Chapter 6 - The encounters
Motochika released him and inspected the hole, looking for some way to cross. Mori looked away from Motochika and looked around the hallway. Motochika gave a sigh and rubbed his fingers to his forehead, already feeling a headache come on as one problem after another piled up. Sighing to relieve the stress he was under, he looked around for some sort of plank to cross with. "Oi! Make yourself useful and find us a plank to cross with." Motochika called to Mori, using his 'captain' voice. Mori glared at Motochika and rolled his eyes as he walked to find something useful. Motochika inspected the beams above the hole, wondering if he could use his anchor to swing across. Mori walked back down the hall looking for something that could be used to cross over the hole in the walkway. 'Why do I have to be stuck with him?! Why couldn't it have been someone else I wouldn't have minded bing with anyone else but I have to be with this pirate' Mori thought unhappily as he walked past the armory door before stopping and turning back to it 'This is useless making me do this, I might as well look in here as soon as I can find something to get across the sooner I can get away from him' Mori grumbled in his head as he opened the door. Hearing Mori walk away, Motochika pulled out his anchor, and swung it a bit before throwing it at the beam and using the chain to swing across, making a huge clanking noise in the small hallway. Mori jumped a little at the echoing sound. "Ugh it's probably just the damn pirate. Why am I being startled so easily?" Mori sighed asking himself curiously. The room suddenly got a lot colder as the light outside started to darken a bit more, with the threatening sound of thunder outside. Mori noticed the drop in temperature and darkened lighting 'That isn't normal, but neither is this situation that I have been dropped into' Mori thought looking around suspiciously. Suddenly there was the click of a gun's hammer echoing through the room, making Mori tense. Mori looked to where the noise had come from and was surprised at what he saw. A gun was floating in air, locked in the firing position as there was a large black mist covering the doorway, blocking his exit. Mori looked behind him and growled "Step aside! Creature" Mori ordered as he tried to reach for a sword hanging on the wall.
With a huge bang, the pistol fired at him, missing him , thankfully. Mori had actually screamed when the gun went off and gave a sigh of relief when he saw it had missed him. Motochika heard the scream and swung across the gap with his anchor, using the momentum to run faster as he reached the room, coming at the dark mist with a huge swing of his anchor, dissolving it long enough for him to run through and come to a stop at Mori's side. Turning around with his anchor ready to attack again, the dark mist took the shape of a person, and created it's own axe out of mist to fight with.
"You're an ugly one, aren't ya!" Motochika grinned as he started to feel the thrill of battle. Mori shocked that Motochika had actually come rushing to save him shook his head and relaxed a little grabbing the sword so he would have some kind of protection. The figure came rushing at Motochika at lighting speed, and Motochika just barely stopped the blade from going through his shoulder with his anchor.
"Ya gotta do better than that!" Motochika chuckled, kicking the figure in the gut and pushing him away. Unlocking the anchor, he swung it on it's chain, flinging it straight at the figure and spearing the figure through the chest. Mori watched still trying to get over the shock of almost being dead. The figure tried to pull itself off the anchor, and Motochika yanked it towards him, kicking it straight in the chest as he ripped the anchor out, blood from the figure flying everywhere. With a hiss, the figure disappeared, leaving the two alone in the room.
"Ya alright, Sunny? It didn't hurt ya?" Motochika asked, wiping the anchor of blood.
"I'm alright" Mori said with his normal tone of voice
"Good. Nobody gets to hurt ya but me, after all." Motochika chuckled, seeing the shock Mori was still in.
Mori scoffed and glared at Motochika.
"Okay, new rule. Nobody goes off on their own." Motochika said, in a more serious tone, looking around the armory for something for Mori to better defend himself with. Digging around the back of the armory, Motochika pulled out a familiar ring blade.
"Hey, Mori? Isn't this yours?" Motochika asked, tossing him the ring blade.
"Yes, it is. What is my ring blade doing here" Mori said catching the weapon on its handles.
"Don't know. Last i remember you didn't show up with any weapons." Motochika mumbled, looking around the armory for supplies, now that he knew that there was real danger in this place. "Maybe something here wants to give you a fighting chance. Or this creature likes the thrill of fighting to kill it's prey."
"I didn't, Well whatever it is I feel safer with my own weapon than any of these" Mori said then sighed looking at Motochika."Motochika …." Mori said very quietly
"Yup?" Motochika asks, looking over his shoulder curiously.
"Nothing" Mori said joining in looking for more weapons and such.
"Okay…" Motochika chuckled, already knowing what Mori was about to say.
