The Red Hope
Chapter 1: The Beginning of a Girl
Hey guys! So, first off, I'd like to thank everybody who reviewed, favored, and followed this story. They are such a huge support to me, and it just really inspires me to write these chapters down. You guys are the best!
On another note, I'd like to say to everybody that even though school and life can create such a huge mess when I try to write, I will not abandon this story! So sorry for that really long hiatus. I'll try and make sure that it won't happen again, but I can't make any exact promises.
Anyways, continuing on to the story! This is where the actual story starts with our main character! I hope you guys like it just as much as the prologues!
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Magi belongs solely to Shinobu Ohtaka. I only own the oc's that I create.
"I think the girl who is able to earn her own living and pay her own way should be as happy as anybody on earth. The sense of independence and security is very sweet." –Susan B. Anthony
If anybody sees a little girl running happily around her house, they would simply smile and chuckle to themselves and say, "Such a cheerful little thing. I hope she stays like that." before continuing on their way. If anybody saw a little girl crying/complaining/wailing over what seems like a simple thing to them, they would simple shake their heads, and say, "What a scene. Her parents really ought to teach her some manners." before scoffing and turning away. It wasn't their child; they didn't need to get themselves needlessly involved. Then again, there would be some people who would pity the young child, go up to them, give them a fake yet bright smile, and attempt to make them feel better.
This is an endless cycle; the girl does something good, people praise her. The girl does something bad, people scorn her. If the girl does nothing? Ignore her.
Yet there would always be that one girl who would always be happy, always be cheerful, and always try her hardest.
No matter what, a girl like that will smile to friend and enemy alike, share the pain between friends and family, and offer that helping hand that someone needs.
Yes, it's interesting how there is always that one girl that never gives up.
There was a small green field.
She could feel just a bit peaceful, as she walked amongst the grass. Bare feet seemed to drift lightly over the soil. She stopped for a moment, looking around her before looking up quietly. She could see a flock of birds fly by, their calls echoing in the field. The sun blinded her vision of the blue, blue sky for a moment. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
Yes, it was peaceful.
Peaceful enough to pretend that there was nothing wrong, if only for a moment.
"What a wonderful little paradise I have found." She murmured to herself. The wind blowing by seemed to agree with her.
"But I think . . . that it would be better . . ." She turned to survey the scene behind her. "If everyone else was still here."
Was it just her, or did the sky darken a bit?
Once bright shining rosy eyes—the very same eyes filled with life—looked at the ruins behind her in despair.
Broken houses.
The burnt earth.
The smell of smoke.
The hollow emptiness that reflected back at her.
All of these things were evidence of destruction. Destruction she tried to prevent.
The girl closed her eyes in an attempt to hold back the tears. She took another deep breath. And another. And another.
Why was it, despite, its beautiful scenery, that it seemed like the sun was sneering at her? That the sky was too blue? The grass was too rough against her feet?
That it was too unbearable for her?
She could remember the time where people were here living, and thriving. Children who played and were innocent.
She could see a girl with black hair, eyes the same shade of a rose filled with delight as she ran laughing throughout the town.
She could almost see them again. It was as if they were actually there. If she could just reach out—!
A pale dainty hand reached out into the empty air.
Her hand felt nothing. Her eyes opened.
It was almost peaceful.
The grief that she felt before now came crashing back down her. Her knees buckled, and she collapsed, holding her hand to her mouth, a sick feeling coming to her.
"Where had it all gone wrong?" She whispered. She closed her eyes again, small body shaking.
She could hear light footsteps coming to a stop next to her. The person hesitated before speaking. "You know it wasn't your fault, right?"
She let out a dry laugh. "Right. Of course it wasn't."
But it was.
The other person sighed, and plopped down next to her. "Really—"
"Don't say it." The other person paused, and looked at the girl next to them. Her hand gripped the grass tightly. "Please." The person went quiet.
