Something about Crystal Bearers
Bridgetown,
Chapter One
"Crystal Bearer, halt, don't take another step!" The soldiers had her backed into a corner; a young girl with black hair the came to the small of her back with bangs that covered most of her face, but not her violet eyes, which were made to stand out by the silver streaks in her hair.
The girl smirked, "You don't think I'm going to be that easy to catch do you?" The girl lifted her hand, her sleeve coming up and revealing a sparkly part of her skin made of the sacred crystal that covered her hand like an ornate glove, stopping in the middle of her fingers and forming an elegant, swirling heart in the center.
Suddenly the fire hydrant behind the Lilty soldiers exploded into a jet of water. With a flick of her wrist, the water surged towards the soldiers, trapping them in a raging cage of rushing water.
"Hey!" the Lilty soldiers tried to get by the water, but the force of the rushing water was too much.
The girl gave a quick wave before running off with unnatural speed. "Hey, stop!" The girl looked back over her shoulder to see a man in Imperial clothing chasing after her on a chocabo. He had long red-brown hair, and was beginning to pull throwing knives out of his tunic.
"Uh oh," The girl ran forward faster, dodging in and out of people, who then had to get out of the way of the charging chocobo. She heard the sound of falling water and knew that she was too far out of range to hold the cage any longer.
Two more soldiers pulled in behind the captain on chocobos, "Commander Keiss, what should we do, this Crystal Bearers powers are strong," the guard yelled so that his commander would hear him.
"Keep in pursuit!" Keiss yelled back. He threw one of the daggers, and with her enhanced senses, the girl dodged, the dagger only grazing her leg and cutting the fabric of her long pants.
The girl cursed, but kept running to one of the edges of the cliff and jumped onto a ledge, facing the oncoming soldiers.
The chocobos were pulled to a halt about ten feet away from where the girl was standing, "Crystal Bearer, what is your name?" Keiss asked, dismounting his chocabo.
The girl smirked, "Wouldn't you like to know," She said, relaxing her hand a little.
"What was your business back there?" Keiss asked seriously. The girl smirked.
"What you mean this?" She asked holding up a sapphire box. The soldiers quickly grabbed for their weapons.
"That is one of the Royal Treasures!" One of the soldiers said, getting his spear ready.
"That's right. And you can tell Queen Althea thanks for the scar. And this will suffice as compensation for what she did to me. Courtesy of Malia. Well, have a nice day, now," and with those final words, Malia stepped backwards and plummeted down off the ledge of the wall. Keiss sprang forward, just barely missing the girl, but only saw her land on the back of a black chocabo and ride off into the forest.
"Damn Crystal Bearers," Keiss said under his breath, leaning on the ledge and giving an exasperated sigh.
"Well, if that's what you think of me, I could just leave," Keiss turned to see a blonde guy, about nineteen with green eyes standing behind him smirking.
"Well, speak of devils and they all appear. How's it going Layle?" Keiss said to the blonde. Layle looked just like any other Clavat, a peace loving tribe, besides the partially crystallized part on his left cheek.
Malia finally pulled the chocabo to a stop in front of a cliff wall, where she dismounted, patting the wild chocabo gingerly on its neck and sending it off, the glow of the mark on her hand disappearing.
Malia looked around, making sure no one was around, and touched her hand to a small mark on the wall.
A hole in the wall appeared and she quickly stepped inside before the wall closed back up. Inside the hole was a small tunnel only about as wide as she was, which is pretty small. The path was lit with small torches on the wall, and at the end was a large opening.
In the opening, there was a bed, a desk, and a large treasure chest with an even larger lock on it. Hanging on the wall was an almost completed map of every region in the known world and a large mirror.
Malia stood in front of the mirror for a minute, examining herself. Her long black hair hung, glistening and sleek, down her back, the silver streaks catching the low light, her bangs hanging down in her face, making her violet eyes stand out vividly.
She turned her head just slightly, looking at the tiny diamond stud that was her nose piercing. She also had a sliver lip ring in the middle of her bottom lip that had a black part that depicted the heart that was formed by her crystal mark.
