• Pure Intentions
    The Middle To The Beginning

    When I was only six years old my foster parent or father figure abandoned me in this quiet village called Aquititia. I didn't know many people there but everyone knew who I was. Time to time I could hear them say " Oh isn't that Armas's kid?" and in response to that I would also hear, " yeah, I heard what had happened...poor kid." Days and weeks past, I began to think that with every hour that past my hate for him grew a little more. There was only a few people that, when I was around them, could make me forget my hate and plan of revenge. They weren't much but to me they were the most caring family. Then again in most peoples view they were just some kids that called themselves family. I didn't really care what everyone else thought they looked like one and to me they were. When I look back at that day I met them I wonder if I hadn't asked for help maybe I wouldn't be in the situation I am in now. If I can remember correctly I had fallen in to a deep hole. I had thought I would never be found because of it's depth. Panic had gripped at my heart....or what was there to be began with. After a while I eventually accepted the truth, I was going to die.
    I also remember that because of the fall I broke my left arm making it impossible for me to climb. Night came and death seemed to come closer. For the first time I slept with ease no nightmares. No horrifying images passing by so impossibly fast that when I awoke from screaming my head would fell like a feather attached to nothing but a tiny thread. I don't know why nor did I question it, if there was some how a reason behind my empty dream. As if I had just blinked I opened my eyes to a bright light over head. The sun. It looked about noon or close to it. I was about to close my eyes when out of the corner of them I could see a faded black figure. It was talking to me but none of the words seemed to register in my disorientated mind. Everything after that was a blur but I do remember the voice asking me if I needed help, to my surprise I had replied hoarsely to it saying. " Help.....Yes.." None of the words made sense to me it was like there really wasn't a need to say any of them the person most likely already saw or knew what happened to me. I don't remember when I had fallen asleep or how I just remembered how my body ached in pain. I slowly opened my eyes as in return slow went from a blur to clear clarity. I looked around the room with a awkward gaze.
    My gaze ended on a girl who at the moment had her back towards me. After a few minutes she turned around. She held a plate with food looking up from the plate she froze. I don't know if she froze in fear or the unawareness of my watching. Her eyes were round and glistened in the dull sunlight that peeked through the curtains of the window. They were like glowing emeralds.....beautiful emeralds. Another minute passed when finally she dropped the plate and ran out of the room in a hurried like haste. I waited hoping that she would come back but she didn't only a young man with light brown almost amber like hair came to the room and stood by my side." Hey little one are you feeling well enough to talk?" He said. His voice was smooth and calming. It soothed me. I looked down at the floor where the shatter plate laid. " I'm...sorry... I didn't mean to scare her." I quietly said. He looked down at the floor and laughed. His laugh comforted me to, it was like he knew me as well as I knew him but I knew that I had never before seen him in my three years I lived in the small yet busy village.
    He looked back at me. " Oh that, Do not worry she is just shy I am sure she had no intention of making it seem like you had scared her." His words were like gold, his laugh like sliver. That day if I truly made my self believe I would have thought I met a god. He laughed at my awed expression." I see the medicine is working very well." I looked at him confusedly but he just smiled and rustled my hair with his hand. " Get some rest small one." He gave me one last smile before he left the room. From looking at him he looked to be only twelve or younger yet he talked as if he was older. I hadn't seemed to notice when the young boy was here but my lids felt like they were attached to anchors. I took the advice I was given moments earlier and slept. When I awoke the next day no one was in the room this time and the sun from what I could tell was just rising. I looked around the room one last time before I tried my hand at moving. Trying slowing I pushed myself to do the action of sitting up. Pain hit. I moaned as I fell back into the bed and curled up into a ball. Every inch of me throbbed in pain. Any mussel I moved only brought on more of the throes.
