A young boy, no more than twelve, was pushed along the streets, his weak frame bouncing with excitement. His blonde curls, his magenta eyes, and his small frame made him an outcast in the village which he lived. He didn't care. He was just happy that he was living.
Another young boy, also among the age of twelve, was in the castle, being waited upon by multiple servants. His violet eyes and indigo hair made him different, but in this way, a king. His eyes wandered around, bored. He was tired of being waited upon. He wanted an adventure.
And this is where one story starts, two young boys meet, one poor, one wealthy, both with the same dream.
A child of thirteen years, his mousy brown hair and green eyes made him a fisherman. He was tired of the same work, each and every day. He wanted to travel, to do something different each day! But his job tied him down to the same routine, every day.
A dark haired, sapphire eyed child of thirteen was the son of a merchant. He was tired of moving around, never settling, always leaving. He wanted to stay somewhere, to settle down and make a home. But he was always moving, never stopping.
And so starts our second story, a boy who wants to travel, and one who wants to stay in one spot. How could they become friends?
Lastly, a red haired, ruby eyed boy of fourteen. He wanted nothing more to do with people under his class, which, by the way, was everybody. He was spoiled, and content with life. But was he?
All these stories combine into one huge piece of art, painted of friendship, romance, and the testing of their strength. You may skip over this part, but I have one thing to tell you. This story has a happy ending, but many twists and turns in the story may make you think otherwise. But, please, sit back, relax, and enjoy the story.
Three years ago…
Nagisa was excited. He was going to see the Prince! The Prince of Iwatobi! His mind reeled with the possibilities. He pulled happily at his mother's skirt.
"Mama! What if he sees us, and- and wants to help us! Can that happen, Mama?" His mother smiled, enlightened by her son's excited babbling.
"Maybe, honey. Maybe." Nagisa was not taking 'maybe' for an answer.
"But don't we deserve it? Aren't we good people, Mama?" His mother took a shaky breath.
"Nagisa, baby, not everyone in our family are good people. Your father, for example. He didn't like one man, so… He killed him." Nagisa looked confused.
"But, just because you don't like someone, doesn't mean you gotta kill them. I don't like Sakura, but that doesn't mean I gotta kill her." His mother laughed weakly.
"It's a lot more than that, Nagi. It's so much more." Nagisa hummphed, but kept quiet. As they arrived to where the Prince's carriage was being brought out, Nagisa giggled and jumped happily.
"Mama, d'you think… Mama?" As he turned to look at his mother, something fell near him. He looked down, and screamed.
"Mama!" Her eyes were glossy, and a brick was by her head.
"Mama!" He fell to his knees. Why wasn't anyone helping?
"MAMA!" His eyes were filling with tears, his chest felt tight. Someone pulled him away, someone was yelling something, something was put on his nose… As he fell into slumber, his eyes caught violet, wide eyes. Eyes that looked Royal. Then he collapsed into a man's arms, dead to the world.
Rei's POV
He was going to say hello, they said. Just a simple, 'hello' and that was it. Why was he getting dressed so fancily? He was trundled, not very beautifully, he mumbled, into his carriage, and was carted into the streets. As he sat in his carriage, he heard so many sounds, smelled so many smells! He tilted his head back slightly, and drank in the wonderfully new environment.
He was excited, to say the least. He glanced out his window, and saw children… His age! Other nine-year olds, like him! The only problem was, they weren't very clean. He would have to fix that. He couldn't run a village with so many… dirty people.
"Mindy?" He called, waiting till her red head popped up. "Mindy, why are so many people dirty here? It's not beautiful." Mindy smiled gently.
"Well, Prince Rei-"
"Just Rei," he intervened. "Just Rei." Mindy nodded, recognizing her mistake.
"Well, Just Rei, not everyone is rich here." Rei quirked an eyebrow at her.
"When I'm King, I'm gonna change that." Mindy laughed.
"You do that." She giggled, popping out of his line of view. He sighed, resting his head on his knuckles. He waved, smiling lightly at the awestruck looks on the younger children. As he thought the ride was over, he heard yelling, a crack, more yelling, and a scream. The screaming continued, causing him to look cautiously out his window into a scene that would haunt him.
Someone had tried to kill him. A well aimed brick, and he would have been dead. Before it could hit him, however, a woman jumped in front of the carriage, taking a blow to the head. She was dead, Rei knew it. Her son, the Outcast, everyone called him, was desperately shaking her, his attempts to waking her up getting more and more and more desperate. He was calling one word, getting louder and louder till he was screaming.
"MAMA!" He was screaming. "MAAAAAMMMMMMAAAAA!" Rei wanted to tear his eyes away, but he couldn't. Tears came unwillingly to his eyes, and he wiped them away, refusing to cry.
One of the guards had grabbed the boy, his tiny frame struggling to get away. A napkin was pressed to his mouth and nose, and his eyes automatically drooped. Before he fell unconscious, Rei locked eyes with him. His pink eyes… His blonde hair, curling perfectly… Rei wanted to help him. Desperately.
"M-Mindy!" He called, waiting. Her red head didn't pop up for a long time, but it did.
"Mindy, I want to help that boy."
"Prince Rei, you can't…"
"Why not?"
"It's not your place, Rei."
"I don't care! That boy just watched his mother die in front of his eyes, Mindy! I need to help him!"
"Rei, you can't!"
"And why not?" The question came out snippier and harsher than he wanted it too. Mindy whimpered, her hazel eyes darting to his shoes.
