Chapter 7
Change
Salina, once again, dreamt about her mom and dad. These dreams were starting to make her want to check on her mother and father. She felt as if these dreams were telling her something is wrong. But the part of her that wasn't so paranoid thought that it was because that was the last she had seen of her mom and dad, so something like that probably would replay in her head for awhile. When she woke up she looked around to see if Yakumo was up yet. No one was in there so she sat up and rubbed her eyes, which seemed to be a little wet, and thought about her dream. She thought that having this dream over and over and having Sago and Yakumo asking if she missed home wasn't really helping her "I'm staying here and helping no matter what" attitude. She just shook her head and pushed the thoughts aside for when she really wanted to think about it. She was kinda having fun being with them, so she wasn't going to let that dream get in her way of having fun when the fun was still able to be had. She went to the mirror to make sure there were no more tears in her eyes, and saw that her eyes were silver. She would have been more surprised if she hadn't already talked to Yakumo about this. All she thought was what's next; am I going to have bronze hair?
Once she was sure that she didn't look like she had been crying, she went to the other room. Sago, Mushra and Yakumo where sitting at the table while Kutaal made breakfast. Salina sat by Yakumo and Mushra, remembering what happened when she talked to Sago during the party. Everyone was quiet until Kutaal came over with (surprise!!!) fish soup. Then the only sound was them eating. Once everyone was done, Yakumo got the dishes happily and started washing as the others went outside. Before Salina walked out, she glanced at Yakumo and thought, who in the world would wash dishes with a smile on there face. Today, they were just a little bit more ruff, but not to bad. Salina did real good today. Mushra fell twice trying to hit her before she dodged and five more times out of anger. At that, Salina had to laugh, because, thanks to her dad, she immediately thought, Anger. Anger is the path to the dark side. She actually had fun, except for the fact that she ended up being out of breath. They kept training for at least five hours; taking breaks long enough to catch their breath. They were still quiet. Sago and Salina were quiet because they both didn't know how the other felt and didn't want to say anything that would make the other mad or sad. Mushra and Kutaal were quiet because they didn't want to ask something and then get there heads bitten off by either of them because they wouldn't stay out of it. They went inside and were still quiet. Salina and Sago were sitting across from each other not saying anything. Mushra and Kutaal were sitting on their beds, but decided to go over there and, somehow, at least get them two to sit close and possibly say one word to each other.
"Come on, Kutaal, lets arm wrestle, I'm bored." Mushra went over to the table and asked, "Hey Salina, can you sit in the other seat?"
"Um…I…I guess." She sat in the next seat, right beside Sago.
Kutaal sat down and got ready. They started arm wrestling. Sago was in a position were he was angled away from Salina and was watching the guys, not really caring. Salina completely turned away from Sago and was looking at the floor since there wasn't anything better to do that wouldn't involve seeing Sago's face. Yakumo was fixing everyone water and then came over and gave everyone there cups.
She stood, just staring at the two. Then she got an idea. "Hey, I think we should go see if the villagers need help. Sago. Salina. Come with me." They both looked up to see Yakumo going towards the door and stopping only to say, "I said come on."
Sago let out a little annoyed sigh, then got up. Salina followed. They went to the villagers and Yakumo asked if they needed help with anything, and also whispered something else so Sago and Salina couldn't hear. They told Yakumo to help the kids get water, and Sago and Salina to go across the river to the little forest and find some fruits together. They both asked at the same time if they could do it alone, but the villagers said no, so they went across the river and started looking for apples, oranges, and stuff like that.
"Ok, we might as well talk since that's what everyone is trying to get us to do." Sago said jumping into the trees and tossing some apples into the basket Salina was holding.
"Okay."
Sago jumped back down and stared at Salina for a minute, then said, "I'm sorry for being rude and walking away while we were talking. It's just…"
Salina interrupted saying, "No. It's fine. I asked a personal question which I shouldn't of done. I'm sorry."
"Well I still shouldn't have walked away."
"I still should have kept my mouth shut which I can sometimes never do."
They looked at each other and laughed.
They stopped in front of a tree and Sago asked, "You want to get them this time?" Salina shrugged and nodded, then tried to jump in the trees like Sago did about three or five times, only reaching six inches and had Sago quietly laughing behind her. She tried climbing, but fell on her butt. She also tried hitting an apple down by throwing a rock, and it came down, but the rock was stuck in it. Sago had to laugh at that.
Salina turned to Sago and said, "Maybe I should just hold the basket while you get them. That way I don't end up killing the rest of them."
