Treasure: Prologue
The long grains of rice were like golden waves, as the wind gently tossed them back and forth. Like the cruelest of jokes; the perfect blue sky, and bright shining sun, masked the devastation that was soon to come. A small girl crouched in the rice field, the color of her hair blended in perfectly with the amber grains. She covered her mouth firmly, trying not to make a sound. She could always hide here. “Got ya!” A small boy jumped out and playfully grabbed her.
“Awe, how did you find me?” She whined and pouted; her bottom lip sticking out just a little.
The young, dark haired boy stood in triumph. He was a couple years older than the girl, but he had taken on a liking to her. His skin was tan from working the fields, and his raven hair was pulled back into a short braid. “When the sun hits your hair it shines, so you stick out from the grain instead of blending in.” He waved his finger, giving her an arrogant smirk.
“Naomi!” A stern voice called out.
It was the voice of the young girl’s father. He stormed to the two children and grabbed the girl firmly by the hand. “What did I tell you about playing with that farm boy?” He scolded her, grabbing her firmly by the hand.
“Ryota, get back to work.” The girl’s father commanded him, before turning to walk away with the young girl.
Naomi looked back as if to say bye to her dear friend. She was always sneaking out to play with him. They were only caught a few times, but to the two of them, it was well worth it. Ryota and his family had long been workers on the fields that Naomi’s father owned. Her father never hesitated to treat them as such (even though he gained all he had through inheritance). He was a mean man, who was famous for under paying his workers and treating them cruelly. With an issue like class being so important to him, he couldn’t stand the thought of his daughter playing with poor children like Ryota.
Ryota’s parents were just the opposite. His father was a hard working kind man, and his mother was just the same only kinder and sweeter. They often invited Ryota’s other friend, Kazuo, over for dinner. Kazuo was a bit strange. He was a young boy a few years older than Ryota. However, he had very feminine features and seemed to like dressing as a woman. He had no family that they knew of, and the other residence of the village knew him as ‘that weird street urchin’. Ryota’s parents didn’t mind him however, they thought he brought a little flavor to their lives with his vivid personality.
That night, Naomi awoke to the (far to) prevalent smell of smoke. “Daddy?” She whimpered as she tried to see through the thick blanket of smoke.
She scurried around trying to feel for her door. The screams from the other villagers outside, caused her to panic even more. The door opened with an uneasy creek as she found the door knob and twisted it. She was barely able to jump back out of the way, as the ceiling in the hall way crashed down. The pieces of wood were ablaze, and blocked her into the room. Her heart was pounding, and her breath got shorter as she stepped back from the fire. Two arms wrapped around her, and began pulling her out through the window. She fought violently against whoever it was. She tried to scream but a hand quickly covered her mouth. “Shhh! Naomi, It’s me!” Ryota said urgently, as he got her outside.
She looked up to see Ryota and hugged him tightly. He was there with Kazuo. Tears started to stream from her cheeks. “What’s happening Ryota?” She asked horrified.
“We have to get out of here now! demons are attacking the village!” He said pulling her up.
They ran off as quickly as they could into the woods that surrounded the village. Although Naomi tried, she just couldn’t keep up with the two older boys. Stumbling over the woodland terrain, she rolled down into a ditch and hit her head. She was knocked unconscious. “Do you think this is far enough, Kazou?” Ryota panted, holding himself up by leaning against tree.
Kazuo nodded out of breath himself. “Are you ok Naomi?” Ryota asked concerned.
His question went unanswered. “Naomi?” He said confused.
As he looked up he realized she wasn’t there. “Naomi!” He called out, panicking.
He went to run back towards the village but was stopped by Kazou. “No, It’s too dangerous!” Kazou yelled.
“We have to go back and look for her!” Ryota demanded.
“There’s too many demons right now. We’ll come back in the morning.” Kazou reassured him.
The two boys didn’t stand a chance against a group of demons. Ryota pounded the tree with his fists in a rage. They couldn’t go back for her. He hated himself for not being strong enough to go back. He knew in the pit of his stomach that he wouldn’t be seeing her again. She was probably being ripped apart by the demons by now. Never had he felt so helpless, never had he felt so weak. There was one thing he was sure of; he would never feel like this again.
