K'so, you should be able to guess who this chapter focuses on, but here's a hint. Izzy and Squint's reunion and Manny and Ellie. Wow, that was a big hint, lol. Please review! Oh, and quick question, should Peaches be with Ethan or someone else? Or should she just be single for a while?
Oh, and Money 100? First, don't worry, it doesn't annoy me at all, in fact, I actually like it when people review lots :) And second, to create an account you just go to the top corner (not the one that has 'unleash your imagination', the other one) and hit 'Sign Up'.
Taz: I, Dex and Bronson belong to scoobs5601!
Diesel: I belong to Blumacaw13, as does Rebecca.
Squint embraced his long-lost little sister lovingly, stroking her floppy ears.
"I missed you so much," he sighed. He heard her giggle.
"I missed you too," she admitted, patting his back. He smiled, playfully tugging on one of her long ears. She scowled; that had always annoyed her. She tried to wriggle away from him, but he tightened his grip on her.
"Hey, this is the first time I've seen you in years! I have the right to annoy you just this once!" he protested. She rolled her eyes.
"Whatever..." she squeezed her brother very tight on purpose, smirking as she heard him struggle to breathe.
"Iz? Izzy? Izabella! C'mon, I know you're doing that on purpose!" he gasped. She finally released him, and he took several deep breaths to recover.
She grinned triumphantly. "Ain't so much fun annoying me now, is it?" she teased, poking his arm. He swatted her paw away, before pulling her in for another hug.
"So, how come you're, well, here? I mean, I thought you were... you know, uhm, gone," he managed, feeling awkward saying it out loud.
"Well..." Izzy wondered how to explain "After the mammoth guy dropped me off the side of his ship..."
Flashback (Izzy's POV)
I screamed as I fell down towards the raging water, thinking it was the end.
"Squint!" I shouted, begging for my brother to come and save me like he always did when I got into trouble. But of course he couldn't this time. He was back up on the ship, probably watching me fall, poor guy.
The water was freezing upon contact, and instantly I discovered that the best I could do to stay above the water was randomly splashing. Eventually, I gave up, knowing I couldn't swim anymore, or at least attempt to, I was too tired, and the situation was hopeless. As I began to sink under the surface, I heard Shira's familiar voice begin to sing:
"I remember tears streaming down your face
When I said, "I'll never let you go"
When all those shadows almost killed your light
I remember you said, "Don't leave me here alone"
But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight
Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound"
Squint came to the edge of the ship, apparantly about to jump in after me, but Raz caught hold of him and held him against her chest as Shira continued:
"Don't you dare look out your window darling
Everything's on fire
The war outside our door keeps raging on
Hold onto this lullaby
Even when the music's gone
Gone
Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound
Just close your eyes
You'll be alright
Come morning light,
You and I'll be safe and sound..."
The three left the side of the ship, Shira still limping slightly because of the cut on her side that I hadn't been able to heal. The mammoth captain had been attacked by Gutt once he dropped me, and the wolverine who had injured Shira had gone to help out his friend who was fighting Boris or someone, I hadn't cared who.
As I sunk lower into the water, something grabbed a hold of me, pulling me up, while something else shouted instructions. I looked up to see a young Mountain Lion staring down at me.
I gasped. "A-Are y-you, gonna, e-eat, me?!" I squeaked fearfully. She looked astonished, and shook her head.
"What? Of course not!" she seemed appalled by my accusation "I was only helping you!"
"S-Sorry," I stammered "It's just, I'm a rabbit, and you're a predator, so I thought, I mean, I assumed that..."
"I'd try to rip you apart first chance I got?"
"Yeah."
"Well, I won't," she promised "I can look after you. Once we get out of this ocean, of course. There's an island a little distance away from here, we can go there. If you want."
I shrugged, watching the two ships drift further and further from the small ice floe the mountain lion and I were on. "Sure."
"Cool," she smiled "I'm Marina. And you are?"
"Izabella," I replied "But you can just call me Izzy, if you want."
End Flashback
"So, after a few days, maybe a week, Marina and I made it to the island she was talking about, and since then I just hung out with her. She found a mate, and had a little daughter," Izzy gestured to Kate playing in the dandelions "When she died, her last wish was for me to take care of Kate, as her mate was already gone. I was her last hope, and I never left Katsie after that. Never."
Squint silently rubbed her back as she fought back sobs, missing Marina more than anything. "Poor kid..." he sighed looking over at Kate "She went through a lot."
"And at a young age," agreed Izzy "I doubt she even remembers Marina now, she was so small."
Squint frowned. "That little squirt needs a mom figure," he announced. Izzy nodded.
"Yeah, I'm the most she's had lately, but she needs someone who can really take care of her."
"I'm sure you did a good job, sis," Squint assured her, squeezing her paws. She shook her head.
"Nah, I was kinda suckish at it. Looking after such a young child was hard, especially since-"
"We were the only kids that you ever knew?" interruped Squint, referring to him and the other pirates. Izzy rolled her eyes.
"I suppose, but I meant since I wasn't too far off one myself at the time. I mean, sure, this was all only a few months ago, but still, I've always been more childish than I should be! You knew this!" Izzy flapped her hands wildly to emphasize her point. Squint chuckled, before slipping his arm around her neck.
"Heh... yeah, that's just about right..." he smiled at his sister. She elbowed him in the stomach, but only jokingly, of course. Suddenly, Sid waddled over.
