Chapter Text
Rice Shower eyes opened in the pitch darkness of her room, her body was hot, too hot, she began to cough violently. Her vision became blurry as she tried to get out of bed, feeling her stomach churning painfully. Rice’s mother woke up stirred by the commotion, walking out into the dark hallway of the apartment tying a knot around her night gown. A single light from the bathroom illuminated the hallway with Rice Shower sitting on her knees propping herself up against the wall breathing heavily. “Sick again dear?”
“Uh?! Y-Yeah… mom,” Rice softly spoke as her mom walked up to her and began rubbing her back to sooth her. “You still have school in the morning, but… if you don’t think you’re up for it-”
“I-I would… like to stay home…”
“Alright then dear, remember to brush your teeth then try and get some sleep, but don’t forget to make up for your school work.”
“I won’t mom, you don’t have to worry.”
“Before I go to work do you want me to make you some breakfast?” She asked with a warm smile. “Y-Yes please, thank you, mom,” Rice responded looking up at her mother, who began to walk off. Rice lifted herself from the floor, her knees searing in pain from sitting on them. She grabbed her tooth brush from the cup on the counter squeezing out what little remained of her toothpaste. Pouring a small amount of water over it, she then began to scrub. In the small kitchen Rice’s mother took out a pan, placing it on the oven, and turning on a burner. “Maybe Rice didn’t wear enough yesterday… the cold’s been worse recently,” she murmured to herself cracking an egg on the side of the pan. The sizzle of the yolk on heated metal filled the air, as the egg cooked she walked over to the fridge and took out a carrot. She then grabbed the cutting board and knife, placed the carrot on it and began to cut it into small slices. The faint thump of the blade cutting through the orange root against the board. Rice grogily walked into the apartment’s living room with her blanket wrapped around her, “Eggs?” Rice’s face lit up, but then returned to its downturned expression of sadness, “You haven’t made those in a long time.”
“I thought it would make you feel better.”
“Umh… no it’s that, last time you made it, that’s when other mom was here,” Rice’s purple eyes looked down to the ground. Her mother stopped cutting the carrot, “Mom… why did she leave? Was it because of me?”
“Wha?! No sweetie, she didn’t leave because of you, she loved you just as much as I do… she just had dreams she wanted to follow…”
“Why couldn’t we have followed them together?” Rice sniffled. “She just wanted you to be able to live a normal life. If we followed her you’d never get to go to school, meet friends, sleep in your comfortable bed… but when she’s done, she’ll be here with us.”
“R-Really?”
“Yes dear,” she said, hugging her daughter tightly, “hey, why don’t we go watch the sunrise while the eggs cook.”
“That sounds nice,” Rice said with a small smile as her mother picked her up. She walked over to the window moving away the curtains, “you see that Rice?”
“Yeah! It looks so pretty! And warm.”
“That’s your other mom, far off in the distance but still so warm. Her golden light shines on us even here.” Rice Shower’s eyes widened along with her smile, “Hi, mom,” she reached out, “Huh? M-Mom?”
“What is it dear?”
“What’s a… Arky-Bus?”
“What?” She looked to where her daughter was pointing, her eyes shot open in horror. Off in the distance a gigantic body raised in front of the sun. Its body was shaded of dark blue, the graphic of shark teeth plastered across its chest, one glowing eye staring down the city. “Rice,” her mother shuddered, “we have to leave, now.”
“What?”
“There’s no to- AUGH?!” A thundering boom rang out in the streets as smoke and fire rose from several buildings. “Mom?!?” The low rumble of the propulsion hummed above their apartment complex, a second large metal beast hovering above the city firing out missiles that flew towards public buildings. Its flames burst outwards as it shot forward, its lower half being split into four legs, the force of the outburst shattering the apartment's windows. Rice stared at the flying mech as glass shards shot towards them, her mother turning quickly sheltering her daughter from the sharp pieces. “Agh!” She winced. “Mom!”
“Don’t worry about it, come on!” She gritted her teeth, the pain of glass digging into and falling off her skin, the back of her shirt torn up. She held Rice's hand and she rushed towards the apartment door. Outside a large building crumbled, falling against several others next to it, the destruction caused by the third attacker, wielding a body with purple shades from the speakers attached to its hull, the pilot spoke, “Rubiconians! Arquebus has claimed this territory as their’s, and as such your lives are hereby forfeit. The pests hiding in a newly bought house, we are the exterminators.”
“Come on Hammer-Head, C’mon! I’m hungry!”
“Behave yourself Splitter-“
“Chain! Chain Splitter!!”
“My embedded servos burn as well Hammer, we need to cool off…”
“We will Bull, but first, we have a job to do.”
“C’monnnnn, they’re warm and fresh now!” Chain Splitter whined. “Tch, first gen neural damage has certainly had its toll on you Splitter.”
“CHAIN! CH-“
“Chain Splitter yadda yadda, it’s inconsequential we’re killing everyone here regardless, you can eat them later I don’t care,” Hammer-Head announced as siren blared across the city. “Stand down, you are in violation of the joint Corpoate-PCA safety treaty by simply stepping foot on Rubicon, you are hereby labeled a terrorist under interplanetary doctrine and we are authorized to use force as we see fit,” rang out an announcement across the city. “Hah! You think Arquebus cares?! Balam is making moves so we must keep up, and…” Hammer-Head spoke, raising his arm holding a hand-held bazooka, “Who’s gonna call the feds?” The shot rang out as it hurled towards the city hall, the whole of the building decimated in fire being burnt to ashes.
