Dawn had shown its beautiful face, and Kai rose out of his cot and got dressed. He adjusted the bandages that covered the top half of his chest before tugging on his off white shirt, as well as his dark brown breeches and soft leather boots. As he put on his coat and made his curly hair somewhat presentable, he looked down at the cot where the sphere sat, right next to his pillow. He still did not quite know what to make of it, and carefully slipped it into his coat pocket. His coat was a sight to behold, a brilliant sea glass blue with pink details and gold buttons. As he traversed down to the kitchen, he discovered no one had woken up yet as it was still the wee hours, the sun's rays barely kissing the sky. He took off his coat and rolled up his sleeves, getting to work. He hummed a pleasant little tune to himself as he fixed breakfast, slices of thick dark meat sizzling in the pan while he brewed Calrissian coffee, the dark bitter smell a wonderful and familiar thing. The rest of the party soon awoke to find breakfast prepared, consisting of eggs and the thick meat with biscuits and coffee.
"My goodness Kai! You have such a talent for cooking." Mrs. Hawkins beamed to him. Ever since her son had started at the academy, the Inn had been a lot for her to manage. This is why the usually pompous Kai had no qualm whatsoever with helping around, including with preparing meals. The horned fellow gave a toothy grin as even the usually aggravated Dr. Doppler seemed to not mind too much about the fact that Kai had helped himself to his food and kitchen. Krystal munched noisily on her eggs, making sounds that were similar to a dog when it had its mouth full. The ever calm and quiet reverend made himself content with the biscuits and coffee, holding the large mug Kai had set out for him in his thick grey trunk. As the group ate, Kai turned the orb over and over in his fingers; its mysteries had kept him up all night, as well as the pain in his heart for Bones. He was a dark and grouchy fellow, but Kai knew beneath all of that he was a good man. His last words still made chills run up Kai's spine, and the silhouettes he had seen from the window still made him shiver.
"What is that?" he heard the little Krystal pipe up, her large eyes focused on the orb. Kai raised it up higher so it was out of her immediate grabbing reach; Krystal was nice enough but she had a real penchant for being a pickpocket and a bit of a kleptomaniac. Twice Kai had caught her before trying to swipe something from his pocket, so he knew better than to have anything too valuable just sitting in his pockets. The reverend had yet to learn this lesson, as there were several instances where the little devil had made off with his crosses and with a fancy pocket watch. She eventually gave them back after Kai scolded her and hexed her to fall to the ground laughing hysterically until she handed them over.
"Why that my dear child is a...is a...hmmm," Doppler interjected as he looked the orb over in Kai's hands, causing Kai's eyes to roll. Doppler was a know-it-all, though it did give him joy to see the brainiac stumble. He gestured to hold it, and Kai let him for a moment. It made him anxious, for some reason, to let the older man hold it for long.
"What strange markings... they seem to be runes of some dead language! It would take me ages though to translate... perhaps if I can look in my books.." Doc said as he handed it gingerly back to Kai. Kai pressed gently, giving it a small comforting squeeze when he realized pieces of it pressed down and into the ball itself. As the Doc prattled about his books, Kai's deft fingertips tapped in various places, causing sections to sink in. As he did it a few more times, the sphere had begun to glow all over, including in a ring around the very middle. Kai gave it a twist and light burst forth, showing a map of the entire galaxy! Kai's brilliant green eyes caught the light as the rest of the group looked on in awe.
"Why, it's a map!" The doctor cried out as he looked on, his fingers pointing to sections bit by bit.
"Wait. Wait, wait, wait! This is us, the planet Montressor!" he let out a gasp as his eyes studied over little bits and pieces of the map, spotting different places along in the light as they seemed to rush by as if on their own track.
"That's the Magellanic Cloud! Whoo! The Coral Galaxy! Oh! That's the Cygnus Cross and that's the Kerian Abyss. Wait. What's this? What's this? Why it-it's..."
As he looked on, there seemed to be a larger planet than the rest, with rings of floating bits circling it. Kai's eyes widened as he gasped, a smile breaking out over his face.
