Work Text:
“YOMI! BREAKFAST’S READY!”
The young gnome stirs from her slumber, burying herself into her pillow upon hearing her mother from downstairs. She didn’t want to leave the warmth of her bed.
A minute or two passes, and footsteps can be heard coming up the stairs.
The door creaks open. “Yom, time to get up. Mom made bacon.”
Yomi pries her sleepy eyes open, seeing her older sister Somyn. The other beds in the room were empty, inferring that everyone was likely up already besides her.
“I'm coming.” Throwing off the covers, she slips on her bedroom shoes and makes her way down the stairs with her sister.
Everyone else was up already, her dad and 8 other siblings around the table. Yomi’s mom places the last two plates on the table, one for her and one for her youngest daughter. Everyone takes their seat.
“Good morning, Sunshine.”
“Good morning, Mom.”
Yomi goes to take a bite of her eggs, looking to her siblings who were finishing up their plates.
Her dad speaks. “How'd y’ sleep, Rockstar?”
“Alright… I could have slept longer, though.”
“Heh… I bet y’ were up all night playin’, huh?”
One of Yomi’s sisters, Triza, sets down her fork and looks up from her plate. “Ohhh no. We do not let her keep us up all night with that thing.” She was half-joking, but deep down, Yomi knew they didn't like her playing when they were around her. So she didn't.
Yomi gives an awkward smile. “I wasn't…”
One of the brothers, Mernin, speaks up. “Can y'all not hear her play when y'all are downstairs? It's crazy loud.”
“You know I can't hear it over your father’s snoring,” their mother says, which gives Yomi a well-needed chuckle.
“Oh, come on, I ain't that loud.”
“Warver, last week you snored so loud you woke both of us up.”
Yomi cracks a smile as her parents continue their playful discourse, moving her attention back down to her plate. She takes a bite of her bacon, her food not as hot as she liked it to be but that simply being a consequence of sleeping in.
“Okay fine, fine. I reckon I snore a little loud.”
Her mother rolls her eyes before digging back into her own plate, Warver finishing his food and excusing himself from the table as well as a few other siblings. The rest of the family goes back upstairs as Yomi, Kelfan, Somyn, and their mother remain at the table. Mom speaks right before she finishes chewing.
“I really don't want to, but I have to go to the market today to grab a few things.”
“... If you wanted, I could go for you…?”
The three of them look at Yomi, as if what she just said was something odd.
Kelfan raises an eyebrow. “Since when did you want to get all responsible?”
“I mean, come on guys, I'm 13. I can do it.”
“I didn't say you couldn't… but why?”
Yomi was sure that leaving the house so she could play her instrument wasn't a valid reason to leave.
“Uhh… to help Mom out?...”
Her mother looks at her, worried. “I appreciate that, sweetie, but don't you think you shouldn't be going out by yourself?”
“I-”
“And those boys that have been bothering you… I don't want you to-”
“I- I’ll be fine, Mom…”
The table is silent for a few seconds.
She sighs. “Alright…. but like we’ve talked about, if they give you any trouble, you get an adult, you hear me?”
“They wouldn't do anything anyways.”
“D-don't worry about me, Mom... I can handle it just fine.”
Another exhale. She shakes her head. “... I worry about you, Yomi.”
“I know… but I can do it.”
More silence.
The two siblings left at the table—Kelfan and Somyn—uncomfortably look between themselves as they talk. The sister speaks up.
“Just let us know if they bother you, okay?”
Yomi attempts a smile. “Don't worry about me. I'll be fine.” She stands up from her seat. “Let me go change and grab my backpack real quick. Be right back.”
Yomi runs upstairs, thinking about what her Mom said.
She knew that the chances of running into them were high. It was a small village. But surely, she would be able to handle herself, right?
… Right?
Like, come on. Isn't she perfectly capable? And after that textbook that her parents gave her months ago for her birthday, she's even learned a bit how to use magic through music. If they try to lay their hands on her again…
Well, she didn't want to imagine that happening again...
Yomi changes quickly, wearing an oversized t-shirt and worn shorts along with a feathered hat she had been known to sport.
She hops down the stairs with her raggedy red backpack that was absolutely littered with pins. It had everything she needed, from her notebook to her pan flute.
Their mother hands Yomi a list, the three groceries written in Gnomish:
Grocery List
- Bread
- Milk
- Bag of Potatoes
“This is all you need to get. And here's some coins… don't stay out too long, grab everything and come right back.”
“Yes ma'am!” Yomi waves to her mother and siblings, giving them air kisses before she leaps out the door.
Her mother calls out after the door is closed. “AND MAKE SURE YOU CHECK THEIR EXPIRATION DATES!”
“I WILLL!!!”
Yomi skips on the short way to the market, her instrument in hand. She quietly plays a small tune or two, remaining timid and avoiding eye contact as people pass by. She takes her sweet time, savoring the opportunity to play without anyone complaining (out loud, anyway).
Soon, though, she reaches the marketplace, sticking her pan flute in her pocket as she goes up to each stand.
She retrieves the milk and bread (yes, she checked the expiration dates like Mom said) as well as a few potatoes, putting them into a bag.
Yomi walks with pep in her step as she exits the marketplace with hands full. She carries a gallon of milk and a bag of potatoes in her right hand, and a loaf of bread in her left. Unable to play music due to this, she resorts to humming her favorite song, one that was particularly difficult for her to play.
