He was never one to judge, nor was it in his position to do so.
But yet here he was, going against the orders of the Rose before him, the frown on their features darkened into a glare as they slammed the table in a fit of anger, but a tint of hesitation and vague could be seen through their fierce reaction, another sigh on how foolish, how oblivious, how gullible they were. Truly pathetic, but ironically, inspiring, he'd admit.
Wouldn't you concede yourself?
How foolish the Fire Peashooter was, letting emotions go over reasons.
For this time, sheer determination wasn't enough.
This was a horrible decision.
"How idiotic it was of you to run off like that, you naive child!" The Rose continued to scold, but they were nothing but murmurs, whispers, poor attempts of insults toward the child, his head resisting to accept the ignorant remarks that the older Rose was spitting out. They were nothing but a weak organic life form that dwelled on this unforgiving planet. There was nothing to hold on to, nothing to be his hopes on, even if he had hope at all.
"You just left your siblings to die! What can you think of this? Going with the deranged Asteraceaes! Such atrocity!" The Rose scolded, unknowing that the young Fire Peashooter was paying no attention towards them. It was disorienting to be honest, his thoughts came and gone, his ideas flickering in his head before disappearing as if he didn't thought of them at all. Things were going too fast. He did not know why, he could not understand, he wished time just could stop, even only if it was just a minute. He just wanted to think straight. Each thought, each recall to the past flashed before his eyes, only to leave nothing but a confused expression on the child's face. A troubling thought indeed.
"What do you have to say about this?!" The Rose made one final yell, their equivalent of hands on their hips. The death glare deepening. But the Fire Peashooter payed no attention, he was in his much preferred quiet "wonderland". A place where he could put his thoughts off the unmerciful world, but many in their small town of Plants said that the child gone insane, that the child has seen so much, too much. And he was okay with that.
The Rose let out a frustrated sign, now realising that the Fire Peashooter had drifted away from reality. "Such a troubled child." They mumbled a quote that was barely audible even to the Rose themself. They grabbed their wand and left the room with one final agitated but soft, sigh, leaving the Fire Peashooter to his thoughts.
"Such a troubled child."
Such a troubled child he was indeed. He was a child that had too much on their mind, and because of that, he barely payed attention towards the world outside his mind of thought. He didn't even give much attention towards his two younger siblings, who were far too young to understand what he was going through.
"Do...are you depressed?"
That was what the Rock Peashooter asked when he first took knowledge of his older brother's behaviour. He only gave them a smile, one that was far too bleak to be considered to be one. Running down a pod over his purple flaming bulb, he replied.
"I'm alright, 'lil buddy. Just a bit shaken up."
That was enough to satisfy the younger Plant. With a nod, his younger brother left him to his thoughts, left him to his never ending hell, oblivious to the thoughts that lingered in his older bother's head.
It was best neither him nor the youngest of the three knew what was going on on his head. That was one less thing to worry about, and he wanted to keep it that way. At least until they were at a suitable age to understand, to comprehend, to grasp what the Fire Pea would be telling them. They were far too young to-
"Psst! Vince!"
Oh, it was that Sunflower from the Asteraceae family again. He was calling to him from the outside of their small house, his younger sister was more than likely to be with him as well. Couldn't he be left alone to drown in his thoughts? It seems the lords couldn't give the child a break, nor could anyone else he knew.
"We're going to dad's lab again! Wanna come?"
If only he wasn't in such a mood he would gladly accept the Sunflower's offer. He wanted to, of course. But something on his head told him not to, and he agreed with it, if only things were so simple. But life simply didn't like going with the ways of the decisions in his head, nor did everything else.
"Not today, buddy." His voice came out as if he hasn't spoken in ages, it sounded like he desperately needed a glass of refreshment. But more or less. "You and your sis can go by yourselves." Then silence came by, along with the footsteps getting farther and farther away from his location. They should arrive at the lab soon.