"Treasure Planet." Kai breathed in pure fascination, his fingers dancing across the image before him. The rest of the group circled around, each staring in either shock or their own awe. Everyone had heard the stories, no matter where you had come from. Years ago, a notorious pirate named Captain Nathaniel Flint terrorized the galaxy, stealing whatever he pleased and destroyed nearly half of the Navy's fleet. He would swoop down upon unsuspecting ships, and vanish into the Etherium like a ghost. No one had ever found Flint or his treasure, but legend told of a faraway place where Flint stored all of his riches, tucked out in the outer rim of the galaxy, a planet filled with treasure beyond anyone's wildest dreams.
"Flint's Trove?" Krystal piqued up, her bright eyes glimmering with light from the projection.
"The loot of a thousand worlds.." the reverend whispered under his breath. Even the holy man had heard of the tale.
"Whoever brings it back would hold an eternal place atop the pantheon of explorers! He'd be able to experience-" Doctor Doppler proclaimed before the sphere closed, the projections fading just as quickly as they had appeared. He let out a startled noise as nearly everyone in the room jumped.
"What just happened?"Kai made no response has he smiled down at the orb in his hand, his tail swishing behind him in a state of glee.
"We just happened to find the treasure of a lifetime, and it is only a boat ride away!" Kai laughed as he juggled the orb in his hand, much to the doctor's apparent chagrin. The clearing of a throat sounded, and all heads turned to look at Mrs. Hawkins.
"Those are just stories! Kai, think about this. This is seriously dangerous. Whoever wanted that orb is not afraid to get their hands dirty. Look what happened to Mr. Bones! Kai please... this is not worth the danger. There is no way you lot are going looking for something that is nothing more than a bedtime story!" Mrs. Hawkins scolded with a harshness in her voice that was similar to the one Kaidos had heard from his own mother before. He could still remember her same piercing gaze, though he thought his own mother far scarier than the sweet little Mrs. Hawkins. But the motherliness in her voice made him smile as he patted her shoulder.
"Mrs. Hawkins, I would not be alone. After all, I have them." Kai gestured to Krystal and the Reverend. Krystal responded with a big smile and fast nods, while the Reverend just gave a slow but sure nod, looking at Kai with a stern but friendly look.
"And that is why I'M going with you!" Doctor Doppler said with the most serious look on his face, causing Mrs. Hawkins to give an aggravated sigh and Kai to burst into laughter. The doctor spun about the room, collecting things into a medium-sized brown travel bag.
"I'll use my savings to finance the expedition. I'll commission a ship, hire a captain and a crew. All my life I've been waiting for an opportunity like this and here it is screaming, 'Go, Delbert! Go, Delbert!' as he spun around and did a goofy little dance that reminded Kai of a drunken gnome who once tried to challenge him over a few pints and nearly broke his ankle after falling off a table. Kai turned and gently hugged Mrs. Hawkins to his side in a way that he would with anyone that he actually cared about.
"Don't you worry Mrs. Hawkins, we will be back before I can start another bar fight! And every copper piece I find will go straight to rebuilding the Admiral Benbow Inn, and make it grander than ever!"
"You would do that Kai? But what about using the money for yourself? Or sending it home?" The little woman said with a soft smile that made Kai hesitate for a moment before shaking his head. Kai's father, though a cantankerous man, had a position as Captain of the Royal Guard and the Master of War. He had made plenty to support himself as well as his wife, Kai's mother, who continued to do her own shows from time to time just for the fun of it. He had never discussed his family openly with the others and only had revealed it to Mrs. Hawkins after he had gotten blastedly drunk and she cared for him in the midst of his stupor. He missed them, and his father did not approve of him or the path he had taken. But he sought adventure and excitement and wanted to spread joy through song and music throughout the galaxy. He patted her shoulder again in response.
"You need it ma'am so I will find it, or may I never play a tune again." He smiled his toothy grin. His blood felt ignited with the same passion that sent him out to explore and play to begin with, and he wanted to take off right then and there. But the Doctor scolded him for his haste and made them sit and wait while he drafted up plans.
