Ishibashi bowed his head. “Aaron is welcome here,” he said evenly. And then he looked at Aaron. “What do you think, Aaron-san?”
Alex’s expression flickered at the term of respect Ishibashi used for his brother. Did Ishibashi respect Aaron? How could that be possible? Ishibashi was a very smart man, and Aaron was rude and horrible. Though he hadn’t been today . . . so far. Maybe Aaron had changed here somehow. Or maybe he was faking.
“I don’t want to leave here,” Aaron said quietly. “I don’t want to go back to Quill. Things are very different there. You don’t understand.”
Ishibashi nodded. “You’re right. I don’t understand Quill, nor would I tolerate it. Nor would I tolerate a dictator like Gondoleery . . . or like the former high priest Aaron Stowe, for that matter.” He smiled as Aaron scowled at the floor. “You know that already.”
“I’m not that person anymore,” Aaron said, almost painfully, finding it dreadful to say such things in front of Alex.
And Alex was flabbergasted over and over again as the conversation wore on. He couldn’t believe half of what he was hearing Aaron say. “You must have hit your head really hard,” Alex muttered.
“Be quiet, Alex!” Aaron said, his ears burning. He had a dozen insults on the tip of his tongue. They’d come back so fast it was frightening. But he didn’t say any of them.
Sky gave Alex a pointed look. “Do you think you’re helping by saying that? Seriously.”
“Sorry,” Alex said. “Look, Aaron, I like the way you’re acting now. It’s just freaking me out a little.”
Ishibashi studied Aaron as Ito and Sato exchanged concerned glances over Aaron’s sudden outburst.
“Aaron,” Ishibashi said. “This is a decision you must make.”
Aaron looked at Ishibashi, his face anguished. Everything was good now. Aaron felt peaceful for the first time in his life. He was figuring himself out, and finding his inner applecorn, and freeing himself from everyone he knew before. He could be normal here because nobody was around to expect the worst of him, like Alex clearly did. He didn’t feel like he had total control over his actions when Alex was around.
Granted, Aaron thought, this must be quite shocking to Alex. And Alex had come to expect certain things of Aaron, so it was reasonable for his brother to react the way he did. But if Aaron went to Artimé, what would they think of him? What would they say to him? Would he be constantly fending off their judgments even while he was trying to help them? How long before that would break him? And going back into Quill to talk to the people . . . He’d be thrust into the same environment that had made him into the person he was before he came here. To be perfectly honest, now that he’d gotten so far removed from it, Aaron didn’t like that person any more than the people of Artimé did. Yet that person was still inside him, sometimes clawing to get out.
Ishibashi had told him once that it wouldn’t help anything to hate himself. He had to let go of the things he’d done in the past that he wasn’t proud of. But now, thinking of going back . . . to help the Unwanteds of all people . . . it seemed like it would be impossible.
“I don’t know if I can convince the people of Quill to do anything at all,” Aaron said quietly. “I wasn’t very good at it in the first place.”
Once again Alex gawked at his brother, this time admitting he wasn’t good at something. Another first. He kept his comments to himself, though.
“You were the only one who got them to do anything,” Sky said. “And honestly, you’re our only hope. It was Simber’s idea to get you, if that makes you feel any better. So you can be sure he will protect you until the job is done. And he’s the one who said we’d deliver you back to where we found you. Of course, he said that because he didn’t want you in power again, which I’m sure you can understand, but knowing you want to come back here . . . well, that’s even better, isn’t it?”
Aaron brought his hands to his face and sighed heavily. “So Simber’s not going to tear my head off?”
“No,” Alex said. “And . . . and I wouldn’t let him. Unless you do something stupid, like join sides with Gondoleery.”
“I’d want to tear my own head off if that happened,” Aaron muttered.
Sky and Alex exchanged a glance. “Sooo,” ventured Sky, “you’ll help us, then?”
Aaron rolled backward on the floor with an exasperated groan. “All right,” he said. “I’ll do it. And maybe then you can forgive me for Mr. Today.”
And They’re Off
Ishibashi, Ito, and Sato exchanged worried looks.
