Fan Fiction ❯ Through the Eyes of Sapphire ❯ Quest for the Crystal and the Band of Pirates ( Chapter 3 )

This one will be longer than the previous two, good good stuff!!! Neway, on with the story!

 

************************************************

 

Chapter 3

 

Aoi opened her eyes and looked around her. She was in a house.

 

“How'd I get here, I wonder.”

 

She sat up and noticed an old lady. She was dressed in an old kimono and wore her ears back in a bun. She turned around and noticed Aoi sitting up.

 

“Oh, good! You're awake. We were a little worried about you. Those are some nasty wounds you have.”

 

Aoi looked down at her arm. It was wrapped in a bandage, so was her head, and when she noticed that, her head started throbbing with pain. She put her healthy arm up to it. “Man! What a headache!” She then saw that she was wearing different clothes. It was a red and blue summer kimono. She was clean, and the house was warm.

 

“Ma'am?” she asked, cautiously.

 

“Yes, dear?”

 

“What…happened to me?”

 

“Well, dear, my grandchildren were out in the back playing tag when they saw you lying on the ground next to that tree. You were unconscious and we saw your wounds. You were in pretty bad shape, so we took you inside and cleaned you up. Don't worry, your clothes are hanging over there.”

 

Aoi looked over in the direction she was pointing and saw her uniform hanging on the wall, cleaned and mended. Then she remembered what happened! Midori had left her in the tree, so she tried to get down herself. That plan failed. Sure, she got to the ground, but thanks to gravity and she had hit her head when she landed. How long had she been laying there? How long had she been out of it?

 

“How nice of these people to take me in!” she thought. “I hope I…”

 

“I hope I wasn't too much trouble.”

 

“Oh, dear! Nothing of the sort! I'm glad to help! We don't get many visitors out this way, you know. I'm sorry, dear, what is your name?”

 

“I'm Aoi.”

 

“Aoi, well I'm Mine. (Mee-nay)”

 

“Thank you very much for your kindness, Mine-san.”

 

“Nonsense. Now you get yourself dressed and dinner will be ready once you are finished.”

 

“Hai.”

 

Aoi bowed and walked over and took her uniform off the wall. She changed and removed the bandage from her head. She had a little bump, but it was nothing serious. She left her arm as it was; it hurt too bad to try and do anything more to it. After she had changed back, they sat down at the table. For dinner, Mine had prepared salmon and onigiri. Aoi ate to her stomach's content. She had, after all, not eaten since supper the night before, and all the trauma had made her extra hungry.

 

“So, Aoi. What are you doing around these parts? Like I said before, not many people come this far out of the city.”

 

“Oh…” Aoi thought. Truth was, she didn't have a clue how she had gotten out there. But it wouldn't make any sense to tell Mine that. “Well, I was just wondering around and I got lost.”

 

“Oh, okay. Your uniform is very unique! Which school do you attend? Don't you have school today?”

 

“Oh…um, no ma'am.” Aoi lied. Her mouth was moving faster than her brain. How was she going to keep this up? “Excuse! I need an excuse!!!”

 

“No?”

 

“Well, I've been really sick lately with, um, mono. And I can't go back to school for a few more days. I went outside to get some fresh air and that's how I got lost.”

 

“Oh, I see,” Mine nodded.

 

“Phew! That was close!”

 

“Anyway, I go to Yukiyama High School. Do you, by any chance, know what direction it's in?”

 

“Yukiyama? I'm sorry, dear. I've never heard of it. Are you from Sunflower Hill City?”

 

“Sunflower Hill?” Aoi asked excitingly, “Is it near by?”

 

“Why yes, it's the only city around.”

 

“Which direction is it in?”

 

“Just west of here. Over the hills, once you peak them, you can see it. It's not very far.”

 

“Yes!” Aoi thought, “I can find my house and get everything worked out. Maybe I can even make it back to school.”

 

She stood up from the table. “Arigato, gozaimasu! I need to go home and make sure my parents aren't - er - worried about me. Do you need any help putting these things away?”

 

“Oh, no dear. I can handle it. You go on. Thank you for bringing an old lady like me some company.”

 

“No, thank you! Bye!” Aoi said, waving, as she slid the door open and stepped outside. The day was bright and the sky was clear. Aoi looked ahead of her at the hills. As they were famous for, they were covered in bright yellow sunflowers. She joyfully walked through them. The flowers, being mostly taller that she was, hid her from the rest of the world. She enjoyed the sights and smells, and occasionally stopped and ate some of the sunflower seeds that grew from them. This was better that being in school any day! Especially without Midori or anyone else there to laugh at her. She loved her life like this; no one around but her and God. She smiled at the thought. It was moments like this that she lived for.

