The Search For Peace 2

Chapter 14

Utter silence followed Harmony's brave statement, the night sky as calm as ever. As the Captain stifled a yawn and steered his ship, Sanjay Stryker forgot how to breathe. Every part of his face was red, every part of his being thrumming with the sort of adrenaline he was not used to. His mind on overdrive, the boy felt a wave of dizziness overwhelm him, his heart too loud for him to think.

Harmony had meant that as a joke.  She really had. And she had thought he'd take it as a joke, too. But... The girl steadied herself against the railing, turning her head the other way. Crap. She thought nervously. This was not the reaction I was expecting... Hoping the boy was laughing now, she shifted her attention back to him, only to find him rubbing his neck with eyes cast down to his shoes. Harmony gulped.

"I-I'm..." She blinked at him as he stammered. "I'm going back inside..." Her mouth opened and closed, the words stuck in her throat. She wanted to stop him, to apologize..she wasn't sure what exactly she was apologizing for but, she had to do something! Eventually, though, they both ended up in their respected places on the ship, not speaking another word to each other.

As she sat on her bunk, she folded his coat neatly. Sighing, she pulled the clothing close to her chest, hugging it as she replayed what had happened. She couldn't believe herself. What possessed her to embarrass him like that? She was so stupid. Absentmindedly, she sniffed the coat, her eyes growing wide at the scent.

Coconut. She hated coconut. It tasted dry and stuck to your tongue. Its water was too sweet for her. But, strangely enough, this smell was soothing. It was coconut, mixed with this soft, buttery scent, that reminded her of bakeries just as much as it reminded her of islands. Strange how the two of them could mix together so well.

With a faint smile on her face, she lay down, still hugging the coat, and fell into a deep, deep slumber.

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Through the binoculars, Sean Pale made out the shape of the yacht they were tracking and sighed to himself.

"Well?" Sydney Bradley, the sixteen-year-old present with him on this fateful mission, placed a hand on her hip as she waited for his answer. "They're still there, right?"

Putting down the binoculars, the man stepped away from the boat's railing, looking up at the clear morning sky. "Yes, they're still there."

He didn't like this task. He didn't like it at all. Ever since he had been assigned to spy on these individuals, his life had been a living hell. Because among these individuals, was his beloved Harmony Leo.

"Let's proceed with the mission then." To make matters worse, Teresa had this ponytail girl tailing him everywhere he went. It was like she knew he'd bail if not kept under surveillance. "We don't want to lose our position again."

"Hey, girly." He looked her way as their sailboat rocked with the waves. "Can't you be the one to do it?"

"What?!" He hated it when she stomped her boot like that. It was so annoying. "Of course not!" And she was always so loud. "Sean, I don't know why you've been hesitating, but it's already been a whole day! We can't stall this any longer, or else Mistress Teresa will have our heads!"

He groaned and slumped onto a chair. "But I don't want to~!" The man covered his face with his hands, the thought of hurting Harmony pricking at him. How could he live with himself if something were to happen to her because of him?

"Sir!" He opened some of his fingers to peek at the crew member that had approached him. "The Pisces Clan is right under us now!"

"It is?" The news was good enough for him to stand up and check the map by the Captain himself. His blue eyes lit up with mischief. "It is..."

Suddenly not so uncertain, he marched to the center of the boat, Sydney closely behind him. "Oh, so now you're doing it?" She scoffed as he held up his hands as if reaching for the sky itself.

This was perfect. Now, he wouldn't have to worry. Without further ado, he yelled: "Arcane Thunder Craft: Atlantic Storm!"