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Description
It seemed like time stopped for the two. Noël walked away from her restrainer as the Captain slowly took a step forward. Their eyes never parted. When they were close enough together, Noël let out a hoarse whisper, "December?"
"Noël, is that you?" he asked in return. He tore his glance away and looked down at his feet. "It can't be you, I mean…"
"December," Noël repeated, "you…" she reached out her hand and lightly touched the scar underneath his right eye. Noël started to cry, the tears freely falling from her eyes. She took her hand away, but reared back her arm. "You jerk!" A fist hit December squarely in the jaw, sending him back a bit.
"Yep, it's Noël." He said as rubbed his jaw.
Reef, Shin, Daragh, and Lynn were standing a safe distance away as the two rallied. "Hey, Daragh, what's going on?" Reef whispered.
"I dunno. Ex-girlfriend maybe?" Daragh yawned. "Either way, I'm gonna go back up." He walked over to the mast and started climbing up the ropes leading to the crow's nest.
"Imma going to steer the ship now…" Shin backed away. "Lynn, get back inside and keep working on that thing I asked you to make."
Lynn looked pointedly at him. "I'm working on it, jeez, do your job first before you tell others what to do." She said as she walked back down to the cabin.
Meanwhile, Noël and December where still facing off. "Eight years, December, for eight years I thought you were dead! I saw you dead! That… thing got you and you were just hanging there, bruised and such."
"I wasn't dead! I killed that thing and saved the town! Praise me why don't ya?!"
"Praise you? Praise you, you said? Okay, 'Thanks for feinting death, for abandoning the town, your friends, your sister! And you have the gall to come back here, you-" December held a finger up.
"'Here?' No, we're in Hill-heights, aren't we?" December looked around… How long have I've been out? he thought. "Hey, Reef?" he said slowly. Reef saw him turn around, but his eyes were covered in the shadow of his hat. "Two things… first: how long have I've been out?"
Reef seemed to be counting to himself. "Well, you got the fever two weeks ago, but you conked out about last Monday."
"Monday, huh?" December looked up at Reef to reveal a very pissed-off looking face. "Second: Where are we?"
"Um, well," Reef stalled, "After you said that we could do whatever, that you didn't really care when you were sick, we maybe went off course and went to Orencia to check out the food."
December flinched and ran to the wheel of the ship and violently shoved Shin out of the way all the while steering the wheel wildly to turn the ship around. "What the hell?" Shin cried.
"I never want to go back to that town! Not ever again!" he said frantically, "If I go back they'll either tan my hide for not saying goodbye, or I won't be able to leave again. It was hard enough the first time!" He responded. With the change of direction, the ship picked up speed, the mast full of wind, quickly leaving the port, and the angry policemen, behind. Reef went to the back of the ship and lifted his middle finger, not that the policemen could see the offensive gesture at the distance they were. December sighed and kept at the wheel. Shin got up and grumbled to himself. He crossed his arms and leaned forward.
"So, that's your home town? I'm beginning to see a little more clearly now" Shin took the hat off of his captain's head, threw it in the air and caught it again. "Mighty Captain December Myle, frightened by going back to where he belonged. I thought that only the green-haired guy scared you, but I guess that we all have our share of fears." He snickered. December grabbed it back and slammed it on his head.
"It's none of yer business, and besides, aren't you in the same position as I am Shin? You help Lynn with her project, alright?" December heaved a sigh and dropped his shoulders. Shin grumbled and went inside the cabin. Noël was still slouched, looking down. She had her arms crossed. "Noël," December called, "I'm sorry." He said more quietly. She walked to the wheel. When Noël looked up, December saw her smiling.
"You're just alive."
December stood still for a few seconds, letting it sink in. He looked away, blushing a bit, "'Just alive,' she says." He mumbled. "Well, you have a few choices. We can take you to the next town over and set you up with King, we can still go to the next town but then you can head back to Orencia, we're flexible. But," he turned to Reef, who was carrying some rope. "we still need to get to our destination, if only we didn't go so far off course thanks to somebody." He said each word slow and deliberately. Reef shook his head. The food was worth it, he thought.
"December, can't I come with you?" Noël asked innocently enough.
December faltered. "Wha- no! You can't. It's too dangerous!"
Noël's face got hot. Her arm shot out and grabbed December's collar. "Look here, Deci, a certain best friend of mine disappeared some years ago. Now that I found him, wouldn't it make sense for me to catch up with him as much as possible?" Still smiling, a dark shadow crossed Noël's sunny features, making her look like she had murderous intents. December shuddered.
"Makes enough sense, how about we set you up with King, huh?" He scratched at his cheek. "If we do that, then it'll take about four days to get to the Rijno Province, where he lives. That'll give us time talk and the such. Does that sound good?" He chuckled nervously.
The shadow disappeared the moment he made the suggestion. "What happens then?"
