Six
Island of Disguise
In these days of trial an error I've come to notice a new light in my brother. A darker side that must go with the blood element he holds in himself. I had seen him the night he ate the other part of the apple with Eve. How could he be so stupid? I'm afraid I will never know the answer now though. I decided I would go away and find my own place to live. Home is only the place where we can feel like we belong. This Earth place... is not my home. Maybe if I found someone to live with who I could call mine I would understand what others find so good about this place. Yet, for me until I go off on my own and grow to be my own person I will never even get that chance. Home is where your heart is, and for me the Wind tells me home is back on Baransu.
~Princess Aura, forever wandering
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Allisson waited for what seemed like hours for Zavier's return. The worst has begun to enter her head when he finally showed back up. His tennis shoes had mud and sand on them. He did not seem to be out of breath, and that for now was a good thing. It meant that he was safe and no harm had come to him. Zavier let Rex down to the ground floor, who scurried toward the lake for a swim. The red head looked at her friend with bright blue eyes. Something was reflected in them that she was not used to.
“What's got you?” She lifted her hand to meet Zavier's. He did not flinch back, but grabbed it and squeezed it. Now, she knew he had some thoughts in his head. “Zavier?”
Zavier sat down against the red oak tree and put his arm around Allisson. She cuddled into it without thinking. He stiffened up a bit, but did not move away. “Rex.”
That was odd Zavier hadn’t been so open about Rex. Let alone use him in one word to describe a feeling, “What about him?”
“Rex, showed me an island in the south. It holds, I believe…” The boy stopped as if to think of an answer, “sunlight.”
That was what had him in a bunch? Okay, she wouldn't ask. The thought of the sun warmed her though. How, long had it been with only darkness. There was of course the moon that rotated, and the stars, but what Allisson would do for the golden rays. It would make even the sanest person mad. “Is there a way to get there?”
Zavier shook his head, “Not that we can tell. We would have to build a boat and row across. The current doesn't seem to be as strong as back home. That’s probably something to do with the moon never leaving the sky.” She nodded and looked over to the lake where the two familiars had wandered over to. Her familiar's green light glowed as she followed Rex above water. Every once and awhile a small splash would push up from the lake trying to spray the fairy. The two seemed so at ease.
“Then easy, we make a boat.” To her it seemed to be an easy feat. Build a boat go across to sunlight. Maybe the others were already there.
Her friend met her eyes with his skeptically and sighed. “You think everything is so simple Allison. Open up on no tools to make a boat, or a current to carry us there!” He paused and calmed himself down. “We have no way of knowing how far that island. It doesn’t look too far, but that doesn’t mean much.”
That made her think some more, “Marcus would know how far that island is. What if he went there to find us?”
“Possibility, but we don't know for sure.” Allisson cursed under her breath and sat back in frustration. She felt her eyes stinging from the welling up tears. Her throat built up with flem, and her body went rigid for a bit. The girl wiped them away with anger at being so emotional. “Our best bet is to stay put until we come up with better ideas.”
Allisson turned her head up and closed her eyes, “If we don't come up with better ideas?”
Zavier turned to her and shrugged, “I haven't thought that far yet.”
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Her vision was blurry in a way she was unused to. A-May wasn't sure what way was up or down. She could feel the slight swaying movement as if someone or something was walking. Her whole body was twisting in odd directions, but some part of her knew it was just the movement of going downward. No forward, because she was laying down. It was as if she was on a boat with the waves lapping against the sides. Her familiar's voice was in her head, but the link was damaged from being waterlogged. Now she remembered what was going on. A-may began to rush her hands to swim upward. The problem was she couldn’t tell if upward was up or sideways. Her body wouldn’t move correctly. A voice of comfort whispered into her ears. Two hands gripped tight before she realized that she was out of the water.
Just within distance she could see Link's chin above her. His chin flexed as if anxious. She was being carried in the same way she had when the storm had started the day before. Her brain was functioning even more foggily than normal. At least though it was functioning enough to realize she wasn’t in the water. Her clothes were soaked to her bones, and the black cape weighed her body down into Link’s damp arms. It was as if her thoughts were against her. Bits and pieces came back to her memory. Dark blue water and shiny scales came into her vision. Merpeople.
Link had a tight hold on her as they reached the forest ground. His footsteps changed as he got off the softer ground. She was going to guess sand by the way he had been walking. Her skin could feel it get colder as they reached the undergrowth of the trees. The wind was part of her, and she was part of it. Right now the wind was calm and had a feeling of worry. Her brain told her to comfort the air to tell her she was okay. Yet, she couldn’t tell if that was even true. Her body wiggled again as if to swim, but Link held tight with his comforting tone.
