Stardust

Chapter 2

Questions Raised

Cerise's thoughts whirled moving at high speed before his mind went blank. He stared at the weapon that was so close to his face. Cerise's hand grew lax, the pink light that made up his sword shattered into sparkles as the energy faded. His fan fell from slack fingers.

The voice from before laughed as the weapon drew back from Cerise's face. He could see that the wielder and speaker were one in the same.

It was a man dressed in black from head to toe. He had short black shaggy hair, caramel skin, and midnight blue eyes. On his left and right cheeks were tattoos in the form of a green diamond. The bladed object turned out to be a bladed chakram. The man smiled, "Don't worry kid. I'm not gonna hurt ya. Name's Ao, and you are?"

Cerise found alertness kind of coming back to him, but weakness too. The aura he'd used coupled with the surprise had weakened him, making his legs shake. He nearly buckled. If Ao hadn't caught him with both hands he would have hit the floor. It was lucky Ao's weapon was already put away.

"You okay, kid?" Ao asked in concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Cerise nodded as he answered. He was looking at the ground, still a bit shaky but better than he'd been seconds ago. He reached down to grab Open Star and stopped seeing a glint of metal in the sand. Picking up his weapon and the glinting object, Cerise scowled at what it was. It was a pin; roughly diamond in shape, the upper left side showing protrusions and lines that resembled cracks. It was odd how it ran all over the pin.

Ao, looking at the object raised an eyebrow, "What's that?"

Cerise sighed shaking his head dismissively, "Just a Shard pin."

Ao frowned at the term not recognizing it, but putting that aside he asked, "So, Kid, what's your name? I kinda didn't get it."

Cerise blinked slightly taken aback. He rubbed his head sheepishly, "Sorry. My name's Cerise, Cerise Nebula."

Ao's eyes widened. He said thoughtfully, "Huh."

Cerise looked towards camp and slowly wondered. It was something short of a miracle that no one on watch had come investigating. The boy shook his head, they're probably getting ready for the nightly prayers.

He had been distracted from his musings by Ao placing a hand on his shoulder, "Who are your parents, Cerise?"

Cerise looked at Ao curiously before mentally shrugging. "Don't know my dad's name, but my mom's name was Clare."

Suddenly the hand on his shoulder tightened Cerise grimaced in discomfort. Ao said in a stern tone, "That ain't funny, Kid. I knew Clare and she didn't have a son."

In the back of his mind Cerise was at a loss over how this stranger could know his mom. At the same time, he was annoyed over having been called a liar. Cerise wrenched his shoulder away and rose his voice, "I'm not lying. That was my mom's name!"

Clearly the threat Ao had once posed still existed and it wasn't an issue to return to that state. Ao was doubtful, but willing to hear Cerise out and asked, "Then do you have any proof?"

Cerise hesitated for a moment before reaching into his jean pocket. The object in question was an old worn photograph currently folded up. Cerise gingerly unfolded it as Ao looked over intently. "This is..." he paused for a moment, "all I have left of her."

Looking at the photo, Ao's eyes widened. Though only a few would know it, the expression on his face was one of shock. In the photo were two people. One appeared to be a younger version of Cerise and the other one of a woman holding him in her arms. She was tall with long pale hair and skin, her eyes white as well. If it weren't for the outline of the irises one wouldn't even know they were there at all.

Ao's eyes hardened gazing at the image. Pulling out his scroll making Cerise tense up, Ao got a clear image of the picture storing it on the thing. As Ao put the scroll away, he looked back up at Cerise. "Sorry about that." Turning cautiously to the camp nearby, Ao asked, "Is Clare here at camp?"

Cerise put the picture away, "No."

Ao looked at him, "Has she passed on?"

Cerise offered an even simpler reply. "She's just gone." Pulling out his mirror, Cerise signaled the camp it letting them know it was him who was entering camp. Though it took a few moments, he got the reply.

"Mind if I walk with ya, Kid?"

Cerise looked at the man considering him for a moment, "I guess not." The teenager was a bit wary with the anger gone.

As the two walked, although Cerise didn't know the way, Ao's aura flashed for a second. Ao had triggered his semblance and abruptly Cerise's nostrils flared. Finding himself now relaxed, Cerise asked, "So you knew my mom then?"

Ao nodded, "Sure did, Kid. I'm a Huntsman and she and I worked together."

Admiration filled Cerise's face at this new information. He stared at Ao before doubt filled his mind and face then. "But mom said she only did some jobs here and there?"

To this Ao thought, wow. Way to keep things under wraps, Clare. Ao looked at Cerise saying, "well clearly she had her secrets."

Cerise met Ao's eyes, unnerved by what he saw in them. He walked on, Ao following a step behind him. Letting a wisp of his aura off his hand, Cerise's nostrils flared again. Ao inwardly smirked.

"So you look troubled Kid. Mind me asking why?"

