Hey there! Thanks to those who read/reviewed as usual (Foxyjosh : )
Yeah, my friend mentioned something along those line… "how can they explode something in the water?" I mentally slapped myself for that, but at the time I already wrote too far ahead to go back and fix everything. So I figure, if they blast the hull a bit above the water line, as least it would make the ship not-seaworthy, right? Like, water would slosh in and all…. Well, in my imagination it works that way : D
Anywho, time to get off that dreaded island…
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It was a dark, cloudy night, with the giant storm cloud nearly upon the island. But for now, the bay was at peace. There was nary a ripple across its mirror like surface. Moored to the docks were five ships, small, but good vessels nonetheless. The hulls and bowsprits were sturdy. Each had a thick, wooden mast driven into a polished deck, complete with a crow's nest. A captain's cabin was on each of them, and one could assume that the lower levels contained bunks, holds, and a kitchen.
Skipper eyed those ships longingly. But to reach them, the group would have to get through the town square, which was currently swarming with pirates. Skipper and his crew spied from a well concealed alley. The pirates had built giant bonfires throughout the square. They were drinking, singing, and quarreling amongst themselves. There was a wide assortment of creatures: fierce looking Raichus and Electabuzz, brawny fighting types like Machoke and Hitmonlee, grass types, ice types, even fire types. It wasn't a surprise that there weren't many rock or ground species, who would surely be doomed if their ship sprang a leak. But most of all, there were water types, masters of their element and no strangers to the sea.
"Looks like you've got your work cut out for ye, mate." Flint whispered to his friend.
"Scared?" Torq asked.
"Nope." Skipper was smiling, and there was a gleam in his eyes.
"Not even a little bit?" Tottle piped up.
Skipper faced them, and his features seemed to soften a bit, "Only for my mates."
A rumble of thunder sounded above, as if some beast in the clouds was urging the group to begin, to escape from this wretched island.
They huddled in a circled, going over the scheme one last time.
"We're ready, Cap'n," Dorian said, turning to face Skipper.
But he was not there. "Where…?"
Tottle let out a muffled squeak and pointed towards the square.
Flint sighed, "That's Skip fer ye."
Every pirate was silent and stock still, staring at this bold new arrival. Skipper strutted in with an air of arrogance, waving and nodding towards random crewbeasts. He strode to the very center of the square, "Good eve'nin mates. Horrendous night, isn't it?"
For a while, nobeast answered him. Then, a bulky Machoke rose and spat into the fire, drawing his cutlass. The big beast went right up to Skipper and stared him straight in the eye, "Ye've got guts, deadbeast." There was a snigger through the crowds.
The sea weasel smirked, "Aye, that I have. But the question is, have you any?"
The Machoke furrowed his eyebrows, "Whaddaya… ungh!" There was a sharp intake of breath from the mob.
Before the pirate had finish speaking, Skipper had run him through with his rapier. He pulled the sword out of the dead beast and watched as the blood dripped off the double edged blade. "Guess not." The bold Buizel pointed his rapier into the crowd, causing a few to back up, "And what about you lot? Have ye guts or spines, mateys?"
Nobeast rose to face him, not wanting to meet the same fate as the Machoke. That is, until a voice sounded from the crowd, "Skin him!"
With a fevered roar, the mob sprang alive. At once, Skipper headed for the cliffs, slaying any beast in his path before they even had a chance to draw their weapons.
-O-O-
-O-O-
"Buso, what are you doing!" Torq hissed, as the Slowpoke plodded into the square. But the pirates didn't even glance at the cook as he took a burning stick from a bonfire and made his way to the ships. An unfortunate bloke who bumped him too roughly received a frying pan to the face.
It didn't take too long for the square to empty. Now all that could be heard was the cackling of the flames, and the subconscious moaning of the Tyrogue who shoved the imperturbable Buso.
"This is it!" said Flint, as he dashed into the square. The other three followed wordlessly. They each chose a torch just as the cook had done, and set out to do their perilous jobs.
The group arrived at the docks just in time to see a pink, white tipped tail slide over the edge of the pier. Buso went about things his own way.
"Flint and I will take the two on the far right. You and Tottle follow Buso's lead and scuttle the other one on the left. We'll leave the middle'un for ourselves." Dorian exclaimed. They nodded, whispered good luck, and departed.