    Finally giving up I laid in the bed hopelessly. At that moment I began to wish I had died while I was still in that deep hole. Hearing foot steps I looked at the door in hope that the young boy was coming to check on me. But it wasn't it was the girl I had thought I frightened when waking the first time. Only her head was seen because she only peer at me. Maybe she is still shy of me. I thought or maybe she’s just....well weird. I didn't think of it people are people and that’s how I always saw it. Only one person was an exception to that. The one person I hated the most. She took a few steps in while I was thinking to myself and caught me of guard. I blinked at her. She wore a long white night gown that had a medium size bow which hung right below the neck line. Her hair was down unlike our first meeting. Then it was tied back were only a few bangs fell to her face. The color amazed me, It wasn't golden or yellow but a color blond that reminded me of a daisy’s center." Is there any....thing I can ge..et you?" She stuttered out.
    I looked at her then thought for a minute. I didn't want to ask her for anything I already felt like I barged in on her and her house hold but I kind of had to admit to myself that I was thirsty. What’s the worst that could happen I joked to myself."Um......Water would be nice if you don't mind.." I replied in a quiet tone. She stood there then nodded and walked quickly out the room. A few minutes passed by when she finally came back with a plastic cup most likely filled with water. Standing close to me she held the cup towards me good hand. I reached out my hand and grabbed the cup. As I sat up I tried to hide my pain and took a sip of the water. The water felt cold against the warm walls of my mouth. It eased my itching throat and calmed my thirst. Drinking the liquid fully I set the cup down on the night stand next to the bed. The girl was still stand there. " I have a question..." She said in a faint voice. "Yeah?" She looked away then back at me. " If you don't mind me asking What’s your name..?" I looked at her.
    My name....the very name he had given me. I disliked my name, when he had said it the feeling of emptiness had filled my body. But maybe if I told her the feeling would be different. " My name is Riku..what’s yours?" Her eyes brightened as she smiled."I'm Mima nice to meet you Riku." I waited for the emptiness to come but it didn't only a different one came. The feeling felt weird, I could really pint point it but if I had to describe I would say the feeling was that of acceptance. I felt whole like nothing had ever happened. My eyes softened to the point where I thought I was going to cry. Seeing my mixed emotions she placed her warm hands around my cold one. I looked up at her shocked. I looked into her warm eyes and almost melted as her words echoed in my ears. " Welcome home Riku!" Home? This my home? No that couldn't be true I hardly knew her or any one else. Why would she call this my home and say it like I was here before. I stared at her in a daze. Only for it to be broken when I heard the young boy's voice.
    " It's true Riku. This is your home now, here with Mima, Kazu and me." He laughed his silver laugh. " We are not much of a family but can be if you wish to think so." My gaze met his where he stood in the door way. Mima had looked back at him before I even thought to look at him. " Brother!" she said with cheerfulness in her voice. " You're awake! Is it bad of me to ask what we are having for breakfast?" She giggled. They must be related. Her laugh was like a soothing chime when her words sounded like a lovely tune from a violin. But what amazed me the most about her was her smile. When she smiled it was like a warm summer wind hitting me and most definitely relaxed my mind and my inner soul. I enjoyed it. Who knew people could be like this. The young boy laughed. " No it would not, we are going to have waffles." Mima looked at him with glee. " Yay! I love waffles." She cheerfully said as she clapped her hands together. " Now mima please go get dress we have a big day ahead of us." The boy said to her.
    Nodding she walked past him into the hallway. I turned my gaze towards him."How long was I out for?" He looked at me. " Very long almost 3 months....you must have been in that hole for a long time. Do you remember how long you were in there?" He asked. I just stared at him then shook my head. " No I don't remember how long... I'm sorry." He smiled. " You should not be sorry." I gave him a small smile. "Um.. was it you who saved me?" " No I did not. Mima had found you and came to me telling me where you could be found. I at the time was very busy so Kazu followed her to you and He saved you." he answered." Kazu?" I whispered under my breath. " Yes Oh! silly me My name is Kokun." He smiled as he held his hand out towards me. I reached out towards it and shook it. " Nice to meet you."
