Chapter 2: The Catch, The Song.

Author's Note: As again, FFXI and the characters except Nii Kitta, and Nii Mikita belong to me. The part of the verse is copied from Konami's Suikoden II song album: Orrizonte, Plastic Castle in the Sky.

It is already late in the morning when the Flying Fish left the dock of Norg for Selbina. After placing my belongings in my cabin, I head straight to mother's. I can smell her from outside her door, but she refuses to open it as I knock on it. After several attempts, I give up and head up to the deck.

Aunt Shivivi is still fishing, humming softly to herself as the cool wind blows by. The crew of the ship are mulling around, tending to the ship as I walk to her and settle down, watching with interest.

"The ship will arrive at Selbina at nightfall. Most probably we have to lay anchor outside town until morning." She says, not looking at me. A long silence follows, "Can't get your mother to come out?" She chuckles, "Leave her alone for now. Let her sulk."

"Is it that bad? I've never seen her so upset before..."

"That's because she never let you see her that way. She replied, grinning when her rod suddenly jerks, almost catching her off guard, "Whoa! This is a big catch!" She pulls hard, reeling back the catch as she struggles with the rod. With her experience, she should be able to catch it, but it doesn't seem that way as she is being pulled forward instead, "Mind a little help here Kitta...You don't want your cute Aunt to be thrown overboard, do you?" I grin at her remark, my hands already grabbing the rod as we reel and pull. The battle is tough, but finally, the catch sorta lost its will to fight as we pull hard, falling back. We hear a 'thud' on the deck as the catch is pulled out of the sea.

"Courier Carrie!" A crew shouts out, sending many feet cluttering towards the deck. Both of us turn to see a large blue crab lying dizzily on the deck. The only odd thing about it is several strange containers tied to its back. Some letters have been thrown out from the containers and onto the deck as the ship's crew starts swarming over the creature.

"Hoho! Lucky us!" Aunt Shivivi smiles as she keeps her rod and squeezes into the crowd. I couldn't see where she is, but I could hear her swearing all the way as she jostles and pushes through the crowd to the creature.

"It's coming around, quickly!" A crew calls out. Letters, which had fallen out, are stuffed back into the containers. The crab seems to have recovered as it bashes through the crowd, knocking a few over before leaping back into the sea.

"Auntie...mew?" I sweatdrop as Aunt Shivivi returns, dusting her suit.

"That was fun, you should try it sometime." She looks up at me and laughs softly, "Ohh, it's your first time seeing that. Well, do you want to know about it?" I nod with a confused look as she begins:

"This family of crab you saw just now has a special ability to find objects and people. Those jugs are tied by Beastmasters, who had started this special delivery service during the war. Even after the war, it is still used but with the invention of the Linkshell by the Jeunoean researchers, the use of it has fallen greatly. Right now, only people who do not trust Linkshells or Auction House mailing use it."

She pants after saying everything in one shot, catching her breath, "How much do you understand?"

"About half..." I sweatdrop, scratching my head, "I have a question though...since it can find people, does that means they are always on the move?"

"In theory, yes..." Aunt Shivivi ponders, "As you know, we are always on the move, so Courier Carries will sense the nearest person and brings the letter to him or her. So sometimes, the letters will reach different person at different timing."

"Ok..." I nod, noticing the sun has started to drip into the horizon, "Ohh, has it been that long?" My stomach starts to rumble out loud.

"That was quick." She looks at the sun, and then to me, grinning, "I guess you are hungry. Let's go get some food and I do need a drink myself."

I follow her down to the hold. A table is spread out with staple food (Bread, some mashed sardines) as the crew clears their plates from it. I look around, shaking my head, as my mother has not turn up for dinner. Seeing me settle down listlessly, Aunt Shivivi helps herself, placing some mashed sardines into the bread. After some minutes of silence, she places a plate of sardine sandwich in front of me, "Tell your what dear, bring some of these to your mother."

"Mew??" I look at the sandwiches, "Won't you be alone?"

"I can bring the rest to my cabin. Besides..." She chuckles and looks around, "Gilgamesh will have their heads if they try anything."

I sweatdrop and take my leave, carrying the plate to the door of my mother's cabin. Once again, knocking on the door does nothing and I sigh in disappointment. Not going to eat alone, I am about to go to Aunt Shivivi's room when my feline ears catch someone singing on the deck. Being curious, I decide to go up and have a look.

The tip of the sun is left as I reach the deck. The wind has become cooler as my ears try to find the source of the singing. There, at the head of the ship, a figure. I immediately knew who it is from her scent, but I stay close to the stairs, listening to the song.

Remembering those days the willows sigh
In praise of scarred braves whose time did fly

You, oh, my soul
Take me above
Oh, sweet memory stays in my mind
You, oh my pain
Now on the wane
Oh, sweet memory that we two find...

How beautiful the song is, but it has a sad tone in it as I approach her,

"Mother..."

Nii Mikita ignores me as she stops singing, her orange hair, much like mine, blows with the cold wind, the only difference is that I have several white strips in between. Her nose catches the smell of the sardine sandwich I'm holding and wrinkles abit.

"Mother...I brought some food..." I hold up the plate to her, "It's sardine sandwich..."

Her rouge cloak flutters in the wind as she takes a sandwich without looking at me as I stand by her, watching the ever looming bright lights of Selbina, "Kitta...I can't stop you...can I?"

Hearing mother's question, I shake my head, hands now trembling, eyes also shut at the thought of her scolding me. Then a hand touches mine and takes the plate away, placing it on the railing, "I see...I won't stop your from leaving, but I cannot afford to lose you..." I try to intervene, but as I open my mouth to speak, I find myself having a mouthful of sardine sandwich instead, "I had already lost your father..." She turns to look at me and remove the sandwich from my mouth, "I hope you can take care of yourself..." Hugging me tightly, "Becareful out there."

Her hug, tight, but the secure feeling is there as I hug her back, "I will mother..." It is then droplets of water fall onto my shoulder and break the hug, wiping the tears off her, though I'm trying to hold back mine, "Take care of yourself too...ok?" She nods as I offer her another sandwich as we settle down finishing up the sandwich. The ship has anchored for the night outside of Selbina as both of us watch the starry sky and the white glow of the moon.

More Author's Note: Thanking Corey for helping me out in checking my stuff. Really appreciated it!