The boat cruised around giant lily pads along the shore. In the sea creatures' sanctuary, the massive black ship rocked, following the gusting ocean wind.
Aletha stretched her arms out and embraced the feeling, her long, silky white hair flowing upward like a pattern.
Asahi watched as the sails rippled in the water. Other ships sailed from different directions: some approached from shallow waters near the shore, others crossed the distant deep trenches. All of it was enough to kindle a feeling of awe in him.
The Crew and Drimi readied the ship for docking, fastening sails while some packed crates and others repaired a hole in the lower decks.
They also found Devlin, hiding behind a crate. He was secretly propelling the ship with his water magic.
Though questionable, the crew and captain thanked him. Still, the wanderers had little respect for Devlin, or so it seemed.
On the other hand, Aletha hollered out to Asahi, pointing her fingers to the distant coast.
"Whoa! Asahi, come over here!"
This time, he listened to his sister and hurried to see what Aletha meant.
His eyes reflected the beautiful panorama of the insidious mist that ensnared the tall peaks. His jaw dropped as he saw the massive seaside buildings that stretched for what looked like kilometers.
"Wow, this isn't anything that matched what I had imagined. This looks… amazing!"
Phthonus joined in with the group, his black scarf wrapped around his back. The moment he felt that wave of warm air blow against him, Phthonus' heart melted.
"I missed this place."
Sally, with her long platinum hair, was tied up due to the warmth of the place. Still, her height towered over Phthonus, Asahi, and Aletha for being so tall.
"It's hotter here than Pladtioa, but it isn't as hot as Obrus. It feels nice, warm, and humid, like spring. I see so many flowers, and the harbor is filled with sprawling vegetation."
Asahi scratched his head and turned to the very distant tiny white patch on the right, shrouded in mist.
"What is that place?"
Sally directed her hot pink eyes toward Asahi and smiled.
"That's my home region, Astait. It's too far from us, and it's frigid there, unlike here. Additionally, I don't want to bother going back there. The people are mean and crude."
Asahi turned away from Sally and looked at the massive dockside. Boats and ships clustered near large stone beams. As the ship moved and everyone watched the view, Asahi pulled out a slim black notebook and a fine-tipped pen. He leaned against the rail and started writing his thoughts.
———
[You can see half of the city from here, but not the entire nation, since the elevation is slanted. Unlike Pladtioa, my eyes felt like they were gazing at a different world. It's entirely different. I could even feel my heart and emotions rising dramatically. I feel… cheerful. As if all negative feelings were expelled as soon as I sniffed that aroma.]
Asahi tapped his pen against the empty spaces, tried to recollect his memories, then continued pressing his pen against the silk surface of the paper.
[Last time I saw this type of formation was when it was all blanketed in snow, but that was WAY before we returned to the world. After all, it had been almost five thousand years since we left…]
Asahi sighed deeply and wrote more.
[Ever since we were summoned in Pladtioa, we made many allies, met creatures, and grew more detached from our cruel past. After many conflicts, encounters, and blessings, we managed to reclaim the nation for ourselves. However…]
Asahi adjusted his vision toward the mountains.
[There is still much land left to redeem before we call this world OUR world.]
Asahi turned the pages and slid them down beneath the paper. He dropped the dark notebook toward the decks and forced it back into his 'storage' to use it later. Devlin, who was trying to apologize to Aletha, wanted to give her a fresh bottle of water as an apology for his foolishness.
"Look, I apologize for what happened earlier. That was totally my fault."
Aletha shook her head and dismissed Devlin, wondering how Asahi could be friends with him. After a few seconds of meeting Devlin's moon-shaped gaze, she sighed, her forgiveness clear, and finally shook his hand.
"It's fine… the joke wasn't as harmless as I made it out to be. Whatever got into me back in the dock made me act like a child. But now, I feel normal again. Thank you…" She replied as she grabbed the clear glass bottle from Devlin's hands.
Aletha saw Asahi's gray eyes peering out from behind a wooden pole. He hastily moved behind and hoped she wouldn't notice, but instead of approaching him, she just pretended that she had never seen Asahi at that time.
. . .
