Requiem [Sirius the Jaeger]

Chapter 21 - A New Beginning

"Much as we may wish to make a new beginning, some part of us resists doing so as though we were making the first step toward disaster."
~William Throsby Bridges

The next morning was already there once we left the train station in Yokohama. We didn't waste any more time and headed straight to the docks next, the first ship to leave today already waiting there. The first rays of the rising sun were shining through a thin curtain of clouds, filling the morning air with a certain warmth.

When we finally arrived at the docks, my nose immediately caught the familiar scents of the sea. The salty air, the wet ropes, the wooden crates and the first round of fish caught in the various nets. Fog hung over the harbor, giving the nice and quiet city a mysterious and yet calming atmosphere. Quite a few people were already up, although they were mostly workers getting ready for their day.

People were running around, yelling orders at others using the harsh slang that was unique to sailors. Families were saying goodbye to their loved ones, children talking excitedly with their parents as they boarded the ship sitting there like a sleeping giant.

The still lingering coolness of the night mixed with the refreshing breeze from the sea. The fact that winter was coming closer didn't help at all, leading me to bury myself deeper into my coat. I watched how my breath formed little clouds in front of my face as I got closer to the ship, the ravenette still at my side.

It was a normal passenger ship, not different from any other ship. Compared to the humans around it, it was enormous, towering over the port. Sailors were running around there too, getting ready to leave the safe harbor soon, heading over to the near island of Sakhalin, the place where we hoped to find Yevgraf and the Ark.

As we silently walked over to the ship, I noticed that Yuliy fell a little behind me. Ever since we had left the mansion, there had been a silence between us, neither of us daring to say anything. Or rather, no one knew what to say.

We both had decided this was what we wanted to do, that we would leave the Jaeger world once and for all. Although it pained us deeply to leave everything behind, this is what we had to do. Words of comfort were out of place here, our minds focused on the goal ahead. Like I said before, as long as the ravenette was by my side, there was no need for any words spoken between us. I had the feeling we understood each other anyways.

When I was about to board the ship, I noticed the Sirius halting behind me, looking back the way we came from. I looked at him over my shoulder, wondering what was going on in his head.
Regret? A final goodbye? Or something entirely different?

Before I could say anything however, the male turned around and started walking again, bypassing me on his way. A quiet 'Let's go' entered my ears as I followed him, getting on the ship. It felt like seconds later that we stood at the railing, looking back at the port the boat just left.

The salty wind played with my ponytail, letting my hair dance around my head. The sky was turning brighter by the second, the sunrise officially marking the beginning of a new day. A few seagulls had followed the ship, playing around in the air. They switched places, rolling around each other, soaring high only to drop down again.

In the distance, Yokohama grew smaller with every passing second. It felt like now at last, I was past the point of no return. The whole way over here was more than painful for me, getting harder with every step. Every second I felt the need to contemplate if doing this was really the right thing to do.

But now, as I breathed in the fresh air of the dawn and watched the island behind us growing smaller, I felt a determination rise within me once again. Perhaps I would see them once more, or maybe I would see them never again. Either outcome was fine with me, as long as I could guarantee the safety of my friends – no, family. This whole ordeal had nothing to do with them, so there was no need for them to die for it.