Original Stories Fan Fiction / Angels Fan Fiction ❯ Angel and Demon Wars ❯ Chapter Fifteen - Chosen ( Chapter 15 )

Angel and Demon Wars

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Chapter Fifteen

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© 2008 Ohne Sie

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After a few hours, the unicorns had to rest. Ami sat by Emiko, absently stroking her mane as she looked at the map in front of her. “We're almost at the ocean,” she said.

 

“Great,” Maeko said. “Keisuke never did tell us how we're supposed to cross.”

 

“Maybe we can borrow a boat,” Sadako said. She took a sip from her water bottle and passed it to Ichigo.

 

“It's an ocean, though,” Ichigo said. “You need something more than just a boat.”

 

“Like a ship,” Ami said. “That might be difficult.”

 

“We could steal one,” Maeko said. “We could be pirates.”

 

“That would be cool.” Sadako smiled.

 

“Only not,” Ichigo said, rolling her eyes.

 

“Well, we could probably buy tickets,” Ami told them.

 

“Flying would be so much easier.” Maeko sighed.

 

“Except that we can't do that.” Ami frowned. She turned to Emiko. “What do you think?”

 

The unicorn looked at her. She transformed into a human. “Well, I think you're right. The only way you can cross is to find a ship and get tickets to ride it.”

 

“You could stow away,” Ryu suggested. He had also transformed back into a human.

 

“Isn't that dangerous?” Ichigo asked.

 

Ryu shrugged. “I do it all the time.”

 

“We can figure this out once we get there, okay?” Ami said. “Emiko, are you and the others rested enough to continue?”

 

“Yes,” Emiko said. She stood up, becoming a unicorn again. Ryu did the same. The girls climbed on the backs of the unicorns and continued to travel toward the ocean.

 

They reached the docks within an hour. The girls climbed off the unicorns' backs and walked into a building, where they assumed tickets were sold. Sadako walked to the counter. There was a bell with a sign that said, “Ring for service.” There were no other people around. Sadako rang the bell.

 

“Coming!” A voice called. A woman walked through a door behind the counter and approached the group. “What can I help you with?”

 

“Do you have any ships crossing the ocean soon?”

 

“Uh…yes, in the morning,” the woman said. “Why?”

 

“Could we buy some tickets?”

 

“They're not…I mean…they're cargo ships. The only people we have on board are crew members.”

 

Sadako frowned. “Please? We need to get across the ocean.”

 

The woman shook her head. “I'm sorry, but we can't allow you on that ship. In a few days there will be another ship you can ride on, though.”

 

“We don't have a few days,” Ami said.

 

Ichigo raised an eyebrow, wondering why they had to hurry, but she said nothing.

 

“I think we can wait,” Maeko said. “Is there an inn nearby?” she asked the woman.

 

“Um…yes. This is an inn.” The woman laughed.

 

“Oh.” Maeko smiled sheepishly. “Well, could we have a room?”

 

“Yes, but what about your horses? Would you like to pay for us to put them in the stable?”

 

“Horses?” the girls asked. The glanced outside. Emiko and her friends were definitely unicorns.

 

“Yes, those beautiful white horses outside,” the woman said. “You wouldn't want someone to come by and steal them.”

 

“Um…” Maeko looked at Ami.

 

“Yes, we'll pay for that.” Ami shrugged. She whispered, “Can nobody see that they're unicorns except us?”

 

“Apparently,” Ichigo said. “Ryu could, though.”

 

“Well, he's not…normal,” Sadako said, fishing for the right word.

 

The woman had left before the girls started talking. Now she came back carrying a key. “Here, this is your room key. The cost for a room for three nights is one thousand gold.”

 

Maeko winced and reluctantly handed her the money.

 

“And for your horses, it will be an additional one thousand.”

 

Ami handed her the rest of the money. “We're almost out,” she whispered to Maeko. “Aren't we?”

 

Maeko nodded. “I think we'll have enough for the tickets, though.”

 

“Hopefully we won't need to buy anything else.”

 

Ami took the key from the woman. “You can take your horses around back to the stables. The stable hand there will take care of them.”

 

The girls nodded and walked out the door.

 

Emiko walked behind a tree and, making sure that nobody was watching, transformed into a human. “What happened?” she asked.

 

“We have take you guys to the stable,” Sadako said.

 

“The stable?” Emiko wrinkled her nose. “Unicorns don't belong in stables.”

 

“Sorry,” Ami said apologetically. “I don't think they realize you're unicorns.”

 

“Of course not,” Ryu said, becoming human. “They're just normal people. They don't believe unicorns exist.” He nodded to Emiko. “The stable shouldn't be too bad, really.”

 

Emiko looked doubtful, but she nodded. She and Ryu became unicorns again and allowed themselves, and the other two unicorns, to be led to the stable.

 

After the unicorns were settled in, the girls decided to go to their room and sleep. It was getting late, and they were really very tired.

 

Or, three of them were tired, anyway. Ami couldn't sleep. She got out of bed at around midnight and went outside. She sat on a bench and looked up at the sky. She had been there for about ten minutes when a voice jarred her from her thoughts.

 

“Ami.” It was Keisuke. Ami looked at him.

 

“What is it?” she asked.

 

“You can't wait for the next ship. It takes a few days to cross the ocean as it is. You can't wait here for three days and travel the ocean for another three days and expect to find the Chalice.”

 

“I know,” she said. “It would be easier if I could explain what was going on.”

 

Keisuke sighed. “I just don't think telling the others is the greatest idea.”

 

“Why not?” Ami asked. “It affects them, too. And if they knew why we had to hurry, then they would definitely want to.”

 

“You shouldn't tell them because they'll worry. When you worry, you make more mistakes.”

 

“So you think that I'm not worried?” Ami asked. “Of course I'm worried.”

 

“I know you are. But in your case it's different.”

 

Ami sighed. “Because I'm not emotionally invested in anyone in particular in Heaven or Hell?”

 

Keisuke nodded. “Because you're not that close to anyone.”

 

“That doesn't mean I want them to die.”

 

“I know. If you wanted them to die, you wouldn't be trying to hard. But I understand you. You love everyone, but you don't love any one person more than the others. So when it comes down to it, and you have to make a decision, thoughts of the people you love won't come to you. You won't think of your parents or of your lover or anything else. Just Heaven and Hell as wholes.”

 

“As a whole,” Ami said. “It makes sense, I guess. But how do you know all of this?”

 

Keisuke shrugged. “I've been watching you.”

 

“Creepy,” Ami said.

 

“Not as creepy as it sounds. I had to watch you to make sure you were the one I needed. And the others. I needed them, too, but not for the same reasons.”

 

“Because they were the best in their classes?”

 

“That, and other reasons, but you don't need to know those right now.”

 

Ami frowned. “Well, despite everything you just told me, I still don't know how we're supposed to cross the ocean in time.”

 

“Oh, well,” Keisuke smiled. “That's easy enough. And you already know the answer.”

 

“I do?” Ami asked. But Keisuke was already gone. “I really wish he'd stop doing that.”