Her body slowly hit a patch of grass and the warmth of Link sat beside her. She could feel her hair being played with lightly. A fragmented voice began to enter her head. It was rapid and worried. Much like the wind around her, but unlike the wind this voice seemed be making movement. “Fang?”
A small squeak of relief answered, but she couldn't understand what was being said. Her head was too clouded from almost drowning. That is what had happened, wasn't it? She wasn't sure anymore.
“A-May... answer... food. Link, has... Oh, please.... Sis. Open... eyes. A-May.”
The words were too scrambled for her to understand. She heard her name, and Link's. That boy she would had thought to be more trouble than good, and yet, here he was saving her butt. There was something about him that made her trust him. An older brother she never had. Her consciousness slipped to dreamland again before she could think of anything else.
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Link held the girl's head on his leg. She kept coming in and out of sleep. He worried for her. Maybe he had only just met her a day or so ago, but he could feel a connection he had not anticipated.
“Don't worry my good chap. She is in good hands with you.” Link smirked at his familiar's compliment, but said nothing against it. His stomach grumbled, but he put the thought aside. He didn't know what to do. A situation like this... normally he would let the others lead. He wasn't a leader in this. No that was left to the others.
“There must be something else. I'm just useless right now!” He didn't get angry often, especially with others around. That wasn't going to change now. His familiar nuzzled his side with his small head. He was more like a dog than frog. Fang hadn't stopped flying in circles above A-May. His loyalty to his friend was incredible. He wished that he was that loyal to his friends.
“L-Link?” He nearly jumped up, but forced himself to sit and put his hand on A-May's shoulder. Her eyes were focused on his, he saw her remarkably light blue eyes with his own. Fang flew down and wrapped his wings around one of A-May's arms. The girl chuckled and Link felt the sides of his face lift.
“You are crazy buddy.” Link hugged the girl and he felt her flinch slightly. A-May grinned and sat up slowly as Link took his arms away. He squinted his eyes and gave a grin towards her. Her chuckle sounded again and he opened his eyes to her bright chocolate brown ones with an emerald green ring around the pupil. “How do, you do that?”
“Do what?” She seemed giddy. It would take some getting used to. Nor did he know how long it would last. Her eyes faded to a pale green.
“That.” Her eyes changed to a fushia color and she tilted her head. A confused look. She had done that before. “Your eyes.”
Her eyes went back to the brown color before she opened her mouth to speak, “Mood. Ya know. Like those mood necklaces and jewelry you can get almost anywhere.” His eyebrows lifted. They hadn't sold mood rings and stuff except in dollar stores or gas stations for years. He decided to just nod his head up and down instead. “My eyes show my emotions.”
Link nodded again and leaned back on the tree, “That will take some time to get used to.”
A-May sat up as her stomach growled. It looked like he wasn't the only one who was hungry. Yet, he remembered that was how they had got into this mess to begin with.
The girl looked around for a bit and caught sight of something to his right. She sat still for a bit closing her eyes before speaking, “That's south.”
“South?”
Letch stirred in his pocket, “In the south it is calmer and it will be easier to get food.”
“Exactly Letch,” A-May replied. Link didn't think anything of it until he had got A-May to her feet.
He gasped and looked at A-May. “You answered!” The girl could hear his familiar. Why hadn't she said something?
“I've been here for a while Link. I can hear all of their voices.” He looked into her eyes, but they had returned to their silver color. When she wished to hide or stay hidden her eyes seemed to go to this color. Well, at least that’s what he had seemed to have noticed anyways. He had his arm around her waist and her arm stayed on his shoulders as they walked toward the way A-May had pointed. In the distance he could see a lake, but nothing past that. It was still too dark even with the never ending moon.
Link saw what looked to be an apple orchard close to his left. “What about there?”
“The ancient fruit of Baransu. Did you know that apple trees originally came from here?” He didn't understand her rambling right now. It was as if her fogginess was coming out of her. Was this what was normally going on in her head? A-May turned them to the apple orchard and grabbed at a low branched one. She handed the first one to Link before going to grab another apple for Fang. “Fruit bat.” Fang gave a happy chirping sound and flew into the tree to grab another one for A-May. It was juicy red, and looked fresher. Link felt the apple in his hand get switched, and the bright red one was now in his hand.
“Thanks.” He looked up with a confused look from the apple to A-May. He took a bite into the apple and felt it melt in his mouth. A few more apples came down from the tree as Fang tossed them down to A-May. A-May had taken off her black coat, which was still soaked from the cliff drop. She grabbed the extra apples they didn't eat and made a carrying case from the coat. Maybe it was a cape with a hood. He didn't honestly care what it was called. It still looked really cool. As did A-May's deep purple tank top. Cool and casual. A few girl's back home could learn a few tips from this girl.
