NOTE: Hmm...not quite sure how I feel about all the changes fanfiction is going through... :\ Anyways...sorry for the REALLY late update! Life got a wee bit crazy, but I'm done with a big project that was taking up most of my summer. Now to move on to the next stress-or in life...school and finding a way to pay for it. -_-'
Thank you to all of those who have reviewed my story! I appreciate it! :D
WARNING: Swearing, slash, drowning...wait... X3
DISCLAIMER: People, let's be honest, if I owned Digimon and the characters, I would most likely NOT be writing fanfics. So no, I own nothing. :P
Chapter Four
Matt inhaled the brisk night air that now surrounded him. As he looked around he took notice that the ocean seemed very calm, except for a few storm clouds which obviously meant that his father was still angry. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw what must have been the strange object that he saw underneath the water. It looked like a large rock. But, it was moving…rocks don't move. Matt watched the object for a moment and started to follow it. He swam after it and finally he recognized what it was.
A human ship!
The last time he had seen a ship like that was with his mother…and even then he couldn't remember much. He just remembered that his mother told him to wait behind some rocks, and so he did. Then, he remembers her leading him out in the open and talking to the ship. Matt thought this behavior was odd, and looked up to see what she was talking to. He never figured it out. But maybe this time…he could know! The blonde grinned excitedly and started swimming towards it to get closer.
He couldn't believe he was actually going to see a human ship up front and personal again! Maybe if he started talking to it, he could figure out what it was his mother talked to. Matt started to become more nervous as he started getting closer and closer. Soon, it was only a mere twenty feet away.
"H-Hello!" Matt said to the ship. "What is your name?" The ship didn't reply and simply moved on. "My name is Matt. I'm very excited to meet you." A low growl of thunder echoed in the sky, but besides that, nothing else was heard. The prince glared at the ship. "Well, aren't you going to tell me your name?" Nothing. "You don't have to be so rude you know." Matt sighed once he realized that the ship wasn't going to be speaking to him.
'I guess I should probably just go back,' the prince pouted slightly at the idea. Just as he was about to dive down into the ocean again, he heard a loud yelp.
"Don't DO that!" a voice shouted angrily. Matt stared up at the ship curiously.
"Oh, so now you want to talk?" he scoffed at the large mass. It didn't reply. "Oh for the love of the Gods…" Matt searched around the ship to see if there was anything he could use to locate where the voice came from. He saw a ledge not too far up and decided that it would be his best option. Seeing however that there was no way to get up, the blonde dove down into the water and then swam up again, using all the muscle and power he could muster to jump high enough to reach the ledge.
It took him a few tries, but he finally managed to grab a hold of the edge. Matt grunted slightly as he pulled himself up on to the ledge and was happy to see that he fit on the small space provided. He let out a happy sigh and rested his head against the ship.
"Well, that sure took some effort," he chuckled. The blonde prince turned his head to one side and looked up. "I hope that you were completely worth—" Matt froze. A human had leaned over the railing of the ship. Matt pressed himself against the ship, making sure not to be discovered but also making sure that he could still see the human.
He always imagined humans to be completely ugly, stupid creatures who couldn't do much for themselves. At least, that is how his father would always portray them. Yet, here he was, staring right at a human…and thinking that it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
oXoXoXoXo
Tai stared out nervously at the dark clouds quickly coming upon them. After an unsuccessful journey to find the voice, Tai finally gave the orders to return to the kingdom. Unfortunately, a heavy storm was following their tail…and fast.
"Man, those storm clouds look really bad," the brunette muttered to no one in particular. Tai looked down at the dark water and swallowed. "I wonder if the waves will get really big…" Tai leaned over further. "Big enough to swallow the ship whole…" Suddenly, Tai felt someone push him hard against his back, making him let out a loud yelp. The same force that pushed him pulled him back and spun him around. Davis grinned mischievously at his cousin.
"Don't DO that!" Tai shouted loudly at his cousin. Although his shout was soon drowned out by a roar of thunder, it was clear that the rest of the crew heard it. Tai could feel his face flush and so he added more quietly, "…You scared the hell out of me…"
"I saved your life though," Davis shrugged and patted his cousin on the head.
