Innocence at its Worst

The Boy in Black - 1

Once, there existed a close-knit group of friends who banded together to save the worlds and universe more than once. Once, they were all normal, all perfectly fine, alive, and perhaps... sane.

Once, they lived in a normal world much like ours. It was so bland and devoid of action and adventure, it was almost too boring to live in.

Imagine a world where every choice you make forks off into another one. Daresay, imagine a world where these friends didn't choose to be heroes, but instead to live with their secrets, hiding from the outside reality.

They chose to play a dangerous game: Lecksus Vret.

"Ready or not, I'm- I'm... um. What was the word again?" Rhea listed her head, racking her brain for the explicit instructions her new friend Charlie had given her.

"UGH. It's said like- Oh, never mind," Charlie sighs. "My turn! My turn!" Charlie shoves Rhea out of the dance arena, busting out moves unlike anything anyone has ever seen before. "It's done like this," she says sassily.

Rhea rolls her eyes, "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Hey! I'm hungry! Can we eat?"

"We can. But will we?" Charlie questions.

"Yes. We will!" Rhea declares. "Do you have a mom?" she bluntly asks.

"Doesn't everybody?" Charlie cocks her head, studying her new friend. "You're weird. I like you. Let's be friends!"

"Okay!" Rhea beams happily. "I forgot your name already."

"Charlie," she holds her hand out and they shake hands. "Charlie Tenebris. Come on, I'll introduce you to my sister Brook. She's really quiet, so don't judge her. She doesn't like talking, which is weird. Does that mean I already judged her? Eh, who cares. I'm her sister. OOO!!! What if we became sisters!? That would be so awesome!" Charlie squeals.

"How do you become sisters?" Rhea asks. "I only have a dad. Oh! Does he have to have a baby with your mom to make us sisters!?"

"No...?" Charlie blinks rapidly. "I was thinking, more like you could marry my brother. Then we can be best friend sisters."

"Awesome!!" Rhea claps her hands. "I always wanted a brother."

"Husband," Charlie corrects her. She leads Rhea to the table where her family sits and introduces everybody. "This is Brook," she points to a dark haired girl with ocean blue eyes. "That is Mom. You can call her Ms. Mom. She likes it like that. And that is Dad. Or, as he likes to be called-"

"Oregon's Orange Plunderer!" Charlie's Dad cuts in. He smiles down at Rhea, "Kidding. So who is this?" he asks Charlie.

"Um. What was your name again?" Charlie turns to Rhea who opens her mouth in protest. "Kidding," she mimics her father. "This is Rhea, and we're going to be friends."

Charlie's dad nods, smiling at Rhea in a welcoming manner. "You can call me Orion. This is my wife, Jules."

"Hello," Rhea says timidly. "Are you a mom?" she asks Jules.

"Um. Yes?" Jules looks at her questioningly, turning her attention to Orion as if to ask him something with her mind. "Are you a daughter?" she jokes.

"I think so?" Rhea bites her lip. "Can I have food? Dad is busy drinking bears."

"Bears?" Jules and Orion say in unison. 

Rhea nods, smiling shy-like. "He says they are like medicine. He says he is sick. But for some reason, he is always sick after drinking from the bears..." Rhea trails off. "Do you have food?" she turns her luminescent green eyes to Jules who always had a soft spot for children.

"Sure," she says, softening her harsh gaze of which has been directed towards Rhea's father. "Come with me." She leads Rhea to the counter with Charlie in tow.

"I want fries! NO! Chicken! No, peanut butter!" Charlie hollers. "Make me an orange salmon sandwich with potatoes!!!"

Jules directs a warning gaze at Charlie, silencing her outbursts. "Rhea, what would you like?" she asks kindly.

"Something that tastes like food. And cheap," she says politely, remembering all the manners she was taught when she was six years old. Which was exactly one year ago.

Jules pities the poor girl, immediately deciding to help take care of this child, no matter what it took. "I'll get you a chocolate shake, and an enormous cheeseburger," she says reassuringly, already wincing at all the grease and how unhealthy the food will be.

"Really?" Rhea's eyes widen like saucers. "Chocolate?"

"Chocolate," Jules confirms. 

Rhea smiles widely, giving Jules a tight hug, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!!" she cries.

"Shouldn't you be thanking me?" Charlie pipes in. "She is my mom."

Rhea wipes away her tears of happiness and embraces Charlie too. "You guys are so awesome!" she pulls away, twirling around and around in joyful circles. Moments later, when her food has been served and paid for, Rhea finds herself staring at a boy in a shadowed corner, looking at her and Charlie. Rhea uneasily licks some chocolate ice cream off her cup, nudging Charlie uncertainly. "Why is he staring at us?"

"Who?" Charlie looks around the room full of buzzing kids and adults hanging out. 

"That boy." Rhea points to a boy dressed in all black with dark circles under his eyes.

"Oh, him?" Charlie giggles. "That's your husband. Levi."