Sorcerer Hunters Fan Fiction ❯ Tropicana ❯ Chapter Three ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Fifteen minutes later, I was sporting black Ray-Bans, blue and white swimming trunks, a white tank top, and all the sun lotion I could carry as my brother led the way down the boardwalk down to the water's edge. People were gathered on the beach like insects on a rotting fruit, and the beach was so hot and putrid I felt like gagging. The reasons people assembled in such disgusting, overcrowded places were beyond me. The mere sight of so many ignorant people willingly toasting themselves on assorted beach blankets made my skin burn with a fervent fire even more. Grunting as I trudged behind my happy-go-lucky brother, I reminded myself to put on more sunscreen.

After finding a supposedly good spot, my Niisan flung a multicolored beach blanket on the scorching white sand and tossed his things on it. He waved a brief "goodbye" to me, and fled after some screaming girls. Knowingly, I watched this all silently, for I knew my brother's lecherous ways all too well. Sighing, I disregarded my enamoured brother and focused my attentions on setting up a beach umbrella, and rushed to sit under its cool refuge.

Under the crisply cool shadow of the large beach umbrella, the beach setting did not seem as bad as I had previously thought. Children ran and played in the surf, women chatted good-naturedly, and joggers paced determinedly down the golden stretch of the beach. I closed my eyes, and felt the whisper of the beach wind against my face; the playful currents weave in and around my long dark hair. Even I could admit that I did not regret taking a week off to relax. The company, I realized, could function without me, at least for a while. A part of me knew that this relaxation was one thing I truly needed, for stress mixed with obstreperous and endless work hours meant only disaster, both physically and mentally. Another part of my restless spirit was telling me something else as well, for I felt a strange feeling in the pit of my heart that was indicating I needed something desperately. Even though I thought that it might be trivial, this something was a thing that I had been missing for far too long, something I had never had..

"Excuse me, sir," a soft voice snapped me back into reality. I rapidly flickered my eyes open once more, and turned my attention to the speaker who had so startled me.

"Hai?" I managed to smile as I looked at the person. My smile dropped completely when I really looked. Before me stood a petite but elegant silver-haired woman, in a pastel purple sundress, her shimmering silver eyes dancing in the afternoon sunlight. There was a distinct, almost supernatural aura around her that made her seem no less than an angel. I could almost feel her spirit colliding with mine at that one point where we remained looking at each other on the beach. I was completely awed, and it was probably evident. Never had I seen such casual grace in a young woman. Her beauty astounded me greatly and I couldn't help but stare awkwardly. When had I ever witnessed something so beautiful? When had I ever really looked?

"I'm sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if you could help me." A small sliver of fear flashed in her eyes, and I was suddenly alarmed. My heart suddenly endured a low burn of anxiety.

"Of course. What do you need, miss?" I politely stated, but something was deeply worrying me. Her tone had sounded apprehensive, and that look in her beautiful silver eyes indicated some unknown ominous evil. Evil derived from a source I had known only too well, merely three or four years ago; now supposedly locked up in that darkness called the past. I sensed a Sorcerer's condemned soul entwining with this girl's very spirit, her life slowly being stripped away silently. Somehow she knew and I knew that I was one of the few people of this world who could help her.

"Marron!" An anxious call wafted over the sand dunes, and I saw my brother racing towards me over the ivory sand. His face equaled the girl's face in that serious expression of intense fear characterizing some imminent danger that was yet to befall us. I got to my feet quickly, and faced him. Despite the happy beach scenery with all of the goofy people permanently ruining their skin, our present situation was in a rather contradiction with "good."

The girl stared at us both, her eyes pleading. My brother was eyeing her with an attitude a bit more than friendly, but quickly he turned to me.

"Marron," he stated with that rare seriousness, "Big Mama called me on the cellular. This girl here," he indicated the girl with a overly exaggerated gesture, "Is in need of our aid, which you probably already know by now." I nodded.

"Well, Marron, it appears we have a sorcerer."