Lavender tears ~~~ by Velasa
~~~NOTE- Well... here's another one of my split-second inspiration fics. I was actually playing the first GBA Z game, laughing at the ridiculous fighting and quick pace.... when I landed on Namecksei. To make a long story short, it went straight to my heart. It's no secret how much I love this race.... *sighs quietly* This story is an attempt to fill that gap, to show this tragedy not from the mind of an outsider, but a nameckian, a child. Don't expect a happy ending.
- A HUGE thanks to my Onyx-chan!! Without her help, I wouldn't have been able to get this idea off the ground. *glomps her* If you haven't yet, go read her stuff now... She's the ultimate fanfiction goddess. *bows to Onyx*
-I started this fic just about 11 months ago. I was only able to finish it in the past week, while on vacation in Arizona listening to Tori Amos' "Horses". Enjoy. ~~~
Brother's taking me swimming today!
I've been waiting all week for this... he'd promised me that we'd go swimming today, and he never breaks his promises to me. Not Demu- he's my favorite brother.
And today's warm too... I'm suppose to be resting now, it's the hottest part of the day- But I'm too excited to sleep!
I haven't seen Demu since he promised me... he and his friends were talking quietly about something... I don't think I was suppose to be listening, because when I came out and asked them, Demu took me away and changed the subject... But I'm going swimming with my brother today, so that doesn't really matter.
The windows are covered up, it's still dark in the room, so I almost trip over Cargo. I freeze- but he just rolls over and keeps sleeping. That's good... he might have told Muuri-san... but he didn't, so I can sneak out below the door without anybody noticing.
"Alsin?"
Or not...
But I'm not worried- besides Demu, Dende's my best friend. I smile at him, ask what he's doing. He just lays there on his back and says "Looking at clouds."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
I'm curious now... forgot what I was doing earlier, so I roll over on my back too and look up at them. The grass tickles my nose. Dende laughs when I squirm and sneeze. I really must look pretty funny...
We're so busy laughing at each other I don't notice someone else sneaking behind me- a flash of orange vest is all the warning I get before I'm picked up and swung around in the air. I know it's him, though, so I just laugh harder, digging my fingers into his neck ruff behind his head, hugging him.
"Demu!!"
He smiles at me like he always does- so big that the sunlight catches on his fangs- and hugs me back, laughing.
"Si-kun! (that's his name for me) Watcha doing up at this time?"
"Waiting for you."
I laugh when he ruffles my antennae. "Oh really? In the hottest part of the day? I thought you little ones were put to rest not that long ago."
"Yeah... but I wasn't tired!"
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah!"
"Then why do you look tired?"
I think I'm pouting at him- "No I'm not!" I'm about to say something else, but then I yawn.
Then he starts laughing again. I wanna be mad with him, but he just looks so happy I can't do anything but hug him again and giggle along.
But then Demu stops, head turned back to the door... ut-oh. Muuri-san's standing there, and he doesn't look happy. I just swallow and try to hide in Demu's vest.
Muuri-san has his arms folded, with that look on his face, but he doesn't say anything, just glances at Dende, who gulps and runs back inside. Then- I can't see him, my face is buried in Demu's neck ruff, but I can still hear them.
"And what, exactly, would you be doing out here at this time, Alsin? Demu?"
"Muuri, why so distant? I see you for the first time in so long, and you greet me with a reprimand? Can't you ease up? You were easier on me when I was a hatchling, and that's saying alot."
"Demu- to me, you're all still wild little hatchlings." He sighs. "Ah, you warrior types... you never seem to grow up."
"Aw... not fair. If I recall, Muuri, weren't you one of those warrior types when you were younger?"
Wow.... I didn't know that.....
Muuri-san doesn't respond when I peek out, I can catch a glimpse- he's being stern.... dunno why, but I think he looks a little hurt. Demu doesn't say anything else, just apologizes quietly. I bury my face back in his neck ruff. It feels safe here. I'll just close my eyes for a little...... not tired.....
*******
"Si-kun?"
Somebody's calling me.... huh.....
I open my eyes to see Demu smiling at me- he chuckles and ruffles my antennae again. "Morning, kid. You sleep pretty sound for not being tired."
"I wasn't asleep!"
He smiles again, though only a little one- just the tips of his fangs shining. "Alright, Si-kun.... whatever you say."
We keep walking. I sit back in his arms- he's been holding me the whole time. Namecksei is quiet today, the wind's soft and warm on my skin. Not too many birds out- I think it's because it's the hottest part of the day. They're probably sleeping like my family, brothers and elders. The only people I see up are warriors Demu's age, in the adjissia fields. Some laugh and call out our names, waving- we wave back- but some stand quietly off by themselves, talking in low tones with serious faces. I huddle back into Demu's neck ruff- he rubs the back of my head and keeps walking. Soon I smell water... we're just about there!
I squirm out of Demu's grip and crawl onto his shoulders so I can see it- the bright green sea sparkles in the heat of the high suns. A long-necked sea bird blinks at us a few times and preens it's feathers- it only flies away when we toss off our vests and run laughing into the water.
