Chapter 6: Skyland Oceanic

 

We arrived at Skyland’s house that very same day. It was nothing more than a simple blue bungalow. It had barely any decoration outside, and through the window we could see that only half of the house was actually decorated.

” He just moved, this is his new address,” Banan whispered as we pulled up at the side.

” Didn’t he used to live in the outskirts?”

” Yeah but his therapist told him to civilise himself again.”

 

We got out of the car, not even caring about coats or umbrellas.

” Why is he seeing a therapist,” I murmured as we took baby steps up to his house.

” Depression.”

 

” Do you think I should see him? If he’s depressed and all…”

” You are getting cold feet after pestering me for years to do this?”

” No, it’s just…”

We both stood still as a creaking sound filled our ears, and out popped a small blue head.

 

” Erm, eh, hello. You must be Skyland, you see I’m Win…”

” Hey Skyland remember me? Well, listen up can you do us a favour?…”

 

The man didn’t even look up.

” Get out of my lawn kids, I don’t  care if you loose some stupid dare. I’m trying to fix my life here and…” he looked up midway through his sentence.”

 

” Bloom…” he whispered, his voice wavering.

” No, actually I’m her….”

 

Shock hit him whenever he realised I wasn’t Mum. His hands started to tremble as he nervously gulped.

” I know…just come in.”

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

 

He invited us into his house. The corner that he did furnish was nothing more than your typical little home that was just put together to be there. It didn’t look like Skyland cared at all about getting back into society a lot.

 

” Skyland, I came here to ask you about Bloom, my mother,” I started off.

” I know.”

” You know me?” I asked.

” Yep.”

 

” Wait, so do you know from whenever I was a baby?”

” From the very moment your mother told me about you, I knew you.”

” Were you close with Mum?”

 

” I suppose I’m close enough to call myself your Dad, but I never deserved that privilege.”

” What do you mean?” I choked out, tightening my muscles, ” Don’t lie to me, I know who my Dad is.”

He sighed, ” I’m not your biological father.”

 

” What does that mean?”

” I’m your step-father.”

” WHAT?!”

 

” I don’t believe you Skyland! I’m sure my mother loved my father and your just a big liar.”

” She did love him.”

” Stop answering my questions like this! Then why did she marry you?”

 

” Calm down and listen to me. I’m going to tell you the whole truth of your mother, your father, your birth and our family backgrounds. It’s a story of heartbreak unfortunately, and in it I was foolish. You can hate me all you want after this, but please listen to the end.”

 

Chapter 5: Closer

Two days past since that night. I knew we both felt the tension in the air, and in our own ways we tried to say we’re sorry -without actually saying it. I stopped pestering Banan about my family and made plans to visit this ‘Skyland Oceanic’ on my own.

Banan, on the other hand, cooked me each and every breakfast. She never snapped and didn’t speak a word to me.

” This is delicious,” I muttered tucking in to this delicious peanut butter and white puff cream jam. You might wonder what white puff cream jam is. Well, it’s simple jam mixed in with a load of marshmallows and sugar. It’s extremely rare and considered as the finest delicacy there is. I could never afford it.

” That’s still not it. I’ve got enough jam to create the puff cake! You’ve always told me how you wanted to even see one for your own eyes so I thought…!

” We need to talk,” I caught him off.

” Yeah, we do,” he sighed heavily as he set down his bowl. For the first time ever he revealed his back fully. He’s always been so cautious of it, and now I got to see why.

” BANAN!” I gasped, my hands shaking in fear. All I could see as he turned were scars. Long, deep scars running from his neck all the way down to the edge of his pants.

” We’ll talk about it later,” he murmured.

” No!”

” Please,” the softness and despair in his voice made me think. This wasn’t the way Banan usually behaved. Something was wrong. Something was on his mind.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

 

After we both put our clothes on I pestered Banan into the living room. His scars were covered but I could see a glimpse of more scars coming from his neck.

” Explain yourself,” I got into a huff.