 

Within about a half hour, she had reached the top of the hill and looked down over a city. But in confusion she looked over the buildings and streets. This was not Sunflower Hill! It didn't look like it at all! She ran down the side of the hill and into the city. She had lived there her whole life, yet not one thing looked familiar. She jogged along the street, looking in utter confusion at all the strange buildings. Signs everywhere said Sunflower Hill City, but that couldn't be right! That's not where she was! She saw a newspaper stand and ran over to it to see the morning paper. She had read some of it that morning at the breakfast table, so she knew what it looked like. She reached the stand and picked up a paper.

 

“That's not right! It says Sunflower Hill City, but it's not the same paper…” Then she glanced at the date.

 

February 21, 1053.

 

Aoi stared at the paper in disbelief. No, that couldn't be right! That morning it had been March 21, 2013. Now this? Aoi placed the paper back in the bin and took off running in the direction of her house. Was this a joke? Was somebody tricking her? She started panicking. After a few minutes, she was out of breath. She saw a pay phone across the street. She would call home! Her dad was off today…he'd pick up! She ran over and, realizing she had no money, began begging people that walked past for some change. A nice lady past by and gave her 100 ¥. She inserted the right amount and waited for the phone to ring.

 

**If you'd like to make a call, please hang up and try again. If you need help, hang up and then dial your operator… Anata wa…**

 

Aoi hung the phone up. The phone number didn't work. She had enough money left, so she tried once more, still, no ring.

 

Still not giving up hope, she took off running once again in the direction of her house. She recognized the arrangement of the streets and followed them as if she knew where she was. Before she had time to even reach where the school was supposed to be, she saw empty fields. If it truly was 1053, then her house and the school had yet to be built for centuries.

 

With a heavy sigh of fear and disappointment, she turned around to find something else to do, but when she did, she tripped over her own feet and fell to her butt.

 

“Ow!” she exclaimed.

 

All of a sudden, she heard a familiar laugh off in the distance. She jerked her head up and saw Midori standing in the street laughing. She dropped her head again. Part of her was relieved that she was no longer alone, part of her fearful of what it was Midori was planning to do next. He had already proven that he didn't mind physically abusing her, so now she was more scared than ever.

 

She stood and backed into the shadows, watching him in silence.

 

“What? Are ya hidin' now, Mouse? Come on out here.”

 

She didn't move.

 

“Do you even know where we are?”

 

She remained silent.

 

Midori laughed and turned away, standing for a moment with his back to her.

 

“1053.”

 

“huh?”

 

“February 21, 1053. That's where we are, right?”

 

He huffed and sat on the ground. For a few minutes, it was completely silent, only the sounds of the city could be heard. Finally, Aoi spoke up.

 

“Mi…Midori?”

 

“What?” he said in an aggravated tone.

 

“Do, do you know why we're here?”

 

“What's it matter?”

 

“I want to kn…”

 

“Shut up,” he snapped.

 

Aoi was so sick of hearing him say that. She got angry and scooted further away. She hadn't done anything wrong! She just wanted to know why that had gone 960 years back in time. You couldn't blame her for that. Why did he have to snap like that? Couldn't he just answer a simple question?

 

He sighed, “It was that stupid purple rock you stole.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“The rock. The…Time Crystal.”

 

“What's the…”

 

“If you'd stop talking long enough, I'd tell you!” he yelled. Aoi stepped back as he rose to his feet. “The Time Crystal, it's some thing that was made a long time ago by some guys who thought it would be cool to travel through time. Whatever. So it was created along with some others, and it has power over time. Not only can it take you to any random time you want, it gives it's host cool powers and stuff like super speed and the ability to be in two places at once, stuff like that. Well, one thing it does as a defense mechanism to its host is if they are in danger or about to be impacted in a dangerous way, the Time Crystal will automatically take you to safety. It does this by slowing down time so that the impact isn't so hard. Anyway, it must be broken or something, because it sent us back here to this stupid place.”

 

Aoi nodded, but chose not to speak. She knew if she did, she would have to hear him tell her to shut up again. Midori waited for Aoi to start to ask him another question so he could shush her before continuing, but there was only silence.

 

“So I guess you know that since I dropped the thing that we're stuck here.”

 

Aoi gasped and looked at him with frightened eyes.

 

He smiled. “Does that scare you, Jajauma? You wanna go home, doncha?” he laughed. “Too bad, isn't it? Anyway, now that we don't have our own Time Crystal, we have to find the one that exists in this era. We lost ours, but somewhere in this time, one also exists. I doubt we'll find it, but it's worth a shot I guess. We're proly stuck here, though,” he chuckled.