"Oh go annoy Chris for a while," Tai playfully shoved the younger boy away. Davis saluted and ran off to do as he was told. The brunette sighed and looked out to the ocean again. The storm was getting very close now…
"Don't worry Tai. We'll be back before you know it." Tai glanced over at Joe who stood next to him. "And even if the storm does hit, I'll be sure to keep you safely in the captain's cabin."
"Thank you Joe," the brunette smiled. "That makes me feel better." Tai looked down at the dark water and sighed silently. Noticing that the blunette had not left, Tai looked back at him. "I'm guessing that setting my nerves at ease wasn't the only reason why you came over?"
"Well, that was the original motive," Joe took his glasses off and started cleaning them. "But since I'm here, I might as well talk to you about your issue with your father."
"Of course," the brunette grumbled.
"You're going to have to tell him sooner or later."
"Didn't we have this discussion earlier?"
"Yes, but—"
"Then you should already know that when I become king, I'll rule over the kingdom and once I'm really old, I'll hand it over to Davis and his family."
"It's not that simple though."
"Yes it is. I just have to make sure I have a good idea on how to run a kingdom and then I'll be set. You can help me too if you want."
"No Tai, it's not that. It's…." The prince waited for the older boy to finish, but he didn't say anything for a while. After looking from side to side, Joe sighed and looked solemnly at the brunette. "I overheard your father say that if you didn't pick a queen, he would pick one for you."
"What?" Tai's eyes widened.
"That's what I heard," Joe grumbled as he looked down at the ocean. "He said that he'd give you up to a week after your birthday, and then pick you a queen of his choosing…" Tai gripped the railing of the ship tightly in frustration. Of course something like this would have happened. It was almost like the Gods were telling him that his acceptance of his sexuality was not ok with them at all.
…Was that what they were trying to say to the young prince? But how could he live any differently? He couldn't lie to everyone though, especially not to himself. If the Gods weren't pleased with his sexuality, well for once, Tai could care less.
"It's not gonna happen," Tai growled.
"What?" Joe blinked in confusion.
"I'm not marrying any girl just to please people," Tai glared out into the ocean. "Especially not one my father picks."
"You can't defy the king's wishes!" Joe gasped.
"Watch me," Tai huffed as he left his spot from the rail.
"But Tai—" Joe started to protest as he followed the prince.
"But nothing Joe," Tai cut off. "I'm not marrying someone I don't love. It doesn't make sense. And it also doesn't make sense that I should be lying to everyone."
"So find your own bride! Show your father that you do have someone you are willing to marry for the rest of your life."
"But I don't! He hasn't come yet."
"So you're going to wait around until it happens?"
"Yes! …No...Maybe…" Tai shook his head. "You're getting me all confused!"
"It took you this long to realize that?" Joe muttered under his breath. Perhaps the comment was meant for no one else's ears but the blunette's; but unfortunately, Tai did hear him.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Tai narrowed his eyes slightly. The older boy panicked slightly when he saw the hostility on the prince's face.
"I…I just…um…" Joe mumbled unintelligently.
"…You're not happy about me being gay either?" Tai asked. Joe darted his eyes to the floor of the ship. From the lack of response he was getting, that clearly meant that the answer was yes. Tai felt his heart sink slightly. He had always looked up to Joe as an older brother and mentor. And now, seeing that he didn't approve of him… "Screw you."
"What?" Joe blinked. Dark brown eyes stared coldly into charcoal ones.
"Screw you and what you think," Tai growled. "Screw what my father thinks. Screw what the kingdom thinks." Tai turned out towards the ocean and grinned wickedly. "In fact…" The brunette raced over to the edge of the ship and took a deep breath in. "SCREW YOU GODS! I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK!"
"Tai!" Joe yipped and raced over to the prince. "What are you doing?" Tai ignored the older boy and climbed up on to the thick railing of the ship, using nearby ropes to support him.
"I don't care if you don't like that I'm gay!" Tai continued to shout at the Gods. "I don't care if you think it's unnatural or wrong! This is how I am and if you don't like it, then SCREW YOU!"
"Tai stop!" Joe barked as he tugged at the brunette's arm. "You need to get down right now or else you'll fall into the ocean!"
"Ooh, I'm so scared," Tai huffed sarcastically, but he got down anyways.
"What's wrong with you?" Joe snapped.
"I'm perfectly fine the way I am," Tai growled back.