Rice Shower was pulled down the stairs of the apartment complex, her mother gripping tightly on her wrist. “What’s going on?” Rice cried. Her mother stopped and turned to her, getting down on her knees to talk to Rice, “There’s some real bad guys out there, we just need to run to safety, can you do that for me?”
“Ah- Mh Hmm!” Rice nodded, the two continued to run down the stairs. As they got closer to the bottom floor outside they could hear the thundering gunfire ringing out in the streets as MT forces tried to fend off the corporate ACs to no avail. The pair finally reached the ground floor and sprinted towards the front entrance, but before they could leave a large machine flew into the building, mortar and stone buckling under its weight as the Tetrapod MT crashed down. Rice Shower looked at it, noticing a hole in the side of the main body, inside the walls were a dark red color, it dripped onto the floor. Rice felt the same pain in her chest as this morning as her body convulsed, she covered her mouth, eyes shot wide open in horror. She couldn’t see it, but inside the pilot remained, broken, mangled, and crushed. Bones jutting out from flesh like a human raisin.
“The joy of the feast is so refreshing!” Chain Splitter shouted, smearing the stained metal hands across his AC’s torso, the blue becoming a dark maroon. “Chain, look alive, we got some more MTs coming in,” Bull sniddly spoke. “Why do we keep him around?”
“The Handler bought us all, he’s as much property as we are”
“Guess you’re right…” Hammer-Head scoffed, “wish we had the old Great White back… but we got him.”
“Don’t antagonize him… it wasn’t his choice to get those neural implants, and he certainly can’t help what happens.”
“Yeah,” Hammer-Head sighed, “still, I want Great White to come out from Chain’s head.”
“Hey, maybe we can get him back if we get enough Coam… then we can reverse the surgeries and get our brother back, our real brother,” Bull shouted as he flung a string of explosions at the incoming MTs lighting up the streets with fire and shrapnel, tearing into various bystanders. “If only we didn’t have to do jobs like these…” Hammer-Head lamented. “I don't care what I have to do, the corporations took him for their wars, so I’ll get him back, I’ll put him back to normal! No matter the cost of life, because they’ve already taken so much from us!”
“The corporations did, these people have done nothing to-“
“Yes they have! We’re being paid to wipe them out… they stand in the way between us and him. They’re all selfish for that, deserving of it,” Bull snarled the robotic spine jutting out of his back burning red and steaming, “they’re the reason they took his face… took our faces… our arms, legs, and bodies!!! We are here to slaughter them, and then we’ll be free! They stand in the way!”
“BROTHER NO!” Hammer-Head called out to him as Bull shot out a salvo of missiles. One after another they struck into the building, the screams of children ringing out in the streets.
“The smell of burning flesh… I want more!” Screamed Chain Splitter. In the distance Rice saw smoke rising from where her school was. They didn’t need to worry about the cold, the smoke and fire covering the city had raised the local temperature considerably. Rice Shower began to burn up wrapped in her blanket and purple pajamas. They rushed out of the side emergency exits of the building, the half melted snow biting at their feet. Rice coughed on the smoke holding up the blanket over her mouth. Tears running down her face out of fear and the smoke irritating her eyes.
“BROTHER?!!” Hammer-Head shouted, “What the hell are you doing?! Those were kids in there-“
“SO WHAT?! We never got to be kids! Because. Of. Them!”
“NO! WE’RE LIKE THIS BECAUSE OF ARQUEBUS!!” He paused, “the coral… I-It… It’s burning your brain! Damn scientists using us as guinea pigs for their experiments!” More missiles from Bull shot out hitting parks, markets, and buildings, “BULL STOP!!”
“I CAN’T… I… have to!”
“RAGH!” Hammer-Head charged his frame into Bull’s grabbing his shoulder-mounted right missile launcher, ripping it off, “I can’t lose another to blood lust!”
“Hammer… forgive me… I’m not in my best mind right now. Seeing Great White devolve to… this…” he whimpered. “I understand… let’s just leave, and figure ou-“ Hammer-Head’s radio signal went out, his voice replaced with metal scraping. “B-Brother…” Bull shuddered, a blood stain spike spearing through the torso of Hammer’s AC, crimson flying onto the camera’s embedded into Bull’s frame head. “Greetings adversary, call sign : Bull,” a posh voice spoke over the radio, “that’s one down Raven, show these agents of terror true fear.”
Rice had seen the AC shoot across the sky as it slung its arms back and struck the attacking shark. “Mom, look!” She pointed at the new arrival staring down Bull, “Are they here to save us?”
“Don’t stop running!”
“Y-Yes mom!”
“B-Brother…” Bull gasped, “he was the… the good one… why, WHY NOT ME!” His spine lit up the cockpit red and Coral coursed through his nerves, “I’LL KILL YOU!!” He shouted over the built-in speakers. “Looks like these corporate dogs are as brain dead as believed, Raven.” Without hesitation they pulled their right ceiling cord, the double barreled Songbird on their right shoulder shot two explosive shells into Bull. “AGH! I won’t let his death be in vain!” Bull proclaimed swapping the explosive thrower with its plasma counterpart attached to his left shoulder bay, a thin rope shot out and began to rapidly swing in a circle in front of Bull’s AC blocking the shells. “Looks like they gave them some new toys, stay careful out there Raven.” The mute pilot pushed away the lifeless tomb holding Hammer-Head, reeling the Pilepunker spear back. “YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST KILL MY BROTHER LIKE THAT?!?” Bull’s iris beamed out red light and he breathed in deep, heavy, and rapidly. “You want to talk about that? He and the other have just killed hundreds if not thousands in this city. Maybe even more outside of this.”
