p dir="ltr"Jim may have been exaggerating when he said there was 'a storm coming'. Dark didn't think a light shower really qualified as a 'storm'. This was just a drizzle. Who knows, maybe it was going to get worse. It used to rain a lot worse back home. And that would be for days on end./p
p dir="ltr"But boy, was it chilly. It was best for him to wait inside the cave. Couldn't chance catching a cold now, could he? That was the last thing he needed./p
p dir="ltr"What he really needed was to rest. And with his belly full on fruit and fish-courtesy of the previously hooked Jim-he felt compelled to do just that./p
p dir="ltr"If there was one thing he missed from home, it was his blankets. And his plush pillows. So damn soft you'd swear they were stuffed with downy angel feathers. A stark contrast to the rocks he was laying on. But at least he was dry. Warm. Safe./p
p dir="ltr"He wondered what Wilford was up to at that very moment. Not that he emcared/em, of course not. He was simply... emcurious/em./p
p dir="ltr"And only that./p
p dir="ltr"Was he about to lie down as well? Was he still on his ship? Searching for him?/p
p dir="ltr"Or had he given up the search?br /-br /He had not./p
p dir="ltr"Wilford was below deck, with the Author. Dark's island might have been getting a little drizzle, but where they were they were getting the worst of it. No sense in sailing in these conditions. Might as well use the time to go over the plan. Again./p
p dir="ltr""And why emcan't/em we just go to the island, and emtalk/em with the prince?" Wilford didn't understand why he couldn't just g o./p
p dir="ltr"The Author clicked his tongue, "Because doing emthat/em doesn't end well." he told him, "'The Author holds the tea kettle firmly by the handle as he pours himself a drink. Not spilling a drop. And emdefinitely/em not making a mess nor burning himself.'" lately he's had to narrate himself, just to avoid any mishaps due to not being able to see normally. Something he wasn't used to. At all./p
p dir="ltr"Controlling other people? No problem. He did that all day everyday. Controlling himself? He never thought he'd emhave/em to. It felt... strange. As though he were in limbo. Being controlled by loose strings and he was the puppet, as well as the puppeteer. No wonder Wilford lashed out at him the first day they met./p
p dir="ltr"Especially considering his story./p
p dir="ltr""If you were to go to the island and approach Dark, he would get defensive. He doesn't trust you. And seeing as he thinks his bond is one-sided... well, it presents an interesting, emotional case."/p
p dir="ltr""Then I'll show him that it isn't!" Wilford was getting desperate. It wasn't a good look on him./p
p dir="ltr""He won't believe you. Even if you do show him. Not until the end. And then he'll emhave/em to believe you."/p
p dir="ltr"The captain gained a curious look, mustache twitching, "What happens at the end?" but the Author didn't answer./p
p dir="ltr""I have a plan. It'll make the prince feel... safer, upon your arrival-'/p
p dir="ltr""Wait, just mine?"/p
p dir="ltr"He continued, "We're not far from the island. And the storm is a good cover. You can... hop overboard and play shipwreck."/p
p dir="ltr"Wilford frowned, "That doesn't sound fun at all... Are you sure this is the only way?"/p
p dir="ltr""Acting as though your ship has been destroyed by the storm will make him believe you're crewless. He doesn't know of all of your abilities. So he'll believe you defenseless as well. No weapons. No ship. Harmless. It's either this or waiting weeks for him to get to mainland."/p
p dir="ltr""Can't I just, show up on the island? Rough myself up? And then lay on the beach? I can literally do that. You're making this complicated."/p
p dir="ltr""You're forgetting about his new friends. They'll know if you came in on the tide or not. And as it stands he trusts them more than he trusts you."/p
p dir="ltr"Wilford couldn't groan any louder. "And how, pray tell, are we going to make sure I don't, you know, actually emdie/em?" he scowled./p
p dir="ltr"Author tilted his head in Wilford's direction, lifting his cup to his lips but not saying a word./p
