Abrupt Departure

Scarlet was saddened when she found out Pim was abandoned. She moved her fingers to feel Pim mom’s fur resting in her pocket. It was coarse to the touch, but there was a certain warmth from it. A light breeze came by causing the leaves on the tree branches to rustle in the wind as they shook. Small birdlike creatures with mini straw hats were pecking at the dangling ripe black oval shaped berries. The berries flew in the air since the birds tugged too roughly. Some splattered on the ground or the bird was lucky enough to eat it before it fell. Roin, Blackwood’s bird friend swooped in to join the other birds. It seemed he had Scarlet sat right beside Flen in the tree trunk. Her head slightly ended up leaning on his shoulder.

“It's strange I feel like I've known Flen a long time ago.”

She stared at Flen’s face tenderly. She felt a lot more comfortable with him.

I just can't seem to remember.

She pulled out the key from when she found it in Rose’s Memory Book. It glistened in the sun.

I found this when I first arrived in this world. I’m not sure if there has been a use for it yet.

It was early in the morning, Flen was dozing off, his eyes were slowly closing while his body was rocking back and forth. When he realized he was dozing off, he shook his head repeatedly, trying not to fall asleep as he gripped his sword tightly.

I'm supposed to protect her. I can't fall asleep now. He thought to himself.

She moved her hand to gently touch his shoulder.

"You can sleep if you want, I can look after us." She had her fists balled up and pointed confidently in the air.

“I’m a lot stronger than I was when you first met me!”

Flen smiled in response, lowering his guard a little. He laid on the ground with his arms that were formed in a triangular shape facing upwards. He closed his eyes in a relaxed manner while talking.

"Miss Scarlet, I don't doubt your skills and believe me, I’ve seen what you can do. I'm afraid you'll be outnumbered."

Flen opened one of his eyes and noticed Scarlet was holding a key in her hands.

“What do you have right there?” He asked.

“It’s a key from a Memory Book….it was Rose’s…”

His smile was replaced by a melancholic expression where he was quiet for a brief moment and his gaze went distant.

“Nice, if you don’t mind, could I see it?”

She handed it to him. He took it and then brought it over to a small piece of rope near Blackwood’s area, he strung it through the key.

“There, now you have a key necklace, and you won’t lose it.”

“Thank you Flen!” She said happily.

She carefully retrieved the necklace from his hands and tried to put it around her neck. Flen saw her struggling, and he stepped in to assist her.

“Miss Scarlet, can you turn your back towards me?”

He gently swept her hair to the side revealing her bare neck.

She felt the light pressure of his fingers against her skin.

He was tying a few knots to tighten the rope.

“Done, I'm finished with it.”

“Thank you Flen,” Scarlet was excited about her new necklace.

“I was wondering why you have trouble sleeping at night,” She asked.

“I used to be haunted every night by Rose, but when I’m around you, I feel like I can sleep better at night.”

“I’m happy you can sleep now, but why were you haunted by her?”

A small scene from the past, showed Rose yelling at him. She looked distraught and desperate. She looked barely recognizable. Her face was darkened with tired baggy eyes and her body was frail where her ribs showed through.

“Go ahead and do it, Flen!”

“Kill me, Flen!”

“Please do it.. Flen! It’s the only way!”

Flen’s face grew grim. This scene always repeated in his mind, and he could never forget it.

If there was any way I could go back and stop that, if there was any other way...

Scarlet noticed he was troubled, and she laid next to him.
He grew red slightly and looked away.
"Sometimes, don't you want to return home?" He asked.

"There were times when I first arrived, I did miss home a little. I haven't thought of it as much lately."

"Don't you miss anyone over there?"

"My father..more than anything since he passed away,” she lowered her head lost in thought. “My aunt and cousin are the only family I have left."

Flen’s eyes met with hers. “I’m sorry to hear about your father.”

Scarlet appreciated his words, “Thank you Flen.”

“Miss Scarlet, I’m sorry for probing, but how did he die?”

She looked down and into her hands while trembling a little.

“I am still not over his death, but it happened when I was still in school. It was my seventeenth birthday, and my father was going to bake a cake for me.”

