#bbtales

Summary: After the destruction of Hod, and losing of her home on the Isle of Feres, Arietta is raised by ligers and grows up around monsters. She is able to communicate with these monsters and has always thought of this place as “home.” That is, until one day, her life is changed… Waves lapped against an island’s edge, interrupting the silence. With her hair soaked and matted against her head, a small child had washed ashore. She didn’t remember much of what had happened. All that she knew was that there had been a flash and loud rumbling. And people. People screaming, and running as monstrous cracks appeared in the ground, spreading everywhere. And then everything was black. She was half conscious.

The girl had no idea how she was still alive. Wasn’t she supposed to be dead, like everyone else? Like the rest of her…? The word wouldn’t register in her mind, she was too weak. All she felt was freezing cold and pain. Pain that never seemed to go away.

That is, until something soft brushed against her. It was so warm, it felt like the sun. Instinctively, she reached out, grasping that warmth. The girl managed to open her eyes somewhat, though her vision seemed somewhat blurry. She could still make out the thing that loomed over her.

It looked like a giant cat, with really long teeth coming out of the corners of her mouth. The girl was fond of animals, and drew herself, with all the strength she could muster, closer.

The big cat seemed to regard her with sad eyes. Before the girl was aware of it, she was being lifted up. She didn’t care where she was going, as long as it took her away from the pain. The pain of arriving here. And the pain from a soon to be forgotten city. The city of Hod.

The big cat took her through a vivid forest, full of bright colors and wildlife. It was a giant contrast to world outside, where everything seemed dull and lifeless. Plants sprouted from the ground, rivers trickled over rocks, and little creatures scurried along. All the while the big cat continued through the forest, not bothered by anything.

The big cat finally came to a stop in the deeper part of the forest. It was in a small clearing, where hardly any sunlight shone through. Dense undergrowth was everywhere.

Little cats were playing around with some of plants, swatting them this way and that. Their ears perked up when the big cat padded forward, gently placing the girl on the ground. It then roared something to the little cats, and the little cats bounded over. The big cat curled around the shivering girl, and the little cats laid down beside her, sharing their body warmth. The girl soon fell asleep, a faint smile on her lips.

“Mama, do you think she’s okay?” a voice asked.

“I do not know. I’ve never tried to understand humans before…”

The girl opened her eyes, blinking several times before everything came into focus. The four cats were loomed over her. As she sat up, she realized with a jolt that those two voices had come from the cats. Or at least…they had to. The girl swung her head from side to side, but saw no one around. They were alone. But yet the cats were silent, watching her with keen eyes.

“U-Um…did you…just speak?” the girl asked.

The cats exchanged a glance. “You can understand us?” one of the little ones inquired.

The girl’s eyes widened. Her intuition was right! But why did she understand them? It’s not like these powers manifested overnight…suddenly she felt a stab of pain. The whole world seemed to spin as she clutched the side of her head.

She was crouched in front of a scruffy dog, caked in dirt and mud.“I bet you’re lonely, being out on the streets like this… I’d take you in, but Mommy and Daddy said no.”

“It’s all right. I deserved it. I’m just glad you even talked to me. I just feel like an outsider…always wandering. But you…you’ve got a place you can go back to. Cherish it. You never know when it will be ripped away from you.” The dog advised.

“Mhmh! I-I will. You’re a good doggy.”

“Arietta! Don’t talk to that filthy thing! Come inside, it will be raining soon!” Her mother ordered, standing in the doorway. Arietta patted the dog on the head before running inside. Storm clouds had just begun to gather in the sky. The dog tore away, skidding over loose pebbles in the street.

“Mommy, I can understand animals!” Arietta exclaimed as she and her mother walked into the kitchen.

Her mother rounded on her, fire seeming to burn in the depths of her eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous! That power of yours is a curse! It was passed down from my mother, and look where that got her! She died because she thought those animals would never harm her! Well, they did! You don’t understand animals, dear. You understand monsters. Monsters that will stop at nothing to kill you. Stay away from them if you value your own life!” she spat.

Arietta shrank away from her. This wasn’t the mother she knew. She spun around and ran out the door. She could hear her mother yelling at her, but she didn’t look back. A heavy rain began to pour, matting her hair against her face. Arietta didn’t care where she was going, as long she got away from the pain.

She tripped, falling to ground, water splashing up in her face. But she just rose to her feet and continued running. There was sudden flash, and the whole world seemed to shake. People were running past her, screaming. A monstrous crack appeared on ground a few feet ahead of her. Taking a step back, Arietta ran and ran and…

Arietta opened her eyes, panting, a cold sweat breaking out on her forehead. The world had stopped spinning. She stared at the cats in front of her with new eyes. She’d always understood animals since she was young. Her mother had called it a curse. It was something she’d been born with.

And yet…to her it seemed like the greatest blessing. She didn’t care whether she understood monsters or animals. She was Arietta, a girl who could speak to understand them. Had this big cat rescued her, knowing that? Or was it another reason entirely?

“In a way, yes. In another, you could say I didn’t want to leave a helpless child alone. We are called ligers, little one,” The liger said, as if reading her mind. “My name is Lyra. This little one here is called Viola, the one who spoke. The other two are Etude and Sonata. And you are…?”

“I’m…Arietta.” she answered.

“Ah…that is a nice name. It suits you.” The liger seemed to smile, revealing her sharp teeth a bit. Arietta smiled back.

Sonata smiled, “You seem nice, for a human. I will continuously observe you.”

Etude snorted, turning his nose up, “I-I never wanted a human as a sister. Not as if I was fascinated by them or anything…”

Viola did a little hop in the air, “I have a sister! Yay!!”

Lyra chuckled, “Yes, I suppose you do,” she locked her eyes with Arietta. “If it’s all right with you, that is.”

“You’ll let me stay?” Arietta asked tentatively.

“Of course. As your mother, it is my sworn duty to protect my children. Welcome, my daughter. These woods will be your home from now on. I shall raise you as if you were my own.” The liger wrapped her tail around Arietta, drawing her closer. Viola, Sonata, and Etude squeezed in last minute, and Arietta could feel them trembling.