Malia sighed, walking away from the mirror and plopping down at the desk, carefully setting the sapphire box onto an examining board. There were intricate designs on the side of the small box that showed a world of peace and the four tribes living in harmony.
Two years before Malia had moved to the Lilty kingdom, it had been run by the current Queen's father. But when he came down with a mysterious illness, and soon died, the princess had taken the thrown.
Malia had only been fourteen when she had run away from home, but you could hardly call it a home. Her mother had worked long hours and her father had died in a fight against a monster.
Her mother thought that Malia herself was a monster because she was a Crystal Bearer and Malia didn't blame her. She had hurt people by accident with her powers that had been difficult to control.
When Malia had gotten here, she had been walking down a dirt road, minding her own business, when a chariot, pulled by chocobos, came speeding down the road. It was going to run smooth over Malia, so on instinct, she brought her hands to cover her face, which triggered her Bearer powers.
The water from a nearby stream swirled in front of her just as the carriage would have plowed over her. The force of the impact pushed Malia and the water back, not damaging the carriage.
When the soldiers stepped out, the Lady Althea ordered her to be punished for using her powers and the soldiers cut an A into her chest. Ever since then, she used her Bearer powers inside the city any chance she could to piss the Queen off, and as far as Malia knew, it was working.
That had been the first time she had been pursued by commanding officer, Keiss. She smiled as she remembered the determined look on his face when she came to the ledge, and the look of surprise when she jumped.
But Malia had it all planned out. Right before she jumped, she used her Bearer powers to summon a chocobo to land on.
Her powers let her control water and have a special way with animals, which came in handy from time to time.
The lid to the small sapphire box was delicately sealed with a small clasp, which Malia carefully unhooked.
When the lid opened, she found hundreds of sacred crystals, but instead of their normal blue, they were a blood red color. Stuffed in the lid was a picture of Althea and her mother and father in the garden in front of the palace.
"Hmph," Malia put the picture back into the lid and picked up one of the crystals. It was just like any ordinary crystal except the color. "I wander where they got red crystals from?" She took the shard and put it in the little money pouch she had attached to her belt.
Malia walked back to her secret wall, it opening back to the forest, and sat against the cold stone that made her home. She pulled her long hair back, closing her eyes and just listening to the sounds of nature.
She had found the secret wall only months before. She had been running from another officer, but she had been on foot.
After she could no longer run, she had leaned on the rock for support to catch her breath, only to fall backwards into a small tunnel. The wall slid shut and the torches lit, casting light. Malia got up and walked down the tunnel, coming into an opening.
The only thing in the room was the map of almost everything. After looking around, Malia walked back to the false wall and found a small peep hole to make sure no one was there.
She slid on a black leather jacket, the bottom of it only coming to the middle of her ribcage, and she slid her thumb through a specially cut hole in the sleeve that hid her crystal mark, and put her hand back on the wall and it opened again, waiting for it to shut before sitting and leaning against the cliff.
Malia flexed her hand, the crystal on her hand glowing blue and a Highlands wolf came and sat beside her, looking up, its tail wagging like a puppy's.
"Well at least I don't have to worry about being lonely now do I?" She said, sitting down and scratching the wolf on the head.
The scent of flowers and the sound of the flowing creek could be sensed from her little cave home, which was absolutely wonderful, especially since if she ever needed the creek, she could use the water from it. Also being in the woods teeming with animals that she could summon, it was like this place was meant for her.
The wolf's ears perked up and it stood up growling. Malia heard a noise coming from the direction the wolf was growling.
A figure came around the corner, a girl with brown hair and a camera in her hand. When the girl saw the wolf, though, she stopped dead cold. "Umm, good doggie, nice doggie," Malia stood up, and for the first time, the girl seemed to notice her.
"Oh, umm, is this a… pet of yours?" The girl asked holding her hands up in a protective stance.
"More like a friend than a 'pet'. Who are you?" Malia asked, placing a hand on the wolf's head. It stopped growling, but kept its teeth bared.
The girl dropped her hands to her camera. "I'm Belle. I'm a photographer," She said, snapping a picture of Malia.
