Chapter Text
"Second?!" His voice reverberated in the wilderness, "Second where did you go?!" Chosen sprinted down through the grass, weaving in between the trees with a breaking pace. A ragged breath coursed in and out as he ran. He skipped over some fallen, rotting branches that blocked his road, once tripping over his toes before stumbling back with more frustration to push him on.
He only left his eyes off the kid for a moment. Where, in the ever-loving Outernet, could a child run off to in such a short time? It's like Second just went poof out of existence.
"Over here!" The distant voice echoed around the forest. Chosen put a stop to his tracks in a split second, shoes roughly skidding on the dirt so that the grass went shaved off. One swift U-turn later and he was dashing back, quietly cursing to himself that he's been going the opposite way this whole time. But as he made his way back, Second's voice began to float around, losing its clarity. Chosen's pace slowed.
Was he going in the wrong direction? Second's call sounded the strongest from straight behind, but now he hears it to his right. Then to his left. The woods here are so dense with overgrown nature to the point that sound might be distorted with. This place might as well be one huge cave for all he knows.
He cupped his hands around his mouth, still sprinting, "Second?"
There was a rustle of leaves, "Here!" Chosen picked up the voice in his right ear as he slowed. It's much closer than before, however his whereabouts were still unknown.
He pinched the bridge of his nose while letting out a disgruntled sigh. Chosen should really pick up the pace; who knows what could be in this forest? Even though Second sounds the least of worried or anxious, there might even be a hint of glee in it, Chosen's not about to play hide and seek in a place with millions of hiding spots and possible lurking threats. And Second's disembodied voice is certainly not helping.
Chosen calmed his strained breath down before yelling again, "Where?! All I'm seeing here is green!"
"Uhm...well, I see a lot of white! Maybe that?"
For an aspiring artist, this kid lacks the ability to describe. And where the hell would there be a ton of white in a forest? Mold? Mushrooms?
Chosen's hands curled with growing tension, "Shake a tree, or something!" But he quickly saw the ridiculousness in his words. How would Second be strong enough to shake a tree the size of the literal skyscrapers? He's a child for god's sake. There's hundreds of them too. All clogged onto the soiled ground like a dandelion field. If Second even has the strength to get ahold of one, he'll probably trigger other trees to shake as well.
He let out an irritated growl. The tips of his fingers were threatening to ignite and blast off into the sky. Maybe he can spot him from there. But knowing undiscovered forests like these, one singular flame to a dry patch and it'll light up like a bonfire.
A sudden groan and crack of a branch snapped his attention to the west direction, his right. A colossal tree that stood among their twins began to sway, a group of rich green leaves falling to the ground as if some huge critter was there. He took a quick breath through the nose. Unless orangutans or monkeys exists here, or some other mammal that could climb trees, there's no way any other creatures here would cause that much of a ruckus. What, did a parrot snap the twig?
But then again, anything can be here.
Chosen inched closer to the tree's roots, holding fingers behind his back just in case he needs them. Something clawed at the tree's bark that created a wood scratching sound that grated Chosen's ears. He's not sure what he's expecting, however, with a small thud and a tiny 'oof!', a thought entered his mind. Chosen spared a glance at the fallen leaves; he did just tell him to shake a tree.
Chosen tilted his head to a side, "...Second?" He whispered.
An orange head popped behind the tree, leaves sticking out of his hair, "'Sup Cho!"
"Second!" The pressing pressure elevated as he sprinted towards him, crushing the kid in a tight hug that probably could've tipped them over if it weren't for the large tree behind them. He held Second around his head and shoulders. His chin rested on top of his orange cloud hair, a trembling hand running through the strands and stuck foliage, "Don't you ever run off like that again, you hear that? You had me worried sick!" He picked a small twig out of his hair. If the kid only brought Chosen out to a lost forest just to play tricks on him, he's certainly not finding it funny.
But Second only giggled as he put a reassuring pat on his back, "Don't worry Cho. I'm not gonna disappear like that." He felt a pang hit his heart. Chosen heard those words many a time, all from moments when Second's safety seemed less than ideal. But no matter how many times, no matter if it was months or just yesterday, the kid always says that exact sentence with a comforting genuity.
