Darker Beginnings

Chapter 7

  Autumn Leaf lay in her bed that night, staring up at the ceiling, worried and anxious as to what had become of her husband. She had long since stopped crying, but the singeing in her chest remained. The burn in her eyes throbbed and stung. Anasta insisted she'd help, but the look in her eyes said otherwise. She considered Zahara, how the whole girl's affairs with demons and beg for change and acceptance sparked media outcry. Her husband was no different, perhaps worse given his kingship long ago. She felt her tears pool up again, sniffling and wiping them before they could fall onto the pillow below. She heard a knock at her door, looking to it and finding Natsu. She sighed, turning around.
"Natsu, honey, go to bed. Mommy's fine," she said blankly. Natsu walked to her, facing her, frowning.
"Mom...No, you're not. Don't lie to me," he said. Autumn Leaf gave up and sat up, holding her head in her hands as she started sobbing again.
"What am I going to do? What is anyone going to do? It's hopeless. The only way he's coming back is if he forgets us all over again." Autumn Leaf said, sniffling. Natsu gasped in fright, hugging his mother tight.
"That's not true! He loves you! He loves us! He would never forget us!" he cried. Autumn Leaf glared at Natsu, snarling.
"How did he forget Shade? How did he forget Ruby and Cirrus and Thorns? It's that god damned Void! It wipes his memory clean every time he dares try to rise back up! It's hopeless to root for him to remember us and come back." she said. Natsu sniffled, sobbing.
"But...he's the best dad ever...I mean...if your dad was in certain danger, you'd look day and night for him, wouldn't you?!" Natsu asked. Autumn Leaf glared to Natsu with a pained expression.
"Natsu...Let me tell you something...Before I got to this Kingdom, my life was barely starting. I was 3 when I woke up in a hot car on a 90-degree day to my parents arguing who left the milk in the store. I was 6 when my dad left me in the parking garage after a carnival and I had to hitchhike home. When I was 10, we went camping to see my other relatives since they lived in a beautiful snowy area with skiing and hiking trails. On the drive home, my parents took a trip on one of the trails just for some pictures. I was always overlooked. And the last words my dad said to me were 'Shut up, go sit on the rock over there and be quiet'. I did just that, and they walked off, loosely implying they'd be back. As it got dark, I got worried and followed my parent's tracks, only to find that I was abandoned in the woods. They drove off without me...They forgot about me...I died in the woods of hypothermia that winter...And when I got here, I guess I was gifted with pyrokinetics...Possibly to mock my death. Possibly because of my Angel of Fire heritage. Maybe both...I don't know...But no. My dad wasn't like yours. He was a lying, overly-distant, and forgettable excuse of a father. I was a mistake. They never wanted me. I was just a burden, Natsu...I just...," she started hyperventilating, Natsu releasing his hug as she started bawling her eyes out," I just can't handle being forgotten again...Being abandoned...Being alone without anyone in the world." Autumn Leaf sobbed. Natsu sniffled alongside her, tears welling in his eyes too.
"Mom...He'll come back. You just have to hope. Dad's strong. We're talking about the guy who managed to kill Aria a number of times. Even though she came back because she had a large role to play, he still managed to get her. He's not as nimble as you fear." Natsu said with a smile. Autumn Leaf sniffled and hugged her son tightly.
"Thank you, Natsu. Now please, get to bed," she asked. Natsu nodded and left, uttering 'I love you' to his mom and Autumn Leaf uttering one back. She looked at her abdomen, grazing her fingers over it. A moderate pudge was already becoming visible under her shirt as she began talking to herself.
"I can't raise two kids alone...Noroi needs to come back. And if he needs help, I'll bring him back myself."


