Chapter 1: A Moonlight Dance
Some scattered clouds floated across the dusk sky. They moved effortlessly; as if they were on skates and the sky was a sheet of ice. The stars, no matter how hard they tried, could not get their light to burst through the clouds. Those stars, while in their own galaxies huge, were tiny specks in the sky above the planet. Then, through the darkness, a shooting star streaked across the sky, ducking and weaving behind clouds.
"How beautiful" The words echoed softly around the air. Their soft tone barely echoed off the rock walls. The teenage girl, who the voice belonged to, pushed some of her long brown hair away from her eyes. She watched the shooting star in utter silence. She shifted her legs, crossing her boot-clad feet. She placed her hands gently on the just-created lap; her green eyes still focused on the star shooting across the sky. After the star dipped behind some more clouds, it failed to reappear. The girl's smile faded not in the least.
"How beautiful" She added her own echo to the area. After a few moments with no new events, the girl pushed off the rock ledge she had perched upon. Her boots let out a soft click when they landed. She put her hands down across her belly as she strolled away from the small cliff. In the distance, she saw a small town, which was about four or five football fields away. The street lights were humming, their casual glow lighting up the town. Even though there were numerous lights, not all of them felt very welcoming. The girl kicked a rock out of her path, the smile fading with each step closer to the town.
"Do not go home" She heard suddenly. The message seemed garbled; like it was coming through distorted television channell. The girl froze in mid-stride, her eyes going wide.
"Who-who is there?" She forced out. She spun around, her pink dress flowing in the wind. Her bright green eyes scanned for anything.
"Just do not go home. Trust me" The voice came clearer, but still sounded distorted. The girl looked around, her feet pattering around the ground in constant motion. Her arms were waving like dead tree branches; failing and twisting about with no purpose.
"Who-who...where are you?" The girl's screamed were filled with horror. A burst of wind hit her, forcing her to use her arms to hug herself. A small tear dripped down her face.
"Please, trust me. Do not go home. The planet needs you" She heard again. The voice was once again distorted; the girl thought she might have water in her ears. A few tiny tears dropped down her face.
"Is this some kind of joke? If you're one of my uncle's friends, stop it! Stop it, stop it, stop it!" The girl pulled her arms away from her chest and hunched over. She began to pound her kneecaps with her fists.
"No joke. The planet will need you. Trust me" The girl stopped pounding her kneecaps and looked up. The voice, while still distant sounding and distorted, sounded much calmer. Much more trusting. Even so, after a few moments, the teen began sprinting away from the area, her boots clomping along the way. She held her head low and covered it with her hands. The sprinting finally stopped as she entered the outskirts of the town. She spun around on her heel and looked behind her. Nothing, not even a single leaf, was behind her. The only sounds the girl could hear was the pounding of her heart and the gasps of her breathe. She walked down the street slowly; her feet aching from the brief sprint.
"Hope that star heard me" The girl murmured. She turned down a narrow street and looked down at a small house. She strolled down the street; her heart pounding less and the gasps coming less frequently. As she neared the house, she heard a bottle break. She stopped walking and just looked at the house. Then, a few moments later, another broken bottle. A brief gust of wind hit the girl, knocking her pink dress around.
"Don't go home" The words came in a whisper this time. The girl turned and walked down a different street, heading towards the center of town. Most places of business were closed; small towns rarely have the need for items late at night.
"He's drinking again" She mumbled. She hugged herself and kept her eyes down on the ground. She saw a few dim lights on the asphalt road. Then, a flurry of bright colors covered the ground. Before she could look up at what caused the rainbows on the ground, she ran into someone. She took a few steps back and began to look upwards.
"Oh, I'm so...sorry" The girl stated. Her face was covered with a fresh smile. The man standing ahead of her seemed to have stepped from a dream. His dark hair was combed back with the touch of a surgeon. His body seemed to have been a statue brought to life. His fancy shirt, unbuttoned and flapping in the wind, cost more than the girl's whole outfit. His teeth, despite being stained yellow, grinned with a sharpness that drove women crazy.