Cerise looked over his shoulder at the Huntsman opening his mouth to decline answering. Instead he found his thoughts, concerns, and worries spilling out. "Things haven't been good with the group lately," Cerise said surprising himself. "There are more Shards than before and they're getting quite determined in what they want and do."

Ao frowned, "Shards?"

Cerise tossed a skeptical look at Ao. "It's what you call a member of the Crushed."

Ao blinked at this, "You mean those nut jobs preaching about that 'Absence'? And how the Anim are out to punish us all?"

"That's them?" His voice had a questioning tone by the way Ao was sounding and talking about them.

Ao frowned. Though he almost didn't want to know he found himself asking, "There are a lot of them?"

Cerise gave a humorless laugh, "Almost all my group are members and most other groups out here have at some."

Ao frowned, both at the number of people associated and the term "Shard" itself. We didn't even know the term existed, Ao thought darkly. Looking at Cerise, Ao thought something else was bothering him, "Anything else?"

Cerise looked over his shoulder and seeing the camp a bit away. "It's the kids in my group or most of them. Anyone fourteen and younger has vanished and their families don't even care."

Ao frown became a thin line. Outside the kingdoms such a thing was not uncommon, but like this... "No one will help?" Ao asked.

Cerise shook his head. "I tried to convince Uncle." At Ao's questioning look Cerise elaborated, "He showed up out of the blue one day. Mom said that he was family and he stayed with us since then. Anyways, he refuses to do anything and forbade me from doing so either."

Ao could see the misery in Cerise's face as he said, "There's nothing you can do? No place that you can go?"

Cerise gave that awful laugh again, "Well, what else is there for me? Go to the kingdoms? Then what? I have nothing." He looked towards camp carefully.

Ao smiled, "Well that may have been true a minute ago, but now it's not."

Cerise turned to Ao, giving him his full attention. Ao explained, "Your mom and I trained at a place called Lighthouse Academy. It's a school dedicated to training Huntsman and Huntresses. I have connections and can probably get you in."

Cerise smiled sadly, "As if I have the skill to get into a place like that."

"Maybe. Maybe not. But you have potential and I'm pretty sure my aid can get you in. The school could easily polish your skills. That's what they're for after all."

Cerise just stared at Ao before looking back at camp with uncertainty.

"Alright, Kid. Later tonight I'm leaving this wasteland for Lighthouse Academy. You can hitch a ride with me if you want; even if you don't head for a kingdom at least. From the sound of things, life there has got to be better than life here at this point. That's for sure!"And just like that Ao was gone.

Cerise turned, heading into camp. He hadn't passed more than a few tents when a figure stepped into view. Cerise looked down and quietly said, "Uncle."

The man in question was wearing a black robe with white trim and was bald, had tanned skin, and gray eyes. "Welcome back, boy. Did you get what I asked for?"

Cerise nodded, taking out the soft orange blanket. His Uncle took it examining it before nodding and turning away. "Excellent! This will make a fine lining for our altar."

Cerise slumped, of course it's for that.

Cerise's Uncle looked at him, "Something the matter, boy?"

Cerise tried his best to hide what he was thinking shaking his head. His poker face started to break when his Uncle said, "By the way boy, there was a heretic at the gathering spot today. Some of our followers and Shards from other groups tried to deal with him, but something stopped them... Any idea what it was?"

Cerise felt his mask beginning to slip. Desperate to change the subject, he pulled out the pin he had found earlier and held it out to his Uncle. "Here Uncle; a pin I found today. I figured you'd know what to do with it."

The man reached out taking it and examining it. He nodded once more. "Good." He turned the pin over in his fingers, "To think you'll wear one of these when you're inducted at the upcoming meeting."

Alarms rang in his head as Cerise asked, "Meeting?"

The man nodded, "Yes. In eight months time the Crushed will be gathering and I will have you join the Crushed there."

Cerise cried out his mask finally shattering, "But Uncle Silver I don't want- Ulgh!" Cerise's Uncle Silver grabbed his sweater by the neck hauling him up with one hand to dangle.

Silver growled, "As if I care what you want boy. Those skills your mother honed in you makes you perfect for our cause. You're joining us soon whether you like it or not!" Silver dropped Cerise on the ground and strode off to call the people to gather.

Cerise focused on breathing and calming down. When he did, he bit his lip bringing tears to his eyes. Wiping them away, Cerise got up proceeding to wander through camp. He ignored the people dressed in black or gray tunics and leggings, silver pins glinting on their torsos. He called out, "Alice! Alice, where are you?"

Alice was the name of a little girl in Cerise's group. She hadn't wanted Cerise to leave this morning scared by the recent disappearances, but Cerise had still left. Turning and spotting Alice's parents, he dashed towards them calling, "Mr. Edward! Mrs. Serenity! I can't find Alice anywhere. Do you know where..." Getting closer, Cerise saw that they were dressed like the rest of the camp. Pins included. He felt an abyss open up in his stomach.

