5,000 Years Later...

“And... Ta-Da!!” Dawn exclaimed, her voice bubbling with excitement as she held up the tray of cupcakes. Her short black hair was neatly tied back, and her dark blue eyes sparkled with anticipation. She turned to her father, who offered a warm smile. “Is the tea ready, Father?”

“Yes, Dawn just wait a second,” the man, with blue slightly gray hair and purple eyes, responds tiredly.

Dawn’s excitement was palpable as she bounced on her toes, almost losing her balance. “Oops,” she murmured with a sheepish grin, catching her father's weary glance. Her gaze begins to drift nervously around the kitchen as if sensing a shift in the air.

‘Something seems wrong...” Dawn thinks as she feels a chill down her spine.

Her father sighs before grabbing the teapot and cups and heading out the door. She notices his departure and shakes off the feeling following behind him. “Mom!! They’re done!” She yells.

Dawn runs, tray in hand, towards her mom before her brother, holding his head in annoyance, yells “Are you an idiot? Don’t run with that.” He gets up and snatches the tray away sitting on the table as Dawn deflates.

“Hey, don’t snatch from me Makoto,” she tries to defend herself before Makoto glares at her, his purple eyes piercing through her, causing her to go silent. He puts his hand in his dirty-blonde hair and pushes it back sighing at his sister’s ignorance.

“Calm down, your sister was just excited,” the mom says as Makoto sits with a ‘humph.’ Dawn goes over to take the seat near her mom, both of their deep blue eyes meeting each other, before her father can sit. “She wasn’t too much of a headache was she Hakai?” She says hugging Dawn as she talks to her husband.

Dawn feels that something is wrong once again. She looks around blocking out the conversation with her family before her mother’s question snaps her out of it.

“Oh? You remembered?” Her mom looked at her with a smile, the lights causing her dirty-blonde hair to shine. Dawn looks around confused before she remembers the homemade lemon frosting, her mom’s favorite, that she made.

“OH!! Of course I did!!” Dawn shouted excitedly as she reached for her tea, a faint, uneasy feeling began to stir in her gut.

‘Why do I keep feeling like something bad will happen... Maybe I’m just nervous? Yeah, that must be it... I’m just nervous cause my mom is trying my cupcakes, and I made them for her... yeah’ Dawn thinks trying to calm herself down as she brushes it off with a forced smile not noticing at this time that the person right next to her has moved something.

Mizu, Dawn’s mom, puts the cup to her lips and takes a sip. A few moments go by before time suddenly seems to slow down. Dawn looks over and notices that something is wrong with her mom.

“...Mom, are you alright?” Dawn’s voice trembled as she tuned to her mother, Hakai and Makoto stop their own conversation looking over in confusion. Dawn’s heart begins to race as Mizu’s hand slipped from her grasp, her body slumping backwards.

“MOM?!” Dawn’s scream shattered the calm as Hakai and Makoto shot up, their faces a mix of shock and fear. Mizu’s eyes glazed over, rolling back as her mouth began to froth with a disturbing, bubbling foam. Panic surged through Dawn as she watched her mother’s condition deteriorate.

“What the hell?” Hakai says suddenly angered. He runs over to Mizu and lifts her on the couch. “One of you call the authorities. NOW!”

Makoto’s face contorted with urgency fumbling with it. His hands shook as he dialed 119, his voice trembling as he relayed the emergency. Dawn, heart pounding, rushed to Hakai, her eyes wide with fear.

“Father what’s happening? Is mom going to be, okay?”

“Be quiet!” Hakai’s voice was a harsh command, and Dawn flinched, stepping back with a frightened nod. Hakai walks over to his wife “Mizu! Stay awake.”

Dawn glances over at Makoto, whose face was twisted with anger.

“Are they coming Makoto?” she asks as he glares at her. “What-” she starts before he pushes her down.

“Don’t pretend like this isn’t your fault,” he yells still on the phone. Haai turns toward them as Dawn sits on the floor in shock. “Do you think I’m dumb Dawn?!”

“W-what are you talking about?” Dawn stutters in confusion. Hakai stands up and looks toward the two.

“Mother’s choking started right after she drank the tea you made. You think you’re clever, don’t you? Did you really expect me not to notice?” he yelled, the authorities still on the other line.

“What are you talking about? I didn’t poison anyone, especially not our mom-”

“My mom you mean... I told them not to have another child and now look, ungrateful bitch. She gave you everything and you killed her,” As the room grew colder, Makoto’s gaze hardened. His steps were slow, deliberate, each one echoing his growing fury. The icy chill seemed to coil around him, amplifying the tension as he moved menacingly toward Dawn, his phone cracking from the temperature.

“W-wait what are you doing?” Dawn says as she tries to get up her hands frozen to the floor.

“Dealing with the problem before it gets worse,” he dashes as Dawn ready to attack.

“MAKOTO QUIT IT!!” Hakai screams. Makoto stops, his hand an inch from her face.

“But why she killed mother,” Makoto says in anger.

