BEFORE ANYTHING: This was written by sumi (http://pastebin.com/u/sumiwrites) as his own project starring his little witch girl Walnut, not by me. Either way enjoy! Be sure to read the first chapter/prologue first: http://pastebin.com/A86USVrU +------------------------------------------------------+ PART 1 The dismal, melancholy autumn browns that surrounded Walnut finally started to disappear- started to merge and transform into a display of actual color, a canvas of vast land for her to observe, analyze, and take in. Greens that stood out, vivid blues, lovely oranges, and so many more- but the best of all had to be the glistening blue that made up that clear ocean in the distance. So vibrant and full of life- it was almost like a painting sprawling before her eyes! If anything, it was a relief.. The journey had its difficulties, but nothing she couldn't handle. A few scrapes, a shortage of money and shelter, and the ache of walking made the journey a lot harder than it needed to be. At least food never went out of stock, for that matter. Still, with the view of civilization- an actual, large city with something other than small-town inns to rest in- she felt that enriching sensation once more, hope starting to arise. Trotting down the rolling hills and further down along the dirt path, she kept her eyes on the destination, beaming happily. Sweat drenched her face by the time she got down there, forehead dripping with perspiration. The extreme change in weather was something to acclimate one's self to, and she hadn't had a chance to do anything of the sort. She slung her purple robes over her shoulder, feeling the occasional breeze flow through her white top. But to kneel along those golden sea of soft, brown sand and watch the tide pull itself in, and push out repeatedly was a spectacle to behold. Her hands sifted through the warm sand multiple times, dirtying up her clothes just to get a good feel of something she had only ever heard about before. She wiped at her forehead, feeling each individual granule scrape against her side. Maybe she was overreacting, especially with that evident grin on her face. She reveled in the sensation, giving all of the easygoing beach walkers a view of said pleasure. Verisport.. that name bounced off the walls of her mind. The sign that presented it did so in a grandiose manner, proud to mention it. She said it aloud, pulled out her journal, and jotted it down quickly. Strolling through the front entrance, she took a good look in the distance, strapping her back up onto her shoulder. Adobe houses painted a reflective light, and the odd yet symmetrical pattern of the stone brick flooring underneath set the atmosphere. Walnut felt out of place, almost like she was in an entirely different world- with wide eyes, she took it all down, scribbling in her book with life and energy. No obstructions or tall mountains to obscure the view of those calm skies. The scent of salt rose into the air, teasing Walnut's nostrils with smells she'd had to search for herself. And the people! Something completely unseen before! Dogs, cats, monkeys, birds, and more- walking and talking like no one's business! She worried she'd run out of ink by the time she was done documenting everything! Adobe houses diverged into bigger structures the longer she walked- large houses, fancy villas in the distance dotted with abnormally tall palm trees, and the bustling town center. Shops and booths galore line the sidewalk, peddling trinkets and toys for tourists galore. Fish and fruit markets, tiny flower shops, and a variety that kept Walnut's expectations raised with every glance. "Urgh.. we gotta get some people to look at our stuff!" Lillian rubbed at her temples, glancing back to scowl at Greg's indifference. With one leg over the other, he acted as if this was a one-man job, reclining back into his lawn chair with the intent to relax and enjoy the shade. Her scowl darkened, and with an evil intent of her own, pulled the chair out from under him. "You can't just sit around here! We're trying to run a business!" Greg picked himself up with a groan, still groggy from that bout of half-sleep. "Rrrh.. we don't even have any customers looking in our general direction! Can't you let me sleep just a tiny bit?" "Oh, please, we've got a lot of people checking us out. Like.. Ooh! There's someone! They look new, too! HEEEEY!! You, hey!! C'mere!" Walnut heard a voice shouting from the distance- glancing over, she watched Lillian frantically beckoning her. She would've came over immediately, if not for the sudden commotion stopping her in her tracks. +------------------------------------------------------+ PART 2 Walnut watched as the bazaar started to recoil into itself out of some kind of fear, staring down the long passageway that made up the length of the market. The sound of commotion came forth, pushing through the calming