Chapter Three

"You are not going to die on my watch". I yelled. "I will not allow it." My lungs struggled to breath. My yelling and trying to keep my sobs in didn't help it.

My mum looked at me calmly. She was sitting on a chair. An air of stillness and quiet surrounded her. I was frustrated by her. How dare she look at me like nothing is wrong? I began to feel like a kid who was going to throw tantrum.

Maya looked at her son. His face had tears rolling down his eyes. His checks has gone pink due to shortness of breath. She locked her eyes with him. Determination and defiance stared back. "He really went after his father." she thought fondly. She already knew she was going to die. She looked at her son's young face and smaller stature. "He is too young for this." An uncomfortable feeling was bubbling from her throat. She steeled her heart.

"Doctor Riku could you give us a moment?" The demand was heeded by the doctor as he walked away from the room.

Both mother and son stared at each other. After some seconds, Maya sighed.

"Buggy I thought I told you to stay at the waiting room".

"Cut down the crap, mother." I said. "We are leaving this island this instant."

"Buggy didn't you heard the doctor? There's no cure." Maya stated.

"Bullshit! He is an unfitting doctor. I am sure there are better doctors than him." I tried to make her understand.

"So what if we tried to find a better doctor? It's going to take years and I only have nine months." Maya said in an uncaring manner.

Buggy clenched his fists in anger. "So what? We will find him eventually and let him –"

"Buggy!" he flinched at the tone of his mother. "I didn't raise you as a selfish child. You heard the doctor. I don't want to lose those months in false hope and die in vain. Wake up! This is reality." Maya glared at him stoically.

The Truth crashed down his illusion. He broke down. His shoulder shaked uncontrollably. He wept furiously. He can't save his most beloved person. A familiar warmth enclosed him in her arms. He grabbed his mom and cried at her shoulder.

"I can't lose you too mom. Please don't go." He pleaded.

Maya lets out a tear and whispered "I'm here. Don't worry. I'm here."

He collapsed on his mom and closed his eyes trying to evade his worst nightmare.

After Some Time

I glared at this stubborn and careless woman. My mom looked at me and grinned. I sighed. After that drama, my mom apologized the doctor and paid some berries for the door. I saw him let out a breath when we left. We really caused a commotion in that building. I walked with her side to side towards a motel. She paid for a room and we dropped our belongings in our room.

"Well I'm off to find a job." She turned towards me.

"Are you sure?" I asked worriedly. I didn't want her condition to worsen even more.

"Don't treat me differently because of some illness." She nagged me. "Besides I'm mom. Made Of Money. Get it? Get it?" she wiggled her eyebrows.

I looked at her. Sometimes I wonder who was the mother, her or me.

"Just be careful. Promise me that."

"Mah sure." She waved me off.

I turned my back and started to explore the village. I noticed the village was slowly getting crowded. Some shops opened. Everyone was nice to him. Oji-san probably told them about us. I wasn't paying attention when I smacked right into someone and fell down.

"Hey! Brat look where you going. Huh you got some weird nose." He got near my face.

He was in his late twenties. He had pointed eyebrows, dark round eyes and a stubble on his chin. He was wearing a light beige shirt with a green apron over it. A pink rope was tied around his head. The insult was acknowledged. I opened my mouth to retort.

"Oh my. Are you okay?" a young woman worriedly asked him. I looked at her. She had a round face with brown eyes and short brown curly hair. She wore a dark colored vest over a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up. She picked me up and pated the dirt off of me. "Gyoru what did you do to him?" she scolded him.

"Me? I didn't do nothing. This red nosed brat smacked right into me" He defended himself.

"Is he telling the truth boy?" she asked.

Payback time. "No Miss. He pushed me and started to insult my nose." I even put my innocent face.

The woman slapped him on the head. The man, Gyoru glared at me.

"I'm sorry about my husband. Nowadays he is cranky because our business isn't going well. By the way, what's your name son?"

I noticed their fish store and replied "I'm sorry for the rude introduction. My name is Buggy and I traveled here with my mum, Maya. Nice to meet you." Now to finish a grand introduction, I bowed my head in respect.

"What a nice little boy!" She glopped me. "Look what cute nose you have! I want a son like him." I flustered and blushed. This was not the reaction I expected.

"Yeah, Yeah. Let him go before he suffocates." Her husband grumbled.

"Oh my! Sorry." She lets go of me. "I am Chiken and this is my husband Gyoru. And we are the owner of UO. We collect fish and sell it to the village."

These people seem nice.

"Madam, its fine. As I said I'm new here. I am good at fishing maybe I could help around." I proposed. They both showed surprise at my idea. Gyoru opened his mouth to say.

"Okay. We will start from tomorrow morning at five o'clock. The pays is 50 berries." Gyoru glared at his wife but she gave him a pointed look.

"Fine but I'm not happy about it."

"Thank you so much. I will not disappoint you." I bowed again and took off towards a bar.

"Seriously? Him? What's so special about him?" Gyoru asked his wife.

"I don't know but he seems a nice boy." She replied. "Now get back to work." Gyoru sighed.

I walked away from the fish store. I stood in front of a bar. It had huge board with bold written letters 'PARTYSBAR'. I walked in. I looked around to see bunch of people sitting at the tables. The friendly atmosphere indicated that most of them are the villagers. A blur of green slammed into me. I fell down again. Ugh what is wrong with me and slamming into someone?