The silence in the field seemed to drag on.
"We still believe in you," The girl stilled for a moment. "We'll follow you until the end, you know."
Their words almost made her smile. Almost. " . . . Even if I made a big mistake like this?" The girl waved her hand to gesture at the destruction.
"We know that you regret not saving them," The person had a faraway look in their eyes. "And we know that you'll miss them all. That's why we're not afraid to move forward with you, because we know how you feel."
" . . ."
"No matter what happens, we'll stay with you. Every laugh, every tear, every success, every mistake, we'll be there for you."
The girl turned away at the person's words, before noticing something. A small fragile flower, hidden amongst all of the destruction.
The lone survivor.
The girl reached out to the flower, delicately tracing the petals.
" . . . Are you sure about that?"
"Positive. We'll always be with you."
" . . . Thank you."
As the girl whispered that one sentence tears fell down her face, and a glowing stream of white birds flew away.
The sun seemed to stretch its light out lazily among the village, clouds spread over the blue sky here and there. There was this pleasant breeze that passed by a tiny village. Within green lands, stone houses were dotted out, children dozing while the adults went around doing their business quietly.
It was in the stone house farthest from the center of the village, did someone stir.
A beam of sunlight passed through the swishing curtain, to land on a young girl's pale face. The girl groaned a bit, putting her small hand in front of her eyes in a vain attempt to block out the sun's rays. After a moment, the girl sat up from her straw mat. She pushed away the cotton blankets, yawning and trying to blink away any remnants of sleep.
The girl stretched a bit, her arms reaching up towards the ceiling. Unruly black hair stuck out in different directions, and eyes the same shade of a rose opened lazily to do a cursory glance at the room, before looking out the window. The girl's eyes blinked before widening and grinning.
"It's morning!" She quickly stumbled to her feet, doing a strange dance of stumbling over the blankets, and twirling around to avoid crashing into anything. After sprinting to the bathroom and doing a hasty morning routine, she jumped back into her room for a quick change of clothes. She quickly changed into her green robes and pulled on her brown slippers, before dashing out of her room, past the hallway, and into the kitchen.
The smell of food drifted tantalizingly into the air, and the girl couldn't help but grin again as she rushed into the room. "Morning, Auntie!"
A young woman turned around from her place from the stove, green robes swishing with her movement, and she gave the girl a smile. "Good morning, Atsuko-chan. Did you sleep well last night?"
"Mhm!" The girl nodded her head. She kneeled before the small wooden table, sniffing the air. "What's for breakfast today? It smells good."
The woman chuckled, turning back to the food. "Well, earlier I made some porridge. Right now, I'm making us some scallion pancakes, and the tea should almost be done too. How does that sound?"
"Awesome!" Atsuko beamed. "Auntie's food is always the best!"
The woman chuckled again. She picked up the pan she was cooking with and scraped the pancakes onto two porcelain plates. Next, she grabbed a large spoon and scooped up a decent amount of porridge into two empty clay bowls. Finally, she grabbed the whistling tea pot, and poured tea into two chipped tea cups.
"Here you are Atsuko-chan," she smiled. "Go ahead and dig in."
"Yay!" The girl cheered. She clapped her hands together and cried, "Thanks for the food!" before reaching out for her wooden chopsticks, and eating. The woman smiled again, before doing the same.
Atsuko sighed happily, patting her stomach. "I'm . . . so . . . full!"
The woman giggled, and patted Atsuko on the head. "Maybe next time you should eat a little less," she suggested. "We don't want you to get too chubby."
Atsuko puffed her cheeks out. "I won't get fat!" she declared. "I'll work really hard, and then eat just as much!"
The woman stifled her laughter at her sentence and proceeded to pick up the dirty dishes. As she walked over to the washing bin, she looked out of the windows. 'Hm . . .'
The woman's eyes softened and she turned to look at Atsuko. "Ne . . . Atsuko-chan?"
