"Hahaha," she laughed, it was a light almost careless laugh, one of a child unburdened by life and its tribulations, "Mama! Papa! I'm running so fast right now!"
Her parents could barely hold in their chuckles as they looked at their daughter.
"You know," her father started, "You should join her, you raced once upon a time did you not?"
He looked to his wife, a beautiful woman with ashen gray hair and dark brown eyes.
"Should I?" She asked, her voice a melodious sound that soothed the ears of any who heard it, "I'm afraid I've become much too old to do something like that?"
Her husband scoffed after she said that, "You? Old? Wow. Now that's rich, when I complain about my back pain and my inability to even walk straight in the morning you tell me to walk it off."
She chuckled in response, "But you do walk it don't you?"
"That's a different matter entirely if I stayed in bed with you any longer in the morning I probably would be in the hospital," his tone was dismissive and defensive and yet it still carried that almost nostalgic feeling of warmth.
She could still hear their voices even while she ran, their back and forth all but burnt in her mind, in her memory.
She knew.
She knew that the moment she turned to look at them she would see that scene again.
That scene which would forever haunt her, but, she had no choice, she knew how this nightmare ended she would look and that was it, she would see that horrible scene again.
It was the only way for it to end the only way for her to wake up, to remind herself of the truth.
But… deep down she didn't want to look she wanted to keep running, to feel the wind in her hair, to feel that sense of freedom that running brought that freedom that she loved so much.
However, she knew that she didn't deserve such things, she never would, not anymore, at least.
And so… she closed her eyes and turned.
But when she opened them instead of that horrible scene she saw the ceiling of her home.
Her new one at least.
It was better not to remember the first.
"The dream ended early?" She couldn't help but ask, who she was asking? Even she didn't know.
"Well, better not look a gift horse in the mouth," and so with a groan she got up and out of bed.
As she shambled out of her room she smelled the scent of coffee being made, and without much thought slowly made her way towards where the delicious nectar was being made.
By the time she reached the kitchen the other inhabitant already noticed her presence and looked at her with a sigh as she made her way to sit on his lap.
"Hope… what did I say about acting like this?"
"Hmm, that I shouldn't old man…"
"Yes, that you shouldn't," he said sighing as he rubbed her head while making sure not to touch her ears. "Did you at least get a good night's sleep?"
"Nope," she said while popping out the "p".
He looked down at her and noticed that outside of her being drowsy, she was clearly not in that great of a mood.
Her ears were drooped low and her tail which was normally all but standing tall letting everybody see her almost white hair was now noticeably low.
He stopped rubbing her head, one of his fingers touching the red ribbon on her left ear before he slowly pulled it away.
"Same dream?" He asked looking down at her now noticeably downcast expression.
She didn't respond verbally only giving a slight nod.
With an old worn out sigh, the old man got up, "Alright what do you want to eat for breakfast?"
"Nothing."
"You can't just say nothing…" he said while turning away to enter the kitchen all the while muttering under his breath about stubborn children.
"But I'm not that hungry,,,"
"Nonsense! Hunger is the enemy! So you will eat!"
"Fine…"
He looked over his shoulder, stifled a cough and decided to ask her one last question before he got to working on her breakfast, "Say, the Central Tracen Academy entrance exam is coming up, are you planning to try to get in?"
"…" She didn't respond.
"The entrance test should be easy enough, you're more than smart enough to ace it!"
His tone was almost cheery, it was… weird.
"And knowing your physical capabilities you should be a match for even the most highly rated of prospects, if I remember correctly from what my friends tell me the most highly rated prospect this year should be Orfevre," He said with a smile as he coughed a bit.
She stilled.
Her run?
Like how she ran away that day and left her family to die, like how she left all those others to die?
She couldn't run, she wouldn't run, she didn't want to run, not anymore.
She wasn't that small cheery child who just loved to run, who loved to have the wind blasting in her hair.
Not anymore.
"I… I don't think I will gramps…" she said while turning to look at him, he had a small almost sad smile on his young face as he looked at her, with those vibrant golden brown eyes.
"That's fine, it's your choice after all," He said with an almost raspy cough.
And with that the conversation ended and he went back to checking to see what they had.
"Huh, that's odd?"
"What is?"
"We're out of ingredients can you go to the market and get some?"
