Diversion To Urasha
Chapter 16

With a gentle little flutter, Crystaline’s eyelids opened. As she watched the baby blue in front of her taking the shape of the little chugga, she felt the warm puffs of air coming from the creature’s mouth. Crystaline gently caressed his smooth skin. Chugga-Chugga was adorable.

Crystaline laid on her back, soaking in the view of the silver sunlight up above her. Morning had finally arrived. Crystaline wondered how many days she would be out here, searching for the healing stone. She wasn’t sure how much more she could handle.

Crystaline tilted her head in the opposite direction that Chugga-Chugga was laid in. James was right beside her, sleeping soundlessly. Crystaline gulped. She hadn’t even realised he’d been sleeping next to her all night.

Tentatively, she hovered her trembling hand over James’ sleeping face. He had a stray strand of hair on his forehead, threatening to poke into his resting eyes. With a soft gentle sweep, Crystaline brushed away the stray strand, eyeing the kind face of the human sleeping beside her. James was a handsome man - that could not be denied. It was kind of nice, the way his sideburns trailed his ears, and those arms, they looked strong.

Crystaline quickly freed her hand from James, watching as his body gave a little jerk, and his mouth made random little sloshy sounds. To Crystaline’s relief, James merely returned to his deep sleep.

Crystaline’s heart began to ache. It was all coming back to her now, everything. Crystaline always hated this moment. The moment when she would wake up and remember her life for what it actually was. There was something magnificent about sleep. The way it could just make her forget. Crystaline could literally wake up and relish those first few seconds of remembering nothing - or very little at least. Sleep was Crystaline’s solace, her only chance to escape from the harsh realities of the real world. Those vital first few seconds of being awake, of living in reality and in solace, they were a blessing. Remembering - that was the curse.

Startling Crystaline, Crystos’ voice sounded. He was crouched right by the fire. “Sleep well?” he called.

Hoping that her brother had not just seen her stroking James’ forehead, Crystaline rolled onto her feet, joining Crystos by the purple flame. “You know me, Brother, I cherish what I can get of sleep.”

Crystos smiled shyly. “I know what you mean. Though for once, and even on this dry uncomfortable land, I managed a decent night’s sleep. I think it was the evening. I...I enjoyed it. I had fun.”

Crystaline’s arteries constricted around her heart, remembering what Morcees had said to her. “Well make the most of it, Crystos. Because this will all be over soon.”

“I know,” Crystos agreed. “Though I think we’ve made a friend for life in James.”

Crystaline shuffled nervously, avoiding eye contact with her brother. “I very much doubt that,” she whispered.

“He’s taken to you. He’s not like the others, Crystaline. He’s a good man…”

“He’s not one of us.”

Crystos shook his head, baffled by his sister’s unexpected reaction. “I thought the boy was growing on you? What difference does it make if he’s not one of us? Chugga-Chugga is not one...”

“Chugga-Chugga is from this planet. He is not a human.”

Ignoring Crystos’ gaping speechless mouth, Crystaline stood on her feet, her arteries tightening their grip around her heart as she watched Morcees awakening.

It didn’t take long for everyone to awaken from their slumbers. James had been woken up by the little chugga. The baby blue animal had pounced on him, endeavouring to wake him up. Chugga-Chugga’s plan had worked, and although James ached, he’d slept surprisingly well. Perhaps it had been the gold fruit? Then again, the fruit’s effects had practically worn off by the time the he had turned in for the night.

As James’ eyes danced their way over to Crystaline, he felt his heart give a little flutter, a warm flutter. Yesterday had been awesome. Okay, so it had started off rather rubbish, but Crystaline and Chugga-Chugga had changed all of that. The day had been the funnest day James had had since...well...a long time ago.

Already feeling the boost of this warming thought, James wandered over to Crystaline, sensing the little chugga’s footsteps behind him. “Morning, Crystaline. Did you sleep well?”

Crystaline looked into James’ eyes with a startled expression at first. Then her expression changed. Her face hardened, freezing itself into an ice-cold stare. Crystaline said nothing in response to James’ friendly greeting. Instead she just merely walked away from him.

It was at that point that James suddenly felt despondent. He’d not expected that, not at all. Yesterday Crystaline had been so friendly, so fun, a far cry from that depressive, ice cold statue.

James felt the little chugga tenderly rubbing its smooth head on his leg. Although the creature was purring, James could tell that the little animal had sensed Crystaline’s stone cold reaction just now. As James stroked the little chugga, he felt Crystos’ firm, yet reassuring grip on his shoulder. At least Crystos wasn’t as mercurial as his sister. James was glad to have a friend in Crystos.

