A/N;
Thanks for the review, sis! You just made my day! So, I've decided to put this chapter out early for ya! Hope ya like it! And btw, in case the ominous silence around me is scaring you, don't worry. That's because Swaine is waiting in the story. He's…uh, currently glaring at me and mouthing 'get on with it', so here ya go, I guess!
DISCLAMER:
I DON'T OWN ANY CHARACTERS OR REFRENCES TO THE GAME I MAKE. I AM JUST A SILLY LITTLE AUTHOR GIRL WHO LIKES NI NO KUNI AND WANTED TO WRITE A SWAINE/ESTHER(SWESTHER? IDK THE NAME OF THE SHIP) FANFICTION.
Chapter Two; Taking to The Skies
As he read the note, he became more and more confused on who this person was. They called me Swaine? They know Tengri? Signed, Baba-
Babana Girl. He looked up to see a retreating figure in a pink hood who looked nothing like he remembered. She had gone through puberty already, and her hips were now even more defined as she ran. Her beautiful, slender long legs kicked up behind her as he watched her run inside the Hootnanny's store. He turned to Marcassain. "Marcy, I just saw someone in the crowd who we know." Marcassain looked over and saw his brother's nervous blush at the mere mention of this stranger, and smiled knowingly. "So where is Esther, then?" He asked. Swaine, being so flustered, did not bother to whisper. "Hootnanny's," he answered, embarrassed. "After the procession, you may change and go." Marcassain said, shaking his head and chuckling. The procession then seemed to chug along for forever, but when it finally it stopped, and Swaine got changed into his normal 'Swaine' Attire, he saw Esther exit Hootnanny's. He immediately ran after her, when he saw her climb on Tengri's back. He then realized he was outside of city limits. He didn't know what had propelled him to run that fast and far, and he absolutely didn't know what made him unable to have her leave again. What made the thought so unbearable. Maybe it's because I see her as a close ally, he thought, trying to find his voice before his friend flew away, and became a Babana Girl Cinderella. Just in time, he found the words he wanted to say. "Hey! W-wait, Esther!" He saw her look up at him. "Got room for one more? This royalty stuff is aggravating, and…ummm…erm…" the full-stare of her eyes left him speechless
"Well?" Esther asked, expectantly-and impatiently, trying to resist the urge to speak softer to him. After all, if he didn't get his butt on Tengri and his words into her ears, she'd be up late cooking dinner, and then she'd have to eat early in the morning. Of course, she never really had houseguests, so even if she got home late, he could always help her…
Swaine rubbed the back of his neck, breaking eye contact to look at his shoes, his face flushed as red as a Burly Hurly. He'd never been open about his feelings, but something about the blonde made his heart start to melt and warm. "Well, uh…it'd, um, be nice to just…I don't know, Esther…be with a friend?" Esther seemed touched he called her a friend, and nodded before she could even think things through. "Hop on!" she called to him, realizing he had his head down, and couldn't see the nod. He then jumped onto Tengri in front of her (quite enthusiastically), took the reins, and said "Where to, Babana Girl?" She smiled at the change of attitude, shoved him in the shoulder playfully for using the nickname he'd invented for her all those years ago, then said "Near Perdida. Look for the two-story white house. That's my house." He frowned and said "Can you fly? I don't know how to control this thing." She got off Tengri, pushed Swaine to the 'back seat' of Tengri Airlines by the stomach, then hopped on where he had been. And where I should have been in the first place. "Hold on tight," she said. He obliged quickly, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist. He tried to ignore the warmth he felt there, tried his best to overlook how great it felt to be that close to her. He scooted right behind her to hang on, his head on her shoulder. He turned his head and whispered in her ear "Go ahead. Fly." He ignored the softness of her skin to the best of his ability, attempted to overlook the great smell of her hair. And he tried hardest of all to not notice the little shiver she got down her spine as he whispered again "Don't you know how to fly home?" He was sure he imagined it...right? "Yes," she replied, in a normal (enough) tone of voice. "Then let's go, Babana Girl." She nodded at Swaine's request, and with just a "Sure thing, Thief Prince of Swine", they took to the skies.