"And this is your chance, to start anew, and all we're asking you to do…"

"Is change your name!"

"And clean your brain!"

"And forget about anything you ever knew!"

"And your heart will find its home!"

"And our love will never go!"

"Now wear this ring!"

"And join the king!"

"And you will never be alone!"

"Rise and shine, Shrigis!"

Shrigis awoke with a startled yelp, shivering and panting. He had dreamed that dream again. His fear was soon dulled by the familiar sight of his special one looming over him. Her pink hair, her feminine eyes, her… enthusiastic grin. She was made for him, and he was made for her, or so he had been told. Shrigis pulled himself out of his soft bed of clouds and hugged her, before lumbering away without a word.

"Don't you love me, Shrigis?" His special one asked sweetly. "Tell me you love me!"

Shrigis stopped and turned to face her with a small smile.

"I love you, Lola." He stated, to her delight.

Lola swooned and skipped merrily after him, grasping at his small, yellow hand.

"O-oh, uhm…" The young boy stuttered hesitantly. "I was gonna, uhm, go play with my friends today."

"But Shrigis…" Lola spoke with a slight gasp. "I am your special one! Today we were going to make candy necklaces together and prepare for the worship of King Malcom!"

Shrigis glanced down at the ring on his finger. It was golden and it sparkled in the sunlight, and it was decorated in little flowers. His special one wore a matching ring. It was symbolic of the eternal bond they shared, the everlasting love between Shrigis and Lola. Sometimes it was uncomfortable and made his finger itch, but he had to wear it.

Did he really love her? Of course he did, why else would they be wearing those rings, right? Sure, Shrigis found Lola a little intimidating at first, but he grew used to her. However, now he wasn't sure how he felt. He didn't dislike his special one by any means, but each day it became harder to understand what it really was that made them each other's special one. Was it the rings? Was that all?

"I'm gonna spend some time alone for a while…" Shrigis sighed.

"Oh… Okay…" Lola uttered quietly in response, growing incredibly disheartened.

She gently let go of his hand and let him wander off. The boy felt bad for upsetting her, he didn't like upsetting those he was supposed to love, but he just didn't feel right. He felt empty. Shrigis wasn't sure if he was lonely or hungry, since those two feelings had become far too easy to confuse with each other, but he assumed he was just hungry. After all, what reason did he have to be lonely? He had all his friends and the love of his life, what more did he need?

"We love you!" His friends called to him as he passed them.

"I love you too!" Shrigis replied, forcing a smile.

Of course, he wasn't allowed to really love them, no, they were just friends. Love was supposed to be saved only for the special one, or so he had been told. Shrigis always had so much love to give, so why had it become so difficult to love Lola if she was the only one he had to share his plentiful love amongst? With his friends, Shrigis did the things all friends do with each other, like telling each other they love them, worshipping the king together, and recruiting new young, impressionable friends to repeat the cycle with. That was about it, really, but that was all they needed, right?

One of the friends, a purple-skinned fellow whose name escaped Shrigis at that moment, had given him a welcoming gift long ago. It was a rather abstract and strangely familiar-looking piece of craftwork. Shrigis had later made a similar gift to give in return, yet he somehow could never bring himself to give it away. It was just as abstract looking, and was decorated in some green feathers and red hairs he had pulled from the front pocket of his favourite blue overalls. Shrigis knew that sharing was caring, and the right thing to do, but he couldn't part with that strange piece of craftwork.

He wanted to ask King Malcom, after all, the king of love would surely have the answer to his questions, but asking him directly would be a challenge if possible at all. The next best person, insect, or pigeon he could turn to for answers was Lovebug. Lovebug knew the ways of Malcom and the ways of love.

"What's the matter, Shrigis?" That unusually calm voice spoke, as if having read his mind.

Shrigis jumped with surprise and turned to face Lovebug, who fluttered behind him with a smile and an intrigued gaze. The boy hesitated for a moment, before responding.

"My heart still beats like a big love drum, but it's calling for something else…"

Lovebug's expression turned to concern as he considered the statement.

"Now surely you don't believe you have another special one out there, do you?" He began. "Your love with Lola is forever, and it is protected by that ring! You may not feel it now, but your love will grow and grow, and you will find eternal happiness together. So chin up, Shrigis! Thank King Malcom for bringing you two together!"

Shrigis simply nodded and approached the edge of the soft cloud on which he stood. He gazed over the edge of it and down at the seemingly peaceful land below.

"Be careful, friend, you don't want to fall off!" Lovebug chuckled, hovering down beside him. "Besides, you don't want to go down there! There's so much hatred and fear in the world below. The war, the prejudice, the apathy…"

"You think everyone down there… Hates me? They don't care about me at all?"

"Of course! But do not fear, Shrigis, for you are in safe hands up here with us! Remember, we all love you! Now if you'll excuse me, I have gravel to prepare!"

Shrigis still had so much more to ask, but before he could speak another word, Lovebug had flown away to what were surely more important matters. Surely he was right. Shrigis could barely remember life before finding his special one up in the clouds with, King Malcom watching over them, but if Lovebug's words were anything to go by it was surely miserable.

-.-.-.-.-

Down in the cruel world below, an old piece of poorly-laminated paper was pulled gently from the rough bark of a tree. It had been up there for a whole year now, to no avail. Red and Crowe held the poster in unison with one hand each.

STILL MISSING

And underneath was not a photograph of Donnie, Red and Crowe together, but a photograph of Donnie alone.

"We're sorry we upset you…" Crowe spoke softly, gently holding a butterfly in his free hand. "I wish we'd had the chance to tell you that. I hope wherever you are now, you can forgive us…"

"We should have come looking for you sooner, because that's what friends do." Red added. "Then maybe you would have come home with us that day."

"We still miss you…" Crowe whimpered, tears forming in his eyes as the butterfly on his free hand took flight.

"And we still love you…" Red finished, hanging his head down in grief.