Chapter 3
:3 is all I can say, I'm just in a good mood, I'm practicing some drawing skills because I'm ungodly bored. ^^
"Where were you papa?" asked Nodoka
It was an afternoon day, a few hours before they were going to reach their first destination... Jamaica.
"When?" asked Kyo
"During the raid"
"Sleeping on the boom of the sails"
"Does'nt that swing?"
"So?"
"She means, won't you fall off when it swings?" Trey joined the conversation
"No" grunted Kyo
"Okay..." Nodoka gave up, she knew where he was, that's all she wanted to know.
"Practice!" called out Tristin from the bow, Trey and Kyo walked to him with their weapons, it was practice time... Nodoka couldn't believe Trey or Tristin could survive eight years of hurting eachother every weekend morning. Nodoka had some free time on her hands now, a great time to question Christopher about why he can embrace Kairi without transforming. She went to the main cabin of the boat and knocked on the door, she heard "Come in" from a happy Christopher. She walked in and saw Christopher looking at something in a book while lying in his bed, he put the book down on his lap face down so she couldn't see what he was doing.
"Oh, Nodoka-san, what is it?" Christopher said
"I have a question" Nodoka started
"Anything"
"Why can you and Kairi-san be together without you transforming?"
"Oh, I should've told you this, she's the dog in the zodiac"
Nodoka was excited! A new zodiac friend! She wanted to get to know Kairi immediatelly!
"Where's Kairi-san?!" Nodoka blurted excitedly
"No clue" Christopher said bluntly
Nodoka was struck by a bolt of lightning, she realized something, Christopher was back with his girlfriend... Anne... She wanted one more answer before she wanted to see Anne.
"Did you really go out every night of your life to the water to search for a sign of Kairi-san's body?" asked Nodoka trying hard not to trigger an emotion
"Yes, I did"
"Why?"
"She deserved a proper burial if she was dead, I wanted to give it to her, but I don't need to anymore, she's here"
"Why'd she ask people to lie for her?"
"She didn't trust me at the time, she thought if she faked her own death, I wouldn't care, she thought I'd act like I was never with her, but I cared, every night, I cared"
Christopher's story warmed Nodoka's heart, would Trey do that for her if she died? He probably would she thought. She was done with her questions, she wanted to see how Anne was holding up, but she was curious "What's in that book?"
"Nothing" he said
"Please?" she said shyly hoping her shy voice worked on Christopher
Christopher sighed and said "Old pictures of me and Kairi-chan"
"Can I see?"
"I guess"
Nodoka walked over to Christopher's bedside and looked into the album, they all looked so happy in all the pictures, from family outings, to dates, and just about everything was in that book, Christopher must've kept that book safe ever since Kairi faked death. She didn't want to bother Christopher anymore, and felt guilty for knowing Anne was hurting and that she left her alone for so long.
"Thanks" said Nodoka, then she walked out of the cabin, turned right, and climbed down the hatch. She was in the cozy bedroom, with the many beds, cabinets, dressers, and blankets Tohru knitted in her free time. The room looked so fine and homey. She climbed down the stairs to the kitchen, Tohru was humming a tune and boiling a kettle of tea on the stove.
"Hi Nodoka-chan!" she said cheerfully
"Hi mama, have you seen Anne-san?" asked Nodoka
"Hrmmm... The last time I saw her was with Trey-kun who was cheering her up from something... She looked really sad, wish I knew what was troubling her"
"Then where's Trey-chan?"
"In the stock room" Tohru gestured to a door in the corner of the room, it looked hard and cold.
"With Anne-san?" Nodoka asked
"No, she's in the shower" said Tohru
"Thanks mama!"
"Anytime Nodoka-chan, would you like a snack?"
"No thanks" Nodoka ran to the door and pushed it open, and exited the small kitchen. She shut the door, she felt an eery cold breeze, she looked around fir Trey, but only found fruit, foods, weapons, ammunition and chunks of wood and cold steel lying on the floor. She could see the ships cannons, they were very well polished. Christopher must've cleaned them, thought Nodoka. She walked past a few crates of apples and fish to find a pyramid of barrels... She heard something chip away.
"Hello Nodoka-chan" said a familiar make voice, it was Trey's
"Hi Trey-chan..." replied Nodoka while walking past the pyramid of barrels to find Trey sitting down on the floor.
"Whatchu doin'?" asked Nodoka
"Nothing" said Trey almost immediately, he was hiding something behind his back.
"Trey-chan! Show me!" demanded Nodoka
Trey sighed, he pulled a fine green box from behind his back and slowly pulled the top off. Nodoka saw glitters and shines, her eyes widened, what could it be?! The top of the box was removed and Trey retrieved a shining silver necklace, it was well polished. Nodoka jumped on Trey and hugged him tight, the cold eery breeze from the sea drifted away, all coldness of steel and wood departed, time stopped, for just a moment, for them.
"Trey-chan..." moaned Nodoka
"Nodoka-chan" said Trey
Nodoka felt droplets on her cheeks. She was crying... Tears of joy. Trey, she thought. One of the greatest persons she ever met in her nineteen years, was her loving husband. He kept the relationship alive. What would she do without Trey? She never wanted to let go of Trey, ever.
"Excuse me Trey-san, when you're done, it might be nice if you helped us de-rig, we've ported" said a friendly voice... Christopher.
