Rays of soft golden light from the early morning sun beamed down on the kingdom of Balik. Over the rocky modified chasms of the kingdom, a small apothecary built at the very edge lay lively with activity. In it, a journey that spans many years is about to unfold.
"Hey, Brem!"
A young boy shouted from a room on the second floor.
"I'm busy Samuel..... What do you need?" replied a bustling red-haired girl. A blond boy with glasses tiredly walked out of the room in forest green pajamas and slung himself over the banister.
"Why do we have to goooo? I wanted to sleep in today..."
Samuel whined. Bremira who had been rushing back and forth filling her bag with jars of herbs and first aid supplies turned around to face him.
"Get dressed, get your notes out and let's go. I don't have time for this today. Mrs. Jin just came by and asked me to come as soon as I ca-"
"Wait, Mrs. Jin came by? What about your hair?! The red is showing!" Samuel shouted.
"Emergency wig remember?" She said gesturing to a black wig on a table.
"Remind me to get more dye while I'm out..."She mumbled as she began preparing again. " And go get ready!"
Samuel groaned and walked off into his room to prepare. Bremira finished up and walked towards the door. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a picture of her and Grandma June on the living room cabin table. She walked over and picked it up. Looking at the plump old women with white hair and silver wings, holding an exuberant little redhead child made her smile to herself.
"I'm nineteen now grandma... I managed to survive for two and a half years on my own..." She mumbled under her breath. She rubbed some of the dust off the picture and sighed. This shouldn't be out in the open, she thinks to herself before walking over to her work desk in the corner of the room and placed the picture carefully in the draw.
"Alright, I'm ready!" Samuel shouted while jumping over the banister, his light gold wings shifting open to balance himself as he landed gracefully on the wood floor.
Bremira walked over to him and whacked him in the back of the head. "Ow!"
"Please. Like that even hurt. What did I tell you about jumping over the banister?!" Bremira scolded.
"Uhg! You're like an old lady! Do you know how to do anything else besides nag me?" He laughed running past the checkout counter heading for the door.
"Yeah, I know how to kick your ass! Want to come over here and let me show you?" She shot back playfully running to try and catch him but she was too late. In an instant, the door swung open and Samuel shot into the air spreading his golden hummingbird-like wings out towards either side of him.
Bremira was about to do the same when she remembered her hair. "Damn!" She grumbled. She ran back inside and snatched the black wig off the table, quickly putting her hair in the netting first and then yanking the wig hair over it.
Remember to use the name, Rina, remember to use the name, Rina. Bremira kept repeating that to herself over and over again. If she ever slipped, her life might be in danger.
"Come on!" She heard Samuel call from outside.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming!" She shouted back as she carefully placed her bag over her shoulder and under her wing. She ran to the door and stood there taking in the cool morning air. She sighed and saw her breath in front of her. It was chilly, but she could bare it. Bremira leaned out of the door her hands were the only thing keeping her from plummeting fifty stories into an icy cold river. She closed her eyes held her breath and let go. The wind whisked past her ears, creating a light whistling sound. The cold air surrounded her making her shiver. Her jet black raven wings ached for a wide open space to be stretched out too. She wanted nothing more than to open them and fly to where the sun's light touched the earth, to be warm soaring through the azure skies and-
"Bremira!"
Samuel's loud shout snapped her out of her trance. Her eyes shot open and wings shot out stretching after being tucked away for so long. With one powerful downward swoop, she sent freezing river water flying everywhere. With a second powerful swoop, she soared up into the sky and back up to Samuel, who she greeted with a playful goofy smile. "As much as I would have loved to see you go head first into that river down there I don't want to be the one that has to take care of you when you have a cold. Also, didn't you say we have somewhere to be right now?" Bremira smiled again and caught Samuel in a huge bear hug and began tickling him.
"Aw, you saved me! My wittle hero!" She giggled while suffocating the poor boy in the tickle filled hug.
"L-let me g-go you big overgrown baby!" He yelled, trying his hardest not to laugh, as he flailed wildly to get free from her grasp.
"Okay. You can leave for now, but don't expect me to show any mercy next time!"
Bremira flew to the shop door and pulled it shut while locking it. When she turned back around Samuel had taken off already flying around the corner.
"That little..." Bremira kicked off of the mountainside the little shop was built into. She shot out and began flying at top speed. She made a sharp turn and easily caught up with Samuel in a matter of seconds.
"Nice try, but you won't be able to shake me off that easily!" She said while smirking. Samuel looked back at her.
"How much you want to bet?"
"You can't be serious. You really want to bet on that? I was the one who taught you how to fly in case you forgot!"
"Twenty shells take it or leave it." He proclaimed.
Bremira paused for a moment, then shrugged. "If that's what you want." She shrugged.
Samuel slowed down in order to line up with Bremira.
"Alright. On the count of three. One, Two," Bremira hesitated and looked over at the determined looking boy, his glasses glinting in the light of the sun.
"Three."
He flew by in a blur, leaving Bremira flying at the same speed as before. Guess he improved some. She thought to herself. She sighed and dipped down nearly hitting the water below. She pulled up enough to just be barely skimming it. She carefully pulled her wings in slowly gaining more speed until she was following directly under him. They dogged some of the tall rocks protruding out of the water. The whole time she mirrored his every move, making sure to follow his shadows movements on the water. As the town of Granite began to appear off in the distance she readied herself to shoot forward in win but she thought for a moment and remembered Samuel didn't even have 20 shells to begin with. So, she came up with an idea.
"Samuel!" She shouted to the blond boy gliding above her.
He looked down at her shocked that she was even there. "You see that upcoming rock formation that kind of looks like you? That's the finish line!"
"Alright!" He yelled over the whistling wind "... Wait. I thought we both agreed that the rock looked like a rat."
"Exactly!" Bremira laughed.
Samuel narrowed his eyes and growled.
Once they came closer to the finish line Samuel shot forward. Bremira did the same. Never going ahead of him and never falling behind. They both flew past the rock at the same time. "Tie!" Bremira called out.
"So now neither of us have to pay up." She announced clearly satisfied.
"Yeah, right! You're just trying to save your pride because you got beat by fourteen year old!" Samuel retorted.
"Whatever. I wouldn't mind getting beat by you anyways. In fact, I would be honored." She replied as she stretched out on the rock taking in the sun.
"Well, I-" He paused as he processed what she just said.
"Oh." Was all he managed to say. Samuel pushed up his glasses up some. They sat in silence until Samuel spoke up again.
"You ruined it! I had a speech in my head and everything!" He pouted.
Bremira broke out in laughter as she looked over at the grumpy boy. When she finally calmed down she flew over to him and ruffled his hair.
"You've come so far from being a bratty little kid. Now you're twice as bratty... And you have more determination, strength, and confidence and for that, I'm proud to call you my apprentice." She said her words dripping with honesty.
"D- don't compliment me, it's weird." He said looking off to the side in embarrassment.
"Whatever. Let's go do what we do best and help some people." They both began flying to the colorful town up ahead. As they flew in comfortable silence Bremira couldn't help but remember when she first met dorky competitive little Samuel.
ns 15.158.61.6da2
