Chapter fifteen:
It started in a town that was iscolated from the rest of the world except for the rare odd wanderer that stumbles upon them.
This town didn't have modern technology and relied more on nature to survive as they are civilized but they adapted to work with nature.
Little three year olds Near and Silver peer around the corner of their small home to look into the room where their mother is with the town medic.
The towns medic turns to the two brothers. He has black hair that makes him like a movie medic and wears a white apron hand made by his own wife. His kind green eyes seem to shine with the life of the world. "Come in you two. It is alright." He assures the two.
With Silver in the lead the two head inside of the room.
The medic brings the two over to a small bed made from wood from trees that had fallen natural in the forest around the town as well as some man made things like fabric to make it a nice bed that stands on four legs and is almost like a rocking bed for a baby but all made within the town. "Why don't you meet your new little sister?"
The two stand on their toes gently gripping the beds edges to peer into the bed.
There lies a small child wrapped in a blanket with white hair.
"She's adorable." Little Near says with a smile.
The medic nods. "I'm glad you think that." He says.
"If only your father could have stayed with us." Their mother sighs from her bed that is a mat on the ground with a blanket and a pillow that are stuffed with naturally softened feathers that the makers of blankets and pillows softens them with things mixed together that are found in nature such as tree sap.
Little Near goes over to his mother and kneels next to her bed. "Mommy. Why can't father be with us?" He asks.
Mother smiles softly then pets Near's hair. "He has very important duties." She says.
"But I want to at least know him." Silver has come over to join his brother at their mother's side. "Why can't he even visit?" He tilts his head softly.
"Well little ones." Mother lowers her hand to her side especially since she's too weak to pet both of her sons right now. "Your father has responsibilities that if he did come to be with us it could cause some trouble. He has to stay away and only meet me in secret. One wrong step and we could have problems on our hands. Your father works with people who don't believe in that they can have love because they have responsibilities to keep the world safe from certain ancient secrets that could end up destroy mankind." She smiles softly. "It's too dangerous for any of you to meet him because of that."
"Ok mother." Near says with a soft smile.
Over the year mother started getting really sick then a little after Rai turned one was when mother could no longer get out of bed.
"I fear that it is possible that one of the men your father works with saw me and now I'm sick." Mother says in a gentle tone. "Children." Her voice has grown weak. "Take a good look at me. This is why you cannot ever meet your father."
"Save your strength mother." Near, who him and Silver are four years old, says worriedly. "Get better."
Mother smiles sympathetically. "Care for your sister and each other."
"We will mother." Silver promises. "Then when you get better we can all be a family again."
Mother can only smile sympathetically at those words.
Near who had learned some lessons on cooking from mother so he took over most of the around the house stuff even teaching himself a few things like sowing since mother was too sick and weak right now to do anything. He also does the majority of teaching Rai but when Silver can he also helps in teaching her things.
Silver who has always been good with scythes that he made took over making sure they had meat and even sold some meat for money even though they got sympathy from the towns people since the town is like a family that look out for each other.
They would get deals and some would even give them a little something extra to try to help.
The twins did their best to show kindness back by contributing their own part which is another reason they sell some of the meat that Silver hunts down every day or whenever they need it if they happened to have too much on their hands at the time. They managed to get better and better at their new responsibilities as time went on.
Yes everything was working for three years….. Then things changed…
The twins are six years old and Rai is three years old.
Near just finished cooking some food as he has to stand on a chair to reach the counter properly.
Rai comes over and tugs on the bottom of his pants to get his attention.
Near turns to look to Rai. He smiles at her. "Hungry?" He asks.
Rai brightens and nods. "Yes. Brofher." She says. Her speech is pretty good but some things still need a little fixing of the words she's been taught so far.
Like that she calls Silver Sin instead of Silver so it has become Silver's nickname.
Near nods. "Well it's ready." He tells her.
Rai lets go of his pant leg and raises her hands up in a cheer. "YAY!"
The door opens.
"Sin's home!" Rai dashes to greet her other brother.
Near smiles and begins to get ready to set the table.
Just as he is about to start his siblings come in with Rai running in the lead and Silver following not too far behind her but walking.
Near smiles in greeting. "Welcome home brother." He says.
Silver smiles and holds up his catch. "I hit the jackpot!"
"It's so big!" Rai says excited. "There's so many!"
Near smiles a little more. "Seems we'll be good for a bit. You might not have to go hunting tomorrow."
"More time for all three of us!" She dashes out of the kitchen cheering.
