This is the story of the Emblem Orphanage. How it was partially destroyed in a fire, almost blown up, the site of a multimillion dollar movie, the establishment of a new kingdom, and how it eventually, somehow, was shut down.
()()()()
"YOU'RE GONNA DIE!"
This shout, under normal circumstances, would have been a cause for alarm. To Naomi, however, it was just another day running the orphanage. As the owner and chief operator of the orphanage, she had many responsibilities to attend to. She was not some normal chief, however. No, she was the sixteenth generation chief. This job was in her blood!
Naomi rolled on to her stomach, head firmly planted into the fabric of the couch, mumbling something about 'Napping and steak'.
On the floor above her, Robin, the second eldest of the children at the orphanage, was very close to breaking through the old wooden door to Corrin's room. He slammed his foot into it, grinning as the wood began to crack. "I'll get you, you brat!" He called, planting another kick into the door.
Inside the room, Corrin was trying to frantically open the window.
"C'mon, c'mon you old bastard!" He whispered under his breath, pulling desperately at the window. He hadn't opened the window of his room in years, and it was completely rusted over. Corrin was really regretting not letting a breath of fresh air in once in a while now.
With a loud bang, the window flew open, glass cracking at the force of the impact. Corrin winced, eyeing the damage. He briefly thought about what Naomi would say, but his attention was brought to the door flying open, an angry Robin fuming in the hall.
"Got you!" Robin grinned evilly, eyes glowing with rage.
"Shit!"
Corrin didn't think about it, he just jumped.
In the few seconds Corrin was in the air, he couldn't help but come to the conclusion it was a wonderful day out. The sun was bright, not a cloud in the sky. A light breeze blew through the valley, and a bird sung somewhere nearby. The second conclusion he came to was this was a very, very big mistake.
He crashed onto a folding lounge chair, no one occupying it, thankfully, and felt his right arm flare up in pain. The chair collapsed in a pile of wood and cloth, with him wrapped up in it. Tears pricked at his eyes, and he quickly rolled onto his back. Above him, Robin was just staring out the window.
Corrin groaned and hissed at the pain in his arm, holding it limply by his side.
"You moron!" Robin called, spinning around and no doubt making his way to the staircase.
()()()()
Azura walked slowly up the short path leading to Emblem Orphanage. She was tired, and the backpack she wore containing all of her dance clothes seemed impossibly heavy. She glanced at the sun, hoping she wasn't too late for lunch.
Azura opened the door and stepped inside, gasping at the sight.
Now, Azura has spent her entire life, or as far as she could remember, at the orphanage. There was almost nothing that could shake her resolve. She was a pillar of calm in the hectic place. But this...was something else.
Robin, wearing his ratty purple sweatshirt he never seemed to take off, was pinning Corrin to the wall. Corrin looked beat up, with his right arm hanging loosely at his side and a bruise on his face. No one else seemed to be home, or trying to help in any way.
"ROBIN!" Azura yelled, throwing her bag to the ground.
Robin jumped and dropped Corrin, who hit the floor limply. Robin groaned and covered his face, stumbling backwards. Azura walked forward, grabbing the white-haired man's shoulder. All at once, it was like a wave of calm and realization swept over Robin. He blinked slowly, eyes focusing on Azura's.
"Did you take your medicine today?" She asked gently.
Robin sighed and lowered his arms. "I...don't know..." He took another step back and leaned against the wall. "I...remember taking it at breakfast, when you cooked eggs..."
Azura shook her head. "Robin, that was yesterday...Morgan made breakfast today."
"Oh..."
"Let's go upstairs and take some medicine, okay?" Azura said softly. Robin nodded in reply and shuffled weakly towards the stairs.
Corrin leaned against the wall, holding his arm loosely. "Thanks Az..." He whispered.
Azura nodded, placing a comforting hand on Robin's back as they walked up the stairs.
()()()()
"I'm really sorry Corrin." Robin apologized.
"Heh, don't worry about it." Corrin shrugged. "It was just a mistake is all. I can't help it if you go all Grima on us."
"I just...I swore I took my Grima-Repressants today..."
"Listen." Corrin said, placing his left hand on Robin's shoulder. "We can't help you having a rare anger disorder. Just...try to keep track of taking your pills, yeah?"
"Right." Robin sighed. "Once again, sorry..." He said and stood, walking out of Corrin's room. He closed the brand new door, one he had just finished installing, and went back to his own room.
Corrin winced and moved his arm slightly. "Ow!"
"Didn't Azura tell you not to do that?" A voice called from the doorway. Looking up, Corrin grinned at the young girl standing there. Morgan padded in softly, setting down a book on Corrin's nightstand. "Corrin...I'm sorry for Robin..."
