A/N

Well, I said I'd be updating on a more regular basis and I'm finally managing it! Hopefully I can start up the Comments story again, I have a half written chapter I need to finish…

Jellyfish: Any of numerous usually free-swimming marine coelenterates of the class Scyphozoa, characteristically having a gelatinous, tentacled, often bell-shaped medusoid stage as the dominant phase of its life cycle.


"You can see all the stars from here, it is so cool!" Kitty said happily as she sat on the deck next to me. I had been checking on Crepuscule, who was still showing his general dislike of sailing. Now I was sitting on the very clean deck and staring up with Kitty. Jean and Rahne were over by the railing, watching the water pass. Mr. McCoy was quizzing Mr. Warrents, as Ivan had dubbed the young man. Gregory was actually an alright guy. He knew a lot about ship and sailing, but didn't seem to know about fighting all that much.

Ivan was standing by the wheel, sometimes glancing up to check the stars before making an adjustment. The rest of his crew were mixed and matched, a few big, furry dog like beings that spent their time tying things down, for what I didn't know. I tried to ask Red Moon, but he didn't answer me straight.

Cats.

"So, what do we do after we get off this, like, canoe?"

"I don't think it's a good idea to call this ship a canoe."

There were beings who flew, several of which were bug like, the others were the bird people. Some of the little lizard people popped out of trapdoors on the deck and rushed about doing whatever it was that they did.

But mostly there were humans, at least, transpeople. They outnumbered all of the other guys two to one, I think. Most of them were men, but every once in awhile I'd spot a few women, carrying rope to give to the dog men or doing other tasks. It surprised me that they were working so hard when it was a few hours after sundown.

"I wonder what they're all so busy for."

"Maybe that's just how it works on ships."

"I don't think so Ki—" I looked down. Something was moving under us. Under the ship.

"Hello, earth to Danny…Danny?"

"There's something really big moving underneath us."

She gasped and put her hands to her mouth and started to turn white. I thought she was being a little overdramatic.

"Don't worry, if you don't say anything to upset the crew or anyone else, then we probably won't have to worry. It doesn't seem all that interested in us anyway."

"Why not tell the crew?" She whispered.

"You reacted the way you did and you ask me that question? Kitty, the one thing all things have in common, animals, humans, plants, whatever, is they all tend to react badly to things that are bigger than they are and possibly unknown to them."

"Oh."

"Besides, we have something else to deal with right now." I looked out towards the front of the ship where I was hearing complaining murmurs.

"What?"

"There is a huge trench right in front of us. All of the water is rushing in."

"What?!" She bolted up to the front of the ship. "There's a huge hole in the water!"

"Nah, it's just in the ocean floor. Nothin' to worry about." On of the dog men finished tying something down. "Might wanna hold onto something though."

So that's what they were doing. Of course they would know that this trench was here, they'd been sailing around long enough to be able to notice if a big honking trench was sucking down the ocean. It would be a little hard to miss.

Of course, now that I knew what they had all been doing, I didn't know what they planned to do about the fact that the ship was still heading toward the trench, and it was looking really forbidding.

I got up and went over to the wheel.

"You do have something up your sleeve for all this, don't you?" I asked. He just allowed a small smile. "Are you smiling because you realized that you may die soon or are you trying to psyche me out?"

"I assure you, I have everything under control. Of course, there is no guarantee that we may get out of this alive."

"Oh, great. I'm so glad you decided to instill confidence of your abilities in me."

"Now, what's the point of being a gentleman of fortune if everything's a sure thing?" He said as he made a few adjustments to the wheel. The trench was closing. "Mr. Geris, swing out the wings, full speed ahead."

"Aye sir!" Another of the dog men yelled. This one lifted a trapdoor and pulled the lever underneath.

There was a groaning sound, then splitting out of the sides of the ship came fans, golden, just like the sails.

I stared at them for a moment. "That's very nice. So…I take it you want to glide down the trench?"

"We're going over it."

