Mae Min

by Fresco

Summary:

Mae Min is a little girl that lives with her family in a quiet town in Korea. She loves her life, her parents, and the small things that always remained a constant safety point for her to hold onto.

But one day, her parents' secret catches up with her, and she is forced to embark in an adventure that will change her life forever - for better or for worse...is to be seen.

Chapter 1: Prologue

Hello Brawl Community.

It's been a while, hasn't it?

Well...I never thought I'd be writing of this game again. I had completely ditched it for Cookie Run for a long time, and I didn't think I'd ever return. But I guess some things never change, huh!

I wanted to challenge myself. Write something more than just a silly oneshot from a surge (surge brawl stars!?!?!?!?) of inspirations in a random moment and day. This is gonna be...a mini book? Sort of? I dunno how many chapters I want to write but at least 10 hopefully.

If you've read my works before, you probably know what you're getting into. Character studies, angst, happy moments, LOTS OF CANON DIVERGENCE...

If you don't, then allow me to sum up the basics of this story, so that in case there's something that doesn't sit right with you, I don't steal too much time from you.

1) Starr Park is not a thing here. All the brawlers live in a continent called Brawltopia, ruled by magic and technology.

2) Ships are not prevalent, but there is gonna be Melodraco somewhere around the end of this. YES I KNOW LUMI IS A THING. I don't care.

3) In case you haven't read the tags, yes, story will have mentions of abuse. It shouldn't get too bad, but...if you're uncomfortable with these themes, read at your own risk.

4) Mae Min is Melodie's real name for reasons I will explain later. Also, she is Kenji and Kaze's daughter. No one headcanons this you can make fun of me haha yeah okay

5) There's gonna be other random headcanons thrown in but they barely have anything to do with the story itself. If they're mentioned here it is because they matter to the plot.

Still here? Boy am I glad! I hope you will enjoy this. Ill try to post...somewhat frequently. Ill TRY MY BEST I promise.

Enjoy.

Chapter 2: Nigiri.

“Mae Min! Sweetie, I need you for a moment!”

“Coming!”

The little 8 year old kicked her feet up from the counter, turning on her heels and running into the kitchen. The smell that came from it was tenderly familiar, something she was incredibly fond of, yet never spoke of.

Some things, her dad said, didn’t need to be spoken of. Some things are good the way they are, and that’s enough.

She gently pushed the door open, catching a glimpse of her mother carefully putting together some nigiri hokkigais.

“Are they for Mr. Fuji?” She asked, her eyes staring in awe at the ability of her mother. Her fingers moved so gracefully that it always felt magical to see her at work. The smile on her face was also a fulfilling sight.

“As always, Mae Min. He always takes the usual...” Her mother replied, beaming back with a smile. “Take this tray and bring it to him, won’t you?”

“Okay!” The child grabbed the tray, wobbling a bit before finding her balance and walking through the same doors again. Soon enough, her eyes were scanning for the table Mr. Fuji could be sitting by.

Oh, there he was. Same table as usual. He never was one to stray from the normal, was he?

She had known him for a while. He was a dear friend of her father, Kenji. She never discovered how they met, but their bond was truly unbreakable. And besides, he always had nice treats for her whenever he came over. Candy, toys, it was always a pleasant surprise.

She hopped towards him, her feet jumping on the checkered floor of the bar - making sure not to touch the black rectangles. Just a silly game that never tired her, no matter how many times she did it.

Mr. Fuji noticed her once she got close enough, giving her a small bow as a sign of his gratitude.

“I hope you like your Nigiri, Mr. Fuji!”

“Oh, I sure will. I dearly thank you for your service, little one.” He replied, before snorting his long mustache away from his nostrils. Mae Min always told him to shave it, but he was quite stubborn in keeping it the way it was. Tradition, he always explained to her.

“Here,” he added, looking into his pockets. Mae Min’s eyes burst open in gleeful delight as he handed her a small milk chocolate bar.

“Oh!” She exclaimed, holding it so dearly within her fingers, as if someone might take it from her, “You don’t bring these often!”

“I had a spare one in a drawer. Riku is the one eating these, usually, but nowadays he’s gone to college, so he’s not often at home. When I saw it, I thought you might make better use of it.”

“Thank you so much, Mr. Fuji! Enjoy your meal!” Mae Min waved at him in gratitude. He did the same.

“Farewell, Mae Min.”

Mae Min. That was her name - a name she was proud of, given to her by her parents when she was born that rainy day in the Nishi-Gunma Hospital - or so her parents told her.

They’d always recall how she had come into the world with an unwavering and contagious smile, one that she still carried every day. She was only five then, but she had made a vow to never stop smiling. Such was her will!

Yes, indeed. She hadn’t cried much. Well, at first she had, of course - it would have been worrying if she hadn’t. But then she just quieted down. Her mother would tell her how she had fallen asleep in her arms for so long, as if she was more tired of being born than her giving her life. They’d laugh at the irony of it.

The rain stopped as they sat in their car to leave the hospital. The skies opened, the dark clouds moved aside, and the sun dimly lit the puddles on the street as they drove away.

She was proud of her name because of what it meant. Mae - May, her favorite month. When school would end and she’d get to spend all her time with her parents at the bar, entertaining their customers with her voice that always seemed to get everyone’s attention. She loved singing for everyone. They loved coming by, even just to hear her.

Min, which meant intelligence, cleverness. She always prided herself on being the top of her class, but she never forgot about emotional intelligence, something that - she felt - was much less valued than logical intelligence.

A balance of both things, that is what she aimed to be. Her father had taught her that equilibrium was key to everything in life.

See, she saw herself in her name. Surely that had to be positive - a person must like their name first to like themselves, and then the world. Mae Min really liked her name.

She also really liked her family’s bar. It was a small, but incredibly popular activity, that allowed her to live a life of comfort with even some extra gifts here and there, on occasion. Perhaps its success was due to the fact Seul, the small town they lived in, had no Sushi Bars before.

They had brought something new into people’s everyday lives. That was a recipe for success, she supposed. In a town where things are often the same, small changes like this don’t go unnoticed.

She could tell how much her parents enjoyed working there. It made every day much less exhausting, and much more enjoyable. Sure, things were often the same - the usual. But Mae Min always sought to find that one thing that made every day special, different. She always managed to do so.

Like that one time when her dad accidentally put Wasabi in a Sashimi order. Mae Min brought it to the customer, unaware of the mistake, and got to witness their face contorting into horror as the heat rose within their chest.

It ended in a good laugh over a cup of milk - and, of course, a tray of properly made sashimi. Mae Min could barely hold herself together from the laughter. What a show that had been!

There wasn’t a boring day in the bar, not at all. She wouldn’t change it for anything in the world.

There was only one thing, in her little perfect life of satisfaction and joy, that bothered her mind every now and then. It wasn’t that important - she didn’t see it as something that she necessarily needed to know. But sometimes she wondered, at night, when the crickets sang their honeycombed tunes outside her window...

Where did her parents, her loving role models, come from?

That was something they had always been rather reserved about. The most she knew was that they had moved from Japan a year and a half before having her. Everything else was a blurry mystery.

Her classmates would often boast about their own parents’ backgrounds. She felt out of place when everyone turned their attention towards her, not because she didn’t want to speak, but because she just didn’t know what to say.

The out of place behaviors wouldn’t escape her keen eye, either. Whenever they watched TV, for instance, her dad would immediately switch channels, whenever Japan was brought up.

When she bruised herself, her mother would never take care of her bloody injuries. Even if the blood was barely there - she’d always tell Kenji to treat her.

It was small things. Meaningless at first sight. But Mae Min never could explain to herself why her dad despised his homeland so much, and why her mother was so reluctant to even just set her eyes on the slightest bit of red spills.

Perhaps she would never know. She had come to terms with this possibility already.

But she didn’t mind. It wasn’t too important. At least not yet.

The sun crept through the large windows of the bar, forcing her to squint her eyes to cover herself from the light. She giggled. It was a warm, sunny day. She loved sunny days.

