Chapter 3
"H-Hey! Can you slow down please?" I yelled out after Jade and she continued to speed walk.
" No way! I'm not going to be the one to miss out on the new shipment of the latest styles at the mall. So hurry up or I'm leaving you behind!" she said as she spread her wings to take flight. I started to run just to keep her in my sight.
" S-SLOW DOWN!" my lungs start to get heavy as I start gasping for air. We reached the edge of the city as I see Jade turn a corner around a building. 'Grate... I think she was TRYING to lose me.' I said in my head as when out of no where I black and yellow ball of fluff rams into my face and knocks me over. "Bu-GAK!" a crash and a thud later I have the ball of fluff in my hands and before I knew it, it's trying to fly away from me which only made my grip a little bit tighter.
"GAH! H-hey let go of me!" I figured out that what I was holding was a little bee. He wiggles and squirms, trying to get away but I wouldn't let go.
"Hey listen kid you ran into ME. Why are you flying so fast and not watching where your going?" I said as calmly as I could to the little bee but he just kept wiggling away until finally stopping and slouching his head in defeat.
" Can you PLEASE let me go now?... I just wanted to go get some ice cream." he brought his head up to look at me with his little puppy dog pout.
" Aren't you little young to be flying about on your own?" I raise my brow staring at the little bee. Finally after a moment I said, "I'm Shade Ookami." I smiled at the little bee releasing him and expecting him to fly away. He just sat there in my lap staring up at me smiling.
"Hahn, and I'm Lucky. Hey do you want to go get ice cream with me?" his eyes were all big and sparkly, looking up at me admiringly. I couldn't help but to pet his head but before I could touch him he shot up into the air and started flying in circles. "Oh c'mon! Please, please, PLEASE!" still going in circles.
I couldn't help but to laugh at him being so hyper. "I'm sorry but I can't ... I lost my friend and I need to find her." I looked up at lucky apologetically but all he did was stop and smile at me.
"Hahn well I'll help you find her! So whets her name?" he said as he flew up to my face with a wide smile on his face. Before we both could realize we had a giant shadow rolled over us, when I looked up all I saw was an alligator hovering and glaring at the little bee.
"Lucky! I told you not to go off on your own!" said the alligator in a really goofy voice that almost made me chuckle.
"But I wanted Ice cream!" said lucky as he crossed his arms and pouted. I had to pat his head while I chuckled at his tough guy act.
"Then you should have waited when I said so!" said the alligator, just now noticing me. "Oh! hello there I'm sorry if he was any kind of trouble miss." he said apologetically to me as I got up and dusted myself off.
"He was no trouble at all, except the accidentally knocking me over part but I'm not hurt so its all good." I said waving my hands frantically in front of me as if to try and wipe away the subject. Before I got the next words out of my mouth I remembered about Jade. I cursed under my breath, "Hey, either of you wouldn't happen to know an ocelot bat person named Jade would you?" I stared at them hoping that Jade was a well known person.
"Jade? Hell yeah we know her, she's actually a member of New Company." the alligator said loudly and confident. He glanced back down at me and glared. "Why, what's your business with her?" he raised a brow at me, I just stared at him and opened my mouth to say something to him when Lucky interrupted me.
"If you need to find her we can totally help!" with a wide smile buzzing in circles around me.
"Really? That would be great because she left me behind for a shopping sale or shipment or whatever it was." I twiddled my fingers together hoping that the Vector would believe my story. He was silent for a few seconds, rubbing his chin trying to make a decision. Finally he spoke up.
"OK we'll help you find her … but for a price." he made a sly grin until Lucky threw a rock at his head. "Hey! What the heck Lucky!" shouting and rubbing his head where the rock hit.
"Why does everything you do for others have to be priced!" Lucky's cheeks puffed up glaring at Vector. "If you don't help her I'm gonna tell dad about you eating the last piece of triple chocolate cake in the fridge!" now just a pout but with his chest puffed up to where he looks like he's in a pose to standing up to Vector.