p dir="ltr"He got it right away. "emNo/em."/p
p dir="ltr""I know you don't like me narrating you. But do you really-"/p
p dir="ltr""No. Author, emno/em." Wilford shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest. "Fuck no. I'm willing to go along with this plan of yours, Author, but there's no way I'm doing it under someone else's emcontrol/em. Either I make it to the island in one piece, or I don't."/p
p dir="ltr"The Author sighed, "Aren't you stubborn." it wasn't a question. "Alright, fine. But what if you emdo/em die? Are you prepared for those consequences? Are you willing to let Dark suffer the Fade?"/p
p dir="ltr""I'll be dead, so what do I care?" Author couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Besides, you haven't seen how he acts in private. He's-" the night on the balcony crossed his mind. For a second. Just a second. Speaking with Dark then had felt... natural. Nice. Sweet. But had that been the wine? It felt like as soon as the prince woke up he turned cold, distant./p
p dir="ltr"Defensive./p
p dir="ltr"When Dark asked to see his hands Wilford wanted to show him. Why didn't he show him? When he saw the tears in his eyes Wilford wanted to throw the charade away and pull him in close. Why did he let him leave?/p
p dir="ltr"Maybe they had more in common than he thought./p
p dir="ltr""He's-" Wilford waved his hands around. Like that would help. "Let's just get this over with. Before the storm stops."/p
p dir="ltr""'The Author bolts up and sets his tea down on the table so he could follow his friend-'"/p
p dir="ltr""Awwwww!"/p
p dir="ltr""Shut up-'out of the room, through the lower deck, and up the stairs. He is now above deck. The rain is harsh. Makes his clothes stick to his skin in all of three seconds. It's miserable. The ship is being knocked by the waves. But the Author manages to keep steady footing as he watches Wilford.'"/p
p dir="ltr""Ha, 'watches'." Wilford teased, shucking off his leather coat. It would only weigh him down. Then went his holster, which he handed to the Author. "I'll miss you, old friend."/p
p dir="ltr""I'd be touched if I knew you weren't talking to the emgun/em."/p
p dir="ltr""Shhhhhh." He put a finger to his lips, swinging one leg over the railing. Then the other./p
p dir="ltr""Wait, Wil!"/p
p dir="ltr"But he had already taken the plunge. Into the deep blue./p
p dir="ltr""You idiot!" Author screeched. "We have a dinghy!" he hit his head on the railing, why did Wilford have to make things ten times harder on himself?/p
p dir="ltr"But Wilford has survived worse than this./p
p dir="ltr"He can make it./p
p dir="ltr" /-br /This was a terrible mistake./p
p dir="ltr"What a horrible plan./p
p dir="ltr"Wilford couldn't count how many times he's been knocked around by the waves. Tossed about like he was some ragdoll. He might have lost a shoe. Treading water. Fighting the waves. Swimming like his life depended on it. Because it did./p
p dir="ltr"He was going to haunt Author if he didn't make it out alive./p
p dir="ltr"How long had he been out on the water? Too long. He was tired. But there was land. He could see it./p
p dir="ltr"Could he make it? Now that was the question./p
p dir="ltr"There was so much noise he could hardly make anything out. Crashing waves. Roaring thunder. Pouring rain. And then a voice. Several of them./p
p dir="ltr""Jim! Jim get back here!"/p
p dir="ltr"Who was Jim? emWhy/em is Jim?/p
p dir="ltr"Wilford sputtered, squinting his eyes. The salt water stung. He could barely see. He fought to get another lungful of air. The waves forced him down./p
p dir="ltr"And that would have been the last time./p
p dir="ltr"Something grabbed him just then, hands latched onto his arm, pulling him up, breaking the surface with a gasp./p
p dir="ltr"He could see scales. Four faces surrounding him. The one belonging to who grabbed him was staring, quite intensely, at his palm./p
p dir="ltr""Soulbond." he could make that out. But how could he see through his magic? No one was able to. Not even other magic users, only-/p
p dir="ltr""Goddamn Manoriac mermaids." he muttered. This was going to make things more difficult. Would they still help him? Knowing what he was?/p