Her gaze ended up falling on the small calendar placed just by the cashier machine on the marble counter. A date was circled in heavy red lines. That Saturday...

Kenji had promised she’d bring her to fish.

She looked forward to that.

Chapter 3: Tradition.

It was a chilly day.

The breeze rushed through the twelve years old’s hair, gently brushing some strands upwards. She had to wear a coat and a pair of gloves - her mother’s orders, and Kenji always reminded her that Kaze couldn’t be disobeyed without consequences.

It was a joke, of course. Though her mother could get scary, when she wanted to. She had witnessed it firsthand. Rude customers never had a good time in the bar.

Mae Min always looked forward to fishing with Kenji. Though she’d spend a lot of time with him, it wasn’t often they had quiet moments, away from the busy hours of the daily shifts - moments that they dedicated to simple company. And while it was true that Kenji never was a man of many words, it seemed as if the activity of throwing a rod in water and waiting made him a bit more talkative.

They’d fish for the fun of it. If they pulled up something interesting, sometimes they’d keep it and experiment with it at the bar. Special recipes and whatnot. More often than not though, they’d throw everything back in the water.

Kenji had instilled in her a respect for nature from a young age. He had always been a down to earth man. Back at home, they had a small garden that he would look after with utmost attention. A few days prior, he had even bought a fountain for it - much to Kaze's displeasure, given how large it was. But he fit it in anyway.

It was a pretty garden, Mae Min had to admit. Colorful. Peaceful, without a doubt.

Just like the river they were heading to. The child had her small hand wrapped into Kenji’s bigger and calloused one, as they walked side by side on a small path of sand and pebbles.

It was a secret passage; few knew of it. Kenji had discovered it one day, while looking for a quiet place to fish, and he had made use of it ever since. Once a month, every month. The third week, on a Saturday. Unless it rained.

Mae Min would always watch the trees in awe. In spring, their pink blossoms would bloom, scattering petals around their trunks like soft, colorful carpets

The sun made its way through the foliage, its rays illuminating stray flowers by the side of the path, here and there, blue and white. Mae Min liked the red ones better, though. Unfortunately, they were rather rare. Latecomers, too. They wouldn’t show up until May.

She believed the birds had become familiar with their presence, too. The first time she had come, she remembered how they had all gone quiet upon their arrival. But nowadays, it felt as if the tune they sang only became louder and even more melodic whenever they showed up.

Sometimes, Mae Min joined their orchestra with her own singing. Simply for the fun of it.

Kenji looked to the side. There was a small pond there that, when the time was right, would be raided by frogs. Tadpoles made the crystal clear water look black, but the pond was spacious enough to welcome them all.

Mae Min remembered taking a tadpole home, once. She had it in a large jar, and she’d feed it every day. It felt magical, watching as every day, the thing grew a pair of legs, then another one, and then got rid of its tail.

Nature was truly magical, she believed. That was why she thoroughly believed Kenji's teachings.

When she released the animal back in that very same pond, months later, her heart almost broke. The amphibian hopped out of her hands, looked at her for a moment, as if not wanting to leave, and then disappeared from sight.

GreGre. That was its name.

“Are you with me, Min?” Kenji’s voice broke her train of thought. She blinked a few times, tilting her head towards him slightly.

“U-Uhm...yeah. Sorry. I was thinking.”

“Thinking is healthy,” he explained. “Don’t be ashamed of it. But anyway...we’re here.”

Kenji let go of her hand, pointing at the small, sandy shore in front of her. The trees opened, the path disappeared, and finally, she could see the river.

The only thing that remained of the small woods they’d been in before was the occasional patch of grass, that entangled with the sand in a way that reminded her of those vanilla and chocolate cakes her parents always bought her, with those harmonious swirls that never subdued each other, but rather, coexisted.

She giggled at her overthinking.

The shores were so far away from each other in that particular spot that the water body could be confused with a lake. On the other side, emerald hills stood tall, extending themselves into the horizon, with a few rare houses scattered here and there on their sides.

Mae Min ran until she reached the very margin of the little beach, where water and sand constantly blurred into one another. The small, funny looking rock she had discovered the first time Kenji had brought her there still stood exactly where she had left it.

Good! It was proof that no one ever came there. It was their little paradise.

Her dad motioned for her to follow him. He stepped onto a natural span of large rocks, eroded enough over the years to serve as a makeshift bridge. It cut through the water nicely, allowing for easier fishing.

Mae Min hopped from one boulder to the other, carrying along a fishing rod that was almost double her size. Eventually, her dad settled just by the rear end of the bridge, dropping the fishing equipment and preparing his own rod.

She had done this a thousand times over; she'd call herself an expert fisher. Though, just in case...she still mimicked her dad’s movements with her own rod. Juuuust in case...!

Soon enough, as the water just below them peacefully danced to the breeze’s command, they threw their lures far away, and began waiting.

Mae Min waited for her dad to say something. He had been unusually quiet.

She wasn’t sure whether she should pry in or not. Simply out of respect for any possible trouble he might have been afflicted by. Mae Min held her father in very high regard.

But at the same time, she felt the need to reach out. The thought of him hurting without her knowing clouded her focus. She began pondering on how she could ask him about it, but-

“You’ve been rather thoughtful today, sugar plum.” He barely suffocated a smirk.

Caught before she could think. As always.

“So have you,” she replied in one breath. “I was worried for you, dad.”

“Oh, no need to be!” Kenji reassured her, moving his hands to the side to bring his lure further on the left, away from hers. “I apologize if I gave you the impression I wasn’t feeling quite well.”

What a relief...but then, why did it feel like he hadn’t been completely honest with her? Perhaps it was the way he avoided her eyes, or the way his finger ever so slightly twitched on the rod’s drag despite nothing pulling at it.

Perhaps it was just a feeling.

“Well, you can tell me anything dad! I want to lift your spirits like you lift mine when I am sad...”

“That’s...ever so kind of you.” She swore he heard him sigh under his breath. “I guess we could say I have been thinking of Japan.”

“Oh...”

Mae Min didn’t know how to continue. If to continue, at all. That was the first time her dad had brought up his homeland out of the blue like that. She didn’t know anything that could help her reply properly.

Fortunately, he seemed to realize that on his own.

“Let’s just say I’ve been hoping for something not to happen...and the more time passes, the more concerned I grow about it.”

“What do you not want to happen?”

“I can’t tell you. Perhaps, it won’t ever happen, either. Perhaps I am just overthinking it.”

Only then did she realize that what he spoke of might have had a link with his past. That same mysterious past that she wished she could know more about, but that felt trapped within immovable walls at the same time, out of reach.

“You’re just a child, Min. It’s adult things, you see?”

“Okay, dad.” She hung her head low in defeat, yearning for something more. But Kenji wouldn’t tell her anything else. Frankly, he had said way more than she ever thought he would.

What was her father hiding? Would she ever find some closure? She didn’t know.

If he was so determined on keeping her out of it, perhaps she wasn’t supposed to know at all.

A shift in her rod had her lift her gaze in an instant. She looked at her own lure in the distance, and realized something was pulling at it.

Kenji gasped, quickly pulling his own out and kneeling just beside Mae Min to keep her steady.

“That’s a tough one!” He exclaimed, watching as the fish fought to resist the force bringing it closer to them.

Mae Min, albeit not strong, kept rolling the drag with resilience. It wasn’t often she met something that vigorous, but she wasn’t willing to let it go.

”Come on Min, you got it! Show them who's boss!”

”I am trying!”

“You are stronger! Don’t let it defeat you!”

“I won’t!”

“You are the Samurai of these waters! Best your opponent!”

“I GOT IT!” Her voice cracked from the determination and the excitement instilled into her. Kenji was a motivator of a kind.

And hadn’t it been for him, she would have fallen on her back. His hands promptly grabbed her as her rod flew in the sky, splashing water everywhere. Mae Min blinked once or twice, shaking her head - and then, she immediately turned her attention to her defeated opponent.

