(20 years ago…)
It was a nice day.
The sun smiled brilliantly at the Rokkenjima Island; making the residents of the island feel light and care-free while doing their normal chores. It was a perfect day to be outside in the beautiful rose garden that everyone loved. But only two persons were enjoying the garden's beauty.
Little Rose Ushiromiya sat in one of the benches of the garden holding a half-full cup of tea; looking expectantly to the breath-taking woman that was sitting next to her who drank calmly her own tea; Beatrice.
"…but Beato, there aren't any wolves in the island! Who told you that stupid lie?" said Rose urgently. Beatrice stopped drinking all of a sudden, turning her head towards Rose's direction.
There was a pause for a moment. Beatrice looked at Rose with confusion "So…there are no wolves?' she asked surprised.
But then the scene froze and turned grey.
Battler appeared in the momentary Metaworld in a flush of golden butterflies, looking confused at first, not knowing were he was for a moment.
----------------------------Metaworld------------------------------
-"What is going on in here?! What…"- he said dumbfounded. After realizing he was now in the rose garden, he looked at his surroundings; a few paces ahead he spotted his aunt Rose who looked like a toddler, sitting in a bench; she appeared like she was in the middle of a conversation with….– "What…are you doing there Beatrice? - He turned to Beatrice, who had just appeared in a cloud of golden butterflies.
-"Huh?" -Beatrice the Golden looked at the woman- "Oh…That's just me 20 years ago."
-"Oh…so its one of your memories…"- He said now understanding where and in what time he was. Taking now some liberties now, he paid closer attention to Beatrice's younger self. He immediately noticed that Beatrice's younger self's demeanor was so much different than the one he was used to. –"But look at those bright eyes! You look so happy, so... innocent! ... What happened to you?"-
-Can we just continue the game? – Beatrice interrupted with a tone of bitterness behind her words. –"Now Battler, at this moment there are 19 --" Beatrice stopped speaking as she realized she was not even been listened to. Battler was still staring at her former self. He was looking into her eyes, which were the same shape and color that the older Beatrice had; but instead of the usual wicked, arrogant look they always had; they now shown with innocence and sparked with happiness. They were so similar but yet…so different.
-"Ahem...!"-Beatrice coughed- "As I was saying before I was ignored in such a way, there's a hidden mansion…. a hidden mansion that already exists…. BATTLER!!! Stop looking at her... or me! Whatever!
-Ah? But it is not you! You don't have that beautiful smile…-Battler stated as he pointed to the lips of the real-world Beatrice which were graced into a wonderful smile.
She felt her blood boil at the accusation. –"HOW YOU DARE YOU SPEAK TO ME IN THAT MANNER!"-The Golden Witch hissed, anger seeping into her semblance- You, insignificant human! I'm going kill you! I'll cut you in…
-"Beato… relax… geese you really don't know how to take a joke right? …"
Suddenly, in another cloud of butterflies, Ronove made his appearance. He was not carrying tea or snacks. He walked directly to Beatrice, and took her hand into his own.
-"Master"- he said respectfully – "I beg you to accompany me to another place. It is bad for a lady like you irritate your throat in such a low way."-
Beatrice, with her anger lessened by Ronove's presence, rose from her seat, her eyes sending daggers at Battler.
-Do as you like! - The witch said; a tone of anger betraying her calm semblance. Upset; she disappeared with Ronove, leaving Battler alone in the metaworld staring at the frozen girls, unaware at what had just happened in another dimension.
Battler remained alone. Not thinking about what had happened, he sat on the bench next to the younger Beatrice. As he supported his chin in his right hand, he admired her beauty, letting out an involuntary sigh.
All of a sudden; the world around him started to change; the grey color blurred and changed into the original colors of the scene; there was all of a sudden color, sound, texture…and movement.
Battler was no longer in the Metaworld.
------------------------------Real world-------------------------------
Before Rose could answer Beatrice's question, many things happened in a few seconds. A moment ago there were just two people sitting in the bench, a moment later there were now three people.
Both startled at the sudden appearance, they both let out a cry of surprise, standing up of the bench, dropping their cups to the floor, making a shattering noise. Not caring about the broken cups, both stepped away from the new comer, looking all the while frightened. Battler, also startled by the sudden change of scenery, his chin accidentally slipped from the hand that was supporting it, making him stumble and hit himself with the table that was in front of the bench.
He murmured incoherent stuff under his breath as he realized what just had happened; he was now stuck 20 years in the past with his now young aunt Rose and a much younger Beatrice. And now his head was sore too.
Both of the girls stared with anxiousness at Battler as he slowly lifted his head from the table, looking at them.
To be Continued. And thanks to my beta Reader, PurplesugarX! :D