Fan Fiction ❯ Through the Eyes of Sapphire ❯ Into the Heart of the Forest; Secrets Revealed! ( Chapter 9 )

A/N: Well, my extremely long hiatus has been fun. I am updating now, but I can't guarantee that I will updating will be at all constant. It may be quite a while before the next chapter. Sorry, but I still have a higher demand for my Inuyasha fanfics.

 

Sorry about this mucho short chapter. I just wanted to get a little more of the story up. Enjoy!

 

BITT3RSW33T: wow! I'm so glad that you like my story so much! You are the fist reviewer I've gotten in several months. You've kind of inspired me to update! I will try and update more often now. Thank you for the reviews!

 

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“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.”

 

Proverbs 3:3-4

 

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Through the Eyes of Sapphire

 

Chapter 9

 

Into the Heart of the Forest; Secrets Revealed!

 

 

 

It was Midori.

 

~~~~

 

Aoi repositioned herself in Midori's tight grasp. She squinted, looking up at him. He seemed ultra alert, looking around the fog suspiciously. She wasn't sure, but it felt as if the blood was no longer flowing to her arm as his hand gripped tightly to it. Afraid to say anything, she ignored the slight pain and waited for Midori to make his next move.

 

“I think it's gone,” he said finally. He let go of Aoi's arm and began walking away, but signaled for her to follow him. She stuck close since she could not see.

 

How did he get back onto the ship, I wonder? Aoi thought as she followed him through the fog.

 

He led her to the edge of the ship and looked over toward the waters below. “Alright, Jajauma, can you jump?”

 

Aoi's eyes widened at the thought of leaping from the deck. She backed away from him and shook her head.

 

“Oh, come on! You're stuck on this ship with that thing if you don't come with me.”

 

Aoi thought for a second, trying to figure out which one she'd rather be stuck with. Midori or the Shadow Creature?

 

“Well, if you're going to be stubborn…” Midori grabbed Aoi's arm again and pulled her to him, lifting her off the ground. She squealed and kicked with all her might, but Midori was much stronger than she. “Quit fidgeting!” he yelled, throwing her down.

 

She screamed, falling to her certain death, but fell silent when she realized she was sitting on a bench. A lifeboat? Midori leaped down and she felt the boat jerk and sway uncontrollably. She gripped tight to the sides of the boat, so not to fall. Midori unhooked the ropes and the boat fell full speed to the water, landing with a loud SMACK. The small boat rocked and Aoi had yet to let go of the sides, holding fast to them for dear life.

 

“We're going to the island, Jajauma. You don't like that? Speak now or forever hold your peace.” Silence. “Alright then!” he grabbed the ores and began rowing.

 

Well, Midori thought, At least now she's not alone on that ship with Ryoku. If we find the Time Crystal here, it would be a pain to have to come back for her anyway. He looked up at her. Her eyes appeared to be closed and her arms were spread to each side of the boat, her fists trembling they were grabbing the wood so tight. I'm—I'm glad she's safe now.

 

Aoi didn't move. She was too scared. There was no use in looking around; she had left her glasses on the ship. I hope we go back and get them later.

 

As they neared the island, Aoi slowly relaxed, releasing her hold of the boat. Midori turned around and looked at the island. The fog must have been lifting as they got closer because the island was not hidden in the mist. The sun even began to shine brighter.

 

The boat came to a sudden stop and Midori's ores stuck in the sand. “Looks like we're landed,” he observed, jumping out of the boat into the shallow water. He grabbed in the bow and pulled the boat further up onto the shore, walking away leaving Aoi sitting alone in the boat. She sighed as she lifted herself out of the boat and followed after him, trying not to trip on anything she could not see.

 

It was not long before Aoi heard the murmur of a group of chattering people. She could not see them, but she knew they were getting close to the ship passengers as their talking became louder. She kept close to Midori as best as she could, trying not to get separated. I wonder where Hitomi is, she thought.

 

Midori's pace was quick as he cut through the groups of people and abadoos. Aoi did her best not to run into people, hitting several of them while trying to keep up with the boy. As they reached the other edge of the crowds, they were greeted by an immense forest. Midori had heard enough of the talk on the ship to know that the valley of the Time Crystal was somewhere inside this forest. Completely unarmed, however, he was a little hesitant about trotting right into danger. He glanced around and saw a sword lying in its sheath on the ground next to a few abadoos that were standing around talking.

 

Turning to Aoi he said, “Wait here,” and tip-toed to the group, snatching the sword from the sand and running into the forest, dragging Aoi along with him.

 

He grabbed the sword by the hilt and pulled it slowly from the sheath. His eyes widened at the look of this deadly weapon. It shined a deep red, and the blade was curved in such a way that it resembled fire. He chuckled.

 

“This is one hell of a cool sword. Wouldn't you agree, Jajauma?”

 

He slipped it back into the sheath and situated it around his waste.

 