"You will tell no one of what happened when we get out" Mori grumbled
"Like anyone will believe me." Motochika chuckled. "i can hear it now. 'hey guys! I did a cursed charm thing where we landed in a destroyed version of the ship and fought against a monster and met ghosts!' Yeah, they totally wouldn't strip me of my rank as ship captain and lordship status for insanity.."
Mori chuckled "I wouldn't mind that then I could finally have the seto sea all to myself"
"But then you'd be going unchallenged for the rest of your days! How boring would that get." Motochika laughed. "Admit it! You love fighting me. I keep you from getting bored, and you give me an excuse to put off my paperwork a little longer"
Mori sighed at the comment of his rival putting off paperwork just to go annoy him. "You're only a pesky wasp in my way" Mori said.
"Yeah, but wasps have stingers. And they're fast, and sometimes deadly" Motochika grinned. "Besides, i thought you liked bugs. You're always going on about your plants and stuff all the time"
"I know that is why I said you are a pesky wasp, I have lost many pawns to our squabbles." Mori rolled his eyes. "Bugs are not always helpful to plants" Mori mumbled.
"Reminds me. I wonder how my fish are doing. Poor guys haven't been fed since i left." Motochika's voice sounded sad at the mention of his pet fish. "Plus my parrot's probably starving. Poor girl"
Mori sighed remembering that his plants wouldn't be watered or checked over for weeds and bugs. "Maybe that annoying bird will make it's last squawk while you're away" Mori said coldly as he continued to look through the things picking up a few things here and there.
"The caterpillars must be all over your flowers right now." Motochika retorted, smirking. "And the grasshoppers are probably munching your reeds right up." Motochika felt a bit better at the thought of Mori losing his precious reeds to grasshoppers while his parrot starved.
Mori twitched but didn't say anything as he kept digging through the things still picking out things which seemed to not go together in anyway. Motochika chuckled at Mori's silence, taking joy at the fact that even if the person he was stuck with was his rival, he still had someone in this dark and gloomy place.
"Well, i got everything i need. How good of a medic are you?" Motochika asked, putting a gun on his belt and taking a bullet pouch, as well as a few bandages just in case.
"I have never had the need to know anything about fixing up wounds" Mori said picking up the items had had picked out and neatly placing them on him. "If this thing can be hurt as we saw it bleed we can set up traps for places we will need to come back to"
"Sucks for you then. i've got training in bullet wounds and seasickness, along with a few other illnesses." Motochika chuckled. "Good idea. I'm thinking of taking some of these wires lying around and setting up a bit of a sharpened wire net in the hallway. That way, if we need to run, then whatever's chasing us will get sliced to bits!"
"I have no need for weakened soldiers." Mori said strapping a few more things to his body. "We will have to make sure to place it up after we are sure there is nothing of used o us on the other side of the wire." Mri pointed out "But as much as I wish to get away from here we need a safe shelter and water supply if we are to be trapped here for a while"
"Water water everywhere, not a drop to drink" Motochika mumbled, looking out at the window at the ocean outside.
Mori sighed "As I am aware but we need to set up a base like in any war and siege" Mori said walking to the door.
"Wow, Mori. You're really planning to be here awhile." Motochika looked at him a bit surprised.
"This exit is apparently going to be hard to find and I wish not to stay here any longer than I must but I do not wish to become a corpse" Mori scoffed looking out the door in both directions.
"that makes two of us." Motochika shivered at the idea of being stuck here with their only option being allowing the monster to kill them. "You have anywhere in mind for a base, sunny? Only two places i can think of would be my quarters, and the crew quarters."
"Which only has one way to it or can easily be protected?" Mori asked looking back at Motochika obviously serious.
"Crew quarters. My room has two ways to it. Normally the crew quarters is straight down from the deck, but obviously we're not under normal circumstances. So that means we have to go looking, and hope that one of these corpses managed to make a map before they died." Motochika said seriously, unknowingly using his 'captain' voice.
"So it looks like were going scouting around for the crew quarters. We don't know but if they obviously know what they're talking about so we should take heed to any warnings and notes they leave." Mori said looking back out the door. "We will have to move fast we don't know where that black mist thing could appear again"
"It's sneaky, we know that much. So far it's striked when we're both alone, and attacks when we're least expecting it." Motochika nodded, gripping his anchor nervously as they headed out to the hall again. "Looks like we'll just have to keep walking till we reach something. Let's go, flower boy. It's a long walk." Motochika mumbled, heading back for the gap and unlocking the anchor part of his weapon again to swing across.
"So we need to be on our guard at all time" Mori said following Motochika "I was fine with Sunny but don't call me flower boy bird brain" Mori growled.
