Within The Light

Sora's First Friend

"Fight back!" Moeru demanded. His anger caught me off gaurd, allowing him room to slam a punch right into my face. I skidded back on my feet, staring stuped. "You think you're better than me. That's why you never fight back! Are you too rich and too dignified to lower yourself to me?! Is that why?! Fight, damnit!"

Is that was this had been about? Of course it was, I knew that. I just wanted to forget.

Maybe there had been a time when Moeru didn't absolutely hate me. When he tried to be my friend and I completely threw him away. There was. He didn't hate Ruri until she defended me. He didn't hate Yoshi until he defended me. He didn't hate anyone else because no one else defended me. So was I somehow the root cause for his anger? Is that why he payed less attention to me and more to Ruri over the years? To do the same as I did to him?

If that's the case, I'm actually ashamed.

I relaxed, confusing Moeru. I answered, "why didn't you just say that, idiot?"

I ran towards him, fist pulled back and ready. He performed a set of handsigns as I ran. I began to remember as I ran...

Flashback

I remember now. We were both seven and months before entering the Academy. It was long before we had been graced with Ruri and Yoshi's presence. Even longer before I had any friends.

Some days I would go to the playground without my father's knowledge. I sat underneath a tree, watching eveyone else play and talk. They were all so loud. Happy. Accompanied. The very opposite of me. That was until a boy with glasses approached me. Moeru.

He had friends, they'd follow his every move unquestionably. It was weird to see that today he'd approach me. I quirked a brow at him, wondering what he could've wanted.

"Come play with us," he offered.

"Huh?" I was completely skeptical about what he just asked of me. It was as if this had been some elaborate scheme life was throwing at me. 'Play' hadn't exactly been a word that was established into my upbringing.

"Are you stupid? I said come play," he rolled his eyes. That attitude was there way before me, he had done that on his own.

After a few seconds of staring like a baffled idiot, I did. I went and played. We played tag and catch. We climbed trees and wondered who could reach the highest branch. I wasn't talkative and the others didn't necessarily care for me, but that didn't stop Moeru. That didn't stop him from caring.

Everyday I would visit the playground and everyday Moeru was there.

"Don't sit down, you dummy. Come play," he'd yell. I never joined without being invited and Moeru never got bored of having to invite me.

"Why don't you speak, Sora?" he asked one day. We were underneath that tree he found me under on that first day. Tori sat on one of its many branches, watching over us. He was the most at peace when we were here.

"I do," I replied.

"Is it really speaking if you're not doing it freely?" he asked. "You might aswell put a piece of tape over your mouth."

"You want me to speak freely?" I questioned. Freely. To do something without restraint. Speak freely. To allow words to flow from your mouth without fear. He placed his hands on my head, tugging at strands of black hair. It was quite annoying. I pushed his arms away, but he continued. I only grew more agitated. "Hey, stop that already! You're getting annoying!"