    The next couple of days were torture. My body was stiff and sore. My arm was getting better I was able to hold cups, plates and medium sized books in it. I had really wanted to meet this Kazu fellow but I was unlucky. Like always, While I had been unconscious he had traveled to the sister village for unknown reasons. Kokun said he would be back but never gave me a time to look forward to. Because of my arm I wasn't able to do much around the house but I had found ways of making myself useful. Some days Kokun would be to busy working on something that he had mima and me go into the village to pick up anything he or the small house needed. I honestly don't judge people when I meet them until I knew them but I judged her. I couldn't help it, Mima was a klutz. She would trip over herself, run into obvious walls. At first I thought it was because of me but every time kokun would see her bruises and scratches he would laugh telling her she shouldn't do so much. I would gawk at him, he laughed..... but why? I couldn't stand it so I asked him why he only laughed. He told me that mima try’s to do everything herself to make people happy but since she had always been a klutz she would get herself hurt. I responded that I wouldn't let her do that to herself when she was around me.
    Four months had past and Kazu came back. He didn't talk much but showed his feeling threw his actions. My Nightmares had come back too, but I didn't scream because I didn't want them to worry about me. One morning I awoke from my nightmare and went outside to get some air. When I had walked outside I saw Kokun and Kazu sparring with each other. I watched them block hits and dodge attacks they threw at one another. Kokun's movements were graceful and quick while Kazu's were strong and accurate. They stopped. I was amazed by the fighting I just witnessed. Kazu looked over at me, I felt like I had barged in on them. " I'm sorry!." I frantically said. Kokun smiled." It is alright Riku we were only sparring." Kazu nodded in agreement. " What did you think of it?" Kazu asked. OMG! He talked. He had always been so quiet. " I thought it was really... awesome.." I replied almost blushing from embarrassment. He smiled. " Thank you, I can see you're being honest." His voice carried every word confendtenly and balaenced. Kokun laughed. "Uh Kazu I have a question to ask you." I said. Kazu looked at me."Could you teach me how to fight?" Kokun's expression turned from happy to concerned." I do not think it is such a good idea for that Riku..." " It's not something I can teach you Riku you have to learn it. I can only help." Kazu replied to me seeming to ignore Kokun. " I have to keep my promise I made so please help me learn." Kazu raise an eyebrow and glance over at Kokun. " I'll explain later about that." Kokun whispered to him. Kazu nodded. " Fine then we start tomorrow." I smiled. " Got it!"
    I was seven then. Two years passed and I began to forget why I had nightmares, not only did I seem to forget but they stopped all together. I wasn't alone anymore. Kokun had taught me a few tricks on using magic though it seemed I could never get it right. One trick he had taught me was that of the "Life" spell it made a flower bloom and sprout beautifully. Mima had loved this one she had always used it but kokun warned her not use it in front of others she didn't know. It was a white mage spell, forbidden among our village. All who was a white mage where taken away or killed on the spot. Knowing this I made sure when ever mima would go out I was there, I asked my self why I had always went with her. My answer I didn't want her to die or be taken away. Kokun and Kazu would be so saddened by that action that I couldn't bare any sad faces. Not from them, the people who smiled to me.
    The day I thought would never happen came to us. On august 21 the Organization came for Kazu. He had turned 15 this year a few months before me, this day I had turned 9. I remembered why I aged this day it was because every morning on the 21 of August He would wake me saying " Good morning Riku today is the day to add one to your age." or in my terms Happy Birthday. I dreaded this day so much for the fact alone it was my birthday. I remember very well of this day, people in black cloaks walked up to us while we stopped into town. They first looked at kokun questioning if he was a white because of his shinning orange brown hair. Kokun to prove he wasn't held his hand out and produced a dark purple like flame. Believing him turned to Kazu. Kazu's face as I can remembered was cold and had no expression.. The look sent shivers down my spine. " Are you Kazu ________ ?" I can't remember his last name. I know it was easy to say but somehow I can't remember it. "Yes." kazu responded. " Here on behalf of the Organization we are here to take you to our academy." One had said. Kazu paused a moment. " What if I don't want to go?" He questioned. The two cloaked people glanced at each other. "Then we will have no choice but to use force." One had finally answered. Kokun held mima tightly and kept his eyes on the men. Seeming to see Kokun's distress answered back. " Fine I will go but leave this three alone until their day comes." In agreeance the two men nodded and lead Kazu to their car.