"As if we weren't already on our guard." Motochika mumbled, feeling stressed again. "I've got way worse than flower boy, trust me." Motochika chuckled, and started swinging his anchor at the beam and swung across. "Your turn." He called, swinging the anchor chain to Mori.
Mori growled as Motochika swung over but sighed as he caught the chain and grabbed ahold of the chain tightly and swung over landing softly.
"Not bad. Ya gotta do it with confidence though." Motochika chuckled, taking the chain back and retracting the anchor. Mori scoffed walking on ahead "It's not like I normally have to deal with this" Mori said looking around for any kind of door and holes.
"Looks like all those years of practicing boarding ships will be paying off then." Motochika chuckled, turning and heading down the hall, whistling a bit as he heaved the anchor on his shoulder.
"Do you really have to whistle?" Mori grumbled.
"It's better than listening to the boards under us sound like they're going to break any minute and listening to the thunder." Motochika shrugged. "I pray there's no lightning, though. Or rain. We're in a bad spot to be stuck in a storm. Besides, i've heard you sing Sunny. Let's just say you're not the most graceful singer either."
"Since when have you heard me sing?" Mori said shocked
"I'm not saying. After all, i can't lose my favorite pastime of listening Mori to sing off key." Motochika laughed.
Mori growled "Like you would be any better" Mori scoffed.
"I can. Want to hear?" Motochika grinned, clearing his throat as he got ready to sing.
"I am fine with you whistling" Mori said trying to get out of hearing Motochika sing.
"Aw. i had a song picked out and everything!" Motochika laughed.
"Oh well let's continue I would rather have a secure place to rest then somewhere unsafe" Mori sighed
"What's that up ahead?" Motochika asked, seeing the hall end at an archway leading to a larger room.
"You expect me to know" Mori scoffed. Motochika ignored him and sped up a little to enter the room to see the huge cargo deck, and the promising stairs leading up to the above deck.
"Cargo deck. Looks like we're getting closer." Motochika said, sounding relieved as he started to look around all the cargo for anything of use. "Damn, food's all rotted."
Mori sighed at being pushed off to the side once again as Motochika walked to the cargo deck, "Good, well than well have to find a way out eventually" Mori said looking around for anymore trap supplies.
"At least we're close to the deck, not that that seems to be an exit. No way it'd be that easy." Motochika replied, finding more bullets and pocketing them. "But it looks like now we've got some sort of crossroads here, at least. There's more halls leading off of this room." Motochika said, passing the stairs and entering another room that looked like the navigation room.
"Why would anything cursed be easy?" Mori grumbled as he picked up a few more things strapping them to his body. "Remember we need to stick together" Mori sighed walking to the navigation room.
"Looks like i found the navigation room!" Motochika started to sound a bit excited. "There's a map of the ship in here!"
"Well then we should take it along with us" Mori scoffed at Motochika's excitement but secretly did feel relieved that they found a map. 'Now we will have some sort of clue where to go'.
"Okay, it says from here, down the left hallway we have an infirmary, a cannon room, and a pantry, and on the right hallway, we have a 'guest quarters' and storage room. and back the way we came past my room is the exit!" Motochika said, coming back into the room excitedly reading the map. "And up above deck we have stairs that lead down into the crew quarters, dining room, and kitchen. And on deck we have the ship's wheel, as well as something called 'the garden'?" motochika looked confused as to how someone could have a garden on a ship.
"A garden?" Mori said looking intrigued.
"How and why would you keep a garden on a ship…" Motochika shook his head in confusion. "Anyway, looks like our 'base' is just up those stairs."Motochika said happily, folding the map up neatly and putting it into his coat pocket. "You ready, Sunshine?" Motochika grinned, sitting on the stairs patiently.
Mori sighed rolling his eyes at the nickname "As long as we have some kind of garden there might be some source of food there. Then let's not waste time" Mori said looking at Motochika.
"Let's go!" Motochika leapt up excitedly, running up the stairs and waiting for him at the top, stopping to breathe in the sea air, looking around at the deck but his eyes stopped frozen as he saw the 'garden'. "Uh… Mori… Looks like your garden might not be what you think it is.." Motochika said, feeling a bit sick as there were severed arms planted in pots around the front of the ship.
Mori walked carefully up the stairs following Motochika "What do you mean?" Mori said looking at Motochika questioningly. Motochika pointed to the pots arranged around the front of the ship, like a garden, and nearly puked as there were a few heads in some of the planters as well. Mori finally reached to top of the stairs and looked towards where Motochika was pointing and tunned his head.
"Whoever did this clearly has a sick sense of art." Motochika leaned over the rail of the ship, looking a little sick. "Aw man, i can't handle this much gore in one day." Motochika muttered, turning away to go up to the ship's wheel.
