Chapter Text
PROLOUGE
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Mari and Sunny.
Mari and Sunny were a duo of a older sister and her younger brother. The two were very well liked in their small town of Faraway town. They were known as the "perfect siblings." They lived a pretty mediocre living condition, had a huge friend group, had a loving family, the talent of music, the talent of beauty, and the talent of kindness.
Now even though the two were both loved and siblings they were very much not alike other then their looks. Mari a beautiful, kind, and intelligent teenage girl of the age of 15. Even with Maris young age she had made a very well known name for herself around town due to her incredible kindness. Being liked by about everyone in school and even being quiet the teachers pet herself how could no one not love her. Her looks and kindness also attracted many young boys her age, one of those boys being her next door childhood best friend Henry, or rather known as his nickname "Hero" due to his will to help others.
The two have made a very well young love couple for about 2 years now. But Mari is more about her looks and kindness as she is also very intelligent and mature compared to some of the other children around her it would seem. Constantly completing good grades to bring home, being the top of her school, and as well the lead of the school council. Mari is just the towns "perfect little girl."
Her younger 12 year old brother Sunny is less known or loved, mainly just referred to as "Maris cute little brother." But to be honest Sunny has seemed to never have a problem with it as over the years he has grown up to be his own individual person to his sister. Sunny is almost nothing like his sister but not in a bad way. He is very quiet, very introverted, and shy. Very rarely ever talking to people he might not know well or even really the people he does. Never really cracking much of a smile and only ever showing his emotions through his eyes rather then his muscles. But even with this Sunny has shown to be a great listener to most, whenever anyone just needs a quick talk Sunny is always there by their side to sit there and just listen maybe give a few words or two.
He's also shown to be like his sister in kindness. Whenever he may see people being left out, ridiculed, hurt, or hurting he is known to help wherever he possible can. Even with Sunnys lack of words you can truly tell he cares for the people around him and especially his friends. He is also a very talented artist. For his age he can draw beautiful creations that many can not compete with. Practically spending all his time alone which is alot just drawing his heart away. Many love him for his very cute behaviors and his sister but the people who really get to know him even with the little words he says truly love him for him.
The overall message is that the two were truly loved in their own ways. But one reason they are known as the "perfect siblings" is due to their very obvious love and appreciation for one another. Many siblings their age dont usually like to hang out and can get into small bickering and fights, but the two have never been like that. Ever since they were little they have been attached to by the hip, very obviously loving the other more then anything.
Also one of the things they were well known for was their love and talent for music. Since they were young Mari had always loved to play the Piano and Sunny the violen. But after a few years Sunny had given up and stopped playing the violen, but Mari kept going. Sunny once older had voiced his regret for quiting the violen so on last Christmas all his friends including his sister had all pitched in with their money and had bought him his very own brand new violen. Ever since the two have been practicing for a recital set for October 23rd. Practically everyone in town had been very excited to see these two young siblings driven together by music to perform.
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October 22, 1996
Mari yawned as she rubbed her eyes awake to the bright sunlight out from the window of her room. She looked over to see her little brother Sunny out of his bed on the other side of the room. This was quiet odd for Sunny, he was not much of a morning person, very ironic on the name Mari must admit.
Mari stretched her back out as she stood up from her bed quickly changing out of her pajamas and brushing out her frizzled and messy hair too make her look somewhat half decent. "Sunny?" She finnaly called out as she left her room. "Down here" sunnys quiet and meek recognizable voice said from downstairs.
Mari ran down the stairs to see the light turned off and all the windows coveted by blinds all around. "Haha very funny Sunny trying to scare m-" Mari said in a tired sarcastic tone as she went to turn on the light before a bunch of confetti was thrown into her face. "Suprise!" Many voices said at once, all voices Mari recognized almost immediately. She looked over to see all her friends, boyfriend, and Sunny all together with grins on their faces as they all stood together holding up a cake with the words "Happy Recital" written on it with icing.
"Aaawww you guys, you didn't have to do this! It's only a Recital!" Mari replied in a happy tone as she took the cake in her hands with a wide smile blushing a bit from embarrassment from the fact she wasn't exactly dressed properly in the moment. "Just a Recital!?" Little twelve year old Aubrey said as she looked up at Mari.
Aubrey, a very mischievous and tempered little girl. Very sadly everyone in the group knew she didn't come from the greatest home so she practically was always hanging around by their house. Even with her temper their was nothing Aubrey cared more about then her friends...well maybe not Kel.
"Don't say that Aubrey, Mari can react how ever she liked!" Kel argued back in a mocking and insulting tone as he stuck his tounge out at Aubrey. Very obviously not really caring for what he was saying and only wanted to fight with Aubrey and mock her.
Kel the little brother of Maris boyfriend Hero and Mari and sunnys neighbor. Kel was a very active kid, especially when it came to basketball, he would always be found by the basketball area in the middle of town, even though to admit he wasn't the greatest at it. He was also known for being very jeerful and joyful, always being the innocent light of the room. Until it came to Aubrey.
"Shut up Kel!" Aubrey spat back as she turned towards him with a scowl until she turned back to Mair. "We are all very proud of you and Sunny Mari, even if kel isnt" Aubrey said passionately as she went to hold Maris hand. "Hey!" Kel angerly said. "Welk thats very nice of you aubrey" Mari said with a smile looking down at the little girl before letting go of her hand and patting her on the head.
"Sorry if the words are a bit messed up Honey, I sorta...wasn't exactly done by this morning so I had to rush it a bit.." Hero said with a nervous grin as he put his arm at the back of his head with a bit of sweat coming of his face. It looked like he hadn't slept in days.
Hero, Maris hero and boyfriend. Hero was also very well known around town almost as much as Mari, for his good looks and willingness to be a helping hand. He was also very well known for being a great baker, one of the reasons he became popular in town in the first place was when he was younger he would go around and sell little cupcakes he made with his mother. He's shown to be very responsible and has known Mari and Sunny since he could walk, being beatfriends with Mari for years and at 13 when they graduated middle school finnaly confessing his feelings towards her which she accepted.
"Hero its fine" Mari said with a eye roll and a clever smirk. "More then fine actually." Mari said as he went down to grab a cherri placed on top of the cake and then put it in her mouth "its perfect" she said before leaning in and giving Hero a small peck on the cheek. She looked over to where she had thought she had saw Basil and Sunny at first but she looked over to the couches in the living room and saw that the two of them were already playing on Sunnys new Gameboy he had got for his birthday only a few months ago.
"Aw you died sunny" Basil said as he leaned over to see Sunny play the game only to see the GAME OVER pop up almost immediately. "Don't worry there's always next time" Basil said reassuringly as he looked at sunny before taking the Gameboy and setting it on the table in front of the couch.
Basil was Sunnys bestfriend. Like sunny he was also known to be pretty shy, not on his level as he did seem to like to speak, Basil was scared of people and Sunny just didn't liked people in a way. Basil was known fro his love to help overs and selfless actions. It did seem that he liked Sunny due to his need for help and also his ability to just listen. Now Mari had always thought Basil seemed to like Sunny a bit too much for the average bestfriend. But of course what does she know. Basil was also very well known for loving plants, growing up with his grandma and his care taker Polly who had a huge backyard of a garden it was meant to be. Basil shows his love for plants with the sunflower he keeps in his hair at all times.
"What you two doing?" Mari said as she leaned on the back of the couch looking down at the two younger boys. "Oh Hi Mari we were just playing some games on Sunnys Gameboy! Then we're hoping to munch down on some of the cake!" Basil says looking up at Mari with a wide smile. "Well you boys better get to the kitchen fast or Kel is definitely eating the cake before you can even get a crumb." Hero said with a smirk as he walked over next to Mari also leaning on the couch as he looked down on the boys. "Oh no!" Basil said worryingly. "We better go Sunny!" Basil said as he gently grabbed sunnys wrist before running over to the kitchen Mari and Hero following right behind the two.
All six of the close friends all gathered around the cake on the kitchen table. "Cake cake cake cake!" Kel chanted as he banged his hands on the table in sink with his tune as Mari carried the cake to the table. "Will you stop that already!" Aubrey said angerly as she took her fingers out of her ears in annoyance. "Aubreys right Kel, let's try and not be too loud now" Hero said as he sat down at the table next to Kel. "Aaawww big bro you cant possibly be taking HER side!" Kel complained.
"Now listen kel." Hero said with a little chuckle at kels behavior. "Uuughhhh" Kel complained as he dramatically put his head down on the table. "Thats what you get booger breath!" Aubrey said viciously as she chuckled. "Here you go everyone!" Mari said cheerfully as she set the cake down on the table. "Thank you!" They all said in unison. "How about let's let Mari have the first piece!" Basil said as Sunny shook his head beside him. Kel was about to speak before Hero quickly cut him off. "Thats a great idea basil!."
"Aw you guys are so sweet! But just a reminder that this isnt only my recital!" Mari said happily as she sat next to Sunny. "This is sunnys as well!" Mari said as she put his arm around her little brother and cuddled him in close. "Mariii" Sunny quietly said. "Why of course, how about you both have the first slice!" Hero said as he grabbed the knife and cut out two big slices out of the cake and on to Sunnys and Maris plate.
"Oooo me next!" Kel said as he raised his hand right into the air. "Biggie" Aubrey said as she side eyed the smaller boy. "Hey! Who are you calling biggie!" Kel said looking at Aubrey. "Here you go Kel now shut up" Hero said in a mocking tone as he set down a piece of cake on Kels plate. "Thanks bro!" Kel said before immediately digging down on the cake. "Eeewwww" Aubrey said in disgust as she moved further away from Kel as he ate like a complete animal.
Mari leaned in over to Sunny as they both ate. "Wheres mom and dad gone too." Mari asks quietly to Sunny. "I dont know, when I woke up they weren't here only are friends" Sunny replies quietly in his small voice. "Alright." Mari answered before she got up from the table over to the home phone and called dad's work place. No answer. She then called her parents friends place from down the street. "Yellow?" Her parents friend said from across the phone. "Hello? This is Mari just wanted to know if my parents were down at your place?" She asked.
"Oh yes! I invited them down here this morning, I'll put them on the phone." The man said before putting the phone down, after a few seconds she heard it being picked back up. "Hey sweetheart!" Her dad's voice said from the other side of the phone. "Hey dad! I just wanted to ask when you and mom are going to be home?" Mari asked. "Oh me and your mother won't be back home later tonight." Her dad said. "Ugh dad you keep doing this" Mari said quietly as she didn't want her friends or Sunny to hear.
"Well im sorry sweetheart, but we promise that we will try are best, just that you know our old pal, his party invites are too good to not offer" her dad says from the other side getting a sigh from Mari. "Oh alright, just dont do this the day of the recital" Mari said with a smile trying to sounds pleasant. "I promise my dear, also are you with that Henry boy again?" Her father replies. "....no." Mari says thinking that was a very obvious lie. "Good once again Missy your too young to be dating yet! And besides I think that boys a bad influence on you anyways." He says before hanging up that phone.
Soon the cake is practically all gone nothing left but crumbs on a empty plate and the six are arguing about what too do next. "We should go play basketball!" Kel said to Aubrey. "No basketballs stupid!" Aubrey spat back. "M-maybe we could go and water some plants?" Basil goes into the conversation. "No!" Both Aubrey and kel says together as they look at basil. "Sorry!"
Hero and Mari sigh as they watched from a distance. "We can just never get those kids to get along can we." Hero says. "Well it is the day right before the recital and I want it to be a good day for just not me but for Sunny, so what do you want to do Sunny?" Mari says with a smile as she looks down at her little brother who is currently holding on to her leg hiding away from the bickering happening with the other three twelve year olds. "...well...I think I want to spend some time drawing.." Sunny said quietly.
"Drawing it is!" Mari says happily before walking over to the other three. Even with Kels refusal to do drawing at first they all start to grab some craft supplies and start peacefully drawing. While everyone is drawing some stuff like stick figures Basil has decided to customize his photo album a bit. Basil has a knack for photography especially with the mini camera he had gotteb for last christmas, and he loves to take pictures of his friends to the point his has an entire book just for that.
"There's my first photo Sunny, its you!" Basil says happily as he points to a picture of Sunny on Christmas day trying out the violen we had gotten for him. 'My first photo! It's my best friend, SUNNY, trying out his new violin. He's starting to take lessons again so he can play at recitals with his sister' it says written by basil at the bottom. "Then my twelve birthday! As well as a picture of you playing your brand new Gameboy!" Basil says cheerfully as he points at all the pictures of his birthday.
"Of course pictures of all the fun times we've had in this house of course!" Basil says as he points to some pictures of them hanging around Maris and sunnys house. Even with his blank expression it is obvious Sunny is very entertained as he looks fondly at the pictures of all of them hanging out making little noises of agreement and shaking his head up and down. Basil keeps flipping through all the pages as he lands on a picture of Mari carrying an asleep Sunny on her back. "Aaawww I forgot about this one!"
Basil says with fondness Sunny blushing a bit from embarrassment. Basil quickly flips to show Mari. "Aawww I loved that day you were as asleep as a babyyy" Mari says fondly taking Sunnys cheek and squeezing it and Sunny gets even more red from embarrassment.
Soon the kids are all about done their drawings. "Here's mine!" Kel says as he shows a stickman drawing of someone shooting a basketball with the word Kel with a arrow pointing to the figure on the left. "Ppfffff kel you know thats never going to happen!" Aubrey says. "Now let's be nice Aubrey." Mari says with a cheerful attitude. "Fine, well here's mine!" Aubrey says as she shows a picture of everyone as stickfigures all holding hands.
"Heeeeyyyy where's me!" Kel said in a offended tone. "Oh! Guess I forgot youuuu" Aubrey says in a mocking voice. "Well here's mine" Hero says as he turns his paper around to show a very detailed drawing of Mari. "Aaawww heroooo" Mari says happily as she lookd up. "Yeeaaa just thought you were a perfect muse" hero said blushing.
"BLEH" Kel drastically says as he sticks out his tounge in disgust. "Can we please move on!!!" Kel whines. "Well here mine" Basil says flipping his album book showing some cool doodles and designs he's made around it. "Thats great basil! Will make the book all as well memorable!" Mari says as she puts her hands together. "Well Sunny?" Mari says looking over at her little brother.
Sunny slowly flips over his paper to show a beautiful drawing of everyone in the group all together, similar to Aubreys but...with kel this time. "Wow dude!" Kel says. "Sunny thats beautiful!" Basil says happily looking at his bestfriend red in the face a bit. "Thats great Sunny!" Mari says as she slowly turns over hers.
"Its not the greatest drawing..." Mari says as she shows a drawing of what appears to be her and Sunny playing the piano and violen together. "Just like what its going to be tommorow!" Hero says happily.
Soon before the six knew it, it was time to leave the house. "You better get out of here before my dad sees you!" Mari says jokingly before giving Hero a kiss on the forehead as he levaes off. "Don't be too bad for Hero now!" Says Mari waving off to kel. "Whyyy cant I stay looonnnggeerr" Aubrey whines as she hugs onto Maris leg. "Im sorry Aubrey but its getting dark and me and Sunny have to get up right in the morning to get ready for the recital!" Mari says leaning down to aubreys level. "You'll see me at the recital okay!" Mari says. "Okay..." aubrey says pouting before running off.
Mari looks back to see Sunny and basil holding eachothers and saying something to one another. "Hey you boys sorry but its getting late basil better run off now!' Mari said with a smirk. "Oh yes no problem Mari!" Basil says letting go of sunnys hand and walking right out the door frame. "Bye Sunny! I bet you and Mari will do great tommorow!" Basil says happily before turning around and starting to walk home.
Sunny keeps waving to him with the slightest of smiles before he dissappears down the street. "Well, we better get rid of any traces of any of them being here before mom and dad's gets home shouldn't we?" Mari says with a smirk and a hyping attitude as she looks down at sunny. Sunny looks up and gives a nod.
"Well let's go do that!" Mari says with a grin before dramatically grabbing Sunny by the armpits and swinging him on her shoulders earning a small giggle from Sunny.
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October 23, 1996
Today was the day. The day Mari, Sunny, their friends, and some of the small town had been waiting for. Since last years Christmas Mari has done everything she can to make Sunny as perfect at the violen as possible and for the last 2 months the pair has been practicing their song for the recital.
"Wake up Sunny!" Mari says excitedly yet a over whelming fear on her back as she shakes Sunny awake. "Ugh.....yea...mari" Sunny says in a quiet and tired voice as he slowly opens his eyes. "It's time!" Mari says getting up." Now I know you've been having a bit of trouble lately with a certain part so I wanted to get up bright and early so we can practice all day long! Cause this has to be PERFECT." Mari says trying to swipe off her nervousness putting alot of power on the word perfect. "...but Mari...its a evening recital we still have so many-"
Sunny was silently saying before he suddenly got pulled of the bed by Mari and rushed down stairs to the music room. "Mom, dad! Me and Sunny are going to rehurse for tonight for a bit okay?" Mari says through out the house, only to get no response. "Mom? Dad?" She says entering the room before sighing. "Godammit are they back over at that godamn house?" Mari says under her breathe before calling the house once again.
"Yellow?" The man says from the other side. "It's Mari." Mari says "Ill put you on." The man says sounding a bit done with the situation. "Hello dear" this time her mom's voice says. "Hi mom, you and dad said you'd be here for me and Sunny today?" Mari said trying to not show her frustration. "Oh im sorry dear, we just got cought up again, besides you and Sunny probably need some time alone for today, we promise we'll be there atleast an hour before it begins alright. Make sure your brother is all dressed okay, bye bye!" Her mom says before hanging up not letting Mari getting another word.