"How exactly are you going to do that? I don't see how you're going to accomplish it."

"That's why I'm the Captain and you're a cabin girl." He said. "All hands brace for impact."

"Just going to let that last comment slide…" I said to myself as I watched us come almost to the lip of the trench.

I barely had time to grab the railing beside the wheel as the ship tipped over the side and dove nose first into the descending water.

"Oh crap." Were the first words out of my mouth when the water bottom started to get closer, all of a sudden this blast of white air exploded upwards, catching the fans of the ship and bearing us all upwards. The ship shook uncontrollably as it shot upwards. I saw Crepuscule beating his wings, trying to get a bearing.

"Okay, I'll admit, this is something different." I said over the water spray that accompanied the steam cloud.

"I know. I thought the same thing when I first discovered it."

"You mean you did this before without knowing there was steam to push you back up?"

"Yes, but that was more of a miscalculation."

"Miscalculation…good to know you have everything well in hand."

"You say that, but you'd be hard pressed to find anyone half as good as I am." He said, turning the wheel. It caused the entire ship to lean to the side, like a very large, very clumsy bird. The ship passed the lip of the trench and kept going up.

"How high will we go?"

"Don't know. Higher the better, it isn't exactly feather weight we have on this ship."

"What do you have on this ship?"

"What most men in my business would."

I had a pretty good feeling he wasn't just some simple merchant. Pirate was more like it. But if he wouldn't admit it outright, that was fine with me.

I looked out towards the sea and saw a large gray shadow moving underneath the water on the side of the trench we had just come from. It was beyond huge. I'm glad I didn't say anything. If anyone had upset that animal, it could have chewed up and spat out this ship without breaking a sweat.

"I haven't seen one that big in years." Ivan looked over at the spot where I had been looking.

"What is it?"

"Living coral. At least that's what the magical chroniclers call them. It's actually a very big jellyfish. The entire top of its body is coral; it acts as a natural armor to its very soft underside. Of course, it still is very poisonous."

"Good to know."

"Yes. There are many dangers in the sea. Thankfully we bypassed that one. Those creatures are known to latch onto ships that bother them and drag them under."

Well, now I AM glad I didn't say anything. I would have only made it worse.

The ship stopped going up about a thousand feet above the trench. Ivan spun the wheel and the ship immediately started sailing for the opposite side.

Jean and Rahne were at the railing once again, after clinging to the mast so they wouldn't fall off. They were watching with wonder as the sea slowly rose to meet the ship again. Mr. McCoy was helping tie some things down that had gotten loose. Kitty was wobbling and clinging to the rail. It looked like she was ready to toss her cookies.

And Crepuscule…well, if it weren't for the fact that his eyes were open I'd have said he'd fainted. He was sprawled out on the deck.

"So after we get back on solid ocean…how long will it take to get to the north continent?"

"A few days, at least. It all depends on how much wind backs us."

"No motors?" I find it hard to believe this place is stuck back in the seventeen hundreds.

"We do, but unfortunately it's being fixed. A run in with the southern armada does that."

"The ENTIRE armada?" I said in disbelief. "How many ships?"

There was a slight bump as the ship landed in the water and shook loose of the current.

"A couple hundred."

"Just that many?"

"It's been a slow week." He said calmly.

"Oh. Well, that's good to know." I said a little uncertainly. This would have to be one of the most eventful trips I've ever taken.

And certainly the most eventful on water.


Ah yes, certainly eventful.

PrincessOfWildfire: Yes, he is evil. Ooh, I like varnishing. I'm not so good with paint, I get it all over me. Dahkened gates? Interesting. No, I don't mind. Is it a story? Will you put it up? If so, I wouldn't mind reading it. I always liked castles.

Asteria: Thank you very much, and I hope you like the chapter!

Raliena: Well, not in this story, but I did update his story. Herman says hi!

Anon(girl): I can tell, you seem much happier now that they're gone. Hope you liked the chapter!

Herman shall take the reviews again! Wow, this flying between stories is going to tire him out!