A/N: Welcome everyone! This is for everyone including those who have read the O/S, I've made many significant additions in the expanded chapters. Please do read the upcoming chapters as they have major plot points that couldn't be covered in the original one-shot due to word limits. Hope you enjoy yourself.
This chapter is readable because of the hard work of my pre-reader NKubie and the commendable patience of my beta Ninkita despite the hair she probably pulled while editing this. I have no idea how they work with me, I'm eternally grateful that they do. Thank you girls, this chapter wouldn't be what it is without you both.
Disclaimer: Twilight and its inclusive material are copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the present author. No copyright infringement is intended.
Chapter 1
Alyss and Jazpr
Life was hard for fishermen on Taica. The sea creatures were wild and unpredictable and fishing was a very dangerous profession. The ferocious green seas occupied more than eighty percent of the surface area of the small planet. It was said that only the bravest or the most foolish went fishing in Taica. But the expeditions were worth their price for those in need, because sea creatures were a delicacy, the food of the rich and famous, and brought in a lot of money—if only the fisherman survived.
Jazpr was a child like no other. He was kind, beautiful, polite and thoughtful. Born to a family of farmers, he was unfortunately the worst worker the family had seen in the past century. Everything he touched became rotten in a few days. When Jazpr, fondly known as Japp, was a six year old, his mother helped him grow a flowering plant. He cared for it meticulously and a beautiful flower bloomed. Unfortunately when his mother woke up the next day, she found the flower that usually blooms for six days straight had already collapsed and withered away, as if in pain. Later, when Japp worked on his parents' farm, it was destroyed overnight by an acid storm.
These coincidences along with the faint markings on his shoulder worried Japp's mother. Old fables resonated in her ears. Japp had all the traits and markings of the Destroyer from the Sacred Seven, but she couldn't let anyone see his mysticism. They would murder him! Japp's mother couldn't see another child taken away by the Ratniks; she had already lost her elder son Pet to those heartless soldiers all those years back. And so, Japp's desperate mother sent him to a very dangerous mission—sailing. At least he would stay out of the eyes of the warriors, she hoped.
XOXO
"Japp has gotten good, eh." Captain patted Japp's back.
Japp grunted back his acknowledgement. He was glad his power to suck the life out of creatures helped him in fishing. The wild sea creatures were tame around Japp. It made him an excellent fisherman. The water also calmed him like nothing else. Captain and others on the ship called the Great Green Ocean a part of his soul.
One day, Japp was just staring at the vast ocean when he overheard two of his shipmates talking about Mystiques. This didn't surprise Japp. The Great Green Ocean sailors were known for their folklore and stories. Life on any ship was usually short, given the dangers involved. Sailors were adventurous and risk takers as a result, because they believed in life lived beyond the chains of fear, judgement and binding rules. Sailors had always been of a free mind, which refused to conform to the norm. Thus, Mystiques weren't a forbidden topic to discuss on the seas, unlike the lands of Taica which prohibited it.
"Never thought the Great Green Ocean would be this dangerous, eh Dak?" Glym, a new crew member of the Captain's ship asked his fellow mate.
"It wasn't always this dangerous, was it?" Dak responded.
"Glym's ancestors were sailors," Glym explained. "He heard all kinds of stories from them. They say when Lagan ruled the Skies and Seas, the fish were plenty to feed the whole planet. The fishermen didn't even need to venture this far into the Great Green. The coastal areas and their nearby water bodies could supply more than enough fish for all."
"Dak cannot imagine that kind of life. Fish everyday!"
"You know, fishermen were respected folks back then. It was not a profession limited to the uneducated, unwanted and the should-be-dead's like it is now. The disappearance of the Mystiques has toppled the balance of Taica. Taicans on the land think they're mythical and just folklore created to scare children. They have no idea how real Mystiques are." Glym paused, looking out towards the endless expanse of the Green Ocean of Taica. He absently noted that the shade of green was lightest near the vessel and became darker as it met the horizon.
"They're as real as Fheshi, Taica's sun. They're as real as Taicans of the land. Taicans don't know why we have acid storms, them just put their heads down and endure it. They don't know that the storms are the result of them's polluted minds, it is the wrath of the Mother. Mysticism is a gift from the Mother, and the warriors kill anyone showing even a faint mark of mystical power. The seas be wild and wicked in absence of Lagan, but Taicans would rather make Lagan a mythical legend than look for him and beg him to rule the skies and seas again and safeguard us. The forests are unruly but they no do nothing about it. And they call us the fools."
