《The Great Glint》 Chapter 1 ¡°Come on¡­¡± ¡°Come on¡­¡± ¡°Stop looking at me with those dopey eyes!¡± ¡°EAT!¡± A young boy pokes the side of a gray baby rabbit¡¯s mouth with a carrot. This boy is Billy, he¡¯s five years old and is a big boy now! He was recently trusted with the tremendous responsibility of feeding the bunnies, but this one named Fuzzy hasn¡¯t taken a bite¡­ ¡°Aw shucks!¡± Billy throws down the carrot, sits, and feels the grass between his fingers. He takes in his surroundings. Outside. The grass stretches far to the island''s edge, and he watches the tides brush against the shore. Sun shining against the ripples of the water. In the three years Billy has lived on this island, he still would rather be indoors. Outside is lonely, windy, and worst of all¡­BORING! The only company here are these dumb bunnies¡­ Stupid things! Why won¡¯t they eat? Rabbits LOVE carrots, just like in the cartoons! Billy has religiously watched them all. If only real life were like his cartoons¡­that¡¯s how it should be! He wishes he could teach ¡°reality¡± a lesson and set the record straight! Billy huffs. ¡°Dumb bunnies should eat dumb carrots!¡± He rolls back his jacket sleeve and checks his watch. Billy looks left and right, sighs, and impatiently rocks his legs. ¡®When the little hand is on the 5¡­and the big hand is on the 12¡­¡¯ ¡®Mmm¡­6¡­¡¯ ¡®What¡¯s taking so long?¡¯ He pulls out a piece of paper from his pocket. As Billy unfolds it, it brings a warm smile against the breeze. He readies to hug it tight like a teddy bear, only for a sudden strong gust of wind to rip it right out of his grasp! It smacks comfortably against a tree trunk far from him. Billy pouts, stands up, and reaches out¡­ ¡°BILLY!¡± A woman throws her arms around Billy¡¯s shoulders. Excited, Billy lights up and turns around with a huge grin. ¡°KATHY!¡± He squeals as he wraps his tiny arms around her waist, around her long white coat, and around her long black hair. The woman holds him tenderly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Billy, I didn¡¯t upset you, did I?¡± she asks. ¡°Hhhhhrrrrrrrrrrmmmmmm. NO!¡± Billy puffs his cheeks and looks away. The woman puts her hand under his chin and turns his gaze back to her. ¡°Oh~? Are you sure?¡± Looking deep into her eyes, Billy¡¯s face turns red, and he still tries his best to look away. ¡°¡­maybe a little bit¡­¡± ¡°¡­you smell nice¡­¡± ¡°¡­maybe¡­¡± ¡°¡­a little bit¡­¡± Kathy ruffles his hair, inspects the rabbit cage, and notices the carrot on the ground. She taps the cage. ¡°Is Fuzzy, not hungry?¡± Billy shrugs. ¡°I dunno, Kathy. He¡¯s being a bad bunny today!¡± ¡°Just like his bad bunny brothers and bad bunny sisters!¡± Kathy says, ¡°You¡¯re wrong, Billy¡­¡± Billy looks up at her.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Kathy looks down at him. ¡°He¡¯s been a bad bunny since yesterday¡­¡± Billy is shocked. ¡°Whadda ya mean?¡± ¡°Whadda ya mean?¡± He tugs on her coat. Kathy bends down to his height. ¡°¡­Fuzzy bit me¡­right here¡­¡± She holds out her finger. It has a small bandaid around it. After peeling it off, Billy is overcome with a gutwrenching pain as he stares at the ever-so-faint bite marks on Kathy¡¯s finger. ¡°Noooo! Fuzzy did that?¡± Billy starts sobbing. ¡°No!¡± Sobbing even harder. ¡°FUZZY CAN¡¯T DO THAT! FUZZY CAN¡¯T DO THAT!¡± ¡°NO! NO! NO!¡± ¡°Shhh. Hush. Don¡¯t cry, Billy. Don¡¯t you cry, sweetie.¡± Kathy kisses his forehead. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°What should we do now?¡± Kathy ruffles his hair. ¡°I guess Fuzzy doesn¡¯t like me¡­¡± Billy scowls and shoves away his tears. ¡°I HATE Fuzzy!!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like him either, Billy!¡± Kathy laughs. She pokes the side of her head and then Billy¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s like we are in sync!¡± Billy blushes then he perks up! He¡¯s got an idea! A wonderful idea! ¡°KATHY! If we don¡¯t like him¡­¡± ¡°¡­let¡¯s fix him!