“WOW! Look at that!” Kenji laughed out in disbelief, taking the rod out of the fish’s mouth. It looked as if it had been painted in glittery silver, its scales reflecting the sunrays and leaving the occasional rainbow behind. The tail was rather short - the stomach pretty large.

“Has it eaten well?” Mae Min asked.

“Haha! You could say. Look at that, if this isn’t the biggest Mullet I have ever seen!”

Mae Min could hardly believe she had managed to best such a big fish. It was the size of Kenji’s forearm! Her chest puffed in pride as she crossed her arms, smugly smiling at her father.

“Like you said! I am a Samurai of these waters!”

“You sure are, little one.” He gently ruffled her hair, before grabbing the mullet, that had been hopping on the makeshift bridge goofily, and throwing it back in the water.

Now this really felt like a day with her dad, fishing.

“Farewell, Mr. Mullet,” Mae Min bowed, showing it respect, as she was taught with every fish she bested. “We shall challenge each other once again when time’s due...”

Notes:

I promise that the next chapter will have some action. We're just building up for the time being...also, I liked the idea of Kenji being a fishing enjoyer since it sounded like something in character for him.

Chapter 4: Goodbye.

Sixteen Years Old.

Mae Min had just turned sixteen years old - she had to make sure the time would be just right. She had written down the hour told by her mother. The same hour in which, sixteen years prior, she had been given the beautiful gift of life.

11:22PM. Yes, now she was officially sixteen.

She let herself fall on her bed, hugging her toy dog close to her chest. A fluffy Saint Bernard that she refused to part ways with, even then. Maybe she was still the same eight year old, somewhere deep down.

It was a rather dreary night - it had been a somewhat gloomy day. The impression she got was that nature wasn’t bothered by the fact it was her birthday that day, but then again, nature never bothered with human affairs. It simply existed by its own rules.

Her room felt more dimly lit than usual, and the lamp attached to the ceiling weakly illuminated it with a dull yellow light. The rain pattered on the window with no pause, at the same pace. Not a change within its rhythm, not at all.

Tap, tap, tap, tap...

Despite the unpleasant climate, Mae Min had more than enjoyed her birthday. Her friends had come over, her parents had put up an unforgettable party (she always told herself that, and yet each year it felt even more unforgettable than the prior), she had her usual cake, she played the usual games.

It was more grand, yes, that was the difference.

She wouldn’t have it any other day. In fact - she couldn’t wait for her 18th Birthday. It scared her a lot, truth be told. It would be a great change for her - adulthood, that is.

Kenji would always tell her that she couldn’t know of their past because she was just a child. What if he’d tell her on that day? The day of her turning into a mature, responsible girl?

The idea thrilled and scared her at the same time. But it would still be two years, right? No need to rush things.

A far stronger light than her room’s burst through the window in the blink of an eye, shortly followed by lightning. A flash.

It had started storming.

Storms were a rare sight in her hometown. She had only witnessed them once, maybe twice, during her whole life. They were proof of nature’s true power, a power to be reckoned with. One Mae Min deeply respected, as her upbringing commanded.

She walked to the window, squinting her eyes as if trying to see past the many droplets of water that raced down the glass. The dark sky occasionally turned white, and then lightning struck, so strongly it made her room tremble.

It was terrifying, and yet...fascinating all the same.

The mix of emotions churning in her stomach made her think of her parents. Perhaps it mirrored the doubt that betrayed their joyous smiles. Despite their best efforts to grant her a birthday to remembe, Mae Min had noticed that something was off.

Her mother’s eyes seemed to dart left and right anytime Mae Min turned to see her.

Kenji, albeit kind and warm as always, seemed far more distant than normal.

They had been acting odd, Mae Min couldn’t deny that. But she couldn’t tell why. Why on her birthday, of all days? Had it been more difficult to prepare? Was there something else that instilled restlessness within their souls?

But she had learned that not all questions could be answered immediately. Maybe they were just tired, and she was overthinking it.

Exhausted and not entirely sold on thinking about these strange, little details all night long, Mae Min turned away from the window to get some well deserved sleep. If only it hadn't been that, with the corner of her eye, she noticed something weird. A shift - motion, just within her house’s driveway.

She tried to make out who it could be, nose pressing against the glass. But with the thick rain, it was difficult to define the facial features.

Something else gave it away, though. That gracious umbrella the figure carried, with green and red patterns embroidered over its surface. She could have recognized it anywhere.

Kaze’s umbrella.

What was her mother doing outside while it rained like that, and so late, too...?

Kaze stood by their delivery box for a few moments, before rushing back inside. Mae Min heard her open and shut the door behind her in trepidation, almost as if someone had been chasing her.

She double checked. No...there wasn’t anyone else out there.

She heard her parents murmuring downstairs. Their voices reached upstairs muffled.

She thought of just going to sleep and forgetting whatever had happened right before her eyes. But she knew herself well enough to tell that she wouldn’t be able to even just close her eyes.

Her mother had always been composed and calm. Seeing and hearing such an unusual agitation in her demeanour and actions stirred something within the teenager that didn’t sit right.

Mae Min took a deep breath. It would be just a peak. To make sure it wasn’t anything to worry about, and then she’d go straight to bed, under the safety of her blankets.

Her hand hesitantly grabbed her door’s handle, very carefully turning it in a clockwise motion. She didn’t want to make any noise.

She slipped out of her room, blending in the darkness, as if part of the shadows the night cast into the hallway.
Her feet landed on each and every step of the staircase with utmost softness, like they were made of the same silk her mother avidly utilized whenever she knitted.

Her parents’ voice got louder the closer she approached. She could hear both of them clearly - talking in the kitchen with uneasy hesitation.

She didn’t dare lean too much - both her dad and mom were very perceptive people. She knew for a fact that just a foolish mistake could be enough for her to get caught.

She steadied her breath and eavesdropped on their conversation, careful not to do anything stupid.

“...it’s the second letter this week.” Kaze spoke with a terror laced in every word that was so uncharacteristic of her.

“I know.” Kenji quickly replied, his voice dreary as well. “I know Kaze...”

“I hoped this day would never come.”

“Me too. But the key word is...hope. I knew that, eventually, they’d find you.”

Mae Min’s heart skipped a beat. She barely managed not to gasp. Someone had been looking...for her mother? And judging by her tone of voice, whoever it was, they couldn’t have good intentions...

“I am...more scared for Mae Min than I am for myself,” Kaze’s voice cracked. “I don’t want their hands on her...!”

“Ano yarō-domo…!” Mae Min could hear Kenji’s fist slam onto the kitchen’s table. “I won’t let them take her...”

“Have you bought the ticket? Like I asked you to?”

The teenager heard the sound of paper flapping in the air, a stark difference to the rain and thunder outside.

“I have.” That was the most pain she had ever heard in her father’s voice before. It was a mixture of sadness and resignation that pierced through her heart like a dagger...

She couldn’t stand idly anymore. The fear of getting caught was subdued by a desperate need to find answers. She stepped forward...

“Mom, dad? What is going on...!?”

Kenji stared at her in horror. Kaze gasped, covering her mouth with trembling hands.

“Sw-Sweetie...” her voice came weakly, quietly. “How do I...I’m so sorry-!”

“Why is someone looking for you? Why do I need a ticket? Are we going somewhere??”

She couldn’t make sense out of this. Her parents acted weird. Almost as if...they weren’t her parents anymore. But they were - Kenji’s gentle hand on her shoulder, his sigh, his weary look - it was still him. Just tormented in a way she couldn't make sense of.

“No...

No, Min. Only you.”

The room fell into silence. Their presence was consumed by the incessant rain outside, growing louder and louder with each moment that passed.

Mae Min’s lips trembled.

“...O-Only...me?”

“Yes,” It was a burden for him just to admit it. “You can’t be with us anymore. It’s too dangerous.”

“Why!?” Mae Min’s eyes shut in anger, tears burning the corners of her eyes. “Why not!? Are you abandoning me?”

“NO NO! Min, honey, we’d NEVER do that...!” Kaze tried to explain herself, but even she knew her words couldn’t mean much to Mae Min, who had lived an entire life unaware.