"Oh, no, don't be fair lady" His voice seemed to belong to a movie star; yet it seemed layered.
"I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention..." The girl dusted her dress off with a few quick motions; her eyes never leaving his face. His grin seemed to grow. It also seemed to become more yellow.
"I said don't be sorry. I'm the one to blame. To make up for it, how about I buy you a drink?" The man asked calmly, a warm tone to his voice.. The girl shook her head, breaking her eyes away from his.
"No thank you. I do not care for drinking"
"How about a name?"
"What? Buy me a name?"
"No...what is your name?" The man's voice seemed to have been frozen now; the grin fell of his face.. The girl took a step back, her feet ready to turn and sprint for the second time.
"Look, I think..." She began. The man held his arm out, the yellow grin covering his face once more.
"I'm sorry. I'm Vance" He said, the warmth returning to his voice. The girl took his hand and shook it, her eyes looking onto his face again. And once more, their dark haze seemed hold her attention.
"I'm Sarie. I'm sorry, I'm a bit edgy tonight" She pulled her arm away but keep her focus on him.
"That's fine Sarie. Happy to meet you. Sure you wouldn't like a drink? I'm new in town here; sure could use someone to show me the ropes" Vance questioned her again. Sarie closed her eyes and shook her hand, her long brown hair whipping around.
"No, I dislike drinking. I...you know, I need to go home. It's late out and I'm sure tomorrow will be busy" She spun on her left heel and turned back towards her house.
"Do not go" The whisper hit her ears. Sarie spun around and looked at Vance.
"What did you say?"
"I said 'That's a shame'. You deaf too?" That coldness crept into his voice again. Sarie gave him a fake smile before turning around one more time.
"Not at all. It was a pleasure, but I must be going" She felt the wind rush into her back. Keeping her eyes up now, she navigated the roads towards her house. The streets were getting darker now; much like the sky above. Finally reaching her street, Sarie faced her home. The only place she could remember calling home.
"Whoever keeps telling me not to go home...if you got a reason besides creeping me out, tell me now" Sarie nervously called to the wind. She tried to look around without moving her body; her face fighting hard to keep straight.
"Fine..I'm going crazy then" Sarie took a step forward towards her house before the words registered in her brains.
"You need to trust me. Please. I'm here, but not there. Just do not go home tonight. You will not regret it....if you do not go home, I will tell you what you want to know" The voice sent a chill down her already cold spine.
"Tell me what...about why I'm going crazy?" Sarie called out, now openly looking for whoever was talking to her.
"You're listening for the first time ever. Just do not go home. The planet is going to need you. I promise to tell you more" The voice trailed off at the end, as if the person had left the area.
"Why are you doing this to me?" Sarie screamed out, throwing her arms down at her sides. Her eyes watered up again, but her anger refused to let the tears drip. She waited a few minutes, but the only answer was the wind whipping into her and the old fashion lampposts that lit the streetways. Finally, her anger broke. Her tears came rushing down her face; the dam of anger gone now. Instead of going straight to her home, she made a quick u-turn and walked down the street. She walked two blocks; the only sounds heard where her muffled sobs and her steps echoing off walls. Finally, she reached a small park. Blinking through her tears, she walked into the park and glanced around. Despite her tears, she found herself smiling ever-so-slightly.
"My palace" She remarked, looking up at an old wooden tree-fort. While there was red spraypaint on the outside declaring "B loves V" and the old rope ladder had more loose strings than a ball of yarn after meeting a cat, the place still seemed welcoming to her. She climbed up the ladder, her tears slowing down. She poked her head inside and glanced around.
"It sure got small" The tiny smile glowed; she pulled herself inside the small fort. She put her legs out in front of her and tugged her brown boots off. She wiggled her toes a few times before tucking her legs under herself. As she leaned up, she pushed her hair back out of her face. With a hair-free view, she glanced out the one of the windows and looked down at the rusting swingset and the fresh new rose garden.
"View was always nice" Sarie said, crossing her arms and leaning back against the wooden walls. Her eyes felt heavy; her feet were sore from the running, and a headache was growing.
