DISCLAIMER: I do not own Attack on Titan
This is where things get rolling...
II
Tsukeru was not an idiot.
He was known around Madison Place as the crowned king of social. He was the carefree spirit people gravitated towards. Any new neighbor was instantly welcomed by his smile and go-with-it attitude. All the other kids knew him and his house was usually the place they grouped to spend time together.
The Fire Fairy Works was a jewel on the street. The fireworks store and the family that had owned it was as polite and inviting as any business could get. But he remembered the day the store burnt down. He remembered the little girl with bloody red hair, staring blankly as her parents were dropped into graves. It's been a year since then and the new fireworks store owner has yet to make any peep.
But Tsukeru is not an idiot.
He's seen her on more than one occasion. Nothing screams suspicious about her. No one seems to notice her, like a shadow moving amongst the crowd. Whenever she catches his look, chills go down his spine as he's lost in those dead green eyes. She'd hold the stare, her eyes narrowing before she'd turn away. He noticed how she locked her windows, how her garden was mysteriously smashed most nights.
He noticed Sosai.
It was purely coincidental. All he did was glance up at her windows, that familiar chill going down his spine. His stomach had dropped liked dead weight as a white grin appeared behind the pane glass. Large eyes stared down at him and he had never held such fear in one moment when he remembered why that smile was so familiar.
It was gone before he could double take. He was cautious around the strange red girl. She seemed more wary of him too, casting suspicious glances at him. He'd do the same, but nothing was spoken. He didn't really want to know what he saw in the window. But something compelled him to know. Something wanted him to find out the secret behind Fire Fairy Works.
Of course, he dragged his sister along. It's good to have a buddy when you're facing a monster, right? That's if he can convince her the local fireworks expert is concealing something very dangerous.
Naowna was staring dryly at him. "You're an idiot."
He winced. A weak smile formed, "You didn't see it, Nao. It was…a thing! It was so weird!"
"Maybe she got a dog." His older sister muttered, being the ever logical one.
"Dogs don't grin like that." He said.
She didn't respond as he dragged her down the road, avoiding people if necessary. He knew he should have left it be after he saw…whatever that was. But curiosity was gnawing at him. No one really pondered the Fire Fairy Works, but if he really thought about it, the owner was as strange as one could get.
Who builds a garden only to smash it every night? Who visits the junkyard every day to pick pieces that barely fit through her door? Who makes fireworks so cheap?
"It's way too suspicious." Tsukeru shook his head, "Just what is she hiding?"
Naowna sighed, gazing longingly back at the road, "I was reading a good book too…"
They stopped at the door.
Naowna grumbled. "Now what? Did you even think this far?"
"Nope. I didn't even think I was gonna convince you."
"You dragged me."
He smiled sheepishly. That smile turned into a frown as one of the curtains in the windows moved back. Naowna snapped her eyes over to the movement before clearing her throat.
"Right. Let's go before we're mistaken as customers."
"That's a pretty strange sign," Her brother mused, staring up at the flame insignia nailed above the door, "do you think she's a part of a cult?'
"Now you're just being silly."
"It's strange."
"You're strange. Tsu, she sells fireworks. She works well with people and I've heard she's got a great business. I don't see the recluse you're talking about and I don't see anyone grinning in any windows."
"But Nao-"
"Are you going to buy something," an annoyed voice interrupted their argument, "Or loiter all day?"
They stared at her.
She was a short little thing-though not as short as Naowna- for being near their age. Her red hair was messy and ended just below her ears. She had a brown apron on over a stained white shirt, rolled up at the sleeves. Her black pants were covered in soot and her boots looked ashen instead of tan. Her eyes, though, those dead greens stared at them in a mixture of annoyance and impassiveness.
Tsukeru stiffened. Naowna coughed awkwardly, "Sorry. We didn't mean to bother you, we'll just be-"
"Browsing the merchandise!" Tsukeru interrupted with a squeak, ignoring the glare from his sister, "It's for a birthday party."
The red head stared at them, scanning them like words were written on them. They both sighed in relief when she nodded and propped the door open, "Right this way."
The inside was amazing. It was a large room. On the back wall were many bookshelves and two doors to other parts of the house. The other side of the room held a hot steaming forge. Anvils and cooling racks sat in front of it and a lot of the products hung from the wall. The red head moved over to a glowing anvil, picking up a hammer and throwing it down with a smack. Tsukeru winced as the sparks flew.
"My name is Nyll Fiery." She said, "All my works are up on the wall. Take your pick."
"I'm Tsukeru Laud and this is my older sister, Naowna." He introduced a little timidly.
Tsukeru took a step forward, feeling a twinge of eagerness ignite in him. His family had always been on the curious side. They loved blueprints and knowing how things worked. Tsukeru was no exception. The idea of learning how to make fireworks of all things was appealing. His sister, he noticed, was eyeing the books like a hungry wolf.
She stopped him before he could take another step, "Are you mad? Let's just go. There's nothing here we need."
"Nao," He shrugged her hand away, "Let's just investigate a bit? I promise I'll never bring it up ever again. It'll be out of your hair, okay?"
