Why the Ocean?

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Fantasy had gone back inside. Al stayed up on the roof for a while after that. He told her he just did better higher up, away from the ground. She said he'd make a great pirate. He had trouble believing there were enough people left on the planet for there to be pirates. There were pirates in the air too, in planes battling to control the sky realm. Al doubted there were really dogfights, if he had a plane he'd be too timid to let it get destroyed for a mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor, argon, and carbon dioxide.

"Air pirates probably won't last long, you know. They're just having their fun until they all run out of fuel. That will be soon enough. We were about to phase the oil running planes out like we did cars, but maybe in millions of years all the people who died will become the oil for some alien species to power their spaceships," Fantasy told him looking up at the sky.

"That's morbid," he had initially remarked, but now he just smiled up into the sky thinking back on it.

"I just thought if you liked heights, you'd like being a pilot. I still think plane rides are pretty exciting; my father's private jet was wonderful to ride in. They even served me orange juice in a champagne glass!"

"I could never be a pilot! I've never even been on a plane; my mom wasn't a big fan of travel."

"After this is all over you should at least try to ride in one. The view is breathtaking. At first when you take off you see the world getting smaller and smaller, and then wooosh! You are engulfed by the clouds, who wrap you in their vapory moisture. Eventually, you looked forward in your seat at food or toys, but you always look back to your window for landing to see the whole thing happen in reverse," Fantasy finished with a longing look in her eyes. After a few minutes she sat up and clumsily shimmied off the roof, leaving Al where he was now; lost in his visions of planes and commandeering the sky.

"That settles it, I wish I was born a pirate." Al decided with gusto. He looked up at the sky to see if he could see any planes. He knew that he couldn't stay daydreaming for long.

Al had assumed the plan was to head back to Nora whenever Fantasy felt like it.

Fantasy's plan was to leave for Nora after Al bought a change of clothes.

Too bad Al just wanted to stay on the rooftop. He had no intention of spending what could very well be his last free moments clothes shopping. He had no fond memories of clothes shopping back with his mom; Little Alston Hues hated the whole ordeal. At least his mom did the grocery shopping on her phone at the subway platform on her way to work. Waiting for the groceries to be delivered always left a certain sense of excitement, like getting presents on Christmas morning.

Fantasy came back up the roof with more grace than last time,

"Well, are you ready? I got some money from Mr. Cannier. We really have to do something to thank him for all of this." Fantasy babbled.

"Just get me a cloak with a large hood. Until we get this belt off nothing is going to happen requiring any removal of clothes, or putting on of clothes." Al ordered from his lounging position.

"Fine." Fantasy consented reluctantly.

"I'll be here then," Al called putting his hands behind his head, relaxing on the rooftop. Fantasy rolled her eyes, but she figured after what he told her, she'd never be able to get truly upset with him without feeling some sense of guilt. She knew that he didn't want her to pity him, but she couldn't help it. She couldn't let it show. Fantasy would let him act like a selfish bastard, for now. She told herself once they got back on the road she would be harsher with him. Maybe, eventually, they could interact like they did in the beginning; back when they thought nothing of each other's suffering. But they hated each other then! There was another feeling bubbling up inside her other than guilt, she couldn't let it show. Those thoughts were more inconvenient than guilt.

"Oh and hey!" Al bellowed from the rooftop while Fantasy was still in earshot, "We should visit the beach before we leave! I want to see the ocean!"

Fantasy didn't know why, but she wanted to see it too.

Fantasy walked down to the market square with a handful of wooden coins that Mr. Cannier had given her, apparently they were standard currency in Lighten. She was impressed they had currency at all. The less black and charred the rims were, the more valuable wooden token was. She hoped this was enough for at least a couple cloaks to hide their faces. Maybe she would get a shirt for Al too. Walking into the nearest clothing shop, it was small with tight aisles and shabbier than anything they had in Nora. The rough wood the shelves were made of splintered her fingers. Although more pedestrian than Fantasy was used to, she found two emerald cloaks that seemed fairly well made and a simple tunic made of buff colored fabric that made her look more like a normal farm girl than anything she had packed. Fantasy also saw a soft navy shirt with long sleeves that should fit Al. It was nice, pre-apocalypse work. Although, it would have been easier to tell it would fit him if he had come with her. Fantasy put the coins on the table. The shopkeeper handed her back three scorched coins in change. When she left the shop, Fantasy slipped on the smaller cloak, immediately hiding her face with the hood.

She was heading down the small street back to Al and Mr. Cannier when Fantasy heard a parade of hooves hitting road up by the church. She moved with the curious crowd, careful to keep her face down.

There on the church steps was her worst fear. Maybe a dozen strong men, all ex-body guards, with guns. There was no doubt that they had come from Nora. As the citizens of Lighten gathered the burliest man in pack jumped of his horse and began to shout,

"We are from the city-state of Nora! As your friendly neighbors we take it as our responsibility to inform you of a demon child that may have snuck into your town! He had slithered his way onto our ship and we were quick to figure out he was not one of us! We had him quarantined properly until he escaped and kidnapped an important young woman and stole government property! We cannot imagine the horror that this young woman is going through this very minute. We have reason to believe he may have fled here to lead you astray from your holy path of enlightenment and convert you to his satanic ways! We all know it was those like this boy, whose evil rituals angered our lord, and were the root cause of this apocalypse! When we find him our forces will dispose of the devil's spawn in the way we see fit, making sure his unholy ways will never purge the minds of those here! Until then we have a picture of the girl we still hope is alive, a drawing of the boy, and the merchandise he has taken with him! We encourage you to check all the streets in search of any sign of them! Thank you for aiding us in our quest!"

The man dismissed the crowd, Fantasy was runningbefore one of them had a chance to get off the church steps. This was not good;this was not good at all.

***This was was a shorter chapter this time! I may end up combining it with some other material to make it a tad bit longer later. As always feel free to comment on anything you like, dislike, want to see happen, all that jazz!***

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⏰ Last updated: Oct 17, 2016 ⏰

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