“Why won’t you tell me what’s going on...?” She begged.

“We can’t Min. We just can’t, for your own safety.” Kenji’s answers at this point felt more mechanical, pre-recorded. The only difference was that they were spoken with more urgency.

“Min, TRUST ME...I didn’t want for this to happen, neither to you nor your father...”

Mae Min just...hadn’t anything more to say. Her voice felt hoarse, weak. It died out in her throat. She looked at both her parents, teary eyed.

Why? Why on her special day?

“Listen,” Kenji tried to pull himself together - with whatever reason was left within him. “This ticket I have here. It’s a ticket for Madrid. Spain. I have an old friend there who will take care of you. You need to go there, so go upstairs and pack your stuff.”

“W-When am I leaving...?”

“...Tonight, sugar plum. You leave tonight.”

Her heart plummeted in her chest.

Was it really true? Were they just...asking her to leave everything behind? Forget them and go live in a foreign country with a foreign stranger?

She wasn’t ready to do that. She was still young, she had so much left that she wanted to do with her parents. She still wanted to see her mom make nigiri and bring it to Mr. Fuji, she still wanted to go fishing with her dad and make sure the funny looking rock hadn’t been moved...

How could they ever ask her something...like that?

“Mae Min...please.” Her mother’s request was more of a plea than anything.

Mae Min wanted to argue. But...she could only give up.

---

The teenager didn’t think. She just packed everything she could think of in her red backpack in a hurry. Clothes, toys, her phone...and she had been asked to delete her parents’ numbers, too. And to never call them again.

She still couldn't accept the fact that such a thing was happening to her. She was just a girl like any other, with an ordinary life, ordinary friends, an ordinary family...

...maybe that last part had just been a lie all along. Like everything her parents had hidden from her.

She wasn’t used to change. No one in the town she lived in had ever been. It was just a town, a simple town with simple people. No one stood out, no one really wished to.

Change was scary.

Mae Min threw a cap on herself before rushing downstairs. Kenji had told her to speed up far too many times by then. Time wasn’t something they had.

“You have everything you need?” Kenji asked.

“...yes.” She replied, exhausted.

“Okay. Listen, Mae Min. This is your ticket, these are your documents, and this is the money to pay for a taxi to bring you to the airport. Don’t lose anything, not for any reason in this world.”

“Yes Father...” Mae Min looked down. Her eyes had already spilled enough tears, and yet they still managed to come down.

“Good. Okay...Mae Min. Whatever happens. Never forget that...we both lo-”

Everyone’s attention was caught by the sound of a car abruptly stopping just outside their house. Kenji gritted his teeth; Kaze gasped in fear.

“They’re already here...”

Kenji pointed at the backdoor, pushing Mae Min to open it.

“GO, MIN! RUN! RUN AND DON’T LOOK BACK, WHATEVER HAPPENS. DON’T. LOOK. BACK!”

Mae Min inhaled a trembling gasp, slamming the door open and running out of her house, far, far away. She didn’t stop at anything. The rain violently poured over her, covering her in cold water. It felt horrible.

Her house, her source of comfort, slowly disappeared from sight as her legs quickly carried her far, far away, like she had been asked. She didn't even know where she was going.

The thought of what whoever was in that car wanted from her parents haunted her.

Would she ever see them again?

She wasn't sure. Yet, the realization that it would be wiser to come to terms with the fact she might never killed her from the inside.

Notes:

Alright now we fr chat we fr...

Chapter 5: Aboard.

It was cold.

Rare as it might be, the storm that furiously raged above Mae Min’s head just didn’t seem to stop for a moment.

She was drenched in water. Trembling like those leaves on that cherry tree her father had at home in his garden - during autumn, one by one, they’d lose their color, and then fall flat on the dirt below.

Oh, her father...

She could swear that on her frantic run, she had heard a bullet. Maybe two. The sound kept echoing in her mind so loudly, tormenting her.

She had only heard gunshots in movies, before. The sound of a pistol in real life was...much more frightening. Or maybe it was the looming awareness of what it could do that made it so horrifying.

The taxi guy had been ever so kind to lend her his jacket - free of charge, too. He had tried asking her a few times what a girl of her age was doing all alone under a storm, so late at night...

His concern was appreciated, but it made her more uneasy than anything.

After a while, he had stopped asking. He didn’t seem to be one to pry much into matters that didn't concern him, although she could tell he was kind hearted. Many drivers she had been with years prior just focused on the money and less on the client.

It was a tough life - she figured that stress could get to one’s head. It certainly was getting to hers. Yet he still retained some gentleness - an honorable struggle, his.

She watched outside the window, lingering over the horizon. She wanted to sleep, but the adrenaline was still pumping in her veins, and she just couldn’t afford to rest. It was as if her body was still kicking and fighting, while her mind barely worked, on the brink of shutting off altogether. Sitting still turned out to be a real struggle. Not breaking down an even harder one.

She had only seen a motorway a couple of times. Never to head towards the airport. Cars passed by, she didn’t even realize. The lights of distant towns and cities shattered her heart, yet hardly a breath slipped out of her sealed lips.

Maybe she was just dreaming. Maybe, back at home, she had fallen asleep by the window. Her mother had never gone to the mailbox, her father had never told her to pack up and run for her life, and now she wasn’t in a taxi.

...a bit of gaslighting never hurt.

The sound of the taxi was nice. The engine was...a little loud, but it didn’t bother her that much. It almost felt like a rythm, in some way.

The seats were well taken care of and even polished. The taxi inside smelled really nice overall. She could tell the driver took care of it meticulously. Other taxis sometimes had garbage in them, and the stench inside would be disgusting.

They were simple and meaningless things for her to focus on. She didn't know what else to do - it was either that, or thinking about everything she was leaving behind.

“We’re almost there,” the driver announced. He paused for a moment, as if wondering. Then...

“If you don’t mind me asking...where are you headed? Like - the plane and all.”

Mae Min didn’t answer immediately. She didn’t really want to say anything, but he had been very nice to her, and she didn’t want to come off as rude after all the efforts he had made to make her feel comfortable.

She clutched her ticket and read what was written on it.

Right...Madrid.
“I’m going to Spain.”

“Ah, Spain’s a wonderful country.” He noted as he took a left turn, heading out of the motorway. “Good people, good food...economy’s not going swell, but...it is welcoming, that I guarantee."

Mae Min just nodded, humming a yes. Her attention was elsewhere entirely.

“Europe’s quite different, I won’t lie to you. But maybe you’ll fit right in. If it helps, it rains a lot less there.”

She managed to smile at the remark. He knew how to crack a joke, didn’t he? She wondered if he would have done the same if he knew the mess she was entangled in.

“Thanks.”

“Any time. Get yourself ready, we’re two minutes away at worst. I’ll try to park under a canopy so you can avoid another shower.”

The last moments in the taxi were spent in quietude - but at least, this time Mae Min didn’t feel like it was a suffocating silence.

As promised, the driver managed to snatch a parking space right under the canopy by the entrance. She caught a glimpse of another driver just behind them throwing awful gestures at her driver for stealing “his” own spot.

Average manners for the average taxi driver around there, it checked out.

“Good luck out there champ.” That was the last thing he told her. She had tried to hand him Kenji’s designed money, but he outright refused to take it despite her pleas. The run was on him, he said. She felt bad for not paying him but he didn’t seem much bothered.

She silently prayed for him, too. Kindness never goes unnoticed, she liked to believe.

Hopefully, the same would apply to her parents, now that they needed it the most...

Inside, the airport was an entirely new world already. It was huge, filled to the brim with people - more than she had ever seen before in her little town.

There were business men running back and forth, phone attached to their ear as if glued as they barked about things she couldn’t understand.

Families of three, four, five or even six people trotted beside her, paying no attention to her. She heard languages that were so different from hers - they sounded more like gibberish than anything.

The sound of wheeled suitcases on the chiselled floor echoed through the entire structure - each one of them with a distinct sound that lost itself in the general chaos.