“We have no choice!”
“Neither do we,” the operator chimed, as Raven thrust Nightfall’s arm into the torso of Bull’s core. “N-No… please…” he choked out. “We’re sorry, but we can’t let you go any longer.”
“Kill me then… I deserve it… And make Great White’s quick, please.”
“We will.” A soft crunch echoes inside Bull’s core, Raven pulling out Nightfall’s hand blood dripping off it. “Huh?” Chain Splitter coughed.
Rice heard the explosion that rang out from Bull’s core detonating. Rice squealed, “Mom!” She shouted, as a blue plated foot slammed into the ground, pavement cracking. “The smell… it’s… different. Sickening. How did you do that?” Chain called out walking towards Raven, arm mounted chainsaw shooting out as blades begin to turn. He walked closer to the pair the smeared blood on its haul dripped onto the ground. “How could you ruin a feast like this? You spoiled it. Burnt it. Something, you did something!” The thrusters embedded in the metal giant's feet propelled it towards Nightfall. The blast shot Rice’s mother into a parked car, the force shattering its window. “MOM!” Rice screamed, her voice cracking. “R-Rice,” she gasped, “I-I’m good,” she winced, “come on we gotta keep going.”
“You ruined my appetite! How dare you!” Chain spat out steam rising from the Coral static emanating from his head, his metal mouth chattering against itself as his cauterized peeled back facial muscles began to bleed. Raven shot another volley from their Songbird towards Chain Splitter, he dodged, the shot hitting the building next to Rice and her Mother, bricks flying onto the street. Her mother crouches over Rice protecting her from the debris. “Ugh?!” Raven shuddered. “Focus on the fight at hand, Raven!”
“Yes! Focus on the slaughter!” Chain Splitter shouted jabbing the side of Nightfall with the rotating blades of his saw grinding against their core, sparks flying out. One blade cutting across Raven’s right eye, they wrapped Nightfall’s arm around Chain Splitter’s, swinging him around until the arm broke off sending him flying backwards. The metal body flew into a building, plaster and a metal frame bending and cracking destroying its head. Chain Splitter crawled out from the torso of his AC coughing, nose bleeding. His face was covered by an array of visual sensors like a spider’s eyes. “MOM!” Rice shouted as she clung to her mother’s shirt, resting her head on her chest. Chain Splitter looked at Rice Shower, “Ah, injured prey,” he smiled, “how fortunate I am!! The heavens smile down on me today, and present me with that to quench my hunger!” He shouted, Rice looked up at him, tears rolling down her face to see the mangled, twisted, augmented, in-human form of Chain Splitter. Robotic limbs, metal jaw, peeled back skin and muscle showing bone beneath with artificial eyes in the carved out sockets, a sack expanding in and out in his neck pushing air through his lungs, metal pins holding his flesh in place, and a red glowing spine. Rice stared at him in horror, her breath hitching at his visage, “Time for lu-“ a flash of light bisected the man, shot out by Raven, Rice watched as his waist burst sending his upper half flying down to the ground, his corpse blocked from view by fallen debris. Rice looked blindly out into the street at Nightfall, she turned back to her mother a piece of rebar through her chest. “Mommy…” she called out hugging her body, crying profusely, the blank eyes of her staring down at Rice Shower, “Why… why why why…” she cried looking up at the still face of her mother, Rice stopped breathing as she took it in. Rice’s face contorted in pain and anguish, she tried screaming but only a weak whimper would come out, her eyes were reddening from crying. The blood of her mother dripped onto her blanket as she cried against her, “t-this is all my fault… I-I’m a curse… e- everyone’s dead but m-me… my other mom left… it’s me, it’s because of me… I’m the reason why you’re dead,” her throat started to become sore as she sobbed breathlessly. Her head went light without air as she fell backwards onto the ground, her consciousness fading as she saw the form of a figure approaching her.
She woke up in a cold sweat on a stiff bed quickly gasping. She steadied her breath, looking around the cold barren room, seeing she was in a metal framed bunk bed, “Where am I?” She spoke quietly, hearing voices outside the room. “What were you thinking?!”
“You really brought a kid here?”
“Raven look, I can understand the sentiment but we can’t take care of her, we shouldn’t take care of her,” The room went silent for a moment, “l-look I know but…ugh?” The room went silent again, “fine… until we can find someone who can give her a real life, deal?” Silence again, with the faintest sound of rustling clothes, “good… does she have any injuries?” The voice got clearer as Rice Shower slowly opened the room door seeing a brown haired smaller woman wearing glasses shaking hands with another person with short black hair, to their side was a tan skinned woman with swooped over hair with blonde highlights, and behind the counter was a man with brown hair with large curls and a head band. As Rice leaned against the door it loudly creaked alerting the group the short haired person turned around with a scar of their right eye wearing a black mask that covered from their chin to below their nose. Rice’s mind lit up, she quickly shut the door. “Looks like the kid’s up,” the tan woman spoke candidly with a sharp smile. “Watch your tone around her Chartreuse, she must’ve been through a lot.”