shop ambiance. Everyone else seemed to know who "they" were, as a dismal air started to overcome the place. They were pirates. Criminals. Salty sea dogs with a penchant for havoc and a loyalty to their own twisted ideals of take, take, and take. Yet, as they traveled down the center of the market, something was off. The fear in their eyes- almost too frightened to dismiss. They crawled along, gasping for fresh air and mercy, hoping that no one would ever had to experience what they'd seen. Town officials surrounded the group, apprehending them in short time. As relieving as it should've been, the market was quiet, murmurs replacing that previous ambiance with a new, inquisitive one. The cat lady that had called her over from before stared out into the distance with an expression that couldn't be described as anything but concern and disappointment, her movements rigid and tense. The other beside her watched the road, eerily silent, almost like he had an even darker shadow-y gloom of his own. "I thought we got rid of them months ago." The other spoke, annoyance heard in his tired tone. "Everyone did.. they shouldn't have been able to get in through here.. but, they didn't even look like they were trying to cause trouble.. what had happened them? "Whatever it is, this is becoming a pain in the ass. People can't live constantly worrying about them popping up- begging for mercy or not.." "...who were they?" Walnut speaks up, dusting themselves off as she peers down the hallway, the dust they kicked up still rising into the air. Both hesitated, almost like they were surprised she'd asked. "What do you me- oh, yes. You're not from around here.." Lillian spoke up herself, pausing momentarily, releasing all that tension with a deep sigh. "They're pirates. They used to occupy this place and use it as their old stomping grounds, mainly because we don't have an army supporting us. All we have is a mayor and the citizens that make up this place. Back then, it was their entire crew that'd torment us, make trading and simple living hard- their boss was some kind of sadist. The last time we'd encountered them in a while, they brought every ship with them on a journey somewhere, and hadn't come back in at least a year and some change. Rumors were thrown around, saying he got caught and locked up, but no one knows where." Walnut's curiosity flared bright, the notion of this disappearance already leading her to ask a stupid question. "I wanna find out where they went... is it possible to ren-" "That wouldn't be a good idea." Greg cut her off. "They might not've been the most infamous, but they had a pretty big number of people out there. Something is definitely up." "Haven't you both been curious yourself? I mean, what if more people come and start making trouble again?" Lillian bit her lip- part of her was considering whether to dismiss the idea or.. Greg watched her glance back and forth between their guest, himself, and the booth they stood in. Furrowing his brow, he sat back down in his chair, shaking his head. "You can't expect us to actually go through with this, can you? We've got a business to deal with! What if we go out there and fall victim to that same incident? I'm not going to risk my life just for some lost cause of a mystery." "You say that like you've never wanted to do something similar before." Greg fell silent, the hush of the market growing in volume. "That was actually important to me back then. There's others who can find this out themselves." "You can't just let stuff like this pass you by. This is your home, too. And if more of these pirates come back to cause trouble, are you just gonna sit around and let someone else fix the problem? You wanted to be a hero then, but it looks like that mindset doesn't carry on with people like you." Walnut watched their expressions darken, Lillian's nose turned up as she looked down on the other, almost like she expected better. Awkwardly, Walnut shuffled, turning back. "I-It's really alright. I wouldn't like to burden you or anything.. I can do this myself. Besides, this seems like a touchy subj-" "Nonsense- you're gonna need some help if you're eager to find out about this! Besides, it's just my partner here who can't seem to find that special spark again." Lillian pulled herself from behind the counter, already eager to head down with her temporary partner. Greg sat there, eying the two with an expression much like regret. "I'll help you find your clues.. what might your name be?" "Walnut. Walnut Wickerts." "Pleased to meet you. You can call me Lillian. Let's get going." The two left, leaving the bazaar alone, its sole occupant finding his mind switch back and forth between the sounds of those around him, and the thought of what once was. Noon turned into afternoon, then to sunset, then dusk, as the duo asked around. People closed their doors at the mention of pirates, and