"She doesn't seem to be a threat," Malia said, talking to the wolf. The wolf growled, sniffing the air. Malia did the same, noticing the other smell that came from the girl.
"Why are you here?" Malia asked. Belle sighed and put her camera down.
"Well, I was looking for a friend and I got lost in these woods," Belle perked up, "Do you think you could help me, you seem to know your way around," She said, putting her hands together in a begging formation.
Malia sighed, "I suppose I could," Malia gave the wolf one last scratch on the head, flexed her hand, and the wolf ran off.
She saw Belle's face show an emotion of suspicion, but she just kept walking towards the edge of the rock. "Well, are you coming?"
Belle looked in the direction of the wolf, but ran to catch up with Malia. "So do you live around here?" Belle asked, placing her hands behind her head.
Malia kept walking, not looking at the girl, "I guess you could say that," Belle looked around.
"I would hate living so far from the city, you would never be able to find any action for that perfect shot," She said holding up her camera. "Although I have to say, it is very beautiful out here," She said taking a snapshot of some flowers.
"Yes, well, it's peaceful and private," Malia said. This girl sure could talk a lot and her voice wasn't just the most pleasant thing in the world.
Malia looked at Belle through the corner of her eye, and noticed her staring at her scar.
Self-consciously, Malia ran her hand over it, hiding it with her hand.
"I'm sorry, but may I ask what happened?" Belle asked, looking more directly at her.
"Let's just say that I'm really not fond of this place," Malia said looking forward at the city.
Belle looked and saw that they had come to the city garden, noticing Malia pulling the hood of her jacket over her head. She left it unzipped, showing a blue tube top that left her chest and stomach exposed, revealing the scar that was right above her right breast, and a black tattoo of paw-prints going up her side, and a beautiful black heart, like the one from her crystal mark, that went around her belly button, which was pierced with a silver belly button ring that stood out boldly against the black ink. Her pants were khakis that flared around her black running shoes, but as of today, her pants had a small slit where Keiss's throwing knife had hit her.
Belle looked curious, but didn't ask another question, "This is as far as I will take you. I hope you find your friend," Malia said, keeping her head down, before turning and walking back down the path.
Belle looked after Malia as she quickly walked back down the trodden path. She walked up to the gate of the city and a guard opened it for her.
The first thing you see when the gate opens is the huge clock tower, then you see all the people. Hundreds or maybe thousands of people all at once, doing anything imaginable, except magic.
Belle walked to a side tunnel leading down a huge staircase. At the bottom on either side of the thin walkway were trams that ran around the kingdom. Belle jumped onto the one headed for the royal castle and sat as the crystal-ran tram took her to see Keiss.
When she reached the gates, she showed the guard a pass and he let her through. When she reached the council room, she was greeted by a tiny white ferret at the door. When Belle got closer to it, it scampered away. The door to the room was opened and she heard the queen inside, very upset.
"You must retrieve it! It was my father!" Queen Althea cried.
Belle walked in and found Queen Althea, Commander Keiss, and Crystal Bearer Layle all at the council table, Queen Althea standing up, tears running down her face.
They all looked over at her when she walked in. "Belle, your late," Keiss said sternly.
"Well you can blame all that on Layle. He left me in the woods and I got lost, luckily I found a chick to show me back" Belle glared at Layle, who just smirked back.
Althea cleared her throat, "We have more important matters to deal with. My father's crystals have been stolen," Her voice was choked up, but she stood firm.
"Really? By who?" Belle imagined all the guards that would guard the crystals of what was left of her father.
"Her name is Malia Hope. She stole them this morning. We almost had her but she escaped into the woods," Keiss sighed in defeat.
"Wait, did you say Malia? That's the name of the girl that showed be out of the forest!" Belle grabbed her camera and flipped through the pictures until she got to the one of Malia and the High Plains wolf.
She showed the picture to Keiss who nodded, "Yep that's her," He looked determined. Layle walked over and looked at the girl, "See, I helped you. You found our thief, if I had of stayed with you, you would have never wandered near her," Layle said matter-o-factly.
