Ah, leave it to Sa-chan to refresh everybody with her naivety and big person's baby talk. Thank you to whoever left the first comment to this story. I really appreciate it and they contributed to a huge ego boost. The reference to a woman named Pricilla is actually talking about the Witch Princess in Sunshine Islands and Island of Happiness. As is 'Nikko-Jima' which itself means 'sunshine island'
February 3rd, 2011
Dear Diary
What an odd child Gale has found. She has the vocabulary of a six-year-old but looks not a day over three! Ever since rumors spread of her coming to town, I've visited the girl every other day and observed her playing with her stuffed toy. I'm surprised that I never see Gale around. Oh, well. the guy's a jerkwad anyway.
The child really loves bears from what I can see. She draws them, pretends to be them, and asks for bear-ear hats for her birthday. She reminds me of my old friend Pricilla from Nikko-Jima. I wouldn't be surprised to find this girl doing magic someday or calling everyone 'Human'.
She's very smart, I can tell from her carriage. She is very aware of the world and the circle of life. Maybe Dr. Jin and Gale will let me take her on as an apprentice. Then again, they're probably so stiff that they wouldn't let me in the same room as her if they had their way.
Yesterday, she had been playing with her toy 'Orsina' when she spotted the calendar and gasped. "Think it Mamma birthday." I asked her where her parents were today. She sighed and answered, "I no know where either is. Think Mamma maybe drowned." The poor dear! I didn't think that she knew what drowning was.
Dr. Jin came in to give her a juice bottle. She gleefully chugged it while Jin told me how he and 'Sara' probably rode the same ship back home and she fell overboard. Her stepfather was lugging a person to shore on his back. Her mother tried to carry her to shore, but was afeared of water and could not swim. Therefore, she eventually drowned.
Now, it was not an issue of apprenticeship, but of parenthood. Knowing Gale's reputation as well as my own, Humans didn't trust magical beings with their young. But I asked anyway if I could care for her. Sara stopped drinking to answer, "No thanks. I comfy here. Doctor take care of me and I like him. He and the nurse Irene are like family now. I think maybe I stay here a little while."
And that was that. She must have seen me frown because she said, "Don't feel sad. The boy who found me in the sand and Signor Card-mint-who pull me out and take me here-couldn't take me to their homes either. I no trust Card-mint because he clumsy." She must be referring to Gale, I thought.
"You visit when you wanna. You can be Zia Strega!" I blinked. 'Auntie Witch'? Wait-I just noticed that she's been speaking little bits of Italian. She must have come from a bilingual home. I must study her sometime. That is, before the old man does.
Yours Truly,
Viveka Begntsson
The sun is way too bright for winter. I really don't feel that this place is right. Then again, nothing feels right at the moment. I let my own girlfriend and stepdaughter drown while Denny and I are perfectly fine. On top of that, Denny can swim and float. Celeste cannot swim for her life and thus would panic and drown in minutes. Sara can only stay afloat for so long even with all her fat. Oh, Goddess above, please forgive me and spare the child!
Denny is sputtering and coughing on his back while I'm face-down in the sand. He gets up and hoists me up by the arms. "Yo, Vaughn, get up! We're alive."
"Yeah," I mumble, "I guess we are."
We look around at our new surroundings. Denny gasps and pats my shoulder. "Vaughn. Look, man!" He gestures to a green garment of some sort. We walk closer to it. It seems to be a shirt, no, a hat! Sara's hat. I picked it up and dusted it off. Not far from it was a shallow pool in the sand it appeared just big enough for her head. I grab Denny on his shoulders. "Do you realize what this means?"
"That your daughter is part-ostrich," he says with a smile.
I squint at him. "No, it means she's here and probably having some care taken for her."
"Perhaps an undertaking?" I once again squint. "You've got to think; it's been Goddess-knows-how-long since we last saw her and judging by the depth of that hole, Sara was pretty deeps in there." He paused and moved his foot about. I look down at the pile of yellowish substance he had stepped into, the back up at him and restrain a smile. Grimacing, he says, "It occurs to me that I may be standing in her barf."
