Shala suggested we tried to travel to Orbis. I did not like that plan: "No, absolutely not. I don't want to go to Orbis, Shala." We were standing in Ellinia and she was about to buy a ticket: "C'mon silly. What are you afraid of?" She stuck her tongue out. I panicked a little as she walked over to the line in front of the ticket booth: "Crimson Balrogs! Shala!" I ran over and grabbed her arm, but she was faster than me. I got whammed with the pillow, so hard that I landed on the ground. Some of the guys in the line looked at us.
A guy in shiny armor walked over to us: "My, my, don't hit him too hard." He gently laid a hand on Shala's shoulder: "It would be a shame if you hurt yourself…" He looked at Shala with a smirk on his face, "or him."
This guy seemed too slick for my licking. He was the type of guy who could make any girl smile or blush. But not Shala… She simply smacked him in the face with her pillow: "Sorry, I didn't see you there." She turned to me and grabbed me by the ear. Then she pulled me away from the line of people.
We were sitting under a tree, enjoying apples and I explained to Shala why I was scared (and that I did not have the money for a ticket). Shala waggled her hand impatiently back and forth: "Look at how many there are gonna be on the ship. Even if it gets attacked, there will be plenty of people to fight back. Plus you can just stay in cabin." When she said that, I felt ashamed: "I don't wanna be a coward." She smiled to me: "Then let's go get us some tickets. If you don't have the money for it, I can buy a ticket for you. I'll just make you repay later."
So we returned to get tickets. I was shaking when Shala handed me one. I did not feel prepared…but I was more prepared this time, than the first time I travelled.
- Rodderick Jones