Athens lay beneath the seat of the small fishing boat he'd stolen from the Besaid Docks fleeing from that horrible lie of a home. Or was it? He'd had a home. Friends. But it wasn't his family. It couldn't! He wouldn't go back! He couldn't! He dragged himself out of his spot, looking across the vast emptiness of the sea, and equally vast night sky dotted with a myriad of stars. He gunned the small machina motor, heading toward where he thought Killika was. As he skimmed across the waves, a thunderhead moved to intercept him. The young ronso doggedly pushed the motor, trying to outrun the storm. He tried to keep from being tossed about the waves, battling against nature's true fury.
***
The day had been good to Meadga and his crew. The small sloop known as the Otter's Heart cut nimbly through the waves, easily out maneuvering any machina ship with the slightest breeze. Meadga's brother, Eagled, called down to him in a tenorish tone. "There's a bit o' wreckage yonder, Bro!"
Meadga looked up at his brother from the seperathy the fish that the nets had brought up from the depths. "Aye, I see it. Git down 'ere and steer us round." Obligingly Eagled seemingly fell from the crow's nest and used his bare feet to snare a rope hanging from the moorings. In one graceful swing, the little blue-haired youth landed aft and began swinging the maneuverable ship about, skirting the destroyed vessel. Meadga's translucent cyan eyes scanned the remains, especially one piece that seemed to be weighted down on one end. Eagled leapt and swung again, the intricate loops of rope stopping him mid-deck by his brother pushing his odd hair out of his face with his free hand.
"Wot ye lookin' at?" he questioned, trying to see what elder eyes could. Meadga responded with a mighty dive overboard, a mere ripple as he disappeared into the waves, swimming to some unknown goal.
Athens hit the deck hard, and slowly came to. He could feel himself moving. Someone had him by the arms, no two people. The whoevers laid him back gently on the deck as he blinked away the salt from his eyes. Everything looked like a big blue blotch. He could just barely make out a pair of brown blotches leaned over him. Athens rubbed his eyes and everything came into focus. Meadga and Eagled looked closely at their latest catch. The ronso's fur was encrusted with salt, and there was a bit of blood on his forehead where he must have gotten thumped pretty good when his boat was destroyed. Meadga extended a hand to Athens, speaking with a slight swarthy accent. "We ain't gonna hurt ye mate."
The youth looked at Meadga. Could he trust him? Humans his whole life and all they'd taught him were lies and falsehood had surrounded him. The amber-eyed ronso stared deep into the translucent cyan of Meadga's. Searching for anything that would tip him off to a liar. He couldn't find anything. Claw grasped hand, and he was pulled up to stand. Eagled watched on, still hanging from the ropes at an awkward angle. The younger brother ran a hand through the blue lock of hair that was now tangled in with the brown of the rest of it. He watched Meadga lead Athens toward the underlying cabin, where the rest of the crew was asleep aas the sloop cut homewards on the night wind. Eagled coulsn't shake a feeling of… hate coming from the ronso. Meadga obviously didn't feel it. The little youth climbed slowly up the ropes, arm over arm towards the crow's nest thinking.
What had happened to him?
Why was he out there all-alone?
Why didn't he trust them.
Why?
***
The day had been good to Meadga and his crew. The small sloop known as the Otter's Heart cut nimbly through the waves, easily out maneuvering any machina ship with the slightest breeze. Meadga's brother, Eagled, called down to him in a tenorish tone. "There's a bit o' wreckage yonder, Bro!"
Meadga looked up at his brother from the seperathy the fish that the nets had brought up from the depths. "Aye, I see it. Git down 'ere and steer us round." Obligingly Eagled seemingly fell from the crow's nest and used his bare feet to snare a rope hanging from the moorings. In one graceful swing, the little blue-haired youth landed aft and began swinging the maneuverable ship about, skirting the destroyed vessel. Meadga's translucent cyan eyes scanned the remains, especially one piece that seemed to be weighted down on one end. Eagled leapt and swung again, the intricate loops of rope stopping him mid-deck by his brother pushing his odd hair out of his face with his free hand.
"Wot ye lookin' at?" he questioned, trying to see what elder eyes could. Meadga responded with a mighty dive overboard, a mere ripple as he disappeared into the waves, swimming to some unknown goal.
Athens hit the deck hard, and slowly came to. He could feel himself moving. Someone had him by the arms, no two people. The whoevers laid him back gently on the deck as he blinked away the salt from his eyes. Everything looked like a big blue blotch. He could just barely make out a pair of brown blotches leaned over him. Athens rubbed his eyes and everything came into focus. Meadga and Eagled looked closely at their latest catch. The ronso's fur was encrusted with salt, and there was a bit of blood on his forehead where he must have gotten thumped pretty good when his boat was destroyed. Meadga extended a hand to Athens, speaking with a slight swarthy accent. "We ain't gonna hurt ye mate."
The youth looked at Meadga. Could he trust him? Humans his whole life and all they'd taught him were lies and falsehood had surrounded him. The amber-eyed ronso stared deep into the translucent cyan of Meadga's. Searching for anything that would tip him off to a liar. He couldn't find anything. Claw grasped hand, and he was pulled up to stand. Eagled watched on, still hanging from the ropes at an awkward angle. The younger brother ran a hand through the blue lock of hair that was now tangled in with the brown of the rest of it. He watched Meadga lead Athens toward the underlying cabin, where the rest of the crew was asleep aas the sloop cut homewards on the night wind. Eagled coulsn't shake a feeling of… hate coming from the ronso. Meadga obviously didn't feel it. The little youth climbed slowly up the ropes, arm over arm towards the crow's nest thinking.
What had happened to him?
Why was he out there all-alone?
Why didn't he trust them.
Why?