"Whoever is out there has a lot of explaining..." She closed her eyes tightly.
"You need to listen" Sarie shook her head and looked around. The voice ran into her brain and shook it. Sarie glanced around; the walls seemed to be farther away from her. The fragrance of roses filled her nose. The window seemed bigger next to her.
"I wanna know who you are!" Sarie screamed. She stood up now; forgetting that before her eyes closed that she would never had been able to stand.
"Please calm down Sarie" The voice came. For the first time, Sarie noticed it was a female voice; that alone calmed Sarie down.
"Look...I feel like I'm going crazy! I'm willing to accept a lot...I'm naive! I know it, everyone knows it! So if you wanna tell me something, just tell me! But at least tell me who you are" Sarie looked all around.
"Sarie...I cannot tell you who I am yet. I can tell you you're not going crazy. I'm not there, per say, so you're not hearing things. You're very important in the grand scheme of thing. You have to prove you're willing to save the planet before I can tell you everything" Sarie took a deep breathe.
"I'm naive...but how I can believe you? You won't tell me anything important. You keep telling me this and that. I want some proof" Sarie called out. She felt her body shaking, her arms and legs vibrating.
"You're Sarie Greensburg. You never meet your parents; the only family you ever had was your Aunt Emily and Uncle Cid. Emily Greensburg died about two years ago. Your uncle began to drink heavily after that. He still cares about you, of course. Your favorite color is pink. In fact, your outfit you have on is your favorite one you own. You love flowers and-"
"Ok-ok-ok, I believe you! I'm either going crazy or your stalking me" Sarie flopped back down to the ground and pushed her head into her hands.
"Let's just say I'm like your guardian angel. I promise, I only want to protect and help you. You are special, child. You need to go to Cosmo Canyon. Once you get there, ask to speak to Nanaki. He is the elder of their town. However, when you meet him, call him Red XIII. Or simply Red. Once you get there, you'll get further instructions" Sarie looked out from her hands.
"That's a bit of a journey. Especially by myself...but, I'll do it. I mean, I don't want to be stuck here in Cobbleston forever. Whoever you are, though...gotta tell me more when I get there. Deal?" Sarie called out. She felt her body get warmer; a nice calming warmth.
"Deal. I promise you Sarie. And I'll tell you this: I doubt you'll be alone on your trip. Just don't let looks deceive you" Sarie blinked once or twice.
"Ok...I'll try...I mean, me, saving the planet? I'm just a teenage girl. I like flowers and music. I have never fought in my life" Sarie questioned aloud, looking around as if the answers were going to written out in the thin air.
"Child, there is much you will need to learn. I assure you; you will learn it in time. It's almost time for you to be on your way" The voice sounded very motherly, to Sarie at least. Sarie nodded.
"I feel odd now...like I've known you forever. Then again, you've been spying on my life-"
"I do not spy!" The voice spoke, now sounding very much like a teenager in its own right. Sarie smiled slightly and titled her head.
"I'm sorry. Can I ask one last question...why couldn't I go home?" Sarie took a deep breathe after she asked the question. It was quiet for a few moments.
"You're about to find out. Wake up!" The voice screamed loudly.
Sarie's eyes shoot open. She went to stand up, but her head hit the roof dead on, knocking her right back onto her butt.
"Ouch! What gives?" Sarie questioned, looking around. A frown crossed her face as she rubbed her head.
"It was all a dream, I guess..." Sarie rubbed her head in a small circle with her left hand. She could feel a small bruise on it forming.
"It was not just a dream, child" The voice said. Sarie narrowed her eyes.
"At least tell me I'm asleep next time" Sarie reached down and grabbed her boots. She yanked them on one at a time. As soon as she had them back on, she began to rub her head again. After a few moments, the bump on her head was gone, and the pain was all but gone.
"Well, at least I didn't hit my head to hard..." Sarie pushed her legs out the small doorway and climbed down the thinning rope-ladder. As soon as she reached the bottom, a smell entered her nose.
