*The Prophecy*
Aika was acting as lookout, but was falling asleep from boredom. There hadn't been any sightings of the huge ship, or anything interesting, for that matter.
--Good grief. Of all of Vyse's stupid ideas, this one is by far the worst. It's as boring as hell until that 'thing' shows up, and then our chances of making it out alive are nearly zilch.--
A school of sky sardis flew past, and redheaded air pirate sighed.
--Whoop de do. We have just discovered sky sardi colony number five million and two. Who cares? I just want to sleep.--
"Aika! Come look at this!"
The air pirate turned to see what her silvite friend was talking about. Beyond the next mountain, black smoke was rising into the air.
"What the hell caused that?"
"I don't know, but we should see if we can do anything to help."
The two friends went to the bridge, and Vyse confirmed that he had seen the smoke. "Black smoke like that is hard to miss. I'm going to land nearby, but not close enough for the ship to catch on fire."
Once they got over the ridge, they saw that Vyse's plan would need a little bit of editing. Vyse landed the Prophecy nearby, and they took a lifeboat to view the wreckage from above.
"Vyse, Fina... I think that this ship used to be the Claudia."
Vyse leaned over the railing, and said, "Thankfully, it doesn't look like anybody was on board when this ship crashed."
"Um, crashed? It looks like there had been gaping holes in the hull."
"You're right, Fina." The young captain sighed. "Have Cupil tell Gilder and Clara that the Claudia crashed. We're going to go tell Enrique in person."
"I'm assuming that Cupil is allowed to tell Clara where Gilder is?"
Vyse smiled mischievously. "But of course! This may be one of the few chances she gets to catch him, as he would have no way of escaping her."
"Or the phoenix ship." Vyse grimaced at Aika's comment, but didn't respond.
Cupil went zooming in the direction of Horteka, while the air pirates went back to their ship and set a course for Valua.
*Horteka*
"I'm sick of waiting for news!"
"You wouldn't notice the wait as much if you'd just do something other than sit around all day, Gilder!"
"That's not a bad idea. I think I'll go for a walk. Who knows, maybe having time alone together will cause the two of you to confess your feelings for each other."
"GILDER!"
"Just kidding!"
The captain of the Claudia ran out of the hut before his companions (who were both blushing furiously) could hurt him.
Urala sighed in annoyance. "Honestly..."
"No clue as to what he was talking about."
"...Me either."
The two stared out of separate windows, both consulting their hearts over what Gilder had said.
--The fool. He just said that to irk us. But... do I love Hans? I never thought about it before...--
"Cup-cupil! Cuuuupppiiilll!"
The silver creature's cries jolted Urala out of her thoughts, and she turned to see it zooming out the window.
"Hans? What was that all about?"
The young engineer held up a folded piece of paper, and said, "Cupil had a message from Vyse."
"Don't just stand there, read it!"
Hans did so. When he had finished, he was pale, and looked like he was about to drop the note at any second.
"Hans?"
"I-I'm fine."
"What did Vyse write that caused your reaction?"
Hans took a deep breath to calm himself before answering. "The Claudia sank. Her remains are near the pirate's grave, it looks like some cannonballs tore holes in her hull prior to sinking, and there's no sign of Gilder's crew anywhere."
Urala gasped. "Do you..."
"Think that the phoenix ship caused this? Yes."
"We have to go tell Gilder. Now."
Hans nodded, and the two left the elder's hut to look for their friend.
*The Primrose*
Clara looked out the windows on the bridge, sighing in frustration.
--No sign of Gilder anywhere near Yafutoma. I hate those stupid, unreliable information sources.--
Tap tap.
The blue rogue looked around for the source of the noise, but was unable to find it.
"Captain Clara!"
"Lilly, do you know where that noise is coming from?"
"Uh-huh. Cupil came, and gave me a message from the Prophecy."
--Huh. I wonder what Vyse has to say.--
Clara read the message, and looked torn between crying and whooping for joy.
"Um, Captain? Why the split reaction?"
"The Claudia sank without any nearby sign of Gilder's crew, but he's in Horteka without a way to leave."
"You can finally catch him."
"Yes, and this time, I will succeed! Set a course for Horteka!"
