Currently, I'm on a small island called Patch, just on the west side of Vale, and I'm carrying a baby, making her fall asleep. This cute little gem is Ruby Rose, the youngest daughter of big sis Summer.
I call her big sis because she wants me to instead of aunty. Her first proposition was, mother though, but to me, I only have one mom. So, I refuse to call her that. Ruby has silver eyes that look so cool, just like big sis, with reddish-black hair. She's so cute! I wonder, when will I have a little sister?
"How did you make her fall asleep that fast?" Yang Xiao Long asked, a new friend of mine. Same age as me, with yellow fluffy twin-tail hair like a foxtail.
Since her voice is a bit too loud, Ruby got startled for a bit but didn't wake up. She just curls up a bit more before continuing her sleep.
"How did you make her fall asleep that fast?" She asked again with a softer voice.
"I don't know too. I'm just carrying her," I replied to her seriously.
"Not fair! You're not telling me something." She said, upset but trying her best not to be loud.
"But... I'm not hiding anything, really," I told her as seriously.
The three adults laughed at our serious conversation in the living room. Then big sis stands up, comes closer to us, and picks up Ruby from my hands.
"Yang, why don't you show Sora around Patch, and they might decide to live here when they found land to buy."
"Really!?" Yang and I asked simultaneously.
"Yes, kiddo, once we settle our business in Mistral, your mom and I plan to stay here. Do you like it here? There's also a beach nearby," dad asked from behind.
"Yes!" I answered happily. "I will miss Juan and Nei Li, though," I also felt sad at the thought of leaving my friends at Mistral. How can he do it? It's not like I'm never gonna see them again. Right?
"I will be here, so... cheer up!" Yang said. I smiled because of that, then she pulls me out of the house shouting.
"There's a place I know that cheers me up when I'm sad."
"Be careful, kids! be back before dark!" big sis shouted.
I shouted back while being pulled by Yang. "Yes, big sis! See you later." I wave back at them.
"Let's go buy some ice cream first. We'll reach it before it melts, I promise." Looking at her, I can only nod.
We walk towards the ice-cream vendor.
"What flavor do you like? I recommend sea salt ice cream. Authentic from the islands near Mantle." She looks at my unresponsive face. She pouted and explained, "I know it sounds weird, but it tastes good."
"No, no, it's my favorite flavor. Just don't tell dad. My parents don't know I ate ice cream," I explained.
Yang has a bright smile on her face. We ordered 2 sea salt ice cream bars.
"Come here, I know a shortcut," she pulled me without care for my opinion.
Yang pulled me to a dirt road going through the forest.
"Hey, is this safe?" I asked. I looked around for any sign of danger.
"Don't worry! It's totally safe on this side of the island." Yang said without looking back.
Deep within me, I know she's right. I stop looking around.
I looked in front of me. The forest is quite dense. The sun barely peeks through gaps in the tree. The surrounding is quite dark, the inclined dirt road is uneven and almost unrecognizable, and branches are sticking out. If not careful, it can cause bruises. Yang just runs forward freely.
As we reach the end of the forest. What waits for us is a field of flowers beside a sea cliff.
On the horizon, the sun starts to sets. The clouds turn grey, and the sky has the combination of orange, red, and blue, with the sea reflecting reddish-pink, the yellow, purple and blue flowers swaying with bluish-green grass in the cliff with the breeze. Add it up with the sound of bugs in the woods, rustling of leaves, and the seawater hitting the cliff. The view just looks ethereal and breathtaking.
"See? Told you it's beautiful. You can see a whole different side of Patch in here. Right?" Yang said as we watch the sunset while eating sea salt ice cream.
"Yes, this looks beautiful," I said in a daze. I suddenly felt sour, like I'm about to miss something important. To keep my mind off it, I asked Yang. "You said you came here when you're sad, so why are you sad?"
"Why did you asked?" Yang asked me instead.
"Because... you look sad, it makes me feel better when I told someone about my problems, so I asked." I look at her, and she looks at me a bit surprised. I asked again, "why are you sad?"
"It's my mom," she said.
"Big Sis?" I asked, surprised.
She shook her head then continue. "No, she's my step-mom, Ruby's mom but not mine. My mom runs away. I have no idea what she looks like, so every time I see, mom with Ruby. I felt sad that my mom is not there. So I want to find her." She looks at the sunset with some tears dripping from her eyes.
"That's bizarre, but I know one thing, big sis is your mother, or else you won't call her mom awhile ago. For your other mom, let me help find her. I promise...when you found some pictures, of course!" I hand her my handkerchief to wipe her tears, then I ruffle her hair before standing up "Let's go home before we get scolded by your mom," as I walk away.