“You have decided to go?” Ishibashi asked Aaron.
Aaron sat up. “Unless you want me to stay,” he said, hoping Ishibashi would talk him out of going.
Ishibashi looked deeply into Aaron’s eyes. “I want you to go. But I also want you to come back the person you are today. I am too old and tired to start over with you.”
Aaron pursed his lips, and then he sucked in a deep breath and let it out. “I don’t know if I can do this,” he said quietly.
Alex, watching all of this, was beyond confused, but he knew to stay silent.
Ishibashi stood up. “Alex and Sky, will you meet me in the greenhouse please? Aaron, why don’t you pack up your things? Do you need any food for the journey?”
“Not this time, thank you,” Alex said. “We brought plenty.” He took Sky’s hand and together they walked to the greenhouse.
Aaron watched them go, and then he looked at Ishibashi. “Sky seems really intelligent. And really good at convincing people to do things.”
Ishibashi smiled. “She is. And I think she will be a good ally for you.”
“She doesn’t know the old me,” Aaron mused. “I think you’re right. That’s a relief.”
“If you feel like you are losing sight of yourself, seek her out.” Ishibashi put his hand on Aaron’s back and walked with him to his room. “I’ll get you something to carry everything in. We had a small trunk wash up several years ago that we never found a use for.”
Aaron nodded. “Now that the hurricane is gone, are you and Ito and Sato going to . . . leave?”
“We have not discussed it, but I don’t think so. Our life is here. And we have no boat.”
“Oh . . . because . . .”
“We would not leave without telling you, Aaron-san.”
Aaron turned his head, struggling with showing the emotion he was feeling. But Ishibashi came up to him, the tears running freely down his cheeks. “I will miss you,” he said. “You remind me of someone I knew in another lifetime.”
The two embraced, and then Aaron turned to get his clothes and the few things he’d collected in the time he’d lived on the Island of Shipwrecks. The tumbleweeds stood in the corner, untouched. Aaron had never gotten around to needing magic here on the Island of Shipwrecks. He’d hardly even thought about it. He picked up the tumbleweeds and brought them to the pile of firewood, then broke them down into manageable pieces for Sato.
He could hear Ishibashi talking to Alex and Sky in the greenhouse, so he went back into his room to straighten his cot and wait for the trunk and think about how all of this was going to go. Above all, he knew he didn’t want to disappoint Ishibashi.
In the greenhouse, Ishibashi was showing Alex and Sky the telescope. “We were never able to properly thank you for bringing our ship on shore, Alex-san,” Ishibashi said. “It meant everything to us and has given us great pleasure since we saw you last. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Alex said. “It was nothing. Is there anything else you need?”
“I would never ask for another thing,” Ishibashi said. “But if it is not too much trouble . . . perhaps one of the vehicles would be interesting to experiment with.”
Alex smiled. “Not too much trouble at all. Now that the storm is gone, you can work on it all day long if you want to.”
“That concept is something that will surprise us every day for a long time, I suspect,” Ishibashi said with a smile.
Sk
y tilted her head. “We found out that a ship carrying vehicles like the one that sank here made a stop in Quill many years ago. It had been battered from a storm, and it unloaded some of the vehicles onto Quill to lighten its load, because the ship was damaged.”
“Yes,” Alex said. “It seems strange that the captain would come back to this hurricane island if he’d escaped it once already. You’d think he would avoid it at all costs.”
Ishibashi looked at them. “Perhaps it wasn’t the same ship. Or a different storm.”
“Maybe,” Sky said. “But Ishibashi, where else would there have been a storm?”
Ishibashi’s face flickered. “Maybe it went down the waterfall that you told me about.”
Sky studied Ishibashi’s face. And then she asked, “Ishibashi, we have been to all seven islands, and we have met people from most of them. You said you do not remember which island you came from, but it’s not hard to narrow them down. And most of the islands do not have fleets of ships or the ability to create dozens of vehicles. So . . . this might sound crazy, but is there any place that these things could have come from, other than the seven islands in this chain?”