Mari grumbles under her breathe before putting down the phone. "....tonight has to be perfect." Mari says as she looks down to the floor before thumping into the music room to see a tired Sunny getting his violen out with a yawn. "Come on Sunny! We gotta get this perfect for everyone!" Mari says as she sits in her piano chair. Sunny just quietly and awkwardly nods before focusing his best on the violen.
The two start to play the duo part of the song "final duet". It goes well until Mari misses a note completely. "God!" Mari says frustratingly as she stops in her tracks. ".....whats wrong?" Sunny said timidly. "You know whats wrong, I messed up again!" Mari says putting her hands in her face. "...I didn't notice if that helps.." Sunny says. "....whatever let's keep going" Mari says with a sigh. "I just need to wake up a bit...Im sorry Sunny."
They keep going for a few more hours with Mari getting more and more frustrated and Sunny getting more tensed and scared causing him to mess up more then usual. Overall it isnt going to well....
"Are you sure she's going to be fine with you bothering her only 2 hours before the recital" heros mother says to him as she ties his tie on his suit. "I promise mom, come on its Mari she'll love the roses ill give her even if its a suprise. It's her dad I have to worry about" hero says sweating a bit from the heat of the suit.
"You look dumb." Kel says making a bleh face once again. "Kel be nice to your brother." Their mom says before handing Hero the bouquet of flowers he had made for Mari. "You look beautiful, now go get your girl" his mom says before giving him a quick kiss on the cheek as he walks out to go over to Maris next door.
It had been almost 9 hours of straight practice and Mari seems to be getting more and more pissed off. In the middle of the song Sunny sadly messes up a part of his solo and it makes Mari crack. "Ugh! Why cant you just get it right!" Mari says as she gets up in anger yelling at her little brother making Sunny stop in his cracks in horror. "You know how much of a reputation I have in this town, this has to be PERFECT, so I can be PERFECT, and I can prove to everyone that I am PERFECT!" She says not really thinking about whats really coming out of her mouth due to stress.
"And your ruining that for me SUNNY!" Mari yells as she bangs down on the piano as hard as she can.
The room goes quiet for a second before Mari hears a sniffle as she looks up and sees Sunny beginning to cry. "....Oh Sunny...im so sorry.." Mari starts to apologize but not before Sunny runs out of the room in tears. "No WAIT Sunny come back!" Mari yells out as she follows Sunny out of the room.
Sunny starts to run up the stairs violen still in hand crying until...he trips and let's go of the violen. Right as Mari is about to get to the bottom of the stairs she watches as the violen rolls down the stairs and crush into a million different piece on the ground completely destroyed.
...
"WHAT THE HELL SUNNY!?" Mari screams as she looks up at sunny before he quickly runs up the stairs only for Mari to quickly catch up to him at the top no problem grabbing his wrist and pulling him back.
Hero starts to fix his hair up as he gets to the front of Maris house. He's about to knock on the door before he hears a loud thud and yelling right after. He gets a bit nervous before he knocks only to be met with silence before he starts to hear more yelling come from inside the house. He's about to knock again until he realizes that the door is unlocked so he slowly opens the door. "Mari?...is everything okay." He quietly says only to peep over the corner to see Sunny and Mari at the top of the stairs and a broken violen at the bottom which catches Hero by his breathe.
"WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS!? THE RECITAL IS IN LESS THEN TWO HOURS SUNNY!?" Mari yells in anger and panic pointing down to the violen below as Sunny only looks down trying not to try too much holding on desperately to his shorts trying not to look Mari in the eyes. "...im sorry..." Sunny says quietly sniffling up the tears still looking down at he uses one of his hands to wipe it off.
"YOUR SORRY!? SUNNY THIS IS MORE THAN JUST SORRY...YOU HAVE RUINED THIS ENTIRE NIGHT!?" Mari screams holding on to her hair in panic. "What is everyone gonna think of me now!? Just some stupid girl who couldnt even get her twelve year old brother I control!?" Mari says pacing back and fourth while still keeping her eyes on the violen down the stairs.
"...well maybe if you didn't care about what everyone thinks all the time this wouldn't have happened!" Sunny says angerly and sadly as he looks up at Mari with tears in his eyes. "STOP IT SUNNY! IF IT WASNT FOR ME YOU WOULDNT HAVE ANY FRIENDS IN THE FIRST PLACE" Mari says before going quiet.
"Sunny...im sorr-" Mari was about to apologize before she felt sunnys hands on her hitting her. "SUNNY STOP!" Mari says angerly as she cries out before pushing Sunny back away from her.
...
Down the stairs.
Mari watches in horror as Sunnys small body falls down the long flight of stairs on his back. "MARI!' He cries out as he falls on tears before the loud thump and crack of him hitting the bottom of the stairs and on to the broken and chipped violen rings around the room.
...
Mari watches Sunnys body stop moving as he hit the bottom and all the cries and screams of pain he had made in the short time he has fallen was now gone.
Mari waited in shock looking at sunny just waiting for him to get up and cry, whine and cry like the child he was about how his big old mean sister had pushed him down the stairs. Mari waited. But Sunny just lyed there motionless at the bottom.
After what felt like a eternity Mari finnaly spoke in a shaky tone. "...s-sunny?" She said bending over a bit to se him more clearly at the bottom of the dark stairs. No response. Shaking in fear Mari soon ran down the stairs over to Sunny and quickly dropped next to him. Their was blood....so much blood, all over the violen and ground. She quickly grabbed Sunny and turned him around, it looked like Sunny was sleeping, his eyes were closed in such a way that it only looked like he was unconscious which gave Mari hope.
Her body stiffened, she quickly checked his pulse.....nothing...there was nothing.
...
But why was Mari surprised?
She knew he was dead by the time he hit the ground
She just didn't want to accept it.
...
"SUNNY!!" Mari cried out in agony and panic. Before quickly putting sunnys body close to her chest before a flood of tears went down her face. "SUNNY, S-SUNNYYY" She hiccuped with the cries she had as she held his body close to hers. Even with Sunnys cold nature his body had always been naturally warm, this was the first time she had ever felt Sunnys body so cold beside her.
As Mari cried in panic, Hero watched from the shadows Mari too focused on the situation to even notice he was there. He dropped the flower bouquet in complete and utter horror. He felt nauseous as he looked at Maris face and heard her cries and even worse looking down at little Sunny, lifeless and cold.
Hero was meant to be the hero. To be honest he had always saw Sunny as a second younger brother to him. Especially when it came to protecting him, as the oldest he felt like he always needed to protect him since he was the youngest, the smallest. He would protect Sunny from bullies, spiders, the ghosts in his closest, but yet Sunny was laying dead infront of Hero at this moment.
And Hero had watched it all happen.
And he did nothing to save the little boy he had loved to protect.
"SUNNYYYY" Mari cried as tears kept rolling down her face desperately holding on to her brothers small lifeless body. Hero took a gulp as he walked over in horror too Mari. He had already lost Sunny, he couldnt lose Mari, she could surely go to prison or atleast some rehab for this.
He couldn't let them take away Mari.
He just couldnt.
"Mari....g-get up.." Hero said through the horror, fear, and overall sadness he was feeling at the moment from the loss. Mari quickly stoped her crying and screaming to look up to see Hero. "....h-hero?" Mari said in complete dismay and confusion tears still running down her face. "I-i.....I said get up."
Hero said trying to fight the tears himself. "N-no...NO! I WONT LEAVE HIM!" Mari said in panic and dread as she held sunnys body closer. "Mari im sorry.." Hero said before he bent over and shaking hands in complete fear and agony he scooped the little boys bloody corpse up into her arms away from Mari.
"No..PLEASE, PLEASE I NEED HIM!" Mari said grabbing at Heros legs before Hero ran up to their bedroom Mari quickly running behind him screaming for Sunny. Once he got into the room he gently laid Sunny on his bed before falling to the ground and putting his hands together to think. Mari ran into the room to see the scene where she immediately breakedown next to Sunnys bed crying into his sheets.
It was quiet for awhile no words spoken as the only sound was Mari crying desperately into the bed. "....I h-have...an idea..." Hero said wiping away the tears and trying to get the shakiness out of his voice. Mari took her head from the bed and looked at Hero with fear and tears. "Y-your...not going to like it."
...
"NO! NO I WONT DO THAT TO HIM!" Mari protested in anger as she looked at Hero through the tears. "It's the only w-way! Mari!" Hero yelled trying to not seem angry or harsh at Mari but also trying to hide his over whelming fear. To be honest he wasn't very happy with the girl at the moment, hell who could, but he couldnt lose her. He just couldnt.
Hero grabbed the little boys body into his arms, without the blood and paleness he really looked like he was just sleeping, broke Heros heart anymore. Hero took a gulp as he felt himself shaking and Maris still little sniffles in the corner and then he left the room. Down the stairs to where there was still blood in every corner of where Sunny hit and the broken Violen at the bottom. Mari slowly followed quickly behind her eyes only on the corpse laying in Heros hands.
Hero sighed as he entered the backyard. He slowly went up to the big tree in the middle of the backyard that Sunny had always liked to draw at and set his limp body on the bottom. "..o-okay..okay" Hero said with a rapid breath as he looked around the backyard in a bit of a panicked state. Then he saw over by the toy box, a small little jump rope that he and Sunny had played with only about 3 days earlier.
Hero shakingly walked over trying not to collapse to the ground as he did so. When he got to the box he collapsed and quickly took out the small jumping rope before turning back to see Mari just horrifying looking at Sunny visible shaking and holding back tears. Hero whipped away a tear and tried not to shake in horror more then he already was as he got up and went over to the body. "Im....gonna need your help Mari..." Hero said quietly not looking Mari in the eyes.
He had expected Mari to cry and scream and panic that he couldnt do it like she had done prior but Mari only gave a loud gulp and slowly walked closer to the body. It took Hero a few seconds to have the heart to do it before he wrapped the end of the jumping rope around Sunnys neck. "G-grab his body" Hero said as he grabbed the other end of the rope.
Mari only nodded eyes still widened in terror. She slowly held sunnys body up but to be more fair it more looked like she was given him one last hug. Hero shaked as he got up and on his highed of tip toes tied the end of the rope to the largest branch on the tree.
"....let him go." Hero said wiping off a tear in a shaky voice. It took a few seconds of silence but after a single tear Mari let go of the boys body. Sunnys body went down as his neck cought on the rope and his body started rocking back and fourth making it looked like the boy had hung himself. Hero quickly went to the body and made sure there was so visible blood left on him. Hero sighed before grabbing Maris wrist and turning around. The both of them walked over to the door to go back inside. Once they met the door frame Mari looked back one more time abd stopped dead in her tracks.
...
"W-wasn't his eyes closed?" Mari said in a shaky voice.
Hero looked over his shoulder to see sunnys dangling body.
With one wide horrified eye looking out of the mess that was his hair.
...
The two in complete silence even more than before quietly started to clean the scene. Mari picked up all the small fractured pieces of the violen she could fine and quickly went to lock them in one of the back boxes in the closet. Hero meanwhile was cleaning up all the blood he could find around the stairs. If police looked hard enough they would find some but assuming their planned worked and the autopsy comes up as a broken neck then the police would probably not check around the house.
Hero sighed as he finished cleaning the small drips of blood around the house from Sunny. He looked around to see Mari still in the closet she had gone to put Sunnys broken violen. Hero slowly entered the room to see Mari crying leaning her head on the open box with sunnys violen in it.
Hero sighed before slowly walking up to Mari and collapsing next to her letting Mari cry go for how ever long she needed. "H-he was still alive....well could've SAVED HIM" Mari cried out as she banged her head on the box. Hero quickly stopping her with his arm to continue smashing her head. "IM A MURDERER, SUNNYS DEAD AND IT'S ALL MY FAULT!" Mari cried out in agony as she didn't care what Hero thought of her anymore.
"M-mari....its our fault okay." Hero said holding on to Maris shoulders. "And no matter what Im gonna make sure we dont get caught.." Hero says trying to hold back the anger and sadness he was feeling at the fact his plan practically murdered Sunny. "I-if....we'd only called someone...he couldve..he c-couldve..." Mari quietly said in all the tears. "Sunnys dead...my little brothers deeeaaaddd..." she said putting her face in her hands shaking uncontrollably.
After a few minutes of Mari having a complete meltdown hero quickly got her up because they only had a half an hour before her parents were home. "Y-you...got this.." Hero said as he held on to Maris shoulders. Mari looked at him with puffed up red eyes and a shaky nod before she looked down at the phone and with hesitation called the number.
"Hello 911 what is your emergency."
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"My little brother...is dead."
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"MY BABY, MY BABY BOYYY!" Mari and Sunnys mother screams in agony on the grass below as the police surround the hanging corpse, the eye still peeking through the hair. "I-its okay honey...i-its...okay.." Their dad tries to reassure her as he wipes away some tears. Hero and Mari are quietly standing in the background as Hero puts a very slight hand on Maris shoulder. Usually her dad would be furious with it but obviously he hasn't really noticed or cared.
The two had made up a story that Hero had came over and they had left Sunny alone for a few minutes while they talked in the kitchen. Once Mari went back to the music room Sunny was no where to be seen and after looking for a few minutes they found Sunny hanging in the backyard and called the police.
Their mom and dad had seen the police driving too the house when they were just leaving for the recital and almost immediately ran over to see what was happening but obviously by that time it was too late. Mari has no idea what to do, all her friends and family are probably gonna wonder why the recital is now suddenly not happening and will probably want to come over to see and she has no idea what to do.
But fuck the recital. Fuck everyone. Fuck everything. Sunnys dead. Her little brother who she had spent all her life protecting and taking care of is dead. And with the monster she now is, she is responsible for it and covered it up in a horrible way.
"Oh dear whats go-" Hero and Kels mother say as she enters the backyard going up to hero and Mari with their father and Kel all in their fancy clothing ready for the recital that will never happen. From living just next door they most likely saw the police and obviously wanted to make sure everyone was okay, when everyone was in fact not.
His mother stops in his tracks as her eyes way witness to Sunny hanging. Their father quickly behind also immediately stopping in his tracks in complete shock and fear. "Scoot over i wanna-" Kel says as he scoots past all the adults before also immediately stopping. Kel stares at sunnys hanging body surrounded by police officers checking the scene.
For a few seconds it quiet before Kel let's out a loud horrified scream, tears running down his face as he does. Kel immediately starts to run to Sunnys corpse before getting stopped by a police officer. "NO SUNNY WHY, NO WHAT!?" Kel screams in agony as his cries are heard from around the neighborhood. The young boys screams being the only thing heard. Kel drops to the ground in agony as he starts sobbing into his shirt uncontrollably shaking rapidly having no idea whats going on.
Kels mother quickly runs up to her little boy and tries her best to comfort him in anyway she can. "I-its okay...its okay.." She says through tears and panic in her voice as well dropping to the boys level rubbing his back to try and soothe him. It's a mess a complete panic many other people around the neighborhood are gathered around the house trying to see the commotion.
Aubrey and Basil walk down the street casually talking in their fancy outfits. Both of them were planning on hitching a ride to the recital with Kels and Heros family. But as they arrived to the street they are immediately met with police cars, people surrounded, and screams of terror around Mari and sunnys house just next door.
"W-what the.." Aubrey says quietly to herself as her and Basil both stop in shock confused. They had planned for Kel, hero, and their parents to be just outside their house with the car ready to go for them to hop in but no one of their family was in sight. And there were suddenly cop cars all around the house.
Before the two knew it they heard a loud and blood curdling scream from the house one they recognized to well. "Kel!?" Both Aubrey and Basil said in unison in a panic. Just then Aubrey got out of her freeze spot and grabbed Basil by the wrist immediately and dragged him along with her as they ran to the house.
They noticed the garage door was wide open and their was police surrounded the entire back yard. "What's happening, whats wrong with Kel!?" Aubrey said as she pulled Basil in as she saw Kels father, Mari, and hero all stranding together looking over at Kels direction. It didn't take long to see what Kel was screaming at and both Aubrey and Basil stopped dead in their tracks.
They both saw Sunnys hanging body and almost immediately the world stopped spinning as the stopped just infront of the three older people behind them. Aubrey and Basil seemed to stop breathing for a second as Aubreys grip on Basil's wrist tightens. And before they knew it their was a loud little girls scream ringing across the neighborhood.
Just like Kel Aubrey teared up and in panic immediately tried to run to Sunnys corpse but was immediately stopped by the same officer. "NO, SUNNY, SUNNYYY" Aubrey screamed in terror as unlike Kel she kept fighting the officer in front of her, hitting him and screaming in horror. "NO LET ME SEE HIM..SUNNYYY" She screamed tears rolling down her face in complete agony as she kicked and screamed as she was quickly pulled away from the scene.
Mari watched in horror with a blank face, very obvious mascara marcs rolling down her face from tears, her face still red and puffy. She slowly moved for the first time in the last 10 ish minutes to look over to Basil who still hadn't move since he saw the body.
He looked absolutely terrified. Like he had just watched his entire life flash before his eyes in a singular second of time. His hands were shaking as he only stared at sunnys body tears rolling down his eyes in the process, like he couldn't accept what his eyes were telling him at the moment.
Mari looked back at Kel and Aubrey, God she had done this. She had caused her parents, her friends, her boyfriend, his parents, the police, everyone on the street such agony. She was a monster. This was all her fault. She was a coward. She was a selfish beast who didn't want to take the blame.