“Haven’t we all?” She somberly retorted. “Our stories don’t matter right now, we have to think about her first and foremost," King said calmly, “Raven you go and try to talk with her, you’re the reason she’s here.” Raven nodded. They walked into the room where Rice sat in the corner staring at them wrapping the blood stained blanket around herself. Raven approached Rice who huddled closer to the wall, “You’re the one who killed them?” Raven paused, they looked down and sat on the opposite end of the bed. They sat there tapping their fingers together, thinking. Raven looked to Rice and proceeded to contort their hand in several different orientations spelling out, “Yeah…” they paused thinking of what to spell out, “I never like doing it.” Rice stared at them confused. Raven realized Rice Shower didn’t know sign language, so they took out a note pad from their pocket and flipped to a blank page writing out the same message. “Then why do it?” Raven flipped the page and began scribbling again, “I do it to try and protect people, with every life I can't save my soul hurts, but I push through that pain to do what I must even if I don’t like it.” Rice went silent, and curled up in her blanket softly crying. Raven reached out to grab Rice’s shoulder to comfort her, Rice jolted away staring at them, her eyes peering out from under the purple and red blanket. Raven moved their arm away, and stood up leaving Rice in the room by herself. The door clicked behind them as they left, they looked to the brown hair woman, “She needs some time, but she can talk at least,” Raven signed. “Just leave her by herself for a while, she’ll need to get adjusted to being here,” Sheila spoke. “I’d like to go for a drive if that’s alright with you Ms. Caldwell,” Raven signed. “Yes, that's certainly fine, Raven. Make sure to be back in an hour, and steer clear of any corporate blockades.”
“Thank you greatly Ms. Caldwell!” They finished signing.
Nightfall shot across the frozen landscape being piloted by Raven, they reached the smoldering remains of the city, soon Arquebus forces would bulldoze it all, so Raven had to work quickly. Raven stopped their AC, jumping from its cockpit, coat tails flying in the air. Raven approached a pile of rocks, which sat above a shallow grave they dug. “Rest soundly, I will take care of your daughter as best I can. If only I was faster, stronger, she wouldn’t have to be without you. Sleep soundly, Mrs. Lilac Point.” Raven said to themself as they sat in front of the grave a tear running down their left eye, placing a real flower on top of the pile of stones. Raven wandered the town paying respects to the brothers, they’re one in the same, just under different masters. They continued until they reached the caved-in school, they walked into it. They took in the overwhelming energy of the place, “Forgive me, all of you who lost your lives here. I can’t know all of your names but your memories will be forever tied to me, I’ll keep you alive as long as I can.” They walked over the crumbled bricks and through the halls, “Is this what a school looks like? It looks so… uniform, but calming? As they continued they came to the library. “What are all these?” Raven questioned themselves holding up a thin book. The book opened in their hands, its bright colored pages enthralling the pilot, “Woah… maybe the kid will like this?”
Raven’s boot clicked on the tiled floors of the command room, having returned from their little joyride. “Huh? Whatcha you got there Raven?” Chartreuse inquired clearly seeing the thin oversized book in their hands, “Since when did you start taking souvenirs?”
“I thought the kid might like it,” they signed. “Good thinking! She’s been staring at the wall ever since you left, she won’t talk to any of us, we tried giving her an MRE but nothin’,” Chartreuse continued. “Of course she wouldn’t want an MRE??? Did you at least have the gum with it?” Sheila shouted. “Gum?”
“Oh lord… she didn’t eat any, right?”
“I said she wasn’t interested in it.”
“Oh thank goodness,” Ms. Caldwell responded exasperated, sinking into her seat, her glasses falling down her nose. Raven walked into Rice’s room slowly at first seeing her still huddled up in the corner under her blanket sniffling to herself, tears rolling down her face as she looked at the wall. Rice looked to Raven, noticing them in the doorway, Raven held up their notepad, “I got something, I hope you like,” it read. Raven held up the yellow book, Rice’s eyes going wide as she read the title, “The Happy Prince,” Rice began bawling, Raven caught off guard didn’t know what to do. Raven approached Rice, moving their hands close and far away, struggling to think of what they should do. Rice saw how distressed Raven was and clarified, “S-Sorry, sorry…” she wiped away some tears, “seeing that book again… it was my favorite from school. “Do you want me to read it to you?” Raven wrote out. “It’d… be comforting… b-but… you can’t speak right?” Raven moved their hands to their ears grabbing the bands around her. They took their face mask off, revealing their scarred mouth, “a-a-I… c-can speak… b-but it hurts s-so much,” Raven quietly spoke their voice hoarse and soft, “f-failed au-ugments…”
“I see,” Rice responded. Raven sat down on the bed next to Rice and opened the book, “o-once… upon a t-time t-there…” Raven paused, “y-you sure you can s-see… the pictures all t-the way… back there?”
“U-Uh…” Rice scooted closer to Raven, pressing shoulder to shoulder, Rice still had the blanket over her head like a hood. “I-I’ll s-start… again,” Raven choked out taking in deep breaths.
“High above the city stands the statue of the Happy Prince. He is covered with fine gold leaf. His eyes are two blue sapphires. He has a big red ruby on his sword.
Everyone loves him.
“Look at the Happy Prince!” says a mother to her son, who is crying his eyes out. “The Happy Prince never cries. Don’t you want to be like him?”
“Well, at least someone is happy in this town,” mutters a grumpy man, as he contemplates the beautiful statue.
“He looks like an angel!” say the children in the orphanage.
One night, a little swallow flies over the city. He is all alone. His friends all flew away to Egypt six weeks ago.
The swallow stayed behind because he had fallen in love with the most beautiful reed. She was tall, and slender, and she moved so gracefully in the wind.
The other swallows had laughed at this romance.
"It’s so ridiculous," they said.
“She has no money…”
“And no steady job…”
Then autumn arrived. The other birds left for Egypt, and the little swallow began to get tired of his lover.
