Chapter XLVII: Pressure

"You lost them?" Muntz said as he observed his lead dogs soaking wet.

"No, it was Dug." one dog spoke.

"Yeah, he's with them. He helped them escape." another spoke.

"Wait. Wait a minute. Dug." Muntz said, realizing his tracker was still active.

"Have a way to find them?" Iwa's voice called from the doorway.

"So there you are." Muntz said, walking over to him. "Where have you been. You said your group sent you here to aid me."

"And that we have." Iwa stated. "I proved you with those Heartless."

"A lot of good those did me." Muntz spat back. "My own dogs were more effective."

"You're simply using them wrong. They're not so much as for tracking as they are for eliminating those that are coming after that bird that's rightfully yours."

Iwa walked over to the tracking display, looking at it.

"I noticed they had a girl with them." Iwa said.

"Yeah, they did. What about her?" Muntz asked.

"In a way, she's something I have my eye on. You want to rid yourself of these thieves and I want to rid myself of her. Bring me to them and I'll aid you in your hunt personally."

Iwa extended his hand out towards the explorer. Muntz smiles as he reached forth and shook his hand.

"You got yourself a deal."

—

Having made sure they were no longer being followed, the group pressed on. Night fell as they continued their trek through the jungle, the house and an injured Kevin in tow. Ushio joined in again, helping to pull the house since she no longer need to provide protection.

"You know what, Ushio and Mr. Fredricksen." Russell began. "The wilderness is quite what I expected."

"Yeah? How so?" questioned Carl.

"It's kind of wild. It's not how they made it sound in my book." Russell explained.

"I know. It's crazier than you think it would be." Ushio drew on her experience.

"My dad made it sound so easy." Russell started up again. "He's really good at camping and how to make fire from rocks and stuff. He used to come to all my Sweat Lodge meetings. And afterwards, we'd go get ice cream at Fenton's. I always get chocolate and he gets butter brickle. Then we sit on this one curb right outside and I'll count all the blue cars and he'll count the red ones. And whoever gets the most, wins…I like that curb. That might sound boring, but I think the boring stuff is the stuff I remember the most."

Ushio thought about what Russell said. When she thought of her mother and father, he was right. It wasn't big moments or tough training. It was the little things. The three of them eating meals or her father and mother regaling her with stories from their past. Even simply sitting on the beach underneath the Paopu fruit trees and watching the sunset.

Kevin snapped her out of her thoughts as she cried out. Looking ahead, they spotted area Kevin wanted to go to.

"Look! There it is!" Russell called out. He tried to rush ahead only to be yanked back.

"Hold on Russell, stand still." Carl said, untying him from the house.

Ushio and Carl untied themselves as they fastened the house to a tree. Getting Kevin, the group made their way across the rocky ground to their destination. As they reached their goal, a shadow hovered over them before a bright light appeared. Seeing the blimp above, winds blowing down, Russell cried out.

"Run Kevin run!"

The bird ran only to be tangled in a launched net. The four ran to help as Ushio was yanked behind them. A hand shot over her mouth as she was held back.

"Get away from my bird!" Muntz shouted out. Walking over to Carl's house, he threw a lantern underneath, starting a fire.

Carl watched as the flames began to lick out his house. Ushio tried to struggle free, only to find herself unable to.

"Just watch for now." Iwa spoke in her ear.

With balloons popping and the underside of the house feeling the heat, Carl made a choice. Leaving Kevin as is, he rushed to the house. He pulled it away from the fire as Muntz's dogs retrieved Kevin, Russell helpless to do anything.

Ushio felt a tug as Iwa began to push her towards the blimp. Before she could even try again, two Berserkers appeared at her sides. Knowing that she'd be at a disadvantage, she had no choice but to do as Iwa wanted. She was escorted up the ramp and Kevin was pulled behind her. With everyone now on, the ramp raised and the blimp took off.

—

Having black out after her capture, Ushio dreamt. Once more, she was back on the island. Waves crashed as she stared out at the ocean.

"Come on, smile." she said.

Wait, who was she talking too? Someone else was there, but she couldn't make out who it was. Focusing on it, this memory seemed newer. Only a few years old.

"You can live with it, but I'm different." a voiced said.

Whose voice was it? That right, it was a boy's! But what boy?

"Live with what?" she asked.

"Them." he replied. "But no more. Starting today, I'm beginning my own journey."

"What's going…on."

"It'll be over soon. Then you won't have to worry about this."

"Wait, don't…go."

Haze filled her mind as the memory faded. Yet, something surfaced from the edge of her subconscious. The figure started to come into a clear focus for a few seconds. That face and hair. She'd seen it before. As her mind began to pull her out of her dream, one word popped into it.

"Iwa."

—

Ushio awoke, tied to a chair. Upon opening her eyes, she saw Iwa seated in front of her.

"Good morning." Iwa spoke. "My partner though the ropes would be a good idea. Let me get them for you."

Untying her, he stepped back as she got to her feet.

"Why are you acting so nice. Especially after last night." Ushio asked.

"You talk in your sleep." he grew more serious. "You've begun to remember me, haven't you?"

"You…you were on the island." Ushio said. "We knew each other back then."

"Indeed. You were just as much a fool back then as you are now."

Iwa paced around the room, settling on a wall.

"When we met in worlds past, you grew a bit agitated each time. Unlike the others who played games with you, you didn't know why I made you have a weird feelings. You see, a heart never truly forgets someone. Even if I removed myself from your memories, your heart still remembered me. You had those feelings as the memories attempted to return to the surface. I bet even now, you don't remember everything."

"No…I don't." Ushio said.

"Well, we have plenty of time. Muntz has his bird and your friends are probably out there doing something." Iwa stated. "I've been keeping track of you. I didn't ask last time, but how are my parents? Still looking for me?"

"Your parents?"

"So, even that's not back." he sighed. "You know them. The ones you call Uncle Riku and Aunt Naminé."