"Ouch! That hurt." A girl around four or five rubbed her head. She had a yellow bandana covering her forehead, brown eyes and dark green hair. She was wearing an orange dress with pink strips.

"Oi! Watch it, you brat!" I yelled at her.

A tick appeared. "Me! You should watch where you are going! Red nose." She yelled back.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I should act like a mature person. I opened my eyes to see the girls making a face at me. My eyebrow twitched.

"Okay! That's it, Brat! I'm going to kill you!" I jumped towards her. She pulled her fists for protection.

Someone pulled us from the back of our shirt. We both turned to see.

"MUM!" "MISS MAYA!"

"Hey Kids!" she smiled at us.

"Mum, what are you doing here? And how do you know that brat?" I asked. The kid pulled her tongue towards me. I rolled my eyes. Real mature, kid.

"Makino meet my son, Buggy. Buggy meet the daughter of my boss, Makino."

"What! This rude boy is your son?" "What! You have to work with this brat?" we asked together and glared at each other.

"Wow guys! You both sound like soul mates." Maya teased them.

They both gagged. "Who would date this hag?" "Who would date this red nose?"

"Stop it." "Stop it."

"Okay! This proves it." Maya laughed with mirth. We both blushed.

"Mom. Stop it" I whined.

"Only when you both introduced yourself properly." Maya grinned cheekily.

Earlier This Morning

Makino was working with her mother when the Mayor decided to visited them. Makino chirpily wished him good morning. He patted her head.

"Where's your mum? Makino."

"Good morning Mayor. Anything interesting happened today?" Makiko asked him.

He nodded his head in greeting. "Yeah, I meet some visitors. A mother and her brat. Nice people but armed."

"A brat?!"Makino asked in anticipation.

"Yeah. A boy around twelve or so. Why are you excited?" the Mayor questioned.

"Mayor, there isn't much children around here. Maybe you can play with him?" Makiko smiled at her only child.

"Yeah. I am sure we'll have lots of fun around." She grinned.

After a while, Makiko was serving drinks when a woman entered the bar. She was wearing black pants and white shirt and a coat over it. A knife hostler was wrapped around her leg and the other on was hidden in her coat. Her warm brown shone with good will and mirth. Her blue hair flowed down to her arms. She approached her.

"Hello Beautiful!" Makiko blushed and spluttered.

"I'm just messing with you." The woman laughed. "My names Maya. I am new here."

"Nice to meet you, Maya. I am Makiko, the owner of this bar. And the kid is my daughter, Makino." She points at her kid.

Maya looked over to see a green haired girl. "Cute kid. Better get ready to fight off suitors. If you know what I mean." She winked at Makiko. "Anyways I want know if you need hand around here?"

"Wellll" She looked over to see her daughter struggling between holding all the bottles in little arms and walking to the kitchen. There were too many tables to serve and clean. She turned towards Maya with a glint in her eyes. "You are hired!"

"Really? But I haven't even- "Maya blinked her eyes.

"Chop! Chop! There's no time to waste. Now wear this apron and tie your hair. Your job starts now." Maya was pushed towards the tables with a headband, green apron and cleaning cloth in her hand.

"I knew I had a good feeling about this island" She grinned. She wore the headband and tied the apron around her waist. She began to clean the table and whistle to a tune. A crash diverted her eyes to see Makino had stumbled over her feet and bottles lay around her. Maya approached her.

"Hey, are you okay?" She picked her and slowly gathered the bottles.

"Yeah. I am fin- Woah you are so pretty." Makino said with stars in her eyes. This lady is soo pretty and kind. I wanna be like her she decided.

Maya laughed merrily. "Really? I was thinking you're prettier than this old woman." Makino flushed bright red. Maya squealed and glopped her. "You're so cute. Wish I had daughter."

"Are you Miss Maya?!" Makino quizzed. "I heard you have a son. Can I meet him? Can you tell me his favorite things? I want to make him my friend. Uh wait what if he doesn't like me? What if I fail the friendship test? What if I'm the worst fri- "

"Woah kid slow down." She poked her forehead. "You're going way too fast."

"I'm sorry. I don't have lots of friends here. Maybe I can become your sons bestest friend?" Hope shone in her eyes.

"This kid is way too much energetic." Maya thought with wide eyes. "Buggy will love her" she smirked evilly.

"M-miss Maya. I don't think I like your scary face." Makino shivered frightfully.

"Don't worry one bit, Makino. My son will love you." Plans started to form in her mind.

"With that face, I should be worried." Makino dreaded.

Present

"I am sorry I called you red-nose. Oni-san."

I stared at the brat. She was bowing her head with her hands clenched at her sides. She raised her head. I saw determination in her eyes.

"My names Makino. Let's be friends." She stated. She put her hand forward. A blush of embarrassment dusted on her cheek.

I felt a bubbly feeling. God dammit. This is not happening. She was looking at me with so much hope. The look was so tiny and precious. It felt like the world was going to be cruel to her. No no nope. I don't care I seriousl-

"I'm Buggy. And sure why not? Omoto-chan." And shook her hand.

She cheered.

God Dammit.