"Well yes, she is beautiful. But does she like to travel?” he wondered. “Of course my future wife must like to travel”.
So… he asked the reed, “Will you come to Egypt with me? It'll be so much fun! I’ll show you the pyramids!”
But the reed shook her head.
"Very well! I will go alone!” replied the swallow. "Goodbye!" And he flew away, towards the city.
He arrives in the city after dark. "Now, where am I going to sleep?" he wonders.
He sees the statue of the Happy Prince. “Ah! I will sleep there! The view will be magnificent!”
The swallow lands between the feet of the Happy Prince. He looks around himself. "Amazing! I have a golden bedroom!” He is just about to fall asleep when - PLOP! - a drop of water falls on his head.
"What? Is it raining?" he wonders. "Strange… I don't see any clouds..."
Then … PLOP! … another drop falls on him.
“Lousy statue!” he mutters. “It can't even protect me from the rain! Maybe I should find a nice chimney instead…”
But then - PLOP - another drop falls. The swallow looks up. And what does he see?
The eyes of the Happy Prince are filled with tears. Tears are streaming down his golden cheeks. His face looks so sad in the moonlight! The little swallow is filled with pity.
"Who are you?" he asks the statue.
“I am the Happy Prince.”
"Well… why are you crying then?" asks the swallow. "I'm all wet."
“Hmm. You know, when I was alive, and had a human heart, I never cried,” the statue says. “I lived in Sans-Souci Palace. There is no sorrow at Sans-Souci. Every night I danced in the great hall. During the day, I played with my friends in the garden.
There was a big wall around the garden, but I never asked what was on the other side. Why would I ask? Everything around me was so beautiful…
… When I was alive, everyone called me 'the Happy Prince'. And yes, I was happy — if pleasure and happiness are the same thing.
But then I died, and they put me here. Now I can see all the sadness and ugliness of my city. My heart is made of lead, but I cannot stop crying."
"What? He has a heart of lead? I thought he was solid gold!” thinks the swallow to himself. But he doesn't say it out loud. He's too polite.
“Far from here,” continues the statue, “Far from here, there is a small street. In this street, there is a small house. One of the windows is open, and I can see a woman. She is sitting at a table. Her face looks tired and worried. Her hands are red and calloused.
She is a seamstress, and she is sewing a dress for a wealthy lady. Her little boy is lying on the bed, ill with a fever. He wants oranges, but his mother does not have money to buy oranges. All she can give him to drink is water from the river. So the little boy continues to cry.
Little swallow, there is a ruby on my sword. Please take it to his mother. I am a statue now. I can't do it myself."
"I’m sorry, I can't," says the swallow. “I must fly to Egypt. My friends are waiting for me. They will be flying up and down the Nile, and talking to the lotus flowers. They will be sleeping in the tomb of the great King. I must go too!”
“Little swallow,” says the Prince. “Please be my messenger. Just for one night. The little boy is so thirsty, and his mother is so sad.”
"But I don't even like little boys," says the swallow. “Little boys throw stones at me. Of course, they never reach me. But who cares, it’s very rude!”
But the Happy Prince looks sad, and the swallow feels guilty.
“It's very cold here,” he says, “but I will stay one night and help you”.
“Thank you, little swallow,” says the Prince.
So the swallow removes the ruby from the Prince's sword. He holds it in his beak and flies over the roofs of the city.
He flies over the cathedral, with its angels made of white marble.
He flies over the river, and sees the lanterns hanging from the masts of the boats.
He flies over the market, and hears the seller shout “Oranges! Come and get your beautiful oranges!”
He flies over the palace, and hears the sound of music and dancing. A young girl and her boyfriend come out onto the balcony of the palace.
“The stars are so beautiful,” says the boyfriend. "And so are you…"
"I hope my dress will be ready in time for the ball," says the girl. “My seamstress is so slow!”
Finally, the swallow arrives at the woman's house. He looks through the window. The little boy is tossing feverishly in his bed. The mother is so tired that she has fallen asleep at her sewing table.
The swallow hops inside. He gently puts the ruby down on the table. Then he flutters around the little boy's bed, gently fanning him with his wings.
"Huh. I don’t feel so hot anymore," says the little boy. "I think I’m getting better..."
The swallow goes back to see the Happy Prince. He tells the prince what he did.
"It's strange," says the swallow. “The weather is really cold, but I feel quite warm now.”
"That’s because you have done something good," says the Prince.
The little swallow begins to think, then he falls asleep. (Thinking always makes him sleepy.)
In the morning, the swallow takes a bath in the river.
"Tonight I'm going to Egypt!" he says.
He is very happy. He spends the day visiting the tourist attractions of the city. Wherever he goes, the sparrows chirp and ask each other “Who is this distinguished stranger? It can't be a swallow. Here? In winter?!"
The swallow likes to be the center of attention. He enjoys himself immensely.
As the moon rises, the swallow flies back to the Happy Prince.
“Can I bring you back something from Egypt?” he asks. "I'm just about to leave."
“Little swallow,” says the Prince. "Please stay with me one more night."
“My friends will be waiting for me in Egypt,” replies the swallow. “Tomorrow they will go further up the river. There will be hippos in the tall grass. At noon, the yellow lions will come down to drink on the shore. Their eyes are green like emeralds. I absolutely must see this!”
“Little swallow,” says the Prince. “On the other side of town, I see a young man. He lives in a cramped, drafty attic. He is sitting at a desk covered with papers. He is trying to write a play, but his hands are too cold to hold a pen. He has no money to buy firewood, or food."