Mae Min had to stop in her tracks for a moment and close her eyes. Everything felt so...disorienting. This mess wasn’t what she was used to, how did her father expect her to think straight in such a hostile and foreign place?

She clutched her head and looked around, trying to figure out what everyone else was doing in an attempt to copy them. Her flight wouldn’t wait for her if she didn’t hurry up, and her family clearly stated it wasn’t safe in Korea anymore.

Her lifetime home...wasn’t safe anymore.

She gave a look at her ticket again, desperate not to overthink the gravity of her situation. Her plane was...

Lufthansa. Departing at 2:00AM - Estimated arrival to Madrid, 10:00AM (Local Time). Gate Number: 12B.

She looked around, her eyes scanning above to see if she could find any indication of where these gates could be.

She eventually stumbled upon an arrow that pointed at an escalator.

게이츠, ↗

Her legs carried her unsteadily in that direction. She watched as the crowd jostled and pressed together, each person fighting for space. Just the thought of joining them made her sick.

On the side, she noticed a normal set of stairs with hardly anyone using them. She was aware that she didn’t have much strength left, but the thought of tiring her legs out was much more acceptable than using the escalator. So she took a deep breath and, one by one, climbed each and every step.

It required some stopping once in a while - a sprinkle of determination as well - but eventually, she made it to the top.

From there on, it was just following the arrows until she began seeing the gate numbers. She had to pry her eyes open every minute or so. She wanted to rest so badly...

Her mind really began shutting off at that moment. She knew her struggle was close to a conclusion, but she was also aware that she had not to lose her focus in the very end, and stay awake for just a moment longer...

...it was easier said than done, unfortunately. By that point, her mind has just gone numb. She went to a gate, saw a few people gathering up at a counter, and just followed along, in a limbo between being awake and asleep. She didn’t bother pondering too much. It seemed normal enough.

The girl working there didn’t pay her too much thought either, chewing her gum obnoxiously. She raised an eyebrow at the sight of the soaked teenager, probably realized she wasn’t paid enough to deal with situations such as hers, scanned her ticket and let her on the plane.

The last thing Mae Min remembered doing was taking her seat on the plane, putting her belt on and closing her eyes. But not before praying for her parents’ well being. As if she hadn’t done it ten times over, just that night...

“Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome aboard.

It is a pleasure to have you here with us tonight on Lufthansa. We will be departing from the airport shortly. The estimated flight time is approximately 12 hours until we reach...

Brawltopia.”

Notes:

Whoopsie...Mae Min fumbled...F in the chat...

Also yes this is filler too but next chapter we're getting other brawlers I PROMISE

Chapter 6: Choices.

When Mae Min woke up, the flight was practically over. She was sure she had never slept so much in her life - but then again, she'd never had to run away from home under a storm and board a plane to a country on the other side of the world.

There always was a first time for everything. That’s what Kenji had taught her.

With her parents far away and probably in danger...the best she could do was cling to their teachings. Their life lessons. It wasn’t much - it was pitiful, even - but at the very least, it was something.

When she walked out of the airplane, it dawned upon her that the familiar smells of the bar would become nothing but a faint memory in due time. It squeezed her heart so harshly that it felt as if it might just pop like an old balloon.

The salt in the kitchen, the seaweed...and the fresh fish Kenji would cut with such swift precision...the friendly chatter of familiar customers, the warm embrace of the sun in the morning as it crept through the windows...

Tenderly familiar things that she never felt the need to speak of. Until that very moment.

Without any bag to carry along, Mae Min quietly made her way through the crowds, eager to leave all that noise behind. She slipped through the masses trying not to draw attention to herself, and soon enough, she found the airport’s exit.

The air was rejuvenating. Although different than the one she had grown up with.

The airport seemed to be much closer to the city than the one in Korea. In the distance, she could just make out a few skyscrapers that dared to touch the clouds.

The thought of paying for another taxi with the money she hadn’t spent back in Korea crossed her mind for a moment, but after seeing the faces of the drivers waiting just by the entrance, she reconsidered her choice.

She didn’t even know the language. They spoke... Spanish, in Spain, right? She didn’t even know what Spanish sounded like, truth be told. There was no way for her to communicate - not without getting flipped off or worse.

She bit her lower lip, her eyes darting around in a frenzy for an alternative. Her father had a friend there, right? It only made sense that, whoever that was, would have been waiting for her, somewhere.

People called for many names. Lorenz, Brock, Mark...

She didn’t spot anyone looking for “Mae Min”.

Had she done something wrong? Had the plane landed earlier than expected, or later? The ticket she was given said the time would be 10AM, but the large clock just above her, hanging by the canopy, said...

5PM.

Mae Min’s breath caught in her throat. She had to hold onto a line of chairs behind her to avoid falling. She stared at those hands, pointing at a precise minute and hour...just the idea felt so unbelievable, unthinkable, simply impossible, and yet...time was one thing she could be sure wouldn't ever be lying.

Had she truly boarded the wrong plane...?

How!? How could that be? She had a ticket for an entirely different plane, there was no way she should have been let into the wrong aircraft without anyone noticing! She had gone to gate 21, that she remembered, and then...?

She looked at her ticket, trembling hands grasping onto the paper as if dropping it could kill her. It clearly read "Gate 12".

The realization made her stomach twist into knots. It felt like getting washed over again by that terrible rain, except this time it wasn’t water...but dread.

No friend of her dad would be waiting for her - wherever in the world she had ended up. She was stuck in a foreign country, with no way to communicate, hardly any money and guidance.

She, the 16 year old who had barely seen anything outside of her birth town.

Mae Min felt the tears stinging her eyes again. She covered her face with a hand - desperate to avoid any stranger walking up to her and asking her the stupid question; "are you alright?".

What would she do now? The terror of dying loomed over her now more than before - even during her escape from her house, she hadn't felt that fear.

She was just a kid. She really wanted to be just a kid...

...dire as the situation could have been, Mae Min realized that sitting on her hands and sobbing wouldn’t help her make it through, if there even was a chance for her to. The world that surrounded her scared her - but survival meant getting out of that airport and going somewhere else, hoping for the best. Anywhere else.

She began scanning her surroundings for any way out. After a while of looking, she saw something: far on the left stood what seemed to be a fence with a hole that opened to a strange path. Perhaps an old road that was no longer in use.

She looked around herself to make sure no one was watching. After most people turned their backs on her...she took a deep breath and ran for it.

With little other options, whatever that road was, and wherever it led, it was her only chance. So, reckless as it could have been, she easily slipped through the hole and, with her red backpack tight on her shoulders...she began walking.

 

---

 

It took a while of wandering, but it wasn't long until Mae Min concluded that the mysterious road really had been abandoned to itself.

The black cement progressively broke more and more, until it disappeared completely. Only muddy dirt was left in its stead, with dry, yellow grass slipping through any spot it could grow into.

There were no pink trees, like she had dearly hoped. Only a few occasional oaks that grew more and more common the further she walked.

The air itself was dry. It wasn’t anything like the damp, mossy smell she had grown accustomed to. Frankly, she couldn’t even point out what it smelled like. Nothing, perhaps?

Her feet grew tired sooner than she had hoped. She had tried to ignore the hurting, at least until she had gotten far enough from the airport that she couldn’t hear anything other than her own footsteps.

But ignoring the fact that her legs were about to give up on her again began less of a challenge and more of a self inflicted torture.

With hardly any energy left within her, the only thing she could do was sit on a small rock and take a breather.

She sighed.

The sun had begun to set just behind the greenish hills on the horizon. The only thing that remotely reminded her of something she once called home.

At least at the airport there were people. Here, she was alone, in the heart of nature, with no food or way to defend herself.

Had hers been the right choice? Or had she just been a coward, unable to do something as simple as attempt a conversation? She could have used her phone to translate some words. She could have found a way.

Yet she hadn’t.

Mae Min trembled, hugging herself.

For a moment, she faltered. The stinging cold that gnawed at her skin made her reconsider her choices. Her hope had become a feeble light in an abyss of darkness and doubt, slowly engulfing it.

