The Blue Moon
*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Important Notice: (updated 3/14/03)
The Blue Moon is the second book after The Northern Dawns in which Kimi Ritsuko and Dayneth Cescent were the main characters. If you have not yet read The Northern Dawns, the first eight chapters have nothing in it that include the plot of ND, but instead, follow the story of Triston and Nakari. Kimi and Dayneth will return. ;]
However, from Chapter 8 on, it is advised that The Northern Dawns be read or that you email me for a summary (stephc33@hotmail.com). However, I_have_included a brief summary in a later chapter already.
As always, thank you for taking the time to read The Blue Moon. Please review at the end of the chapter by clicking the button at the bottom left corner at the end of this page.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
My dreams sleep in another world...
And in these dreams, I may rest to find
The endless song of a fate that nears...
From far across a distant land,
The two of us will meet...
No one may know what lies ahead,
Yet when I gaze upon those majestic rays,
I still hear that endless song
And know...
...The neverending story has already begun...
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Ch1: Run Again
She was running. This was not a surprise- Nakari was always late to just about everything, and school was just about to start.
The fishermen stopped work to look up and wave merrily at her as she waved at them. The fruit sellers also waved at her as she passed, and she turned back to smile and wave back at them, but dropped her schoolbag so that Tai had to go pick it up for her. She took the bag back sheepishly and was on her way again. The milkman threw her a bottle of chocolate milk- which she caught- since she always forgot to pack a drink with her lunch, and she called a thanks back to him. The bakery opened its doors just as she rushed by, and Nakari caught a whiff of the smell of rising bread.
If anyone noticed a slight difference in the way she ran though her route, nobody showed any sign of it as they were all setting up their shops, and then re-setting them up again as suddenly, a whirlwind of two twins raced through. They knocked over fruit baskets, flower bouquets, milk bottles, chairs, and the like, in their way.
Again, nobody noticed when Nakari looked over her shoulder at them and sped up, or when she abandoned her usual route to school completely and turned down an even busier street.
Somewhere in the town of Timoe, a school bell rang.
Nakari had to admit that she almost wanted to turn back when she hit Belld Street. It was so packed with business people walking back and forth, thrusting their chests forward so civilians could see just what big name enterprise they belonged to in such a small town that she wasn't sure she'd be able to make room to run in at all.
She plowed in anyway, apologizing to the stiffy, highly offended business men and women that she jostled. They looked down their noses at her and stalked off to find handkerchiefs.
"Naaakkkaarrriiii!!"
She turned back to see Maurice's head, followed by Roben's, bobbing through the crowed to try to get to her. Then, she took off again, weaving through the masses of people in the same dull colors.
But for some reason, Maurice and Roben were catching up. Maybe it was the fact that she tried to slip past, while Maurice and Roben simply pushed elbows out of the way, but soon, they were right behind her, and Maurice grabbed her arm.
"Oww! Let go!" she yanked her arm away like an impudent child.
Roben rolled his eyes. "Did that hurt?"
She narrowed her eyes and ignored what he said.
"Nakari." Maurice said. "It's time to stop playing your little games. This is SERIOUS."
"This isn't a game!" she flared up instantaneously. "You think I'm not serious?"
"Of COURSE I think you're being serious." Maurice said kindly. "It's just that you've been on the run for FIVE months, and-"
"Shouldn't that tell you I can take care of myself?"
"-and you still have NO idea-"
"Idea? I'm not stupid!" she grumbled.
"-how DANGEROUS the world can be!"
"Didn't I just tell you I can take care of myself?" Nakari spun around to walk away, but failed to see Roben's foot in her path. She tripped and fell, face-first onto the ground. "Oomph!"
