A little cream-colored house with red shutters and a red tiled roof sat on a small cliff overlooking a secluded stretch of beach. Numerous red flowers encircled the house and hung from ridges in the cliff. The waves pulled back in low tide as the sun rose, revealing pools of sea water filled with life. They were veritable paradises for children to explore…worlds to laugh and play in...
But there was no laughter or playing today.
No, only bad news…and a far off hope that things would be better.
Portgaz D. Rouge couldn't believe her ten-year-old eyes. Momma, sweet strong Momma, lying in bed, pale, unmoving, barely breathing. Portgaz D. Rouge couldn't believe her ten-year-old ears. That doctor, that blasted doctor, telling her that there was nothing he could do. Telling her, because he wouldn't be in the same room as Haru-aniki. He refused to come at first, that doctor, when she asked for his help with Momma. They all refused to help. They always did. They said Momma deserved what she got, for keepin Haru-aniki when he was born. Rouge always snorted at that. What a load of Sea King droppings. And when that doctor refused to come, after she asked so nicely too, Haru-aniki got upset. So he did what he was planning to do in the first place, before Rouge stopped him. He grabbed that doctor right off his feet and took off runnin home. Haru-aniki told her that would happen, told her they wouldn't help. But why wouldn't they? The villagers always helped her when she was in town…helped her carry stuff, invited her to dinner, and bought her pretty things. So, Rouge thought, why wouldn't they help Momma?
Then she remembered when Momma wouldn't let her go into town alone. She didn't mind cause Haru-aniki made her laugh, but others did. They tried to pull her away, they pulled and she held onto Haru-aniki, but they kept pullin and it hurt, and then Haru-aniki would get angry and things would start shaking. They always had to run away after that cause everyone would stare. And because Haru-aniki didn't wanna tell Momma, they always found stuff in the woods. Rouge didn't wanna tell Momma either cause then Momma might get tired like she did after playin on the beach. So it was their double-twist magic pinky promise not to tell- cause they didn't want Momma to be so tired. Rouge didn't like seein Haru-aniki hurt the animals, so when they went into the woods together, they visited all the berry bushes and climbed trees. Haru-aniki was the one who taught her how. And he taught her how to swim too, just in case he said, but he never said what case so she guessed it didn't really matter.
But none of that mattered cause Momma was still sick and that doctor was still talkin about how nothing would help and that she should leave Momma and "that thing" and live in the village. Now he was pullin her…wait…did he just…wait…LEAVE MOMMA?! And what 'thing' was he talkinabout? Leave Momma?! And what about Haru-aniki?Rouge definitely wasn't movin now and he was still pullin and IT HURT!
"OW! LET GO! IT HURTS!" Rouge screamed. But the doctor wasn't lettin go and kept trying to grab her other arm. So Rouge did what her big brother told her to do. She kicked him…right where Haru-aniki told her to if someone touched her where she didn't want them to. Or at least tried to, it was little too high, so instead Rouge aimed for somewhere that she knew would hurt- cause it always hurt when she hit her bottom leg bone on the table. Annndd…BULLS-EYE! Right in the shin! That sissy doctor yelped- just like the icky boys in town always did when she chased them- let her go and fell on his butt. Rouge took her chance and ran out the door, the doctor scrambling up and swearing as he chased after her.
"Come back Portgaz-chan! You need to come back to the village and live with normal people! Not that thing! Stop Portgaz-chan!" Rouge kept running, getting closer and closer to the trees where she could see her brother coming out. But the doctor was catching up and Rouge was getting tired. Even at only ten years old, Rouge was good at running, but she hadn't eaten or gotten much sleep lately because she was worried about Momma. And so she did the only thing her tired mind could think of…she called for her big brother, her Haru-aniki.
And he came. Like flash of lightning and a clap of thunder, he appeared. With a long serrated knife Rouge had never seen before and burning green eyes only the doctor could see, and he brought with him a presence, one that made you look, one that made you shut up and listen to what he had to say because if you didn't then it was your own hell you threw yourself into.
With Rou-chan behind him and that blasted, biased, cowardly doctor before him; Haru pulled on the pressure inside him. That pressure that was magic, but not really because magic felt light, free, and airy. It was pulsing, flowing, wild like a lion on rampage. And it fit he thought, considering that he was a lion before. Before what? Haru couldn't tell you, but he felt it didn't matter because Rou-chan needed him in the here and now, not some half-remembered dream world. Haru knew why she needed him, he thought those villagers were tryin something. Offering her food and gifts, trying to lure her to stay in the village. After all those failed attempts to take her away as a child, one of them wised up and thought that bribing her would do the trick. Because really, what kid doesn't want nice food and presents? Yes, he knew this would happen. Haru smirked and the doctor blanched in front of him. "He's realized it." Haru thought, watching the doctor start to shake under the increasing pressure, "He knows that Rou-chan won't ever trust them now. Now that they showed what they really think." Haru lessened the pressure so the doctor wouldn't pass out, and looked behind to see Rouge on her back trying to catch her breath from running. He hated that Rou-chan had seen the truth, not because he didn't want her to know, but because she was a sweet soul who thought the best of everyone and he hadn't wanted to ruin that. But now…he had no choice…because no one, no one touches his nakama.
