Chapter One
Early Days, Early Times
The very first signs of morning saw not a group of sleeping children at our house, but rather two sleeping children and a third who woke in two seconds. As if I could sense the first rays of dawn streaking over areas of true light, my eyes first flickered open at dawn. From that point I would not spend four minutes getting out of bed, but rather spend four seconds leaping out of the bed and onto all fours. I may have been four, but I still wasn't pleased with the idea on walking on my hind legs. My arms were too long and clumsy to keep me comfortable. So I simply walked like a dog on all fours over to the door, which was open just a crack. I pushed it open with my snout and walked out into the hallway.
I ignored my father, Aireff, who was humming some long-lost tune as he searched around for something to eat. I instead bounded across the hallway into my parent's room, where my mother Rose was sleeping. She wouldn't be sleeping for long. I made a running jump straight onto the bed, startling her, and then walked onto her chest.
"Morning!" I shouted. "Morning, morning, morning, morning!"
It was the latest word I had learned. Rose groaned sleepily.
"Morning!" I shouted. "Ya awake! Morning, morning, morning!"
Slowly Rose opened her eyes. I soon recognized the purple irises as she stared at me with sleepy annoyance.
"Fratley, go back to sleep," Rose groaned.
"Mamá, it morning! Morning, morning!" I chirped. "Get up!"
"Fratley, ya are supposed to sleep in the morning. Go to bed," Rose groaned.
I began to jump up and down. "Get up!"
With a frustrated groan, Rose shoved me off the bed. I landed on the floor with a thud. This didn't faze me. I simply jumped right back on her chest, taking away her breath, and put my face an inch from hers.
"Get up! Morning, morning, morning, morning!" I chirped.
"Dear lord. Aireff, would ya please come and rid me of this child?" Rose asked.
I at first cringed at my mother's sudden raise in voice and leapt backward, thinking she was yelling at me. Then I realized she was calling for my father and I leapt back to my original position. I heard a laugh coming from the kitchen. Someone appeared in the doorway.
"Come on, Fratley, let's go. Ya caused ye mother enough aggravation when ya were two," Aireff said as he walked over.
I immediately turned around.
"Morning, morning, morning, morning, morning!" I chirped.
"They were your idea," Rose groaned.
Aireff laughed. "Ya will be able ta sleep, don' ya worry. Come on, Fratley, why don't ya come with me ta the store?"
"Go to Alexandria," Rose muttered.
I jumped onto my father's shoulder and soon had myself comfortable.
"I'm not goin' ta Alexandria, sweet. But don' worry, I'll keep 'im quiet," Aireff assured my mother.
Rose nodded sleepily. She had already closed her eyes. Aireff left the room and picked up a pouch on the kitchen counter. He then headed down the stairs and outside.
I loved it when I was taken outside. All the sights caught my attention, and I wanted to touch everything. It annoyed Rose, and eventually Aireff got tired of it as well, but it was my nature. Aireff walked down the street, with me on his shoulder. Some Burmecians were already outside. The streets would be packed by noon. The rain was a steady drizzle. The October weather was pleasant. I marveled at the many sights, and I was silent, for once.
Aireff walked through a small gate leading to a bunch of houses near the outskirts of the castle. Already there was a buzz of activity. The inhabitants of the houses were frantically setting up shops. Aireff began to look at some of the items set up. Soon he leaned too close and I nabbed one. It was a shiny orb, and I marveled at it.
"Fratley, put that back," Aireff demanded in a sharp voice.
I sheepishly returned the orb to its original place.
"Hello Aireff," the shop owner said, turning around. "Can I help you with anything."
"What is this orb?" Aireff asked, picking up the shiny orb I had snatched.
"Oh, that." The shop owner smiled as he walked over. "That is said to be a magical orb with the ability to tell the future. They are very durable and make fine decorations. Being knocked down won't make them break."
"How much is it?" Aireff asked as I stared at the orb eagerly.
