Marionette Queen (An Anigomi Original Story)

Chapter Two: Cloud Nine

Garfunkle

"GAAAARF!"

I nearly jump at the shrill voice, nearly forgetting about the girl it belongs to in my panic. "Ness, quit yelling!" I scold in a hushed whisper as she rushes over to our little hiding spot. "You're going to get us caught."

The redhead's little fox ears droop a bit, her face turning red with embarrassment. "Sorry... I just haven't seen you in a while. Where have you been?"

I rub the back of my neck before starting my climb up the tree beside us, looking over my shoulder to make sure no one else had followed her into the forest we call home. "My new family doesn't really like to let me out that much," I respond. "But I was able to sneak out today; thankfully Leah is out with her friends, so I didn't have to worry about getting caught."

"You sure they won't be mad that you're not home?" she asks as I hop up onto the deck of our treehouse. "I don't want to get you in trouble."

"Nah, it's all good. They left on their trip earlier today, something about meeting with the emperor."

"What's an empoder?"

"Emperor."

"That's what I said!"

My foster family is part of the Watchdogs, which are a pretty big deal in our kingdom. It's kind of the equivalent of the lords and ladies of Malthen Las, and they were ordered by King Amon to represent Venile in the annual Collection of the Thrones. This year it's held in Bonn Riall, our sister region to the east.

They said they would have taken me along, but Bonn Riall doesn't like elementals very much. They left me behind along with my adoptive sister Leah, so that I wouldn't be by myself while they were gone.

They don't know about Vanessa though, and that's probably for the best.

The three nations: Malthen Las, Bonn Riall, and Venile. Each with a throne of which the powerful sit upon and rule over the people that survived the ancient war. Venile is well known for their mistreatment of the Youkai, as the first leader had a terrible incident with one back in the war.

He declared that all of them be banished from the region, sealed within the veil between our world and the spirit realm. Essentially trapping them within an endless void of nothingness.

Which is why I have to make sure Vanessa stays out of sight.

I reach my hand down to help her up into the treehouse, making a mental note to make a ladder or something for next time.

"Oh! I've got a surprise for you!" Her eyes light up as I duck into the treehouse, rummaging around a bit until I find the little box I had hidden away.

"You remembered?!" She asks as I place the shoddily wrapped box in the center of the room.

"Course I did! Did you really think I'd forget your birthday?"

The fox girl gets on her knees and begins to carefully unwrap the present, a gasp escaping her as she holds up a red cloak clipped together with a violet rose pin. "How did you manage to get this, Garf?" She asks, already placing it around her shoulders and pulling the hood over her ears.

"I went into town and thought it'd be something you'd like," I shrugged, though I can't help but smile as she holds the fabric with awe. "The shopkeeper was very nice and gave it to me as thanks for the other day."

"You mean the day you made it rain?" Vanessa tilts her head in confusion, before burying herself in the cloak. "We've been in a drought for a long time, it's not a surprise."

"Yeah, but it wasn't on purpose." I sigh before rolling onto my back, staring up at the wooden ceiling. She pouts before stretching her arms above her head, her fox ears wiggling under her hood.

"Maybe, but at least you have SOME control over your powers. I can't wait until I can make more friends, then I can tell them that my bestie can make it rain whenever we want!"

I can't help but laugh at her excitement, reaching up to pull her hood over her face and causing her to make a weird... duck noise...? I've got no clue what she just did but it was a noise. "Maybe then you'll be able to use your own powers properly."

"I've been practicing!" She argues, peeking out from under her hood. "I'm getting better at shapeshifting. I can change my tail to whatever I want now! Someday I'm going to be as good as you, and I'm gonna challenge you to a duel and kick your butt!"

"Pfft- good luck with that. I'm getting stronger too, so don't think I'll go easy on you!"

We continued to talk like this for hours, not even realizing how much time had passed until the sun had already set. We wanted that day to last forever; we were just kids, and perhaps we could have become friendly rivals by now.

But the world is cruel, and it ripped our happiness to shreds as the moon reached its peak that night.

"Garf, come on! Why won't you let me come with you?"

I blink a couple times as I'm torn away from my thoughts, shaking my head and continuing to pack my bags. Why am I thinking about that now? I ask myself as Leah crosses her arms and narrows her eyes at me.

"Seriously, I can fight!" she argues. "I've been training with Mish and Crow for ages and I'm DYYYING to get out of this dump. I wanna see the world and do cool stuff!"

"It's not that I don't think you can fight, it's that this is for my own personal reasons," I respond, pulling the drawstrings shut. "Plus, do you really want to leave your boy toy behind?"

"Felix is not my 'boy toy', he's my boyfriend. There's a difference."

"Ahuh. Why are you so into him anyways?"

"He's hot."

"He's a jerk!"

"He cures my depression!"

"That's what therapy is for."

"Therapy doesn't bring me chocolate."

I roll my eyes as I sling my bag over my shoulder, her scrutinizing gaze watching my every move as I double check my food supply. "So, you're really going after her, huh?" Leah asks in a much kinder tone.

"Yeah. I'm not a little kid anymore, and it's time I atoned for my mistakes."

"Garf, it's been fifteen years," she says, leaning back against the table. "She's probably lost in the veil by now, what makes you think you can find her? Or rather, that she's still alive?"

The thought of Vanessa being dead causes me to clench my fists, but I push it away before I can get too hung up over it "We may have been young, but she was strong. I don't think she could have been taken so easily, and definitely not without a fight."

I head off towards the door, glancing back at my younger sister one last time. "I made her a promise, and I intend to fulfill that promise. No matter the cost."

I knew the road would be long and lonely, and would take me to many places both unfamiliar and terrifying. But I never thought that my true journey would start in the forest outside the village of Copperfeld, thanks to a certain amber-haired woman. Would such a winding road take us on cloud nine, or would we find ourselves lost within the darkness buried deep beneath the surface?

But one thing was for certain: our story would take us on a path to rewrite history, all thanks to a little black cat.