Hina of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Chapter 3
Search and Safety
Keitaro rushed into the hold, brushing past the guard. He and Grandma Hina had entered a portable prison brought by Construct and was station in the world's orbit. Keitaro needed to see Naru one last time before leaving. The soldier was shocked for a second before responding.
"Wait!" he called. "You can't be here!"
"As you can see," Grandma said as she entered the hold, "he can."
"But Mrs. Urashima-" the soldier pleaded.
"Governor Hina mind you," she said. "As long as this world stands, I am to be its representative and governor. Now where's that flying turtle of yours that holds the keys?"
Meantime, Keitaro had just explained the deal offered by Construct.
"Alias's compass?" Naru asked. "The one that doesn't point north? What would anyone want with that?"
"Does it matter?" Keitaro asked back. "All I have to do is find the Unknown Alias and convince him to come back here for some bargaining. I do that, then the charges against us will be dropped."
"No," Grandma inputted. "We'll have to find another way to save you both."
Keitaro had unidentifiable look in his eye as he looked at his grandma. "What makes you say that?"
"Just because you would be willing to risk your life for him," she clarified, "doesn't mean that he'll do the same for you. I'm not saying that he wouldn't, it's just that Fanfiction authors tend to take anything and give back nothing."
Naru reached her hands through the cage doors to hold Keitaro's. "We both seen what Alias can be like. That's why I have faith in both of you. So where will you start looking?"
Keitaro then pulled out what looked like an I-pod, but with just one red button with the Alpha sign on it. "This is something Alias gave me when the story ended. Su had inspected it for me, and it leads to another world where Alias lives. I can start searching there, and I won't stop until I do. And when I do, I'll return here to marry you," he finished with a loving smile which Naru graciously returned.
"A proper marriage?" she clarified with a smile.
"Only if you'll still have me," he replied as he held his head forward, their lips nearly touching.
"If it weren't for these bars, I'd have you already," she replied as both their eyes closed slightly. "I'll wait for you."
"Then keep a weather eye on the horizon," he said back, already shifting back into his character as in the story.
They shared a kiss before Keitaro unwillingly drew back and left, his grandma followed him.
The destination was rather odd. A semi-abandoned town, marks of Alpha and Omega all over the place. The city of Agnostos Central, said to be Alias's home away from home. There were the occasional citizens still out and about the town. Keitaro asked anyone and everyone who would listen to him. The results were varied.
"The Unknown Alias? Kid owes me 100000 munny. Last I heard of him was that he was dead."
"The DearS universe is the last I've heard of him. Manipulative as ever and with a smile on his face. Sure as death, he be in the DearS world."
The next result was not so good. Anyone whose read the first story, do you remember Teresa and Maria-Eleana?
"The Unknown Alias?"
"Haven't seen him in a moth."
"But when you find him, can you give him this message?"
SMACK!
Finally, a simple browser. An author, who didn't actually write, just moves about and gives reviews.
"I can't say anything about any Alias. But there's this pirate world that I occasionally go to where I do some trades for delicious honey glazed ham. I can't say anything about the Unknown Alias, but there's a certain ship in that world. A ship with black sails."
It was shortly after that he was with the browser and his crew, the lot of them on the ship in his possession. They were on the seas of the pirate world, near an island. Keitaro was using a spyglass to look at the ship. Surely enough, there it was. A black ship, with black sails, and finally was the label on one side of the ship that read 'The Black Tama. Property of The Unknown Alias. If found, please call 882-5427.'
Keitaro put the spyglass away and turned to the browser, but the browser shook his head.
"I'm afraid I can't go any further. But my friend will take you there via a rowboat."
Keitaro sat in the boat as the paddles splashed in the water. He then looked beyond the 'friend' at the Tama. This was kinda too easy. The 'friend' then stopped rowing, looking at Keitaro.
"What's wrong?" he asked. "The beach is right there."
The 'friend' replied with a garbled yell, followed by more of the same. Expected really when talking to a Wookie. How that guy became friends with one, he'll never know. Crazy Star Wars addicts. Keitaro stood up, ready to swim. The Wookie waved goodbye as he leaped off into the water and the Wookie began to paddle back to the ship.
Keitaro finally began to walk on the beach, tired and soaked. He looked up at the slightly tipped ship, held down to the ground by ropes for high tide. It looked deserted and empty though, and that's something to be concerned about.
"Alias!" he shouted just for good measure. "Captain Alias! Su! … Anybody?"
But there were no responses. He went off to the edge of the forest, assuming that they could've gone there. That's when a flying turtle flew out of the forest in a panic, landing on a tree stump to Keitaro's level.
