Brought to Life

Grace ran up to Sakura, a slight pout on her lips. "It wasn't terrible. The man was just rude and barely let me talk. Let's try somewhere else. there are always rude people in the world, even under water." she tried to put an optimistic spin on what had happened.

Eric carefully pushed himself through the two bars he had been working on for awhile. He recieved scrapes all up his back and chest for his efforts but he was out. Without waiting he swam to Ame's cell and began working on the dented bars. "See if you can fit through." he said as time passed. "We don't have a lot of time."

 

Sakura nodded, putting on her brave face. "Right!" she said, punching the air with fake enthusiasm. "Let's try... that one!" she concluded loudly, pointing in the direction of a pink building down the street. "I like pink," she added with a cute grin.

 

"Hey there," Nicholas greeted the brother and sister duo. "I noticed you watching me."

Mia smiled shyly. Nicholas's cool tone and devilishly handsome smirk were too much to bear up close.

"It's Mia, right?" Nicholas ran a hand through his wet hair. "I could teach you sometime."

Lucca narrowed his eyes at Nicholas. Who did he think he was to address them so informally? "We're going to have to decline that invitation." He said, giving Mia a stern look when she started to protest. "We've got a full schedual."

"That's too bad," Nicholas spoke to Mia. "I was looking forward to seeing you in a bikini."

Mia's cheeks flushed. She'd heard Nicholas talk this way to other girls, but never to her.

Lucca took Mia by her shoulder and steered her away from the two-legger. That boy had a way of infuriating Lucca.

"See ya in school, sweet stuff!" Nicholas teased. He knew he was getting to Lucca, but he couldn't help it. She's too cute and ditzy to have an older brother like that. If it wasn't for him, she'd have ALL the guys over her.

 

Eric took hold of Ame's wrist without thinking about it and 'sprinted' (haha what do you call sprinting underwater) down the hall way in the opposite direction with Ame in tow.

Grace laughed at her friend's obssession with her special color. "Pink is a happy color, so the people should be nicer there." she pointed out as they headed towards the building.

 

"I'll..." Sakura began slowly, and then gathered all her courage. "I'll go with you this time!"

 

Grace nodded, not expecting Sakura to go alone. She took her friends hand in one hand and opened the pink door with the other. Bells trilled as the door swung open. "It's definetly.. pink." was all Grace could comment.

Eric reluctantly slowed down alittle bit. As the rounded a corner that led to the exit doors he spotted two guards. "Ah, stop." he said, hiding them behind a wall. "I think they are stationed there so we'll have to take them out... stay right behind me alright?"

 

Sakura let out a little squeal when she saw the content of the entire shop were different shades of pink. She looked around and blushed when she saw someone in the back working look up at them when they entered. She bit her lip and stared at the floor, immediately shy again.

 

Grace giggled at the momentary confidence she'd heard from the pink princess. Then she gently squeezed Sakura's hand and pulled her towards the front desk. "Hello." she greeted the lady.

 

Sakura looked up for a moment, her hair hanging in her eyes. "We..." she began quietly. "We're looking... for some people..." That was all she managed to get out.

 

"Our friends." Grace clarrifed, adding their descriptions before giving the floor to Sakura again. "It's okay, go ahead." she whispered kindly.

 

"We really need... help finding them... because we don't know our way... around," Sakura managed. She was a little angry with herself at this point; what would the others say if they could see her right now and how scared she was for no reason?

 

The lady at the counter listened patiently. "Oh, i'm sorry loves, I haven't seen anyone around like that. But I'll tell you what? I'll give you a tour around town and we'll see if we can't find someone who's seen your friends. How's that sound?" her smile was motherly and her tone was soft. She leaned on the counter and waited for the two to decide.

Grace smiled brightly at Sakura. "That sounds good, doesn't it?" she asked, very glad Sakura liked pink so much now.

 

"Y... yes, okay," Sakura said, squeezing her fists together again and raising her head completely. "That would be wonderful!"

 

The woman nodded, "I get off work in about half an hour. Why don't you two look around and relax until then?" she suggested. "Oh yes and my name is Abby." she added as an after thought, going back to work while talking to them.

"We will." Eric replied, keeping his real opinion to himself. We'll get out of here at least. Getting away though... I don't know. He swam foward, making sure she still with him and took out a small dagger he'd managed to keep consealed from the guards. Going slowly he snuck up behind the first guard and locked an arm around his throat. "Open the door." he ordered quietly. He would do anything to make sure they were out safely but he wasn't a killer and didn't want to become one if possible.

 

Sakura turned to Grace and asked, "Do you think we can get some food here, then? I'm hungry..."

 

"Sure!" Grace agreed. "We'll be back in just alittle while. Please don't leave without us." she asked, afraid of losing the one human that seemed helpful or kind.

Abby nodded. "I'll be here when you get here. If you're alittle late I'll just put in some over time." she laughed to herself, rearranging boxes on a shelf while the two girls walked out of the shop.

Grace reached into her pockets. "Only have these coins..." she showed Sakura a small handful of golden coins she carried around from a sunken ship. "Do you think they'll take them?"

 

"Oh," Sakura sighed, pushing the coins around in Grace's palm with her index finger. "I really don't think so... doesn't look like human money..."

 

"I think it's just really old human money... I found it once from one of their boat things. But it was one of those very old ones so... what do we do to get food?" Grace asked, looking around for some answer.

 

Sakura had an idea and suddenly stood up straight. "I've got it," she whispered to Grace. "Just stay here."

She wandered off down the street to the lines of carts full of people selling food. Each group she passed had bunches of people next to it, buying or deciding on their food of choice. She stopped at smiled at each sales person, casually flipping open the pink bag on her hip, the sea shells she had sown on it clinking against each other.

It's easy when you're this cute... she thought, slipping items from each cart off their stands and down into her bottomless bag. I do feel really bad about it, though... maybe I'll pay them back by the end of this...

She quickly skipped back over to Grace and giggled innocently, showing her the contents of her purse.

 

Grace looked from inside the purse to Sakura. "I don't know...." she bit the knuckle of her index finger worriedly.