Oasis Chapter 1 Part 1

By: Mani Michelle McCarthy

14 years later and Nanai grew into a stunning boy with dark brown hair longer than the average length for a male. He also has bright yellow eyes and multiple piercings on both ears. He was eating his apple like he would on a normal day when suddenly some people come looking for him.

"Yeah, this way! I'm sure of it!"

"There! There he is! Hey!"

Confused, he turns around anyway to meet the eyes

"You've got some nerve, kid."

"...Do I know you?" - Nanai

Angrily the man held a beautiful jade necklace that glistened in the sun

"Does this look familiar? It's a matching set. You came slinking by my booth, and every time you come around, shit goes missing. So don't bother playing dumb, I know it was you!"

"Oh...Did I not pay for that? Could have sworn I did." - Nanai

"Give. It. Back."

Then Nanai proceeds to stand up, looking at his apple with a smirk then throws it at the man.

"Nah." - Nanai

"I'll kill you"

That was his cue to leave so he jumps over the barrel of fruits knocking it all over the place and starts running.

"Grab him! Grab that kid!'

As he pushed and shoved people out of the way he found an abandoned building with some cover, perfect for hiding one could say. When he walks inside looking to catch his breath he notices he's not the only one in there.

"Guess your secret escape isn't so secret, is it?"

Then a man grabs his shoulder from behind him to hold him still.

"Might want to find a new hiding place next time."

"There won't be a 'next time'. Hand it over. Now."

"...Don't have it." - Nanai

"...You're lying"

"Nope. I gave it to some lady. Besides, you guys would know all about stealing. So what's the problem?" - Nanai

Then the man took him by his collar and punched his face knocking him to the ground while he searches for the other necklace in his pockets.

"You little shit. I knew you were lying."

"Wow~ All this for a fake necklace." - Nanai

The man then analysis the necklace till he's satisfied with the results and he and his men start to make their way out.

"As is you would have any idea. This necklace is worth more than you could ever dream of possessing."

"Yeah probably" - Nanai

"Then you understand. If you ever steal from me again, you'll be on your way to the capital with missing limbs"

"And I'll see to it myself"

As soon as they exit, Nanai lays on his back to look at the ceiling and sighs. Then he gets up and checks to see that everyone is gone, one there is no one he pulls out a bag from the crack and makes his way out.

As Nanai walks through the market shops with his bag in his hand, he makes his way to an old lady.

"Hey, geema~"

The old lady looks at him waving happily to her as she responds

"Ah, Nanai, you've-...you..."

When she looked at his bruised face and blood dripping from his lip speechless

"What's with that look?" - Nanai

"Boy, i told you to be careful, and you go and get yourself beaten up. What happened?"

"I was careful, he just had friends" - Nanai

"I need a new hiding spot, but..." - Nanai

When she started to poke at his bruised cheek

"Geema - ow - it seems like there are a lot more of them recently" - Nanai

"It's not just you. there are more capital merchants by the day."

"we'll all be out of business at this rate."

As the old lady starts to think about what might happen to her little shop, she sighs in sadness.

"But anyway...did you manage to get the necklace?"

"Obviously. I didn't get punched in the face for nothing" - Nanai

He grinned and opened his small bag which contained the other necklace. This one was different, there was a blue-like crystal in the centre which simmered wherever it faced and It matched perfectly with the silver bale.

"This is it. This is the one."

When the old lady saw the necklace, she trembled while trying to reach out for it. She had tears ready in her eyes.

"It's been years since I last saw this. Well done boy"

"Yeah, sure. They took the fake one back. I even told them it was fake. But they couldn't tell the difference" - Nanai

"And that's probably why you were beaten and punched."

"You're exaggerating. It was just the one punch." - Nanai

"Mn. I'm sure."

The old lady started walking to the back of the shop to take a nicely wrapped cloth and gave it to Nanai

"Here's your payment, as promised"

"yes~"

Nanai happily collected it and started to count to check if it was all there

"Two, four, six-"

"It's all there, stop counting it you fool."

"...That just makes me more suspicious. You look like your hiding something..." - Nanai

When the old lady heard that she went up in flames and whacked him with her walking stick

"I've known you since you were in diapers, you idiot! Just take the candy and go!"

And that's when they heard someone laughing and stoped their little quarrel to see who it was

"What, are you serious? All that for some candy?"

There was some silence between them when Nanai suddenly replied

"It's really good candy."

"Guess I can't argue with that. But...I do have a question. Based on what you're saying, would that make these fake, then?"

The old lady snapped at the new boy

"Quiet down, boy. If you're not looking to buy, then move along"

"Easy...I'm just waiting for a friend. I won't say anything."

He draws his attention to Nanai and points to his cheek

"But uh, you might want to do something about that. It's starting to swell up. It's gonna be pretty bad tomorrow."

"Nah, I'm good. It's not really swelling" - Nanai

"It...It really is."

"Besides, I've had worse." - Nanai

"Almost lost my arm before" - Nanai

"Oh, sure."

"And you should see the other guy." - Nanai

The boy laughs

"Yeah, I bet, you probably have a whole collection of battle scars then, huh."

"Yep. And I worked hard to get them." - Nanai

"Then check this out."

The boy points to his eyebrow and shows Nanai his own battle scar

"Got in a knife fight as a kid, back home."

"I know, pretty cool right?"

Until his emotion changed and revealed the truth

"Well, I lied. My sister tripped me on the steps and I split my head open on the

bannister. But it sounds significantly less impressive when you say it like that."

"...Then why did you say it?" - Nanai

"I mean, would you have believed me if I hadn't?"

"Nope" - Nanai

"Hey, now- I'll have you know that I'm not half bad in a fistfight, ok? But we're getting off-topic here."

"Listen, I wasn't kidding about the swelling. I think I have something that can help it before it gets worse."

"Thanks, but I don't need it." - Nanai

"You've been blocking customers for the last twenty minutes anyway. Hurry up and get going boy, before the night market starts setting up. Customers are already scarce enough as it is without you hanging about."

"God you're so grumpy today" - Nanai

"Whatever. Stop by later, and bring Nira. She's more fun to talk to."

"Fine, let's go then." - Nanai

Nanai took the hand of their new friend and walked away from the old lady's stall

"Wow. It looks way worse up close"

"...Thanks" - Nanai