Sunny had loved her and she killed him.
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November 1, 1996
Today was Sunnys funeral. Their plan had worked and Sunnys autopsy had came back. Now the cops were very spectacul of the harm that was done to Sunnys body before hand but they just assumed it was self harm Sunny had done to himself prior due to the fact that most victims of suicide self harm before attempts, or Sunny just gaining some wounds from playing too hard. Obviously they didn't look into that much mainly focusing on the neck.
They did confirm that strangulation was the cause of death, now this was both good and bad for Hero and Mari. One they had gotten away with it.
But also that if they had just waited a little longer.
Just a little longer and not presumed he was dead.
Sunny could've lived.
Rather then them unknowingly hanging him alive.
Thats what terrified Mari the most as she looked into Sunnys casket. Other than the redish purplish scar around his body's neck he looked so peaceful as he layed in the coffin surrounded by white tulips. He looked at ease in peace but Mari couldnt see it like that.
To her Sunny can never truly be at peace. Besides no one other then her and Hero knew how he really died. As the priest said his vows on Sunny, something Mari was not paying much attention too she looked around. The first people she saw was Hero and Kel, hero looked dead inside, like there was no one even in there anymore as he looked at the ground.
Kel was holding on to his pants beside Hero crying into them quietly looking down. Right next to Kel was Aubrey who was also holding on to basil as she cried desperately and quietly into his shoulder as she closed her eyes and just let it happen. Basil looked the exact same he had on the day Sunny had died. He had a blank horrified stare with no emotion on whatsoever. He was staring directly at Sunnys casket, he was too short and to far away to actually see Sunny like Mari could but tears ran down his blank face as he did so.
Mari looked away with a blank expression back to Sunnys body. She looked over to her parents, her mother was desperately crying into a hackercheif as her father had the same blank stare Mari had on the moment as he rubbed her back.
Mari could only stare at her friends and parents agony before she looked down at Sunny.
Oh Sunny. Her dear Sunny. Her little brother.
A boy that will never grow up again.
A boy that will never get to see his family grow old.
A boy that will never get to grow beside his friends.
Never continue learning.
Never got the life the shy boy had once dreamed off.
Would never become an artist.
Would never laugh again.
Would never cry again.
And it was all Maris fault.
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Notes:
I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of this Au! I know its very similar to Maris death in the original but I promise there will be more changes to the story as we progress. I also haven't decided who's gonna be the Bully and replace Aubrey in the story yet. Or how the headspace characters will be like but I promise ill get the next chapter out as soon as possible
Chapter 2: HEADSPACE
Summary:
I just wanted to say that alot from headspace is going to be changed since this is meant to represent how Mari would make a headspace. Also will be less focused on due to the fact that I feel like Mari would be alot less dependent on her headspace than how sunny was.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
CHAPTER 1
HEADSPACE.
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Welcome to your bright space.
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You have been living here as long as you can remember.
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Make sure today is a good day.
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You slowly opened your eyes to see a bright blue sky above your head. Your face wide and bright with joy. You look around your room seeing your cat mewo, a small music sheet for piano, and a picnic basket along with below you a big red and white picnic blanket. You got up slowly with wide smile as you gave a good huff of the sweet air.
With a blink you grabbed pieces of your long black hair and started to brush it out, but of course it was perfect as always. You stood up on perfect pinkie toes before looking up to see the pictures of all your wonderful friends you had hung up on the wall. They were all so perfect ever single thing about them made you love them even more then you already did.
With a wide grin you put your hands behind your back walking over to the door that looked as if it led to nowhere, of course it did it was just a random door put up in the middle of nowhere. But here in your little bright space, anything you want is possible, everything is perfect. You looked behind you while grabbing the door handle to the door before blowing a kiss to the butterfly flying past before entering the door.
You are met to what seems to be a play room. Filled with endless toys and fun big and small to once the eye can see. You look over the colorful room with a bright grin before you lock eyes with the three friend all sitting together in the middle playing some sort of card game.
They all seem so colorful, purple, pink, blue, teal, all the magnificent colors you love. Oh how compared to you they were gorgeous, you knew you were perfect but as you looked down at your white and black skin you couldnt help but ponder. The one in the middle facing towards you, a figure of a young girl looked up from the card game to lay her eyes on you.
"HIKKI!" The young girl screams before quickly getting off the comfy ground of the play room before bolting her way down to the older woman. Ah yes Aubrey was her name, she seemed quiet infatuated with you. "Oh Hikki, Hikki! It was horrribblleee having to spend some much time with these two stupid dorks!" Aubrey whined as she grabbed onto the older women's leg putting her face in her long white dress almost reaching the floor.
"Oh now Aubrey, remeber we all treat everyone here with the respect and love they deserve! Even if they can be a bit rude at times" Hikki said still keeping her wide and perfect smile as she went down to Aubreys level before giving her nose a small boop with the finger earning a nice laugh from the girl.
"Oh please! She's being dramatic again!" One of the boys said as he stood up from his place, arms crossed with a roll to the eye. Yes, Kel was the name of the boy, seemed like such a fisty young soul. "Besides me and Basil were playing first!" Kel stated before he took his arm and wrapped it around the other boys shoulder pulling him in close.
Basil to complete the three. Very shy boy, Mari liked Basil but he had always seemed...unperfect to her, but of course that can always change. "W-well kel...you did sort of egg her on-" Basil said with a shaky smile and timid voice trying ro reason the situation before immediately getting cut off by Kel aggressively putting his finger to Basil's mouth.
"Now, now Basil, you obviously didn't remember it right!" Kel said in the same attitude he had when discussing about Aubrey. He closed his eyes as he spoke and gave a shake of the head in disagreement as he kept his finger on Basil's mouth. "Well besides Hikki, now that your here I can finnaly have fun with playing cards! If you want to join u-"
Aubrey was saying before she looked over her shoulder to realize she had completely knocked over the entire deck of cards on the ground while running over to Hikki. "Oh...whoops" Aubrey said nervously as she itched her neck from sweat. "Oh come on Aubrey! I was winning too!" Kel said annoyed. "Now kel, how about instead of placing the blame, we clean this mess together!" Basil said trying to keep the peace as he bent down to the ground and started picking up the cards.
"Basil is right you two. Let's all pitch in to clean up this mess, together!" Hikki said with the same bright perfect smile as she walked over to the pile of cards with Aubrey and bent down helping Basil as well. "Fine, as long as Kel doesnt get too much in the way!" Aubrey pestered as she bent down and started helping. "Ughhhhhh!" Kel made an obnoxious noise before helping as well.
After a few minutes all the cards were stacked up into the card deck once more. "See, now thats how you solve a problem" Hikki said with a smile as she showed off the neatly looking deck of cards. "Now, Aubrey apologize to Kel." Hikki said. "What!?" Aubrey said in protest as she looked at Hikki in shock. "Hah! Hikki said so Aubrey!" Kel laughed as he looked at Aubrey in glee.
"....im sorry Kel" Aubrey said in a quiet voice barely even loud enough to hear. "Sorry come again, I didn't hear you" Kel said teasingly. "I said im sorry!? Now stop teasing me until I rip your head off!" Aubrey said loudly and aggressively stomping her feet. "Very good Aubrey, probably could use less aggression next time, now Kel you apologize" Hikki said as she put Basil behind her due to him getting scared of Aubreys loud scream.
"What!? What for!?" Kel said looking at Hikki in complete suprise , his comfy smirk he had on seconds before now gone. "For not letting her play and teasing her." Hikki said with a huge grin. "...." Kel only frustratingly looked at Hikki and then back to Aubrey. "...go on" Hikki said reassuringly. "Im sorry Aubrey." Kel said looking down. "Thank you" Aubrey said in a victorious tone.
"Alright everyone I think its time we should get going! Just a reminder that new adventures is infront of us everyday!" Hikki said happily getting off the floor. "Follow Hikki guys!" Basil said to Aubrey and Kel who were still staring at eachother in dismay as Hikki started walking up the stairs of the play room, singing a small tune in glee as she did.
The four of them all entered out one by one out of the small tree stump in the ground of the beautiful perfect forest on top of the surface. "Ah how a wonderful, perfect day it is!" Hikki said as she felt the smooth fresh air on his face and hair. "Thank God! I felt like I was going to die another second inside!" Kel said as he dramatically grabbed his neck.
"Oh thank God Kel! I thought I was the only one that could smell your horrible stench!" Aubrey says teasingly as she passes by Kel earning a small giggle from Basil from behind. "Hey! Basillllll your meant to be on my side!" Kel said turning his head to basil. "Oh! Sorry, sorry!" Basil says stopping his giggling and saying sorry with a grin.
The three younger children get behind Hikki go travel through the small part of the forest. Oh how beautiful it was, lots of fresh air, not to many bugs other than beautiful butterflies, many different fruits in the trees perfect for Hikkis signature picnics! Oh just how..perfect is all was!
The four are walking but soon they hear a slight shuffle in the bushes a head of them. "AH! What was that!" Kel says jumping up before running up behind Aubrey and quickly using her as a shield. "Hey! Get off my weirdo!" Aubrey says in protest. "H-Hikki I thought you said this forest was perfectly safe!" Basil says as he quickly runs behind Hikki in fear. "Don't worry children im sure its nothing.." Hikki said still holding that plastered smile she always had as she put her arms infront of the children.
The bush kept shaking before... "BOO!" A tall male man around Hikkis age hopped out of the bushes with his hands up and a big grin. "AAAAAHHH!" All the 3 children screamed in terror. "Hah! You should see the looks on your faces!" The man wailed with laughter. "Hey! Not funny big bro! Everyone of my friends were so scared!" Kel said realizing who it was. "Hey! You were scared too!" Aubrey says to kel. "Ah well im just glad it was just hero either way." Basil says with a sigh of relief.
Ah yes hero, the strong, handsome, charming young boy who was Kels older brother. Also loved to play pranks such as this one to mess with the youngsters. "Well that was a very nice trick Hero! But we better get to the playground quick, I bet the picnic food will get cold!" Hikki said with the same blank smile before skipping off the other 4 following behind.
Soon they left the big pile of trees to a big open area. Everyone looked around at the familiar place. Many other kids playing around the playground, laughing and talking all around. It quiet truly was a lovely place, so beautiful, so calm, so perfect. Hikki said before she looked over to see who was sitting on the picnic blanket to the side, where all of her friends always met up.
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N̷̫̮͙̪̲̫̬̓͑̆̿̽̆O̴̧̫̤̳̠̽̓̅̇́̓̅͊͐́͆͑̇̆̕͝ͅͅ ̷̢̱̗̯̗̙͓̳̓̒̽̔̉̾̎̿̾̔̀̀̎͘M̷̢̢̛̛̛͓̲͖̺͚̝̖̞̟͕͉̜͍̯̈́̽͐̚͝Y̴̨̍̓̋̿͐̽̃̈͑̈͛̏̕̚͝ ̸̧̛̲͙̜̮̹̳͓͔̮̗͓̼̂͌͑̆͗̋̐̈́͗B̵̫̝̓̈́͂͒̓͠A̵̡̧̨̱͉̰̬͈̟̥̞̖̦̒͋̿͐̌̿̄̄͒̅̑̕͘ͅB̸͎̹̝̣͈̬̀͑̑̈́̈͊̄͗̐̂̕͠Ÿ̷̺̝̬̗͉̖̬̳͉̣̞̖͍̰͎́̌͌̊̏̀̿̅͑͘ͅ ̸͍͍͋̀̅͌͌̆́͑̐̒̑̈̚B̸̭͇͓̠̫͇̞̊͛̿̈͌̓Ǫ̸̱̰̬̰͈̞̩͈̼͚͉̜̻̿́́͑̕̚͝Ỹ̴̨̧̟͈͈̩͇̳̰̣̤͕̳͔̽͜ͅ
I̵̧͇̗͉̰̟͖͙̠̩̋̇̓̔͑̏̌͌͂̿̓̒̓͌̒̚̕̕ ̶̡̥̄͌͊͂̑̓̔̍́͋͂͊̊̑́̚̕͠͝Ķ̸̨̢̛͕̻̳̖̬͓͓̘͎̟͍̤̑͊̇̄̌́̈́́̾̀̓́̃͆͗̚͘̕͝İ̶̧̧̗̣̹͓̜̳̺̼͎̩͓̘̪̲͇͚͈͙̲̞̘̲͈̙ͅL̴̗̣̫̞͉͍̥̠̃͒̀̇̈͋̒̐͋̃͘̚̕L̵̡͍͕͈̼͕̣͈͉͈̳͗̂̊Ę̷̛̤̰̼͔̫̪͖̠̻̩͔̳̜̺͚̼̬̠͊̆̐͗̈́̍͂̅͌̀̊͒͆͐̚͜ͅD̶̡̢̡̡̢͉͔͖̺̫̳͍̗̫͕̠̎̀͑̀͛͊̕ ̷̨̨̢̩̞͎̫̘͕̯̝̘̮͎̼͍̒̏̃̉͊̀̆̋͂́̒͒́̃̊̊͜H̸̢̛̯̤͖̩͇̙̻̖̙̬̘̲̯̀̑͗̑̍͊̊̀̀Ị̶̢̛̛̛̝̠̙̟̥̂̍̉̿͊̃̄̃̾̑̉͛̾̒́̀͌͠ͅM̴̢̧̼̠͇͓̲̤̯͇̭͍̮̥̪̯͎̯̩͈͓͕̼͑̋͒̊͊͒͋
S̷̱̤̞̫̳̮͖̟̖͕̫̦͕̼̰̩̖̹̯͙̗͍͂̂́̈́̅̔̀̅̌̔͛͘͜͝͝Ư̶̫̏̈́̍͗̂͗̍̒̓̿͑̉̃̕͘N̶̢̢̛̮̬̖̤̺̯̩͖̙͓̞̫͔̻̱̯͇̜̘̔͗̊̎͌́̉̄͑̏̿̏̄͆̓̇͑́͛̆̅͜͠͝͝ͅN̸̢̨̛̤͈̗̬̤͖̜͇͔̼͕̱̠̠̬̖̦̬̩̹͍̐͐͌̅͂̄̆͊͊̀͋͆̿̊͌̏̆̕͜͝͝͠Y̸̨̢̯̠̰̖̞̜̼̦̗͍̞͍̪̩͍̘̻̋̆̊̎͆̎͐̀͊͒̋̇͋̕͘ ̷̨̢̧̛̛̬̲̍̈́͛͑̏̈̿̄̄͐͌͌̃̅̓̀̀͠L̵̲̬͍̠͔̋O̷̡̺̟̓̎̄͆͐̃̃͌̏͒̓͐̾̕͠V̴̛̛̘̝̪͔̟̣̮͚̦̟̲͙̦͙̈́̈̍͌́̿͊́̈́̅̋̀̎̑̑̽̄͑̈́̽̚̕̚͝͝ͅE̴͓̠̗͕̗̠͕̘͙̫̬̦̲̝̐́̄̋͒̅̃͛́͊͊͗̔͑̀̉͗̐̆͊̀̄̉̃̚͘͝ͅD̵̢̧͕͙̖͖̲͚͈͙̫̮͕̝͗͂̅̐̐ ̷̢̧̝̝͈̳͍̠̞͓͕̟̫̖̥̮̤͈͓̻̣̗̩̻̽̎̌̎͆̈́͑͜͠͠͝Y̷̳͇̭̤͇̝̤͔͍̱͔̠͚̰͇̞̪̜̼̝̠̠͛͜͝O̶̧̧͍̬͍̦̫͖͖̺̱͚͍̭̜͍̙̬̥̽̒͝Ů̷̻͎̰̮̤̣̩͑̋̈́̀̌́̒́͂͊̊̃̈́͂͘̚͜͝͝ ̷̨̪̪̼̹̹̥̭͉͉̖̜̼̘͌̀̓͂̈́̓̇̐͛͋̊̊̈̄̋̽̈̋̉̈́̓͂̚̚͘͜͠Â̵̧̧̛̯̪̰̟͎͈̪̭̫̠̤̦̓̉̅̓̋̍͒͌N̵̲͈͙͍̗̲̠͙̱̯̥̄͒̈́̋͐̽̈͆̒̀̈́̄̐̊̌̐̓͠͝͝͠ͅͅD̶̡̢̝̻̲̩̹̭̞͍̫̰̘̺͚̪̭̫̿̍̌̌͒͆͛̔̉̈̔̆̈́͝ ̵̢̨̧͔̩̹̤̻͍̺̳̫̘̖̹̗̲̲̫̬̫̔̈́̋́̋̓̊̏̏̈́̔̌̔́̚͠͠Y̷̢̧͕̳̤̠͕͉͕͈̥͎͗̊Ơ̷̧̡̡̧̨̧̡̖̬̯̳̭̺̙͓̻͙̪̰͎̩̽́̌͋̄͆̉̍̀̈́͆͌͊͌̈͆̎̐̽͜͝͠ͅŲ̵̺̣̯͖̝̤̩͂́̀̌͊̆̊́̂̀͌̊͝͝ ̶̧̛̗̽̃̂̿̓͆̉̓̌́̊̔̐͆̽̋̄͑͆̇̽̚͘̚͠͠Ķ̶̛̖̱̼̂͊̉̅̈́͊̀̅͆̂͝͠I̴̢̨̱͈͈̱̗̗̜̥̺̠͈͈̭̮̺͊̆̂̏́̃̒̉́̓̍͑̒̐̄͌͜͠ͅL̵̢̠͉̺̐͐̉̓̓L̸̡̙̖̞͓̯̮̩̘͍͍̻̠͇̺̱̜͖̦̜͍̬̺̦͆͐͛̆̐̕͜͜͝Ę̵̨̨̨̻͈͉̠̜̖̼̗̺͔̪͇̬̺̩̺̰̩̇̉̑̽͋̔̈́̊̽̐͆̀̑̃̽̌͆̚͝ͅḐ̵̪̪͈̮̘̦̻͉̟̭̻̠̣̲͉͎̜͙͉͓̭̭̞̱͙̍̋͊͌̀͑̑͗̈́́͒̀͐̓̈́̌͛̓̌̌͗̚̚̕̚ ̸̨̡̧̯̟̪̲͚̭̹̲͚̬͕͎̥͙̞̽̎͒͒͛̓̈̍̓̈́̓̀̒̿̊̕͝Ĥ̸̨̡͈̥͇͉͙̩̤̱̮̮̏͗̇̏̎͗͐̀́̈́̏̎̒̑̂̆̀͜I̴̛̬̣̫͂̅̈́̽̈̇̐̅͝M̵̠͓̞̣̪̤͖̤̭͖̣̘̺̪̠͍̬̥̉̇̏̀̔̑̂̒̽̚͝ͅͅ
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Oh why of course it was Hikkis dear little brother Sunny! He was sitting on the picnic blanket with many food delectable around him. The bright sunlight was shinning directly on him and he was smilling the smallest, smallest of smiles. Now you see, her brother was very shy, very quiet, and didn't show too much emotion. So to see a little smile on him, it must be a good day. And even better yet he was playing the violin. Peacefully closing his eyes as he played a small and soft tune. The playing was....perfect. Just how Hikki liked it!
