Author Note: Hello yet again. I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while. Scratch that. I mean a month and a half. I might need to work on that.

Anyway, enjoy!

Samantha's Point of View

I hung up, receiving little comfort from the fact that Prim was on her way. I kept thinking, What if we can't find it? Panic was trying to take me over as it normally did when situations got bad. I didn't think it could get much worse than me getting careless and loosing my Ranger Key, which I had.

It was essential to keep my composure, though. If there was one thing I'd learned from AkaRed, it was how important it is to stay calm in these kinds of situations. Panicking would just make things ten times worse.

Unfortunately, I got the panicking instinct from my mom. Keeping it under control was harder now than it used to be.

Taking a deep breath to calm my nerves, I opened the window and slid out, dropping from my room's window on the second floor. It was easy; I've jumped from trees at least twice that height when I was growing up. Like some other things, honestly, it was almost second nature by now.

All I had to do now was wait for Prim to show up. Knowing her, it wouldn't take long.

Prim's Point of View

When I arrived at Sam's house with Marvelous in tow (or, rather, he decided to come just for reasons unknown), the first thing I asked her was, "Where do you remember having it last?"

"It was when I was showing it to Hakase and he was showing me his. I may have dropped it or something!" She was sounding panicked, but the rigidness in her body told me she was desperately trying to not show how much she was freaking out on the inside.

She was failing.

Epicly.

"Then let's check with him," I suggested. "Marvelous, where do you and your crew stay?"

"On our ship," he replied smartly, making me roll my eyes. Pirates staying on a pirate ship...how predictable.

"Can you guys check? I'm not really supposed to be out here, and you know how my parents are." When she asked this and I nodded, relief flooded across her face. "Thank you; both of you!"

"Eh." I shrugged as I gave her a quick hug. "No big deal. We'll get it back for you. You don't have to worry about that."

And with that, I spun on my heel, keeping stride with Marvelous as he headed to his ship. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sam climbing up the side of the wall of her home again, keeping off of her parents' radar, no doubt. It wasn't the first time we'd hung out together past her curfew, anyway; we'd usually go bowling or go to park so I could flirt and she could read.

Samantha's Point of View

I honestly didn't know what to do now. Once I got into my room again, I knew trying to go to sleep was not an option; I was too awake and alert by now for that, so I settled on alternately pacing my room and sitting on the edge of my bed, trying desperately to calm my nerves. I couldn't stay still for long before I was up and moving again.

What I really longed to do was run in the woods and be in the fresh air. No matter the situation, being outdoors always calmed me down considerably.

But I was pushing my luck already by staying awake this late. If my mom found out, I was screwed.

Prim's Point of View

"That," I found myself commented as I stared up, "is a freaking big ship. Do we just climb the ropes?"

"Hai," he replied. Then added on with a smirk as he begun the journey up, "You're not afraid of heights, are ya?"

I glared after him. In all truth and honesty, I was, but I'd sooner DIE than admit that. I started after him, trying to ignore the rocking off the ropes that's ever-present as I tried to focus my mind.

...Good grief, why was I LOOKING DOWN?!

Marvelous, of course, reached the top before I did and took that golden chance to tease me. "What's so interesting about the ground?"

Scowling up at him as I tried to keep my attention on him and not the fact that the ground was becoming farther and farther away from my dangling feet, I found myself fighting the feeling of sickness creeping over me. I was so absorbed in trying not to pass out I didn't realize he had rejoined me on the spot about halfway up the ropes until he was talking.

"You're really afraid of heights...are you?"

"Like hell I am," I replied, lying through my teeth as my pride desperately tried to hide the truth.

More than likely in order to speed up the process of me actually getting on the ship, he wrapped an arm around my waist, all but flinging me over one of his broad, steel shoulders as he started to make his way back up. He wasn't even using both hands: One was holding me in place as I started to try to fight him, and the other was climbing, his knees keeping him perfectly balanced as he still managed to make good time.

"Put me down, put me down!" I squealed in protest, the ground seeming to vibrate far below as we went higher and higher, into the clouds and stars.

"Nope." Even though I wasn't facing him at that time, I knew he was smirking as we finally reached the top. A solid surface under my feet instantly relaxed me as I caught my breath silently, looking to him half bitterly and half thankfully.

"Pervert." I couldn't help but start to pout.

"So are you sure you're not afraid of heights?" He raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest, his eyes telling me he knew already. "And stop pouting."

Then I crossed my arms over my chest. "Yes, I am."

"You're telling the truth?" he inquired, smirking a little wider as I glared daggers at him, wishing for him to stop his prodding before I cracked.

"Yes." My tone was sharp, but my eyes were suddenly on my feet, as if they could have actually given me some kind of way to get past him and his pressing, prodding, and pressuring.

"Really?" His tone was a clear indication he didn't believe me, and I stomped my foot like a little kid.

"Yes!" I turned away from him now, glaring across the night sky as he finally decided to drop it, even though I was positive that would not be the least I heard of that.

"Well, let's get the key back." I pushed past him instantly, rushing into the cabin and looking for the Hakase dude. A guy with a ponytail was doing push-ups, a girl in a dress was making tea, and a girl in yellow was playing cards with a dude in silver.

My first conclusion: I had entered a freak show; please get me out of here. Marvelous was crazy if this was his crew.

My first action: "Hakase!"

He came out of the kitchen, looking alarmed, "Huh? You're...you're that girl from earlier!"

"No dip, Sherlock." I rolled my eyes in response. "Have you seen Sam's key?"

"Oh!" His face flushes a little as he reached into his pocket, pulling it out. "I must have accidentally walked off with it earlier. I'm sorry."

"It's fine. Thanks." I punched him a little in the shoulder playfully, making him cover the spot with a little wince as I took her key back. "She'll see you tomorrow."

I jogged back to the ropes, Sam's key pocketed in my jeans as I peered over the edge. That was certainly a longway down, and I got the horrible feelng I was about to be prodded again by the captain.

"What's the problem? Let's go." He started down easily, and my knees instantly locked and I froze, despite my mind's loud protests against it.

Taking a deep breathe, I breathed out just as he paused his descent, "No."

Tears were stinging my eyes, of shame and fear as he climbed back up. "Admit it; you're scared of heights."

"I didn't say that..." My voice quivered as I let my bangs cover my eyes, my sholders locked as my mind gave up on trying to give me the guts it would take for me to go down on my own.

"Come on. Admit it." And once again, he was implying with his body language we were going nowhere until I admitted my pretty obvious phobia.

I opened my mouth to protest again, but what comes out is a choked, strangled, small sob. "Yes I am, okay?! Are you happy...because...I am not going down!"

My bangs were plastered to my face as I flung mysef into his rock chest, more out of instict than anything else. He hooked his arm around my waist again, lifting me into his iron, yet gentle/comforting grip. "It's alright. I've got you."

Without saying it, he'd told me he was not going to drop me, but I was still rigid as I wrapped my arms around his neck slwwly, cautiously. He began to climb down again, half sliding as he inched his way toward the ground. The closer we came, the tension relaxed in my body, making the pressure in my gut ease and the embarrassment creep its way to my face.

"Do you need some time to calm down or something?" he inquired as he touched down, and I nodded, taking deep breaths and trembling for a couple of minutes. "...Samantha may want her key back sometime tonight."

"Well, duh." Now that my breath was truly caught, I could wipe the fear off of my face like I usually did as I turned on my heel. "Let's go!"