《The Treeboy (Hiatus)》Chapter Three: Whiter, Black And Red.
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The boy stepped onto the crest, just as Claus had instructed him, the world suddenly disappearing all around him, leaving him in a large, black space, getting pulled forward, as if with a tight rope. His smiled quickly turned into a confused expression, as he couldn't see anything beyond the small light in front of him begin to enlarge, enveloping his line of sight completely, until he began feeling solid ground under his feet, falling down to his knees suddenly.
''And so he-- Oh, he's here.'' Claus said, as if adressing someone, with the boy rubbing his eyes roughly. ''Did you have him keep his eyes open the whole time, dumbass?!'' a familiar female voice shouted, getting a grunt from Clous. The boy's eyes cleared, leading him to blink slightly, looking up at the people in front of him, finding Claus, a tall, lean woman, pompously dressed with crimson red hair and a man flipping through a magazine, sitting in a spinning chair.
''So what if he kept 'em open? He won't go blind 'cause of it, so it's no big deal.'' Claus turned his back to the woman, angering her even more. ''You two, he's staring at you, get your shit together.'' the man with the magazine looked up, telling them off, leaving them silent. ''Um, mister fox, who is that tired-looking man? And that over-the-top woman, too?'' he pointed at them respectively, with her narrowing her eyes menacingly.
''See, that's Rosa, and that's Bernie, i'm Claus, the master - yours, of course - so remember us well.'' Claus said in an unnatural, respectful tone. ''Don't try to lighten the mood, Clausy, let him see his new environment. He's gotta get used to it, after all.'' Bernie told him, leaving him to scoff. The boy began looking around, starting to ignore their words, letting them echo into the background, spotting a big sofa, a majority of it dirtied, except for the spot Bernie was sitting in, doors, presumably leading into other parts of the confusing to him facility, a table, and a small fridge in the back of the room.
''Shouldn't we like, get him something to wear, maybe? It's getting uncomfortable, to be frank.'' Rosa looked at Bernie, causing him to close his magazine, leaving it on the table. ''I'll go get him something, but uh...It's not gonna fit him correctly.'' he smiled at the kid, walking out of the room with a few heavy steps. ''Claus, the thing looks like it's disinigrating, what's that about? The cheeks are like a cave collapsing on itself and the body...Ugh, horrible.'' Rosa complained, feeling disgust towards the poor thing. ''That's what i want to adress at the moment; The Tree itself was late, not the records from which you gave me my assigned time of infiltration.'' he began explaining, whispering to Rosa.
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''You mean, it's conscious to the point of choosing when to drop the treasure?'' she asked, with the boy doing his best to listen in on the conversation, only hearing bits and pieces of it. ''Hey kid, come over here, please.'' Bernie poked out his head through the door, welcoming him in. With anticipation, he jumped up, sprinting over to the door through which Bernie entered, entering it quickly.
''It's surprising how energetic you are in spite of your body.'' Bernie commented as he went through a small closet full of clothes. ''I don't get it, Mr. Bernie; what's so weird about me...? You keep talking about me, as if i'm abnormal or some onject, but i don't understand.'' the boy looked down, surprising Bernie. ''Come on, little guy, you're just...underdeveloped. Don't mind it too much, okay?'' he nodded his head to the right, causing a smile to emerge on the boy's face.
''Look here now, i can't really find something that fits you, but i've got something that won't turn you into a human mop, at least!'' Bernie chuckled as he pulled out a large T-Shirt with ''B Mei'' written on it, followed by a pair of gray shorts, pockets on each side. ''Wooow! I get to take them?!'' he shouted loudly, getting a friendly nod from Bernie. ''Thanks mister, you're really kind!'' he added, leaving Bernie staring at him in confusion. ''U-uh, thank you. Now get dressed, okay?'' he recommended nervously, watching as the boy threw the cloak over his head.
