Droplets, heavy and harmful drops of rain splashed upon the naturally fertilized soil. The earth rejoiced as it savored the water being spashed all around. The grass, the trees, emerald covered jungle itself, happily accepted the gift nature has graced upon them and their ecosystem. The misty and moist smell of wet leaves spread across the vast expanse, giving off a hazy mood. Wind impeled the leafs, grass, and flowers to sway vigoursly, back and forth.

The night sky becoming shaded with dark clouds that some times brighten and roared aloud. This instilled fear in local animals , atleast some of them. In this chaotic tropic, were 5 audacious children traversing the trees like lingering shadows from branch to branch.The one taking the lead was Ezekiel, the fateful child no more than 7 years old.

His head was covered in flairing, ruffled hair completely black with a single white portion hair. The white portion looked like a masterfully crafted rope hanging onto his forehead. With premature features that will surely chisel with time. The raven haired boy had carmine eyes which was an outstanding sight to behold. He was skinny, fashioned completely back cloths with green sprayed along the design meant to meld with the jungle. The prideful and impulsive Ezekiel spoke over the rain to his crew.

Ezekiel: "Scared already Fred? But I thought you liked Lily hehe. If she sees you like this she might think your a wimp or something."

The leader spoke jeeringly towards the child on his right named Fred. A tall and slim stucture with greasy blonde hair and mossy green eyes. His features were sharp, with a long bridged nose and near nonexistent lips, a pale complexion. He always hunched his back nervously, so his true height was never exhibited. This was out of a need to fit in. Fred didn't want to tower over and look down on the people he wanted acceptance from.

A bit older at the age of 9, Fred had grown up with Ezekiel as cousins, his family being extremely familiar with Ezekiel's. The lanky boy was looking left and right cautiously with a scary demeanor to his face. His anxiousness and tenacity to flee on sight was stomache grabbing to Ezekiel. Whom was also next to Lily, the crush, on his left side.

The outgoing fox of a little girl, Lily, had liliac purple hair the pride of her being. It's what she was named for after all. A tiny, petite body, normal like every other premature body. Although slightly sunkissed, not enough to call a tan but no longer being snowy.

She had soft complexions which brightened her innocence and immaturity. As well as denoted flaws like the blotch shaped, ashy black blemish on her upper right brow. Furthermore, with ocean blue eyes that reflected her vast desire to adventure and scower about, this girl was the symbol of what Fred aspired to be like. The two cousins had met her a year ago when they were exploring the opposite side of the rural village they both grew up in.

Fred: "HUH? Why are you saying such distracting things while we're in the middle of jungle hopping you nimwit.

Lily: "Now, now boys calm yourselves, you'll be able to express yourselves soon!"

???: "Haha foreal, Zeke why do you always have to bully Fred, stop before he loses concentration and falls."

A new voice enters the fray, Anastatia or Ana for short. The leaders older sister, with long, jet black hair that was currently woefully hidden under a cape meant to ward off rain. Her eyes were crimson in contrast to Ezekiel's. With features similar to the leaders but sharper, more edged out. A testament to the 2 year age gap between the two.

The older, more defined version of Ezekiel carried a hint of jealousy towards her naturally aromatic brother. He always hogged the spotlight despite being younger and inexperienced when compared to Anastatia. Although this didn't stop crimson eyed girl from following in the leaders path.

At Ana's left side from behind Lily was the final member of the immature gang, Jack. By far the oldest at 11 years old, Jack was the older brother of the group. The one whom kept Ezekiel in check when he was wrong, and guided him with care as to not hinder the leader.

This gallant young man had searingly bright red hair the color of a well ripenened apple which was drizzled in rain turning it maroon in shade. Husky with a tinge of buffness, Jack had an esteemed body for someone so young. He also wore bright features that were naturally attractive to the female gaze. Such as the young Lily despite the 3 year age gap.

Although Jack, in respect to Fred who obviously had feelings for Lily, never pursued and was honestly content that way. He loved the gang more than anything else in this small pond world of their's. Regardless of all this, it never stopped jack from putting on a guise and flirting with Lily openly to invoke a manly boldness from Fred. In order to help his friend grow sooner, to join up with him as an equal comrade.

Jack:"I don't know, Zeke may be on to something Fred, the other night after i walked Lily home and gave her a hug goodnight she said she liked it when guys are bold. Then she gave me such a bright smile, it was nice, you should try it."

