Sunny Ademir
I woke to daylight with a shiver. Everything was stark white. Even the cardboard blanket that usually kept me warm enough had turned pale with snow. I hauled myself up from the cardboard house I'd built last week and staggered into the street. Days, maybe weeks, had passed since Grey went missing, but I was still walking these streets hungry.
"I wish Grey had given me his wallet before he disappeared," I thought to myself. Pathetic, but almost funny. I'd brought myself to this state. But who could blame me? I had to get out of that wretched pit people call "home." And I didn't regret it.
The main streets were full of kids and adults. Some threw each other snowballs, some built snowmen. Watching from a distance was fun. I'd watched everything from the shadows my whole life. My torn shoes couldn't keep out the snow; my feet were freezing. The purple aetheric particles were trailing after me. Staring at them helped me forget how numb my feet were. At least there was something to distract me.
As I walked, I spotted the mouth of a side alley on my right. It looked like there wasn't much snow inside. I took my chance, slipped in, and looked for a quiet spot. Even with sunlight at my back, the alley remained dark. After a few more minutes of walking, I noticed how tiny this alley was compared to others. But finally I found a decent, comfortable spot. A big dumpster stared back at me like it was full of wonders. Grinning, I shoved the lid and hopped in. I was digging for anything useful, or something I could eat. What I found was not at all what I expected. By pure accident, I found a horn. I couldn't tell what animal it belonged to, but it was about as long as my hand, so I kept it. I rummaged a few minutes more, but there was nothing else worth taking, so I vaulted out.
The second I climbed out, a nasty smell hit my nose. I looked around, but couldn't place the source. Then I slowly turned and eyed the dumpster. After that, I gave myself a quick once-over.
"Right. If you jump into a trash can, you come out smelling like trash," I muttered, sighing. I pulled the horn from my pocket and examined it. It was pure black, the tip curling back.
"Now… who might you have belonged to?" I asked, as if the horn might answer me. Of course, it didn't.
"Ugh… What the hell am I even doing?"
I kept staring at the horn like an idiot—right up until a sound came from inside the dumpster.
"Eh?"
I turned back to the bin. Everything looked normal at a glance. Maybe a raccoon was in there, scavenging like me. I took slow steps, slid my head in even slower, and what I saw scared me stiff.
"Ahhhh!"
"Ahhhh!"
We both screamed at once. I stumbled back, my feet tangled, and I fell on my butt. I stared at the dumpster in awe. Two small hands appeared over the rim, and then, slowly, the rest.
"Show a little respect for girls, would ya?"
A small girl jumped out of the dumpster and landed right in front of me. One hand on her hip, she flashed me a grin.
"Hello, pal!"
Her shadow-blue eyes looked at me as an equal, her not-so-long hair fluttering in the wind. What caught my eye most was something else: her clothes were as ripped and ragged as mine. She leaned forward and offered me a hand. I took it, wary, and with her help stood up. I dipped my head and asked:
"Who the hell are you?"
She took a deep breath and shouted her introduction:
"I am the original sin of humanity, Cathy Kuze!"
I stared blankly, then reached a hand toward her head. Cathy tracked my hand with her eyes, then I flicked her forehead. She yelped and pouted.
"Hey!"
I shrugged and pushed banana peel to the ground, which was on her head.
"Huh?" Cathy looked at the peel, tilted her head, then scowled. "There goes all my charisma."
She muttered to herself.
"Hopefully you've learned not to jump into my dumpster again."
I threw her a smirk. The little girl rolled her eyes.
"Ha. Ha. Ha."
Cathy turned her back on me. I sighed and physically turned her around again.
"Look, little girl—"
" 'Little girl'?"
She cut me off.
"You might be older, but we're the same height."
I looked her up and down. She was right, our heights were close, and both of us were shorter than average. It didn't bother me much. But it clearly bothered her.
"Listen, I don't know why I've run into another garbage-scavenger, but if we both go our own way and forget this conversation, we won't have any problems."
Cathy thought for a few seconds, eyes flicking around as if in a brainstorm. Then she gave her answer:
"Umm… No."
