Left Behind
Left Behind
By Mega Rose



"J-chan, look!" 3-year-old Megami held up her book for her cousin James to see.

"It's a book. Why?"

"It has that Old Book Smell."

"Whew, it does smell."

"I like it. I think if a book is kept around this long it must be a good book. Only really, really good books have the Old Book Smell." She opened it and read aloud. "Once upon a time in the Land of Hyrule there lived a race of eternal children called the Kokiri, who lived with the fairies in the forest. But one boy had no fairy...his name was Link..."

Mi-kun was the only 3-year-old he had ever heard of who could read so well. Heck, most kids her age couldn't read at all. She continued to read to herself, her head hanging off of James' bed, upside-down. "Shouldn't you bring your head up here?"

"I like it like this. I like the feeling of blood rushing to my brain." Suddenly, the pet Growlithe, Growly (James had thought of the uncreative name, Megami wanted to name him Cerberus-chan) came running in. He licked Mi-kun's face. "Aaah, quit it! Doggie cooties!" She sat up, and wiped the drool off with her sleeve. "Oh, now I remember why I came in here!"

"You mean the Old Book Smell?"

"No, Auntie told me to tell you that she's coming."

"'She?' You mean...her?"

"Yeah...sorry. Maybe if you're real quiet you can hide in the closet for the rest of the night." The 'she' they spoke of was James' 'fiance' Jessebelle. Neither of them liked her at all. She would always try to get them to do stuff.

"James! Megami! Come down here!" James' mother called from downstairs.

James sighed. "Well, if we don't go down and meet her we'll just get in trouble." They ran down the long halls of the mansion (even though they weren't supposed to run inside) to the stairs, where they slid down the railings and met his mother and Jessebelle in the parlor.

"James! Hello! ...Oh, you brought your puppy." Jessebelle looked down at Megami (Growly was nowhere in sight).

Mi-kun stuck her tongue out at the prissy older girl. "I wanna stuff Caterpies down your throat until they come out the other end!"

"Hmmph. Run along little girl, go wash your mouth out with soap or something."

Megami went back upstairs into her room. The sickeningly pink walls were completely covered up by Pokemon League posters. The carpet was stained by various colors spilled paint. She wouldn't allow the maids to replace it becuse she liked the new tye-dye effect better. Every drawer, chair, and desk was covered in stuffed animals. Every animal had a name, personality, and backstory. Some were in mint condition, but most were germ-breeding old rags from long ago. The bed was not made properly and was instead was a nest of sheets and blankets tangled beyond recognition. Although the maids would never allow such a thing in such an otherwise clean house, they could get nowhere near the bed. Nobody is allowed in Mi-kun's room. Not Auntie or Uncle. Not Growly. Not even James. This was hers and hers alone.

Mi-kun got back to reading her smelly book and sat there, upside-down, on her bed for a very long time without moving. About two hours later, there was a knock on the door. "No!" She yelled to whoever was out there. Another knock. "Quit attacking my door!"

"Mi-kun, it's me." She recognized James' voice right away and opened the door for him. "I'm leaving. Don't follow me."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Just don't follow me!!!" He closed the door. Megami could hear his footsteps as he ran down the hall.

He mut be going outside for something. He'll come back. She thought to herself. He had no suitcase. He can't be running away. J-chan will never leave. We'll be here forever. Her abnormally mature mind was clouded by short, childish thoughts. We'll stay here forever and ever. He's just trying to trick me. He's not running away.


James had run almost to the edge of his family's property when he heard a girl's voice call out to him. "James, you're not running properly!"

"Go away! Leave me alone!"

"I still have to teach you how to properly eat spaghe--ah!" Jessebelle was knocked down from behind. Sitting on her was Megami 'Mi-kun' Sasaki.

"Megami, I told you not to follow me!"

"No! This is just like in my smelly old book. Link is about to leave the Kokiri Forest when Saria stops him. She gives him the Fairy Ocarina to remember her by, but then he runs away. He doesn't even say goodbye. It was so sad. Don't be like that."

"Mi-kun, I can't stay here. I can't stand it here. You can't stop me from leaving, I--"

"I'm not. Link had to leave the Kokiri Forest to meet the Princess, collect lots of treasures, and save the world. I know you will too. But you can't just leave. You have to say goodbye first."

"Oh. Okay. Goodbye, Megami. I'll really miss you." He hugged his three-year-old cousin.

"Don't miss me. When you're sad just think, 'what would Mi-kun say,' and be happy again. You can't miss me if I'm always with you."

James was amazed at how wise she was. How could a girl 8 years younger than him be so much smarter than him? It was like she wasn't real. "You're right."

"Master James? Mistress Megami? Mistress Jessebelle? Are you out here?" One of the butlers called them from far away. They could barely make out the tiny light of a flashlight in the dark.

"I have to go. Remember what you said to me. I'll always be with you too. I'll find you again someday. I promise." He held her hand as he walked away. She was still firmly planted on Jessebelle and had to lean forward to hold his hand.

"I know you will." And then she let go.

When you walk away, you don't hear me say, 'Please, oh, baby, don't go!' Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight, it's hard to let it go.



The End


[Author's note- Yes, Mi-kun's smelly old book is really the plot of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and the ending is ripped off of the ending of Kingdom Hearts. I just love those games! Mmmm, Link....mmmm, Sora...mmmmmmmm....!]