I will be your reaper...

Sensible Children

**WARNING** Elements of abuse and torture at the end of the chapter.

Aradia's POV

We opened gifts for hours. I overheard Uncle Noris and Uncle Evan talking about how Ere and I were now probably worth over a billion from these gifts alone. Ere and I had received anything and everything from custom cars, mansions, private bank accounts, jewellery and businesses to clothes, accessories, teddies and toys. The most normal of the gifts were probably what we received from our cousins. They got me a plastic tiara, some books and some normal teddy bears. Ere received a butterfly that's wings moved, a train set and a raincoat. They were the most normal, inexpensive gifts.

Aunt Ashley and Aunt Sophia approached us. Aunt Ashley gave us large envelopes "These are from my father and mother. They said to come to visit them soon, they've only seen you through pictures as of yet" She smiled and Ere and I opened the envelopes. In mine were ownership certificates of a chain of hotels, while Ere now had ownership over a chain of restaurants. We blinked up at her "Is this why you asked us that question last week? If we could open our own business, what would it be?" Ashley nodded "My father was very impressed with your answers. As such, he said he'd gift you both these businesses." Ere and I kissed her cheek and we put the envelopes away safely. We ran to Grandpa Elias and asked him to put us on his shoulders "Excuse mee~" I spoke, gripping everyone's attention "Ere and I wanted to thank everyone. For the gifts, for being here and for loving us a lot. We've both been given a lot of expensive things and since we're still little, Ere and I will save them for our future. Then, when we're bigger and super super rich, we'll take care of you all and give everyone all the good things!" Aunt Talia wiped tears from her eyes and everyone clapped for us "Goodness, who said these kids would be spoiled rotten? Look at them, receiving so much and yet still eager to care for us all." Grandma Louise said softly, hugging into Grandpa Conrad.

The party was great. We had so many gifts from so many people. Though some people couldn't be here, we knew that we were loved deeply. Uncle Felix took us for a spin in our new cars. They were so fast, Ere and I giggling in the backseat the whole time while Daddy looked a nervous wreck. We played with our cousins, firing water guns at each other. Ere gave up first so that he could go and eat some cupcakes and I watched as he walked away. My little brother was quite a shy and timid person, so more often than not, these rowdy quintuplets were too much for him. We played for a little while longer before Dylan complained of being hungry and his brothers agreed, all of us heading inside to join Ere who had his hand reached out for another cupcake. He spotted us and as we approached the table, Ere handed us cupcakes one by one with a smile. I kissed his cheek and thanked him, taking my spot beside my twin. There were cakes of all different flavours and designs. Ere was eating a blueberry butterfly cake and he'd handed me a cherry bunny cake. Though we were identical twins, our personalities were mostly opposite and so was our taste in food. Ere preferred more gentle creatures like butterflies and bunnies. While I was a big fan of ferocious predators like Eagles and Tigers. Maybe it's because, on the flip side, these animals fiercely protected their kin, like how I wanted to protect Ere.

Ere and I are both very sensible children and try our best to please others. However, Ere was definitely more sensible than I. I knew that if anyone ever touched Ere, I'd probably lose all reason and possibly maim my target. I shivered at the thought. It was definitely something I had to think about because...One day, we'll probably meet people that don't like us. So far, however, anyone who has come across us loves us unconditionally. I wished it could stay that way, but the flashes of memories I have from being in a dark place with Ere beside me told me there would have to settle for the fact we can't always be loved and protected. Ere placed his head on my shoulder while I was thinking. I looked at his face and he'd begun to doze off, a bit of frosting sitting atop his nose. I smiled and wiped it off with a napkin, patting his head with my free hand while I finished my cupcake. Daddy came over and took a picture of us like he had been doing with Grandma Elizabeth and a few others since the party started. I was such he'd have no memory in his phone by the end of it.

I licked the frosting off my fingers and yawned myself. We had such an exciting and fun day, so no wonder I was tired. "I think it's time for our little ones to take a nap" Auntie Chelsea said softly, scooping up a sleepy Nicholas. Daddy agreed and grabbed Ere and me in each arm while Noris ushered his sons up the stairs. I sleepily waved at everyone gathered and they waved back with smiles. I vaguely heard Mummy speaking but I was too tired to open my eyes. I felt the soft mattress on my back and the warmth of my brother beside me. I squirmed over on instinct, wrapping up my brother in my arms to protect him. I heard the camera sound on Dad's phone and then...Nothing. It was so quiet and peaceful. Erebus was so warm. My mind was so black. I found myself wandering that blackness, tripping over something. When I opened my eyes and pushed myself up, I was back in those dreams.