"All right. I will stay with you one more night” says the swallow. “Do you have another ruby?”
“Alas, no,” says the Prince. "But I have my eyes. These are sapphires from India. Please take one of my eyes to the young man. He can use it to buy food, as well as wood. He can then finish writing his play.”
"Oh no! No way!" says the swallow. "I can't take one of your eyes!"
“Little swallow,” says the Prince. "Please do as I ask."
So the swallow takes the Prince's eye and flies to the young man's attic. It's easy to get in - there's a hole in the roof!
The young man is resting his head in his hands. He doesn’t hear the rustling of wings as the swallow places the sapphire in front of him.
When the young man looks up, he finds the beautiful sapphire just lying there on his desk.
"A donation!" he cries. “Someone likes my work! Now I can finish my play!”
The next day, the swallow flies to the harbor. He lands on the mast of a large ship. He watches the sailors taking the cargo out of the holds of the ship. “Heave-ho! Heave-ho!”
“I am going to Egypt!” he declares, but no one hears him.
When the moon rises, he flies to the Happy Prince.
“I’ve come to say goodbye,” says the swallow.
“Little swallow,” says the Prince. "Please stay with me one more night."
“It’s winter now!” replies the swallow. “Soon it will snow! … But in Egypt the sun will be shining. I will see green palm trees. I will see crocodiles lying in the mud. My friends will be building their nests….
... Dear Prince, I must go. But I will never forget you! And next spring, I will bring you two beautiful jewels to replace the ones you have given away. The ruby will be as red as a rose and the sapphire will be as blue as the sea.”
“In the square just below us,” says the Prince, “there is a little girl selling flowers. She has dropped a lot of them on the ground, and now they're ruined.
Her family will starve if she doesn't bring some money home. She's crying. She has no shoes, or socks. She has no winter jacket, and no warm hat. Please take my other eye and give it to her.”
The swallow sighs. "I can stay another night," he says. “But I can’t take your eye. You will be blind!”
“Little swallow,” says the Prince. "Please do as I ask."
So the swallow removes the Prince's other eye. He flies down to the square. He swoops past the little girl and drops the jewel into her hand.
“Ooh! So pretty!" exclaims the little girl. She runs home laughing.
The swallow returns to the Prince.
"Now you are blind," he says. “So I am going to stay with you.”
“No, little swallow!” says the poor Prince. “You have to go to Egypt!”
"No. I will stay with you forever.” says the swallow. And he falls asleep at the Prince’s feet.
The next day, the swallow sits on the Prince's shoulder. He tells stories to the Prince, because the Prince cannot see. He talks about Egypt — the desert, the camels, the Sphinx, the pyramids, and the huge snakes in the palm trees.
“Dear little swallow,” says the Prince. “You speak of such extraordinary things! But do you know what is even more extraordinary to me? The suffering of people. There is no mystery greater than misery. Fly over my city, little swallow, and tell me what you see!”
So the swallow flies over the city. He sees rich people living comfortably in their beautiful homes, while beggars sit at their doorsteps.
He sees hungry children sitting in the dark streets.
He sees two little boys huddled together under a bridge, trying to get warm.
“You can't sleep here!” says a policeman. “Go on! Get!”
And the boys scamper off into the rain.
The swallow returns to the Prince and tells him what he has seen.
“I am covered in gold,” says the Prince. “Peel it off and give it to the poor.”
Piece by piece, the swallow removes the thin layer of gold from the Prince. Soon, the Happy Prince appears dull and gray. Piece by piece, the swallow gives the gold to the poor. The children's faces grow rosy. They laugh and play in the street. “We have bread now!”
Then the snow comes. And then the frost. The streets turn white. Long icicles hang from the eaves of the houses. Everyone wears winter jackets, and the children skate on the ice.
The poor little swallow gets colder and colder. But he does not leave the Prince. He eats the crumbs from in front of the baker's door. He tries to warm himself by flapping his wings.
Then, finally, he knows he is going to die. He lands on the Prince's shoulder one last time.
“Goodbye, dear Prince,” he whispers.
"I'm glad you're finally going to Egypt, little swallow," says the Prince. "You have stayed here far too long."
"I'm not going to Egypt," says the swallow. “I am going to the House of Death. Death is the brother of Sleep, is he not?"
He kisses the Happy Prince, and falls down dead at his feet.
At that moment, a strange sound comes from inside the statue — CRACK! The prince’s lead heart breaks in two.
The next morning, the mayor of the city walks past the statue with his city councilors.
"Oh my! The Happy Prince does not look great!” he says.
“Not great at all” the councilors say. (They always agree with the mayor.)
“Where is his ruby?” continues the mayor. “Where are his eyes?! And he is not golden anymore! Oh dear. He doesn't look like a Happy Prince! Why, he looks no better than a beggar!”
“No better than a beggar!” the councilors say.
“And… What the?!... Oh my… My word… Goodness me!” says the mayor. “There is a dead bird at his feet! ...
We need to pass a new law: ‘Birds are not permitted to die on statues.’ Someone note that down!”
And someone notes it down.
They pull down the statue of the Happy Prince. "If it is not beautiful, then it is not useful," says an article in the newspaper.
They melt the statue in a furnace. But the heart of lead won’t melt.
"This is so weird!" says one of the foundry workers. “What should we do with this?”
“Meh… Just throw it away,” says another. "And don't tell the boss!"
So they throw the Prince's heart on a pile of trash, right next to the dead swallow.
