A New Light
Chapter 26
Rough Waters Pt 1
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The sun beamed down at the golden beach scorching every grain of golden sand hot.
Right next to the beach line was a concrete street. Cars passed by at marvelous speeds. Except for two vans.
The two vans, one white and one tan, parked at the shoulder closest to the beach.
Their doors slid open at the same exact time.
And five young girls came dashing out of the two vans.Three from the white van and two from the tan one. All of them ready in their bathing suits as they ran towards the wide blue ocean.
Then everyone else came waltzing out of the two vans.
Naru was first.
"Well, aren't they just anxious to get wet…"
"They haven't been here for a while Naru. Of course they would be anxious. I am too!!" A sunglasses wearing Mitsune said as she too stepped out of the car.
Haruka then joined the two outside at the beach.
"Why are you anxious? It isn't because of you not being here for a while."
Mitsune winked. "You got me Haruka. I came for the hot surfer studs."
Naru rolled her eyes.
So did Motoko as she stepped out of the tan van.
"Well those surfer studs of yours better not come near me or those girls as we have fun…" She said glaring at Mitsune.
Mitsune sweat dropped.
"Okay!"
Haruka only smiled. She looked at the other van to see Keitaro and Sakura step out of their van as well.
Sakura had her bathing suit on but was sticking unto Keitaro like glue.
Keitaro looked at the five girls splashing out at the shore line.
"Asuna-chan! Suu-chan! Sara-chan! Makie-chan! Shinobu-chan! Don't go far into sea!"
His shouting was greeted by the wave of their hands.
Keitaro smiled and looked down at the remaining child he had to talk to.
Sakura..
"Come on Sakura, You can still have some fun. Just stay in the shallow end."
Sakura didn't respond.
"Or at least don't latch unto my leg."
Sakura giggled and let og of his leg.
Motoko and Naru looked over at the still Sakura. Then they looked at each other.
"Yeah, Sakura-chan. The other girls will get you just in case you do get caught out there in the violent sea!" Naru tried to encourage her.
Sakura winced.
Motoko elbowed Naru lightly.
Naru clasped a hand to her mouth.
"So-sorry."
Keitaro only chuckled and patted Sakura's hair.
"Hehe, that's okay. If she doesn't want to, she doesn't have to. Now lets go to this tea shop of yours Haruka…"
Haruka nodded and guided them to the tea shop. All of them walking on the sand.
Keitaro turned to the ocean. There in the horizon where the ocean met the sky was the figure of an island.
"Motoko. That way is south right?!"
Motoko raised an eyebrow.
"Yes Keitaro….That is indeed south."
Naru looked out at the blue ocean and she too noticed the small island in the horizon.
"Oh, I see Keitaro. That little island is Okinawa isn't it?"
Keitaro nodded.
Mitsune had a confused look on her face.
"Isn't that the place where you got that Tama-chan at?!"
Keitaro nodded to that also. "Yes, and the person who gave it to us lives there too."
Sakura looked up at Keitaro and tugged at his shirt.
Keitaro looked down at her daughter.
"Papa? Who was the person who gave you Tama-chan?"
With a smile he replied, "Her name was Mutsumi Otohime!"
Sakura nodded and looked back at the distant island.
A dark and stormy cloud hung above the lone mass of land.
Sakura shrugged it off and kept walking forward towards the Hinata beach tea shop.
One step at a time..
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Okinawa Island………..
Her chocolate brown hair flared with the wind as she stepped out of her house. A hand on her hat and the other on the door she just opened.
She took one step outside.
"Mutsumi, dear! It's a windy day out there in the beach. Don't walk around there too much!" said a woman's voice inside the house.
Mutsumi looked back and smiled at her mother.
Mutsumi was a special girl. Every person that met her knew that for a fact. Mutsumi was usually blissfully happy and had a simple one track mind. She never had a grasp of things in the real world. Always spacing out and staring out into the open. Always fainting due to her low stamina. Besides all that however, Mutsumi wasn't dumb nor stupid at all. She is actually the complete opposite. She is indeed smart and intelligent.
She just wasn't really wise.
"Don't worry about me Mother. I'll be fine!"
"Okie but are you bundled up!"
She looked at herself.
She wore a light jacket over her cute blue blouse and long ocean blue skirt that stopped down to her knees. On her head was her favorite straw hat. Equipped with her favorite blue ribbon tied up into a nice little bow.
All given to her form her own father….