"Alias-tama?" Keitaro asked in confusion. "What are you doing here?"
"Myuh!" he cried back, "Don't eat me!"
"…Don't eat you? I'm not going to eat you. I'm not Su!"
"Myuh!" he persisted. "Don't eat me! No, don't eat me!" he said before flying back to the Tama.
Keitaro was confused before heading into the woods. He walked a short distance, shoving away the foliage. He then stopped as something caught his eye. He reached out for it and determined it. It was a plain earring, but with the Molmon symbol of the three eyes on it.
"Su," he concluded as he grasped the thread tied to it. He followed it along for a long distance. After a couple of minutes, he stopped in shock. He raised the cut end of the string. He didn't even notice the camouflaged native beside him until said native screamed in dominance.
Keitaro didn't even get the chance to scream before a rope trap was set off, snagging his foot and hoisting him high in the air like a piñata. About ten more natives came from their hiding spots, their spears pointing at him. Keitaro quickly drew his sword andswung wildly, hitting the tips of the weapons in 'defense'.
"Come on!" he shouted in courage. "Let's go! I can keep this up all day! Who wants it? Come on!"
However, the natives weren't even attacking. Yeah, you can see why this is weird. On native turned to another, who turned to another, who put a bamboo stalk to his lips and blew. A dart laced with a powerful mixture struck Keitaro in the neck, causing him to tense up a bit before falling unconscious; his sword dropped to the ground.
Drums sounded about them as the natives carried Keitaro who was tied to a pole (Hey! Landlord on a stick! I want one!) throughout the village. There were countless natives, each with paint on them and doing some form of chore. Soon they arrived what looked like preparations for a bonfire before someone whom was taking the position of a leader. The natives stopped before their chief, Keitaro still in tow.
"Tali Tali, tae daga!" the native spoke before them all.
Across from them was their leader. He was still in the same clothes as before, but now with a large hat decorated with feathers, and face paint that gave him four new sets of eyes. The top set opened to reveal Alias's true eyes as he observed what was before him, causing him immediately to tense.
Keitaro was finishing up with coming back into consciousness. And the first thing he saw was the decorative form of the Unknown Alias. "Alias?" he asked. "The Unknown Alias? I can honestly say that I'm glad to see you!"
Alias stood up, batches of feathers in hand like a staff as he began to walk to Keitaro with a form of pride. This caused Keitaro to become confused at his actions. Then again, Alias was one for acting. He came forth and poked Keitaro's arm a couple of times before turning to the villager.
"Alias?" Keitaro called. "It's me, Keitaro Urashima!"
"Par say ko?" Alias asked the native. This caused Keitaro's eyebrow to rise in surprise.
"Tee nala, misipi," he responded.
"Alias!" Keitaro spoke, "Please tell them to let me down!"
"Pele long, long minky winky, long pincy wincy!" Alias spoke as if ignoring the prisoner. He then kneeled down to look at him from the other end. "Lom shay shay, de homo. Snip snip," he finished with scissors fingers, causing Keitaro's eyes to widen with fright.
Keitaro looked at Alias as he walked by and noticed the compass, dangling by his side. "Alias, it's the compass. That's all that I need. Naru and me were arrested by Construct for having helped you (That's where Alias stopped.). We're facing death penalties!"
Alias's eyes moved back and forth until they became cross-eyed. He blinked his eyes to normal before turning back to the native.
"Shup shup shai, sha sha sho smarmy army shuku. Savvy?"
"………"
"Maliky licky," he clarified as he waved his hands on a 'shoo' fashion at Keitaro.
"MALIKY LICKY!" the natives shouted and the drums picked up again.
Alias then quickly turned to Keitaro in a hushed tone, "Save me!" and then walked back to his throne.
Keitaro was picked up again and was carried away as he called. "Alias, wait! What did you tell them? What about Naru? ALIAS!"
Prisoners whistled and held out their hands, trying to coax their target into coming towards them. Apparently they didn't get it when Naru crushed the hands of seventeen already. The door of the prison opened, revealing Grandma Hina with jail keys in hand. She undid the lock and opened the door for Naru.
"Come along Naru. We don't have much time."
She ran with the elder down the hall, confused as ever. "Mrs. Urashima, what's going on?"
"I still have some power and connections. I'm using them now. We're getting you to safety in the Ranma ½ universe. The governor there is a friend of mine."
"What?" Naru asked with anger. "But Keitaro has gone to find Alias!"
She reeled a tiny bit at Granny's harsh gaze. "We cannot trust a Fanfiction author."
