Chapter 15: M.I.A.

"So you never let me read the rest of your diary." Braun grins. I blush, all morning I'd hoped he'd forgotten about that. The sky is  pale blue and a thick fog is just settling in. The forest is eerily quiet, but stunningly beautiful in the early light. We'd been traveling since the crack of dawn and I still had no clue where we were going. "North" was all Braun had told me when I'd asked.

"A deal is a deal, huh?" I sigh, pulling the diary out of my traveling bag. For a moment my eyes drift to Shenbad's sword still strapped to my hip. Shenbad...The images from his death suddenly hit me so hard I stop in my tracks.

"...Is something wrong?" Braun asks me.

"...No." I say and continue walking. I hand him the diary and he flips it open with one hand, the other hand holding onto his crutch for support. As he reads, I go through all the memories of Shenbad. The morning after his comrade's death when I found him mourning. The long walk we had and how I was able to feel like I was in a normal world for a while. The birthday kiss he'd given me...my first kiss. I remember his long, orange-reddish hair that I loved so much. How he would pull it back sometimes and I would blush at how handsome he looked...how once he let me braid it for fun. I remember how when the smoke from his cigarettes would start to bother me, he'd say sorry and quit for a while. The way he would tease me on how small I was compared to him. The time he picked me up bridal-style in his arms and said he was just practicing for the future. I smiled. These were the memories I'd keep in my heart forever. 

"It's kind of creepy how you're just smiling to yourself over there." Braun grins and I blush, embarrassed at having been caught with a stupid expression. He passes the diary back to me, still grinning. "I didn't know you and Shenbad were all lovey-dovey!" 

"Eh?!" I exclaim, blushing madly. "T-that was..y-you know...a while ago..."

"Ah...sorry." Braun apologizes. "I didn't mean to bring up any bad memories...That's his sword you got there, huh? That was always his prized possession, you know."

"Can I ask..how you two knew each other?" I say. "Leon knew him too, right?"

"Yeah." Braun says, nodding his head. "Remember when I said the pirates I lived with liked to set up small settlements here and there? That's how we met Shenbad. It's because of him that South Austri isn't run by killers. He came up with this genius plan and...ah, nevermind. I'm probably just bringing up more bad memories, huh?" I shake my head.

"No, I like hearing about him." I smile. "Besides...you're mostly bringing up good memories."

"Eh?" Braun grins slyly. "Like what? Kissing in the rain romantically or something like that?" I blush madly. Just as I'm about to say how lucky he is that he's crippled, one of the other resistance members turns and says something to Braun. Braun replies then grins at me. "We're here."

"Ruri!" Just as I enter the small wooden cabin, I'm practically tackled by Axel and Lexa! "You're alive, you're alive, you're alive!!" For a moment we stay there laughing and hugging until a tall, blonde man walks over.

"Ah, Miss Ruri!" Leon literally picks me up off the ground and pulls me into a bear hug. "It's good to see you. Thank goodness you're alive." Just as I'm able to pull out of his hug and breath again, I catch sight of familiar red eyes and white hair. Time seems to freeze for a moment and all I can see is the man standing a few feet away from me. Before I realize what I'm doing, I'm jumping straight at Haine and tackling him to the ground.

"Haine..." I laugh with a shaky breath, holding him like as if my life depended on it. "You're alive...I thought...I was so worried that you'd been..." I begin sobbing tears of joy and he places a hand on my back.

"Okay, okay." Leon comes over and picks me up again, this time placing me so I'm sitting on his broad shoulder. He glares down at Haine for a moment before turning to face everyone in the room. And that when I realize.

That's when I see why Axel and Lexa's faces are red and tearstained.

I see why Haine is even more meloncholy than usual.

I realize a certain blonde woman with one red eye and one blue eye is missing.

And it hits me -

Lucy has been captured.

Dun dun DUNNN!!

Thanks for reading!!! Please comment and tell me your thoughts. ^^- 

Looks like I lied about the next chapters being shorter...haha. Sorry. m(_ _)m The next one will be. For sure.

This chapter was a lot of fun to write. It's funny how attatched you can get to your own characters. (aka Shenbad.) :(