” Well, you see, the gang was in trouble so me made deals with the Ruthless Reds. We were a bit behind in payments so, one day they just barged in and decided to settle things there own way.”

 

” But don’t worry about it! I promise you it was nothing. Just a couple of nasty bruises.”

” A couple of nasty bruises?! A COUPLE OF NASTY BRUISES! Berry! Your back is nothing but deep lines sinking into your bones! You call THAT a couple of nasty bruises!?” Berry I was angry with him. The thing about berrys is that your supposed to act your colour a bit. That means that whites don’t generally get angry as much as a red or a pink. Most of it’s garbage but even I have to admit some facts are true. But now I felt angrier than all the colours put together could ever be.

 

” I’m sorry,” he murmured.

” Ugh, it’s fine. Just promise me never to get yourself into that sort of mess again!”

” Winny,” his voice was now soft again.

” WHAT?!”

 

” Don’t be too angry at me.”

” Sorry, that’s my fault. I got a bit carried away but berry Banan you really pushed some buttons!”

” It’s just that…”

” What is it?” I cut him off impatiently. I didn’t usually behave like this – snappy and impatient. But the mixture of emotions and recent events were swaying me. Seeing my Banan with scars like that shook me.

 

” I know were Skyland Oceanic is.”

” What?!”

 

He sighed, ” I’ve known for a year, and I knew that he had some connection. You probably hate me now but, it’s just that – Skyland Oceanic is a miserable old man who’s done nobody good. Recently you were smiling – before you decided to search for your family. I just wanted to protect you, that’s it.”

” You know what type of connection we have?” my hands trembled.

” No, but if finding out is your dream then we can go right now.”

 

I flew into his arms just like I did a couple of days ago, ” Banan…thank-you.”

I saw him smile again, ” Yeah, yeah.”

” I finally get to meet my real family!”

 

 

—————————————————————————————————————————-

 

Oh, also guys I don’t know if you’ve noticed but I’ve upgraded Winter’s house a bit more. I know she won’t have kids until like the end of the generation but I decided to start preparing a bit more. We don’t want our founder living in a dump, do we?

Chapter 4: Homecoming

 

” Hey, how ya doing?” I heard that familiar posh Sugar Valley accent. My head spun round quickly to see a smirking Banan. It’s been three weeks since I’ve last seen him, one of our longest gaps.

 

” BANAN!” I shrieked as I leaped off the sofa and ran into his arms. I hugged him tightly, nearly crying from joy.

” Well somebody is excited.”

 

” I’m sorry Banan but I have had possibly the most life changing three weeks ever!”

” Without me,” his voice was unusually high pitched.

 

” I wished you were here with me, you would have been as shocked and pleased as I am right now. I’ve met these new fantastic people but I need your help…”

 

” Wait, what? What do you mean you’ve met these new people. Be careful Winny, we both know your more intelligent than me but your so naive you can easily fall into bad company.”

” Hah! Your one to talk.”

” My gang isn’t bad company. Just, a different kind of company.”

 

” Hah!”

” Oh, okay, okay. I admit it’s not my place to tell you who to hang out with but go on, tell me the story.”

 

” Well, I’ve met this guy called Sailor…”

” Do you like him?!”

” NO! He’s this old middle aged guy. Anyway, I’ve also met this woman called Lush. Guess what? They’re my parents friends!”

 

” Woah! But are you sure…”

” Yes! She told me my parents names and she even guessed my name before I told her! Apparently I look like my Mum and all!”

” So do you know why they abandoned you?”

” No, she gave me this address to go to. They didn’t want to tell me some details but they said there’s this man that has the right to tell me and I need you to….”

 

” I’m not driving you there!” he cut me off so coldly it stunned me. Was that my Banan? Was that my gentle rebellious Banan who would never dream of protesting against me and stopping me from reaching my dreams.

” They’re suspicious Winter. They didn’t want to tell you something you obviously should know. I don’t trust them, and you shouldn’t.”

