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Sapphire wandered the slums of Otheon’s capital. This was where the last lead to her son pointed. However, that trail was long-since cold. Sapphire wondered what he was like. He’d be ten years old now. Did he have a family? Was he safe?
What if he’s dea
No. She would not think that. She had to find him, if only to confirm he was okay. She didn’t need to be part of his life. She didn’t even need to speak with him. She just had to know. And until then, she’d keep searching. Forever, if necessary.
It was the least she could do after the way she’d…
After her quirk backfired, after she lost her emotions, she did a lot of horrible things. To her family, to her friends. But nothing matched what she’d done to her son. She’d left him to die.
Shortly afterward, she met him. The demon who took quirks. The one who’d sired her son. She requested he take her quirk away, and he did. And in that moment, all of her emotions came crashing back. The loss, the guilt, the horror…all of it. The demon left, never realizing who she was. Sapphire set out that very night to find her son. It was futile, and she knew it.
After years of emptiness, feeling again was like waking from a nightmare. But there was no more warm bed. No parents to comfort her. Every bridge was long since burned. She was alone. She considered going back home anyway, but no. How could she face her parents and tell them of her most vile act yet? Sapphire wrote them a letter, apologizing for what she put them through, but never sent it. Not until she found her son.
As Sapphire examined her map, something bumped her leg.
“Ow!”
She looked down. “Sorr-“
She stopped.
A small boy was sitting on the ground, rubbing his head. He wore ratty clothes with several holes in them. A street urchin. “Yeah, yeah, whatever.” He brushed himself off while two smaller children, a boy and a girl, went to his side.
“Are you alright Rody?”
“Yeah Lala, I’m fine,” the boy said. He got to his feet and walked away, not sparing Sapphire a second glance. But Sapphire’s eyes never left him.
It can’t be.
It was absurd to even consider. She’d been seeing her son in every boy his age for the last three years. But…this “Rody” was the right age. He had the right hair, identical to Sapphire’s. His features had some Asian traits like his father, and some traits similar to Sapphire’s parents. Most telling of all, a pink bird perched on his shoulder, looking at his siblings with an expression that matched the boy’s own.
It was him.
Sapphire sprinted after the children, nearly knocking several people over on the way. She rounded a corner, and saw the trio ducking into an alley. She sprinted into that same alley, only to find it empty.
Sapphire looked from side to side. Where’d they go? They had to be somewhere. Sapphire then looked up. Above her, the three children were climbing a fire escape. At her gaze, the three froze. Then they started climbing twice as fast.
Sapphire leapt onto the fire escape and scrambled her way up. It was difficult, she was no climber, but she refused to be stopped. Not when she was this close! The three children disappeared over the roof. Sapphire followed. Just as her head peeked over, she saw the kids vanish over another rooftop.
Sapphire sprinted after them. The three slid down a gutter drain like a fire pole. It was too small for Sapphire, but that didn’t stop her. She climbed down the old-fashioned way, using any handhold she could, before just jumping the last few feet.
The kids ran into the street. Sapphire followed. She finally caught up on the sidewalk and grabbed her son by the arm.
“Hey leggo! What gives!” her son said, wrenching his arm free. “You bumped me!”
“I-I’m not trying to hurt you,” Sapphire said. “I just …I just want to talk.”
“Yeah, about what?” her son said, inching toward the nearest escape point.
“Where are your parents?”
Her son flinched. “Why do you care?”
“I-you look too young to be on your own.”
“Yeah, well we’re fine! We don’t need help.” He folded his arms and raised his chin defiantly. Sapphire glanced at the bird, who was literally vibrating from fear. Despite herself, Sapphire chuckled.
“What’s so funny?”
“Nice performance, but the bird is giving you away.”
“Wha-PINO!” the kid looked mortified at being caught. Realization crossed her face. “Hold on, who told you how my quirk works?” He glanced accusingly at his brother.
“My quirk worked very similarly,” Sapphire said as a smile started to form. “Makes it hard to lie doesn’t it?”
“Yeah, yeah,” he said. “What’d you say you were doing here again?”
