Chapter 1

Broken Homes

As the early hours of the morning crept over the town, the storm began to subside. People began to emerge from their homes and look for themselves on the destruction of the hurricane. Those who were lucky enough to survive could find no joy in what they saw- especially considering it was evident there was more of them who didn't.

There was no aftermath of the storm. Luckily for the people of Happy Tree Town, the hurricane faded away almost as quickly as it had started.

But it did not leave the town unscathed.

Building after building has been destroyed, or knocked down. Facilities such as public bathrooms were rendered useless. The towns plumbing was completely unworkable, and would require rigorous work for its complete reconstruction. The sky was a deep gray, and the world underneath it seemed to mimic its color.

The worst part of the hurricane had been that no one had been expecting it. It arose from the sea like a monster, springing on the town like prey. People were caught of guard and with no time to prepare could do little to protect themselves were they out in the open. The suddenness of the storm had nearly caused a riot, and people littered the streets, climbing over each other in their hastes to get away.

Several people had died in the confusion; Cuddles bloody remains laid struned over the streets. Mime's body had impaled a fire hydrant and still hung there, limp and unmoving. His antlers had shattered upon impact and sharp pieces littered the streets. Lammy was sobbing on the corner, trying to pry a flattened Mr. Pickles from underneath a stop sign that was so badly bent into the ground it was almost part of the pavement. Splendid did not count the pickle as a person, but it still hurt to watch the young girl cry out in such a way, obviously as hurt as if it had been her herself who had died.

That stupid otter bitches at me about indecency and isn't even here to comfort her girlfriend, Splendid thought bitterly as he walked aimlessly down the streets. He had had a nice surprise in the morning to find is own home, a tree, had been so badly decimated he no longer owned a single thing on earth. Exhausted, the squirrel had been almost to tired to care. He had headed back into town, hoping perhaps he could help with picking up the remains of their ruined home.

A relief group was checking through the hospital for any injured patients. Luckily, the building had not been as badly wounded as virtually the entirety of the town, and was still usable for those who were in dire condition. Petunia was strapped to a gurney, having a manic attack, her breathing harsh and her violet eyes dilated to the point they were almost irrecognizable against the white and the popping red tendons. Her left arm and half of her lower torso were missing and she was bleeding badly; but this didn't seem to bother her because she was shrieking something about the world's upset symmetry and the filth that covered her.

Over a few feet, Mole, surprisingly one of the only ones still capable of moving, was talking in a hushed voice to Handy, who was hard at work repairing the door of the hospital. It appeared that Handy himself was in a good deal of pain; his tail was torn at the end, as if it had been flattened by caving debris, and his left eye was completely welded shut to the point it looked as if there was nothing there but a large growth. Handy was responding in low grunts, as he was using both his teeth and his injured tail to aid his armless work. Splendid winced at the look of agony that crossed over Handy's face each time he used his tail, and was glad Mole could not see it himself, knowing that he considered the beaver his closest friend.

Splendid hesitantly approached the two, his tail dragging on the ground behind him. He felt awkward approaching the other two as, sense all of his possessions had been destroyed, he had nothing to change into and his jumpsuit smelled vaguely of the pine needles he had laid in last night. It was a waste to do so, because no matter how hard he had tried, the super squirrel had been unable to find sleep. Where he had went after being kicked out of the museum was out of the Hurricane's path, but he could still here its destruction even from miles away.

As Splendid grew closer, he gave a cough to announce his presence. Mole turned towards his direction and Handy took another swing with is tail before he looked up. At once the orange beaver's face fell; aggression clouded his visible bright gold eye, and he made the same scowl he did when he forgot he was an amputee.

"Who is it? Who's here?" Mole asked him, still trying to decipher who Splendid was. Handy glowered at Splendid for a moment longer before responding.

"It's him."

Mole immediately doubled back at hearing this, visibly shocked even though it was almost impossible to read his expressions. He exchanged a sightless look with Handy, which Splendid would of found impressive had he not just felt like he'd been kicked in the gut.

"We don't allow mutant trash here," Handy hissed angrily, shocking Splendid. It was an insult he had never heard before and surprisingly hurt badly. He closed his eyes to hold back the pain, far to tired to be angry.

"You don't have to welcome me," he said softly, opening his eyes again. The two were staring at him (or in Mole's case at the general direction of his face) intently. It was clear their patience was worn thin and they would not tolerate any wrong moves or words now.

"But it's been decided that I have to pay for and do all he repairs on the town myself. So you might as well save yourself some work and go home."

There was a moment of silence as the two exchanged yet another look. Splendid waited for them to insult him again, or torment him about his new work, and leave. But they did neither.

"We don't need your charity," Handy said, turning back to his task. "I'm perfectly capable of repairing my town with my own two h-... with the body I've been given. Mole is perfectly capable of coming up with new designs for the buildings that have been destroyed. But..."