I let out a guffaw, then regain composure. "Okay, you check to the Nor...Sou..." I have no internal compass, but I notice that the town has two levels of buildings, "the lower level; I'll check the upper buildings and we'll meet at that photo shop over there. He nods and runs off toward what I think is the clothing shop. "Here goes nothing."
SONATA TAILORING
-Denny: I thought this place was familiar. Castanet Isle. Hello?
-Candace: N...neh?
-Shelly: Good evening, young man.
-Luna: Oh, hi there, Denny! What can I do for you?
-Denny: You work here, Luna?
-Luna: Yep, my grandma owns the store.
-Denny: Hello, ma'am...anywho, have you seen a small toddler with curly purple hair and big green eyes?
-Shelly: Sorry, can't say I have.
-Luna: We'll tell you if we see him okay?
-Denny: It's a girl, but thank you. I'll see you around. ...Oh sorry, hi Candace. How are you?
-Candace: Zzz...
-Shelly: She's had a long day. I'll tell her you said hello when she wakes up.
OCARINA INN
-Vaughn: Hello?
-Jake: Good evening, sir. Is this your first time here?
-Ah, no. Actually, I think I've been here as a kid. But I'm not here to stay. I was wondering if you saw a little toddler with a purple 'fro and big green eyes.
-Jake: I cannot say that I have. Did you lose track of your child?
-Vaughn: It's humiliating, really. I'm a disgrace to Daddies everywhere.
-Jake: No, not really. I sometimes lose my eighteen-year-old around this island.
-Vaughn: Oh, well at least she is old enough to find her way back.
-Jake: ...
-Vaughn: Right. So good luck with that and thanks anyway.
HARMONICA FISHING CO.
-Ozzie: Denny, my old pal! How is everything?
-Denny: Ah, not so good. You see, I lost my niece somewhere. She has curly purple hair and big green eyes.
-Ozzie: Hm?
-Toby: That's...
-Paolo: I've seen her. The Wizard took her to the clinic. Either check there or his fortune house!
-Denny: You're a real pal, Paolo. Thank you so much. Tell Pascal that I dropped in!
-Toby: Speaking of dropping...
-Denny: I'll explain later. Bye.
-Toby: Wait, aren't you gonna clean that-
*slam*
-Ozzie: *groan* I'll get the mop.
CHORAL CLINIC:
-Irene: Hello, Denny. Are you here for an examination?
-Denny: Ordinarily, I'd be all for it, but for now I'll have to pass.
-Jin: Irene, we need an aspirin for Patient Number Five. Ah, hello there, sir. How are you today?
-Denny: Alright. You wouldn't happen to have a little patient named Sara, would you?
-Jin: Name please?
-Denny: Dennis Guerra. I'm her uncle.
-Jin: Ah yes. Come, follow me. ...Right through this curtain.
-Sara: ...and the green piece go in-Denny! I miss-ed you!
-Denny: Me too, honey. Are you behaving?
-Sara: Yeah! Doctor is awesome! He maked me all better!
-Vivi: Well, now. Who's this?
-Denny: Denny Guerra, her uncle.
-Vivi: Oh, yes. You visit the fishery every now and again. Name's Vivi Begntsson.
-Sara: You bring friend too, Denny?
-Denny: Yes, I brought Vaughn.
-Sara: Wow, really?!
-Denny: Yeah, just lemme go get him. Be right back!
-Irene: Watch your step. Don't run.
-Denny: Sorry, Irene.
EMPTY HOUSE
-Vaughn: Dang, locked. Hello in there!
Nothing
-Vaughn: Hello?
-Denny: Hello up there!
-Vaughn: Aiyee! Don't...don't scare me like that! Did you find her!?
-Denny: Yeah, the doc says she's in a recovery room. She's talking to some witch lady!
-Vaughn: Holy shoot! Are you serious?!
-Denny: Just follow me, man!
And enter IOH's very own Vaughn and Denny!
I'd have to say that this is the longest chapter yet. I'm not sure that this interrogation-style format was a good idea, so I won't be using it again any time soon. Rate me please. I need feedback on this.
