Red Bird

Most people just live their lives. Crazy, right?

Still, there is "some" truth in that incoherent sentence. Mainly the fact that we don't "think", we just "do".

Most of the time, we are on autopilot, our actions made subconsciously.

Like, when you want a coffee in the morning, and others tea. It is considered a normal occurrence in their life, if not necessary.

But. What if you changed their positions around?

Some might find no difference in it, while others might consider going to war against the gods for their wrongdoings in changing their drinks. The last one you might think is a bit of a stretch, but in reality, such people do exist.

Anyway, that is beside the point. What is important to understand is that everyone has a different grasp on what they consider normal.

And if we take away the theme of preferred moring drinks, we can also see things in the bigger perspective.- No f**k that. Let's continue on this tangent. This is more important.

While you enjoy your morning coffee someone out there might not even be able to get tap water. Truly a crime against humanity. Still, we don't think about that fact.

Why?

Cause it's sad. Cause we can't do anything about it. Cause empathy is a b*tch and thinking about it makes us depressed.

Even if we go out of our way to help them, us as a person can do little to cause a lasting change in the world. There are much more people like them after all. Even if we help the individual, we can't save a community on our own.

So?

We ignore it.-

But.

Let's say if you were faced with such an individual in front of your eyes. If you had to watch a coffee-starved person about to give in from exhaustion. Would you give your own coffee to them? Would you sacrifice your own comfort and sleep-deprived mind for "others"? For a "stranger"?

...

"Help... Someone, "anyone", please"

"Hey there fella. Your quite the hard catch, ain't ya?"(Lacky 1)

"Relax bro, she may have given us a run for our money, but she's got nowhere left to run now!"(Lacky 2)

There in an ally sits a little Red bird.

Even with her majestic wings, she has been stripped of her feathers.

Caught in a cage, prey before the predator.

And in this perilous situation, where might our protagonist be?

"F-fuck. What did I just walk in on?"

Hiding behind a corner she is quivering in her boots.

...

[Hurry up, mate! I can feel it. A scenario is coming! Oh, turn left here.]

"Sure"

Broken and battered, I decide to turn the corner as asked.

Honestly, I've given up at this point. If something comes up I can just ask about it later. Like, I've had enough action for, you know, a lifetime! Huh, best just wing it now. If I think about it too much I might just implode. Ignorance is bliss after all.

Hmm?

After about ten more minutes of running, I notice a slight change in my surroundings. What am I watching, you might ask? Well-

Smack*

"Ahh!... Hm?"

"Ara ara, what is a cutie like you doing here? Have you gotten lost? This isn't a place for little girls you know?-Well, at least not normally."

As I fell prey to my own inner shenanigans again, I suddenly collided. "What did I collide in?", you ask? Nothing but some majestic mountains of course!... Anyway, no time to be cultured right now! Time is of essence after all!... At least I think so! The system never explained where we were going or what we are going to do there.

No, don't think about it Alice just run with it for now. Still, that "experience" was quite nice.

kicks of*

As I begin running again I still find some time to have a little fu- I mean, I tragically continue to crash into people of course!

Smack*

"-Wha?"

Smack*

"Ara ara"

Smack*

"F**k off kid!"

Smack*

"Harder da-"

Couldn't hear that last one... Also, wasn't one of them really rude? Well, she was fla-her mountains were small, let's go with that.

Hm? how did I get in this alleyway?

Scream*

"Da f**k was that?"

[Go in that direction!]

... Is that really a good idea?

...

"F-fuck. What did I just walk in on?"

That was the only thing I could say as I walked in on a rather "questionably " legal scene.

I mean, could you blame me for reacting like that? Have you ever walked in on "that" type of thing... If you have, I'm sorry.

Anyway, what do I do?

"Save her" you might say, but it isn't that simple. There are two adult men cornering a, seemingly four-year-old, girl. And then you have me; the five-year-old one.

Yeah, this wouldn't end well. Like these guys seems to either be in the trafficking business or... "that one"... Either way, I'm probably in their strike sone too!

I mean, think of it! If I were to intervene right now, forget her, I'll be the next one.

Shiver*

Just thinking about it gives me shivers! Dam* my natural beauty!

[Com'on Sheila! Go save that princess!]