"I don't know, Prince Rei…" She whispered, making make feel horribly guilty. He took a deep breath, then made a decision.
"Three years."
"What?"
"Three years till I can help him. Then, I'll be twelve, and therefore, older. Three years." Mindy sighed, nodding in agreement.
"Three years, Prince Rei."
"Just Rei."
"Just Rei."
Chapter two
Three years ago…
Makoto was tired. He wanted nothing more than to sit, relax, eat a sandwich, then get back to work after an hour of relaxing. That's all he wanted! But no. He was stuck in the middle of the ocean, his hands stinging painfully, holding a fishing line. He was bored, to say the least. Sleepy, too.
"Oi, Makoto! Get a hold on that fishin' line! You got a big fish, there!" Makoto sighed. It was probably a boot, or something. He wrapped the line around his fingers, ignoring the quick-setting numbness that enveloped his hands. He pulled back, wincing at the sharp wire cutting into his hands. It wasn't the smartest way to pull in a catch, but it was the way that was easiest to him.
"Dad! Come help! It's fighting me!" He yelled, tears coming to his eyes by the fiery pain in his hands.
"Makoto!" His father yelled, seeing the look on his sons' face. His mouth set in a snarl, Makoto was not letting this fish go. His father ran over, grabbing another section of the wire, along with three other fishermen.
"One, two, three, PULL!" All together, they pulled on the wire, hearing the splash of a fish fighting. One last pull, and, THUMP! A fish landed on the deck, flopping around. Makoto fell on his bum, letting out a surprised whoosh of air. His hands burning, he looked at the fish he pulled in.
"A… Marlin? We pulled in a Marlin?!" His green eyes widened in disbelief. A Marlin! They caught a Marlin! His father laughed.
"Yes, my boy! Your first catch, one of the hardest fish to catch! That's my boy, Mako! That's my boy!" Makoto smiled, his hands forgotten. His father noticed that next.
"Ah, Mako, your hands! How many times did I tell you to put gloves on, or at least tie the wire down?" Makoto winced, looking down at his burning hands.
"I didn't have time to tie them down… Or put gloves on. I didn't have time, and I couldn't let the line go." His feeble explanation was enough for his father.
"Well, I'll let it go this time. But, your hands aren't going to be mobile for a few hours. A few days, even. You didn't need to wrap them that tightly, Mako." Makoto winced.
"Sorry, dad…" His father waved it off.
"It's fine. Rookie mistake. I did that once, no big deal." Makoto looked surprised.
"You did?"
"I'll tell you when we get home. Now, we need to fix those hands of yours." Makoto nodded.
After the wire was (painfully) unwrapped, his hands were bandaged. He looked at them curiously, then looked out the med bay porthole.
"We're home!" His father nodded.
"Yes. We are dropping you off at home, then we're selling your Marlin." His father winked. "Don't worry, you get the money." Makoto smiled widely.
"Okay! When are the merchants coming?"
"Later this week."
"Yay!" Makoto whistled happily. As they were talking, at hey walked to their house, and opening the door.
"Onii-chan! Onii-chan! Did'cha catch a fishy today, Onii-chan?" Two three year olds jumped on Makoto, giggling and hugging. Makoto smiled.
"Yes I did, Ren and Ran. Do I have a story to tell you!"
Haruka's POV
Haruka was bored. He wanted to stop walking for a second, to sleep, something! But a merchant's life was always moving, never stopping. The ten year old's eyes were drooping alarmly, his exhaustion hidden behind his mask of emotionless expression. His mother turned and smiled gently at him.
"Haruka, are you tired?" He nodded, then quickly shook his head.
"No, mother, I am not tired." His mother turned to his father.
"He's tired, look at him. We've been walking for seven hours!" His father sighed.
"Haruka, if you wish to sleep, you can hop onto Islanda." Islanda was their camel. Haruka named her when he was five. He sighed, too tired to argue. He clambered onto the still-moving camel, leaned against her neck, and was lulled to sleep by the quiet singing of his mother.
"Suimin, watashi no kodomo, sakura no shita…
Yoru wa, hikari ga chikadzuite iru,-chū ni kakimasu anata lulls ni hoshi no uta suimin, anata lulls surīpu jōtai ni.
Karera wa chikyū ni ochiru yō ni sakura no hana wa, yasashiku anata no kao ni kisu soshite sekai wa,"
Haruka joined his mother in the last verse.
"Madadesu sekai wa madadesu..." Sighing happily, he fell into the world of sleep.
"Haruka…"
"Haruka…"
"Haruka! Wake up!" Haruka snapped awake, his deep blue eyes flicking from side to side. Where was he?
"We're going to the land of Iwatobi next… I heard there's some great fishermen…" Ah, yes. Iwatobi. A soft, teasing voice broke through his thoughts.
"Finally, Sleeping Beauty awakens!" His mother tapped his nose gently, causing him to wrinkle it.
"Mother, I was just resting!" Haruka said, jumping off the camel. The busy streets of Iwatobi made his eyes glimmer. Could there be a friend in the gaggles of children? Who knew?
Hey hey. I SHOULD be updating my other stories… Nah, this is more important. In case you didn't catch it,
Rei and Nagisa: 9 in this chapter, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 in future chapters.
Makoto and Haruka: 10 in this chapter, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 in future chapters.
Rin and Nitori: 14 in this chapter, 15, 16, 17, and 18 in future chapters.
Well, I had fun writing this. Hope you enjoy!