Glistening Embers

Chapter 5: Traveling With Allies

Author's Note:
Me: I wanna cookie.
Everyone: What kind?
Me: Weasel cookie.
The next morning, Glisteen awoke floating in the air, along with everyone else on the ship. She yelped and came crashing back down onto her bed. Now, everyone else was awake.

Glisteen scrambled out of the bed and ran up onto the deck. There, a man stood on the starboard railing. Glisteen was surprised that he didn't fall off, since he was rather heavyset.

He was tan and apparently liked the cold, judging from his lack of a shirt. Instead, he wore a red leather vest that left none of his flabby chest to the imagination, (shudder) and red harem pants. Realizing she was still in her night shirt, Glisteen ran back down below deck.

Everyone was up. Sinlivbie was ruefully rubbing her head, Glisteen guessed she fell on it. Glisteen nodded to Mictochra. "Can you get them out of here?" she asked, gesturing to the boys. Mictochra nodded, focusing on Sabecary.

His hair slowly turned a pretty shade of violet. "Darn it, Mictochra! Fine, we're gone!" Both of the guys left.

Glisteen changed quickly, Sinlivbie provided her with a dark red shirt and blue pants. She got in her old flats, and put on a leather jacket (again provided by Sinlivbie) and ran out, followed by Yilasia wearing a green shirt and shorts.

They got out on the deck and found the men already there, along with the shirtless man. Ugh. Raya and Sinlivbie were out too, staring at the mysterious stranger. "Who are you?" Sabecary asked, rudely.

The man looked at Showda. "Why, this is Tyvigar." Showda said. "He'll be staying with us." Glisteen almost gagged at the thought. 

"So, what's your gift?" Raya was the first to speak, and cheerfully at that. How on Aethr could she be so nice to someone who tried to lift up everything on the ship?!

"Gravity." he stated, as if he was the hottest, most respected guy on the ship. Glisteen could think of many more people before Tyvigar.

"I'm Raya," Raya said, still friendly, "and this is Sinlivbie, Sabecary, Hepas, Glisteen, and her sister, Yilasia." Raya listed, gesturing to each in turn. Tyvigar nodded. Glisteen grimaced.

Showda stepped to the side, revealing a boy. How had Glisteen not noticed him before? He looked about Yilasia's age, (but he could have just been short,) and his hair was ivory white. His skin was the same. But his eyes... they were milky white. He was blind.

"This is Thigil." Showda introduced.

Thigil nodded to all of them. He had heard the other introductions. "Hi." he said, quietly. Hepas nodded and went up the stairs, where the steering wheel was, lifted a hatch, and disappeared inside.

Hepas came out later, carrying a small bag. He walked from one person to the next, giving each a small, hard, biscuit and a piece of dried meat. Glisteen stared at the biscuit and piece of meat incredulously. The gruel at the orphanage looked better at this point. She saw everyone starting to eat, even Thigil, who was taking small, tentative bites.

Glisteen took a bite of the biscuit. It tasted hard and bland, but not that bad. She soon finished it. She tried the piece of dried meat. It was salty, but pretty good. Glisteen was soon finished. The meat must have been filled with protein, because she was pretty full.

Glisteen walked off with Sinlivbie, Yilasia, and Raya. They were soon in deep conversation, Mictochra soon joined them. The girl didn't talk much, never more than three words. Thigil and Tyvigar were also on the deck.

Glisteen felt bad for Thigil. He seemed nice, but shy. Tyvigar, on the other hand, Glisteen wouldn't mind accidentally pushing overboard. Raya must have been thinking the same thing because she invited Thigil over. He sat by Mictochra, where they exchanged quiet words. All Thigil cared to share with all of them was he had light powers.

They were soon on the the subject of gifts. "I just turn invisible. It's really not that useful." Sinlivbie said with a shrug.

"What are you talking about?" Glisteen replied. "It's amazing! You can sneak up on people, escape if you're kidnapped, attack people without them seeing you. So many options."

"Raya's is better. She can control things with her mind!"

"Yeah, but we don't know if Glisteen's or Yilasia's are better. They don't know yet." Raya said, shrugging the complement off.

"I wonder who else will come. There are seventeen beds." Yilasia wondered.

"One extra bed." Mictochra said, with a shrug.

"Oh, so... eight more people are coming." Yilasia replied, counting on her fingers.

Yilasia was right. Eight more people did come. The first two to come were Smeko and Telma, smoke and metal. They were siblings, both with odd grey-tinted hair and eyes.

She didn't really remember the rest, only that the ship got much more crowded. Also, the sad fact that Sabecary got more and more annoying.

What was his deal? She just wanted to march straight up to him and look him in the eyes, those beautiful winter blue eyes. Shut up, Glisteen! Glisteen scolded herself.

Another few days passed, when Glisteen realized that the ship had left the continent. No more land and no more possible escape.

One afternoon, she was eating lunch with Yilasia, Sinlivbie, Raya, Mictochra, and Thigil. The options were a biscuit with egg and sausage or peanut butter and jam on a biscuit. Feeling suspicious that egg and sausage would last that long, she picked the peanut butter and jam.

They were all laughing at Tyvigar's bewilderment whenever an invisible Sinlivbie would poke him and he would turn around to see no one. For once in her life, Glisteen felt happy, even if it was only for a moment. Glisteen realized there was some fun here, especially when you were traveling with allies.