Nodoka was lifted up and felt motion, she was being carried by Trey up the stairs. He opened the hatch and he climbed out carrying Nodoka. Light hit her large eyes, she'd been hugging Trey so long in the dark stock room that she forgot what light felt like. Her eyes adjusted to the light and she saw green, they were in Jamaica. She saw her father untying a rope. All the younger boys, Horace, Timothy, Bastion, lowering a sail. She was being carried off the boat to the harbor, it was warm and had many happy people help port the beast of a vessel. Christopher walked over to the man tying a rope to the dock, she saw Christopher hand him money, the man made a thankful motion and continued working.
"Nodoka-san, do you know why we're here?" said Christopher while walking to rejoin her and Trey
"To find zodiac artifacts?" she replied
"Yes, but my friend who lives here is a zodiac artifact"
Nodoka felt excited, she was going to be finding the zodiac hosts much faster then she first thought! She felt a warmth on her neck, she looked down to her neck, Trey was putting on the glimmering silver necklace, a burst of joy came to her again, she was truly thankful that she knew such amazing friends.
"It's hot Kyo-chan" said a sweet voice coming from a lady coming off Christopher's boat... Tohru
"I can see that" said Kyo following Tohru down the rope ladder.
"Yipee!" Nodoka shifted her attention to the joyful noise, it was Timothy, Horace and Bastion jumping off the ship. They landed simeotaneously, a large grin on all their faces. Nodoka looked at the place the boys jumped down from and saw Kairi jumping off too... Wasn't she a bit old to be doing that?! Christopher caught her lovingly. It was like staring into a mirror, Kairi and Christopher fit together like two puzzle pieces... perfectly. Nodoka shifted her attention to the rope ladder, she saw a depressed figure climbing down, it was Anne... With tears on her face, and a red tone to her soft skin, she couldn't stand Christopher getting a girlfriend. Nodoka was put down and saw Trey walking to the rope ladder.
As Anne was taking her last steps, Trey snatched her and pulled her close to his chest, Nodoka was a little shocked that Trey did this to another woman, but she also knew it was because she was deeply depressed.
"Trey-san" moaned Anne "Oh Trey-san" Anne tugged his shirt and let it out, she started weeping. Trey stroked her head and held her close. They started walking to a little hut not to far off the harbor. Anne's cries turned to nothing but frowns, Trey cheered her up easyily, but her heart was still so tender and sore. Trey couldn't heal that heart, it was Christopher's.
They stopped walking when they reached the hut-like cottage. Christopher walked to the door and knocked on it, he called out "Hey! Shithead! Open the door!"
"Comin' Chris-san" called a mature voice from inside the hut. The door opened and a young man slightly older than Christopher opened the door.
"Still recognized me?" said Christopher
"Noone insults the owners of a home before letting them open the door... Except you to me, it was only ob-" the young man's eyes were targeted on Nodoka, he examined her looking excited.
"Quite a few friends you got there Chris-san, how much'd you bribe em with?" joked the young man
"Shutup Koiji-san!" said Christopher annoyed
"Sure, so, why're you here?" said Koiji
"Nodoka-san here is searching for the zodiac creatures" explained Christopher
"And you need me because I'm the goat, yes?" prompted Koiji
"No"
"What?"
"Yes"
"Hrm?!"
"No"
"Which is it?"
"Yes"
"You sure?"
"No"
Koiji just sighed while Christopher laughed off playing around with Koiji's mind.
"Well then, come in" said Koiji while gesturing them in. Nodoka stepped over the threshold amazed at how well maintained the room was. She expected a pigsty considering how small it was and that it was managed by a single man. Koiji sat down on a sofa infront of the large television, which was to the right of the fishtank, which was across the room to the small neat kitchen. The rest of the group joined him on the surprisingly enourmous sofa, they all sat comfortably and waited for someone to speak.
"So, again, why should I leave my life to go with you?" asked Koiji
"Well, uhhh, oh shit..." hesitated Christopher
"Because I'm telling you to" said Kyo irritably
"I have an idea..." said Tristin
"What is it?" said Christopher
"It's rash, but hell, let's go with it!" said Tristin
"So what is it?" asked Kairi
"It'll be amazing how it turns out!" joked Tristin trying to piss someone off
"Say it! Damn it!" yelled Kyo
"No" chuckled Tristin
"I'll kill ya!" yelled Kyo
"I'm satisfied, okay then, here it is, a match, Koiji-san wins, he gets the boat, we win, he comes with us!" explained Tristin
"Tell me what the match is again before I risk my very expensive boat?" poked Christopher
"Fighting!" blared Tristin
Koiji looked very happy, he was sure he was going to win, but "Yay, a boat I'll never use, c'mon Chris-san, sweeten the deal!" milked Koiji. Everyone thought, Nodoka had a thought that'd benefit her greatly, she decided to speak up.
"Me" said Nodoka
"Yes Nodoka-san?" said Christopher
"Me" repeated Nodoka
"Well, what is it?" said Christopher
"Me as a prize" she said
Trey looked stunned and sad, what did he do wrong? Was it that he was trying to cheer up Anne? Why would Nodoka threaten to leave him without saying what was wrong?
"Please don't Nodoka-chan" stuttered Trey
Koiji looked pleased, he said "I've always wanted a cute girlfriend, deal!"
"What Nodoka-chan?! You're married!" blurted out Kairi
"Yea" agreed Anne
"Oh c'mon, it's not like Trey-chan could ever lose, now would he?" explained Nodoka half-heartedly. Trey could follow Nodoka's plan now, he was a good fighter... But... Was Koiji?
"So, when?" said Koiji anxiously
Nodoka was surprised and feeling bewitched at the same time, she was suddenly attracted to the young man with shirt black hair sitting next to her, Koiji. She felt passion vibrating off him. Trey could always be passionate with Nodoka, but he was too nice, always did what she liked, she didn't want to be at the top of the tree anymore.