” How can you say that so coldly? This is my dream. To find my family,” tears were pouring down my cheeks. This wasn’t the Banan I knew. They changed him. Again.

He awkwardly scratched his head, ” I’ll make myself a bed on the sofa.”

That was the end of our conversation. I cried through the entire night.

Chapter 3: On To Something

The very next morning I clasped my hands together in determination. So what? Last night was just one of those ‘things’. At least I knew I had a mother. At least I knew she lived here. But the question remained. He didn’t finish his sentence. There’s something else about her that I need to know. But I’ll get there. Someday.

I got myself ready. There was no point hiding in the shadows. If I continued to just search through books I wouldn’t get anywhere. I got closer with a little help from other berries than I did pouring hours endlessly through year books. So, I had to go out there. I had to create an impression…

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

The park seemed like a good place to start. It was filled with countless berrys just going about their life peacefully. I knew there would be at least one person in the entire park who was any help to me at all.

” OMB! BLOOM!”

I turned around to find myself awkwardly close to a strange green woman who in her own way was radiating with beauty. I smiled. She recognised me. She recognised me because of my Mum.

” Oh, silly me. Sorry girl, you just look so awfully familiar.”

” Eh, who do I remind you off?” I shook her hand politely like a friend would. She didn’t mind the fact I was drained from colour, and I liked that.

” Oh never mind dear. Your obviously younger than me and old Bloom! Haha. Well, Bloom used to be this small, unique creature I called a BFF. I suppose we sort of…drifted apart after she fell in love and got married.”

” What was her full name?”

The woman raised her eyebrows, ” Okay, well. Her name was Bloom Blush-Peony.”

I took a deep breath, ” This might seem a little strange but I’m, lets say, I think I might be related to her. I’ve been looking for her for years now and…”

” You poor thing,” she shook her head sadly, ” You didn’t hear?”

” I don’t really keep contact with my family. She’s my only hope of family and I was rather hoping to find her soon.”

” You really haven’t heard?” she repeated. She squinted her eyes, putting small pieces of me together.

” Wait a minute! Stop smiling! Or stop doing anything!” I stood awkwardly trying to keep a straight face while she squinted her eyes even more and tried to recognise me.

” Well?”

” Are you her sister?”

*small facepalm*

” No.”

” Oh berry. Lush are you thick? Look at the girl? Same nose, same eyes, somewhat same mouth. Frail creature, everything like her mother, but faded ,” he whispered the lasts words like a curse.

” Oh come on Sailor you know I’m not good at this!”

” How did you ever get into university over me?”

” Don’t fret and be a sad old berry. Now, let met think!”

” Well, ahem. If you can’t seem to figure it out then maybe I should just say it. There’s no point hiding it, after all it’s nothing bad. I need to know about Bloom Blush-Peony because, well, I’m her…”

” MOTHER!” Lush screamed.

A smile formed at my lips as I said those precious words, ” I think I’m her daughter.”

” Huh? Oh, I see it! I see it now!”

” Finally!”

” Apparently I look exactly like her. I was raised in an orphanage nearby and well, I just have a good feeling about calling her my mother.”

Her eyes saddened for some reason, ” Oh. Oh my. That’s the reason…I’m so sorry.”

” What?! What is it?”

I started to tremble? Did my mother really didn’t want me? Was she a bad person? Was she sick? Was she even in Sugar Valley anymore? All these questions were at the back of my head.

” Well, you see. Your too late.”

” For what?!”

” LUSH!” Sailor barked, ” It’s not your place to tell her!”

” Tell me what?!”

” I’m sorry sugar puff, it really isn’t my place. But I do know a certain fella who will tell  you everything you need to know.”

” What’s his name? Why can’t you tell me?” I started to get excited again.

 

” His name is Skyland Oceanic. He lives just on the outskirts on Sugar Valley. The road is long and dangerous if you walk there, so you should probably get somebody to drive you there, and even if you can drive just get somebody in case of an emergency.”

