Stranger in a Strange Land (Storm Island spinoff)

[Misfit Angel]

Stranger in a Strange Land
[CANCELLED]
(just for Athena)​

Welcome to Stranger in a Strange Land! This story is a spin off of Storm Island, and as such, it is extremely recommended that you read through that before continuing.

Stranger in a Strange Land follows Kamin's adventures in the aftermath of the 29th chapter of Storm Island. Separated from his friends, he finds himself in a strange new land that is completely unfamiliar to him. His journey across the region of West Sakala will give him exactly what he left Blackwood Grove for: New experiences that will fundamentally shape who he is, experiences that will finally show him what purpose his life serves.

During the course of Stranger in a Strange Land, there will be relatively little cross over with Storm Island, due to the distances between him and his friends. However, as this spin off nears its conclusion, things will begin to fall together. For those who elect to not read this story, I will attempt to sum it up when the storylines merge together again.

A big motivation for this spin off is the feedback I often received when it came to Kamin, that he was more of a side show that received little attention unless it fit the plot. This story will attempt to fix those issues by giving him the attention he needs while not stealing the thunder from Andrea's own character development. I hope that this will not disappoint.

Table of Contents

1. Chapter 1 - Stranger in a Strange Land
2. Chapter 2 - Sickbay
3. Chapter 3 - Hostility

 

[Misfit Angel]

Stranger in a Strange Land
Chapter 1​

The sun was already high in the sky over the warm and muggy, dense jungle. All along the shoreline, a thick canopy of deep green vegetation stretched upwards into the sky like towers, reaching heights of nearly two hundreed feet. Much of the coast was like this except for one small area where the trees had been felled, the thick undergrowth cleared and a small village erected in its place.

The village contained no more than eleven structures, ten of them built from nothing but logs, leaves and grass clippings. They offered little privacy and protection from the elements aside from rain, but that was a relatively minor concern in this jungle environment. A dirt road weaved throughout the village, extending into the jungle, where a plantation had been constructed, allowing for the cultivation and harvest of nearly a dozen exotic jungle fruits. It was early in the morning, but already there were workers toiling in the orchards, gathering the village's food for the day.

Back in the village in the largest hut, a young woman was stirring in her sleep, troubled by the oppressively muggy, hot weather. No matter how much she tossed and turned, no position offered adequate relief. Frustrated, she sat up, stretched and yawned. Dark bags rested under her brown eyes; she had not had a good sleep, and it was showing. Regardless, she pushed herself out of bed and was determined to start her day.

She started with her daily ritual of painstakingly and meticulously weaving her ragged and wavy black bangs into dozens of thin braids, which she decorated on both sides with white flowers. With her hair finished, opened a box that sat on her table, collecting from it four Pokéballs made of polished, delicately and masterfully carved wood, stringing them along the chain belt she wore. She stepped downstairs to visit her family and see what daily chores she might need to do.

Downstairs, an older gentleman was seated at a table next to a fire pit. Stately glasses hung on the tip of his nose and a thick, curved mustache sprouted from his face. He was stoking the flames of the fire pit, cooking up a hearty breakfast when he noticed his daughter coming down the stairs.

"Ah, Leelee! I was wondering when you would wake up. The sun has been up for quite some time already." he said. He reached into his vest and pulled out a golden pocket watch attached to a chain. "Mmm, 9:30."

"It was a sleepless night, the humidity was a bit too much for me," she replied. "Where is mother at?"

"She left for the market early this morning," he said.

"Darn... Guess I woke up too late, huh?" she asked. "Is there anything I need to do this morning?"

The man stroked his chin in thought. "Well, we are running a bit low on the old supplies down at the refuge. Perhaps you'd be a dear and collect some coconuts from along the shore just outside of the village? Don't stray too far, though."

"Coconuts?" she asked. "Aww... Well, I suppose it's better than working with the folks at the lumberyard again."

"I really wish you'd be less sarcastic at times, Leelee. Now remember, back before sundown! You're helping your mother with dinner tonight."

"I haven't forgotten," she said, taking her first steps outside. It was a beautiful late summer morning, with the sun high in the deep blue tropical sky. The serene and tranquil atmosphere washed away most of what had been bothering her, from the hot and humid weather to her often overly-strict father. Unfortunately, there was no combating the fact that she was physically and mentally exhausted from a night of restless sleep, and no amount of natural beauty would be able to fix that. Her steps were labored and heavy as she trudged through the muddy road towards the shore.

The village was bristling with activity, with nearly every resident feverishly working to ensure their way of life continued unhindered; The Marshals were busy sorting through barrels of fish to see which were fit to go to the market, while the Windsors worked the loom in front of their hut, weaving a new set of clothes for an upcoming marriage. The Bakkarat brothers toiled away in their garden, the Palong family fashioned jewelry and Balena ran her trading post, dealing in an assortment of items.

To Leelee, this life was quaint, but admittedly boring. For her, it was a daily grind of waking up, helping to take care of her little brother, gathering supplies for the village and usually ending the day with some sort of menial, repetitive physical labor. Mostly, she was resentful of the fact that nearly everyone in town had found a specialty, while she always drifted from duty to duty. She wanted to escape it somehow, but she felt trapped by tradition and duty to her family and fellow villagers. She couldn't just leave.

Many similar thoughts ran through her mind as the village began to disappear behind her while she made her way down the shore. It appeared that in recent days, the nearest coconut trees had been picked clean, forcing her to wander further and further from the village, against her father's wishes. She was hesitant to go any further into the wilderness, but at the same time, even more hesitant to return empty handed. She pushed further and further along the shore until the village had disappeared behind the thick jungle.

As she continued onward looking for decently sized coconuts, she was greeted by a peculiar smell, the smell of burnt wood wafting faintly on the wind. Curious, she decided to go further. Eventually, she began to see what was responsible for the smell. At first, it was a small piece of debris here and there, but as she continued, she began to find more and more and in bigger sizes. The largest piece she found was decorated with a wave pattern, with part of the word "INSHIRE" painted onto it.

"Oh no... what happened?" she asked herself. She reached down for her belt, grabbing a delicately and beautifully carved Pokéball and dropped it into the sand. The ball opened up with an explosion of dark green leaves. As the leaves scattered, a small, black pig-like creature was standing there, reaching up to the middle of her thighs. Its face was short and gaunt, with a blunt, twitching snout resting over the two wickedly sharped tusks that emerged from its mouth. Along the bottom of its jaw were spikes of bone, while more spikes lined the creature's back.

The creature sniffed the sand, looked around, then up at her.

"Gladston, something's wrong. Protect me while I investigate." she ordered.

The creature followed behind her closely, keeping an eye out for any potential dangers that threatened his master.

As she got closer and closer to the wreckage, the smell of smoldering debris began to choke her. She was determined to do a quick sweep of the area to see if anyone was in need of urgent assistance, then return home for help. Most of the debris was small and light, allowing her to check under it for any survivors, but there appeared to be none. Just as she was getting ready to return home, she spotted someone's foot poking out from behind a larger piece.

She raced over to find a young man with black hair curled around a shattered piece of timber. His skin was sickly white, causing her to fear that she may have been too late, yet he was warm to the touch. "Are you alright?" she asked, shaking him gently, but she received no response. "Oh no..." Further attempts to wake him were unsuccessful. "I should take him to Jonty..." she muttered, reaching down to her belt again. Grabbing another ornately carved Pokéball, she dropped it into the sand.

The wooden Pokéball exploded with a shower of grass clippings, revealing a large creature which resembled a mountain goat. It was covered head to hoof with luxurious, silky tan hair with black markings running up and down its body like a tiger's stripes. The creature sported three horns, two of which rested at the top of its head and curled tightly like an ammonite's shell, while the third horn extended from its forhead. At the tips of its curled horns were small sprouts of leaves.