After a few minutes, the wanderers, Phthonus, Sally, and Devlin, all raced to the quarterdeck to see how Drimi was doing.
By stepping up the stairs and leaning on the railing, Drimi focused on steering the ship to the docks. The aroma of food drifted to them, signaling they were close to shore.
Sally stepped behind Drimi and whispered.
"How far are we from there?"
Drimi wiped sweat from her brow, shook her head in uncertainty, and gripped the wheel to steer the ship to the right.
"I don't remember seeing this many ships here. What is going on? Is there a ceremony or something?!"
Sally questioned.
"Huh… What did you say, Drimi?"
She nervously scratched her head and let out a nervous chuckle.
"N-Nothing… we're almost there. Just be patient."
* * *
Blue, green, and brown hues dappled the harbor. Ssprawling greenery, vines, flowers, bright cyan trees, and stone waited near the clear water.
The ship cruised into an open spot, closest to five ten-well-parked boats at the nearest dock segment.
Butterflies fluttered over the eighteen wooden docks stretching from the stairway to the farthest beaches. People walked on stone platforms, carrying crates, leaving ships, or just hanging out.
Chatter sounded from block to block. All varieties of hair colors and lengths were scattered everywhere.
Asahi and Aletha stared in awe.
To their right stretched a warm turquoise sea of extensive blue; to their left rose a stone jungle of structures plastered with steel, dark oak planks, or glass. Tall slopes, hills, waterfalls, and lush green mountains surrounded it all in a gentle curve.
As the waves splashed against the ship, the wood creaked, the seagulls cawed loudly, and the vessel softly scraped against the stone surface. The crew tossed the large plank out toward the wide wooden docking station, and Drimi rang a loud bell.
"Land ho!"
Linuxinia City's Docks were the perfect place to introduce outsiders. The docks had a grand, majestic charm. Every ship parked among the Grand Docks felt relief, anticipation, and awe.
The Wanderers, Phthonus, and Sally carefully departed the ship.
Asahi took his first step and felt the vivid, warm breeze push his white hair back.
He inhaled the strong, perfume-like aroma that filled the air. Asahi held out his hand and warned Aletha as she stepped onto the docks.
"Watch your step."
Aletha couldn't have felt better. Her first step on the wooden surface surprised her. It wasn't as grimy and unclean as she expected. Instead, it was relatively new, polished, and refined.
She heard birdsong and the distant bustle from the docks up to the staircases leading to the city's second level.
Aletha pondered as she and Asahi stood out among the people, who stared as they passed.
"It feels so crowded, yet clean at the same time."
Phthonus hopped out without a care, leaned toward the wanderers, and whispered.
"Of course, everything is clean. Linuxinia is the cleanest, friendliest, and most active nation. I don't know much, but The Queen has high standards for this nation's cleanliness."
Asahi decided to check out and examine the other boats around them. Some had intricate patterns of curves, sharp edges, and zigzags, while others were much smaller, featuring only one sail but made of tattered wood.
He scratched his chin and gave a half-shrug.
"I guess this nation has a lot more variety than… Pladtioa."
Aletha wandered the docks with Phthonus, learning about the ships.
(Could he have more knowledge than I thought?) Asahi mumbled in his mind.
One word described the docks: crowded. Crowded and messy, to be exact.
Asahi saw children playing on the far docks. They bumped into him, but he didn't mind—they were just children.
Fortunately, as the two children reached the last part of the dock, a tall, brown-haired woman rushed to them and dragged them back to the port.
"But mommy, we were just playing--
The mother didn't resist and wagged her finger.
"Mm, mmmm. No buts. You lost your privilege and are grounded for a week."
The children whined.
"But MOM!"
Asahi scratched his head and gave a nervous chuckle.
"Heh… heh…"
Suddenly, warm fingers touched his back. He jumped in shock and nearly lost his balance, but was pulled back to safety. Asahi tilted his head in anger, complaining.
"Hey… do you mind warning me? You could have just--
His words were quickly stopped as he saw who touched him.
They were a petite girl with fairly short green and dark lavender hair. She wore a tight-fitting attire in a blend of green and blue, accompanied by a small brown hat attached to the right side. Her appearance was enough for Asahi to identify the familiar face.