When she looked Viola in the eye, they shone like stars. All five of them settled down together, just as the sun began to slip beneath the horizon. She’d finally found a place where she belonged. And she wanted it to stay like this. Forever.

…

“Arietta, I advise against this.” Sonata said as Arietta approached the blue bird. Its wings had gotten caught in a narrow gap of trees.

“But…I want to help him. I hate seeing animals suffer.” This, she knew for a fact. She’d practically helped every suffering animal back in that…that…place. She’d lost the name for it, but she knew it as the place she’d grown up in in her human life.

Now, as she stood before the trapped bird, she could see that it was only a baby, just learning how to fly. The bird had just been clinging onto the trunk for support, but its sad chirps showed it was causing it pain.

Arietta reached out with her hands, and the bird cowered, trembling on the spot. “I’m not going to hurt you…” Arietta reassured. The little bird slowly stopped trembling and stared at her, chirping some more. “Don’t worry, I’m getting you out…” she reached her hand through the narrow gap and gently grasped the bird’s wing.

“All right…I need you to let go of the trunk.” This led to a series of chirps and the bird seemed to cling to the trunk even more. “No, I’m not going to let you fall…Trust me on this…” The sound her calm voice seemed to calm the baby bird as well. Closing its eyes, it let go.

Arietta gently turned the birds wing at a comfortable angle and quickly said, “Fly sideways!” The bird resigned, and flew sideways. A second later it was free, but its sense of direction was off. A second later it crash landed in Arietta’s palms. “Are you okay?” she asked. The little blue bird quickly got to its feet. It dipped its head and made another series of chirps.

“I’ll be willing to help you anytime in the future. Once I’ve mastered flight, that is! I’m a Hraesvelgr, and my name’s Cello! If you ever need me, ask for Cello, and I’ll come! Thank you again, goodbye for now!” The little bird spread its wings and took off, flying back up into the trees.

Arietta watched until Cello disappeared among the leaves, chirping all the way.

Sonata grinned. “Maybe I was too quick to doubt. You seem to have a natural talent. I could not understand a word that bird was saying, but perhaps my ears are not attuned to other monsters yet. Whatever the case, you seem understand any species.” Sonata noted, sitting down on a nearby rock.

“T-That was okay, I guess. Nothing too special…” Etude huffed.

Viola did a little hop in the air. “You’re so cool, sis! We gotta try this again sometime!”

Sonata narrowed her eyes. “We may have been lucky this time, but not all monsters are friendly.”

Viola’s tail drooped. “I know, I know…”

Etude puffed out his chest. “That’s why we must know this things beforehand. They’re crucial to our survival. While we may think we are the predators, we could also be the prey too.” he said matter-of-factly.

Viola rolled her eyes, “A show off, as always…” before padding away.

“What’s wrong, my daughter?” Lyra asked, padding over to her, making sure not to awake her siblings.

Arietta stared at her mother, tears running down her cheeks. In front of her lay the body of a dead baby rabbit. “I couldn’t…I couldn’t save her…” she cried. “She told me…that she’d struck with a disease…so I thought…I thought I could find something to help her…but when I got back it was too late…!”

Lyra sat down beside her, holding out a large paw. Arietta’s eyes widened, and a second later she embraced her mother. As Arietta cried, Lyra brushed her tail against her back. “Listen, nature can be cruel, Arietta. You cannot save everyone, but you can try. And you did. To me, that is good enough. There are miraculous things you can accomplish through effort and determination.”

Arietta stared up at her mother, and smiled, the last of her tears dropping onto the ground. “Thank you…Mommy. Mommy, do you…love me?” Arietta asked.

Giving her forehead a lick she said, “Of course I do. I love you as much as I love all my children. But you, by far, are the most special to me. If you…if you…ever left me, hypothetically of course, make sure to come back and visit. Because I would miss you very much.”

Arietta nodded. “I promise, Mommy, I’ll come back home to visit if I ever left.”

Lyra averted her gaze. “Ah…I am glad. And make sure to help out us monsters too. While most appear cruel, we do have a sweet side, a side that humans, except for you, never get to see…I believe if you really try, maybe coexistence between us is not entirely impossible.” She stared up at the night sky as she said this, each star gleaming brightly. “I’m sure your friend is up there…she is no longer suffering. Why don’t we bury her and say our goodbyes before going back to sleep?”

“Yes, good idea Mommy…” Arietta hurried to get her friend’s body. Carrying the baby rabbit in her hands, she whispered, “Thank you, my friend…I hope everything is peaceful where you are..”

…

“Aha!” Viola triumphed, tackling down her prey and pinning it to the ground. “I got you now!” It was a wolf pup, with brown stripes running through its gray fur. Whimpering, it tried to escape the liger’s grasp, but it was futile. Viola finished it off with a clean blow on the neck. “Mom’s going to be so proud! Then she’ll have to agree I’m the best hunter around.”

Arietta smiled, dropping from her perch on a nearby branch. “Mommy will love it.” She reached out, and Viola lowered her head. Arietta ran her fingers through the soft fur. It was so tender and warm. And…fluffy.

Sonata shook her head, whispering to herself, “I did not think she’d learn how to hunt so fast. This is a major improvement.”

Etude licked his paw, and ran his paw over his ears. He rose from where he was sitting on a rock, snapping a stick in the process. “I thought it was a share of utter mockery to a prey’s life. You’re supposed to treat it with respect, and dignity. You make its death painless, fearless and–” he cut off when he saw Sonata’s glare.

“She is still learning, give her time.” She said.

Etude rolled his eyes. “I suppose.”

Viola grunted once she stopped petting her, and only bent down to retrieve her catch. “Have any luck catching squirrels, Sis?” she asked, her voice muffled from carrying the wolf pup.

Arietta shook her head. “I haven’t brought myself to kill them. They’re just so cute.”

Viola scoffed, “Heh, I figured. Mom always said you were soft. But I like that about you. You could calm a ruthless killer. I find it an admirable trait.”

“Thank you, Big Sister.”

Viola averted her gaze. “S-Sure.”

“Why does Mommy want such big catches anyway?” she inquired.

“She said it’s for the meeting. Our cousins will be there!” Viola did a little leap into the air, landing on a large tree trunk. A creature that kind of looked like a bunny with big ears Arietta didn’t recognize ran away. What was that? she wondered.