((Just so everyone knows, there is a completed version of this story up on fanfiction.net. I wouldn't advise going ahead and reading it. I am working out the kinks, and hopefully plan on making it better and extending it a couple of chapters.))
The Phoenix
“Awe, how did you find me?” She whined and pouted; her bottom lip sticking out just a little.
The young, dark haired boy stood in triumph. He was a couple years older than the girl, but he had taken on a liking to her. His skin was tan from working the fields, and his raven hair was pulled back into a short braid. “When the sun hits your hair it shines, so you stick out from the grain instead of blending in.” He waved his finger, giving her an arrogant smirk.
“Naomi!” A stern voice called out.
It was the voice of the young girl’s father. He stormed to the two children and grabbed the girl firmly by the hand. “What did I tell you about playing with that farm boy?” He scolded her, grabbing her firmly by the hand.
“Ryota, get back to work.” The girl’s father commanded him, before turning to walk away with the young girl.
Naomi looked back as if to say bye to her dear friend. She was always sneaking out to play with him. They were only caught a few times, but to the two of them, it was well worth it. Ryota and his family had long been workers on the fields that Naomi’s father owned. Her father never hesitated to treat them as such (even though he gained all he had through inheritance). He was a mean man, who was famous for under paying his workers and treating them cruelly. With an issue like class being so important to him, he couldn’t stand the thought of his daughter playing with poor children like Ryota.
Ryota’s parents were just the opposite. His father was a hard working kind man, and his mother was just the same only kinder and sweeter. They often invited Ryota’s other friend, Kazuo, over for dinner. Kazuo was a bit strange. He was a young boy a few years older than Ryota. However, he had very feminine features and seemed to like dressing as a woman. He had no family that they knew of, and the other residence of the village knew him as ‘that weird street urchin’. Ryota’s parents didn’t mind him however, they thought he brought a little flavor to their lives with his vivid personality.
That night, Naomi awoke to the (far to) prevalent smell of smoke. “Daddy?” She whimpered as she tried to see through the thick blanket of smoke.
She scurried around trying to feel for her door. The screams from the other villagers outside, caused her to panic even more. The door opened with an uneasy creek as she found the door knob and twisted it. She was barely able to jump back out of the way, as the ceiling in the hall way crashed down. The pieces of wood were ablaze, and blocked her into the room. Her heart was pounding, and her breath got shorter as she stepped back from the fire. Two arms wrapped around her, and began pulling her out through the window. She fought violently against whoever it was. She tried to scream but a hand quickly covered her mouth. “Shhh! Naomi, It’s me!” Ryota said urgently, as he got her outside.
She looked up to see Ryota and hugged him tightly. He was there with Kazuo. Tears started to stream from her cheeks. “What’s happening Ryota?” She asked horrified.
“We have to get out of here now! demons are attacking the village!” He said pulling her up.
They ran off as quickly as they could into the woods that surrounded the village. Although Naomi tried, she just couldn’t keep up with the two older boys. Stumbling over the woodland terrain, she rolled down into a ditch and hit her head. She was knocked unconscious. “Do you think this is far enough, Kazou?” Ryota panted, holding himself up by leaning against tree.
Kazuo nodded out of breath himself. “Are you ok Naomi?” Ryota asked concerned.
His question went unanswered. “Naomi?” He said confused.
As he looked up he realized she wasn’t there. “Naomi!” He called out, panicking.
He went to run back towards the village but was stopped by Kazou. “No, It’s too dangerous!” Kazou yelled.
“We have to go back and look for her!” Ryota demanded.
“There’s too many demons right now. We’ll come back in the morning.” Kazou reassured him.
The two boys didn’t stand a chance against a group of demons. Ryota pounded the tree with his fists in a rage. They couldn’t go back for her. He hated himself for not being strong enough to go back. He knew in the pit of his stomach that he wouldn’t be seeing her again. She was probably being ripped apart by the demons by now. Never had he felt so helpless, never had he felt so weak. There was one thing he was sure of; he would never feel like this again.
((Just so everyone knows, there is a completed version of this story up on fanfiction.net. I wouldn't advise going ahead and reading it. I am working out the kinks, and hopefully plan on making it better and extending it a couple of chapters.))
The Phoenix