Fire Fury Freedom

by Amanda Rose

  The next few days were tiring, despite his conversation with Jenko, Mack had to constantly be reminded to give everyone a break. His mind was so busy time was anonymous to him, so the breaks they did get were short, and commonly restless for Mack. At last, with sore feet, they came up to Old Ryoko.

  The city was immense in size; it was wide spread along the coastline. They marched on, down a long hill, and up to the coastal city. The ocean twinkled with golden tones from the sun, water broke gently along some rocks before hitting the shore. City buildings were scattered along everywhere. The outlay of the mining town of New Ryoko, Kairu’s home town within the mountains, was obviously modelled after this first location. At the Far Western corner of town a large political office stood. The structures were made up of large limestone and sandstone structures plotted about the city. Small tuffs of grass stuck out of the relatively dry ground here and there.

  As they entered the city they noticed a few people here and there, although the city was meant to be vacant, apparently some people decided to come back and occupy the free property. Small clotheslines were strung from one building to another, there was little in this city, unlike in the new Ryoko. They made their way through the city with odd stares from nervous citizens. They heard the citizens whispering about them as they passed by, but no one was friendly enough to welcome them into their city. The group marched quickly through avoiding eye contact with the residents.

  All of the Old Ryoko natives seemed particularly interested in Kairu, they starred and pointed at him as he passed by. No one spoke as they travelled through the city any higher then a whisper. “Hey Kairu, what ‘r they looking at you for man?” Kato asked quietly so as not to be heard by the people of the city. Kairu shrugged, “I have no idea.”

  As they made their way further to the back of the city, they saw fewer and fewer people milling about. They noticed the houses become simpler as they neared the waters edge. The homes consisted more of the common man’s home, mostly fishermen’s land. Since there was no rent to be paid in an empty city, those who remained took the higher classes old homes over the tiny, mostly unfurnished, homes of the poor previous owners.

  “What are you doing with that! I told you to gut the fish, not massacre the carcass!” they heard a frustrated young woman tell her husband off as they neared the beach. Slowly they peaked around the corner of a building to see what was going on. The woman stood on the white sandy beach in front of a well-built man, he sat on his knees with a fish and long knife in his hands. Her cheeks were red from exasperated complaints. “Oh Seresuto, I’m sorry,” he said giving in to his wife. He hung his head in shame. “Adamu come now! Be a man will you! Hmmp!” she threw her arms up and walked away from him. As she did she noticed Mack and the others watching them, “Hey, who are you?” she called out. Everyone determined her an extreme extravert from the get go.

  “We’re travellers. Are we interrupting something?” Mack asked, his eyes turning to Adamu. “Ha, ha! Heaven’s no!” she abruptly laughed, and flung her sandy brown hair around as she looked to Adamu, “I’m Seresuto. That’s my husband Adamu. I swear he’s useless,” she laughed as she rolled her eyes, and wiped her hands off on her apron.

  Seresuto’s hair was tied back in a blue bandanna, which highlighted her blue-green eyes. She appeared to have spent a great deal of her life outside, as her skin had darkened from the sun. She and Adamu appeared to be rather poor like the other citizens. Their clothing was cheaply woven cotton, the common people’s fabric.

  “Please come inside. If you’re visiting Ryoko you’ll need some shelter. The sea breeze is cold at night,” she offered, twisting the doorknob of an old worn down wooden door. Before pushing it in she yelled suddenly at Adamu, “Adamu, we have guests! Gut all of the fish so there’s enough for everyone!” she demanded. The door squeaked as she pushed it open, the air saturated their lungs when they entered the small home. They were shocked by what they saw thriving within the tiny domain. There were plenty of vegetables, fruits, and other plants growing all about the inside of the home. “H, how?” Mei was confused. “How d’ya get these?” Kato asked. “What?” Seresuto asked looking around, “the plants?” They all nodded at her.