She lifted with all of her might to push the log off of the man, then placed her arms underneath his upper torso and his legs and lifted him up. "I need you to carry this man back to the village, Bilbury." she said, slumping the man over its back. "Come on, let's go, we need to get help! There could be more survivors..."

- - - - -​

It was a short journey back to her village. As she walked under the village gate, she wondered what to do first. Warn her father about what she saw on the shore, or take the injured man to her brother Jonathan, the only medical professional within dozens miles? She had never brought an injured person into town before, so it was a new experience for her. She wasn't sure how serious his injuries were, but she didn't want to take any risks of his condition degrading, so she decided on bringing him to her brother's medical station first.

On her way across the little village, she received many strange looks from the local residents. She didn't know how to explain what had happened, nor did she want to waste time thinking of a way. It wasn't much further to her brother's place.

She arrived at her brother's medical station, one of the few buildings with proper walls in the village. She opened the front door to see if he was inside, but it appeared to be empty. She rushed over to the desk and rang the bell, hoping to get his attention. Several moments passed with no answer.

"Darn it, where is he?" she asked, hammering the bell multiple times in rapid succession. After another moment of no response, she decided to take matters into her own hands and guided Bilbury over to one of the cots set up in the other room. She struggled to lift the man off of Bilbury's back, barely able to put him on the bed. "Alright, let's see... what do I do first?" she mumbled to herself. She decided that removing his wet clothing would be a good first step, and began to unzip his black jacket.

Commotion was heard from the front room as a young man appeared in the doorway. "You know, ringing the bell over and--" he started, pausing as he saw his sister leaning over the injured man. "Leelee, what's going on?"

"This guy washed ashore, we gotta help him!" she said.

"Woah, woah, slow down. Washed ashore? What do you mean?" he asked.

She fruitlessly struggled with the man's damp jacket. "I think there's been a shipwreck... take care of him, I have to go find help!"

"Shipwreck?" Jonty walked over. "Let me have a look at him. You go and get help, this is going to be a busy day." he said, removing the man's jacket. He called out, "Pippa? Pippa, I need help! And bring me my medical kit while you're at it!"

- - - - -​

Back at home, Leelee's father was enjoying the breakfast that he had prepared earlier. A silver mug of pineapple juice sat next to a plate which was covered with various fruits, vegetables and a thin slice of honeyed bacon. In his hand was a book entitled, 'Surviving the Wilds: The Tale of Sir Reginald', which was worn ragged through many years of reading. Despite being deeply concentrated on his book, he couldn't help but look up to see that his daughter was approaching the hut with a feverish pace.

"Back so soon, Leelee?" her father asked. "And empty-handed, I see."

"Nevermind that, father. We have a problem!" she said.

"Oh, is that so? What kind of problem?"

"There's been a shipwreck, just up the coast," she said. "I've already found one survivor, there might be more."

"A shipwreck?" he asked, slowly lowering his book. "Oh dear... how bad is it?"

"Really, really bad! We have to search for more survivors!"

"You're not going anywhere," he said as he abandoned his breakfast in a hurry and pushed away from the table. He rushed over to a wardrobe that stood in the corner of the room and opened it, grabbing a satchel full of emergency medical supplies and his trusty pith helmet from within. "Look after Willum while I'm gone, dear. I'll round up the men and form a search party to help those who may be injured."

"Why can't I come along and help?" she asked.

"Your mother hasn't returned from the market and there is no one else to watch your brother. I know that you are always left with the 'boring' tasks, but that is the way it is sometimes. I'll be back soon."

Lilian sighed as she sauntered over to her brother's chair. He was occupied by a picture book, allowing her to let her mind drift, thinking about what was happening. She began to think about the ship that had washed ashore. From the size and amount of the debris, she figured the ship was large, and a large ship must have lots of people on it. It pained her to think about it, to think that hundreds, maybe thousands more people could be in the same situation as the man she had brought to town, or that they could have suffered a fate much worse.

Time passed as she watched over her little brother. Time he spent flipping back and forth between the pages of his picture book, admiring the colors and cartoonish drawings of various Pokémon. Time that she herself spent on less innocent thoughts. She grew restless as the clock ticked repetitively and endlessly. She had to do something, even if it meant dragging her little brother with her.

"Willum, would you like to see your brother?" she asked.

"Jonty!" Willum happily exclaimed. He dropped his book and stomped over to her, tugging at her leg, telling her that he wanted to go for a ride.

She knelt down and let him climb onto her back. "Up we go!" she said. "Now, I want you to behave while we're visiting your brother. I'm sure he'll be happy to see you, but he'll be a little bit busy. Do you understand?"

Willum aggressively nodded, then pointed towards the door.

"Let's go."

- - - - -​

"How is he?" a young woman with dark tan skin and silky black hair asked.

"He doesn't look too bad..." Jonty said, sewing a deep cut on the man's arm up. "Lilian made it sound like he was about to die, I've seen worse."

She handed a damp cloth to him as he continued his work. "I haven't. He looks pretty beat up to me."

"Well, compared to most stuff we see in the village, yes, it looks bad. But in Mankala..." he said, cutting the thread. "Pass me some disinfectant. I don't want to take any chances with these scrapes along his back."

Pippa grabbed a bottle of clear liquid and took the cork out of it, then poured a small amount onto a wad of cotton which she handed to him. "When do you think he'll wake up?"

"Hard to say, really," he said, dabbing at the man's injuries with the cotton ball. "Could be a few hours, could be a few days. Things will be rough in the village if more survivors show up."

"How will we support them all?"

"Exactly. The workers on the plantation will have to work overtime... But even then, the best we could hope to support is a dozen. Any more and our resources will be stretched too thin." he said, grabbing a roll of linen bandages. "But it will be our duty as a hospitable and charitable community to provide for them the best we can until they get back on their feet."

There was a knock at the door. Leelee was standing there, peering into the room. "Need any help?"

"Ah, Leelee, you're back. I suspect father forbade you from helping with the rescue effort... no doubt looking after Willum." he said. "Actually, perhaps you might find out who it is we're dealing with? He must have ID in that jacket of his."

She rushed over to the soaked, ragged jacket and rummaged through the right pocket of the man's jacket, finding four Pokéballs and a collection of silver and gold coins. She studied the coins which were embossed with a dragon design, trying to figure out where they might have come from. "Strange coins, never seen them before."

"Let me see them," Jonty asked. A quick inspection left him stumped as well. "Foreigner of some sort, I can say that much."

She continued to search the man's belongings, finding a small plastic card with raised metallic letters on it. "Found it!" she exclaimed, then began to read off the information. "His name is Kamin Madison, 23 years old, born in a place called Blackwood Grove. He's from Storm Island... where's that?"

Jonty shrugged as he continued to treat the cuts and bruises on Kamin.

"A foreigner... Don't get many of those around here." she said.

"We don't get many of anyone around here. When is the last time we had a visitor?" Pippa asked.

"Mmm..."

Jonty turned around and grabbed a towel to wipe his hands clean. "He should be fine, his injuries are miraculously minor if what you say about this shipwreck is true. No broken bones, no head trauma that I can see..." he paused. "Gods, a ship? Blasted into pieces? Who survives something like that, and with such minor injuries? This man is very fortunate."

"You don't think..." Pippa began.

"I know what you're going to say, and no. I don't think so."

"It must be! They've been wanting to prove a point for years..."

Jonty banged his hand on the table. "Enough idle speculation, Pippa. We should make preparations for more survivors."

As the three went about moving supplies throughout the room, a low, gentle crying could be heard coming from the door to the front room, catching their attention. Willum was standing at the door, wiping a tear from his face.

Lilian walked over to comfort him. "What's the matter, Willum?"

He tugged gently at her skirt with an expression of sadness on his face, then clutched her leg with both arms. "Scared..."