Overhead, Maurice was blocking out the sun, too busy talking to notice while Roben laughed. "HahahaHAHAHHAHAHAA-"
"Now don't be dumb, Nakari!" Maurice lectured. "There are still so many EVILS in the world your tutors have yet to teach you about-I'm ONLY here to PROTECT you! You don't know how to take care of yourself!" he turned his back and pointed his finger in the air. "No matter how strict the codes are that the Sudagheno Law enforces, there will ALWAYS be bad people wherever you go! What if you got caught in one of those fights the news show everyday with those rebels against Sudagheno? You NEED us! We know what's GOOD for you Nakari. See, we just want what's BEST for you, and you're giving us a hard time of doing it! We KNOW better. Now if you would just LISTEN-" Maurice spun back around and blinked. "... Nakari...?"
Roben stopped laughing, and he too, noticed Nakari was no longer there. She had slipped away and evaded them again. Roben glared at Maurice. "You idiot! You were TALKING to her! How could she get away?!"
- - - - - - -
In a world where mostly everyone is a twin, to be completely, utterly alone in what you do is the subject of most people's fear. Then again, nobody is ever really completely, utterly alone with their twin around. After all, in Dream, you twin basically defined who you were. Without your twin, you were either nobody, or someone curious. Singles were looked at with as much curiosity as a three-eared elephant. They were extremely rare, and people often wondered, how did you know who you really were without your twin there to define yourself? How could you stand not being able to confide with a double copy...?
- - - - - - -
Nakari was running as fast as before, and maybe a little faster. But this time, she wasn't so careful as before because she kept looking back to see if Maurice and Roben had noticed where she was yet. Instead of running further down the street like they'd expect her too, she'd run back out, in the other direction. For this reason, Nakari was too distracted to notice that she was running straight towaryds a pillar until she was directly in front of it. "Ahhhhhh!!" she changed direction at the last second, took another look back, and-BAAAMMM!
THUD.
"Oomph!" Nakari had knockedinto someone and landed on her bottom, wincing at her second fall that morning.
Sitting across from her was a guy a few inches taller, rubbing his forehead, obviously irked. He had brown hair and spring green eyes, and on his back, Nakari automattically spotted the handle of a sword in its sheath. The handle itself was oddly whitish in color, with swirls of fading pink, lavender, periwinkle, yellow, peach, and every other color imaginable swimming beneath its surface. Actually, it looked a little.
Nakari picked herself off the ground and apologized profusely to the surprised swordsboy, so that he couldn't get in a word edgewise, then she stopped, wide-eyed.
For a second, she laughed, sheepishly, scratching the back of her head. "Sorry about them... ehehm... heheh sorry." She concluded, getting to her feet.
The guy stared up at her, unsure if he should scowl at her like he'd been planning to or say something. Either he still couldn't decide, or settled with giving her a blank, supercilious stare, but he did nothing for half a minute. Finally, he got to his feet managed out a, "Be more careful." and began to walk away.
Nakari shrugged it off and began to turn away, until she saw where he was headed. "Umm- wait!" she called out.
Too late. He had turned around the corner already, running down the street.
Curiously, Nakari began to make her way towards it.
A few seconds later, there was the sound of a loud ruckus and someone was thrown out. He rolled and knocked into Nakari.
"Oomph!" she fell over backwards and her head hit the dirt again. "Today is NOT my day." She mumbled to herself, getting up again. Then she cocked her head to the side and looked down at the figure with folded arms. "You again, huh?"
A monk walked out of the street angrily, spotting Nakari. "Nakari! Is this your friend? Teach him how to READ before he enters any SACRED places!! Please." He added.
Nakari nodded. "Yes sir!"
Swordsboy picked himself off of the ground. "Sorry." He said.
"I've been hit worse." Nakari raised an eyebrow. "Maybe you should pay attention to signs before you go anywhere, though."
"I don't need any help."
She shrugged and took a step back. "Didn't say you did. Only. before you enter temple street, notice the sign that says 'No Weapons Allowed', okay? Some monks can be highly offended if you break that rule. They might confiscate your sword next time."
