"First, there are the daffodils. They symbolise rebirth, and new beginnings..."


    Tom always had those dreams. As long as he remembered, from the first day his memory reached back to, he had dreams every night that felt so real and so much like memories they hurt. He had always tried to place them somewhere, try to see where they came from. But eventually, he gave up. He assumed everyone was like this - Recalling a life they never lived in their minds. He assumed no one talked about it - So he didn''t talk either. And he assumed he''d be judged if he did - So he feared to tell even the closest of friends. But the memory he got that night... it was different. It was so different to all of the others, and that was what scared him so much. Because it was vivid, it was clear, and it showed him something he could never quite place. Something he couldn''t comprehend, no matter how hard he tried.


    "Next, there are tulips. A flower of love and royalty. A very, very special one."


    The dream went something like this... He was running, he remembered it well. He was afraid. So unimaginably afraid. He wasn''t sure where exactly he was, but he knew it was hot, scorching hot. The sun was shining above and burning into his skin as he tried to run, tripping over everything in his way. Eventually, he collapsed onto the sand below, blinded by the light from above but still able to see the figure standing over him. Long hair blowing in the wind, slowly rising and falling. A tilted crown on their head. And a long, sharp sword in their hand, pointed right at the boy''s throat. Their hands were covered in blood - Blood he feared to even wonder about the origins of. They raised their sword high, high above him, and as it came crashing down, Tom felt all of his fears fill him. He felt the fear of death, the terror this unknown enemy caused him, and the complete helplessness at the fact he could not defend himself. And just as the weapon was about to meet his chest, ending his life, he woke up in a cold sweat.


    "Oh! And Lavender! Lavender is purity, grace and peace. Its smell can calm anyone!"


    So that''s how Tom found himself here - In need of a distraction and a place to unwind, he sneaked out of Will and Fonda''s home early in the morning with nothing but his three music discs. He wandered the city for a while, but as the people started waking up, he had to hide somewhere. And in all of his confusion and stumbling about, he hadn''t even realised when he wandered into a grand, colourful flower field. He had never seen so many beautiful colours in one place - It was as if the whole rainbow had just spilled over this valley, leaving nothing but a gorgeous view. He thought he could sit here alone, for a while. But then he noticed someone - Someone sitting in this very field, observing the flowers, and listening to the soft buzz of the bees around him. He didn''t speak, but he noticed Tom in the corner of his eye. And instead of running away or telling him to go, he invited this complete stranger to sit down with him.


    "And then there''s poppies! These ones are my favourites..."


    And that was how Tom found Taza - The eccentric boy with chestnut hair and light blue eyes. He introduced himself very briefly, and in their short chat, ended up spending more time on the flowers than himself. It was difficult to describe him... passionate about his interests but incredibly inconsistent about how he described them or talked about them. His dark green shirt was loose and at some points unbuttoned, and his jeans were old and torn in places. He didn''t seem to mind – as long as he had something to wear, it looked like he was satisfied. He was going through all of the flowers around him, touching and examining them but never ripping them out, never damaging them a single bit. A few bees were floating about, but he paid them no mind. He even seemed to enjoy their company, to an extent.


    "Taza, I think you''ve talked enough about flowers by now..."


    Tom finally cut him off, getting a disappointed look in response. The boy let go of the poppy he was looking at and placed both of his hands on his knees, glancing at Tom with the corner of his eye.


    "...This is the last one. I promise."


    He leaned down slightly, moving his face close to the poppy.


    "Poppies symbolize sleep and peace – But they have another more prominent meaning."


    The boy shifted closer, watching as the poppy swayed aimlessly in the wind.


    "...Death."


    "...Poppies? Death? Seriously?"


    Tom tilted his head.


    "How does that make sense? They''re so small and bright."


    Taza chuckled a little, noticing his sudden interest. He turned around and wrapped his arms around his legs, looking the other boy in the eyes.


    "I thought you weren''t interested in the flowers?", he asked him, instantly having Tom wave him off with an absent tone of voice and and feigned disinterest in his eyes;


    "Well, obviously I don''t care. But you seem like you like these things, so tell me. Why poppies, of all things, for the symbol of death?"


    Tom inched closer to the flower himself, both of the teenagers now staring deeply into it. Taza moved his hand closer but did not touch the poppy – He simply traced his fingers just at the edges of it.


    "You see, these flowers are very, very interesting and unique ones. They grow only in certain conditions, which is why natural fields are such a phenomenon. However, there''s one thing that can provide the conditions a poppy needs to grow..."


    Taza paused, narrowing his eyes slightly. His tone turned grave, for just a second.


    "War."


    Tom felt something tug at the back of his mind as he heard the word, but he ignored it.


    "War?", he repeated, the word stinging his tongue like some sort of poison.


    He wasn''t sure why that word of all things made him so uncomfortable, but he didn''t have time to think about it. He focused his attention on one of the band aids on his knee and started aimlessly playing with it. Taza carried on with his explanation, still observing the poppy with great interest.