"We'll cross that bridge when we get there. In the meantime, you wanted to talk, right?" December made a face that screamed that he wasn't looking forward to the surplus of questions that he saw seething inside Noël's head. They walked over to the cabin and once they were inside, Noël was lead down a flight of stair and passed six rooms before reaching the captain's chambers. Noël found a chair to sit down in while December lit a candle. When he finally settled down into a chair, he said "Well, shoot."
The woman went off like a firecracker. "Why did you leave?"
"A lot of things happened and it made me see that traveling is a life more suited for me."
"Okay… Why didn't you say goodbye?"
"Because I if did, people would either be sad, or not let me go, or cry, and to tell the truth, I didn't want to see that."
Noël glared at him. "Fair enough," she said bitterly, "why were you willing to leave your sister alone?"
"Because I knew she would continue to grow up in safe hands. I basically grew up alone, so I assumed she would be alright."
"She wouldn't come out of her room for a week." Noël gripped the edges of the chair. "Once we coaxed her out of the house, Risa was a mess. You're right; she did grow up, but all too soon." December lowered his head and remained silent for a while. It was only the Noël continued with the interrogation that he spoke up. "Who are those people?"
"You mean my crew? Ehhh…. I'll tell that story another time." A cat's smile crossed his face.
"Fine. Then where are you going now?" she leaned forward.
"We're going to the Hahven Province to get some supplies from the black market, and then we'll be heading to Cyan Island to buy back a map that was stolen by us and, now, from us."
There're five provinces in the country of Revvis: the warring province Hahven, the rainy province Rijno, the barren province Lycoris, the old province Xol-bane, and finally, the song province Esare.
"Okay! Now tell me something else… what exactly do you do?" Noël asked. A snicker could be heard in the hall way. The door was left ajar. When December went to investigate, everyone, save for Daragh, fell into a pile of eavesdroppers. "Um…" Reef, serving as the foundation for the mound, started to explain. "It was Shin's idea!"
Shin was on the one who couldn't keep from laughing. "I smelled the melting wax and I thought…" a perverted smile spread across his face. While Noël got up, walked over to the bundle of people, and grabbed Shin's collar, about to punch him, Lynn brushed herself off and sighed.
"Shin has a sixth sense for stuff like that."
"If you knew that then why did you come?!" December shouted. "You're a minor! And we weren't even doing anything!"
After Noël dropped Shin, who in that short time acquired a bloody nose, she thought to herself, I feel like this is the beginning a long, long, long trip.

Description
It seemed like time stopped for the two. Noël walked away from her restrainer as the Captain slowly took a step forward. Their eyes never parted. When they were close enough together, Noël let out a hoarse whisper, "December?"
"Noël, is that you?" he asked in return. He tore his glance away and looked down at his feet. "It can't be you, I mean…"
"December," Noël repeated, "you…" she reached out her hand and lightly touched the scar underneath his right eye. Noël started to cry, the tears freely falling from her eyes. She took her hand away, but reared back her arm. "You jerk!" A fist hit December squarely in the jaw, sending him back a bit.
"Yep, it's Noël." He said as rubbed his jaw.
Reef, Shin, Daragh, and Lynn were standing a safe distance away as the two rallied. "Hey, Daragh, what's going on?" Reef whispered.
"I dunno. Ex-girlfriend maybe?" Daragh yawned. "Either way, I'm gonna go back up." He walked over to the mast and started climbing up the ropes leading to the crow's nest.
"Imma going to steer the ship now…" Shin backed away. "Lynn, get back inside and keep working on that thing I asked you to make."
Lynn looked pointedly at him. "I'm working on it, jeez, do your job first before you tell others what to do." She said as she walked back down to the cabin.
Meanwhile, Noël and December where still facing off. "Eight years, December, for eight years I thought you were dead! I saw you dead! That… thing got you and you were just hanging there, bruised and such."
"I wasn't dead! I killed that thing and saved the town! Praise me why don't ya?!"
"Praise you? Praise you, you said? Okay, 'Thanks for feinting death, for abandoning the town, your friends, your sister! And you have the gall to come back here, you-" December held a finger up.
"'Here?' No, we're in Hill-heights, aren't we?" December looked around… How long have I've been out? he thought. "Hey, Reef?" he said slowly. Reef saw him turn around, but his eyes were covered in the shadow of his hat. "Two things… first: how long have I've been out?"
Reef seemed to be counting to himself. "Well, you got the fever two weeks ago, but you conked out about last Monday."
"Monday, huh?" December looked up at Reef to reveal a very pissed-off looking face. "Second: Where are we?"
"Um, well," Reef stalled, "After you said that we could do whatever, that you didn't really care when you were sick, we maybe went off course and went to Orencia to check out the food."
December flinched and ran to the wheel of the ship and violently shoved Shin out of the way all the while steering the wheel wildly to turn the ship around. "What the hell?" Shin cried.