p dir="ltr""Jim, let emhim/em go." Was now anytime for an argument? Right in the middle of this storm? "Let. Him. Go." Ah, yes. He recalled how these merfolk spoke. Always referring to others as the name of their pod's ancestor. To not do so was an act of disrespect among them. He didn't blame them./p
p dir="ltr""No!" oh thank the gods. "Jim will emnot/em be responsible for another soul losing their mate!" the merman hissed, gills flaring./p
p dir="ltr""Jim would defend a made monster." this was going to be a lot of back and forth, wasn't it?/p
p dir="ltr"The merman showed them his marked palm, shouting, "This one has a soulmate! Jim will not have another go through the same pains Jim has!" now he growled, arms wrapping around Wilford to secure him. "Bite the coral of flame then, you spineless jellies. Jim will carry this pink emJim/em alone, if none of you are willing."/p
p dir="ltr"Silence among the rest of them, then grumbled cursing as they complied./p
p dir="ltr"It was just his luck these mermen were from his homeland. Hopefully that didn't make this too difficult. More than it already was anyhow./p
p dir="ltr"It shouldn't. There wasn't a lot of information on Manoriac, and for good reason./p
p dir="ltr"He just hoped none of these mermen have a change of heart and decide to make a meal out of him. br /-br /"Dark Jim!"/p
p dir="ltr"This was not how he wanted to wake up. Not to frantic yelling and grunting. He rolled over, stumbling to get up and shaking the last wisp of sleep off of him. "Yes?!"/p
p dir="ltr"He saw them now, just in the cave, lugging a man in with them./p
p dir="ltr""Is he alright?" Dark clamored over, reaching down to help them lift him over the stone lip above the water./p
p dir="ltr""Jim thinks this one fell overboard!" one of them explained, striped Jim. Dark dragged the man along, grunting. But he had to make sure he was in the dry area. He couldn't just leave this pink-/p
p dir="ltr""You!" Dark's eyes widened, dropping Wilford flat on his back./p
p dir="ltr""Me!" Wilford groaned, holding his head. "What-how the hell did you end up here?"/p
p dir="ltr""Same way emyou/em did." He gestured to the gaggle of mermen. Striped Jim was now climbing over the rocks, tail not yet dry enough to form his legs. The other elder Jim looked sour about the whole thing. Nothing new./p
p dir="ltr""Thank the gods for nice mermen." Wilford dragged a hand over his eyes, coughing up salt water./p
p dir="ltr""Yes. Thank the gods." Dark moved away, over to his things. His shoes and cane. The latter of which was now in his hands, grip tight. "If only I believed in them." he turned aiming the end of his cane at Wilford's throat. "Do you think me stupid?" he spat. "The fates can only allow so many coincidences, emWilford/em. If that even is your real name."/p
p dir="ltr"Wilford stiffened, hands automatically flying up, palms forward. He had no weapons to defend himself with, that much Dark could tell. "The fates are a friend of mine." technically true. If one considered the Author a fate./p
p dir="ltr""How convenient." Dark snarled, flicking his wrist. A sharp blade extended from the end of the cane, the tip pressing into tanned skin./p
p dir="ltr"Wilford stiffened./p
p dir="ltr""No!" Jim screeched, catching Dark off guard. "Dark Jim, emplease/em!"/p
p dir="ltr"He narrowed his eyes, looking to the merman, who now dragged his way closer on his hands. A desperate plead. Dark scowled, taking his cane away. "Give me a reason." Any reason./p
p dir="ltr""H-he's soulbonded!" he grabbed Wilford's hand, shaking it at Dark. But Dark saw nothing./p
p dir="ltr""Jim, there's no mark there." he sighed. Did Jim know this was who Dark's mark was from? Was he trying to make him feel better? It wasn't working./p
p dir="ltr""What-" Jim whipped his head to Wilford, "Show him! He cannot see! emShow/em him!"/p
p dir="ltr"Wilford wouldn't have. Had he not been so weak, tired. Had he not seen Dark's face. The look in his eyes. It twisted his stomach in guilt. "Fuck it."/p
p dir="ltr"He dropped the magic, pink rune carved skin shining through. And the black mark on his hand plain to see./p