"Y-Your…"
She gazed at Asahi's dark gray pupils with her two glistening emerald-cyan eyes, her one cat ear wiggling in excitement. She hopped back, plunged to pink with a broad smile, then screamed at the top of her lungs.
"ASAHI?!"
The one that made Asahi so warm and hot with anxiety was…
"Kali?!"
The docks had never felt so silent to both of them. The waves crashed against the stone walls, the ships parked in the harbor rocked back and forth, and the bustling crowd of people faded away to the city.
Asahi couldn't believe it. The one who had supported, saved, and cared for him back in Dreamtoe Cliff was standing right in front of Asahi's very presence.
Asahi mumbled quietly as Kali Leila tried to hide with her slender hands.
"You're as adorable as the day I met you."
Kali hastily bounced up.
"E-Eh? What did you say?"
Asahi nervously stammered.
"U-Umm… nothing. It's just…."
(I never expected to encounter her so quickly. I know I remembered that someone said that Marina and Kali returned to this nation because of a disaster, but I just don't remember WHO said that to me.)
He began to reflect and recollect what someone said to him during the aftermath of the fight with the Kitsune.
* * *
(I remember just a few minutes ago, before they left to go to the port, they said a disaster was happening in Linuxinia.)
Asahi squinted his eyes at the 'perfectly fine' environment in front of him. The memory of the voice continued.
(Yes, a disaster. It's not huge, but it is something about a large tornado opening near the mountain of Linuxinia.)
And from that, Asahi remembered it all.
The black scarf, dark brown hair, and orange eyes.
It was Phthonus who informed him about where they fled.
* * *
Asahi's thoughts returned to reality, and he snapped his fingers, taking a deep breath before yelling at Kali in a curious yet mildly infuriated tone.
"Oh, now I remember! You abandoned me after I defeated the Kitsune. For some… 'disaster.'"
Kali Leila nibbled her bottom lip, her emerald eyes went wide, and her face flushed even harder.
"I-I didn't abandon you. I thought there was a disaster. There were rumors…."
"Are you sure?" Asahi grumbled as he leaned his eyes to Kali's face.
This gave her a little more time to think.
The only memory she recollected was when she fled from Dreamtoe Forest across the entire nation toward Pladtioa Docks.
Marina offered Kali a ride on her boat so that they could travel back to Linuxinia. And just as they returned, they saw the city was perfectly fine, and agreed to stay here until further notice.
"So… are you going to answer?"
Though he never knew the whole story, Asahi could figure that Kali was telling the truth. Just as Asahi was about to apologize, a salt-peppered-haired man raced out of the ship and barged between them. He looked like he was dizzy, anxious, and out of breath.
"WHAT?!"
Devlin yanked Asahi away from Kali.
While the clueless, innocent Kali stared at them, whispering from a distance, Devlin warned Asahi.
"W-What do you think you're even doing? Do you EVEN know who that girl standing in front of you IS?!"
Asahi shrugged and tried to drag Devlin away.
"No."
"That girl… the one with purple-green hair and cyan eyes, is the supreme ruler of this nation."
Asahi's eyes lit up; he stood paralyzed on the docks and cranked his sight to Kali, yelling in confusion.
"Wait… WHAT?!"
While Devlin was pushed, shoved, and propelled from Asahi to the city by a crowd of people, the fool lifted his arm and screamed.
"YES! Be careful! These people here are insane! Agh--stop pushing me! Crap, I'm getting distanced from you. Anyways. I... Just trust me. and be careful…." Before Devlin could say more, his voice was already out of reach, eclipsed greatly by the crowd's chattering.
Asahi slowly approached Kali with a look of suspicion on his face.
(Could that fool… actually be truthful for once? No… I doubt it.)
After a moment of questioning, Asahi immediately discarded Devlin's warning as if it were some joke and stared at Kali's quivering green eyes. The look on her face wasn't blushy and plummy as it was before, but rather anxious and excited.
It made Asahi wonder what Kali was about to say or do next. While he heard Drimi, the crew, and Sally walk along the docks toward land, Aletha raced up to Asahi and asked.