"I never want to go back to that town! Not ever again!" he said frantically, "If I go back they'll either tan my hide for not saying goodbye, or I won't be able to leave again. It was hard enough the first time!" He responded. With the change of direction, the ship picked up speed, the mast full of wind, quickly leaving the port, and the angry policemen, behind. Reef went to the back of the ship and lifted his middle finger, not that the policemen could see the offensive gesture at the distance they were. December sighed and kept at the wheel. Shin got up and grumbled to himself. He crossed his arms and leaned forward.
"So, that's your home town? I'm beginning to see a little more clearly now" Shin took the hat off of his captain's head, threw it in the air and caught it again. "Mighty Captain December Myle, frightened by going back to where he belonged. I thought that only the green-haired guy scared you, but I guess that we all have our share of fears." He snickered. December grabbed it back and slammed it on his head.
"It's none of yer business, and besides, aren't you in the same position as I am Shin? You help Lynn with her project, alright?" December heaved a sigh and dropped his shoulders. Shin grumbled and went inside the cabin. Noël was still slouched, looking down. She had her arms crossed. "Noël," December called, "I'm sorry." He said more quietly. She walked to the wheel. When Noël looked up, December saw her smiling.
"You're just alive."
December stood still for a few seconds, letting it sink in. He looked away, blushing a bit, "'Just alive,' she says." He mumbled. "Well, you have a few choices. We can take you to the next town over and set you up with King, we can still go to the next town but then you can head back to Orencia, we're flexible. But," he turned to Reef, who was carrying some rope. "we still need to get to our destination, if only we didn't go so far off course thanks to somebody." He said each word slow and deliberately. Reef shook his head. The food was worth it, he thought.
"December, can't I come with you?" Noël asked innocently enough.
December faltered. "Wha- no! You can't. It's too dangerous!"
Noël's face got hot. Her arm shot out and grabbed December's collar. "Look here, Deci, a certain best friend of mine disappeared some years ago. Now that I found him, wouldn't it make sense for me to catch up with him as much as possible?" Still smiling, a dark shadow crossed Noël's sunny features, making her look like she had murderous intents. December shuddered.
"Makes enough sense, how about we set you up with King, huh?" He scratched at his cheek. "If we do that, then it'll take about four days to get to the Rijno Province, where he lives. That'll give us time talk and the such. Does that sound good?" He chuckled nervously.
The shadow disappeared the moment he made the suggestion. "What happens then?"
"We'll cross that bridge when we get there. In the meantime, you wanted to talk, right?" December made a face that screamed that he wasn't looking forward to the surplus of questions that he saw seething inside Noël's head. They walked over to the cabin and once they were inside, Noël was lead down a flight of stair and passed six rooms before reaching the captain's chambers. Noël found a chair to sit down in while December lit a candle. When he finally settled down into a chair, he said "Well, shoot."
The woman went off like a firecracker. "Why did you leave?"
"A lot of things happened and it made me see that traveling is a life more suited for me."
"Okay… Why didn't you say goodbye?"
"Because I if did, people would either be sad, or not let me go, or cry, and to tell the truth, I didn't want to see that."
Noël glared at him. "Fair enough," she said bitterly, "why were you willing to leave your sister alone?"
"Because I knew she would continue to grow up in safe hands. I basically grew up alone, so I assumed she would be alright."
"She wouldn't come out of her room for a week." Noël gripped the edges of the chair. "Once we coaxed her out of the house, Risa was a mess. You're right; she did grow up, but all too soon." December lowered his head and remained silent for a while. It was only the Noël continued with the interrogation that he spoke up. "Who are those people?"
"You mean my crew? Ehhh…. I'll tell that story another time." A cat's smile crossed his face.
"Fine. Then where are you going now?" she leaned forward.
"We're going to the Hahven Province to get some supplies from the black market, and then we'll be heading to Cyan Island to buy back a map that was stolen by us and, now, from us."
There're five provinces in the country of Revvis: the warring province Hahven, the rainy province Rijno, the barren province Lycoris, the old province Xol-bane, and finally, the song province Esare.
"Okay! Now tell me something else… what exactly do you do?" Noël asked. A snicker could be heard in the hall way. The door was left ajar. When December went to investigate, everyone, save for Daragh, fell into a pile of eavesdroppers. "Um…" Reef, serving as the foundation for the mound, started to explain. "It was Shin's idea!"
Shin was on the one who couldn't keep from laughing. "I smelled the melting wax and I thought…" a perverted smile spread across his face. While Noël got up, walked over to the bundle of people, and grabbed Shin's collar, about to punch him, Lynn brushed herself off and sighed.
"Shin has a sixth sense for stuff like that."
"If you knew that then why did you come?!" December shouted. "You're a minor! And we weren't even doing anything!"
After Noël dropped Shin, who in that short time acquired a bloody nose, she thought to herself, I feel like this is the beginning a long, long, long trip.