Ishibashi broke the gaze and looked at his hands, clasped before him. “I believe there could be,” he said quietly. “Another place where people build ships and vehicles.”
“Where things fly through the air with people inside?” prompted Sky.
“Yes,” said Ishibashi. “Perhaps.”
“Another world?” Sky asked.
Ishibashi closed his eyes, a pained expression on his face. He didn’t answer.
Sky backed down. She didn’t mean to cause Ishibashi any pain. But these things had to come from somewhere.
“You were saying,” Alex said, trying to assuage the situation, “about the telescope . . . ?”
“Yes,” Ishibashi said, looking up. “Aaron fixed it for us. He also fixed our microscope, seismometer, centrifuge, and Geiger counter.”
“I have no idea what those things are,” Alex said, “but that’s . . . Actually, it’s not all that shocking. I knew he was creative, but in Quill, that word is a bad one.”
Ishibashi nodded. “I have learned more about Quill in bits and pieces from Aaron. And I am worried about him. He came here a horrible young man—the evil person you told me about. It took all this time for him to find his true self. I fear it will not be hard for him to go back to his old ways.” He hesitated. “I would keep him here if it were not for you and your dire situation. But you must try to see him in a new light now, and . . . and try to nurture that, if you have it in you. This experience will test him greatly.”
Alex was still trying to wrap his mind around this new Aaron. He’d expected to have to take Aaron by force or by magic, and then fight to keep him from trying to claim leadership of the palace again. Now he was presented with a stranger who might have changed so much that he wouldn’t be able to inspire the Quillens after all. Alex liked the change. He just wasn’t sure if it would stick. And right now he had a problem in Artimé that had to be solved. He needed Aaron to be himself—the way he used to be.
Alex shook his head, thinking how crazy it was to say that. He’d wanted Aaron to change for years. And now he had, and Alex needed the old Aaron back. At least for a while.
Ishibashi’s gaze fell on the container of iridescent seaweed on the greenhouse floor, and his face took on a pained look. He tapped his forefinger to his lips. “Alex,” he said, looking up at the mage.
Alex tore his thoughts away from Aaron. “What is it, Ishibashi-san?”
Ishibashi gazed into the young man’s eyes. They were identical to Aaron’s, though slightly less troubled. “There’s something I think you should know.”
The man looked back at the seaweed and swallowed hard. Should he tell Alex about Aaron’s potential to live forever? He felt like he should, yet . . . He imagined the look on Aaron’s face if Alex ever revealed the secret to him. Aaron would never trust Ishibashi again.
The old man sighed and shook his head. It would serve no purpose now to tell Alex the secret and could only cause harm. “I’m sorry,” he said weakly. “It’s not important. I’ve . . . I’ve forgotten.”
Alex frowned. Ishibashi was acting weird again. “Okay,” he said, not sure what else he should say.
The old man smiled and patted Alex’s arm. He called out for Ito and Sato to join him, and the two men came over. Ishibashi spoke to the men, and they nodded and smiled.
Alex looked away, thinking about all the strange things he’d seen and heard today. “This . . . well, it’s all a bit overwhelming,” Alex said apologetically. “I’m going to go outside and enjoy your weather, and then fetch you a vehicle from the bottom of the sea so one day you can drive around your island.” He turned toward the door, glad to have something normal to do. “While I’m out there, what sort of rain pattern would you like?”
Ishibashi consulted with Ito and Sato. Ito worked out a formula and handed it to Ishibashi.
“A quarter inch of rain every seven days would be perfect for our needs,” Ishibashi said.
“Thunder and lighting or just rain?” asked Alex.
Ishibashi smiled. “Surprise us.”
Alex grinned back. “I will. Do you like the temperature? It’ll vary a bit, and be cooler at night.”
“It’s perfect,” Ishibashi said. “If only we had more dirt, we could plant things outside. Perhaps we can transplant a few flowers from the greenhouse. . . .” He trailed off, making grand plans for their new island, and then came back to the conversation. “Thank you, Alex.”
“Anytime,” Alex said. He went outside to deliver on his promises. Ito and Sato followed him, eager to see the vehicle arrive on shore.