"Nows then, wha's been happnin tha' you need me sissie? I sure 'ope tha' this don' hav nuthin ta do wi' Momma, cause tha' wou'd make me a bit upse' an' we don' want tha' do we Doc?" he glanced back at the doctor, making sure to hold the knife out of Rouge's line of sight. No need to scare her or getttin her askin questions after all. He tugged the pressure away from the doctor, letting him breathe and waited for his answer. Haru had known something was wrong with Momma the first time she needed a blanket on a summer day. And Momma knew he knew, just like she knew there was something big going to happen that involved her children. A person knowing the future was something that set off buzzing in Haru's brain. It was like a word on the tip of his tongue, almost familiar but not quite. Now if the doctor would hurry up and say what was wrong, he could figure out how to help Momma. "Wells Doc? Speck up. We don' hav all da' ya know."
Haru's impatience seemed to give the doctor some of his confidence back; he seemed to think he had some sort of power with his profession. " That woman is dying. She's been dying for years and nothing can change that now. She'll be lucky if she survives a year. The best option is to give her mercy and end it now. I'm sure a thing like you can handle that easily." The doctor said without remorse, throwing the words out like darts. "Now, I'll be taking Portgaz-chan with me back to the village and you will never see her again, because if you ever try to we will call the marines to kill you." He continued, ignoring the wind that had picked as he was talking. He took a step forward, and was blasted back down by the wind. Haru began to walk toward him, eyes burning once more. "W-what are you doing? S-s-stay a-away from m-m-me!"
Rouge grabbed his shoulder and pulled him around into a hug. "Haru-aniki! Stop! Please!" And he stopped. "It's okay, Aniki. I'm not gonna go anywhere. And no one's gonna take me away! I promise!" Haru moved to return the hug and was careful to keep the knife's edge facing away. He held her tight and wished they never had to let go. After a few minutes, the doctor frightened and forgotten behind them, they pulled apart.
"Rou-chan, I vis'tid the berry bush and found som fruit whiles you were wi' Momma. Whys don' ya tak 'em 'ome whiles I finish talkkin ta tha' goo' doc eh? Nuthin'll happin. Just talkin, I swears." Rouge looked at him and he smiled back at her. She nodded, grabbed the basket, and skirted around the doctor back to their house. Haru watched her, then turned to the doctor. "Nows then, I thinks I been patient 'nough fo' a goo' long while. Whats be this 'bout me being a 'thing' and an 'outcast' tha' I been hearin 'bout fo' years?" The doctor clenched his jaws and looked away. "Nows don' be like tha'. I just wants to know. It won' 'urt." Silence. "Oh wells then, 'ope my 'and don' slip when I 'uggle my 'ife then." The doctor looked up alarmed. "Oh wells. Oopsie…" Haru tossed it up casually and caught the blade. Finally, the doctor began to talk.
"There's a prophesy, passed down in the families of the original Baterillains. An old myth that everyone had almost forgotten. Until you three appeared."
'The creator of Red Springs shall bring forth two beings of opposites:
one of light and beauty, the other of darkness and death.
Mars shall follow in their footsteps and Fate shall bow to their whims.
Time shall tremble in their presence and destruction is their herald.
The creature of death knows power unattainable and the creature of beauty knows love unending.
The darkness shall overwhelm the light and bring death to the beauty;
Light shall save and Darkness shall destroy.'
"Do you see you disgusting thing? You are going to kill us all! And Portgaz-chan will be first. It's only a matter of time befor-errk!" The doctor choked, most likely due to Haru's hand clutching his shirt. Haru stared at him for a few seconds and took a deep breath.
"Tha only reason I'm not gonna 'urt ya now is cause I tol sissie alls I was gonna do was talk. Ya got tha' Doc?"Haru hissed out, making the doctor flinch in his grip. He nodded. "Goo'. Nows I can' hav ya tellin peoples 'bout Momma now or 'bout me an Rou-chan…" The doctor began to panic, hoping that the thing didn't mean what he thought it did. "So, yer gonna be my new tes' 'ubject fo' somthin I think I remember. Let's 'ope it works yea?" The last thing the doctor heard before he woke up in his bed with a nasty hangover was a word of what seemed to be complete gibberish.
"Obliviate."