“Meeting?” Arietta echoed.

“You don’t know? Mom’s the liger queen! She calls meetings every now and then to make sure we’re all well fed. And…” Viola’s eyes darkened and she slowed her pace. “…To make sure the humans have continued to avoid us. If they lay one paw in here, I’ll cut them down!” she snarled, baring her sharp teeth. Her fur bristled, her whole body trembling. In a minute, her fur was lying flat again.

“I’m sorry. I lost control of myself for a second there. If you know what’s good for you, Arietta, stay away from those humans. They’ll try to hurt you in ways unimaginable.” Viola flicked her tail, scattering some leaves in the process. But she didn’t seem to care. Her pawsteps slammed against the ground like a ferocious beast had just been awoken. And maybe that was true.

“Is…she usually like this?” Arietta asked, slowing her pace.

Sonata nodded. “Quite normal. She is the type to get in a certain mode for a while, and it is hard to get her out of it. But after a while she gets over it, which is good.”

Etude’s tuft of fur on his head blew in the light breeze as he closed his eyes. “I didn’t know how interesting you humans could be. You have high curiosity, and a sense of innocence. I suppose not all humans are as bad as we believe. Then again, you’re just an orphaned child, so maybe that makes a differ–”

Arietta’s eyes widened, and she looked away, feeling as if she’d been stabbed.

Sonata gave Etude a little shove.

“Hey, what was that for?” he demanded, regaining his balance.

“Do not be so insensitive and inconsiderate. She must have lived hard life. You should be respecting the fact that’s been able to live this long.”

Sonata came and brushed against her. “I apologize in advance for our brother. He has a hard time understanding others, you see. He simply speaks his mind and states the obvious. Pay him no mind.”

When Arietta glanced down, her sister was staring at her with soft eyes. She had a little fang that always protruded from the corner of her mouth. She gave Arietta a lopsided smile.

“Thank you…” was Arietta’s only reply. In response, her sister simply walked by her side for the rest of the way back. Etude lingered behind them, swiveling his ears this way and that. A far off cry caught his attention, but he couldn’t locate the source of the sound. Arietta had stopped to watch him doing this. He acted as if he were a bodyguard, always on high alert. Finally noticing he was being stared at, he rushed over.

“Listen, I don’t tell Viola about this, but I am training to become stronger. If I’m strong enough I can surely protect all of us, including the Queen. Or Mother, I should say. But who I most want to protect…it would be you and Viola, Arietta.”

He averted his gaze, “I’ve said too much. How embarrassing. I’m sure the both of you find it amusing. Impossible, even. Go on, laugh at me.” All that greeted him in reply was the sounds of the forest. Etude took a step back, raising a paw. He flattened his ears, and tilted his head. “You’re…You’re not going to laugh at me? Don’t you think its absolutely absurd?” he asked.

Sonata walked over to him, and placed a paw on his. “Why would we, dear brother?”

Etude glanced between Sonata and her paw, blinking rapidly several times. “Y-You mean it?”

Sonata nodded, bending forward to lick him on the head.

Etude, for the first time since Arietta had met him, smiled. It was full of happiness, and purity. When he smiled, he closed his eyes and drew his lips back to reveal his gleaming, white, teeth.

Arietta joined in this touching moment, petting both of her siblings. The sunlight sliced through the trees, casting down on them. The birds chirped from where they perched in the trees. Nearby, pink carnations blew in the breeze, and two loose petals were carried away, floating up into the air.

“Heyyyyy!! What’s the hold up?” Viola called.

Quickly breaking out of their “group hug” they trotted after her. As Etude caught pace with Viola he said, “I promise, I’m going to protect you and Arietta together.”

Sonata gave Arietta a wink, and Arietta nodded. It seemed like Etude’s conversation with Sonata had helped him after all.

When they arrived, Lyra was pacing around in circles. She didn’t even acknowledge they were there, aside from a slight twitch of an ear. Viola set down her catch and bounded over to her.

“Mom! What’s wrong? This isn’t like you…”

Lyra looked up, revealing her lifeless eyes, dulled of color. “One of my sisters is dead. She was killed. By a human.” Lyra monotoned.

Viola’s eyes widened. She stomped her paw onto the ground, her razor sharp teeth showing as she spoke. “Who killed her?! I’ll make them pay!” she demanded.

Someone killed Mommy’s sister…I’ll never forgive them! Arietta thought. She was going to get to the bottom of this, one way or another.

Etude flinched, as if he’d been hit. His mouth opened, but no words came out. He simply stared at the ground, eyes closed, gritting his teeth.

Sonata came over and drew her tail over his paws, but he shrank away even more.

Lyra drew herself up, some light seeming to return in her eyes. She fixed her daughter with a fierce gaze. Arietta could almost see the fire burning within them. For one millisecond, Arietta thought back to her other mother. Her birth mother. The fire reflected in her mommy’s eyes now seemed almost akin to her birth mother’s. But yet…they were not entirely the same. The liger queen’s fire seemed almost…softer. Gentler.

“No, Viola! You must stay here. I do not know what I would do if I lost you too. You five are the only family I have left. I will not let you throw your life away!” She hissed. There was a brief flicker of lightening generating from her whiskers. Viola cowered, tugging her tail in between her legs. She laid on the ground and dipped her head.

“I’m sorry, Mom.” Viola apologized, before coming to stand beside Arietta.

Their mother sighed, turning away from them. “The others will be arriving soon. We have much to discuss.” Lyra padded away without another word. Her tail dragged along the ground as she left.

“Where’s Mommy going?”

Viola stared at ground, as if suddenly feigning interest on her paws. “She’s going to go bury her sister.”

“Can’t we come?”

Viola closed her eyes. “No. Leave her be. We hardly even knew her anyway. I only saw her three times. All of them from a distance. It wouldn’t mean anything to us. And it would just be an insult to both of them.” She reasoned.

Arietta reached out and petted her sister’s fur. The normally excited, upbeat, and caring sister was silent. Silent as the blackness of the night as Viola stared up at the moon. It was a full moon, and its silvery light caught in Viola’s eyes.

