"Look at that tree Yoko. Doesn't it look like it is bending back over itself? It is so funny."
"Haha, yes it is funny. Now can I go back ho now? All this excitent is making sick."
Amane had tried to reject Charlie's offer for this trip. She had tried everything from making excuses to outright insulting the other but there had been no effect.
Everyone had given Amane pitiful glances at having to put up with the Divine leader's weird ideas and spontaneous whims but no one had stepped up to help her out.
That was how Amane found herself on the cruise ship with Charlie Tsurugi.
But thankfully, they were not alone. In a lucky twist of fate Sakura had managed to co ho early and weasel her way into their group.
So had Aqua who had been invited as a guest since she had been caught up with Amane in that kidnapping case.
The last three mbers of their party were Helios, Sean, and Eclipse. The guys had a separate wing from them and it was not easy to bump into them.
"Don't joke with now Yoko, we have not even reached our destination yet. The fun has yet to start for us. I am sure you will enjoy this trip a lot."
Charlie sounded so confident that Amane found herself backing down.
Maybe she could try and enjoy this vacation. It would give Amane a taste of her end goal of being a free-loading lady who did not need to work.
Now if only Sakura stopped glaring daggers into her back and smiled, this trip would be so much better.
"Lady Tsurugi, is sothing wrong with you? Your complexion doesn't look good."
"No, I am alright. It's just that the timing of this trip threw off a lot of work schedules for and Yoko. I am just worried about how we will be able to catch up on it once we get back."
Sakura did not look worried, she looked pissed. Amane knew she had spent a whole night arranging Yoko's schedule to make ti for important etings but now it was all a ss.
"Tsk, a lady your age should not frown that much. Learn to relax a little and enjoy nature. As for your work, I have sent so of my people to take care of your working conditions. I assure you that nothing would be out of place once you return."
Sakura looked even more worried after those words.
But it was a given since the Divine Guild was an external power that should not interfere with the Tsurugi family.
There were already rumors about the Divine Guild and the Tsurugi family being too close recently and it was starting to affect the business dealings they were making as well.
Amane was sure that Charlie had an objective behind doing all this but she let her be. For now, it was alright so Amane did not intend to interfere.
"Aqua, how are you feeling? You have been quiet all this ti."
Amane turned toward the last mber of their team but the girl had a green face and her eyes looked flushed.
"I think I'm sick. Don't talk to because I am useless right now."
Even her voice sounded parched and horrible. This was an extre case of seasickness if Amane had ever seen one before.
Charlie looked a little guilty at seeing how Aqua was behaving which made Amane sure that it had not been intentionally planned. Aqua had just beco a victim of circumstances and nothing more.
"Aqua, go in and sleep if you feel that bad. I will wake you up once we reach our destination."
Aqua gave Amane a grateful smile before she dragged herself toward their sleeping rooms. She seed to not even be aware of where they were.
"I feel sorry for her. So, when will we reach our destination? We have been sailing out for an hour already and the sun is about to set as well. It would be nice to dock out into a safe land for tonight."
"Well, we will not be at our destination for a few more houses but we should reach it around dinner ti. I am sure it will be a good experience for you to visit the place we are going to."
The more Amane heard about the place they were going to, the more curious she beca about it.
On top of it all, Charlie had not even spoken a word about where they were going, and asking in a roundabout way did not help.
Sakura had tried a few tis already but Charlie had diverted her attention away every ti that happened.
'I guess it's ti to brave the tides and ask the question outright.'
"Lady Suzuki, where exactly are we going? I want to know."
Sakura looked startled and then flushed at realizing that she could have asked this question outright anyti she wanted to instead of beating around the bush.
Sotis Sakura overthought and it ended up being bad for her.
But well, that was a discussion Amane would have with her another ti. For now, she focused on the blank look in Charlie's eyes before it faded into a soft and lancholic smile.
"The place we are visiting is very near and dear to my heart. It is a deserted island for the most part but their local tribe is a part of the Divine Guild. I am sure Lady Yoko would like that place as well."
'Again, that did not answer my question in any way, shape, or form. If anything, it made even more curious about our destination.'
But there was no need for Charlie to say anything as Amane soon felt the faint pressure that was familiar to her. It was weak but so familiar that Amane could never forget or mistake it.
Her eyes were wide and filled with Awe as she looked toward her destination. It was still too far away to make out but the re idea of going there filled Amane with anticipation.