Lily: "Stopp, don't say those things, Jack..."

Fred: "WHA- SCYAA!"

A powerful cord struck in Fred's heart, cleaving and butchering to reach the center in order to wreck it to bits. Jack's meangiful jabs also caused such an emotion to rise in Fred uncaringly so. Trying to forcefully sculpt Fred to join Ezekiel in the skyrocketing growth since.

He knew if Fred could hurdle over the mountainous paradise that is pubescent love, he would become a gem worthy of Lily. The cowardice, slender child had no such implications about Jack's seemingly maliscious intent to spark a reaction out of himself. To this point, while grabbing onto a tree branch, Fred tugged at it with a ferocity enough to snap it in half, he began free falling in an unruly fashion.

Jack: "What?!?

Anastatia: "I told you so!"

Lily: "Fred!"

As the rain poured upon the landscape, Fred was dropping with far greater velocity. He desperately contemplated how to stagger his fall but could see no option. A sense of fear would be normal in this circumstance but unforeseeably, Fred was angry at himself. His spinelessnes would be the cause for the disruption in the events his group planned for today. They spent so much time establishing everything, even sneaking out of their homes to be here, in this jungle, right now. And so the time came, to brace himself.

With an uncanning swiftness, a shadow darted from tree to tree, using the bark of the firmly archaic bases of wood throughout the jungle to support his versatile movements. Prancing along the jungle with an unrivaled familiarity, the silouttte was rapidly approaching Fred in it's concentrated pursuit. Right before the body hit the ground, the unseeable figure landed and bursted forward, grabbing onto Fred and throwing him over his tiny shoulder like a bag of rice in a flash. Although, this bag of rice was much lengthier, like carrying a wild snake, drenched in sweat.

Ezekiel: You dummy, no matter how much help we give you, your hopless."

A cynical grin flashed on Ezekiel's face away from Fred's sight, the leader gave no recollection to his valiant saving of Fred and the events that will be had tonight. As if it was a normal occurence for this boy prodigy to exert some of his graceful talents in the presence of his favorited friends. Fred however, had no smile on his grieving face, humbly accepting Ezekiel's assistance, he resigned himself to a bitter silence at Ezekiel's honest assertion on his own dilema. This wreathed some fury in Ezekiel hoping to get an appropriate response.

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Fred: "..."

Ezekiel: "Oh yeah?"

In an instant, Ezekiel bounced of the floor with percision that created a whisteling sound with the wind. He flew up the wide array of branches and stiff vines suitable enough to grasp and pull with his free arm. Once Ezekiel approached the level of the rest, in order to ascertain the safety of their friend, he flung Fred towards them. In a completely comical way, Fred was violently flipping towards his friends and love interest. 360, no 720, wrong 1080, at this point counting the amount of flips was useless, the sight was just too funny to care about numbers.

Ezekiel: "How about this then?"

Fred: " Guuuh."

Lily: "Fred!!!"

Slicing through the air, the lanky boy was in a state of panic, this demon Fred called a friend was going to be insistent to the very end. Imagining the unbearable pain that laid in wait, after the incurring dizziness of distortions, Fred heard the voice of someone awfully familiar, a kind, caring, high pitched melody of pleasure for his ears. Fred realized the sound belonged to Lily's voice. The sudden realization of supreme embarassement that will arrive should he fall prey to another one of Ezekiel's out pocket jokes, sunk in. Not this time, Fred mentally noted.

Fred: "HYAAA"

Yelling to force his reflexes to awaken, Fred counteracted the direction in which he was spinning with enough force to allow him to view a landing. With distraught laced in his eyes, Fred grimmaced barely focusing enough to see, the only landing was one which Lily currently occupied. He had no choice, he was just going to have to surpass his limits here and now, for the first time, Fred will do it.

Lily: "Kyaaa!"

With no hesitation in the slightest, Fred braced himself to collide ever so softly. Manuvering his forceful momentum towards his heels rather than his torso and catching Lily in his arms. Allowing him to save her from falling after he encroached upon her postion.

While redirecting the flow of intense energy, Fred with Lily clinging tightly in his arms, face nestled in his chest to avoid the shock, jumped towards a tree. He then stabilized himself and pounced back on the branch he was just on, Leaving Lily there. In a second seris of moves, Fred concentrated all the strength in his legs and soared at Ezekiel who was static in the air, in the middle of landing.

