Dedicated to my good friend A, who is a inspirational
person and a wonderful friend.
And the thought of treasuring who and not what you
have
“Teepo… no.. you can’t..” Tears ran
down Ryu’s face as Rei rushed forward. Kneeling before a broken and bleeding
Teepo, the violet hared boy stared into Ryu’s vibrant green eyes. Ryu stared
back transfixed, Teepo’s sanguine eyes seemed dull, absent of luster, like
embers of a dying flame. But as Teepo spoke rasping to Rei, his eyes captured
Ryu’s attention, speaking volumes. They seemed to be calling for him no
begging…
“Teepo!” Ryu went down beside
the slight weak form. “Don’t die, Brother! Please!” Ryu took his hand unable
to control his sobbing any longer. Teepo smiled, a sweet look on his battered
tortured face.
“After all this time, what I
have done to you, Ryu. You still call me that?”
Snowflakes flew gently blanketing
the forest with pure white. Shimmering white glitter that sparkled in the
clouded morning light. Teepo, a tiny young boy, sat on a walkway on top
of his home, that he shared with Ryu and Rei. He shivered, the boy covered
in a light layer of snow. Teepo wondered what he would look like covered
in white, then laughed at his own foolishness, an echoing sound through
the empty forest. He loved the feeling of the icy cold trying to claim
the warmth of his body, but it will never succeed. This child was too alive,
and full of inhuman strength to succumb. Teepo smirked and shrugged the
white chill off his body. Then he turned around and opened a door that
led back into inside, accepting the house’s protection.
Inside was a pair of beds, a
desk with Ryu’s diary sitting on top. A small shivering bundle occupied
one of the beds; a tiny blue hared head stuck out of the blankets, staring
at a wall.
“Teepo.” He whimpered turning
around, bright green eyes shimmering with tears, his face flushed with
fever. The small child clutched the blankets tightly to keep the cold away.
“Ryu? Why are you here all alone?
Isn’t Rei supposed to be here?” Teepo asked impatiently.
“He told you that he was going
to town for more of my medicine, remember?” Ryu sneezed, and shivered with
renewed vigor.
“Oh…I’m sorry Ryu.” Teepo replied
sheepishly, looking for a distraction; finding it in Ryu’s diary. “Hey!
Have you already forgotten this? It’s been days since you have last written
inside of it.” Teepo held out the book and pen to the somber child.
“I don’t wanna.” Ryu sniffled
miserably.
“Come on.” Teepo flashed a dazzling
smile across his pale lips. “Ryu! You love this worthless worn book. You
can’t forget about it! Hey why don’t you read over your entries from the
fall?” Ryu sat up, still clutching the blankets to him, brightened by the
other boy’s enthusiasm. He nodded almost eagerly and took the book from
Teepo’s hands. A slight smile appeared on his flushed face as he busily
began to read.
Teepo planted himself on the
edge of Ryu’s bed, watching the boy read contently for a minute. His hand
drifted down to his pocket, pulling out a small ball and bounced it lazily
against the floor. Easily catching it with deft fingers.
“Ryu were you crying…. Because
you were lonely?” Teepo asked not looking at the boy’s face.
“No, well…” Came the quiet shy
response through the shuffling of paper. “There’s this man, in my dreams.
He wants something from me! I don’t know b-but he scares me.” As Ryu spoke
fresh tears poured down Ryu’s face.
“Well, I…you shouldn’t have
been scared!” Teepo looked up at the startled boy, eyes flashing, rushing
forward before the startled boy could respond. “Ryu, no matter what I’ll
protect you. Because you’re just a little squirt and I…”
“Like a brother?” Ryu asked
innocently. “You’ll be my brother right? You’ll protect me?”
“Y-yeah…” Teepo grinned nervously.
Ryu giggled a bit and wrapped small arms around his brother’s waist. A
content look on the sickly boy’s face.
“H-hey! No! Germs!” Teepo leaped
back and fell off the bed.
“Teepo…? Are you all right?
Teepo!” Ryu peered hesitantly over the edge, only to find Teepo wasn’t
there.
“BONZAI!” Teepo yelled tackling
the boy from behind, and tickling him unmercifully. Shrieks of laughter
and screaming filled the room, as the two brothers fought. When it was
over there were no more sickly and sad children in that house.
“I… I broke my promise, Ryu.”
Tears dripped down Teepo’s face. “I failed you, I couldn’t protect you.
I betrayed you Ryu. How I hate her! How I hate myself!”
“No...” Ryu hugged the dying
man’s body, suddenly it seemed as if all his friends were gone. It was
just him and Teepo there together. Teepo’s weak arms held on, his face
buried in the stronger light dragon’s shoulder.
“Teepo, don’t worry!” Ryu pulled
away not noticing the blood covering his tunic. Teepo’s lifeblood. “You
can make it! We’ll go… to Windia together, just like you’ve always wanted!”
Ryu couldn’t see the mournful and guilty expressions on his friends faces,
or the quiet whisper that tried to tell him that all their healing magic
was used and there wasn’t potions to cure him.
“Windia.” Teepo said treasuring
the word, a sweet reminder of that innocent time, when his dreams were
filled with hope and freedom. Before a life of loneliness and despair,
trapped in solitary prison for crimes never committed.
“Teepo?” Ryu stood next to his
violet hared brother, who was sitting on the bank next to a tiny river.
Teepo was staring at the sky, a dreamy expression on his face.
“Zenny for your thoughts?” Ryu
asked holding out a small coin and giggled. Teepo snatched the money and
grinned, even though it didn’t matter they all shared their meager money
anyway. It was just Ryu’s way of getting the older boys’ attention. Ryu
sat down and tugged at Teepo’s sleeve impatiently.
“I don’t think one zenny is
enough.” Teepo teased ruffling Ryu’s messy blue hair.
“Teeps!” Ryu whined and pouted,
folding his arms across his chest.
“All right, don’t get upset.”
Teepo sighed. “I was thinking about Windia.”
“Again?” The younger boy asked
incredulously.
“Yes again!” Do you want me
to tell you or not?” Teepo asked annoyed that he was interrupted. Ryu nodded
and Teepo continued. “Windia is the most beautiful city in the world, there
are plants, trees, and flowers. It’s not dirty like most cities, everything
is white and glowing in the clear sunlight. We’ll never go hungry, the
place is teeming with any kind of food you could want. We’ll have a real
house, not that drafty and leaky old fort. Rei won’t have to hunt anymore,
and we can eat every day like everyone else.”
Ryu’s face glowed with happiness.
“Do you really think we could ever…?”
“Of course! I’ll make my dream
happen Ryu! For you, Rei, and me, I promise Ryu I’ll make my dream come
true.”
“A child’s wish, never realized..I.”
Teepo’s voice was struggling to be heard, his words weak whispers. Then
desperately he shouted, “Forget about me Ryu. I died a long time ago, when
Balio and Sunder came for revenge. Teepo perished when our dreams were
torn apart, the monster that tried to destroy you. He isn’t your brother,
he doesn’t deserve it any longer…” Teepo fell back then, his eyes fluttering
closed for the last time.
“No, Teepo you’re wrong.” Ryu
whispered. “You’re not a monster, never were a monster. Just a confused,
lonely, and mournful child, my lost brother.” As he spoke a soft smile
seemed to curve the dark dragon’s lips, slowly as the boy’s body faded
away. Leaving a piece of armor, sending a message to the mourning company.
Fight her Ryu. Be safe, this is the only way I can protect you.
The only thought to comfort them was that he is finally
free.