"THE BOY! GET HIM!"

"You let him get away, you idiot!"

"He's got the CRYSTAL!"

"Find him and get it back, soldier!"
"Yes sir!"

The boy, whose name was Makoto, sprinted out of the military base. In his hand, he clutched the crystal recovered on the ocean bed below the shattered Laputa. I must not let them have it! He thought desperately. If they do, the entire world is at stake! A shot rang out from a guard's post. The bullet smacked into his hip and flew out. Searing pain rocked Makoto, but still he persisted.

As more and more troops ran out the entrance, the boy knew he couldn't keep it up any longer. Dashing onto the railing of the bridge, he flung himself over and hit the water with great impact.

The general gazed at the dark water, where the boy had dove into. He signaled to his troops. "Get a search party out." He demanded. "I want every part of this beach checked."

But Makoto had already left the sea when the search party was ready, and stumbled along the path that led towards the mountains.

Nobody knows how the fifteen-year old boy went deep into Gondoa's northern mountains when he was wounded, shaking uncontrollably and frozen cold. But it was his determination and steely mind that drove him to forget about all his pain and sickness, and he had only one goal in mind: To get the crystal as far away from… THEM.

Eventually, when he felt he could go no more, he spotted a farm. Hope sprang up inside him, and gathering all his remaining, feeble strength, he sped across the distance, in front of the old, wooden door. He tapped twice.

One.

Two.

But when the door started to swing slowly open, his sickness and pain took hold of him once again, but this time, he faded to unconsciousness.

Before he did, an instinctive sense made him slip the crystal into his wet pocket.

Sheeta was startled to see a young man drop into her arms, wet and bleeding. "Pazu!" She called immediately.

Her friend came along. "Wha-" Before he even had a chance to finish his sentence, he saw the person and took him from Sheeta's arms. Gently laying him in front of the warm, toasty fire, he looked at the wounded person.

He looked to be no more than fifteen, about the same age as them. He had long, dark hair and a handsome face. On his hip, Pazu saw a bullet wound. "Sheeta, get me the first-aid kit!" He called.

"Coming!" She hurried through with the kit. Pazu opened it when she had laid it on the ground, and started to work on his wound. Sheeta removed the young man's pack, and wrapped him in a towel.

They worked furiously all night long.

Makoto opened his tired eyes. Golden rays of sunlight poured through the window. Gasping, he sprang up instantly, all of his tiredness gone. His mind was spinning. The base… The crystal…The farm… THE CRYSTAL! Getting out of the bed, he realised his wet clothes were gone, replaced by a fresh shirt and pants. He shrugged. Well, these are more comfortable than that military-issue shirt and pants.

Smiling, his ears picked up the sounds of a trumpet blaring in the distance. A simple fanfare was being played, and, curiosity taking holds of him, he went out the wooden door.

Outside, he spotted a young man in the distance with a girl beside him. When he moved, he suddenly felt the bandage on his hip. Well, I guess these people are nice.

Makoto went to meet them.

The boy shook his hand warmly went he got there. "Hi, I'm Pazu." He said smiling. "And this is Sheeta," he added, glancing at the girl.

"Well, I'm Makoto." He said. "Thanks for helping me."

"Sheeta was quite surprised when you dropped into her arms, unconscious!" Pazu laughed. "So, where did you come from?"

Makoto thought for a moment before giving his reply. "I'd like to keep that to myself for now."

"Alright, then." Pazu glanced back at the house. "It's time to head back for breakfast."

There was an awkward silence at the table that was broken by Makoto. "So…how long have you two been here?" He asked.

Pazu answered before Sheeta had a chance to. "We've been here for two years. This was Sheeta's old home before leaving, and once I met her we…kinda moved back in."

"Why did she leave?" Makoto asked.

"Well, she was kidnapped by the military when they were searching for Lapu-" A warning glance from Sheeta shut him up quickly.

"Laputa, huh?" Makoto grinned. "Well, they're not searching for it anymore if you want to know, but they are excavating a site in the ocean because some Laputian artifacts were found there."

Pazu nearly gagged on his egg. "A-Artifacts?" He repeated.

"Yeah." Makoto bent to take a sip from his cup of water. "According to some people that saw it, they just…fell from the sky."

"After a large explosion?" Pazu was on his feet now.

"Yes, a massive one that could have wiped out an entire city. Why are you so interested in this?" Makoto questioned.

"Um…we're not." Pazu sat down. "Can we be excused? Sheeta, I need to talk to you." He grabbed her arm and took her outside.

"Sheeta!" He said when outside. "Did you hear that? The army is going to learn the secrets of Laputa's power from those parts that fell when the spell of destruction was cast!"

"Yes, but what are we going to do about it?" She asked.

"I think we should talk with Makoto before trying anything." Pazu decided.