“Even if she did something wrong, killing her won’t solve anything,” Hakai said, his voice shaking with frustration. He gestured around at the freezing room. “And look at this ice! You’re making things worse. This cold will only speed up her decline, and you’ll be guilty of that too.”

Makoto seems to notice the room and slowly calms down. He looks back at Dawn disgusted as a knock is heard. Hakai dashed to the front door, his breath coming in ragged bursts. The ambulance’s flashing lights pierced through the gloom, its arrival a stark contrast to the chaos inside. Paramedics swiftly took Mizu, their movements efficient but impersonal. Dawn watched in stunned silence, the gravity of the situation sinking in.

She couldn’t move, speak or even listen. She sat there as the last twenty minutes of her life replayed repeatedly. She couldn’t process anything around her, the cold air from Makoto’s attack earlier making it hard to breathe. Soon her breathing began to quicken, as her eyes teared up. Her body shaking from the cold temperatures and slow realization that she could have killed Mizu.

The ambulance seems to note this as they pick up her almost limp body and put her in the emergency vehicle, fearing for her health. When Dawn finally notices where they are, she is lying on one of the emergency room beds hooked up to a breathing machine.

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‘Did I have another asthma attack?’ Dawn wonders as she looks around before her eyes widen.

“MOM!!” she screams as she tries to sit up, almost pulling the machine she’s hooked up to off. The doctor in the room notices and runs over.

“Woah there young lady please calm down. Your mom is in the room next door with your father and brother don’t worry,” he sats in a gentle voice. “You started to have a panic attack which caused your asthma to flare up so we had to hook you up since you could not use your inhaler in that state. However, the respirator wasn’t working very well so we had to take more drastic measures.”

“I want to see my mom,” Dawn states completely ignoring the doctor.

“You have to wait. You’re still wheezing and if I take you off this machine you could die,” the doctor looks at her sympathetically.

“I DON’T CARE I WANT TO SEE MY MOM!!” Dawn shouts starting to take off hooks as the doctor tries to stop her.

“Stop you could get yourself killed. I promise once you stabilize, I will take you over there,” the doctor tries to plead. Dawn begins to glow with a blue hue, her water magic about to burst.

“Dawn quit it.” a deep voice says. Dawn stops in her tracks and looks up seeing Hakai.

“Father-”

“Mizu is dead,” Hakai says coldly. “She died while you were unconscious. So, there is no point in rushing to get over there.”

Dawn stares silently, not able to mutter a single word as the doctor stares in shock at Hakai’s blatantness. She tries to open her mouth, but nothing comes out except syllables and unfinished sentences.

“She- I-...” Dawn stutters as her vitals go unstable again as her breathing becomes erratic. The doctor alerts the staff as multiple nurses rush in. They try and calm Dawn down as Hakai is pushed out of the room. He walks over to Makoto, sitting on one of the chairs in Mizu’s room.

The doctors try to soothe Dawn as they lay her down hooking her back up to the respirator so they can get her breathing under control. Dawn eyes close unwillingly as she hears a soothing song Mizu always used to sing.

When her eyes open again, she is laying in sand. She immediately recognizes this as her mother’s magic. She looks around trying to find her mother in this dream world.

“Mom,” she says softly as she sees her Mizu humming the song near the beach. Her Mizu looks up with a small smile as she motions for her to sit down. Dawn walks over sitting down next to her, the water aggressively splashing reaching up to their hands.

“Calm down dear. This may be my dream world, but I’m not too strong now due to my recent passing. You can still affect the water here and we don’t want a tsunami, right?” Mizu jokes, Dawn lets out a deep breath as she looks over.

“You’re really dead?” she tears up. Mizu sighs, hugging her.

“Physically yes, however, as long as you still remember me, I’ll still be here,” she says in a soft tone.

“But... I killed you. Why- why would you want me to remember you,” Dawn says in-between sobs. Mizu’s face becomes serious.

“You did nothing of the sort. Makoto doesn’t think before he speaks pay him no mind,” she scowls.

“The tea though, you choked on it because of me-”

“No, I didn’t you had nothing to do with this and no matter what Makoto, Hakai, or the Legion says know that this isn’t your fault,” Mizu states.

“Huh? The Legion? Why would they-” Dawn begin to ask but Mizu is starting to fade.

“Look I don’t have much time, so listen carefully, they’re going to blame you for my death, when that happens you need to run. Don’t stop running until someone with reddish-violet hair grabs you. You will then follow her, okay? She’ll take you somewhere safe,” Mizu states.

“Wait what? Why would they blame me, the Legion has the power to see the past they should know who did it so-” Dawn starts asking frantic questions as she tenses. The water by them becomes restless. Mizu cuts her shaking her head.

“I love you, and no matter what I will always be there,” Mizu smiles as she disappears. Dawn wakes back up on the hospital bed looking around. The doctors all look at her with a smile.

“SHE’S ALIVE!!” They scream in joy. Dawn looks at the rook before closing her eyes hoping to go back to the dream world to no avail. The door slowly opens revealing Makoto and Hakai.

“Call us if her condition worsens,” the head doctor tells as they leave the room Hakai walks over.