"Sunny! Sunny!" Aubrey yelled as she saw sunny running up to him and collapsing down beside him on the picnic blanket making Sunny stop playing and slowly open his eyes at the sound. "Ugh how im glad to see you! Everyone suuuuccckksss today, especially stupid mean old Kel!" Aubrey complained as Sunny watched before shaking his head in some sort of agreement.
Kel ran up right after Aubrey falling on the other side of Sunny ro protest. "Nah! Aubreys just being a big baby as usual! Don't listen to her sunny!" Kel said, Sunny giving the same nod and expression he had given Aubrey at her complaining. "Alright alright settle down everyone" Hikki said as her and the other two boys headed over to the blanket as she gently laid besides sunny.
"How's practice going champ!" Hikki said with a soft voice as she referred to Sunnys violen in his hand. "...its going great." Sunny said quietly being as up lifting as he could be. "It sounded better than great Sunny!" Basil said reassuringly to his best friend also sitting by his side. "Yes basil is right it sounded...perfect." Hikki said with a wide smile as always cupping Sunnys hands in her own.
"Aubrey, Kel, you didn't take off your shoes before getting on the blanket, now you've gotten it all dirty!" Hero said frustrated as he pointed down to the muddy foot prints all over the blanket. "Sorrryyy Hero" both Kel and Aubrey said in unison in the same childish attitude as they took off their shoes.
"Well well look at you being all responsible, I like that about you alot hero~" Hikki said looking at Hero as he sat down at the rug. "O-oh! Thank you Hikki.." Hero said his face going purple in blush. "Hey everyone!" Basil said. "I was wondering if you guys wanted to go through my photo album! Sunny mentioned he wanted too yesterday!" Basil said as he pulled his photo album out of the picnic basket, sunny shaking his head in yes beside him.
"Well of course Basil! I know you recently updated it so I would love to see what you've done!" Hikki says kindly as Basil proceeds to put the album in the middle of the circle so everyone can see. Everyone gathers around the album. It's filled with many different photos, of Sunny playing the violen, Playing around at the playground all together, making flower crowns, Hikki crying Sunny, its all so perfect....something about it feels...fake though....
It's probably nothing, just Hikki over thinking again! "These are all great Basil! You really know how to capture the moment!" Hero says with a smile looking at Basil. "Oh! It's nothing" Basil says twirling his hair with a embarrassed smirk. "But of course it didn't take all of them them, hikki really loves stealing my camera dont you Hikki?" Basil sayed teasingly looking at hikki. "Oh you know I cant handle myself!" Hikki says swaying her hand away from the subject.
"You know whats Basil? You were talking aaalll yesterday of how you wanted to show us some of your plants you had been sprouting lately!" Aubrey says. "Oh I totally forgot about that!" Basil says in a astonishment. "It's just down the path outside of the playground if you wanna go see!" Basil says with a awkward grin. "Ugh Duh!" Kel says getting up. "Kel you only wanna go so you can get some energy out." Hero said teasingly as he got up beside him. "Whhhaaattt I would never!" Kel says.
"Last one to the end of the playground is a rotten egg!" Kel says before running off. "Hey! I am no rotten egg!" Aubrey says angerly before quickly running after him. "...I think I'll step this one out" Sunny says quietly. "Huh? But why Sunny I wanted to show you my plants!" Basil complains turning his attention to Sunny. "Sorry but I should probably get back to some Violen work." Sunny says reassuring his best friend. "Why of course! Don't worry Basil Sunny just needs some practice on the violen!" Hikki says with her hands on her hips and with a smile.
"....B-but..I'll get to show them to you later promise!" Basil says holding out his pinkie. "Promise." Sunny says letting down the smallest smile as he pinkie promises Basil. "Well we better get going before Kel and Aubrey kill eachother." Hero says with a sigh. "Bye Sunny!" Basil says waving back as the three of them walked over to the two youngsters.
"Hey let us past Berly!" Kel argued with his arm linked together in frustration. "Not so fast you two! You see I would like to play a game before you guys dare to leave this area!" Barly the playground bully says confidently. "How about let's not do that Berly" Hikki says appearing behind the two other kids with Hero and Basil giving a big cold smile. "No! I wanna play a game!" Berly complained before Hero quickly pushed him out of the way. "Hey!" Berly complained. "Not today Berly, Hikki said." Hero said before the group of 5 quickly walked past.
"Woah, your sooooo strong hero!" Hikki said putting a hand on her cheek. "O-oh! Well its all in the days work!" Hero said his tough persona almost immediately dropping at the compliment his face going purple with blush and grabbing his collar to stretch out from sweat. "Ewwwww" Kel said as he quickly ran to the front of the group to avoid the conversation.
Soon the five of them reached a quick three way path way in the forest once they got away from Berly. "It's that way!" Basil said pointing in excitement before running along. "Basil let's stay in a group okay!" Hero called out.
"See!" Basil says as he points down to the first row of plants ahead. "Woah! Very nice Basil!" Hikki said. "These are lily of the valley right?" Hikki said. "Yep! And I actually made them just for you!" Basil said looking up at Hikki. "For me?" Hikki said in confusion still keeping a wide smile. "Yes! I made flowers for everyone!" Basil says putting his arms up in the air.
"I gave you Lily of the valley flowers! They remind me of you!" Basil says happily before running over to the next batch of flowers. "These are the gladiolus flowers! They remind of of Aubrey! These are known to be associated with strength and strong morals, reminds me of Aubrey!" Basil says. "Basil thats so sick!" Aubrey says excitedly putting her arms around Basil's shoulders in excitement. "In my opinion their the prettiest flowers I've ever seen!"
"The next one just over here are roses! Roses are well known for representing, love, beauty, and sacrifice. Just like you hero!" Basil says joyfully. "O-oh! Thanks Basil, truly!" Hero says very flattered. "He's right about that one" Hikki says giving a little smirk to Hero. "H-hikki...not here" Hero says under his breath.
"Woah what are those cool spiky things!" Kel says as they move along the path to some green spiky flowers. "These are cacti Kel! They are known to be very sturdy and resilient, and well...dont need much care. Like you Kel!" Basil says happily pointing to Kel. "Me! Oh yeah, of course I get the coolest!" Kel says jumping up in the air as they move along.
"And well last and not least are these flowers here, Tulips." Basil says bending over to some white plain flowers as he starts to water them. "Tulips aren't very flashy plants. Theyre not too big or small, not too elaborate or flamboyant." Basil says looking up with a smile as the tulip he just watered slowly grows less dull from the others. "If I could put it in another way... I guess I would say that... they're comfortable. Simple, modest, and perfect, just like Sunny." Basil says looking fondly at the flowers going quiet staring at them for a bit. "...but sadly they keep dying out on me so their very hard to take care of as you saw by that dying one their!" Basil says getting up with a smile.
"Well thats fantastic Basil! You truly love taking care of plants dont you!" Hikki says happily. "Oh thank you Hikki!" Basil says nervously. "Basil quickly turns around before..immediately turning back around with a quick flash of a camera light. "Ah my eyes!" Kel says dramatically. "Sorry Kel I just couldnt help but snap a quick photo, I hope you guys dont mind!" Basil says.
"Of course we dont mind Basil!" Hero says reassuringly. "Let me see!" Kel says running up to Basil. "No let me see!" Aubrey says pushing kel to the side."W-wait guys you can both see in a se-" Basil says before they both end of pushing him over on top of some of the Tulips also dropping the photo album, photos of them dropping all over the grass. "Kel, Aubrey!" Hero says angerly before immediately grabbing them both by the collar. "Are you okay Basil?" Hikki says with a small smile before quickly helping Basil up with her hand.
"Yea I'm okay...I am worried about the Tulips though.." Basil says before turning around to see some of them crushed earning a sigh from him. "I guess I'll have to replant thoughs.." Basil says shaking his head. "Were sooo sorry Basil!!!" Kel and Aubrey says with sad faces as they run up to Basil. "It's okay guys really, if you wanna help some way you can help by picking up the photos that fell?" Basil said reassuringly.
"Thats a great idea Basil!" Hero said. "Let's all pitch in and help pick these photos back up and put them where they belong!" Hero said before reaching down to the ground. It took a few minutes of looking and glueimg but they all were finnaly done fixing up Basil's book. "Well that does that!" Hikki said with a smirk and a sigh.
"Were soooo sorry Basil really" Aubrey says putting her hands together to Basil. "Well even help you replant the tulips tommorow!" Kel says. "It's okay guys really!" Basil says nervously. "Oh! Looks like we missed one Basil!" Hero said as he looked to the ground to see a small photo on the ground a little away from the rest of the group.
He walked over and bent down picking the photo up
"Huh? What's this?"
Hero said in confusion.
"I dont...recognize this one..."
"But it feels all too....familiar...."
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"N-no...that...that doesnt make sense..."
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Ş̴̛͎͈̝̳̳̾͒͑͐͘ų̵͔̤̀́͌̋͒͂̑̔͂̓̀͆n̷͇̮͇̿̓͑̍̀̕̕͘͝͠ṅ̴̨̥͚̪̼͎͔̣̜̱̤͓̲͐̾̚͝͝͠y̸̡̪͍̫̞̳̦̭͙͛͗̌̀͌̕.̵̡̡̙̮͓͈̲̝͍̬͔̬͓̇͌͐́̔͑̿̎̒͘͠ͅͅ ̵̨̧̛̺͉͎̳̰̥̜̑́̎̌̓͂̔̽͜͝ͅH̸͍͍̺̰̻̣̄͛͐̂̓͐̈́ę̵̡̪̙̞̦͉̙̹̟͔̎̌̊͌̒̐̽̌͂͂͒͝͠͠
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Notes:
Thanks for making it this far in the story guys! Also I just wanted to say that I was thinking of maybe adding some illustrations to this story of my own I have the time and motivation because I'm obsessed with this au. So in the future I might come back to this last two chapter and some drawings for a heads up. I hope your enjoying the story so far!
Chapter 3: REALITY
Summary:
Mari is going to be slightly more stable than Sunny due to her being older in age but dont think that doesnt mean I'm not gonna make Maris life in reality a living hell
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
CHAPTER 2
REALITY.
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July 12, 2000
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Hello!
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Your name is Mari! Yes?
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Mari slowly opens her tired and cold eyes. She sees the dark and pale room around her, this was supposed to be what she used to call "her room" but from all the packed boxes around, the cold air conditioner and the spider webs all around she didn't really like that name for the room anymore.
She slowly got up to sit on the edge of her bed silently looking at the ground. Her hair was a complete mess, she thought as she quickly looked into the small mirror beside her bed. She used to use it everyday trying to look as perfect as possible, but there was really no need for that anymore.
Mari still went out on some occasions. She would constantly go to her backyard over to the old tree house her and her friends used to hang out and constantly draw out her headspace fantasies. It was probably the most fun Mari had these days. She would also go grocery shopping with her mom on occasions, only on the condition it was the one on the end of town where only really the farmers went too.
At a point Mari had actually thought of maybe going to University on her 18th birthday, but being homeschooled for 4 entire years by a single woman who had no experience on it what so ever she never got accepted into any. She only really had her mom anymore, her dad who had more experience in teaching promised her he would teach her but after the funeral...he didn't stick around for much longer.
But for the first time...for the first time in so many years, Mari had some kind of hope in her. Her mom had recently sold the house and in about...5...4..6..2....days?....Mari didn't really have much of a sense of time anymore. They would move out of this rotting house and move away to some big city off to the country side. It wasn't much but it was something for Mari too look forward too.
Mari felt the overwhelming silence of her house overwhelm her as she got lost in her thoughts. What was she doing again? It was the middle of the night why was she up? She couldnt remeber. Mari was about to walk straight out of the room as she got up before she noticed a flickering light coming from the telephone at her bedside. It had originally been in the kitchen but since Mom wasn't home much she just moved it to Maris room since thats where she'll usually end up finding it.
"Heyyyy Mari its mommy!" Her mom's voice came from the voicemail as she picked up the phone. "Im still in the city setting up the new house at the moment! Sorry mommy keeps getting so busy! Are you done packing yet?" Her mom's hypergenic voice came from the other side, something Mari was not awake enough for. "Well the movers are going to be at the house in a couple of more days so mommy left a list of things to do before they arrive!"
"Im also very sorry sweetheart Mommy messed up for her little girl! I forgot to tell the electric company that we need more days before we're out of the house so the electricity might cut off. Now sweetie, I know its been a long time since you've talked to any of your little friends but moving is a big change so maybe you wanna say some goodbyes before we leave" Maris mom said from the other end of the phone.
Since the incident for the first year her mom was completely understanding of Maris unwillingness too really talk to any of her friends but since than her mom has been adding little hints that she wants Mari to interact more with people. Mari just ignores her for the most part, her interactions with her mom and the nice check out lady at the grocery store she had become good friends with was enough for her.
"Thats it for now, Mommy loves you! Bye honey!" Her mom said before Mari heard the phone ring as she hung up. Almost immediately as she put the phone down Mari felt her stomach growling loudly. Really the only sound that filled the room at the moment. Mari sighed as she walked out of the room and down the dark and cold hall holding her arms a bit as she did.
She walked over to the bathroom to where she went inside. She looked at the mirror for a few seconds in complete silence. Just looking at her stupid reflection, God is this really how she looked now. Mari looked down in disappointment before walking over to the note her mom had said she left. It was only about brushing your teeth and a reminder to properly take care of herself.
The fact Mari had just been looking in the mirror a few seconds ago thinking about how ugly she was at the moment doesnt make the note any less true. Mari quickly crumpled up the note and put it up in the pocket of her night gown before exiting the room.
Mari made it to the end of the hall that these days felt like an entirety. She looked down at the long....horrible..rigid....disgusting stairs.
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Mari hated these stairs.
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She hated them so much.
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Oh how she wished this house was a one story.
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With both of her hands on one side of the rail putting her entire pressure on the rail she slowly and very hesitantly went down one step at a time. The fact that it was dark enough that she could barely even see the end of the stairs didn't make it much better. She started shaking in fear as she kept and kept going one step at a time.
Making sure that there was never a single moment one of her feet were safely planted in the middle of a step.
One step
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Two step
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Three step.
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She kept counting but yet the stairs didn't seem to end and she didn't seem to be reaching the bottom. She didn't want to look back to see how far she had gone she just didn't. She didn't want to turn her back to the dark void at the bottom of the steps.
Four step.
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Five step.
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Six step.
God she knew these stairs were long but she didn't realize how long. She kept going, and going, and going, and going until it felt like she had been walking down for all of eternity.
She gulped up her saliva as she kept getting more nervous and more nervous and more nervous.
Until..she felt herself slip.
She let out a small yell as she closed her eyes but she only was met with landing perfectly.
She opened her eyes slowly to find that she was now on the ground floor and at the bottom of the stairs. She slowly looked back to see how short the stairs really were. God now she was embarrassed by how scared she was.
But she swears, she swears on her soul it was longer. It just had to be longer than that, it felt like an entirnity walking down those steps...how..how didn't she realize how short it was.
Mari sighed before she turned around and started to walk over to the kitchen of her house trying to get the shakiness of her body out of her system. Everything is fine. Se told herself over and over again trying to ignore the lingering silence of the home her yell still feeling like it was echoing off the walls.
Soon she made it too the kitchen with alot more effort than it should ever take to get to a simple kitchen. She quickly opened the fridge door to be met with not much food to be offered. She noticed that there was a raw left over steak at the bottom of the fridge. Sure why not. She thought to herself before grabbing it.
She quickly threw the steak into the microwave before plugging it in and turning it on. To be honest, the microwave was really the only thing Mari knew to use in the kitchen. I know thats absolutely horrible for Mari since she is legally and adult now, almost 20 at this point. Some people Mari had even known from high school were getting engaged now her mother told her, and Mari didn't even now how to cook.