A-May led them back down south toward the lake. They had just begun to pass by when two voices sounded in the air, “Link!” He turned to his left to see a frantically waving Zavier and Allisson. His spirits rose as he ran toward them. He gave Zavier a hug and pat on the back.
“Where have you been?” Zavier looked relieved from the stress of not knowing. That or from one less thing to worry about. The older boy gave a slight grin. Link looked behind Zavier to see a waving Allisson on the ground.
“Long story short,” Link pointed toward the mountains in the north, “Been up there with A-May.”
Allisson nearly jumped out of her seat, but stayed put by what looked like an injured ankle. “There are others here? Wait, where is she?”
“Over,” Link looked back across the lake, “there...”
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Zavier looked at where Link was pointing. He knew he had seen another figure beside Link, but now that figured seemed to be nowhere to be found. She had disappeared into darkness just as if she had been a shadow. “She wasn't with you when you got here was she?”
“A-May was right next to me.” Rex and Chihiro sat beside Allisson with Link's familiar. He didn't know the frog's name yet, but he was sure he would hear the name at some time through Rex's none stop rambling. He understood the familiars' excitements though. Zavier was just as glad to be reunited with his friends as they were. “She can't have gone far. I'm going to find her and be back.”
“I'm coming with you. These familiars will be able to take care of Allisson. Right?”
“Of course master! We won't let any harm come to the lady. Right guys?” Rex was joined in by the other two familiars. The three looked right at Link and him before going back to talking amongst themselves. Zavier and Link walked off towards the direction Link had originally been heading
“So you were heading south. Not by any chance to get to the island down there?” Zavier couldn't help, but wonder if all of them were being pulled down there.
Link looked up confused, “There's another island? Dang. Thought this one was large enough already.” So Zavier had no idea of the other land masses. He could tell that Link's hair and clothes were soaked though. How had he been in water and not noticed the other land masses.
“Where have you been?” Zavier kept walking, keeping an eye open for the figure he had seen earlier. The girl either hadn't continued south, or was really good at hiding. “Or both.”
“You weren't listening were you?” Zavier shook his head and looked ahead not bothering to look as Link talked. “I'll tell you later. What's going on?” Twice in one day Zavier had been basically asked that. Maybe there was something else going on in his head even he didn't notice. It made his mood go low thinking about it.
The older boy turned to Link and put his hand behind his head. “I was just thinking about how this A-May of yours is either good at hiding, went the other way, or both.” Link looked at him questioningly. Not much got passed his friend even when he didn't voice what he truly meant. “I've been thinking about how we are here and... we know nothing about what has happened back home. Our friends, and even family must be worried about us.”
“Maybe yours would. I bet mine hasn't even blinked an eye about me being gone.” Link grinned and then sighed, “If I had died, my family would probably forget I was ever around.” Zavier understood that one. Yet, he did believe his grandmother would actually be worried. Least he hoped she was.
The two reached the sand, but had not found A-May anywhere. She must have went the other way. Link seemed determined to find the girl. Maybe he had finally moved on from his other friend. Hopefully she was okay too, along with Marcus. Whatever the reason there was nothing they could do now, but return to Allisson.
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It had been about half an hour now since the boys had gone to find that A-May girl. Allisson was sure the girl had run off from being shy. A hermit maybe from the olden days like the ones her familiar had told her about. Wouldn't that be a story to tell about when she got home.
Chihiro had been talking about how Baranasu had changed through the years. She was too young to be part of the history, but like in Allisson's world the fairies' ancestors had brought the history down in stories. The world had been sunny and bright all the time. Many modernized species had lived in one place. This had caused problems for the species who all had claimed to world as their own. As centuries passed each of these species spread out and became less civilized. Not all of them though.
A ruffling noise caught the attention of the two sitting by the red oak tree. Letch and Rex watched curiously. The bushes not far from them rustled again and a figure stood in its mists. Chihiro gave a shrill squeal followed by Allisson's gasp. The red head tried to scurry backwards but was met with a slight smirk. “Don't be scared.”
“W-who are you?” Allisson's voice stuttered as the figure walked forward. Her eyes came to settle on a bleach-blond haired girl in ripped jeans and purple tank top. In the girl's hand she held a large black sack. There was no way Allisson was going to sit by and wait to be put into the sack. Yet, instead the girl opened it up in a flash of black fabric. She gave a small scream that faded off as she realized that the girl was opening the sack full of apples.
“Didn't mean to scare you,” The girl's gray eyes landed on Allisson as she sat down next to her. “I should have made more noise walking towards you.” The girl put her hand out that were covered by net cloves, “A-May.”
