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"Are we there yet or are we lost?" Manic asked for what seemed to be the thousandth time.
"Chill, Manic." Shelby said. "The village is just over that hill."
"So, Shelby, what's you're friend like?" Sonia asked.
"Well, he's really cool, very brave, and was known for getting into trouble as a kid." She joked. "We used get each other in and out of SO much trouble."
"So, do you like him?" Sonia asked.
"Like, how do you mean?" The blue hedgehog asked.
"I mean do you like, like him?" Sonia asked.
"You mean as in a crush?" Shelby asked.
"Uh huh." Sonia said.
"I don't like him like that! I him like as my friend!"
"Sure you do."
"Besides, he likes Isca!"
"Who's Isca?" Double D asked.
"You're asking the wrong hedgehog, I never met her but he did tell me a bit about her the last time we saw each other." The blue hedgehog said.
"You're not the only one in the dark about Mr. Mysterious." Topaz said. "I've never met him either. Whenever she goes to see him, she wants it to be private. For all I know, he could be a bot."
"Topaz!" Shelby cried.
"Just kidding but who is he and I mean his name." The young fox said.
"Don't worry about it." Shelby said. "When you meet him, you meet him."
"Hey, the village is coming into sight!" Manic called before a fight could break out and the last thing they needed at the moment was a catfight or in this case, hedgehog, fox fight.
Shelby ran up to the front of the van and looked out the window. There was a small village near the ocean in a little valley, it was actually a little cute but what se was really looking at was the coast. There were several boats by the docks but she had her eyes open for one certain caravel. And she spotted it at once!
"He's still here!" She cried.
"Who's still here?" Tune yawned when Sonia woke him up from his nap.
"My friend is." Shelby happily replied.
"How do you know?" Sonic asked.
"I can see his boat!" She happily said.
"Which one is it?" Topaz asked.
"I'll show you when we get down there." Shelby said.
"It better be good." Knuckles grumbled, still tired from the long drive.
"Don't worry, he never leaves his ship for very long, a few hours at the most." She explained.
"A few hours?" Sonic asked. "We don't have that kind of time!"
"Well, we could go down to the local info and try to find out where he is." She shrugged.
"And that would be?" Nazz asked.
"The seaside bar." She said.
"A BAR?" They all asked in shock.
"Don't worry, they only look bad." She said.
"Wait a minute." Topaz said. "I remember this place. This is where you got that job before you became a Freedom Fighter."
"What are you talking about?" Sonia asked, shaking Tails awake at the same time.
"That's a story for another time." Shelby said. "Manic, get us down to those docks in ten minutes. I want to see if he's still there."
"On it, if it'll get us some answers." Manic said and drove the van down the hill and into the town.
Ten minutes later…"Okay, we're here." Manic said as he climbed out of the van. "So, where's your friend's ship?"
"It's that one!" Shelby said, pointing to one of the largest ships.
"Whoa, now that's BIG!" Sonic said.
"Looks like we just missed him and crew though." Shelby said.
"Great, so what do we do now?" Manic asked. "Wait here for them to come back?"
"No, you guys can head to that bar over there." Shelby said, pointing to a shady looking building. "Just tell them that you're friends with S."
"What are you going to do?" Ed asked.
"I'll look for them, I know this place like the back of my hand." Shelby said.
"Oh really?" Manic asked.
"You guys don't trust her?" Nova asked, speaking for the first time in a while.
"We just have this weird feeling about all of this." Eddy said. "I mean, what's with and the secrets?"
"I'll be fine." Shelby said. "Just wait in the bar for me. If I don't come back by ten tonight, then you can start to worry."
"Why so late?" Sonia asked.
"They're some times harder to find at times then others." Shelby explained and quickly took off into town.
"Well, if she says not to worry, then I won't." Topaz said.
"I don't know." Sonia said. "She's been really sneaky."
"Do you think she could be seeing someone?" Nazz asked.
"Maybe." Sonic said.
"Or maybe this captain guy is really cute and she does have a crush on him." Sonia added.
"Or may be another member of the crew." Manic suggested.
"Well, we wont know until she gets back." Tails said.
"So we might as well check out that bar." Tune said, pointing to the building.
"Oh, alright." Sonia said.
"Well, it can't be that bad can it?" Manic asked.
"They always say that and it happens." Double D said.
"Totally, dude." Kevin agreed.
"I have a very bad feeling about this place." Johnny admitted.
"We all do, dude." Nazz said.
Sonic opened the door and looked inside. The bar was rather dark and a little creepy. Sonic quickly pointed to a table near the back and the others quickly followed him to it. They quickly took their seats and looked around. Everyone in the bar seemed to be looking at them.
"What'll you have?" The waitress asked.
"We're friends of S." Sonic said, remembering what their friend had told them to say.
"Ah, coming right up." The waitress said.
"But she didn't even give us menus." Sonia said.
"Well, maybe it means something important." Nazz guessed.