"Smells like a barbecue..at this time...oh no, someone's house is on fire" Sarie sprinted down into the street. Her sprint stopped dead. She looked down the road and saw the fire blazing. No more steps were needed. She felt her heart pounding inside her chest. She felt her hands closing into fists. She felt some tears forming in her eyes.
"Thank you...guardian angel. I'm gonna assume I have no family now..." Sarie forced out; the words could barely pass for a whisper. She felt the wind rush into her suddenly.
"That's my answer then..." Sarie felt the warm tears flowing down her face. She walked over to an oak tree and put her hands up against it. She began to let her tears flow freely onto her hands. The tears ran off her hands and onto the tree. The stream of tears forced its way down the bark of the tree.
"Hey...you...Sarie, right? What's the problem?" Vance asked just as the stream hit the ground. Sarie pushed off the tree and spun to face him; her back hit onto the tree. He had that yellow grin shining at her again.
"Vance...oh...I just had a long night" Sarie's eyes keep glancing towards her home. The only home she had ever had. She felt a fresh wave of tears hit her.
"I see...look, maybe you can help me out. I've never been here before. And really, since I'm heading out of town tomorrow morning, perhaps you can give me a hand finding my hotel" Vance asked her, a certain level of charm in his voice. Sarie pushed the tears out of her eyes and nodded, sniffing.
"Where you heading?" She asked, trying to sound calm but failing for the most part. Vance smoothed his shirt out with his left hand; his right hand pointed westward.
"I'm going to Jarison Bay. Why, you heading that way too?" Vance took crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at her. Sarie bit her tongue and nodded.
"I'm not going there, per-say. I need to go that direction, though...how you getting their? Rent-a-car? Train?" Sarie felt her voice growing stronger; felt her body regaining control of itself. Vance took a step closer to her; his body towering over her. Sarie took a step back from her; her left heel hit the tree.
"I was planning on renting a car. I see what you're getting at here...you want to be around a fine piece of man" Vance tilted his head downwards, pushing his face close to hers. Sarie took a half-step backwards; her body flush against the tree.
"No, I'd like a ride. I've never been that way before. I'll pay my way, so I'm not asking for a hand-out. I'll even show you were your hotel is. Sound like a deal, hmmm?" Sarie forced out, almost choking on a tear. Vance leaned away; he put his left hand on the tree, his glare still aimed at her.
"Fair enough cupcake. I'm rolling out tomorrow. You gonna be ready then?" Vance's grin, dirty and yellow, was morphing into a nasty sneer. Sarie nodded her head.
"Sure will be" She replied; her voice a mixture of sarcasm and truth. Vance's lip curled upwards, as if it was trying to touch his mustache.
"Grand. Now then; Cobbleston Townsquare Inn. I assume you know where that is" Vance pushed in just an inch closer; an inch closer than Sarie must have approved. She quickly pushed off the tree, away from him. She headed down the street, away from the smoke and fire and lights and water...all out it, moving away.
"Let's go then. I got to get ready to go tomorrow" Sarie mentioned, using her arm to direct him to follow before she turned around and walked down the street. Vance watched her behind swaying.
"Oh, sure..." Vance followed behind her, his grin almost as big as the smoke cloud coming from the burning building.
"Go home..." Sarie muttered, her words muffled by the bush. She peered through again, looking at the two cop cars sitting near her burnt-down home. She saw three figures, all talking, near said cars. When she saw them laughing, she turned away from them.
"Please go home...guardian angel, you out there? You out there?" Sarie called out. She looked up at the sky; the darkness remained. Only a few stars were out; she had the feeling it was going to storm that day. The wind blew around; the bush she was using as cover blew all around. Sarie put her head on her hands.
"Guess not..." Sarie sadly commented.
"I'm always near you child" The voice came. Sarie looked up, a faint smile on her face.
"My uncle..." Sarie forced out, that smile gone faster than a snowflake dissolves on a hot-plate.
"I'm sorry Sarie. Terribly sorry. My goal...my heart made me save you. Only you, though" The voice sounded like it could crack. Sarie rubbed her face with her hands.