"...But as much as a help as you'd be, what we need least is someone who doesn't belong fixing a town that isn't his." Mole finished for him.

Splendid could do nothing but drop his head and turn away.

Though his strength seemed to be depleting rapidly, Splendid was determined not to give up. He headed over to the storm shelter on the edge of town. It hadn't been used because the hurricane had been to sudden for anyone to prepare for- but now it was being used as a temporary care facility while the hospital was being cleared, and a home for any that had lost theirs. Splendid was shocked by how crowded place was. Families were huttled together around cots, loners lay in bed with their arms over their heads in an attempt to block out the world. Children, to tired and ill with grief to play, clutched at their parents arms, looking for protection that some simply could not provide. Looking at the misery, Splendid realized just how hard the hurricane had struck the core of the town.

Death was one thing. People in Happy Tree Town could die everyday and be fine the next. But when their homes, their cherished possessions, their innocence... when that was lost it could not just be regained. It could not be rebuilt, it could not be reborn. It would take time that some did not have and still there would be pieces missing from a puzzle that had once been so happily completed. Looking at the melancholy that he had caused made Splendid's stomach do a flip, and he took in a sickly expression, trying to keep from wretching on the floor.

As he walked through the isles, people began to look up from their grieving. Eyes full of hatred, of spite, of wishful revenge stared at him in pairs as he moved along. For once in his life the hero felt small, weak. Whispers began to dance through his eardrums as people discussed him in hushed tones. Some were louder, more bold as they talked about him, openly taking his name in harsh and fowl-mouthed manners. It made Splendid feel even sicker to hear and he wished he could cover his ears and yell at them all just to go away. To leave him alone.

Finally Splendid reached the back, where tables piled with medical supplies were stacked. The staff were marked by red crosses on white bandages tied around their arms. Some were handing out small pieces of bread while others were wearing nursing outfits and tending to minor injuries. They did not pause in their work to stop and glare at him, nor did they offer him food or attention. This did not bother as him, as he was far better off then many in the shelter.

A sweet voice caught the super squirrel by surprise. He whirled around in search of the owner. He did not have to look far. A small pink chipmunk was sitting about two tables away, gingerly tending to a boy with a broken arm. She was smiling and telling him reassurance in a calm tone. They seemed to appease the boy because he was sniffling, as if he had just stopped crying. Splendid stood awkwardly for a moment, just watching the petite woman at work. Her green eyes fit so perfectly into the structure of her round pink face, the white stripe down her nose so perfectly cut, her fur held back by the red bow. She was... amazing. Beautiful, in that odd unnatural kind of way that took you off guard when you saw it because it was simply so rare. Delicate in the way that she spoke in and how she handled the instruments she used to remedy those who came to her seeking relief.

Splendid slapped himself mentally for thinking such things. He was an admirer of the chipmunk, yes, but so were half a dozen other boys in the town. It was only natural to be attracted to one like her.

But totally wrong.

As the boy turned away Splendid took the opportunity to approach her. She seemed unobservant at the moment, as if she was thinking of something else, and did not notice his approach.

"Hi, Giggles."

Starting, Giggles stared up at Splendid in slight shock. She still seemed partially distant, as if the realization of who he was had not quite hit her yet. But when it did her emerald eyes widened and she was to her feet. There was a moment of silence between the two as Splendid looked at her, waiting. She looked back with a blank expression, as if not sure what to feel. Half happy to see him, half wishing he wasn't here.

"What...what are you doing here?" Giggles voice was a hushed whisper when she spoke. Now it was Splendid who had to search for an answer.

"I... I'm sorry," Splendid said. "I've been assigned with cleaning up...well, the entire town. But it's hard to know where to start. It's a big job, even for a hero."

"But you shouldn't be here." Giggles whispered, almost cutting him off. She seemed to realize from his expression she had spoken to quickly and rushed to make ammends.

"I mean, you aren't hurt. Only those who really need to be here are here."

"Giggles," Splendid took a step closer to her, so that he was looking down at her by an inch or two.

"Please don't turn me away. I've had to much pain to be turned away by even you. You're like my best friend- remember when we were kids and you would call me your older brother? Where did that go? Why can't we be close like that anymore?"

Giggles eyes moved as if searching his face, and she bit her lip, looking for words.

"You know why."

"Giggles...please..."

For a moment, it seemed as if his begging had pushed the chipmunk over the edge. She was swaying on her foot as if to fall into his arms in embrace. But then her eyes sharpened, and her tone, though still a whisper, tightened as she spoke.

"My boyfriend is dead, because of you. Our home is gone. My mother needs surgery. I love you Splendid, as my best friend and my brother, and I don't think I'll ever stop caring about you. But..." she paused, and her tone gained an edge of pain. "I can't forgive you for what you did."

