A light rain had moved in just as we had gotten to Trash.  At times like this the kids would be getting back from the streets to here, either seeking shelter under our tent or to splash around and wrestle in the rain’s muddy puddles.  

“Hahh~ finally…”  Acou was out of breath the moment we reached the gate, “Did we really need to run all the way here?”

“No.”  I can’t stop the grin on my face even while Acou is barely standing.  I had made him run a lot today, and it was impressive that such a weighty kid like himself could keep up; that being said, the cool rain must feel as good as it does for me, so much so that as soon as we reached the tent Acou moved one of the plastic chairs from out under the tarp and sat himself in the soothing downpour.  I on the other hand found myself jittery and unable to contain my excitement; I wanted to tell everyone about today, even that one obnoxious brat.  

As the rain picked up I overlooked my things that Acou had thrown in the center of our canopy tent.  Grabbing the leather worn case, I unhooked the straps keeping it closed and pulled out some old boots.  They were a bit large for me, but they’d have to do for now; at least until I can find a pair that fits as well as the shoes I lost.  I wonder if my other two were still at the bottom of that tower.  Would it be worth going back to find out?

 

“Hmm?”  A strange feeling washed over me as I sifted through my other treasures, “Acou?  You brought my crystal, didn't you?”  Among my nick-nacks was the snapped tip of a crystal as thick as my finger.

“Oh yeah, I think so… is it not over there?”  I ran my fingers into the soil below searching for if it had been covered by dirt or if it had fallen into a patch of grass.  

“M-Mei!  Did you see anyone digging into my stuff?!”  Mei who had been sitting in the same spot as yesterday was staring into the rain when I called to her, and turned my way with a nervous flinch.

“N-no Mack–"  She cut herself short and looked towards the ground as if she expected me to do something.

“Shit!  I can’t find it, Acou!”  I dug and dug in my pile of treasures and into the dirt below.  It was gone.

“Well maybe I just lost it–"

“No!  I was with you when we brought it over and I would have noticed if you’d dropped it; somebody came into our tent and fucking stole it!”

“Are you sure because–"

“Mei, are you sure you didn’t see anyone?!”  Without answering, she sunk her gaze even lower than before, “Mei?!”

“Calm down!”  Acou got up from his seat and placed his hand on my shoulder.  Only now did I realize how rugged my breathing had gotten.  “Was it really that important to you?”

“Of course!  Well… no, but–"  I struggled to think straight, “It’s mine and someone took it knowing it was mine.  That’s all.”

“Just because it’s not there doesn't mean someone took it.  And plus, one of us might have taken it.  Why not wait for the others to come back then ask them?”

“You think one of them might’ve stolen it–"

“No, not stolen!  They may have taken it without knowing or-or borrowed it, so let’s just ask them.”  I wasn’t at all convinced, but nevertheless I nodded my head and he went to sit back down in the rain.  I looked towards Mei who still had her eyes to the ground.

“Hey… I’m sorry for yelling at you.”  Mei didn’t budge and kept staring towards the ground as I went to the edge of the tent to join Acou for a seat.  He was right, she really has changed.

Mei was never someone you had to be careful around; on the contrary, there were plenty of kids who wished they could be as “articulate” as her when she was in a fight.  Mei was once the roughest of our little group, as most would expect an Ovis to be, yet now she’s been reduced to this.  Does she really spend her everyday staring into nothing and clinging to that notebook?

“Speaking of, what about those beads that got scattered when that guy… you know?”

“Oh… those?”  Acou turned away for a moment, “...They really weren’t that important.  I’m just glad you’re okay.”  

“You said you didn’t get them all though…”

“I… got enough; really, it’s nothing to fret over.”  He and I both looked out into Trash watching the pouring rain.  It was business as usual for the rest of Trash as pushers and dealers kept working pathways.  Even with the rain, I was able to catch a brown smile flashed by one of the Beat dealers impressing upon a young Canis.

Plastic containers, tarps, and whatever else a person could repurpose were laid out to catch the falling rain.  Any water that can be caught is a far better alternative to the gooey waterways that permeate the city.

 

“THUMP!”

Mei had jumped to her feet and Acou soon followed as a crowd of kids followed behind a few older kids carrying someone in-between them.  

