Walani swallowed hard at she looked at the swirling waters below her. She loved the ocean and sometimes could never get enough of it when it came to riding the waves, swimming in it and just enjoying the water as a whole on beautiful warm days. But right now, it never looked more unwelcoming, especially with the booming storm overhead.
Lightning cracked across the sky as thunder clapped not too long after, the rain from above coming down in sheets, making the wood surface below Walani slippery.
She was currently positioned at the end of a plank that stuck out from a large ship. She grasped tightly at her surfboard, trying to keep her footing steady on the plank, despite the swaying of the ship… and the proddings of sticks and sharps weapons she kept getting from the men behind her.
"Yowch!" She hissed as the tip of a sword poke her back a little. "Hey! Watch the shirt will ya!?"
One of the men narrowed his eyes.
"You can avoid more if you just take the final step!"
"Davy Jones be waiting for you, Miss! Especially for trying to steal from us!"
"Oh, come on!" Walani gave an unamused look. "It was just a couple of coins. You guys got treasure chests galore of those things, a few gold coins for me to get by to another island wouldn't put a single dent in your findings!"
"Yar supposed to be loyal to the crew, Little Missy, that's what you signed up for when you said you wanted to come with us but then again I guess there's a reason we don't let ladies on our ships, right fellas?"
The whole crew let out a loud cheer of agreement.
"Hey! I put my back into it! I don't think it was unfair to ask for payment!" She snapped back at them, moving backwards, trying to keep her balance, only to be shoved back to where she had been before. "Please don't do this. Please. I won't do it again. I'll give them back-"
"There be no forgivin' this time."
With a hard shove, Walani was sent tumbling over the side of the ship, the girl letting out a loud shriek before she hit the water.
Her surfboard was knocked from her hands as she struggled to get up to the surface. Any other day, in any other time she could've found her way easily.
But the skies were dark and grey, pouring out rain and churning the ocean around her, making it hard for her to find her way up.
I guess this is the end...
She tried one more time to push herself up but to no avail. The water was pouring into her mouth, the last of her breath escaping her. Her eyes closed, preparing for the end.
However, she felt a jolt as something grabbed onto her, pulling her upwards to the surface. Her head soon broke the water, the young woman gasping for air, clinging to whatever it was that pulled her up. Her eyes widened as she looked up, seeing was a man with a thin face and dark brown hair. He was currently catching his breath too but was working hard to keep them both afloat.
He doesn't look like anyone from the ship. He's certainly not ugly looking like that rest of those goons.
She kept quiet, not really able to speak due to focusing on being able to breathe. The man pushed through the waters with ease, making his way over to Walani's surfboard, throwing her on to it before joining her on it.
She coughed, looking to him, with a curiosity in her eyes.
"T-Thanks." She said, looking him over. "W-Where did you come from?"
"I can explain in a minute." The man said between breaths. "Just need to work on getting us out of this storm." He spread his hands out, summoning shadow flames that created a sphere around them that kept the rain off. "There, that should help us get dried off."
Walani was dumbfounded at this and was even more so when the man snapped his fingers and monsters made of shadows came out of the water, pushing the sphere the surfboard was surrounded by, carrying them away in a direction that would get them out of the storm.
"Perfect." the man snapped his fingers again, creating a small fire in his hands, holding it out to Walani. "Here, warm your hands over this."
She had wide eyes as she looked at the flame and back at him.
"Go right ahead, I assure you it's safe, my dear."
Walani took a deep breath before holding her hands over the fire, relaxing as warmth came back into them.
I was so close to dying. I never wanna go that close again.
The two remained silent as they were pushed along. With the sphere around them, Walani didn't even feel like she was in the middle of a storm. She could see it outside, thanks to the sphere being somewhat transparent but the sphere drowned out the noise, the only thing really being heard was hers and the mans breathing, the water below the surfboard and the crackling of the fire in the man's hands.
It didn't take long till Walani and the man were dried off top wise. Nothing could really be done for their legs that were hanging off the surfboard and dipping into the water below.
"Maxwell." The man spoke.
"Huh?" Walani asked.
"My name is Maxwell. Just thought you should know."
"Got ya. I'm Walani." She looked him over once more. "Pretty fancy duds for someone on the high seas."
He chuckled a bit.
"Even I have to have standards, my dear."
"Suppose… You're not from the crew, are you?"
"No. Stow away." The man shook his head. "I would never dare associate myself with pirates like them. Only reason I was there was for a free ride and maybe cut a deal with one of them on some regards but then… well, saw what happened to you and couldn't really stand by and do nothing."