“Is your breathing, okay?” he asks as Makoto sits in the chair facing away. Dawn slightly opens her right eye before nodding. She then looks over at Makoto who glances with a scowl before a look of sorrow covers his face. Dawn notices and opens both of her eyes as she slowly sits up.

“Dad... can I speak to Dawn alone please,” Makoto asks. Hakai looks over suspiciously before nodding heading out the room. Makoto looks at Dawn before looking down. “I’m sorry.”

Dawn’s eyes widen in shock at the apology. “W-what?”

“If I hadn’t froze the room your panic attack wouldn’t have been as bad as it was, and mom would probably still be alive. I’m sorry for blaming you... I- I know you didn’t kill mom; I don’t know why I would even accuse you of that. I was just so angry... no that sounds like I’m making excuses,” he gets up and walks over tears streaming down his face. “You could’ve died because of me, I’M SO SORRY!!”

Dawn just stares in shock before smiling. “Makoto...” she leans over hugging him. “I didn’t pass out from you, and mom’s death had nothing to do with your magic.”

“But-”

“Makoto, it is neither of our fault,” Dawn says in a hushed tone as Makoto wipes his eyes.

“But... if it wasn’t because of us what could have happened?” Makoto moves back from Dawn as he begins to think.

“I’m not sure but we’ll figure it out together, and when we do, we’ll avenge mom,” Dawn smiles feeling a new purpose, Makoto nods.

“The Legion has scheduled a trial since mom’s death has been ruled a homicide. When they call out the murderer we’ll get them,” Makoto states as Dawn’s smile fades. She remembers the dream world and starts to speak before the door opens and Hakai enters.

“Sorry to cut your talk short,” he walks in handing the two plates of food, noticing Makoto’s tear-stained face before looking at Dawn. “Hear eat up, especially you Dawn.”

The two of them nod, grabbing their respective plates and begin to eat. Dawn eats hastily, stuffing the lasagna in her mouth before she even finished the first spoonful.

“Dawn!” Makoto says with a look of disgust as he slides his plate away from him, his appetite suddenly gone. “That is gross.”

“Sorry,” she said her mouth still full as she swallows. “Father, Makoto said the Legion set a date for mom’s trial. When will it be?”

“Tomorrow. We are an influential family, so they have prioritized your mom’s death,” Hakai said as Dawn’s eyes widened as fear began to envelope her body.

‘Oh no! Mom said they’d blame me, but why? I don’t understand and a few hours isn’t enough time to figure out what’s wrong. Especially, not in this place,’ Dawn thoughts flood with infinite possibilities.

“Can’t we postpone it?” Dawn said shocking both Makoto and Hakai.

“WHAT!! WHY WOULD WE DO THAT?” Makoto asks in anger.

“Well, I-” Dawn has no response, she doesn’t know how to explain herself without making her seem suspicious.

“We will not!” Hakai says in a stern tone. He glares at Dawn causing her to shiver.

“Sorry...” Dawn whispers.

“Now the doctors said they will discharge you in a few hours. Makoto and I will plan for your mother’s funeral.” Hakai states before walking away Makoto following him.

“Call me if you need anything,” Makoto mouths to her. Dawn nods as she lays down wondering what to do.

Hakai and Makoto leave the room as Hakai shuts the door.

“Your sister murdered her.” he says. Makoto stares in shock.

“What? What are you saying? Why would you-”

“Shut it boy. They found that she was poisoned, and it was in the tea. Your sister is the only one who had any involvement in that,” he says. Makoto wants to speak up but stays quiet looking at his father in fear. “The sooner you accept that the sooner you can avenge your mother.”

“No! The Legion will prove you wrong” he yells before a loud ‘smack’ is heard. Makoto holds his cheek as Hakai looks at him in disappointment.

“You dare speak back to me little boy.” Hakai gives him a glare and walks away not waiting for him to catch up. Makoto holds his tongue as he silently follows.

Dawn is sitting on what some would refer to as a death bed.

‘I should just die here then if I’m going to be charged with a crime I didn’t commit. No, mom would be upset if I did that’ Dawn groans in frustration.

A few hours later she hears footsteps by her door before one of the doctors opens it slowly.

“Dawn, you have been officially discharged, your father is waiting for you outside.” he says with a small smile.

“Thank you!” Dawn nearly jumps out of the bed almost pulling the machine down with her.

“Woah” one of the other doctors stop her. Dawn notices her reddish-violet hair and pitch-black eyes staring at her for a moment. The doctor smiles and helps her off safely.

“You’re-” Dawn whispers as the lady shushes her before winking. She helps her walk over to Hakai and Makoto.

“Do stay safe Ms. Hamasaki,” the doctor smiled. Dawn nodded before walking over noticing Makoto’s torn expression.

“Something wrong Makoto?” Dawn asks before thinking about it. ‘What a dumb question Dawn, mom just died why would you ask that.’

“No... Just thinking about mom,” he says with a smile. Dawn nods understanding, Hakai motions for them to come along as they have a long trial to prepare themselves for.

Dawn looks back at the hospital tears forming in her eyes as she closes her eyes picturing her mom for what she thinks is the last time.