“Mackie!  Acou!”  The older ones laid the smaller kid down under the tent; it was the overly loud one that called out to me just yesterday, and now he’d gone limp as his eyes struggled to remain open.

“Ah, shit guys!  What happened to him?!”  Acou rushed to the kid’s side and raised his head.

“We don’t know.  Some asshole just hit him and ran!”

“They hit him?  For what?”

“I-I don’t fucking know, the guy just punched him and he went limp!”  Mei overlooked them and fiddled with her hands; obviously worried, as was everyone else in the crowd of children that began to form around us.

I knelt down with Acou and tried to bring the kid’s eyes into focus with my fingers as I held them to his face.

“What’s this kid’s name?”

“I-It’s- uh…”  The older kid I had asked was struggling to breathe as Acou stood and helped him to sit in one of the plastic chairs we had, “Kibra, his name is Kibra.”

“Kibra, can you hear my voice?”  I spoke softly to Kibra while he struggled to keep his head up without support.  He didn’t respond, but I could tell he had recognized his name from the way his brows had furled.  He must be having trouble speaking, among other things.

“Guys I… I really don’t know what to do.”  

“Isn’t there anyone who can help him?”  The teary-eyed children looked ready to breakdown here and now as they turned to me for answers, but what could I do?  What could anyone do?  If we had nowhere to go before then where could we go now?  Maybe if Candor were here… someone with experience who’d have an inkling.  Looking past the kids and into the rain I saw what few adults were in Trash; unreliable, but they’ve lived for far longer than we have.  

“Maybe, just maybe…”

“‘Just maybe’ what?  What do you need us to do?!”

“Alright, you guys need to start asking around.  Look specifically for women, but if there’s any decent looking men then ask them as well.  Tell ‘em we got a hurt kid and he’s struggling to stay awake.”  The panicky kids looked at each other as if confused by my orders,  “Didn’t you hear me?!  Hurry up!  Go!”  I waved the crowd away and they departed into the rain asking around.  While I had laid Kibra back to the ground, Mei had taken it upon herself to rest his head in her lap.  She looked at him with a strained and motherly expression.  I’d say her motherly figure pairs rather well with her daunting height.

“Are you two close?”  Mei’s head sprang up as she was once again surprised by my questioning.  Without uttering any words, she shook her head no, lowering it again and gently caressing the side of Kibra’s face while she stared at it.  

 

The kids had run all over the place approaching every gentleman and lady they could find that appeared capable enough.  They yanked at sleeves and surrounded strangers with pleas for help. The issue with our little plan is that finding a capable adult in Trash is sure to be impossible.  And should they find someone who actually could help, that person would surely see no reason to.  It’s a desperate move, but if we can’t find someone now then I’m not sure that Kibra will ever recover.

“Do you know him well, then?”  I had looked at Mei again and saw that her expression had grown into a peaceful contemplation.  

“...No…”  She brought her face lower and away from my gaze, “I’m just… worried– Ah!”  She let out a yelp as I sat down next to her.

“What’s your deal?  Why are you acting so weird around me?”

“I’m not…”  

“Not what?  We used to be friends didn’t we?”  She turned away from me, and let out several soft whimpers.  I still struggle to see how such a strong-willed girl could become so feeble.  The Mei before me now is pathetic.

“I don’t… hate y– er…”  She struggled to find the right words while yanking on her hair with a nervous gusto. 

“Hah~ just forget it.”  Mei appeared rather disappointed when I said that, but there were more pressing matters, “I’m sure Kibra will be okay.  When they come back you can leave him to Acou and I.”  For the first time since we had reunited she was looking right at me with an expression I’m struggling to discern, but I think it’s one of relief.  Her deep blue eyes are surprisingly relaxed for someone who’s always walking on eggshells.

“Here, let’s help him get dry.”  Kibra had been drenched from the rain, and his olive-green jacket he wore had turned an even darker green from its saturation.  I unbuttoned it from his collar to his waist, skipping one button that was missing.  The right sleeve had been patched at the elbow, and several tears were present around the pockets on either side of the jacket.

“Lift him would you?”  Mei lifted him by his shoulders just enough for me to remove the jacket; an easy task for an Ovis.  The skin of his arms felt icey cold so I started to rub them with my hands to try and warm them.  Mei saw what I was doing and laid Kibra’s head on his jacket, proceeding to rub his other arm.  The way we cared for him reminded me of my own experiences with my mother.