"300 Gil," the shop owner replied.
Aireff took out three gold Gil coins and gave them to the shopkeeper. He then gave me the orb as he walked off.
"That's for listenin'," he said simply.
I stared at the orb, enchanted by it. I didn't notice anything else Aireff was doing because I had my orb. It was silver and had a smoky texture, and this texture seemed to move. I stared at it, mouth agape.
"Fratley, ya look ridiculous," Aireff said with a chuckle.
I quickly closed my mouth, but I continued to marvel at the orb. What was that smoky stuff? Thousands of crazy possibilities rolled into my head. None of them made any sense. It didn't matter.
Suddenly a scream pierced the cool morning air, making my ears sting. I looked up, startled. Immediately Aireff's head whipped in the direction of the scream. Everyone else, including me, also looked in the same direction. I whimpered nervously.
"Papá?" I whimpered.
Something wasn't right. I could feel it. Aireff's muscles tensed as he took me from his shoulder. He was still staring in the direction the scream had come from.
"Do you want to come with me?" Aireff asked me.
My father's familiar accent was gone, and it made me nervous. I nodded feebly, not wanting to leave him. He held me in his arms, and suddenly we were in a strange, dark world. I cuddled myself close to him, terrified. Sparkly balls of light were in the sky, and the familiar rain I had lived with was gone. I whimpered nervously and didn't notice Aireff moving briskly through the area. Then, suddenly, I felt Aireff falling. We were being sucked in! I whimpered, staring up at Aireff's face. Wasn't he going to do something?
Suddenly we were back in Burmecia, and I could feel the familiar rain. I could hear, however, snarling and terrified crying. I didn't dare look in the direction of the noises. Soon, Aireff had placed me on a flat, large windowsill.
"Fratley, stay there. Don't move, okay?" Aireff commanded. He sounded worried.
I nodded nervously and watched my father head in the direction of the noises. I was horrified. There was a massive black and orange dog, and it was attacking a little girl! I crawled close to the window, not wanting to be seen. My eyes were wide with fear. I watched Aireff take out a strange smooth stick with a pointy piece of metal at the top. He then rushed forward and knocked the dog away from the girl with it.
The dog snarled angrily as it stared at my father. Aireff twirled the lance and caught the dog in the jaw. It snarled and tried to attack Aireff, but it missed as Aireff dodged. Not daring to watch, I turned my attention to the little girl. She was huddled in a ball, and I could see some strange red liquid on her. I recognized it as a weird liquid that had come out when I cut myself on glass once. But there had only been a little bit then. It was everywhere on this girl.
Suddenly I felt the window opening behind him. I leapt down from the windowsill and over to the girl. I stopped a few feet away. She was shaking madly, and I didn't like the red liquid. I began to approach, but then the dog let out a large snarl. I yelped with terror and bounded into the nearest alley. It was cramped, but I soon found a box to hide in. Nervously I watched for anything dangerous. I heard yelps, and I closed my eyes.
Suddenly the yelps ended, and I heard something running toward the alley. I opened my eyes, and I saw long paws and lanky legs. I knew it was the dog. I heard it sniff the air, then I saw it come towards me. It stuck its nose in the box. That was when I screamed and smacked it.
The dog yelped from the hit, then snarled angrily as I scrambled from the box and began to run. I could hear it chase after me. Soon, I stumbled over a rock and slammed to the ground. The dog leapt in the air, and I screamed.
Suddenly the dog was flying straight into a wall. Aireff came into my view. He looked over at me.
"Fratley! Get out of 'ere! Go that way!" Aireff shouted, motioning behind him.
I scampered to my feet and ran frantically in the indicated direction. I soon emerged from the alley. A woman was hugging the terrified girl. I could see no one else around. I heard a yelp from the dog in the alley, and I looked nervously in that direction to see Aireff leap straight out of the alley and right in front of me. The dog ran forward and snarled. Aireff picked me up and backed away slowly. The dog snarled again, then bounded back into the alley.
