From Marley, with Love.

Chapter 84: The dusk

Rosanna woke up from her deep slumber, head hurting from the hard ground where she had bunked down for the night. She groaned, rubbing her eyes and carefully pushing herself into a sitting position. She looked around, everyone had gone off from the main deck, leaving Rosanna to take a nap.

Rosanna slowly pulled up her wounded leg, turning her body so her back was against the wall. With her good leg she pushed herself up onto her feet and up so she was standing up.

She stretched her arms and neck, feeling the blood start flowing through her tired legs as she looked around.

They would be close to shore by now, the sun was starting to set.

Rosanna carefully shuffled away from the wall, making sure that her balance was good enough to walk.

She shuffled her way over to the railing, leaning her elbow on the metal rail and cupping her cheek and chin with her palm. She stared out over the water, to the horizon. She told herself the smoke of the rumbling was floating over the water. Forming a thick fog, enveloping the empty, devastated wastelands.

"You're up." A woman's voice said behind her. Rosanna turned around to face the woman from Hizuru."

"I am... must've passed out on the deck."

"You did." Lady Kiyomi said, "I checked on you a couple of times, but you were sleeping really deep. And I thought you might be dreaming."

Rosanna paused, looking at the waves at the draft line of the boat. She tapped her fingers against the railing.

"I am sorry to ask... but you are Rosanna Bauer, aren't you?"

Rosanna looked up, raising an eyebrow at the woman's question.

"I am... but I don't know your name." she responded with an expression of surprise on her face.

"My name is Kiyomi Azumabito." The woman paused, "Zeke Yeager mentioned your name during one of the meetings I had with him."

Rosanna nodded her head and turned away from Kiyomi, before her eyes widened and she snapped her head back around to face Kiyomi.

"You met with Zeke Yeager?" Rosanna exclaimed, grasping hold of the railing until her knuckles turned white.

Kiyomi leaned back from the shocked woman, expecting a punch that had to be blocked, she had already spotted the old wounds on the younger woman's leg. Applying martial arts would reopen and worsen the doctor's wounds.

"Why did you meet with him?" Rosanna asked, trying to relax her shoulders and taking a step back from Kiyomi.

Kiyomi cast down her eyes, the reason of why glared her in the face.

"On the island of Paradis, there is a certain type of resource, called ice burst crystal. That crystal can be used to power anything, lights, water installations and even the gear the soldiers of Paradis use."

Rosanna nodded, her mouth pulling into a thin line.

"With the ice burst crystal, Hizuru's economy would get a big boost. Even bigger then it is already."

"Greed." Rosanna hissed through her teeth.

Kiyomi nodded, gritting her teeth.

"But, what did Zeke promise?" Rosanna asked, folding her arms.

Hizuru shrugged, "That he would get us the ice burst crystal, and start trade with Paradis."

"He tricked you, you know." Rosanna said, tilting her head.

"Don't rub it in, doctor. I know he tricked us, all of us." Kiyomi snapped back.

Rosanna put her hands on her hips, pacing around the deck with her eyes focused on the wooden boards. She chuckled.

"Unbelievable..." she grinned, slapping her hands together. "The reach of that damned, naked ape, manipulative piece of trash!" she cursed Zeke.

Kiyomi watched as Rosanna collected herself.

"So you are not... close friends?" the smaller woman informed. "He really made it sound like you were life long friends." Kiyomi informed after Rosanna's outburst.

Rosanna scratched the back of her head.

"Not necessarily... we mainly bickered for 20 years with some spots of friendship here and there... with the occasional stray kiss."

Kiyomi's mouth was agape with shock at Rosanna's confession. Rosanna cast down her eyes.

"Never mind, forget I ever said that." Rosanna said, dismissing it with a wave of her hand.

"It's fine."

There was silence.

"Is it my fault the rumbling started? Did I push Zeke to do this?" Kiyomi asked, crossing her arms.

Rosanna turned back to the horizon, the sun was setting, casting the whole sea in a golden light. Like a pool of liquid gold, sloshing around. Carrying the white foam for miles beyond the horizon.

"No... I don't think we can point fingers at anyone but Zeke and his brother. They were the ones with the plan, they wanted to tank humanity and push it over the edge to their death."

Kiyoshi nodded solemnly, then took place next to Rosanna at the railing.

"So, what will you do? After all of this is over?" Kiyomi asked, turning to Rosanna.

"If we survive the rumbling, you mean?"

"Exactly my inquiry." Kiyoshi smiled.

Rosanna leaned over the railing, looking at the sea.

"I've been fighting for what feels like a hundred years, ma'am. Ever since I was a child... the eternal fight with Zeke over the beast. I am so done with it." Rosanna felt tears well up in her eyes, she looked away.

"I want a small farm, close to the sea. With chickens and horses..." she felt a tear run down her cheek. "If those still exists by then..."

Kiyomi smiled at the young woman.

"And I want my family, I just want to see them at least once more before I leave this world."

"Well, your dreams are beautiful, miss Bauer. Many a person could learn something from them."

"I don't think I am the only one who wants a farm with horses, ma'am. I shall have many friends to share my love with, in this world or the next."

The two women looked at each other, bathed in the soft, orange light of the setting sun. For a moment the dread of the situation they had found themselves in lifted. And it was like any other day, where Rosanna would've done her doctor duties and walked home in the dusk of the town.

"Land Ahead!" a loud voice called out, followed by the bell of the ship.

Rosanna, stretched her arms.

"Well, my lady Kiyoshi. Let's go save the world.