“Mackie!  Mackie!  We got someone!”  From out of the rain was one of the kids who carried Kibra guiding an old, wrinkled woman to the tent, with Acou trailing behind them both. 

“Ah–'' I had knelt down at Kibra’s head to make room for the woman to inspect him when my knee fell on something sharp inside Kibra’s jacket.  Sitting back, I lifted my knee into the air to rub it where it had been stabbed.

 

“Is this the one?”  The distinguished voice of a lady had interrupted my suffering, “He doesn’t look too good…”  The lady in question appeared quite shrewd.  She held her head high and straight, and was certain to look down at us past her nose.  

“Y-yes, someone struck him upside the head.”  

“I don’t believe I was speaking to you, phlegmface.”

“S-sorry, ma’am.”  Acou quickly retreated to the farside of the canopy, while the rest of the kids, who had been scouring Trash in the rain, returned to see the lady and her work.

“Listen lady, can you help him or not?  He’s been like this for entirely too long–"

“That depends, what’s your offer?”

“My offer?”

“For my services of course, ohoho~”  She held her chin with her hand and let out a lofty chuckle, “Surely, you don’t think my time is free?  I can’t imagine you lot have any guin’s on you, but there might be something of worth in that garbage pile of yours.”  She pointed at the center of the tent where my treasures were residing.

“Right…”  This shrewd old hag was looking to extort us before doing anything for Kibra.  I thought about what treasures I had, and what I would be willing to part with–

“That’s a nice material on yer scabbard, kid.  That might be enough–"

“No!”  I grasped tightly to my scabbard and leaned away from the lady.  She had a vile air about her.

“Oh~ so now you’re in a position to negotiate my price?”  A sardonic smile crept on her face, “I guess this poor kid will just have to rot.”

“W-wait!”  I looked all around under the tent canopy.  Was there nothing here that had any value to this hag?

“Guys, turn out your pockets!”  Each and every one of them pulled their pockets out, revealing just how indigent we really were: lint covered treats and some other useless nothings that not even I would collect.  

“Pfft.”  The old lady began to crack up at the sorry sight.  I swear her foul personality is causing my knee to hurt again.  Wait… my knee–

“H-hold on, I might still have something.”  I lifted Kibra off his jacket and let his head fall to the damp ground.  Shifting my hand around in his pocket, I coiled my fingers around what had stabbed me.  Pulling it out revealed a clear-white crystal that came to a point, while the other end was snapped.

“Oh my, that’s quite the jewel you have there.”  The old lady’s eyes were sparkling at the sight of the crystal.  

“Yeah… it is.”  That son of a bitch… that son of a bitch Kibra had robbed me and now I was expected to pay this crone with what was stolen to save the damnable thief that stole it.

“...M-Mackie, now’s not the time…”  Acou returned to the circle of kids and placed his hand on my back when he saw what Kibra had done.  “He needs help, Mackie–"

“Get the hell off me, ropetongue!”  I brushed his hand off my back as the despondent Acou bled back into the crowd of kids.

 

“Are we gonna do this or what?”  The old lady had put one hand on her hip and outstretched the other expecting to be paid.

The crowd of kids grew in an uproar of confused murmurs.  Past them I could see Mei, who’d returned to her spot from before, standing and watching the old lady and I with an anxious appearance.  When our eyes met she quickly dropped them to her feet before stopping herself, and staring straight at me as if anticipating something.  I couldn’t help but notice again how blue her eyes were and how they stared back at me expectantly.

“Sigh~” Before I knew it I had let out a deep sigh of defeat.  I placed the crystal in the lady’s hand with a nervous shake as I struggled to let go, begrudgingly retracting my grip from the jewel when I placed it in her palm.

“Yes… very nice indeed.”  The old lady rolled the crystal in her hand with her thumb, and held it to her eye inspecting the cracks and foggy veins inside.  “Right then, this is sufficient.  Now let me see the boy.”  She lowered herself to Kibra’s level, but not before making sure her back was straightened and aligned with her head; a very dignified crouch for such an old bag.  “Hmm… were any of you with him when he got struck?”

“Y-yes ma’am, we were!”  The older kids who had brought Kibra moved themselves to the front of the group of kids.