He was falling

falling

falling...

Falling through the cracks in the ice, into the ocean. He couldn't breath.

It wasn't fair.

It wasn't his fault. The ship he had made had been perfect; flawless. It had carried him and his world without problem through the sea.

He hadn't meant to sunk it.

It wasn't his fault.

It wasn't fair.

Alone in his corner the squirrel gripped his knees, brought tight to his chest. He pressed the back of his head to the wall, unmindful of the dampness, of the cold. Did it matter? This was what the rest of his days would be like. His punishment of cleaning the entire town had seemed like a bad enough chore. But it turned out that no one wanted his help- no, they refused to let him. They didn't want an outsider rebuilding their home.

That hurt even worse.

Splendid pressed his face into his knees, trying to take a grip of his thoughts. Nothing made sense in his head. It was all a jumble of images, pictures that couldn't fit together in an consistency. His brain was a buzz of endless insults. He could see Giggle's face- those green eyes as they turned him away.

The pain of walking away knowing the one person he thought would love him, accept him, despite his flaws, didn't anymore.

It wasn't his fault.

Not my fault.

Not my fault.

"It's not your fault."

Splendid looked up in shock. Someone was standing above him. He had to squint before the outline of the figure stopped being blurred and he could see details. It was a girl. A porcupine with fur as red as blood, wearing a rain poncho and holding an umbrella high over her head. Her quills came over the top of her head and hung in her eyes like bangs, running down her spine like hair. They appeared to have an odd, somewhat greasy texture, and were powdered in dandruff. Her lips were moving, but Splendid couldn't hear her. He struggled to try and make his mind come back to the present.

Was she telling him what he thought she was?

No, she wasn't. She was saying "Are you alright?" in a concerned voice. Her voice surprised him because he expected it to be high pitched coming from such a small girl, much like Giggle's. But it wasn't- it was small, like she was afraid to talk loudly, and sorta rough, like sandpaper. He gazed at her for a moment, taking note that she had now asked him this four times.

"...Don't you know who I am?" Splendid asked, uncurling his legs from his chest. The girl hesitated and looked away for a second, as if thinking on her answer.

"Yes," she said at last, but didn't look back at him. "Don't you know who I am?"

The question seemed odd as a response and out of place with the situation. But, looking at her, Splendid realized he did know who she was. The quills, the nervous stature, the bright red eyes- This was Flaky, the town's most withdrawn girl. She was a tomboy, and so somewhat of an outsider to the other girls. She wasn't what the media would consider 'beautiful' or 'sexy', either, so she didn't get much of a second glance from any of the men. She was best friends with Giggle's boyfriend, the idiot Cuddles. And... though he couldn't remember what, he knew she meant something to that war veteran.

"Yes," Splendid responded after a moment's thought. Flaky looked back at him, her face tight with what he assumed was insecurity, and only nodded at him. What she did next surprised Splendid. The girl reached out her hand to him, offering help. He could only gaze at it for a moment.

"Do you w-want help, or not?" Flaky said impatiently, looking at him with a stern expression. Splendid glanced back and forth between her hand and her bold redish-brown eyes, unsure of what to say.

"..Help?" He asked at last. Flaky's eyes softened slightly, but she still kept her serious expression, obviously not wavering so that she didn't go into a nervous stutter.

"Yes. You look s-sad out here, s-sitting by yourself. All alone. I have a home that isn't t-to badly broken and food that's at least s-sorta edible. S-so if you don't want to sit alone in the cold..." she forced her hand closer to him, gulping. "...please come with me."

Why this girl was helping him the super squirrel could not fathom. It would be stupid to reject this act of kindness, and offensive to not appreciate how large it was. How badly Flaky could be shunned if anyone found out. Breathing out, Splendid reached up and took hold of her hand.

Notes: Guys, I drew a chapter cover! If you want to see it I'm posting the link on my profile. Please tell me what you think of it :D

Replies:

TripleH: I guess I don't write stuff that people go for...? Lol, I don't know. I don't care as long as I can write.

angel: -noms cookie- thanks c: these are my fave. Jealousy? Maybe! You'll have to read on to see. Never played minecraft, not sure if I could get into it (Or write something about it) but uh..thanks

D : x3 Your reveiw made my day! I wish I could thank you more fervently but you aren't logged in : lol. I can't stand Lumpy, personally, so he doesn't play a major role in any of my stories. I kind of just stick him in as a doctor and go on my way. It bothers me how all the HTF characters never seem to have any real sort of job or living status so I tend to mold them into one in my stories. They might not have a government system like real people do, but I try to at least make them organized. There will be SXF fluff yes :D .. but maybe not in the way you expect. I assure you it won't become a 'shes-mine-no-she's-mine' sort of thing. And ah, no review is to long! I love the long ones most ;p