“Whatcha humming there, Sour Note?”
She flinches slightly, shrinking into herself and slowing her stroll. She knew that voice all too well. It was Wreybur.
Yomi speaks quietly. “Leave me alone...”
“Oh, so now you're finally quieting down? You wouldn't shut up a second ago.”
She looks behind her, seeing the three boys that have been bullying her. Yomi talks a bit louder even though her voice remains fragile. “Please stop that.”
“Stop what? We just came to ask for a snack.”
“A wha-”
One of the boys, Horfan, snatches the loaf in her hand, sticking it underneath his shirt and sprinting away.
“HEY!”
Yomi begins to run after him, but Wreybur grabs her by the wrist, pulling her back. Her shout brings some of the people nearby attention, though they quickly dismiss it, not knowing what was happening.
After the boy gains some distance, Wreybur releases her, Yomi chasing after him. He was faster than she was, for sure, and the groceries she was holding didn't help… but she could easily tell where he was going.
Yomi ends up reaching an alleyway, facing the culprit that was now cornered.
“Give it BACK!”
All he does is laugh, ripping the bag open and taking out a slice to eat.
Before she can do anything, Yomi feels one of them restrain her from behind as the other goes for the other groceries in her hands. She struggles and kicks, but he pries them away.
“Wow, you run pretty fast for a fat girl!” Wreybur walks with the milk and potatoes towards the end of the alley where his friend was eating the bread, Yomi finally becoming free after being thrown to the ground.
“Give… it back….”
He opens the milk carton. “What? You don't like sharing?” He drinks from it casually. “Don't you think you've eaten enough?”
The one that was restraining Yomi, named Fellen, walks over to them, grabbing a piece of bread for himself.
She stands up slowly, her hands and knees shaking as she reaches into her pocket to pull out her pan flute.
The three of them laugh uproariously.
“Look, she's gonna give us a free concert!”
“No need to serenade us during our lunch, the peace and quiet sounds much better!”
Yomi feels herself on the brink of tears, though she holds herself together as she remembers who she was doing this for, bringing her instrument to her lips… and playing a low note as she casts Thunderclap.
The three of them drop everything they were holding and cover their ears, the milk spilling and soaking the ground around them. Even Yomi flinches.
Their faces immediately become angry.
Yomi quickly turns on her heel and makes a run for it, though she is grabbed by the back of her shirt and pulls her back.
“You little-”
She cries out as she is forced onto the ground with a shove, her clothes getting soaked as all three boys jump her.
Her pan flute is pried out of her hands, stomped into the dirt and breaking clean in half.
They kick and punch at her sides, Yomi feeling the pain of every blow.
One of the boys even rips open the bag of potatoes, throwing them one by one at her and hitting her head, her body, her face.
After what seems like an eternity, they finally get off of her… but Yomi stays on the ground. Tears mix with blood as she cowers in place, crying in pain.
They tower over her, Wreybur speaking one last time. “Next time, just hand everything over, Pipsqueak.”
They leave the alley, and Yomi is alone.
“She’s still at th’ marketplace?” Warver stands in the kitchen, talking with his wife as she works.
“I hope so… I'm afraid that something bad happened, I told her to come right back-”
The door opens.
The two of them look towards the noise, quickly scurrying to enter the living room.
Heart-wrenching couldn't even describe the sight.
In stumbles Yomi, her hand lingering on the doorknob as she uses the door to keep herself upright. Her face and body is covered in bruises, blood present as tears and snot also cover her face.
“YOMI!”
Her parents run to her, holding her and helping her inside. Her silent crying quickly turns audible.
“M-Mom-...! Th-they took the stuff- I-I'm so s-sorry…!”
“I'm not worried about any of that!” She says, her eyes becoming wet as well. “What happened?”
Yomi can't get out any more words. She simply clutches onto her mom, and cries.
Pain hits both of their hearts as they exchange a look, unable to fix their daughter’s state.
They hear quiet footsteps coming down the stairs, some of Yomi’s siblings arriving to check out what all the commotion was. Warver meets some of their gazes, waving them off so that Yomi could be alone with them.
“Yomi, baby, you have to tell us what happened.”
“Th-they- took- the stuff-...! And they beated- me- UP!”
“Shhhshshsh… it's okay… you're okay now….”
“Th-THEY BROKE MY PAN FLUTE!!”
Her mother’s tears fall as she holds Yomi tight. “It's alright, baby… we'll get it fixed…”
No response, only tears.
“Let's get you on the couch… I'll fix you some of your favorite tea, alright?”
Yomi whimpers, trying to cut back her crying as she buries her face into her mother's shoulder.
“C’mon, honey…” She helps Yomi limp to the couch, throwing a blanket over her as she lays down on a throw pillow.
She barely hears her mother whisper to her dad. “Go let the kids know what happened. I'm going to fix her some tea.”
Yomi lays in the living room, the only sounds being her sniffling, feet going up the stairs, and clanking in the kitchen.
It wasn't enough noise to drown out their insults replaying in her head.
She reaches into her pocket, taking out her now broken pan flute. She places it back together as if it was a two-piece puzzle.
She did something back there, but… it wasn't enough.
One day, though, she'd get stronger. Strong enough that no one could pick on her weaknesses.
Oh, but if only that day would come faster.