"You just insulted the Gods and you think you're perfectly fine? You could have angered them!"
"What are they going to do about it?" Tai smirked smugly. "Strike me down with lighting?"
CRACK-A-BOOM!
Tai jumped a foot into the air when the large crack of thunder rang out in the sky. Looking up into the sky, he noticed heavy storm clouds swirling over their heads. Another crack of thunder rang out before a heavy down pour of rain fell upon the crew of the Victory.
"We're caught in a storm!" Chris called out to the crew. "The Gods must be angry!" Tai felt his stomach jump up to his throat. Did he really anger the Gods? …what a stupid question, of course he did! But didn't the Gods always believe in being honest and true to oneself? How could they be angry for Tai following that belief?
Tai's thoughts were interrupted when he felt someone grab his arm and quickly led him away from the edge of the ship. The rocking of the ship from the large waves made moving around the ship nearly impossible, but somehow they made it to their destination. He was roughly thrown into a small room which he quickly recognized as the captain's cabin. The brunette prince turned back and saw a frantic looking Joe staring back at him.
"Stay here!" he ordered. His tone wasn't angry or demanding. It rang with sheer concern for the young prince. Tai nodded numbly before Joe quickly closed the door shut and left him alone.
What was he doing inside here? He shouldn't be locked up in a small room like a coward! He was the captain for heaven's sake! His crew needed him! Tai quickly raced over to the door and was ready to open it. Suddenly, he felt the ship jerk sharply to one side and then sea water came in through the crack of the door. Feeling the moisture on his feet, Tai quickly jumped away from the door and retreated back to a table at the far end of the room.
The thought of the dark black ocean filled the brunette's mind. Imagining the feeling of sinking deep into a bottomless pit of nothing and knowing there was no way he would be able to get out horrified the prince. He was the captain alright…but what good is a captain if he can't save himself in a storm like this? Tai stared down at the cold water that was slowly tricking into the room.
From the safety of the captain's cabin, Tai could still hear the rest of the crew members shouting over the horrible storm. The brunette clenched his teeth in frustration as he heard some men shout out warning for another wave coming. Tai glanced back at the table and saw his pair of goggles sitting at the edge. He knew that at that point, he had two choices:
Stay in the cabin like a coward and allow his crew to suffer.
Or go out and be what a true captain should be like.
Taking a deep breath to gather his courage, Tai grabbed his goggles, placed them securely around his eyes and ran out into the storm.
Rain fell down and hit the boy's tan skin like thousands of needles. The wind blew roughly from alternating directions which would sway the ship from side to side. Lightning and thunder were crashing and booming throughout the sky just like a composed symphony. Large dark waves crashed against the Victory and threatened to swallow Tai whole.
"What are you doing out here boy?" Tai turned towards the direction of the ship's helm and saw Chris struggling to keep control. "Get back in the cabin!"
"No!" Tai barked and raced up to help Chris gain control. "I won't sit there and do absolutely nothing when I know you all need my help!" Tai grunted as he and the older man tried to hold the wheel steady.
"We'll be fine Tai!" Chris shouted over the loud thunder. "Get back to safety!"
"I won't leave you all to die!"
"We know how to swim! You don't!"
"I'm not leaving!"
"Dammit Tai!"
"I am your captain!" A large wave crashed against the ship and sprayed sea water on the whole crew. Tai gripped onto the helm tightly as the ship proceeded to jerk side to side. A firm hand grabbed hold onto the young boy's shoulder causing him to look up.
"Tai, I admire your determination and courage," he shouted over the thunder and wind. "But you have to get back to safety! You are the prince of Ramcilia and we need you to stay alive!"
"What about the rest of you?" Tai asked and braced himself as another wave hit the ship.
"We are all willing to die for Ramcilia," Chris simply smiled. "And it's prince." Tai stared in amazement at the older man's calmness of this storm and the fact that they had a risk of dying. "Now, get back to safety! I'll order the men to follow afterwards once all of the sails are secured and tied up!" Before Tai could come up with a reason to allow him to stay on deck, there was a loud snap heard which caused all the men to turn and look. The main sail's rope that held it secure had broken and released the white fabric.
"The sail Chris!" a sailor cried out.
"Davis!" Chris shouted at the young mahogany haired boy standing near the sail. "Grab some rope and secure it again!"