She picked her brother up and rested him over her shoulder. "Everything is fine, don't you worry."

"Who dat man?" Willum asked, pointing at Kamin.

"He's a stranger in a strange land..."

- - - - -​

Initializing R-Kit... Identification routine, scanning. Two subjects found. Retrieving information in order of appearance...

Entry found for Wartrek, nicknamed Gladston by the trainer known as Lilian. Detailed information can be found below.

Wartrek, the Jungle Hog Pokémon. Wartrek is generally seen as a powerful Pokémon despite is small size. It is well known for having a fearsome temper and being difficult to train. However, if properly trained, they are loyal much like dogs. They are able to reach high speeds and use their heads as their main form of attack, sporting a hardened armor plate on their forehead. If the headbutt doesn't knock a target out, then the tusks are used as potent goring weapons.​

Entry found for Kaltay, nicknamed Bilbury by the trainer known as Lilian. Detailed information can be found below.

Kaltay, the Prairie Wander Pokémon. Powerful creatures, Kaltay are generally used as beasts of burden by farmers in rural farmland areas. If raised in captivity as beasts of burden, they are friendly and social creatures, while feral Kaltay are viciously territorial. Caution is advised when finding one away from a farm, as it is likely violent and looking to chase off intruders in its territory.​

 

[Flaze]

Well this will be interesting to see. I mean I was actualy wondering myself what was going to actually happen to Kamin after the accident in Storm Island. Though now this makes me ask myself if he's on the same island as Andrea or if they're in different ones.

It's an interesting start and a good way to expand the world in your universe by showcasing the tribe and how they live. It's not completely tribal since they have pokeballs apparently, though I do wonder how. I guess exploring how the tribe works is going to be more of the point of this story.

Character wise I'm interested in Leelee, she kind of reminds me of Andrea in her own way and how the two act, I also like that you're showcasing more original Pokemon and this time the description for them are simple but also easy to imagine. That being said I do hope that the story does focus on Kamin more than Leelee otherwise it would lose its point.

Anyways, it's a good start for a spinoff, even if someone that hasn't read storm island see this I think they'll still be able to understand it perfectly so good job there. I'll be waiting to see more.

 

[Misfit Angel]

Well this will be interesting to see. I mean I was actualy wondering myself what was going to actually happen to Kamin after the accident in Storm Island. Though now this makes me ask myself if he's on the same island as Andrea or if they're in different ones.

I'll go ahead and say that they've washed ashore in the same place. However, the village that Kamin washed up near is south of where Andrea awakened, and she decided on travelling north. Their respective journeys will take them down different roads.

It's an interesting start and a good way to expand the world in your universe by showcasing the tribe and how they live. It's not completely tribal since they have pokeballs apparently, though I do wonder how. I guess exploring how the tribe works is going to be more of the point of this story.

This village, while not having many visitors according to Pippa, isn't exactly isolated, so they have access to a larger civilization from which they get what little technology is in the village. Further explanation of how things work, where Kamin is and what's going on will be following shortly, once he regains consciousness.

I also like that you're showcasing more original Pokemon and this time the description for them are simple but also easy to imagine.

I'm thankful that the description I used wasn't the first thing that someone went after as a major criticism. I was worried that I wouldn't do it right.

That being said I do hope that the story does focus on Kamin more than Leelee otherwise it would lose its point.

The story will focus on him much more, as Lilian (Leelee) will mainly be a guide type figure. Her main task will be to show him around the area he's washed up in.

Anyways, it's a good start for a spinoff, even if someone that hasn't read storm island see this I think they'll still be able to understand it perfectly so good job there. I'll be waiting to see more.

While right now it might be a bit isolated in itself, once Kamin awakens and starts talking with the villagers there will be lots of references that might be lost on a new reader. It'll get even worse once he finally returns home.

 

[Misfit Angel]

Stranger in a Strange Land
Chapter 2: Sickbay​

"Kamin..." a familiar voice whispered.

A few moments passed.

"Kamin, my son..." the voice echoed again. "Please, if can, answer."

Kamin's vision slowly faded in. He found himself in a familiar location, the house he had grown up in back in Blackwood Grove. He was seated in the den in front of the fire pit. Across the fire pit sat a pale, blurred figure. "Raven... Is that you?"

"Son!" Raven's voice happily said.

"What's going on?" Kamin asked.

Raven's figure flickered as it tossed sparkling dust into the fire pit. "Bond is weak." he said. As the dust began to glitter in the burning flames, his figure became more and more defined and colorful. "It is you!" he said, looking at Kamin.

"Yes, it's me, what's happening?"

"Are you alive, son?" Raven asked.

"Am I alive?" he asked, thinking it was a strange question until he began to question the possibility. "I... I don't know... Am I? I haven't opened my eyes in what feels like an eternity..."

"What do you see?" Raven's voice asked.

"I see... home. Wait, no!" he started, before the world around him began to distort and fade. "Something is happening..." Before long, however, the surrounding area had faded into empty darkness. "Raven? Raven!"

Kamin snapped awake and sat up, looking around at his surroundings. He couldn't help but let out a few panicked and incomprehensible grunts until he realized what he was seeing, but just what he saw was unfamiliar to him. He was in what appeared to him to be a makeshift infirmary, with strange diagrams, photos and charts on the walls. Though he had lived in Blackwood Grove for much of his life, the medical instruments he saw scattered throughout the room looked rudimentary and archaic, even to him. Most of all, he noticed the unbearable humidity and warmth.

He struggled to lift himself out of the cot and hobbled over to the window. A clear view of the ocean was visible from the medical station, as was the strange village it was located in. Several people were walking around the village, most with deeply tanned skin, going about their business as if nothing had happened. Another look through the window on the opposite side of the room showed a road leading into a dense jungle with mist-capped mountains looming over the trees.

"Where the hell am I?" he asked.

He searched the room some more, finding his tattered coat. A quick inspection revealed that it had been looted and its contents missing, indicating to him that the people who 'rescued' him probably weren't worthy of his trust. His pants pockets were also emptied; where did his Pokémon go? Did he lose them in the ocean, or were they stolen, too?

"Time to get some answers," he said to himself as he limped towards the door. When he reached the lobby of the medical station, he noticed a man sitting behind a desk, reading a book.

The man, Jonty, looked up at him. "Oh? You're awake! Good!" he said as he stood up.

Kamin didn't share his enthusiasm. "Where am I?" he coldly asked.

"Is that how you thank the person who saved your life..." Jonty muttered. "Please, sit down. You're not strong enough to be on your feet yet."

He begrudgingly accepted, hobbled over to the table in the center of the room and took a seat.

"To answer your question, you're in Goldstone, stranger. We're a small village, and we don't get many visitors. But, we work hard and provide for ourselves."

"Goldstone?" Kamin muttered to himself quietly. "I'm not on Storm Island, then..."

"I'm afraid not."

"Where is Goldstone? I've never heard of this place."

"Does the name 'Sakala' ring a bell? Because that's where you are, my good sir." Jonty replied. "Before we carry on, please, let me know if you have any aches and pains. I'll get something for it."

"Am I in pain? What do you think?" Kamin angrily replied.

Jonty felt challenged by Kamin's rude behavior. "Are all folk from where you're from as rude as you? What was it, Storm Shore?"

"Storm Island," he replied.

"Ah, yes, that's it. Well, are you all so rude?"

Kamin let out a deep sigh. "Sorry, I'm just... Thank you for helping me." His gesture of gratitude was brief, however, as he coldly asked, "How about you? Do people from around here go about robbing the helpless?"

"Robbed?"

"I'm pretty sure I had things in my pockets. Where are they?"

Jonty blinked. "Just a moment please." He rushed into the infirmary, then returned after a brief moment. "My apologies. My sister must have taken your stuff for safe keeping. I suppose that may explain your anger, as well..."