She considered, "Promise?"
Her brother smiled, "Promise."
With a sigh, she followed him over to the models propped on the wall. Upon closer inspection, they seemed like professional works. The fins were nailed in precisely and small pictographs were drawn on the wall next to them of the out coming explosion. Some were funny faces, others were animals, but Tsukeru found himself shivering at a creepily smiling one.
"Nothing suspicious here." Naowna uttered dryly, casting a longing gaze at the books. "C'mon, Tsu."
"Hold on…" He turned to Nyll, the red head avidly hammering away. "Er- Nyll, right?- How often do you get customers?"
"Hourly."
Damn, that was a lot. Was this shop really that popular throughout Shiganshina District? He quietly pondered this, barley noticing his sister creeping towards her object of interest, "Do you work alone?"
"Yes." She didn't sound annoyed with his questions, but it felt like there was heavy exhaustion laced In her words, as if she'd said it more then she wanted too.
"Oh." He felt himself frown uncomfortably. He'd brought up a touchy subject. Hadn't she just lost her parents? Idiot. "Go any pets?"
She paused, mid swing, before casting him a dull glance, "I hate animals."
He held up his hands with a nervous smile, "O-okay."
Then what the hell are you hiding? He thought, perplexed. Surely that wasn't you in the window, since you never seem to smile or show any emotion…
"Any relatives or friends-"
"Are you going to buy something," The red head said agitatedly, "Or interrogate me all day?"
He felt his face heat up, his hand automatically grabbing the closest explosive on the wall, "We want this."
It was a sparkler.
Nyll's eyebrows narrowed in a disbelieving and exasperated way. Tsukeru felt his anxiety peak at her criticizing stare before she took the firework out of his hand, "You have the money for it?"
Tsukeru almost laughed. Sparklers were pocket change. But, had he really bothered with his wallet on the way here? Checking his pockets, he felt a rush of fear and humiliation when he realized, no, he could not afford the sparkler.
He smiled disarmingly at the unimpressed shopkeeper, "One moment." He scurried over to where his sister was intently reading a book.
"Nao!"
She jumped with a shriek, "I wasn't reading anything!"
He ignored the outburst, forcefully drawing her wallet out of her pocket, "I need change for a sparkler."
"Why?"
"Don't question me," he breathed unsteadily as he got the right amount of money, "the spawn behind you is going to eat me if I don't pay her for it."
"Tsu, really?"
"Yes, really, now please tell me you have some spare change or we're dead meat."
His sister sighed despairingly, "Front pocket."
"You're a blessing."
"You're a curse." She returned dryly, putting the book back on the shelf, "Hurry up so we can leave."
He grinned, wheeling around to face Nyll. He lost his balance halfway around, his shoes tripping over each other. He went head first into a nearby cooling rack. The hot material poured over him, a string of curses and yelps leaving his mouth as he scurried to his feet. Naowna gawked at her brother, watching him dance around, swatting away embers stuck to his shirt.
A snort of amusement broke Tsukeru's tirade. He froze, turning to the red head, finding a half smirk on the girls face. It was the closest thing to any emotion other than annoyance she'd displayed.
"You're picking that up." She said, her tone laced with mirth.
Strangely, Tsukeru found himself complying. He felt a sense of…connection? He didn't know how to describe it. After seeing her smile (somewhat) for the first time, he wasn't sure he had any suspicions about her anymore. She was a kid, just like him and his sister. A kid who took they're life in their own hands. She grew up before anyone else just to adapt.
Respect. He was feeling respect.
"Sorry for intruding." Naowna waved as they exited the shop. Tsukeru stared listlessly at his purchase, glancing over to the red head at the doorway. She had her arms crossed, slouching a bit with a disinterested expression. He half believed that smile he'd seen had been nothing but an illusion.
"Come again." She said, her lips tugging upward slightly before she disappeared behind the door. Naowna stared at the door before turning expectantly to her brother. Tsukeru gave her a sheepish look.
"Satisfied?"
He offered a weak smile, "…yeah."
The sunset colors gently darkened the sky. As they passed by a torch, Tsukeru paused to light the sparkler, catching up with his sister as it began to take effect. He almost jumped back when large sparks sprouted away, sizzling out. Other sparks were different colors and some even took the vague shape of animals dancing through the haze of sparkles.
The siblings awed at it, those passing by barely paying heed to the two children. Tsukeru turned to Naowna as the sparkler finally died in a flourish of rainbow colors.
"Nao."
"Yeah. I know."
He grinned all the way home.
We are definitely coming back, Nyll Fiery.
Okay. I know Attack on Titan isn't finished, so im going by the manga. When i do catch up to the story i'm going to slow way the hell down. Probably long LOOOOONG updates. Expect an update every monday though.
On a side note, Nyll is 5 years old. Tsukeru is 5 and Naowna is 6. Sosai *guesstimated* 4. Very young, but the anime laws say they can walk and talk -shrugs-
Thoughts: What do you think happened to Sosai?
Review.