But you cant blame her due to the fact that since she was 13 she always thought he would be-......
Nevermind.
She thought as she looked back to the steak. The microwave was now black inside, she didn't hear a ring or anything but she assumed the light being off meant it was now done. She opened it and grabbed the steak out of the microwave before she started digging into it on the counter.
It tasted disgusting.
But yet Mari ate every single bite.
She hated it.
And her stomach definitely did.
Because almost immediately as she was done she felt her stomach growl and start to hurt like fucking hell. She held her stomach close as she felt her stomach acid start to come up before she quickly ran to the garage can in the corner of the kitchen and bent over quickly on the ground before throwing up the entire steak down into the trash can.
God...
Oh right..
Mari thought to herself. Her mother had told her that the power may be off tonight. The steak didn't even cook. Mari had just down right dug straight into a piece of complete raw steak and didn't even think twice about it. What a pathetic girl. What a stupid worthless girl. Waste of oxygen.
She thought to herself as she got up and grabbed a paper towel of the table and rubbed off some of the vomit that had gotten on her cheeks. She looked down at the garage full of vomit that made the kitchen smell absolutely horrible.
She'll clean it up tommorow she thought to herself as she grabbed the utensils and plate and threw them in the sink before walking out of the kicthen. She walked out to look around and see all the pile of boxes all around the living room. Of course she had realized they were there before but looking at the living room which was once so full of life and love. She just couldnt help but feel disappointment to where it had come too.
She hoped for the next owners of this house. That they can also have the such wonderful and loving memory's in this living room that she had once had and dont have it end up the way it did.
Mari sighed as she looked away, she felt eyes itching on her back as she left the living room. But that wasn't new, that wasn't new at all. She had felt like the entire world was viewing her from a little play home since the incident. It didn't bother her much anymore. Nothing bothered her much anymore, it was all so normal to her now.
Mari sighed as she slowly went up the stairs once more. It didn't feel as long or horrible as the first time but she still felt uneasy as she did. She slowly walked over to her room.
But who cared anymore, who cared about reality, who cared about what was happening in her current life, it didn't matter. She thought to herself as she bent over next to her bed on the ground. She stuck her arm to the bottom of her bed and grabbed a small piece of paper, probably the only thing she hadn't packed yet.
She looked at it with aw. It was a drawing Mari had made of Hikki and her best friends in the entire world. Hikki was in the middle with a bright smile as her little brother Sunny was on her left with a bright perfect smile holding violen music sheets. Next to Hikki was her boyfriend Hero, her perfect charming boyfriend. Next to Sunny was his bestfriend Basil, a shy measly little boy. Next to hero was his brother Kel very active and bright, and next to him was Aubrey shining bright with a courageous smile.
Hikkis life was the only place in Maris life that mattered to her. Mari thought to her self as she slowly got into bed.
But...
Mari thought to herself.
Maybe once I move out..
I can finanly let her go....
...
Maybe...
...
*KNOCK KNOCK*
...
*KNOCK KNOCK*
Mari slowly got up as she heard rapid and loud knocking at the door.
*KNOCK KNOCK* .
It was shaking the entire house.
*KNOCK KNOCK*
Mari hid under her blankets in fear.
*KNOCK KNOCK*
Who was at the door at this hour.
*KNOCK KNOCK*
maybe it was mom, or someone in need. Mari thought as she got out of bed and ran down stairs in a hurry.
*KNOCK KNOCK*
"Coming!" She said loudly as she entered the living room once more and walked over to the door that was shaking as the rapid and loud knocks kept coming.
Before she opened the door she took a peek through the doorknob to see..nothing. But the knocks this continued. Then she heard a voice..
"...Hi Mari! S-sorry too disturb you this late but, Im finally home! I just sort of maybe...forgot my keys inside..can you open the door?" Sunnys timid voice said from the other side of the door as Mari imagined her little brother cold and scared outside.
Oh how of course, it was just Sunny. Her little adorable baby brother. Mari thought as she slowly opened the door....
...
...
...
...
But when she opened that door...
...
...
She was not met with her little baby brother.
...
...
No it did resemble him
...
...
But as she looked at those pale dead black eyes, the neck broken in a 90° degree angle. And his mouth wide open staring back at her, the same height as her with the long and broken neck he had, as his black hair is dirty, musty, and covered most of his face.
Mari quickly shut the door.
Stood there for a few seconds in silence.
...
...
...
And turned around and went back to bed.
Notes:
Two chapters in a day :)
I was really motivated today to write I'm not exactly sure. But it was mainly because I wanted to separate Headspace chapters and reality chapters, these two chapters out together could probably be as about long as the first one so I guess it isnt much of a suprise. This is a pretty short chapter compared to the other two but thats mainly because Maris time in reality to headspace ratio will develop over time. Thanks for reading!
Chapter 4: THE OTHERWORLD
Summary:
Just some Headspace journey stuff but change it to more suit Maris mind. Spaceboy, nah Spaceprince. Also still working on maybe adding some illustrations to some chapter so stay tuned for that!
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
CHAPTER 3
OTHERWORLD
__________________
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Welcome to your bright space.
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You have been living here as long as you can remember.
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Make sure today is a good day.
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Hikki opened her eyes as usual to the bright blue sky of her room above her. The birds and the bees chirping around her as once again she held her beaming and glowing smile as she slowly stood up. She hadn't really remembered much from what her and her friends had been up to lately, but no biggie. She's sure her perfect friends beaming faces will be right outside that door as always.
Hikki thought slowly opening the door to the bright room to be met by the play room. She looked over to see....nobody? Huh that was...strange Hikki thought. Usually they would be here by now. Maybe its just a glitch in the headspace wor-
Hikki thought before she looked over her shoulder to see Aubrey, Kel, and Basil looking around the room in a bit of a panic state. What had happened in Hikkis perfect little world? Nothings ever meant to go bad here.
Aubrey was the first to notice Hikki had entered the room as always before running up to her with worried eyes. "Hikki, Hikki! Im so glad your here! Hero! We cant find him anywhere!" Aubrey said in a panicked voice. "There, there Kel its okay" Basil said as he patted Kel on the back as he comforted him. Kel was crying slightly but wiped it off immediately as he noticed Hikki.
"No! I have to be strong for Hero, right Hikki!" Kel asked energetically wiping his tears before looking up at Hikki accidentally pushing Basil away slightly in the process. "Of course! It's a little weird for Hero to suddenly...well dissappear..due to his responsible behavior..but im sure we'll find him in no time!" Hikki said with a smile being the perfect leader of the group she always had.
"Wow! Hikki your so brave for going through all this!" Basil said as he looked up at her in astonishment. "Of course she is! Hikki is the best!" Aubrey said grabbing Basil by the neck and pulling him in before looking up. "Oh you guyyysss" Hikki said flustered. "Oh! We better get you to the playground quick! Sunnys been worried sick!" Basil said worriedly.
"Well then let's get going! Don't wanna leave my little brother all worried!" Hikki said with a smile before starting to sway her way to the stairs outside of the play room with the other three following behind.
Soon the four made it to the playground safely and in no time. "H-Hikki!" Sunny said with a slight smile as he saw his big sister enter into the playground area before gently putting his violen down and running uo to hug her. "Oh why hello Sunny! You couldnt have been worried about little old mean could you!" Hikki said happily as she rubbed her little brothers head.
Sunny only nodded in response as he slowly let go. "...hero?" Sunny said looking over at the other three as they approached. "No Sunny, we sadly couldnt find him, he wasn't with Hikki like we thought." Basil said sadly as he walked to Sunnys side. "Am I the only one that really...doesn't really remember the last time we saw him?" Aubrey says dumbfounded.
"Of course you dont Aubrey your dumb! It was yesterday when we were all going to go over to see Basil's flowers and when we were done we...we?" Kel said confidently before he immediately lost track. "I...dont remember...either?" He said in confusion. "Either way! We have to find my big bro!" Kel said motivated.
"Im sure where ever Hero is he can take care of himself! He's much more older and responsible than the four of your, I bet he's heading this way right now!" Hikki said with a smile. "We could...try and go back to my flowers? Maybe he's still there or there's clues to where he went, since we all not seem to remember!" Basil says to the group.
"Thats a fantastic idea Basil!" Hikki said. "If Hikki thinks its a good idea I think its a good idea! What's the worse that can happen?" Aubrey says. "Let's do it!" Says Kel. "Sure just that way again!" Basil says pointing as the other three start walking down the playground.
"I think I'll skip on this one again today..." Sunny says sitting down back on the picnic blanket. "Aw come on Sunny! You promised you'd come see my flowers soon!" Basil whined as he looked back at his best friend in disappointment. "It's okay Basil really, I promise I'll come see the flowers with you soon just...not today, I need to practice some violen! I'll join soon!" Sunny says reassuringly.
"...okay, see ya Sunny" Basil says with a sigh before quickly running down to catch up with the others. The four quickly walk through the forst appreciating the beautiful scenery around them. "Here's my flowers!" Basil says pointing at the lilies of the valley. "I remember that one, that resembles Hikki, thats Aubreys, thats heros, thats mine, and thats Sunnys" Kel says as they walk through the many different types of flowers. "The flowers!" Basil yells as he drops down to the tulips. "Ugh...it seems like something happened...like something..dropped on them, I dont remeber anything like that happening yesterday." Basil says in dismay.
"I'll be honest, I dont remember anything that happened after we passed by the tulips yesterday..." Aubrey says in a mutter. "Well....other than the destroyed Tulips...I dont really noticed anyrhing out of the ordinary around here." Basil says as he looks around trying to find any clues to Heros's ware abouts. Hikki starts to look around before.
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Something black
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Small.
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Pointy
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With one large...afraid eye.
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Is staring her down from amongst the trees.
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Hikki stares.
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And she stares.
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And it stares back.
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...
"Hikki!" Aubrey says grabbing Hikkis leg and shaking her out of her stance. Hikki quickly blinks in confusion and looks down at Aubrey before looking back at the tree the creature was behind. It was now gone. "Come on Hikki we need to find Hero!" Kel says pestering. "Leave her alone Kel! Hero is Hikkis boyfriend im sure she's worrying about him too!" Aubrey says angerly.
"Guys we all are worried about him alright!" Basil says stepping in between the two of them. "If we all just work together instead of fighting we can find him in no time!" Basil says before both Aubrey and Kel shake their heads in agreement but not happily.
"...im really...worried...what if we cant..fine him?" Kel says worryingly as he puts his arms around himself in a self hug. "It's okay Kel really, I'm worried to but in the end it won't solve anything, we all need to work together to make sure we find him before anyrhing bad happens, okay?" Hikki says getting down on the ground to her knees to the little boys level with a reassuring smile. "...o-okay." Kel says sipping the tears off his face. "Thats my strong man!" Hikki says as she rubs his head.
"I-i think...maybe we should go and look for him in the forest! I know the place can be...scary at times, but maybe he's there, its the only place we haven't really looked!" Basil suggests. "No way! Heros scared of the forest since he saw a huge spider in there once, there's no chance he would volunteerly go there!" Kel says armed cross.
"Well maybe he didn't go volunteering! Besides Basil's right, its really our last option here Kel!" Aubrey says standing on Basil's side. "Fine, fine, let's head to the forest for all I care!" Kel says pouting. "As long as my big brother is returned safely soon!" He says before quickly running down the path.
"Wait Kel we have to stick together!" Basil says running after him along with Aubrey. Hikki watching them from behind as they run along. "Ah she loved her little friends but...oh how naive they could be sometimes..one time one of her young friends might get themselves..killed."
Hikki thinks brushing her hair out of her face with a smile before walking over to the path the kids had run to.
...
"HERRRRROOOOOOO!!!!!"" Kel loudly screamed as they entered the deep terrain. "Hey! Don't scream so loud Kel! You might provoc the wild life!" Basil said. "Yea and my ears!" Aubrey says as she plugs her ears with her fingers. "Well how else am I meant to find Hero??" Kel says dumbfounded.
"Anything but that!" Aubrey shouts. "Let's calm down you two, make sure to remember we're a team!" Basil says nervously. "What's that?" Kel says after scuffing and looking the other way to see a sort of shore at the end of the forest. "I dont know...but we probably shouln-" Basil was about to say before Kel started immediately running to the dock.
"Kel come back!" Basil said as Hikki had just caught up to the other three kids. "What's Kel doing?" Hikki asks. "Running off to some dumb dock like a idiot!" Aubrey says before running after him the other two aswell.
"....nevermind...I don't think Heros here.." Kel says worryingly as the other three come next to him on the dock. They were all on a slim wooden dock in the middle of what appeared to be a big dark ocean, covered in fog, couldn't even see the end of it. "...at this rate we'll never find Hero..." Aubrey said.
"Its okay Aubrey!" Hikki said with a smile. "Yea! And besides if we dont find him we can return to Sunny at the playground and see what he's seen, maybe Hero has already returned!" Basil said reassuringly. "Well dont get my hopes up!" Kel says angerly.
The kids start to walk across to the other side of the doc to see the other side of the vast forest. As they walked not even being able to see two steps ahead of them the rest continued as Hikki stopped. In the corner of her eye she had seen a figure...a figure that resembled...
"...hero?" Hikki said as she turned around to see a dark figure.
It had the shape and physic of Hero, but it was like a shadow, a shadow that stared at her with its unmoving white eyes. Falling deep down into Hikkis soul as she only stared at it with her wide smile.
The figures stared at eachother before this time Hikki was able to look away and run over to catch up with the others.
Soon it had been an hour or two of searching the entire forest and the group of four were starting to give up. "...we're never going to find him!!!!" Kel said in a exaggerating tone as he wiped his face. "It's okay Kel, its okay!" Basil said comforting. "I think its probably about time we go over back to the playground to see if Sunny has seen anything." Basil says looking up at Hikki and Aubrey.
"Of course Basil, I think we need to take a quick break from all this monster fighting and searching, dont we Kel?" Hikki said as she reached out her hand to Kel before he sniffed and took it. "Yea..." He said holding her hand as they walked out of the forest.
"...You guys are back.....did you find Hero?" Sunny said quietly stopping his beautiful violen playing as the four arrived back to the playground and sat all around the picnic blanket. "Im sorry to say little brother...but no, no we didn't..." Hikki said with a smile but a sad one as she sat down holding her head. "Did you see him anywhere Sunny?" Aubrey asked. "Oh....im sorry guys, but I dont think I've see any signs of him since you guys left..." Sunny says apologizing. "It's okay Sunny really" Aubrey says. "Maybe we should check outside of the main part of the forest, like up where we enter!" Basil suggests. "Oh I know! We should climb that long ladder that goes up to the clouds! I know Hero and Hikki have suggested besides it but...its an emergency situation!" Kel sayss
"Oh please Hikki, pleaseeeeee" Kel says whining as he claws at Hikkis dress. "...I-I'll stay back and keep looking...Im not a very big fan of heights...." Sunny says. "Alright so us four again up the ladder we go!" Aubrey says energetically before pointing down to where they had entered from the playground and ran.
"Here it is!" Says Aubrey as the four of them reach it. "This is basically the only part of the forest we haven't checked yet, I'm sure big bro is up there somewhere!" Kel says looking up the long ladder raising up and high into the sky. "Oh...woah...its really tall isnt it.." Basil says nervously as he looks up. "Don't worry Basil! Im sure its will be fine!" Hikki says encouraging.
"Not until he goes SPLAT on the ground!" Kel says joyfully. "Kel!" Aubrey says giving him a good fist punch on the back of the head. "Hey! Im just joking around!" Kel whines as he rubs his head in pain. "If its not so scary, how about you go first Kel!" Aubrey says putting her hands on her hips. "Fine!" Kel says before running up to the ladder and putting her arms and legs on it climbing a few feet off the ground.
Soon he was followed by Aubrey. "Don't worry Basil, I'll be right there behind you alright?" Hikki says rubbing Basil on the back before Basil with a gulp started climbing the ladder himself, Hikki not much behind him.
The four climbed for what felt like ages in the purple sky above. On and on they went huffing and puffing as they went along before finnaly reaching the top. "Aaaahhhh...uuuhhhhh....that was....h-horriblleeeee" Aubrey says as she makes it to the top sweating bullets as she starts coughing. "HA I MADE IT FIRRSST" Kel says happily as he mocks Aubrey, somehow the energetic boy is still so full of energy after that long climb.
"Woah...whats this?" Basil says as he looked around as long with the others. "Some sort of field I guess" Aubrey says. They were surrounded by a sort of astro field with a bunch of purple looking weeds surrounding them. "This wasn't what I was expecting, this feels like Basil would enjoy this more than Hero ever world.." Kel says. "Look guys there's a path!" Hikki says as she points to a path in the field.
The four start to head down the long path before their met with rapid loud music in the air as they enter to see some sort of city amongst them. People are playing around, laughing, and having fun as the others bestow their eyes. "Woah! I didn't even know there was another city up here!" Basil says in aw. "...Otherworld..." Aubrey says. "What was that Aubrey?" Hikki asks as the three of them look at the girl reading a sign to their left.
"OTHERWORLD, thats what this place is called apparently?" Aubrey says looking to the others showing the sign. "Well we better get going! Hero may not have much more time left where ever he is!" Kel says before racing down the path to the small looking city.
The four had looked around for awhile for any signs of Hero, at points they did seem to get a bit...distracted finding out all the cool stuff going around the little neighborhood. "Hey guys look!" Kel says as he points at a little sort of...castle at the top of the mountain. "We should go check it out!" Kel says. "Kel that is probably the dumbest idea..." Aubrey was about to complain before Kel is already running up the mountain to the large castle. "Oh godammit Kel!" Aubrey says before running after him.
