, hugging her son.

"Don't worry, sweetheart!" chuckled the man, soon standing next to his loved ones. "Just a quick peak, and then we'll leave! We just have to be careful!"

"Quick," she emphasized, giving her husband a stern look. "Alex nearly got killed for just walking inside!"

"I'm fine, mom," he spoke, smiling at her. She nodded, and without another word, the three continued through the old building. Dust bunnies hid in every nook and cranny they could find. Little moths fluttered about, dancing with the falling particles in the air.

"This might have been an old town," Alex admired the land outside the building, trying to actually imagine people running around. The soft breeze blew throughout the empty village, gently pushing the long grass down, as if a large, invisible hand was petting the soft blades. The everlasting trees rustled with the wind's presence, some of their leaves detaching from home and traveling through the air at their own will, happy wherever they were going. The soft sound of a waterfall mixed in with the gentle breeze, the water sounding cold and refreshing.

"Would you guys mind if I looked around?" Alex asked, looking at his parents. They smiled, waving him off, allowing him to break free and happily explore. The village, though abandoned for probably a century, was in perfect shape. The little open restaurants were in perfect condition, their red paint seeming fresh and well-kept. There wasn't a cobweb anywhere, nor were there any pesky bugs. The stones he walked upon were even clean! No trash in sight! He smiled slightly. This was so peaceful. Nothing he could have back at home. This trip was amazing! He kind of wished his brother was here to see it all.

Once more, the breeze greeted the teen, this time stronger though, as it carried the slight sent of smoke. And soon, the sound of a flute could be heard playing. It was beautiful, though quiet. It grew louder only when he got closer. The sight before him was a bit surprising though when he reached the one playing it. A young girl sat upon a large stone, her back facing him as a beautiful temple looked at him. She was playing a flute made of bamboo, and the notes were coming out with no problem at all. The thing that surprised him the most though, was her appearance. Her arms were a pale white, as she she wore a black t-shirt with a skull with bat wings on the back, white writing above it, and aqua outlining it all (where had he seen that before?), light blue jeans, and what seemed to be black shoes. Her hair was a light aqua color, as white and blue fox ears were atop her head, accompanied by five fox tails attached to her tailbone, the same color as the ears. He shrugged, passing it off as some sort of fashion she enjoyed.

"Um... excuse me? Miss?" Alex called out, catching the girl's attention. She seemed to tense as she ceased her playing, the grip on her flute growing a bit tighter. She sniffed the air, slowly turning around. "Could you tell me where I am? Please?"

"Human...?" she spoke softly, almost like it was a question. Finally, she jumped up, whipping right around, her eyes ignited with a mixture of fury and concern.

"Jennifer?" The girl rushed forward, bringing her flute up and hitting Alex right across the face with it. He hissed, recoiling in pain and holding his now bruising cheek. He glared down at the teen before him, teeth bared. "What the hell is your problem?!"

"Get out of here, now!" she hissed, hitting him once more, this time on the thigh. He flinched, squeaking and taking multiple steps back. "You shouldn't be here! They'll find you!"

"What are you talking about?" This time, Alex saw it coming and managed to catch the flute before it could hit his side. He kept it in a firm grip, drawing his face closer to hers. "Answer me! Why shouldn't I be here? Is it private property or something?"

Her eyes seemed to soften a bit, as though she finally realized she had hurt him and was sorry. But, she shook her head, launching her head forward and headbutting the poor teen. He quickly jumped back, holding his head in paint.

"WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM, JENNIFER!" he cried, trying his hardest to keep his balance. "I thought you liked me! Hell, why are you even alive?! Didn't you kill yourself?!"

"Go. Home," she told him, gently pushing him back. "It isn't safe. They don't like humans here. I'm sorry,"

"Oh, now you're sorry!" he hissed. Once more, her glare was back, and again she struck him with the flute. "Okay, okay! Forget I said anything!"

"Get out of here before dark. And please don't ever return," He looked at her one last time, inspecting her carefully. Her eyes were no longer the soft hazel he remembered. They were a reddish violet, sparkling bright. And the shirt she wore was her beloved Avenged Sevenfold shirt. He could easily see the silver dog tag she wore on a daily bases, and two rings she always wore were still around her fingers. He felt a stab of both betrayal and relief when he looked into her new eyes. She was nearly as he remembered, excluding the new additions.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" she asked, finally snapping him out of his thoughts. He shook his head, turning around and jogging away. The sky, once bright from the rays of sunlight, was now turning a purplish blue, signaling it was almost time for night.

"Mom! Dad!" Alex called out, finally making his way back into the heart of the village. He looked around, finding no one in sight. As the village started to grow darker, the lights in the shops started to turn on, making a chill crawl up his spine. Nope. He had to leave now. Maybe they were already back at the entrance?

"Welcome, my friends!" cheered voices as forms started to take shape in the shops, waving a hand or paw at passers, beckoning them to come. "How are you this gorgeous night? Feeling fine?"

He turned his heels, running back towards the entrance, nearly running into many souls as he passed. They all paid him no mind as they just continued to walk.

"Please be there," he whispered to himself, finding the pathway. The only thing different, was that it was now covered in a sea of freezing water. His exit was on the other side, lighted up all nicely, as if mocking him with its beauty. This sucked.

"Told ya to leave before night," sighed a voice next to him. Alex looked over, seeing the flute-wielding girl he had spoken to earlier... and received many bruises from.

"I was looking for my parents," he confessed, looking back into the darkening sea. "But, I couldn't. Now it looks like I'm stuck here..."

"Sorry for your luck, Alex," A jolt of surprise coursed through his veins.

"So, you do remember me?" he asked, a smile forming on his face. The girls nodded.

"Yep. How could I forget?" she chuckled, gently pushing his shoulder. "You threw pencils at me!"

"It was an accident," he replied, pushing her right back.

"You're a liar!" The two sat there, giggling like madmen. Suddenly though, Alex reached over, gently grasping her fox ear.

"Why do you have these, anyway?" he asked, starting to tug at it. "Is it really attached?"

"STOP!" She shoved the boy away, her hears lying back. "Yes, they're real!"

"All it took was that!" he shot back, tackling her. "You didn't have to shove me!"

"Oh, I like where this is going," she replied. The two giggled, before a ship off in the distance caught the girl's eye. She gently pushed the boy away this time, standing upright.

"What's that?" he asked, meeting her gaze as he admired the ship. "Travelers?"

"Yep," She sighed, leading him over to the dock. "Alright. I gotta talk to one of the workers on this thing. I'm gonna see if I can work out a deal with him. Stay here, and stay away from everyone. If they find out you're a human, especially with my scent, things will not end well, alright?"

"Yeah, alright," She smiled, turning to leave, before he stopped her. "Hey! Can I ask you a question?"

"...Sure. What is it?"

"Where have you been for the past seven months? I heard you killed yourself! Why didn't you tell me you were okay?"

"Some things are better left unsaid, schatz. I'll tell you when I feel like it."