► Chapitre 7

[luxe_can_kill]

[Nighttime. Mitsuru went back to their room in Sunny Skies after a long day with her daughter. Mariko has been playing all day, it's hard to keep up with such an energetic child. But now that energy seems to have dwindled down, and Mariko's been yawning. After brushing her teeth and changing to her pajamas. Mariko sorted her stuff, putting her music player and headphones into a bag and cleaning up the toys on the floor. Meanwhile, Mitsuru is just browsing through the collection of pictures she has on her camera. Being absorbed by all these captured moments, she didn't notice Mariko was standing in front of her, tightly hugging a hardbound book]

What is it, dear?

Can you read this to me? 

Oh? What is this? [Mitsuru looked at the book, "A Blue Dove for the Princess"]

Dad gave it to me for my birthday!

Did he now? [Mitsuru chuckled] Very well. I'll read it. Come. 

[Mariko hops on her bed and Mitsuru sat beside her, opening the book and flipping the first few pages. Mariko looks at her with anticipation, in which she responds with a genuine smile. Mitsuru didn't notice her journal is open at the nightstand beside the bed. She began reading the story in her velvety voice...]

Once upon a time…

There lived a dove in a castle in a country where green and warmth prevailed. The dove had been taken care of by a princess since she found the young dove injured in the castle’s garden. The dove was injured so badly that he felt like his wings were about to be torn off. The pain was all over his body and he could do nothing, but lay himself on a leaf bed. It was the princess who saved him. She carried him into a small cage, which was hanging in a window in the corner on the house. Despite living inside the cage, he was far from frustration. 

The princess always gave him close attention and the scenery through the window was wonderful. More importantly, he could enjoy watching every move she made. Having recovered from the injury, he became healthy enough to jump around inside the cage. 

[Mitsuru takes a second to clear her throat and flip the page]

The dove was so happy with the days there and hoped that it would continue for good; but at some point everything began to change. The princess, who was always in good shape and made it a habit to come visit him many times a day; did not show up even once on that day, She did not come up and feed him until the end of day. 

On the following day, early in the morning, the dove saw many noblemen gather around the princess. They all had an anxious look on their faces. It seemed that the princess had a disease. She may not be able to get well. She may possibly pass away. How can this happen when the neighboring country just ceased warfare? How can this be when peace of the world is close at hand? The men were talking about all of this.

“The Demon of Razgriz!” One of them suddenly spoke up in a loud voice...

Comments

[solowingpixy]

[Pixy was laying on the nearby couch (given that's where he chose to sleep the past week for his own personal reasons rather than how Mitsuru would feel about sharing a bed) and has Weiss beside him, idly petting the dog's head. For the moment, he was tuning everything out, but when he heard a familiar story, he chose to spoke up where Mitsuru had paused.]

When history witnesses a great change, Razgriz reveals itself, first at a dark demon. As a demon, it uses its power to rain death upon the land and then it dies.

However after a period of great slumber, Razgriz returns, this time as a great hero.

[luxe_can_kill]

[Mitsuru lifts her head up and her face lit up a bit. It's nice seeing Larry join in... Mitsuru continued where Larry left off]

“Only the Demon of Razgriz can do this to her!”

Thinking about how healthy she looked on the previous day and how seriously these men cared about her, the dove felt uneasy more than ever. She may disappear. She may not wake up to come see me. These sad feelings lingered on in his mind.

[She paused to flip a page]

While caring about the princess and looking back upon the days spent with her, an old memory flashed across the dove’s mind. It was the story that his mother told him before she died. “Somewhere in the world is a big tree, known as the Orion Poplar and its magical fruits can cure every injury and every disease. It is far, far away; deep down in the rocky mountains that no man can ever set foot in”.

[solowingpixy]

[From there, he was just listening. He hadn't memorized the story itself - hell, he wasn't even very interested in it to begin with, seeing that it was a child's fairytale - so he couldn't make any effort to chime in again if he wanted to. He was only familiar with that particular part about the Demon of Razgriz, after all.

Still, it was odd hearing the kid say he gave it to her. He didn't think he'd ever make an effort to give a kid a copy of that fairytale.]

[luxe_can_kill]

[Mitsuru continued on, until the chapter was over. She glanced down at Mariko who seem to have started feeling drowsy. She smiled and flipped a page]

“That magic fruit can cure the disease and save her life”, the dove thought. “She will be well if I can get one.” Though the more he thought of it, the less confident he felt. “Can I escape the hawk and peregrine if they come after me? Can I fly to the mountains so far away and then fly over them? Can I simply fly for such a long time? Can I really carry the fruit with this small beak of mine, even if I am lucky enough to get there? Can I manage to make it back in one piece?”

He could not help having these bad feelings deep inside of himself. There was no blaming him for this. Having been protected all the time by the princess, since his injury, all he did was reside in his tiny little bird cage. In the mean time, the princess became worse, day by day.

The next morning, an old nursemaid came to feed the dove on behalf of the princess. She opened the cage just a little to feed the dove. He was watching her do it with a determined look on his face, waiting for his chance. Then, he took the chance and got out of the cage. Flying through the room’s door and flying across the castle’s walls, the dove was heading for the sky high above. He heard the nursemaid shout “O’ dear!” from behind.

Was he finally free from the fear of the hawk and the peregrine? Definitely not. Had he the idea of what course to take? Absolutely not. Nevertheless, he took desperate flight in pursuit of the magic fruit.

dictated

[last_rat_standing]

[Well color him surprised. Of course on second thought he shouldn't be, should he?]

I take it it's safe to assume you've been saddled with the supposed joys of parenthood?

[luxe_can_kill]

I have indeed.

[last_rat_standing]

I must say I'm rather pleased to have avoided that particular bullet.

[luxe_can_kill]

[A small laugh at that]

You are lucky...

[last_rat_standing]

I consider myself so, yes.

[What? You expected him to argue?]