Helping hand
Fae, Morgan.
And her best friend, Vv.
One was playful and carefree, while the other stayed professional… for the most part.
Vv was gone.
Nothing could change that.
She was one of a kind.
Fae split herself over and over again in secret, hoping to bring Vv back.
But none of the other Fae's were her. Vv was unique. Vv was special.
"What am I doing? Why am I trying to make a copy of her? Of me?"
Fae finally accepted the fact that Vv was gone. It was wrong of her to try to recreate someone who wasn't just a part of her but a person of her own.
"If I can't bring her back, why don't I just fulfill some of her dreams?"
Fae, having regained Vv's memories when they merged back together, wanted to do things for Vv.
Fae's desire to take care of children was her own, but her wish to help Lex out was Vv's.
After all, it was Vv who had created that group.
Mister Muscles.
Jake.
Lez.
She had taken care of them, saved them.
Entertainment was the game, yet her love was genuine. She had loved them before Fae.
Fae only stepped in when needed. She turned Mister Muscles into a homunculus when he died. She tampered with their minds when necessary.
Under Vv's command, they caused trouble in the magical world.
Yet they remained a non-threat—equivalent to common robbers in the world of magic.
Stealing.
Mugging.
Ransom.
It was all in good fun.
Vv cared, but she still let Fae do her thing.
Now, in the present day, Fae sought to find the person most precious to Vv.
Lez.
A girl Vv had saved from certain doom.
A poor young girl.
Lez hadn't realized she had become like a daughter to Vv.
Now, she had no one. No one to talk to.
She wandered around Japan after leaving Academy City. As for Jake, she knew nothing of his situation.
She kept wandering, doing what made her happy.
"AAAAAAAAAAA! GET THIS MOUSE OFF ME, YOU BIRD!" Lez screamed at Falcon, who had caused the scene.
He had dropped a mouse on Lez, intending to share a meal, as she often did.
The mouse scurried all over Lez's body, dodging her attempts to swat it. It climbed all the way to the top of her head.
"BIRD!"
Falcon was disappointed with Lez's inability to catch the mouse.
He swooped in, talons out, and grabbed the mouse—along with a few strands of Lez's hair.
She screamed again, this time in pain.
Luckily, it wasn't a clump of hair, just a few strands.
"Now I've got a bald spot on my head somewhere!" she said in frustration.
Falcon landed next to Lez, the mouse in his talons, and began to pick it apart.
Lez watched the bird devouring the poor mouse. The sight wasn't for the faint of heart. She looked away, covering her mouth.
She flopped.
She fainted at the sight. So much for being a magician.
When she awoke, hours had passed.
Opening her eyes took some time; she had been in a deep sleep. When she finally did, she saw a mouse's head right in front of her. Falcon stood behind it, looking at her as if to say, "Come on, eat."
The night sky disappeared as Lez fainted again.
The stars shone brightly, the moon even brighter.
Its light spilled over Lez's "sleeping" body.
Her body twitched as the cold wind blew.
She would claim she had gotten used to the cold,
but her body told the truth: she hadn't. She hadn't gotten used to wandering alone.
No home.
No family.
No friends.
The cold grew sharper.
Falcon moved closer to her, nestling partly under her arm.
Her body held him close.
The wind stopped blowing,
but the cold remained.
Falcon closed his eyes, comforted by Lez's arms.
"Aren't ya a perv~?"
He opened his eyes to see Fae looking down at them. She held a blanket in her hands.
Falcon watched as she walked closer and knelt beside Lez's head.
She lifted Lez's head and rested it on her thighs.
Then, she draped the blanket over Lez's body, covering Falcon as well.
"Took me some time to find ya~" Fae said, patting Lez's head.
A smile formed on her face.
"Ya're a cutie, girl. Ya should be at home with me~"
Dreams are wonderful.
Dreams are scary.
Dreams are sad.
Lez watched her mother die, by the deeds of magicians.
Fire.
Fire surrounded a lake. In the middle was a woman holding onto something. Despite being in a lake, the heat of the fire was too intense.
The woman coughed, smoke curling over the water, making its way to her.
"Lez… Lez," she whispered into her arms, where she held a little girl.
Laughter erupted from the other side of the fire—a group of men.
The woman clutched the little girl, her precious daughter.