” Thanks. What’s his exact address.”

” I don’t really know.”

 

” Well, thanks anyway. Your a lot better than most berries around here. They all hate me because…well, you know.”

” I never talk to those prejudiced berry holes.”

 

” Well, I hope I can see you sometime soon.”

” Wait! Kid, can I ask you something. Is your name something like Winter Bliss or Winter Blossom?”

” H…how did you know?”

” You really are Bloom’s kid,” she whispered smiling. I smiled back. This was going great! All I had to do is wait for Banan to come back.

Chapter 2: Starting Point

I had a good feeling whenever I woke up the next morning. Well, I couldn’t identify it as a good feeling completely – I suppose it was more of excitement. But I didn’t care one bit, because I was finally doing it!

” Hey Winny! Oh, I’m sorry…” Banan barged in ( surprise, surprise ) with shock written all over his face.

” What’s the matter?”

” It’s just I’ve never really seen you so uncovered before.”

” What about whenever we were living together?”

” No, not then. Well, eh, it’s nice to know everything’s in the right place.”

” BANAN!”

” Right, sorry Winny. Anyway, I’m leaving so I just came in to say goodbye.”

” You’re leaving now? So early?”

” Yeah, I have to hit the road now if I wanted to make it to Briocheport by sunset.”

” Oh, I’m going to miss you Banan.”

” Gonna miss you too,”

” Just…come back safe,”

” I will come back like I always do.”

” What? With more scars?”

” Winter, they’re scratches.”

” No. They’re scars. Anyway, avoiding the subject, you promised me you’ll help.”

 

” I know I did but I had a lot of berrodka. Plus, I didn’t think you were being serious because you’ve had more and…”

” You’re not getting out of this! I thought you were my friend.”

 

” Does it really matter to you that much?!”

” YES!”

” Fudge,” he murmured.

 

” Don’t you go swearing on me!”

” Right, sorry.”

” So will you help me or not?!”

” Ugh I hate that fudging necklace of yours.”

 

” Banan, I swear if you swear one more time I’ll…”

” Fine I’ll help you once I get back.”

” Thanks,” I murmured, clasping my hands together, ” Oh wait, don’t you have a taxi or something to catch?”

” Oh fud…dy duddy I do,”

” Hn.”

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

 

After Banan left my life just got busier. If I wasn’t working, I was sleep or eating, if I wasn’t sleeping or eating I was trying to increase my skills in painting and guitar. If I wasn’t doing that I was trying to squeeze in some investigating.

 

I didn’t own a computer. The computers in the library were off limits to me ( they wouldn’t give me a card for computers because the paper ran out, as if! ) so my only resource was books. Old, dusty books and yearbooks of Sugar High. Lovely. Not as helpful as googling my father’s name, but helpful enough.

 

The dust of the books seemed particularly keen to cling to my lovely white pristine house. Pretty soon, with all the books and research and paperwork I was living in a pig’s sty. No, I was living in an intelligent pig’s sty. The smell lingered long after I put those peculiar books back and that forced me out of the house more.

—————————————————————————————————————————

 

” Excuse me sir!” I caught up with the rare spectacle of a non berry person. Non berries were treated like  me, so in a way I did get on with them.

” What is it girl? Do you want some fun?” the comment made me roll my eyes.

 

” Ehm, have you been living here for more than twenty-five years?”

” I’ve lived here all my life, so no. Ha!” he chuckled at his own bad joke. I got a whiff of that man’s scent. Exactly like my house. Perfect . I have landed myself with a truly bad hope.

 

” I know this is a truly strange question but it’s quite important to me,” I held my breath, ” Do I look like somebody you know? Or that was around here?”

He paused for a second, ” Actually…yeah! There was a pregnant fadi…” he was cut off.

 

” Alan lets go! Don’t be giving a colourless freak information!”

I bit my lip, ready to punch that guy.

” Sorry girl, but if my Woody says your bad news, your bad news.”