"Hey Squint, who's your friend?" he asked curiously. Squint grinned proudly.
"Sid, this is my amazingly awesome little sister Izabella, or, as we all call her, Izzy!"
Izzy smiled politely. "Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you two, cutie-pie!" cooed Sid. Izzy tensed, as if fighting a sudden urge to attack.
"Call me that again, and you won't be able to see past the stars," she threatened. Sid looked confused.
"What stars, little one?" he asked innocently, not getting that he was annoying her. Izzy jumped up so she was level with Sid's face, before swinging herself around and kicking him in the face. Hard.
Sid stumbled backwards, unbalanced by the rabbit's kick. "Oh, those stars..." he muttered painfully. Izzy nodded smugly, sliding back into her position under Squint's arm.
Squint raised one eyebrow questioningly as the sloth walked away. "Okay, what's up? Why'd you hit Sid?"
"Technically, I kicked him," pointed out Izzy "But I hate being called 'cute' or 'little', it makes me feel small and helpless!"
Squint chuckled as Izzy sulked. "You really haven't changed, Iz..."
"Shut up..." she mumbled, hugging him again. Squint hugged her back firmly, glad to finally have his lost sister back with him again. And this time, he was gonna make sure she stayed safe. That was a promise he'd made to himself. A promise he vowed to keep.
Manny stood alone, looking out over the ocean and thinking. He was so deep in thought, he didn't even notice Ellie approach behind him until she spoke.
"Manny? You okay?"
He jumped slightly. "Woah Ellie, you scared me then!"
"How?" chuckled Ellie "You should've been able to hear a mammoth's footsteps, especially being one yourself!"
"Whatever..." Manny rolled his eyes and returned to staring out over the water.
"Manny? What's wrong?" asked Ellie, surprised with her husband's attitude, especially towards her. Manny sighed, looking down at the grass.
"It's just- when Gutt first took Shira, I promised you that night I would prove the other villains we'd faced were already dead. And now, after all this..." Manny took a deep breath "I realise I was so wrong. Every villain we'd faced besides the water creatures from the Meltdown came back to finish us, and if it wasn't for Oscar changing sides and killing Gutt... or Soto attacking Raz, which provoked Shira's attack... we might not've beaten them."
Ellie stepped forward, linking her trunk with Manny's. "But Manny, sweetie, Oscar did change sides, and Soto did attack Raz, which, in hindsight was incredibly stupid, as it lead to his own downfall, but the point is, all that did happen, and we did beat them, so it's okay."
"Thanks Ellie," Manny smiled gratefully at his mate, squeezing her trunk. He sighed again, and she frowned.
"That's not all that's been bothering you, is it?" she questioned, pulling away slightly to look him in the eye. Manny sighed for a third time.
"No, it's not..." Manny knew what Ellie was gonna ask next, so he answered her question before she could say it "Well, remember when Shira was scared to come back to the herd? Because of me?"
Ellie nodded. "Yeah, I remember. But you guys worked that out, right?"
"Yeah, but I just..." he took a deep breath "I still feel awful that she was afraid to come back to our family because I hurt her... and although she's gotten over it now, I'm not a hundred percent sure Diego has... and anyway, I don't think I've forgiven myself yet for scaring her like that."
"Manny," Ellie stopped him from continuing "I get that you feel bad, but you needn't get so worked up about it! C'mon, you and Diego have been buddies for years, if Shira's okay with it he will be too! Don't freak out, it's all okay now. The villains are gone, and everyone's oka-" she remembered Raz and Shira "-well, no-one's dead at least."
"Okay, okay..." surrendered Manny "You're right, I'm over-reacting..."
"Yes," agreed Ellie "But you're only doing that because you care about your family, and there's nothing wrong with that."
"Thank-you Ellie," Manny replied gratefully, wrapping his trunk around her shoulders in a hug.
"Not a problem."
The two mammoths stood there a moment, just cuddling each-other and watching the sunset. Smiling, Ellie turned to Manny.
"Y'know, we oughtta get back. Peaches'll be worried," she stated. Manny nodded, before frowning.
"Hey, Ellie?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you think... Louis and Peaches... have a... thing, for each-other?" Manny struggled to ask, concern in his voice. Ellie chuckled.
"No, I don't. If anything, Louis has a thing for Taz," she assured him.
"He does?" Manny sounded surprised. Ellie rolled her eyes.
"Duh! Have you ever seen the two interract? They both end up blushing red as a tomato!"
Manny thought for a moment, then nodded. "Oh yeah.. come to think of it, I have noticed that..."
Ellie rolled her eyes at her husband, before slipping out of his embrace and kissing him on the cheek.
"You're so silly sometimes, Manny..." she sighed.
"But you love that about me?" guessed Manny hopefully. She chuckled.
"Sure, why not."
Manny playfully pushed her with his trunk, which she returned, before linking their trunks again. As they started to walk back, Ellie looked up into Manny's brown eyes.
"I love you."
"I love you too," he said, smiling. Ellie was the best thing that had ever happened to him... he just wished she didn't have to get dragged into all the chaos so much.
Sorry, I left you guys waiting ages and then gave you this short little thing. But hey, you Mellie lovers should be fairly happy, considering Mellie isn't a pairing I normally write for *shrugs* Anyways, next chapter is Dira and Laz... mostly, at least...
Thanks for reading and please review! :)