Silver and Near have a small chuckle.
Silver heads to where Near had been cutting a carrot. He helps by giving the nife made from an animal bone a wipe with the cloth from the bucket of water to help clean the dishes.
Rai comes back seeming to remember that she is hungry.
"Want to help bring Mother her food?" Near asks.
Rai nods enthusiastically.
Near hands the plate to her then watches as she heads to give it to Mother. He then follows sine Mother needs help to get the food in her mouth.
When he arrives Rai is sitting beside Mother with the plate on the floor beside her.
Rai gently shakes Mother. "Hey mother we brought you food." She says. "Mother wake up!"
Near has a sinking feeling about this. He approaches and kneels next to his sister on the opposite side the plate is on. "She's sleeping." He says gently. "Why don't you go back to the kitchen to eat?"
Rai nods. "Ok." She heads off to do just that.
Almost hesitantly Near reaches over to mother's neck.
He checks for a pulse finding nothing. He pulls back as if shocked.
Silver gasp comes from the doorway making Near turn to him.
The two know what this means, Silver can tell from how Near acted.
Mother is dead.
The two leave the room trying to think of what to tell Rai.
….. They didn't have to ponder it for long.
Suddenly there is strange noises that the town's never heard before.
Rai runs to her brothers and hides behind them.
"Stay here." Silver says grabbing one of his scythes getting ready to defend his siblings with his life if he must. He carefully approaches the window that is just a hole. He peers outside.
Rai clings to Near's leg while Near soothingly pets her hair trying to keep her calm.
Silver sneaks away from the window.
"What is it?" Near questions.
Silver turns to him. "Trouble." He responds. "Get Rai and yourself to the safe room."
The safe room is a room that mother closed off hiding it by a secretly removable wall.
It's for emergencies like now.
Near picks Rai up then dashes for the safe room putting her down when there then grips the wall in the hidden grip places pulling the wall out.
Rai goes inside and Near follows shifting his hold to close the way in behind himself.
He goes over to her and sits on the floor letting her cuddle with him as he strokes her back trying to keep her calm.
After a few minutes the wall moves and Near gets ready to protect Rai only to relax when Silver comes in with his scythe and closes the wall behind himself.
He joins his siblings. "Those new people mean no good will." He explains. "It's safest to stay here. All children are being told to stay inside."
"That's not good." Near says.
"No it isn't." Silver agrees.
Suddenly they fall silent as there are sounds of people moving about the home.
Rai buries her face into her brother Near's side.
"Check the whole house." A deep voice that is not familiar speaks. "No one who lives in this town gets out alive."
A few minuets later there are the sounds of the people hurriedly leaving.
After a few moments Near sniffs the air.
"I smell smoke." He worries out loud.
There is silence then there are the sounds of fire.
Silver hurries to the hidden door and opens it.
Smoke hurries in and there is obvious fire.
"RUN!" Silver turns back to his siblings.
Near picks Rai up holding her with her face on his shoulder trying to keep her from breathing too much smoke. He hurries out with Silver.
They rush of the house only find the entire town up in flames with people burning or trying to escape but they seem to end up dead.
Silver takes the lead dashing along through town with Near following.
The two try to ignore all the burning dead bodies and anyone that there is no way to help them.
Rai tightens her grip on her bother.
Near gasps as some flames lick at him along with Silver and Rai.
Though Silver and Near are getting the worse injuries from the flames or collapsing buildings.
They run and make it out of town and head up a hill in a more loosely dense wooded area. They stop falling to sitting as Near lets Rai sit on the ground.
Near and Silver cough for a little bit since they breathed in smoke but manage to calm down to slightly panting for a few seconds.
Rai walks a few steps past her brother only to watch as their hometown burns.
Near and Silver also turn to watch as their hometown is up in flames making the three sad.
Near looks away lowering his head.
Rai rushes over to Near gripping his arm burying her face into his face.
Silver moves closer to his siblings and brings them into his arms.
The three siblings sit there crying for a few moments then Silver speaks.
"We should try to find another town." He says.
Near nods in agreement.
Rai looks worried and scared.
Silver pets her hair. "It's ok." He assures her. "We'll protect you."
Rai nods and sniffles.
The three begin their trek through the woods for almost a week then they arrive at the city that looks so grand compared to what they are used to. They feel ready to collapse but they walk on into town. They make it to an alley before collapsing from hunger, exhaustion and dehydration.
When Near opens his eyes he is in some room staring at the ceiling.