"Hey, Asahi! When are you going to the city?! You have been in the docks… like… forever!"
Asahi couldn't recognize his sister's current attitude and mood. It was far more distant and separated from how she acted on the ship.
He ignored it, nodded his head, and replied to Aletha with an annoyed tone.
"Not now, sis! I need to make a discussion real--
Without resistance, Kali clutched Asahi's arm and leaned against him, jerking and dragging him away from the port. She insisted on Aletha while she forced Asahi further from the harbor.
"Yeah, I agree. Please listen to me, Asahi. Just follow me, and we'll find somewhere to talk later."
Asahi could smell the fresh blossom scent lingering on Kali Leila. Her warm, soft, tender skin pressed against his left arm like a squishy ball, her silky short green hair brushed over his skin like a broom, and her legs chased Asahi's like a shadow.
A flush crept upon his face. The warmth accompanied by anxiety was enough to make him feel sick.
He covered his mouth and whispered to Kali.
"You're too close… a-and were in public."
Kali Leila couldn't handle her temptation any longer. After what felt like 'forever' to her, finally… she reunited with her interest once more.
"Come on, Asahi… loosen up a little. Pretty please? I missed you!~" She tried to lean on him more like they were partners.
Asahi shrugged his shoulders and surrendered to Kali's strong affection, walking up the stone stairs one step at a time while Aletha was far from them.
(She's too close.)
Asahi grasped the golden rails placed to the left of the wide, fifty-meter stone staircase and saw warm, yellow lights dangle and sparkle high above their heads.
People passed by, staring at Asahi with looks of either curiosity, envy, or awe. It wasn't surprising. White hair is a rarity not just in Pladtioa but throughout the entire world of Gincad itself. Yet he still remembered seeing more than just his sister, who also had white hair.
Asahi couldn't muster the clogged memories, so he continued shoving his thoughts aside.
"WOAH!"
Kali pointed her unaccompanied hand toward the breathtaking view of the ocean, set against the tall, green mountains, long wooden bridges, caverns, rivers, waterfalls, and towers.
"Look at that, Asahi… isn't it wonderful?"
Asahi raised an eyebrow and mumbled.
"If you were the Queen of Linuxinia, you shouldn't look surprised about the land you see every day. Yeah… Devlin lied to me. That lousy, no-good trickster. I know you have an angel factor, and you were bullied and all, but that doesn't justify what you did to me."
Kali inclined her head and looked at Asahi with a cute and curious look.
"Asahi, what are you mumbling about?"
"N-Nothing… let's just… continue on."
She smiled, closed her eyes, and yanked him faster up the stairs with a genuine look of excitement coursing through her mind.
Though it had been so long, and her relationship had yet to be 'rationalized' to Asahi, he couldn't say 'no' to Kali after all that she did for him.
To support Asahi despite seeing his worst side, defend and help him from the monsters in Dreamtoe. Asahi remembered her words, the quotes that motivated Asahi to dance with Narcissa, to go his way on protecting the nation and saving Sadiki. Everything was because of her...
...memories...
("There would be someone out there to listen to you. All you have to do is not give up and stop thinking about yourself, but rather, others. If you listen to their cries, they will listen to yours...")
(" Because I admire you, Asahi. I love your personality...")
("I... just love the way you used to treat others. You're usually mature, fluent, and caring. Deep inside, I knew your heart was confused.")
He clenched his fists and sighed deeply, having remembered all her quotes.
Asahi looked at Kali differently and changed his approach to her. He responded with an indulgent tone.
"Okay... fine. I'll come with you. I'm looking forward to seeing what's in store when we reach the top of that staircase."
Kali cheerfully hopped up and clutched Asahi's hands, clamoring with a high-pitched voice.
"That's the spirit! Now, come on, Asahi! Let's go!"
"Okay... okay, calm down!"
Kali ignored him and hustled even faster up the steps. Asahi kept up with her pace, and as soon as they reached the last step of the staircase, they saw Aletha standing still with her eyes sparkling in awe.
Asahi shook his head and tilted forward, and soon...
HIS eyes flashed with overwhelming astonishment.