Dak shook his head in disgust. The two men were silent for a moment before Glym spoke again.
"Glym has heard Taicans on the land make fun of his way of talking. He calls him his name, he no say 'I' or 'me', so them say his language is stilted. Glym has heard it all. What them people never realise is that us sailors never had fancy school or grammar lessons. Sailors and their families, fishing town in general—we work hard to make ends meet. Ever seen a fishermen in town at a school? How would you? We work all day and night to feed our children and they work small jobs to contribute to the house. We have no time to learn big and small grammar mistakes and how. We only learn everything there is to know, operate and survive on a ship. We no need to know more. It's just words, they'll die with us anyway."
Dak nodded and repeated the sailor's mantra, "One Fheshi, one life."
XOXO
"Hey, what's that white thing there?" Sam-Sam, the Captain's boy shouted.
Everyone rushed to drag in the floating dead fish. Only it wasn't a fish—it was a female. She was a gorgeous, small, frail young girl who was white as a sheet. Japp immediately rushed to her side and rubbed her hands to get some colour in her. He then realised that his touch would probably kill her, so he promptly dropped her hand and ran far away from her.
Captain, Sam-Sam and some crew members tended to the girl and took her to rest in one of the private cabins onboard. Japp came to check on her in the middle of night, when he heard the sound of dry heaving from her cabin. He instinctively flew to her assistance and helped her sit up and sip some water. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hands and grinned at Japp, teeth and all. It was the first time he had really looked at her, and he was stunned. Her smile mesmerised him. Then reality came crashing down on Japp; he drew his hands from hers and took several steps back. He was almost rushing out of the door when he heard her croaking voice say, "Don't. Don't fight it, we're meant to be. I'm the one person you won't hurt."
Japp was shocked to hear such a bold declaration from a stranger. He turned and walked straight out of the door.
The strange girl was weirder than Japp himself, which he had never thought possible. She was brighter than Fheshi. She smiled at everyone but never showed her teeth to them. Japp was relieved in a way, because in Taican culture, teeth were only shown to people one liked or loved. But at the same time, he thought that he wasn't worth her affection, he wasn't worth anyone's affection. This perplexed him even more because he couldn't get over her toothy smile from the other night. To everyone's surprise, the strange girl never gave out her name to anyone. Anytime someone asked her, she smiled at them, told them they could call her whatever they wish and walked away. Maybe she would tell Japp if he asked her. He won't do it though; he hadn't talked to her or approached her since that first night. He would not let himself be the reason she perished. Japp then decided that he would stay away from the weird girl.
Japp's shipmates started calling her 'Rein' which meant pure, because she looked so untouched. Japp saw her improving over the days. She started taking short walks which later developed into strolls along the deck of the ship. She rarely stayed in her room. Once, when she was asked why, she replied, "It's suffocating. I need air."
One night Japp was sitting at the edge of the deck when he felt her presence.
"She's fine," she said with the serene smile on her face.
Japp looked at her questioningly.
"Your Mata, you were worried about her. She's a bit sick, a little hay fever. She'll be fine in three days. She's looking forward to your return."
"How do you know who or how Japp's m-mother is?" Japp stuttered.
"My dreams tell me. You're not the only mystical one. I told you we're meant to be." She tucked her straight shoulder-length platinum blonde hair behind her ear and leaned over to show him her markings—she was a Seer.
"J-Japp needs to go." He started to leave when he heard her whisper, "Mother, when will he believe me?"
"Never. You're lying. You're making these things up to get something. Japp doesn't know what that is, but it's surely a waste of time. He has nothing to give to you. He has nothing to give anyone. Japp is not meant for you, girl. He is not meant for anyone. You best stay away from him," Japp warned her with a heavy heart. Yet he felt the faint stirrings of hope upon seeing her markings—what if she really was a Mystique?
Rein was the only female aboard the sailor's ship, so naturally she had many admirers. It didn't bother Japp in the least, or so he told himself. But when Shae, the self-proclaimed best looking male on the ship, started accompanying Rein on her evening strolls, Japp clenched his fists and pretended to not care about her strained but polite smile. The smile was unlike any of the smiles she had ever sent his way. It looked like she was forcing herself to even look at him, let alone smile. Shae never noticed the strain. He just kept babbling and boasting about himself as usual.
"Shae can lift two whole barrels of ale. Does Rein drink ale?"