His face didn't show any emotion as he turned away.
"If you're looking for the fastest way out of Timoe," Nakari said, "It's down that street for the train station." She didn't get an answer: only silence, as his footsteps crunched on the dirt streets of Timoe.
Nakari sighed, blowing the layers that fell over her face upwards, then looked around. She had to get home, first. Get her stuff, then leave. Where would she go? It didn't really matter, since she hadn't gotten any luck yet on her search. But she had to stop taking money from her account from now on, even though she was always careful about it. Maurice and Roben were quicker each time, and even though it was relatively easy to escape them if Maurice became too distracted, sooner or later, Roben would be fed up.
"Nakkkkaaarrriiiii!!!!" someone yelled.
"NNNNAAAAKKKKKKKAAAAAAAARRRIIIII!"
"Nakari, be reasonable!" a second voice was heard over the crowd. "Come back this instant! Nakarii!!"
"Nakari if you don't SHOW yourself-"
She looked frantically for someplace to hide.
- - - - - - - - -
Back to peace and quiet, Triston sighed. It wasn't like he hated being around people, but he preferred not to talk to many people. It made him more remembered. And what was the use of being friendly with someone if you weren't going to even see them anymore? What was the use of being friendly to anyone in a world that succumbed so easily to rotten, corrupt systems? Besides, it was better if he didn't get distracted. Meeting new people and forming links with them caused him to be unfocused when he was concentrating.
It was always better this way; the direction his life was going.
Shoom!
He literally felt the wind rush past him as a blur skidded to a stop and faced him.
He groaned. Blue eyes again. They reminded him too much of-
"Umm hi." She said sheepishly. "I have just one more quick question." He moved past her. It was time for him to really shake her off. She was sticking to him way too much, and pretty soon she'd follow him, ask more questions, and get into trouble, unless she already WAS in trouble.
"Go away."
To his surprise, she was in front of him again. "It's about your sword." She said quickly.
He highly doubted that. What would she want to know about it? And anyway, what would she know-?
He reminded himself he wasn't interested and moved past her again. "I don't- "
"Naaaaaaakkkkkkkkaaaaaaaaarrrrrriiiiiiiii!!!!" one of the meaner looking twins bellowed.
So she was attracting trouble already. Nakari glanced past him and moved more into his shadow. This wasn't his problem.
Hoping that she would be too distracted to notice, Triston tried to slip past her one more time.
No such luck.
"What are you doing?" she hissed.
"LEAVING." He said. "What are YOU doing? I don't want any company!"
The girl raised an eyebrow at him and cocked her head to one said again. "I just need to hide for ONE sec."
"NNNNAAAAAAKKKKARRRRIII!"
He tried again. "Look. I'm guessing you're Nakari. What is the problem? Are you running away or something?! You've probably got it a lot better than you think. So just GO BACK to those guys and LEAVE ME ALONE."
She looked up at him, taking a step back. "What would you know about how I've got it? Why would you care?"
"Nakari!" one of the twins spotted her and they both looked back.
Triston shrugged, looking back at Nakari as he stepped past her. She stood motionless this time, not following him. There was fear in her eyes. "Maybe I don't care."
- - - - - - - - - - - -
The panic was slowly rising in her. She couldn't go back. Who knew what would happen this time? She couldn't go back until she found them! Maurice and Roben advanced, and Nakari backed away. Swordsboy didn't know anything. He thought she was just some childish girl, running away cause her dad wouldn't give her a lollipop of attention or something, just like Maurice and Roben.
Nakari turned around once more to make another run for it. She wouldn't get found next time. Suddenly, right next to her face, a dagger whizzed past and struck the wall in front of her. She looked back, where Roben had another dagger ready.
Maurice looked shocked. "You said you went out to buy kitchen knives!"
"Don't make me use these, Nakari." Roben said. "I was authorized to bring you back at any means."
"Unharmed." I added.