Ezekiel: "Hold on!"

Approaching at an alarming rate, Ezekiel was in horror at what the idiot maliscously throwing himself wanted to accomplish... Revenge. How genile, how dumb, what a dummy, Ezekiel scowering for a way to escape, had no way until he landed. Trying to inch quicker despite the laws of physics denying him so, Ezekiel understood that his time had come.

Fred: "You wish!"

Ezekiel: "Hck."

With Fred slamming into Ezekiel, cocking his neck back from the blow, Ezekiel helpessly fell along with the idiot who he collided against. Skipping from branch to branch, rolling down insignificantly, they finally plumped into a bush loudly.

Ezekiel: "So, after finally manning up, instead of being cool to the end, you thought hugging onto another boy was going to score points?"

Fred: "Huff Huff, so what should i have done about my anger?"

Ezekiel: "Hold it in like a man i guess, you know, just be cool for once!"

Fred: "I'll deck you."

Ezekiel: "Haha please don't, cause then I'd have to..."

The air shifted ever so slightly, disrupting the rain just as minorly. Fred knew what he wanted to say but held back out of politeness. Brutality, in a fight Fred stood no chance against his 2 year younger cousin. It was a catastrophic difference.

Why would a man fight seriously against a toddler? One would feel extremly guilty in striking down such pure innocence. Now, if that toddler were to stab you from behind, would you still sit idly? These thoughts randomly bubble and pop just as quickly as they come.

Ezekiel can unconsciously feel his own hidden bloodlust. As the sharp wind blew on his face with a reminder of what they came to this jungle for. They were nearing the starting point finely selected as the best spot for the game everyone intended to play.

Ezekiel: "Here, Fred let's go."

Fred: "Yea..."

A bit dejected from the hand extended towards himself, Fred reluctantly took the leaders hand and decided to take his words to heart. "Cool", what a mindless way to say it, Fred initially thought. But as he continued indulging in the thought of his actions bein known as "Cool" to Lily he became slightly lightheaded and mesmerized. He couldn't stop his burgeoning obsession from leaking out onto his face, Ezekiel noticed it, rebuking at once.

Ezekiel: "There you go again, making that face Lily finds creepy."

Fred: "Huh, sorry its hard to hear flies with this rain."

As Ezekiel shook his head with a wry smile, his provacation was returned in full. He stood still, not expecting to see a lion peer over Fred and roar. Without reacting, Ezekiel tilted his head and stared blankly, eyes slightly widened. He shook his head and rain jumped and collided with each other. Which restyled his head with a more somber appeal.

He decided to withold the information for when he deduces what the actual source was. Even as a child, his impulsivity, adaptablilty, greedful care for those around him. He handled everything in the same hand, as he picked and perfected it with the other. He didn't want anyone to worry, thats one thing, he never wanted.

Ezekiel: "Hehe"

Letting go a chuckle, for once, Ezekiel was following the back of more matured body, emmenating growth and development and most importantly vigor. There was a renewed emotion in Fred and before he knew it, he was thanking Ezekiel for slapping some sense into him.

Ana: "They're here."

Jack: "Never doubted, but you guys aren't hurt that's what's suprising."

Lily: "Fred! Sob sob. Quit with the nonsense! What if you got hurt dumb dumb."

The petite liliac heaved into Fred, threatnening to topple him over into the abyss. Embracing him violenty, she began her barrage of hits meant to stimulate rather than hurt. She was genuienly afraid when she heard the snap of the branch Fred grabbed onto.

Not noticing Ezekiel's disappearance, when Lily lost track of Fred she became mobbed with a bottom dwelling feeling. One which freezes your form still. She was on the verge of jumping down with a huge chance at failure. Then suddenly, she sees Fred flying in flips right at her.

Wholey shocked, Lily's childish brain shut off not wanting to deal with the problem ahead. Before she even realized, she was in Fred's arms, hands gripping to his flat, firm chest. He was much more muscular than she orginally suspected, he picked her up with a warping fervor, but with so much softness and gentleness.

After the opening catch, moments later, in what seemed like a second flat, Lily was no longer clutching onto Fred. This brought an unexpected lonliness to herself. The pleasant feeling of being held with protection and esteemed safety, she yearned for it just a tad bit more.