Japp and the girl shook their heads. Japp kept his observation about her strained smile to himself and avoided Rein as always. Japp was a proud man, and a determined one too. He would never cross paths with Rein if he could avoid her. Interestingly, he never realised when his determination dwindled and he became more and more aware of her proximity. One evening, he absentmindedly even smiled at her. He didn't notice the joy on her face because he turned away immediately to introspect on why and when he had stopped running from her.
That night on the deck, Japp was contemplating if he should talk to her after all, simply to be polite and ask about her health. It wasn't that he was interested in her. She was beautiful, of course, gorgeous even, but Japp didn't see her like that. She was—well she was a traveller aboard his ship and he needed to inquire about her health to make sure she got the right treatment and so that she didn't infect anyone else. Yes, that was a good explanation. That's why he wanted to talk to Rein, no other reason. Surely not because he couldn't get her smile out of his head. And definitely not because he wanted to be the person she told her name.
"I'm Li-Li. Well, my official documents write it as Alyss, but I've always been known as Li-Li."
Japp was startled out of his thoughts. He stared at her disbelievingly, then nodded as if to accept that she wasn't a figment of his imagination.
"That's an odd name, Alyss." Japp was trying very hard to control his panic and appear nonchalant.
"So is Jazpr." Li-Li sat beside Japp.
"How do you know Japp's name?" Japp had never told anyone his full name. No one apart from his irate mother ever called him by that name.
"I know many things, Japp." said Li-Li sagely.
"And what would they be, Rei- uh, Li-Li?"
"I know you must head north-east. Your destiny lies in the Deep Waters." Li-Li smiled that all-knowing smile, teeth and all, at him.
The Deep Waters was the fiercest part of the Great Green. The waves were unforgiving and the marine life was a danger to any living being sailing through it. Japp smiled ruefully and thought, 'It's Japp's 'destiny' to die a painful death. Maybe that's his repentance for all the destruction his mysticism has caused.' He nodded at Li-Li and left.
A week later, a relaxed evening after a hard day's work, found Japp in what they called the Barrel Room, aptly named after the barrels of ale stocked in the room along with a long table and three scattered smaller tables. The room had a heap of clean mugs constantly restacked by the sailor-boy assigned to dishes for the month. Japp noticed an intoxicated Shae narrating impossible stories for entertainment.
"—Shae has a love bond, my brothers. No, no, listen to Shae—this is a true story. He is in love."
The crowd hollered in encouragement.
"No woman can resist the face of Shae. And of course, his cock makes the woman swoon. She has been mesmerised too. She wants a piece of his cock. She wants to bounce on it and scream. And bounce she will. Shae has a plan. Plan where he finds her alone, maybe grab her during the daily evening stroll. Once she will have Shae's hands pressing those small boobs, she will remove that white frock by herself—she will remove it or Shae will help her remove it. That tiny wisp of woman, so beautiful, so pure. She will not be able to resist the love bond of Rein and Shae. And of course, once Shae's cock has had her, she can live her life the way she wants to. Maybe us can share her, eh?"
Japp closed his eyes and clenched his fists to control the urge to punch Shae's face. He needed to calm down but his instincts warred with his rationality. Instincts won, and for a split second Japp felt the power surge through his veins, swelling as it pulled on Shae's lifeforce. The sailor let out a cry and dropped to his knees in a dead faint.
Never before had the victims of his power survived, but this time, Japp felt strangely in control. He could feel the energy coursing through his body, and felt a tug that told him to stop before Shae was completely annihilated.
Japp had never rejoiced when his control slipped and hurt another being, but this was different. Afterwards, he was not even a little guilty for what his lack of control caused Shae. 'No one talks about his Li-Li like that,' he thought and then immediately cursed himself for calling her 'his'.
That night, Japp worried that his powers had increased and what that might mean. Would he hurt Li-Li? Was it wrong for him to constantly think about her? Wasn't that what he had punished Shae for? Li-Li, in the meanwhile, came and sat beside him. She slowly slipped her hand into his and smiled at him. Her touch immediately assuaged his fears of hurting her. It was as though her touch soothed his fears in one small but significant motion. Japp found himself smiling back, only lips at first, but slowly showing his teeth too. He saw relief in her eyes, which puzzled him, but he left it for later. They remained side by side, holding hands for the rest of the night.