I hardly think I should trust him with that katana… Aoi thought.

 

Midori turned and began walking, keeping his hand resting on the sword's hilt. Aoi ran to catch up with him.

 

Getting lost was the last thing she wanted to happen.

 

X-X-X

 

Aoi picked herself up off the ground, brushing off the dirt and leaves from her clothes. She blinked a few times, looking blindly around. What—just happened? She thought, taking a few steps. From what she could tell, she was surrounded by only trees. Where's Midori?? Did he leave me here! Fear suddenly filled her entire body. She dropped to her knees, trying ever so hard to remember what exactly had transpired to leave her on the ground. Had she been unconscious? She couldn't remember. She couldn't remember at all! Tears feared her frightened blue eyes. Midori! Why did you leave me here! She began praying—praying so hard that she would be found.

 

Confused, scared, and crying, Aoi sat at the foot of a tree waiting for someone to find her.

 

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“Jajauma!!” Midori called. He had yet to let go of the sword. In fact, he held tighter to it now than ever. “Jajauma!!” he called again. Where had she gone? She had been standing there with him just a few minutes ago. Had he not been trying so hard to ignore her irritating presence, he might have noticed sooner that something had happened, but alas! He couldn't really care less about her.

 

Eff this, he thought, smirking. I'll go ahead and look for that dumb crystal. Then I'll worry about finding her. She should be fine until then.

 

A small voice in the back of his mind questioned him, but he shoved the voice of conscious away. He refused to listen to it.

 

He began walking toward the center of the island. There was, what used to be, a path that he was following. It had no doubt been used long ago, but had since grown over to appear nothing more than another part of the forest. He unsheathed the sword and hacked some of the bushes out of his way as he grew nearer to the Time Crystal.

 

It was not long until Midori felt that he was not alone. He paused, and upon hearing nothing, kept hacking away at the plants. He paused again, this time sure there was someone there.

 

“What do you want?” he said, a bit uncertainly.

 

“You looking for something, Midori?” said a voice from behind him.

 

Midori spun around, holding the sword in front of him. He was anything but surprised to find Ryoku standing in the path not far behind him. The abadoo was no doubt Ryoku, but had changed somewhat. He looked a bit shaggier than he had before, and the faint sign of a scar shown across his forehead. The pupils of his eyes seemed to be smaller, if that made any sense, and his over all demeanor seemed different. If Midori hadn't known better, he'd have thought his claws were longer and sharper too.

 

“What are you doing here, Ryoku?” Midori sneered.

 

“I haven't the time to chat with you, dear friend. I'm afraid I've come to inform you that you should return to your ship.”

 

“Why? I know they're not leaving.”

 

“If you wish to live any longer I suggest you listen to what I have to say.” He paused before continuing. “Return to the Hayo Tachikotsu and make your way back to the city. Aoi won't be joining you.”

 

A little possessive, there? Midori thought, but said nothing out loud. He still did not understand what the purpose of Ryoku's ramblings was.

 

“She is to stay with me.”

 

“You may not be able to pull your head far enough out of your ass to understand this, but Aoi isn't from here. She belongs in a different era. She cannot stay here…with you nonetheless.”

 

“It makes no difference, Temee.”

 

Midori growled.

 

“What Aoi wants makes no difference to what will happen here. All you need to worry about is getting yourself away unless you plan on dying.”

 

“Why are you—what are you planning on doing, Ryoku?”

 

“It makes no difference to you. But, contrary to what you may have thought, I am not Aoi's friend. I am on the Hayo Tachikotsu to fulfill one purpose and one purpose only. Aoi happens to be aiding me, though she may not be aware of that.” He smirked. A dirty, evil smirk that made even Midori shudder.

 

“You keep away from her. Bullying her is my job. No one else's.” Midori's voice was low and threatening. “She's got enough to deal with with my head-on bullying.” His voice rose. “She doesn't need you hurting her!”

 

“Well, my friend, right now you are the one hurting the poor lass as she lays alone in the forest blind, scared, and waiting for you to help her.”

 

“What?!”

 

Ryoku's smirk had yet to leave his ever increasingly ugly face.

 

“You did this! You separated us!!”

 

“None other! I couldn't be warning you to escape in Aoi's presence. What kind of person would I be? I had no choice but to knock her out for a few minutes. She's no doubt awake by now. Poor girl. You really are a bitch toward her.”

 

Midori stepped one stop closer to him, holding out his sword. “You shut up! And stay away from her!”

 

“When you think you can stop me, let me know,” Ryoku said, disappearing into the trees.

 

Midori lowered the sword, looking around and seeing that all signs of the other abadoo were gone. Sheathing it, he began running in the way that he had come. Aoi had to be there somewhere and he had to beat Ryoku to her.

 

No one hurts her but me!

 

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Next Chapter: Sorry, I'm not sure what it's to be called yet. Ja ne!