    "...More specifically battlefields. Once battle ceases on those, poppies rise from the ground and grow over the ruined dirt, the old arrows, the abandoned bodies. Battlefields become poppy fields after some time – It''s kind of nice, in a way, you know?"


    He turned around and faced Tom, a smile spreading across his face.


    "Knowing that even in destruction and suffering, you can rest assured it will all turn into something beautiful one day."


    Tom turned his attention away from his band aid and to the flower once more – he looked into its blood red shade, and took notice of the small, pitch black seeds scattered on the inside. It was such a simple shape – A small, little, gentle flower blowing in the wind and bowing under Taza''s delicate touch. But his mind seemed to take him elsewhere as he watched it – The red colour stood out from the rest of the flower field and completely captivated his mind. In no time, all he could see before him were puddles upon puddles of crimson red blood, more dripping from the grass and onto the ground below. The wind blew harder than it had before – It wanted him to look forward. And he did. And who else could he have seen at the centre of this unimaginable slaughter then the stranger from his dreams?


    He stood alone. He was turned away, looking into the distance. His hair was long, past his shoulders and reaching to around his waist, thrashing in the wind. There was a long, silky red cape over him, hanging loosely off of his shoulders. He didn''t look back – And even so, Tom could feel his blood-thirsty gaze staring into him. In his right hand was a sword - A sword that glimmered in the sunlight above, with the deaths of thousands to its name, he could only imagine. And although the fourteen year old had no idea who this person was, the crown on his head was enough to remind him to stay away. And just as he was about to turn... just as Tom was to see his face for the first time... he felt someone shaking him.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Tom?"


    And just like that, he was back.


    The wind was calm, the poppies were fewer in numbers, and the stranger was gone. All that was left was a stunning flower field and the eccentric boy right at the centre of it – The boy shaking his newly found friend out of his trance with great force. When he noticed that Tom was finally looking back at him he smiled – And it was a smile of great relief. He grabbed onto the other''s hand for just a moment and squeezed it, making sure he was there. And then he sat back, giving him space to breathe. Tom relaxed himself, his muscles losing tension and his breathing getting slower and slower. He shook his head and pulled himself away from Taza, trying to figure out what had just gone down in his head.


    "Sorry... I guess poppies weren''t the way to distract you.", he heard the other speak from behind him, and his head instantly snapped back, staring at the boy shielded by flowers.


    "…Distract me?", Tom repeated hesitantly, unsure what exactly he had meant.


    Taza couldn''t hide the small smirk that came to his expression as he watched a few bees fly by.


    "...When you came here this morning, you looked like you had something on your mind."


    The boy touched a small daffodil with his hand.


    "I thought the flowers might distract you. But I guess it just brought back more painful memories, huh?"


    "That''s the thing..."


    And this, Tom most likely would say, was the moment he first trusted Taza. Because when half of the city hated you and the other half didn''t know your name, it was the people in the middle that you had to turn to. And apart from Will, Taza was the only person available to him right now. So, without giving it much thought, he spoke;


    "I had a dream... A nightmare, even.", Tom started, staring down at the grass, rubbing the back of his neck.


    His friend inched closer, propping up his legs and wrapping his arms around them once again. He lay his chin down on one of his knees and listened in.


    "...There was this... this guy... chasing me. And I don''t know why but... I was really scared. Like... I knew that if he caught me... that''d be it."


    Tom looked up for a moment.


    "The end, you know?"


    "...Dreams are like that sometimes."


    Taza shrugged.


    "...You just know something. You feel it. And when you wake up it just makes no sense. You have no idea why you knew. Maybe it was that?"


    To this, Tom shook his head. He knew that it was different. He felt something different. And that something was true and unimaginable fear.


    "No... no, it was more. When I woke up... I still remembered that fear. I still felt it. Even though I don''t even know who that was, I know I should be scared... and I''m still scared. I''m so scared of him and... and I don''t even..."


    Before he could say more, the feeling of dread overtook him, and Tom was forced into silence. Taza looked at him for a moment, a mix of worry and pity in his eyes. He cleared his throat and spoke;


    "Gladiolus...", Taza started, turning his attention to yet another flower.


    This one seemed more rare than the others in the field, only one being in his direct reach. He put his palm around it and bent it slightly so it faced Tom – But as per usual, he dared not damage it.


    "...Symbolises remembrance. Remembering a past, whether good or bad, to honour what was lost to ensure today happened."


    "...But I don''t even remember who this guy is..."


    Tom touched a bandaid on his knee, slightly lifting it up and down.


    "...I don''t even know if he''s real."


    "But you remember the fear. Because your mind wants you to. It''s like a warning, right?"


    Taza crossed his arms and grinned.


    "And if that stranger ever comes here, you''ll know. And you can warn us! As for the fear itself... it always goes away eventually. Just let yourself be distracted."


    "By... your flower lessons?", Tom asked, unimpressed.


