ȶɦɛ ֆɦǟɖօա ɮɛɦɨռɖ ʍɛ

ᑕᕼᗩᑭTᗴᖇ ՏI᙭: ᑕᕼIᒪᗪᕼOOᗪ

੮૦ ƿՐ૦૭Ր૯ઽઽ ωɿ੮Һ ੮Һ૯ Բ౮੮౮Ր૯, ע૦౮ ɱ౮ઽ੮ ८૦Ոҩ౮૯Ր ע૦౮'Ր૯ ƿคઽ੮ คՈძ Ն૯คՐՈ ԲՐ૦ɱ ע૦౮Ր ɱɿઽ੮คқ૯ઽ.

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“Poppy! Wait up!”

A young Anais hops across the line of rocks that was in the middle of a small stream of water. Yellow and orange leaves fall from the surrounding trees. Which matched with the strangely painted dress that Anais was wearing that also had bits of dirt on it from previous adventures. The young shade-like boy almost tripped into the water whilst chasing Anais.

“You'll have to catch me, Lufu!” Anais giggles and skips away. The Shadow blushed whenever she called him that. But there was no time to be flushed, she could hurt herself! Again…

The shade forms a small pair of wings and glides off the ground. He flies through the miles of Ginkgo and Willow trees. Rain droplets begin to fall on his head. Which only intensifies the Shadow’s worry. Soon enough, the young shade finds a clearing.

The Shadow sees Anais or ‘Poppy’ dancing near a Magnolia tree. The tree seemed out of place in contrast to the others. Anais was quietly singing to herself, “-Pull you down just like a daffodil, uprooted from its garden.”
As the shade gilded in her direction as she continued, “They’ll tell you what you owe, but know that even so….”

She swayed in the same motion as the rain falling beside her, “Rises the moon.”
Though the rainfall’s amount was multiping, the water didn’t hit her. “Poppy! We must go, or you might become ill!”

Anais stops and holds out her small hands to the Shadow and smiles, “Dance with me, Lufu!”
The Shadow or ‘Lufu', was hesitant and confused, ”What is ‘dancing’?”
“I’ll teach you if you join me.” Lufu was anxious but inches to Anais. Though he was still worried, Lucy would and will do anything that makes Anais happy.

He grasps her hands and is pulled into her. Anais puts one hand on his shoulder and grabs onto his other hand with her free hand. Being this close to Anais made Life blush and fill with excitement. It felt as though a knight was finally rewarded with a kiss from their lovely highness, pure bliss. The shade knew that Anais didn't feel the same but is still intrigued by the thought.

“Now, follow my lead.” Anais said and slowly guided Lufu and waltzed under the rain. They danced with incredible grace and passion. Neither of them realizes the sun going down and the moon rising. The moonlight shines through the clouds to have darkness surrounding them but light on them.

When Lufu finally hears the rain stop, he opens his eyes to see a void around him and Anais. “We need to get back! Come on, hasty!” The shade firmly gripped her waist, picked her up and jogs back to where they came from. Anais chuckles from bouncing up and down whenever Lufu hopped over a rock or branch. Eventually, the Shadow sees the outside of the gray and stale city Anais lived in. Lufu sighs knowing that the only salvation Anais had was the forest.

(´•̥﹏•̥')

Rats and roaches ran across the spotty roads. Holes and cracks in every direction and crevice. The ground was littered with old paper cups, plastic tins, and used junk with a dog chewing on one of them. Toxic smoke raised out of the chimneys of houses and factories nearby. With a population under 1,000, there is surprisingly more trash than plants.

Which causes Anais to become more dreadful with each glance. Thieves stealing from their grandparents. Corrupt police agencies who use the innocents for their own gain. Recycling bins toppled over, letting plastic and cardboard into the sewage drain next to it. But, unfortunately, it was the only place she knew as ‘home’.

Lufu opens the door to a nearly rundown house and puts Anais back on her feet. The house felt cold, an empty shell of what it once was a few years ago. The Shadow notices Anais' shiver and removes his coat to lay it on her shoulders. The puffy, silver coat is much larger than her and nearly reaches her ankles. Photos of a past life resided on shelves, only some with her mother; though her mother was more focused with a man in the background than on Anais and her father.

Anais walks up the stairs that lead away from the kitchen. She opens the door to an closeted room and falls on the plain mattress in the corner of the small room. Lufu always watched Anais sleep, he thought she looked so graceful and beautiful, even in slumber. Sometimes he would read her bedtime stories when Anais’s father was too busy with work. Lufu always felt a great love for Anais and he never knew why.

Maybe because of her silky hair or soft skin. Perhaps it was her adorable smile which was always accompanied with large stars in her eyes. Or even Anais's gentle and lovely nature, and how much she cares for others, sometimes more than herself. But Lufu still couldn’t determine which one was more likely. And, honestly, he didn’t care.

He didn’t care if it was natural or if this amount of obsession was healthy. Though what people would call ‘weirdness’, Lufu smiled. Ever since he saw Anais, Lufu was transfixed. On that day, he promised to protect and care for her. He will be her shield and sword for as long as he lives. For if he couldn’t receive her love in return then he couldn’t protect her; and Lufu’s life would have no meaning.

𐂂✐𓁹𐂂✐𓁹𐂂✐𓁹𐂂✐𓁹𐂂✐𓁹

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