Savilia knew something was wrong quick, but in all the excitement and fuss, she had ignored the horrible feeling in her gut. Now, she was wishing she hadn't. The dragon was currently locked in a battle with two fierce pirates. They had Savilia cornered but took a heavy slam of her thick tail, throwing them off the edge of the boat. Her head looked everywhere, looking for Scroop and was wondering if he could hold up with so many pirates.

Savilia trotted over to assist him only to get stopped by the captain of the crew himself. A large cutlass was held in his long hand. He had three pairs of yellow-green eyes. Fangs stuck out of his mouth, intimidating Savilia somewhat with potential venom. His skin was a rusted color. His dressing was that of a normal pirate with a fancy touch. "You aren't gettin' away so easily, dragon," his harsh voice promised.

Savilia scoffed. "Wanna bet, fish-face?"

The captain narrowed his eyes at her. "You'll soon be eatin' those words, lass." The fight started. The captain swung at Savilia but she dodged and kicked him away. The alien got up and charged at Savilia. He jumped over her tail and slashed her in the side. His skill was unexpected yet expected at the same time. She didn't know how well of an opponent he would actually become.

Savilia shot a blast of acid. The captain's speed outmatched that of the acidic stream following him. Other crew members were hit in the process, burning and melting their skin. This acid was nothing to be messed with, the captain noted as he looked back at his writhing crew. It was a slightly sickening sight. Savilia's tail swept under his feet while he had gotten distracted, sending him on his back. She stood over him, glaring down at him. For several moments, nothing was said. They just stared into each other's eyes. Something psychically passed between the two.

When they both noticed it, they tore apart from each other. Memories tried to flood through Savilia's mind but the headache that came with it was so intense that it brought her to the ground. She hissed in pain and grabbed at her head, trying to force the headache away. She had even forgotten about the danger on the ship, opening up a weak spot.

"Get the dragon tied up! Hurry!" the captain called to his crew. Several crew members grabbed some rope and stalked towards Savilia. The sound of the captain's voice snapped her back into reality, but her eyes blurred horribly. She tried to fight off what seemed like dozens of crew members but missed the actual ones. It felt like trying to pinpoint the actual person from a house of mirrors at the carnival.

Ropes were thrown over her and tightened, bringing her to the ground. Her arms, legs, and wings were tied. Her snout was muzzled with a small, leather net tied around it. Scroop was equally outmatched and apprehended. One of the larger crew members tossed him beside Savilia.

The captain chuckled and kneeled next to the Cavarie's head. "Doesn't feel good to be tied, eh?"

A deep hiss slithered through her throat. She avoided eye contact, hoping not to cause another headache like the one before. She snorted and looked to the side, staring at the deck floor. Her eyes soon calmed slightly.

"I'm curious to how you came across a creature like this," the captain curiously pondered aloud, looking at Scroop.

Scroop said nothing. His gut wouldn't let him say a word about Savilia. He wanted to say everything and possibly get her out of his life. Why the hell was he stopping himself?

The captain took his cutlass and held the tip to Scroop's throat. "I'd get talking." Something wet and slimy hit his hand, starting to burn not even a second after. "Arrh!" He dropped his sword and quickly wiped the substance off his hand with his coat. Looking down at his hand, the skin had been burned quickly to a second-degree burn. His six eyes glared at Savilia, who was giving him a smug look. "You bitch!" Smack! He backhanded her with his unburned hand, tanning the spot on Savilia's face instantly. His patience had run thin. From his coat, he took out a pocket pistol and pointing it at her and cocked it. "I've had just about enough of you!"

"Wait!" The sound of the arachnid's voice stopped him from pulling the trigger. He forced his eyes from Savilia and turned to Scroop, impatiently waiting for a response. "She wasss a ssstowaway. I offered her sssafety for work aboard my ssship."

The captain swallowed his anger and impatience. He stowed the pistol away again. "It's quite odd for a dragon like her to be able to work aboard a ship with ease," the captain finally said.

Scroop looked at Savilia and she merely nodded. "Ssshe can turn human."

The captain's eyes widened. "Fascinatin'." With a smile, he scanned Savilia. "I would love to see this."