Sago laughed, then jumped into the tree and threw seven apples down, then dropped back down. Salina just thought to herself, showoff. They went to three other trees, and then started to head back.
"So, what were you and your mom like? You don't have to answer, I was just curious." Sago asked.
"My mom and I were like friends. When she didn't have to work we would watch movies and shows and stuff like that. But I never really had enough time with her, because she always had to work. Every time she would get home from work I would follow her around everywhere. I'm pretty much became her home shadow. She was always stressed over something and I wish I could help her. One time, I wished that me and her could switch lives so she could just have a break and I could know how it felt to be her. I don't say it enough, but I'm proud to be her daughter. She's the best woman you could ever know." Talking about her mom made Salina miss her a little, but she was glad that she and Sago were talking more.
"What about you and your dad?"
Salina laughed. "Me and my dad. Me and my dad were like best friends. He liked all the games I liked, shows, movies, books. And me and him were super connected. We were just alike. We both made good jokes, bad jokes, and jokes only me and him would get. And at least once or twice we made the same joke as the other. We would constantly make fun of each other because there was plenty to make fun of. Like one time he told me to hold to the flud, trying to say food, and ever since then, I've made fun of him. Also, in my world that was an advertisement for a jewelry store called Jared, and everyone would always say, "He went to Jared". It got annoying. We were driving and he was on the phone and these guys came out of the jewelry store and walked past and I blurted out, "They went to Jared." My dad was laughing his but off. Me and him just had fun." Sago laughed a bit.
They got back to the villagers and gave them all the fruit they had found. They asked if they needed anymore help, but they said, while laughing, that they didn't need any help and also that Yakumo had already left.
They were about to go back and have a word with Yakumo, but Kimberly came over and asked, "We were wondwen if yaw could pay wiv us." She had the pouty face again and Salina and Sago said yes.
The kids gave them some dolls and they all started playing. They were acting like they had powers. Kimberly had earth, another girl had healing, a boy had fire, and of course, Sago had water. Since everyone had every power she could think of, she decided she'd have all of them. They play fought with the dolls and Salina and Sago let the kids win. The boy won. Sago and Salina said good bye and went to the house. When they walked through the door they saw the guys still arm wrestling. They didn't see Yakumo and guessed she was in the other room. Sago went and lay down on his bed.
Salina decided to see what Yakumo was doing and went to the other room. Yakumo apparently hadn't heard Salina walk in because what ever she had been doing, she didn't stop to look up. Salina shut the door and that caught Yakumo's attention. She put up two bracelets she was holding.
Salina sat down on her bed and asked, "What was that?"
Yakumo looked up for a minute, then grabbed what she had put up and showed it to Salina. One of them was blue with a rainbow stone on it. The other was purple with a red stone on it.
"Wow. Those are pretty."
Yakumo smiled. "They're friendship bracelets. Me and Salina made them for each other so we would never forget each other. No matter what happened." She looked a little sad.
"Do you miss her?" Salina asked.
Yakumo nodded. "If it wasn't for her, I would've never realized how I felt about Mushra."
Salina had a question. "How different am I from her?"
"Salina was strong, funny, tomboyish. She loved hanging with the guys. She sometimes had an anger problem, but not all the time. She was quiet if anything got personal. She would fight to the end for the people she cared about……She was a great person. She kind of changed all of us by just being are friend. She changed us for the better."
"So, she's way better then I am?" Salina said.
"No, ya'll are a lot alike. Except you are way funnier then her."
That made Salina feel a bit better. "And my anger problem is worse then hers I'm sure. Any time I'm stressed, mad, or annoyed I get angry very easily."
Salina and Yakumo talked for the rest of the day, mostly about the first Salina. Salina asked about her parents and found out that her mother was killed by warriors sent after her mom by her dad. Her dad was some kind of evil ruler who only wanted Salina because when he died he would want some one to resurrect him and let him take over there body and that's what Salina was going to be used for. Ever since her mother died, Salina was on the run, but one day, she meet Sago and then meet everyone else and they and she were too attached to let her leave after they found out who she was. She was almost turned evil by one of her fathers' greatest warriors, but Sago and everyone saved her. After they were done talking about that, Salina asked what happened to Binka and the kittens. Yakumo told her that Binka found out that her mother was still alive and that she went looking for her and found her and that when the real Salina was defeated, they sent the kittens to stay with her. Then Salina thought about the fact that, in the show, Yakumo had died. Yakumo said that the celestial guardians eventually thought it was wrong to separate them, so they sent her back. And that was after they had found Mushra. Eventually, after talking for so long they went to bed. The boys also went to bed, too, tired from practicing. The next three days went by in the same way, them practicing, then hanging, then going to bed. By the end of the three day's, they were done teaching her to block, and now she was going to learn to attack. Also, Salina finally stopped having her dreams about her mom and dad. She no longer worried about her mom and dad. She was starting to like being here so much that she ignored the annoyance of training. Salina woke up from a dreamless sleep. She looked around the room and saw no one. Golly, does she ever sleep in? She thought to herself.
