A Raven's Origin part 1

- 13 years ago - 

The Sun was shining down on the busy street, people were bustling all over the place. Summer vacation had just started and it was a perfect day to be outside. Looking from above it looked like an ant colony. A boy was walking down the street holding hands with a man, they looked very similar.

The boy was a typical looking 10 year old. He had short black hair slightly messy at the front. He was average in height, and wore a light grey shirt opened at the collar, and some black shorts. The man beside him was tall for the average person. His black hair was tied up in a small bun, he was well built not unlike a frequent gym goer. He wore a black shirt with flower prints, and just like the boy he also wore black shorts. 

Their facial features were almost identical. They both had coal-black eyes, their nose and mouth shape was hard to point out any differences and they both had the same face shape, with the boy having some more rounded cheeks due to some of the baby fat still adorning his face. 

They both had bright smiles as they walked down the road. The boy was pointing out different things and stores, while the man both answered and chuckled at the boy's enthusiasm. They made their way towards on of the bigger malls in the city. It was going to be busy but the man had promised they could get ice cream and go to the beach. 

While walking a store caught the mans attention. It wasn't an over-the-top store trying to scream their products in your face, but more of an unassuming and quaint little shop. He stopped the boy and walked in. The inside was decorated with many cabinets showcasing different pieces of jewelry. 

''Hello and welcome.'' It was an elderly woman who welcomed them. ''If you need help or have any questions don't hesitate to ask.'' She wore a pleasant smile and warm aura seemed to radiate from her.

''Thanks.'' The man answered in a slightly awkward tone, much different from when he had been talking to the boy. They walked around the shop looking at the huge variety of jewelry ranging from different sized rings to necklaces to bracelets. They just viewed the pieces until the boy pointed out to one of the cabinets. 

''Look at that dad, isn't that cool.'' The father looked where his son pointed. It was on one of the lower shelves where a silver chain was displayed. Bending down with his knees to get a better view he saw a basic chain. There wasn't much to it just silver chain links made into a necklace. He looked at his son. 

''It is cool, think it would look good on you?'' He asked jokingly. 

''Of course it would.'' Boy answered in a confident manner. 

''Well, lets test that out.'' The father looked over to the elderly women. Getting eye contact he raised his hand a bit. The women getting the signal walked behind her desk and over to them. 

''So what have you found?'' She asked. 

''Can we get this out so my son can try it on?'' 

''Well of course that's what it is for.'' She let out a small laughter. The father gave her a smile. She fished a key out of her pocket and went over to the cabinet door, unlocked it and took out the chain. She looked the young boy up and down. 

''Shall we get this on you?'' The boy nodded at her. ''Then can I get you to turn around?'' Her smile never wavered through the interaction. The boy did as she said. With a professional hand she got the chain around his neck and locked it. She turned him around towards a mirror. 

''What do you think?'' The question was asked to both the father and son. 

''It looks so cool!'' He looked at his dad with what could be mistaken for an animated gleam in his eye. 

''It really does.'' He answered while ruffling the top of his son's hair. 

''Can we get it?'' The son asked excitedly. 

''Well that depends on how much it costs.'' He looked to the woman meeting her eye. 

''The chain is 5500 yen.'' The woman said, clearly having memorised the price in her head. The father took a quick look over to the cabinet, it did indeed say 5500 yen.

''How about 4800.'' He countered. 

''Haggling with an old woman such as me tsk tsk.'' Her words didn't meet her eyes as she had looked at him playfully. ''Let's say 5200 yen.'' The father thought about it. 

''If we say 5000 we have a deal.'' He waited as the woman deliberated.

''Fine you have a deal.'' The father gave a smile towards his son. 

They payed for the chain that was still on the son's neck. As they walked out of the shop, they headed to their original destination. Coming to the mall they saw what they had expected, a huge crowd dominated the shops and resting areas. The son looked up at his dad with a huge smile. 

''I told you there would be so many people here.'' 

''You were right, does that mean I now owe you two ice creams?'' The father asked curiously. The son's brain worked in high gear. 

''It does, but I can also just get two ice creams this time and it counts'' he said with a serious attitude. The father laughed.

''I think it's best if we stick with one ice cream for now.'' 

Grabbing his son, he lifted him up to his shoulder so they both could see out in the crowd. The son grabbed his fathers forehead with one hand as he pointed directions to his father. As they made their way to the ice cream shop they saw a small queue. The father let out a small sigh of relief. The queue was smaller than he had expected.

As they waited in line, the son got put down to the ground again, peering through the other people to look at the different choices of ice cream. When they got to the front the son looked straight through the glass only a few centimeters away. The father again chuckled slightly. 

 ''Hi what can I get you?'' It was a younger woman serving them. 

''Hi, can I get a strawberry ice cream?'' The father said, he was a sucker for strawberry. The woman nodded and looked towards the son. The son didn't seem to have noticed that they were waiting for him, so the father nudged him a bit on the shoulder.

''What would you like?'' The son looked towards the young woman. 

''Can I get a yuzu ice cream?''

''Of course you can.'' She smiled at the small boy. 

It didn't take long for the ice creams to be ready, the father payed and they left the shop. It was too crowded to find any good place to sit down and eat, so they decided to eat on their way to the beach. 

''Does it taste good?'' The father asked his son.

''You ask this every time we get ice cream, of course it does.'' The answer came out a little serious, which was hard to be intimidated by, as he had ice cream around his mouth. They finished their ice cream before reaching the main road which led to the beach. 

As they walked down the street the father heard some commotion down one of the side roads. He took a firm grip on his son's hand and began to walk a little faster. The sons confused at what was happening quickly caught up to the side of his father. 

''What's going on?'' He asked.

'Boom'

And explosion was heard from the side road where the commotion had been. The son screamed and jumped in fright. Before even reaching the ground he was pulled into his fathers stomach. His feet were dangling a bit over the ground. 

'Boom' 

Another explosion this time closer. The father began sprinting down the street with his son in his embrace. Chaos had erupted on the street, people were screaming and running without a care for each other. 

'Boom' 

This time the explosion came from the street they were one. Not daring looking back the father kept running, but a man coming out from the passenger side of a car parked slightly up on the pavement hadn't noticed them and had opened the door with such quickness the father didn't have time to react to it. He fell backwards as he hit the door with full force. The man who had opened it hadn't realised and took of running. 

'Boom' 

This explosion was much closer than the last. The father instinctively pulled his son closer to him, while trying to stand up. His right leg wobbled under the weight of him and his son. It had taken most of the hit of the door, so it was most likely broken. Standing fully up he tried to running towards a small alleyway on his right side.

'Boom'

This time the explosion hit the just behind the father and son. The father fell over again screaming in pain. The clothes on his back had been burned away. As he fell he turned to the side so his shoulder took the full force of the fall. On the ground he rolled over so he was laying on top of his son to protect him. 

'Boom' 

A small explosion this time but it was right on the father and son. The young boy had tears streaming down his cheeks. He called out to his father, but as the last explosion was heard, he could feel the weight of his father on him, crushing him to the ground in the last effort to protect him, but not the beat of his heart.