This time, I was chained up from the ceiling, my toes barely touching the floor as Erebus screamed and cried from a cell. He looked so weak but so pained. His face was sweating but also covered in tears. I heard...Uncle Felix? He was yelling too, the look of horror in his eyes was something else. Auntie Jessica and Auntie Sophia were crying like babies while they shook at their cell bars trying to get to me. Uncle Michael had tears running down his face as he covered his ears, looking away in utter anguish. Uncle Jaxon and Auntie Celeste were trying to pull the device on their ankles off and I was just...Confused. I tried to open my mouth to ask what was the matter, but nothing came out. Then, I felt my eyes wander back to Ere who had his hands through the bars, reaching for me desperately. I felt my lips turn up in a smile as they opened "It's okay, brother! Better me than you, no?" He shook his head furiously at me to disagree. I understood now. I couldn't interact, it was just a replay. That was when something hit my back - Goddess, it was horrific. My breath was stuck in my lungs as my eyes widened, my back itching, burning and feeling like it was being torn apart. I grit my teeth together, hearing the whispers of the man whipping my back "They're not children, they're monsters. They're not children, they're monsters." Over and over as if to convince himself. A song popped into my head. I'm not sure where it came from, but I knew it was a song sailors sang while on the sea. When I began to sing it out loud with my cracked voice, Erebus looked at me with confusion and the whole place became quiet. The man behind me told me to shut up and when I wouldn't, he whipped me again. It interrupted my song but the moment I could breathe again, I sang from where I left off.

The man was losing his mind, whipping me furiously and continuously without pause as I closed my eyes and sang louder through gritting teeth. Goddess only knew what my back looked like, if I even had any skin left. The man was tired and so was I, but I kept singing. He unclasped the chains around my wrists and I crumbled to the floor like scrunched-up paper. I still kept singing that shanty. The man opened the cell and kicked Ere back and I growled low enough for only him to hear, the man's legs becoming jelly even in my current state. He threw me in and quickly fled while I lay on the floor feeling like I had no energy at all. Erebus placed my head on his lap and stroked my hair while crying and I smiled. I heard Uncle Felix shuffle to our side of the cell "Dia...Why didn't you just stop when he told you to?" I coughed and opened a single eye to peek at him "U-Uncle Felix...He wouldn't...Wouldn't have stopped anyway...So I should at least...Sing a song, right?" I tried to smile, but even I could feel it was a crooked, lopsided one. I spluttered, my eyes closing "Just...Tell me that you like my song next time, Okay?" everything was drowned out and the memory had faded. When I woke up, I was sitting on a plane, with a girl with beautiful blue eyes and sunkissed skin staring right at me. When she saw that I was awake, she beamed but it quickly turned to confusion as I attempted to move and winced painfully.

"Are you okay, button?" I tried to point to my back and it took her a second to click. The girl was obviously a few years older than me, perhaps. She helped to pull me forward. I noticed another woman with the same blue eyes look over at what we were doing with a frown. The girl who helped me forward pulled the collar of my clothes and then panicked, shouting for her mother. The woman came over and helped me stand, lifting the back of my shirt. Silence. "How the hell...Are they abusing her?" the girl spoke. "Not possible, Noros. I'm not sure how it happened. She was fine when she got on the plane. I think it would be best to lay her on her stomach and apply some medicine until we reach Diagda. He'll know what to do." The woman replied and then lay me on my belly on a bed in the back of the plane. Suddenly, I heard my Mum come in "What the hell happened?!" The woman with blue hair and blue eyes explained and my mum's face twisted. She asked to speak to the woman in private and they left, leaving me with the cute girl. She smiled at me, stroking my head "It's okay button. Just think of me as your big sister, I'll protect you, alright? I'll breathe fire on any that even look at you wrong!" She nodded firmly, filled with resolve as I smiled at her, unable to laugh because of the pain. The girl placed her hands gently over my eyes, telling me to go back to sleep and I did. The last thing I felt was her small hands applying medicine to my back as I drifted.