What would Kenji have done in a situation like this? What would have Kaze said?

Would they have even gotten themselves in such a pickle, in the first place? No, probably not.

She was such a terrible daughter.

Boarding the wrong plane, and then throwing herself into the unknown at 5PM, only to end up in some weird woods for the night.

She kept sniffling. Maybe for the cold. Maybe for something else.

She couldn’t keep going, not without any reassurance that she was getting somewhere. That she could get help. She was tired, sick from the storm’s water that had drenched her clothes that still felt wet and freezing, and just...sad.

Miserable.

Sleeping was out of the picture, too. But she didn’t feel like it anyway. She couldn’t leave herself exposed to whatever horror those woods hid. What if some wild animal found her?

With how weak she was, she was already sure her chances of escaping were close to zero in case that happened. If she were to sleep too, then they’d surely hit rock bottom.

She was a stranger in a land she knew nothing of - if not only the fact that it didn’t seem to treat lost strangers kindly at all. If only she had focused, maybe she’d be in front of a fire in a Spanish house with hot cocoa...that would have been nice.

Instead, she was out there.

She cupped her face in her palms. Was that really it?

Was she destined to die alone, where no one would ever find her? Was she destined to be forgotten by the entire world? Would she never fulfill her dream of singing to the entire world?

It couldn't be okay for a girl like her to just disappear like that! She had so much to do still, she tried grasping at any solution to save herself, but nothing realistic came. Only the sounds of the growing night.

What of her vow? To always smile?

She had broken it long ago. There was no use in concealing it any longer. She had no will left to smile. No reason to.

Not without her parents.

Mae Min closed her eyes in defeat...and waited. For a miracle...or for the inevitable.

...

...

...

...?

Just when she thought there was nothing else for her to hear any longer, she raised her head, listening for the wind...

...a melody? In the distance?

She snapped in the direction she thought she heard it coming from. In the woods’ silence, she could clearly make out the sound of an old accordion playing a simple tune. It sounded...comforting. Familiar. She couldn’t tell how or why, but it did.

Was she imagining things, perhaps?

She couldn’t tell for sure. But her legs felt just a little less sore, after noticing the tune.

Whatever it was, and whether it was real or not...she had to check. She had to. Had she anything to lose by that point?

Mae Min jumped on her feet, and began running towards the source of the song. She abandoned the path she had been following, leaves and sticks cracking under her feet rapidly.

Crunch, crunch, snap...

She listened out for it. Her last hope. Her only guidance. It grew louder the closer she approached.

Until...she stumbled upon an entrance.

It was fancy. A large round arch with two reticular legs holding it up. The crown had this yellow block that reminded her of a corn kernel. Despite its size, she had to admit that it looked slender and light.

From the summit also hung a worn out sign.

“Welcome to Old Town.”

Mae Min exhaled in relief, even if unable to make out what was written on it. Miracles did exist, then...and they had come for her when she needed it the most.

Her prayers hadn't gone unnoticed.

She stepped inside. There was no proper street, like back in her own town. Just many walkways - and all of them seemed to lead to the centre of the town, with this really pretty fountain. Its shape was round, tortuous. The whole place had this common theme of buildings that called back to older styles and likings. She quite liked it.

Mae Min was about to take a step closer to get a better look at the creative way the thing had water spill out, but she quickly hid behind a lamp pole after hearing a voice.

“I promise to you it’s NOT AS BAD as it looks...”

She saw a white haired, lanky man. Raspy voice, slightly condescending too...

“Oh really? Because it does look bad.”

In front of him stood a blonde, elegant woman. Kinder, soft spoken, but still sharp in tone.

“Oh, Piper! I haven’t even tested this potion yet! But it SHOULD grant the ability to jump higher...”

“What makes you so sure of that dear? The last potion you made was meant to grant speed and it made your customer’s legs noodles.”

“That was a blatant mistake on my part that I FIXED in no time...free of charge, even!”

“Because I threatened you.”

“Okay, okay! Fine...I won’t be selling it just yet. YET!”

“You’re a disaster, Byron...”

“I appreciate the sentiment.”

That dip of sarcasm in the last sentence...Mae Min wished she knew what they were blabbering about. Even without understanding, it sounded funny.

“I’d better go back to the bakery. I have some cookies left in there, and I’d hate for them to burn. Take ca- ...oh?”

Mae Min gasped. For a moment, her eyes met the lady’s.

”What’s gotten your attention?” The man asked, his voice still composed.

“Oh dear...” the blonde took a few steps towards her. Mae Min stuttered, but didn’t run away, despite wanting to. “Are you okay, darling? You look like a horse walked all over you back and forth...”

The teenager didn’t speak. She just stared.

“I don’t think she understands you, Piper. I can tell from the looks...” The man studied her from head to toe. “I reckon she’s not from around here.”

“That I could imagine...poor thing! She looks like a scared puppy...”

They both lingered there, immovable. It was a stalemate - no one knew how to act, nor what to say. Old Town wasn’t known for often having strange teenagers showing up at sunset.

But eventually, the lady broke the silence.

“Well, foreigner or not, I am not leaving her around here all on her own.” She motioned at Mae Min to come closer with a hand. That she could understand.

“You can’t even talk to her. What are you going to do?”

Indignant, Piper spat back, “So you’d rather leave her to her destiny, Byron? Is that what you’re implying here?”

For once, Byron didn’t have an answer ready, so he gave in to her kindness. “I always told you your compassion could be your undoing...this is no exception. But fine. I suppose your decision is the better course of action.”

Mae Min was torn. Should she trust them? What if they didn’t have good intentions, despite not looking like it at all?

...The exhaustion spoke louder than her reason. Maybe even the longing for some company played a part in it.

So, she followed.

Chapter 7: Townsfolk.

Old town was nice. It was nothing like Seul - nothing would ever be. But the place had a certain charm that alleviated her grief enough for it to become bearable, at least.

It had been...three months. Three months since she had “moved in”, though it was more so an invitation to stay she took without hesitation. She wasn’t normally one to get accustomed to changes that quickly, but - people were welcoming, and, in one way or another, that strange town felt like home. Somehow.

The daily routines were decidedly monotonous. People would wake up and partake in their daily activities - working, most of the time. There were shops of all kinds - you had butchers, newsstands, libraries, kiosks, the occasional restaurant too. She had the opportunity to try a few of them - Brawltopia’s cuisine was certainly unique.

Brawltopia - that was the name of the country she had thrown herself into. Despite finding the country to be very unusual, at least compared to Korea, she managed to fit right in. People loved her positivity and smiles, a trait she thought she would never regain after the traumatizing experience she had gone through. Unfortunately, everyone spoke English, and communicating for her wasn't easy. But she was making progress! Quick learning was her thing.

Oh! And Byron was a great teacher too. He was the man she had met the day she had barged into town, alone and scared. A thing she had noticed about him was that he tended to wear the same clothes every day, more or less. His friends suspected he had a wardrobe at home filled with copies of the same attires.

Some of his impressive and admirable qualities were his knowledge and very sharp attitude - his morals left to be desired, though.

He wasn’t inherently evil - not at all. In fact, Mae Min actually enjoyed spending time with him. Sometimes, the stories of the many deals he had concluded - for better or worse - left her nostalgic with memories of Kenji’s tales.

However...he was just a bit too attached to money. So much that occasionally scamming his customers didn’t seem to strongly bother him, as long as it meant a profitable earning.

He made potions with unusual ingredients. Speed potions, love potions, potion of waking up earlier in the morning - you name one, and he probably has it. If he doesn’t, he can make it. But sometimes these potions had... undesirable results. He would always make excuses in advance. He didn’t know if and what side effects his concoctions could have - and he never made himself responsible for any harm that could come to his clients.

The truth was that most of the time, he knew. He just made potions with side effects every now and then because it was cheaper.

Despite their different views on ethics, they got along. Every day, from 9AM to 10AM, Byron would withdraw from his questionable activity at his potion stand to teach her whatever she wished - mostly english, but occasionally a few notions that ranged from history of Brawltopia to even some chemistry and magic - two subjects he was familiar with because of his job.

