Teardrop's Secret

Chapter 2

Teardrop awoke, lifting herself from her bed and stretching, sunlight from the window dappling through her. The sweet smell of bacon and eggs wafted into her nose warmly. She scrambled up and walked out of her room, her eyes heavy with tiredness as she heard the silent clashes of plates downstairs in the kitchen. Teardrop bounded down the stairs excitedly, her eyes bright with happiness as she saw Raindrop set a plate full of bacon and eggs down on the table. Teardrop quickly sat down. Two bacon, and an egg, great! She grabbed her fork and plucked up some bacon, eating it hastily.
"Calm down, sweetheart," Raindrop softly chuckled. Teardrop looked up at her mother, she's always loved her mother's smile, the flower on the side of her head. Teardrop bit into her fork and looked down, nothing was left and she had already eaten it all! Raindrop pat Teardrop's back. "You can play outside now, since you got done so quickly!" She nodded. Teardrop bolted out the door, it had snowed! Teardrop playfully skipped into the snow, heavy clumps clinging to her feet as she jumped heavily down into the clearings of snow. I can barely move in this snow! She thought crossly to herself. She then saw the forest, not remembering where to find Toothpick, she stumbled up from her small dips of struggle and landed lightly. She just had to move before she slowly sunk, and she was fast already, without heavily putting any pressure on any step she could stay above the snow lightly like a rabbit. Teardrop happily bounded around the woods, her eyes bright as small specks of blood awaited her. She stared at them, it was blood on grass pricking out from under the snow. Teardrop's eyes widened as she stared, it could be anything! Though it doesn't look fresh! And maybe it was a wolf or a fox dragging its prey along the snow! There's not even any paw-prints! Wow! I'm getting smarter! Teardrop continued to trek around in the woods, feeling that sickening feeling of being far from home, worry. That's when she saw a burrow in the distance, outlined with something in front of it! Teardrop quickly bolted to the burrow, wrappers and spoiled food in front of the burrow. The food looked horribly torn and eaten by an animal. She looked deeper into the burrow, feeling eyes burning into her back menacingly. She slowly turned around, only to find a bright orange flame leaping towards her. She gasped, being tackled down and pinned aggressively, his eyes narrowed.
"Firey stop!" A small leaf with a pink bow on the side of her head cried, they both had stitches, and the leaf had a huge burn on her left. "No! She could've stolen our food! She needs to be taught a lesson!" Firey snapped behind himself. "Firey! She is only a toddler!" The leaf cried. "But she's trespassing on our property!" Firey gripped Teardrop's face with claws, tearing through her delicate flesh. Teardrop kicked violently, her heart thudding faster than it has ever as more claws raked her face fiercely. They stung like fire, tears streaming from her eyes as she gasped and panted in pain. Immediately she closed her eyes and in a flash her side shot with pain, knocking the breath out of her as she fell to the ground. She opened her eyes, she was thrown at a tree! Firey walked closer, his eyes blazing with rage as his flames began to prickle.
"Stop!" The leaf cried desperately. Firey stopped and looked back, groaning in protest
as he scurried back to her. While they were distracted, Teardrop fled, tears flying from her eyes. She'll never forget this, and he'll pay for what he has done! She continued to run, not knowing where she was even going, she slammed against a tree and staggered to her side, her lip burning with pain. Quivering, she struggled up and turned back, running far from the burrow but back towards where she came from, weeping. Up ahead she saw her home, both relief and fear running through her as she pushed harder against the snow to run even faster, beginning to fall under the snow clumsily. She dug herself back out, trembling and wincing. Raindrop opened her door and rushed to Teardrop, picking the limp droplet up and hurrying back inside.
"Oh my goodness Teardrop! Are you okay? Where does it hurt!" Raindrop panicked. Teardrop shakily shook her head and pointed to all the scratches on her face. Raindrop shivered, wiping Teardrop's tears away. "I-It's going to be alright, okay?" Her mother's voice trembled. Teardrop nodded unsurely and leapt into Raindrop's arms, embracing her brightly as swarms of love went through her. Always stay with me, never leave me! Teardrop chanted in her head. Her mother told her to always say that when away, though. But I'll know she'll always be with me anyway. She buried her face into her mother's chest, tears still in the corners of her eyes. "Shh...it's okay my sweet drop of love.." Raindrop rubbed her back gently, beginning to hum a lullaby. Teardrop closed her eyes and inhaled her mother's, damp earthy smell as she let the soothing, calming melody whistle silently into her ears, all her tensions and pain fading. It's almost as if she were healing her! Raindrop softly kissed her on the cheek, brushing the back of her head. Content, Teardrop slowly fell asleep, the sound of lullaby and the touch of Raindrop's warm embrace fading slowly.
Teardrop opened her eyes, looking around. Bright blue and cyan ambient lights showered over her, bright as stars. She wandered around in amazement, feeling light enough to even fly, she leapt up, immediately tripping clumsily and collapsing to her side. Hot with embarrassment, she scrambled back up, a slight whistle whirling over her. Teardrop winced as the sound pierced her ears, a starry cloud floating in the distance. She ran towards it, fog swirling under her as she galloped, it was a drop of dew, like what Toothpick said, a small tint of green was shown on her clear, starry body, her eyes white. She looked more silver and starry then clear and translucent green!
"Teardrop," The strange spirit spoke softly. "I'm here to guide you along the way of your treacherous and scary life ahead of you, I'm Dewdrop as you heard Toothpick..talk about me. I see you are training as a mute, that's great, you won't be like me, whispering and murmuring to my partners as I do missions!" Partners? What happened to them too? "Oh, we all split up after my accident..my death.." Dewdrop looked down. So it's true? You really got killed by a car? "Yes, I didn't care, I wasn't aware, there were rocks in my brain. So I died from such foolishness."