"Easy for you to say! Your buns aren't the ones on the line here!!"

"Hey, whos that!?" (Lackey 1)

F**k!!!!!!!!

[Well, now you have done it. Nice way to destroy a perfect surprise attack! Well, we got no choice now. Hurry up and beat those coons up!!]

And how am I supposed to do that!?

[Mystics?]

...Oh yeah right.

As I was having this inner conflict with my system, it seems that two would-be-criminals have surrounded me.

Hehe, time to kill some b*thes!! Sorry bois, I promise to make it painless..-not!

I start by focusing the mana in my body. As I harvest it in my hand, I also ad to it the residue mana from the atmosphere. It results in a shining silver light being emitted from my palm, sparks resembling shoting stars popping off every now and then.

"Wha what's going on, this kid knows Mystics?"

This is the culmination of my hard work these last years! Focusing my Moonlight Aura into my palms amplifies the effect. A simple trick but hard to pull off. Anyway, let's get to it!

While the thugs are still confused I raise my left hand up high.

"Illuminate!"

As I say that, the bright light in my left palm expands outward ready to explode- and it did. Closing my eyes before the shimmering light, I run forward.

"Ah! my eyes!"(lackey 1)

You little sh*t!"(lackey 2)

As they are confused and starts punching randomly in the air, I make my move. Opening my eyes, I close in on the nearest thug. I making sure to keep my body close to the ground.

Since he can hear my footsteps, he begins punching wildly in my direction. I took account for this of course. Right now his punches are only touching air. As this happens, I move right under his swings, abusing my laking height to the fullest!

Getting into position, I stretch my right hand as far back as I can, clenching it into a fist. From then on, I circulate my entire body with my hand as I begin pushing it forward. While breathing out the rest of the breath in my chest, I deliver a powerful punch to the large mans' stomach.

"Take this!"

"Squeeeee!"(lackey 1)

"haha, how do you like the taste of my moon punch!"

... Okay, that name is really lame.

Anyway, no reason to cry over bad catchphrases, I can think of more later after all... I'm not one of "those" people, okay! I just think giving your attacks names are kinda coo-....

Anyway, let's act like that conversation never happened! Right now I have to focus on the remaining enemy... Just me, or is he giving off a bad vibe?

"Heh, playing dirty kid? I like it! But bad kids need to get a lesson right? I'll personally see to it!"(lackey 2)

W-Why are they always perverts!!

Wait, that is not what I should be focusing on now. I mean he is kind of glowing a bit... or I guess it's more correct to call it... glooming? Yeah, anyway, he is giving off a dark and dirty kind of aura. At least that is the best way I can describe it. Either way, it's giving me the creeps. Not as much as that perverted smile though.

Let's give this pervert a lesson of our own!

While he is busy laughing maniacally to himself as if he is some sort of fantasy villain, I get to work.

I start by moving forward. I only have mana in my left fist now, so I can only deliver one more blow. Gotta make it count!

Getting under his guard by approaching head-on, I fire my punch mid-air-....Right, it forgot.

I used up the mana in my left fist on that light show earlier... Hehe.

Smirk* (lakey 2)

"Seems like you used up all of your tricks kid!"

As he said that, seemingly unharmed by my punch, he fires one of his own. Well, at least that was the last thing I remembered before I crashed head-first into the sidewall.

I can't seem to move much, and it really hurts. Maybe it was meant to end here. Guess that's what happens when you mindlessly stick your head into situations like this. Hmm? Seems like that thug is walking forward me. He starts talking, can't hear him though. Doesn't matter it's probably one of those cliche villain dialogs anyway. This will end in a few moments it seems. Might as well give up. Considering what I've been through so far, I would probably have died soon even if I survived this. Sucks that I have to leave both mom and those mountains behind though....

[Raise up]

Oh? Hmm, is this one of those shounen manga moments? You know, where the master or departed parents of the protagonist comes and give them some sort of inspirational speech before they die? You know? The one where you get some sort of power-up?... But I neither have a master nor is my mom dead. Can't be my dad either, haven't even met him!!

[You can call me daddy later if you want, mate. But right now you should focus on staying alive]

...The system huh? When I think about it... Wasn't it your fault that we are in this mess to begin with!?