Savilia sighed, knowing she would have to. Before all of them, she shifted to her human form. All the rope was useless to restrain her. She tore the rope off her legs and hands before standing up.

"Now, don't try anythin' while you're like that." The captain looked at one of his crew and threw a pistol to him. "If you attack, he'll shoot your friend here." He gestured his hand to Scroop as the crew member took aim to Scroop's head.

Savilia growled. "And if you kill him, I'll make sure to rip out every one of your innards out before I kill you." Needles pricked through her words. They were so intense that some of the crew shuddered at the thought.

"My word is given that he won't shoot if you're no threat," the captain uttered.

"Fine, but leave the ship. You can have any valuables, but leave."

The captain said nothing but merely walked to Savilia, standing in front of her. The alien had about a foot to a foot and a half on her. Looking down at her, he noticed the locket around her neck. He held out a hand. "Let me see it."

Savilia was hesitant, ready to die to defend the locket. Right now, she knew better to cooperate somewhat. The locket was lifted over her head and placed in the rusted hand. The captain looked the locket over before peering into the ruby. He blinked, seeing a fuzzy image in the ruby. A woman, he saw. She looked to be about in her early twenties. As the image became clearer, everything else around him became fuzzy. Memories surged his mind as he stared deeper into the ruby. The woman he saw was like no other. Her skin was fair with a tint of blue. Her long, cerulean hair shone like the ocean on a sunny day. She wore a beautiful red dress. And yet, something was clutched in her arms, holding it close. The captain squinted, trying to see what it was she was holding. His eyes went blank for several moments.

He set the locket upside down in Savilia's hand and turned away from her, walking a few paces away. The tension was unsettling for the girl and Scroop. Somehow, they both knew what he was thinking. His eyes flashed opened with an order, "Tie her up and throw her aboard. The dragon's comin' with us."

Upon hearing the words, Savilia transformed quickly. She went in to attack but the captain reminded her not to, pointing a pistol at Scroop. Cursing herself silently for being so kind hearted, she gave in, submitting herself to capture. The first mate walked up and put a loop around her neck and tied her snout shut. Her head subconsciously flicked at how uncomfortable the rope felt around her muzzle. It was so scratchy and itchy. The slender alien tugged at the rope, urging Savilia to follow him.

The captain chuckled at her. "You did say we could take anythin' valuable on the ship. You are quite the prize, dragon."

Scroop was untied but still had a pistol pointed at him. Before boarding the pirate's ship, Savilia remembered that she still held the locket in her hand. As hard as it was for her, she let it go, letting it slide out of her claws and onto the deck. She looked back at Scroop, her heart wrenching at the separation. She wanted to fight and struggle so bad, but her head told her it wasn't the smart thing to do right now. Her eyes closed as she muttered a goodbye to Scroop, a few tears falling from her eyes, before being pulled aboard the ship.

Scroop watched the ship sail away with Savilia aboard. The mantivor was stunned all over, not even sure what to believe. After so many months, she was actually gone. Out of his life for good. However, he didn't feel happy or relieved like he expected. Watching them take her away tore at him somehow. He looked around at his ship. Maybe it was the fact that he lost the best cabin girl ever? It was only part of the answer.

A glint came from somewhere near the edge of the boat. Walking up to it, he discovered it to be Savilia's necklace. Carefully, he picked it up and stared into the ruby once more, questioning it again.

"The ruby was enhanced to show the holder or wearer of the locket to show their deepest secret or what they truly wanted in life. I could never figure out which. It had always been my dragon reflecting back at me, but that could be my secret or what I want. I don't want to be a dragon forever, you know. And I do hide that from the rest of the world. I'd be scared to think about what would happen if they found out…"

A few months prior, Scroop had questioned the ruby. The answer had come back to him in memory, but he ignored what he saw in the ruby, thinking it was a trick of his mind instead of what it really was. Well, this was the third time he had ever looked at the jewel. Third time's the charm as most people say, but he never really believed old saying like that.

The ruby soon reflected back what he had seen twice before in the scarlet gem. Savilia laughed and smiled back at him from the ruby. Something tugged at his insides seeing this. His mind still wanted to believe it was a trick, still something told him otherwise. He clutched the locket in his pincer. He looked up at the sky, not seeing the pirates' ship in sight. "I won't let them get away with thisss."