"Hey! Don't go messing up my hair again..." she shouted, waving her hand wildly then muttering the last few words I did not hear. I walk back into the forest.
After 3 days, at the harbor.
"You're going already? Can't you leave Sora to us?" Summer using her puppy eyes to Taiyang and dad, "Look, Ruby won't let go of him," she added.
"No way! I want to travel with dad on his adventure." I hurriedly replied before dad can even reply.
"But—" Big sis got cut off.
"You heard the kid, Summer." Uncle Tai put his hands on big sis' shoulder, trying to coax her.
"Hmmm, sigh, Ok, be sure to come back?" She stares at my father like prey.
"Ok...Haha...ha," My dad replied awkwardly. While scratching the back of his head.
"Rara, You going away?" Ruby asked, with the threat of giant tears falling.
"Yes Ruby, but I will visit back again next time we will be neighbors," I said while wiping her tears away.
"Can't we be neighbors now?" Ruby asked anticipatingly.
I smiled, then looked at Yang for help. Yang went closer then hold Ruby in the shoulder "I'm pretty sure Sora wants to stay here at Patch, but his mother is still in Mistral. So when Aunty comes with them in the future, they will stay here in Patch with us." Yang consoling her sister for my departure.
"Reeeaaly?" Ruby looked at me and asked.
"Yes, once our business is settled," I said, affirming her.
"Then pinky promise!" Seriously, she looks at my eyes as she lifts her little pinky finger.
"I promise," I said, seriously, as we cross our pinky fingers.
"Ruby say bye-bye now," Yang said.
"Nope, no goodbye, just… see you later," I interrupted.
Ruby turns to Yang then to big sis with a confused look.
"Haha, your big bro Ra is right. Won't you be neighbors next time? so just say "see you next time" to him." Big sis Summer said.
"Ok, Mom." Ruby nodded, then looks at me. "Shee u *sniff*... ater," Ruby said while trying to hold back her tears.
"You were just leaving, but still make Ruby cry, Huh." Yang punched my right shoulder. Then she raises her arm with her palm towards me.
Confused, I tried to shake her hand, but she evades it.
"Stupid, not that! Give me your scroll." I got even more confused, "you promise to help me find my mom if I send you a picture. How can I send it to you if we don't know each other's contact info?" Yang asked.
"Aah...ok, here," with no retort, I gave her my scroll.
"There, just text me so that I'll have your contact info. I already put my contact on favorites so that you don't have to scroll all the way down to contact me." She said, then gave back my scroll to me. She went behind Ruby then held her shoulders. "Well… see you later, take care," she said without looking at me.
A few minutes later...
We wave our hands as we sail away from the island of Patch. This is the third farewell in our adventure. This is the second hardest farewell I have done, for now. The connection I built with the people I learned to get along with makes it harder to get separated from them. But I know, for some unknown reason, our hearts are connected.
"Do you want a little sister?" My dad asked.
"Yes, why?" I asked anticipatingly.
"Don't worry, when we get back home in few months, your mother and I shall try our hardest you just need to do one thing."
"What should I do?" I asked with excitement.
"Sleep early or go to school instead of homeschooling." He said with a wide grin on his face.
"How are those two things connected?" I asked, but my dad didn't answer. He just sighed dramatically and said that I would understand when I'm older.
We went back to Vale to buy some dust ammunition because my father forgot to.
In an alleyway near the shipment yard, a little girl in tattered clothes caught my eyes. As I got closer, I noticed three kids with bruises talking to their parents. One female adult went closer to the little girl with an umbrella in hand. She raised it, ready to hit the girl, so I picked up a stone and threw it at the umbrella.
"STOP!" I shouted as I press the emergency dial button on my scroll, then placed it in my back pocket. I run towards the scene as I pick up a stick then charged in shouting.
I stand between the adult and the girl. "You are an adult. Why are you hitting kids?!"
"That rodent hit MY child!" She yelled, pointing her umbrella at my face.
I looked at the girl behind me. Her head was bleeding, as bruises and cuts were apparent to her body. She stares at me like a trapped animal getting ready to fight for her life. I noticed that her eyes have different colors. Her right eye, having an earthy brown, with a slight yellow-orange near the pupil, and her left eye has a reflecting pink in color. Her hair also splits into pink and brown. But this time, pink on the right side and brown on the other. I barely see it because of the blood dripping in her head, which darkens her pink hair. Plus, the bad lighting in an alleyway makes it harder to perceive.