On the day of the voyage, the group all traveled about the market at the Spaceport, a planet a short journey away from Montressor, to grab the last second supplies that they might need. As they looked through the different isles, Kai happened upon a dark wooden crate with holes in the side, his senses detecting a hint of magic. As he edged towards the box, a large brutish fellow with a jagged scar across his face scowled down at him, his dark ebony eyes piercing straight into Kaidos'.
"What ye tink yer doin? You no steal!" The man garbled out in a voice that was more of a growl than anything else. He was Orcish to some degree no doubt, but Kai simply gave a sweeping bow, taking his light brown hat off of his head to reveal his curls and horns. The man simply stared at him as Kai smiled.
"My dear fellow, no harm meant! I simply was curious as to what was in this crate, and if it were for sale?" at the mention of money, the man perked up and opened the crate, revealing a caged green dragon the size of a housecat. Half of the creature's body seemed to consist of his tail, which ended in a scorpion-like stinger, and his scales shined in the light. His luminous gold eyes narrowed down to slits as he hissed angrily. The large man roared back before turning, but before he could open his mouth, there was a fuss from behind him.
"What is the meaning of this!? Grugnak you better fix that THING back into its cage or so help me!..." But the voice trailed off as Kaidos found himself staring at a greyish green goblin, dressed in fancy blue robes and with narrow, greedy red eyes. He smirked at Kaidos and he knew what that smirk was; the smirk of a merchant who valued coin and their skin above all else.
"Well pretty boy, if you are looking to buy such a rarity, that'll be 500 gold pieces! Pseudodragons are rare you know, and this one was very hard to catch!" He chittered, his red eyes shining as he stared him down. But Kaidos' eyes seemed darker than before, and he gently stroked the cage.
"Then you know that poaching is illegal... and that the punishment is far more than 500 gold pieces... My father taught me the laws very well.." Kaidos responded in a voice unlike his own, seething and venomous to the point where Grugnak took a few steps back for safe measures
"Aww, and who is your daddy, ya little twink? Is he some fancy pants noble? I bet he is nothing more than a drunken fool!" He cackled. Kaidos eyes seemed to glow faintly as he gave a scary smile.
"I think the Flame of War would not take too kindly to such a stupid name," he responded softly, and the goblin grew as pale as he could, starting to look seasick.
"10 gold pieces!" He said with a stammer that made him look like a scared little child. Kai gave him the coins and the pair fled. Kaidos open the cage carefully, the dragon hissing all the while.
"Now now, it is alright. Forgive me, I know that your kind does not take it fairly to be treated like pets. But if you come with me I promise you food and shelter. And you can be as free as you please." He said quietly as he offered his arm. The dragon shot out of the cage in a green blur, and perched himself on his shoulder, making content grumbling noises. Kaidos offered some meat that he had saved from breakfast, and the little creature snacked it down quickly, scarfing every morsel. When Kaidos returned, Krystal and the reverend looked over the creature in fascination, while Doppler jumped backward.
"Oh my! A pseudodragon! Quite rare little creatures! How on earth did it allow you to even come near it?" But Kai only chuckled as the miniature dragon hissed and snapped as the doctor's finger came close to his head, too close for his liking. But as they had this little chat, they soon reached the dock and came to a beautiful ship, of the likes that Kai had never seen.
"Gentlemen, and lady, this is the R.L.S Legacy!" Doctor Doppler declared as he motioned to the massive ship. As they scampered aboard, they saw an assortment of different folks coming aboard, their crew more likely than not. As they came to see a large and brawny man who seemed to be made of stone, Doctor Doppler gave a grand gesture and smiled in his pleasantry manner. Though in his current, bulbous copper and brass suit, he looked absolutely ridiculous doing so, making all sorts of racket with every step of the way. It had taken all of Kaidos' effort not to laugh, although Krystal spared nothing in comparison as she snickered at him, no matter how many times the reverend ordered her to mind her manners like a grumpy uncle.
"Good morning Captain! Is everything shipshape?"