Sky stayed inside and walked with Ishibashi to the supply room, where he dug out the little trunk.
“I’m sorry if I asked too many questions earlier,” Sky said to him.
Ishibashi put his hand on her shoulder. “I am not angry. They are hard questions to answer. And . . . some things are better left secrets, I suppose.”
Sky didn’t know what he was getting at, but she respected the man immensely. She would have to find her answers another way. “Thank you for your honesty,” she said.
Ishibashi turned toward Aaron’s room, hiding the pained look on his face. “I am not a perfect man,” he said, which left Sky with even more questions.
When Aaron was fully packed and Alex had finished adjusting the weather and transporting a vehicle to the shore for the scientists to play with, everyone on the island gathered to say their good-byes. Aaron hung back with the scientists, reluctant to go. “I’m worried that you will die while I am gone,” he said.
Ishibashi translated, then said, “You must not worry about that. We are too stubborn to die. And . . . perhaps so are you. Come back to us soon. And be careful.”
“I will.” Aaron cautiously waded out to the boat, having never done that before, and climbed aboard, sitting stiffly and awkwardly at the stern, trunk on his lap, while Alex commanded the boat to head west.
Heading for Home
Charlie,” said Alex, “tell Claire we’ve got Aaron and we’re heading home.”
“Don’t forget about our stop,” Sky said.
“They don’t need to know about that,” Alex said. “They might try to talk us out of going because it’s so dangerous—you know how smothery Florence can be with me. We’ll have Charlie send an update once we’re done there.”
Aaron watched the two interact. “Who’s Charlie?” he asked.
Charlie poked his head out of the cabin and waved his two-thumbed hand.
Aaron stared. “Where have I seen one of those before?” he asked, shrinking back.
“In your closet in the palace,” Sky said. “My, the Island of Shipwrecks really does look so much better when it’s not deluged by a storm,” she exclaimed. “Look how pretty it is in the late-afternoon sunshine.”
Alex and Aaron turned to look.
“But the one in my closet wasn’t alive,” Aaron said. “And it had an ugly bow on its horn.”
“Hey, watch it,” Sky warned. “You’re talking about Matilda, and the bow is cute. Just like her. She and Charlie can communicate from any distance.”
“That thing was from Artimé? I thought it was Haluki’s leftover . . . Oh. I get it now. You planted it in the palace. So she wasn’t just a dead statue?”
“Nope,” Sky said. “She was alive in your closet the whole time, listening in on your conversations and telling Charlie in Artimé what was going on.”
Alex cleared his throat. “Do you really have to tell him all of our secrets?”
“Great,” Aaron said. “You spied on me all that time.”
Sky frowned. “Calm down, Alex. What’s the harm in him knowing it now?”
Alex shrugged. “Maybe his little change of personality is just an act.”
Sky stood up in the boat and put her hands on her hips. “Alex Stowe, this is exactly what Ishibashi was worried about. And he would not be very proud of you for saying that.”
Alex looked over at Sky, and then glanced at his brother. “Ishibashi doesn’t know him like I do.”
Aaron looked away, letting the breeze hit his face. Maybe Alex was right. He might as well not even try. No one would believe he had changed so drastically. “I think this is a mistake,” Aaron said. “I’m afraid I can’t help you after all. Can you please turn this thing around and bring me back?”
“See?” Sky said, whapping Alex with a towel. “Quit being stupid.”
“It’s too late to turn back,” Alex said to Aaron. “We’re not stopping until we reach the next island.”
“I think you two need some more time to talk,” Sky said. She went up to the bow and sat down, her hair flying back, and her shirtsleeves billowing in the wind. She turned her back on Alex.
But neither Alex nor Aaron said a word. They rode in silence for hours, no one moving from their spots, until dusk fell. The Island of Shipwrecks was just a dot behind them, and the Island of Graves appeared on the horizon dead ahead. Everybody was hungry, but nobody made a move. Finally Alex got up and walked to the back of the boat. He sat down across from Aaron and leaned forward, putting his face in his hands. And then he looked up.