"Teardrop!" Teardrop heard an echo, it wasn't from Dewdrop. Dewdrop nodded, beginning to fade. Wait! Teardrop hurled herself at the fading spirit in a panic, spinning around in confusion as she wasn't even there. Exasperated, she ran around, desperate for more answers, what was going to happen, especially with Toothpick!
"Teardrop!" Raindrop's voice grew loud, Teardrop awoke in alarm, her eyes wide, her legs aching. "You were tossing around and gasping!" Raindrop sounded relieved. "Must've been a nightmare, you were about to jump off your bed and run around!" Teardrop was on her bed, nothing seemed to change, she was in the real world. It was a dream, and Dewdrop will come back! "It's lunch now," Raindrop began. "There's a sandwich for you on the table," Raindrop walked away. Teardrop hesitated, if she were fighting in her dream, she could've attacked her mother! And if she were crying, she would've cried while sleeping! Everything made sense, and she knew not to do anything risky in these types of dreams.
Teardrop calmly went down the stairs, her legs still aching from kicking into the sheets. She sat down at the table to drink her milk and eat her peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Raindrop watched affectionately, her eyes gleaming in adore. "Teardrop, may I ask— who hurt you..?" Raindrop walked closer. Teardrop looked down, her scratches had only hurt but had easily dried up. Raindrop handed her a piece of paper and some crayons, and carefully Teardrop began to draw that monstrous flame that doesn't deserve to be called anyone's child! She drew with patience, outlining the flame with orange and carving a smaller yellow patch of fire in the inside of the orange, then colouring everything in after scribbling the eyes and mouth in. She drew his hands as small, tiny but fierce claws, his teeth bared. Raindrop thought for a moment, staring at the drawing. Teardrop was surprised, she was only three months old, yet she drew it so perfectly! I need to go. Teardrop got up, she had already finished eating. "Gonna go outside?" Raindrop nuzzled her, Teardrop beaming as she nodded, nuzzling back. Raindrop unlocked the door and opened it, Teardrop dashing outside, her sides heaving as she panted, struggling half-way through the clearing of snow already. Looking up, she saw the woods again, surprisingly she didn't leave a trail of blood at all!
"Teardrop!" Toothpick's voice sounded from behind a few trees. Teardrop ran over, excited for her next training! "I saw you struggling back home with fresh scratches! Did you fight back to your opponent?" Toothpick stood in front of her, curious. She shook her head, nervously gulping as she thought back to that terrifying situation. Toothpick sighed, looking down. "Teardrop, you must learn how to fight back, you are very young, and we must teach you immediately."
Why must all drops train for battle? Or in secret? It's not fair, even Raindrop went to a public training session, but had to drop out due to me. Teardrop looked up at Toothpick, he was staring ahead blankly, his eyes half-closed. She wished she could ask if her father ever trained there, she didn't have any idea who her father even was. Toothpick walked back into the same alley-way, it was the same as it had always been, dim and filled with emptiness. "Now," Toothpick started, he walked a few feet away from Teardrop and faced her, tense and ready to mentor her. "Teardrop, when an enemy pins you down, you're gonna wanna grip onto their shoulders, turn them over or flip them back and pin them, use claws or a weapon short enough to grip deeply into their flesh." Toothpick leapt up and pounced on Teardrop softly. "Grip my shoulders tightly and pin me to defend yourself!" She tensed more, his voice rising. Teardrop nodded, quickly gripping his shoulders and throwing him to the ground, pinning him. "That's my girl!" Toothpick picked her up and got up. It felt good to feel like you're the one in control, you're the one with power, the winner! Toothpick straightened up, setting Teardrop down. "I'm very proud of you, Teardrop."
"Now, try the underbelly-throw on me again! From yesterday!" Toothpick stepped back, Teardrop tensing. She sprung up and landed square-flat onto Toothpick's chest, knocking him to the ground with a loud thud. She bounced a bit, but felt no pain except for splinters that had caught between her fingers. Toothpick stared in surprise for a few seconds then smiled, getting up and helping her up. "You are very special Teardrop..though beware..your life moves on, there will be challenges to face, enemies to defeat, friends to help," Toothpick nudged her slightly. "Life isn't a simple, easy and fun game, y'know."
Teardrop nodded, standing straight and slightly raising her chin at Toothpick. "How about I train you another new move? You seem still excited!" Toothpick smirked before stepping back. Teardrop tensed, ready for any move he wants her to learn, excitement shooting through her as he spoke. "This is called the Upper-Cut, do not have your claws out or a weapon out during this training session, this move cuts an enemy's belly's apart, their guts all over the floor, the blood lapping at your feet, the blood running down your arm! It's the true power of winning an easy battle with those nasty opponents!" Toothpick tensed for a moment before looking calmly into Teardrop's eyes. My third move I learn can't be this horrible and dreadful! "Use your hand, not claws, slap me up and across my belly, and soon enough we might get a training dummy."
Teardrop nodded, bracing herself and bunching her muscles. Toothpick sprang up, his arms out, ready to pounce and give Teardrop a death hug. Teardrop threw herself under Toothpick, her hands sliding across his belly. Toothpick crashed to the ground and turned to her, nodding. Teardrop stood straight, panting. I'm only three months old! How did I—
"Teardrop, that was great!"  Toothpick hugged her. Teardrop hugged back, looking up, the sky was fading to amber and it was time to go. Teardrop began to walk back, waving at Toothpick. Toothpick waved back, smiling warmly. Teardrop bounded home, the snow had already melted and it would be easy getting there.