She could not wait to et one of her past tas beasts again. She wondered what that beast looked like now.
___________________________
"We are finally here. You should rest up in here for now and co out for dinner when I call."
They had finally managed to dock on the shores of Crystal Island. It was so different from the past image of the island that Amane barely recognized it.
Once upon a ti, the whole island had been covered in huge energy crystals and had been maintained by the Sunstone Dragon. It had been an ancient beast that had managed to gain human wisdom.
If Amane had one word for him, it would be a friend. She had never managed to ta the wild creature, she had not even tried to.
For such a magnificent beast, freedom suited him the best. Through his power and influence, this island had been covered in all kinds of shining lights.
But now it was all but a forest full of trees and thick vegetation.
"You said that this was the Sacred Crystal Island? It looks so much different from the books I read about it."
Sakura seed to be in awe as well but hers was different awe than Amane or even Charlie. She seed fascinated to be in a legendary place.
Aqua on the other hand still looked pale and withdrawn. Her eyes were glued shut even as her body was moving around.
Sooner or later she would run into sothing and injure herself.
"This is what happens when a Sacred place loses its Guardian Deity. This place lost its anchor a long ti ago. But there are rumors that there is a secret underground reserve of magical crystals here. Since we are in charge of this area, we must make rounds here and keep a check on the poachers."
Amane was startled to hear those words.
The Guardian Deity was dead? But Amane was sure she had felt familiar energy being emitted from this place that felt vaguely like the Sunstone dragon.
However, since no one contradicted Sean's words, Amane had to take them as the truth.
It was just another friend she had lost to the cruel mistress that was ti. There was nothing Amane could do about it.
"So, how was your trip this far? Are you having fun, Yoko? What about you, Eclipse? Is this your first trip out?"
Charlie sounded excited. She even skipped over the other two as she addressed the two beast tars.
Amane could hear Sakura complain under her breath. Her words vaguely sounded like, 'Are we invisible to you or sothing?' and even Aqua looked annoyed at being ignored.
"I feel sick. There is so kind of weird energy on this island that doesn't feel good. Can we head back ho now? I don't like it here."
"A weird energy?"
Charlie's tone sounded suspiciously interested. Amane knew she had to get Eclipse to stop talking now or else he would give sothing away.
Amane was sure that the weird energy he was feeling was the familiar energy of the Sunstone dragon Amane was feeling as well.
And if so, then Amane needed ti to look more into it and find out what was going on. She owed her old friend this much at least.
"Yeah, weird energy….I am sure it must be because I am too t-tired right now. I think I will go and use the restroom right now."
Amane was glaring at Eclipse to stop talking now and to take his leave. And the child took the hint and excused himself as fast as he could.
It was nice to see that he was taking Amane seriously at last.
"He looked like he needed to go and lighten himself out. Should I go and check on him?"
Helios looked worriedly in the direction Eclipse had disappeared into and Amane knew it was her chance to talk with the kid uninterrupted.
"No need for you to go and check up on him. I will go myself to see what is wrong with him. You all should enjoy your al in the anti."
Helios looked like he would object but Sean stepped in at the last second to save him and Amane both.
"Let her go alone. It is their family matter and we should not interfere in it. Besides, we need to get things ready for dinner now."
Amane wanted to applaud Sean for his tily interference. She might not like him but she did appreciate his eyes for detail and tily interference.
She stood up to go after Eclipse when soone stood up with her as well.
"Let accompany you. It isn't right to leave Yoko alone on such a dangerous island. What if she got attacked and -"
"I will be alright. I can look after myself alright and I don't need a bodyguard. Besides, Lady Suzuki's safety is much more important than my own so I will have to decline her offer of escorting ."
'You are the reason I have to speak to him in the first place. Don't make things harder for than this.'
Amane made up her mind to refuse Charlie's help but one look in her eyes told Amane that it was going to be a difficult task.
Both Helios and Sean were giving her pitiful looks again and even Sakura looked sorry for her.
The only ones who looked to be unaffected by all this were Aqua (who did not look to be in her right mind.) and Lady Suzuki herself.
"If I ask you not to follow , then would you listen to my request and stay back?"
Amane decided to be frank but it did not look like she was going to get her request fulfilled. Not with the way Charlie was looking back at her.
In the end, things happened as Amane had expected them to. She stood in front of Eclipse's door with Charlie Suzuki at her back.
'When am I going to get rid of you? Why are you following around like this? What are you afraid of?
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