As the four children reach the castle Kel is about to go up the stairs before is stopped by a guard. "STOP OF THE NAME OF THE PRINCE!" The man says before opening a scroll. "DEAR TRAVELERS, IT HAS SEEM THAT YOU HAVE DECIDED TO STEP FOOT ON THE LAND OF THE PRINCE HIMSELF, WHAT MAY IT SHALL SEEK OF HIM?" The man says before bowing. "....why's this guy's talking like that..." Kel whispers in confusion on gaining a shrug of confusion as well from Aubrey. "...well..we were just seeing if we could see the prince to maybe speak to him on a missing friend of ours?"
Basil says as he awkwardly plays with his hands. "NO SHALL DO, THE PRINCE IS HAVING SOME....relationship...PROBLEMS AT THE MOMENT AND WILL NOT LIKE TO BE BOTHERED." The man said. "W-well.." Basil was about to speak before being interrupted by Aubreys hand on his chest. "Don't worry I got this...Listen here sir, we have been called to have some...therapy talk to your humble prince about...his relationship status!"
Aubrey says bowing trying to seem fancy in anyway she can. "OH HOW WONDERFUL! THE PRINCE WILL BE VERY PLEASED WITH YOUR ADVICE...me as well since I've tried to suggest him to get some on many occasions...VERY WELL! PLEASE TAKE YOUR SHOES OFF AT THE DOOR AND BE VERY QUICK." The man says finally stepping out of the way.
"That was great Aubrey!" Basil said as they stepped up the flight of stairs up to the great big castle. "It wasn't that good!" Kel said grumpy as he crossed his arms. "Let's be nice now Kel" Hikki said patting his shoulder.
As they entered they were met with a large castle all dressed in green and purple tones. Their were many butler's and staff around. "Ah you must be the therapist group!" One of the butler's came up to the four of them. "Please right this way...The prince has needed it for quite some time now!" The butler's says as he starts walking to some sort of direction.
After awhile of walking around the fine looking castle they are met with to very large doors that the butler opens with grace before bowing holding the door for the four as they enter.
They enter into a very fancy room covered in purple and green decorations as far as the eye can see. The bed is big and large and next to it, is a boy who matches the color scheme of the castle sitting down on the ground and crying his heart out into the bed. "Aw...poor guy.." Aubrey says apologetically as they walk over to the man. "
Aubrey slowly walked up to him bending over to get to his level. "Are you okay...sir...?" Aubrey asked to fall on deaf ears. "Sniff....ugghhh....sweetheart....my lovely...ahh...s-sweetheart..sniff" The man cried into the bed sheets talking about some "sweetheart"
The butler from before had now entered the room and went over to the other side of the bed barely taking any notice to the crying man. "The man's lover Sweetheart, some pirate lady from the other coast has broken up with him...for the fourth time since they started dating..." The butler says in a tired voice. "He always ends up sick and crying whenever he is left without his sweetheart for too long...it truly is a tragedy..." The butler's says with a sigh.
"Aaahhh he's love sick..." Aubrey said sadly feeling bad for the poor man infront of her. "Welp! I guess if he's not going to give us any answers on Hero than we've gotten nothing left to do here!" Kel said dramatically as he smiled before trying to exit. "Kel! Don't be so insensitive!" Aurbey said angerly as he started to leave.
"Let's just stay here for a bit longer Kel..." Basil said grabbing Kels shoulder and pulling him back into the room. "Like I was saying...at any moment the SPACEPRINCE might have a big melt down like a baby...he gets very angry when him and Sweetheart break up you see, even though in the end they'll always end up back together."
"NOT THIS TIME!" Spaceprince randomly interrupted the conversation to stop his sorrows, mascara running down his face. "S-SHE SAID, SHE SAID THIS TIME IT WAS OOOOVVVVEEEERRRRRR!!!!" He crys in a anger and sadness as he gets up and waits the butler giving a loud sigh in tiredness.
"What a nutcase..." Kel whispers under his breath. "WHAT WAS THAT!?" Spaceprince says as he turns his direction towards Kel, Kel reacing like he definitely didn't expect to be heard. "ILL HAVE YOU KNOW THAT I RUN THIS ENTIRE CITY BOY! IM THE PRINCE, IM SPACEPRINCE, I COULD HAVE YOUR FAMILY KILLED!" He says in anger as he runs up to Kel.
"Now now let's calm down now prince..." The butler says running up to the spaceprince and giving him a rub on the back to calm him down.
"....That...THAT WENCH SWEETHEART IS GOING TO PAY, SHE IS GOING TO PAY FOR LEAVING ME! I SWEAR ON IT!" The prince yells in anger. "Now hold on...let's just think this through...she may have left you yes but..i-i dont think violence is really the answer" Basil says quietly trying to sounds polite with his reasonings.
"NOW SHUT IT BOY, IM THE PRINCE AND FEELINGS SUCH AS LOVE HAS NO AFFECT ON ME! IT IS SIMPLT ABOUT GETTING REVENGE ON THAT STUPID LITTLE...NOBODY!" The prince says angerly not really making much sense. "I GAVE HER EVERYTHING, AND THAT UNGRATEFUL LITTLE...UGGHHH, IM GONNA FIND HER AND MAKE HER PAY!"
"Im sorry Spaceprince but, I dont think we can let you do that!" Aubrey says standing up from the side of the bed and running up to face the man with her friends. "Yes sir listen to the little girl, they are meant to soothe you from your frustrations here after all!" The butler says worriedly. "YOU DARE TO OPPOSE ME LITTLE GIRL! DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHO I AM!?" The prince yells in anger.
"Blah blah blah, shut it already!" Kel says mocking him using his hand as a mouth puppet. "WHY YOU!" The prince said as he started running up to Kel with an angry intent about to fight him before... THUD a loud noise comes as a bat is hit on top of the prince's head before he dramatically falls to the floor.
Kel looks over to see Aubrey who had suddnely had a weapon in her hands. "H-huh what?" Kel says in astonishment. "I found it under his bed when I sat down next to him, was a bit weirded out by it but by the time he had gotten all mad I decided to hide it under my back for...you know protection." She says explaining herself. "...thank you Aubrey thank you!" Kel said running up to Aubrey and hugging her.
"EEEEWWWWW get off me Kel!" Aubrey said in a dramatic tone as she pushed Kel away from her with a disgusted face on her. "Yea...I dont know why I did that.." Kel said in astonishment at his "kind" actions to Aubrey. "Sir! Sir are you okay!" The butler said in a panic as he went down to the ground and started to grab at the prince. The prince slowly opening his eyes in confusion.
"I-is he okay!?" Basil says worryingly. "Just...maybe a little concussion...nothing serious I belive.." The butler says. "W-where am I?" The prince says in confusion as he slowly opens his eyes, his eyes landing on Aubrey.
"YOU!" He says angerly getting up walking over to Aubrey in anger as Aubrey slowly backs away with sweat. "YOU YOU-.....YOUR AWESOME!" The prince says now with a smile on his face. "......huh?" Aubrey says in confusion. "I DONT THINK ANYONE HAS HAD THE COURAGE TO STAND UP TO THE GREAT I LIKE THAT, ESPECIALLY IN MY MOOD SWINGS!" The prince says happily.
"....Your...welcome?" Aubrey says in confusment. "I see that my other side of me has...gotten the better, my actions were completely unjustified my friend!" He says finnaly putting his sort of screaming voice down. "I hope I didn't cause too much of a trouble, you see Ive been having trouble handling my emotions since my dear sweetheart left me a couple days ago!" He says.
"We can tell..." Kel says rolling his eyes behind his back. "sweetheart...is the love of my life, it really is hard imagining a future of becoming King one day..and not seeing her as my queen.. " he says looking down. "Well...there's always more fish in the sea!" Aubrey says her eyes now filled with hope as she looked up at the prince.
"Yes...yes there is little one!" The prince said happily as he looked down at the girl. "Well im very glad you all four helped me today!" The prince said turning now to the four children as Aubrey joined amongst them. "Aaaahhhh it was no big deal!" Kel said happily gaining a little hit to the head by Hikki.
"You all have my honest thanks! If you need to gain anything from your dear prince please come and ask me, I am free to help!" The man says. "Well...we've been looking for our friend, Hero! He's been missing all day and we actually came into your castle looking for him!" Basil says stepping up to the prince.
"Yea! He's pretty tall, wears some blue striped pj's, tall fluffy teal hair!" Kel said starting to describe his brother to the prince. "....no children...but I am afraid I have not." The prince said stopping for a moment trying to think. "BUT I promise I will tell all my guards and butlers of this "Hero" and I will make sure they are all on their fullest gaurd to look out for this young boy!" He says putting his hand up in the air before telling his butler to inform the staff.
"Oh....Hero...where could you have gone?" Aubrey says sadly before starting to tear up. "OH DEAR, little girl please do not cry! Your dear kind promises he will try his best to find your dear friend!" He says trying to comfort the little girl in the best way a narcissistic prince can. "T-thank you..." Aubrey says trying to smile through the tears as she looks up at the prince.
"Welp im sorry to tell you kids! But your time with the prince is now up!" The butler says as he looks at the time on his watch as he slowly starts to escort the children out. They all start to slowly leave as Aubrey is the last one. Before leaving the room she turns her head around to look back at the prince once more. "Goodbye and thank you!" Aubrey says with a smile as she waves back as him. "No! Thank you young lady!" The prince says with a smile as he waves to her back before her body dissappears behind the door.
...
"Well that was useless!" Kel complains as they leave the castle down to the grass paths of the city once more. "No it wasn't Kel! I....I made a very good friend today, and we helped him get over his sorrows!" Aubrey says in excitement. "I agree Aubrey! He also said he would make sure that his staff is on high alert to look for Hero Kel! So it worked out in the end!" Hikki said happily as Kel only stuck his tounge out back.
"Well we better get back for now! We've practically searched this entire area! And i bet sunnys worried sick by now!" Basil says as they start to head back over to the place they had entered before. As Kel, and than Aubrey went down Hikki had looked over to the path they had just gone down from the city and saw....
The shadow again, the same outline...shape...height as hero...but...it wasn't....
"H-hold on Basil, you go down...I'll meet you guys down there in a second..." Hikki says not moving her eyes away from the shadow. "Huh? Why?" Basil asks as he starts to go down. "J-just trust me.." she says still staring at the creature. Basil looks at her for a few moments in confusion before sighing and heading down the ladder.
Hikki and the creature stared.
And stared.
Before
The creature finnaly moved, it turned away from Hikki the first time and went down the path Hikki running after it. This time the path wasn't the same as before...no it was different.
She didn't arrive at the big city of the overworld than she had before but rather another long path going different directions. Dammit she had lost sight of the shadow creature. She looked around in a panic before she felt something..cold on her shoudler.
Snow? She thought to herself as she looked up to see snow falling around the are around here as long with the purple skys growing darker. For some reason this...calmed her...making her panicked state a little less panicked. She walked through the path as she landed at a two way path she went one way to a dead end and on the ground..
Sunnys sketch pad. He loved to draw just so much different drawings of us all together..happy....
She thought to herself as she looked down at the sketch pad before it slowly dissappeard making her go down the other path beside her. Looking over she saw more items...
We're so young...dream big right?
Hikki thought to herself as she looked over at the puzzles and games her and her Friends used to play with at her tree house all the time. Those items slowly dissappeard as well...
She walked down the path slowly before...seeing the creature again, but this time it wasn't a bad or remorseful feeling...more one of..acceptance?
She thought to herself as the creature kept running down the path...like it was leading her somewhere...
She hitched her breath as she ran towards the creature running past multiple items her and her friends enjoyed..used too...
...
She ran until she stopped at a dead end filled up with a....barn?
...
The creature was standing infront of it...waiting..
Until it walked inside..
...
And Hikki followed it..
...
It was a long....long...long endless cyclone of stairs..it was dark..it was hot...and suddenly all of Hikkis calmness and relief and swept away in a instance. She ran up the stairs, she no longer saw the creature any more...even if it was there she wouldn't know...the stairs and walls around her were pitched black....she ran...and she ran...
Running and running...
Until the last step...
In front of her...
Was a beautiful family portrait...
...
Not a family she knew though..
...
Not anymore...
There...
There on the floor layed two adults...
...
A red headed woman...
And a bronw bearded man with glasses...
...
...
They were...familiar too her..
...
Next to them was of course her little brother Sunny!...
...
...
But why was he there with them...
...
It didn't make sense..
...
That wasn't his family..
...
...
Not anymore..
..
...
His family was here now...in headspace...
...
Next to him...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Was Mari.
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...
...
...
Hikki blinked...
....
And before she knew it all their faces were scribbled out.
...
...
She was confused...
...
Until...
...
I̷̡͙̹̗̫̭̿̑̕t̶̓̀̈͘͜͜ ̴̣̄c̵̛̺̘̍́͑͝ä̷̫̣̜̎͑͝m̷̠͚̜͐͆̏e̷̺̗͎͇̟͗́̓̏͌̚ ̴̼̙̻͖̟̼̃̽o̵̺͓̼̭̖͊̔u̴͙̅t̷̛̩͕͙͔̼̣̋
...
Ḫ̴̦̤͆è̵͓̩͕̓͝ͅr̶̗̻͇̤̓̉̆̋ŏ̸͉͍̣͚̈́?̵̱̀͐̽̈́
..
Notes:
I dont know if I made it clear enough, but just so anyone's not too confused, Im switching up Sweetheart and Space boyfriends sort of roles and kinda personality from the original, to make it more interesting but also because I feel like Mari would want the girl in her story to be the "Strong and independent" one like how most little girls are. But also of course still rock some good old pink and fashion. Also I decided to skip the whole junk yard thing since I felt like it would have been boring too write and read.(sadly that meant Pluto too I just couldnt find a way to add him :( )
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 5: 3 DAYS LEFT
Summary:
Finnaly getting into the real world stuff. I am more excited to write about the real world since its alot easier to understand and describe, as long with me getting to have more fun with their characters and interactions, and the best benefit...angst
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
CHAPTER 4
THREE DAYS LEFT.
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July 13, 2000
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Three days left.
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Mari awoke to the sun bleeding through her curtains of her window as they fell on her face. She blinked them open in hesitation to get out of her bed...what was she even really going to do? Just eat, see if mom's home, play some games, and than go back to sleep? Didn't really matter..
She thought to herself before getting up her hair in a complete mess of a knot as she did giving a big yawn of tiredness. She got up and tried to fix her hair just..a little. But it didn't help much, she walked over to the phone that she had saw had been blinking red once again.
She picked it up to here her mother's voice...wasn't a suprise..its not like she's the only person Mari talks about these days..
"Heeeeyyyyy Marrriiii! How are you doing? Are you eating well? Well mommy was...trying to get back home to see you today but.. its the last day of a sale going down around here and you knoowww your mommy she cant help but stay for a good auction. Also did you try and get into any more colleges...I know you tried last year and it didn't end up so well but were moving into a big new city soon aswell as there is a colledge just a couple blocks down! Mommy's also been looking for some houses for you as well sweetie! I know of course you aren't ready to move out quiet yet!....and you know mommy hates to see her big girl grow up!" Her mom's ecstatic voice comes from the phone.
"But I would love for you to also settle down! Mommy will help with any problems you have she promises! Your such a great big girl anyway! Also remember to finish your chores before mommy gets home! Alright honey thats it for now! Bye mommy loves you sweetheart!" Her mom says before she hears the hanging up sound on the other end.
Mari felt the urge to go play some of her old video games downstairs after she had hung up the phone. When she starts losing ideas in headspace, she'll go to the game world to try and find some more. She'll just go down get something to play and than go back to sle- she thought to herself before...
KNOCK KNOCK
she heard the door from downstairs go as she left her room
KNOCK KNOCK
huh? Was it..Sunny again?
KNOCK KNOCK
No...that..thing..only knocks during nighttime
KNOCK KNOCK
Now Mari didn't know exactly what time it was...but it definitely wasn't even close to nighttime.
KNOCK KNOCK
maybe it was just some mail...some mail that VERY much wanted to make sure you heard them..
KNOCK KNOCK
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...
KNOCK KNOCK
Okay fine! Mari will go check it out. She thought to herself as she slowly went down the steps of stairs down to the living room. She slowly went over to the door and put her eye in the whole, she saw...some sort of...Black hair? She thinks it was a girl...but she couldnt quite tell...she didn't recognize the person at all.
"Hellloooooo" A raspy sort of teenage girls voice came from the other side of door scaring Mari a bit as she gave a slight gasp. This definitely wasn't Sunny. "Marrriii you there?"
"Okay, I know this comes out of complete nowhere! But do you remember me?" The girls unrecognizable voice comes from the other side.
...
"Its me....aubrey" the girls raspy voice came from the other side.
...
No that couldn't be right? Aubrey was a small..feeble little girl, she was short and had a very small peckish voice, not anything close to what this girl saying she was had.
"Soooo...I know I'm not really around this area much..but a couple days ago I was biking around..and I noticed the, for sale, sign on your grass... and I had asked some of the neighbors around and apparently your mom had been talking about moving away to some fucking facny city west from here..." the girl saying she was Aubrey said in a raspy kinda nonchalant tone.
"...well I hate to admit this..but I was well..wondering if you wanted too hang out? Just one last time..for good times sake?" The girls said with a less nonchalant tone than before, now sort of a nicer and accepting one.