Aireff placed me on the ground, and for a split-second I was fearful that he would start yelling.
"Are ya all right?" Aireff asked. His accent was back, making me feel a little more secure.
I nodded, still expecting a scolding.
"That's good," Aireff said, patting me on the head. He then looked over at the woman and the girl. "She all right?"
"I don't think so," the woman said with sorrow, staring at the injured girl. "I hope Junes will have a look at her."
Aireff walked a few feet forward and knelt down. He held out his hand toward the injured girl and snapped his fingers. Immediately the girl looked up and stared at him with green eyes. I bounded over and stared curiously. Why had my father done that?
"She'll be all right. A quick look over is all that's needed," Aireff said. "'Ello, little one."
The girl stared at Aireff curiously.
"She doesn't talk much," the woman said. "Come on, say your name."
The girl looked up at the woman, then back over at Aireff.
"Freya," she said, pointing to herself.
Aireff nodded. "Ya stay out of trouble, Freya."
Freya nodded. I stared at her curiously, but I didn't go over to her. The red liquid still scared me. The woman rose, holding Freya in her arms. Aireff also rose, and I jumped onto his shoulder in the process.
"We'll be goin'. 'Ope ye child gets bette', Marie," Aireff said to the woman.
Marie nodded. "Thank you."
Marie rushed off quickly. Relieved that Freya and the strange liquid had left, I quickly realized my orb was missing.
"Papá, m' orb! M' orb!" I wailed.
"Oh, 'ush, Fratley. We'll find ye orb," Aireff said with reassurance. He scanned the floor. "See? 'Ere it is!"
Aireff knelt down and picked up the orb, which was unharmed. I let out a cry of glee and took the orb. I stared at it eagerly. Aireff laughed, and the familiar sound made me feel even more secure. Aireff picked up the bag that I hadn't even noticed he had put down, and he began to head in the direction of home. I was too concerned with my orb. I did notice when Aireff entered the house though. I immediately came to attention as Aireff walked up the stairs. I could smell food from upstairs, and I could hear the voices of my siblings.
"'Ello, sweet," Aireff said to Rose as she came into view. "Did ya get any sleep?"
Rose looked over at us. "An hour. Then the other rascals woke up."
Aireff laughed as I leapt from his shoulder. I put my orb down and bounded over to my siblings.
"'Ello!" I chirped.
"Ello!" my siblings Ruben and Angela chirped.
"What that?" Angela asked, pointing to my orb.
"I no know," I replied, grabbing the orb.
"Ooooooooo." Angela and Ruben said, staring at the orb.
Aireff laughed. "Lunatics."
"Little kids are like crows," Rose commented. "They love shiny objects."
"Especially if they can eat 'em," Aireff said, rolling his eyes.
"Even if they can't, they try!" Rose laughed.
At this point the smoke in the orb turned blue. We all gasped with awe and continued to stare. Aireff laughed, while I heard Rose return to cooking.
"So, what took you so long?" Rose asked.
"That little girl - Freya, I think 'er name is? - anyway, she was attacked by that doberman," Aireff explained.
"The one in the alleys?" Rose asked, and I heard her surprise.
"Yes," Aireff replied.
"Oh my God! Is she all right?" Rose asked, and the worry in her voice made my siblings and I look up with confusion.
"I think she'll be fine. A little bloodied but that's 'bout it," Aireff said with reassurance.
"A little bloodied? Aireff, was she 'urt badly? And did Fratley see?" Rose asked.
"Well, she was fairly injured, but she perked right up when I snapped my fingers. As for Fratley, yes, he saw it, and he nearly got attacked."
"WHAT?" Rose screamed, causing my siblings and I to bound out of the room and into our bedroom.
"Calm down, sweet, 'e's fine," I heard Aireff say as I hid under the covers of my bed.
