Star Crossed, chapter 1
"Kiina!"
"Bankiinaaa! What are you doing? Get out here and help your poor old father with the yardwork! Before I break my tired old back!"
"Papaaa! You know what I'm doing!" Kiina called out from the kitchen, clearly annoyed. "I'm finishing my masterpiece!"
The girl turned back to the oven, excitement written all over her pale face. "It should be about done..." She licked her lips. "This year, I'll win again for sure!" She rubbed the sweat off of her cheek, leaving a bit of flour on her long nose.
"Hurry up and get out here, girl! We need to clean up the walk out here before the festival!" Her Papa was trying to sound annoyed, but didn't really succeed.
"Yes, yes. Coming, coming..." Kiina opened the oven door just a crack...
"Done!" She pulled the pie out, holding the hot pan with a towel. "Ah... it's just perfect!"
The frail girl walked over to the open window. "Now to just let it cool... Cool off, little pie! Tomorrow's your big day!"
******
"Pirates! Pirates have landed at the harbor!"
Paolo looked up from the leaves he was raking. "Pirates? In Syrup Village?" He laughed. "Ha ha ha... that's a good one... come to think of it... I should have thought that one up a long time ago!"
A delicious aroma began to tease his nose. Bankiina must be done in the kitchen, then. "Kiina? I smell that pie! Now get out here and help me!"
His daughter appeared at the doorway, broom in hand. "Hai, HAI."
Paolo pushed his cap backwards on his forehead, wiping his brow. "Goodness, girl, if you don't improve that attiude of yours, you'll never get a good match! Your mother, God rest her soul, was always..."
"Yes, yes. Kind and Helpful." Bankiina intoned, speaking along with her father. It seemed that she had heard this story before.
"In fact, she was so good, gentle, and obedient..." Paolo rattled on.
"--That they wanted her to be a Sister. I've heard it before, Papa." the young girl giggled. And she also knew exactly how far from the truth the story was.
"If only you had turned out to be more like your dear departed mother... God Rest Her Soul." she finished along with her father.
******
Kuso... which way did they go? I'm lost again. What if they leave port without me?
They can't leave without ME! I'm the world famous pirate gunner. Well, not yet, but I will be someday! What would they do if I wasn't there?
Besides, aren't we here for the weekend, anyway? Something about a party...?
*grrrrrrowwwlll gurglegurgle....*
Good god, I'm starving to death. I should have gotten something to eat...
Looks like I'm way out of that village. I should turn around and go back.
Wait.
What is that... heavenly smell?
A set of round eyes peeked out from the bushes, focusing on a steaming windowsill.
"PIE!"
******
Kiina looked up as she heard a growling sound from the trees.
"Papa." she whispered. "Stay back...."
"Huh?"
She edged backwards, clutching her broom.
******
The young man leapt out from the bushes, springing upon the helpless pie.
But he had not figured on two things.
The first was that the pan was still hot. He howled in pain as the pan scorched his fingers, throwing the pie up into the air. The pie landed on the ground, upside down. He slipped in the gooey mess and fell. Trying to scramble to his feet, he came into contact with a pair of shoes.
And that was the second thing he had not figured on. He looked up and saw the owner of the shoes, the baker of the pie, glaring down at him, brandishing a broomstick like a battle axe.
He froze instantly. Her face was pale, framed by dark waves of hair falling out of a messy bun. Her cheeks were rosy, and she had a long, thin nose, the end of which was streaked with a dab of flour.
She was so cute!
And so angry!
"HIIIIYAAAH!!"
Kiina swung with all her might, hitting the thief right between the eyes.
"OOF--" He fell to the ground at her feet.
The last thing that he remembered crossing his vision... was the stars. Twinkling, shining stars.
"Kiina!"
"Bankiinaaa! What are you doing? Get out here and help your poor old father with the yardwork! Before I break my tired old back!"
"Papaaa! You know what I'm doing!" Kiina called out from the kitchen, clearly annoyed. "I'm finishing my masterpiece!"
The girl turned back to the oven, excitement written all over her pale face. "It should be about done..." She licked her lips. "This year, I'll win again for sure!" She rubbed the sweat off of her cheek, leaving a bit of flour on her long nose.
"Hurry up and get out here, girl! We need to clean up the walk out here before the festival!" Her Papa was trying to sound annoyed, but didn't really succeed.
"Yes, yes. Coming, coming..." Kiina opened the oven door just a crack...
"Done!" She pulled the pie out, holding the hot pan with a towel. "Ah... it's just perfect!"
The frail girl walked over to the open window. "Now to just let it cool... Cool off, little pie! Tomorrow's your big day!"
******
"Pirates! Pirates have landed at the harbor!"
Paolo looked up from the leaves he was raking. "Pirates? In Syrup Village?" He laughed. "Ha ha ha... that's a good one... come to think of it... I should have thought that one up a long time ago!"
A delicious aroma began to tease his nose. Bankiina must be done in the kitchen, then. "Kiina? I smell that pie! Now get out here and help me!"
His daughter appeared at the doorway, broom in hand. "Hai, HAI."
Paolo pushed his cap backwards on his forehead, wiping his brow. "Goodness, girl, if you don't improve that attiude of yours, you'll never get a good match! Your mother, God rest her soul, was always..."
"Yes, yes. Kind and Helpful." Bankiina intoned, speaking along with her father. It seemed that she had heard this story before.
"In fact, she was so good, gentle, and obedient..." Paolo rattled on.
"--That they wanted her to be a Sister. I've heard it before, Papa." the young girl giggled. And she also knew exactly how far from the truth the story was.
"If only you had turned out to be more like your dear departed mother... God Rest Her Soul." she finished along with her father.
******
Kuso... which way did they go? I'm lost again. What if they leave port without me?
They can't leave without ME! I'm the world famous pirate gunner. Well, not yet, but I will be someday! What would they do if I wasn't there?
Besides, aren't we here for the weekend, anyway? Something about a party...?
*grrrrrrowwwlll gurglegurgle....*
Good god, I'm starving to death. I should have gotten something to eat...
Looks like I'm way out of that village. I should turn around and go back.
Wait.
What is that... heavenly smell?
A set of round eyes peeked out from the bushes, focusing on a steaming windowsill.
"PIE!"
******
Kiina looked up as she heard a growling sound from the trees.
"Papa." she whispered. "Stay back...."
"Huh?"
She edged backwards, clutching her broom.
******
The young man leapt out from the bushes, springing upon the helpless pie.
But he had not figured on two things.
The first was that the pan was still hot. He howled in pain as the pan scorched his fingers, throwing the pie up into the air. The pie landed on the ground, upside down. He slipped in the gooey mess and fell. Trying to scramble to his feet, he came into contact with a pair of shoes.
And that was the second thing he had not figured on. He looked up and saw the owner of the shoes, the baker of the pie, glaring down at him, brandishing a broomstick like a battle axe.
He froze instantly. Her face was pale, framed by dark waves of hair falling out of a messy bun. Her cheeks were rosy, and she had a long, thin nose, the end of which was streaked with a dab of flour.
She was so cute!
And so angry!
"HIIIIYAAAH!!"
Kiina swung with all her might, hitting the thief right between the eyes.
"OOF--" He fell to the ground at her feet.
The last thing that he remembered crossing his vision... was the stars. Twinkling, shining stars.