The only thing that Arietta saw was emptiness. Arietta hated it. She wished the five of them could have done something to save her. But they didn’t even know at the time. There was no sense in bickering. It wouldn’t accomplish anything.

Etude had taken it the worst though. Tears slid down his face, and Sonata did her best to lick them away but to no avail.

“Ha! Ahahahaha….HA….who was I kidding?” He slowly looked up, a smile spread across his face. But it wasn’t the same. It had lost its happiness and purity, it now looked like a smile of defeat. “Me? Protect all of you? What a joke!” He broke into laugh, and Sonata’s gaze darkened, giving up on trying to get rid of tears. “I’ve never been able to protect anyone! That’s why she died, isn’t it? I’m just trash!”

“Etude…” Sonata began.

Etude swung around to face her. “TeLL mE!! AM I wOrTH iT?” Am I????” he demanded.

“Etude, I…you are worth it! You are wrong! This is not your fault, how could you have known when you…” she trailed off. “…When you told me you wanted to protect us I was happy! Is that not enough to prove your worth?” She asked, her voice quivering.

Etude seemed to freeze for a moment. “You were…happy?” He slowly turned around to look at Viola and Arietta, both of them had darkened eyes. When he looked back at Sonata, she was crying too. “No! Noooo!! Don’t cry! I hate it when you do! You’re my big sister, and I admire you! You’re so much cooler and calmer than I ever was…and here I was crying out of self pity! How pathetic is that?”

“N-No…you are wrong too. You are so much braver than I could ever be. You have so much determination. You are special in your own way, too…I wish you would realize that…we all are special…each and every one of us is different, but…that is a good thing.”

Sonata was looking over Etude’s head when she said this. She swiped away her tears with her paw as best she could. “Haha, I guess in the end both of us are pretty pathetic. Listen, you can protect us. Even when you heard Mother’s sister’s cries then, I do not think you could have saved her. Plus, you could have gotten yourself killed. I am glad you are still alive, and here with us now.” Sonata stated.

Etude gave her a playful shove. “I’m glad you noticed what I doing, big sister.”

Etude returned the shove. “You are welcome. We should plan a course of action. Perhaps we can help Mother find out who the killer was in some way.” She suggested, standing straight. The others nodded in agreement.

Arietta just laid her hand above her heart as the breeze blew, picking up her hair. And then she laid her hand on Viola’s face, hoping its warmth would reach her. It did, and Viola’s tail brushed against her. “Thank you for being such a great Sis.” Viola said.

Arietta just nodded. We’ll help you in our own way, Mommy. You can be sure of that. We’ll find the humans who dared to hurt us. Because…we’re family. And we’re going to save you, Mommy!

Later, the ligers all arrived. Most of them shifted restlessly, their eyes landing on Arietta. Arietta averted her gaze, feeling her face flush. She hated being in the center of attention. The liger queen settled down beside her, and Arietta let out a sigh of relief. In her mother’s presence, she seemed to dominate the whole area.

“Ligers, we have gathered here today to discuss humans and the death of my sister.” she began.

“Is that puny thing beside you the one responsible?” A liger asked. A few snickered at his comment, but they all froze when they saw Lyra’s face.

“She is my daughter,” Lyra snarled through gritted teeth, her tail lashing back and forth. “She is not the one to blame. I managed to find traces of the human at the scene. I found strands of black hair, small rips of white clothing…and an unusual scent. They are no ordinary human, by any means.”

Murmurs spread through the group and some made Arietta paralyzed on the spot. Despite what the queen had said, there was some ligers blaming Arietta. She tried to shut out their voices but they sounded so taunting in her head.

“She should just die! How do we know she’s telling the truth? Maybe she deceived the queen! When should be kill her? In her sleep!”

Etude, Sonata, and Viola emerged from the group of ligers, fur bristling. Viola slid next to Arietta and whispered, “Should we go investigate?” But even as the words left her mouth, she already knew the answer. The liger instead immediately began licking her hand. Arietta just sank to the ground, and buried her face in Viola’s fur. Tears slid down her face, soaking Viola’s pelt.

“We should just get rid of her! She’s cursed. A rotten demon in the form of an angel.” Arietta had eavesdropped on her parents one night, when she was really young. Those words seemed to pierce right through her heart.

“That monster doesn’t need friends anyway. She’ll never make any. She’ll be forever alone.” one of them spat.

In that moment, darkness seemed to surround her world. The only light that stopped it from being completely consumed…was herself. Everyone and everything else seemed to drift away. That night she went back to her room and cried. But no one ever acknowledged her pain. She had no toys, no stuffed animals, no amusement of any sort. She just passed by by doing the necessities such as eating and drinking.

The room Arietta slept in was dark and floor creaked. Thus, her parents called her “Arietta,” the sad, musical tragedy. Arietta hated being alone. She hated everything. Her only joy was found in talking to stray animals, but even that was highly discouraged. People feared she would learn to abuse her power, and extract revenge. So Arietta hardly talked. And all she knew was hate, darkness, and utter despair…

Arietta clung to her sister’s fur, her memories of the past resurfacing like reopened wound. Pushing herself away, she whispered in Viola’s ear, “Let’s go.” She took off running, her sister close by her side. Etude and Sonata quickly followed after them. The other ligers yowled after her, but she’d seen some lick their lips. This was their chance to stop the siblings in their tracks. Arietta heard them tear across the ground, keeping chase.

Arietta crashed through the trees, snapping twigs and hopping over fallen tree trunks. Viola managed to keep up, surprisingly. “Where are we going, Sis?” She asked.

“To find where Mommy’s sister died! Can you pick up the scent?”

Viola closed her eyes for a second, sniffing the air. A moment later, they reopened, and seemed more intense than before. “This way!” They made a sharp turn to the left, scrambling over a big rock. They crossed a stream, and made a few sharp turns before Viola stopped running. “Right…here…” Viola panted between breaths.

The area obviously showed that a battle had taken place. There were deep claw marks in the trunks of a few trees. The ground had places were the claws had torn the grass, and a few drops of blood. Something had gotten snagged in the nearby torn bush, undoubtedly the human. There were white pieces of clothing latched onto it. Everything seemed just has her mother had described.