 

He turned and started walking off.

 

She lunged out and grabbed his sleeve, “No! Don't leave me here! There has to be a way! There's just gotta!”

 

He yanked his arm away, “Don't touch me, stupid! Of coarse there's a way! But what, you don't expect me to tell you?”

 

Aoi didn't speak, just looked sadly into his eyes.

 

“Wha…” he stuttered, dumbfounded at her expression. “Baka! Get away from me!” He pushed her away and took off running.

 

Aoi stared after him for a second, her eyes swelling with tears at the thought of being alone again, “Midori! Come back!!!” she screamed.

 

He stopped at the end of the street and looked back, smirking. “I'm goin to find the Time Crystal! I ain't takin you with me, but if you wanna get home, you've gotta keep up. I ain't helping you at all.”

 

Aoi smiled as she started running after him. She didn't except anything more from him, she was, in fact, impressed at him at this point.

 

He didn't wait for her to catch up, but kept running. She tried her best to follow him down the streets of the city, trying to run at his pace, but he was so fast.

 

“Come on, ugly, you'd better keep up if you don't want to get lost!”

 

Suddenly, Aoi stopped running. Midori looked back and saw her, and stopped running as well. She looked down over a ledge, her eyes full of wonder.

 

“What is it? Why did you stop? If you don't come, I'm just going to leave you.”

 

But she paid no attention. Realizing that he had lost his control over her momentarily, Midori gave in and walked over to where she was standing. He followed her eyes down and saw the beach.

 

“The beach? That's what you're looking at? Idiot, we've got those at home, it's not like you need to stare at one here, they're the same thing.”

 

She paid him no mind, instead began walking down toward the water.

 

“Come back here, stupid! I'm leaving, if you don't come with me, then you're lost!”

 

However, Aoi continued walking away. She walked to the edge of the water and breathed in the ocean air. “Midori was wrong. This isn't the same as it is at home. This beach is 960 years younger, fresher. I can feel God's presence here. There's no trash, no commercial restaurants, nothing but the ocean's natural beauty. Nothing Midori would understand.”

 

Midori stood from the ledge above and watched her, “What is she doing??? Stupid, it's only a beach. She walks past one everyday. Why is she so intrigued?”

 

Aoi interrupted his thoughts, “Midori,”

 

“What?” he replied angrily.

 

“Come down here and see it.”

 

“See what?”

 

“How beautiful it is.”

 

What was she talking about? What, the water? Yeah right, better looking water sat in his toilet everyday. “Why does she want me to…go down there with her? Isn't she afraid of me?”

 

Aoi looked down the beach nearly half a mile and saw the harbor. Even in this day, it was large. But the boats here weren't the same boats she saw at home. These looked like the kind seen in pirate movies. Made of wood, huge sails, and raggedy men working them. She could hear the bells from the ships.

 

“Come on, Midori,” she said, smiling up at him.

 

He was so confused. “Why is she smiling at me!!! She's supposed to be angry…she's supposed to be sad! That's what I've worked all these years to make her! Something else besides that ugly expressionless exterior that she always shows! Hate me, Aoi! Be afraid of me!!! Come on!”

 

But for some reason, he found himself smile back at hers. Disgusted with himself, he walked down to the place where she stood on the beach. “What is it?” he asked gruffly.

 

“You see the ships? How fun would it be to ride one? Just like in the movies.”

 

“Uh…where are you goin' with this???”

 

“Midori?”

 

“What!?!”

 

“Have you ever…er…never mind.”

 

“…What?”

 

“Well, I mean, have you ever said my name?”

 

“Jeesh- ha! No! of course not! Why would I waste my breath on a dumb name like…”

 

“I get it,” she sighed, walked past him in the direction of the harbor, but turned her head back to face him. “So you really do hate me, huh? Hm - of course you wouldn't. What a dumb question.”

 

“Well, duh!” He thought.

 

“It's okay. I shouldn't expect any more…not from someone like you.”

 

Then she turned and walked away.

 

In shock, Midori stood still for a moment, speechless and fuming. How…dare…she…

 

“Come back here!!! You idiot! You can't say stuff like that! I swear, if you ever say another word to me, I'll pound your face in!”

 

Aoi cringed at his awful words, she didn't doubt that he would, either.

 

“If you leave now,” he shouted, “I'm going on without you!”

 

She continued to ignore him. Oh, how he hated it when she did that! He gritted his teeth and started to run toward her. She heard him, and started to run herself, but as she did, a man dressed in pirate's clothing came running to her from the city and grabbed her hurt arm. She screamed as the pain shot through her entire body. More men came running towards them, some grabbed Aoi's other arm and others stood around and glared at Midori. Midori looked at them coldly for a moment, seeing Aoi's pleading eyes. She smirked and turned around, beginning to walk away.