...
...
Mari sat there and wondered. She had never opened the door before since...other than nighttime for the creature that called itself Sunny. She had gone out the door before to go grocery shopping..but her mom had always been the one to open it for her instead. Nervously...Mari gave a gulp as she put her fingers around the doorknob.
...
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It took her a few seconds but after a good sigh she opened the door.
...
The first thing was that she was immediately blinded by the sunlight. But when she looked at the girl infront of her...
...
It was a girl with a small smirk on her face, black pitch eyes, a white little bow in both of her pig tails falling down on either side of her shoulder, her hair was jet black, she held a bat over her shoulders, she wore a long pink top and underneath a white tank top with some long blue jeans. And the thing that got Mari...was that she was slightly taller than her...
...
This couldnt be Aubrey. There was just no way...Aubrey was small, child like, and sweet. But she must admit...the girl standing infront of her...was...familiar...
"W-Woah! Dude you..actually came out!" Aubrey said in suprisement as her eyes widened at seeing Mari. "Hold on a sec.." Aubrey said before turning around and saying a little "yes" in victory while putting her fist up and down in happiness before turning back to Mari. "Mari, its so good to see you, I-I feel like I haven't seen you in centuries!"
Aubrey said happily putting her arms up. "...Not ready for a hug yet? Thats fine take your time!' Aubrey said silently putting her hands down. "Well I'll be honest with you Mari...I didn't exactly expect you to open up, since I had been trying for a while now, so I didn't exactly plan on anything so far.." Aubrey says rubbing her neck.
"You got any ideas Mari?" Aubrey said turning over to Mari with a raised eyebrow. Mair thought for a second, she had just remembered that earlier she had wanted to play some games. "...games." Mari said quietly. "...Hey! You know what he could totally go over to Hobzees nearby!" Aubrey said happily as she sparkled in joy. "I gotta be honest with your Mari..its good to hear your voice again!" Aubrey said excitedly as she turned around.
"Weeellll you got a bike? Cause I drove over here with mine" she said pointing to a big pink bike parked on the side walk. "I dont want to leave mine here for the hooligans to snatch up, even though my best friend Kim's apart of them she's told me many times she can't convince them not to bother me just even a little, you know?" Aubrey said with a slight smirk.
Mari shook her head in a no. "Aaww man, would it be fine if I put mine in your garage?" Aubrey said. This time Mari shook her head in a yes. After a little while of Aubrey putting her bike into the garage they started to head down the road. "You remeber the way right Mari? We used to go there aalll the time when we were little!" Aubrey says happily.
Mari could only look down at the ground in response. "...sorta?" She said quietly. "Welk I guess just follow my lead!" Aubrey said with a smile as she ran down the street forcing Mari to run after the taller but younger girl.
They walked past the area as Aubrey was talking about something...Mari wasn't really paying much attention to be honest. She looked around at all the trees...the streets..the shops..the people...the playground. It all seemed so familiar, it felt nostalgic and Mari could barely seem to know why. It felt odd..like she wasn't meant to be here, why did she even have the courage to open that door after so long?
She didn't even know at this point. "Here we are!" Aubrey finnaly said as they arrived to a small sorta mall area just around the playground that Mari aslo recognized. She looked around and soon at the end of the many shops was the big "Hoobzees" sign. Her and her friends used to go there all the time...wait...what is she even saying.
"Come on let's go! I have so much to catch you up on!" Aubrey said happily playing around with her pig tails. "I shoouulldd probably put my bat over here though...dont want to scare the staff" Aubrey said as she went to the side of the building and put her bat at the side. "It...should be fine there, as long as the hooligans dont recognize it." Aubrey said before entering the store.
The two entered the store. It felt very nostalgic to her...the games and posters everywhere, sunny must lov-.....she thought but almost immediately stopped herself looking down. "To be honest, never been much of a fan of Hobbzees, but if thats where you wanna go we totally can! Ive just gotten a bit sick of it since my friend Kim keeps bringing me here" Aubrey says.
"....Kim?" Mari says a bit confused looking at Aubrey. "...Kim? Remember? That one glasses girl from the hooligans, always wearing that big old sweater, yea I know its been years and she still hasn't changed out of it." Aubrey says giggling. Mari remembers Kim she does...she always found her...annoying to be fair...it was just weird to know that Aubrey had become friends with one of those bastard Hooligans. But what does Mari know, maybe Kim and the other hooligans have changed.
"I know she's part of the hooligans but I promise you I still dont support their actions to much...just that Kim's pretty chill, I like her...alot" Aubrey said looking down getting a bit of red on he face leaving Mari to raise a brow. "A-Anyway!" Aubrey said leading Mari to a section in the store to try and get away from the topic.
"To be honest even though its been around 4 years since you've been here...its basically just the same old boring stuff sadly.. maybe a few sequals or few." Aubrey said with a roll of the eyes. "Spaceprince, Sweetheart, games, all the same stuff" Aubrey said pointing over to the games. "Wellll I think they gave Sweetheart a new game but its not much different than the previous last" Aubrey said with a sigh.
"I shouldn't even know all this loser nerdy stuff, God I need to stop hanging around losers.." Aubrey said groaning. Mari did raise an eyebrow from that, that wasn't really something younger Aubrey would say..but...maybe she's just grown up.
Mari starts to walk over to one of the isles where she knew the spaceprince and Sweetheart games usually lay, maybe buying the new sweetheart game would give her more ideas for headspace later. She thought as she grabbed the new game, it was basically the only one on the isle that wasn't dusty at this point. "Hm...You really wanna get it? You can Mari but I promise you it won't be anything special compared to the old ones"
Aubrey said with a sigh. "....thats okay" Mari said quietly before walking up to the cashier. "And that will be on-...." the cashier was about to say before looking over at the girl infront of him. "Oh! Hi Mari!" The boy said after not getting star struck at the sheer eye sight of seeing her. Mari put her head to the side in confusion. "Oh! Sorry you may not remember me, Im Aiden from your physics class in High-school! It's great to see you back out again!" The boy says happily, Mari giving a silent wave with the smallest smile anyone can possibly have before they both left the store.
"I forgot to mention..you've kinda become a bit of a celebrity around here since you dissappeard, not like you weren't one already but Im sure lots of people will be happy to finnaly see you walking around Faraway town again!" Aubrey said happily as Mari put her game in Aubreys bag due to her not really having anywhere for herself to put it.
"So where you wanna go now Mari? Since you've been around the neighborhood more I bet there's somewhere you'd wanna visit after so long?" Aubrey said looking at Mari with a smirk. Mari only looked down at the ground. To be honest she kinda wanted to go home and play the game so she could go back to headspace with more ideas but....she was...having fun? She thought to herself in confusion.
"Oh! How about the park!" Aubrey said excitedly. "I love to hang around there, especially alone, even as a teen now its fun to hang around there since there's lots of places to just sit down and relax. The only bad thing is...the people. Some toootttaaalll nut cases around there I'll say!' Aubrey says with a sigh. "But forget what I said, let's go it'll be some total fun!" Aubrey said happily before walking down the path Mari following behind.
The two walk up to the playground before being stopped by loud yelling voices. They look over to see at the end of the park near the basketball area there was loud yelling and arguing. Something that usually would be out of the norm but almost immediately when Aubrey realized who it was she immediately passed it off. "Godammit its the hooligans..." she sighed to herself as she walked over. Mari for a second just waited at the tree to wait for Aubrey...but she felt weird being alone so she ran up to her side.
"Hey! Kim what going on here!" Aubrey says as she pulls Kim from the crowd of Hooligans and people around the basketball area. "Some kid got into a fight with Vance!" Kim replied pointing over to the area with a big wide smirk "I cant see it but I bet Vance is beating the kids ass right now!". "Ugh! You need to stop enabling their behavior Kim!" Aubrey said frustrated. "....im sorry..Aubrey.." Kim said almost immediately as Aubrey got frustrated with the other girl.
Aubrey immediately started piling through the crowd leaving Mari to just have to stand there and wait for her return. Aubrey finnaly got through the crowd even with her small height and immediately as she saw who was fighting Vance she let out a large sigh. The boy who Vance was fighting was all beaten up and bloody on the ground. "Want more kid!" Vance said with a smirk, Vance was strong so even though the other kid was losing the fact that Vance had some bruises and blood on him was still a bit impressive.
"Vance stop!" Aubrey said as she entered the middle of the fight putting both her hands up. "Thats enough! He's practically beat to the ground!" Aubrey said angerly. "Oh come on Aubrey, stop doing this shit! I can still take him you bitch!" The boy on the ground said to Aubrey. A voice that Mari found...familiar.
"Stop it! Your done okay!" Aubrey said looking at the boy onto he ground. "And what do you think is gonna stop me from beating him to a pulp prince-cess!?" Vance said mockingly as he looked at Aubrey with a wide evil smirk on his face, eyebrows furrowed down. "Vance!" Kim's voice could be heard from the crowd. As Vance turned around he saw Kim shake her head from side to side with a angry expression.
"Uuuuuaaaggghhhhh" Vance complained as he wiped his bloody noise. "Fine!" He said in defeat. "You win, fucking brat!" Vance said before walking away with the other hooligans. The crowd of people made a few whispering noises and a bit of boos before slowly walking away from the basketball court just enough for Mari to finnaly get through and see what was going on in the middle.
Aubrey led a hand to the kid on the ground covered in blood. The kid smacked away Aubreys hand before getting up himself. "I dont need help, especially not from you!" He said to Aubrey looking down on her, the anger in his voice didn't help with the fact that he seemed much taller than Aubrey or Mari. "Kel! I swear to god! You would've ended up in the hostipal if you kept going you prick!" Aubrey says angerly.
...kel?
Mari thought to herself, there was just no way. Kel slightly faces his face towards Mari. It was so..weird. The boys hair was put up into a pony tail but Mari could tell he still had the same half assed haircut he had since he was little. The man had a now deep and edge voice as a teen, he wore himself a black jacket with a basketball uniform underneath with some Grey sweatpants. The man had more sharp features and seemed alot more grumpy than the little energetic Kel ever was.
Kel sighed as he rolled his eyes to Aubrey looking away his face immediately dropping as his eyes lay upon Mari. "......i-is....is that" Kel says in confusion. "Yes dumb ass! You know I would've really appreciated it if her first impression of you in the last 4 years was a little more...civiled!" Aubrey said walking up to Mari. "...h-hey Mari.. its good to see your, alive I guess." Kel said looking down.
This was weird, Kel felt like he had changed even more than Aubrey had. "Thank you! My god Kel what have you become these days!" Aubrey says angerly. "Hey! Little Mrs Princess im not even that bad compared to mister nut cases down the block! I just want to play basketball but those stupid fucking hooligans, always want to get in my business. It's not my fault!" Kel says angerly.
"Aren't you friend with one of them!? How about you try and tell them to stop messing with me!" Kel says angerly. "Ive tried Kel ive tried! But you haven't made it much....you know what.." Aubrey started out angery before taking a sigh of breathe and relaxing a bit. "I am here, to make sure Mari has a good last few days here in Faraway town and im going to make sure she does, if you want to be a part of that. Be my guest." Aubrey says harshly before turning around and walking away with Aubrey, Kel just stood there hands in pockets.
He looked at the two walking away from him and gave a groan before rolling his eyes and kicking a stone before turning away and getting back to basketball.
"W...what was that about?..." Mari asked quietly as they walk down the street. "Well...Kel kinda became a little..weird after the..incident. He just seemed to get sad and less energetic then usual and stopped trying to talk to any of the friend group. Kinda weird for Kel I know.." Aubrey said with a sigh as she looked from Mari up to the blue sky.
"The friend group...didn't really stay together long after you left, Kel just kinda abandoned it to get some other friends in his basketball team, Hero stuffed himself in school work ans barely visits from colledge anymore, and I cant even begin to describe who Basil has become..." Aubrey says looking away from the sky.
Instead she looked down at the pavement kicking around a small pebble as she walked
"...where's...where your bat?" Mari said quietly as she looked at Aubrey.
"....Oh Shit!" Aubrey said in a panic, "when we left it at Hobzees I didnt pick it back up from the side of the store!" She said in a panic. "God mom's gonna beat me if I lose that bat, its signed and everything!" Aubrey says before starting to speed walk the other way to the hobbez store.
The two ended up at the mall center once again running up to the side of Hobbzees. "Godammit, godammit!" Aubrey yelled as she went around to the side alley of Hobzees and looked all over to see no sight of her bat. "I leave it here all the fucking time!? Why the only time Im actually doing something it gets stolen, fuck fuck!" Aubrey said her slight temper getting to her.
This was the Aubrey Mari was more used to...well other then the whole swearing thing. Aubrey ran down the alleyway in anger as Mari slowly went beside her in a slow pace. They both looked around for a few minutes before Aubrey sighed and gave up.
"Godammit! My mom's going to hate me even more now!" Aubrey says in sorrow as she leaves the alleyway. "Im sorry we spent so much time looking for a stupid bat Ma-" Aubrey was going to apologize before bring interrupted by a similar voice to Mari.
"Looking for this?" A small male voice came from behind Aubrey. Aubrey flicked her head around aggressively to reveal a young boy around the same age coming out of the restaurant at the mall center.
The boy had poorly dyed Black hair, blonde roots and streaks coming through very obviously. A white tulip in his hair, garden boots and gloves including with a large black jacket over his shoulders. The boys hair was messy and his eyes lookes tired, not as much as Maris but tired. The boy had a blank face on him as he held Aubreys bat in one of his hands.
"Oh fuck! Of course its you brat!" Aubrey said angerly as she looked the smaller boy up and down the boys expression nor changing in the slightest at the insult. "....man, you know I think I would be nice for once...but I guess your just too...rude to deserve such treatment..." the boy said with a sigh and a sarcastic voice looking down at the ground.
"Oh dont bullshit me Basil! You know those words aren't true" Aubrey angerly spits out.
...Basil? No that cant be Basil. This had to be the most different one yet. Basil was a small kind and cheerful boy, nervous but always had a slight smirk plastered on his face and a big flower put neatly into his hair. This boy infront of him was rude, messy, plastered no such emotions on his face, as well as taller and voice a bit deeper.
"Now give me my Basebat Basil! Its signed and you know how my mom can be!" Aubrey said putting her hand out for the boy to supposedly hand over the bat. "...hmmm..no...atleast not with that attitude" Basil said with the same blank dark expression as before looking around as he spoke. "Come on you jerk before I beat you!" Aubrey said pulling at her own hair.
"....Well...I have your bat...and we aaaallll know your nothing without this stupid thing..." Basil said taking it and spinning it in his fingers. "Shut the fuck up you....ugh." Aubrey said with a sigh and a groan. A very, very slight smirk showed up on the boy, it wasn't one of happiness but more amusement and fulfillment.
That smile immediately dropped to a horrified expression once Mari came from behind Aubreys back side to get a better look at the boy who Aubrey called Basil his eyes immediately landing on her only now just realizing.
"....." Basil went silent as he stared at Mari in shock his eye giving a little twitch. Before he closed his eyes and opened them again now giving the same blank expression but more...sorrowful. "Oh....its just...her." Basil said sort of aggressively.
Aubrey looks over to Mari by her side in curiosity. "Oh...yes, Mari finnaly came out" Aubrey said with a slight smile as she looked at Aubrey. "Wow only took her four fucking years." Basil said with a now slight frustrated expression. "Basil! You can't blame her!" Aubrey said in anger as her face changed at the comment. "Oh I absolutely can! Just leave when things get hard, great fucking idea." Basil said with a roll of the eyes.
He turned his back and started to walk away. "Hey! I still need that fucking bat!" Aubrey said running to him and infront of him Mari staying at her spot. "Get out of my way Aubrey." Basil said annoyed. "If something this small gets your nerves racked I think thats your own problem." Basil said looking her up and down.
"You fucking....you know thats not the problem..." Aubrey said aggressively before trying to stay calm. "I dont want to hurt you Basil." Aubrey said. "...thats what makes you weak." Basil says in a neutral quiet tone before swinging the bat up in the air going to Aubrey.
Both Aubrey and Maris breath hitched as Basil did, Mari almost ran over to try and stop him. But right as the bat was going to make contact with Aubrey, Basil stopped. "....Pfff...." Basil started before laughing in amusement. "No fight or anything....God your pathetic" Basil says before walking past Aubrey putting the bat casually on his shoulder like it was normal.
"....well...that's how Basil's like now..."Aubrey says sadly as she watches Basil walk away with a blank expression but her eyebrows furrowed in disappointment. "....godammit..GOD FUCKING DAMMIT!" Aubrey yelled scaring Mari a bit as she ran up and kicked over a garbage can by the side of the parking lot.
"I lost my bat and also couldnt stand my ground against Basil of all people...God...my mom's going to be so man.." Aubrey says hiding her face in her hands. "....Im sorry Mari that you have to see me act liks this...especially after not seeing me for so long..." Aubrey says looking down. "Im sorry I let it end out like this..." she says quietly.
Mari stared at her before slowly walking up to her and putting a hand on her back gently rubbing it as she looked up at the younger girl. She didnt...exactly know what to do in this situation...it would be easier if she was Hikki...the perfect Hikki who could do anything.
...
"Is....is there anything...I could do to help...?" Mari said quietly. "....well.." Aubrey said looking at the ground before looking up at Mari. "I-i...I know it might be a big ask, but ive been waiting for when you finnaly came out since I was young....that..." Aubrey said in hesitation. 'Well...do you remember when we were younger..and you had said that after you did the recital..that you would dye your hair with me?" Aubrey said.