Once everyone had watered down some bruc for breakfast, the group had resumed travel. As usual, Crystaline and her brother took the frontmost positions, leading the group through this dry purple landscape.

Unlike the barren scene right next to the city, this new dusty scene was covered in cliffs, tall purple cliffs of many different shapes and sizes. James didn’t have a problem with climbing as such, but his limbs were aching, he was tired, he was hungry, and he was thirsty. Climbing one of those mega structures wasn’t exactly an appealing thought.

James scoffed at his own thoughts. Right now, his brain was swirling around and around, delving too deeply into thoughts he didn’t really want to think about. Crystaline! James just did not get that woman. He didn’t understand her. The way she would just switch, changing from one mood to the next, it was impossible to keep up with.

James eyed the chugga with sympathy. The loyal little creature had decided to walk alongside Crystaline this morning. James could tell that the little animal wanted to cheer Crystaline up or gain reassurance from her that she still loved him at least. Crystaline would not even stroke the little creature. She wouldn’t even look at him. Poor little fella.

James felt the ache in his heart. It was a new ache, one he’d never actually felt before. The ache extended right the way up to his throat, tightening it, constricting it, making him feel what? Guilty? James watched Crystaline silently walking through the sunlit terrain. Maybe he’d done something? Maybe he’d done or said something to upset her? But what? What could he have possibly done? James felt his heart give a sudden little lurch. Maybe he’d said something in his sleep? Something incriminating?

James sighed out more air than his lungs would have wanted. What could he have said in his sleep that would offend Crystaline? James liked the woman, he liked her a lot. Too much maybe.

James fantasised about catching Crystaline in a better mood. He imagined her telling him about why she had woken up in such an awful mood. The reason, it was nothing to do with him. It was something else, something which he would then coax out of her. Crystaline would then feel completely and utterly liberated. She would realise that he was her friend, and maybe, just maybe, she would give him a little hug.

James snapped out of his reverie. What was going on? What was he doing? Why was he thinking like this? Imagining ideal situations involving him and Crystaline? This was new. Frighteningly uncomprehendingly new.

As the sun continued to relentlessly glare down on him, James realised that his throat felt like ash. He needed water. “Hey er, Borcees, can you hand me that bag a second?”

Borcees rolled his eye to one side, eyeing James suspiciously, before handing him his bag.

“Thanks,” James said, rummaging through the bag for water. One container was empty, so was the next. Uh oh! This was not good. Where had all the water gone? James grabbed the third container, feeling that it was half full at least. James thought about opening the container and drinking the lot. But then he remembered that there wasn’t a single river in sight. This water had to be used sparingly. “Crystaline,” James called, before he had the chance to back out of such a move. “Did you know that we’re running very low on water?”

Crystaline’s steps reached a halt. “How low?” she hissed.

James gave the half-filled bottle a gentle little shake. “I think that’s all we have left - just half a bottle.”

Crystaline shook her head, exasperated. “Until we locate more water, we must drink sparingly.”

Phil eyed the half empty bottle in James’ hand. “Hold on a second, I thought you said that we wouldn’t run into this kind of trouble? You said, that water and food would always be available to us?”

“And it is,” Crystaline answered through gritted teeth. “We just have to keep our eyes peeled. Look out for water streaks on the cliffs. If water is going to be anywhere, that’s where we’ll replace it.”

Right, so that was it. That was what James was now going to focus on. James was so intent on replaceing that water, so intent in fact, that he hoisted the bag on over his own shoulders. Was it the thirst? Or was it Crystaline? James imagined replaceing that all important water, and he imagined Crystaline’s reaction. She would cheer up, surely?

The next hour flew by. Not because James was having fun, but instead, he was almost in a trance, a trance where he would scan the dry scene around him for even the first sign of water. So far, his efforts had been fruitless, and Morcees’ and Borcees’ constant sniggering was beginning to grate against the walls of his concentrating state. Just what were those two up to?

Bringing James back into the world of reality, he saw Zach suddenly lurch forwards, hearing the all too familiar sound of the sworsha’s swirls of electricity. “What are you doing?” James yelled, seeing the purple of Morcees’ weapon prodding Zach’s back. Zach fell to the ground this time.

Without thinking, James felt his own trouser pocket for his sworsha, but before he could grab his weapon, he’d been beaten to it, beaten to it by Crystaline!

Crystaline bounded straight for Morcees, slicing through his legs with her purple weapon. The Urashan man was thrust up high into the air, before landing on the ground with a sharp thud!

