Twelve Days of Spring

Chapter 6: Robin versus Ruby

Nicole basked in a warm sun surrounded by flowers as far as the eye could see. There were roses, tulips, camelias, forget-me-nots, daisies, sunflowers... all in the most vibrant colours. The weather spoke late spring, early summer, but the variety of flowers showed that time itself was irrelevant in this place.

Nicole's hand carefully brushed the flowers as soft grass warmed her cold feet.

The red velvet shirt trailed behind her as she walked towards the person.

The person kneeled with their back towards Nicole. They had dug a small hole and now carefully placed the withered flower minus pot in it.

The person gently patted the ground around it. "Now let's see what we can do for you," they gently spoke. They waved their hands. "Tekcub retaw."

A golden light flashed and a water bucket appeared, floating in the air.

The person sighed. "Dellif..."

A golden cloud appeared and rained into the water bucket. "Thanks."

The person bended over the water bucket. "Now let's see.... Efil fo Rexile!"

The water in the bucket boiled and little golden poofs poofed.

"Purfect," the person said. They took the flying water bucket and carefully emptied its contents on the withered flower.

The water bucket vanished into thin air and the person stood up. They signed Nicole to come watch.

Nicole glanced over the person's shoulder at the withered flower. Her eyes widened as the the ashen colour turned a vivid green, the stem grew both in height and width, the petals turned a vivid fuchsia and its heart a bright yellow.

The person smiled from ear to ear. "It's an hibiscus! Who would have thought mother had an hibiscus?! It's beautiful! Don't you think?"

Nicole knew nothing about flowers and she had no idea what an hibiscus was, what it meant or why that person's mother wouldn't have one, but if that person said it was one, then it must have been one and if it was weird for their mother to have one, well then it must have been weird. All Nicole knew, was that the flower was... well, a flower.

She smiled hesitatingly. "It sure is... something," she said.

She remained silent as she observed the person's face. Their eyes were dark and warm, but what intrigued Nicole the most was their nose and jawline, soft and round - unlike Eostre's harsh jawline and sharp nose. There was something familiar about those soft round features, but Nicole couldn't quite remember where she had seen them before.

"Say," Nicole said. "Could you do the trick you did before to get me back home?"

The person stared at Nicole. "What trick?" 

"The bricks moving and then going from a dungeon to meadow thing."

"Oh, that's no trick." The person smiled. "It's physics."

Nicole raised an eyebrow. No physics she had heard of could do that.

The person was about to explain her about interdimensional portals and how you can't go to other places through them unless you've actually been there to calibrate the portal, when the sun suddenly froze and all the flowers in the meadow turned ashen.

Eostre's voice roared. "Robin Fitzgerald Kore. What do you think you're doing, young man?!"

Robin turned around and roared back. "My name is Ruby. Stop deadnaming me, mother.

I'm trying to save all the lives you always destroy, mother. And for the last time, mother" Ruby said as tears rolled down her cheeks, "I am not a man."

"Of course you're not. You're crying, for goodness sake. You're still a boy."

Ruby clenched her fists. "I'm not a boy, mother."

"Don't be silly."

"I'm not silly. Biological traits don't define a person's gender. Only a person can define their gender and I'm telling you I'm not a man, nor a boy. I'm a girl. You just don't listen. You never do."

Ruby took Nicole's hand. "Tuoedih terces, romra foorpdnuos, kaolc ytilibisivni."

Ruby and Nicole dissappeared into a golden light.

Eostre kicked the withered flowers. "Oh, come on!"