Chapter 13 - Beyond First Impressions

"They are..."

Sol's mind spiraled, heart thundering in his chest as he recognized the strangers. These were the same two figures who had fought Grak with a force beyond anything he'd ever seen, their strength terrifying and awe-inspiring. 

And now, those very people were walking toward him. His mind raced, trying to piece together everything that had happened on the island, but the whirlwind of thoughts only made him more anxious. 

Noticing Sol's shift in attention, a smirk crept across the man's lips.

"Ah! You've noticed them... well, you'll find out soon enough."

With that, the man loosened his grip and let Sol go. But even with his newfound freedom, Sol didn't run like before. His body refused to move. His instincts screamed to flee, yet the sheer presence of the approaching figures paralyzed him. 

I'm trapped between monsters.

As Jack and Jaz drew closer, Sol's heartbeat quickened. His breadth felt short, his mind swirling with panic and uncertainty. He tried to calm himself, steadying his nerves, but his thoughts were a storm. He guarded his stance, instinctively preparing for whatever might come.

The two stopped a respectful distance away, noticing Sol's defensive posture. They seemed thoughtful of him.

"Oh, don't worry. We're not here to harm you," Jack spoke first, his voice surprisingly gentle, almost innocent.

"I tried explaining that to him earlier, but he didn't seem to believe me." the man chimed in with a slight chuckle.

At the sound of his voice, Sol's mind snapped back into focus. Without thinking, he jumped backward, his body pressing against the wall as his eyes darted between Jaz, Jack and the man. 

What are they planning?

"You must have scared him, Vice Captain. You did the same thing to me when we first met." Jack's tone was playful, but his expression remained serious. 

The man smirked at the memory. "I don't remember scaring you, but If I did, you definitely deserved it. You were an idiot back then... not that you've gotten any smarter."

Jack's face flushed a bright shade of red as he tried - and failed - to come up with a witty retort. 

"That's not—I wasn't—"

"Pfff..." Jaz let out a small laugh, watching the exchange. She always found their bickering amusing; it was one of her forms of entertainment on this ship. 

"Don't laugh, Jaz!" Jack shot back. "This doesn't count for the bet, vice-captain!"

"It definitely counts. You'll be doing all the chores today. Again!" The vice-captain crossed his arms, his tone final.

"But that not fair! I wasn't ready- "

"No excuses," Vice-captain interrupted with a sly grin. "You lost. That's the deal."

The deal between Jack and the vice-captain was simple: whoever could make Jaz laugh first would win the bet. The loser, however, would be stuck with all the chores for the entire day. And once again, Jack had lost.

Jaz often tried to hold back her laughter, knowing full well about their little game, but moments like these were hard to resist.

As the two continued their playful argument, they seemed to completely forget about Sol's presence. Sol, for his part, was utterly dumbfounded by what he was witnessing.

These are the people who defeated Grak?

The strong, terrifying figures from the battle were now bickering like children in front of him. Sol couldn't make sense of it. In Zenora, the strong ruled with an iron fist—dominance was always assured through fear and power. But here, these same powerful individuals seemed... almost human.

While lost in thought, Sol suddenly noticed Jaz moving closer. His breath hitched in his throat.

What's she doing?

She was beautiful, with long, flowing black hair that shimmered under the sunlight, and as she approached, Sol felt an unfamiliar heat rise to his face. He quickly shook off the brief shyness, focusing on maintaining his guard. But even Jaz seemed hesitant, as if unsure of how to approach him.

She stopped just in front of him, her piercing eyes locking onto his. Sol returned her gaze, refusing to back down.

"...."

"...."

Neither of them spoke, a quiet tension hanging in the air. Meanwhile, Jack and the vice-captain continued their argument in the background, oblivious to the silent exchange between Jaz and Sol.

What's with her? Sol inwardly wondered. 

He couldn't understand why this woman was just standing there, staring at him. What did she want? Jaz, on the other hand, was equally unsure of what to say. She had never been good at starting conversations, especially with strangers—even more so with kids.

Then, as she stared into Sol's eyes, a memory resurfaced. A childhood memory. She remembered a man kneeling down in front of her, offering gentle words of comfort when she had been lost in tears. The image brought a soft smile to her lips.

Jaz knelt down, leveling her gaze with Sol's. She remembered how it had felt when someone had shown her kindness, and she wanted to do the same.

"My name is Jazmine Kuroki, but you can call me Jaz. What's your name?" Her voice was calm, melodious, carrying a warmth that Sol never felt.

Sol swallowed hard. Everything in Zenora had taught him to distrust gentleness—it was usually a trap. But something in her voice, in the way she made herself smaller to talk to him, felt genuine.

"My name? Sol." This time, he didn't yell or retreat. He simply responded.

"Sol? That's a lovely na—"

"Who are you people?" Sol interrupted, cutting off her compliment. He still wasn't sure what was happening, but he needed answers.

Jaz straightened up, not taking offence at his abruptness. She respected the boy's need for clarity.