Side Story 3, Chapter 1: Call Them Brothers

[Side Story 3, Chapter 1: Call Them Brothers]
[Notes: IT'S ME, BLADE, WRITING THIS CHAPTER!!!!!!]
[Words: 1280]

    That's it, it's split, it won't recover,
    Just frame the halves, and call them brothers.

       

    There the three boys were, in the vacant alleyway; just looking at each other. 

    "Sick!" Angelite's laugh gave off the noise of a heavy cough, mostly because the two boys around him weren't doing much to keep the conversation alive; if they weren't going to spare him an answer, than he'd try to be as loud as he could to make himself feel better about this sickening feeling of awkwardness.
    "The three, long-lost, brothers," He said in a mocking tone, holding Ariel on his right, and Riyon on his left; clutching their shoulders with a tight death grip as his voice in built up in volume, "have finally..." Expecting the others to recognize  this as their queue to finish his sentence, he paused, only to be met with utter disappointment from being let down.
    Angelite groaned, unwrapping them from within his grasp, and pushed the both of his brothers forward. Watching them turn around at different paces, and settle their eyes on him in confusion for his abrupt change in mood. Then, he continued on.
    "What is up with you two? Look," He raised an eyebrow, looking toward Ariel, "last time I checked, Riyon was the quiet one."

    Ariel glanced toward Riyon, only to come face to face with a shoulder, owned by a boy who refused to match his slight gaze.
    Sighing, he looked back toward Angelite with a soft expression; his feelings a bit hurt from being ignored by the boy he had thought greatly of, "Last time you checked, Riyon could barely form a sentence. He was five, Angelite!"

    Another invitation to speak, and yet another silent decline. Riyon crossed his arms, keeping his eyes on Angelite, but awareness on Ariel. He couldn't tell what the other boy was thinking, but with his unusual silence, he could guess that the pink-haired boy felt awkward seeing him. Or maybe a little remorse from the years of failed remembrance. The latter was more of a wish, rather than educated guess; Riyon hoped Ariel felt guilty, even just a little would be fine.


    ...


    "So, what'd you guys do after I almost died?" Angelite asked, though not out of genuine curiosity, but in hopes of getting an answer from Riyon. He too, wanted the youngest to be more social. Sure, he'd admit any day, he liked talking to Ariel more. Mostly because of his gullible nature, but it's been years. Angelite had already heard too much from Ariel, and too little from Riyon.
    Ariel please don't answer...

    Ariel didn't do anything but shift uncomfortably in place, but Angelite took that as an answer from him, and somehow managed to interrupt his movement.

    "RIYON!" Ariel jolted as Angelite yelled, not expecting the sudden loudness at all, "Riyon, what did you do?"
    Angelite smiled, tilting his head in the cliché way to seem sincere, but it obviously gave the wrong effect; making him seem passive aggressive, "Ariel already told me when we were waiting, so I'd like to hear more from you."
    Ariel did not in fact, tell him about it. Hell, he hasn't heard directly from Ariel in years either, just the rumors he thought he knew to be false, but to be completely honest, he didn't care in the slightest. Ariel was Ariel, he knows the boy is capable of many things; when they had been younger, Ariel spoke harshly against those who held an iron fist in their home town, and if he could do that without dying permanently, he wouldn't need Angelite's support. Riyon, on the other hand...

    "I had a friend." Riyon said, quite solemnly, "Her name is Christine, we don't talk much."

    Angelite finally got the response he dearly wanted, but still, unsatisfied he remained. That was just barely a topic to keep him going, because similar to his feelings about Ariel's life during his absence, he didn't care. So, he went further;
    "Oh? Why's that?"

    "I don't know where she is."

    ... 
    Angelite was practically fuming with these answers short answers that told him nothing about what was going on with Riyon. Not only was it awfully boring, but it required him to actually think and make guesses, and he just dreaded the thought of having to do such.
    He let out a heavy sigh, "Have you tried looking for her?"

    "I can't."

    "...Why?"

    "I don't want to talk about it."

    Angelite smiled.
    WHAT THE FUUUUUCKK!!! HOW BORING...


    ...

    "What about you, Ariel?" Riyon suddenly took part in the conversation after seeing the opportunity to do so in a way that would convey his anger; following Angelite's path in being passive aggressive. "Where's Aurora? Where's the other rebels, your family?"

    "I don't see them often." What was that about family?

    "What?" Angelite was just as confused, unable to see the connection with Ariel and well, everyone. He knew the pink-haired had spoken to both Rhea and Lilly before, but he really didn't think they were in association past being in a group together with similar unreachable goals.

    "Oh," Ariel actually smiled at the thought of his rebel friends, letting out a soft chuckle at the sudden remembrance, "me, Rhea and the others, we all had a good time funnily enough... even with the constant running, our lives on the line, low on materials and food. We all lived through the dire circumstances we were forced under--haha, well, sort of 'lived'. I didn't mention that, did I?"

    "Damn! Well, I'll have you know I  had some pretty good memories on my side too. Swindled an idiot king out of his kingdom 'n brought 'em to tears! Struck havoc in Belgium, earned a couple of bullets to the head, but don't get me started on the boarding school I was sent to with dear Anastasia, I won't be able to stop!"

    As the two brothers exchanged exaggerated tales, the youngest fell beneath their laughter. In name and in blood, Riyon shared those aspects with Angelite and Ariel, but never, had he ever been able share their experience of nostalgia. For him, there was truly nothing worth remembering. 

    Riyon sighed, feeling adoration that he thought would only be caused by his brothers. It didn't matter to her, whether Christine's family cared much for her or not, she didn't have to worry about those things as she danced around. Even with the burden of carrying the weight of powers that exceeded the whole kingdom, she still smiled (at him). He stepped up, eagerly wanting to join her. He wanted to be free from his troubles! But as he reached up, he found himself down--right there, on the ground. His chin propped up on the floor, the rest of his body aching terribly beneath him. Christine was still dancing, pleasantly unaware of what had just happened. Then, there was Kimiko, she was laughing. 
    Each time he tried to grow close with the other, Kimiko would serve as a barrier. When he would try to stand confidently, the girl would never fail to knock him down. And Christine? She just didn't notice. She didn't have to worry about anything. Riyon wasn't exempt from that.


...


    "I wish I could've been there, urgh..." Angelite groaned.

    "Same! Those lightning powers of yours would have been really useful." 

    Angelite didn't need to check the time to know that it was getting late. He smiled, "Me and Riyon better get going--we need to find a place to call it a night."

    "Oh, cya! Nice seeing both of you guys again..." 

    Taking ahold of Riyon's shoulder, Angelite began to lead the both of them out of the alleyway. Ariel spawned a portal, and took his exit there, having the false impression that the three of them left on good terms.