He shrugged. "That's not what they said."
"You wouldn't hurt me." Nakari's voice sounded wavering even to herself. But doubt was seeding into her mind, and she moved.
Roben threw another dagger and Nakari ducked just in time. The dagger passed over her head- just in time. She could feel it cut into the air as it sped past.
"woah!" Maurice jumped up. "Roben, you're not seriously gonna HURT her! What if it hits her- her face?! Or- or her heart or something?! Roben? Roben?!"
If she got around the corner, she still had a chance of getting away. No problem. All she had to do was dodge a couple more daggers, and who knew how many Roben had? What if he aimed it right, but she moved right where it would strike her or something? Nakari felt green.
"I have more, Nakari." Roben warned. "If you move, I might really hit you where it would kill you. If you agree to come back with us, though, you wouldn't get hurt. Father's getting fed up with you."
"Your father or mine?" She asked.
He blinked.
Nakari took a step forward. "Fine. If you let me talk to my dad, I'll go with you. But you have to let me talk to him before we get back." She was right up next to them.
Maurice looked relieved. "We'll go call him right now!"
Roben looked dubious. "I have to restrain you from escaping."
"Go ahead." Nakari held out her wrists.
"Your feet."
She rolled her eyes and he took out the rope, bent over. As soon as he was close enough- WHAM! Her foot went up and connected with his jaw. He fell back, and Nakari ran again.
Roben touched the forming bruise on his jaw and aimed with his daggers. Instead of throwing one, he hurled three with all of his strength.
Nakari ducked and rolled, covering her head. Two of the daggers struck the stall next to her with such force that the stall, near to shambles anyway because the wood had rotted, began to crumple and collapse. The owner had already run away in fright as soon as the daggers had been taken out.
Around the corner of the stall, the third dagger flew towards an unsuspecting teenage boy with brown hair and spring green eyes. But, alerted by the crash of the stall, he turned his head, narrowed his eyes, and caught the dagger between his fingers.
*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Important Notice: (updated 3/14/03)
The Blue Moon is the second book after The Northern Dawns in which Kimi Ritsuko and Dayneth Cescent were the main characters. If you have not yet read The Northern Dawns, the first eight chapters have nothing in it that include the plot of ND, but instead, follow the story of Triston and Nakari. Kimi and Dayneth will return. ;]
However, from Chapter 8 on, it is advised that The Northern Dawns be read or that you email me for a summary (stephc33@hotmail.com). However, I_have_included a brief summary in a later chapter already.
As always, thank you for taking the time to read The Blue Moon. Please review at the end of the chapter by clicking the button at the bottom left corner at the end of this page.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
My dreams sleep in another world...
And in these dreams, I may rest to find
The endless song of a fate that nears...
From far across a distant land,
The two of us will meet...
No one may know what lies ahead,
Yet when I gaze upon those majestic rays,
I still hear that endless song
And know...
...The neverending story has already begun...
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Ch1: Run Again
She was running. This was not a surprise- Nakari was always late to just about everything, and school was just about to start.
The fishermen stopped work to look up and wave merrily at her as she waved at them. The fruit sellers also waved at her as she passed, and she turned back to smile and wave back at them, but dropped her schoolbag so that Tai had to go pick it up for her. She took the bag back sheepishly and was on her way again. The milkman threw her a bottle of chocolate milk- which she caught- since she always forgot to pack a drink with her lunch, and she called a thanks back to him. The bakery opened its doors just as she rushed by, and Nakari caught a whiff of the smell of rising bread.
If anyone noticed a slight difference in the way she ran though her route, nobody showed any sign of it as they were all setting up their shops, and then re-setting them up again as suddenly, a whirlwind of two twins raced through. They knocked over fruit baskets, flower bouquets, milk bottles, chairs, and the like, in their way.
Again, nobody noticed when Nakari looked over her shoulder at them and sped up, or when she abandoned her usual route to school completely and turned down an even busier street.
