Chapter Text
This is the story of how I died.
A wanted poster for a smirking young woman hung on a tree in the forest.
I know, tragic, I’m too pretty to die. What’s worse is that it isn’t even my story! I should be the main character, but someone has me beat: Chuuya. This is his story. And it starts with the sun.
Once upon a time, a single drop of sunlight fell from the heavens.
A pearl of orange light landed in the soft earth of a seaside cliff.
And from this small drop of sun grew a magic amber flower.
An iris with glowing petals bloomed into the darkness.
It had the ability to heal the sick and injured.
A man in heavy clothing pulled down a scarf as he inspected the flower.
See that old guy over there? Remember him. Kind of important to the story.
Centuries passed, and a hop, skip, and boat ride away there grew a kingdom.
The sun shone brightly on the palace and pristine little houses.
The kingdom was ruled by a beloved king and queen.
A pregnant woman lay on her bed, coughing and barely conscious.
And the queen was about to have a baby. But she got sick. Super sick. She was running out of time, and that’s when people start to look for a miracle.
Under the moonlight, a fleet of ships set off into the night. When they arrived at the closest island, they disembarked and began exploring.
Or, ya know, a magical amber flower.
The old man, looking carefully about himself, lifted a woven basket of leaves off the hidden iris.
Aha! Knew he was important! You see, instead of sharing the sun’s gift that guy, Father Randou, hoarded its healing power and used it to keep himself young for hundreds of years. And all he had to do was sing a special song.
(Randou) “Flower gleam and glow.”
The iris glowed, and amber light washed over Randou.
(Randou) “Let your power shine,
Make the clock reverse,
Bring back what once was mine,
What once was mine!”
As he breathed in the pollen, his greying hair darkened, his wrinkles smoothed, and his cold skin became warm.
You get it, one little tune and he’s young again. …God, he’s creepy.
The sound of shouting townspeople echoed through the air. In alarm, Randou quickly replaced the camouflage over the flower and turned to flee. However, without his knowledge, his lantern hit the basket. The iris was left in the open. Palace guards arrived at the cliff to see the glowing flower out in the open.
“We found it!” announcement a guard.
Carefully, they dug it up as Randou watched angrily.
The magic of the amber flower healed the queen.
She drank the glowing water made from the iris. Soon, a baby with soft red hair lay in a bassinet.
A healthy baby boy, a prince, was born with beautiful amber hair.
Above the baby, the design of a sun on a mobile looked down on him. His parents happily put a crown on his head. After all, it would be his one day.
Here’s a hint: that little shit is Chuuya. To celebrate his birth, the king and queen launched a flying lantern into the sky.
With the symbol of the sun painted on each side, the lantern floated up into the sky as the people below cheered.
And for that one moment, everything was perfect. And then that moment ended.
Under the cover of darkness, Father Randou, once again old and grey, snuck into the nursery. Standing over Chuuya’s crib, he began to sing.
(Randou) “Flower gleam and glow,
Let your power shine.”
Chuuya’s hair began to glow just as the flower had, and as Randou took a strand into his hand, his youth returned. He held up scissors to take back a piece of the magic he so desired.
(Randou) “Make the clock rev—!”
The hair in his hand stopped glowing and turned a dull, reddish brown, and his wrinkles returned. What’s worse was the cold that seeped into his bones. Randou looked down at Chuuya. He knew what he had to do.
Randou broke into the castle, stole the child, and just like that, poof! He was gone.
With a crying Chuuya bundled in his arms, Randou disappeared into the night even as the king and queen raised the alarm.
The kingdom searched and searched, but they could not find the prince. For deep within the forest, in a hidden tower, Randou raised the child as his own.
Chuuya sat in front of the fireplace as Randou brushed his long hair.
(Chuuya) “Save what has been lost,
Bring back what once was mine,
What once was mine.”
Randou had his flower, and this time, he was determined to keep it hidden.
“I want to go outside,” said Chuuya crossly.
“The outside world is a dangerous place, filled with horrible, selfish people,” said Randou. “You must stay here, where you’re safe. Do you understand, flower?”
Chuuya sighed. “Yes, Father…”
But the walls of the tower could not hide everything…
In the dead of night, Chuuya slipped downstairs from his bedroom to the window.
Each year, on his birthday, the king and queen released thousands of lanterns into the sky in hope that one day their lost prince would return.
Fascinated, Chuuya watched the lights in the sky. His father never explained them, so they remained a mystery in his life. And for that, he wanted to see them even more.
And that’s how this story begins.