"Safe keeping?"

Jonty paced across the room back to his desk and grabbed a bottle of red, syrup-like liquid from it. "The people around here are not the most trusting when it comes to foreigners, as you will see. My sister meant no harm, she only wants to make sure what's yours stays yours." He handed the bottle to Kamin. "Here, this should ease some of your pain. Just don't go overboard on the stuff."

Kamin grabbed the bottle and pulled the cork out, giving it a good sniff. It smelled strongly of leaves with a tiny hint of juniper mixed within. He cautiously took a sip of the medicine, finding it extremely bitter and metallic tasting. "Phhhh! This is strong stuff!"

Jonty laughed. "Most people say that when they first experience it. Please, wait here. I'll go find my sister and my wife-to-be."

Kamin waited patiently in the small room, taking another sip of the strange liquid to ease his headache. His patience soon faded as seconds turned to minutes. He approached the front door and opened it, then took a seat on the steps leading down to the muddy path that snaked through the town. "Is this really happening?" he asked himself as he gazed at the village. "Or is this all a dream?"

It was hard for him to believe and seemed all too surreal. The villagers moved throughout the area as if little had happened. They congregated in intersections of the paths, chatting and laughing. Where was their sense of urgency, he wondered? Hundreds of people could be stranded out in the wilderness, alone, dying, or possibly even gone already. Why were they not looking for other survivors?

Then it hit him. Were there other survivors? He didn't see anyone else inside the medical station. Of all the people in the village, none seemed to be out of place; They all wore the same rustic clothing made of ragged cotton, woven through with bright feathers and dried grasses. Surely he couldn't be the only survivor, he thought. He had never been that lucky in his life, not even remotely so.

He wanted answers and was tempted to look for whoever might be in charge of the village, but he took Jonty's warning about the locals to heart. He didn't want to get into any confrontations with people who didn't trust him, especially if these people might be his salvation.

Jonty returned a few moments later with two young women following closely behind him. One's skin tone was much lighter than the other, her blonde hair done up into dozens of dangling braids and decorated with small flowers. Her clothes were very similar to those in the rest of the village, made of the same material and woven with similar feathers. In her hands was a small woven basket with several Pokéballs visible from the top.

The other woman's skin tone was a darker brown like most of the other villagers, and her silky, black hair was left undone to flow in the wind. Sporting similar clothes to the rest of the village, she too was carrying a basket, one that seemed to be filled with glass bottles. She appeared nervous, lagging behind the other two as she followed them. Kamin could tell that she didn't want to be with them.

"Ah, out for some fresh air, I see?" Jonty asked as he approached. "I do not blame you. The stench of medicine can get quite overpowering in there." He pointed at the young woman next to him with blonde hair. "This is my sister, Leelee."

"Lilian! I'm not a child anymore..." she angrily chastised, before approaching Kamin. She handed the basket to him. "This belongs to you. I apologize for taking them."

"Thank you for... looking after my belongings," Kamin replied with suspicion, but tried to avoid being confrontational. He studied the basket to find four Pokéballs, six golden coins and fourteen silver coins, each embossed with a dragon symbol, as well as his Storm Island Pokémon League ID card. Not only were all of his belongings present, other things were in the basket as well, including some bright yellow berries, a small doll made of burlap and a sweet smelling flower.

"I made that doll for you... it's a good luck charm. I wish it could be nicer, but I didn't have much time."

"Thank you," he replied.

Jonty pointed at the other woman present. "And this is my wife-to-be, Philipa. She prefers Pippa."

Pippa offered a bottle of water to Kamin. "You are probably thirsty."

He accepted the bottle and tried to be accommodating to her, to show that he was someone who could be trusted. "Thank you. It's a pleasure to meet you. All of you." he said.

"Is it..." she quietly and sarcastically said.

"Pippa, manners," Jonty said in a condescending tone. "Please, come back inside. I would like to do a few tests now that you're awake. Hopefully that medicine has not clouded your mind yet."

- - - - -​

"Turn your head and cough," Jonty said, pressing an ice cold stethoscope against Kamin's bare chest.

Kamin did as he was asked.

"Seems good... Heart beat is in order, too..." he muttered. He took notice of Kamin's ghostly white skin tone. "Refresh me, please. Geography was never my strong suit. Storm Island is a tropical place, is it not?"

Kamin nodded.

"Hmm. How are you feeling, then? No shivers, no fever?" he asked as he pressed his hand against Kamin's forehead.

"No, why?"

"You're so... pale! I've never seen anything like it."

"I don't get much sunlight where I live."

"Ah. I see." He scribbled notes down in a notepad. "As a doctor, perhaps I worry too much, but it may be wise to supplement your intake of vitamin D. Worst case scenario, it shouldn't hurt, and best case scenario, your condition will improve quicker."

"I can't argue with that advice."

"Good." Jonty spent a few moments in silence making more observations about Kamin's physical condition.

"How bad is it? Were there any other survivors?" Kamin asked.

Jonty stopped scribbling notes and silently thought of what to say for a brief moment. "Unfortunately, none that we have found. Our search party found two others, but they didn't make it. An elderly couple, by the looks."

Kamin let out a sad sigh and shook his head.

Jonty returned to taking notes. "Try not to think about it too hard, okay? Concentrate on regaining your strength. Nothing you do can help anyone who may still be out there."

"I had a friend on that ship, you know," Kamin said.

"Then offer a prayer," Jonty suggested. "The Great Light is always listening. With a little luck, your friend may be found. Alive, and in good health, too."

Kamin thought about Andrea's fate. "If my friend did survive, would she be brought here?"

"Without knowing where your ship went down, it's hard to say. Your friend may have been lucky and washed up outside of Tradewind, or possibly Karatasa. Or maybe a bit less lucky and on one of the many islands along our shore." Jonty pondered. "But as I said, it would be best to think about yourself for the time being. You're going to worry yourself sick if you don't." There was a brief pause as he concluded his notes. "Perhaps my sister can show you around our humble village. That will keep your mind busy. Are you up for that?"

"That might be a good idea," Kamin said, welcoming the suggestion.

"Very well! Leelee, Pippa!" he called out, leading Kamin into the lobby.

In the lobby, the two girls were talking in a bizarre language that Kamin couldn't understand. They seemed to be chatting in a friendly manner while filling the glass bottles that Pippa had brought with her as they restocked the supply shelves.

"Leelee!" Jonty started. "...Lilian, perhaps you could show our guest around the village?"

Lilian placed the bottle she was holding onto the table and nodded. "I can. Will you be coming along?"

"I must stay here in case more survivors are brought in."

Lilian approached timidly as Pippa looked at Jonty with an expression of imploration on her face. Receiving no help from him, she spoke up in a harsh and commanding tone. "Dushanyyk malara ka la. Pa taka mo hiame." she said in her strange language.

Lilian turned around. "Olai? Li nek bondus, korda indas." she curiously stated.

"Andus di shuk!" Pippa barked.

"Andus? Kena!" Lilian shot back, shaking her head. "Di halaa..."

Jonty decided to step in and break up the argument. "Do you two mind? Anything you say in the presence of our guest should be in a language he understands."

"I'm sorry, brother," Lilian said, bowing graciously.

Pippa grunted angrily and left the room.

Jonty shook his head. "Please, forgive her. She does not trust strangers... even those in need, it seems." he said. "I will speak with her later tonight and set her straight. Let her know that she does not need to fear you."

"Fear me?" Kamin muttered to himself as Lilian wrapped herself around his right arm.

"I will explain as I show you around," she said. "Follow me, and let me know if I'm moving too fast."

