CHAPTER 1
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Time: Months before the Prologue
Place: Planet Awenasa
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Oliver hid behind a small wall made of snow, hiding from his younger sister, Bubble.

Currently, they were at snowball fight war, and his sister was on the other side of the wall, scouting the area, looking for her adopted older brother. He grabbed a handful of snow in his hands, peeked from behind the snow wall and threw it.

A girl with white hair braided on the front and a mini bun on the back, blue thick winter coat with white fur linings, a sun embroidered on her left side and holes on her winter shoulder like a summer dress, white ear-muffs, baby blue eyes, dark blue winter boots with matching gloves, and blue necklace with the water elemental symbol on the pendant, was hit with the snowball Oliver threw. She gave a small yelp as Oliver laughed.

She urgently looked around, trying to find the person guilty of throwing the snowball at her. Which, truth be told, is her older brother. Seeing him laugh, she gave him a glare and pouted, “No fair Oliver!” Oliver stopped laughing, though giggling and snickers still escaped from his mouth, as he walked over to her, grinning, and ruffled her hair, earning another pout and glare from his sister.

“All is fair in a snowball war Bubble”, Said Oliver smirking. Bubble gave a glare to him to which he shrugged off. “Bubbles! Oliver! It’s time for lunch!” They heard a deep male voice. Turning in the direction of the voice, they saw Caspian, Bubble’s biological father and Oliver’s adoptive father.

He has messy brown hair, black framed wayfarer glasses, dark shade of aqua inner-shirt, dark blue-gray jacket with turquoise color fur linings. He also has moss green pants and black shoes. A warm smile inhabits his face as he looks at his kids.

“Okay Dad!”, The siblings shouted. Caspian smiled, nodded, and went back inside their home. Oliver looked at his younger sister with a sly grin on his face and said playfully, “Race you back sis!” And started running back home, his little sister not far behind him. He heard a slightly audible, “Hey! Wait up!”, From his younger sister.

Then they arrive inside the house as Oliver slides smoothly on the ice, and inside the house. As well as sliding past his mother, Cordelia, with Bubbles running not far behind him. He raised his fist triumphantly and shouted, “I win!” Bubbles finally got inside the house, also running past her mother. She pants tiredly and said, “No fair! You got a head start!”

Cordelia laughed at the duo as she closed the door, and went to the kitchen where he found her husband, adding the final touches to their lunch. She went over, hugged him from the back, planted a small kiss on his cheek, “Hey…” Making Caspian smile, turned around and hugged his beautiful wife back.

Cordelia has white hair like her daughter, but it was short with a clip -that looks like the chinese knots on her outfit- at the back. She has four-leaf clover chinese knot earrings, bright baby blue eyes and a blue blouse with a dark blue jacket.

With his wife and kids help, lunch was finally served and ready to eat! They had another wacky lunch as they all talked about what happened that day. Nothing too eventful, but definitely a memory worth remembering. They had kimchi for Cordelia and Caspian, while the kids had sushi as the Kimchi was too spicy for them, they said.

After lunch, Bubbles and Oliver went out to play in the garden with their pet polar bear, Nisa. She was a birthday gift from their parents after Bubbles' fifth birthday. Which, on their opinion, was the best decision they've ever made.

Around one hour after lunch, Caspian and Cordelia went to go to Caspian's cousin, Moony, house to help him take care of his newborn baby girl. To which he and his wife, Crystal, decided to name Snowdrop. Leaving Bubbles and Oliver, home alone at home.

Originally, the kids were supposed to join them. But a snow storm is on its way and the couple decided it wasn't safe for them to come. So before they left, Caspian, who by the way is the best chef in the house, prepared some snacks for them in case they get hungry while they're away for the afternoon.

ᗩᖴTᗴᖇ TᕼᗴIᖇ ᑭᗩᖇᗴᑎTՏ ᒪᗴᖴT

"Ughh, I'm bored Oliver! What should we do?" Groaned Bubbles as she sank into the chair she was sitting on. "Why are you asking me!? Aren't you supposed to be the imaginative one?" Responded Oliver. His voice muffled when he stuffed his face into his pillow.

Nisa was laying down on her back, looking extremely bored. All of them could be seen in Oliver's room, looking very bored, not knowing what to do.

"Maybe we could read a book?" Suggested Bubbles. "But Nisa would get bored sooner or later." Pointed out Oliver looking up from the pillow of which he face-planted himself with. Bubbles groaned in annoyance as she took a nearby pillow and continued to groan into it.

Oliver did a thinking pose and an idea came to mind. He snapped his fingers happily, catching the attention of his lil sis, and Nisa. Nisa tilted her head curiously.

"What is it big bro?" Asked Bubbles, waiting for his idea. She was so bored and just rolled off Oliver's bed. Groaning while doing so. Oliver grinned and said, "Why don't we play a game of hide and seek!" Bubbles' face immediately lit up. And she jumped in excitement and repeatedly said, "Yes! Yes! Yes!" Nila ran around, excited to play hide-and-seek.

Oliver grinned, proud of his idea and said, "Okay! I'll be the seeker first. You two go and hide. But remember, don't go outside. Mom and dad already warned us not to go outside because of the upcoming snowstorm. And I don't wanna be responsible for anything that happened to you." Bubbles and Nila nodded excitingly and ran out of the room to hide around the house as Oliver started counting. Covering his eyes while he did so, "1, 2, 3, 4…"

*Sometime Later~*

“Hm… I wonder where she could be…” Oliver said. Nila barked and started sniffing around. Those two are currently in the basement, trying to find Bubbles.