"Yes Mother!"
With that she closed the door and ventured out unto the beach at the back of her house.
Her sandals touched the cool sand as she walked closer to the rushing tide. Splashes echoed around the beaches as white foam danced into the air.
Wind was unusually harsh during this time of day. Occasionally becoming strong enough to make a fragile women like Mutsumi to stop and brace herself.
She continued her stroll in the beach.
One step at a time.
She tightly clutched her straw hat that was perched on her head,so it wouldn't fly away in this windy day.
She looked around as she walked.
There was no one else in the beach. Probably because of the weather…
She looked up.
There was supposed to be a hot beaming sun above her.
But instead a group of dark gray clouds filled the air. Blocking out the sun's inviting rays and made way for the possibility of rain.
A sudden strong gust blew in from the west.
She braced her self as she tightened her grip to her hat and placed a hand down to her long elegant skirt as it flapped in the wind along with her single braided hair.
She closed her eyes. She stood still through out the whole situation.
She tried to maintain balance.
She tried to hold on to her hat.
But her hand started to slip.
The wind kicked up a bit more and….
The straw hat escaped Mutsumi's tight grasp and instantly went soaring and tumbling into the clear cold air.
With a gasp Mutsumi reached out a futile arm and ran as she helplessly watched her favorite hat be carried by the rushing wind.
She ran as fast as she could but the wind just carried the hat faster.
Her sandals leaving marks in the sand behind her. Her brown hair dangling behind her. A panting look etched on her face.
The straw hat climbed up into the air and then mysteriously declined back down to the ground until…
-Snatch!-
A gentle hand caught it in mid descent.
Mutsumi stopped in her tracks. She looked at her hat and then looked at the person currently holding it.
She gasped.
There stood a young boy. About half her height and completely naked. He had crystal clear skin and his short wavy blue hair dangled with the wind along with hers. He wasn't look straight at her, but instead was looking at the ocean behind her.
His left hand grasping onto the caught hat.
His bare feet engraved into the sand.
Mutsumi was speechless for a while. Her jaws slightly open as she curiously observed the young boy.
The boy slowly faced Mutsumi. They met face to face. Eye to eye.
She could clearly see the boy's ocean like blue eyes. She marveled at their depths and tranquility.
She could see the boy was calm and steady. But she could also see loneliness in the boys eyes.
Cautiously she took one step forward.
The boy didn't move.
Sensing the boy wasn't scared nor effected by a women's presence while he was in his birthday suit she shuffled closer to the boy. The boy turned his whole body so he would be completely facing the older woman.
They were now about a foot away from each other.
Mutsumi looked down at the boy.
The boy looked up at the woman.
With a gentle smile she laid her right hand on top of the boy's blue hair.
Her knees bended and now both of them were in the same eye level, with Mutsumi's left hand still on top of his head.
"Ara? What are you doing out here?" She curiously asked.
"……………."
The boy kept silent.
Mutsumi just kept smiling.
"Were did you come from, ne?"
"………."
Again. Silent.
Mutsumi sighed.
Her left hand trailed down the boy's smooth hair. Down to the side of his fore head, then slowly to his face as she cupped her hand to the boy's left cheek.
It was cold.
"Oh my! Come on. Your going to catch a cold, or evenfreeze in this kind of weather."
The boy finally smiled.
He lifted the hat he was holding and offered it back to her.
"Ara?" Mutsumi said as she took it and placed it on her head.
The blue haired boy smiled even more and muttered, "Cute…."
Mutsumi was about to speak but quickly shut up due to the boy's next course of action.
He fainted.
Wide eyed. She caught the boy in her arms and instantly started to take her jacket off using her free hand.
Quickly she bundled up the boy's naked cold body with her own jacket.
The wind picked up speed once more.
She scooped up the boy with both her arms. Stood up, and dashed as fast as she could back to her house.
Tightly holding the young boy to her chest.
Her hair flew freely with the wind.
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Haruka led the gang deep into the beach where more and more people stared to pop up everywhere.
Then she stopped.
"Here she is Keitaro. The Beach Tea shop!!" Haruka said with a proud smile.
Everyone's jaw dropped.
There in front of them was indeed a shop. But a shop that came out of the junkyard located deep in the pits of hell. Everything was torn asunder. The roof had holes in it. The sign was full of sea gull poop. Random floor boards were popping out of the floor. The desks and tables were either upside down or completely not there.