Reluctantly, Chosen released his arms and placed firm hands on his shoulder, "I know, I know. But you could've at least told me you were going somewhere." His hazy eyes glanced at his vibrant ones.
Second tilted his head over with an innocent expression. Wandering eyes and a slightly stuck out tongue practically saying 'whoopsie daisies!'. He really wanted to pinch his cheeks for that, but he didn't as the kid began to speak, "I guess so." Then a glint shimmered behind his pupils as a grin spread out, "But what I saw back then was so amazing! You would like it too."
He possibly would, if this kid didn't give him a heart attack first, "Is this the 'a lot of white' you were talking about?"
The glint glimmered into a star-like sparkle, "Mhm! Mhm!" He nodded his head feverishly, "I swear, it'll be the best thing you'll ever see! C'mon-" he shifted one of the hands on his shoulder into his and began to tug Chosen forward, "-I remember you saying you like to watch sunsets, yeah? I found the perfect place."
Second was not lying; this is a lot of white. So much so that Chosen would've mistaken it as snow if it weren't for the fresh green stems and grass below. It's similar to the forest and its mass amount of trees, but instead of trees, it's a bunch of dandelions. Large, puffy, and snow white dandelions.
He could feel a tiny grimace contort his face. Chosen knows the plant could multiply as fact as bacteria, however this is a bit excessive. The weeds were practically everywhere. They stretched from where he stood and all the way to the horizon, no other kinds of landforms or plants in sight. As if this whole field is a simple plain made specifically for dandelions. It's literally impossible for there to be any trees or even a small daisy; there's just no room.
"Welcome to Dandelion Field, where poppies and such decay while weeds thrive and never die!" Second announced like a tour guide. Chosen wasn't able to say anything before the kid took off, running around the grass, but he did raise an eyebrow at the selection of words he used. Ultimately though, he should know by now that Second says the most random of things whenever he wants to.
Chosen shrugged as he spared a glance over his shoulder. Now that he notices, this was quite an abrupt change from the forest. From the moment a row of dandelions came into sight, it's like the whole forest got cut off. Like a border between winter and summer. Back in the woods, he could only see all the different shades of green. Moss that coated on peeling bark, vines hanging and strewn around like a massive spider web, even the sky was a patch of green from the trees above. An overgrown hedge essentially. Not a single crack of light could pass the leaves.
"Did this place grow when dinosaurs existed and had never been found later? 'Cause it definitely looks like it." Second remarked when he first stepped into a mud patch. And Chosen whole heartedly agrees. It's why it's hard to think this field is even real.
Back there, the woods seemed like an endless labyrinth. An infinitely expanding maze with no exits whatsoever. Contrarily, this place's like the yang to the yin. Above, where the cotton candy sky is a pastel gradient and not just one color; tiny white seeds flowing along the breeze, and an orange stick mirthfully skipping around, it's beautiful. It's the grounds of tranquility.
Chosen's not exactly a fan of weeds but he has to admit: this is not half bad. The sun's still up in the sky, sadly, so he'll have to wait for it to set. But even without it, he's still looking upon what seemed like heaven.
He desperately wished he could take a picture and later paste it in his album, yet alas, he couldn't find the urge to move. Because if he were to take his eyes off, it's taking his eyes off the scenery. Off Second. Taking his eyes off the little ball of sunshine, peeling his attention away from his gleeful laughs, running around the field with arms wide open like he's out on a snow day. He blended in with the sunset in the background but Chosen could see him with crystal clarity. Even with the light blinding his eyes, even if the orange sky mixed with his hair and limbs, he glowed brighter than all; Second was the sun.
He so desperately wanted to picture this moment, this delicate moment of joy, but as soon as he blinked Second was out of view. Gone just like back in the forest.
Next thing he know though, with a short chuckle nearby, Second booped his shoulder, "You should see your face, Cho. It's hilarious."