¡± Kathy smiles. ¡°Billy¡­that¡¯s a wonderful idea!¡± Billy jumps up and down. ¡°IT IS! I KNEW IT! I THOUGHT THAT TOO! THAT IT WAS WONDERFUL!¡± ¡°Ok¡­¡± ¡°¡­no peeking!¡± He points at the cage. Kathy puts her hands in front of her eyes. ¡°Like this~?¡± She coyly peeks between her fingers and sticks out her tongue. Billy runs behind her back and tries to desperately turn her around. ¡°No! No! No, Kathy!¡± ¡°Ok, sweetie~?¡± Kathy turns to look off into the distance. Billy retakes his position. ¡°Ok!¡± Pointing again at the cage, directly at Fuzzy¡­ The rabbit has a glint in its eyes as it brushes its fur. Billy scowls at the bad thing. ¡°Bad Fuzzy!¡± Kathy smiles as she hears a wonderful sound from Fuzzy! ¡°BAD! BAD! FUZZY!¡± Billy¡¯s voice cracks and strains. ¡°BAD!¡± ¡°BAD!¡± Billy is justifiably upset as the veins swell up like weeds on his forehead. He has put up with Fuzzy¡¯s naughty behavior for long enough. This is the last straw. Billy has every right to hate the scoundrel! No, not just Fuzzy. Billy hates every bunny that has ever lived. Bunnies are BAD! VERY BAD! They never eat the carrots! They never do anything funny like in the cartoons! They are boring! They smell! The ungrateful vermin don¡¯t even appreciate the safe and spacious homes provided to them! And worst of all¡­one of them bit his precious Kathy! UNFORGIVABLE! ¡°BAD!¡± It¡¯s Fuzzy¡¯s fault. Fuzzy troubled Billy with these VERY BAD thoughts for being a VERY BAD bunny. Fuzzy is to blame! ¡°BAD!¡± The words and the feelings crash against the walls of Billy¡¯s poor mind. ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ ¡°Kathy?¡± Billy tugs on her coat. ¡°Can I see now, Billy?¡± Kathy prepares to swing around. Still holding onto her coat, Billy tries to pull her back the opposite way. ¡°Ah! Wait a sec!¡± ¡°Keep your eyes closed!¡± Kathy obliges, keeping her eyes closed, as she turns around with the help of Billy¡¯s tiny arms. ¡°Ok¡­now!¡± Billy says. Kathy opens her eyes and gasps. ¡°¡­do you like it?¡± Billy tilts his head against her side. ¡°Billy¡­no¡­¡± Kathy begins to say. For a moment, Billy feels his stomach drop. ¡°I LOVE IT~?¡± Kathy pulls him in tighter. You see, Billy used his special gift to fix Fuzzy¡­to improve Fuzzy¡­make Fuzzy into something they both could love! He fixed Fuzzy¡¯s annoyingly cute eyes! By gouging them both out. He fixed Fuzzy¡¯s picky eating habits! By cramming his stomach with hay, bloody straw poking out of the chest¡­some bundles didn¡¯t go all the way down his throat¡­ Two other cages of Fuzzy¡¯s minced and VERY BAD bunny siblings surround their VERY BAD bunny brother¡­ Billy fixed all of them with his special gift. Billy is the only one who can see it¡­The Glint. After all, Billy is the only boy in the whole wide world that can use The Glint. He is proud of his gift, proud it is only for him! However, there is something even greater than it or himself that he loves with all his heart¡­ Billy buries his face in Kathy¡¯s embrace. Her title is Dr. Kathleen Foley. His gift led him straight to her! Every day he experiences endless love, warmth, and joy. ¡°It¡¯s about time for dinner! I was thinking ice cream!¡± Kathy says. ¡°Oh golly! Ice cream again!¡± Billy grabs her by the hand. In vain, he tries to yank Kathy forward. ¡°Come on. Come on. What are we waiting for?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you forgetting that?¡± She laughs, pointing behind them at the drawing still stuck on the tree trunk. Billy blushes again. ¡°...oh¡­that¡­¡± He points at the doodle. Billy then sees a glint across the wrinkles of the paper. The doodle snaps the wrinkles out¡­lifts itself into the air¡­spins like a frisbee¡­and shoots over into Billy¡¯s open palm! Kathy claps. ¡°You¡¯re getting faster with it!¡± ¡°¡­but you, little man, better not grow up too fast, ok~?¡± She pinches Billy on the cheek. ¡°Hey! Are you gonna let me see it~?¡± Billy shakes his redder than red face no. ¡°Ok~?