 

[Flaze]

So this chapter is a little shorter than expected, or maybe I just read it too fast. I think it was a good way to introduce Kamin into the mix, nice to see his usual personality is still there, if anything I wonder how he'll be able to deal with these new faces that already suspect him when he himself isn't the most open person. There wasn't much in regards to story but I did find it interesting how you went through the trouble of creating a proper language for them (were they just speaking whatever you typed on the keyboard?)

If anythig most of what intrigues me about this fic right now is what will happen. Kamin didn't get much developtment in Storm Island so the fact that he now has a stry of his own is interesting, I also wonder if he's going to be a real protagonist or a secondary protagonist along with Lillian.

 

[BinkVallen]

Oh goodness, for a second there I thought you were going to pull some kind of Kamin-meets-his-long-lost-tribe-mom thing. (Not that meeting a parent there would be bad, but this would not have been the time or place to drop that.) It's just Raven. Love Raven. I wonder if that mental link was cut off by Kamin's health, the distance, or some other mysterious force.

Ah, good ol' Kamin, nice to see he hasn't changed much. I'm really, really excited to get some dedicated character development for him. I've always enjoyed his presence in the story, but I've also always wanted to dig deeper. I can't wait to see what he's made of. The environment of the town he ended up (and especially the state of their medical equipment) makes me wonder if the whole region is fairly tribal, or if some parts of it are more modernized. I'm excited to explore this new region along with Kamin's character.

Also, have you come up with an actual language for this story, or are you making up their dialogue as you go? If it's the latter, I would recommend charting out which letters and sounds are possible if you haven't already. Deciding on phonetics will make the language sound more consistent and real, even if it's actually just gibberish. The early sections of this might help. If this is a language you're developing, good for you. Conlangs are amazing and we always need more of them.

 

[Misfit Angel]

So this chapter is a little shorter than expected, or maybe I just read it too fast.

It's a bit short, yes. I was going to introduce him to Lilian's father, who acts as the village's decision maker, but the chapter probably would have dragged on a bit too much if I left that in.

I think it was a good way to introduce Kamin into the mix, nice to see his usual personality is still there, if anything I wonder how he'll be able to deal with these new faces that already suspect him when he himself isn't the most open person.

Let's just say he's going to have to learn quickly, and that will be phase one of his character development. He's too set in his ways of always being in charge and people respecting him. Should be fun to see how that works out for him in a land that doesn't like his kind.

If anythig most of what intrigues me about this fic right now is what will happen. Kamin didn't get much developtment in Storm Island so the fact that he now has a stry of his own is interesting, I also wonder if he's going to be a real protagonist or a secondary protagonist along with Lillian.

I'm hoping once his storyline merges back into Storm Island that he'll remain a strong lead character without being drowned out by Andrea, or stealing her thunder. I dare say that I'm going to attempt two main characters, rather than a main and supporting character. I'm foolish for trying it, I think.

Lilian's probably going to suffer the same treatment Kamin got in Storm Island. I don't have any major plans for her.

Oh goodness, for a second there I thought you were going to pull some kind of Kamin-meets-his-long-lost-tribe-mom thing. (Not that meeting a parent there would be bad, but this would not have been the time or place to drop that.) It's just Raven. Love Raven.

I almost did that, so count your blessings.

I wonder if that mental link was cut off by Kamin's health, the distance, or some other mysterious force.

It's more to do with Kamin's skeptical attitude towards spirituality, which was hinted at briefly during one of the Blackwood Grove chapters. I want to touch on the age old idea of faith enabling people to get in touch with higher powers that others just flat out can't comprehend.

Also, have you come up with an actual language for this story, or are you making up their dialogue as you go? If it's the latter, I would recommend charting out which letters and sounds are possible if you haven't already. Deciding on phonetics will make the language sound more consistent and real, even if it's actually just gibberish. The early sections of this might help.

It will probably bite me in the ass later, but I'm making it up as I go, more or less. I'll probably sit down and come up with some basic grammar rules and a list of common words, but I probably won't dive too deeply into phonetics. I have a general idea of how I want the language to sound (kind of a bizarre mix between Indian, Chinese and the Dothraki language), so I know which letters to use to get there.

The language probably won't be used much outside of the village, as Kamin's path is taking him west towards a more familiar "Western" culture. I'll explain what that means in far more detail in one of the upcoming chapters of Storm Island.

 

[Misfit Angel]

Another short chapter this time, folks. Perhaps I misjudged how things were going to work out between the previous one, this one and the next chapter. I likely could have combined a few bits and bobs across all three and condensed down to two. Oh well.

Stranger in a Strange Land
Chapter 3: Hostility​

"So what did you mean by people 'fearing' me? It feels like you've been avoiding that subject." Kamin asked.

"It's hard to describe..." Lilian said, pointing out specific people in the village. "See those ones with the darker skin than ours?"

"Yeah?"

"They've lived in Sakala since... forever ago. This is their homeland." she said, then pointed out her own skin color. "Me... and you, I guess, we're outsiders. My relatives came to this land a few generations ago and took things over. They don't like us because of that."

"Oh, I see. So it's racial prejudice?"

"Pretty much," she said with a sigh. "I just want to get along with people... I don't care who they are."

"It's great to see so much progress in the world, isn't it?" he asked.

"Hmm? How is that progress?"

"That was a joke, but maybe I shouldn't joke about that."

"Ooooh, a joke... I don't understand most jokes, we don't have many opportunities for humor in this little village."

She took Kamin into a marketplace that was in the middle of the village. Each stall was staffed by a single salesman. Those that weren't bartering a trade with a customer were inspecting their goods, which ranged from jewelry and crafts to more practical things such as fruits, vegetables, spices and herbal medicines. As they passed by each stall, the salesmen, most of which were native Sakalans, gave Kamin looks of suspicion and hostility.

As they passed by the final stall, the man inside barked with a barely understandable and thickly accented, "Oi. You shipwreck man?"

Kamin nodded. "Yes."

The man looked around before reaching down to a shelf under his market stall. He offered a pair of carrots to Kamin. "Gift. Goodwill."

Kamin accepted the carrots graciously. "Thank you, kind sir."

The man's courteous nature faded as he began to study Kamin with incredible scrutiny, trying to figure out his personality just from appearance. He pointed at Lilian. "Treat her nicely. Regret it otherwise." He took his basket of vegetables and started to stack them neatly; he had nothing more to say.

As the two carried on with their stroll through the village, Kamin's curiosity got the better of him. "Did that guy threaten me?"

"Don't take it that way, please," she said. "Here in Sakala, men and women... It's... It's a tricky situation. I assume... I think... I don't know what life is like where you're from, but..." she stammered. "I don't know how to explain it, really."

"Well that doesn't help..." he muttered.

"I'm trying!" she pleaded. "I haven't left this village much, I don't understand how the outside world works very well."

"Fair enough," he said, shifting gears. "What did he mean, though? What will I regret if I mistreat you?"

"When I was younger, him and I were very close friends. My dad didn't like it, but he allowed it since he was treating me well. Then one day, we had an argument... I still remember his screams of agony as my dad beat him down..."

"Woah, hold on. What?"

"My dad can be quite cruel at times... I really wish he wasn't, but nobody will stand up to him. I don't want to talk about it. Just do what you can to stay on his good side."

The tour continued as they wandered the village. Down the street from the market was perhaps the largest building in town and the only one besides the medical station to have proper, solid walls. There were no signs or markers on it to give a clear indication of what was inside, but the outside was littered with crates, barrels and sacks. As they came closer, a view through a window showed the inside to be filled with all sorts of exotic fruits, leafy vegetables and uncovered bowls of rice, sugars and spices.

A native woman with dark lines painted on her face approached the two threateningly. She grabbed a long staff that was hanging from her back and pointed it at the two. "Kaidilo rai." she said in her native language with an aggressive tone.

Kamin instinctively raised his hands to show that he wasn't a threat and took a few steps back. "Easy there."

Lilian stood in front of him and shook her head. "Munaia di villana. Gintansa takei barai. Shai-teno!"