She inhaled deeply to gather herself before continuing to speak.

“When I came home, my father was missing, On the table was the baked cake with unfinished icing decoration. I later found him in the hospital where he passed away from an unknown disease. I sometimes wonder, how did he feel? Everything was moving so fast, all of sudden I was to stay with an aunt and cousin whom I have never met before.”

Her eyes welled up in tears. “I didn’t even get a chance to tell him good-bye. Who cares about the stupid birthday cake, I just want my papa back.”

He slowly moved his hands over to hers to comfort her.

"I’m sorry, that must been a really difficult time. I don’t remember my parents well; most of my early childhood days were spent in the orphanage. I have been training with Valerius ever since I was young. He saw potential in me, to me, he is my father….in an odd sort of way. I’m not sure if he would think the same.”

Scarlet looked at Flen shocked.

I didn’t realize Valerius was the one who adopted him.

She smiled, “It’s good to have somewhere you belong.”

“Yes, indeed Miss Scarlet. I also still think you will be safer in your own world at least.”

Flen suddenly stood up.

He walked over to her. He then held onto her in a tight hug as if to say goodbye. His eyes were sincere, staring right into her soul and heart. His face was extremely close to hers.

Scarlet’s heart was pounding rapidly. She was so close to his chest that she could hear his, too.

Ba Bump Ba Bump Ba Bump

“Flen?”

He hesitated a little and decided to ask anyway.

“May I kiss you?”

Scarlet blushed red and her cheeks became hot.

“Mmmm huh?”

She had never been asked to do it before. She paused, not knowing how to answer.

Flen smiled, “It’s okay if you don’t want to.”

She was really flustered; her face was red up to her ears.

“You can kiss me if you’d like.” She said while feeling embarrassed.

With his eyes fixed on hers, he softly drew nearer. His soft lips pressed against hers. They shared a sweet kiss. In that moment, she felt a short feeling of bliss with his arms around her.

Then, his arms suddenly let her go. His facial expression also changed into concern.

“You deserve better than to be in this world. Please leave. I care about you, Miss Scarlet.”

He touched his X tattoo, and it created a swirling portal.

A violent gust of wind ripped through the air as the vortex erupted. Her hair strands whipped around in an untamed manner, covering her face. For a moment, the force of the wind threatened to pull her off her feet. She felt an irresistible pull, a silent invitation into the swirling abyss.

"Flen! What are you doing?!"

Flen had a sincere look in his eyes.
He stared at her deeply, like an arrow piercing through her soul.

"I'm sorry Miss Scarlet, it's something I should have done a long time ago. I guess in reality, I liked being around you, but I can’t bear to see another person get hurt."

“Flen! Please, I need to stay. I still have much to do!” She yelled.

Scarlet could not hold her ground, her feet lifted up and she flew in through the vortex.

She screamed "Flen!" Her hands were reaching for him. Her sight of him grew shorter and shorter.

Flen looked distraught. He fell down to his knees and muttered softly.
"I've lost her again. It was the right thing to do."

Blackwood saw all of that to be happening.

“She’s gone.”

Scarlet flew all the way over to her home world again.

She was seen flying down into a pool party. The people below saw her coming down at full speed.

“Ahhhh, look out!”

She made a huge cannon ball; water was overflowing everywhere.

"Gnarly dude." The coast guard held up two thumbs up with a grin. He had a bit one too many making him as high as a kite. He flailed his arms in excitement.

The pool party was cheering her on.

“Awesome splash girl!”

She was underwater for a bit and panicked a little. Luckily there were nearby swimmers who pulled her out.

“Are you okay?” They asked.

Scarlet spat out a little bit of water, “Yes, I’m alright for now. Thank you.”

Her hair was soaking wet along with all of clothes. They were heavy on her body. As she got out of the water, she felt somewhat disoriented. Her head throbbed as the world spun, her sight was dissolving into a kaleidoscope of colors. She then slipped and fell on her head.

Noises were heard in the background and calling the ambulance.

She was laid on the stretcher and rushed to the hospital.

She was pushed into the back of the ambulance vehicle.

Sirens blaring