Before Morcees even had the time to register what was going on, Crystaline had him in her grasp, and like on the training day, Crystaline’s sworsha had turned blue, positioned ready to cut off Morcees’ head.

Instead of panicking, Morcees let out a guttural laugh as Crystaline continued to grapple him from behind. “Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! I wasn’t wrong, was I?”

Crystaline’s grip tightened. “Wrong about what?” Her words were breathy, shaky. “You? Being a bully? What has that man ever done to you?”

Zach brushed the dirt off his shoulders, shuffling nervously into Phil’s arms, as he realised that Crystaline was sticking up for him.

Morcees continued to cackle. “What has he ever done? What has he ever done, Crystaline? I think you’re forgetting the facts.”

As James looked into Crystaline’s eyes, he saw nothing but agony, nothing but a soul-destroying pain. Her arms were trembling, shaking uncontrollably.

At least her brother was by her side now, placing his hands placatingly over her quivering arms. “Come now, Crystaline. Put the weapon down. Don’t do anything stupid.”

“You heard him!” Borcees had rushed to the aid of his friend. Though his lips were trembling, too. “Just let him go!”

As her brother’s and Borcees’ words hit her, Crystaline gave one last pain filled grimace, then her weapon whooshed off, as she freed her arms from Morcees.

Crystaline stood, eyeing Borcees as he rushed to his friend’s side. As she watched the pair, her expression was unreadable, filled with such a complex array of emotions: Pain, anger, shock, loathing, regret?

Crystos tried to give his sister another gentle little touch. She merely swiped her arms free from his grasp, stomping off into the distance. Crystos rushed on after her, determined not to lose his sister.

Morcees spat on the ground, eyeing the frightened little chugga, and the humans beside him. “Better catch up with the prince and the princess,” he growled.

Realising that he had no sympathy whatsoever for Morcees, James turned on his heels, racing on after Crystaline and her brother. The others weren’t far behind him.

As it turned out, Crystaline hadn’t been trying to run away as such. Once the others had caught up with her, she had not sped away from them. Instead, Crystaline had merely continued to lead, just like she had done before the whole incident had kicked off. It was as if nothing had ever happened. Crystaline was still in an awful mood, silently brooding away as she continued to walk across the barren land.

Not so unlike Crystaline, James was busy brooding too, watching as the little chugga had bravely resumed his position of walking alongside a bad tempered Crystaline.

Morcees was a dick! James had always suspected this, but now he knew. Crystaline was right, the man was a bully. Why else would he just launch an attack on Zach like that? What had ever Zach done to him? Absolutely nothing. James was sure of that. He had no idea what Morcees’ problem was.

Although James hated to see Crystaline in any form of pain, whether that be emotional or physical, the situation had certainly shed a new light on everything. Crystaline’s sticking up for Zach had certainly won her yet more favour in James’ eyes. She wasn’t just someone he wanted to figure out. She was someone James liked and respected.

As the sun continued to glare down on him, James remembered how parched and famished he felt. Feeling suddenly desperate for water, James began to scan the cliffs all around him. He remembered what Crystaline had said. She had told everyone to look out for water streaks. James searched the cliffs to his left - nothing. Then the cliffs to his right. One of these cliffs was taller than the others angled at odd, step-like shapes. The structure was a light shade of pinky purple, with something dark and wiry running through it like cracks, streaks...streaks! James stopped in his tracks, squinting his eyes for a closer, more focused look at the cliff. The streaks were dark purple - dark in the very same way that water would darken a rock. “Hey, you guys,” he called. “That cliff over there, what are those streaks?”

Crystaline stilled along with everyone else. Her eyes followed James’ pointing finger to the cliff in question. “That’s our water,” she said, walking towards James. “Give me your bag.”

“What? Why? We’re all going up there, aren’t we?”

“No. The rest of you are to wait by that big bulky boulder over there. I’ll get us our water.”

James eyed the huge hulk of purple rock several metres to his left, then he eyed Crystaline. True, he didn’t fancy the climb, but Crystaline couldn’t do this alone. “I’m going with you.”

Crystaline sighed, frustrated. “No, you’re not. You’re going to wait by that boulder with the others. Now just give me the bag.”

“Crystaline,” Crystos had stepped forwards. “You can’t go up there alone. It might not be safe. Either James or I will go with you.”

Crystaline shook her head, completely exasperated. “You’re not coming, Crystos. One of us needs to stay down here and keep an eye on everyone else.”

“Then let James go with you.”

Crystaline shook her head again, her gaze shifting to James. “Can you climb?” she asked him.

James nodded, ignoring the look of concern on Phil’s face. “Yes, I can climb. Let’s get our water, shall we?”