Viola collapsed to the ground, breathing hard. “That was…exhausting…” Arietta had to admit her legs were starting to buckle too. She’d never run so hard and far since she came here. Finally giving in, she sank to her knees. Etude did the same, although Sonata looked unwinded, for the most part. They’d just begun to relax when the ligers tore through the bushes.

“Thought you could outrun us?” The one who had started it all barked.

Viola slowly rose to her paws, lifting her head up. “Pah, think you can harm us? We’re Lyra’s princesses and prince after all!” Arietta was amazed by her display of confidence. She could tell her sister was doing her best to show she wasn’t scared, but Arietta could see her slightly trembling.

“Whether you’re her daughter or not, we’ll kill you if you take one step towards that human,” The leader growled, slowly pacing around them in a circle. “So tell me, what’s your dirty little trick you used?” The liger asked, pressing his face near hers, so much she could feel his hot breath.

“I–” Arietta began, but she was cut off as a figure leaped out of the darkness. She watched, frozen to the spot as the figure stabbed the liger in the chest. In moments, the leader collapsed, dead. The figure sheathed their sword as all the other ligers rushed over.

The figure was a man with silver-brown hair, in an outfit bearing a symbol she didn’t recognize. His eyes seemed like ice, only a faint light shone in them. The man regarded her with a thoughtful expression, one hand under his chin. “You can speak to monsters, yes?”

Arietta opened her mouth to respond, but then shut it. This man probably wanted to use her power. And second of all…she realized she’d never really known how to speak. It seemed like she’d spoken in monster language her whole life. So she wasn’t even sure she could form the right words. Instead, Arietta nodded reluctantly.

The man smirked ever so slightly. “Then perhaps you could be of use. The Fon Master might appreciate it.” He mused.

“F-Fon Master?” she wanted to ask. But she wasn’t even sure he’d understand.

“Would you like to join me, girl? I can save you from this life. The monsters here are very dangerous. You should stay away from them. Not all listen, I imagine.”

Arietta thought of her mother, Lyra, being alone in the forest. And Etude and Sonata, they needed her love and support. And Viola, who had been by her side since day one. She couldn’t just leave them like this…but yet…the man’s offer did sound tempting. She glanced at her siblings, who had been standing beside her the whole time. Arietta hadn’t even noticed. Her siblings could be so stealthy at times.

Seeming to understand the message, the man said, “You can bring them along. But I will not have the queen accompany you. It is much too dangerous and she is expecting soon. I do not want to be near her children at that time. You understand, do you not? This is your chance. Your chance to be wanted. To be needed. All you need to do, is grab my hand. I can help you, I am sure of that. I hate to see children suffer like this.”

The man extended his hand. Arietta exchanged a glance with Viola, Etude and Sonata. The choice is yours, Viola’s eyes seemed to say.Don’t do it!! Etude and Sonata seemed to say. If you go…we won’t go with you! It’s too dangerous! We’ll have Mother rescue you if– Arietta nodded, and placed her hand in his.

Etude and Sonata’s eyes widened, taking a step back. Then they tore into the woods, leaving a trail of dust in their wake. The man smiled, and for the first time they seemed to lose their hardness. They seemed softer than before. “I’m glad. I will take you and your liger to the Fon Master. Let’s go!” The man squeezed her hand tightly, signaling for her to keep holding it. Viola ran after them at a somewhat steady pace.

“I can’t believe you’re coming with me. You didn’t have to…” Arietta said.

“And leave you alone with this human? No way! At some point I’m sure Etude and Sonata will follow us! They can just follow our scents! Plus, I’m staying right by your side, whether you like it or not!”

Arietta smiled. “Yes. We have lots to learn about each other still.”

As they ran, Arietta could hear her mother’s and siblings’ cries. She felt as if her heart were being torn in two. But she didn’t turn back. She and her sister kept running. Running towards the human world once more.

…

This strange world was far from her expectations. It was not what she’d imagined. Everything was so different. And everything…was so dark. She was separated from Viola. But Viola had tried her best to reassure her she’d be fine.

When Arietta came to, she found herself chained up. Looking around, the only light seemed to come from the door. It took her a few seconds to realize she was not alone. The man who had taken her here was standing a few feet away from her. But there was also another human in the room. They were a lot shorter than the man, but it was hard to make out much detail.

Arietta strained against her chains confining her, but she couldn’t move more than a few inches. I’m trapped here! And they took Viola away! Let me out…! She thought. The other human started walking towards her.

“Fon Master, I advise against–”

But the human did not even seem to acknowledge what he said. A moment later he’d gotten close enough in Arietta’s range. Lashing out in self defense and instinct, she bit him on his arm.

“Fon Master!!” the man cried, taking a step forward.

But still, the Fon Master did not pay heed to his words. Realizing that he wasn’t backing down, Arietta let go, eyes wide.

“Van…” The human said, turning towards the man. “This girl’s mind has nothing, right? Not even the score. Isn’t that interesting? I will make her my pet from now on, okay…?” A smile spread across his face with wide eyes.

The man called Van seemed to tense, and then he said, “Yes…but I am considering putting her in the special forces as well. She seems to hold potential.”

“Is that so…? I’ll keep that in mind, but you may introduce her to the generals. You said she grew you in the wilderness?” he asked.

“Indeed. I found her living among ligers.” Van informed.

“Then I’ll teach her our language, since I’m guessing she doesn’t know how to speak it, do you?” He stared at Arietta. Seeing no new reactions, he turned back to Van.

“That confirms it. Not that she understands a word we’re saying anyway. If she does, it’s too little for her to ever make progress in this world and society. Afterword, she can become my guardian…or…as they say, a.k.a., my personal pet. Now, I think its time we let her off her leash, and we get started on the basics…” he said as he folded his hands together, a smirk spread across is face.

The human known as the Fon Master dragged her to a room full of books. Chairs were in several corners of the room. The only exception was the middle, with two chairs across from each other, a table between them.

Arietta was sure that she must have remembered what these things were from her human life. It was a fascinating sight to see, but yet she hardly had no way of communicating. Instead, she was forced to do what the Fon Master wanted her to. Although she was slightly distracted because of her worry for Viola. I hope I can see her soon… she thought.

The human directed her to the center of the room, instructing Arietta as best as possible to sit in the chair. She did, and watched as he pulled out a book from a nearby shelf. He opened it the first page and sat across from her. It displayed a word.