He scoffed, but inwardly released a tense breath, "Hilarious hm?" What's so hilarious about a smile?
"Well, you're just standing there. Doing nothing." He tugged on his sleeve, "Like, you can go closer, y'know. Stop staring at the sun! That's bad for your eyes!" With a heave, Second began sprinting with a tight grip on Chosen's wrist, causing him to stumble forward.
"O-Okay! Alright! No need to pull." He said, though he's glad he's not standing anymore. While running away further from the forest, it's like he left something behind in that murky habitat. Letting it rot with the worms and ants. Or, it's just that he needs some more vitamin D. That's perfectly possible too.
But despite having Second's surprisingly warm hand guide him, there's just a slight issue with running. Although being much older and thus must be more agile, Chosen absolutely cannot match Second's sprinting pace. The kid's a full on train powered by electricity when eccentric. Considering that, and with Chosen initially caught off guard, it's fitting to say that tumbling face first into the dandelions is a reasonable outcome.
And such outcome happened.
"Oof!" He exclaimed, lying stomach down on the fuzzy ground. The fall wasn't too painful or sore. Actually, it was a bit comfortable. The warmly baked ground were like the bedsheets at home and the soft grass acting as a puffed out pillow. If it wasn't for the white dandelions tickling his face, he would've slept right then and there.
He sneezed as he felt a seed go up his nose. The footsteps ahead slowed before turning, lightly crunching some plants and grass as they walked back, "Oops. You good Cho?"
"I'mf fhantashtic." He raised his head off the dirt, dusting off any extra seeds that stuck to his face. Another sneeze threatened to escape as he rubbed his nose but never came out. Silently, he gagged as he tasted a grassy taste on his tongue. Second laughed while he looked at his brother.
"Whatever you say." A small rustling thud sounded next to him. Chosen turned to his left, but saw nothing except noticing again how tall the dandelions were. He raised an eyebrow, these are definitely not dandelions. He didn't quite acknowledge it while standing, but sitting down, they reached his shoulders. And the weed's head are probably thrice the size of a normal dandelion. Around the shape of a literal fist.
Chosen leaned over where the thud was, tilting his head over to see a splayed out Second in the form of a snow angel. An amused snicker left him, "Wow, I couldn't even see you without looking above." No wonder he just blinked out of existence minutes ago. He could've crouched down and the whole field could cover him. Even when sitting up, only their head was visible above the flowers, making him look like a bodiless stick among the white mass.
Second quietly chuckled, glancing at him, "Really?" He pried a weed from the ground before blowing the seeds away. The tiny brown kernels flowing away like blown bubbles.
"Really." Chosen replied, watching him pull a few more and huffing into those. With holding four of them now, however, he began spitting as he tried to blow harder. Second has some experience though. Chosen recalls on his ninth birthday how proud he was when he extinguished all the candles in one blow. Then again, he's trying to shave off four dandelion the size of Christmas ornaments. That'll probably equal twenty candles.
On the contrary, knowing Second, he'll find a way sooner or later. He's doing a good job already. Having two of the four mostly done. Something sweet bubbled inside his heart as the kid huffed again, his eyes trailed the new group of seeds drifting away and squinting when the setting sun got too bright in his eyes.
But, as he noted the white ground turning to a warm hue of yellow-orange, and that the sun was indeed lowering, a tinge of sadness dripped in his stomach.
He didn't notice how low the sun was to the horizon's brink. Just when Second found this place, the day was still bright as an afternoon can be. Now, if he cranes his head back, he could see stars twinkling behind the clouds.
That's a shame; he really would've liked it if they could stay out here for an hour or more. Though seeing that it's probably been ten minutes, six more of those later, they'll be plunged into darkness. Especially when they go back to that forest. Chosen would prefer it if he could carry Second as he flew through the sky instead of going back in the dark green mush. The kid likes it, and he does too. Soaring through the night sky like a comet. But that'll come with a risky cost. Using fire up where anybody could see them, he'll be spotted out easily, and Chosen's not all too excited to combat any hunters any time soon.
