Prologue: Alastor Kasai

16 years ago

I rushed into my wife's hospital room. There I saw her. The beautiful elemental girl at my school that could beat up a guy in no time. But now, she didn't look like a warrior. She was weakened, and in labor. Her usually sharp red eyes were distant. Her cat ears were drooping. She was groaning in pain, while the nurses and doctors tried to calm her down. He watched in horror as she writhed in pain.

This went on for hours. The hours past, and my heart was crying out to the heavens in grief. Every minute she screamed in pain, screaming in fear that the baby wouldn't make it. Moaning about the nonstop pain. Gripping the sides of the covers and screeching, even setting them on fire once. Gripping her hair in stress.

Why me? Why was I going to lose the most important person in my life? Why, me? GOD WHY!? I yelled in my head, forcing back the tears that were forming. Finally, she had the baby. But Red, my wife, was almost completely still, her eyes glazed, slowly dimming.

"No!" I yelled, "Red, no!" I rushed forward to try to talk to her, to tell her everything was going to be okay, that she could relax now. But the doctors pushed me back. I cursed, punched, yelled, but they finally managed to stuff me out the door, then they ran back to her aid. I was left alone outside, worry the only thing I could think about. Making my decision, I pushed myself in, and raced over to Red.

"Red! Red, can you hear me!? Red!" I howled out her name like a wounded dog, even though I'm part cat, just like Red.

I almost gave up when she shuddered weakly.

"Red?" I said softly, almost a whisper.

Her eyes slowly opened, and she gave me a weak smile. Her eyes, once so beautifully bright, were now so delicate, so tired, so pale. So was her skin.

"A-alastor? Is that you? I'm sorry, I'm nearly blinded from the pain….But these old ears of mine can still hear you fine. Isn't that funny?" Red laughed softly and raggedly, and I knew she barely even had the strength to speak.

I forced a smile, tears working their way down my cheeks.

"Shhh…..Don't waste your energy...Don't speak...Save your energy." I tried to smile reassuringly, and was about to get up when her hand shot up and grabbed my wrist.

"ALASTOR!" She yelled with such ferocity she sounded like her old self.

I spun around in surprise, thinking I would once again see the Red I knew; long, flowing, scarlet hair, sharp and stunning blue eyes, confident smile, radiating health. Instead I found myself still looking at the delicate Red I had just seen; scarlet hair tangled, dull blue eyes, a quivering, weak smile, radiating weakness.

"That's better." Red whispered soothingly, her voice barely audible. "Listen to me. I'll always love you." She coughed, her body shuddering violently as she was shaken by a bout of coughing. Her breath shaky, she swallowed and continued.

"Look up there." Red gestured her head towards the window. "You see the blue sky up there? I'll always be watching you from there-"

"No, stop, you're making it sound like you don't think you're gonna make it-"

"Shhh…" She cut me off, pressing her fingers to my mouth. "Listen. Though that's not what I did, you always were there to listen to me. Don't stop now. I want you to raise our baby as well as you can. Do the best you can. You have to be the mother and the father. Teach her things from both sides. Teach her to be strong, with the heart of a lion, but also teach her the more important things. Kindness. Love. Can you do that for me? Please….Tell her I love her. I always have, and always will. When you see the sky at night, I'll be the brightest star up there. I promise."

I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. I wanted to do anything to release the grief clenching my heart. Anything to stop this pain. But this was her last request. I was going to do my best to fulfill my promise.

"I promise." Tears slipped down my cheeks like quiksilver. I leaned down and hugged her. Red wrapped her soft arms around my neck.

"Don't be sad. I'm always here. In your heart. Never lose sight of that." She blinked again, but this time her eyes didn't open again. Her grip loosened, and her arms fell to her sides.

He grabbed her hand, desperately searching for warmth. He heard doctors yelling in the background, but all he cared about was Red.

Once again, the doctors pushed me out the room. I heard yells, things like,"She's gone flatline!"

I wrapped myself around her jacket, which she had given to me right before she forced herself not to leave bed anymore. Before the nightmare started. A couple minutes later, the doctors came out, looking sad.

"Alastor," They said, sighing heavily. "We're afraid your wife is dead. But, the baby lives." They brought out a baby girl with red hair and soft blue eyes. She had my red cat ears. "U look just like ur mother," Alastor said, shaking with grief, "I will name you Red Diamond. Red in honor of her, and Diamond in hope that you will be as strong and beautiful as one. In hope you won't end the way Red did." At that, I sat in a chair and cradled her, sobbing.

Later on, I drove home, and sat on the couch, still holding Red Diamond. I was filled with grief. But I started to sing Red's favorite song softly. I wanted Red Diamond to act like Red. I rocked her back and forth softly, and quietly sang "Pompeii", by Bastille. (I know Pompeii wasn't made 16 years ago, but the story of Red Diamond is set a little later than 2016.) When I finally got down to the last lines, my voice broke down, and I sobbed myself to sleep.

(Author's Note: Hey guys! I know this is really sad…...And seriously, my heart broke making this. This reminds me all too much of Clannad. But at least Clannad turned out sweetly in the end, right? Hope you continue to read and give me feedback!)