¡± Kathy kisses him on the cheek. If Billy¡¯s face was red before, it¡¯s now in a meltdown state. Hand in hand, they enter the long red brick building. Kathy¡¯s personal laboratory. Billy¡¯s personal playground. Their home. Site 4801. No, it¡¯s more than a home. It¡¯s their castle. Kathy is the princess, and Billy is her prince. Every day on this island hidden from the world is like living in a fairytale. It¡¯s ok if the story ends as long as Kathy is by his side. -Dear Diary, I called Kathy ¡°Mommy¡± today in class¡­ GOLLY! I was so embarrassed that I wanted to cry! Before I even could¡­she tried to hide it¡­but I saw a small tear in her eye. I wonder why? Haha, that all rhymes!- -CHAPTER END- Chapter 2 ¡°Please¡­¡± ¡°Please¡­¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°YES! YES!¡± Billy cheers and raises his fists into the air as he backs off from the wall. He admires the pencil markings for his height from over the years. Billy is proud of his very special size. How tall is he? Big, that¡¯s what! Can¡¯t measure that in feet and inches. Billy. Age 10. Today is his very special birthday. But what good is a very special birthday without a very special¡­ ¡°KATHY! KATHY!¡± Billy leaves his room in a hurry. In the hall, he turns to Exam Room 10.4-B. ¡°Hi, Mr. Wilson!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be darned. It¡¯s the birthday boy! Already 11 years old, eh?¡± The wiry mustached, and wrinkly-faced Dr. Albert Wilson dips a glowing vial into a liquid. ¡°Awww, you know I¡¯m 10!¡± Billy pouts. ¡°It¡¯ll be 11 before ya know it!¡± Dr. Wilson jokes as the liquid lets out an evaporating smoke. He holds up the now frozen vial. ¡°I heard your girlfriend is looking for you!¡± ¡°Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww, she¡¯s NOT my girlfriend!¡± Billy blushes and kicks at the ground. Dr. Wilson raises his spectacles. ¡°Your secret is safe with me!¡± He winks. ¡°She¡¯s in the garden, kiddo.¡± Billy grins from ear to ear. ¡°Gosh! Thanks, Mr. Wilson!¡± He waves goodbye and continues his journey through the halls. ¡°Hello, Billy!¡± ¡°Hiya Sport!¡± ¡°Look at you! Look at YOU!¡± ¡°Did you get my present?¡± ¡°The years are flying by!¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t had your cake yet? Shame on you!¡± ¡°Save some for me!¡± ¡°And me!¡± Billy meets and greets all of his friends and neighbors. It¡¯s all about Billy around here. He feels like a celebrity every day. Chit-chat, games, awesome food, awesome people! What¡¯s not for a very special boy like Billy to love? This amount of love and attention always rains upon him, and he never grows tired of it and licks up every last drop. What¡¯s funny is that they all wear pretty long white coats too, just like Kat- *BONK* Papers fly everywhere as a neighbor falls to the floor. Uh oh. Billy had bumped into¡­ ¡°Geez, moron, watch where you¡¯re goin!¡± A blonde woman with pale blue eyes, a big goofy cast on her right arm, and big goofy glasses winces and turns to face- ¡°OH! Sorry¡­Hi Billy! Clumsy me.¡± Debbie picks up scattered paper across the floor and haphazardly organizes it into a clipboard. That¡¯s all she is, just Debbie. Billy rubs his aching head. ¡°Clumsy you indeed! Didn¡¯t see ya, Debbie!¡± ¡°Say! Do you know what today is?¡± He smiles. ¡°Oh¡­I dunno¡­September 19th¡­¡± Debbie adjusts her goofy glasses. Billy pouts. ¡°It¡¯s MY birthday!¡± ¡°Oh¡­I guess you¡¯re right¡­¡± Debbie is busy sporadically thumbing through every page of the documents. Her face goes pale¡­ ¡°Hey! What¡¯s this? Something ¡¯bout¡­what does this word mean?¡± Billy cocks his head while attempting to read a piece of paper he snatched for himself. ¡°GIVE ME THAT!¡± Debbie¡¯s voice cracks as she yanks it out of Billy¡¯s grasp. She huffs with haggard breath, her wrist shaking. Billy¡¯s eyes plead. ¡°...Gosh¡­sorry, Debbie¡­¡± His eyes start to water. ¡®NO! NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! Not again¡­¡¯ A bead of sweat rolls down Debbie¡¯s cheek. She playfully elbows him. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to get cross with ya! It¡¯s just one of those days!¡± Billy sniffles. Debbie wags her finger. ¡°And these are top s-e-c-r-e-t.¡± ¡°Ohhhhh! Gosh, I forgot!¡± Billy calms down in a snap. He knows that some things are top secret around here! That¡¯s just how it is! He knows that not even a celebrity gets to see everything or go everywhere. But that¡¯s how Billy wants it anyway. He doesn¡¯t need to act like a mean ol¡¯ king for his friends and neighbors. Besides, Billy feels like he already has a princess.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Billy jogs in place. ¡°Anyways, gotta go! I gotta find Kathy! Buh-bye!¡± He takes off. Debbie flutters her fingers at him. ¡°Buh-bye~??¡± ¡®...you repulsive FUCKING FREAK¡­¡¯ She walks away after he¡¯s gone. ¡­ ¡­ Billy takes in the outside view as the wind rustles through the trees, the grass, and his hair. The island breeze even steals the birthday balloon another friendly neighbor gave him. But that¡¯s ok. There¡¯s something far more important he can replace it with anyway. So he dashes inside the very special building before him. ¡­ ¡­ Billy swings open the doors to the roof. A fence on the left, a fence on the right. Tasty, tasty tangerines in the middle, but¡­ ¡°Kathy?¡± Billy can¡¯t seem to find her. Only trees, baskets, a shovel, and a hose. ¡°Shucks!¡± Billy sighs and walks over to a spot in between the trees. Two crows caw and take perch on the fence post. Billy decides to wait for Kathy. He figures she¡¯ll come around eventually. After all, she loves it up here, and not only that- *GROOOOWL* Billy¡¯s stomach growls. -he¡¯s hungry, and there sure are an awful lot of tangerines waiting to be eaten. Billy whistles and looks at the crows. ¡°You won¡¯t tell on me, will ya?¡± The crows caw. ¡°He-he.¡± Billy chuckles and focuses on a tangerine up on the highest branch of a tree. He closes his eyes, only hearing the leaves, the wind, and the crows stretching their wings. Then, Billy points at his chosen fruit, and the magic begins. At first, the fruit twitches. Next, a spark trail orbits around every side, each time it does, it shines more and more until it ignites into a perfect glint. Billy grins. It¡¯s not just every year he gets better at this. It¡¯s every day. Thanks to Kathy¡¯s endless love, warmth, and nurturing. Billy wiggles his finger, and the tangerine snaps off the branch and floats towards him. He¡¯s grown, and calling upon the glint and not just observing it is becoming his specialty for an already special gift. The door to the rooftop garden opens, but Billy is too preoccupied with playing with his food to hear the door creaking or the footsteps across the ground. ¡°HEY! HEY! HEY! WHO ARE YOU?¡± Someone snatches Billy from behind. ¡°And what are you doing in my garden?¡± Billy smiles. ¡°KATHY! I mean, oh, hey, what¡¯s up, Kathy?¡± He remembers he has to talk like a mature person would now. Kathy raises an eyebrow. ¡°Huh, what¡¯s up with who? How do you know my name? Who are you?¡± Billy puts his arms at his side and huffs. ¡°BILLY, that¡¯s who!¡± He curls in his fingers tightly, desperately resisting the urge to hug Kathy like an excited, giddy child. Kathy leans in with a scornful look. ¡°Billy, eh?¡± She rubs his hair. ¡°Yep!¡± Billy tries his best to look away. ¡°Yep?¡± Kathy is doing her best to be rightfully suspicious. ¡°My Billy is only this high!¡± Kathy puts her hand down at waist level. ¡°And my Billy is a cutie pie!¡± Billy frowns and stares at the ground. ¡®...am I not cute anymore¡­¡¯ Then, he feels Kathy¡¯s hand under his chin as she tilts his head back up. Kathy stares deep into his soul with a fierce judgement. ¡°...And I don¡¯t know who this tall, handsome man is~??¡± She tickles his neck. Billy is unable to resist the urge to snort and laugh. ¡°Hey!¡± Kathy hugs him. ¡°Do you have a girlfriend, Mr. Man?¡± ¡°...no...¡± Billy squeaks out. Kathy sneaks a peck on his cheek, ¡°If you say so, Mr. Man. Happy Birthday, Billy~!