The girl Link had mentioned when he found them. The girl's tank top clung to her shirt, as did her jeans. Link's new friend's hair was stringy, and Rex was eying her curiously. Rex looked almost as if he was seeing a ghost, but he shook his head as Letch croaked. “A-May... I mean, my name's Allisson,” A-may tilted her head and gave a small nod. A bat came to sit on the blond's shoulder and the girl listened intently before offering Allisson an apple. “Oh, thanks.”
A-May sat down not too close, but not extremely far from Allison either. Allisson was curious about this girl. She was quiet and yet, some small spark seemed to hide secretly within her. The bat was chirping something that awakened Chihiro out of her daze, “F-fang?” The red head's familiar poked her head out from behind her Sentaku. “Oh, sir it is you!” The fairy fluttered up to the bat who gave a chirping sound back. “Is that so?”
Allisson asked her familiar what was going on in her head, but was responded with only, “It's something of Fang's so I'm afraid Lady Allisson that I can't state it.” She hadn't noticed that Rex and Letch had wandered off bit.
Some rustling from the direction the boys had went earlier. A-may was instantly to her feet and into a fight stance. Except instead of two fists her right hand was out with palm open. The two figures walked closer to be a very obvious Zavier and Link. The two were talking slowly and seemed to be in hushed voices. Zavier looked forward and put a hand on Link's shoulder. Whatever was said Allisson didn't hear, but Link had twisted his head quickly to the two girls' directions. A smile formed as Link ran up and hugged A-May. “Where'd you go?”
“I realized when you met up with your other friends that we didn't have enough apples.” A-may stated plainly, and without question of her actions. Maybe this could be someone she could get along with when they got back home. Whenever that would be; hopefully it would be soon.
Zavier walked up to Allisson putting his hand on her shoulder, “Feeling all right?” He looked worried, but held a suspicious look at A-may. Allisson nodded while she watched Rex wobble towards his master who had been gone.
A-may turned to the bat, Fang, for a bit and listened. Then she turned back to Rex. She didn't talk right away, but the familiar curled his tail around to do a salute. “Want an apple?” The hell-bender took it graciously and began to nibble on it. Letch gave a shake of his frog head and a croak while Link gave a chuckle.
“The island, it's farther away than we thought.” Zavier sad in a saddened tone. Allisson looked up from chomping on an apple. “It would take too long to build a raft, let alone sail across.” The boy looked up at the moonlight that trickled in through the forest's cracks. There was a hopeless look in his eyes. They changed with a flash to anger, but the boy said nothing. There was no hope to get across, none at all.
The new girl's eyes shifted between shades of colors, but Allisson couldn't tel which. It was a whatever moment because she knew it was a trick of the moonlight. A-may stood there quietly. She didn't seem to be comfortable in this now group of four humans, and four familiars. The girl then gave a look and her eyes twitched a bit, “Maybe you guys could use something else to get across.” The bat landed on her shoulder from taking a small fly above the tree tops. A-my listened for a bit and then gave a nod, “Just as I thought. Gotta love the lack of tides here. There's a boat I made a while back to get across the waters to the other islands. It's just past the apple trees where I got, well the apples.”
Link tilted his head, while Zavier and Allisson gave a look to each other. A boat... how had Zavier missed that? Zavier gave a questioning look to A-May, “Will the boat hold us all?” A-May seemed to think for a bit before nodding.
“We would make it to the Southern island by tomorrow morning. It's already afternoon.”
Zavier lifted his eyebrows, “And you would know that because-”
A-May put her hand up, “Time is slow here, and though it is dark at all times the moon does rotate around.” The girl pointed just above the trees. “You should be able to tell that at the least. Look at the ground floor, the light has moved to be straight down.” The girl leaned against a tree and smirked. Allison looked at the ground in front of her, and sure enough the moonlight had actually moved through the night. Well, day. Maybe they could tell time now with this. Gosh, that would make some of the sanity come back to her. The group agreed to go to boat. Zavier helped me on one side, and Link helped me walk with the other side. A-may led the way with her bat sitting on shoulder. They got to the apple orchard and went past it to a boat sitting by the shore. Without a problem they would definitely all fit, but it would be a squish. One by one we got in the boat and rowed out to the island. She didn't remember much in between because she had fallen asleep not long after getting into the boat
The next thing she knew Zavier was shaking her awake. They had reached the island in the south. Allisson blinked her eyes at the sunlight as she stepped onto the sand. With the help of Zavier of course. Her brain gave a twitch as her skin welcomed the light. “Sunlight.” The island was bright and the sand beneath her shoes was damp. The water lapped at her ankles, and she welcomed it without complaint. Link stepped out followed by a cautious A-May. The girl shielded her eyes more than the others, but stood with them. The familiars rushed off to the farther parts of the sand with high voices. At least Chihiro did.
A-May walked forward and landed on her knees in the sand, “It's a miracle.”