***


The world around him was a cavernous wasteland. Screams of anguish and agony broke the eerie silence that was rarely upheld here. He sat, alone, cold, and chained up like an animal. His face bore no emotion. His eyes were a deep oceanic blue graduating to a sickening baby blue. He couldn't see. His mouth had been locked shut since descending to this pit of insanity. Blind, hungry, and mute, he was hopeless. Thoughts of his family ran through his mind. Their wedding. The first tiny grab of Natsu's tiny hand on his much larger finger. Watching his son grow into the fine man he knows he will be. With the tears further descending down his muzzle, masking the fur and flesh underneath, his perception of the past began to shift. Was Natsu the orange one? Or the red one? He shook his head violently, sobbing. Did Autumn Leaf have a spiked collar and ruffled red hair? He shook and protested more. Soon, they began to fade. Who was he? Where was he? If only he could see. His lips parted, and a scream bellowed from his lungs, a sobbing and saddening cry heard around the Void.
"AUTUMN...! S-SAVE ME! I-I'M SCARED! PLEASE, IF YOU STILL LOVE ME REMIND ME OF WHO I AM!" he cried into the caves. Before he knew it, he had screamed in anguish for so long that his throat burned from the rings. His ears drew out a loud white noise that went unheard before. And before he knew it, he had lost consciousness.


***


The next morning was a bit somber, quiet even by Teshia's standards. Aviary songs were mute and the sound of cars was seldom. Autumn Leaf sat up in bed, holding her abdomen in agony as she prepped herself for another meeting. She slipped out of her pajamas and into her firey work clothes. She smiled at herself in the mirror until looking down and feeling her heart sink. Her abdomen was much too large to be unnoticed. She sighed and dug around her dresser, looking for clothes that were just as firey and could hide the pudge that gave away her and Noroi's secret. She slipped it on, the outlit meeting her standards. It was a fire pattern tee with some jeans she liked. She nodded and walked out into the streets, the silence becoming immediately noticeable. She paused for a moment, confused. Was she up too early? She checked her phone. 11 AM. The meeting was at 11:10 and it was a five-minute walk to the castle. A bit unnerved, she continued her walk, reaching the castle gates with Orion nodding to her.
"Good morning, Autumn Leaf," he said politely. Autumn Leaf smiled, nodding back. Good morning. Am I too early?" she asked," It's really quiet today..." she commented. Orion shrugged. It's Monday. Everyone's asleep as far as I know." he joked. Autumn Leaf laughed along and smiled.
"Thanks, Orion. I needed that today," she said.
"You're welcome," he replied. Autumn Leaf walked up the stairs to the Meeting Room. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach, opening the door in a haste. She was met with the eyes of the Angels in the room. Emmy chuckled.
"Hey, Autumn Leaf! Feeling any better?" she asked. Autumn Leaf, pained, immediately sat in her chair, holding her head.
"I-I'm fine." She replied. Sonic got up, approaching her and feeling her forehead. Autumn Leaf was quick to react, turning her gaze up to him. "What are you doing?" she asked. Sonic wore a look of concern, sharing the look with everyone in the room.
"You looked sick," he said. Furaito shared his deduction.
"Yeah...You look a little pale...And you were holding your stomach when you walked in here." he said. Autumn Leaf swatted Sonic's hand away, groaning.
"I'm fine," she said. The door opened again, Aria holding one open and Ultimate holding the other open. Aria smiled to Autumn Leaf, Ultimate kissing his wife's cheek before taking his seat.
"Hey, Autumn Leaf!" she said cheerfully. Autumn Leaf was silent. Emmy spoke up.
"She isn't feeling well today, Aria," she said, chuckling bashfully,"Give her a break," she added. Aria smiled and chuckled.
"Okay," she said as she got her coffee. As the Angels of the broken Unity assembled, Autumn Leaf could feel her urge to vomit get more and more powerful. She placed a hand over her mouth, tightly grabbing her abdomen and curling up. Gianna, quick to take notice, pointed to her.
"What's wrong with her?" she asked. Autumn Leaf began to feel dizzier and dizzier, feeling as if she was being spun in her chair. She scooted back, shakily standing.
"I-I need to use the bathroom..." she muttered. As she walked towards the door, she felt herself lose all control. On the verge of fainting, she felt herself bend over and lose her lunch in Sonic's lap, managing to straighten back up, and losing herself to her dizziness. She fell backward, the murmurs of disgust and shock growing quieter an quieter. Before losing consciousness, she uttered somberly.
"Noroi...come back...please..."