p dir="ltr"The last thing he heard before he passed out were the words, "You son of a bitch." which, to be fair, wasn't far off./p
p dir="ltr"But boy, was it chilly. It was best for him to wait inside the cave. Couldn't chance catching a cold now, could he? That was the last thing he needed./p
p dir="ltr"What he really needed was to rest. And with his belly full on fruit and fish-courtesy of the previously hooked Jim-he felt compelled to do just that./p
p dir="ltr"If there was one thing he missed from home, it was his blankets. And his plush pillows. So damn soft you'd swear they were stuffed with downy angel feathers. A stark contrast to the rocks he was laying on. But at least he was dry. Warm. Safe./p
p dir="ltr"He wondered what Wilford was up to at that very moment. Not that he emcared/em, of course not. He was simply... emcurious/em./p
p dir="ltr"And only that./p
p dir="ltr"Was he about to lie down as well? Was he still on his ship? Searching for him?/p
p dir="ltr"Or had he given up the search?br /-br /He had not./p
p dir="ltr"Wilford was below deck, with the Author. Dark's island might have been getting a little drizzle, but where they were they were getting the worst of it. No sense in sailing in these conditions. Might as well use the time to go over the plan. Again./p
p dir="ltr""And why emcan't/em we just go to the island, and emtalk/em with the prince?" Wilford didn't understand why he couldn't just g o./p
p dir="ltr"The Author clicked his tongue, "Because doing emthat/em doesn't end well." he told him, "'The Author holds the tea kettle firmly by the handle as he pours himself a drink. Not spilling a drop. And emdefinitely/em not making a mess nor burning himself.'" lately he's had to narrate himself, just to avoid any mishaps due to not being able to see normally. Something he wasn't used to. At all./p
p dir="ltr"Controlling other people? No problem. He did that all day everyday. Controlling himself? He never thought he'd emhave/em to. It felt... strange. As though he were in limbo. Being controlled by loose strings and he was the puppet, as well as the puppeteer. No wonder Wilford lashed out at him the first day they met./p
p dir="ltr"Especially considering his story./p
p dir="ltr""If you were to go to the island and approach Dark, he would get defensive. He doesn't trust you. And seeing as he thinks his bond is one-sided... well, it presents an interesting, emotional case."/p
p dir="ltr""Then I'll show him that it isn't!" Wilford was getting desperate. It wasn't a good look on him./p
p dir="ltr""He won't believe you. Even if you do show him. Not until the end. And then he'll emhave/em to believe you."/p
p dir="ltr"The captain gained a curious look, mustache twitching, "What happens at the end?" but the Author didn't answer./p
p dir="ltr""I have a plan. It'll make the prince feel... safer, upon your arrival-'/p
p dir="ltr""Wait, just mine?"/p
p dir="ltr"He continued, "We're not far from the island. And the storm is a good cover. You can... hop overboard and play shipwreck."/p
p dir="ltr"Wilford frowned, "That doesn't sound fun at all... Are you sure this is the only way?"/p
p dir="ltr""Acting as though your ship has been destroyed by the storm will make him believe you're crewless. He doesn't know of all of your abilities. So he'll believe you defenseless as well. No weapons. No ship. Harmless. It's either this or waiting weeks for him to get to mainland."/p
p dir="ltr""Can't I just, show up on the island? Rough myself up? And then lay on the beach? I can literally do that. You're making this complicated."/p
p dir="ltr""You're forgetting about his new friends. They'll know if you came in on the tide or not. And as it stands he trusts them more than he trusts you."/p
p dir="ltr"Wilford couldn't groan any louder. "And how, pray tell, are we going to make sure I don't, you know, actually emdie/em?" he scowled./p
p dir="ltr"Author tilted his head in Wilford's direction, lifting his cup to his lips but not saying a word./p
p dir="ltr"He got it right away. "emNo/em."/p
p dir="ltr""I know you don't like me narrating you. But do you really-"/p