Island of Disguise
In these days of trial an error I've come to notice a new light in my brother. A darker side that must go with the blood element he holds in himself. I had seen him the night he ate the other part of the apple with Eve. How could he be so stupid? I'm afraid I will never know the answer now though. I decided I would go away and find my own place to live. Home is only the place where we can feel like we belong. This Earth place... is not my home. Maybe if I found someone to live with who I could call mine I would understand what others find so good about this place. Yet, for me until I go off on my own and grow to be my own person I will never even get that chance. Home is where your heart is, and for me the Wind tells me home is back on Baransu.
~Princess Aura, forever wandering
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Allisson waited for what seemed like hours for Zavier's return. The worst has begun to enter her head when he finally showed back up. His tennis shoes had mud and sand on them. He did not seem to be out of breath, and that for now was a good thing. It meant that he was safe and no harm had come to him. Zavier let Rex down to the ground floor, who scurried toward the lake for a swim. The red head looked at her friend with bright blue eyes. Something was reflected in them that she was not used to.
“What's got you?” She lifted her hand to meet Zavier's. He did not flinch back, but grabbed it and squeezed it. Now, she knew he had some thoughts in his head. “Zavier?”
Zavier sat down against the red oak tree and put his arm around Allisson. She cuddled into it without thinking. He stiffened up a bit, but did not move away. “Rex.”
That was odd Zavier hadn’t been so open about Rex. Let alone use him in one word to describe a feeling, “What about him?”
“Rex, showed me an island in the south. It holds, I believe…” The boy stopped as if to think of an answer, “sunlight.”
That was what had him in a bunch? Okay, she wouldn't ask. The thought of the sun warmed her though. How, long had it been with only darkness. There was of course the moon that rotated, and the stars, but what Allisson would do for the golden rays. It would make even the sanest person mad. “Is there a way to get there?”
Zavier shook his head, “Not that we can tell. We would have to build a boat and row across. The current doesn't seem to be as strong as back home. That’s probably something to do with the moon never leaving the sky.” She nodded and looked over to the lake where the two familiars had wandered over to. Her familiar's green light glowed as she followed Rex above water. Every once and awhile a small splash would push up from the lake trying to spray the fairy. The two seemed so at ease.
“Then easy, we make a boat.” To her it seemed to be an easy feat. Build a boat go across to sunlight. Maybe the others were already there.
Her friend met her eyes with his skeptically and sighed. “You think everything is so simple Allison. Open up on no tools to make a boat, or a current to carry us there!” He paused and calmed himself down. “We have no way of knowing how far that island. It doesn’t look too far, but that doesn’t mean much.”
That made her think some more, “Marcus would know how far that island is. What if he went there to find us?”
“Possibility, but we don't know for sure.” Allisson cursed under her breath and sat back in frustration. She felt her eyes stinging from the welling up tears. Her throat built up with flem, and her body went rigid for a bit. The girl wiped them away with anger at being so emotional. “Our best bet is to stay put until we come up with better ideas.”
Allisson turned her head up and closed her eyes, “If we don't come up with better ideas?”
Zavier turned to her and shrugged, “I haven't thought that far yet.”
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Her vision was blurry in a way she was unused to. A-May wasn't sure what way was up or down. She could feel the slight swaying movement as if someone or something was walking. Her whole body was twisting in odd directions, but some part of her knew it was just the movement of going downward. No forward, because she was laying down. It was as if she was on a boat with the waves lapping against the sides. Her familiar's voice was in her head, but the link was damaged from being waterlogged. Now she remembered what was going on. A-may began to rush her hands to swim upward. The problem was she couldn’t tell if upward was up or sideways. Her body wouldn’t move correctly. A voice of comfort whispered into her ears. Two hands gripped tight before she realized that she was out of the water.
Just within distance she could see Link's chin above her. His chin flexed as if anxious. She was being carried in the same way she had when the storm had started the day before. Her brain was functioning even more foggily than normal. At least though it was functioning enough to realize she wasn’t in the water. Her clothes were soaked to her bones, and the black cape weighed her body down into Link’s damp arms. It was as if her thoughts were against her. Bits and pieces came back to her memory. Dark blue water and shiny scales came into her vision. Merpeople.
Link had a tight hold on her as they reached the forest ground. His footsteps changed as he got off the softer ground. She was going to guess sand by the way he had been walking. Her skin could feel it get colder as they reached the undergrowth of the trees. The wind was part of her, and she was part of it. Right now the wind was calm and had a feeling of worry. Her brain told her to comfort the air to tell her she was okay. Yet, she couldn’t tell if that was even true. Her body wiggled again as if to swim, but Link held tight with his comforting tone.