"EH! H-hey you don't have to do that Lucky! Yeah yeah we'll help her out." Vector frantically flailing his hands, begging Lucky not to tell. I couldn't help but to chuckle. Lucky flew up to me and grabbed my arm and started pulling me into the town.
"C'mon! Lets get a move on then!" tugging my arm, I was surprised that he had as much power as he did.
"Yeah yeah yeah … lets get this over with." face palming himself he walks ahead in front of the both of us.
About an hour of walking behind Lucky and Vector with no luck of finding Jade, an interesting and calming strumming sound catches my ears and I couldn't resist being drawn to it. I turn into an alley between two food markets and then following behind a clothing market. I reached the corner, letting my ears lead the way; I almost stumbled over what it was I was hearing. The sound was coming from an unplugged electric guitar being strummed by a dark furred coyote. His eyes were closed as he listened to the music he was making. I kneeled down in front of him with my eyes closed and listening as well. When my eyes were closed the music seemed to strum along with my heart beat, sadly the music stopped but it seemed to keep on playing in my head so I didn't even noticed it stopped until I heard a voice snapping me out of my trance.
"What the hell are you doing chick?" he said to me with a risen brow, I realized how close my face was to him so I stumbled backwards, falling on my butt.
"Eh! I-I'm so sorry! I heard your guitar and… and it was beautiful." I smiled sheepishly as I stood up and dusted myself off. "I'll be going then… sorry about that." I started to walk away but before I knew it my hand was grabbed and I was stopped in my tracks.
"You mean you actually liked it?..." he looked at me somewhat longingly for an answer. I ended up going back and sitting down next to him.
"Yeah I really did, it was beautiful." I smiled at him, grinning at his exited expression. He griped onto his guitar and tuned it really quick and laughed.
"Most of the folk around here keep calling it crap. I was starting to think that I had a bad taste in music." He chuckled gripping onto his guitar, holding it closely to him.
"Old people just don't know how to move on and get to know modern music." Once I did a light laugh he chuckled and gave me a wide smile as if I just made this the best day ever for him. I reached my arm over and strummed one of the strings, I laughed as I did. "Hey look, I can play too." I said jokingly and he just laughed at me.
"Not bad, but I can do better." He lifted up his guitar and started strumming multiple notes in a rock and roll style symphony. Once he finished I brought my hand over and strummed 2 strings on the guitar.
"No I'm sure I'm better." I really got him to laugh that time. Finally after all the suffocating laughs he turned to me and just smiled.
"So your name is? …" he stared at me smiling and hunched over making himself seem way too relaxed.
"I'm Shade Ookami, what about you?" I brushed my bangs out of my face and wrapped my arms around my legs as I brought my knees to my chest.
"Isaku Coyote." He smiled at me but the smile quickly vanished as we both heard something that sounded like a mad turkey, we turned to look at the source of the yelling and it was an old parrot shop keeper. Before I knew it Isaku grabbed onto my arm and booked it out of there, dragging my right behind him. Once I got in motion I had no trouble following up behind him but what I wanted to know is, 'Why are we running?' The question haunted my mind until we turned a corner and stopped in what seemed to be a café restaurant, he walked me over to a booth and started explaining. "Sorry about that, the old guys really don't like me loitering around because then he thinks that I'm the reason he isn't getting any business when he's the crabbiest old ass in these parts." He chuckled and a few moments later a waitress walked up.
"Hello there and what may I bring you this lovely afternoon?" she said very politely, she was an orange and white cat with a short hair style and multiple earrings in her ears. I just shook my head to refuse her offer but then Isaku took it upon himself to order me something.
"We'll both have a ." he smiled as the waitress wrote down the order and asked if that's all, "And get us a plate of French fries." She jotted it down and pranced off. I turned to him a little irritated.
"I didn't want anything though." I slightly glared at him; all he did was grin at me.
"Calm down, I'm paying so don't worry about it." He looked out the window and leaned back in his seat. "So what brings you here to New Albion anyway?" he kept looking out the window as he asked me the question. I was still trying to act defiant to his generosity until I finally gave up and answered his question.