"I would have to agree" Mori said shaking his head. Motochika looked around the ship's wheel, seeing more skeletons, and a couple missing their skulls and their arms.
"Another note." Motochika called, seeing a note carved into the floor, seemingly with fingernails. "this one says: Go to the kitchen." Motochika bent down, reading the note in the wood. "Thanks for being so blunt, person who died." Motochika muttered, standing up, about to turn around and leave before a faint blue light appeared from the skeleton. Mori looked startled by the blue light "Uh there might be more" Mori said pointing behind Motochika
"What do you- AHHHH!" Motochika stumbled back onto the ship's wheel, staring frightened at the blue light.
"You two are… alive?" There was a feminine voice that filled both their ears. "Then, the monster is still here, i assume."
Mori looked surprised "blue spirits are good as that person said" Mori mumbled more to himself "What do you mean by that?" Mori asked the spirit
"So many come here, and every time we hope that someone will be able to stop the monster and free those of us held here. There are so many of us trapped…" The voice said sadly. "Those of us trapped here try to help how we can, but there are some who are angered about their death, and blindly take their rage out on others…"
Mori nodded taking the information in "How are we to stop this monster?" Mori said walking closer to the spirit and Motochika.
"There is a good spirit here. Not a wisp like us, but fully formed. If you help him, he'll help you fight the monster. The monster, it draws its energy from us ghosts, and every time one of us dies, it gets stronger. If you help him, he'll give you the key to the exit, and you can move onto the next version of this world." the ghost explained.
"Where is this spirit then?" Mori asked.
"He often stays around the guest quarters. You might find he's a little familiar to you two…" The spirit said, giving a small ghostly chuckle.
"Wait. What do you mean, 'next version'?" Motochika spoke up, his voice still a bit shocked. Mori nodded showing that is what he was going to ask as well.
"There are different versions of these twisted world. You came with friends, didn't you? They have been split up into these worlds, and each of you have to find your way out of these worlds in order to move onto the next version, to save your friends. when everyone's world has been solved, you have to fight the monster in it's final form, and kill it, in order to get back to the real world." the spirit explained, her voice growing more passionate as she mentioned killing the monster.
"So once we re-unite with everyone then we can kill this Monster and back to our world. But to get to everyone we have to solve some kind of puzzle" Mori said making sure he understood everything that the spirit said.
"Yes." The spirit glowed a bit brighter in approval.
Mori looked over at Motochika "I think we can manage that." Mori sighed
"yeah. I think." Motochika nodded, looking over at the spirit. The spirit started to fade, obviously having done what she had wanted to do, leaving the two on the deck alone.
"So we only have to figure out this puzzle to leave, and this good spirit will help us. Let's go to the guest quarters to see this person" Mori ordered.
"what happened to 'setting up a base'" Motochika chuckled, hopping on the railing down to the main deck.
Mori sighed "Such a child" Mori said with Motochika sliding down the railing "I want to get out of here as fast as possible and be with someone other than you so we have to figure this puzzle out!" Mori shouted down to Motochika as he walked down the stairs carefully.
"Fine. But first, i need to use the restroom. I've been holding it in since we got here, and the map says there's one in the crew quarters." Motochika called, heading for the set of stairs leading down to the crew quarters. Mori sighed as he continued to walk down the stairs "Hold on Motochika!" Mori shouted now annoyed that he was being left behind when Motochika had said to stay together. Motochika stopped on the stairs, waiting for Mori with a cheerful expression as he looked down at the crew quarters. At least they all looked the same. Same bunk beds as usual, a couple of lockers here and there. A couple of skeletons scattered around the room. "Come on! It's safe!" Motochika yelled.
"I am on my way!" Mori shouted back getting a little annoyed by Motochika's impascents as he walked down the other set of stairs.
"Come on, bathroom break buddy! Let's get going."Motochika hooked on arm in Mori's and walked down the stairs into the crew quarters, heading for the door leading to the bathroom.
Mori grunted as he was being pulled along by Motochika. "I do not need to use the bathroom, unhand me!" Mori complained
"nope!" Motochika grinned throwing the door open and stepping inside.
Mori groaned as he was dragged along having no chance to fight back against Motochika strength without using his weapon. Motochika let him go and headed towards the stalls, already unbuckling his belt as he headed for the first one. Mori turned his head and crossed his arms with a huff. There was the sound of the door creaking open, and a scream from Motochika, as he jumped back landing against the wall. Mori jumped a little at the scream but gripped his weapon and looked toward Motochika. Motochika held his mouth and looked like he was going to cry as he looked at whatever was in the stall, breathing heavily into his hand as he looked away. "Oh my god… oh my god.." he mumbled, starting to shake as he met Mori's eyes with a fearful look. "I… i think i can hold it." Motochika whimpered.
