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The Chrysanthemum

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Winter doesn't remember her birth parents. Her earliest memories are of her Grandparents, raising her to be the best she could be. Winter was friendly, she had plenty of friends, kids didn't care, after all, that she lived with ther Grandparents. In fact, they thought it was rather cool. Winter's Grandparents were doting, they lived in the quiet countryside of Chrysanthemum, a boring, uneventful life, but Winter wouldn't have it any other way. Everyday was the same, working on a farm meant getting up early and going to sleep late. Winter would help feed the chickens, milk the cows, and chase the foxes out of the hen house. It was a quiet life, a peaceful one, one Winter wouldn't trade for anything in the world.

Then one day, her Grandparents enrolled her in music classes. They thought Winter needed a hobby and had heard that musical theory would help her math grades. Her teacher was a kind old woman named Addison Briar who had taught famous musicians in the big city. Winter enjoyed her lessons, but she could never stick to one instrument. Every day, she would pick a new one. The harpsicord, the violin, the piano, the bass. Her heart became attuned to every instrument she touched and her music teacher urged her Grandparents to send her to the big city. It would mean selling their farm, it would mean leaving behind everything they ever knew and loved. They held off, wanting Winter to have a peaceful life and giving that stability to her for as long as possible.

Her grades began to jump up, she was doing well in school, in music, with her friends. A social butterfly that was never seen without people by her side. Then the day came, her Grandparents sold their farm for a hefty price, they could retire in the city and live an easy life while sending Winter to the large academy the Chrysanthemum City Center had for gifted students. She was eager to attend, with her cute new uniform and sparkling shoes. Winter was an instant hit, she made friends abound, who were attracted to her outsider accent and easy smile. She was happy with her new life, her Grandparents enjoying their easy life of playing games with their new friends and taking care of the dog they had brought with them.

A note was tapped to their door, a concert. At first, Winter didn't want to go, she didn't want to fall behind on her homework, but her friends convinced her and her Grandparents, having never been to a concert before, were intruiged. They all went together, Winter excited and nervous. They were sitting as a group when the bomb went off. Winter was separated from her Grandparents, she remembered the white hot light and heat from the bomb. She remembered praying, hoping for things to be okay. She remembered a shrine gate appearing before her and crossing through it, a gentle snow. When Winter awoke, she was in an unfamiliar place, a hospital, guarded by two government agents. She had caused a blizzard in the middle of spring, they thought she was working with the terrorists.

After being acquited of all charges, she was allowed to return to school, but Winter was now under their surveillance. She had a permanent limp now and walked with a cane. Winter was eager to return home, only to discover that her Grandparents had died. Her dog too, was gone, having been taken in by a shelter. Her belongings were all packed in several neat boxes. No one had bothered to tell Winter, in all of this, that her Grandparents were dead. There was another blizzard that day, in the middle of fall. Winter began to withdraw from everyone, she skipped classes, her grades began to slip, it didn't matter, her friends were all dead. She spent most of her time in the music room, her hands raw from practice. She would sleep with gloves, skipping school altogether to compete, to crush the competition, to try to feel alive again.
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