“What happened to him, exactly?”

“We were just out like usual–"

“I don’t need your morning routine, kid.  I mean what happened when he was struck.”

“Well… he collapsed after getting hit in the head and wouldn’t wake up when we tried–"

“Uh-huh.”  The old lady put her fingers to Kibra’s neck then held them just beneath his nose.  She grabbed one of his arms and pulled him to his side, bending one of his legs to keep him from falling flat on his face.  “Okay, keep him like this until he wakes up.”  She stood to her feet and motioned the crowd of kids to make way for her departure.

“Wait, wait!  That’s it?!  Having Kibra lie like that will make him better?”

“No, but it gives him the best chance of waking up–"

“What do you mean by ‘best chance’?  You mean this might not do anything for him at all?”

“Listen you destitute little critter, I’m not a doctor.  He might wake up today, tomorrow, a week from now, or maybe he’ll never wake up at all.  If you want to give your friend the best chance, then keep him like that and keep him dry and warm; otherwise, you might try looking for a second opinion, ohoho~”  With that, the old lady left the canopy tent and entered into the downpour with a smile.

“I can’t help but feel I’ve been robbed twice-- no, three times today…”  Uncertain voices rang from the crowd of kids who couldn’t help but feel that they’d been fed a false hope by that shrewd old lady.

“...I’m sure he’ll wake up…”

“Let’s hope he does.  The sooner he wakes up, the sooner I can kick his worthless ass.”

“Mackie!  Don’t say that!”  Acou returned to Kibra's side as soon as the old lady had left, “Can’t you see what the others are going through right now?”  All around me were faces of disappointment and despair for the damaged friend; even if their friend was a thief.

I was hoping to leave this rat to the forces of nature by tossing him out the tent, if not for the tears welling up in the eyes of the smallest children among us.

 

“Hah… A–"  All eyes turned to me as I thought carefully about my next words, “A-Acou is r–... right.  Kibra will wake up, we just need to keep him safe and warm.  Un-until then, I’ll make sure he’s looked after.”  That seemed to ease the nerves of some, but the mood was still a dour one, “In any case, we shouldn’t mope about.  You guys who brought him back; you did a good job.”  The older kids who’d carried him to the tent promptly perked up upon receiving praise.  

“You really think he’ll be okay, Mackie?”  The one kid that found the old lady had approached me with an innocent inquiry, “Did that lady really help him?”

“I only know from my own experience with mom, but the body is a very fickle thing.  The smallest change in posture or comfort can hurt it just as much as it can help.  It’s great that you found her, otherwise none of us would’ve known how to handle Kibra’s condition.”  The kid smiled with my reassurance that their friend would be fine, and the group around us arose once more in a symphony of joyful chatters.  They held their heads high and pursed their lips to mock the old lady, laughing amongst themselves at their own jokes.  It was good to see that everyone had returned to being their usual selves.

“I just remembered why we rushed here!”  Acou broke the noise and gathered everyone’s attention to him, “Do any of you want to hear about the Storks that visited Mackie’s uncle?”

“What?!”

“You got to see the Storks?!”

“They were in The Wharf?!  Really?!”

The kids erupted with eager questions about our experience, and Acou kept his lips gleefully sealed until he could direct them.

“I’ll tell you, I’ll tell!  But first, let’s take a seat and quiet ourselves.”  The children all took a fervent seat, crossing their legs and hushing the others that wouldn’t quit talking, “Mind yourself around Kibra.”  Some of the kids formed the circle to include Kibra, and rested Kibra’s head back on his jacket as it was before.  I took a seat as well joining in with the circle.  Rain and cool winds had made the ground all the more cold and damp as I felt my pants wetten.  The seats we had were already occupied by the time Acou began his story, unfortunately.

“Tell us about the Storks!”

“Yeah c’mon Acou!”

“Alright alright, Mackie and I had just– we had seen them on the street in a procession.”

“A procession?”

“Yeah, two rows of ‘em followed behind their leader.  A striking lady as tall as the sky and as pale as a star.”  Acou raised his arms above his head to emphasize how tall she really was while the kids watched attentively, with wonder in their gaze.

“Wow~”

“Did you get to meet her?!”