"Thank you for that, dude." She shuddered. "I didn't mean to. Honestly, I just wanted to get to the next island."
"I don't think they were worth killing over either." The man shed his coat, bringing it around Walani. "Here."
Walani nodded, huddling into it.
"Thanks… You're pretty nice for a stranger." Walani raised an eyebrow "Anything you want out of it? That's usually a good reason for a stranger to be so nice."
"Hm, not really. To be honest, I guess I was on vacation with this trip. Needed to get my mind off some things happening back where I'm from. A little bit of escapism, if you know what I mean."
Her gaze darkened as she looked down at the water. She reached over the side of the surfboard, running her hand through the water.
"More than you could ever imagine." She murmured.
Escaping is the only reason I'm here.
Maxwell remained silent as he read her expression before speaking again.
"Home isn't a great place, is it? Or I'm guessing it's not even worthy of that title anymore?"
"It's not my home! I hate that place! I hate everything about it!" She snapped. "I don't know where home is anymore but it's not there!"
Maxwell reamined unphased but an understanding look came to his eyes.
"I see… How long have you been out then?"
She sighed, leaning back a bit, looking through the sphere at the clouds.
"About… five months? Give or take a few days."
"Quite a long time to be on your own. Especially for your age."
"I'm not a kid!"
"Sorry, you look young." Maxwell looked at her carefully. "... Barely an adult? Perhaps 18?"
"... Yeah 18 as of two weeks ago." Walani sighed again. "It hasn't really been easy. As far as those knuckleheads knew, I was 20 and willing to work."
"But you're tired of that."
"I had to clean that ship top to bottom and then they'd just trash it all over. Getting drunk and stupid fights."
"And other things I'm sure neither of us need to know the details about."
"Ahuh." Walani flopped onto her back. "I'm sick of pirates and I'm sick of stupid men… Em… Not that you're stupid. You're smart."
"No offense taken. They were blooming idiots."
Walani blinked.
"... You British? I just realized, you have an accent."
"More or less." Maxwell shrugged. "Not that is matters."
"I guess." Walani ran a hand through her hair. "I just… I just want to find a place to call home. Work a little bit then just kick back, relax and enjoy all the waves I want."
"Got it all figured out, huh?" Maxwell chuckled.
Walani grinned.
"Darn right. Just me, a hammock on the beach, drinking out of a coconut and maybe some contraption to bring me food whenever I want. Or a butler. Maybe a contraption since I don't wanna deal with anyone."
"Sounds like an ideal existence."
"Yeah… But that ain't gonna happen, is it?"
"Probably not since nothing is perfect but… that doesn't mean you couldn't get part of it."
"Huh?" Walani sat up, tilting her head. "You know something?"
"I might know a place but it's debatable if you'll like it." Maxwell crossed his arms. "It's a place that requires some work and backbone in order to live in it. There's monsters left and right that will try to get you and the nights in particular can be quite dangerous."
"What's so bad about the nights? The moon lights the way right?"
"Not so in this place. The moon rarely shines except for certain times. So, if you want to survive, you'll need a shelter with light."
"Hm… Sounds challenging."
"Quite so. I only know a few who have been able to pull through thus far. It's been rough yet they keep pushing forward because they want to live."
"Is it possible to have down time?"
"If you manage your time between ensuring you survive… Yes."
Walani closed her eyes, thinking her options over.
"If you don't wish to go there I can leave you at the next island with some change. But you won't have this opportunity again."
"Now, let's not rush it. Do I have to make my surfboard all over again?"
"No. You could keep it."
"And is the water safe for swimming?"
Maxwell scrunched his nose a bit.
"No. Stay out of the water unless you're on a surfboard or in a boat."
"Okay. Is there controlling parents, jerk pirates, rude sailors OR annoying octopus that like to stick to my surfboard after a storm?"
"Parents, no. Jerk pirates or rude sailors, definitely no. I know a pirate who lives there but honestly, if you cross paths with him he's actually one of the kindest you'll meet and could even give you a hand in navigating. Octopi… Well, there is one, but he keeps on a giant rock and will give you treasure if you bring him seafood."
Walani opened her eyes, looking up at him. She held out her hand.
"Show me the way to go home, Max."
Maxwell grinned before shaking her hand.
"You have yourself a deal." Maxwell looked to the shadow monsters outside the sphere. "To the Fire Lands my servants!"
The monsters screeched as a swirling portal opened up before them. Walani looked ahead, trying to see if she could make out anything.
It didn't seem like the greatest idea to go to some unknown place with some strange man.
But at this rate. I'll do anything.