Somewhere in the town of Timoe, a school bell rang.
Nakari had to admit that she almost wanted to turn back when she hit Belld Street. It was so packed with business people walking back and forth, thrusting their chests forward so civilians could see just what big name enterprise they belonged to in such a small town that she wasn't sure she'd be able to make room to run in at all.
She plowed in anyway, apologizing to the stiffy, highly offended business men and women that she jostled. They looked down their noses at her and stalked off to find handkerchiefs.
"Naaakkkaarrriiii!!"
She turned back to see Maurice's head, followed by Roben's, bobbing through the crowed to try to get to her. Then, she took off again, weaving through the masses of people in the same dull colors.
But for some reason, Maurice and Roben were catching up. Maybe it was the fact that she tried to slip past, while Maurice and Roben simply pushed elbows out of the way, but soon, they were right behind her, and Maurice grabbed her arm.
"Oww! Let go!" she yanked her arm away like an impudent child.
Roben rolled his eyes. "Did that hurt?"
She narrowed her eyes and ignored what he said.
"Nakari." Maurice said. "It's time to stop playing your little games. This is SERIOUS."
"This isn't a game!" she flared up instantaneously. "You think I'm not serious?"
"Of COURSE I think you're being serious." Maurice said kindly. "It's just that you've been on the run for FIVE months, and-"
"Shouldn't that tell you I can take care of myself?"
"-and you still have NO idea-"
"Idea? I'm not stupid!" she grumbled.
"-how DANGEROUS the world can be!"
"Didn't I just tell you I can take care of myself?" Nakari spun around to walk away, but failed to see Roben's foot in her path. She tripped and fell, face-first onto the ground. "Oomph!"
Overhead, Maurice was blocking out the sun, too busy talking to notice while Roben laughed. "HahahaHAHAHHAHAHAA-"
"Now don't be dumb, Nakari!" Maurice lectured. "There are still so many EVILS in the world your tutors have yet to teach you about-I'm ONLY here to PROTECT you! You don't know how to take care of yourself!" he turned his back and pointed his finger in the air. "No matter how strict the codes are that the Sudagheno Law enforces, there will ALWAYS be bad people wherever you go! What if you got caught in one of those fights the news show everyday with those rebels against Sudagheno? You NEED us! We know what's GOOD for you Nakari. See, we just want what's BEST for you, and you're giving us a hard time of doing it! We KNOW better. Now if you would just LISTEN-" Maurice spun back around and blinked. "... Nakari...?"
Roben stopped laughing, and he too, noticed Nakari was no longer there. She had slipped away and evaded them again. Roben glared at Maurice. "You idiot! You were TALKING to her! How could she get away?!"
- - - - - - -
In a world where mostly everyone is a twin, to be completely, utterly alone in what you do is the subject of most people's fear. Then again, nobody is ever really completely, utterly alone with their twin around. After all, in Dream, you twin basically defined who you were. Without your twin, you were either nobody, or someone curious. Singles were looked at with as much curiosity as a three-eared elephant. They were extremely rare, and people often wondered, how did you know who you really were without your twin there to define yourself? How could you stand not being able to confide with a double copy...?
- - - - - - -
Nakari was running as fast as before, and maybe a little faster. But this time, she wasn't so careful as before because she kept looking back to see if Maurice and Roben had noticed where she was yet. Instead of running further down the street like they'd expect her too, she'd run back out, in the other direction. For this reason, Nakari was too distracted to notice that she was running straight towaryds a pillar until she was directly in front of it. "Ahhhhhh!!" she changed direction at the last second, took another look back, and-BAAAMMM!
THUD.
"Oomph!" Nakari had knockedinto someone and landed on her bottom, wincing at her second fall that morning.