As the two of them passed by, Cerise hear them mutter about the nightly prayers getting ready to start. He somehow knew without a doubt that Alice was now gone. He swallowed trying to suppress the bile beginning to rise in his throat. While the two had attended a meeting or two, they weren't members yet, but it appeared that something had changed.

Cerise felt horror flood him. Earlier, Cerise had said nearly everyone in his group was a Shard. Now it was just him. He had said almost everyone age fourteen and under was gone... Now they all were.

He numbly made his way back to his tent stopping and seeing the campfire in the center and the people gathered there. The iron stand that had once been their altar was now covered by the blanket. Piled into the bowl like shape was Dust. Some of it had been found in the wild, but most of it came from the group as a whole. Specifically him and his mother.

His mind was racing, his emotions changing erratically. Cerise reached a Zen like state as words rushed through his mind.

"We have to do something!"

"I forbid it boy!"

"You're my shooting star, Cerise..."

"Huntsmen and Huntress protect the people."

"It's you I have to thank for the rescue, isn't it?"

" Even if you don't head for a kingdom, at least. From the sound of things, life there has got to be better than life here. That's for sure!"

The Zen like tranquility gave way to a passion and that passion showed like fire in Cerise's translucent orange eyes. He ducked into his tent gathering his belongings as quick as possible dumping them into a rucksack. He didn't close it, however.

Going to a certain spot in the tent he pulled out a box that he had kept hidden from his Uncle. It was something from his mother and only she and he had known how to open it. Stuffing it in the rucksack, Cerise grabbed it while the sack was still open. He reached for the tent flap pulling out Open Star with his other hand and he ducked outside.

Knowing that he had a limited amount of time to leave because his Uncle had some talents of his own, he summoned his glyph. Cerise let it whoosh seeing a huge explosion of dirt into the air. In ten seconds flat anarchy reigned. Cerise called his glyph under him and used it to dash right for the alter. Cerise smirked as he heard his Uncle's cries for order.

Cerise grabbed the end of the blanket and wrapped it from the bottom. He turned it into a makeshift bag shoving it into his rucksack, then tying it closed. Kicking the altar over, Cerise called his glyph under him once more jumping high over the camp landing on the outskirts. He braced himself as he hit the dirt. Then he heard a roar "BOOOOYYYYY!"

Without a second thought, Cerise bolted. Using both his aura and his glyphs to propel him along, Cerise thought, I just pissed off my whole group. Heinous Uncle included. I committed some form of theft, and all to go forward to an uncertain future with a man I barely know...

Cerise grinned deviously as a warmth spread through him born of a somewhat grim satisfaction. I haven't felt so right with myself in a long time, Cerise's grin went wide as he looked back at camp seeing a search party out. He dashed forward once more stumbling and falling off a sand dune. It would have been a nasty tumble if arms hadn't reached out and caught him. Cerise looked up into Ao's smiling face.

"Ready to go, Cerise?" He asked with a laugh. Ao picked Cerise up bridal style, bag and all. As Cerise started to sputter, Ao said, "Sorry Kid, but I can't waste time."

With that the two were off.

About an hour later, the two had finally ditched Cerise's pursuers. Since they had time they stopped at a clearing. Then a rumbling filled the sky as a light shone. And then Cerise saw it; a metal vehicle moving that was moving through the air. As Ao set Cerise down he laughed at his expression. "That's a Bullhead, Kid. Its our ride out of here."

After Ao had walked toward the vehicle he slid a door open gesturing for Cerise to get in. He got inside Ao following in sliding the door shut. The two relaxed as Cerise reached into his rucksack for the makeshift bag. He undid it, sorting out the dust and making sure the blanket had none on it. Once that was done, he put the dust away and folded the blanket too.

He looked at Ao who was typing away on his scroll. Cerise found his eyes closing, the exhaustion from escape overtaking him. He passed out welcoming the darkness.

He came to a start suddenly and looked around finding himself exactly where he'd left himself. He was still looking at Ao seeing a look on his face as he started out an opening. Ao was that he was up, "Glad to see that you're awake, Cerise. Come on and take a look this. We're here."

Getting up on jelly legs, Cerise went to the window and gasped. He could see a city by the water and what looked like a castle with a shining spinning light on the edge of the city. "That is the city of Harbor and the lit up building at its edge is its jewel; Lighthouse Academy. Welcome to your new home in the kingdom of Stronghold, Kid."

"Home..."Cerise whispered to himself still entranced.

A couple days after landing at Lighthouse Academy, Cerise was tested and evaluated. Staff personnel had taken his bag off him and Cerise was given instructions to head to a building for the Welcoming Ceremony. Left with that to wander Cerise thought, I guess I'm in.

Ao had left him a while back with a short, "Break a leg!"

Seeing other people his age, Cerise followed them seeing more and more kids his age or younger arrive. He walked through a courtyard taking everything in. He stopped short catching sight of something and a particular image caught his eye. Mesmerized, he moved towards it. As he got close he whispered astonished, "Mom?!"