An Old Friend

Downstairs in the lobby of the store four people sat around a table. One had his feet kicked up on the table and was spinning a black barreled pistol around his finger. Every now and then he'd catch it and then continue spinning it.

Next to him was a girl who was fast asleep. She looked extremely pale. Every now and then she'd smile as if she was having a good dream.

Next to her was another girl was despondently eating a hard piece of bread. She kept trying to bite into it but it was rock solid. She gave up after the 3rd attempt and pushed the plate if bread and stew away from her face.

At the head of the table was a young boy his burgundy bandanna exposed his eyes which were looking around the establishment.

He had a serious look on his face as he eavesdropped on some of their conversations.

Stranger 1 : Did you hear about the plantation at the north end of the Island?

Stranger 2: No what about it?

Stranger 1: Apparently its supposed to expand to the eastern side of the island.

Stranger 3: What? Didn't Gabanna already take up half of our fresh water to fund her crazy production of tilsberries?

Stranger 1: Yeah...This island used to be a tropical paradise where you could get locally made clothing out of the dye from the tilsberry. Now it's turned into a big corporation owned by those scum in the golden world. "

Stranger 2: Hey! Shhhh!Watch your tone. The innkeeper has eyes and ears everywhere. You know he doesn't like when there is a commotion on these islands.

Stranger 3: Phft " Bad reviews are bad for business " that guy's a real nut. People disappear the moment they say something bad about him. Its like he lives in their shadows or something spooky like that.

Stranger 1: Don't believe in ghost stories....that's how you get haunted.

Pause...

All : Mama Lindsey can I get another glass!

Out from the counter the old lady who owns the store walked out with three new mugs of beer and places them on their table.

Will hearing enough turns his head to see what the others think of the trio's conversation.

Apathy who was sleeping was now awake and Davie had stopped twirling his gun. Apathy was the first to say something.

" You think we should check it out?Our ship's gonna take a few weeks to fix "

Davie pouted but still nodded at her words.

Will nodded but before he said anything else he pointed to Belle.

Belle then took out the address on the piece of paper and told the rest of them what she knew.

" Okay , Polly gave me this and its an address for a shipwright on the island. I don't know them nor how polly got this but its a start "

They all nodded and got up. Will threw a couple Riman silver for the meal on the desk. The old lady's eyes popped out of their sockets. This was much more than needed for the meal. She had almost made her weekly income in a few minutes.

As she walked back behind the counter she stared at their backs as they exited and wondered who that group of 4 was. They seemed far from ordinary in her eyes. Especially the young boy.

He looked as if he glowed in the morning sun.

Infront of a store stood the group. Belle stared at the entrance of the store and a familiar metallic-legged cat sat on the railing of the store.

Belle pleaded in her mind that it was just a coincidence. She shakily walked up the stairs. Each step because harder for her to maintain. He body became heavy her mind felt weighted. As she reached the peak of the 4th step she fell to her knees and standing at eye level was a bare metallic leg.

She looked up and staring down down at her was a young woman. Her hair was neatly braided to the sides and held there with two pink hair clips. The color was hard to describe it was as if the yellow and red of flames danced together in harmony but back of her hair fell down like a crashing waterfall of flames. Some loose strands of amber stuck out and hung above her emerald green eyes. Her face was clean and a glass monocle hung from her right eye. Around her neck were a strange pair of goggles.

" Meow. Hey princess long time no see? Who are your friends?

Belle sighed and felt that her disguise was pointless from the beginning. It was as if it was incredibly easy to tell that she was a princess.

" Hey Karo..."