“Bring me the two most precious things in the city” says God to one of the angels.
The angel fetches the heart of lead… and the dead bird.
“Ahh. You have chosen well!” says God. “This little bird will sing in the gardens of Paradise. And in my city of gold, the Prince will be happy once more.”
( ^ Source ) https://www.thefablecottage.com/fables/the-happy-prince
Raven, finished out of breath, seeing that Rice Shower had fallen asleep leaning against their shoulder. “R-Rest now… little s-shallow,” Raven smiled, laying her down on the bed to sleep. They put their mask back on and left the book beside Rice. Raven slowly closed the door behind them so as to not wake her, seeing Sheila typing away on the computer system in the middle of the room. Raven walked up behind her and wrapped their arms around her chest surprising the operator with a sudden attack of affection, “ugh? I see you’ve finished your story time, is there anything else you want?”
“T-Tea…” Raven was barely able to say, their vocal cords being so strained from the story. “Augh? Certainly, I’ll make you a cup in a second.”
“T-Thanks… M-Ms. Caldwell…” Raven rested their head atop Sheila’s as their embrace of her became tighter pulling her warmth closer. “Alright I’m done, now- ugh…” Raven had begun to snore as they leaned against Sheila, “eugh… come on sleepy head,” Ms. Caldwell spoke, shifting Raven’s body into her arms. “Tea in the morning,” Sheila nodded to herself, Raven nuzzled their head against Sheila’s arm. Sheila smiled at Raven as she too began to lull off to sleep.
In the morning, the golden sunlight creeping through he blind covered windows, Chartreuse walked in on the sleeping pair in the chair, a wicked smile stretching across her face as she giggled to herself. She made her way behind the chair twirling her fingers as she readied her hands, Chartreuse leaned forward about to shout in Sheila’s ear as an impromptu alarm. She was about to let out the scare, but Sheila grabbed her chin with her right hand, “Agh?!” Chart coughed. “They’re sleeping.”
“Have you?” Chart spoke as Sheila squeezed her mouth. “Yes, just enough for my body,” she smiled as she played with Raven’s hair. “Your sweetness with them sickens me… not in a bad way, just… like eating too many candies.”
“Then why not stop before you get sick.” Sheila let go of Chartreuse's jaw. “Yeah, right… I’ll leave you two to this.” Chart walked back to her room where the noise of her closing the door could be heard from all the way out in the main room. Sheila looked down smiling at Raven in her arms, “Alright birdie, time to start breakfast,” she said to herself as she stood up with Raven in her possession. She gently took them back to the hall which led to all the sleeping courtiers, at the end of it was a door which led into Sheila’s room. “Get some actual good rest here, Raven,” she said, laying the taller Raven in the bed. They shifted slightly on the comfortable mattress as their snores began to get louder in their drowsy bliss. Sheila left the room, closing the door behind her, she made her way back to the main room which was attached to the kitchen. Going over to the fridge and bending down to pull out the freezer drawer, in it was several meal packets, meats, and other frozen foods, Sheila grabbed the ‘organic’ sausage box from the pile, “All natural ingredients and flavors to taste like real sausage!” it read, getting actual meat all the way out on a backwater planet like Rubicon 3 was nearly impossible. She got out a pan and began to follow the instructions laid out of the packaging of the sausages, they cooked with a steady sizzle as their aroma lifted into the air. Sheila left the sausages to cook and then went to work brewing that morning’s tea making sure for it to be nice and hot for Raven. As Sheila turned around to get a cup she was startled by Rice Shower now in the kitchen behind her, “T-That… smells good…” she whispered, the blanket hiding her embarrassed look. “Well thank you ma’am,” Sheila smiled, “Is there anything that you want dear?”
“Carrots! … u-uh… p-please and thank you…” Rice looked to the ground, her head slumping deeper into the blanket as her voice became a whisper, “s-sorry, I didn’t eat anything yesterday…”
“It’s completely fine,” she smiled, “Now let’s see if we have any,” she hummed to herself. She opened the main fridge door looking inside for the orange root, only finding a small bag of baby carrots, Rice also noticing a box of eggs which caught her attention. “This is all we have,” Sheila held up the small plastic bag to Rice Shower. Rice stared at the it, her eyes wide and though her mouth was covered it was clear she started to drool a little from her hunger, “Yes! Thank you!”
“Hey, since it’s such a small bag, why don’t I give you this now, then later if you’re still hungry why not join the rest of us for breakfast!”
“T-That sounds nice… um… you have so many eggs!”
“Huh? Oh yeah, we have a local supplier, a friend of a friend, so we don’t have to pay any of their planetary import taxes.”
“Yesterday my mom was making me eggs before…” Rice trailed off, Sheila placed a hand on the young Uma’s head patting her. “I’ll try and not use them, so I don’t remind you of her.”
“Wha?! N-No I wasn’t asking you to do that I-I was just… thinking aloud…” Rice leaned against Sheila’s leg, only going up to Caldwell’s waist. “Take all the time you need, think about it as much as you can muster, but for now… go lay in bed for a bit with your snack,” she smiled, placing a hand on Rice’s small shoulder. “Thank you, Ms. Caldwell,” her words barely above a whisper, as Rice hugged the woman’s leg before heading back to the room she slept in.
After a long while of cooking Sheila had finished the food, a plate for sausages, eggs, and toast sat on the counter with a pitcher of tea next to them in time for King and Chartreuse to come walking into the main room, “King’s in one of his ‘morning moods’,” Chart teased. “My throat is dry and you kept pestering me through the night… Do you ever go to sleep?”