    Before I knew it I was running after Kazu yelling No. I grabbed a hold of his clothing as I screamed. " No! Way must you go please Kazu don't I beg of you don't go!" Tears started to form in my eyes. He looked down at me the crouched to my level. ' Riku..." His eyes looked into mine. They showed sadness and concern. Such blue eyes shouldn't hold that much grief I would say to my self." I'm sorry, I know you weren't expecting this but it has happened. Look." He sighed." For what it's worth you learned something from me right?" I nodded as tears fell from my face. He smiled and whipped them from my cheeks." Don't cry Riku you must be strong...stronger than me and Kokun. You must be. Promise me that riku, that next time we shall meet you will be strong enough to beat me in a spar." His eyes looked at me with encouragement." I..." I don't know...I don't know what to do! How is that possible." I promise..." I cracked. Satisfied with my answer he stood and got into the car. Leaving me and my teary self alone. After a few minutes I felt a hand gently land on my shoulder. I lazily looked up. It was Kokun. " Come Riku we have to find mima. She spilled away. I panicked. " No..." I whispered. Kokun grabbed my wristed and quickly lead me into the forest. I called her name so many times I had lost count. After what seemed to be forever a loud explosion was heard. I looked at Kokun who's eyes were wide. " Mima he gasped. He had ran of almost as if forgetting I was there too. ": Wait! Kokun!" I ran after him. Finally getting to his intended location I looked to where he looked. I did what he had most likely had done as well. Froze. Mima laid there in a field of burnt flowers. If used with anger the "Life" spell would not work the opposite would happen. Judging from the looks of the flowers she had done that. Kokun walked over to mima's frail body. Crouching down he picked her up gently as if she was glass. I walked over to him and lightly tugged on his shirt sleeve." What happened Kokun?" He did not look at me he kept his eyes on the sleeping Mima. " Anger Riku.... Fear and anger happened." He sighed. Hearing voices off in the distance I looked behind me.
    Villagers where coming by the looks of it. As I turned to Kokun, who grabbed my arm, my surroundings blurred and I began to feel sick to my stoic. Everything focused a minute later and I could tell we had teleported home .I fell to the ground mumbling that I wished the ground would stop moving. Walking in the house Kokun laid Mima on the couch and came back for me, who at the time was throwing up." What happened....Kokun why won't the ground stop moving?" I looked up at him sickly. " Please ask it to stop it's making me sick..." He laughed as he picked me up." Why are you laughing at me?" I don't remember what had happened after I asked him that but that everything went black. The next morning I woke up and found kokun sitting outside with his tea. I asked him if he was feeling alright and he smiled saying he was well rested. I doubted that he had bags under his eyes. I gave him the best smile I could conjure up. I sat in the chair next to him." How is...Mima?" He sighed. " She will be fine but I’m afraid all I can do at this point is do things to make her forget about Kazu's leaving...." He glanced at me." I know it must be hard for mima to handle this but harder for you because you have already had someone disappear...." I froze. " How did you know about that?" He sighed. " Riku do not hate Kazu because he is gone, be happy that you knew him for the time you shared with him." Kokun laughed. " I'm sure things will get better." Things didn't. Mima didn't smile and she disappeared more often.