He glances around himself.
Silver is laying on a couch across from the couch Near is laying on while Rai is laying on a mattress on the ground.
"Good to see you awake." A voice speaks.
Near turns to the voice as the male looks down at him.
"My name is Anthony. I am the leader of the Shadows. I take it you three don't have any place to go. Since we found you collapsed in the alley way."
Near nods feeling safe under Anthony's kind gaze.
Anthony smiles. "Alight well you're free to stay here."
And so the three did.
They were treated well and got better but one thing started to bug Silver and Near.
The ones that destroyed their hometown is still out there and if they find out that they escape it could mean danger.
So they came up with a plan.
Rai would stay here and the two of them would leave.
They of course explained to the Shadows and Rai what the plan is and why.
"You're always welcome to stay for as long as you want. Just give us a call if you need anything and I mean anything." Anthony says.
"Please be careful." Rai says and Near is gad that the Shadows have become like another family to them.
"Don't worry. And thank you." Near says.
They give their goodbyes at least for now then left.
Silver and Near went to town then split up because it's for safety just in case the people who destroyed their hometown starts looking for them.
Near wanders the streets now on his own until he met A and BB.
They meet in an alleyway.
The two stand there facing Near who has also stopped.
"Better be careful kid." A speaks. "Alleys aren't safe for kids like you."
Near wanted to say 'what about you?' since the two are a few years older than he is at the age of seven but he has a feeling that it wouldn't turn out well. "I'm just looking for a place to stay?"
A pauses and looks worried. "You mean you are homeless?"
Near nods.
BB opens his mouth but A interrupts him.
"Then you should live with us."
BB turns to A mouth closed but the look on A's face tells him all.
Near reminds A of himself the first day he was left to live on his own in the streets almost a year before he met BB.
So BB turns back to Near.
"It's ok. Come live with us." He agrees making A hug him happy that his love agrees.
"Names Always After." A introduces himself. He is a male with light brown hair that reaches to a few inches past his ears, sea blue eyes, a navy blue pull over hoodie, slightly baggy jeans and black runners.
"And I am Beyond Birthday." BB adds.
Near introduces himself to the two.
"Well welcome to the family." A says with a smile then kisses BB's cheek.
So Near joined them and they even showed him their small underground home hidden in an alley that has a secret hatch.
Near became like a son to them and Near learned the harshness of the streets though he feels very lucky that he has A and BB to help him.
They did what they had to get by including stealing, forcing someone to give it to them with a knife in their face.
A and BB, who are expert fighters on the street, taught Near fighting until the three became such a great trio that people started to fear getting into fights with them more than they have before now that Near is with the two.
One day Near was walking along looking for a good store that might have something only to turn a corner finding Watari who is dressed in more normal attire.
Watari turns and Near knows from that look. He is here because he heard about A, BB and Near.
Near turns and runs luckily not feeling like fighting today heading for A and B hearing Watari chase after him. He turns into an alley and skids to a stop finding A and BB in the alley out of the place they call home.
Watari turns the corner and stops. "I've been looking for you three." He says.
A pushes Near behind him and B steps forward ready to protect his love and son.
"I mean no harm." Watari explains. "I am here because I heard about you three and there are rumors that you are quite smart. So I have come to offer a better home for all three of you."
"We already have a home." B growls in warning.
"An alley…" Watari trails off. "Please I believe that you will really like the place I am offering."
A glances back to Near then before B can speak he turns back to Watari. "How safe is it?"
"Very." Watari answers as if it is simple. "All adults have a very very detailed background check and tests before even being considered to being hired."
"Then it is safe for our son." A says.
"Always?" The eight year old Near looks wide eyed at A.
A turns with a gentle smile. "We are also coming." He assures him. "We just want you to be safe."
So they joined Whammy's house orphanage.
The three also became feared there and they stayed close as a family as none of the other kids seemed to like them.
Years later when Near was ten….. A died from a stab wound that ended up with him dead before he could say who had managed to get him.
BB left promising Near that one day they would all be together again but Near understood that BB believed that this was L's fault since they were put pressure to possibly be the next L then A died after he kept saying he didn't want to be the next L despite him in first with BB second and Near third. He was going to avenge his lover.
But he ended up caught dying later.
Near distanced himself becoming the emotionless boy playing with toys and puzzles.
AN:
This isn't meant to go into too much detail but I hope it was still alright.
Reviews are awesome and flamers will be used to make fudge!
Mello.