The Warm Ice Alchemist

Prologue

The trees were bare, the animals were getting ready to hibernate, and the snow was beginning to fall; winter had arrived, and my sister and I knew our mother would suffer, if she were here today. I remember the day she was diagnosed with cancer, like it was yesterday...

*****

May 15th, Saturday Morning.

"Maiha, Harumi; could you two come here, please." Mother called from the kitchen as Maiha and I played outside in the grass; I picked the white daisies, which had sprouted beautifully that summer, and began making a daisy chain for my mother.

I gently patted and pulled the petals from the daisies to make them presentable, and I smiled. Once I concluded that they were perfected I looked up, towards Maiha, and called for her, "Mother has called for us, Maiha," She was busy making a 'mud pie' by the fish pond, adding pebbles and dead leaves to her disgustingly creative piece of work, "Come on, let's go inside." I added, "But first, wash your hands in the pond."

"Yes, Harumi." Maiha obeyed, and she dipped her hands in the water, "Ah, it's cold!" She cried out, as she jiggled her fingers about in the water, and laughed.

"Haha, then be quick about it and it won't be cold anymore." I laughed, too, as I began to stand up, then Maiha shook her hands through the water as fast as she could. Seconds after, she pulled her hands out of the water and ran towards me, shivering a little, with her arms hanging by her hands; dripping with icy water.

We both ran inside to meet our mother in the kitchen, who had just finished peeling potatoes and popping them into the cooking pot. She bent down and looked at us, happily, "Could you two go down to the shops for me, and get some carrots?" She asked, handing Maiha a towel to dry her hands with.

"Yes, mama!" I agreed, happily. "Yes, mama!" Maiha copied me, rubbing her hands hastily with the towel, and sighed satisfied as the warmth had finally filled her veins again. She placed the towel back on the kitchen counter, then stroked her skirt to release the creases.

"Haha, that's my good little girls," Mother chuckled at Maiha's imitation as she stroked my hair, and I looked into her eyes, "I love you, mama." I thought to myself. Somehow, I thought she had heard me, as her smile seemed to widen and she kissed my forehead. "Here's some yen for you to use, and if you have any spare buy yourselves a treat."

"Yes!" My twin sister said, as she ran for the front door, giggling. I looked up to my mother and held out my hand, she looked at it and grinned, "What a beautiful daisy chain, Harumi. I'll keep this next to my bedside every night." I hugged my mother, tightly, and made my way to the front door. Maiha had been waiting, patiently for me, and as soon as I ran out of the door, she followed.

I looked back and saw my mother waving, looking a little paler than usual, "Be safe!" She shouted as she closed the door.

I looked forward again and Maiha and I both ran down to the corner shop and entered, "Good morning, girls, and how are you today?" Miss Hayashi, the shopkeeper, asked, carrying a crate a fresh cabbage.

"We are good, thank you, Miss Hayashi!" I exclaimed, excitedly, while Maiha looked at her feet. Miss Hayashi was a great friend of our family, and she was a pleasure to see when we browsed her shop; Maiha and I would be disappointed if she wasn't in for a day, and would often leave without saying anything if there was someone else running the till.

"You are still shy, I see, Maiha." Miss Hayashi said, as she looked sympathetically at Maiha, standing up again from storing the cabbages in the cupboard below. Maiha nodded, but still didn't speak.