  So Seresuto explained it all out to them, she told them how during the radiation period that destroyed most plant organisms, the people that remained here in Old Ryoko harboured the plants indoors, sealing them off to the outside world. After the radiation levels dropped back down into a safe range they still had vegetation. Due to the high carbon dioxide emissions the plants started to thrive. The oxygen provided by the plants the people considered like a gift from the plants, for saving their lives during the radiation crisis.

  The people had kept the plants inside even after that poison left the atmosphere, because of the sun. After they recognised how the sun was damaging their own bodies they felt the plants would die out within days. Living stayed simple when they neglected the need for an air dome; they had plenty of food, and kept their solitude.

  “Mm, this is amazing! I haven’t had a peach since I was back in my home town,” the sweet fruit intoxicated Mei. Juice trickled down her chin, she was in a state of bliss. Everyone enjoyed some of the splendid fresh fruits; Kairu ate plenty of blueberries, which had run out in the New Ryoko when he was still a young boy. Mack contentedly threw grapes into his mouth, the cool sweet and sour juices quenched his thirst. There were cherries, apples, raspberries, plums and much more to feast on. Seresuto dried plums, dates, grapes and apricots in the sun and then stored them in glass containers. Kairu noticed the bottles on the shelves.

  “What are those for?” he asked as he sunk his teeth into a shinny green apple. “Hmm? Oh, the dried fruits, we dry them so that they last for a long time. We need them for when we go on trips out to sea… I’ll be back in a moment, I’ll go see how Adamu is doing with those fish,” she explained and took her leave out the door.

  Everyone was now at attention. “Hey Mack, maybe they be able to take us ‘cross the ocean?” Kato asked, peeling his orange. “I never saw a ship,” Jenko said, looking to the others. “Me neither,” Kairu agreed. “We’ll have to wait and see. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Mack told them as he tossed a few more grapes into his mouth. Squeak! The door opened. “The fish are ready. Come down to the beach. We’re starting a fire for the fish. Hope you didn’t fill up too much on the fruits,” she said then walked back away.

  The tender sun kissed the world goodnight, and the stars began to come out and twinkle above. The fire roared under a metal grill plate, which long strips of cod cooked on over the open flame. The group inquired about the city, and any affiliations it might have with the C.D.F.P. Seresuto and Adamu, but mostly Seresuto, told them how the C.D.F.P. didn’t even realise that anyone lived in this city since the invasion a hundred years ago. They explained that that was the second reason they maintained to keep their plants indoors, to avoid attention. Seresuto also told them that they kept their relatively large vessel hidden away under a cascading ledge of land that extended over the water a few miles away.

  Finally, it was the couples turn to ask questions, “So where are you from?” Seresuto asked in her usual blunt and rather intrusive manner, before biting into a carrot, crunch! “We’re travelling from Torusan,” Mack said. “I’m from Ryoko though,” Kairu added, “the new one,” he added. “You look familiar, who are your ancestors?” Adamu asked. “I come from the line of chief’s sir,” Kairu replied. Seresuto’s jaw dropped, “Really? You should come to city hall with me tomorrow,” she said. Nothing more was said on the subject. Kairu’s interest was peaked, and he desired to ask about their excitement, and what they had to show him, but his shy disposition held the words behind the safety of his lips.

  The night provided a peaceful sleep, the proper rest was long overdue. The ocean waves gently sounded in the bay, the plants smelt sweet and fresh, and the oxygen was revitalising. Even Mack couldn’t stay up that night, and he feel into a deep sleep. They were grate
ful for Seresuto and Adamu’s hospitality. The beds on which they lay were filled with soft fluffy feathers on top of cotton. Silk sheets, left over from the Empires attack vessel within high-ranking officers quarters, were provided for them. The soft sheets glided over their bodies, caressing bruised and tired limbs.

  When morning came it took a lot of doing for Mack to get the others to wake up for some breakfast. Kairu was the only one Mack didn’t have to struggle with to get out of bed, he was as ready as Mack was to take on the day, and get some answers. Mack practically needed to take a crow bar to the rest them to pry them from their warm beds, and the intoxicating oxygen. By mid-morning the aroma of freshly made applesauce, hinted with cinnamon sugar woke their senses.