*******
The hottest part of the day is starting to wind down now. Demu and me are sitting on the shore, skipping rocks and waiting for our gis to dry. It's great being here with my favorite brother... I won't ask him about Muuri-san right now. A little later.
The seabird that we scared off by accident before flies back over, preening itself again. I smile, sit down, and watch it. Saichoro-sama tells us to love all the creatures here- they won't hurt us if we respect them like our brothers. It's what our Mother wants for us- to all be happy and safe. I'm still too little to understand all the storied about the Dark Lady- just that she's our Mother, like Namecksei, and that she loves us and wants us to be happy. So I apologize to the pretty bird for scaring him before and run back to Demu- our gis are dry.
I wait a few minutes before asking my question... about why Muuri-san got mad when Demu said he was a warrior when he was younger.
It gets quiet. Demu stands, back to me, his arms folded around behind him, staring out at the green waves coming on the shore. His voice is really soft when he talks.
"When many warriors get older, they tend to loose their skills... they don't train anymore... because they're ashamed of it. Even though some of us are born with the ability to fight, we're a peaceful people.... We don't want to fight. So when they become elders, and begin to raise Saichoro-sama's youngest ones, they try to leave that behind.... *sighs* I don't think he'll ever fight again, unless he must... I shouldn't have brought it up. I'm old enough to know better."
After a little while, he turns to me, trying to smile- but I can tell something's off. No shiny-tooth grin. The same with the way his voice is... he tries to lighten it, but it's still too quiet- "Wanna come to the fields with me and help tend the adjissia?"
I can tell he really wants me to go... even though I wanna go back home, I agree. He picks me up, holding me close- I can feel his heartbeat is off, it's too fast- he stands up silently, looking into the sky, running quickly off to the fields. I bury my face in his neck ruff.
When we stop, he doesn't put me down- just holds me just as tight, like he doesn't want to let go of me. I peek out- his friend's faces are serious, and they only greet us with slight nods. I bury my face back into his neck ruff. But a minute later, I can feel him walking... he puts me down in a little tree grove, but I won't let go. His face is concerned... as he pries my fingers off, he tells me to stay put, be quiet, and wait till he comes back for me. I let go.
He walks back to his two friends, talking in low tones- like last week, but they look more worried. I curl up in the grass, my arms around my knees. The way they're talking and how they're acting, gets me worried...
A rush of wind blows over me and I look up, startled- they're flying! They're flying away without me! I try to cry out Demu's name, but all I can get out is a whimper- he's leaving me here! He's... leaving me... why're they leaving.... Everything blurs out in tears.
*******
Wake up with my heart pounding- I'm scared.. terrified, but I don't know why.... I wanna go home. NOW. Demu told me to stay here till he came.... but I'm so scared.....
Jump up, run off- gotta get home.... scared.... wanna see Muuri-san and my friends and the other two elders who live near us... my little family.... My heart's pounding so hard in my ears it hurts.
Dunno how long it takes to get there, the grass passes in a blur... soon I can see the ridge above the village...... confused... there's no birds singing.... so quiet.... why's it so quiet.... on the ridge, few more steps till I can see-
......
.................
Huh.....
I... I...... I don't........
Don't....... why're they all just laying there........
What........
Crawl down the ridge... stumble...... what.....
What's going on.......
..... what's that smell........
... The elders don't reply when I shake them, call their names..... Muuri-san's head looks turned around all funny......
Everybody... looks all funny......
They don't reply when I raise my voice..... I'm scared.......
Look up.... weird guys in our village........ not moving...... got....... guns..... who.....
Holes..... in the ground... in buildings... in our table..... my chair's a mess of rubble.......
Look over.... see.... a kid....... C..... Cargo????? He's... all burnt-looking.....
No.... can't be....... Back up.... back away... bump into something.....
One of Demu's friends! I shake him, try to wake him up.... then the wind blows his cloak..... Somebody screams- it's me- My heart's pounding so hard though I can barely hear it....
Run away, scared...... what's..... going on.....
DEMU!!!!!
Feel better already!!! Race over, calling out his name, telling him how scared I am, asking what's happening, why didn't he come back for me- cling my fingers in his vest and bury my face in his neck ruff, whimpering....
..... Huh? Why won't you talk to me... Demu?
Look up at his face- ...... stare......
D...... D.......... D...... Demu?
Eyes..... empty....... staring... back...... blood.......
Blood.... on my hands..... on my face... so much.... what... tremble..... scared..... Demu, answer me...... Demu..... brother.... brother..... why're you bleeding..... please answer me.... Step back... scared..... blood... on the wall behind him.... it's... blood... everywhere....
They're..... all......
*a terrified scream rips out across the grounds of the genocidal massacre- the child's eyes widened in horrible realization. He tries to run, screaming- but it's all just too much effort of his little body- with a whimper and a soft cry, like a dove's, he stumbles and falls to the ground- his heart's given out. In the shadows, a pair of soft emerald eyes weeps. Noone else seems to notice or care about the loss of one more chi as it flicker out into oblivion*
END
~~~ .... told you not to expect a happy ending. *sighs* The Dark Lady is a reference back to one of my other ficlets, "Kurai no Onna". ~~~