The Golden Pear [YA - Featured]

♫~Notes 104~♫

 "Oh!" Aiyoku's lips remained in O shape as in front of him stood a small, stone altar.

Above it levitated a shining orb. Tiny flowers grew around it, creating a path leading the boy towards it. Sparkling water surrounding the altar couldn't reflect the beauty of this place.

"Please, I'm begging you, bring us the Light."

"Of course, but... may I ask why me?"

The blonde woman smiled at him.

"Only a man of your beauty is worthy of holding this Light."

The boy scratched on his nose.

"When you put it this way, it's very embarrassing." He turned toward the light, finding it familiar. 'Guess it reminds me of the sun.' Despite the similarities, he wasn't sure that was the right answer.

Nevertheless, he proceeded toward it. The flowers under his legs parted, clearing the way. He marveled at it.

"Please, hurry." The woman urged him.

He turned around in the waist, seeing other women and girls alike leaned from behind the trees and stones covered by moss. All of their eager eyes were on him.

'This Light must be important.'

He resumed his quest, not wanting to let the ladies wait for too long. Step by step, the light dimmed a bit as he got closer, allowing him to see. Stopping at arm's length, he couldn't resist gazing into the light.

'Strange... I don't sense any warmth.' He let his hands hover above it. 'I wonder if that's the reason it doesn't hurt my eyes—'

Screeches behind him interrupted his thoughts, and he pivoted, expecting to see the women in danger. He could hardly use any weapon or martial arts, but if he could delay any monster for seconds to give everybody a chance to escape, he would jump into its jaws.

"What?"

No monster raided among them. It was quite the opposite. The women turned into harpies, slashing a dark ball shivering on the ground.

"Leave!"

"Get lost!"

"Ugly!"

"Disgusting!"

Roars from everybody invaded his ears, and he dashed back.

"What's happening?"

The blonde woman stepped into his path.

"Nothing. Just an ugly girl dared to glance your way."

Aiyoku stretched his neck to see behind her. On the ground was curling a brown-skinned child only ten years old. Her auburn hair hid her like a bush and wrinkled skin covered her hands and legs as far as he could see.

"Begone!" Dark-haired woman with a pale skin lifted her hand, and a whip made of tree roots smacked the girl across her back.

Her cry filled the air.

Aiyoku looked left and right, but nobody seemed to be eager to help her. They either seemed bored or giggled at the suffering child as if it was a game.

"Stop!"

Aiyoku tried to move forward, but the blond woman hugged his neck, whispering, "Get the Light."

For a moment, a wave washed over Aiyoku, taking away his anger.

"Be a good boy and get it." She nuzzled him toward the Light, and he tumbled that way like a puppet.

His legs took him back to that place in front of the altar while slashes of whip and cries replaced the birds' melody.

'I'm a good boy, right?'

He lifted his hands.

'She asked me to do this.'

His fingers twitched.

'Nobody with such a beautiful face can be a bad person...'

The loudest cry so far came from the wrinkled girl.

Aiyoku's gaze moved to the water, just a step from the stone altar. His face reflected in perfect shape. Not a wrinkle of the water disrupted it.

"What are you waiting for? Bring it here!" the blond woman ordered him, her voice losing all the sweetness it once possessed.

"No!" he barked.

"What?" The woman stepped back, her face twisting with anger. "You dare to defy me?"

"No!" His answer confused her. "I'm not daring! I'm defying you!" Aiyoku's face darkened as he rushed from the altar.

The other women and children stepped back, hiding behind each other.

He kneeled in front of the brown-skinned girl. Her back bled, and her soft sobs brought tears into Aiyoku's eyes. He took down his school jacket, covering her.

"It's okay now," he whispered, patting her head. "I won't let them hurt you."

"You!" The woman shrieked, and the sky blackened.

Aiyoku picked the child into his arms, pressing it against his chest.

More cries and howls filled the air as everything turned into dry leaves, and gale tossed with everything like toys. Aiyoku used an enormous stone as a shield, but that couldn't last for long.

The only one remaining was the blond woman as everybody else turned into shadows, taken away by the tornado.

"Pick it! It belongs to you! The beauty conquers everything!"

"Shut up!" he yelled against the wind.

The child held onto his torso, shivering. The ground under him crumbled with each howl of the wind. The blonde woman levitated in the air, her hair swirling around her like tentacles. She waved her hand, and Aiyoku sprang onto his legs, getting pulled by his hair.

"You will obey me!"

The boy caught his hair with his free hand, but no matter how much he pulled, the woman brought him closer and closer to the cursed altar. The light this time blinded him, burning his skin.

'I can't let it control me!' He lowered his head, trying to hide his eyes from the light. The girl held onto him tighter, and something hard pressed him into the stomach.

Moving his hand there, he found a handle of a small kitchen knife. Without hesitation, he pulled it, giving himself the worst hair cut.

"No!" the woman screamed as she lost control over him with each strand that had fallen.

"Yes!" he answered, taunting her, cutting the last long strand.

The gale turned into a hurricane, tearing everything apart. He hugged the child. Losing every sense of direction, the wind tossed them around like rag dolls, but he refused to let go of the girl, watching the raging storm with hawk's eyes.