"Shipshape it is, but I am not the captain. The captain is aloft." The large man gestured upwards as they saw a feline woman darting about, making daring acrobatic leaps and landing with grace. She was a Tabaxi, a species of catlike humanoids who were known for their grace and cunning. Her coat was a pretty brown with sharp gold eyes that seemed to pierce right through you. She was dressed in blue fineries suited for a captain, and she had the confidence to pull it off.
"Mr. Arrow, I've checked this miserable ship from stem to stern, and, as usual, it's...spot on. Can you get nothing wrong?" She said in a clear voice as she patted Mr. Arrow on the shoulder.
"You flatter me, Captain." Mr. Arrow replied as he placed a hand on his chest
Dr. Doppler let out a cough as her eyes turned and focused on the group, looking from each individual one by one.
"Ah yes! Dr. Doppler, I presume?" She inquired as she looked on at Doppler with the same look of amusement that Kai had internally.
"Yes madam, i-"
"Hello? Can you hear me in there?" She quipped as she knocked on the helmet structure of the suit.
"Yes, I can, stop that banging!" He barked in annoyance
"Ah yes well, I am Captain Amelia. Late of a few run-ins with the Protean armada. Nasty business, but l won't bore you with my scars. You've met my first officer, Mr. Arrow. Sterling, tough, dependable, honest, brave, and true."
"You flatter me, Captain." Mr. Arrow said in earnest as he took off his hat with respect.
"Oh shut it Arrow, you know I don't mean a word of it." She nipped back, and Kai could not help but smile at the two in their comradery while Doppler grew all the more annoyed.
"Ahem, excuse me. l hate to interrupt this lovely banter but may l introduce to you, Mr. Kaidos Goldweaver? Kaidos, you see, is the one who found the treasure-" But before Doppler could go any further, Captain Amelia sprung on him suddenly, grabbing him by the muzzle.
"Doctor please... I would like to have a word with you and your friends in my stateroom." She said curtly. They were led up into her stateroom, where Arrow locked the door behind them. She turned and glared at them all with a look so cold Kaidos actually felt worried for his canine companion.
"Doctor, to muse and blabber about a treasure map... in front of this particular crew... demonstrates a level of ineptitude... that borders on the imbecilic...and l mean that in a very caring way." She said with such venom in her voice that Kaidos could not help but snicker under his breath as Doppler's jaw looked like it would break through the wooden floor, his eyes filled with anger that he had only ever seen directed at Kaidos himself.
"Imbecilic, did you say? Foolishness, I've-"
"May I see the map please?" She cut him off, her hand extended. Doppler grumbled while making a nod at Kaidos. Kaidos stepped forward and handed her the sphere. She turned it over in her fingers as Kaidos had done many times before, her bright inquisitive eyes looking over every detail as she murmured under her breath before placing it in a locked cabinet behind a desk.
"Mr. Goldweaver and company, you are to address me as either Captain or Maam am I clear?" She barked to the trio.
"Yes, miss lady!" Krystal squeaked
"Of course Madam," Reverend said in his low and fatherly voice
Kaidos however, placed his hand on his chest and gave a bow, even causing the captain to be surprised for a short moment.
"As you command, my Captain." Kaidos said, his voice melodic as she gave a curt click of her heels in response.
"That will do. Gentlemen, and lady, this is to be kept under lock and key when not in use. And, Doctor, again with the greatest possible respect...zip your howling screamer."She said with almost a sneer. The Doctor's eyebrows and tone rose up in anger. As the two prattled on, Kaidos slipped out, having given a respectful bow to Mr. Arrow who ever so graciously let him escape the squabble. The green dragon sat upon his shoulder, taking in all there was to see but hiding if anyone looked his way. Kaidos took note of it all when he heard a familiar melody coming from below decks in the galley. He followed it down, going down the stairs into the galley below as he heard a deep voice singing softly.
"Put him in the longboat till he's sober, Put him in the longboat till he's sober, Put him in the longboat till he's sober, early in the mornin.." As Kaidos could see warm light coming from the other side of the galley, he could see a hulkingly large figure outlined further back, near a large steaming pot that smelled delicious. As Kai approached closer, he started to gently sing in response to let the figure know of his presence.