"Oh what ever Layle, don't think you're off the hook. I want 500 gil for your little detour," Belle shot back, smirking.
"You can get your money later, first you must show us where you found her," Keiss grabbed Layle and Belle's arms and pulled them towards the door.
"Wait. Althea, have you had previous accounts with her?" Belle asked, remembering the scar on Malia's cheek. The A looked the exact same as the A's embroidered on the furnishing of the castle.
A sad look came over the Queen's face, "Yes, I was heading back from a Council Meeting and we almost hit her, but she used her powers to bring forth some water, and it damaged my carriage," She said.
A displeased look came over Belle's face, "So you carved an A on her face because she damaged your carriage?"
"It was what happened with the water that made me punish her. When she brought it forth, an image of Jaggron turning my father to crystal was displayed. I don't understand her powers, but if they the ability to see into the past, then we need to bring her in for questioning anyway.
"Please find my father's crystals," Althea pleaded quietly when they were out of the door.
Malia sat in her chair, looking at the red crystals. Suddenly, she heard voices coming from the outside of the hidden entrance. Quietly, she crept over to the small and unnoticeable peep hole and cautiously looked through it.
Outside looking around were Belle, Commanding Officer Keiss, and a blonde man she had never seen before.
"This is exactly where she was sitting. Her and a wolf," She said showing Keiss the spot. He examined it closely, feeling around on the ground for anything.
The blonde man stood beside a tree, looking contently at the exact point of the peep hole.
"So you're saying Malia was a crystal bearer? I thought something was up when she controlled the wolf like that, but I thought it rude to ask," Belle said, seeming to think very hard about this.
"Yes and her powers are odd. It seems she can control water and summon animals to her side. I'm glad we have out own crystal bearer in case we have to fight her again," Keiss smiled evilly at the blonde, and that's when Malia noticed the crystallized portion of his cheek.
"Layle, are you okay?" Belle asked, moving over to him and looked in the direction he was looking. "Hey what is that?" she asked, walking directly towards the peep hole.
Malia squatted down and quieted her breathing. 'How could they have seen the peep hole? Was she about to get caught?' Malia sneaked a peek back into the people but had to clasp her hand over her mouth to keep from crying out in disgust for right at the peep hole was Belle's chest.
"It's a piece of cloth," Belle said taking it down off the rock it was caught on. It looks just like Malia's shirt," Belle said.
Malia reached behind her back and felt the bald spot of her shirt. 'Shit' she thought to herself. It must have gotten caught when she had stood up.
"Well that's a start, she must be here a lot," Keiss said shoving the cloth into his pocket, "Now all we have to do is set up surveillance, and we may catch her," Keiss said, walking off, the others following suit.
As soon as they were out of sight, Malia quickly started grabbing and packing things that she would need. "Clothes, money…map, those crystal things. Oh, I'm not forgetting anything am I?" Malia was rushing through, trying to get everything she needed.
She slung her bag on her back, looking around. She spotted the chest in the corner and walked over to it. She opened it and rummaged the junk and forget-me-nots. At the bottom of the box lay a sword that she had forgotten she had. It had belonged to her father, the one he was using the day he died.
She picked it up and admired it sadly. It was a simple design, black sheath with Malia's crystal mark on it. Her father had loved her dearly, Crystal Bearer or not.
Malia slung the sword across her back, heading to the exit. She looked out the peephole, making sure nobody had come back. She placed her hand on the mark, making the door open and quickly sprinted out, running down towards the creek.
Malia sat down on a large rock and pulled out her map. "Okay, so I'm here," Malia looked over her map, "Maybe I can hide out in Bridgetown, get a job and not have to worry for a while," Malia scanned over the trail before folding the map and putting in her pocket.
Malia outstretched her hand, the crystals glowing, and the black chocobo came sprinting up to the rock. Malia petted its long black feathers before using the rock as a boost to get on its back.
She lightly kicked its side, tucking her feet behind the wing, the big bird taking off at a slow sprint.
She doubled back around to her cliff to look at it one last time before she had to leave for Bridgetown.