Well, this chapter turned longer than I had expected it to be so I chopped it in two. Oh well. I hope you all like it!
Disclaimer: I don't own Tekken and doubt that I ever will…. L
Watcher
Pulling their luggage up the set of wooden stairs of the house, Julia and Verity walked down a hall and into the new room they would be sharing. It was quite a simple setup, there was nothing more than two twin-sized cots, a set of wooden shelves set in the wall, two bedside tables and a large chest at the foot of each of the beds where they could put all of their clothes in. After stacking their suitcases against the wall, both girls decided to take a look at their new environment.
"Unpacking can come later Julia. Right now I'm dying to go exploring around this place," Verity said with unhindered excitement sparkling in her cobalt eyes.
"Alright, alright. Let's go check out our quaint little village. But we have to be quick, it will be getting dark soon," Julia said as she zipped up the smallest of her suitcases and left it on the bed.
"I want to look around the jungle-forest first, I hear that there are always tons of exotic animals everywhere! Maybe I'll make an animal friend that I can take everywhere- I would love to have a pet toucan, wouldn't you!?" Verity exclaimed as her stream of thoughts came out in one long run-on announcement.
"Who wouldn't? Although I think I would like a little monkey better. You know, like the one's that are always in the movies. They're so cute," Julia responded in an amused tone.
Making sure to keep the village in sight, the girls wandered around the cascade of green trees, ferns and other small shrubs. Moss seemed to cover every tree and every tree seemed to go on forever. As they looked up, they could see weak beams of sunlight peeking through the swathing canopy and making their way to the needy plants on the ground level. As they continued to explore, the beams slowly began getting weaker and weaker. Soon afterwards they encountered a ribbon of open dirt that made a small path through the underbrush. Following it, they came to an average sized pool of crystal clear water about fifteen feet in diameter and about five feet deep. The liquid was so pristine and translucent they could see straight to the bottom.
"This must be where the villagers get their drinking water," Julia concluded as she noted that there appeared to be no fishes, or any other living thing, in the water.
"Yeah. Guess that means we won't be able to go swimming in it. Damn. But it's so perfect- better that any chlorinated pool I've ever seen," muttered Verity.
"No. Of course we're not going to go swimming in it. Are you crazy? Do you want to contaminate your own water, because remember- it's now our water too," Julia replied with a hint of incredulity in her voice, "If you were to do something like that, they'd probably be so furious they'd kick us out: Toss us into the river and hope that the piranhas made quick work of us."
"You come up with the oddest things Julia," Verity managed to utter through her loud fit of laughter.
As she stood there waiting for Verity's episode to be over, Julia suddenly got the feeling of being watched. Looking around she saw that there was no one but her and Verity. Strangely enough, the feeling didn't go away, but instead became more intense, as if whoever was staring at her was standing beside her. Giving the area another sweeping glance, Julia again noted that there was no one and nothing there; more importantly, she noted that there was not a single noise. Aside from Verity's now-dissipating giggles, it was dead silent. There was not the chirp of a bird, nor the buzzing of insects, nor the rustling of the wind. Oddly, it reminded Julia of a horror movie. In a frustrated attempt to locate the reason why she suddenly felt-like-someone-or-something-wanted-to-start-up-a-staring-contest-with-her, Julia looked up.
---- And nearly screamed.
A set of brilliant, glowing, yellow-toned eyes were staring at her from about twenty-five feet up the nearest tree. The dark figure was hidden in the safety of the canopy's shadow, and Julia couldn't tell what it was, but she could tell that it was not friendly.
"Verity! Look! There's something --there's something -- in the tree --staring at us!" Julia stammered as she turned her best friend around to face the veiled danger and pointed up the length of the trunk.
"What?" Verity questioned in a confused tone while looking around wildly, "Where?"
"There. In the tree!" Julia urged. But, as they turned to look, Julia noticed that it was gone. Without so much as moving the leaves of the tree, or making the slightest of sounds, the occult figure had vanished.
"Where? I don't see anything!" Verity whispered urgently to Julia, "Where?!"
"It's gone." Julia stated with disbelief.
"Are you sure there was something there?"
"I'm positive! Something was staring! I could feel it! When I looked up: there it was. It had these glowing yellow eyes and…!"
"Calm down Jules. I think you just imagined it"
"No," Julia firmly declared, "There. Was. Something. There. ---- Staring at me!"
"Maybe we should go back to the village. It's pretty dark and we wouldn't want to get lost." Verity said in an effort to calm down the frightened girl, "Let's go."
Nodding, Julia quickly followed Verity back up the path and in no time at all they had reached the village. Upon returning to their room, Julia tossed her suitcase off of the bed and threw herself facedown on it while thinking of the menacing entity that had nearly caused her a heart attack.
Where did that thing go? It couldn't have disappeared like that. Without making a noise or anything? That's not possible.
"Are you okay Jules?" Verity inquired concernedly as she sat at the foot of her own bed.
"Yeah. I'm fine. I guess the light, or rather the lack of light, must have played tricks with my mind," Julia muttered from her pillow.
Wow. She really freaked herself out. Frowning, Verity walked over to her friend's bed and sat on the edge, "Are you sure you're okay?"
Turning over, Julia looked at her friend with a genuine smile, "Yes Ver, I'm fine. Thank you for caring,"
Smiling, Verity replied, "Well, what are friends for? Does Julie you need a hug, too?" and with a smug grin opened her arms.
Laughing, Julia hugged her, "Thanks"
"No problemo - I am here to help," Verity said in a mock-hero voice as they pulled apart.
As they continued to laugh, there was a knock at their door. Verity stood up and strolled to see whom it was.
"Oh. Hello Brock!" she said enthusiastically.
"Hello Verity. I just came over to see if you and Julia wanted to come and hear those legends I was talking to you about. The chief decided to have them told tonight in honor of their new guests. I also kinda told them you two are big fans, and he said he'd have them moved up."
"That would be amazing. That's just what you need Julia. Some good, old-fashioned legend-telling," Verity turned to Julia with an enormous smile and exited glimmer in her eyes.
"I am so there," Julia said while standing up to stride over and lean on the door, "When does the grand event begin?"
"Actually, right now."
"Right now?" both girls uttered at the same time, surprised.
"Yeah."
"Well then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Julia expressed excitedly, her ominous feeling discarded.
"Follow me then," Brock turned around and walked down the small hallway that led to the outside.
