I was a naïve child then, blown away by thoughts of somewhere better, safer. In truth, a paradise.
The warning so carefully painted didn't fully register as true. Yet.
Petals are stuck in my hair. Running my fingers through it helps a bit, but a few more swiftly take the places of the ones I free.
Darn it.
"Kisshu, you look funny" A hand caresses my cheek and ever so softly moves up to my hair and plucks the remaining petals away. "Though flowers go well on you."
My eyes close, and I fall to my knees upon soft, grass-carpeted ground. Sound flows across the wind, murmuring nonsense in my ear. Warmth licks my exposed skin and purrs, content, in my heart.
"Don't sleep yet, Kisshu, let's play a game!" her hand molds to mine and brings me back to my feet, then our grasp is broken, and red gown aflutter, her slight figure sweeps the flowers aside as she runs. Instinct propels me after, and my face pulls into a smile.
"I'll hide, and you find me!" the red gown catches a bit of stray light, then disappears.
My pace slows and I scan my surroundings, searching.
"It's not that hard of a place to find, Kisshu, just look a teensy bit harder…" Again, I run, because she's not there, not anywhere. The sun's glare burns my skin under its excruciating gaze.
"I'm here, you dummy!" A slew of new petals join the flock building in my hair as a leaping body disrupts them. Arms envelop me, flooding me with a gentle heat once again. Too soon we are apart, and her hands take mine in a dance, ecstasy building, then flowing free around us.
Suddenly somnolent, the dance brings us down and our eyes are drawn to the clouds, untainted by thunder and as white as the feathers of a dove. The flowers sway to the harmonized beating of our hearts, timeless and beautiful.
"Um… Kisshu? You'd better get up." A voice mumbles in the distance.
"Like, now!"
I flip upright.
"Ta…chi…bana… What?" I rub my eyes and barely suppress a yawn.
"It's Valentine's Day and again, everyone is waiting for you. Hey, Aka! Help me get this lazy-head up!"
At once I am wholly awake.
"Right… the ship."
"Uh… yeah. Duh. What else were we planning on doing today?! Defiantly not sleeping, for sure. You're pretty boring asleep, Kisshu."
"Sorry. I was having a great dream."
"…"
"There were flowers everywhere… And the sun was shining and it wasn't windy. Well, it was a little windy, but-"
"This is your 'other' planet, right? Kisshu, get your head out of the flowers and back here where I can keep it from going where it shouldn't!" He gives me an exaggerated eye roll.
"Kisshu, you sleep too much!" Aka calls as we approach. "They're opening it up for anyone who wants to see today, and I can't wait!" I vaguely remember debating whether or not to go, Aka, Tsuki, and her other two friends all for it, Tachibana undecided, and me somewhat opposed. Of course I ended up consenting, it's one more chance to spend time with Aka, even if we're just are taking a dull tour of machinery. Human machinery, at that. Where do they come by so much human junk?
First, unfortunately, we must get past the wealthy side of the city. Aliens lucky enough to be born with wealth, those snagged by greed, large business owners, my mother… all of the people that seem so far away, in a different world, even, from the puny community where I was born, and left behind. No simple caves form shelters from weather, but sturdy buildings built for comfort. Real toys fill the hands of the children, whom in turn fill safe pens and houses.
Tsuki stares straight ahead, locking away her curiosity, but Tachibana, Aka and I let our eyes grow wide and engulf everything around us in mute respect for what we'll never get to have.
Imposing buildings line a hollow circle, the middle containing a sleeping beast that, biding its time, waits until its unwary prey draws near. We all freeze, I think, except Tachibana, who had happened to be staring behind him. It doesn't even take him a second to focus his own eyes upon the gleaming hide of the metal beast.
"They just leave it out in the open like this?" Aka says.
"Um… they're giving tours today. I think the gates are usually closed to the public." Tachibana replies snidely.
I can't stop myself and shoot a glare at his smirking face.
"Come on!" Aka calls to us.
We approach timidly, taking in all of the smooth contours and jagged metal parts. Arm outstretched, Aka's trembling fingers brush the ship's side.
"This is going to far… the Human Research Corporation is insane." Tsuki hisses.
"Hey! Poor people! What are you doing here?! Lost your way fleeing form a storm?" an irksome voice jibes.
Aka whirls around, tightening both hands into fists.
"That's not nice! Take it back." She says to the alien, who is now revealed to be a small, red-haired kid with a voice that could pass for a girl's. Standing behind him is a tall, stoic man, whose hard stare stops Aka before she could say anything more.
"Taruto. Don't waste your time. "
"Pai, you're not much better, leave me alone already!" He snaps at back. "And hag, answer my question!"
My dragon swords are in my hands suddenly, and I lunge. A dagger meets my attack, and pushes me against the metal ship. I twist out and slam the weapon to the human junk, bitterly aware of the jagged scar left engraved in the metal. Tachibana's whip curls around Taruto's wrist and yanks it forward, tearing the dagger out of his hand.
"Leave it. You're outnumbered." Tachibana says, more ice in his voice then I'd ever heard before.
Silent (finally), Taruto turns and walks brusquely away, his shadow, Pai, follows behind.
"We should get out of here, too." I say, pointing at the scratched metal.
"Go on ahead, I'll be right there." Tachibana says. We waste no time in getting as far away as possible.