"Hmph. He's a better kid than you think."
"Now's not the time to take any chances. Construct has promised one pardon and one alone. And that goes to Alias. Even if Keitaro succeeds, don't ask me to endure the sight of my grandson and his wife at their deaths. It'd be too much on my old heart. When I get Keitaro to safety, I can insure a trial for the both of you."
"Any trial for us will put us on our deathbeds," Naru spoke.
"Then there's nothing left for us here," Granny said sadly.
They both rushed out into the orbit system about the Love Hina world, reaching the docks for the gummi ships which served as transportation. They stopped at a corner of a storage shed. Around it was a lone man, standing still, waiting. Beyond him was an elite gummi ship, perfect for stealth. Granny then opened the nearby door of the shed, ushering Naru inside.
"Wait here, just in case," she reasoned before shutting the door and approaching the man. "Captain?" she asked the man. He didn't even move in response. "Captain?" she asked again.
The man was then turned a bit to show a commander soldier of the FFA, a knife in the man's heart. Only one thing crossed Hina's mind at the moment: Oh no…
"Good evening Mrs. Urashima," the commander said as he cleaned the blood off of his knife. "A shame, isn't it?" he then pulled out a letter. "He was carrying this. It's a letter to the governor of the Ranma ½ universe. It's from you."
"Oh no," Hina whispered as soldiers with loaded guns pointed at the shed Naru was in. the commander threw open the door, revealing nothing. Not even a layer of dust. He turned to Granny Hina. "Where is she?"
"Where's who now?"
Construct entered in, his uniform attire gone. He turned on the lights of his office as he read a daily report from all the sectors. He placed it on his desk when he noticed something. The box on his desk was slightly open with a document sticking out. He remained unchanged as he looked up.
"As you can see, loyalty is no longer the currency of the realms as Mrs. Urashima has thought."
Naru then came out of her hiding place, both hands behind her back. "Then what is?"
Construct smiled. "Currency and power of course."
"Then I guess we can come to an agreement," she said as she approached him. "I'm here to negotiate."
"I'm listening." That's when one of her arms came out of hiding with a gun pointing to Construct's head. "I'm listening intently."
Her other arm came out, the contract in hand. "The Contract of Restoration has no signatures at all. So the claim is still open to anyone."
"True," he agreed, "but even with a determined recipient it would be of no use to anyone until it bears my signature and seal."
"Otherwise I wouldn't be here," Naru finished. "But let me tell you something very important. You sent Keitaro to get Alias's compass. But it'll be useless to you," she finished lowering her gun a bit.
"Please, tell me why," Construct said with a smug grin.
"I've been to Isla de Muerta, I've seen the treasure with my own eyes. But there's something you should know."
"Oh, I see," Construct interrupted as his smirk grew bigger. "You think that the compass points only to Isla de Muerta, so you want to warn me of its curse. But don't worry. The treasure already sank not too long ago. And besides, my wants are not so trivial. And there are more than a few chests of value hidden in the worlds. So you best use a new bargaining chip."
The gun then rose back up to his forehead and was cocked. I mean sure, she could've pointed it at his throat, but that iron jaw made it protected. Naru led him to his desk and thrust the contract into his hands.
"Take into your consideration that you've robbed me of my wedding."
"True enough," he replied as he got to work. He signed the contract, then dabbed some plaster on it. A beam of light then came from his fingertip and onto the plaster. It was now hardened with the symbol of a hammer depressed into it. "A marriage cut short. Or fate intervening? I must say though, you're sure going to great lengths to ensure the Unknown Alias's freedom."
"These aren't going to him!" she exclaimed as she yanked the contract out of his hands.
"Oh," he said, "to Keitaro then? I still want that compass. Take that into your consideration."
Naru turned to leave with the gun still up, just in case.
"Wait a minute Naru," Construct called. She turned to see him holding up a disc in a clear case. "If you're going to look for either Keitaro or Alias, then search here." He tossed the disc into her hands, the disc itself seeming like nothing special.
"What exactly is this?" she asked.
"It's a disc containing certain coordinates for a special world," he replied. "It's a pirate author port, but the only one I can't influence. It's the best place to start searching for Alias. The OC Graveyard has always been a favorite hangout point for him. I might as well as give you a head start."
"…" she looked at it skeptically. "How can I trust you?"
"You can't," he replied simply before leaving the room, presumably to his bedroom. Naru looked at the disc, to where Construct was, and then back and forth a few times. She then tucked the disc into her pocket and left for the docks.
Date of Update: 6/22/2007