Her body slowly hit a patch of grass and the warmth of Link sat beside her. She could feel her hair being played with lightly. A fragmented voice began to enter her head. It was rapid and worried. Much like the wind around her, but unlike the wind this voice seemed be making movement. “Fang?”
A small squeak of relief answered, but she couldn't understand what was being said. Her head was too clouded from almost drowning. That is what had happened, wasn't it? She wasn't sure anymore.
“A-May... answer... food. Link, has... Oh, please.... Sis. Open... eyes. A-May.”
The words were too scrambled for her to understand. She heard her name, and Link's. That boy she would had thought to be more trouble than good, and yet, here he was saving her butt. There was something about him that made her trust him. An older brother she never had. Her consciousness slipped to dreamland again before she could think of anything else.
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Link held the girl's head on his leg. She kept coming in and out of sleep. He worried for her. Maybe he had only just met her a day or so ago, but he could feel a connection he had not anticipated.
“Don't worry my good chap. She is in good hands with you.” Link smirked at his familiar's compliment, but said nothing against it. His stomach grumbled, but he put the thought aside. He didn't know what to do. A situation like this... normally he would let the others lead. He wasn't a leader in this. No that was left to the others.
“There must be something else. I'm just useless right now!” He didn't get angry often, especially with others around. That wasn't going to change now. His familiar nuzzled his side with his small head. He was more like a dog than frog. Fang hadn't stopped flying in circles above A-May. His loyalty to his friend was incredible. He wished that he was that loyal to his friends.
“L-Link?” He nearly jumped up, but forced himself to sit and put his hand on A-May's shoulder. Her eyes were focused on his, he saw her remarkably light blue eyes with his own. Fang flew down and wrapped his wings around one of A-May's arms. The girl chuckled and Link felt the sides of his face lift.
“You are crazy buddy.” Link hugged the girl and he felt her flinch slightly. A-May grinned and sat up slowly as Link took his arms away. He squinted his eyes and gave a grin towards her. Her chuckle sounded again and he opened his eyes to her bright chocolate brown ones with an emerald green ring around the pupil. “How do, you do that?”
“Do what?” She seemed giddy. It would take some getting used to. Nor did he know how long it would last. Her eyes faded to a pale green.
“That.” Her eyes changed to a fushia color and she tilted her head. A confused look. She had done that before. “Your eyes.”
Her eyes went back to the brown color before she opened her mouth to speak, “Mood. Ya know. Like those mood necklaces and jewelry you can get almost anywhere.” His eyebrows lifted. They hadn't sold mood rings and stuff except in dollar stores or gas stations for years. He decided to just nod his head up and down instead. “My eyes show my emotions.”
Link nodded again and leaned back on the tree, “That will take some time to get used to.”
A-May sat up as her stomach growled. It looked like he wasn't the only one who was hungry. Yet, he remembered that was how they had got into this mess to begin with.
The girl looked around for a bit and caught sight of something to his right. She sat still for a bit closing her eyes before speaking, “That's south.”
“South?”
Letch stirred in his pocket, “In the south it is calmer and it will be easier to get food.”
“Exactly Letch,” A-May replied. Link didn't think anything of it until he had got A-May to her feet.
He gasped and looked at A-May. “You answered!” The girl could hear his familiar. Why hadn't she said something?
“I've been here for a while Link. I can hear all of their voices.” He looked into her eyes, but they had returned to their silver color. When she wished to hide or stay hidden her eyes seemed to go to this color. Well, at least that’s what he had seemed to have noticed anyways. He had his arm around her waist and her arm stayed on his shoulders as they walked toward the way A-May had pointed. In the distance he could see a lake, but nothing past that. It was still too dark even with the never ending moon.
Link saw what looked to be an apple orchard close to his left. “What about there?”
“The ancient fruit of Baransu. Did you know that apple trees originally came from here?” He didn't understand her rambling right now. It was as if her fogginess was coming out of her. Was this what was normally going on in her head? A-May turned them to the apple orchard and grabbed at a low branched one. She handed the first one to Link before going to grab another apple for Fang. “Fruit bat.” Fang gave a happy chirping sound and flew into the tree to grab another one for A-May. It was juicy red, and looked fresher. Link felt the apple in his hand get switched, and the bright red one was now in his hand.
“Thanks.” He looked up with a confused look from the apple to A-May. He took a bite into the apple and felt it melt in his mouth. A few more apples came down from the tree as Fang tossed them down to A-May. A-May had taken off her black coat, which was still soaked from the cliff drop. She grabbed the extra apples they didn't eat and made a carrying case from the coat. Maybe it was a cape with a hood. He didn't honestly care what it was called. It still looked really cool. As did A-May's deep purple tank top. Cool and casual. A few girl's back home could learn a few tips from this girl.
