Chapter Text
Takaba Akihito was an imaginative child, forever in his own world. His parents chuckled to themselves and called it cute. Their friends asked how they could handle a child whose head was always up in the clouds. Akihito's imagination was the bane of his governess and he was always in trouble with the woman. He spent more time bent over her knees with his bare bottom exposed for all the world to see as the wooden paddle crashed against his skin, than he did learning from the woman. He never cried though, no matter how hard she hit him, no matter how bruised his tiny bottom became, he never cried or fought. He was a brave boy.
It was a beautiful autumn day; the sky blue, the sun warming the air just enough from behind its little cloud companion. A gentle breeze rustled the colorful leaves that still held onto their mother tree. Akihito trailed behind his governess as they traveled the park pathway. His little hand trailing through the water of the nearby pond, a giggle leaving him as the little fish nibbled gently at his fingertips. Ahead of him; the governess stopped and turned to face him, an annoyed look on her face.
"Akihito!" She snapped. "Can't you ever behave yourself?!" Hands on her hips, the angered woman marched over to the little four-year-old boy. Muttering to herself about bad children, the governess grabbed a fistful of silver locks and yanked the boy's head back, nearly cracking his neck in two. "If it is the last thing I ever do in this world, I will make a proper child out of Takaba Akihito."
The governess raised her had to strike the child. Suddenly she cried out and stumbled forward. Confused, both governess and child looked to see what had caused the disturbance. To both their shock, a large white rabbit dressed in a sleek black vest and a pair of tiny, thin framed glasses was hopping away. The governess snarled. "Why, you filthy little bugger! Attacking me. I will skin you alive when I catch you!"
Not wanting to see the rabbit hurt, especially after it had saved him from another of his governess' nasty beatings; little Akihito shoved the woman as hard as he could. The woman fell backwards, towards the water. Tipping over the railing, she fell screaming into the water; scaring all the cute little fishies. Taking no time to gloat over his success; Akihito raced after the rabbit, curious to see where the odd bunny was off to.
The rabbit pulled a little pocket watch and looked down at it. "Oh dear. I am running rather behind today." The rabbit looked over his shoulder. Seeming the boy following quickly behind him, the rabbit grinned. His master would be very pleased with him this day. Spying the gate that he needed, the rabbit leaped forward and dove down into the rabbit hole hidden behind the ancient oak tree's roots.
Akihito didn't miss a thing, grinning with excitement, the young boy followed the rabbit down the rabbit hole.
*DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE*
It was amazing. The rabbit's hole gad been so dark that he had not been able to see a thing. He had stumbled as he crawled after the white rabbit; the rabbit's glowing fur his only guide through the darkness. When he had emerged, he found a whole new world, one he had never dreamed of before. The sky was a deep purple that bled into the lightest of pinks. Birds with feathers in colors he had never heard of, flew from sky reaching treetops. The greenest grass that he had seen grew to heights that toward over his little blond head. Butterflies fluttered from dancing flowers. A large bumble bee buzzed by him, on its way to pollen. A dragonfly spotted him and stopped to great him.
"Hello child. Welcome to our beautiful world, Sion. I hope you find it to your liking." And then the dragonfly was gone, off to continue its duties for the day.
Akihito's ice blue eyes were wide with wonder as he made his way further into Sion. He left the forest behind; entering a tiny, bustling village. Shops lined the stone pathway winding its way through the village. Everywhere were people and animals of all kinds. All of them coming in different sizes and colors. They were all so beautiful. Akihito was heading towards a shop where a rather delicious smell was emitting from, when a clattering of wooden wheels clattering loudly against stone and a horse's dismayed nay caught his attention.
Looking up, he saw the biggest, meanest black horse he ever did see. He instantly loved it. Without a thought, Akihito approached the horse and hugged if around one leg. The horse jumped a bit in shock; not used to strangers, let alone children, approaching him. Letting out a curious nay, the horse bent his dead and nuzzled the surprising child. A deep chuckle caught both horse and child's attention, but neither paid attention to the one laughing.
After a while, the child and horse separated. With one hand gently patting the horse's leg, Akihito looked up at the being who had been laughing. They were tall, very tall; with long dark hair and eyes of fire. Jet black skin molded itself over strong, thick muscles. Akihito reached out and slid the hand not still petting the horse, over the being's skin. It was softer than it looked and could compete with the horse's fur for which was the softest.
"Hello child. I must say, you are rather unique, young one. For it is not every day that I meet someone who does not fear me or my horse." The being held out one mighty hand, Akihito took it without hesitation.