Sitting across from her was a guy a few inches taller, rubbing his forehead, obviously irked. He had brown hair and spring green eyes, and on his back, Nakari automattically spotted the handle of a sword in its sheath. The handle itself was oddly whitish in color, with swirls of fading pink, lavender, periwinkle, yellow, peach, and every other color imaginable swimming beneath its surface. Actually, it looked a little.
Nakari picked herself off the ground and apologized profusely to the surprised swordsboy, so that he couldn't get in a word edgewise, then she stopped, wide-eyed.
For a second, she laughed, sheepishly, scratching the back of her head. "Sorry about them... ehehm... heheh sorry." She concluded, getting to her feet.
The guy stared up at her, unsure if he should scowl at her like he'd been planning to or say something. Either he still couldn't decide, or settled with giving her a blank, supercilious stare, but he did nothing for half a minute. Finally, he got to his feet managed out a, "Be more careful." and began to walk away.
Nakari shrugged it off and began to turn away, until she saw where he was headed. "Umm- wait!" she called out.
Too late. He had turned around the corner already, running down the street.
Curiously, Nakari began to make her way towards it.
A few seconds later, there was the sound of a loud ruckus and someone was thrown out. He rolled and knocked into Nakari.
"Oomph!" she fell over backwards and her head hit the dirt again. "Today is NOT my day." She mumbled to herself, getting up again. Then she cocked her head to the side and looked down at the figure with folded arms. "You again, huh?"
A monk walked out of the street angrily, spotting Nakari. "Nakari! Is this your friend? Teach him how to READ before he enters any SACRED places!! Please." He added.
Nakari nodded. "Yes sir!"
Swordsboy picked himself off of the ground. "Sorry." He said.
"I've been hit worse." Nakari raised an eyebrow. "Maybe you should pay attention to signs before you go anywhere, though."
"I don't need any help."
She shrugged and took a step back. "Didn't say you did. Only. before you enter temple street, notice the sign that says 'No Weapons Allowed', okay? Some monks can be highly offended if you break that rule. They might confiscate your sword next time."
His face didn't show any emotion as he turned away.
"If you're looking for the fastest way out of Timoe," Nakari said, "It's down that street for the train station." She didn't get an answer: only silence, as his footsteps crunched on the dirt streets of Timoe.
Nakari sighed, blowing the layers that fell over her face upwards, then looked around. She had to get home, first. Get her stuff, then leave. Where would she go? It didn't really matter, since she hadn't gotten any luck yet on her search. But she had to stop taking money from her account from now on, even though she was always careful about it. Maurice and Roben were quicker each time, and even though it was relatively easy to escape them if Maurice became too distracted, sooner or later, Roben would be fed up.
"Nakkkkaaarrriiiii!!!!" someone yelled.
"NNNNAAAAKKKKKKKAAAAAAAARRRIIIII!"
"Nakari, be reasonable!" a second voice was heard over the crowd. "Come back this instant! Nakarii!!"
"Nakari if you don't SHOW yourself-"
She looked frantically for someplace to hide.
- - - - - - - - -
Back to peace and quiet, Triston sighed. It wasn't like he hated being around people, but he preferred not to talk to many people. It made him more remembered. And what was the use of being friendly with someone if you weren't going to even see them anymore? What was the use of being friendly to anyone in a world that succumbed so easily to rotten, corrupt systems? Besides, it was better if he didn't get distracted. Meeting new people and forming links with them caused him to be unfocused when he was concentrating.
It was always better this way; the direction his life was going.
Shoom!
He literally felt the wind rush past him as a blur skidded to a stop and faced him.
He groaned. Blue eyes again. They reminded him too much of-
"Umm hi." She said sheepishly. "I have just one more quick question." He moved past her. It was time for him to really shake her off. She was sticking to him way too much, and pretty soon she'd follow him, ask more questions, and get into trouble, unless she already WAS in trouble.
"Go away."
To his surprise, she was in front of him again. "It's about your sword." She said quickly.