[Hey you're the one who mindlessly decided to follow me!?]

Hearing that voice, I remember how much of a pain in the a*s this system has been. Seemingly thinking over it for a moment, my body started moving again. To he*l with this system! I couldn't help but let loose the emotions that had build up since what happened at the church, no since coming to this dam* world!!

Namely: annoyance.

"Shut it you pile of garbage!!! Why should anyone listen to you, huh!!!!? Certainly not me!!!!!!!"

Giving way to the sudden raising rage inside of me, my mana began concentrating again.

Since I can't beat the cr*p out of the system, might as well take it out on this basta*d in front of me!

Strangely though, as I began circling the mana inside of me, I notice a slight difference. You see normally, most of the mana reserves I draw from tends to be focused in my hair. Yet, this time I feel it coming from my eyes instead. Strange...Oh? Wait, is this? Heheh.

Smirk*(Alice)

"Hmm? What are you smirking for kid? Did, you really hit your head that badly? You've been spouting nonsense for a while now, like you beating me is still an option. Forget it. You might have a talent for Mystics, but you just used up all your mana on that flashy trick earlier. Don't worry though, I promise I will be gentle, kuku."(Lackey 1)

He is right though, "one" of my mana reserves is empty.

"Haaah, well I promise you buttloads pain though!!"

As I say that, I take a huge step forward, practically jumping off the asphalt. As I sail through the air, I let my mana flow to the surface of my body. It has a dark violet color with slight highlights of magenta, giving it a majestic and royal color. It's not exactly at a level where you could call it an aura. But, that is expected since, unlike the Moonlight Aura, I don't have the skill for it. Still, that doesn't mean that it has no effect. Quite the opposite really.

As the violet mana spins around and envelopes me, I begin feeling lighter and stronger. Unbelievably so in fact!

Right before impact with the now battle-ready thug, I decide to duck low. No, you might in fact consider this as the main attack all along, and the initial jump as just a distraction!

After going low, I decide to quickly crawl between the man's open legs. Once on the other side I suddenly come to a startling halt. But, Before the thug has a chance to turn around to check what happened, I stirk... Hehe.

Honestly, with this newfound strength and speed, the best choice would be to make a run for it! I have never used this ability after all, and I don't know if it has the power to beat that guy now that he has summoned his own aura. Going by my status that I checked a while ago, my proficiency in this Origin is also a tier lower than my Moon one. Still, running right now would also mean abandoning that redhead that I went through the trouble of saving. Since I have already committed myself to this, I might as well go through with this to the end.... Well, that and I don't know how long this buff will last for.

Still, I wouldn't risk all of this if I didn't think I had a chance!

You see, this was all a plan. A plan to make good on that promise I just gave a few seconds earlier! Hehe, if you can't go in from the front door, you can just use the backdoor!

After coming to a sudden halt I turned around, while still ducking down, and got ready to attack.

"Taste this! A thousand years of Dea*h!!"

Poke!!!*

"-Iyaaaa!!!"(lackey 2)

...

Alice used A thousand years of Dea*h

It was super effective!

Lackey 2 has been "paralyzed"!

shushushu

...

After making having taken care of that thug, I decide to make a run for it. But, before that-

"Let's get out of here girlie"

I held out my hand for her to grab on. After hesitating for a moment she decides to take it. Wanting to hurry up in our escape I begin running out of the ally, with her behind me on her toes.

"Huh, seems like it's sunset already. It looks quite beautiful"

Looking at the crimson horizon in awe, I realize that this hectic day is finally over.

"Yeah, it looks beautiful!"

Looking behind, I see the girl crying while giving me a bright smile.

It was quite cute.

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Author's note: Finally done. Took a while longer than normal it seems. Anyway, thanks as always for reading!

Warning: It's "that" time of the year, so I have to cram in a bit of last-minute studying this next week(and tomorrow). Hehe(Save me!) Sadly, that means I will have less time to write, quite a shame since the ball just got rolling too. I'll try to release some chapters before the weekend at least. Sorry, but hey, I'm the one who is going to suffer the most, so please show some kindness and understanding!

Notice: Next chapter is a POV one, or do you want that later? Please give me your opinions in the comments!