Firestorm (Ace x OC)

Chapter 13: Remember

Just like old times.

Ryoko thought about those four words while continuing to walk alongside Ace, keeping her wits about her as the first time meeting the boy played in her mind.

~~~

The girl sputtered as she jumped at the sound of lightning crashing somewhere nearby with a roar of thunder. "Why... why do you cry sky? Everyone looks at you so fondly. Are you crying for something?" the girl asked the storm while tears began to fall as she hugged her knees to her chest. Another crash of thunder rolled through the sky as lightning crashed into the ground closer to the small camp. Looking outside she could see the area where lightning had struck and let out a startled scream as lightning struck once again, hitting the tree beside where she was taking shelter. She watched in fear as the tree split into two pieces and one flaming half started to fall towards her.

A terrified scream escaped the young girl's mouth as she stared at the tree in horror as it fell towards her almost in slow motion. However, a startled yell left her lips as her arm was suddenly grabbed and wrenched out into the rain. Her body tumbled across the ground before coming to a stop before another tree. Weakly the girl slowly began to push herself up onto her hands and knees before her eyes widened and she looked around for whoever had grabbed her. 

Approaching cautiously was a young boy, about the same age as her, wearing an orange shirt and black shorts along with a pair of black slip-on shoes. The expression on his face was clearly agitated, causing Ryoko to shutter, "What, were you going to just let the tree crush you?" the boy asked crossing his arms, one hand holding onto a metal pipe. His black hair stuck to his forehead and freckled cheeks from the rain that continued to fall. When he didn't get any response he walked over to her and crouched down, knocking with two fingers on the top of her head. "Oi, what's wrong?" he asked getting a little annoyed. A whine left the girl's throat as her hands instinctively covered the spot where he knocked. "Can't you speak?"

The girl timidly nods her head, "...not used to..." her eyes darted to the forest floor, "...talk...ing... to people..." she says rather slowly, apprehension bubbling over in her words. The silence that followed caused the girl to try to shrink in on herself as she sits on the muddy ground and pulls her knees to her chest.

A sigh from the boy broke the silence, "I shouldn't leave you out here..." he mutters before he simply leaned down and picked the girl up, easily putting her over his shoulder, much like a big stuffed animal. "I'll take you home with me 'kay?" While it sounded like a question it was much more a statement.

"...Could walk myself..." She mumbles barely audible over the sound of the rain.

"It's faster and easier for both of us if I just carry you, you'd just slow me down." The freckled boy says with a huff at the idea. He continued walking, momentarily thinking about how he said that, "Cause you're not healthy right now." he adds as he heard a faint sniffle come from the girl. 

As they began to go up the mountain, the girl yawned softly as her exhaustion began to crash into her. "...Please... don't leave me... behind..." 

"You idiot, if I was gonna do that I would have left you at that leaf tent you made." The boy says, clearly annoyed at the fact she thought that way, but it was oddly comforting to the girl.

~~~

Ryoko snapped out of her memory as they entered the small town once again, "Alright, time to get this show on the road." She says with a small grin on her face as she began to run alongside Ace towards the mayor's house. 

Partway through the main city entrance there was the sound of muffled talking coming from a bunch of large jugs. Targets located. Ryoko made note of the location of the jugs and was quick to keep pace with Ace.