“This is called Remday,” his finger pointing to the word.

“R-Rem…da….y…?” Arietta tried. She assumed he was asking her to say it out loud. Is he trying to help me be able to talk to him? She wondered.

The Fon Master nodded. “Very good. This is Lunaday.” his finger was pointing to the word across from it.

“Um…L…u..n…day?”

“Close. LunAday.” he repeated.

“Oh…Lun…a…day?”

The Fon Master nodded. “See? You’re getting there. Let’s keep going…”

A while later The Fon Master closed the last book. He put all the ones he’d taken out back on the shelf. “Now you know the basics. You still have a quite a long way to go, but this is significant enough for now. My name is Ion, but you may refer to me as the Fon Master.”

He held his hand, and Arietta tentatively reached out and grasped it. “N-Nice…to meet you…my name is Arietta…”

Ion smiled. “You’ve definitely made an improvement since earlier. Everyday I’ll take you here for more practice and lessons until you’re pretty fluent. But as for now, I’ll let Van introduce you to the generals. I’ll see you later.” He headed down the hallway, in somewhat of a hurry. Van was standing outside the room.

“How did it go?” he asked.

“Good…I think…” she replied.

He put a hand on her shoulder. “I know its hard to learn at first, but I have confidence you’ll pull through. As for now, I’ll introduce you to the Five God Generals. I’m their commandant, by the way.”

He led her down a twisting passage way. When they emerged, five people were standing there, all with grim faces. Arietta shrank away, cowering at Van’s side from the look the large man gave her. Van gently urged her to move forward. When she turned to look up at him, he was smiling, reassuring her that it was okay.

Tentatively, Arietta stepped forward. “U-Um, I’m…Arietta…” she introduced, her hands clasped together with her thumbs rubbing her fingers.

The first person, a women with her hair tied in a ponytail, fixed her with an intense gaze. Arietta would have run immediately, but her legs wouldn’t budge. “I am Legretta the Quick.” Legretta said curtly. She…really is…quick… Arietta thought.

Next to her was a man leaning back in a chair. There was a glare on his glasses, and his hands were folded together. “I am Dist the Rose,” he unfolded his hand as he did so, placing one over his heart. “I am beautiful like a rose, and I will not tolerate being referred as a savage such as a ‘Reaper’.” he added.

Beside him, the large man who’d stared at her earlier grunted. “I am Largo, the Black Lion.” He seemed to loom over Arietta, paralyzing her the spot.

Another man was beside him, wearing a mask. Arietta wondered what was hidden beneath it, but she dared not to ask. “I’m Sync the Tempest.”

And finally, the last general looked around her age, maybe a bit older. His face seemed deprived of happiness. When she stared at him, she sensed a being of intense hatred radiating from him. “…Asch the Bloody. Just stay out of my way.”

Arietta glanced at Van. His eyes were narrowed, and his jaw was set. When he noticed her staring at him, he pulled on grin. Although Arietta could tell it was not genuine—there was a lack of warmth in his eyes. “So those are the generals, although you have potential to join them.”

Arietta stared at her hands. “No I don’t…” For a moment, she wished she had something to comfort her. When she took Van’s hand in the woods, she believed Viola would be by her side. Her liger sister was support she leaned on…support she needed.

Alone, she felt tiny and helpless. And she hated being alone. That feeling of emptiness seemed to return to her in seconds. She wasn’t sure what expression she’d made, but whatever it had been…the reaction was one she didn’t expect.

“Listen, Girl—I mean, ah, what was your name again? Oh yes, Arietta. Tell you what. I’ll make you something to keep you company, how would you like that?” someone asked.

Arietta turned to find the source of the voice. Her eyes widened when she saw that it was Dist. “Can you…can you…really do that?”

Dist nodded. “Why of course, dear. I am a genius, after all. Unlike that good-for-nothing, stuck up, overconfident…” Arietta titled her head as he said this, and Dist coughed loudly. “Ahem, I mean, it’s certainly possible. I’ll finish it for you as soon as possible.”

“T-Thank you…” She felt a faint smile tug at the corner of her lips.

As they left the room, Van spoke. “I apologize in advance. Most of the time they prove to be…” he paused for a moment, as if struggling to find the right words. “…more friendly. If you work hard, you can join our ranks as well.”

They headed down some more passages ways and up a few stairs. They stopped outside a set of doors. “I’m guessing the Fon Master wishes to see you. I’ll see you tomorrow, Arietta.” With that, he went back the way they came. Not sure of what else to do, Arietta pushed open the doors.

Inside was a small, white room, with a large bed occupying most of the space. On the walls were several empty bookshelves, except for one. A book lay on its side, most of the pages torn up or reduced to ash. A few windows were behind the bed, with a chair nearby. To the left, large curtains were slightly open, letting in a soft breeze. It lead out onto a balcony. Sitting in the bed was Ion, his hair slightly ruffled and sticking out at different angles.

“Ah, there you are. I was just about to call for you.”

Arietta walked closer, coming to stand beside him.

“I must bring unfortunate news…your liger is gravely injured, and I am not sure how much longer it’ll live. We let it out for a hunt, but it seems a nasty monster got it.” The Fon Master informed, his eyes darkening.

“The monsters here are very dangerous. You should stay away from them. Not all listen, I imagine.” Van’s words echoed inside Arietta’s head. A cold sweat started breaking out on her forehead, and the world seemed to spin. “Where is she?!” Arietta yelled.

“She is in the room at the end of the passage way on the left, but I–” Arietta didn’t even let him finish. She was out the doors in seconds, tearing down the hallway. When she at last reached the door, she was breathing heavily. With as much strength as she could muster, she pushed the door open.

Inside, the room was nearly dark, the only light coming from the videos. Bones were scattered around the floor, and the smell of blood lingered in the air. Arietta glanced to and fro, her eyes finally settling upon a small silhouette in the moonlight. She dashed over and crouched down beside her.

“Sis…you…came for me…” Viola rasped, before coughing out blood. Her breath was ragged, and the rise and fall of her chest was uneven.

Arietta’s eyes widened at her sister’s words, and she ran her hand through her soft fur. She felt it touch something warm, which confirmed what Ion had said for fact.