-O-O-
-O-O-
Skipper hacked away at the dense foliage as he gradually made his way to the top. A miniature forest stretched between the square and the rocky outpost. Although it made the going tougher, the sea weasel was glad that the plant life was there, for it provided covering from the odd bullet that the pirate hoard fired. "Guns are cheap," Skipper thought. In a way, he was lucky that the pirates attacked in a giant mob. Most of them refrained from using their firearms, in fear of hitting a comrade in front of them. Behind him, Skipper could hear the muffled cries of his pursuers, hot on his trail. Before him he felt a cool breeze, and caught the salty scent of the sea. Invigorated, the Buizel charged forward, getting ever closer to his destination. He only hoped that his friends were unharmed and completing their jobs without any trouble.
-O-O-
-O-O-
Fwsh! A strangled gargle was heard as Flint's knife flew into the Sneasel's back, followed by a thud, as the lifeless body hit the deck. The Totodile retrieved his weapon and checked that no other creatures were aboard the ship. Satisfied, he clenched the blazing torch between his jaws and started climbing down a rope ladder slung over the rail. So far, things were going well.
Torq and Tottle had reached their vessel as well. Looking across, they could see the shadowy figure of Buso working hastily on the deck of the other craft. Torq could see the Squirtle's knees knocking together, though he was trying his best to put on a brave face.
"It's alright to be afraid, Tot."
But the tiny turtle shook his head in determination, "I'm going to be brave, like Captain Skip!"
Torq beamed proudly at her young friend. Neither of the two noticed a silent pawed creature prowling up behind them, eyes narrowed and tail swishing.
Suddenly, they heard a voice behind them, "Hey, youse two aren't supposed to be here…" They turned around, and Tottle froze in fright as a Persian descended upon him, cutlass drawn.
Torq reacted quickly, "Tot, defense!"
The Squirtle quickly withdrew into his shell as adrenalin rushed through his body and hardened his plates. The feline's assault was met by a solid barrier, and the steel blade clattered off harmlessly.
The Vaporeon felt her anger rising, "Hey cat, why don't you pick on someone your own size? Is the little kitty scared?"
He was not a little kitty. Nearly two heads taller that Torq, the Persian exposed his fangs in a sneer, "Big talk fer a little maid. I'll make ye eat those words, wench!"
The fins on Torq's head quivered as she bristled with rage. The foebeast struck with his cutlass. Torq parried it, but her opponent had brute strength on his side. She was pushed back against the rail, the Persian nearly on top of her as he forced her own blade closer to her neck.
"Torq!" Tottle cried out. In a bold attempt, the tiny turtle leapt at Torq's attacker and savagely bit his tail.
The cat let out an unearthly yowl as he loosened his hold on the maid. Seeing her chance, she whipped him across the ankles with her dolphin like tail, causing him to fall forward. With a grunt of effort, Torq used the Persian's momentum and flipped him overboard.
"A trick I learned from Captain Skip" said Torq, winking as she helped Tot to his feet. "That was very brave of you, Tottle."
The Squirtle was about to reply when they heard moans of despair from the ship's side. Glancing down, they saw the Persian dangling, claws dug into the hull, his face the picture of fear.
"Mercy! Mercy! I beg ye, missy, help me up! I can't swim!"
Torq scoffed, "Ha! Should have thought of that before you became a pirate!"
"Blackheart!" Tot added, as he threw a bucket down at the cat.
It hit the Persian square on the head and knocked him unconscious. Down he fell, swallowed up by the dark waters.
"Good job, Tot!" the Vaporeon beamed, "Now, let's get this job done."
Tottle shuffled his feet, "Uh oh…"
"What's wrong?"
"Um, when I went into my shell, I dropped the torch and…" he pointed at the charred sticks a distance away on the deck, "the fire kind of went out." He looked down shamefully.
Torq shook her head sympathetically, "Hey, at least we're still alive. We can just run back to the square and grab another one!"
The tiny turtle brightened up instantly, "Yeah! Let's go!"
But just as the two were about to leave the ship, a creature jumped down from the riggings and landed right in front of them. It was another Persian, a female this time.
"That was my brother you two just killed," she hissed, a cutlass in each paw.
Torq's paws twitched, and she realized that she left her rapier further back on the deck. They didn't have a chance running, nor time to turn and dive over the rail. The two were trapped and unarmed.
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The escape is divided into 3 parts, 'cause I figure it'd be too long if I smush them all together.
Next part soon, maybe
ADDED: Ah, Jarkes is right, there is a bit of action/violence in this story. Not intensely graphic gore, mind, but yeah, bad guys get killed, good guys can potentially get hurt, etc. So I'm putting the rating up to T. Thanks for pointing it out!
Canyx