She coughed. "Don't worry, Lez," she said, trying to comfort her.
"Ma… *cough*"
"Don't talk, Lez. Breathe through my wet clothes."
The laughter never stopped, sounding almost like hyenas.
Death.
Death was close.
The woman, known as Mama, closed her eyes, preparing for what was to come.
She thought herself a failure.
Failing to protect herself and her daughter from the men.
Failing to give her a better life.
Failing…
Tears fell from her eyes, droplets landing on Lez's head.
"Lez, look at me."
Lez could barely move, but she wanted to see her mother's face.
"I'm sorry, Lez."
She apologized.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
Tears streamed down her face.
Lez looked at her mother, tears in her own eyes. Yet her mother's warmth soothed her.
The smoke soon enveloped them, making it harder to breathe.
Mama waited for death to come. The crackling of the fire filled the silence.
Silence.
There was no laughter.
Maybe it was the lack of oxygen, the ringing in her ears, or the faint hope she clung to.
The men were gone. She wanted nothing more than peace. A smile formed on her tired face.
But as soon as she found peace, it was interrupted by the sound of someone walking through the water, sending ripples across the surface.
The steps grew closer. Mama didn't have the energy to look up.
"Such a sight. Someone like you shouldn't have to endure this."
The woman's tone didn't match her words; it carried no compassion.
"The men are dead. There's no reason to do this."
"You're right. It seems the lake did nothing to them."
"Put her out of her misery? That would be the right thing to do. Kid? What are you talking about?"
Mama felt the person turn her over to get a better look at her and Lez.
She clutched Lez tighter, summoning the last of her strength.
She looked at the woman. From what she could see through her blurred vision, it was a woman with long black hair and an all-black outfit.
"Help? Should I lend a hand? It's all up to me, really? Not going to contribute? Is killing the only solution you've got?"
[Killing. I can't let it happen!]
Mama didn't want death by someone else's hand. She wanted what they had now—a so-called peaceful death.
She screamed at her body to get up, to protect her little angel. She screamed over and over.
"Interesting."
Mama slowly rose, Lez in her arms, and faced the woman.
It was pointless, and she knew it.
Mama turned and walked toward the wall of fire, forcing her body to move.
She didn't back down. The wall of fire towered over her, yet she didn't falter. Her desire to save Lez was stronger.
Mama held Lez in her soaked clothing.
The fire burned her skin, her face, her entire body. She was crying.
In truth, she had lied to herself about wanting a peaceful death. She never wanted death.
She wanted to live, even with the life they had.
Lez's smile, Lez's laughter—she was her world. She wanted Lez to be happy, to create her own happiness.
She broke through the other side of the fire, but not without a cost.
Death stepped closer.
Mama collapsed to the ground, shielding Lez with her body.
"I am quite surprised… and a hint of something else," said the woman, standing over them again.
"Who are you?" Mama asked, her voice raspy.
"That was quite a show you put on. For you, I'll tell you. I am Vivian."
Mama wanted to slap her for calling this tragedy a "show."
"Show?"
"Yes."
"There's something wrong with you."
"Many have said similar things. I'm surprised you're not dead yet."
Mama herself was surprised at how long she had held on.
"Me too," she whispered, losing feeling in her legs.
"I'll offer to ensure your daughter survives, as thanks for the show you put on."
Mama didn't trust her words… yet she wanted Lez to live.
"You'd do that?"
"Yes."
Mama, not doubting the woman's words, tapped Lez's cheek to wake her.
"Ma… man?" Lez's voice was weak.
"I want you to be happy, no matter what. Without me. Be happy for me—no, be happy for yourself. You are what makes you. Don't forget that."
Mama used the last of her energy.
"Be happy, sweetheart."
With her final breath, she left the world of the living.
Lez had nothing to say.
"What do we have here~"
--
End*
So short.
Still can't write!
Took a long time.
Yeah, it did because I was like, "No."
So, I see people (two) commented offers to do artwork for a certain amount.
Yeah, it's crazy!! I'd love to, but I'm waaaaaay beyond broke.
As JoeBsToiletPaper would say, "Get ya money up, not ya funny up."
It's true!!! But here's my comeback: How's the playoffs?!!
Yeah, can't be talking.
JoeB is getting nothing for Valentine's!
It's past.