I looked at her, dumbfounded. "The fuck you mean 'No'?"
Cathy straightened, met my eyes, and smiled.
"It means that I want to hang out with you."
She said it so calmly, so easily, I was caught off guard.
"But… you… me… why? You don't even know me!"
Her smile widened.
"Yeah, but living alone in Lineage City is hard, especially in weather like this."
I stared at Cathy for a long time. She waited patiently for my answer. At last, I gave it:
"Sunny. Sunny Ademir."
I said. One of her eyebrows climbed for a heartbeat, then dropped as she grinned.
"That's a great name, Sunny! Alright, let's hit the road."
She stepped beside me, eyes bright with excitement, and started toward the alley's mouth. I cursed my situation and followed. The aetheric particles were dancing around her. I wasn't doing great, mostly because of Cathy, but also because I was starving. I needed food, fast.
We stepped out of the alley, and Cathy glanced left and right.
"There's so much white shit everywhere."
"White shit?" I echoed her.
"Yep! White shit," she said, nodding.
I couldn't help it, I burst out laughing. Cathy gave me a weird look, but I kept laughing. I was laughing so hard I nearly cried.
" 'White shit'? Are… are you serious?"
She pouted.
"Hey! That's what I call it. If you've got a problem, stop laughing and say it."
I couldn't answer; I was drowning in giggles. Her face turned red and she looked away.
"Bastard," she muttered under her breath.
After long seconds, I managed to pull myself together. Tears streaked my cheeks; I was on the verge of hiccups. I shook my head to reset and looked at Cathy. Her back was still turned to me. Maybe I'd teased her a little too much. For a heartbeat, I felt like Grey. I hadn't known him that well, but arrogance and mockery radiated off the kid. Maybe his outside was a masterpiece, but inside it was all shit. That didn't mean I didn't like him; I respected and loved anyone who helped me. I was a sunny person. At least up to a point.
Cathy finally turned back and gave me a practiced look.
"Your looks and your name don't match at all, but your personality fits perfectly."
I smiled at her. "I'll take that as a compliment."
She rolled her eyes.
"Whatever you say, Sunny of Vendetta."
Sunny of Vendetta… honestly, a cool alias. But I didn't need aliases. It wasn't like I was about to go to war. As that thought drifted through, a new question surfaced.
"Why did you call yourself 'humanity's Original Sin'?"
Cathy tilted her head. From here, her shadow-blue eyes looked silly, but behind them there was a hint of experience and maturity, just like me.
"Because humanity's first sin is disobedience, right? And that's how I was made. I came from parents that disobeyed the orders of the world. And this is where I ended up. A worthless piece of awesomeness."
I tried to guess Cathy's age.
"What an interesting birth story," I said aloud. Inside, I examined the Original Sin's quirks. She was definitely two or three years younger than me, maybe thirteen or so.
"Hey, Sun," Cathy said, voice dazed. "I'm hungry, I need food. So let's go shopping!"
She shouted with joy. I looked at my nonexistent pockets and sighed.
"And where are you gonna get the money?"
Cathy shot me an arrogant grin. "We will beg," she said suddenly.
"Eh…?"
Begging wasn't something I usually did. I'd beg if I hadn't eaten for a week or two. But now… I didn't need to beg, at least not for a little while. Aetheric particles drifted around us as if trying to say something. I tilted my head at one hovering before me. I was about to try something no one in history had probably attempted. I opened my mouth and lunged forward, swallowing the purple aetheric particle that had been where I stood. An alien sensation bloomed in my stomach, but within seconds I felt full. The aether I'd consumed became a food source for my body. Delight jolted through me. It was a new year`s miracle.
"This is awesome! Consuming aether to use it as food, brilliant!"
Cathy watched me with a blank face.
"What the hell are you doing?" she asked, curious and embarrassed. I turned and grinned wide.
"Come on! Eat them," I said.
Cathy looked around, then back at me.
"Eat what?"
My smile faltered, freezing on my face. I'd forgotten she couldn't see aether.
