Strings Of Fate & Falling

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Years Ago...
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Roxanne sat up on the hillside in tears, hugging her knees close. She sat under the huge oak tree as the leaves hung over like a veil. She was trembling at what she had just witnessed, replaying the scene over and over again in her head.

"I hate you, I hate you! I hate you!" she cried, over and over.

She'd left her village in fear and anger, after a heated argument between her parents.

She ran and ran for miles until she saw a beautiful bridge that led up to a closed in pathway. She ran until she found a huge hill that looked out on a small village. She'd never seen this place before as her curious eyes scanned each building. She wanted to stay until sunrise before she would decide to finally return home, but she knew things would never improve from there. This life was killing her, and she wondered when she would be able to get out.


She started humming, repeated words over and over out loud. This short song was always in her head and calmed her nerves, though others thought it was creepy and called her a freak for it.

~
Kagome Kagome,
The bird in the cage,
When, when will you come out?
In the evening of the dawn, the crane and turtle slipped.
Who stands right behind you now?
~

About that Time, young Maximus primos woke in the middle of the night hearing an echo over the village. He looked around startled at first before going to the window and getting onto the roof to look around. He looked up to the cliff he saw something by the tree up there, a person.. His Curiousity got the better of him as he jumped down and ran for the cliff following the path to the bridge. He could hear his sister shouting close behind him but he ignored her going to see who was up by the tree

Roxanne's tears wouldn't stop falling as she hugged her knees closer and shut her eyes. She felt a gentle breeze in her face as she continued to sing the same words, over and over again as if shut outside the world of reality...

~
Kagome Kagome,
The bird in the cage,
When, when will you come out?
In the evening of the dawn, the crane and turtle slipped.
Who stands right behind you now?
~

Max had finally reached the hill put to the cliff. He ran up slowing down and seeing a raccoon sitting and crying next to the cliff. He stayed silent for a moment. Listening to the song. But the all stopped when his sister Emily shouted his name  from the woods behind him.

Roxy recited the words of the song one last time before she heard something. Her ear twitched as she suddenly leapt up the tree, scrambling to hide in the leaves.

She hastily wiped her eyes, sniffing as she tried to compose herself. She hugged her knees again while she was up there, choosing to hum it instead as she was just starting to calm down.

He looked back to the tree as the girl had vanished. He walked over to the tree and looked around. He stood right beneath where she dissappeared. "Where did she go..."

"Max!" Shouted a teen hedgehog. "You know your not suppose to be out this late"

Max jumped startled by his sisters shout. He backed up knowing he was going to get in trouble not rememberin he was right next to a cliff, his foot slipped.. And he started to fall.

Roxanne looked down and scowled. She was tempted to not to interfere, since it wasn't her business. This person had disturbed her after all. However, she couldn't battle her moral side. With a huff and a flick of her tail, she jumped down and grabbed onto his hand tightly. She shook her head as she pulled him up.

"You klutz. Watch your footing next time." she said sternly, standing above him as he laid on the ground looking up at her.

Max panted as he was scared at the moment. "... Thanks." Was all he could say at the moment.

"Maximus!" Shouted his sister again. She jumped out of the bushes heading for them. 

Max sat up instantly. "Sis.."

"Maximus primos what on earth are you doing out this late."

"I saw this girl up here. I got curious. She sounded sad... And she saved me from falling off the cliff" max said as he looked to the raccoon

The pink teenage  hedgehog looked to the raccoon. Then smiled. "Your not from around here are you?"

"Kudo's." she grumbled, clearly not amused as she folded her arms and looked down at the floor. She bit the inside of her cheek before scoffing. "It's fine. I was just leaving anyway." she said quietly with a certain sadness to her tone as she started to walk off.

"Why are you so sad" max suddenly spoke up. "It's like you don't want to go home" he walked in front of her blocking her way a little. 

"Max don't be rude." His sister said grabbin his arm to move him out of the raccoons way but max stood his ground looking at his savior.

Roxanne looked down. "I don't..." she then gave a glance as if she were going to open up to him, but then she shook her head, protesting. "And why that is, is no concern of yours!" she made to move past him as she accidentally shifted the material of her jacket up, exposing the dark, sickly bruises on her skin.

Max saw the bruise. Then looked to his sister.  The pink hedgehog blocked her way now. "Then don't go back... Or at least stay here till those bruises heal." She said kneeling in front In the raccoon.

Roxanne shook her head frantically, as if the idea was completely out of the question. "No...I - I have to. I have to go back or....he'll - he'll..." she sniffed, hugging herself as she suddenly felt a chill, whimpering.

"I can't disobey him anymore..."

The hedgehog smiled. "Yes you can." She said. "He won't be able to hurt you here."

Max hear something walking there way and growled. "Someone followed us... And I got the feeling he's bad"

Roxanne trembled, fearing the worst and started thrashing about. "No! No! Noooo!" she shrieked, tears coming down in streams as she literally broke down in front of them.

She sunk down to her knees as curled in on herself. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'M SORRY!" she babbled, shaking violently.

Max started to growl louder his eyes suddenly flashed red. But soothed when he heard a familiar voice. "It's ok dad's coming"

The pink hedgehog sighed. "Max can you stay with our new friend while I talk to dad" she said

"Of course Emily" he said as she ran off he looked to the raccoon. He got down next to her  and said. "I promise no one will hurt you... I won't let them" he said smiling

Roxanne was still shivering and was still hiding her face in her arms, but she hesitantly lifted her head to look at him. Her tough façade disappearing instantly as she whimpered. "But your just a kid." she grumbled, looking away.

"So are you. But I'm tougher than I look." He said sitting next to her. "Besides you saved me from falling off the cliff." He lay back and looked up to the stars.

Roxanne looked over at him and grumbled a little. "You won't survive long in this world if you keep making mistakes like that." she said, shifting away from him slightly. She had never been good with strangers, since she didn't even fully trust family.

"You know what they say, you learn from your mistakes" he said as he noticed she shifted away. "I'm Maximus primos.. But people call me max... What's your name?"

Roxy looked to him then to the floor, then to him again, clearly in turmoil. "It's....it's Roxanne..." she said, looking around them cautiously. before long, she was humming the same song again absentmindedly. The tune soft and quiet.

Max smiled listening to the song. "That's what made me come up here.. I heard the echo of your voice around the village" he said quietly

Emily cam back with a tall blue hedgehog next to her. "Here they are daddy" 

The large male walked over to them. "So your the reason my son came out this late.. Might I asked what brings you out this late little one"

Roxanne sank further into herself, her tail curling around her. She looked incredibly uncomfortable, especially since she didn't want to bring up personal details into a conversation with total strangers.

"I don't..." she trailed off, before thinking about it and sighed. "I ran away...from home."

The adult sat down. "How come? Are your mother and father fighting?" He asked.

Max spoke up. "She has bruises on her dad."

It was then that the adult frowned. "I see... I want you to come and stay with us for tonight. Just to treat your bruises, I know we aste complete strangers but we mean you now Harm.. And I'll walk you him in the morning if you want to go home"

Roxanne hummed, looking between them all, a little hesitant. They did have trustworthy faces and she already felt a certain sense of security around them.

"Ok..." She said quietly as she slowly nodded. She started to get up slowly, shivering as the temperature had dropped even more.