Naru sweat dropped.
"You have to be kidding Haruka-san! I mean come on!! This thing seems like it was eaten by a huge sea monster and instantly went out the other end!!"
Haruka smiled.
"That's why our only male is going to do all the hard work…."
Naru looked at Keitaro.
Motoko looked at Keitaro.
Mitsune looked at Keitaro.
All of them smiled.
Keitaro sweat dropped. He looked down at Sakura besides him.
She too was smiling.
Keitaro sighed.
This is going to be one long week…
"I'll get the tools…" A now slightly depressed Keitaro replied.
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A roasting fire was set in the fireplace.
Filling the living room with life and warmth.
Mutsumi was seated opposite of the sparkling fire, on a comfortable rocking chair. A blanket set on her lap as she enjoyed the warm air coming from the fire.
Random sparks flew from the fire.
There near her was the unconscious boy. Laying comfortably on the sofa next to the fireplace. Wearing one of Mutsumi's cute 'Hello Kitten' pajamas and also wrapped around his small body was a snug blanket.
Everything was quiet inside the living room.
Only the slow, steady breath of the sleeping boy on the sofa could be faintly heard.
His chest rising, then falling back down.
Mutsumi kept staring at the fire in front of her.
Footsteps.
Mutsumi looked behind her.
Her mother walked into the room. Shuffled over to the sofa and laid a gentle hand on the sleeping boy's forehead.
"………"
"Well, he isn't cold anymore. Thank god…."
Mutsumi smiled at her mother.
"Mutsumi….so let me get this straight. You found this boy, naked. Standing in the middle of the beach and that he caught your hat which was caught by the wind."
Mutsumi only nodded.
Her mother only shook her head. "Wonder where he came from."
Mutsumi and her mother thought for a while.
Then Mutsumi tapped her mother's shoulder.
"Ara! Ara! I know! I bet you he is from a distant universe where water resides everywhere and he sleeps most of the time, due to him being suspended in the middle of all this water. Trapped and jailed up because he was ordered to be there, and he was just freed recently by two twin girls!"
"………" Mutsumi's mother cocked an eyebrow.
"Wow dear. You have a very wild imagination….Did you just make that up?!"
Mutsumi chuckled. "Yes."
Silence…..
Both of them started to laugh.
But then a light moan came from the sofa beside them.
Both the women turned their heads towards the boy.
He was slowly getting up. Moaning and shaking his head. He was sitting on the sofa. The blanket fell to his lap as he ran a hand over his blue smooth hair.
Everything was a blur to him. He shook his little head and everything was back to normal again. He looked to his right to see a roasting fire burning in the fireplace next to him.
He inhaled to embrace the warmth coming from the fire. Then he exhaled while he turned his head to the left.
There two women were present there. One of them sitting on a rocking chair while the older one stood besides her. Both with brown long hair, and the same blissful smile were etched on their faces.
Mutsumi stood up.
She shuffled closer to him and kneeled down besides him.
"You feeling better?!"
Their eyes met once more.
Earth brown eyes to ocean blue eyes.
The boy only smiled and nodded.
"Yes, thank you.." He replied meekly.
Mutsumi clasped both her hands together with joy.
"You spoke for the first time."
The boy lightly blushed.
Mutsumi just kept on smiling and giggling till a her mother tapped on her shoulder.
Mutsumi looked back.
Her mother had a slight frown on her face.
"Oh! Sorry mother."
She turned back at the boy.
"Soooooo. Do you know where your parents are?!"
The boy looked down to the hard wood floor.
"No……I don't have any parent. They..um….Kind of died a long time ago…"
Mutsumi bit her lip.
"Well….then do you know where you came from, like….. where you live?"
The boy shook his head.
"I…..I have no where to call home today…"
Everyone kept silent.
Mutsumi faced her mother.
"Mother! Can he stay with us?!"
The boy looked back up wide eyed.
Mutsumi's mother smiled down at the both of them.
"Mutsumi dear! Of course he can. Just after we report this to the police then he can stay here! But dear, you have to take good care of him! He isn't any dog you know! He is a real live boy."
Mutsumi titled her head.
"But Mama. I know he isn't any dog! He doesn't even have any fur!"
Her mother shook her head at her daughters innocence.
"No no dear. That is not what I mean. Remember the puppy I gave you when you were 12 years old?!"
"Yea , he ran away when I was trimming his fur for him."
"With a meat cleaver…."