 

” Oh no! Please sir! Tell me about the girl! The pregnant girl! Please!”

” Alan!”

” Sorry.”

” Oh come on. He’s just telling you I’m bad news because he’s a prejudiced berry-hole who thinks because I don’t have colour I’m a freak.”

” Sorry.” he backed away. I obviously frightened him with my pleading and desperate tone.

I sighed as he practically ran away from me with Woody. Great going Winter. But at least I knew I wasn’t that far off.

Chapter 1 ~ It’s That Day

” You have the best view in town, y’know?”

” Yeah, I know. I live here, remember?” I said with a hint of sarcasm. Banan chuckled at my playfulness. I just felt different today.

” Your quite feisty, what’s on your mind?”

I sighed as I looked down on that dreaded book. It’s pages cursed me to read it. The worst thing is that if your stuck with an extremely boring book, there’s a hundred percent chance you’ll dawdle and just flick through the pages.

” My boss decided we should all read this stupid book about the rules and regulations of the berry law. I think he’s having a go at me. A colourless berry reading a book about how bad being colourless is and how colours should be preserved!? He’s either being really mean or really stupid or ignorant. Maybe he’s all of these things!”

Banan chuckled once more and laid paper white plates with a wonderful colourful autumn salad on top, ” Tuck in Winny. Consider yourself lucky, my mother wrote that boring piece of fudge.”

I grinned. He was using ‘Winny’. Ever since he joined the Wolfberries in Briocheport he hasn’t been all that playful.

” Hey, do you know what date it is today?”

” You really had that much grape juice at Candy Blush’s party?”

” My heads in a daze. What date is it? It’s beginning of January, isn’t it?” My voice developed that worry and anxiety. As soon as I realised it was no other day but January 2nd, the worst day of my year. Banan tried to give me his reassuring smile, but I fell into quick depression that second. That’s why he was being so kind, he knew how my calendar worked.

The rest of dinner was silent. We both tried to pretend it was because the food was so delicious ( Banan’s everything but shy and modest ) but with each mouthful I got more and more depressed. That day seemed to have an effect on me. All it brought me was sorrow, as dramatic as it sounds.

” Winny, you can’t do this every year.”

” Do what?”

” Die inside because a couple of years ago your parents abandoned you,”

” Way to be blunt, you fudgecake of berry,” I regretted calling him one of the worst names I could, but I was to busy trying not to cry and get rid of him.

I felt his breath down my neck, ” Listen, if your so upset I’ll go and take you to see your ‘supposedly’ father’s grave. But after that no crying! Do we have a deal?”

I smiled, ” I guess I could break tradition.”

I did have another clue left to me besides the necklace. My ‘father’s’ grave. Apparently he was the only member of my family identified to me. But it was no use, because he died before I was born, barely twenty-four. That’s all I know. It’s not like his, or my, family visit his grave. All there is his name. Not even his colour is revealed. It’s painful to visit it, it triggers tears. So I only visit it barely once a year to change the wilting flowers on his grave.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————-

I stood at his grave. I thought I was prepared this time, but fate proved me wrong. As soon as I caught the name ‘Tar Breeze Fantasy’ the tears immediately raced across my face. I wasn’t usually such a crybaby. It was just that day.

” Look Daddy, I need your help. My dream is to know who I am. Who gave me this necklace? Was it Mum? Was she pretty?  Was she kind? I know this is a lot of questions for a dead person but…”

” Send me a sign of who you and Mum are. Or who you were? Why did she abandon me Dad? Was I not wanted or something? Please give me some clue, I’m desperate!”

I sighed heavily. I was going crazy, talking to thin air. But I was desperate to find my answers.

” Hey Winter you done! Because Taffet told me some pretty juicy gossip about his girlfrie…you okay?” he scooped me up into his arms, just like he used.

” Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just, y’know? I’m so close yet so far.”

” I know what will cheer you up! I’m leaving tomorrow with the rest of the gang so how about today we have a follow up New Years party! Just the two of us jamming to your stereo!”

