……………… I need more to do…
Megaman: I know. Three chapters in two days.
And where were you for these past two chapters?
MM: ummmmm… sleeping!
……… Okay! ^_^!!
MM: (relived) Ok, on with the chapter!!
Yes… but first, a response to the ONE SOLITARY REVIEW that I have received so far…
Desert Lynx- ummmmm… Yes.
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As Mark piloted the lifeboat into one of the docking spaces of Sailor's Island, he took a moment to reflect on what had happened since he had escaped in the stolen Valuan cruiser. He had piloted it to Guidestones Island, in between Sailor's Island, Nasr, and Valua. He had concealed the ship on the island, and then taken its only lifeboat out to Sailor's Island. He had yet to think of a name for his new ship, but he figured that that would all come in time. For now, he would be content with assembling a crew.
When he was in the clutches of Eric the Red, he had thought that his dream of becoming a Blue Rouge would never come true. But now, he could use the captured cruiser as his ship. He had finally become a captain of his own ship!
Now, he had to assemble a crew. He knew of some likely candidates, and decided to try those first. He walked down the pier and into the main part of the island.
An hour later, he surveyed the base crew he had assembled. He had his main crewmen all accounted for. He had gathered up some of his friends on the island, people he knew from the streets.
At the helm, he had John Lasanti, star young prodigy helmsman. John had won the Sailor's Island Round-the-Island race for the past three years running, since he was fourteen. John knew every nautical trick in the book, making him Mark's first choice for the helm. John was tall and lanky, with dark hair. He wore a leather aviator's jacket with goggles, tight-fitting pants and brown shoes. He had a huge cutlass slung across his back. Even in such an exciting time, had a perfectly calm look on his face.
Leana Felisco, his new main gunner, was wearing a keyed up grin on her face. Mark knew through personal experience that that could change at any moment, as the fiery redhead was prone to mood swings and was described by all as 'trigger happy'. She was just as likely to be smiling at you as pointing one of her twin pistols in your face. She was 'decked out' as she liked to say, in an orange shirt and shorts, with orange sandals to accompany them.
The lookout, Rick 'Double E' Jones, was looking out the window of Mark's apartment above the tavern at one of the ships in the harbor. Rick had the sharpest eyes on Sailor's Island, which had earned him his nickname, which meant 'Eagle Eye'. He had a sniper's rifle in a holster crossway on his back. He was famous for feats of shooting skill, and legend had it that he could shoot down a ship with one shot to the right place. He was wearing a blue jacket with a yellow shirt underneath, with yellow-and-blue striped pants and shoes. He said that complemented his hair, which was dyed bright yellow.
The last member of the new crew was Wallace 'Fixit' Charlesbury, the ship's engineer. Wallace got his nickname from his impressive mechanical skills. If it was broken, he could fix it. Often, you'd get it back better that when you first got it. And he was also a great inventor, frequently making devices just for the fun of it. It was he who made the ships that John piloted to win, commonly placing gadgets that no one else had on them. Just last year, John pulled ahead of the competition using booster engines that Wallace had made from torpedoes with the warheads removed. He always wore his work overalls, with goggles up on his blond hair to protect his eyes from things that might be dangerous.
"I think the first order of business", said Wallace, "should be thinking up a name for ourselves. All great Blue Rouges have cool names. Like The Scarlet Thunder, or The Roguish Knights.
"Hmmmmm…" said Mark. "You're right. We should have a good name. I'm open to suggestions."
"The Cannon Crew! So people know we're not afraid to shoot them down!" said Leana.
"The Flying Fixers. So they know we can repair our ship well." suggested Wallace.
"How about… The Eagle Eyes! Cause' we're all pretty good shots." recommended Rick.
"I'm neutral on this, pretty much" stated John.
Mark considered the suggestions. They were all good ones, but in his mind they lacked… Something, a crucial ingredient…
Suddenly, his eyes, wandering to the window, caught on something. It was a hawk, soaring on the thermals from the island. This magnificent creature, free to fly with the winds, free to do as it pleased, this picture of beauty, grace, and at the same time, deadly, it was the perfect symbol for all Blue Rouges stood for. And at that moment, a feeling came upon him. It was a feeling… of being one with the hawk, soaring across the sky with not a care in the world.
"I've got it", he said, "The Soaring Hawks!"
And so it was decided. They had a name. And the ship was thereby christened Hawk's Claw. Thus was born the beginning of a legend, one that would endure long after it was ended. It was a legend that would encompass the entire known world, and beyond. It was… The Legend of the Soaring Hawk!
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Gilder: (reading chapter)… who knew you had a philosophical bent?
Huh? Oh… I don't remember much of writing that chapter… just a lot of jumping around an banging my head on the keyboard… Whatever. R&R, please!