Swapped Moons

Bonus: Shattered Hope-Gyokko's Backstory

There was once a small fishing village. The people there were humble and sold good quality fish at affordable prices. They weren't a wealthy village and seemed far from it. The sky was always gray with clouds ready to rain and the ocean lacked its blue sheen. That was home. The dull looks were only a guise from the lively place.

Managi was just a boy, often called weird for his pale skin and his odd magenta and purple hair. His parents were good. They often told him his hair meant he was special and he shouldn't worry about what others thought. Managi didn't care about what others thought of his looks. He would rather help the family than worry. That was until...

Chief: Kid, open up the door.

Managi recognized the chief's voice. He stood up from the floor of his one-room house and opened the door. The man looked serious and looked at Managi.

Chief: Your parents haven't returned from their fishing trip.

Managi: *Sighs* They usually stay out late, don't worry.

Not liking Managi's attitude, any sense of respect the chief had was gone. He saw Managi as a person no better than a rat. He couldn't fish and would barely leave his home. At the same time, he loved fish, both eating them and seeing them. The chief was convinced the kid couldn't tell the difference between food and a pet.

Chief: They're dead, kid. They're gone. They haven't returned since yesterday. It's now nighttime the next day. Maybe if you could use your brain, you could realize the seriousness.

Managi narrowed his eyes at the chief. He wouldn't dare say anything rude to the chief, but his words still angered him.

Managi: My parents have gone on long trips before. This isn't unusual and—

Yelling suddenly came from the shores. A man ran into the village, shouting.

Man: Two dead bodies have washed ashore! I repeat, two dead bodies!

Managi's eyes widened. He shoved the chief aside and ran past the yelling man. He was the first to arrive at the shore, out of breath. A crowd of people from the team that found the bodies were gathered on the sands. Managi ran towards them and pushed past the crowds.

In front of him were the barely recognizable and battered bodies of his parents.

Managi: (No! NO!)

Managi fell to his knees, eyes wide as the only thing he could do was look at the mangled bodies.

Chief: *Slowly approaching* It seems like they both fell out of their boat and drowned. There might've been an external factor like a wave, but in conclusion, it was an accident.

While others muttered their agreements, no one paid any attention to the kid who'd just lost his parents. The bodies were barely recognizable, but, oddly, Managi could see the small details no one noticed.

His parents' throats were slightly sunken in like they were suffocated. Small cuts were on their bodies like they'd encountered something. Managi reached out a hand to examine the corpses further when someone slapped his hand.

Chief: WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? That's no way to treat the bodies of a respected couple who died unfortunately from an accident! We will bury their bodies.

Managi: *Trembling* They were my parents! *Glares at the chief* They were my family! They didn't die by accident! They were killed!

Everyone yelled as Managi touched his parents' corpses. He felt around their wrinkled skin, examining every single wound and possible cause of death. It might've been disrespectful and terrible, but Managi was sure his parents didn't die by accident.