M.A.R.

It had been a week since she had told them both and Ami was wearily making her way through the fresh fruit market. Malicious and fearful eyes followed her every swaying twitch and step. Short Rebecca was busily picking out fruits here and there as Ami stayed close behind. She would have gone alone if anyone would sell her fresh fruit. They would only let her buy the rotten trash they couldn’t sell.

“Hey, Tiger, are you okay?” Rebecca looked Ami up and down, pausing from her shopping.

“Huh?” Ami snapped back into focus. “Oh, yeah… I’m fine…” she turned towards the ground, lost in thought again. Rebecca has been on high alert ever since ‘the accident’ as Ami was referring to it now. She’s only let loose a little bit since then even though it has been more than week.

“Are you sure? You’ve been quite a daydreamer recently,” Rebecca went back to fruit picking, “I mean, you’ve been a huge daydreamer before but this is ridiculous!”

“Hmm…” was Ami’s only response while she crawled back into the black hole called her mind.

Rebecca gave her another worried glance before she paid the produce salesman and began walking back into the mansion. Zombie-like Ami was staggering close behind.
Rebecca was consumed by curiosity. Why won’t anyone sell Ami good produce? Why do they all seem to hate and fear her? Ami has never done any wrong to them; they simply don’t like her. She was born here. She’s got the same skin tone and blood and the same love for the island, even. Her only key differences were her hair and eyes. But her parents were the same as her, weren’t they? It was said that her parents were both born and raised on this island as well. Does that mean nothing to these people?

Determined to find out, she quickly came up with a plan to get information. But first, she had to get Ami back to the mansion.

“Oh, darn! I forgot we ran out of bread!” Rebecca stated with extremely bad acting. Not that Ami noticed, so it didn’t really matter. “Here, Tiger. Why don’t you just take these bags home and I’ll be back later, okay?” she told Ami, handing her the bags of groceries and a house key. “Don’t get lost.”

Ami emptily nodded her head at Rebecca before continuing her walk towards the mansion.

Still extremely worried about the girl, Rebecca watched her go on for a while before taking in a troubled breath and walking back to the market.

When she reached her destination Rebecca made sure that no one from the fruit and vegetable stands saw her again. They wouldn’t give her any information on Ami if they knew she was on her side.

Rebecca slyly foxed her way past the produce market into the bakery aisle, a place that Ami hasn’t been to before. Rehearsing what she was going to ask, Rebecca made her way into her favorite bakery making sure to act normal. She smiled and casually walked up to the owner of the small bread shop: a middle aged man with an almost toothless smile. His teeth were lost to smokeless tobacco and other various drugs from his youth, but he quit it all to become a baker with his wife.

“Hello Giovanni!” Rebecca greeted his as usual.

“Rebecca! Very nice to see ya!” Giovanni gave her a huge, gap-full smile. “What can I do for ya today?” It almost sounds as if he slurs his whole sentences because of the lack of teeth.

Rebecca thought about it for a second. She has to play this off as cool and normal as possible. “Well, we are running low on croissants…” she smiled at him, remembering she hadn’t bought those for a while.

His toothless smile grew wider. “What lucky timing! We just pulled outta batch! How many would ya like?”

Rebecca gave him a warm grin, not being able to help it. “Just four today, please, Giovanni.” She gave him the cash as he handed her the paper bag with the warm bread. She had to ask now before she lost her courage. She looked back up at Giovanni as he gave her a questioning look. “What I really came here for was…” Rebecca tried to calm down her heart beat. This was supposed to sound casual. Casual and cool… “What’s the deal with everyone and the girl with the red hair?”

Giovanni’s eyes widened in surprised fear at the topic, a silent gasp on his lips. He seemed petrified for a moment before leaning in and whispering, “Ya haven’t heard?!”

Rebecca’s heart skipped; what hasn’t she heard?! She shook her head in response to his hushed question.

Giovanni’s eyes narrowed as he leaned yet closer across the counter, motioning Rebecca to do the same. Cupping his hand around her ear, he whispered “This ain’t somethin’ ta hear ina public market! Ya gotta visit Dally’s. He’ll tell ya all ya needa know ‘bout the girl…”

“Dally?” Rebecca whispered back. Giovanni simple nodded his head several times. She was going to ask where ‘Dally’ lived, but Giovanni was already on it, scribbling a map into a napkin. He handed her the rushed sketch and urged her out the door, telling her to get to Dally’s as soon as she could. ~~~

Rebecca stared at the front door. “Well, this should be it,” She stated out loud to herself. “Dally’s house…” She inspected the modest, white, one-story home. This house could probably fit in her library or living room. She shook the thought from her head. She had to stay on track and get this over with.

Gathering up her courage, she gave the wooden door four assertive knocks before waiting patiently for someone to open it. She could hear footsteps approach the opening, and as they grew louder and louder Rebecca’s heart beat faster and faster. She was extremely nervous even though she knew she had no real reason to be!

She heard the knob unlock loudly, making her jump in surprise. The door knob turned at incredible speed and she stood there fretfully wondering why they turned the door knob so quickly. What was she supposed to say to this person? ‘Hello! I’d like to know why the whole island hates my foster daughter.’ Why did that sound so awkward and blunt?!

The door swung open causing Rebecca to gasp. What was she supposed to do now?!

She gawked up at the tall, blonde male with amethyst eyes and involuntarily grimaced.

She was looking up at the man whom Ritsuka called ‘Dad.’