Jaden was the first to wake up. He looked at his unfamiliar surroundings and muttered," Where are we?" Just as he said 'we', he remembered that May had fainted too.
He got up, feeling dizzy because of his sore head, and looked around for May.
Jaden was currently in a canvas tent with a burning fire next to him. Apparently, someone took his jacket off, but they put it folded right next to him, so he was only in his white T-shirt. (1)
He put his jacket back on and pushed open the flap of the tent. This is where he saw a bunch of people wearing clothes ranging from the early Egyptian times to the modern 21st century.
All the women ( from the earlier times) were either cooking or looking after the younger children. All the men, and some modern women, were fishing and hunting. After a moment, they all noticed him and looked to stare at him.
A plump old woman walked quickly over to him and grabbed his hands. Her face seemed pleasant, but her eyes showed worry.
"All of you, go back to what you were doing." She waved one hand in a dismissive way and then led Jaden to another tent.
"Is this whom you're looking for?" she inquired, pointing to May. He didn't even bother to nod. He knelt down and looked at her.
"Are you two married?" she asked suspiciously. Taken aback by the random question, he pulled his head back, as if to say "what the hell are you talking about?"; he shook his head.
She suddenly pushed him away from May.
"Hey, that hurt!"
"And it'll hurt 50 times more if you touch her. Don't you know the rules?!"
"Uh…no….Not really." The lady blanched as she sat down next to him.
"You can't touch anyone from the opposite gender unless you're old, like me, or very young, like those children."
Jaden gave her a puzzled look as he argued. "But I've touched her before. I never felt any pain."
The lady, if it was possible, looked even paler then before.
"A-are you okay?" Jaden asked, as the lady got up and put her face in her hands.
"I'm fine. I'm worrying about both of you!"
"Why?" he asked. As the lady was about to answer, May started stirring up. Abruptly, his mind changed its course.
"May! Wake up," he said. He hesitated, but he took her hand. The lady nodded, as if confirming something in her mind. She conjured up a bowl of water from her back and put it next to May. She cupped one hand and dipped it in the water, making sure that there was half a handful of water in it. Then she sprinkled some over May's face.
May moaned, opening one eyes, not yet ready to wake up.
"Jaden,"-yawn-" where are we?"
"That's what I'd like to know."
"You are on Portal Island. From this island, you can go wherever, except for His castle."
"Who is 'His'?" Jaden asked. The lady shook her head.
"We do not speak His name."
"Sorry. I guess we'll just leave."
"Nuh-uh-uh. You must eat first." Finally, the pleasant nature that Jaden sensed in the woman finally burst out. She smiled brightly at them and went off to get some food.
May asked what was going on. Jaden decided not to mention the marriage thing and went on to tell her how the last thing he remembered was being knocked out. Then, he woke up in an unfamiliar tent and found people from different eras working. Then he found her and then she woke up...
Then, suddenly, a child burst into the room. He looked at May and Jaden with interest.
"Are you the chosen ones?" he asked eagerly. May and Jaden looked at eachother, baffled.
"Jaden?" May asked, poking him. "What's going-"
"Darcy! I've been looking everywhere for you! I thought your father told you to avoid this tent! I'm very sorry if he annoyed you," the lady apologized, bowing slightly. Jaden and May looked at eachother, then quickly told her they weren't bothered at all, just amused.
They invited her to stay and sit with them. She obliged, happily, sitting Indian style.
After exchanging some pleasantries, they found out the lady's name was Marcy.
"Rhymes with Darcy," May pointed out, jokingly. Marcy laughed a little.
"How long have you two been married?" she asked, a glint in her eye. Jaden recognizing the question denied the marriage. May looked more befuddled than ever. She suddenly started coughing uncontrollably. Apparently, this was to cover up her question.
"What"-cough-"the"-cough-"hell?"
"Play along," Jaden murmured to her, pretending to thump her on the back. Marcy looked worried.
"Shall I get some water…?"
"No, that's fine. What made you think we were married?" May queried, coughs subsiding.
"Well, the fact that Jaden went to your tent as soon as he woke up and the fact that he just got in contact with you."
