It was an island paradise—long sandy beaches, cloudless blue sky and crystal clear waves. A small town nestled safely in a harbor. The market bustling, the houses cool, work progressing right on track. All was quiet…except for one stretch of beach that was filled with the sweet chimes of laughter.
"Momma, Momma! Look! Look Momma! It tickles!" Five year old Portgaz D. Rouge squealed, wiggling her toes in the tide pool. She looked back and grinned, her blonde hair swaying in the wind, "The fishies are eatin' my toesies!" And indeed they were, those tiny silver things that darted around the rocks.
"Rouge-chan, is your brother over there with you? I can't find him. Are you hiding from your momma, Haru-chan? Come out, come out, where ever you are!" As always, her son Haru seemed to disappear the second he was able to get away. "Rouge-chan, you stay right there. Momma's gonna go find that wayward twin of yours. And be careful on those rocks, we don't want to slip and fall do we?" With that last admonishment, Portgaz D. Wattan walked back to the small seashore cottage she shared with her two children, smiling at her daughter's amusement.
"Hee hee! Haru's gonna get it! Hee!" Rouge giggled, not the least bit worried about her brother. After all, Haru was the big boy, the one who kept her from getting hurt. He always helped her sneak cookies out of the kitchen too, even if he always got caught. That didn't matter though, 'cause they shared everything anyway. Momma was going the wrong way anyway so it didn't matter. Haru never left her alone and she could always tell where he was. It was her "Twin Sense" as she called it; Haru called it magic, which sounded pretty cool too, but not as cool as "Twin Sense." "Oooo… it's a star! A star on a rock! " A bright orange star on a rock actually, but who cared! It was pretty! But it was sooo far away! All the way on the other side and she couldn't reach it! No fair! But that wasn't gonna stop Portgaz D. Rouge, oh no it wasn't! She stretched her arm and got onto the very edge of the rock. "Ugh…ugh…almost… got it..." Her fingertips brushed the star and she tilted forward—just a bit too far. "EEEEEKKK!" She was falling, and while it wasn't very far, she could see some rocks at the bottom. She closed her eyes, waiting to hit the water…and felt a warm arm wrap around her waist. Her eyes popped open. Big brother! It was big brother! He pulled her to sit next to him and tussled her hair.
"What were ya doing? Ya know not ta do tha' sissie." He twanged out, watching her with jeweled eyes. That was her favorite thing about her twin, he had the coolest way of saying stuff! Rouge wished she could talk like that, but everytime she tried it came out weird. Her big brother was so cool! He had really dark hair and big green eyes that reminded her of the woods. Nobody else looked like he did anywhere else on Baterilla! And Momma said he didn't look like Da either, back when he was home. But he's her big twin and she knows it cause Momma showed them the baby pictures! "Wells, sissie? Why was ya doing leanin over like tha'? Ya could'a been 'urt." He asked, checking her hands and feet for scrapes.
"I was getting the star on the rock! That big orange one." She pointed to it. "It's really pretty! And I was gonna surprise Momma with it!" She beamed, proud of her plan. Besides, if it was for Momma, she wouldn't get into trouble for almost fallin in the water!
"Really now?" She nodded hard, insistent that it was her plan all along. "Wells, tha'd be a mighty fine thing, if it were true tha' is. Ya sure thos' Wrackspurts arn't buzzin round in ya brain?" That was another thing she loved about her brother, he knew stuff nobody else did! Nargles, Phoenixes, and even giant snakes called basilisks. "Wells, sissie? Was tha' what ya was wantin it fo'?" She nodded hard again, even more sure now. "All righ' then. I'll git it. Go git tha' bucket over there, an' fill her up with water. I got a feelin tha' not just a star." Quickly she grabbed the bucket and scooped up some water. By the time she turned around, Haru had the star in his hand! But it looked pink, not orange! Haru cleared his throat and she offered the bucket. He dropped the star in and it flipped! Yay! It was orange again! "Now then, we's better git this up ta Momma, hmm? Sun's startin ta set." Rouge turned around to see streams of sunlight reaching through the darkening sky. "Good ta hav somethin constant in this crazy worl' yea?""Big brother…?" Rouge whispered, her eyes wide, watching the sun sink beneath the waves.
"Hmmm? What's up , sissie?"
"I like havin constant stuff. Like you and Momma and the sunset. I don't want nothing to change cause it's perfect right now. I don't want nothing to change!" Rouge leaned into him, and he wrapped an arm around her.
"Now don't be like tha' sissie. Change is a goo' thing. Giv's us stuff ta look for tamarrow. Ya just got ta go with it. An' if ya find somethin goo', don't let nobody take it away. Not thos' Nobles or tha Marines or me or Momma. Ya gotta hold on ta what ya love an' don't let nobody tell ya any diff'rent." He squeezed her tight, then let go to grab the bucket. "Com' on sissie. I smell Momma cookin'!"
Rouge stared at the now purple sky and made a promise deep within her little five-year-old heart as she followed. That promise would shape her life until its end. "Don't worry big brother," she whispered, "I won't let nobody take what I love…not nobody."