He highly doubted that. What would she want to know about it? And anyway, what would she know-?
He reminded himself he wasn't interested and moved past her again. "I don't- "
"Naaaaaaakkkkkkkkaaaaaaaaarrrrrriiiiiiiii!!!!" one of the meaner looking twins bellowed.
So she was attracting trouble already. Nakari glanced past him and moved more into his shadow. This wasn't his problem.
Hoping that she would be too distracted to notice, Triston tried to slip past her one more time.
No such luck.
"What are you doing?" she hissed.
"LEAVING." He said. "What are YOU doing? I don't want any company!"
The girl raised an eyebrow at him and cocked her head to one said again. "I just need to hide for ONE sec."
"NNNNAAAAAAKKKKARRRRIII!"
He tried again. "Look. I'm guessing you're Nakari. What is the problem? Are you running away or something?! You've probably got it a lot better than you think. So just GO BACK to those guys and LEAVE ME ALONE."
She looked up at him, taking a step back. "What would you know about how I've got it? Why would you care?"
"Nakari!" one of the twins spotted her and they both looked back.
Triston shrugged, looking back at Nakari as he stepped past her. She stood motionless this time, not following him. There was fear in her eyes. "Maybe I don't care."
- - - - - - - - - - - -
The panic was slowly rising in her. She couldn't go back. Who knew what would happen this time? She couldn't go back until she found them! Maurice and Roben advanced, and Nakari backed away. Swordsboy didn't know anything. He thought she was just some childish girl, running away cause her dad wouldn't give her a lollipop of attention or something, just like Maurice and Roben.
Nakari turned around once more to make another run for it. She wouldn't get found next time. Suddenly, right next to her face, a dagger whizzed past and struck the wall in front of her. She looked back, where Roben had another dagger ready.
Maurice looked shocked. "You said you went out to buy kitchen knives!"
"Don't make me use these, Nakari." Roben said. "I was authorized to bring you back at any means."
"Unharmed." I added.
He shrugged. "That's not what they said."
"You wouldn't hurt me." Nakari's voice sounded wavering even to herself. But doubt was seeding into her mind, and she moved.
Roben threw another dagger and Nakari ducked just in time. The dagger passed over her head- just in time. She could feel it cut into the air as it sped past.
"woah!" Maurice jumped up. "Roben, you're not seriously gonna HURT her! What if it hits her- her face?! Or- or her heart or something?! Roben? Roben?!"
If she got around the corner, she still had a chance of getting away. No problem. All she had to do was dodge a couple more daggers, and who knew how many Roben had? What if he aimed it right, but she moved right where it would strike her or something? Nakari felt green.
"I have more, Nakari." Roben warned. "If you move, I might really hit you where it would kill you. If you agree to come back with us, though, you wouldn't get hurt. Father's getting fed up with you."
"Your father or mine?" She asked.
He blinked.
Nakari took a step forward. "Fine. If you let me talk to my dad, I'll go with you. But you have to let me talk to him before we get back." She was right up next to them.
Maurice looked relieved. "We'll go call him right now!"
Roben looked dubious. "I have to restrain you from escaping."
"Go ahead." Nakari held out her wrists.
"Your feet."
She rolled her eyes and he took out the rope, bent over. As soon as he was close enough- WHAM! Her foot went up and connected with his jaw. He fell back, and Nakari ran again.
Roben touched the forming bruise on his jaw and aimed with his daggers. Instead of throwing one, he hurled three with all of his strength.
Nakari ducked and rolled, covering her head. Two of the daggers struck the stall next to her with such force that the stall, near to shambles anyway because the wood had rotted, began to crumple and collapse. The owner had already run away in fright as soon as the daggers had been taken out.
Around the corner of the stall, the third dagger flew towards an unsuspecting teenage boy with brown hair and spring green eyes. But, alerted by the crash of the stall, he turned his head, narrowed his eyes, and caught the dagger between his fingers.