"Yes sir!" Davis cried out as he grabbed two long ropes and started climbing up to refasten the sails. Tai watched as his young cousin struggled to climb up the mass. He would slip constantly and just barely make it to catch is balance again. Once he finally made it to the sail, he still risked the chance of falling because of the rough waves and slickness the rain created.
'The rain!' Tai gasped to himself. Suddenly, it occurred to Tai that because of the rain, most of the sailors couldn't see much of anything.
But Tai had his goggles on…
"TAI! NO!" Chris shouted as Tai grabbed two long ropes of his own and raced over to the main mass where Davis was. He gripped on to the ropes tightly and watched out for each foot hole he could use to hoist himself up. The higher he climbed up, the higher the chances of falling into the ocean became.
"What are you doing here Tai?" Davis hollered at the older boy once he made it to the sail.
"You need help you idiot!" Tai called back and started working on tying the sails.
"Go back! You can't swim!" Davis yelled.
"The faster you shut up the faster we can get this finished and get down!" Tai snapped at his cousin. "Now help me finish tying this up!" The younger boy blinked in astonishment for a moment, but then nodded and went back to work. Together, the two cousins tied the loose sail back to its secure position. Waves continually rammed against the Victory and with each blow, Tai's determination to get back to safety, with Davis, grew.
"That's it!" Davis shouted once he finished knotting a rope. "That's the last one!"
"Great! Let's go!" Tai barked out in relief. The two boys scrambled down the mass and let out a sigh of relief when they both reached the solid wood floor of the ship. Tai allowed the younger boy to go ahead of him before following the retreat back to the captain's quarters. Their dance with death seemed almost too easy to get out of.
"Here comes a big wave!" a sailor shrieked out. Tai looked to where the sailor's voice echoed out, and lo and behold, a large monstrous wave was heading towards the ship. Tai froze to the spot as he watched the wave rise higher and higher into the thundering sky. "BRACE YOURSELVES!" Before Tai could even think about finding something to protect him, the wave collided against the Victory and swallowed any items that were not tied down. Including Tai.
The brunette's body smacked hard against the cold water and, from the pressure of the waves, sank quickly into the ocean water. Tai thrashed against the black water in hopes that somehow he'd find the surface again. After a few painful minutes without breathing, Tai's head broke through the water's surface. He coughed up salt water and desperately tried to remain afloat.
"TA-A-A-AI!" a voice wailed out into the raging storm.
"H-He-e-ey!" Tai shouted weakly. Another wave crashed against Tai. Before he was sucked into the waters again, he heard the faint cry of Chris' voice.
"MAN OVER BOARD!"
Tai kicked frantically to try and find the surface again,but it seemed like the more he tried, the deeper he sank. How could the Gods allow this to happen to him! They knew he couldn't swim. They must be punishing him. It was the only explanation. They were punishing him because he wouldn't marry a woman. Because he disregarded their powers. Because he was gay.
Once Tai pinpointed the reason the Gods must have been punishing him for, he slowly started to give up fighting. His arms and legs were growing tired from their vain efforts for air. His lungs felt like they were on fire and his eyes stung horribly from the salt in the water. Finally, Tai allowed his body to go completely limp. As he felt himself sink deeper and deeper, Tai's mind started to play tricks on him.
He saw his familiar hometown and imagined that he was back at home. Tai could hear his mother's voice and could feel her warm, gentle touch. Then he saw the Gods all surrounding him; laughing and jeering at the idea that the young prince would soon join them. Tai's last mind trick was the most bizzare however…for he could have sworn that a half man, half fish with an angelic glow was swimming towards him. The strange creature reached out towards Tai, as though to help. Tai remembered weakly raising his own hand to accept the creature's help before darkness overtook his vision.
You know...can't swim/afraid of water Tai has always been a headcannon of mine...not sure why. ^_^;
Here is the chapter! Next one will probably have more Tai and Matt action...or at least interaction... X3 Oh! And to those of you who are in a mood for mystery and fluffy Taito-ness, I order you all to go read Amirastarr's story "Trouble Sings Backup"! It is crazy good IMHO!
That's my "product placement" of the day (don't know what else to call it). See ya'll at the next update! And feel free to let me know what you thought of this chapter! :)