Chapter 3: Glow in the Moonlight

"So you work with metal, eh?" asked Abiba. She sat with her knees close to her chest upon the sheets of metal that lay about Cody's home. Recently, Cody found that shortly after waking up every morning, Abiba came walking down the hill toward his home, sometimes even with small gifts. Many a time she would come with Goddess Drops or Toyflowers. He wondered how she knew he liked flowers. When he had asked her reply was 'I had a hunch!' This reply, like many of her statements was accompanied by a smile. Her smile would reach from ear to ear, it was amusing to watch.

Cody nodded and gave a slight grunt, meaning 'Yes,' to Abiba's question. She had a lot of questions. At first Cody found her voice to be disturbing to the morning croon, but in the last few days he began to enjoy the early morning company.

"I see," Abiba stood up and brushed herself off. "Well, I'd better get going- I'll see you around Cody!" With that Abiba walked off in the direction of the beach. Cody nodded a goodbye. She wasn't a together as annoying as he first thought she'd be, in fact Abiba was very pleasant to be around.

Cody was soon at the pond. Nina had not yet arrived, this happened every so often, Nina was getting old and took her time going from place to place. In the meantime, Cody began scrubbing the turtle's shell. Though, without really noticing it, Cody's thoughts drifted to Abiba. He had noticed something about her face that morning, something a little odd. Yes, she smiled the way she normally did, but there was an odd difference in her face that morning as she walked down the hill. Not only in her face, but in the way she walked. She moved differently that morning...

"Oh dear; I'm sorry I'm late, Cody" Cody turned and saw Nina descending from the hill side. It was then that something caught Cody's eye. Nina was walking in a limp-like fashion. An image of Abiba's walk from earlier flashed in his mind. The two strides were very similar.

"Are you alright, Nina?" he asked, placing his cloth on the ground to help Nina sit upon a rock for her to rest.

The cheerful old woman smiled. "Oh, don't mind me. My old bones can handle this, my feet just hurt, that is all." Barely reaching with her cane, she tapped the turtle's shell. "Why hello there, fella, how are you today?" Cody went back to his work; however his mind was wandering about.

The day went by, Cody had bumped into Gustafa on his way to the waterfall and they talked for a while. "You know what- That Abiba really is something," said Gustafa. Cody's eyes, though he was entirely aware of it, darted quickly over the Gustafa. Cody had known the hippie for years. Gustafa's voice was always mellow and calm. It now was spurred with some sort of excitement. "Mean, man, I don't know if you've noticed, but just the way she smiles, the way she walks- it makes me want to put it into some kind of song- Cody, would you listen to it? When I'm in love I just need to sing or hum or something!"

Without a reply, Gustafa began to sing his song dedicated to Abiba. It was a very odd song in Cody's opinion- something about a dwarf being in love with a maiden, and becoming the maiden, it was all rather confusing; but Cody wasn't really focusing on that, his thoughts, once again were elsewhere. Gustafa was falling for this girl. So soon? Spring wasn't even done yet and he was in love? For some reason at the pit of his stomach Cody didn't like Gustafa talking about Abiba that way. It wasn't as if Gustafa was a creep. Oh no, Gustafa was the nicest of guys out there, but it didn't stop Cody from cringing at the idea that Gustafa watching Abiba as she walked.

Perhaps one of the most trying periods of the day would happen if Cody saw Rock coming his way. Cody liked Ruby and Tim from the Inner Inn, however their son had this talent of making the blood rush to Cody's head. If Cody was lucky- like today, he'd be able to slip past Rock without him noticing…

Cody was safely away from Rock as he approached the shoreline. The sun was setting in the West, casting a giant shadow from Cody's body. He looked at it solemnly; he was truly a strange one, being so massive. He was much bigger then nearly everyone around him. He was different, he was scary.

In the distance Cody noticed a figure on the sand. He approached quietly form behind, and soon the image became clear. It was Abiba, sitting close to the tide. Cody soon realized that her shoes and sock were tucked neatly her side. She must have noticed his shadow beside her own because she nearly jumped into the air. "OH! Hey there Cody!" she said nervously trying to dig her feet into the sand.

