Chapter 2 : Find your way :
Welcome to my second chapter ! Little warning : it's longer than my first Chapter. Have a great read !
The ice freezing her face woke her up straight. But it wasn't the only thing that had bothered her conscious …
The saber remembered, and then searched with effort for her ear ; It still ached, but Grace sensed something else – she couldn't believe it.
With a second motion of her paw, she produced a glittery sound summed to a raindrop.
It then occurred to her that she wasn't floating anymore on salty liquid, but lying on a frosted surface.
Grace looked around stiffly, now that she was fully awaked : nothing but fruits and sharp weapons at one side, but on the other hand : feather filled coats, shiny accessories and a cotton-like sheet resting on herself. She didn't forget the imposing throne that was presented to her left, and portholes that had the shape of funnels on the sides of the iceberg.
Sound of footsteps resembling a synchro-hop caught her attention. Her eyes expressed deep fear as she turned around to meet the foe.
It panicked
- Woah ! Get those claw's off the ship ! You'll end up sinking it !
What was introduced to her was a purple-soaked kangaroo, towering to a height close to 7 feet. Her pouch contained multitudes of shiny objects. They looked pretty precious.
"A ship ?" she inquired "what on earth's that ?"
Grace kept a rather perplex expression, and her mouth expressed the same. She was waiting for an answer to everything that was happening right now.
'Just think simple, saber : it's a dumb'ol ice bloke following our orders' the kangaroo explained in a calm tone
'That doesn't sound simple at all' she muttered, exhausted
The stranger scratched its head
- Wella then, I'll make it simpler : I'm Raz
'Better' she smiled with comforted eyes
Raz stretched her hand to Grace ; it felt awkward, as she quickly took note that she was addressing herself to a quadruped. The kangaroo erased her action and felt embarrassed
'Forget what I just did' she hesitated, then continued 'they're rarely members walking on their 4 feet here ….'
- You're …. Part of a pack ?
'PIRATE crew ….' She clarified ; Grace frowned once again at that comment
- Just'uh … fancy word to describe our faction ….
The same expression was plastered on her face when the word "faction" came in.
- I'ma … very complicated kind, I know …
The saber nodded in an understanding way ; she then got reminded of something brutal, then it got blurry, and what resulted in that was a depressing soul looking for comfort in the ground.
Raz tried to break the silence by clapping her hands together ; searching for a subject to converse on.
'I'm sure you wanna know what these mean' she informed as she pointed to her healing ear
Grace nodded
- It's a very fragile material and also a very precious one too – Not because of the way it looks ….
- How does it look … Raz ?
- Same color'es your eyes
'Teal I guess then' she concluded
- No, what I mean is that these thingies shows that you're now part of the crew …. the family if ya prefer
'I don't belong anywhere' she said clumsily
- Don't ya say that !
Grace's comment didn't precede another ; she felt deeply uncomfortable
- Ya know already that it has nothing to do with you being a girl !
- What do you mean ?
Raz bent over so that Grace could hear clearly
- Rumor has it that Gutt – our'a captain – overheard from other crews that carrying girls around a ship is'a sin ; well look how safe that'a one is ! At least 5 years of service and ain't a scratch ! Gutt's cool with that and ship's clean !
'Well, seconds ago I was about to sink it, so you got a point there' she replied sarcastically. It felt warm and friendly
'Was kidding' Raz said between two chuckles
- Yeh got some sharp humor comin' aboard ! Ever delivered an attitude like that before ?
'I don't know, it just came out as that' she muttered, still looking down to the ground
- Well any way's …. What happened before ya hit da water ?
Grace fell silent, she looked around for reflexion, then slowly turned her focus to the porthole – eyes meeting the watery elements.
- It's difficult ….
- Take yer time, saber
- We were …. attacked – our pack ….
Her voice was breaking
- … Got scattered by a rival clan
Raz was listening closely
- We were … chased until we met our end …
She swallowed deeply, then resumed with effort
- Two sabers – lost them … by the cliff …
- Who were they ?
Grace shook her head : in her mind, the saber was lost in a fog ; she felt like melting and her eyes were getting watery.
'Don't know, I just …. Don't know' she baffled
- I understand
'I fell ... lost my memory !' she added quickly, reaching her eyes to Raz's
'Pull yerself together, saber' she reassured her while patting her 'It's over'
By those last words, it felt like she escaped an unstable world and reentered another : reality.
The tiger gave a light jerk
- There you go ….
Raz nodded, then tried to pick up the pieces of her testimony, and finally came to a conclusion :
- Ya know … yer hardly the only one - on board this ship - to be uncomfortable with yer past.
