Asahi and Clover slowly strolled along the streets of the village. The density of the town was relatively bigger than Asahi imagined. He saw a child dash down from the pathway, touching another child, and yelling.
"You're it!"
It seemed to Asahi that the children were playing a game. Though distracted for a moment, that didn't stop him from looking at Clover. He saw that she had short-lime green hair, glistening dark emerald eyes, and bright skin. She wore a colorful dress that stretched down to her knees, covered in blue and green patterns. The sun shone vividly on the village, giving its sunlight to the plants in need. After they passed through the playground, Asahi and Clover walked over to a crop farm, talking as the world continued to flow in motion.
"This is my hometown. Usually, I would be the one to gather the crops and such, but since I am on vacation, I can do whatever I want." (Besides, I don't mind wandering with a guy like him."
As silence filled the area, Asahi tilted his head to Clover and asked her.
"Hey, why did you get so silent all of a sudden, Clover?"
A nervous smile came from her face as she turned her head away from Asahi, her face blushing with crimson. After a moment of silence, Clover raised her voice and continued.
"N-Nothing! Let's go to the crop farm!"
With that thought in mind, Clover dragged Asahi forward and sprinted across the hard cobblestone roads, passing through the villagers as they embraced the hefty amounts of sunshine. While they were strolling, a brown-haired man yelled out to her.
"Clover? How has it been?!"
This of course, delighted the girl, feeling recognized after all this time. She cheerfully answered and waved at him, making an adorable and joyful giggle as well.
"I'm doing amazing, Logan!" After they walked around the many buildings in the area, Clover noticed that Asahi never spoke once to the villagers. And so, as they passed through a tiny stream, Clover asked Asahi.
"Hey, why don't you introduce yourself to the villagers? Are you shy?"
Asahi hurriedly shook his head.
"No no no, not at all. Actually, I speak more than I do right now. It's just… I feel a heavy feeling just walking on the ground. It feels weird."
. . . Clover never took the reply seriously, and heard it more as a "I talk a little" approach. While the other villagers stare at Asahi's white hair out of shock, Clover patted Asahi's back and exclaimed.
"Goodness, you find every excuse you can think of not to talk to anyone. You know, just because you look different does NOT mean that everyone is the same. Matter in fact, every person in this world, monster or not, has their own story to tell."
A flash of realization betokened Asahi. (She's right, everyone does contain a secret story inside themselves. It's just that no one can afford to read every single story. If people can't even comprehend their own stories, why should they have to care about others?)
Before his thoughts could consume his interest, Clover nagged at Asahi.
"Hey, come on. Please give the villagers a chance. Didn't you say you're an outlander?"
A serious and grieving look floated in Asahi's face as he quietly responded.
"Yes, I was. But… not anymore. I can't even recall how much I have been world-traveling with my sister." His arms remained at his sides as the cool and fresh breeze passed through him. For a moment, he fell silent, staring at the sky and trying to recall anything of his past. Although he remembered world-traveling before, the only moments he could remember was after that first-time world-traveling. He never knew the reason why he world-traveled, but he could remember that there were some enjoyable moments. Asahi continued as Clover stared interestingly at him.
"This world was my home. I saw everyone on it as my friend, even the evil people. For me, Gincad was a materialistic Heaven, where no evil resides."
Clover raised an eyebrow in confusion, stating Asahi's words.
"Materialistic Heaven?"
Asahi nodded with a faint smile.
"Yes. Imagine a place where you could roam freely without worrying about danger. Imagine a place where you can make your dreams come to life and be blessed by happiness and from the gods below. Imagine a place where you could be given your own Dream Power and have the ability to master it upon your will. That was what made all the magic you see today, and that… was what the ancient world used to be, as far as I remembered."
Clover, again, made another confused gesture, pushing him back into a secretive area to not alert any villagers about what they were saying. As the sunlight streamed faintly through the crevices of the alleyway, Clover asked curiously, scratching her chin.
"Ancient world? Hold on, the only time I ever heard the term 'Ancient World' was from those really old books that were found in the Ash Desert thousands of years ago!"
"The Ash Desert?" Asahi muttered confusingly. "What's that?"
Clover pointed her finger to the ground and replied with a soothing voice.
"It was the birthplace and origin of the world. I remember reading a book once where it said that "at the dawn of the first second, the first flicker, the first trickles of light, that from the Ash Desert, arose eight ancient beings. They brought life and prosperity, bringing both light and darkness into the world, then life and its oceans, then finally… the sky." Is that what you refer to as the "Ancient World?"
Asahi facepalmed and shook his head, falling into disbelief of Clover's cluelessness. He replied as he saw her hair fluctuate with the wind.
"No, not at all. Are you telling me that no one in this current state of the world knows about the Ancient World?"
Clover bit her bottom lip and anxiousness.
"N-No, well not that I think so. I thought the Ash Desert was the Ancient World--
"No, not at all. The Ancient World predated the Ash Desert. Actually, it became the Ash Desert."
At that moment, Clover's eyes widened in unbelievable shock.