Mari looked back she had remembered...something like that..she never really had the best memory. "Like...you do purple I did pink...Nevermind, its a stupid idea!" Aubrey said looking away in frustration and lack of confidence. Mari thought, she thought long and hard...maybe...she'll just do this one thing...its what Hikki would do...right?
She put her hand on Aubreys shoulder in hesitation as Aubrey looked up at her she tried to give a very slight smile, it probably looked more scary then anything but as long as Mari got her point across. "Of course I'll do it Aubrey!" Mari said in probably the clearest voice she had spit out all day, Aubrey looked at her before giving a wide smile.
"FUCK Yea!" Aubrey yelled happily putting her fist in the air before immediately realizing and casually putting it down and looking away. "I mean, I dont care" Aubrey said in denial before grabbing Maris wrist and pulling the girl along with her. Mari didn't know how her mother would react to this, or how she would react to this.
But...it gave Mari this sort of rush in excitement in her stomach. Like she was afraid yet excited. It felt like she needed this.
Soon the two arrived at a small hair salon just out of town. Aubrey quickly went into her bag and starting counting the cash on her. "This should be just about enough! I dont know if their taking walk in but we'll see!" She said putting the money back into her pocket before walking into the salon.
"Oh why Hello Aubrey!" The woman at the cash register said as she laid eyes on the girl, Aubrey must be her alot. "Hello! I was just wondering if your doing walk in today because me ans my friend here will like to get our hair dyed" she said pointing at Mari.
"Why of course and who may your friend here be?" The woman asked looking at Mari. It felt weird, from what Mari can recall she once was beloved in her town, everyone knew who she was and adored her, Hikki would have been recognized, why is Mari not..
"Oh! This is Mari!" Aubrey said in a bit of hesitation. "......like..Mari..Mari?" The woman said her smile going down a bit in a slight shock. "..yes, I wanted to show her around town and have some fun before she moves away!" Aubrey says trying to lift the mood. "Ah the Suzukis are moving away, ah what a relief I thought the town would never recover from them..." the woman said making Mari look down.
"Mrs!" Aubrey said angerly as she put her hand on the desk. "Oh! Im very sorry dear, its really nothing against your or your folks I swear!" She says apologizing Mari just giving a little head nod. All three of them went into awkward silence after awhile before the woman started to leave the counter. "Ill...I'll go get your girls some barbers!" She says before exiting the room to the staff room in the back.
"....dont listen to her Mari" Aubrey said giving a pat on Maris back. "People just never really expected to hear from you again, let alone see you face to face. Its really weird how much the town was affected all those years ago..." Aubrey said looking down. "But! Soon you'll be in a city right, and you can move on!" Aubrey said trying to lift the mood in a horrible way.
Move on. Mari didn't even really know if she's moved on from Denial at this point...how can she truly move one entirely in the next 3 days...
...
Soon the two girls were set into two chairs facing a mirror as the barbers dyed their hair. Mari looked at herself in the mirror, God is this how she really looked like? Was this really how other people saw her....it just felt so....wrong...
...
The dye only took an hour to do, apparently Aubreys hair was already bleached due to have dying it once already, while Maris had to be bleached which took longer. At first Mari was questioning her decision, bleaching her hair without mother's permission...she knew she was a adult now...but it just felt wrong.
Soon the hairdresser wet her hair on a very uncomfortable neck placement and then blow dryed it in a aggressive manner. Once the barber was down Mari looked at herself in the mirror.
...
She
...
She liked it.
She looked at herself her eyes still tired but now she hair purple her favorite color. Now it was still very obvious that the hair was black but the slight purple tint to it was...fantastic. "you look great Mari!" Aubrey sais coming behind her in the mirror with a now fully pink hair. She lookes great too. "Wow, you have no idea how long ive been waiting for this"
They soon walked out of the salon dazzled by their new hair colors, Mari felt...happy.. happy and replenished with this choice, she felt free, like how Hikki felt, all the words the woman had said early immediately skipped out of her mind.
It felt peaceful...calm when they came out..
...
"Looks like its getting dark!" Aubrey said looking up at the orange sky as the sun began to set. "I think we should get you home alright!" Aubrey said with a smile before they started walking down the street.
As they were almost too Maris house they saw...Kel.
Now this wasn't really much of a suprise since Kel lived right next to Mari and has his entire life, but after the alternation earlier it felt a bit weird. He was outside of his house playing catch with his dog outside as they both laid their eyes one him.
Aubrey let out a small sigh before slowly starting to walk past the house. Kel laid his eyes on the girls before looking back down. The girls were just about to reach Maris front yard before..
"Wait!" Kel said as he quickly got up and looked back at the two girls. Aubrey and Mari stopped before turning around to look at the boy. "....do you two.. wanna join me for dinner?" Kel asked putting his hand on his neck looking away. Aubrey looked at him in a bit of a raised eyebrow before closing her eyes and shaking her head with a smirk and chuckle.
"What? Little Kels all lonely now!" Aubrey said mockingly him raising one of her eyebrows in teasing. "Oh shut up Aubrey!" Kel said pestering. "...sure" Mari said quietly before walking back and up their yard giving both Aubrey and Kel a suprised look. "Ugh! Mari!.ugh.. uggghhhh, fine." Aubrey said before grumpy walking up the path.
"Heh! Guess im just better!" Kel said before entering the house Mari and Aubrey following him behind. The two entered the house that they definitely hadn't been in, in a long time. It felt surreal, Mari once considered this her second home...but now she barely recognizes the place. The place was lit up and the smell of food was washed around the house. Mari was pretty hungry, besides the entire reason she had come downstairs in the first place was for some food.
"Obviously heroes out to colledge and won't be back until tommorow at the moment so he won't be around, but we could probably head over to the dinner table for the time being so we can wait for my mom and dad to finish the food." Kel said itching his back. 'Shouldn't you tell them we're here?" Aubrey said with a eyebrow raised. "....well...I mightve already told them I was going to try and muster up the courage to ask.." kel said awkwardly.
"Pfff...your pathetic dude." Aubrey said punching Kel lightly on the shoulder before letting him lead them to the kicthen table.
The three of them all sat around the table dinner plates and utensils already laid down on their seating arangements. Kel and Aubrey started to discuss to one another, mainly just teasing and mocking the other though. Mari really could never find out if they liked eachother or not.
Soon Kel parents came through with a big chicken roast and sides, something that made Maris mouth almost immediately drool in excitement. Both of his mother and father seemed...very surprised when they put their eyes on Mari even if Kel had already told them that she may be arriving. They seemed...almost nervous to a point to have her in their presence.
"I'm going to go get Sally dear!" Kels mother says to his father before leaving the room. "...who's Sally?" Aubrey says in confusion looking at Kel. "My little sister." Kel says looking away like it was the most nonchalant thing in the world. "....you had a little sister in these four years..and YOU DIDNT TELL ME??" Aubrey said in confusion.
"Well we weren't all too close Aubrey, just never really brought it up." Kel said with his cheek resting on his hand. This was a suprise to Mari too, but it was nice knowing that something was a good change out of all the bad changes in the past four years she had been gone. "Here she is!" Kels mother said bringing out a little around 2-3 year old girl in her arms and pulling out a booster seat to put at the table.
Everyone was finally sat and the feast began. There wasn't much talking but there was alot of questions thrown Maris way. It was mainly questions of how she had been doing and whats her plans for colledges and her future in the big far away city life. But it wasn't not expected I mean she was their sons first ever girlfriend. I mean....was she still?....
...
Mari thought for a second...about Hero....
They had dated before the...incident, but had never really broken up. But it had been 4 year no contact and she never considered them still being together. Besides it was just young stupid love.. she's sure he's moved on by now. And she thinks she's already moved on from him by now. Besides he probably thinks she's a monster for being the only person who...
...
Who knows the truth..
...
Mari snapped out of her thoughts as Aubrey put a hand on her shoulder as everyone else started leaving the table as they were finishing their meals. "You okay?" Aubrey asked in worry. "...yes..sorry just lost in thought.." Mari said looking at Aubrey ans then down. "You too should probably head home soon, irs getting dark." Kel said pointing outside at his window.
"Of course, well thank you kel for inviting us over!" Aubrey said leading Mari out of the room before exiting the kicten. "Oh and please say thanks to your parents for the fantastic food!" She said before opening the door and the two girls headed out.
It was cold and quiet outside as they two left. The moon and street lights being the only light. "Well...was that a fun day or what?" Aubrey said looking over at Mari with a smile as they started to walk just down over to Maris house. Mari gave a little head nod...in years...she actually enjoyed reality..
"Well goodnight Mari! See you tomorrow!" Aubrey said with a smile as she brought Mari up to her door Mari slowly opening it. She turned to see Aubrey now with her bike once again waving at her with a smile Mari waving back at her before Aubrey slowly road away down the street slowly disappearing into the darkness of the night.
Mari watched her go even when she had already dissappeard from view. Mari opened the door of her house with a creak and closed her eyes.
She gave a sigh before heading back in shutting the door behind her.
...
When she entered, this place was not her home..
...
It was dark cold empty...
...
Creatures...climbing on the walls..
...
Whispering to her...
...
Talking ro her...
...
Warning her..
...
She looked around to see the door to outside..
...
That door..
...
It was pitch red outside..
...
The red glow illuminating the room.
...
Spiders...
...
Crawling up and down..
...
She panicked...
...
Grabbed the knife..
...
And put it to her side for protection...
...
She slowly wobbles herself to the stairs trying to avoid the red light outside as much as possible..
...
She reaches the stairs and went up but God...God how much it took..it was long it was endless...the spiders were crawling all around her..the creatures...whispers got louder...she wobbled and tumbled her head becoming fuzzy...her breathe got weaker...
The stairs...
They were long...
Hard..
She looked behind her as she went up...
Seeing a shadow on the ground at the very bottom of the stairs...
...
It looked like...
...
No...
She said lightly as she looked back away continuing the stair case...
God...
Fuck...
...
She reached the top...
But at the top...
Was him...
The creature who had been...watching...
Lurking...
In headspace...
....
Now here...
...
What do you want she wanted to scream...
...
She could feel and hear her heartbeat...
....
Like it wanted to leeep out of her chest...
...
She stared and stared...
...
...
Until eventually...she walked...she walked to it...
She say the creature shift...
Shift...
...
And shift...
Into a little boy...
...
...
...
...
One Mari recognized...
...
He was wearing a black shirt and shorts...
...
Resembling the one he had during...
...
The day...
But...
...
He was different...
...
He was pale....
And as he turned around with a smile...
....
....
....
His eyes were white and pale..
...
..
And as soon as he was there...
...
He was gone again..
...
Mari felt herself want to throw up, to gag, to bury herself in a whole and never come out. She trembled on the stairs before hiding his face in her hands in a panic letting out a large scream of pain..
..
...
...
...
I̸̧̛͈͚̝̥͇̞̠͇̔̉̈́͊̅̑̎͐͘t̸͙̘̭̗͓̟̼͓̝͔͋̉ş̷̜͉͇͕̠̬͓̻̪͖̃̋̃͂̓͜͠ͅͅ ̶̢̱̖̦̫͚̖͓̮̩̘̥͛y̵͚̥͈̹̌̽̉͂̏̌̍͑͘͘̚ō̴̧̡̞̦̮̰͚̠̻̼̺͎̇̒͗͐͝ủ̷͉̗̫͚̼̪̲̠̭̝̖̟̦̏̈́͆̂̍̉͐̽͘͠ŕ̵͎̙̘͉̙͔̹̈̾̐̂ ̵͔̦̗̖̻̕f̵̢̛̻̯̙͖͖͈̬̟̠̤̘̗͕̬͊͋ą̶̡̥̻̠̩̹̹̥̣͕̳̝͙͋̊̊͊ͅư̶̧̨̖̪̰͉̫͔͍͙̰͍̖̖͕͂͋̒̀̄͆̆̚l̵̡̧̮̤̮̙̺̻̖̦̤͈̀͐͊͆t̷̠̼̻̮͈̪͆̉͐̈́͊̂́̾̏ͅ
J̴͇͛̃̍̓̊́̿̚ơ̶̡͕̠͇̰̜̩͉̦͈̣̘̬͎̅͐̓ȋ̸̦̼̈̃̐͒̃͝n̵̖͔̗̺̬͖̤͛͜͜ ̵̛̭̰̥͕̥͍̘͍̯̞̎͊̽̿̈̉̒̉͊h̴̨̡̛̼̺͎̜͔̥͈̝͌̽̉̅͋̽i̴̧̨̯̹̳͚̫̼͍͊m̵̛̛̰͓̺̖͉̩̊̔̉̆̃̈́́
J̵͔̯̰̤̝̰̜̝̪̹̘̅̃̔͗̉̾̍̉͒̄̋́̿̚͝ỏ̵̞̟͓̱̣͊̑̉̉̄̚̕͠i̴̧͑̌̊̒͌̉̽̈͘̕͘ñ̵̬͉͂̈́̃̽̕ ̶̠̭̱͉̱͈̬̞͖̔̅̐̓͑̌̀̾̈̋̇͘͘͠͝h̸̠͗́̔́̔͑͐͆̈͋̈̑̚͠ị̵̡̣̟̈́͛͗͌͊͑͜͝͠m̴̛͔͇̖̞̮̟̰͕͈̼̠̄̒̀͌͑̉̋͆͆̑̌̿͘͜͝ ̸̫̯̝̜̰̰͊͋̿͒͐̓̃̄͊̓̊͠i̸̖̿͌̇̄̒̀͑͌̄̄̂̀ņ̵̧̟̞͖̓͛̅̄̍̎͋̍̽̏̌̚ ̴̢̨̮̤̲̞̣̖̰͎͕̖͉͕̓̉̎t̴̢̨̧͙͎̼͓̘̼̝̪͎̂̄̀͗̓̂̚̕͠͝h̶̳̲̳̗͎̮̬̠̖̗̏͜ͅȩ̵̟̜̦͚̳̥̀͋̂́̆̒́̃̂̈́͗̍̕̕̚ ̴̣̝̖͈̬̟̻͊ͅh̶̢̺̲̰̞͎̘̹̺̞̬̣̤̙͗͋̉̅͒͐͐̔̎̚̚͝͝ë̸̛̳̮̯̖̪̮̝̠̬̩́͗́̐͋̀̃̈̿̂̚͠ḷ̷̳͍̩͙̖̩̩̖͋̌͋̎͠l̷̡̧̧̩̭̭̘̞̥̩͇̙̥͈̆̋̌̓̓͝ͅ ̵̡̜͙̥̗̜͐̽̔͒̂̑̿̑̚͝ÿ̵̢̲̤̫̥͚̻͚̳͇̯̱̐̎̋̈͋͑̀͗̒͂͒̕͜͝o̷̘͈̯̲̮̝͊̾̃͝ų̵̛͈̝͓̼̟̯̣̙̻̪̘̓̊̓̍͐̓̉̍͠ ̸̛̝̺͖̰̫̘̇̒̒͐͋́̈̌̒̈́̿̑̕͝p̷̬͚̰̦̙̊͒͑̈́̉̐u̵͍̺̩̟̞̾́t̶̨̛̠͓̜̒̒̈̽͊̆͊͋̅̈́͆̊̕͝ ̵̡̪̥̩̩̘͕̼̙͈̫͙̠̦̒̓̊͊̑͗̌̐͌̽͘͜ẖ̷̖̗̪̦̫̜̞͇̪̱̥̏̊͑̇ĩ̸͖̭͉̬̬̱̫́́̈́͌̀̿͌̆͂̓̾̚͘͠m̶̠̺̅̏̓̀̆̄̊́̐̀͋̕͠
...
...
...
...
Mari was in her bed now.
The room was quiet and still.
Night had fallen and she must rest now.
...
...
ĥ̵̡̟̘̱̣̝͖͚͈͈̘͑̈̓̚̕̕e̴̢̨͍͍̬͓͎̟͙͛̓̌̽̀̊̓̈̕͘͝͝'̸̛̹̟̞͈͈̣̭̟̙̟̄̐̂̀̅̍̏͋̃̀̋͒̓͜͝s̷͖̗̗͙͛̑̈̔ ̷̹̺̠̭̬̙̈́̐̓̇͋w̸̨̢̱̭̱͚̫̼͓̝͆̒͝ǎ̵̛͚͔̗͕̈́̓́̆̋̊͋̾̑̏̉͂̓t̵͇̺̥͝ç̸͍̦̟̬͙̫̖̼͎̱̬̼̲͑͂̽̋̑̓̚̕͜h̴̡̡̡̗͓͔͉̘̫͎̩͙́̎͑̽̇̚ͅì̴̛̙͔͂͊̾͗͛͗͊͐̅̓̚͘̚ń̷̡̛̬͕̮͓̤̣͍̫͓̺̞̀̎̊̄̿̑͑͒̂̃̔̚ģ̶̭̼̹͈̫̟̲̋̍͐̾̂̅̿̎̾̒̆̚̚͝ ̸̡̛͈̳̆̎̅͑͑̓͌͊̿̈́̈́͝
Notes:
I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of the real world! Im gonna make Mari just a little more open than Sunny was, like for a starters making her actually talk even if its just a bit.
Is it obvious that the dying hair part came from the heart from dying my hair for the past 3 years?
Also sorry for how long it took for this too come out, I just started school and have been a little two tired to finish it but the weekend has started so thought I'd quickly finish this chapter.
The next reality chapter will be more focused on Basil and Hero