Aika was acting as lookout, but was falling asleep from boredom. There hadn't been any sightings of the huge ship, or anything interesting, for that matter.
--Good grief. Of all of Vyse's stupid ideas, this one is by far the worst. It's as boring as hell until that 'thing' shows up, and then our chances of making it out alive are nearly zilch.--
A school of sky sardis flew past, and redheaded air pirate sighed.
--Whoop de do. We have just discovered sky sardi colony number five million and two. Who cares? I just want to sleep.--
"Aika! Come look at this!"
The air pirate turned to see what her silvite friend was talking about. Beyond the next mountain, black smoke was rising into the air.
"What the hell caused that?"
"I don't know, but we should see if we can do anything to help."
The two friends went to the bridge, and Vyse confirmed that he had seen the smoke. "Black smoke like that is hard to miss. I'm going to land nearby, but not close enough for the ship to catch on fire."
Once they got over the ridge, they saw that Vyse's plan would need a little bit of editing. Vyse landed the Prophecy nearby, and they took a lifeboat to view the wreckage from above.
"Vyse, Fina... I think that this ship used to be the Claudia."
Vyse leaned over the railing, and said, "Thankfully, it doesn't look like anybody was on board when this ship crashed."
"Um, crashed? It looks like there had been gaping holes in the hull."
"You're right, Fina." The young captain sighed. "Have Cupil tell Gilder and Clara that the Claudia crashed. We're going to go tell Enrique in person."
"I'm assuming that Cupil is allowed to tell Clara where Gilder is?"
Vyse smiled mischievously. "But of course! This may be one of the few chances she gets to catch him, as he would have no way of escaping her."
"Or the phoenix ship." Vyse grimaced at Aika's comment, but didn't respond.
Cupil went zooming in the direction of Horteka, while the air pirates went back to their ship and set a course for Valua.
*Horteka*
"I'm sick of waiting for news!"
"You wouldn't notice the wait as much if you'd just do something other than sit around all day, Gilder!"
"That's not a bad idea. I think I'll go for a walk. Who knows, maybe having time alone together will cause the two of you to confess your feelings for each other."
"GILDER!"
"Just kidding!"
The captain of the Claudia ran out of the hut before his companions (who were both blushing furiously) could hurt him.
Urala sighed in annoyance. "Honestly..."
"No clue as to what he was talking about."
"...Me either."
The two stared out of separate windows, both consulting their hearts over what Gilder had said.
--The fool. He just said that to irk us. But... do I love Hans? I never thought about it before...--
"Cup-cupil! Cuuuupppiiilll!"
The silver creature's cries jolted Urala out of her thoughts, and she turned to see it zooming out the window.
"Hans? What was that all about?"
The young engineer held up a folded piece of paper, and said, "Cupil had a message from Vyse."
"Don't just stand there, read it!"
Hans did so. When he had finished, he was pale, and looked like he was about to drop the note at any second.
"Hans?"
"I-I'm fine."
"What did Vyse write that caused your reaction?"
Hans took a deep breath to calm himself before answering. "The Claudia sank. Her remains are near the pirate's grave, it looks like some cannonballs tore holes in her hull prior to sinking, and there's no sign of Gilder's crew anywhere."
Urala gasped. "Do you..."
"Think that the phoenix ship caused this? Yes."
"We have to go tell Gilder. Now."
Hans nodded, and the two left the elder's hut to look for their friend.
*The Primrose*
Clara looked out the windows on the bridge, sighing in frustration.
--No sign of Gilder anywhere near Yafutoma. I hate those stupid, unreliable information sources.--
Tap tap.
The blue rogue looked around for the source of the noise, but was unable to find it.
"Captain Clara!"
"Lilly, do you know where that noise is coming from?"
"Uh-huh. Cupil came, and gave me a message from the Prophecy."
--Huh. I wonder what Vyse has to say.--
Clara read the message, and looked torn between crying and whooping for joy.
"Um, Captain? Why the split reaction?"
"The Claudia sank without any nearby sign of Gilder's crew, but he's in Horteka without a way to leave."
"You can finally catch him."
"Yes, and this time, I will succeed! Set a course for Horteka!"