The Night n Gale Chapter 3

"Who are you and what are you doing in Taichi's Cabin!" The voice exclaimed sharply. Sora turned to face a young man who was about as tall as Taichi was but he had short reddish brown hair.

"I didn't know…" she trailed off.

The man looked at her angry and just then Taichi entered the cabin, "Koushiro, it's all right she's with me," Taichi replied.

Sora looked away from the two of them feeling a little embarrassed.

"Oh…I apologize miss I didn't realize that," Koushiro replied he looked at Taichi questioning him with his eyes.

"Sorry, this is Sora Takenouchi, I met her in the town," Taichi explained to him.

Sora nodded.

"Ah I see," He replied.

"Taichi, you should warn us before other people beside the crew aboard," He said to him.

"Well, you should welcome her aboard." He replied.

Koushiro and Sora looked at him in shocked, "What do you mean welcome aboard you mean she's part of the crew?" he asked him.

Taichi nodded, "Aye and we set sail tomorrow. Father wants us up early so we can pack the supplies and get everything ready for the departure before the sun rises high in the sky," He told him.

"All right, nice meeting you Sora," He put his hand out to her they shook. Then as quickly as he came he left.

Sora turned to Taichi gave him hug, which surprised him. Sora felt him tense up, she released him from the hug "I'm sorry Taichi, I was too happy…thank you so much!"

"It's all right just warn me before you hug me," He replied.

Sora looked at him for while trying to figure him out she then sighed, and then looked away. "So we leave in the early morning then…I got to do some preparation before leaving. But when I came back where can I stay?" she asked him.

"There's a spare bed in my cabin you can use that one," He told her.

She smiled at him then passed by him. Taichi sighed then he wondered if what he did was the right choice.

XooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooX

Sora confidently walked to the exit ramp leading off the ship. She was stopped by an sailor that was guarding the entrance and exit ways, "How did you get on board!" he cried.

"Taichi's permission, I am part of the crew now." She replied flaunting the part about being a crew-member.

The sailor eyed her suspiciously, "TAICHI!" he called within a few seconds Taichi came back up on deck he then went over to where Sora and the sailor.

"What is it Raul?" Taichi asked as he walked up to them. He eyed Sora then looked at Raul.

"This girl claims to says she is part of the crew, is it so?" he asked.

"Yes, Raul I expect you to treat her and as one of us," He replied.

"Okay I'll come back as soon as I can. I just have to go and get some of my clothing and my other stuff," Sora replied she made he way down the ramp.

Taichi watched her then turned to Raul, "Taichi, you let a girl aboard?" he questioned the captain's son.

"My father allowed it. He's letting me pick who I want aboard the Night n Gale, as my crew," Taichi said as he watched Sora disappear into the darkness.

The wind blew gently as his eyes remained where she had disappeared into the darkness.

"But Taichi, she has no sword fighting experience. What if we run into pirates in the open waters?" Raul asked him

"That is not a problem. She has good swords skills. I saw with my own eyes. I simply don't let any other aboard if they don't have the necessary skills, Raul you should know that," Taichi explained to him.

"Very well I trust your judgement," Raul said. Taichi nodded went back down into the cabins.

XooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooX

Sora walked to her house and snuck into her room again that day and took a small bag. She then began to stuff various outfits into the bag. A noise had startled her but it was only the cats playing outside ignoring it she continued to look through her drawers and pulled out more articles of clothing, and putting them into her bag.

Sora sighed and looked around she saw a book from her studies and took it from the table and put it into her bag as well. This time she heard a cough then looked to the doorway.

"Sora where are you going?" her mother's voice said.

Sora turned surprised looked at her mother, "Mama, you're supposed to be asleep," Sora whispered quietly.

"And you should be too," She replied.

Sora smiled, "I was going to go to bed right now." She said though she was really lying to her mom. She set her bag down on his lied she put down the bag next to her bed, and climbed into it. "Mama, just so you know. I love you and I'll write too you," Sora said.

"Okay, tomorrow is a busy day for us, so get your sleep," Her mother told her before leaving her room.

Sora waited for a bit before getting out of bed. She placed a note on her pillow then she slipped out the window.

"I'm sorry to all of you but this is for me. I want to live my life here in a small town and marry a boring person," She said to herself as she walked away from the house.

"Sora! Where are you going?" Mimi said running up to her.

Sora looked at her oddly, "Mimi? Yamato? What are you two doing up so late?" Sora question them, she momentary dropped her sack of clothing.

"I could ask you the same thing, Sora," Yamato said observing the sack she was carrying.

Sora laughed nervously she put the hood of her shawl over her head, "A funny thing has happened you see. I went to go bring some of my clothing to…um a shelter in town the new one that opened you know," She said.

Yamato eyed her suspiciously, "What shelter I don't remember one being opened." He answered.

"Of course you don't because it just opened yesterday," She said nodding and went to pick up her sack of clothing.

"Sora, you aren't by chance making this up?" Mimi questioned.

"Making it up…of course not, I'm not that crazy," She replied, she adverted her eyes to the ground then looking back to her two best friends whom she hated to lie too. She couldn't just tell them she gotten aboard the ship by begging the captain's son to let her aboard. Nor could she tell them that this would be they're last time seeing her.

"Sora, we grew up together and I--.Well lets just say we can tell when you're lying to us and your doing it now," Mimi told her best friend.

Sora sighed, "I would tell you both. But not now…maybe another time," She replied.