 

“Good, she's gone,” he thought.

 

“Hey you!” one of the pirates shouted.

 

Midori sarcastically turned around, “What?”

 

“What the hell do you think you're doing? You can't just walk away from us!”

 

“I'm sorry, but if you think I'm gonna fight you or something to try and save that jajauma, then you are very sadly mistaken.”

 

“How can his heart be so cold?” Aoi thought, beginning to cry in hopelessness.

 

“Is that a fact?”

 

“Yeah, ya ugly bastards, now get outta here.”

 

“Why you...”

 

“Hm…” Midori chuckled, “Oh, what? You gonna come after me now? Go ahead, I was plannin' to get out on the seas anyway. You'd just be helpin' me out.”

 

“Don't make us laugh!”

 

“Yeah, bein' with our crew would be the furthest from helpin' you out!”

 

“You're right, your ship's such a bloody piece of crap, it probably wouldn't hold two of us, anyway.”

 

“You insult our ship, you insult us!”

 

“Yeah, that's kinda where I was goin with it.”

 

“You brazen bas…”

 

“Shut up, pirate! I've heard enough of your ramblings.” Midori shouted, “You gonna capture me or not!”

 

“You're damn right we are!”

 

“You ain't gettin me without a fight!”

 

“You're stupid! There's 20 of us and one of you!”

 

“You scared, you bunch of brainless rats!”

 

Aoi started at him in disbelief, “He thinks he's invincible! He's gonna get himself killed! What an idiot!”

 

Midori took a fighting stance. He never took martial arts, but he was good at street fighting since he had been doing it for as long as he could remember. The pirates, however, didn't have any interest in street fighting, they pulled out swords and started to chase Midori down. Midori was incredibly fast, and could jump really high, but he wasn't so good at the whole being cut up by swords and coming out okay. He dodged several swings, and even managed to de-sword some of the men. He reached down and picked up a sword. He knocked some of them away, and was actually fairing quite well, that is, until he was caught. He was suddenly being held up in the air in a full nelson and had sword tips half an inch from every part of his body. He struggled for only a second before a stab in the leg ended his rebellion.

 

“Okay…” he whispered, “you win.”

 

Aoi couldn't believe how well he had fought. He was also pretty good with a sword, but none of that mattered now anyway. They were being taken hostage on a pirate ship! Aoi was scared to death. By this time, they had their hands tied behind their backs and were being lead to a ship.

 

“What happened to my boring school life!? Even it was better than this!” Aoi thought.

 

She glanced over at Midori. He was walking solemnly with a straight, expressionless face, looking ahead at the pirate ship that they were going to be kept on. What kind of torture awaited them? Would they ever see their home again? Aoi closed her eyes and began praying:

 

“God, why is this happening!?! Please, please help us get through this! I don't want to die! I don't! I'd give anything to go back home now! Please protect us, keep us safe and help us get home! I'm so scared…I'm so alone. I have no one here to talk to, please help Midori to listen, soften his heart. Change him, LORD, please. In Jesus' name, Amen.”

 

Aoi walked up the ramp onto the ship. They were led down below deck to a dark, cold cell. Midori was tossed in, and he fell to his side with no balance from his hands being tied to keep himself up. Aoi was shoved in, and the door was slammed behind them.

 

Midori managed to untie the rope that held his hands back. His wrists were raw from the old horsehair rope.

 

“DAMN!” Midori shouted.

 

“Please.” Aoi said, “please don't curse.”

 

“Shut up, wench!!!! I can't curse all the hell I want!”

 

“Please stop..” Aoi said even quieter than before.

 

Midori was filled with rage, he turned around and slapped Aoi across the face so hard that she fell backwards and hit her head on the wall. She screamed and her eyes teared up from the pain in her cheek.

 

“I told you not to speak!!!!!” He yelled, “I meant it! If I'm gonna be locked down her in this cell with you, you sure as hell ain't gonna be talkin' the whole time!”

 

He stomped off angrily and slammed his tired body up against the wall. He sat down and the damp floor and let out a heavy sigh.

 

Aoi sat where she had fallen. She had her hand up on her throbbing cheek. It stung so bad, she could almost feel a whelp from the impact from his hand. She stopped her tears and sat up straight.

 

“If that's how he's going to be, fine.”

 

Aoi made up in her mind never to speak again.

 

************************************************************

 

To be continued…

 

Next chapter: Silence and the Great Rescue