A-May led them back down south toward the lake. They had just begun to pass by when two voices sounded in the air, “Link!” He turned to his left to see a frantically waving Zavier and Allisson. His spirits rose as he ran toward them. He gave Zavier a hug and pat on the back.
“Where have you been?” Zavier looked relieved from the stress of not knowing. That or from one less thing to worry about. The older boy gave a slight grin. Link looked behind Zavier to see a waving Allisson on the ground.
“Long story short,” Link pointed toward the mountains in the north, “Been up there with A-May.”
Allisson nearly jumped out of her seat, but stayed put by what looked like an injured ankle. “There are others here? Wait, where is she?”
“Over,” Link looked back across the lake, “there...”
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Zavier looked at where Link was pointing. He knew he had seen another figure beside Link, but now that figured seemed to be nowhere to be found. She had disappeared into darkness just as if she had been a shadow. “She wasn't with you when you got here was she?”
“A-May was right next to me.” Rex and Chihiro sat beside Allisson with Link's familiar. He didn't know the frog's name yet, but he was sure he would hear the name at some time through Rex's none stop rambling. He understood the familiars' excitements though. Zavier was just as glad to be reunited with his friends as they were. “She can't have gone far. I'm going to find her and be back.”
“I'm coming with you. These familiars will be able to take care of Allisson. Right?”
“Of course master! We won't let any harm come to the lady. Right guys?” Rex was joined in by the other two familiars. The three looked right at Link and him before going back to talking amongst themselves. Zavier and Link walked off towards the direction Link had originally been heading
“So you were heading south. Not by any chance to get to the island down there?” Zavier couldn't help, but wonder if all of them were being pulled down there.
Link looked up confused, “There's another island? Dang. Thought this one was large enough already.” So Zavier had no idea of the other land masses. He could tell that Link's hair and clothes were soaked though. How had he been in water and not noticed the other land masses.
“Where have you been?” Zavier kept walking, keeping an eye open for the figure he had seen earlier. The girl either hadn't continued south, or was really good at hiding. “Or both.”
“You weren't listening were you?” Zavier shook his head and looked ahead not bothering to look as Link talked. “I'll tell you later. What's going on?” Twice in one day Zavier had been basically asked that. Maybe there was something else going on in his head even he didn't notice. It made his mood go low thinking about it.
The older boy turned to Link and put his hand behind his head. “I was just thinking about how this A-May of yours is either good at hiding, went the other way, or both.” Link looked at him questioningly. Not much got passed his friend even when he didn't voice what he truly meant. “I've been thinking about how we are here and... we know nothing about what has happened back home. Our friends, and even family must be worried about us.”
“Maybe yours would. I bet mine hasn't even blinked an eye about me being gone.” Link grinned and then sighed, “If I had died, my family would probably forget I was ever around.” Zavier understood that one. Yet, he did believe his grandmother would actually be worried. Least he hoped she was.
The two reached the sand, but had not found A-May anywhere. She must have went the other way. Link seemed determined to find the girl. Maybe he had finally moved on from his other friend. Hopefully she was okay too, along with Marcus. Whatever the reason there was nothing they could do now, but return to Allisson.
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It had been about half an hour now since the boys had gone to find that A-May girl. Allisson was sure the girl had run off from being shy. A hermit maybe from the olden days like the ones her familiar had told her about. Wouldn't that be a story to tell about when she got home.
Chihiro had been talking about how Baranasu had changed through the years. She was too young to be part of the history, but like in Allisson's world the fairies' ancestors had brought the history down in stories. The world had been sunny and bright all the time. Many modernized species had lived in one place. This had caused problems for the species who all had claimed to world as their own. As centuries passed each of these species spread out and became less civilized. Not all of them though.
A ruffling noise caught the attention of the two sitting by the red oak tree. Letch and Rex watched curiously. The bushes not far from them rustled again and a figure stood in its mists. Chihiro gave a shrill squeal followed by Allisson's gasp. The red head tried to scurry backwards but was met with a slight smirk. “Don't be scared.”
“W-who are you?” Allisson's voice stuttered as the figure walked forward. Her eyes came to settle on a bleach-blond haired girl in ripped jeans and purple tank top. In the girl's hand she held a large black sack. There was no way Allisson was going to sit by and wait to be put into the sack. Yet, instead the girl opened it up in a flash of black fabric. She gave a small scream that faded off as she realized that the girl was opening the sack full of apples.
“Didn't mean to scare you,” The girl's gray eyes landed on Allisson as she sat down next to her. “I should have made more noise walking towards you.” The girl put her hand out that were covered by net cloves, “A-May.”
