soundless exile

Chapter 17: A soul unlocked

Walking back into the house, I see Rousha still asleep. I feel a smile spread across my face as I walk towards the closet and open it, flipping the latch on the box up and very carefully, slot the shard into the crack. The cube glows brighter as it slowly mends, the cracks along the shard sealing shut making the cube whole, a brief flash of bronze appears before the cube returns to its regular iridescent blue.

I sigh in relief as I see it repaired, tears coming to my eyes, I gently close the box and remove it from the closet setting it on the table, then setting an arm down on her shaking her. Slowly she sits up her eyes unfocused as she blinks, soon focusing on my face, she tilts her head. Looking at her a bit confused, "Well morning sleepy head, and Merry Christmas", Her eyes went slightly wide when I said that, "I know I know, you probably would prefer being at home", I saw a shrug in response, "well I have something to give to you, something that I held with me for a long time wanting to return it", she stared for a moment before motioning with her hands, which I stared blankly at not recognizing.

She exhales her eyes shifting to a small pad of paper on the table, she grabs it looking at me for a moment. I grab a pen, handing it to her quickly I watch her write something down, "Who are you?", This elicits a chuckle from me, "I am tosa, and well I don't know how to put this lightly but I'm your mom", this gets a stare for a solid minute.
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I shake my head writing down, "bullshit", In what world is this woman, my mom, she should be dead, but she does look familiar, we have some traits we share, mostly the smile, I look at the harsh lettering on the paper, and tore it off the pad, I looked at her and wrote again, "do you have proof?", she smiles some, tosa she called herself, I watched her get up and go to a small cabinet. When she opened up the top half was a small shrine, Filled with images of a white haired blue eyed fox child each one I looked at Tugged at different memories, all of them feeling faded, and blurry. 

I still feel a slight draw to her as well, as if instinctually I should know her. Shaking my head with an exhale I look at her flipping the pad to face her. "you convinced me some, not all the way though", it read, The woman nodded, a sad smile on her face, "Fair enough but I do have something to give to you", she takes the box off the table and hands it to me. I looked at it, it had a sense of familiarity. An old wooden box, red in color, a cherry wood I assume, gently I lifted the brass latch, it giving way with a nice solid motion.

Inside was a cube, my first instinct was to touch but I quickly chose against that, the burning pain from last time holding me warry of attempting that again. Tosa smiled and gestured for me to touch, I very carefully grabbed hold to find it, cold? Lifting the cube from the box, the smooth surface glowed, pulsing some. I looked at Tosa who pointed at her chest and motioned it being pushed into it. Hesitating as I looked at it, the motion somehow felt familiar, the cube made contact with my chest and I felt a spark in my mind, the cube slowly sank in, slowly it vanished into me, I felt a calming presence in my mind. "Hello, niece", I freeze tapping my ears but no sound from me messing with them is heard from them, "oh, sorry if I startled you, Fu fu~, but I was used to repairing your cube."

I sat there for a moment in shock, "what's your name?", "Amagi, and your Rousha", I nodded slightly the shock of hearing something even if it its in my head was jarring but familiar, "I understand, take your time, and merry Christmas", I nod at that, "yeah thanks."

Tosa looked at me with a smile, "so how does it feel?", I looked at her. My memories clear now, the woman from before, Tosa, Mom, standing up I walk to her, wrapping my arms around her and burying my head into her. She started to pat my head, slowly I relaxed, before looking up at her, I quickly grabbed the paper and pen, "Come with", was all that was written, tosa looked at me confused for a moment, "Come with? what do you?", then It clicked in her head, "Back to your home?", I nod getting a smile from her, "sure but my ship might be an issue."

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Later in the cave

Cocking my head at the rusted out hulk of steel I just shook my head, impressed honestly by how much damage was there, slowly I climbed in some of the walls crumbled at the slightest touch, the keel though was in remarkably good condition, and it was still watertight to a point, rough seas would be a hazard but I should be able to tow to back to pearl, Sighing as I look at the damage.

"this is disturbing", "I know amagi, but it should hold together to make it home", "and if it doesn't", "I won't let that happen", After some instruction from Mom, I had my ship summoned a rope running between the two ships, slowly mine pulled forward, Moms creaked and shifted before it starts to move dislodged form the cave.

Sitting in my ship's bridge I watch as the wheel moved to my mind, the engine telegraph as well, I feel the call and response of nearly every part, steps on the deck the thrum of the engines, the electrics, all of the ship, I feel it, it felt right.

Suddenly a shell rocked into the side of the bridge destroying it entirely my vision reeled from the impact, the sense of falling as my vision faded to black.