"Fuck!" I muttered. How could I forget? Cathy wasn't like me. Not that I even knew how I had awakened like this. All I knew was that aether was something otherworldly. But I needed to figure out how Cathy could awaken. I couldn't let her go hungry, could I? But why did I care? She wasn't my responsibility, and I definitely didn't have to help a little girl I'd just met. Yet I wanted to. In this snowy, freezing weather, I didn't want a life like hers buried under drifts. Maybe caring about others would keep me from surviving in this world. But I didn't care about everyone. I cared about Cathy because she reminded me of something. A memory, things someone else had once shown me, now she was showing me. But as those memories rose, so did their corpses. A father and a girl glared at me with hatred. This was the reality I deserved: pain.
"Hey! Earth to Sunny, you still there?" Cathy's faraway voice reached my ears.
"Huh… Huh?"
"Hello again, Mr. Blank Walker," she said, staring at me in boredom. "Now will you explain why you brought us to a school?"
She pointed at Legacy's Academy.
"What?" I stared. I hadn't noticed when or how we'd arrived here. Had I dragged us over by accident, lost in thought? Cathy took a step forward.
"Why would a school be open in weather like this?" I finally understood what she meant when I focused on the building. There were students and teachers inside. But why? She was right. Why was this school open when there was so much snow and all the others were closed? Well… it was Legacy's Academy. I'd always wanted to attend it, but somehow every mess led back to this place. I cut my thoughts short. Had I slipped into Grey's personality? Weird.
"I think if we beg the students long enough, we can get food," Cathy suggested. Not a stupid idea, but my real goal now was to find a way for Cathy to see aether. The other day I learned from Raya that a girl named Nya could see it too. And they'd run into that Organizer guy. Strange. Not as weird as me but… strange.
Cathy tried to spy on the students through the windows, but it was impossible. The Academy was walled all around and two stories high, tough luck for Cathy. When she finally accepted her efforts were useless, she pouted and sat cross-legged on the snow.
"I'm bored. I'm hungry," she said flatly.
I gave her a dumb look. "Isn't your butt freezing from the snow?"
Instead of answering, Cathy looked at the snow, then at herself, and then she answered.
"Eh, it'll be fine," she said confidently.
I shrugged and sat in the snow too. It was cold, but if a little girl could handle it, so could I, probably. To stave off the chill, I thought of delicious foods: salami, sausages, bread… and more.
"I know people here. I'm sure they can help us." A small smile sparked on Cathy's face.
"Yay!" she squealed. I smiled for a second at her excitement, then flopped backward into the snow. Cathy copied me.
"Let's make snow angels."
"Snow angels?" I asked, but she was already giggling, sweeping her arms and legs through the snow. I imitated her… and made a snow angel. My sleeves were freezing thanks to my clothes, but it was still fun. It felt like dancing inside the snow. The cold bit a little, but a little fun never hurt anyone.
After a few minutes, I couldn't take it anymore and stood up, looking over at Cathy. She was still making angels.
"Do you not have the concept of being cold?" I asked, amused.
At last she stopped, stood, and stared at the school.
"When do their dumb classes end?" she asked, sulking. I looked at the school and sighed.
"Have you ever gone to school?"
Cathy looked at me and froze. All expression fell from her face. Finally, she shook her head. With my answer, I glanced down at the snow, exhaled, and a tiny, tiny smile touched my lips.
"Yeah. Me neither."
Cathy hopped in tiny bounces until she stood in front of me. She made a fist and held it out.
"We're going to fight for food until the very end, okay?"
A pact in the snow. A vow. Slowly, I made a fist and bumped hers. She grinned. I smiled back, then saw something behind her, or rather, someone. A being stood there with long purple hair and purple eyes. Tears ran from those eyes, and inside the pupils there was only pain. I jumped to my feet. My skin prickled, then the figure was gone. I exhaled and shook my head.
"I must've imagined it," I murmured. A loud bell behind me shattered all of my focus. I turned and saw students pouring out around the school garden. I opened my mouth to tell Cathy we could put our plan in motion, but she was already sprinting toward the school. Laughing, I chased after her.
Beyond the walls, dozens of students mingled. They all wore the same black outfits traced with golden patterns. Cathy started hopping in place, trying to see in.