Mori looked at him confused. "Then let us go" Mori sighed walking towards the door letting his grip on his ring blade loosen
"I… i can't just leave her there." Motochika whimpered, walking up to the stall and pulling out a knife.
"What?" Mori said looking back at him.
"Can you help me lift her while i cut her down?" Motochika asked, his voice unusually serious.
Mori sighed as he sat down his ring blade and walked over to Motochika "We really have no time for this" Mori grumbled
Inside the stall was a girl, in futuristic looking clothes hanging from the ceiling by a noose, probably done herself, her stomach all cut up and sliced open, her intestines hanging limply from what remained of her stomach.
Mori covered his mouth at the sight of the girl as he walked over to her and held her up closeing his eyes so he wouldn't have to see the intestines. Motochika looked grim as he reached up and cut the noose, catching the girl as she fell, and dragging her out of the stall, putting her down gently on the floor.
"That's done now we really must be doing" Mori said not looking at the girl as he walked out of the stall and over to his ring blade. Motochika's fingers were shaking as he respectfully closed the girl's eyelids, and he got up quickly sheathing the knife.
"Now to the guest quarters to meet this good spirit" Mori said picking up his weapon and placing it over his head and the handle resting on his shoulder.
"Right." Motochika nodded, his voice cracking a bit as he walked over to Mori, opening the door and leaving quickly, holding open the door for Mori to pass through. Mori sighed "I am not a woman Motochika" Mori said walking through the door. Motochika's head looked down at the floor as he closed the door behind him, shaking a bit as he followed Mori, heading for the stairs. Mori noticed the silence of Motochika but enjoyed the quietness and continued up the stairs. Motochika stayed silent through the trip up the stairs. Mori sighed 'I'm going to regret this' Mori thought "Motochika are you alright?" Mori grumbled
"F-fine." Motochika mumbled, sounding like he was trying to keep from crying.
"If you were fine you would be non stop talking like normal" Mori grumbled wanting to punch himself in the face for trying to cheer up Motochika 'why am I doing this I am enjoying this quietness!'
"I-i've never seen that much death, to be honest. Wounds, injuries, sure. But… to see… a real corpse… It's a bit overwhelming, to be honest. And now there's bodies everywhere, people killing themselves… it's a bit of a mood drainer, ya know." Motochika said shakily, sniffling and wiping his eye as tears started to come up.
"Death happens you just have to get used to it, idiot. What do you think happens to those that never come back from a fight?" Mori scoffed "A corpse isn't all that scary. Some people are just too weak to deal with death and end up killing themselves, it's just as simple as that" Mori sighed and rolled his eyes.
"I know… it's just… well… I've only ever just been told by other people about death. But… seeing it with my own eye… none of their descriptions can even prepare me for seeing just how.. gory… death is. That girl… her eyes were so lifeless… and yet i could feel her stare on me as i looked at her. And her intestines… Seeing someone do that by their own hand, willingly, is just…" Motochika was at a loss for words, taking deep breaths as he tried to continue talking, if only to keep from crying. "I'm sorry. I must look really weak to you right now. I just don't know how anyone can look at death and be able to go unaffected..." Motochika wiped his eye, trying to look stronger than he was feeling.
"You get used to it after a while, plus we are all going to die eventually why fear it?" Mori said turning into the hallway where the guest room was.
"Mori… please don't die. I don't know if i could… i don't know if i could handle the death of someone i know. Looking at what the death of a stranger does to me… i'm afraid of what i'll do if it's the death of someone i know." Motochika said weakly. Mori stopped and stood in shock at what Motochika said for a moment. Mori then chuckled from a moment of silence "Fine, I won't die not here, like I had any intention on losing to such a weak monster" Mori chuckled "Don't think that i'm gonna beg you to stay alive, but … it is nice to have some company …. even if it is you" Mori sighed as he continued to walk toward the guest quarters.
"Thanks. I'm glad i got stuck with someone at least. I'm pretty sure i would have broken down in the place on my own. I'm glad you're here to keep me sane." Motochika chuckled, smiling even if he was silently crying. The two fell into a comfortable silence as they walked down the guest quarters, much to Mori's enjoyment. Motochika pulled out the map and looked it over. "It says this is the guest quarters…" he mumbled, looking around at the different rooms.
"Looking for me?" a familiar voice grumbled as heavy footsteps approached behind them.
Mori looked toward the sound of the familiar voice.
