Legend of Kataria (Draft Version)

Chapter 24

"I don't need your help," Pinky snapped sharply, her sudden change in tone startling Greeny who immediately flinched back. "I don't even like you! I certainly don't want you digging around in my business! And if you know what's good for you, you'll stay out of it!"

"But--"

She looked abruptly away, folding her arms and playing with a loose strand of hair. Greeny watched her for another moment before looking away as well. He wanted to help her, he really did, but she obviously didn't want him involved. What was he supposed to do? He didn't know what was going on, even though he could tell it was something bad.

"All right," he gave in, scooting away from her now, afraid of getting knocked off the bench--or thrown into the ocean, depending on her mood. "I'm sorry. You're right. It's not any of my business. Let's just focus on getting the others back, sound good?" He was far from finished with this conversation, but he was sure she'd be more open and willing to talk to him if he didn't push the subject immediately. He would circle back in due time, and maybe then she'd be more open and willing to listen to what he had to say.

Pinky sighed dramatically, as though the mere thought of speaking pained her. She grabbed his arm and pulled him down as he started to stand. He glanced over his shoulder at her with a frown and she returned to expression whole-heartedly. "It's my father," she burst out. "He...doesn't get me at all."

Surprised, Greeny turned to face her fully. "But, I thought you said your father was dead?"

"My adoptive father." She rolled her eyes. "Obviously."

"Oh," Greeny looked down. "Yeah, of course. Obviously." He didn't understand why he kept looking at her, or why his heartbeat was just a little faster whenever she glanced back. "So...?"

"So, what?"

"So are you going to tell me, or am I going to have to guess? You seem rather...tense. Let me guess; he didn't like you helping the resistance, right?"

"You don't know my father," Pinky snapped. "He is...not a nice man. He doesn't understand what it's like to want something, but not be able to attain it. Or...to do things you don't want to."

"I'm sorry," Greeny whispered again. "That sounds awful."

"Yeah, well, I got used to it." Pinky rolled her eyes, huffing as though nothing were wrong. "But my past is...less than stellar. It's definitely not what you--or anyone else--would call honorable."

"I see. Is there anything I can do?"

She smiled wryly. "No, but thank you anyway. I think I've already said too much. In this case, it's better if you don't get involved."

He nodded.

Above them, the fog horn sounded a second time, warning them of the approaching land off the starboard side. Greeny turned back to watch as the fog cleared and the small dock became visible. "We're here," he announced, not caring that he was stating the obvious. The moment of tension was over. The confirmation of landfall seemed to be a good topic change.

Pinky glanced up warily, checking something on her phone before shoving it back into her coat pocket and standing up hurriedly. "All right. Stay close to me. We're going to have to get through a checkpoint and we need to avoid attention. No fancy tricks this time. You got it?"

"Got it," Greeny promised.

The boat pulled up to the shore and the passengers quickly disembarked. Taking his hand amid the bustling crowd, Pinky led Greeny off of the ferry and away from the dock, nodding a hasty hello and shoving a number of papers into a surprised man's chest. Greeny supposed this was the dock manager, but he had no time to think any further into it as he was drug along quicker than he could keep up. The sea disappeared behind them as they traveled inland. Overhead, the sun began to break through the clouds, casting a faint glow upon the sand below.