"Another time Sora? We saw you talk to another boy…who was he?" Yamato questioned her.

"Uh….I got to be going I'll talk to you later!" she said and ran away from the two of them with her sack in hand. How ever she wasn't quick enough to get away from Yamato and he managed to stop her.

"Sora wait…we want to know who that was," Yamato said as he

"If you must know he is the Captain's son. From the ship that we saw so long ago. The Night n Gale," She answered after catching her breath.

"The Captain's son?" Mimi questioned she started at her friend.

Yamato frowned as he looked at his friend too, "How did you manage that?" he asked Mimi stared at her.

Sora began to feel trapped, "I…I….can't say," She said backing away from them.

"Sora, we want to know you're our friend. If he did something to you. You must tell me!" Yamato shouted.

"NO! Yamato no he didn't okay…now just drop the subject. You two should go home, I bet both of your parents are worried," She said she turned around her back facing them.

Mimi was about to follow her but Yamato stopped her. She turned to look at him confused, "Let her go, she won't tell us where she's going. I think we should follow her," Yamato replied he watched as Sora walked out of sight.

"Do you suggest we spy one her?" Mimi questioned him he nodded.

"It's the only thing that we can do…besides Sora being rather secretive ever since, well…. since a few years ago and especially now," He replied. Mimi nodded in agreement with him.

XooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooX

Sora hurried back to the harbour unaware that her friends had decided to follow her, "That was close," Sora thought to herself. She saw the Night n Gale and then noticed a figure that was on the starboard it looked like Taichi but she wasn't sure, reaching the ramp of the ship. Sora proceeded up it and was greeted by Raul.

"Sora, Taichi wants a word with you he's over by the starboard side of the ship," The sailor told her.

She nodded, "Okay thank you Raul. I'm just going to drop this stuff in the cabin." She then headed down to the cabins and entered Taichi's cabin. Placing her bag next to the bed she then exited the room and went up the stairs. Once she was on deck she saw Taichi there at starboard and he looked deep in thought. It scared her 'He's going to reconsider me staying isn't he.' She thought and then she watched him for a few more seconds.

Sora clear her throat, Taichi looked started then relaxed seeing her there, "Sora, you startled me for a second," Taichi said to her.

Sora watched the young man carefully, "I suppose you don't want me in your crew anymore…" she trailed off looking at her feet.

Taichi looked up at her surprised that she'd come up with such a thing. "No…that's not it Sora." He replied.

"Then what is it Taichi? Is it because I'm a girl? Is it because you felt bad for me?" she questioned him upset.

"That's not what I wanted to talk to you about…you definitely will be to great use for us. But that's another story what I wanted to talk to you about was completely not related to anything you are referring to. I wanted to tell you that after this mission we are going to my home in France…my mother and sister live there," He began stopping momentarily he then continued on, "I just wanted to say that my mother my react differently to you," He said then he stopped.

"Differently?" Sora wondered out loud.

"For example she might take it thinking that me and you are…" he stopped again he looked like he was blushing a bit.

"Oh…. That we are romantically involved…is that what you mean?" Sora questioned him she smiled.

"Uh…yeah please don't get her the wrong way," He replied with a wearily smile.

"Oh Taichi you don't have to worry…beside we are friends right?" she said to him with a smiled.

"Exactly friends…well not very good friends but we will be good friends," He said to her.

Sora was about to hug him but stopped remembering earlier on from what she promised to him. "Is it okay if I hug you…" she trailed off looking at him hopefully he'd say yes.

"…Yeah, it's just I'm never used to anyone else but my sister or mother to hug me," He said to her.

"Why not? I mean…I always hug my friends," She replied.

"Let's just say that it reminds me of someone," He replied softly.

"Oh well you should get used to it…" Sora said and gave him a hug.

Taichi felt obviously uncomfortable and pushed Sora away slightly, "I'm sorry." He whispered.

Sora only smiled, "It's okay Taichi I understand…I'm going to sleep okay…maybe you should too," She replied and she walked to the cabins.

"I can't let her get to close to me like Lila," Taichi said whispering to himself and he closed his eyes. "I only picked her because she can handle a sword," He told himself, he got up and went to the cabin.

XooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooX

Mimi and Yamato both looked at each other, "Well, if we hadn't followed her then we wouldn't have known that she had gotten aboard that ship. It is just as she said," Mimi said.

"I know what you mean, Mimi," He replied as he looked at her. "Maybe if it's what she wanted," Yamato replied.

"Maybe perhaps we will see her again next year or whenever the ship comes back to our home town…then for sure she will visit us and tell us about adventures she has taken with the crew." Mimi said sadly tears in her eyes.

"Mimi…" Yamato whispered he put left hand on her shoulder as she watched over to the ship. "I'm going to miss her Yamato she's my only female friend," She cried.

Yamato turned her around and gave her a hug, "Shhh…you'll find new friends don't worry and you still have me," He answered.

Mimi pulled away from his hug and looked up at him, "That's true…and I love you," She said to him.

He smiled and wiped away her tears. He leaned down to her and kisses her softly.

XooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooX

Taichi came into the cabin. He took off his shirt and put it on the side of his bed. Then climbed into his bed…he subconsciously looked over to Sora was already asleep.

"I pray I've made the right decision," Taichi replied he lay back down on his bed. "Father you better be right about this," He thought out loud silently.

To Be Continued…