Whatever Lilian said did little to calm the woman, as she stepped forward in and aggressive manner and made a swiping motion with the staff. "Taka. Kaidilo rai!"

"Maybe we should go," Kamin said.

"Yes, that's a good idea," Lilian agreed. She tugged on Kamin's arm and led him further down the road. "My apologies. We so rarely get visitors in this town that I forgot they are forbidden from approaching the community storehouse."

"Seems everyone here could learn a lesson in friendliness. Even I'm not this bad." he said. "Even the people of my home village aren't this bad, and that says a lot."

"What are the people in your village like?" she asked.

"We didn't get many outsiders, either. My home is in the middle of a dark and dangerous forest, so most people try to find a way around it. It seemed that every time we got a visitor, the residents would become suspicious and blame their problems on them."

"Even you?"

"No. I never blamed the visitors for our problems, I knew why things were bad... When I get back home, I'm going to have to see if I can change that. Now I know how all of those visitors felt when they were run out of town..."

"Goodness! The people here aren't that bad, it's just... it's tough living here. It gets to people."

"Hmm. Even so, being positive doesn't hurt." He took a look around the village, noting that he had seen most of the landmarks, if they could even be called that. "Is this it?"

"Sadly, it is," she said. "All that is left is to meet my parents. They act as the leaders of this place, they will want to see you."

"Lead the way."

"Before we go, I want you to promise me something. Be on your absolute best behavior when you speak with my father. No sarcasm, no wit, no jokes. He... he's difficult to get along with."

"Beating a child down over an argument? No shit he's difficult."

"No sarcasm!" she yelled. "This is important."

He placed his hand on her shoulder and nodded. "You have my word."

"Good," she said, wrapping her arms around his again. "Now we can meet my parents. Try your best to not be blind sided by my dad's personality."

The two ventured across the town again towards the shoreline. Their journey took them to the largest and most luxurious hut in the village. There was a large fire pit outside and the entire area was surrounded by lanterns which would brightly light the area at night. A large collection of barrels and crates, similar to those at the storehouse, lined the northern side of the hut.

Under the thatched grass roof, Lilian's father was sat at a table, looking over a book that detailed the day to day operations of the village. He saw the two approaching and his facial expression shifted from apathetic towards agitated. "Leelee! What have I told you about being alone with a man?"

Lilian froze in her tracks. "There he is..." she quietly said, before letting go of Kamin's arm and speaking up. "You told me not to."

"And I see you approach with your arms wrapped around one..." he said, glaring at Kamin.

She looked at Kamin, then back at her father. "I... It's, uh... I can handle being alone with a man, I'm not a child."

"You may be getting older, but you are still a child," he said. His piercing gaze shifted towards Kamin. "You there. Do not touch my daughter. I will not warn you next time."

"It's not his fault, dad! I was the one who touched him, not the other way around." she said.

"A warning is still a warning, and he should feel lucky that he got one. Courtesy dictates that you do not touch a young woman without her father's permission."

"He's not from around--"

"Ah! The survivor..." he said, his tone shifting somewhat towards friendliness, but still nowhere near so. "I will forgive you, for now. It is my understanding that you folks from Storm Island are... less proper."

"What does that mean?" Kamin asked.

"You know what it means, boy. I'll have my eye on you." he said, extending his hand outward. "I am Roderick Anderhal, curator of the Goldstone Wildlife Reserve. I act as a mayor of sorts, and as such, I welcome you to our humble village."

Kamin shook his hand. "The name is Kamin."

"Is that it? Just Kamin?"

"Kamin Duskwillow."

"Duskwillow, eh? That's an odd one... you don't strike me as a tribesman."

"I'm not. It's a long, boring story that I don't want to get into."

"For the best, it would be a waste of time," he said in a cold and almost cruel manner. "Despite your circumstances, and I do apologize for the inconvenience caused by them, there is no free ride in this village. Here is what is expected of you; You will do what you can to aid our village. Helping at the plantation, assisting my son at the medical station, gathering supplies from the jungle--"

Kamin couldn't help but feel a little bit insulted. "Really? I just survived a shipwreck where thousands of people may have died, and I haven't had any time to recover from my injuries. You're going to have me work in the fields? Is this a joke?"

Roderick looked him over. "Your injuries don't look too serious. You look fine for a little labor." he barked. "But if you intend on swindling our village into covering for laziness, I invite you to leave."

"Dad!"

"Leelee, please. Go find something to do and let us talk in peace!" he shouted.

"B-b--" she started, but refused to finish. She didn't want to upset her father any further. She whispered into Kamin's ear, "I'll be with my brother. When he's done yelling at you, come visit. We'll take care of you."

"Care to share, Leelee?" Roderick asked.

She didn't. She glared at him briefly before turning around and leaving.

"Women. They don't understand their place." he grumbled as he shook his head. "My point still stands. Were you more critically injured, I would see that you were taken care of. But you are in working condition, and we don't have much to offer. In your homeland, you have hospitals and excessive surplus, where it is easy to take care of people with as little as a common cold. Here, we are not so lucky. We are poor and the land is unforgiving, that is why even the sick and injured must do their part."

"I guess I can understand that. I didn't intend on being a burden."

"Good," he said with a smile. "Now... We don't get a lot of visitors, so my son does not take proper care of the medical station. If we're going to bring in any more survivors, it will need a lot of work to bring it up to the task of taking care of them. Perhaps you can start there."

"I can do that," Kamin said with a nod.

"Very well. Now go, there is much to be done." he ordered, quickly returning to his reading.

"Right," he said. He made a quick departure, not wanting to escalate things further with Roderick. Of all the people he met in Goldstone so far, Roderick was probably his least favorite, but not by far. As he made his way across the village back towards the medical station, he couldn't help but think to himself, "My god, what a dick! That girl is right, this is not a friendly place..."

 

[Flaze]

What I like the most about this being a spin off to Storm Island is the fact that it's actually happening alongside Storm Island. Like just as we learned more about Sekala and the way it's people work over there we are also getting to see how it all plays out over here. It certainly seems like Kamin has his work cut out for himself though if he's planning to live alongside the natives though. I kind of wonder how he'll come out from all of this, having to learn to sruvive with people mroe impatient than himself.

I liked Lillian in this chapter more, before I compared her personality with Andrea but she's a lot more innocent and she's a lot more flustered, she still reminds me of an early Andrea but seems a lot more naive and...well kind of cute to be honest xD

 

[Misfit Angel]

To say that Lilian is naive is putting it lightly. She's going to be a major source of grief for Kamin as he tries to find his way home, and her actions are going to open his eyes about what it means to be less selfish and more open to people.

 

[Misfit Angel]

Author's note: The quality of this chapter probably isn't amazing compared to the rest of my work, and for that I apologize. I need to keep going forward and quite frankly I'm sick of working on this chapter. I've rewritten it three times already in order to get the emotion down properly and I want to move on.

Stranger in a Strange Land
Chapter 4: Breaking Point​

- - - - -​

A new day had dawned on the southern coasts of East Sakala. Several days had passed since the destruction of the S.S. Beckinshire, days that Kamin had spent recovering from the tragic event. As time passed by, he noticed a lack of other survivors appearing in the village and the burden of possibly being the only one started to wear him down. It was one thing to lose his friends, but for all of those people to have died as well... It was starting to be too much.

He spent the majority of the past few days hidden away in the medical station, avoiding the local population. Despite the difficulties, he honored Roderick's request to help out; the medical station was restocked, the supplies organized and the infirmary scrubbed down. It was more than Jonathan could have asked for, but still not enough in Roderick's eyes when he came for a visit.