With those fleeting thoughts, the branch Lily was contemplating on shook dangerously, threatnening to break entirely. Fred's back zoomed out of view directly into the shrimp Ezkiel, and they tumbled down to the floor like imbecilies. This time, Lily shook her head forcibly with anger. Her rosy skin erupted into fiery tomatoe red. She pouted making her cheeks elate. And finally shifted her view away from the two whom incited her wrath, wholesomely so.

Fred: "Alright! I get it, i'm sorry it's my fault, I should have treated my little bro better, regardless of his words."

Lily: "..."

Ezekiel: "..."

Anastatia: "..."

Jack: "..."

Fred: "EH? What a tough crowd."

Without noticing for even a moment, in the midst of Lily's combos, Fred did something hes never once done. Yet again, like an aura boros eating its own tail repeatedly. He latched onto Lily's hand once he deemed he's recieved what he was willing to be responsible for. Then halted her to a dead stop.

Lily being handled so aggressively for the very first time rattled her. She started feeling the pleasant feeling from before again as she stared up in wonder and awe at the man holding her up by the wrist. He looked different, in an undescribable way, like his toneness became more emflamed. He wasn't the cowardly boy of before, this Fred couldn't be.

Jack, such as a buffoon would, sucumbed to his boyish intentions and dropped his jaw with his tongue flailing about. His eyes widened at the boy who seems to have been put through life changing trials and tribulations in an instant. He looked like a coyote stalking a prey just to notice a far deadlier animal was now chasing after him.

The marooness of his being turned to blue at the revelation in front of him, shock would be lacking in discription. Ana was in the same stage but toned down to not look as exaggerated. She had doubted if Fred would ever mature really. Having her expecations shatter before her eyes disillusioned her senseless. She wonder if she can even look at Fred as if they were the same age anymore.

Ana: Its just..."

Jack: "Yeah, like, you know?"

Lily: "Erm, um, mhm"

Ezekiel: "Sigh, what they mean to say is you look cool right now, which is pretty weird kekeke. Also you can let go Lily's wrist now, before you bruise it and me along with Jack have to wreck you."

Lily: "Eh? Wha are y-"

Fred: "Tsk...You can never just feed my ego."

Gentlemanly and subtle, with etiquette and enough grace to bid a princess farewell. Fred dropped Lily's wrist while holding it softly, and let it go once their hands descended. Lily flinched slightly, not in disgust but in disapproval of losing the contact with Fred because of someone else.

Snapping back to reality, while realizing she had been blushing, she swung forward at Fred. Caving in his steel stomache, though not hurting him very much. She immedietly fled from him while digging her feelings a grave, which she knew wouldn't last.

Lily: "Hmph, so what if Fred wants to show off his hidden strength in alot of brave ways, that won't change anything at all, yes, nothing at all! I definietly did not look at you like prince charming in the slightest don't lie to yourself."

Coming up as a rural village girl would naturally soften anyone up. Creating a kind saint in love with nature and peace; this wasn't the case for Lily. Even as a baby with no consciousness, her automatic systems naturally responded to pictures of heros from story books. The legendary men and women that made a name through countless misfortune and albatross that benifited the peace of the world.

Names such as Diago skinner, Alea Every, Artreus Mount. Even the kingdom of Galadria which Lily was from had a storybook hero, the mighty and undefeated warrior, his reigning majesty, King Arthur Wick. The moment she could, Lily read up on the tales of myths. Most of which were real events. This is how her rebellious adventurous personality was established.

Lily's parents, struggling more and more with containing their overeager daughter, have begun to see the defenses weakening. And the irresponsible petite monster peaking out. So of course, in reaction to Fred's almost heroic actions and words, Lily's heart began to waver with each passing moments. Screaming nonsensical refutes was all she could do. To this, however, Fred gave a faint smile and muttered.

Fred: "Your real adorable like that."

In unison, including even Ezekiel, the row of mischeivious kids all gave a ghastly gasp as an indication of Fred growing too far, he's beginning to sound too old. Such as the country bumpkins that slay monsters from time to time for the village and get hailed as saviours, guys the crew really look up to and want to be like someday. Ezekiel held up a hand in discontent.

Ezekiel: "Alright thats enough, Fred? Your about to give me a heart attack, let alone the the rest who started to shake a bit.

Fred: "Haha, right, it's not like me is it."

Ezekiel: "Lets just go before you start growing gray hairs, look, you can see the crater from here."