” That’s the best thing ever,” I smiled, deciding that I didn’t need his approval.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————-

” Hey Banan, I have some great news!”

” Really?!”

” Yeah, I’m going to look for my family by myself.”

” Really…”

” Understand me Banan. This is no crying and weeping and wishing. This is me being serious,” I look down, not being able to see his face, ” I want to find them. Or even just know their names or what they looked like.”

” You mean their colour.”

” I want to know what I am Banan. And why I’m…different.”

” Well…eh,” I looked up to his face. His eyebrows were knotted together, and I knew he was deliberating. Banan never supported my family. He always said he’s never leave his baby to such a cruel fate. But they must have had some reason.

” I’ll help you if I can,” he finally stuttered.

” REALLY! Oh, Banan, you genius! You chocolate lovin’ fudge!”

” Wha?!”

” Oh, never mind. Thank-you so much. I’ll keep you updated and everything. You have no idea how much this means to me!”

” Yeah…” I danced through the night that day, breaking my tradition of sorrow and tears. I was finally going to do it! I was finally going to find them! My family.

Prologue ~ A Good Friend

I don’t know really what to say. I suppose I really should let you guys in on everything that’s happened in my life so far so that the entire story – my story – isn’t confusing. Well, here goes nothing.

My name is Winter Bliss Fantasy, and being born I committed a crime. I was colourless. I didn’t have a smidge of colour in me, and because of that my entire family abandoned me in fear.

I told you this story was going to be an emotional one. Well, I didn’t actually warn you but it will be emotional. Anyway, I was raised in an orphanage outside Sugar Valley. Apparently I was found in it’s garbage, so they had no choice but to take me in. I knew I was different from the other kids. Not only in colour but also just generally different. A face like mine was very hard to find in a summer town like Sugar Valley.

Yeah, life was hard. As soon as I turned sixteen I wasn’t allowed to stay any longer. They just kicked me out, and I was taught a harsh lesson about the world. It’s cruel. It’s merciless. If you don’t appeal to one person, you don’t appeal to everybody else. That was my attitude towards everything and everyone.

But don’t worry. This is the part of the story where the person in depression gets saved. Saved by a yellow berry whose past wasn’t all sunflowers and rainbows either.

Meet Banan Glow Sunberry. My trusted friend and the person who I owe my life. We met at the orphanage. No, he wasn’t an orphan. Oh no, Banan is the son and only heir to this rich snooty guy. Banan wasn’t at all snooty. We quickly hit off ( much to his parent’s disgust ). Whenever I got kicked out I came crawling and begging to him. He accepted me ( even though his parents didn’t ) and helped me buy a little property with an amazing view.

But whenever he turned eighteen, he decided he had enough of his parents and cut all ties with him. They blamed me, but  I truly didn’t have anything to do with it. I was only trying to get back up on my feet. We decided to live together, but it was just too hard. A small town like Sugar Valley wouldn’t have missed an opportunity to start a rumour, so he moved out and got himself a bedsit uptown. I felt guilty about it, but he tried to reassure me everything was okay.

But then he started to change. He got tattoos and I saw him less. I guess he became a bad boy. Fortunately he still comes back to town once a week and spends that time entirely with me, his little friend. I don’t mind. I just get worried sick about him, but he’s a big boy. And I had my own little problems.

Banan tried to help me with those ‘problems’, but  I know he disapproves of the biggest one. The mystery of my necklace. You see, whenever I went into the orphanage the only ‘possession’ I had was a pure white necklace. It was beautiful, and I know that whoever gave it to me must have loved me. You don’t give these things to random babies you merely like. That person, my family, is out there somewhere, and I want to find him! Banan isn’t too keen on that. But I’ll turn him around someday.

Well, I guess that’s you guys caught up to now. I know I’ve had one heck of a life so far, but I hope you’ll join me for the rest of my messed up life, because you see, I want to find out who my family were…