The girl Link had mentioned when he found them. The girl's tank top clung to her shirt, as did her jeans. Link's new friend's hair was stringy, and Rex was eying her curiously. Rex looked almost as if he was seeing a ghost, but he shook his head as Letch croaked. “A-May... I mean, my name's Allisson,” A-may tilted her head and gave a small nod. A bat came to sit on the blond's shoulder and the girl listened intently before offering Allisson an apple. “Oh, thanks.”
A-May sat down not too close, but not extremely far from Allison either. Allisson was curious about this girl. She was quiet and yet, some small spark seemed to hide secretly within her. The bat was chirping something that awakened Chihiro out of her daze, “F-fang?” The red head's familiar poked her head out from behind her Sentaku. “Oh, sir it is you!” The fairy fluttered up to the bat who gave a chirping sound back. “Is that so?”
Allisson asked her familiar what was going on in her head, but was responded with only, “It's something of Fang's so I'm afraid Lady Allisson that I can't state it.” She hadn't noticed that Rex and Letch had wandered off bit.
Some rustling from the direction the boys had went earlier. A-may was instantly to her feet and into a fight stance. Except instead of two fists her right hand was out with palm open. The two figures walked closer to be a very obvious Zavier and Link. The two were talking slowly and seemed to be in hushed voices. Zavier looked forward and put a hand on Link's shoulder. Whatever was said Allisson didn't hear, but Link had twisted his head quickly to the two girls' directions. A smile formed as Link ran up and hugged A-May. “Where'd you go?”
“I realized when you met up with your other friends that we didn't have enough apples.” A-may stated plainly, and without question of her actions. Maybe this could be someone she could get along with when they got back home. Whenever that would be; hopefully it would be soon.
Zavier walked up to Allisson putting his hand on her shoulder, “Feeling all right?” He looked worried, but held a suspicious look at A-may. Allisson nodded while she watched Rex wobble towards his master who had been gone.
A-may turned to the bat, Fang, for a bit and listened. Then she turned back to Rex. She didn't talk right away, but the familiar curled his tail around to do a salute. “Want an apple?” The hell-bender took it graciously and began to nibble on it. Letch gave a shake of his frog head and a croak while Link gave a chuckle.
“The island, it's farther away than we thought.” Zavier sad in a saddened tone. Allisson looked up from chomping on an apple. “It would take too long to build a raft, let alone sail across.” The boy looked up at the moonlight that trickled in through the forest's cracks. There was a hopeless look in his eyes. They changed with a flash to anger, but the boy said nothing. There was no hope to get across, none at all.
The new girl's eyes shifted between shades of colors, but Allisson couldn't tel which. It was a whatever moment because she knew it was a trick of the moonlight. A-may stood there quietly. She didn't seem to be comfortable in this now group of four humans, and four familiars. The girl then gave a look and her eyes twitched a bit, “Maybe you guys could use something else to get across.” The bat landed on her shoulder from taking a small fly above the tree tops. A-my listened for a bit and then gave a nod, “Just as I thought. Gotta love the lack of tides here. There's a boat I made a while back to get across the waters to the other islands. It's just past the apple trees where I got, well the apples.”
Link tilted his head, while Zavier and Allisson gave a look to each other. A boat... how had Zavier missed that? Zavier gave a questioning look to A-May, “Will the boat hold us all?” A-May seemed to think for a bit before nodding.
“We would make it to the Southern island by tomorrow morning. It's already afternoon.”
Zavier lifted his eyebrows, “And you would know that because-”
A-May put her hand up, “Time is slow here, and though it is dark at all times the moon does rotate around.” The girl pointed just above the trees. “You should be able to tell that at the least. Look at the ground floor, the light has moved to be straight down.” The girl leaned against a tree and smirked. Allison looked at the ground in front of her, and sure enough the moonlight had actually moved through the night. Well, day. Maybe they could tell time now with this. Gosh, that would make some of the sanity come back to her. The group agreed to go to boat. Zavier helped me on one side, and Link helped me walk with the other side. A-may led the way with her bat sitting on shoulder. They got to the apple orchard and went past it to a boat sitting by the shore. Without a problem they would definitely all fit, but it would be a squish. One by one we got in the boat and rowed out to the island. She didn't remember much in between because she had fallen asleep not long after getting into the boat
The next thing she knew Zavier was shaking her awake. They had reached the island in the south. Allisson blinked her eyes at the sunlight as she stepped onto the sand. With the help of Zavier of course. Her brain gave a twitch as her skin welcomed the light. “Sunlight.” The island was bright and the sand beneath her shoes was damp. The water lapped at her ankles, and she welcomed it without complaint. Link stepped out followed by a cautious A-May. The girl shielded her eyes more than the others, but stood with them. The familiars rushed off to the farther parts of the sand with high voices. At least Chihiro did.
A-May walked forward and landed on her knees in the sand, “It's a miracle.”