Said girl hummed, rose eyes looking up curiously from where she was cleaning the table.
The woman grinned. "Well . . . we need to get more food before the rest spoils . . . so how about we go to the town market today?"
Atsuko's eyes lit up. "Really?!" At the woman's nod of confirmation, she jumped up and cheered. "Let's go then!"
"Wait just a minute Atsuko. We need to fix up your hair first." The woman chuckled as the girl pouted and unconsciously reached up to fiddle with her hair. She grabbed a small wooden comb and sat behind Atsuko to fix her hair.
"Auntie," The girl whined. "Can we go out already?"
"Hush now," The woman scolded. "I'm almost done. Honestly," she sighed. "You can be very impatient at times Atsuko-chan. You need to look your very best no matter what."
"But why?" Atsuko attempted to turn her head to look at her caretaker, only for her hair to be yanked by the comb, causing her to wince.
"People have eyes Atsuko-chan, and everybody sees different things from them." Atsuko pouted and tilted her head in confusion.
"I don't get it!" The woman chuckled, and slid the comb out of the girl's hair. "You will one day." With a soft smile, she put down the comb.
"There! All done!" The woman turned Atsuko's attention to a small cracked mirror sitting nearby. "What do you think, Atsuko-chan?"
"Wah!" The girl's rosy eyes sparkled when they landed on her reflection. The untamed mane of hair was transformed by the comb; her black bangs hanging over her forehead, and curling around her eyes and face. A small pony tail was tied at the back of her head, with the rest of her hair resting at her shoulders.
"I love it!" Atsuko cheered. "Thanks Auntie!"
The woman smiled. "Anytime Atsuko-chan. Now then," She stood up, grabbing a basket in one arm, and holding out the other in invitation to the young girl. "Why don't we head out now?"
"Wait just a minute!" The girl ran to the back of the house quickly. She halted before a clean altar. In front, there was a picture carefully preserved in a picture frame. Atsuko quickly lit one of the incense sticks, and put it in the jar before her. She clasped her hands in front of her, and closed her eyes in prayer. Around the corner, her aunt watched her quietly.
Atsuko opened her eyes and bowed respectively in front of the altar. She smiled. "I'm going with Auntie to the market today. We'll be back soon!"
Atsuko turned away from the altar to where her aunt was. She grinned, and took her aunt's hand. "Let's go!" Atsuko tugged on her aunt's hand firmly, leading the both of them out of the door of their house.
"The market~!" The girl sang. She was doing a happy little march, singing while swinging the hand holding her aunt's joyfully. "Today~ I will go to the market~ and buy lots of food with Auntie~!"
The woman couldn't help but chuckle at the girl's mood. 'Then again,' she mused to herself. 'She's like this all the time . . .'
The woman looked up to the sun in thought. A breeze rustled her hair and clothes slightly.
Despite the beautiful weather and warmth from the sun, the woman could not help but shiver.
Aaaaaaaaannd that's all folks!
Now before you guys decide to kill me for leaving this short (sorry) chapter at a cliffhanger, let me explain.
Originally, I wanted to have all the things about the main character fitted into this chapter. But when I tried to plan everything else out, it just didn't seem to work. So, I cut it. It is now split into two parts; part one (which was this chapter), and part two (which will be next chapter). Basically, this chapter is just to give you guys some overall background with our main character, and what she's like. Next time, this is where we get a little more description of the town she lives in, as well as a few complications with her peaceful life. That is about as much as I'm going to disclose. I apologize to anybody who was expecting a long chapter and was disappointed.
Anyways, how do you guys like Atsuko? Yes, she's the main character, and I tried really hard shape her personality. Brownie points to anyone who can figure out what her name means! As for her aunt . . . Not telling~!
If there's anything you guys wanna say/suggest, or you have any questions, go ahead and PM me. And of course, reviews are always appreciated.
Thanks for reading!
~kani-leek-lover