"It's bad enough that 'e saw the violence and blood. 'E didn't 'ave to be part of it!" Rose wailed.
"'Ush, Rose, ye are going to 'ave the neighbors over. Kids remember what they want ta remember, and I 'ighly doubt Fratley is goin' ta want ta remember this," Aireff said soothingly.
"Aireff. Aireff, kids sometimes remember things when least expected. What if. What if?" Rose's voice sounded choked, and I could hear sobbing. I came out from under the covers, and my siblings watched.
"What ya do?" Ruben asked.
"Mamá." I tried to figure out what I was trying to say. "Mamá."
What word did Rose always say when I was sobbing? I couldn't remember.
"Mamá mad!" Angela chirped.
"No, Mamá no mad." I said, and the word suddenly came to me. "Mamá c. cw. cwy. Mamá cwy, Mamá no mad, Mamá sad."
I bounded out of the room, hearing Rose sob. I carefully walked in the kitchen, and found my beliefs to be true. I could see that Rose's cheeks were wet, and Aireff looked pretty concerned.
"Mamá?" I asked.
Rose looked up and stared at me. Not hearing a shout, I walked over to her. I rose to my hind legs, though it was rather uncomfortable.
"Mamá no cwy! Fratley no bad. Mamá no cwy! Mamá no cwy!" I told Rose.
Rose's eyes widened with complete shock. Aireff looked pretty stunned too. Rose knelt down to my level and stared at me. She took a deep breath.
"Fratley." It was all she got out before she grabbed me in a choking hug and cried.
Yet somehow I knew the tears were now of happiness.
----- First chapter! You like, yes? I hope you do. I'm sure you figured out that Fratley is only four in this chapter ;) The next few chapters will skip around in the years until Fratley's around 13 or so because then he - I mean I - will have more to tell. Please review!
This story is copyright to my imagination. The characters and world are copyright to SquareEnix, as if Final Fantasy IX in general. Many events I had to think up of, so if you don't like some of the things, well. So be it =)
Early Days, Early Times
The very first signs of morning saw not a group of sleeping children at our house, but rather two sleeping children and a third who woke in two seconds. As if I could sense the first rays of dawn streaking over areas of true light, my eyes first flickered open at dawn. From that point I would not spend four minutes getting out of bed, but rather spend four seconds leaping out of the bed and onto all fours. I may have been four, but I still wasn't pleased with the idea on walking on my hind legs. My arms were too long and clumsy to keep me comfortable. So I simply walked like a dog on all fours over to the door, which was open just a crack. I pushed it open with my snout and walked out into the hallway.
I ignored my father, Aireff, who was humming some long-lost tune as he searched around for something to eat. I instead bounded across the hallway into my parent's room, where my mother Rose was sleeping. She wouldn't be sleeping for long. I made a running jump straight onto the bed, startling her, and then walked onto her chest.
"Morning!" I shouted. "Morning, morning, morning, morning!"
It was the latest word I had learned. Rose groaned sleepily.
"Morning!" I shouted. "Ya awake! Morning, morning, morning!"
Slowly Rose opened her eyes. I soon recognized the purple irises as she stared at me with sleepy annoyance.
"Fratley, go back to sleep," Rose groaned.
"Mamá, it morning! Morning, morning!" I chirped. "Get up!"
"Fratley, ya are supposed to sleep in the morning. Go to bed," Rose groaned.
I began to jump up and down. "Get up!"
With a frustrated groan, Rose shoved me off the bed. I landed on the floor with a thud. This didn't faze me. I simply jumped right back on her chest, taking away her breath, and put my face an inch from hers.
"Get up! Morning, morning, morning, morning!" I chirped.
"Dear lord. Aireff, would ya please come and rid me of this child?" Rose asked.
I at first cringed at my mother's sudden raise in voice and leapt backward, thinking she was yelling at me. Then I realized she was calling for my father and I leapt back to my original position. I heard a laugh coming from the kitchen. Someone appeared in the doorway.