“I just arrived in Otheon and was passing through. Do you know where I can stay?” Sapphire said.
The kids looked amongst themselves. The two younger ones nodded.
“Follow me,” her son said. “I’m Rody Soul.”
“I’m Sapphire. You have a very nice name Rody.”
“Thanks.”
He led her deeper into the slums, taking care not to go anywhere without multiple witnesses. Smart kid. They arrived at a shanty town. Rody pointed to a small shelter made of junk and said, “We’re staying here. I’m hoping to make enough for a place to actually sleep in, but-“
Sapphire shoved money into his hand. “Will this help? I’ve been using it to travel. I was going to settle down, so you can have it!”
“Hot dog!” Rody said with an adorable smile. “This is more than the last two jobs as lookout for-” He froze. “Crud.”
Sapphire felt a stab in her chest. “You…turned to crime?”
“Well what else was I gonna do?” Rody said. “Nobody’ll take me. Not after Dad…” He trailed off.
“What did your father do?”
“He ditched us to join that Humarise group. Nobody’ll touch us after that.” He said it with a bitter acceptance.
Sapphire felt something she hadn’t felt in over a decade. Cold, cruel, rage. How dare someone abandon him! How dare everyone abandon them! Sure, she didn’t have room to talk, but she’d been an emotionless shell! What was their excuse?!
Noticing the scared expressions of the children, Sapphire forced herself to calm down. “I’m sorry. You don’t deserve that.”
He blinked at her, then looked away. “Thanks. So, what’s your story?”
“I was…looking for someone. My son. I lost him a long time ago. I…I wanted to find him.”
Rody gave her a charming smile. “Hey, I’m adopted!” he said. “You have money, right? If so, maybe I’m your kid!” Next to him, Pino snickered mischeviously.
Sapphire giggled. “I’m afraid I just gave you everything I had.”
“Awwww…”
“But…” Sapphire ran a hand through his hair. “You are the same age as my son. Similar hair to mine. Similar eyes.”
Rody tilted his head. Then, his eyes slowly widened. “Wait…You mean…you’re actually my-”
Sapphire nodded. “I am. Hello Rody, I’ve waited a long time to meet you.”
Rody stared at her slack jawed. Slowly, he closed his jaw and said, “You found me. What are you going to do now?”
“I don’t know. I guess try and get a job here to take care of you. But whatever happens, I’m not leaving you alone.” Not again.
Rody held his two siblings protectively. “And-“
Sapphire sighed “Them too.”
Rody started to tear up. “You…you sure you don’t have money?” he said while his bird bawled.
“Yes Rody, I’m sure.”
“F-fine then. I-I guess you’ll do. Then…”
He crashed into Sapphire and hugged her. His siblings followed. Sapphire froze. Then, for the first time in a decade, she wrapped her arms around him and held her son.
Every day of searching was worth it for this.
In the next few weeks, Sapphire managed to obtain a small trailer for herself and the kids. It was…better than nothing. Unfortunately, she had to resort to less than legal work for the money, but was doing her best to change that. She had no intent of living a life of crime again. Granted, feeding three kids on legitimate pay would be…difficult. However, she had to at least try, if only to set something of a good example. At least I kicked all my other bad habits years ago…
One day, while watching the kids playing in the yard, Sapphire pulled out her letter.
Was it time? She wanted to apologize but even now the prospect of facing them was hard. Then again, she had Rody. She could tell them about their grandson.
Outside, Rody ran with his toy airplane, smiling without a care in the world. I missed so much time…to have some of it back.
She looked to Roro and Lala.
And then some.
In a way, she was glad their father had simply left instead of taking them with him to join the cult. Sapphire would rather her son avoid living with insane nutjobs.
Sapphire hummed to herself as she finished making dinner. She called the kids in and watched as they ate. She had a family now. Sure, it was far from idyllic. Three kids, little money, and almost no friends or loved ones. But after everything else she’d gone through, it was all she could ever want.
That night, she sent the letter, along with a photo of Rody, Roro, and Lala.