"Damn it!" she pouted. "You can't see any dumb thing from here."
I was having trouble too, though not as much as her.
"Instead of bouncing like an idiot, maybe try patience," I said dryly. She scowled, crossing her arms.
"You're not funny at all."
I shrugged. "I think I am."
She rolled her eyes and forgot I existed, intent on watching the snowball fights. She wasn't alone; I watched the students with rapt attention, the way they had fun, how they spoke to each other… It was exactly how I'd imagined. I'd always wanted to spend time like this at a school. At least… not anymore. I had no reason now. Not to chase this, not even to live. I'm just a Tarnished, just like how Félicette had said. She said I have to "act up," but I already did. I did, and still only destruction remained.
A minute or two later, a familiar face crossed my vision.
"Alora!" I shouted to the Golden Star. She didn't hear me. We weren't far apart, but with so many students running around and yelling, I could barely hear myself. I called a few more times, and finally, on the fifth try, Alora heard me. She looked around, startled, trying to locate my voice. When she couldn't, she turned to the pure-black-haired girl beside her and said something. Meanwhile, I could feel Cathy's patience draining away. I yelled Alora's name one more time, and at last she caught where the voice came from. Both she and the black-haired girl stared our way with puzzled faces. I waved both hands high. Alora and the pure-black-haired girl walked to the wall, stopping just on the other side of us.
"Alora!"
I smiled as much as I could see of her. She flushed.
"Sun… Sunny?"
"Hello, Golden Star," I greeted. A tiny smile lit her face. Meanwhile, Cathy was craning as high as she could to stare at the pure-black-haired girl, and the pure-black-haired girl stared right back. At the same time, Alora and I turned to the people beside us.
"What the hell are you doing, Cath?" I asked, while Alora poked the pure-black with a blush.
"I want food," Cathy said, arms still crossed. I sighed and looked back at Alora.
"Hey, can you two… loan us a little money?"
Pure-black studied my face, then spoke.
"Aren't you Sunny Ademir?" she asked, inquisitive.
"Friend of Grey, Raya, and Klein."
I nodded slowly. "Yeah. I guess you can describe me like that."
It was funny to be known that way, but if Alora could see aether, then this girl was probably awakened too. So she was also my friend. But I didn't know who she was. She had to be either Rain or Nya. Alora tossed her golden hair back and reached over the thin wall to offer me a hand.
"Would you… would you mind waiting here?" I looked at her small, delicate hand, then smiled and took it.
"Sure. Why not."
Alora smiled back, then turned to the pure-black-haired girl.
"Rain, I want to help them."
"Finally!" I cheered inside. Now I knew the pure-black-haired girl's name. Rain thought for a moment. Her hair rippled in the breeze. Then she gave her answer.
"No."
"Eh? What?" My jaw dropped. All the joy washed off our faces, mine, Alora's, Cathy's.
"Wh… why?" Alora asked, stunned. Rain turned to her and answered in a flat tone:
"They have to wait. Nothing is balanced right now."
"What do you mean 'nothing is balanced'? I don't see anything wrong with anything," Cathy snapped. Seeing her angry like that was strange. She narrowed her eyes at Rain and raised her voice.
"I'm sorry if I'm being a little bitch, but I really need food right now."
Rain's eyes flicked to me, uncertain. Then she looked at me fully. I was confused, and a little sad Cathy couldn't eat. I didn't want her starving in weather like this. For some reason I couldn't explain, I cared about her. Rain glanced around, avoiding my gaze, but I caught the sadness beneath her eyes. When she saw I was pleading, she couldn't hold out.
"Fine."
She said with a voice that was barely a whisper. Cathy looked at me then to Rain with eyes that screamed joy, as a big smile spread across her face. Alora was also happy. All to one, we were all in joy. Rain quickly put her hands in her pocket, after a second she pulled her hand out with money inside. She looked at the money, then at her neck, with a sigh she slowly gave the money to Cathy. Cathy grabbed the money so quickly that one can miss it if they blinked.
"This is a new year`s miracle!"