"Sure."
"Feel free to take your time."
"Hmm."
She left the house and went to the market.
…
It was a calming thing, always was.
In truth it was one of the only things that didn't change since the past, she loved going to the market, the atmosphere of it all was soothing for her.
"Hey Hope! Same as usual?" A shop owner asked as she walked into it.
"Yes."
With a smile the man quickly took everything and had it ready,
"Say," he started, are you planning to do the Tracen entrance exam?"
"… no, I probably won't…"
"Really? That's a real shame, last I heard that Uma you used to play around with when you were younger would be going."
"Orfy is going?" She asked almost shocked, "H-Have you seen her recently?" Her tone almost ecstatic, her tail wagging in excitement her eyes all but glowing.
A strange glint entered the shopkeepers eyes, "No, I haven't seen her, but last I heard she changed up her look a lot."
"Really? She changed her look…" She said disappointedly.
"Why do you sound so disappointed? Either way it's on the house this time."
"What!? No I'm paying!"
"Relax, I owed the old man a favour, I'm repaying it now."
"Oh alright…" she turned away to leave but considered otherwise, she wanted to ask him one last question, "Hey… before I leave can you tell me who gramps used to train?"
"He still hasn't told you?"
"No but whenever I ask he just smiles and says a kindred spirit."
"I see… well, if you must know, her name is—"
He was suddenly cut off when he heard the phone go off, "Sh— sorry! I have to take that call have a good day!"
"Hmm, have a good day."
And with that she started to go back home.
…
The walk back was a calm one, though it was tinged with the bitter aftermath of not being able to find out the name of her gramps trainee.
She at least found out more about Orfy and her situation, it was a shame she changed her look, she quite liked the one she once had.
In fact some of her most memorable, and well happy moments happened when she was with that young girl who always wore a mask, what an odd couple they were. One who looked like a model student and the other a delinquent.
Maybe she should go to Tracen?
If only to see her again?
It would be fun to be with her again and meet that sister that she always talked about.
No matter she'd cross that bridge when she got there.
After a bit more walking she finally made it home and had breakfast with her old man and then went to school.
…
School had been finished for the day but she still had something on her mind and there was only one person who she could ask.
"Hey gramps?"
She peeked her head out and looked at the veranda where her old man was sitting.
"What is it Hope?"
"When are you going to tell me the name of your trainee, you've all but refused to tell me for so long now…"
"Well… it doesn't really matter. Come sit with me."
She obliged without much thought.
"The moon sure is beautiful tonight, isn't it?"
"Yeah, it is."
They stayed quiet for a while letting the soft whistling of the wind and the cicadas buzzing fill the air.
"Hope… I'm sorry…" his voice was tired, his tone weary.
Confused she asked a question, "What do you mean?"
"We… we won't be able to stay here any longer I'm sick and because you're too young to live by yourself you'll have to live with someone else… I'm going to have a friend take you somewhere."
"…What?"
"It's all very sudden I know. And I'm sorry, but there's nothing you can do, no, nothing we can do. The treatments are expensive but don't worry about that you just live your life, you'll be fine. Trust me."
"…no."
He looked down to the ground.
She continued.
"You don't have that much money left do you?"
"Can't say I have that much left. No."
"Then I'll make it for you."
"Pardon?" He looked up suddenly and was faced with her face, which was both uncertain and certain at the same time.
"I'll… I'll…"she swallowed hard, "I'll face my fears, my past! I'll go to Tracen Academy, I'll win races… I… I won't, no, I won't let you die."
They both stayed quiet for a while, until he spoke up suddenly.
"Heh, what a stubborn child I've taken under my wing, what a stubborn child…"
He laughed lightly while patting her head, "Well, you should go to bed now Hope, after all we must put an end to matters of the past and face the future, face Tomorrow."
"You didn't…"
"I did." He said with a smug grin.
"I hate you…" she said while pouting.
"Aww, I love you too."
"But you really should go to bed now, Hope, tomorrow after all is when you will be meeting her."
"Her?"
"My old trainee, the one you want to meet so badly."
"Really! Then can you tell me her name! Please! PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE!"
She suddenly grabbed his shoulders and started to shake him.
"Calm down! Calm down!"
After a couple more seconds she finally stopped.
"Her name is, Stay Gold."