  As they exited their sleeping quarters they noticed that the sun had begun to take hold of the sky with his golden arms. “Mornin’!” Adamu called as he stirred a large iron cast pot that hung over the fire pit that they had used the night before. Seresuto finished peeling one last apple and threw the pieces into the pot. “Food ‘ll be ready in a little while everyone. S‘down,” she welcomed them to sit on logs placed about the fire pit. Adamu passed the spoon the Seresuto to stir, then distributed fresh water around to everyone.

  When breakfast was ready Adamu served up for everyone. He kindly gave extra to all of their guests over himself and his wife. The steaming applesauce kissed their taste buds. The luxurious food was like velvet, cinnamon permeated their entire mouths. Not one word was said while they indulged breakfast.

  While they ate Seresuto noticed how intently Kairu’s eyes had been fixated on her. She read within them the curiosity that had been building up within him over the long night. Seresuto could tell he’d been wracking his brain away, so, when she was nearly finished breakfast she put her bowl down, and stood up. “So Kairu, let’s go to city hall,” she said, and then immediately started to walk away. Kairu set his bowl down and chased after her, and the others followed right behind the two leading the way.

  “What’s there?” Kairu asked as they walked through the streets. “You’ll see, be patient, will you?” she asked. Kairu interpreted her as being annoyed with him, so he held his tongue for the rest of the way. They walked up to a large building that reflected the recreation in his Ryoko that he lived in with his father.

  They passed under the pillar sustained entrance roof, and through tall-carved wooden doors. The interior was much different thank Kairu’s home, a thin corridor stretched down the centre of the grand building, and rooms lead off from it. At the end of the long running hallway there was one bigger door, which lead to the grand hall. Seresuto headed straight for that door.

  They entered the room, which was just as big as the grand hall in Kairu’s home, but this political building was substantially larger overall. He looked ahead to a tapestry that had the history of the city woven on it. He looked over the woven history, as it progressively grew on the long-stretched fabric, and told a long story of the people who had lived here. There was an empty space at the end of the tapestry, left for further recordings, which the Empires invasion never permitted the time for.

  Kairu was mesmerised by his peoples’ history so plainly available to his desiring eyes. He watched the progression from early construction of the city, to the last battle they’d won against the once small overseas Empire. There was no recording of their final and permanent intrusion that conquered the city, and none of the remaining people would consent to record it, for it would give away that people were here to have sown it onto the material.

  “Kairu… hello!” Seresuto demanded his attention, snapping her fingers. He finally drew his eyes away from the wall hanging and plunked them down on Seresuto. She stood at a large towering bookcase, and held a thick leather covered book in her grasp. She flipped through aged-yellowed pages, that crinkled and crackled as they swung about. “Where the hell is it…” she huffed. Back and forth the pages bounced. Suddenly a satisfactory look came over her frustrated face, “I knew it was in here somewhere. Stupid thing,” she announced.

  Kairu walked around Seresuto, and looked down on the page. There was a picture there of a tall man in heavy metal armour, his Dark locks of hair were decorated in native beads that dangled above his shoulders. The warrior’s eyes showed strength, power and confidence, yet were kind and offered mercy. Kairu saw the image, he was staring at it with unvarying eyes, and he could swear that he was staring at himself.

  “He was the old town chief long ago, a great warrior as legend tells. You are certainly of his blood. He’s the only reason I believed you when you said you were the New Ryoko chief’s son. We all wondered when we’d have someone meander into our city, it was only a matter of time. Everyone knows these pages through and through, I talked to some of my friends after you all went to bed last night, they were about to get everyone to flee. We’re always on our toes here. If the C.D.F.P. found out about us, well… the bastards aren’t kind to non-tax paying citizens, let’s leave it at that. Anyway, we knew one day we’d have someone come, we’re just glad it’s you,” She smiled and bowed her head, and Adamu did the same.