    "Kokun!" I ran into the house to find him sitting at the table. Kokun looked up at me confusedly. "What is it Riku?" " It's Mima she's gone off again and...." He smiled. " And you can't find her can you?" I sighed, " No..." He stood and walked over to me putting his hands lightly on my shoulders. " Stop panicking, I’m sure she just saw a squirrel and chased after it." You would think after three years Mima would be smarter than that but that was not on my mind at the moment I was worried about Kokun. Three years ago on my birthday they took Kazu from us and now..... Kokun turning 15 two months ago was bound to be taken too. Both Kokun's and my attention went to the door where Mima stood with bags." Oh! Well speak of the angel!" Kokun laughed. Mima looked at him with a confused expression." Do you mean 'Speak of the devil' brother?" He shocked his head. " No my dear for you are nothing close to a devil." She gave him a faint smile." I am not an angel for angels save people...." Walking passed us to the table she lifted the bags and set them gently on the table. I sighed, for being an eleven year old she was pretty smart. " So Riku.." She turned to me. "Do you like chocolate or vanilla cake?" I just stared at her for a min then realized what she meant. "Please Mima don't do anything like that for my......" I swallowed. " Birthday.." not just my birthday but the day we lost one of us. She was about to respond to me when a knock was heard at the door. Mima and I both froze in fear. Kokun turned to the door and walked to open it. I prayed, I prayed harder than I have ever prayed that the cloaked men wouldn't be there to take kokun. Kokun opened the door and froze. I saw it too and almost stopped breathing the figure that stood in the door way was not of the cloaked men nor anyone in the village.
    Mima's body was trembling and her teary eyes stared at the figure. " Impossible....." I mumbled under my breath. It couldn't be possible. He was taken away, that figure who looked so much like Kazu couldn't be him. Kazu now had to be at least 18 while kokun was 15, me 12 and mima 11. He hadn't changed he still looked like he did three years ago but just a bit taller than Kokun." Well am I still allowed in or have I been banned from the house?" He asked. Kokun smiled and motioned for him to come in. As Kazu walked in he was nearly tackled to the ground by mima who now was full blown crying. He ran his hand throw her long hair. "Ani....you came back.." She sobbed. " Yes but......" He paused." He has only came back for me, Mima" Kokun finished for him. " No!" I said louder than necessary. " You can't please Kazu don't leave us and take kokun with you...please." Kazu looked at me. " I can stay for a few days but after that I have to take Kokun back with me." Before I could protest he added." I thought it would be easier for you two to handle this if I came..." How could I argue with that I mean I felt better knowing kokun was with kazu and not alone like Kazu was.
    I sighed. " But you will come and visit more won't you?" He smiled. " I can not make promises but yes I will try to more often than three years." He put his attention back to the sobbing Mima. " Now now dear stop crying your ruining my clothes." "So?!" She responded. Kazu laughed." Come on now I got to have at least a good outfit." She let go of him and wiped the remaining tears away from her eyes. " Fine" she said in a small voice. He smiled and then looked at me. At that moment I realized I too had been crying. " What are you looking at? I wasn't crying." I said as I wiped me tears quickly. Kazu chuckled and walked over to me grabbing me in a bear hug." You've grown Riku." I felt happy and sad, " I missed you Kazu..." I whispered. " I know..." His grip tightened and then relaxed as he let go of me. " Now I have at least two days with you what shall we do?' Kazu looked at Kokun who was very quiet. " Indeed what shall we do..." " The lake!" Mima said with enthusiasm. " Why?" I responded. " The lake is still cold." Everyone wore a smile." Not when you know how to heat it up." I looked at them confusedly." But isn't that white magic?" Kokun shook his head. " No it is not black mages can too." " But why?" I complained. Mima held my arm." Because it's fun.
    So there I stood looking at the crystal like lake. Sometimes it seemed to be a giant mirror that reflected everything, you the sky and what could seem like space itself. Looking up to my right where a medium sized cliff hung over the lake. Kokun was looking down at the water uncomfortably while Kazu acting like he did nothing wrong as he pushed Kokun off the cliff into the water. After Kokun hit the water a golden red flash went from the spot kokun was to the edge of lake where I stood. Mima, who stood where I was at the time, walked in and glanced back to me. " It's warmer now so we can get in." I lazily looked at her. She wore a thin cotton dress that almost hid the light green one piece she wore. " I know I’ll be there in a minute..." Shrugging she ran then swam to kokun and dodged the falling kazu. Kokun laughed while being splashed by Mima who screamed as Kazu swam under the water grabbing their ankles. It was like kazu never left before and nothing ever changed but I knew that wasn't true it would never be true. He did leave things did change. So there I stood looking out at the impossible.