“I used to teach my kids,” he had remarked once, flipping the pages of an old English book. “They’re both home-taught. Colette was always eager to learn new things...Edgar was more interested in hanging out with his friends.”

And his experience showed. The usual, perpetual sarcasm in his voice would just disappear when they spent time together. She felt that he understood because he was a father as well. She appreciated his efforts to.

Oh, he really liked snakes too. He had a few in the back of his stand behind some boxes. Mae Min had gotten to see them once...from very, very afar.

Then there was Barley - an interesting fellow, to say the least. She hadn’t been in Brawltopia for much, but a thing she had learned in the first few days since her arrival was that she shouldn’t get scandalized from the sight of robots just wandering by.

They simply coexisted with humans. Acted like them, talked like them. If it weren’t for the different food they consumed and the obvious metal, she wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference.

Barley was a robot, too. A bartender to be precise. That accordion she had heard months prior had come from his bar - though not by someone playing it, but a jukebox instead.

When time allowed, she’d spend time with him. Even helped him with handling the few but loyal customers he served on a daily basis. Though different from the sushi bar in every way, the small work greatly aided her to ground herself in that new reality she inhabited.

Barley was always very polite and formal. Even with her, as well as his own friends, he would maintain a certain composure. It wasn't an act - simply a way to be. Byron told her that he’d rarely lose his cool, but that it was a terrifying sight, the rare instances he did.

She had made a mental note not to make him mad.

Sometimes, she’d just perch on one of those elegant crimson footstools with their irresistibly soft leather cushions, quietly watching Barley go about his day - polishing glasses, handing out trays, humming little tunes to himself.

When one day she mustered the courage to ask him if he ever got tired of his job, he firmly replied with a no.

“I enjoy what I do. I enjoy talking to familiar faces. I enjoy going out for a brawl, once in a while, too. But I wouldn’t trade my bar for anything in the world.”

She understood what he meant. Perhaps better than anyone ever could.

Brawls! Indeed, they were a common sport in Brawltopia. Whether it was grabbing gems, scoring goals, or busting safes open, they would always include fighting of sorts - though the name itself probably suggested that already.

Everyone had different fighting styles and abilities. Some liked the thrill of it more than others. But they were an important part of the country’s culture.

Mae Min didn’t know if those brawls were fit for her. She didn’t have any remarkable ability that could have helped her fight people with crazy powers or speed or...guns.

You know? On second thought, she really didn’t want to fight anyone at all.

Finally, there was Piper. She’d been in Old Town for the longest - having moved out from her old country for reasons she never quite explained to anyone.

That was already something she and Mae Min had in common.

Despite the questionable past, no one seemed to mind the mystery behind it. She was incredibly kind, always willing to help those in need - soft spoken, and only ever raising her tone when speaking with Byron when he'd do something nasty...

When the blonde had spotted her spying on her and Byron, she had immediately taken her in her bakery. It was a warm place - probably due to the oven being constantly turned on. Mae Min liked it there. Ever since her arrival, that's where Mae Min had spent the majority of her time.

Piper never seemed to be bothered by her presence. She simply strolled around the kitchen and made sweets of all kinds, explaining in detail everything she did and why.

One detail Mae Min had noticed was the large number of photos she had hanging on every wall of her and a robot in a blue jacket.

“That’s my boyfriend, Rico.” She had eventually explained one day, “He doesn’t often come here. He likes it better in Arcadia. Oh, it’s a small city. A little too loud for my country taste.”

Piper always spoke so tenderly of him. Her voice mellowed whenever he was brought up. Mae Min would have never imagined that someone could be so in love with a robot, but after seeing what kind of androids inhabited Brawltopia, the surprise wore off.

The baker has basically become somewhat of a mother figure to her. It was a nice thing to have - she needed someone who reminded her of Kaze. Piper, despite being unaware of it, resembled her a lot.

She wasn’t Kaze. Not even close. No one could ever be her own mother. But by that point, she’d come to terms with the fact that her parents were gone for good.

The truth was painful, but the sweet embrace of lies couldn't help her anymore.

Piper wasn't only a good talker, but also a kind listener. She'd lend an ear to Mae Min whenever she spoke with her crooked English.

The teenager really appreciated that.

They were a strange trio, those three. Strange as they might be, though, they gave her Mae Min the courage not to give up. She knew she owed them a lot.

One day Mae Min found herself in the bakery with Piper and Byron. Barley couldn’t come - he had a friend over - Bull, she remembered him being called. A bartender from another city.

Piper was cleaning the bakery earlier than usual because she had a date with her boyfriend that night. And Byron was there to avoid working, simply sitting on a small armchair nearby, more interested in his staff than Piper’s blabbering.

“Oh, it’s been a while since we’ve seen each other!” She blurted out, running back and forth with a swift step. “We’ve both been awfully busy.”

“Oh, relax. He won’t ditch you last minute for a vending machine.”

“Poor guy!” Her voice took a more offended turn at Byron’s comment. He just smirked. “He still thinks of that hunk of junk, sometimes. Jessie told me something in his system might be malfunctioning...”

“Sure is,” he confirmed, albeit with no evidence to back up his statement. “Don’t see why anyone would feel romantically attracted to one of those things, otherwise.”

Mae Min just sat by the counter and observed. She was trying really hard to understand everything the two shared, but it wasn’t easy. They tended to speak more slowly when they addressed her - but when they spoke to each other, translating their dialogues felt like running after a train.

Eventually, Byron just shrugged, crossing his legs and leaning back on the armchair. “It’s going to be okay. He’s probably as stressed as you are.”

“We’ve known each other for five years at this point, and I still get so anxious over a date...!”

“Yeah well I am quite baffled about that too. If anything, I am shocked you haven’t asked him to marry you yet.”

“WHAT.” Her head snapped to him in the blink of an eye. Byron sank into his seat.

“I was just kidding.”

“Why no marry?” Mae Min broke her silence, timidly asking. Byron stifled a laugh, watching with delight as Piper turned red like a tomato.

“Mae Min, marriage...it is something that takes time - it's an important and definitive choice! And moreover, it’s usually the man who asks the lady’s hand, not the other way around!”

“That’s just an old excuse, and you know it.” Byron raised an eyebrow, shaking his head. Piper threw him a terrible stare in retaliation.

“But you likes him...I don’t understands.” Mae Min tilted her head.

“No s at the end of the verbs there, Mae Min. It’s first person.” The snakeoil salesman was quick to correct her. She nodded in gratitude.

“I know, I know...maybe I should ask him. Maybe I should wait for him to make the move.” Piper shook her head, the conflict within her visible. “I’m not sure of what to do.”

“Mom and dad married quick. They loved very much.” Her voice took a slightly bittersweet turn, the memory of the photos of her parents’ marriage still burned within her memories. “You should think of same.”

Byron didn't add anything else, for once. Piper remained quiet for a few seconds, pondering Mae Min’s words.

“I’ll think about it, Mae Min. Thanks.”

The teenager beamed a huge smile. Helping Piper felt oddly satisfying.

“Alright, since Piper has to prepare, how about you come with me, Mae Min? We gotta work on those verb tenses...”

“What? You haven’t closed your stand yet, Byron.” Piper pointed at his little shop, visible outside her bakery’s window - still at the same spot near the fountain where Mae Min had first seen it.

“Hm...I’ll take care of it later. I’m not quite in the mood to work anymore, regardless.”

Piper facepalmed, but didn’t pry further. “Whatever floats your boat...”

Mae Min happily followed Byron as they left Piper to her own devices.

She had lots of work to do to master English, still.

Notes:

This trio is criminally underrated by the way. Supercell should draw them interacting more, they're so fun.

Also Piperico mentioned oooooooo everyone liked that (right?)

Chapter 8: Change.

“Ms. Mae Min? Is everything alright?”

A familiar robotic voice inquired, from just behind her.

“Oh-? Barley...yeah, I am fine. Thanks for asking.”

It had been a year since the misadventure.

