As soon as Mindfang signed off she heard shuffling nearby. She turned to see The Dolorosa standing timidly in the shadows.

"I-I hope you don't mind me intruding, but was that the Grand Highblood you were just speaking with?" she asked softly

"Yes, why?" Mindfang replied arching a jet-black eyebrow at her

"Wait... How did you know I was talking to Highby?" she asked using an old nickname she'd coined for the Highblood sweeps ago.

"I just, kind of... Coincidentally, inadvertly, wandered over to your respite block. Since you have not been out in a while..." Dolorosa replied tentatively

"Oh... Yeah I guess I did sort of get sucked into our little conversation for a little too long didn't I?" Mindfang replied with an embarrassed laugh.

"No, no not at all! It is perfectly acceptable manner of self appreciation to have a private life." Dolorosa replied hurriedly

Mindfang gave her a confused look, but then again she'd never really understood Dolorosa's behavior.

"I'm so sorry! I'm spoken out of term! Please forgive me Mindfang, I will return to my chambers at once." Dolorosa quickly turned to leave.

"No, no y-ou don't have to leave... I mean I don't really want you too..." Mindfang replied catching her arm. Dolorosa nodded once and quietly took a seat next to her.

"So... Why were you so curious about Highblood?" Mindfang asked changing the subject.

"He-he murdered my child... If I were ever given the chance, I'd cull him in a heartbeat!" Dolorosa replied, sadness and anger leaked from her shaking voice and jade tears trailed down her pale gray cheeks "My baby..."

"Well actually.. Highby's decided he was going to come after me, so he's on his way here now as we speak." Mindfang replied with a laugh, viewing Highblood's aggression as a huge joke, but then she noticed the tears.

"Hey, wait a minute... D-don't cry..." Mindfang said quickly, gently wiping away the tears that stained her cheeks. Dolorosa looked up horrified.

"W-what! No, no, no! Mindfang please listen to me! You may be very tenacious, but I can not allow this to happen! Please, I'm begging you for all that you love me, please do not let him or his fellow subjugglators find us! They will slaughter us like they did my family." She stood up on her knees clutching Mindfang's hand, as tears continued to fall.

"Please!"

Mindfang shrugged off the begging and wrapped a reassuring arm around her shoulders.

"I think you're underestimating my abilities as both a warrior and a pirate. He's new to the sea, that shit will swallow him whole before he'll even get close to reaching me. Dry your tears, I won't let anything happen to you." Mindfang replied with a careful smile.

"I understand that I can never change your mind about this and I hope that you take no offence to this, but you are notoriously stubborn and I hope to the gogs that you are correct about the fact that they are new to the aquatic parts of Alternia. It is true I have nothing to live for, but you do Mindfang..." Dolorosa let go of Mindfang's hand and wiped away her tears.

"No you cannot, but don't worry. Even when we were friends Highblood never really was one for finishing what he starts." Mindfang replied confidently.

"You have everything in life to live for! Unfortunately I have lived my life long enough and have filled my role as the mother of the signless, and yet I have even failed at that. But never mind, could you please explain to me about you have a friendship once with the highblood; If I am not intruding.." Dolorosa replied tentatively.

Mindfang shrugged at the the question.

"Not at all It wasn't really much of a friendship, not like we were morails or anything. Around the time we were both about six solar sweeps, the same age as our current decendents now, we just kind of clicked. Again it wasn't anything special but we played games together and I probably spent more time with him than I did with my matesprite" She laughed

"It's not really much of a history, he was just there in my life a lot until we grew up and the terribly annoying blood status slapped us into reality. Not that I am a low-blood or anything even close, he just ran off to build his armies while I joined the seas.." She finished an arched an eyebrow upon seeing a skeptical look appear across Dolorosa's face.

"I am earnestly sorry, but I can not see someone like the Highblood having any such thing as a friend." Dolorosa snickered.

"Excuse my rudeness, but strangely I can only see him as being like his decedent and for that I sometimes legitamitely feel the up-most sympathy for him having to deal with the curse of the subjugglators but he's such a a horrible persona and I remember what he did to my son and... I just-I just... Ugh fuck him!"

Mindfang shrugged again

"Highby is many things. The curse of subjugglators is only partially responsible for his behavior. Honestly, I believe the voices stopped effectly him for quite a while and now he just does it all for a form of sadistic entertainment. Though I guess countless years of my taunting is also may have tipped the scale on his state of mind..."

"Of course he does it for sadistic pleasure. It is in his god damned nature as a Capricious Clown. I am already growing tired of talking about him; Three simple words: I hate him!" Dolorosa seethed.

"New subject please... What will we do to keep running? We are going to run out of supplies very soon, meaning we must restock on land and that means trouble.." She added and Mindfang sighed.

"Yes, I guess that will prove to be a problem... Nevertheless, there are a few islands nearby that we can dock at for the crew to restock. Until then we'll have to make due with what we have." She replied.

"I do not know there is some very unpredictable fellow pirates out there, and as I recall Dualscar put a pretty substantial bounty on your head." Dolorosa said tentatively.

"Bigger than the one I already have?" Mindfang arched an eyebrow.

"Form the information i have received, yes." Dolorosa confirmed.

Mindfang sighed again,

"Me and my quadrants..."