Corrin waved it off. "Don't worry. It was an accident. Besides, I didn't want to cook dinner tonight anyway!"
Morgan shook her head. "Aversa isn't too happy about being ordered to make dinner last minute..."
"She'll be fine!" Corrin said dismissively. "Anyways, what's that?" He asked, nodding to the book.
Morgan smiled. "I was at the bookstore this morning, so I thought you might like it!"
Corrin thanked her and picked up the book, glancing at the title. "Asleep?" He questioned.
"Oh my gosh!" She gushed. "I just read it for the fifth time yesterday! It's soooo good!"
Corrin rubbed her head affectionately "Thanks Morg. I'll check it out...got nothing else to do anyways..."
"You could start studying for school like me!" Morgan said proudly, saluting poorly.
Corrin rolled his eyes. "You can, I'll spend that last three weeks of summer just relaxing."
Morgan made her way to the door, stopping just before she stepped out. "I'll grab your dinner, so just relax then." Before Corrin could respond, she slipped out the door.
Orange light filtered in through the window, one half of which was covered in cardboard until a new one could be installed. Corrin glared out the window, blaming it for his problems.
()()()()
Corrin sat on the floor, blanket draped over his legs. He rested his head on the couch cushions, blinking tiredly. It was well past midnight, and Corrin desperately wanted to go to bed. Azura, on the other hand, had different plans.
The blue-haired girl had rounded up everyone not busy after dinner, bringing them together in the sitting room. Aversa had work to go to, Naomi went back to her all-day naps, and Robin had declined because he was going out with friends.
That left Azura, Corrin, and Kanna. Kanna was the youngest member of the orphanage, having been dropped off only two years ago. She had immediately attached herself to Azura, who was the first to approach her about settling in. Kanna quickly had adopted Azura and Corrin as her closest friends, and often referred to them as 'big sister' or 'brother.'
Kanna wrapped her signature scarf closer to mouth, curling into Azura's side. Suspense was building in the movie they were watching, a ghost movie of course. Azura had a borderline addiction to scary movies, and it showed.
On the couch beside Kanna, Morgan was grinning and bouncing in her seat. Morgan's twin, Marc, was fast asleep in the chair beside her. He was never one for doing much of anything, and Corrin had to practically carry him to the sitting room.
"AH!" Kanna jumped, burying her face in Azura's side. Azura put a comforting hand around her, rubbing her shoulders reassuringly. Kanna's movements broke Corrin's haze, and he jerked awake.
"Wha-?" He glanced around, realizing where he was. "Oh..." He mumbled tiredly, relaxing back into the couch.
Corrin felt something nudge his shoulder. He rolled his head lazily to the side, coming face-to-face with Azura's bare foot. He winced and reeled back slightly, looking up at her.
"You're not going to sleep on us, are you?" She teased in her flat voice.
"I was trying to get back on a sleep schedule for school..." Corrin yawned, bringing the blanket up to his shoulders. "We only have a handful of days left, and you want us to stay up all night for some scary movies..."
Azura huffed slightly, but remained silent. Corrin groaned and stood, motioning for Azura to move over. Azura shuffled to the side, leaving just enough room for Corrin to sit. The boy squeezed himself between the arm of the couch and Azura, draping the blanket over her in the process.
"If you wanna stay up all night..." Corrin yawned, stretching his arms. "Then we're in this together."
Azura smiled at him.
"Just like always."
()()()()
Corrin walked tiredly, feet slapping against the pavement. His backpack, filled with old notebooks and half-used pencils, felt too heavy for him. Beside him, Azura was as calm as ever. She showed no outward sense of fatigue, not even her makeup was out of place. Compared to him, she looked energetic and ready to take on the day. In comparison, Corrin's uniform was ruffled and creased, compared to her perfect appearance.
Corrin stopped, looking up at the large building spread out before him. Fire High. His first year at a new high school. Technically, both he and Azura were going in to second year of high school, but this was a brand new building. They transferred to this new school, mostly due to Azura. Corrin had caught her looking at Fire High's professional dance program, something their old school did not have.
Corrin wanted to make Azura happy, so he offered to switch schools. Azura refused at first, mostly because she didn't want him to lose the few friends he had made at that school. Silas, his only true friend from the old school, promised to keep in touch. That was all Corrin wanted, so he had Azura sign the papers.
Sure, the walk slightly longer, and it took them through busy downtown, but Corrin couldn't help but smile at Azura's face. To anyone else, she looked blank. A clean slate of eerie calm. Corrin knew what she was really feeling, and he saw the happiness dancing in her eyes.
Corrin sighed, putting both hands behind his head in a relaxed position. "Well. Here goes nothing..."