I'm really sorry about the long delay. I've been busy lately. I'm not finished with this chapter yet, but since the first part of it is as almost as long as a regular chapter I figured I'd let you guys read part of it, and then upload the second part at a later date (most likely sometime this week). It's better than nothing.
In my old TFR continuation Hanso and Brynn went to Mystery Island at one point. This story is a sort of rewrite of that, though this time it will focus more on their actual adventure. Though it uses the same idea, the plot is completely different. To those that haven't read my older stories (and you probably shouldn't), the title is a reference to the old plot.
Hanso's Girl
"I could care less about what Hanso thinks of us. I don't see why everybody is such a fan of him."
Hanso awoke to the sound of a cardboard box hitting the hardwood floor, followed by Brynn muttering something under her breath. He sat up in bed, and noticed that the unoccupied side was covered by clothing piles and bags. Brynn was attempting to shove the box back onto the top shelf of her closet, but wasn't having much luck.
"I hope you're packing because we're going on a tropical vacation," Hanso commented.
"Not exactly," Brynn replied, still distracted with the box. "Now that you're up do you mind giving me a hand?" Hanso began to clap, but quickly stopped when Brynn dropped the box and turned around to glare at him.
"Very funny, Hanso. Now get out of bed and help me with this box."
"Or?" he leaned back against his pillow and gave her one of his infamous smiles. There was something satisfying about annoying her.
"Or I'll drop it on you next time."
"I suppose I could help." He reluctantly climbed out of bed, walked over to where Brynn had dropped the box, picked it up, and set it back on the top shelf of the closet. "What where you trying to get?" he asked.
"Those books." She pointed at a small stack of dusty books on Mystery Island. Hanso pulled them off the shelf, and then handed them to her.
"I'm going to get ready. Don't knock the box off again," he teased.
"Don't take too long," she shot back, setting the books down on the bed with everything else. "We have a boat to catch at nine."
- x -
"We've been waiting here for twenty minutes, when they going to get here? I could be lounging around on the beach right now," Roxton Colchester the Third complained to his companion, Clara Chatham. The blue wocky had reluctantly agreed to accompany the infamous explorer and his small kougra sidekick after they had worked together to rediscover the underground land of Moltara. She had only done so because she was eager to see more of the world, even if it meant travelling with the arrogant, misogynistic, egotistical Roxton.
"When the boat gets here," Clara replied with a sigh. "There was probably a delay." The two pets were standing on the dock in Mystery Island's harbour, waiting for Hanso and Captain Brynn to arrive, while Jordie was perched atop of the railing, watching the waves. They had been asked by Queen Fyora herself to help the pair on their mission, as they were familiar with the island.
"Ship," Roxton automatically corrected. "It is called a ship. How many times must I explain this?"
"Nobody calls it a ship," Clara argued.
"Everybody I've talked to calls it a ship," Roxton declared. "Therefore, it is a ship."
"They only call it a ship to humour you."
"Will you two stop fighting?" Jordie turned away from the sea to glare at the two neopets. "If you guys keep fighting Brynn and Hanso aren't going to want to bring us along!"
"I could care less what Hanso thinks of us. I don't see why everybody is such a fan of him," Roxton muttered. "He's just a thief who was in the right place at the right time."
Clara laughed. "You're just jealous of him because he's more popular than you are."
"I am not!" Roxton protested. It was a lie, of course. Though he'd never admit it, he was jealous of the ixi's fame, which was completely underserved in his opinion. For some odd reason, Roxton had ever been that popular a hero, despite the fact that he had helped save Neopia two times and rediscovered a forgotten land along the way, which was a lot more than that arrogant thief had ever accomplished.
"They're here!" Jordie exclaimed, interrupting Roxton's thoughts. He began to wave frantically, and nearly fell off the railing. Clara and Roxton looked over at where the small kougra was waving, and sure enough, a boat was sailing towards the harbour.
"Took them long enough," Roxton said to himself.
- x -
The boat soon docked, and the group of neopets greeted Brynn and Hanso. After a brief introduction, they made their way to the hotel where Brynn and Hanso would be staying for the duration of their trip. Roxton led the way, determined to spend as little time with the ixi as possible. The others trailed along behind him. Hanso was recounting some of his stories to an enthusiastic Jordie, while Clara and Brynn were discussing plans for tomorrow's artefact hunt.
"Roxton," Jordie said, interrupting Hanso's current story once he caught a glimpse of the hotel. "Can I stay here with Hanso and Brynn instead?"
"No," Roxton answered. "Hanso and Brynn don't want you bothering them. Besides, I'm your legal guardian, you have to stay with me."
"Is he your son?" Hanso asked, curious.
"No, I lost my parents when I sent myself back in time with a faerie artefact," Jordie announced, a cheerful smile still on his face.
"What."
"He's Roxton's nephew," Clara corrected. "Jordie's parents were in an accident while at sea. Roxton has been taking care of Jordie ever since. He insists that they're still alive, though..."
"That got depressing fast," Hanso muttered to Brynn, who then scolded him for asking the question in the first place.
They continued their walk to the hotel in silence. Within minutes of entering the hotel's lobby, they were stopped a security guard.
"Excuse me, Miss," the security guard said to Brynn, "I'm sorry, but we do not permit weapons inside the hotel, and I'm going to have to ask you to-"
"I have a license," Brynn informed the draik.
"We still can not permit you-"
"I think you misunderstood me," Brynn interrupted once again. "I have a license issued by King Hagan of Brightvale, and if you have a problem I suggest you go take it up with him."
Before the draik could reply, he was joined by another security guard - this one a skeith.
"It's always a draik and a skeith..." Roxton heard Hanso mutter to himself.
"What's going on here?" The skeith asked his partner.
"Miss Kougra here does not seem to want to abide by our 'no weapons' policy," the draik replied.
The skeith guard smacked his face with the palm of his hand. "You idiot. Do you have any clue who this is?" The draik guard shook his head. "This is Captain Brynn, and if you don't leave her alone then you are going to have King Hagan and Queen Fyora to answer to!"
The draik guard paled. "I'm sorry, Miss," he said quickly. "Please enjoy the rest of your stay." He left in a hurry with the other security guard, and Brynn and Hanso were able to check in with no further complications.
"I'm sorry about that," Brynn apologised.
"It happens a lot," Hanso added with a shrug.
"Don't worry about it," Clara replied. "I suppose we'll meet you two in the lobby tomorrow morning around seven o'clock?"
"Seven o'clock?" Hanso repeated. "That's bit early, don't you think?"
Brynn rolled her eyes. "Don't be so lazy, Hanso." Turning back to Clara she said "Seven o'clock is fine."
Clara smiled. "We'll see you then." She and Roxton then left the hotel lobby - after they managed to escort Jordie out of the gift shop.