“No, but she saw me! Out of everyone in that crowd, she looked at the Frog!  The moment our eyes met it was like a bolt of lightning struck me where I stood; I felt more than a hint of magic from her tremendous stare…”  Hm?  I don’t recall that ever happening.  Weren’t they already gone by the time we had gotten off the rooftop?

“Then, I swear she gave me a smile!”

“Woah!”  Everyone collectively shared their astonishment at being noticed by a Stork.

“...But wait, how can they smile if they have beaks?”

“Well uh… I only thought she did.  She might not have…”

“Right haha, what noble Stork would give a slimeskin the time of day~”  Chuckles were shared between the kids as Acou’s mood declined, until picking back up again to continue his story.

“That’s not all though… I did mention they were visiting Mackie’s uncle, did I not?”

“Oh right!  Hey Mackie, what were they seeing your uncle for?”

“Yeah Mackie!  Tell us what happened already!”  I couldn’t stop my smile from spreading across my face as I stood to take Acou’s spot as the center of attention.

“But… hmm~ it’s kind of hard to explain if you weren’t there–"

“Aww c’mon!”  The kids were irked with my teasing and many of the younger ones could hardly sit still anymore.  

“Hmm, well I guess all that happened is I spoke with a few of them when I went to see my uncle–"

“YOU WHAT!”  A blaze of energetic yelps rang out.

“You met a Stork?!”

“What was it like?!”

“What did you two talk about?!”  Question after question was unloaded onto me. It reminds me of how annoyed I was from the same attention I had gotten yesterday; only this time, I’m just as ecstatic as they are.  So what does it matter that Acou and I exaggerate the details a little?

“That pale Stork leading the group was draped in pure white robes and kept her face veiled as she led the others through crowds of onlookers.  The people bowed to her and made way for her procession as she went to meet my uncle.”

“Oooh~”

“By the time I entered my uncle’s office she was there waiting for me, as if she had already known I was coming… then, she removed her veil.  Underneath was a beauty that drew in one’s eyes.  It was impossible to look away from her–"

“OOOH~”

“Finally, she spoke!  And as she did, the ground trembled beneath my feet, and my mouth moved to answer before my mind could register what was asked of me.”  I puffed up my chest and pushed my tongue to the roof of my mouth, imitating what I imagine it would have sounded like.  A flat, booming voice came out. “TELL ME YOUR NAME SO THAT I MAY KNOW YOU!”  Eyes were wide open among the circle of kids, and even Acou looked impressed despite knowing it was a lie.

“W-what did you say to her?!”

“What did I say?”  I gave my crowd a bold grin, “I readied myself and through my determination I overcame her peering gaze, answering as sternly as I could, ‘Mackerel’!”

“UOOH~”

“A-and then what Mackie?!”  I flashed a smile to the kids.

“She told me my name was a pleasant one… and gave me a bow–"

“SHE BOWED TO AN ABYSSIAN?!”

“Haha~ indeed she did!”

“A-and– and then what happened?!”

“Now now, that’s enough for today–"  I waved the circle to disperse.

“Aww!  I wanna hear more!”

“Yeah, me too!”  The cries of dissatisfied children drowned out the raindrops hitting the canopy tent; though in spite of their disappointment, they seemed to be in better spirits now.  

“I said no, now it’s time to pack it in.”  They looked disappointed, but the sun was setting and it was getting darker and colder.  The kids and Acou grabbed chairs and whatever else we used for sitting, plastic bowls and cups, and anything someone might look to steal, placing them in the center of the tent where my treasures were piled together.  The kids passed food around they’d stolen or found and took care not to forget Kibra’s cut, for which a few of them had laid next to him plastic containers of meat and a thin slice of pudding.  For how long those would remain at his side… only time will tell.

Some kids took off their coats and jackets, and placed them beneath readying themselves for sleep, while the others formed circles with lively chatter, and some of the more generous in our group gave their coats to Kibra so he’d be kept warm.  Soon enough, we would all be on top of one another as we stuck close for the long night.  Sometimes the wind carried the rain under the tent and a few of us would get splashed in our sleep, awaking in terror followed by the many teases of the other children.  Other times someone would catch a stranger making their way to the center causing them to scream with a shriek, waking everyone to chase the thief away.  These frequent occurrences were part of the reason I stopped staying in Trash after mom passed.  Times like these make me miss having a bed to go back to.