"Come on, Fratley, let's go. Ya caused ye mother enough aggravation when ya were two," Aireff said as he walked over.
I immediately turned around.
"Morning, morning, morning, morning, morning!" I chirped.
"They were your idea," Rose groaned.
Aireff laughed. "Ya will be able ta sleep, don' ya worry. Come on, Fratley, why don't ya come with me ta the store?"
"Go to Alexandria," Rose muttered.
I jumped onto my father's shoulder and soon had myself comfortable.
"I'm not goin' ta Alexandria, sweet. But don' worry, I'll keep 'im quiet," Aireff assured my mother.
Rose nodded sleepily. She had already closed her eyes. Aireff left the room and picked up a pouch on the kitchen counter. He then headed down the stairs and outside.
I loved it when I was taken outside. All the sights caught my attention, and I wanted to touch everything. It annoyed Rose, and eventually Aireff got tired of it as well, but it was my nature. Aireff walked down the street, with me on his shoulder. Some Burmecians were already outside. The streets would be packed by noon. The rain was a steady drizzle. The October weather was pleasant. I marveled at the many sights, and I was silent, for once.
Aireff walked through a small gate leading to a bunch of houses near the outskirts of the castle. Already there was a buzz of activity. The inhabitants of the houses were frantically setting up shops. Aireff began to look at some of the items set up. Soon he leaned too close and I nabbed one. It was a shiny orb, and I marveled at it.
"Fratley, put that back," Aireff demanded in a sharp voice.
I sheepishly returned the orb to its original place.
"Hello Aireff," the shop owner said, turning around. "Can I help you with anything."
"What is this orb?" Aireff asked, picking up the shiny orb I had snatched.
"Oh, that." The shop owner smiled as he walked over. "That is said to be a magical orb with the ability to tell the future. They are very durable and make fine decorations. Being knocked down won't make them break."
"How much is it?" Aireff asked as I stared at the orb eagerly.
"300 Gil," the shop owner replied.
Aireff took out three gold Gil coins and gave them to the shopkeeper. He then gave me the orb as he walked off.
"That's for listenin'," he said simply.
I stared at the orb, enchanted by it. I didn't notice anything else Aireff was doing because I had my orb. It was silver and had a smoky texture, and this texture seemed to move. I stared at it, mouth agape.
"Fratley, ya look ridiculous," Aireff said with a chuckle.
I quickly closed my mouth, but I continued to marvel at the orb. What was that smoky stuff? Thousands of crazy possibilities rolled into my head. None of them made any sense. It didn't matter.
Suddenly a scream pierced the cool morning air, making my ears sting. I looked up, startled. Immediately Aireff's head whipped in the direction of the scream. Everyone else, including me, also looked in the same direction. I whimpered nervously.
"Papá?" I whimpered.
Something wasn't right. I could feel it. Aireff's muscles tensed as he took me from his shoulder. He was still staring in the direction the scream had come from.
"Do you want to come with me?" Aireff asked me.
My father's familiar accent was gone, and it made me nervous. I nodded feebly, not wanting to leave him. He held me in his arms, and suddenly we were in a strange, dark world. I cuddled myself close to him, terrified. Sparkly balls of light were in the sky, and the familiar rain I had lived with was gone. I whimpered nervously and didn't notice Aireff moving briskly through the area. Then, suddenly, I felt Aireff falling. We were being sucked in! I whimpered, staring up at Aireff's face. Wasn't he going to do something?
Suddenly we were back in Burmecia, and I could feel the familiar rain. I could hear, however, snarling and terrified crying. I didn't dare look in the direction of the noises. Soon, Aireff had placed me on a flat, large windowsill.
"Fratley, stay there. Don't move, okay?" Aireff commanded. He sounded worried.