The saber lifted its head
- We ALL ended up here because of some stupid reason, but that's life I guess …
She counted her fingers
- Gutt's the first one – no surprise there – Gupta the badger came then ; he was offered a crossbones painted on his back ; Flynn - the big bowl of sac – and Silas – the bird – came as one ; They both shared head bands and stayed together ever since ; Finally we caught Boris – the boar – wondering in the ocean ….
- When did you join ?
- Was third …
She resumed
- See a little similarity in all this ?
Grace shook her head
- We were all given a gift that would stay with us for eternity – I know, it's a BIG word but still …
- What for ?
She leaned over
- I'm never allowed to speak of it …
- What ?
- … My past, ever again, neither the rest of the crew, or it's doom for the one that does ; we live by this primal rule.
'These …' she pointed at her accessories in her pouch, then to Grace's earrings 'are reminders of that ; Gutt says it keeps us safe too'
- What happens to the one …
'Dunno' she snapped by shooking her head 'But I think It's got something to do with a fruit aand …. Never mind – it's complicated'
Grace looked slightly disappointed
- Course you wouldn't do it, would you ?
She paused for a reflexion, then shook herself.
Raz, exhausted from standing up, let herself fall down and sighed in relief as she touched the ground.
- Well any way's, let that gift of mine be a reminder to you to never – ever – recall up your past again : it will only hurt more yer future the more you'll think about it, trust me.
She stopped, as a badger came down the frozen stairs and noticed the two of them. He grinned lightly then went back up to the main deck.
- Don't ya pay attention to him. Gupta's just doing his job …
- Eavesdropping ?
- A VERY specific job that is : only folks with a good eye gets the post, and he nails it
- Got it …
She resumed once again
- Where was I ? Oh yeah : these fetishes – ignore that – are here to cover prior scars of yer past as well …
Raz looked over to Grace, to check if she was listening
- As well … as to help you redefine your identity completely – suit your new life by adopting new features ! It's the best way I kid you not …
'This is what we offer on this ship' a deep and slightly relaxed voice concluded
The girls turned, surprised, to meet the stranger. He had behind him every member of the Pirate crew. They looked excited
- Bury deep what once brought you down, and look up to what will help you rise.
'That's our quest' precised Silas, as he felt it was important to say so.
The way Gutt said that last quote surprisingly didn't strike a shock on the members' faces, as if they were following a daily routine.
'So I heard the news' he smiled warmly
He has learned to ask the saber if she was alright. Grace replied that she was fine now.
- Captain !
- Thank you Raz …
He continued
- As I was saying : what I am proposing to you, saber, is an opportunity …
- Sir ?
- Call me Gutt, miss.
'Following my motto' he explained ': it's a long road for all of us, so it is to be taken step by step in order to achieve what you cherish – and that's freedom to do what amuses you the most ; It makes you alive more than everything'
- …. Treasures, adventures, wave racing, you'll be in for a treat !
'Nip it Flynn !' snapped Gupta, nudging the sea elephant's belly as he did so
- So : ready to start from the bottom ?
'Yes' the saber replied, more confident than ever before
- Will you join our crew, saber ?
She smiled delightfully :
- It should be fun.
What followed was unexpected : Flynn was starting to feel really excited as he stretched his arms in the air. Gutt predicted it and stepped instinctively on Flynn's fin. He added casually :
- Welcome then ! Got a code name in mind, Flynn ?
The saber was confused by that announcement, but Silas read that and whistled sharply to catch her attention.
'Compulsory' he whispered in a pure French accent while raising his eyebrows
- What about "Shira", Cap ?
Gutt stared at Flynn, then turned like a judge to deliberate
- Going … and gone
Shira repeated that new name in her head, than became quickly accustomed to it. She was smiling – it all felt like a perfect dream
Gutt presented to her an awkwardly shaped fruit that was yellow in appearance.
- It's a ritual we do to newcomers : bite it, and your officially part of the crew.
The tigress examined the fruit
'You're sure it won't soften my teeth ?' she inquired sarcastically
The crew laughed
'Au contraire' replied Silas 'It will only make them healthier'
'There she goes ...' smiled Gupta
The slice of the fruit was sitting still in Gutt's hairy hands, but instead of being bitten lightly, it was swallowed whole, and her two main saber teeth did the rest of the job ; Hunger urged her to do so.
- Ohhh ! Look guys ! alarmed Flynn excitedly - but the crew hushed him
That was the first time she ever ate a lemon in her life, and Shira will be dearly reminded to never do it again : her expression said it all.
There were laughs, and cheers too. True compassion was felt by Shira when all of then clapped to congratulate her "promotion". She let out tears of joy, then shortly shook them off, embarrassed.
'Welcome home, Shira' announced Gutt enthusiastically
It was a new beginning for the young saber ….
"Shine shine, little wonder"
I know what you're thinking : that was some big exposition ! Well hold on to your seats : it is there to prepare the rest ! ;)
See you soon !