A/N: Apologies if there's any errors, so if there are any, I'll try to fix them up tomorrow.
On a good note, I'm on holidays! So (hopefully) I'll have more time to write, and easier access to internet!
In this chapter, I thought there wouldn't be much to write if I just did the anime episodes from Ao's point of view, so I had a little fun with writing a chapter that happens after the group leaves Awa.
As Ao stood on the cliffs above the town, the smells that flooded in from below him were quite strong. The smells were from a mix of different types of foods and the general smell of a working town.
After watching the events in Awa from a cliff somewhere over to the side of the port town, Ao knew that the group had left.
He had decided to treat himself, go down to Awa and walk around for a bit. Maybe buy some food to eat, something he hadn't eaten in a while…
'Fish would be nice…' he thought.
Ao walked down from the cliff to the front entrance to the port town. It was the first time he had been anywhere near another town since he left the blue dragons village…
But it was also the first time he had been anywhere other than the blue dragons village… It was strange, being somewhere he had absolutely no knowledge of…
Some of the shops along the main street were closed. Some of them were boarded up and some were even trashed. People looked like they were recovering from something, although they seemed happy about it mostly.
A few people had small stalls set up in front of shops, selling small amounts of food at low prices just to get some money. Ao walked up to one particular stall that was selling baked goods. They had bread and cakes, some pies… all baked within the week too…
'How long has it been since I've had fresh food…?' Ao wondered.
Ao payed for a small loaf of bread. He was about to walk away when the stall keeper started talking.
"Haven't seen you around here before… Are you part of that group that joined the pirates the other day?" the stall keeper asked.
Ao considered running for it. He was trying to remain unnoticed! Then again, running away would just cause more suspicion… He countered the question with one of his own.
"Pirates?" he asked, trying not to sound like he was trying to get information. The stall keeper nodded.
"The pirates of Awa. There was a group of strange people that passed through here, left yesterday. Apparently they helped the pirates defeat Yan Kumji. People are saying it was the young girl who was the one to shoot him." the mans brow furrowed when Ao hesitated to answer. "Are you a part of their group? You look like you could be-"
"Look? What do you mean I 'look like I could be a part of their group'?" Ao asked.
The stall keeper lodged into a giant description.
"There was the girl who had unusual red hair, and her friend who looked ordinary but was stronger than anyone I've ever heard of, there was a man with a hand that looked like it had claws, another man that wore a strange mask and had a squirrel with him, although he didn't come into Awa until later in the day, and there was a young boy that made the most amazing soup! He was the only one that seemed normal… You'd fit right in to their little group, seeing as you have hair like that… I'm not saying its bad, just… different… Also, you've got a sword, and I'm betting you know how to use it..." the man said enthusiastically.
Ao looked at the man dryly. He hadn't wanted a full on explanation. The man looked slightly taken back by the bored look.
"Ah… also, Jae-ha left to join them, even though he said he never wanted to. Said something about 'not being able to leave a pretty girl when he had the opportunity to follow her'. It sounds like something he'd say, but the other pirates said he left for some other reason." the man added.
Ao looked up from his bread, which he had taken an interest to during the stall keepers rant.
"Who's Jae-ha?" he asked.
"I didn't really know him myself. If you want to find out more, you'll have to talk to the other pirates. Most of them have gone back to being fishermen. Others left wanting to stay with a life of action rather than coming home smelling like fish everyday…" the man answered.
Ao nodded slowly, and turned around to walk off.
"See ya round." the man called.
Ao didn't bother to turn around. "Unlikely…" he said to himself quietly. He walked further into the port town, towards where the town ended and the ocean started.
If Ao had thought that the view from the cliffs was amazing, he was wrong. From the port, standing next to the water, it washed up against the shore, then went back out to sea. It was nothing like the rivers and waterfalls near the village. From the shoreline, the sea went out, to the horizon until you wouldn't be able to see it anymore…
How anyone would ever want to leave the place, Ao didn't know. Being able to wake up, and take a quick walk to be able to see the view would be amazing.
But then again, if what the stall keeper had said was true, then perhaps the locals had wanted to leave to escape the memories of what had happened.
Ao sighed, contented at that moment, with the view and his situation.
He knew from his last conversation with Zeno that he would be joining the young girls group soon.
Maybe, in a short while... A few days... A few weeks... Ao would join them too... And he'd finally be able to see Seiryuu again...
I really feel like eating a nice slice of bread now...
Ah... we are getting very close to reunion time, as is hinted...