“Listen…I knew it was foolish…to f…ollow you, but I–” she broke into another coughing fit, spitting out more blood. “–Didn’t want to…leave you alone…I know how much you hate…being alone…Mom always feared…you’d go back….to them…” she coughed even harder before, and she was no longer looking at Arietta. Her eyes were staring up at the ceiling, as if there was something wonderful about it. Viola drew her lips back in a lopsided smile.

“…They sent me…to hunt…so I…got cocky and fought a strong monster…so we’d both have enough to eat…seems like, it was a bad idea, huh…?” she laughed, but that only caused her to get thrown into another coughing fit.

“I always thought…that I was outsider…when it came to my siblings…Sonata always seemed to like Etude more…and you…so I never got involved…but when I met you…everything changed. You…gave me happiness, can you believe it, little Sis…? I am happy…knowing I was able to help you…find a place where you truly belong…if you see Mom again, or Sonata or Etude…tell them…I said hi, for me, okay…?”

Arietta was on the verge of tears. She did her best to hold them back, but Viola’s last words were the final straw. “Live, Arietta…Bring us…coexistence…you are…our only hope…maybe not all humans are as bad as they say…but…I did find out…Mom’s sister’s killer…“

“It was…him…the…human in…wh…e…with…bla….k…fur…he was th…e…one who…also…did…t….e…” With her final breath, she smiled, a single tear rolling down her face. Nearby, a Myrtle’s petal fell off and landed on the ground. Moments later, her body became limp in Arietta’s hands.

That was when the dam within her burst, and the tears slid down her face. They landed with a light splash on her sister’s face. “Viola…why…?!” Arietta buried her face in her dead sister’s fur, sobbing.

She didn’t even notice the door opened. Or that someone walked over to her until they placed their hand on her shoulder. Arietta looked up to see that it was the Fon Master, a frown on his face. Without thinking, Arietta hugged him, catching him off guard.

“Fon Master, she's…! She’s…!!” she couldn’t even form a full sentence.

Ion hugged her back, running a hand through her hair. “I am so sorry for your loss…I feel so terrible…if there is anything I can do to ease your grief, let me–”

“I’ll do what you want!” She burst out, not even caring at this point.

There was a moment of silence until Ion said, “Fair enough. Come with me back to my room…I’ll prepare a place for you to sleep…”

“B-But…bury…her!!” Arietta cried.

“I will, don’t fret. I’ll do it first thing in the morning, okay?”

Arietta nodded.

“I’ll help you to my room…that’s it…keep walking…”

…

The next months passed by rather quickly for Arietta. She learned how to speak pretty fluently. Even Van was surprised by her progress. Ion hypothesized that she’d previously lived among humans before. He said it was the explanation why she learned so fast.

Dist had given her a doll, looking almost like a monster combined with other monsters. It reminded her of her resolve, and motivated her everyday. She kept it with her always, for both support and comfort. She didn’t know how Dist had done it, but he’d made it perfect.

She’d gotten a bit closer to the other generals, and learned a few other things about them. She wasn’t the only one with tragedy—all of them seemed to have some. Although Asch was the most stubborn.

He hardly seemed to want to admit things, or show any sign of weakness. But around her, Arietta felt that Asch would relax, just a little. When she stared at his blue-green eyes, they seemed soft, and far away, as if he was remembering a time elsewhere. But it normally lasted for a few seconds before he moved on.

Sync carried an air similar to the Fon Master about him, and always refused to take off his mask. He said he’d only started wearing it recently. When she looked closer at him, she wondered how old he really was.

Largo, for such an intimidating figure acted almost like a parent around her sometimes. Was it simply because she was young, and he was being kind to her out of spite? Whatever the reason, Arietta was glad to be proven wrong. Arietta saw Legretta as a teacher figure. She often came to her for advice. Legretta was always happy to help, from Arietta’s perspective, anyway.

One morning, though, Arietta dared herself to enter the room where her sister had died. Upon entering, she found a small skull left, nothing more. She picked it up tenderly, and caressed its surface with her fingers. She brought it to the Fon Master’s room, and put it beside her bed. Arietta would remember the sound of her voice, the feeling of her fur, anything.

She surprised herself when she showed it to the Fon Master one night. He was sitting in his chair when she held it out to him. “Look at this…this is my sister. She was very strong. She helped Arietta…she helped everyone.” Ion took the skull from her, holding it in his hands. Arietta turned, spinning around in the direction the balcony. “My sister will help Master Ion too!” She smiled, and heard something she did not expect.

“Arietta, from now on, you are a Fon Master guardian.” he announced.

“A Fon Master guardian is someone who protects the Fon Master, even at the cost of one’s own life.”

Arietta closed her eyes as she said, “Yes.”

“If you become weak, you will be discarded immediately. You understand, right?” Ion asked.

“Yes, Master Ion.” The breeze from the open balcony blew, lifting her air up in its wind. “From now on, Arietta will always be by Master Ion’s side.”

…

From then on, Arietta accompanied Fon Master Ion everywhere. He would read the score to the people, he would travel, and Arietta always was with him. Many times he’d drop by the local markets to buy Arietta something. He’d give her all sorts of things. She’d never experienced the delicacies of apples, and grew quite fond of them. Whenever she smiled, it always seemed to motivate the Fon Master even more.

When they returned from their duty one night, a group of men confronted them. All of them were dressed in black, shadows falling across their face. They were stood in the moonlight, giving them an eerie glow.

“Fon Master…the plan between you and the commandant has already been revealed. Please surrender to us immediately. Now, while we can still change it back to normal.” The man held out his hand. Ion made no movement towards it, and only fixed the man with a cold stare.

“Sorry, but I think I will have to pass on your offer.” Ion replied.

“What you’re doing is a disgrace to spirituality…!! Disgusting!! To make the Fon Master’s replicas!!” The man growled, unsheathing his sword. The others did the same. Arietta, acting on instinct, ran forward, shielding the Fon Master. She felt a stabbing pain flare in her legs, and collapsed to the ground. Second later, the temperature seemed to drop 10 degrees.