p dir="ltr""No. Author, emno/em." Wilford shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest. "Fuck no. I'm willing to go along with this plan of yours, Author, but there's no way I'm doing it under someone else's emcontrol/em. Either I make it to the island in one piece, or I don't."/p
p dir="ltr"The Author sighed, "Aren't you stubborn." it wasn't a question. "Alright, fine. But what if you emdo/em die? Are you prepared for those consequences? Are you willing to let Dark suffer the Fade?"/p
p dir="ltr""I'll be dead, so what do I care?" Author couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Besides, you haven't seen how he acts in private. He's-" the night on the balcony crossed his mind. For a second. Just a second. Speaking with Dark then had felt... natural. Nice. Sweet. But had that been the wine? It felt like as soon as the prince woke up he turned cold, distant./p
p dir="ltr"Defensive./p
p dir="ltr"When Dark asked to see his hands Wilford wanted to show him. Why didn't he show him? When he saw the tears in his eyes Wilford wanted to throw the charade away and pull him in close. Why did he let him leave?/p
p dir="ltr"Maybe they had more in common than he thought./p
p dir="ltr""He's-" Wilford waved his hands around. Like that would help. "Let's just get this over with. Before the storm stops."/p
p dir="ltr""'The Author bolts up and sets his tea down on the table so he could follow his friend-'"/p
p dir="ltr""Awwwww!"/p
p dir="ltr""Shut up-'out of the room, through the lower deck, and up the stairs. He is now above deck. The rain is harsh. Makes his clothes stick to his skin in all of three seconds. It's miserable. The ship is being knocked by the waves. But the Author manages to keep steady footing as he watches Wilford.'"/p
p dir="ltr""Ha, 'watches'." Wilford teased, shucking off his leather coat. It would only weigh him down. Then went his holster, which he handed to the Author. "I'll miss you, old friend."/p
p dir="ltr""I'd be touched if I knew you weren't talking to the emgun/em."/p
p dir="ltr""Shhhhhh." He put a finger to his lips, swinging one leg over the railing. Then the other./p
p dir="ltr""Wait, Wil!"/p
p dir="ltr"But he had already taken the plunge. Into the deep blue./p
p dir="ltr""You idiot!" Author screeched. "We have a dinghy!" he hit his head on the railing, why did Wilford have to make things ten times harder on himself?/p
p dir="ltr"But Wilford has survived worse than this./p
p dir="ltr"He can make it./p
p dir="ltr" /-br /This was a terrible mistake./p
p dir="ltr"What a horrible plan./p
p dir="ltr"Wilford couldn't count how many times he's been knocked around by the waves. Tossed about like he was some ragdoll. He might have lost a shoe. Treading water. Fighting the waves. Swimming like his life depended on it. Because it did./p
p dir="ltr"He was going to haunt Author if he didn't make it out alive./p
p dir="ltr"How long had he been out on the water? Too long. He was tired. But there was land. He could see it./p
p dir="ltr"Could he make it? Now that was the question./p
p dir="ltr"There was so much noise he could hardly make anything out. Crashing waves. Roaring thunder. Pouring rain. And then a voice. Several of them./p
p dir="ltr""Jim! Jim get back here!"/p
p dir="ltr"Who was Jim? emWhy/em is Jim?/p
p dir="ltr"Wilford sputtered, squinting his eyes. The salt water stung. He could barely see. He fought to get another lungful of air. The waves forced him down./p
p dir="ltr"And that would have been the last time./p
p dir="ltr"Something grabbed him just then, hands latched onto his arm, pulling him up, breaking the surface with a gasp./p
p dir="ltr"He could see scales. Four faces surrounding him. The one belonging to who grabbed him was staring, quite intensely, at his palm./p
p dir="ltr""Soulbond." he could make that out. But how could he see through his magic? No one was able to. Not even other magic users, only-/p
p dir="ltr""Goddamn Manoriac mermaids." he muttered. This was going to make things more difficult. Would they still help him? Knowing what he was?/p