"What I'd like to know still, is who owns that big ship out there." Manic said again.
All activities in the bar seemed to stop at once. Everyone was looking at them for sure now. The group could feel their eyes burning at them, with confusion and hate mixed together.
"Come with me." A fox told them and quickly urged them to a wall near the bar.
Not wanting to have all of those eyes looking at them, they quickly followed him to the wall. The fox pressed against it and it revealed a door!
"Inside, quickly." He told them and they quickly entered.
The fox closed the door behind him and looked at the group before him.
"Who are you?" Sonic asked.
"I am the owner of this bar." He told them. "Now, what was that about one of those ships outside?"
"Our friend is friends with the captain of one them and she won't tell us who he is not even his name." Manic explained.
"Do you mean the large caravel by the docks?" The owner asked.
"Depends, which one are you talking about?" Manic asked, he had noticed that there were several large caravels.
"Well, the captain of the largest one is a feared pirate captain. He defeated one of the terrors of the sea. They even say that it was the feared pirate captain, Scar Blade." The older fox said. "I also heard that you're friends with S."
"That's what she told us to tell you." Double D said.
"Oh, well I still owe her for saving my bar from that fire a few years back." The owner said.
"You owe her just for saving your restaurant?" Sonia asked.
"Well, if she didn't save it, it would have gone up in smoke and I'd have gone bankrupt." The owner said.
"Very nice." Sonic said. "Now, this captain's name?"
"Oh yes." The owner said. "His name is Captain Garin. If you hear his name or see him, run don't walk away. Move as fast as you possibly can before you meet the end of his sword."
"Has he ever killed anyone?" Eddy asked.
"Other then the terror of the sea no, not to my knowing." The owner said.
"Well, can you tell us about it?" Tails asked.
"Well, I'll tell you what I do know." The owner said.
For the next few hours, the owner told them everything he knew about the captain Garin. He told them how he became a pirate, how he encountered the terror of the seas, how the pirate captain robbed Garin of his ship and crew, how Garin managed to get this crew back and stop the evil pirate from destroying the village and some of his other adventures. Before they knew it, it was past sun down.
"I guess we were so into those stories that we lost track of time." Manic said.
"It's alright." The owner said. "It happens a lot."
"Well, thanks for the stories but we should get out there, our friend will get worried about us." Sonia said as she opened the door.
The others followed her out the door and back to their table.
"Well, I don't see Shelby anywhere." Manic said, talking his seat.
"I hope she's okay." Nova said, taking her own seat.
"Nova, if there's anything I've learned about Shelby, is that she can take care of herself." Topaz said.
"Are you sure? Nazz asked.
"She said only to worry if she didn't get back by ten it's not even seven yet." The female fox said.
The door to the bar suddenly opened! Everyone in the bar, like before stopped what they were doing and gasped! There, in the door way was a tan hedgehog with blond fur on top of his head, he wore very tacky pants, a white shirt, a brown vest, a red headband, but what they all laid their eyes was a sword at his side. His indigo eyes looked to the bartender.
"It's him!" Someone whispered.
"It IS him!" Another said.
"It's Captain Garin!"
"That's Garin?" Sonia whispered. "I thought he would be more…I don't know, scary."
"I hear you." Manic whispered back.
They watched as Garin made his way to the bar and looked at the terrified hedgehog behind it.
"I'm looking for a girl hedgehog named Shelby." He said.
"What does he want with Shelby?" Kevin whispered.
"Beats me." Sonic said.
"Lets' keep watching." Sonia said.
The bartender looked rather scared.
"It's not polite to stare pal." Garin said.
"HEY!"
Everyone gasped when they saw Topaz standing on a table, staring Garin down!
"What do you want with Shelby?" Topaz demanded.
"What does it matter to you?" Garin asked like it was no big deal.
"A whole lot!" Topaz snapped.
"Do you know who you're talking to?" Garin asked.
"Do I really care?" Topaz snapped.
"Guess I'll have to teach you you're place." Garin said and reached for her sword.
Double D look around and watched in shock as everyone in the bar made a mad dash for the door. They didn't want to be anywhere near when the mud started flying and soon only Double D, his group and Garin were the only ones in the bar.
"What's going on in here?" A voice cried out.
Those still in the bar looked to the door and saw Shelby standing there, looking very confused.
"Topaz what are you doing up there?" She asked the young fox.
"Shelby, look out! That hedgehog is looking for you!" Topaz cried, pointing to the pirate.
Shelby then looked to him and looked shocked and he looked the same.
"Garin?" Shelby asked in shock. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"
"I was looking for you too, Shelby." Garin said putting his sword away. "I heard you were in town and I started looking for you!"
"Shelby, what is going on here?" Topaz asked.
"Everyone, I'd like you to meet one of my childhood best friends, Captain Garin the Hedgehog!"
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Shelby's friends with a pirate!? What's up with that? Is Garin going to help them get to Castaway Kay or refuse? R&R to find out.