Mae Min had fully integrated into Old Town. People began treating her as one of their own - a fellow townsfolk to wave at in the morning while going to the market for some bread.

She liked being treated as such. Belonging to a community, she believed, was the most important step for anyone's self-actualization.

Her English had improved drastically, too. She spoke effortlessly, rapidly - not yet to Piper or Barley's level, and certainly not with Byron’s eloquence - who still corrected every once in a while, though mostly for minor spelling mistakes. But at least she had reached a level that made her hard to recognize as someone who hadn't been born in Brawltopia.

Most importantly, though, her 17th birthday - that she feared would be a dreadful experience, due to it bringing bittersweet memories with its arrival - had actually been a wholesome experience. One that, like every previous birthday, she promised to cherish for long.

That day, as she headed to Piper’s bakery, she hadn’t expected the lovable trio to jump out from behind the kitchen’s counter, turning the lights on to reveal balloons, gifts, and a two-layer Black Forest Cake, made by none other than Piper herself.

She hadn’t expected them to remember in the first place. Had she even told them at all? She couldn't remember. And yet, there they were.

That day was the day Mae Min truly realized that she had found people who could care for her. Even after every certainty and belief had crumbled.

Which was exactly why, that cold winter night, she found herself leaning just by the entrance of Barley’s bar, watching as the snow gently fell from the cinder sky, lying on every surface it stumbled upon and leaving crystal white carpets wherever she looked.

It felt as if the snow itself subdued every outside noise, muffling them into distant rumors. Everything looked the same. But it was peaceful, incredibly peaceful. Like few things she had come to know.

There weren’t many clients left in the bar, if at all. People were heading out - some in a hurry to avoid catching a cold, some without a worry looming over them. They all waved at Mae Min as they returned to their homes. She waved back.

Though her mind was elsewhere. But when Barley acknowledged her - probably because she hadn’t returned inside for quite some time - she snapped back to reality.

“It is cold outside here. I would suggest you return inside, for the time being.”

“I guess you have a point,” Mae Min hung her head down. “I was just...pondering on some things.”

“You prefer thinking while freezing?” There was subtle amusement hidden within the question.

“No, more so...I prefer thinking in silence. The snow helps, too.”

Still holding a glass in one hand and polishing it with a worn-out piece of cloth in the other, Barley glanced at the sky as well, taking in its sublime beauty.

“Hm...” he thought out loud, before continuing, “Yes. I do think snow is a bringer of tranquillity, likewise.”

“Hmh.”

Barley walked back inside for a moment, before returning with a small blanket and placing it on Mae Min’s shoulders.

“This should help with the cold. Although, the bar doesn’t have many customers left...”

“I know.”

“What is it that weighs on your mind, Mae Min? If you don’t mind me asking.”

The girl stood there, arms crossed and cheek slightly leaning onto the blanket, not saying a word. Then, with a quiet sigh, she looked over to the bartender.

“I feel a bit guilty.”

“How so?” He tilted his head. He had it easy - she had seen him do a 360 with it a few times. Pros of not having a human neck, she imagined.

“I like it here, I really do.” And then she paused, as if needing to convince herself that what she had just said wasn't a lie. And really, it wasn't. But the mind often plays funny tricks. “However...I’ve been thinking about what to do...next.”

“I take it you don’t see a future for yourself here?” Barley saw right through her. She stuttered.

“...it’s weird, isn’t it?” She whispered, unable to hide the sorrow

“I don’t think it’s weird at all for you to have ambitions, Mae Min.”

“No, no. It’s not that.” She shook her head lightly. “I’ve always been someone who liked things to stay as they are. At home it was like this. And here, in Old Town, it’s more or less the same.”

“You’re not the only one who dislikes change,” he pointed out. “Byron hates that kind of thing too. I vividly remember him losing his marbles when Colette would get in trouble, forcing him to leave his stand in the middle of a deal...haha. Good times.”

Mae Min smirked. She had never had the honor of seeing Byron lose his cool during her stay - and if anything, that just proved how composed the man always was. Though she hadn’t seen much of Colette, either, only learning of her looks through photos in Byron's home. They both seemed not to be as close as they once were, unfortunately. She never inquired as to why that was the case.

“Ever since I parted ways with my parents...I began thinking that maybe change isn’t a bad thing. Things change all the time, right? If my comfort doesn’t last...perhaps moving on would help.”

Barley didn’t say a word for a minute or so. Mae Min didn’t think he disagreed - he was more so processing what she had just told him, since it was rather out of the blue for her. And he also knew that her parents were a touchy subject, but she didn't remind herself of that.

“I find that to be very mature of you, Mae Min,” he eventually concluded, nodding to himself. “My life here is simply what I wish for it to be. But that is me. If you think that you could aim at something bigger...then I won’t stop you, why would I? And I'm sure the others think the same. We all want the best for you, you know that right?”

“Yeah...” she smirked. “Yeah I do.”

Barley’s words felt like a light in that snowy day - dissipating the darkness and tugging her towards a light at the end of it all. Guilt was subdued with...a new prospect.

“Thanks Barley.”

“Any time.” He gave her a gentle pat on the back, before fixing his fancy derby hat and following up with, “What is it that you’ve been thinking of doing?”

“Singing,” she immediately replied, with much less hesitation this time, “I’d love to sing. I always loved it. When I still had the bar with my parents, I’d sing for our clients. They all enjoyed it, I remember it as if it were yesterday...”

“So you want to break through the music industry...?” He questioned. “Not to take back everything I just said, Mae Min, but... you’re still young. I am not entirely sure any manager will be willing to invest in you. Super City would be your only shot at this, and there, the competition is...fierce, to put it lightly.”

Yet, Mae Min’s smile didn’t falter. “I guess I’ll have to convince them with my voice, then! I know there’s a chance for me out there. I need to go and grab it with both hands.”

“Well...you do have a unique voice. I guess it would be worth a shot.”

“I will miss it here, though...” Nostalgia washed over her as she looked behind her, at Barley’s bar, where she had spent many nights with Piper and Byron, too, telling her of their most notable days...

“You can always come back. You’re a townsfolk too, now.” He reassured her right away, his palm pointing at the now familiar square.

“Yeah...I think I am.”

 

---

 

It wasn’t immediate.

Mae Min had to prepare. Pack up her things, buy some fancy clothes to look more convincing...

Byron had eagerly contributed to helping with the latter, both with his own opinions and tastes as well as money. Which she thought she would never see, given how much he disliked spending his savings.

Yet he had made an exception for her. She definitely owed him one.

Neither he nor Piper opposed her cherished dream. Like Barley, they had given her full support, pushing her to follow up with her choice to move on. They all felt so much like family...and she thought she’d never have one again.

Life was weird. Confusing, but...fascinating, all the same.

It took a week, but after everything was prepared with utmost attention, Mae Min found herself at the exit of Old Town, exactly where she had entered the first time. The arch still looked the same - minus for some rust.

Barley felt the need to take a picture with the four of them before the departure. He kept looking at it, his usually yellow eye turned to a shade of blue as he shed an oil tear.

Piper was much less subtle than him with emotions. Byron had to hand her a handkerchief to wipe away the sheer amount of tears she was spilling out.

He was the most composed of the three. Like he always was, after all - but Mae Min knew that he was sad to see her go too, deep down. The moments they had spent together, learning English and much more, hadn’t meant nothing to him.

“Come back with fame and pride, darling!” Piper waved goodbye, smiling through the tears.

“And make sure to invite us to your concert, too...” Byron added.

“I will. I promise!”

“Free of charge, I hope?” Ah, she knew he would ask that, and she knew Piper would throw him that one stare of disapproval. They both shared a knowing smile.

“Free of charge.” She reassured.

She gave them all one last look. Barley’s nod was the last thing she needed to move on. But she promised herself she’d write to them.

With nothing else to say...she finally turned her back on the trio, this time making sure to follow the path.

Next stop: Super City.

Notes:

Just you wait until I introduce the big bad villain in this thing...but for now, enjoy the wholesome Barley content, you...two Barley mains out there. Wherever you are!