Captain Destiny's Adventure

Chapter 7: Rekindling

Kazuko slowly opened her eyes. She blinked at the darkened embers in front of her. She raised her head and looked around. The sickeningly familiar walls of her workshop welcomed her. She yawned and sat up. The leather blanket fell off her shoulders, revealing her short-sleeved cropped shirt.

She gasped.

"Hakku!" she exclaimed.

She sprinted to the ladder and grabbed an oil lamp off a countertop. Using three limbs she climbed every fourth rung.

At the top, she flipped on the lamp, revealing the empty cot snuggled against walls of stacked books. The single blanket was neatly folded with a note on top. Her long arm and fingers stretched to their limits. She snatched the note and brought it downstairs.

Thank you for the conversation, Miss Roki. I greatly appreciated your perspective. It gave me much to think about. I hope one day you can find peace and return home. I would love to stay longer, however, I do need to take to the sky.

- Hakku

Kazuko set the lamp and note down before dashing to one of the cupboards. She threw it open and climbed into a different crop t-shirt and knee-length sweatpants. The young woman bunched her wavy hair in a half ponytail without brushing it. She found a leather bag and stuffed all her clothes in.

Kazuko scanned the area. After snagging a few more items, she threw the bag on her shoulders and dashed to the door.

A surge of adrenaline was used to toss up the wooden bar onto its hooks.

She threw open the doors to a rising sun.

Kazuko took two deep breaths and sprinted down the dirt path.

Her bare feet dug into the hardened earth.

The leather bag bounced violently against her back.

Her long legs practically split the air while her arms easily cut through it.

All of her dark locks straightened in the wind.

Small puffs of fog emitted from her mouth with each exhale.

Tears leaked from the corners of her dark eyes as she passed each of the houses.

Five minutes later she reached the market.

The young woman barely slowed to a jog until she reached the docks. There were two hangars: a garage for overnight plane storage and an open lot where planes were parked under a single metal roof.

She dashed into the garage via a people-sized door. The hangar was open. Planes were already being hauled out by special tow trucks.

"Crap," she gasped, "I didn't ask what his plane looked like."

Her head whipped around the area.

"Wait a minute, he mentioned Captain Destiny. That must be the name!"

She quickly read off the names of the thirty or so planes hooked up. After no success, she exited the docks and ran outside. She sprinted around the garage to the open hangar where planes were temporarily docked under shaded platforms.

"Will this place be suitable, young man?" someone asked.

"Yes, it will be. Thank you, David!" a familiar voice answered.

Kazuko's ears twitched.

Her head immediately faced the sound.

Not far off, there stood a man in a denim blue aviator suit. He was talking to the man in the tow truck. Although his back was towards her, that head of poofy, black curls underneath the denim blue cap was indistinguishable.