Cathy said with a scream of joy. After the words that she heard, a small but meaningful smile appeared on Rain`s soft, lost face.
"Yeah, a new year`s miracle."
After a couple of hours, we came back to Lecacy`s Academy to thank Rain and Alora for the food. I was sad that I couldn't find a way to awaken Cathy into the insight to the power of aether. But I was also happy that she had eaten well. Many students were outside of the school gates walking home while throwing snowballs at each other. I tried to find my friend, and when spotted all of them except of course Grey I smiled. Cathy was jumping around me with happiness. We walked towards them and as they spotted me they all smiled except Raya. The sun was setting so the atmosphere was so good that I could watch it till death, not that it mattered of course. My eyes just went up for a second to witness the snowing of the beautiful dawn. Raya, Rain, Alora, Klein and a boy that I only heard from name, Nico walked to me.
"Who is this beautiful?"
A curious but also a loud voice came from behind. The voice belonged to Ms. Older Sister, Opie. Cathy tilted her head as she looked at Opie. Opie quicky hugged Cathy with all of the love she had. But I could feel sadness from her too, just like everyone else that surrounded me, even from Cathy.
"I didn`t know that you had a little sister, Sunny."
Opie said. I shook my head.
"She is not my sister, just an original sin."
Opie`s sad eyes looked down.
"Aww... She is still cute though."
Cathy was drowning under Opie`s hug. Opie slowly let Cathy go. Cathy looked around dazed because of Opie`s suffocating hug.
"You know... I... really think... that you are... love... lovely."
Alora said with a blush on her face. Rain was a little away from Alora watching us with a cute smile for some reason. I smiled at Alora.
"Thanks. You're also a lovely person."
Alora`s blush spread to her ears, she looked down and murmured a couple of words. Raya, Opie and Klein were talking about something, while Nico and Nya were talking to Cathy, asking her some questions. I looked at Alora and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Dont look down, I want to see your face"
I said with a small blush in my face. Of course I would blush, Alora was the first pretty girl I spoke to in my entire life. Alora slowly looked up at me, her face soft and cute.
"Thanks, Sunny. Thanks for enlightening my new year."
I blushed at her words. And while I was going to thank Alora back Klein spoke with a sad but also an optimistic voice.
"Hey! Should we all celebrate the new year together?"
He asked. Raya was the first one to answer:
"If my older brother... can come, then okay."
She said with a sorrowful voice. I could tell that she was still devastated. Klein nodded at her, the others all said "okay" so did I. This would be the first time that I would celebrate new year with someone that cared other than my "sister".
Hours passed as we sat on Raya`s couch. Her brother, Cole was helping Opie make food for the new year. It was a strange sight to watch, I never knew that people ate anything at new years. The others, including me, were watching a countdown on television. I was so focused on the tv. I mean what can I do? This was the first time I watched anything at television. Raya was mostly sad the entire time, but even she laughed a couple of times, which made me feel happy.
I liked seeing people happy. I guess this was because of her.
"Food is ready!"
Cole shouted from behind as she walked to us with a giant fried chicken in hand. He placed the chicken on the table in front us. Opie placed knives and forks to the table. Cathy and Rain started to eat their own share of the chicken. Raya didn't eat, Klein was taking small bites, Rain was trying to cut the chicken, Alora was staring at the chicken with an exaggerated smile. Nya and Nico were talking to each other while eating the food, and I remained silent. I was too happy to speak. A new year where I would spend it with loved ones. It felt unreal, but also so real at the same time. The countdown started to say "10" "9" "8"... and as it said "1" we all stood up and celebrated the new year. My 16th year, I never thought that I would come this far. Even aether danced with us. Cathy looked at me for a moment with gratefulness in her face. I held the same face, not for myself, but for everyone around me. I finally felt loved.
Grey Nirmala
I silently watched the fireworks as snow fell, covering the ground to white.
"2019."
I quietly said to myself. I knew that Hachiko was here with me, but my face was still filled with sadness. I looked at the great, dark sky above me. Watching the people of Storm City made me feel despair.
"Hey Hachiko." I called out to my companion.
"I think I miss my friends."