"I see."
Darcy, abruptly, started crying. Marcy groaned. "It's time for him to take a nap. I'm sorry I have to cut our chat short. It was nice talking to you."
Marcy waved to them and got up, dragging a crying Darcy along with her.
Jaden made to get up but was quickly pulled back down by May.
"Married? Jaden, what is going on?" May asked, suspicious. "Did I become a wife, unknowingly, while I was asleep?"
"No!" Jaden laughed. "Apparently, in this world, you can't touch anyone of the opposite gender. People are surprised that I thumped you on the back without rolling on the floor, writhing in pain." May quirked an eyebrow in amusement.
"This is one screwed up realm."
"And molestation free." May and Jaden both laughed at his comment.
Suddenly, the old women came back with a tray of food and water.
"Thank you very much…uh…"
"Claudia, dear. "
"Thanks a bunch, Claudia," May said, smiling. Claudia smiled back warmly. The group talked for a while. The atmosphere of the room was calm and comfortable. May and Jaden felt right at home on the fur mat they sat on.
"So you say you're from Duel Academy. Different realm?"
"Yeah. We were brought here by Him and he told us to find him."
"So my hunch was…"
"Pardon?" May asked.
"Oh, it's nothing. I'm just talking to myself. I suppose you will have to find him. This is Portal Island. However, the downside is that the He will not be found unless he wants to be."
"But we have to start looking," May said, sighing. The old woman look sympathetically at the two. But the sympathy turned into alarm when someone burst into the room.
"Claudia, is what I'm hearing right? An unwed girl coming in contact with in unwed boy?" A man with a dark complexion but a tall posture stood glaring from May to Claudia.
"Piç! You know you can't burst into any tent like that."
"Answer the question, woman." Claudia grit her teeth but nodded.
"You know that's against the law!"
"But the law doesn't apply to the chosen ones, o' great leader," she said, crossing her arms and slightly mocking him.
"Don't mock me. These two will have to follow our traditions otherwise they'll be kicked out of the community. We can't have girls jumping on men?" he said distastefully, looking at May. May gasped indignantly. Jaden looked angry.
"How dare you? At least I don't have a name that sounds like piss." Piç raised his hand to slap May but Jaden was right by her side. He moved May away from Piç. Piç, effectively, slapped the air and fell down, hitting a bowl, knocking himself out.
"Well, he can blame himself for that," Jaden said, disgusted. He didn't notice that he was still holding May by her waist. He also didn't notice that she had her arms around his neck.
"Don't tell him I did this," Claudia pleaded. She pulled her leg back and kicked him in the stomach. May and Jaden grinned. They continued kicking him while they talked.
"I suppose Piç"-kick-" isn't the only one who wants everyone to follow traditions. There are a lot of people in the community. "
"Wait so you're saying that we"-kick-"have to get married?" May's heart fell. Jaden sounded like he'd die at the prospect of being married to her.
She smiled and kick Piç really hard, 'accidently' in the face, breaking his nose. "You don't have to get married. You can get engaged so that you can always call it off."
Personally, neither May or Jaden wanted to call it off.
"Well, I do have two rings with me right now. Would you two liked to get engaged?"
"Uh…ok!" May said trying to be subtle. On the inside, she was excited.
Claudia got the rings. She gave one to May and one to Jaden.
Jaden, surprisingly, got on his knees. "Will you be my girl?"
May blushed prettily as she nodded. "Yes." And Jaden slipped on the ring.
May took his warm hand and slid his ring in his finger.
"Awww," Claudia squealed. "You just have to seal it with a kiss."
May looked at Jaden and Jaden looked at her. They leaned forward eagerly, closing their eyes, lips just barely brushing when-
BOOM!
A/N- Have a great time Eri! Chapter is dedicated to you! :) Hopefully, you'll get time to review. :)
How'd you all like the ending? ;) Tell me in your reviews. I'll accept death threats graciously. ^^
(1)- He has a black one but I gave him a white one instead :P Bye the way, Piç means bastard in Turkish. ;)