**This is a revision of An Old Friend, currently available through my profile.**

Hello, all. Yet another re-write of a re-write 8 years in the making. I enjoyed the story, but not how it was written. Here you go!

Red-Headed Boy

Kai

It's hard to explain the feeling of excitement. Was it fear, or longing? I was taught excitement was the curiosity preceding the unknown; that gut-wrenching feeling we called butterflies. What if, though, it was pain—or even sadness? That longing for someone we once loved, someone that left for months or years at a time… I knew it from the very beginning. Once it was all said and done, not one of us would be able to let it all go. I had torn myself in too many directions for so long, it began to wear me down. The day I was finally able to let go sent the entire team into a downward spiral. I knew none of us would ever be the same again.

Though the destination wasn't pretty, the journey we took to get there was so much more interesting.

The day I met him was unlike any other. I awoke to sounds of the tower bells chiming in the wind, with mid-morning fog rolling in from the coast as it burned off in the sun. Chatter rolled through the streets, erupting from children and adults alike. I knew what today held—it was the day a Sky Knight Squadron graced Atmosia with their presence. As a central hub for the heroes and wannabes alike, a visit from them was not uncommon. However, this visit sparked gossip amongst the housewives and husbands. Children laughed and played in the alleyways, standing victorious over their mock battles against the Cyclonians.

Papers had been posted around our Terra announcing their presence, ensuring even the homeliest of habitants dressed for the occasion. Though, my plans for the day were much different. I saw myself lying in a far-off field somewhere, avoiding the commotion for as long as I possibly could. For as long as I could remember, my father praised the Sky Knights for all the good and gracious deeds they performed. I felt it was part of their job; that was what they signed up for out of the academy. Why would they need praise, if not to stroke their egos? It wasn't right. Heroes? No… Show-offs.

I gathered a bag of snacks for the afternoon and polished off my breakfast as I made my way through the hills. I could hear the cheers and jeers as the men landed their bikes, gracing our humble Terra with their presence. Just the thought brought waves of acid to my throat. I chewed through another bite of my sandwich and continued onward and upward in search for the perfect view and the comfiest resting place.

It hadn't taken long for my body to carve a pit in the grass, each tuft making its way around me. Even the bugs saw fit to leave me alone, tasting the bitterness on my skin. I felt it was entirely unnecessary to go out of my way to avoid them. And yet, had I not left, every mother and daughter would knock on my door, dragging me into an introduction with Their Royal Stuffiness'. I hadn't the slightest hint of interest in meeting the Squadron, even if everyone else managed to clear their schedules for the occasion. Content as I was, I made no attempt to move from my lovely spot in the tall, green grasses.

"Seems kind of boring being out here…"

Startled from my nap, I opened my eyes. The bright afternoon sun bore a hole straight through my retinas, calling attention to just how long I'd stayed away from home. As my pupils began to adjust to my surroundings, I spotted a strange, red-headed boy stood looming over me. A bright smiled crawling over his features as we made eye-contact. "Wh… what?" I grumbled, attempting to gather my bearings on the world once more.

A slight chuckle rumbled in the boy's chest. "You've got to be bored, being out here all alone."

"It depends on your point of view," I replied, wondering when he would see fit to let me return to my nap.

Standing up straight, staring off past the horizon, the boy let out a sigh. "Well, I guess you see something in the grass that I don't." As silence filled the air, the boy shuffled from side to side, a hand in each of his jacket's pockets. The wind picked up speed, blowing his hair before his eyes. He stood up straight, releasing yet another sigh into the wind.

I rolled from my side, gazing up at him. "You don't live here, do you?" I asked, brushing my bangs out of my eyes. He seemed to be quite curious looking, even for the strange residents living within the Terra.

He shook his head. "Mm… Not anymore. It's been a very long time since I've really called Atmosia my home. I'm a little busy in the skies these days. " A sense of unwillingness filled the air. I sensed the boy had reason to be vague, but I couldn't determine if he was hiding facts, or simply protecting himself.

"You're a bit young to travel…," I noted, poking at the peeling rubber on his shoes.

"A girl your age shouldn't be sitting out here alone, don't you think?" he replied with a grin, taking a seat beside me.

I smiled, turning my head away from him. "I'm not alone anymore. You're here."

He agreed with no more than a nod, gazing off into the distance. His eyes scanned the horizon, apparently searching for what I found so interesting within the grass. "My friends and I are here for a few supplies…," he spoke quietly, propping himself up on his hands.

"Shouldn't you be helping them?" I turned my gaze towards the awfully cheery young man.

"They lost a bet," he winked. "So, I get to rest while they do all the work. Of course, next time I'll help out. Rules are rules."

"Nice teamwork," I rolled my eyes. I felt there was an air of comfort surrounding him. Whether he was attempting to make friends, or he was simply a social being, I felt the need to close off and back away. Though I hadn't been much of an introvert as a child, the young man seemed a little too open and willing for comfort. An ulterior motive seemed hidden behind his welcoming smile.

Silence quickly filled the air as I ran out of trivial conversational topics, and it seemed he caught the change in direction. "Oh…," he sighed. "I guess… when you put it that way, it seems a little unfair."

I watched as the sun silently reached toward the horizon, calling the end of the day along with it. "Your friends must be worrying about where you've gone..."

"I haven't been out that long. It's only been an hour, tops," he shrugged. "You should probably go home. I heard this place gets dangerous after dark."

I looked at him, my expression flat. I wondered how long it had been, between the rude awakening and the end of our little chat. "This is Terra Atmosia. The only kind of action we get is the occasional visit from the egotistical Sky Knights," I said with a laugh, intending to gauge his reaction. Would he truly be friend, or simply foe?

Another awkward silence separated our words, calling a swift end to any friendship there may have been. Standing up, the boy extended his hand as an offer to help me to my feet. "I should get going, then." I accepted his offer and took his hand, regaining balance on my feet. "We're staying here for a few nights to get some decent rest, so I guess I'll see you around. I'll take your advice and go help the other egotistical kids in my squadron."

It was as if my lower jaw hit the floor of the Wastelands. He was much, much too young to be a member of a Sky Knight squadron! He couldn't have been much older than myself at the time; no more than fifteen! There had to be laws, guidelines, or even a rule somewhere preventing kids of his age from being knighted; it just wasn't possible!

Even still, the boy found it in his heart to forgive my misguided comment with a kind smile. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Miss…"

"Kai," I choked out. My thoughts swirled around the insult I had so blatantly thrown out. Sure, it was common for me to be distasteful, but I preferred it remained in the company of friends! I had never intended to so openly condemn a member of a squadron directly.

"Aerrow," he replied, smiling softly. "See you…" His words were swiftly carried off by the wind, as was his presence in his departure.

I felt as if my feet were glued to the earth, unable to move from where I stood. I was frozen with fear—what sort of effect, I wondered, would an insult of that magnitude have on my family? I feared for my father's job, and prayed to the ancestors I hadn't made the gravest mistake of my life.