"NO WAY! SO THERE'S ANOTHER FORM OF THIS WORLD I DON'T KNOW ABOUT?!"
Asahi gave a light chuckle.
"Yeah. And actually…" He scratched his head and gave a hard breath. "I originated from the Ancient World. If not, I was one of the Five Gods that ruled it. I was the one who left the world, and after what I thought was ten years, turned into five thousand, I was greeted by a completely different sight."
Clover's eyes continued to shrink in surprise and disbelief, exclaiming.
"5,000 years?! Y-You're ancient! H-How are you…" Clover looked down at Asahi's body, then to his face, mumbling. "How are you even alive?! You look so young and…"
Asahi interrupted her.
"It's because I AM that god."
Her green eyes squinted at the curly 'S' tattoo on Asahi's face, then to the one marked in his chest. Ever since she encountered him all the way back in Pladtioa City, she had this curiosity on the meaning behind that mark. And so, she asked.
"What does that tattoo on your face even mean? It looks like some type of ancient lettering. Not only that, it is all over your chest and abs too."
Asahi's face faintly turned red, but immediately shook his flattery off and replied.
"Oh, this? That is my birthmark. Everyone related to The Adtraic Family has one."
Clover covered her mouth.
"Birthmark? Ohh, so that explains the reasoning on why you and your sister have that 'S' symbol on your face. That's cool. W-Wait, you F-Family?! You have a family?!"
The prideful smile on his face lowered down to a frown.
"I used to have a family. I… lost my mother, father, and my little sister to the destruction of the ancient world."
Clover backed away in disbelief.
"N-No… that's… very sad."
Asahi gulped a breath of guilt away and pressed onwards, pulling Clover out of the shadows and expressing.
"Yes, but I refuse to believe that I lost them. I know somewhere out there, at least one of them has to be alive. There must be SOME way to resurrect or revive them."
Before getting more into the topic, Clover led them across the village, toward the vast grass plains to talk some more. What Asahi never realized was that this was just another attempt on a date from Clover, of whom he hardly knew.
* * * * * * * *
Milmoor's grass plains bathed in an everlasting breeze. The vast field stretched from the bottom of the village's ground to the tops of the highest rugged cliffs, filled and flooded with life and beautiful vegetation. Asahi and Clover strolled across a dandelion field, talking more and parting away from the village to have a private discussion.
The first move that signified a connection was holding hands. At first, they only held it so that they wouldn't trip or fall on anything, but then, they kept their grip, for warmth instead of safety. As they passed through the pathway, Asahi and Clover found Aletha training with Sadiki. He gave a light chuckle, seeing his sister trip on the floor, not even hitting the dummy once.
"Wow, did Aletha forget how to wield her sword? Haha!"
Clover tried to see what was happening and found the sight to be quite humorous. She covered her mouth and continued on to the trail, grabbing his arm.
He placed a four-leaf clover over Asahi's hair and put another clover over her bangs. Clover complimented as they took turns decorating each other with five-four-three-leaf clovers.
"Wow, Asahi, you look so cuuute with that clover on your hair."
Asahi tilted his head to her and muttered while the stem of his four-leaf clover slowly swings back and forth, and his long two strands of his silky white hair fluctuated as well.
"A clover? Is that what I feel in my head?"
Clover slowly nodded her head and replied with a soft tone in her voice.
"Yeah."
Asahi slid his finger down his bangs. He slowly pulled the clover away and placed it inside one of his pockets.
"I'll make sure to keep it for now. I promise I won't lose it, Clover."
Clover lightly giggled and peered her round green eyes at him.
"You're so silly, Asahi!~ Come on, let's go to the forest and collect wood! Wait, are you sure you really promise? Pinky promise?"
Clover grabs Asahi's pinky and latches her pinky onto it too. Asahi couldn't bear to hold his laugh anymore.
"Clover, you DO remind me of my twin sister. Your cheerful attitude makes me smile. Your appearance is rather splendid, and you... can easily make friends if you continue what you're doing. I don't know how you found Akwan, but I must say you are one kind girl.."
Clover conversed her mouth. She never thought he would ever say that so quickly.
"Y-You think so?"
Asahi chuckled.
"Of course, Clover. Now let's go to--"
Clover swiftly embraced Asahi. Asahi's eyes widened in shock before calming down and accepting her embrace. The girl tremblingly whispered to Asahi while she pressed her chest against his.
"Thank you so much, Asahi!~ I just wanted one friend, and I think... that you are the one for me."
Asahi slightly tilted his head left to Clover, like a curious dog.
"--Friend?"
Clover patted Asahi's back and quickly whispered.
"Yes. I tried to hide my pain for so long. I wanted to be happy for just a moment without faking it. I want to share the problems I had--"
Asahi raised his voice while he heard her intelligible mumbles.
"Clover, slow down!"
"I know it's too sudden, but..."
Clover exclaimed at Asahi with a tone of desperation in her voice.
"Asahi, I love you!"
Asahi flinched and jumped in shock, shouting with a confused expression.
"EH?! Hold on. You can't just scream that--"