Salina went to the next room to see Yakumo and Sago sitting at the table talking. "Hey, guys. Where are Mushra and Kutaal?"
Sago stood. "Their outside waiting." Sago said then headed for the door.
Salina followed. Once they were at the fighting area, they saw Mushra and Kutaal wrestling. Salina thought to herself, I can't wait to learn how to kick their butts. They still didn't stop when Sago and Salina came up.
Sago came a little closer. "Guys, enough. We got to get to training. Come on quit." They still weren't listening.
Salina thought for a minute. "Hey, you think I'd be able to connect with my powers again, because I would love to use them on those two."
Sago laughed. "You could try."
Salina focused on the water from the ocean. She closed her eyes, and then opened them to see the water starting to rise over the two. Mushra and Kutaal only looked up because the light they had disappeared as water moved in front and then fell on them.
They were soaked. They stood, dripping, then glared at Sago and Salina who were pointing at each other, as if they were saying "He did it." And "She did it."
Before they got started the guys told her the best way to attack, saying to first watch your opponent, then, after seeing his/her moves, you use an attack they seem to be weak against. First, Kutaal attacked, kind of taking his time, not going super fast. He tried to kick Salina, but Salina block with her arms, then had an idea before he was able to drop his foot. She grabbed his leg, and then twisted it until he fell to the ground. She backed up as she saw Mushra coming, faster then Kutaal. He tried to punch her in the gut, but she just moved, and then elbowed him in the back as he was still turned around and he fell to the ground. Then she turned to Sago and watched him as he watched her. Almost too fast, Sago started running at Salina. He almost punched her in the face, but she caught his fist, and then twisted his arm to were it was held behind his back.
Salina laughed. "Maybe ya'll teach too good." she let go when Sago turned his face towards her and laughed at her joke. She didn't know why, but she got a weird feeling when they were really close.
"You did really well, Salina." Sago complemented.
Mushra walked up. "Yeah, maybe she's right. We are too good at teaching." He rubbed his back. Kutaal walked up, acting like he had a limp.
"Yeah, now we just got a week more of this!" Salina cheered.
At the same time, they moaned. Salina did real good. She was only hit once and she only missed three times. This time, they trained longer. For at least six or seven hours, only because attack was important, and because Sago wouldn't let anyone rest until Salina learned enough attack. They all dragged on in side as it got a bit darker outside. The guys plopped on the beds, exhausted, and Salina sat in the chair. Salina watched the guys and Yakumo, just thinking about the fact that at least a weak ago, she was watching them on a TV, and now, she was sitting a few feet away from them and was able to actually talk to them. She thought, I am actually able to talk to them…to Sago. They were real…he was real. Also, now no one can say it's weird for me to think that an animation is cute, because he is real and beautiful. He's great, funny, he cares if I'm hurt……and he's staring back at me. She looked down. Now she felt embarrassed about staring.
"So, Salina," Mushra started to say, "Did you have any friends at home?"
Salina laughed. "No. I'm too weird to other people. My only friends at home are my mom and dad and that's all I need." They seemed amazed.
This time, Kutaal asked, "How could YOU be weird enough to not have friends? Who ever didn't want to be your friend has to be boring. In what way were you weird?"
Salina would have answered with the first thing that popped in her head, which was the fact that she thought animations, in shows and stuff, looked cute, but instead she said, "Because I was so crazy about shows I liked. And also, because, they probably thought it was annoying and weird because how I would try too hard to be funny." She would be made fun of at home because of all that, and that's why she never ever went out side.
"Well, they must be real stupid to think you were annoying and not funny. You have got to be the funniest person we have ever met." Sago said.
Salina smiled. "Thanks." Since they were asking questions, she thought of her own. "What happened to Hakuba?"
Yakumo answered. "To make sure that Binka and the kittens stayed safe, we sent him to take care of them."
Salina had another. "Are you three still able to transform into Mushrambo?" they all shook there heads.
Then Mushra said, "The guardians thought he should have a life of his own, and we had become so powerful, so now he's free doing what he wants."
Salina was happy for him, but she thought it would have been cool to meet the ultimate samurai.