After that night, the shipmates usually found Japp and Li-Li on the deck in the late evenings, sometimes talking, sometimes laughing. Japp made himself her personal guardian in case Shae's strength returned and he decided to act on his original plan to hurt his Li-Li. Japp readily thought of her as 'his' now. He liked her, maybe even more. If Li-Li asked him to steal food from the kitchen for a midnight snack, Japp actually did it. Japp would do anything for her smile. Japp was not the same person with Li-Li. He felt whole, somehow. She filled an emptiness inside him that he hadn't even been aware of. The more Li-Li talked about herself, the more Japp asked. He felt as though she was made for him. He also noticed that both their markings had been getting darker since they had met. It made him even more curious about her.
One night, Li-Li ventured into the story of her childhood. She told him about how her parents had tried to kill her when she was eight years old because she told them about her dreams and they saw her predictions come true. How her mother feared the faint markings behind her ear and thought it best to get rid of her. How she had survived by hiding in a small fishing village all these years. Japp said nothing apart from rubbing her back with balled fists as she spoke. She later told him about the only friend she ever had. A girl her age, a warrior's daughter who was a troublemaker but very sharp. Li-Li was a naughty child and loved playing harmless pranks because she never got caught except once by the warrior's daughter who then started participating in her pranks. They were a few glorious days in Li-Li's life before the girl's parents took her away and Li-Li was alone again.
In the days following that jarring confession, Japp opened up to Li-Li and told her about how he had always been lonely in his life, even as a child. He told her about his absent father and his struggling mother. He told her how he lost his father and brother one day and realised that his father took his mother's soul with him. His mother was physically present, but her soul was lost without his father. Li-Li looked at him with tearful eyes, before slowly putting her head on his chest. She sighed when she felt Japp encircle his arms around her, hugging her like he never wanted to let her go. Morning found Li-Li in Japp's arms sleeping contently.
As had become his habit, Japp was sitting on the deck one day thinking about how hard Li-Li's life had been. Japp wanted to wring the necks of her parents who had tried to murder their eight year old daughter. His fury was so overwhelming that he didn't realise he was causing the sea to swell with his anger. He noticed just in time that the approaching tide was about to drown the ship and Li-Li with it. His fear of losing Li-Li gave him a power like he had never felt before. He found himself connected to the essence of the sea, and instinctively calmed the angry waves.
Li-Li saw the whole scene and came running to jump into his arms.
"I knew it!" exclaimed Li-Li.
"What did you know?" Japp asked an elated Li-Li.
"You're tapping into your full potential now. Your mystical power of absorbing life energy and thus destruction is being enhanced by the elemental power of water. You can absorb the life essence of water now. The Mother has been very kind to you, Japp. I'm so happy for you."
Japp blinked, twice.
"That makes no sense." Japp understood the destruction part—he's been doing that all his life—but the water thing made absolutely no sense to him.
Before Li-Li could explain the whole thing to him, Japp blurted out the question that was nagging at his brain.
"Why now, though? Why after so many years?"
At this, Li-Li gave him a shy smile. She held his hand and squeezed it a bit before replying, "Because you love me. Love is the trigger for your enhanced powers."
"It is? He does?"
Li-Li's smile dimmed at his confusion. Japp wanted to slap himself for that betle, a local slang roughly translated as a foolish mistake. He immediately drew her closer and put his forehead against hers. He whispered, "Of course it's true. Of course Japp does. He loves you, Li-Li."
Li-Li teared up hearing his earnest confession. "I love you too," she choked.
Japp lowered his face to hers and finally kissed her like he had been meaning to. Their kiss was not for the shy or faint-hearted. Love-bonded couples in Taica were very passionate and Japp and Li-Li were no different. He pressed his lips to hers and slowly explored her lower lip with his tongue. When she opened her mouth, he slowly entwined his tongue around hers and was thrilled to find her reciprocating.
They spent that night basking in the warmth of their confession, exploring each other and exploring the possibilities of where these elemental powers could take them. Li-Li disclosed that her manipulation of the element of air was out of control and that it scared her. She promised to find them both a teacher who would show them how to control, manipulate and use their new powers.
A few days later, the Mother blessed Li-Li with a vision which included travel instructions and hope of a better future. Li-Li and Japp immediately requested the Captain for a spare boat, citing a dangerous mission as the reason. Captain's joyous eyes bled greed at the prospect of a dangerous, ergo money-minting, off-course adventure. He sanctioned them a spare boat the next day and Japp and Li-Li set course to find their Master, the original Mystique of Water and Air, Lagan.
Thank you for reading. Hope you enjoyed it.
All my love,
sri