p dir="ltr""Jim, let emhim/em go." Was now anytime for an argument? Right in the middle of this storm? "Let. Him. Go." Ah, yes. He recalled how these merfolk spoke. Always referring to others as the name of their pod's ancestor. To not do so was an act of disrespect among them. He didn't blame them./p
p dir="ltr""No!" oh thank the gods. "Jim will emnot/em be responsible for another soul losing their mate!" the merman hissed, gills flaring./p
p dir="ltr""Jim would defend a made monster." this was going to be a lot of back and forth, wasn't it?/p
p dir="ltr"The merman showed them his marked palm, shouting, "This one has a soulmate! Jim will not have another go through the same pains Jim has!" now he growled, arms wrapping around Wilford to secure him. "Bite the coral of flame then, you spineless jellies. Jim will carry this pink emJim/em alone, if none of you are willing."/p
p dir="ltr"Silence among the rest of them, then grumbled cursing as they complied./p
p dir="ltr"It was just his luck these mermen were from his homeland. Hopefully that didn't make this too difficult. More than it already was anyhow./p
p dir="ltr"It shouldn't. There wasn't a lot of information on Manoriac, and for good reason./p
p dir="ltr"He just hoped none of these mermen have a change of heart and decide to make a meal out of him. br /-br /"Dark Jim!"/p
p dir="ltr"This was not how he wanted to wake up. Not to frantic yelling and grunting. He rolled over, stumbling to get up and shaking the last wisp of sleep off of him. "Yes?!"/p
p dir="ltr"He saw them now, just in the cave, lugging a man in with them./p
p dir="ltr""Is he alright?" Dark clamored over, reaching down to help them lift him over the stone lip above the water./p
p dir="ltr""Jim thinks this one fell overboard!" one of them explained, striped Jim. Dark dragged the man along, grunting. But he had to make sure he was in the dry area. He couldn't just leave this pink-/p
p dir="ltr""You!" Dark's eyes widened, dropping Wilford flat on his back./p
p dir="ltr""Me!" Wilford groaned, holding his head. "What-how the hell did you end up here?"/p
p dir="ltr""Same way emyou/em did." He gestured to the gaggle of mermen. Striped Jim was now climbing over the rocks, tail not yet dry enough to form his legs. The other elder Jim looked sour about the whole thing. Nothing new./p
p dir="ltr""Thank the gods for nice mermen." Wilford dragged a hand over his eyes, coughing up salt water./p
p dir="ltr""Yes. Thank the gods." Dark moved away, over to his things. His shoes and cane. The latter of which was now in his hands, grip tight. "If only I believed in them." he turned aiming the end of his cane at Wilford's throat. "Do you think me stupid?" he spat. "The fates can only allow so many coincidences, emWilford/em. If that even is your real name."/p
p dir="ltr"Wilford stiffened, hands automatically flying up, palms forward. He had no weapons to defend himself with, that much Dark could tell. "The fates are a friend of mine." technically true. If one considered the Author a fate./p
p dir="ltr""How convenient." Dark snarled, flicking his wrist. A sharp blade extended from the end of the cane, the tip pressing into tanned skin./p
p dir="ltr"Wilford stiffened./p
p dir="ltr""No!" Jim screeched, catching Dark off guard. "Dark Jim, emplease/em!"/p
p dir="ltr"He narrowed his eyes, looking to the merman, who now dragged his way closer on his hands. A desperate plead. Dark scowled, taking his cane away. "Give me a reason." Any reason./p
p dir="ltr""H-he's soulbonded!" he grabbed Wilford's hand, shaking it at Dark. But Dark saw nothing./p
p dir="ltr""Jim, there's no mark there." he sighed. Did Jim know this was who Dark's mark was from? Was he trying to make him feel better? It wasn't working./p
p dir="ltr""What-" Jim whipped his head to Wilford, "Show him! He cannot see! emShow/em him!"/p
p dir="ltr"Wilford wouldn't have. Had he not been so weak, tired. Had he not seen Dark's face. The look in his eyes. It twisted his stomach in guilt. "Fuck it."/p
p dir="ltr"He dropped the magic, pink rune carved skin shining through. And the black mark on his hand plain to see./p
p dir="ltr"The last thing he heard before he passed out were the words, "You son of a bitch." which, to be fair, wasn't far off./p