Chapter 2
Sneaking around
Sky entered a room that was defiantly a nice workshop. A desk, tools, and blue prints.
The girl in purple had also been through here. Sky laughed on how he knew why. About ten dead pirates lay in odd ways scattered like candy on the floor.
Something caught Sky's eye with a glimmer under the floor. 'Hello there you rascal.' Sky whispered, smiling dashingly at the shimmering thing.
He pulled up the floor board and there was a tiny metal thing. Sky picked it up trying to figure out what it did. 'Well you have to be important or someone wouldn't be hiding you.' He said to the thing as he stuffed the thing in his bag.
Sky looked through the room searching through papers for information.
He flicked away pictures of the slave victims as he went. He did not want anymore photos of slaves seared to his minds eye.
Fold upon fold Sky looked, unable to find anything useful. When he crossed something a little more then interesting. A box, with "Special Cases" written on it.
'Let's see how naughty Gao's been.' Sky muttered to himself as he carefully opened the box. There was more files.
His daughter's photo was on top. He ripped open her files, hungrily reading anything with answers in it. She had been spirited, it said so here. She also had fought them. Sky knew that too. The bastard that did it died because they killed her. He smirked evilly at the deaths of those two She was to be sold to the Lotus Assassins.
The Lotus Assassins.
Sky ripped all the other files looking through all of them. Lotus, Lotus, Lotus.
All the files in that box was sold and approved by the Lotus Assassins.
Sky threw the box down stalking away from this sick concept. He wanted nothing more then to kill Gao, now for more reason then one.
Sky ran up the stairs, hearing the sounds of battle. He could not be to late!
As soon as he reached the top step he saw the Gao the Greater fall. The women in purple was standing over him praying.
' I wish you didn't have to kill him.' The girl in magenta whispered putting her hand on the girls shoulder.
The girl looked over. 'I didn't have a choice, Dawn Star.' Her voice was grave. Like she wished the same. The girl named Dawn Star hugged her from behind.
Sky walked in, pretending he did not see that sign of friendship Sky walked in, And a man in a hat and goggles, Kang the Mad in fact, ran in beside him. 'Damn it all! I wanted nothing more to watch that man die.' Sky spit, his face splitting into a handsome scowl.
The girl shrugged, 'He's dead. What's it matter who killed him?'
'It matters because that man deserved to die by MY hands!'
That voice was foreign to him, angry and unkind. It frightened him that Sky had actually said that. ' No, I should be thanking you. Let me explain why I'm here.' He took a deep breath, opening all old wounds.
'Gao's slaver came into Tiens Landing, taking slaves. I was off on work and those bastards took my daughter, Pinmei.' Sky's breath caught for a moment, he had not actually said her name in a while. ' When I found her it was to late. She was Spirited by the side of the road, and I'm sure she fought them. Probably figured she was more work then it was worth. Five years old, and they ran her through.'
The girl looked solemn and Dawn star looked over his shoulder at something. ' Maybe you should mourn for your daughter.'
Sky took a deep breath forcing out a strained smile. 'Thank you for your concern but it's been three years since her death and I've pretty much come to terms with it. But this goes beyond Gao the Greater. I gathered some information that shows that the primary buyers from Gao were the Lotus Assassins!'
He did not expect the reaction he got. He expected the girl to gawp or jump or something. But what he do was a nod of the head and the reply 'He's also supplying them with flyers'
'Then there can be no doubt.' Sky pulled in a breath, 'Do you plan to bring this fight higher? Because if you do I want to go with you.'
The girl in purple blinked, 'You really want to come with me?'
Dawn Star shook her head again.
'Yes, It would be an honour beside two beauties like yourself.' Dawn Star Glared while the girl in purple laughed.
''Glad to have you aboard Sky. My name's Wu the Lotus Blossom. But just call me Wu.' She leaned out offering her hand. Sky took it feeling the soft texture of her hand, he name was Wu. He finally knew.
'Nice to meet you Wu.'
Sky felt something, a rush of excitement? Maybe, but something made him smile at the thought of being with this intriguing girl.
The engines of the Magnificent Dragonfly purred in almost silence. They were just starting to descend when Wu leaned forward in her seat and asked him. ' You wouldn't perhaps know about the forest outside of Tiens Landing do you?'
Sky had travel to Pilgrims Rest before, he knew the way well. 'I know my way. Is that enough?'
Wu smiled. 'Looks like I've got a new travel companion for the forest.' Drawn Star looked relieved. Wu noticed this as well. 'Why are you so happy?'
Dawn Star shook, 'That place is so wrong, I get sick every time I'm near.' Wu nodded rubbing Dawn Stars shoulder in an understanding way.
There was a bang and a clank and the Dragon fly hit the ground, outside came a man with a no hair except for a high knot, and darkened hands. He started angrily at Wu, but slightly impressed.
'Zu!' Wu sang, as in the an was her best friend. ' How long have you been waiting for us?' She ran and hugged him quickly, which the hug he did not return, but placed a forced small smile on his face. ' I am getting tired of Wild Flower and the demons. I thought that waiting for you would keep my sanity.'
Wild Flower turned out to be a little girl, but why Zu said her demons he could not say. The girl was kind enough. A bit strange but kind.
Dawn Star packed Sky's back pack for him as he swung it around his back and tightened the hilts on his back. Wu was ready, her sword at easy accessibility, together they walked through the town to start their adventure.