“Sorry, I’m cathermeral-“
“What does that mean?” King had a twinge of annoyance in his voice. Sheila shot them a glance before telling them to hush up, “Some people are still trying to sleep, so regardless, stop talking so loud.”
“My apologies Ms. Caldwell,” King said with a small bow. “Sorry ma’am…you know I was surprised to see you and Raven sitting in here earlier,” Chart smiled. “Why is that surprising?”
“Oh well, usually you two like your privacy~” her smile turned into a grin. Sheila’s face visibly reddened, “Stop! … the kid’s awake, she shouldn’t hear stuff like that.”
“Oh, I mean she’ll learn what goes bump in the night if she stays long enough,” Chart said in a sing-song manner to annoy Sheila, “Anyway, did she come out of her cave?”
“Yes,” she sighed, “She’s quite sweet. I gave her some carrots an-“
“What?!” Chart exclaimed silently, “I called dibs on those!”
“And?” King interjected, “We need to be as hospitable to her as we can.”
“I know,” Chart whined, “but I was looking forward to eating those,” she pouted. The soft sounds of footsteps lightly echoed in the hall interrupting the three, Raven came walking down the hall, “look who got up late, missed yer worm,” Chart chuckled before abruptly stopping when Raven walked into a wall. “They’re sleep walking again…” Sheila pointed out, “Raven~,” she cooed, Raven’s head turned to her, eyes closed. “C’mon here, breakfast time,” Raven’s eye opened, the scarred one staying shut. “Looks like that woke them up,” chuckled Chartreuse. “Didn’t you just complain about a bag of baby carrots?” King interjected, Chart’s mouth becoming a flat line as she looked to the side away from King who had a scrutinizing look across his face. “Ah, I got your tea here, Raven,” Sheila smiled, picking up a small porcelain cup and handing it over to Raven. They looked at the glass cup feeling its warmth on their hands as steam rose from the clear liquid with a light yellow tint in it, their eye squinted as they smiled. They slipped their right thumb under their mask lifting it in tandem with the glass to drink it, the hot brew stinging the cuts on their lips causing Raven to wince slightly. “It’s Marshmallow Root… For your throat.” Raven moved their right hand from the mask signing the words, “Tastes fantastic, like always Ms. Caldwell,” their smile visible to her now. A soft snap broke the small moment as Rice Shower shuffled out of the room with a finger sized carrot in her mouth. She silently made her way to Chartreuse holding out one of the carrots to her, peering from under her blanket, “Uh- thanks kid!” She smiled, taking it from her and promptly threw it in her mouth. “You’re welcome…” Rice whispered. “Good morning young guest,” King welcomed, “I was thinking, would you like to see an AC?”
“What’s a-“
“No,” Sheila snapped. “Ms. Caldwell, I was just suggesting an idea for our guest here to pass the time, and get acquainted with us.”
“Ugh, fine just… don’t give her some heroic spiel about the pilot and AC.”
“I’ll try my best, but you know how I can get in the moment. And either way, if she stays it’s better to teach her sooner than lat-“ Sheila shot King a threatening glare, her eyes raising above her glass as her head turned downwards at him. “Apologizes.”
“What’s an AC?” Rice Shower asked. “It’s the giant metal bodies we pilot, that’s what Nightfall is… uh, what Raven was during the atta-AGH?!” King gasped as Chartreuse pinched and pulled his ear, “stop while you're ahead,” Chart sang. “So that’s what those things are called?”
“Well AC being shortened for Armored Core, but yeah,” Chart responded, “See? Short and sweet,” she grinned at King, raising an eyebrow. “Hmm… t-that… sounds interesting, not like I have much to do here I guess… also if you could, can I get some clothes? I just have these pajamas,” Rice spoke softly. “We’ll see what we can do for you kid,” Sheila answered, “but right now, let’s eat.”
“Dah I was waiting for you to say that!” Chartreuse cheered picking up a plate.
After the meal King turned to Rice, “Ready ma’am?”
“Yes.” King and Rice Shower got out of their chairs, Rice followed after King. Raven picked up their dishes and handed them to Sheila as she washed Chartreuse’s plate. She handed the washed plate to Raven who picked up a washcloth to dry it off. Once in the hanger King pointed to Nightfall, “That’s Raven’s ol’ gal, the one they brought you here in. The tool they use to protect people.”
“A tool to protect…” Rice repeated, “King, I want to become a pilot.”
“Uh… now let’s not be hasty, you still have several years before-“
“No, I want to be a pilot. I want to be like Raven.”
“If it’s what you truly want… I’ll see what I can do. In the future I can give you the rundown, be your teacher, I taught Raven how to pilot too.”
“Really?”
“You know it!” King smiled at Rice, “Hey, want to see the cockpit?”
“Sure!” King led Rice Shower up a ladder that connected to a walkway in front of Nightfall. King grabbed onto a latch opening a door which went into the cockpit. Rice walked into it placing a hand on the back of the pilot chair, she moved in front of it looking at all the buttons, levers, and cords used to make the mech function. “Have a seat,” King smiled. Rice sat down in the chair, its material firm against her body, her legs dangling off it. She grabbed a control stick, lightly pressing in the triggers on it. “A tool to protect… I will learn to use it.” she whispered to herself, her determination reaching new heights as she envisioned her future as a pilot. “Then when you turn Eighteen, I’ll take you out on your first Sortie… you still have your childhood to live.” “And when the time comes… I’ll… I’ll fly as high as Raven!”