Stern Algorithm
The Irish Tree
princess
Hitman
Rabidporcupine
Duoya
mattmanganon
Creative Chaos
Hedgehawk
shylarahEmber
The Murray Mansion. It was the fruit of all the hard work, struggles, and sacrifices of the family that lived in this house. An imposing gate The letter "M" as the family's symbol was emblazoned on it's imposing gate with a fascinating water fountain on the center of its front yard. The whole house itself was painted pearly white, to showcase the family's status in the city of Santa Celia. The mansion consisted of rooms more than two hands can count.
Yet there were only two rooms that Ember Murray, the sole daughter of the Murray household liked: her own bedroom and the music lounge. The music lounge had many instruments a musician would ever dream of. It had glass doors that open up to the family's huge backyard filled with flowers and lush greenery. With a simple white dress, Ember sat beside the black grand piano at the room's center. She softly touched the piano keys and began to play a musical piece titled "Stroll" from the Studio Ghibli film "My Neighbor Totoro". She closed her eyes, her long black/brown hair flowing from the breeze that came from the open door, and letting the melody take control of her hands. If only life was like this, filled with relaxing memories that bring out the best in people, filling countless hearts with kindness and compassion towards others.
Alas, life doesn't always end up that way. Her mind was infiltrated by the memories of her childhood. She would remember the way her father looked down on her, as if she became a monster right before his very eyes. His compassionate smiles turned into disgusted scowls once he found out she became one of the very people he loathed, and it was the day she discovered she had superpowers. He would always look at her disapprovingly as if she will do something to disgrace the Murray family, as if she is the disgrace. It came to the point where he would not, could not, even look at her anymore, like she's nothing to him now. Ember grew up crying every night as she was too young to understand why her father did not love her anymore. Young Ember did everything she can for her father to be proud of her and to acknowledge her as her precious daughter. But it was too late: for Samson Murray, the respectable and honorable mayor of Santa Celia, he does not have a daughter anymore.
Ember pressed a wrong note and the room was filled with the sound of her crying, her tears falling down on the piano keys. She taught herself to be strong but all these years were very, very hard for the young lady.
"Ember?"
She looked up to see her younger brother Aiden standing in the doorway, dressed in his Power Rangers pajamas and clutching his stuffed elephant. Sleepy as he was, he ran to his sister's side and hugged her. Ember was surprised at first, but returned the embrace as well. Words cannot express how thankful she was to have a little brother as special and loving as he is.
Aiden broke from the embrace and looked up at his sister. "What's wrong? Why did you stop playing?"
Ember smiled, wiping away her tears. "N-Nothing, Aiden. I just... remembered a real sad movie. Spoiler alert: the dog dies", she said. For some reason Ember still doesn't know, their parents gave them names that are connected to fire in some ways.
The little boy's eyes widen. "Oh no! How could they do that to an adorable animal? How horrible", he said sadly.
"Oh don't be sad bunso, at least he'll go to dog heaven. There, he'll get lots of head pats and belly rubs", Ember said reassuringly.
"That's good to hear ate." Aiden paused for a few minutes, continuously looking back and forth to Ember and the piano. Ember laughed when she realized what he meant, and she continued to pay the music where she left off. Aiden smiled brightly, and he jumped and danced around the room holding his stuffed elephant while his sister played the tune, laughing and smiling.
Unbeknownst to them, their mother Mirabella was quietly watching them from the doorway. She shed a tear just looking at her daughter being so sad like that, and cracked a serene smile upon seeing her two children being happy again. She admitted that she was too weak, that she let her daughter go through all those things at a young age, that she was powerless to stop Ember's heart from being broken.
But this time, Mirabella Murray will not let that happen again.
later that night...
"No Ma, I won't take too long I promise. I just arrived at the store".
Even after the sun has set, Santa Celia was as alive as ever. Lots of people were still here despite the rainy weather. Shops, malls, and other stores were open for business for the families that went out to spend time together for the evening. Couples holding hands, businessmen talking to someone on their phones, a group of friends laughing together, it's just a typical rainy evening for a citizen of Santa Celia.
That night, Ember was wearing a white tank top under a black jacket, black jogger pants, and white sneakers. She was at La Musa, the city's only music store. It's like every musician's playground and every musical instrument you can think of can be bought here. However, she wasn't alone. Aside from the other people buying at the store, she was accompanied by her two bodyguards. It sucked as it made everyone look at her, but it's the price of being the mayor's daughter.
"Okay sweetie. It's just... Aiden's birthday is a week from now. You can buy his gift even this weekend. Does it really have to be now?"
"I just wanted to get some fresh air, even with these guys", she glanced at her bodyguards. Really, do they have to look at everyone suspiciously? "Besides, we're not finished planning his surprise birthday yet right? That way, I won't worry about forgetting to buy his gift since it's the first thing I did. See, everyone's happy!"
Ember can hear her mother laugh on the other line. "Alright, if you say so. Just be careful okay? I just heard on the news that a police chase is currently happening. Love you to bits, sweetie!".
"Yes Ma, I will Ma. Love ya to bits too! Tell Aiden I love him too", she said before hanging up the phone. She looked back at her bodyguards and coughed to get their attention. In a hushed tone, she talked to them. "I don't know 'bout you guys but nothing bad's gonna happen here. Name one criminal who's ever interested in stealing from a music shop". The two men looked at each other and nodded at Ember, getting her message. They walked around the store, one finding interest at a display of guitars while the other found a vinyl collection of Madonna.
Sighing contentedly, Ember continued to search the display for the perfect gift. Aiden was always asking their mom for his own violin, and what he wants, Ember will get.
Soon, Ember and the two bodyguards walked out of the store, her happily smiling as she looked at her gift for her little brother. One of the guys contacted the driver to come pick them up when they can all hear the screeching of tires somewhere. People were alerted of the noise and hurriedly crossed the street. All that's left was a teddy bear on the middle of the road. A child let go of his mother's hand and ran towards his bear only for a car suddenly coming into view. At its back were the blue and red lights of police cars. Maybe this was the chase Ma was talking about, she thought to herself.
Ember looked back in front of her to see a child getting the teddy bear he dropped. His mother desperately called out for his name. At the rate of how fast the cars were approaching, no normal human can ever save the poor kid.
Good thing Ember was not.
Acting quickly, she elongated her arms and stretched them to grab the kid, swiftly pulling him from danger just as the cars sped through the streets. They were gone as fast as they came. A silence came over the streets as they saw Ember holding the boy in her arms. The mother hurriedly ran across the street to embrace her son, who was in shock as he realized he was about to die back there. Crying, the mother looked up at Ember and said thanks. Ember reassuringly rubbed her shoulder and patted the kid's head. Then she stood up and gave the bodyguards her gift for Aiden. "Bring these at home. And tell Ma I'll be late for dinner tonight."
"B-But Ms. Ember, what are you gonna do?", one of the bodyguards asked, watching as she takes off her jacket and tosses it at him. Ember only replied with a smug before outstretching her hand to the pole, swaying her way towards the police cars Spiderman-style.