“Hm… she’s not here behind the boxes.” Oliver said. “But she’s here under the workbench I gotchu!” Oliver smirked triumphantly as he pulled Bubbles under there. “NO! You found me!” Bubbles giggled.

“How did you find me though?” She asked. Oliver smirked, “Well…”

ᖴᒪᗩՏᕼᗷᗩᑕK~

Bubbles ran as fast as her legs could take her, down the stairs into the basement. She knew where she was gonna hide. In the research / science lab down stairs! She was panting as she arrived at the door and quietly shut it behind her, while finding a place to hide. "And 10! Ready or not, here I come!"

She heard. 'Uh oh. I need to hide now!' Thought Bubbles. She quickly turned off the lights and hid under the desk. But she accidentally knocked over the tool box as it fell and made a lot of noise. She let out a small gasp and hoped that Oliver didn't hear it.

Oh but he did. While searching for his sister and Nila, a crashing noise was heard in the basement. Oliver jumped. But he wasn't the only one who did. The dining table moved a bit, all the utensils making a clunking noise. Not long after, a small whining sound followed. Oliver looks under the table and Nila, rubbing her head with her paws.

It seems like she jumped a hit because of the noise and hit her head below the table. Oliver rubbed her head as well for comfort and after a while, Nila was alright and active once again. Oliver grinned and said, "Looks like I found you Nila! Now, I'm pretty sure we know where our dear sister is, right Nila?" Nila nodded her head and ran into the direction of the sound, Oliver right on her tail.

ᖴᒪᗩՏᕼᗷᗩᑕK ᗴᑎᗪՏ

Then a loud rumbling was heard and both Oliver and Nila turned to Bubbles, who was tomato red because of embarrassment. They laughed at her face and eventually, Bubbles joined in on the laughter. "Hahaha. I think we should eat some snacks now. What do you two say?" Oliver asked, laughing.

The two nodded their heads and all three of them went out of the basement, and back in the kitchen. Their mom left the siblings two cups of Halo-Halo. And Nila got small bits of fish. They happily ate their snacks with no worry, for the rest of their day.

However, the snowstorm outside got more windy and stronger. A couple of trees fell down, one being really close to the house. It made a huge noise making Bubbles jump into her brother's arms as the two fell on the floor. "You alright Bubbles?" Oliver asked worriedly. He hugged her sister for comfort as she tried to relax after the sudden loud noise outside.

Despite the fact that they are not related, both have fears of loud noises. Both of them, Oliver and Bubbles, have Phonophobia, fear of loud noises, expected and unexpected loud noises. But Bubbles has it mild while Oliver has it worse. Bubbles got it after her friends scared her with some very loud noises when they were 3.

While Oliver… it's a bit more complicated for him. Because of an incident, which he unfortunately can't remember, he suddenly developed the phobia. And Caspian and Cordelia found out the hard way when they adopted him. Cordelia once accidentally dropped a few pots causing some loud noises.

And that resulted in Oliver going into a trance and eventually hiding under his bed sheets covers for the rest of the day.

"Y-yeah, just got surprised. That's all, nothing to worry about. I'm alright Oliver." Said Bubbles nervously and scared. Forcing a smile with it, trying to convince her older brother that she is okay. But Oliver was not convinced. Despite looking calm outside, inside, he too was terrified of the sudden noise outside.

But after seeing his usually bubbly and happy sister scared, he pushed all fear and personal feelings aside. Just for her.

"Hey, it's alright. It was only the storm. Nothing's gonna hurt you sis. Everything is alright now. I'm here, now calm down." Comforted Oliver in a relaxing and soothing voice. The same one their mom uses when either of them are scared.

Bubbles fell into the comforting embrace of her brother as she tried to calm herself down. Oliver started humming a song their mom sings every time they would go to bed, rocking her back and unorthodox when he did so.

Eventually, Bubbles' eyes become droopy as she fights the urge to go to sleep. But she soon fell into a slumber, still in Oliver's arms on the cold kitchen floor.

Oliver smiled seeing she fell asleep. She picked her up, bridal style, and carried her to her room. Nila perked up and followed them. "Nothing's gonna harm you. And I'll make sure of that." Oliver whispered, his voice full of determination.

He gently placed her in her bed, gave her her favorite stuffed toy, and tucked her in the covers. Nila curled up beside Bubbles' bed and also fell asleep. Smiling, Oliver slowly closed the door and went to clean up in the kitchen.

ᒪᗩTᗴᖇ

"We're home!"

Oliver looked up from the book he was reading and his face lit up. "Mom! Dad!" Running over to hug his parents, he shouted. Caspian opened his arms ready for the hug as Oliver tackled their dad into one. Cordelia laughed at the two as she took off her coat.

"Did you miss us champ?" Asked Caspian. Oliver responded by hugging his dad again. "I take it, is it a yes?" Asked Caspian, though it was more of a statement than a question. Oliver nodded in confirmation.

"Hey, where's Bubbles?" Cordelia asked her son. Then Caspian also realized it. Bubbles wasn't with Oliver. "Oh, she just went to sleep. Nisa top. They're just in Bubbles' room." Answered Oliver.

The parents nodded, not asking anymore questions. Whatever happened today, was kept a secret between the two siblings and that's final. So they never told their parents anything after that, even till now.

That was one of the happiest memories as far as he could remember. A small smile graced his lips at the thought of it.

But something wasn’t right. He felt something was missing. His memory felt lacking. Yet he couldn’t put his finger on it.

He suddenly felt like he was being pulled out. Out of his world. Out of his memory. Everything was spinning. Everything was blurry. And as Oliver woke up with a start. Panting heavily.

To be continued