"Weigh heigh and up she rises, Weigh heigh and up she rises, Weigh heigh and up she rises early in the morning." Kai's soft and clear voice matched the stranger's low tones, managing to harmonize with him for a moment. The figure turned to look in his direction and stepped into the light, and Kaidos had to catch himself as he felt slightly intimidated and taken aback; the stranger was an Ursid, a large man with thick and beefy arms, broad shoulders, a somewhat big stomach, and sturdy legs. He easily cleared Kaidos by several feet, and Kaidos had to tilt his head nearly all the way up to look into the man's eyes as he walked closer. The figure was dressed in a white shirt with red and dark green striped pants, a stained apron that hung below his hefty belly, and a red bandana covering the top of his head. His skin was as rich tanned color in certain places, while also cream-colored in softer areas that were not as exposed to the sun, including the insides of his forearms. His left ear had a large gold earring hanging from it. But what also caught Kai's eyes was that this man was also a cyborg, with a mechanical arm and leg, the gears constantly whirling and clicking. As the man turned slightly, Kai also spotted that his right eye was cybernetic as well and that it shined with a brilliant yellow light as well as a cybernetic ear on the right. The gears that were a part of the stranger's body never seemed to cease, as they constantly clicked and whirled as the figure moved out of the shadows.
"Well...what do we have here?" The man chortled down at him as he wiped his hands with his apron, staring Kaidos down with a look that was both stern and curious. His voice was gruff, thick with a salty accent, and older. Kaidos felt his voice catch in his throat as he stood in awe of the large figure. He collected himself as quickly as he could, bowing out of respect and tipping his hat off of his head.
"Forgive me, good sir! My name is Kaidos Goldweaver. I am joining you on this ship, as I am an acquaintance to the financier of the voyage. I heard you singing from above, and as a man of music it captured me at that moment." Kai said with an attempt at his usual bravado but for some reason, it felt harder to use. Kaidos was a charmer at heart, but he felt like his feet were going to slip out from under him in the stranger's presence. The big man let out a hearty laugh, one that was befitting of a seadog like himself.
"Sir? Well, had I known I would be in such a pleasant and polite company, I would have tucked in me shirt!" He said as he tucked his shirt into his pants, causing Kai to blush slightly. As he tried to think of what to say, Mr. Arrow popped up behind him, clapping Kai quite suddenly on the back.
"I see you have met Mr. Kaidos. Our financier is still talking with the captain. Kaidos is to provide entertainment to the crew to keep spirits lively. I was told as well by your friends that you were a good cook as well, so you will also be in Silver's charges as he sees fit." He said shortly, causing both Kai's jaw to drop and Silver to cough on the stew he was tasting.
"But Mr. Arrow sir! I don't really think-"
"Captains orders Silver. We will be shipping off at the end of the hour. See to it that he is of more use than just singing." Arrow said as he climbed back up the stairs, leaving the other two in a state of disbelief. Silver looked him over, raising an eyebrow as he stirred the pot.
"Well, taint no place for a humble cyborg to question our Captain. Come boy, step lively! And I recommend ya leave that fancy coat an hat on the chair over there. Such prettiful things ain't meant for this." He said with more salt than he had a moment ago, but Kai said nothing as he took off quickly, coming straight back with a small smile. The little dragon hid within with a small huff, but Silver did not seem to notice him much as he stayed hidden within the coat. He seemed to take in Kai's appearance; first the horns, then the fangs and pink skin, then the long tail behind him. But his eyes always seemed to keep going to Kaidos'. Kaidos raised an eyebrow inquisitively; he knew what being checked out felt like, but something about the way the older seadog was going over him made him feel flustered.
"Ah forgive me for staring lad, taint ever seen one of your kind about. Plus, yer eyes are quite... strange. In the good way lad, never seen that color before," Silver said almost apologetically, seeming to sense Kaidos' thoughts. He took a pause before smiling and moving back towards the big pot he had been stirring and tasting.
