You're Who I Longed For (slow updates)

Prologue: How It All Started

Sun shines down on Faraway Town. People are bustling around and getting ready to see Mari and Sunny at their recital in the park. Hero helps organise everything while Kel runs around keeping the kids distracted. Aubrey and Basil are chatting about plants and flowers as they carry things around for Hero.

"...And that's what chrysanthemum means in the language of flowers!" Basil proudly exclaimed as he placed down the boxes he was carrying. " That's cool Basil! Could you tell me what buttercups mean?" Before he could answer Hero called him over. " Hey, do you mind checking on Sunny and Mari? They should be here by now." Basil nodded and he set off towards Sunny's house. As he walked he let his thoughts wander.

I wonder what Mari and Sunny are practising. Basil wasn't allowed to listen to the full version of them playing because Mari said she got too nervous with people watching her practice. That didn't make much sense considering they were about to do a recital in front of a large crowd of people. It was probably the one person that scared her. Oh well, it didn't matter. Mari was always a perfectionist, so she's sure to get this right. Trees dappled in the golden light of the sun and hung over him cheerfully. The air was crisp and fresh today. Though everything was happy right now, Basil felt a strange sense of unease. Something was definitely off. He couldn't place what but a sense of shooting fear grew in his stomach, only to vanish a few seconds later. Strange. He didn't pay it much mind. The weather started to darken a little, clouds coming in over the sun. Basil walked a little faster. He didn't want to be caught in any rain.

Approaching the door, a sense of danger flared up in his stomach. He blinked, confused. That same sense, again? There wasn't a reason to be afraid, was there? A part of him was trying to drag himself to stay, begging himself not to go in. Maybe he should listen to it? His hand twitched. But at the same time, he should check. Sunny could be hurt or he might need help. Just to make sure, he figured.

Creak.

Basil's eyes widened with fear as he saw the scene before him.

Sunny stood at the top of the stairs, shocked. And at the bottom was...

At the bottom was Mari.

Quickly, Basil entered the room and slammed the door behind him. Sunny rushed down the stairs, unsure of what he was seeing was there. Lying on the ground, Mari's corpse stared at Basil with a haunting eye. Sunny stared at him, terrified. He didn't know what to do. Basil started to hyperventilate.

Tears filled his vision as his whole body shook. Mari couldn't be dead! She couldn't be! Maybe she was tired? Tired! That's why no matter how hard Basil shook her, she wouldn't wake. That's why her eyes looked so dull. She was tired! Mari worked so much, looking after everyone. Of course, she would be tired. Basil started to drag her body to the couch. Sunny reluctantly picked up the other end and they both placed her down. Her head lolled to the side but Basil moved it back to the way it should be. His breathing continued to sound laboured. Basil held her hand. It was stone cold. He shook more at how the fingers felt a little stiff now, almost like...

No.

Nononono!

Mari...Mari was dead! Mari died! Sunny killed her! No, no he couldn't have done that? He didn't, did he? Sunny's too nice for that. He's too...It was an accident. An accident! Yes, that's it! Just something that made Sunny do this. Something...Something else. " Basil! Basil!"

He snapped out of his spiral at Sunny's voice. All that filled his vision was Sunny's concerned face. He took a shaky breath in and stared back down at the corpse.
" What are we going to do?"

Silence.

"...Basil?"

" It's going to be okay, Sunny. I promise."