¡± ¡°Are you gonna be nice today and finally give me back my little baby?¡± Kathy sneaks another peck on his other cheek. ¡°Awwwwwww, cut it out, Kathy!¡± Billy blushes. ¡°I¡¯m too big for that stuff.¡± ¡°Ohhhh~?¡± Kathy embraces him more. ¡°Hmm¡­I guess you¡¯re right¡­I can barely get my hands around you~??¡± Billy sucks in his breath and clasps her tightly. ¡°But you¡¯re never too big for me, though.¡± ¡°What? I won¡¯t let you go after talking like that!¡± Kathy squeezes him. ¡°Awwwwwww, you¡¯re embarrassing me!¡± Billy says. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to embarrass you. I¡¯m trying to punish you~??¡± Kathy attempts to spin Billy around. But, she stops after noticing an unexpected guest. ¡°Umm, Dr. Foley?¡± It¡¯s Debbie, just Debbie, standing by an open door. Kathy releases Billy and walks toward her. ¡°Yes! Just a moment.¡± Billy frustrated that his hug didn¡¯t last long enough thanks to dumb ol¡¯ Debbie, huffs and folds his arms. Watching from afar while the two ladies talk about science crap, one lady much more beautiful and interesting than the other. Billy taps his foot. The conversation between Kathy and Debbie seems pretty involved. Billy yawns because ¡°pretty involved¡± probably means ¡°pretty boooooooooooring.¡± He peeks at one of the full fruit baskets and smiles to himself as a tangerine glows. Billy more than deserves a tasty birthday treat while they chat away. The two ladies converse as Billy whistles along while a tangerine bounces up into his palm. He opens his mouth and gets ready to chomp down. ¡°Billy~??¡± Kathy calls. ¡°Ah!¡± Billy freezes. Kathy approaches him and rubs his hair. ¡°You¡¯re going to spend a little time with Debbie, ok?¡± Billy rolls his eyes. ¡°With just Debbie?¡± He sighs, feeling like he would rather die. ¡°There¡¯s a present for you on your bed,¡± Kathy whispers in his ear. Billy lights up and rushes over to Debbie. ¡°Come on, come on, Debbie! What are we waiting for?¡± He takes her by the hand and starts swinging it. Debbie lets out a soft chuckle. ¡°Aren¡¯t you forgetting something, young man?¡± Kathy asks. Billy still has the tangerine in his other hand. ¡°Alright¡­¡± He struts back over. Kathy holds out her palm, and Billy gives it to her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you forgetting something else?¡± Kathy leans over and turns her cheek. ¡°Maybe, maybe not, maaaaaaybeeeee.¡± Billy briskly kisses her on the cheek. ¡°I love you, buh-bye!¡± Billy runs off, and Debbie takes him by the hand again. Kathy waves as she sees them off. As they walk down the staircase, Billy gloats and cheers about his birthday, Kathy, his birthday, but mostly Kathy. Debbie smiles and nods, smiles, nods, but mostly groans with deep and utter disgust, at least on the inside. If there¡¯s one thing Debbie is just good at, it is keeping things on the inside where it belongs but doesn¡¯t want to stay. ¡®FREAKS!¡¯ She sneers to herself through her forced, perky smiles. ¡®Freaks, both of them¡­¡¯ -Dear Diary, I had a super birthday! The presents! The cake! Awwwwww, I wish I could eat it forever! ¡­I wish I could be with Kathy forever too¡­ Not Debbie, though! Boooooo! Great, now I hope I don¡¯t have a bad dream!- -CHAPTER END- A very, very, very special message from the author: Light¡¯s, please¡­ I¡¯d like to humbly apologize for the display of female bottoms (*faints*) in the last chapter¡¯s ¡°Bonus Art.¡± It was callous, immature, and highly inappropriate. I talked things out with KDMiddleford. After fighting through the tears, we did a lot of soul searching and reached a new agreement. Out with the unnecessary fanservice! Now is the time for healing and building a better tomorrow. We¡¯ll start by preserving the sanctity of novels with safer, welcoming, and more family-friendly style ¡°Bonus Art¡± like this¡­ (Sorry! You''ll have to read the uncensored version to see this art, lol) ¡­oops¡­ Forever yours, Triple S ??