"Here, try my famous bonzabeast stew and see what ye think." Silver ladled out a small bowl of the thick dark stew and handed it to Kaidos. He took a small taste with a finger, as his father had taught him to do to check for poisons. He gave an approving nod as Silver handed him a spoon. But Kaidos had not held it for more than a few moments before he saw a mouth and eyes form. Kaidos dropped it out of surprise as the spoon seemed to inhale all of the stew.
"Ah Morph ya little devil! So that's where ye been hidin!" he said as the little beastie burped in response. Kaidos smiled softly as the little creature chittered and rubbed against his face, turning into a pink blob with bright black eyes and a cute little smile.
"What is he?"
"He's a Morph. I rescued the lil shapeshifter on Proteus One." Silver responded as Morph floated over to Silver and rubbed against his cheek with soft coos.
"He took a shine to me and we have been together ever since. What about you and that green thing hiding in your coat?" He gestured to the admittedly conspicuous lump on the chair. Kai smiled as he coaxed the dragon out, the little reptilian hissing in annoyance and attempting to bite Kai's finger as he sat on his shoulder. Silver's eyes seemed to gleam as he studied over the pseudodragon, careful not to get too close.
"What a pretty little thing he is, much like his owner. As pretty as an emerald. Hell, his scales look kinda like the color of your eyes lad" Kaidos already magenta skin turned a harsh wine color as he looked up at Silver, only to find his eyes were now locked on him. But as he looked him up and down, Billy's words echoed in his mind. Kai coughed and paced towards a barrel full of purps, taking one out and turning it in his hand.
"I will definitely have to call him Emerald now... say though, these purps are a lot like the ones that we have on Montressor... Have you ever been?" Kai said casually as he looked on at Silver. He had to make sure his tone stayed neutral, as to not cause the larger man to get suspicious.
"Hmmm cannot say I have!"
"There was a friend of mine who said he was looking for a cyborg buddy of his... Billy Bones. Large, broody fellow. Know him?"
"Bones?... Boones?... Hmm, I cannot say I do. There are loads of cyborgs out there laddy, roaming the galaxy." Kaidos looked him over as Silver closed the space between them, causing Kai to be slightly alarmed. Silver's large belly pressed against Kaidos as he leaned over him, causing Kai to shake ever so slightly in his boots.
"And... by the way...I did not yet get to say...You sing quite lovely, lad. I am glad you are on this voyage. And I tink you and I are gonna get along just fine. Just know I will make you work boy, and you will be dripping in sweat by the time I am done with ya each day" Silver said in a low and soft voice that made Kaidos shiver slightly, and sent all of his charm and bravado cocky attitude flying right out the window. Kaidos' biggest weakness was being exposed; while Kai knew how to do the flirting, he had absolutely no fucking clue about what to do when someone flirted first. And unfortunately, this bearlike beast of a man was everything that Kaidos considered handsome. As one of Silver's clawlike nails scratched delicately across his cheek as if to try and flirt with him, the whistle blew from up above; they were about to depart. Kaidos and Silver both turned and looked upwards at the noise as Silver backed off, walking back to the pot as Morph floated about, looking for other morsels to eat. Emerald simply looked about the galley as he had flown back to sit on the chair, not seeming to care much about the scene since there was no food involved. Kaidos looked on, trying to slow his heart rate down.
"Go on up there lad, and watch the launch! Dontcha worry, I will be right behind ya so you ain't up there alone." Silver called from behind him. Kaidos gave a small nod before traversing up the stairs, slipping his coat, and his confidence back on. What the hell was the matter with him? He shook his head as he tried to clear his mind of what just happened. Silver stirred the pot a few times more as he watched Kaidos leave.
"We best be keepin an eye on this one, eh Morph?" He said softly to Morph as he fed him a tiny biscuit. His cybernetic eye's shade shifted from a brighter yellow to pale orange looking briefly to the spot where he had cornered the young man and saw not fear, but awe in those bright eyes.
"We don't want the little pup to get into things they shouldn't..."
(I hope everyone likes it so far! Sorry if this one was longer than the first but I had a lot I wanted to put in, and I really wanted the interactions for the characters to play out and not feel too rushed. Please feel free to comment!)