"So! I was careful Mother. I couldn't find the scissors anyways!"
A giggling sound interrupted the two. Both of them, instantly looked at the boy.
He was giggling madly, and non-stop.
The two women just smiled and laughed along with the boy.
"Just remember Mutsumi. Take good care of him."
Mutsumi nodded and took the boys hand.
"My name's Mutsumi Otohime. What's your name?"
The boy gripped her hand tighter and beamed back with a smile.
"My name's….Hitari." The boy said standing up.
"Well, Hikari. Let's go shop for some clothes for you!!"
"Um, Mutsumi okaa-san, it's Hitari. Not Hika--"
He was quickly cut from finishing his sentence as he was playfully yanked towards the door.
His whole body being dragged on the floor and then out the door.
Mrs. Otohime just waved at the helpless boy.
"My, my….."
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-Bang- -Bang-
Keitaro continually kept smashing a nail that kept in place a board of wood that covered one of the many holes scattered everywhere on the roof he was laying on.
He sweated and panted.
He laid down his hammer and wiped the sweat that dripped down his forehead.
Footsteps
He sensed someone else on the roof.
He turned around to see Naru walking carefully towards him on the roof. Evading all the holes and loose tiles.
Naru sat down besides him and offered him a nice cold glass of water.
Keitaro smiled with relief and happily took it.
"Having fun?"
Keitaro only chuckled and drank the whole glass of water.
He looked at Naru and smiled.
"Thanks, Naru.."
Naru blushed, and instantly shook her head.
"Do-don't thank me. Thank Sakura she told me to give it to you..um..ya know..because..um..you're doing a great job on the roof." She said, weakly smiling.
Keitaro only nodded.
"Well thanks for you coming up here and bringing it to me then."
Silence….
Keitaro and Naru just kept out to sea while both of them looked at the sea. The both of them had a gorgeous view out into sea. The sun was beaming down on them and all they could do was marvel at the wide blue ocean. They could also seethe girls playing happily out in the shallow end. Getting all wet and having a great time.
Sakura on top of Asuna's shoulder.
Sara on top of Makie's shoulders.
And Shinobu on top of Suu's.
All of them trying to wrestle the other ones into the rushing sea waters below each of them.
Keitaro only smiled at the warm picture.
Naru noticed his smile and she couldn't help but smile with him.
"You guys were able to persuade Sakura to play with everyone else out at the beach! Right?" He asked.
Naru nodded.
"Yea, Mitsune, Motoko and I had a long chat with her. And she finally agreed with us and ran towards the others."
Keitaro smiled warmly at Naru.
Naru only averted her gaze and blushed furiously.
"Thanks, Naru!"
"You're - you're welcome.."
The two of them looked at the horizon again. Both of their sights caught the distant figure of a very familiar island. Okinawa island….
As they gazed at the island, dark menacing clouds still hovered over the innocent island.
But slowly they started to dissipate and soon the clear blue sky reared it's glorious head once more over the lone island.
---End Chapter 26---
Jerails looked on at his latest job.
The beach house he resided in did nothing to help his disappointed mood. He smiled though, for his latest work was an improvement.
"Ahhh...It's much better than my last one...All those mistakes I missed! I can't believe how terrible it turned out..."
Metangelo entered the beach house, carefully stepping over the piles of papers littering the one-roomed house.
"So...How'd this chapter turn out, Jerails?"
"Hey, Meta! Well, it's a major improvement from my last one...Which sucked...Miserably."
"Now now, man. You at least tried your best on that last one! It's because the program you use keeps scrunching together stuff and deleting the spaces! No need to hurt yourself for it." Meta smiled cruelly, pulling out a Halo shotgun.
"Especially when I can do it for you!" Meta took aim at the terrified Jerails.
Jerails instictively tossed a pile of paper marked as "A New Light : Future Chapter Ideas" at Meta, distracting him long enough for him to make his escape. He quickly dashed out the door, screaming murder as he fled across the beach.
Meta slowly walked out of the beach house, smiling menacingly at the fleeing figure. "You can run, but you can't hide! I know your weakness!!!" He made his way calmly across the sand, ignoring the fleeing people who caught a glimpse of his shotgun.
Keitaro looked on at the scene before him, and put a hand to his head. "The next chapter might be a little slow coming...Won't it?" He asked Sakura and Asuna, who were sitting by him, watching the scene unfold.
"...Yup..." They replied together.