  Kairu had no words to say. He didn’t see himself as a leader, nor did he desire the publicity of it all, “I… I didn’t come here to…” he tried to explain but Seresuto silenced him. “We know. We just… just want you to know you’re welcome here anytime,” And with that she handed him the book and signalled for everyone else to clear the premises.

  Kairu stood just gazing at his great grandfather, a true warrior, and though he hadn’t been aware of it, he soon saw he shared his great grandfather’s name. He stumbled about, eyes glued to the page, until he found a seat. He sat himself down and became consumed by the book, and read of his family ancestry dating back several hundred years. He learned of great men that lead the city through times of prosperity, and of other long deceased relatives that did not have such decent tidings written about their accomplishments, or rather regressions inflicted upon Old Ryoko.

  Kairu indulged himself in his family’s past, he wanted to know everything there was to know. He desired to have all his unanswered questions be solved. None of these documents could have been saved when the city fell under siege, they hadn’t the time while they fled for their lives. Kairu felt that he held the key to the world in his hands. As he read he made himself remembered the courage and triumph of those who succeeded for the people, and the downfall of those who failed, so he would not make a mistake reoccur when he would one day take over for his father.

  Seresuto and the others alternated bringing him food and drink; he became enraptured by these old documents and took no breaks. Kairu was too intent on the readings to remember his appetite. He stayed in the chamber for an entire week devouring book after book. When he emerged, he’d read through every relevant book within city hall. He walked through the streets with a new light cast out upon the once bustling city.

  Each step he took seemed to echo through his body. As he looked down the road ahead he envisioned the people that once lived there, he stood still, picturing it all. They went about their chores, just as he had read they’d done. He watched the city being built, the great many wars fought, the women wishing their husbands luck out at sea, and the final drive that sent his people running from there homes in fear. He saw Old Ryoko’s past up until it’s future. SNAP! Reality sent him falling onto his back. He looked around. Everything was calm, and quiet, just as it had been the second he’d first set foot into the city.

  Kairu made his way to the back down to the beach. Mei saw him through the window of Seresuto’s storage room, and she ran out to see him, though he looked to be in a bit of a trance. He sat down on the beach and pulled his legs into his chest. Mei slowly made her way to his side and sat next to him, “Are you okay?” she asked. His eyes spoke of many things, but she couldn’t read the foreign language in which they were speaking.

  Kairu was silent for a while, but she stayed by his side. The sea breeze swept across them. “I… I saw everything…”
he finally said. He told her of the many historical documents, and explained his family history and their devotion to Ryoko. He told her then how he would be devoted to saving the planet for Ryoko, in following tradition with his ancestral history. He had a new determination that he’d never felt before.

  “Adamu?” Mack searched the buildings. He found Adamu in the kitchen watering the plants, “Adamu? Oh, there you are,” Mack said relieved to find him. Adamu continued working, “Something I can help you with Mack?” he asked turning his head respectfully to show his acknowledgement. “I was wondering what you used the ship for?” Mack asked taking a seat. “We use it to go out to sea for fishing. There’s a spot that’s not too far away that we find lots of…” Adamu loved to talk, and went on talking about the keen finishing in deep waters. He went on and on until he’d finished water the plants all around the room and had started to chop up some carrots for dinner.

  Mack patiently waited until he finally became frustrated from listening to the frivolous details of every possible location available on the great wide ocean. “Uh, Adamu, that’s great but I had another question,” Mack interjected. “Oh, ok. What is it?” Adamu inquired. “I was wondering if it would be fit to travel… to the Imperial continent,” Mack said, eyes dead serious. Adamu’s knife slipped from his grip, “D... Did you say the ‘Imperial Continent’?” he asked rather overwhelmed, and in disbelief that his ears were being truthful. “Yes I did,” Mack calmly said. Adamu left the knife where it had fallen and went over to take a seat at the table with Mack. “What in the world are you planning on?”