“The only one…who can hurt my pet…is me…” The men cried out in agony as Ion struck them down. In minutes it was over, blood spattered across the ground. Ion went over and wrapped bandages around Arietta’s legs. Then he lifted her in his arms, she was surprisingly light, carrying her back to the cathedral.

…

Over time, she noticed he was starting to look more pale, and his movements a bit slower. But she didn’t think it was too much to worry about, until yesterday. Yesterday he collapsed, and had a fever. Arietta had to calm it down as best she could, and when he came to, they returned back to Daath. She thought, as she was his Fon Master guardian, it would be good to voice her concerns.

“Um…Master Ion?” she began.

“What is it?”

“Yesterday, you…didn’t seem well…? You seem…ill…” Arietta hoped this was not the case. Ion had been a big influence in her life over the past years. He’d helped her grow as a person, and supported her at times when she needed it.

“Arietta,” Ion had said to her one night, his back turned to her. “If I’m going to be gone from this world, I will tell you beforehand.”

Arietta’s eyes widened, and she ran forward, embracing him. “Don’t go away. Whether its the duty or the score, I don’t care. I want Master Ion to be with me.” She burst into tears, the first time she’d done so in years. “I don’t want to be alone anymore!! I hate being alone…!!” All of her memories of being alone just crashed down on her in that moment. All those moments of loss, of pain, of grief…

“…I’m just joking…don’t mind it. I won’t go anywhere.” He reassured, his voice sounding oddly empty.

“Right…my body doesn’t seem to function as well before. Because I’m beginning to look weak, you’re probably worried about me. Sorry about that, Arietta.” Ion apologized.

“It’s not like that…!!” she blurted out. She’d been worrying about his health for years, but it had never been too severe…until yesterday.“Please…take it…more seriously.” She turned and headed for the door, going to do the task Ion had requested.

“I will leave her to you, Van.” Ion said, far behind her.

“The girl who was raised by monsters and is able to understand the monsters’ words. To become one of special forces, she really must give all she’s got.”

“It’s good not to let her know anything. This is a comfort I will give to her during the last moments of my life…”

…

“Arietta, Ion has relieved you of your duties as the Fon Master guardian,” Van was saying. “This may come as shocking to you, but he thinks its for the best. He found a new guardian, so you don’t have to worry about him anymore.”

Arietta had been doing her best to deny it, but Van’s words were true. She was seeing it with her own eyes. Ion was with another girl, named Anise, with ponytails, black hair, and a pink Fon Master guardian outfit. She even carried a large plush on her back, just like how Arietta had a plush of her own.

It’s not true, she thought. Anise stole him from me!! A rage had started to boil inside her. It was an emotion she’d never felt in her life until now. All her time with Ion…being with Ion…the thought that someone else was now with him, and she wasn’t, set a locked fuse inside her on fire. I will get the Fon Master back!! She thought, glaring at the scene before her. Without saying any more, she let Van guide her to the other generals. They were all waiting outside the cathedral for them.

“Took your time, Master Van. Did this pipsqueak want to stay with him that badly?” Asch demanded, his arms crossed. Arietta knew that behind his harsh words, there was a softness. In fact, she was even sure that she detected another emotion he was doing his best to keep hidden. Was it…jealously? But…why? She didn’t dwell on it, too much, however, as her rage flooded over through her again.

“Yes, but I managed to convince her. I think one of these days, I plan to go to Baticul for a time…”

…

There was a deep silence within the woods. Not even the birds chirped. The sunlight seemed to be cutoff from the ground, shining only on plants and leaves. There was, however, a large liger. And with the liger, a large, blue, Hraesvelgr. It’s feathers were different shades of blue, with white.

The two of them stood beside a girl. A girl known as Arietta. And the scene before her, was something that was on par with her rage of the Fon Master being stolen from her. In front of her, a dead, giant liger lay, eggs surrounding her. But they were all broken and shattered. And not to far off were tiny bones of what appeared to be a baby liger.

“Who…Who did this?” Arietta demanded, her voice sounding deadly calm.

“Anise and her friends, or what appears to be her friends,” Sonata said. “I am sorry, I was the only survivor…Etude was struck with a disease. And yet, even in his poor state, he defended our mother and I until the end. And here…is where his bones have laid…for years now. Mother missed you, but she refused to let us go. She said the humans would try to kill us on sight. So we stayed here, in Cheagle Woods.”

“Unfortunately, a baby cheagle was careless, and set our old part of the woods and home on fire. Mother demanded the cheagles to bring her food, and moved closer to where they were. They did, for the most part. An unlucky few got eaten, though…And that is here we are, because the cheagles were stealing food from a nearby village…and I’m guessing you can connect the rest.”

Arietta only nodded.

“I’m glad you called a bird like me to help you out, Arietta,” Cello said. “My family proved to be horrible in the end. When I heard your call, I came flying. So now, the both of us have devoted our lives to staying with you, even if we were just tagging along before.”

“Thank you…both of you…Mommy, Etude, and Viola would be happy…to know that I made a friend.” Suddenly, words from long ago began to ring in Arietta’s head:

“Listen, nature can be cruel, Arietta. You cannot save everyone, but you can try. And you did. To me, that is good enough. There are miraculous things you can accomplish through effort and determination.”

“Of course I do. I love you as much as I love all my children. But you, by far, are the most special to me. If you…if you…ever left me, hypothetically of course, make sure to come back and visit. Because I would miss you very much.”

“I promise, Mommy, I’ll come back home to visit if I ever left.”

“Ah…I am glad. And make sure to help out us monsters too. While most appear cruel, we do have a sweet side, a side that humans, except for you, never get to see…I believe if you really try, maybe coexistence between us is not entirely impossible.”

“If I’m strong enough I can surely protect all of us, including the Queen. Or Mother, I should say. But who I most want to protect…it would be you and Viola, Arietta.”

“Thank you for being such a great Sis.”

“Arietta, from now on, you are a Fon Master guardian.”

“A Fon Master guardian is someone who protects the Fon Master, even at the cost of one’s own life.”

“Yes.”

“If you become weak, you will be discarded immediately. You understand, right?”

“Yes, Master Ion. From now on, Arietta will always be by Master Ion’s side.”

“…If you see Mom again, or Sonata or Etude…tell them…I said hi, for me, okay…?”