others opened themselves up to others eager to find out the truth regarding their crackpot theories. Seafaring heroes, authorities traveling along the waters, terrible weather.. they all seemed like plausible ideas, but from the way they mentioned their arrogant pride, resilience, and vigor, they should've maintained some shred of that pride upon reaching land. Just what did they see out there? All these rumors merely seemed to imply that no one really knew what they were talking about. Dusk finally turned into night, and even then, the town of Verisport remained lively. Regardless, all they came up with was false hope, still wishing for some kind of answer. Walnut wasn't that discouraged- mainly because part of her had already come to this conclusion. Maybe one last check at the docks for some advice on where to head out, at least. "Sorry you couldn't find what you were looking for. I know you kinda had your heart set on this thing." "It's really alright. I wouldn't want to burden you guys anyway. But, uh.. what was that stuff with your friend?" "You mean Greg? It's.. kinda personal, I guess. Family stuff with his grandpa." "Ah… I wouldn't want to touch on something like that." "It's really alright. At least you're trying to do something about this and get.. what? What's the ma-" Walnut had tapped her shoulder, turning her towards the view of the sea. Both stared wide-eyed, that pool of hope finally filling up again. Greg rocked with the waves as he stood on the medium-sized barge. Not too big, not too small. She hung over the edge with a little smirk, confident that they'd be surprised to see him like this. "Spent a considerably large price for this. Can't help you find the place, but maybe you can find a way to get there with this. Sorry I couldn't help you before. Just got hung up in thought." The two walked forward, surveying the ship from all sides- sturdy wood formed the exterior, built to perfection. Well, to them, it was perfect. They took slow steps, marveling the boat as they came aboard, Greg's light smirk growing. "Wel- OW OWW OWWW" "You could've just agreed to do this beforehand rather than be a big baby! Do you know how tired we were!?" Lillian pulled on his cheeks tight- that quick changing expression was nothing new to Greg. Walnut watched from afar, still dumbstruck. "I was thinking about it, okay!? You can't just rush these things! Jeez, I thought you would've been at least a bit more grateful!" "I am grateful! Just don't leave us hanging like that! Or anyone, for that matter!" "God, okay.. you don't have to go and do stuff like that.." Walnut had been silent the entire time, looking out into the ocean. The trio was momentarily silent, waiting on Walnut's response. "Thank you." "It's our pleasure, Walnut. After all, like I said, at least you're trying to make an effort here! We'd be willing to tag along!" Greg glanced at Lillian- always one to speak for the two of them. "...I hope you understand, but.. part of me wants to do this alone." Silence again. "I came out and ventured here to learn independence and understand the world a bit better.. this kind of development is big for me. And, well.. I wouldn't want to put you guys in any danger. This is your home, and.. this is my journey. I appreciate the help dearly, however." "Please, I should've realized it sooner. As someone who wanted to do the same.. I guess I shouldn't have been so selfish. You'll definitely make a difference if you keep that attitude up." For the first time in a while, Lillian didn't have a response of her own. She crossed her arms over her chest, granting Walnut a pleased grin. "Thank you, again. I'll have to come back and see you guys again- it might be goodbye for now. I can't say thank you enough." "In the short time that we knew each other, it was a pleasure, Lillian. Maybe Greg will splurge again and get another boat to sail the seas with!" Greg gave a light chuckle, unable to keep his eyes on either of them. "...Maybe you're right." All three savored the moment, and Walnut couldn't help but grin ear to ear. Those rosy cheeks earned their color again, marking this night down for later. It'd be something to remember. +-----------------------+ |Greg| Cool, calm and collected cat who owns a shop with his friend (and girlfriend I think), Lillian! Hard on the outside, with what seems like a gooey, caramel center on the inside. Super nice! |Lillian| Energetic and enthusiastic cat who owns a shop with her friend (and probably boyfriend), Greg! Serves as a voice of reason for Greg sometimes, and likes to make stuff happen! +--DIARY ENTRY 5--+ Finally heading out onto the sea! Taking a bit of a detour to find out more about this pirate stuff, but I'm definitely going to come back to see Greg and Lillian. I knew them for a short while, maybe Lillian moreso, but they were just too nice! Now.. I just have to find out how to steer a boat..