Somewhere in Paris a boy and his friend were fishing. So far their luck was rotten.
"Nothing today." Said the black-haired boy with green eyes.
"Maybe we should give up Esprit. We have been fishing in this spot for days." The spiky orange-haired older boy told his friend who is dressed in a blue tank top and short white pants.
"No way Vermilion. We can't give up yet!" His friend sighed before adjusting his green pants and cleaning his gray sleeveless shirt off imaginary dust. He then put his boots on.
"Okay then you keep going then I am going home." He picked up his rod and bait cube and left.
"Hey, WAIT?!" But it was too late his friend was gone. "Fine! I will catch a fish this big you'll see!" He said as he exaggerated the size of the fish by extending his arms as much as he could. Esprit and Vermilion have been best friends for years. They are also orphans deciding to travel together in this futuristic world. They are lucky that they earn money from some free jobs that were easy for a 13 and 15-year-old. Food was getting low, however, and so was money so they decided to fish in this lake. Lake Bassin De La Villette is rumored to have a lot of fish but so far Zip, nothing, zero, zilch, nada. He hasn't given up thou, he was someone who was determined to never give up, that is what his mother always said. His mother...he wonders why his father abandoned his mother when she was sick? Why...?
"Huh?" He felt something hit the hook before he almost got pushed to the lake. He uses all his strength to reel in this thing who was pushing him. This fish must weight 20 pounds! He knew that he will one day reel one. Man, he can't wait to get back to their "home" and rub it in Vermilion's face. He told him! He told him he will catch a super big fish! With one last mighty scream and push, he reeled in...
()
Esprit was in a happy mood he had caught a big one and it had something on its gill. It was a small fragment. He deemed this as a lucky charm as it has given him a catch. It goes to show you that patience pays off after all. Humming to the song of "Je dis Aime" which his mother used to sing to him when he was a baby the boy reached his "home" an abandoned shack. They have bought candles and lanterns to brighten the place and they have cleaned it up a bit at least decent enough to sleep in. Blankets and two mattresses made out of pillows were in one room while the other cleaned area was the kitchen. The "fridge" was a cooler with a lot of ice to preserve some meat and in this case fish. A bunch of Can foods from tuna to pork & beans was arranged in a single table.
"I'm home!" He said but got no response. He went to the sleeping room but did not find Vermilion. He did find some note thou...
'Dear Esprit,
'I went to look for some food and won't be back until night. In the meantime, you can eat one of the canned meat that we bought a week ago. If you're bored you can solve the Rubix cube that we found in one of the trash cans we looted. That was a waste of a good item, oh well you know what they say: "One man's trash is another man's treasure." Anyway, don't get into trouble.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Vermilion
Esprit smiled. His friend is a careful man and likes to do things on the safe side. He likes to take some risk I mean him fishing is one of them despite having no luck for 4 days straight. Well, that's not the case anymore and this lucky charm was the reason for his catch. Hmm, maybe he should make a necklace with it.
"There should be a thread somewhere." He starts looking through the food and supply cabinet and checks where the materials are. "Hmm, there it is!" he found a small ball of thread and tied the fragment. After seeing and nodding his work he puts the necklace on and went to cooking the fish. Vermilion will get a big surprise when he sees the big catch that he got. Man, he can see the look on his face. Let see, oh there it is. He picked up a knife before preparing the pot. He puts it in a battery stove. Hmm, is at 20% probably will last this dinner and tomorrow's breakfast. Speaking of breakfast! He should talk with Vermilion about getting those croissants that they saw in those stores. Hmm, maybe he should take a bath. I guess he should, he decided to turn off the stove before looking at their dinner.
"Be right back!" He went to the sleeping room and picked up a sleeveless white shirt and short pants before going to another room this one had a watering can and a worn bathtub. He knew the water was cold but he was already used to it. He relaxed after a few minutes of being in the tub. He looks at the fragment before being mesmerized by it when it glowed. The glowed intensify before the fragment started to construct something.
()
"Esprit will be very happy to see this." Vermilion held two bags one with meat and rice while the other bag was full of croissants. Vermilion saw how the black-haired boy was drooling when he saw them before going fishing. They need to manage their money thou, they have little less than 45 euros. Hmm, maybe he should start looking for a quick job. A delivery boy might be nice. There was a wanted sign where he bought the croissants. Maybe, they need a delivery boy.
"I'm home!" He goes to the kitchen to see something on a bucket. He was surprised to see that it was a big fish. So he was able to catch one after all. He will have to admit that he never expected this he will have to tell him how wrong he was. Just then he looks behind to see Esprit.
"Oh! Esprit, look I found some meat and rice. We can eat the rice with the fish if you want thou."
"..." Esprit just blankly looks at the bags. Vermilion noticed something on the boy's necklace it was a black Pentagon. Did he found it somewhere?
"Hey Esprit, Where did you find that necklace?" Esprit just looked at him before blinking a few times before speaking.
"Somewhere...I found it somewhere."
"I see," Vermilion said. Hmm, did something happened? I mean he would be very static to not only see him with food but he would be semi-gloating about the huge catch that he got in the lake. Is he remembering his mother? He usually got in this mood whenever he mentioned or reminiscing his mother. "You okay buddy, you know you can talk to me if you're troubled by something."
"...I'm fine."
"You sure."
"...Yes." Vermilion frowned and puts a hand on his shoulder.
"I know that you still miss your mother and you somehow still hate your father for abandoning you and your mother in your time of need. However, you have me now a friend someone who you can rely on."
"Friend..."
"Yes."
"Would you...stay with me forever?" That caught the boy by surprise. He then smiled.
"Sure I'll be your friend...forever." That is all Esprit wanted to hear before a small smile appeared on his face before it becomes more wicked as seconds passed.
"Good."
"Esprit?" That's all Vermilion said before his body and mind...disappear.
Esprit and Vermilion two orphans who fended for themselves and helped each other. Their friendship was inseparable no matter what. Vermilion was Esprit's support whenever he was depressed remembering his mother. He promised the orange-haired boy that they would become the best of friends. Now...that friendship was destroyed completely all because of a legendary piece that was thought to be gone forever. The second most dangerous legendary piece...The Pentagon of Manipulation.