Oh how he wished he'd wanted to come. But his mood was stagnant, almost to a point where he wished to die in quarantine. No traces of his usual grin was on his circled mouth as it was replaced with a poignant and to some point -indignant forced smile. Why was he torturing himself with? His ignorance? His curiosity? His pleads? It sounded like he was becoming delinquent, perhaps he was. How saddening, but how intriguing. He never felt like this before.
For once, his determination was wavering.
His will to live drifting away like it never was there in the first place.
When did this madness start? And when will it end?
And there was only one answer present in his mind.
It would never truly be gone.
He hated how much he agreed with it.
Conflicting thoughts swarmed him.
Was this what a child like him supposed to feel? Wasn't a child like him supposed to always be smiling? Wasn't a child like him supposed to be happy? He could only ponder these questions, but never get an answer. What was the point?
For what felt like years, he smiled, but much less genuine than the rest. It was much more forced, it was much more vague, it was much more scared. He realised he was shivering, but it was not because of the coldness of the small cottage they lived in, he was a Fire Plant, after all. It was, instead, out of fear. A emotion that was more common in his younger years.
It was much more common when he watched the deaths of so many Plants.
He shuddered at the thought, his breathing getting funny for a second. The expression in his eyes were a mix of fear and disgust. Fear for what he had seen, and disgust of watching not just humans, but his own kind killing each other for not just war, but for sport. He'd wondered how many sins that have been committed during his short life. Perhaps he was exaggerating, but sometimes the most exaggeration could only be the smallest part of a much bigger product, a much more horrifying series of events even the bravest of Knights would be shaken to the core. Were these thoughts normal for a child like him?
Most likely not. He wasn't as innocent, as kindhearted, as caring than other children of his age were. Such a disgrace he was. To both his family and his own morals.
"You have quite the mind, don't you child?"
The Fire Pea shrieked in fear, the flame on his head shining a bright white as he jumped from his original sitting position to a standing one. His eyes wide in aghast. His breathing increasing to the point of panting.
The new Plant that stood before them appeared to be a Druid Rose- who, currently, wasn't wearing their mask. Standing on the right of them stood a much younger of the same species, their head cocked to the side in curiosity. They seemed to be around the age he was. The Fire Peashooter relaxed slightly, but he stills retained the look on his features, he breathing going into a much normal pace.
The older Druid Rose smiled, noticing that he was starting to clam down. "I am Lily." She launched herself to a introduction. "And this." She pointed at the younger Druid Rose, who glanced at Lily then at the Fire Peashooter. "Is Veness."
The fire that emitted from his head returned to its original purple. He nodded, absorbing the new information. But why were these two Roses here? Did he have something that they needed? Definitely not. Did he did something bad and was going to be sent to some kind of child jail? Maybe, but he couldn't recall doing something that would count at treason.
"We are taking you to the order." Lily replied, as if she could read the young Fire Peashooter's mind. The younger of the two Roses smiled, noticing the Fire Pea's reaction towards Lily's reply, but otherwise had a nonchalant expression on her face.
"But what will become of my bro and sis?" He asked, his brow raised in question. If he were to leave this quiet town, wouldn't they have to come with him as well? And why was he the one to go to the order? Perhaps because of both his fire and his peas were naturally purple? So many questions lingered in his mind. Lily only laughed, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Worry not for your siblings, child." Lily smiled, while Veness nodded behind them. "Once they are old enough, they will come to the order as well. And that is not long." The Fire Peashooter nodded, now understanding the situation.
"Now." The Druid Rose spoke up after half a minute of silence. "What is your name, young one?"
The Fire Pea smiled for what felt like decades. "Vincent, the name's Vincent."
"Then good afternoon, Vincent. The Rose of this household has agreed with your leave. So please pack your bags and bid your siblings goodbye. I'll give you an hour, just in case."
Vincent nodded, running off and out of the two Roses' range.
Perhaps one day, he could change his beliefs.
A second chance to right the wrong, a seconds chance to change his reputation.
A second chance to live without being hollow inside.
A second chance at redemption.