''You could've placed it down, kid.'' Bernie said as he grabbed the cloak, beginning to fold it carefully as the boy put the shorts on, them being so big, almost reaching his feet. ''Say, what's the little rock in your chest?'' Bernie asked as he put the cloak down carefully in a box. ''My gem, you mean? I don't know, really. 'Keep it safe' is the only thing going through my head when thinking about it...'' he explained as he put the T-Shirt on, not fitting whatsoever. ''You're a little mystery, aren't you?'' Bernie asked as he offered his large hand to the kid, getting his curious expression as they locked hands, exiting the room.
''Hey, Mr. Clous, look, look; i've got new clothes!!'' the boy ran over to clous, jumping and landing on the couch, spreading dust all over the room, causing for Rosa and Claus to start coughing as they were sitting around it. ''Damn it, kid...! Stop pestering me already!'' Claus yelled at him, taking a french fry, which was on the table, and throwing it at him, landing directly in his mouth, leaving him satisfied.
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''You two come up with a name for him?'' Bernie asked them as he crossed his arms. ''Sure i did. He'll be Lancia.'' Claus said, tuning around and watching Bernie's judgemental expression. ''How 'bout you name him, if it's that big of a deal, huh?!'' Claus yelled at them, blushing out of embarrassment. ''Call him whatever you wish, i don't want to take care of a kid.'' Rosa looked away from them, causing Bernie to sigh. ''Then, how about Yohiro for now?'' Bernie suggested, raising his finger, with Rosa and Clous looking down at their fingers.
''Oh my God, that name fits...'' they said at the same time, looking back at Bernie. ''Though, why Japanese?'' Rosa asked him, confused at his motive. ''Quiet, you both know i was a major in that area before me and Master formed the group.'' Bernie said, annoyed. ''Fits? What does it mean?!'' the boy asked, stepping off the couch impatiently. ''It means 'whiter'. Though i'm kind of rusty, i just picked it due to that snowy hair. I thought it's a decent fit.'' he explained, watching as the boy looked at his feet, grabbing his hair with his thumb and forefinger.
''Yo...hiro. Yes, thank you...'' he muttered under his voice, with Clous immediately running over to him. ''H-hey, what's the matter, k-- Oh...?'' Clous stopped, backing away as Yohiro began rubbing his eyes with his left hand, rubbing off the tears falling down his face, getting the others' attention. ''Yohiro, why are you crying now of all times?'' Bernie asked. concerned. ''Something...got in my eye all of a sudden!!'' Yohiro shouted, raising his head and revealing a smile, going from one ear to the other. ''Then what's that grin about, you abnormality?!'' Clous scolded him as he hit the top of his head, causing him to begin crying harder, his smile still louder than his yelling.
''Why don't you understand for once; he's a kid. Let him be happy, idiot.'' Rosa said, surprising Claus. ''Yes, Clous, that was uncalled for.'' Bernie added, taking him aback. ''Oh, you can all go to hell!!'' Clous pointed at them, running over to a door, opening it and slamming it loudly after entering. ''Didn't expect for both of us to attack him; he breaks at that point.'' Bernie thought as Yohiro ran over to the same door, knocking on it. ''I'm sorry! I'll stop smiling, i'm so sorry!!'' he started banging on it. ''Even if he says that, he's still smiling like that.'' Rosa thought as she laughed under her breath.
''That aside, boss won't be happy about this, Bernie~!'' Rosa said, making him shiver. ''T-to be quite honest, Claus knows the most about Yohiro, so he is going to be explaining everything to her...'' Bernie explained in deperation, ignoring Yohiro's continious banging on the door and Claus' yells for him to stop. ''Yeah, but Clous isn't the higest in command amongst us three, is he?'' Rosa continued pushing his buttons, watching him shake at that point. ''As a proud second in command, with master being first of course, i will keep my responsibilities in mind, i promise...'' Bernie said, giving up at that point, putting on a depressed smile.
''Got you some time to yourself there, Clousy; get some rest from this.'' Rosa thought a she picked up Bernie's magazine from the table, sitting in his clean spot.
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