Tensions had been mounting between Kamin and Roderick. Kamin had been working himself to exhaustion as he helped restore the hospital to its former glory, but it was never enough. Roderick made more demands of him, requesting that he visit the plantation to help out, or accompany one of the wildlife reserve's personnel into the jungle to gather medicinal herbs and other supplies. Whenever he failed to come through on these demands, angry and hateful words spilled forth, detailing the injustice of laziness and the grandeur of tedious, tiring labor.

Lilian dropped by the medical station for a visit to check on him. She handed him a tray that was covered in leafy greens and scrambled, undercooked eggs. "How are you doing?"

He thanked her for all she was doing, then let out a deep sigh of frustration. "Physically, I'm feeling better... but I don't know if I can handle it here for much longer. Your father... I don't know what to do."

"I don't either... Things are starting to fall apart at home. My brother and I are doing what we can to shield you from his wrath, and he's starting to get angry about it." she said.

"Has he always been like this?"

"For as long as I can remember."

He shook his head. "This is terrible. Nobody should... It's probably not my business, but how could anyone live like that? So angry all the time?"

"I couldn't tell you," she said with a sigh.

There was a long period of silence between the two as they both thought over the current situation. Just as Kamin was about to attempt to break the silence, Jonathan's head poked through the door.

"Hey, Kamin?" he asked.

"Yes?"

"I know things have been tough, but... Maybe you could come to dinner with us tonight?"

"No," he flatly and adamantly said. "Absolutely not."

Lilian perked up at the idea and smiled. "It might be a good idea, actually!" she added. "Here in Sakala, a local custom is observed at the end of every weekend. The dinner on the last day of the week is specially regarded as a time of renewal, a time when we can ready ourselves for the upcoming challenges in the days ahead."

"Yes. Perhaps if you displayed some enthusiasm for our customs, it'd smooth things over with our father." Jonathan suggested.

"No, that's not going to work. He doesn't like me, he thinks I'm the worst thing that's happened to this village, it's that simple. Observing some silly custom isn't going to change that." He paused, thinking about what he just said. "Sorry, I shouldn't belittle your traditions."

"Please, at least try it. My father can be difficult to work with, but not impossible."

"I'll try, but I won't get my hopes up."

- - - - -​

The sun had just set in the western sky, bathing the village of Goldstone in a calming twilight atmosphere. Small fires had sprung up around the town to ward off the coming darkness and light the way along the rustic dirt covered roads. The town was lively; large groups had formed around the fires and the people joyously spoke with one another, danced and sang traditional folk songs.

Kamin, Lilian, Jonathan and Pippa had just arrived at the Anderhal residence. A wonderful aroma of steamed clams and smoked fish greeted them. Lilian's mother was hard at work in the kitchen, making the final preparations for the night's dinner. She was so busy that she barely noticed them enter. "Ah, my children!" she said with adoration. "And the stranger, as well..."

"Greetings, mother!" Jonty said, hugging her. "This is Kamin. I don't believe you've met him."

"I have not," she said. "I've been quite busy managing the plantation these past few days, my apologies."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Kamin said, offering out his hand.

"Yes," she sheepishly said, refusing his offer. She quickly turned around and turned her attention back to her dinner preparations.

"You've done a wonderful job raising your children, ma'am. It's been a long time since I've seen such hospitality."

"Thank you," she quietly muttered, her attention pinned to the fire pit.

Kamin could sense that she was uncomfortable around him and decided to leave her be. He joined Lilian, Jonathan and Pippa at the table. "She seems nice."

"She is, but she doesn't talk much," Jonathan explained. "Don't take it the wrong way, I'm sure she would open up and get to know you if she could."

"Ah, crippling social anxiety. Fair enough, I used to have that when I was younger, I won't hold it against her."

Jonathan and Lilian looked at each other. "Yes! Social anxiety, that's it! She's always been a shy one."

Victoria approached the table with seven plates and a handful of silverware. As she placed a plate and its accompanying silverware in front of each chair, she quietly said, "I will try to be a good host."

They waited patiently for nearly half an hour for Roderick to come home. A hearty helping of dinner was passed out and stories were told to pass the time. Jonathan told a story about when he attended the Grand University for his medical training. Lilian detailed her brief visit to the city of Studson when she was thirteen years old, to visit a cousin. They were much more interested in Kamin's stories, as it was a rare treat for them to be visited by an outsider, let alone a foreigner.

As the sharing of stories went on, Roderick could be seen coming up the road with a torch in hand, accompanied by two men. Each went their separate way after they came across an intersection; the two men went in opposite directions while Roderick continued straight on. He could see that his family had already gathered for dinner. "My apologies! We had some trouble with one of the Shardron calves, it was ill!"

"No worries, father! Perhaps I'll visit the refuge tomorrow and give it a look." Jonathan offered.

"If you would, please," Roderick said as he approached the table. His eyes met with Kamin and the aggressive questioning immediately started. "Ah, finally emerged from your hiding spot, have you?" he questioned. "So, what have you done to help our village today?"

"Father..." Lilian said.

"Well?" he followed up.

"I assisted at the medical station again," Kamin answered.

"And what did that involve? Nobody is sick, and things have been in order for the past few days."

"I organized the supplies," Kamin said.

"Again? You did that yesterday, and the day before."

"It takes a lot of work, sir. There are... what was it, over one hundred vials of medicine, Jonty?"

"Yes."

"Not to mention all of the herbs and stuff."

"And you couldn't get that taken care of in the first day?"

Lilian defended him. "Why are you so hard on him, dad? He isn't at his full capabilities."

"Because he's a parasite. He is looking to swindle this village into giving everything to him."

Everyone's head swiveled towards Kamin, waiting for his response, but he kept his composure. "I'm sorry you feel that way." he said.

Attention swiveled back to Roderick. His patience was visibly fading. "A heartless apology will not cover for laziness."

"He's not being lazy, dad!" Lilian pleaded.

"He is well enough to help out at the plantation, and I expect to see him there tomorrow. I will drag him there myself if I have to."

"He is not! Jonty had to stitch his arm back together!"

"Enough, Leelee!" Roderick shouted. He reached across the table and smacked Lilian on the side of the head, causing a wave of awkward silence to take hold of everyone. Kamin was shocked by what he saw, but the reactions from the rest of the family seemed to indicate that this was a regular occurrence. Instead of being upset, they let it go. Lilian herself continued with her dinner as if it didn't happen. Even Willum didn't react.

"Did that..." Kamin began.

"Let us just get on with our dinner, shall we?" Victoria sheepishly said. "How is it? I didn't overcook things, did I?"

"It's lovely, mother," Jonathan said.

"Your cooking was always your strong point," Roderick added.

The casual nature by which the family ignored what had happened began to irk Kamin to the point of anger. "How could they just let that slide?" he wondered. He pushed back his chair and stood up. "What kind of man beats an innocent girl?!" He looked at the rest of Lilian's family. "And what kind of family tolerates this kind of behavior?"

"Innocent? She is guilty of straying from the ideals that have kept this village together for thirty years. I have never seen such willful disobedience from her until you arrived." Roderick said. "I will raise my daughter as I see fit, and I will raise my fist along the way if I have to. Some morally bankrupt child from across the sea will not change that."

"Maybe--" Victoria started before being quickly interrupted.

"Do not speak, Victoria," he said, his patience thinning. "Leelee needed a reminder of how things are done. Do you need one as well?"

"And now you're threatening your wife? You are one of the most despicable men I have ever met."

Roderick's eyes narrowed as he glared across the table at Kamin. "I'm not going to sit here and take insults from a boy who hasn't seen the world for what it really is. Or maybe I should? Maybe a child from one of the most deplorable places in the world knows better about keeping a family together than I do."

Kamin had seen enough. He was skeptical of attending the dinner, especially since Roderick had become increasingly aggressive as of late, and his actions tonight convinced him that it was finally time to leave. He didn't care that he hadn't fully recovered from his injuries yet; Roderick's explosive temper was scary, and he didn't want to tempt fate by lingering any longer. He crumpled up his handkerchief and tossed it onto the table, then walked away without words.