    "...Well, they''ve helped a bit, right?"


    His friend asked with a laugh.


    Taza was an eccentric boy with a passion for flowers, and Tom was a troublemaker with a knack for breaking rules – Yet somehow, these two ended up connecting a lot on that day. Tom could have sworn it was from the comfort that Taza provided him – But perhaps it was because of being a good distraction? Taza could have sworn it was because he finally had someone to talk about his interests with – But perhaps it was simply because Tom actually listened? In this city, Tom was always given shifty looks and Taza was always ignored... didn''t it make sense for two outcasts like these to find so much comfort in one another? Both Tom and Taza knew they had to do something, the former scrunching up his nose and shifting his position while the latter coughed and cleared his throat. In the end, both of them spoke in unison;


    "Hey, thanks for-"


    "Thank you for-"


    And instantly, both of the boys laughed.


    "Hey there, guys. I''m not interrupting anything, am I?"


    The two''s moment of peace was cut short by the voice of none other than Will Ash, appearing in the field seemingly out of nowhere. He was standing in-between the flowers, aimlessly keeping his hands in his pockets. There was this strange look in his eyes – A look of motivation.


    "Oh! Hi, Mr. Ash!"


    Taza jumped up, dusting his trousers off. He turned around and reached out with his hand to Tom, helping him onto his toes, which the other greatly appreciated. He was still a bit light-headed from whatever that poppy brought him to... yet he was soon standing by Taza''s side, both of them giving a rather confused look to Will.


    "You usually walk around with Fonda... did something happen?"


    "Not at all."


    Will shook his head with a reassuring smile.


    "But I do have to talk to Tom about something. Would you mind if he comes with me for a little bit?"


    Will looked at Taza, who, although a flash of disappointment went through his eyes, smiled gently.


    "Sure... right..."


    He looked at Tom and grinned.


    "Come over again sometime, okay? This was really fun!"


    The other didn''t speak, but simply nodded. And in his eyes was a look of pure honesty – Not only would he come here again because Taza asked, but it was no secret he enjoyed his time with him, too. Tom waved his new found friend goodbye and then followed Will, wondering what it was exactly that could have brought him out here.


    "...So... Is something wrong?", the teenager asked after the two got a bit further from Taza, making sure he couldn''t hear them as they spoke.


    Tom could tell from the expression on Will''s face that whatever he came here to discuss was urgent, unusual, and most likely, not very legal. Or, maybe, that was just the type of thing Tom wished to do himself.


    "…Yes. Something is very wrong."


    Will stopped suddenly, right at the edge of the flower field and on the wooden pathway Dissonance was so known for always expanding. Where was it heading? Why did it always grow? No one knew, but it was the only way to find your way around this mess of a city nowadays. The wood creaked uncomfortably under their shoes as they turned to face one another, an intense glare in the older man''s eyes.


    "...It''s Dissonance."


    The moment Will said this, Tom could feel his heart drop. He knew that the local ruler wasn''t a huge fan of him – So hearing that something was ''wrong'' with him he could probably guess it somewhat involved him.


    "Is- is he mad that I''m staying with you?", the boy asked.


    "You know, I could leave if it''s a problem- I wouldn''t want to cause you trouble-"


    But Will would not let Tom speak – he quickly cut him off and grabbed his shoulders, staring right into his eyes.


    "No, Tom. It''s not that... but it would take far too much explaining for you to understand exactly what''s going on right now."


    Will paused, sighing.


    "You made me realize some things. And the most important thing is that Dissonance is corrupt. Far worse than corrupt... he''s... greedy and unjust, and he exploits those who ask him for help. It''s not- It''s not right."


    The man paused, turning away from Tom and looking down the path, into the centre of the city.


    "So... what''s your plan?"


    Tom couldn''t hide his excitement as he inched closer to Will, already jumping up and down on the tips of his feet. The older one grinned as he looked ahead.


    "I say it''s about time we take things into our own hands. And I have the perfect idea on where to start. But I do have to ask you one thing Tom."


    Will turned around once more, his expression far more serious than it was before.


    "...I know you don''t know me, and you definitely don''t know the favour you did me by coming to my door yesterday. But despite all this, I know you can see this too. I know you want change. I mean, look at how they treated you!"


    "...What do you need from me, Will?", Tom asked him without any hesitation.


    What else was he to do? Stay and risk Dissonance catching him doing something again? Keep running and lose himself, this time without a place to go to? No. Tom knew for sure, all he could do to protect himself was stay and fight for his own safety. Will narrowed his eyes.


    "Are you ready to risk everything, even war, to give us the justice we deserve?"


    For a moment, Tom could swear it was the stranger with the crown speaking to him. Blood running down his hands and sword, long hair flowing in the wind. And a blood-thirsty look in his eyes that could never bode well. And despite all this, Tom still nodded;


    "...Ha! Obviously!"


    He grinned and winked.


    "Let''s kick some ass!"