He's got a kid too. He can't risk losing him. Having already nearly lost Second in the woods almost sent him to a spiral alone. What would happen if Second actually went astray? He doesn't have a phone, so calling won't be an option. Chosen exhaled as a small sigh. Looks like he'll just have to deal with it while having an iron grip on Second's hand when they go back. All the meanwhile hoping that no stick would jump out at them.
It's ridiculous, he knows. This place is not found or abandoned to his knowledge, but he can't help but feel hidden eyes or cameras spying their move. It's a possibility. Something Chosen figures the public will do anyway. He's clearly wanted in the city from all the posters he sees on the walls.
Something soft was placed on his head, taking him out of his thoughts. He blinked, raising a hand to feel what it was, confusion rising as he felt the soft dandelion heads. Multiple of them in fact.
He hummed in question, "What's this?"
Second leaned in front of him, a devious look on his face, "It's a flower crown! Or, actually, a weed crown, if you count it as one. Blue taught me how to make them." Chosen carefully lifted the delicacy off his head and in front. A small grin slowly spreading across as he studied the precious creation.
"I love it, thank you." He placed it back on his head. Second cheered with achievement before encasing him in a light hug, arms around his upper half as his tiny head rested on his shoulder. Chosen put a hand on his back in return, the sun basking them in a light warm hue as he moved his hand up and down in slow succession.
Nearby, he reached for a dandelion and plucked it off the ground. It's a bit shorter than the rest but has a good group of seeds on top. He twirled the plant in his fingers before turning back to Second, planting the stem on the back of his ear.
"Uwah?" The young hollow head lifted his head off Chosen's shoulder. He snorted at his face as the stick tried to figure out what he did. When he felt the flower on his ear though, he chuckled, "Ohh." Second reached and took a few from the ground again, "You wanna learn how to make one? It's not really that hard."
Chosen's smile faded, "Sorry Sec. We kinda have to hurry now." He patted his head, gesturing to the sky, "It's getting dark and we're well far away from home. Maybe another time."
"Aww." He pouted but otherwise dropped the dandelions. His head turned to the horizon, "Can't we have five more minutes though? Just five more, then we're outta here. Or actually just take a picture! Take a picture and we're speeding outta here!" He leaped off the floor and pointed to his jacket pocket.
Ah right, he has a phone.
Chosen stood from the ground, "Alright. But once we do, we're going." With an electric nod, Second ran down the field, kicking up some dandelions as he did. He was about to join him, but found his feet stuck to the ground again like before as he gazed forward.
The sunset was gorgeous. Second, once more, was not lying about this place. The view of the sun against warm and cool colors of the sky was amazing. It's exactly like the pictures he sees online but much more real, almost as if he could touch it. He doesn't get to see these often or really have a good place to watch it. Chosen usually goes on the top of some obscure abandoned buildings and the earliest he can to avoid anybody noticing him, leading him to only see a small fraction of it for a very short amount of time.
And while he can see more, it's not only that which makes this feeling so surreal. It's not only the pink clouds and blending hues of the sky that had him wish time could slow down. They're all just a small part of why.
"Heeeeey! Why are you just standing there like that? You're making that face again you know!" Second waved a hand at him.
Chosen laughed. If only he could read thoughts, "I'm coming, I'm coming."
The orange stick rose both of their arms, hooting out a 'woo!' as he made his way over, "You say you like sunsets, but you're taking so long to actually take a look at it." He teased.
But although Chosen couldn't disagree, there's a flawed logic in his words that only a child like him couldn't see. To Second, he's probably thinking that Chosen believes sunsets are the singular best thing in the world. Like how a lot of youths think there can only be one best friend. And although he does enjoy watching the sun end a tiresome day, giving the moon a turn, there's more to that.
If he were to ever explain to Second, he'll say it's like those times when you regret things you haven't done as you grew, or naturally learn about some facts that everyone talks about in saying, 'you'll learn when you're older'. It's those truths that only come as the years pass by. This is one of them.
Sure he likes sunsets, but there's things he loves more.
