The tall man stared down at the kid.
He looks a lot like a mini Crimson.
"Who's your dad kid?"
"Crimson. Red is my other dad and Akairo is my other mom."
"Interesting."
"Can you help me find her?" Ash asked, "She's been gone a few years. My Uncle Blake found her but they are taking too long to come back."
"Your mother and I didn't really leave off on the best terms."
"Then you can make it up to her now! I really need help and I promise I'm strong enough to hold my own, I just need some help looking for her."
"Come on in kid."
Neo held the door open for him and Ash walked in.
"What happened for her to leave you behind? That doesn't seem like something she would do."
Ash smiled, "Really?"
"Scarlet was never the type to leave anyone behind. She must've had a good reason."
The boy nodded.
"A bad guy named Blanche came and took her. She said she was leaving to keep me safe."
Neo smiled and tilted his head to the side, "You realize we are the bad guys, right?"
He nodded and fidgeted with his shirt.
"He's a worse kind of bad guy. He hurt people. He hurt the town."
"What can I do for you then?"
"We can leave here and go look for Mom. I have some idea since my grandma told me where they were at last and they are traveling by train."
"That's all you have?"
Ash shook his head. He began digging through his backpack.
"Mom sent me a map."
"She sent you a map?" Neo asked looking amused.
"Maybe she was hoping I would find her or go to be with her. I want to bring her home. Mom and Dad really miss her. They don't mention her in front of me much unless I ask but they always look sad. These are the places she's supposed to go by through the train system."
Ash handed the map to Neo. There was no doubt that Scarlet had made the map. It was detailed and had her handwriting.
"This is definitely your mom's handiwork."
"Do you love my mom?"
Neo looked taken bad by the question.
"Why do you think that?"
"I saw her photo album. She had a lot of pictures of you and her with hearts."
The man didn't say anything but hearing that, it stung a little bit.
"I can help you. Let me pack up."
"Do you love her though?" Ash asked.
"I did."
"Oh."
"I have no problem helping save her. She was always the type to sacrifice herself for the good of others. She always went about it the wrong way... according to society anyways."
Neo packed up all what he needed. It only took him ten minutes and he was ready. He pulled out a pink and brown umbrella. Ash didn't say anything since it matched the man's hair. It didn't seem strange or anything. It reminded him of ice cream.
"You're pretty ballsy for a child."
Ash smiled weakly.
"No one started looking for you yet?"
"No. I'm a very good kid for my grandma. She should be up in a little bit though."
Neo nodded.
"Let me see the map again."
X
X
Scarlet finished washing her hair for the third time get all the leaves and dirt out of it. She sighed as she looked out the window to see the train passing by the trees quickly.
I have no idea what I should've done. I wanted so bad to go home but... It wouldn't be the wise thing to do.
"Are you ok in there?'
"I'm fine. Just washing out my hair again."
The door creaked open and Blanche poked his head in. Scarlet gave him a smile and dried her hair quickly.
"We are going to have to board a ship in a few days."
Scarlet grabbed her brush and nodded, "I know."
"I'm surprised you haven't tried to back out of it."
"I already went this far. Why quit now?"
He opened the door a little more while she brushed out her hair nervously.
"You say things like that but you must not understand the gravity of the situation."
Scarlet stopped brushing her hair as he got closer to her.
"What does that mean?"
"Once we are in there, we will be everyone's enemy. You may never be able to return home."
"I know that. I'm fine with that."
"What about your son?"
Scarlet said nothing.
"Alright then. I'll leave you be to think about it."
The door clicked shut behind him. She leaned against the wall looking out the window.
I should've just left with Blake. I feel worse than I did then. I never knew how things were going to end up playing out. I just wish there was some way I can get out of this.
X
X
"Ash?" Terra rubbed her eyes.
It was abnormally quiet in the house. He wasn't playing his games or outside.
"Are you using the bathroom or taking a bath?" she called.
There was no answer.
Oh hell. I wonder if he's doing something he shouldn't be. He's pretty mature for a kid his age but he's still a kid.
"ASH!" she yelled.
Terra went through the whole house. Once she went outside to check and she didn't see him, panic started to set in. She felt fear rising inside her and her heart was pounding furiously in her chest. She pulled out her scroll and dialed her older son's number.
"Yuri! I need help!"
"With what Mom?"
"I took my nap like I always do. Ash is always so well behaved but I can't find him."
"He's probably hiding. He's a really good hider. Sometimes I can't find him when I play with the kids. I'll come over and help you look for him."
"Oh, ok."
"Bye Mom. Be there in a few minutes."
"Bye."
Yuri looked in every place a child could hide but Ash was no where to be seen. He went up to his room and looked around closely. Everything looked like it was where it should be. He opened up his closet and looked through it. Nothing seemed out of place.
"Mom... I think we might have a problem."
Terra didn't hear him. She was thinking about how angry they were going to be with her.
"MOM!"
"Huh? What?"
"We need to go through town and look. Maybe he went out that way. Who knows, right?"
Terra looked at him like she didn't believe him. Yuri placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Yuri, I have a bad feeling about this. I feel like... He left. I wonder what made him leave?"
"Do you really blame him Mom? His mother left and the two stable people in his life went after her. No one is here for him."
"How would he leave? He never left Vale before. Who would take him or offer to take him anywhere."
"Let's start calling everyone we know and ask if they have seen him but it's already dark outside. We won't be able to see too much out there now."
She slumped down on the couch.
"I can't believe all of this is happening."
"We are gonna be fine Mom. Ash will be fine. I just looked on my scroll and there's no reports of burned buildings or anything of that sort."
"That's good. He must be with someone he knows then."
X
X
"Aren't you tired at all?"
Ash shook his head.
"Don't get too close to the edge. I don't want to have to explain why I have an injured runaway," Neo said with a smile but he was dead serious.
"I won't fall off."
"You seem kind of young to be out looking for your mommy."
Ash shot him a dirty look.
"I know she wants me to find her. I'm going to find her and bring her home."
"You think you can fight this guy Blanche?"
Ash cracked a cocky smile, "I can show you when we get somewhere by the water."
Neo stared at him.
"I've been practicing my semblance a lot lately. I've gotten quite good."
"What? Are you some expert Dust user like your Dad?"
The young boy shook his head.
"I like fire."
"Fire huh?"
Ash nodded.
"I suppose it fits your name then."
Ash smiled, "Thanks."
Everything got quiet for a few minutes.
"Why do you look like ice cream?"
Neo arched an eyebrow.
"Excuse me?"
"You remind me of an ice cream sandwich. Do you really like ice cream?"
The man laughed and patted the boy on the head.
"You're funny kid. I suppose I never saw it that way but that isn't the first time I heard that."
"Do you... Do you have a semblance?" Ash asked.
He grinned as his hair went from pink and brown to bright green. His eyes took on a bright blue color. Ash's eyes widened in shock.
"That's so cool!"
"Thanks. It does help when I need to hide."
Ash smiled and nodded.
He's a weird little kid.