I nodded nervously and watched my father head in the direction of the noises. I was horrified. There was a massive black and orange dog, and it was attacking a little girl! I crawled close to the window, not wanting to be seen. My eyes were wide with fear. I watched Aireff take out a strange smooth stick with a pointy piece of metal at the top. He then rushed forward and knocked the dog away from the girl with it.
The dog snarled angrily as it stared at my father. Aireff twirled the lance and caught the dog in the jaw. It snarled and tried to attack Aireff, but it missed as Aireff dodged. Not daring to watch, I turned my attention to the little girl. She was huddled in a ball, and I could see some strange red liquid on her. I recognized it as a weird liquid that had come out when I cut myself on glass once. But there had only been a little bit then. It was everywhere on this girl.
Suddenly I felt the window opening behind him. I leapt down from the windowsill and over to the girl. I stopped a few feet away. She was shaking madly, and I didn't like the red liquid. I began to approach, but then the dog let out a large snarl. I yelped with terror and bounded into the nearest alley. It was cramped, but I soon found a box to hide in. Nervously I watched for anything dangerous. I heard yelps, and I closed my eyes.
Suddenly the yelps ended, and I heard something running toward the alley. I opened my eyes, and I saw long paws and lanky legs. I knew it was the dog. I heard it sniff the air, then I saw it come towards me. It stuck its nose in the box. That was when I screamed and smacked it.
The dog yelped from the hit, then snarled angrily as I scrambled from the box and began to run. I could hear it chase after me. Soon, I stumbled over a rock and slammed to the ground. The dog leapt in the air, and I screamed.
Suddenly the dog was flying straight into a wall. Aireff came into my view. He looked over at me.
"Fratley! Get out of 'ere! Go that way!" Aireff shouted, motioning behind him.
I scampered to my feet and ran frantically in the indicated direction. I soon emerged from the alley. A woman was hugging the terrified girl. I could see no one else around. I heard a yelp from the dog in the alley, and I looked nervously in that direction to see Aireff leap straight out of the alley and right in front of me. The dog ran forward and snarled. Aireff picked me up and backed away slowly. The dog snarled again, then bounded back into the alley.
Aireff placed me on the ground, and for a split-second I was fearful that he would start yelling.
"Are ya all right?" Aireff asked. His accent was back, making me feel a little more secure.
I nodded, still expecting a scolding.
"That's good," Aireff said, patting me on the head. He then looked over at the woman and the girl. "She all right?"
"I don't think so," the woman said with sorrow, staring at the injured girl. "I hope Junes will have a look at her."
Aireff walked a few feet forward and knelt down. He held out his hand toward the injured girl and snapped his fingers. Immediately the girl looked up and stared at him with green eyes. I bounded over and stared curiously. Why had my father done that?
"She'll be all right. A quick look over is all that's needed," Aireff said. "'Ello, little one."
The girl stared at Aireff curiously.
"She doesn't talk much," the woman said. "Come on, say your name."
The girl looked up at the woman, then back over at Aireff.
"Freya," she said, pointing to herself.
Aireff nodded. "Ya stay out of trouble, Freya."
Freya nodded. I stared at her curiously, but I didn't go over to her. The red liquid still scared me. The woman rose, holding Freya in her arms. Aireff also rose, and I jumped onto his shoulder in the process.
"We'll be goin'. 'Ope ye child gets bette', Marie," Aireff said to the woman.
Marie nodded. "Thank you."
Marie rushed off quickly. Relieved that Freya and the strange liquid had left, I quickly realized my orb was missing.
"Papá, m' orb! M' orb!" I wailed.
"Oh, 'ush, Fratley. We'll find ye orb," Aireff said with reassurance. He scanned the floor. "See? 'Ere it is!"
Aireff knelt down and picked up the orb, which was unharmed. I let out a cry of glee and took the orb. I stared at it eagerly. Aireff laughed, and the familiar sound made me feel even more secure. Aireff picked up the bag that I hadn't even noticed he had put down, and he began to head in the direction of home. I was too concerned with my orb. I did notice when Aireff entered the house though. I immediately came to attention as Aireff walked up the stairs. I could smell food from upstairs, and I could hear the voices of my siblings.