"I'm supposed to buy some supplies like some clothes and some gear." Then I suddenly remembered about Jade and I stiffened up for a second and cursed. "Shit! How the heck did I forget about finding her already?" I face palmed myself and started to scoot out of my seat when something tugged my arm back, it was Isaku leaning over the table gripping my arm, his eyes begging me not to leave. I sighed and sat back down. "Listen I really need to find my friend Jade," also remembering Lucky and Vector. "Crap, and now I have to find them too," I whispered to myself running my fingers through my hair, "How could I have just ditched them like that?" the waitress came up with a gigantic pile of fries on a large plate and two sodas, she laid them out in front of us and first thing Isaku does is grab a hand full of fries and stuffs them in his mouth. I couldn't help but to chuckle at him, he had strings of fries hanging out of his mouth as he tried to chew them but it finally hit him… the fries were fresh out of the fryer and were scorching his mouth. He grabbed his and started to chug it, which made him eat the fries practically whole. After the last chug he slammed his cup onto the table and sighed in relief.
"Whew! Man those were hot!" he did a stupid grin at me that I had to smile back too. I unintentionally grabbed a fry and bit into it, and damn was it hot.
"OW!" I start sucking air between my teeth to cool down the fry as I chewed it, I grabbed my drink as well. "You weren't kidding! Those were hot!" I took a chug of my soda then looked up at Isaku only to see him laughing at me. I felt myself blush so I looked away and took another fry but I blew on it first. A random thought popped into my head, 'Am I on a date?' I knew I was probably looking pretty red by then, I just met the guy and I'm already on a date with him. Great … I couldn't help but to face palm myself.
We were about a block away from the café now, just walking in silence until I looked over at his guitar on his back and notice another thing. 'A scythe? …' how the hell did I not notice it? It's like RIGHT freaking THERE! He caught me staring and spoke up.
"Like it?" gesturing toward his scythe. He lifts it off of his back and holds it out to me, I grip onto it. It was heavy but familiar like my sword, I hand it back to him.
"Yeah I do like it." I smiled at him, impressed by the scythe. My smile quickly vanished when he started to chuckle at me. "What's so funny?" I scrunch my eyebrows together somewhat frustrated in wanting to know why he was laughing.
"Sorry it's just that not very many people actually hold it because it's too heavy for them to hold with one hand." he chuckled once more as he re-applied the scythe to the sash that held his guitar to his back. A loud buzzing sound came to my ears and was gradually getting louder but I figured out where it was coming from, but at that point it already had hit me. Once again I fall backwards onto my butt gripping on to the little bee.
"GAH! Lucky don't you have breaks somewhere?" I rubbed my lower back, holding onto Lucky with my other arm. The little bee just smiled up at me. I couldn't help but sigh and rub his head.
"And where the hell did you go! I decide to actually help you find Jade and you ditch us unexpectedly!" Vector tapped his foot and stared down at me, I could see his vein pulsating on his left temple. I felt a drop of sweat roll down my face.
"Eh-he… sorry about that." I got up and dusted my self off after Lucky flew out of my arms and hovered in the air.
"Yeah sorry about that… she was helping me get away from some old fart." Isaku let out a chuckle as he wiped a strand of hair out of my face, after sending me a wink he turned to walk away. He raised a hand above his head to wave at me behind him, "I guess I'll see you around sometime, maybe?" then he turned a corner and out of my sight.
"Who the hell was that guy?" said Vector annoyed at the whole situation. He grabs Lucky by the foot as he's flying in the air and starts to walk. Out of guilt I just stayed quiet and followed. "What ever, who cares. If you run off again I'm gonna start charging you for the tour." he said scorning me with out looking back at me. 'You don't got to be an ass about it.' I thought to myself.
A few blocks down right when I was starting to get relaxed I see out of the corner of my eye, in one of the out door clothing shops, a pile of clothes on sale but what caught my eye was a long spotted tail and a pair or leathery wings. I couldn't help but to face palm myself as I already knew who it was. "Jade!" I yelled as I ran over to her legs sticking out of the mound of clothes, Vector and lucky had to turn and chase after me when they finally realize that I found her.