"That's right, walk away. Leave my villager while you're at it, before I truly lose my temper!"

"Father..." Lilian said.

"Don't," he warned. "The boy is lucky I did not get angrier. You are as well."

Jonathan shook his head in disgust. "Damn it, father, why do you always do this?! Not every visitor we receive comes here with the intent of destroying your 'perfect society'." he said, crumpling his handkerchief and throwing it on the table in protest as well. He stood up and rushed off towards Kamin, who had already made considerable progress towards the edge of the village.

"You're making a mistake, Jonty!" Roderick roared.

"Kamin, wait!" he called out. "Come on, think about this!"

Kamin stopped in his tracks and turned around. "I tried your little dinner idea. I tried your customs, hoping it would smooth things over. What more is there to think about? That man is a monster, and I'm not safe here."

"I'll tell you what there is to think about. Look at the sky."

Kamin looked upward to see the night sky, spattered by hundreds of stars and graced with a faint, splotchy band of light that stretched from west to east.

"In case you hadn't noticed, the sun set an hour ago. You haven't seen the surrounding jungle, and what terrifying monsters live in it. I have, and let me tell you, they're far worse monsters than my father could ever be. It's not safe out there, even during the daytime."

"So what should I do, then?"

"Stay overnight, in the medical station. I'll stay with you, make sure you're safe. The rest of my family may be, but I'm not afraid of my father."

"I'd rather take my chances in the wilderness..." he said with a sigh. "But, you're right. I don't know this land. You're sure you can keep me safe?"

"Yes. Come, follow me. Let's try to get there without being seen. If he thinks you're gone, you might have nothing to worry about."

- - - - -​

It was a rather uneventful night, much to Kamin's relief. The sun had been up for a few hours, time that he had spent hidden away in the medical station to avoid being spotted by Roderick. Today would be his last day in Goldstone, regardless of what strange twists might happen. He grabbed the small burlap doll that Lilian had made for him and balanced it in his coat pocket like a baby kangaroo would in its mother's pouch. With the preparations for his upcoming journey complete, he approached Jonathan in the other room. "Thank you for everything you've done. If you see your sister, thank her for me."

"Will do. Be careful out there."

He cautiously poked his head out through the front door, keeping alert for Roderick. A quick inspection of the village calmed his nerves, as he didn't appear to be in town at all. As he made his way through the village, he nodded to all of those who had been friendly to him in the previous few days and offered a good bye wave.

He wandered into the wilderness, not stopping to look back. Instead, he was focused on moving forward and following the road, where ever it might take him. He wasn't sure how long his journey would last, but he didn't care, he just wanted to leave. But it seemed as if fate was conspiring against him, as Lilian's voice began to ring out from behind him. Against his better judgement, he stopped and turned around to see her rushing forward with her younger brother riding on her back.

"Ugh..." he muttered to himself. "Wanted to say good bye?" he called out. "Make it quick, I don't want to be in this place any longer than I have to be."

"Umm, kind of..." she said, struggling to catch her breath. "I actually came here to ask if you wanted some company on the road."

"While it would be nice, I don't want to rip you away from your home, even if it is intolerable," he said. "Besides, I am not dealing with your father if he decides to come after you."

"But--"

"At least you're safe here in town. The wilderness will be much too dangerous."

"What a terribly ignorant thing to say..." She shook her head and turned around, facing her back to him. "Before you leave... Roll up the bottom of my shirt. I want you to see something."

Kamin was skeptical of her request. "I don't know about that."

She kept silent with her back to him.

He sighed, then did as she asked. He lifted the bottom of her tattered cotton shirt slowly, revealing a large, purpled bruise about the size of his hand above her hip. His mind went blank upon seeing the bruise, and he was unsure of what emotion he should feel.

She turned around and pleaded with him. "Please, Kamin, I have to get out of here. I live my days in fear of my father... You saw what he did last night at dinner. Maybe you can imagine what he did after you left, when I stupidly tried to defend you even more."

He crossed his arms and tried to be realistic in his thoughts. "And you think leaving with me is a good idea? I don't know where I'm going."

"Exactly, you'll get lost," she said.

"You don't know this place either. You said it yourself, you haven't left the village much." he coldly said.

"But I know it better than you do. I can at least get you to Studson. I think when you get there, others can guide you to where you need to go."

He paced around as he began to internally debate the situation. On the one hand, she had a point; her father was a monster and she wouldn't be safe in the village, especially since she appeared to understand the concept of personal liberty, a contrast to her father's ideals. On the other hand, he knew that it would be a bad idea to bring along a youthful and inexperienced girl into the brutal jungle. Even more, he would be treated as a kidnapper should he be caught with her, and the consequences would be unimaginable.

He took a deep breath. "You really think you can do this?"

"Yes," she replied.

His tone harshened. "You are absolutely sure you can do this?"

"I have to do this. In the end it will definitely be worth it. There's nothing here for me."

He shook his head, knowing that it was a bad idea, but he continued. "If you're coming along with me, I want you to know how rough the road ahead will be. I can not promise your safety. I don't want to hear any complaining, either. I'll try to take care of as much as I can, but I'll need your help along the way."

"I understand how difficult it will be, but I won't back down. If not for me, then for my little brother, I can't let him grow up in this kind of environment. He'll turn out just like my father."

"Hold on, your brother? You want to bring your little brother along? I can't do that, absolutely not. I'm going against my better judgement by letting you tag along, but your brother? No."

"Do you want my brother to receive the same kind of treatment I did? My father is only getting more violent as he gets older."

"It's not safe out there!"

"And it's not safe here, either!" she shouted. "I'm not leaving without my little brother."

He took a moment to steady his nerves and give some final thoughts to her request. He wasn't sure which was worse for her and her brother, staying here in Goldstone, or travelling through the dangerous countryside. Part of him didn't care, but to his surprise, he felt a small spark of duty to protect her and her brother, something he rarely felt. After all, she had done the same for him. She had cared for him when he needed it the most, without hesitation.

"Let's go. Try not to make this a bad decision."

"Thank you! You hear that, Willum? We're going on a vacation!"

"Vacay!" Willum shouted, pointing ahead of him in an aggressively joyous manner.

"Follow me," he said, heading up the road that led north towards a ridge.

Lilian giggled. "No, follow me! That road will take you up to Canyon Creek. We'll have to hike nearly a hundred miles, climb a mountain, and then we're out of luck. I don't know my way around that area." She pointed towards the sandy beach. "If we follow the coast, we'll find a town called Karatasa. I know how to get there, and I know how to get to Studson from there."

"If you say so," he said. "Lead the way."

 

[Beth Pavell]

So apparently I had this typed and saved for heaven knows how long. I assume I still feel the same way, so I may as well post now

Technical Accuracy/Style
The prose isn't quite as efficient as usual in this first chapter. To an extent there's no getting round that - there's a balance to strike between setting a completely new scene with a lot of details and moving on with the prose. It does fit for the most part. There's a kind of pseudo-colonial thing running though it which is quite unusual

Story
Not a huge amount to comment on at first, I think. In the context of Storm Island I can see that this is a different perspective on Sakala - apparently more peaceful, but then again, who knows? I can't help but wonder how Kamin will cope with a completely different forest to the type he's used to

Characters
They're ok. I bet you deliberately picked the most toffee-nosed British named you could think of, which I can't help but find amusing. Not a tremendous amount I could really pick up on. I can't say I really believed Lillian's boredom theme, but whether you want to call that a criticism or not depends upon how much you intended to get across in the space of one chapter

Final Thoughts
Like all first chapters, the proof is in the pudding. I'm guessing that perhaps it would be better to read this as a double bill with Chapter Two