I looked at the three kids. Two of them were crying and complaining to their parents, and one was urging his mother to hit the girl behind me. For some reason, I felt my chest hurting, then there were these new feelings that rose within me. Not annoyance, something scarier urging me to shout and attack these people in front of me. I hold back some of these urges then argued.
"There are 3 of your children double her height against her. So why the heck would she attack them?!" She's timider than Akako-nee. I pushed her umbrella aside with my stick.
"WHAT DO YOU KNOW, BRAT?!", Then proceed to smash me with the umbrella. I parried the umbrella aside, then the urge grows. I attacked her wrist, forcing her to let go of her weapon. "AGH!", She recoiled in pain. I did not even hit that strong, "what is wrong with this kid?! He hurt me! He almost broke my wrist!"
"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU, WOMAN!? YOU ATTACKED ME FIRST! How illogical can you be!?" I exclaimed.
"Let's call the police!" The other adults stated.
"Yeah!" Exclaimed by the other two adults and about to run away with their children.
"SORA! I came with the police!" I heard dad yelling from the alleyway entrance I came from.
The people, the three adults, and their children tried to make trouble because I hit one of the adult's wrists. Luckily, my father recorded the whole conversation and turned the table around. The adults and their children were scolded by the officers. They thanked me for calling my father and bravery in facing injustice, but they also said I should not put myself in danger. When the police officers went away, the little girl revealed herself from her hiding spot. So I approached her, "why and how did you manage to hide from the officers?" She did not say anything nor has any wounds, cuts, or bruises. Has she unlocked Aura already?
My dad approached us, knelt in front of her, and said.
"What's wrong, little girl? Did someone kidnap you?" The girl shook her head.
"Where are your parents?" She shook her head again, "do you have a guardian?" once again, she shook her head.
"Do you understand what I am saying?" She nodded this time.
"Can you speak?", She shook her head once again, "Do you have a name?" She shook her head then looked down. The ground below started to get wet with her tears.
I looked at my father, and he looked into my eyes, and we both nodded at the same time, walked closer to her, put my hand on her head, and asked her, "do you want to be my little sister?"
"Hello Oz, I found a—WHAAAT?!" My dad fell to the ground the moment I finished my question.
The girl nodded, tears streaming from her eyes. She nodded fervently. "From now on, your name shall be Neopolitan Yukihira, the little sister of Sora Yukihira and daughter of Joichiro and Yuna Yukihira," I stated.
Neo cried and fell on her knees, I hugged her. She hugged me tighter, pulling my clothes downwards, but I don't care. I finally have a little sister, and this is the last time she will cry out of sadness.
I promised.
"What just happened?" I heard my father suddenly exclaimed as he sat down on the floor.
"Hello? Jo? Are you still there?" A voice came from my dad's scroll.
A few days later...
Today is one of my rest days. I'm currently cooking food for my newly adopted little sister, Neo. She's not picky, but she likes sweet foods and seafood. After she took a bath, and wear new clothes. Her pretty features when I first met her enhances. You can finally see the splendor of her smooth, hard brown, and pink hair with a white highlight.
For now, while I'm in training. One of dad's crew members teaches Neo how to write and to speak. The writing part is easy. She seems to learn it pretty quickly. The latter, however, has some... Major problems. Turns out, she can't move her vocal cords on her own.
We also learned how she hid from the officers. It turns out her semblance can create a solid illusion as hard as glass. She truly activates her Aura, which enables her to heal herself. Semblance is the manifestation of one's innate and personal power as an ability unique to each individual, with the effects varying from user to user.
My semblance is still a mystery. Well, dad said that our semblance is inherited like the Schnee family. Once I activate my Aura, my semblance will be awakened, and I don't need to face great danger just to trigger it. The better control I have over my body with the limit of human physical capabilities, my semblance could be stronger if I use it right.
"Hey Neo, I'm cooking your favorite food, Teriyaki Salmon!". *Neo happiness noise*
"I'm glad you're happy!" I pat her head.
" I'm free today. What do you want to do after eating?" I asked.
She gestures her hands in a circular motion, then in a criss-cross motion.
"Tic-Tac-Toe?" One of the crewmates asked.
"I have no idea! only the Captain's son can understand her." The other crewmate answered.
"Oh, you want to go painting, Sure!" I clean the plates then take her down from the chair.
"Let's go to my room and get our painting supplies. You pick what I should draw this time," we walk out of the cabin.
Just like that, days passed by...
TO BE CONTINUED.