Cody knelt down to her right and reached over to pluck one of her feet from its little burrow. "Uh- no don't do that Cody." Abiba's feet were covered in blisters. Small sores and bumps dotted her toes and heel. Cody's eyebrows went up. Abiba looked uneasy. "Well, you see, I guess I'm not used to walking about and working on my feet so much- ya know?" Abiba tried to laugh it off, but didn't do a very good job it. Cody now understood why Abiba was walking so strangely. It must have been painful.

Cody looked into his little pouch on his belt and pulled out a need and some rubbing alcohol. The needle had some black thread attached to it, but he ignored it. After pouring some alcohol onto he needle Cody, without asking permission pierced the first bump. "Ow!" said Abiba, however she was a little more taken back then in pain. "Why do you have those things with you?"

Cody continued to work as he spoke, "The alcohol is good for cuts, and the needle for sewing up tares in clothes. They are handy."

Abiba turned to a slight shade of pink. "I suppose…"

Once the water was out of every blister, Cody took out another ointment and rubbed it gently onto Abiba's foot. For a moment Cody was surprised with himself. He was so unhesitant in his aid to Abiba he wondered why it came so naturally. He brushed off the thought, Abiba was a very nice young woman, of course he'd help her out. The moon hung overhead while Cody began rubbing the tension out of Abiba's feet. He had often used this on himself, it was very relaxing. Every so often Abiba giggled a little. She was obliviously a little ticklish. Her skin was very soft and was a harsh comparison is complexion to his own.

"Oh, Cody, you have very big hands." Noted Abiba, a little embarrassed to be getting a foot massage.

Cody had just finished the rub when he stiffened up a bit. His eyes were slightly sad. "I know." He looked into his palms. They were big. They were powerful. They had a great strength in them, a horrid strength.

Abiba's hand touched Cody's. He quickly looked up at her face. It was highlighted in the moonlight; a heavenly glow surrounded her being. "Yeah, I'm glad I can trust these hands. The person they belong to is very kind."

Cody looked Abiba in the eyes. She was sincere in her words. The air left his lungs. He felt his heart swell a little, beat a little harder. It had taken him a while, but it was then that Cody noticed the sparkle in Abiba's eyes. They were like amethysts, shimmering in the glow that radiated from her face.

Cody suddenly scooped up Abiba with one arm and took her shoes with his other hand. It was a very easy task to hold her with one arm; she wasn't heavy at all compared to the metal he worked with, though he could tell she was a little chilled by the nighttime air. "Cody! Put me down! I can walk!" she protested.

Cody didn't' answer at first, he had to gulp down his heart from his throat. "You should just go to bed. Walk as little as possible tomorrow. Ask Takakura for help with your chores." His sentences were particularly short and to the point. They quickly reached Abiba's farmhouse. Cody had to tuck a little to enter the one-room structure. He let Abiba slide from his arms onto her bed. "Goodnight."

Abiba caught Cody's hand before he could turn away. This was strange. With all the strength that Cody had, he- for a moment- felt like he was powerless to resist Abiba's palm. Cody looked over his shoulder, barely making eye contact with Abiba. There was a deep gratitude in her eyes. "Thank you, Cody. You really shouldn't have put yourself through the trouble." Cody nodded and tried to pull away, but Abiba held her grip. She gave him a stir look. "Now don't think this'll happen often. I was just tired today, I'm not a little girl that needs taking care of- you understand? I can take care of myself! And I'll be mad at you if you try pulling this again…" She let go of Cody's hand and looked down at her bed.

Cody smiled. "Of course." He nodded a goodbye.

Before he closed the door behind him, Cody heard Abiba wish him a good night in return. Once a good ways away from Abiba's house Cody felt a flood overcome him. His steady beating heart flutter as he went to bed, it took him a while to drift into sleep.

Cody tried his best to ignore what had happened yesterday, but his thoughts continued to float away, back to Abiba in the moonlight. He had woken up, and was very relieved to see no Abiba on the hillside. She was resting, as she should have been. Cody knelt beside the turtle's large shell and began to scrub away the grime. But he still thought of Abiba. Her glow, her voice, her smile, her eyes that looked so much so like purple gemstones. Cody wondered why he hadn't noticed it before.

"Cody dear- are you alright?" asked Nina as she came close to the massive man. Cody gave her a puzzled look. "Well, I don't know, you were just humming a lovely little tune before I said anything. It was very relaxing, what's on your mind dear? Where ever did you hear it?"

Huh? Cody was humming?