"'Ello, sweet," Aireff said to Rose as she came into view. "Did ya get any sleep?"
Rose looked over at us. "An hour. Then the other rascals woke up."
Aireff laughed as I leapt from his shoulder. I put my orb down and bounded over to my siblings.
"'Ello!" I chirped.
"Ello!" my siblings Ruben and Angela chirped.
"What that?" Angela asked, pointing to my orb.
"I no know," I replied, grabbing the orb.
"Ooooooooo." Angela and Ruben said, staring at the orb.
Aireff laughed. "Lunatics."
"Little kids are like crows," Rose commented. "They love shiny objects."
"Especially if they can eat 'em," Aireff said, rolling his eyes.
"Even if they can't, they try!" Rose laughed.
At this point the smoke in the orb turned blue. We all gasped with awe and continued to stare. Aireff laughed, while I heard Rose return to cooking.
"So, what took you so long?" Rose asked.
"That little girl - Freya, I think 'er name is? - anyway, she was attacked by that doberman," Aireff explained.
"The one in the alleys?" Rose asked, and I heard her surprise.
"Yes," Aireff replied.
"Oh my God! Is she all right?" Rose asked, and the worry in her voice made my siblings and I look up with confusion.
"I think she'll be fine. A little bloodied but that's 'bout it," Aireff said with reassurance.
"A little bloodied? Aireff, was she 'urt badly? And did Fratley see?" Rose asked.
"Well, she was fairly injured, but she perked right up when I snapped my fingers. As for Fratley, yes, he saw it, and he nearly got attacked."
"WHAT?" Rose screamed, causing my siblings and I to bound out of the room and into our bedroom.
"Calm down, sweet, 'e's fine," I heard Aireff say as I hid under the covers of my bed.
"It's bad enough that 'e saw the violence and blood. 'E didn't 'ave to be part of it!" Rose wailed.
"'Ush, Rose, ye are going to 'ave the neighbors over. Kids remember what they want ta remember, and I 'ighly doubt Fratley is goin' ta want ta remember this," Aireff said soothingly.
"Aireff. Aireff, kids sometimes remember things when least expected. What if. What if?" Rose's voice sounded choked, and I could hear sobbing. I came out from under the covers, and my siblings watched.
"What ya do?" Ruben asked.
"Mamá." I tried to figure out what I was trying to say. "Mamá."
What word did Rose always say when I was sobbing? I couldn't remember.
"Mamá mad!" Angela chirped.
"No, Mamá no mad." I said, and the word suddenly came to me. "Mamá c. cw. cwy. Mamá cwy, Mamá no mad, Mamá sad."
I bounded out of the room, hearing Rose sob. I carefully walked in the kitchen, and found my beliefs to be true. I could see that Rose's cheeks were wet, and Aireff looked pretty concerned.
"Mamá?" I asked.
Rose looked up and stared at me. Not hearing a shout, I walked over to her. I rose to my hind legs, though it was rather uncomfortable.
"Mamá no cwy! Fratley no bad. Mamá no cwy! Mamá no cwy!" I told Rose.
Rose's eyes widened with complete shock. Aireff looked pretty stunned too. Rose knelt down to my level and stared at me. She took a deep breath.
"Fratley." It was all she got out before she grabbed me in a choking hug and cried.
Yet somehow I knew the tears were now of happiness.
----- First chapter! You like, yes? I hope you do. I'm sure you figured out that Fratley is only four in this chapter ;) The next few chapters will skip around in the years until Fratley's around 13 or so because then he - I mean I - will have more to tell. Please review!
This story is copyright to my imagination. The characters and world are copyright to SquareEnix, as if Final Fantasy IX in general. Many events I had to think up of, so if you don't like some of the things, well. So be it =)