"I know...trust...I trust you now. You're all I got left...some voice in the wind" Sarie muttered. No answer came; Sarie rubbed her temples with her fingers, trying to fight off her headache.
"I'm glad you trust me. Very glad. Why did you return here?" The voice questioned. Sarie blinked. She put her hands on her knees; her face puzzled.
"You don't know? You can't read my mind?" Sarie asked. The voice giggled once or twice.
"Of course not! I only know what you state" The voice commented. Sarie nodded once; that headache would just not go away.
"I'm happy...I wouldn't like you in my mind. Anyways, I came back here to see if I could find anything...useful. I doubt it...I wanna say goodbye" Sarie felt the headache crush her brain.
"I understand. Avoid the cops; you need to begin your journey. And Sarie?" Sarie rubbed her temples even harder; the only defense she had for this type of headache.
"Yeah?"
"To the left of your garden, under the third stone in the walkway...your Uncle Cid left you one last present" The voice commented; a tone of pride in her voice. Sarie felt her headache breaking up; in pieces now, it was not quite as painful to her.
"Oh...how do you...tell him I love him" Sarie stated. She felt the wind wash over her. That wind seemed to knock most of her headache.
"I do not need to. I do not need to, child" The voice answered. Sarie smiled; still faint, but full of spirit.
"Thank you angel" Sarie did not expect an answer and did not receive one. It did not bother her in the least. She kept rubbing her temples so that the headache would not return. After a few minutes, she heard the cars start up. She spun around and looked through the bush. The cars were driving away. Sarie got up, glanced around, then ran across the road. She stopped at the curb. No matter how hard she thought this would be, she was wrong. Her eyes filled with tears instantly. She fell to her knees, choking on her tears.
"No time to waste Sarie" She told herself as she got to her feet. She walked around the house and did her best not to look at the charred remains of her house. Her family. Her life. She got to the backyard and moved right towards her garden. It was a small little thing; she loved it just the same. She walked over and gave it a once-over; just some brown soil and a few small holes. It was not the time of year for growing. She bent down and pushed some dirt into the holes; she had to touch it once, no matter what. After adding a half-inch or so of dirt into each hole, she turned to the stone path. She walked to the third stone and bent down. She put her fingers under it and nearly fell over; the 'stone' fell into the air. She had expected a ten pound stone; not a cardboard fake in its place.
"What in the world" Sarie commented. There was a tiny little box sitting there, surrounded by some loose dirt. Sarie bent down and picked it up. It was no bigger than a cigar box. Inside was a lone sock. Sarie made a face and lifted the sock upwards. But to her shock, a huge wad of gil, tied together with a rubberband, rolled out of the sock.
"Goodness!" She gasped. She took the wad and examined it. She took the rubberband off and began to flip through the gil.
"Over two grand...but why? Why would he leave this out here?" She stared up at the sky. It held no answers; none at all. Taking a deep breathe and looked around, she made sure no one was watching her. When she was comfortable no one was watching, she pulled her left boot down a few inches. She took the gil and wrapped it around her leg, then ran the rubberband up her leg until it reached the money. Snapping when it hit Sarie's leg, the rubberband held the gil to her leg. She pulled her left boot back up and over the gil. Satisfied that it was hidden once more, Sarie turned back to what remained of her only home. The house pulled her to it; like it has her lassoed. She stood at the edge of the damage; her feet standing in a small hill of ash. Her eyes zoned the entire area; she could see through the numerous tears. The tears that had slowed, but never stopped, since she walked off the curb. The tears were streaming down her face; even harder than when she first saw the fire. She could see her home, though. She could still see it.
"Goodbye Uncle Cid. I love you" Sarie called out. She turned her face away from the mound of ash and destruction. Her feet moved her around the mound of disaster; her tear-stained face did not look at her former home. Not once. She just merely walked around it. She stopped at the curb again and looked upwards. She leaned down and rubbed her left boot, rubbing her hand over the wad of money. She leaned up; she had kept her head high the whole time.
"I trust you"