"Well look who finally decided to show up…" unburying herself from the massive pile to look at me with slight disgust. She holds a purse with a large rhinestone slap dab in the middle of it, "What do you think of it?" with a large grin on her face as if to try and show off.
"Well sorry that I'm a hopeless idiot that has no memories and cant fly!" I said sarcastically while glaring at the oce-bat. "And purses aren't really my interest." I glanced over the inventory to spot a medium sized backpack. I picked up the rusty red bag to look at all the convenient pockets. "Now this I would use." I glanced over at Jade and all I saw was a revolting look, I couldn't help but to chuckle as her nose wrinkled and made her look like a rat.
"That their comes with er'y day supplies like monkey wrench, screwdrivers both flat and Phillips, pliers, wire cutters, ect ect. You get what I mean, wat'ya say, only for $24." said the store clerk. It was a beaver with a total western accent, he had a bit of ageing to his face and a slight beer belly but with a pair of well built arms.
"Yeah… I think ill get it, always handy to have some tools of your own." I exchanged my money for the bag and slipped it comfortably on my back between my shoulder blades. The store clerk eyes my sword on my hip the he turns around, rummaging through some stuff then finally turning around to me showing me an oval but flat stone.
"Ya need a sharpening stone fer' that there sword?" he raises a brow hoping that it would be useful.
"Depends on how much…" I held the stone feeling its rough surface from never being used.
"I'll just add it in with the bag deal, so free of charge" giving me a big smile with his large buck teeth which were white as pearls.
"Really? Thank you." I shook his hand and turned to Jade who got bored and went back to rummaging through the purses and clothes.
"Well now that you found Jade you wont be needing our services anymore, say bye Lucky." Vector shoo's Lucky over to me, then the small bee rammed into me hugging my head.
"Bye Shade! I hope we see each other again!" with a big smile then flies off after Vector and they disappear into the crowed. I just shook my head in disbelief that anyone can deal with that kid.
I leaned against the side of the shop and started daydreaming, and wondering how long it'll take until Jade needs to come back up for some air. I chuckled, then I thought about Isaku and that scythe he had. "Wonder if he'll let me swing it a few times…" daydreaming about how fun it would be to chop one of those robots in half with it. A high pitched squeal hit my ears and I quickly had to cover them, I looked over to see Jade spazzing out over a hand bag covered in rhinestones.
"This is it! This is the one I've been waiting to get on sale!" rushing to the store clerk, I could see the sweat drop on his temple but shrugged it of like it was nothing new. After Jade rushes toward me with a slight threatening tone, "Tell my dad and I'll make sure you have a hard time while I'm around." Ending with that she skipped off in a direction and I just jog right on after her, I realized that we were heading the direction we came from.
"Finally…" I said under my breath as I followed. Once we reached the edge of town I was positive that I remembered my way back so I slowed down to walking, I shouted up to Jade, "Imma start walking from here ok?!" she just glanced down at me and just scoffed.
"Just don't get yourself lost or killed." with that she started flying ahead and I just stared after her until she was out of sight. I kept my ears and my guard up for anything life threatening.
About twenty minutes past and I could see the Wild Company base in my sight now, I saw Stealth standing outside still testing out the wall that I replaced with thick tree vines. "What the heck is he doing?" I said to myself as I walked up to him watching him look for any spaces. "Is there something wrong with it?" I tilted my head staring at the wall too.
He stares over at me with a smile, "Not as far as I can tell, just making sure that there aren't any gaps… That wouldn't be good when winter rolls around." he pats my shoulder and changes the subject. "So what all did you get?" looking at the medium sized backpack I was wearing.
"Just a bag that came with some tools, the store clerk even threw in a sharpening stone for me." I smiled showing Stealth the contents of the bag. I held out the remaining money that I didn't use.
"No it's ok, keep the change. Nice choice of supplies though." smiled and patted my back again, "Ready for lunch?" he turns and starts to walk inside, I walk in after him.
